SGN February 22, 2013 - Section 1

Celebrating 40 Years!

Issue 08 Volume 41

FRIDAY February 22, 2013 FREE! 25¢ in bookstores & newsstands

Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

LGBT pressure mounts on Obama Dozens of groups call for executive order against discrimination

Fifty-four LGBT-friendly organizations have sent a letter to President Barack Obama urging him to issue an executive order barring federal contractors from

“Therefore, we write to urge you to take an immediate step toward legal equality by signing an executive order banning federal contractors from discriminating against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Americans.”

AFP / Getty Images

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

This letter comes only a week after 37 U.S. senators – including Washington’s Patty Murray – sent a similar letter to the President.

The latest letter was signed by all the major national LGBT organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign, the National

“We write to urge you to take an immediate step toward legal equality by signing an executive order banning federal contractors from discriminating against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Americans.” workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

“Dear Mr. President,” the letter begins. “We were deeply moved by the passage in your second inaugural address connecting Seneca Falls and Selma to Stonewall, and we agree that ‘our journey is not complete until our Gay brothers and sisters are treated like everyone else under the law.’

MANY WOULD BENEFIT The letter acknowledges that many companies that do business with the federal government already have LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination policies in place, but quotes a Williams Institute study showing that some 11 million workers would benefit from additional protection of sexual orientation, and another 16 million from gender identity protections.

Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, GetEqual, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and the National Center for Transgender Equality.

It was also signed by many organizations based in communities of color – NAACP, the National see obama page 16

President Barack Obama

Shanti program closing A regal affair Lack of funds cited in decision to end volunteer support group

Rosehedge/Multifaith Works, an organization that for 25 years has provided housing and support programs for people living with HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and other life-challenging illnesses, announced this week the elimination of the Shanti emotional support program, effective March 31.

The Rosehedge Board said it made the difficult decision after learning of the loss of $600,000 in 2013 state and federal funding.

THIRTY-YEAR RUN Since 1983, Shanti has provided emotional support to thousands of people, matching well-trained volunteers with those who are iso-

lated, vulnerable, and in need of confidential, one-on-one, nonjudgmental support.

Shanti volunteers who are especially skilled at sitting with individuals at the end-of-life stage make weekly visits to residents at Bailey-Boushay House.

The group also runs a prison program, with volunteers providing support to inmates at the King County Correctional Facility, the Monroe State Penitentiary, and the Women’s Correctional Facility at Purdy.

The Shanti program staff is actively seeking a new fiscal agent and will be working with volunteers and community leaders to explore all options for the program’s future and fiscal sustainability.

Weddings By the Sea

Imperial Court of Seattle crowns new Emperor and Empress

Nate Gowdy, Jen DeLeo / seattle gay news

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor

A ‘PAINFUL’ DECISION “This decision was incredibly painful for the organization Shanti is one of Seattle’s original HIV/AIDS programs,” said Lauren Simonds, executive director of Rosehedge/Multifaith Works.

“Funding for HIV/AIDS programs is changing and will continue to do so as the medical treatment of patients evolves. Rosehedge/Multifaith Works will, of course, evolve as well. Our staff and board remain firmly committed to the work we do in the community and the individuals we are here to help.”

Rosehedge/Multifaith Works serves men and women living with HIV/AIDS who also struggle with chemical dependency and mental health issues by providing housing, compassionate health care, and support services that enhance the quality of their lives. Its programs include Enhanced Assisted Living Adult Family Homes with 24-hour care, Transitional Housing, practical and emotional support services through CareTeams, and SHIFT, a substance abuse peer-recovery coach network.

Word of Shanti’s closing came just days after the nation’s oldest AIDS advocacy group, the Washington, D.C.-based National Association of People With AIDS, announced it had ceased operations and filed for bankruptcy.

Empress Sahara Dior D. and Emperor Michael David D at crowning

by James Whitely SGN Staff Writer The Imperial Sovereign Court of Seattle & The Olympic and Rainier Empire held its annual Coronation at Seattle’s Renaissance Hotel on February 16. Michael David D was appointed Emperor Rainier XXXIX, and Sahara Dior D. was crowned Empress Olympia XLII. The evening began with Em-

www.oceanshoresweddings.com 206-403-8170 Let us make your wedding day as fun as a day at the beach.

press Nicole the Great de San Diego, head of the International Court System, taking the stage to the Golden Girls theme song, “Thank You for Being a Friend.”

The empress then gave her annual State of the Empire address, a tradition she began when she was appointed to lead the Court after its founder, Empress I José Sarria, retired.

see coronation page 5

ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION? Seattle • (206) 329-2000 • 1001 Broadway Suite 311 HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE? DIABETES? NITRATES?

$99 Guaranteed Visit!!

2

Seattle Gay News

February 22, 2013

Bellevue • (425) 455-1700 • 1940 116th Ave NE

www.InnovativeMen.com

Celebrating 40 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

February 22, 2013

Seattle Gay News

3

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 Production William Creswell Calendar Editors Mike Andrew and Rick McKinnon Travel Editor George Bakan Advertising Manager Marty Weisbrod Advertising Department Maggie Bloodstone 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. © 2013, 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.

op-ed

Who’s afraid of a Lesbian in a tie?

ties, typically uncoordinated and way too loose. Still, “hate” is a strong word for poor tailoring. I doubt she would have such a reaction to practical shoes and acid-washed jeans, which are about as fashionable.

I prodded her more and, no surprise, she voiced what I felt when I looked at all those pictures: A Lesbian in a tie confirms that old stereotype about us – that we wish we were men. This doesn’t explain, however, why my partner and I don’t have the same reaction to all those other traditionally masculine signifiers that Lesbians (including the LESBIAN DRESS CODE? This subject came up because I invited two of us) often appropriate, i.e., clunky my straight sister to a big gala event for boots and short hair. my favorite Lesbian civil rights organizaTHE REAL PROBLEM tion. She asked about the dress code, and to So what’s the thing about a tie? Maybe it’s assure her that she didn’t need to go shopping, I e-mailed her the photo page from the fact that Lesbians wear them so badly. last year’s bash. After scanning dozens of Think about it. We have made an art form thumbnails, I summarized my assessment of Lesbian hair. We put Doc Martens on the of the expected attire thusly: “Clearly, all map for women in America. If you want to know how to make jeans look cool, find a you need is a tie.”

Because my sister has hung with Lesbians young Lesbian and follow her around. for years and is also the butchest straight There is, in fact, such a thing as Lesbian woman I know, I felt no need to explain fashion. Except that Lesbians never did further, but I did have that niggling feeling figure out what all moderately stylish men that I didn’t want the rest of the world to see know: throwing any old tie onto any old what Lesbians wear to parties. Which made outfit just won’t cut it.

I think if I saw a confident butch woman me feel like a schmuck I asked my partner how she felt about wearing her tie like she gave it some seriLesbians in ties and she barked, “I hate it!” I ous thought, I’d be impressed. Straight peoasked her to explain, and she said, “Because ple probably still wouldn’t get it, but they they look like high school boys from the couldn’t possibly miss her sense of self’80s.” I knew what she meant – one does not worth and dash – also known as pride.

My advice, though I know you weren’t find nicely tailored suits and French silk in a gaggle of Lesbians. Instead, it’s skinny dad asking, is to get the best damn tie you can afford, practice your knot technique, proudly ask your local cleaners to make your suit actually fit your girly body, and wear it like you mean it. Thankfully, there are now even some clothing companies that cater specifically to the butch woman of style. I probably won’t be buying a tie myself (except for my cat), but you’re well within your rights to tell me to get over it.

If we’re going to wear men’s clothes, let’s do it right

by Abby Dees SGN Contributing Writer I have a problem with Lesbians in ties. I don’t have a problem with Lesbians with short hair (I’ve got short hair myself), big clunky boots (those too), tattoos (yep), or excess facial hair (no comment). I don’t even have a problem with drag kings (though I’m not cocky enough for that). I’m not talking about FTM Trans people either – they’re not Lesbians, as far as I know. It’s a Lesbian in a tie that makes me groan. Lesbians in poorly executed Windsor knots.

Please, before you flame me for my internalized homophobia or unsolicited sartorial judgment of my sisters, allow me to be the first person to admit that I might be a hypocrite. After all, I put my own cat in a tie last month and posted the pictures on Facebook.

There are worse things in the world than Lesbians in ties, which is why I am examining my excessive reaction to it here, today, with the hope that you will debate the point with me nicely.

Abby Dees is a civil rights attorneyturned-author who has been in the LGBT rights trenches for 25+ years. She can be reached through her website, www.queerquestionsstraighttalk.com.

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

4

Seattle Gay News

February 22, 2013

Celebrating 40 Years!

Local news

courtesy Daniel Porras

Capitol Hill dancer diagnosed with cancer Daniel Porras will chronicle his experience for SGN

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Daniel Porras is hot. He dances for dollars – dollars his fans at R Place gladly give him – and he’s a got a smile that could melt even the coldest heart. Porras has got anything a young man of 22 could want. He has the respect and love of his family and friends, is gainfully employed, and is in a relationship

cause his father passed away a few years ago from lung cancer. He was 74.

“To me, cancer equals death,” Porras told me. “The first thing I thought of was, ‘Who am I going to give my stuff to?’”

Of course he eventually shook himself out of his trauma, and began to listen intently to what his treatment would consist of. His first day of radiation therapy was last Friday.

He completed his first full week of radiation

“To me, cancer equals death.

The first thing I thought of was, ‘Who am I going to give my stuff to?’” that makes him happy.

Yes, Daniel Porras has everything … except his health.

Porras, whose outward appearance is strong and chiseled, was diagnosed with oral cancer last week – a diagnosis so sudden that the doctors at UW haven’t even gotten back all of his blood work yet to tell him just how good – or bad – he has it. What he does know is that he’s got low white blood cells, there’s a lump on his tongue (so small no one can see it), and a mass on his esophagus.

Porras has never smoked, and he doesn’t chew or engage in any other behavior that would point to a reason why cancer is growing inside of him. The doctors, he says, are perplexed.

A TRAUMATIC DIAGNOSIS “When they first told me, I didn’t hear the word ‘cancer.’ I shut it out,” he told Seattle Gay News. “I just wasn’t trying to hear that particular word. So whenever they said it, I ignored it.”

Porras’ reaction is understandable be-

treatment this week and sleeping now takes the place of dancing – the treatment just takes the wind right out of him.

Daniel Porras is a sweetheart. He just is.

Throughout his ordeal this week, he was thinking more about friends and family, worried that he slept too much and wouldn’t be able to see everyone.

He told the world of his diagnosis earlier this week, via Facebook – a simple video that will break your heart. Still, throughout it, he smiles. Anyone who knows him takes comfort in that smile. The day Porras stops smiling, there will be something seriously wrong. Until then, we can rest assured that he is doing well.

TELLING HIS STORY I got to thinking, “Gay and fighting cancer. There’s got to be more men out there.”

And of course, there are. But who is speaking in solidarity with them or for them when they can’t speak anymore? No one, really.

So I approached him about writing a regular column about his experience fighting the disease, and, being as brave and as positive

exquisite evening wear, the Coronation proceeded. Various Court members who had continued from cover won titles in past years – the court refers to them as the College of Monarchs – made “Bravo to all the citizens of Washington speeches and performed songs. As is cusfor upholding [Referendum 74],” said Em- tomary during these performances, many of press Nicole. the other college members came up to the stage to tip their fellow monarchs, leaving MURRAY, KNITTEL HONORED well over half the seats empty.

The Empress then presented an award on behalf of the entire International Court System to Washington State Sen. Ed Murray for his work on same-sex marriage.

“We would not have won Referendum 74,” said Murray, proudly accepting the award, “if organizations like yours hadn’t existed.”

Murray also received an award from the Court of Washington, and Shaun Knittel of Social Outreach Seattle was awarded the Between performances, emcees Eunice 2012 Anthony J. Schmidt Citizen of the Kennady-Smith (Empress XVI of SpoYear Award. kane) and Maria Peters Lake (Rose Empress Empress Nicole proclaimed 2013 to be XXXVI of Portland), and guest speakers “the year of the seniors and elders.” shared their stories. From ballot-measure “Our community needs to treat our se- battles to police raids, the speakers crafted niors with more respect and also recognize a narrative that became essentially a genthem for being the trailblazers that they are. eral overview of the Pacific Northwest’s It is our Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender se- LGBT history. Very quickly, one begins to niors who are the most isolated,” said Em- realize that they’re not talking about Court press Nicole, in an interview with SGN be- history per se, nor are they trying to play up fore the Coronation. the Court’s significance – the fact simply becomes evident that many of those who POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE were involved in those fights from the ’70s With much fanfare, glittering crowns, and to the ’90s were either in or worked with the

coronation

Daniel Porras

a soul as he is, Porras accepted.

I hope our readers embrace him the way his friends and family have. You’ll be hearing from Daniel Porras next week in the first installment of his column. It’s yet to be named but he’s excited about it, and we

hope you are too.

“What amazes me the most is the people I meet every day,” says Porras. “Their stories.

Their smiles. Another day of recovery is another day to be in this planet! If I am worn out or not I will always smile.”

Court. It’s because the Court, being one of the oldest LGBT organizations in the nation, has been there from the beginning of the modern Gay rights movement.

“In those dark ages, in the early years of the 1980s, there were no corporate sponsors.

People thought you could get [AIDS] in the air. The Court was opening food banks. We were responding by building communities –

uate at the University of Washington, and Joshua Trotter, who studies cosmetology at Gene Juarez Academy.

“Seattle has something happening with its young people,” said James II, Rainier IX (1983), citing a recent surge of youth participation in the last Gay Seattle pageant.

Michael David D, who took the Rainier XXXIX title, is just 25.

Special guest performers included Lady Chablis alongside her cast from Lashes at R Place, who performed a number from the film Burlesque. Robbie Turner also took the stage in a beautiful white Victorian outfit, coming off spontaneous and as professional as always. During his performance, he pulled Rose Emperor XXXIX Gina Valdez Kennady-Smith up onstage with him, directing the Emperor’s choreography on the fly.

Just before the crowning ceremony, Emperor Rainier XXXVIII Rick Peters Lake and Empress Olympia XLI Beverly Peters Lake took their final walks, bringing up to the stage former titleholders and embracing each one as they prepared to join them in the College of Monarchs. In matching evening wear, the two gracefully stepped down and gave up their badges of office.

Coronation 2013 ended with Sahara Dior D. being crowned Empress Olympia XLII and Michael David D being crowned Emperor Rainier XXXIX. A toast was made to their coming reign.

“We would not have won Referendum 74, if organizations like yours hadn’t existed.” there were no centers, there were only the tavern guilds, the Mattachine, and the Imperial Court. We raised the money – we still do,” Empress Nicole told SGN before coronation.

“We could talk about the charity and the hoo-hah, but it’s the friendship and the family, not just for two years, but for 20 years,” said Joan-E, Empress XXVIII of Vancouver, Canada, of the significance of the International Court System.

YOUTH INVOLVEMENT The Court awarded scholarships to two local students: Julian Gaspay, an undergrad-

Come meet Tim and Matt and join the family.

Go 1605 12th Avenue at Pine, Seattle (In liquor store parking garage.) Seattle Storm!

206-838-6027 or 206-898-4306

Visit us online www.sgn.org

February 22, 2013

Seattle Gay News

5

Self-defense: A necessity, not a luxury! courtesy of Mac McGregor

BE THE BEE! Sting, sting, sting, until he does not want to be anywhere near you. I have found that this is something everyone can understand and relate to, and it gives people confidence that a smaller, physically weaker person can be effective.

AWARENESS, INTUITION KEY The two most important tools everyone already has at their disposal are awareness and intuition. Learning to hone in on those is key to one’s safety.

Let’s talk about awareness first. Always look around when you walk into a place – be conscious of where the exits are and where would be a good place to hide if necessary. Look at the people and notice if anyone stands out to you, and never sit with your back to the door unless you really trust the person you are with to watch your back.

Look around your car as you are approaching it and your home when approaching it.

Be attentive to anything out of the ordinary around your home. Most attacks happen in or around a person’s home, which is where we have a tendency to let our guard down.

The second tool that we all have is intuition – the sixth sense, the angel on your shoulder, that gut feeling, that inner voice.

It doesn’t matter what you call it. What matters is that you listen to it. This is really our subconscious mind picking up on clues to protect us and keep us safe. Our subconcourtesy of Mac McGregor

Mac S. McGregor (above and right)

by Mac S. McGregor Special to the SGN Due to the recent assaults and threats on women and drag queens in our area, I approached Social Outreach Seattle about us hosting a self-defense class for the community, because I believe that knowledge dissipates fear. I have spent my entire life training in and teaching martial arts to empower people to walk through life with more confidence and knowledge – to be safe in our not-so-safe world.

I began my own martial arts training at age six, when an introductory class was

two occasions she ended up in critical care.

I remember watching this, seeing the fear on her face and being frustrated that I was too small to stop him. I recall him being charming and nice at times, and then turning into a monster. I have never forgotten those times and this experience has always given me a special passion that no one should ever have to live in fear. It also gave me a great deal of motivation to be physically strong and capable of taking care of myself and those I care about. I never again wanted to have that helpless feeling I did as a child, watching that nightmare and not having the power to do anything to help.

If someone gives you these feelings or “red flags,” get away from them immediately.

It can be a person or a place that makes you feel uncomfortable – either way, LISTEN and TRUST your intuition. offered through my elementary school.

Since I loved to watch Kung Fu Theater on weekends and wanted to be Bruce Lee, this was my big chance to start that process. I brought the sign-up papers home and begged my mother to allow me to take the class. She signed the papers and it all began.

I did so well in the class that I was asked to lead a martial arts demonstration at a PTA meeting.

At the end of the six-week class, the husband-and-wife instructor team told my mother and grandmother that I was a “natural” and a hard worker, and that they would like to see me continue my training. My mother, a single parent of two who worked as a bartender, did not have the money for this, but my grandmother said she and my grandfather would pay for my training.

Since then I have never stopped. This training was important to both my grandmother and my mother, because my mother had recently come out of a physically and emotionally abusive marriage and they never wanted me to go through that. As a small child I saw this man beat her many times to the point of needing to be hospitalized – on

FIRST CLASS A SUCCESS I heard friends in our community talking about being afraid due to these recent attacks and I wanted to do all that I could and can to help. After 43 years of martial arts training, having achieved black-belt levels in 17 different styles of martial arts, being one of the highest-ranking martial artists in the world and a defensive tactics instructor for security and law enforcement professionals, I have the knowledge to help. The class at Velocity Dance Center in Capitol Hill, held on February 17, was a great success. We had a variety of people attend and participate – all sexes and gender expressions, body types, sexual orientations, and strength levels. It was a beautiful thing to witness: the confidence the participants build as they gained knowledge, practiced the techniques, and saw that they worked.

Despite my vast martial arts knowledge and training, when I teach street-smart selfdefense I am not really teaching martial arts.

I am teaching martial arts principles and some very basic martial arts techniques.

Many martial arts teachers don’t understand

this. I am training people who are not martial artists. I need to be able to teach them simple things that can help them live safely and carry themselves more centered and with more confidence in a short amount of time, once a year or once every two years. In other words, I simplify things. After years of teaching, bodyguarding, doing security work, and working with law enforcement officers, I have developed techniques that are simple but will work on a much larger and stronger attacker. I teach techniques that use large gross motor movements so that under stress with minimal training a person can still make them work. I show people the weak points on the body that even if a person is extremely strong will still hurt and be effective to help one get away.

I use this analogy: Find the biggest, strongest, most muscular guy you can. Put him in a small, closed space such as a phone booth with a couple of angry bees, and then watch that tough guy dance and do whatever else he can do to get away from those bees. Now,

scious minds have no ulterior motive but to protect us, so LISTEN. Our intuition presents differently to each of us but here are some common ways it presents: the hair on the back of the neck standing up; unusual sweating; a lump in the throat; nagging thoughts; a strange feeling in the gut; getting chills when it is not cold; and many other ways. Many people argue with these messages and make excuses for them. If you meet someone new and you have an eerie, uncomfortable feeling about that person, you may argue in your inner dialogue, saying things like “I really shouldn’t judge,” “I just met this person,” and so on. Most of us don’t want to be considered rude or a bitch, so we jeopardize our own security to be polite. Be the bitch and be safe! Get over worrying about what people think, especially when it comes to your well-being.

The difficult thing about intuition that we all see defense page 16

Come meet Tim and Matt and join the family.

Go 1605 12th Avenue at Pine, Seattle (In liquor store parking garage.) Seattle Storm!

206-838-6027 or 206-898-4306 6

Seattle Gay News

February 22, 2013

Celebrating 40 Years!

Hire a vet!

U.S. Chamber to host job fair for veterans and spouses in Seattle

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s National Chamber Foundation, along with lead sponsor Capital One, will host “Hiring Our Heroes – Seattle,” a hiring fair for veterans and military spouses, early next month.

employment. This event is also part of Hiring 500,000 Heroes, a national campaign to engage the business community in committing to hire 500,000 veterans and military spouses by the end of 2014. Thus far, more than 800 businesses of all sizes have pledged to hire 211,000 heroes toward this goal, with 93,000 hired since March 2012.

Because of DADT repeal, employers can expect to see some openly Gay and Lesbian service members at the event – something that would’ve been nearly unthinkable just two years ago.

More than 65 employers are expected to participate, with jobs available for veterans and military spouses of all ranks and levels of experience. Companies range from America’s biggest employers to dozens of local small businesses.

Because of DADT repeal, employers can expect to see some openly Gay and Lesbian service members at the event – something that would’ve been nearly unthinkable just two years ago.

Since its launch in March 2011, Hiring Our Heroes has held more than 400 hiring fairs nationwide, which have helped over 14,000 veterans and military spouses find

Hiring Our Heroes – Seattle is scheduled for Tuesday, March 5, from 9 a.m. to noon, at Bell Harbor International Conference Center (2211 Alaskan Way).

SIGN UP ONLINE Advance registration is strongly recommended at https://hoh.greatjob.net. Walkin job seekers are also welcome and should bring proof of service.

This hiring event is being held in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (DOL VETS), the Washington Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and

Reserve (ESGR), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, The American Legion, and various local partners.

The National Chamber Foundation, a nonprofit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, is dedicated to identifying and fostering public debate on emerging critical issues. It provides business and government

leaders with insight and resources to address tomorrow’s challenges.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than three million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

Got marriage photos?

Loving Everywhere says send them to the Supreme Court

nate gowdy / seattle gay news

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Loving Everywhere, a social movement created by the author of The Gay Agenda 2013, the comprehensive guidebook for LGBT equality, kicked off this week online (www.lovingeverywhere.com).

“In the 1967 Loving v. Virginia case, the Supreme Court made interracial marriages valid in all 50 states and territories,” Loving Equality states on its website. “In June, the Supreme Court will rule on LGBT equality for the first time in a decade. What’s at stake now, like in the 1967 Loving case, is the freedom to marry the person you love and the recognition of same-gender marriages everywhere.”

Nine states and the District of Columbia already allow same-gender marriages, but neither the federal government nor the majority of states currently recognize those marriages.

“Imagine what happens when traveling

or relocating to another state and suddenly you are no longer considered married,” says Loving Everywhere.

LETTER-WRITING CAMPAIGN So what can you do? Send a picture of you as a couple to each of the nine Supreme Court justices! The Court’s address is: One First Street N.E., Washington, DC 20543.

Their names are Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Anthony Kennedy, Justice Elena Kagan, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Justice Stephen Breyer, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Justice Samuel Alito, Justice Clarence Thomas, and Justice Antonin Scalia.

Loving Everywhere advises that you include a thoughtful letter expressing your feeling that all marriages should be valid and recognized by all states, all territories, and the federal government.

Why a letter and not an electronic copy?

“The personal touch of a picture and a thoughtful letter has a unique impact,” says Loving Everywhere.

Visit us online www.sgn.org

February 22, 2013

Seattle Gay News

7

national news NAPWA shuts down after 30 years

population that is disproportionately Black and low-income.

African Americans and other Black communities represent only 14% of the nation’s population but account for some 44% of all new HIV infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

‘Keep up the good fight,’ oldest AIDS group urges

This month will stand as a bittersweet milestone in the 30-plus-year history of the domestic HIV/AIDS pandemic. First, President Barack Obama included “the promise of an AIDS-free generation” in his State of the Union Address. But only days later, the National Association of People With AIDS (NAPWA) ceased operations amid a six-figure debt and questions regarding its financial management, according to a February 15 report in the Washington Blade.

The group posted a statement on its website (www.napwa.org) announcing it has filed

for bankruptcy protection.

“NAPWA has been the leading voice for people living with HIV/AIDS,” said Leisha McKinley-Beach, director of stakeholder engagement and technical assistance at the Los Angeles-based Black AIDS Institute.

“That remarkable voice sounded a battle cry that HIV-positive people were here and they matter.”

Founded in 1983, NAPWA for three decades was the oldest and perhaps the most trusted voice for the 1.2 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States – a

FOUGHT ‘VICTIM’ LABEL NAPWA challenged the framing of the new disease in the dark days of the epidemic in the 1980s. The group rejected the thencommon description of “AIDS victims” and instead embraced “people living with HIV/ AIDS” (PLWHA). The group also founded National HIV Testing Day in 1998, the nation’s first national HIV awareness day, among many other achievements.

Another early achievement: NAPWA demanded that PLWHA should be “at the table to speak for themselves” when medical and policy decisions were being made.

“Thirty years later, that is recognized as best practice in medical and policy settings and will continue to be for as long as HIV is still with us, “said NAPWA’s board of directors in a statement on the group’s website, announcing its declaration of bankruptcy.

“NAPWA had an historic role for all Americans who have lived with HIV/ AIDS,” said Jesse Milan, Jr., chair emeritus of the Black AIDS Institute. “We owe a great debt to its brave founders, staff, and board members. They paved the way for PLWHA across the nation to live longer and healthier lives, free of stigma and discrimination.”

A CHANGING PICTURE NAPWA’s end comes as the domestic HIV/AIDS pandemic is at a crossroads.

There is an expanding suite of biomedical HIV prevention strategies such as “treatment as prevention” and pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. There is also a general bipartisan political consensus on funding initiatives such as the Ryan White HIV/ AIDS Program and the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. PLWHA also will enjoy historic access to treatment and care, thanks in large part to President Obama’s re-election and the Affordable Care Act. Unfortunately, many obstacles remain on the road to “the promise of an AIDS-free generation.” Black Americans continue to suffer from many HIV-related health disparities. Many of our communities are fighting the epidemic at the same time they face high levels of discrimination, stigma, homophobia, unemployment, and/or homelessness.

Infections are rising fastest in the Southern states, which are disproportionately Black and low-income. Those states’ governments are overwhelmingly conservative and tend to oppose expanding health care access.

“NAPWA will be missed but its role should never be forgotten,” added Milan.

“The founding mission of NAPWA is still relevant,” said Black AIDS Institute First Vice-Chair Grazell R. Howard.

NAPWA’s online statement concludes, “Keep up the good fight! With or without NAPWA, we can end new HIV infections in our generation. And if we can, we must.”

And keep up the fight, we will.

Editor’s note: This article was adapted from a Black AIDS Institute press release.

‘The kids are not all right’ Florida symposium seeks to further LGBTQ-inclusive education

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor School district representatives from across the country convened this week in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to take part in a first-ever symposium hosted by the Broward Stonewall Education Project (BSEP).

Participants examined LGBTQ-inclusive support systems and resources necessary for the wellness and safety of LGBTQ students in schools.

SPREADING SUCCESS The bulk of the conference, however, included work sessions in which school districts share best practices and identify challenging obstacles in making schools safer for LGBTQ students.

“School districts shouldn’t be doing this work all alone, constantly reinventing the wheel,” said BSEP Director Jessica Herthel. “This conference will enable districts to learn from each other’s successes and challenges, and they’ll go home with an educa-

“The Broward Stonewall Education Project ... brings together school systems in need of resources and support, with the Stonewall National Museum & Archives.”

In addition, participants worked together to create a national network for the future.

BSEP is an unprecedented partnership between a private museum – the Fort Lauderdale-based Stonewall National Museum & Archives – and a public school district, Broward County Public Schools (the nation’s sixth-largest).

The groundbreaking three-day symposium, entitled “The Kids Are NOT All Right,” which began Wednesday and concludes today, includes presentations by renowned educators and nationally-recognized LGBT leaders such as Kevin Jennings, founder of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), as well as Broward Schools Superintendent Robert W. Runcie.

8

Seattle Gay News

tion action plan to further ensure the safety and well-being of marginalized young people.”

The participating 14 school districts represent a cross-section of both large and small student populations in nearly every cor‘OUR RESPONSIBILITY’ ner of the United States. They include the “The Broward Stonewall Education New York City Department of Education, Project is a natural partnership,” says WilMadison (Wisconsin) Metropolitan School liams. “It brings together school systems District, Los Angeles Unified School Dis- in need of resources and support, with the trict, Seattle Public Schools, San Francisco Stonewall National Museum & Archives, Unified School District, San Diego Unified which has the largest historical archive of School District, Miami-Dade County Pub- LGBT materials in the world. This semilic Schools, Palm Beach County Schools, nal event has blossomed into an unmatched District of Columbia Public Schools, Min- gathering of school and community leaders neapolis Public School District, and Denver in LGBT issues and education.”

Public Schools. The common thread among Several major sponsors signed on to supthem is they are all considered leaders in port the symposium, including GLSEN, the LGBTQ-inclusive programs and policies.

Puffin Foundation, the Welcoming Schools

February 22, 2013

project of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the GSA Network, Equality Florida, Broward Principals’ and Assistants’ Association, and Our Fund, a South Florida community foundation helping to build charitable endowments for organizations providing services to the LGBT community.

“It is our responsibility as educators and community members to build a safer, more nurturing world for our children,” says Williams. “The power of this national symposium is in the collaboration between diverse districts.”

Celebrating 40 Years!

Marriage equality in Mississippi Magnolia State newspaper defends Lesbian marriage cover story

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor It’s not every day that you hear about progressive behavior in the rural Deep South.

But this week SGN learned about a smalltown Mississippi newspaper that ran a front-page story on what it called the first same-sex marriage in the county it served – and then published an editorial defending its decision.

Well, we just knew we had to write about that!

On February 7, the Laurel Leader-Call published a story titled “Historic Wedding: Women wed in Laurel through smiles, tears,” describing the wedding of Jessica Powell and Crystal Craven.

Craven has been battling brain cancer.

The women exchanged vows earlier this month at a ceremony in Laurel, Mississippi, attended by family, friends, and Craven’s doctors.

“If chemo doesn’t work, we don’t know what happens after that,” Craven told the paper.

“This is true love,” Powell said. “Love is love. It knows no gender.”

She added: “I don’t remember voting on straight marriage, so why is Gay marriage an issue?”

sion we make here at the Leader-Call,” Jim Cegielski, the paper’s owner, wrote in an editorial published on Saturday. “However, the intense reaction to our Gay wedding front-page story, which led to a deluge of hate calls, letters, e-mails, Facebook posts, sound-offs and random cross stares thrown in my direction, warrants some sort of response. So here it is.”

Cegielski continued: “We were well aware that the majority of people in Jones County are not in favor of Gay marriage.

However, any decent newspaper with a backbone cannot base decisions on whether to cover a story based on whether the story will make people angry.

“The job of a community newspaper is not pretending something didn’t take place or ignoring it because it will upset people. No, our job is to inform readers what is going on in our town and let them make their own judgments. That is exactly what we did with the wedding story. Our reporter heard about the wedding, attended it, interviewed some of the participants, and wrote a news story.

If there had been protesters at the wedding, we would have covered that the exact same way … but there weren’t any. We never said it was a good thing or a bad thing, we simply did our job by telling people what took place.”

REACTION FAST AND FURIOUS NO VALUE JUDGMENTS The story sparked a backlash among read“I took the bulk of the irate phone calls ers in a state that does not legally recognize from people who called the paper to comsame-sex marriage. plain,” Cegielski went on. “Most of the “We shouldn’t have to defend every deci- complaints seem to revolve around the

C’mon, baby …

Chubby Checker sues HP over risqué smartphone app

The cover of the February 7 edition of the Laural Leader-Call

headline, “Historic Wedding,” and the fact that we chose to put the story on the front page. My answer to the “Historic Wedding” headline is pretty simple. You don’t have to like something for it to be historic.

“The Holocaust, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and the Black Sox scandal are all historic. I’m in no way comparing the downtown wedding of two females to any of those events (even though some of you made it quite clear that you think Gay marriage is much worse).

“We have stories about child molesters,

cbc

with the goal of making millions of dollars.”

The app used his client’s name and trademark without permission, Gary added.

Lawyers acting for the singer are seeking $500 million (£323 million) in compensation, saying the app has done “irreparable damage” to his reputation.

In a statement, an HP spokesman said, “The application was removed in September 2012 and is no longer on any Palm or HP-hosted website.”

The German company that designed the original program, Magic Apps, is no longer selling the software.

murders, and all kinds of vicious, barbaric acts of evil committed by heinous criminals on our front page, and yet we never receive a call from anyone saying, ‘I don’t need my children reading this.’ Never. Ever. However, a story about two women exchanging marriage vows and we get swamped with people worried about their children.

“I had at least 20 or so readers express to me they think Gay marriage is “an abomination against God.” We never said it wasn’t.

We never said it was.”

APP NOT A CHART-TOPPER It is not clear how many copies of the app were sold, but WebOSNation, which monitors the use of Palm smartphones, estimates it was downloaded only 84 times before it was pulled.

Chubby Checker was born Ernest Evans in 1941. “The Twist” hit the top of the charts in 1960 and again in 1962, but by the ’70s Checker was relegated to the oldies circuit.

Nevertheless, in 2008, Billboard magazine named “The Twist” the biggest hit of all time.

Former Utah governor Huntsman supports full marriage equality

Chubby Checker

came available in September 2012.

HP claims it removed the app immediately upon receiving the order, but Checker’s Sixties icon Chubby Checker, who cel- lawyers filed a trademark infringement acebrated the 50th anniversary of his signature tion against HP and Palm on February 15. song “The Twist” in 2010, is suing Hewlett Packard over a smartphone app bearing his SINGER FEELS EXPLOITED name.

“He’s hurt,” Checker’s attorney, Willie HP’s “Chubby Checker” app was de- Gary, told the Associated Press. “He worked signed to guess a person’s penis size based hard to build his name and reputation over on their shoe size. Checker’s lawyers filed a the years. We cannot sit idly and watch as “cease and desist” order against HP and its technology giants, or anyone else, exploits subsidiary Palm OS shortly after the app be- the name or likeness of an innocent person

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

Former Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman voiced support for same-sex marriage this week, reversing a position he held during the 2012 campaign. In an op-ed piece posted online by The American Conservative, he urged his fellow Republicans to be supportive of Gay and Lesbian couples, saying such support was “consistent with the Republican party’s origins.”

“I’ve been married for 29 years. My marriage has been the greatest joy of my life,” he wrote, in an essay titled “Marriage Equality Is a Conservative Cause.”

“There is nothing conservative about denying other Americans the ability to forge that same relationship with the person they love,” he continued.

BACKED CIVIL UNIONS As governor of Utah, Huntsman supported same-sex civil unions. After announcing his presidential bid, he backed off the issue, telling a reporter, “I don’t think you can redefine marriage from the traditional sense.”

Widely regarded by pundits and party insiders as too moderate to win the nomination, Huntsman dropped out of the 2012 race after a third-place finish in the New Hampshire primary. He recently was named a visiting fellow at Harvard University’s Institute of Politics.

Nine states plus the District of Columbia and two Native American reservations have legalized same-sex marriage, and legislative campaigns for marriage equality are under way in several other states – though not Utah.

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

February 22, 2013

Seattle Gay News

9

MARCH 1!

RESERVATIONS FOR ADVERTISING TAKEN NOW! Attention, venues, caterers, florists, wedding planners, jewelers, officiants, travel agents, gift registries, wedding singers, DJs, tailors, printers... everyone involved in the wedding business.

Contact us at 206-324-4297 or sgn2@sgn.org today! www.sgn.org

10 Seattle Gay News

February 22, 2013

Celebrating 40 Years!

Dennis Gracia

Hair Stylist (206) 701- 4784

From Progressive to classic, specializing in mens & womens cuts & color

Visit us online www.sgn.org

February 22, 2013

Seattle Gay News 11

12 Seattle Gay News

February 22, 2013

Celebrating 40 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

February 22, 2013

Seattle Gay News 13

SGN Seattle Gay News

The Seattle Gay News is now taking reservations for advertising in our

Big Fat Gay Pride issues: June 21: Pre-Pride, June 28: Pride Week, July 5: Post-Pride Be part of a Seattle Pride tradition! Contact us at 206-324-4297 or sgn2@sgn.org today! www.sgn.org

14 Seattle Gay News

February 22, 2013

Celebrating 40 Years!

$10 a gram, $250 an ounce New patients get one free gram, with no minimum for delivery.

Come down and see me for your best deal!

Yeah Baby!

-Vik 3715 East Valley Rd. Renton, WA 98057 425-988-2100 800-474-HOGS

www.downtownhd.com

ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION? HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE? DIABETES? NITRATES?

$99 Guaranteed Visit!!

No matter what your physical condition or what you’ve tried in the past, the doctors at Innovative Men’s Health can put together a CUSTOMIZED treatment just for you that really works!

The $99 Guaranteed Visit - See a response from your custom test dose or your visit is FREE! 2 Convenient Locations!

Seattle • (206) 329-2000 • 1001 Broadway Suite 311 Bellevue • (425) 455-1700 • 1940 116th Ave NE

Weddings By the Sea

Visit us online www.sgn.org

www.InnovativeMen.com

www.oceanshoresweddings.com 206-403-8170 Let us make your wedding day as fun as a day at the beach.

February 22, 2013

Seattle Gay News 15

A little good news, please

by Jesse Monteagudo SGN Contributing Writer

the verdict is not quite so negative.

TUCHMAN’S LAW I begin most of my days with a murder.

One of the historians who looked into this To be precise, I start my morning with the matter was Barbara Wertheim Tuchman early news on my local TV station, and that (1912-89). One of the last century’s greatprogram almost always begins with cover- est historians, Tuchman won the Pulitzer

Watching the morning news, one might think that people in our community are too busy killing, raping, robbing, and cheating one another to do much else.

power failures, broken water mains, stalled trains, school shutdowns, muggers, drug addicts, neo-Nazis, and rapists. The fact is that one can come home in the evening – on a lucky day – without having encountered more than one or two of these phenomena.

This has led me to formulate Tuchman’s Law, as follows: The fact of being reported multiplies the apparent extent of any deplorable development by five- to ten-fold (or any figure the reader would care to supply).”

As a contributor to LGBT journals, I realize that much of what I write about is negative: what we do to others and what others do to us. Much of our print and online periodicals deal with bad news: youth and adult suicide; anti-LGBT violence; homophobic laws and attitudes; the ravages of AIDS. Here again, our journals do not cover the ordinary lives of most of our community members, simply because they are so common. To its credit, news organs like SGN often deal with positive events, whether it be a coming-out, a notable achievement by one of our sisters or brothers, or even just a longtime couple’s anniversary.

let us agree with Canadian country-pop singer Anne Murray, who in 1983 made a musical request for “A Little Good News.”

Written by Charles Black, Rory Bourke, and Thomas Rocco, this Grammy Awardwinning country classic begs for days and news programs where the positive predominates:

gets it. We do this from the heart with humor and compassion. We will be doing this class quarterly with Social Outreach Seattle.

I have had a diverse, interesting life and view of the world. From formerly being the highest-ranking female martial artist in the world to a youth and children’s pastor. I’ve been a keynote speaker for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and now I’m an activist and sex and gender educator. I have had

the privilege to travel and teach people to be safer all over the world, from little children to women in prison to the elderly. I will always use this knowledge I have to help others. I believe that is the responsibility we have when we have knowledge and gifts – and I will never forget that little helpless child, watching that destructive violence that helped to shape my life’s path, my mission, and my life’s work to empower others.

obama

tractors with the stroke of a pen and ensure they have an equal opportunity to succeed.”

ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero said, “By banning federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT Americans, President Obama would extend the commitment to nondiscrimination first made by President Roosevelt more than 70 years ago when he signed an executive order integrating the nation’s shipyards and other worksites run by defense contractors. Taking this action would result in at least some workplaces in all 50 states having legally binding protections for LGBT Americans – a first in our nation’s history.”

“Nearly 175,000 Americans have signed Freedom to Work’s online petition asking President Obama to issue an executive order to save our taxpayer money from subsidizing workplace discrimination,” said Tico Almeida, president of the LGBT organization Freedom to Work.

“We are grateful to the dozens of national organizations joining today’s letter to urge the President that the time to act is now.”

age of the previous night’s killings. With an eye on the ratings, TV news directors are convinced that the viewers are more interested in violence and mayhem than in acts of human achievement or kindness. In other words, “If it bleeds, it leads.” Watching the morning news, one might think that people in our community are too busy killing, raping, robbing, and cheating one another to do much else.

There is no question that journalism accentuates the negative. But so does history, which tries to cover the past as thoroughly as journalism covers the present. Since the days of Herodotus, the fifth-century BCE “father of history,” historians have dwelled upon such unsavory topics as crime, empire, genocide, violence, and war. Voltaire and Edward Gibbons, the 18th century’s greatest historians, defined their craft as “a collection [or register] of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes” of humanity. This is certainly true of political and economic history, which deals with the struggle between people, classes, groups, and nations. However, when it comes to social and cultural history,

Prize in 1963 for The Guns of August (later retitled August 1914) and in 1972 for Stilwell and the American Experience in China: 1911-45. Though both books are historical classics, my favorite Tuchman tome is A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century (1978), which won the National Book Award. Covering a century that, like our own, was full of “plague, war, taxes, brigandage, bad government, insurrection, and schism in the Church,” Tuchman realized that she had to dwell on the negative at the expense of the positive. After all, there are many people who lead humdrum lives, even in that awful century. This inspired her to come up with “Tuchman’s Law”: “Disaster is rarely as pervasive as it seems from recorded accounts. The fact of being on the record makes it appear continuous and ubiquitous, whereas it is more likely to have been sporadic both in time and place.

Besides, persistence of the normal is usually greater than the effect of the disturbance, as we know from our own times. After absorbANNE MURRAY’S REQUEST ing the news of today, one expects to face a So let us recognize the positive, even as world consisting entirely of strikes, crimes, we report and denounce the negative. And

defense

the first time I have taught a self-defense class, or any class, with a drag queen host.

Not just any drag queen, but my good friend Robbie Turner, whom I adore. Robbie and I met a couple of years ago, sitting at the bar at Broadway Grill. We hit it off right away, talking about both being raised in a conservative religious background, in conservative parts of our country. We laughed a great deal reminiscing about our crazy childhoods and how we are both now OUT and PROUD in the world. Educating and entertaining is a way out of the box for people who are warm and compassionate, and who have a sense of humor about it all.

continued from cover have to understand and be OK with, is that when you make a decision to listen to it you may never know the full story of why you got that message. You just have to trust it.

If someone gives you these feelings or “red flags,” get away from them immediately. It can be a person or a place that makes you feel uncomfortable – either way, LISTEN and TRUST your intuition.

IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU As someone to whom this work is so personal and important because of what I saw growing up with two of my mother’s nine husbands, it is frustrating to me that in our society little attention is paid to this type of safety training until a rash of violent crimes make the news in an area. Then it is localized and quickly goes away in a community after the publicized crime spree dissolves.

People have a tendency to think it will never happen to them or in their neighborhood and so on. This is living in denial. Crime can happen anywhere, in any neighborhood, to anyone. It is our responsibility to participate in our own safety. There are not enough teachers, security, or law enforcement professionals to protect us all the time. We have to take the initiative for our own safety and to look out for one another. Bring those you care about to my next community self-defense class.

The class at Velocity Dance Center was

ROBBIE’S EXPERIENCE Robbie is like my brother/sister from another mother, and yet I also call him my “first lady” because he is beautiful inside and out and has a dress for every occasion.

I have the utmost respect and admiration for him, and it grew even further the night we taught self-defense together. I just thought Robbie wanted to participate and host this with me because of his wonderful, caring heart – but no, like me, I learned that there was much more to it then that. He too has had a personal experience, one of being beaten by a man he refused to date to the point of being unconscious for a couple of weeks and needing facial reconstructive surgery. He has a special personal passion, as I do, for people being confident and safe and having the knowledge to take care of themselves. Now I love him even more. This makes us a passionate, dynamic team that

Just once how I’d like to see the headline say: Not much to print today; can’t find nothing bad to say Nobody was assassinated in the whole Third World today And in the streets of Ireland, all the children had to do was play And everybody loves everybody in the good old USA We sure could use a little good news today …

Nobody robbed a liquor store on the lower part of town Nobody OD’d; nobody burned a single building down Nobody fired a shot in anger; nobody had to die in vain We sure could use a little good news today …

continued from cover Black Justice Coalition, the National Council of La Raza, and the Japanese American Citizens League, for example.

The giant labor federation AFL-CIO also signed the letter, as did AFL-CIO affiliates AFSCME (American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees), and AFT (American Federation of Teachers).

Other signers included SEIU (Services Employees International Union) and UE (United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America), unions independent of the AFL-CIO. ‘A CRUCIAL STEP’ “Issuing an executive order is a crucial step toward ending workplace discrimination against LGBT people,” said Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin.

“After a historic pro-equality first term, President Obama could level the playing field for LGBT employees of federal con-

Rich Full-Bodied Cafes Savory Homestyle Soups & Sandwiches 16 Seattle Gay News

February 22, 2013

Celebrating 40 Years!

northwest news

SEATTLE HOME SHOW FEBRUARY 16-24 From Saturday, February 16, to Sunday, February 24, the Seattle Home Show will be held at CenturyLink Field Event Center (800 Occidental Ave S.).

You’re invited to America’s Biggest Open House to celebrate all that’s new and bright for your home and garden. the Seattle Home Show’s House Party is an Idea Party with you as the guest of honor. Gain knowledge and build relationships with trusted companies at the locally-owned, family-run Seattle Home Show, featuring hundreds of home and garden products and services dedicated to providing you with the information and expertise to make your home improvement dreams come true. Hours: Saturdays, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sundays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Friday, noon-8 p.m.

Tickets: Adults-$12; Seniors (60+) $8, Juniors (7-15) $3, under 7 free. www.SeattleHomeShow.com

SKI BUDDIES WEEKEND Ski Buddies hosts a Ski Buddies weekend at Steven’s Pass, February 21-24. Ski Buddies will have a cabin all weekend with an apres-ski potluck on Saturday, February 23, at 6 p.m. Enjoy the company and camaraderie of LGBTQ ski and snow sport enthusiasts this weekend. For more information, visit www.skibuddies.org.

QUEER YOUTH SPACE ART SHOW – “VIEWS FROM THE CLOSET DOOR” On Saturday, February 23, from 4-7 p.m., at Queer Youth Space (911 E. Pike St., Ste 202), join Queer Youth Space and local Queer youth artists for a show and sale of locally produced art work. “Views from the Closet Door” showcases the struggles, joy, strength and creativity of the Queer youth of Seattle through a variety of artistic mediums, including photography, painting, and sculpture. Proceeds of art sales go directly to the artists to support their artistic passion.

This event is FREE and open to anyone who SEATTLE VOLLEYBALL CLUB – wants to support youth, see art, hear some WINTER 2013 SEASON The Winter 2013 Season runs through fabulous poetry and gain a new perspective.

March. For complete details, including www.queeryouthspace.org; 206-495-9963. schedule, locations and costs, visit www.seCENTURY BALLROOM’S attlevolleyballclub.com.

SWEET 16 DEBUTANTE BALL (& TAX RELIEF FUNDRAISER) LGBTQ YOUTH BASKETBALL On Saturday, February 23, Century BallMeets weekly on Tuesdays, from 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., at the International Dis- room hosts their Sweet 16 Debutante Ball trict/Chinatown Community Center (719 (& Tax Relief Fundraiser) in the Odd Fel8th Ave. S.), Seattle Parks and Recreation lows Hall Building (915 E. Pine St.) The hosts this FREE LGBTQ Youth basketball schedule: West Hall – 8 p.m. Swing lesson, program for LGBTQ Youth, Queer Youth 8:30 p.m. dancing; in Century Ballroom: of Color, allies and friends, ages 14-19. For 8:30 p.m. Salsa lesson, 9 p.m. dancing; in more information, contact Randy Wiger at East Hall: a mix of West Coast Swing, Tan206-883-6110 phone/text or email randy. go, Country Two-Step, Waltz, etc.

Help raise money, and have a good time, wiger@seattle.gov. too, to help Century Ballroom pay off Washington State’s Department of Revenue’s reSEATTLE GAY & LESBIAN cently (two-year’s ago) reinterpreted “opBOOK CLUB – portunity to dance” tax which is seriously BORROWED TIME The Seattle Gay & Lesbian Book Club impacting several local nightclubs and one meets every Wednesday from 6-7:15 p.m., dance hall (Century Ballroom).

Cost: $8 lesson/$8 dance gets you into all at Seattle Area Support Groups Community Center (303 17th Ave. E. at E. Thomas St.). 3 dances (FREE with lesson). Formal atIn February, the club is reading Paul tire encouraged, tiaras always a plus, think Monette’s acclaimed Borrowed Time, a pink, 16 DJs, 16 performances, 16 types of love-song to Monette’s beloved partner champagne. If you want to assist in the fundraising effort, but are unable to attend, you Roger Horwitz dying of AIDS. All GLBTQ folks are welcome to par- can mail checks payable to Hallie Kuperticipate in this FREE book club. For more man (owner of Century Ballroom and The information visit http://faculty.washington. Tin Table) c/o Century Ballroom, 915 E. Pine St., Seattle 98122. (NOTE: They canedu/swittet/SGLBookClub/. not accept gift checks payable to Century Ballroom.) For more information, you can NORTHWEST FLOWER contact Hallie directly at office@century& GARDEN SHOW ballroom.com or by phone (Mon-Fri) 206WITH GALA OPENING PREVIEW 324-7263.

FEBRUARY 19-24 On Tuesday, February 19, from 5:30-9:30 NIGHT FANTASIA p.m. (patrons and benefactors), and 6:30On Saturday, February 23, from 9 p.m.9:30 p.m. (members and non-members), at the Washington State Convention and Trade close, join Kwanchai with your hosts AlekCenter (8th Ave. & Pike St.), join the Arbo- sa Manila and Atasha Manila at Nijo Sushi retum Foundation, for a Hollywood-themed Bar & Grill (83 Spring St.), for Night Fanextravaganza. Come dressed as your favor- tasia, an LGBT Asian-themed party with ite movie character, strut your stuff on the DJ Ericket. Enjoy specialty appetizers and red carpet and pose for paparazzi, enjoy cocktails, good company, and a fundraising fine wine, delicious food, and live enter- raffle with suggested donations for Pride tainment, and your favorite movies brought Asia. www.kwanchai.net. to life in 23 luscious show gardens. Play a A NIGHT AT THE OSCARS starring role and support Seattle’s beautiful On Sunday, February 24, at Purr CockWashington Park Arboretum. Tickets: $75$500. 206-325-4510; www.arboretumfoun- tail Lounge (1518 11th Ave.) join Purr and the SGN for “A Night at the Oscars.” Show dation.org The show runs Wednesday, February 20, starts at 4 p.m. Get here early to fill out your through Sunday, February 24. Wednesday- ballot. Prizes awarded throughout the eveSaturday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Sunday, 9 a.m.-6 ning. No cover. www.purrseattle.com. p.m. Tickets: $16/$20-adults, $5-youth ages THREE DOLLAR BILL CINEMA & 13-17; children 12 and under are admitted GAY CITY HEALTH PROJECT – free to show. www.gardenshow.com.

ACADEMY AWARDS PARTY On Sunday, February 24, at 4 p.m., at The Social (1715 E. Olive Way), join Three Dollar Bill Cinema and Gay City Health Project for their 8th annual Academy Awards Party.

Visit us online www.sgn.org

compiled by Rick McKinnon SGN Staff Writer

Get out your party clothes and celebrate the Academy Awards. Enjoy light bites and delicious drinks while supporting two important community non-profits. Tickets: $25-general; $75-VIP. www.gaycity.org.

SOCIAL OUTREACH SEATTLE – “BRIEF ENCOUNTER WITH JUSTUS” On Thursday, February 28, door at 8:30 p.m., show at p.m., at Neighbours Nightclub (1509 Broadway, entrance in alley between Broadway and Harvard off E. Pike St.), join Social Outreach Seattle (SOSea) for a beauty pageant fundraiser guaranteed to heat you up this winter – “Brief Encounters with JUSTUS.” This is not your regular pageant; think Miss America meets Magic Mike. Five of Seattle’s hottest men will strip and strut their way to win the Commander-in-Brief title, $1,000 cash, and more. Contestants will model JUSTUS underwear while competing in all 4 categories: Sports wear, Formal wear, Q&A, and Talent.

This is a 21+ show. Full food/bar menu will be available.

You won’t want to miss this night of electrifying performances, provocative strip teases and exciting crowd competitions. Social justice has never been this sexy!

Tickets: $15 advance at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/325242; $20 at the door.

SOSea seeks to empower Seattle’s LGBTQIA communities to proactively address social justice issues that affect us at-large.

Working together, the possibilities to heal and strengthen our communities are endless. www.socialoutreachseattle.com; www. justusclothing.com.

WERK* the Meany Hall stage!

“This year’s drag show is a UW-competition-community-showcase mashup! We wanted to open up a free, all ages, 1200seat venue to folks whose access to drag events are limited (because of 21+ venues, entrance fees, etc.) Acts consisting entirely of UW students are entered as competitors.

Community drag performers will be showcasing along with UW competitors.

On and off-campus Queer organizations and resources will also be tabling during intermission.

FREE admission with ticket. www. brownpapertickets/com/event/337546. Also at the UW Q Center (HUB 315), Ethnic Cultural Center Front Desk (Brooklyn Ave NE & NE 40th St.), ByGeorge Newsstand.

“BOYS! BOIS! BOYZ! STARRING JETT ADORE” On Friday, March 1, door at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., show at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., at the OddFellows Hall Building, 2nd floor, West Hall (915 E. Pine St.), enjoy “Boys!

Bois! Boyz!”, a bi-annual Celebration of Boydom produced by and featuring some of Seattle’s hottest boyleque performers in partnership with The Academy of Burlesque.

Join the Boyz of Seattle as they welcome three time Burlesque Hall of Fame award winner “Chicago’s Vegas Showboy” JETT ADORE!!! “The No-Pantser Romancer” of The Stage Door Johnnies is coming to Seattle to share his love with you!

“Boys! Bois! Boyz!” will be hosted by the incomparable “The Man, The Myth, The Mustache” Ernie Von Schmaltz and will feature “International gender-bending Queer lady boyleque performance-art Stripping Sensation” Waxie Moon! Also featuring Sir Eddie Van Glam, EmpeROAR FabuNORTHWEST NETWORK – lous, Fosse Jack, Daddy Le Deviant, Trojan WINTER 2013 & Paris Original, Black & Tan, Man JohnMINI RELATIONSHIP son and MORE! SKILLS CLASS: Tickets: $20-advance, $25 at the door, RECOVERY & ADDICTION On Wednesdays, March 6 and 13, from $50 VIP. www.brownpapertickets.com/ 6-8:30 p.m., Northwest Network of Bisex- event/321943. Wheelchair accessible. Call ual, Trans, Lesbian and Gay Survivors of 206-478-9475 to arrange special seating.

Abuse hosts their Winter 2013 Mini Rela“BOOZE BALLS & BINGO” – tionship Skills Class: Recovery & AddicDRAG BINGO SHOW tion – exploring the skills we need to build FUNDRAISER FOR RISE N’ SHINE the relationships we want.

On Sunday, March 3, at 5 p.m., at FeedHave you ever been impacted by your own or a loved one’s addiction? How has back Lounge (6451 California Ave. SW), that affected your relationships? Come Tru St. James (formerly of the Lady Chablis share and learn about how to show up to Lashes Cabaret Show at R Place) and Mama relationships intentionally in a way that is Tits host a drag bingo show fundraiser for aligned with your values. Topics include: Rise n’ Shine. personal values, accountability, naming and TOYS IN BABELAND – setting boundaries, strengthening support PROSTATE PLEASURE networks and more! This class is open to: On Sunday, March 3, from 7:30-9:30 anyone who has been impacted by addiction, Bisexual people and their friend and p.m., at Toys in Babeland (707 E. Pike loved ones, Trans people and their friends St.), Charlie Glickman, Ph.D., and Aislinn and loved ones, along with other LGBTQ Emirzian, authors of The Ultimate Guide to people, and is open to all regardless of re- Prostate Pleasure: Erotic Exploration for lationship status or history. $40 suggested Men and Their Partners, will teach a Prosdonation. No one turned away for lack of tate Pleasure class.

What is the prostate and why should you funds. Scholarships and trades available.

For more information, accessibility ques- do sexy things to it? The class will cover tions or to register, contact deann at 206- how to get started, tips for easy and pleasur568-7777 or deann@nwnetwork.org. Reg- able prostate stimulation, and much more.

Whether you’re just starting out or you istration requested by February 28. If you need an interpreter, please register by already enjoy prostate play, this workshop Wednesday, February 18. www.nwnetwork. has something to offer everyone. Singles org and couples and groups of every gender and sexual orientation (ages 18 and over) are 11TH ANNUAL invited to attend. Cost: $35. 206-328-2914; UW DRAG COMPETITION www.babeland.com. ASL available upon On Friday, March 1, doors at 6:15 p.m., request. Email audrey@babeland.com to show at 7 p.m., at Meany Hall, University of make arrangements.

Washington (near 15th Ave. NE & NE Campus Parkway) between the Henry Art Gallery and Red Square, witness the fierceness of ASUW Queer Student Commission’s annual drag show! “Come help us celebrate how we do gender expression and fluidity as our competing and showcasing acts

February 22, 2013

Seattle Gay News 17

international news

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Mexico’s Supreme Court issued a sweeping ruling on February 18 that said denying same-sex couples the right to marry is unconstitutional.

The case involved three same-sex couples who sued the state of Oaxaca to recognize their marriages, which had been legally performed in Mexico City – where samesex marriages have been legal since March 2010.

historia del crimen

Mexican Supreme Court rules for marriage equality

marriage in the United States.

“The historical disadvantages that homosexuals have suffered have been well recognized and documented: public harassment, verbal abuse, discrimination in their employment and in access to certain services, in addition to their exclusion to some aspects of public life,” Zaldívar wrote in his opinion.

“In this sense … when they are denied access to marriage it creates an analogy with the discrimination that interracial couples suffered in another era. In the celebrated

“Their exclusion from the institution of marriage perpetuates the notion that same-sex couples are less worthy of recognition than heterosexuals, offending their dignity as people.”

The Mexican Supreme Court announced on December 5 of last year that it would order Oaxaca to recognize the couples’ marriages. This followed a ruling in August 2010 that same-sex marriages performed in Mexico City must be recognized throughout the country.

Observers speculated that the court delayed issuing its formal ruling in the Oaxaca case because the justices disagreed about how broadly the decision should be written. As it was, the court’s affirmation of Gay rights could not have been stronger.

BROWN, LOVING INVOKED Writing for a unanimous court, Arturo Zaldívar Lelo de Larrea referred to two key U.S. Supreme Court decisions: Loving v.

Virginia (1967) and Brown v. Board of Education (1954).

In Loving v. Virginia, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down laws against interracial

case Loving v. Virginia, the United States Supreme Court argued that ‘restricting marriage rights as belonging to one race or another is incompatible with the equal protection clause’ under the U.S. constitution.

In connection with this analogy, it can be said that the normative power of marriage is worth little if it does not grant the possibility to marry the person one chooses.”

Arturo Zaldívar Lelo de Larrea

“Like racial segregation, founded on the unacceptable idea of white supremacy, the exclusion of homosexual couples from marriage also is based on prejudice that historically has existed against homosexuals. Their exclusion from the institution of marriage perpetuates the notion that samesex couples are less worthy of recognition than heterosexuals, offending their dignity as people.”

CIVIL UNIONS INSUFFICIENT Zaldívar also wrote that it would also be contrary to the principles of the Brown school desegregation case to restrict samesex couples to civil unions or domestic partnerships while barring them from marriage.

“It can be said that the [other] models for recognition of same-sex couples, even if the only difference with marriage be the name given to both types of institutions, are inherPRECEDENT ESTABLISHED ently discriminatory because the constitute The court also established an important a regime of ‘separate but equal,’” he wrote. precedent by citing a ruling handed down in 2012 by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Karen Atala Riffo y Niñas v.

Chile.

Karen Atala was a Chilean mother who was denied custody of her children during divorce proceedings when her ex-husband revealed she is a Lesbian.

The Inter-American Court said the Chilean courts violated Atala’s human rights and said for the first time that Gays and Lesbians are protected from discrimination under international law. The American Convention on Human Rights “prohibits … any rule, act, or discriminatory practice

based on sexual orientation,” the court said.

Most Latin American countries recognize the jurisdiction of the Inter-American Court, which is the legal arm of the Organization of American States. The United States and Canada do not recognize the court’s jurisdiction, however.

The Mexican marriage case was the first test in any Latin American court of whether the decision in Atala can be applied to marriage rights. The court held that it could, writing that Atala requires the rejection of “a regime of separate-but-equal marriage.”

‘WE HAVE MADE HISTORY’ For the lawyer who brought the Oaxaca suit, Alex Alí Méndez Díaz, the Supreme Court ruling is a historic win.

“Without a doubt, we have made history … in Mexico. The next step is to extend this experience to other parts of the country,” he said.

Unlike the U.S. Supreme Court, the Mexican court cannot automatically strike down state laws that violate the constitution. Instead, it must go through a process of ordering individual states to comply with constitutional protections.

Religion & Spirituality Sojourner Truth Ministries Sunday Service 11:15 am Rainier City Bldg 1265 South Main St #106 (14th & Main) Seattle, WA 98144 Phone: Rev. Walden @ 206 380-1710

www.sgn.org 18 Seattle Gay News

February 22, 2013

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

Celebrating 40 Years!

Fear and loathing in the Vatican ‘Gay lobby’ drove the Pope out, Italian paper claims

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

of Slovakia, and Salvatore De Giorgi of Italy.

Pope Benedict was prompted to resign by a secret report alleging that powerful factions within the Catholic Church – including a so-called “Gay lobby” – were wielding “inappropriate influence” in the Vatican, an Italian newspaper has reported.

The daily La Repubblica, the most-read newspaper in Italy, broke the story on February 21. According to the paper, when the Pope read a report on the “Vatileaks” scandal – the release of secret papal documents in which his own butler was charged with theft and criminal conspiracy – he made up his mind to go ahead with his desire to quit.

The “Vatileaks” memo, which the Pope reportedly received on December 17, was prepared by three prominent cardinals: Julian Herranz Casado of Spain, Jozef Tomko

BROKEN COMMANDMENTS La Repubblica claims the cardinals’ 300page report warned the Pope of “impropriam influentiam” on the part of various lobbies, some of them of a “worldly nature” and reflecting an “outside influence.” The cardinals reported that these factions within the Vatican were consistently breaking the sixth and seventh commandments, namely, “Thou shalt not steal” and “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”

The “stealing” was a reference to persistent charges of corruption in the Vatican Bank (IOR), while the sexual offences referred to the influence of an alleged “Gay lobby” within the Church. In this context, La Repubblica recalled Angelo Balducci, a prominent Papal Gentleman, or lay atten-

Gay sex is legit, Turkish court says Ruling upholds legality of same-sex pornography when DM was arrested.

If convicted, DM could have been sentenced to a maximum of four years in prisA court in Istanbul, Turkey, said on Febru- on. Erdemli’s decision that Gay sex is not ary 18 that Gay sex is not “unnatural” and unnatural meant that DM could only be therefore it is legal to sell porn depicting it. convicted of selling “unauthorized” videos, Judge Mahmut Erdemli’s decision contra- with a maximum sentence of eight months. dicts a previous ruling by Turkey’s Supreme EVOLVING STANDARDS Court that included Gay sex in the category “Today, it is possible to have Gay marof “unnatural sex.”

The latest case involved a street vendor, riages in modern countries,” Erdemli is identified only as DM, who was charged quoted in the newspaper HaberTürk.

“International regulations prohibit diswith violating Article 262/2 of the penal code prohibiting owning, trafficking, dis- crimination regarding peoples’ sexual preftributing, and publishing “unnatural sex” erence, and it is therefore an obligation to videos. About 125 DVDs depicting Gay respect their sexual orientation ... In this sex, some of it group scenes, were seized respect, most of the European countries see

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

dant of the Pope, who was accused three years ago of being a member of a Gay sex ring active within the Vatican and involving choirboys and seminarians.

In his homily at this year’s Ash Wednesday celebration in St. Peter’s Basilica, Benedict spoke of “divisions” which “besmirch” the face of the church.

zation dedicated to promoting traditionalist Catholicism. Tomko, a cardinal from the former Soviet bloc, was a close ally of Pope John Paul II in his campaign against Communist governments in Eastern Europe.

De Giorgi was formerly general chaplain of Catholic Action, another traditionalist group.

The sexual offences referred to the influence of an alleged “Gay lobby” within the Church.

And in a famous homily at the 2005 Via Crucis Easter celebrations in Rome, just days before the death of John Paul II, the then-Cardinal Ratzinger spoke of the “filth” in the church, a comment interpreted by many as a reference to the worldwide clerical sex abuse scandal.

La Repubblica, formerly associated with the Italian Communist Party but now regarded as moderately leftist, is noted for its relentless criticism of the Catholic Church.

The paper did not reveal the sources for its account of the secret “Vatileaks” report, and it did not provide direct quotes from any part of the document. The paper said that its A HIDDEN AGENDA? story is based on information received from The three cardinals who prepared the re- an unnamed Vatican source. port for the Pope are not innocent of factionA Vatican spokesman had no comment on alism themselves, however. the allegations when contacted by indepenHerranz is the highest-ranking member dent reporters. of Opus Dei, a famously secretive organiGay relationships as equivalent to marriage ... Contemporary societies allow [Gay relationships] to achieve this legal status and therefore the contents of the DVDs cannot be seen as unnatural.”

Last year, in a similar case involving porn videos, the criminal division of the Turkish Supreme Court found that Gay sex, any

‘A POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT’ A spokesperson for Turkish LGBT rights group KAOS GL told Gay Star News, “The decision given by the court yesterday is not binding. However it is a positive development that may affect a future ruling by Turkey’s supreme court.

“Even if the Supreme Court will not ac-

“Contemporary societies allow [Gay relationships] to achieve this legal status and therefore the contents of the DVDs cannot be seen as unnatural.” oral, anal, or group sex, BDSM, necrophilia, and bestiality were all “unnatural” and in violation of Article 262/2. The court then set aside a six-month sentence imposed by a provincial court, saying it was too lenient.

In his ruling, Erdemli said Gay sex should be distinguished from necrophilia or bestiality, which he agreed were correctly classified as “unnatural.”

cept this ruling, this sets a very positive precedent for future cases.”

Gay sex is not illegal in Turkey, but openly Gay people are not allowed to serve in the Turkish military, because military health regulations treat same-sex orientation as a “psychosexual illness.” LGBT people may not adopt children and are not protected against discrimination in other areas of life.

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

www.sgn.org Visit us online www.sgn.org

www.sgn.org February 22, 2013

Seattle Gay News 19

Judges agree: Love makes a family European Court of Human Rights rules for same-sex adoptions

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The European Court of Human Rights ruled on February 19 that Austria’s civil code is discriminatory because it bars a partner in a same-sex relationship form adopting his or her partner’s biological child,

called “the first and third applicants” in court documents – living with the biological child of one of the partners, named “the second applicant.”

“The applicants live in a common household and the first and third applicants jointly care for the second applicant,” court documents say.

“We hope that this judgment will pave the way towards the removal of the remaining legal barriers for these families in Europe.” while allowing so-called “second parent adoptions” for unmarried opposite-sex couples.

In the case of X and Others v. Austria the justices ruled by a 10-7 vote that the Austrian law violated Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which deals with discrimination, and Article 8, on the right to privacy and family life.

The case involved a Lesbian couple –

“By agreement concluded on 17 February 2005, the first applicant adopted the third applicant’s son. The applicants’ intention was to create a legal relationship between the first and the second applicant corresponding to the bond between them, without severing the relationship with his mother, the third applicant. As required by law, the applicants submitted the adoption agreement to the competent District Court for approval.” ther parents nor children,” Alli Jernow, seBecause their application for adoption nior legal advisor to the International Comwas rejected by Austrian courts, the couple mission of Jurists, said of the ruling. and their child appealed to the European Court of Human Rights.

ILGA WELCOMES RULING “This is a very significant and important LEGAL IN 11 COUNTRIES victory for rainbow families in Europe,” Currently, second-parent adoption is per- Martin Christensen of the International Lesmitted in 11 European countries: Belgium, bian and Gay Association (ILGA) said in a Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, the statement.

Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, “We hope that this judgment will pave the Sweden, and the United Kingdom. way towards the removal of the remaining New legislation that would allow it is legal barriers for these families in Europe. planned in France, Luxembourg, and Swit- The lack of recognition and the inability for zerland. partners in same-sex families to establish As a result of the court’s judgment, laws legal links to their children is not only disin Austria, Andorra, parts of Bosnia and criminatory and creates a number of legal Herzegovina, Liechtenstein, Portugal, and uncertainties, but also has a profound and Romania will have to be amended to al- detrimental impact on the everyday lives low same-sex couples to apply for second- of these families and the well-being of the parent adoption, because these countries children in those families. The principle of already permit unmarried heterosexual cou- the best interests of the child needs to be upples to do so. held without exception.”

According to LGBT rights advocates, The European Court of Human Rights children in same-sex families are highly was established in 1959 to hear cases alvulnerable due to a lack of legal recognition leging violations of the European Convenand their inability to establish legal links to tion on Human Rights, a treaty to which both of their parents. all European countries except Belarus are “With today’s decision, the Court clearly parties. By itself, the court has no jurisdicasserts that families are families, regardless tion to overturn national laws, but the Comof the sex of the parents, and that barriers mittee of Ministers of the Council of Euto legal recognition and protection based on rope is charged with executing the court’s sexual orientation serve the interests of nei- judgments.

Legal Services MARTIN SJOLIE 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 20 Seattle Gay News

February 22, 2013

Celebrating 40 Years!

health and medicine

The new epidemic?

Hep C infection at all-time high among HIV+ men, study finds

thors said.

“In the absence of [injecting drug use], high-risk sexual behaviors and non-injecting drug use appear to play an important role in transmission.”

To date, much of the data on HCV/HIV co-infection comes from Europe. However, Hep C infections in the absence of injecting drug use have also been reported among HIV-positive Gay men in New York and other U.S. cities.

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

Hepatitis C infections are at an all-time high among HIV-positive men, a new study by the Fenway Institute in Boston says.

According to the study, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, the rate of infection among HIV-positive men was 1.6%, the highest ever seen among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States.

“This is the highest HCV [Hepatitis C ViA LARGE-SCALE STUDY rus] incidence reported in the United States The importance of the Fenway study is among HIV-infected MSM to date and suggests that incident HCV is common in this that it represents the largest study to date of patients in the U.S. population,” the authors of the study said.

Doctors from the Institute designed a retrospective study involving all HIV-infected SEX, DRUGS BLAMED The study’s findings also showed that in- men who had at least two appointments at fections were most likely due to high-risk their clinic between June 2008 and June sexual behavior and/or non-injecting drug 2009. The authors then extracted data from patient records to determine prevalence and use.

Hepatitis C is a blood-borne infection, incidence of Hep C infection between 1997 and injecting drug use is a major risk factor and 2009.

A total of 1,160 HIV-positive Gay men for infection.

However, there is growing evidence that were included in the study, and 1,059 (91%) Hep C transmissions are not always linked of those had had at least one hepatitis C anto injecting drug use among HIV-positive tibody test.

Men who reported sex with men as their Gay men. Instead, Hep C infections appear to be due to “traumatic sexual practices” only risk factor for infection with HIV (such as fisting) and non-injecting drug use, were more likely to be screened for hepatitis C than men who reported both sex with especially in the context of group sex.

“Our findings support the growing body another man and injecting drug use. Men of evidence that the epidemiology of HCV with a detectable HIV viral load were also infection may be changing among HIV-in- more likely to have a hepatitis C antibody fected MSM in the United States,” the au- test than patients with an undetectable viral

load.

Initial screening showed that 64 (6%) of the HIV-positive men were co-infected with the Hep C virus.

The Fenway Institute in Boston provides care to a large number of HIV-positive Gay men. The prevalence of self-reported injecting drug use among these patients is low at below 3%. Researchers at the Institute therefore believed their patients offered “a unique opportunity to explore the epidemiology of HCV among a population of patients previously perceived to be at low risk.”

TEST FOR HEP C YEARLY The authors conclude that HIV-positive Gay men should be tested annually for Hepatitis C. They also recommend that “HIV-infected MSM who use recreational drugs and/or engage in unprotected sex should receive education and services related to sexual risk reduction … preventative interventions are crucial to stemming the ongoing spread of HCV.”

Health and Counseling 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 Visit us online www.sgn.org

SEATTLE COUNSELING ALLIANCE Maura Freeman, RN, LMHCA

206.310.3111 maura.freeman@comcast.net seattlecounselingalliance.com

www.sgn.org February 22, 2013

Seattle Gay News 21

22 Seattle Gay News

February 22, 2013

Celebrating 40 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!

“Best Price in Town!”

$99 - Includes Authorization and Card - up to 1 year.

Doctors available Tuesday 2-6, Thursday 11-3, Friday 11-6, and Sunday 12-4

4021 Aurora Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98103

206-632-4021

www.medicinemanwellness.com On-Line verification available

Visit us online www.sgn.org

February 22, 2013

Seattle Gay News 23