Seattle Gay News - Mobile Edition - - Section One - Friday, July 6 2012

Vigil for Texas shooting victims inspires community
by James Whitely - SGN Staff Writer

On June 29, approximately 250 people gathered at Cal Anderson Park in Capitol Hill to hold a vigil in memory of Mollie Olgin, who was shot to death in Texas on June 23, and in support of her girlfriend, Mary Kristene Chapa, who survived the attack. Chapa remains hospitalized, but has regained consciousness and is communicating. Mon more
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Obama administration asks Supreme Court to review DOMA
by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

The federal Department of Justice has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review two DOMA cases, Golinski v. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and Massachusetts v. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

'[T]he Solicitor General today filed in the Supreme Court of the Unit more

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Murray tops list of pro-Gay senators
by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

Democrat Patty Murray of Washington state has tied for first place on a list of pro-LGBT U.S. senators prepared by ThnkProgress.org.

'Any time you're recognized for going out and fighting for your constituents it's nice,' Murray said in a statement to SGN. 'But the truth is, i more

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Approve R-74 center opens on Capitol Hill
by James Whitely - SGN Staff Writer

On July 3, Washington United for Marriage, the coalition working to defend Washington's bipartisan marriage law by approving Referendum 74, opened a high-visibility 'action center' on East Pike Street in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood.

The center is housed in the new sp more

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Microsoft bigwigs donate $200k for marriage equality

Washington United for Marriage welcomes ongoing corporate support
by Shaun Knittel - SGN Associate Editor

On June 29, Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer and co-founder Bill Gates each donated $100,000 to Washington United for Marriage, the campaign supporting the state's new marriage equality law, which faces a referendum vote in November.

Washington United reported the contr more

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SCS launches female-identified addiction recovery group
by Shaun Knittel - SGN Associate Editor

Donna Dover, a mental health and addiction services therapist at Seattle Counseling Service (SCS), has started a new support group for female-identified people in recovery from addiction.

Groups for women in recovery are limited in society as a whole, and groups for LBTQ wo more

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Guest editorial: Now is the time to make history
by Kris Hermanns - Special to the SGN

Four months from now, Washingtonians will have the chance to stand up for full equality and make history by defending marriage equality at the ballot box in November. It can be a victory that resonates for generations to come and pushes the entire nation over the tipping point toward a cult more

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The Pink and Black strike back
No arrests in protest of Pride weekend 'dance party' bust
by James Whitely - SGN Staff Writer

More than 100 protesters took to the streets of Capitol Hill on the evening of Friday, June 29, to protest the Seattle Police Department's (SPD) recent handling of the Pride weekend 'Queer street dance party,' where officers arrested six people and deployed pepper spray. Many of the same peop more

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Rep. Smith introduces bill for equal military spouse benefits
by Shaun Knittel - SGN Associate Editor

A bill has been introduced in Congress that would provide full military benefits to the same-sex spouses and children of Lesbian and Gay military servicemembers.

On June 28, U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the ranking Democratic member of the House Armed Services Commit more

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State Department launches text donation campaign for global LGBT rights
by Shaun Knittel - SGN Associate Editor

Americans now have an easy way to help foster LGBT civil rights worldwide, thanks to a new initiative by the U.S. State Department. Text donations to the mGive International Response Equality Fund will help to further programs and initiatives aimed at advancing human rights and fosteri more

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Swedish man acquitted of rape because victim was Transgender
by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

A judge in Orebro, Sweden, has acquitted a man of rape charges because the victim was a Transgender woman.

Judge Dan Sjöstedt threw out the charge against the 61-year-old defendant, saying the case against him was 'invalid' because the victim was not actually female.
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Havana 'kiss-in' takes an anti-Castro turn
by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

LGBT activists in Havana staged a kiss-in June 28 in advance of Cuba's second annual Pride march, and charged the Cuban government with failing to comply with their international treaty obligations on human rights.

The 'Kiss-In for Diversity and Equality' at the Ramon Fonst spor more

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Marriage equality by 2013, French leader says
by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault says Gay and Lesbian couples will get equal marriage and adoption rights as of 2013. Ayrault made the promise as part of a major speech to Parliament on July 3 outlining his government's goals for its five-year term.

'In the first half o more

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General Gayety: Auf Wiedersehen, 'little hero'
by Leslie Robinson - SGN Contributing Writer

I'm appalled that I'd never heard of Gad Beck. Not only was he an important figure in LGBT history, he was a hoot.

Until his recent death, just shy of his 89th birthday, Beck was the last known Gay Jewish survivor of the Holocaust. Also a resistance fighter, Beck's more

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FDA approves home HIV test
by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

For the first time ever, the federal Food and Drug Administration has approved over-the-counter sales of an at-home HIV test. A Canadian study published in January demonstrated that the test, made by OraSure Technologies, is accurate, and a committee of independent experts assembled by the FDA more

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New 'Quad' HIV med safe and effective, study says
by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

A new four-in-one HIV pill, or Quad, has been proven safe and effective, according to a new study published in the Lancet medical journal.

The new medication is designed to be taken once daily and may become an 'important new treatment option,' the study says.

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Pride Events Calendar
VICTORIA PRIDE
On Sunday, July 8, Victoria's annual Pride Parade steps off from Pandora St. and Government St. in downtown Victoria at noon, traveling down Government St. to Belleville St., down Belleville St. past the Legislature, to Menzies St., Kingston St., and Oswego St. to MacDonald Park (Oswego and Simcoe Sts.) for the Pride Fe more

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National News
sorry, not in this edition more

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BREAKING NEWS!

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Police release sketch of suspect in Texas shooting
by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

Police have released a sketch of a possible suspect in the shooting of a young Lesbian couple in Portland, Texas, a suburb of Corpus Christi.

Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, was shot in the neck and died at the scene. Mary Kristene Chapa, 18, was shot in the head but survived and is more

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Gay Rights Leader Lets Arkansas Roots Take the Reins
By JEANNIE NUSS Associated Press

Chad Griffin could have spent his first official day heading the country's largest and most influential gay rights group anywhere: in Washington, where he cut his teeth working for President Bill Clinton, or California, where he spearheaded a legal challenge to the state's same-sex marriage ban more

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Toward a Supreme Court Showdown
Six federal courts have ruled on the Defense of Marriage Act and reached the same conclusion: the 1996 law violates the Constitution by denying same-sex couples, who are legally married under state law, federal benefits afforded to heterosexual couples for no good reason. The issue has now officially landed at the Supreme Court.

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SEATTLE MUFFIN TOPS
AND SEATTLE FATCATS
EXHIBITION SOFTBALL GAME
TO BENEFIT LAMBERT HOUSE
On Saturday, June 4, at 2 p.m. (the field opens at 1 p.m.) at the Bobby Morris Playfield at Cal Anderson Park (1635 11t more

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