Page 24 - Seattle Gay News

We must never stop

Thomas Pitchford: “We all changed history
ghting for equality
and brought marriage equality, not only to

our state, but to our entire nation. That’s the
kind of leadership I am ready to take to Olympia.”
by Thomas Pitchford
and cultural influences fed the psycho-
Special to the SGN
logical turmoil of a mad gunman fight-
ing his own internalized homophobia.
The events that transpired recent- It makes us ask ourselves, How can we
ly with the tragic loss of so many young move forward? And what should we do in
lives in Orlando should cause us each response?
to take pause. Pride this year, here and At yesterday’s Pride Reception, May-
around the world, should be celebrated in or Ed Murray put it best: We must show
their memory. But we cannot let the ac- the world that nothing will stop us from
tions of one disturbed individual keep us celebrating who we are. And no one will
from what we know is rightfully ours.
ever stop us from fighting for what we
When I think back over the past 10 know is right. I hope you are with me
years, I recall some of the best days of my when I say this – I have fought for a long
life. Having spent several of those years time, and I will keep fighting. We owe it
working to build Equal Rights Wash- to ourselves. We owe it to those who fol-
ington, a state organization dedicated to low. And we owe it to the memories of
passing some of the most important le- those lost in Orlando. We will never for-
gal rights our community has achieved, I get you, and we will never stop fighting
know that work was and continues to be for you.
important – because our community is
important. We form relationships, work, Thomas Pitchford is a former staff
pay taxes, celebrate the births of our chil- member and longtime stakeholder with
dren and the children of our friends and Equal Rights Washington, and has
family, and – as of 2012 – we legally mar- served on the National Campaign Board
Thomas Pitchford (left) with ry. We make meaningful contributions of the Victory Fund. He is currently a
his husband Andrew Kamins that enrich our lives and the lives of those candidate for state representative in
have worked tirelessly to around us – and all throughout this im- Washington’ s 43rd District (comprising
improve the quality of life portant week, we celebrate Pride. We are Capitol Hill, the U-District, Montlake,
for LGTBQ people.
proud of how far we have come and how Wallingford, Greenlake, and downtown).
www.ThomasPitchford.com
far we will go on this journey toward so- He can be contacted at www.thom-
cial parity and, ultimately, equity.
aspitchford.com.
Thomas Pitchford
Still, there are those who would seek
to keep us from enjoying the dignity to
which we are entitled. Lately, our Trans
community has been the object of attacks
FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE
from the far Right locally (please vote
43RD DISTRICT DEMOCRAT
NO on I-1515, if it comes to that). Mean-
while, across the country, we have wit-
Paid for by Friends of Thomas Pitchford, POB 51034, Seattle WA 98115
nessed the unthinkable as both religious

This year, Pride matters more than ever

by David Furnish
Pulse itself was founded as an act of love. compassionate response has achieved ex- ever. We must continue to be agents of toler-
Special to the SGN
Barbara Poma opened Pulse 12 years ago to traordinary results. By loving people who ance, compassion, and dignity, even — es-
honor her brother, a Gay man who died of use drugs, instead of denigrating and stig- pecially — in the face of evil.
The unspeakable tragedy in Orlando, in complications from AIDS. She wanted the matizing them, we are more likely to pre- It’s so easy to hate. It’s easy to hate peo-
the midst of Pride Month, has shaken the club to embody the energy of his life and, vent HIV and help people build the lives ple who you don’t really know. It’s easy to
LGBT community to the core. Pride Month more than anything, to serve as a place of they want. By embracing HIV-positive peo- hate people who look different, who pray
is a celebration of who we are and how far love and acceptance for the LGBT commu- ple, we short-circuit the stigma that fuels different, who love different. But we cannot
we’ve come. How can we celebrate after 49 nity. It did that, and more. Pulse became a the epidemic. By loving and ghting for the give into the hate. Differences don’t matter.
of our brothers and sisters were murdered in refuge, a place of community.
rights of undocumented immigrants, or by We’re all human beings. We’re all Orlando.
cold blood? How can we march with tears in shouting with pride that Black Lives Matter That’s the truth we celebrate during Growing up in Toronto, I found solace
our eyes and pain in our hearts?
or that women’s rights are human rights, we Pride Month, and it’s why now, more than and safety in clubs like Pulse and in the
are creating a world where an end to AIDS The attack at the Pulse nightclub is a ever, Pride matters. Hate took the lives of people who gathered there. In certain parts
is possible.
tragic reminder of why Pride matters. It’s a our family and friends. Love is how we must of the United States, community gathering
reminder that the pink triangle was proudly If the success of the Pride movement has honor their memory.
places like Pulse are the only safe spaces
reclaimed by our community from its ori- taught us anything, it’s that the only way to for LGBT people. For that reason, they of-
gin in Hitler’s death camps. It’s a reminder stop the hate, to stop the killing and the dy- ten evolve to serve more than their original David Furnish is chairman of the Elton
that the Pride movement was founded in the ing, is with love, compassion, and respect. purpose. Nightclubs like Pulse become hubs John AIDS Foundation.
wake of Stonewall. It’s a reminder that for We’ve seen, time and again, how compas- for HIV prevention, breast cancer aware-
the past half-century, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexu- sion makes our community stronger and ness, immigrant rights, and LGBT advocacy
al, and Transgender people have responded healthier. That’s why today, in the wake of work.
to violence and hate with unrelenting love.
horrendous tragedy, and every day, we must Particularly in the ght against HIV
press on with our work to show the world Love is the bedrock of our community and AIDS, which is inextricably tied to the
that we are as vibrant, united, and proud as
and the source of our strength and progress.
Pride movement, the LGBT community’s

Interfaith march to end gun violence

by Shaun Knittel
SGN Associate Editor
to the Orlando Pulse Nightclub killing of 49 Sandy Hook Elementary School killings dean of St. Mark's.
people three days earlier by a man who used in Newtown, Connecticut, in which 21 rst Speakers at St. James included Seattle
a semi-automatic assault ri e and handgun.
graders and ve adults were shot to death.
Mayor Ed Murray; Rabbi Daniel Weiner
The bells of St. Mark’s Cathedral rang out
The "Interfaith Prayer Vigil in Solidarity "We refuse to let the epidemic of gun of Temple de Hirsch Sinai; a representative
on the night of June 15, as part of a call to and Hope" marks the second time that Se- violence in the nation become 'business as from the Seattle Muslim community; the
peace and an end to gun violence. Following attle's faith community has marched the 1.4 usual' and the gathering is intended to invite Very Rev. Michael Ryan, pastor of St. James
a prayer service at the Capitol Hill church, miles after an American massacre. The rst the community into its work of mourning Cathedral; and Thomason.
marchers headed down Broadway to St. march between the Episcopal and Catholic while also demanding that our nation do
James Cathedral on First Hill in response
cathedrals took place in late 2012 after the
better," said the Very Rev. Steve Thomason,

24 Seattle Gay News
June 24, 2016
Celebrating 41 Years!