SGN April 26, 2013 - Section 1

Celebrating 40 Years!

Issue 17 Volume 41

FRIDAY April 26, 2013 FREE! 25¢ in bookstores & newsstands

Page 25

Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

ENDA reintroduced in Congress

Sponsors hope for vote this year on long-delayed bill Stacie Ledden

Openly Gay Representative Jared Polis (D-Colorado) reintroduced the bill in Congress.

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer ENDA, the Employment NonDiscrimination Act, was reintroduced in Congress on April 25.

The bill would add protections for LGBT employees to federal civil rights legislation.

While some states, including Washington, prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, most do not. Some states only protect sexual orientation, or only protect state employees, and 19 states have no protections whatsoever.

Meanwhile, research done by the Williams Institute at UCLA Law School “consistently shows that LGBT people continue to face high rates of discrimination in the workplace and that state and federal protections could consequently have a significant and positive impact for LGBT workers without overly burdening employers.”

The new bill was introduced by Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO), taking the place of retired Congressman

Barney Frank as the measure’s prime sponsor. The Senate version will be introduced by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR).

In addition to Merkley, ENDA will have four other Senate sponsors: openly Lesbian Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), HELP Committee chair Tom Harkin (D-IA), and two Republicans, Mark Kirk of Illinois and Susan Collins of Maine.

TRANSGENDER CHANGES The new bill is similar to the one considered by the two previous Congresses, but there have been a few changes. One of the key differences relates to the rights of Transgender workers in so-called “shared facilities,” one of the most contentious issues in the bill’s previous incarnation.

As a concession to Transphobia, the previous version of ENDA allowed an employer to deny Transgender employees access to dressing facilities in which they might be seen unclothed, as long as the see enda page 9

End of an era, goodbye Feds terminate

The Grill on Broadway will close on Sunday HIV vaccine study j seattle

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Whenever a business closes after 22 years of operating in the same neighborhood – especially a neighborhood as vibrant and close-knit as Seattle’s Capitol Hill – the news is taken hard. Such is the case with The Grill on Broadway.

On April 23, The Grill on Broadway owner, Matthew Walsh, announced that the Capitol Hill LGBT icon would close its doors for good this Sunday, April 28. It is expected that 35 people will lose their jobs.

Here is the official statement: Dear Friends, What you’ve read, or may soon read, is true. After 22 years, we’re closing the doors at The Grill on Broadway this Sunday night the 28th.

In spite of what it may seem, we’re a very small business. We don’t have endless financial resources to keep us afloat like a chain restaurant or large corporation could. We spent our life savings to bring the restaurant back from what it had become and it’s heartbreaking that we cannot con-

The Grill on Broadway

HVTN 505 judged ineffective after fouryear trial, Seattle project affected

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases announced on April 25 that it is terminating the HVTN 505 clinical trial, an HIV vaccine study conducted locally by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

“The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Instisee GRILL page 19 tutes of Health, will stop adminis-

tering injections in its HVTN 505 clinical trial of an investigational HIV vaccine regimen because an independent data and safety monitoring board (DSMB) found during a scheduled interim review that the vaccine regimen did not prevent HIV infection nor reduce viral load (the amount of HIV in the blood) among vaccine recipients who became infected with HIV,” NIAID said in a statement. see hiv page 19

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Celebrating 40 Years!

Weddings By the Sea

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April 26, 2013

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op-ed

Straightening up at the BSA It’s time for the Scouts to read their own handbook

by Abby Dees SGN Contributing Writer Sometime in the 1920s my grandfather became the youngest Boy Scout of his day ever to attain the top rank of Eagle Scout.

When he died he was as proud of that as he was of piloting ships into Tokyo Bay at the end of World War II. He was a classic Scout, too. The epitome of honor and resourcefulness, he whistled while he worked and did everything he could think of to make life better for the people around him.

I never talked about the Gay Scouting ban with my grandfather. Maybe I didn’t give the 97-year-old guy enough credit, but I thought that conversation would be too awkward. I’d have to explain things that we just didn’t talk about together, like the difference between plain old sex and sexual orientation. And I worried he’d think I was criticizing him personally, so I cut us both some slack. You get to do that with family sometimes.

I’m not cutting the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) any slack now, though. They have announced a proposed policy change: The BSA might admit Gay Scouts – but definitely not Gay leaders.

FAULTY PREMISE The stated basis for the ban has always been that homosexuality violates the Scouts’ oath to be “morally straight.”

Here’s what they mean by that: “[Y]our relationships with others should be honest and open. You should respect and defend the rights of all people. Be clean in your speech and actions, and remain faithful in your religious beliefs.” (This is from the Boy Scout Oath and Law.) In other words, the Scouts believe that being Gay is inconsistent with these characteristics. I’m not sure if it’s the honest and open part or the faith part, or whatever. I’m not privy to the bizarre conversation that must repeatedly transpire among BSA leadership every time they review and reaffirm the ban, but it’s clear to me that the new policy proposal in no way seeks to challenge the idea that Gay people, by definition, cannot be “morally straight.”

But wait, there’s more! They’ve also stated, “We allow youth to live as children and enjoy Scouting and its diversity without immersing them in the politics of the day … The Boy Scouts of America has always

April 26, 2013

reflected the expectations that Scouting families have had for the organization. We do not believe that homosexuals provide a role model consistent with these expectations.”

Nonetheless, the BSA may feel comfortable now allowing Gay boys to join their ranks even though they have officially labeled Gays unworthy of admiration. This is no compromise, but a twisted update on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and children will pay the price for adult cowardice.

I can’t think of a worse way of virtually dunking kids into “the politics of the day” than forcing them to parse this hypocrisy.

try again.

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

NO GAY ROLE MODELS Imagine what this might feel like to a Gay Scout. He’s allowed to join, presumably because he can’t help himself, poor thing. But the BSA can still provide a bulwark that keeps other, still-unsullied straight boys from looking up to a Gay Scout leader and getting ideas. Our Scout would learn that people like him, once they grow up, can’t be trusted to behave. What a thing to look forward to.

Where in this is the idea of strength and honesty that is all over the Boy Scout Handbook? I get that the BSA is a private organization and free to set its policy, but that doesn’t stop me from calling them out for causing harm to young people. With the mission of building character and honesty in our next generation of men, they are instead teaching that self-respect and respect for others is too fragile to withstand human difference and variety. (Interestingly, some individual chapters flout the ignorant directives from above and are thriving.)

This isn’t my grandfather’s Boy Scouts.

He would have struggled to understand what it meant to be Gay and probably gotten it wrong in parts, but he would have measured the man, or the boy, by his actions. As a good Scout, he certainly wouldn’t have singled anyone out based on archaic stereotypes. BSA, check your own traditions and

Celebrating 40 Years!

Local news

Let’s hear it for our boy!

SGN’s Nate Gowdy wins national photo prize trying to get that magic shot of people having conversations with each other and eating and having cocktails. I came back, the pictures were pretty blah, and Shaun gave me advice to engage people. He told me to just say, ‘Hey, I’m from the newspaper and I’m going to take your picture.’ So, I used that advice. The next event I went to was a bear party – a dance party at Neumos where it was all men, all with their shirts off, and I engaged them and said, ‘Hey, let’s take a picture,’ and came back with some great photos, and George and Shaun were like, ‘Holy moly, you’re our event photographer!

We’re going to send you to parties to take pictures and post them on Facebook,’ and I kind of ran with it.”

that? What are you, straight?!” So, I think I’m getting a lot better at hugging.”

Then, there are times when he’s completely taken advantage of, which Gowdy shrugs off with an embarrassed laugh.

“Once when I was new, I got straddled by a drag queen [while] sitting down,” the young photographer confessed. “I get spanked here and there, and you just bat the hands away.”

SGN ‘A PERFECT FIT’ As for being employed by SGN, Gowdy considers it a blessing.

“I couldn’t have found a better niche. It’s a perfect, perfect fit,” he says contentedly.

“It offers access. Shooting Katy Perry, Madonna, all the people at the shows, personLEARNING THE ROPES alities, and politicians. It offers access, exIn case you didn’t know, Gowdy is posure, and – a big one for me, or any phostraight. His job, however, requires that he tographer – it offers you a reason to be there

Jimmy Gonzalez

Nate Gowdy at Approve Referendum 74 Marriage Rally, Oct. 6, 2012

by Albert Rodriguez SGN A&E Writer When you got it, you got it. And Nate Gowdy has it.

The Seattle Gay News staff photographer recently beat out 14 other finalists in the 2013 PDNedu Student Photo Contest sponsored by Photo District News (PDN), claiming the Grand Prize for Fashion/Portraiture.

The winning submission was a collection of shots called “Portraits of Drag.”

Although the distinction doesn’t come with any monetary rewards, Gowdy has been invited to New York City next month for a reception that will bring him and the other category winners together, along with insiders from the photography world and a panel of judges, who are expected to bestow more honors to a select few.

This isn’t the first time Gowdy has won an award, or been shortlisted, for his work.

His growing list of accolades includes top prizes in the American Photography and AIS Summer Photography contests, in addition to placing or being recognized four consecutive times by PDN.

Corrections

In last week’s Arts & Entertainment section, the photographs accompanying Chris Azzopardi’s interview with Jessie Ware are those of another British singer, Jessie J. Also, due to an editing error, Eric Andrews-Katz’s review of Flashdance:

THE FATEFUL MEETING Gowdy, who is pursuing a B.A. in commercial photography at the Art Institute of Seattle, is among a minority of shutterbugs in Seattle who make a living taking photos – a remarkable feat for someone whose career began just 27 months ago.

“At the time, even though I was a preschool teacher, I’d gotten obsessed with my point-and-shoot camera,” he said by phone.

At a social event, the Indiana native met SGN Editor George Bakan and Associate Editor Shaun Knittel. That meeting led to a trial run for Gowdy to shoot photos for the newspaper.

The 29 year-old recalls telling them, “‘Hey, I’m gonna get a camera for Christmas and be a photographer,’ and I think they liked me. We hit it off, but don’t think they took me seriously.” Gowdy, however, was dead serious.

“When the New Year came, I had my camera from my parents for Christmas and came into the office and said ‘I’m ready to go!’ so Shaun took me to a GSBA event – it was a business casual mixer – and I didn’t know anyone, didn’t know how to use a camera, and did a really awful job. I was

The Musical gave an incorrect date for the show’s Seattle opening. It opened at the Paramount on April 16. Finally, Jesse Monteagudo’s article on Robbie Ross (SGN, April 5) misidentified Ross’s birthplace. He was born in Tours, France.

“I couldn’t have found a better niche.

[SGN] is a perfect, perfect fit. It offers access.

Shooting Katy Perry, Madonna, all the people at the shows, personalities, and politicians.

It offers access, exposure, and – a big one for me, or any photographer – it offers you a reason to be there taking pictures.“ not only be present at Gay bar after Gay bar every week, as well as drag pageants, Pride festivities, and every other conceivable LGBT community event, a task that’s made him recognizable wherever he goes.

“In college, one of my three roommates came out right after we moved in together,” he remembers. “Growing up in the Midwest and Northern Indiana – at the time I was in school at Indiana University – I didn’t really have much exposure and we learned a lot through him. We were all, of course, really accepting and IU has a huge performing arts school, a pretty densely Gay population there, so we kind of ended up having all the Gay parties hosted at our house,” he recalled with a laugh.

Part of learning the ropes for a heterosexual photographer representing a Gay publication was simply adapting to the culture.

“One thing about the Gay community, at least at the clubs, is everyone hugging,” Gowdy observed. “That’s how you introduce each other and greet people. I was always a shake-hands person. I remember when I was doing outreach for HVTU [Seattle HIV Vaccine Trials Unit], one guy called me out for my hug. He was like, “What was

taking pictures. To be able to say, ‘Hey, this is for SGN,’ it gives me credibility.”

Gowdy and colleague Jennifer DeLeo have recently launched a collaborative wedding photography service on his website, www.nategowdyphotography.com.

They’ve already been hired by a few highprofile couples, including Washington State Sen. Jamie Pedersen and his new husband, Eric Pedersen.

On May 28, he plans to be in New York to accept his PDN award. If you see him out and about, give the guy a hug. I hear he’s improved a lot in that area.

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April 26, 2013

Seattle Gay News

5

Positive action

POZSeattle celebrates its 14th anniversary May 8 at The Cuff Complex

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer POZSeattle, one of the local LGBT community’s oldest but least-publicized institutions, will celebrate its 14th anniversary on May 8, with a social hosted by The Cuff Complex.

A social organization run for and by Seattle-area HIV-positive men, the group

nation [of POZSeattle],” the group’s president T.J. Elston told SGN, “but it goes back more than 14 years. After almost 15 years of some form of an active HIV-positive men’s social group, there was a change in leadership, a brief hiatus, and then we regrouped and restarted, and have been fully active ever since.”

Elston has been active with the group just shy of 14 years – merely attending at first,

“I’d just lost my partner of 21 years. I was just lost. I was getting plenty of support from service organizations, but something was missing. Then I began going to [POZSeattle] events. As soon soon as I met with that group of guys I knew “It’s a lot of work!” McMahon said.

“We’re lucky to be able to exist and put as I met with that group of guys I knew what I what I needed. I needed a social outlet!

“In those days, everything came with a on our activities at low cost. It’s because needed. I needed a social outlet!” message – organizations wanted to talk to people are willing to do the work. Someone plans and promotes fun activities – such as monthly socials for HIV-positive men and their friends, barbeques during the summer, a special Thanksgiving dinner, and a Christmas gift exchange – all for free. From its inception, POZSeattle has been volunteerdriven and funded entirely by donations from the community.

ACTUAL HISTORY LONGER The organization’s roots date to the earliest years of the AIDS epidemic.

“This is the 14th anniversary of this incar-

then volunteering, and then, three years ago, stepping into the leadership role as POZSeattle became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

“We’re always needing to recreate ourselves,” another long-time member of the organization, Mike McMahon, chuckled.

McMahon started coming to POZSeattle events in 1998.

“I’d just lost my partner of 21 years,” he explained. “I was just lost. I was getting plenty of support from service organizations, but something was missing. Then I began going to [POZSeattle] events. As

you about safe sex, or about what meds to take. We really needed a place just to come together and meet each other.”

NO BUREAUCRATS, PLEASE For Elston, too, the group was a “safe space, a social group where you didn’t have to talk about meds, you didn’t have to talk about insurance or doctors, and I personally needed a place like that. I had enough doctors and professionals talking at me back then. I had just sero-converted in July of 1999, two months after the regrouping of POZSeattle. It’s like it was meant to be. It’s a place to go to be with other HIV-positive people just to be supportive of each other.”

McMahon told SGN he was initially surprised by other members’ vocal opposition to inviting representatives of service agencies to POZSeattle events.

“When I first started with the group, I was all about funding,” McMahon smiled. “If you gave us money and you wanted to come and talk about your program, that was fine with me.

“But other members were just adamant.

They didn’t want government or service agencies involved. They wanted it to be strictly social. That changed the way I looked at things. I realized so many people stopped coming when we had officials in to talk.”

VOLUNTEER EFFORT POZSeattle runs entirely on individual donations, aside from a small grant from the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence every other year. Both men credit the group’s volunteers for keeping the organization going for 14 years with minimal funding.

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Seattle Gay News

April 26, 2013

may turn up at one of our events and they end up being an incredible resource!”

Elston also acknowledged The Cuff, “which has been gracious enough to host us for 13 years for free; MCC, which has always been very supportive; the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence; Lifelong AIDS Alliance; Dunshee House; [and] Gay City,” all of which have assisted the group in one way or another.

“We are always happy to accept donations,” Elston added. “Your support helps keep the organization financially healthy.”

STILL FILLING A NEED In the years since the group first came together, radical improvements in treatment options have made HIV/AIDS a manageable condition rather than a near-certain death sentence.

“It’s become a chronic disease – it’s become manageable,” McMahon told SGN. “But there’s still shame associated with it.

It’s almost become the norm not to be out about it. But we always wanted to encourage people to be comfortable with their [HIV] status.”

“HIV isn’t what it used to be,” Elston agreed. “So this group isn’t your last chance to have fun anymore. It’s just a safe place to be with other people like yourself.

“And it can be anything people want it to be,” Elston added. “We have our regular monthly events, but we’ve had a kayaking group – we can have anything people want to volunteer for.”

For more information, or to be added to the group’s contact list, e-mail contactpozseattle@gmail.com or visit www.pozseattle.org.

Celebrating 40 Years!

CWA endorses Transinclusive health care

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The Communication Workers of America union (CWA) passed a resolution at its justcompleted National Convention supporting “equal access to health care coverage” for Transgender workers.

CWA is the largest communications and media union in the country, with some 550,000 members in both private- and public-sector employment. In the Seattle area, CWA Local 7800 represents telephone employees, and CWA Local 37082 – the Newspaper Guild – represents workers at the Seattle Times, the Journal of Commerce, and other local papers.

The CWA National Convention had been urged to take action on Trans-related health care by Pride At Work, an LGBT labor organization affiliated with the AFL-CIO, of which CWA is also a part. Pride At Work copresident Shane Larson and former co-president Donna Cartwright are CWA members.

“CWA supports public and private Transinclusive health insurance coverage,” the union’s resolution states, and “CWA opposes exclusions of coverage for Transgender individuals.”

MANY DENIED COVERAGE The union also pledged to support “efforts

to remove health insurance exclusions that prevent Transgender people from accessing medically necessary care and to ensure that quality health care coverage is available to everyone, including Transgender people.”

The CWA resolution noted that “many Transgender people are denied health insurance when they disclose their Transgender status or transition-related medical history to a potential insurer.”

Because of steadily rising medical costs, health coverage is always one of the most hotly contested issues during contract negotiations between unions and employers.

Because most union members rely on employer-provided health insurance, and employers have an interest in reducing their insurance costs and eliminating what they see as “unnecessary” expenses, “most health insurance policies still specifically exclude Transgender-related care,” as the resolution states.

Nevertheless, “many private- and publicsector employers and several International Unions currently provide Transgender-inclusive health care coverage.” sent City workers.

The state of Oregon followed suit in JanuRECENT PROGRESS ary this year, when state insurance regulaIn October 2011, the City of Seattle added tors instructed insurance companies to stop coverage for Trans-related health care to denying coverage for transition-related protheir employee benefits package, with the cedures. support of the coalition of unions that repreAt the request of King County’s Pride

At Work chapter, the Martin Luther King County Labor Council (MLKCLC) will have a special presentation on Trans health care issues at its June delegates meeting.

MLKCLC has previously passed resolutions affirming its support for equal treatment of Trans workers. courtesy jennifer dietrich

A foundation for success Dr. Jen’s cosmetics make makeup a healthy choice for your skin

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Seattle is being overrun by drag queens.

It’s true – they’re everywhere. And if there is one thing that these stiletto-wearing Glamazons need more than your dollar bills and admiration, it’s makeup. Lots of it!

Any experienced queen, or woman, over the age of being “new” to makeup will tell you that the stuff can be absolute hell on your skin. It is, for a lack of a better word, unhealthy.

Or is it?

Jennifer Dietrich, owner/creator of Dr. Jen’s House of Beauty and Atomic Cosmetics, says that makeup doesn’t have to be bad for you. In fact, she’s banking on that idea.

Although Atomic Cosmetics is somewhat new, business is booming.

“Atomic Cosmetics opened in September 2012,” Dietrich told SGN. “I chose this location because at the time I needed a production workspace. I was lucky enough to meet Wazhma Samizay, the owner of Retail Therapy, who had a loft space in her shop that she wanted to rent out. I came to view the space and decided it was so adorable that I needed to open a shop! The rest is history.”

FOR ‘EVERYONE WITH SKIN’ Dr. Jen is not your everyday makeup counter employee – in fact, she really is a doctor.

“I did my Ph.D. research on the cellular mechanisms of aging,” she told SGN. “This means I know what to go after when I formulate products to prevent aging.

“I make healthy, non-toxic skincare and makeup. I have everything from high-impact performance makeup to really good anti-aging skincare. There’s really something for everyone in here – everyone with skin, that is.”

Entertainers have been her most loyal

customers thus far, mostly because they understand the havoc that piling on makeup can wreak on your skin. “Both the drag and burlesque communities have been really supportive,” said Dietrich. “I love it!”

She is a specialist in her field, no doubt about that. Her knowledge and experience, her customers say, is invaluable.

A WIDE-OPEN MARKET Dr. Jen displayed some of her deep knowledge and understanding during this interview. “There are no skincare or cosmetic regulations in America,” she states. “I like to educate my clients about this fact. I feel like people should buy my products because they’re safe and they don’t contain any of the toxins that are so prevalent in most skincare and makeup products.

All of Dietrich’s products are cruelty-free (they’re tested on showgirls, but never on animals). Also, they work! “I’ve worked really hard on my formulas to make sure they’re safe, but still effective,” she said.

“We don’t put a lot of filler in our skincare or cosmetics,” she continued. “All of the ingredients have actives to rejuvenate and sustain healthy skin.”

People like Jennifer Dietrich. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone with even the slightest negative word to say about her.

“I enjoy working for Dr. Jen because she truly cares about other people’s skin,” said Robbie Turner, one of Seattle’s best-known entertainers. “I’ve watched her work diligently to change the way people think about skincare. You don’t have to settle for a product that is ultimately going to be harsh on your skin and cause harm in the long run.”

REVITALIZE FIRST “You have to start with a good foundation,” said Dietrich. “You can’t build a house on sinking sand, so you must start with good skin,” she continued. “My skincare is that foundation to restore and revive

Visit us online www.sgn.org

Jennifer Dietrich, aka Dr. Jen

their skin. Once your skin is healthy and happy, make up will enhance what’s already there and remedy minor imperfections allowing you to put your best face forward.

“I want my shop to be the opposite of the make-up counter,” she continued. “I want clients to feel comfortable knowing that I will not let them leave until their skin is completely satisfied. I will always reformulate an eye cream or a foundation until it is perfect. I love a challenge.”

Currently Dietrich is working with a few clients with severe allergies and skin conditions. “It is so rewarding to see results, knowing that you are making someone feel outwardly as beautiful as they are on the inside,” she said.

April 26, 2013

NEW STORE COMING SOON Atomic Cosmetics has caught on – the Hill is in love with Dr. Jen and her business.

And the good doctor is in love with the Hill, too. “I love, love, love Capitol Hill! It’s such an eclectic mix of everything. I adore the indie vibe, and I really hope with all of the new construction it doesn’t turn into another Pioneer Square. I am super-excited to be a part of the mix!”

“We just signed the lease on our very own space, at 617 East Pike Street,” concludes Dietrich. “It’s just two blocks down from the current location. It’s going to be amazing! Look for us in the new space this summer!”

Seattle Gay News

7

national news

AP Photo / Stephan Savoia

Marriage equality juggernaut Rhode Island bill passes; Delaware, Nevada bills advance

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Rhode Island is poised to become the 10th marriage equality state, after a legalization bill passed the state Senate by a convincing 26-12 margin April 25. Hundreds of spectators burst into cheers as the vote was announced.

The state’s House of Representatives has already passed a similar measure, and Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee has promised to sign the bill once it reaches his desk.

“I’m very much looking forward to signing this,” he told the Associated Press as he congratulated supporters.

RECONCILIATION NEEDED Because the Senate version of the bill includes a more expansive religious exemption than the House version, the measure now returns to the House for final approval.

The House Judiciary Committee could take up the revised marriage bill as soon as April 30.

The Senate vote showed bipartisan support for equality, with all five Republican senators voting for the bill. Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed opposed the measure, as did several other Roman Catholic Democrats. Weed, however, promised to allow the bill to come up for a vote, despite her personal opposition.

Democratic Sen. Maryellen Goodwin said she lost sleep over her vote but decided, despite opposition from the Catholic Church, to vote “on the side of love.”

“I’m a practicing Catholic. I’m proud to be a Catholic,” she said, adding that it was the personal stories of Gays, Lesbians and their families in her district that convinced her. “I struggled with this for days, for weeks. It’s certainly not an easy vote.”

Almost 64% of Rhode Islanders identify

as Catholic – the highest proportion of any state – and church officials were strident in their opposition to the legislation.

Senate Republican Leader Dennis Algiere said the decision to support equality came down to core Republican principles.

“This is an issue of fairness, equality and civil rights,” Algiere said. “Those are our values, and we stand by them.”

DELAWARE: DECISION TIME Meanwhile, in Delaware, the state House approved a marriage bill on April 23 by a narrow 23-18 vote. The bill now goes to the Senate, where the vote is also expected to be close.

Democratic Gov. Jack Markell has promised to sign the bill if it passes the Democratic-led legislature.

“It’s the right thing to do,” said Markell, who met with supporters of the bill in his Legislative Hall office immediately after the House vote, in which five Democrats broke ranks with their party to oppose the measure.

In contrast with Rhode Island, only one Republican, Rep. Michael Ramone of Newark, voted for the bill.

Much of the debate centered on the religious exemption provision, which opponents said is not adequate to protect First Amendment religious rights.

While the bill does not force religious officials to perform same-sex marriages, business owners who refuse to provide marriage-related services for same-sex couples could be subject to discrimination claims.

“If there’s an exemption for right of conscience, I don’t see it,” said Jordan Lorence, an attorney with the Alliance Defending Freedom, a right-wing “religious liberties” group.

Rep. Melanie George Smith, the prime sponsor of the bill, said state law already prohibits discrimination based on sexual

Equal treatment is good for employers/employees How employers benefit from creating LGBT-friendly workplaces

Hewlett, founding president and CEO of CTI. “Our new study finds that while progress has been made, discrimination remains A new study released by the Center for pervasive. We outline a number of steps emTalent Innovation (CTI), a New York-based ployers can take to improve the climate in think tank, reveals important new data on how employers can benefit from creating a workplace hospitable to their LGBT employees.

The report, titled The Power of Out 2.0 is based on a survey of 983 U.S. employees who identify themselves as LGBT. Surveys were also conducted in India, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

The Power of Out 2.0 builds on the influential study The Power of Out, which was released in the summer of 2011.

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor

Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee

orientation, and the marriage bill does not change that in any way.

“We respect your right to believe what you believe,” she told fellow lawmakers who oppose the bill.

trembling voice after recalling his father’s interracial remarriage that would have been banned earlier in American history.

“I know this is the first time many of you have heard me say that I am a Black, Gay male.”

NEVADA: TEEING UP Atkinson went on to challenge the arguIn Nevada, a constitutional amendment ment that same-sex marriage threatens any requiring the state to recognize all marriag- other definition of marriage. es regardless of the gender of the married “If this hurts your marriage, then your couple passed the state Senate by a vote of marriage was in trouble in the first place,” 12 to 9, and now goes to the Assembly. If it Atkinson added. passes the legislature, the amendment will “This is a vote to let the people vote for go on a future ballot to be ratified by voters. equality,” said Sen. Pat Spearman, an AfriOne Republican, Sen. Ben Kieckhefer of can-American Lesbian minister. Spearman Reno, voted with the Democratic majority. spoke passionately of growing up in the In a particularly dramatic moment, Sen. 1960s in the Deep South and being spit on Kelvin Atkinson, a 10-year veteran of the because she is Black. legislature, publicly declared for the first “I know what it feels like when people time that he is Gay. want to push ‘separate but equal,’” Spear“I’m Black. I’m Gay,” Atkinson said in a man said. “Separate is not equal.” nies continue to raise the bar in protecting and supporting their LGBT employees, we believe this data provides updated guidance on effective approaches and best practices. In addition, the research helps inform companies’ efforts as they reach out to the LGBT market as a whole.”

Among the new study’s findings is an increase in the number of LGBTs out at work – 59% in 2012, compared to 52% in 2011.

Also, being open about their sexual orientation or gender identity gives LGBT professionals access to business opportunities through which they can exercise their leadership.

“As companies continue to raise the bar in protecting and supporting their LGBT employees, we believe this data provides updated guidance on effective approaches and best practices. In addition, the research helps inform companies’ efforts as they reach out to the LGBT market as a whole.”

BIAS STILL ‘PERVASIVE’ “After our 2011 work, we felt there was still much to explore with respect to how employers can make full use of their LGBT talent – specifically, the opportunity companies have to drive business and the bottom line by leveraging the leadership potential and connections of their LGBT employees and allies,” said study co-author Sylvia Ann

8

Seattle Gay News

the workplace and enable their LGBT employees to maximize their potential.”

LGBT employees and the broader LGBT community are often perceived as a homogenous group, notes co-author Todd Sears, principal of Coda Leadership and founder of Out on the Street: “This research provides critical detail.” He said. “As compa-

April 26, 2013

GENDER GAP ENDURES The study also found that a significant gender gap persists between LGB male and female employees with respect to how their LGB status benefits them in the workplace.

Men are nearly twice as likely to consider their LGB identity an asset in the workplace.

In addition, the study found that the creation of a workplace where LGBT talent can thrive is due in large part to allies. Twentyfour percent of LGBT workers credit their decision to come out professionally to allies in their workplace. While many straight employees define themselves as allies of their LGBT co-workers, only a small percentage – 12% of men and 23% of women – qualify as an “active ally” (someone who has performed two or more LGBT-supporting actions, such as aiding a co-worker in his or her coming out or speaking up at work in his or her defense).

According to the study, LGBT women are more likely to face discrimination because of the “double jeopardy” of gender and sexual orientation or gender identity – 74% of Lesbians say they encounter bias compared to 51% of Gay men.

CLOSET STILL HAS APPEAL Discrimination continues to pressure LGBT individuals to resort to “passing” as heterosexual. Twenty-three percent of men and 15% of women believe that changing their mannerisms, voice, or clothing, or hiding relationships or friendships, in order to “pass” at work has helped their career.

Lastly, the study reports that bias and discrimination are an issue within the LGB community. Gay and Bisexual men are 114% more likely than women to report discrimination. Also, Bisexual men and women are 59% less likely than Lesbians and Gay men to feel a part of the LGBT community.

Celebrating 40 Years!

Philadelphia passes sweeping LGBT equality bill philly.com

become concerned that either my gender same rights afforded to all of our brothers marker in their system is wrong or that we and sisters,” he said. engaged in some kind of fraud.”

LGBT, GLBT, OR TLGB? ‘THE PHILADELPHIA WAY’ Sims noted there is a debate on whether Sims said he hoped today would be a his- the community should be referred to as torical day for Philadelphia, which has long “LGBT” or “GLBT,” but he emphasized the celebrated its diversity. importance of all community members.

“We are a city that doesn’t hide from its “If we were actually listing the members diversity, but instead celebrates and proudly of the LGBT community in order of … how displays our cultural, ethnic, sexual, and hard they worked and of how much farther gender diversity every day for the world to they have to go, we would be the TLGB see. It is the Philadelphia way,” he said. community,” he said.

Sims added that the city has long supCouncilmember Green, who voted no on ported and protected its Lesbian, Gay, and the bill, said he is proud of the record the Bisexual citizens for 30 years and started to council has in supporting the community. protect the Transgender community over a He agrees with almost every aspect of the decade ago. bill, he said, except the tax credit, which he “Quite literally, we are at our best when criticized as “a waste of money because it we are celebrating and embracing our di- will go to corporations that already provide versity, and it’s no surprise that pioneers this kind of thing.” of the LGBT civil rights movement chose Philadelphia to proudly proclaim that we Copyright 2013, The Philadelphia Gay are here, we are equal, and we deserve the News. Reprinted by permission. difficult to prove that an employer meant to discriminate against LGBT employees than continued from cover to show, for example, that LGBT employees earn less than their straight colleagues doing company provided access to adequate alter- similar work. native facilities consistent with the employee’s gender identity.

OPTIMISTIC FOR VOTE Merkley told the Washington Blade that Merkley told the Blade that he is optimisthe new ENDA does not address this issue tic about getting a vote on ENDA in the Senone way or the other. ate, in spite of the possibility that conserva“We’re going to adopt the model that has tive Republicans may try to filibuster it. been the dominant state model, which is “I think it’s time for every senator to have simply not to have discussion on facilities in to take a position on this,” Merkley said. any of the sections of the bill, which is what “We have senators who have been silent the states have done, and it’s worked very on where they stand. We have other senawell,” Merkley said. tors who may have been recognizing they have been hesitant before, but really there’s STRICT LIMITS REMAIN a hugely compelling principle at stake here: Merkley also told the Blade that two im- that of equal opportunity to be a full participortant provisions that were being recon- pant in our economy. It’s only right and just sidered would remain in the new ENDA: that people not be discriminated against in the bill’s robust religious exemption, which employment.” would allow faith-based employers to reMerkley reported that Sen. Harkin, whose fuse employment to LGBT people, and the committee will have jurisdiction over the exclusion of “disparate impact” as a cause bill, had promised him a vote on the legislafor complaint. tion before the end of the year.

In U.S. employment law, the doctrine of Senators Patty Murray and Maria “disparate impact” means that a company’s Cantwell of Washington were co-sponsors employment practices may be considered of the previous ENDA bill and are expected discriminatory – and therefore illegal – if to sign on to the new version. they have a disproportionate “adverse imOn the House side, however, ENDA will pact” on members of a minority group. be at the mercy of Republican Speaker John Disparate impact is different form “dis- Boehner, who is not expected to schedule an parate treatment” because disparate impact up-or-down vote on the measure. need not be intentional, whereas disparate Seattle’s Democratic Congressmen, Jim treatment is an intentional decision by the McDermott and Adam Smith, are expected employer to treat people differently based to support the new version of ENDA. Easton their sexual orientation, gender identity, side Republican Dave Reichert voted for or any other protected characteristics. the version of ENDA that passed the House By excluding disparate impact as a cause in 2006, but that one excluded Trans workof action and limiting complaints to dispa- ers from legal protections. Reichert has not rate treatment, the measure creates a higher revealed whether he will support a Transbar for legal recourse, because it is more inclusive ENDA.

enda

Coucilmember Jim Kenney introduced the bill.

of the issues the Transgender and gendernonconforming community experiences on a day-to-day basis. She moved to PhiladelPhiladelphia’s City Council passed an phia, she said, after she experienced TransLGBT equality bill on April 25 that is the phobic behavior from individuals in her prefirst of its kind in several ways. vious hometown.

Bill 130224, approved by a vote of 14-3, offers a tax-credit incentive to businesses OVERCOMING FEAR that offered employee health plans inclusive “You all have nothing to fear by me or any of same-sex partners and children, and in- one Transwoman being in a cisgender womcludes substantial benefits for the Transgen- an’s space while Transwomen have a lot to der community as well. fear by being forced into cisgender men’s Introduced by Councilmember Jim Ken- spaces,” she said. “I believe in the ability ney, the bill revamps the city’s health care for people to evolve and I hope that every plan to ban discrimination against nonunion member of council has evolved – not only Transgender city employees and institutes a in the cisgender LGB community but for the Transgender Health Tax Credit that would ‘T’ as well.” allow companies to offer health care taiDane Menkin, a certified registered nurse lored to Trans people’s specific needs. City practitioner at Mazzoni Center, testified buildings will also be required to provide along with his wife and daughter. Menkin, gender-neutral restrooms. who has been legally married to his partner In addition, the bill adds LGBT persons to for four years, said the protections included the city’s existing anti-discrimination law, in the bill would be a tremendous help to his and specifies that same-sex couples have family. rights equal to straight couples regarding A Transgender male, Menkin has legally medical decision-making. changed his name, birth certificate, driver’s Councilmember-at-large Bill Green was license, and passport to reflect his gender the only Democrat to vote against the bill. identity, but he says his health insurance The other two No votes were cast by Re- still labels him as female – and did not cover publican Councilmembers-at-large David anything related to his transition.

Oh and Brian O’Neill.

“This has had an impact on my family, LGBT community members, including both financially and in terms of social and State Rep. Brian Sims and Transgender ad- physical safety,” he said. “When a provider, vocate Jordan Gwendolyn Davis, testified billing specialist, or receptionist sees me to the benefits of the bill. and when my daughter refers to me as ‘DadDavis said the bill would address many dy’ when speaking to me, they immediately

by Angela Thomas Philadelphia Gay News

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April 26, 2013

Seattle Gay News

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Seattle Gay News 15

northwest news

EMERALD CITY SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION On Saturday, April 27, ECSA games will be played from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at North SeaTac Park (13735 24th Ave. S., SeaTac), C & D Division matchups.

On Sunday, April 28, ECSA games will be played from 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. at North SeaTac Park and Moshier Park (430 S. 156th Pl., Burien), games at 3 skill levels.

compiled by Rick McKinnon SGN Staff Writer

SEATTLE OUT & PROUD – “PRIDE IDOL” On Sunday, April 28, doors at 6:30 p.m. with community karaoke, contest at 8 p.m., at Neighbours (1509 Broadway), join Seattle Out & Proud and your host Mama Tits for Seattle’s Pride Idol competition. Each week talented local amateur singers will compete to become Seattle Out & Proud’s 2013 Pride Idol. Registration is first come, first served – maximum 10 contestants per week. $20 registration fee; prizes to be determined. The contest will be held Sundays, April 7, 14, 21 and 28, May 5 and 12, June 2

(Wild Card) and June 9 (Final). Seattle Out physical and mental abilities, education & Proud organizes Seattle’s annual Pride levels and conditions of health. Quick and Parade in downtown Seattle. Winner will confidential. perform at the Parade Pre-Show and on the GAY CITY ARTS – Pride Idol Float on Sunday, June 30. Visit “WORD PLAY: www.seattlepride.org for complete details A SPOKEN WORD and a directory of karaoke songs to choose POETRY FESTIVAL” from or bring your own music. www.seatOn Saturday, May 4, from 10 a.m.-9:30 tlepride.org p.m., at Gay City Calamus Auditorium, 517 E. Pike St., join Gay City for Word Play, a SEATTLE GAY & LESBIAN one-day spoken word festival including two BOOK CLUB – workshops, a performance, and an artists reSTORIES FOR BOYS The Seattle Gay & Lesbian Book Club ception. The workshops will be led by feameets every Wednesday from 6-7:15 p.m., tured artists, who will share their expertise at Seattle Area Support Groups Community and encourage participants to explore their Center (303 17th Ave. E. at E. Thomas St.). own recovery experiences through spoken In May, the club will be reading Gregory word. The festival will culminate in a perMartin’s touching memoir, Stories for Boys, formance by four local arts, Cody Pherigo, which chronicles his shock and gradual ac- Fabian Romero, Cecily Schuler, and Cole ceptance of his father’s revelation of child- Arden Peake, followed by an artists reception. www.gaycity.org. hood abuse and secretly being Gay. This book is also the Seattle Public LiIMPERIAL COURT OF SEATTLE – brary’s “Seattle Reads” selection this year.

“HEART OF THE SEAS Check out the library’s website for the auLIPSYNC FOR YOUR LIFE” thor’s appearances around town the first On Saturday, May 4, doors at 5 p.m., week of May, including a Book-It Repertory Theatre presentation of several scenes from show at 6 p.m., at R Place (619 E. Pine St.), the Imperial Court of Seattle’s King and the book.

All GLBTQ folks are welcome to par- Queen of Hearts and King and Queen of the ticipate in this FREE book club. For more Seas invite you to witness eight contestants information visit http://faculty.washington. compete two at a time, “lipsync for your life” style, for a chance to be named Lipsync edu/swittet/SGLBookClub/.

Champion.

The evening will also feature guest perTWISTED CABARET formers, raffle with amazing prizes and MAY 2-26 more, all to benefit Lambert House, Sewww.twistedcabaret.com attle’s LGBTQ Youth Resource Center. $5 cover. Contestants will be judged in part by ALL PILGRIMS – audience response. www.Facebook.com/ “COMMUNITY HIV TESTING” On Saturday, May 4, from noon-5 p.m., ISCSORE All Pilgrims Christian Church (500 BroadFREEDOM SOCIALIST PARTY – way E.) hosts a FREE Community HIV “CLARA FRASER: Testing event open to people of all colors, THE ORIGINAL ages, economic circumstances, sexual oriSOCIALIST FEMINIST” entations, gender or transgender identities,

16 Seattle Gay News

April 26, 2013

WASHINGTON PARK ARBORETUM – “FLORABUNDANCE SPRING PLANT SALE” On Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday, April 28, from 10 a.m.3 p.m. at the Washington Park Arboretum, Graham Visitors Center (2300 Arboretum Dr. E.), more than 35 specialty nurseries and vendors will be selling choice, locally grown plants, including herbs, vegetables, annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees.

FREE. A member pre-sale and party event will be held on Friday, April 26 from 5-7:30 p.m. Enjoy local wine and appetizers from the acclaimed Skillet Street Food and first pick of the plants. Tickets: $40. For tickets and membership, call 206-325-4510. www. arboretumfoundation.org

The often controversial Clara Fraser advocated women’s liberation, racial justice, workers’ rights, and Queer equality long before “multi-issue” politics was a common phrase. “Clara Fraser: The Original Socialist Feminist” will be the topic of a May Day celebration event offering an opportunity to learn more about Fraser, her ideas and her impact.

On Saturday, May 4, at 7:30 p.m., at New Freeway Hall (5018 Rainier Ave. S.), event speakers Andrea Bauer and Dennis Sanders will provide two different perspectives on Clara Fraser. Bauer, an environmentalist and Queer rights activist, knew Fraser well and was her student in Marxist economics.

Sanders, an anti-capitalist analyst and writer on international affairs, has been influenced

by Fraser’s ideas as expressed in works like Revolution, She Wrote. Both carry forward Fraser’s vision of creating a humane culture in a world of peace and shared wealth.

The festivities will kick off with “Mike’s Louisiana Gumbo feast” at 6 p.m. Suggested donation $3 for door and $10 for dinner (optional), with work exchanges available for strikers, students or the unemployed.

For childcare or more information, call 206722-2453.

DIVERSE HARMONY – “MAGICAL THINKING” On Friday, May 10 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, May 12, at 2 p.m., at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute (107 17th Ave. S.), Diverse Harmony, Seattle’s LGBTQ Youth Chorus, presents a concert that will celebrate the creative and imaginary worlds that youth invent and will explore how imagination can transform the world as we mature through our youth and adulthood. Come join Diverse Harmony as we change the world into a better place with our thoughts and music. Tickets: $20 at the door; FREE for ages 22 and under. www.diverseharmony.org.

Celebrating 40 Years!

international news

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer French riot police battled thousands of anti-Gay demonstrators in the streets of Paris on the night of April 23, after the French parliament finalized the country’s new marriage equality law.

Protesters threw glass bottles, garbage cans, and metal bars at police, who responded with tear gas and batons. The Associated Press reported an unconfirmed story that rioters had thrown Molotov cocktails at the police lines. Twelve rioters were arrested.

One of the arrestees was said to be a Catholic priest in the ultra-right Order of St. Pius X. Having previously passed both the Assembly and the Senate, the final version of the marriage bill was passed by a comfortable margin of 331 to 225. The law will now be referred to the Constitutional Council, which will review its constitutionality.

Socialist President François Hollande is expected to sign the bill into law, since it fulfills his campaign pledge to give equal marriage and adoption rights to same-sex couples.

GAY BAR ATTACKED During the night after the final vote on the measure, four men were arrested in the northern city of Lille after they attacked a Gay bar, injuring the manager and destroying property.

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault called for calm as rioting spread from Paris to Lyon, Lille, Bordeaux, and other cities.

President Hollande condemned “homophobic violence” and Interior Minister Manuel Valls warned that the anti-equality had been infiltrated by ultra-right organizations.

Yoan Valat

PARIS – Right-wing riots as marriage law is finalized

Before the vote, police stationed water cannon outside the Parliament building in anticipation of street demonstrations called by right-wing political groups. Police union spokesperson Christophe Crepin told the French English-language newspaper The Local that the extraordinary security had been put in place to protect the city’s LGBT community.

As Parliament debated the marriage bill, attacks against same-sex couples spiked and some legislators received threats. Gay rights groups told The Local they have recorded a 30% rise in Gay-bashing incidents in recent months, which they blame on the strident opposition to the marriage bill.

MAIL THREATS On April 19, the president of the National Assembly received an envelope filled with gunpowder. “You wanted war, and now you’ve got it,” a note enclosed with the gunpowder reportedly said.

“Allowing marriage for all would be the same as destroying all marriage,” the note continued. “If you were to carry on regardless, your political family will have to suffer physically.”

The week before, two Socialist deputies received letters from anti-Gay extremists threatening to kidnap and kill them or their loved ones if the marriage bill were not withdrawn.

The anti-Gay organization Manif pour Tous (Demonstration for All) warned that violence would follow a pro-equality vote.

“Hollande wants blood and he will get it,” Manif pour Tous head Frigide Barjot declared.

France’s top Catholic bishop, Cardinal André Vingt-Trois, also told a meeting of French bishops that the government risked

Protesters took to the streets of Paris on Tueday after parliament gave its final OK to a law legalizing same-sex marriage and adoption by same-sex couples.

inciting violence if the marriage law was fi- riage law. One government minister said he nalized. had never witnessed such an incident in his 30 years in the lower house.

DEBATE TURNS PHYSICAL Polls show that a majority of French A fistfight broke out in the Assembly on voters favor the new law, but the Catholic April 19, as parliament was concluding its Church and right-wing political parties have debate on the final version of the new mar- been vocal opponents.

Ghana seizes millions of defective condoms Lack of testing exposed many to risk of STDs, pregnancy

Amedzro said that condoms are supposed to be lab-tested before they are released for distribution, but that did not happen in this case.

“Somehow there was a lapse – the batches of the condoms were not submitted as duly required for the appropriate testing to be conducted,” he said on the BBC’s Focus on Africa program.

Anybody using them could be “exposed to sexually transmitted infections or be saddled with unwanted pregnancies,” Amedzro warned.

In an announcement on April 19, Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) said the Chinese-made condoms had been tested in Ghana’s government has seized more a laboratory, but not before they had been than 110 million defective condoms from an released for distribution.

HIV/AIDS prevention campaign that was “There are holes in them and ... the condistributing them in the country. doms burst easily,” FDA spokesperson

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

Thomas Amedzro told the BBC. “You may not be able to see the holes with your naked eye but when you look at it under the microscope you can see holes,” he said.

The condoms are also not adequately lubricated, the FDA said.

PUBLIC WARNING ISSUED The FDA has sent out a nationwide alert describing the packaging and warning people not to use the condoms.

“Since the alert went out, a number of individuals and organizations have already reported to us that they have stocks, which we are already retrieving,” Amedzro said.

The Ghana Health Service accepted delivery of the condoms in February this year, the BBC reports, but they arrived in the country in the last quarter of 2012. Authorities believe about 200 million of the faulty condoms were imported into the country.

According to U.N. figures, an estimated 230,000 people in Ghana are living with HIV, out of a total population of 25 million. The country’s anti-HIV/AIDS effort is widely regarded as among the most successful in Africa.

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Seattle Gay News 17

health and medicine

file photo

Harlem Hospital launches Truvada PrEP study

HIV prevention method in which HIV-negative individuals take antiretroviral drugs usually prescribed to treat HIV in order to Harlem Hospital has announced it is help prevent infection.

Truvada was approved by the FDA as a launching a new study to determine if Truby Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

“The study is designed to identify PrEP pilltaking schedules that participants are more likely to follow and determine if these schedules influence healthier sexual practices.” vada remains effective as a PrEP drug even if it is taken less frequently than its suggested once-a-day dosage.

PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, is an

PrEP drug in June last year with a recommended regimen of one pill per day. At the time the drug was approved, some HIV/ AIDS prevention activists worried that pa-

Harlem Hospital

tients might continue risky behaviors while failing to adhere to the strict regimen, thinking themselves safe while actually increasing their risk of infection.

The Harlem Hospital study, called the ADAPT Study, will investigate whether a less-than-daily dosage of Truvada also confers significant PrEP benefits.

“The study is designed to identify PrEP pill-taking schedules that participants are more likely to follow and determine if these schedules influence healthier sexual practices,” a statement released April 22 said.

The ADAPT Study is coordinated by the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) and is sponsored and funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

THREE SCENARIOS Participants will be randomly divided into three groups: one group will take Truvada once a day, as suggested by the FDA; a sec-

ond group will take Truvada twice a week, with an additional pill after sex; and the third group will take Truvada only before and after sex. All participants will be provided with HIV risk-reduction counseling and condoms.

Harlem Hospital is seeking 180 local men who have sex with men, and Transgender women, to participate. A similar study is being conducted in Thailand.

Critics of the FDA’s approval of Truvada for PrEP use feared it might become a “party drug” that at-risk individuals would take only when they expected to have sex. The ADAPT Study will now investigate whether that way of using the drug confers any preventative benefits.

Others worried that at-risk individuals might abandon condoms, which are considered a very effective method of preventing HIV infection, for a less effective and more expensive drug. The annual cost of a PrEP program using Truvada is estimated to be $14,000 per patient.

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Celebrating 40 Years!

grill

continued from cover tinue. We appreciate the love and support shown to The Grill on Broadway over the years from the Capitol Hill community, and the many friends we have made who have truly become part of the huge extended “Grill Family” – that includes our incredible staff of hardworking, talented and amazing servers, bartenders and kitchen staff, in addition to every loyal regular who steps through our door. It’s with a huge and profound sadness that we must end this amazing journey.

Please join us this week for a dinner and/ or a cocktail. We’re planning some special things this week, and we hope you can join us.

Thanks again for an amazing run …

A SIGN OF THE TIMES? News of the popular restaurant’s closure spread quickly as messages of support and calls to “save the Grill” came in from loyal customers – new and old. At the core of it all, however, is the feeling that perhaps the Hill really is becoming less Gay. With the rise of condo building after condo building, newcomers are moving in and bringing with them their ideals, their friends, and their … sexual orientation.

Now, before you misread what I am saying, I want to be clear: Gay does not equal better or best. Neither does heterosexual.

I am simply saying that culturally, the Hill seems to be going through some changes – one of which is the influence of straight people and their ideas of what fun is, compared to Gays. The Grill on Broadway is the perfect example.

I met with Matthew Walsh less than a year ago and we talked about how The Grill had, at one time, strayed away from being “Gay” and how, as Pride 2012 approached, he realized that that was the wrong direction. It was time to Gay it up from then on out – and boy, did they! The Grill on Broadway was, in its last incarnation, one of the Gayest places on Earth – one where everyone was welcome, however. With all the rainbow flags, which Walsh proudly let wave

months after Pride had come and gone, the customers knew exactly where they were and exactly what The Grill on Broadway was about.

UNFORESEEN EXPENSES So why didn’t it work? Hell, with shows like “Mimosas With Mama” (an extremely entertaining and well-attended Sunday brunch drag show) and a talent contest ($1,000 cash prize!) the place seemed to be doing all right. Walsh even convinced people to start their weekend evenings off at The Grill. In a city like Seattle, with a severe shortage of Gay lounges, The Grill on Broadway fit the bill for many small shows, specialty parties, and more.

In fact, Walsh admits they were making money. The place wasn’t drowning in debt or anything. The Walsh Creative Group just got sold a bad deal, is all. “These things happen,” he said.

Former Grill owner Debbie Augustavo sold the family business to Walsh, who used to work for her as a server, in 2010, as the restaurant began to fall from the neighborhood’s good graces.

“Despite a recent upturn in business and community awareness, due to improved food, service, and entertainment options, severe financial obligations imposed by previously undiscovered mechanical, structural and operational issues associated with the business, prior to The Walsh Creative Group’s takeover in 2010, have resulted in additional, unforeseen expenses that have totaled into the hundreds of thousands of dollars,” The Walsh Creative Group said this week in a statement.

“Since 2010, The Grill on Broadway, under Walsh’s supervision, spent countless hours and dollars supporting local charities and organizations, raising more than a quarter-million dollars for vital community service groups.”

and not just a bar, but also an active member of the community. We’ve been honored to serve an extraordinary and diverse community.”

The Grill on Broadway participated in Thursday’s Dining Out for Life benefit for the Lifelong AIDS Alliance.

For many, the timing of the announcement was odd. With Pride 2013 approaching, some might think that The Grill could’ve turned things around. This was not possible, says Grill officials.

The Capitol Hill Seattle (CHS) Blog reports, “CHS reached one of the partners in the company that owns the property, who said he was aware of the restaurant’s decision to close but did not want to comment on the situation or future plans for 314 Broadway E. at this time.”

In addition, CHS says, “A representative tells us the timing of the closure was strictly a logistical decision based on mundane elements like payroll schedules and the like.

Given costs and the business’s trajectory, it wasn’t apparently worth hanging on through Pride and summer.”

Regardless, the fact remains that Seattle’s Capitol Hill is losing a veteran. Twenty-two years is a long time, especially in the restaurant business. It is the hope of this writer, and I’m sure many of you reading this, that whoever moves into the space does so keeping in mind the neighborhood, its history, and that we aren’t too keen on seeing yet another corporate franchise come to the Hill.

Seattle Gay News would like to wish The Walsh Creative Group all the best as they move on to other projects. Thanks for the memories!

hiv

continued from cover

The vaccine study began in 2009 with some 2,500 enrolled participants in 19 cities including Seattle. Participants were either men who have sex with men, or Transgender people who have sex with men.

JUDGED INEFFECTIVE Half the group received the experimental vaccine and half received a placebo. A regularly scheduled evaluation on April 22 found that slightly more participants who got the vaccine later contracted HIV than members of the control, or placebo, group.

Overall, 41 cases of HIV infection occurred in the volunteers who received the experimental vaccine and 30 cases of HIV infection occurred among the recipients who received the placebo.

In other words, the chance of getting HIV was the same for those who took the vaccine as for unprotected volunteers, meaning that the vaccine offered no benefit.

The review also showed the vaccine failed to reduce viral load – the amount of HIV in the blood – for people who had been diagnosed with HIV and were tracked for 20 weeks of follow-up.

No explanation has been offered for the vaccine’s failure. The NIH said in a statement that while it is stopping vaccinations, it will continue to study the volunteers’ health.

‘PROFOUND IMPACT’ “There isn’t a minute that goes by that I don’t recognize the profound impact that The Grill has had on the Capitol Hill neighborhood and Seattle’s LGBTQ community for the last two decades,” said Walsh. “I wanted The Grill to not just be a restaurant,

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Seattle Gay News 19

family research council

Sex, guns, and hypocrisy If there’s a way to blame Gays for the Boston bombing, Tony Perkins will find it

by D’Anne Witkowski SGN Contributing Writer The only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun – who is not having Gay sex.

This seems to be the line of reasoning the Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins is using, both to cheer the failure of guncontrol legislation in the U.S. Senate and to blame the Boston Marathon bombing on anything sex-related that Perkins does not personally approve of.

livelong day as though we live in a godforsaken war zone. That is working out really well for us.

WHOSE RIGHT TO LIFE? Gloating about the gun-control failure, Perkins sneers, “Senate liberals, who baited members with a gallery full of Newtown and Aurora families, quickly learned that it would take more than emotional manipulation to win leaders to their side.”

Ah, yes, the Newtown and Aurora families. Those manipulative bastards, shoving

Ah, yes, the Newtown and Aurora families.

Those manipulative bastards, shoving their dead relatives in our faces. What they don’t understand is that “Right to Life” ends as soon as you check out of Hotel Uterus.

“If Congress wants to stop these tragedies, then it has to address the government’s own hostility to the institution of the family and organizations that can address the real problem: the human heart,” Perkins writes.

Got that? The real problem is the human heart. Perkins’ problem, specifically, is that he does not have one.

He continues, “As I’ve said before, America doesn’t need gun control, it needs self-control. And a Congress that actively discourages it – through abortion, family breakdown, sexual liberalism, or religious hostility – is only compounding the problem.”

See? You’ve just got to self-control yourself, and this stuff won’t happen. Unless you’re Gay, then Perkins wouldn’t mind personally controlling you by thwarting your attempt at full civil rights. But guns … well, numbers indicate that people are very good at killing each other with guns all the

their dead relatives in our faces. What they don’t understand is that “Right to Life” ends as soon as you check out of Hotel Uterus.

After that, you’re on your own. So there’s no point in focusing on a bunch of dead kids when there are live gun owners with rights to protect. In other words, stop trying to win Perkins over with an emotional argument.

As we’ve already discussed, the man has no heart.

If murdered children aren’t a Christian concern, guns clearly are. “As Christians living in very dangerous times, we not only have a right – but a responsibility – to protect our families from threats of violence, which only increase as America’s focus moves from personal control to more government control,” Perkins writes.

“There seems to be this notion, at least among liberals, that more laws will protect us – but as we all witnessed in Boston, that isn’t necessarily the case,” Perkins goes

Tony Perkins

on. “Stronger background checks wouldn’t control laws wouldn’t have stopped the have prevented the deaths of three people at bombing at the Boston Marathon is a nonthe finish line [in Boston].” sequitur. It’s like saying, “Well, wearing a seat belt won’t prevent cancer, so why bothILLIBERAL LOGIC er?” Such an argument is what the Founding First, I call your attention to Perkins’ no- Fathers, I believe, used to call “asshattery.” tion that it’s “liberals” who believe “that Also, according to Perkins, Jesus wants more laws will protect us” and his warn- you to have a gun: “Not only did Jesus tolering of a movement “from personal control ate weapons, he instructed His disciples to to more government control.” To this I add: buy them! In Luke 22:36, we read, ‘He said ROTFLATSHOIA (rolling on the floor to them... if you don’t have a sword, sell laughing at the sheer hypocrisy of it all). your cloak and buy one.’”

This from a guy who supports all manner of Apparently the modern translation of the anti-Gay laws, many of them antithesis to word “sword” is “assault weapon with highthe “small government” conservatives like capacity magazine,” which is obviously the Perkins pretend they favor, in the name of answer to the age-old question: What would “protecting” society.

Jesus shoot?

Second, pointing out that tougher gun-

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20 Seattle Gay News

April 26, 2013

Celebrating 40 Years!

cocktail glass. So I began experimenting.

The liquor cabinet was running low, so I was forced to use my imagination. I employed only a bunch of clean glasses, a saucerful of water and several small plates. A quick tour of my spice cabinet produced an array of spices and seasonings that I paired with imaginary cocktails. I suppose a wealthier columnist would have made real cocktails, but stocking the liquor cabinet and refrigerator for all the following drinks would have meant going without food for several days. I’m certain these combinations will work. I wouldn’t print them if I had any doubts.

The joy of rimming

MULTICOLORED PEPPER RIM Hand-grind a saucerful of multicolored peppercorns. Take a tall tumbler, dip it in the water, and then in the ground pepper.

Voila! Here you have the perfect topper for a Bloody Mary. (Variation: shake some hot pepper flakes onto the peppercorns for a spicier crust, but don’t overdo it.)

CRACKED FENNEL RIM Either buy cracked fennel from Penzey’s spices (www.penzeys.com) or crush some whole fennel seeds with a mortar and pestle, and dip your wetted glass into a saucerful. This would make a great Bloody Mary crust, too, as well as an interesting rim for plain frozen Absolut or the caraway-flavored liquor Aquavit. Cumin seeds would work just as well.

SUGAR RIM Pour some granulated sugar or superfine sugar onto a plate, and dip a tumbler in to form a sugar crust for a screwdriver, a Madras, a Watermelon, or even a Manhattan – as long as you decrease the amount of sweet vermouth in the Manhattan to keep the drink from being cloying. Happy rimming, everyone!

by Ed Sikov SGN Contributing Writer “I can’t talk to you now. I’m rimming.”

Dan was obviously aghast. There was a momentary pause on the line, after which he said only, “Who?” “Get your mind out of the gutter!” I cried in triumph. “It’s not that kind of rimming.”

“What other kind is there?” he asked warily.

“I’m creating decorative and tasty rims on cocktail glasses. You know, like salt on a margarita?”

“Very funny,” he muttered, clearly indicating that he didn’t find my little joke even half as amusing as I did. “I’ll be home in an hour.” Then he hung up.

The truth of the matter is that I was initial-

ly inspired by a very, uh, captivating porn video I’d watched a few days earlier. To be a bit confessional here, the actual practice of rimming has never appealed to me. Then I saw these two very attractive young men appear to be enjoying themselves fully, executing their task with vigor. I couldn’t tear my eyes away. And that’s saying something, because having been a video-porn reviewer earlier in my checkered career, I have seen so much bad smut that it usually does absolutely nothing for me now. (I wrote for the late, lamented Inches magazine under the byline Joe McKenna, which was Doris Day’s character’s name in The Man Who Knew Too Much; I added the “e” to “Jo” to conform to gender norms.)

It was through this filth that I got to musing on the word “rimming,” and in a flash

Ed Sikov is the author of the e-book The of pure inspiration, I realized I had the subject of my next column. Why stop at salt for Boys’ and Girls’ Little Book of Alcohol, a margaritas? There are many things you can novel with recipes based on his Cocktail use to beautify and spice up the edge of a Chatter column.

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Seattle Gay News 21

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April 26, 2013

Celebrating 40 Years!

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April 26, 2013

Seattle Gay News 23