Civil rights leader and Seattle Gay News publisher George Bakan dies

Civil rights leader and Seattle Gay News (SGN) publisher George Bakan was found dead at his desk on Sunday evening, June 7, 2020. He was 78 years old.

A pioneer in the LGBTQ+, HIV and AIDS communities, Bakan was beloved by many who were influenced by his natural wit and personality. In the latter part of his life, Bakan devoted the majority of his time advocating for marriage equality, affordable LGBTQ+ senior housing and telling the stories of our time. He was the editor-in-chief of the SGN for nearly four decades.

On the subject of affordable housing for LGBTQ+ seniors, George told Seattle Weekly on October 31, 2018, “Many of the senior people we are talking about are people who had full-blown AIDS, but didn’t die. They need some very special attention to make sure that they’re properly…getting all of their medical needs in this era, in the last phase of their lives.”

In the video below for The Legacy Project, Bakan did what he so often did best: he shared a few history lessons about gay culture in Seattle.

On March 7, 2019, Bakan reflected on the early days when AIDS began ravaging Seattle. “We knew we weren’t going to be spared. When you know a disaster is brewing, you do something about it.”

He did something unpopular at the time: he began running page after page to memorialize the dead with free obituaries.

“I felt it was time to open the door and publicly give people with AIDS an identity,” Bakan said at the time.

https://www.facebook.com/sarah.toce/posts/2599725380129303

Bakan was instrumental in mobilizing the Approve Referendum 74 movement in 2012. Whether attending events on the front lines or publishing accounts for the masses, Bakan provided a powerful voice to the Seattle LGBTQ+ community.

The above video is from former nonprofit organization Social Outreach Seattle (SOSea), founded by his friend and colleague Shaun Knittel.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10159699878848906&set=a.10150367976918906&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10207488899378113&set=a.1320559191536&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220028133667350&set=a.2746504895504&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/penaetis/posts/10222765733474895
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10207488899378113&set=a.1320559191536&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3445878555432053&set=a.908759912477276&type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10223401782094370&set=a.1416148125334&type=3&theater

Sarah Toce

Screenwriter & Journalist | Sarah Brusig (Toce) is an appointed member of the King County Women's Advisory Board and an elected precinct committee officer (PCO) in Burien, WA. As a healthcare worker, Sarah is represented by SEIU 1199NW. In 2010, Sarah created the online news source The Seattle Lesbian, LLC, which still receives upward of 100,000 readers per month. A recipient of McCormick's New Media Women Entrepreneur Award in 2012, Sarah was invited to the White House by President Barack Obama in 2015. That same year, GO Mag recognized Sarah as one of their Red-Hot Entrepreneurs in media.​ In 2016, the National Diversity Council honored Sarah with their LGBT Leadership Award. Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) recognized Sarah's advocacy work with the Community Builder Award in 2017, the same year Curve Magazine named Sarah one of their Top Women in Media & Publishing. Sarah served a two-year term as president of the Society of Professional Journalists - Western Washington Chapter beginning in 2018 and was elected Communications Vice Chair of the King County Democrats in 2021.

Related Posts

Sen. Patty Murray Votes Down Doug Collins for VA Secretary

U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, voted against the nomination of…

Read more

Continue reading
Trump Sued Over Restricting Access to Gender-Affirming Care

Transgender young adults and families with transgender youth joined PFLAG National and GLMA in a federal legal challenge against an executive order from the Trump administration attempting to shut down…

Read more

Continue reading

One thought on “Civil rights leader and Seattle Gay News publisher George Bakan dies

Comments are closed.

Entertainment News

Bipartisan Effort Introduced to Permanently Repeal the Global Gag Rule

Bipartisan Effort Introduced to Permanently Repeal the Global Gag Rule

WNBA and Opill College Tour Reinforces Need for Access to Birth Control

WNBA and Opill College Tour Reinforces Need for Access to Birth Control

Sen. Patty Murray Votes Down Doug Collins for VA Secretary

Sen. Patty Murray Votes Down Doug Collins for VA Secretary

Broadway at the Paramount Takes Center Stage in Seattle

Broadway at the Paramount Takes Center Stage in Seattle

Trump Sued Over Restricting Access to Gender-Affirming Care

Trump Sued Over Restricting Access to Gender-Affirming Care

Celebration of Life Planned for The Wildrose Co-Owner Shelley Brothers

Celebration of Life Planned for The Wildrose Co-Owner Shelley Brothers