Issue 10 Volume 40
Celebrating 39 Years!
FRIDAY March 9, 2012 FREE! 25¢ in bookstores & news stands
aNTI-BULLYING p. 6
MAINE POLLING p. 20 TERRIFIC PYGMALION p. 30
Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
OUR PERSONAL STORIES Seattle University students
build marriage equality disagree with president’s across the U.S.A.
personal stories of love, commitment, and struggle. As it turns out, his assumption – when we, as individuals and as a community, share with others how marriage equality would greatly improve the lives of LGBT people see stories page 17
see Students page 17
courtesy USF
courtesy george takei
Josh Friedes, marriage equality director for Equal Rights Washington, has spent the better part of a decade asking you to share with friends, family, coworkers – really anybody who would listen – your
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Father Stephen V. Sundborg, president of Seattle University, angered students who attend the school after he made a statement in the Seattle Times about the state’s marriage equality bill. Several student organizations, comprising both LGBT and allied members, sent a letter to Sundborg disapproving of his views on the samesex marriage legislation and requesting to meet with him. Sundborg was interviewed by the Times regarding a proposed amendment to the Washington state marriage equality bill that would exempt religiously affiliated schools like Gonzaga and Seattle University from having to accommodate same-sex weddings in their chapels. Sundborg said the amendment protects “us from having to make
Actor George Takei from his video addressing the anti-LGBT issues before the Tennessee legislature
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor
view on marriage equality
Seattle University President Father Stephen V. Sundborg
United Food & Commercial Catholic bishops in Workers union invests in WA undecided on Approve Ref. 74 campaign approaching Ref. 74
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 21 has contributed $15,000 to Washington United for Marriage to help with the Approve Referendum 74 campaign if and when it comes to the November ballot. UFCW 21 is also housing Washington United for Marriage in its Georgetown union hall. With 38,000 members in the grocery, food processing, and related industries, UFCW 21 is the state’s largest private-sector union. “We unanimously voted to give
the money,” UFCW 21 Executive Board member Rachel Marcotte told SGN, “because we, as a union, have always supported civil rights and equality – for everybody. We want to carry that message through in our political agenda.” Like almost all UFCW 21’s Executive Board, Marcotte is a rankand-file member who works at PCC’s Edmonds store. Asked if she had experienced any pushback from other members who object to their union’s support for same-sex marriage, Marcotte said she had not. “At PCC, there are not that many super-ultra-conservative mem-
bers,” she said. “This is not a new issue to our union,” UFCW 21 Political Director Sarah Cherin added, noting that Local 21 had played a major role in the Referendum 71 campaign to defend domestic partnership rights. UFCW 21 also includes domestic partnership benefits in their labor agreements with employers, Marcotte added. “In our contract [at PCC] we have domestic partnership benefits, but there’s a fee for medical see UFCW page 21
Troy R. Bennett / bangor daily news
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
Washington’s Catholic bishops have not yet decided how aggressively to campaign against marriage equality if Referendum 74 qualifies for the November ballot, a spokesperson for the Seattle archdiocese said on March 6. “The bishops of Washington state have not yet determined their level of involvement in the ReferenMaine Bishop Richard Malone dum 74 campaign,” archdiocese spokesman Greg Ma- church channels about the church’s teaching on marriage between a gnoni told SGN in an email. Magnoni was replying to ques- man and a woman. On March 2 Malone issued a 24tions about a statement by Maine Bishop Richard Malone, that his page “pastoral letter” explaining diocese will not put resources the church’s position on marriage. The document was intended for into a public campaign against the state’s upcoming referendum on Maine’s estimated 185,000 Catholics, not the state’s electorate as a marriage equality. Instead, Malone said, the diocese will focus on “pastoral care” – talking to parishioners through see bishops page 20
proud to Be Different
We are conveniently located on-site at Lifelong AIDS Alliance below the Thrift Store.
Call us at 206.568.2486