SGN April 3, 2015 - Section 1

Celebrating 41 Years!

Issue 14 Volume 43

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Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

Sally Clark resigns from City Republicans walk back Council, takes job at UW “freedom of bigotry” laws

Indiana Governor Mike Pence – photo by Mark Taylor/flickr

Sally Clark has been appointed Director of Regional and Community Relations for UW – flickrr/Gregg Phipps

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Sally Clark resigned from the Seattle City Council April 2, and announced she will take a new job with the University of Washington beginning May 18. Her last day on the Council will be April 12.

In February Clark said she would not

seek reelection to the City Council seat she has held since 2006.

The UW announced that Clark has been appointed Director of Regional and Community Relations for the school.

In that position, Clark will work with surrounding neighborhoods, civic groups, and local governments on projects of musee CLARK page 6

Barney Frank in Seattle to promote new book, gives stern advice to Democratic party

Barney Frank (right) in conversation with Eric Liu – photo by Steph Brusig

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer In the face of sustained national outcry several Republican governors have walked back their support of laws that allow discrimination against LGBT Americans under the cover of “freedom of religion.”

Many national corporations, including Middle American icons NASCAR and the NCAA, and 39 major tech corporations threatened to boycott Indiana over that state’s RFRA (Religious Freedom Restoration Act). Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and

Washington Governor Jay Inslee banned official travel to Indiana, as did other officials in other states and municipalities.

Embattled Indiana Governor Mike Pence is now likely to sign an amendment to his state’s law that contains new anti-discrimination language.

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson said he would veto a similar measure he had previously promised to sign, and Michigan Governor Rick Snyder also promised to veto the bill pending in his state’s Senate if it came to his desk. see indiana page 12

Lawyers named to argue marriage case before SCOTUS

GLAD attorney Mary Bonauto just one attorney named to argue before SCOTUS – courtesy of John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

primer, and Frank has some stern advice for his colleagues in the progressive wing of the by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Democratic party.

Barney Frank appeared at University Before the reading, Frank met with reGLAD (Gay & Lesbian Advocates & DeTemple Methodist Church on March 30, to porters in a side room off the Gothic Revival fenders) attorney Mary Bonauto and former read from his new book Frank: A Life in Poli- sanctuary to share observations about poliAssistant U.S. Solicitor General Douglas tics from the Great Society to Same-Sex MarHallward-Driemeier will argue for marriage riage. see Frank page 6 equality when the U.S. Supreme Court hears The book is part memoir, part political oral arguments on the issue April 28.

The pair was named March 31, after a weekend-long conference of pro-equality groups from all four states involved in the appeal to the high court.

Bonauto will argue the first question set by the Supreme Court: “Does the Foursee Scotus page 13

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April 3, 2015

Celebrating 41 Years!

Fall-out to homophobia in Indiana Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and Angie’s List are to be commended for their respective public actions, in resisting Indiana Governor Mike Pence signing legislation legalizing religious based discrimination, in public accommodations, based on sexual orientation, real or perceived.

However, I urge Mayor Murray to go further, and Governor Inslee and King County Executive Constantine to follow suit. Governor Inslee and County Executive

Constantine should issue their own respective executive orders prohibiting their respective employees from work-related and taxpayer-funded travel, to Indiana.

Further, Inslee, Constantine, and Murray should issue another executive order prohibiting Washington, King County, and Seattle law enforcement agencies from cooperating with any Indiana law enforcement agency, absent a state or federal court order to the contrary.

Organized civil disobedience shouldn’t be just the purview and duty of private citizens.

Sincerely, Steven L. Kendall Seattle [EDITOR’S NOTE: As of press time, Governor Inslee has followed Mayor Murray’s lead. The SGN thanks Steven Kendall for his insightful recommendations.]

LGBT Grandparents Group: Still coming on strong

by Jesse Monteagudo SGN Contributing Writer Two years ago, I wrote a piece about South Florida’s LGBT Grandparents Group; the first and, perhaps, still the only one of its kind. The product of SunServe and other community organizations – Women In Network, PFLAG, the Pride Center and Women with Pride – the Grandparents Group held their first meetings at the Wilton Station clubhouse in Wilton Manors.

At the meeting I attended, two-dozen men and women gathered to enjoy a continental breakfast and talk about their grandchildren and their relationship with them and their partners. Unlike other community groups, the LGBT Grandparents Group does not have a formal structure; and the participants like it that way. It does not have corporate papers, by-laws or a board of directors. Also, unlike other LGBT organizations, the Grandparents Group has virtual parity between men and women.

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Two years later, the LGBT Grandparents Group is still coming on strong. Now a SunServe support group, the Group meets on the third Saturdays of the month at SunServe, 2312 Wilton Drive, in Wilton Manors. It is a drop-in group, which means anyone can drop by for a meeting without signing-up or making a reservation. Although Lisa Peters, SunServe’s Director of Senior Services, was present, she was not in charge of the meeting. Meetings are moderated by the grandparents themselves, in this case by June Cashwell-Spivak, one of the founders of the Grandparents Group.

(Her wife, Denise Cashwell-Spivak, was featured in the first GG article.) There were ten people present at the recent meeting I attended, including some newcomers as well as some who were present at the meeting I wrote about in my previous column. In one important respect, the LGBT Grandparents Group has not changed in its two years of existence. It still has gender parity, with women and men both equally represented.

After we introduced ourselves, the Grandparents Group meeting took the form of a free-wheeling discussion on a variety of topics. One man, a relative newcomer, talked about his troubled relation-

ship with his many grandchildren, and their parents. Two of the women discussed their recent health problems and their upcoming wedding, to which they invited those who were present. Going further afield, the grandparents talked about the controversy brought about by fashion designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, whose comments about the surrogate children of Gay parents brought upon them the wrath of Sir Elton John (among others). All in all, it was an interesting, productive meeting, as I can attest.

Though the LGBT Grandparents Group currently limits its activities to its monthly discussions, its members hope to expand its scope to include social events for its members and their families. Meanwhile, the monthly meetings seem to adequately satisfy and fulfill those who attend it. Readers who are interested in the LGBT Grandparents Group should e-mail Lisa Peters at lpeters@sunserve.org or phone her at 954764-5150 ext 103. The LGBT Grandparents Group is open to both biological and nonbiological grandparents.

April 3, 2015

Seattle Gay News 3

Gaining asylum in the U.S. from anti-Gay persecution

by André Olivie Special to the SGN In recent years the U.S. has seen tremendous progress in LGBT rights, from the fall of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act and Prop 8 to the series of court rulings against anti-Gay marriage bans throughout the nation. Full marriage equality may be at our doorstep this summer as the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to rule on the matter, but these domestic successes for LGBT rights have come at a time when increasingly homophobic laws are being enacted in other parts of the world.

Russia and Uganda have been the countries most prominent in the news with antiGay laws inhibiting not only one’s right to marry but to exist. Many other nations continue government-sanctioned persecution of Gays and Lesbians. In 77 countries, to be homosexual is a criminal act. In some nations, LGBT individuals face beatings, rape, and killings by the government or members of society on a daily basis. Many LGBT Americans have been asking what they can do as individuals or what the U.S. can do as a nation to help.

In one way, the U.S. has been helping to provide a safe haven for persecuted Gays and Lesbians for over 20 years through the process of asylum (essentially, refugee status obtained inside the United States). As a local Gay immigration attorney who focuses on LGBT immigration and asylum matters, I have had the privilege of helping many individuals obtain asylum in the U.S. on account of their sexual orientation, including my first case out of law school.

Asylum is granted to individuals who have suffered persecution, or have a wellfounded fear of persecution, by the government or individuals the government is unable or unwilling to control, on account of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. In 1994, the U.S. government decided that homosexuals would be eligible for asylum as members of a particular social group, following the case of a Gay Cuban man seeking refuge in the U.S. Since then, individuals who identify as Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or Transgender have had the opportunity to seek asylum in the U.S. if they have suffered persecution or have a wellfounded fear of persecution on account of their sexual orientation.

Generally, asylum is sought after entering the U.S., so an individual must first make it to the U.S. either through legal means such as obtaining a visa or by finding his or her way to the U.S. border. Processes exist for obtaining refugee status while outside the U.S., but they can be infinitely more difficult for most LGBT foreign nationals and are beyond the scope of this article.

The U.S. immigration system is extremely complex and the laws and regulations dealing with asylum are no different.

The following narrative is an example of how one might obtain asylum in the U.S. It is not based on a particular case but on an amalgamation of many of my LGBT asylum clients: Aleksandr is a 19-year-old college student from a former Soviet Republic nation.

He has known he was different since he was six years old. He was more effeminate than most boys in his culture and was constantly bullied by classmates even before he knew what “Gay” meant. Classmates would call him the Russian language equivalent of “faggot” on a daily basis, throw stones at him, and on occasion physically beat him.

If he sought help from his teachers, they would merely suggest that he act less feminine.

When he was 16, Aleksandr was raped by a police officer; it happened again when he was 17. Because it was the police who violated him, there was no one else to go to. There were no LGBT non-profits in his country – no Gay clubs, no community or support system. The president of Aleksan-

He didn’t feel comfortable coming out to his host family and some of his classmates were other individuals from his country or neighboring countries. Ten months passed, and while he did not face the same type of suffering as he did in his home country, he continued to feel the internal pain. He suffered from depression and what would later be diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder.

Eventually, Aleksandr began to feel comfortable enough to seek out other Gay individuals. After some initial casual experiences, he met a more serious boyfriend, an American man named Ryan. Ryan ini-

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April 3, 2015

Seattle Lawyer André Olivie – www.avvo.com

dr’s country had stated on television that there was no place for Gays in their country.

Aleksandr had even heard of individuals who pretended to be Gay online only to find Gays and beat or steal from them. Aleksandr did his best to survive, he studied hard despite the harassment and persecution, and he eventually got a scholarship to study English abroad in the U.S. After arriving in the U.S. Aleksandr felt a little relief, but it did not last long.

tially had never even heard of Aleksandr’s small country of origin. As their relationship progressed, Aleksandr felt comfortable telling Ryan about his past, which helped him deal with some of the internal pain.

Soon enough, the couple’s relationship was threatened by the reality of Aleksandr’s situation. Aleksandr’s permission to stay in the U.S. was tied to his school program, which ended in one month. The type of visa he was on also did not allow for obtaining a

Nortwest Immigrants Rights Project helps many immigrants – twitter.com/nwirp

green card through marriage and he could not afford the international tuition to pay for more school. He would be forced to return to his country that would not accept him for who he was. The thought of returning to that life of oppression caused his depression to relapse.

When his school ended, Ryan convinced him to stay despite his immigration status.

Aleksandr agreed and moved in with Ryan.

Neither Ryan nor Aleksandr knew about asylum in the U.S. or how to apply for it, but with some Internet searching they found the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, a Seattle non-profit that helps low-income

immigrants in immigration-related legal matters. With thousands of individuals seeking help, there was a several-weeks wait, but eventually Aleksandr was able to get an appointment and a referral to a probono immigration attorney.

Aleksandr came to me in 2013 after having been referred by the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. I agreed to take his case free of charge. At our first meeting, I asked Aleksandr to tell me why he had stayed in the U.S., why he did not want to return to his home country. He recounted the childhood bullying, the harassment, the rape, and the general homophobic climate in his country. While he felt safe in the U.S., it was clear that he was not happy.

He lacked a valid immigration status, he had no work authorization, and he was all alone in the U.S. By this time his relationship with Ryan was strained, as Ryan had to fully support Aleksandr who could not find work. Their relationship would only last another month. Even if it meant staying on his own, though, Aleksandr felt strongly that he needed to stay in the U.S. for his personal safety and well-being.

When Aleksandr came into my office, I explained to him the process for applying for asylum in the United States. He could apply for asylum through the mail to the asylum office. Following an interview, if the officer granted him asylum then he could remain in the U.S. After one year, he would be eligible to adjust his status to that of a lawful permanent resident and thus would not have to return to his home country.

Four years later he would be eligible for U.S. citizenship.

If the asylum officer did not grant him asylum, I explained, he would be referred to Immigration Court where he would have the opportunity to apply for asylum again, but this time in front of an Immigration Judge and with a government attorney arguing that he should be deported. The goal would be to win at the first level with the asylum officer so that we would not have to go to court.

I also explained to Aleksandr that because thousands of immigrants apply for asylum each year, the process is not quick.

Sometimes it can take years. If no decision is made in six months, he would be eligible for a work-permit while his case is pending, but not before. On top of this, we had to work quickly. Asylum must be applied for within one-year of entering the country unless country conditions had recently changed or within a reasonable time after

Celebrating 41 Years!

one’s lawful status has expired. It had been about three months since Aleksandr’s student status ended. Together, we decided on a goal of applying within the next two months.

The U.S. would likely grant Aleksandr asylum if we could show that he was persecuted for being Gay and had a well-founded fear of future persecution if he were to return. The persecution had to have been caused by the government or people the government would not control. Aleksandr and I both knew all this to be true, but it is not enough to just state this to the asylum officer. We would need evidence.

We knew that it was a fact that Aleksandr was persecuted by his government because police officers are members of the government and rape is considered a form of persecution. Aleksandr told me that the officer expressed that he had heard that Aleksandr was Gay and that is why he initiated the rape. Unfortunately, there was no documentary evidence of the rape and no remaining physical damage several years later. How could we prove to the officer that this had even happened or that something similar would be likely to happen again? In addition, how could we convince the officer that Aleksandr was even Gay and not posing as a homosexual to obtain asylum?

Since there was no paper record of the rape or any of the beatings, we needed to use secondary sources of evidence. Aleksandr had only one close friend, Dimitri, who knew that he was Gay and knew about the abuse. Aleksandr contacted him by email to ask if he would write a letter confirming Aleksandr’s story. At first, Dimitri felt uncomfortable. He had heard that his government sometimes opened mail before it left the country and he did not want to be outed as he too felt unsafe in his country.

However, after thinking about it and realizing his friend needed help, Dimitri agreed to write a letter and mail it to Seattle. This would be helpful for Aleksandr’s case, but still more evidence was needed. Aleksandr no longer had any physical scars from the attacks so we would not be able to get any proof of the rape or beatings from a medical examination. However, it was clear that he had emotional scars. I asked Aleksandr to meet with a mental health counselor. After a few sessions she was able to diagnose him with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression related to the harm he had suffered in his country. Psychological harm can also be a form of persecution. This diagnosis would also be helpful to prove his case to the asylum officer.

In addition to a detailed declaration by Alexander, the letter from Dimitri, and the psychological evaluation, we supplemented his case with country conditions. The U.S. State Department Human Rights Report, Amnesty International reports, Human Rights Watch reports, and various New York Times and BBC articles supported Alex-

ander’s claims that in his country it is not safe to be Gay and that the police routinely harassed and physically abused LGBT citizens. With this evidence and the U.S. government-required form I-589 Application for Asylum, we filed Alexandr’s case.

About two weeks after filing, Alexandr received a receipt notice from the San Francisco Asylum Office and a biometrics appointment to give his fingerprints at the Seattle USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) office. Now that his case had been filed, he would be allowed to remain in the U.S. until a decision was made. While this provided Alexandr with some sense of security, he still was not eligible to work and the uncertainty of his fate continued to cause him stress and exacerbated his depression.

ployment helped but another four months passed and still he did not know if he would be granted asylum and be safe or be forced to return to his home country.

When 10 months had passed after he first filed his application, Aleksandr received an interview notice. It had been so long since we filed. Aleksandr had spent months trying to forget everything about his past life, but now I needed to ask him to recall every painful detail. The interview took place at 8 a.m. at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Tukwila, in a small office. The asylum officer had flown in from San Francisco earlier that week. He spent a few minutes taking Aleksandr’s fingerprints digitally and a photograph. He then asked if we had any corrections to make on the application we had

ficer and were told that a decision would arrive in the mail after the officer had had more time to review his notes and the evidence we provided.

It would be another month before Aleksandr received a letter from the asylum office with the decision. I felt the interview went well, but I did not know what would be inside the envelope. It had been almost two years since Aleksandr left his country and only now would he find out if the U.S. would be his refuge. Aleksandr opened the envelope carefully, pulled out the letter and unfolded it.

It started with his address and case number. Then he read the first line of the body: You have been granted asylum.

Igor Bazilevskii, left, and Andrew Nasonov are a married couple seeking asylum in the U.S. because of anti-Gay propaganda laws in their home country of Russia – courtesy of Andrew Nasonov

The U.S. receives thousands of asylum applications a year and has limited resources to address them. Five months had passed and there was still no word from the asylum office as to when Aleksandr’s interview would be held. Fortunately, after five months had passed Aleksandr was eligible to apply for work authorization so that he could work legally in the U.S. I called him back into my office to file the paperwork.

He would need two passport-sized photos, a copy of his asylum receipt notice, and an I-765 Application for Employment Authorization. A month and a half later, Aleksandr received his work permit. With that he was able to apply for a social security number and hopefully find work more easily.

He took a job at a fast food restaurant as it was the easiest to get hired. The steady em-

filed. Aleksandr had recently moved into a new apartment so we gave the officer the new address.

The officer began by asking why Aleksandr was seeking asylum. He asked if Aleksandr had ever been harmed and by whom. Aleksandr had told me his story several times, but now he had to tell it to a complete stranger who had the power to grant him asylum. He was very nervous, but the officer was kind and patient. Recalling his history to the officer was quite difficult because the officer needed to type his notes the entire time. He had to ask Aleksandr several times to stop or slow down so he could finish typing. At the end of the interview, I asked Aleksandr a few questions that the officer did not, but that which I felt would support his case. We thanked the of-

Individuals who have suffered persecution on account of their sexual orientation face an uphill battle. Only a tiny percentage will have the opportunity to get to the U.S. or other LGBT friendly nation. Getting here is just the first step to gaining asylum.

Attorney, André Olivie is a graduate of Seattle University School of Law and practices immigration and asylum law with a focus on same-sex marriage visas and LGBT asylum. His office is located in Capitol Hill and online at www.olivielaw.com.

County Council member Larry Phillips to retire

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

King County Council member Larry Phillips – kingcounty.gov

Veteran King County Council member Larry Phillips has announced he will not run for reelection this year.

“While I still possess the energy and desire to help our region meet the many challenges growth poses to our quality of life, and remain committed to preserving the values we hold close in this unique and beautiful home we share, I hope to do so in new ways,” he wrote in an April 1 email to constituents.

Phillips is the longest-serving current Council member, having been elected in 1991. He represents the Fourth Council district, including Ballard, Queen Anne, Magnolia, Fremont, Belltown, South Lake Union, and Downtown.

Phillips was chair of the County Council from 2004 to 2006, and was reelected chair in 2014. He is also on the Sound Transit

Visit us online www.sgn.org

board of directors.

Phillips was a long-time ally of the LGBT community, but the real hallmark of Phillips’ career on the Council has been his work to preserve forests and farmland by buying land, development rights, or conservation easements.

“I will leave my service on the King County Council knowing the great landscapes of King County are far better preserved than when I started,” he noted in his April 1 email. “Our air, waters, and natural resources are better protected, and the people living here enjoy a healthier environment and more prosperous community.”

Prior to his election to the King County Council, Phillips served two terms in the state legislature, where he was author and prime sponsor of the landmark Growth Management Act of 1990. He also passed a key measure to prevent oil spills in Puget Sound.

Phillips was named the 2001 Public Of-

ficial of the Year by the Seattle Muni League for his leadership on land preservation and growth management in King County. He was also named 2010 Public Official of the Year by the 43rd District Democrats.

Phillips also had the unenviable job of County Council budget chair for three years during the County’s budget crisis.

Phillips led his colleagues in making more than $170 million in cuts to stabilize the budget while protecting public health, and human services.

Phillips had a role in Democrat Christine Gregoire’s razor-thin victory over Republican Dino Rossi in the 2004 gubernatorial election. Phillips discovered that his absentee ballot had not been counted, and when he brought that fact to the attention of county election officials, they found another 572 uncounted ballots. The extra votes from heavily Democratic King County were enough to give Gregoire a 129 vote majority.

April 3, 2015

Seattle Gay News 5

Richland florist fined for turning down Gay customers

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

A Richland florist has been fined $1,000 plus $1 in court costs for refusing to provide flowers for a same-sex wedding.

Barronelle Stutzman, owner of Arlene’s Flowers, was found guilty of violating the state’s Consumer Protection Act in a summary ruling February 18.

In 2013 Stutzman had turned down a request by regular customer Robert Ingersoll to provide flowers for his wedding to Curt Freed.

When Ingersoll and Freed complained to the state, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson sent Stutzman an official letter warning her that she must comply with Washington laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. When she

refused, Ferguson filed suit against her.

“My primary goal has always been to end illegal discrimination,” Ferguson said in a statement.

“I’m pleased that today’s ruling clearly prohibits discrimination against same-sex couples. Our state laws protect the rights of Washingtonians to be treated equally – regardless of our race, sex, creed, sexual orientation or other characteristics – and I will continue to vigorously uphold these laws.”

Ferguson added that had Stutzman agreed to comply with state law at the time he sent his letter, he would not have filed the lawsuit against her.

The ruling also permanently enjoins Arlene’s Flowers and Stutzman, as its owner, from violating the Consumer Protection Act by discriminating against any person because of his or her sexual orientation.

This includes the requirement that all goods, merchandise and services Arlene’s Flowers and Stutzman offers or sells to opposite sex couples must be offered or sold on the same terms to same-sex couples.

Stutzman may end up paying more than $1,000, because damBarronelle Stutzman, owner of Arlene’s Flowers – ages for Ingersoll and Alliance Defending Freedom Freed have not yet been determined. of a well-known betrayer,” she said in a refStutzman claimed that her refusal to fol- erence to the Biblical story of Judas, “one low state law was justified by her religious who sold something of infinite worth for 30 pieces of silver. That is something I will not views.

“You are asking me to walk in the way do.”

No more money for you! Republicans say; State minimum wage hike, paid sick leave, gender equity all die in committee

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer A bill to increase the state minimum wage to $12 per hour died April 1, when the Republican chair of the state Senate Commerce and Labor Committee cancelled a meeting that could have sent the bill to the floor for a vote.

A paid sick leave bill and one to promote gender pay equity also died in the Commerce and Labor Committee. April 1 is the deadline for legislative committees to pass policy bills and report them out for floor votes.

All three bills passed the Democraticcontrolled state House. Republicans have controlled the state Senate since 2013, when

clark

continued from cover tual interest.

“The Office of Regional & Community Relations works to build collaborative relationships between these groups through information sharing, and looks for new opportunities to match the UW’s academic capital with needs in the region and community,” the university said in a statement.

In addition to her new duties, Clark will also get a raise. She will make $155,000 working for the UW, about $35,000 more than she did as a City Council member.

“I am thrilled to welcome Sally to the University,” UW Vice President for External Affairs Randy Hodgins said in a statement.

“She brings a wealth of leadership experience to the office not only from her time on the Seattle City Council, but also in her neighborhood and economic development work. All of us are looking forward to the creative ideas and energy she will bring to the university.”

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray praised Clark in a statement.

“On behalf of the City, our employees and our residents, my heartfelt thanks to Sally Clark for her years of service to the people of Seattle,” Murray wrote.

“I’ve enjoyed working with Sally for years on neighborhood issues, civil rights, economic development and affordable housing. Her commitment to our community will live on in her work at the Univer-

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nominal Democrats Rodney Tom and Tim Sheldon defected to their side.

The minimum wage measure was sponsored by Seattle-area Rep. Jessyn Farrell.

Her bill would have phased in a $12 an hour minimum wage by 2019, with the wage increasing to $10 an hour in 2016, $10.50 an hour in 2017, $11 an hour in 2018, and finally $12 an hour in 2019.

Republican Sen. Michael Baumgartner of Spokane, chair of the Commerce and Labor Committee, charged the bill was the product of Seattle extremists.

“This proposed minimum wage increase would be devastating to countless small businesses. I won’t put people in Eastern Washington out of work to placate the egos of extreme Seattle liberals,” Baumgartner

said after cancelling his committee’s March 31 meeting and killing the bill.

The paid sick leave bill, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Laurie Jinkins of Tacoma, would have required businesses with more than four employees to offer paid sick days.

It also died when the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee cancelled its meeting.

The third bill killed by Baumgartner, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Tana Senn of Mercer Island, would have required employers to provide valid reasons such as differences in education, training or experience if employees challenge pay disparities between workers of different genders for similar work. The measure would have also forbidden employers from ordering workers not to disclose their salaries.

sity of Washington. I look forward to a continuing and fruitful partnership with Sally.”

“2015 will be a busy year at the Council,” the mayor added, “from supporting housing affordability to renewing our transportation levy and rewriting our Comprehensive Plan. I look forward to working with the sitting Council and its new appointed member on a very full agenda in the months ahead.”

City Council President Tim Burgess also praised Clark, who preceded him as Council President.

“Councilmember Clark has been a dedicated, hard-working public official for the people of Seattle,” he wrote.

“I deeply appreciate her thoughtful approach to policy development, disarming leadership style, and sharp wit. She tackled projects of incredible complexity with patience, diligence, and grace. She is a trustworthy colleague and a good friend. Sally will be missed at City Hall.”

Burgess also promised to release information about the process and timeline for filling the vacant seat on the City Council.

Clark herself was originally appointed to the Council when Jim Compton resigned from his position.

Frank

continued from cover tics and his career.

Since the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Franks asserts, liberals have relied on the federal government to bring about social reforms through legislation. “And yet,” he continues, “progress in defeating homophobia corresponds with a period characterized by lack of confidence and alienation from government.”

The problem, Frank says is that “working class white men are disappointed with the government, they don’t see the government addressing their needs.”

This is a stunning statement. Frank seems to be saying that Democrats should reverse the winning Obama strategy – stitching together a coalition of college-educated whites, women, African Americans, and Latinos to win the White House.

It was Hillary Clinton who played to disenchanted white men – and lost – in 2008. At that time Frank endorsed her over Obama. White men without college degrees ended up in the Republican camp in the 2008 and 2012 general elections.

Frank’s specific recommendations to placate working class white men are not outside the norm for progressive Democrats, however:

Seattle’s minimum wage ordinance, which went into effect April 1, and its paid sick leave ordinance, remain in force.

Billionaire venture capitalist Nick Hanauer, a supporter of the Seattle minimum wage ordinance, has suggested he would finance a 2016 ballot initiative to raise the state minimum wage to $16 per hour.

After Baumgartner announced he was killing the minimum wage bill, Hanauer Tweeted “$16 in 16 here we come,” and “If you’re a WA State progressive, you love this guy @SenBaumgartner. Now, better politics for [Democrats] in 16.”

• Lower the age for Medicare eligibility from 65 to 55, • Increase spending for infrastructure projects that will create jobs, • And pay for it by cutting military spending and the “war on drugs.”

While Frank believes white working class men see themselves as disenfranchised by the new Obama coalition, Frank is harshly critical of the rhetoric of disenfranchisement.

“Stop telling people they have no voice!” he exclaims. “If they have no voice why should they go out and vote? This is the big mistake the left makes. Stop talking people out of voting!”

For Frank, it is voting – not street demonstrations – that is the bedrock of political action.

“If you vote, people pay attention,” he says. “Voting and effective lobbying.”

And what makes for effective lobbying?

“One thing and one thing only,” Frank replies. “People who live in their districts telling them how they should vote on specific pieces of legislation.

“Marches make no difference. Demonstrations make no difference. Online petitions make no difference. see frank page 12

April 3, 2015

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Seattle Gay News 7

8 Seattle Gay News

April 3, 2015

Celebrating 41 Years!

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

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Celebrating 41 Years!

Senate votes for Social Security and veterans benefits for same-sex spouses

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) – Office of Senator Brian Schatz

Eleven Republicans joined all 44 Democrats in adopting an amendment to the federal budget bill that would guarantee equal Social Security and veterans benefits to same-sex spouses regardless of their state of residence.

The amendment, proposed by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), was adopted March 26, as one of a series of votes attached to the budget resolution. The budget resolution ultimately passed by the Senate may or may not be agreed to by the House.

Currently, the Social Security Administration affords same-sex spouses the same benefits as opposite-sex spouses only if they reside in a state that recognizes their marriage. Washington Senator Patty Murray recently introduced the SAME Act, which has the same goal as Schatz’s amendment, but is a stand-alone bill.

Four of the Senate Republicans voting for the amendment have previously announced support for marriage equality – Susan Collins (R-ME), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Rob Portman (R-OH).

Six additional Republicans come from states where same-sex marriage is already legal – Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Richard Burr and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Dean Heller of Nevada, and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.

The eleventh Republican is Bob Corker of Tennessee. Like Portman, his state has a marriage case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.

In a statement, Schatz praised the bipartisan support the measure received.

“Tonight, eleven Republicans joined Democrats in recognizing that gay couples deserve equal treatment, regardless of where they live,” he said. “We still have work to do to, but this is progress and a win for equal rights.”

None of the 2016 Republican presidential contenders in the Senate – Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, and Marco Rubio – supported the amendment.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), the only Democratic Senator who has not endorsed marriage equality, joined his party colleagues in voting for the amendment. Manchin previously voted for ENDA in 2013, but did not cast a vote on DADT repeal.

DOJ sues Oklahoma university for discriminating against Trans woman

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed suit against Southeastern Oklahoma University, charging the school with discriminating against a Transgender woman professor.

Rachel Tudor was hired as an English professor by the school in 2004. In 2007 she transitioned while continuing to work in the school’s English Department.

Despite getting a favorable tenure review, Tudor was denied tenure 2011, which would have guaranteed her job security.

When she complained, she was fired.

DOJ stepped in, Attorney General Eric Holder said, because discrimination against Trans employees is prohibited by U.S. civil rights laws.

“By standing beside Dr. Tudor, the Department of Justice sends a clear message that we are committed to eliminating discrimination on the basis of sex and gender identity,” Holder said in a statement. “And we will continue to work tirelessly, using every legal tool available, to ensure that transgender individuals are guaranteed the rights and protections that all Americans deserve.

“We will not allow unfair biases and unjust prejudices to prevent transgender Americans from reaching their full potential as workers and as citizens.”

In December 2014 Holder issued a ruling that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and

other federal laws that prohibit discrimination based on sex or gender also protect Trans people.

The school said it did nothing illegal.

“Southeastern Oklahoma State University is committed to diversity and equal employment opportunities,” a spokesperson said. “The University is confident in its legal position and its adherence to all applicable employment laws; however, due to the litigation, Southeastern has been advised by the [Oklahoma state] Attorney General’s Office not to discuss any specifics concerning this matter.

“We will allow the legal system to run its course, while we direct our focus and energy on our top priority, that of educating our students.’’

Another federal agency, the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) has brought suit against Saks Fifth Avenue, charging that the iconic clothing store illegally discriminated against a Trans salesperson.

Federal officials have also supported the suit of a Transgender middle school student who was forbidden to use the school restroom that corresponds to his self-identified gender.

Visit us online www.sgn.org

Transgender English professor Rachel Tudor – www.dallasvoice.com

April 3, 2015

Seattle Gay News 11

frank

continued from page 6 “I take the NRA [National Rifle Association] as a model. The NRA doesn’t have marches, they don’t have demonstrations.

They don’t need to. They have an effective lobbying effort. That’s why they win every time.”

Of the two mass movements that arose in response to the most recent economic crisis – the Tea Party on the right and Occupy on the left – Frank says that “the Tea Party has been very effective. Occupy made no difference.”

“The Tea Party got its people elected to office,” Frank explains. “They’re still there and they’re influencing policy, at least when Republicans are in the majority. Occupy?

Nothing!”

Another stunning statement. The Occupy movement that peaked in early 2012 was

widely credited with seizing the spotlight from the Tea Party and shifting the national political discourse to a vein favoring the reelection of President Obama.

Throughout his Congressional career, Frank has been noted for his sharp tongue.

Agree or disagree with his advice to fellow Democrats, his views are sharply stated and may prove influential now that his 2008 pick – Hillary Clinton – seems to have a lock on the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination.

indiana

continued from cover North Carolina’s Republican Governor Pat McCrory said a similar measure being debated in his state “makes no sense” and should not be passed.

The Republican controlled Montana legislature defeated a “religious freedom” bill March 27 on a 50-50 vote. In Georgia the legislative committee handling their RFRA cancelled its March 30 meeting without rescheduling a hearing on the bill.

INDIANA In Indiana, the epicenter of the controversy, the legislature passed an amendment to the original RFRA stating that businesses may not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Gov. Pence is expected to sign it, in spite of calls from the extreme anti-Gay right to veto the compromise measure.

Former Indianapolis mayor and current Eli Lilly executive Bart Peterson said this marks the first time those words would appear in Indiana anti-discrimination laws.

Nevertheless, LGBT activists said the “fix” does not go far enough.

“This bill reduces the threat but is far less than this situation requires,” Lambda Legal said in a statement.

“It recognizes there are problems, but does not fix it as LGBT Hoosiers and others urgently need. Now that there’s broad public understanding that gay and transgender people in much of Indiana are terribly vulnerable to arbitrary discrimination by businesses, refusal of housing, and being fired just for being who they are – and even Gov. Pence has agreed that that is wrong – that unacceptable situation requires a full solution. We’ve provided multiple options of straightforward bill language. This is not a complicated or novel task. Many states have done it with only positive results economically and socially. The time is now. America is watching.”

ARKANSAS Although he previously promised to sign his state’s “religious freedom” bill, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchison said on April 1 that he would not accept the version pending in the legislature – one reportedly even more dangerous to LGBT rights than Indiana’s.

That night, the Arkansas Senate approved a number of changes to the measure, bringing it in line with the federal RFRA. That law only applies to government entities and not to businesses that provide public accommodations like restaurants, hotels, hospitals, or bus and train stations.

MICHIGAN The Michigan House of Representative passed its RFRA version in December last year, but the bill is still pending in the Senate. Governor Rick Snyder said on April 2 that he will veto the measure if it is presented to him.

“I would veto RFRA legislation in Michigan if it is a standalone piece of legislation,” Snyder told the Detroit Free Press.

“There are strong feelings on these issues. We’re working hard to see if there is a better way to address religious freedom and equality.

“This is an important issue from a neighboring state and given what’s going on in Indiana, I wanted to give greater clarity. I believe in religious freedom but I strongly oppose discrimination of any kind.”

He added that he would not support any legislation that did not have accompanying protections for LGBT people. Sponsors of Michigan’s “religious freedom” bill said they intended to go ahead with moving the bill through the legislature, however.

#MYHIVMOMENT:

“Youth Creating an AIDSFree Generation” at Seattle Public Library April 18 In recognition of National Youth HIV & AIDS Awareness Day (NYHAAD), The Seattle Public Library and Seattle-area youth HIV activists will host a free educational community forum from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 18 at the Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., Level 1, Microsoft Auditorium.

Library events and programs are free and everyone is welcome. Registration is not required. Parking is available in the Central Library garage for $7.

The community forum will feature a panel discussion on “A Future United: Youth Creating an AIDS-free Generation,” with an open dialogue about HIV/AIDS stigma and its effect on youth, as well as prevention efforts. The discussion will be hosted by local drag personality, Aleksa Manila, and will include guest speakers working in the field of HIV education.

The panel will include: • Tranisha Arzah, BABES Network-YWCA • Manuel Venegas, NYHAAD Ambassador, Advocates for Youth • Bas Frost, Lifelong’s Health Education Youth Outreach (HEYO), Peace for the Streets by Kids for the Streets • Brandyn Gallagher, PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) Facts: Rethinking Preven-

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April 3, 2015

tion and Sex Three educational modules will also be available on the following topics: • PrEP • State of HIV Prevention in 2015 • Harm Reduction Basics “This event is so important because it is youth-developed, youth-led, and youthrun,” said Manuel Venegas, Seattle NYHAAD Youth Ambassador from Advocates for Youth, a national nonprofit that helps young people make informed and responsible decisions about their reproductive and sexual health. “NYHAAD may just be one day, but for those of us living with HIV, taking our daily antiretroviral therapy is a daily reminder that the crisis is not over. It will take all of us to build a community of support and raise our voices as a collective, and this event will help us get there.”

This program is funded by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and presented in partnership with the #MyHIVMoment campaign, a collaborative effort of Lifelong, the Center for Multicultural Health, Entre Hermanos, Gay City Men’s Health, Seattle Counseling Services, and We Are 1.

For more information, call the Library at 206-386-4636 or Ask a Librarian: https:// www.spl.org/using-the-library/get-help/ ask-a-librarian.

Celebrating 41 Years!

Former Assistant U.S. Solicitor General Douglas Hallward-Driemeier – legaltimes.typepad.com

SCOTUS

continued from cover teenth Amendment require a state to license a marriage between two people of the same sex?”

Hallward-Driemeier will take the second question: “Does the Fourteenth Amendment require a state to recognize a marriage between two people of the same sex when their marriage was lawfully licensed and performed out-of-state?”

As Reuters noted in their report, “Skirmishes often occur in consolidated cases, when multiple parties are on a side but only one lawyer gets a spot at the lectern.” The weekend summit in Michigan – one of the states involved in the appeal – was designed to prevent friction among the different proequality parties and agree on a legal team.

Reuters said that the pro-equality groups would not comment afterwards on the negotiations leading to the selection of Bonauto and Hallward-Driemeier.

“I’m humbled to be standing up for the petitioners from Kentucky and Michigan who seek the freedom to marry, along with the Michigan team of Carole Stanyar, Dana Nessel, Ken Mogill, and Robert Sedler, and with support from the other legal teams,” Bonauto, who is currently Civil Rights Proj-

ect Director at GLAD, said after her selection.

“The road that we’ve all travelled to get here has been built by so many people who believe that marriage is a fundamental right.

Same-sex couples should not be excluded from the joy, the security, and the full citizenship signified by that institution. I believe the Court will give us a fair hearing, and I look forward to the day when all LGBT Americans will be able to marry the person they love.”

Bonauto has been described by former Congressman Barney Frank as “our Thurgood Marshall,” referring to the late Supreme Court Justice and NAACP attorney, who argued Brown v. Board of Education before the Supreme Court in 1954. She graduated from Hamilton College and Northeastern University Law School and is married to University of Maine Law Professor Jennifer Wriggins.

Hallward-Driemeier graduated from DePauw University, attended Oxford University, and got his law degree from Harvard Law School. After working as a federal attorney, he joined the private law firm Ropes & Gray in Washington DC, and now heads their appellate division. He was Assistant Solicitor General from 2004 through 2009.

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April 3, 2015

Seattle Gay News 13

The Sisters of the Mother House of Washington to hold AIDS remembrance vigil tonight, April 3

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor The Sisters of the Mother House of Washington are hosting an AIDS remembrance vigil on April 3 in front of the Washington State Convention & Trade Center (7th Ave. & E. Pike St.) at 7:30 p.m.

According to Doug Vitaly – known as Novice Sister Mary Stonewallcraft, the organizer behind this vigil, the vigil is being held in front of the Washington State Convention purposefully, “because a convention drawing large numbers of people that day will give our vigil significant exposure.”

“We will be reaching outside of the Capitol Hill neighborhood in an effort to reach people whose communities are less aware of the impact of HIV/AIDS,” he told Seattle Gay News.

When Novice Sister Mary Stonewallcraft, who is 21, was a child, a family friend died from complications of AIDS. “I remember not understanding what was happening and asking why he looked so sad and upset,” Stonewallcraft told SGN. “At the time I couldn’t completely comprehend what was going on like I do now, and remember being very upset when he passed. It is very emotional for me and I don’t bring it up often.”

Even though he is just starting out in the community, he says he is here to stay, although he doesn’t refer to himself as an activist.

“I wouldn’t call myself an activist,” he chuckles. “I like to think of myself as some-

one who is giving themselves in the most selfless way to help those in need which is my true passion,” he said. “As long as I can spend the rest of my life helping people then I will be one happy person!”

“I do the work that I do because I am passionate about helping the LGBTQI community and those in need,” he said. “When I see homeless Queer youth I can’t help but tear up and offer to help them in any way that I can; I try to hand out some food at least once a week because I know what it is like to go hungry. I think some people can push the notion of homeless people and others in need out of their minds easily, but that’s something I absolutely can’t do and I, for one, am thankful because it leads me to do more.”

“I’m always trying to think of ways I can help our community in any way that I can and my only obstacle is time,” Stonewallcraft continued. “I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in psychology so I can go on to graduate school so I can counsel youth who are struggling with their identity and accepting who they are. When I’m not at work, doing academics, or my political work, I’m usually formulating my next idea to help my community.”

In many ways, he finds the work fulfilling that he does with the Sisters of the Mother House of Washington, an organization he has been a part of since Pride weekend of last year.

“That was when I met my Big Sister, Angela Merici, and it was the first time I had ever seen a Sister in person before and I was

so captivated by her uniform that I couldn’t stop myself from speaking with her and inquiring about the order,” he recalled. “I instantly fell in love with the message of selfless community service and giving support to other LGBTQI causes. Almost a year later I am now a Novice, the third highest level in our order before becoming Fully Professed, and what I intend to do is offer myself wholly to our community to help with whatever need they have.”

One of the things that stands out most about Sister Mary Stonewallcraft is an undeniable understanding of LGBTQ history.

For someone being as young as he is most of the major historical things that make up our young history didn’t happen in his lifetime.

“I am extremely passionate about LGBTQI history because I believe it is imperative to understand and appreciate where we came from and the sacrifices that the previous LGBTQI generations made so people could one day hold their partner’s hand in public proudly and have no hesitation,” he said. “LGBTQI history is often put on the back burner and is sometimes difficult to obtain, which only adds to the lack of opportunity it creates for young LGBTQI people to educate themselves on their history, but also prevents them from learning of many of the issues our community was fighting in 1967 and are still fighting in 2015.”

“I believe for our LGBTQI youth to be successful, not just in their lives but also successful in giving back to the communi-

ty, they must have a strong background in their community’s history, because that will give them the knowledge to think critically on what our community is facing today and how we can overcome the adversity,” he said. “There are many lessons to be learned from our history that are applicable today that we can use!”

“The other day I went to Lifelong AIDS Alliance Thrift Store and found Long Road to Freedom: The Advocate History of the Gay and Lesbian Movement,” Stonewallcraft said. “I picked it up and started looking through it and immediately started learning things from our history that has dirt routinely thrown on it, stuff that I had never heard of once. Resources on Gay history are hard to find and when I do find them they typically aren’t very long and the book I found has a complete history from 1967 to 1992 with so much detail. I am so excited to have found it and will be using it as a reference in my academic papers for school because I find it to be such a remarkable resource.”

On May 2, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sister Mary Stonewallcraft will host a food collection drive in front of the Trader Joe’s (1700 E. Madison St.) benefitting homeless Queer youth at Youth Care.

“Even the smallest donation puts food into the mouth of a kid in need, so please consider giving anything you can,” he said.

And if you are unable to make it in person, donations are accepted electronically at http://www.seattlesisters.org .

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Celebrating 41 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

April 3, 2015

Seattle Gay News 15