SGN Sep 30, 2016 - Section 1 by (c) Stratus Group, LLC / Mike Schultz

Celebrating 42 Years! Issue 40 Volume 44

FRIDAY September 30, 2016 FREE!

“Tricolore” presented by Pacific Northwest Ballet

TWIST: Seattle Queer Film Festival lineup 2016

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Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

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UW professor, Karen Broad range of FREE Fredriksen-Goldsen, dental, vision and medical addresses LGBTQ aging services to be offered at in keynote speech giant health clinic

Karen Fredriksen-Goldsen – Photo courtesy of Jayn Goldsen

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) older adults experience different challenges to their health and well-being depending on age group, said Karen Fredriksen-Goldsen, expert on aging in minority populations, in a keynote

speech at the fifth annual Elder Friendly Futures Conference, September 15-16. Fredriksen-Goldsen is a University of Washington professor specializing in the aging, health and well-being in historically see LGBTQ AGING page 5

California requires PrEP education

California Gov. Jerry Brown – Photo courtesy of realtor.com

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer California Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a law requiring that people who get tested for HIV also receive education about PrEP. The new law, known as AB 2640, was co-sponsored by the Los Angeles LGBT Center and AIDS Project Los Angeles

(APLA). It was intended to ensure that high-risk HIV-negative individuals receive information about methods that reduce the risk of contracting HIV, including PrEP and PEP, or post-exposure prophylaxis, during post-HIV test counseling. “We are extremely pleased that Gov. see CALI PREP page 12

Seattle Center – Photo courtesy of seattlecenter.org

People in need of dental, medical and vision services may receive them free of charge at the largest free health clinic ever organized in the State of Washington, Seattle/King County Clinic, Oct. 27-30, at Seattle Center’s KeyArena.

Now in its third year, Seattle/King County Clinic brings together over 100 healthcare organizations, civic agencies, nonprofit entities, private businesses and thousands of volunteers to help undersee SEA/KC CLINIC page 5

HIV surge in China:

Gay students most at risk

A lab worker tests blood samples for HIV – Photo courtesy of pri.org

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer In a report released this month, public health authorities in Nanchang, China, warn of a surge in HIV infections, particularly among university students. Nanchang – formerly known in English as Nanking – is a city of more than five

million people in southeastern China. It is home to 10 major universities. The report from health officials there indicates that the rate of HIV infection among university students has increased 43 percent annually over the last five years. Over 80 percent of the new cases are men see HIV CHINA page 13

EDUCATE. INSPIRE. TAKE ACTION.

Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals: 1933 - 1945 This important exhibit

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

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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 2 Seattle Gay News

September 30, 2016

Celebrating 41 Years!

Tim Eyman charged with campaign finance violations by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Initiative promoter and Donald Trump supporter Tim Eyman has been charged with multiple violations of Washington state campaign finance laws, state Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced on Sept. 23. Ferguson filed papers in Thurston County Superior Court, located in Olympia, in three separate cases. Eyman, his associates Jack Fagan and Mike Fagan, three of their political committees, and the committees’ treasurer, Barbara Smith, were all charged. “Washington’s campaign finance laws require, and Washingtonians deserve, fair, accurate, and timely disclosure,” Ferguson said. “When political committees create confusion rather than transparency, I will hold them and the people in charge accountable.” One complaint alleges that the “Tougher to Raise Taxes” committee improperly repaid loans totaling over $1 million it received from Eyman and three individuals, because it lacked any kind of written loan agreement. The committee also failed to report to the state Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) in-kind contributions it received from other committees in the form of interest payments, the complaint says. The second complaint alleges that the “Bring Back Our $30 Car Tabs” committee violated state disclosure laws by failing to file an independent expenditure report disclosing its spending on campaign ads against candidates who had opposed a separate Eyman-backed initiative. The complaint also alleges that the committee failed

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Tim Eyman – Photo courtesy of oregonlive.com.

to accurately disclose $3,297.75 in interest payments it made on a loan for “Tougher to Raise Taxes.” A third complaint alleges the “2/3rds-forTaxes Constitutional Amendment” committee failed to accurately disclose a $599.66 interest payment it made on a loan for “Tougher to Raise Taxes.” The complaint also alleges that the committee failed to account properly for all contributions it received. Eyman denied wrongdoing in a Sept. 26 statement, but he also promised to revise his reporting to comply with state law. “This year, our committees reported all loans, web videos, and other activities,” he said. “After complaints were filed about some

of our reports, our committees contacted the PDC asking for help and guidance on how to amend the reports to respond to the complaints. Our committees subsequently filed amended reports with the help and guidance of the PDC. We were told this morning that despite our best efforts to follow the help and guidance of the PDC, it is now alleged that the changes made to our amended reports were insufficient. In response, our committees will once again work toward amending our reports to address any new issues.” Senior Assistant Attorney General Linda Dalton and Assistant Attorney General Chad Standifer will handle the Eyman cases for the state, the attorney general said.

September 30, 2016

Seattle Gay News 3

7th Congressional District candidates talk Social Security, Medicare, Obamacare by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Congressional candidates Pramila Jayapal and Brady Walkinshaw talked about Social Security, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA, or Obamacare) at a September 24 forum at Seattle’s Labor Temple. Jayapal and Walkinshaw, who are competing for the 7th Congressional District seat being vacated by veteran Rep. Jim McDermott, were joined by Yale professor Ted Marmor and retired UW professor Dr. David McLanahan. Robby Stern, longtime activist and president of Puget Sound Activists for Retirement Action (PSARA), moderated the panel. In his introductory speech, McLanahan outlined the stakes of the discussion in striking terms. “We are in the midst of a Social Security crisis,” he said. Marmor began with an outline of the history of US social insurance programs – Social Security and Medicare – arguing that Republican opponents of social spending have deliberately obscured how they were supposed to operate. “The most striking fact,” Marmor said, “is that we’ve lost touch with the historical premises of our social insurance programs: There would be no income criteria for eligibility, no means testing; there would be common treatment, common benefits; and funding could be derived from taxes.”

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“We’re in the same position as we were in the late 1950s,” when Medicare was first being debated, he continued. “There is popular support [for expanding social programs], but legislation to do so is blocked by Republicans.” Recounting how the landslide election of 1964 forced conservative Democrats, like then–Ways and Means Chairman Wilbur Mills, to rethink their opposition to Medicare, Marmor concluded, “The politics of Social Security and Medicare are not games played by children.” Jayapal and Walkinshaw, who now aspire to play those games, spoke about their approaches to social insurance and secure retirements for their constituents. “We have to keep promise that we will take care of you when you’re no longer able to work,” Jayapal said. “One sixth of the population – 1.2 million people in Washington – rely on Social Security, and for one-third of the people over 65, it’s their only source of income. “And not just retired people. My husband lost his father when he was still a child, and he was able to go to college on Social Security survivor benefits.” On healthcare, Jayapal noted what she called “medical inflation,” healthcare costs rising more rapidly than incomes. “The cost of copays are too high, the cost of pharmaceuticals are too high, and insurance providers leave the market because it’s not profitable,” she said. “But everyone knows that Medicare is more cost

September 30, 2016

effective than commercial insurance.” “We have to ask how to build the consciousness that health care policy must be taken in the framework of social justice,” Walkinshaw added. “That’s the most important thing to get us to the point where we can do single-payer.” Another problem, Walkinshaw said, is that “as the structure of the labor force changes, people are more disconnected from sources of employment, there are more contract workers, and people lose their employment-based health care.” “The most important thing to do is to stop looking for the most important thing to do,” Marmor interjected. Instead, he argued, there are a number of practical fixes that could be implemented now – given the political will to do so. One such measure, Marmor said, would be to “scrap the cap,” or get rid of the provision that makes the first $118,500 of income taxable for Social Security, but exempts everything over that. When the discussion turned to the ACA, all the panelists were critical, to some degree, of how Obamacare turned out. “I admire the intentions of the ACA, but I’m critical of its operation,” Marmor said. “It included some indirect regulation and indirect social insurance, for example, the provision on covering preexisting conditions. However there are no cost controls. “Advocates of the ACA treated critics like traitors,” he continued. “I think President Obama presumed he had to include

provisions to satisfy Republicans. It was the worst bargain in history.” “The ACA left out 12 million undocumented immigrants, plus legal immigrants if they hadn’t been in the county for a certain amount of time,” thus failing to provide universal coverage, Jayapal pointed out. “It’s hard to dispute the good that came from expanding coverage,” Walkinshaw said, “but it was a mixed blessing because more costs were pushed back on the states.” When asked about the so-called “public option” that, in the end, was left out of the ACA, Marmor responded that “too much faith is put in the public option.” “It’s just an effort to bring public programs into competition with commercial programs,” he continued. “Public health insurance is a great idea. The public option is not a great idea.” “Private companies can drive the public option out because they have more resources,” Jayapal added. In the competition for healthy individuals who would pay premiums but not draw benefits, Jayapal explained, private companies could offer very low initial premiums to attract the most desirable subscribers and absorb any losses until the public option went bankrupt. Then, when their competition was eliminated, they could raise premiums to a profitable level.

Celebrating 41 Years!

Cafe Flora celebrates 25 years October 2-6 Cafe Flora in Madison Valley is turning 25 this October. It began as a pioneer in local farm-to-table vegetarian dining in 1991, working with small farms, before it was common practice among restaurants. Since then they have been recognized nationally for their award-winning, creative vegetarian dishes in Bon Appetit, The Food Network, Vegetarian Times, Travel + Leisure and more. http://cafeflora.com Cafe Flora is a staple in the Seattle community and a beloved gathering place for Madison Valley residents. They were founded by four friends who wanted to create a place for locals to gather and also support the opening of the Bailey-Boushay House, which in 1991 was not widely accepted by most of the neighborhood. They have been a lifelong supporter ever since. The restaurant took off, enticing diners with flavorful and hearty vegetarian dishes with international flavors and farm-to-table produce. They have been a leader in local, sustainable, vegetarian and vegan dining ever since, growing to include an extensive and excellent selection of gluten free offerings. Current owner Nat Stratton-Clarke began working at Cafe Flora in 2005 and purchased the restaurant in 2007 when

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marginalized populations. She is the principal investigator of Aging with Pride: National Health, Aging, Sexuality and Gender Study, the first national longitudinal study of LGBTQ midlife and older adults, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health and National Institute on Aging. Her keynote address took place Sept. 15 at the Lynnwood Convention Center. LGBTQ older adults face disparities in health and well-being compared to their heterosexual peers, including higher rates of disability and mental distress. Lesbians and bisexual women have higher rates of cardiovascular disease and obesity, and gay and bisexual men have higher risk of poor physical health and living alone compared to heterosexuals of similar age. While they are an at-risk community due to the adversity they have encountered, they are resilient and most are aging well. Further attention to disparities within this population is needed, FredriksenGoldsen said. “We want to look at interacting social dimensions to understand aging in these communities,” she said, speaking to an audience of healthcare providers, researchers, and community professionals. “LGBTQ older adults are within every

SEA/KC CLINIC continued from cover

served and vulnerable populations. Over the past two years the Clinic has cared for 7,400 patients and provided $6.1 million in services. This extraordinary undertaking expects to help 4,000 more people over the four-day period this year. Here is how the Clinic works: • Clinic patients receive treatment on a first-come, first-served basis. • Patients may park free of charge in the 1st Ave. North and Mercer Street parking garages at Seattle Center on each day of the Clinic. • Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion, located at the corner of 2nd Ave North and Thomas Street, serves as the ticket waiting and distribution area. Organizers distribute free admission tickets for the day beginning at 5 a.m. Tickets are limited. • Doors to KeyArena open at 6:30 a.m. Patients are admitted by ticket number into the Clinic. • Patients register as they enter. They do not need to show identification or proof of citizenship. • Inside KeyArena, all procedures and services are provided free-of-charge, and

the owners were ready to retire. He shops three to four farmers markets each week to buy produce and goods for their changing seasonal menus and to meet new, up-andcoming farmers and purveyors. A few notable tidbits: • Cafe Flora partnered with Full Circle Farms as the first pick up location for its CSA program, that went on to be a huge part of Full Circle Farms’ business today. • Chef Janine Doran has been at Cafe Flora since 1993 and continues to reinvent their menus, playing with new flavors, ingredients and produce, some of which is grown just for them at local farms like Whistling Train in Kent. • Their Oaxaca Tacos were so popular that when they once tried to take them off the menu customers started a petition to get them back on! Cafe Flora is celebrating its 25th anniversary October 2-6 with a greatest hits menu featuring dishes from past chefs like founding chef Jim Watkins, with a roll back to 1991 prices on Oct. 2, as well as donating a percentage of drink sales for the month of October to Bailey-Boushay House. For complete details visit http://cafeflora.com/ Cafe Flora – Photo courtesy of seattle.eater.com

Courtesy of Cafe Flora

community, and they are diverse.” She also noted we need to better understand how and why many of these older adults are aging well, and what risk and protective factors influence their aging, health and wellbeing over time. Using a health equity framework she and colleagues recently developed, she described three LGBTQ older adult generations, each of which is associated with differing configurations of risks and resources. “We want to understand how health, via equity, is linked to opportunities and challenges,” she said. The oldest group, which FredriksenGoldsen identified as the Invisible Generation, came of age when sexual orientation and gender identity were not discussed. The Silent Generation grew up when LGBTQ people were besieged with negative public sentiment, including a presidential order to fire all gay and lesbian federal employees. The Pride Generation grew up amid activism and social change, including Stonewall and other civil rights movements. Her research finds that members of the Invisible and Silent Generations experience higher internal stigma but lower rates of direct discrimination and victimization, likely because they tend not to disclose their sexual or gender minority identities, which may protect them from discrimination but offers fewer opportunities for social connection and results in smaller social networks; they are at the

greatest risk of social isolation. Members of the Pride Generation are more comfortable with disclosing their identities but are more likely to experience on-going victimization and discrimination. She explained, “We find that many in the Pride Generation experience high rates of discrimination and victimization, which is one of the strongest predictors of poor health. Because of these different patterns of risk, health disparities are common across all three generations, yet they are a highly resilient population and despite the risks they face, most are aging well.” The participants in this national study range in age from 50 to over 100 years old. Identity disclosure to healthcare professionals is important for addressing particular health issues, and LGBTQ older adults as a whole are becoming more willing to disclose over time. Rates of refusal to disclose sexual identity on Washington state public health surveys have decreased for older adults from 4.07 percent in 2003 to 1.55 percent in 2010. “LGBTQ older adults are very diverse in terms of their multiple identities and this needs to be considered in order to understand their aging,” said FredriksenGoldsen. “It’s so important to think about and understand their needs.” She emphasized the importance of training healthcare professionals in interacting with LGBTQ adults sensitively and positively, noting that negative reactions decrease future disclo-

sure and result in further marginalization. Engaging and working directly in communities is a significant part of Fredriksen-Goldsen’s research. “The communitybased collaboration was critical,” she said. Based on these research findings, a new Seattle-based non-profit organization, Generations with Pride, has been developed and offers safe-space trainings for healthcare and aging providers, addressing particular needs and the diversity of LGBTQ older adults. The organization also offers programming and social and cultural opportunities for LGBTQ midlife and older adults and their families. Fredriksen-Goldsen called for evidence-based programs and policies and interventions targeted to the needs of LGBTQ older adults, with specific attention to diverse groups in these communities, including the unique needs of transgender and bisexual older adults and LGBTQ older adults of color. Dr. Fredriksen-Goldsen was recently named as one of the top 50 Influencers in Aging by PBS’s “Next Avenue.”

interpretation services are available for those who need them. • Patients may seek services in up to two areas per day, but they are not able to seek care in both dental and vision in one day. They may return to the Clinic on other days for additional services. Seattle/King County Clinic transforms the form and function of KeyArena. The licensed healthcare professionals and general support volunteers who staff it donate their time and expertise. Patients receive real, and in many instances, extensive care including dental fillings and extractions, comprehensive eye exams and free prescription eyeglasses, physical exams, Pap smears, mammograms, EKGs, x-rays, lab tests, flu vaccines, foot care, acupuncture and much more. Information is available at: www.seattlecenter.org/patients

tion of a caring community to make a difference for the most vulnerable among us. By meeting immediate healthcare needs and providing connections for ongoing care, it is hoped that this event will positively impact the health of the region and raise awareness of the scale of those left out of the current healthcare system. Learn more about Seattle/King County Clinic at: www.seattlecenter.org or by calling 206-684-7200.

The Clinic is made possible by thousands of donated work hours as well as cash and in-kind donations. Healthcare professionals and general support volunteers may sign up for a variety of work shifts through an online registration system at: www.seattlecenter.org/volunteers. The Clinic accepts donations at: www.seattlecenter.org. Organizing and implementing an event on this scale represents the serious dedica-

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September 30, 2016

For more information, contact Fredriksen-Goldsen at (800) 558-8703 or AgePride@uw.edu. Her research can be found at http://caringandaging.org/wordpress/ published-articles. Courtesy of Aging with Pride: National Health, Aging, Sexuality and Gender Study – University of Washington

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Labor Dept. sues homocon Peter Thiel by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The U.S. Department of Labor announced on Sept. 26 that it is suing Palantir Technologies and its owner, homocon Peter Thiel. Thiel’s company is charged with systematically discriminating against Asian job applicants. As a class-action suit, the Labor Department’s action seeks relief for the affected class including lost wages, interest, retroactive seniority, and all other lost benefits of employment. The suit follows a compliance review by the Labor Department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), which found that from Jan. 2010 to the present, Palantir violated Executive Order 11246 by: • Using a hiring process and selection procedures that discriminated against Asian applicants for software engineering positions on the basis of their race; • Maintaining a hiring process in which Asian applicants were routinely eliminated in the resume screen and telephone interview phases despite being as qualified as white applicants; and • Hiring a majority of applicants from a

Peter Thiel – Photo courtesy of qz.com

discriminatory employee referral system. The overwhelming preference for referrals, combined with the contractor’s failure to ensure equal employment opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, resulted in discrimination against Asian applicants, the suit alleges. “Federal contractors have an obligation to

ensure that their hiring practices and policies are free of all forms of discrimination,” said OFCCP Director Patricia Shiu. “Our nation’s taxpayers deserve to know that companies employed with public funds are providing equal opportunity for job seekers.” The department filed the complaint after it unable to resolve its own findings of discrimi-

nation through negotiations with Palantir. Palantir provides software and data analysis services under federal contract to the FBI, the U.S. Special Operations Command, and the U.S. Army. In addition to Executive Order 11246, OFCCP enforces Sec. 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974. These laws make it illegal for contractors doing business with the federal government to discriminate in employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. In addition, contractors are prohibited from discriminating against applicants or employees because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their compensation or that of others. Thiel, who financed the Hulk Hogan lawsuit that bankrupted Gawker – allegedly because the gossipy website outed him – is a supporter of Donald Trump. The Huffington Post recently reported that Trump was thinking about appointing Thiel to the U.S. Supreme Court if elected president.

Trump to blame for debate disaster, staff says by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Donald Trump’s debate performance was a “disaster” and Trump himself is to blame, his own campaign staff is telling reporters. While the Trump campaign was publicly touting unscientific online polls saying that its candidate won, a CNN poll taken on debate night had 62% of respondents saying Clinton was the winner, compared to 27% for Trump. Within the next couple of days, Politico posted a poll showing 49% saying Clinton won to 26% for Trump. PPP showed 51% giving the win to Clinton and only 40% for Trump. Echelon Insights had Clinton at 48% and Trump at 22%. There’s even worse news for Trump. New polling in battleground states shows that Clinton got a post-debate bounce. PPP polls released September 29 show Clinton up seven points in Colorado, 51% to 44%. She is also up six points in Virginia, five points in Pennsylvania, and four points in North Carolina. Clinton keeps her lead

Rudy Giuliani – Photo courtesy of Associated-Press

even when Libertarian Gary Johnson and Green Jill Stein are added to the mix. In the aftermath, key Trump supporters even floated the idea of canceling future debates. “If I were Donald Trump, I wouldn’t participate in another debate unless I was promised that a journalist would act like

a journalist and not an incorrect, ignorant fact-checker,” Rudy Giuliani told reporters after the debate. “I did not say what I’m advising; I’m saying what I would do. Whatever advice I give to Donald Trump, I’ll give to Donald Trump,” Giuliani added. Meanwhile, Trump staffers admitted

privately that their candidate tanked. “Mood in Trump world is darker than unusual. 1 source says debate was a ‘disaster,’” NBC reporter Katy Tur tweeted. Speaking anonymously to the New York Times, Trump aides said the candidate “found it hard to focus” during meetings to prep for the debate. Debate coach-in-chief Roger Ailes was reportedly so demoralized by Trump’s lack of attention that he lapsed into a kind of depression, “discussing his own problems as well as recounting political war stories,” the Times reported. Rudy Giuliani then took over most of the debate prep, but Trump “absorbed little of it.” Other reports suggest that Trump’s children are worried the campaign will be bad for the family business, although the Trump family denies the reports. Trump also is denying any stories of demoralization within his campaign. “Your sources, if they even exist, are probably sources that have been fired long ago and have no knowledge of what is happening in the campaign,” Trump tweeted. “Hard to be unhappy when we are doing so well.”

Ohio school can’t bar Trans student from appropriate restroom, federal judge says by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer An Ohio school cannot bar a Transgender student from using gender-appropriate restrooms, a federal judge has ruled. U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley ruled Sept. 26 there was “no evidence” to suggest that allowing Trans girls to use girls’ restrooms presented a threat to anyone else. Ohio’s Highland Local School District had filed a lawsuit to challenge federal guidelines issued by the Obama administration. In May, the U.S. Department of Education wrote to every school district in the country advising them that they must accommodate Trans students or risk losing federal funding. Highland Local School District sued to defend their decision to keep one Trans girl out of female bathrooms and locker rooms. The school district argued that the girl,

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identified only as Jane Doe in court documents, is not being discriminated against because she can use a unisex staff toilet, away from other students. To allow her to use the girls’ restroom would put others “at risk,” the school district alleged. Lawyers for the student answered that the school is putting the girl at risk by refusing to recognize her identity. Judge Marbley found “no merit” in the school district’s arguments. “[Other] school districts that have encountered these very issues have been able to integrate [T]ransgender students fully into the academic and social community without disruption, and certainly without the doomsday scenarios Highland predicts, such as sexual predators entering an elementary-school restroom,” he wrote. “The Court finds no merit in ThirdParty Defendants’ argument that other stu-

September 30, 2016

dents would be harmed by allowing Jane to use the bathroom consistent with her gender identity, as other students already do.” The judge then ordered district officials to “treat Jane Doe as the girl she is, including referring to her by female pronouns and her female name and allowing her to use the girls’ restroom at Highland Elementary School.” “Every student has a right to be free from discrimination and harassment while at school, and we are pleased the Court has taken this important step in protecting Jane Doe’s rights,” the girl’s attorney, Joseph Weissman, said after the ruling. Last month, a federal district court in Texas ruled that the Obama administration had exceeded its authority by issuing guidelines on the treatment of Trans students to local school districts. The Texas court did not address the underlying issue of Trans rights, however.

U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley – Photo courtesy of dispatch.com

Celebrating 41 Years!

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September 30, 2016

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September 30, 2016

Celebrating 41 Years!

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September 30, 2016

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September 30, 2016

Celebrating 41 Years!

LGBT voters hate Trump – and he hates us by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer LGBT voters love Hillary Clinton and they hate Donald Trump, a new poll shows. And the feeling is mutual. An NBC News/Survey Monkey poll conducted in mid-September shows that 72 percent of LGBT respondents would vote for Clinton “if the election were held today,” while only 20 percent would vote for Trump. In a four-way matchup including the Green Party’s Jill Stein and Libertarian Gary Johnson, Clinton keeps 63 percent of the vote, while Trump gets only 15 percent. Johnson picks up 13 percent and Stein 8 percent. The poll of 1,728 LGBT voters was carried out Sept. 5-18, before Trump pledged to sign a so-called “religious freedom” law to permit discrimination against LGBT Americans. When asked about their perceptions of both candidates, LGBTs bucked the national trend and gave Clinton a decided thumbs-up. Fifty-nine percent of poll respondents had a favorable impression of Clinton, while 41 percent had an unfavorable view of her. In contrast, only 17 percent had a good impression of Trump, with a whopping 82 percent saying they had a negative impression of him. The poll found that LGBT support for Clinton was nearly as strong as it had been for Barack Obama in 2012, when 76 per-

Poll leader Hillary at 63%, followed by Trump at 15%, Johnson at 13% and Stein at 8% – Photos courtesy of theodysseyonline.com, faktor.ba, voteforthepresidentonline.com & Gage Skidmore

cent of LGBT voters backed the President. Today, Obama has a 78 percent approval rating among LGBT people, reflecting his support for marriage equality and Transgender rights. On Sept. 23, Trump confirmed he would sign the so-called First Amendment Defense Act, which bans the government from taking any “action against a person, wholly or partially on the basis that such person believes or acts in accordance with a religious belief or moral conviction that marriage is or should be recognized as the

union of one man and one woman, or that sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage.” The broadly worded law would effectively legalize discrimination against LGBT people in all sectors – from employment to retail to health care – as long as the person discriminating claims a religious motive. The move would require the repeal of Barack Obama’s landmark LGBT discrimination protections, which Trump also confirmed he would reverse. “Religious liberty is enshrined in the

First Amendment to the Constitution,” Trump said in a statement. “It is our first liberty and provides the most important protection in that it protects our right of conscience. Activist judges and executive orders issued by presidents who have no regard for the Constitution have put these protections in jeopardy. “If I am elected president and Congress passes the First Amendment Defense Act, I will sign it to protect the deeply held religious beliefs of Catholics and the beliefs of Americans of all faiths.”

ACC moves championship game to Orlando; Equality Florida calls for statewide LGBTQ protections by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Looking at history, you will find, many examples of goodness in response to a tragedy. The outpouring of love, compassion, and sadness after the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on September 11, 2001, was shared by all. People from minority communities stated to the media that they truly felt American for the first time. On a smaller scale you can look to a house fire that destroys a family home, and to the neighbors that pull together to donate funds, clothes, and food to the victims so that the burden of starting over isn’t as tough as it might be alone. Whatever it is about tragic events that brings out compassion and community service in humans can sometimes also provide opportunity. Something like this is happening in Florida right now. The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) has just announced that it will move its championship football game from North Carolina to Orlando, Florida, due to North Carolina’s anti-LGBTQ law (HB 2). The ACC chose Orlando in response to the loss suffered by the LGBTQ (mostly Latino) community on June 12 when Omar Mateen killed 49 people and injured 53 others in the Pulse Nightclub before he was shot dead by SWAT officers. And it is not the first to relocate. The ACC joins the NCAA and NBA on the list of major sporting leagues that are standing up for LGBTQ equality and relocating championship games. The ACC’s decision will reportedly cost the state an estimated $32.5 million, adding to the hundreds of millions of dollars in economic losses that the deeply discriminatory legislation has cost North Carolina. Aside from being the most deadly mass shooting in our nation’s recent

Equality Florida’s Policy Director Hannah Willard – Photo courtesy of eqfl.org

history, the attack at the Pulse gave the world yet another example of how dangerous it can be – still – for LGBTQ people to gather in a public place. When people get dressed up to go out to a nightclub, they put on their dancing shoes, not combat boots. Nobody expects to be shot dead on the dance floor of a Gay club. The Pulse shooting showed us all that it can and does happen. This is why the LGBTQ community needs to know whether or not we are a protected class in the city, state, or country we are vacationing in before we go. Obviously, professional sports organizations, tourists, big business and others understand that North Carolina is not safe for Lesbian, Gay, and Bi people, and especially not safe for Transgender folks. Moving their events and taking the revenue with them is proof of that. But what happens if the place they move to doesn’t quite fit the bill either? Equality Florida, the statewide advocacy group fighting for LGBTQ equality, is determined to use this opportunity to get the governor of the Sunshine State to make some changes that would protect

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not only LGBTQ Floridians but LGBTQ visitors as well. According to Equality Florida, “The City of Orlando has a 100-point score on the 2015 Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index, demonstrating the breadth of its commitment to LGBTQ equality. Orlando’s fully inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance explicitly protects Orlando residents and visitors from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.” But that’s not enough, says Equality Florida’s Public Policy Director Hannah Willard. “We are thrilled the ACC chose the City Beautiful as the new location for the league’s 2016 championship football game,” Willard said. “This decision sends a strong message that LGBTQ inclusion is good for business and will be rewarded by institutions that value fairness.” However, Willard says this decision should encourage Florida’s governor and legislature to follow Orlando’s lead and take proactive steps to protect all LGBTQ Floridians and visitors. “This is a unique opportunity for Florida to affirm its commitment to diversity and inclusion and attract even more business to the Sunshine State,” said Willard. “Our legislature should pass the bipartisan Florida Competitive Workforce Act to update existing state law and protect all LGBTQ Floridians from discrimination, and Gov. Scott should issue an executive order extending protections to LGBTQ state employees,” Willard said. “Florida’s government can seize this opportunity to signal to other businesses who left North Carolina in the wake of HB 2 that Florida is open for business to everyone.” At this point it’s anybody’s guess if Scott will do such a thing. He is a Republican and, as one has come to expect, is opposed to LGBTQ equality. Following the shooting at Pulse, Or-

lando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan spoke to Michelangelo Signorile on SiriusXM Progress, where she criticized the inaction of GOP politicians like Marco Rubio and Rick Scott. Sheehan, who is Lesbian, was the first openly Gay elected official in Central Florida. Since she was first elected into the council in 2000, she’s passed non-discrimination protections and worked in groups like the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Local Officials and the International Network of Lesbian and Gay Officials. Sheehan called out the hypocrisy of Scott and Rubio in expressing their sympathy for victims of the Pulse shooting and then voting against sensible gun control. “Marco Rubio, the senator from Florida, walked on our blood-stained streets with people from the Hispanic community,” she said, adding, “and he went right back to Washington – one of the few times he actually showed up for work – and voted against sensible gun legislation.” “If this doesn’t change your heart? There were people from [Rubio’s] office – it was [a staffer’s] hair stylist who got shot and killed,” she said. “This was a personal connection people from his office had with these young people. And he still couldn’t find it in his heart to do the right thing.” The commissioner also pointed out that many of these officials failed to acknowledge the sexuality of the victims, dismissing homophobia as fuel for the violence. Doing so, Sheehan says, makes them complicit in the violence against LGBTQ communities. “My governor couldn’t say the word ‘gay’ — until he was called out on it,” Sheehan recalls. “And I’ve called a lot of them out on it. I said, ‘How dare you come here to my city – our city – and stand in front of the microphone and take up space…You loaded those bullets with hatred, as far as I’m concerned.’”

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Who you callin’ fat? Senator wants Trump “weigh-in” after Miss Universe comments by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer In the wake of a presidential debate in which Hillary Clinton accused her opponent, Donald Trump, of fat-shaming a Miss Universe winner, U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) suggested weighing Trump. “The D women Senators have talked & we’re concerned about Donald’s weight,” McCaskill tweeted. “Campaign stress? We think a public daily weigh-in is called for.” McCaskill also retweeted someone asking if her original tweet was a joke.

CALI PREP

continued from cover Brown has signed this bill into law,” APLA Health Chief Executive Officer Craig E. Thompson said. “This is one of several proposals the governor has supported to increase information about and the availability of PrEP and PEP, and we thank him for his continued leadership on this issue. “AB 2640 is a crucial step toward rais-

“Yes,” she replied. “Obviously. A pointed one.” During the Sept. 26 debate, Clinton revealed that Trump had repeatedly harassed 1996 Miss Universe winner Alicia Machado of Venezuela, calling her “Miss Piggy” and an “eating machine” when she gained weight after winning the title. Machado, now a U.S. citizen and a Clinton supporter, confirmed the story in a CNN interview, adding that Trump’s constant harassment sent her into depression and caused her to suffer from eating disorders. “He was overwhelming,” Machado says

in an ad released this week by the Clinton campaign. “I was very scared of him. He’d yell at me all the time. He’d tell me, ‘You look ugly,’ or ‘You look fat.’” Machado continues, “I felt really bad, like a lab rat. … Long after, I was sick with eating disorders. I wouldn’t eat, and would still see myself as fat, because a powerful man had said so.” Meanwhile, Trump doubled down on his humiliating statements, telling Fox News on Sept. 27 that Machado “gained a massive amount of weight, and it was a real problem.” “We had a real problem,” he continued.

“Not only that, her attitude, and we had a real problem with her.” Trump described Machado as “the worst [Miss Universe] we ever had.” According to his doctors, Trump now weighs 236 pounds, which is borderline obese for a man of his height and build. Machado adds that Trump not only insulted her, but also failed to pay her money she was entitled to. “As Miss Universe I did more ad campaigns than most,” Machado said. “By contract I should have earned 10 percent on all the commercials and work I did. I was never paid.”

ing awareness about effective HIV prevention tools, reducing new infections, and ending the epidemic in California.” Los Angeles LGBT Center Medical Director Dr. Robert Bolan said: “With the stroke of his pen, Gov. Brown has played a significant and groundbreaking role in helping to fight HIV in the state that ranks second in the nation in cumulative AIDS cases. “Those most at risk of HIV infection deserve to know about all the options to stay negative, including PrEP and PEP. By signing AB 2640, Gov. Brown is helping to promote options that have the potential to

change the course of the epidemic in California and significantly reduce the HIV infection rate here.” PrEP can reduce the chances of being infected with HIV by up to 99 percent if taken daily, and has been endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for regular use by at-risk men who have sex with men. PEP is a way to prevent HIV infection after a possible recent exposure. It involves taking anti-retroviral medications as soon as possible after a single high-risk event to

stop HIV from making copies of itself and spreading throughout the body. According to the CDC, PEP should be used only in emergency situations and must be started within 72 hours after a recent possible exposure to HIV. Despite the high-profile endorsements, some controversy over prophylactic drugs remains. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), also based in Los Angeles, opposes the use of PrEP because, they claim, it discourages men at risk of HIV infection from using condoms, which AHF considers the most reliable form of HIV prevention.

First Gay pride flag launched into space by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Bring up the rainbow Pride flag and you will get mixed reactions. Some say it is time for us to put silly symbols behind us and just exist, as we are, as equals to our fellow citizens. Others say that we need to keep the flag to remind us of where we came from, the struggles we’ve endured, and who we are as a community. Complicating things (depending on how one looks at it) are the number of demographic-specific flags that have been created over the years: brown, black, and white for bears; blue, black, and white for Leather; pink, sky blue, and white for Trans, and so on. Regardless of how each individual feels about these flags, however, cultures around the world rally under flags. We are no different. With very little fanfare, an amazing gesture took place last month. A rainbow Pride flag was sent into space for this first time ever! Planting Peace, a nonprofit that seeks to “spread peace in a hurting world,” launched the flag using a high-altitude balloon with a GoPro attached near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on August 17. According to Planting Peace, the rainbow Pride flag was airborne for three hours, soaring 21.1 miles above the planet’s surface, before making its way back down to earth. Planting Peace officials say they sent the flag into space as a symbolic declaration to make space LGBTQ-friendly. “Our hope was to create the largest safe SPACE possible for our LGBTQ community,” Planting Peace told media. “It also offered us a chance to reinforce, in a peaceful, beautiful way, our ongoing message to our LGBTQ family: You are loved, valued, and beautiful. There is nothing

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Planting Peace launched the first Gay pride flag into space by using a high altitude balloon with a GoPro attached – Photo courtesy of Planting Peace

wrong with you. You are not alone, and we will stand with you.” “It was an honor to send the first Pride flag into space,” Aaron Jackson, president of Planting Peace, as reported in the Huffington Post. Jackson said that the backdrop of space gave Planting Peace a “stunning, inspiring and peaceful canvas for our message of hope to our LGBTQ family. I would love for LGBTQ children who are struggling to see this, and look up to the stars and remember that the universe shines brightly for them, and they are not alone.” Planting Peace has been involved in a

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number of high-visibility campaigns supporting LGBT rights and other social issues. The nonprofit created The Equality House, a rainbow-colored building across the street from the Westboro Baptist Church compound in Topeka, Kansas. Near the Equality House, Planting Peace also helped create a Transgender Pride house. The houses stand in opposition to the church’s hate, especially against LGBT people, Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Muslims, Jews and other groups. The organization even went as far as declaring Antarctica “the world’s first LGBTfriendly continent” in March.

While in Antarctica, Jackson told reporters that, “Planting Peace will not stop fighting for LGBT rights until all sexual and gender minorities experience full, fundamental rights in every corner of the world.” After the organization launched the rainbow Pride flag into space, Jackson could now say, “Planting Peace will not stop fighting for LGBTQ rights until all sexual and gender minorities experience full, fundamental rights in every corner of the universe.”

Celebrating 41 Years!

Maryland high school adopts gender-neutral homecoming court by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Students at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Maryland have adopted a gender-neutral homecoming court, breaking the tradition of electing one boy as “king” and one girl as “queen.” Instead, reported LGBTQ Nation, students in each grade will vote for two individuals from a ballot of finalists and the top two vote-getters will be crowned at halftime on Oct. 7. “They will be asked if they want to be identified as “royalty,” a “king” or a “queen,” when the winners are announced, which will allow for more inclusiveness while also preserving titles some students may still appreciate,” said B-CC Principal Donna Redmond Jones. Jones is supportive of the change. “What student leaders are doing is a step to help ensure that all students have a sense of belonging at B-CC,” Jones said. Jacob Rains, president of the schoolwide Student Government Association, which made the change in a 4-1 vote, said, “It is really not our job, especially with a

B-CC Principal Donna Redmond Jones – Photo courtesy of bethesdamagazine.com

gender-neutral and Transgender population at B-CC, to tell people that boys have to be kings and girls have to be queens. Who are we to put people into those categories?” Rains says the new policy provides an opportunity for all students to be involved in something that had been exclusionary. “It just felt like this was the right time to do this. We looked closely and decided: ‘Hey, this is a problem with the current system, and we should go and solve it,’” Rains added. The students and staff at B-CC have experienced heartache over students feeling left out. Six years ago, former Transgender B-CC student Aiden Rivera Schaeff began his transition from female to male at B-CC. Sadly, Schaeff committed suicide six years ago, shortly before his 18th birthday. His mother, Cathy Schaeff, says he was bulled at school and stopped attending classes. She spoke out in support of the homecoming change, saying it’s important to shift the culture at schools “in a systemic way that supports everybody.” The school is the first to make such a change in the county, which has 25 high schools in all. They are not, however, the

first school in the nation to change their homecoming court policy. Madison West High School, in Wisconsin, adopted a gender-neutral homecoming court policy last year. The school’s principal, Beth Thompson, reports that it is working well there. Camern Pinkus is a Transgender senior and a leader of B-CC’s Spectrum LGBT club. Pinkus said they registered both surprise and joy over the move. “I thought it was going to be a few more years before the school did something so gutsy,” they said. In addition, the school is opening another gender-neutral bathroom. Over the past few months school bathroom use has become a nationwide issue, with President Obama sending a directive to public schools instructing that Transgender individuals be allowed to use the facilities matching their gender identity. A case involving a Transgender student from Virginia wishing to use the bathroom matching his gender identity is currently before the U.S. Supreme Court.

tioned do not have identification that accurately reflects their correct gender. “Lawmakers and election officials should not overlook the impact on transgender voters when enacting voting restrictions based on identity documents,” said Herman. “Voter ID laws impact many citizens who would otherwise be eligible to vote. Transgender people have unique, and sometimes insurmountable, burdens to obtaining accurate IDs for voting in states that require it.” Key findings from the report include that 30% of the voting-eligible Transgender population in eight states (Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin) have no identification or records that accurately reflect their gender. Also, Transgender people of color, youth, students, people with low income,

and people with disabilities are likely overrepresented among those who do not have an accurate ID for voting. According to the report, in order for these 34,000 voting-eligible Transgender people to obtain the accurate IDs for voting, they must comply with the state and federal requirements for updating IDs. These requirements vary widely by state or federal agency and can be difficult and costly to meet. “Legislators, election officials, and poll workers should work to ensure equal access to the ballot for Transgender voters, who have a disparate burden under voter ID laws,” Herman said. The study relies on data from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey (NTDS), which was conducted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality.

body can be warned. “As a result, the Gay students are depicted as high-risk and thus are further stigmatized,” Chen added. Authorities, however, tried to defend their decisions. According to Chinese health officials, the rise of HIV infections among MSM partly reflects success in reducing infections among intravenous drug users, among sex workers, and from the illegal blood trade. According to Chinese authorities, while information on HIV-positive students is released to their schools, the schools are not supposed to publicly identify those students. “No country in the world has discovered an effective way to curb the epidemic among Gay men,” said Wu Zunyou, director of China’s Centre for Disease Control’s (CDC) AIDS Prevention Centre, on stateowned TV in 2015. “Most students know what AIDS is and how to prevent it, but the change of behavior remains a big challenge,” Wu added. According to Wang Ning, an AIDS spe-

cialist from China’s CDC, there should also be no reason to worry that the privacy of HIV-positive students will be violated as awareness of the disease grows. “The understanding of privacy varies in different cultures. In China, some people think privacy means they don’t need to tell anybody,” said Wang. According to Wang, one reason for the huge increase in HIV infections is that some HIV-positive people withhold their status from sexual partners. World Health Organization (WHO) officials have urged China to crack down on discrimination against people with HIV or at risk for the disease, because stigmatization impedes prevention efforts. “While HIV testing is widely available, we know that many people are hesitant about getting tested for HIV because of fears of testing positive, the stress of waiting for results, inconvenience of going to a facility for testing … and the fear of stigma and discrimination,” said Bernhard Schwartländer, WHO’s representative in China.

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Strict voter ID laws may disenfranchise more than 34,000 Transgender voters in the 2016 Nov. election by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor According to a report by the Williams Institute, eight states’ voter ID laws may create substantial barriers to voting and possible disenfranchisement for tens of thousands of Transgender voters this election. In Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin, about 112,000 Transgender people who have transitioned are estimated to be eligible to vote – and 34,000 of them may face barriers to voting this November due to strict ID laws. According to a new study entitled “The Potential Impact of Voter Identification Laws on Transgender Voters in the 2016 General Election” authored by Williams Institute scholar Jody L. Herman, PhD, many Transgender people who have transi-

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continued from cover who have sex with men (MSM). Nanchang is not the only city that is facing such a trend. In fact, data from China’s National Health and Family Planning Commission show that the rate of new HIV infections among students has surpassed that of other groups, with 81.6 percent of the cases concerning young MSM who are still in school. More than 100 new cases among students are reported annually in Beijing, while Shanghai reported 92 students infected with HIV in 2015. LGBT activists blame the trend on the authorities, according to reporter Darius Zheng, writing in Gay Star News. “The government emphasizes the morality of sex rather than the safety of sex,” said Liu Jiulong. Now 37, Liu said he was not even aware

Jody L. Herman, PhD – Photo courtesy of transpop.org

of what homosexuality was until 11 years ago when he read about it online. He was diagnosed as HIV-positive two years later. When the advertising company where he was working at the time found out about his status, they fired him, explaining that other employees were “scared to come to work.” “If [the health authorities] continue to use this mentality to make public health policies, China will pay the price one day,” Liu added. Allen Chen, founder of the sex education advocacy group Friend Public Welfare, agreed. “The intention [of the health authorities] is good, but it is easy to cause panic because in the Chinese context, there is little knowledge of homosexuality and a lot of misunderstanding,” Chen said. In the past, HIV-positive students have been expelled from school and even now, HIV-positive graduates are excluded from government jobs. Last year, authorities said they would inform universities of the identities of HIV-positive students on their campuses so that the rest of the student

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Celebrating 41 Years!

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