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Celebrating 42 Years! Issue 39 Volume 44

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Drag superstar descending:

RITA MORENO:

Bianca Del Rio

Born to be a performer

SEC 2 PG 1

Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

Superintendent candidates Support Lambert House! steal the show at GSBA candidate forum

(l) Chris Reykdal & Erin Jones – Photos courtesy of tblog.thenewstribune.com & erinjones2016.org

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Chris Reykdal and Erin Jones, candidates for Superintendent of Public Instruction, stole the show at the GSBA’s September 21 candidate forum with a 15-minute

discussion of educational philosophy and policy. Running for an important but relatively obscure position managing the state’s public schools, both Jones and Reykdal are alike in having childhood experiences that see GSBA page 4

George H.W. Bush:

I’m with her!

Former President George H. W. Bush – Photo courtesy of business2community.com

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Former President George H.W. Bush is reportedly voting for Hillary Clinton in

November, according to a Facebook post from Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. Townsend, a former Maryland lieutenant governor and daughter of Robert F Kensee G.H.W.B. page 12

Photo courtesy of Lambert House

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor In April, Lambert House announced it would need around $2 million to keep its 15th Avenue home of 25 years. The owners’ planned sale of the property came at a time

when Lambert House was considering the possibility of expanding its spaces. “It also coincides with the redevelopment of many properties on Capitol Hill and elsewhere in Seattle, as land values have skyrocketed and older buildings are see LAMBERT HOUSE page 5

Charlotte to McCrory: No compromise City won’t repeal LGBT protections to get state to repeal HB 2, mayor says

Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts – Photo courtesy of sports.yahoo.com

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Charlotte, N.C., will not repeal its ordinance protecting LGBT residents as part

of a compromise with state officials to get them to repeal the anti-LGBT HB 2. Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts turned down the proposed deal on Septemsee CHARLOTTE page 12

Nearly one third of people diagnosed with mental health issues also abuse substances. Please join the entire behavioral health community during National Recovery Month to spread the word, seek support, or reach out to those struggling in our community.

To learn more, visit Sound Mental Health at www.smh.org.

Strengthening our community one life at a time

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September 23, 2016

Celebrating 41 Years!

OBITUARY

Edward Albee dies at 88 by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Playwright Edward Albee, described by the New York Times as “the foremost American playwright of his generation,” died September 16. He was 88. Albee’s longtime partner, sculptor Jonathan Thomas, died in 2005. Albee was openly Gay from the very beginning of his career but insisted that he did not want to be typecast as a Gay writer. “A writer who happens to be gay or lesbian must be able to transcend self. I am not a gay writer. I am a writer who happens to be gay,” he told the Lambda Literary Foundation in 2011, when he received its Pioneer Award for Lifetime Achievement. As a playwright, Albee depicted the sometimes absurd, sometimes horrible situations of modern life. “All of my plays are about people missing the boat, closing down too young, coming to the end of their lives with regret at things not done,” he said in 2012. In 1959, with his first production, The Zoo Story, he wrote about the secret terror underlying the seemingly calm Eisenhower era, as the conversation between two strangers on a park bench becomes increasingly intrusive and menacing. Like many of Albee’s plays, The Zoo Story opened first in Europe – in this case, Berlin – before it got recognition in America. When the play came to the Provincetown Playhouse in Greenwich Village in 1960, it helped propel a new theater movement that came to be known as “off Broadway.” Albee won the first of two Tony Awards in 1963 for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? The harrowing play shocked audiences but also enthralled them, and it ran for more than 18 months. The 1966 film adaptation, directed by Mike Nichols and starring Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, turned the play into Mr. Albee’s most famous work. It “hung about my neck like a shining medal of some sort – really nice but a trifle onerous,” he wrote in the 1990s. In 1965, his play Tiny Alice touched off a running feud with literary critics that would continue for the rest of Albee’s life. Annoyed

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Edward Albee – Photo courtesy of flipboard.com

by critics who, he believed, had missed the point of the play, Albee called a press conference to lecture them about their craft. “It is not enough for a critic to tell his audience how well a play succeeds in its intention,” he said. “He must also judge that intention by the absolute standards of the theater as an art form.” He added that when critics perform only the first function, they leave the impression that less ambitious plays are better ones because they come closer to achieving their limited ambitions. “Well, perhaps they are better plays to their audience,” he added, “but they are not better plays for their audience. And since the critic fashions the audience taste, whether he intends to or not, he succeeds each season in merely lowering it.” Albee continued to write and to produce successful plays, even into his old age. The Play About the Baby opened in London in 1998 and in Houston in 2000 before finding its way off Broadway in 2001. In it Albee revisited the theme of Virginia Woolf, depicting an older couple initiating a younger one into the grim realities of marriage and aging. In 2002, Albee’s daring drama about a love affair between man and goat, The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? won another Tony and ran for nearly a year.

Other major works included: • A Delicate Balance (1967), a Pulitzerwinning comedy about an affluent family whose members reveal their deep unhappiness in stinging verbal combat; • All Over (1971), directed on Broadway by John Gielgud and starring Colleen Dewhurst, about a family awaiting the death of an unseen, wealthy man; • Seascape (1975), another Pulitzer winner, depicting an ominous seaside discussion between an elderly human couple and a pair of anthropomorphic lizards; and • Three Tall Women, based on Albee’s memories of his adoptive mother. The play had its 1991 premiere in Vienna but earned Albee a third Pulitzer after it appeared off Broadway in 1994. In 1967 Albee established the Edward F. Albee Foundation from royalties earned by Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? The foundation funds the William Flanagan Memorial Creative Persons Center (better known as “The Barn”) in Montauk, N.Y., as a residence for writers and visual artists. The foundation’s mission is “to serve writers and visual artists from all walks of life, by providing time and space in which to work without disturbance.”

September 23, 2016

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GSBA

continued from cover inform their political outlooks. Jones is African-American and was born in the United States but moved with her adoptive parents to the Netherlands when she was five years old. She then returned to the US at 18 to attend college. “When I returned here to an elite private college,” she recalled, “I realized kids who looked like me weren’t getting the education I got.” She then decided to follow her adoptive parents into the field of education. Reykdal had a harrowing childhood. “Because of alcohol abuse and other issues, we grew up extremely poor,” he told the audience. “My youngest siblings were in foster care.” He himself was taken in by an older brother. “It made me realize how much injustice there is across the state,” he added. Jones currently sits on the board of Girl Scouts of Washington and said she is proud that last year the board returned a $100,000 donation rather than comply with the limitation that it not be used to benefit Transgender scouts. Reykdal has been a member of the Washington State House since 2011 and, although straight, has been a firm supporter of LGBT rights. He was a co-sponsor of the state’s marriage equality law and drafted an early version of the bill to ban conversion therapy. Asked how the state’s schools could uphold anti-discrimination laws in the face of attacks like the abortive I-1515, the candidates showed interesting differences is emphasis. “We have to defend the Human Rights Commission guidelines,” Reykdal insisted. “And that is going to be a forever fight. There will be a full assault on LGBT youth in this [legislative] session,” he predicted. “We should encourage school districts

(l) Dan Shih and Nicole Macri – Photos courtesy of theurbanist.org & linkedinsecrets.us

to adopt the state standards – because that is still optional. And we need better professional development. It’s not enough to have standards. Teachers have to be trained to implement the standards.” In contrast, Jones emphasized cultural issues. “It’s about leadership,” she said. “Yes, follow the guidelines, but go further. You have to have models. “I want to talk about how we build community. We should stop talking about tolerance. As a black woman, I don’t want to be tolerated. I want to be affirmed!” Podlodowski, Walkinshaw, Macri, Shih Reykdal and Jones took the stage last of all the candidates, following Tina Podlodowski, Brady Walkinshaw, Nicole Macri, and Daniel Shih. A former Seattle City Councilmember, Podlodowski is running for Secretary of

State, the official charged with running the state’s elections and its corporate registration office. Her Republican opponent, incumbent Kim Wyman, was unable to attend the GSBA forum so Podlodowski had the stage to herself. “I got engaged when I saw the 2015 voter turnout,” Podlodowski told the audience. “It was the lowest in the history of the state. Six out of ten eligible voters don’t vote. We’ve gone from twelfth in the nation in voter turnout down to twentieth… “There are 1.6 million people eligible to vote but not registered, and most of them are women, people of color, and people making under $50,000 in income…” Podlodowski’s solution to low turnout is to make ballot envelopes postage-paid, so no one would be forced to buy stamps in order to vote in Washington’s mail-in voting system. The suggestion drew applause from the audience.

Brady Walkinshaw’s opponent for the 7th Congressional District seat now held by Jim McDermott, immigration rights activist and current state Sen. Pramila Jayapal, was also unable to attend the forum, leaving the stage to Walkinshaw. Acknowledging that both candidates are “progressive Democrats,” Walkinshaw ran out of time before he was able to finish telling the crowd what made him different from Jayapal. He was able to mention his “record of building bridges,” citing his work as the sponsor of Joel’s Law, a measure to facilitate interventions on behalf of mentally ill individuals. His ability to work with Republicans on issues of common interest would be helpful in passing the federal Equality Act – civil rights protections for LGBT Americans – he said. Walkinshaw also committed to working toward a certification program for LGBTowned businesses, “so they get the same treatment as other minority-owned businesses,” he said. Nicole Macri and Daniel Shih are running for the 43rd Legislative District House seat Walkinshaw had to give up to run for Congress. Both are Democrats, and judging from their presentations at the GSBA forum, they have almost identical platforms. More a joint appearance than a debate, “I agree with Nicole” or “I agree with Dan” seemed to be the theme of their 15-minute segment. Both agreed that greater legal protections for Trans people and homeless youth should be on the legislative agenda, and both agreed that new revenue sources would be necessary to fully fund the state’s schools. By way of differentiating themselves, Macri emphasized that she would be the first Lesbian elected in the district, while Shih noted he’d be the first Asian-Pacific Islander Gay man.

LEO PARTY XIII a huge success! Leo Party XIII was a HUGE success! Thank you to everybody who purchased tickets, came out and had an awesome time supporting local nonprofits. The food was great, the entertainment was fantastic and the event raised $23,254 from Leo Party Sponsorship, Ticket Sales, and Raffles. All proceeds raised directly benefited Seattle Counseling Service and Gender Diversity. An endless thank you to our SCS Board Member and the Founder of the Leo Foundation, Joe Torres, for his dedication and generosity while annually throwing his own birthday party and donating all proceeds to charity. Thank you to all the businesses who made donations and a BIG thank you to our major sponsor, Muckleshoot Casino. Thank you, for your continued support and advocacy. Last but not least, thank you to all who made the event possible, especially Neighbours Nightclub and staff, the fantastic performers, Roxy Doll for doing a fabulous job emceeing, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Knights of Mantra, Seattle Gay News and thank you to all of the volunteers from SCS who dedicated time from their weekend to help out! [Leo Party XIII was held at Neighbours Nightclub on Sunday, August 14, 2016.] Courtesy of Seattle Counseling Service

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Leo Party XIII – Photo by John Beursken

September 23, 2016

Celebrating 41 Years!

Celebrating, supporting and preserving Lambert House by Paul Torres SGN A&E Writer Lambert House is rooted in Capitol Hill Lambert House is one of the most unique places on earth. Here are the facts: It began in 1981 and now it’s become one of the largest communities of lesbian, gay, transgender, and questioning teens and young adults. It’s not a community center in the traditional sense. This isn’t Orion Center. It is specifically geared for this community, but it is also welcoming to all youth and will not turn away youth in need. It’s a place to gather and meet, to laugh and to love. It’s the place for youth whose spirits have been depleted. It’s also supportive of youth with talented and knowledgeable counselors and volunteers. Now, Lambert House at 1818 15th Avenue on Capitol Hill needs our help. The house is slated to be sold. This is sad news for youth and for those of us in the Seattle region. We need to keep one of the most unique and safe places on earth around for years to come. Its current location is perfect due to it being centrally located. Youth from Pierce and Snohomish and beyond come here. According to Executive Director Ken Shulman, youth come from all regions serving 135 ZIP codes – mostly equally. Even being slightly outside this core area, Capitol Hill, some LGBTQI youth will be left to fend for themselves. Shulman has certainly done his part. In 2003, Lambert House was insolvent. After he took the reins, he had it back in the black in six months. He developed community awareness with key leaders and diverse revenue streams and now maintains

a six-month reserve fund. Unfortunately, the over-the-top reality of Seattle’s current real estate market has come calling on their doorsteps. Lambert House is a fixture on the Hill. It has so many success stories. They are campaigning to raise $2.5 million dollars. They are requesting you to donate (www.savelamberthouse.org) and to

places that come to the colorful doorsteps of Lambert House every day. Fortunately, some very giving and talented community members are stepping up. Local pianoman Victor Janusz and vocalist K.C. Compton are heading up a benefit entitled “Bravo for Belonging!” this Monday, September 26, at the Market Theater (1428 Post Alley) at Pike Place Market from 6:00 pm to

rock sound, a blues band… (because) the world needs this” he adds “in this isolation of a new generation we need a new spirit of acceptance.” K.C. Compton concurs, that it’s important youth have a place to “express who they are.” Lambert House is such a place and Janusz and Compton plan on an exciting evening to raise money and be “agents for change and transformation (and) musicians for change – to call on creative people to lead and be “empowering artists and musicians to use our superpowers for good.” A final appeal to you Lambert House has long been a place to find wonderful volunteers and staff. One of those is Brandon Knox. Knox is the enthusiastic Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator. He wants to emphasize the youth are the stars of the show, this show being a place to socialize and gain skills. Lambert House is a place where they come to as nervous, but quickly get comfortable. After that, they are free to be themselves. That is all we need to know about what it does. Of course, you can check it out at http://www. lamberthouse.org/

Lambert House – Photo courtesy of bizjournals.com

share with your family and friends. They would also consider a donation of a home or as a beneficial landlord in the essence of their current stately architecturally unique two-story house. Local talent throws a fundraiser! Sure, there’s more acceptance, but it’s not everywhere. And it’s “not everywhere”

10 pm. Everyone is invited! Unexpected Productions is putting on the show that also expects special talented friends like sax player Medearis Dixson, bassist Dave Pascal, drummer Conor Apperson, Martha Haehl, and Christine Noel Riippi. Get your tickets for $20.00 at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2601644 Victor Janusz wants to bring “a classic

Unite with Common Causes: Shelter & Community We can all get on board for LGBTQI youth in our area. Now, their foundation for strong and confident adulthoods needs an actual physical foundation – their home! We need to assure them a safe and joyous place. Our fellow young citizens are the future community crisis counselors, drag queens, IT specialist, and writers. Lambert House is a place to build those dreams. Begin building dreams now, by donating at www.savelamberthouse.org.

will quickly see how much the place is welcoming and comfortable. At its core, for a concert to benefit Lambert House, LAMBERT HOUSE you means to them. it provides them with a peer group with Seattle’s internationally respected center

continued from cover

being razed to make way for denser and more profitable use,” said Ken Shulman, Lambert House’s executive director. As a result, Lambert House is launching a capital campaign to raise funds to either purchase the house or pay for the move to a new home. Lambert House, which provides a safe place for Queer youth ages 11 to 22 (those aged 11 to 13 require parental consent to participate) got its start in the 1980s. Since then, it has kept a busy calendar of youth activities and provides programs and education centered on Queer issues. (You can learn more about the Lambert House programs at http://www.lamberthouse.org/programs.html.) In 1993, Seattle Times writer Diedtra Henderson reported, “… More than a mix of agencies and programs, Lambert House has become a home. For many youths, school and family are hostile landscapes. At Lambert [House] they can escape isolation, relax, gossip, flirt, dance, gather for monthly house birthdays, collect Christmas gifts, kiss, slug it out in softball games, laugh, cry. Like a mirror, the home at 1818 15th Ave. reflects those who gather inside.” That feeling of family and belonging, building lifelong friendships, and coming into your own as a Queer youth has not changed since the early days when “the House” was just starting out. If you talk to any of the youth that go to Lambert House,

Amy Styer, a teen reporter at KUOW, wrote on August 21, “The Lambert House has welcomed and accepted everything that I am. I’ve made a family along the way.” “Right now the Lambert House is stuck in a predicament,” she reports. “The owners of the house want $2 million by the end of the year, or else Lambert will be forced to move.” In her article about Lambert House, “Queer youth, you’ll belong at this old house,” Styer profiles some of the youth at the house. “I’ve been going to the Lambert House for a year now, 1 to 4 times a week. I’ve made lifelong friends that I can always be myself around. Like my best friend, Maya Vasquez, 19, a transgender female,” said Styer. “Maya is outspoken and spends most of her time talking with the adult volunteers.” “Lambert House made me realize that I need to mature a lot, especially towards politics,” said Vasquez. “I’m an advocate now.” Styer continues, “I often see Johnny Quintana, 17, in the kitchen. According to him he’s gay... probably. Although he’s introverted, he is heavily active in planning events for the Lambert House.” “It’s giving me a clear picture of what I want to do in life, which is helping people and helping the queer community,” says Quintana. “Lambert House is life-saving,” Shulman told KING-5 after he announced to media that Lambert House would need to either pay millions or move. “It’s life-saving by providing a safe physical space that

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whom they feel accepted and where they feel normal.” “The goal is two million dollars by the end of the year,” he said. “If we are unable to raise two million to buy this property before the end of the year, we will move to another leased space.” He’s hoping the community will get behind the fundraising campaign and help Lambert House and the more than 600 youth it serves each year, saying, “They want to be in a space that feels home-like, welcoming, and comfortable,” he said. “And this is that.” Lambert House has set up a fundraising page where supporters can donate any dollar amount they would like or can afford at www.NetworkForGood.org (https://goo.gl/5hrjyQ). Lambert House could use all the help it can get. They have not been able to raise even half of $2 million and the end of the year is quickly upon us. Another way to donate to the cause would be to attend the “Bravo! for Belonging Benefit Concert” for Lambert House at Unexpected Productions’ Market Theatre on September 26 (www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2601644). The show stars the Victor Janusz Band with Vocalist KC Compton and special guests. According to the press release: “Victor Janusz, longtime Seattle piano man and cabaret artist extraordinaire, and KC Compton, a singer new to Seattle, team up

for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth. Bassist Dave Pascal, sax player Medearis Dixon, and drummer Conor Apperson complete the ensemble that will rock a variety of styles, including blues, jazz, ballads, and originals, with veteran Kansas City musician Martha Haehl and Seattle musical theater siren Christine Noel Riippi as special guests. “The musicians are joining forces for this concert as a statement that LGBTQ kids belong to all of us and their welfare is in all our hands. LGBTQ young people are an especially vulnerable population, and community-building is the primary prevention strategy Lambert House employs for an entire constellation of risks (homelessness, suicide, bullying, sexual exploitation, and medical issues) that disproportionally affect these youth. “All proceeds will be donated to the Lambert House capital campaign to purchase a house the center can call home, since the current landlords have said they plan to sell later this year. “The show is scheduled from 6 to 7 p.m. (for cocktail hour meet-and-greet), with a 7–9 p.m. performance located at Unexpected Productions’ historic Market Theater (1428 Post Alley, Pike Place Market, entrance at the Gum Wall). Tickets are just $20, available through Brown Paper Tickets. To donate directly to Lambert House’s capital campaign, go to www.SaveLambertHouse.org.”

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HUD requires equal treatment of Trans people in shelters by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued the final version of its guidelines on shelter access for Transgender people on September 20, requiring all shelters that receive federal funding to provide emergency short-term housing based on gender identity. This rule amends the groundbreaking LGBT Equal Access Rule issued by HUD in 2012 that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and marital status in public housing and HUD’s core housing programs. Under the new regulation, Trans women would be accommodated with cisgender women in shared sleeping and bathing spaces, and the same would apply to Trans and cisgender men. The HUD regulation instructs shelters to disregard complaints of other shelter residents when the sole basis for the complaint is the perceived gender. “A recipient may not make a determination about services for one beneficiary based on the complaints of another beneficiary when those complaints are based on gender identity,” the rule states. The provision does allow that “under narrow circumstances, a written caseby-case determination can be made as to whether an alternative accommodation is necessary to ensure health and safety.” “We applaud HUD for providing such clear guidance to shelters and for affirming the equality and dignity of transgender people,” National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) Policy Director Julianna Gonen said in a statement. “This new rule ensures that no transgender person will be denied shelter simply because of who they are and that transgender women, in particular, will no longer be forced to choose between being housed with men or going without shelter. This is a huge step forward for the transgender community and will empower transgender individuals who need shelter to stand up for

HUD Secretary Julian Castro – Photo by Gage Skidmore

their rights. We strongly support this rule and the example that it sets for policymakers across the country that our laws and policies should respect and affirm the people they affect.” According to a 2011 National Transgender Discrimination Survey conducted by the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National LGBT Task Force, nearly one in three Trans people who sought access to homeless shelters had been turned away on the basis of gender identity at some point in their lives. Of those accepted into a shelter, 42% were forced to stay in facilities designated for their assigned birth gender rather than that with which they identified. Many respondents reported experiencing harassment and physical and sexual abuse, and

nearly half said they had to leave the shelter because of this abuse. A study conducted in 2015 by the Center for American Progress and the Equal Rights Center reported similar findings. Researchers called up 100 homeless shelters to inquire if they had space available for a Transgender woman. Only 30% of the shelters were willing to house Transgender women with other women. Another 21% refused them shelter altogether. “A person seeking shelter is already in a very vulnerable situation, and they deserve to be treated with dignity when they request our assistance,” HUD Secretary Julián Castro said in a statement when the rule change was first proposed in November last year. “This rule takes us one step closer to

full acceptance of transgender men and women, and will ensure they receive the proper services that respect their identity.” In May, the Obama administration directed public schools to provide Transgender students with facilities, including bathrooms and locker rooms, appropriate to their gender identity. The instruction is now on hold pending litigation. The Justice Department is also challenging North Carolina’s notorious HB 2 law, which requires people to use public restrooms in accordance with the gender they were assigned at birth.

Arizona court turns down challenge to Phoenix anti-discrimination ordinance by Mike Andrew SGN staff Writer An Arizona court turned down a socalled “pre-enforcement challenge” to a Phoenix ordinance barring discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity on September 19. Brush & Nib, a small calligraphy company, had sued the city of Phoenix, hoping for a court order preventing enforcement of the ordinance on the grounds that the religious beliefs of the two owners prevented them from producing hand-drawn wedding invitations for same-sex couples. The company was represented by the well-known anti-LGBT group the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which argued that the Phoenix law “forces the studio’s two young female owners to use their artistic talents to promote same-sex ceremonies” and “forbids the studio, Brush & Nib, and its proprietors from publicly expressing their Christian belief that marriage is the union of one man and one woman or explaining why they hold to that time-honored view.” The type of suit filed by ADF is called

6 Seattle Gay News

(l) Breanna Koski (artist) and Joanna Duka (calligrapher) of Brush & Nib – Photos courtesy of squarespace.com

a “pre-enforcement challenge” because no one has even asked Brush & Nib to create invitations for a same-sex wedding. The point of the lawsuit is simply to get a court order overturning the law.

September 23, 2016

According to the website Joe My God, Brush & Nib “appears to have no physical address” and “their social media presence goes back only a few months,” which led to speculation that the company was created

for the express purpose of challenging the Phoenix anti-discrimination ordinance. If that was the strategy, it failed miserably. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Karen A. Mullins dismissed ADF’s motion for an injunction blocking enforcement of the law. “Plaintiffs are not likely to succeed on the merits given that the Phoenix ordinance does not violate Plaintiffs’ right to free speech and does not impose a substantial burden on their exercise of religion,” she wrote. “The possibility of irreparable injury is quite small, at best, given that Plaintiffs are free to express their beliefs on their business website and may practice their religious beliefs without substantial burden. The balance of hardships favors Defendant City, given the government’s interest in allowing its citizens to enjoy public accommodations free of discrimination based on sexual orientation. Finally, the public policy underlying anti-discrimination laws for sexual orientation runs contrary to the requested injunction. Thus, the Court declines to grant Plaintiffs the preliminary injunction requested in this case.”

Celebrating 41 Years!

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September 23, 2016

Seattle Gay News 7

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September 23, 2016

Celebrating 41 Years!

EDUCATE. INSPIRE. TAKE ACTION.

Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals: 1933 - 1945 This important exhibit

reveals the ruthless Nazi united states holocaust memorial museum

campaign against gay men, who were among those deemed “enemies of the state.” A touring exhibit of the USHMM WITH CONTEMPORARY PHOTO ESSAY

robin hammond

WHERE LOVE IS ILLEGAL

Presented alongside a contemporary photo essay, Where Love is Illegal, these exceptional exhibits explore an ongoing narrative of persecution and bold resistance. Where Love is Illegal is the work of acclaimed photojournalist Robin Hammond. Open Sundays and Wednesdays 10am - 4pm | September 11 - October 31 Plan your visit at HolocaustCenterSeattle.org call to schedule community and student groups: 206-582-3000

Community Tours : Richard

School Tours: Julia

2045 Second AVE, Seattle | Second & Lenora Learn more about the Center’s important work at HolocaustCenterSeattle.org Visit us online www.sgn.org

September 23, 2016

Seattle Gay News 9

MoSS Alley MotorS, Inc. SpecialiStS in VolVo, Honda, toyota and Subaru

932 12th ave. Seattle, Wa 98122 (206).325--.3992 www.mossalley.com Seattle’s most progressive auto shop!

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September 23, 2016

Celebrating 41 Years!

Dallas Pride: Thousands turn out for parade under tight security and boiling temperatures by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer Temperatures hitting as high as 96 degrees on Sunday afternoon didn’t keep an estimated 45,000 people from attending the Dallas Pride Parade, and neither did tightened security that saw law enforcement officers scattered throughout the city’s Gay district, Oak Lawn. The 33rd installment of the Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade kicked off at 2pm on September 18 at one end of Cedar Springs Road with spectators of all ages crammed along the spectator railing, sidewalks and outdoor bar patios. “Solidarity Through Pride” was this year’s theme, reflected not only in the colorful floats and costumed people appearing in the 2.5-hour long parade, but also amongst the crowd, which was a noticeable mix of Latinos, AfricanAmericans, Gay men, Lesbians and a wide range of age groups. Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings started the parade, marching with a small contingency of public officials behind a procession of fire trucks, police vehicles and sheriffs riding on horses. Burke Burnett, selected as one of the grand marshals by a community-wide voting system, and his husband Justin Carrier sat atop a black Maserati convertible with matching shirts that read “DAD2.” The couple met in the Oak Lawn neighborhood years ago and are now married with two young sons. Burnett co-founded a support network called SOS (Survivors Offering Support), after a series of violent attacks in Oak Lawn, that provides helpful resources to victims, from medical expenses to lost wages to counseling referrals and legal assistance. Todd Maria, the second Grand Marshal chosen this year, followed in a silver Maserati convertible with a companion. Originally from Hawaii, Maria is head coach of the Lost Souls Rugby Club and has increased its visibility within and outside the community, inviting players of all ages, backgrounds and sexual orientation to participate on the field and off, such as getting involved with canned food drives and other fundraisers to assist those less fortunate. Sunday’s parade was sponsored by TMobile and featured local organizations,

Dallas Pride – Photo by Albert Rodriguez

bars and clubs, politicians, churches, resource centers, royalty courts and radio stations, in addition to major corporate chains, including AT&T, Kroger, Chipotle, FritoLay, JC Penney, Metro PCS, Wells Fargo, Hilton, Chase, Supercuts, Bank of America and two Dallas-based airlines, American and Southwest. Nearly all of the marching contingents, especially those riding along the parade route on designed floats, threw goodies out into the crowd, from party beads to sunglasses to Frisbees. Others tossed teeshirts, packaged snacks, baseball caps and plastic flower leis to onlookers on both sides of the street. Even bottled water, a godsend on this scorching afternoon, was distributed by a few organizations during the parade,

something much more useful than beads. While the focus of the parade was about unity and celebration, there were political statements made by organizations reminding the public to register to vote in November’s election and the Florida tragedy earlier this summer. Local Hispanic club Kaliente held a large banner with the words “We Are Orlando” underneath its bar name. Caven Enterprises, which owns multiple Gay bars in Oak Lawn, also memorialized the tragedy with a beautiful float and the words “Orlando. June 12, 2016 – We Will Never Forget”; and the words “We Stand With You” were imprinted on the float’s skirt, as drag queens all dressed in sequined navy blue gowns waved to by-

standers. And, a small troupe of military veterans marched with a banner that read “This Is Our Community – We Will Never Forget – Orlando Is In Our Hearts Forever.” The Oak Lawn Band entertained the large crowd with new and old tunes while wearing matching white shorts and red tee-shirts; its conductor donned a rainbow colored ankle-length skirt. Members of the Black Gold Winterguard, sporting black shorts and tank tops with black and yellow tube socks marched in front of the band spinning faux rifles into the air. Grace United Methodist Church held up small signs reading “Jesus Thinks You’re Fabulous” and “Faith Hope Love. 1 Corinthians 13:13.” Dallas Summer Musicals, a non-profit organization that promotes live theater in North Texas, played Whitney Houston songs to boost the upcoming theatrical production of The Bodyguard, set for a July 2017 run at the Music Hall at Fair Park. North Texas Unitarian Universalist Church drove a school bus through the parade with a large banner reading “Give ‘em not hell, but hope and courage, and teach universal love,” as church members inside waved posters on sticks with the words “Loving the Hate out of the World.” The Miller Lite Festival in the Park, also presented by T-Mobile, was staged at nearby Reverchon Park, although it took nearly an hour to get there with crowd congestion and no signage to help out-of-towners, like myself, find it. Due to the recent Orlando massacre and Dallas police shootings, attendees were not allowed to bring purses, bags, or backpacks into the festival area, which discouraged many from entering. Those who complied with the strict rules, and who also forked over the $10 admission, were treated to live entertainment, freshly made food for purchase, and an array of community booths with vital information and resources from local LGBT businesses. Other events during Dallas Pride included a “Gay Day” at Six Flags Over Texas amusement park and a sold out Gay Bingo at S4 (Station 4), which featured local drag celebrities and close to $2,000 in cash given away. To attend next year’s event, go to dallaspride.org; and for travel information on Dallas, check out visitdallas.com.

Trump’s a crook, WaPo says by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Donald Trump used money from his charitable foundation to settle lawsuits against his for-profit businesses, according to a Washington Post investigative story by reporter David A Fahrenthold. Fahrenthold documents four newly discovered cases in which Trump used some $264,000 of Trump Foundation money to pay off legal settlements and other businesses expenses. In one case, Trump agreed to donate money to a separate charity in order to settle fines levied by Palm Beach, Fla. Town officials charged Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort with violating local codes when a flag pole was installed that was nearly twice as tall as allowed. The town began to fine Trump $1,250 a day. Trump’s then sued Palm Beach in federal court, saying that a smaller flag “would fail to appropriately express the magnitude of Donald J. Trump’s patriotism.” To settle the suit, Trump agreed to donate $100,000 to a veterans’ charity, but the money came from the Trump Foundation

Michael Israel, painter of the 6ft tall portrait of Trump – Photo courtesy of youtube.com

rather than the for-profit resort. In another case described by the Washington Post, Trump was sued by the winner of a hole-in-one contest at one of his golf courses for refusing to pay the man the million-dollar prize he expected, and sub-

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sequently agreed to pay $158,000 to a charity to settle the suit. The money was paid by the Trump Foundation in this case, too. Trump also used Foundation money to pay for business expenses. In 2013, Trump used $5,000 from the charity to buy advertisements touting his chain of hotels, and in 2014, Trump spent $10,000 of the foundation’s money on a portrait of himself bought at a charity fundraiser. This is in addition to the $20,000, sixfoot portrait of Trump – also bought with Trump Foundation money – that Trump acquired in 2007. If the payouts documented by Fahrenholdt did, in fact, happen, they would violate federal tax rules against what is called “self-dealing,” in other words using charitable contributions for private purposes. If the IRS finds that Trump violated rules against self-dealing, it could fine him and require him to reimburse the Trump Foundation for the expenses it incurred on behalf of his business interests. The latest revelations are not the first cases in which Trump is alleged to have used char-

ity money to advance his personal interests. A previous Washington Post story revealed that in 2013 the Trump Foundation gave $25,000 to a political group supporting Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. That gift was made about the same time that Bondi’s office was considering whether to investigate fraud allegations against Trump University. After the donation, Bondi dropped the investigation. Trump created the Foundation in 1987 and at first was its only donor. But in 2006, Trump gave away almost all the money he had donated to the foundation, leaving it with just $4,238 at year’s end, according to tax records. Then, he transformed the Trump Foundation into a name-branded charity that took no donations from Trump himself but relied on contributions from his friends and business associates. Trump gave relatively small donations in 2007 and 2008, but nothing after that. The foundation’s tax records show no donations from Trump since 2009.

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Sixty percent of Americans agree… Trump’s a bigot by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Sixty percent of respondents to a new Washington Post/ABC News poll agree that Donald Trump is “is biased against women and minorities.” At the same time, many of those same people plan to vote for him. According to the poll, Clinton leads Trump among likely voters by only five percentage points, 46% to 41%. Libertarian Gary Johnson gets 9% in the poll, and Green Jill Stein gets 2%. Among the larger pool of registered voters, Clinton’s lead grows to 10 points, unchanged from last month’s poll. Neither candidate is popular with voters. Almost two-thirds of the respondents agreed that Trump is a bigot, with 48% believing that “strongly.” College-educated whites believe this by 57% to 41%, and college-educated white women believe it by a whopping 61% to 39% margin. “At this point,” poll director James Downie says, “the only group of voters that doesn’t think Trump is biased is white men without a college degree.” On the other hand, almost 60% of the

G.H.W.B.

continued from cover nedy, put up a photo of herself with the former president and the caption “The President told me he is voting for Hillary!!” Townsend posts on Facebook under the name Kathleen Hartington and has been a vocal supporter of Clinton’s candidacy. The Bush family did not confirm the report but did not deny it either. “The vote President Bush will cast as a private citizen in some 50 days will be just that: a private vote cast in 50 days,” Bush

Hillary and Trump – Photos courtesy of abcnews.go.com and nytimes.com

respondents say Clinton granted special favors to donors of the Clinton Foundation. Both candidates’ supporters say they are motivated more by misgivings

about the other candidate than enthusiasm for their own. Fewer than half of Trump’s supporters, 46%, say they are “very enthusiastic”

spokesperson Jim McGrath told reporters. “He is not commenting on the presidential race in the interim.” George H.W. and his son, former president George W. Bush, said in May that they would not endorse Donald Trump. H.W.’s son and W.’s brother, Jeb Bush, was one of Trump’s unsuccessful opponents in the 2016 Republican primary. Trump repeatedly maligned Jeb as “low-energy” and derided W. for his unsuccessful Iraq policy. Jeb repeatedly denounced Trump for his “abrasive, knownothing–like nativist rhetoric.” However, Jeb ruled out support for Clin-

ton in a Washington Post editorial in July, writing, “I haven’t decided how I’ll vote in November – whether I’ll support the Libertarian ticket or write in a candidate.” Many Republicans close to the Bush family have indicated they will vote for Clinton, including Brent Scowcroft, George H.W. Bush’s national security adviser, as well as Sally Bradshaw, a longtime top aide to Jeb Bush. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton is bouncing back after a week of bad polling news, upping her lead over Donald Trump to five points, according to a new national poll released September 20.

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ber 19, as local LGBT leaders accused Republican Gov. Pat McCrory and Republican lawmakers of “holding Charlotte hostage.” McCrory has been under pressure from business leaders to repeal HB 2 and end the nationwide boycott of North Carolina, which has already cost the state more than $395 million. Republican legislative leaders had made dropping the city ordinance a condition for repealing HB 2. However, Charlotte’s city attorney wrote a memo to the City Council saying that the state legislature doesn’t need the city to rescind its ordinance in order to repeal HB2. “Some people don’t realize there’s no legal reason for Charlotte to do anything, and that’s the point we want to make clear to the community,” Roberts told the

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Gov. Pat McCrory – Photo courtesy of media.mcclatchydc.com

September 23, 2016

Charlotte Observer newspaper. HB 2 was passed in retaliation against Charlotte’s civil rights ordinance. The state law repealed the Charlotte measure, forbade other cities from passing similar laws, and specified – among other anti-LGBT measures – that Trans North Carolinians must use restrooms that correspond to the gender assigned them at birth. State Rep. Chris Sgro, executive director of Equality NC, called HB 2 “the worst anti-LGBT law in the nation.” Meanwhile, McCrory was embarrassed when the Charlotte Observer revealed that his staff had planted questions at a September 16 press conference to prevent reporters covering the event from asking him questions about HB 2. According to the Observer’s editorial page editor, the moderator of the press event introduced three questions by saying they were from the Charlotte Observer. The

about his candidacy. Even fewer, 33%, say the same for Clinton. Meanwhile, 80% of Trump supporters feel Clinton would do real damage to the country as president, while 83% of Clinton supporters feel the same way about Trump. On the question of which candidate has the right personality and temperament to be president, large majorities pick Clinton, who beat Trump on this score by 61% to 30%. Trump’s supporters report greater interest in the campaign and greater likelihood of voting. More than 60% of registered voters who support Trump say they are following the campaign very closely, and 93% say they are absolutely certain to vote. By contrast, only 45% of Clinton backers are paying close attention to the race, and 80% say they are certain to vote, while 20% say they will probably vote or are less likely to cast a ballot. Nevertheless, the poll finds that 58% of respondents expect Clinton to win the election, though only 18% think she will do so easily. Nearly 90% of Clinton supporters think she will win, while just under 70% of Trump backers think their candidate will prevail.

Clinton has 50% support among likely voters, while Trump is at 45%, the NBC News poll found. In the same poll last week, Clinton led Trump 48% to 44%. Clinton maintains her five-point lead when third-party candidates are added in. Clinton has 45% in that scenario, while Trump has 40%, Libertarian Gary Johnson has 10%, and Jill Stein of the Green Party has 4%. Clinton’s lead grows to six points when all registered voters are polled, 49% to 43%.

questions were, in fact, from the governor’s own staff, an event organizer said later. When the Observer’s editor then tried to ask McCrory a question, he objected. “We’ve got three Observer questions answered already,” the governor said. “I think you guys dominate the news enough.” “When the event was over, McCrory did not meet with the reporters who were there,” the Observer editor wrote. “He ducked out a side door and down a hall that led to a back exit. I followed him to try to ask him about HB 2, but his staff blocked me.” McCrory spokesperson Ricky Diaz acknowledged that the governor’s re-election campaign provided the questions but said “we were asked to in order to keep the conversation format going.” McCrory is currently lagging behind his challenger, Attorney General Roy Cooper, in polling, with 44% to Cooper’s 48.7%.

Celebrating 41 Years!

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14 Seattle Gay News

September 23, 2016

Celebrating 41 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

September 23, 2016

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