SGN: Seattle Gay News

10/29/2025

10/28/2025

The full Radio SGN interview with Seattle mayoral candidate Katie Wilson is out now!

Check it out on our new YouTube channel (don't forget to subscribe!), and find our written endorsement for candidate Wilson in our SGN Holidays issue out in-print on Oct. 30th 🎃

In preparation for the upcoming Nov. 4th election, SGN Managing Editor Madison Jones interviewed Seattle mayoral candidate Katie Wilson about her policy plat...

10/24/2025

In the spirit of LGBTQIA+ History Month, we are launching a new weekly series entitled: This Day in Seattle Queer History 🏳️‍🌈

Where every Friday, the SGN will pull an issue from our 51 year archive to share the events and issues that were concerning our local communities most at that time, in the hopes past struggles and lessons learned will help the current generation in today's ongoing struggles for Queer liberation.

And on this day October 24th, 1980, the Seattle Queer community was most concerned about an anti-sodomy petition led by SPD officer David Estes, and the 1980 presidential election between Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter.

This issue stands out among others primarily for the worries and points raised regarding the presidential campaign of Ronald Reagan. Several pieces actively try to dissuade readers from supporting Reagan, including a community letter warning to not split the vote for Jimmy Carter by choosing independent candidate John Anderson. The letter also warned against the "Christian Voice" and "Moral Majority" rhetoric of Reagan's campaign.

However, one editorial piece "Is Reagan the One?" by Ralph Quick argues other considerations like Reagan's relationship with Gay members in the film industry, as well as his opposition to the 1978 Briggs Initiative while governor of California that would have allowed, "the power to prosecute/persecute gay teachers who advocated their lifestyle in school and in their private lives."

Other election coverage included an advert from "Gay Vote '80" that encourages the community to vote by warning against an anticipated surge of conservative anti-Gay voters headlined "He Hates Queers". The issue also features a SEAMEC General Election Report rating system, placing candidates on a scale of 0-4 for their support of Gay rights.

WA state democratic gubernatorial candidate Jim McDermott ranked at a 4 on the SEAMEC guide, and his campaign pulled a full page ad in the SGN promising a state executive order to end discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. McDermott would ultimately be defeated by republican candidate John Spellman. And it would not be until 2006 when the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD) (RCW 49.60) finally prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation statewide. An interesting note to reflect on, as this coming November, the US Supreme Court will decide whether to hear a case by Kim Davis to challenge the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision ruling marriage equality federally across the US.

Read this full issue and find our full archive through our Issuu website: https://issuu.com/sgn.org/docs/sgn_october_24_1980

10/17/2025

On Wednesday, the Seattle Education Forum ran an event at Rainier Beach High School to give residents the opportunity to ask pressing questions around the policies affecting K-12 education in the city.

And for a dark time in national politics, the optimism at Rainier Beach certainly was as bright as the library’s fluorescent white lights. In a makeshift space between the two manga aisles, a group of young students welcomed guests to the forum and presented the evening’s subject: the well-being of Seattle’s next generation.

Sixteen candidates running in the upcoming general election, including Bruce Harrell, Katie Wilson, Sara Nelson, and Alexis Mercedes-Rinck, came to answer questions from students and parents alike, and to show their vision for the city’s public schools.

Diverging from the traditional town hall format, the candidates were instead separated into breakout rooms with groups of curious constituents, then rotated through them.

Read the full re-cap of the forum on our website using the link below!

https://www.sgn.org/story/159306/News/Seattle/Harrell%2C%20Wilson%2C%20and%20others%20discuss%20the%20future%20of%20our%20public%20schools%20at%20the%20Seattle%20Education%20Forum

10/14/2025

ANNOUNCEMENT: There are only 10 days left until Nominations are closed for the SGN Best of Seattle '25, add yours now at https://bestof.sgn.org before its too late!

Every year we want to hear from you, our readers about what is the latest and gayest in our city! Whether it’s Best Wedding Venue, Best Boba, Best Drag Queen, or even Best Local TikTok Account, the SGN wants to know what people, places, products, and businesses have the Seattle LGBTQIA+ community buzzing 🔥

Businesses interested in registering can also check out their options too at https://www.sgn.org/bestofseattle

10/14/2025

Happy LGBTQ+ History Month from everyone here on the team at Seattle Gay News!

Today, we celebrate the lesser known “Anita Bryant: Pie to the Face” day when in 1977, infamous anti-LGBT public figure and co-founder of Save the Children Anita Bryant was pied by Gay rights activist Tom Higgins during a press conference in Des Moines, IA 🏳️‍🌈

For those unfamiliar, Anita Bryant was a Miss Oklahoma pageant winner in 1958 and brand ambassador for the Florida Citrus Commission. After embarking on a campaign to strip LGBT+ legal protections in Florida and across the country, Gay rights activists were able to successfully lead an orange juice boycott campaign, making Bryant lose her brand contract in 1980. Her granddaughter Sarah Green also came out as Gay in 2021 and married another woman 👩‍❤️‍👩

10/12/2025

A message from our Publisher, Renee Raketty:

Honestly, I’m a little insulted that Brandi didn’t include the SGN: Seattle Gay News in her black list. We’ve been anti-fascist since before it was a hashtag. ✊ Since 1974, we’ve organized and amplified rallies, marches, and vigils resisting political, physical, and spiritual violence against the LGBTQIA+ community.

For over five decades, we’ve held elected officials accountable, created legislative change, and mobilized our community — so much so that our paper, the third-oldest LGBTQIA+ newspaper in the U.S., is archived at Yale and the Stonewall Museum. The University of Washington even made a traveling exhibit of our history.

So, forgive me if I don’t expect someone so historically challenged — someone who cheers on those repeating past mistakes — to grasp that legacy‼️

If Gender Justice League is “Antifa,” then we ALL are. Because standing up to hate isn’t extremism — it’s survival. And we’ve been doing that since day one. 💅 Take it from someone once called the “leader of Transtifa.” 🤣

Brandi Kruse urges federal action in Seattle on antifa, cites alleged violent acts during a White House roundtable.

10/10/2025

ELECTION ANNOUNCEMENT 📣

The SGN editorial board is proud to announce we have formally endorsed candidate Katie Wilson for the Seattle Mayoral race!

Ms. Wilson’s candidacy comes at a time where our city’s immigrant, LGBTQIA+, and working-class residents continue to face immense inequality and economic hardships.

And at a time when the Trump administration is pulling back federal funding and targeting our most marginalized populations, Seattle more than ever needs a bold, innovative, and progressive leader to enact the necessary policies changes required to make our city safe and thriving for all.

Candidate Wilson came by the SGN Media Lab this morning to answer questions about her life and policy platform, as part of a candidate profile feature for our upcoming Oct. 31st issue (dropping online next week!)

The SGN in the coming weeks and days will also be doing Nov. 4th election coverage, including our full interviews of both Wilson and Mayor Harrell.

Thanks again to both candidates for taking the time to speak with us on the issues, and we look forward to providing y’all more coverage soon~

10/03/2025

ANNOUNCEMENT: SGN Best of Seattle '25 Nominations are now open and running at https://bestof.sgn.org!

Every year we want to hear from you, our readers about what is the latest and gayest in our city! Whether it’s Best Wedding Venue, Best Boba, Best Drag Queen, or even Best Local TikTok Account, the SGN wants to know what people, places, products, and businesses have the Seattle LGBTQIA+ community buzzing 🔥

The SGN: Best Of Seattle 25' ballot will be taking write-in Nominations from Wednesday, October 1st to Friday, October 24th. After that, we’ll tally up the top 3 nominees and move onto the final voting phase!

Businesses interested in registering can also check out their options too at https://www.sgn.org/bestofseattle

We look forward to seeing everyone's submissions in the coming weeks, ciao!

10/03/2025

SGN community assistance needed: furniture request 👇

We are currently in search of a new conference table for our SGN media lab office.

If there are any interested parties in possession of one who would like to kindly donate to us, please reach out via the Facebook comments/DMs below.

In the meantime, keep an eye out on groups like Seattle Buy Nothing. Notifying us of potential opportunities there would also be greatly appreciated!

The SGN can offer to provide payment for moving costs for the table if needed. Thank you all for your continued support!

10/03/2025

On Tuesday September 30th, the Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) held a picket demonstration and rally in front of Seattle Children's Hospital to demand a better labor contract. Organizers cited the need for greater workplace safety, more staffing, and a wage increase.

This event comes two weeks after the hospital's announcement that 350 open positions were to be removed, and 154 employees laid-off in response to federal and state-level funding cuts.

Read our full article on the story here: https://www.sgn.org/story/158780/News/Seattle/Nurses%20picket%20at%20Seattle%20Children%E2%80%99s%20Hospital%20over%20safety%20and%20health%20concerns