SGN July 5, 2013 - Section 1

Celebrating 40 Years!

Issue 27 Volume 41

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Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

Two more men cured of HIV Stem-cell transplants succeed in removing all traces of virus Doctors in Boston are reporting that two men have been cured of their HIV infections after receiving stem-cell transplants for unrelated cancers. The cures apparently replicate that of Timothy Ray Brown, the “Berlin Patient,” who was cured after a similar procedure in 2007.

Speaking to the International AIDS Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Dr. Timothy Henrich of Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, said that the two patients are no longer taking HIV medications.

One patient has been off his meds for 15 weeks, and the other for seven weeks, Henrich said.

The two are said to have lived with HIV for some 30 years.

DOCTORS ARE CAUTIOUS “We have not demonstrated cure – we’re going to need longer follow-up,” Henrich told BBC News.

“What we can say is if the virus

does stay away for a year or even two years after we stopped the treatment, that the chances of the virus rebounding are going to be extremely low. It’s much too early at this point to use the C-word [cure].”

Henrich cautioned that the virus could be still be hiding inside brain tissue or the gastrointestinal tract.

“If [the] virus does return, it would suggest that these other sites are an important reservoir of infectious virus and new approaches to measuring the reservoir at relevant sites will be needed to guide the development of HIV curative strategies,” he said.

The stem cells the two received were apparently ordinary and did not have the genetic resistance to HIV that the cells used on Brown had. Brown’s doctor used stem cells from a donor with a rare genetic mutation, known as CCR5 delta 32, which renders people virtually resistant to HIV, but the two Boston patients received cells without this mutation. see hiv page 20

Food fight

associated press

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

Dr. Timothy Henrich speaks at the International AIDS Society Conference 2013 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The (Interim) Chief

by Shaun Knittel SGN Associate Editor

see picket page 24

see chief page 8

Tom Geiger / UFC 21

The workers were joined by State Sen. Ed Murray and City Council member Bruce Harrell – both candidates for mayor of Seattle – as well as community activist Rev. Harriett Walden and members of Pride At Work, Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action, the National Organization

Last month I met with Interim Police Chief Jim Pugel at the Seattle Police Department’s downtown headquarters. Pugel, a veteran officer and native Washingtonian, agreed to an interview with Seattle Gay News promising to answer any and all questions on the record, with no subject off-limits or taboo. As we sat in his office, with a view of the Sound in the distance, Pugel honored the terms of the interview – and then some.

He was forthcoming with information and detailed his answers to questions with personal opinion whenever appropriate. The biggest takeaway I got from our June 14 meeting is that he has no intention of operating in secret or out of the public eye. Seattle is home to Pugel – always has been and always will be, he says, and due to this fact, he is dedicated to improving its police department so that it can be ranked among the best in the nation. He is a man dedicated to the basic principles of policing and asks that Seattleites “get to know

Grocery workers picket QFC at Broadway and Pike.

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer At least 60 grocery workers and supporters picketed the Harvard Market QFC at Broadway and Pike Street during lunch hour on July 3.

Chants of “Stand! Together!

Union! Power!” echoed at the busy intersection.

Interim Seattle Police Chief Jim Pugel

courtesy seattle police department

Seattle’s newest top cop brings a Grocery workers picket fresh perspective on multiple issues Harvard Market QFC

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Celebrating 40 Years!

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Celebrating 40 Years!

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op-ed Uneasy alliances Coalition building is difficult but essential for victory cannot afford the illusion of occupying separate silos. That would play into the divideand-conquer strategy exemplified by the As the fight for marriage equality contin- National Organization for Marriage plan “to ues in the states, the forces of social reaction drive a wedge between Gays and Blacks.” redouble their efforts to brazen their way We must learn to recognize our common past the fact that they are losing. threads. As Trayvon Martin’s killer is tried Our opponents’ war with reality is darkly comical.

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, the Republican nominee for governor, perversely asserts that laws criminalizing certain sex acts between consenting adults – ruled unconstitutional a decade ago – are necessary to prevent sexual assaults against children. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie doubles down on his arbitrary claim that only voters, not their duly elected legislators, should change marriage law. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence renews his commitment to amend the state constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage. Former U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, now at the Heritage Foundation, repeats the baseless claim that children are harmed by Gay parents. Somehow it is Gay citizens, not those who constantly attack us, who are the danger.

Gay families have plenty of company in the right’s crosshairs. The Supreme Court overturned the pre-clearance provision of the Voting Rights Act, setting off a resurgence of voter-suppression efforts. After Texas state senator Wendy Davis blocked an anti-abor- in Florida, activists and officials in D.C. tion bill with an 11-hour filibuster, Gover- contend with six anti-Transgender attacks nor Rick Perry announced another special in the first week of summer. legislative session to push it through. U.S. In the 1960s, the Black Panthers were House Republicans cited security concerns seen as threatening when they carried guns, in vowing to defeat immigration reform, de- despite their self-defense rhetoric and their spite the Senate bill’s escalated militariza- decidedly unscary breakfasts for children. tion of the Mexican border. You think this is Now, gun-rights efforts that go far beyond your country? our Founders’ well-regulated militias portray vigilante justice as patriotism, and a NO TIME FOR DIVISION wannabe cop is cheered by web trolls for The bullies’ and usurpers’ various targets stalking and killing an unarmed Black teenby Richard J. Rosendall Special to the SGN

Visit us online www.sgn.org

July 5, 2013

ager. Meanwhile, the paternalistic mayor of America’s largest city stands by a police stop-and-frisk program that treats being Black or Hispanic as reasonable suspicion.

How can we accept a situation where armed white men are seen as protecting their neighborhoods while unarmed Black men are suspects? Do our own loved ones have to be cut down before we say, Enough?

Some lives are discounted by those who feed on hate. We as survivors must take the risk of speaking up lest the flood of intolerance carry us off too. Holding on in common cause requires patience and perseverance.

CRUCIAL CONVERSATIONS One reader responded to a recent column of mine with a lecture on my “cisgender privilege.” She added, reasonably, “If you have been listening to the disenfranchised communities and incorporating them into your discussions and work, please provide me with links or other resources that demonstrate this.” Despite her apparent mistrust, I found her solicitation of evidence refreshing, and I sent her several links.

We need to build alliances that acknowledge our differences, not simply mirror ourselves.

Working together across multiple lines of diversity is hard. It is easy to dump our baggage on one another and punish people for showing up. That makes for poor introductions and empty chairs.

Yet coalition work is not a safe space. It can be contentious and uncomfortable and aggravating, but it is essential if we are to prevail.

Justice is not something to which we are entitled, but to which we are called. Without our faithful engagement, it will wither. Let us rally and challenge one another. Our nation is at stake.

Richard J. Rosendall is a writer and activist. He can be reached at rrosendall@starpower.net.

Copyright © 2013 by Richard J. Rosendall. All rights reserved.

Seattle Gay News

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Local news

The Guide at Pride: A brief history

the pink dollar circulating within the community. It was so popular that many in the community simply referred to it as the “Gay A group of Gay men gathered together Bible” – it was where you went first to find more than 32 years ago with the goal of finding a way to identify other Gay-owned businesses. They knew that they were not the only Gay professionals in town, but the challenge was how to bring everyone together and support one other. One of the first acts of the newly formed Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA) was to publish a Guide. The GSBA Guide was first created in 1981, GSBA’s founding year, and has been published every year since.

The Guide then became the Guide & Di- an attorney, accountant, printer, bar, or nonrectory, and for a short time was known as profit organization serving the Gay commuthe Seattle Gay Guide (1983-1985), but then nity. Started by Gay men, the organization went back to being referred to as simply reached out to the Lesbian community and the Guide. Its purpose was always to sup- Harley Broe, CPA and owner of City Peoport Gay-owned businesses and thus keep ples Mercantile, was one of the first women

by Louise Chernin Special to the SGN

who advertised in the Guide. Needed an insurance agent? Everyone knew that Brydon Insurance Services, owned and operated by Charlie Brydon – father of the Washington

Before there were vehicles in the Parade, GSBA members pushed grocery carts down Broadway and passed out hundreds of GSBA Guides.

THE DOMA DECISION As a child, I was abused, beaten, teased, and made fun of, all because I was different.

For most of my adult life, I never felt like I belonged. Now that I am 60, in so many ways, things have not changed ... that much.

I have read of my brothers and sisters suffering the same demise, many turning to drugs and alcohol – or worse, beaten to death, or

choosing to end their own lives. What a tremendous, sad, and maddening loss. Who knows, those whose lives were taken too, too soon could have been the next Einstein, discovered cures for diseases, or been the next Mozart, but because someone had so much hate in them, we will never know.

In school, we learn in history that “all men are created equal” in the United States,

State LGBT civil rights movement – was not only Gay-owned but the best insurance agency in town. Three decades later, the organization’s membership is broad and diverse, including Lesbians, Gay men, Bisexuals, and the Trans community, as well and we are constantly told that this is what makes our country great. I have come to learn that all men are created equal unless you are Black, Jewish, Spanish, Mexican, Gay, Bi, Lesbian, or anything other than White. All we have to do is look at what was done to Native Americans, of which I proudly stand as, to see that this is true.

I have often been bewildered by the concept of Gay marriage – this country, and the world, have so much more serious matters to worry about. In the grand scheme of things, who cares if two men or two women love each other enough to get married? If you want something to worry about, worry about the environment, worry about your loving innocent little child going to school one morning and never coming home one afternoon, worry about the terrorists who have reached our shores. A hundred years from now, no one will ever remember that two men or two women had the gall to get married – it won’t matter then, and it doesn’t matter now, but for some reason, it does – our priorities are severely misplaced.

I have also come to learn that, in the United States, we worship Almighty God, but we also worship another god, breaking that one commandment, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” And that god is money. We shoot to kill anyone who attempts to steal that almighty dollar from us, or our banks. We rob, steal, and commit un-

as our allied businesses who stand with us in support of equality.

THE BRIEFCASE BRIGADE Guides are only useful if they get distributed, and with this came another tradition: passing out the Guide during Pride. Before there were vehicles in the Parade, GSBA members pushed grocery carts down Broadway and passed out hundreds of GSBA Guides. This tradition and the vision of hundreds of outstretched arms continue to this very day. As a member, if you were not pushing a shopping cart, you were strutting your stuff in the nationally famous Briefcase Brigade. GSBA members, dressed in khaki Bermudas, white button-down shirts and ties, carried briefcases and became our professional Gay drill team – kicking legs, swinging briefcases, and showing the world the playfulness and creativity of Gay and Lesbian business owners. This year was no different.

That first 45-page black-and-white edition of the Guide has grown to 342 fullcolor pages filled with over 1,000 business listings, more than 225 display ads, and a Community Resource section listing several hundred nonprofits promoting services that offer counseling, theater, sports teams, welcoming faith-based organizations, and health care services. In 1982, former Mayor Charles Royer took the bold step of writing a welcome letter to be published in the Guide; today, the Guide includes letters from 21 elected officials including our Governor, U.S. Senators and Congressional leaders, State Senator and Representatives, Mayor, City Councilmembers, and even the Sheriff. The GSBA Guide is open to all, whether you are a business owner, corporation, individual, retired, or a student. The only requirement is that you be a GSBA member, abide by a code of ethics, and support equality for all. Equality Is Good Business. It was in 1981, and it still is in 2013.

Louise Chernin is president and CEO of GSBA. speakable crimes to get that almighty dollar.

Like that song “From a Distance,” God is watching us, and the United States has become the next Sodom and Gomorrah – and one day, all too soon, the wrath of God will fall upon us.

When I first heard a friend tell me that Gay marriage would happen in my lifetime, I laughed and thought, how optimistic is that? It is beyond belief to see that I was proven wrong, and while I will most likely never partake of this great achievement, it has been a long time coming. Not only do we deserve those equal rights guaranteed to us, as American citizens, and under the constitution of this so called great nation, we’ve paid a heavy price for them, a very heavy price.

I have often felt that since people don’t seem to understand these concepts, they do understand money, and we, as Gay people, should sue the federal government for all of the taxes that we were forced to pay for rights that we were never granted – those taxes that we paid to be bullied and beaten and killed for. Just like I feel those of us who were sexually abused in the government-run boarding schools as children, the government should have to compensate us for those atrocities. Let’s see how fast they change their tune when this happens.

Bill Hall

Editor’s note

Last week’s feature on the Gullah Festival (Pride Arts, p. 6) was written by Tina Gianoulis, who should have been credited with a byline.

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Seattle Gay News

July 5, 2013

Celebrating 40 Years!

Ed Murray: He’s ‘outstanding’ Muni League gives Seattle’s Gay mayoral candidate its highest rating A “good” candidate “has been active and effective in many roles, is capable of moving people to productive action, has a strong State Senator Ed Murray has received record of participation in problem solving, the King County Municipal League’s high- [and] shows satisfactory commitment to est rating – “outstanding” – in his race for tackling issues.” mayor of Seattle.

LIKEABLE ENOUGH Murray was the only “outstanding” canOf the minor candidates, Charles Stadidate in the field of nine people running for adecker was rated “good,” Joey Gray and the post.

Incumbent Mayor Mike McGinn and Kate Martin were “adequate,” and Doug former Seattle City Council member Peter McQuaid and Mary Martin were “not qualiSteinbrueck were rated “very good,” and fied.”

The Muni League was founded as an outsitting City Council member Bruce Harrell growth of the Progressive Movement in was rated “good.”

1910 and began evaluating candidates in 1912. It bases its evaluations on four criteWHAT THE RATINGS MEAN According to the Muni League website, ria: involvement, character, effectiveness, an “outstanding” candidate “has made nu- and knowledge.

Questionnaires for all candidates are merous outstanding contributions requiring skills related to the office, is a path-finding posted on the organization’s website, www. and respected leader, [and] brings knowl- munileague.org. In addition to information edge and creativity to issues facing the of- obtained from the questionnaires, the Muni League also interviews community leaders fice.”

A “very good” candidate “makes signifi- about their interactions with candidates. cant contributions, is a skilled builder of Ratings are made by a “candidate evaluaconsensus, inspires confidence in the way tion committee” that includes community he/she would serve, [and] is thorough and volunteers. attentive to issues.”

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

Everyone loves a squeal – especially for a good cause

nate gowdy / seattle gay news

‘Kissing cousins’ at Pike Place Market

Seattle mayoral candidate Ed Murray

support in Pike Place Market as well. The Pike Market Senior Center was awarded $218,816 in 2012 to cover one-third of the center’s programs, including meals, wellness activities, resident advocacy, and social services. Roughly 38,039 hot meals were served in 2011.

From hot to cold and everything in between, the Pike Market Food Bank is a standalone service. The Market Foundation approved $55,000 in 2012 to cover the costs of 10,000 bags of groceries. The rations fed more than 45,000 individuals in 2011. And are you aware that there is affordable living right above the Market for seniors and oth-

MORE ABOUT RACHEL Rachel the Piggy Bank is the mascot of Pike Place Market and one of their best public fundraisers. She has been “bringing home the bacon” for The Market Foundation since 1986, raising more than $200,000 and counting to support our low-income neighbors who live in and around the Market. Legend has it that if you rub Rachel’s snout and make a donation, you’ll have good luck.

Rachel is a bronze-cast piggy bank created by Georgia Gerber, a sculptor from Whidbey Island. Weighing in at 550 pounds (250 kg), she was named after a real

Pike Place Market has a long history of accepting the LGBT community. The Pike Market Child Care and Preschool was one of the first programs in Washington state to be accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. kapchur.us photography

by Sarah Toce Special to the SGN A love affair is occurring at Pike Place Market – at least, that’s what we’ve been able to glean via the gum-covered walls with ears. An affliction of the mind, the heart, the body? Close, but no cigar. It’s a swine of a tail, really – literally, two pigs with tails. Let us cut straight away to the essence of the thing: Rachel may be a Lesbian.

More than 10 million visitors pass by Rachel every year. Some sit on her. Some photograph her shapely physique. Others crawl beneath her to have an obtuse angular moment. But the one gal who holds her heart may be none other than her “kissing cousin” downstairs (don’t get naughty) named Billie. While the two have not yet gone public with their scandal-clad salaciousness, tongues have commenced wagging

and rainbow feathers have been flying. We caught Rachel in the act, posing in all of her glorious Pride on full display (see photo).

Pike Place Market has a long history of accepting the LGBT community. The Pike Market Child Care and Preschool opened its doors in 1982 and was one of the first programs in Washington state to be accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Their LGBTinclusive environment has drawn families of all backgrounds and stories to its doors.

Volunteers raised $60,000 in the program’s first year in an effort to supply an adequate playground for the kids. In 2012, $163,460 was given in scholarships to 19 low-income families with children ages 18 months to five years. In 2011, the preschool served 89 children and provided 155,680 hours of high-quality education, according to the 2012 financial report.

On the flipside, the elderly have found

Visit us online www.sgn.org

ers in need of a hand up? It’s true!

Additionally, The Market Foundation awarded approximately $284,544 to the Pike Market Medical Clinic in 2012 to assist in care for 11,150 uninsured patients many of them homeless and LGBT. In 2011, the clinic provided 26,350 visits for 4,879 uninsured patients.

So, how does Pike Place Market pay for these programs? A quick look at financials will set the record straight on all of that. Additionally, remember Rachel? Well, she’s not only a pig – she’s also a piggy bank. So the next time you want to molest Rachel (hey, there now), take a minute to tip her first.

750-pound pig that won first prize at the 1985 Island County Fair. She has been located since 1986 at the corner of Pike Place under the iconic “Public Market Center” sign and clock. Her cousin Billie the Piggy Bank arrived in the Market in 2011 and sits on Western Avenue at the bottom of the Hillclimb.

Rachel was the inspiration behind the Pigs on Parade fundraiser throughout downtown Seattle in 2001 and again in 2007 for the Market’s centennial celebration.

Sarah Toce is editor of The Seattle Lesbian (www.theseattlelesbian.com).

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July 5, 2013

Seattle Gay News

7

‘Every day just gets better and better’ Rasha and Vanna Pecoraro share what marriage has meant for them Richard Wood / seattle gay news

same outfits they were married in – Rasha, her wedding dress (now a few sizes too big, which she’s quite happy about) and Vanna, a white button-down and white dress pants with a designer white belt to match.

“It was absolutely overwhelming and amazing,” Rasha said of the parade. “Everybody was so supportive and encouraging, yelling congratulations, and it felt so powerful just being a few days out from DOMA being abolished.

“I didn’t see any negativity. I didn’t see any protesters, everybody just screamed,” Rasha added.

THE KING OF PORTLAND “My wife and I, he performs as a drag king and I sing,” said Rasha. “She and I met four years ago ‘cause I was singing at a club and she had just started doing drag.”

Now, Vanna, who performs as Emilio, is Portland’s premiere Latin drag king. The couple reside in Battle Ground, Washington, about 20 miles north of Portland, and have been regularly making appearances at both Seattle and Portland Pride parades since they got together. The two were invited to Seattle to march in this year’s parade

by Ceasar Hart, Seattle’s best-known drag king.

“My wife has performed with Ceasar over the past year quite a few times,” Rasha noted.

Rasha (l) and Vanna Pecoraro

by James Whitely SGN Staff Writer Rasha and Vanna Pecoraro’s backgrounds in performance have brought them to Prides from Portland to Seattle for the past four years, but on Sunday, June 30, at Seattle’s Pride parade, the couple was able to march side-by-side for the very first time not only as partners, but as wives.

“My wife is actually the first woman I’ve ever dated,” said Rasha, who realized her

chief

continued from cover your officer.”

Jim Pugel, who was named interim chief April 8, is camera-ready. His smile is genuine, he is well-groomed and handsome, and if I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was campaigning for public office. The man has got charisma, and when he engages you in conversation, he is present throughout its duration. Which is pretty impressive considering the mountain of work that he carries on his shoulders day in and day out.

Let’s be honest, Seattle police chief is not exactly the dream job veteran officers hope for. Like most police departments, SPD has seen its share of scandal, controversy, and allegations of excessive force fueled by racist sentiment. Only, SPD stepped in it so much that the Department of Justice intervened to put a stop to bad policing practices, resulting in a settlement agreement and the “SPD 20/20” policing plan. The feds are here to stay, there exists a large (and growing) population of anarchist anti-police groups, and it seems like every time you turn around, there are allegations of excessive uses of force, abuse of power, and more being lobbed at the embattled department.

Who in their right mind would accept the job as head of this department, let alone be an officer in the first place? Jim Pugel,

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Seattle Gay News

sexuality and came out later in life. “When I first met my wife, she was the sexiest woman I had ever seen in my life. We were friends at first, then fell in love.”

Rasha said that from that vey first moment they met four years ago, she knew she had to have Vanna’s baby.

“She is my soul mate, our every day just gets better and better. Everything has kind of fallen into place for us – we even got pregnant on the first try. I have a lot to be thankful for,” said Rasha. please step forward.

As assistant chief, Pugel – a Seattle native and University of Washington graduate – has overseen the Homicide, CSI, Robbery, Gang, Vice/High-Risk Victims Unit, Sexual Assault, Major Crimes, Domestic Violence, Auto Theft, Fraud, and Forensic Support units, and is also the department’s lead for the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) pilot program, which offers lowlevel drug offenders the opportunity to get treatment instead of jail time.

When it comes to policing, Pugel has pretty much done it all. The term, “Been there, done that” applies to this man.

30-YEAR VETERAN Pugel began his involvement with SPD as a volunteer reserve officer in 1981, and his professional career was launched when he was hired as an officer in January 1983. Pugel worked beats throughout the city before being assigned to the SWAT team in 1986.

He was promoted to sergeant in January 1990.

As a sergeant, Chief Pugel supervised in the East Precinct and the Basic Training Academy before being reassigned to SWAT. He was promoted to lieutenant in January 1994 and served as both a watch commander and an operations lieutenant in the East Precinct before commanding the Sexual Assault Unit. Pugel also served as the administrative aide to the chief before being

July 5, 2013

MARRIED IN JANUARY The two have a 21-month-old daughter, Leilani. “[Her] mommies are legally married and they get to march in a parade,” Rasha told SGN. “I have a beautiful, amazing wife and a beautiful, healthy, amazing daughter.”

The two were wed in the state of Washington on January 7 of this year, Rasha taking Vanna’s surname.

For the parade, the couple wore the very

‘LOVE WHO YOU LOVE’ As she settles down from what she sees as a quite exhilarating past week, Rasha is excited to see where the recent DOMA victory will lead the movement in regard to childrearing by Gay and Lesbian couples.

“She had to legally adopt our daughter, because I gave birth to our daughter,” Rasha told SGN. “We had to pay a lawyer to have Vanna legally adopt our daughter.”

“I like being in the public eye and being out. I feel like we’re supposed to make a difference in the world for people who come out after us,” Rasha told SGN. “[The parade] was such a good, natural high and such a beautiful thing to be a part of. Love is love … all that matters is you love who you love.”

promoted to captain of the West Precinct in March 1999. He was promoted to assistant chief in July 2000 and most recently commanded the Field Support Bureau and the Investigations Bureau.

Now, there’s always two ways to look at anything. On one hand, you’ve got a man with a proven track record of good police work, strong leadership, and a dedication to keeping Seattle’s citizens safe from crime.

Or, you could look at Pugel as a man who has spent decades learning bad practices from bad officers with bad attitudes.

After meeting with Pugel, my assessment is that he is a little bit of both. Which is a good thing – Pugel survived the WTO debacle (and its fallout), has witnessed the acceptance of Gay officers and women in the department, and seen his fair share of scandal-plagued officers go down for crimes they deserved to go down for – which means he knows what works and what does not. He is also not bigoted or homophobic, and as far as I can tell, he really gives a damn about the safety of citizens and officers alike.

I’m not naming him the best police chief the department has ever seen, or ever will see, but I am saying that if there was anyone who presumably has got what it takes, it’s Pugel.

his appointment as successor to Chief John Diaz. Others have echoed those sentiments.

Allan Clear, executive director of the Harm Reduction Coalition, said, “For those interested in re-imagining drug policy, Jim Pugel is a champion. Courage of conviction is necessary to commit to new and innovative policing models. Chief Pugel’s long commitment to harm reduction and his role in developing the LEAD program reflect an intelligence and humanitarian orientation toward drug issues that is rare in American policing. He is a visionary choice to lead SPD.” Laura Thomas, M.P.H., M.P.P., deputy state director of the San Francisco Drug Policy Alliance, said, “Jim Pugel has emerged as a national leader in the effort to move law enforcement toward drug policies based in science, compassion, health, and human rights. Chief Pugel has been an effective spokesman to national and international audiences on the effectiveness of harm-reduction approaches in drug law enforcement. It is a welcome development for such an innovator in drug policy reform to take the helm in a major police department.”

On the first day he officially took office as interim Seattle police chief, Pugel didn’t waste any time making changes. His first order of business? To reorganize the command DRUG POLICY REFORMER staff, giving him direct communication with Mayor McGinn praised Pugel for his the heads of each bureau. Deputy Chief “progressive thinking” when announcing Nick Metz and Deputy Chief Clark Kimerer

Celebrating 40 Years!

continued.

OVERCOMING PREJUDICE Across the nation, police departments, much like the military, have battled allegations of homophobia, racism, and sexism. In this regard, I found Pugel to be extremely forthcoming and honest with his assessment of how the department operates and reacts to officers accused of or engaging in such

has Gay friends, supports the community, and has in many ways been an advocate for our community when times were different and homophobia in police work was the order of the day.

Pugel, at one time, was the chair of the LGBT community advisory council to the SPD. He is knowledgeable of our terminology and is culturally competent.

“If I ever hear of any of our officers acting courtesy seattle police department

became assistant chiefs, along with Mike Sanford, Paul McDonagh, and Dick Reed.

“That reflects much more with what large major police departments from around the nation are,” Pugel said. “There’s always a chief and then the second-in-command is assistant police chief.”

Pugel is not only talking about it, he is walking the walk. In March a federal judge approved a first-year plan to overhaul the Seattle department, after the Department of Justice (DOJ) found in December 2011 that 20 percent of police use-of-force incidents were excessive and that officers had displayed evidence of biased policing.

The organizational moves are part of his plan to create direct lines of communication as he works to implement changes directed by the DOJ settlement. Pugel said early resistance by officers to the changes is now gone.

RETHINKING ‘TERRY STOPS’ “We’ve been working with the monitoring team and the Department of Justice as well as our audit and professional responsibility section under Mike Sanford in crafting new Terry stop policy and procedure, stop-andfrisk policy procedure, and biased policing,” Pugel said.

The Community Police Commission will have a strong say in what goes into the new policies on those so-called Terry stops, where police detain people briefly on reasonable suspicion of criminal activity. The goal is to make sure everyone is treated fairly.

Pugel says he’s focusing on the job at hand but also has the permanent chief’s position in his sights. “’I think I can bring a new, not necessarily a better angle, but a new angle that will lead us in a positive direction that will support good, honest, ethical police work that will continue to make the city safer and hopefully reduce the harm that we come across on a daily basis,” Pugel said.

“Yes, there was a lot of turmoil ... John was at the tip of the sword without a road map, with a lot of competing interests,” Pugel said of Diaz, who sometimes angrily disputed the DOJ’s findings and was involved in the often tense negotiations that led to last Interim police chief Jim Pugel in Seattle’s 2013 Pride Parade summer’s settlement agreement.

“That’s all done. It’s past ... we’re all behavior. moving forward,” he said. out in homophobia or even using anti-LG“There was definitely sexism in the de- BT slurs or language, I will deal with them partment up until the mid-1980s,” he ad- immediately,” he promised. “We don’t conA SEATTLE MOSSBACK Pugel is a local through and through. He mits. “Times have changed. I don’t know of done it, and we never will. told Seattle Gay News that he’s “lived in al- any female officers who would put up with “I think the answer is to just keep it simple most every single neighborhood of the city.”

One of nine children, Pugel grew up in Seattle and graduated from O’Dea High School and the University of Washington.

The father of two adult children – a daughter and a son – Pugel said his grandfather was a former editor and publisher of the Tri-City Herald newspaper. His younger brother, Michael Pugel, is a sergeant and diver with SPD’s Harbor Patrol unit.

“I love this city,” Pugel told SGN. “The beauty of it all is that Seattle is always changing. And usually, it’s a progressive change at the very least.”

“One person cannot take care of this de- that, and I can say that we’ve got a lot of because there really only is one way to appartment,” said Pugel, adding that the entire family-oriented men on our force, so I can’t proach these issues as a leader,” he contincommand staff is “extremely loyal to the imagine that male officers would allow it to ued. “Discipline bad behavior and promote go on unchecked.” mission, extremely loyal to the city.” good behavior.

Race relations are tough – there’s no “We do our best when recruiting, training, doubt about it. Pugel and I discussed the and instilling a sense of morality throughout ‘PEOPLE LOST FAITH’ So where did it all go wrong for SPD? Af- topic and, after admitting that there is no the department,” he said. “Every now and ter all, Pugel was an officer with the depart- real way to prevent people from being then you’re going to get a bad apple. It’s my prejudiced, he did say, “We can’t control job to make sure we identify those officers ment when things began to go sour.

“Somewhere along the way, people lost something like that but we can control how and deal with them accordingly.” faith in the department,” he said. “People we deal with our reaction to an officer who started to look at officers as outsiders com- engages in racism, discrimination, and other 1986: THE INFAMOUS VIDEO ing into their neighborhoods to harass them undesirable behavior.”

Pugel is human. I think that is something When asked about homophobia among to remember. For the most part, someone’s or worse.”

Pugel intends to do all he can to change the ranks, Pugel looked at me and, with actions explain a situation but rarely define that perception of a department he says is, deliberate certainty, said, “Absolutely not. you as a person. Pugel recently saw a bit of “a really good police department with some We’ve got Gay and Lesbian officers and bad publicity when his past collided with they do not report to me that there has been a the present. really great people working for it.”

“The people are the police,” he said, “The problem or that a problem currently exists.”

Pugel has recently issued an apology for When I pressed the issue Pugel gave me his role in a 1986 department-sponsored police are the people.”

“We are a legitimate organization,” Pugel several examples of how he, in particular, video that mocks the homeless. It shows a

“’I think I can bring a new, not necessarily a better angle, but a new angle that will lead us in a positive direction that will support good, honest, ethical police work that will continue to make the city safer and hopefully reduce the harm that we come across on a daily basis.”

group of Seattle police officers, including Pugel, dressed as homeless men underneath the Alaskan Way Viaduct, drinking, breaking into cars, and being rousted by police.

The video, complete with costumes, prop wine bottles and choreography, is set to the tune of The Drifters’ 1964 hit song, “Under the Boardwalk.”

It didn’t go over well with the department’s brass even at the time, he said.

“Even by 1980s standards, the Seattle Police Department considered this video to be insensitive and inappropriate,” Pugel said in a written apology.

“I regret my participation,” he said. “I am truly sorry ... I’ve been embarrassed about it ever since.”

Pugel said he and the other officers who participated in the video were “soundly reprimanded” by then-Chief Patrick Fitzsimons, who ordered copies of the video destroyed.

Only one copy remained in the SPD’s video archive. Pugel knew that. And this is why I think he is the right man for this job at this point in time: He did not lie to the mayor when he interviewed for the job.

“As a police department, we have much work to do to strengthen our relationships in the community,” Pugel said. “Sometimes that means addressing an ugly piece of our history head-on.”

The department posted the video and an apology on its website, and Pugel said he had planned to release the video and an apology anyway after conducting a “skeleton search” when McGinn approached him about the job as interim chief.

Pugel, who was a SWAT officer when the video was made, said it has been a topic in every promotion interview he’s had since.

Still, despite its age, the video provoked some outrage among homeless advocates.

Pugel has since changed, however, say those familiar with his work around the issue.

Homeless advocate Scott Morrow says Pugel has been nothing but respectful to the population he helps. “He always stops and takes an interest in the community we work with and that really does impress me. In real life he’s been compassionate, a listener, and I think sincere, when he’s run across us.”

Lisa Daugaard, co-chair of The Defender Association and the deputy director of the new Seattle Community Police Commission, defended Pugel as a reformer who, like many in that role, “have come to view with regret things they did early in their career that seemed just part of police culture at the time.

“We want someone leading the department who would find this reprehensible,” Daugaard said. “According to Chief Pugel’s statement, he does.”

LOOKING FORWARD Pugel is not a cliché; in fact, throughout our conversation he didn’t come across as being corny – except once (and he knew it, too). But the message and meaning are needed at this time.

“I know this might sound corny to some, but at the police department we don’t see race, religion, sexual orientation,” said the interim chief. “Everybody is blue.”

“This is a good department,” he added, “but it could definitely get better. We are working on it.”

On Sunday, June 30, SPD officers, including Pugel, marched in the Pride Parade.

They got cheers the whole way. In a car just behind the chief was a Gay officer and his husband. Painted on the rear window of the police cruiser: JUST MARRIED. That is not spin. That is someone’s life. That is a married cop. Not a married Gay cop. Pugel knows the difference. And we should all take note of that.

It is not the opinion of the writer that Pugel will do all good, all the time. But I will say that he damn sure will try. I left our meeting that day thinking, hoping, that Pugel really is the right man for the job at the right time. Only time will tell.

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Seattle Gay News

9

file photo

national news Catholic Church scandal deepens Documents show officials conspired to shield assets from abuse victims

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Documents published by The New York Times on July 1 show that Roman Catholic Cardinal Timothy Dolan, now archbishop of New York, conspired with Vatican officials to hide church assets from victims of sexual abuse while he was archbishop of Milwaukee.

The files released by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee show that Dolan requested permission from the Vatican to move nearly $57 million into a cemetery trust fund, to hide the money from victims of clergy sexual abuse who were demanding compensation.

Dolan, who was archbishop of Milwaukee from 2002 to 2009, when he was transferred to the more prestigious post in New York, has denied trying to shield church funds.

He said in a statement released July 1 that the allegations were “old and discredited attacks.”

However, the documents include a 2007 letter from Dolan to the Vatican in which he explains that by transferring the assets, “I foresee an improved protection of these funds from any legal claim and liability.”

The Vatican approved the request in five weeks, the documents show.

THE CARDINAL’S TWO FACES In public appearances, Dolan has expressed outrage and regret over the harm done to children by Catholic priests, and has pledged to help the victims heal.

However, the more than 6,000 pages of documents reveal that the archbishop was primarily concerned with safeguarding the church’s assets and getting accused priests to leave his archdiocese voluntarily, by promising to continue their salaries and benefits.

In one letter, he warns Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, then in charge of investigating the abuse cases and later Pope Benedict XVI, that the Vatican’s sluggish handling of the abuse charges would create a public relations disaster for the church.

“As victims organize and become more public, the potential for true scandal is very real,” Dolan wrote in 2003.

EIGHT DECADES OF ABUSE The published documents include the personnel files of 42 accused priests, with “substantiated” allegations of abuse going back 80 years. Also included are legal depositions from Cardinal Dolan as well as another former Milwaukee archbishop, Rembert Weakland, and a retired auxiliary bishop, Richard J. Sklba.

The current archbishop of Milwaukee, Je-

Cardinal Timothy Dolan

rome E. Listecki, said in April that he would release the documents, one day before a court hearing at which lawyers for abuse victims were to ask the court to order their release.

Before publishing the files, Listecki sent out a letter warning Catholics in his archdiocese that the documents could shake their faith, and trying to explain the actions of church leaders while offering apologies to victims.

“Prepare to be shocked,” he wrote. “There are some graphic descriptions about the behavior of some of these priest offenders.”

One priest, Fr. Lawrence Murphy, is be-

Here’s what LGBT binational couples need to know

by Andre Olivie Special to the SGN Last week’s Supreme Court ruling in U.S. v. Windsor has paved the way for a major change in U.S. immigration policy. For the first time in the nation’s history, following the ruling, the Obama administration is allowing U.S. citizens to sponsor their samesex spouses for lawful permanent residence. Prior to the ruling, many same-sex binational couples were forced to either live thousands of miles apart in their respective countries, bounce back and forth on temporary work and student visas, or live in the U.S. without lawful status, in the shadows.

The fall of DOMA has opened the door for many of these couples to be reunited and seek a permanent home in the U.S. with their spouses. Nevertheless, same-sex binational couples will soon find out that an open door does not lead directly to a green card. The U.S. immigration laws are extremely complex, and navigating these laws can be daunting even after DOMA. Couples will need to choose between adjustment of status, fiancée visas, and marriage visas.

Depending on current immigration status, marriage status, location, and other factors, some couples may have multiple options and others may have no options at all and will still need to wait for Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform.

HOW IT WORKS For foreigners currently in the U.S.,

10 Seattle Gay News

same-sex marriage to a U.S. citizen may be the quickest way to a green card through a process called adjustment of status. PostDOMA, the U.S. government will now treat Gay couples the same as it has straight couples in the adjustment process. It begins with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative). The petition is necessary to establish the relationship between the U.S. citizen and the relative – in this case, the foreign national spouse. In addition to form I-130, the U.S. citizen and foreign national spouse must each complete form G-325A, which provides general biographical information. The foreign spouse will also need to file form I-485 (Application for Adjustment of Status to That of a Lawful Permanent Resident), I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization), and I-693 (Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record), which can be obtained from a USCIS-approved civil surgeon. The fact that one is HIV+ is no longer a barrier to obtaining a green card.

Immigration law requires that the U.S. citizen-petitioner prove that the marriage was valid at the time it was performed. Prior to last week’s SCOTUS decision, USCIS, a federal agency, was unable to recognize a same-sex marriage as “valid” because of DOMA. Without a valid marriage, no petition could be approved. Now, a Washington state marriage certificate should be sufficient. A foreign certificate in a nation that allows same-sex marriage, such as Canada or

July 5, 2013

pected that the couple live together. USCIS will expect to see comingling of funds through joint bank accounts, joint tax filings (post-DOMA), joint utility bills, and joint leases or mortgages.

In addition to a valid and bona fide marriage, the U.S. citizen spouse will need to be able to financially support their foreign spouse so that they will not become a public charge. Evidence of one’s income is provided through Form I-864 (Affidavit of Support). The required income levels are based on the current federal poverty guidelines and in general, spouses must meet 125% of the poverty guidelines for their household size. For example a household of two people will require that the U.S. citizen spouse make approximately $20,000 per year. If necessary, a joint sponsor can be included, or the income of a household member or even the foreign spouse, as long as they are working lawfully in the U.S. Upon receipt of these documents, USCIS will issue a receipt notice, followed by an ACS appointment notice, in order to collect biometrics for the foreign national. The biometrics, which consist of a photograph and fingerprints, will be used to conduct a background check on the foreign national before any work authorization or adjustment of status can be granted. nate gowdy / seattle gay news

The DOMA decision and immigration

lieved to have molested as many as 200 boys during more than 20 years leading St. John’s School for the Deaf in St. Francis, Wisconsin. Another, Fr. Siegfried Widera, faced 42 counts of child abuse in Wisconsin and California.

In his letter, Listecki acknowledged that 22 priests were “reassigned to parish work after concerns about their behavior were known to the archdiocese,” and that eight of those “reoffended after being reassigned.”

“It’s still less than a complete disclosure, but it’s a giant step in the right direction,” said Jeff Anderson, a lawyer for many of the alleged victims.

Spain, will also be considered valid.

EVIDENCE, INCOME NEEDED The law also requires that the marital relationship be bona fide (that is, actual and legitimate), and that it was not entered into solely for procuring an immigration benefit.

U.S. immigration laws contain safeguards to prevent marriage fraud. The mere existence of a marriage certificate is not enough to establish a bona fide marital relationship.

A strong filing will also include items like signed affidavits from friends and relatives attesting to the authenticity of the relationship, love letters, holiday cards, and photos. In cases where the foreign national is already in the United States, it may be ex-

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Federal judge OKs Michigan marriage suit Lesbian couple says state ban is unconstitutional

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

Tanya Moutzalias / MLive.com

A federal district judge in Michigan ruled on July 1 that a Lesbian couple may challenge their state’s ban on same-sex marriage.

Judge Bernard Friedman turned down a motion by attorneys for the state to dismiss the suit, saying that “plaintiffs are entitled to their day in court and they shall have it.”

The couple, Jayne Rowse and April DeBoer, charge that the state’s adoption laws and its marriage law violate their equal protection rights under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Rowse and DeBoer live together as a couple in a home they own jointly, but are barred from marrying under an amendment added to the Michigan state constitution in 2004. Both have children, but they are forbidden to adopt each other’s children because only single people or married couples may adopt.

The couple originally sued to overturn the state adoption law, but later amended their suit to include the marriage amendment as well.

U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down Section 3 of DOMA. “Plaintiffs’ equal protection claim has sufficient merit to proceed,” he wrote. “The United States Supreme Court’s recent decision in United States v. Windsor, No. 12307 (U.S. Jun. 26, 2013), has provided the requisite precedential fodder for both parties to this litigation. Plaintiffs are prepared to claim Windsor as their own ... And why shouldn’t they? The Supreme Court has just invalidated a federal statute on equal protection grounds because it ‘place[d] same-sex couples in an unstable position of being in a second-tier marriage.’ (Id., slip op. at 23.)

“Moreover, and of particular importance to this case, the justices expressed concern that the natural consequence of such discriminatory legislation would not only lead to the relegation of same-sex relationships to a form of second-tier status, but impair the rights of ‘tens of thousands of children now being raised by same-sex couples…’”

Friedman added that the state’s attorneys will likely point to the parts of the DOMA decision that uphold states’ rights on the issue of same-sex marriage.

Jayne Rowse, April DeBoer, along with Jacob, Nolan, and Ryanne

in his majority opinion in the DOMA case, plaintiffs in the Michigan case rely on the 14th Amendment, which says in part that “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

A federal court decision based on the 14th POTENTIAL SIGNIFICANCE Amendment would therefore have more While U.S. Supreme Court Justice An- sweeping application than the Supreme DOMA DECISION CITED In his ruling, Judge Friedman cited the thony Kennedy cited the Fifth Amendment Court’s decision in the Windsor case, be-

National League of Cities endorses marriage equality

by Richard Conlin Special to the SGN

ties. Reflecting that, NLC has historically been liberal to centrist in its orientation and has focused on issues that are basic for all cities, such as transportation funding and preserving the tax exemption for municipal bonds.

NLC has become more assertively progressive in the last decade, however. After years of careful discussion and consensus building, NLC endorsed comprehensive immigration reform and made it one of our three top legislative priorities for 2013. In 2012 we elected our first Latina President, Mayor Marie Lopez Rogers of Avondale, Arizona, whose grandfather was an immigrant farmworker. Board elections in the last two years have brought in a group of new progressive representatives – I was part of the first wave in 2011.

The Supreme Court was the big story last Wednesday, striking down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and essentially nullifying California’s Prop 8. However, on that same morning, the Board of the National League of Cities (NLC) took a major stride toward equality by approving “A Resolution Affirming the Freedom to Marry and Federal Non-Discrimination for Gay and Lesbian Couples,” after an intense but thoughtful and reflective hour-long debate.

I moved approval of the resolution, which was presented to the Board by our First Vice President, Mayor Chris Coleman of St. Paul, Minnesota, and the Chair of our Finance, Administration, and Intergovernmental Relations (FAIR) Committee, at the TWO DECADES OF PROGRESS request of the NLC LGBT Caucus.

We do have a history of taking modest NLC is the voice for America’s 19,000 cities and towns. Many of the larger cities stands in favor of LGBT issues. As long are not very active in NLC, and the organi- ago as 1992, NLC adopted a resolution enzation represents many smaller communi- couraging the military to end discrimination

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against Gays, Lesbians, and Bisexuals, and in 1998 NLC took a position in support of hate-crimes legislation. In 2004 NLC adopted a resolution affirming local authority over marriage.

Hoping that NLC was ready to take the next step toward equality, at the 2012 National Convention (the usual venue for adopting new policy), the FAIR Committee asked the organization to support marriage equality. However, faced with opposition from some cities, whose representatives threatened to walk out of the organization if it were adopted, the officers pulled the resolution from the agenda, promising to bring it back in 2013 after more time for consultation.

Many of us we disappointed with that decision, and the FAIR Committee decided to appeal to the Board to act at our June meeting, an unusual but not unprecedented step.

A QUESTION OF TIMING No one on the Board expressed outright opposition to marriage equality, although a couple of members indicated that they would abstain because of their religious beliefs. However, there was an intense debate about whether the Board should take action at all. Opponents questioned whether Board action was appropriate on an issue of such controversy, or whether we should follow the normal process of going to the 2013 Convention. They suggested that action would cost us members and asked whether the issue was really of central importance from a City perspective. And they wondered whether we should take more time to review the Supreme Court decision to see if the resolution was really necessary.

Supporters listened carefully and responded respectfully – it was a model for how to conduct a deliberative debate. Some supporters were convinced that delay was appropriate, and the key vote came on a motion to table, which failed on a 13-to-13 tie vote. One member who had religious concerns chose not to vote on the motion to hold – as he explained to me later, he did not believe that his religious beliefs should prevent the other members of the Board from taking action.

July 5, 2013

cause it would imply that no state has the right to abridge the rights of same-sex couples to marry.

Friedman announced that he will set a trial date for the suit at a further hearing, to be held July 10.

A May 2013 Glengariff Group poll of registered Michigan voters showed that 57% now favor marriage equality, with only 38% opposed. The anti-equality amendment passed in 2004 with 59% of the vote. Atlantic Wire has rated Michigan the second most likely state to pass marriage equality, after New Jersey.

VICTORY FOR EQUALITY After the motion to hold failed, the resolution was approved with 18 yes votes and nine abstentions. The key operative clause states: “NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National League of Cities supports the full inclusion of all families in the life of our nation, with equal respect, responsibility, and protection under the law, including the freedom to marry. We support the overturning of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, and oppose discriminatory constitutional amendments and other attempts to deny the freedom to marry.”

This is not the last word in this story. The Board decision can be appealed by opponents at the 2013 Convention, which will be held in Seattle this November. However, we intend to work hard to make sure that the Convention affirms the policy, and we believe that we will have the votes to do so.

It was an honor to play a modest role in this important step on the road towards marriage equality, and I am proud not only of the willingness of the Board to step up to the plate on this issue, but of the great model we offered of how a group of individuals with different perspectives can honestly and thoughtfully deliberate on a divisive issue, and ultimately come to a deliberative conclusion while respecting differing points of view.

SMALL-TOWN SUPPORT It is an indication of how rapidly the idea of equality is spreading through our land that the supporters were not just from the big cities like Seattle and St. Paul, where there are active LGBT communities and a history of endorsing LGBT rights. Key affirmative votes were cast by city officials from places like Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Mountain View, California; Laramie, Wyoming; and Glendale, Arizona.

Pride Day will be a great opportunity to celebrate many great achievements of the past year – and the NLC vote is one more step on this road.

Richard Conlin chairs the Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee of the Seattle City Council. He can be reached at Richard.Conlin@seattle.gov.

Seattle Gay News 19

A win for Michigan couples State can’t ban same-sex partnership benefits, federal court says

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer A federal district judge ruled on June 28 that the state law barring Michigan school districts and municipal governments from providing health insurance to domestic partners of their employees is unconstitutional.

The law was passed by Michigan’s Republican-controlled legislature and signed

by Republican Governor Rick Scott in 2011.

Judge David S. Lawson ruled that there is a “plausible claim” the law violates the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution, and he enjoined the state from enforcing it. Municipal governments may now reinstate benefits for partners of their employees.

“It is hard to argue with a straight face that the primary purpose – indeed, perhaps the sole purpose – of the statute is other than to

of Michigan other than to needlessly discriminate against hard-working families,” said ACLU of Michigan Executive Director Kary Moss. “It’s hard to encourage talented people and their families to work for public employers in Michigan when they’re denied the ability to take care of each other.”

“We’re breathing a sigh of relief right now,” said Peter Ways, an Ann Arbor teacher whose partner would have lost his benefits. “This law was clearly meant to target families like ours and to make us feel as though we didn’t count.”

deny health benefits to the same-sex partners of public employees,” Lawson said in his decision. “But that can never be a legitimate governmental purpose.”

The state’s claims that the law was passed for financial reasons and follows the will of the people “come close to striking [the court] with the force of a five-week-old, unrefrigerated dead fish,” the judge added. continued from cover

hiv

STRAIGHTS ALSO AFFECTED The ACLU of Michigan challenged the law, which affected all unmarried employees, on behalf of five LGBT public workers last year.

According to the ACLU, the law allowed insurance coverage for a variety of family members including cousins, uncles, and nephews, but specifically targeted same-sex domestic partners. Michigan does not permit same-sex marriage.

“This law served no purpose to the state

“Dr. Henrich is charting new territory in HIV eradication research,” Kevin Robert Frost, chief executive officer of the Foundation for AIDS Research, which funded the study, said in a statement.

fide, the officer may grant the adjustment of status and a green card will be mailed within a few weeks. It may be necessary for USCIS officers to receive some training on samesex couples, but it is unclear if and when that will happen. In Seattle, the entire process currently takes four to six months.

If the couple has been married for less than two years, the Lawful Permanent Resident Card will be a two-year conditional card. The foreign national must again prove that the marriage was bona fide after two years by filing form I-751 with proof that the marriage was bona fide within 90 days of the card’s expiration. If the couple has been married for more than two years prior to the adjustment of status, the foreign national will be issued a Lawful Permanent Resident Card without conditions. The card itself will need to be renewed every 10 years, but the foreign national will be eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship in three years if they remain married and in five years if they do not.

EVERY CASE IS UNIQUE Immigration law is complicated. The above description of the adjustment of status process assumes factors that may not apply to every couple. Previous violations of immigration law may prevent a spouse from being eligible to adjust – this includes entering illegally, marriage fraud, and even entering on a tourist visa with clear intent to immigrate. It is important to speak with an immigration attorney prior to seeking any immigration benefit, to help avoid forfeiture of government fees or even deportation proceedings.

For the majority of same-sex binational couples, this change in policy is a huge triumph. Only a few decades ago, Gays were barred from immigrating to the U.S., as homosexuality was seen as a harmful medical condition. HIV was also an inadmissibility factor until 2009. The ability to sponsor one’s loved one for a green card is priceless, as it may be the only way for two people to be together. A few have already seen the benefits since last week, but thousands more will see it in the next several months.

The above information is general in nacontinued from page 10 ture and does not constitute specific legal advice. Speak with an attorney about the details of your case before filing anything with THE INTERVIEW the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration SerThe final step of the marriage-based ad- vices, as not all marriage adjustment cases justment of status application is the adjust- are the same. ment of status interview. At this interview a USCIS Officer will interview the couple, go Andre Olivie is the attorney/owner of the over any questions or concerns regarding the Law Office of Andre Olivie, PLLC, an imapplication packet, and determine whether migration law firm in Capitol Hill, Seattle, or not the couple’s marriage is bona fide. If which primarily handles LGBT immigration the officer believes that the foreign national and asylum law. is admissible and that the marriage is bona HIGH-RISK OPERATION Dr. Michael Brady, the medical director of the Terrence Higgins Trust, a British nonprofit that funds HIV/AIDS research, said the reported results suggest avenues for further research rather than a feasible method to cure HIV. “It is too early to know whether HIV has been eradicated from these men’s bodies or whether it might return,” Brady said. “However, the case suggests that what happened to Timothy Brown, the Berlin Patient, was perhaps not a one-off.

“A bone marrow transplant is a complex and expensive procedure, which comes with significant risks. For most people with HIV, it would be more dangerous to undergo a transplant than to continue managing the virus with daily medication.

“So while this is by no means a workable cure, it does give researchers another signpost in the direction of one.”

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EMERALD CITY SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION – EMERALD CITY CLASSIC TOURNAMENT JULY 5-7 Emerald City Softball Association hosts their annual Emerald City Classic Tournament July 5-7, welcoming Gay softball teams from 12 cities and two countries to Seattle for a 60-team tournament. Visitors include teams from Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, Houston, Portland, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Vancouver.

The tournament kicks off with an Opening Party on Friday, July 5, from 7-10 p.m., at Q Capitol Hill (1426 Broadway).

On Saturday, July 6, from 8 a.m.-8:30 p.m., and Sunday, July 7, from 8 a.m.-3 p.m., at Marymoor Park (6046 West Lake Sammammish Parkway NE, Redmond); North SeaTac Park (S. 128th St. & 20th Ave. S., SeaTac); and Underwood Memorial Park (21800 20th Ave. S., Des Moines), 60 teams will compete in four divisions for the playoff games, with championship games held on Sunday.

On Sunday, July 7, ECSA will host the Emerald City Classic Closing Party, doors at 4 p.m., party at 6 p.m., at World Sports Grille (731 Westlake Ave. N.). Trophies will be presented to the championships teams and their victories and the camaraderie of the weekend will be celebrated. For more info, visit www.seattlegaysoftball.com/ecc

S.), Seattle’s LGBT-friendly African-American bookstore and community center, will host its second annual Gullah Festival. This year, along with displays, food booths, music, storytelling, and dance performances, the festival will feature internationally recognized Gullah artist and Gay activist Jonathan Green. From 1-3 p.m. and from 7-9 p.m., Green will speak about the history and cultural traditions of the Gullah people and their influence on his work. Admission to the reception is $20 advance or $25 at the door or $35 advance or $40 at the door for both receptions. www.brownpapertickets. com/event/400331. All outdoor festivities are FREE.

GSBA PRIME TIME MIXER & CANDIDATE RECEPTION On Wednesday, July 10, from 5-7:30 p.m., at Grand Hyatt Seattle (721 Pine St.), join the Greater Seattle Business Association (Seattle’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce), for their annual Prime Time Mixer and Candidate Reception. This is an opportunity for GSBA members, guests and community members to meet dozens of candidates who are running for various city, county, state and judicial positions this year. This non-partisan, pre-primary event is a chance for you to meet face-to-face with candidates who are hoping to represent you and to see where they stand on issues of importance to the LGBT and small business communities.

The GSBA will host a mix and mingle SEATTLE TENNIS ALLIANCE – with all the candidates and elected officials SEATTLE CLASSIC from 5-6:30 p.m. From 6:30-7:30 p.m., the JULY 5-7 GSBA will host a special Q&A session with www.seattletennisalliance.org the candidates for Mayor of Seattle.

Individual advance registration: $10 GULLAH FESTIVAL members, $15 nonmembers, $10 students; On Saturday, July 6, from noon-9 p.m., walk-ins $5 more at the door. 206-363Life Enrichment Books (5023 Rainier Ave. 9188; www.thegsba.org.

FRIDAY, JULY 12 Bellingham Pride Dance & Party – Annual event kicks off with a B-Proud Dance at Depot Market Square, 9 p.m.-midnight, $3 admission benefiting local charities. All ages welcome. Also, Rumors Cabaret (1119 Railroad Ave.) features a Betty Pages 8th Anniversary Party, no cover before 10 p.m., free food (21+). Info at www.bhampride.org.

SATURDAY, JULY 13 Out in the Park – Tacoma’s annual LGBTQA Pride Celebration, noon-5 p.m., Broadway between 9th and 11th streets.

Entertainment, food, fun, and community at this family-friendly event. Watch for more info at www.rainbowcntr.org or http://tacomapride.org/out-in-the-park.

Bellingham Pride Picnic, Drag Show, and Party – Pride Family Picnic starts at noon in Maritime Heritage Park, free (donations accepted). The annual ISCEE Pride Drag Show at Rumors Cabaret (1119 Railroad Ave.) starts at 7 p.m., followed by Pride Celebration party, $5 cover (21+).

Cornwall Avenue, ends at Depot Market Square. Pride Festival runs until 4 p.m. at Bellingham Farmers Market (suggested donation $2).

SUNDAY, JULY 21 Kitsap Pride – “Pride 365” is this year’s theme for annual celebration at Evergreen Park in downtown Bremerton, noon to 5 p.m. Info at http://kitsappride.org.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4 Vancouver (B.C.) Pride Parade and Festival – Parade beings at Robson and Thurlow streets downtown at noon, proceeds to festival site at Sunset Beach. Sponsored by Vancouver Pride Society. Info at www.vancouverpride.ca.

ONGOING Bearing Witness From Another Place: James Baldwin in Turkey – The Northwest African American Museum (NAAM) honors the late Gay author with a photograph exhibit by Sedat Pakay that opens a private window into the life of Baldwin, SUNDAY, JULY 14 whose influence still resonates 25 years afBellingham Pride Parade and Festival ter his death. Exhibit runs through Sept. 29.

– City’s annual Pride Parade starts at noon NAAM is at 2300 S. Massachusetts St., info at Bellingham High School, proceeds along at www.naamnw.org or (206) 518-6000.

compiled by Rick McKinnon SGN Staff Writer

POZ SEATTLE MONTHLY SOCIAL On Wednesday, July 10, from 6-8 p.m., at The Cuff Complex (13th Ave. & E. Pine St.), POZ Seattle hosts their “POZSeattle for Independence” social. Meet on the back patio for some Summer Grillin’ fun, socializing, to catch-up with old friends and make new ones. Trivia, prizes and our resident Go-Go performer, Logan Howelette, who is aided by eclectic mixes from the energetic DJ PBear are sure to add a whole lot of fun. Please bring your appetite for Burgers, Chicken Breasts, Beef Hot Dogs, Boca Burgers, Chips, Salads & Dessert w/ all the fixins!! Please wear your best red, white and blue to show your patriotism.

This event is offered at no cost – no one turned away for lack of funds – but to help defray costs, a $2 donation is requested – you can alway give more! Beverages are at cost from The Cuff bar. This event is all HIV-Positive men and their friends, regardless of age, shape, size or color.

POZSeattle is a social organization run for and by Seattle-area HIV-positive guys that is committed to planning and promoting fun, social activities.

For questions and more information about this event, to plan your own social event, or to be added to the POZSeattle event promotions email list, visit www.pozseattle.org.

SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK From Thursday, July 11 through Sunday, August 11, Seattle Shakespeare Company’s Wooden O presents Shakespeare’s Henry V and The Tempest around Seattle and King County. All performances are FREE and open to the public; donations encouraged. For a complete schedule, visit www.seattleshakespeare.org.

From Friday, July 12 through Saturday, August 17, GreenStage presents Shakespeare’s King Lear and A Midsummer Night’s Dream around Seattle and King County. All performances are FREE and open to the public; donations encouraged.

For a complete schedule, visit www.greenstage.org.

SEATTLE GAY & LESBIAN BOOK CLUB – TOAST The Seattle Gay & Lesbian Book Club meets every Wednesday from 6-7:15 p.m., at Seattle Area Support Groups Community Center (303 17th Ave. E. at E. Thomas St.) In July, the club will be reading Toast by Nigel Slater, the memoir of a young Gay boy growing up with a mortally-ill mother who can barely cook toast, a father who rejects him, and a rival stepmother who is a killer cook, until he leaves home to become one of Britain’s most famous chefs. (It’s been made into a charming little film (by the director of Billy Elliot) in which Helena Bonham-Carter gives one of her finest performances.

All GLBTQ folks are welcome to participate in this FREE book club. For more information, visit http://faculty.washington. edu/swittet/SGLBookClub/.

SEATTLE PEACE CONCERTS On Sunday, July 14, at Magnuson Park Beach Area (7400 Sand Point Way NE) from noon-6 p.m., enjoy the music of Steve Kelly’s Little Big Band, Jill Cohn, Town Hall Brawl, and Ravin’wolf at this FREE city-wide outdoor concert.

Seattle Peace Concerts will be held from June through September at Woodland Park, Gas Works Park, Magnuson Park Beach Area and Volunteer Park. All ages welcome.

Please bring food bank donations. For a complete schedule, visit www.seapeace. org.

GAY CITY ARTS – “IDOL TIME” JULY 11-AUGUST 5 On Thursday, July 11, from 6-9 p.m., Gay City Arts (517 E. Pike St.) hosts an artist’s reception for Flynn Bickley in conjunction with his new exhibit “Idol Time.”

Flynn Bickley started making dolls in childhood, as a girl who looked and acted like a boy. Today, as a grown-up Transman, “Idol Time” is a collection of handcrafted dolls Bickley made over the last four years that embody stories about gender identity, fantasy, human folly and hunting. Also on display will be paintings from his series “Plots,” a series of architectural mixed media paintings on tar paper inspired by homeownership and dreams.

Flynn Bickley earned a BFA in sculture from Central Washington University in 2001 and currently resides in South Park.

He is a 2012 Artist Trust EDGE program graduate and has recently exhibited around Seattle, including CoCA Ballard, as well as Simon Mace Gallery in Port Townsend.

Bickley is a co-founder of the Art Lending Library, a Seattle program that checks out original artwork to the public for free.

“Idol Time” is presented in conjunction with Gay City Arts, through which Gay City collaborates with local LGBT artists to galvanize an audience for Queer arts, foster the development of LGBT artists, and facilitate artistic excellence across a wide range of disciplines, including theater, music, dance, film, spoken word, literary and visual arts. www.gaycity.org; www.flynnbickleyart.com

SISTAH SINEMA – “STUD LIFE” On Saturday, July 13, doors at 7 p.m., screening at 8 p.m., at New Freeway Hall (5018 Rainier Ave. S.), Sistah Sinema presents “Stud Life.” JJ is a “Stud” Lesbian.

Together with her best friend, Seb, a Gay pretty boy, they work as wedding photographers. When JJ falls in love with a beautiful diva, JJ and Seb’s friendship is tested and JJ is forced to choose between her hot new lover and her best friend. A post-film discussion follows. Tickets: $10. www.sistahsinema.com

ACCIDENTAL BEAR QUEER MUSIC SUMMER TOUR – A BENEFIT FOR PRIDE FOUNDATION On Sunday, July 14, at 7 p.m., at Chop Suey (1325 E. Madison St.) , the Accidental Bear Queer Music Summer Tour in support of LGBTQ mental health services comes to Seattle, with featured artists Logan Lynn, Big Dipper, Conquistador, Darling Gunsel, and Rica Shay. The mission of this tour is to bring awareness and visibility to LGBTQ music while working to diminish the stigma around mental health and raise money for suicide prevention efforts in each of the communities where the tour is taking place.

All proceeds from the Seattle show will be donated to the Pride Foundation. Tickets are $15 advance at http://bit.ly/18r0hgP; with $45 and $75 VIP packages available. www. accidentalbear.com Q-SQUARED/ BOYZ IN THE WOODS – C.A.M.P. 2013 AUGUST 30-SEPTEMBER 2 Today, we live in a very connected world.

Our society has seen the deep entrenchment of technology in our lives. This year our theme is UNPLUG & CONNECT. Unplug from the daily grind. Connect with friends old and new. Join us this Labor Day Weekend and Come And Meet People – a place where you can relax, stay active, play games, relax, laugh, eat, sleep, hike, dance (or not), learn and, above all, relax!

Registration fee of $195 includes lodging, meals, workshops, activities, and personal growth. For more information and to register, visit www.qsquared.org or email camp@qsquared.org.

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Seattle Gay News 21

international news

file photo

Don’t send us a ‘faggot’ ambassador, cardinal tells Obama

“You can expect anything from the United States,” Lopez said contemptuously. He then accused Obama of trying to “push an In a press conference on June 29, Roman agenda” by nominating Brewster.

Catholic Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez said that James “Wally” Brews‘HE IS GOING TO SUFFER’ ter, who is openly Gay, would not be welLater, the cardinal referred to Brewster come as U.S. ambassador to the Dominican as a maricon, a word usually translated into Republic.

English as “faggot.”

Brewster is one of six openly Gay men Lopez’s assistant, Monsignor Pablo Cethat President Obama has nominated for dano, then added, “I hope he does not arrive ambassadorial posts. Conservative religious in the country because I know if he comes leaders and other opponents of LGBT rights he is going to suffer and will have to leave.” have called on Dominican President Danilo Cedano said it showed “a lack of respect” Medina to refuse to accept him if he is con- that Obama “sent … a person of this kind as firmed. an ambassador…”

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer

Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Lopez Rodriguez

However, a Dominican government official said it would be “indelicate” to reject Brewster if he is confirmed by the U.S. Senate. In fact, Cesar Pina, a legal adviser to the Medina administration, said the Dominican Republic signed off on the nomination be-

fore it was publicly announced.

A spokesman for the U.S. embassy, Daniel Foote, said on June 28 that “Brewster arrives as an ambassador – he’s not coming here as an activist for the Gay community.”

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22 Seattle Gay News

July 5, 2013

Celebrating 40 Years!

Turkish delight

of brutality and violence against individuals seeking to peacefully assemble in the parks throughout Turkey. We call upon government to immediately investigate all allegations of arbitrary arrest and police brutality and bring the perpetrators to justice. We also call upon the Ministry of Justice to dismiss all charges against peaceful protesters.”

Pride takes over Istanbul’s Taksim Square

ANTI-GAY RHETORIC Human rights LGBT activists say that even when the police response to Pride events is restrained, Turkey remains a dangerous country for LGBT people.

“It’s not just about equality. We have to fight for our right to live,” said Hassan Metehan Ozkan, a founder of the solidarity group LISTAG, which supports families of LGTB individuals in Istanbul.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated that being Gay is “a sexual

preference” that is “contrary” to Islam, and Minister for Women and Family Affairs Selma Aliye Kavaf described it as “a biological disorder, a disease,” in a 2010 interview with the Hürriyet daily news.

Hate crimes against LGBT individuals are higher in Turkey than in any other member of the Council of Europe, rights groups say.

Gay men and Transgender women are at particular risk. At least 30 Trans individuals in Turkey were murdered between January 2008 and December 2012, according to Transgender Europe.

“The only reason LGBT individuals are shown in the press is if they are killed,” said İlker Çakmak, spokesperson and head of communications for Istanbul LGBTT Solidarity Association, pointing to the lurid and sensational media reports of Transgender murders.

Vive la France!

Oren Ziv / Activestills.org

People gather in Taksim Square, at the beginning of the annual pride parade.

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer More than 20,000 people took over Taksim Square in Istanbul – ground zero for mass demonstrations against the Turkish government – for Istanbul Pride 2013 on June 30.

In contrast with previous demonstrations, police were almost entirely absent, and the Taksim rally and subsequent march down Istiklal Avenue were completely peaceful.

Public reaction was overwhelmingly supportive, with spectators applauding as the march went through central Istanbul.

Organizers said the 2013 numbers were double those for the previous year.

On June 23, organizers held Turkey’s fourth annual Trans Pride, also with out incident. Ten thousand people rallied in Taksim Square for that event.

“Many Occupy Gezi protestors supported the demonstration,” Lesbian activist Yasemin Oz wrote on her blog. “It was the largest Trans Pride ever in Istanbul.”

NO POLICE VIOLENCE The mass rebellion against Turkey’s Islamist government was sparked by a gov-

ernment decision to clear Gezi Park, a popular gathering place for Istanbul’s LGBT community, to construct a shopping mall.

While both Pride events went off without violence, the IGLHRC (International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission) expressed concern about possible police violence in the week leading up to Pride.

“The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) is deeply concerned with the excessive use of force by Turkish police against peaceful demonstrators in Istanbul, Ankara and elsewhere over the past month,” the group said in a statement.

“We call upon the Government of Turkey to guarantee the safety of the LGBT community and supporters during the upcoming 11th annual Istanbul Pride March on June 30th. The violence in Taksim Square is particularly destructive because it strikes at what has traditionally been a safe space for diverse communities, including those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender.

“IGLHRC calls upon the Government of Turkey to respect the fundamental rights of assembly, association, and expression. We call upon the government to cease all acts

Marseille to welcome hundreds of thousands for EuroPride

by Albert Rodriguez SGN Travel Writer Bonjour, Marseille! The French city of approximately 1.6 million people, which lines the Mediterranean Sea in the Provence region, will host EuroPride 2013 on July 10-20. The 11-day event features a cultural bouillabaisse of activities and seminars that is expected to draw close to a million participants, especially with the recent legalization of Gay marriage throughout the country just weeks ago.

EuroPride kicks off July 10 with an Opening Ceremony at MuCem (Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations) and climaxes with a huge parade on July 20 that runs from Vieux Port to Prado Beach.

In between, a program that includes parties, public marches, and concerts will take place at several venues in Marseille, such as La Friche de la Belle de Mai and Dock des Suds (where I saw Phoenix perform to a sold-out audience in 2010). New this year is the first-ever EuroLesboPride, a five-day event folded into the larger itinerary that is exclusively for women. A Pride Boat cruise, Techno Parade with after-party dance, and a gathering of same-sex couples for a symbolic “Marseilles Kisses” demonstration are also on the lineup.

The parade itself begins at 2 p.m., after keynote speeches by organizers, and will pass through various points before ending at Prado Beach (Gaston Deferre) for a closing concert that includes performances by Kazaky, Arno Cost, and Sophie Tapie. No

international entertainers have thus far been announced, a change of pace from when Lady Gaga played live at EuroPride when it was staged in Rome.

Gay marriage narrowly became legal throughout France in April, but officially went into effect a month later. This will play a significant role at EuroPride, as the number of European countries legalizing same-sex marriage has increased to double digits. Homosexuality was decriminalized in France just 30 years ago, and the country has made enormous strides toward becoming one of the Gay-friendliest nations in the world.

TRAVEL INFO Marseille is a beautiful city in the South of France, about a three-and-a-half-hour train ride or 45-minute flight from Paris. It’s also a quick jaunt to the French Riviera, where you can sunbathe in Cannes, go shopping in Nice, or gamble in nearby Monte Carlo.

The host hotel for EuroPride appears to be the InterContinental Marseille-Hotel Dieu (www.ihg.com) – at least it’s the one featured on the event website. I can’t vouch for the InterContinental, but I have stayed at the uber-fancy, waterside Le Petit NicePassedat (www.passedat.fr) and also at the budget-friendly Ibis Marseille-Gare Saint Charles Hotel (www.accorhotels.com), adjacent to the train station.

For EuroPride information, go to http:// europride2013.com. For tourist information, visit www.marseille-tourisme.com or www.atout-france.fr.

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July 5, 2013

Seattle Gay News 23

picket

continued from cover for Women, and the Seattle Education Association.

According to UFCW (United Food and Commercial Workers) Local 21, the union that represents workers at the Harvard Market QFC and other grocery stores in Western Washington, the picket was “informational,” intended to alert consumers to their stalled negotiations with the major grocery chains, and not meant to interfere with business.

Eleven other QFC, Fred Meyer, Safeway, and Albertson’s stores in Western Washington were also picketed by members of UFCW Locals 21 and 367, and Teamsters Local 38.

HOLIDAY PAY AT ISSUE The unions said July 3 was chosen for the informational picketing because employers want to eliminate time-and-a-half pay for

holidays like July 4, and instead pay only one dollar per hour more for holiday work.

The grocery chains also want to cut starting pay from the current 10 cents per hour above minimum wage, eliminate wage increases for the most senior employees, and take away health insurance from employees working less than 30 hours per week.

The three unions have been in contract negotiations with the behemoth grocery chains since March, but they say that little or no progress had been made.

When their contract was last up for negotiation in 2010, employers did not settle until 94% of UFCW 21 members voted to strike just before Thanksgiving.

The current round of contract negotiations involves only Kroger (which owns QFC and Fred Meyer), Safeway, and Albertson’s.

Other union grocery stores typically sign contracts very similar to the ones negotiated with the “Big Three” employers.

A list of union grocery stores is available at www.ufcw21.org/know/shopunion#grocery.

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July 5, 2013

Celebrating 40 Years!

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Seattle Gay News 25

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