SGN April 27, 2018 - Section 1

Celebrating 44 Years!

Issue 17 Volume 46

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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

UK Prime Minister Theresa May U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal: expresses deep regret “Learning from our failure” for Britain’s imposition of homophobic laws during the colonial era at recent Commonwealth summit in London

UK Prime Minister Theresa May – Photo by Simon Dawson / Reuters

In advance of the recent Commonwealth summit in London, April 16-20, the Peter Tatchell Foundation urged UK Prime Minister Theresa May in a letter to make a full apology to Commonwealth nations for

Britain having imposed anti-gay laws on Commonwealth nations in the nineteenth century, during the colonial era. Following is the full text of the letter:

U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal at her re-election campaign launch – Photo courtesy of Rep. Jayapal

by Pramila Jayapal U.S. Representative 7th Congressional District (WA)

see JAYAPAL page 5

see UK APOLOGY page 13

Local activist remembers his historic meeting with former First Lady, Barbara Bush

Colorado Senate defeats conversion therapy ban; allows for discrimination by anti-LGBTQ adoption agencies

Photo courtesy of James Holm

by MK Scott SGN Contributing Writer In 1989, when Seattle native and former Dorian Group president James Holm was CEO for the National AIDS Network in Washington, DC, he had an interesting encounter with then-First

I’ve spent nearly two decades fighting for justice and uplifting the voices of those who’ve been silenced. And I’ve been proud to represent and serve Washington’s 7th

Lady, Barbara Bush. Mrs Bush died on April 17th at age 92.

I chatted with Holm via Facebook.

When asked about his historic meeting with the First Lady, Holm stated, “First Lady Bush saw me at the White House as

see BARBARA BUSH page 4

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

by Tim Peter SGN Contributing Writer A committee in the Colorado State Senate on Monday, April 22, once again dashed the hopes of LGBTQ people in the Centennial State for the fourth consecutive year. House Bill 1245, “Concern-

ing a prohibition against a mental health provider engaging in conversion therapy with a patient under 18 years of age,” was sponsored by Reps. Paul Rosenthal, (D-Denver) and Dafna Michaelson Jenet (D-Commerce City) and carried in the

see COLORADO page 5

2 Seattle Gay News

April 27, 2018

Celebrating 44 Years!

Seattle Gay News F O U N D ED 1974 MEMBER

2018

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Charlie Crist is a loathsome opportunist; Joy Reid is an ally. Period.

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U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist – Photo by Chris O’Meara / AP

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.

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

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.

Charlie Crist is a loathsome opportunist. Joy Reid – who may or may not have mocked Crist as “Miss Charlie” in a series of 10-year-old tweets – is an ally of the LGBT community. Period. End of story.

Even if Reid did use the epithet “Miss Charlie” to refer to Crist, who is widely assumed to be closeted to advance his political career, it’s perfectly legitimate to mock politicians who consistently vote against the LGBT community from the safety of their closets.

Let’s look at Crist’s record.

As Florida attorney general, Crist publicly expressed support for the state’s ban on same-sex adoptions. He even reaffirmed his support after a state judge struck down the ban in 2008. Crist continued to support the ban as late as February 2010.

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Joy Reid – Photo courtesy of MSNBC

In 2006, Crist was running for governor of Florida as a Republican. In the primary, he announced he supported both a federal marriage amendment limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples and a state ballot measure to do the same thing. In 2008, he revealed he voted for the Florida ballot initiative barring same-sex marriage.

In 2008, hoping to be selected as Republican presidential nominee John McCain’s running mate, Crist married Carole Rome.

At that point he’d been single for more than 28 years, since a prior one-year marriage in 1979. After McCain’s staff picked Sarah Palin to be the vice presidential nominee, Crist and his wife were never seen in public together again.

In 2010, Crist ran for the US Senate seat being vacated by Mel Martinez. When Crist saw that he was badly trailing the eventual winner, Marco Rubio, in preprimary polls, he suddenly dropped the Republican label

and announced he would run as an independent candidate – thus guaranteeing himself a place on the November ballot.

In the election, Crist drew enough votes away from Democratic candidate Kendrick Meek to hand Rubio the seat.

In 2012, Crist endorsed Barack Obama’s reelection campaign, and in 2014 he ran for governor again, this time as a Democrat. Though still publicly identifying as “straight,” Crist backtracked on all his former anti-LGBT positions in order to fit in with his new party.

He’s currently serving as a Democratic congressman from Florida.

Charlie Crist is not some poor guy who’s in the closet to keep his job selling sporting goods at Walmart. He’s a professional politician and corporate attorney who – if he actually is Gay – is in the closet for power and money. He is not a victim. Shame on him.

April 27, 2018

Seattle Gay News 3

Gun violence prevention advocate David Hogg receives inaugural “SYNCing Health Advocate of the Year” Award

David Hogg – Photo by Andrew Harnik / AP

On April 24, 2018, HealthHIV and the National Coalition for LGBT Health awarded gun violence prevention activist and Parkland shooting survivor David Hogg the inaugural “SYNCing Health Advocate of the Year” Award at the 5th annual SYNChronicity National Conference on HIV, HCV, and LGBT Health in Arlington, Virginia. Mr. Hogg provided comments during the closing plenary session on catalyzing advocacy and moving health care forward.

HealthHIV Executive Director Brian Hujdich presented Mr. Hogg with the award, which includes a $1,000 cash award

(representing the 1,000 attendees at the annual conference) to help continue and advance the Never Again Movement’s advocacy efforts. “David Hogg appreciates that gun violence prevention is health advocacy, that incorporating social justice into the movement is health advocacy, and that connecting community empowerment to holding our elected officials accountable is health advocacy,” said Hujdich. “Therefore, we present the Inaugural ‘SYNCing Health Advocate of the Year’ Award to David for his tireless efforts and for SYNCing gun violence prevention efforts, social justice movements, and health care advocacy in

such an impactful and powerful way.”

During this year’s SYNChronicity conference, Hogg spoke to the divisive legislation system and charged public health experts, advocates, and clinicians to “SYNC” their social justice intentions with health care advocacy to drive meaningful change. Mr. Hogg shared deeply poignant sentiments that speak to the need for health care professionals to advocate for administrative and legislative improvements that impact health and humanity for everyone.

Addressing SYNChronicity 2018 attendees, Mr. Hogg recognized those lost to the AIDS epidemic because of inaction,

and the trauma experienced by victims of anti-LGBT violence and discrimination.

He set a high bar for future recipients of the “SYNCing Health Advocate of the Year” Award by representing the spirit of SYNChronicity, a conference bringing together advocates, clinicians, consumers, and other vested parties to intentionally discuss, address, and advocate for health care equity and access for vulnerable populations.

To learn more about SYNChronicity’s 2018 program, visit http://healthhiv.org/ synchronicity.

BARBARA BUSH continued from cover

part of her outreach when she was doing AIDS [education] work. I was CEO of the National AIDS Network at that time.”

Holm continued, “Everyone knew I was gay.”

“Soon after President Bush held a meeting of LGBT and AIDS activists/professionals who met to facilitate, finally, a Federal response to AIDS.” Holm added, “They nearly kicked me out of the meeting.

Her staff had to authorize me in person, bypassing the Secret Service, to let me into the White House.”

Holm was the first AIDS agency staff member to visit the White House. This meeting helped open communication with the White House for years to come.

“Rest in Peace, Barbara Bush!” said Holm.

Photo courtesy of James Holm

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Celebrating 44 Years!

JAYAPAL

continued from cover District in the halls of Congress. It’s been an honor to take our progressive values to Washington, DC, standing up for truth, equality, and diversity everywhere.

I’m determined to keep fighting for our values, which is why I recently announced that I’m running for reelection. This campaign isn’t about you or me, individually.

It’s about all of us coming together to ensure a future where anybody can have a seat at the table. It’s what we and our children deserve.

Here’s something that I need to say because I’ve always spoken the truth, even when it’s hard to hear: we’ve gotten to where we are today because we’ve failed. We gave away our power to corporations and the wealthy and let them convince us that our voices didn’t matter. We stopped caring and didn’t demand more from our elected officials. We didn’t insist often enough and loudly enough, and organize deeply enough to show that the false choices we’re presented with every day are wrong, immoral, and not really choices at all.

For example, as seen with the battle for health care and taxes, we’ve been given the false choice that if you leave everything to the free-market system, those benefits will trickle down to those who need it, that somehow if you want to invest trillions of dollars, you should invest it into the wealthiest rather than into regular folks, while in reality the rich get richer, leaving working people and the most vulnerable behind.

Each false choice pushed forward ignores the values that bind us – but we’re learning from our failure.

I’m proud that people across the country woke up when the alarm clock sounded.

Indivisible organized millions and added to our progressive landscape, reteaching people how to engage. Thousands of women and POCs [are] running and winning in

Supporters of U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal at her re-election campaign launch – Photo courtesy of Rep. Jayapal

what have long been Republican districts.

Rejecting the Trump administration’s heinous agenda is no easy feat, but together I know we’ll triumph over hate and corruption. The power of the people is never to be underestimated.

For all the horror of the past 15 months, this is incredibly fertile ground for organizing, for digging, for replanting, for sowing

seeds and reaping results that are a departure from the past – we’re sowing deeper and with greed-resistant seeds. We’re changing the rigged system of big money in politics with this people-powered movement.

Look what you’ve already done: despite the millions of dollars of special-interest and dark money pouring into Republican campaigns, Democratic candidates are

still winning. We saw it in Alabama and Pennsylvania, and as the blue wave keeps gaining momentum, I know we have a real shot to continue flipping seats and electing qualified public servants.

Thank you for being part of the movement.

U.S. Senator Stephen Fenberg (D-CO) – Photo courtesy of Sen. Fenburg

COLORADO continued from cover

Senate by Sen. Stephen Fenberg, (D-Boulder). Republicans on the State Affairs Committee voted down the bill by a vote of 3-2. As the title indicates, it would have banned licensed doctors and therapists from practicing conversion therapy for minors questioning their sexuality.

“This bill was marked for death the instant it passed out of the House, and that is shameful,” advocacy group One Colorado Executive Director Daniel Ramos said in a statement. “Rather than allow for an

honest debate before the full Senate on an issue that affects so many young LGBTQ Coloradans, the Senate failed to follow the lead of their House counterparts who passed this bill on a bipartisan vote. It is another installment in a series of horrific bills we have seen this session that would take Colorado backward.”

Sen. Fenberg proclaimed, “What this bill doesn’t do is prohibit the practice by clergy.

It doesn’t apply to an adult who through their own volition seeks out the services. Being gay is not a mental health problem. You can’t use therapy to ungay someone.”

Conversion therapy has been discredited and denounced by nearly every major

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medical and mental health profession in the United States, yet it is still pursued as a “cure” for homosexuality. In most cases, LGBTQ youth do not engage in this voluntarily. Rather, conservative Christian parents often force this upon them believing that homosexuality is sinful and that their kids should instead become straight, which they believe is God’s will.

Other states are pressing ahead on this issue as well. Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed a prohibition bill earlier this month in Olympia. The Maryland state assembly passed a bill banning the bogus therapy April 4 and sent it to Governor Larry Hogan, who supports the legisla-

tion; Maryland would become the eleventh state, plus Washington, D.C., to support these bans on archaic forms of treatment.

Meanwhile, state legislators in Hawaii and New Hampshire passed the bans and are currently working to reconcile differences before sending it to their respective governors for signatures. The Maine Senate approved their version of the bill last week and sent it to the House of Representatives for debate.

April 27, 2018

Seattle Gay News 5

Montevallo, Ala., passes comprehensive, LGBTQinclusive nondiscrimination ordinance

MONTEVALLO, Ala. – [On April 23], the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, hailed the Montevallo City Council for passing citywide nondiscrimination protections that include sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, public accommodations, and employment. Montevallo will become the second city in Alabama to pass such an ordinance; Birmingham passed one last year.

“Today, Montevallo’s elected leaders have sent a strong message that they will support their LGBTQ constituents – not just with words but also with policy,” said Eva Kendrick, HRC Alabama state director. “Now that Montevallo has joined Birmingham in passing a comprehensive LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance, it is time for other cities in Alabama to follow these communities’ lead in protecting all people from bias and discrimination. Thank you to Buddy Freeman, Tonia Mayton, and members of the

crimination protections.

In 2014, HRC launched Project One America, an initiative geared toward advancing social, institutional, and legal equality in Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi. HRC Alabama continues to work to advance equality for LGBTQ Alabamians who have no state-level protections in housing, the workplace, or public accommodations. Through HRC Alabama [the HRC is] working toward a future of fairness every day – changing hearts, minds and laws toward achieving full equality.

Image courtesy of HRC

Montevallo Acceptance Project for their more than two years’ work to introduce and pass this ordinance.”

When signed into law, Montevallo’s citizens will be protected from discrimination in housing, public accommodations, and

employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, familial status, and veteran status.

Alabama is one of 31 states without comprehensive LGBTQ-inclusive nondis-

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 Human Rights Campaign

HRC responds to Senate confirmation of anti-LGBTQ Secretary of State nominee Mike Pompeo WASHINGTON – [On April 26], the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, responded to the US Senate’s confirmation of anti-LGBTQ Secretary of State nominee Mike Pompeo: “Mike Pompeo’s long-standing opposition to LGBTQ equality and lack of diplomatic experience makes him a poor choice to lead our nation’s diplomatic efforts,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “The State Department has a crucial role to play in advancing human rights – a role which was already significantly eroding under Rex Tillerson. Now that he has been confirmed by the US Senate, LGBTQ people around the world will need him to stand up for LGBTQ human rights.”

Over the last year, attacks on LGBTQ people around the globe have been particularly acute, with an anti-LGBTQ “purge” in Chechnya, which included reports of torture and even extrajudicial killings, as well as massive arrests in Egypt, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, and elsewhere. The State Department had historically played a leadership role in combating human rights abuses, but former Secretary Tillerson remained shamefully silent on LGBTQ human rights throughout his tenure, addressing none of these human rights violations publicly, and refusing to appoint a Special Envoy for LGBTI Human Rights.

For his part, Pompeo’s attacks on

Mike Pompeo – Photo courtesy of HRC

LGBTQ equality are long and well documented: he opposes marriage equality, and as a member of Congress, co-sponsored legislation to allow states to not recognize same-sex marriage and to allow businesses and organizations using taxpayer dollars a license to discriminate against LGBTQ

people. Equally as troubling, his political career has been funded by anti-LGBTQ hate groups, including the Family Research Council.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization work-

ing 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.

Mayor Jenny Durkan to bring City Hall to Capitol Hill SEATTLE (April 25, 2018) – Continuing to bring City Hall directly into neighborhoods across Seattle, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan will host a community discussion with Capitol Hill residents to share her vision of how our communities can work together to create a more affordable, vibrant, and inclusive Seattle. She will be joined by representatives of City

departments, including Seattle Office of Economic Development, Seattle Parks and Recreation, Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle Human Services Department, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, Finance and Administrative Services, Seattle Department of Transportation, Seattle Fire Department, and the Seattle Office for Civil Rights, who will be on hand to provide

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April 27, 2018

resources and answer residents’ questions.

“Capitol Hill is a vibrant and unique home for so many residents and businesses but also faces our shared challenges of affordability, homelessness, and transportation that require urgent action,” said Mayor Durkan. “I’m taking City Hall to Capitol Hill to share my vision on how we can work together to take on tough challenges, create

more opportunity, and improve our City now and for future generations.”

When: Saturday, April, 28 at 3:30pm Where: Miller Community Center, 330 19th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112 Courtesy of the Office of the Mayor

Celebrating 44 Years!

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April 27, 2018

Seattle Gay News 7

Mayor Jenny Durkan City Hall on Capitol Hill When: Saturday, April 28, 2018 @ 3:30 PM Where: Miller Community Center 330 19th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112 Continuing to bring City Hall directly into neighborhoods across Seattle, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan will host a community discussion with Capitol Hill residents to share her vision of how our communities can work together to create a more affordable, vibrant, and inclusive Seattle.

She will be joined by representatives of City departments, including Seattle Office of Economic Development, Seattle Parks and Recreation, Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle Human Services Department, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, Finance and Administrative Services, Seattle Department of Transportation, Seattle Fire Department, and the Seattle Office for Civil Rights, who will be on hand to provide resources and answer residents’ questions.

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April 27, 2018

Celebrating 44 Years!

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April 27, 2018

Seattle Gay News 9

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Celebrating 44 Years!

SGN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:

$75 million not enough for housing, Kshama Sawant says

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer By the time you read this, the draft of a new business tax will be before the Seattle City Council. The measure – sponsored

by City Council members Lorena Gonzalez, Lisa Herbold, Teresa Mosqueda, and Mike O’Brien – would raise $75 million to build publicly owned low-cost housing and provide other services for currently homeless people.

While local business leaders oppose any kind of new tax on themselves, the proposal is also facing criticism from socialist City Council member Kshama Sawant. Sawant is proposing a tax that would raise twice that amount, $150 million. “$75 million is not enough,” Sawant told SGN in a phone interview on April 16. “Even $150 million is pocket change for big business.

“The city is facing a housing crisis of unbelievable proportions,” Sawant continued. “$150 million would buy 750 permanently affordable publicly owned units. Also there would be money for homeless services.

That’s still not enough, but it will make a big dent in the crisis.

“Now we need to fight for every dollar, fight for every unit of affordable housing.

Every dollar is important,” she concluded.

To that end, Sawant organized a rally in front of City Hall on Monday, April 23, at 5pm.

“We’re planning a rally, then we’ll march together into the City Council hearing [on the proposed tax],” Sawant explained. “The important thing is not only the facts we share at the hearing, it’s the mood in the Council chambers. A fighting, defiant mood. We won’t take no for an answer!”

One thing Sawant absolutely rejects is the so-called “skin in the game” provision that would require even very small busi-

Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant – Photo courtesy of Kshama Sawant

nesses to pay something toward new public housing.

“I’m against the ‘skin in the game’ proposal,” she told the SGN. “And it’s not just me and my office; it’s also social and economic justice organizations. I’m absolutely against more taxes on small businesses.

“Washington has the most regressive tax system in the country. Small businesses are already overburdened. They shouldn’t have to pay more.

“It’s a Trojan horse,” Sawant charged.

“Amazon wants to use small businesses as a shield. They think that by attaching this ‘skin in the game’ tax, they can get small business people to line up against new taxes.”

Sawant is also critical of the other major housing proposal Seattle has in front of it – HALA, the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda, initiated by a commission appointed by former mayor Ed Murray.

The HALA proposal would trade upzones in residential neighborhoods – which would offer profit-making opportunities to developers – for mandatory construction of some low-income housing units.

“We already have significant experience of policy making,” Sawant said. “Mandatory affordability doesn’t work. At best you’d eke out a meager number of affordable units.

There’s just no incentive to developers to not maximize profits.

“If you want to make this city seriously affordable, you have to expand the number of publicly owned units.”

Sawant noted that average rents in Capitol Hill are at record levels – $2,227 for a two-bedroom unit – and that housing costs have driven out many former LGBTQ residents.

“I’ve lived in Seattle for fewer years than many of your readers,” she said.

“I only moved to Capitol Hill in 2009.

But I’m aware of the rich history of the LGBTQ community here. And it was also a neighborhood welcoming to artists. Now that is disappearing.

“If we make a serious dent in housing costs, Capitol Hill and many neighborhoods will become more welcoming and livable for the LGBTQ community. They are more vulnerable to economic disparities, so they will see more benefit.”

The way to do it, she says is to “build a fighting movement. We can win. Look at marriage equality. The Supreme Court did not lead on that issue, they followed.

“We need to build a fighting movement with a broad base among working people.

That’s what’s most critical – are we building power from below. We can’t wait for corporate politicians to do it from above. We need to build the movement from below!”

Court puts deadly-force initiative I-940 on the ballot Legislature passed the measure improperly, judge says

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer A Thurston County Superior Court Judge put I-940 – the measure that would reform the state’s deadly force laws – on the ballot in an April 18 ruling.

The measure was framed as an initiative to the legislature, requiring state lawmakers to either pass it themselves or put it on the November ballot for a vote.

Judge Christine Schaller ruled that the legislature acted improperly by passing the bill with amendments rather than exactly as written. Therefore, she said, the original language must go to the state’s voters.

The lawsuit challenging the legislature’s action was filed by Tim Eyman.

I-940, which became HB 3003 in the legislature, aimed at making it easier to discipline police officers who shoot civilians by changing the standard by which officers should be judged. Instead of the old language that that allowed officers to be charged only if they showed “malice” – an almost impossible charge to prove – the initiative introduced a “reasonable person” standard.

In other words, officers could now be held accountable for their use of deadly force if a “reasonable person” would not have done likewise in the same circumstances.

As a concession to police unions, legislators added a “good faith” exemption, letting officers off the hook if they were

exercising reasonable “good faith” in shooting a suspect.

The amendments were agreed to by both police and supporters of I-940 as a way to pass the bill with its original intention intact, and at the same time remove police objections to the measure. As part of the compromise, De-Escalate Washington, the group the sponsored I-940, agreed to drop its ballot campaign.

Now that compromise agreement has been vitiated by Judge Schaller’s decision.

In an April 24 statement to its members, the Washington State Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) said that the version of I-940 that will go on the ballot is “bad for our communities and bad for public safety.”

“During the last legislative session, the

groups once polarized against each other over this issue came to common ground.

De-Escalate Washington, WASPC [the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs], WACOPS [the Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs], and the FOP sat at the table together to negotiate an alternative that addresses the issues and hand, while preserving public safety,” the statement continued. “Sending I-940 to the ballot would deepen the divide between the community and law enforcement we have worked so hard to overcome through working together on HB 3003.”

Lawyers for the legislature and De-Escalate Washington said they would appeal Judge Schaller’s ruling.

Central Area art showcase at the Madrona-Sally Goldmark Branch May 6 to May 31 The 2018 Madrona Artists’ Showcase will be on display through the month of May during open hours at the Madrona-Sally Goldmark Branch of The Seattle Public Library, 1134 33rd Ave., 206-684-4705.

The Artists’ Showcase is a non-juried, nonprofit exhibit. The exhibit will be on display at the branch from Sunday, May 6

through Thursday, May 31. A public reception with the artists will be held from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, May 6 at the MadronaSally Goldmark Branch.

The reception is free, open to the public, and is a chance to discuss art with the artists in a low-key, friendly environment.

No registration is required. Free park-

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ing is available in the branch parking lot.

Refreshments will be served.

Artwork will not be offered for sale at the Library, but artists can provide cards with their names and contact information to put near their displays. Visitors interested in purchasing artwork will be referred to the artists.

For more information, call the MadronaSally Goldmark Branch at 206-684-4705.

April 27, 2018

Seattle Gay News 11

Courtesy of the Seattle Public Library

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Montréal Pride in Kenya:

Foundation of an executive committee to hold a Western Kenya Pride

Photo courtesy of Fierté Montréal

MONTRÉAL (April 26, 2018) – A delegation representing Pride Montréal traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, to meet the leaders of a dozen organizations working – mostly in the shadows – with sexual and genderdiverse clients (SGD).

These activists have shown great courage in agreeing to share their history and life experience in a country that remains resistant to the advancement of LGBTQ+ rights, in order to draw a realistic portrayal of the current situation there.

As a result of the discussions, they decided to form an executive committee that will work to hold this year’s first edition of a Western Kenya Pride.

Present at this meeting was Her Excellency Sara Hradecky, High Commissioner to Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, who took

the time to explain how Canada would be able to support the actions of the executive committee and to invite leaders of LGBTQ+ organizations from Kenya to the Canadian Embassy on May 17, 2018, as part of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia.

Eric Pineault, president of Pride Montréal; Jean-Sébastien Boudreault, vice president; and Esther-Ledoux, administrator, say they are extremely touched to have been able to witness the creation of this Pride. “It was with great emotion that we listened and understood the different testimonies of these everyday heroes. We are proud that a concrete result will come from this meeting, notably the first-ever Western Kenya Pride happening in a few months.

Pride Montréal will offer them as much

support as possible and will organize various fundraising activities as well,” affirmed Eric Pineault.

Pride Montréal leaders travel annually to a country considered “hostile” to sexual and gender-diverse people to support activists working in the field, and to offer a helping hand when asked by local community leaders. They met Kennedy Orlango, of the Man Against Aids Youth Group organization, at an InterPride conference in Indianapolis in 2017, and following several exchanges, selected Kenya as a destination.

Kennedy will be one of the co-chairs of the Montréal Pride Festival this year.

About the Pride Montréal Festival Since 2007, at the initiative of Montréal’s LGBTQ+ communities, the Montréal Pride Festival has promoted their rights and celebrated their cultural wealth and social advances. The largest gathering of the communities of sexual and gender diversity (SGD) in the Francophone world works locally on a daily basis while serving as a beacon of hope for people living in LGBTQ+-hostile regions of the globe.

In 2017, the festival generated a total attendance of 2.7 million visitors. In 2018, the festivities will be held from August 9th to 19th. More information is available on the webpage and the Facebook page, as well as the Twitter and Instagram accounts.

Courtesy of Fierté Montréal Pride

Mexican court bans Frida Kahlo Barbie

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer A Mexican court has barred sales of a controversial Frida Kahlo Barbie doll. The doll was intended to be one of the Mattel company’s line of “inspiring women” Barbies. Other dolls in the series depict Amelia Earhart, Chloe Kim, and Gabby Douglas.

The court challenge to the doll was brought by Kahlo’s family, who own the rights to her image, and who complained that Mattel had used that image without permission.

Kahlo’s great-niece, Mara Romeo, told the AFP news agency that the doll looked nothing like the real Frida Kahlo.

“I would have liked the doll to have traits more like Frida’s, not this doll with light-colored eyes,” she said.

“It should have been a much more Mexican doll,” she said, “with darker skin, a unibrow, not so thin, because Frida was not that thin... dressed in more Mexican clothing, with Mexican jewelry.”

Romeo told AFP she was “thrilled” with the court’s ruling and thought justice was “finally being done.”

The court only has jurisdiction in Mexico, but the family told AFP they hope to launch a similar action in the US. Lawyers for Mattel have not yet said whether they will appeal.

12 Seattle Gay News

Kahlo was one of the great painters of the 20th century, and certainly an iconic Mexican artist. She was best known for her intimate self-portraits reflecting pain and isolation.

Frida Kahlo, who lived from 1907 to 1954, was a member of Mexico’s Communist Party and proudly promoted indigenous Mexican culture through her art.

She also challenged the gender norms of her time by wearing men’s pants and having relationships with other women as well as with men.

Her work chronicled her painful relationship with her body, disabled through spina bifida, polio, and a bus accident. The disabilities that played such an important role in her life and art were not represented in the Barbie doll.

In 1929 Kahlo married muralist Diego Rivera. The couple divorced in 1939 but remarried the next year and remained together until Kahlo died. They lived in Kahlo’s childhood home, known as La Casa Azul (the Blue House) because of its bright blue paint job. The house is now a national museum dedicated to Kahlo’s work.

Photo courtesy of BBC

April 27, 2018

Celebrating 44 Years!

Photo courtesy of Peter Tatchell Foundation

UK APOLOGY continued from cover

“Dear Theresa May, “Commonwealth summit: UK should apologise for imposing anti-gay laws “I am writing to urge you to make an official apology on behalf of the UK government at this week’s Commonwealth summit, expressing regret and sorrow for Britain having imposed anti-gay laws on Commonwealth nations in the nineteenth century, during the colonial era.

“36 out of 53 Commonwealth member states still criminalise homosexuality, mostly based on laws enacted by Britain and its colonial administrations. Nine of these countries have a maximum penalty of life imprisonment for same-sex acts, under imperial-originated statutes.

“Britain exported its homophobic laws through colonialism. These laws continue to treat over 100 million LGBT people in Commonwealth countries as criminals. They give de facto official legitimacy to anti-LGBT prejudice and discrimination and, with the threat of imprisonment, inhibit LGBT people from living open, fulfilled lives.

“The time has come for the UK to apologise.

“The humility and remorse of an apology would be far more powerful and effective than neo-colonial lecturing and denun-

ciation of homophobia by the UK government – especially given that the criminalisation of same-sex behaviour only fully ended in all four UK home nations in 2013.

“An apology by you, on behalf of the UK government, would help change the narrative around anti-LGBT legislation, highlighting that these laws are not indigenous and were not originated in most of the countries that still retain them.

“It would make the point that, contrary to populist propaganda in many Commonwealth countries, Britain’s real export to their nations was homophobia, not homosexuality.

“An apology by the UK government would underscore this reality and aid the heroic LGBT and civil society defenders in Commonwealth member states who are pressing for decriminalisation.

“Yours sincerely, “Peter Tatchell “Director, Peter Tatchell Foundation” Prime Minister May’s apology The following is an excerpt from the speech by UK Prime Minister Theresa May at the Commonwealth Joint Forum Plenary on April 17, 2018: “Across the world, discriminatory laws made many years ago continue to affect the lives of many people, criminalising samesex relations and failing to protect women and girls.

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“I am all too aware that these laws were often put in place by my own country. They were wrong then, and they are wrong now.

As the UK’s Prime Minister, I deeply regret both the fact that such laws were introduced, and the legacy of discrimination, violence, and even death that persists today.

“As a family of nations we must respect one another’s cultures and traditions. But we must do so in a manner consistent with our common value of equality, a value that is clearly stated in the Commonwealth charter.

“Recent years have brought welcome progress. The three nations that have most recently decriminalised same-sex relationships are all Commonwealth members, and since the heads of government last met the Commonwealth has agreed to accredit its first organisation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

“Yet there remains much to do. Nobody should face persecution or discrimination because of who they are or who they love. And the UK stands ready to support any Commonwealth member wanting to reform outdated legislation that makes such discrimination possible.”

The full text of the speech is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/ pm-speaks-at-the-commonwealth-jointforum-plenary-17-april-2018.

Peter Tatchell’s response to Prime Minister May’s statement In response to [the April 17] statement at the Commonwealth summit in London from the UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, on colonial-era anti-gay laws, human rights and LGBT+ campaigner Peter Tatchell said, “We thank Theresa May for heeding our appeal and expressing deep regret for Britain’s imposition of homophobic laws during the colonial era. It is a positive and welcome move. But it should have been made in front of the Commonwealth leaders who oversee the enforcement of these repressive laws, not at a NGO side event.

“This statement of regret cannot be easily dismissed and disparaged by Commonwealth heads of government. It acknowledges the wrongful imposition of anti-LGBT legislation by the UK, shows humility, and helpfully highlights that current homophobic laws in the Commonwealth are mostly not indigenous national laws. They were exported by Britain and imposed on colonial peoples in the nineteenth century.

“The Prime Minister’s regret for Britain’s imposition of anti-gay laws valuably reframes the LGBT issue in a way that it is likely to provoke less hostility in Commonwealth countries.”

April 27, 2018

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Courtesy of the Peter Tatchell Foundation

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