A.V. Eichenbaum
(They/Them)
As seen in:
Seattle Gay News
Covers:
LGBTQ+, Op-Ed, Philosophy, Crime, Politics, Comedy, Reviews
Writer • Podcaster • Professional Creative |
Bookseller & Barista @couthbuzzard | Former Editor-in-chief @seattlegaynews
Articles by A.V. Eichenbaum
International News Highlights - June 23, 2023
Home News International International News Highlights — June 23, 2023 by A.V. Eichenbaum, SGN Editor-in-Chief Friday June 23, 2023 Estonia legalizes same sex marriage Estonia became the first central European country to legalize same sex marriage on Tuesday, June 20. The bill received 55 of 101 votes in the Estonian parliament. Prime Minister Kaja Kallas indicated to Reuters that she considered the law to be an indication of development and growth since Estonia's time in the Soviet Union.
Letter from the Editor
Dear Reader, I was having a smoke outside the SGN office the other day. It's a terrible habit, I know, but it gives me space to think. Sitting there, blowing smoke out of my nose, I watched as one of our neighbors took the time to trim and water the roses growing in a nearby roundabout — a task she did with great care that gray morning, a task we both knew she didn't have to do. One person went out of their way to tend to something that brightened their community.
International News Highlights - June 16, 2023
Home News International International News Highlights — June 16, 2023 by A.V. Eichenbaum, SGN Editor-in-Chief Friday June 16, 2023 Divisions widen in global Anglican Church over Queer rights Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, acknowledged a "deep disagreement" among the 42 provinces of the Anglican Church over LGBTQ+ rights and expressed "grief and dismay" over the Ugandan branch of the church's support of the country's brutal new laws against what Ugandan officials call "aggravated...
International News Highlights - June 9, 2023
Home News International International News Highlights — June 9, 2023 by A.V. Eichenbaum, SGN Editor-in-Chief Friday June 9, 2023 Thousands march in Jerusalem Pride parade Thousands of people marched in Jerusalem's Pride parade on Thursday, June 1. The march was the conservative city's first under Israel's current nationalist, far-right government. Prime Minister Netanyahu was openly jeered during the march, according to the Associated Press, though he has promised to protect LGBT+ rights.
International News Highlights - June 2, 2023
Home News International International News Highlights — June 2, 2023 by A.V. Eichenbaum, SGN Editor-in-Chief Friday June 2, 2023 Uganda passes world's harshest anti-LGBTQ laws, causes international backlash Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signed anti-LGBTQ legislation into law on May 29 that includes the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality" and for "serial offenders." The law also includes a 20-year sentence for promoting homosexuality.
Heartfelt Monstrous Regiment will put a smile on your face
In a country at war on a world balanced precariously atop four elephants resting on a spacefaring turtle, a small group of misfit soldiers battle impossible odds, institutional incompetence, and irrational gender stereotypes. And one of them's a troll. If this sounds like a good time, you're in luck. Monstrous Regiment has what you crave.
International News Highlights - May 26, 2023
Home News International International News Highlights — May 26, 2023 by A.V. Eichenbaum, SGN Editor-in-Chief Friday May 26, 2023 Slovakia to vote on banning legal recognition of Trans people In what is being called by EU activists a "modern-day Jewish star," Slovakia's parliament is set to vote to allow Trans citizens to change their gender on documents only after taking a genetic test to prove their gender has been "wrongly identified." Trans people would be able to change their given names...
International News Highlights - May 19, 2023
Home News International International News Highlights — May 19, 2023 by A.V. Eichenbaum, SGN Editor-in-Chief Friday May 19, 2023 Chinese government pressure shutters Beijing LGBT Center The Beijing LGBT Center, an activist group that also hosted a safe space for members of the Queer community in China, announced its closure on Monday, May 15, in the midst of a "crackdown by Chinese leader Xi Jinping's government," according to the Associated Press.
International News Highlights - May 12, 2023
Home News International International News Highlights — May 12, 2023 by A.V. Eichenbaum, SGN Editor-in-Chief Friday May 12, 2023 Russian court fines Google for "LGBT propaganda" A Russian court fined Google three million rubles (roughly $39,000) on Thursday, May 11, saying the company failed to remove YouTube videos that promote "LGBT propaganda" and "false information" about the war in Ukraine.
Hogwarts Legacy comes under fire for Trans NPC
Home Arts & Entertainment Games Hogwarts Legacy comes under fire for Trans NPC by A.V. Eichenbaum, SGN Editor-in-Chief Friday February 10, 2023 Noted transphobe J.K. Rowling returned to the spotlight ahead of the launch of Hogwarts Legacy, a videogame set in Harry Potter universe, when developers of the game introduced a Trans NPC named Sirona Ryan. Sirona is the first Trans character introduced to the Wizarding World.
Cops kill Queer activist in Atlanta
On social media, the activist was lauded by friends and comrades as being kind, calm, and positive. After their death, members of the community submitted memories of them for the vigil, some of which were posted @stopcopcity on Instagram. "I remember Tortuguita as one of the softest and most generous people in the woods," reads one post.
Buying chocolate for strangers: A final conversation with polyamory rights activist Erez Benari
By the time this article goes to print, its subject will have shed this mortal coil. Erez Benari, former Microsoft engineer, journalist, co-founder of MENSA Israel, and active member of the Seattle area's LGBTQ+ and polyamorous communities, was ill. Ongoing struggles with diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and chronic kidney disease caused him many months of pain. He chose to end his life by way of euthanasia, surrounded by his loving partners, on Sunday, November 6. Benari spoke with me on November 4.
Crashing through the lavender ceiling: Election day sees historic wins for LGBTQ+ candidates nationwide
In California, Robert Garcia secured a victory in the state's 42nd congressional district, and will be the country's first out Gay immigrant to join Congress. Iowa elected Liz Bennett, a Queer woman who currently serves in the state's House of Representatives, to the Iowa State Senate. Arizona elected their first out Lesbian Latina, Patricia Contreras to their state's House of Representatives.
A human virus, not a Gay virus: Community leaders convene to address MPV misinformation, course of action
Representatives of Seattle's LGBTQ+ community met with state government officials at the LGBTQ Center on Wednesday, August 3, to address growing concerns about the monkeypox virus (MPV) and the harmful misinformation being spread about its transmission nationwide. "Today was an opportunity to bring people together, and also to hear and listen to conversations and concerns that are in multiple communities," Washington's secretary of health, Dr. Umair Shah, told the SGN.
Beat the heat!: Five simple solutions for dealing with the increasingly deadly summer situation
Creeping thyme All of these options are more sustainable and more beneficial to you and yours in the long run When done correctly, they're also more inviting and, in my opinion, more beautiful than your average Kentucky Blue or Bermuda grass plugs. Creeping thyme smells amazing on a summer evening, to boot. Fight apathy The catalyst for this op-ed was a sponsored press release regarding that hummus shortage I mentioned earlier.
Seahawks-sponsored summit promotes solidarity in LGBTQ+ sports & business
Day 2: Down to business The shorter of the two days began with a business-and-education-oriented talk centered around gender identity, proper conduct, and biases, followed by two panels and a tour of Lumen Field. The first panel focused on the LGBTQ+ experience in sports, with speakers Rabecka Salisbury of Rainbow City Softball; the director of DEI for Cascade Flag Football, Bella Bowman, CHEER Seattle board member Beau Bradley; and the executive director of US Quidditch, Mary Kimball.
"The world will hold Russia accountable" - White House, global leaders react to Russian invasion of Ukraine
Russian forces invaded Kyiv, Ukraine February 24, 2022. The military strike, which at press time has resulted in at least 40 civilian deaths, has been met with outrage, dismay, and economic sanctions against the Russian government from world leaders. "Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its Allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way," said President Biden in a press statement directly after the attack.
GSBA announces new president & CEO
The GSBA announced December 16 that its search for a president and CEO is finally over. Michael Soto, formerly the executive director of Equality Arizona, will be taking over the mantle in February of 2022. The statement comes over a year after Louise Chernin, who held the position for 19 years, publicly declared her retirement. "We are thrilled to have Michael joining GSBA as our new President & CEO," said Jay Petterson, the GSBA board chair, in a press release email.
"Do something": An interview with Dina Martina
For years the enigmatic, surreal, and chaotic Dina Martina has graced Seattle's stages during the holiday season to the delight and bewilderment of theatergoers. Her annual Christmas show, a whirlwind of wordplay, pageantry, song, and yuletide pandemonium, has become a world-renowned phenomenon. Photo by David Belisle Martina agreed to a quick Q&A with the Seattle Gay News for our 2021 Holiday Special Issue.
Search for the Soul of Seattle: Autumn in the Emerald City
There's a part of me — maybe the same part that revels in gritty dime-store pulps — that clings to sadness like it's a warm raincoat in a storm. I often find myself ruminating on the isolation of living in a city whose culture is so different from my home's, a city where I have very few close friends, a city where the sky closes in on you in the dead of night and doesn't let you up for air for months at a time. I've found comfort and protection deep in my own low-level misery.
9/11/2021: A lifetime in the aftermath of tragedy
I was six years old when the Twin Towers fell. It was a formative memory for me. Watched it on TV. People jumping out of a flaming building on the other side of the country. I saw fear and confusion tighten their grasp on the adults around me. I remember a classmate, Lauren something, in tears the next day. When someone asked her what was wrong, she just said, "The terrorists ruined my birthday." We didn't know. We were kids.
See Alaska right! A week aboard UnCruise's Wilderness Adventurer
"Look over there!" Jill, the woman who became one of my regular mealtime companions aboard the Wilderness Adventurer, was pointing out the window of the van. "Bald eagles!" Wes, our driver, shrugged. "Yeah, probably about 30 or 40. They're trash birds." I blinked. "What?" "They're trash birds! Y'know, scavengers. They eat scraps.
Search for the Soul of Seattle: Sports? Sure.
Seattle has the most pretentious NHL team and it's been less than a week. From their website: "In Seattle, we welcome voyagers. Our port city brings legends from all over the world. We cross boundless oceans and dense wilderness, finding beasts along the way. These legends are home to this rugged coastal wonderland with a name etched on Lord Stanley." Yeah, whatever, nerds.
SGN :: Pride in action
Dear readers, We don't celebrate Pride because soulless corporations slap a rainbow on their logo and say it's that time of year again. We celebrate because in Greenwich village in 1969, a group of LGBTQ+ activists and allies led by Trans women of color decided enough was enough. The message from the Stonewall Riots was clear. In the face of adversity, together we rise. We should be proud of who we are and how far we've come. Seattle is a diverse, everchanging city.
On looking forward
Dear readers, Seattle Gay News was founded in 1977. George Bakan was at the helm of the paper from 1983 until his death in 2020. I was born in 1995. Worse, I was born in California in 1995. I am very much an outsider when it comes to the history and culture of the SGN, but here I am, having stumbled accidentally into a position of authority once held by a giant. I didn't know George. Those who did have a lot of opinions on the man, but they all agree on one thing: He was a fighter.
Search for the Soul of Seattle: The mountains are out
Sun from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. That's what I love about summer in the Pacific Northwest. Tourists flock from all over the globe to cram Pike Place Market. The smell of sunscreen and salt and freshly cut grass floats out into the city. A sense of adventure spreads among Seattleites, who finally put those hiking shoes to good use on trips out to the surrounding mountains and woodlands.
Search for the Soul of Seattle: The Quiet Spots
In the '60s, a man named John B. Calhoun ran a series of experiments in which he built insular "mouse cities" to test the psychological stresses of overpopulation and city living. In the beginning, some mice would fight and form social groupings to protect resources, despite the clear abundance of food and water.
Search for the Soul of Seattle: Just a nice day
A warm 65 degrees near Cal Anderson. Nobody ever talks about how beautiful Seattle is this time of year. Don't tell the outsiders that every day is nearly perfect for meandering, hands in pockets, trying to fight writers' block. If anyone bothers you while you're staring deep into the middle distance, just tell them you're a writer. I've had two panhandlers apologize today alone. One offered me a dollar.
Search for the Soul of Seattle: The Center of the Universe
My favorite diner is in Fremont. Roxy's touts an "East Coast on the West Coast" ethos, and the lox is no joke. The service is always friendly, the place lively on a Sunday morning. They've got the best bagels in the city — and I'm more than willing to die on that hill. It's the perfect spot for an anxious, misplaced Jew lost in my own thoughts as I stare at the large mug of black coffee — almost as dark as the chipped black nail polish on my hand gripping it for dear life.
Search for the Soul of Seattle: Homecoming
I flew home last weekend. I needed to get out of Seattle and clear my head, so I booked a last- minute flight to California and spent four days in Santa Cruz with the people I care about most. Thank God for pandemic pricing. It had been over a year since I'd visited — partially for financial reasons, partially because I've been trying to escape who I used to be there: a walking nicotine addiction with a penchant for chaos, an explosion of paisley, absinthe, and broken hearts.
You don’t have to be fine.
If I see one more ad that starts with “In these unprecedented times,” I’m gonna puke. Or, maybe I’m a little hungover this morning. It’s probably both. These falsely reassuring narratives that corporations sell us are driving me up the wall, at any rate. “We’re all in this together,” they tell us. “We’re okay. You’re okay. And that’s why you should buy more Coca-cola.
Love Thy Neighbor (From a Distance): A statement on the value of loneliness
Quarantine sure gives you a hell of a lot of time to think. I was quarantined in my apartment for two weeks with all of the symptoms of COVID-19 and absolutely no way to verify I had it. Waves of crushing loneliness and complete calm washed over me like the tides. I took to admiring and appreciating what sunlight I could in between fever dreams and coughing fits. Whatever it was, the illness was miserable, and I thought I was going to kiss my asthmatic, anxiety-filled life goodbye.
Meet Your Downstairs Neighbors: The Goofball Supergroup that Rocks Eastlake
If you’re walking on Roanoke right around sunset, there’s a chance you might hear something unexpected. High energy, raucous guitar finds its way through the cracks of a closed garage door. The seed for Eastlake-based band Your Downstairs Neighbors was sown when Alexander Standish James struck up a fast friendship with Brennan Mackay – from the trunk of his car.
Eastlake’s Little Free Libraries act as Beacons of Hope in Tremulous Times
You’ve seen them around, I’m sure. Little colorful boxes on sticks, crammed full of books and charm. There are quite a few in and around Eastlake. The Little Free Libraries in this neighborhood hide in plain sight, waiting for the curious bookworm or passerby to open their doors and peek inside. There’s no big secret, scandal, or controversy surrounding these minuscule fonts of fiction. They just are.
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