Sunday, 6 October 2013 – 5:19 PM
| Comments Off on A long-overdue Bent Alaska update — October 2013
Bent Alaska’s blog will continue in hiatus indefinitely; but the Bent Alaska Facebook Group on Facebook is thriving — join us! A long-overdue update from Bent Alaska’s editor.
On Halloween, we watch scary movies. But Bent is a GLBT Alaska blog, and there aren’t many scary movies set in queer Alaska. However, there are scary videos of our homegrown homophobes.
The scariest gay-related Alaska show I’ve ever seen was real: the public hearings on the non-discrimination ordinance. It was downright creepy listening to religious fanatics read a steady stream of random Biblical quotes and unscientific homophobic nonsense to the Anchorage Assembly as their public comments against a secular non-discrimination ordinance, while dozens of devil-red-shirted church members clapped at the lunacy. They were all kinds of crazy, and scarier than fictional characters because you might find yourself standing in the grocery store next to them after the hearing.
But I won’t subject you to the testimonies. Instead, John at Alaska Commons recently posted a creepy video from Prevo’s 38th Pastoral Anniversary at ABT mixed with photos from the protests outside the hearings.
Gryphen from Immoral Minority actually attended Prevo’s celebration of homophobia and wrote an interesting story about that day. On John’s video montage, he said,
“Crushing the enemy under our feet.” No you did not hear that wrong.
I was sitting in the audience when they were singing that song and watched the congregation, with heads lifted toward the heavens, belt out that song with both conviction and passion.
They DO believe with all of their hearts that they are fighting a battle against the devil, and that the LGBT community are his agents here on earth.
Definietly creepy. So here is a video of local Alaskan homophobes for a bit of Halloween entertainment. Thanks to John and Gryphen for the video and on-the-scene commentary.
If the past summer in Anchorage is any indication, Christian churches are at war over homosexuality and this war is exacting a heavy toll among homosexuals themselves. Homosexuals are the number one persecuted group of people in the Christian community, persecuted by their own friends, families, and church families.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth are up to four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers, according to the Massachusetts 2006 Youth Risk Survey. A 2007 San Francisco State University Chavez Center Institute study shows that LGBT and questioning youth who come from a rejecting family are up to nine times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers. And for every completed suicide by a young person, it is estimated that 100 to 200 attempts are made (2003 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey).
If that is not disturbing enough, GLBT youth left homes last year more often (12.38 times) than their heterosexual counterparts (6.69 times). GLBT youth were more likely to leave as a result of physical abuse, alcohol use in the family and conflicts with family over their sexual orientation.
Nothing says Jesus like making a child’s living conditions at home so unbearable that they feel they must either take to the streets where drug addiction, sexual abuse, homelessness, alcohol addiction and more horrific realities await them on the streets, or commit suicide. Nothing says Jesus more than displaying such an utter lack of understanding or compassion that homosexuals are driven from their homes and take their lives.
This summer on the Eddie Burke show, one caller referred to the homosexual community as non-human. Other callers read Scriptures that they interpreted to mean that God did not love homosexuals. I suspect that callers believe this because it is what they have been told as opposed to seeking and searching the Scriptures.
Baptist Pastor Jerry Prevo claims that the idea of homosexuals being protected from discrimination under the law would give them special rights which are unnecessary because homosexuals already have the same rights as heterosexual individuals. Further, in a KTVA interview, Prevo also claims that he doesn’t believe discrimination is actually happening in the city of Anchorage.
“I’ve tried to reason with these people. I don’t want the issue to come up. I’ve just dealt with a couple. … Their daughter, 19 years old now, is taking shots to make herself a man. These parents, their daughter never had any signs of being unsatisfied with her assigned sex, which is another terminology in here that’s a legal term, assigned sex at birth, and what they feel like has happened, she just got with this crowd and has been brought over.
“My problem is when I take this stand and I can’t minister to these people. I can’t tell them that Jesus Christ died for them and will forgive them just like he will an adulterer or a murderer and they can be changed. It makes it hard for them to listen to me, because they frame me as being hateful. … But I see it as that I’m telling them the truth. …
“I’ve had those who’ve come out of homosexuality in my church, and I’m sure I have some there now that are homosexuals. Based on scripture, I just can’t allow them to promote it as an acceptable alternative lifestyle.”
Red flags should immediately be raised when the pastor of any church is unable to minister to any individual or a group of people. What Pastor Prevo has asserted here is his inability to love all people.
Often, when we are so close to a subject we are passionate about, we fail to see that it is ourselves promoting hate, intolerance and that individuals who display such an utter lack of compassion, understanding and love (the greatest commandment) are the very people who are enabling children and young adults to take to the streets, and to take their lives.
It is time Anchorage to begin shouting from our churches that the spreading of hate, intolerance and discrimination must end. The lives of so many are being destroyed and countless lives are being lost, largely because churches and spiritual leaders such as Jerry Prevo are far too busy trying to be correct, rather than making an attempt to minister and to love.
Join Anchorage Won’t Discriminate in helping One Kalamazoo, the campaign to protect the non-discrimination ordinance facing a recall vote in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The Kalamazoo ordinance is similar to the one vetoed this summer in Anchorage.
GLCCA Open House x2
The Gay and Lesbian Community Center (GLCCA) hosted QLBTQA youth from UAA’s The Family and APU’s Spectrum GLBT groups for an open house, tour, pizza, and meet and greet on Sept. 26. Later the same evening, another open house was held at GLCCA to celebrate Diversity Month. The center was packed to the rafters with visitors enjoying each others’ company, fine food and great entertainment. See the October issue of NorthView, Identity’s quarterly bulletin, for more Community Center News.
Seeking over-65 same sex couples who own their home
Lesbian and gay couples in Alaska are not treated equally under the state’s Senior Citizen Property Exemption laws. Married residents 65 years of age or older are exempt from taxation on the first $150,000 of the assessed value of their home, regardless of whether the property is held in the name of the husband, wife, or both. However, same-sex domestic partners are excluded from the full exemption. Only one person in the same sex couple can receive the exemption, and the amount is essentially cut in half because state law treats same-sex partners as roommates. If you are 1) in a long-term, committed relationship with your partner, AND 2) at least one partner is 65 or over, AND 3) you are living with your partner in a home that one or both of you own, then the ACLU of Alaska would like to talk with you. Please contact Tiffany McClain at (tmcclain@akclu.org).
Pride Foundation scholarship applications
Pride Foundation is now accepting scholarship applications for the 2010-11 school year. Each year, Pride Foundation provides educational scholarships to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight-ally leaders and role models from Alaska, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Washington attending any accredited post-secondary school. They offer 50 different scholarships, but have only one application to complete. Just create an account and complete your application online.
The second post for Ally Week 2009 highlights business ally OfficeMax and local employee Christopher Oeser, who won a company-wide Diversity Award for marching in the Anchorage Pride Parade with the OfficeMax banner.
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Gays and lesbians in Anchorage have many workplace allies, from corporations with LGBT-inclusive diversity policies to small business owners who supported our efforts for a non-discrimination ordinance. One business ally is OfficeMax, a multinational office supply company with stores in Anchorage and Fairbanks.
“I just found out that my work made me the 2009 diversity champion,” enthused Chris Oser on August 8, three days before the Assembly passed the ordinance and nine days before the mayor vetoed it.
“There are only 3 diversity champions in the whole company… I am having dinner with the CEO in September and I get a trophy. I am way excited and wanted everyone to know. Officemax is an awesome place to shop and work for the LGBT community!”
What did Chris do to win a company-wide diversity award? And what did OfficeMax do to get such a loyal employee?
In May, Chris called the corporate office and suggested that OfficeMax support LGBT diversity for the month of June. “Our work is all about cultural diversity and working inclusively with each other, and they pride themselves on doing that,” he wrote.
And they did, as Bent reported on June 4. When Chris returned to work at the OfficeMax store in the Northway Mall, he saw a rainbow poster in the break room that read, “OfficeMax Celebrates Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Pride Month: Embracing Inclusion.”
“My company OfficeMax made this June LGBT Pride Month,” wrote Chris on the PrideFest wall. “I am so proud to work there!”
So he asked if he could march in the local pride parade with the company’s diversity banner. And they said yes. Chris and a few others marched in Anchorage PrideFest holding a colorful banner with the message “OfficeMax: Celebrating Diversity Through Inclusion.”
OfficeMax displayed their Pride Month posters in many stores and their LGBT employees marched in other pride parades. They even had a float in Chicago Pride. But they had never been represented in Anchorage PrideFest until Chris came along.
So they honored their proud employee with a company award. Just three days before the Mayor’s no-diversity-allowed Unity Dinner, the CEO of OfficeMax flew to Anchorage to present a Diversity Award to Chris.
CEO Sam Duncan, Diversity officer Caroline Brooks, the head of Retail and head of Human Resources all attended the special Diversity Lunch on September 22 at the Northway Mall OfficeMax store. Leaders of the Anchorage LGBT community came to share the moment with Chris, including Phyllis Rhodes of the Gay & Lesbian Community Center, and Kevin Holtz & Miss MeMe of the Imperial Court of All Alaska.
“We had seafood dishes, King crab legs, and really good desert,” wrote Chris. “I played piano for everyone. Most people didn’t know that I could play 13 instruments.”
And that’s how OfficeMax showed their employees and the community that they Celebrate Diversity Through Inclusion. Even LGBT inclusion. Even here in Anchorage.
Friday, 16 October 2009 – 12:07 PM
| Comments Off on Please Help Captain Kaos get a New Leg
Captain Kaos needs our help! Kaos, a.k.a. Kevin Bohall, is a karaoke performer and ex-security guard at Mad Myrna’s. He lost his right leg below the knee this summer and can’t drive or work until he gets a prosthetic leg. Social Security and public assistance turned him down, so Laurie Branstiter is collecting donations and throwing a benefit Pirate Karaoke party at Myrna’s on October 22 to help Kevin get his leg.
This is Kevin’s story, as told to Bent Alaska by Laurie:
“Kevin lost his right foot and partial leg to diabetes in June 2009. He was working for a local landscaping company when he developed a blister on his right foot. His employer wouldn’t allow anyone time off during the ‘busy season’ without 3 weeks notice. Kevin didn’t realize his diabetes had flared up again and his body couldn’t fight the diabetes and the infection in his foot. It soon turned gangrene. He was lucky and it is a “BKA” (below knee amputation).”
“Kevin had just started his dream job as a truck driver for Klondike Cement. But without a right foot, he cannot drive. He doesn’t consider himself ‘disabled’ and is anxious to get back to work.”
“We applied for Social Security Disability – denied and on appeal; State of Alaska Public Assistance and Unemployment – denied; Love, Inc. has given us food and we are on waiting list for rent assistance; Limbs for Life has been contacted and he’s on a waiting list.”
“I have been supporting Kevin, my 15-year old son and myself since June. We are $4000 behind in rent and utilities. Kevin has a couple of credit cards that we haven’t been able to pay on.”
“Kevin loves to perform karaoke at Myrna’s. He uses the name Capt. Kaos as his stage name. It is actually a character (played by Dom Deluise) in Cannonball Run, one of Kevin’s favorite movies.”
Kevin and Laurie are active allies in the Mad Myrna’s community and held a fundraiser there last year for diabetes and the Cancer Association.
Their friends are stepping forward to help. Marsha Brannan is giving $8 from every $12.50 fleece neck warmer she sells to the Kevin Bohall Prosthetic Fund. The neck warmers are available in solid black, cream, red, or blue and can be shipped anywhere in the United States. Email Marsha to order.
Despite the roadblocks, Laurie is hopeful. “Thank you and God Bless each of you for taking the time to read about Kevin.”
Donations can be made to the Kevin Bohall Prosthetic Fundraiser account at First National Bank Alaska. Donations will also be accepted at the door during the Pirate Karaoke party at Myrna’s, 8 p.m. on October 22. Please email Laurie to help with the party.
“After the ordinance hearings, we thought the community might want to come together for a night or two of laughter,” wrote Matthew Moak of MCCA.
Emler has over 15 years of experience as a stand-up comedian. While travelling to perform, he shot up to 310 pounds. After seeing a photo of himself with actress Sharon Gless of Queer As Folk, Bryan vowed to never perform again at that weight. He lost over 100 pounds, was out of the spotlight for over three years, and is back as hungry as ever.
“Bryan has generously agreed to donate 50% of the ticket proceeds to MCCA,” wrote Matthew, “so let’s do all we can do to make these two nights a success.” The Anchorage tour is part of Emler’s Share the Wealth project to help gay non-profits raise money.
Tickets are $15 and available online or at the church. Students can attend for $10 at the door with student ID. Both shows will be performed at St. Mary’s Church, on the corner of Tudor & Lake Otis, from 7-8 p.m.
Bent Alaska caught up with Emler to learn more about motivational comedy, Superhero & Dream Big, fundraisers for gay churches, and the importance of seeing a moose.
Q. Why did you choose these two shows for your Alaska performance?
A. I chose the shows DREAM BIG (SIZE MATTERS) and HOW YOU CAN BE A SUPERHERO (WITHOUT WEARING YOUR UNDERWEAR IN PUBLIC) due to the current political climate in Alaska. I felt that not only do you all need a good laugh, but you need a bit of encouragement and motivation to propel your state forward.
Q. The announcement said it’s a gay comedy show, but your ad talks about transforming your spirit. Is it a combination of comedy and religion?
A. This “comedy show” is part comedy, part motivational, part inspirational. DREAM BIG will offer concrete steps on how you can live the life you dream about, at the same time you will be laughing at my trials and tribulations while I am trying to live out mine.
In HOW YOU CAN BE A SUPERHERO, I show you how to become a superhero in Alaska and help change the world. It looks like this is a show that is needed in Anchorage to give you hope.
They aren’t religious shows, they are inspirational comedy shows with a call to action.
Q. Anchorage is part of your Share the Wealth tour. What is that and how does it help local communities?
A. I came up with the SHARE THE WEALTH TOUR, because I wanted to find a way of giving back to gay communities across the US.
One of the biggest issues with gay churches, non-profits, and organizations, is that they can’t always afford to pay thousands of dollars to bring in entertainers for their events. If by chance they can afford it, then they have trouble re-couping the costs of that entertainer, and they find themselves in the hole when it was supposed to be a fundraiser.
So, I devised a way the gay organizations can book me WITHOUT my normal fee, they get 50% off all ticket sales for hosting the event, and not only do they get a comedy show, they make some money in the process.
Q. Have you ever been to Alaska? Will you have a chance to see anything outside of the city?
A. This will be my very first trip to Alaska, so I am looking forward to it. I am going to fly in a day early, and stay a day after my shows, so that I will have some time to look around. The only thing I MUST do while I am there is to see a MOOSE. I will not leave the state until I see a moose!
So, if anyone wants to go Moose Watching, let me know!
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Join Bryan Emler on his hilarous journey, and discover how you can change the world and transform your spirit and your life!
Tuesday, 13 October 2009 – 9:48 AM
| Comments Off on The Personal is Political at Pride Conference & Rally
Anchorage hosted both the Alaska Pride Conference and the support rally for the National Equality March on Saturday, and queer youth were front and center at both events.
Gays and allies from Fairbanks, Juneau, Homer and the Mat-Su joined the Anchorage LGBTA community at APU for Identity’s annual Pride Conference. The morning workshops focused on providing support for young adults in the Gay-Straight Alliances, the new generation of queer and straight youth who are passionate about equal rights and excited about being on the cutting edge of political progress.
Instead of one keynote speaker for the afternoon, the Pride Conference asked a panel of leaders to speak on issues relevant to queer Alaska.
Jackie Buckley spoke on the importance of health care issues like the lack of insurance coverage for LGBT families, limited health information targeted to us, and not being included in either the medical studies or the educational campaigns. She noted outreach to the LGBT community by the local stop smoking campaign as an example of progress. Buckley is a healthcare administrator who volunteers with the Identity Advocacy Team and PFLAG Anchorage.
Rev. Susan Halvor, an ordained Lutheran pastor, said she is often asked, “Where can LGBT Alaskans go to church and be welcomed?” Rev. Halvor encouraged the LGBT community to support general human rights issues in Alaska, along with specific issues of gay equality.
Marsha Buck is an ally from Juneau, a proud PFLAG mom, and the President of Alaskans Together for Equality. She noted that many of our state House legislators are far-right republicans and that it’s time to bring the Alaska legislature back into balance by electing more progressives. She encouraged LGBT people to live honestly and open, in a respectful way, and we will get honesty and respect in return. She said that our allies are glad to speak for us, but that we also need to speak for ourselves. And she recommended that we join Alaskans Together for Equality to work for our rights here in Alaska.
Mike Mason is a young man who attended the hearings for the equal rights ordinance this summer and helped organize the rallies on the lawn. He supports activism for minority rights, to achieve legal equality in the city, state and country. He said that religion is not our enemy, ignorance is, and he suggested that we come out because change is made through personal contacts.
Verner Wilson is not the only gay Eskimo. He grew up in a small rural town where he was teased for being gay. There are no resources for LGBT kids in rural Alaska, and no support for LGBT Native Alaskans anywhere. He is concerned about Pebble Mine ruining his home waters of Bristol Bay, about the mayor’s veto of the equal rights ordinance, and about the repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. He also noted that his family accepts him now.
Frank Jenkins (aka Miss MeMe) is the newly-elected Empress of the Imperial Court of All Alaska, the state’s first gay organization. He grew up in supportive communities and remembers marching in a candlelight vigil following the murder of Harvey Milk. He said that opposition is often the instigation for progress because it creates a backlash against the prejudice. When people speak out for what is right and are knocked down, they become heroes. Our local allies woke up to the prejudice we faced this summer, and the homophobes will never support us. But how do we motivate those in the middle and get more LGBT youth to stay involved? Leadership development and mentoring for gay and especially trans young adults after they come out, to help them live full lives around work, relationships, spirituality, and politics.
Trevor Storrs is the director of Four A’s. He was raised in a small isolated town and even they have evolved on LGBT issues. The actual bigots are a minority, the rest fear us because they don’t know us. When they get to know us as individuals, not categories, they can accept us for who we are. Personal contact is important to help them get past their fear.
After the panel members spoke, conference chair Johnathan Jones opened the discussion to the audience. The main issues were how to develop better connections between the LGBT groups and more effective outreach to the mainstream public.
The conference participants also enjoyed a comedy hypnosis show by Jay Her, visited vender and information booths representing LGBT groups, ate lunch and breakfast provided by The Last Frontier Men’s Club, and met in person their far-flung email contacts and Facebook friends.
When the conference ended, several of us drove down 36th to the Library and joined the support rally for the National Equality March. Rally organizers Tara and Jon and the other young protestors, gay and straight, had been standing there since 10 a.m., despite the drizzle, and were happy to see us. With that kind of commitment, LGBT equality is inevitable.
The very real consequences of DADT repeal; seeking survivor benefits for same-sex partner of Alaska shooting victim; waiting on SCOTUS decision about whether it will hear Prop 8 case; and other recent LGBTQ news selected by Sara Boesser in Juneau, Alaska.
In this month’s “Ask Lambda Legal” column, Lambda Legal answers a question about the federal government’s longstanding ban against donations of blood from men who have sex with men (MSM).
Alaska Pride Conference 2012 kicks off on October 5 with a First Friday showing at Tref.Punkt Studio of Love is Love, a photographic exhibit of LGBT couples from across the state.
United for marriage: Light the way to justice. The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments this Tuesday and Wednesday, March 26–27, in two cases about freedom to marry. Please join us on Tuesday, March 26, at the federal courthouse in Anchorage (7th & C) in a circle united for equality.
Pariah, a critically acclaimed film about a 17-year-old African-American woman embracing her lesbian identity, will screen at UAA on Friday, November 2, and will be followed by a discussion on acceptance in honor of Mya Dale. The event is free and open to the public.
