Articles by E. Ross
E. Ross is the founder of Bent Alaska.
This Week in LGBT Alaska 1/29/10
This week’s LGBT events from the statewide newsletter Alaska GLBT News.
SEAGLA Social Fridays (6-8 p.m.) for GLBT people and our friends over 21, at The Imperial Bar.
Fairbanks
UAF Gay-Straight Alliance Get-Together 1/29, 4:30-6 p.m. in the Alumni Lounge.
“Bears, Bears, Bears” Taco Feed 1/30, 7 p.m. for Bears and Bellies and their admirers. $5 RSVP.
LGBTQ Discussion with Heather Neville 1/31, 12-1 p.m. at the UUFF.
Wednesday Social & Movie “A Serious Man” 2/3, 7:30 p.m. at the Blue Loon. Joshua.
Mat-Su Valley
Lulu Small and the Small Band at Del Roi’s 1/30, Old Glenn Hwy just north of the Knik River bridge.
Mat-Su LGBT Community Center in Palmer is open M-F 5-8 p.m. (except 6-8 on Wed.) The social group meets Wednesdays, 5-6 p.m. at Vagabond Blues.
Anchorage
“The Laramie Project” Movie and panel discussion 1/30, 7p.m. in the Student Union Den, for Alaska Civil Rights Month, sponsored by UAA Women Studies.
Colleen Crinklaw’s “Soul Searching Tour” begins 1/30, 7-9 p.m. $10 at Mad Myrna’s.
Kodiak Bar and Grill GIRL PARTY 1/30, 9 p.m.
UAA’s “Out” 1/31, new time: 2 p.m. on Sundays, 2nd floor of the Student Union.
Memorial Birthday Party for Nicole Blizzard 1/31, 3:30 p.m. at Mad Myrna’s. Sign her memorial book.
Midnight Over Siberia: Re-investitures 1/31, 6 p.m. at Sub Zero.
LGBTQA Game Night at the GLCCA 2/3, 6-9 p.m. Anchorage Meetup group.
Church Life AK Special Prayer Vigil for Uganda 2/4, 6:30 p.m. at the GLCCA as part of the nationwide “American Prayer Hour.”
On the 12th day of Testimony, the Prop 8 trial ends (for now)
It has been an amazing two and a half weeks. This trial has been a truly historic moment for our community. It is the first time a federal court has heard, first hand, from real live witnesses, about the harm that the denial of marriage equality causes lesbians, gay men and their families every day. It’s also the first time a federal court has heard the arguments in favor of marriage equality presented live in court by an array of internationally renowned scholars who are truly experts in their respective fields.What stands out the most after having seen all the witnesses on both sides is how overwhelmingly one-sided the evidence in this case turned out to be. The plaintiffs, represented by some of the most skilled attorneys in the country, laid out a well-crafted, meticulous case, backed by the testimony of half a dozen of the most respected historians, psychologists, economists, and political scientists who study marriage, sexual orientation, and child development. Using the Prop 8 proponents’ own outrageous and inflammatory words, ads, and emails, the plaintiffs powerfully demonstrated that Prop 8 was a direct product of hostility, fear-mongering, and demonization of lesbians and gay men. And through the deeply moving testimony of the plaintiffs and other members of our community, they proved beyond question that denying same-sex couples the right to marry causes great harm to LGBT people and their children.Stacked up against this mountain of facts, scholarship, and science, the Prop 8 proponents – though represented by fine attorneys – were not able to come forward with a case of their own. Before trial, they dropped nearly every witness they had planned to present and relied entirely on two poorly qualified, ill-prepared expert witnesses, neither of whom was able to establish that banning same-sex couples from getting married has any rational or legitimate purpose relating to procreation, child rearing, tradition, or any of the other justifications that have been offered in the past in support of anti-gay discrimination. In fact, nearly all of the defendants’ experts agreed with the plaintiffs that marriage equality would benefit same-sex couples and their families in many real, tangible ways.It should not have come as a surprise that the defense’s case turned out to be so weak. As our executive director Kate Kendell is fond of saying, the arguments against marriage equality have always been “all hat and no cattle.” This trial showed more powerfully than ever that there truly is no substance to the arguments of those who would deny equality to our families. It has been extremely gratifying to see those arguments aired out in public, before a smart, independent-minded judge, in a way that’s never been done before. It is a shame that the public was unable to see the trial in video, but the transcripts, available at http://www.equalrightsfoundation.org/our-work/hearing-transcripts/, are fascinating reading for anyone interested in learning more about this important chapter in our civil rights struggle.Judge Walker will now take some time to review all the evidence that has been presented. The lawyers for both sides will return to court in a few weeks (on a date still to be determined) to present their closing arguments.
The 305 Most LGBT-Friendly Employers
Gay Weddings on Everest (not Denail)
Gay Games director still comes home to Alaska
Although Darl Schaaff is forming Team Alaska for the 2010 Gay Games, Cleveland.com said that Schaaff — a martial arts competitor, Alaska Statehood event planner, and Federation of Gay Games board member — is moving to the midwest next year. It’s partly true.
Action: Anti-trans Denny’s manager needs diversity training
A transgender support group in Anchorage was harassed during a recent meeting at Denny’s restaurant and now the Denny’s corporate office is backing out of a proposed diversity training for the local staff. Anja co-founded the trans support group and their TransAlaska Pipeline website. She sent this message to Bent Alaska:
After the ugly incident that ocurred here in Anchorage, Alaska on December 27, 2009 in which a Denny’s manager openly pointed out and made fun of a group of trangendered people TO OTHER CUSTOMERS in the crowded restaurant, we were led to believe that Denny’s would be subjecting their employees to sensitivity training concerning transpeople as an acceptable resolution.
We have been more than diplomatic in dealing with them, requesting that the manager who incited the incident not be fired, but instead be required to attend an Identity, Inc. sensitivity training.
Denny’s obviously took this as a sign of weakness, and is trying to ignore the whole incident now.
It appears that Denny’s corporate is now pushing this off as a local matter to be swept under the carpet with NO action taken anywhere.
We must take a stand on this. To all of my sisters and brothers out there who are tired of being discriminated against, PLEASE write a letter/e-mail of concern to Denny’s Corporate. Let them know that doing nothing about this is unacceptable, and that it must never be allowed to happen again.
Go to the national Denny’s contact page, click the “Email Us” link and voice your concerns.
Denny’s was involved in a series of lawsuits in the 1990’s involving servers denying or providing inferior service to racial minorities, especially African-American customers. After a $54.4 million settlement, Denny’s created a racial sensitivity training program for all its employees.
Last year, Denny’s lost a transgender bias case in Maine. “This company needs diversity training to understand what it means to be gender-nonconforming,” said Betsy Smith, executive director of Equality Maine.
Off-Road Alaska Gays first to Queer the Census
If you have legally married your same-sex spouse in any state, you may choose the “husband or wife” option, and the Census will record and report on these figures in its official Census tables on married couples in the U.S… Having a count of LGBT married couples will be an historic, important first step in changing the way the entire country understands LGBT partnership. If you are legally married, don’t miss out on being counted!
The census tells the story of who we are as a nation, and that includes LGBT people — but only when we participate, and only when we’re fully counted. Thanks to the collection of unmarried partner data, a more complete picture of who we are has emerged. For example, we know that same-sex couples live in 99% of all US counties, LGBT parents live in 97% of all US counties, and that Black and Latino same-sex couples are raising children at nearly the rates of their heterosexual peers, while earning lower incomes.Still, there is no question on the 2010 census that asks individuals if they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender — and LGBT questions are not included in almost all other major federal surveys.It’s a big problem. The census, which counts everyone living in the United States every ten years, provides the data that is used to determine funding and policy priorities at the national and state level.Being counted isn’t just a numbers game, but a question of whether the LGBT community gets access to the resources that support our health, economic well-being, safety and families. The LGBT community must be visible–and that means participating in the census, but it also means being counted fully.
Stop School Bullying on No Name-Calling Week
"8: The Mormon Proposition" debuts at Sundance
8:TMP follows the stories of many LGBT citizens seeking marriage equality and never-before revealed Mormon efforts to stop them… [Fred] Karger, a gay Californian, was given secret memos and documents from inside the Mormon Church as he investigated the tens of millions of dollars funneled into California to fight gay marriage. The memos reveal for the first time that Mormons used front groups to achieve their goals against LGBT legislation, with a battle plan beginning in Hawaii.
Gay Church gives offerings to Haiti, plans Open House & Valentine’s party
