SGN January 10, 2014 - Section 1

Issue 2 Volume 42

Celebrating 41 Years!

FRIDAY January 10, 2014 FREE! 25¢ in bookstores & newsstands

Sec 2 Pg. 1

Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

Ed Murray: “Let us begin!” nate gowdy / seattle gay news

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Ed Murray was sworn in as Mayor of Seattle in front of a raucous capacity crowd in the lobby of City Hall on January 6. Former governor and U.S. ambassador to China Gary Locke, and Murray’s

where government and its ability to function have been called into question,” Murray said.

“I reject that cynicism. Government can function again, and Seattle can lead the way.

“We can be a national model for a renewed respect for public service and a new appreciation for the

“We can be a national model for a renewed respect for public service and a new appreciation for the role of government as a positive force for change in our lives.

Mayor Ed Murray (l) with husband Michael Shiosaki at Murray’s inauguration on January 7 at Seattle City Hall

husband Michael Shiosaki administered the oath of office.

For the oath, Murray used a 19th century Irish Bible and a rosary inherited from his grandmother, recalling his Irish Catholic roots.

Then, in a speech quoting both Franklin Roosevelt and his childhood hero Jack Kennedy, Murray promised to make City government work.

“We live in a moment in history

role of government as a positive force for change in our lives.

“I see government not as the problem, but government as a partner in solving the problems we face.”

Murray had already moved on one of his key campaign issues.

On January 3, two days after taking office, he issued an execusee murray page 5

Coalition delivers demands Revealing Queer MOHAI’s groundbreaking LGBTQ to Seattle Archdiocese history exhibit opens February 2014 seattle.gov

courtesy #KeepMrZ2013

Eastside Catholic students and supporters rally outside the Seattle Archdiocese in December 2013

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor On January 4, the coalition of Catholic high school students, adult mentors and Eastside Catholic High School alumni joined Social Outreach Seattle (SOSea) once again, at the offices of the Seattle Archdiocese and Archbishop Peter Sartain. And this time we didn’t just show up with signs and

activist chants – we came to deliver our demands that the Church stop the cycle of bigotry and hate and that they stop firing teachers and administrators based on sexual orientation.

In addition, we are asking for anyone who would like to show support for Mark Zmuda, otherwise known as Mr. Z, to wear orange (the colors of Eastside Catholic High School) and post photos

of themselves wearing orange to the #KeepMrZ2013 Facebook and Tumplr pages.

Officials at Eastside Catholic High School (ECHS) in Sammamish said they informed thenVice Principal Mark Zmuda he had to resign from his job because his same-sex marriage violated his employment contract, which

Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) in South Lake Union

by Tim Moffett SGN Staff Writer

The Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) will begin its second year at its new Lake Union location by presenting “Revealing Queer,” a landmark exhibit on the history of the Puget Sound’s LGsee demands page 7 BTQ community.

The exhibit is one of the first of its kind in a mainstream history museum, and will be on display from February 14 through July 6.

“Revealing Queer” explores how the Puget Sound LGBTQ community has grown, changed, become increasingly visible, and see mohai page 6

Washington State 1-888-BE-THERE History Museum WashingtonHistory.org 2

Seattle Gay News

January 10, 2014

Celebrating 41 Years!

Seattle Gay News FOUNDED 1973

1605 12th Ave., Ste. 31 Seattle, WA 98122

Phone: (206) 324-4297 Fax: (206) 322-7188

MEMBER

e-mail: sgn2@sgn.org internet: www.sgn.org

2013

Deadlines

Classifieds - Thursday at noon Calendar - Tuesday 6pm Display Ads: Space Reservation - Monday 5pm Ad copy (non-camera ready) - Tues. 5pm Ad copy (camera ready) - Wed. 5pm Letters to the Editor - Tuesday 5pm Obituaries - Call the SGN office All others - Tuesday 5pm

Editor In Chief George Bakan Associate Editor Shaun Knittel Calendar Editors Mike Andrew and Rick McKinnon Travel Editor George Bakan Advertising Manager Marty Weisbrod Advertising Department Maggie Bloodstone, Tym Brown, Tim Moffett

Local news

Patty Murray supports Orion Center/YouthCare google

Executive Assistant Mike Andrew Staff Writers Mike Andrew, Miryam Gordon, Anthony Greer, Shaun Knittel, Albert Rodriguez, James Whitely Contributing Writers Rev. Barbara Allen, Eric Andrews-Katz, Madelyn Arnold, Maggie Bloodstone, Beau Burriola, Jessica Davis, Ron Anders, Jessica Price, Milton W. Hamlin, Scott Wittet, Nevin Jefferson, Jason A. Miller, Liz Meyer, Rod Parke, Don Paulson, Scott Rice,Leslie Robinson, Richard Kennedy, Rex Wockner

Classifieds Mike Andrew and Rick McKinnon Photographers

Nate Gowdy, Joseph P. Herron, Shaun Knittel, James Whitely National Advertising Rep. Rivendell Media (212) 242-6863 Website Designer Barry Thorsness/Digital Team Works Seattle Gay News is published weekly by Frogs and Ink, Inc. © 2014, Frogs and Ink, Inc., all rights reserved. Reprints by permission.

Publication of names, photographs or likenesses of any person, organization, event or business in this publication cannot be taken as any indication of the sexual orientation of the person, organization, event or business.

Opinions expressed in bylined articles, columns, and letters are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or management of this paper.

Seattle Gay News welcomes unsolicited material, including letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit or reject material. All rights revert to authors upon publication.

We assume no liability for loss or damage of materials, solicited or not. We invite feedback, please write.

And please play safe.

It is our policy that no money shall be refunded if you choose to cancel your subscription or ad. However, credit towards any size ad will be given for the balance owed. No exceptions.

In Loving Memory Of

Steve Foiles, Scott Roger Alpert, Cookie Andrews-Hunt, James Leland Moore, Randy Peters, Lee Richeson, Shaun Shelton, Jim Tully, James Arnold

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor In response to the news that YouthCare’s James W. Ray Orion Center shelter for atrisk youth could soon be forced to turn people away after losing a federal grant in 2013, U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Housing Subcommittee, wrote a letter to Acting Assistant Secretary George Sheldon, advocating for funds for the important Capitol Hill shelter, January 9.

Officials at the Orion Center learned in October of 2013 that the facility’s existing federal grant – totaling nearly $1 million – would not be renewed for 2014, meaning the center, one of only two in King County tailored for youth and young adults, would be forced to turn away those without a place to sleep and cut outreach services beginning next month.

Murray wrote that she supports YouthCare’s application for a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) Transitional Living Program grant. The funds would allow YouthCare to provide critical transitional housing and supportive services to homeless youth and young adults in Seattle and King County.

“For nearly 40 years, YouthCare has been a local leader in providing services for runaway and homeless youth in the communi-

Visit us online www.sgn.org

ty,” wrote Murray. “YouthCare has successfully provided a continuum of immediate and long-term services to homeless youth.

Their services include street outreach, a multi-service drop-in center, housing, and education and employment services for youth and young adults ages 13-24, and apartments for graduating youth. A vital component of their service delivery is the integration of housing and supportive services with education and job training for the community’s most vulnerable youth.”

January 10, 2014

YouthCare has received RHY support from the Administration for Children and Families since 1974.

“With this federal partnership, YouthCare will be able to continue its extraordinary services to young people in Seattle,” said Murray. “I commend YouthCare for their strong tradition of providing quality services to homeless and disconnected youth.

Thank you for your consideration of their application.”

Seattle Gay News

3

Mayor Edward B. Murray Jan. 6, 2014 Thanks to all of you, today is a day of celebration.

We are here to celebrate not the political victories of individuals, but the persistent values of this city – values that transcend our divisions, bind us together, and define us as one people.

We are heirs to a great and special, progressive legacy.

I stand here today as a humble beneficiary of that legacy.

This rich tradition is one that I not only inherit as your elected mayor; it’s a tradition that made my election as mayor possible in the first place.

For this, I am forever grateful to this community.

COMMUNITY Together, we inherit from Seattle’s Native Americans and the first European American settlers, a belief that progress is achieved when Seattle acts as a community.

Seattle is a place that believes deeply in the idea that only through inclusiveness and collaboration can we solve our greatest challenges.

Seattle has always been a place where we are able to overcome our differences, see the day with a fresh pair of eyes and come together to make progress as a community.

Our diversity is our strength.

There is no challenge Seattle faces that we cannot solve when we act as a community.

We live in a moment in history where government and its ability to function have been called into question.

I reject that cynicism.

Government can function again, and Seattle can lead the way.

We can be a national model for a renewed respect for public service and a new appreciation for the role of government as a positive force for change in our lives.

I see government not as the problem, but

Fragmented by race, by gender, by economics, by geography and by education.

Fragmentation that has only grown worse as we continue to live through the devastation of the Great Recession.

Our moral test as a community and as a City government will be our willingness and our ability to address – and to overcome – that which fragments us.

We must be courageous enough to acknowledge that despite the huge gains we

struggle with mental illness or addiction that we will heed the teachings from the Torah, the New Testament and the Koran, to fulfill our moral obligation to ensure that we as a community help those who live on the margins of the life of this great City.

Above all, I pledge that we as a City, we as a community, will address the disparity of educational outcomes so all our children can succeed in Seattle’s economy and live lives of hope and opportunity.

BUSINESS Seattle is both a community AND a place of commerce.

We are known globally for our great entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation.

I pledge to seek new ways to partner with our business community, so that we remain among the most economically competitive cities in the world.

Political debate too often lends support to the false idea that creating a vibrant economy and taking care of those in need are somehow conflicting goals. have made towards a more equitable city, They are not – they are intertwined and there is much that still divides us and we interdependent. must be brave enough to act to address those divisions.

PUBLIC SAFETY I pledge that every department and proTo the men and women of the Seattle gram of this City government will challenge Police and Fire Departments and your ourselves and the city as a whole to address families and loved ones, on behalf of the the issues of race that continue to divide us. people of the city of Seattle, thank you for I pledge that every department and pro- your service and sacrifice to provide for gram of this City government will challenge our safety and security. ourselves and the city as a whole to address Our police department must be rethe disparity in wages and job opportunities formed. This will require great effort. I am for women. committed to making sure that our police I pledge that every department and pro- department achieves the federal court’s gram of this City government will challenge mandate and moves on. ourselves and the City as a whole to address However, that alone is not enough. The the issue of economic disparity in wages agreement with the Department of Justice and in housing.

I pledge to those I have met in food bank lines, in homeless encampments, those who see speech page 18

“Our moral test as a community and as a City government will be our willingness and our ability to address – and to overcome – that which fragments us.” government as a partner in solving the problems we face.

I see government not as the sole solution, but government as an incubator for solutions to try and experiment with.

I see government not as a place for political posturing, but a place for pragmatism.

A forum not of ideology, but of innovation.

Where we draw strength from our diversity, not play to our deepest divisions.

Let us in the words of Franklin Delano Roosevelt engage in “bold, persistent experimentation.” He said: “It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.”

GOVERNMENT We must make the government of this City an agent for building community SOCIAL JUSTICE and finding solutions to the challenges we Seattle is a city of great diversity, but it is face. also a fragmented city.

nate gowdy / seattle gay news

Mayor Ed Murray (l) with husband Michael Shiosaki at Murray’s inauguration on January 7 at Seattle City Hall

4

Seattle Gay News

January 10, 2014

Celebrating 41 Years!

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Mayor Ed Murray, making good on yet another campaign promise, reshuffled the Seattle police command on January 8, and informed SPD that he would accept nothing less than complete reform of the department’s culture.

Interim Police Chief Jim Pugel was replaced by a retired Assistant Chief, Harry Bailey. Within hours of the appointment, Murray sent a lengthy letter to SPD officers, outlining his expectations as he winds up his first week on the job.

Murray was careful to note that his command reassignment was not intended as a reflection on Pugel, who wants to be hired as the permanent police chief. Pugel was appointed by then-mayor Mike McGinn as a temporary replacement after Chief John Diaz retired under heavy criticism. Pugel will return to his prior post as Assistant Chief.

In his letter to Seattle police officers, Murray noted that the department has been operating under a “settlement agreement” requiring reforms – resulting from a U.S. Justice Department investigation which found SPD guilty of biased policing and excessive use of force.

“The department is currently working to comply with the Settlement Agreement. But none of us should be satisfied with merely ‘good enough’ in meeting the terms of the agreement,” Murray wrote.

John Lok / The Seattle Times

“Good enough” not good enough, Mayor tells SPD

“[W]hile the Seattle Police Department is a good department, in striving for excellence, we must remember that ‘good enough, isn’t.’ We can – and will – do better.” Murray added.

Murray called for “a police department that is effective at both controlling crime and building trusted relationships in all the communities and neighborhoods that make up the city of Seattle.”

“Community policing must be the department’s operating philosophy, not merely a series of special projects,” he insisted in his letter to SPD officers.

“True community policing is about building relationships with the people the department serves and developing solutions to the problems they face. True partnership is about dialogue and relationship,” the Mayor added, repeating one of the themes of his campaign.

“And, when something goes wrong, we must have a swift and comprehensive accountability process that is clearly understood and trusted by all. I am committed to utilizing these principles of community policing throughout the entire city government structure, a practice sometimes referred to as community governance.”

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray replaced Interim Police Chief Jim Pugel with The appointment of Bailey as Interim former Seattle Assistant police chief Harry Bailey (pictured).

Chief was greeted with enthusiasm by both unions representing SPD officers. ence announcing the appointment. life to this city,” O’Neill said, adding that he Capt. Eric Sano, head of the Seattle Police Sgt. Rich O’Neill, president of the Seattle thinks it is crucial that the interim chief is Management Association, which represents Police Officers’ Guild, said he was “over- not a person wanting the permanent job, as captains and lieutenants, said he was “excit- joyed” that Murray selected Bailey.

Pugel does. ed” to work with Bailey at the press confer“Harry Bailey had dedicated his entire nate gowdy / seattle gay news

Kshama Sawant supporters waved signs in support of her $15 minimum wage initiative.

Visit us online www.sgn.org

murray

continued from cover tive order increasing the minimum wage for City of Seattle employees to $15 an hour.

Some 600 City employees benefitted from the move.

In his speech, Murray vigorously denied that lifting the wages of the city’s poorest workers would jeopardize business interests.

“Political debate too often lends support to the false idea that creating a vibrant economy and taking care of those in need are somehow conflicting goals,” Murray explained at his inauguration.

“They are not – they are intertwined and interdependent.”

Noting that Seattle is “fragmented by race, by gender, by economics, by geography, and by education,” Murray pledged – as he did during his campaign – to work for “inclusiveness and collaboration.”

A mere two days after the inauguration ceremony, Murray moved forward on yet another campaign theme, reshuffling the Seattle police command and sending a letter to SPD officers telling them in no uncertain terms that he intends to go forward with police reform. A 2011 finding by the U.S. Justice Department accused SPD of biased policing and excessive use of force.

Murray also promised “a world class transit system,” a “vibrant park system, sidewalks, bike lanes,” and a renovated waterfront.

Addressing state and county officials, who were often at odds with his predecessor Mike McGinn, Murray promised that “Seattle will once again become a leader – and your partner – on regional issues.”

Murray concluded his speech with a quote from JFK’s inaugural address: “All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the lifetime of this administration; nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.”

January 10, 2014

The formal inauguration ceremony is usually held in the sedate atmosphere of the City Council chambers, but this year the event was moved to the City Hall lobby to accommodate media and the expected crowds of well-wishers.

In addition to Murray, Seattle’s first openly Gay Mayor, Kshama Sawant, the city’s first socialist City Council member since the 1920s, was also sworn in.

Murray invited about 1,000 friends and supporters, and Sawant also claimed to have about 1,000 supporters, carrying her red campaign signs. Another large contingent was made up of for-hire drivers, who carried signs demanding the right to pick up passengers who hail them on the street – as taxi drivers may – instead of having to rely on advance phone calls to schedule rides.

In addition to Murray and Sawant, City Council members Sally Bagshaw, Nick Licata, and Mike O’Brien, and City Attorney Pete Holmes were sworn in.

Prior to the City Hall ceremony, Murray had a day of public appearances. He breakfasted with homeless women and children at Mary’s Place, an emergency shelter. He, his staff, and department directors toured the race exhibit at the Pacific Science Center. Murray also attended mass at the Seattle University St. Ignatius Chapel.

After the inauguration, Murray held an inaugural ball, funded by his campaign committee, at Benaroya Hall.

Seattle Gay News

5

dru dinero / visual affairs

Neighbours update This is not to set up a culture of fear; instead it is to ensure the safety of guests and employees alike. No one has been appreNeighbours Seattle has been serving the hended for the crime so it is understandable LGBTQ community for 30 years and they that the extra attention be applied. aren’t about to stop now.

It is important to remember that the perNot even arson and $6,000 worth of fire son or person(s) who set the fire are responand water damage can shutter the doors of sible for this. the iconic Capitol Hill club.

Neighbours staff executed the exit of This weekend Neighbours is hosting a all personnel and customers masterfully Neighbours Appreciation/NYE Redux Par- on New Year’s morning, saving countless ty, January 11, from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. that is lives. sure to be the biggest event of the evening.

Security at the club is not a problem. Let’s

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor

Not even arson and $6,000 worth of fire and water damage can shutter the doors of the iconic Capitol Hill club. face it, you don’t stay open for 30 years without the protection they provide.

What happened on NYE is terrible and shouldn’t be shrugged off, but at the same time, the only blame that should be lobbed is at the arsonist(s). The nightclub is dedicated to keeping you safe, as they have demonstrated for the past three decades.

The police do not have a suspect yet, but a person of interest is being looked at for the crime.

Detectives with the Seattle Police Arson/ Bomb Squad are looking for clues to nail the perpetrator. “If you saw anything suspicious in or around the bar on New Year’s Eve, please call the SPD Arson/Bomb Squad tip line at (206) 684-8980,” a SPD spokesperson wrote following the January 1st attack.

mohai

across the country. “Projects like ‘Revealing Queer’ are important,” said Bailey, “because once you’re in the museum, no one can contest your history.”

Bailey worked closely with a community advisory committee to curate “Revealing Queer.” The committee was comprised of individuals and representatives from local LGBTQ organizations, including API Chaya, Entre Hermanos, Ingersoll Gender Center, Northwest Lesbian & Gay History Museum Project, Seattle Gay News, Tacoma’s Rainbow Center, and Older Lesbians Organizing for Change.

“We started this project seeking to explore ways to engage LGBTQ communities in museums,” said Bailey. “This exhibition has recovered history that would have otherwise been lost and is preserving the history that’s happening now. We’re trying to ensure that the Queer narrative is archived.”

“Revealing Queer” will be featured in MOHAI’s Linda and Ted Johnson Family Community Gallery, an intimate space de-

continued from cover worked toward equality.

Informed throughout by the lived experiences of the Puget Sound region’s very diverse population, “Revealing Queer” traces LGBTQ history from an emerging underground community in the years before the Stonewall Riots of 1969, to the large and politically active community that helped make marriage equality law in Washington state in 2012.

Visitors will discover this complex history through a variety of themes, including language, significant cultural spaces, Queer celebrations, regional law, and more.

“Revealing Queer” is the result of a collaborative effort between many individuals and organizations, led by Erin Bailey and Nicole Robert, co-founders of Queering the Museum – an ongoing project to uncover and share LGBTQ history in institutions

Neighbours Seattle during 2013 Pride Robert H Miller Collection, Museum of History & Industry

And we should all celebrate the fact that even though someone tried to burn 750 to death and scorch the business to the ground – that didn’t happen and everyone survived without injury.

Steve Tracy, Neighbours Seattle General Manager, has beefed up security and added a wall inside of Therapy Lounge (on the Broadway side) to ensure that anyone who enters the building from either the alley or Broadway side will come in contact with security personnel first.

He also would like Seattle Gay News to remind customers that if you come to the nightclub with bags, backpacks, or the like, they are subject to search, as per usual.

In addition, if you step outside for a smoke, you are subject to search again.

Seattle’s 1977 Gay Pride Week march

signed to promote community ownership of MOHAI through exhibits curated in collaboration with local partners.

An opening night celebration will be held on Friday, February 14, from 7-11 p.m. at MOHAI (860 Terry Ave. N.).

T h e evening will feature drink, dessert, activities and performances from LGBTQ groups throughout Seattle. Activities include Gay Bingo, hosted by Mama Tits, and Queer burlesque with the incomparable Lily Divine and Pidgeon Von Tramp.

Tickets are $12 for the general public and

$10 for MOHAI members, and are available online at www.mohai.org. The exhibit runs through July 6.

MOHAI members can preview “Revealing Queer” on Wednesday, February 12 from 6-8:30 p.m.

MOHAI admission is FREE to the general public on the 1st Thursday of the month.

The Seattle Gay News hopes this will be a launching point to the conversation about preserving and celebrating the Puget Sound region’s LGBTQ history.

Rich Full-Bodied Cafes Savory Homestyle Soups & Sandwiches 6

Seattle Gay News

January 10, 2014

Celebrating 41 Years!

continued from cover requires that he follow church teachings.

December 20 was his last day at the school.

“He clearly understood, as a condition of his employment, that he would abide by church teachings, and one of those teachings is they do not approve of this marriage,” Mike Patterson, a lawyer for ECHS told media.

Patterson initially told television and newspaper reporters that Zmuda resigned after being informed that he had violated his contract by marrying his husband Dana Jergens in July. Patterson said school officials didn’t learn about the marriage until midDecember.

Zmuda, however, told one of his former students, Catrina Crittenden, in a recorded interview, that he did not resign.

“To set the record straight, I was terminated,” he told Crittenden, who conducted the interview while her brother Chase Crittenden, recorded the interview on video at Zmuda’s request.

“When I was told, I asked why I was being terminated and they said because I violated Catholic teaching,” Zmuda said in the interview. “I asked if it was breach of contract, they said no. I said if it had anything to do with my job performance or evaluations and they also said no.”

Zmuda’s comments are in direct contrast with verbiage that appears in a statement on the Careers page of the ECHS webpage, www.eastsidecatholic.org, which states, “Eastside Catholic School does not discriminate on the basis of an employee’s or applicant’s race, religion, creed, color, sex, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or any other status or condition protected by local, state or federal law. Discrimination or harassment on the basis of any status or condition protected by local, state or federal law is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated at Eastside Catholic School.”

In a particularly troubling statement, School President Sister Mary Tracy told KING 5, “I suggested dissolving the marriage to save his job; I was trying to hang onto him.”

Sister Mary Tracy has said she was following the guidance of Archbishop Sartain; however, after last week’s rally, Sartain has said that he had nothing to do with the firing.

At the January 4 rally in front of Sartain’s office, I reiterated that we understand Zmuda will not get his job back (in fact, the school has already replaced him) but that we want to make sure this doesn’t happen to another teacher – anywhere – ever again.

“We firmly believe that the decision to marry, or not marry, should never preclude any otherwise qualified individual from working at the school,” said ECHS Junior Julia Burns, who serves as one of the student leaders in our coalition. “The Gospel compels us to demonstrate compassion and love in all our actions, and Mark Zmuda has always done just that. It is a shame then that the school, in conjunction with the Archdiocese of Seattle, has chosen to conduct itself in such a manner that contradicts the message of social justice that we as Catholics are all called to uphold.”

“Most immediately, we demand an apology, penned on behalf of the school and Archdiocese, and addressed to both Mark Zmuda and the community-at-large, in which they take full responsibility for their incredibly poor, opaque, and misleading management of this situation,” said Burns.

“We expect a transparent, and honest statement that truthfully addresses how this decision was reached, what players were involved, and their rationale for doing so, in light of Catholic social teachings.”

Corey Sinser graduated from ECHS is 2006. He represents the alumni in our coalition. Sinser says that in future matters, we demand that the Archdiocese, or any Catho-

lic school under their purview, conducts itself accordingly – that the review of any employee judged to have broken Catholic doctrinal teaching (birth control, cohabitation, matters of sexuality, and the like) will henceforth include a holistic review of the individual’s job performance, character, and embodiment of Catholic social teaching before a final decision regarding employment standing is made.

“No school, in conjunction with the Archdiocese or acting upon its own accord, will ever again make any such decision based strictly on doctrinal matters, as the draconian enforcement of a set of often-ignored dogmatic mores is no longer relevant to the 21st century Church,” he said in a statement given to the media at the rally.

Ian Edwards, also a student leader in the coalition and senior at ECHS, said, “Looking forward, we believe this situation, as unfortunate as it is, has significant potential to effect real, lasting change as it relates to the greater dialogue regarding sexuality in the Catholic Church.”

Edwards warned Sartain, “We will continue to write letters, lobby Church officials, and use any other means at our disposal to respectfully work toward our ultimate goal of changing the discriminatory policies regarding homosexuality in the Church. We understand the substantial resources this will require, and that it will certainly be a prolonged ordeal. The Vatican II accords took considerable time to finalize, and those are viewed as relatively mundane changes by today’s standards.”

“With that being said,” he continued, “we truly believe we are on the right side of history, and will use this specific incident to inform the discourse in the Catholic Church so that one day, a landmark decision will finally be reached.”

Lindsey Wasson / The Seattle Times

demands

Eastside Catholic junior Cammi Hansen chants with other students outside the Seattle Archdiocese office near St. James Cathedral on December 20.

sions on the topic of sexuality in the modern Church. Informed community members, from the Catholic tradition and otherwise, have joined with the students at rallies.

Alumni, spanning several continents, have made their opinions known on the matter in vociferous fashion. We are fortunate to be working with a fantastic group of leaders from Social Outreach Seattle, all of whom have worked tirelessly to steer us in the right direction. The media recognition has been overwhelming; seemingly every ma-

“This is only the beginning. We believe too strongly in this movement to let it die down once the school year resumes.”

The coalition recognizes the peculiar legal aspects of this situation, and recommends that all angles are thoughtfully considered by Mr. Zmuda. In light of the policy of non-discrimination professed by the school, which protects employees on the basis of sexual orientation, we find the decision made by the administration to be very troubling. We question whether the forced adherence to the Catholic doctrine can legally preclude someone from entering into a state-recognized marriage. It should also be investigated whether or not the ministerial exception clause, defined in 2012 in the Supreme Court case Hosanna-Tabor Church v.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, extends so far as to an administrative position such as vice principal.

“As Mark Zmuda’s duties never forced him to impart religious guidance on an instructional level, we find that his termination may not be protected under the law,” said Edwards. “Beyond the strictly Catholic implications that this situation portends, there are a host of legal peculiarities which could inform any future incidents pertaining to the topic of sexuality at religious institutions.”

Zeena Rivera, a self-identified Queer student at Holy Names Catholic High School and editor at Be! Magazine, read the following statement at the rally: “We would also like to take this moment to call attention to the supportive cast of students, alumni, mentors, and media outlets that have worked with us to shed light on such a grave violation of human rights.

While this movement started at Eastside Catholic High School in Sammamish, it has since touched the far corners of the globe.

Local student bodies have shown solidarity in the form of sit-ins, protests, and discus-

Visit us online www.sgn.org

jor newspaper in the country has picked up the story, and our cause has been featured by a number of national and international news outlets as well. All local networks and publications have been eager and willing to give us continued recognition, while the Seattle Gay News, Seattle Lesbian, and Be! Magazine have been outspoken supporters of our cause from the very beginning.

“In conclusion, this is only the beginning.

We believe too strongly in this movement to let it die down once the school year resumes. The notion that the administration chose to act on this specific transgression under their interpretation of Church doctrine, but disregard any other, more private affairs, sends a mixed message to the school community. It is ill-fitting for a school that extols the principles of Catholic social justice, which officially recognize such tenets as the rights of workers, solidarity with our neighbors, and the life and dignity of the human person, to act in such a callous fashion. We believe it the duty of every school administration to foster an environment of trust and understanding within the ranks of all students, faculty, and administrators.

The decision reached at Eastside Catholic would indicate that such an environment is currently not encouraged there. This was a massive mistake made by the school and Archdiocese, and we won’t stand down until we believe the criteria listed above have been effectively addressed. Thank you for your time, and remember…LOVE ALWAYS WINS!” We know that this is not going to be won overnight. But we also know that we have traction. GetEQUAL and DignityUSA.org both joined our coalition this week. The story of what these kids have inspired was mention on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360

January 10, 2014

and more. In other words this is the moment when it all begins to change as long as people continue to back us in our fight to rid the Church of hate and discrimination against LGBT people.

Stephanie Merrow is one of the people inspired by the students. The catch is – Stephanie Merrow works at ECHS from time to time in their drama department.

On Monday, she went public with her engagement to another woman, her partner of five years, Jenny. She called into a radio talk news program that was discussing the controversy over the recent dismissal of Zmuda. Merrow thought she would be fired also.

“A little shaky, walked uphill,” she said of going back to Eastside.

But no one said anything to her. In fact, a few of her students hugged her and told her how happy and proud they were of her.

They also wanted to see her engagement ring.

Then, Merrow reports, they got down to business and rehearsed their production of Guys and Dolls like normal.

The student leaders in our coalition from ECHS – Burns, Edwards and senior Alex Kovar – met with Sister Mary Tracy this week. According to them, Sister Mary told them she was proud of them. In fact, they believe she is actually “on their side.”

She issued a statement through them that reads, “I look forward to the day when no individual loses their job because they are married to a person of the same sex.”

Burns says she believes Sister Mary’s hands are tied. The student leaders point to the hierarchy in the Catholic Church and believe that their administrators want it to change, but others are putting their foot down. “I’d say the main player here would be the Archdiocese,” Burns believes.

And we do, too. But, aside from shucking off responsibility to Sister Mary, Sartain has remained silent on the issue. That is a mistake for the Archdiocese because we aren’t going away. In fact, as demonstrated before in this article, the coalition is gaining momentum and support. We are not going anywhere until we change the Church.

There are some things you can do to help: You can write a letter to Sartain and tell him how you feel about the issue. His address is: Archbishop Peter Sartain 710 9th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 and tell him how you feel about the issue.

Join Z-Day and wear orange and post your photos to #KeepMrZ2013 Facebook and Tumblr pages.

Watch and share this Social Outreach Seattle video explaining Z-Day at http://www. youtube.com/user/SOSeaVideo LOVE IS LOVE Z Day 2014.

Seattle Gay News

7

Utah governor puts marriage rights “on hold” ACLU to sue state

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer In a dramatic reversal of his previous position, Utah Governor Gary Herbert has instructed state officials not to recognize Gay and Lesbian marriages performed in Utah after a federal judge struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage.

Two days later, on January 9, the ACLU of Utah announced it would sue the state of Utah on behalf of couples whose marriages had seemingly been invalidated by the governor’s action.

“We have a great pool and we are working through that, and plan to bring litigation that will protect all marriages, whether the couples are named plaintiffs or not,” the ACLU said in a statement.

The civil rights group said it has called for plaintiffs to come forward and was met with “overwhelming interest” from couples who were married before the U.S. Supreme Court stayed the federal court ruling striking down Utah’s ban on same-sex marriage.

After Federal District Judge Robert Shelby’s December 20 ruling, hundreds of couples rushed to obtain marriage licenses and get married. Herbert initially instructed state agencies to comply with Shelby’s ruling and treat the couples as legally married.

At the time, Utah lacked an Attorney General, the elected AG having resigned in a corruption scandal. Lawyers from his office neglected to ask Shelby to stay – or postpone the effect of – his ruling pending appeal.

Once Sean Reyes was appointed to fill the post on December 23, he immediately asked the U.S. Supreme court for a stay, which was granted on January 6. On January 7, Reyes issued a formal opinion saying that the stay meant that state laws banning samesex marriage were back in effect.

Herbert then issued new instructions to state agencies, based on the AG’s finding.

“This stay effectively puts a hold on the decision of the district court, which found state laws prohibiting same-sex marriage in Utah to be unconstitutional,” Herbert’s chief of staff, Derek Miller, wrote in the letter.

“Based on counsel from the Attorney General’s office regarding the Supreme Court decision, state recognition of samesex marital status is ON HOLD until further

8

Seattle Gay News

notice,” the letter continued.

Couples who have been married and are in the process of getting their documents in order and obtaining state benefits “will stay exactly in that position,” in a sense frozen in place, till the Tenth Circuit Court rules on the state’s appeal of Shelby’s ruling, the governor’s office said.

In a letter to Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, ACLU-Utah legal director John Mejia called on the state to recognize the samesex marriages performed before the stay.

“In short, these marriages are valid and have vested the married couples with rights that the state and federal governments must recognize,” Mejia said.

“Utah and the federal government should thus accord same-sex couples who married in Utah all of the same protections and obligations that married couples of the opposite sex receive. When these couples married, they immediately obtained all of the same protections and obligations enjoyed by all of the other married couples in Utah.”

Some 1,200 couples are estimated to have married between December 20 and January 6.

Peggy A. Tomsic, one of the lawyers representing the plaintiff same-sex couples in the case decided by Judge Shelby, said the governor’s new order harms the interests of her clients and other same-sex couples.

“This unprecedented and disappointing action harms not only my clients, but hundreds of other same-sex couples who also were legally married, and whose families have been needlessly destabilized and stripped of basic legal protection,” she wrote in a statement.

“By taking this unwarranted action, the State of Utah has discounted the lives of thousands of Utah citizens who live, work, and raise their families in Utah and pay Utah and federal taxes like all other Utah citizens. Regardless of how the State believes the Tenth Circuit will ultimately rule, these couples are legally married, and the State should treat them accordingly.”

HRC has called on U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to look into Utah’s action, and to grant federal recognition to couples married in Utah.

“Even though the governor’s office has now made a political decision to cut off this recognition, it continues to insist that it makes no pronouncement about the valid-

January 10, 2014

Andrew Harrer / Bloomberg

national news

ity of these unions,” HRC president Chad these more than 1,300 couples.”

Griffin wrote in a letter to Holder. “There is Justice Department spokeswoman Dena simply no reason for the United States gov- Iverson told BuzzFeed that the Justice Deernment not to extend federal recognition to partment is looking into the matter.

Navajo Nation marriage equality on the horizon spokesperson for the office of the Speaker of the Navajo Nation Council, the tribal legislature, said the court decision has the poAlthough same-sex marriages are now tential to make Navajo lawmakers rethink legal in New Mexico, and may soon be in the issue.

Utah, they are not in the huge Navajo reser“However, most would agree that the vation spreading over nearly 28,000 square Navajo Nation has taken a conservative apmiles in New Mexico and neighboring Utah proach to gay marriage, exemplified by the and Arizona.

Diné Marriage Act of 2005,” he cautioned, The legal doctrine of tribal sovereignty adding that there is currently no official promeans that the Navajo Nation is internally posal to repeal the act. self-governing, and under the Diné MarAlray Nelson, founder of the Coalition for riage Act of 2005, marriages “contracted” Navajo Equality, a group working to repeal outside of tribal lands are recognized, but the Diné Marriage Act, agreed that the New same-sex marriage is “void and prohib- Mexico Supreme Court decision puts the isited.” sue of equality squarely before tribal lead“The purposes of marriage on the Navajo ers.

Nation are to promote strong families and to “It tells our leaders that the Diné Marriage preserve and strengthen family values,” the Act is a law of discrimination,” Nelson said. law states.

Navajo activists have settled on a legal Diné is the historical name for the Navajo strategy to overturn the law, with plans for people. The Navajo are the second most nu- a lawsuit in tribal court and a public educamerous Native nation, with some 200,000 tion campaign over the coming year. Alterregistered members. The Cherokee, whose natively, they might put the issue up for a main reservation is in Oklahoma, are the vote, Nelson said. largest, with 300,000 members.

Currently, eight native tribes allow their Navajo officials say that legalization of Gay and Lesbian members to marry: the Gay and Lesbian marriage in New Mexico Suquamish Tribe and the Colville Tribal does not affect tribal law.

Council of the Confederated Tribes of the “We are upholding the law as currently Colville Nation, both in Washington; the enacted,” spokesperson Deswood Tome Coquille Tribe in Oregon, the Tribal Countold The Daily Times newspaper. cil of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of OdaTome is an advisor to Navajo Nation wa Indians in Michigan, the Pokagon Band President Ben Shelly. of Potawatomi Indians in Michigan, the Some officials say that recent court deci- Santa Ysabel Tribe in California, the Cheysions may lead the tribe to rethink its posi- enne and Arapaho Tribes in Oklahoma, and tion on same-sex marriages. Jared Touchin, the Leech Lake Tribal Court in Minnesota.

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

Celebrating 41 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

January 10, 2014

Seattle Gay News

9

10 Seattle Gay News

January 10, 2014

Celebrating 41 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

January 10, 2014

Seattle Gay News 11

Discover 40 years of LGBTQ history in the Puget Sound region 860 Terry Avenue N., Seattle, WA 98109 206.324.1126 www.mohai.org

12 Seattle Gay News

January 10, 2014

Celebrating 41 Years!

northwest news

EMERALD CITY SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION – BAR CRAWL On Saturday, January 11, starting at 9 p.m., at C.C. Attle’s (1701 E. Olive Way) and moving to other Capitol Hill bars throughout the night, join ECSA players as they spread the word about Seattle’s Gay softball league and January 25 Field Day for new players. http://seattlegaysoftball.com SEATTLE WEDDING SHOW On Saturday, January 11, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Sunday, January 12, from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., enjoy the Seattle Wedding Show at the Washington State Convention Center (8th Ave. & Pike St.).

Tickets: $17 at the door. www.weddingshow.com.

DEFEAT HIV COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD – “THE WORD ON AN HIV CURE” – A COMMUNITY FORUM On Tuesday, January 14, from 7-8:30 p.m., at Miller Community Center (330 19th Ave. E.), join the Defeat HIV Community Advisory Board for an informational forum about the HIV cure research that is happening in Seattle. For more information, call 206-667-5810.

Gary Atkins, Associate Professor of Communication at Seattle University and author of Gay Seattle: Stories of Exile and Belonging and the new Imagining Paradise: Bali, Bangkok and Cyper-Singapore. Registration: $35 members, $45 non-members, $35 students. Walk-up is $10 more at the door.

206-363-9188 or www.thegsba.org

SEATTLE GAY & LESBIAN BOOK CLUB – FAIRYLAND The Seattle Gay & Lesbian Book Club meets every Wednesday from 6-7:15 p.m., at Seattle Area Support Groups Community Center (303 17th Ave. E. at E. Thomas St.).

In January, the club will discuss Fairyland by Alysia Abbott, the true story of a girl growing up with her Gay Buddhist poet father in San Francisco during the ‘70s and ‘80s, and as she goes through his journals 35 years later and recreates their time together, a daughter-father love story that I think will speak hugely to all those fathers in our reading group. It brings back to life post-Stonewall San Francisco, when it was the capital of the Gay universe, as well as the catastrophe of AIDS, when the caregiving parent has to turn to his daughter for caregiving.

Sofia Coppola has just purchased the rights to Fairyland to make into her next film.

All GLBTQ folks are welcome to participate in this FREE book club. For more information, visit http://faculty.washington. edu/swittet/SGLBookClub/.

GREATER SEATTLE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION (GSBA) – JANUARY BUSINESS LUNCHEON On Wednesday, January 15, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at Renaissance Hotel Seattle (515 Madison St.), join the GSBA for PRIDE SKATE their January Business Luncheon. Learn On Wednesday, January 15, from 9-11 about LGBT history of the Seattle area and p.m., come get your skate on at Southgate how the conversation about equality has Roller Rink’s (9646 17th Ave. SW) monthly changed over the years from guest speaker LGBTQ Pride Skate event. Meets the first

compiled by Rick McKinnon SGN Staff Writer

Wednesday most months, except this month A very limited number of 2014 MLK calit’s the third Wednesday. Cost is $7 (with endars will also be available at the celebrafree skate rental, if needed). This is an ages tion on a first-come, first-served basis.

18 and older event. www.southgaterollerrink.com.

METROPOLITAN OPERA AUDITIONS DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. On Sunday, January 19, at 1 p.m., the CELEBRATION Northwest Regional Metropolitan Opera On Thursday, January 16, from noon to Auditions will be held at Benaroya Hall, S. 1 p.m., at the Paramount Theatre (911 Pine Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium (3rd St.), please join us to celebrate the life and Ave. & Union St.). Winners from the four legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and to Northwest districts compete to go to New recognize our individual and collective re- York City for the Nationals on the Met sponsibility to continue his important work. stage. Admission $15 and $10 senior/stuThe theme of this year’s celebration is: dent. Cash or checks. Audience can come “No work is insignificant. All labor that up- and go between each singer’s short sets. lifts humanity has dignity and importance www.metoperanw.com or 425-678-8774. and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”

DIVERSE HARMONY – The celebration will include music by “WHEN I GROW UP, the King County MLK Singers and a perI WANT TO BE ME” formance by award-winning spoken word On Friday & Saturday, January 31 & artist Christa Bell. The keynote address will February 1, at 7:30 p.m., join Diverse Harbe delivered by King County Councilmem- mony, the nation’s first Gay-straight alliance ber Larry Gossett, one of King County’s youth chorus, at Broadway Performance human rights icons. Other speakers at the Hall (Broadway & E. Pine St.) as we take celebration will include King County Coun- you on a musical journey from the family cil Chair Larry Phillips. The event will also we are born into, to the family we choose. feature the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Stu- Combining Broadway, pop and classical dent Essay award ceremony, sponsored by tunes, this concert will explore what famthe King County Civil Rights Commission. ily is, and how everyone forms their own The Paramount Theatre is accessible. sense of family and community. Selections Sign language interpretation will be pro- include Sondheim, music from Ragtime, vided. Other reasonable accomodations pop hits of the ‘70s and 2000s, and dancing will be provided upon advance request. For and acting from our amazing youth. www. more information or to request reasonable diverseharmony.org. accomodations, please contact Paula HarTickets: $20 general; $25 premium; ris-White at the Department of Executive $30 VIP. www.brownpapertickets.com/ Services at 206-263-2444 or paula.harris- event/520888. Free youth tickets (ages 22 white@kingcounty.gov. and under with ID) available at the door on day of show only.

Rich Full-Bodied Cafes Savory Homestyle Soups & Sandwiches Visit us online www.sgn.org

January 10, 2014

Seattle Gay News 13

international news

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer According to Russian bloggers, government censors have defined nine criteria for determining online content that violates Russia’s laws against “Gay propaganda.”

Roskomnadzor, the Russian government agency responsible for overseeing the media, published the guidelines, in a lengthy document of some two thousand pages and twenty different sections.

According to Global Voices website – a collective which translates and publishes global blog posts – the bloggers have been focusing on Section 6 of the new law, titled Criteria of Internet Content Harmful for Children’s Health and Development.”

Global Voices lists the nine criteria as follows: 1) Arguing that traditional families don’t meet the needs of modern society or the modern individual. (This includes propagating the idea that the traditional family model has “lost many of its functions and become an obstacle to the free development of individuals.”)

2) Information (contained in either images or prose) that justifies and (or) otherwise vindicates the acceptability of “alternative family relations.” (This includes websites that publish “out-of-context” statistics about children adopted by gay and straight couples, which could lead children and teens to believe that gay couples are “no worse than straight couples at coping with parental responsibilities.”)

3) Using “intense emotional images” to discredit traditional family models and propagate alternative family models.

(This seems to include virtually any attempt to portray heterosexual relationships negatively and homosexual relationships favorably.)

4) Information that contains “images of behavior associated with the denial of the traditional family model” that promotes gay relationships. (This includes all “graphic demonstrations, in the form of pictures, photographs, or videos, of non-traditional sexual relations,” possibly encompassing even gay pornography.)

5) Instructions on how to experiment with gay sex.

6) Sharing the stories of minors who have “rejected traditional family values, entered into gay relationships, and shown disrespect to their parents and (or) other relatives.” (This might include the “It Gets Better” project.)

7) Information that “influences the formation of adolescents’ self-identity” by “exploiting their interest in sex.” (This includes “false allegations” about the prevalence of homosexual relationships among teenagers in modern society.)

8) Depicting gay people as role models.

(This includes publishing lists of famous living and deceased gay individuals.)

9) The final “gay propaganda” criterion is perhaps the broadest, including anything that either “approves or encourages” gay people in their homosexuality.

Police detain a gay rights activist during a Gay Pride event in St. Petersburg on June 2013

To qualify as “propaganda,” Roskomnadzor concludes, the content must also contain “false information” and have been produced with the intent of influencing public opinion.

patheos.com

14 Seattle Gay News

January 10, 2014

According to Roskomnadzor, information on the Internet can transform the family values of children and teenagers by “exploiting their interest in sex,” and luring them into homosexuality with “colorful previews.”

Vatican denies Pope is open to same-sex civil unions

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

Pope Francis

Alexander Demianchuk / Reuters

Russian government explains “Gay propaganda”

The Vatican has denied Italian media reports that Pope Francis might be open to legal recognition of same-sex civil unions.

Matteo Renzi, head of Italy’s Democratic Party, announced in December that his party would introduce civil union legislation.

The Pope was quoted in a Jesuit publication on January 3 saying that the Catholic Church should try not to scare away children in “complex family situations.”

“The situation in which we live now provides us with new challenges which sometimes are difficult for us to understand,” the Pope said, according to the transcript of the conversation.

“How can we proclaim Christ to these boys and girls? How can we proclaim Christ to a generation that is changing? We must be careful not to administer a vaccine against faith to them,” he said.

The Pope then used the example of a little girl in Buenos Aires, his former diocese, who confided to her teacher that she was always sad because “my mother’s girlfriend doesn’t like me.”

The Pope added that it was a challenge for the Church to reach out to children living in difficult or unorthodox domestic situations.

Italian media ran headlines on January 5 asserting that the Pope’s remarks signaled an openness to the possibility of same-sex

civil unions. As Archbishop of Buenos Aires, then-Cardinal Jorge Maria Badoglio suggested that civil unions would be preferable to same-sex marriage when Argentina passed its marriage equality law in 2010.

Vatican officials immediately denied the reports, however.

Papal spokesperson Father Federico Lombardi told Vatican Radio that media interpretations were “paradoxical” and a “manipulation” of the Pope’s words, particularly as some media quoted him as speaking specifically of same-sex unions, which he did not.

Lombardi said the Pope was merely “alluding to the suffering of children” and not taking a stand on the political debate on civil unions in Italy.

In July, the Pope caused a media sensation when he remarked that “If a person is gay and seeks God and has goodwill, who am I to judge?”

In that case also, Vatican officials quickly issued a statement that the Pope’s remarks did not change Church doctrine that Gay sex acts are sinful, even if a Gay sexual orientation is not.

In December a Maltese bishop who had a private conversation with the Pope said Francis was “shocked” by a bill legalizing adoptions by same-sex Maltese couples.

The Pope urged him to speak out against the measure, Bishop Charles Scicluna reported.

Celebrating 41 Years!

SPORTS

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor There’s been a lot in the mainstream media lately about pro athletes who are Gay. You gotta love the mainstream media sometimes (yes, I’m being sarcastic) because whenever something becomes popular they almost act like they had something to do with it. In magazines and newspapers or websites that barely ever had any LGBT content three or four years ago, they will now put a Gay person on the cover. It’s not a bad thing per se, it’s just a thing with me I guess. I bring this up because lately, whenever a pro athlete comes out as Gay, the media always reports it like, “Well, that’s that.

So-and-so is Gay. Homophobia in sports is over!”

Well, that’s just not true.

While there have been some amazing steps forward in the world of professional athletes, there has also been some push back – none more prevalent than in the National Football League.

Take for instance Chris Kluwe. In a scath-

a bigot who didn’t agree with the cause I was working for, and two cowards, [thenHead Coach] Leslie Frazier and [General Manager] Rick Spielman [...] who lacked the fortitude to disagree with Mike Priefer on a touchy subject matter.”

Kluwe was punter for the Vikings for eight seasons before being let go in May, He says trouble with the team’s leadership began in 2012 when he began speaking up for same-sex marriage.

At the time, Kluwe was working with the LGBT rights group Minnesotans for Marriage Equality, which successfully fought to defeat the Minnesota Gay Marriage Amendment, that sought to define marriage as being between a man and woman in the state’s constitution. Voters voted against the amendment and same-sex marriage has since been legalized in Minnesota.

It was during the same-sex marriage fight in Minnesota that Kluwe first made headlines after writing a blistering open letter to Maryland state delegate Emmett Burns, blasting the Republican politician for his “vitriolic hatred and bigotry.” The letter was Joel Auerbach / Getty Images

Richard Incognito of the Miami Dolphins was suspended for allegedly leaving threatening messages on fellow Dolphin Jonathon Martin’s voicemail that included some racial slurs.

ing screed published online last week, former NFL player and Gay rights activist Chris Kluwe accused top members of staff at the Minnesota Vikings of firing him because of his vocal support for same-sex marriage.

The team, however, has since come forward to say the decision had nothing to do with Kluwe’s views, prompting TMZ to run the headline “Gay War Explodes in NFL.” Kluwe’s post alleges that he was “fired by [Special Teams Coordinator] Mike Priefer,

George Gojkovich / Getty Images North America

NFL still behind on being inclusive to Gay players

a response to a letter Burns had previously written to Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, demanding that Brendon Ayanbadejo, who was the Ravens’ linebacker at the time, be stopped from publicly endorsing same-sex marriage.

According to Kluwe, then-Vikings Head Coach Leslie Frazier approached him the day after his letter was published and asked him “to be quiet, and stop speaking out on this stuff.” Frazier is no longer the team head coach. He was fired from the Vikings

Visit us online www.sgn.org

Chris Kluwe has accused top Minnesota Vikings staff members of firing him because of his support for Gay rights.

following the team’s 5-10-1 season this year.

In the days and months that followed that first incident, Kluwe says that he was approached on different occasions by Frazier and Spielman with similar requests to be silent. In addition he alleges he was mocked and treated unfairly by Special Teams Coordinator Mike Priefer.

Kluwe says Priefer often used anti-Gay language in front of him and the team. “We should round up all the Gays, send them to an island, and then nuke it until it glows,” Kluwe quotes Priefer as saying at a November team meeting.

After Kluwe was cut from the Vikings, speculation was rife as to whether the punter had been fired over his views on Gay rights.

Kluwe was careful with his answers, “I honestly don’t know because I’m not in those meetings,” he said in a May radio interview with HuffPost Gay Voices’ Editor-at-Large Michelangelo Signorile.

In his Deadspin post this week, however, Kluwe was very direct, saying he was “pretty confident” his activism was the reason he got fired.

The Minnesota Vikings released a statement slamming the allegations. “Any notion that Chris [Kluwe] was released from our football team due to his stance on marriage equality is entirely inaccurate and inconsistent with team policy. Chris was released

strictly based on his football performance,” read the statement.

Doubt over whether Kluwe’s political views had anything to do with the Vikings letting him go is one of many reasons why speaking out for LGBT equality is thorny for athletes in the first place. If you trained and worked hard most of your young adult life to reach the pro level in whatever sport you desired, would you so easily give it up so you could stick up for Gay athletes?

“There is an ever-present awareness that your ability to play the game you love is being determined by people who will always have just cause to fire you, if you’re not breaking all the records,” says Hudson Taylor, founder and executive director of Athlete Ally, which mobilizes straight athletes to speak out in support of the LGBT community.

Kluwe’s allegations push the issue of intolerance on the football field – or any pro sport for that matter –to the forefront after what has been a troubling year for the NFL. Kluwe wrote that he didn’t think his situation was a problem of “institutionalized homophobia” in the NFL, but a matter of individual homophobic people who need to be replaced.

Taylor said the NFL has made great strides in making the league more Gay-

Hot

see nfl page 16

Use this coupon for

MAMA’S $2.00 off any size pizza PIZZA

700 East Pine St., Seattle

HOMEMADE The Best Piece In Town! HAND TOSSED Not valid for delivery.

FREE DELIVERY • 206-322-6444

January 10, 2014

Seattle Gay News 15

NFL

continued from page 15 friendly.

But Kluwe and others say otherwise. And it isn’t just homophobia either.

Richard Incognito, the Miami Dolphins player was suspended for allegedly leaving threatening messages on fellow Dolphin Jonathon Martin’s voicemail that included some racial slurs, points to another type of prejudice that many people continue to say is gone: racism.

Both the Incognito and Kluwe vs. Vikings controversy spur discussion as to whether the aggressive language and behaviors known to exist in NFL locker rooms cross a line or if it is accepted, or almost certainly, is swept under the rug as merely “boys will be boys” jargon.

There are players who take to social media or in direct lines to the media that make

statements deemed outright homophobic, racist, problematic and – idiotic.

In March of last year, Seattle Seahawks defensive end Chris Clemons tweeted that it would be a “selfish act” for a Gay NFL player to come out of the closet. At the time it was rumored that up to four might come out as Gay in the off-season. Gay rights groups were, rightfully so, pissed off about the ridiculous sentiment.

And then there were the homophobic comments San Francisco 49ers player Chris Culliver made to a comedian before the Super Bowl last year. Speaking with shock jock Artie Lange, Culliver said he was not OK with Gay players in the NFL or on his team.

“I don’t do the Gay guys man,” Culliver said. “I don’t do that. No, we don’t got no Gay people on the team, they gotta get up out of here if they do.”

Culliver went on to say that Gays would not be welcomed in the locker room, but if

they remained closeted, he might be all right with them playing.

“Yeah, come out 10 years later,” he said.

Former NFL player, Wade Davis, agreed (kind of) with Culliver, telling The Daily Beast that he personally knows of several Gay players currently in the NFL, although none of them have come out due to a continuing stigma in the league.

The thing is – Davis is Gay. Davis came out of the closet last year after his playing days were over. He says there are Gay men in the NFL now who are semiopen: they are known to be Gay by their teammates who are accepting because their homosexuality is not well-known and thus not something they must answer questions about.

“Openly Gay is a bit strong cuz when we think of openly Gay, we think of walking down the street with your boyfriend, but there are players who know that this player may have a boyfriend or may not date women and that’s just it,” he told The Daily Beast. “It’s not talked about.”

“He’s there to do a job, I’m here to do a job, it’s not talked about, he’s my brother, he doesn’t treat me any different than anyone else does,” he said.

Davis said he thinks the real issue is that the idea that a Gay man could play sports is an attack to straight guys’ masculinity. “This Gay guy can play my sport better than me?

What does that say about me as a straight guy? I think that’s why people had an issue,” he said. “I think the world is evolving around the idea of what is masculinity. I

think the adage is true: the more people who are Gay are coming out, the more exposure you have to Gay people and you realize all Gay people aren’t just one way. So you realize this person can be Gay and be an amazing athlete.”

“And all Gay men don’t want every other guy that walks down the street,” he added.

“I think people are being educated to that.

You ask most straight guys and they think that every other Gay man wants you.”

Back to the Kluwe issue – openly-Gay sportscaster Jared Max says Kluwe is bravely standing up against homophobia in the NFL. “As a Gay guy, [I’m] well aware of the importance of allies and how important a guy like Chris Kluwe was . . . . There’s a need for some change.”

Max is a former host on 1050 ESPN Radio in New York. He noted that no Vikings teammates have yet come out to support Kluwe’s claims. But he also says he’s not surprised.

“That says to me, oh, that’s because they’re under contract and if they go and talk, they’re done. They’ve already seen what’s happened with Kluwe,” Max said.

“Kluwe has made it clear that what he wants is that nobody else goes through this.

Because imagine you’re a college football player who’s about to get drafted by Minnesota and you’re Gay. Do you want to go play for the Vikings?”

The answer to that question is most undoubtedly, “no.”

Religion & Spirituality A Church for All God’s People – since 1972 www.mccseattle.org Sunday Worship 11:00 am 1415 NE 43rd St. on U-District (206) 325-2421

www.sgn.org

Health and Personal Services SPECIALTIES LGBT Issues Couples Counseling Depression Anger Management Domestic Violence Grief and Loss HIV/AIDS

Gary Sarozek, MA, LMHC 1370 Stewart Street (Across from REI) Seattle WA, 98109

206-619-4187 gsarozek@comcast.net www.garysarozek.com

Que Areste, N.D. Naturopathic Family Physician

206.328.2926 drque@speakeasy.net 1605 12th Avenue, Suite 16 • Seattle, WA 98122

www.sgn.org Rich Full-Bodied Cafes Savory Homestyle Soups & Sandwiches

16 Seattle Gay News

January 10, 2014

Celebrating 41 Years!

health and medicine

Kiki with D Just chill and breathe

by D Smith SGN Contributing Writer Dear Kiki with D, I need your advice. I have been dating a guy for two months. I met him on a dating website. We have a great time together, we have great conversations, we’re very passionate towards each other, etc. We are sexually exclusive, but we never had the “talk” about dating exclusively. Things seem to be

you to keep this relationship in perspective.

You’ve only been with him for two months, which means that you’re still figuring out whether he has potential. You had five dates in a week (that’s a lot) and then he asked for a tiny bit of space (which you didn’t quite give him). I must say you are jumping to conclusions quite fast, just chill. Easier said than done, I know. Breathe, just take a minute and breathe.

The good news is that this guy has been clear about his intentions from the start.

He’s been honest about your status, even checking in to tell you that he wouldn’t be checking in. It’s not as though you’re with someone who won’t give you answers. This guy is willing to talk and explain. Get yourself to OR to find out what’s what – and try to remind yourself that no matter what happens, you’ll be OK. Hope this helps. Remember be true to you, love yourself, encourage yourself and Dear Love Advice Needed, WA, others.

I’m not a mind reader, so I don’t know –D what this guy is going to say. But I want time the past few days.” I responded saying, “I understand, hope you’re getting some R&R.” Afterwards, he never responded.

The next day I texted him asking if he was OK, and said that I hope everything is alright. He said, “Let’s get together and chat next time you’re in the city,” which would be in a few days. (He lives in OR.) When I read he wanted to “chat,” my heart dropped. In my opinion, it’s just as bad as “we need to talk.”

In the meantime, I don’t know what to think. Am I jumping to conclusions that it’s something negative, like he wants to end things? What could he want to chat about?

I’m very confused. To give some background information, he is a lawyer and has been working a lot. I’m assuming that maybe he will mention this and end things? Any advice will help. Thank you in advance.

–Love Advice Needed, WA

going well, and we’ve talked about future trips. Furthermore, he has mentioned he’s not a serial dater, so I assume he’s not seeing someone else.

Last week, we saw each other five times in a week, but this week has been the total opposite. I could feel something is not right.

He never asked to see me or initiate contact.

He did send me a text saying “I don’t want you to think I’m ignoring you. I’ve just been a little antisocial, wanting some personal

Legal Services MARTIN SJOLIE

www.sgn.org

Over 20 Years Experience

Last Will, Power of Attorney & Health Care Directive (Living Will)

$500.00/Person or $750.00/Couple for complete, personalized services.

(206) 841–1373 www.sjolielaw.com

Auto accidents, DUI, Small business needs.

www.sgn.org

Visit us online www.sgn.org

January 10, 2014

Seattle Gay News 17

speech

continued from page 4 must be embraced and woven into the fabric of our police force.

True policing is about building relationships with the people the department serves and developing solutions to the problems they face. True partnership is about dia-

logue; it is about relationships.

I pledge to make Seattle’s Police Department a model of urban policing for the rest of the nation.

Crime and violence are public health issues as much as they are legal issues. In the end, public safety is not merely the domain of the Police and Fire Departments. Rather, it is a job for all of us.

INFRASTRUCTURE The history of the progressive movement has always included the belief that government can best facilitate the preservation of our natural beauty and the building of the infrastructure that makes us thrive.

I believe we can build a truly integrated transportation system with a world-class transit system at its core.

I believe we can maintain and expand a vibrant park system, sidewalks, bike lanes, repair our crumbling streets, and rebuild our central waterfront.

CLIMATE CHANGE A progressive city must be an environmentally sustainable city – not just because our City has a moral responsibility to address the issue of climate change, but because cities are in the best position to foster significant reductions in carbon emissions – and Seattle can be a national model.

As we look at the issues of the environment and of sustainability, we must also recognize that these are social justice issues.

And we must address the fact that the impact of climate change is most often felt by those who can least afford it.

PARTNERSHIP All of this will take partnerships.

It will take cooperation between the Mayor and the City’s other elected officials. To the City Council and the City Attorney, we jointly are responsible for governing this City, and I pledge to work with each of you.

To our region, I pledge that Seattle will

once again become a leader – and your partner – on regional issues.

To the Governor and to the Legislature, few mayors who have held this office understand as deeply as I do the challenges you face. I pledge to renew our relationships and be a partner with you – as well as with our federal delegation.

CLOSING Leadership is ultimately about service – service to the people of this city. Those of us who have taken the oath of office today, join our colleagues in governing this City, first and last as servants – public servants.

In the years ahead, we will experience joy and tragedy, victory and defeat, crisis and progress.

I am optimistic about our ability to face the challenges ahead.

I am hopeful and excited about the possibilities that these challenges present, because we live in a place of unmatched beauty, with the most innovative businesses on the planet, and a wealth of talented people committed to improving the lives of those around us.

In the words of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy: “All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the lifetime of this administration; nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.”

Thank you.

Home & Specialized Services Gary D. TorGerson Co. Expert Painting and Repairs Rot Repair: siding, doors, windows, porches and decks.

Lead-Safe Certified

See photographs of our work at www.TorgersonCompany.com Email: info@torgersoncompany.com Contractor Registration #: GARYDTC134CJ Phone: 206-781-0999

18 Seattle Gay News

January 10, 2014

Celebrating 41 Years!

MoSS Alley MotorS, Inc. SpecialiStS in VolVo, Honda, toyota and Subaru

932 12th ave.

Seattle, Wa 98122 (206).325--.3992 www.mossalley.com Seattle’s most progressive auto shop!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

January 10, 2014

Seattle Gay News 19