Celebrating 43 Years! Issue 36 Volume 45
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Lionel Richie, Mariah Carey whip out the hits SEC 2 PG 1
Against Me!’s Laura Jane Grace totally rocks SEC 2 PG 1
Seattle Gay News
GSBA stands with Dreamers Department of Justice files brief backing anti-Gay baker
Louise Chernan, GSBA President & CEO – Photo courtesy of GSBA
Dear GSBA Members & Friends, One irrational, thoughtless assault against our common humanity after another. Throughout the last few months we have watched our country unravel the principles and values that we strive to live by. I understand that we have deceived ourselves, since those values were never truly enjoyed by all, but we held on to hope as civil rights movement after civil rights movement fought to ensure equality under the law for all. Yesterday, hearing that over 800,000 people in the U.S. who are workers, stu-
dents, neighbors, friends and family, could be deported and forced to leave the country that they have known as home for most of their lives, has left us all feeling sick and ashamed. How does a country built on immigrant labor, a country whose only “true Americans” are those of us who are Native American, suddenly talk about rescinding the right to live, work and go to school in the home where they were raised? And, yet, the Trump administration’s overturning of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
see DREAMERS page 8
Charlie Craig and David Mullins filed the original complaint – Photo by Brennan Linsley/AP
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed an amicus brief on September 7 backing a Colorado baker who refused to provide a wedding cake for a Gay couple. In 2012, Jack Phillips of Masterpiece Cakeshop, located in Lakewood, Colorado, refused service to David Mullins and Charlie Craig, saying that his religion disapproved of same-sex marriage and that he
was prohibited by his beliefs from assisting the couple’s marriage. Mullins and Craig resided in Colorado but were married in Massachusetts because same-sex marriage was not yet legal in their home state. They ordered a cake from Phillips to celebrate their wedding with friends after they returned home. Phillips told CBS News that he opposed same-sex marriage so strongly that
see BAKER page 16
Gender Odyssey conference a huge success in Seattle
NAGAAA Gay Softball World Series kicks off
The 16th annual Gender Odyssey conference, focused on the needs and interests of transgender and gender-diverse people, was packed with thought-provoking workshops, professional training opportunities, discussion groups, networking, and social events. For more coverage, see page 9 – Photo courtesy of Gender Odyssey
Elimination rounds for the NAGAAA Gay Softball World Series continued Thursday and Friday, with Championship games scheduled for this Saturday. As he was inducted into the National NAGAAA Hall of Fame, Dug Sharpe said, “This organization changes lives.” For more coverage, see page 10 – Photo by Robin Thompson
Dug Sharpe inducted into NAGAAA Hall of Fame; Seattle athletes take the field
What is TRUVADA for PrEP?
Who should not take TRUVADA for PrEP?
TRUVADA for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a prescription medicine that is used together with safer sex practices to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 through sex. This use is only for HIV-negative adults who are at high risk of getting HIV-1. To help determine your risk of getting HIV-1, talk openly with your healthcare provider about your sexual health.
Do not take TRUVADA for PrEP if you:
Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to prevent getting HIV. Always practice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexual contact with body fluids. Never reuse or share needles or other items that have body fluids on them.
® Also take certain medicines to treat hepatitis B infection.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION What is the most important information I should know about TRUVADA for PrEP? Before taking TRUVADA for PrEP: ® You must be HIV-negative before you start taking TRUVADA for PrEP. You must get tested to make sure that you do not already have HIV-1. Do not take TRUVADA to reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 unless you are confirmed to be HIV-negative. ® Many HIV-1 tests can miss HIV-1 infection in a person who has recently become infected. If you have flu-like symptoms, you could have recently become infected with HIV-1. Tell your healthcare provider if you had a flu-like illness within the last month before starting or at any time while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Symptoms of new HIV-1 infection include tiredness, fever, joint or muscle aches, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, night sweats, and/or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or groin. While taking TRUVADA for PrEP: ® You must continue to use safer sex practices. Just taking TRUVADA for PrEP may not keep you from getting HIV-1. ® You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP: ® Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months. ® If you think you were exposed to HIV-1, tell your healthcare provider right away. ® To further help reduce your risk of getting HIV-1: ® Know your HIV status and the HIV status of your partners. ® Get tested for other sexually transmitted infections. Other infections make it easier for HIV to infect you. ® Get information and support to help reduce risky sexual behavior, such as having fewer sex partners. ® Do not miss any doses of TRUVADA. Missing doses may increase your risk of getting HIV-1 infection. ® If you do become HIV-1 positive, you need more medicine than TRUVADA alone to treat HIV-1. TRUVADA by itself is not a complete treatment for HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time. TRUVADA can cause serious side effects: ® Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. TRUVADA is not approved to treat HBV. If you have HBV and stop taking TRUVADA, your HBV may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking TRUVADA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health.
® Already have HIV-1 infection or if you do not know your HIV-1 status. If you are HIV-1 positive, you need to take other medicines with TRUVADA to treat HIV-1. TRUVADA by itself is not a complete treatment for HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time.
What are the other possible side effects of TRUVADA for PrEP? Serious side effects of TRUVADA may also include: ® Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider may do blood tests to check your kidneys before and during treatment with TRUVADA. If you develop kidney problems, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking TRUVADA. ® Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat. ® Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. ® Bone problems, including bone pain, softening, or thinning, which may lead to fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones. Common side effects in people taking TRUVADA for PrEP are stomach-area (abdomen) pain, headache, and decreased weight. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.
What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking TRUVADA for PrEP? ® All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or have had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis. ® If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if TRUVADA can harm your unborn baby. If you become pregnant while taking TRUVADA for PrEP, talk to your healthcare provider to decide if you should keep taking TRUVADA. ® If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. If you become HIV-positive, HIV can be passed to the baby in breast milk. ® All the medicines you take, including prescription and overthe-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. TRUVADA may interact with other medicines. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. ® If you take certain other medicines with TRUVADA, your healthcare provider may need to check you more often or change your dose. These medicines include certain medicines to treat hepatitis C (HCV) infection. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Important Facts about TRUVADA for PrEP including important warnings on the following page.
September 8, 2017 1 2 TVDC0141_PrEP_D_10x15-675_SeattleGayNews_Vogue_p1.indd Seattle Gay News
Celebrating 438/30/17 Years! 1:27 PM
I'm passionate, not impulsive. I know who I am. And I make choices that fit my life. TRUVADA for PrEP™ is a once-daily prescription medicine that can help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 when taken every day and used together with safer sex practices. ® TRUVADA for PrEP is only for adults who are at high risk of getting HIV through sex. ® You must be HIV-negative before you start taking TRUVADA for PrEP.
Ask your doctor about your risk of getting HIV-1 infection and if TRUVADA for PrEP may be right for you.
Learn more at truvada.com
Visit us online www.sgn.org 2 TVDC0141_PrEP_D_10x15-675_SeattleGayNews_Vogue_p1.indd
September 8, 2017
Seattle Gay News 3 8/30/17 1:27 PM
IMPORTANT FACTS
This is only a brief summary of important information about taking TRUVADA for PrEPTM (pre-exposure prophylaxis) to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 infection. This does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your medicine.
(tru-VAH-dah) MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT TRUVADA FOR PrEP
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF TRUVADA FOR PrEP
Before starting TRUVADA for PrEP: • You must be HIV-1 negative. You must get tested to make sure that you do not already have HIV-1. Do not take TRUVADA for PrEP to reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 unless you are confirmed to be HIV-1 negative. • Many HIV-1 tests can miss HIV-1 infection in a person who has recently become infected. Symptoms of new HIV-1 infection include flu-like symptoms, tiredness, fever, joint or muscle aches, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, night sweats, and/or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or groin. Tell your healthcare provider if you have had a flu-like illness within the last month before starting TRUVADA for PrEP. While taking TRUVADA for PrEP: • You must continue to use safer sex practices. Just taking TRUVADA for PrEP may not keep you from getting HIV-1. • You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you think you were exposed to HIV-1 or have a flu-like illness while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. • If you do become HIV-1 positive, you need more medicine than TRUVADA alone to treat HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only TRUVADA, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat over time. • See the “How To Further Reduce Your Risk” section for more information. TRUVADA may cause serious side effects, including: • Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. TRUVADA is not approved to treat HBV. If you have HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking TRUVADA. Do not stop taking TRUVADA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.
TRUVADA can cause serious side effects, including: • Those in the “Most Important Information About TRUVADA for PrEP” section. • New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. • Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat. • Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. • Bone problems. Common side effects in people taking TRUVADA for PrEP include stomach-area (abdomen) pain, headache, and decreased weight. These are not all the possible side effects of TRUVADA. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with TRUVADA for PrEP.
ABOUT TRUVADA FOR PrEP TRUVADA for PrEP is a prescription medicine used together with safer sex practices to help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 through sex. This use is only for HIV-negative adults who are at high risk of getting HIV-1. • To help determine your risk of getting HIV-1, talk openly with your healthcare provider about your sexual health. Do NOT take TRUVADA for PrEP if you: • Already have HIV-1 infection or if you do not know your HIV-1 status. • Take certain medicines to treat hepatitis B infection.
HOW TO TAKE TRUVADA FOR PrEP • Take 1 tablet once a day, every day, not just when you think you have been exposed to HIV-1. • Do not miss any doses. Missing doses may increase your risk of getting HIV-1 infection. • Use TRUVADA for PrEP together with condoms and safer sex practices. • Get tested for HIV-1 at least every 3 months. You must stay HIV-negative to keep taking TRUVADA for PrEP.
BEFORE TAKING TRUVADA FOR PrEP Tell your healthcare provider if you: • Have or have had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis. • Have any other medical conditions. • Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. • Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. If you become HIV-positive, HIV can pass to the baby in breast milk. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take: • Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. • Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with TRUVADA for PrEP.
HOW TO FURTHER REDUCE YOUR RISK • Know your HIV status and the HIV status of your partners. • Get tested for other sexually transmitted infections. Other infections make it easier for HIV to infect you. • Get information and support to help reduce risky sexual behavior, such as having fewer sex partners. • Do not share needles or personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them.
GET MORE INFORMATION • This is only a brief summary of important information about TRUVADA for PrEP. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more, including how to prevent HIV infection. • Go to start.truvada.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5 • If you need help paying for your medicine, visit start.truvada.com for program information.
TRUVADA FOR PREP, the TRUVADA FOR PREP Logo, the TRUVADA Blue Pill Design, TRUVADA, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. All other marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. Version date: April 2017 © 2017 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. TVDC0141 07/17
September 8, 2017 3 4 TVDC0141_PrEP_D_10x15-675_SeattleGayNews_Vogue_p1.indd Seattle Gay News
Celebrating 438/30/17 Years! 1:27 PM
Seattle Gay News FOUNDED 1974 MEMBER
1707 23rd Avenue Seattle, WA 98122 (206) 324-4297
2017
sgn2@sgn.org www.sgn.org Deadlines
Classifieds - Thursday at noon Calendar - Tuesday 6pm Display Ads: Space Reservation - Monday 5pm Ad copy (non-camera ready) - Tues. 5pm Ad copy (camera ready) - Wed. 5pm Letters to the Editor - Tuesday 5pm Obituaries - Call the SGN office All others - Tuesday 5pm
Editor in Chief George Bakan Associate Editor Shaun Knittel Travel Editor George Bakan Copy Editor Rick McKinnon (since Dec. 2013) Advertising Department George Bakan, Maggie Bloodstone and MK Scott National Advertising Rep. Rivendell Media (212) 242-6863 Staff Writers Mike Andrew, Sara Michelle Fetters, Miryam Gordon, Shaun Knittel, Albert Rodriguez Contributing Writers Rev. Barbara Allen, Ron Anders, Eric Andrews-Katz, Madelyn Arnold, Alice Bloch, Maggie Bloodstone, Beau Burriola, Sharon Cumberland, Jessica Davis, Tina Gianoulis, Anthony Greer, Milton W. Hamlin, Nevin Jefferson, Richard Kennedy, Liz Meyer, Jason A. Miller, Jesse Monteagudo, David Nguyen aka Teriyaki Temple, Rod Parke, Don Paulson, Jerry Peerson, Jessica Price, Scott Rice, Leslie Robinson, MK Scott, Gaysha Starr, Paul Torres, Janice Van Cleve, Ed Walsh, James Whitely, Scott Wittet, Rex Wockner Calendar Editors Mike Andrew and Rick McKinnon
OBITUARY
IN MEMORIAM: James F. Trueman “Jim” and/or “Grandma” August 28, 1940 - August 20, 2017
Classifieds Rick McKinnon Photographers Nate Gowdy, Joseph P. Herron, Shaun Knittel, James Whitely Production Liz McCarty Website Designer Barry Thorsness / Digital Team Works Seattle Gay News is published weekly by Frogs and Ink, Inc. © 2017, Frogs and Ink, Inc., all rights reserved. Reprints by permission. Publication of names, photographs or likeness of any person, organization, event or business in this publication cannot be taken as any indication of the sexual orientation of the person, organization, event or business. Opinions expressed in bylined articles, columns, and letters are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or management of this paper. Seattle Gay News welcomes unsolicited material, including letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit or reject material. All rights revert to authors upon publication. We assume no liability for loss or damage of materials, solicited or not. We invite feedback, please write. And please play safe. It is our policy that no money shall be refunded if you choose to cancel your ad. Credit will be given for the balance owed. No exceptions.
In Loving Memory Of Steve Foiles, Scott Roger Alpert, Cookie Andrews-Hunt, James Leland Moore, Randy Peters, Lee Richeson, Shaun Shelton, Jim Tully, James Arnold
JIM: THE GENTLEMAN. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, welleducated, bright, witty, caring, giving, and yes – handsome. These few descriptive words only start to describe this gentleman. With a BS degree in Accounting, Jim earned status and wealth by working hard
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and being loyal to his work, his friends, and to himself. He worked as a controller for a large auto dealership in Torrance, CA for almost 10 years, then became a realtor in Beverly Hills and Seattle. With the stock market crash in October 1987, he lost his entire financial portfolio.
September 8, 2017
He lost everything except his will to start over again; a strong will and his everlasting positive attitude. His wit was ever-present, as he loved comedy so much that he studied it as far back as the 1800s. Some people misunderstood his humor, but his friends knew it well. He collected owls in every shape and form, from paintings, napkins, knickknacks, linens, to a diamond ring. He also collected, sometimes feverishly, stamps, coins, oriental objects, and an array of books. He even created albums of postcards, Christmas cards, old bar napkins, jokes, and naked men – from his childhood to his passing As a true Virgo, he was very organized and extremely detailed. His sense of caring and giving was inherent and abundant, probably due to his upbringing in orphanages where he learned humility and respect for others’ needs. He always believed in people: always believed in being a friend, a listener, a helper offering any support– financially, emotionally, with chores, and just being there when needed. He also had great faith in the power of the mind to heal one’s self. After having lost his left lung in 1982 and suffering four heart attacks in the 90s, seven major surgeries during his lifetime, he was determined to be a survivor and was. This current battle (since 1982) was just too harsh to survive. He passed peacefully in the company of dear friends. Jim treated everyone in the manner in which he wanted to be treated – as a gentleman. Even though he leaves behind many friends, he is now free to reap his God’s rewards for his kindness and caring. He will be missed but not forgotten. At Jim’s request, there is to be no memorial service. Remembrances in his name may be made to Seattle’s Bailey-Boushay House.
Seattle Gay News 5
THIS PRODUCT HAS INTOXICATING EFFECTS AND MAY BE HABIT FORMING. MARIJUANA CAN IMPAIR CONCENTRATION, COORDINATION, AND JUDGMENT. DO NOT OPERATE A VEHICLE OR MACHINERY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THIS DRUG. THERE MAY BE HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH CONSUMPTION OF THIS PRODUCT. FOR USE ONLY BY ADULTS TWENTY-ONE AND OLDER. KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN
I N
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September 8, 2017 T H I S S H O P :
S C I E N C E
BLACK
I S
LIVES
R E A L
W AT E R I S L I F E
REFUGEES ARE WELCOME
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LO V E I S LO V E
WE LOVE CANNABIS
Celebrating 43 Years!
No more bottom shaming by Jesse Monteagudo SGN Contributing Writer Recently actor Haaz Sleiman (“Nurse Jackie”) caused a sensation when he came out on social media, declaring to the world the following: “A new study finds that more LGBTQ people living in the United States have been murdered so far this year than in 2016. So this video is my response to this study. I am a gay, Muslim, Arab-American man. And I’m going to take it even further – not only am I gay but I’m also a bottom. Not only am I a bottom, but I’m also a total bottom, which means I like it up you-know-where. And I say this to all the homophobes living in the United States of America and across the globe. Why not? If you ever come to me to kill me just because I’m gay, I will destroy you. I might be gay and I might be a nice guy but don’t get it twisted because I will f**k you up.” Sleiman also wrote about being in the closet and the pressure to come out. However, to most people, gay or otherwise, the only memorable thing about Sleiman’s post was his admission that he is a “total bottom.” That a man’s revelation that he is a “total bottom” can still startle so many reminds us that bottom shaming is alive and well. In a world still divided along sex roles, the gay bottom – the one who takes the penis in his mouth or anus, for the two of you who don’t know what I’m writing about – is seen as the one who takes the “female” role
in a relationship. And in a world that still values masculinity above femininity, the gay bottom is viewed as being less worthy than the gay top. Throughout history, humankind has been kinder to tops than it has been to bottoms. To most people, sex is about penetration, and the one who penetrates is the one in charge. In many traditional societies, like the Latinx community that I grew up in, there was no stigma to being a gay top, just as long as he remained a top. On the other hand, the bottom was looked down as being less of a man. This is the case even in maleonly societies like prisons, where masculine tops rule and bottoms are feminized sex objects. The AIDS epidemic only made matters worse for gay bottoms: A study by the University of California, San Francisco’s Alliance Health Project revealed that tops have a 1 in 500 chance of contracting HIV from an HIV-positive bottom, while a bottom has a 1 in 50 chance of contracting HIV from an HIV-positive top. It’s not easy being a bottom. So why are there so many bottoms? As any gay man in search of a partner will tell you, bottoms vastly outnumber tops. Bottoms are so plentiful in some gay communities that we joke about them; for example, “Fort Bottomdale.” Tops are so much in demand because they are scarce; and bottoms often go versatile or nothing will get done. Some would say there is a connection between being gay and being a bottom, but I am not so sure. It is easier to be a bottom than to be a
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Haaz Sleiman – Photo courtesy of Getty Images
top; and there would be many more straight male bottoms if society (and their partners) allowed them. The fact is, there are many masculine, assertive power bottoms, and many submissive, “feminine” tops. To quote the late Marty Rubin, if I won a dollar every time a drag queen poked me, I would be able to buy my own chain of clubs. As you probably figured out, I am a gay bottom. I was a bottom all my life, and I will be a bottom until the day I die. And I am proud to be a bottom. Being a bottom
has informed my social life, my political life, and my literary life: As a writer of gay erotic fiction, most of my fictional heroes have been proud gay bottoms who, like Haaz Sleiman, “like it up you-knowwhere.” And there is nothing wrong with that. Between you and me, I think bottoms enjoy sex more than tops do, though sometimes we must deal with the consequences of sex. With sexual freedom comes sexual responsibility, and tops must accept those responsibilities, just as bottoms have done.
September 8, 2017
Seattle Gay News 7
Jenny Durkan outlines steps to protect Dreamers, immigrants, and refugees SEATTLE – Following the Trump administration announcement to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, former U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan outlined a number of actions that she would take to protect Dreamers, immigrants, and refugees as mayor of Seattle. “This cruel and inhumane act will rip apart families, schools, neighborhoods, and workplaces. While Trump and the Republican Congress may break promises made to Dreamers, immigrants, and refugees, Seattle won’t,” said Jenny Durkan. “We are a better and stronger community with Dreamers, and as mayor, I would take immediate steps to fulfill the promise of Seattle as a Sanctuary City and home to Dreamers.”
“Now, more than ever, we need leaders who have the experience and ability take on Trump at every legal turn and fight to ensure our cities are inclusive and can withstand heartless actions like today,” concluded Durkan. As mayor, Durkan would take these immediate steps to Make Sanctuary Real: Continue to support the Office of Immigrants and Refugees and continue funding the Legal Defense Fund to protect immigrants and refugees unjustly at risk in the Trump Administration. Maintain support for the Family Unity Project to provide community education programs in Seattle Public Schools that provides critical information, training and resources for immigrant students and their families at risk of detention and to teach-
ers, counselors and administrators in our schools. Work with civil rights organizations, immigrant communities, health care facilities, places of worship, schools and other organizations to ensure all locations that qualify as "sensitive locations" are properly designated, and the community and SPD are educated about what protections that provides from immigration enforcement. Explore a new policy requiring command staff level review of joint projects with federal task forces and limit reliance on federal immigration warrants to ensure that SPD’s public commitment not to partner with other agencies on immigration enforcement isn’t “back doored.” Work with the City Attorney’s Office, the Justice Advocacy Network, the Washing-
ton Defender Association and the Public Defender Association to change filing and disposition standards to minimize the number of people who acquire criminal dispositions that have disproportionate immigration consequences. Review of all data and information collected by all city agencies to ensure documented status is not unnecessarily collected or used as eligibility criteria for services. Enact the Seattle Promise proposal that applies to all Seattle public school graduates to support educational opportunities and free tuition including Dreamers and undocumented students, who are working hard and contributing to our economy. Courtesy of the Jenny Durkan campaign
Community members rally in support of DACA September 5 at El Centro de la Raza in Seattle – Photo by Megan Farmer/KUOW
DREAMERS continued from cover
(DACA) program, will do just that. For those of us in GSBA, we know that many of our members will be directly affected by this. As a Jew, I have to say, the thought of forcing people to leave their homes, gives me chills. Whether as small business owners, employees or students, many of our members are from families who migrated to the United States to flee persecution or to find a better life for their families. For the LGBT community, Washington State stands out as a safe haven for those in countries where the laws do not recognize their right to exist. Even before this announcement, GSBA was speaking out, contacting our Congressional delegation and joining with other elected officials
8 Seattle Gay News
and business leaders, condemning any overturn of DACA. But, for us, our greatest concern is our scholars, who as you know, think of GSBA as family. Over the last two days we have reached out to our Scholars offering them support and resources. As Travis Mears, our Director of Development and Scholarship Programs, stated to our scholars: “We understand that you now may have new questions and grave concerns about whether this decision jeopardizes your safety, funding and, more seriously, you or your family’s immigration status. Unfortunately, we don’t have the answers but we do know we will do all we can to have your back. Your GSBA funding is secure and we are more committed than ever before to continue our work for equality and inclusion, including the rights of our immigrant or undocumented students. We encourage
September 8, 2017
each of you to take time to care for yourselves and your families during this difficult time.” There is no doubt that we are all better off because of the contributions that our scholars and our business members give to our community. Fortunately in Washington State we have a governor, attorney general, county executive, mayors and other elected officials who have the courage of their convictions and have vowed to fight this ruling with every tool at their disposal. Yes, elections do matter! We are also proud to have corporate members, such as Microsoft, Starbucks, and Amazon who defend to any of their employees threatened with deportation under the repeal of DACA. We know many of our other corporate partners are also ready to stand their ground to support their employees. The economy of Washington is very dependent on the talent and
labor of our DACA workforce and would be devastated by suddenly losing those employees. We all benefit from the richness of a multicultural student body and workforce, and the loss of over 18,000 talented and engaged residents will profoundly affect us all. But, of course, the greatest cost will be the human one, if we are forced to tear families and friends apart. This simply cannot happen. Once again, we call on our GSBA family to do what we do best: speak up, reach out, contact your Congressperson and ask that they make the passage of a permanent DACA law a top priority. For those that will be directly affected by DACA, below are some resources that are prepared to provide you help and support. In solidarity, Louise Chernin, President & CEO
Celebrating 43 Years!
Gender Odyssey conference a huge success in Seattle
Pete Tchoryk, Michele Wilson, Joe and Kristie Maldonado, and DeShanna Neal – All photos courtesy of Gender Odyssey
by Cathy Renna Special to the SGN Two weeks ago (August 24-27), over 1400 transgender people, their family members, and professionals serving them came together in Seattle for the sixteenth annual Gender Odyssey. This international conference was focused on the needs and interests of transgender and gender-diverse people, their loved ones, and professionals who serve them. Packed with thoughtprovoking workshops, professional training opportunities, discussion groups, networking, and social events, the one-of-a-kind annual gathering attracted people from all over the world for an uplifting weekend at the Washington State Convention Center. The five-day event included Gender Odyssey Professional, offering programming for medical caregivers, therapists, social workers, teachers, counselors, students, and others seeking to advance their understand-
ing of gender variance and transgender identities. The conference also featured Gender Odyssey Family, an annual, dedicated conference for families who are working to navigate the day-to-day realities of raising a gender-diverse or transgender child. As one of the only opportunities in the country to find valuable resources, information, and networking opportunities, Gender Odyssey Family provides real tools for families to support their child’s gender self-discovery. GO Family offered special programming for teens, as well as a day camp for the children attending. A highlight of the family track was the parents panel, highlighting diverse families who have been highly visible and fierce advocates for their trans and gender-creative children. Featured speakers included: Diego Sanchez, keynote speaker and Director of Policy at PFLAG, an out transgender man, and Senior Policy Advisor to Congressman Barney Frank; Dr. Rachel Levine, keynote
Diego Sanchez
Michael Woodward, Rachel Levine, and Aidan Key
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speaker at Gender Odyssey Pro, and Physician General/Acting Secretary of Health for the state of Pennsylvania, the highestranking transgender official in state history, and one of the few transgender state-level appointed officials in the country; Gavin Grimm, the student who sued for the right to use the boys’ bathroom at his high school, and plaintiff in G.G. v. Gloucester County School Board, currently being reconsidered by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals; and Joey Maldonado, who successfully fought to become America’s first openly transgender Boy Scout, and his mom, Kristie Maldonado. Featured panels covered subjects including: how gender transitions impact families; non-binary gender identities; the legal framework for transgender rights; Mara Keisling of the National Center for Transgender Equality unpacking the US Trans Survey; transgender service members; the Bible and gender identity; the challenges faced by transgender elders and
DeShanna Neal, Trinity Neal, and Aidan Key
senior citizens; the history of the transgender community; a storytelling session featuring trans people telling their challenges and triumphs; and several open questionand-answer panels, affording audience members the opportunity to ask trans adults about their life experiences. Additionally, a panel featured parents of transgender children, including: Michelle Honda-Phillips, parent of a transgender daughter, Malisa, and daughter of former California Congressman Mike Honda; DeShanna Neal, mother of a transgender daughter, Trinity; and Kristie Maldonado, mother of Joey Maldonado. A successful Gender Odyssey Professional conference was previously held in Los Angeles earlier this summer. Gender Odyssey’s successful track record of continuous growth and innovative programming has inspired a very high attendee return rate as well as a solid reputation for thought-provoking, quality workshops.
Aidan Key
Michelle Honda-Phillips, Gavin Grimm, and Mike Honda
September 8, 2017
Seattle Gay News 9
NAGAAA Gay Softball World Ser induction into Hall of Fame as
Stacy Maddux
by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN A&E Writer The first two days of the 2017 NAGAAA Gay Softball World Series (September 5-9, hosted in Portland, OR) featured a number of Seattle’s best teams laying the groundwork for what would hopefully be a long tournament run that could potentially lead to a national championship. These opening days were also augmented by Dug Sharpe’s official induction in the National NAGAAA Hall of Fame. “This organization changes lives,” he said during a rousing and powerful induction speech that was all about others and the importance athletic organizations like Seattle’s Emerald City Softball Associa-
Jim Cash
Robin Thompson
Robin Thompson
Jim Cash
10 Seattle Gay News
September 8, 2017
Celebrating 43 Years!
ries kicks off with Dug Sharpe’s Seattle athletes take the field
Stacy Maddux
Stacy Maddux
Stacy Maddux
tion (ECSA) and NAGAAA play in the everyday lives of so many in the LGBTQ community. “It saves lives. I’m honored to be a part of an organization that does so much for so many. This is an honor. Thank you.” Elimination rounds for the NAGAAA Gay Softball World Series continued Thursday and Friday, with Championship games scheduled for this Saturday, Sept. 9 at the Delta Park Complex at 10737 N Union Ct (Portland, OR) which will be played throughout the day starting at 8am. All games are free to the viewing public. A complete schedule is available at www.gsws2017.org. These photographs of Seattle teams in action are by Robin Thompson, Stacy Maddux, and Jim Cash.
Jim Cash
Jim Cash
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September 8, 2017
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Seattle Gay News 11
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September 8, 2017
Celebrating 43 Years!
In solidarity with Dreamers, Murray condemns Trump’s antiimmigrant agenda, urges Senate colleagues to defend DACA WASHINGTON, DC – Today [September 6], Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) condemned President Trump’s decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, in a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate, and vowed to work with her colleagues to defend DACA and find a permanent solution for the program’s recipients, known as Dreamers, in their home here in the United States. Approximately 800,000 individuals in the U.S., including an estimated 17,500 Washingtonians, would lose their DACA status. Dreamers in Washington state also contribute an estimated $1.1 billion in annual gross domestic product, which is at risk if Congressional Republicans do not join Democrats to protect the program. In her remarks, Sen. Murray denounced President’s Trump hateful and reckless agenda and committed to fighting against any attempts by the Trump Administration to use the DACA program as a bargaining chip to
secure funding for a border wall. Sen. Murray also pledged to work with her Senate colleagues toward a permanent solution to allow Dreamers to remain in the only country they’ve ever known—America. In addition to her floor speech, Sen. Murray and members of the Washington state delegation sent a letter to President Trump yesterday urging him to reconsider his decision to repeal DACA and make sure that Dreamers’ application information is not used for immigration enforcement. The members’ letter also called on President Trump to work with Congress to pass clean legislation to protect Dreamers. Additionally, today Sen. Murray commended Washington state leaders for announcing the state would join a lawsuit against the Trump Administration over its decision to end DACA. Courtesy of Senator Patty Murray
Senator Patty Murray, D-WA – Photo by T.J. Kirkpatrick/Getty
Senator Murray’s floor speech defending DACA M. President—some 800,000 people in this country woke up this morning with great uncertainty about their future. Because of President Trump’s reckless, hateful agenda—young men and women in this country are now unsure if they’ll be able to finish college or complete job training programs. They’re unsure if they can keep their job at a hospital or as a firefighter, or serve in our military to fight for our freedoms. They’re unsure if they can keep their home or remain with loved ones. And they are scared that this country might break its promise and use against them the very information they submitted to enroll in DACA—to find them and deport them. M. President, this is appalling—and it marks a very sad time for this United States of America. President Trump has caused a lot of divisive and disheartening moments since the start of the year, but rescinding DACA is an unusually cruel and heartless move, even
for this administration. And it flies in the face of so much of what—and who-- made this country what it is. So I am here today to urge all of us in the Senate to use this moment of uncertainty and division to do what’s right—come together to defend DACA. Use your voice for the Dreamers in your state and the many others who are calling, writing, and marching in the streets, urging all of us to act for our neighbors, our coworkers, our students, our doctors, our engineers, our friends, and our first responders, who are stepping up at this very moment to protect people – from hurricanes wreaking havoc in Texas and Florida, to the wildfires blazing in the West. Let’s stand behind our colleagues, Senator Durbin and Senator Graham, who have already paved a bipartisan path forward on this issue and who—just hour after the President’s announcement—reiterated that they are ready to get this done. I am too. M. President, there are more than 17,000
young men and women in my home state of Washington who are deeply connected to their communities. They were brought to this country as children. Some of them were so young when they arrived, they didn’t even know they weren’t born here until years, or even a decade later, when they went to apply for college or get a first job. Just yesterday, I heard about a young man in my home state who is distraught. He was brought to the U.S. as a toddler. He didn’t know he wasn’t a citizen until he turned 16 when he went to get his driver’s license. As a result, he signed up for DACA, got his license and a job, and is now in his second year in a science program at a community college, getting straight A’s and hoping to transfer to the University of Washington. Now, he is frightened he will lose all of that and be forced to go to a country he’s never known. He says he doesn’t know anyone in Mexico, nor has he been there to visit. And that’s just one story.
I’ve sat down with a number of Dreamers in my state. They are ambitious, they work hard, they play by the rules, and they do the right thing. They know one home—America. And to penalize them for forces beyond their control is simply not what this country is about. So while President Trump may see ending DACA as a political move to pander to his extreme, hardline base, I know the majority of people across this country will stand up and fight back. They will not let President Trump strip away protections or use Dreamers as a bargaining chip for his hateful crackdown on immigrants in our communities, or on wasteful border wall spending. And as a voice in Congress for my state, I stand ready to work with my colleagues – on either side of the aisle – to find a solution to honor the 800,000 Dreamers who call America home, and to honor the very foundation of our immigrant nation.
People protest against the rescinding of DACA near Trump Tower in New York – Photo by Yeong-Ung Yang/AMNY
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September 8, 2017
Seattle Gay News 13
Lambda Legal asks US Supreme Court to affirm LGBT employment rights in Georgia discrimination case
Jameka Evans – Photo courtesy of Lambda Legal
ATLANTA, GA – Today [September 7], Lambda Legal asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case of Jameka Evans, a Savannah security guard who was harassed at work and forced from her job because she is a lesbian. The petition seeks a nationwide ruling that sexual orientation discrimination violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. “It’s time for LGBT people everywhere to be protected against employment discrimination. The ability to put a roof over your head and feed your family is one of
the most basic needs, and freedom from discrimination is an essential part of that,” said Greg Nevins, Employment Fairness Project Director for Lambda Legal. “We need the highest court in the land to review this case, consider the vital rights at stake, and settle the issue once and for all to ensure that getting or keeping a job shouldn’t depend on your sexual orientation.” Several federal courts have affirmed the argument that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, when properly understood, protects LGBT employees. Most notably, the full
Seventh Circuit overruled four of its precedents and ruled in April that Lambda Legal client Kimberly Hively could proceed under the Civil Rights Act with her claim that Indiana-based Ivy Tech Community College discriminated against her because she is a lesbian. Later this month Lambda Legal will be arguing before the full Second Circuit, which will be reexamining two of its precedents when it hears Zarda v. Altitude Express, the case of a New York skydiving instructor who was fired from his job because he was gay. In April of 2015, Evans filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia against her former employer, Georgia Regional Hospital, arguing that the hospital violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act by discriminating against her because of her sexual orientation and her nonconformity with gender norms of appearance and demeanor. The district court dismissed the case. In January of last year, Lambda Legal filed an appeal on Evans’ behalf, arguing that she must have her day in court, citing rulings by several federal district courts and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) finding that sexual orientation discrimination is a form of sex discrimination and thereby a prohibited employment practice. On March 10, 2017, a three-judge panel of the Eleventh Circuit held that it was compelled by a 1979 ruling to reject Evans’ sexual orientation discrimination claim. Lambda Legal asked the whole court to rehear the case so that it could reexamine the 1979 precedent, but unlike the Seventh Circuit and Second Circuit, the full Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals declined to rehear
the case on July 6. Today, citing a clear conflict among the circuits, Lambda Legal filed a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case. Evans is part of Lambda Legal’s efforts to establish and enforce employment discrimination protection for all LGBT people and everyone living with HIV. In addition to the sexual orientation cases, these efforts include an historic win for transgender workplace rights in Glenn v. Brumby and the current lawsuit Karnoski v. Trump challenging the ban on transgender troops. With today’s filing, Lambda Legal is also launching Out at Work, a campaign to support Jameka Evans in her pursuit for justice, bring awareness to LGBT people everywhere of their Title VII rights, and assert that all people have the right to a job with dignity, free from repercussions for who they are or whom they love. Lambda Legal Employment Fairness Project Director Greg Nevins is the lead attorney for both the Hively and Evans cases. The attorneys on the Evans certiorari petition are Nevins, Jon Davidson, Susan Sommer, Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, Karen Loewy and Professors Pamela S. Karlan and Jeffrey L. Fisher of the Stanford Law School Supreme Court Litigation Clinic. The case is Evans v. Georgia Regional Hospital. Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and people living with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work. Courtesy of Lambda Legal
White Christians now a minority in the US, new survey says LGBT people and Washingtonians particularly irreligious by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer White Christians – once the dominant ethno-religious group in the country – now make up less than half the population. That is the dramatic conclusion of a new study by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI). The PRRI is a nonprofit and nonpartisan polling organization that specializes in studies of American values. According to its latest data, released September 6, only 43% of Americans identify as white and Christian. Only 30% identify as white and Protestant. Twenty-four percent are “religiously unaffiliated.” In comparison, 81% of Americans identified as white Christians in 1976, and 55% said they were white Protestants. As recently as 2007, 39 states had majority white Christian populations, but today fewer than half of the states are majority white Christian. The trend away from religious identification is especially marked among LGBT people. Forty-six percent of Americans who identify as LGBT are religiously unaffiliated, the survey found. Washington state is one of the least religious in the country, with 35% of our population saying they are religiously unaffiliated. Vermont and Oregon are even less religious, with 41% of Vermonters and 36% of Oregonians claiming no religious affiliation. Hawaii (34% religiously unaffiliated), Colorado (33%), and New Hampshire (33%) round out the list of least religious states. Today only 17% of Americans identify as white evangelical Protestant, down from 23% in 2006. Over the same period, white Catholics dropped five percentage points
14 Seattle Gay News
White Christans now make up 43% of Americans – Photo courtesy of the Associated Press
from 16% to 11%. White mainline Protestants have also declined, from 18% to 13%. Of the “unaffiliated,” 58% identify as secular – in other words, not religious at all. Sixteen percent of religiously unaffiliated Americans reported that they still identify as a “religious person” even if they don’t identify with a particular denomination or sect. Those identifying as atheists or agnostics account for only 27% of all religiously unaffiliated Americans. Among those with religion, more people are identifying as non-Christian, but they
September 8, 2017
still represent less than one in ten Americans combined. Jewish Americans constitute 2% of the public, while Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus each constitute only 1% of the public. All other non-Christian religions constitute an additional 1%. New York is the most diverse state when it comes to religious groups, and Mississippi is the least. Sixty percent of Mississipians are Protestant, and 60% of the Protestants in Mississippi are Baptist. White Christians have become a minority in the Democratic Party. Only 29% of Democrats today are white Christians,
compared to 50% just one decade earlier. Only 14% of young Democrats aged 18 to 29 identify as white Christians. Forty percent identify as religiously unaffiliated. White evangelical Protestants remain the dominant religious force in the GOP, however. Thirty-five percent of all Republicans identify as white evangelical Protestants, a proportion that has remained roughly stable over the past decade. Seventy-three percent of Republicans belong to a white Christian religious group.
Celebrating 43 Years!
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos rolls back Title IX protections against sexual assault Senator Patty Murray denounces move by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer US Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced on September 7 that she was rolling back Obama-era guidelines designed to protect students from sexual assault and harassment. The guidance from the Obama administration was designed to outline how schools receiving federal money – almost all public schools and most private schools – implemented Title IX, a federal law forbidding discrimination on the basis of sex. Obama’s guidelines had “failed,” DeVos said in a speech, and she would replace them with “a workable, effective, and fair system” that explicitly takes into account the rights of those accused of sexual assault. According to DeVos, teachers had complained that the Obama-era guidelines created “kangaroo courts,” in which the rights of defendants – mainly men accused of accosting, assaulting, or raping women – were set aside. These procedures forced defendants to go to court to uphold their innocence, she said. “No student should be forced to sue their way to due process,” she added. In spite of DeVos’s claim that teachers support her move, the National Education Association (NEA), which represents three million teachers, denounced her action. “Educators across the nation are ap-
palled that the Department of Education has decided to weaken protections for students who survive campus sexual assault or harassment,” the union said in a statement. “This decision offends our collective conscience and conflicts with the basic values of equality, safety, and respect that we teach our students every day. Title IX is essential to protect each student’s right to equal access to education and an educational experience free from violence. “The 2011 US Office of Civil Rights guidance says that both the survivor and the accused have the same rights and must be treated equally during all proceedings. Today’s announcement is another example of a Trump-DeVos agenda that scorns respect for survivors, including Secretary DeVos’s own recent meeting with radical antiwoman activists and the President’s own recorded sexual assault confession during the campaign.” The NEA was joined by Washington’s senior senator, Patty Murray, who accused DeVos of making it harder for survivors of sexual assault to get justice. “Secretary DeVos decided today to continue a pattern of undermining survivors’ rights, once again showing a clear lack of understanding or empathy for the millions of students who have experienced sexual violence on campus,” Murray said. “Let’s be clear: Secretary DeVos just made an open invitation to colleges to once again sweep this national epidemic under
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos – Photo by Yuri Gripas/Reuters
the rug, which could discourage women and men on campuses across the country from reporting sexual assault and deprive survivors of the justice they deserve. Colleges must continue to take campus sexual violence seriously, and I urge Secretary DeVos to reconsider this harmful step backward and instead start supporting survivors and working to combat this national crisis.” The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) also criticized DeVos’s move. “With today’s announcement, Betsy DeVos is insinuating that she would prefer to take America back to a time when it was
more difficult for survivors of sexual assault to receive justice,” said Sarah Warbelow, legal director for the HRC. “For the LGBTQ community, which faces disproportionate levels of sexual assault and violence, this decision sends a strong signal that the US Department of Education will not use its full power to protect them from harm. This signal is only amplified and worsened by the actions the department took earlier this year, when it callously rescinded guidance aimed at protecting transgender students.”
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Seattle Gay News 15
Campus Pride releases “Top 25 LGBTQ-Friendly Colleges and Universities” Listing boasts campuses in unlikely places with LGBTQ inclusivity in policies, programs, and practices
Students cross the quad at the University of Washington in Seattle – Photo courtesy of UW
Campus Pride announced today [September 5] the 25 colleges and universities leading the way for LGBTQ inclusion in policies, programs and practices across the United States. For the last decade, Campus Pride continues to be the most trusted, reliable educational resource for students and families to find the best campuses for LGBTQ inclusion and safety. The organization works alongside students, faculty, staff, and administrators at 1400+ campuses annually to help support and improve the quality of campus life for LGBTQ people. Campus Pride chose the twenty-five campuses this year based on their overall ratings on the Campus Pride Index and specif-
ic LGBTQ-inclusive benchmark measures. The Campus Pride Index, currently 300+ campuses, is the premier national benchmarking tool which self-assesses LGBTQfriendly policies, programs and practices. The tool is free of charge and can be found online at CampusPrideIndex.org. “If you are looking for the most trusted, reliable list of LGBTQ-friendly colleges, then you have found the right one. LGBTQ youth and families today want to know what campuses are doing when it comes to inclusive policies, programs and practices. This Best of the Best list highlights the Top 25,’” said Shane Windmeyer, executive director of Campus Pride and creator of the Campus Pride Index. “These are the
campuses leading the way for LGBTQ inclusion and who have come out to support LGBTQ students from the first day of classes through graduation day.” According to Campus Pride, “the list this year shows more LGBTQ progress than ever, even in more rural conservative places.” Dr. Genny Beemyn, the coordinator of Campus Pride’s Trans Policy Clearinghouse, said: “It is especially important to see colleges from Kansas, Kentucky, and North Carolina among the Top 25. If these colleges can become supportive oases in largely anti-LGBTQ states, then other institutions in very conservative states have no excuse not to do likewise.” In order to be in the Top 25 listing, an in-
stitution had to score the highest percentages in the LGBTQ-friendly benchmarks for policies, programs and practices. The listing this year includes colleges from sixteen states including more conservative places like North Carolina, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Colorado, Wisconsin, and Ohio. These campuses represent a range of academic studies with student populations from 807 to over 45,000, public and private schools alike. “It is both exciting and promising to see the diversity and growth of the number of campuses participating in the Campus Pride Index. Particularly, we see institutions thoughtfully considering the inclusion of queer spectrum and trans spectrum policies and programs,” said Dr. Sue Rankin, the volunteer director of Campus Pride’s Q Research Institute for Higher Education. “In the current political climate, where executive orders by the President of the United States are rescinding decades of progressive work, this work on college campuses is more important than ever.” Along with the Top 25 campuses, there are 300+ other campuses listed on the Campus Pride Index. Many of which participate annually every fall in the Campus Pride LGBTQ-Friendly College Fair Program in cities like Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Charlotte and Atlanta. Learn more at CampusPride.org/CollegeFair. Campus Pride is the leading national educational organization for LGBTQ and ally college students and campus groups building future leaders and safer, more LGBTQ-friendly colleges and universities. The organization provides resources and services to thousands of college students and nearly 1400 campuses annually. Courtesy of CampusPride.org
Campus Pride’s top 25 LGBTQ-friendly colleges and universities (in alphabetical order) Augsburg University, Minneapolis, MN Elon University, Elon, NC Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
Macalester College, Saint Paul, MN Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ Ohio State University, Columbus, OH Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA Portland State University, Portland, OR Princeton University, Princeton, NJ Rutgers, New Brunswick, New Brunswick, NJ
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tects his right to refuse service to LGBT people on religious grounds. Louise Melling, deputy legal director of the ACLU, condemned the DOJ brief. “This Justice Department has already made its hostility to the rights of LGBT people and so many others crystal clear,” she said in a statement. “But this brief was shocking, even for this administration. What the Trump administration is advocating for is nothing short of a constitutional right to discriminate. We are confident that the Supreme Court will rule on the side of equal rights, just as the lower courts have.” According to Irwin Chemerinsky, dean of the law school at the University of California-Irvine, the 1990 Supreme Court decision in Employment Division v. Smith says that states may put limits on what people claim as a religious right as long as the statutes are “neutral laws of general applicability” and not aimed at a specific religion. The late Justice Antonin Scalia said publicly that he wanted to revisit that decision and undo the precedent it created, and his successor, Neil Gorsuch, is thought to have similar views.
continued from cover he would stop making wedding cakes altogether rather than make one for a Lesbian or Gay couple. Mullins and Craig then complained to the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, which ruled that the baker violated the state’s public accommodations law, which prohibits businesses from refusing service on the basis of sex and sexual orientation, among other grounds. In a subsequent court case, Phillips and his company were found guilty of violating the nondiscrimination law. He then appealed, lost again at the Colorado Court of Appeals, and finally brought the case to the US Supreme Court on the grounds of First Amendment free speech and religious freedom protections. The high court declined to schedule hearings on the case, not once but 13 times. Then, on June 27 this year, it agreed to hear Phillips’ appeal this fall. The DOJ amicus brief advised the Supreme Court that US Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his department support Phillips’ claim that the First Amendment pro-
16 Seattle Gay News
San Diego State University, San Diego, CA Southern Oregon University, Ashland, OR Tufts University, Medford, MA University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO University of Louisville, Louisville, KY University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA University of Washington, Seattle, WA University of Wisconsin, Green Bay, Green Bay, WI University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI Washington State University, Pullman, WA
Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop – Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Times
September 8, 2017
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Seattle Gay News 17
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Seattle Gay News 19