Articles by E. Ross
E. Ross is the founder of Bent Alaska.
Gays Join Alaska’s July 4th Parades
Three of Alaska’s 4th of July Parades – Anchorage, Ester and Homer – will have openly gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender contingents celebrating Independence Day this Saturday, and all LGBTA Alaskans are invited to join the fun.
Anchorage
The Anchorage July 4th Parade will include the Imperial Court float ‘The Starship Something Fierce’ hosted by the Duke & Duchess of Anchorage, and the LGBT Youth float from PrideFest. The youth float theme is ‘Let Our Colors Bloom, Youth for Equality’ and youth 14-19 are invited to join. Adults are welcome to join the Court float, or the ACLU marchers.
“If you would like to join the Court float, please meet us at 7th & H St. between 9 and 10 a.m.,” writes Paige Langit, Anchorage Duchess. The youth float will meet at 7th & I St. This year’s parade route circles the Delaney Park Strip in downtown Anchorage.
The ACLU of Alaska also invites the LGBTA community to join their walking contingent. They meet at 8th & I St. at 10:30 a.m.
After the parade, Bernie’s Bungalow is hosting a marathon 4th Fest with live music, burlesque & circus performances from 4 p.m.-midnight, followed by a DJ dance party. The $10 cover gets you an all-event wristband from a VivaVoom Brr-Lesque hostess.
Ester
In the Fairbanks area, Dykes on Bikes (a.k.a. the Thursday Women’s Motorcycle Group, and friends) are riding in the Ester Fourth of July Parade. They will meet at 11 a.m. for the parade, and stay for the community picnic/potluck afterwards.
“Inspired by our recent motorcycle runs, and the general funky, festive atmosphere of Ester in a high holiday mood, I’ve gotten us a spot in the Ester July 4th parade,” writes Jeanne. “Women looking for a good time in a ‘family’ friendly atmosphere should join us. Any size bike or scooter will do.”
The Ester event is not a typical Independence Day Parade. “Anything goes,” writes Deirdre Helfferich on The Ester Republic blog. “We’ve had Revolutionary War soldiers, a Visqueen statue of liberty, leather-and-whip wielding fishnetted literati, giant puppets, men in drag and mops, dogs in costume, pigs in porkmobiles, fake politicians with real bribes, real politicians with fake bribes, dance troupes, couch potatoes, marching bands, gaggles of kids, horses, extremely loud firetrucks, etc.” Compared to that, Dykes on Bikes will seem tame.
Bribing the judges is a tradition at the Ester Parade. It’s not required, but it’s part of the fun. The Dykes on Bikes contingent is planning a bribe, a sign, and decorations for the motorcycles.
The Thursday Women’s Motorcycle Group meets at the Regal/Goldstream Theater parking lot every week at 6 p.m. and features a 45-60 minute ride to dinner and back. “If you want to hitch a ride, meet us Thursday evening and we’ll see what we can do,” writes Jeanne. Remember that helmets are mandatory for passengers in Alaska.
Homer
The new Homer PFLAG chapter made a colorful float for the Homer July 4th parade down Pioneer Ave. to Sterling Highway.
“Come show your support for LGBTQ in Homer,” reads the event’s Facebook message. “We are gathering at 5 p.m. in the Homer High Parking Lot to put the dazzel on and work out the ditty to do before the judges. Wear bright colors. Let’s show there is a safe place to celebrate diversity in Homertown.”
Happy Independence Day!
Equality Works: Looking Ahead
We hope that you’ve enjoyed the vacation from the marathon of public hearings we’ve had over the last month. The break in the action has given the Equality Works steering committee some time to reflect and consider our options as we prepare for the next round of hearings and the transitioning mayoral administration.
WHAT WE WANT YOU TO KNOW
Who we are: Equality Works is a coalition of organizations to working to ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people are protected from discrimination in the Municipality of Anchorage. You can find a list of our member organizations here. At the head of the coalition is a steering committee/decision-making body currently made up of 11 community leaders and activists, mainly long-time Alaskans. We meet and communicate regularly to discuss and debate the most successful course for achieving our goal of protecting the LGBT citizens of Anchorage from discrimination. If you have any questions, concerns, or recommendations you’d like to share with the steering committee, feel free to respond to this post and I will make sure they get the message.
We have not given up: Many media outlets are sounding the death knell for any attempts to pass an ordinance to amend Anchorage’s nondiscrimination law, but we are committed to making sure that the Municipality of Anchorage takes steps to protect LGBT people from discrimination by whatever political means is most effective. Until we have used every tool available to us, we will keep organizing for equality. If our opponents think that we have given up simply because we have a new mayor, their short-sightedness will work in our favor in the long run. They were mobilized for a sprint, but we are preparing for a marathon. Time is on our side.
We want the democratic process to continue. While opponents of equality succeeded in pushing the consideration of the ordinance into July and onto the plate of a new mayoral administration, they have not yet succeeded in killing the legislation. As I write this, the ordinance is still alive and we believe that we have the votes to pass a strong ordinance that protects all of us—transgender, lesbian, gay, and bisexual—without sacrificing employment rights. In short, we want our Assembly members to debate on ordinance 64 and take a vote. If we end up losing the votes, facing a veto, or facing the challenge of repeal by voter referendum, we will mobilize to win by other means. But as for now, we believe that this phase of the democratic process needs to play itself out. We hope that you are willing to stick with us for the long haul.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
Contact Mayor-Elect Dan Sullivan
Mayor Sullivan has not yet stated publicly where he stands on the issue of equality for LGBT citizens. Tell him why he should support an ordinance that will help protect all Anchorage citizens from discrimination. Send him an e-mail at <mayor@muni.org>. Remember to be respectful!
Attend the Public Hearing on Tuesday, July 7th
Last week we encouraged more of our supporters to sign up to testify so that opponents of equality do not get the last word in front of the Municipal Assembly. Many of those who signed up still haven’t had an opportunity to speak and it would be great if once they finally get to the microphone, the Assembly Chamber is filled with friends and allies who are there to support them. Where: Loussac Library, 36th & Denali. When: 5-11 pm (doors open at 3:00 pm if you want to make sure you have a seat)
Make a Donation to Equality Works
Whatever the end of the result of the Assembly hearings happens to be, Equality Works will need to work hard to advance or defend the rights of the LGBT citizens of Anchorage. The fight is just beginning. You can now support the efforts of Equality Works with an online donation.
Evaluate Us
What can we do to improve the way we operate? Take the Equality Works evaluation survey.
Attend Ordinance Hearing #4, Tues. 6/23
from Equality Works
Since Assembly Chair Debbie Ossiander has decided to keep the public hearing open indefinitely, we are asking that all supporters of equality attend the Assembly meeting this Tuesday, June 23rd, and sign up to register your support for equality if you haven’t already. Recruit your friends, your family, your neighbors, and your co-workers and have them sign up, too.
We know that our opponents do not represent the majority of Anchorage citizens and we need to show our Assembly members, Acting Mayor Claman, and Mayor-Elect Dan Sullivan that the vocal minority that is opposed to this ordinance is not a true reflection of our community. The meeting starts at 5:00 pm, but as usual, we need to pack the Assembly chambers with our supporters so please arrive early if possible. The Chamber doors are usually unlocked at 3 pm.
Opponents of equality want to push a vote to July in hopes that Dan Sullivan will veto any ordinance that gets passed. We say, let them do it! Matt Claman’s return to the Assembly will just give us one more vote for equality and increase our chances of gaining enough votes to override any veto.
Change is never easy, but this fight is not over. We are willing to bring our case to Acting Mayor Claman, we are willing to bring the case to Mayor-Elect Dan Sullivan, and we are willing to bring our case to the people of Anchorage.
Remember, Equality Works.
PRIDEFEST Saturday
Finally, the event we’ve been waiting for: Saturday, June 20 is the Anchorage PRIDEFEST, with the Diversity Parade at 11 a.m., Pride on the Park Strip at noon, and DJ’s spinning tunes after the show.
The Celebrating Diversity Parade includes floats, marching contingents, music, a motorcycle/bicycle group and spectators cheering along the route. The Parade will start downtown at 6th and D, march west on 6th to K, zigzag to 9th, then travel west to the end of the Park Strip. The route map is on the PrideFest Links page.
The Anchorage PrideFest 2009 Parade Grand Marshals are M.E. Rider and Victoria Shaver.
The Festival on the Park Strip will feature live entertainment throughout the day. The high-energy, all-ages lineup will include musicians, dancers, drag performers, slam poets, and more. The Festival is located west of the Rose Garden this year, at the far west end of the Park Strip.
The Marketplace will include many local vendors, including GLBT service organizations, local restaurants and food vendors, arts and crafts vendors, and Pride merchandise. We encourage you to support these vendors who support the Alaska GLBT community in so many ways.
See you there!
This Week in LGBT Alaska 6/19/09 – PRIDEFEST Saturday!
The event you’ve been waiting for: Saturday is PRIDEFEST, with the Diversity Parade at 11 a.m., Pride on the Park Strip at 2 p.m., and DJ Dan spinning tunes after the show. Check the official Pride Week schedule for updates. The route is different this year and the map is on the PrideFest Links page.
This week’s 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 Pride Picnic Celebration at Skater’s Cabin 6/20, 2-7 p.m. SEAGLA
National HIV Testing Week 6/23-6/27 Four A’s is offering free HIV testing June 23-27 at various locations around Juneau.
Mat-Su Valley
Come to Anchorage PrideFest on Saturday, June 20. 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. Harmony Choir meets at the Center on Thursdays, 6:30 p.m.
Homer
Hedwig and the Angry Inch, 6/19-6/21 at 8 p.m. Live performance starring Atz Lee Kilcher as Hedwig, with a 5-piece band, at the Best Western Bidarka Inn. A benefit for Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic. Opening night $50, other shows $15.
Anchorage
Mr/Ms/Miss Gay Anchorage 2009-2010 competition, 6/19 at 8 p.m. Mad Myrna’s. $3
Midnight Soapscum at Out North, Fridays & Saturdays 6/19-7/18, 10:30 p.m.
Diversity Parade and Festival on the Park Strip, Saturday, June 20.
An Evening of Musical Entertainment 6/20, 8 p.m. Kevin Holtz with GMK and Company. Mad Myrna’s. $10.
10th Annual Allie’s Slave for a Date Auction, 6/20, 9 p.m. $5 at the Kodiak Bar.
Coffee Date showing at the Museum 6/20 & 6/21, 6 p.m.
Pride Week Reception: Celebrating Marriage 6/21, 2 p.m.-2 a.m. at Bernie’s Bungalow. Hosts: 2-3pm Identity, 3-4pm The Imperial Court of All Alaska, 4-5pm GLSEN.
National HIV Testing Week 6/20-6/27 Four A’s is offering free HIV testing.
Pride Weekend Worship with MCC Anchorage 6/21, 2 p.m. Music, scripture, and message titled “Fear N Faith.”
Free BBQ at the Kodiak 6/21, 8 p.m. with Speed Dating and Kissing Booths.
Transgender Support Group, Sundays 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the GLCCA.
Anchorage Frontrunners, Tuesdays, 6 p.m.
Equality Works Optimistic on Gaining Equal Protection
Ending Discrimination and Creating Change are Historically Challenging, and Ultimately Always Successful
Equality Works, a coalition of Alaska Organizations, issued the following statement regarding the Assembly consideration of Ordinance 64.
“Equality Works remains confident that Anchorage supports an end to discrimination,” said spokesperson Jackie Buckley. “Americans – by a vast majority – want equal protection for all in employment, housing, and public accommodations.
“Our coalition of organizations and fair-minded individuals know that the battle for change is difficult and that there would be times when challenges arose. We will not back down.
“Many options remain open to achieving the equality that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender families need and deserve. We continue our work with the Assembly and Mayor Claman, and will work with Mayor Elect Sullivan to find a solution. We trust that the people of Anchorage support our work.”
Equality Works is a coalition of organizations and individuals working to protect Anchorage citizens from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in matters of employment, housing, and public accommodations, and includes the Alaska Women’s Lobby, Alaska Women’s Political Caucus, Alaskans Together for Equality, Alliance for Reproductive Justice-Alaska, American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska, Anchorage Education Association, Anchorage Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Anchorage Urban League, Association of Fundraising Professionals-Alaska Chapter, Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network-Anchorage (GLSEN), Identity, Inc., Immanuel Presbyterian Church, League of Women Voters of Anchorage, National Association of Social Workers-Alaska Chapter, Parents, Friends and Families of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest.
More information regarding the Ordinance may be found at Equality Works.
Midnight Soapscum and Big Fat Gay Wedding at Out North
Midnight Soapscum: Goes to Hell! is a 5 episode soap opera being performed live during June and July at Out North Theater, concluding with The Big Fat Gay Wedding before the final show on Saturday, July 18th.
Theatre Artists United returns with Season Two of Alaska’s only live soap opera, written by Christian Heppinstall. See a new episode every week. Midnight Soapscum: Goes to Hell! features love, sex, porn, aliens, Donny & Marie, and a war against California’s Prop 8 banning gay marriage. The local cast includes Jon Minton, N’kia, Anthony Lounsbury, and Christian Heppinstall as Svetlana Smirnov. Directed by Jon Minton. Performances at 10:30 p.m. on Fridays & Saturdays, June 19th-July 18th. Tickets are $15 online or at the door.
Midnight Soapscum Goes to Hell!
Episode One – June 19th & 20th
Love. Sex. Porn. Aliens. Madame Svetlana Smirnov has seen it all, and then some. But now her strength will be tested when she is implored to take a stand against California’s Prop 8 banning Gay Marriage, and wage war against the tyrants who support it. With a new CEO, a new stable of studs, a wannabe-starlet with a mysterious past, and a French guy with a poodle, can she defeat the combined forces of a former porn star-cum-anti-porn crusader, a bloodthirsty priest, a Vice Presidential candidate, and Donny & Marie (yes, that Donny and Marie)?
Midnight Soapscum Goes to Hell!
Episode Two – June 26th & 27th
With Madame Svetlana Smirnov taking a stand against California’s Prop 8 banning gay marriage, the action is heating up in Midnight Soapscum Goes to Hell! Tune in and find out why aliens, President Obama, a catfight between a former porn star and the country’s hottest Governor, and an ending that gives new meaning to the term “divine intervention” all make it an episode you can’t afford to miss!
Midnight Soapscum Goes to Hell!
Episode Three – July 3rd & 4th
Alaska’s only live soap opera gets deeper and darker as Caribou Barbie and her cohorts execute the beginning stages of their master plan to bring down Madame Svetlana Smirnov for supporting gay marriage and opposing the ban on it by Prop 8. As Zami Lorde struggles with her identity, Brie Savage attempts to blackmail Smirnov Studios, but instead comes face-to-face with a forbidden romance. It all leads up to a scene so suspenseful, Hitchcock would be on the edge of his seat. Who will reach their grim demise in the bell tower of Mission San Juan Bautista? Tune in and find out!
Episode 4 – July 10 & 11
Episode 5 – July 17 & 18
Descriptions of these exciting episodes are TBA. Check the Out North schedule for updates.
The Big Fat Gay Wedding!
July 18th
Come support gay marriage and your gay friends and family! Get married for real (if you are straight), get your union blessed (for gays) or just renew your vows at Out North before the final showing of Episode Five of Midnight Soapscum Goes to Hell, Saturday, July 18th. Officiated by Rev. Dianne O’Connell. 7pm Reception, 8pm Marriage Ceremonies, 9pm Wedding photos with the cast, 10:30pm Episode Five, Midnight: Blessing of Love & cast party. Free admission for the Reception and Weddings.
The Music and Poetry of Celebration 09
The Celebration of Change Silver Anniversary show was performed on Saturday, June 13 in the Wilda Marston Theater, presenting a variety of female musicians, poets and comedians to the mostly female audience.
Celebration is the main fundraiser for RAW, Radical Arts for Women, a Lesbian and Feminist philanthropic group that funds Alaskan women art projects.
The Wilda Marston Theater is also being used this month as the overflow room for the Assembly hearing on the equal rights ordinance, which seeks to add “sexual orientation” to the Anchorage nondiscrimination policies.
But on June 13, the Wilda Marston rocked with the sounds of women’s voices, from original jazz to pop and opera, Balkan folk songs on the accordion to the Mary Tyler Moore show theme song, and covers of rock and country. Several of the performers are new to Alaska or new to Celebration. Other performers, and many audience members, have been coming to Celebration of Change for years, or decades.
The Radical Woman Award 2009 was presented to Victoria Shaver for her work with Celebration and the LGBT community. Congratulations, Victoria!
Photos from Ordinance Hearing #3
The parade of bigotry continued inside the Assembly chambers on Wednesday as opponents to the Anchorage ordinance demanded the right to keep discriminating against gays.
Outside the library, DJ Dan spun tunes for the demonstrators. Ordinance supporters celebrated diversity and civil rights, while opponents pushed lies and fear.
How many hours of prejudice does the Assembly need to hear to recognize us as a stigmatized minority group? How many days and weeks of personal attacks do we need to sit through to gain legal protection?
The next scheduled hearing is on Tuesday, June 23. Please wear blue.
Ordinance Hearing #2: Religious Rule has it’s Day in Court
The crowd lining 36th Avenue danced to the DJ’s tunes, holding their homemade ‘equal rights’ signs and cheering to the drivers who honked. But on the other side of the library, and inside the building, grim people in devil-red shirts preached a different message, a mix of prejudice and theocracy.
At this second Anchorage Assembly hearing on adding “sexual orientation” to the city’s non-discrimination policy, two men held a banner across the building entrance with the words “Jesus is the Lord of Alaska” written in all capital letters across the Alaska flag.
Nearby, in a crowd of mass-produced “Truth is not Hate” signs, a teenage girl in tight jeans held a sign saying “Homosexuals are going straight to HELL!!” and two young men held signs with religious quotes about sin. When I tried to take their picture (second photo), an older man blocked my view and told them to put away the signs. He agreed with their beliefs, but they couldn’t risk being seen as anti-gay.I listened to hours of testimony in the overflow room. Gay, lesbian and transgendered people of Anchorage shared personal experiences of discrimination, and allies hoped that our city would adopt this overdue measure of fairness. Opponents, in a fascinating twist of illogic, doubted that anti-gay discrimination existed, then asserted their religious right to continue discriminating against us.
All of their arguments came down to the same point – the Bible says that homosexuality is an abomination, and the city law must support that. No civil rights for sinners. Equality is immoral. Separation of church and state is un-American.
The overweight man sitting next to me nodded and clapped at the unpatriotic speeches, quoting Bible verses in support of each point. I asked him to be quiet so I could hear the testimony. He replied that he came to the Assembly meeting to bring the word of Jesus to gays, so we could repent and find salvation. I moved to another row.
Opposition leaders are trying to control the media message with their pre-printed signs about speech and truth, but bigotry leaks out of the rank and file members. They’re protesting at the library because ‘God Hates Fags’, in the words of the infamous Fred Phelps, and thus the law should hate gays too.
Prejudice against gays is their focus this month because of the equal rights ordinance. But the bigger target is the state, and the goal is theocracy. How will the Assembly respond?
