gay news

ENDA Now forum on LGBT justice listens to community
by Shaun Knittel - SGN Staff Writer On March 2, Seattle OUTProtest - a coalition of organizations and individuals committed to fighting for equality for the LGBT community - and LGBT labor organization Pride At Work, held an Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) forum at the Seattle Labor Temple. Upwards of 70 people participated in the event titled "ENDA Now: An Inte

Supreme Court refuses to stop D.C. marriage equality
Licenses now being issued, marriages start March 9 by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer The U.S. Supreme Court announced late on March 2 that it would not prevent the new Washington, D.C. marriage equality law from going into effect, and D.C. authorities began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples on March 3. By noon on March 3, more

Half-million sign petition against Ugandan anti-Gay bill
by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer An online petition urging Uganda's parliament to withdraw its notorious Anti-Homosexual Bill was presented to the Ugandan government on March 1, activists say. The petition, which has collected at least a half-million signatures so far, says: 'To President Museveni of Uganda, Members of the Review Committe

Night FantAsia celebrates 11 years
by Shaun Knittel - SGN Staff Writer Night FantAsia's 2010 February 27 Nijo Bar and Grill On February 27, Erik Bjarne Witzoe, a graphic media and event designer, and Jonathan Mathews, owner of Kwanchai design group, celebrated 11 years of Night FantAsia, a celebration of the Seattle LGBT Asian community. "There is so m

General Gayety: Generously running interference
by Leslie Robinson - SGN Contributing Writer For the first time, the Navy will let women serve on submarines. Personally, I'd sooner serve on a garbage barge than spend months trapped underwater, but I'm sure the idea appeals to some. Submarines are the only class of ship from which women have been barred, so this is a significant change b

Seattle International Women's Day 2010
by Tina Gianoulis - Special to the SGN International Women's Day March and Rally March 6 Powell Barnett Park The year 2010 marks at least two important anniversaries in the modern struggle for women's rights: the 100th official year of International Women's Day and the 10th anniversary of the World March of Women 2000. While both

Studies show disorders rise from discriminatory policies
by Shaun Knittel - SGN Staff Writer A Mailman School of Public Health study examining the effects of institutional discrimination on the psychiatric health of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual individuals found an increase in psychiatric disorders among the LGB population living in states that instituted bans on same-sex marriage. The study, published in the M

Century Ballroom celebrates 13 years dancing on the Hill
by Shaun Knittel - SGN Staff Writer Century Ballroom's 13th Anniversary February 27 OddFellows Building Inside the newly renovated OddFellows Building (915 E. Pine St.) sits a Capitol Hill landmark. For 13 years, Hallie Kuperman's Century Ballroom - with its 2,000 square feet of dance floor, full bar, and old world feel - has be

International News
by Rex Wockner- SGN Contributing Writer Gay marriages start March 9 in D.C. Barring any unexpected success by militant anti-Gay activists, same-sex marriages will begin taking place in Washington, D.C., on March 9. Gay couples can pick up licenses starting March 3 but all couples must wait three business days between obtaining a licen

Anti-Gay law takes effect in Lithuania
by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer A controversial anti-Gay law took effect March 1 in the Baltic nation of Lithuania, sparking speculation that the European Union may intervene to force repeal. According to reports, the law forbids "minors" from receiving any information about any type of sexual relationship, and seeks to protect the "traditional" co

Taiwanese protest anti-Gay government memo
by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer More than 100 protestors gathered outside the Taipei City Government headquarters on March 1, demanding an apology for an anti-Gay memo sent to Taiwan high schools by the Ministry of Education. According to the Taiwan Post newspaper, the ministry had circulated a suggestion by the Taipei City Council Civil Affairs Co

Two Trans women murdered in Turkey
by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer International human rights advocates are calling on the Turkish government to protect its Transgender citizens in the wake of two murders of Trans women in recent weeks. Turkish LGBT group Pembe Hayat (Pink Life), Human Rights Watch, the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, and the European Region o

Two men charged in alleged anti-Gay attack
by Shaun Knittel - SGN Staff Writer King County Prosecutors have filed malicious harassment charges against two men for an alleged anti-Gay attack outside a South Seattle community center. The charges fall under Washington's hate crimes statute and are considered a felony. Charging documents allege Adnan Basher Osman, 22, and Abdinasir Ahmed, 21, attac

Gay rights enter debate over Northrop Grumman's headquarters pick
by Shaun Knittel - SGN Staff Writer Gay advocates and legislators are attempting to discourage Gay-friendly defense Contractor Northrop Grumman Corp. from relocating its headquarters to Virginia, due to the state's lack of protections for Gay and Lesbian workers. On February 25, Gay rights group Equality Virginia obtained a letter from a Maryland sen

Jesse's Journal: Gay pulp fiction
by Jesse Monteagudo - SGN Contributing Writer One of the most important Gay books of the 20th century was Richard Amory's Song of the Loon: A Gay Pastoral in Five Books and an Interlude (Greenleaf Classics). While of doubtful literary value, Song of the Loon made Gay literary history with its explicit depictions of Gay male sex, its positive portrayal of male love