SGN March 9, 2018 - Section 1

Celebrating 44 Years!

Issue 10 Volume 46

Artswest’s Hir a darkly comic shocker that’s magnificently captivating

Seattle Choruses welcome special guest Randy Rainbow for “Not In Our Town”

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FRIDAY March 9, 2018 FREE!

25¢ in bookstores & newsstands

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Seattle Gay News S E AT T L E ’ S L G B T Q N E W S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T W E E K LY

Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan: Washington State Legislature ‘We will do what we have to do bans conversion therapy to protect the people in Seattle’

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan with Sarah Toce – Photo courtesy of MK Scott

by Sarah Toce Special to the SGN Former U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan has made history as Seattle’s first lesbian mayor and only the second woman in history to hold the office. Running on a platform of free college tuition for Seattle public

high school graduates, criminal justice reform, affordable housing, and protection of small business communities, Durkan secured endorsements from the nation’s top civil rights advocates, labor union groups, progressive political allies, and tech leaders.

see DURKAN page 4

Photo courtesy of Getty

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The Washington State Legislature voted to ban conversion therapy on March 4. Gov. Jay Inslee is expected to sign the bill into law.

The State Senate agreed to amendments made by the House and passed SB 5722 by

a lopsided 33-to-16 margin.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Marko Liias, would make it “unprofessional conduct” for a licensed health care provider to perform conversion therapy on a patient under the age of 18.

see BAN VICTORY page 4

HRC responds to HUD Mississippi town backs down, Secretary Ben Carson’s move OKs Pride parade to erase nondiscrimination from mission statement

Photo courtesy of HRC

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary – Photo courtesy of HRC

WASHINGTON, DC – [On March 7], the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, responded to Secretary Ben Carson’s release of a new mission statement for the Department of Housing and Urban

Development (HUD) that removed several key phrases from the existing mission statement that prioritized fighting discrimination in housing and supporting access and inclusivity in all communities:

see CARSON page 11

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The town of Starkville, Mississippi, backed down from its previous decision and granted a permit for a Pride parade

scheduled for March 24.

The city aldermen voted 4-to-3 to deny the permit last month, and they were promptly slapped with a federal lawsuit by the parade organizers. At their March 6

see STARKVILLE PRIDE page 11

2 Seattle Gay News

March 9, 2018

Celebrating 44 Years!

Seattle Gay News F O U N D ED 1974 MEMBER

2018

1707 23rd Avenue Seattle, WA 98122 (206) 324-4297 sgn2@sgn.org sgn.org

Deadlines Classifieds | Thursday at Noon Calendar | Tuesday at 6pm Display Ads Space Reservation | Monday at 5pm Ad Copy (non-camera ready) | Tuesday at 5pm Ad Copy (camera-ready) | Wednesday at 5pm Letters to the Editor | Tuesday at 5pm Obituaries | Call the SGN office All others | Tuesday at 5pm

Editor in Chief George Bakan Copy Editor Rick McKinnon (since Dec 2013) Advertising George Bakan • Maggie Bloodstone MK Scott National Advertising Rep. Rivendell Media (212) 242-6863 Staff Writers Mike Andrew • Sara Michelle Fetters Miryam Gordon • Albert Rodriguez Contributing Writers Rev. Barbara Allen • Ron Anders Madelyn Arnold • Alice Bloch Maggie Bloodstone • Beau Burriola Sharon Cumberland • Jessica Davis Tina Gianoulis • Anthony Greer Milton W. Hamlin • Nevin Jefferson Richard Kennedy • Shaun Knittel Liz Meyer • Jason A. Miller Jesse Monteagudo David Nguyen aka Teriyaki Temple Rod Parke • Don Paulson Jerry Peerson • Jessica Price Scott Rice • Leslie Robinson MK Scott • Mark Segal • Gaysha Starr Sarah Toce • Paul Torres • Janice Van Cleve Ed Walsh • James Whitely Scott Wittet • Rex Wockner

Ingersoll Gender Center has moved to new Capitol Hill location Dear Friends: Over the last four decades Ingersoll has found homes all across Seattle that have supported generations of our communities. Whether it was our Saturday Social, the Capitol Hill Art Walk, or even hosting part of the Rainbow Health Fair, our office at 517 E Pike St. has been home to a lot of milestones for us. Sharing space with our friends at Gay City and Equal Rights Washington has helped us stay in Capitol Hill while so many of our LGBTQ friends and family have been pushed out. This space holds a special place in our hearts as it has witnessed so much of our history; but as many of you who have visited us in the last year have noticed, we were quickly outgrowing it.

I am writing you today with exciting news: We have moved into a new office that will support the next generation of our work and leaders in our communities! You can now find us at 911 E Pike St. Suite #221, Seattle, WA 98122. See information below to find out more about how to access our office.

Our phone number (206) 849-7859, mailing address (1425 Broadway #509 Seattle, WA 98122), email (info@ingersollgendercenter.org) and website (http://ingersollcenter.org) remain the same.

Our space: Our office space is located at 911 E Pike

RAINBOW CITY BAND “JUSTICE FOR ALL: HERSTORY” SHORECREST PERFORMING ARTS CENTER March 25 @ 2pm

Ken Campbell Calendar Editor Rick McKinnon Classifieds Photographers Nate Gowdy • Joseph P. Herron Shaun Knittel • James Whitely Production Mike Pham Website Designer Barry Thorsness / Digital Team Works Seattle Gay News is published by Frogs and Ink, Inc. © 2018. Frogs and Ink, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reprints by permission.

Publication of names, photographs, or likeness of any person, organization, event or business in this publication cannot be taken as any indication of the sexual orientation of the person, organization, event or business.

Opinions expressed in bylined articles, columns, and letters are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or management of this paper.

Seattle Gay News welcomes unsolicited material, including letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit or reject material. All rights revert to authors upon publication.

We assume no liability for loss or damage of materials, solicited or not. We invite feedback, please write.

And please play safe.

It is our policy that no money shall be refunded if you choose to cancel your ad. Credit will be given for the balance owed.

No exceptions.

In Loving Memory Of Steve Foiles • Scott Roger Alpert Cookie Andrews-Hunt James Leland Moore Randy Peters • Lee Richeson Shaun Shelton • Jim Tully James Arnold

Accessing our space: To enter our building you’ll need to use the call box outside to call up to Suite #221.

If you ever have trouble with the call box please don’t hesitate to call our office at (206) 849-7859.

It’s important to us that our spaces are accessible to everyone we serve. There is a set of stairs immediately in front of you as you enter the building, but if you follow the hallway to the right, you’ll find an elevator

you can take to the second floor.

Our location is accessible via public transportation. Buses #2, 10, 11, 12, 43, 47, and 49 all have stops within walking distance of our office with bus routes #2, 11 and 49 the closest. The First Hill Street Car stops a block away from our office and the Capitol Hill light rail stop is a 5-10 minute walk to our office.

If you’re driving to our office we recommend giving yourself some extra time but there are free spaces across the street at QFC parking garage for QFC customers and street parking is available.

Rainbow City Band presents “Justice for All: Herstory” on Sunday, March 25

Cartoonist

Rick McKinnon

St. Suite #221, Seattle, WA 98122. We are on the second floor of a historic building near the corner of Broadway and E Pike St.

Our “Justice for All” concert series has been established to celebrate civil rights and our unfinished journey toward equality and unity. Through our music, we plan to honor the LGBTQIA women, men, and gender non-conforming, people of color, immigrants, and other marginalized populations who have fought to make our country great. Our band was formed for Seattle Pride in 1998, and is a proud member of the Lesbian and Gay Band Association. This concert series takes us back to our organization’s founding as we reflect on the struggles and celebrate the triumphs that have led to our stronger and more diverse community. Each year we plan to present a concert with a different theme that exemplifies justice for all.

Our first concert is all for the ladies! We want to tell the stories of female writers and poets writing under pen names as men in order to get acknowledgment and acceptance for their creative work. With this “Herstory” concert, we celebrate composers you may not know, simply because of their gender, but who made and are still making huge contributions to the world of music. In our last concert of our 20th season we celebrate women!

RCPA is excited to begin a partnership with Visage Legs LaRue, a Seattle-based performer with a flair for the avant-garde.

The Studio 54-era modern-day ladyqueen with a vaudevillian soul will be singing an arrangement of “True Colors” with the concert band. The band will also be joined by Alexandra Gardner, the Seattle Symphony 2017-18 Season Composerin-Residence. In addition to composing a

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new work for the orchestra while she is in Seattle, she will create a new community composition with LGBTQ youth affected by homelessness, as part of the Seattle Symphony’s Simple Gifts initiative. We are thrilled to bring to life her wind band work entitled “Perseids.”

We hope to see you at Shorecrest Performing Arts Center on Sunday March

25th at 2pm! Save time at the box office by purchasing your tickets in advance at https://bpt.me/3362460 Thank you!

March 9, 2018

Seattle Gay News 3

Timothy V. Norris, Jr. Artistic Director Rainbow City Performing Arts

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan – Photo courtesy of MK Scott

DURKAN

continued from cover The 59-year-old partnered mom of two has lived most of her life in Seattle. Shattering the glass ceiling during the 2016 election was a professional, as well as personal, gain.

“I was touched watching Oprah on the Golden Globes,” Durkan said. “But the part that I thought was really interesting was when she said, ‘As a little girl, seeing Sidney Poitier get the award...’ showed her that a black person could be anything, and before that she didn’t know that...We’ve had a lot of success in the LGBTQ community, but the community is still under assault – particularly the transgender community. You know, when the President of the United States can simply tweet that people can’t serve in the military because of who they are and it goes almost unchallenged in Congress, we know we’ve got a long ways to go.”

She continued, “People forget that while marriage is equal – equality is there – in many states the things that go with it aren’t,” she said. “You can’t adopt. You can’t have property rights, and the like.

Workplace protections exist in very few states. We have a long ways to go – and I think it’s important to have people at the forefront who stand with you and for you.”

Durkan had a message of unity to share with the millions of people marching in the streets during the Women’s March in Seattle – and throughout the nation.

“I think the march really exemplifies what we have to do,” Durkan said. “Last year’s march, to me, was the antidote to the inauguration. It was a thing that gave me up and that made me realize we could all come together. We saw every kind of person marching and it was loving and inclusive and optimistic. And I think that we’ve reached a new stage. That was the coming together and the resistance. Now we have to organize and reclaim.”

One might suggest that the U.S. political climate can be gauged through the planning and execution of gathering audiences

BAN VICTORY continued from cover

Under the measure, if the provider violates the law, they would face sanctions ranging from fines to license revocation or suspension. Changes made in the House say the measure also applies to unlicensed counselors operating as part of a religious organization, religious denomination, or church.

Washington thus becomes the tenth US state to ban the practice of trying to “cure” homosexuality by methods that, at best, are coercive, and at worst amount to psychological torture.

Connecticut, California, Nevada, New

4 Seattle Gay News

and opportunities, such as the women’s march.

“Each of these stages is the next stage of the political movement,” Durkan concurred.

“We have seen that it’s not enough just to resist. We have to have the affirmative plan and the people putting it in place.”

The resistance and affirmative action are not party exclusive either, according to Durkan.

“I think that people need to stand for what they believe in, so it’s always good to have dissent in the ranks,” she said. “But we also have to realize that we are up against very unified and strong political wins.

Donald Trump was not an anomaly. I think that if we don’t stand for what’s better and come together, that we risk having him or people like him re-elected. If you look at our differences within the progressive base, they’re nothing compared to what we have to fight.”

An immediate local battle for Seattleites is the homeless issue. In her first major legislation, Durkan proposed “Building a Bridge to Housing for All,” a plan to sell an underutilized City property to address Seattle’s affordability and homelessness crisis. Her plan would leverage $11 million from the sale of an underutilized City property to create urgently needed bridge housing for those in our community experiencing homelessness and to support households on the verge of homelessness, while also reinvesting in essential City services.

“With too many families pushed out of the City and too many people living on our streets, we need to take urgent action to help those unsheltered and on the verge of homelessness. Leveraging one City property, we can provide essential services and attack our affordability crisis,” said Durkan. “There’s no quick or simple solution to solving this urgent challenge, but we can focus our efforts to rapidly deploy costeffective shelters to move people out of doorways and tents and into safer spaces.”

Durkan’s legislation is co-sponsored by four Councilmembers, including Council President Bruce Harrell (District 2, South

Seattle, Georgetown), Councilmember Rob Johnson (District 4, Northeast Seattle), Councilmember Debora Juarez (District 5, North Seattle), and Councilmember Sally Bagshaw (District 7, Pioneer Square to Magnolia).

Durkan’s proposal includes investing $5.5 million in a Bridge Housing Investment Strategy (examples such as mass shelter tents, hard-sided tents, wood-frame sheds, portable modular bunkhouses or cabins, backyard cottages, and the master leasing of existing apartments). This strategy will kick off with a project to serve chronically homeless women in Seattle by the end of spring 2018.

Additional funding of $2 million would maximize housing options for those on the verge of homelessness by piloting a Seattle Rental Housing Assistance Pilot Program.

A reinvestment of $2.5 million into Seattle’s communications capabilities is also on the table. An upfront Mandatory Housing Affordability payment of $2 million for affordable housing is also in the proposal.

Women in the referral network in need of immediate shelter due to domestic violence or other displacement events have long looked to Catholic Community Services (CCS) and Catholic Housing Services (CHS) programs. One example is Noel House at St. Mark’s Cathedral. The Women’s Referral Network is the method by which these women find the resources to have a clean, inviting, safe space to sleep every night. Noel House is able to accept 40 women per night. Currently, there is not a clear solution as to what will happen to these women should funding of the Women’s Referral Network be eliminated.

“We’re in the midst of shifting strategies,” Durkan said. “I think we have to focus resources on people to where they are to meet them in their crisis. “Far too long we’ve had this monolithic response to the homeless crisis and it’s shown that it hasn’t worked very well. I think we have to really focus on the various populations and one of those populations of women has not been well served. Mary’s Place really jumped

into a vacuum where you had moms with kids who were very under-served in the system. I think we have to do more there.

We have to focus on both women who have been abused with or without kids, but also on the kids themselves. And it’s not just the smart thing to do, it’s the right thing to do. Those kids are the future of this country. If we don’t support them now, we’ll be supporting them in ways through their whole life. If you look at the difference in cost between supporting someone in shelter versus supporting them in good schooling, or supporting them in good schooling versus prison, the smart thing for society to do is to provide clean housing and good opportunity.”

There is not currently a realistic way to track the homeless population in tent cities throughout Seattle, Durkan said.

“That’s another thing that’s been very frustrating,” she said. “You come in with a lot of questions about how we’re going to decide how we help the various populations – who are victims of domestic violence? Who just lost a job and could use some re-training? We haven’t kept very good data. And there’s obviously a balance between keeping the data and privacy that we have to be aware of, but at the same time if we really want to make a difference in these people’s lives, we have to give them the resources they need. The only way to give them the resources they need is to know what those are.”

On the subject of sanctuary cities, Seattle is not backing down.

“We were looking at all options and we knew the areas in which they [the Trump administration] would focus first would be immigration and marijuana,” Durkan said.

“So we had both legal and social strategies ready for that, and we think we’re both on the right legal footing and on the right moral footing. We will do what we have to do to protect the people in Seattle and protect legal businesses in Seattle.”

Jersey, the District of Columbia, Oregon, Illinois, Vermont, New York, New Mexico, and Rhode Island all have laws or regulations protecting youth from this abusive practice. A growing number of municipalities have also enacted similar protections, including cities and counties in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, Florida, New York, and Arizona.

Seattle banned conversion therapy in August 2016, after Republican legislators blocked progress of the bill in the State Senate. The ban finally passed the State Senate because control of the body shifted back to Democrats last November, when Manka Dhingra won a Senate seat formerly held by a Republican.

There is no credible evidence that conversion therapy can change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. On the contrary, research has shown that these practices pose devastating health risks for LGBTQ young people, such as depression, decreased self-esteem, substance abuse, homelessness, and even suicidal behavior.

Conversion therapy is condemned by every major medical and mental health organization, including the American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, and American Medical Association.

The HRC looked forward to Inslee’s signature on the bill.

“Children across the Evergreen State deserve to live their lives authentically and should never be subjected to the abusive practice of so-called conversion therapy,” said HRC Senior Vice President for Policy and Political Affairs JoDee Winterhof.

“It’s time for Washington to join the growing number of states and municipalities [which] are enacting these critical protections. We thank the state legislators who voted to protect LGBTQ youth from this dangerous practice and now call on Gov. Inslee to sign this crucially important legislation.”

March 9, 2018

Courtesy of Unite Seattle Magazine

Celebrating 44 Years!

Friends of the Seattle Public Library Spring Book Sale March 16-18 Over 100,000 books, CDs, DVDs and more will be for sale to the public at bargain prices at the 2018 Friends of The Seattle Public Library Huge Spring Book Sale.

This popular event, attended by thousands from throughout the region, is free and open to the public Saturday, March 17 from 9am to 5pm and Sunday, March 18 from 11am to 4pm at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, 299 Mercer St. Items for sale will include fiction and nonfiction books for all ages, CDs, DVDs of films and TV series, records, audiobooks and collectible books. Items will sell for $1

to $3. Attendees are encouraged to bring a reusable bag or wheeled suitcase for their purchases.

The sale will have over 50 categories of nonfiction including art, cookbooks, crafts, gardening, history, music, performing arts, pets, nature and travel. It will have an extensive selection of fiction including graphic novels, poetry and short stories.

A special Preview Sale for Friends of the Seattle Public Library members will take place Friday, March 16 from 6:30pm to 9:30pm. At the Preview Sale, Friends members may purchase up to 35 items. No

scanners, cell phones or any other electronic devices used to seek information about sale items will be allowed during the Preview Sale.

New memberships are $20 (plus $1 bank fee for online orders) if purchased by March 15, and $40 at the door. Memberships may be purchased in person at the FriendShop at the Central Library, 1000 Fourth Ave., or online at http://www.friendsofspl.org/ The Friends of The Seattle Public Library is a non-profit, grassroots organization dedicated to promoting the Library

as an essential institution of our society.

Friends’ volunteer members advocate, educate and raise funds on behalf of the Library, its patrons and the larger Seattle community.

For more information, call the Friends of The Seattle Public Library at 206-6827567, email book.sale@friendsofspl.org or visit www.friendsofspl.org.

Washington State Leather Community celebrates 36 years!

by Toby Noon Washington State Mr. & Ms. Leather Organization (WSMLO) The Washington State Leather Community will be celebrating the 36th anniversary of the Washington State Mr./Ms. Leather and Bootblack Contest along with the 26th anniversary of the Washington State Leather Pride Week this month. The Washington State Leather Pride Week will be held March 15-25, with numerous events at several locations. (More details below.) The contest will be held on March 24 at The Cuff Complex (1533 13th Ave.) Doors will open at 6pm and the contest will begin at 7pm.

It was 36 years ago at the J & L Saloon (now The Seattle Eagle), that the first Washington state contest was held. It was 1983, and several men competed for the title of Washington State Mr. Leatherman (the contest/title name would later be changed to Washington State Mr. Leather). That evening Mark Sauer was the first winner, for what has become an annual celebration of Leather Pride across the state. Each year following several men have vied for the honor to represent the Leather Community around the state and then representing the Organization and community at various national leather competitions.

In 1989 Vik Stump, a local women’s leather community leader, began the first Washington State Ms. Leather competition.

The competition was held at Club S. That year Lauren Burch became the first Washington State Ms. Leather.

In 2000, the title of Washington State Ms. Leather was sold to the Washington State Mr. Leather Organization, finally bring both titles under the same parent organization. The Organization adopted using the M in WSMLO for mutual recognition of both titles.

In 2014, with the ending of the Northwest Bootblack competition, WSMLO began the title of Washington State Bootblack and the competition for this title is now merged into the Washington State Mr./ Ms. Leather Contest.

Travis Williams, Washington State Mr. Leather 2017, Carla Whitehurst, Washington State Ms. Leather 2017, and Caleb Kohutek, Washington State Bootblack 2017, will end their very successful year of fundraising, extensive travel and community service the weekend of March 23-25, celebrating their year with a Meet and Greet for all guests of this year’s contest on Friday, March 23, at 8pm at The Cuff Complex (1533 13th Ave.).

Additionally, they will all speak about their year as leaders in the Washington State Leather Community at this year’s contest on March 24.

We have a distinguished Panel of Judges for this year’s contest, who will choose the new Washington State Mr. & Ms. Leather and Bootblack 2018. The following members of the leather community, both locally and nationally, are the selected judge’s. They include, Head Judge WSMLO

(l-r) Caleb, Washington State Bootblack 2017, Travis Williams, Washington State Mr. Leather 2017, Carla Whitehurst, Washington State Ms. Leather 2017, will be celebrating their amazing year of dedication and service to the Washington State Leather Community, on March 24, 2018. – Photo by Malixe Photo

Board Member Tia, Washington State Mr. Leather 2014, Erik Taylor, Washington State Ms. Leather 2016, Thea, Washington State Bootblack 2016, Brynn, Oregon State Mr. Leather 1999, Thom Butts, Northwest Leatherboy 2004, Timm Briggs, Oregon Bootblack 2015 Mickey Rebel, and Seattle Mr. Leather 1998 Billy Lane.

We are thrilled to have as our Emcees, from Menlo Park, California, IML 2013 1st Runner-up, Mr. Santa Clara County Leather 2012, and the Emcee for IML 2018, Thib Guicherd-Callin, and our own International Ms. Leather 2009 & Washington State Ms. Leather 2008, Lamalani Silverts.

On Sunday morning, March 25, a Victory Brunch will be held for the newly selected Washington State Mr. & Ms. Leather, Bootblack 2018, along with the bestowing of the Leather Emerald and Community Service Awards. Brunch will start at 11:30am, at Purr Cocktail Lounge (2307 24th Ave E), with the award presentation beginning at noon. In addition,

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several other organizations and groups will be presenting their annual awards at this event, including the Seattle Men in Leather, Generic Leather Productions of Washington, Seattle Girls of Leather, Seattle Women in Leather, Sea-Pah, to name a few.

Following are some of the local events scheduled for Washington State Leather Pride Week: The Seattle Men In Leather will host the kickoff event for Washington State Leather Pride Week with their Leather Social at Diesel (1413 14th Ave.) on Thursday, March 15, 7-10pm. A new event this year, the “Leather is a Drag” show, will be held at R Place (619 E Pine St.) on Friday, March 16, at 9:30pm. On Sunday, March 18, WSMLO will host the Leather Community Barbecue at The Cuff Complex (1533 13th Ave.), 4-7pm. Later that evening The Crescent (1413 E Olive Way) will be hosting LeatherOkie, 8pm-2am. Pony Bar (1221 E Madison St.) will host a Leather Beer Bust on Tuesday, March 20, 5-9pm. In conjunction with

Washington State Leather Pride Week, the past Seattle Leather Daddy titleholders and Washington State Mr. & Ms. Leather Organization will be holding a Leather Tag Sale on Wednesday, March 21 at The Cuff Complex (1533 13th Ave.), 7-10pm, with the proceeds benefiting the Leather Archives & Museum. Donations may be made year round. Contact Daddy Jeff at Daddy@ doghouseleathers.com to make a donation.

For more information on the Leather Tag Sale visit https//seattlemeninleather.org/ The Seattle Eagle (314 E Pike St.) will host the closing celebration on Sunday, March 25, 9pm to close. For more information on these and other events taking place during Washington State Leather Pride Week, check out the WSMLO website at www.

WSMLO.org.

March 9, 2018

Seattle Gay News 5

PFLAG celebrates 45th year of leading on family acceptance

Nation’s first and largest organization uniting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people with families and allies celebrates milestone anniversary WASHINGTON, DC – On March 11, PFLAG – the nation’s first and largest organization uniting families and allies with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people – will celebrate 45 years since its founding in New York City in 1973.

Jeanne Manford, elementary school teacher and mother of renowned gay activist Morty Manford, marched by her son’s side in the 1972 Christopher Street Liberation Day March – a precursor to NY Pride – carrying a homemade sign that said, “Parents of Gays: Unite in Support of Our Children.” When she was surrounded by people at the end of the march, asking her to speak to their own parents, the idea for PFLAG was sparked, and nine months later, with support from her son and husband Jules, the first meeting of PFLAG was held on March 11, 1973 at the Metropolitan-Duane Methodist Church in Greenwich Village (now the Church of the Village). Approximately 20 people attended.

Over the past 45 years, PFLAG (formerly an acronym for “Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays” but changed to simply PFLAG to reflect its longtime inclusion of bisexual and transgender people – one of the first organizations to do so – in 1993 and 1998, respectively) has grown into a national organization with nearly 400 chapters across 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and on a US military base in Germany, with hundreds of other family and ally organizations around the globe, all inspired or quietly supported by PFLAG. Since its founding, PFLAG has helped hundreds of thousands of families learn how to support their LGBTQ children and loved ones, expanding to include similar work with loving allies who are also invested in equality for LGBTQ people. This doesn’t include the possible millions across continents who have used and tailored the model to make them culturally appropriate for their locales.

“PFLAG has had a revolutionary impact on parenting and family values and practices in the US and around the globe,” says Dr. Jaime M. Grant, new executive director of PFLAG National, the national organization that supports and resources the grassroots PFLAG chapter network.

“Simply put: Family acceptance saves lives.”

The numbers bear this out: According to the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University, highly rejected LGBT young people were more than eight times as likely to have attempted suicide, nearly six times as likely to report high levels of depression, more than three times as likely to use illegal drugs, and more than three times as likely to be at high risk for HIV and STDs. However, when families are even slightly more accepting of their LGBTQ loved ones, it will significantly reduce harm and risk.

The work of moving families forward on acceptance is achieved primarily through PFLAG’s expansive network of chapters. PFLAG chapters can be found everywhere, in communities urban, rural, and suburban, conservative to progressive, and everything in between. With monthly support meetings, hundreds of educational opportunities provided both by chapters and the national organization, and constant advocacy work at the local, state, and federal levels, PFLAG has moved thousands of families and allies from fear, worry, concern, or love to decided action in favor of equality.

“PFLAG is saving lives, including in my

6 Seattle Gay News

Image courtesy of PFLAG

own family,” says longtime PFLAG mom, and now chapter leader and national board member, Marsha Aizumi. “My work with PFLAG has allowed me to help my Asian– Pacific Islander LGBTQ community, which often suffers in silence and isolation.

My own transgender son is now a chapter leader himself! After years of agoraphobia before coming out as trans, seeing my son thriving as a confident leader has brought me so much pride.”

In addition to its grassroots network, PFLAG National has a variety of signature programs, [including] Straight for Equality, which engages and trains allies in a variety of settings, including corporations and faith communities; Claim Your Rights, a program created in partnership with GLSEN to help ensure that LGBTQ youth are protected from discrimination, harassment, and bullying; and Cultivating Respect, PFLAG’s safe-schools program utilized by PFLAG chapters across the country in their own school districts.

With the Title IX guidance recently rescinded – although protections are still in place – PFLAG’s work in schools and with you are more crucial than ever before; both Cultivating Respect and Claim Your Rights have moved this work forward significantly.

PFLAG chapters across the country will hold events of celebration and support through the month of March, recognizing PFLAG’s many accomplishments over the last 45 years, which include participating in the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell; defeating numerous state anti-marriage equality amendments – as well as a federal effort – and finally helping to win marriage equality by submitting a friends-andfamily amicus brief to the US Supreme Court; helping lead the coalition to win hate crimes legislation; organizing against so-called “ex-gay” efforts, as well as speaking out against so-called “conversion therapy”; and changing millions of hearts and minds in support of LGBTQ people.

PFLAG has widespread support across communities, including from many notables, who spoke out on the occasion of the anniversary: “I don’t care how successful, how settled or even how old we are; we still want our parents’ approval. Their approbation nourishes our happiness and sense of self.

Historically we in the LGBT community have found that validation spotty at best.

March 9, 2018

But how could families embrace us when so many had no support from society? Along came PFLAG with knowledge, heart, and acceptance. Thanks to their outreach programs, families have stayed together, familial bonds have grown stronger, and lives have been saved. PFLAG has changed our history.” – Harvey Fierstein, American playwright/actor/writer “PFLAG has been out there winning the hearts and minds of society long before anyone even considered that important.

When no one – I mean absolutely no one – was there, PFLAG was. Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of this old butch’s heart.” – Lea DeLaria, actress/comedian/ jazz musician “PFLAG has led the charge on family acceptance for 45 years, fostering spaces for family and friends of LGBTQ people to find community, creating resources to help those with questions, and encouraging diversity.

PFLAG has also modeled allyship for [its] members, acknowledging mistakes in order to better serve the entire LGBTQ community. Now, more than ever, family acceptance of LGBTQ youth is needed. Our youth deserve to be wholly affirmed and accepted for who they are, in all of their identities, for them to thrive. I’m proud to stand with PFLAG as [it continues] to champion on behalf of all LGBTQ youth and their families.” – Sara Ramirez, actress “My mother, who founded the Dear Abby column, first brought PFLAG to national attention in the early 1980s. Today it remains a valuable resource for gay, bi, and questioning men and women and their families. There is nothing as important as building bridges of understanding between LGBTQ individuals and their friends and families. The ability to do this can literally mean the difference between life and death. The adage, ‘The more things change, the more they remain the same’ is true. As relevant as ever, today PFLAG deals with increasing numbers of transgender issues.”

– Dear Abby, columnist “PFLAG has always had a special place in my heart. When I first came out, my parents had a difficult time adjusting to the fact that their daughter was a lesbian, as this was not what they expected, and nothing in their experience had prepared them for it. I remember going to a Gay Pride Parade in New York City and seeing the large PFLAG contingent marching by

carrying signs that said things like, ‘I love my gay son’ and ‘Proud mother of a gay daughter.’ Tears sprung to my eyes. And a woman – I’m sure she was a mom – stopped in her tracks and gave me a hug. That hug sustained me for many years until my own parents came around, which I am happy to say they did. Not everyone is so lucky.

And that’s why PFLAG is so important.” – Lesléa Newman, author, Heather Has Two Mommies, October Mourning: A Song for Matthew Shepard, and Sparkle Boy “PFLAG, since its inception, has been an organization that served, and continues to serve, several unique functions. Not only does PFLAG effectively educate and provide support to the families and friends of LGBTQ people, PFLAG members are among the most important allies supporting full equality for all, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity.” – Jack Drescher, MD, clinical professor of psychiatry, Columbia University, emeritus editor, Journal of Gay and Lesbian Mental Health PFLAG is constantly on the forefront, ensuring that LGBTQ people are accepted and supported in order to live, love, learn, work, pray, and play equally, fairly, and safely. To find a chapter near you and join in the celebration, visit pflag.org/find.

PFLAG is the nation’s largest organization uniting families, allies, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people. Committed to advancing equality through its mission of support, education, and advocacy, PFLAG has nearly 400 chapters and 200,000 supporters crossing multiple generations of families in major urban centers, small cities, and rural areas across America. To learn more, visit pflag.org, like us on Facebook (/pflag), or follow us on Twitter (@pflag) or Instagram.

Celebrating 44 Years!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH MARCH FOR OUR LIVES

SEATTLE

MARCH 24 We will meet at Cal Anderson Park at 10am, and march to Key Arena. Bring signs and get ready to have our voices heard! * We are planning details now, more info to follow *

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REGISTER TO VOTE

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Celebrating 44 Years!

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Celebrating 44 Years!

Hawaii State Senate votes to protect LGBTQ youth from abusive practice of “conversion therapy” WASHINGTON – [On March 6], the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, praised the Hawaii State Senate for passing SB 270 – legislation protecting LGBTQ youth in the state from the dangerous and debunked practice of so-called “conversion therapy.”

“We thank the state senators who voted to protect LGBTQ youth from the dangerous and inhumane practice of conversion therapy,” said HRC Legislative Counsel Xavier Persad. “Children across the Aloha State deserve to live their lives authentically, and they deserve to know that they are not broken or ill because of who they are. We are

calling on the House of Representatives to swiftly pass this bill and send it to Governor David Ige’s desk for his signature.”

There is no credible evidence that conversion therapy can change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. To the contrary, research has clearly shown that these practices pose devastating health risks for LGBTQ young people such as depression, decreased selfesteem, substance abuse, homelessness, and even suicidal behavior. The harmful practice is condemned by every major medical and mental health organization, including the American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association, and American Medical Association.

Connecticut, California, Nevada, New Jersey, the District of Columbia, Oregon, Illinois, Vermont, New York, New Mexico, and Rhode Island all have laws or regulations protecting youth from this abusive practice. A growing number of municipalities have also enacted similar protections, including cities and counties in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, Florida, New York, and Arizona.

Last week, the Washington State Legislature also passed similar protections and the measure now awaits the governor’s signature.

According to a recent report by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, an estimated 20,000 LGBTQ minors in states without protections will be subjected

to conversion therapy by a licensed health care professional if state officials fail to act.

More information on the lies and dangers of efforts to change sexual orientation or gender identity can be found [at https://www. hrc.org/resources/just-as-they-are].

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people.

HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work, and in every community.

Courtesy of the HRC

Funeral home unlawfully discriminated against its employee by firing her for being transgender, a federal appeals court rules DETROIT – [On March 7,] the US Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit ruled that RG & GR Harris Funeral Homes unlawfully discriminated against Aimee Stephens when it fired her after she told her employer that she would begin presenting as a woman because she is transgender. The ruling affirms that transgender individuals are protected by federal sex discrimination laws, and that religious belief does not give employers the right to discriminate against them. Today’s decision reverses the lower court’s decision, which held that religious belief was sufficient to exempt the employer from anti-discrimination laws.

John Knight, senior staff attorney with the LGBT & HIV Project for the American Civil Liberties Union, who argued the case, had the following response: “Today’s decision is an exciting and important victory for transgender people and allied communities across the country.

In too many workplaces around the country, coming out as trans is a fireable offense, as our client Aimee Stephens personally

CARSON

continued from cover On March 5, HUD released a statement to staff announcing that the department’s mission statement would be updated “in an effort to align HUD’s mission with the Secretary’s priorities and that of the Administration.” The new mission statement removes several key phrases, including “strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all” and “inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination”.

“This is another effort by the TrumpPence administration and Secretary Carson to erase LGBTQ people and other margin-

STARKVILLE PRIDE continued from cover

meeting, one of the “no” votes switched to an abstention, making the vote 3-to-3 and allowing the mayor to break the tie.

“What happened at tonight’s meeting was a victory not only for our clients and for their equal dignity under the law but also for the core principle that in this country,

Aimee Stephens – Photo courtesy of ACLU

trans employees, ruling that there is no ‘right to discriminate’ in the workplace. We are thrilled for Aimee, and for all trans folks, to be able to announce this win today.”

The ACLU and ACLU of Michigan represent Aimee Stephens and intervened on her behalf last year in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s lawsuit against RG & GR Harris Funeral Homes.

Ms. Stephens had the following response: “I pursued this case because no one should be fired from their job just for being who they are. I’m thrilled with the court’s decision.”

To learn more about the case, [go to] https://www.aclu.org/cases/eeoc-v-rg-grharris-funeral-homes.

This statement can be viewed online at https://www.aclu.org/news/funeral-homeunlawfully-discriminated-against-itsemployee-firing-her-being-transgenderfederal.

experienced. But this ruling affirms that that is illegal, setting an important precedent confirming that transgender people

are protected by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. It also ensures that employers will not be able to use their religious beliefs against

alized communities from key protections and language across agencies,” said Sarah Warbelow, HRC Legal Affairs Director.

“Secretary Carson has a troubling history of denying that LGBTQ people encounter discrimination, calling the fight for full equality a demand for ‘extra rights.’ It is unconscionable that a federal agency created, in part, to fight discrimination is being led by someone who has long denied such discrimination exists.”

After being chosen to lead HUD in early 2017, Carson pointedly remarked that “no one gets extra rights” when asked how he would direct HUD to protect LGBTQ people, who are more vulnerable to housing discrimination. Although not protected explicitly in the Fair Housing Act, federal

courts have recognized discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity as illegal under the Act. Under Carson’s immediate predecessors, HUD also took direct steps to address housing discrimination against the LGBTQ community and to ban it in HUD-funded housing.

In 2015, Carson responded defensively when CNN asked him if LGBTQ people face discrimination, saying “everybody probably has somebody who discriminates against them” and asking the interviewer if they could move on to something “more important.” Three months earlier, Carson inexplicably told CNN that prisons prove being gay is a choice, for which he later apologized.

In December, the Trump-Pence administration came under heavy fire for reportedly

directing the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to remove seven words from all future reports it issued, including “transgender,” “diversity,” and “fetus.”

The Human Rights Campaign has always fought for the inclusion and affirmation of LGBTQ people in all spaces and communities and will continue that fight.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work, and in every community.

we do not restrict a person’s ability to speak based on whether or not we agree with what they have to say,” attorney Roberta Kaplan, who represents the Pride organizers, said in a statement to the Starkville Daily News.

The switch was also hailed by HRC, which said local outrage pushed the city to “do the right thing.”

The group “has been proud to work alongside Starkville Pride and community leaders to make this parade a reality, and we

look forward to a successful Pride celebration in a few short weeks,” Rob Hill, HRC’s Mississippi director, said in a statement.

The Daily News reported that some had voiced concerns that the parade would feature explicit content, fears that Alderman Sandra Sistrunk was quick to dispel.

“They’re going to have a parade, it’s going to be a celebration, and I don’t expect anything to fall into lewd or illegal behavior,” Sistrunk said.

According to WCBI-TV, based in Columbus, Mississippi, Starkville becomes “one of the few” Mississippi municipalities to hold a Pride parade. The parade is scheduled in March rather than June so that Mississippi State University students, based in Starkville, can attend.

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Courtesy of the ACLU

Seattle residents petition city officials to conserve opportunities for Battery Street tunnel

7 Blocks in the heart of Seattle set to disappear. – Photo courtesy of Recharge the Battery

A proposal submitted by Aubrey Davidson – Photo courtesy of Recharge the Battery

SEATTLE – A growing number of Seattle residents are adding their names to a petition asking the city to conserve opportunities for new uses for the Battery Street tunnel, 2.75 acres of valuable real estate situated in the high-density neighborhood of Belltown. They oppose the slated landfill of the tunnel but support it being decommissioned as a roadway once the new SR 99 Deep Bore Tunnel opens in the fall.

The Battery Street tunnel, built in 1952, has served the city of Seattle for over 65 years as the primary connector between the Alaskan Way Viaduct and Aurora Avenue North. The tunnel runs for seven blocks and offers 120,000 square feet (2.75 acres) that with modifications could be used for open

space, public recreation, stormwater collection, social service programming, bike and pedestrian transit, and revenue-generating private-public partnerships. Current property values of $1,200 to $2,000 per square foot in Seattle’s vibrant Belltown neighborhood mean the tunnel, if preserved, could be valued at over $200 million.

The petition asks city officials to pursue alternatives that allow for removal of the viaduct to proceed without delay but hold off on using a landfill to allow time for experts and the public to engage in a pragmatic visioning process that adaptively reuses this asset.

Aaron Asis, co-founder of the Recharge the Battery initiative, notes that it is a

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reasonable request. “At a time of unprecedented growth and change throughout the city of Seattle, we are simply asking for the opportunity to explore alternative uses of public land and better uses of public dollars than the current plan to fill the Battery Street tunnel,” Asis said. “Our hope is that the Battery Street tunnel can become a model for infrastructural reuse around the world, and a valuable asset right here, for our city, [county], and state.”

Interested residents have until April 2 to add their voices to the petition: bit.ly/KillTheFill.

Recharge the Battery is a communitydriven initiative working to promote future opportunities for the Battery Street tunnel.

Through public engagement programs and community outreach efforts, [it is] elevating interest in exploring the past, present, and future possibilities for this underappreciated infrastructural icon.

For more information, contact Aaron Asis at (206) 406-4044 or aaron@ rechargethebattery.org.

Further information about the initiative is also available at www.rechargethebattery.org and www.rechargethebattery.org/ press-kit.

Courtesy of Recharge the Battery

Celebrating 44 Years!

Real estate

GAY REAL ESTATE – MARCH

Photo courtesy of Gay Real Estate

There are a lot of considerations to make when you are looking to buy a new home.

One of the ones many people overlook in the early parts of their search is the fact that they are buying into a neighborhood.

The people, noises, sights, and activities all make up the neighborhood you plan to move into. Look into your perspective neighborhood before making a final decision on the house you want to put a bid in on.

For help finding the ideal neighborhood for you and your situation, consider contacting us here at GayRealEstate.com and let us help. We can help you find the perfect real estate agent to help you find the perfect place to call home.

Kind regards, Jeff Hammerberg, President www.GayRealEstate.com You’re Buying a Neighborhood, Not Just a Home When you’re shopping for a new house, it’s important to remember that in some ways you’re not just buying a single property. You’re buying and moving into a street and a neighborhood. Your new home doesn’t exist in a vacuum. You have neighbors, other homes on your block, and a neighborhood overall that you’re joining.

There are a few things you need to keep in mind and learn about when you’re considering moving into a new location. Here are a few of these things.

You Can’t Control Everything One of the downsides to this concept is that most everything that goes on outside of your property is also outside of your control. For example, your street may be very busy at certain times of the day. There could also be a lot of noise on the weekends. You may find that one or even both of your neighbors are not exactly people you enjoy living next to. Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can really do about any of this.

Sometimes, you don’t even know these issues are coming.

Learn the Neighborhood Before you sign any paperwork, take the time to learn your new potential neighborhood if you can. Obviously, this might not be possible if you’re making a long distance move since you might only be in town long enough to view some properties. If you can, though, drive through the area at several times of the day and night. Try to visit during the times you’d go and get home from work. Also go by around the time you usually go to sleep to listen for loud noises.

Visit on the weekends, too, to see what the street will be like.

Consider the Street Some people don’t really think about the actual street they will be living on, but they should. One issue you might run into is a narrow street. This is especially true in some older neighborhoods. Look at where

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your neighbors across the street park. Are they on the street? If so, are they directly behind your driveway? That can make it difficult to back out. Are there cars on both sides of the street nearly parallel to each other? That might make it difficult to maneuver a large vehicle in between them.

These might not be deal breakers, but they are things you should be aware of.

Think About the Other Homes Few people really think about what their new home’s property value will be like in several years. If you know you’re going to be selling the house, though, it is something to consider. Even if you’re not, you do want to think about how your new home will look on the street as a whole. Do you see houses with peeling paint and overgrown yards? If so, it’s a sign that your new neighbors don’t exactly keep their properties in great shape. On the other hand, if every house appears immaculate, you know you’re going to need to keep up your own house. You don’t want to be the one everyone else accuses of causing property values to drop.

may find yourself investing in earplugs.

Your other option is to learn about the laws in your new city. Most have noise ordinances that state loud music cannot be played after a certain time. Others may allow you to report homes that are in need of repair or that have overgrown yards.

When it comes to all of these factors, don’t be afraid to rely on your real estate agent to find you the perfect home in the perfect neighborhood. Every location is different, but these experts have a feeling for neighborhoods after selling homes for so long. They can help you find a quiet place where you’re not likely to be disturbed, a neighborhood that’s great for children, or a new home on a street that welcomes diversity. If you identify as LGBTQ, you may definitely be looking for a welcoming location. An agent who is also a part of the community will be able to point you in the right direction. You can find LGBT real estate agents by using www.GayRealEstate.com, a website dedicated to LGBT real estate professionals.

Courtesy of Jeff Hammerberg

Learn About Your Legal Rights There’s nothing you can do about a lot of these issues. You can ask your neighbors if they wouldn’t mind parking their car away from your drive or see if those who like loud music could keep it down after a certain time at night. Other than that, you

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religion & spirituality

HOME SERVICES

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HEALTH SERVICES

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

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