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.
Alaska Hate Crimes Bill: Testify this Wednesday
An action alert from Alaskans Together for Equality —
Dear Members and Supporters of Alaskans Together For Equality Inc.,
Senate Bill (SB) 11, the Alaska Hate Crimes Bill, has been scheduled for its first hearing, before the Alaska Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, February 16th. The full text of the bill can be found at:
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill.asp?bill=SB%20%2011&session=27
The Judiciary Committee meets at 1:30 p.m. and has several bills scheduled to be heard so testimony could be taken on SB 11 anytime between 1:30 and 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. We invite you to provide short testimony in support of SB 11 as written which includes sexual orientation and gender identity. Testimony can be given in person in Room 105 of the new Thomas Stewart Building adjacent to the Capitol, by teleconference from your local Legislative Information Office (see http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/misc/lios.php for the location of your LIO) or by calling toll free 877.763.5073.
If you are not able to testify on Wednesday, February 16th, please send a message to your own state senator and ask them to co-sponsor the bill and the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee plus the bill’s sponsor, Senator Davis.
The legislators are:
Senator Hollis French – Co-Sponsor
Senator_Hollis_French@legis.state.ak.us
Senator Bill Wielechowski
Senator_Bill_Wielechowski@legis.state.ak.us
Senator Joe Paskvan
Senator_Joe_Paskvan@legis.state.ak.us
Senator Lesil McGuire
Senator_Lesil_McGuire@legis.state.ak.us
Senator John Coghill
Senator_John_Coghill@legis.state.ak.us
Senator Bettye Davis – Sponsor
Senator_Bettye_Davis@legis.state.ak.us
If you are not able to send an email message, then your third option is a Public Opinion Message or POM, a short and easy-to-send 50 word message that should be addressed specifically to the Senators listed in the previous paragraph. Your POM could say something like: “I strongly support SB 11. Please pass this bill as written out of the Senate Judiciary Committee.” To send a POM go to: http://www.legis.state.ak.us/poms/
The following talking points are provided for your use in writing testimony or sending a message to legislators regarding SB 11.
We look forward to hearing your testimony on Wednesday in the Senate Judiciary Committee. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at alaskanstogether@gmail.com.
Sincerely,
Board of Directors
Alaskans Together for Equality Inc.
Sara’s News Roundup 2/13/11
Recent LGBT news selected by Sara Boesser in Juneau, Alaska.
1) Antigay Testimony May Sway Md. Senator’s Marriage Vote
Baltimore, Maryland, Advocate, February 10, 2011
2) Hawaii House passes same-sex civil unions bill
Honolulu, Hawaii, February 11, 2011
3) Jobs program targets transgender people
Boston, Boston Herald, January 24, 2011
4) Court: Student Counselor Must Treat Gays
Michigan, February 11, 2011
5) Lady Gaga’s Latest Song: Born This Way
Gaga Daily, February 11, 2011
6) “Born This Way” Shatters Records
Advocate, February 11, 2011
7) ACLU: Transgender woman, ejected from Lynnwood store, spurs policy change
Lynnwood, Washington, Seattle PI, February 8, 2011
8) Corvino: Love, partnership and Valentine’s Day
365Gay.com, February 11, 2011
9) Opinion: Africa: Transgender Rights Not Simply Gay Rights
Africa, AllAfrica.com, February 10, 2011
10) Harvard Law Review elects first openly gay student as president
Cambridge, Mass., 365Gay.com, February 10, 2011
11) Culhane: Are ‘religious exemptions’ swimming against the tide?
365Gay.com, February 10, 2011
12) GLAAD nominations for Glee, Project Runway
TVNZ.com, January 21, 2011
Valentine’s weekend in Anchorage: Sunday brunch benefits Out North & ICOAA
Out North recently lost a major funding grant, and needs your help to continue fulfilling its mission of Art for Everyone, No Exceptions.
One way to help is by enjoying a splendid Valentine’s weekend afternoon this Sunday at Mad Myrna’s! This event benefits both Out North & the Imperial Court of All Alaska.
Joani LaChoy’ Sweetheart’s Champagne and Cabaret Brunch
Please join Joani LaChoy as she presents her annual Sweetheart’s Champagne and Cabaret Brunch.
- Benefit for Out North Contemporary Art House and The Imperial Court of All Alaska.
- Date/time: Sunday, February 13 at 2 PM.
- Location: Mad Myrna’s, 530 E. 5th Ave, Anchorage, AK (see map)
- Cost of admission: $35.00
- Info: Live and Silent auction, fantastic entertainment, and of course – a gourmet champagne brunch!
- Further information: See Facebook event page.
Please help support Out North – attend shows, buy season tickets, or donate directly.
Keep track of upcoming events with Bent Alaska’s LGBT Events Calendar.
Valentine’s Day weekend in Fairbanks: Two fundraisers featuring KRISTARA
It’s a KRISTARA double-header in Fairbanks this weekend for Valentine’s Day, with both events benefiting Interior Alaska causes: the Interior AIDS Association (Friday’s event) and the Interior Alaska Center for Non-Violent Living (Saturday’s event, sponsored by the Imperial Court of All Alaska).
RAW seeks submissions for Nicole Blizzard Short Story Contest
Every year, Radical Arts for Women (RAW) sponsors a short story contest open to all women living in Alaska. The contest is named in honor of Nicole Blizzard, a local lesbian writer and creator, publisher, and editor of the local LGBT literary journal Naked Ptarmigan, who passed away in December 2009.
To enter, you must be a woman living in Alaska as of January 2011. Stories must be fiction of between 250 and 5,000 words and contain some lesbian content. Per the contest website, “The fiction and lesbian stipulations may be interpreted by the author, but we are not seeking poetry or non-fiction. Erotica is acceptable.”
Entries must be mailed in (no electronic submissions!), so writers, leave yourself with enough time to get to the post office! The postmark deadline is Friday, April 1.
And if you win? Generous cash prizes: first place $500, second place $300, and third place $100. Winners will be announced at the Anchorage annual women’s show Celebration of Change, which will take place this year on Saturday, April 23, at the Wendy Williamson Theatre on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus. The first place winner’s story will also be published on RAW’s website.
There are formatting and other issues to be addressed in submitting any writing for contests or publication, so check out the complete submission guidelines on the RAW website. And while you’re there, enjoy the writings of past years’ winners, too!
Sara’s News Roundup 2/6/11
Recent LGBT news selected by Sara Boesser in Juneau, Alaska.
1) Parenting by Gays More Common in the South, Census Shows
Jacksonville, Florida, New York Times, January 18, 2011
2) UI student becomes Internet sensation after defending gay parents
Iowa, Daily Iowan, February 4, 2011
Here’s the speech referred to in the news item, in which Zach Wahls speaks about being raised by his lesbian parents during a public forum in the Iowa House of Representatives on Resolution 6, which would end civil unions in Iowa:
3) What Protests Mean for LGBT Egyptians
Egypt, Advocate, February 4, 2011
4) French court upholds ban on homosexual marriage
Paris, France, New Kerala.com, January 28, 2011
5) Transgender and Transgender-Like Veterans: A documentary of individuals who crossed gender lines to serve their country (video), Part 1, Part 2
U.S.A., YouTube, April 2, 2010
6) At last, a role model for ‘queer crips’
Washington Blade, February 3, 2011
7) Star Trek’s Gay Problem: Producer Brannon Braga Regrets Not Having Homosexual Character
Huffington Post, January 27, 2011
8) Methodists Urged to End Gay Clergy Ban
Advocate, February 4, 2011
9) Researcher: Mona Lisa Really da Vinci’s Gay Lover
Italy, Pennsylvania Fox News, February 3, 2011
10) Transgender activists face multiple challenges
New York, Boston Globe, February 4, 2011
11) Veteran Reveals Life As Transgender In Military
San Diego, San Diego 10News.com, February 3, 2011
12) Bush twin makes pro-marriage video for HRC
New York, Washington Blade, February 2, 2011
13) Tickets On Sale for Tony Kushner’s Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide Jan. 25
New York, Playbill.com, January 25, 2011
14) Gay Enough?
London, Gay City News, February 2, 2011
15) Obama Appoints LGBT Leader to Faith Council
Washington, Advocate, February 5, 2011
Benefit Friday for the Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Anchorage (GLCCA)
A benefit for Identity, Inc. and the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Anchorage will be held on Friday, 4 Feb 2011, at the A Street Event Hall.
Changes at Bent Alaska
A new blogging platform, increased presence on Facebook, a Twitter feed, a new co-admin: here’s a look at some of the changes taking place at Bent Alaska.
Sara’s News Roundup 1/30/2011
Recent LGBT news selected by Sara Boesser in Juneau, Alaska.
1) Gay Tucson Hero to Sit with First Lady at State of the Union
Washington, Advocate, January 24, 2011
2) Pentagon to outline training for post-DADT life
Washington, Army Times, January 26, 2011
3) Iowa Dems Block Marriage Repeal
Iowa, Advocate, January 28, 2011
4) ‘Becoming Chaz’ tells the complicated, touching story of Chaz Bono’s sex change
Park City, Utah, LA Times, January 24, 2011
5) Task Force: Roberta Achtenberg excellent appointment to U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
Washington, National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce, January 26, 2011
6) Lambda Legal Reaches Settlement Agreement with Indiana School District After Transgender Student Was Barred from Prom
Gary, Indiana, Lambda Legal, January 28, 2011
7) White House announces three major gay appointments
Washington, 365Gay.com, January 28, 2011
8) Meet the Anti-Bullying Contest Grand Prize Winners!
365Gay.com, January 27, 2011
9) Marriage Equality U.S.A. and Get Equal Call For Gay Marriage ‘Counter Actions’ on Valentine’s Day
LA Weekly, January 28, 2011
10) Wyoming passes anti-gay marriage legislation
Wyoming, 365Gay.com, January 28, 2011
11) Play explores light, heavy side of transgender
Colorado, Coloradoan, January 27, 2011
12) Police seek rapport with gay community
Portland, Maine, Press Herald, January 28, 2011
13) Milan offers Italy’s 1st gay studies course
Milan, Italy, Associated Press, January 27, 2011
14) Gays Seeking Asylum in U.S. Encounter a New Hurdle
New York, New York Times, January 28, 2011
15) PC Air, New Thai Airline, Seeks To Be The First Airline To Employ The ‘Third Sex’
Thailand, Huffington Post, January 28, 2011
16) Girl with girl cheating OK, half of boyfriends say
New York, Reuters, January 28, 2011
17) Jonathan Knight: I Outed Myself
Advocate, January 29, 2011
Sara’s News Roundup 1/23/11
Recent LGBT news selected by Sara Boesser in Juneau, Alaska.
1) Quinn To Sign Civil Unions Bill Soon, In Public Ceremony In Downtown Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, Huffington Post, January 21, 2011
2) Gender-neutral toilets divide gay community in Brazil
Brazil, LA Times, January 21, 2011
3) New counseling center offers specialized services
Maryville, Tenn., Daily Times, January 20, 2011
4) Berkeley May Fund Employee Sex Change Surgeries
San Francisco, Advocate, January 19, 2011
5) Schwarzenegger’s Mom Took Him to the Doctor Because She Thought He Was Gay
TowerRoad, January 2011
6) Gay couple win case against Christian hotel
London, AFP, January 18, 9:07 am ET
7) Nepal introduces transgender census category
Kathmandu, Nepal, Inquirer.net, January 9, 2011
8) Pastor Terry Jones Barred from U.K.
U.K., Advocate, January 21, 2011
9) Wyoming House gives early nod to anti-gay marriage bill after impassioned debate
Cheyenne, Wyo., Billings Gazette, January 20, 2011
10) Marriage [and Gender Identity Bill] in Maryland by April?
Maryland, Advocate, January 21, 2011
11) Why Transgender Activism
Pam’s House Blend, January 12, 2011
