Issue 13 Volume 41
Celebrating 40 Years!
FRIDAY March 29, 2013 FREE! 25¢ in bookstores & newsstands
Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
What will the Supreme Court do now? How the justices could rule, and what it will mean for our community
On March 26, the Supreme Court heard arguments in Hollingsworth v. Perry, the Prop 8 case, and the next day in U.S.A. v. Windsor, which takes up the constitutionality of DOMA.
THE PROP 8 DILEMMA U.S. District Judge Vaughan Walker’s original decision striking down Prop 8 was based on the Equal Protection Clause and the Due Process Clause of the Constitution, and it suggested that Gay and Lesbian couples have an affirmative right to marry, since that
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by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
Prop 8 is a much trickier case for the court, because it invites the justices to make a very broad statement about LGBT rights – exactly the kind of statement an ideologically divided Supreme Court may be unable to make. While observers are carefully parsing every word of the justices’ questions and comments for clues to how they might rule, there are actually only a few logical possibilities. Prop 8 is a much trickier case for the court, because it invites the justices to make a very broad statement about LGBT rights – exactly the kind of statement an ideologically divided Supreme Court may be unable to make.
right is afforded to opposite-sex couples and there is no rational basis for excluding same-sex couples from marriage. The Supreme Court, therefore, cannot endorse Walker’s reasoning without finding a constitutional right to same-sex marriage – thus voiding existing laws in more than 40 states prohibiting Gays and Lesbians from marrying. see court page 13
Supporters and protesters have gathered in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington D.C.
America speaks:
Rallies in Seattle and nationwide support hearings at SCOTUS
Pride Foundation’s new program director has wealth of experience boston.com
richard wood / kapture.us photography
bate. Evidence of that can be found with the release of polls from around the nation that show well over 50% of Americans agree with allowing same-sex couples to wed. But more so, I would point to the many hundreds of rallies – in big cities and small towns – on March 26 and 27 (the two days this week that SCOTUS heard Prop 8 and DOMA arguments), that were attended by members of our community and our allies. Holding signs of support at rallies, turning Facebook and other social media red (for love), and writing letters to the editor in newspapers and words of encouragement on personal blogs, straight family members stood by their LGBTQ relatives. Open and Affirming churches reminded everyone that they accept members of the LGBTQ community into their congregation. Business owners and CEOs voiced their support and even backed it with the mantra, “Marriage equality is good for business.” And we, the very comMarriage equality supporters gathered outside munity that has been oppressed Seattle’s Federal Courthouse for far too long, stood next to each by Shaun Knittel the constitutionality of Prop 8 and other in solidarity to proclaim, DOMA, but the rest of America “Enough! Do the right thing. Give SGN Associate Editor has made up its mind. For the first We don’t yet know what the U.S. time in my life I can honestly say see rally page 5 Supreme Court will decide about I feel we’ve won the marriage de-
Meet Gunner Scott
Gunner Scott
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Gunner Scott has just finished his first week of work at Pride Foundation. “Hailing from Boston, Gunner packed up his cats, Bert and Fred, on March 2 and embarked on a week-long drive to Seattle to
start work as Pride Foundation’s new Director of Programs,” Philip Wong, Pride Foundation communications director said in a media statement this week. Though his position is new, Scott’s experience working for the LGBTQ community isn’t. Having see scott page 5
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