Articles in Alaska communities
Step by Step with MCC’s Rev. Van Manen
Rev. Norman Van Manen, the new pastor of MCC Anchorage, is starting a spiritual development and leadership class called Step by Step that will replace the Soul Food program on Thursday evenings.
Step by Step begins on January 8, with fellowship and snacks at 6:30 p.m. and the class at 7 p.m.
Metropolitan Community Church of Anchorage, a GLBT-inclusive church, appointed Rev. Van Manen to the position of Development Pastor immediately following his visit in mid-December.
“We were greatly encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive response to Rev. Van Manen,” wrote Matthew Moak, the Vice-Moderator.
Rev. Van Manen will officially take the helm of MCC Anchorage on February 15th, 2009. The annual congregational meeting, usually held the third week of January, will be postponed until the new pastor is installed.
National Drag History Month
January 2009 marks the first-ever celebration of National Drag History Month!
“This month-long event salutes the richness of drag culture and pays tribute to the courageous queens & kings who have fought for equality while inspiring, educating & entertaining us all,” according to Logo, the sponsors of Drag History Month.
Come celebrate Drag History Month in Fairbanks at ICOAA‘s Masquerade Ball, January 10 at the Carlson Center, 8 p.m. The evening includes a drag show, food, and a contest awarding $100 for the best mask.
Please Don’t Divorce Alaska’s Married-in-California Couples
The “Yes on 8” campaign has filed legal papers to nullify all 18,000 gay and lesbian marriages performed in California between May and November of 2008.
In response, dozens of families added wedding and holiday photos to a slideshow of same-sex couples who will be divorced if the anti-gay effort succeeds.
The California Supreme Court is expected to rule on the constitutionality of Prop 8 in the spring.
The “Please Don’t Divorce” Project
In response to the threat to gay and lesbian families, The Courage Campaign created an online slideshow of same-sex married couples, along with friends and relatives who support them.
“It’s time to put a face to the 18,000 couples facing forcible divorce by the state of California. To put a face to marriage equality,” says the web site of the community photo project.
Dozens of families contributed wedding photos with the message “Please Don’t Divorce Us” and holiday pictures of their children, pets and Christmas trees.
Other supporters sent pictures saying, “Please Don’t Divorce Our Friends” or “Please Don’t Divorce Love.”
Gay Alaskans Married in California
There is no residency requirement for marrying in California, and same-sex couples from Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau were married there, along with couples from other states and countries.
Mo and Lin of Juneau were legally married in San Francisco on Sept. 15, eighteen years after their original, non-legal wedding. Juneau residents formed a “human arch of love and acceptance” for the couple to walk through during the October reception, and the party raised money for Equality California.
At the Anchorage rally protesting the passage of Prop 8, a gay couple put their wedding photo on their signs, and a lesbian couple brought copies of their Palm Springs marriage certificate. Both couples were interviewed by local television reporters at the Nov. 15 rally.
The same day at the Fairbanks City Hall protest, two young men posed for a photo with their sign: “Just Married, San Francisco, Sept 8, 2008.”
The state of Alaska does not recognize these marriages, but they are recognized in at least four states, Canada, and several other countries.
Please don’t divorce them!
View the pictures “Please Don’t Divorce Us” and add your wedding photo, or a photo in support of your married friends.
– Photo: Lori & Artemis with their California marriage certificate, at the Anchorage protest against Prop 8. (photo by Koala)
Best of 2008?
2008 was a busy year for Alaska’s GLBT community. In addition to all the big annual events, and the fundraising and social activities, we were also involved in local and national political issues.
What were the best GLBT happenings in Juneau, Fairbanks, Anchorage, and statewide during 2008? What was your favorite GLBT group’s most successful event?
Send in your “Bests” and I’ll list them in a new post next week.
(Not sure what we did? Look back through the Bent Alaska archive of stories and photos for ideas.)
Lesbian Singer Performs Coming Out Song at UAF
What does a lesbian Jewish Russian-emigre songwriter do when she comes out to her mother? She writes a song about it.
Irina Rivkin, a singer/songwriter from California, and her sister Dr. Inna Rivkin, of Fairbanks, performed Irina’s coming out song “Ya Eyo Lublu” at her Nov. 8 concert in UAF’s Schaible Auditorium.
The concert was sponsored by the UAF Women’s Center and the Office of Multicultural Affairs & Diversity.
A week later, Irina sang her bilingual love song for the anti-Prop 8 rally outside Fairbanks City Hall on Nov. 15, part of the nation-wide protest after California’s Prop 8 narrowly passed and same-sex marriage was rescinded.
“In a time of hope for change to come,” wrote Irina two days after the election, “I’m taking a plane from CA to Fairbanks tonight” to perform and join the protest.
Irina returns to Alaska every summer, to visit her family and perform her music. She plans to visit again in 2009.
Celebrate the Holidays with Anchorage’s GLBT Community
The Metropolitan Community Church hosts their annual Christmas Eve Service and Recital on Wednesday, from 7-8:30 p.m. All from the community and church are welcome to attend the special evening of Christmas music and fellowship.
MCC Anchorage is also celebrating the appointment of Reverend Norman Van Manen as their Development Pastor. Rev. Norman will officially take the helm on February 15th, 2009.
After the service, join the staff at Mad Myrna’s for their annual Christmas Eve pajama party.
On Christmas Day, the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Anchorage (GLCCA) will be open from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. serving cookies, muffins and sodas to the gay community and our friends. The Center will be closed on Christmas Eve.
Visit the GLCCA page on Identity’s site for the address, a photo tour of the Center and pictures from the Thanksgiving Day open house.
Wrap up the season with the New Year’s Eve Party at Mad Myrna’s, or rock with Ever Ready on New Year’s Eve in Palmer. Then begin 2009 with the GLBT community at the New Year’s Day Cookie Exchange at the GLCCA.
Trying to Blame Us for the Church Fire
Did you see this Alaska-related bit of hate made up by right-wing reporters? I hope it is quickly dispelled and no one is hurt by it.
A suspicious fire on Dec. 12 at the Wasilla, Alaska church attended by Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin was instantly blamed on gay arsonists, though no evidence exists at this time that the fire, if deliberate, was set by gays.Nor is there any evidence that the church was targeted, as right-wing religious publications have speculated, because of its having promoted an “ex-gay” event in Anchorage.
I quoted this from gay news site Edge Boston, but the right-wing sites used words like “terrorist homosexuals.”
This is such an obvious attempt to stir up hate and encourage violence against us.
Be careful out there!
Right-wing Pastor Invited to Bless Obama’s Inauguration
President-Elect Barack Obama chose Rick Warren, an ultra-conservative pastor who is anti-gay and anti-choice, to give the invocation at his inauguration in January.
Why? Because he wants to include all voices, all Americans.
So which LGBT leader was invited to participate the inauguration to represent our inclusion? No one.
No openly-gay leader was given a role in the ceremony. We are represented by . . . a GLBT marching band during the entertainment.
Which leads to the next item:
Protest for Equality
Barack Obama made promises to the LGBT community. He promised to help:
repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA),repeal the anti-gay military policy Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,strengthen Hate Crimes Legislation, andpass a fully inclusive Federal ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act.)
Another national Join the Impact protest is scheduled for Saturday, Jan 10, 2009, to make our voices heard and remind him of his commitments.
I heard from a few Alaskans who said “Let’s Do It.” Are you with us?
Drag*d Through the Ages raises $2,000 for IAA
Cross-dressing Vikings in Fairbanks?
On December 5, Drag*d Through the Ages performed a sold-out show in UAF’s Woodcenter Ballroom as a benefit for Interior AIDS Association.
“I’m quite proud of everyone!” wrote Leah, an organizer for Drag*d. “No one fell off stage, and everyone did wonderfully.”
The program was packed with drag kings and queens in scenes representing human history, from cavemen to future fashion models.
ICOAA Duke Liz and Dutchess Brittany made a special appearance as Spankers for the Spank-a-Thon, where audience members paid one dollar per spank on the cast member of their choice.
The Spank-a-Thon made over $300.
Local funk band The Good Daze played for the dance following the show.
The UAF GLBT Alliance sponsored the benefit. They are considering another show in the spring.
A review of Drag*d Through the Ages is posted on The Ester Republic, and Jesse posted this great set of photos from the show.
Good work, Drag*d!
Toys for "Nots" Gives to Gay Families First
Ms. Alaska Leather 2008 is hosting a fundraiser for Toys for “Nots” on Dec. 19, with a Christmas food sale and gift auction at Mad Myrna’s. Her goal is to raise at least $500 dollars worth of donations to buy items for families in need, as the Toys for Nots committee did last year.
Tami won the title of Ms. Alaska Leather last January at Arctic Heat, the titleholder event for The Last Frontier Men’s Club.
Toys for Tots collects donated Christmas toys for needy families and is sponsored by the United States Marine Corps. But what is Toys for Nots?
Keith, President of the Men’s Club, explained the story behind the name:
A few years ago, the Duke and Duchess of the Imperial Court held a Toys for Tots fundraiser and recieved hundreds of toys for donation. When the Marines were called to pick up the toys, the ducals were told to put the toys outside on the icy sidewalk, because the Marines wouldn’t enter Mad Myrna’s. They will accept toys from the gay community, but they are afraid to walk into a gay bar to pick up our donations.
So the ducals renamed the event Toys for Nots and give first choice to the children of gay families in need. Remaining gifts are offered to the Toys for Tots program.
“We did receive an apology phone call from a Ft. Richardson general promising that it would never happen again,” wrote Keith. “However, they have not picked up our donations for the past 3 years.”
The Toys for Nots Fundraiser is Dec. 19, 2008, from 6:30-9 p.m. at Mad Myrna’s.
