Tag Archives: lgbtq

City dusts off plan for nude zone in Denny Blaine in court battle to keep park open

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The city’s Denny Blaine Park “nude zone” proposal

(Image: Denny Blaine Park for All)

The City of Seattle has dusted off its old proposal to create a nude zone at Denny Blaine Park as it filed a court-ordered “plan of abatement” for addressing complaints of illegal sexual activity in the ongoing lawsuit brought by a group of neighbors and property owners over the popular nude beach.

The plan filed Monday in King County Superior Court includes five elements including 1) “Limiting the portion of the Park that is clothing optional to the area of the Park least visible from residences” 2) “Establishing visual barriers to separate the clothing optional area of the Park” 3) “Installing clearly marked signage throughout the Park and at its entrances stating Park rules” and 4) “Implementing a substantial increase in staffing of Park Rangers and/or Seattle Parks and Recreation staff at the Park.”

As for 5), final element would focus on how best to police the new rules “using a progressive discretionary enforcement approach, which may include educating, warning, and citing individuals who do not comply with Park rules and, where necessary, requesting assistance from law enforcement to address criminal activity such as sexual criminal lewd conduct.” Continue reading →

Group proposes plan including park rangers and new signs to keep Denny Blaine open — and nude

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The Friends of Denny BlaineĀ community group is calling on the city to adopt its proposed “abatement plan” for meeting a court ordered-deadline to address complaints of nudity and sexual activity at the popular LGBTQ nude beach.

The proposal includes a plan that would add Seattle Park Rangers to Denny Blaine as well as new signage and a ban on “repeat offenders” who have violated public sex laws.

“The appearance of neglect, or the perception that Denny Blaine is a secret place far from the public eye, contributes to a handful of bad actors who behave as though the park exists in the Cityā€™s blind spot,” the group’s proposed plan reads. “Stating clearly that the City is aware of nudity and has expectations for how it can occur in the Park rejects those ideas, and deters the behavior that stems from them.” Continue reading →

‘Plan of abatement’ — Judge orders city to address reported criminal activity he says makes nudity in Denny Blaine Park ‘a public nuisance’

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(Image: Seattle Parks)

A King County judge won’t close Denny Blaine Park but he does want the city to come up with a “plan of abatement” to address complaints of drug use, masturbation, and sex at the popular nude beach on the shores of Lake Washington east of Capitol Hill.

Superior Court Judge Samuel Chung issued the order Monday in a hearing over a bidĀ from theĀ Denny Blaine for All neighbor group to immediately close the park to the public. The group has mounted an ongoing legal fight over the park that is being defended as an important gathering space by queer and nudist communities. Continue reading →

Seattle defends queer nude beach against legal bid to close Denny Blaine Park — ‘Nudity alone at Denny Blaine is also not a nuisance’

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Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison is a champion of nudity in Denny Blaine Park.

In the city’s response to a June legal thrust from the Denny Blaine for All neighbor group to immediately close the park to the public, Davis has told the King County Superior Court that the popular hangout on the shores of Lake Washington east of Capitol Hill should remain open and free.

“Allowing Denny Blaine Park to continue as a nude queer space has social utility,” Davison writes.

“Nudity is subject to City regulation, and the City has determined that not regulating public nudity at Denny Blaine is in the public interest. Based on this decision, nudity alone at Denny Blaine is also not a nuisance.” Continue reading →

‘TALENT WANTED!Ā  All acts, all humans’ — Capitol Hill’s Roxy Doll remembered

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Roxy Doll

The Capitol Hill club community is remembering an icon who helped give countless Seattle performers their first shot.

Word has spread about the sad passing of Capitol Hill’s Roxy Doll.

“TALENT WANTED!Ā  All acts, all humans welcome for our fabulous weekly variety show & talent contest!,” one of Doll’s show calls last year read.

“Come join Seattle Drag Icon Roxy Doll at Neighbours Nightclub!” Continue reading →

Under New Ownership: First, Pride, then new life and new memories at The Cuff

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First, Cuff Pride Fest (Image: The Cuff)

Scott Walent lived in San Francisco for 15 years where he worked to fill the city’s nights as a promoter and co-owned the music venue Rickshaw Stop. He gave it up to move to Seattle in 2018 to build his career.

Seven years and a lot of nights later, Walent is an owner again, the holder of the keys to The Cuff Complex, the Capitol Hill leather bar that has been a backbone of Seattle’s queer scene for more than 30 years.

ā€œIā€™m really focused on providing a range of music types and party types. Weā€™re really focusing on having the gambit as far as we have in the queer community,ā€ Walent tells CHS.

CHS reported here on Walent’s spring acquisition of The Cuff as theĀ Queer/BarĀ family of Capitol Hill businesses decided to spin off the 13th Ave leather hangout to an owner who could focus on the historic gay bar’s unique place in the city’s queer nightlife scene.

Queer/Bar nightlife veteran and co-founder Joey Burgess is still on hand to help guide The Cuff this Pride weekend through its major Cuff Pride Fest street party but, after that, Walent is ready to move forward in reshaping The Cuff on his own.

There will be changes. And expansions. Walent said heā€™s working to produce a Girlā€™s Night Out event so lesbians, queers and allies can also feel welcome at The Cuff, adding how heā€™s ā€œmaking sure that itā€™s not just the typical gay bar.ā€ Based on the mix of people heā€™s seen at The Cuff, Walent is excited to give this new effort a try. Continue reading →

2025 Capitol Hill Pride Weekend: Trans Pride in Volunteer Park, PrideFest on Broadway

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This weekend, there will be Pride celebrations across Capitol Hill even as challenges in Seattle, across the nation, and around the world cast their shadows. Two major celebrations will lead the way as Friday’s Trans Pride Seattle rally and party again fills Volunteer Park and Saturday’s PrideFest Capitol Hill spans five blocks of Broadway, Denny, and Cal Anderson Park. Both events are free to attend.

  • FRIDAY — TRANS PRIDE SEATTLE — 5 – 10 PM VOLUNTEER PARK: Friday’s event runs from 5 to 10 PM and will fill the Volunteer Park amphitheater stage with speakers and performers: Now in our twelfth year, Trans Pride Seattle stands as a radiant testament, honoring and carrying the torch of our Transcestors who originated Pride as a means of both resistance and cultural communion. We gather here in celebration of Trans life. To be Trans is to be powerful. In each of us is the power that comes from dreaming, from forging new paths, from becoming. We are not bound by the limitations of what is, but illuminated by the infinite possibilities of what we can create. What profound gifts we bring to this world. Our celebration is survival and our survival is celebration. We gather here in vibrant defiance of the violence, dehumanization, and political attacks on our lives. We gather because we dare to imagineā€”and demandā€”a world where all people can live truly, safely, and freely. Trans Pride is not just a festival. It is a declaration: We are divine. We are powerful. We are the past, the present, and the future. We are unstoppable. More: transprideseattle.org Continue reading →

After skirmishes ‘on the frontlines at Denny Blaine, Cal Anderson, and recent events at City Hall,’ the Pride flag flies above Seattle

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(Image: City of Seattle)

City officials and community leaders gathered at Seattle City Hall this weekend to again raise the colors of the Pride flag above the city.

This June’s Pride celebrations come amid a rush of recent challenges to the city’s queer communities.

Jaelynn Scott of Capitol Hill’s Lavender Rights Project acknowledged “the leadership of the young people who were on the frontlines at Denny Blaine, Cal Anderson, and recent events at City Hall” in celebrating the flag raising event. “We are so proud of you,” Scott said to the assembled crowd. “Our liberation will be led by this movement of youth right now.”

Saturday’s ceremony follows political attacks on Seattle and Mayor Bruce Harrell over the city’s handling of Christian fundamentalist and anti-trans rallies that have provoked counter-protests and demonstrations on Capitol Hill and at City Hall. Continue reading →

A *way* better use for Capitol Hill Parks — Pride starts next week with Cal Anderson clean-up, Volunteer Park celebration

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A better use for Capitol Hill’s parks will be here next week as Pride celebrations begin across Seattle. Saturday brings the start of the 2025 festivities with the annual Pride in the Park party in Volunteer Park:

SeattleĀ Pride in the ParkĀ is back and louder than ever onĀ Saturday, June 7, from noon to 7 p.m. at VolunteerĀ Park!

This free, family-friendly LGBTQIA2S+ event brings together community, culture, and celebration with: Continue reading →

Seattle Police says will pause ‘directed patrols’ at Denny Blaine, OPA investigating — UPDATE

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(Image: Seattle Parks)

The Seattle Police Department tells CHS it is pausing “directed patrols” at Denny Blaine Park in the wake of outcry of its enforcements efforts around nudity at the popular nude beach.

A spokesperson for the department responded Wednesday as city officials including Mayor Bruce Harrell weighed in on the concerns raised by the weekend police and the park’s longtime use as a nude beach the community.

SPD tells CHS the incident has also been referred to the Office of Police Accountability following a public complaint about the department and officer actions.

CHS reported here on SPD’s clearance of sunbathers from the park Sunday and reported threats of trespass to one park goer who initially refused.

City officials made it clear this week they were not going to stand behind the department on the issue. Continue reading →