SGN December 5, 2014 - Section 1

Celebrating 41 Years!

Issue 49 Volume 42

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Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

Stronger Together World AIDS Day Breakfast

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor On Wednesday hundreds of people – HIV/AIDS healthcare and social service organization employees and elected officials included – filed into a banquet room at the Washington State Convention Center for the 11th Annual Stronger Together Seattle World AIDS Day Breakfast.

Organizers and beneficiaries of the event, Gay City, Seattle Coun-

seling Service, Inspire Youth Project and Center for Multicultural Health, ask the public to join them in honoring those we’ve lost to HIV/AIDS, helping those who are living with HIV/AIDS, and celebrating the power of our community in providing a global example for effective response to the HIV/ AIDS epidemic.

Over thirty years ago the first cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) attracted the world’s attention. Since then, more than

630,000 Americans have lost their lives to AIDS and more than 56,000 people in the United States become infected with HIV each year. Currently, there are more than 1.1 million Americans living with HIV, and almost half of all Americans know someone living with HIV. In King County alone there are an estimated 7,500 men and women living with HIV/AIDS. Seattle-King County’s progress in responding to HIV has been remarkable. According to officials,

92% of Gay men living with HIV in our region are aware that they carry the virus. Of those, 76% are virally suppressed, meaning that they are engaged in treatment sufficient to bring their viral load to undetectable levels, making it nearly impossible for them to transmit the virus to others. Relative to 2004, the rate of new HIV diagnoses in King County is down 23%.

“These numbers are extraordinary,” said Fred Swanson, Executive Director at Gay City to the audience, adding, “the best of any city in the United States and quite possibly the world.”

The services of the four agencies partnering to present this year’s breakfast, provided collaboratively over many years, have been instrumental in achieving these exceptional results.

“Clearly, when we band together we can make the strongest impact,” say officials.

The annual Seattle World AIDS Day Breakfast is the largest benefit of its kind in the Northwest and the organizations that benefit are all organizations that work to provide crucial HIV prevention, education,

support and care in the Seattle area.

The breakfast is an opportunity for participants to make a strong impact by supporting the entire network of AIDS service providers in Seattle.

“Last year the event brought in over $120,000 for the combined agencies, which provided those living with HIV/AIDS care, support and most importantly – hope,” said officials.

While your breakfast is complimentary, the event is a fundraiser.

Organizers invite and challenge all guests to consider a minimum gift or pledge of $150 to the partner organization(s) of their choice.

Jean Enersen, news anchor for KING 5, hosted the event. After more than 42 years behind the anchor desk, Jean Enersen, the first female local TV news anchor in the country, stepped down from her role as KING 5’s Daily News Anchor in June 2014.

Enersen now devotes full attention to KING 5 HealthLink, the most popular health franchise in the Northwest, and the community service she has been committed to for decades. Cursee Breakfast page 4

Anne Levinson named to PDC Delhi Queer Pride Credit

cjonline.com

Delhi Pride Parade 2014

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Anne Levinson

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Governor Jay Inslee has appointed Anne Levinson to the state’s Public Disclosure Commission (PDC). The PDC is in charge of enforcing campaign finance laws.

“Ensuring that the letter and the spirit of the State’s disclosure laws are fully met is critically important to maintaining public trust in the

integrity of the electoral and governing processes,” she wrote in her application for the position.

“The continually increasing influence of money and special interests in campaigns and governance makes our state’s requirements for transparent and understandable reporting, public access to government records, disclosure of elected officials’ sources of income and interactions with lob-

byists as important today as they have ever been.”

Levinson is currently Auditor of the Seattle Police Department’s Office of Professional Accountability (OPA), charged with overseeing discipline of SPD officers.

She is also an attorney and was previously a Municipal Court judge in Seattle, Deputy Mayor to see Levinson page 3

India’s first Pride Parade since Gay sex was recriminalized by the country’s Supreme Court went off without a hitch on November 30.

Reuters news service reported hundreds of people marching through New Delhi, India’s capital, in the seventh Delhi Queer Pride Parade.

“We are making a statement that we exist. We are not a minuscule minority. Deal with it,” said Moh-

nish Kabir Malhotra, one of the organizers of this year’s event.

Marchers chanted “Azaadi!”

(Freedom!), and shouted “I’m Gay and that’s OK!” The crowd was festooned with multi-colored balloons, masquerade masks, wigs, and a huge rainbow flag.

According to Reuters, some of the biggest cheers at the parade went to Dora, a St. Bernard dressed in a T-shirt promoting LGBT rights, brought by her owner who works at the U.S. embassy. see Delhi page 14

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December 5, 2014

Celebrating 41 Years!

Levinson

westseattleblog.com

of the Seattle Storm women’s basketball team until 2010. continued from cover Levinson also made her mark as an acMayor Norm Rice, as well as a part-owner tivist, chairing the 2012 Approve R-74 campaign to retain the state’s Marriage Equality Act, and also chairing the 2009 R-71 effort to keep newly passed domestic partnership rights.

Levinson will join the commission January 1 and succeed Commissioner Kathy Turner who is stepping down. She will not need to give up her other responsibilities, since PDC commissioners are not full-time state employees. Commissioners earn $100 per day for any day they work, plus travel expenses.

Anne Levinson Also appointed to the PDC in Inslee’s

December 2 announcement was attorney John Bridges, perhaps best known as the Chelan County Superior Court judge who adjudicated Democrat Christine Gregoire’s 128-vote margin of victory in the 2004 gubernatorial race.

Inslee’s staff said he took more than a year to make the selections because he wanted to be sure he was making the right picks.

“The governor preferred to take time to appoint the right people,” Inslee spokesperson Jaime Smith told the Everett Herald newspaper. “He was looking for appointees who bring a strong commitment to fairness and integrity. And, quite frankly, it can be hard to find people willing to serve in a role that is so often politicized.”

Relationship Inventory: How hard are you working?

by Michael Raitt SGN Contributing Writer Most of us go to work every day and most of us are familiar with the process of setting goals and working towards those goals to make our work successful. Interestingly, however, a lot of people do not carry this concept over to their relationships.

Establishing a relationship does not mean that there is no more work to be done. Relationships get into trouble and sometimes end because one or both individuals have stopped working on the relationship. What is implied is, “I have a relationship now” and by being in that relationship, there is nothing more to do.

Two of the most important skills in a relationship are assessment and adaptability.

Assessment is the ability to sit down and discuss how well the dynamics are going in the relationship and where there are concerns. These dialogues should identify what is working well and where there are struggles.

It is important to identify both successes and struggles because knowing what and how you communicate well can be applied

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to problem areas. Struggles are important to talk about because if they don’t get addressed and cleared up, they can lead to resentments and ongoing problems.

The best strategy to use in assessing your relationship is “questioning.” Be curious and ask questions about the other’s perceptions and feelings. Query as to why perceptions might be different. Delve into your own self and ask what you are thinking and why you might be reacting the way you are. Much can be learned about self and others by asking questions.

Like any process, assessment should be ongoing. Couples should make it a habit of checking in on a regular basis to see how things are going. These conversations should happen several times a year.

Adaptability is the skill that is required to make change. Once you have identified struggles and what you do well in a relationship, you can adapt to different ways of doing things to make the relationship dynamics more successful. If one is not adaptable, then problematic dynamics will become more and more a part of the relationship. Like anything, the more you practice something, the better you are at it and this does apply to dysfunctional dynamics in a relationship.

If you are not adapting and making changes in your relationship, you should be concerned. There are two scenarios that are

a part of adaptability: circumstances and personal growth.

On a day-by-day basis, individuals react to a plethora of things in their lives such as work stressors, health issues, and other relationship dynamics. Our reactions to these variables inevitably come into the relationship and the ability of individuals to adapt to these will influence the dynamics in the relationship.

Over time, most of us grow in some ways.

Sometimes our needs change. It is common for our interests to vary or our personal style to become different than what another is familiar with. Regardless of the details, if individuals in a relationship cannot adapt to these personal changes, conflict can occur.

I encourage everyone in any kind of relationship to take a look at how hard they are working at the relationship and to consider these variables. Assessing and adapting can make the difference between success and failure in a relationship.

December 5, 2014

Seattle Gay News 3

Michael Raitt, MA LMHC, is a therapist and a Contributing Writer to the SGN. He writes a bi-monthly column in the SGN. If you would like to comment on this column, ask a question you’d like him to write about, or suggest another topic of interest, please contact him at Michael.Raitt@comcast.net.

Remarks on World AIDS Day continue to invest in innovation to develop a vaccine and find a cure. And this summer, my Administration held a series of listening sessions across the country to better understand the successes and challenges of those fighting HIV at the local and state level.

“In the face of a disease that extends far beyond our borders, the United States remains committed to leading the world in the fight against HIV/AIDS and ensuring no one is left behind. Hundreds of thousands of adolescent girls and young women are infected with HIV every year, and we are working to reach and assist them and every community in need.

As part of the President’s Emergency Plan for

AIDS Relief, over 7 million people with HIV around the globe are receiving antiretroviral treatment, a four-fold increase since the start of my Administration. In countries throughout the world, our initiatives are improving the lives of women and girls, accelerating lifesaving treatment for children, and supporting healthy, robust communities.

“As a Nation, we have made an unwavering commitment to bend the curve of the HIV epidemic, and the progress we have seen is the result of countless people who have shared their stories, lent their strength, and led the fight to spare others the anguish of this disease. Today, we remember all

those who lost their battle with HIV/AIDS, and we recognize those who agitated and organized in their memory. On this day, let us rededicate ourselves to continuing our work until we reach the day we know is possible – when no child has to know the pain of HIV/ AIDS and no life is limited by this virus.

Now, therefore, I, Barack Obama, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States do hereby proclaim December 1, 2014, as World AIDS Day.”

marginalized populations. Poverty is part of it. Drug use is part of it. Also to a very large extent stigma remains one of our greatest obstacles. In the early days of the pandemic the stigma of homosexuality was really what kept the government, our government and many others from responding. It fueled the hysteria and created many obstacles. Well, the stigma

has not gone away. It’s changed though.

Young people today, the stigma that they experience comes from their own people.

From my generation the stigma came from the outside world and really was the stigma against homosexuality. For these young people today though they are being blamed and shamed. It discourages them from getting tested; it discourages them

from talking openly about their status.

There’s a new study that shows that almost half of Gay men do not reveal their sexual orientation to their own physicians.

I think that right there was a pretty startling fact. If half of Gay men in the United States don’t feel comfortable revealing their sexual orientation to their physicians, we have a real problem.”

Lambda Legal: End HIV Criminalization ample of how misinformation, stereotypes and unfounded fears affect people living On World AIDS Day 2014, Lambda Legal with HIV and of the government engaging urges those tasked with enforcing U.S. crim- in discrimination that perpetuates these inal law – from governors to prosecutors to stigmatizing messages. Imposing unjustipolice detectives – to halt the criminal pros- fied and unnecessary criminal prohibitions ecution of people based on their HIV status, on people with HIV has led to a society thereby assisting efforts to combat the mis- where people are – among other forms of conceptions, fear, stereotypes, discrimina- oppression – imprisoned, classified as feltion and stigma faced by people living with ons and forced to register as sex offenders, HIV that fuel the epidemic in the U.S. and based on outdated and inaccurate informaaround the world. tion regarding HIV. HIV criminalization is a striking exWe have not come nearly far enough in

educating the public about HIV and in reducing stigma and discrimination. Fear and ignorance about HIV and discrimination against people living with HIV remains a serious problem that both marginalizes people and poses barriers to treatment and care.

Lambda Legal remains committed to securing equal protection and equal rights for this community – because living with HIV is not a crime. Lambda Legal’s commitment to fighting HIV and AIDS stigma and discrimination began more than twenty-five years ago in 1983 when we filed the

nation’s first challenge to AIDS discrimination and helped secure a court order stopping the efforts of neighbors to evict a doctor from his offices because he treated HIVpositive patients.

That commitment remains strong today.

People living with HIV have a right to work and live free from discrimination, and laws, policies and other governmental actions should be based on sound science rather than fear and bias.

Breakfast

and Urban Development from 20092011. He was appointed to that position

by President Obama and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Prior to his appointment at HUD, Sims served for 12 years as King County Executive.

As County Executive, Sims was nationally recognized for his work on the integration of environmental, social equity and public health policies that produced groundbreaking work on climate change, health care reform, afwfordable housing, mass transit, environmental protection, land use, and equity and social justice.

Sims serves as the chair of the Washington Health Benefit Exchange Board, which is responsible for the implementation of the Affordable Care Act in Washington state. Sims is also on the Board of Directors of the Washington Health Alliance, a nonprofit organization he helped found, where employers, physicians, hospitals, patients, health plan providers and others from throughout the region come together to improve health care quality.

President Obama’s Proclamation on World AIDS Day “Guided by our National HIV/AIDS Strategy, we are working to build a society where every person has access to life-extending care, regardless of who they are or whom they love. The Affordable Care Act prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage due to a pre-existing condition, such as HIV/AIDS, and requires that most health plans cover HIV screenings without copays for everyone ages 15 to 65 and others at increased risk. We have expanded opportunities for groundbreaking research, and we Cleve Jones on World AIDS Day NAMES Project founder Cleve Jones was interviewed for a World AIDS Day article about The Last One, a documentary on the AIDS Quilt now airing on Showtime.

An excerpt: “HIV is increasingly a disease of the

rently, Enersen is a spokesperson for the American Heart Association, a member of the board of the Seattle Foundation, a past president of the YWCA of Seattle-King County/Snohomish County, and co-chair of the annual Northwest AIDS Walk. Her many awards throughout her career include The Northwest AIDS Foundation Community Leadership Award.

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, who reminded people that this was the first World AIDS Day Breakfast he’d attended because he was always doing legislative work after being appointed to the State Legislature after Senator Cal Anderson died from complications due to AIDS, presented Pat Migliore and Michael Dunlop with awards for being unsung heroes in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Murray said they are two individuals that have made an extraordinary impact through their passion and commitment over decades of service in the fight against HIV/AIDS, exemplifying the power of committed individuals to organize compassionate communities and make a world of difference.

Twenty-five years ago, Pat Migliore helped found BABES Network, a sisterhood of HIV+ women organized for mutual support and to advocate for resources for HIV+ women in our community. Pat has been a staple in the program ever since, providing one-on-one peer support to BABES members; performing trainings

and consultations with Peer Advocates and staff; leading educational workshops for members; serving on the Advisory Board as well as the Stella Fundraiser planning committee; and much more. Pat has been living with HIV for 28 years, and is an inspiration to all women living with HIV in our community.

Michael Dunlop began his career of service to people living with HIV/AIDS in 1992 as a pastoral care and education intern at Multifaith AIDS Project. Over the years he has worked with the Northwest AIDS Foundation, Catholic AIDS Ministry and Snohomish Health District.

Michael joined the staff of Inspire Youth Project (then Rise-n-Shine) in 1996, where he has dedicated himself to providing support for children and teens affected by HIV/AIDS. He is indebted to the children of Inspire Youth Project for forging the way and teaching him about perseverance and compassion.

Following statements by Mayor Murray, former King County Executive Ron Sims, keynote speaker for the breakfast, took the stage.

In a speech, orated in the style that has made him a sought after public speaker, Sims reminded everyone of how far we’ve come in the epidemic and how well King County has done in minimizing new infections. Sims told everyone that Seattle is more than Super Bowl champions – we are also the champions in the fight against AIDS. Ron Sims served as the Deputy Secretary for the U.S. Department of Housing

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December 5, 2014

continued from cover

Courtesy of The White House

Courtesy of Lambda Legal

Celebrating 41 Years!

Seattle marries Lesbian couple from Utah as part of Visit Seattle’s “Marry Me in Seattle” tourism campaign Me in Seattle” campaign. On September 3, Zachary Baker and Samuel Busch of St. Paul, MN were married in a ceremony that was officiated by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray.

On October 1, Blake Easter and Patrick Atkinson of South Carolina were married by Seattle Judge Anne Levinson (Ret.), who was a leading proponent of legalizing same sex marriages in Washington state. On November 5, Andrea Ross DeLuna and Claudia Araceli Pizano tied the knot at the Seattle Aquarium.

Palmer and Robinson have been a couple for one year. They met at a friend’s charity event, which was followed by a first date drive to the mountains, where they talked and walked along the beach of a lake. The mountains took on an even more special meaning when Palmer proposed in the mountains of Idaho.

Follow Jamie and Jennifer’s story via social media with the hashtag #MarryMeInSeattle. Video footage of the wedding ceremony will be available at 2daysinseattle. com/marryme/videos.

Jennifer Robinson (l) and Jamie Palmer celebrate their marriage with family and friends The “Marry Me in Seattle” campaign was created to invite LGBTQ visitors to Seattle ples have entered the sweepstakes since the includes more than 30 Seattle romance by showcasing the city’s progressive and campaign launched July 1. Four wedding packages, transportation, wedding music welcoming culture. Nearly a thousand cou- trips in total were offered, with ceremo- and DJs, florists, photographers, venues nies taking place the first Wednesday of the and catering companies. The site and remonth, September through December. All source list are permanent and continuousLGBTQ couples residing outside of Wash- ly-updated. ington state were eligible to win.

About Visit Seattle The “Marry Me in Seattle” campaign Visit Seattle, a private, nonprofit marketand wedding sweepstakes were developed ing organization, has served as Seattle/King in collaboration with Visit Seattle’s agency County’s official destination marketing orCopacino + Fujikado, in partnership with ganization (DMO) for more than 50 years.

Here Media and funding by the Seattle The goal of these marketing efforts is to enTourism Improvement Area, a dedicated hance the employment opportunities and marketing fund assessed from guests at economic prosperity of the region. For more 54 downtown Seattle hotels and adminisinformation, visit www.visitseattle.org. tered by Visit Seattle.

The campaign web site, www. 2DaysInCourtesy of Visit Seattle Seattle.com/marryme, features an essential Seattle LGBTQ marriage checklist that includes a link to Washington state’s marriage equality law (Referendum 74 which was passed by Washington voters in November 2012), information and links for marriage applications and licenses and a list of LGBTQ officiants. The web site also Jamie Palmer (l) and Jennifer Robinson celebrate their marriage on the Seattle waterfront features a wedding resource guide that Kristen Marie Photography

SEATTLE – Two Utah women were the fourth LGBTQ couple to be married through Visit Seattle’s “Marry Me in Seattle” campaign December 3. Some 20 friends and family were on hand to witness Jamie Anneal Palmer and Jennifer Lee Robinson tie the knot at 1927 Events.

The couple was chosen randomly from hundreds of entrants in the sweepstakes and received a Seattle wedding trip hosted and coordinated by Visit Seattle, the city’s nonprofit tourism marketing organization. They received air transportation from Alaska Airlines, a four-night stay at The Paramount Hotel, a wedding ceremony at 1927 Events, flowers, wedding photography, DJ, ground transportation from Uber Seattle, champagne courtesy of Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, beer from Hilliard’s Brewery & Taproom and dessert from Top Pot Doughnuts.

“Seattle has been so welcoming to us!

We feel comfortable and accepted!” said Palmer. “Thank you Seattle for the incredible wedding and for an amazing once in a lifetime experience.”

This was the fourth of four couples to win a Seattle wedding trip through the “Marry

Kristen Marie Photography

First LGBTQ and Allied credit union forming in Washington Seattle Gay News recently learned that the formation of the nation’s first LGBTQ and Allied credit union is underway. The people behind the formation of this credit union are from Seattle.

Sierra Hansen told SGN, “The LGBTQ and allied community in Washington state and across the country have the chance to support the first ever credit union dedicated to our community in the United States. Equality Washington, a 501(c)(3), launched an Indiegogo campaign to help crowdfund the chartering process. The Seattle LGBTQ and allied community in Washington is leading the way, and we are confident this information would appeal to Seattle Gay News readers.”

The campaign can be found at https:// www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-campaign-for-equality-credit-union.

“Our community has made tremendous advances in civil rights over the last decade,

and now is the time to invest in our financial future,” said Hansen. “The credit union will be governed by a board of directors elected by members, regulated by state and federal laws, and direct funds and resources to support the unique needs of our community on issues such as retirement planning for same sex couples and small business loans and employment opportunities for transgender members.”

Phillip Endicott, President of Equality Washington, said, “Given the patchwork of legal rights, there is a great need for financial services and education directed towards our community. Credit unions can raise and direct funds to unique financial literacy programs that will specifically benefit needs such as transgender employment, LGBTQ business ownership and retirement planning.”

Endicott elaborates, “Simply put, credit unions reinvest funds into specific communities. A credit union focused on the LGBTQ and allied community can better develop and deliver programs to meet unique needs.

In addition, an associated non-profit will continue to raise funds for programs such as

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www.indiegogo.com

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor

Equality Washington President Phillip Endicott

comprehensive financial literacy, outreach vices in Washington’s rural communities.” to youth, LGBTQ homelessness, supporting “Our goal is to raise $50,000 within six weeks small businesses and retirement. In addition, to ensure we start serving our community by we will provide financial and non-profit ser- the second quarter of 2015,” said Hansen.

December 5, 2014

Seattle Gay News 5

Transgender Human Rights Institute launched courtesy of

Executive Director Allison Woolbert

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor A new, non-profit international Transgender human rights organization for the public interest has been launched under the name of the Transgender Human Rights Institute.

According to officials, Transgender Human Rights Institute will initially focus on the Transgender Violence Tracking Portal to gather and maintain research data concerning anti-Transgender violence and harassment. The Transgender Violence Tracking Portal (TVTP) collects data on anti-Trans* violence and harassment in order to alert and inform the Transgender community in real time to help them to be better-informed advocates for change.

Transgender people make up 1 to 1.5% of the world’s population but are about 400 times more likely to be assaulted or murdered than the rest of the population. These crimes are more likely to be excessively graphic and violent and are often meant to intimidate the

entire community. Many of these crimes are left unsolved, which makes it doubly important to track and hold law enforcement accountable to solving these crimes.

Allison D. Woolbert will be serving as executive director. Commenting on the new organization, Woolbert said, “The Transgender Human Rights Institute will be focusing extensively on bringing research, education and advocacy for the protection, advancement and promotion of Transgender human rights throughout the world. Transgender rights are human rights and Transgender individuals throughout the world should be given respect and protection from those who seek to harass, oppress or do harm against them.”

In addition to Ms. Woolbert, the Board of Trustees includes A.J. Walkley, Brynne Soukup, Bobbi Manners, Kristin Beck, Jennell Jaquays and Melissa Tuttle.

A.J. Walkley said, “The more incidents reported through the Transgender Violence Tracking Portal, the better the tracking; the better the tracking, the more aware lo-

cal, national and global communities can be regarding these heinous statistics. The more awareness, the more action that can be taken to ultimately curtail such incidents in the future, as well as bring justice for those we have already lost. At the end of the day, knowledge is power, and violence can be deterred with said knowledge. This is a fantastic first step for the Transgender Human Rights Institute as a whole, for the work of the TVTP will surely help inform our endeavors as an institute moving forward.”

Brynne Soukup: “In the days to come, we remember all the Transgender people fallen to murder and violence over the years. I believe that the Transgender Violence Tracking Portal is the voice for all the previous and future victims of anti-Transgender violence. TVTP offers a unique voice in real-time tracking of murders, as well as brutal violence the Transgender community faces. I am thrilled that the Transgender Human Rights Institute will be a catalyst for change to bring about equality for Transgender people throughout the world.”

Bobbie Manners: “Every November 20, Trans* people around the world are united in remembering those members of our community whose light has been extinguished before their time. The rate of violence and murder perpetrated around the world against Transgender individuals (and especially against Trans* women of color) is staggering, and the work that the Transgender Human Rights Institute and the Transgender Violence Tracking Portal does to highlight this ongoing human rights tragedy is of vital importance. I am proud to be involved in helping establish the Transgender Human Rights Institute as a prominent voice,

drawing attention to the injustices faced by Transgender individuals and campaigning for legal, political and social change to prevent further bloodshed, and to ensure Trans* people are treated with dignity and respect.”

“The basic needs of any group of people can often be expressed as Housing, Employment, Health Care, Respect, and Safety. All are important, but the Transgender Violence Tracking Portal’s focus on safety, on freedom from harm for Transgender people, is what drew me into first working with the Transgender Human Rights Institute and then becoming a part of its board,” said Jennell Jaquays. “Transgender people form one of the most at-risk minorities in the world, experiencing harassment, threats of violence, and injury or death by violence at a higher rate than other groups. The stories of friends who have experienced some form of violence just for being Transgender, including self-harm, quickly become a part of nearly every Transgender person’s journey. They become scary, cautionary tales. I feel that to end violence against Transgender people, we need to turn anecdotal tales into hard, researched data about victims. We need to share it in ways that everyone can understand, analyze, and most importantly, act upon.”

Kristin Beck said, “Information is the only way to bring light into the darkness.

The Transgender Human Rights Institute is bringing that light to people 400 times more likely to be assaulted or murdered than any other group of people. This research and information is vital to the advance of human rights worldwide.”

For more information go to www.TransViolenceTracker.org.

Labor Department issues rules to protect LGBT workers Good start, but not enough, says Pride At Work

The U.S. Department of Labor issued new rules prohibiting discrimination against LGBT workers by employers who contract with the federal government on December 3.

The rules implement Executive Order 13672, signed by President Obama on July 21.

Pride At Work, the LGBT labor group affiliated with the AFL-CIO, commended the President and Labor Secretary Thomas Perez, but warned that the order is “not a silver bullet.”

Obama’s order charged the Labor Department with updating federal rules prohibiting discrimination by companies that do business with the federal government. Sexual orientation and gender identity were added to the list of prohibited forms of discrimination.

“Americans believe in fairness and opportunity. No one should live in fear of being fired or passed over or discriminated against at work simply because of who they are or who they love,” Perez said in the Labor Department statement.

“Laws prohibiting workplace discrimina-

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December 5, 2014

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

tion on the bases of sexual orientation and gender identity are long overdue, and we’re taking a big step forward today to fix that.”

The newly revised rules are the first federal actions to ensure equality for LGBT workers. About 25% of the U.S. workforce would be covered.

Pride At Work Executive Director Jerame Davis welcomed the new rules, but noted that LGBT protections were still limited.

“At Pride at Work, we welcome this longawaited change to federal contractor employment policy,” Davis said.

“We commend the President and his Administration for its commitment to LGBT equality and, especially, for standing up for LGBT workers, but this rule is not a silver bullet.”

Davis added that in 29 states it is still legal under state laws to fire LGBT workers solely because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. In three others, sexual orientation is protected but gender identity is not.

For that reason, Davis continued, “it is still true that the best – and sometimes only – workplace protections for vulnerable workers is a strong union contract.”

Like most national LGBT activist groups, Pride At Work dropped its support for ENDA (the Employment Non-Discrimination Act) in the wake of the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision. In that ruling the

high court affirmed a broad religious exemption from the Affordable Care Act, and LGBT activists worried that the religious exemption language in ENDA would be used to gut protections for LGBT workers.

Nevertheless, Davis urged Congress to pass “a clean, comprehensive LGBT antidiscrimination bill.” He also warned that “even with these rules and laws in place, the added protection of a union contract is a necessary and vital part protecting LGBT workers.”

Meanwhile, the Republican-controlled House rejected a Democratic attempt to bring ENDA to the floor. The Senate passed ENDA in a bipartisan vote last year.

Representative Alcee Hastings (D-FL) introduced an amendment in the House Rules Committee to attach ENDA to the 2015 defense authorization bill. Had the committee passed Hastings’ amendment, ENDA would have gone to the floor for a vote along with the defense spending measure.

The proposal was defeated, however, on a 7-3 party-line vote. ENDA sponsor Jared Polis (D-CO) was absent from the committee meeting, as was Republican ENDA supporter Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), but the committee is stacked with conservative Republican members and the amendment would have gone down to defeat anyway.

Celebrating 41 Years!

Lambda Legal takes on U.S. “Don’t Say Gay” laws Lambda Legal

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Lambda Legal has launched a new campaign against “Don’t Say Gay” laws here in the United States.

According to the group, at least eight U.S. states have laws on the books that are similar to Russia’s notorious laws banning public discussion of LGBT issues. Sometimes

also called “no promo homo” laws, they restrict discussion of Gay sex and HIV prevention in public school classrooms.

Lambda Legal’s new #DontEraseMe campaign is aimed especially at students, and asks them to speak out against the laws in their states. The #DontEraseMe campaign does not explicitly threaten litigation by Lambda attorneys, but the group clearly states that it believes the laws constitute un-

lawful discrimination by the government.

Most of the “no promo homo” laws were passed in the late 1980s and early 1990s and reflected fear of the growing HIV/ AIDS epidemic.

Under those circumstances, the laws unfairly stigmatized same-sex sexual relations, and acted to increase the spread of STDs by shutting down discussions of safer sexual practices. The law in Arizona,

for example, forbids teachers to teach that “some methods of sex are safe methods of homosexual sex.”

Lambda Legal says the laws are also harmful and stigmatizing to LGBT students.

Alabama and Texas, for example, require that in sex education classes students must be taught that being Gay “is not a lifestyle acceptable to the general public.” Arizona prohibits instruction that “portrays homosexuality as a positive alternative life-style” in certain curricula.

Other states with anti-LGBT curriculum laws include Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Utah.

And, while the laws might originally have been intended to cover only sex education, they are often misinterpreted by teachers and administrators, and could even be used to prohibit instruction about Harvey Milk in a history class or Walt Whitman in a poetry class.

By creating a climate of discrimination, the laws contribute to the bullying of LGBT youth, Lambda Legal adds.

LGBT students in states with these laws report hearing more homophobic remarks from school staff and are less likely to report incidents of harassment to school staff, according to GLSEN’s National School Climate Survey.

The campaign can be accessed at https:// twitter.com/hashtag/donteraseme.

Republicans love losers: Mitt Romney leads 2016 polls Rand Paul out of the race?

Failed presidential candidate Mitt Romney leads the pack of Republican hopefuls for their party’s 2016 presidential nomination, according to a Quinnipiac poll released November 26.

Romney came in at 19% in a crowded field of possible candidates. Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush came second with 11%, followed by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Ben Carson each with 8% each, and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul with 6%.

Carson, a former neurosurgeon with no political experience, is a conservative radio and TV pundit and author of One Nation, which topped the New York Times best-seller list in June.

Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee all came in at 5%, while 16% of the respondents were undecided.

If Romney is removed from the poll, Jeb Bush leads with 14%, Christie comes second at 11%, and Carson third at 9%.

In a December 2 announcement, Rand Paul may have changed the calculations, however.

Paul’s Senate term is also up in 2016, and Kentucky law forbids candidates to run for two positions on the same ballot. That means Paul would have to give up his Senate seat if he wants to run for the Republican nomination.

In a December 2 media release, Paul announced he would seek reelection to the Senate so he could continue with “the task of repairing and revitalizing our great nation.” Fellow Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, who

Getty Images

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

Rand Paul (l) and Mitt Romney

will become Senate majority leader in January, said Paul was “essential in the U.S. Senate.”

Paul may not be completely giving up on his presidential aspirations, however. His advisors believe there are ways around Kentucky law, and in any case he could withdraw from the Senate race at a later date if he believes he has a shot at the presidency.

Republican Senator Rob Portman also withdrew from the presidential race on December 2, although his exit will create far fewer waves than Paul’s would, since Portman is not considered a real contender for the nomination.

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“I have decided to run for re-election [to the Senate] in 2016,” Portman said in a statement.

“I am excited about continuing to serve, especially with the change in the Senate leadership.

“With the new Republican majority, I see a real opportunity over the next two years to break the gridlock in Washington and actually get things done to help Ohioans and all Americans. That’s where I believe I can play the most constructive role.

“I don’t think I can run for president and be an effective senator at the same time.”

Portman, whose son is Gay, was the only Republican presidential hopeful who supports marriage equality.

On the Democratic side, Quinnipiac found that Hillary Clinton led the field with 57%, followed by Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts with 13%, and Vice President Joe Biden with 9%.

Warren has said repeatedly that she is not a candidate for the nomination. Biden has not said whether he will be a candidate or not, but he has been making the tour of the usual campaign venues as if he might run.

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Oops! Ohio judge accidently recognizes samesex marriage

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer An Ohio judge approved the divorce of a Lesbian couple on November 25, thereby recognizing the reality of their prior marriage.

The only problem is that Ohio is one of four states where bans on same-sex marriage were upheld by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

According to Athens County Common Pleas Judge George McCarthy, he did not realize the parties were both women, and he is likely to reverse his decision and revoke the divorce decree.

McCarthy told the Columbus Dispatch newspaper that Athens County divorce applications have one column for the husband’s name, and another for the wife’s. Erin O’Leary was listed in the husband column, and Brenda Mohney, was listed as her wife.

As it turned out, Mohney still lives in Athens, Ohio, and was at the divorce hearing, but O’Leary has moved out of state. McCarthy therefore assumed she was a man and signed the divorce decree.

The judge now says he thinks that Ohio’s ban on recognizing same-sex marriage

would make his judgment invalid, but will invite both women to a hearing in the next few weeks so that they can explain their reasons for divorcing before he offers his reason for nullifying his previous ruling.

If that happens, Mohney and O’Leary would find themselves married again.

A spokesman for Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, said that while his office will uphold Ohio law banning same-sex marriage, he does not have a position on samesex divorces and that each case is decided on a case-by-case basis by the Ohio courts.

HRC releases report establishing basis for Federal LGBT Non-Discrimination Bill HRC commits to working toward vital and necessary non-discrimination legislation

WASHINGTON, DC – The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, today released a report ex-

plaining the need for non-discrimination laws protecting LGBT people at the federal level.

“For over three decades, HRC has championed and fought for equality for all LGBT Americans,” said HRC President Chad Griffin.

“Today, despite the incredible advances we’ve made, LGBT Americans still lack fundamental, enduring and explicit federal legal protections in this country. This report is the blueprint for a federal non-discrimination bill, a major step forward for our community and our nation.”

The report, “Beyond Marriage Equality: A Blueprint for Federal Non-Discrimination Protections,” focuses on needed legislation in seven categories: credit, education, employment, federal funding, housing, jury service and public accommodations.

“In more than a dozen states, same-sex couples can marry but are at risk of being fired because of their sexual orientation,” said Sarah Warbelow, HRC’s Legal Director. “Un-

der federal law, transgender people lack legal recourse if they are turned away from movie theaters or harassed in a restaurant because of who they are. It’s time for federal legislation that recognizes the discrimination LGBT people face in the broad scope of our lives – and it’s time for our elected officials to answer the call and provide redress to millions of Americans in search of justice.”

With the release of this report, HRC is committed to working toward a broad federal non-discrimination bill and will outline its plans to build support for such a bill in the coming weeks.

In many states, the protections available for LGBT Americans are a patchwork at best and nonexistent at worst. Though marriage equality is the law of the land in 35 states and the District of Columbia, there are no explicit federal protections for LGBT Americans with regard to credit, education, employment, federal funding, hous-

ing, jury service, and public accommodations.

Historically, expansive legislation to address inequities is not unusual. The report details the history of such legislation, beginning with the Civil Rights Act of 1866 – the first law to define U.S. citizenship – and delves into the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and more recent laws passed to prohibit discrimination.

The report also puts forth the history of LGBT-specific civil rights legislation, including the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and the federal hate crimes prevention law.

The report can be viewed online at http:// www.hrc.org/beyondmarriageequality The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender equality. HRC envisions a world where LGBT people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

2014 Gay Games brought extra $52 million to Northeast Ohio Washington Blade / Michael Key

Opening Ceremony of Gay Games 2014

8 Seattle Gay News

December 5, 2014

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

This year’s Gay Games brought an additional $52 million to the economy of host cities Cleveland and Akron, Ohio, according to a study by two Kent State University economics professors.

The Games, held every four years like the Olympics, are the world’s largest LGBT sports and cultural event. The event was originally called the “Gay Olympics,” but a 1982 lawsuit by the International Olympic Committee forced the name change.

Professors Shawn Rohlin and Nadia Greenhalgh-Stanley found that 75% of the more than 20,000 asked participants in the 2014 Gay Games lived outside the Cleveland-Akron metropolitan area.

They then asked the participants about their spending during the Games.

They found that locals and non-locals combined spent $38.8 million in the main sectors of the local economy, including hotels, restaurants, bars, and gas stations. An additional $20.6 million was generated in local incomes – the equivalent of 726 full-time jobs.

The study also found that holding the games in Cleveland had diverted the vaca-

tion spending of locals back into the Cleveland-Akron economy, preventing the money from going elsewhere. Sixty-four percent of local participants said they would have traveled outside Northeast Ohio to participate in the Gay Games, which would have seen $8.4 million in spending taken away from the region.

“The Gay Games provided an important economic impact for the local Northeast Ohio economy, including higher revenues generated for local businesses and new local jobs,” Rohlin wrote.

The economic success of the Games has the Akron city tourism industry hoping to repeat a similar success next year with a Gay rodeo event.

“Akron and Summit County truly benefited from the thousands of new visitors during the week of the Games, and we already are experiencing long-term success,” Akron/Summit Convention & Visitors Bureau president and CEO said.

“The city’s street festival during the Games – “Flair Fest” – was such a success that it will return next year and the International Gay Rodeo Association is already talking about coming back.”

The 2018 Gay Games will be held in Paris.

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“Mild” form of HIV evolving, Brit scientists say HIV is becoming less infectious and less virulent as it evolves, a major new study reveals.

Scientists at the University of Oxford in Britain say that as the virus evolves, it takes longer to replicate itself, and therefore it becomes less easily transmitted to new hosts.

It also takes longer for HIV infections to become symptomatic.

The findings, published on World AIDS Day in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggest the global struggle against HIV infections may have reached a tipping point.

The research team reached its conclusion by comparing the progress of HIV infections in Botswana, which has dealt with the HIV epidemic for a long time, and South Africa, where HIV arrived a decade later.

“It is quite striking,” University of Oxford professor Philip Golder told BBC News.

“You can see the ability to replicate is 10% lower in Botswana than South Africa and that’s quite exciting.

“We are observing evolution happening in front of us and it is surprising how quickly the process is happening.

“The virus is slowing down in its ability to cause disease and that will help contribute to elimination.”

When HIV enters a person’s bloodstream, it is attacked by the host’s immune system.

The virus mutates to meet the challenge, and in many cases is able to overwhelm the host’s defenses and replicate itself unchecked.

Sometimes HIV infects someone with a particularly effective immune system, however. Previous research on HIV has shown that a human gene known as HLA-B*57 provides a protective effect against HIV. “[Then] the virus is trapped between a rock

SPL

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

and hard place, it can get flattened or make a change to survive and if it has to change then it will come with a cost,” Goulder explained.

The “cost,” he added, is a reduced ability to replicate itself. The scientists found that in Botswana, HIV has evolved to adapt to HLAB*57 more than in South Africa, so patients no longer benefited from the protective effect. But they also found that the newly evolved strains of HIV had a significantly reduced ability to replicate – making it less virulent.

The virus therefore becomes less infectious and less able to destroy the host’s immune system and invite opportunistic diseases.

“HIV adaptation to the most effective immune responses we can make against it comes at a significant cost to its ability to replicate,” Goulder said. “Anything we can do to increase the pressure on HIV in this way may allow scientists to reduce the destructive power of HIV over time.”

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The scientists then analyzed the impact of antiretroviral drugs on HIV virulence. Using a mathematical model, they found that treating the sickest HIV patients accelerates the evolution of HIV strains with a weaker ability to replicate.

The result is that patients can have significantly more time before HIV becomes symptomatic.

“Twenty years ago the time to AIDS was 10 years, but in the last 10 years in Botswana that might have increased to 12.5 years, a sort of incremental change, but in the big picture that is a rapid change,” Golder noted.

“One might imagine as time extends this could stretch further and further and in the future people being asymptomatic for decades.”

The group did caution that even a watered-down version of HIV was still dangerous, and that HIV-negative individuals should continue to avoid infection. But

some scientists looked forward to the end of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

“If the trend continues then we might see the global picture change – a longer disease causing much less transmission,” Professor Jonathan Ball, a virologist at the University of Nottingham, told the BBC: “In theory, if we were to let HIV run its course, then we would see a human population emerge that was more resistant to the virus than we collectively are today – HIV infection would eventually become almost harmless.

“Such events have probably happened throughout history, but we are talking very large timescales.”

AIDS activists noted that for the first time in the epidemic’s history, the annual number of new HIV infections is lower than the number of HIV-positive people receiving treatment, meaning a crucial tipping point has been reached in reducing deaths from AIDS.

December 5, 2014

Seattle Gay News 13

REUTERS / Adnan Abidi

Delhi Queer Pride 2014

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December 5, 2014

Delhi

continued from cover One year ago India’s Supreme Court threw out a 2009 ruling by a lower court that decriminalized Gay sex, in a ruling that said only the country’s parliament could repeal Section 377 of India’s penal code, which bans sex “against the order of nature.”

The law, which dates from colonialera British India, is interpreted to ban Gay sex. Penalties can be as much as 10 years in prison.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, elected earlier this year, is the leader of the right-wing nationalist BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), and has made anti-Gay remarks in the past.

A poster at the parade depicted Modi’s face in rainbow colors, with the caption “I love Amit Shah,” referring to the president

of Modi’s political party, BJP. Some participants said the prime minister did not mean the Gay community any harm.

“Modi is a very wise person. I don’t know whether he’ll support or not support, but he’s not going to do anything which is going to harm any Indian citizen’s right,” said Rudrani Chettri, a social worker and LGBT activist.

Bystanders said they had no problem with the LGBT community.

“As long as it’s consensual, it should not matter to anyone,” auto-rickshaw driver Kapil Yadav told Reuters. “They shouldn’t force themselves on anyone.”

Yadav was one of the drivers temporarily brought to a stop as the parade passed through downtown New Delhi.

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Dear Editor: December 1 was World AIDS Day! I can remember at the start of AIDS here. Many of my friends contracted it. I remember, too, when my friend Joe Eisenhauer started a fund of a few dollars and I joined in to help. I initially put out a few canisters in the bars [the beginning of Lenny’s Jars in Bars & Businesses project] and finally many retail and grocery stores accepted them on their counters. My dear friend, Carol Sterling, [former Executive Director of Chicken Soup Brigade] played a big part. It was a chore to maintain all the canisters. At one point, I got a DUI, and my friend Dee drove me around to the many locations.

People were very generous and over the years we raised nearly $500,000. I dunno; my memory may be exaggerating. [EDITOR’S NOTE: No, Lenny is not exaggerating.] It was a long time ago, and I was much younger LOL and

able to drive or walk the streets. Chicken Soup Brigade, the organization that began the food drive, provided drivers and delivered foods, is now in a pretentious building, but it continues to prepare and deliver food and now to other disadvantaged people as well. Ah!! the memories from the start with Joe Eisenhauer, Carol Sterling, and many others that made the organization what it is today.

In memory, Lenny Larson For an “AIDS Retrospective Slideshow: A Pictorial Timeline of the HIV/AIDS Pandemic” visit: http://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/ ss/slideshow-aids-retrospective?ecd=wnl_ day_120114&ctr=wnl-day-120114_nsl-ld-st ry&mb=sUjWX710ogcESrWfQZS7P2dEpm NqbUHLUXO%2fkIXyI40%3

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Miami and Toledo pass Trans protections Two major American cities – Miami, Florida, and Toledo, Ohio – passed new legal protections for their Transgender residents December 2.

The Miami-Dade County Board of Commissioners passed a sweeping ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on a person’s gender identity in housing, employment, and public accommodations. The vote was 8-3. Miami-Dade County is the largest municipal jurisdiction in Florida.

Miami Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez plans to sign the ordinance, his spokesperson Mike Hernández told BuzzFeed News.

“He is 100% supportive. The mayor will not veto – it will become law,” Hernandez said.

Meanwhile, the Toledo City Council added gender identity to its hate crimes law.

In Miami, the commissioners acted after a long night of contentious testimony, much of it reprising old scare tactics concerning restrooms.

“There are cases of the deviants who will take advantage of this,” said Commissioner Esteban Bovo, who was one of the three No votes.

“We have to be mindful of a segment of the

population, who is probably a majority, who is very concerned with this issue,” he said. “It is a concern for the safety of their family.”

Bovo wanted an exception inserted in the ordinance to prevent Transgender people from using public bathrooms, but he was defeated. The only exemption in the measure as passed is for religious institutions in their religious facilities, but church-owned commercial ventures must accommodate Trans people.

“It’s a scare tactic when we come down to the bathrooms and locker rooms,” said Commissioner Audrey Edmonson, one of the ordinance’s primary co-sponsors. “These are scare tactics.”

She also refuted opponents’ claims that the ordinance was unnecessary.

“When someone has been discriminated against, I don’t care if it is one person, we were elected to defend those people and provide the protection that they need,” Edmonson said.

The Toledo hate crimes measure was inspired by a brutal assault on a local Trans activist in November.

Candice Rose Milligan addressed the Council meeting with her broken jaw wired shut. She was pleased the Council had passed the measure, she said, and hoped it

Peter Andrew Bosch / Miami Herald staff

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

Miami-Dade Commissioner Audrey Edmonson

would spark a change in state law.

House Bill 300, which is pending in the state legislature, would expand the Ohio state hate crimes law to include crimes committed against people because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or disabilities.

Councilman Jack Ford, who sponsored the Toledo ordinance, said he wants the attack on Milligan to be investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice. A 20-year-old man has been arrested in the case and has been charged with robbery and attempt to inflict or threaten serious physical harm on another.

The worst Gay rights advocate in the world: Paul Singer and the dark side of GOP Gay rights activism AP

Paul Singer

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Paul Singer is a big-money donor to marriage equality organizations, pouring more than $11 million dollars into the cause since 2001.

Paul Singer is also a “vulture fund” manager who bases some of his operations in the Cayman Islands so he can evade U.S. taxes on his profits.

Singer is believed to be straight, but his son

is Gay and was married in Massachusetts.

Singer is also close to former RNC Chair Ken Mehlman – now openly Gay and a major Wall Street investment banker – and works closely with him to move his fellow Republicans to a more Gay-friendly orientation.

To that end, Singer invested $1.7 million to launch the American Unity PAC, which backs pro-Gay Republicans.

On the other hand, Singer is an ally of the notorious Koch brothers, and has given them huge sums to help fund their so-called

“dark money” projects, and their Tea Party group, the Club for Growth.

In fact, Singer has helped to fund many rightwing political projects including the Swift Boat ads smearing John Kerry during his 2004 run for the presidency and Karl Rove’s Crossroads GPS. Singer also touted U.S. Representative Paul Ryan to be Mitt Romney’s running mate in 2012. Dan Senor, then the GOP campaign’s foreign policy staffer, now works for Singer at Elliott Management Corporation.

Singer’s Elliott employees are among the top donors to U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, U.S. Representative Paul Ryan, and former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.

Even worse than how Singer spends his money is how he makes it.

According to “Forbes” magazine, Singer is worth $1.9 billion, and most of it comes from investing in so-called “vulture funds.” In other words, Singer’s companies buy up distressed securities at a big markdown, then sue to force the issuers to pay back full price – plus interest.

In 1996, for example, Elliott bought defaulted Peruvian debt for a reported $11.4 million.

He then sued the Peruvian government to get the full face value of the bonds. In 1998, a U.S. court ruled that an investor could not buy debt with the sole purpose of suing the debtor, but that ruling was overturned in 2000, and Singer won a $58 million judgment.

Similarly, Singer bought $400 million worth of Republic of Congo bonds for only $10 million. After suing the country, he accepted a $127 million settlement.

Currently, Singer’s NML Capital is shaking down Argentina in the same way it previously dealt with Peru. For a mere $48 million investment, Singer bought Argentine bonds with a face value of $630 million, during that country’s financial crisis of 2001-2002.

With accrued interest, Singer’s company estimates the value of the investment at $2.3 billion, which it is trying to force Argentina to pay.

Other investors agreed to allow Argentina to restructure their debt, but Singer has been insisting that Argentina pay him the full amount.

Although Singer’s piece amounts to only 7% of the total debt, he has sued to prevent Argentina from paying any of its more cooperative creditors until he gets everything he wants. The case is currently working its way through U.S. courts, but the Argentine government insists it will not pay Singer any more than it pays its other creditors.

Singer has been playing hardball, however. Last October, Singer’s NML subsidiary impounded the Argentine Navy’s ship Libertad in a Ghanaian port, and essentially held it for ransom for several weeks. The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea later ruled the impoundment a violation of international law.

Muslim hotel owner: no cocktails, but Gays are OK A London hotel recently acquired by a Muslim owner will no longer serve cocktails, a spokesperson said, but it will not discriminate against Gay guests.

The upscale Bermondsley Square Hotel in the Southwark area of London was recently bought by a new owner, identified in the British press only as “a multi-millionaire Muslim businessman,” and is making changes to its menus to accommodate the new owner’s preferences.

A notice on the hotel’s website says “We no longer sell alcoholic beverages at GB Grill & Bar – Please take a look at our compre-

hensive selection of soft drinks!” A London tourism website also reports that the hotel will no longer serve pork after Christmas.

“We don’t serve alcohol,” a spokesperson told Huffington Post. “The new investor doesn’t wish to make a profit with alcohol.”

The spokesperson added that anyone who had booked a room before November 17 would continue to be sold alcohol when visiting the hotel before the end of the year.

“All future bookings will not be served alcohol and those queries are being told when they book,” the spokesperson continued.

“The hotel has not had mini-bars but guests can bring in their own drinks.”

The right-wing British tabloid Daily Mail went crazy with the story, dubbing

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by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

Seattle Gay News

the hotel “Hotel Sharia” and alleging the business would now be run “in accordance with Sharia law” and would therefore ban Gay guests.

General Manager Robert Holland said the tabloid was “misinformed” about the new owner’s plans, and specifically denied rumors that LGBT guests would be barred from the hotel.

“We always have, and continue to, welcome guests of all shapes, sizes and denomination,” Holland said. “All guests are welcome.”

Great Britain’s Sexual Orientation Regulations came into effect in April 2007, banning discrimination in the provision of goods and services on the basis of sexual orientation, so even if the new owner wished to bar Gay

guests he would be unable to do so legally.

These protections were also extended to Trans Brits by the Equality Act of 2010.

The 80-room hotel typically charges $345 per night. It is rated in the top 300 of over 1,000 London hotels on Tripadvisor and received the site’s “certificate of excellence” for 2014. Almost all visitors to the Expedia tourism site said they would recommend it to others.

The hotel’s spokesperson said that policy changes were in the best interests of the hotel.

“We have recently made decisions to change some elements of the business, as any business owner is entitled to do,” she said. “These are in the best interests of the future of the hotel.”

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