Articles in Fairbanks
Gay AK: Music, Dance, Free Food & Guest Bloggers
Gay AK is a semi-regular column with short news items and up-coming events for LGBT Alaska.
The good news: my right shoulder should be healed in a week or two. The bad news: I’m right handed. I can manage the FB page, but would really appreciate a few guest bloggers so the blog doesn’t go silent. Any LGBT Alaskans with something to say? Here’s your opportunity. Send a few paragraphs to Bent Alaska.
Arctic Siren’s First Friday Cabaret at the Snow Goose is $15 a person to benefit the Four A’s. Friday, Sept. 3 at 7:30 p.m. (Doors open at 6:45 p.m.)
Womyn’s Dance, 10/9 at the Snow Goose. We’re back with new music and a new sound system! Come alone, bring a friend, an ex, a blind date or a gaggle of lesbians, but come on out to the Snow Goose the Saturday night of the Pride Conference. Doors open at 7:30pm and we’ll dance until around midnight.
Marcia Stuber has offered to throw an end-of-summer Women’s Retreat weekend at her resort in Sterling. Her cabins sleep 2-4, and she slashed the rate to only $100 per night per cabin. Located about a 9-iron from the Kenai River, this promises to be a weekend full of fun, fishing, friendship, campfires, music, an all-around blast! Alaska Red Fish Lodge
The long awaited revealing of the Fairbanks HAUS oF FUSION: Join Beyonca Fusion on her ultimate coming out on the town party event with the revival of the long lost tradition of Follies of Dollies: the ReMix. Downtown at the 310 1st Ave Banquet Hall on Saturday, Sept 18. Doors open at 8, drag show at 9. This is partly a benefit to “honor & give love to our dear friend Richard Welch, a pioneering community member who has been instrumental in the “art of the night” for many years.” $9 @ door, 21+ only.
NE2010 was “a RAGING success with over 100 attendees enjoying three full days of educational classes and workshops taught by 8 national presenters on the SM and Leather lifestyles. Attendees were spoiled with a bustling registration brunch, brown bag lunches sponsored by the ICOAA and an off the hook farewell Seven Course Sinners Dinner with 10 performers and awards.” The Dirty Dick Award was given to it’s 8th recipient: Sarha was proud to award it to the GLBT community of Alaska.
Every Sunday night, Kodiak Bar and Grill on 5th Street hosts a totally free BarBQ at 7 pm. Chicken, steaks, burgers, fish, (different meats, different weeks, it’s just a surprise) but always very good. Baked potatoes with sour cream, butter, shredded cheese, chips and dip. Of course, you are free to purchase your beverage of choice. Music and dancing after the dinner.
Fairbanks officer discharged under DADT
West Point graduate and Former Army Capt. Jonathan Hopkins was stationed in Fairbanks until last Tuesday when he was discharged under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the military’s ban against openly-gay service members.
Hopkins lived in Alaska for several years between combat missions to the Middle East. He was outed early last summer, and continued to work on the base in Fairbanks throughout the investigation. His boyfriend of ten months, Finely Bock, of Ninilchik, Alaska, said the soldiers Hopkins led in Alaska were “very accepting” toward him and his relationship with Hopkins after it was revealed, according to the Seattle Times.
Hopkins, once the fourth-ranking graduate of West Point out of 933 cadets and an officer who led three combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, was kicked out of the Army for being gay. His last day of service was Tuesday in Fairbanks, Alaska. He left behind — grudgingly — nine years of risking his life and training soldiers.“I love the Army, I’ve always loved the Army. Otherwise I wouldn’t have spent nine years depriving myself of the ability to have happy personal relationships with others,” Hopkins said on “The Rachel Maddow Show” on MSNBC.Fourteen months ago, on the same day he learned he was going to be promoted to major a year early, Hopkins was told by his battalion commander that he had been outed for being gay. After years of paranoia — he didn’t fully realize he was gay until after graduating from West Point — the fatigue of living a lie had caught up with him.“It’s a job that we risk dying doing, and yet we have to be more scared of somebody realizing we’re gay, more paranoid about that, than whether the enemy is going to blow us up,” Hopkins said, referring to the more than 14,000 gay people who have been kicked out of the military. “You have to keep that all secret and tell lots of lies.”“It’s time for the best, most powerful military in the world to allow gays to serve in the armed forces.”
Hopkins and Bock are moving to Washington D.C. where Hopkins will attend graduate school this fall at Georgetown University.
Watch Rachel Maddow interview Captain Jonathan Hopkins about being fired from the U.S. Army under DADT:
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
PFLAG wins best themed booth at Alaska fair
This year’s Tanana Valley State Fair is themed “Barn in the USA” and Fairbanks PFLAG won Best Theme Decorated Booth for their barn display with a red-white-and-blue picket fence and same sex pairs of barnyard animals partner dancing at a barn dance, including two cartoon steers, two male pigs, two female geese, two stuffed animal hens nesting in the hay loft over the dance floor, and an emcee rooster in drag.
Fairbanks Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG) posted a Facebook message on Friday announcing the result:
“PFLAG Fairbanks won “Best Theme Decorated Booth” at the Tanana Valley State Fair! The booth has received many positive comments, gentrifying the Borealis Pavilion in the fair’s main showcase for non-profits, vendors and (this year) politicians. Congratulations to Jenn and Beverly for all their preparation and to the volunteers (especially to Kerry, who recruited volunteers) who have made the booth a success with young and old alike.”
Pete of PFLAG added:
“Besides thanking Beverly for the hard work on constructing the booth and Jenn for painting the animals, including the Rave Rooster, PFLAG also wanted to thank the Imperial Court of All Alaska for their support in helping underwrite the costs, and Alaskans Together for their support as well. It is a community project, with over 50 volunteers, several new members, and everyone providing their own touch in making an impact in community. Good job.”
“I hope the booth helped gain recognition for PFLAG,” wrote Beverly. “I hope the Fair gives us a good theme next year so we can rise to it.”
She’s also thinking of names for the two stuffed animal hens that watch over the booth 24 hours a day from the hay loft shelf, and wants your suggestions.
The Tanana Valley State Fair ends Saturday night, August 14th. If you’re going to the Fair, be sure to stop by the PFLAG booth.
Congratulations to PFLAG Fairbanks!
– Above: Shayle and Nancy staff the 2010 PFLAG booth at the Tanana Valley State Fair in Fairbanks, Alaska. Photos by Chris.
Gay AK: Get ready for late summer and fall events
Gay AK is a semi-regular column with short news items and up-coming events for LGBT Alaska. This week, we have a variety of late summer and fall events in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau and the Mat-Su.
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PFLAG Fairbanks has a booth at the Tanana Valley State Fair, which continues through August 14. The theme of the fair is “Barn in the USA.” Beverly designed an adorable PFLAG booth and Jenn did the art work (see photo). Stop by and say hello, or sign up for a shift and go to the fair free that day.
The LGBT Center in the Mat-Su Valley has closed due to a lack of volunteers and donations. However, the Wednesday Social continues at Vagabond Blues in Palmer at 5 p.m.
Juneau Pride Chorus begins rehearsing again on September 7, on Tuesday evenings 5:15 – 6:45 p.m. Potential new members are welcome to attend rehearsals. Email Juneau Pride Chorus for information.
Anchorage events
Come to a Meet & Greet at Bernie’s Bungalow on August 18, 5-7:30 p.m. to celebrate Alaska’s LGBT community and the 25th anniversary of Pride Foundation, a northwest organization that helps local LGBT projects and people through grants and scholarships. A 21+ event.
Northern Exposure 2010 is Alaska’s first educational SM and Leather convention, Aug 20-22. Three days of workshops, classes, parties and meals. Register at NE2010. (This is not specifically LGBT, but is a GLBT-friendly event.)
The gay and lesbian bowling league of Anchorage is getting ready to start another season. Our first league meeting is Sunday August 29 at Jewel Lake Bowl at 4 p.m., and our first day of bowling is September 12. Contact the Northern Exposure Bowling League.
The Imperial Court’s Coronation is traditionally held on Labor Day weekend, and Alaska Coronation 38 – “Kickin’ it old School…Back to our Roots” will be Sept. 2-6 in Anchorage. Visit the ICOAA for the schedule and tickets.
The annual Alaska Pride Conference is coming up: October 8-10 at Alaska Pacific University.
Cheers for PFLAG at Golden Days Parade & almost 100 attend Fairbanks Pride Picnic
Reports and thank you’s are coming in from the Fairbanks Pride Picnic and the LGBT marching group in the Golden Days Parade.
PFLAG marched in the Golden Days Parade with the huge rainbow flag that made a big splash at Anchorage PrideFest this year, and it drew a good response from the crowd in Fairbanks as well.
The Pride Picnic after the parade was also successful, with almost 100 people stopping by to enjoy the food, music, performers, information tables and a vendor booth selling rainbow items.
Jenn, organizer of the Pride Picnic, and Pete from PFLAG have the story. First Jenn thanks everyone and shares a behind the scenes view of the Pride Picnic:
I would like to give my gratitude to the many members of the community who stepped up to make an amazing Fairbanks Pride Picnic!! I tend to be long winded so if you get bored just skip down to your name and smile. Don’t see your name?? That means you should expect to be recruited to help in next years picnic!!!First I would like to thank PFLAG and the ICOAA, for without their sponsorship you would have been listening to a little boombox and wishing there was food. No seriously, without their financial support and community connections this event could not have been the success it was. Thank you!I would also like to thank College Floral for donating gift certificates to our performance winners. Donations are the bread and butter of non-profits, grassroots, and small community organizations. Every little bit counts and yours was greatly appreciated.The Center for Non-Violent Living, IAA, and IWILL all provided positive community education information. Thank you for taking the time to provide these for us. I hope that we can continue to work together in the effort to educate the masses.A big round of applause to Cheri and Jene, who provided the vendor booth this year. It added a festive aura to the event and gave everyone an opportunity to show their pride on a regular basis. Why get all your pride paraphernalia on the internet when you can support your local businesses and community members by buying local. Look out for these two… they will be spreading rainbows again in the near future.Were you dancing at the picnic… shaking it on a picnic table perhaps? Maybe you were tapping your foot or simply listening to announcements? We have Bernie to thank for that. Bernie responded to my pleas and rushed in to save the day with sound and music. Thank you so much Bernie… you rock!!Many thanks to Pete and Miss Maxine for shuttling people from the end of the parade to the picnic. Thank you to our Emcee Donald who saved me from having to talk in front of all of those people. And put your hands together for our performers Micheal and our current Grand Duchess Kara!!! They took the spotlight from all of you who didn’t manage to get out of bed!!!As many of you know I am still recovering from shoulder surgery and this makes me unable to lift, tote, or move anything. After listening to me make plans for 2 weeks and “puking rainbows” (as she called it) everyday, when the time came my Poppie was there to DO everything. All the hauling, moving, shopping, cleaning, packing… that was all her. Thank you my love, I could not have gotten through it without you.I have one last thank you. To all of you that stopped by, dropped in, hung out, or otherwise attended the picnic, thank YOU. None of this would have been worth it without the guests. It is YOU that made the fun. YOU provided the conversation, YOU provided the dancing, YOU provided the games! And just so everyone knows, there were almost 100 of YOU throughout the day. Thank YOU!!Oh, and don’t forget! There will be voting at College Floral on August 21st for Emperor and Empress of All Alaska. Get out there and cast your vote! Don’t know who to vote for? Find out! Ask your candidates questions, engage them in conversation; find out what they plan to do if they become the new Emperor or Empress. Informed decisions are our own responsibility.Also… PFLAG is still looking for volunteers to sit at their booth at the Tanana Valley State Fair. Please contact Kerry at 45-PFLAG to sign up. Help spread the positive through our community with information!
Pete describes the LGBT parade group and the reaction of the crowd, and has the scoop on PFLAG’s booth at the Tanana Valley Fair:
On behalf of the members and supporters of PFLAG, I would like to give a big, heartfelt thanks to Shayle for pulling together the colorful contingent of participants that carried the borrowed flag from Anchorage (thanks, Anchorage), the signs, and the new PFLAG Fairbanks banner in yesterday’s Golden Days Parade. Most of Fairbanks was there. What a difference a few years of visibility in community make. The crowd was receptive, with pockets of cheers and salutes along the route.Also a big thanks to Jenn for organizing the picnic. Thanks to the Imperial Court of All Alaska in helping underwrite the expenses. It was a good turnout of all ages and talent in the community. It was great to reconnect with friends who hadn’t seen each other in a while.The next big event will be the Tanana Valley State Fair. Kerry is still signing up volunteers and will have free passes for those willing to spend two hours at the PFLAG booth in the Borealus Pavilion anytime between noon and 10pm. (Leave a message at 45-PFLAG.)Dates for the fair: August 6th through the 14th. If you are coming to Fairbanks during that time, stop by and say hi and see how Beverly has adapted the booth to fit the theme of “Barn in the USA.” We aim to be contenders for the decoration prize. Thank you to Alaskans Together for supporting the costs of the fair booth.If you know allies who support our community and would like to become members of PFLAG or provide funds for community events in conjunction with the Court and individuals creating gay-friendly space in Fairbanks, point them to Fairbanks PFLAG at www.fairbankspflag.org or join our Facebook page.
Thanks to Jenn and Pete for providing this news from the Fairbanks LGBT community, and kudos for organizing a great picnic and parade group!
The new Duke & Duchess of Fairbanks
Congratulations to the Imperial Court’s new Grand Duke Lynnette and Grand Duchess Kara of Fairbanks!
I am honored and thrilled to hold the title of Fairbanks Grand Duke XVIII. Thanks goes out to everyone who attended [Saturday] night’s show and for those of you who encouraged me to run this year.I have lived in Fairbanks since May 1998 and have been a non-active participant of the community for years. My first drag show I ever attended was back in the “Palace” days…. where I had the great opportunity to meet some of the best Kings and Queens.I am interested in helping this community not only grow in size but grow together for the good of outreach and community togetherness. During my year as Grand Duke XVIII I hope everyone will support me, advise me, and help me help OUR community be stronger than its ever been. I am open to any and all suggestions to make this year a FABULOUS year!! LET’S DO THIS TOGETHER!!!
Kara, Duchess of Fairbanks, doesn’t have a new page set up, but she’s smiling in the Ducal Ball photos! Congrats to both of them, and to the Fairbanks community.
Cory for Emperor 38 of All Alaska
Cory Crowder, a previous Imperial Crown Prince of Anchorage, is running for Emperor.
Hi Everyone… my name is Cory Crowder and I’m a candidate for Emperor 38 of All Alaska!!! That’s right, I finally decided to run. I hope to see all of you Saturday, August 21st at the G&L Community Center for voting!!!Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, or I’m sure I’ll run into you on the campaign trail!!!
Cory will also be at Wii Wednesdays – EnE Candidate Edition at Mad Myrna’s with the other candidates.
Stephen for Emperor 38 of All Alaska
Stephen ‘Little Duck’ Moore, the previous Duke of Fairbanks, is running for Emperor. (Stephen and Miss Dixie stepped down at last Saturday’s Ducal Ball, a fundraiser for the ICOAA.)
To the Community Members of the Great State of Alaska:My name is Stephen Moore and I am also a Candidate for Emperor 38. Over the next few weeks, you will have a great time getting to know all of us candidates and learning what each of us want to do to support you! If you would like to know more about me, the Imperial Court of Alaska, or have any questions, please feel free to contact me.Vote Stephen for Emperor XXXVIII of Alaska is my official FB page that will be updated all along this awesome journey! I love to have fun and do outreach to the community as much as possible.Please come vote on August 21 at the GLCC in Anchorage, or in my hometown at College Floral in Fairbanks. Polls open at 9 am and will close at 8 pm. EVERY VOTE COUNTS!VOTE STEPHEN on April 21, 2010! Stephen for Emperor XXXVIII of Alaska!
Samantha for Empress 38 of All Alaska
Joseph Williams, the Alaska Make-up Queen, is running for Empress as “Samantha SoWrong.”
Hi EVERYONE, I am Joseph Williams, AKA Samantha SoWrong, and I am aspiring to be Empress 38 of ALL of Alaska!! Love, Unity, and Universal White Light FOR ALL! If you would like to know more about the I.C.O.A.A check out their web page: ICOAA. SEE YOU ALL ON THE CAMPAIN TRAIL! “gosh I hope I get a book deal…”
Samantha hosted a back yard grill and fundraiser last week, and will be at the Wii Wednesday candidate meet ‘n greets at Mad Myrna’s.
Greetings!!I am running for Empress 38 of All of Alaska under the stage name, Samantha So Wrong. Yes something so “wrong” really is SO RIGHT!The Imperial Court of All of Alaska started in 1971 and is the oldest Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered and Allied organization in Alaska. Their mission, to raise money and give it back to the community. As Empress, I will be representing the community and holding fundraisers and traveling out of state to represent our court on the circuit. I have to win first.I win by YOUR VOTES. Anyone who is an Alaskan Resident, is 18 and has an Alaskan ID can request an absentee ballot, but you have to do it now! You have to email your request. You will get a ballot that will have all the info on it. They will need proof you are of legal voting age. It will not count with out it!! (making sure I say it enough….) Email your request to Joani.Make sure you VOTE FOR SAMANTHA SoWRONG! I will need EVERY VOTE I CAN GET!! There are three of us girls running for the Title!!If you are going to be in Anchorage, vote at the GLCCA on Saturday Aug 21, 2010. If you’re in Fairbanks, you can vote at College Floral.I love you All, and thank you for your time reading this!JosephAka ” Samantha SoWrong ”
Paige for Empress 38 of All Alaska
Miss Paige Langit, co-host of the Friday Night Diva Show at Mad Myrna’s, is running for Empress.
I am happy to announce that I am running for the title of Empress 38 of the Imperial Court of All Alaska! I would appreciate your support! I have a fan page up aptly titled Vote Paige for Empress 38 of All Alaska! LOL Follow me on the campaign trail!
Paige shared “just a lil’ bit” about herself:
My name is Paige Langit, and I’ve been an active member of the ICOAA for the past eight years.As a straight ally, I wish to enlighten the straight community as to what it is the Imperial Court does, and hopefully with that understanding, be able to form a more cohesive bond between the GLBT and straight communities, especially the new generation. (Not quite Star Trek…) I want to see more involvement in the fundraising efforts this organization puts together, because in the end, everyone benefits; from the students who are awarded the scholarships and charitable organizations that are given donations, to the people who donate their time and effort who will build and create better and new relationships and networks with others, regardless of their personal lifestyle.I’m 29 years old. I think my age gives me an upper hand at this point in time. During my time as Duchess, I found that I was able to associate with the younger crowd, and help introduce them to the Court and involve a new generation of the GLBT community who, in turn, help give back to their own community. (It’s a wonderfully vicious cycle…)I have never felt more part of something, as I have with the GLBT community and the Imperial Court of All Alaska. With the experiences that I have had in (most specifically) the last two years within the Court and community, with involvement in almost every fundraiser in the State, including Fairbanks and Juneau, I feel that I am ready to give back to the a community which has welcomed me and let me find my own place within it. (… kicking and screaming of course…)I know this isn’t really much about my past or what my favorite foods are… do I like long walks on the beach, etc… but it’s the important things that are going through my mind right now. :)
Starting this week, Mad Myrna’s is hosting Wii Wednesdays and the first few weeks are called “EnE Candidate Edition”. Miss Paige – Anchorage’s Diva will be hosting Wii Wednesdays, and all of the local candidates running for Emperor and Empress will be there to meet people and talk about the community. See the candidates in action and get your game on at the same time – Wii Wednesdays, 6-10 p.m. at Myrna’s.
