The Washington State LGBTQ Commission will host its July public meeting on Friday, July 21^st from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. This meeting will take place at the Whitman College, located at 345 Boyer Ave., Walla Walla, WA 99362. This will be an in-person public meeting with no live broadcast. The public can attend in person and public comments will be received both in person at the meeting or in writing prior to the meeting. If you want to submit public comments, please direct them to Tracey Carlos, Program Manager for the Commission at tracey.carlos@lgbtq.wa.gov.

Please note that the agenda and other materials for the meeting will be made available no later than 24 hours prior to the event through our website here.

Although June is over, Pride Season continues! Throughout the months of July and August, several communities in the state host Pride celebrations, from marches to festivals. We want to share those opportunities with our constituents. Therefore, we will continue to share with you the calendar of Pride events in Washignton in the coming months.

The WA State LGBTQ Commission has curated a calendar of 2SLGBTQIA+ Pride events throughout the state. You can find events in your area by visiting the Calendar Page on our website here.

If you know of an event that is not yet on our calendar, we have created this form which you can use to let us know about any event your agency or community group is planning for this year. Feel free to share this link with agencies around your area who are planning events to celebrate and honor our community.

Commission staff and LGBTQ Commissioners would be delighted to share with our community at Pride events throughout the season. If you want to extend an invitation to the staff or Commissioners to attend your event in an official capacity, please submit your invitation through the Commission’s “Contact Us” page here.

Martha Shelley, who organized the first protest march in New York City after the 1969 Stonewall Riot and helped found the history-changing Gay Liberation Front, will read from her new memoir, We Set the Night on Fire (Chicago Review Press), in the Pink House of the Port Townsend Public Library, 1220 Lawrence St., at 6:30 on August 9^th. Discussion will follow.

The daughter of Jewish refugees and undocumented immigrants in New York City, Martha Shelley grew up during the Red Scare of the late 1940s and 1950s. After coming out at a time when homosexual acts were illegal, she became the public speaker for the New York chapter of the historic lesbian rights group, the Daughters of Bilitis.

Immediately after the beginnings of the Stonewall Riot on June 28, 1969, Shelley seized upon the history-making nature of the rebellion against police brutality and homophobia to organize the first post-Stonewall LGBTQ protest march. That march took place on July 27, 1969. At the same time, she joined with others to found the Gay Liberation Front. Some who were present at the meeting where GLF was born credit her with coining the name of the organization.

As autonomous Gay Liberation Front chapters began to spring up around the United States and abroad, Shelley coproduced the GLF newspaper, Come Out! and played a central role in the Lavender Menace action to confront homophobia in the women’s movement. A poet and novelist, she has authored numerous seminar essays on gay and feminist issues, including "Gay Is Good" and "Notes of a Radical Lesbian.”

Ever the organizer, even as she approaches 80, Shelley will lead a discussion following the book signing. She will ask, “With everything we fought for under attack, where do we go from here? What should be our priorities?” The evening promises to be equally enlightening and productive.

Books will be available for purchase and signing. Due to health concerns, masks are requested.

For those who cannot make the Port Townsend event, Shelley will also present a book reading / signing / discussion in Seattle at Elliott Bay Books, 1521 10^th Ave, on Tuesday August 8 at 7 pm.

SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson offers the following statement in response to the United States Supreme Court’s decision in 303 Creative v. Elenis:

“Today’s Supreme Court decision is a step backward in our nation’s progress toward achieving equality for LGBTQ+ Americans. The decision is deeply harmful, full stop. But it also applies to a very narrow group of purely artistic businesses. The vast majority of Washington businesses — selling goods and services other than custom designed products — must still abide by the clear anti-discrimination mandates in our state. If they don’t, my office will take action.”

Anyone who believes they have been the subject of unlawful discrimination can file a complaint in English or Spanish. For assistance filing a complaint in other languages, call 1-800-551-4636.

Ferguson created the Wing Luke Civil Rights Division in 2015 to protect the rights of all Washingtonians by enforcing state and federal anti-discrimination laws. Ferguson named the division for Wing Luke, who served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Washington in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He went on to become the first person of color elected to the Seattle City Council and the first Asian-American elected to public office in the Pacific Northwest.

----

Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

On June 15, 2020, the Supreme Court issued a decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, which held that “sex” discrimination includes discrimination because of sexual orientation and gender identity. Following that decision, on January 20, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 13988 on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation, directing every federal agency to assess all agency actions taken under federal statutes that prohibit sex discrimination and to fully enforce those statutes to combat discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

In response, on February 11, 2021, the Office of Fair Housing & Equal Opportunity (FHEO) issued a memo, Implementation of Executive Order 13988 on the Enforcement of the Fair Housing Act, directing FHEO to administer and fully enforce the Fair Housing Act to prohibit discrimination because of sexual orientation and gender identity.

These authorities did not create a new protected class within the Act, rather they clarified that the Act’s “sex” discrimination provisions prohibit discrimination because of sexual orientation and gender identity.

To access the toolkit and all the information related to housing discrimination against LGBTQIA+ people, visit this link.

Marginalized communities often face similar challenges, and it is crucial that we work together to address these challenges and find common solutions. We must recognize that our struggles are interconnected and that by fighting against one form of discrimination, we can make progress in addressing others.

At this event, we'll bring together groups from around the region to connect around this common goal. Guest organizations include: AgePRIDE, Lavender Rights Project, WA State LGBTQ Commission, WA State Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander-American Affairs, Seattle Latino Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and more!

Mix & mingle and make brand new connections as you enjoy some delicious complimentary bites and a beverage.

Thursday, July 27, 2023 4:30pm - 6:30pm

Salesforce Roof Deck

Address: 744 N 34th Street, Seattle 98103

Street parking or the pay lots that surround the building in Fremont.

Access to the roof deck will be through the main front entrance of the building and through the elevators in the Main Lobby.

Gender neutral restrooms available.

For more information and registration, visit this link.

Washington is home to vibrant communities and diverse Washingtonians who all have unique talents, skills and experiences. Governor Inslee places a high priority on boards, commissions, and agencies that are reflective of the diverse make-up of Washington and that utilize the impressive talent of Washingtonians. We are always seeking skilled and experienced individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds to participate in boards and commissions ensuring an effective and representative government.

We are excited to share the highlighted Current and Upcoming Gubernatorial Appointment Opportunities.

As someone with deep roots in your respective communities and organizations, we hope that you will share these opportunities.  Anyone interested in being appointed will need to fill out this Application.  Please explore the Boards and Commissions Profiles if you are interested in learning more about the many opportunities to get involved!

Thank you for your assistance in helping Governor Inslee find well-rounded candidates with significant talent and diverse experiences. Please feel free to reach out to Boards and Commissions staff with any questions you might have.  Thank you for your time.