A NEW VIEW Comeback Cougars

Cedar Rapids Kennedy

FilmScene opens new venue with rallies from big deficits
screening of ‘Downton Abbey’ to beat Prairie, 35-28
Top Stories, 3A Sports, 1B

Eastern Iowa’s independent, employee-owned newspaper

Saturday, September 21, 2019 www.thegazette.com $2.00

HOPEFULS PLEDGE UI reopens

inquiry
LGBTQ POLICIES of abuse
against
its band
Reversal comes as Hawkeye
Marching Band members
go public with brutal details
By Vanessa Miller, The Gazette

IOWA CITY — After earlier

closing an investigation into
reports of verbal, physical and
sexual abuse directed against
the Hawkeye Marching Band
last weekend at a football
rivalry in Ames, University
of Iowa administrators an-
nounced Friday they have re-
opened their inquiry following
an outcry from band members
who went public with detailed
allegations.
“The communication on
social media made it clear we
had not shared enough in-
formation with our students
about the steps the univer-
sity has taken to address the
concerns raised by members
of our marching band,” UI
spokeswoman Jeneane Beck
told The Gazette in an email
Friday.
“Student safety is our num-
ber one priority and we are
Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette committed to ensuring a safe
People hold signs Friday along First Avenue at the LGBTQ Presidential Forum on the Coe College campus in northeast Cedar Rapids. The forum, which experience on game day for
brought together 10 Democratic presidential hopefuls, was hosted by The Gazette, The Advocate, GLAAD and One Iowa. For more photos, see page 8A and our students,” she said. “Ad-
a gallery at thegazette.com. ditionally we are continuing
our investigation to ensure all
of our students have the ability

Forum in C.R. airs Crowd welcomes to share their experiences with

the appropriate authorities.”
Deputy Athletics Director
LGBTQ discussion Barbara Burke and UI School

largely ignored issues They have their favorites but mainly

of Music Director Tammie
Walker sent a joint message
to Hawkeye Marching Band
members Friday afternoon
White House hopefuls stress damage President Trump has glad to have issues addressed expressing “unconditional
done by revoking the executive support” following a “difficult”
ties with LGBTQ voters orders” of the Obama adminis- By Molly Duffy and Grace King, The Gazette week.
tration, former Vice President And they said UI President
By James Q. Lynch and Rod Boshart, Joe Biden said at an LGBTQ CEDAR RAPIDS — The audience at Bruce Harreld, Iowa State
Gazette Des Moines Bureau Presidential Forum held in Cedar the LGBTQ Forum on Friday was eager University President Wendy
Rapids. to hear 10 presidential candidates answer Wintersteen and University of
Though there have been nu- questions on violence against trans wom- Northern Iowa President Mark
CEDAR RAPIDS — Ten Demo- merous group gatherings of en, the military ban on trans soldiers Nook are “each committed to
cratic presidential hopefuls prom- Democratic candidates, this one and youth conversion therapy — issues discussing and adopting a uni-
ised Friday to reverse policies of was significant as the “first ever many said have been ignored during the form safety protocol prior to
the Trump administration they presidential forum focused spe- debates so far. next season.”
said discriminate against LGBTQ cifically on LGBTQ issues in the “It’s been such a painful two years, The message came after
people and to instead support Heartland, and the largest num- with ongoing destruction toward our The Gazette and other media
policies to protect them on the ber of presidential candidates to lives,” said Denise Hagerla, 47, of John- reported accounts from band
job, in the military, housing and ever gather and speak directly ston, who identifies as lesbian and gender members that they experi-
health care. enced racial slurs, verbal and
“No. 1, I would undo all the ;; FORUM, PAGE 9A ;; LGBTQ, PAGE 9A physical sexual harassment
and assault, shoves that sent
one woman to the hospital, and
thrown objects leaving lasting
bruises during last weekend’s
Cy-Hawk rivalry.
“It got really bad,” said
Paige Pearson, 20, a UI junior
who has played trumpet in the
band for three years and was
in the thick of it during the
Sept. 14 rain-delayed football
game at ISU.
“It was the fans,” Pearson
told The Gazette in an inter-
view. “The Iowa State band
has been nothing but kind.
They’ve reached out to us and
said sorry this happened. It
was not even the students, but
adult fans.”
The specific accounts from
band members come in stark
Saturday contrast to generalized state-
ments about bad fan behavior
Liz Martin photos/The Gazette from the universities’ athletic
ABOVE: Audience members applaud Angelica Ross during the LGBTQ Presidential Forum on directors, and to assurances
Friday in Cedar Rapids. LEFT: Karamo Brown laughs as he dances with Angelica Ross on stage. ;; BAND, PAGE 11A
© 2019 The Gazette

• BUSINESS 380���������������������������� 12A • DEAR ABBY��������������������������������� 14B • LOTTERIES���������������������������������� 10A • SPORTS � ���������������������������������������� 1B
VOL. 137 NO. 255
• CLASSIFIEDS � �������������������������������� 9B • DEATHS��������������������������������������� 10A • PUZZLES������������������������������������� 14B • TV � ����������������������������������������������� 13B
© 2019 The Gazette
• COMICS��������������������������������������� 14A • LIVING������������������������������������������� 7B • RIVER LEVELS����������������������������� 13B • WEATHER������������������������������������ 13B
 Saturday, September 21, 2019 ● The Gazette 9A

Forum/‘This means a lot to us’

;; FROM PAGE 1A prosecuting hate crimes.
She promised to get the
to LGBTQ people,” said One Equality Act passed in the first
Iowa Executive Director Dan year of her presidency and to
Royer. One Iowa, The Gazette, appoint a secretary of educa-
The Advocate and GLAAD tion who would protect the
sponsored the forum at Coe rights of transgender students
College that attracted some to stop bullying, eliminate
750 people, as well as people conversion therapy and invest
around the nation watching in mental health to include
the livestream online. serving LGBTQ people.
All the Democratic candi- America is a “country of
dates actively campaigning in shared dreams,” she said.
Iowa were invited to attend; “No matter who you love, you
10 did. should be able to do what you
The last presidential candi- want and achieve the things
date forum to address lesbian, you want to achieve.”
gay, bisexual, transgender and Massachusetts U.S. Sen.
queer issues was in 2008, said Elizabeth Warren began
Drew Anderson of GLAAD, by reading a list of 18 trans
and those issues received little women of color who have been
attention in 2016. killed so far this year.
“So this means a lot to us,” “Equality is far off for many
he said. people in this country,” she
It was an important op- said. “The cost of inequal-
portunity for the candidates ity for trans people has now
to make their case directly to reached a moment of crisis.”
some of the 87,000, or 4 per- Trump’s strategy is to
cent, of Iowa voters who iden- Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette turn Americans against one
tify as LGBTQ, according to another so that “as long as
the Human Rights Campaign. Pete Buttigieg speaks Friday at an LGBTQ Presidential Forum in the Sinclair Auditorium on the Coe College campus in
Cedar Rapids. The South Bend, Ind., mayor is the only openly gay candidate from a major party running for president. people are turned against one
There’s also 449,000, or 23 another, perhaps they won’t
percent, who are equality vot- notice he and corrupt buddies
ers — LGBTQ people and their robbing the country of wealth
friends, family and allies. and dignity.”
“I imagine all of these can- Former U.S. Housing and
didates on stage tonight would Urban Development Secretary
love to have those 87,000 peo- Julian Castro would seek to
ple caucusing for them,” said change the status quo by maxi-
Zeke Stokes, chief programs mizing executive authority. He
officer for GLAAD, the world’s promised to appoint a Cabinet
largest LGBTQ media advo- that looks like America and
cacy organization. reflects its diversity, including
However, he doesn’t think the LGBTQ community.
LGBTQ people have aligned Castro said he would over-
behind any one candidate. turn the religious exemptions
“I think it’s very much up that “license discrimination”
for grabs,” Stokes said. in health care, housing, adop-
The candidates sounded tion and the military.
similar themes in promising “There should be no second-
to undo many of President class citizens,” he said. “Un-
Rebecca F. Miller/The Gazette
Donald Trump’s policies, work fortunately, that’s not true for
Liz Martin/The Gazette Joe Biden speaks Friday at an LGBTQ
with Congress to pass the the LGBTQ community.”
Equality Act and take action Elizabeth Warren greets the audience Friday while being introduced by Lyz Lenz, Presidential Forum in the Sinclair Au- Castro also promised to
to protect transgender Ameri- columnist for The Gazette, during the LGBTQ Presidential Forum in Cedar Rapids. ditorium on the Coe College campus appoint a task force to inves-
cans, especially trans women She read the names of 18 trans women of color who have been killed this year. in Cedar Rapids. He noted he “came tigate deaths of transgender
who have been the victims out in support of gay marriage before women.
of fatal violence 18 times this policies. if you don’t love all your coun- anybody else did nationally.”
Then he would work with
year. He expressed pride in his trymen and country women,” Congress to pass the Equality
Although they were asked record of being one of the first he said. “I remember the weight Act “so you can’t be discrimi-
about their policies going for- people on the national stage to Harris encouraged people to that was lifted” when the poli- nated against when you go
ward, many of the candidates come out in support of same- look at her record on LGBTQ cy was repealed, he said. look for a job or a house.”
said their records should in- sex marriage. Biden related a issues. Buttigieg also promised to LGBTQ people should have
form LGBTQ voters. story from when he was a high “This is not new to me,” the work to overturn religious equal rights “because we’re all
Stokes wasn’t sure that school student and saw two former attorney general said. exemptions laws, including Americans,” author-lecturer
would be enough to win their men kiss. “When some Democrats Iowa’s, which he said allow Marianne Williamson said.
support. “It’s simple,” Biden said his were talking about civil discrimination against LGBTQ There’s something dark go-
LGBTQ people are not look- father told him. “They love unions, I was performing people. ing on that she described as
ing for a “casual ally,” he said. each other.” same-sex marriages,” Harris Those laws are “abusive a battle between the forces of
“I think our community is “I didn’t have to go through said. toward not only LGBTQ exclusion versus inclusion.
looking to hear what are you a period of adjustment,” he South Bend, Ind., Mayor people, but abusive toward “Some of us just think this
going to do to reverse the trav- said. “I came out in support of Pete Buttigieg, who is openly faith,” Buttigieg said. “Faith is whole diversity thing is so
esty of this Trump record and gay marriage before anybody gay, was introduced as “a supposed to be about making fabulous,” she said. “Some
what’s your plan to get us to else did nationally.” member of our community.” people whole. When used as people find that entire idea
full equality and acceptance,” New Jersey U.S. Sen. Cory He promised to be a presi- an excuse to harm someone, it psychically annihilating to
he said. Booker and California U.S. dent who, based on his own is an insult to religion itself.” their identity.”
However, Republican Sen. Kamala Harris reminded experience, “understands that Hawaii U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gab- Retired admiral Joe Sestak
National Committee spokes- the audience they were per- all politics is personal.” He bard, a National Guard mem- noted he was elected to the
woman Preya Samsundar forming same-sex marriages would use his authority to ap- ber who served in the Iraq U.S. House with a 95 percent
defended her party’s record of before the U.S. Supreme Court point an administration and War, said Trump has sought to rating from the Human Rights
accomplishment. overturned laws banning judiciary “that understands divide the nation with wedge Campaign.
“We continue to support them. that American freedom means issues like banning trans- He said the military wants
and welcome all members of Booker raised the Pride flag you can be who you are and gender people from military the best people regardless
the LGBTQ community to the over the Newark City Hall in love who you love.” service. of their sexual identity, and
Republican Party,” she said. 2006 “before a lot of people A veteran, Buttigieg noted She served alongside mem- said he would repeal the ban
In some cases, candidates evolved,” he said. LGBTQ it is the eighth anniversary bers of the LGBTQ community on transgender soldiers and
had to defend their records. rights have been “an urgent of the end of the “Don’t Ask, “and I knew they would give sailors. That same philosophy
Biden was grilled about his part of my life for my entire Don’t Tell” policy that allowed their life for me and I would should apply across society,
past support of the Defense of career.” gays and lesbians to serve in give my life for them.” he said.
Marriage Act and the “Don’t Booker talked about patrio- the military as long as they Minnesota U.S. Sen. Amy
Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. He lat- tism as love of country, “but kept their sexual identity a Klobuchar talked about her Comments: (319) 398-8375;
er supported repealing those you cannot love your country secret. record as a county attorney [email protected]

LGBTQ/Crowd hears from 10 candidates in C.R.

;; FROM PAGE 1A especially from a presidential community.
candidate.” “He wasn’t stumped at all,”
non-conforming. “I was very But Buttigieg has far from she said. “You know, ‘LGBTQ’
excited to hear everybody’s sewn up the LGBTQ vote, just flies off his tongue like he
clear and coherent message on said Janes. She left the forum says it all the time.”
what they would do.” impressed by the mayor but Former Vice President
The LGBTQ Forum, or- more so by Massachusetts Joe Biden, who had a tense
ganized by The Gazette with Sen. Elizabeth Warren and exchange with moderator and
One Iowa, The Advocate, and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker. Gazette columnist Lyz Lenz,
GLAAD and held at Sinclair “To think Buttigieg is the was a disappointment to some,
Auditorium on the Coe Col- best candidate for the LGBTQ including Janes, the UNI
lege campus, was the first in community is tokenism,” student.
the 2020 campaign season on Janes said. “There are a lot “I don’t know what I expect-
key issues for lesbian, gay, bi- more factors that play into ed,” she said. “ … I feel like if
sexual, transgender and queer this than just the fact that he really cared about issues
Americans. he’s a part of the LGBTQ in our community, he would
Pete Buttigieg, the first community.” have done his research about
openly gay presidential Warren, who also was wel- how to address the LGBTQ
candidate and the mayor of comed by the rowdy crowd, community. He didn’t do that
South Bend, Ind., arrived on won many over by naming the Liz Martin/The Gazette tonight.”
a stage to a standing ovation 18 trans women of color who Members of the audience listen Friday as Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of Andrew Lenz, though,
from the audience of 700, and have been killed in the United GLAAD, speaks during the LGBTQ Presidential Forum at Coe College. said he thought the questions
was a welcome presence on States this year. about candidates’ decades-old
stage to many potential Iowa “We saw all these candi- saying all those names. It felt decision. statements were unfair.
© 2019 The Gazette

caucusgoers. dates scrambling for time, but human to me, and I didn’t re- Wichtendahl, 39, said there “Bringing those things to
“He was able to speak she decided to devote upward ally see that from a lot of other still is a tendency to “duck light is important,” said Lenz,
from a perspective of my of a minute of her 3-minute candidates.” away” from LGBTQ issues. 38, of Golden Valley, Minn.
community,” University opening to name names,” said Aime Wichtendahl, a trans Booker’s time on stage was “But I wanted less examina-
of Northern Iowa student Kevo Rivera, a 29-year-old woman and Hiawatha City striking, said Hagerla, of John- tion of past records and more
Megan Janes, 19, said. “That’s from Iowa City. “You could Council member, said she, too, ston, who felt the senator was about how candidates plan to
really refreshing to see that, tell she felt moved by just was impressed by Warren’s well-versed on issues in her effect change.”