SGN March 2, 2012 - Section 1

Issue 09 Volume 40

Celebrating 39 Years!

international news p. 8

CALIF. POLL p. 19

cabaret month p. 25

Seattle Gay News

FRIDAY March 2, 2012 FREE! 25¢ in bookstores & news stands

SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

Death of Missoula Marriage equality ballot bar owner remains title challenged in court a mystery

Aaron Bolton

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Aaron Bolton drowned in Elliot Bay sometime between 11 p.m. on February 26 and 6 a.m, on February 27. The exact circumstances of

see drowning page 21

west seattle blog

abi halland

his death remain a mystery, however.

Bolton owned a complex of bars in Missoula, Montana, catering to a mixed Gay and straight clientele, including the Badlander, one of Missoula’s premier live music venues.

He reportedly drove to Seattle with his stepbrother to buy new speakers for the Badlander’s sound system.

According to Bolton’s business partner, Chris Henry, at around 11 p.m. on Sunday, February 26, Bolton told his stepbrother he was going to Rebar, in the triangle of land between the Denny Way and Boren Street

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor

The state attorney general’s ballot title for Referendum 74 is being challenged in court by the non-partisan League of Women Voters of Washington and Parents, Families, and Friends of Gays and Lesbians (PFLAG).

In a suit filed February 27 in Thurston County Superior Court, supporters of marriage equality argued that the language “is not neutral, but instead creates prejudice toward the measure – such as the term ‘redefine marriage’ – one of the oft-used sound bites of advocates opposed to same-sex marriage.”

As it stands, here is the current proposed language by the attorney general: “The bill would redefine marriage to allow same-sex couples to marry, apply marriage eligibility requirements without regard to gender, and specify that laws using gender-specific terms like ‘hussee ballot page 20

Anne Levinson

New study highlights condom Sally Clark is first Gay use in young Gay and Bi men City Council president

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor A new study by researchers at Indiana University and George Mason University provides a large-scale assessment of condom use during the most recent anal intercourse among Gay, Bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States.

According to the authors, findings from this study “highlight diversity in condom use behaviors and demonstrate varying degrees of potential risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, regardless of sexual orientation.”

The study, published online ahead of print in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, tapped the largest sample of its kind in the U.S.

to examine condom use among MSM. In collaboration with the OLB Research Institute at Online Buddies Inc., researchers were able to include data from nearly 15,000 men ages 18 to 87. According to the study’s findings, one in three acts of anal intercourse besee condom page 19

by Kathleen Nacozy Special to SGN

Kathleen Nacozy

courtesy george mason University and Indiana University

Authors of the study, Joshua Rosenberger (l) and Michael Reece

Clark speaks about her life and Gay marriage

Sally Clark became the first Gay Seattle City Council president when councilmembers unanimously elected her to the position in January.

Clark is the fourth openly Gay councilmember in Seattle history. Preceding her are current councilmember Tom Rasmussen and former members Sherry Seattle City Council President Sally Clark Harris and Tina Podlodowski. The city is represented outstanding candidate. She holds by nine councilmembers elected bachelor’s degrees from the Unito four-year terms. Clark is serv- versity of Washington in political science and Spanish. “But I spent ing her second full term.

Clark joined the council in 2006 most of my time at the UW Daily,” by appointment when one seat was she said.

“I had a fantastic time figuring suddenly vacated. The remaining eight members picked Clark from out how to be a journalist, how 100 applicants. “Strangely, I was to ask the right questions, how to the last person standing,” Clark joked.

Clark’s background made her an see clark page 20

e t o v o t R e t s i g e R

www.myvote.wa.gov

Capitol Hill’s Newest self storage CHoiCe!

1st MONtH FREE!

HeateD storage / eXtreMelY CoMpetitiVe rates!

2

Seattle Gay News

March 2, 2012

1800 terry ave (Corner of terry & Howell) 206-467-5309 www.seattlevaultselfstorage.com Celebrating 39 Years!

exclusively at

under

4 men

underwear + swimwear + bodycare

facebook.com/underu4men | 11-7 daily, fri ‘til 9, sun ’til 6 | 709 broadway e at roy | 206.324.6446

e t o v o t RegisteR

www.myvote.wa.gov

Visit us online www.sgn.org

March 2, 2012

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

2012

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 Editorial Assistant Nick Ardizzone Production William Creswell Calender Editors Mike Andrew and Rick McKinnon Travel Editor George Bakan Advertising Manager Marty Weisbrod Advertising Department Maggie Bloodstone Executive Assistant Mike Andrew Staff Writers George Bakan, Albert S. Rodriguez, Nick Ardizzone, Shaun Knittel, Miryam Gordon, Anthony Greer Contributing Writers

Rev. Barbara Allen, Mike Andrew, 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

Nick Ardizzone, Nate Gowdy, Joseph P. Herron, Shaun Knittel 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. © 2012, Frogs and Ink, Inc., all rights reserved. Reprints by permission.

Righting a wrong

Customers rally behind a Gay couple who refused to accept discrimination

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor You might do it two or three times a week. As a member of the LGBT community, minding your own business, you stand in line at a fast food sandwich counter and wait for your turn to order. Usually this goes without a hitch. But there are those rare occasions in Seattle – be they at a restaurant or any other business – when things don’t go smoothly, and before you know it, you find yourself on the receiving end of antiGay prejudice. In the case of Robert Kleingartner and his boyfriend Brian, the location in question is a Quiznos inside the Sea-Tac airport.

In early February, Robert and Brian were in line at the Quiznos to grab a bite while waiting for their flight. The two men don’t live in Seattle year-round; they also call South Carolina home. While standing in line, Robert explained, “Brian decided to go secure us seats at the gate and left me in line to order our food.”

Nothing too out of the ordinary. But then, according to Robert, something unexpected happened. “Before he left, he gave me a quick kiss,” he told Seattle Gay News.

“Something you see heterosexual couples do daily.”

“As I turned back in line, I heard the

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.

Quiznos employee audibly say ‘Gross!’ and witnessed him shudder with mock disgust,” said Robert.

“It was terribly embarrassing,” he admitted. “It was obviously directed at me, and several people turned around in line to see if I had witnessed what they had.”

To his surprise, Robert says the employee then made eye contact with him and mouthed the word “gross” and again pantomimed a shudder.

“I was mortified,” recalls Robert. “I’m not sure why I did not leave. I guess I was so shocked I didn’t know what the appropriate response would be.”

To add insult to an already uncomfortable situation, when it was Robert’s turn to order, he says the employee in question walked to the back and asked another employee to complete his order.

“As I stood waiting for my food, there was an awkward silence among everyone also waiting,” said Robert. “They had all witnessed the employee’s actions.”

While he was waiting, Brian returned to the Quiznos having been unable to find seats. Robert told him what had transpired and when their food order was complete, Brian walked up to an employee (not the young man in question) and said that they would no longer eat at Quiznos.

“To my surprise, three other individuals

waiting for their food told the employee the same thing and left,” said Robert. “It was a lovely gesture from individuals who were as upset as I by what they had seen.”

Robert admits that he does not think this sort of prejudice happens often in Seattle and that the Quiznos employee was acting completely on his own – not in any way for the company. However, when he and Brian decided to alert the franchise owner, the situation did not immediately improve.

Robert and Brian began to call for a boycott of the Sea-Tac Quiznos, and the response was better than expected.

“At first, I just wanted to let management know what happened so they could respond internally,” Robert admits. “But after we received no response, we just knew it was time to reach out to the community.”

The couple began to post anywhere online they could think of to get people’s attention.

It worked. Many people began to repost and share with their friends the call for a boycott.

Eventually, the two men were contacted by Brett Habenicht, the owner of the Quiznos in the airport, who sent the men an apology email.

Although some of the communication between the couple and Habenicht was a bit strained (probably out of fear of a lawsuit or loss of business), Robert maintains, “I do believe that he was truly horrified” at the actions of his employee.

Habenicht asked Robert to describe the employee so he could “fire him immediately.”

Robert, however, did not want that to happen. Instead, he said, “Firing the person doesn’t teach them anything. I told him that while we can’t change other people’s opinions, we could change the way we treat each other.”

Robert has since stated publicly that Quiznos has apologized for the incident and that the apology has been accepted. For now, it would seem, the Sea-Tac airport Quiznos is open for business and will serve all customers – including same-sex couples who kiss while waiting in line.

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

March 2, 2012

Celebrating 39 Years!

R Place: Exciting changes coming to Capitol Hill bar joe mabel

he told SGN. “We also had them do porn karaoke, where contestants would watch an edited porn movie and do the voiceover and sound. Then, audience members would vote on which of the porn karaoke contestants would get to move on to the Wet round.

Due to the costly and timely nature of editing porn videos to please the liquor board, eventually we decided that people would be happy with just seeing boys in wet underwear.”

In addition to weekday events, R Place beefed up their weekends by adding the Friday and Saturday night Lashes Drag Cabaret starring Lady Chablis, Sharon Huzbenz, DonnaTella Howe, La Saveona Hunt, Fraya Love, and Brooke Lynn Bradshaw, with guest spots from some of RuPaul’s Drag Race’s most popular contestants.

Once again, change is in the air. Lovelady reached out to SGN to talk about some of the exciting new changes the bar has made.

“Monday nights at R Place are a big hit with the addition of RuPaul’s Drag Race,” he said. “People watch the show and cheer for their favorite contestants.”

The first three Monday nights in March are sure to be fun, with Mariah from Drag Race’s third season hosting on March 5, Jujubee on March 12, and season four standout Kenya Michaels on March 19.

ASS has moved to Wednesday night, and, for the time being, Wet is on hiatus. “It’s very hard to get boys to sign up to do the Wet show when it’s 30 degrees outside,” joked Lovelady. “We may bring it back in the summertime.”

THANK YOU FOR THE POSTERS To the kind people of Seattle Gay News: Thank you. Thank you for your generR Place

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor In a four-story building at the corner of Boylston and Pine sits R Place, a bar and dance club that is a staple of the Seattle LGBT community. If those walls could talk, they would have plenty to say, I’m sure.

For over 20 years, members of the local Gay population have danced, drunk, and sung the hours away in the confines of the notorious watering hole. When you’ve been around for so long, it is easy for the community to take your presence for granted.

Keeping that in mind, R Place owners Rick and Steve, alongside general manager Floyd Lovelady, know that no matter what, you’ve got to keep things moving. Sometimes that means a shakeup of the calendar of events.

“R Place is a forever-changing bar,” Lovelady told Seattle Gay News. “We are constantly trying to keep the bar new and fresh.”

In 20 years, a lot has changed at R Place.

In 1989 the bar moved from its old location on the Hill to its current one. Bob and Tom, the owners at the time, and Rick (then-manager), had only opened two floors of the establishment and served only beer and wine.

The vibe was sports-oriented, with a jukebox and pull-tabs.

“It had more of a pub feel to it,” explained Lovelady. “Several years later the third floor was opened. They still kept the sports bar feel and beer and wine, but added more dartboards and pool tables.”

Basically, he said, R Place was a “very large Gay sports bar with plenty of R Placesponsored Gay sports teams to fill it.”

In 1997, Rick and Steve, the current owners, bought the bar and decided to make some changes. In 1999, R Place moved

away from just offering customers beer and wine and became the full bar it remains today. In 2000, a dance floor was added.

Lovelady was hired in 2001. Eventually, he said, the third floor became “more like a dance and entertainment bar, with packed karaoke shows filled with boys shoulder-toshoulder almost every day of the week.”

If you’ve ever spent any amount of time – be it great or small – with Lovelady, you get the feeling that he is very proud of the bar. “We are constantly changing with the times,” he said. “But what doesn’t change at R Place is the great staff, loyal customers, and support for the community and Gay sports organizations.”

One of the reasons for the bar’s success is their weekly calendar of events.

In 2001, Lovelady and company created the famous Thursday-night Amateur Strip Show – more commonly known as ASS – when they added the strip pole. “The liquor laws in our city prohibited us from serving alcohol and paying performers to strip,” he explains. “That’s why clubs like DejaVu and others, who employ female dancers, only serve beer and wine. But I thought, ‘What if it was a contest and the clientele was allowed to strip?’ We checked with the liquor board and were given the thumbs-up! That’s how ASS was born!”

Management also created a Wednesday night show called Queerfactor in which contestants were asked to do disgusting things for a chance to win $200. “Both ASS and Queerfactor were a hit, and the weekends got fuller and fuller,” said Lovelady. “I think Queerfactor lasted about two years before we, like the TV show [Fear Factor], ran out of outrageous fun things to ask people to do.”

“Then we invented Wet … with a twist,”

“People love the strip show,” he continued. “Eleven years is a long time for a show, and it will remain at R Place for years to come. Who doesn’t like to see hot boys strip and climb a pole?”

Thirsty Thursday, R Place’s new Thursday night, has caught a lot of attention. “This is a party to give our customers the best music, the way we know how to do it,” Lovelady said. “Thirsty Thursdays will include drag performances by national and local stars, drink specials, and hot go-go boys. And we’re bringing in some new boys you’ve never seen before, as well as our regulars.

We figure rather than a 15-20 minute show of boys stripping, you’re getting hours and hours of half-naked boys.”

“R Place’s very own DJ Flow will be playing the music that has made R Place one of the best dance clubs in the city,” he continued. “And we’re doing it all for the same cover price of $3. The first 25 people who come in and check in on Facebook get in for free!”

“We’re not afraid to try new things. In this business, you can’t become complacent or stagnant,” Lovelady concluded. “With the constant opening of new bars and new clients, you have to be on your toes. And we take it as a challenge to try and invent parties and reinvent the bar on a consistent basis year after year. We will continue to do so, as customers will see in the coming months.”

“We have some exciting changes coming up inside the bar as well,” he said. “But I won’t say too much. Come in and check it out and let us know what you think!”

osity towards the Boost Campaign to help Tara Hardy. These posters are exactly what we need to keep wind in our sails.

Katheen, Tara, et al

Nat Williams 1948-2012

Born March 9, 1948, Cincinnati, died February 1, 2012, Seattle.

Preceded in death by his father, Nathaniel Williams, Sr., and older brother, Freddy.

Survivors are his companion for life Bill Mallow, his son Nathaniel Mcilvane Williams III, and wife Fiona, his mother Wilhelmina Bowman Williams, and siblings Phillip, Robert, Mia, and T.J., all of San Francisco, and siblings Patricia of Eufaula, AL, and Michelle of Las Vegas, NE. Also numerous aunts and uncles,

nieces and nephews beyond number.

He loved to cook. Or more to the point, he loved to cook for people.

He loved to sing, anything, anytime, anywhere.

He was a member of the Seattle Opera Chorus Auxiliary and sang in La Forza del Destino, Aida, Othello, Billy Budd, and others I forget (but he would not have forgotten, not a note).

He was a member of the Seattle Symphony Chorale, and sang Beethoven’s Ninth as well as Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, and Verdi’s Requiem.

Before his death, we were able to go to New York to attend a reunion of the Light Opera of Manhattan.

He had a wonderful time talking, singing, and joking with people who obviously admired his voice, his stage sense, and his timing. He was really and truly loved.

His life was full of music.

Remembrances to: Swedish Cancer Treatment Center, Seattle WA. Memorial will be held at St. Mark Lutheran Church Social Hall, 6020 Beacon Ave. S. (entry at the rear, parking available), beginning at 5 p.m., March 8.

Please email wpmallow@hotmail.com or call (206) 722-9197 if you plan to attend.

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

March 2, 2012

Seattle Gay News

5

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Listening to John F. Kennedy’s famous speech on the separation of church and state makes him want to “throw up,” Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum told ABC-TV host George Stephanopoulos on February 26.

“It makes you throw up?” an incredulous Stephanopoulos asked.

“To say that people of faith have no role in the public square? You bet that makes you throw up. What kind of country do we live in that says only people of non-faith can come into the public square and make their case?” Santorum answered.

Kennedy made the speech to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association, a group of evangelical clergymen, in 1960, shortly after winning the Democratic nomination for the presidency.

At the time, many Protestants believed that Kennedy, as a Catholic, would take his marching orders from his church. Dispelling that suspicion was crucial to winning the presidency.

“Because I am a Catholic,” Kennedy told the ministers, “and no Catholic has ever been elected president, the real issues in this campaign have been obscured – perhaps deliberately, in some quarters less responsible than this. So it is apparently necessary for me to state once again not what kind of church I believe in – for that should be important only to me – but what kind of Amer-

ica I believe in.

“I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute, where no Catholic prelate would tell the president – should he be Catholic – how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote; where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference; and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the president who might appoint him or the people who might elect him.”

Any other arrangement would lead to religious harassment and infighting among different denominations, he warned.

“Today I may be the victim, but tomorrow it may be you – until the whole fabric of our harmonious society is ripped at a time of great national peril,” he said.

“I am not the Catholic candidate for president. I am the Democratic Party’s candidate for president, who happens also to be a Catholic. I do not speak for my church on public matters, and the church does not speak for me.”

It was one of Kennedy’s most effective campaign speeches and it set the tone for church-state relations in the 50 years since.

Like Kennedy, Santorum is a Catholic, but one much more in the old-school Pius XII tradition, while Kennedy was linked with the reforming John XXIII. Santorum has made opposition to contraception one of the keynote issues of his campaign, for example. He is also an outspoken

AP Photo / Joe Burbank

JFK makes me want to puke, Santorum says

Republican Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum

enemy of LGBT rights.

While many Catholics send their children to parochial schools so they can take classes in church history and dogma, Santorum took a much more extreme position and homeschooled his. He said recently that a college education was a vehicle for secularization.

“I don’t believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute,” Santorum told Stephanopoulos. “The idea that the church can have no influence or no involvement in the operation of the state is absolutely antithetical to the objectives and vision of our country.”

Your Life; Morgan Ahern, Romani Lesbian activist and founder of Lolo Diklo: Rromani Against Racism; Gloria Stancich of Old Lesbians Organizing for Change; Tammy Nguyen, organizer with Got Green; Madeline Ostrander, senior editor of Yes magazine; Naomi Ishisaka, former editor of ColorsNW, and many more.

During the workshops, childcare will be provided in an adjacent space. A special children’s program will include crafts, storytelling, and a visit from a Seattle Fire Department engine.

At 5 p.m., the international women of Seattle will take the stage in a narrated fashion show of traditional dress – all women are encouraged to attend in the clothing of their

country. Other entertainment will include the International Women Drummers; Muluu, who will perform and teach Ethiopian dance; the French vocals of Fathia Atallah; Marla S. Nonken on keyboards; and the songs and music of Jacque Larrainzar.

The evening will end on a note of positive action and celebration with a multi-cultural dinner at 6 p.m. and five IWD awards for grassroots activism, presented to women who have devoted their energy to progressive social change.

For more information about International Women’s Day 2012: Culture, Action, Solidarity, call (206) 722-0729, email faiscranes@yahoo.com, or visit Seattle International Women’s Day on Facebook.

International Women’s Day celebrates culture, action, solidarity

by Tina Gianoulis Special to the SGN Rising out of the strikes and protests of the early 20th century labor movement, International Women’s Day (IWD) began as a day of recognition of women’s work and contributions to society. As early as World War I, IWD also became a rallying point for women working for peace. First declared at a Socialist International meeting in Denmark, the idea of a day celebrating all women soon spread globally, and March 8 became the official date. Today, in many countries, IWD is an important holiday, recognized with time off work and observed with marches and demonstrations demanding rights, freedom, and recognition for women.

Here in the U.S., IWD has been less widely recognized. Seattle however, has a long history of dynamic IWD events. This year, a broad coalition of women’s groups

6

Seattle Gay News

and individuals has come together to plan a truly international celebration of our diverse women’s community. On Saturday, March 10, from 2 to 8 p.m. at the Asian Counseling and Referral Service building (3639 Martin Luther King Jr. Way S.), “Culture, Action, Solidarity” will highlight the struggles and achievements of women locally and internationally.

For the past two years, the IWD Seattle Coalition has organized a community dinner and awards ceremony to honor local grassroots activists, who often receive little public recognition for their social change work. This year continues and expands that tradition with an afternoon of workshops exploring issues women are confronting worldwide, followed by entertainment, a dinner, and the third annual awards ceremony. All parts of the event are free and wheelchair accessible. ASL interpretation will be provided.

After the doors open, attendees can browse informational tables to learn about community groups and organizations. At 2:45, a panel will introduce the workshop topics: Understanding Intersecting Oppressions, Women and the Media: Issues and Images, Combating Violence Against Women, Women and the Economy, and Immigration Rights and International Hotspots.

Each workshop will feature several presenters with unique perspectives on their topics, including Napal Tesfai and Cathy Hoog from Abused Deaf Women’s Advocacy Service; Ginny NiCarthy, anti-domestic violence pioneer and author of Getting Free: You Can End Abuse and Take Back

March 2, 2012

Celebrating 39 Years!

NORTHWEST

NEWS

compiled by Rick McKinnon SGN Staff Writer

BORN THIS WAY KAFE FOR URBAN QUEER TEENS AT CAL ANDERSON PARK On Fridays, 5-9 p.m., at Cal Anderson Shelterhouse (1635 11th Ave., one block north of E. Pine St.), Seattle Parks & Recreation hosts Born This Way Kafe, a welcoming place where LGBTQ youth, friends and allies (ages 13-19) can gather, be themselves, and have fun. Meets every Friday.

For more information and to help make it happen, contact Randy at Seattle Parks, 206883-6110 txt/phone, email randy.wiger@seattle.gov or Google “SeattleParksCOD.” SEATTLE PRIME TIMERS – COFFEE REUNION On Friday, March 2, at 7 p.m., at Tully’s (19th Ave. E. & E. Aloha St.), join Seattle Prime Timers for an informal meet and greet – to socialize, chat, swap lies, find out what your friends have been doing, let others know your latest theater recommendations, etc., etc.

Seattle Prime Timers is a social organization for Gay and Bisexual men over 40 and their admirers. www.seattleprimetimers.org.

“DINA MARTINA: AMPLE WATTAGE!” In springtime, a young man’s fancy turns to Dina Martina. OK, maybe not, but it does turn to things exciting and new – like the ALL NEW show, “Dina Martina: Ample Wattage,” On Friday, March 2, at 8 p.m., at Re-bar (1114 Howell St.), Dina Martina unveils her brand new show, “Dina Martina: Ample Wattage,” brimming with new songs, new stories, new costumes, new audience gifts, and brand new video! Like all of Miss Martina’s shows, this new show will also be brimming with (as The Village Voice says) “comedy that’ll make you piss your pants!”

Get your tickets now and see why, over the years, Dina Martina has been the recipient of countless awards and suggestions!

Show dates: Fridays/Saturdays at 8 p.m.: 3/2-3/3, 3/9 only (no show 3/10), 3/16-17, (no shows 3/23-3/24), 3/30-3/31, 4/6-4/7, 4/13-4/14. Bloody Mary/Mimosa Matinee Sundays at 2 p.m.: 3/4, 3/11, (no show 3/18), 3/25, 4/1, 4/8, 4/15, 4/22. Tickets are $20 advance ($25 at the door) through www. brownpapertickets.com/event/218811.

UNITY NOW PROGRAM – FREE HEALTH FAIR, GOSPEL CONCERT & HIV/AIDS AWARENESS DAY IN TACOMA On Saturday, March 3, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., at Oasis of Hope Center (1937 South G Street, Tacoma), Pierce County AIDS Foundation’s Unity Now Program will host a kick-off event for the National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS. From March 4-10, every church, mosque, synagogue, temple, and home are invited to join in prayer, education, advocacy, and service for the healing of AIDS in the United State.

Ann Mumford is a Community Health Educator for Pierce County AIDS Foundation and serves as coordinator for the Unity Now Program, an outreach and prevention program focusing on women of color. This year, she will combine National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS and National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day into one event. Through her efforts, she reaches out and educates churches and faith-based organizations about the impact of HIV/AIDS on communities of color, particularly African-American women and girls.

This year’s event will be a celebration of gospel music and a health fair with free

health screenings, including: dental cleanings for children, blood glucose and high blood pressure screenings, rapid HIV testing, diabetes education and prevention and education on heart disease, prostate cancer and breast cancer. For additional information, contact Ann at 253-597-4800 or visit www.piercecountyaids.org.

3RD ANNUAL NUBIAN PRIDE KING AND QUEEN PAGEANT – “AN EVENING OF DECADENCE” On Saturday, March 3, door at 6 p.m., pageant at 7 p.m., at Highline Bar (210 Broadway E.), join King Daquan and Queen Marion with special guest Mariah Balenciaga from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 3, for the third annual Nubian Pride King and Queen Pageant. Tickets: $10 advance; $15 On Thursday, March 8, from 7:30-9:30 at the door. www.nubianprideproductions. a.m., at Red Lion Hotel (1415 5th Ave.), webs.com. join Lifelong AIDS Alliance and keynote speaker, Robert Greenwald, a member of OPEN HOUSE MEETING – the Presidential Advisory Committee on FIRST HILL STREETCAR HIV/AIDS and one of the nation’s leading Construction will begin in April on the authorities on health care reform for people First Hill Streetcar. The Seattle Department living with HIV/AIDS, for a breakfast in of Transportation (SDOT) is hosting an support of Lifelong AIDS Alliance’s viopen house for the public to learn about the tal programs. You will also learn about the project and what to expect during construc- agency’s history as well as how healthcare tion, and to meet the project team. reform will affect people living with HIV/ The meeting will be held on Wednesday, AIDS. Suggested donation: $150. 206-328March 7, from 4-7 p.m., at Silver Cloud 8979; www.lifelongaidsalliance.org.

Hotel (1100 Broadway) in the Broadway Room. To request an interpreter, call 206BLITZ CAPITOL HILL ART WALK 733-9990.

On Thursday, March 8, the second Thursday of each month, enjoy the Blitz Capitol SEATTLE GAY & LESBIAN Hill Art Walk at venues around Capitol Hill, BOOK CLUB – WE THE ANIMALS including Broadway/Broadway E., 15th and The Seattle Gay & Lesbian Book Club 15th Ave. E., the Pike/Pine corridor, and E. meets every Wednesday, at 6 p.m., at Seattle Olive Way. www.blitzcapitolhill.com.

Area Support Groups Community Center (303 17th Ave. E. at E. Thomas St.) THE LOBBY BAR – February’s selection is Fritz Peters’ pio3RD ANNUAL PALM SPRINGS neering Gay novel of 1951, We the Animals, SUMMER SPLASH

by Justine Forres, about three brothers, one COCKTAIL CHALLENGE of whom is Gay. Composed of small viOn Thursday, March 8, at 8 p.m., the Lobgnettes, this slender volume has received by Bar (916 E. Pike St.) is the place to be rave reviews, including praise from Dorothy to watch local bartenders compete and creAllison, Michael Cunningham, and Mari- ate signature drinks in the 3rd annual Palm lynne Robinson.

Springs Summer Splash Cocktail ChalAll GLBTQ folks are welcome to partici- lenge. Bartenders will be evaluated on taste, pate in this FREE book club. For more in- presentation and name of drink. Bartenders formation, email nickdimartin@earthlink. will also be judged on creativity and attire, net, visit http://faculty.washington.edu/ as well as presentation and audience particiswitter/SGLBookClub/ or contact SASG at pation. Bartenders will receive bonus points 206-322-2437; www.sasgcc.org. if “Palm” or “Springs” is in the name of the signature drink.

A PUBLIC MEETING A winner will be selected and brought to TO DISCUSS THE FUTURE Palm Springs to compete against other naOF THE VOLUNTEER PARK tional finalists in the Cocktail Challenge fiCONSERVATORY nale on May 31, 2012, which is also the offiOn Wednesday, March 7, from 7-8:30 cial kick-off of “Summer Splash” presented p.m., at Montlake Community Center (1618 by the Desert Gay Tourism Guild.

E. Calhoun St.), Seattle Parks and RecrePatrons at the March 8 contest will receive ation invites you to a public meeting to dis- Palm Springs swag, additional sponsor cuss current operating issues at the Volun- giveaways, and enjoy Stoli drink specials. teer Park Conservatory. Please come share And one lucky patron in attendance will win your thoughts on ways to earn more revneue a trip to Palm Springs, including a 2-night and/or to cut expenses, whether or not the hotel stay and roundtrip airfare courtesy of building should be used for alternative uses, Alaska Airlines. www.thelobbyseattle.com. and whether it should be operated by a private or nonprofit organization.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY This is your opportunity to meet the busiCELEBRATION ness plan consultant, Rick Daley of EMD On Saturday, March 10, from 11 a.m.-4 Consulting Group, and to provide input p.m., at Westlake Park (401 Pine St.), the on the plan that Seattle Parks will create. Gender Equality Caucus of Occupy Seattle Whether you are hearing about this for the presents an International Women’s Day first time or are already actively involved, Rally in solidarity with women and their Seattle Parks encourages you to come to the struggles across the globe, featuring speakmeeting and participate in the process. For ers, music, poetry, a speak-out and arts. more information, visit www.seattle.gov/ For more information, email occupygenparks/parkspaces/VolunteerPark/Conserva- derequality@gmail.com. tory.htm.

BLUESTREET JAZZ VOICES LIFELONG AIDS ALLIANCE – 10TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT 3RD ANNUAL BENEFIT On Saturday, March 10, at 8 p.m., at BREAKFAST Broadway Performance Hall (Broadway &

E. Pine St.), BlueStreet celebrates their 10th nniversary with a concert of their most popular arrangements, to thank their loyal fans for a decade of memorable performances.

Remember the Andrews Sisters? The Temptations? BlueStreet brings those harmony styles alive onstage as well as jazz, big band swing, blues, gospel and even some pop. If you’ve never seen this group perform, you’ll understand what the fuss is about, once you hear their luscious natural blend and balanced harmonies. This special celebration even includes a FREE trip to an enormous chocolate dessert buffet at intermission, with soft drinks, wine and beer available for purchase before the show and at intermission. Tickets: $20-general, $15-senior over 65, $12-student with ID at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/226053; 206-361-5726. www.bluestreetvoices.com.

SISTAH SINEMA – “SHE WASN’T LAST NIGHT” On Saturday, March 10, door at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m., at Chao Bar & Bistro (1200 E. Pike St.), Sistah Sinema presents a screening of “She Wasn’t Last Night,” with creator Darice Jones live. Tickets: $10 advance, $15 at the door. www.sistahsinema. com.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY CELEBRATION – “VOICES OF THE NEW FEMINIST UPRISING” On Sunday, March 11, at 3 p.m., at New Freeway Hall (5018 Rainier Ave. S.), hear activists discuss how grassroots women are fighting for equality, radical alternatives to politics as usual, and economic justice from U.S. streets to the Middle East. International brunch served at 1:30 p.m. for a $9 donation. Door donation $2. For info, rides or childcare, call 206-722-6057 or email RWseattle@mindspring.com. Wheelchair accessible. Everyone welcome. Sponsored by Radical Women.

20TH ANNUAL WASHINGTON STATE LEATHER PRIDE WEEK MARCH 16-25 www.wsmlo.org “ANTIQUES ROADSHOW” COMING TO SEATTLE “Antiques Roadshow,” PBS’s mostwatched prime time series, has announced their Summer 2012 Tour destinations, and Seattle will be hosting the show on August 18. Admission to the show is free, but tickets are required and must be obtained in advance. Ticket applications – with complete ticketing rules – are available at www. pbs.org/antiques or by dialing toll-free 1-888-762-3749. Ticket applications must be received by April 16, 2012. Tickets will be awarded by random drawing. Additional information about the Summer 2012 Tour is available at www.pbs.org/antiques.

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

March 2, 2012

Seattle Gay News

7

NEWS

GAYS ATTACKED BY YOUTH MOB AT HIV TRAINING IN KENYA An angry mob of young people attacked an HIV-prevention training meeting in Mombasa, Kenya, last week, routing 24 MSM participants, as reported by the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) and Gay Star News.

One trainee said, “The community attacked us while we were learning about prevention, care, and treatment methods on HIV/AIDS interventions. They accused us of promoting homosexuality. There were no security measures to protect us, so everyone fled for their lives.”

He added, “We climbed the roof, I cut my hand as I leapt out on the corrugated iron sheet. Someone broke a finger, some are bleeding. We all fled in different directions.”

The meeting was organized by Kenya AIDS NGO Consortium (KANCO). Alan Ragi, executive director for KANCO, was surprised by the incident as the group had been running workshops like this for several years in other areas.

Apparently a pre-organized group of local residents alerted the media to their planned action and TV cameras recorded the confrontation. One of the participants was followed home by a TV crew. Esther, a local AIDS activist said, “We will send those exposed to media to a safe house till further notice. I hope we can learn from this and ensure that we have a safe house near Mombasa.”

Despite the incident, KANCO is pressing ahead with their education program. They have, however, emphasized the need for participants to keep the details confidential and have moved to more secret locations.

NEPALI ACTOR WELCOMES HIS TRANSGENDER CHILD HOME AFTER SURGERY A well-known comedian in Nepal is not shy about talking openly, and warmly, about his Transgender child’s male-to-female gender reassignment surgery, as reported by Gay Star News.

Santosh Pant, who is a household name in Nepal for starring in the popular sit-com Hijo Aja Ka Kura for 10 years, among many other roles, told AFP, “My son, since childhood, has said that his body and soul were not matching each other. He had a male body but he said that his soul was female.

He had been asking us for his gender reassignment and we were convinced by his logic. He told us that he would transform into a perfect lady if the transplant was carried out in early age. He is now 18 and a de-

8

Seattle Gay News

courtesy serialsansar.net

INTERNATIONAL

by Scott Wittet SGN Contributing Writer lay in surgery, according to him, could have made him look ugly. We did not want to see him sink into depression and took him to Thailand last month.”

Pant’s child was named Pratik at birth but after the successful surgery in Thailand she has renamed herself Caitlin. She is now recovering at home in Kathmandu. Her mother Pratibha told the Nepali-language Kantipur daily newspaper: “When she was in my womb, I prayed for a daughter. My dream has come true after 18 years and I am very happy.”

LIBYA UNDERMINES GAY RIGHTS A Libyan delegate to the U.N. Human Rights Council recently told fellow council members that “Gays threaten the continuation of the human race.” Last year Libya ended decades of oppression by the Gaddafi regime, with assistance from the U.S. and other nations. The unnamed official made the remarks as a discussion was underway about violence based on sexual orientation.

The homophobic remarks sparked an angry backlash and an immediate rebuke from U.N. Human Rights Council President Laura Dupuy Lasserre who noted, “The Human Rights Council is here to defend human rights and prevent discrimination.”

Hillel Neuer, the executive director of UN Watch, led the previous campaign to have Gaddafi’s Libya thrown off the council. She said, “This is not the Arab Spring we hoped for.”

Continuing, “The homophobic outburst by the new Libyan government, together with its routine abuse of prisoners and other ongoing violations, underscores the serious questions many have about the new regime’s commitment to improving on the dark record of its predecessor.”

Speaking with Gay Star News, Waleed, a Gay activist and journalist from Libya also responded, “These hateful words of the delegate both shocked and surprised me. Human rights are universal and include LGBT rights. Therefore how can a human right be a threat to humanity? Being Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender is not a disease, nor a threat. We have always been part of Libyan, Arab, Islam, and human nature.

For example, Abu Nawas was a great Gay Muslim poet whose contribution to our culture and heritage was immense, rather than a threat!”

Waleed continued, “The spark of revolution came from the youth movement with whom I was involved; we want a modern Libyan democracy which respects the rights and freedom of every Libyan. I cannot be-

March 2, 2012

Nepali comedian Santosh Pant

lieve this person is standing against all that cal and international pressure have forced we have fought for in the revolution or David Bahati, the Ugandan MP who drafted the bill, to back down slightly. According to speaking for Libya.”

BBC Online, Bahati says that for procedural reasons, the bill had been reintroduced in MR. GAY WORLD GETS FIRST its original form but that the provision for BLACK AFRICAN FINALISTS Mr. Gay World’s first black African final- capital punishment would be removed at the ists will send a “powerful message of hope,” committee stage. He added that he was also dropping proposals to jail family members say organizers of the pageant.

Robel Gizaw Hailu from Ethiopia, Wen- if they failed to report Gay relatives to the delinus Hamutenya from Namibia, and authorities and to jail people who said they Lance Weyer from South Africa will com- were married to someone of the same sex.

Homosexuality is already illegal in Uganpete in the global male contest in Johannesda. The proposed bill has previously atburg, South Africa, from April 4 to 8.

As quoted by Gay Star News, Mr. Gay tracted heavy criticism from world leaders World’s Africa director Coenie Kukkuk such as U.S. president Barack Obama, U.K. hopes that these men can become role mod- Prime Minister David Cameron, and the els and can communicate the message that U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon for one can live as a successful and open LGBT the draconian penalties it proposed.

In a separate development, Ugandan Minperson in Africa.

Hamutenya was the first ever Mr. Gay ister for Ethics and Integrity Simon LokoNamibia. In December last year he was at- do broke up a Gay rights conference and tacked after being followed by two men ordered the arrest of organizer Jacquline Kasha. while on his way home.

The two-week meeting, with 30 particiSouth Africa has won the Mr. Gay World title twice, in 2010 and 2011, but the contes- pants, was organized by Freedom and Roam Uganda, an association that lobbies for the tants were white. recognition of same-sex relationships in Uganda.

UGANDA AGAIN CONSIDERING “I have closed this conference because it’s “KILL THE GAYS” BILL Uganda’s Parliament has reintroduced a illegal. We do not accept homosexuality in proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill which Uganda. So go back home,” Minister LokoAmnesty International considers a “grave do told the participants.

Lokodo ordered that Kasha be arrested, assault on human rights.” As previously reported in SGN, under the bill, Gay and but she escaped.

Although homosexuality is illegal under Lesbian people in Uganda could face the death penalty for so-called “aggravated ho- the penal code, public assembly of Gay permosexuality” – a definition which includes sons is not a crime. But that would change if consensual sexual conduct. As currently Bahati’s bill is signed into law.

Go to Change.org to sign a petition against written, the bill criminalizes the “promotion” of homosexuality, compels HIV test- the bill. ing in some circumstances, and imposes GAY COUPLE IN THAILAND life sentences for entering into a same-sex BREAK WORLD RECORD marriage. It would also be an offense for a FOR LONGEST KISS person who is aware of any violations of the A Gay couple have broken the Guinness bill’s wide-ranging provisions not to report World Record for the longest kiss in a Valthem to the authorities within 24 hours.

“The effect of passing this bill would entine’s Day competition in Thailand. Nonreach far beyond Gay and Lesbian people tawat Jaroegenasornsin, 31, and Thanakorn in Uganda, impeding the legitimate work Sittiamthong, 28, smooched for 50 hours, of civil society, public health professionals, 25 minutes, and one second. They were aland community leaders,” said Michelle Ka- lowed to drink through a straw and had to gari, deputy Africa program director at Am- keep kissing during trips to the toilet.

Seven couples took part in the competinesty International. “If passed, it would represent a grave assault on the human rights tion in the resort town of Pattaya. The prize of all Ugandans, regardless of their sexual was a diamond ring worth about $3,240 and hotel gift voucher worth $6,480, according orientation or gender identity.”

However, there are some reports that lo- to The Daily Telegraph and as reported by

Celebrating 39 Years!

TRANSGENDER AND INTERSEX GROUPS FORM PAN-AFRICAN ALLIANCE Three African Transgender and Intersex rights organizations (South Africa-based Gender DynamiX, Uganda’s Support Initiative for People with Atypical Sex Development, and Intersex Africa) have formed an alliance to enhance the Trans and intersex movement on the continent.

In a press statement Julius Kaggwa, director of one of the organizations, noted, “The main focus of this new entity is to support a growing Transgender and intersex movement and to engage regionally in advocacy for the human rights of Transgender and intersex people.” The alliance aims to build leadership and capacity by supporting both individual activists and Transgender and intersex organizations on the continent. It will also document the history of the Transgender and intersex movement in Africa.

An SGN contributing writer vacationing in Indonesia last week found that this newspaper’s site also was blocked. This suggests that a broad ban has been imposed on any site dealing with LGBT issues. However, not all internet providers are complying with the request, as sources in another city reported that Gay sites – including dating sites with explicit photos – were still accessible through a different provider.

COUPLES RAISE GAY MARRIAGE ISSUE IN CHINA Of the more than 500 couples who queued up on Tuesday at Beijing’s Chaoyang district marriage registration center to get hitched on Valentine’s Day, two were turned down by center officials and walked away without marriage licenses, ILGA reports.

The same-sex couples – one male, one female – had shown up at the marriage office as part of a Valentine’s Day campaign by the Beijing LGBT Centre to drum up support for Gay marriage in China.

Though not boyfriends and girlfriends in real life, they arrived at the marriage office with all the necessary paperwork, and were surprised to be turned away rather politely by state employees.

“I thought we’d be driven out, but to my surprise, the office employees were very nice when they heard we wanted Gay marriage,” reported Zhang Yunyi, one of the applicants. courtesy csi

Bharathi, India’s first Transgender pastor.

INDONESIA BANS IGLHRC, SGN, AND OTHER GAY WEBSITES Web censorship in Indonesia is frequent, but is neither well-organized nor uniform and depends on the operator and their respective location, according to the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC). Local activists informed the organization that some internet providers were blocking Gay-themed websites, allegedly because the minister of communication and information felt that the sites contained pornography.

Cary Alan Johnson, executive director of IGLHRC, said, “This is not the first time that attempts to organize and educate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people and their allies have been meet with state censorship. All too often, governments use the charge of pornography as a smokescreen to attack freedom of expression. Oppressive governments can’t stop the tide of LGBT voices, whether they are on the internet, in the media, or on the streets.”

courtesy epa

Gay Star News.

Jaroegenasornsin said: “We won because we supported each other. Last year we only lasted 22 hours. So we decided to come to this competition to compete again.”

The previous world record for the longest kiss was held by Lakkana and Ekkachai Tiranarat, a Thai couple from Bangkok, at 46 hours, 24 minutes, and 9 seconds. They also competed this year, but couldn’t keep up with Nontawat and Thanakorn.

“The office employees offered us their blessings, and told us to wait until changes were made to the marriage law,” she said.

Undeterred, the two couples held their own wedding ceremony outside the registration office anyway, proudly displaying marriage certificates they had made themselves.

While China recognizes neither same-sex marriage nor civil unions, an amendment to the marriage law has been proposed multiple times to the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference by Li Yinhe, a leading sexologist and scholar-activist in Beijing.

INDIA’S FIRST TRANSGENDER PASTOR Shunned and traumatized as a youngster, 25-year-old Bharathi now preaches to a congregation of 45 parishioners, including 14 families, as India’s first Transgender pastor.

Bharathi, who completed her bachelor’s degree in theology last April, has been a pastor at the Evangelical Church of India (ECI) branch in Chengalpattu, on the outskirts of

Tanakorn Sittiamthong (r) and Nonthawat Charoengaysornsin after winning the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous kiss.

Chennai, for the past eight months, according to ILGA. The groundbreaking move by the ECI, which has more than 100,000 followers across India, coincides with a growing number of denominations in other countries, like the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, deciding to allow Transgender people to be pastors.

Raised as a boy and taunted at school, Bharathi now presides over baby showers and christenings. She conducts services in Tamil and English every Sunday, administers communion to her parishioners, and is training another Transgender colleague to become a pastor.

Her parishioners’ acceptance has touched her deeply. “I have conducted two baby showers for families and even named a child. Though I do not have a license to conduct a wedding, a parishioner printed my name on his wedding invitation,” says Bharathi.

Bharathi had a harrowing childhood. “I was very feminine and my classmates and neighbors would make fun of me. I became a loner and could not even complete [grade] 12,” she said.

“Society generally ostracizes the transgender community, but Bharathi has an opportunity to preach to an entire community.

It is something everybody is proud of,” said Devi, a Transgender woman who has adopted Bharathi as her daughter.

Bharathi, who left home more than seven years ago, visited her family two months ago. “I had resolved to return only after reaching a position of repute. When I came home, my parents were proud of me.”

sometimes called India’s third gender – recently clashed in the streets of Ahmedabad, India, in a disagreement about who had the right to extort money from shopkeepers in that neighborhood.

The Times of India reported that two gang members were injured in the melee, which began after one group began demanding money from several shops. A rival group arrived on the scene, armed with clubs, swords, knives, and hockey sticks, and laid claim to the territory.

Police reported that the second gang beat five or six members of the first gang, and cut the hair of their leader.

Hijras have had a presence in the subcontinent for thousands of years and live in highly organized communities. Many are marginalized, with very low status, and get their income from singing and dancing at ceremonies, begging, or sex work.

Hijras also can be found on streets, trains, and other public places demanding money from people. If refused, the hijras may use obscene language and gestures to embarrass their victims. The storekeepers pay them to go away.

TWO HURT, ONE SHORN IN HIJRA GANG VIOLENCE Two gangs of hijras – cross-dressing men

Hot

Use this coupon for

MAMA’S $2.00 off any size pizza PIZZA

700 East Pine St., Seattle

HOMEMADE

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

FREE DELIVERY • 206-322-6444

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

March 2, 2012

Seattle Gay News

9

10 Seattle Gay News

March 2, 2012

Celebrating 39 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

March 2, 2012

Seattle Gay News 11

12 Seattle Gay News

March 2, 2012

Celebrating 39 Years!

e t o v o t R e t s i g e R

www.myvote.wa.gov

Visit us online www.sgn.org

March 2, 2012

Seattle Gay News 13

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!

14 Seattle Gay News

March 2, 2012

Celebrating 39 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

March 2, 2012

Seattle Gay News 15

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Timothy Dolan, Roman Catholic Archbishop of New York, was denied the honor of having the Empire State Building lit red to commemorate his elevation to the rank of cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI. Dolan had to settle for lights on the asyet-unfinished One World Trade Center “Freedom Tower” – the replacement for the World Trade Center destroyed on 9/11.

The pope raised Dolan to the elite rank of the Catholic hierarchy on February 18.

In the highly formalized world of Catholic couture, archbishops wear violet accoutrements and cardinals red. New York Congressman Michael Grimm (R-Staten Island) had asked the Empire State Building to light its tower red in Dolan’s honor.

Building owner Anthony Malkin turned him down.

Reportedly one of the pope’s favorite archbishops, Dolan has been a controversial figure in New York. A bitter opponent of New York’s new marriage equality law, Dolan said at one point that Roman Catholics should refuse to obey laws that go against the church’s teaching.

Dolan has also been accused of trying to hide $130 million in church assets to avoid paying out legal settlements in the church’s ongoing child abuse scandal.

While Malkin would not comment on his reasons for turning down Cardinal Dolan, he touched off a similar controversy in 2010 when he refused to light the tower blue and

white to honor Mother Teresa. At that time he said he had a policy against “lighting for religious figures.”

In the past, Malkin has allowed the Empire State Building to be lit in rainbow colors for Pride.

His decision not to honor Dolan did not go over well with New York Catholics.

“It’s an insult to Catholics and to the vast majority of New Yorkers who love Cardinal Dolan,” said Bill Donohue, head of the Catholic League.

New York’s Port Authority – a public agency – then intervened on Dolan’s behalf.

Port Authority Executive Director Pat Foye, like Dolan an Irish Catholic, said his agency would light up One World Trade Center instead.

The building will be lit red from February 24 through March 2.

“Cardinal Dolan has captured the hearts of all New Yorkers with his quick wit, street smarts, and compassion for those of all religious faiths,” Foye said.

Rep. Grimm said he was satisfied with the alternative honor.

“Where there is a will there is a way, and One WTC is even more appropriate as a symbol of hope, courage, and the bright future of New York, all of which Cardinal Dolan exemplifies,” Grimm said.

The Empire State Building was not the only New York institution to snub Dolan.

The New York State American-Irish Legislators Society declined to make him guest of honor at their upcoming March 12 banquet.

Gregorio Borgia / ap

Cardinal Dolan tries to paint the town red but fails

Cardinal Timothy Dolan

Instead, the group will honor labor lawyer Brian O’Dwyer.

According to the New York Daily News, some Democratic members objected to honoring Dolan because of the church’s vehement opposition both to same-sex marriage and to a bill that would extend the statute of

courtesy new ways ministry

Cardinal George threatens to take his charities and go home

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

Cardinal Francis George

16 Seattle Gay News

March 2, 2012

limitations for past victims of sex abuse by priests.

“It was clear there were certain members of the majority who would be unhappy and uncomfortable if the honoree was the cardinal,” an unnamed source told the Daily News.

Cardinal Francis George of Chicago said this week that Catholic hospitals and charities would shut down rather than comply with new Heath and Human Services regulations.

In a February 26 posting on the archdiocese website, the cardinal said Catholic social service institutions would be closed because of the “much-discussed Department of Health and Human Services regulations now filed and promulgated for implementation beginning August 1 of this year.”

HHS has ruled that if insurance carriers for church-owned institutions like hospitals offer prescription drug coverage, they must offer employees contraceptives as part of their health care packages. Only people employed in the churches themselves can be exempted for religious reasons.

Cardinal George, like other Catholic prelates, says that allowing employees of Catholic institutions to get contraceptives violates church teaching. Catholic hospitals and charities should close rather than comply, he said.

“What will happen if the HHS regulations are not rescinded?” he asked on his web post.

“A Catholic institution, so far as I can see right now, will have one of four choices: “1) Secularize itself, breaking its connection to the church, her moral and social teachings and the oversight of its ministry by the local bishop. This is a form of theft.

It means the church will not be permitted to

have an institutional voice in public life.

“2) Pay exorbitant annual fines to avoid paying for insurance policies that cover abortifacient drugs, artificial contraception, and sterilization. This is not economically sustainable.

“3) Sell the institution to a non-Catholic group or to a local government.

“4) Close down.”

In spite of reports that as many as 98% of American Catholic women have used contraception, George insisted that the church hierarchy was entitled to define what was moral and what was not.

“Behavior doesn’t determine morality,” the cardinal said.

“If it can be shown that a majority of Catholic students cheat on their exams, it is still wrong to cheat on exams. Trimming morality to how we behave guts the Gospel call to conversion of life and rejection of sin.”

The church’s bishops “are the successors of the apostles; they collectively receive the authority to teach and govern that Christ bestowed upon the apostles,” George said.

Consequently, only the church’s bishops have the authority to speak “for the Catholic and apostolic faith,” he added.

“Those who hold that faith gather with them; others go their own way. They are and should be free to do so, but they deceive themselves and others in calling their organizations Catholic.”

Cardinal George last made headlines in December when he compared Chicago’s Pride Parade to a Ku Klux Klan march. He later apologized.

Celebrating 39 Years!

Lesbians charged with Brits offer free HIV meds to foreigners anti-Gay hate crime courtesy Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office

Felicia (l) and Erika Stroud

race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability.”

Such a crime can add up to two and a half Three Lesbians have been charged with a years to the defendant’s sentence. If “bodily hate crime in the beating of a Gay man in injury” results – as it did in this case: the vicBoston. tim suffered a broken nose – up to five years Erika Stroud, her sister Felicia Stroud, can be added to the sentence. and Lydia Sanford, reportedly the domestic Jake Wark, a spokesman for Suffolk Dispartner of one of the Stroud sisters, alleged- trict Attorney Daniel F. Conley, said prosly punched and kicked the man in a subway ecutors will have no problem proving the station after his backpack bumped one of the women committed a hate crime, even if they women as they passed on a staircase. are Lesbians.

According to prosecutor Lindsey Wein“The defendants’ particular orientation or stein, the victim told police he believed the alleged orientations have no bearing on our attack was “motivated as a crime because of ability to prosecute for allegedly targeting a his sexual orientation” because the women person who they believe to be different from “called him insulting homophobic slurs.” them,” he said.

At arraignment, attorneys for the women ACLU attorney Sarah Wunsch said that said they can’t be guilty of a hate crime be- being a member of a group does not precause they are Lesbians. clude hatred against that group.

Helene Tomlinson, the lawyer represent“Someone who is Jewish can be anti-Seing Sanford, told the judge her client is mitic,” she said. “The mere fact that some“openly identified as a Lesbian ... so any one is a member of the same class doesn’t [accusation of] homophobic [conduct] is mean they could not be motivated by hatred unwarranted.” for their very own group.”

She said the alleged victim was the agOther civil rights attorneys disagreed, gressor and used racial slurs. “He provoked however. them,” Tomlinson charged.

“My guess is that no sane jury would con“They don’t know what his sexual ori- vict them under those circumstances, but entation is, just like he doesn’t know what what this really demonstrates is the idiocy theirs is,” said Felicia Stroud’s attorney, C. of the hate-crime legislation,” said civil libHarold Krasnow. erties lawyer Harvey Silverglate, an ACLU Prosecutors and the ACLU of Massachu- member who does not work for the group. setts said that regardless of the defendants’ “If you beat someone up, you’re guilty of sexual orientation, they can still be charged assault and battery of a human being. Period. with “assault and battery with intent to in- The idea of trying to break down human betimidate,” if they used hateful language ings into categories is doomed to failure.” while assaulting the victim. If convicted Civil rights attorney Chester Darling said they may be sentenced to up to 10 years in that because the incident seemed to be a case prison. of mutual combat, no charges should have Massachusetts law defines a hate crime as been filed. an assault or battery “with the intent to in“No one should go to court. It’s knuckle timidate [a] person because of [the] person’s justice,” he said. “It’s a fair exchange.”

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The British government announced on February 27 that it would offer free HIV treatment to foreign nationals living in England. The move brings England into line with Scotland and Wales, which already offer free treatment to HIV-positive foreigners.

British citizens and permanent residents from abroad also receive free HIV meds through Britain’s National Health Service (NHS).

Those who will now be covered by the new NHS rules are refugees who have not been granted asylum in Britain, foreign students, and tourists.

“This is good news for people living in the UK who are HIV-positive and also for public health in general,” British HIV Association chair Jane Anderson said.

British Public Health Minister Anne Milton said the new policy will treat HIV like other infectious diseases.

“This measure will protect the public and brings HIV treatment into line with all other infectious diseases. Treating people with HIV means they are very unlikely to pass the infection on to others,” Milton said.

Yusef Azad, director of policy at the National AIDS Trust, said that providing treatment to all HIV-positive people in Britain would save the NHS money in the long run.

“If someone is tested and treated early, it is much cheaper than them presenting them-

selves in hospital with a much more serious, complex condition that can cost tens of thousands of pounds to treat,” he said.

Lisa Power, policy director for Terrence Higgins Trust, a private HIV/AIDS foundation, agreed.

“We strongly support this move by the government to bring HIV in line with all the other sexually transmitted infections which are free from charge on public health grounds,” she said.

“It makes no sense to deny people medication that dramatically reduces the risk of them passing on their infection to others.

“Leaving people without treatment also means the NHS pays far more further down the line when someone’s health fails and they need emergency care. These changes will protect more people from HIV infection in the U.K. and will save the NHS money in the longer term.”

According to BBC News, there are an estimated 25,000 people with undiagnosed HIV in Britain, and many of them were born abroad.

Critics of the new policy worried that it would spark a wave of so-called health tourism and put the NHS under further financial pressure. The British government replied that the new rules require a six-month residence in the country.

Even if someone wished to enter Britain specifically for free HIV treatments, the Department of Health said, it would be very difficult for them since the process takes months to administer and monitor.

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

March 2, 2012

Seattle Gay News 17

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Freedom to Marry announced February 29 that in less than six weeks, its Mayors for the Freedom to Marry campaign has more than doubled from 80 to 175 participating mayors. In addition, Freedom to Marry released a video of 13 mayors talking about why they’ve joined the campaign and why marriage matters. The group also announced a partnership with Change.org that will assist constituents in urging their own mayors to sign on and speak out.

“America’s mayors know that loving and committed Gay and Lesbian couples contribute to the lives of their cities every day, and that stronger families mean stronger businesses, stronger communities, and a stronger country for all,” said Evan Wolfson, founder and president of Freedom to Marry. “Mayors for the Freedom to Marry has had a tremendous response from citizens and mayors from every part of the country, and by partnering with Change.org we will spur additional grassroots organizing and grow the momentum for marriage nationwide. Mayors are happy to hear from their constituents, and Freedom to Marry knows that the more conversations about ending marriage discrimination, the sooner we’ll get the job done.”

According to Freedom to Marry officials, since the January 20 launch of Mayors for the Freedom to Marry, “constituents from towns and cities across the nation have been reaching out to their mayors through Freedom to Marry’s Change.org petitions, phone calls, letters and emails, social networking sites, and other organizing tools.”

In South Florida, the Miami-Dade Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce reached out to mayors at their first annual State of Our Community luncheon, garnering an immediate sign-on from the mayor of Miami Beach, said officials. In Sacramento, marriage supporters delivered hundreds

of signatures to Mayor Kevin Johnson on Valentine’s Day. Mayor Michael Coleman of Columbus, OH, signed on after hearing from more than 1,000 constituents through a grassroots campaign launched in coordination with Change.org and Equality Ohio.

The effort has enlisted mayors from Georgia to Texas, Utah to Alaska, Florida to Maine.

The Freedom to Marry’s mayors’ video, released February 29, includes chairs Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles, Mayor Jerry Sanders of San Diego, and Mayor Annise Parker of Houston, in addition to cochairs including Mayor Marilyn Strickland of Tacoma, WA; Mayor Pedro Segarra of Hartford, CT; Mayor Sam Adams of Portland, OR; Mayor Setti Warren of Newtown, MA; Mayor Jeffrey Slavin of Somerset, MD; Mayor Ed Lee of San Francisco, CA; Mayor Laura Friedman of Glendale, CA; Mayor Stephen Cassidy of San Leandro, CA; Mayor John Callahan of Bethlehem, PA; and Mayor Craig Cates of Key West, FL. “The compilation is the first in a series that Freedom to Marry will release of mayors talking about why marriage matters, and why they support ending marriage discrimination,” reports officials.

In addition to his role as chair of this effort, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was named chair of the Democratic National Convention shortly after Freedom to Marry launched Democrats: Say I Do. The Say I Do campaign urges the Democratic Party to include a plank supporting the freedom to marry for Gay and Lesbian couples in the national 2012 platform, and has been endorsed by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Obama Campaign co-chairs Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and former Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI), Executive Director of Young Democrats for America Emily Sussman, the co-chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and more than 25,000 voters.

Jonathan Alcorn / Zuma Press

Mayors for the Freedom Andrew Breitbart is dead to Marry campaign more than doubles

Andrew Breitbart

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Right-wing blogger Andrew Breitbart is dead, his lawyer announced on March 1.

He was 43, and died of unspecified natural causes.

“Andrew passed away unexpectedly from natural causes shortly after midnight this morning in Los Angeles,” the attorney’s statement read.

“We have lost a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a dear friend, a patriot, and a happy warrior.”

While some will certainly mourn Breitbart, others will remember him as a selfpromoting shill for the ultra-right, in the same league as Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck.

Breitbart’s most recent claim to fame – or infamy, depending on your point of view – was as the blogger who posted Anthony Weiner’s Twitter photos, ultimately leading to Weiner’s resignation from Congress.

Breitbart also posted the heavily edited 2010 video of Agriculture Department regional director Shirley Sherrod that caused the department to fire her. Breitbart cut and pasted the video to make it appear that Sherrod was bragging about discriminating against a white farmer. In fact she acted properly and helped him, which complete videos of her speech prove.

Sherrod sued Breitbart for defamation.

He replied with a so-called “anti-SLAPP” action, alleging that Sherrod was using the

court system to intimidate him. On February 15 a federal court dismissed his claims, issuing a six-page statement accusing Brietbart of wasting the court’s time and resources.

In 2009, Breitbart posted a selectively edited video of a sting operation against the community action group ACORN, which showed right-wing activists posing as a pimp and a prostitute seeking advice on how to set up a brothel.

The video prompted a groundswell of complaints against the organization, and prompted an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. In spite of findings that ACORN employees behaved properly, Breitbart’s video became a pretext for Republican Congress members to slash ACORN’s federal funding.

ACORN asked for, and got, a federal injunction suspending the budget cuts, but the suspension was reversed on appeal by the Second Circuit Court. Ultimately, ACORN went bankrupt and closed its doors.

In an interview at this year’s CPAC convention, Brietbart told the Huffington Post that he had once been a leftist, but flipped to the right when he saw fellow leftists behaving in what he thought were unethical ways.

Specifically, he said, he objected to outing closeted Gay politicians in retaliation for anti-Gay actions. Last December Breitbart resigned from the board of the Gay Republican group GOProud because, he alleged, the group outed Tony Fabrizio, an aide to Rick Perry.

Religion & Spirituality Sojourner Truth Ministries

www.sgn.org www.sgn.org 18 Seattle Gay News

March 2, 2012

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

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 39 Years!

Support for marriage takes a big jump in California, new poll says

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer A new Field Poll released on February 29 shows a big jump in support for marriage equality among California voters.

Californians now favor marriage equality by a 25-point margin, with 59% in favor to a mere 34% opposed, In 2010 polling the margin was only nine points, with a slim 51% majority favoring marriage equality and 42% opposed.

Prop 8, which took away equal marriage rights for same-sex couples, passed in 2008 by a margin of 52.3% to 47.7%.

Poll director Mark DiCamillo said the jump to a 25-point margin goes beyond the gradual increase in support that has been expected as young voters – who are statistically much more likely to support LGBT rights – replace older voters in the voter pool.

“This is now showing that opinions are changing irrespective of generational replacement,” DiCamillo said. “This is real change.”

Equality California and Love Honor Cherish – both supporters of marriage equality – independently decided not to try to qualify a Prop 8 repeal measure for the November ballot. Had they done so, the new polling data suggests they may have won.

However, the situation is somewhat more complicated.

Prop 8 was ruled unconstitutional by federal district judge Vaughn Walker, and Walker’s decision was upheld by a Ninth Circuit Court panel on February 7.

Opponents of equal marriage rights have appealed to the full Ninth Circuit, although the court is widely expected to uphold the panel. Some observers say the U.S. Supreme Court will decline to hear an appeal in this case, meaning that the Ninth Circuit decision will stand, and Prop 8 will be reversed without the need for an election campaign.

DiCamillo believes that the court decisions upholding marriage rights for samesex couples have actually helped to move poll numbers in favor of equality. California voters still hold the judiciary in relatively high regard, he said, and years of court battles around marriage are probably helping to persuade voters that supporting equality is the right thing to do.

“The winds of change are blowing in other states [and] when judges start ruling the same way, I believe that has an influence,” he said.

As in the PPP poll in Washington state, released February 22, age and party affiliation are good predictors of support for marriage equality.

Sixty-nine percent of California voters under 40 now support equal rights for samesex couples, while only 26% do not. Among voters in the 40-64 age group, 59% support equality against 34% who do not. The 65 and over group is evenly spilt, 45%-45%.

As might be expected, Democratic voters in California are heavily in favor of marriage equality, 69% to 25%. Voters classified as “nonpartisans/others” are also supportive, by about the same margin, 67% to 25%.

condom

continued from cover tween men is protected by condoms in the U.S. “From a public health standpoint,” say the researchers, “this study demonstrates that condom use between men involves multiple factors and is influenced by a variety of contextual components, including the nature of the sexual partner, location of sexual encounter, prior intercourse with the partner, and knowledge of partner’s sexual history with others.”

“While Gay and Bisexual men have been the focus of many public health campaigns given the disproportionate impact of HIV and AIDS in their communities, there remains a need to understand how these men live their sexual lives and the manner in which the specific characteristics of their sexual activities influence condom use,” said co-author Michael Reece, director of IU’s Center for Sexual Health Promotion.

“A less than comprehensive approach to increasing condom use does not work better among these communities than we would expect it to for their heterosexual counterparts.”

Lead author Joshua G. Rosenberger, assistant professor in the Department of Global and Community Health in the College of Health and Human Services at George Mason University, said the study is the one of the first to explore condom use at the event level among a national sample of MSM. “As such, this study was focused primarily on a single sexual event – the most recent – and therefore these data are able to provide a level of detail about MSM condom use that has not previously been documented,” he said.

A major strength of this study was the inclusion of unique data points designed to capture information regarding men’s ejaculatory behaviors. In total, only 2.5 percent

of the entire sample reported that ejaculation occurred in either their own or their sexual partner’s anus without a condom during most recent anal intercourse.

“While MSM have been traditionally categorized as ‘high risk,’ these data suggest that our current framing of risk based solely on gendered sexual behavior may be shortsighted,” Rosenberger said. “Rather, in order to appropriately identify men who are at increased risk for disease acquisition, clinicians must inquire more thoroughly about potential modes of disease transmission.”

Additional key findings include: • Rates of condom use were highest among men ages 18 to 24.

• Men who identified as black, Hispanic/ Latino, or Asian were all significantly more likely than those who identified as white to report a condom being used during their most recent anal intercourse with another man.

• Men who indicated that they were not in a romantic relationship with their most recent male sexual partner were significantly more likely to report a condom being used during intercourse.

• Men were more likely to have used a condom when intercourse occurred in their sexual partner’s home or a hotel/motel, compared with other locations including in a car/truck/van.

In addition to Rosenberger and Reece, the authors of Condom Use During Most Recent Anal Intercourse Event Among a U.S. Sample of Men Who Have Sex With Men include Vanessa Schick and Debby Herbenick, Center for Sexual Health Promotion, IU School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (HPER); Barbara Van Der Pol, Department of Kinesiology, HPER; J. Dennis Fortenberry, IU School of Medicine; and David S. Novak from Online Buddies Inc. Online Buddies is one of the world’s largest operators of internet websites for men who seek social or sexual interactions with other men.

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

Visit us at sgn.org Visit us at sgn.org

Que Areste, N.D. Naturopathic Family Physician

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

Visit us online www.sgn.org

Insight Behavioral Care, PLLC Travis Damico, MN, ARNP Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

7813-12th Ave. NE Seattle, WA 98115-4320

www.insightbehavioralcare.com •Psychiatric medication management •Sex Therapy •LGBT issues •Healing shame •Addictive behaviors •Depression/Anxiety •Abuse survivors Phone 206-496-5370 worldoftravis@gmail.com

March 2, 2012

Seattle Gay News 19

ballot

continued from cover band’ and ‘wife’ include same-sex spouses.”

The plaintiffs claim the ballot title and language – which 3 million Washington voters likely will see in voter pamphlets and on their ballots in November – is prejudiced.

Instead, they say, “A fair and accurate concise description would read: ‘This bill would permit marriage for same-sex couples, protect religious freedom by ensuring clergy and religious organizations are not required to perform marriages or accommodate marriage celebrations, and preserve domestic partnerships for seniors.’”

Anne Levinson, former judge, co-owner of the Seattle Storm, and supporter of marriage equality, is coordinating the legal team of Legal Voice and ACLU that challenged the Initiative 1192 ballot title and now is challenging the Referendum 74 ballot title.

“Ballot titles matter because they are what every voter sees,” Levinson told Seattle Gay News. “It’s the language on petitions, it’s the language in the voter’s pamphlet, and most importantly, it is the language on the ballot itself as the voter is casting his or her vote, so it is important that it be as clear and understandable as possible.”

“Referenda can be confusing enough to begin with, since the way referenda are written requires people who agree with the law that is being challenged to vote ‘APPROVE,’ when their initial thought is that

they want to oppose it since they don’t support the referendum,” she explained.

“But really what voters are being asked is whether they want to approve or reject the law passed by the Legislature. That’s why for Referendum 74, voters who support civil marriage for same-sex couples will be voting ‘APPROVE.’ Voters need to clearly understand that if they vote ‘REJECT,’ the law would be repealed and that would eliminate civil marriage for same-sex couples.”

In addition to being clear and easy to understand, for the integrity of the voting process, the ballot title also needs to be an impartial description of the measure’s essential contents, she said.

“It has to clearly identify the proposition to be voted on, and not create prejudice either for or against the measure,” Levinson told SGN. “ As we noted in our challenge to the ballot title drafted by the attorney general’s office, the title and summary proposed by the attorney general has problems we are asking the court to address.”

The court is required to rule on the challenge before marriage equality foes can begin gathering signatures to put Referendum 74 on the ballot. A hearing is scheduled before Superior Court Judge Thomas McPhee at 9 a.m. on March 13. Opponents will then have until June 6 to gather 120,577 valid voter signatures to get their measure on the November ballot.

“The essential contents of the law need to be better described for the voters – stating the law is about ‘marriage’ does not identify what the law is really about,” said Levinson.

“The essence of the law is that it permits

marriage for same-sex couples while protecting religious freedom.”

Levinson said the proposed term “redefine marriage” is a “well-established, poll-tested ‘sound bite’ that has been used for years in state after state across the country by those who seek to prohibit civil marriage for same-sex couples.”

“In fact,” she pointed out, “one of the most frequent and vociferous opponents of extending civil marriage to same-sex couples, the National Organization for Marriage, calls it their best phrase and directs their followers to use it whenever possible.”

Local Catholic bishops used it in testifying against the bill. Blogs, press releases, and interviews by opponents of marriage equality use this terminology over and over.

“Saying to the voters that this referendum is about ‘redefining marriage’ is not by any means neutral language; it feeds right into the framing opponents use,” said Levinson.

“In addition, laws that eliminate bans on marriage for same-sex couples don’t redefine marriage,” she said. “What these laws do is extend the rights and responsibilities of civil marriage to couples who were previously denied marriage licenses by their government.”

The meaning of marriage remains unchanged. The marriage laws themselves remain unchanged. The responsibilities and rights of married couples remain unchanged.

“Nobody’s civil marriage is in any way redefined, nor is the meaning of marriage changed or the clergy’s complete religious freedom to perform or celebrate or not perform or celebrate any marriage in accordance with their beliefs,” Levinson said.

It is important to note that Rob McKenna, attorney general of Washington, has publicly stated he does not support marriage equality.

McKenna is the Republican candidate for governor.

Levinson says that the plaintiffs also asked the Court to recognize that the civil marriage equality law was intentionally written in such a way that it clearly protects religious liberty. “These kinds of ballot measures can take a significant psychological toll on the people whose family lives are being debated, divide families and communities, and introduce vitriol among neighbors,” she told SGN. “As a result, it is important to minimize misconceptions. Making sure voters understand that their personal religious beliefs and traditions about marriage and the views of their clergy are protected in the law is one way to do that.”

In November, Washington residents will likely vote on marriage equality. Six states and the District of Columbia allow same-sex couples to marry. No state has ever voted to approve same-sex marriage.

“We have made a lot of progress over the years at the local and State level, passing laws on hate crimes, anti-bullying, non-discrimination, all with full inclusion for Trans Washingtonians; and domestic partnership laws, concluding in 2009, with us becoming the first state in the country to vote affirmatively for LGBT family recognition,”

Levinson recalled. “Getting the civil marriage equality law through the Legislature in this short session shows just how far we have come.”

“We are very fortunate to have a strong LGBT caucus in the Legislature, progressive friends in both houses, a terrific community to propose, lobby, and fight to retain these laws, and a governor who has stood with us in support of full LGBT equality every step of the way,” she said.

clark

continued from cover listen, how to synthesize multiple points of view and multiple data sources and then figure out how to put it all together for people to understand. Those are the things I’ve loved about pretty much every job I’ve had.”

Clark started out as a journalist and was an SGN editor in 1993. She then worked as communications manager for the Lifelong AIDS Alliance and another AIDS nonprofit, Chicken Soup Brigade.

“Little by little I found that I not only wanted to put information together for people to understand, I wanted to make recommendations about what should happen,” Clark said.

Clark’s fulfillment began in her jobs as a legislative aide to Podlodowski and King County Councilmember Bob Ferguson. In 1999, she became a neighborhood development manager for the city’s Department of Neighborhoods.

Clark left the Department of Neighborhoods in 2002 to earn a master’s degree in public administration from the UW because, as she said, “I wanted to figure out how I could do all this better.”

Beyond her education and work experience, Clark is known for her superb speaking skills and sense of humor. After The Stranger referred to her as a “milquetoast incumbent” in the 2011 council election, Clark met The Stranger Election Control Board with a toaster, eating utensils, and all the ingredients for milk toast. She even made the toast right there in the meeting.

The serious issues for Clark as council president are many. Her priorities include economic recovery for individuals and small businesses, replacing the seawall, and public safety.

Clark spent her last term as chair of the City Council’s Committee on the Built Environment and pursued her longstanding interest in healthy, sustainable, safe neighborhoods. She also championed the efforts to add Transgender health care to City of Seattle employee health coverage, gain additional funding for HIV prevention efforts, and secure funding for cultural competency training for health care providers working with LGBTQ individuals.

In her upcoming term, Clark plans to lobby the state legislature to expand LGBTQ social services. “I’m going to focus on maintaining and enhancing systems of govern-

Legal Services MARTIN SJOLIE

www.sgn.org

Attorney at Law

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

$300.00/Person or $500.00/Couple for complete, personalized services.

(206) 841–1373 sjolielaw@clearwire.net

Also providing prenuptial assistance.

www.sgn.org 20 Seattle Gay News

March 2, 2012

Celebrating 39 Years!

ment that LGBTQ people rely upon just as much as their straight counterparts, whether that means getting a great education, feeling safe when you’re walking down the street, or having access to affordable health care.”

Clark is optimistic about the effects of Washington’s Gay marriage legislation.

“Seattle’s a funny place because you can assume, if you don’t have your eyes wide open, that everything’s great – that we’ve solved all the problems, that there’s no LGBTQ discrimination. Well, people who are out and about living their lives know that’s not true,” Clark said.

“Gay marriage has united people in way around a central issue. That’s good. It makes the conversations happen.”

She is reservedly optimistic about the marriage law referendum campaign currently in motion. “It may be that we have a tough summer ahead, but I’m convinced that marriage equality is here.”

Clark has been in a relationship with Liz Ford for 14 years. The women are domestically partnered and said they will discuss getting married if marriage is a “real deal” after this summer.

drowning

continued from cover overpasses.

There is no way to prove that Bolton ever made it to Re-bar. Bar employees say they don’t know whether he was there Sunday night or not.

Henry subsequently had his phone disconnected and was not reachable for further comment. Other Missoula friends told

Seattle Gay News they weren’t even aware Bolton was in Seattle.

In any case, Bolton’s body was recovered from Elliott Bay at Pier 57, more than a mile from the bar, on the morning of February 27.

According to Seattle police, a construction worker at the pier reported a body in the water around 6 a.m. Both police and fire department units responded, and Bolton’s body was recovered just before 7 a.m.

He was clothed in regular street clothes, police said. Initial reports said that he was wearing a lifejacket, but that turned out to be his regular jacket, which had partially inflated with trapped air.

According to Fire Department spokesperson Kyle Moore, Bolton’s body was found under Pier 57.

“Our boat responded to the call,” Moore told SGN, “and then we called for the SPD boat.”

“Our objective is to save lives,” Moore explained. “Once we determine it’s a body, then it’s a crime scene – not necessarily a crime scene, but it’s up to the SPD to investigate whether there was a crime or not – so we turn it over to them.”

“The fire department boat was the first at the scene,” Seattle Police Department spokesperson Renee Witt confirmed, “then they called in the SPD boat.”

Witt explained the sequence of events that would follow anytime a body is discovered.

“Our patrol officers would be the first responders,” she told SGN, “they would ‘freeze the scene,’ then call in a supervisor.

The supervisor would determine if there was anything suspicious and try to determine if the cause of death was foul play, or an accident.

“Then they would brief the homicide ser-

geant – even if it looks like an accident.

“Homicide decides whether to respond or not,” Witt continued. “Possibly they call in CSI. The medical examiner’s office takes custody of the remains.”

The medical examiner then conducts an autopsy to determine the cause of death, Witt said, and if there are no signs of foul play – as in this case – then they file a report and hold the remains for relatives.

In Bolton’s case, the medical examiner listed “drowning” as the cause of death.

Samantha Jasso, of the medical examiner’s office, told SGN that there are very specific physical indications of drowning.

“When you do the autopsy, you find water in the lungs,” she said. “It’s the mechanics of trying to breathe while in the water. The lungs fill with water.”

The medical examiner will also try to determine if there was foul play involved in the death, Jasso added.

“We look for trauma to the body, so if there is no trauma we would rule that out.

Also, we distinguish between trauma that might be from physical injury and something that might be due to animals – or fish in this case – after death.”

Jasso confirmed that a ruling of “drowning” indicates Bolton was alive when he entered the water.

“Yes, he would have been alive,” she said.

“He may not have been conscious, but he was alive.”

Asked if her office took the physical layout of the scene into account when trying to determine cause of death, Jasso said they do to some extent.

“We need to know the circumstances to establish a cause of death,” she said, “but we don’t investigate much beyond ‘he drowned.’ Anything more than that is a po-

lice investigation.”

Someone would have to be very determined – or very unlucky – to get into the water at Pier 57.

Located south of the Seattle Aquarium and adjacent to Seattle’s Waterfront Park, Pier 57 is occupied by restaurants and souvenir shops. A waist-high fence surrounds the boardwalk around the pier.

Space on the west end of the pier is under construction, and what used to be an open area is no longer accessible to foot traffic. It was one of the workers on this construction project who discovered Bolton’s body.

North of the pier is Waterfront Park, also surrounded by a fence. A barge sits just off the north side of the pier, and a derrick sits at the northwest corner.

On the south side of the pier, part of the boardwalk adjoining a restaurant is blocked by dumpsters and vinyl tables. Restaurant employees say the tables are only used for seating during the summer, when the weather allows for outdoor dining. Another barge and derrick also sit off the southwest corner of the pier.

Also on the south side of Pier 57, a gangway goes down to a float where cruise boats load passengers for a tour of the Ballard locks. The float is open to the water, but access is restricted by two gates. On the day I visited the scene, the upper gate was unlocked, but the lower one was secured with a padlock.

Police say that someone entering the cold water of Elliott Bay in the winter could not survive for very long.

“This time of year if someone fell in there, there’s a high likelihood they’re going to get hypothermia relatively quickly,” police spokesperson Jeff Kappel told reporters on February 27.

Real Estate & Home Services Professional Customized Home Cleaning!

Choice is Good.

The Right Choice Is Important.

Call Diversity Cleaners.

Diversity Cleaners Jonathan Bell-Owner Phone: 206-330-8528

www.diversitycleaners.com

Bonded

Major Credit Cards Accepted

(206) 784-0313 www.happyhauler.com

D#602 244 664

Specialized Services

Major Credit Cards Accepted

(206) 784-0313 www.happyhauler.com

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

Committed couples should make end-of-life decisions together.

For free consultation and pre-planning guide, call Cynthia, (206) 330-2132.

www.sgn.org

March 2, 2012

Seattle Gay News 21

Need someone to talk to?

Let's Talk!

If you’re in crisis or need someone to talk to there is help: o National Suicide Prevention Hotline

1-800-273-TALK (8255) o National LGBT Help Line run by Trevor Project

1-866-4 U TREVOR (488-7386) o Local crisis line run by Crisis Clinic

1-866-4 CRISIS (427-4747)

22 Seattle Gay News

March 2, 2012

Celebrating 39 Years!

Visit us online www.sgn.org

March 2, 2012

Seattle Gay News 23