SGN July 7, 2023

ISSUE 27

C E L E B R AT I N G

VOLUME 51

49 YEARS

F R I D AY

IN

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SUPREME COURT RULES IN FAVOR OF ANTI-LGBTQ+ WEBSITE DESIGNER

by Lindsey Anderson SGN Staff Writer On June 30, 2023 — the final day of Pride Month — the United States Supreme Court announced its ruling in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis.

The court ruled 6-3 in favor of Lorie Smith, a Colorado graphic designer who argued that her First Amendment right to free speech was violated by the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA), which she claimed would be used against her if she were to move forward with her website design business. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote, “The First Amendment prohibits Colorado from forcing a website designer to create expressive designs speaking messages with which the designer disagrees.”

Photo by Kevin Lamarque / Reuters

see SCOTUS page 20

Kaladi Brothers Coffee to close Seattle shop

YouthCare and Urban ArtWorks partner to create 90-foot mural

Photo courtesy of Kaladi Brothers

by Cameron Martinez SGN Intern Kaladi Brothers Coffee, a chain of coffee roasters and shops based out of Alaska, is set to close its Seattle location, located at 517 E. Pike St., on Saturday, July 29 after a 17-year run.

“We will be closing the café for good come July 29th, 2023, after the building

Photo courtesy of YouthCare

was sold in 2020 and [we were] unable to secure a lease longer than a few months at a time with the new building ownership,” said Kaladi Seattle’s general manager, Erika Zumwalt, in an email to the SGN. “We want the Queer community to know directly from us about us closing,” she added, “and I know y’all have done many

see KALADI page 9

by Benny Loy SGN Acting Editor On June 14, YouthCare, in partnership with Urban ArtWorks, unveiled the 90-foot mural standing at the site of its upcoming Constellation Center in Capitol Hill. The young student artists in Urban ArtWorks’ mural apprentice and base crew programs gathered with others in West Hall, donated

by Century Ballroom, where they discussed their process and what they learned while creating the mural together.

The mural, which features themes such as nature, community, and alien cats, was planned and created over eight weeks by the students in conjunction with Urban ArtWorks’ teaching artists.

see MURAL page 7

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Local News

Freedom Socialist Party calls for a new revolution this 4th of July

by Lindsey Anderson SGN Staff Writer

“It was one of the things Clara always said: ‘This is the holiday of the Revolution, and we need another one.’”

Most Americans donned their red, white, and blue for neighborhood cookouts and pool parties on Tuesday, July 4, but not the ladies at the Freedom Socialist Party — they got to work celebrating the centennial of the birth of one of its beloved founders, Clara Fraser. Gathered in front of the Lenin statue in Fremont, activists from the party and Radical Women held a speak-out in honor of her memory.

“I’m happy to be here celebrating a revolutionary Fourth of July,” said Doreen, a member of Radical Women. “It was one of the things Clara always said: ‘This is the holiday of the Revolution, and we need another one,’ the workers need another one.

I’m happy to be here at the Lenin statue to do just that.”

Speakers took to the microphone for nearly two hours to discuss revolution.

Hot-button topics included workers’ rights, women’s rights, and Queer and Trans rights.

“Universal healthcare: there shouldn’t be a question of fighting for it — you have it.

Free education, free childcare, abortion on demand, full equality for all people regardless of race, sex, gender, or sexuality…

You’re a person, you count, you have full and equal rights for every person. That’s what we’re for,” speaker Megan Cornish declared.

Clara’s legacy Equal rights for every person was at the forefront of Fraser’s philosophy. According to Cornish, Fraser saw the good in humanity and believed that a radical socialist revolution would lead to positive change.

People often claimed that socialist groups, like FSP, would ultimately become greedy dictators, just like Stalin. Fraser, however, had a different approach.

In 1945, she was a new college graduate. The daughter of working-class Jewish immigrants, Fraser found connections in the Socialist Party early. After graduating college, she joined the Trotskyist Socialist Workers Party — an anti-Stalin socialist group.

When others would question the merits of socialism, Fraser always had an answer.

“One thing she did was she had a ‘come to the revolution’ to-do list, which is my favorite,” Cornish recalled.

The list includes transferring private property to public ownership, nationalizing the banks, completing funding for education, and letting “a million cultural flowers bloom! Spark an explosion of rich, creative, diversified, and exciting art in all forms.”

To the people who encountered her, Fraser was a radical. To the close friends and colleagues who came out to remember her (she died in Seattle in 1998), Fraser was a comedian, a confidant, and a great conversationalist.

“Clara’s basic, fundamental ideas everybody knew, but if you would talk to her about everyday events in the world, she often had a different take than you would think she would,” Cornish said. “She looked at what she said about the word ‘radical’ as going to the root of problems, and she was always into that.”

“She thought of things in a way you didn’t consider, which made you think,” added Bernadette Lough. “She was funnier than hell. She had such a good sense of humor.”

Robin Ginnis, a healthcare worker based in Bellevue, mentioned her concerns about defunding public healthcare services. “Our public health funding is being cut from $30

Activists speak out about workers’ rights Given Fraser’s lifelong dedication to the revolution, the mic was turned over to anyone gathered who had something they wanted to share.

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million to $6 [million], which might mean that our clinic and other services will be eliminated,” she shared. “Our Bellevue clinic serves a lot of uninsured folks in our

community. We also have one of the only… reproductive health clinics. We have a … clinic where teens can come in, no questions asked, and get services. We do great work for our community. It would be devastating to us and our community if we disappeared with nothing to take its place.”

Ginnis’s announcement was immediately met with calls from attendees asking how they could help. For now, she said, spreading the word in hopes that Bellevue’s city council will see support is enough.

Continuing with workers’ rights, another attendee, Ann Slater, came forward with news of an upcoming UPS strike at the end of summer. “Starting August 1, they’re fighting for things like air conditioning in vehicles, so they don’t die from heat. They’re trying to get rid of a two-tier system where people who do the same work because they’re hired at different times are paid [a difference of] up to five dollars an hour,” she explained. “We deserve more, and that is what our July 4th holiday is about, the fight for more.”

see FSP page 6

Photos by Lindsey Anderson

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Photos by Lindsey Anderson

FSP

continued from page 4 Reclaiming the 4th of July Fraser left a long legacy advocating for workers, women, and LGBTQ+ and BIPOC people. As a new wave of conservative laws and policies continues to sweep the nation, members of the Freedom Socialist Party feel a strong sense of urgency to continue Fraser’s legacy and fight for the future she would have wanted to see, especially on a day dedicated to freedom and revolution.

“The Fourth of July: for a long time, the far right has been trying to claim it [in] the name of the Founding Fathers, but the American Revolution, like all wars, was fought by the working class,” Lough said.

“They fought for a lot more rights than were granted to them after they won that impossible war against one of the mightiest militaries in the world.

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“The Fourth of July: for a long time, the far right has been trying to claim it [in] the name of the Founding Fathers, but the American Revolution, like all wars, was fought by the working class.”

“So, we don’t think the right wing should be able to claim that holiday. We think it belongs to the American workers who won the war.”

Lough, like many members of the FSP, believes the next American Revolution is

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socialism. “Just like it was impossible to overthrow the English monarchy, which the Americans did, we think they can overthrow capitalism in this country, and if they do it in this country, then all the other countries where you have all these tyrants that

are held up because of the American military, that all goes away too. So our revolution in this country would help the whole world, not just America.”

“The Fourth of July is the perfect time to talk about another revolution in this country that should be socialist and feminist, liberation for people of color, and LGBTQ people,” Gina Petry added.

“We are also recognizing the centennial birthday of Clara Fraser, who was one of the founders of Radical Women and Freedom Socialist Party, because that is one of the things she was fighting for the whole time she was alive.”

Fraser dedicated her life to uplifting others and advocating for equal rights.

Today, her legacy lives on in the hearts of her comrades, who aren’t afraid to gather in front of the Lenin statue on the Fourth of July and speak out about the change they want to see in the world.

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Photo courtesy of YouthCare

— has offered the mural apprentice program are a testament to the passion we hold for environment where everyone can thrive.” our neighborhood and what we can collecThe new Constellation Center is being in order to inspire young people to create tively bring to it.” built in partnership with Community Roots public art and to feel more connected to their continued from cover Amanda Hashagan, the executive direc- Housing and will further expand the reach communities. Through its programs, young “We could not think of a better way to cel- tor of Urban ArtWorks, said, “We are grate- of YouthCare’s services, which include artists are mentored by fellow artists, and ebrate all that is to come on this site than by ful to partner with YouthCare and Com- housing, community engagement, early gain teamwork skills and real-world experihaving the young people of our community munity Roots Housing, who do such impor- intervention for at-risk youth, employment, ence to draw from in the future. paint their creative vision onto the corner tant work to keep our young people safe, and education programs. YouthCare’s misthat will house new pathways and new sup- housed, and engaged in growth opportuni- sion is “to end youth homelessness and to Collaboration and self-expression At the unveiling event, the young artportive connections for youth,” said Degale ties. These Capitol Hill murals represent ensure that young people are valued for Cooper, CEO of YouthCare. the power of the community. It shows what who they are and empowered to achieve ists were asked, “What did you learn about yourself while working on this mural?”

“We are honored to partner with Urban can happen when individuals and organi- their potential.”

ArtWorks and their team, who work pow- zations come together to create something Since 1995 Urban ArtWorks — whose The most common answer was that over erfully to elevate youth art and nurture greater than the sum of its parts. It serves mission is “to engage youth, artists, and the course of designing and executing the the creative drive of young people. These as a reminder that when we unite, we can communities in the creation of public art mural, they had learned more about the murals are for all of us in Capitol Hill and bring about positive change and nurture an that inspires connections and honors voices” importance of collaboration combined with individual expression. When one artist had an idea, the others would use it as a springboard for inspiration to add it or adapt it to something entirely new.

After hearing from some of the leadership of YouthCare and Urban ArtWorks and the mural apprentice program’s teachers, everyone headed outside to take an upclose-and-personal look at the completed mural. There was a Q&A with the artists about the process and design. There were so many questions that the event went on longer than anticipated.

Before the mural, the space, according to photos taken in 2022 by Google Street View, had seen better days. It had been painted over several times with orange and then blocks of gray, presumably to cover up graffiti. More graffiti was eventually tagged over the gray in scrawled letters. So the mural, depicting what could be interImage capture: Nov 2022 ©2023 Google preted as the young artist’s vision of community in a far-off future or another planet, is a welcome addition to the neighborhood.

“A thriving neighborhood art scene has the power to provoke conversation and engage the public in a dialogue,” said Christopher Persons, CEO of Community Roots Housing. “This mural represents the immense creativity of our community’s young people and serves as a herald of Community Roots and YouthCare’s exciting forthcoming project.”

YouthCare plans to begin supporting at-risk youth and those experiencing homelessness in the Capitol Hill area and to provide much-needed stability to those it serves through meals, shelter, and mentorship.

There are ways that the public can help as well, through volunteering or donations. One of the organization’s goals is to get youths experiencing homelessness an apartment eventually, so it accepts donations of housewares. Items can be dropped off at the organization’s main office, whether it’s an end table you’ve been meaning to replace or a set of drawers that no longer fits your decor.

MURAL

For houseware donation drop-off instructions and more ways to help, go to: https://youthcare.org/what-we-need-now.

Photo courtesy of YouthCare

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Bellingham’s Inner Child Studio offers calm alternative to Queer socializing

Photo courtesy of Inner Child Studio

by Cameron Martinez SGN Intern Like it or not, most Queer spaces are synonymous with drinking and partying.

This, however, does not accommodate people who are underaged or do not feel comfortable in loud environments for whatever reason. Bellingham’s Inner Child Studio presents an alternative for those who aren’t fond of club settings: Queer events that take place in a community center.

“A lot of the people who come through here are neurodivergent,” said ICS founder Rachel Andrews. “And I’ve worked with neurodivergent kids for so long that I know that, like, stuff is overwhelming, people are overwhelming, loud sounds are overwhelming. They still need a place to make friends [though]. …That’s important, because [for those] between 18 and 21 what do they get to do? Where do they hang out?... “…People [also] have told me that they come here specifically because we don’t have alcohol events or things like that, because they’re recovering. And so that’s great to hear as well.”

ICS started with Andrews driving with her massive Lego collection to different programs in Whatcom County that cater to children and adults with special needs.

Then, after the pandemic, Andrews decided to buy a space to reconnect with people — and for her Legos.

“I really wanted to have a place where people could reconnect, but it wouldn’t be an overwhelming stadium or like a big event,” Andrews said. “[I wanted] a small, not overwhelming event venue that was open for anyone to do whatever they wanted… Then I knew the community would figure out what they wanted to do with it. “[Now] I have it, it’s kind of like ‘if you build it, they will come.’ So, I’ve just been listening to what people want and doing it.

It’s been fun, because I get the most awesome types of events. Like tonight we have a musician, with their musical partner accompanying [using] sign language…, and then a comedy show after that.

“So, we have everything from book clubs and meetups and parties [to] our art nights, movie nights, TV shows, screenings, things like that.”

Helping Queer youth While ICS is not a technically a space for only Queer people, it still strives to make sure LGBT+ people are comfortable and have events that cater directly to them, like a monthly “Gayme” night, a monthly poly-

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“If I had a place like this to hang out with when I was a teenager, who knows what I could’ve accomplished.” amory social, and a monthly furry meetup.

“I identify as Queer,” Andrews said.

“I’m a parent of a Trans kid and a Queer kid. And all my friends are Queer. And I just was like, ‘I need a spot where I can reconnect with my community that I kind of lost during the pandemic, or that I didn’t get to connect to.’

“And also, during the pandemic, [I was] doing a lot of identity searching things, too. And just realizing, like, ‘This is where I want to be. This is what I want to be doing for the rest of my life. And these are the people I want to be helping.’

“And for me, I think it was just, ‘Hey, if I had a place like this to hang out with when I was a teenager, who knows what I could’ve accomplished.’ I turned out okay, but [I was] just really thinking of what I would have wanted when I was young and Queer and trying to figure out who my people were and where I belonged, and things like that.

And then as an adult, and as a parent, wanting to serve families and children and babies.”

According to a 2020 survey conducted by the Trevor Project, “LGBTQ youth who reported having at least one LGBTQaffirming space had 35% reduced odds of reporting a suicide attempt in the past year.”

So, having an affirming environment for Queer youth is crucial for their well-being.

“There’s a lot of science to back why we need to help youth in the [Queer] community,” Andrews said. “So, for me personally seeing it, just the looks on some of these kids’ faces when they come into like our teen lounge or their tween night... They are terrified, you can just see it on their face, because they’re like, ‘What are these kids going to say?’ And they realize after looking around that, like, ‘Oh, there’s another kid with ears’

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Photo by Cameron Martinez

Photo courtesy of Inner Child Studio

or ‘there’s another kid that has different-colored hair’ or things like that. And then they get to feel like, ‘Okay, I can hang out.’

“And then of course, we play video games and play with stickers. So, like, you can bond over that, no matter who you are.

So, within five minutes, they have a whole new group of best friends. And what’s great is that I get to see those same kids on a regular basis. So, I get to see them grow up and become young adults. And that’s fun.”

While ICS is not the only community

center offering quieter events to a Queer audience in Washington, it is the only one in Bellingham. Hopefully, this will start a trend of new Queer-positive community centers in smaller towns around the state.

This month ICS is holding a series of Pride events ranging from art nights to water parties. If you are interested in attending any events or holding your own event at ICS, visit https://innerchildstudio.com.

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“We wouldn’t still be here without all of our Queer and Trans customers and people who have worked at Kaladi throughout the years.

They made it what it is today.”

Photos courtesy of Kaladi Brothers

our Queer and Trans customers and people the memories that the staff and customers I have [if not for that]. I know a lot of co-workwho have worked at Kaladi throughout the have from the café are not going anywhere. ers too wouldn’t have the community that continued from cover years. They made it what it is today,” Zum- “Thanks, Seattle,” Zumwalt continued. they have here in Seattle, or even still be in walt added in a phone interview. “Thanks “I’ve worked at Kaladi since 2009, but I am Seattle if it wasn’t for Kaladi, so I’m thankful articles throughout the years about us mov- for being a breath of fresh air. originally from Alaska… Seattle’s been very for the warm welcome.” ing locations, etc. In fact, we first found out From now until its closing, Kaladi will be “In the middle of this new Seattle vibe welcoming. It was scary to move here not the building had sold via Seattle Gay News that’s been coming through for the last knowing anybody, and I am Queer [and] non- showcasing work by Queer artists that have in 2020, not from our landlords.” however many years, it’s such a relief to see binary, and I was the only Queer person in my collaborated with the café throughout the Since Kaladi’s Seattle location is in the them in line… Thanks for being sweet and café in Alaska. So I was quite surprised and years. The public can also support Kaladi heart of Capitol Hill, the closure is seen as treating us like people and asking us how stoked when I came here. All my co-workers employees by sending money to their Venthe end of the “big Queer coffee shop.” we’re doing and the basics.” were Gay. I was like, ‘Shit, I fell into the jack- mos, which are posted on the front door of “We wouldn’t still be here without all of Though Kaladi will be closing its doors, pot.’ And I wouldn’t have the community that the business.

KALADI

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Diversity in tech Policy does not equal practice

by Daniel Lindsley SGN Staff Writer Many Seattleites like to grumble about “tech bros,” young men with high-paying jobs at companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. These men are blamed for rising rent, a steeper cost of living in general, and even the sad state of dating in the city.

We may feel like we’re being pushed out of places full of Queer history, like Capitol Hill and Pioneer Square by these types, but there are signs that LGBTQ people in corporate offices are fighting a battle on a far more personal level.

Some readers might recall a barrage of online articles in 2016, all citing a report from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The report showed that in 2014, tech workers, and especially executives in the industry, were overwhelmingly men and disproportionately white.

Further research since then has only painted a clearer and more alarming picture. An article in CIO, an executive magazine about information technology, put together studies and surveys from the last three years and found stark gender disparities in employment, salary, promotions, and leadership. It also found that some of those gaps were even worse for Queer women.

Ex-techie Cindy Gross isn’t Queer, but she didn’t need to be to experience the kind of workplace culture that pushes out anyone who doesn’t fit the white male standard. In 2018 she left a successful career at Microsoft after 25 years in the industry. Now, under the brand Befriending Dragons, she is a “workplace thrival coach” who specializes in helping women deal with discrimination in tech.

Photo by Mikhail Nilov / Pexels

Cindy Gross – Courtesy photo

“Despite progress, 46% of LGBTQ+ workers nationwide remain closeted on the job.”

“From what I can see, between the Me Too movement, Black Lives Matter, and COVID, there was this huge stepping up of DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion] efforts,” Gross said of the tech industry.

“There were people hired in, usually one person ... with a big splashy title.

“And a lot of individual contributors — managers, executives — …went to their book club, they went to a couple trainings.

That has some positive impact. But a lot of people stopped. They didn’t go deeper.”

The “dragons” Gross helps clients befriend aren’t the tech giants themselves, or white patriarchy. Instead they are “your instincts, your fears, your anxieties,” she said. Fear can be overwhelming, but it can also tell us when something is wrong, which is still an important signal for women in the tech industry right now.

“Companies have gotten very good at saying, ‘Well, here are all our DEI policies, here are all our antiharassment policies,’” Gross said. “But they keep them very separate. They don’t consider antiharassment as part of their DEI strategy.”

LGBTQ people have likely caught wind of these trends. In 2018, a study by the Institution of Engineering and Technology found that 30% of LGBT young people in the United Kingdom wouldn’t consider a career in STEM due to worries of discrimination.

Those numbers are from just one country across the pond, but further research in this

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particular area has been scarce.

Fortunately, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has been keeping tabs on “major businesses” in general, through its annual Corporate Equality Index (CEI). Last year the organization surveyed hundreds of companies and gave over 800 of them “perfect scores,” including Apple and Amazon.

The four “key pillars” of the HRC’s ratings are “nondiscrimination policies across business entities, equitable benefits for LGBTQ+ workers and their families, supporting an inclusive culture, and corporate social responsibility.”

However, the 2022 CEI notes that “policy does not equal practice,” and that “despite progress, 46% of LGBTQ+ workers nationwide remain closeted on the job.”

For lasting change to happen in an organization, Gross said, “I think it needs to start everywhere. And so what I would advocate for is that every single person and every single team ...has DEI roles, and everybody has DEI responsibilities.

“You can’t say it has to start at the top or it has to start at the bottom,” she said.

“It really has to belong to everyone.”

Now that affirmative action in college admissions has been struck down by the Supreme Court, it may be worth keeping an even keener eye on diversity in tech.

Few women and marginalized people are present in the industry to begin with, and its main pipeline, colleges, have lost a crucial tool for equity, so things may get worse before they get better.

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Episode 69: Kate Mageau Lindsey interviews counselor and author Kate Mageau on her book and domestic violence in the Queer community.

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Film

Dial of Destiny sends the man in the hat on one final adventure

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN Staff Writer INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY Theaters There is plenty to appreciate about Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. James Mangold (Walk the Line, Ford v. Ferrari) has taken over the directorial duties from Steven Spielberg (who has stayed on as an executive producer alongside series creator and longtime collaborator George Lucas) and helped conceive the sequel’s mature, frequently melancholic screenplay.

He brings an emotional weightiness to the material that’s somewhat unexpected and stages a gonzo climactic set piece that’s as suitably goofy as it is happily incredible.

The other item worth crowing about is 110% unsurprising, and that’s the comforting presence of star Harrison Ford. The actor’s love for the character of Indiana Jones is as obvious as ever, and the 80-yearold living legend throws himself into the production with emotionally magnetic gravitas. He traverses Mangold’s themes regarding aging, legacy, and familial tragedy with withered grace. Ford has always

owned this character, body and soul, and you can tell he’s determined to make Indy’s last crack of the whip memorable, at least as far as his performance is concerned.

But while Mangold’s career overflows with one success after another — from his 1995 debut Heavy to a Hitchcockian thriller (Identity), a police procedural (Cop Land), a rip-roaring Western (3:10 to Yuma), and even a pair of Marvel X-Men adventures (The Wolverine and Logan) — Spielberg he is sadly not. While this fifth entry in the continuing adventures of Indiana Jones is handsomely mounted and proficiently executed, there is a certain energetic spark that’s missing.

Case in point: There’s an epic tuk-tuk chase sequence through crowded streets of Morocco, and from a technical standpoint, Mangold and his stunt team pull it off with suitable aplomb. But when compared to similar sequences in the previous motion pictures, like the exhilarating opening car chase in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom or Indy and Mutt’s rousing motorcycle escape in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, this one sadly comes up short.

Mangold can’t muster up the same euphoric energy Spielberg did with such effortless mastery, nor can he juggle suspense and comedy with such delicate ease.

It does not help that Dial of Destiny moves in disjointed fits and starts. Lucas was inspired by the matinee serials of his youth when he and Philip Kaufman dreamt up the original story for Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Spielberg utilized the adrenalized sensation of watching Flash Gordon save the universe from Ming the Merciless or The Shadow bring down The Black Tiger when setting the pace for his 1981 Academy Award–winning classic. Mangold cannot bring equivalent momentum to this sequel, and at a whopping 154 minutes, there are frustrating moments where the action slows to a crawl and the film’s length becomes a problem.

Not to say I think Indy’s swan song isn’t worthwhile. It is. While I’m still not entirely sold on digital de-aging (I’d rather they just went the same route as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and cast a younger actor for the prologue), there’s a lovely segment set during the tail end of WWII, with our intrepid archeologist battling Nazis on a speeding train overflowing with stolen historical treasures from across the globe.

There’s also a fun bit with a freshly retired Dr. Jones escaping the vaguely Aryan henchman of former Nazi scientist Jürgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen) on horseback using the New York City ticker-tape parade

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny – Photos courtesy of Disney

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for the Apollo 11 astronauts as cover.

The plot itself is rather standard Indiana Jones hooey. It’s 1969, and Indy’s globetrotting goddaughter Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) unexpectedly comes calling, looking for one half of an ancient artifact he found back on that WWII Nazi treasure train with her late father, Dr. Basil Shaw (Toby Jones), known as the Archimedes Dial. Since it’s fabled to have the power to unlock time itself, Helena is understandably not the only interested party hoping to get their hands on this significant piece of history, a list that includes the ruthless Voller and his dispassionately murderous lieutenant, Klaber (Boyd Holbrook).

It’s follow-the-archeological-breadcrumbs from that point forward, with Indy and Helena attempting to stay one step ahead of Voller while they also work out a few personal issues that have left the pair understandably estranged. Mysteries need to be solved. Riddles need to be deciphered. Planes need to be flown through bizarre energy storms, and dives to untold depths must be completed in three minutes or less.

The film hits its stride during the final act. It’s a race against (quite literally) time as Indy and Helena pull out all the stops to keep Voller from rebuilding the Nazi menace and potentially rewinding WWII back to its beginning. It’s an explosion of crazy ideas, fun visuals, and refreshingly personal revelations. It’s the only portion of the film where Mangold truly does seem to be channeling his inner Spielberg, and everything leads to an achingly heartfelt coda that brought an honest tear to my eye and allows Dr. Jones to hang up his whip.

I grew up with Indiana Jones. While Raiders of the Lost Ark will always be the highwater mark for the series, I’ve enjoyed all of the dashing archeologist’s adventures over the past 42 years. Whether he’s precipitously hanging to the crumbling shards of a dilapidated rope bridge in India, dangling on the side of a Nazi tank in the Syrian desert, or trying to avoid being consumed by angry Peruvian fire ants, it’s all worked for me.

While I have more reservations this time around than I have in the past, this still holds true with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Spielberg’s touch is missed, but Mangold does hold his own. Better, he delivers when it matters most, right at the end. The man in the hat is finally allowed to walk into the sunset for good. Cue the iconic John Williams theme.

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Film

Female-driven Joy Ride a gut-busting comedic marvel

by Sara Michelle Fetters SGN Staff Writer JOY RIDE Theaters There is about a ten-minute stretch in director and co-writer Adele Lim’s terrific new comedy, Joy Ride, where I went from laughing so hard I was worried I was going to inadvertently spit out my popcorn to suddenly rummaging for tissue to wipe away a handful of authentic tears. The film’s goes from goofy, gut-busting, R-rated hysterics to shatteringly emotional, character-based dramatics at the drop of a hat, and with such deft precision that I was understandably taken by complete surprise.

Lim, best known for working on the scripts for Crazy Rich Asians and Raya and the Last Dragon, pulls out all the stops for her fearlessly foul-mouthed and uninhibited featurelength debut. This satire hits nearly every target it aims at, taking a humorous look at racism (cultural, familial, and internalized — no one is left out of the line of fire), sexism, misogyny, and gender representation with such pinpoint precision it’s almost flabbergasting. While not everything works, Lim’s effort still remains an uncouth, sidesplitting blast worthy of celebration, much like other female-driven comedies, such as Bridesmaids, Bachelorette, or Girls Trip.

Audrey Sullivan (Ashley Park) and Lolo Chen (Sherry Cola) are on their way to China. For Audrey, this will be her first trip to the country of her birth, as she was adopted as an infant by parents Mary (Annie Mumolo) and Joe (David Denman). And dang were they ecstatic when Lolo’s family moved to the Seattle suburb of White Hills when she was five years old.

The duo have been practically tied at the hip since their playground introduction.

This is not a vacation, however, but a work trip. Audrey is a lawyer looking to close a massive business deal for her firm, and Lolo is there to serve as an interpreter.

But events go quickly off the rails. Lolo’s K-pop-loving cousin Deadeye (Sabrina Wu) has joined them and is consistently prone to say the wrong thing at the exact right time.

Filling out their quartet is Audrey’s former college roommate (and current Chinese soap opera star) Kat (Stephanie Hsu), who’s going out of her way to conceal her promiscuous past from her deeply religious fiancé, Clarence (Desmond Chiam)

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For reasons better not discussed in a review, the narrative’s central conflict revolves around an impromptu and calamitous road trip across China to help Audrey find her birth mother. The foursome encounter a wide variety of not terribly original obstacles, including getting thrown off a train for their behavior, having their passports stolen, and not having all their questions answered when they erroneously believe they’ve reached their final destination.

It’s how Lim handles all of this and the performances of the core quartet that make this film so special. This isn’t some Hangover clone, only featuring women instead of men. Thankfully, the director is determined to dig so much deeper than that, and she’s willing to do it in a sex-positive way that sometimes feel downright groundbreaking. Lim and co-writers Cherry Chevapravatdumrong and Teresa Hsiao have composed a fearless screenplay that points almost as many fingers at the protagonists for their behavior as it does to almost everyone else in the film.

What’s even better: once things get rolling, the script does not wrap them up in a tidy bow. There’s still a happy ending, of

course, but it’s not one the majority of viewers will likely have anticipated. These characters grow, change, and evolve, and that means not every hardship or misstep can be quickly or easily overcome. Mistakes have repercussions, and for Audrey and Lolo in particular, how they deal with the fallout of their actions adds a layer of warmth and humanity that filled my heart with joy.

The acting is universally stellar. Hsu does a divine job of showing the entire world that her Academy Award nomination for Everything Everywhere All at Once was hardly a fluke. Stand-up comedian Wu dominates many of their scenes with such deadpan ease that it’s impossible to believe this is their first major role. Cola shows all the signs of becoming an instantaneous comedic legend, and much like Eddie Murphy in Trading Places or Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids, this is the type of star-making tour de force fans will be rhapsodically crowing about for decades.

But none of them can hold a candle to Park. Mostly known for her television work in programs like Beef and Emily in Paris, here she is like Helen Hunt knocking it out of the park and (and subsequently winning

an Oscar) for As Good as It Gets. This is one of the best performances I’ll see this year, I pretty much guarantee it. The emotional dexterousness Park accomplishes cannot be understated or undersold. I was floored.

Like any comedy such as this, not all of the gags will land. There were also points when I admittedly did feel like Lim did cross some sort of vague, invisible line, and I’m sure my discomfort was unfortunately obvious to some of my fellow audience members. But this line is different for everyone, and Lim handles things with such confident authority that I’m sure it was my own internalized puritanism that had me awkwardly squirming in my seat.

And so I say, “So what!” to all of that.

Joy Ride is laugh-out-loud funny. It features real, three-dimensional friendships that grow in strength and resonance. It has moments of genuine, empathetic honesty that are nothing short of divine. It features four spellbinding actors working in such exquisite tandem that I hope to see them all together again sooner rather than later.

To put it even more bluntly: I loved Joy Ride, and I’m ready to watch it again right this second. It’s marvelous.

Joy Ride – Photos courtesy of Lionsgate

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Books

A slice of American history poured over Ice

by Terri Schlichenmeyer Special to the SGN ICE: FROM MIXED DRINKS TO SKATING RINKS: A COOL HISTORY OF A HOT COMMODITY AMY BRADY © 2023 Putnam $29.00 312 pages Two centuries ago, if you lived in the northern part of America and you wanted a good, cold glass of water, you were in luck.

Chances were that someone you knew had taken their lives in their hands last winter and harvested ice from a lake or river, storing it in an icehouse for later. Yes, it was cold, solid ice, but it was full of sediment and who-knows-what from its source.

Still, it was better than what your penniless Southern brethren had, which was nothing.

All that changed in 1806, when Frederic Tudor figured out how to ship ice south to the islands off the tip of Florida. Problem was, nobody there had seen ice, so nobody knew what to do with it. Enterprising Tudor mixed drinks and made ice cream as a demonstration.

When Dr. John Gorrie discovered a way to manufacture ice, it meant the difference between losing most of his patients to fevers and being able to save some. (He also figured out how to use ice to cool a room.) Even so, people laughed at him, partly because most folks believed in “crowd poison” (which didn’t exist), and partly because Tudor created a “smear campaign” against Gorrie.

Once, ice was delivered by strong, brawny icemen, schlepped into home or apartment along with a rumored bit of flirt-

Amy Brady – Photo by Cate Barry

ing. It’s been a commodity beloved by bartenders, fraudsters, CEOs, and presidents.

It’s been a lifesaver and, says Brady, the catalyst for convenience stores. Without it, we wouldn’t have curling, skiing, skating, sweet tea, or margaritas.

Or ice cream.

Can you stand to think about a summer without ice? Probably not. Author Amy Brady says we Americans have an “obsession” with it and in Ice, you’ll see how that happened.

You’re so not ready for winter — and that’s okay: the stuff that coats your sidewalk in January isn’t what this book is about. Instead, this story begins with today’s intentional use of ice, the kind we consume and that which we specifically create. And the timing couldn’t be better.

Image courtesy of Putnum

Readers can fill a tall glass and learn about presidents, physicians, and scientists who still don’t quite understand all there is to know about frozen water. See how we play with it, on it, and in it. Grab some change and listen for the ice cream truck.

Pity your ancestors, who only had disgustingly dirty ice to consume.

This slice of history is a slippery slope but a fun one. Ice is the kind of read that surprises and delights.

It’s a pretty cool book.

A migration that’s greater in the retelling of Black Folk

by Terri Schlichenmeyer Special to the SGN BLACK FOLK: THE ROOTS OF THE BLACK WORKING CLASS BLAIR LM KELLEY © 2023 Liveright $30.00 338 pages In the years immediately following emancipation, former slaves were shut out of nearly every job other than domestic and sharecropping, and they “still faced circumstances almost as degrading as those of slavery.” Wanting better lives, Black workers first headed from farm to big city, in the hopes of landing good jobs.

“My work as a historian has always begun with the stories of my ancestors,” says author Blair LM Kelley. In using her own family tree as a launching point, author Kelley lends detail to tales she’s heard all her life and knows well.

This is no small thing: it assures readers that there’s authenticity inside every anecdote, that they’re not told using guesswork but with real first-hand knowledge. Alongside that, Kelley uses her experience as a historian to show how her ancestors represent most of the Black working class between roughly 1865 and 1940, and how their journeys were like so many others in the Great Migration.

As for this, readers will be happy that both men and women stand tall here.

She opens this book with an angry man, his son, and the story of Henry, who was “born in bondage” and ultimately became a blacksmith. Kelley admits that she doesn’t know much about Henry’s earliest life, but in adulthood, he became a voter and “he was part of a community” — something that Kelley “found time and again” had given “Black folks [a] sense of self.”

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Blair LM Kelley – Photo by Phillip MacDonald

Like many Black women in the 1920s, Sarah Hill was a washerwoman hired to launder white people’s clothes. It was an honorable job, one of the few available to Black women, but while it didn’t pay well, it was enough for Sarah to put a little money aside. It allowed her some control over her own life then.

Callie House helped washerwomen organize. Cottrell Dellums belonged to an organization of Black porters. As a young teenager, Minnie Savage was “near the front of a grand exodus north” when she snuck away from her parents’ home — to her great irritation, she could only find domestic work in Philadelphia. And after moving north, Hartford Boykin landed a job, but his past kept returning to him. “From his mother, Hartford learned that Black freedom was precarious,” writes Kelley Remember how totally dry your high school history books were? Yeah, this is

Image courtesy of Liveright

nothing like those. Black Folk helps readers get to know people who lived a century ago or more. It’s like being carefully handed a living, breathing story to hold.

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This is one of those books that’s meant to savor, to explore, and to enjoy. For historians and anyone who had a Great Migration ancestor, reading Black Folk is a good move.

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Travel

Pride Journey: South Africa

by Joey Amato Special to the SGN I first visited South Africa six years ago with a group of friends. It was one of the most incredible journeys I had ever been on, and I knew I wanted to return. I fell in love with Cape Town and, of course, all the animals we saw while on safari, so when the opportunity came to visit the country again, I knew I couldn’t pass it up.

Cape Town is one of my favorite cities in the world. Words can’t describe how beautiful it is, especially when you venture outside the center and explore the beautiful scenic overlooks surrounding the Cape of Good Hope, which offer stunning views of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

I stayed at the Capital 15 on Orange, a modern boutique hotel located just outside of downtown, which boasts a grand lobby, a fully equipped fitness center, and a wonderful restaurant. Most hotels in South Africa include breakfast, and the buffet at the Capital 15 was one of the best I’ve ever had. It will help you save a bit of money, even though, at the moment, the exchange rate is quite favorable for American tourists.

My favorite aspect of Capital 15 was the room. I’ve stayed in many over the years, and this one comes close to the top of my list. It featured a king-size bed with luxury linens, an enormous bathroom with a walkin shower and a separate soaking tub, and unobstructed views of Table Mountain, one of Cape Town’s most famous landmarks.

Speaking of attractions, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is a must-see destination. Somehow, I skipped this on my last visit to Cape Town, but I quickly realized why it should be on top of everyone’s list.

The area contains dozens of restaurants, shops, and entertainment options and is the perfect place to grab lunch or dinner while gazing at the harbor.

This was also the launching point of our Cape Town helicopter tour. I had never flown in one before, so I was a bit nervous, but the team at NAC Helicopters made the process simple and kept us safe while we viewed the city from the sky. Even though I’m a travel journalist, I have a strange fear of flying, so being thousands of feet in the air was a bit unnerving, but the views were incredible.

South Africa is known for its incredible wines. If you are looking to visit some vineyards, Jeep Tours Cape Town offers tours of the Stellenbosch region, just a quick 45 minutes from town. We had the opportunity to stop by three beautiful vineyards and sample some of their world-class wines, including Chenin Blanc and Pinotage, the signature grape of the region. The tour company has personal relationships with each vineyard it visits and therefore access to private spots not available to the public. The womanowned business can customize trips, from a small party to a large group, and if you would like to just visit LGBTQ vineyards or those that employ LGBTQ winemakers, it can make that happen as well.

Gay culture is plentiful in Cape Town.

Almost everywhere you visit will be welcoming to LGBTQ tourists, but if you are looking to grab a cocktail at LGBTQ-specific spots, try Café Manhattan and Beefcakes, where the servers are shirtless and offer guests the opportunity to take shots off their scantily clad bodies…or so I’ve heard!

Photos courtesy of Joey Amato

Safari The next day we flew out to Port Elizabeth, just a quick one-hour hop from Cape Town, where we were met by our drivers, who brought us to the Shamwari Private Game Reserve, which features multiple five-star accommodations, an animal rehabilitation center, and a Born Free campus, which rescues animals who were used in a circus or purchased as pets. Born Free operates in multiple countries throughout the world, including Kenya, Ethiopia, and Australia.

Driving to our resort was like a scene out of a movie. We passed zebras and herds of impala and springbok as we cruised along the dirt road. The staff at Long Lee Manor was waiting for us with warm hand towels and refreshing beverages before showing us to our rooms, which came complete with a heated bed for those chilly safari nights, as well as an outdoor shower so guests could feel at one with nature.

Monkeys love parading around the property with the intention of stealing food, so we were advised to never leave our doors open, otherwise we might come back to stolen merchandise.

Long Lee Manor offers 18 private rooms, a pool and pool house, a spa, and a fullservice restaurant. Guests can relax with friends and family while they play board games and stare out into the vast savannah, where they might see the wildlife that frequents the watering hole.

After a quick change into my safari outfit, we headed out for our first game drive in hopes of spotting some of the Big 5: elephants, lions, leopards, Cape buffalo, and rhinoceros.

Animal sightings are never guaranteed on a safari. The reserve we were on was almost 40,000 hectares (100,000 acres), so the chances of spotting wildlife can vary, depending on the time of year, weather, migration patterns, and behavior.

Our guide Jacques had been a ranger for many years and was able to spot wildlife from what seemed like a mile away. Our first sighting was a few warthogs, then, as we turned the corner, we ran into a family of elephants. Seeing these majestic animals in the wild was just awe-inspiring.

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Although we kept our distance, we were still about 50 feet away, in striking distance if the animals wanted to charge us.

Fortunately, we just sat in our vehicle and watched as the family ate their meal and interacted with each other. Elephants, one of nature’s most intelligent animals, develop feelings and bonds just like humans; Jacques told us how he witnessed a calf being born, and the others in the herd started trumpeting and dancing in celebration of the birth.

A few miles further up the road were a mother rhinoceros with her calf. The horn on the mother rhino was probably two feet in length, and we were told that spotting her with her young was very fortunate, as they hadn’t been seen in months.

As the sun began to set over Shamwari, we headed back to the resort for a boma (open-air) dinner of traditional African foods around a communal fire. The meal consisted of a delicious soup and numerous types of meat. As we broke bread and recanted tales of the day’s activities, it was hard not to pinch myself in disbelief. I was on safari for the second time, and it was just as magical as the first. It was a moment I didn’t want to take for granted.

The next morning, we woke up with the birds and began the second game drive of our stay. The mornings tend to be very chilly, and we were advised to dress in layers, as the temperature fluctuates throughout the day. The good thing about morning drives, though, is that this is when animals are the most active.

About 20 minutes in, we spotted two male lions: a young nomad being chased out of the territory of the elder lion. The

younger one ran through the grass, knowing he was not welcome. After he no longer viewed the nomad as a threat, the elder lion took a rest as we watched the encounter from about a football field away.

More sightings quickly followed: Cape buffalo, springboks, impalas, hippopotamuses, rhinos, and three lionesses taking a much-needed afternoon rest. They are the hunters of the family, so saving their energy is always well deserved.

As the day drew to a close, the staff at Shamwari had one last surprise for us: a sundowner, which is basically a cocktail reception in the bush. The staff set up a full bar, appetizers, and some chairs around a campfire. We spent the next hour sipping our drinks and watching the sunset over the mountains. Something so small meant so much to all of us and made for an experience we won’t soon forget.

Guests at the reserve can also opt to visit the Shamwari Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, which helps to rehabilitate and care for sick, injured, abandoned, or orphaned animals from all over the Eastern Cape. Once they have been nursed back to health, they are released back into their natural habitat.

It’s not an interactive visit, but an informative and educational experience, in which we learned about giving animals the best chance at a successful release.

As tired as we all were after our twoweek adventure through South Africa, we didn’t want to leave Shamwari. It is a truly majestic place that is well worth the visit.

I vowed to return and share these memories with other friends and family.

Enjoy the journey!

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Op-Ed

Approaching and accepting your daughter’s transition

by Isabel Mata SGN Staff Writer Ask Izzy is a biweekly advice column about relationships, mental health, and sexuality. Written by Isabel Mata — a Seattle-based lifestyle writer, podcast host, and mental health advocate — Ask Izzy offers tangible expert advice so all readers can have stronger relationships, better sex, and healthier mindsets. Submit your question today by emailing info@sgn.org with the subject “Ask Izzy.”

Dear Izzy, Our daughter (born male) left her mother’s home recently, we think because of a fallout over coming out. She also cut contact with us (dad and stepmother) with no explanation. We filed a missing person report. Her mother didn’t. The detective told us she is alive and well and going by female pronouns now but couldn’t release contact information. We want to support our daughter and be there for her in any way possible. How do we approach her and make sure she knows we accept her and just want a chance to know her and be part of her life?

— Worried Parents in Puyallup Dear Worried, When a loved one goes through a gender transition, or really a transition of any kind, it impacts the whole family unit. It takes an open heart, and a whole lot of empathy.

To help you with your specific scenario, I reached out to Lana Lipe, LCSW, owner of Honu Therapy in Honolulu for some tips.

“When it comes to supporting Transgender youth, it is important to recognize that each individual’s journey and experiences will be unique to them,” Lipe stated.

Once you understand that, there are some best practices that you can follow to ensure that you are being supportive and affirming of your child’s identity.

Educate yourself First and foremost, it is crucial to be accepting of your child and their gender identity. This means using the name and pronouns that they use to describe themselves and avoiding any language or behavior that would invalidate or disrespect their identity.

In order to better understand and support your child, it is also important to educate yourself about transgender identities and experiences.

In the case of this specific scenario, it sounds like the daughter has already expressed her gender identity and has begun socially coming out. The fact that you are referring to her as “born male” suggests that you may not be fully accepting or understanding of her identity. It’s important to recognize that your daughter’s gender identity is not a choice or a lifestyle but rather an innate aspect of who she is.

Note that it can also be unsafe to share with others those details about your child, who may not have consented to sharing that information.

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Photo by Alex Green / Pexels

Approach with empathy When reaching out to your daughter, approach the conversation with empathy and understanding. Acknowledge that she may have experienced fear, anxiety, and uncertainty, and validate her emotions. You can take it a step further and actually ask your daughter how you can best be there for her during this time.

“It is important to approach this with sensitivity, as the daughter may have experienced rejection or discrimination in the past due to her identity. It may be helpful to reach out through a nonconfrontational medium, such as a letter or email, to give her space and time to respond,” Lipe advises.

Let her know that you are open to listening, learning, and supporting her in any way she needs. If you need a refresher on what exactly it means to be empathic, look up the video “RSA Shorts, Dr Brené Brown, ‘The Power of Empathy’” (https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=jz1g1SpD9Zo). I’ve been thinking about it for weeks!

ment for their daughter and should be open to the idea of reconciling on her terms, rather than imposing their own expectations or timeline.”

Respect her boundaries “In this scenario, it is important to acknowledge the daughter’s agency and autonomy,” Lipe recommends. “The fact that she has cut contact may indicate that she does not feel safe or supported in her parents’ homes. The parents should prioritize creating a safe and affirming environ-

Connect through shared interests Find common interests or activities that you can engage in together. It could be anything from hobbies to favorite TV shows, movies, or books. These shared experiences can help strengthen the bond between you and create opportunities for meaningful conversations.

Seek professional guidance Consider suggesting therapy or counseling for your family, both individually and collectively. A professional therapist, especially one who is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, can provide guidance, facilitate open communication, and help all parties navigate the complexities of the situation. This demonstrates your commitment to personal growth and understanding.

Reflect on past actions Take the opportunity to reflect on your past interactions and any possible mistakes or misunderstandings that may have contributed to the fallout. Apologize if you believe you’ve acted inappropriately or hurtfully, emphasizing your willingness to learn and grow from those experiences.

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Celebrate milestones When your daughter reaches significant milestones or achievements, such as legal name changes or medical transitions, celebrate them with her. This demonstrates your support and pride in her journey.

Respect her decisions, and offer assistance if she requests it.

Overall, approaching your daughter with love, acceptance, and a desire to be part of her life is commendable. Remember that every person’s journey is unique, and it may take time for her to fully trust and reconnect. By educating yourselves, demonstrating empathy, and expressing unconditional acceptance, you can lay a foundation for a renewed relationship built on love, understanding, and support. Patience, persistence, and open communication will be key as you navigate this journey together, allowing your daughter to feel accepted, valued, and cherished as she continues her transition.

For further reading, the Transfamily Support Services organization recommends: Stuck in the Middle with You: A Memoir of Parenting in Three Genders by Jennifer Finney Boylan, and The Transgender Child: A Handbook for Families and Professionals by Stephanie A. Brill and Rachel Pepper.

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National News

Photo by Kevin Lamarque / Reuters

SCOTUS

continued from cover Though Smith had not yet been challenged

by CADA, the court determined she had standing to sue due to the fact that CADA had been invoked in a similar antidiscrimination case in 2018, Masterpiece Cake Shop vs. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. The fact that the court took up a case that was prompted primarily by hypotheticals was unprecedented, though the 10th Circuit also held that Smith had standing to sue due to “a credible threat that, if she follows through on her plans to offer wedding website services, Colorado will invoke CADA to force her to create speech she does not believe or endorse,” Justice Gorsuch wrote.

The court found that due to the specifics of the case, any attempt to punish or force Smith to create wedding websites for samesex couples would be a violation of her free speech rights.

The danger of discrimination One key argument used by the defense was to point out just how damaging one small act of discrimination can be. Like a ripple, Smith’s refusal to serve LGBTQ+ couples who seek services for weddings not only emboldens others who hold homophobic beliefs to voice them more freely, but it spreads the message that there is something wrong with LGBTQ+ people.

Christy Mallory, legal director for the Williams Institute, helped to submit an amicus curiae brief to the court touching on this very issue. “One of our senior scholars here, his Meyer’s study, which was shared with name is Ilan Meyer, has studied the impact of discrimination stigma on LGBTQ folks,” the court, found that discrimination stigma Mallory told the SGN. “His brief addressed can lead to increased cases of depression the negative health outcomes that can result and suicide — both of which impact the from being turned away or discriminated LGBTQ+ community in high numbers.

Despite the defense’s argument that allowagainst when trying to seek services.”

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Lorie Smith – Photo by David Zalubowski / AP

ing written intent to discriminate would cause Amendment protects an individual’s right emotional and psychological harm to those in to speak his mind regardless of whether the the LGBTQ+ community, the court agreed government considers his speech sensible that Smith’s speech, no matter how despi- and well intentioned or deeply ‘misguided,’ cable, was still protected by the Constitution. and likely to cause ‘anguish’ or ‘incalcu“These cases illustrate that the First lable grief,’” the ruling said.

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What is speech? What is art?

The court also clarified that creating an online website can be considered speech.

“Speech conveyed over the internet, like all other manner of speech, qualifies for the First Amendment’s protections,” Gorsuch argued.

The court also ruled that because Smith is applying her own creative touches to the (hypothetical) websites, including written narratives and artwork, her speech is protected. The court brought up District Chief Judge Tymkovich’s dissent, which remarked that if the state is allowed to place limitations on Smith’s artwork, it must regulate all works of art.

“I think the court was very careful here to say that it was this particular website that she was creating — it’s not [that] all websites are automatically speech,” Mallory observed. “To say it’s all websites is really broad… It’s really about how she used stories, how she used photos… Bringing her own creative touch and expertise was all super relevant to the court here. I think that the creative, personalized, expressive aspect was super important to the court here, so I don’t think this was necessarily a broad expansion of what speech is.”

The court concluded that the CADA would (hypothetically) force Smith to speak if it required her to offer her services to LGBTQ+ couples seeking a wedding website, as Smith does not agree with samesex marriage. The majority determined that any punishment or repercussions she would face if the Colorado law were to be invoked would be unconstitutional.

“If she wishes to speak, she must either speak as the State demands or face sanctions for expressing her own beliefs,” Gorsuch wrote. “Sanctions that may include compulsory participation in ‘remedial ... training,’ filing periodic compliance reports, and paying monetary fines. That is an impermissible abridgement of the First Amendment’s right to speak freely.”

Specific distinctions The court made many distinctions to justify its ruling. The majority determined that Smith’s refusal to create websites for same-sex couples looking to wed was not discrimination, because Smith agreed to create other services for LGBTQ+ people, just as long as those did not advocate for anything against her personal beliefs.

“She has never created expressions that contradict her own views for anyone — whether that means generating works that encourage violence, demean another person, or defy her religious beliefs by, say, promoting atheism,” the court determined.

The court also clarified that this decision does not permit discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community on the grounds of religion; it only pertains to free speech.

Had Smith’s defense leaned on her right to religious freedom, the verdict very well could have gone in a different direction.

A recent study out of UCLA and the University of Chicago has also found that most Americans do not support discrimination against LGBTQ+ people on the grounds of religion.

“The majority of Americans opposed using religious beliefs to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people in the three sectors we looked at — which were employment, healthcare, and public accommodations,” Mallory said. “The issues are a little bit different here. We didn’t ask about free speech protections, but it’s just the result of the Supreme Court interpreting the Constitution …and applies the protections versus what the general public thinks should happen.”

Furthermore, the court ruled that because same-sex couples in Colorado have other options for website design companies, because Smith does not hold a monopoly over the industry, and because her services are non-necessity, her refusal to serve them will not cause harm.

Legal experts, like Mallory, believe this is not the case. “I would say that after this case, we will continue to see folks attempting to turn away LGBTQ+ people and same-sex couples based on probably very similar rationale,” Mallory said.

“Of course, the court’s reasoning was very specific to the facts of this case, so they don’t really set out a clear rule here for

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Photo by Kevin Lamarque / Reuters

“Just as a business open to the public may not refuse to serve customers based on race, religion, or sexual orientation, so too the business may not hang a sign that says, ‘No Blacks, No Muslims, No Gays.’” determining when the First Amendment would protect those refusals versus when it wouldn’t, but [it suggests] there are times when it will not, and obviously the holding suggests there are times when it will, so that’s going to have to be determined by a case-by-case basis.”

The queens of the court dissent Of course, not all members of the court agreed with the ruling. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote a lengthy dissent.

“Today, the Court, for the first time in its history, grants a business open to the public a constitutional right to refuse to serve members of a protected class,” Sotomayor said.

“Our Constitution contains no right to refuse service to a disfavored group. I dissent,” she continued.

Sotomayor pointed out that just because Smith’s business offers customizable and artistic options for clientele does not mean it should be considered art or free speech.

“A majority of the Court agrees that because the business offers services that are customized and expressive, the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment shields the business from a generally applicable law that prohibits discrimination in the sale of publicly available goods and services,” Sotomayor explained. “That is wrong. Profoundly wrong.”

In their dissent, Sotomayor, Kagan, and Brown-Jackson pointed out that CADA does not regulate speech but conduct.

They also brought to attention the fact that CADA’s communication clause makes it unlawful for a business to explicitly state

[since] now they might be turned away, and we know that fear can have a negative response in people even absent from experiencing discrimination.”

The court’s decision will have an effect not only on Colorado’s public accommodations laws but on any state that has similar laws. The ruling will not have any impact on states without public accommodations laws.

“This is only going to affect cases in states that have protections,” Mallory said.

“There are no federal-level protections from public-accommodation discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, so there is nothing to stop a business from discriminating against LGBTQ+ people in states that don’t have protective laws.

It will only change the status quo for people in states that have protections.”

its intent to refuse service to anyone based Playing by the rules on protected traits.

The dissenting justices also pointed out “Just as a business open to the public may that Smith’s participation in the public marnot refuse to serve customers based on race, ket means she must play by the rules. They religion, or sexual orientation, so too the argued that if she offered her services for business may not hang a sign that says, ‘No free, they could be considered artwork and Blacks, No Muslims, No Gays,’” she added. “protected speech,” but because she aims to profit off of her business, she must comply Repercussions with the laws that regulate the market.

Public accommodations laws provide “If a business chooses to profit from the equal access to publicly available goods public market, which is established and and services and ensure equal dignity in the maintained by the state, the state may common market. The dissenting justices require the business to abide by a legal explained one of the purposes for such laws. norm of nondiscrimination,” Sotomayor Sotomayor reminded the court that pub- explained. “In particular, the state may licly refusing service to a group of pro- ensure that groups historically marked for tected individuals has widespread reper- second-class status are not denied goods or cussions, even if there is another option services on equal terms.” willing to provide services.

Throughout the dissent, Sotomayor, “When a young Jewish girl and her par- Kagan, and Brown-Jackson noted the disents come across a business with a sign out crimination the LGBTQ+ community has front that says, “‘No dogs or Jews allowed,’’ faced throughout US history, and the conthe fact that another business might serve tinued fight that is taking a toll on many as her family does not redress that “stigmatiz- more states push to write laws which harm ing injury,’” Sotomayor remarked. “This or erase them. The court’s ruling was about ostracism, this otherness, is among the more than just a hypothetical website, and most distressing feelings that can be felt by the impacts of their decision will be felt for our social species.” a long time to come.

“I think people understandably had a very “I fear that the symbolic damage of the negative response to hearing this come Court’s opinion is done,” Sotomayor down from the court,” Mallory said. “One expressed. “But that does not mean that of the main things will be that it can instill we are powerless in the face of the decia lot of fear in folks and they can be wor- sion. The meaning of our Constitution ried about going to seek services and being is found not in any law volume but in the afraid of being turned away. [In] states with spirit of the people who live under it. Every nondiscrimination laws on the book that business owner in America has a choice would have applied to such a situation, they whether to live out the values in the Conmay feel that they now have lost their con- stitution. Make no mistake: invidious disfidence in being able to approach providers crimination is not one of them.” for their weddings or other related services

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National/International News National news highlights

by Daniel Lindsley SGN Staff Writer Anti-Trans bills dying in district courts During the wave of state bans on genderaffirming medical care for Trans youth, US district court judges have struck down six of them on grounds that they infringe on equal protection under the 14th Amendment. Twenty states in total have passed such anti-Trans measures.

“It’s quite noteworthy that the results in these cases have so far been so consistent,” said Tobias Wolff, a University of Pennsylvania law professor. “And it’s not because the law in this area was such a slam dunk.

It’s because the facts are so clearly against these laws.”

Lambda Legal’s executive director, Kevin Jennings, seemed to agree. “The courts are starting to find very consistently that these laws are ridiculous. They violate the Equal Protection Clause, they’re motivated by animus not science, and they serve no state interest.”

Even judges appointed by former President Donald Trump have deemed genderaffirming care medically necessary for Trans youth.

“Courts are really taking time to understand and recognize the humanity of the families and children impacted by these bans,” said the Human Rights Campaign’ litigation director, Cynthia Cheng-Wun Weaver.

Photo by Jeenah Moon / Reuters

health care for minors, restrict Trans students’ participation in school sports, and limit classroom discussion about identity and sexuality.

The Republican supermajority in both houses of the state legislature means the North Carolina vetoes vetoes are shaky, however. unlikely to stick North Carolina has avoided LGBTQ Gov. Roy Cooper has vetoed three more issues since the 2016 “bathroom bill” cost bills passed by the North Carolina Sen- the state millions in lost business. Cooper ate. The bills would ban gender-affirming warned that anti-Trans bills could have

similar repercussions.

Cooper also said, “Parents are the most essential educators for their children and their involvement must be encouraged, but this bill will scare teachers into silence by injecting fear and uncertainty into classrooms.”

Earlier this year, some North Carolina teachers said they would protest any bills that would make schools unsafe places for LGBTQ students.

“By trying to tie my hands on that, it means that I won’t be able to have a voice for the kids who need an adult to speak up for them the loudest,” said art teacher Gretchen Phillips. “My job is to be there for them as they’re figuring out who they are, and if I can’t be that for them and support them as they are, then I can’t even begin to teach them.”

International news highlights

by Daniel Lindsley SGN Staff Writer “A real slap in the face” from the Church of England The General Synod of the Church of England is gathering again this weekend to deliberate on two LGBTQ-related issues: how priests could carry out blessings for same-sex couples, and how to protect vicars who might choose not to pray over the union of such couples.

The church agreed to discuss such issues in February, deepening the cracks between its flock at home and those abroad.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, urged the clergy last year to “abound in love for all,” but still supported a 1998 resolution that declared “homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture.”

Bishop Sarah Mullally said in June, “This has not been an easy period for people right across a range of traditions, and we know that has maybe been harder since February than it may have been before.”

Sasha Misra, associate director of communications at Stonewall, told Reuters that “faith is important to many LGBTQ+ people, which is why the Synod’s suggestion that blessings be provided in place of marriage [is] a real slap in the face to our communities.”

Trans woman applies for Miss Venezuela pageant Model and influencer Sofia Salomón might not be the first Trans woman to apply to the Miss Venezuela pageant, but if she is accepted, she will be the first to participate.

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Archbishop of Canterbury Justing Welby – Photo by Tony Melville / Reuters

“I think it is a great platform to bring visibility to my community, echo the positive things, and show people the reality of Transgender women,” Salomón said.

Last year she finished in the top six of Miss International Queen, the world’s largest beauty pageant for Trans women, and

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during the event, she mentioned a case in which another Trans citizen, Tamar Adrián — who also became the country’s first Trans lawmaker in 2015 — has been fighting to change her gender markers on her birth certificate.

“I would like that law changed so Trans

women could be accepted with the name they feel more safe,” Salomón said.

Miss Venezuela winners go on to compete in the international contest, Miss Universe, which opened to Trans competitors in 2012.

C E L E B R AT I N G 4 9 Y E A R S!

In The District Court of the State of Washington for the county of King John Evans, Petitioner vs.

No. 22CIV01224KCX Vitaly Kurlykov, Respondent The state of Washington to Vitaly Kurlykov: You are hereby summoned to appear on the 26th day of July, 2023, at 1:15p.m., and respond to the petition. If you fail to respond, a protection order will be issued against you pursuant to the provisions of chapter 7.105 RCW, for a minimum of one year from the date you are required to appear. A temporary protection order has been issued against you, restraining you from the following: (having any contact with Petitioner or coming within 250 feet of Petitioner residence or place of employment). A copy of the petition, notice of hearing, and temporary protection order has been filed with the clerk of this court. Petitioner John Evans

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