Issue 42 Volume 38
Celebrating 37 Years!
FRIDAY October 15, 2010 FREE! 25¢ in bookstores & news stands
The 2010 Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival see Section 2 for full reviews of featured films &
festival highlights!
Seattle Gay News SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
Federal judge stops Belgrade Pride attacked as antiDADT enforcement Gay protesters battle 5,000 police by Andy Harley Courtesy of UK Gay News
There was tight security at the October 10 Belgrade Pride – the first since 2001, which saw participants violently attacked by farright homophobic elements. And the result was that Gay Pride went ahead peacefully, with some 1,000 taking part in the march through a small part of the centre of the Serbian capital. However, there were violent clashes elsewhere in the city. The undisputed stars of the show were the reported 5,000 police officers who kept the anti-Gay protesters from the far-right wing – and mostly young men – at least two blocks away from the march. It was apparent that the protesters took no notice of government appeals for no violence as the police came under attack from the thugs who hurled petrol bombs, bottles, and bricks. And the police retaliated with tear gas to disperse attackers. Early reports say that at least 40 police officers were injured – one of them seriously. The figure was later put at 124 police officers and 17 rioters. All told,
uk gay news
gavel grab
U.S. military to stop enforcing the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy – putting, for now, an end to the ban on openly Gay troops. The judge, a Clinton appointee based in the Central District of California, previously ruled that the policy violated servicemembers’ Fifth Amendment rights to due process and freedom of speech, but had delayed issuing the injunction. “The act known as ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ infringes the fundaJudge Virginia Phillips mental rights of by Shaun Knittel the United States servicemembers SGN Associate Editor and prospective servicemembers and violates (a) the substanOn October 12, U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips ordered the see dadt page 19
Belgrade Pride
207 people were detained by the three security checks in the space police, with 100 remanded into of some 750 meters. Such was the custody for violent behavior and security. looting. The protesters, who had plasGetting to the area where Pride was staged required going through see belgrade page 20
Six political races to watch “We give a damn!” Entertainers send clear message
cyndilauper.com
counties now have all mail-in voting. Pierce County still maintains in-person poll sites. To be counted, mail-in ballots must be postmarked on or before election day, November 2. While all races are important, and many of them will be hotly contested, these six are especially by Shaun Knittel important to the LGBT commu- SGN Associate Editor nity’s political future. Get informed. Get inPatty Murray vs volved. Give a damn! That’s Dino Rossi, U.S. Senate the message that Cyndi LauDemocratic incumbent Senator per and a number of celebriPatty Murray is the co-sponsor of a ties are spreading in a new number of LGBT rights measures campaign to help support – including the Military Readiness LGBT equality. Enhancement Act to repeal Don’t The Give a Damn CamAsk Don’t Tell, and ENDA (the paign is a project of the True Employment Non-Discrimination Colors Fund, founded by Act). Cyndi Lauper. The True ColMurray also co-sponsored the ors Fund works to inspire and Matthew Shepard and James Byrd engage everyone, especially Jr. Hate Crimes Act in 2009, and the straight community, to has consistently voted to fund fed- get involved in the advanceCyndi Lauper is an outspoken eral HIV/AIDS programs. ment of LGBT equality. As supporter of LGBT issues. Her Republican opponent, Dino an advocate for more than Rossi, says Don’t Ask Don’t Tell 25 years, Cyndi has worked Issues”: workplace discrimination, “seems to have been working,” to bring her straight peers on board hate crimes, military, marriage, so he sees no need to repeal it. He in support of equality. As she says, youth suicide, school safety, youth has not yet revealed his position on “If one of us is not equal, none of homelessness, older adults, faith, ENDA or other pro-Gay legislation us are.” parenting, health care, and immibeing considered by the Senate. The multi-media project, con- gration. His record as a state senator sisting of video messages by ceUnder each Damn Issues tab on might be instructive, however. lebrities and tools for the Gay the website, users can read about In the state senate, Rossi co- community and their allies to un- the issue, get important informaderstand and “give a damn” about tion on the topic, and, most imLGBT equality issues, is very ensee races page 20 gaging. The site lists the “Damn see entertainers page 21
file photos
Democratic Senator Patty Murray (l) and Republican Dino Rossi will be squaring off in the race for Washington state senator.
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer As Washington voters begin filling out their ballots this week, the stakes are high. One of Washington’s U.S. Senate seats is up for election, as are all nine of its U.S. House seats. All 98 members of the state House are up for election, and 25 of the 49 state Senate seats. A swing of seven state Senate seats and 13 state House seats
would shift control of the legislature from the Democratic Party to the Republicans. In addition, three state Supreme Court Justices are up for reelection. All of them voted against marriage equality in the Andersen case, but only one of them will have an opponent in the election. According to King County Elections, general election ballots will be mailed to the state’s voters starting October 13. Thirty-eight of Washington’s 39
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