Alaska’s GLBT community will respond when the anti-gay Love Won Out seminar comes to Anchorage on Sept. 13. GLBT and progressive groups are planning events to educate the media and the community.

Wayne Besen, founder of Truth Wins Out, is coming to Anchorage to oppose the notorious “ex-gay” event.

“Love Won Out distorts gay life and conflates stereotypes with science, while selling false hope to vulnerable people,” said Besen. “We are looking forward to working with Alaskan advocacy groups to counter Focus on the Family’s false and destructive messages.”

The Anchorage Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) is hosting two events with Besen. He will present a workshop at the Thursday night Soul Food gathering on Sept. 11 ($6, dinner at 6:30, workshop around 7 p.m.) and will speak at the worship service on Sunday, Sept. 14 (service begins at 2 p.m.)

The Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) offered to host an event, and other GLBT-welcoming churches expressed support.

Celtic Diva announced Bloggers Diversity Week, with GLBT Day on Sept. 12, the day before the ex-gay conference. Other Alaskan bloggers have signed on.

Seventy-two people voted in the “How should we respond?” survey here on Bent Alaska! Fifty nine (81%) voted to “Educate the media and community with a presentation or forum.” Twenty-eight (38%) chose to “Show films on the damage done by the ex-gay lies.” Twenty-six (36%) want to “Protest outside the church during the conference.” And nine (12%) said “Don’t bother, just ignore them.”

A sample of the comments I received from community members are posted here: Your Words.

I’ll continue to post updates on our response, on the blog and in the Alaska GLBT News email newsletter.