Seattle Gay News - Mobile Edition - </span> - Section One - Friday, October 23, 2009

US Supremes take R-71 names case
by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

The names of Washington state voters who signed Referendum 71 petitions will not be released anytime soon.

The US Supreme Court intervened in the case this week, preventing Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed from releasing the names. The vote to keep the names confidential pending a review by the high court was 8 to 1 more
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Historic victory! Hate crimes bill passes Senate, goes to president for signature
by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

As SGN goes to press, the US Senate has passed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

Recognizing Shepard and Byrd - an African American murdered in Jasper, Texas - the legislation adds real or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity to federa more

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Charlene Strong calls for equality and dignity
by Charlene Strong - Special to the SGN

My partner, Kate Fleming, touched thousands of lives with her voice. With astonishing versatility and vivacity, she narrated more than 250 audiobooks as diverse as A Beautiful Mind, Bel Canto and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

Recording these stories in the basement studio of ou more

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GET OUT THE VOTE! Base rallies to approve Ref. 71
by Shaun Knittel - SGN Staff Writer

The time to vote is now. Last week, registered voters from around the state received a General Election voter ballot, and although this is an off-year election, the stakes for LGBT Washingtonians - and some seniors - have never been higher. With the clock ticking and with each calendar day drawi more

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An alarming throwback in Louisiana
by Jennifer Vanasco - SGN Contributing Writer Let me tell you a story.

A Louisiana couple goes to a justice of the peace. They love each other. They want to get married.

The justice of the peace, though, denies them a marriage license.

He says society doesn't accept those kind of marriages. He do more

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Joint statement in response to Louisiana denial of marriage
The following statement was issued today by a coalition of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender equality advocates in response to the refusal by a Louisiana justice of the peace to issue a marriage license to interracial couple in the southeastern part of the state. Keith Bardwell, a justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish, refused to marry Bet more

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Gary Correy
Lawrence Grey
Remembering Gary Correy

Gary died last week from complications on complications. Born and raised in Vancouver, WA, he moved to San Francisco, where he had his first job at the iconic Garden Room at the Palace on Market. Then, as steward on the Matson Lines, when Honolulu to San Francisco was really first-class, he met his more

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Tour de Life: Tough guy
by Beau Burriola - SGN European Correspondent

I stood grimacing in the mirror, biting a pencil and not looking at my hand while I prepared the work area around me. A bottle of whiskey sat on the counter next to a pile of bandages, a set of large scissors, and a bottle of hydrogen peroxide.

Army Medic Beau B more

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SGN exclusive interview:King County Assessor candidate Lloyd Hara
by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

King County Assessor candidate Lloyd Hara may be well-known to voters, but the office he's running for is less so.

'Assessor is not exactly a high-profile office,' he chuckles.

Nevertheless, it's an office that impacts every resident of the county. 'Even renters,' more

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US fundamentalists advise Uganda to 'wipe out' Gays
by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

The East African nation of Uganda is considering new legislation against its LGBT citizens, including prison sentences for 'touching' a person of the same sex, and the death penalty for 'repeat offenders.'

The Anti-Homosexuality Bill, introduced in Uganda's parliament last week, co more

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Former mob hitman declares he's Gay
by Shaun Knittel - SGN Staff Writer

In a scene that seemed as if it were a script from The Sopranos, a mob hitman, Robert Mormando, came out of the closet while being sentenced for his part in the shooting of bagel storeowner Angelo Mugnolo, who survived the attack. Additionally, Mormando shocked veteran Federal Judge Jack We more

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Lesbian student unable to wear tux in yearbook photo
by Shaun Knittel - SGN Staff Writer

Ceara Sturgis, a 17-year-old openly Lesbian honor student, was told by school officials she could not wear a tuxedo in her high school yearbook photo, igniting a discrimination battle that could lead to a Mississippi court room.

According to news reports, everyone at Wesson A more

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Domestic partnership bill for federal workers gets Senate hearing
by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

The US Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held hearings on October 15 on new legislation that would give domestic partners of federal employees the same benefits as married spouses.

Committee Chairman Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) is the prime sponsor of the Do more

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Hope Takes Action to fight HIV with new vaccine
by James Whitely - SGN Contributing Writer

If you've been riding the bus recently or even just walking around Capitol Hill, then Hope Takes Action (HTA) should sound somewhat familiar to you. The ads and flyers with the jock-esque poster boy have been posted around the city for a couple months now. So, what is it?

more

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US Justice Dept will act on anti-Gay bias, official says
by Mike Andrew- SGN Staff Writer

Assistant US Attorney General Tom Perez said on Wednesday, October 14, that the US Justice Department would act against anti-Gay discrimination.

Perez heads the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, the agency charged with investigating and prosecuting discrimination and h more

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National News
by Rex Wockner - SGN Contributing Writer

California recognizes over seven years of Gay marriages from elsewhere
A bill signed October 12 by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger recognizes as fully married any Gay couple in California who got married between April 1, 2001, and November 5, 2008, in a country or state where sam more

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BREAKING NEWS!

The Gay March: A New Generation of Protesters
John Cloud
Time
Washington

The march on Washington that gays staged Sunday on the National Mall drew something like 200,000 people that's a good guess based on conversations with many of the organizers and local authorities, although estimates of Mall crowds are notoriously unreliable. But one number you can more

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Paterson Says Gay Marriage Bill Will Pass in NY
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - New York Gov. David Paterson said Thursday that he expects to sign a same-sex marriage bill into law in the coming weeks.

Paterson said he expects the state Senate to give the measure final legislative approval in weeks ahead and then he will sign it, making New Yo more

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Philip Spooner VIDEO: WWII Veteran Makes Case For Gay Marriage
The Huffington Post
Gazelle Emami

Philip Spooner is a lifetime Republican, World War II veteran and, to everyone's surprise, a gay marriage supporter. The 86-year-old gave a heartfelt speech in support of gay marriage to Maine's Judiciary Committee back in April, and the video has just now become an internet hit.
more

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BEA ARTHUR ESTATE LEAVES 300K TO ALI FORNEY CENTER
October 27, 2009
The Ali Forney Center received a gift of $300,000.00 today from the Estate of legendary actress Bea Arthur.

The Ali Forney Center, the nation's largest organization dedicated to homeless LGBT youth, announced at Bea Arthur's Memorial Service on September 14th that they planned to purchase a more

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Respondents in new UW poll favor Referendum 71 but many undecided in other races
Catherine O'Donnell
University of Washington

Referendum 71, the all-but-marriage measure which is on the November ballot, is likely to meet voters' approval, according to the latest Washington Poll. But the poll also indicates that a good many voters haven't made up their minds regarding the Seattle mayoral race, th more

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by Rex Wockner - SGN Contributing Writer

"I realized that I was, you know, over 60 years old, I grew up at a different time, and I was hung up about the word [marriage]. I had all these Gay friends, I had all these Gay couple friends, and I was hung up about it. And I decided I was wrong. That our society has an interest in coherence and strength and commitment and mutually reinforcing lo more

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