Over 47 years, the Seattle Gay News has covered thousands of stories that still resonate today. This week we look back at Vol. 39, Issue 25, published on June 24, 2011.
Happy Pride 2011
The grand marshal for 2011 was the iconic Armistead Maupin, who told our very own Miryam Gordon"
When the invitation came to participate in Seattle Pride, I jumped at the opportunity. I'm happy I'm speaking at both places, because the library appearance can be more intimate and leisurely. Pride will be more festive, and it's two different types of speaking – talking to a large crowd in a park and in an auditorium – and I enjoy both types.'
Both GLSEN and the Seattle Storm were honored as leaders of the parade, as was the Pridefest director, Egan Orion. And last but not least, our very own publisher and leader, George Bakan, was once again – for the final time – a grand marshal. George had served in that capacity several times over the years, when the parade was on Broadway.
Printing company refuses Gay bar flyer
Happy 10th anniversary to Diesel! Before even opening the bar, owners Mike Reis and Mark Hurst approached Allied Print Media in Kent, which refused the job, claiming it was against their moral code. SGN Associate Editor Shaun Knittel reported:
The flyer is simple enough. The words "Get pumped!" could be considered suggestive, but let's face it – it is a flyer for a Gay bar, after all. The only profanity is "Bad Ass Bartenders" and "No Bullshit Drinks" – again, quite tame by today's standards. The graphic, a cartoon gas station attendant leaning against a gas pump, is the least suggestive part of the flyer.
"The flyer is really non-offensive," Reis said. "There is absolutely nothing sexually suggestive. We put a lot of thought into this. Part of our planning is that we wanted to choose something that would be recognizable and have some class. The Diesel diamond shape and gas pump being looked at as sexually suggestive is preposterous."
In a KING-5 interview, Delaney (he refuses to give his last name for fear of public backlash), the owner of the printing company located in Kent, said, "I personally feel a personal conviction to not violate the personal moral code I have. It's got profanity on it. My kids come to work, they see stuff that daddy's printing."
Delaney said that Sarah Wheeler, the part-time employee who sent the email to Reis, was not authorized to do so. "I feel like my name and my business name is getting dragged through the mud... I would like to apologize to the owners of the establishment. I meant you no harm, those are not my views," said Delaney.
Update: Allied Print Media is still in business as Diesel celebrates its 10th anniversary this summer.
Capitol Hill business targeted
Some things never change, a Capitol Hill Business targeted by a hate group. SGN Associate Editor Shaun Knittel reported:
Justin Brotman, founder, and proprietor of the swanky vitamin and juice bar Healeo (1520 15th Ave.), received a hateful email on June 16 that shocked the businessman, a straight ally of the LGBT community. "I received the email last Thursday afternoon immediately after associating myself with a Seattle Out And Proud executive Jarod Owen," Brotman told the Seattle Gay News. "I don't feel the timing was coincidental, as Jarod is a visible member of the LGBT community and works with an organization that is openly hated by anti-Gay groups."
The email, which referred to Brotman as a "fag loving Healeo owner," read, "You and any other business taking those flags will pay a dear price. God himself will judge you, however I will hurt your life before he can. Healeo will now be tormented through review sites, and I will do what it takes to get you shut down through the city of Seattle. I can get around Yelp filters and the same with Google. You will have so many bad reviews nobody will ever come."
The bigot then delivered Brotman an ultimatum: "I will give you until Saturday to remove any fag flags from your store and then will commence taking you down."
The email ended in a predictable fashion: "God hates fags and he hates you."
Initiative filed to legalize cannabis
SGN Contributing Writer Rahul K. Gairola reported:
On June 22, a panel of diverse state leaders hosted a press conference at the Central Seattle Public Library to sponsor the legalization, taxation, and regulation of cannabis in the state of Washington.
New Approach Washington, a newly formed political action committee, filed an initiative on Wednesday to authorize the Washington State Liquor Control Board to produce and distribute marijuana to state residents 21 and over, as it already does with hard liquor. The revenue generated would go into the state's general fund, as well as local budgets. State Sen. Ed Murray (D-43rd), though absent from the panel, exclusively told the SGN, "It is a common-sense proposal. I support it, but more importantly, it has support across the political spectrum."
The campaign has until December 30 to gather 241,153 signatures to qualify for the ballot. Once the signatures are filed, the legislature will consider the initiative during the 2012 session. If the legislature takes no action, the proposal will be put to state voters in the November 2012 general election/
Update: On November 6, 2012, I-502 (cannabis legalization) was approved by a vote of 55.7% to 44.3%, The state also legalized marriage equality on the same day.
Glitter bomb
Glittering was all the rage in 2011 when Gay activists targeted anti-LGBT politicians with a glitter bomb (certainly not as messy as a pie in the face). Shaun Knittel reported:
The glitterati have struck three different times. The first incident occurred on May 17, as Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich and his wife, Callista, were covered with glitter at a book signing in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Nick Espinosa, the activist behind the glitter stunt, yelled at the former House speaker, "Stop the hate. Stop the anti-Gay politics."
On June 16, the glitter brigade struck again, this time zeroing in on former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty at a personal appearance in San Francisco, California. Like Gingrich, Pawlenty was glittered while at a book signing event. Two activists from CodePunk were the culprits, and as they were being led away, the pair berated Pawlenty for his conservative views on abortion and LGBT rights.
The most recent incident occurred on June 18, when Rachel Lang threw glitter at GOP presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann in Minneapolis. Bachmann glittered after she finished a speech at a conservative conference.
Update: Since then, there have been over 19 incidents from fall 2011 to July 2019. Some of the targets included Karl Rove, Rick Santorum, and Ron Paul. Even Lindsey Lohan and Dan Savage were targeted. With Lohan it was for no apparent reason. With Savage, it happen three times after being labeled, "transphobic." Regarding the final incident in January 2012 in Vancouver, BC, "The group said the bombing was in response to 'ableism, ageism, classism, misogyny, racism, rape-apologism, serophobia, sizeism, transphobia and, oh yeah, that column.'" So there!
Protest and counter-protest
On June 19, hundreds of LGBT counter-protesters and allies showed up at Volunteer Park on the corner of 15th and E. Galer to meet the Westboro Baptist Church in a face-off of love vs. hate. The upbeat crowd came bearing signs (every bit as ridiculous as the WBC's, but much funnier), rainbow flags, and a whole lot of positive energy.
The protesters chanted and waited for the WBC contingent to show. They did not. A WBC no-show is an absolute victory as they were not able to spread their hate at the annual Seattle Out And Proud Pride Picnic.
The triumphant crowd disbanded and went to enjoy the picnic, participate in the WBC counter-protest at the Seattle Slut Walk, or enjoy the rest of their Sunday. WBC got the message loud and clear: You are not welcome in Seattle."
AIDS at 30
One of our special sections was on the 30th anniversary of AIDS. The front page was an SGN cover of one of our first stories on AIDS, from November 18, 1982. In the special section, SGN Contributing Writer Michael Raitt wrote:
Until there is a cure, HIV/AIDS will continue to be a part of our community, and we can take pride in how we support and love the men and women who have HIV/AIDS. We can take pride in knowing we are still a loving, compassionate community that is collectively strong and stands against what is fundamentally wrong, and fights a long, hard battle for what is right!
The urgency and anger about HIV/AIDS is no longer there, yet the need is just as great as it was 30 years ago. Let us not forget. Let us continue to embrace, support, fight, and love well. Let us live what we are most proud of: the qualities that emerged when we stood up during a time of crisis".
SGN Staff Writer Mike Andrew interviewed 26-year HIV/AIDS survivor Rick Hatley on what it was like when he was diagnosed in 1985:
Hatley remembers the generalized fear of the early days of the AIDS epidemic. "I had these really weird bumps on my arms," he said. "All my friends I knew from the street were dying. So my sis said, 'Get those bumps checked out.' I was absolutely one of the first [to be diagnosed]," he recalls. "They didn't even call it AIDS then. They called it something else – I don't remember what it was."
In the media, the term GRID (gay-related immune deficiency) was the common name for the disease in the early '80s. It was also called the 4H disease, after the most at-risk populations: Haitians, homosexuals, hemophiliacs, and heroin users.
[Hatley was] asked about what has changed in 30 years. "Isn't that somethin'," he said. "I'm surprised at the changes. You know, we paved the way for a lot of what the Seattle Gay scene became."
In other news;