Celebrating 41 Years! Issue 11 Volume 43
FRIDAY March 13, 2015 FREE!
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Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
Utah passes landmark Barney Frank in Seattle anti-discrimination bill March 30 Bill allowing opt-outs from same-sex marriages also passes
The legislature’s only openly Gay lawmaker, Sen. Jim Dabakis, of Salt Lake City, hugs Equality Utah Executive Director Troy Williams following the Senate’s passage of an anti-discrimination bill – Francisco Kjolseth/AP
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The Utah House of Representatives has passed a landmark bill outlawing discrimination against LGBT people in the areas of
housing and employment. The March 11 vote on the measure, titled SB296, was 6510. The bill passed the Utah Senate by a 23-5 vote on March 6. It will now go to Utah’s
On Monday, March 30, at 7 p.m., Barney Frank will appear in Seattle in a conversation, reading and book signing of his new memoir, Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage, sponsored by the University Book Store. The event will be held at University Temple United Methodist Church, 1415 NE 43rd St. in the Sanctuary. Leading the struggle for personal freedom and economic fairness over nearly five decades in Congress, Barney Frank is widely considered one of the smartest, funniest, and most influential politicians of our time. In his candid and witty new memoir, Frank recounts his journey from the outskirts of New York City to U.S. Congress, from the battle over AIDS funding in the 1980s to debates over “big government” during the Clinton years to the 2008 financial crisis, and from a closeted gay man to the first member of Congress to voluntarily Barney Frank – courtesy of University Book Store disclose his homosexuality. What he gives us is not only a moving Following an introduction by Seattle story of an extraordinary life, but a look at Mayor Ed Murray, Frank will present his how political change really happens. see frank page 4
see utah page 5
Top Dems send marriage brief to SCOTUS
SOSea to launch Safety Shuttle program Self-defense class offered March 18
amicus brief supporting marriage equality. All the Democratic leaders in both Senate and House signed on to the brief, including Washington Senator Patty Murray. Washington’s junior Senator Maria Cantwell also signed the brief. “I am so proud that Washington state has been a leader in advancing LGBT equality and ensuring that all loving couples have the right to marry, but for far too many Americans, inequality remains.” Murray said in a statement. “I am hopeful the Supreme Court will right this wrong and deliver on the promise of equality for all couples across the country, regardless of who they love.” Seattle Congressmen Jim McDermott and Adam Smith signed on as well, as did three of the four other Democrats in Washington’s Congressional delegation. Washington Senator Patty Murray – Congressman Rick Larson did not sign www.napequity.org the brief because, his spokesperson Ingrid Stegemoeller explained, he has a policy by Mike Andrew against signing amicus briefs, no matter SGN Staff Writer what the issue. Larson supports marriage Two hundred and ten Democratic mem- equality, she said, and cosponsored the sucbers of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have sent the Supreme Court an see dems page 5
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
In December I began to look for a passenger van that would be big enough to shuttle eight or more people around. I found one and it was graciously donated to SOSea specifically for this cause. The donor wishes to remain anonymous. After receiving the title to the van, we then had to make sure the vehicle, a 9-passenger GMC van from the 1980s, was mechanically sound. Now, all that is left to do is start the pilot program to find out what the program will ultimately look like. A s with all of our programs, SOSea does not tell the community what the problem is or where the need is. Instead, we reach out and are provided feedback from community members. In that vein, we will operate the pilot program.
Social Outreach Seattle (SOSea) will officially launch its pilot program for a neighborhood safety shuttle service designed to shuttle people around Capitol Hill at night. The idea for a safety shuttle came up as an answer to calls from the community for more safety on Capitol Hill as reports of a spike in hate crimes towards the LGBTQ community surfaced since January. I am the founder and current president of SOSea. It’s simple, really. People have expressed that they don’t feel safe walking around in the neighborhood at night so we decided The questions that we will answer from that the easiest way to move people around, the March 19-May 19 pilot program are: to and from where they are headed, avoiding the possibility of being mugged or at• WHAT are the peak times in which the tacked, is to simply shuttle them around. greatest need exists?
see Sosea page 4