Articles by Bent Alaska
Bent Alaska is Alaska's LGBTQA blog founded by E. Ross in March 2008 and now edited (as of October 2011) by Melissa S. (Mel) Green.
Sara’s News Roundup 4/24/11
Recent LGBT news selected by Sara Boesser of Juneau, Alaska.
1) Some Republicans joining NY gay marriage push
New York, 365Gay.com, April 22, 2011
2) What leads gay, straight teens to attempt suicide?
Chicago, Associated Press, April 18, 2011
3) A New Tool for Treating Transgender People
Huffington Post, April 17, 2011
4) Malaysia sends 66 boys to anti-gay camp
Kuala Lumpurk, Malaysia, April 19, 2011
5) Italian book exposes Rome gay priest scene
Rome, AFP, April 19, 2011
6) Lesbian Activist To Assume State House Seat
Chicago, CBS Chicago, April 18, 2011
7) Footballer in Saudi fined over ‘gay’ remark
Saudi Arabia, Emirates247, March 14, 2011
8) Donald Trump’s views on gay issues might hurt hotels, resorts
Chicago, GoPride, April 23, 2011
9) Corvino: What the Bible doesn’t say
365Gay.com, April 22, 2011
10) Rapper says ‘I’m Gay’ album title provoking death threats
365Gay.com, April 22, 2011
11) Gay rights groups target prominent Atlanta law firm
Georgia, AJC, April 24, 2011
12) Picoult surprised by lesbian novel reaction: Jodi Picoult’s complicated new novel
BBC News, April 21, 2011
Sara’s News Roundup 4/17/11
Recent LGBT news selected by Sara Boesser of Juneau, Alaska.
1) Leonard Pitts: Rights are rights, not gifts
Middleton Journal, March 23, 2011
2) California May Require Teaching of Gay History
Los Angeles, New York Times, April 15, 2011
3) GOP Antigay Site Vanishes
Advocate, April 12, 2011
4) Coming Out: The story of one openly gay athlete
Boston Globe, April 11, 2011
5) 9 million U.S. adults say they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, study finds
Los Angeles Times, April 12, 2011
6) Kristen Chenoweth, ‘Glee,’ ‘Modern Family,’ ‘Project Runway’ among GLAAD Media Award winners
Los Angeles, Canada Yahoo News, April 11, 2011
7) First locally produced lesbian magazine appears in stores
Taipei, Taiwan, China post, April 10, 2011
8) NOM Strategist, Louis J. Marinelli, Declares Support For Same-Sex Marriage
Louis J. Marinelli Website
9) Gay Americans Make Up 4 Percent of Population
ABC News, April 8, 2011
10) Getting Your Numbers Straight, So to Speak
Huffington Post, April 4, 2011
11) Corvino: The meaning of transgender
365Gay.com, April 15, 2011
12) Mississippi Republicans are against interracial marriage
Mississippi, 365Gay.com, April 11, 2011
13) Filmmaker Traces Evolution of ‘Intersex’
Harvard, Harvard Crimson, March 28, 2011
14) Bodies in Doubt: An American History of Intersex
Amazon.com
15) Trans rally to storm Canberra!
Australia, SameSame, March 24, 2011
16) Malaysia Censors Lady Gaga
Malaysia, Advocate, March 17, 2011
Sara’s News Roundup 4/11/11
She’s back from vacation! Recent LGBT news selected by Sara Boesser of Juneau, Alaska.
1) 10 countries now allow same-sex marriage
New York, 365Gay.com, March14, 2011
2) NBJC featured in a Groundbreaking Lesbian Soldier’s Story in Essence Magazine
National Black Justice Coalition, February 17, 2011
3) ‘Glee’ goes Gaga with expanded, 90-minute episode
Los Angeles, Advocate, April 7, 2011
4) Intersex Babies: Boy or Girl and Who Decides?
ABC News, March 17, 2011
5) Excellent Young Adult book with transgender character
Review by David N. Parker of PFLAGTNET, Feb 10, 2011
6) Daughter of bisexual bishop shares memoir, ‘uncloaking’ her father’s sexuality
Spectator, March 9, 2011
7) Black Church Leaders Ask for Forgiveness From the LGBT Community
Washington, The Root, March 3, 2011
8) US hails world move to end violence against gays [bi’s and trans]
Washington, Yahoo News, March 23, 2011
9) Bio Details Malcolm X’s Gay Life
Advocate.com, April 5, 2011
10) Lesbian families and co-mothering
Gay City News, March 23, 2011
11) Ohio Gay, Children’s Choruses: It Gets “Beautiful”
Ohio, Advocate, April 4, 2011
Femme Fatale 2011 in Juneau: Benefiting the Four A’s
The Drag Queens from Anchorage are back and its better than ever! Femme Fatale takes over Juneau this weekend in three shows to benefit the Four A’s. Don’t miss out! — a different performance each night!
Choose Respect: LGBTs march against domestic violence and sexual assault on March 31
The Choose Respect Rainbow Group in Fairbanks is joining in to march against domestic violence and sexual assault in Fairbanks on March 31, one of forty communities statewide that are holding Choose Respect marches as part of the Governor’s Choose Respect campaign.
What’s special about the Rainbow Group? They want to their presence to bring awareness that domestic violence can affect ANYONE, including members of the GLBT community. To that end, Fairbanks marchers will have rainbow sashes that say “We Choose Respect.” If you want a sash, message kara7@hotmail.com so organizers can make sure there are enough. (If anyone wants to coordinate a groups in Anchorage or Juneau, let her know!)
- Date/time: Thursday, March 31, 2011, at noon
- Locations:
Fairbanks: Golden Heart Plaza (map)
Anchorage: from the Delaney Park Strip (9th and F) to Town Square Park
Juneau: from the Capitol Steps to Marine Park - Further info: See Facebook events page for the Rainbow Group, or the Governor’s Choose Respect page through which you can also find locations for Choose Respect events in other communities throughout Alaska.
Last month Tiffany McClain wrote an article at the Pride Foundation website about domestic and sexual violence between members of the same sex:
Did you know that domestic violence happens in same-sex relationships at about the same rate as in straight relationships?
Have you ever considered how homophobia and the lack of legal protection from discrimination might discourage an LGBTQ victim of domestic violence from getting help for fear of being “outed” or did you know that the most common type of male-to-male rape is the rape of a man who is perceived to be gay by a heterosexual man?
She went on to describe how the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (ANDVSA) in 2008, with a grant from the Pride Foundation, developed a curriculum to help Alaskan direct service workers provide effective care to LGBTQ survivors of domestic violence.
ANDVSA’s pamphlet Outing LGBTQ Intimate Partner Violence details some of the ways that domestic violence plays itself out in our relationships. Read the pamphlet: become aware. And if you recognize any of the problems listed in the pamphlet in your life, please get help.
And join marchers tomorrow as they call for all Alaskans, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, to CHOOSE RESPECT.
“Inlaws & Outlaws” with filmmaker Drew Emery at UAA this Friday
“Inlaws & Outlaws” by Seattle filmmaker Drew Emery is showing at UAA this Friday at 7:00 PM. “Inlaws & Outlaws” weaves together the true stories of couples and singles — both gay and straight — into a collective narrative that is as hilarious as it is heartbreaking, ” getting past all the rhetoric to embrace what we have in common: We love.
For our sisters: Suicide is more than a gay men’s issue
by Rev. Johnathan Jones
The soldiers arrived at 6:30 am. Seeing two soldiers at your door when you have a family member on active duty typically means one thing. So as we sat there and were informed of her “self inflicted wound” we were not surprised. Shocked, but not surprised.
Last night, my foster sister, raised in Alaska, an active duty soldier and a very closeted lesbian shot herself.
Living in Alaska there are many of us who have been touched by suicide. As a pastor and youth worker within the LGBT community I am no stranger to suicide. The thing that strikes me though is this is only the second lesbian suicide I have had to face.
We don’t often hear of lesbians killing themselves. The media and our community have been very focused on the young gay teens who have taken their own lives due to homophobia and bullying. But what about our sisters? How many of our sisters have taken their own lives due to issues regarding their sexual identity?
My foster sister came out early in life, however, after a short period of time she went back in the closet, claiming she wasn’t lesbian at all. She later found a girlfriend, came out again, but when that ended, she went back in the closet. Hating herself for not being able to find a same-sex partner she determined she must be straight. After entering the military she married a man- that marriage lasted just weeks. Just recently, when she came home for recreation, she would meet her “friend”. Her “friend” was female and they spent almost every day together when she was home. Her internalized homophobia was so strong that she would not tell us the truth about the relationship- even though there are several members in our family who are openly gay and lesbian.
In trying to honor her I am asking myself: “what is it her short life can leave us”? We need to use this time to bring to light that it is not just young gay men who are taking their own lives: but also our lesbian sisters, and let me not forget our transgender brethren.
Suicide is a huge thing here in Alaska and the United States. While we have had great campaigns like “It Gets Better”, the truth is that for some of us it isn’t getting better, or simply saying “It Gets Better” isn’t reaching everyone. Maybe the reason is that we are just targeting young gay teens. Maybe we need to spread our nets further.
What I’m learning is that I need to be more aware of my lesbian, transgender and bisexual brethren who are just as vulnerable as our young gay men. I also need to remember that it is not just the young, but all ages. The first time I was touched by suicide, the man who killed himself was in his forties.
I don’t have any answers, just some thoughts that I need to share so that a life need not be totally wasted.
As a person of faith I believe she is in a better place, I just wish it didn’t take a gun for her to get there.
Are you LGBT? Have you lived, worked, spent time in Anchorage? We need your help.
“My review shows that there is clearly a lack of quantifiable evidence necessitating this ordinance.” That’s what Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan stated on August 17, 2009 when he vetoed Anchorage Ordinance 2009-64, the Anchorage equal rights ordinance, which had been passed the previous week by a vote of 7 to 4 by the Anchorage Assembly. If you are an LGBT person who lives, works, or spends time in Anchorage — or if you’ve lived/worked/spent time in Anchorage in the past — please complete the Anchorage LGBT Discrimination Survey.
Terry Dean 1950–2011
The Juneau LGBTA community joins other friends and family members in mourning the loss of our friend and ally, Terry Dean, who died on February 27 surrounded by her loved ones and friends. Terry was a founding member of Juneau PFLAG.
Terry and Ken Dean attended the very first PFLAG meeting in 1995 that was called to see if there was interest in forming a Juneau PFLAG chapter. A resounding YES was stated by meeting participants. Terry and Ken, along with Mildred and Mark Boesser, Dixie Hood, Marsha Buck, Willie Anderson, and Pat Dobbins became the core of PFLAG Juneau in the late 1990s and the years that followed, assuming leadership roles and providing support for many parents and family members in the Juneau community. Terry’s design work on the PFLAG Juneau banner and her logo suggestion for our chapter — Love has no boundaries will remain with us as a beautiful legacy.
Mildred notes, “I will always remember Terry as an example of kindness and compassion and steadfastness of spirit. It always rejoiced my heart to see Terry and Ken come to PFLAG meetings. We could not have continued to exist without their steady hand.”
Terry’s life will be celebrated Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 7:00 PM at the Tlingit & Haida Community Center in Juneau.
Please keep Terry and Ken in your thoughts and prayers — whatever they may be.
Her family has prepared this obituary:
Teresa ‘Terry’ Kathleen Hamilton Dean
Teresa (Terry) Kathleen Hamilton Dean passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her loving family on February 27, 2011. She was born June 22, 1950 in Ketchikan, Alaska to Willis and Violet (Skulka) Hamilton Sr.
Terry grew up in Ketchikan where she attended elementary school at the old Main School. She graduated in 1969 from Ketchikan High School.
Terry married her soul mate, Kenneth M. Dean on June 14, 1969 at the Presbyterian Church in Ketchikan. They made their home in Juneau and were happily married for 41 years.
Terry was a Haida Eagle, Frog (Hlk’ya’an K’ust’a’n) and Sculpin. She was so very proud of her Haida lineage and was active in promotion of the Haida language and culture. She was a charter member of the Xaadas Gitalang dancers of Juneau; helping to form the dance group in 1984. She was a talented weaver of Haida basketry and ravenstail. She was also a member of the Ravenstail Weaver’s Guild. Terry was a very talented artist, making regalia for herself and other family members.
Both Terry and Ken were active in the community and touched many lives. They organized and attended the very first PFLAG meeting in 1995, which was called to see if there was interest in forming a Juneau chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. Terry and Ken were founders and became the core of PFLAG Juneau in the late 1990s and the years that followed. Terry assumed leadership roles and provided support for many parents and family members in the Juneau community. Terry’s legacy will be her design work on the PFLAG Juneau banner and her logo suggestion for their chapter – “Love has no boundary”. Terry and Ken also founded the local MS Society Support Group, organizing the 1st MS walk with Senator Egan as Master of Ceremonies. Terry and Ken both served the Douglas Lion’s Club for over 20 years and Terry was a member of the Juneau Lioness Club. She managed the Loan Closet which loaned medical equipment and gave encouragement to the disabled community in Juneau and was sponsored by the Douglas Lion’s Club. Terry and Ken were instrumental in creating the 1st handicapped accessible trail in Juneau, which runs along the Mendenhall River.
Terry worked for the State of Alaska Department of Fish and Game until 1983, when she joined the University of Alaska Chancellor’s Office. She continued to serve on the administrative staff of the Provost Office until February of this year. Terry has the distinction of being the longest serving staff member of the office.
She is preceded in death by her parents Willis and Violet Hamilton; father-in law Gilbert Lynn Dean; her brothers Gideon Duncan Jr., Leonard Alex Hamilton, and Owen Earl Hamilton; sisters Joy Ann Hamilton Cutshall, and Margaret Hamilton (who died at birth); and sister-in law Carla M. Timpone.
She is survived by her husband Kenneth M. Dean, her son Aaron Lynn Dean and wife Audrey of Fairbanks, grandchildren; Jacqueline Michelle Dean and Victoria Lynn Dean; her sisters Lavina M. Hamilton of Anchorage, and Bert G. Hamilton and Raymond Guthrie Sr. of Ketchikan; her brothers Willis H. Hamilton Jr., Gary Hamilton and Dana Craig Hamilton of Ketchikan; mother-in law LaRaine Dean; sisters-in law Linda L. Lappin and Shirley R. Dean, many nieces and nephews; and numerous great-nieces and great-nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Xaadas Gitalang c/o Vicki Soboleff, 2924 Simpson Avenue, Juneau, Alaska 99801, or the PFLAG Juneau Chapter, c/o Jonathan Anderson, 9162 Jerry Drive, Juneau, Alaska 99801.
A Celebration of Terry’s Life will take place Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. at Tlingit & Haida Community Center, 3235 Hospital Drive, Juneau, AK. A second Celebration of Terry’s Life will take place on March 8, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. at 429 Deermount St., Ketchikan, AK, followed by interment at the Bayview Cemetery next to her Mom and Dad. Fellowship will follow immediately after at 429 Deermount.
We at Bent Alaska express our sincere condolences for all of Terry’s family and friends.
Sara’s News Roundup 2/20/11
Recent LGBT news selected by Sara Boesser in Juneau, Alaska.
1) University of Alaska regents vote to ban gay discrimination
Anchorage, Alaska, Anchorage Daily News, February 19th, 2011
2) Corvino: Should we care if we were ‘Born This Way?’
365Gay.com, February 18, 2011
3) Transsexual differences caught on brain scan
New Scientist, January 2011
4) Hawaii eyes gay ceremonies after civil unions pass
Honolulu, Associated Press, February 17, 2011
5) Mexico Markets First Gay Beer?
Mexico, Advocate, February 17, 2011
6) Montenegro gets first gay rights NGO
Podgorica, Montenegro, AFP, February 18, 2011
7) Transgender symposium
Waterford, Ireland, Irish Examiner, February 19, 2011
8) Lea T., Transsexual Model, Sits Down With Oprah (VIDEO)
Huffington Post, February 17, 2011
9) UK to let gays have church civil ceremonies
London, 365Gay.com, February 17, 2011
10) Gay marriage has the votes to pass state [Maryland] Senate
Baltimore, Maryland, Baltimore Sun, February 17, 2011
11) Facebook adds ‘civil union, ‘domestic partnership’
San Francisco Chronicle, February 19, 2011
12) California high court to rule on key Prop. 8 issue
San Francisco, San Francisco Chronicle, February 16, 2011
13) Trans-Friendly Restrooms Sought in Chicago
Chicago, Advocate, February 18, 2011
14) Top Marine Says DADT Repeal Won’t Lead to Exodus in Force
Washington, AOL News, February 18, 2011
