Articles by E. Ross
E. Ross is the founder of Bent Alaska.
San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus: We’re Not Lost We’re Here (video)
The gay choral videos posted this week celebrate music and the joy of Christmas. They also bring the message that gays and lesbians are not spiritually lost just because we are open and honest about our love.
In today’s video, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus sings “We’re Not Lost We’re Here” from Naked Man, while soloist and first tenor Cecil O’Neal Johnson tells his story of joining the chorus and becoming whole:
Dublin Lesbian and Gay Choir: Hark The Herald Angels Sing (video)
Merry Christmas!
Gloria, the lesbian and gay choir of Dublin, Ireland, performed their Christmas concert in St. Anne’s Catholic Church last week, including a beautiful rendition of “Hark The Herald Angels Sing” that opens with a piano solo:
Boston Gay Men’s Chorus: Hallelujah Chorus (video)
The Hallelujah Chorus (featuring les freres de St. Francis de la Sissies) performed with great comic timing by the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus:
Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus: Waltz of the Snowflakes (video)
Continuing with the theme of gay holiday music videos, here is the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus dancing in drag to “Waltz of the Snowflakes” from the Nutcracker ballet:
Coming Out at Christmas (video)
They aren’t in Alaska, and I don’t recommend coming out at big family gatherings, but this video of the London Gay Men’s Chorus singing “Coming Out at Christmas” is more entertaining then the current gay (and anti-gay) news. So here it is, around a hundred gay men singing a classic gay Christmas song:
Rev. Johnathan’s Christmas message
– by Rev. Johnathan Jones, of Church Life Alaska
It is certainly the time of holidays, rituals and celebrations. From Thanksgiving, to Yule-Tide, Kwanza to Christmas and winter solstice. For some of us these separate holiday seasons may seem very different to each other and sometimes even at odds with each other.
However, I want to think about what binds us all together through these holiday seasons. I must warn you though – the jist of this message may be upsetting to some, but, hopefully encouraging and activating.
Listening to the radio this year, I have heard the same Christmas song played over and over. “Have yourself a merry little Christmas, make the Yule-time gay, from now on, our troubles will be miles away.” I’m not using these lyrics because they have the word “gay” or because the song was immortalized by Judy Garland, but rather, because the song is very melancholy to me and the lyrics seem untrue.
Especially for us in the queer community, some of us can find ourselves estranged from family and our troubles certainly don’t seem miles away. So what can we do?
We can choose to spend the holidays with our families of choice. We can make an effort to invite those alone to our celebrations. We can give to the needy, poor and homeless. We can be thankful for what and who we have.
“Have a merry little Christmas” may seem a faraway dream for some of us, whilst others of us have that joy every holiday season. Where ever you fit on the “holiday spectrum,” may I encourage you to take some time to help and love others, and help and love yourselves. Whatever your background, may you have a truly blessed holiday season.
Have a Merry Gay Christmas in Anchorage
Parties, services, potlucks and brunches – come celebrate Christmas with your LGBT friends and community at these events:
The Alaska Center for Spiritual Living Christmas Eve service is on Wed. Dec 23 at 7 p.m. at Grant Hall (APU campus). As always, the music will be rockin’, the message uplifting, the hearts open, and ALL are welcome. The Center is also hosting Christmas Dinner followed by a movie on Friday, Dec 25.
Mad Myrna’s Christmas Eve Party is on Dec 24 from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Visit with Santa and his helpers, eat, drink and be merry. Come on down and be nice at being naughty.
Church Life Alaska is holding a special holiday “Queer Christmas Brunch” on Christmas Day, Dec 25 from 11am – 1pm. The free brunch will be held at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center. Everyone is invited to attend. Please RSVP and check out the menu on their Facebook page linked above, or contact Church Life AK.
The Anchorage/MatSu LGBT Meetup group is combining the end of the year vegan potluck with a holiday party and Chinese auction. The party and potluck will be held in Palmer on Dec 26 at 6pm, at the Palmer Presbyterian Church, 713 S Denali St. Please bring a small gift for the game.
Join MCC Anchorage on Dec 27, the Sunday following Christmas, the last Sunday of 2009, for an inspiring New Year message called “Overflow.” Sunday worship with MCC Anchorage is at 2 p.m.
RuPaul spoofs Palin with Going Vogue
RuPaul’s holiday greeting card this year is a parody of Sarah’s book cover, “Going Vogue: New Year. New Season. No Experience Required.”
NewNowNext posted the photo and quipped:
“(T)his time she’s “Going Vogue!” Watch out, Grandma Palin. Ru’s got on her red anorak and she’s ready to govern! And I’m guessing Ru knows her way around a lumberjack. Plus, I’m sure Ru also knows all about laying some serious Alaskan pipeline.”
You betcha! So who wants to be her First Dude?
Season 2 of RuPaul’s Drag Race starts Feb. 1 on Logo.
This Week in LGBT Alaska 12/18/09
This week’s LGBT events from the statewide newsletter Alaska GLBT News.
Juneau
SEAGLA Social Fridays (6-8 p.m.) for GLBT people and our friends over 21, at The Imperial Bar, downtown.
Gay-Straight Alliance at JDHS, Wednesdays at noon.
Fairbanks
Jeff’s Holiday Bonfire Dance Party 12/18, 9 p.m.
UAF Gay-Straight Alliance, Mondays at 5 p.m. in the Women’s Center (Eilson 112). Jessi.
Wednesday LGBTA Social at 9:30 p.m. Email Joshua for the current location.
Mat-Su Valley
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
Holiday Open House at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center 12/18, 5-7 p.m.
EverReady in Eagle River 12/18, 9p.m.-1a.m. at Tips Bar.
Friday Diva Variety Show, 9 p.m at Mad Myrna’s.
Anchorage Youth Initiative Holiday Drop in/Hang Out 12/19, 12-3 p.m. at the GLCCA.
Snowball 2009 with the ICOAA 12/19, 7-11 p.m. at Mad Myrna’s.
AMP Holiday Party 12/19, 3-7 p.m. RSVP Required.
Sunday worship with MCC Anchorage at 2 p.m.
Miss MeMe’s Gospel Xmas Show 12/20, 5 p.m. at Mad Myrna’s.
Sissies not welcome at Fairbanks University
The University of Alaska, Fairbanks has a new ad campaign: a site called WeedsOutWimps.UAF features recruitment videos with this tip on how to deal with the frigid winters in central Alaska:
“If you’re gonna call yourself an Alaskan, you gotta just dive right in, you can’t be a sissy and wimp out because it’s a little cold outside.”
The first video that comes up on the site was titled “No Sissies.” The title was changed to “Awesomely Cold” yesterday, but the sissy quote remains the focus of the video. The quote is also repeated in a second recruitment video called “Yeah, It’s Cold.”
A message on the UAF Facebook page from Scott McCrea, Director of Marketing and Communications, reads: “The definition of the phrase “No Sissies” in our recruitment campaign meant to imply a person who would not be able to handle the extreme conditions presented by Mother Nature in Interior Alaska. This word is used to explain the attitude and independence that so many people who attend UAF find in Fairbanks.”
The dictionary definition of “sissy” is “an effeminate man or boy; also, a timid or cowardly person.”
It’s like using the word gay to mean stupid. Sissy means both a wimp or coward, and a man who is not as masculine as men are expected to be. The double meaning is the insult.
UAF is still recovering from a controversy over an ex-gay speaker brought up by the Bible club earlier this semester. In his Convocation speech, Chancellor Brian Rogers responded to the protests: “I’m committed to an open and welcoming and inclusive university… I know there are times where this campus does not feel welcoming, inclusive or safe to some of our members. I’d like to change that.”
A “no sissies” ad campaign calling effeminate male students wimps and not real Alaskans is a poor choice for a university that is trying to be safe and inclusive.
So UAF, you think “sissies” aren’t brave enough to handle the harsh winter climate in Fairbanks? Well, that’s nothing compared to the harsh social climate of homophobia. Sissies can also be fierce, and this young man danced half naked in the snow right there at your school. Can you do this:
