Issue 29 Volume 37
Celebrating 36 Years!
FRIDAY July 17, 2009 FREE! 25¢ in bookstores & news stands
fort worth update p. 4
decline to sign p. 8
elephant man p. 27
Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
Bill Clinton backs US Senate passage expected same-sex marriage Monday on Matthew Shepard courtesy lefteyeonthenews.com
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Hate Crimes Act by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
Former President Bill Clinton
by Shaun Knittel SGN Staff Writer “Yeah.” That was former president Bill Clinton’s answer when asked after a speech at the Campus Progress National Conference for progressive students if he supported Gay marriage July 8. “I personally support people do-
ing what they want to do,” Clinton continued. “I think it’s wrong for someone to stop someone else from doing that [same-sex marriage].” The former president is undoubtedly the highest-profile Democrat to answer in the affirmasee clinton page 19
The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act cleared a key hurdle in the US Senate Thursday night. By a margin of 63-28, the Senate voted for cloture, meaning the measure may be brought up for a final vote. That vote is expected next week, perhaps as early as Monday. All Senate Democrats present voted for cloture. They were joined by five Republicans - Susan Collins (R-ME), Dick Lugar (R-IN), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), and George Voinovich (R-OH). Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA), the original sponsor of the bill, and Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) are ill and did not vote. An amendment offered by Sen.
Memorial to Matthew Shepard at site of his death in Laramie, Wyoming
Sam Brownback (R-KS) stating that the hate crimes bill does not violate the First Amendment was passed. This was regarded as a minor concession to Republicans who have argued that hate crimes legislation unconstitutionally punishes speech. An amendment proposed by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) to "prevent duplication nin the federal government" failed. In a political maneuver worthy of Lyndon Johnson’s tenure as Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Har-
ry Reid (D-NV) attached the hate crimes bill as an amendment to the Defense Department authorization bill on Monday. The defense bill came to the Senate floor Thursday, with the hate crimes provisions were being debated all day and into the night. The legislation had previously been passed by the US House of Representatives on April 29 by a margin of 249-175. Sen. Edward see hate crimes page 4
afp/getty images
Rev. Gene Robinson
by Shaun Knittel SGN Staff Writer With a vote expected to upset world Anglican leaders, the Episcopalians declared Gays and Lesbians eligible for “any ordained ministry” on July 14. The Episcopal General Convention, meeting in Anaheim, California, gave final approval to the measure during a legislative assembly, which takes place once
every three years. In the debates, delegates said they worried about the reaction of other Angelicans, but felt a duty to vote in favor of the measure. The resolution says, “God has called and may call” Gays in committed relationships to “any ordained ministry” in the church. The 77 million-member communion is the third-largest grouping of churches worldwide, behind Roman Catholic and Orthodox
Christian churches. Episcopalians caused an uproar in 2003 when they consecrated the first openly Gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. Since then, the Anglican spiritual leader Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has struggled to prevent a permanent Anglican split. The most recent incident happened last month when breakaway Episcopal conservatives and other like-minded traditionalists formed a rival national province to the Episcopal Church called the Anglican Church in North America. The new body consists of four seceding Episcopal dioceses and is supported by several overseas Anglican leaders who have broken ties with the Episcopal Church. Integrity, an Episcopal Gay advocacy group, said in a statement that the declaration “effectively ends” the temporary prohibition on Gay bishops. For decades, the Episcopalians and Anglicans have debated how to interpret the Bible on homosexuality. Liberals look to the Bible’s social justice teachings on tolerance, while traditionalists believe scripture bans Gay relationships.
by Shaun Knittel SGN Staff Writer
file photo
American Episcopalians vote Massachusetts full ordination to GLBT clergy sues on DOMA
Massachusetts is suing the U.S. government over the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The commonwealth announced July 8 that it is seeking federal benefits for its legally married Gay and Lesbian couples, which the 1996 DOMA status forbids. Massachusetts was the first state to recognize equal marriage rights for samesex couples, granting HRC President Joe Solmonese licenses starting in a few. The commonwealth argues May 2004. Although thousands of same-sex couples that although same-sex couples in have married in Massachusetts Massachusetts pay equal federal and are fully equal under the com- taxes, the state can only receive monwealth’s laws, they are denied funding for such programs as such essentials as equal Social Medicaid and veterans cemeteries Security benefits for surviving spouses, joint tax filing, and equal family and medical leave, to name see doma page 19