Celebrating 40 Years!
Issue 22 Volume 41
FRIDAY May 31, 2013 FREE! 25¢ in bookstores & newsstands
An interview with directors Scott McGehee and David Siegel Page 25
Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
Scouts’ equality vote sparks backlash Many churches cut ties with BSA after Gay ban lifted Lm Otero / AP
by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor Following last week’s decision to lift a longtime national ban on admitting openly gay Scouts, a number of churches that previously sponsored Boy Scout troops
tist Convention (the largest Protestant denomination in the United States) would be holding its national meeting in two weeks, at which it would likely recommend that its 47,000 U.S. churches pull out of the Boy Scouts of America. “From there, it is up to each in-
“I think I can say with pretty strong accuracy that the vast majority of Southern Baptists are very disappointed in the latest change in policy – deeply disappointed.”
Terri Hall (l) with her son Nathaniel Hall rally near where the BSA are holding their annual meeting.
have said they plan to sever ties to the organization. “I think I can say with pretty strong accuracy that the vast majority of Southern Baptists are very disappointed in the latest change in policy – deeply disappointed,” Frank Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s executive committee, told ABC News. Page said that the Southern Bap-
dividual church to decide what to do,” said Page. About 70% of all local Boy Scout troops are supported by religious groups, according to the BSA, and the Southern Baptist Convention currently sponsors “hundreds of troops, probably thousands,” Page said. see scouts page 7
SGN Exclusive Interview More bad news Rep. Dave Upthegrove, candidate for McGinn for King County Council
33rd Legislative District, based in South King County, since January 2002, is running for a King County Current State Rep. Dave Upthe- Council seat being vacated by vetgrove wants a new job. Upthe- eran councilmember Julia Pattergrove, who has represented the son.
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
a while,” Upthegrove told SGN. “I decided the weekend after Julia made her announcement [that she would retire].” Patterson announced on April 28 that she would not seek re-election after 23 years on the County Council. “I took a weekend to do the ‘gut check,’” Upthegrove explained, “and I decided to go for it.” Upthegrove, who was born and raised in the South King County district he hopes to represent on the council, says his roots in the area put him in a “very strong position” for the campaign. “The council district overlaps with my legislative district,” Upthegrove noted. “I’ve already been representing most of these voters for 12 years, so this will be Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn a very localized campaign. You know, when Julia [Patterson] en- by Mike Andrew Endorsements from the disdorsed me she said, ‘He’s a South SGN Staff Writer trict organizations are considered County boy, just like I’m a South important for two reasons: first, County girl.’” In what could be an ominous because they indicate the preferportent for incumbent Seattle ences of local political activists, OPENLY GAY Mayor Mike McGinn, the city’s and second, because they come If he is elected, Upthegrove will Democratic legislative district or- with resources. PCOs (precinct be the second openly Gay County ganizations are splitting their en- committee officers) in each district dorsements among several of the see mcginn page 7 see upthegrove page 5 leading mayoral candidates. fox
courtesy dave upthegrove
Washington state Representative Dave Upthegrove
District organizations far from “I’ve been thinking about it for unanimous in support of mayor