SGN November 10, 2017 - Section 1

Celebrating 43 Years!

Issue 45 Volume 45

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Seattle Gay News

Seattle election: Durkan, Mosqueda, Gonzalez crush opposition Manka Dhingra wins, shifts power in state Senate to Dems

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Jenny Durkan will be Seattle’s next mayor, women will dominate the Seattle City Council, and the Washington state Senate will return to Democratic control.

Durkan, a former US attorney under Barak Obama – in fact, the first out Lesbian US attorney – crushed her opponent, Cary Moon, winning by more than 20 points.

“While the election results will probably continue to tighten, the outcome is unlikely to be what we hoped,” Moon admitted in a November 8 statement to supporters.

“I have offered my congratulations to Jenny Durkan, Seattle’s first woman mayor in 90 years,” she added.

As Durkan and her supporters celebrated election night, November 7, at the Westin, results released by King County Elections showed her with a commanding lead. The next release on November 8 showed barely any change in Durkan’s lead, prompting Moon’s concession.

In her own November 8 statement, see SEATTLE ELECTION page 4

Jenny Durkan and George Bakan celebrate an historic night. – Photo by Nate Gowdy

ELECTION 2017: Trans ELECTION 2017: LGBT woman beats Virginia’s electeds take over “chief homophobe” Palm Springs Dems sweep to victory in VA statewide races

Danica Roem – Photo courtesy of Danica Roem

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer A Transgender woman handily defeated Virginia’s self-proclaimed “chief homophobe” in an election for a seat in Virginia’s House of Delegates, becoming the first

out Trans person elected to public office in her state.

Danica Roem, a Democrat, was elected to represent a suburban district in Virginia’s Prince William County. The district see VIRGINIA ELECTION page 8

Christy Holstege (left) and Lisa Middleton (right) will join J.R. Roberts and Geoff Kors on the all-LGBTQ Palm Springs City Council. – Photos courtesy of the electeds.

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer As a result of the November 7 election, LGBT politicians are now in control of Palm Springs, the popular California resort.

The Palm Springs City Council that will be installed in December will consist of two Gay men, one Transgender woman, and a Bisexual woman. see PALM SPRINGS ELECTION page 17

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November 10, 2017

Celebrating 43 Years!

Seattle Gay News FOUNDED 1974 MEMBER

2017

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 Associate Editor Shaun Knittel Travel Editor 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 • Shaun Knittel Albert Rodriguez Contributing Writers Rev. Barbara Allen • Ron Anders Eric Andrews-Katz • Madelyn Arnold Alice Bloch • Maggie Bloodstone Beau Burriola • Sharon Cumberland Jessica Davis • Tina Gianoulis Anthony Greer • Milton W. Hamlin Nevin Jefferson • Richard Kennedy 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 • Gaysha Starr Paul Torres • Janice Van Cleve Ed Walsh • James Whitely Scott Wittet • Rex Wockner

This is the Golden age of journalism

Calendar Editors Mike Andrew • Rick McKinnon Classifieds Rick McKinnon 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. © 2017. 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.

During “CNN Tonight” with Don Lemon, commentator Ana Navarro spoke directly to President Donald Trump, telling him that unless he can represent all Americans he should not be President. – Photo courtesy of CNN

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

by Mark Segal Philadelphia Gay News Golden age of journalism?

I’m going to take a liberty and break one of my major rules about LGBT publishing that dictates that all coverage must be about or for the LGBT community.

That rule is typically in place because we have mainstream media for all nonLGBT issues. Unless it pertains directly to the LGBT community, it should not be in LGBT media. Now, of course, many mainstream topics, like politics, affect LGBT people so it doesn’t mean we can’t report

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on it – like when President Trump tweeted about transgender people in the military.

That is LGBT. In a way, that dovetails into what this column is about: my pride in journalism, and particularly mainstream media, which, thanks to President Trump, is in a golden era. Today’s news has me glued to outlets like the New York Times and Washington Post, which keep trying to outdo the other.

And, by the way, they have been accurate 99.9 percent of the time – unlike the information coming from White House briefings, which should be tagged #fakebriefings.

Not only have the Times and Post stepped up to the plate, but let’s hand it to MSNBC, CNN to a lesser extent and even Fox’s Chris Wallace and Shepard Smith.

And let’s not forget my old friend, the great Andrea Mitchell of NBC News.

But I must admit that two of my newest

favorites are Nicolle Wallace of MSNBC and Ana Navarro of CNN. Navarro is a Republican consultant, and Wallace a former Republican and also former communications director for the Bush administration. They both give evenhanded analyses and, at times, break news through their long list of sources.

If you’ve been worried about the state of this country, watch real news and know that the fifth estate, as a free press is often called, is doing its duty. It makes those of us in that profession proud to be working in a country that embraces freedom of the press – and a press that keeps that light of liberty burning bright.

November 10, 2017

Seattle Gay News 3

Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the nation’s most-award-winning commentator in LGBT media. His recently published best selling memoir, And Then I Danced, is available on Amazon.com.

Jenny Durkan Election Night Party 2

The Westin Seattle November 7, 2017 Photos by MK Scott

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7 1. The Election Night crowd buzzing with excitement. 2. Tim Burgess, Current Mayor of Seattle. 3. Tom Rasmussen. 4. Charlene Strong. 5. Seattle King County Councilman Joe McDermott.

6. Calvin Goings and David Han. 7. Jenny Durkan’s supporters capturing this historical moment on their phones.

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Celebrating 43 Years!

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1. Jenny Durkan addresses the crowd. 2. Out and Equal’s Christopher Brown (left). 3. Sally Clark and Royal Alley-Barnes. 4. George Bakan, Seattle Gay News Editor-in-Chief

SEATTLE ELECTION continued from cover

Durkan congratulated her opponent and then went on to repeat her main campaign theme: bringing people together to make things happen.

“I am honored that the voters have given me this great opportunity, but with the honor comes a deep responsibility,” Durkan wrote.

“The hard work of delivering progress starts today. Our city will – and must – come together around the solutions to address the urgent issues facing our city, from homelessness to affordability to addressing systemic inequities.

“Over the next few weeks, I look forward to working closely with Mayor Burgess and the City Council, as well as city officials and workers, to ensure a smooth transition.”

Durkan will be sworn in as soon as the election results are certified on Novem-

ber 28, rather than waiting until January, because she is succeeding to the office under special circumstances after the resignation of Ed Murray.

Durkan will be Seattle’s first woman mayor since Bertha Knight Landes left office in 1928, but she was not the only woman candidate to crush her opponent.

Labor leader and Seattle City Council candidate Teresa Mosqueda won her race for the at-large Council seat, position 8, by more than 20 points, smashing tenant rights advocate Jon Grant. In the other at-large race, for position 9, incumbent Lorena Gonzalez won by a similar margin against neighborhood activist Pat Murakami.

When Mosqueda is sworn in, Seattle’s City Council will have six women out of nine members, four of them – Debra Juarez, Gonzalez, Mosqueda, and Kshama Sawant – women of color.

Durkan, Mosqueda, and Gonzalez were heavily backed by organized labor. In an email to members, Nicole Grant, executive secretary of the Martin Luther King

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County Labor Council, wrote that the election results were “a perfect outcome for the Labor Council’s Seattle slate.”

“The labor movement looks forward to actively participating with our Seattle neighbors and businesses to support these leaders building a better Seattle,” Grant added.

“This means making sure that our city grows in ways that are welcoming and foster a great lifestyle. We need substantial quantities of new housing, gathering places, business hubs, and industrial infrastructure. We want our youth to stay here, and will make sure there is free college for high school graduates and affordable childcare available for young working families. We want our elders to stay here, and that means better senior service with world-class home care benefits.”

Dhingra, a deputy prosecutor for King County, won the state Senate seat in the 45th Legislative District, filling the position that had been held by the late Andy Hill, a Republican. The 45th District includes

Kirkland, Duvall, and Sammamish.

Her election shifts power in the Senate back to Democratic control, which means that progressive legislation that Republican leaders kept off the floor will now at least get a hearing. According to MSNBC, Dhingra is now the first Sikh to have been elected to public office in the United States.

In other Seattle election news, Gay School Board candidate Zachary Pullin DeWolf, head of the Capitol Hill Community Council, easily won election to his first political office.

Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes won reelection, defeating former Ed Murray aide Scott Lindsay by nearly 3-to-1. Dow Constantine won reelection as King County Executive by a similar margin.

As the SGN goes to press, Sheriff’s Department Major Mitzi Johanknecht has widened her lead over incumbent Sheriff John Urquhart. Urquhart was considered a shoe-in to win reelection until allegations of sexual harassment and cover-ups began to surface.

November 10, 2017

Seattle Gay News 5

Jenny Durkan’s Election Night remarks Following the Seattle Times, KING5 and KIRO declaring former U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan the winner in the race for mayor, Durkan delivered the following remarks [on Tuesday, November 7] to supporters and volunteers: Wow, Seattle.

Are you having a good time?

Good evening Seattle. Thank you!

So I want to say, there’s a few celebrities in the house I want to thank.

The Seattle Times has called the race.

I’m so grateful for all of you that are here tonight.

I’m especially grateful to have my family Dana and our boys here. They’ve put up with me at every step of the way.

I also want to thank my campaign team.

I’ll name some folks, I’ll miss some people, but I love you all – Kelly, Erin, Ali, Anthony, Stephanie, Lyle, Amanda and everyone – We have the greatest team.

We were like flying this plane as we were building it.

And you’ve all been there right along.

Thank you to every single one of you for helping my campaign.

It’s been a great journey. I’m so proud of the historic inclusive campaign that we built.

And I will tell you the backbone of our campaign was our working families, like our nurses, firefighters, health care workers, building trades, and longshore workers, and there’s a rumor there’s labor in the house tonight.

But the truly secret weapon: folks up here, folks out there – our volunteers.

We had the best grassroots campaign of any mayoral campaign ever.

At the end of the day today we contacted more than 100,000 voters. And I apologize to all those people whose dinner we interrupted. And those doors we knocked on again and again, but thank you.

So this campaign was never about any candidate. It wasn’t about me. Or anyone else.

It was about you. It was about Seattle and the future of Seattle. It’s a campaign about what Seattle will be like for the next generation. You have committed to making it the best Seattle ever.

Now I know there are a lot more votes to be counted. And if you know me, you know I like to count every single vote.

But, I have to tell you: We are feeling really, really good about where we are. And I think you guys should celebrate.

And I have it on good authority that some of you have been doing that!

So I want to talk a little bit about the last woman mayor.

92 years later Seattle is about to have another woman mayor.

Bertha Knight Landes, she’s got a conference room. She was the first woman mayor, and the first woman ever to lead a big American city.

And she did it in 1926 – not too long after women got the right to vote.

At the time, newspapers they talked about her – they described her as this: “[A] plain, unassuming, churchgoing woman.”

That is kind of like what they have been calling me.

Last week, I was in South Seattle at the senior center and I met a woman named Jewell who is 94. She was alive when Bertha was Mayor. She has lived in this city for decades. She has lived almost two lives.

But today Jewell can barely get by. I sat and talked to her. And she pays her rent and expenses – she has only a few hundred dollars left. And she talked to me about how hard it was and how much she really had faith in Seattle.

So wanna tell you Jewell, if you’re watching this: Help is On the Way. You know, I’ve been thinking a lot about

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Mayor-elect Jenny Durkan – Photo by MK Scott

Bertha and that glass ceiling.

And when we had the year of the woman – you know, they gave us a year. I remember going to a conference and someone said, you know the first people through that glass ceiling, they get cut.

Well, did you notice they named this big drill after Bertha? 94 years later, it was all Bertha’s fault when it didn’t happen.

Just imagine what they are going to blame on me in 94 years!

I will be honest – running for office – it is not for the meek.

But my mom – Lolly Durkan – did not raise her 8 kids to be meek.

She raised us to be fierce – and gentle.

And I tell ya, everywhere I went in this campaign – I knew that was Seattle.

Because we stand fiercely for what we believe in.

But when we see our neighbors hurting we will also be gentle.

Because that’s the kind of future we will build together for Seattle.

Fierce and Gentle.

And in this time of Trump, are we gonna be fierce?

And for our neighbors in need, are we gonna be gentle?

And we have a lot of people hurting now but we know if we come together as a city we can tackle those challenges. We can build that better future, that better Seattle for the next generation.

NOW the other thing that Mayor Landis was quoted as saying is she thought Seattle is not really a city – but it’s really “only a larger home.”

So that’s how we have to think of Seattle. We have to build it as a place where everyone has a home.

A place where people are united. Where people know they have a place. Where we are a city that will be equitable and inclusive. And where every person regardless of their race, gender, their faith, their economic status, there is a place for you in Seattle.

That’s the Seattle we believe in, right?

And you know what else we believe in? Science. Seattle will continue to fight [for] climate change and will help lead this country.

November 10, 2017

And we believe everyone has a right to a shelter and a home. And we work as hard as we can to bring everybody inside until that happens.

We believe in full justice and equality, and we will not rest and will keep fighting until we get it.

In this time in our nation, we know that we need to face the deep wounds of systemic racism.

And we will not be afraid to look in that mirror, to heal those wounds, and to make our hearts better. Because that’s who Seattle is.

And for you parents out there who are struggling so hard to get by and you’re worried about your kids and you’re trying to get them through school, please know that if they graduate from Seattle Public Schools, college is on the way!

You know, we’re also a city that has been blessed with a great economy, even though many have struggled. And we believe in diverse businesses that make up the heart of every neighborhood, who employ so many people. And I have to tell you, walking the neighborhoods of Seattle, meeting with the small business owners, and knowing that they are the work engine of this city, thank you for all you do.

So, you know, I started this campaign, and it was beautiful weather. What happened to that?

We’ve walked neighborhoods, we’ve knocked on doors. And this weekend I was doing it in the rain, the snow, the sleet. I could have worked for the post office. But after all those miles, I will tell you one thing and I know you agree with me, I love Seattle.

I am more optimistic today than when I started this race.

We have great challenges. Affordability is crushing Seattle. The homeless need a home. Our transportation system has challenges. But you know what, I know we are up to the task. I know it because of everyone in this room, everyone at home, in all the neighborhoods I’m walking.

People in Seattle care, we will build a better city, we will build a better future, and we can be proud of it.

You know, we can really show what it looks like when its progressive values are put into action.

And can I just say to Donald Trump, keep your hands off Seattle!

So the Seattle I know and the Seattle we live in?

Unity triumphs over division.

Equity over inequality.

Progress over gridlock.

And inclusion always triumphs over injustice.

So I just want to close. I want to thank you again for all your hard work. Thanks to everybody who has contributed and helped this campaign, been there volunteering, knocking on doors, talking to me, talking to me in every part of this city, it really has renewed – renewed – my love for this city and my optimism for the future.

I love you guys!

So you all worked so hard and things aren’t quite official yet, but thank you so much.

You know I also want to thank Cary Moon and her family.

I know firsthand how hard they worked and how much they put into this and the toll it takes on families, so they deserve a huge round of applause for their love for this city.

We did – we had somewhere over 85 debates. And I will tell you, we have to be thankful that people are willing to go out and try to contribute to their city in this way, so thank you to the whole Moon family.

So I just want to say in close, thank you!

I trust the people of Seattle. I trust us to build a better future. I trust us to show the other Washington how we can really put values to work – to show that we are a better place than Donald Trump says we are.

Thank you very much.

Courtesy of Jenny Durkan for Seattle

Celebrating 43 Years!

Seattle LGBTQ Commission’s Open Letter to Elected Officials SEATTLE (November 5, 2017) – As Seattle enters a new era in leadership, the Seattle LGBTQ Commission looks forward to working toward a more just and equitable future for all people in our city. We write this open letter in the hopes that the next Mayor and City Councilmembers can work with us on the following issues that disproportionately impact the LGBTQ community. Specifically: Homelessness and Housing Issues – LGBTQ communities are disproportionately at risk of experiencing homelessness.

According to the National Center for Transgender Equality, one in five trans individuals are discriminated against when seeking a home, and one in five will experience homelessness. [1] An estimated 20-40% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ. [2] With this in mind, our recommendations are the following: • Allow individuals to self-identify when accessing services and gather more information on the overlap between homelessness and LGBTQ identification • Protect safety at sanctioned encampments [3] • Recognize chosen families at shelters [4] • Develop policies for unsanctioned encampments that center dignity and stability, and stop the inhumane homeless camp sweeps [5] • Assess and eliminate barriers to homelessness services [6] • This is particularly an issue for individuals who do not identify with a binary gender, as many of the current services are divided by gender • Train staff and service providers, ensure compliance [7] • Work to ensure no Seattle residents are denied housing due to gender identity, sexual orientation, or HIV status • Create policies to increase supplies of and access to affordable housing, both in the short-term and long-term Drug Use Services and Safe Consumption Sites – LGBTQ individuals have a higher rate of issues with drug use. An estimated 20-30% of the LGBTQ community have substance use issues, as compared to about 9% of the general population. [8] Our recommendations for drug use services and safe consumption spaces are the following: • Advocate for, implement, and properly fund safe consumption spaces • Improve HIV prevention, care, and treatment among substance users, including persons who inject drugs (PWID) • In rehabilitative spaces, allow individu-

als to self-identify and recognize chosen families (e.g. allow family visits to occur irrespective of biological relations) Hate Crimes and Justice – Hate crimes in Seattle have risen 139% when comparing the first six months of 2016 to the first six months of 2017. [9] This includes incidents targeting members of the LGBTQ community. Many in the LGBTQ community have intersecting identities that lead them to not report hate crimes due to a lack of trust with the Seattle Police Department. We recommend the following: • Increase oversight capabilities of the Community Police Commission • Support CM Herbold’s audit of hate crimes, and pledge to take actionable steps to combat this rising tide • Work directly with communities of color to find solutions that most directly support LGBTQ individuals of color. This may include e.g. supporting communitybased policing or other changes in training or oversight • Support victims of sexual assault and revise City policies with respect to accusations of sexual assault by City employees • Study and respond to how domestic violence manifests itself in queer communities • Implement protections for trans and non-binary individuals who are jailed or incarcerated. For example: • Make gender-neutral holding cells available • Ensure access to necessary medical therapies and treatments • Work to reduce prison sexual abuse, which disproportionately targets LGBTQ individuals Trans Health and Trans Rights – Trans and nonbinary people have a much lower life expectancy than the general population (often reported to be in the range of 30-35 years of age). [10] This is attributed both to the high rate of suicide attempts within the trans community (as many as 30-50% of trans people attempt suicide), [11] and high risk of being victims of homicide, especially trans women of color. Our recommendations are the following: • Work to extend trans life expectancy through increased access to mental health services • Combat rising hate crimes, particularly against trans women of color (see previous section) • Ensure trans students can access facilities that match their identities in schools • Support insurance coverage of and broad access to trans healthcare needs. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Gender affirmation surgery and treatment • Fertility and assisted reproduction needs • Procedures that insurance may have previously designated as for a single gender, e.g. pap smears for trans men • Support efforts to further study and combat discrimination against trans and nonbinary individuals, especially within the workplace HIV Stigma and People Living with HIV – The LGBTQ community is disproportionately at risk of contracting HIV. Yet even with recent great strides in medicine, many still face barriers to treatment. We urge the Council and next Mayor to help identify, address, and reduce stigma experienced by people living with HIV (PLWH) and individuals at risk for HIV. Additionally, we recommend doing the following: • Improve HIV prevention, care, and treatment among substance users, including persons who inject drugs • Increase access to safe, stable, and affordable housing for PLWH and people at risk for HIV • Improve sexual health education, physical and behavioral health services, and social supports and interventions for Seattle youth • Invigorate and strengthen meaningful community engagement and empowerment for people and communities disproportionately affected by HIV-related disparities and stigma • Support routine, standardized HIV screening for all Washington residents • Encourage increased access to preexposure prophylaxis (Prep), an important HIV prevention tool • Revise health policies to meet the unmet needs of sexual minorities • Work to remove barriers in insurance coverage and increase health care affordability for PLWH and individuals at risk for HIV Aging LGBTQ Populations and Queer Community Public Programs – The openly LGBTQ population spans a larger age range than ever before, exposing some gaps in how the community at large is served.

Additionally, many LGBTQ individuals (particularly at both ends of the age spectrum) would prefer to have community spaces available that do not center around bars and nightlife. We recommend the following: • Provide assessments of and training to nursing homes and other medical facilities to ensure they adequately serve LGBTQ elders • Develop and fund community engage-

ment programs specifically for older LGBTQ individuals and LGBTQ youth • Support Parks Department efforts to designate an official Seattle LGBTQ community space Federal LGBTQ Protections – While Seattle is a much better city than most with regards to LGBTQ issues, that does not render its citizens immune from the effects of a federal agenda that is decidedly antiLGBTQ. Seattle can still push back on these efforts, especially around: • Immigration issues for LGBTQ individuals who do not fall under new stricter family member definitions • The rollback of Title IX protections on college campuses • Potential repeal of health care protections guaranteed in the ACA • Proposed discrimination against trans military personnel We appreciate your time and consideration of these pressing issues, and we look forward to working on tangible steps forward with your help.

Sincerely, Seattle LGBTQ Commission FOOTNOTES: [1] “Housing & Homelessness” National Center for Transgender Equality, accessed Nov 3, 2017 [2] Id. [3] These items are elaborated upon in our Dec 8, 2016 letter to the Mayor’s office and City Council [4] Id. [5] Id. [6] Id. [7] Id. [8] “Why the Gay and Transgender Population Experiences Higher Rates of Substance Use” Center for American Progress, Mar 9, 2012 [9] “Hate crimes, bias incidents increase in Seattle, police say” Seattle Times, Sept 12, 2017 [10] “State of Emergency Continues for Trans Women of Color” Huffington Post, Aug 13, 2015 [11] “Suicide Attempts among Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Adults” AFSP and Williams Institute, Jan 2014 Courtesy of Seattle LGBTQ Commission

Teresa Mosqueda wins Seattle City Council, Position 8 Statement following General Election results

Photo courtesy of People for Teresa

Visit us online www.sgn.org

When I got into this campaign almost a year ago, I got in to give a voice to every Seattle resident and ensure that everyone is able to share in our City’s prosperity. It has been a long campaign, but I believe we are in this position tonight because of the broad coalition of neighbors across Seattle who share that vision.

I want to thank every supporter who turned out from women’s health organizations, environmental justice groups, labor unions, small businesses, elected leaders, and grassroots volunteers who spoke to voters at their homes and on their phones.

We are truly a team and I am honored to share this win with you!

This elections shows that when we work together, commit to protecting the rights of our community and workers, when we unite instead of divide our progressive community – we win. I will continue to fight for the rights of our community, stand up for our health and the local economy, and protect our local environment as your next Seattle City Councilmember.

Mosqueda, who participated in Seattle’s landmark Democracy Voucher Program, received close to 70% of her total campaign contributions in Democracy Vouchers from Seattle residents. She also has the largest number of individual donors in Seattle City election history – over 5,000 donors with an average contribution of $83.

Mosqueda also earned the broadest coalition of support heading into the November General Election including every Democratic organization and every labor union endorsing in the race. She was also endorsed by the WA Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood Votes NW&H, NARAL Pro-Choice WA, Seattle Education Association, and Seattle Firefighters along with US Rep. Pramila Jayapal, WA Attorney General Bob Ferguson, Seattle Mayor Tim Burgess, and City Councilmembers Lorena González, Rob Johnson, Debora Juarez, Mike O’Brien, and Sally Bagshaw. For a complete list or for more information, visit TeamTeresa.org.

November 10, 2017

Seattle Gay News 7

Courtesy of People for Teresa

EMILY’s List on Manka Dhingra’s victory in Washington State Senate District 45 WASHINGTON, D.C. – [On Tuesday, November 7] EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, released the following statement on Manka Dhingra’s victory in Washington State’s 45th Senate District. EMILY’s List endorsed Manka earlier this year and the victory ensures Democratic control of the Washington State Senate.

“EMILY’s List is incredibly proud to congratulate Manka Dhingra on her win tonight,” said EMILY’s List President Stephanie Schriock. “She has an exemplary record as a county prosecutor, fighting tirelessly to reduce domestic violence and advocate for stronger mental health programs. An immigrant herself, Manka will stand up for the rights of all Washingtonians. Her leadership in Olympia will help prevent the rollback of women’s reproductive rights and protect working families’ access to affordable health care.

Tonight, we celebrate Manka’s success, a crucial victory handing Democrats control of the state Senate.”

Democratic women candidates – making them one of the most successful political organizations ever. Our grassroots community of over five million members helps Democratic women wage competitive campaigns – and win. We recruit and train candidates, support strong campaigns, research the issues that impact women and families, and turn out women voters. Since our founding in 1985, we have helped elect 116 women to the House, 23 to the Senate, 12 governors, and over 800 to state and local office. Forty percent of the candidates EMILY’s List has helped elect to Congress have been women of color. Since the 2016 election, thousands of women and counting have reached out to us about running for office. To harness this energy, EMILY’s List has launched Run to Win, an unprecedented effort to get more women to run at the local, state, and national levels.

Courtesy of EMILY’s List

EMILY’s List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics, has raised over $500 million to support pro-choice Photo courtesy of the Manka Dhingra Campaign

VIRGINIA ELECTION continued from cover

had been represented for 26 years by incumbent Republican Robert G. Marshall.

Marshall openly disrespected Roem, refusing to debate her and using male pronouns when referring to her in his speeches. Earlier this year he introduced legislation barring Trans people from gender- appropriate restrooms. Although the bill died in committee, he proclaimed himself Virginia’s “chief homophobe.”

“Discrimination is a disqualifier,” Roem told an election night gathering. “This is about the people of the 13th District disregarding fear tactics, disregarding phobias . . . where we celebrate you because of who you are, not despite it.”

Roem out-fundraised Marshall 3-to-1, with nearly $500,000 in donations, much of it coming from LGBT activists across the country. Her campaign was relentless, knocking on doors more than 75,000 times in a district with 52,471 registered voters.

Roem also participated in numerous public appearances and interviews, and maintained a steady social media presence.

Roem accused Marshall of being “a mirror” of Donald Trump, and convinced voters he was more concerned with advancing right-wing causes than dealing with local problems.

As election results came in, Roem took an early lead, and she ended up nearly nine points ahead of Marshall when all precincts had reported. Her win was so convincing that media called the election for her even before the Virginia governor’s race was called.

“It’s kind of like Barack [Obama] winning the presidential election. I’m really proud of Virginia,” said Roem voter John Coughlin, 63, a realtor in Manassas.

“I don’t care about religious issues. I don’t care about items that are big on [Marshall’s] agenda. He should be more mainstream.”

Stephen J. Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, said Roem’s

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Danica Roem, who ran for House of Delegates against GOP incumbent Robert Marshall, is greeted by supporters as she prepares to give her victory speech. – Photo courtesy of AP

victory shows “that cultural wars don’t win elections like they used to.”

“Virginia has changed so rapidly over the past 20 years. It’s gone from a state where no politician would dare to condemn the Confederacy to a state where a suburban district would elect a transgender

November 10, 2017

candidate,” Farnsworth said. “The Old Dominion gives way to a very different New Dominion.”

Democrats ended up sweeping all three statewide offices in Virginia.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ralph Northam defeated Republican Ed

Gillespie by nine points, in spite of a lackluster, middle-of-the-road campaign. African-American Democrat Justin Fairfax was elected lieutenant governor, and Mark Herring was elected Virginia attorney general.

Celebrating 43 Years!

​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​On​ ​November​ ​19​ ​and​ ​20​ ​we​ ​will​ ​remember​ ​the​ ​transpersons​ ​who​ ​were​ ​killed​ ​in​ ​the​ ​past year​ ​because​ ​of​ ​who​ ​they​ ​are.​ ​ ​The​ ​Transgender​ ​Day​ ​of​ ​Remembrance​ ​is​ ​held​ ​every​ ​year​ ​to remember​ ​and​ ​honor​ ​the​ ​lives​ ​of​ ​those​ ​who​ ​were​ ​taken​ ​from​ ​us​ ​and​ ​to​ ​stand​ ​in​ ​solidarity​ ​with our​ ​community​ ​and​ ​our​ ​allies​ ​to​ ​resolve​ ​to​ ​end​ ​the​ ​hate​ ​and​ ​end​ ​the​ ​violence.​ ​ ​We​ ​invite​ ​all persons​ ​of​ ​good​ ​will​ ​to​ ​join​ ​with​ ​us​ ​at​ ​one​ ​of​ ​our​ ​ceremonies.

St​ ​Hilda/St.​ ​Patrick​ ​United​ ​Methodist​ ​Church 15224​ ​52nd​ ​Ave.​ ​W. Edmonds,​ ​Wa.​ ​98026 November​ ​19,​ ​2017​ ​at​ ​7:00​ ​P.M. Music​ ​provided​ ​by​ ​a​ ​bagpiper Speaker:​ ​ ​Mother​ ​Carla​ ​Robinson

First​ ​United​ ​Methodist​ ​of​ ​Bellevue 1934​ ​108th​ ​Ave.​ ​NE Bellevue,​ ​Wa.​ ​98004 November​ ​20,​ ​2017​ ​at​ ​7:00​ ​p.m.

Music​ ​provided​ ​by​ ​The​ ​Praise​ ​Band Speaker:​ ​ ​Captain​ ​Jennifer​ ​Peace

Seattle​ ​City​ ​Hall--Bertha​ ​Knight​ ​Landes​ ​Room 600​ ​Fourth​ ​Ave. Seattle,​ ​Wa. November​ ​20,​ ​2017​ ​at​ ​7:00​ ​p.m.

Music​ ​provided​ ​by​ ​Diverse​ ​Harmony Speaker:​ ​ ​Seattle​ ​Police​ ​Chief​ ​Kathleen​ ​O’Toole

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November 10, 2017

Seattle Gay News 9

10 Seattle Gay News

November 10, 2017

Celebrating 43 Years!

Visit easyaspieseattle.org to purchase a pie or become a pie seller!

Proceeds benefit Lifelong’s Chicken Soup Brigade.

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November 10, 2017

Seattle Gay News 11

12 Seattle Gay News

November 10, 2017

Celebrating 43 Years!

COME TOGETHER, a benefit for Country Doctor, featuring keynote speaker Gay icon, Cleve Jones, raised $189,020 for new clinic

by MK Scott SGN Contributing Writer On Saturday. October 14, Country Doctor Community Health Centers hosted a fundraiser at the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) that drew several hundreds of attendees to celebrate and support expansion of services and a new building for their Capitol Hill clinic.

They’re full steam ahead to “Bring a Smile to Our Community.” Soon CDCHC will offer dental care, a critical need!

The evening gave a stirring tribute to retiring CDCHC founding executive director, Linda McVeigh, and introduced new CDCHC executive director, Raleigh Watts, to the crowd.

Famed activist and NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt founder, Cleve Jones, gave a remarkable keynote address recounting his life story and history of becoming an activist – his move to San Francisco as a young man, his work and friendship with Harvey Milk, his AIDS activism as co-founder of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, his founding of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, and his current work as a labor activist – all the while emphasizing the importance of coming together to lift our family, friends and neighbors, our community, up as Country Doctor Community Health Centers continues to do through the Carolyn Downs Family Medical Center, the Country Doctor Community Clinic, and their AfterHours Clinic at Swedish-Cherry Hill.

It was a fun, moving and memorable evening.

Sponsors of the event included – Swedish, Gilead, MarPac, LabCorp, Amerigroup, Coordinated Care, Community Health Plan of Washington, Kaiser Permanente, Environmental Works, Seattle Children’s, Henry Schein, USI, Hillis Clark Martin & Peterson, and AHF. To support the ongoing work of CDCHC, please visit their website at https://countrydoctor.org/ Photos by Andy Shepard Photography, except lower-right photo by MK Scott.

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November 10, 2017

Seattle Gay News 13

NO!

NUCLEAR WAR

THIS NIGHTMARE MUST END:

THE TRUMP/PENCE REGIME MUST GO!

y a d r u t a S

Rally and March Seattle City Hall NOV 11 • 1-4pm

Gov. Sam Brownback – Photo courtesy of AP

NEXT Saturday, NOV 18, Rally and March, Same place, Same time.

Join our ongoing protests until they are gone!

RefuseFascism.org • NW@RefuseFascism.org 14 Seattle Gay News

November 10, 2017

Celebrating 43 Years!

ACLU asks for injunction to stop Trump’s Muslim Ban from separating refugees from their families The ACLU of Washington [on Monday, November 6, filed] a motion in federal court seeking a Preliminary Injunction on behalf of Plaintiff Joseph Doe, a refugee living in Washington state who wants to be reunited with his wife and children, and all others in Washington in similar situations.

It challenges the administration’s latest Muslim Travel Ban restrictions, which will indefinitely prevent children and spouses from being allowed to join refugees already admitted to the U.S. “These steps exceed the authority of the administration, have no basis in fact or logic, and will do nothing to make our nation more secure,” said Emily Chiang, ACLU of Washington Legal Director.

Plaintiff Joseph Doe is a Somali national and legal permanent resident who is married and has three children. When he was a child, he and his family fled Somalia’s violent civil war to escape persecution and the risk of being killed because of their clan membership. While trying to reach safety, they spent weeks in the forest without food, and fighters from one of the warring factions found them and raped his older sister in front of him and his family. She was pregnant and bled to death from the assault. Eventually, Doe and his surviving family members made it to

Kenya, where he spent nearly 22 years living in refugee camps.

Doe arrived in the U.S. as a refugee in January 2014 but had to leave his wife and children in Kenya – because his application was initiated when he was still a child. He filed a petition for them to join him after he arrived here but has now been separated from his family for almost four years. His family has already gone through exhaustive medical and security screening by the U.S. government but they have been living in limbo since Trump’s first Executive Order on Immigration was issued in January 2017.

While Doe, now a legal permanent resident, supports his family through his full-time job at a warehouse, the continued separation has caused both him and his family tremendous distress. He regularly talks to his family on the phone. His youngest son, now four years old, constantly cries for him, asking, “Where are you? Why can’t you come for us?”

“The government’s actions are but the latest installment in a series of executive orders that courts across the country have repeatedly condemned for targeting Muslim immigrants and refugees,” said Tana Lin, ACLU of Washington cooperating attorney with the firm Keller Rohrback L.L.P.

Under the Immigration & Nationality Act (INA), which is a federal statute created by Congress, people admitted to the U.S. as refugees have a right to be reunited with their spouses and children as long as they satisfy the government’s rigorous vetting process, which often takes two years to complete.

On October 24, 2017, President Trump issued an executive order in which he proclaimed that “Presidential action to suspend the entry of refugees under the USRAP is not needed at this time to protect the security and interests of the United States and its people.” (USRAP is the United States Refugee Admissions Program.) But an October 23, 2017 memorandum from the heads of three administrative agencies makes clear the administration intends to continue its illegal ban: it announces an indefinite suspension on the admission of refugees’ family members who are entitled to admission under the INA. “The Administration’s policy is ripping apart families and heartlessly keeping refugees who have survived traumatic situations from reuniting with loved ones,” Enoka Herat, ACLU of Washington Police Practices and Immigration Counsel.

The motion for a Preliminary Injunction comes in a class-action lawsuit (Doe v.

Trump) that was filed on February 7, 2017, in federal court in the Western District of Washington. Plaintiffs include a number of people whose lives have been directly impacted by the Muslim Ban and two organizations: the Council on American-Islamic Relations-Washington, whose work has been greatly impacted by the Order’s violation of the First Amendment’s establishment of religion clause; and the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, whose efforts to fulfill its religious mission of serving refugees have been severely harmed by the ban.

The motion challenges different aspects of the Muslim Ban than those already enjoined by courts in response to litigation filed by various attorneys general in the District Court of Hawaii and by the ACLU in Maryland.

Representing the Plaintiffs are ACLUWA Legal Director Emily Chiang and staff attorney Lisa Nowlin; and ACLU-WA cooperating attorneys Lynn Lincoln Sarko, Tana Lin, Amy Williams-Derry, Derek Loeser, Alison Gaffney, Laurie Ashton, and Alison Chase of Keller Rohrback L.L.P. Courtesy of the ACLU of Washington

Equality California, NCLR and GLAD hit back again at Trump’s Transgender Military Ban in powerful new filing “Every federal court that declares this ban unconstitutional moves us closer to an end to this nightmare for our dedicated and courageous service members” LOS ANGELES (November 6, 2017) – The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) filed a response today in the Equality California case Stockman v. Trump challenging Trump’s transgender military ban in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Today’s court filing is the first in Stockman since Judge Kollar-Kotelly’s ruling last week in NCLR and GLAD’s other case Doe v.

Trump, finding Trump’s ban to be unconstitutional and issuing a nationwide injunction against the ban.

“California has the highest number of service members and LGBT people of any state in the country. Trump’s ban is a baseless, malicious attack on our own,” said Equality California Executive Director Rick Zbur. “We’re in this fight, and we’ll keep fighting until this ban poses zero threat to our community and our military.”

“Last week, we secured a nationwide injunction that halts Trump’s ban,” said NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter.

“Right now, every transgender service member is protected, and qualified transgender Americans who wish to enlist can do so as of January 1, 2018. But we know this battle is not over – every federal court that declares this ban unconstitutional moves us closer to a permanent end to this nightmare for our dedicated and courageous service members.”

“Trump’s not playing with toy soldiers – these are real people whose lives are at stake. Thousands of transgender Americans are currently serving in our armed forces, and these highly-trained, dedi-

cated, and courageous service members have been experiencing real harms since Trump’s impulsive Twitter announcement,” said GLAD Transgender Rights Project Director Jennifer Levi. “Last week’s clear and powerful ruling from Judge KollarKotelly confirmed what we already know: Trump’s ban contradicts military leaders and expert research, and is based on nothing more than bias against the transgender community. We won’t stop fighting until we are assured every qualified transgender American who wishes to serve our country can do so on equal terms with all other service members.”

Today’s filing is strengthened by reasoning included in Judge Kollar-Kotelly’s recent ruling, and on these key arguments: In Stockman, the Trump administration makes the same arguments that Judge Kollar-Kotelly found to “wither under scrutiny” and relies on Interim Guidance characterized by Judge Kollar-Kotelly as a “red herring,” Under Trump’s ban, Stockman plaintiffs suffer actual, imminent, concrete harms: Plaintiffs are targeted for forced separation solely because they are transgender and will suffer the loss of tenure, career prospects, and medical care, Plaintiffs are able and ready to accede into service but are categorically excluded simply because they are transgender Americans, and Plaintiffs suffer from the injustice of a discriminatory classification that demeans their abilities and fitness to serve as transgender people.

In addition to Equality California, plaintiffs in Stockman v. Trump, filed September 5, 2017, include three unnamed and four named plaintiffs. The named plaintiffs include Nicolas Talbott from Lisbon, Ohio, a 23-year old who wants to enlist but

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is unable to do so because of the ban, and Aiden Stockman from Yucca Valley, California, a 20-year old who wants to join the Air Force and took the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test in high school. Aiden currently works at a local grocery store and sees the Air Force as a promising career as well as a way to serve his country, but has been prevented from moving forward because of the ban.

Tamasyn Reeves, 29, started the process to enlist in the military but has been unable to serve because of the ban. Jaquice Tate, 27, is an active-duty member of the Army, serving as a Sergeant, E-5 Rank. Unnamed plaintiffs who do not wish to disclose their names include John Doe 1, a 28-year old currently serving as a Non-Commissioned Officer E-5 Staff Sergeant in the Air Force.

John Doe 2 is a 20-year old currently serving as an E-4 Specialist (SPC) Operator-Maintainer in the Army. Jane Doe is currently serving as a Staff Sergeant, E-5 Rank, in the Air Force, a Risk Management Framework Program Manager at a strategically important overseas base.

Former top military leaders who were instrumental in the meticulous year-long process of assessing and adopting a policy of open service for transgender service members have lent their voices in legal cases against the ban, including retired Admiral and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen, former Secretary of the Army Eric Fanning, former Secretary of the Navy Raymond Edwin Mabus, Jr., and former Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James. All of these leaders have expressed their strong concern about the negative effects of Trump’s ban on military readiness, national security, and morale.

A hearing in Stockman v. Trump is scheduled for November 20 in the Unit-

ed States District Court for the Central District of California. Equality California, NCLR, and GLAD will continue to fight Trump’s ban in court until it no longer poses any threat to transgender Americans currently serving or who dream of serving our country.

In addition to NCLR and GLAD, plaintiffs in Stockman v. Trump are also represented by Latham & Watkins LLP.

November 10, 2017

Seattle Gay News 15

Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization. We bring the voices of LGBTQ people and allies to institutions of power in California and across the United States, striving to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ people.

We advance civil rights and social justice by inspiring, advocating and mobilizing through an inclusive movement that works tirelessly on behalf of those we serve. www.

EQCA.org The National Center for Lesbian Rights is a national legal organization committed to advancing the human and civil rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education. www.

NCLRights.org Through strategic litigation, public policy advocacy, and education, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders works in New England and nationally to create a just society free of discrimination based on gender identity and expression, HIV status, and sexual orientation. www.GLAD.org Courtesy of Equality California, NCLR and GLAD

Big crowds and plenty of sunshine add to a very festive Greater Palm Springs Pride

Benjamin and Ezra McCart-Schneider – Photo by Albert Rodriguez

by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer Thousands of visitors, including many who flew down from Seattle, joined locals in celebrating Greater Palm Springs Pride last weekend (November 3-5), one of the most anticipated events on the LGBT calendar along the West Coast. The expected warm weather, reaching up into the high 70s, and the beautiful backdrop of the surrounding San Bernandino, Santa Rosa, San Jacinto and Little San Bernandino mountain ranges provided an unbeatable setting to enjoy a weekend of festivities that included live entertainment on multiple stages in downtown Palm Springs, dozens of themed parties at various sites and, of course, a two-hour parade that united all components of the LGBT community and its allies Sunday morning under the clearest of blue skies.

The parade began at the Uptown Design District, at Tachevah Drive and Palm Canyon Drive, and then traveled south to its closing point, at Amado and Palm Canyon Drive, where the entrance to the free two-day Pride Festival was conveniently located. The bulk of onlookers sat

16 Seattle Gay News

or stood along North Palm Canyon Drive, watching a long procession of participants pass by, including local politicians, LGBT rights organizations, gay club bartenders and staff members dancing on decorated truck beds, employees of large retail chains walking side-by-side with their co-workers, drag queens riding in vintage automobiles and a few high school marching bands.

Also featured in the Pride Parade were newlyweds Benjamin and Ezra McCartSchneider, who were married in the nearby town of Idyllwild in front of fifty guests on October 21. They met in Palm Springs over three years ago, after each had relocated to the desert from the Los Angeles area.

Having just returned Saturday night from their honeymoon in Maui, the couple were all smiles when they arrived an hour before the parade and settled into an ivory 1964 Buick LaSabre, furnished by the Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau, which handpicked the men to ride in their car.

Another pair of newlyweds, Craig Ramsay and Brandon Liberati, served as Celebrity Grand Marshalls of the parade; they appear together on the Bravo television series “Newlyweds The First Year,” a

November 10, 2017

reality show filmed in Palm Springs that chronicles the couple’s first twelve months of marriage. Michael Holmes, a local performer and restauranteur, was selected as the Community Grand Marshall for his many years of entertaining audiences at venues around the city, but also for hosting charity events that helped raise money for Dine Out for Life, The LGBT Center of the Desert, Cinema Diverse: The Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival, the Palm Springs Animal Shelter and the American Cancer Society, to name a few.

Kristin Beck, a retired United States Navy SEAL, was chosen as the National Grand Marshall. Born Christopher Beck, she is the first female Navy SEAL, having served 20 years with Special Operation Forces (SOF) before her retirement in 2011.

Employees of Alaska Airlines, an official sponsor of Greater Palm Springs Pride, marched through the parade holding the strings of a balloon shaped and painted like one of the company’s airplanes that floated high above their heads. Members of the Coachella Valley Derby Girls squad appropriately wore roller skates during the parade, avoiding having to walk the multi-block route, while students from the

Cathedral High School Ballet Folklorico danced their way down North Palm Canyon Drive wearing colorful traditional Mexican dresses and mariachi suits. Meanwhile, someone sang church hymns and preached parts of a sermon as he stood on the truck belonging to the Desert Oasis Chapel.

Stonewall Gardens, PFLAG, Human Rights Campaign, United Methodist Church, Planned Parenthood, Bud Light, Walmart, California Boots and Breeches Corps (Desert Division), Palm Springs Gay Softball League, local restaurant Trio and the Palm Springs High School Marching Band, which played Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” during their appearance at the parade, coinciding with this year’s Pride theme, were some of the other participants who took part in the event that kicked off promptly at 10am and finished just after the noon hour.

But the parade was just the icing on top of an entire weekend chock full of events, which began with the Viva La Vida Street Party on Arenas Road, home to several gay bars, in downtown Palm Springs on Friday evening. A Pride Meet & Greet Party was held at the CCBC Resort in Cathedral City that same evening, as well as a performance

Celebrating 43 Years!

of the Off-Broadway hit comedy The Legend of Georgia McBride at the Pearl McManus Theater. An Interfaith Welcoming Pride Shabbat Service also took place Friday evening at the Bochner Sanctuary at Temple Isaiah JCC. On Saturday, the Palm Springs chapter of Frontrunners welcomed early morning risers to join them on a 5K and 10K Run and Walk that began at 6:30am. The Pride Festival featuring ’80s new wave group Missing Persons, AC/DC tribute band GayC/DC, the first and only LGBT ensemble covering the metal icon’s work, and Seattle’s own Mama Tits launched its two-day roster of free entertainment on the US Bank Stage. A Viva La Vida Pool Party at the CCBC Resort ran from 10am to 10pm, a Dyke March & Rally took place in late afternoon, followed by a Women’s Pride Dance at the Hard Rock Hotel and the Arenas Rd Block Party ‘17 attracted huge crowds throughout the night until the bars closed at 2am.

Sunday morning began with a VIP PreParade Breakfast at the Desert Regional Medical Center’s El Mirador Tower Building and a Champagne Brunch and Parade Party at EIGHT4NINE Restaurant & Lounge, followed by the parade that included a section devoted to a Transgender Pride and March. A “Relaxing Closing Pool Party” at the CCBC Resort and a film screening of Lady Valor: The Kristen Beck, plus a Meet & Greet with Beck capped the weekend’s itinerary.

Prior to the weekend, a George Zander Candlelight Vigil and March was held on November 1 to honor the longtime LGBT activist and former Seattle resident.

George and his husband Chris Zander were attacked two years ago in downtown Palm Springs, in what was eventually ruled a hate crime; he died a month later, although it wasn’t confirmed whether his death was related to the crime. Many of us here in the Emerald City knew George Zander, including myself who at one time was part of a gay men’s potluck group that met monthly at each other’s residences. I still remember the evening George hosted our group at his Capitol Hill residence; it was a Latin theme and he made the most incredible black beans that I only wish I had a recipe for.

An official attendance for Sunday’s Pride Parade hasn’t been released yet, but the event certainly attracted thousands of locals and visitors. My return flight to Seattle on Monday evening was about half full of gay men who made the two-hour trip down to the desert. If you have the opportunity to go next year, do it; Palm Springs puts on a really festive Pride, not to mention the toasty weather certainly helps.

Greater Palm Springs Pride – Photo by Albert Rodriguez

PALM SPRINGS ELECTION

“The city has changed a great deal in the last continued from cover decade, but regardless Ron Oden became the first Gay man elected to the Palm Springs City Coun- of party, it’s very cil in 1995, spearheading the passage of a citywide domestic partnership ordinance. accepting of LGBT Since then LGBT voters and their allies had been making slow but steady progress in people, and that’s accumulating power in the city.

“You’re now looking at a progressive evident in the fact city that remains business focused,” said James Williamson, who ran the success- that the candidates ful campaign of one of the newly elected City Council candidates. “And I think that’s who won, their sexual what we’re gonna see happen play out over orientation and gender the next 10 years.”

“For a lot of progressives,” Williamson continued, “they’ve moved away from the identity was never kind of ‘kumbaya’ politics and they realize if they want the social programs they really an issue.” believe are important, we need to have a strong business base to support those -Geoff Kors

Greater Palm Springs Pride – Photo by Albert Rodriguez

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programs.”

Williamson himself is a Palm Springs school board member and the husband of City Councilmember Geoff Kors. Kors was elected in 2015 with more votes than any candidate in at least 16 years.

“The city has changed a great deal in the last decade,” Kors said, “but regardless of party, it’s very accepting of LGBT people, and that’s evident in the fact that the candi-

dates who won, their sexual orientation and gender identity was never really an issue.”

The Desert Stonewall Democrats also played a major role in the election, paying for advertising that ignored other Democrats in the race and targeted the lone Republican.

November 10, 2017

Seattle Gay News 17

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