Celebrating 45 Years! Issue 12 Volume 47
FRIDAY March 22, 2019 FREE!
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PNB’s “Director’s Choice”: new works by emerging choreographers SEC 2 PG 1
ArtsWest’s John a riveting production to watch SEC 2 PG 1
Seattle Gay News S E AT T L E ’ S L G B T Q N E W S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T W E E K LY
Gilead set to introduce new PrEP drug
More expensive but better for patients with kidney problems
Palm Center responds to announcement that House will vote on transgender military service Resolution condemns Trump ban, urges Pentagon not to discriminate
Photo by Paul Sakuma / AP
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The pharmaceutical giant Gilead has announced successful clinical trials of a new PrEP drug called Descovy. Gilead also developed the standard PrEP medication, Truvada.
Photo by Andrew Harrer-Pool / Getty
In a study of 5,387 Cis men who have sex with men and Trans women at risk of acquiring HIV through sex, the new drug proved just as effective in preventing HIV infection as Truvada.
see NEW PREP DRUG page 4
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Palm Center Director Aaron Belkin issued the following statement in response to reports that the House of Representatives will vote on a resolution opposing President Trump’s transgender ban next week: “We commend the House of Representa-
tives on the important issue of inclusive military service. Congressional leaders of both parties, along with military leaders across the board, and 70 percent of the public, all favor letting patriotic transgender Americans
see TRANS BAN page 9
SCOTUS turns down HRC and UCLA to host freedom-of-religion appeal 2020 presidential B&B refused to book Lesbian couple candidates forum
Taeko Bufford (l) and Diane Cervelli – Photo by Eric Risberg / AP
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The US Supreme Court announced on March 18 that it would not hear the appeal of a Hawaii bed-and-breakfast that refused to accommodate a Lesbian couple on religious grounds.
In 2007, Aloha Bed and Breakfast refused to book Diane Cervelli and Taeko Bufford, a Lesbian couple. They filed a complaint with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, charging the B&B with discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation, which is illegal under Hawaii state law.
see SCOTUS page 9
Royce Hall at UCLA – Photo by Christelle Snow / UCLA
LOS ANGELES (March 19, 2019) – The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer civil rights organization, will co-host a forum for 2020 Democratic presidential candidates this fall.
The conversation will take place on Thursday, October 10, 2019 – on the eve of National Coming Out Day – in UCLA’s historic Royce Hall, and it will give candidates an opportunity to speak about their policy platforms and plans to move LGBTQ equality forward.
see FORUM page 3