Gay Pride Seattle 2008

I got to meet Governor Gregoire!

Well if 20 feet away in a car driving by counts! She waved at me and I got video! ;)

I also saw all of the Seattle city council members. Each riding a segway and wear a t-shirt that said 5 make policy, 9 make a parade.

They were followed by several politicians running for office. Most of whom were walking next to the crowd, shaking our hands and wishing us Happy Pride! For some reason that had a profound affect on me. But it made me wonder why some of the others weren't doing the same!

Some of the costumes were wonderful artwork. There was a lot of energy and no protestors (I was in the last few blocks of the parade route).

It was a hot day for Seattle both in temperature and in excitment.

I'm working on a video and hope to have it finished later today.

Happy Pride to all!

Seattle area HIV-infected man accused of having unrotected sex

by Ian Demsky
The News Tribune

Lakewood police arrested a 29-year-old on man Thursday on a bench warrant charging him with engaging in unprotected sex after lying about his HIV status.

Ruben Gutierrez of Lakewood faces one count of first-degree assault with sexual motivation, a high-level felony that qualifies as a strike under Washington’s three-strikes-and-you’re-out law.

According to charging documents, two men made a report at the Lakewood Police Department last June after one tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

full article

Join Governor Gregoire at the Seattle Gay Pride Parade

Sunday, June 29th at 11AM Seattle will celebrate Gay Pride.

While at the Pride Parade keep an eye out for the Grand Marshall’s vehicle and you’ll see Governor Chris Gregoire.

Evidently the parade was a bit long last year and will be limited to 2 ½ hours this year.

Hopefully a recording of the Pride Parade will be televised for those of you unable to attend (last year 2 hours of the parade was televised). Maybe one year it will be live!

Visit the Out & Proud website for more information regarding the parade.

Teacher's tussle jeopardizes job

by Margo Hoffman
The Federal Way Mirror
Washington

Despite his victory in court, one of Federal Way High School’s beloved teachers continues to fight for his job.

David Vinson, an openly gay man, has been a Federal Way School District teacher for 20 years and was recently head of the Cambridge program at Federal Way High School.

Vinson has been on paid administrative leave for the past year, stemming from an incident where he got into a verbal altercation with a former student last May at a Taco Time restaurant in Federal Way.

Daniel Baral, one of Vinson’s students, and Carter Brossard, another student, both have spoken out in support of Vinson.

The students said they tried to speak at a Federal Way School Board meeting but Superintendent Tom Murphy pulled them aside and clarified that the school board’s rules prohibited them from speaking on personnel issues.

“He’s won his case and he should have already come back,” Baral said. “I just feel like he should be teaching here because he would be doing a great job if he was teaching here, and the whole school loves him.”

full article

Washington: Evergreen State College Queer Pride Celebration

Olympia:

Start: Apr 21 2008 - 5:00pm
End: Apr 25 2008 - 9:00pm

Monday, April 21st
Queer Organization Potluck -5:00 to 8:00 PM - TESC Longhouse Come share yummy food while you mingle and smooze with queer organizations. Open to everyone.

Tuesday, April 22nd
Silvia Behrend - 5:00 PM - SEM II A2107 "Soul and Gender: The Dance Towards Wholeness"

Wednesday, April 23rd
Free HIV testing! - 12:00 to 6:00 PM - SEM II A2109 provided by UCAN
EQA meeting - 3:00 to 4:00 - SEM II C2107 - Discussion subject: PRIDE: what does it mean? Do we still need pride celebrations?
Lesbian Safer Sex Workshop - 5:30 PM - Lecture hall 2 by Planned Parenthood of Olympia

Thursday, April 24th
Speakers panel - 6:00 to 8:00 - CAB 3rd floor Solarium (Student Activities) "How to Queer Activism"

Friday, April 25th
Actor Slash Model - 2:00 PM - Lecture Hall 2 "Through both music and film Actor Slash Model addresses issues of gender identity, gender performance and politics, a sex positive ideal, and the art making process. As a filmmaking duo, Actor Slash Model is currently producing a documentary chronicling gender identity and performance as it surrounds musicianship." Co-sponsored with STAR
Film: Quinceanera - 7:00 -in the HCC - FREE MOVIE!!! "Magdalena is 14 and anxiously awaiting her 15th birthday where she'll celebrate her quinceanara. Her world starts to crumble when she discovers her pregnancy after not being able to fit in her gown for her quinceanara. Soon, she's kicked out of her home, abandoned by her family, and abandoned by her baby's father. Magdalena is then taken in by her great-granduncle, Tomas and her gay, often-in-trouble cousin, Carlos. There she finds a new family and life." Co-sponsored by Housing and the RA's

(via PFLAG Olympia)

The Evergreen State College map and directions

Middle School students walk out due to violence

By Kaitlin Manry
Herald Writer


WASHINGTON: For a week, Totem Middle School students met after class in the library, posted messages on MySpace and whispered conversations in the hall. They made signs, painted T-shirts and circulated petitions.

When the clock hit 10:40 a.m. Wednesday, they were ready.

They walked out.

Around 200 students risked suspension and broke school rules to demand more discipline.

"The students that have been committing these offenses have been doing them multiple times and the most they get is a two- or three-day suspension," said eighth-grader Farrah Wolgamott, who helped organize the protest. "We don't really feel safe because they don't get expelled. We think people are going to bring it to the next level and bring guns and knives to school."

Gail Miller, assistant superintendent of the Marysville School District, said she can't remember another time when students asked for more discipline.

With eight fights, February was a difficult month for Totem, she said. However, the school only had one fight in January. The district's other middle schools also had more fights last month and Miller thinks the increase probably has a lot to do with the time of year.

"I think students recognize they can get a better education," said Ty Reed, a math teacher and the school's Associated Student Body adviser. "They just need the environment to get it. The constantly disruptive students have interfered."

After the protest, Principal Judy Albertson agreed to meet for bi-weekly breakfasts with students to discuss violence and discipline, but Miller said little else may change as a result of the protest. The students who participated in the rally will face punishment, she said.

full article

WASHINGTON: 170 new rights for Gay and lesbian couples

OLYMPIA, WA: Gay and lesbian couples were brought one step closer to same-sex marriage Tuesday when the Legislature voted to extend 170 new rights to them, adding to groundwork begun last year with the passage of domestic partnership rights.

The Senate passed House Bill 3104, proposed by Rep. Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, by 29-20 along a mostly party-line vote.

The bill grants same-sex couples additional rights -- including the ability to share bank accounts, the right to hold common property and immunity from testifying against one's partner in court. Divorce rights -- including child-custody provisions -- were also granted.

Republicans decried the bill for whittling away at the institution of marriage, saying the deterioration of marriage between a man and a woman would lead to a rise in crime, juvenile delinquency and parents working long hours.

This year's measure increasing the number of partnership rights is part of a strategy to incrementally step toward, someday, granting full marriage rights to gay and lesbian and couples.

A February Elway poll found that 55 percent of Washingtonians supported extending more domestic partnership rights to gay and lesbian couples.

full article

Seattle: 12th Gay/Lesbian film festival is largest ever

Two more theaters (Central Cinema, SIFF Cinema) and plenty more films have been added to the ever-expanding Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival. The 12th-annual edition kicks off Friday night at the Cinerama with the Seattle premiere of Paul Schrader's sassy whodunit, "The Walker."

For complete schedule and info, go to 2007.seattlequeerfilm.org or call 206-323-4274.