SGN December 1, 2023

Page 1

50

ISSUE 4 4

YEARS

1974

VOLUME 51

2024

F R I D AY D E C E M B E R 1, 2 0 2 3 SE AT T L E & T HE PACIF IC NOR T H W E S T ’S L GB T Q I A + NE W S & EN T ER TA INMEN T SOURCE SINCE 19 74

SABLE ARMY UNITES Seattle’s Sable Jones St. James brings message of unity to Miss Gay United States title

by Teddy MacQuarrie SGN Contributing Writer A busy night at the Union Seattle bar sees her dressed to the nines in a bright red outfit. She towers over the patrons, surrounded by her Sable Army, as she celebrates a win she seeks to share with the whole community.

Sable Jones St. James celebrating with her Sable Army at Union – Courtesy photo

see SABLE page 4

Letting communities lead: pleasure as the key to ending the HIV epidemic

Arson attack at Taqueria Cantina Motive under investigation

Photo courtesy of Taquiera Cantina

by Cameron Martinez SGN Contributing Writer On the night of Saturday, Nov. 4, the Seattle Fire Department was called to put out a blaze inside Belltown’s Taqueria Cantina, an LGBTQ+-owned business that has garnered a reputation for its drag brunches. No one was injured, but the building sustained damage. The folks at Cantina have set up a GoFundMe to help with the damage.

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto / Pexels

“We are asking [for] help from our community,” the site reads. “As you may know, our Belltown location was broken into and set on fire. We are working on the logistics to do all the necessary repairs, and we know this will take weeks or even months to do so. One of our biggest concerns is our staff members. This is a very difficult time for them to enjoy the holidays as they will

see FIRE page 4

by Teddy MacQuarrie SGN Contributing Writer In each stage of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, messages of shame, discrimination, and stigma have seemed to shout louder than reason, understanding, and liberation. This is a deadly mix. Yet to focus on pleasure in an epidemic seems counterintuitive, even irresponsible and indulgent. In the fight against new

HIV infections, however, it is nonetheless indispensable. Long concentrated on risk and prevention, the fight against HIV must turn to the use of pleasure as a tool in its armory. When approached responsibly and inclusively, it is a powerful force for both ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic and shaping healthier and more resilient communities.

see OP-ED page 9


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