September 09, 2015
A star-studded cast of performers raise money for HIV/AIDS awareness, education, and services
in Turnabout for TIHAN TUCSON -- Miss Gay Tucson America 2015 Bianca Solei appeared in the Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network’s Turnabout for TIHAN Sunday where she performed Kylie Minogue’s “Crystallize.”
Issue 1598
Emcees Tempest and Janee’ toast marriage equality at Turnabout for TIHAN
Solei was among both group and individual performers joining Tucson’s LGBTQ and allied community including: Diva, NLAAD, Nevaeh McKenzie, IBT’s Bar+Food, SAGA, Tucson Pride, MusicalMayhem Cabaret, and Don’t Blink Burlesque who participated. TIHAN executive director, Scott Blades presented the Stonewall Award to Paula Aboud. See pix on pages 6, 7 and 12.
Inside If people can ignore laws because they believe they want to, no law will stand Page 3
150 intolerant students protest transgender locker room use Page 4
Bus driver ain’t going near the rainbow bus Page 8
Getting into gardening: It’s never too late Page 5
#FreeKimDavis catches fire -and burns the ones who lit it Page 9
Protesters want sex workers welcomed into 21st century Page 10
Judge upholds 'show your papers' part of Russell Pearce immigration law PHOENIX -- A U.S. District Court judge last week upheld the "show your papers" part of SB 1070, Arizona's controversial 2010 immigration law. Judge Susan Bolton said immigration-rights activists failed to convince her that police might enforce the law differently for Latinos than for other groups. There was a time when people in the South insisted Jim Crow promoted equality between whites and blacks, too. Had no tether to the real world, but that's what they claimed. Russell Pearce, who championed the bill in the Legislature and became the first sitting state Senate president in U.S. history to get his buttocks recalled by the voters -- largely because of such antiimmigrant asshattery -- talked as if Bolton's conclusion were inevitable. "She made it very clear the law was written very carefully not to be a race issue. It's not a racial law," Pearce said. That is to say: If it don't say "wetback" in there somewheres, how can anybody say it's aimed at one group? Courts already threw out some sections of the law, including a provision for chargContinued on page 10
OBSERVER STAFF Over the Labor Day weekend Janee’ Star (left) and Tempest DuJour (right) emceed Tucson Interfaith HIV/ AIDS Network’s 19th annual Turnabout for TIHAN -- a benefit show in support of HIV/ AIDS awareness, education, and services.
“Through the years, this little drag show has raised more than $223,000 for TIHAN’s AIDS education programs and support our support services for people living with HIV/ AIDS, “ said executive director, Scott Blades. Members of Tucson’s LG-
BTQ and allied businesses and non-profit groups donned their finest clothes, wigs, and makeup to raise thousands of dollars for a great cause. Check out pages 6, 7 and 12 for pix of this fun and inspirational evening.
Court makes history by granting U.S. asylum to trans Mexican woman OBSERVER STAFF LOS ANGELES -- The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals granted asylum to an undocumented trans Mexican woman last week -- a first, according to The Advocate. Edin Carey AvendanoHernández even has a felony record for drunken driving, which caused the Board of Immigration Appeals to reject her request earlier. The appeals court ruled that must be granted asylum because "more likely than not" she would be tortured if she returned to Mexico. Judge Jacqueline Nguyen also blasted immigration officials for housing AvendanoHernández in a male cell block even though she has lived as a woman for 10 years and takes female hormones.
Edin Carey Avendano-Hernández was housed in a male cell block even though she has lived as a woman for 10 years and takes female hormones.
The ruling by the court's three-judge panel calls out the transphobia of the immigration judge who initially considered Avendano-Hernández's plea for asylum, maintaining that the judge "failed to recognize the difference between gender identity and sexual orientation, refusing to allow the use of female pronouns because she considered Avendano-Hernández to be 'still male.' "
Avendano-Hernández entered the U.S. in 2000, claiming to have been raped and assaulted by her relatives. The appeals court considered her drunken-driving problem to be a result of trauma from the abuse she suffered as a trans person. Nguyen was the first Vietnamese-American appointed a federal judge. President Obama nominated her in 2009.