SGN December 13, 2019 - Section 1

Celebrating 45 Years!

Issue 50 Volume 47

Folk icon Judy Collins returns to Jazz Alley

Mark Morris Dance Group’s The Hard Nut

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Facebook ads spread “fake news” about PrEP, 50 organizations say

May scare away people who could benefit from Truvada

Photo by BSIP / Universal Images Group via Getty Images

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Fifty organizations have called on Facebook and Instagram to remove ads that spread misinformation about the drug Truvada – one of the leading HIV meds and the drug usually prescribed for PrEP.

The ads were placed by attorneys soliciting clients for a class-action lawsuit against Gilead pharmaceutical company, the manufacturer of Truvada. The ads suggest that PrEP users suffer harmful side effects from the medication, specifically bone density and kidney issues.

see FACEBOOK ADS page 6

OVER 50 LGBTQ, HIV/AIDS, AND PUBLIC HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS

Aging with Pride study helps inform plans for Seattle’s first LGBTQ-affirming, affordable senior housing

Early project rendering – Image courtesy of Environmental Works

SEATTLE (December 9, 2019) – The City of Seattle Office of Housing [today] announced funds to develop Seattle’s first affordable senior housing development designed to be an affirming environment for LGBTQ seniors and the greater LGBTQ community.

The project is led by Capitol Hill Housing, a nonprofit developer, along with GenPRIDE, the first LGBTQ-affirming senior center in

Seattle/King County, which will serve as the primary service provider in the building. The funding will create 125 units of affordable housing, and it plans to include some set-aside units for transgender and/or HIV-positive seniors earning less than 30% of the area’s medium income.

see SENIOR HOUSING page 4

CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS SPEAK OUT:

The “Fairness for All Act” demand Facebook remove ads is an affront to existing promoting dangerous civil rights protections, treats and false information LGBTQ people and women about HIV prevention as second-class individuals

Mark Zuckerberg – Photo by Al Drago / Bloomberg / Getty Images

NEW YORK (December 9, 2019) – GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, in partnership with the PrEP4All Collaboration and over 50 LGBTQ, HIV/AIDS, and public health organizations, released a public letter today addressed to Facebook

chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The letter calls on Facebook to remove dangerous and misleading ads currently running on Facebook and Instagram that include misinformation about the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) as a preventative measure against HIV.

see REMOVE ADS page 6

U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah – Photo courtesy of Rep. Stewart / Twitter

WASHINGTON (December 6, 2019) – Today, national advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the Center for American Progress (CAP), the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), GLAAD, Lambda Legal, the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights

Under Law, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the NAACP, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the National Black Justice Coalition (BJC), the National Fair Housing Alliance, the National Partnership for Women and Families, the National Queer Asian Pacific

see “FAIRNESS” page 11

2 Seattle Gay News

December 13, 2019

Celebrating 45 Years!

Seattle Gay News F O U N D ED 1974 MEMBER

2018

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“HARK! Harold the Angel Sings!” to be presented at All Pilgrims Christian Church Dec. 15 “HARK! Harold the Angel Sings!”

ALL PILGRIMS CHRISTIAN CHURCH December 15 @ 1:30pm

Rick McKinnon Classifieds Rick McKinnon Photographers Nate Gowdy • Joseph P. Herron MK Scott • James Whitely Production Mike Pham Website Designer Barry Thorsness / Digital Team Works Seattle Gay News is published by Frogs and Ink, Inc. © 2018. Frogs and Ink, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reprints by permission.

Publication of names, photographs, or likeness of any person, organization, event or business in this publication cannot be taken as any indication of the sexual orientation of the person, organization, event or business.

Opinions expressed in bylined articles, columns, and letters are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or management of this paper.

Seattle Gay News welcomes unsolicited material, including letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit or reject material. All rights revert to authors upon publication.

We assume no liability for loss or damage of materials, solicited or not. We invite feedback, please write.

And please play safe.

It is our policy that no money shall be refunded if you choose to cancel your ad. Credit will be given for the balance owed.

No exceptions.

In Loving Memory Of Steve Foiles • Scott Roger Alpert Cookie Andrews-Hunt James Leland Moore Randy Peters • Lee Richeson Shaun Shelton • Jim Tully James Arnold

All Pilgrims Christian Church (500 Broadway E at E Republican St) will present a Christmas music and comedy event featuring resident and guest musicians on Sunday afternoon, December 15, starting at 1:30pm. For more information and to reserve your spot for just $1.00, visit haroldsings.brownpapertickets.com – Facebook Page: https://www. facebook.com/events/579422292843987/ – Donations of $0 to $100 will be graciously accepted at the door.

Harold, the Angel, is upset with the current state of life on earth, and specifically in Seattle, his new appointment. To Harold, everyone seems hurried, a bit unkind at times, and seemingly missing the Christmas messages of hope, love, and joy. He is so saddened, that he cannot find his singing voice.

Audience members will enjoy a wonderful variety of music and find out how Harold restores his ability to sing.

Director Stephen Marshall-Ward says, “I find great joy in curating the many talented musicians and artists of this unique community. They will all gather together – having a great deal of fun – as they share this unusual take on the Christmas story.”

The event will feature music by The All Pilgrims Choir along with Steve Thoreson, Savanna Williams, and Martha Macabare, vocal soloists; Alex Johnston, singer/songwriter; Rodger Pegues, jazz pianist; David Beck, cellist; Kyle Erickson and Tyler Prosch, trumpeters; and Sharon Nichols, flutist.

The event will also feature special guests Andre Feriante, guitarist/composer; Tobias the Owl, singer/songwriter; Claudia

Visit us online www.sgn.org

Walker, Celtic harpist; reSound, a Northwest Chamber Ensemble; and comedian, Brett Bizik, as “Harold, the Angel” with actor Royce Napolitino.

The afternoon program begins at 1:30pm. Gather in festive and warm clothing in the Same-Love Garden (in front of All Pilgrims Christian Church at Broadway E & E Republican St) for hot cocoa, hot cider, and musical surprises! At 2pm process into the Sanctuary for the remainder of the show. At 3:15pm celebrate at the Reception including “Beer & Carols” (which is a super fun sing-along).

All are welcome and the cost is a sliding scale – from FREE to whatever amount you would care to donate – for this festive holiday celebration.

This event is co-sponsored by ISCA (The Institute for Social Change through the Arts), a ministry of All Pilgrims Christian Church.

December 13, 2019

Seattle Gay News 3

About All Pilgrims Christian Church All Pilgrims Christian Church is a progressive faith community that offers opportunities for worship, spiritual growth, ministry, and community. We take pride in our diversity and welcome the full participation of all as equal members in our community: people of all colors, ages, economic circumstances, sexual orientations, gender or transgender identities, physical and mental abilities, education levels, and conditions of health.

Courtesy of All Pilgrims Christian Church

The 2019 GSBA Annual Meeting and Holiday Luncheon was all about Women, Diversity and Thriving Together Another fantastic year of Thriving Together is in the books for GSBA. Last Wednesday, December 11, the annual GSBA membership and community luncheon to celebrate GSBA’s sponsors, staff, board members, and volunteers who made it all possible took place at Seattle’s McCaw Hall.

Lauren Du Pree of A Sensible Theatre Co. blew the audience away with her solo performance.

GSBA President & CEO Louise Chernin boasted about the recent success of the $1.6M raised at last month’s Equalux Scholarship benefit and later toasted to a Happy 2020!

Martha Davis was honored for her 12 years of service to the GSBA board.

Andrew Held of JP Morgan Chase and Co (the presenting sponsor) also spoke.

This year’s panel, “Changing Power Dynamics – a conversation between womxn CEO’s of the Puget Sound” featuring Margaret Meister (President & CEO of Symetra), Phyllis Campbell (Chair, Pacific Northwest JP Morgan Chase & Co.), Sharelle Klaus (CEO of Dry Soda Co.), and moderated by Maria Chavez Wilcox (CEO of YWCA Seattle/King/Snohomish), closed the event.

Photo by MK Scott / Brian Matt

SEAMEC Annual Meeting Dec. 14 Dear SEAMEC Supporter:

As you may have read in our recent member mailing or seen in our recent ad in the Seattle Gay News which they kindly donated, our Annual Meeting will be held this coming Saturday, December 14th, 2019 at 3pm at the Capitol Hill Branch Library (425 Harvard Ave E at E Republican St.).

SEAMEC currently has eleven vacant Steering Committee seats which need to be filled at Saturday’s meeting by interested community members willing to step up to serve in these critical leadership positions.

Half of these board vacancies are for oneyear terms, and the remainder are for twoyear terms. We are happy to answer inquiries and questions from anyone interested in knowing more about becoming a Steer-

SENIOR HOUSING continued from cover

“As a community collaborator on this project, I’m proud to be part of bringing LGBTQ-affirming affordable housing to Seattle,” said Karen Fredriksen Goldsen, a University of Washington professor of social work, director of the UW Aging with Pride study and GenPRIDE founder.

GenPRIDE’s partnerships and programming will support LGBTQ seniors across the city, making the building a hub for the LGBTQ community and providing a senior center for all seniors in the local Capitol Hill area. Other community organizations collaborating on the project include UW Aging with Pride, the Ingersoll Gender Center, Seattle Counseling Service, Gay City, POCAAN, the Greater Seattle Business Association, LGBTQ Allyship, and the Country Doctor Community Clinic.

“It all starts with bringing our diverse community to the table and working together to create a shared vision to ensure housing stability while honoring and strengthening the lives of those seniors that have historically been marginalized yet have been on the forefront of building these communities,” Fredriksen Goldsen said.

4 Seattle Gay News

ing Committee Member.

2020 will be the most critical election year in our lifetimes. It is imperative that SEAMEC has adequate resources – including leadership, volunteers and additional financial support – to effectively evaluate the large numbers of likely candidates for local, state and federal offices in the upcoming election cycle. As you are aware SEAMEC operates on a shoestring, accomplishing more with less financial support than any other LGBTQ political organization in our state; however after 42 years SEAMEC will likely cease to exist without additional community support!

Credit Card donations may be made through PayPal on our SEAMEC website – http://voteseamec.org/ – and check donations can be mailed to our Post Options

mailbox – SEAMEC, 1122 E Pike St, Box #901, Seattle WA 98122.

Please forward this information to your lists of friends and family members who may be interested as well as the link to the event on our Facebook page and our website. If you’re planning on attending and are also on Facebook, please click on the SEAMEC Annual Meeting Event to indicate your interest/support and forward to your Facebook friend lists.

The project comes at a pivotal time.

King County’s LGBTQ senior population is expected to double by 2030, and LGBTQ seniors are identified as a priority population for the Seattle Housing Levy, as they face health, economic, and social disparities compared to other seniors, which were first documented by the UW Aging with Pride study.

Fredriksen Goldsen and her research team initially identified the need for affordable housing for LGBTQ seniors in a 2010 study. More recently, she has conducted other research documenting an increasing need for housing stability in this growing population. “I’ve been working for nearly a decade to make LGBTQ-affirming senior affordable housing a reality in our city,” she said. “I’m very pleased that the City of Seattle and Mayor Durkan are investing in affordable housing for this community.”

In a study released last year and commissioned by the City of Seattle Office of Housing to examine local housing and service-related needs of LGBTQ older adults, Fredriksen Goldsen found LGBTQ older adults in Seattle/King County lacked adequate housing and senior services. Seattle/ King County’s tremendous growth is intensifying housing affordability and accessibility, as outlined in the “Aging and Disability Services Area Plan Update (2017):

Area Agency on Aging for Seattle/King County, Washington 2018-2019.”

“While LGBTQ older adults are resilient, they face unique challenges in housing and senior services. They are more likely to live in poverty, be socially isolated without the support of family or others to help them, and have often faced discrimination and lack of access to services,” Fredriksen Goldsen said. “Nearly 90% of the study participants in Seattle were living in unaffordable housing compared to just over half of Seattle and King County’s seniors in general. They were also more likely to rent and live alone, which increases their risk of losing their housing.”

The study surveyed 419 LGBTQ people aged 50 to 87 in Seattle and King County and found the following: Nearly 40% of the LGBTQ older adult participants wanted to move, compared to only 13% in the general older adult population. However, most faced significant barriers to moving.

Half of the LGBTQ older adult participants felt aging information and referral services were not LGBTQ affirming, and a third felt suitable and affordable housing programs were not LGBTQ friendly.

Among those who moved within the past year, half had experienced homelessness

December 13, 2019

h t t p s : / / w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / events/630682187753120/ http://voteseamec.org/news/seamecsannual-community-meeting/ We look forward to seeing you at the Annual Meeting. If you are unable to attend

and are interested in becoming a Steering Committee member please contact us and let us know!

Very truly yours, The SEAMEC Steering Committee -SEAMEC Seattle Metropolitan Elections Committee 1122 E. Pike Street, Box # 901, Seattle, WA. 98122 206-428-7597 www.voteseamec.org seamec.sc@gmail.com

and a third had experienced eviction within the past five years.

Nearly a third of the participants reported experiencing discrimination based on their sexual orientation in the sale or rental of a house, apartment, or condominium; over half of the transgender and gender-diverse participants experienced discrimination in the sale or rental of house, apartment, or condominium based on their gender identity and expression. Most did not report it due to safety concerns.

“These LGBTQ seniors are largely invisible and immensely underserved. We need to build on their many strengths as we address their housing and aging needs and take action – we need to ensure that local housing and aging services are safe, inclusive, supportive, and effective. If we do not address these needs, there will be much greater public cost,” Fredriksen Goldsen said. “The new affordable housing will provide a vibrant hub for the LGBTQ community and ensure all seniors living in the Capitol Hill Area have a place they can call home.”

For more information, contact Fredriksen Goldsen at fredrikk@uw.edu or 206714-7419.

Courtesy of Karen Fredriksen Goldsen

Celebrating 45 Years!

South King County LGBTQ+ win $25,000 for Housing!

Allyship and Queer the Census WA Coalition host Count Us In Happy Hour in Burien Dec. 14 Greetings!

Allyship just released our 2019 South King County LGBTQ+ Housing Report on November 15th and we got some great press!

Check it out!

• Kent Reporter – https://www.kentreporter.com/news/south-king-county-housing-crisis-acutely-hits-the-lgbtq-community/ • I Love Kent blog – https://www.ilovekent.net/2019/11/14/south-king-countyhousing-crisis-hits-lgbtq-community/ • KNKX public radio – https://www. knkx.org/post/lgbtq-communities-faceunique-challenges-costly-housing-marketreport-says • Also, check out this video – https:// www.facebook.com/LGBTQAllyship/videos/434612110464803/ – of King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove, Kent Councilmember Brenda Fincher, Nancy Manos – SEIU 925, UW Vice President and Kent Councilmember Satwinder Kaur.

In response to this report, Allyship has created an 11 member South King County LGBTQ+ Housing Committee that is comprised of South King County elected officials, community members of color and LGBTQ+ members impacted by housing.

The first goal of the South King County LGBTQ+ Housing Committee is to ensure that LGBTQ+ communities, especially vulnerable LGBTQ+ members, are affirmatively marketed to in King County around housing services and affordable housing opportunities.

Because of this report, the work of our housing committee and King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove and CM Claudia Balducci, LGBTQ+ people were included in the 2020 King County budget.

Twenty-five thousand dollars will be transferred to the Department of Community and Human Services to administer outreach and marketing efforts for housing resources and housing rights for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities.

Here’s a little background: In a climate where our national leaders are trying to legalize LGBTQ discrimination in the Departments of Health and Human Services and Housing, LGBTQ Allyship has been working to address the influx of LGBTQ+ residents from Seattle to South King County over the last several years. Seattle’s housing crisis continues to displace LGBTQ+ people of color and low to moderate income families. The impact of LGBTQ+ displacement is social isolation, invisibility, lack of culturally competent services, increased homelessness and housing insecurity, and a lack of safety.

This groundbreaking report sheds light

on the voices, experiences and impacts of LGBTQ+ people of color, trans and lowincome residents.

Kent City Councilmember Satwinder Kaur states: “The results from the South King County LGBTQ+ Housing report is surprising and disturbing. We as city council members must ensure all of our residents are protected from discrimination and receiving the services and support that they deserve to thrive in healthy, safe and affordable communities.”

“If LGBTQ+ communities are not being reached out to around housing services and affordable housing opportunities in South King County, it puts vulnerable LGBTQ+

populations at risk of being homeless,” says State Senator Claire Wilson, 30th Legislative District. “We can do better in South King County and statewide.” “ This represents the first LGBTQ+ led housing report in South King County and sheds light on experiences from our community that often are overlooked. It’s important that communities most impacted are directing LGBTQ+ housing solutions in South King County and it’s clear that vulnerable queer and trans residents are not being served well in South King County,” said LGBTQ Allyship Executive Director, Debbie Carlsen.

Alana Woods, South King County LGBTQ+ Housing Committee member and report participant replies, “I am from Sea-Tac and have lived here most of my life.

As a trans non-binary person, I haven’t seen my community’s voice represented in local or regional housing and community development solutions. It’s time our voices are heard and highlighted.”

The release of the South King County LGBTQ+ Housing Report, the launch of an LGBTQ+ housing campaign in South King County and the inclusion of $25,000 for LGBTQ+ affirmative marketing around housing services and affordable housing options is a game changer for LGBTQ+ residents struggling with homelessness and housing insecurity.

P.S. Join Allyship and the Queer the Census Washington Coalition for a “Count Us In” Happy Hour in Burien on December 14th from 4pm to 6:30pm at Black Zia Cantina, 15212 6th Ave SW, Burien. Featuring Naa Akua and Sarey Savy. With art, food, drinks and trivia games. FREE. In community, Debbie Carlsen she/her Executive Director LGBTQ Allyship

City of Seattle launches new information dashboard to track progress, success of major initiatives SEATTLE (December 11, 2019) – The City of Seattle launched “Performance Seattle,” a new centralized dashboard where Seattle residents can see what their city [government] is doing to make their lives better.

Performance Seattle tracks performance on seven key priority areas, including basic city services, and provides an in-depth look at city performance data through a variety of data visualizations, including maps, charts, graphs, and infographics.

“Performance Seattle represents our city [government]’s commitment to building the city of the future. Understanding and leveraging the data that cities like Seattle generate everyday is an vital challenge – it will enable us to be accountable, improve services, and generate better outcomes for everyone,” said Mayor Jenny A. Durkan. “We are showing how we are improving access to frequent transit, building affordable housing, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, meeting targets in our delivery of basic city services, and increasing people’s access to critical services and supports. My commitment is to share with Seattle’s residents where we are meeting our goals and where we need to lean in and innovate.”

Performance Seattle was built using three guiding principles: • Resident focused: Be accountable to residents for basic city services • Collaborative: Work together to improve government use of citywide data shared across departments • Innovative: Automate data to make it as real-time, accurate, and useful as possible

Image courtesy of the City of Seattle

Performance Seattle provides both residents and City of Seattle project managers, directors, and employees the opportunity to track the progress of some of our city [government]’s most important initiatives.

Each of these seven dashboards tracks a different priority area and provides residents with a deeper understanding of how well the City of Seattle is meeting key ongoing service targets and multiyear goals. These priority areas include: • Basic city services • Safe and healthy communities • Affordability and livability

Visit us online www.sgn.org

• Homelessness response • Capital projects • Environment and climate change • Future of work The Performance Seattle dashboard tracks the city [government]’s success meeting aggressive performance metrics, helping departments meet critical service delivery goals – like SDOT’s commitment to repair 80% of potholes within 30 days, the Seattle Police Department’s goal of responding to 100% of Priority 1 calls within seven minutes, or the Seattle Fire Department’s commitment to having a first

December 13, 2019

responder on the scene within four minutes 90% of the time.

While all of this information has existed throughout the city [government] in different places, the Performance Seattle dashboard represents the first time that this information has been brought together in one place. By bringing it together on a single site, residents can see the citywide expectations for each department.

Seattle’s leadership is committed to governing with data and evidence. Seattle has received technical assistance from What Works Cities and Results for America to improve data-informed practices, and in 2018 Seattle was recognized for work to accelerate the use of data and evidence in city government.

Performance Seattle is a product of months of work by the Seattle Innovation & Performance team, and was developed in collaboration with over 150 city [government] staff. Each of the seven priority areas parallels seven cross-departmental working groups comprising members of the mayor’s cabinet and the Mayor’s Office that collaborate on citywide initiatives.

For the first several months, the Performance Seattle site will be in a “soft launch” state to ensure that the data is correctly updating on a monthly basis. During this time, the Innovation & Performance team will be gathering feedback on the site.

Please send any feedback you might have to performance@seattle.gov.

Courtesy of the Office of the Mayor

Seattle Gay News 5

FACEBOOK ADS continued from cover

While such side effects have been observed in a small number of PrEP users, Truvada is considered safe and effective by the Centers fir Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The organizations protesting the ads – which range from advocacy groups like GLAAD and ACT UP New York to scholarly institutions like the University of Chicago medical school – worry that focusing on rare side effects will scare away people who could benefit from Truvada.

“Using Facebook’s and Instagram’s targeted advertising programs, various

law firms are attempting to recruit gay and bisexual men who use Truvada PrEP as an HIV preventative to join a lawsuit, claiming that the drug has caused harmful side effects in this patient population, specifically bone density and kidney issues,” the groups say in an open letter to Facebook and Instagram.

“By focusing on ‘Truvada’ and PrEP — rather than ‘tenofovir disoproxil fumarate’ (or TDF) and HIV-positive individuals who use it as an antiviral — the law firms’ advertisements are scaring away at-risk HIV-negative people from the leading drug that blocks HIV infections. This is despite numerous studies underscoring the safety of TDF in HIV-negative PrEP users.”

According to the CDC, PrEP reduces

the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% when taken daily. The World Health Organization recommends that “people at substantial risk of HIV infection should be offered PrEP as an additional prevention choice, as part of comprehensive prevention.”

The Washington Post reports that Facebook’s own archive reveals that “the ads have been viewed millions of times in recent months…”

According to the letter sent by the organizations to Facebook management, they have followed Facebook’s own recommended process for reporting fake or misleading ads, but the social network company has so far refused to remove them.

In their letter they quote Facebook pol-

icy on ads: “Facebook prohibits ads that include claims debunked by third-party fact checkers or, in certain circumstances, claims debunked by organizations with particular expertise.”

“We are the organizations with ‘particular expertise,’” the letter continues.

“Given the history of how our community was met by deadly indifference during the early years of the AIDS crisis, the refusal to take action is deeply concerning.

Since a resolution was not reached, immediate action must be taken by Facebook to ameliorate the harm which has already been caused to those who may be seeking preventative treatment against HIV.” Facebook still has not commented on the controversy.

REMOVE ADS continued from cover

The full letter is available at www. glaad.org/blog/open-letter-facebook, and the current list of organizations signed on to support is below. Images of some of the advertisements are available on GLAAD’s site (www.glaad.org/blog/glaad-over-50-lgbtq-hivaids-and-public-health-organizations-demand-facebook-remove-ads). The Washington Post broke news of the letter this morning (www.washingtonpost.com/ technology/2019/12/09/facebook-ads-arepushing-misinformation-about-hiv-prevention-drugs-lgbt-activists-say-harming-public-health/).

National LGBTQ organizations, including GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), and the Trevor Project, are among cosignatories. Leading HIV-related advocacy and medical organizations including amfAR, AIDS United, the American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM), Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC), the HIV Medical Association (HIVMA), the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD), the National Coalition of STD Directors, and the National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC), are among cosignatories of the letter. A full list is below.

The CDC states that “studies have shown that PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% when taken daily”; however, public health officials cite the Facebook and Instagram ads with creating dangerous barriers to PrEP usage.

The letter states in part: “Using Facebook’s and Instagram’s targeted advertising programs, various law firms are attempting to recruit gay and bisexual men who use Truvada PrEP as an HIV preventative to join a lawsuit, claiming that the drug has caused harmful side effects in this patient population, specifically bone density and kidney issues. By focusing on ‘Truvada’ and PrEP – rather than ‘tenofovir disoproxil fumarate’ (or TDF) and HIV-positive individuals who use it as an antiviral – the law firms’ advertisements are scaring away at-risk HIVnegative people from the leading drug that blocks HIV infections. This is despite numerous studies underscoring the safety of TDF in HIV-negative PrEP users.

“Leading public health officials, medical professionals, and dedicated PrEP navigators and outreach coordinators have shared that these advertisements on Facebook and Instagram are being directly cited by at-risk community members expressing heightened fears about taking PrEP. This issue goes beyond misinformation, as it puts real people’s lives in imminent danger.”

Peter Staley, a cofounder of the PrEP4All Collaboration added: “We have a wealth of documented reports from frontline prevention experts raising the alarm on these ads, and have been met with infuriating responses from Facebook about their vague and shifting advertising policies.

Since they also blocked pro-PrEP ads from a leading AIDS prevention group (www. out.com/health/2019/10/30/facebook-wont-

6 Seattle Gay News

Images courtesy of GLAAD

ban-fake-news-they-will-ban-prep-ads), I’m beginning to wonder if the company could care less about the spread of HIV among gay men.”

GLAAD previously contacted Facebook Advertising Policy about the PrEP ads referenced in today’s letter and was directed to third-party fact-checking agencies used by Facebook as arbiters of accuracy in ads. GLAAD contacted the third-party agencies but did not receive a response. Facebook confirmed the ads would not be removed while new ads, and new profiles behind the ads, continue to appear.

“Facebook’s refusal to take action on ads that target at-risk community members with false medical information points to a much larger problem for Facebook users and an urgent need for LGBTQ safety to be prioritized across their products,” said GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “This initiative is the first of many public actions that we will lead against social media platforms to demand safer environments for LGBTQ people.”

Three medical and HIV prevention experts recently wrote an op-ed calling out the ads (www.thebodypro.com/article/fdaapproves-descovy-prep-for-cisgender-mentransgender-women), noting: “As public health leaders, we are concerned that these often misleading and inflammatory advertisements are causing people to decide not to start PrEP or, in some cases, stop PrEP altogether. PrEP is a critically important component of the national plan to end the HIV epidemic in the United States by 2030.”

“PrEP can save lives and has been shown to be effective at blocking HIV transmission,” said Alphonso David, president of the Human Rights Campaign.

“Facebook and Instagram should not allow misinformation to flourish on their platforms, especially when it comes to people’s health and well-being. These dangerous ads should be removed and banned from running in the future.”

The co-signatories of the public letter are demanding that: Facebook and Instagram immediately

December 13, 2019

remove the advertisements that are harming public health.

Facebook and Instagram be transparent with users and the LGBTQ community on their advertising policy around misinformation, which states that “in certain circumstances,” Facebook prohibits ads that include “claims debunked by organizations with particular expertise.”

Facebook commits to a review and potential update of current advertising policies to prevent false or misleading public health statements from reaching users.

The letter, addressed to Facebook chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, points to Zuckerberg’s testimony before the House Financial Services Committee in October 2019 (www.vox.com/policy-andpolitics/2019/10/23/20929350/alexandriaocasio-cortez-mark-zuckerberg-testimonygreen-new-deal). Zuckerberg stated, “If anyone, including a politician, is saying things [...] that [are] calling for violence, or could risk imminent physical harm [...] we will take that content down.”

The following organizations have signed the public letter as of December 8, 2019: ACT UP New York AIDS Action Baltimore AIDS Foundation of Chicago AIDS Project Rhode Island AIDS United The American Academy of HIV Medicine amfAR Amida Care APLA Health AVAC Black AIDS Institute Cascade AIDS Project Chicago Center for HIV Elimination Community Research Initiative (CRI) Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation (South Africa) End AIDS Now Esperanza Health Centers, Chicago GLAAD GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis) Health GAP HealthHIV HIV Dental Alliance

HIV Medicine Association Housing Works Howard Brown Health Human Rights Campaign JustUs Health Latino Commission on AIDS Let’s Kick ASS NY (AIDS Survivor Syndrome) Mercy/Michael Reese Care Program, Chicago NAM Aidsmap NASTAD (National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors) National Coalition for LGBT Health National Coalition of STD Directors National Working Positive Coalition NMAC (National Minority AIDS Council) Nyanza Reproductive Health Society (Kenya) NYC’s LGBT Community Center PrEP4All Collaboration Prevention Access Campaign Prism Health Provident Hospital Prevention Program, Chicago Rhode Island Public Health Institute San Francisco AIDS Foundation The SERO Project Sinai Infectious Disease Center, Chicago Southern AIDS Coalition Tennessee Association of People With AIDS Tennessee Community Outreach Initiative Test Positive Aware Network, Chicago Treatment Action Group The Trevor Project University of Chicago Medicine GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBTQ acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org or connect with GLAAD on Facebook and Twitter.

Courtesy of GLAAD

Celebrating 45 Years!

St. Patrick’s Catholic Church Welcomes LGBTQ Community Members!

St. Patrick’s Church is a welcoming, evolving Catholic Church located at the north end of Capitol Hill, 2702 Broadway E. We embrace all people as children of God and would like to invite LBGTQ community members to worship with us.

As a parish, we have a strong emphasis on social justice and inclusion.

This includes outreach to a women’s shelter, a supportive relationship with a faith community in El Salvador, weekly sign language interpreted Mass for the deaf and deaf-blind community, and welcoming developmentally disabled adults from the L’arche community.

Our choir and dance troupe are an integral part of our expression.

Please consider joining us on December 24 for one of our Christmas Eve services at 5pm (youth participation through dance) or at 9 pm.

There will be community Christmas caroling ½ hour before each service.

St. Patrick’s celebrates every Sunday at 10:30 am.

We look forward to welcoming you to St. Patrick's!

2702 Broadway E. Seattle, WA 98102 · www.stpatrickseattle.org

Visit us online www.sgn.org

December 13, 2019

Seattle Gay News 7

KarmaScentsCandles www.karmascents.mygc.com MADE BY GOLD CANYON CANDLES We light up your life!

We do fundraisers!

And we ship anywhere!

Have a home party with your friends to receive free candles!

We are having, on December 29th, a MAJOR inventory reduction sale.

Everything must go in order to make way for new inventory!

Find us at Broadway and Pine Street, directly across the street from Blick’s Art Supply on Sundays between 11am-3:30pm We’ll be there in December all four Sundays for your Christmas shopping pleasure!

Our candles may also be purchased at Plaza Select Foods (1024 Madison Street @ Boren St.) Member of Central Area Chamber of Commerce Member of The Direct Sellers Association

C A L L U S F O R W E E K LY D I S C O U N T S (206) 271-4451

8 Seattle Gay News

December 13, 2019

Celebrating 45 Years!

December 14, 3pm Capitol Hill Library Meeting Room 425 Harvard Ave E Seattle, WA 98102

To continue this vital political work, community members who care about LGBTQ Equality are needed now to join the SEAMEC Steering Committee to reinvigorate this organization as we prepare for the critical upcoming 2020 elections.

With the current political turmoil in our nation, our hard-fought gains for LGBTQ Equality are in great jeopardy, making SEAMEC’S mission as urgent and vital as ever.

In the upcoming 2020 election cycle, we must raise $10,000 to protect and retain the rights we have secured in our ongoing quest for equality!

Volunteer opportunities are also available to interview, evaluate, and recommend candidates running for office as well as other politically-related activities.

Visit us online www.sgn.org

SEAMEC has served the LGBTQ Community of Seattle and King County since 1977 by expanding the level of political awareness of voters with the mission of increasing the influence and impact of our community on elections.

To find out more about SEAMEC or to step up to the plate, please attend!

After the conclusion of the meeting, join us for an informal, no-host happy hour gathering at Queer Bar, 1518 11th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TODAY! Contributions are welcome, needed, and greatly appreciated! Donations can be made online via Paypal at voteseamec.org or by mail SEAMEC: 1122 E. Pike Street, # 901, Seattle, WA, 98122 There are multiple available SEAMEC Steering Committee leadership positions – for both one year and two year term commitments.

If you have questions or want more information you can email us: seamec.sc@gmail.com or call us at 206-428-7597

December 13, 2019

Seattle Gay News 9

10 Seattle Gay News

December 13, 2019

Celebrating 45 Years!

“FAIRNESS” continued from cover

Islander Alliance (NQAPIA), the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), PFLAG National, and the Transgender Law Center, expressed strong opposition to the so-called “Fairness For All Act,” as introduced in Congress. If enacted, this bill would undermine civil rights protections for women, people of color, and people of faith and create substandard protections for LGBTQ people. In a joint statement, the groups wrote the following: “The ‘Fairness for All Act’ is anything but fair, and it certainly does not serve all of us.

It is an affront to existing civil rights protections that protect people on the basis of race, sex, and religion and creates new, substandard protections for LGBTQ people with massive loopholes and carve-outs, and upends critical federal programs that serve children in need.

“This legislation is deeply dangerous for many reasons, mainly because it would erode protections that already exist for people based on race, sex and religion, rolling back protections that have been on the books for decades. It would expand the number of places and situations in which lawful discrimination could occur.

“At the same time, it would introduce new, problematic provisions purportedly seeking to prohibit discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity

U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart, R-Utah – Photo by J. Scott Applewhite / Getty Images

with broad exemptions, essentially licensing discrimination against LGBTQ people and women. Communities of color, who suffer from disproportionately higher rates of discrimination and harassment, would be especially vulnerable to harm under these broad exemptions. Our nation’s existing civil rights framework already strikes

ACLU opposes so-called “Fairness for All Act” WASHINGTON, DC (December 6, 2019) – In response to introduction of the so-called Fairness for All Act in the House of Representatives, Ronnie Newman, national political director for the American Civil Liberties Union, issued the following statement: “Far from being about fairness for everyone, this bill facilitates efforts to allow taxpayer-funded discrimination, undermines existing civil rights protections, and gives a green light to turning LGBTQ people away from jobs, health care, housing, and more.

“The bill would change the critical balance between our fundamental values of religious liberty and prohibiting discrimination that Congress already struck in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in order to license more discrimination. There’s no reason laws prohibiting discrimination should be different for LGBTQ people.

“Within the next seven months, the Supreme Court is poised to rule in a trio of cases concerning the existing rights of LGBTQ people under federal law. This bill would undermine a potentially favorable ruling for LGBTQ people in those cases by

authorizing discrimination in many contexts.

“Regardless of the outcome in the pending cases, efforts that seek to authorize discrimination against LGBTQ people are dangerous and misguided. Proponents of the bill also claim that it would settle other court fights over whether people of faith have a right to discriminate against LGBTQ people, but it would do just the opposite, inviting more litigation and less clarity over the existing balance struck by Congress and interpreted by the courts for decades.

“We need legislation that provides LGBTQ people with comprehensive, nationwide nondiscrimination protections and closes gaps in our civil rights laws for everyone, and that’s why the Senate must do what the House of Representatives – on a bipartisan vote – did earlier this year: update our civil rights laws to offer essential and comprehensive protections by passing the Equality Act.” Courtesy of the ACLU

the right balance when it comes to the government’s interest in protecting religious freedom and advancing nondiscrimination, and it is wrong to put into law a different system of protections for LGBTQ people and their families.

“This legislation would create a ‘double whammy’ for anyone at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities: a Black lesbian or Transgender Jewish woman, for example, could see many of her existing rights erased or rolled back, ostensibly to protect her.

“The Equality Act was passed through the House of Representatives with bipartisan support, and nearly 70 percent of Americans support comprehensive nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people. The ‘Fairness for All Act,’ on the other hand, was introduced by a small group of lawmakers. This legislation licenses discrimination while eroding the rights of people of faith.

“It is wrong, and we strongly oppose it.”

LGBTQ people deserve full federal equality – nothing more and nothing less.

The Equality Act, which has already passed the US House of Representatives with a bipartisan majority, would ensure clear and equal protections from discrimination for LGBTQ people throughout daily life while expanding protections for communities of color, people of faith, and women.

The Equality Act has broad, growing support and clear momentum. Over the last several years, more than 260 leading companies, more than 60 national trade associations, and more than 500 civil rights, religious, medical, and social welfare organizations have joined with the LGBTQ community to support the Equality Act. Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education, and public policy work.

Courtesy of Lambda Legal

Lambda Legal responds to “Fairness for All Americans Act” NEW YORK (December 6, 2019) – Today, Lambda Legal responded to the so-called Fairness for All Americans Act introduced by Republican lawmakers.

Kevin Jennings, Lambda Legal CEO, made the following statement: “The proposed legislation indicates an important recognition on the part of religious organizations who are, for the first time, acknowledging the reality of anti-LGBTQ discrimination and the human toll this takes on a significant number of Americans.

“While we acknowledge these historic first steps, we believe that any legislative remedy must be comprehensive in addressing the full range of discrimination faced

by LGBTQ Americans, and unfortunately, the ‘Fairness for All Americans’ Act fails

to meet that standard, prompting Lambda Legal to join this statement with other civil rights organizations.

“Lambda Legal remains eager to work with any and all people of good faith who are interested in crafting appropriate and comprehensive remedies to the pernicious problem of anti-LGBTQ discrimination in America.”

Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, and those with HIV through impact litigation, education, and public policy work.

Courtesy of Lambda Legal

Rep. Jenniffer González Colón joins Rep. Barbara Lee to lead Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus WASHINGTON, DC (December 9, 2019) – Today, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), chair of the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus, announced that Rep. Jenniffer González Colón (R-Puerto Rico) would co-chair the caucus, a coalition of bipartisan and bicameral members who are committed to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic, improving the lives of those living with the infection, and ensuring that everyone is informed and knows their status.

“We have made incredible progress in our fight for an AIDS-free generation, and Congress must continue to work together to support programs we know are working,” said Rep. Barbara Lee. “I look forward to working with Rep. González-Colón to address the needs of communities dispro-

portionately impacted by HIV – including African-Americans and Latinx-Americans – as we continue working towards an AIDS-free generation. I am delighted to partner with her in leading the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus.”

“In 2017, there were nearly 40,000 cases of HIV diagnosed in the United States, of which 26% of them are from the Latino population,” said Rep. González Colón.

“In Puerto Rico, there have been close to 50,000 cases reported, and 59% of those have ended in a death. The Centers for Disease Control found that the increase in diagnoses in Latinos is concentrated in seven states [sic], including Puerto Rico.

Many Latinos around the nation do not know if they are affected or not, while

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others fear being tested for fear of rejection, discrimination, [stigma], poor access to health, or even their immigration status. Education, prevention, protection, and early diagnosis are key to battle with this deadly disease. I am proud to become the co-chair of the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus, and I am eager to put an end to this disease by educating, facilitating health care access, and eliminating the stigmas that surround this disease.”

The Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus is a bipartisan, bicameral caucus dedicated to serving as a clearinghouse for information on developments related to global and domestic HIV/AIDS, founded in 2011 by Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Trent Franks, and Rep. Jim McDermott to explore opportuni-

ties and support policy initiatives that help achieve an AIDS-free generation in the United States and around the world.

December 13, 2019

Seattle Gay News 11

Rep. Lee is the co-chair of the Steering & Policy Committee, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, chair emeritus of the Progressive Caucus, co-chair of the Pro-Choice Caucus, and a senior Democratic whip. She also serves as chair of the Majority Leader’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity.

Courtesy of Rep. Barbara Lee

LGBTQ organizations: defense authorization bill should have ended trans troop ban

WASHINGTON, DC (December 9, 2019) – Today, a coalition of organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign, the National Center for Transgender Equality, GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders (GLAD), the Modern Military Association of America, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Lambda Legal, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Palm Center, expressed disappointment that the final FY20 National Defense Authorization bill does not include the Speier/Brown amendment, which was previously approved by the House of Representatives in a strong bipartisan vote of 242 to 187. The language would have codified nondiscrimination in our armed forces and ended the Trump administration’s ban on transgender service members. They released the following joint statement: “We are profoundly disappointed that this bipartisan amendment to end the ban on bravely serving transgender service members was not included in the final version of the FY20 National Defense Authorization Act. “Transgender troops served openly and honorably without incident for three years before this reckless ban on their service was put into place by the Trump-Pence administration. Military leadership, medical experts, and defense budget experts have all provided evidence that the ban is without merit, costs the taxpayer, and is damaging to military readiness.

“Although House and Senate Democratic leaders fought to retain this provision to end the ban, the White House, House Armed Services Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-TX), Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman James Inhofe (R-OK), and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) fought vigorously to remove it, and ultimately prevailed.

“It is unconscionable that thousands of honorably serving transgender service members and their families will continue to live under the threat of discharge simply because

Photo courtesy of HRC

of who they are. This ban is based on bias, not evidence, and is opposed by the American people, military experts, and elected officials across the political spectrum.

“We are deeply grateful to House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-WA), Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI), and Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) for their ongoing leadership on this important issue of military readiness.”

Currently, thousands of service members face discharge if they come out as transgender, while others see their careers at risk because they already have. The Trump administration has refused to disclose any data on discharge proceedings under the ban.

A Gallup poll in June found that 71% of Americans support the open service of transgender people in the military, including a clear majority of the nation’s veterans [news.gallup.com/poll/258521/support-

transgender-people-serving-military.aspx].

This year, the American Medical Association [www.ama-assn.org/press-center/ ama-statements/ama-statement-pentagonsban-transgender-military], the American Psychological Association [www.apa.org/ news/press/releases/2019/04/transgendermilitary-ban], and the American Psychiatric Association [www.psychiatry.org/newsroom/news-releases/apa-concerned-abouttransgender-military-ban] all released statements asserting that there is no medically valid reason to exclude transgender people from military service. Through the Palm Center, former military surgeons general released a report [www.palmcenter. org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Transgender-troops-are-medically-fit-pdf.pdf] unequivocally dismantling the erroneous claim that transgender service members are medically unfit to serve.

Last year, under oath before the Sen-

ate Armed Services Committee, the highest-ranking officers of each branch of the military stated there is no threat to military readiness or unit cohesion by the inclusion of trans service members, nor were there any reports that the three years in which trans service members were permitted to openly serve presented any problems [www.palmcenter.org/after-two-years-ofopen-transgender-service-consensus-frommilitary-leadership-that-inclusive-policyworks/].

Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education, and policy work. Read more here: www.lambdalegal.org Courtesy of Lambda Legal

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Calabrian mafia open to Gays, now more progressive than Catholic Church

by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer The ’Ndrangheta, the Calabrian mafia, is now open to Gay members, according to an Italian prosecutor.

Anti-mob prosecutor Nicola Gratteri told the Times of London that older ’Ndrangheta bosses still harbored anti-Gay prejudices but the criminal organization has evolved to the point where Gay mobsters are accepted.

Gratteri recalled intercepting “passionate” letters between one ’Ndrangheta crime boss and a young lieutenant and learned that many Mafia foot soldiers openly visit Gay bars. He even discovered that the son of one prominent crime boss is performing as a drag queen under the name Lady Godiva.

The ’Ndrangheta controls organized crime in Calabria, the “toe” of Italy, just as the Mafia operates in Sicily and the Camurra in Naples. The three criminal organizations are independent of each other but share some common traditions.

The ’Ndrangheta is reportedly Southern Europe’s richest crime syndicate, outperforming even the Sicilian Mafia. Law enforcement officials estimate they con-

12 Seattle Gay News

Nicola Gratteri – Photo by Stefania D'Alessandro / Getty Images

trol 80% of the cocaine traffic in Europe, a business that brings them more than $50 billion a year.

Gratteri claims that the new generation of mobsters is “going soft” and abandoning the stern traditions of southern Italian orga-

December 13, 2019

nized crime.

“I’ve brought to trial the grandfathers and fathers of today’s bosses. They were impassive in the face of long prison sentences,” he said. “The young today can’t take the stress of prison in the way their

parents did. They get paranoid, depressed.

They’re more fragile.”

The new openness to Gays is one symptom of this decline, he said.

“It undermines their image of themselves as tough, virile guys,” Gratteri said.

“But the Mafia have evolved along with society. Gays can be accepted now, even as foot soldiers, so long as they don’t parade it in public.”

The prosecutor is now facing public backlash from pro-Gay mafia members who welcome out Gay mobsters into their organizations. Social media posts by ’Ndrangheta members have reportedly accused Gratteri of being “insensitive” to Gay people.

Not very long ago, being outed as Gay would have been a death sentence for mafiosi, in the US as well as in Italy.

In 1992, John “Johnny Boy” D’Amato – boss of the DeCavalcante mafia family based in New Jersey – was murdered after his ex-girlfriend outed him as Bisexual.

“Nobody’s going to respect us if we have a gay homosexual boss sitting down discussing La Cosa Nostra business,” the killer said at his murder trial.

Celebrating 45 Years!

HRC Foundation kicks off second workplace LGBT inclusion survey in Chile SANTIAGO, Chile (December 9, 2019) – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of America’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, in partnership with Fundación Iguales, Chile’s largest LGBT advocacy group, launched its second HRC Equidad CL: Programa de Equidad Laboral survey evaluating LGBT-inclusive policies and best practices at major Chilean employers. The second annual HRC survey showcases businesses and corporations promoting equality for LGBT employees in workplaces across Chile.

The HRC was joined at a kickoff event today, hosted by Accor Hotels, by corporate leaders and representatives of major employers committed to continuing their efforts to create an inclusive corporate culture by participating in the HRC Equidad CL survey. In the coming months, the Chile-based program will collect responses to the survey and measure the growth of the program in its second year.

In last year’s inaugural survey, 15 companies earned top ratings and received the HRC Foundation’s designation of “Best Place to Work for the LGBT Community” or “Mejores Lugares para Trabajar LGBT,” reflecting their commitment to LGBT equality and adoption of vital LGBT-inclusive employment policies and practices. The Chilean-based survey, inspired by the HRC’s annual Corporate Equality Index (CEI) – the premier benchmarking tool on corporate LGBT-inclusive policies and practices in the US – is the HRC’s first in-country program in South America and the second in Latin America, following the successful model of HRC Equidad MX in Mexico.

The HRC Equidad CL survey assesses businesses and multinational companies based on three core pillars of LGBT inclusion: • Adoption of nondiscrimination policies; • Creation of employee resource groups or diversity councils; and • Engagement in public activities to support LGBT inclusion.

“Business leaders in Chile are driving critical progress for our community by building workplaces that are inclusive and welcoming to all,” said HRC president Alphonso David. “As the new president of the Human Rights Campaign, I’m excited to see how HRC Equidad CL has been a powerful instrument for positive change in Chile

Photo courtesy of HRC

and throughout the region. By advancing equality, more and more corporations are helping employees and economies thrive.”

“Every year, we see a growing number of businesses and corporations around the world understand the value of promoting an LGBT-inclusive workplace,” said Beck Bailey, director of HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equality Program. “Having these important companies participate in the HRC Equidad CL survey represents a significant step in raising awareness of workplace equality among Chilean-based businesses.

We are excited to continue working with Fundación Iguales to expand our efforts and commitment to promoting LGBT inclusion across workplaces in Chile.”

“For Empresas SB, it is important to measure their advances in sexual diversity and to be in tune with the best work practices that guarantee discrimination-free work spaces,” said Matías Verdugo, CEO of Empresas SB. “Equidad CL gives us the possibility to measure ourselves every year

with the best companies in the field and to incorporate more practices in favor of the LGBT+ community.”

“In its second year, the HRC Equidad CL program is already driving tangible change within businesses and corporations across the nation,” said Emilio Maldonado, HRC Equidad CL implementing partner. “We are excited to continue working with major employers to promote and grow LGBT-inclusive workplaces for all their employees and to witness this growth with Human Rights Campaign to carry on our collaborative efforts to achieve LGBT inclusion in Chile.”

Through its CEI, Equidad MX and Equidad CL programs, the HRC Foundation has established guidelines to implement LGBTQ-inclusive policies, practices and benefits across national and international corporations impacting more than 30.6 million employees worldwide. This endeavor is complemented by the HRC Global program, which supports the work

of communities throughout the world in advocacy of the full rights of LGBTQ people around the world. This year, the HRC announced a major initiative to pursue strategic litigation in countries where they can make a difference as part of broader efforts in the movement for LGBTQ equality.

Learn more at hrc.im/equidadCL and hrc.im/GlobalWorkplacePrograms for more information about the HRC’s Global Workplace Programs.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender, and queer people. The HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work, and in every community.

Courtesy of the HRC

LGBT employment discrimination costs South Africa more than $300 million per year

LOS ANGELES (December 9, 2019) – Wage discrimination and underemployment related to sexual orientation and gender expression costs South Africa US$ 316.8 million each year, according to new research conducted by South African and other collaborators in partnership with the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law. Researchers also found that health disparities disproportionately experienced by LGBT adults cost the country between US$ 3.2 billion and US$ 19.5 billion, and sexual assault disproportionately experienced by LGBT adults costs South Africa as much as US$ 64.8 million every year.

The study conducted original empirical analyses of large representative datasets to characterize and estimate the costs of LGBT stigma and discrimination on South Africa’s economy. In addition, researchers reviewed existing studies to develop a comprehensive look at the history, legal landscape, and current social climate concerning LGBT people and rights in South Africa.

“South Africa has one of the most progressive constitutions in the world, but stigma and discrimination against LGBT

and other gender-nonconforming people still costs the country billions of dollars every year,” said Jabu Pereira, executive director of Iranti, a media advocacy organization dedicated to the rights of lesbian, intersex, and transgender persons in Africa.

“This study underscores how beneficial it would be to the entire South African population to integrate an LGBTI lens and LGBTI representatives into South Africa’s comprehensive human rights and development infrastructure in order to protect LGBTI people from violence, improve access to competent health care, and foster inclusive workplaces.”

Key findings • Just 14.9% of gender-nonconforming LGB individuals in South Africa are in the paid labor force. However, gendernonconforming heterosexual people were also less likely to be employed (33.8%) than gender-conforming heterosexual individuals (46.4%).

• The monthly earnings of gender-nonconforming heterosexuals and gay and bisexual men are 30% lower than that of gender-conforming heterosexual men.

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• In 2017, the likelihood of HIV infection among men who have sex with men was estimated at 26.8%, compared to 18.9% for the general population.

• Sexual violence against LGBT people is common in South Africa. Nearly a third (31%) of lesbian and bisexual women from southern Africa in one study reported lifetime experiences of sexual violence.

• Gender-nonconforming adults, including those who are heterosexually identified and those who are LGB identified, were more likely to feel personally unsafe most days compared to gender-conforming adults (25.4% vs. 20.7% and 35.5% vs. 17.5, respectively).

• In a 2015-16 survey, majorities of gender-nonconforming heterosexuals (73%) and LGB adults (77%) reported being dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their access to health care.

“South Africa is making strides toward creating an LGBT-inclusive society,” said study co-author S.N. Nyeck, research fellow at the University of Amsterdam. “But more work needs to be done. One area that is ripe for development is to investigate strategies to cultivate and promote LGBTI-

owned small businesses to reduce economic inequities and social stigma associated with being LGBTI.” “Sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression measures need to be added to all large, publicly funded surveys, as well as administrative systems, in order to assess the impact of efforts to improve conditions for LGBTI and gender-nonconforming heterosexuals,” emphasized study co-author Debra Shepherd, lecturer in the Department of Economics at the University of Stellenbosch.

Read the report [at /https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/ Cost-Discrim-So-Africa-Dec-2019.pdf].

December 13, 2019

Seattle Gay News 13

The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, a think tank on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy, is dedicated to conducting rigorous, independent research with real-world relevance.

Courtesy of the Williams Institute

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Celebrating 45 Years!

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