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Articles by E. Ross

E. Ross is the founder of Bent Alaska.

Memorials for Nicole Blizzard, tonight & Jan 31

Thursday, 7 January 2010 – 4:44 PM | One Comment

Nicole Blizzard of Anchorage passed away on Dec. 30, and a memorial service is being held tonight, Thursday Jan. 7, at 5:30 p.m. in Providence Hospital’s West Auditorium. Blizzard was an RN in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Providence.

The queer community is planning a second memorial later this month at Mad Myrna’s. Blizzard asked for a party instead of a funeral, so her friends are throwing a Birthday Party Celebration of Nicole’s Life at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday Jan. 31, which would have been her 52nd birthday.

In December, she was dealing with health problems and developed complications. Her close friends were with her when she passed away. They will spread her ashes in Cook Inlet this spring, as she requested.

Blizzard founded The Naked Ptarmigan, an LGBT literary journal for Alaska. She was a former editor of The NorthView, a former board member of Identity, and a co-host of RAW’s Celebration of Change.

She loved music, photography and writing, wrote online book and music reviews, and contributed to the web site TechnoDyke. A new book of her writings, Love and Other Mishaps: An Accidental Anthology, was published in early December, and autographed copies are available in the Local Interest section of Border’s Bookstore in Anchorage.

RAW is considering a last issue of The Naked Ptarmigan in honor of Nicole, and may set up a scholarship named for her. Details will be announced on March 27 at Celebration of Change.

Condolences to her friends and family. She was well-known and will be missed.

Dan Savage, Sherman Alexie, and Nikki Giovanni at UAA

Wednesday, 6 January 2010 – 3:23 AM | Comments Off

Dan Savage, author of the wildly popular column Savage Love, is returning to UAA on Feb. 11 with his honest and funny question and answer session on everything sexual. Tickets go on sale today at UAA Tix.

“Boldly covering everything and anything related to sex and relationships, Dan Savage answers questions about virginity, orgasms, monogamy, and more. Not just an LGBT speaker, Dan Savage creates a space for all students to honestly discuss taboo topics. With the audience driving the discussion, the program can touch on any subject – from sexual problems to gay marriage to child-raising to sex education to the current political scene.”

On March 4, Sherman Alexie will be on campus to discuss “The Business of Fancydancing.” Alexie is an acclaimed Native American poet, and his movie Fancydancing won several gay & lesbian film festival awards. Tickets at UAA Tix.

Both events are free for UAA students, but they must have an event ticket and a valid UAA ID. Tickets can be picked up at the UAA Student Union Information Desk starting today.

Also, renowned author and poet Nikki Giovanni will present her work on Jan. 21 as part of UAA’s Civil Rights Month Celebration and Alaska Civil Rights Day. No word on tickets. Check the event page for updates.

Alaska’s lesbian short story contest, women’s art and music shows, call for contributors and performers New Deadline

Tuesday, 5 January 2010 – 2:15 AM | Comments Off

UPDATE: The short story contest deadline has been changed to February 15.

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Women in Alaska are invited to send their fiction stories with lesbian content to the RAW 2010 short story contest. But write fast – entries are due Feb 1.

“Radical Arts for Women is sponsoring a short story contest open to women living in Alaska. The fiction pieces must be between 250 and 5,000 words and contain some lesbian content. The grand prize is $500, second place is $300, and third place is $100. Deadline is Feb. 1, 2010. There is no entry fee. Winners will be announced at Celebration of Change on March 27, 2010.”

RAW is also accepting applications for an Art Show and Reception at the Kodiak Bar and Grill in downtown Anchorage. (Online application PDF HERE, due 3/15.) The art show runs March 19-April 1 and the reception is on March 19.

Celebration of Change is RAW’s all-women produced and performed annual show. Singers, dancers, poets, actors, comedians, as well as vendors and volunteer helpers, are encouraged to apply. Celebration is March 27 in the Wilda Marston Theatre, and the $15 tickets will be available at Metro Books and the Gay & Lesbian Community Center.

Along with the story contest winners, this year’s winner of the Radical Woman Award will be announced during Celebration. The Radical Woman Award honors women who have made significant contributions to the GLBT community in Alaska. To nominate a wonderful woman in your life, send a short paragraph highlighting her contributions to info(at)radicalartsforwomen.org by March 1.

RAW’s 2010 Short Story Contest Guidelines:

Each entry must contain a cover sheet with author’s name, address, phone number, email, story title, and word count.
The short story must be between 250 and 5,000 words and contain some lesbian content. Stories should be on 8.5-x-11 size paper, double spaced, 1-inch margins, no less than size 10 font. Do not put author’s name on the story. The fiction and lesbian stipulations may be interpreted by the author, but we are not seeking poetry or non-fiction. Erotica is acceptable. Electronic submissions are not accepted. Unpublished submissions only.
Author must be a woman living in Alaska as of January 2010.
February 1, 2010 is the postmark deadline for entries.
There is no entry fee.
Winner receives $500 and the winning short story will appear on www.radicalartsforwomen.org and may also be published in the Alaska LGBT literary journal, Naked Ptarmigan.
Honorable mentions will be given at the judges’ discretion.
Winners will be announced at Celebration of Change on March 27, 2010. For list of complete list of winners, include a SASE with entry.
Mail entries by February 1 to: Radical Arts for Women Short Story Contest, PO Box 244436, Anchorage AK 99524-4436.

The first place stories for 2009, 2008 and 2007 are posted at Radical Arts for Women, along with a list of other winning stories and honorable mentions.

Mia Kirshner: From L Word to Alaska

Monday, 4 January 2010 – 2:38 PM | Comments Off

Mia Kirshner, who played the sexy author Jenny Schecter on The L Word, just filmed a vampire movie where her character devastated the town of Barrow, Alaska. In the sequel 30 Days of Night: Dark Days, she plays the lead villain Lilith, the vampire queen responsible for the assault on Barrow that was the focus of the first 30 Days of Night.

The plot of Dark Days: After nearly a year of struggling to expose the truth about the destruction of Barrow by vampires, Stella joins a group of rogue vampire hunters in Los Angeles to seek revenge on Lilith, the powerful vampire responsible for the attack on Stella’s Alaskan hometown.

Was it filmed in AK? Was Mia here on the Last Frontier? Probably not.

OK, so it’s not news about LGBT Alaska, but it involves a co-star on a famous lesbian television series in a new role as a vampire in Alaska, and it turned up in a web search for lesbian Alaska, so here it is.

Continuing with the vampire theme, Kirshner is joining the cast of The Vampire Diaries starting on January 21.

Church Life Brunch, AKA QrSA, and Pick.Click.Give. with the PFD

Saturday, 2 January 2010 – 3:14 PM | Comments Off

Gay AK – notes from LGBT Alaska

Youth Initiative launched

Identity Inc. officially launched their new Youth Initiative Program, AKA QrSA. The program is designed to create a safe place for LGBTQ teenagers and their allies to hang out. The first Holiday Hang-out was at the Center on Dec. 19. The youth are enthusiastic about the program, creating a Facebook page and planning events for the future. A special thank you to the volunteer staff and friends of the GLCCA, and the members of St. John’s United Methodist Church who provided gifts.

Church Life AK’s first Christmas Day Brunch

Over 15 people attended Church Life Alaska’s first annual Christmas Day Brunch. “Thanks to Identity for letting us use the GLCCA, and thanks to Steve and Edie who donated finances to make the event a success,” writes Rev. Johnathan. “Finally, thank you to all of those folk who came and spent Christmas with us for a short while!” Check their Facebook page for other events and Sunday Worship Services, or email church.life.ak(at)gmail.com .

Apply for your 2010 PFD and support Alaska’s non-profits

Starting Friday, January 1, you can apply for the 2010 PFD on line at the Permanent Fund Division and support the causes you care about through Pick.Click.Give. Identity, Four A’s and Out North are examples of LGBT-supportive non-profits that can receive these donations, and you can make donations to more than one charitable organization with Pick.Click.Give. The 2010 PFD application period ends March 31.

Queer Alaska’s Annual Events

Friday, 1 January 2010 – 11:19 AM | Comments Off

Happy New Year! As we begin another year, we start a new round of annual events for LGBT Alaska:

Lesbian Short Story Contest (Feb. deadline) – Radical Arts for Women rewards women authors in Alaska for fiction with lesbian content.

Arctic Heat (February) – The Last Frontier Men’s Club chooses the next Bear and Leather titleholders.

Celebration of Change (March this year) – RAW’s break-up performance and art show celebrates women, music and the coming of spring.

Femme Fatale (April) – The Imperial Court closes the legislative session in Juneau with a benefit show for Four A’s.

Day of Silence (April 25) & Pride Prom – Alaska’s Gay/Straight Student Alliances wrap up the school year with National Day of Silence and Pride Prom.

Juneau Pride Chorus spring concert (May) – The Juneau Women’s Chorus welcomes spring with an evening of music and food.

Memorial Day Picnic (end of May) – The community Picnic and BBQ celebrate unity and the beginning of summer.

PrideFest & Pride Week (June) – The summer solstice diversity parade and festival displays our Pride in Anchorage, and Juneau holds a Pride Picnic.

Golden Days Parade & Tanana Valley Fair (July) – PFLAG Fairbanks brightens the local parade with a 45 foot rainbow flag and hosts a picnic afterwards, then creates a booth for the Fair.

Coronation (Labor Day weekend) – ICOAA’s late summer extravaganza invests the new Imperial Court of All Alaska and presents scholarships and awards.

Pride Conference (October) – Identity’s back-to-school conference is inspired by National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11.

Alaskans Together annual conference (October) – ATE hosts a statewide annual strategy conference.

World AIDS Day (Dec. 1) – Four 4’s and IAA recognize the battle against AIDS with memorials, celebrations of life, and red ribbons.

The Best and Worst of 2009

Wednesday, 30 December 2009 – 5:14 AM | 2 Comments

Queer Alaska had a busy year! Here are some of the highs and lows compiled from the blog, the newsletter, and your suggestions on Bent’s Facebook wall:

Best moment: The Anchorage Assembly passed the LGBT nondiscrimination ordinance.

Worst moments: Mayor Sullivan vetoed the nondiscrimination ordinance and Debbie Ossiander refused to override the veto.

Sweet Consequences moment: Ossiander was fired from the chair position on the Assembly.

Best LGBT improvement

State: Fairbanks School District added gender identity to the non-discrimination policy

National: The federal Hate Crimes Act

Worst narrowly avoided disaster: Wayne Anthony Ross becoming Alaska’s Attorney General

Best allies: The 7 Assembly members who voted for the nondiscrimination ordinance, and all the allies who testified, wrote letters, and attended the hearings and protests, standing shoulder to shoulder with us in support of equality and against the forces of hate. Honorable mention to the Fairbanks allies who protested against the ex-gay speaker at UAF.

Worst homophobes: Mayor Sullivan? Debbie Ossiander? Rev. Prevo? Wayne Anthony Ross? Those crazed bigots spitting hellfire and homophobia at the Assembly hearings? So many to choose from.

Best visiting LGBT celebrity: Dan Savage, author of The Slog

Best LGBT movie shown in Alaska: MILK at the Bear Tooth in Anchorage, the Blue Loon in Fairbanks, and the Pioneer Theater in Homer. Honorable mentions: Outrage at the Bear Tooth, and Brother Outsider at the Anchorage Museum.

Best LGBT live theater: Midnight Soapscum at Out North, The Lion Sings Tonight benefit for Four A’s, Hedwig and the Angry Inch at Pier One in Homer and Mad Myrna’s in Anchorage, Sordid Lives at Myrna’s, Dog Sees God at Out North, and Shakespeare’s R&J by Thunder Mountain in Juneau.

Best solo shows: Tim Miller at Out North, and Bryan Emler at MCC.

Biggest events in Anchorage: PrideFest, Coronation, Celebration of Change, and the True Diversity Dinner

Fairbanks: the protests against the ex-gay speaker at UAF, the Fetish Ball, and PFLAG in the Golden Days parade

Juneau: Femme Fatale, the Pride Picnic, and the Pride Chorus concerts

Homer: Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and MILK

Mat-Su: April’s Follies

Event most celebrated by LGBT people in different parts of Alaska: July 4th

(The 2008 event with the widest participation by LGBT people around Alaska was the Prop 8 protest.)

National event with the most LGBT Alaskans attending: National Equality March in DC

Bent Alaska’s Top 9 Posts for 2009

Tuesday, 29 December 2009 – 3:20 AM | 2 Comments

The ‘summer of hate’ against the non-discrimination ordinance was the real top story, but the most visited post on Bent Alaska is the humorous letter Wasilla Gays to Levi: We’re here with almost 7,000 hits.

The other Bent post that went viral this year, about Wayne Anthony Ross calling us degenerates, was crossposted on the national blog Pam’s House Blend. Likewise, the only ordinance post from Bent that got national attention, No Dead Queers, was picked up from the Blend diary.

Other top posts were on entertainment (gay man on The Alaska Experiment), homophobia (The Antichrist is Coming, and He’s Gay!), transgender (Kelly’s Story), and Sarah Palin. The lists of LGBT organizations and businesses were top posts again this year, perhaps because so many reporters want to interview queer Alaskans.

All of the top posts on LGBT issues in Fairbanks, Juneau and Homer involve students or schools, although that may be a coincidence. The top MatSu post is Levi, of course.

Top 9 in ’09

Wasilla Gays to Levi: We’re here
Palin’s AG Pick Called Gays “Degenerates”
Where to find LGBT Alaska – Organizations
Discovery Channel Discovers Gays on The Alaska Experiment
No “Dead Queers” means No Discrimination
Palin Supports Gay Rights? (still a top post in 2009)
Kelly’s Story: A Transgender Christian Woman (unavailable, at her request, because her church leaders made her life miserable when they recognized her.)
The Antichrist is Coming, and He’s Gay!
Where to Find GLBT Alaska – Business List

Ring in a Queer New Year for 2010

Monday, 28 December 2009 – 6:31 AM | One Comment

Here are 4 [update: 5] parties to celebrate the new year with the Anchorage LGBT community (including a special women’s event in Whittier):

New Year’s Eve Extravaganza at Mad Myrna’s

Two dance floors with DJ’s Missy Gee & Mad Mike. Party stuff and midnight toast, and Lola’s fabulous New Mexico Cuisine. $10 tickets available now or at the door.

New Year’s Eve at Bernies’ Bungalow

This year is over so let’s start off the new year right with another great New Year’s Eve party at Bernie’s Bungalow. DJ Ariel upstairs, Shy Bones, and Unhinged will be playing in the bungalow house. NO COVER. 626 D St.

Ever Ready New Year’s Eve show

Celebrate New Year’s eve with Ever Ready – Teddy, Amelia and Dave – rockin’ at The Eagles, 2020 E. Dowling.

New Year’s Eve in Whittier with LuLu Small & the Grrlzlist

Lulu Small and the Small Band are playing New Year’s Eve with well-known special guest Trish Ham at Whittier’s new luxury hotel The Inn in Whittier, and there’s a special rate for Grrlzlist readers: $150 includes the night at the Inn and dinner (or $100 without dinner) using the Grrlzlist promo code (check your issue of the Grrlzlist for the code). Reservations and more info HERE.

New Year’s Eve at the Kodiak Bar and Grill

Bring in the New Year with the best alternative bar in Anchorage, and party until 5 a.m. with T-Man from KFAT. $10 at the door.

Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles: Simple Gifts (video)

Sunday, 27 December 2009 – 8:27 AM | 2 Comments

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles toured four South American nations performing multi-lingual theatrical performances. ‘Simple Gifts’ was one of the highlights: