Bent Alaska | Category Archive

This Week in LGBT Alaska 7/17/09

Friday, 17 July 2009 – 5:02 PM | Comments Off

** The next Anchorage ordinance hearing is Tuesday, July 21 at Loussac Library. **

This week’s events from the statewide newsletter. Subscribe to Alaska GLBT News.

Juneau

SEAGLA Social Fridays (6-8 p.m.) for GLBT people and our friends over 21, at The Imperial Bar, downtown.

Fairbanks

Women’s Motorcycle Ride Saturday, 7/18 meets in the Regal/Goldstream Theater parking lot at 4 p.m.

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

Midnight Soapscum: Goes to Hell! Final Episode, 7/17-7/18, 10:30 p.m. Out North Tickets $15 online or at the door. Saturday’s show follows The Big Fat Gay Wedding (see below.)

Integrity (Episcopal GLBT group) monthly potluck, fellowship and worship 7/17, 6:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Lake Otis & Tudor.

Gay-Karting with Adam & Steve 7/18, 2 p.m. RSVP required.

Barony of Spenard 7/18, 7:16 p.m. at Mad Myrna’s $5. Best in Theme Contest & Auction.

The Big Fat Gay Wedding 7/18, 7 p.m. Out North. Unions blessed & vows renewed.

Mad Mike @ Mad Myrna’s 7/18, (Saturdays) 10 p.m.-2:30 p.m. with Special Guest DJ’s.

LGBT & Supporters Community Potluck at Goose Lake Picnic Shelter 7/19, 1 p.m.

Sunday worship with MCC Anchorage 7/19, 2 p.m.

Transgender Support Group, Sundays 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the GLCCA.

Anchorage Frontrunners, Tuesdays, 6 p.m.

Anchorage Equal Rights Ordinance Hearing 7/21, 5-11 p.m. Loussac Library. Equality Works.

This Week in LGBT Alaska 7/10/09

Friday, 10 July 2009 – 12:02 PM | Comments Off

This week’s events from the statewide newsletter. Subscribe to Alaska GLBT News.

Juneau

SEAGLA Social Fridays (6-8 p.m.) for GLBT people and our friends over 21, at The Imperial Bar, downtown.

RFamily Vacations cruise visits Juneau aboard the MV Norweigan Star, Tuesday 7/14 from 7 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. SEAGLA

Fairbanks

PFLAG Fairbanks meeting, Sunday 7/12, 4 p.m.

Women’s Motorcycle Ride Night, Thursdays, 6 p.m. meets in the Regal/Goldstream Theater parking lot.

Homer

“Hedwig and the Angry Inch” performed live at the Down East Saloon, Mon-Wed 7/13-7/15, at 8 p.m. Tickets $15 at the Homer Bookstore and Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic. Show is a benefit for KBFC.

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

Lesbian Film Group Night 7/10, 6 p.m. potluck and socializing, 7 p.m. movie. 2nd & 4th Fridays. An Anchorage LGBT Meetup Group event.

Ever Ready in Eagle River playing at the Bear Paw Festival 7/10, 8-10 p.m.

Midnight Soapscum: Goes to Hell! Episode #4, 7/10-7/11, 10:30 p.m. Out North Tickets $15 online or at the door.

Bac’untry Bruthers All-Night dRAGTIME Revue opening for the Dead Milkmen at the Brown Bear in Indian, along Turnagain Arm 7/11, 8 p.m.

Sunday worship and monthly potluck with MCC Anchorage 7/12, 2 p.m.

Transgender Support Group, Sundays 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the GLCCA.

Anchorage Frontrunners, Tuesdays, 6 p.m.

Poetry Parley: works by Walt Whitman, plus local poet Joshua Garcia 7/15, 7 p.m. Free admission, and cake for Poetry Parley’s one-year anniversary. Out North

The PFLAG Anchorage & Identity, Inc. annual picnic at Valley of the Moon Park 7/16.

This Week in LGBT Alaska 6/12/09

Friday, 12 June 2009 – 7:07 AM | One Comment

LGBT Pride Week 6/13-6/21

Anchorage Pride Week begins on June 13 and continues all week. The Diversity Parade and the Festival on the Park Strip are on Saturday, June 20. Check the PrideFest schedule for the list of fabulous Pride Week events!

This week’s events:

Juneau

SEAGLA Social Fridays (6-8 p.m.) at The Imperial Bar.

Gay Men’s Hike 6/14, 9:45 a.m.

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. Harmony Choir meets at the Center on Thursdays, 6:30 p.m.

Anchorage

Anchorage Pride Week 6/13-6/21

Side Street Saturdays, noon in Side Street Cafe.

Gay Memorial Service 6/13, 11 a.m.

Celebration of Change Silver Anniversary show 6/13, 7 p.m.

Sunday worship with MCC Anchorage, 6/14, 2 p.m.

Transgender Support Group, Sundays 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the GLCCA.

Outrage at the Bear Tooth 6/15 at 5:30 & 7:45 p.m.

Anchorage Frontrunners, Tuesdays, 6 p.m.

Pride Week Poetry Parley at Out North 6/17, 7 p.m.

Drag Queen Bingo with Four A’s 6/18, 7 p.m.

Poltergay at the Bear Tooth 6/18

This Week in LGBT Alaska 6/5/09

Friday, 5 June 2009 – 8:01 AM | Comments Off

The public hearing on the Anchorage equal rights Ordinance is Tuesday, June 9 in the Assembly Chambers, 1st floor of Loussac Library. Please be there by 4:30 p.m. and stay until the end. Wear blue, or your Equality Works button.

This week’s LGBT events from the statewide newsletter (subscribe to Alaska GLBT News)

Fairbanks

Ask the UA Board of Regents to Amend the Non-Discrimination Policy, 6/4-6/5

Dance Your Heart Out: Country Western 2 step lessons & dancing 5/29, 7:30 p.m. $12/drop in. Bovee Studio, 1845 Caribou Way, off College Rd. RSVP to Judith

Juneau

SEAGLA Social Fridays (6-8 p.m.) for GLBT people and our friends over 21, at The Imperial Bar, downtown

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. Harmony Choir meets at the Center on Thursdays, 6:30 p.m.

Anchorage

Would Jesus Discriminate? Town Hall meeting, prayer, potluck and panel 6/5, 6 p.m. at St. Mary’s, on the corner of Tudor and Lake Otis

Celebration of Change Art Show 6/5, 7-9 p.m. First Friday reception at the Kodiak Bar and Grill.

Liz Collins’ First Friday opening 6/6, 5-7 p.m. at Out North

Alaska Rainbows monthly dinner 6/6, 5 p.m. RSVP to Colleen

Assembly Hearing on the Equal Rights Ordinance 6/9, Loussac Library, arrive at 4 p.m. RSVP to Equality Works

Where to find GLBT Alaska — Churches & religious groups

Sunday, 31 May 2009 – 6:19 AM | 7 Comments

Visitors, new residents and long-time Alaskans want to know where to find churches and that are inclusive, welcoming, open, affirming or at least LGBT-friendly. Here is our list as of May 2009.

This Week in LGBT Alaska 5/29/09

Friday, 29 May 2009 – 7:44 AM | Comments Off

This week’s events from the statewide newsletter. Subscribe to Alaska GLBT News.

Fairbanks

Dance Your Heart Out: Country Western 2 step lessons & dancing 5/29, 7:30 p.m. $12/drop in. Bovee Studio, 1845 Caribou Way, off College Rd. RSVP to Judith.

Bac’untry Bruthers at the Clucking Blossom at Birch Hill, 5/30 at 8 p.m.

Juneau

SEAGLA Social Fridays (6-8 p.m.) for GLBT people and our friends over 21, at The Imperial Bar, downtown.

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. Harmony Choir meets at the Center on Thursdays, 6:30 p.m.

Anchorage

Fire Benefit for Garfield & Alvin 5/29, 9 p.m. at Mad Myrna’s.

Wendy Withrow performing at the Downtown Market on 5/30 at 11 a.m.

Side Street Saturdays for LGBT writers, Saturdays noon-3 p.m. at Side Street Cafe.

Sunday worship for Pentecost, with Rev. Norman Van Manen and MCC Anchorage, Sundays 2 p.m.

Transgender Support Group, Sundays 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the GLCCA.

Gay, Joyous and Free AA Meeting, Mondays 6 p.m. at the GLCCA.

Anchorage Frontrunners, Tuesdays, 6 p.m.

This Week in LGBT Alaska 5/22/09

Friday, 22 May 2009 – 8:34 AM | One Comment

BREAKING: On Tuesday, May 26, the California Supreme Court will announce its decision to either uphold or overturn Proposition 8 and the thousands of same-sex marriages performed last summer! Check back Tuesday for the ruling.

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This week’s events from the statewide newsletter. Subscribe to Alaska GLBT News.

Fairbanks

Dance Your Heart Out: Country Western 2 step lessons & dancing 5/22, 7:30 p.m. $12/drop in per class. Bovee Studio, 1845 Caribou Way, off College Rd. RSVP to Judith.

Bac’untry Bruthers at the Trapper Creek Festival 5/23, 8 p.m.

Juneau

SEAGLA Social Fridays (6-8 p.m.) for GLBT people and our friends over 21, at The Imperial Bar, downtown.

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. Harmony Choir meets at the Center on Thursdays, 6:30 p.m.

Anchorage

Side Street Saturdays for LGBT writers, Saturdays noon-3 p.m. at Side Street Cafe.

Jay Her’s Adult Comedy Hypnosis show at Mad Myrna’s 5/23, 9 p.m. $10

Sunday worship with Rev. Norman Van Manen and MCC Anchorage, Sundays 2 p.m.

Transgender Support Group, Sundays 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the GLCCA.

The Big Annual Memorial Day GLBT Community Picnic in front of the Kincaid Park chalet 5/25, noon-5 p.m. Sponsored by the Imperial Court (ICOAA) which sells burgers, hot dogs, chips and drinks as a fundraiser.

Gay, Joyous and Free AA Meeting, Mondays 6 p.m. at the GLCCA.

Anchorage Frontrunners, Tuesdays, 6 p.m.

Howard Bess on the Success of Gay Rights

Sunday, 17 May 2009 – 10:58 AM | 2 Comments

Rev. Howard Bess, the Palmer preacher who said his book on gay Christians was targeted for censorship by then-mayor Sarah Palin, wrote an editorial in the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman on the success of gay rights.

About 35 years ago when I first began facing the fact of the presence of gays in our churches, I became a very lonely advocate for their full acceptance and participation. The accepted opinion was that homosexuals were sick or woefully sinful or both. The majority of Americans have moved a long way from that damning evaluation. American opinion is moving us in the direction of full equal rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people.

Bess describes three reasons why public opinion on gay equality has shifted so far in the 40 years since the Stonewall riots:

“First, gay people slowly but surely have come out of their closets. Gay people have always been around us, in our families, in our communities, in our churches and in our institutions. Our gay family members and friends were invisible to us. The most highly developed skill of a gay person was to remain undetected. No one can point to a single event and say, “It started here,” but there are milestones in the opening of the closet door.

“This year is the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall incident. New York City police raided a gay bar called the Stonewall Inn. A riot broke out. That single incident, more than any other, is the rallying point for gay activism. The celebration of the Stonewall riot is the base for all gay pride celebrations and parades.

“The next milestone, especially for gay Christians, was the publishing of a book in 1972 titled, “The Lord Is My Shepherd, and He Knows I am Gay.” It was written by a Pentecostal minister named Troy Perry. Because of Perry’s efforts there is now a sizable denomination called Metropolitan Community Church that offers a safe church home to gay people who have been turned aside by their churches. Reading Perry’s book was pivotal in shaping my own understanding of the homosexual phenomenon.

“The importance of Phil Donahue cannot be overstated. More than any other person he took the discussion of homosexuality into the public arena. He was a pioneer in the world of television talk shows. He took the discussion of the gay presence among us out of the closet. He took what had been a private concern into the public square.

“At first gay people came out of their closets in a trickle. The trickle became a stream and today is a flood. Twenty years ago the typical gay person came out of the closet in college. Now kids in junior high are joining the ranks of the openly gay population. The closet is nearing extinction.

“The second factor in establishing gay rights has been the battle over the Bible. Forty years ago, Churches of every stripe rejected gay people and especially sexual activities among gay people. The commonly held perspective was that the Bible rejected homosexuals and homosexual activities of all kinds. Then Biblical scholars began their homework. A few scholars starting in the mid-1980s looked more intently at the nine Bible passages that were commonly identified as rejecting homosexual activity. In the 1990s a flood of scholarly books hit the bookstores. I have them all in my personal library. The verdict: Not a single passage in the entire Bible speaks about a loving, committed, intimate relationship between two people of the same sex. The Bible neither endorses nor condemns same-sex relationships. The Bible cannot be used to reject gay people.

“Primarily because of the influence of scholarship, opposition to full acceptance of gay people in mainline Christian churches is melting away. I suspect that 50 years from now, Christians will be as embarrassed about the rejection of gay people as they are now about the denial of equality for women and their support of the horror of black slavery.

“The third influence may be the most important. As gay people moved out of their closets and into a more public presence, they have proven themselves to be good public citizens. Our communities are blessed by teachers, lawyers, business owners, legislators, carpenters, doctors and ministers who just happen to be gay. When we get to know our gay neighbors, denying them their full rights, including the right to marry legally becomes all the more absurd.

“Full acceptance of gay people in our churches and in our American society needs to be affirmed and celebrated. We need to put this dark night of ignorance and discrimination behind us. The 40th anniversary observances of the Stonewall riot are a good time for thoughtful people of good will to walk hand-in-hand with our gay neighbors.”

This Week in LGBT Alaska 5/15/09

Friday, 15 May 2009 – 11:13 AM | Comments Off

This week’s events from the statewide newsletter. Subscribe to Alaska GLBT News.

Bethel

Social reception for Alaskans Together for Equality 5/15, 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Bethel Community Services Building.

Fairbanks

Country Western 2 step lessons & dancing, three Fridays 5/15, 5/22, 5/29, at 7:30-8:30 p.m. $30 for the series, $12/drop in per class. Bovee Studio, 1845 Caribou Way, off College Rd. RSVP to Judith.

Pajama Party drag & variety show 5/16, doors open at 7 p.m. show at 8, at the Pioneer Party (Alaskaland) Civic Center.

Fairbanks PFLAG meeting 5/17, 4 p.m.

Juneau

SEAGLA Social Fridays (6-8 p.m.) for GLBT people and our friends over 21, at The Imperial Bar, downtown.

Palmer

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.

Anchorage

Equality Works BBQ Party & Fun-Raiser 5/15, 6:30 p.m. private home, please RSVP for directions.

De-HiBearnation Brown Bear Bus Run 5/16, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. meet at The Raven Bar (4th & Gambell) the bus leaves promptly at NOON! The Last Frontier Men’s Club.

Side Street Saturdays, an informal meetup for LGBT writers, 5/16 at noon in Side Street Cafe.

“Homosexuality, Christianity & The Clobber Scriptures” used by traditional Christian Churches to promote anti-gay messages, this week’s sermon at the Sunday service with MCC Anchorage, 5/17, 2 p.m.

Patio Potluck Picnic at Mad Myrna’s 5/17, 3 p.m.

Transgender Support Group, Sundays 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the GLCCA.

Anchorage Frontrunners, Tuesdays, 6 p.m.

Check the Anchorage LGBT Meetup group and the Men of Anchorage, Alaska Meetup group for informal gatherings.

This Week in LGBT Alaska 5/8/09

Friday, 8 May 2009 – 3:23 PM | Comments Off

This week’s events from the statewide newsletter. Subscribe to Alaska GLBT News.

Juneau

SEAGLA Social Fridays (6-8 p.m.) for GLBT people and our friends over 21, at The Imperial Bar, downtown.

Emma’s Revolution in concert, Pride Chorus opens, Wed. 5/13, 7:30 p.m. at the Juneau Arts & Culture Center.

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. Harmony Choir meets at the Center on Thursdays, 6:30 p.m.

Anchorage

Family Activity Gathering 5/8, 6 p.m.

Side Street Saturdays, an informal meetup for LGBT writers, beginning 5/9, at noon in Side Street Cafe.

Sunday worship and monthly potluck with MCC Anchorage, 5/10, 2 p.m.

Transgender Support Group, Sundays 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the GLCCA.

Anchorage Frontrunners, Tuesdays, 6 p.m.