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stage door

Door County offers a wealth of concerts and theater events this summer.

page 27

the voice of progress for Wisconsin’s LgBt community

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June 27, 2013 Vol. 4, No. 17

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page 6

Photo: CharLes DharaPak/aP

Wisconsin

michael

natives

Knaapen,

left, and his husband

John Becker, right,

embrace outside the supreme court in Washington on June 26 after the court struck down a fed- eral provision deny-

ing beneﬁts to legally

married gay couples.

politically queer

One of the state’s most generous equality allies,

Chris Abele deﬁes labels and stereotypes

By Louis Weisberg

Staff writer

a progressive Democrat who’s willing to relationship as I can with whoever’s in the deal with Republican leaders on behalf of majority, so I can get things done for the
Milwaukee County Executive Chris his constituents. In fact, he actually talks to county,” he says.

Abele – millionaire, philanthropist and Gov. Scott Walker.

Once upon a time, in an America that

“In my current job as county execu- seems far away, Abele’s bipartisan, prag-

proud LGBT ally – is that oddest of ducks

onWisconsin’s current political scene. He’s tive, it’s kind of my job to have as good a

aBeLe page 20

The last of three special issues

Wausau holds

ﬁrst-ever

Pride march

Obama presents

plan to ﬁght global

warming

celebrating
LGBT Pride Month!

page 4

page 8

page 23

WisconsingaZette.com | Ju ne 27, 2 013

2

By Lisa Neff & Louis Weisberg

WiGWAG

News with a twist

vroom, vroom at the vatican

Get your motor running.…Tens of thousands of Harley-Davidson bikers gathered in Rome in midwarmer feelings speech at the Faith and Free- ing protests at the country’s a bawdy “May they never than cats.About dom Coalition conference, most beloved sporting event, meet!” – has long been a 81 percent of took a contrary position and Le Tour de France, which part of naval culture. It’s voters say they said the “good old boys” in begins June 29 in Corsica and one of the seven traditional either “like” or the Grand Old Party can’t ends July 21 on the Champs- toasts delivered over dinner “love” dogs. Just quiet the conservative base. Elysees in Paris. Someone’s for each day of the week, in

June for a blessing from Pope 3 percent are afraid of dogs, “Just let them tell us to sit pedaling in the wrong gear.

Francis, who arrived at the 2 percent are allergic, 10 down and shut up,” Palin said, this case on Saturday. The Tuesday night toast to “our

men” has also been updated

company’s 110th anniversary percent are indifferent and “which I refuse to do.”

celebration standing in an 4 percent think “they should

no grooms

Claude Binaud, mayor of to “our sailors.” The milithe southwestern French tary said the toast was being open-top Jeep^®. AP report- all live in the woods.” So that getting even?

Photo: httP://www eLC aNDigato.Com

ed that thundering Harley thing with Seamus the Dog

A San Francisco gay rights town of Matha, is among his updated to “reﬂect cultural

morris the cat.

engines drowned out the probably really hurt Mitt blogger has pleaded no con- country’s anti-gay protest- changes” in the navy, which “Our Father,” but things qui- Romney’s campaign. eted when the pontiff began the Mass in St.Peter’s Square. prieBus’ Bigger test to disorderly conduct ers. He recently refused to has included female sailors after taking a photograph marry a local man and his for more than two decades. of gay District Supervi- partner, in violation of the

purrfect poLitician

Morris the Cat – El Can- Francis spoke both to the tent

sor Scott Wiener in a City law. He qualiﬁed his refus- Being true

digato Morris – is running bikers and to the thousands

Wisconsin’s Reince Prie- Hall toilet last October and al, however, by saying that

American Apparel marked

for mayor in Xalapa, a city in of Catholics gathered for a bus, Republican National posting it on his blog.Michael he “might marry two girls” LGBT Pride Month with a eastern Mexico where vot- two-day anti-abortion rally. Committee chairman, Petrelis snapped the picture because “they can have chil- new line of T-shirts created ers are weary – and wary The pope did not attend recently urged the conser- to protest Wiener’s support dren.” – of human politicians. The the gay Pride march that vatives gathered for the for an ordinance banning in partnership with GLAAD.

It’s not the ﬁrst time that the

Los Angeles-based clothing

black-and-white kitty has a weekend.

slogan, “Tired of Voting for Rats? Vote for a Cat.” There in the dog are other animals running for house
Faith and Freedom Coalition public nudity. Conference to embrace the

updated toast

Britain’s Royal Navy says retailer has taken such a pub-

it is dropping the traditional lic pro-gay stance. American

party’s efforts to broaden road rage

support by at least appearing

Ultra-right

extrem- sailors’ toast to “our wives Apparel ﬁrst began printing

ofﬁce in 14 states in the July

In the United States, a to be more tolerant on big ists continue to challenge and sweethearts” and replac- its “Legalize Gay” shirts to
7 elections, including Chon survey by Public Policy Poll- issues like immigration and France’s new marriage equal- ing the timeworn language protest passage of Califorthe Donkey in the border ing ﬁnds that 20 percent gay marriage.

city of Ciudad Juarez, Tina of voters prefer to spend

ity law.They recently demon- with a gender-neutral refer- nia’s Prop 8 in 2008 and strated at the French Open. ence to “our families.” The has since handed out over the Chicken in Tepic, and time with their pets over paLin’s pup tent And now the extremists practice of toasting “our 50,000 of the shirts at Pride Tintan the Dog in Oaxaca people. The poll also shows Former Alaska Gov. Sarah think they can win support wives and sweethearts” – rallies and other events.

City.

that dogs seem to engender Palin, delivering the closing for discrimination by stag- occasionally followed with

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WisconsingaZette.com | Ju ne 27, 2 013

4

Wausau overcomes confusion, stages march for equality

from Wig reports

said they had nothing to do with it and that
About 300 people rallied to celebrate Bouvier was a fraud. They disputed his Web

LGBT Pride on June 22 in Wausau in what biography describing him as a millionaire was billed as the “ﬁrst-ever” gay Pride march philanthropist.

in the city’s history.They walked from Marathon Park to the 400 Block park in down- WiG, said Bouvier listed him as a contact to town Wausau.

“mess with my relationship with my ﬁancé.”

One of the men, in a phone interview with
Daily Herald Media described the event as He described Bouvier’s claims about himself festive and said it was almost “anti-climactic as “outrageous.” after plans for a different gay Pride march were canceled.”
According to his Web biography, “Daxx Bouvier resides in Beverly Hills, CA and
Advertisements of a Pride celebration Granite Peak,WI born in June(year unknown) began circulating in the spring, catching the adopted at the young age of 4, world traveller attention of Wisconsin’s Christian right lead- and philanthropist, best known for his lavish ers and, for different reasons, also drawing parties and support of animal rights with a concern from Wisconsin’s LGBT community. net worth estimated at $60 million dollars The right denounced the celebration of gay working on his memoirs and creating his own Pride, while community activists questioned fragrance as well. No occupation history.”

the identity of the parade organizer and the

validity of the event.
Local activist Shannon Thomas said she feared a scam against the community. So

Photo: samaNtha mastertoN

A pink ﬂyer circulating in Wausau and an she began organizing the March for Equality,

ad posted on Craigslist announced a Pride mostly on Facebook.

parade would take place on June 22.

Celebrants at the March for Equality, Wausau’s ﬁrst LGBT Pride event.

By June 20, the Pride parade promoted one elected ofﬁcial.

complained, “Our experience with homo-

In early June, City Hall conﬁrmed that by Bouvier had been canceled but Thomas’

At a city meeting,Wausau Ald. David Nut- sexual parades is that they’re nothing more someone had ﬁled paperwork to hold the march was on. A statement on the March ting called gays “deviant-behaving individuals” than a display of immorality and propaganda.” parade and a festival, but the individual wasn’t for Equality page on Facebook read,“PLEASE and encouraged people to turn their backs Daxx Bouvier, the man identiﬁed in various make sure everyone and their grandmother on the parade.
The statement did not provide the details of Appling’s “experience” with “homosexual

press reports as the founder of the event. knows the March for Equality is still on,

And, in an action alert to members, Wis- parades.”

City ofﬁcials also said that proof of insurance and we welcome all! We have a message to consin FamilyAction president JulaineAppling

had not been provided and the necessary fee deliver, and we will NOT cancel the march, was not paid. Meanwhile, the two men listed as contacts no matter what.” Meanwhile,Pride plans were drawing harsh

stevens point adopts

in the Craigslist ad promoting the parade criticism from the Christian right and at least

domestic partner beneﬁts

Following the vote, Halvorson said the policy would make the city more competitive

Staff writer

Stevens Point City Council recently voted in attracting top-notch workers and send a

9-2 to extend health care beneﬁts to the message that Stevens Point is an inclusive

domestic partners of city workers. The move came after Fair Wisconsin community.
“The City of Stevens Point is accepting of approached Mayor Andrew Halvorson and who you are, for what you are and it doesn’t asked for his help in enacting the policy,which matter and that, I think is the best message a growing number of government entities and and probably in essence, one of the proudbusinesses in the state have already adopted. est moments that I have as a mayor and I’m The original proposal applied only to same- representing a community that sends those sex couples but the plan was amended to messages and that to me is very important,” include heterosexual couples. The city esti- Halverson said.

mates that the cost of offering the beneﬁts

“This decision marks another important will be “minimal.”

Benefits on next page

WisconsingaZette.com | Ju ne 27, 2 013

5

Wisconsin supreme court to hear right-wing challenge to domestic partner registry law

Staff writer

ruling stand, said FW executive same-sex couples to marry in that in Wisconsin confers more than director Katie Belanger.
Some unusual circumstances surstate. In Michigan, Senate Demo- 200 rights and protections to het- round the proceedings. Two of the
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has decided to review a challenge the court would review the case the state’s anti-gay marriage ban.

The June 12 announcement that crats have proposed overturning erosexual couples.

High Court’s conservative justices

Two-parent adoptions by people have long been rumored to be

to the state’s domestic partner was vague, failing to include an

Gay and lesbian couples have of the same sex is illegal in Wis- gay. Plaintiff Julaine Appling, who

registry.

explanation for the review or state been able to marry in Iowa since consin.

heads Wisconsin Family Action, has

The registry grants same-sex if and when the court might hear April 2009, when that state’s couples only a handful of basic legal arguments or render a decision.
Right-wing justices, who have never married and has lived for
Supreme Court ruled that denying consistently supported positions decades with another never-marrights. But members of the fundamentalist Christian/corporate-right line is,” Belanger said. “They could groupWisconsin Family Action ﬁled review it and still dismiss the case.” Doyle signed Wisconsin’s partner consin Supreme Court. The Walka lawsuit in 2010 alleging that it The decision to review the case registry into law. The registry pro- er administration and Wisconsin early to tell what the next step is or nonetheless violates a 2006 consti- comes at a time of rapid social and vides 43 basic rights, such as the Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen when it will be taken.”
“We don’t know what the time- them the right was unconstitutional. taken by the state’s GOP and Gov. ried woman.The two own a home
That same year, then-Gov. Jim Scott Walker, dominate the Wis- jointly in Watertown.
Belanger said,“It’s a little bit too

tutional amendment banning same- legal momentum for the issue. All ability to inherit a partner’s estate have refused to defend the regis-

But she said the bottom line

sex marriage or anything substan- of Wisconsin’s neighboring states in the absence of a will, hospital try law, calling it unconstitutional. is that the registry’s legal defense

tially similar.

have moved forward in some way visitation, and the ability to access Court watchers wonder if right- team has a strong case and will

Last December, the 4th District on marriage equality, and the U.S. family medical leave to care for a wing political afﬁliations will inﬂu- continue to pursue it.” Court of Appeals upheld the reg- Supreme Court issued two land- sick partner. By contrast, marriage ence the case. istry, citing a number of rights that mark rulings on mar-