SGN June 13, 2014 - Section 1

Celebrating 41 Years!

Issue 24 Volume 42

FRIDAY June 13, 2014 FREE!

25¢ in bookstores & newsstands

PR I D E

EVENTS CALENDAR

Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

Nate Gowdy

Seattle Pride is under way Marriages continue in Wisconsin despite AG threats

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

Flag Raising Ceremony on June 1st at Seattle City Hall

Gay and Lesbian couples continue to marry in Wisconsin after a federal judge struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriages, but Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen is now threatening to prosecute county clerks who issue licenses to same-sex couples.

According to The Associated Press, 52 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties are now issuing same-sex marriage licenses, with more than 500 couples already married.

Federal District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled on June 6 that Wisconsin’s laws limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples were unconstitutional. On June 9 she turned down a petition from Van Holland, who is actively pursuing an appeal, to stay her decision till the Seventh Circuit Court rules on the case.

Wisconsin state officials initially said they would not accept marriage certif-

icates from same-sex couples, but they backed down on June 10, and began recording Gay and Lesbian marriages.

Van Hollen, an ally of conservative Republican Governor Scott Walker, said the marriages were not lawful, and threatened to prosecute county clerks who issued marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

“You do have many people in Wisconsin basically taking the law into their own hands and there can be legal repercussions for that,” Van Hollen said.

“So, depending on who believes they’re married under the law and who doesn’t believe they’re married under the law may cause them to get themselves in some legal problems that I think are going to take years for them and the courts to work out.”

Van Hollen added that he did not want to prosecute same-sex couples, but that county clerks risked that happening. see wisconsin page 19

FBI hate-crime data: Is Seattle Double homicide really third worst in the country? suspect cleared of crime

search continues for Ali Muhammed Brown kirotv.com

www.seattle.gov

the latest year for which data has been complied, Seattle had three anti-LGBT hate crime incidents for every 100,000 residents – behind Washington, DC (7.3 incidents per 100,000) and Memphis, Tennessee (3.2 incidents), but ahead of Buffalo, New York (2.7) and Kansas City, Kansas (2.6).

The paradox is that, as the Times acknowledges, “Seattle enjoys a reputation as one of the most welcoming cities for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.”

So what do the FBI statistics mean? Is Seattle really unsafe for LGBT residents?

According to Seattle Police Department spokesperson Drew Fowler, “We don’t know what the statistics mean. It may have been technical changes in how the reporting is done, it may have been that we’re being more aggressive on getting the reports.”

“I don’t want to minimize the issue,” he added. “We want to make sure the LGBTQ comFBI’s latest hate crime statistics, munity feels as safe as we can

by Mike Andrew apparently showing that “Seattle make then feel.”

SGN Staff Writer [is] among the worst big cities for In 2008, SPD launched a maOn June 9, the Seattle Times anti-LGBT hate crimes.” published a short piece on the According to the FBI, in 2012, see Hate Crime page 7

Ali Muhammed Brown

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor The man arrested in connection with a double homicide in the Central District earlier this month has been cleared of the crime, according to the Seattle Police Department.

Matalepuna Malu, 26, turned himself in after police named him as a suspect, saying he wanted to

clear his name. Malu’s family always maintained his innocence. At one point concerned family members showed up at City Hall to confront the mayor on the situation.

Homicide Detective Cloyd Steiger confirmed Malu is no longer a suspect after his alibi checked out.

Steiger told KING 5 Malu is seen see Homicide page 19

2 Seattle Gay News

June 13, 2014

Celebrating 41 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

June 13, 2014

Seattle Gay News 3

4 Seattle Gay News

June 13, 2014

Celebrating 41 Years!

ACLU sues for marriage rights in Alabama

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The ACLU filed suit June 10 in Federal District Court seeking to overturn Alabama’s ban on same-sex marriages. The organization said in a statement that the suit is the latest action in their “Out for Freedom” campaign, to win the freedom to marry in every state.

Alabama is now the thirteenth state in which ACLU is suing for marriage.

Plaintiffs in the suit are April and Ginger Aaron-Brush, who legally married in Massachusetts, but reside in Alabama and want the state to recognize their marriage.

“The word marriage, in itself, brings validity and respect to any committed relationship,” April Aaron-Brush said in a statement.

“One’s marriage status shouldn’t change simply by crossing state lines. Gay couples seek to be married for the very same reasons that opposite-sex couples choose to be married-- love, honor and commitment.”

April, an employee with the Social Security Administration, and Ginger, a tenured and decorated teacher, met at college in the spring of 1997 through a mutual friend. They adopted a child in 2007, and were married in 2012 on their fifteenth anniversary as a couple.

“All loving and committed couples deserve the dignity and protections that come

Visit us online www.sgn.org

with marriage, no matter where they live,” ACLU of Alabama Executive Director Susan Watson said. “It’s time for marriage equality to come to Alabama.”

Two other pending suits also challenge Alabama’s marriage laws.

Hart v. Bentley was filed by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) in February. The plaintiff in the case, Paul Hard, married Charles David Fancher in Massachusetts. Fancher was killed in a 2011 car accident just north of Montgomery, Alabama, which resulted in a wrongful death lawsuit. Because of Alabama’s marriage laws, Hard is not recognized as the surviving spouse, and therefore not entitled to a share of the proceeds in the suit.

“Alabama has created two classes of marriages within its borders and deemed one of those classes – marriages between people of the same sex – to be inferior to the other,” said David C. Dinielli, SPLC deputy legal director. “This is unconstitutional.

“The only purpose of refusing Paul the right to share in the proceeds from the wrongful death lawsuit is to punish him for having married a man, and to express moral disapproval of this choice. These purposes are improper and unconstitutional.

Alabama must treat its LGBT citizens with equal dignity and respect under the law.”

In Searcy v. Bentley, a Lesbian couple is suing for recognition of their marriage

and therefore the right of the non-biological mother to adopt the child they are rasing jointly.

Cari Searcy and Kimberly McKeand have been together for more than 14 years, and were married in California in 2008.

Together, they are raising a young son, Khaya, who was born in 2005. Since Alabama law does not recognize the couple’s marriage, Searcy, the non-biological mother, is not allowed to adopt her own son.

“I am a parent in every way to our son, but legally I am still considered a stranger,” she said in a statement. “We just want our son to have the same protections and securities as other Alabama families.”

A divorce case is also challenging Alabama’s refusal to recognize same-sex marriages. In Richmond and Richmond v. Madison County Clerk, a couple is asking the state to approve their uncontested divorce petition.

Sherie Michelle Richmond and Kirsten Allysse Richmond married in Iowa in 2012, and filed for divorce in Alabama in March of this year. The case was dismissed because the state does not consider them married in the first place.

Their appeal requests recognition of their out-of-state marriage for the purpose of filing the divorce and, in effect, challenges the constitutionality of Alabama’s denial of recognition for legal marriages.

June 13, 2014

Seattle Gay News 5

Drive for Dignity: Home healthcare workers take $15 an hour campaign on the road

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

them out for dinner once in a while, she said.

“Things most people take for granted are things home healthcare workers struggle for,” Rihana Martinson told the rally.

Martinson works at Target, making $9.61 an hour, and will benefit from Seattle’s new minimum wage when it goes into effect April 1 next year. She was one of the fast food and retail workers who called a one-

day strike last spring, kicking off the $15 an hour campaign in Seattle.

“I wanted to come and show my solidarity and support,” she said, “because everybody deserves a living wage.”

Other speakers at the rally included 37th District Senate candidate Pramila Jayapal and Robby Stern, president of Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action.

SARAH GORDON — Tri City Herald

Home healthcare workers and their supporters kicked off a new phase of the campaign for a $15 minimum wage with an 8 a.m. rally in front of Seattle City Hall June 10.

“Drive for Dignity: $15 for caregivers,” their banner read.

The workers, who provide in-home care for seniors and disabled patients, offer vital services but are typically some of the state’s lowest-paid workers. Fresh from the successful campaign to get a $15-an-hour wage in Seattle, they are setting out on a three-day bus tour to take the campaign state-wide.

“We see Seattle as the first step in winning $15 an hour for home healthcare workers statewide,” Sterling Harding, Vice President of SEIU 775NW, told SGN at the rally.

SEIU (Service Employees International Union) 775NW represents some 40,000 workers – many of them home healthcare providers – and was the driving force behind the successful $15 minimum wage initiative in SeaTac last year. SEIU 775NW President David Rolf was also co-chair of the committee that drafted with Seattle’s new minimum wage ordinance.

Sixty caregivers and supporters will hit Everett, the Tri-Cities, and Spokane on the bus tour,

picking up additional supporters on the way.

“We’re taking this around the state,” home health aide Sharon Kitchel told reporters at the rally, “to let other caregivers know we are a profession, we love our profession, and we should be treated with dignity.”

Kitchel now makes $10.98 an hour, and because she lives and works in Olympia, she will not see an increase in her wages as a result of Seattle’s new minimum wage ordinance.

Wages for home healthcare workers start at $10.53 an hour, she explained, with a 15-25 cent increase after every 2000 hours worked.

“There’s no way my wage will ever get to $15 that way!” she exclaimed.

Kitchel later told SGN she has worked in her profession for 23 years, and became an SEIU 775NW member in 2005. Asked if union membership made a difference in her life, she replied brightly “Oh, yes!”

“Before [joining the union] I barely made minimum wage, I didn’t get mileage, I couldn’t afford healthcare for myself. Once I joined [the union], I got a raise immediately, I got mileage, I get healthcare for $17 a month.”

Uba Adin, another home healthcare worker, told the rally that she makes $10.95 an hour, “not enough to make ends meet.” A $15 an hour wage would enable her to buy shoes and clothes for her children and still be able to take

Drive for Dignity rally at John Dam Plaza in Richland

Equal Rights Washington celebrates 10 years

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Ten years ago, Equal Rights Washington (ERW) was founded with the mission to ensure and promote dignity, safety, and equality for all LGBT Washingtonians.

On Tuesday, June 3, Harrell invited the community to recognize the work that has been done, and celebrate that.

The event was held at the Bertha Knight Landes Room at Seattle City Hall, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The event included hors d’oeuvres and a champagne toast to celebrate the victories ERW has won and a look ahead to the next decade of victories to come.

“We are so proud of how [our] work has helped improve the lives of individuals in our state and build foundations for a stronger more inclusive, compassionate community,” said Monisha Harrell, ERW Chair. “Although most notably recognized for successfully advocating for marriage equality, Equal Rights Washington has also worked to advocate for the Anderson-Murray Anti-Discrimination law, the inclusion of Transgender in the hate crimes law, suicide prevention work, reduction of bullying in schools, adjustments to the Unified Parenting Act (UPA), and the passage of the Healthy Youth Act.” “Yet, with all of ERW’s accomplish-

Obituary

Dale D. Rierson (1950-2014)

6 Seattle Gay News

June 13, 2014

ments, we still know it isn’t enough,” start. Join us in recognizing our mileshe said. “We are so keenly aware of how stones, and help us prepare for the batmuch further we need to go in our fight tles ahead,” she said. for equality, and work every day towards ensuring all our youth have a safe place to sleep at night and a positive and affirming educational environment, our Transgender community will have access to full health care coverage, our bi-national same-sex families will not be separated, and our seniors can grow old with the dignity and respect of being their full selves even in assisted care.”

Harrell invited members of the community out to recognize the work that has been done, and celebrate that. “Although it is not enough, it is a good

Dale D. Rierson November 19, 1950 – June 4, 2014 Dale Rierson was born in Los Angeles, CA. Dale served his country and was a veteran of the conflict in Vietnam. He lived in Southern California until October, 1997, when he moved to the Seattle area.

Once a meat cutter, Dale changed careers upon relocating to Seattle, and became a special inspector for Krazann & Associates, where he put his firm’s authority on pre-inspections of concrete structure construction projects. Dale loved his job, mainly because of the good benefits the company offered. Dale also enjoyed working with other people.

Dale’s favorite pastime was singing karaoke at the Crescent Lounge on Seattle’s Capitol Hill. There, as his stage alter-ego

“The Reverend Daniel Whitebear,” Dale would belt out songs in his baritone voice for all to enjoy.

Dale is survived by one sister, Candy Thompson, of Huntington Beach, CA, several cousins throughout the country, and by his one true love, Gabriel Tom, with whom he lived for the last eight years. Dale will be truly missed, for he was a dear man.

Information regarding a memorial for Dale will be posted for local friends.

The memorial will take place in July. A tribal memorial has been arranged for November 22, 2014 at the Tulalip Community Center.

Until we meet again, travel well, my friend.

Celebrating 41 Years!

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin’s statement on the Federal Court decision on marriage equality in Wisconsin historic cases that reflected the progress we have all witnessed across our country.

The nation’s highest court made a strong statement for equality and freedom, overturning discrimination against Gay and Lesbian American citizens simply because of who they love. Wisconsin is now the twelfth state to see a marriage ban struck down in Federal Court since the U.S. Supreme Court decision last June. In Wisconsin, we believe that we owe it to the next generation to give them a Wisconsin that is more equal, not less equal, so I am disappointed that Governor Walker supports defending discrimination in court and standing in the way of freedom, fairness and equality for all Wisconsinites.

“We believe that history only moves in one direction: Forward. It’s our state motto and this is a huge step forward for Wisconsin being a place where every family’s love and commitment can be recognized and respected under the law.”

AP Photo

Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin made the following statement last week regarding the Federal Court decision on marriage equality in Wisconsin: “Love is love, family is family, and discriminating against anyone’s love, against anyone’s family, is just plain wrong. Wisconsin can proudly say that discrimination doesn’t just violate our values – it violates our Constitution. And now we can proudly say that marriage equality will be the law of the land in Wisconsin.

“This federal court decision reaffirms our founding belief that all Americans are created equal under the law. It’s about fairness – about whether gay and lesbian Americans deserve to be treated just like their family members, their friends, and their neighbors. It’s about opportunity – about whether every American gets to dream the same dreams, chase the same ambitions, and have the same shot at success. And it’s about freedom – the freedom to love, the freedom to commit, the freedom to build a family.

“One year ago this month, the U.S. Supreme Court issued decisions in two

Courtesy of the Office of U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin

Tammy Baldwin

Wisconsin

continued from cover “That’s going to be up to district attorneys, not me,” he said. “There are penalties within our marriage code, within our statutes, and hopefully they’re acting with full awareness of what’s contained therein.”

Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell shrugged off the threat, adding that Van Hollen “needs to call off the dogs and turn off the fire hoses.”

Dane County is the state’s second most populous county, and contains the state capital of Madison. McDonell was one of the first county clerks to issue licenses to Gay and Lesbian couples after Crabb made her ruling.

While Van Hollen has carried the ball for anti-equality forces, Walker, who is running for reelection this year, has been more or less silent on the issue.

Judge Crabb set June 19 as the date for a further hearing on whether she should stay her original ruling.

She also asked the ACLU, which represented the plaintiffs in the case, for their recommendation on how to proceed. On June 9 ACLU replied with a petition to enjoin en-

Hate Crime continued from cover

jor reform of the way it collects and reports hate crime data, in response to an increase in anti-LGBT crimes at that time.

When asked if that might be partially responsible for the large number of anti-LGBT crimes reported, Fowler answered, “I’d love to think that’s the truth of the matter.”

Fowler concluded that whatever the explanation for the FBI’s numbers, “[SPD] wants the LGBTQ community to help us help them by reporting all hate crimes.”

Local FBI spokesperson Ayn Dietrich told SGN that Seattle’s LGBT community should not jump to conclusions based on the statistical reports.

“I always feel frustrated when I see stories like that,” she said. “There are a lot of different ways to slice and dice the data. We just provide the numbers for what they are.

You’d need a full statistical agency to analyze what they mean, and the FBI can’t do that.”

In fact, the FBI website that reports hate crime data cautions against exactly the kind of “ranking” that formed the basis for the Times story.

Like Fowler, Dietrich declined to speculate about what the statistics mean for the safety of the city’s LGBT residents, but she did list some limitations on the FBI’s reporting: “First of all,” she explained, “we’re limited in our data collection, because it’s all based on voluntary contributions

Visit us online www.sgn.org

forcement of the state’s discriminatory marriage law permanently.

Besides asking Crabb for a stay, Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen has also filed a petition with the Seventh Circuit to stay her decision. The Circuit Court asked for additional briefs on the matter, but has not yet ruled on the request for a stay.

Crabb has refused to resolve the differences between counties where Gay and Lesbian couples can marry and those where they cannot. That was an issue for state courts to decide, she said. Although she struck down the marriage ban, she had given no orders whatsoever to state and local officials in Wisconsin, she explained.

“They did not act because I told them they could,” Crabb said of county officials. “That hasn’t been decided.”

At least one Wisconsin state judge believes the legal issue is already settled.

“Marriage is legal in the state of Wisconsin,” Dane County Circuit Court Judge Rhonda Lanford told AP. “We’ll marry as many people as we can.”

The judge reportedly has been marrying all comers since Crabb’s June 6 decision.

from local law enforcement.”

Some cities do not report crime data to the FBI, she said, and some might send only incomplete reports. In Washington, for example, Olympia, Richland, Pasco, and Spokane sent no data at all to the FBI. “Hate crimes are a federal violation, so many do get referred to the FBI,” Dietrich continued. “That’s expanded much more after the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Act; “Many times prosecution will go to the state because there are the same penalties, and the state may have more resources; “There may also be bias involved in a crime, but it doesn’t meet the federal definition of a hate crime, which involves threats,

violent action, or intent to act.”

Name-calling or scrawling derogatory graffiti on someone’s house, may be classified as bias crimes in Seattle, for example, but they are not considered hate crimes in federal law.

The concern for Seattle’s LGBT community, however, is that even if the FBI’s 2012 numbers speak more about successes in data collection than failures in public safety, they show a significant increase over the 2011 numbers. In 2011, the FBI reported 6 anti-LGBT hate crimes in Seattle, but 19 in 2012.

The situation did not change in 2013, either. According to SPD data not yet reported to the FBI, there were also 19 anti-LGBT hate crimes in Seattle last year.

June 13, 2014

Seattle Gay News 7

State of Utah appeals ruling to enforce its own marriage laws wikipedia.org

District Judge Dale A. Kimball

by Tim Moffett SGN Staff Writer On May 19, U.S. District Judge Dale A. Kimball (United States District Court, Utah Central Division) ordered that the State of Utah must immediately recognize the validity of over 1,000 LGBT couples who were legally married in the state between December 20, 2013 and January 6, 2014. In his order, Judge Kimball granted the state a 21-day stay of the decision to allow time for an emergency appeal.

On June 4, a filing with the trial court stated “Defendants State of Utah, Governor Gary Hebert, in his official capacity, and Attorney Sean Reyes, in his official capacity, (collectively referred to as ‘the State’) hereby appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit

from the Memorandum Decision entered on May 19, 2014.”

The Motion for Preliminary Injunction, heard on March 12, was filed by four Utah LGBT couples who were issued marriage licenses and were legally married in the brief window of time marriage equality was the law of the land in the state of Utah, due to a decision issued in Kitchen v. Herbert. The plaintiffs argued that a state policy decision of January 8 stating, that “state recognition of samesex marital status is ON HOLD until further notice” denied them their vested constitutional rights as legally married persons without due process.

Judge Kimball agreed with the plaintiffs, citing that legislation is intended to be proactive and not retroactive; meaning that while the state can deter-

mine what constitutes a valid marriage, it cannot apply that determination to marriages that were previously entered into legally under then-valid law.

Judge Kimball noted, “Even though the Supreme Court’s Stay Order put Utah’s marriage bans back in place, to retroactively apply the bans to existing marriages, the State must demonstrate some state interest in divesting Plaintiffs of their already vested marriage rights. The State has failed to do so.

“Although the State has an interest in applying state law, that interest is only in applying the controlling law at the time.”

A ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit on the Kitchen case is expected soon; arguments in that case were heard in April.

Anti-Gay groups can’t intervene in marriage case, Florida judge says

Florida District Judge Sarah Zabel ruled on June 3 that three anti-Gay groups may not intervene in a case challenging the state’s ban on same-sex marriage.

The groups include Florida Family Action (FFAI), the Florida Democratic League (FDL), and People United to Lead the Struggle for Equality, all supporters of the state’s discriminatory marriage laws.

Judge Zabel found that these groups did not have standing to intervene in the case because they all lacked a concrete legal interest in the case. They “will not be directly and immediately affected if others enter into a samesex marriage, or are prevented from entering into a same-sex marriage,” she wrote.

Zabel also noted that the “validity of their own marriages will not be affected,” by the outcome. If these groups could enter the case as parties simply because they have strong beliefs about the issues in the case, “so would anyone who has a strongly held belief regarding the constitutionality of the Amendment and statutes at issue in this suit,” the judge wrote.

“Today Judge Zabel reached the proper conclusion in denying extremists seeking a platform for their anti-gay rhetoric the right to intervene in this case,” said Nadine Smith, CEO of Equality Florida Institute, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

“This lawsuit is about fundamental, constitutionally protected rights that are violated by a measure that does real harm to our families. We look forward to the day when Florida joins the 19 other states

and the District of Columbia, where judges have come to the conclusion that such a ban is indefensible.”

The case Pareto v. Ruvin comes to trial on July 2, when Zabel will hear oral arguments.

The plaintiffs are six same-sex couples from the Miami area and Equality Florida Institute.

The lawsuit argues that Florida’s laws barring same-sex couples from marriage violate the United States Constitution by denying them the legal protections and equal dignity that having the equal marriage rights provides.

A federal lawsuit involving eight couples and the ACLU has also been filed, but no trial date has been set.

An April 2014 Quinnipiac poll found that 56% of respondents supported allowing samesex couples to get married in Florida, with 39% opposed with 5% unsure or refusing to answer.

Eric Cantor out! GOP gets even nastier twitter.com

Eric Cantor

8 Seattle Gay News

June 13, 2014

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Even the word “stunning” seems too mild to describe what happened in Virginia’s Seventh Congressional District Republican primary on June 10. House Majority leader Eric Cantor was ousted by an unknown college professor, David Brat.

Not only did Brat beat a seven-term incumbent who outspent him 26 to one, he trounced Cantor, winning by 11 points.

While media pundits speculate about why Cantor lost so badly, one thing is clear – Brat represents a new, and very nasty trend in Republican politics.

Cantor was elected Majority Leader in 2011 by his Republican congressional colleagues as a Tea Party guy, the one who was supposed to keep an eye on the “moderate” Speaker John Boehner. Now Cantor has been outdone by someone even more to the right.

Throughout the campaign, Brat emphasized his Christian faith, even to the point of attributing his primary election victory to God. While he never spoke publically about Cantor’s religion, the effect was to call attention to the fact that Cantor is the GOP’s only

eqfl.org

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

Florida District Judge Sarah Zabel

Jewish Congressman, in fact the only nonChristian Republican in Congress.

The same thing happened with Brat’s constant hammering on the issue of immigration reform. Cantor has never been a friend of the country’s immigrants, but the fact that he once seemed ready to do a kind-of-sortof half deal on the DREAM Act gave Brat an opening to paint him as a supporter of “amnesty” for undocumented immigrants.

Brat’s message? Cantor isn’t one of “Us” – the white, Christian, native-born base of the Republican Party.

Brat explicitly played on the social issues dearest to the hearts of the Christian right, promising on his website to “protect the rights of the unborn and the sanctity of marriage,” and “oppose any governmental intrusion upon the conscience of people of faith.”

He was endorsed by the worst-of-the worst radio talk show rightists – Dave Beck, Anne Coulter, Laura Ingraham, and Mark Levin. Ingraham even suggested that Eric Cantor should have been the one traded to the Taliban for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl.

In short, David Brat’s upset win in Virginia’s Seventh Congressional District reveals a very ugly turn in Republican Party politics.

Celebrating 41 Years!

I didn’t know molesting children was a crime, Archbishop claims A Roman Catholic Archbishop told investigators that he was “not sure” that molesting children was a crime when he was an auxiliary bishop dealing with allegations of child abuse by priests in the 1980s.

In a deposition given in May and released June 9, Robert J. Carlson, now Roman Catholic Archbishop of St. Louis, was asked about how he handled such allegations when he was a bishop in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Carlson was questioned as part of a sexual abuse lawsuit in Minnesota involving the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Diocese of Winona.

The plaintiff in the case, only identified as “Doe 1,” claims to have been abused in the 1970s by Fr. Thomas Adamson at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in St. Paul Park, Minnesota. As auxiliary bishop from 1983 through 1994, Carlson had administrative responsibilities in the diocese that involved him in the case.

Asked by the plaintiff ’s attorney, Jeff Anderson, whether he knew in 1984, when “Doe 1” first began to accuse the priest of abuse, that it was a crime for an adult to have sex with a child, Carlson replied “I’m not sure whether I knew it was a crime or not. I understand today it’s a crime.”

Anderson then asked Carlson whether he knew that it was a crime for a priest

to engage in sex with a child.

“I’m not sure if I did or didn’t,” Carlson said.

Later in the deposition, Anderson asks Carlson about another incident of sexual abuse of a child by another priest in his diocese.

“But you knew a priest touching the genitals of a kid to be a crime, did you not?” Anderson says.

“Yes,” Carlson replies.

Carlson went on to admit that he never personally reported any incidents of sex abuse to the police, though he encouraged parents to do so at least once.

Carlson also said that even as late as 1996 he did not know that pedophilia was an incurable disorder.

“I did not know that, but as a pastor, I was becoming increasingly concerned,” Carlson said.

With regard to the history of sexual abuse in the church, Carlson seemed to suggest he did the best he could at the time.

“I think in everything we do, once we’ve experienced it, we reflect on our actions and we ask what we can do better,” Carlson said.

“I think we did a pretty good job.

“Obviously, based on some 25 years later, I would do it differently.”

Anderson then asked, “Don’t you think you should have done it differently then?”

“I did what I did,” Carlson replied. “I think counselors made mistakes. I think people in general made mistakes. I think the archdiocese made mistakes.

gawker.com

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

Robert J. Carlson

“I think if you go back in history, I think the whole culture did not know what they were dealing with. I think therapists didn’t. I don’t think we fully understood. I don’t think public school administrators understood it. I don’t think we realized it was the serious problem it is.”

Additional documents released by plaintiff’s attorneys seem to contradict Carlson’s claim that he did not know child abuse was a crime in 1984.

In one document dated that year, for example, Carlson wrote to his boss, then-Archbishop John R. Roach, about one victim’s claims, noting that the statute of limitations would expire in two years. He added that the victim’s parents were considering calling the police.

According to Anderson, Carlson was involved in handling sexual abuse cases in Minnesota for 15 years.

Don’t support NOM march, California leaders tell SF Archbishop More than 70 California political leaders and organizations have signed a letter to San Francisco’s Roman Catholic Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, asking him not to support NOM’s 2014 March for Marriage.

The event is scheduled to take place June 19 in Washington DC. Among those urging the Archbishop to stay home are California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom, State Senator Mark Leno, State Assembly member Tom Ammiano, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, San Francisco Treasurer Jose Cisneros, and San Francisco Supervisors David Campos and Scott Wiener.

A number of prominent religious leaders also signed the letter, including the Episcopal Bishops of California and Wisconsin; the Very Rev. Dr. Brian Baker, Dean of the Cathedral at Sacramento’s Trinity Cathedral; Rev. Will McGarvey, Executive Director of the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa and Community Presbyterian Church; Rev. Dennis W. Wiley, pastor of the Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ; Rev. Dr. Karen Oliveto Sr., Pastor of Glide Memorial UMC; and Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor of Tikkun Magazine.

“We respect freedom of religion and understand that you oppose civil marriage for samesex couples,” the letter advises Cordileone.

“Many people of faith who have different opinions on the question of civil marriage for same-sex couples have come together in respectful dialogue and discernment to discuss those differences. Sadly, the actions of NOM and its invited speakers push us farther apart rather than bringing us together.”

The letter refers to NOM’s “long and welldocumented history of publishing material that connects homosexuality with pedophilia and incest and falsely suggests that Gays and Lesbians are trying to ‘inculcate children.’”

The Family Research Council, which is cosponsoring the event, has been designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The letter points out that the actions of NOM and several of the invited speakers contradict the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “which states that Lesbian and Gay people ‘must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.’”

Former Senator and Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum is scheduled to speak at the event, as is Fox TV host and Republican presidential contender Mike Huckabee.

Cordileone was appointed Archbishop of San Francisco in 2012, by then-Pope Benedict XVI. As Bishop of Oakland, he was one of the architects of Prop 8, the ballot measure that sought to deprive Gay and Lesbian couples of the right to marry.

Visit us online www.sgn.org

cnsnews.com

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

Salvatore Cordileone

Cordileone is also one of 17 US Catholic bishops to sign the notorious Manhattan Declaration, calling on Christians to disobey laws safeguarding same-sex marriage and reproductive choice. Other signers include anti-Gay activists like Tony Perkins, and James Dobson.

The Archbishop is noted as an extreme

theological conservative who supports the so-called Tridentine Mass, the preVatican II mass said exclusively in Latin.

Catholic reformers at the Second Vatican Council jettisoned the Latin mass in order to make Catholic services more accessible to ordinary parishioners.

June 13, 2014

Seattle Gay News 9

Compiled by Doug Hamilton SGN Contributing Writer and by Rick McKinnon SGN Staff Writer ATTN: LGBT MILITARY VETERANS OR GUARD/RESERVE OR ACTIVE-DUTY MILITARY! You are cordially invited to join Veterans for Human Rights for this year’s Color Guard for the Seattle Pride Parade on Sunday morning, June 29 at 4th Ave. & Union St. Parade steps off promptly at 11 a.m. www.vfhr.org or call Ron at 360-896-9394 (9 a.m.-9 p.m.).

(If leaving a voice message, please state your phone number slowly and clearly.)

FRIDAY, JUNE 13 - SATURDAY, JUNE 28 Theatre22 presents The Lisbon Traviata

by Terrence McNally Theatre22’s First Annual Summer Pride Series production runs Thursdays through Saturdays, with industry night performance Monday, June 23, at 8 p.m. and two matinees Saturdays June 21 & June 28 at 2:30 p.m., at Richard Hugo House (1634 11th Ave.). Tickets $22 general; $14 student/senior/military; $10 TPS, with $10 minimum pay-what-youcan tickets on Thursdays and Monday, June 23. www.theatre22.org or www.brownpapertickets.com/event/575647.

SATURDAY, JUNE 14 Seattle Pride Picnic Join us for The 5th Annual Seattle Pride Picnic! The Seattle Pride Picnic is a chance for family and friends to come together in one of Seattle’s iconic parks and celebrate our amazing community. All the fun begins at 11 a.m. at Volunteer Park (14th Ave. & E. Prospect St.) in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. www.seattlepride.org

ONGOING (thru JULY 6) Revealing Queer MOHAI (Museum of History & Industry) proudly presents Revealing Queer, a landmark exhibit exploring how the Puget Sound LGBTQ community has grown, changed, become more visible, and worked towards equality. Informed throughout by the lived experiences of this incredibly diverse population, the exhibit traces its hisSATURDAY, JUNE 14 tory from an emerging underground group Portland Pride Festival in the years before the Stonewall Riots of Tom McCall Waterfront Park (S.W. Nai1969, to the large and politically active com- to Pkwy. and Pine St.), beginning at noon. munity that helped make marriage equality www.pridenw.org. (Also Sunday following law in Washington State in 2012. MOHAI the Pride Parade.)

(860 Terry Ave.) Tickets: $14-adults; $12 students/seniors/military. First Thursday SATURDAY, JUNE 14 is FREE. Open daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m., ThursSpokane Pride Parade days until 8 p.m. www.mohai.org And Rainbow Festival NOTE: MOHAI is sponsoring a walking www.outspokane.com tour of Capitol Hill 6/21, noon-2 p.m. Meet at the fountain in Cal Anderson Park (11th SATURDAY JUNE 14 Ave. & E. Howell St.). Call 206-324-1126 or Seattle Men’s Chorus – visit website for details. Cost: $25 general; “Falling in Love Again – Deutschland” $20 MOHAI members.

For one night only at The Paramount Theatre (911 Pine St.), Seattle Men’s Chorus presONGOING (thru JULY 7) ents Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer’s For a Look Portraits of Pride 2014 or a Touch, a powerful story about the relaIn celebration of Pride, Gay City Arts (517 tively untouched and unknown subject of Gay E. Pike St.) is hosting their annual Portraits of persecution during the Holocaust, an original Pride exhibit showcasing self-portraits from work commissioned by Seattle’s Music of ReLGBTQ and allied artists: Amy C. Abadilla, membrance. Act II will feature a few selections Cody Blomberg, Andrew Caldwell, Dale of American Jazz and other music of celebraDavis, McCade Dolan, Scott Dunn, Stephen tion to help put you in the spirit of Pride.

Eaker, Juan Franco, Elise Koncsek, Nan 8 p.m. Tickets: $25, $35, $45, $55. www.

Leiter, Mario Lemafa, Lector Morales, Grego seattlemenschorus.org Rachko, Brian Reindel, Matt Wenci and more… from June 12-July 7. www.gaycity.org SATURDAY, JUNE 14 Theatre22 presents The Lisbon Traviata FRIDAY, JUNE 13 (See June 13 for details.)

“The Films of Rock Hudson” Seattle Art Museum honors Pride Month and SUNDAY, JUNE 15 actor Rock Hudson, iconic Hollywood leading Portland Pride Parade & Festival man, whose public announcement of his AIDS Parade steps off from Burnside St. and diagnosis and death in 1985 galvanized support N.W. Park Ave. at 11 a.m. Festival at Tom Mcfor people with HIV/AIDS. SAM will show: All Call Waterfront Park (S.W. Naito Pkwy. and that Heaven Allows on Friday, June 13 at Plest- Pine St.) begins at noon. www.pridenw.org. cheeff Auditorium (1300 1st Ave., enter the museum at 1st Ave. & University St for closest access to the auditorium) – screenings at 7:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18 Series tickets may be purchased online, at the GSBA Luncheon – Travel & Tourism ticketing desk at any of SAM’s three sites, or over In partnership with Visit Seattle, this the phone with a credit card by calling the SAM month’s luncheon will focus on travel and box office at 206-654-3121. A limited number tourism. In addition to a dynamic pair of exof single-film tickets may be available on a first- pert speakers on LGBT travel, the luncheon come, first-served basis the day of the show, will present a unique opportunity for memat 7:25 p.m., at the auditorium entrance for $8 bers and guests to interact with Seattle’s tour(cash/check only). www.seattleartmuseum.org ism industry with a pre-luncheon showcase.

10

Seattle Gay News

June 13, 2014

The luncheon will be held from 11 a.m.-1:30 THURSDAY, JUNE 19 p.m. at Sheraton Seattle Hotel (1400 6th Theatre22 presents The Lisbon Traviata Ave.). Speakers for the luncheon are Mer(See June 13 for details.) ryn Johns, Editor in Chief, Curve Magazine and Ed Salvato, Editor in Chief, Man About THURSDAY, JUNE 19 World. The luncheon is sponsored by HolThe World’s Largest land America Lines. Registration: $40 memDrag Queen Stage Show bers, $40 nonmembers, walk-ins $5 more at In a Guinness World Record breaking event, the door. www.thegsba.org or 206-363-9188. 40 drag queens will appear in one performance to celebrate 40 years of Seattle Pride.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18 Hosted by Birthday Girl Isaac Scott. Doors at 9 “Bearing Witness” – a Queer Youth p.m. Neighbours Nightclub (1509 Broadway). of Color Performing Arts Showcase Featuring performances by local Queer FRIDAY, JUNE 20 Youth of Color sharing their stories and explorSeattle Women’s Pride ing their art, creating space and opening a door Seattle Out & Proud and The Seattle Lesbifor discussion and awareness in the commu- an present a Seattle Women’s Pride event celnity. Doors 6:45 p.m., show at 7 p.m. Langston ebrating 40 years of barrier breaking women Hughes Performing Arts Institute (104 17th in Seattle – featuring Washington State SuAve. S. at Yesler Way). FREE. Presented by Se- preme Court Justice, Mary Yu; Vicci Martiattle Parks and Recreation in partnership with nez, from NBC’s “The Voice”; and “The BravLangston Hughes Performing Arts Institute. est Woman in Seattle” Jennifer Hopper. 6-11 p.m. at The Lobby Bar (916 E. Pike St.). $10 THURSDAY, JUNE 19 suggested donation. Raffle prizes all night.

Gay City Arts – Big Joy: The Adventures of James Broughton (2013) FRIDAY, JUNE 20 Director Stephen Silha will be on hand for a “Out & In: A Pride Comedy Showcase” special Pride screening of Big Joy, an inspiring Seattle’s biggest and Gayest stand up combiopic about San Francisco experimental film- edy showcase is back at the Neptune Theatre maker, beat poet, and Queer ancestor, James (1303 NE 45th St.) at 8 p.m., headlined by the Broughton. Selected readings of Broughton’s incomparable Guy Branum (“Chelsea Lately,” work will be part of the program. 7 p.m. at Cal- “Totally Biased,” “Last Comic Standing”). amus Auditorium at Gay City (517 E. Pike St.) Guy will be preceded by hometown favorite Suggested donation: $5-$20. www.gaycity.org Soloman Georgio along with Elicia Sanchez, Abbey Drake, Nick Sahoyah and special THURSDAY, JUNE 19 guests. “Out & In” is made possible by Seattle Three Dollar Bill Cinema – Theatre Group’s Nights at the Neptune and Myra Breckinridge (1970) is proud to support the efforts of Gay City The wild and X-rated adaptation of Gore Health Project. FREE. www.stgpresents.org.

Vidal’s scintillating novel is a cult film like no other. Racquel Welch portrays the extraordiFRIDAY, JUNE 20 nary titular character in one killer outfit after Theatre22 presents The Lisbon Traviata another, thanks to the genius of Theadora (See June 13 for details.)

Van Runkle, best known for her costumes for Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and The GodfaFRIDAY, JUNE 20 ther: Part II (1974). Co-star Mae West’s less PBS/Independent Lens presents effective costumes were designed by multiple The New Black Academy Award winner, Edith Head.

KCTS-TV, Channel 9, at 9 p.m., broadcasts Part of Three Dollar Bill Cinema’s “Coming The New Black, a groundbreaking documenOut All Over: Queer Film Style” Pride month tary about the conversation on same-sex marfilm series at Northwest Film Forum (1515 riage in the African American community 12th Ave.). Happy Hour at 6:30 p.m., film during Maryland’s fight for marriage equality screened at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $11 general in 2012. The New Black takes viewers into the admission with student, senior and member pews and onto the streets and provides a seat at discounts. www.threedollarbillcinema.org the kitchen table as it tells the story of the historic fight to win marriage equality in MaryTHURSDAY, JUNE 19 land and charts the evolution of this divisive Chelsea Manning: Anti-War Activist issue within the black community. & Trans Freedom Fighter Brave whistleblower Chelsea Manning SATURDAY, JUNE 21 was sentenced to 35 years in prison for exA History of Queering Up the Hill: posing war crimes that showed the true A Walking Tour of Capitol Hill human cost of U.S. militarism in Iraq and Discover Capitol Hill’s LGBTQ community Afghanistan. She has faced harsh govern- organizations and legendary bars, and engage ment retaliation and is now fighting to re- in stories and discussion. MOHAI’s guides will ceive adequate health care as a Trans woman explore various viewpoints, issues and chalin military prison. Come to this meeting to lenges facing present and past Seattle Queers. strategize on what can be done to building Meet at fountain at Cal Anderson Park (11th the movement to free Chelsea Manning and Ave. & E. Howell St.) Tickets: $25-general, advance Transgender rights. 7:30 p.m. with $20-MOHAI members. NOTE: Must be 21+ dinner at 6:30 p.m. for $8.50 donation. New to attend this tour. www.mohai.org.

Freeway Hall (5018 Rainier Ave. S.) 206722-6057, RWseattle@mindspring.com. Everyone welcome. Call in advance to arrange see pride events page 20 childcare. Wheelchair accessible.

Celebrating 41 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

June 13, 2014

Seattle Gay News 11

12

Seattle Gay News

June 13, 2014

Celebrating 41 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

June 13, 2014

Seattle Gay News 13

14

Seattle Gay News

June 13, 2014

Celebrating 41 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

June 13, 2014

Seattle Gay News 15

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

932 12th ave.

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

16

Seattle Gay News

June 13, 2014

Celebrating 41 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

June 13, 2014

Seattle Gay News 17

18

Seattle Gay News

June 13, 2014

Celebrating 41 Years!

Gay widower sues Bayer for survivor benefits

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer GLAD (Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders) has filed a federal lawsuit against pharmaceutical giant Bayer on behalf of a Gay widower who was denied survivor benefits that would normally be paid to spouses of Bayer employees.

Gerald Passaro married his partner of more than 13 years, Thomas Buckholz, on November 26, 2008 shortly after same-sex couples gained equal marriage rights in Connecticut. Buckholz died of lymphoma less than two months later, and Passaro applied for survivor benefits from his employer, Bayer, where his late husband had worked as a chemist for more than 20 years.

In 2009, Bayer turned him down, saying that its employee benefits package is administered under federal law, and therefore DOMA prevented them from recognizing

Homicide

continued from cover on video walking into a casino at 192nd Ave. S. and Pacific Hwy. S. around the time of the double homicide in the Central District.

The victims, Dwone Anderson-Young, 23, and Ahmed Said, 27, were fatally shot at close range.

Seattle police are looking into the possibility the motive may have been a hate crime; both men were Gay. Jail records confirm Malu was released into federal custody, where he is wanted on a federal probation weapons violation.

Passaro as a legal spouse entitled to benefits.

As a result, Passaro then became one of the defendants in Pedersen v. OPM, one of several federal lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of DOMA. After DOMA was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in USA v. Windsor, Passaro again applied for survivor benefits, but Bayer turned him down once again.

“Despite the fact that DOMA has been found unconstitutional, Bayer continues to deny benefits to Jerry even though its pension plan provides benefits to all surviving spouses, and even though federal law (ERISA) mandates pension benefits for surviving spouses under plans like Bayer’s,” GLAD director Gary Buseck said.

“Bayer has turned a deaf ear to its legal and moral obligation to the widower of a dedicated employee, who is in need of this basic support that his husband earned.”

Bayer has not yet responded to the suit.

In other developments, Thursday night, police detectives served a search warrant at N. 130th St. and Aurora Ave. N. for Ali Muhammed Brown.

Police have been searching for Brown in connection with the double homicide.

A large police response was called to the area and police asked people to stay away from the intersection. Witnesses at the scene took photos of SWAT vehicles in a nearby parking lot.

By 7:30 p.m., police wrapped up their search at the scene, and tweeted: “Leschi homicide susp not found @ 130/Aurora.

Dets still need help finding Ali Muhammed Brown.”

Legal Services MARTIN SJOLIE Over 20 Years Experience

Last Will, Power of Attorney & Health Care Directive (Living Will)

$500.00/Person or $750.00/Couple for complete, personalized services.

(206) 841–1373 www.sjolielaw.com

Auto accidents, DUI, Small business needs.

Visit us online www.sgn.org

June 13, 2014

Seattle Gay News 19

Pride Events continued from page 10

SATURDAY, JUNE 21 Pride ASIA Founded in 2012, Pride ASIA’s mission is to celebrate, empower and nurture the multicultural diversity of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Ally communities through the Asian-Pacific Islander American lens. Hosted by Aleksa Manila. Noon-4 p.m. at Hing Hay Park (423 Maynard Ave. S.) in Seattle’s Chinatown/International District.

FREE all ages event. www.prideasia.org SATURDAY, JUNE 21 Theatre22 presents The Lisbon Traviata (See June 6 for details.)

SATURDAY, JUNE 21 Capital City Pride Festival Olympia’s Pride Festival starts at 11 a.m. in Sylvester Park at Legion & Capital Way. Regional entertainers, food, arts & crafts, booths. www.capitalcitypride.net SUNDAY, JUNE 22 Seattle Frontrunners 2014 Run & Walk with Pride Run and Walk With Pride is an annual community event open to all, presented by Seattle Frontrunners, an LGBT running club. Join us on Sunday, June 22 in Seward Park (5895 Lake Washington Blvd. S.) for a fun 4K run, 10K run, or 4K walk. Event starts at 9 a.m. www.rwwp.org; seattlefrontrunners-3zjf.squarespace.com SUNDAY, JUNE 22 Capital City Pride Parade & Festival Olympia’s Pride Parade starts at noon at the State Capitol Building / Festival in the Park starts at 1 pm in Sylvester Park at Legion & Capitol Way. Regional entertainers, food, arts & crafts, booths. www.capitalcitypride.net SUNDAY, JUNE 22 Seattle Storm Pride Kickoff Game against the Washington Mystics The first 3,000 fans in attendance will receive a free T-shirt. The Seattle Storm has invited Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) Scholars to attend the game in recognition of their achievements. 6 p.m. at Key Arena (Seattle Center, 1st Ave. N. & Harrison St.). Tickets at www.wnba.com/storm/tickets/

lesque era. Integrating burlesque sketches into his drama, Beane paints the portrait of a homosexual man living and working in the secretive and dangerous Gay world of 1930s New York, whose outrageous antics on the burlesque stage stand in marked contrast to his messy offstage life. This presentation of The Nance was filmed last year.

The Nance will screen at West Seattle’s Admiral Theater (2343 California Ave SW) for a limited run from June 23-June 26 as part of Seattle’s Gay Pride Month. The movie screens each night at 6:50 p.m. Tickets: $20 through www.brownpapertickets.com/event/722451 or 1-800-8383006 – or at the theater starting Friday, June 20.

TUESDAY, JUNE 24 Pride Mindfulness Gathering Japanese Garden tour at the Washington Park Arboretum (1075 Lake Washington Blvd. E.) ($6 entrance fee) at 6 p.m. Free talk and meditation at 7 p.m. to explore the great breadth of “presence” within the LGBT community. Discussion will share Eastern and non-dualist philosophical and spiritual traditions.

Followed by a tea social. RSVP required at info@dharmabuddies.org. Held at the Tateuchi Room at the Japanese Garden.

Join the spirit mindful celebrating your spirit. A gathering of LGBT mindfulness communities to share our spirit, our reflection, and our presence. Hosted by Lotus Sisters and Dharma Buddies, Seattle area meditation groups.

TUESDAY, JUNE 24 Celebrating Queer Bodies with Drs. Linda Bacon & Lucy Aphramor Meet Drs. Linda Bacon and Lucy Aphramor, Queer activists and thought leaders in the Health at EverySize/Body Respect movement, as they help opal: Food & Body Wisdom (1100 NE 45th St., Ste 600) celebrate Seattle Pride. Bacon & Aphramor give you a rare behind the scenes look at their personal journeys and political path to affirming diverse embodiment. Expect a combo of story telling and performance poetry, where narrative, the erotic and memory collide and coalesce. This is a unique opportunity to join with other advocates and thought-leaders in a vibrant discussion of where we’re at, and where next, in advancing body respect for all in the LGBTQ community. 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Food and drink provided.

SUNDAY, JUNE 22 TUESDAY, JUNE 24 Seattle Frontrunners The Nance (See June 23 listing for details.)

5th Annual Underwear Fashion Show Some of Seattle’s hottest athletes and WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25 boylesque performers model fashion underThe Nance (See June 23 listing for details.) wear from UnderU4men to raise money for the first time in 30 years for Seattle FrontrunWEDNESDAY, JUNE 25 ners. From 8-10 p.m. at R-Place (619 E. Pine St.) “Write With Pride” Hosted by Matthew Love of Lovesevents.com.

An evening of celebration as LGBTQ writTickets: $15 advance, $20 at the door, $40 VIP. ers from across the community perform meswww.brownpapertickets.com/event/714180 sages to our futures and to our pasts in a night of spoken and written words that share our MONDAY, JUNE 23 hopes and reflect on how our hopes change.

The Admiral Theater – The Nance This will be a fantastic evening, as writers and In The Nance, celebrated playwright Doug- voices from across the LGBTQ spectrum and las Carter Beane tells the story of Chauncey across generations come together to celebrate Miles (Nathan Lane), a headline nance per- looking back and looking forward with love, former in the twilight of New York’s bur- respect, hope, strength, and pride.

20

Seattle Gay News

June 13, 2014

“Write with Pride” performers include Lambda Literary winner Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore, spoken word performer Roma Raye, Pride Foundation’s Gunner Scott, The Seattle Lesbian’s Sara Toce, and more! This event is presented by Gay City Arts and hosted by Gay City and Old Growth Northwest’s Gay Romance Northwest initiative. 7 p.m. at the Calamus Auditorium at Gay City (517 E. Pike St.). www.gaycity.org.

p.m., Friday: 7:30 p.m. & 10 p.m., Saturday: 7:30 p.m. & 10 p.m.

THURSDAY, JUNE 26 OutDancing: A Dyke March Fundraiser A Pride Benefit dance with music mix by MC Koop will be held at Century Ballroom, West Hall (911 E. Pine St.) from 7:30 p.m.10:30 p.m. $10 suggested donation. Part of the proceeds go to the Seattle Dyke March. 21+.

THURSDAY, JUNE 26 Three Dollar Bill Cinema – Flash Gordon (1980) A homoerotic space trip with harness-clad birdmen, a fanciful emperor with a penchant for beaded gowns, and numerous scenes with our shirtless hero tied up and helpless. Delish!

It’s Danilo Donati on poppers, going full Gay outré space in this gold phallus of cinematic art. Donati designed for films by Fellini and Pasolini, and the great costume houses of Rome. Here he gets shiny, sexy, and silly, so unbutton your shirt one more button and enjoy!

Part of Three Dollar Bill Cinema’s “Coming Out All Over: Queer Film Style” Pride month film series at Northwest Film Forum (1515 12th Ave.). Happy Hour at 6:30 p.m., film screened at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $11 general admission with student, senior and member discounts. www.threedollarbillcinema.org

THURSDAY, JUNE 26 Gender Blender: A Queer Revolt and Benefit All night party at Neighbours Nightclub (1509 Broadway), 8 p.m.-4 a.m. with Ben DeLaCreme, Le1f, Josyln Fox, New York & MORE! Ticket sales benefit Gay City Health Project and the Gender Justice League.

Sponsored by Nark Magazine. www.narkmagazine.com THURSDAY, JUNE 26 Theatre22 presents The Lisbon Traviata (See June 13 for details.)

THURSDAY, JUNE 26 The Nance (See June 23 listing for details.)

FRIDAY, JUNE 27 Trans Pride Annual celebration of the Seattle-area Transgender community. Assemble in front of Seattle Central Community College (1701 Broadway) at 5 p.m.; march to nearby Cal Anderson Park at 6 p.m.; speakers and music 7-10 p.m., featuring a schedule of nationally-renowned speakers from the Trans* community, a performance by The Nasty Habits, and an information & resource fair with organizations that serve and support Trans* and Gender Non-Conforming people. Details at www.transprideseattle.org.

THURSDAY, JUNE 26 Gender Fierce and #Safari Dance Party A FREE drag/gender ALL AGES variety show and dance party for the whole gender and sexuality spectrum hosted by Aleksa Manila. Produced by Lifelong’s HEYO with collaborative partner, C89.5 radio station, SeatFRIDAY, JUNE 27 tle’s HOTTEST music! At Fred Wildlife RefPride Shabbat uge (128 Belmont Ave. E.). www.facebook.

The 2014 Pride Shabbat will be held com/LifelongHEYO; michaelb@llaa.org. at Temple Beth Am (2632 NE 80th St.) in North Seattle starting at 6:15 p.m., THURSDAY, JUNE 26 with a Shabbat dinner following the serRainbow City Band Summer Concert vice. Pride Shabbat is open to the entire Come out for an evening of music with Jewish community and is a celebration our own Rainbow City Orchestra under the of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, direction of Jerilynn Harris-Kilgore. 7 p.m. and Queer Jews, with their friends, alat the Fremont Abbey Arts Center (4272 lies, and families. Temple Beth Am is Fremont Ave. N.). FREE (donations accept- a Welcoming Synagogue and our proed). Details at www.rainbowcityband.com gram team is excited to make this Pride Shabbat inclusive and joyous. After the THURSDAY, JUNE 26 service, everyone is invited to attend a SATURDAY, JUNE 28 free Shabbat dinner. An ASL interpreter Parlor Live Comedy Club (Seattle) will be available for the evening. Temple Presents Pride Tour!

Beth Am is delighted to host this year’s With Chuck Roy & Cameron Esposito city-wide Pride Shabbat!

Chuck Roy, better known as “Bear,” estabPride Shabbat is an opportunity that provides lished himself as the warm-up performer for a way for our community to come together and “The Late, Late Show with Craig Kilborn.” share joyous and meaningful prayer in an incluHe has made guest-starring appearances on sive environment that welcomes Lesbian, Gay, shows such as “Will & Grace” and “3rd Rock Bisexual, Transgender and questioning Jews, From The Sun” and was a semi-finalist on their friends and families. Last year there was a NBC’s “Last Comic Standing.” Cameron Es- fabulous turn out of more than 300 participants posito is a regular on “Chelsea Lately” on E! at the Pride Shabbat service. and has appeared on “The Tonight Show” as Pride Shabbat 2008 marked a step forwell as clubs and festivals across the country, ward in the embracing of all GLBTQ Jews including TBS’ “Just for Laughs Chicago” of our community. In the past, rejection by and “SXSW.” Watch these two at Parlor Live congregations and exclusion from full parComedy Club (Seattle) (1522 6th Ave. at ticipation in Jewish life were common and Pine St.) just in time for the Gay Pride week- were part of the reason for the founding of end! Two item minimum purchase. 21+ Congregation Tikvah Chadashah. Since (18+ Thursday.) Tickets: $20/$30. 206-602- 2008 Pride Shabbat has demonstrated that 1441. www.parlorlive.com. Thursday: 7:30 the majority of congregations today in our

Celebrating 41 Years!

community are welcoming and inclusive.

Pride Shabbat has the endorsement of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle and other groups including Congregation Tikvah Chadashah and Kolenu. Its attendance grew when it was a project of Bashert: the LGBT initiative of the Jewish Federation. It has been a celebration of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and questioning Jews, friends, allies and families. 2014 is the sixth year that Pride Shabbat has been endorsed by the full membership of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle. We’ve come a long way!

It is inspiring to pray for liberation and freedom together.

Congregation Tikvah Chadashah has been Seattle’s GLBT Synagogue since 1980. Congregation Tikvah Chadashah is a chavurah-style congregation, and a member of the World Congress of Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Jewish organizations. CTC holds egalitarian chavurah services for Shabbat and holidays. All are welcome to our events, regardless of observance, religious background, ethnicity or sexual orientation. CTC is proud to co-sponsor Pride Shabbat. www.tikvahchadashah.org.

FRIDAY, JUNE 27 Open Seattle Pride Weekend with the Storm Seattle welcomes the reigning WNBA Champions Minnesota Lynx to KeyArena (Seattle Center, 1st Ave. N. & Harrison St.). 7 p.m.

The first 3,000 fans will receive Storm Rainbow beads and guest DJ Ricki Leigh will be in the bowl performing before and during the game.

Tickets at www.wnba.com/storm/tickets/ FRIDAY, JUNE 27 GLSEN Youth Pride Dance A night for the 21 and younger crowd the GLSEN Youth Pride Dance promises to be a fun night! Music by DJ Puerto Roc, emcee by Regine Dynasty and Nubian Pride, make-up table by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Crazy hat theme with hat-making party the week before the dance! (TBA). Doors 7 p.m., music 8-11 p.m. Belltown Community Center (415 Bell St.) www.facebook.com/ events/1386942978213647 FRIDAY, JUNE 27 Parlor Live Comedy Club (Seattle) Presents Pride Tour! With Chuck Roy & Cameron Esposito (See June 26 for details.)

FRIDAY, JUNE 27 Theatre22 presents The Lisbon Traviata (See June 13 for details.)

Check out the Revealing Queer exhibit SATURDAY, JUNE 28 along with all-day activities, including Parlor Live Comedy Club (Seattle) special performances by Seattle Pride Presents Pride Tour! With Chuck Roy Idol winners, bingo with Lunch Lady & Cameron Esposito (See June 26 for details.)

Mama, family portraits, make-your-own SATURDAY, JUNE 28 flair for the 40th Annual Seattle Pride Cher: Dressed To Kill Tour Parade, and more! 10 a.m.-5 p.m. TickErMerGerd! It’s Cher & Cyndi Lauper! ets: $14-adults; $12 students/seniors/ ‘Nuff said. 8-11 p.m. at Key Arena (Seattle militar y. www.mohai.org/exhibits/ Center, 1st Ave. N. & Harrison St.) Tickets at: item/2620-revealing-queer http://arena-wa.com/Tickets-Active. php?eventID=2185598&venueID=229 SATURDAY, JUNE 28 Capitol Hill Pride Festival SATURDAY, JUNE 28 Celebrate Pride in Seattle’s Gayborhood Theatre22 presents The Lisbon Traviata at this annual street fair on Broadway (See June 13 for details.) from E. John St. to E. Roy St, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Live local music, food, and more SATURDAY, JUNE 28 than 100 booths featuring nonprofits, art10th Annual “ALL WHITE” Affair Boat ists, and commercial vendors. www.capiCruise Party, the “Masquerade Edition” tolhillpridefestival.info.

Enjoy a spectacular evening on the water as we take you across the globe with music, SATURDAY, JUNE 28 fun & excitement. 8 p.m.-2 a.m. on The IsPrideFest Family Day lander Yacht. http://seattle.gaycities.com/ Annual event sponsored by Seattle Pride- events/353648-10th-annual-all-white-afFest, in Cal Anderson Park (11th Ave. & fair-boat-cruise-party E. Howell St.), noon-5 p.m., Lots of childfriendly activities including magic shows, SATURDAY, JUNE 28 bouncy houses, storytelling, free ice cream, Seattle PrideFest Presents X and a concert with Recess Monkey. www.se9:00 pm at Neumo’s (925 E. Pike St.). DJ attlepridefest.org/family/.

Brian Gorr + DJ Bret Law. Tickets at https:// www.etix.com/ticket/online/performancSATURDAY, JUNE 28 eSearch.jsp?performance_id=1807900 Annual Interfaith PRIDE Celebration Service SUNDAY, JUNE 29 Many faiths join together to celebrate Seattle Pride Brunch with George Takei PRIDE: the spirit of Love and the AccepA fabulous meal at Tom Douglas’ Paltance of all people. Come just as you are to ace Ballroom (2100 5th Ave.) at 8:30 sing, pray, chant, and made Sacred Com- a.m. to start the most fabulous day of munity. 1 p.m. at All Pilgrims Church (500 the year! Join Celebrity Grand Marshal Broadway E. at E. Republican St.).

George Takei for a morning of delicious food, great company, and general merSATURDAY, JUNE 28 riment before heading over to watch the 16th Annual Rainbow Health Fair Seattle Pride Parade from VIP seating.

From 1-5 p.m. at All Pilgrims Church (500 Tickets: $57.50. www.seattlepride.org/ Broadway E. at E. Republican St.) Seattle/ pride-parade/pride-brunch/ King & Snohomish County YWCA Women’s Health Outreach presents free mammograms SUNDAY, JUNE 29 for eligible people 40+ and free pap tests for Seattle Pride Parade all. Massage, nutrition, mammograms, safer George Takei will be the Celebrity sex. Insurance welcome. To schedule an ap- Grand Marshall for the 40th Annual pointment, call 206-461-4489. For more Pride Parade themed “Generations of information and volunteer opportunities: Pride.” Recently appointed Washington lbtqhealth-ywca.blogspot.com.

State Supreme Court Justice Mary Yu will be a special guest of SO&P at the SATURDAY, JUNE 28 beginning of the parade. Starting at 11 PrideFest Cyndi/Cher Welcome Party a.m., the parade kicks off at 4th Avenue featuring Heklina & Union St., and will proceed north 3-8 p.m. at the Seattle PrideFest Main- down 4th Avenue to Denny Way. It will stage (Seattle Center, International Foun- last approximately two and a half hours tain). More info at www.facebook.com/ and will be held rain or shine. www.seatevents/1453170404928167/ tlepride.org/pride-parade/

SATURDAY, JUNE 28 2014 Seattle Dyke March FRIDAY, JUNE 27 Rally from 5-7 p.m. at the Seattle Central T-Shack Seattle Pride Edition Community College Plaza at Broadway and San Francisco’s world famous party, E. Pine St. The March steps off at 7 p.m. to go TrannyShack, comes to Seattle! Join Host- around Capitol Hill and back to the Plaza. ess Heklina as she leads the all-star SF Cast, www.seattledykemarch.com/ including Holotta Tymes, Turleen TailSpin, Sasha Stephane and Ginger Snap, in SATURDAY, JUNE 28 a night of performances you won’t want CHER Dressed to Kill Tour Pre Functo miss! $5.00 cover at The Unicorn/Nar- tion Benefiting Inspire Youth Project whal (1118 E. Pike St.) Doors at 8 p.m., Come and pre func to benefit Inspire show at 10 p.m., 21+. www.facebook.com/ Youth Project (formally Rise ‘n Shine). events/1438624926386524 Lots of fun and entertainment including an appearance by a CHER impersonator!

SATURDAY, JUNE 28 Admission will include a ride on our 2014 SVC Pride Quads CHER Shuttle to and from KeyArena so Grass Tournament you don’t have to worry about fighting Seattle Volleyball Club is hosting its 5th traffic and finding parking. 5-7:30 p.m.

Annual Quads Pride Grass tournament at R Place (619 E. Pine St.) on the 3rd to celebrate Seattle Pride 2014. Proceeds Floor. More info at http://seattle.gayciof this annual event will benefit Kraken ties.com/events/359421-cher-dressedVC, a youth volleyball program based on to-kill-tour-pre-function-benefitingCapitol Hill. 8 a.m.-7 p.m. at Judkins Park inspire-youth-project (2150 S. Norman St.).

SATURDAY, JUNE 28 SATURDAY, JUNE 28 Maxim’s Unity Ball: Tuxedos and Gowns MOHAI Family Pride Day Celebrate Pride at Maxim’s (5608 Rainier Ave. Celebrate your family pride at MO- S.). Featuring BOYeurism with Isaiah Tillman 6 HAI (Museum of History and Industry, p.m. Tickets: $10-general; $25 VIP. http://www.

860 Terry Ave. N.) with Seattle Pride! brownpapertickets.com/event/660849

Visit us online www.sgn.org

SUNDAY, JUNE 29 - SUNDAY, JULY 6 Victoria, BC Pride A week of events and activities culminating in the annual Pride Parade and Festival on Sunday, July 6. www.victoriapridesociety.org SATURDAY, JULY 12 Out in the Park – Tacoma’s annual LGBTQA Pride Celebration Noon-5 p.m., Broadway between 9th and 11th streets. Entertainment, food, fun, and community at this family-friendly event. Watch for more info at www.rainbowcntr.org or http:// tacomapride.org/out_in_the_park_2014 SATURDAY, JULY 12 Bellingham Pride Family Picnic Come enjoy a picnic at noon in Bloedel Donovan Park (2214 Electric Ave.) with the entire Bellingham Pride family (that includes you!). Donations gratefully accepted to cover the cost of food. www.bhampride. org/events.shtml SATURDAY, JULY 12 Bellingham Annual ISCEE Pride Drag Show (21+) Doors 6:30 p.m. Show at 7:30 p.m. Rumors Cabaret (1119 Railroad Ave.) $5 cover.

Annual Rumor’s Pride Party to follow. www.bhampride.org/events.shtml SATURDAY, JULY 12 Bellingham All Ages B-Proud Dance 8:00-11:00 p.m., Bloedel Donovan Park Community Building (2214 Electric Ave.) $3.00 admission, proceeds benefit Pride. All ages welcome! www.bhampride.org/events.shtml SATURDAY, JULY 12 Bellingham Rumors Pride Celebration (21+) 10 p.m.-2 a.m. (close), Rumors Cabaret (1119 Railroad Ave.), cover. www.bhampride.org/events.shtml SUNDAY, JULY 13 Bellingham Pride Parade Noon. Starts at Ohio & Cornwall, travels along Cornwall Ave., ends at Depot Market Square (1100 Railroad Ave.).

More info at http://www.bhampride. org/events.shtml

SUNDAY, JULY 13 Bellingham Pride Festival Until 4:00 p.m., Depot Market Square (1100 Railroad Ave.).

Features various vendors, children’s activities, appearances by local and SUNDAY, JUNE 29 state dignitaries. $2 suggested donation.

Seattle PrideFest Pride Party to follow at Rumors Cabaret Seattle PrideFest 2014 “United We (1119 Railroad Ave.). www.bhampride.

Pride” will be more bedazzling than ever. org/events.shtml Four stages, events over four days, dozens of artists, men’s and women’s parties, SUNDAY, JULY 20 and over 130,000 attendees. www.seatKitsap Pride tlepridefest.org/ “Reflection of Pride” is this year’s theme for Kitsap Pride’s annual celebration, SUNDAY, JUNE 29 noon to 5 p.m., at Evergreen Park (1500 Cuff Street Party Park Ave.) in downtown Bremerton. www.

Featuring DJ/performers at The Cuff kitsappride.org.

Complex (1533 13th Ave.). www.cuffcomplex.com.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 3 Vancouver (B.C.) SUNDAY, JUNE 29 Pride Parade & Festival PrideFest Closing Concert: Parade begins at noon in Vancouver’s Steve Grand & Chely Wright downtown/West End at Robson and Steve is a (quickly) rising singer-song- Thurlow streets and proceeds via Denwriter and Chely is a well-established man to festival site at Sunset Beach. country star. Both are out artists and we Sponsored by Vancouver Pride Society. are thrilled to host them for our closing www.vancouverpride.ca. concert for Pride weekend at the Delta Stage at the Seattle Center Mural Amphitheatre. 100% of proceeds to benefit marriage equality non-profits. ALL AGES SHOW. Doors: 7:30 p.m., Steve Grand: 7:45 p.m., Chely Wright: 8:30 p.m.. Presale: $25, at the door: $30. www.brownpapertickets.com/event/688293 Info and VIP at: www.seattlepridefest.org/concert

June 13, 2014

Seattle Gay News 21

Health and Personal Services

www.sgn.org

22

Seattle Gay News

June 13, 2014

Celebrating 41 Years!

Religion & Spirituality

HOME & SPECIALIZED SERVICES

Gary D. TorGerson Co. Expert Painting and Repairs Rot Repair: siding, doors, windows, porches and decks.

Lead-Safe Certified

See photographs of our work at www.TorgersonCompany.com Email: info@torgersoncompany.com Contractor Registration #: GARYDTC134CJ Phone: 206-781-0999

Visit us online www.sgn.org

June 13, 2014

Seattle Gay News 23

Christians clash with Seoul Pride Parade discoveringkorea.com

Seoul Pride Parade

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Right-wing Christian demonstrators attempted to disrupt June 7 Pride celebrations in Seoul, South Korea.

“To put it simply, today was a kind of battle between extremist Christians and LGBT attendees of said pride,” a Korean PhD student wrote to the British Gay Star News in an email account of the clashes.

The Pride Parade started, but was stopped multiple times by Christian protestors throwing themselves onto the street, blocking the march.

The anti-Gay protestors reportedly sang South Korea’s national anthem and chanted that Gays had no place in the country. According to the email sent to Gay Star News, several demonstrators were arrested by police.

While most Koreans follow a synthesis of Buddhist and indigenous religious tradi-

tions, about 29 percent are Christians.

Many Korean Christians have been outspoken human rights advocates, but some have been attracted to right-wing politics. In particular, the late Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church has a history of supporting right-wing political candidates.

Some Protestant groups have also been accused of vandalizing Buddhist temples.

The 2014 Seoul Pride was particularly controversial because it was scheduled to take place soon after the April 16 ferry disaster in which hundreds of schoolchildren drowned. Other public events were cancelled out of respect for the casualties, but Pride organizers said they would hold the event anyway – even after local officials withdrew permission for the parade.

Organizers charged that Christian groups wanted to capitalize on the ferry disaster to have Pride cancelled.

Throw Brunei out of TPP talks, women’s groups demand

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer A coalition of women’s rights groups issued a statement June 9 calling for the Obama Administration to throw the small Asian country of Brunei out of talks on the planned Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

The initiative was organized by the Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF), and joined by eleven other women’s rights groups: the American Association of University Women, the Clearinghouse on Women’s Issues, the Institute for Science and Human Values, Jewish Women International, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Council of Jewish Women, the National Organization for Women, the Women’s Global Program

of the Communications Consortium Media Center, Women’s Online Media and Education Network, and the US National Committee for UN Women.

The TPP is a projected free-trade treaty covering the Pacific basin. It would include the US, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.

Brunei’s ruler, Sultan Hassanal Bokiah, announced that his country would begin to implement sharia law, which stipulates that women who deny their husbands sex should be flogged, and that Gay people should be executed.

“Women’s rights and human rights cannot take a backseat to profit and trade,” said FMF President Eleanor Smeal. “As a global leader, the United States should not negotiate a free trade

agreement with a country that has enacted laws hostile to basic human rights and dignity.

“The US must insist that Brunei address human rights concerns by revoking its penal code before the US continues negotiations with Brunei on the TPP,” continued Smeal. “There is simply no place in a civilized society for kill-a-gay and flog-a-woman penal codes. Our foreign policy should make that clear, especially in the execution of our trade agreements.”

The Office of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights has expressed deep concern about Brunei’s new penal code and stated that its draconian punishments would violate international law.

The new penal code, which went into effect on May 1, is set to be implemented in

three phases. The first phase includes fines and prison sentences for such “crimes” as becoming pregnant outside of marriage.

The second phase includes corporal punishment, such as amputations and flogging of women who have abortions.

The third phase includes the stoning to death of Gay men, Lesbians, and individuals convicted of adultery.

In protest, UNITE HERE, the union that represents hotel and food service workers, and a number of Hollywood celebrities have organized a boycott of the Sultan’s signature Beverley Hills Hotel. The boycott has reportedly cost the Sultan more than $1.5 million in bookings.

The Sultan’s British flagship hotel, the Dorchester in London, is also under boycott.

BC hospital shuts down AIDS ward for lack of patients

24

June 13, 2014

Seattle Gay News

CARMINE MARINELLI-24 HOURS

St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia, announced May 27 that it will shut down its dedicated AIDS ward because there are no longer enough patients to keep it open.

Ward 10C opened in February 1997 during the peak of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Vancouver, when one person was dying of AIDS every day.

“It was not that long ago that HIV/AIDS was a death sentence and those who came to this ward at St. Paul’s were here to die,” said Dr. Julio Montaner, Director for the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS based at St. Paul’s.

“Today, ward 10C will provide treatment, support and care for those living with HIVrelated issues. We have worked hard to make this day happen and I commend everyone who has supported our efforts.”

The focus of the ward will also include treatment of diseases related to addiction – bacterial and viral infections like chronic hepatitis, for example.

U.N. Under-Secretary and Executive Director for UNAIDS Michel Sidibé, who attended the St. Paul’s press conference, also

announced that Montaner has agreed to serve as his senior advisor on HIV. “This is a proud day for British Columbians as we mark another milestone in our leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS,” said BC Premier Christy Clark.

“Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the community, those at the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and health professionals across the province, a ward that once served those dying from AIDS, now supports those living with HIV.” BC is considered a world leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS, with innovative programs that have significantly reduced both the incidence and mortality rate of HIV/AIDS. Montaner has been an advocate of the “treatmentas-prevention” strategy – using antiretrovirals to reduce viral load in HIV-positive patients and therefore reduce their chances of transmitting HIV to their sexual partners.

The Vancouver Sun newspaper reports a 90% drop in AIDS cases in BC since 1995 and an 80% decrease in HIV-related mortality between 1996 and 2012.

According to the Vancouver Globe and Mail, only 40 HIV-positive people were identified as living in BC in 2013 without any medical care for the virus. BC had an esti-

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

mated 11,972 people living with HIV in 2012, with more than half getting active treatment.

Montaner warned that inaction by Canada’s federal government has hindered progress toward wiping out HIV nationwide.

“Canada is still missing in action when it comes to a comprehensive AIDS strategy. We have regions like Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where AIDS is still out of

control,” Montaner said.

“If every province was doing what BC has done, we would have a country that would be celebrating together the same thing.”

“Virtually, AIDS disappeared, but it didn’t really disappear until the very end, when treatment-as-prevention became the reality,” he added. “We did it and everybody else can do it.”

Celebrating 41 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

June 13, 2014

Seattle Gay News 25

26

Seattle Gay News

June 13, 2014

Celebrating 41 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

June 13, 2014

Seattle Gay News 27