SGN August 10, 2018 - Section 1

Celebrating 44 Years!

Issue 32 Volume 46

Broadway at The Paramount presents the new Phantom of the Opera SEC 2 PG 1

19th Annual Arts in Nature Festival Aug 25-26 SEC 2 PG 1

Seattle Gay News

FRIDAY August 10, 2018 FREE!

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25¢ in bookstores & newsstands

Primary election results: Second federal court rules Big trouble for Republicans against Trans military ban

U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, Dino Rossi, and U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers – Images courtesy of Getty

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The 2018 primary election results spell big trouble for Republicans, who stand to lose as many as three congressional seats

in the Washington State delegation, and perhaps four state Senate seats.

Meanwhile, LGBT legislators fared well in their races, with all looking like safe bets for re-election.

see PRIMARY RESULTS page 5

New HRC report details threat Brett Kavanaugh poses to millions of LGBTQ Americans

Brett Kavanaugh – Photo by J. Scott Applewhite / AP

WASHINGTON – [On August 7], the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights

organization, released a comprehensive report on how Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the US Supreme Court poses a seri-

see KAVANAUGH page 12

Nevada Army National Guard Sergeant Sam Hunt – Photo by Tech. Sgt. Emerson Marcus / Nevada Joint Force Headquarters Public Affair / Handout via Reuters

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer A second US district court has ruled against Donald Trump’s attempts to bar Transgender people from serving in the US military.

Trump first proposed blocking all Trans people from serving in the military in a series of tweets in July 2017.

He later endorsed an updated proposal

by Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis to bar

see TRANS BAN page 11

POCAAN presents Pacific Northwest Black Pride 2018 Celebration August 16-19

Next Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 16-19, POCAAN launches their inaugural Pacific Northwest Black Pride Celebration, a four-day celebration with workshops, community building events, parties and an ecumenical worship

service. Following are details of the event, including their statements about and goals for their effort, gathered from the Pacific Northwest Black Pride website – www. nwblackpride.com.

see PNW BLACK PRIDE page 4

2 Seattle Gay News

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Celebrating 44 Years!

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2018

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Candidate Forum: King County Prosecutor candidates

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Image courtesy of MLK Labor

MLK Labor will host the candidates for King County Prosecutor at their August 15 delegates meeting. The two candidates, incumbent Dan Satterberg and challenger Daron Morris, will go head-to-head over why they are the best choice for working people in King County. After the forum, delegates will consider endorsing one of the candidates.

The forum begins at 6pm and will last about 45 minutes, with statements from the candidates and Q&A from attendees.

The candidate forum is free and open to the public.

The business portion of the delegates meeting, including votes on endorsement, is for Labor Council delegates only.

What: King County Prosecutor candidate forum When: Wednesday, August 15, 6-6:45pm Where: Seattle Labor Temple, 2800 1st Avenue, Hall 1, Seattle For more information contact Mike Andrew, Pride At Work AFL-CIO, 206-261-8110.

August 10, 2018

Seattle Gay News 3

Carolyn Long – Photo courtesy of Elect Carolyn Long

Lisa Brown – Photo by Tara Clark

Dr. Kim Schrier – Photo courtesy of Dr. Kim Schrier for Congress

Jason Rittereiser – Photo courtesy of Jason Rittereiser

PRIMARY RESULTS

tunity to do that in Washington state with a serious Democratic majority.”

“Democrats should be ecstatic about tonight’s results,” state Democratic Party Chair Tina Podlodowski said. “We’re proving that running in every race in every place is a winning strategy.

“We’re also talking about two things quite a bit: jobs and health care… We should find a way to get universal health care covered – I think we have an oppor-

Congressional seats In the 3rd Congressional District, Republican incumbent Jaime Herrera Beutler pulled in a lackluster 41% of the vote, with the five Democrats vying for her seat collectively getting just over 50%. Herrera Beutler will face off against Democrat Carolyn Long, a political science professor at Washington State University’s Vancouver campus, on the November ballot.

In an even more astonishing outcome, Republican incumbent Cathy McMorris Rodgers, number four in the Republican congressional leadership hierarchy, led Democrat Lisa Brown by a pathetic one-half of one percentage point (47.5% to 47%), in the 5th Congressional District.

Brown served as state Senate Majority Leader from 2005 through January 2013, when she retired from the legislature after Republican-turned-Democrat-turned-opportunist Rodney Tom gave Republicans the majority in order to take over as Majority Leader.

In the 8th Congressional District, running for the seat vacated by retiring Republican Rep. Dave Reichert, Republican Dino Rossi came in first with 43% of the vote. On the other side, Democratic candidates pulled in about 50% of the votes.

Rossi – best known for his unsuccessful runs for governor and US senator – will likely face Dr. Kim Schrier in November.

Schrier, the number two vote-getter, leads number three Jason Rittereiser by 1,369 votes as of August 8.

continued from cover

Jessa Lewis – Photo courtesy of Elect Jessa Lewis

Emily Randall – Photo courtesy of Emily Randall for Senate

State Senate Things look just as good for Democrats in the state Senate, where they could pick up four seats and consolidate their majority.

In the Spokane-area 6th Legislative District race to replace retiring Republican Sen. Michael Baumgartner, Demo-

WA State Sen. Marko Liias – Photo courtesy of WA State Legislature

Claire Wilson – Photo courtesy of Claire Wilson for Senate

crat Jessa Lewis had 51%, with Jeff Holy, currently a state representative from the 6th District, at 49%.

In the 26th District on the Kitsap Peninsula, Democrat Emily Randall led Republican Marty McClendon 51% to 45%.

In the 30th District in Federal Way, anti-

WA State Sen. Jamie Pedersen – Photo courtesy of WA State Legislature

LGBT and anti-choice Republican incumbent Mark Miloscia had about 48.5% of the vote. He will face off against Democrat Claire Wilson in November.

In the 42nd District north of Bellingham, incumbent Republican Sen. Doug Ericksen got only 46% of the votes, with

WA State Rep. Laurie Jinkins – Photo courtesy of WA State House Democrats

LGBT candidates LGBT incumbents – all Democrats – fared well in the primary and are all likely to win re-election in November.

State Sen. Marko Liias, in the 21st Legislative District, pulled in just shy of

50% of the votes running against three opponents. His closest challenger, Republican Mario Lionel Lottmore, drew somewhat more than 30%.

In the 43rd District, Sen. Jamie Pedersen won more than 89% of the votes, running

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Pinky Vargas – Photo courtesy of Friends of Pinky Vargas

Democrats Pinky Vargas at 29% and Tim Ballew at 25% as of August 8. Both Republican House members in that district also trailed their Democratic challengers.

WA State Rep. Christine Kilduff – Photo courtesy of WA State House Democrats

against a token Republican challenger, Dan Harder.

On the state House side, Rep. Laurie Jinkins pulled in almost 73% of the vote in her Tacoma-area 27th District. In the 28th District, Representative Christine Kilduff

Tim Ballew – Photo courtesy of People to Elect Tim Ballew II

WA State Rep. Nicole Macri – Friends of Nicole Macri

won more than 59% of the votes.

In the 43rd District, Rep. Nicole Macri did even better than Pedersen, with a massive 89.58% of the vote.

Celebrating 44 Years!

PNW BLACK PRIDE continued from cover

Pacific Northwest Black Pride Celebration works toward a future without bias, where all people enjoy equity and equal rights. We do this by producing LGBTQIA+ pride events that inspire, educate, support and celebrate similarities in our diverse communities.

PNW BLACK PRIDE CELEBRATES, INSPIRES, AND ADVANCES EQUITY FOR ALL PEOPLE PNW Black Pride is about resisting hate, resisting abuse and fostering real growth in our community. It is refusing to accept discrimination and rejecting inequality whenever and wherever we come across it.

To take away one’s pride is to take away one’s identity. It is the opposite of resistance – it is giving in.

We resist hiding.

We abhor closets.

We acknowledge no walls.

Pride started as, and remains, a show of resistance for Trans-forming our Community Together!

OUR MISSION PNW Pride produces events and activities to achieve inclusivity, equality, respect, and awareness in Pacific Northwest region and beyond. Fostering diversity, unity, visibility, and dignity, we educate, support and celebrate equality as we advocate to build and strengthen community connections.

OUR VISION PNW Black Pride seeks to inspire communities of color to preserve our place in history and to advance new opportunities for future growth. We further seek to advance our community by embracing our diverse history, culture, and identities, through promoting community engagement and inclusivity, all while striving for visibility and respect.

OUR AFFILIATES PNW Black Pride is a member of an International Association of Black Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Coordinators known as The Center for Black Equity, a nonprofit organization that provides support to over 40 groups that plan Black Prides events around the world.

PNW Black Pride is also a member of the following organizations: ILGA: The International Lesbian and Gay Association NGLTF: The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force IGLTA: The International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association EVENT PASSES We are now offering individual and 4-day VIP passes. The 4-day pass provides you access to all the events from August 16-19. Find out more information for tickets and passes at the PNW Black Pride website – www.nwblackpride.com. Come and go as you please, all weekend long. Skip tickets and RSVPs and enjoy all the fun of PNW Black Pride with our affordable Day Passes. Individual Party Pass: $15 to $25; Festival 4-Day Pass: $45. Each pass gives you full access to all events for that day.

OUR HOST HOTEL We are pleased to partner with the Seattle Airport Marriott (3201 S 176th St, SeaTac) as the official 2018 PNW Black Pride Host. Most of the PNW Black Pride events, including the opening reception, seminars, and brunch, will take place at the host hotel.

VOLUNTEERS Volunteers are an integral part of the PNW Black Pride team. The success of PNW Black Pride depends on committed individuals who volunteer their time and talents. We are looking for amazing people to volunteer a minimum of two hours at PNW Black Pride events, Thursday, August 16 - Sunday, August 19. Whether you can volunteer for a few hours or make a larger

commitment, your time is appreciated. You don’t have to live in the Seattle area to be a volunteer.

Benefits include: Pride Team T-Shirt, 2018 Commemorative Pin, 10% off all Pride merchandise, Free Pride Pass for the Pride’s Block Party or one other Main Event, Free Admission to the Thank You Party, Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner before or after your shift (as applicable) Let us get to know you!

Please submit a volunteer interest form, and we will contact you to discuss volunteer activities that best match your interests and talents. We hope you can join us to make 2018 the best Black Pride Week Celebration ever!

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE We all celebrate Pride in different ways, which is why PNW Black Pride offers something for everyone during PNW Black Pride Week. Check out all the event listings below for an in-depth look at each event we have planned for this year. All events listed below are official PNW Black Pride events.

Cultural Health and Wellness Festival at Othello Park Saturday, August 18, 11am-6pm at Othello Park (4219 S Othello St) (a block from the Sound Transit Link Light Rail Othello Station) 11am-6pm. FEATURING BOBBY LYTES * FLAME MONROE * DIAMOND ST. JAMES. Also featuring Amora Dior Black, D. Dynasty, Klass n’ Sass, Klimax.

The Vendor Market Place is open to guests of PNW Black Pride as well as the general public. Come see local vendors and support LGBTQ+ owned entrepreneurs. Suggested donation: $5 or more. Want to be a vendor?

Find out how at www.nwblackpride.com.

Welcome Reception Thursday, August 16, 6pm-8pm at Seattle Airport Marriott.

Sage’s Table Thursday, August 16, 8:30pm-10pm at Seattle Airport Marriott. * DRIP * A DRAG KING EXPERIENCE and Party Thursday, August 16, 10pm-2am at The Wild Rose (1021 E Pike St, Seattle) (within walking distance of King County Metro Transit bus routes 2, 11, 12 and the Seattle Streetcar Line from the Chinatown/International District Light Rail Station Hosted by D. Dynasty. $5 suggested donation.

Equity Luncheon Friday, August 17, 12pm-2pm at Seattle Airport Marriott. An opportunity for representatives of CBOs, ASOs and other providers of communities of color to network and to discover paths to improve the fight against HIV and STIs. Sponsored by Gilead Sciences.

Visit us online www.sgn.org

Trans Symposium Friday, August 17, 5pm-5:45pm at Seattle Airport Marriott. A seminar aimed at engaging allies and members of the community in understanding basic Trans-focused topics. This workshop is designed to reduce anti-transgender bias within our community and to understand the transgender experience, dispels myths and stereotypes, defines terms that may be confusing, and answers common questions. Event is free, but please RSVP at the Pacific Northwest Black Pride website – www.nwblackpride.com.

Intimate Bonds: People of Color Relationship Skills Class Friday, August 17, 5:45pm-6:30pm at Seattle Airport Marriott. Ever feel like you and your partner are stuck in a pattern? Feel like you are just going through the motions of a relationship without a real intimate connection? This session centers the lives and relationships of people of color in an open and culturally supportive space. There are such topics as clarifying values, creating a power analysis, internalized oppression, boundary setting, accountability, conflict strategies, and increasing skills to strengthen and maintain community connections. Register for the workshop at the Pacific Northwest Black Pride website www.nwblackpride.com.

State of the Union: Black & Gay in America Friday, August 17, 6:30pm-7:15pm at Seattle Airport Marriott. This workshop features special guest speaker, writer and activist Darnell L Moore. Moore is an award-winning writer and activist, a leader in the Movement for Black Lives, and a tireless advocate for justice and liberation. In his latest book No Ashes in the Fire, he sets out to understand how that scared, bullied teenager not only survived, but found his calling. Moore traces his life from his childhood in Camden, New Jersey, a city scarred by uprisings and repression; to his search for intimacy in the gay neighborhoods of Philadelphia; and, finally, to the movements in Newark, Brooklyn, and Ferguson where he could fight for those who, like him, survive on society’s edges. No Ashes in the Fire is a story of beauty and hope – and an honest reckoning with family, with place, and with what it means to be free. Event is free, but please RSVP at the Pacific Northwest Black Pride website – www.nwblackpride.com.

Woman to Woman Workshop: Addressing the Health Issues of Women Friday, August 17, 7:15pm-7:45pm at Seattle Airport Marriott. Stop the Silence!

This workshop will provide a short history of African American women dealing with breast and ovarian cancer. Event is free, but please RSVP at the Pacific Northwest Black Pride website – www.nwblackpride. com. A survey will be sent later for you to select the sessions you will attend.

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Let’s Talk About SEX! A Sex Positive Workshop Friday, August 17, 7:45pm- 8:15pm at Seattle Airport Marriott. Why is it so hard to talk about sex? In this workshop, attendees will be encouraged to leave their comfort zone and explore sex positivity through gender identity, sexual fluidity, non-monogamy, consent, masculinity, new media, pornography, and PrEP. Event is free, but please RSVP at the Pacific Northwest Black Pride website – www.nwblackpride.com.

BLACK FRIDAY – Party Friday, August 17, 10pm-1:30am at Sodo Pop (2424 1st Ave S.) 21+.

Cultural Health and Wellness Festival at Othello Park Saturday, August 18, 11am-6pm at Othello Park (4219 S Othello St) (a block from the Sound Transit Link Light Rail Othello Station) 11am-6pm. FEATURING BOBBY LYTES * FLAME MONROE * DIAMOND ST. JAMES. Also featuring Amora Dior Black, D. Dynasty, Klass n’ Sass, Klimax.

The Vendor Market Place is open to guests of PNW Black Pride as well as the general public. Come see local vendors and support LGBTQ+ owned entrepreneurs. Suggested donation: $5 or more. Want to be a vendor?

Find out how at www.nwblackpride.com.

ALL WHITE AFFAIR Saturday, August 18, 10pm-1:30am at Seattle Airport Marriott. Tonight at the host hotel, come out in your finest threads, ALL WHITE. Bring out your diamonds and pearls and if you are feeling ice cold a nice mink fur.

With signature cocktails being served, this party will be your night to LEVEL UP on the dance floor. Tickets: $15.

Ecumenical Church Service Sunday, August 19, 2pm-3:30pm at Liberation Ministries (832 32nd Ave, Seattle). An LGBTQIA-based interfaith worship service. Hosted by Living Water International Church and Liberation Ministries.

Return of the WIZ: Emerald City Mini-Ball Party Sunday, August 19, 8pm-10pm at R Place (619 E Pine St). Tickets $5-$10.

For complete information on all the Pacific Northwest Black Pride events and activities, visit the Pacific Northwest Black Pride website – www.nwblackpride.com.

Sponsors of the Pacific Northwest Black Pride Celebration include AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), Alphabet Alliance of Color, AMP, Gay City, Gender Justice League, Gilead Sciences, New Seasons, The Northwest Network, POCAAN, Seattle Department of Transportation, Seattle Gay News, Seattle Pride, Washington State Department of Health.

Courtesy of Pacific Northwest Black Pride

Seattle Gay News 5

HRC celebrates pro-equality champions in Michigan primary

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow – Photo courtesy of U.S. Congress

U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee – Photo courtesy of U.S. Congress

Gretchen Driskell – Photo courtesy of Gretchen Driskell for Congress

Elissa Slotkin – Photo courtesy of Elissa Slotkin for Congress

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell – Photo courtesy of U.S. Congress

U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence – Photo courtesy of U.S. Congress

MI State Rep. Jeremy Moss – Photo courtesy of Michigan House Democrats

Jennifer Suidan – Photo courtesy of Jennifer Suidan for State Representive

DETROIT – [On August 8], the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, released the following statement celebrating the victories of pro-equality candidates advancing to the November general election: Sen. Debbie Stabenow; Rep. Dan Kildee, Gretchen Driskell, Elissa Slotkin, Rep. Debbie Dingell, and Rep. Brenda Lawrence for the United States Congress; State Rep. Jeremy Moss for the Michigan State Senate; and Jennifer Suidan for the Michigan State House.

“The HRC is proud to support and work on behalf of Michigan’s pro-equality champions in these crucial races up and down the ballot,” said HRC Michigan State Director Amritha Venkataraman. “The stakes in November could not be clearer. Candidates like Bill Schuette, who’ve sought to roll back the clock and enshrine discrimination into state law, are out of touch with the majority of Michiganders who believe in equality, fairness, and justice. In the coming weeks, the HRC will continue mobilizing more than one million “equality voters” and tens of thousands of members and supporters in the state to turn out for candidates who will move our state forward, and ensure that an extremist like Schuette never sets foot in the governor’s mansion.”

In the US Senate race, the HRC has endorsed incumbent Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who will face John James in the general election. Sen. Stabenow is a longtime supporter of LGBTQ equality. She supported marriage equality, the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and the Safe Schools Improvement Act, which would require school districts to adopt codes of conduct prohibiting bullying and harassment, including on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and religion. Stabenow is also a co-sponsor of the Equality Act, crucial federal legislation that would finally guarantee explicit, comprehensive protections for LGBTQ people under our nation’s civil rights laws.

The HRC has endorsed former Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense Elissa Slotkin in the race to represent Michigan’s 8th Congressional District. Slotkin is a strong supporter of LGBTQ equality who recently spoke out against President Trump’s effort to ban qualified transgender service members from the military. In the general election, she will be facing sitting incumbent Rep. Mike Bishop, who voted in favor of an amendment that would have banned access to transition-related health care for military service members and their fami-

lies earlier this year. He received a zero on the HRC’s Congressional Scorecard, which measures the support of members of Congress for LGBTQ equality and policies.

In the race for Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, the HRC has endorsed State Rep. Gretchen Driskell, who fought hard to prevent restrictions on same-sex adoption while in office. In the general election, Driskell will face incumbent Rep. Tim Walberg, who scored a zero on HRC’s most recent Congressional Scorecard. He has consistently worked to undermine progress, co-sponsoring the so-called First Amendment Defense Act and opposing an amendment in support of a ban on employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity by federal contractors.

In the Michigan State Legislature, the HRC also endorsed pro-equality champions Jeremy Moss for State Senate in Michigan’s 11th Senate District and Jennifer Suidan for State House in Michigan’s 39th House District.

Anti-LGBTQ extremist Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette won the GOP nomination in the gubernatorial race. Schuette has a long record demonizing the LGBTQ community and undermining progress. In the past Schuette has filed suit to oppose protections for LGBTQ youth facing discrimination and bullying in schools, and supported a license to

discriminate in mental health care. He also defended Michigan’s marriage ban all the way to the Supreme Court, and recently chose to ignore consistent legal precedent in issuing a formal opinion denying that LGBTQ Michiganders are protected from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, under the state’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act. In Michigan, the HRC has identified more than 1.1 million Michiganders as likely “equality voters” – voters who support LGBTQ-inclusive policies. The HRC has prioritized investments and organizing in Michigan in the 2018 cycle, and has already put staff and resources on the ground in the state as part of the largest grassroots expansion in the organization’s 38-year history.

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

The 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

Celebrating 44 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

August 10, 2018

Seattle Gay News 7

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Celebrating 44 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

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Sister Act Aug 17 The Devil Wears Prada Aug 24 To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar Aug 31

Hot popcorn, cold drinks, candy, and other concessions for sale on site.

Limited lawn chair rentals available.

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Celebrating 44 Years!

78,000 Transgender citizens could be prevented from voting in the 2018 midterm elections LOS ANGELES – An estimated 137,000 transgender people who have transitioned will be eligible to vote in the November 2018 election in states with strict voter ID laws, but an estimated 57% – approximately 78,000 – of them may not have identification or documentation that accurately reflects their gender.

Eight states – Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin – currently have strict voter ID laws that require voters provide a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, US passport, or military ID, in order to vote at the polls. In states with

strict photo ID laws, government election officials and poll workers decide whether a voter’s identification accurately identifies the voter and matches the information listed in the voter registration rolls.

“Transgender people who have transitioned often face substantial challenges to obtaining accurate identification,” said lead author Jody L. Herman, public policy scholar at the Williams Institute. “Requirements for updating the name and gender on official IDs that could be used for voting vary widely by state and federal agency, and the process can be difficult and expensive.”

Transgender people of color, young

adults, students, people with low incomes, and people with disabilities are likely overrepresented among the 78,000 voting-eligible transgender people who face barriers to voting and possible disenfranchisement in the November 2018 general election.

“Strict voter ID laws could deny thousands of citizens who would otherwise be eligible to vote an opportunity to participate in the democratic process and have their voices heard at the ballot box,” said Herman. “Lawmakers, election officials, and government agencies must work to ensure that transgender people have equal access to vote.”

Read the report at https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/ Voter-ID-Laws-2018.pdf.

The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, a think tank on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy, is dedicated to conducting rigorous, independent research with real-world relevance.

Courtesy of the Williams Institute

Photo by Carolyn Kaster / AP

TRANS BAN continued from cover

“transgender persons with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria” from serving in the military “except under certain limited circumstances.”

In a ruling released on August 6, District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, in the District of Columbia, ruled that even the amended proposal is effectively a categorical ban on all Trans people serving in the military.

“By targeting proxies of transgender status, such as ‘gender dysphoria’ and ‘gender transition,’ and by requiring all

service members to serve ‘in their biological sex,’” the judge said, the Trump administration is actually barring all Trans people from military service.

The judge refused a request from the Trump government to lift an injunction she placed on implementation of the original ban.

A US District Judge in Seattle ruled in June that the Trump administration could not go forward with its plan to ban Trans people from military service.

District Judge Marsha Pechman had already enjoined the administration from proceeding in an April ruling, and refused the administration’s appeal in June.

Pechman compared Trump’s policy to the historical exclusion of blacks from the

Visit us online www.sgn.org

military and the ban on mixed units when she rejected the ban in April.

In her June 15 ruling, Pechman wrote that “the status quo shall remain ‘steady as she goes,’ and the preliminary injunction shall remain in full force and effect nationwide.”

Pechman added that “because Transgender people have long been subjected to systemic oppression and forced to live in silence, they are a protected class.

“Therefore, any attempt to exclude them from military service will be looked at with the highest level of care.”

The judge also said the government needed to demonstrate that the proposed ban “was sincerely motivated by compelling interests, rather than by prejudice or

stereotype, and that it is narrowly tailored to achieve those interests.”

Trans troops and activists welcomed the decision.

“Yet again, the Trump administration has tried to implement and expedite discrimination, and yet again, the court has said no,” Lambda Legal senior attorney Peter Renn said.

“You would think the administration would get tired of all the losing, and more importantly, would read the writing on the wall and abandon this discriminatory and harmful scheme to prevent brave and qualified transgender people from serving their country.”

August 10, 2018

Seattle Gay News 11

HRC sends FOIA request to Justice Department regarding creation of “Religious Liberty Task Force” WASHINGTON – [On August 7], the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Department of Justice (DOJ) calling for the release of all records related to the so-called “Religious Liberty Task Force” announced by Attorney General Jeff Sessions on July 30, 2018. The HRC is demanding transparency from the DOJ, which has not provided details publicly on the activities of the task force, including how much it is spending, what its mandate and scope are, and who is on it.

Sessions announced the creation of the task force on July 30th at the DOJ standing alongside the anti-LGBTQ Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) and their client, a Colorado baker who refused to serve a gay couple in violation of the state’s nondiscrimination law. It will be co-chaired by Acting Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio, who was an attorney in 2010 for supporters of Proposition 8, California’s same-sex marriage ban, and Beth Williams, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Policy.

The FOIA request was sent ahead of Sessions’ speech [on August 8] at the ADF Summit on Religious Liberty.

“The American people deserve transparency about how much taxpayer money the DOJ is spending on this discriminatory so-called “task force,” said David Stacy, HRC Government Affairs Director. “We also deserve to know: who is on this task force? What is the scope of its mandate? Was this proposed by the ADF or other anti-LGBTQ groups? It is important that the American people understand the process through which this task force was created and the involvement of antiLGBTQ organizations like the Alliance Defending Freedom.”

This task force is the latest effort in an 18-month campaign by the Trump administration to license discrimination against LGBTQ people for so-called “religious” reasons. Last year, Trump issued an executive order directing Jeff Sessions to look

Attorney General Jeff Sessions – Image courtesy of HRC

across the federal government and assess ways in which the administration could license discrimination at government agencies. In January, the Department of Health and Human Services announced the creation of a so-called “conscience” division, empowering health care providers to discriminate against LGBTQ people. The Trump administration has also proposed an accompanying rule that could permit health care providers – doctors, nurses, and even

nonmedical support staff like receptionists – to deny even potentially life-saving care to LGBTQ people, women, and other vulnerable communities on the basis of the worker’s personal beliefs.

The HRC has been chronicling the Trump-Pence administration’s onslaught of attacks on the LGBTQ community at http:// www.hrc.org/timelines/trump.

KAVANAUGH continued from cover

ous threat to millions of LGBTQ people.

The HRC is urging the Senate Judiciary Committee not to advance Kavanaugh’s nomination without a full review of his record and time in the White House and urging the full Senate to reject his nomination on the basis of his anti-LGBTQ record and other concerning decisions.

Kavanaugh has a troublingly lengthy far-right pedigree, and he was handpicked by anti-LGBTQ, anti-choice groups in an explicit effort to undermine equality. His record includes decisions that will undermine LGBTQ equality, reproductive freedom, and vital access to affordable health care. His most vocal supporters recognize this opportunity and have not been shy to applaud Trump’s choice; these supporters including the National Rifle Association, Breitbart News, Focus on the Family, the National Organization for Marriage, and the National Right to Life Committee.

Still, there is much more detail about Kavanaugh’s public record on LGBTQ issues that remains needlessly cloaked from public review. The years of 2001 to 2006, when Kavanaugh served in the Bush White House, was an especially consequential period for the LGBTQ rights and marriage equality movement. This era included the Lawrence v. Texas decision, multiple pronouncements by President Bush about

12 Seattle Gay News

Brett Kavanaugh – Image courtesy of HRC

the institution of marriage and marriagerelated amendments to the federal Constitution, and civil rights litigation and referenda at the state and circuit levels. Given the central function of the White House staff secretary, it is likely that Kavanaugh participated in many of these politically consequential decisions – and yet, without records, we know troublingly little about Kavanaugh’s position or role in these matters.

“Trump’s recent nomination of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh to the US Supreme Court is a direct threat to the constitutional rights of everyday Americans and for the LGBTQ community in particular,” said

August 10, 2018

HRC Legal Director Sarah Warbelow. “This nomination threatens to erode our nation’s civil rights laws, block transgender troops from bravely serving this nation, and issue a license to discriminate against LGBTQ people in every aspect of American life. If confirmed, Kavanaugh will undoubtedly bring a dangerous brand of ideological partisanship that has no place on the Court.”

A thorough review of Kavanaugh’s record on LGBTQ issues, during his time at the White House in particular, will be crucial to the nomination process. That’s because, in the coming years, the Supreme Court will be asked to decide crucial issues

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

The 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

for the LGBTQ community, including: • Whether our nation’s nondiscrimination laws include protections for LGBTQ people – as many lower courts have already concluded. This would impact employment, housing, healthcare, and education civil rights statutes.

• Whether individuals and organizations have a license to discriminate against LGBTQ people when receiving taxpayer dollars to provide critical services.

• Whether LGBTQ people and families can be turned away from businesses open to the general public, simply because of who they are or whom they love.

• Whether qualified transgender people can be excluded from serving in the military simply because of who they are.

The Human Rights Campaign stands with coalition partners in demanding the release of all records pertaining to Brett Kavanaugh’s long career in government and a fully transparent confirmation process deserving of the consideration of the American people.

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

The 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

Celebrating 44 Years!

AHF contributes $10M to “Yes on 10” campaign in California

Photo courtesy of AHF

The November statewide California ballot measure would allow for expansion of rent control through repeal of the CostaHawkins Rental Housing Act, restoring decision-making on rent control to the local level.

The AHF, one of the three proponents of Proposition 10, says its campaign contribution is in keeping with its strategy to “prevent, preserve, and produce” in addressing the affordable and homeless housing crises roiling California and the nation. When passed by voters, Proposition 10 will allow communities the opportunity to preserve affordable housing stock by implementing rent control measures locally.

LOS ANGELES (August 7, 2018) – The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization that currently cares for nearly one million patients in 41 countries worldwide, has made a campaign contribution of $10 million to California’s Yes on 10 campaign, a November 2018 ballot measure also known as Proposition 10 or the Affordable Housing Act. The ballot measure would allow for the expansion of rent control through the repeal of the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act of 1995, which will restore decision-making on rent control to the local level.

“The AHF is proud to announce this campaign contribution to the Yes on 10

campaign, a move in keeping with our overall philosophy to ‘prevent, preserve, and produce’ when it comes to addressing the affordable and homeless housing crises roiling California and the nation,” said Michael Weinstein, president of the AHF, one of the three proponents of Proposition 10. “We know we will be significantly outspent by the opposition, backed by deep-pocketed developers and investors who continue to wreak havoc in the housing markets. The greed of these billionaire corporate landlords is causing wide-scale misery for millions of Californians, and the scourge of homelessness will get much worse because the rent is too damn high.

The California dream is dying, and only the voters can save it in November.”

“The Board of Directors of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation is fully behind AHF’s $10 million contribution to the Yes on 10 campaign, the ballot initiative that, when passed by voters in November, will allow for the expansion of rent control throughout California by returning decision-making to the local level – removing the near blanket prohibition on rent control from the ‘one-size-fits-all’ auspices of state control,” said Cynthia Davis, chair of the AHF’s Board of Directors. “We see firsthand the role that stable, affordable housing plays in the health and well-being of our patients. We also see the negative effect that out-of-control rents are having on our staff,

Visit us online www.sgn.org

who increasingly have to commute longer distances to work in our clinics and testing facilities. Clearly, the rent is too high, and it affects the well-being of thousands of Californians. We believe Proposition 10 is one way to provide relief, and the AHF is proud to support it.”

Over the past nine months, the AHF has stepped up to address the growing affordable and homeless housing crises, with the purchase and repurposing for homeless housing of three LA-area hotels or motels. Since October 2017, the AHF purchased the Madison and King Edward Hotels, both single-room-occupancy (SRO) hotels on LA’s Skid Row, as well as the 27-unit Sunset 8 Motel in Hollywood, now rebranded as Sunrise on Sunset and housing formerly homeless families. By the end of August, the AHF will have created or repurposed 600 housing units in greater Los Angeles and believes there are as many as 5,000 unoccupied SRO hotel rooms/ units in Los Angeles that they and others – including the City of Los Angeles – could repurpose for housing.

The AHF’s Housing Philosophy: Prevent gentrification and homelessness by keeping rents under control and discouraging evictions Preserve communities by supporting progressive land use policies that maintain neighborhood integrity

August 10, 2018

Produce affordable housing through adaptive reuse and cost-effective new construction.

The AHF is one of the three formal proponents of the Yes on Prop 10 campaign, along with the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE Action) and the Eviction Defense Network (EDN). Proposition 10 has earned the broad support of over 150 labor, housing advocacy, community, and faith-based organizations throughout the state, as well as the endorsement of the California Democratic Party during its recent convention on Oakland.

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 968,000 individuals in 41 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/the Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific region, and Eastern Europe.

To learn more about the AHF, please visit www.aidshealth.org or www.facebook.com/aidshealth, and follow it @ aidshealthcare.

Courtesy of the AHF

Seattle Gay News 13

HEALTH SERVICES

HOME SERVICES

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August 10, 2018

Celebrating 44 Years!

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

932 12th ave.

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

Visit us online www.sgn.org

August 10, 2018

Seattle Gay News 15