The Seattle Gay News (SGN) was founded in 1976 to provide news coverage focusing on Seattle’s gay community; it is the third oldest LGBTQ+ newspaper in the US. Seattle Gay News started as a newsletter produced by the Gay Community Center. It provided news to a community that was largely ignored by mainstream newspapers and advocated for gay rights in numerous campaigns. Especially during the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the 1980s, it was an important source of information and helped members of the community to support each other. Since its founding, the SGN has widened its focus to Seattle’s LGBTQ+ community more broadly.

This issue was published June 9, 2006 and its headline celebrates the success of a law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in Washington and the failure of a referendum that would have stopped the anti-discrimination law from taking effect. Other front-page stories include a report on the failure of a constitutional amendment that would have limited marriage to a man and a woman and an announcement of Sally Clark’s campaign for election to Seattle City Council.