SGN June 24, 2016 - Pride - Section 1

Celebrating 42 Years!

Issue 26 Volume 44

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Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

John Lewis leads Republican official apologizes House sit-in to force for anti-Gay actions vote on gun bills

Utah Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox – fox13now.com

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer At last! A Republican officeholder has publicly apologized for his previous anti-Gay actions.

John Lewis – wikimedia.org

Utah Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox spoke at a vigil for the victims of the Orlando massacre on June 13 and surprised the crowd by apologizing to them for anti-Gay actions see AT LAST page 13

Bank of America branches now Safe Places for LGBTQ community

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Civil rights icon John Lewis led a sitin in the US House of Representatives on

June 22 in hopes of forcing Republican leaders to bring gun control measures to the floor for a vote.

Some 40 Democratic congressmemsee JOHN LEWIS page 7

Local nightclubs step up safety for Pride festivities

For Orlando – Photo by Kate Clark

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor

Bank of America – foolcdn.com

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Bank of America announced June 23 that all 37 of the company’s Seattle financial centers are participating in the Seat-

tle Police Department’s (SPD) Safe Place initiative.

The bank joins more than 1,600 other businesses, organizations, and schools see B OF A page 6

In the wake of the Pulse Nightclub mass shooting, which left 49 dead and 53 injured after a crazed gunman entered the Orlando nightclub in the early morning hours of June 12, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray directed the Seattle Police Department to have as many officers as pos-

sible on duty throughout Pride weekend.

“The increased public presence of police on Capitol Hill over the past week was intended to send a clear message,” said the mayor. “We can’t be afraid.”

Murray says he will activate the city’s Emergency Operations Center, which allows increased coordination between city see NIGHTCLUBS page 6

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Florida assistant state attorney suspended in wake of Orlando shooting Denounces Orlando residents in angry Facebook post

Assistant State Attorney Keneth Lewis – newsinc.com

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer A Florida legal official has been suspended after denouncing the residents of Orlando in an angry Facebook post.

Assistant State Attorney Kenneth Lewis posted the hateful message less than a week after the massacre at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub and was relieved of his official duties the next day.

“Downtown Orlando has no bottom,” Lewis wrote.

“The entire city should be leveled. It is void of a single redeeming quality. It is

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a melting pot of 3rd world miscreants and ghetto thugs. It is void of culture. If you live down there you do it at your own risk and at your own peril. If you go down there after dark there is seriously something wrong with you. Disney does everything in its power to shield visitors of Disney from its northern blight. That doesn’t change reality. Disney may be the happiest place on earth but Orlando is a national embarrassment. If this is an act of a domestic terrorist it is so very important that we don’t publish the religion, name or motive of the terrorist as not to offend anyone.”

State Attorney spokesperson Angela Starke announced that Lewis would be sus-

pended for violating the state’s social media policy, which every employee of the State Attorney’s office is required to sign and adhere to.

This was not Lewis’s first Facebook faux pas. In 2014 he was investigated for another controversial post.

“Happy Mother’s Day to all you crack hoes out there,” he wrote at that time. “It’s never too late to tie your tubes, clean up your life…”

The investigation cleared him of charges that he might have personal bias against potential defendants that his office might prosecute.

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NIGHTCLUBS continued from cover

agencies. The mayor said it was part of the extra precautions the city is taking in the wake of the Orlando tragedy.

Activating the center equips the city to better respond to emergencies says Barb Graff, director of the Office of Emergency Management.

The mission of Seattle’s Emergency Operations Center is to minimize the impact of emergencies on the community through coordinated planning, information-sharing, and resource management between all city departments, partnering agencies, and the public.

Murray addressed a crowd of business owners, police and fire officials, nonprofit leaders, and community organizers at Poquitos (1000 E. Pike St.) during a Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce safety event on Monday. The event, dubbed the Public Safety Happy Hour, was well attended; Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole was there, as was Cameron Black, who runs a security staffing company with several of his employees working in Capitol Hill bars and restaurants. Security personnel from his firm, MacGregor Event Staffing, will be using metal-detecting wands at Capitol Hill venues.

Hundreds of people, particularly those who work in security and nightlife venues, attended city-sponsored “active shooter” trainings on Capitol Hill June 21–23. Jeff Geoghagan, a member of the SPD’s SWAT team, is leading the training sessions at the Cloud Room co-working space on 11th Avenue and at Neighbours

Nightclub (1509 Broadway). His training focuses on what he calls the ABCs: avoid, barricade, combat.

It is important to note that the F.B.I. has stated that there is no known threat to public safety or evidence that anyone is planning a copycat crime in Seattle.

Still, officials maintain that participants and revelers at both the Pride Parade and PrideFest should remain vigilant.

The Department of Homeland Security wants the public to remember, “If you see something, say something.”

To report suspicious activity, contact SPD. Describe specifically what you observed, including: who or what you saw; when you saw it; where it occurred; and why it's suspicious.

Suspicious activity is any observed behavior that could indicate terrorism or terrorism-related crime. This includes, but is not limited to: * Unusual items or situations: a vehicle is parked in an odd location, a package/luggage is unattended, a window/ door is open that is usually closed, or other out-of-the-ordinary situations occur. * Eliciting information: a person questions individuals at a level beyond curiosity about a building’s purpose, operations, security procedures and/or personnel, shift changes, etc. * Observation/surveillance: someone pays unusual attention to facilities or buildings beyond a casual or professional interest. This includes extended loitering without explanation (particularly in concealed locations); unusual, repeated, and/ or prolonged observation of a building

(e.g., with binoculars or video camera); taking notes or measurements; counting paces; sketching floor plans, etc.

“Some of these activities could be innocent – it’s up to law enforcement to determine whether the behavior warrants investigation,” DHS officials said. “The activities mentioned are not all-inclusive, but have been compiled based on studies of pre-operational aspects of both successful and thwarted terrorist events over several years.”

Remember, if there is an emergency, call 9-1-1.

The "If You See Something, Say Something" campaign respects citizens' privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties by emphasizing behavior, rather than appearance, in identifying suspicious activity. Factors such as race, ethnicity, and/ or religious affiliation are not regarded as suspicious. The public should only report suspicious behavior and situations (e.g., an unattended backpack or package, or someone breaking into a restricted area).

Only reports that document behavior that is reasonably indicative of criminal activity related to terrorism will be shared with federal partners.

“Informed, alert communities play a critical role in keeping our nation safe,” said DHS officials. “The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is committed to strengthening hometown security by creating partnerships with state, local, tribal, and territorial governments and the private sector, as well as the communities they serve. These partners help us reach the public across the nation by

aligning their messaging with the campaign’s messages and distributing outreach materials, including public service announcements.”

In addition, President Obama and several other dignitaries are visiting Seattle this weekend just as Seattle Pride gets underway, which means it’s time to start planning for traffic impacts around the city.

Downtown streets, arterials, and some freeway on- and off-ramps will be subject to intermittent closures throughout the weekend, altering normal traffic flow of buses and cars through downtown.

Travelers should expect delays and are advised to plan ahead on June 24, 25, and 26. Buses on surface streets in the north part of downtown will be rerouted; check with King County Metro Alert for routes impacted. The South Lake Union Streetcar will continue to operate, but the stop at the Westlake Hub at McGraw Square will remain closed. The downtown transit tunnel is expected to remain open and operating.

Roads in Capitol Hill and downtown Seattle will also be impacted by weekend Pride festivities. On Sunday, Fourth Avenue will close from Union Street to Denny Way between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. for the Pride Parade. A portion of Second Avenue will also close as part of the parade’s route into Seattle Center.

NOM hired gun back in town

Chris Plante was spokesman for campaigns against marriage equality

Chris Plante – amazonaws.com

By Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

B OF A

continued from cover

to offer a place of safe refuge for the LGBTQ community and anyone else experiencing violence or harassment.

“Valuing diversity among our employees and across the communities we serve is essential to fulfilling Bank of America’s purpose of making peoples’ financial lives better,” said Anthony Diblasi, the bank’s market president for Seattle and state president for Washington. “Diversity makes us stronger. It makes us better and allows us to achieve our business strategy and create thriving economies.

In the wake of the tragedy in Orlando, our commitment to participate in the SPD Safe Place initiative has taken on new meaning and amplifies the importance of protecting and supporting all members of

6 Seattle Gay News

Veteran anti-LGBT operative Chris Plante is back in Washington state to work on I-1515, the initiative that seeks to bar Transgender residents from gender-appropriate restrooms.

Plante, who is now on retainer for the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), was last in Washington in 2012, working for Preserve Marriage Washington in its failed effort to prevent marriage equality.

According to a statement from Plante to The Stranger, he was asked by Just Want Privacy – the ironically named group pushing I-1515 – to help energize their petition campaign.

I-1515 is reportedly substantially short

of the approximately 246,000 signatures it needs to qualify for the November ballot.

The campaign itself has committed to getting 325,000 names to ensure they will have at least the required number.

In his past incarnations, Plante was executive director of NOM Rhode Island, where he successfully bullied state legislators into blocking a marriage equality bill that most of them had committed to vote for.

After his win there, NOM sent him to other states: New Hampshire, Minnesota, and now Washington.

As a NOM operative, Plante was the architect of a wedge strategy seeking to divide the LGBT and African-American communities by recruiting fringe African-American pastors to denounce samesex relationships as satanic. The hope was

that LGBT spokespeople would then respond in kind and attack African-Americans as bigots.

Plante’s strategy failed – the NAACP endorsed marriage equality and most African-American churches stayed out of the fight – but Plante’s divisive tactics introduced new nastiness into NOM’s politics.

Plante also pioneered the tactic of fear-mongering around children, now being used by the I-1515 campaign. Same-sex couples raising children, Plante once warned, would “turn children into little teacup dogs – it’s an accessory to put in my purse.”

Anti-Trans forces have until July 8 to submit enough petitions to qualify I-1515 for the ballot. According to their website, they currently have only 43,241 names.

our community.”

SPD launched the Safe Place initiative in 2015, alongside Social Outreach Seattle (SOSea), with the purpose of addressing hate crimes and harassment.

“SPD Safe Place unites businesses and community organizations with law enforcement to help victims of bias crimes,” said SPD Chief Kathleen O’Toole. “I want to thank Bank of America for standing with us to ensure the safety of our diverse communities.”

As part of the program, a Safe Place decal that features the rainbow pride flag inside the shield of a police officer’s badge will be displayed on the doors of BofA’s 37 locations across the city (within SPD’s service area). The company’s employees also received training by SPD to call 911 if a bias crime occurs and to

provide safe harbor within the financial center until the police arrive.

“SPD Safe Place brings together businesses and community organizations to stand against hate and intolerance,” said Seattle Mayor Ed Murray. “I am happy that businesses like Bank of America are joining our efforts to make Seattle a safe, inclusive city.”

Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) began serving Washington more than 140 years ago and is Seattle’s largest bank by retail deposit market share. The company is prepared to evaluate further participation in the Safe Place program that may be enacted by other communities and law enforcement agencies across Washington.

Bank officials say they strive to foster a workplace where employees are em-

powered to bring their authentic selves to work, leading to an inclusive culture where people can share their diverse perspectives and create value for customers and clients in doing so. The bank also continues to develop strategies, products, and services and a wide range of investment, banking, and wealth transfer capabilities that benefit and support the unique needs of its LGBTQ customers and clients. One of the world's leading financial institutions, Bank of America serves individual consumers, small and midsized businesses, and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management, and other financial and risk management products and services.

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LGBTQ groups call for unity in the wake of Orlando shooting (Statement dated June 13, 2016) We the undersigned organizations working on the front lines of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) movement share in the profound grief for those who were killed and many more who were wounded during Latin Night at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Their lives were lost or forever altered in this devastating act of violence targeting LGBTQ people. Our hearts go out to all the family and friends touched by this horrific act.

We know their lives will never be the same again.

This national tragedy happened against the backdrop of anti-LGBTQ legislation sweeping this country and we must not forget that in this time of grief. Unity and organized response in the face of hatred is what we owe the fallen and the grieving.

Collective resolve across national, racial and political lines will be required to turn the tide against anti-LGBTQ violence. Our response to this horrific act, committed by one individual, will have deep impact on Muslim communities in this country and around the world. We as an intersectional movement cannot allow anti-Muslim sentiment to be the focal point as it distracts from the larger issue, which is the epidemic of violence that LGBTQ people, including those in the Muslim community, are facing in this country.

The animus and violence toward LGBTQ people is not news to our community. It is our history, and it is our reality. In 1973, 32 LGBTQ people died in an arson fire at an LGBTQ Upstairs Lounge in New Orleans. More than forty years later, similar acts of anti-LGBTQ violence are commonplace. Crimes motivated by bias due to sexual orientation and gender identity were the second largest set of hate crimes documented by the FBI in 2015 (over 20 percent). Murders and violence against transgender people globally have taken more than 2000 lives over the last nine years.

JOHN LEWIS continued from cover

bers followed Lewis, including Seattle Reps. Jim McDermott and Adam Smith.

According to Raw Story, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) left a meeting to join the sit-in after his mother called his office and told his staff that she wanted him there.

The Democrats stood briefly during the Pledge of Allegiance and then returned to sitting on the floor, chanting “No bill, no break!” The House had been scheduled to wrap up business by June 23 and then go on break through the Fourth of July holiday.

"Sometimes you have to do something out of the ordinary. Sometimes you have to make a way out of no way. We have been too quiet for too long," Lewis said.

"There comes a time when you have to say something, when you have to make a little noise, when you have to move your feet. This is the time. Now is the time to get in the way. The time to act is now. We

Marriage Equality USA Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce National Black Justice Coalition National Center for Lesbian Rights National Center for Transgender Equality National LGBTQ Task Force National Minority Aids Council (NMAC) National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) National Religious Leadership Roundtable The New York City Anti-Violence Project Out & Equal Workplace Advocates Out Leadership OutRight International OutServe-SLDN The Palette Fund PFLAG National Pride at Work Queerability Religious Institute Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) Southerners On New Ground SPARTA SpeakOUT Boston Stonewall National Museum & Archives The T*Circle Collective Tarab NYC Transgender Education Network of Texas Trans People of Color Coalition Trans United Fund Transgender Law Center The Trevor Project The Williams Institute

Bias crimes against US immigrant populations, which include significant numbers of LGBTQ people, have increased over the past decade as anti-immigrant rhetoric has escalated.

For those of us who carry multiple marginalized identities, the impact of this violence and discrimination has even more severe consequences. These intersectional identities and their ramifications are apparent at every level in the Orlando tragedy, which disproportionately affected Latino/a members of our communities, and has xenophobic consequences that threaten LGBTQ Muslims. According to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP), there were 24 reports of hate violence related homicides in 2015, and 62% of those victims were LGBTQ people of color. Transgender and gender nonconforming people made up 67% of the homicides, the majority of whom were transgender women of color. The violence against transgender and gender nonconforming people has continued into 2016 with 13 reported individual homicides this year alone. NCAVP research on hate violence shows that LGBTQ people experience violence not only by strangers, but also in their everyday environments by employers, coworkers, landlords and neighbors. The Orlando shooting is simply an extreme instance of the kind of violence that LGBTQ people encounter every day.

As LGBTQ people who lived through the AIDS crisis, we know what it looks like and feels like to be scapegoated and isolated in the midst of a crisis that actually requires solidarity, empathy and collaboration from all quarters. We appeal to all in our movement and all who support us to band together in rejecting hatred and violence in all its shape shifting forms. Let us stand united as a diverse LGBTQ community of many faiths, ethnicities, nationalities and backgrounds.

Arcus Foundation Athlete Ally Auburn Seminary Believe Out Loud BiNet USA Bisexual Resource Center Center for Black Equity, Inc. The Center for LGBTQ and Gender Studies in Religion at Pacific School of Religion CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center (CREEC) Congregation Beit Simchat Torah The Consortium of Higher Education LGBT Resource Professionals The Council for Global Equality Courage Campaign Equality Federation Faith in America Family Equality Council The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries Freedom for All Americans Freedom to Work GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) Gay Men’s Health Crisis The Gill Foundation GLAAD GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality GLSEN Genders and Sexualities Alliance Network GroundSpark The Harvey Milk Foundation Human Rights Campaign interACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth International Imperial Court System The Johnson Family Foundation Lambda Legal MAP

will be silent no more."

The action temporarily prevented the House from being gaveled into session, but as SGN goes to press the House has recessed for its break, and there is no sign that Speaker Paul Ryan will yield and bring gun control measures to the floor.

“Today, I was proud to join Congressman John Lewis and Congresswoman Katherine Clark as they led House Democrats in a sit-in to call for action on common-sense gun reforms,” Smith said in a June 22 statement.

“My fellow Democrats and I took to the floor to demand that gun safety legislation finally be allowed a vote by the full House of Representatives. The time is long past due for action. It is shameful that Republican leadership has failed to listen to the American people. Speaker Ryan must change course – let us vote now to keep weapons out of the hands of dangerous terrorists and enact reforms that will reduce gun violence and keep our communities safe.”

The House action follows Senate votes

on four gun control bills, two offered

by Democrats and two by Republicans.

Those votes were forced by a 15-hour Democratic filibuster led by Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut.

According to MSNBC, Murphy walked to the House chamber to show support for the Democratic sit-in.

"You cannot stand down at a moment of peril for this country," he said.

Murphy was joined by 14 other Democratic senators, including Washington’s Sen. Patty Murray and presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders.

In largely party-line votes on June 20, the Senate rejected Murphy’s proposal to close the so-called “gun show loophole” by 44 votes to 56, and also voted down a proposal by Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) to bar suspected terrorist from buying guns, 47-53.

A measure submitted by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and supported by the National Rifle Association was also rejected, as was one from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to set aside more mon-

ey for federal background checks.

On June 13, the US Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to Connecticut’s ban on semiautomatic rifles. The law was passed in 2013 in the wake of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

While the high court’s decision not to hear the appeal leaves the Connecticut law in place, it does not establish a national precedent on the constitutionality of similar legislation.

In March, however, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that stun guns are protected under the Second Amendment, striking down a Massachusetts law that prohibited them.

In 2008 and again in 2010, the Supreme Court struck down laws intended to restrict private ownership of handguns.

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Trump meets with loathsome bigots, GetEQUAL disrupts press event

Activist staging a die-in – dailydot.com

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The LGBT activist group GetEQUAL disrupted a New York press conference featuring Donald Trump and his new Evangelical Executive Advisory Board on June 21.

The advisory board was billed as a way for fundamentalist Christian leaders to meet with Trump and “better understand him as a person.”

“The disruption called attention to hate-mongering by both right-wing leaders and Trump – creating the atmosphere that led to last week’s massacre in Orlan-

do – as well as the systemic violence that queer and trans people of color face every day,” GetEQUAL said in a press statement.

In the middle of the press conference, demonstrators began to chant “Take responsibility for Orlando,” “Your hate is killing us,” and “Your lies are killing us.”

“After the massacre in Orlando, it is vital to see the racist, xenophobic, and homophobic rhetoric peddled by Donald Trump and right-wing Christians for what it is: an incitement of violence,” Heather Cronk, co-director of GetEQUAL, said in a statement.

“Trump is in part responsible for the murder of the 49 primarily Latinx and

Black LGBTQ people at Pulse a week ago. GetEQUAL will hold him, and all of the institutions and individuals who have a role in stoking and supporting this kind of violence, accountable for their actions.”

“The incisive [sic] hate-mongering of Donald Trump and right-wing religious ‘leaders’ is responsible not only for the massacre in Orlando but also for the systemic violence that trans and queer people of color face everyday,” explained Angela Peoples, co-director of GetEQUAL and one of the disruptors.

“That violence doesn’t just happen in the streets or at nightclubs – it happens in the legislative chambers where rightwing politicians have passed over 250 bills restricting the rights of LGBTQ people and people of color.”

Later in the day, ACT UP New York staged a die-in at Trump Tower to protest the meeting.

More than 100 activists chanted “Donald Trump, Toxic Dump” and “Stop the Hate, Stop the Killing” while blocking the entrance to Trump’s headquarters and residence. Between the chants, community members spoke about the effects of violence and hate speech on the LGBT community.

“It’s awful that Donald Trump is using the Orlando massacre to push his agenda

of xenophobia and bigotry when in this case, the hatred came from an American who grew up amid the hateful religious rhetoric spread by evangelical leaders and right-wing politicians,” said ACT UP NY member Brandon Cuicchi.

Among those meeting with Trump were former congresswoman Michelle Bachman, Focus on the Family founder James Dobson, televangelist faith healer Kenneth Copeland, and pastors Richard Land, Harry Jackson, Ronnie Floyd, and Robert Jeffress.

Bachman and Dobson are probably too well known to require introductions to SGN readers.

Copeland is former protégé of Oral Roberts, who claims to be able to cure PTSD and Ebola though prayer. He has also been accused of skimming money from his TV ministry to finance his lavish lifestyle.

Land has labeled LGBT people as “satanic.” Jackson accuses Gay people of recruiting children and warns that demons back same-sex marriage. Floyd says that “Satan has taken his tool of homosexuality, a gross and evil sin, and done a con job on the American culture.” Jeffress claims that Gays and Lesbians are “perverse pedophiles” who practice “a miserable lifestyle.”

For people who “get” glasses.

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Hundreds protest hate-speaking Sacramento pastor

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Nearly 1,000 members and supporters of Sacramento’s LGBT community surrounded Verity Baptist Church on June 19 to protest hate speech by Pastor Roger Jimenez.

The previous Sunday, only hours after news of the horrific Orlando massacre broke on the West Coast, Jimenez denounced the victims and called for executions of all LGBT people.

“There’s no tragedy,” Jimenez said. “I wish the government would round them all up, put them up against a firing wall, put a firing squad in front of them, and blow their brains out.”

According to the Sacramento Bee, demonstrators came from all over California to picket Jimenez’s church in response to his hateful remarks. Among them was the owner of a Gay bar in Pasadena who drove up with two employees after closing time Saturday night.

At 10:45 a.m., the organizers of the rally

held a moment of silence for the victims of the Orlando shooting. Then they began to read the names. After the 49 names were read, the crowd began to chant “not one more.”

Many held photos of the victims and rainbow flags. Signs said “We are all Orlando,” and “Love conquers hate.”

Openly Gay city councilman Steve Hansen hand-delivered an additional 200 signs for the event after organizers ran out of the 400 he gave them initially. Hansen had the signs printed with campaign funds left over from his re-election campaign, which he won on June 7.

“I heard from people around the country – my friends from D.C., my family in Minnesota – that they’d heard about this minister, and I wanted to make sure that one person, just like in Orlando, doesn’t destroy all the goodwill, all the positiveness,” Hansen said. “And what we’ve seen today is a lot of love.”

Lifting Up Jesus Church, in the same office park as Verity, opened its restrooms for use by protesters.

At least 30 sheriff’s deputies and California Highway Patrol officers were on hand to keep the crowd back and control

traffic, as about 75 worshippers entered and exited the church.

Protesters gather outside of a Sacramento Church to speak out against comments made – newsserve.net

Asian Family Acceptance Workshop Tour comes to Seattle on Sunday, July 10 to bring families together and save lives To offer guidance and support to the parents of LGBT Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Pacific Islander (API) children, The National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) has launched the Asian Family Acceptance Workshop Tour to help Asian parents support their LGBT children. These unique workshops will visit twelve major American cities throughout the year.

The workshop will be presented in Seattle on Sunday, July 10, from 3-5pm at El Centro de la Raza, 2524 16th Avenue S., Room 309, Seattle WA. The parents who will speak at the workshop are: Manjula and Balan: Manjula and Balan are from Redmond, Washington. Originally from India, they moved to the United States five and eight years ago, respectively. They are parents to a transgender teen daughter. Manjula is a member of PFLAG Bellevue and is involved with community outreach efforts working towards further integrating the LGBTQ community in the society.

Marsha Aizumi: Marsha is an author, speaker, educator and advocate for the LGBT community, a cause she embraced due in large part to the personal struggle and bullying her transgender son experienced from middle school on. Marsha serves on the PFLAG National Board of Directors, an organization that supports, educates and advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender families. In this role, she hopes to bring greater resources and awareness to the Asian Pacific Islander (API) and transgender communities. She is also the co-founder and current President of the PFLAG chapter in San Gabriel Valley focusing on the API community. This is the first and only API PFLAG chapter in the 40-year history of this organization.

The workshop will be moderated by Glenn Magpantay, Executive Director of NQAPIA. It will offer culturally appropriate peer-support and practical steps to empower API parents to support their LGBT children in the coming-out process. The workshop will be offered in English. How-

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ever, Manjula and Balan also speak Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, and Telugu.

“Though many LGBT Asians are out in the community, they go back into the closet in their families, fearful of coming out to parents and dishonoring them,” said Glenn Magpantay, Executive Director of NQAPIA. “The result is self-loathing, depression and suicide. Our Asian Family Acceptance Workshop Tour gives parents the tools to break down the closet door for their children, by offering unconditional love and acceptance. These workshops will strengthen families and save lives.”

The parents appearing at the workshops are involved in NQAPIA’s new Asian Family Acceptance Campaign, a landmark series of emotionally-moving TV ads entitled “Family Is Still Family.” Additional workshops will be held in the following cities: Boston: Sept 24, 1-3:00pm (venue TBD); Houston: Oct 8, 1-3pm (venue TBD); Chicago: Oct 11, 4-8pm (Christ Church of Chicago, 6047 N. Rockwell St.); Los Angeles:

Oct 15, (Japanese American National Museum, 100 N. Central Avenue); Garden Grove, CA: Nov. 5, 3-5pm (venue TBD); San Diego: Nov. 6, 1-3pm (venue TBD); Denver: date TBD (venue TBD).

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The National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) is a federation of LGBTQ Asian American, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander organizations. NQAPIA seeks to build the capacity of local LGBT API organizations, invigorate grassroots organizing, develop leadership, and challenge homophobia, racism, and anti-immigrant bias. NQAPIA is an independent non-profit organization.

The National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) is on the Web at NQAPIA.org. On Facebook at facebook. com/NQAPIA and on Twitter at @NQAPIA. Courtesy of NQAPIA

A fitting memorial Entre Hermanos hosts Altar of the Dead honoring victims of the Orlando massacre

Inside Entre Hermanos on 23rd Avenue an altar stands in honor of those murdered in an Orlando gay nightclub on Latin Night – Photo by Cox Media Group

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor The horrific violence that claimed the lives of 49 people, nearly all of whom were Latino, LGBTQ, or both, hit home for local LGBTQ Latino nonprofit Entre Hermanos.

Just hours after the attack, the organization sent a statement to supporters and local media that “Entre Hermanos is

eternally grateful for the numerous gestures of love and support received as a result of the tragic event in Orlando. These gestures have let us know our worth, that there are many people that have evolved and are genuine allies, and that we are not alone.”

Entre Hermanos then invited the general public to help build an altar to honor the memory of those who lost their life during the Latino LGBTQ Night at Pulse

in Orlando on June 12.

“Altars honoring the dead are part of our Latino culture and they play an important role in our grieving process,” said Entre Hermanos officials. “This altar provides us with a way to pay our respects and express our collective grief at the tragic loss of many Latino LGBTQ lives in Orlando.”

Entre Hermanos offered their office space during business hours to anyone

who would like to drop by and leave a flower, a candle, a note, or a poem, or who simply needs a place to sit and elevate a prayer.

On Friday at 6 p.m., there was space for everyone to express their grief and talk about how they feel. They also offered a non-denominational prayer as well as songs.

“Entre Hermanos would like to take a moment to encourage everyone to avoid falling in the trap of hate and discrimination against our Muslim brothers and sisters,” said officials. “Instead, we advocate for a stronger commitment to fight homophobia and Islamophobia. Our solidarity to our Muslim LGBTQ brothers and sisters.”

Entre Hermanos’ mission is to promote the health and well-being of the Latino LGBTQ community in a culturally appropriate environment through disease prevention, education, support services, advocacy, and community building. Entre Hermanos came into being by the initiative of a group of LGBT Latinos/as who saw the need for social, educational, and health support services in their community in the spring of 1991 and received federal nonprofit status in 2001. Entre Hermanos hosts Seattle’s longest-running Latino LGBTQ Night at Neighbors Nightclub, every Sunday night starting at 10 p.m.

SGN INTERVIEW: Anthony Gipe, candidate for Superior Court Judge

Anthony Gipe – twitter.com

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Anthony Gipe, currently president of the Washington State Bar Association, is running for Superior Court Judge position 52.

He’s around to do that only because, as a boy, he liked to sleep late. Gipe grew up near

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Mt. St. Helens, and he was on the mountain on May 18, 1980, the day it had a major eruption.

“We were fishing on the south side,” Gipe recalls. “We were supposed to be on the north side, but I slept in that morning and we were too late to get to the north side.

“My stepfather was so mad at me, but had we gone, we’d all have been killed in the explosion.”

If Gipe liked his sleep when he was young, it’s given him an extra quantum of energy as an adult. In addition to full-time work as a trial lawyer, Gipe estimates he spends “20 to 30 hours a week” on Bar Association business.

He has also worked pro bono as general counsel to several LGBT organizations, including ERW and Capitol City Pride.

Gipe married Terry, his partner of 10 years, in February, and together they have two children. Gipe also maintains an active relationship with his niece and nephew, the children of his late brother.

It was his work as a trial lawyer that convinced him to run for judge, Gipe says.

“I’ve always thought being a judge was the best job if you like trials,” he explains. “You get to manage them every day.

“I decided this is what I want to do. As a judge I’m in charge of seeing that the process works fairly for everyone, that they feel the court respects them, that everyone leaves feeling they had a fair chance.”

The law is actually Gipe’s second career.

“I started in naval intelligence as an interpreter in Russian,” Gipe says. “I served in the

June 24, 2016

first Gulf War [1990-1991] and earned a Navy Achievement Medal.

“I served till 1994,” he continues. “Six months after Don’t Ask Don’t Tell – it had become common knowledge by that time that I was Gay – I had a hard conversation with people who advised me, ‘you should resign and move on with your life.’ I wasn’t forced out, but some friends were forced out.”

Gipe then moved to Seattle and decided to study civil rights law.

“I thought rather than be mad, I’ll train to be an advocate,” he recalls.

“Eventually I got into family law. You know, 20 years ago, there was no family law that applied to LGBT families. You couldn’t get married, you couldn’t even have domestic partnerships. Everything had to be done by wills and contracts.

“Then, by handling LGBT families, I got good at handling all families,” he grins.

Now, 95% of Gipe’s work involves family law, personal injury, or discrimination cases.

It’s a background that makes him especially qualified for the Superior Court bench, he says.

“The Superior Court handles 50,000 cases each year,” Gipe explains. “It’s a court of general jurisdiction, which means literally any kind of case can come before the Superior Court. The only ones that don’t start there are federal questions.

“Of those, 70-80% are family law cases.

Of those that go to trial, 75% are civil cases and 25% are criminal cases.”

His opponent in the race is a prosecutor with experience only in criminal trials, Gipe points out.

“It’s important who we elect,” he says. “A person who’s done nothing but criminal prosecution, they represent the state, they don’t represent individuals.

“In most family law cases, you need the court to settle it. There may be drugs and alcohol involved. Maybe the parties can’t agree on division of property. Sometimes certain allegations get made. The rhetoric may be harmful to the other person.

“Now throw in domestic violence, throw in child abuse, it’s even worse. When you deal with family relationships you deal with all the quirks of society.

“The desk book on family law practice is this thick!” Gipe exclaims, holding his hands almost two feet apart. “If the judge doesn’t know the law or doesn’t have experience with these cases…” he shakes his head.

Asked if his experiences as a Gay man would influence his decisions as a judge, Gipe smiles.

“The ‘wise Latina woman,’” he says, referring to an often-quoted statement by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotormayor.

“Any judge who cannot admit that life experiences shape decision-making is not being honest. We’re informed by our experiences.

The test is whether experiences irrationally override decision-making.

“A crucial quality is empathy. Without that, the result is less than ideal.”

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Turkish police break up Trans Pride march

Turkish police breaking up Trans Pride – gazettereview.com

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Turkish police in Istanbul set up barricades in Taksim Square to prevent a Trans Pride rally from gathering on June 19, then fired teargas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.

Taksim Square is the traditional meeting place for protest marches and was the scene of anti-government riots in 2013.

The Istanbul governor’s office said the Trans Pride rally was banned “for the safety of our citizens, first and foremost

AT LAST

continued from cover going back to his high school days.

Below is a full transcript of his remarks: “Thank you for being here tonight on this very solemn and somber occasion.

“I begin with an admission and an apology. First, I recognize fully that I am a balding, youngish, middle-aged straight, white, male, Republican, politician... with all of the expectations and privileges that come with those labels. I am probably not who you expected to hear from today.

“I’m here because, yesterday morning, 49 Americans were brutally murdered.

And it made me sad. And it made me angry.

And it made me confused. I’m here because those 49 people were gay. I’m here because it shouldn’t matter. But I’m here because it does.

“I am not here to tell you that I know exactly what you are going through. I am not here to tell you that I feel your pain. I don’t pretend to know the depths of what you are feeling right now. But I do know what it feels like to be scared. And I do know what it feels like to be sad. And I do know what it feels like to be rejected. And, more importantly, I know what it feels like to be loved.

“I grew up in a small town and went to a small rural high school. There were some kids in my class that were different. Sometimes I wasn’t kind to them. I didn’t know it at the time, but I know now that they were gay. I will forever regret not treating them with the kindness, dignity, and respect – the love – that they deserved. For that, I sincerely and humbly apologize.

“Over the intervening years, my heart has changed. It has changed because of you. It has changed because I have gotten to

an excuse. If you are going to respect Ramadan, respect us too. The heterosexuals think it’s too much for us, only two hours in 365 days.”

Pride organizer Ömer Akpinar told the Independent newspaper, “This [police action] is a continuation of the story that started last year when the police attacked gay activists.” The 2015 Istanbul Pride march was also broken up by police.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his conservative Justice and Development party have been opponents of the country’s LGBT community. Critics accuse Erdoğan of trying to create an authoritarian state.

According to Akpinar, the LGBT community is divided between those who want to go ahead with the scheduled Pride march and those who are afraid of violence.

“The LGBT community in Turkey is a little divided about whether people should march or not,” he said.

“It’s not only about this latest threat of ultra-nationalists who might attack people, but if you look at the recent history of Turkey, we’ve had so many bombings and attacks.

“So people are afraid it might be an occasion for [the Islamic State] or another terrorist group to kill thousands of people.”

the participants, and for public order.”

On June 14, an ultra-right youth group called Alperen Ocakları warned Turkish officials it would do "what is needed" to stop the event from taking place.

“Dear state officials,” the group said in a statement, “do not make us deal with these [people]. Either you do what is needed or we will do it. We are ready to take any risks; we will directly prevent the march from happening.”

In addition to Trans Pride, the Istanbul Pride march, scheduled for June 26, was also banned by authorities, because

of supposed security threats and because it falls during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

On June 17, a right-wing gang attacked a music store in Istanbul where people had gathered to listen to Radiohead’s new album, charging that people were profaning Ramadan by drinking alcohol.

“Football fans can rally in this country whenever they want,” Ebru Kırancı, a spokesperson for the Lambdaistanbul LGBTI Solidarity Association, said.

“We were going to do a peaceful activity. [The] holy month of Ramadan is

know many of you. You have been patient with me. You helped me learn the right letters of the alphabet in the right order even though you keep adding new ones. You have been kind to me. Jim Dabakis even told me I dressed nice once, even though I know he was lying. You have treated me with the kindness, dignity, and respect – the love – that I very often did NOT deserve.

And it has made me love you.

“But now we are here. We are here because 49 beautiful, amazing people are gone. These are not just statistics. These were individuals. These are human beings.

They each have a story. They each had dreams, goals, talents, friends, family. They are you and they are me. And one night they went out to relax, to laugh, to connect, to forget, to remember. And in a few minutes of chaos and terror, they were gone.

“I believe that we can all agree we have come a long way as a society when it comes to our acceptance and understanding of the LGBTQ community (did I get that right?).

However, there has been something about this tragedy that has very much troubled me. I believe that there is a question, two questions actually, that each of us needs to ask ourselves in our heart of hearts. And I am speaking now to the straight community. How did you feel when you heard that 49 people had been gunned down by a self-proclaimed terrorist? That’s the easy question. Here is the hard one: Did that feeling change when you found out the shooting was at a gay bar at 2 a.m. in the morning? If that feeling changed, then we are doing something wrong.

“So now we find ourselves at a crossroads. A crossroads of hate and terror. How do we respond? How do you respond? Do

we lash out with anger, hate and mistrust?

Or do we, as Lincoln begged, appeal to the ‘better angels of our nature?’

“Usually when tragedy occurs, we see our nation come together. I was saddened, yesterday to see far too many retreating to their over-worn policy corners and demagoguery. Let me be clear, there are no simple policy answers to this tragedy. Beware of anyone who tells you that they have the easy solution. It doesn’t exist. And I can assure you this — that calling people idiots, communists, fascists or bigots on Facebook is not going to change any hearts or minds.

Today we need fewer Republicans and fewer Democrats. Today we need more Americans.

“But just because an easy solution doesn’t exist, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. The greatest generations in the history of the world were never innately great.

They became great because of how they responded in the face of evil. Their humanity is measured by their response to hate and terror.

“I truly believe that this is the defining issue of our generation. Can we be brave?

Can we be strong? Can we be kind and, perhaps, even happy, in the face of atrocious acts of hate and terrorism? Do we find a way to unite? Or do these atrocities further corrode and divide our torn nation? Can we, the citizens of the great state of Utah, lead the nation with love in the face of adversity?

Can WE become a greatest generation?

“I promise we can. But I also promise it will never happen if we leave it to the politicians. Ultimately, there is only one way for us to come together. It must happen at a personal level. We must learn to truly love one another.

“The Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said: ‘You will not enter paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another.’

“Jesus said, ‘Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.’

“Now, you know a little something about hate. And you know a little something about persecution. But you also know something about loving, blessing, and doing good. What our country needs more than ever is less politics and more kindness. If nothing else, as we can see here tonight, this tragedy has the potential to bring us closer than ever before.

“And so may we leave today, with a resolve to be a little kinder. May we try to listen more and talk less. May we forgive someone that has wronged us. And perhaps, most importantly, try to love someone that is different than us. For my straight friends, might I suggest starting with someone who is gay.

“I leave you with the words of Lyndon B. Johnson. They were spoken at another very sad time in our history, the death of President John F. Kennedy. He said this: “‘Our enemies have always made the same mistake. In my lifetime – in depression and in war – they have awaited our defeat. Each time, from the secret places of the American heart, came forth the faith they could not see or that they could not even imagine. It brought us victory. And it will again. For this is what America is all about.’

“On behalf of the 3 million people of the state of Utah, We Are Orlando. We love you. And I love you.”

June 24, 2016

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Celebrating 41 Years!