Articles in Anti-LGBT
Sara’s News Roundup 12/13/11: Rick Perry’s antigay ad
GOP hopeful Rick Perry’s antigay ad in Iowa, and other recent LGBTQ news selected by Sara Boesser in Juneau, Alaska.
Sara’s News Roundup 11/14/11: Antigay propaganda for Halloween
A Juneau father speaks out against antigay propaganda dropped in with his children’s Halloween candy, recent polls show public support for transgender equality, and “gay” penguins at the Toronto Zoo. That and other recent LGBT news selected by Sara Boesser in Juneau, Alaska.
1) Bipartisan group reframes case for legalizing gay marriage
Washington, USA Today, November 8, 2011
2) Second Edition: Transition and Beyond now available
Portland, Oregon, www.transtherapist.com, November 2011
3) Same-sex penguin pair fascinates zookeepers
Toronto, Canada, Toronto News, November 4, 2011
4) Letter: The scariest thing this Halloween
Juneau, Alaska, Juneau Empire, November 8, 2011
5) Intersex councillor likely to be mayor
Sydney, Australia, Star Observer, November 7, 2011
6) Houston Mayor Annise Parker Wins Reelection
Houston, Texas, Advocate, November 8, 2011
7) Strong Majorities Favor Rights & Legal Protections for Transgender People
Washington, D.C., Public Religion Research Institute, November 2011
8) NY radio station launches new voice of black gay life
New York, inGrio, November 5, 2011
9) ‘Yes’ wins big in TC non-discrimination vote
Traverse City, Mich., Record Eagle, November 8, 2011
10) Commentary: More Faith Leaders Supporting Same-Sex Marriage
Black Entertainment Television, November 7, 2011
11) More than 90 Percent of American Catholics Back Transgender Rights
Washington, DC, Equally Blessed, November 8, 2011
12) Gay Penguins Buddy and Pedro Will Reunite Once They’ve Helped Propagate Their Species!
Toronto, Canada, SheWired, November 11, 2011
David Kato, activist (LGBT History Month)
David Kato was the founder of Uganda’s LGBT civil rights movement. He was an outspoken advocate for equality in a country with some of the harshest anti-gay laws. His murder in January 2011 brought global attention to the plight of LGBT people in Uganda and Africa. Bent Alaska presents his story as part of our celebration of LGBT History Month 2011, with thanks to the Equality Forum.
David Kato
“What they’re doing now is to make it more harsh on people, anyone promoting homosexuality is being criminalized.”
David Kato (born February 13, 1964, died January 26, 2011) was the founder of Uganda’s LGBT civil rights movement. He was an outspoken advocate for equality in a country with some of the harshest anti-gay laws. His murder this past January brought global attention to the plight of LGBT people in Uganda and Africa.
Kato and his twin brother were raised in a conservative family in a small Ugandan village. He recalled being brainwashed to believe “it was wrong to be in love with a man.” He attended some of Uganda’s best schools before moving to South Africa in the mid-1990’s to pursue a teaching career. Inspired by South Africa’s LGBT civil rights movement, Kato became an activist.
In 1998, intent on dismantling the homophobia, Kato returned to Uganda, where homosexuality is a crime punishable by up to 14 years imprisonment. Uganda’s minister of ethics and integrity stated, “Homosexuals can forget about human rights.”
Despite the risks, Kato held a televised news conference pressing for LGBT civil rights. As a result, he suffered several arrests and beatings.
Undeterred but cautious, Kato continued to lead the movement while supporting himself as a teacher. In 2004, he cofounded Sexual Minorities Uganda Group (SMUG), Uganda’s first LGBT civil rights organization.
In 2009, the Ugandan legislature proposed a bill designating the death penalty for homosexuality. The following year, a Ugandan national newspaper published the names and photographs of gay rights activists, including Kato. It explicitly called for homosexuals to be executed by hanging.
Four months later, Kato was bludgeoned to death in his home. Local authorities claim his death had nothing to do with his sexual orientation. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have both called for an in-depth and impartial investigation into his murder.
In response to Kato’s death, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, “This crime is a reminder of the heroic generosity of the people who advocate for and defend human rights on behalf of the rest of us—and the sacrifices they make.” In commemoration of his life, an annual award, the David Kato Vision & Voice Award will be awarded annually on Human Rights Day, December 10, to
an individual who demonstrates courage and outstanding leadership in advocating for the sexual rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people, particularly in environments where these individuals face continued rejection, marginalization, isolation and persecution.
In a February 2011 broadcast, Rachel Maddow linked Kato’s murder to the climate of hatred in Uganda promoted in part by American anti-LGBT religious right activists Scott Lively of Abiding Truth Ministries (classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center) and a staffer for “conversion therapy” advocate Richard Cohen, who went to Uganda as supposed “experts” to spread the message that homosexuals were out to recruit children and spread disease. Watch:
For more about David Kato, visit his website, his obituary at BBC, his LGBT History Month page, or the Wikipedia article about him.
Photo credit: David Kato. Associated Press; used by license through the Equality Forum (LGBT History Month).
Bravery
This past Saturday in Anchorage offered us to tragic realities: the death of a human being; and the rash of ugly and bigoted comments made by some about that death, reminding us of where we are as a divided community — and the need for our active involvement in local government.
Another Target for Trolls (or, Airing Laundry)
by Lauren Tibbitts
Editor’s note: Bent Alaska would like to welcome Lauren Tibbitts as a regular contributor to Bent Alaska.
The following is a comment written Sunday, June 12 in response to the article “One Less Band” (Anchorage Press, 6/8/11) and its comments. For the full backstory, read the article and then comments from bottom to top at the Anchorage Press and the related story last week at Bent Alaska; for the nutshell, read this:
Felix Rouse, a Vietnam veteran, is a bandmember of the Wasilla-based band, Ogopogo. After they had been asked to perform at the Fairview Block Party this weekend, they had backed out, with Rouse citing that “he’d heard there would be fag shit on stage” and refused to play at the party.
“Rouse blames [Chris] Constant for not informing him up front
there would be a drag show at the block party. He says he
‘felt like an asshole’ for backing out of the booking, but he’s
‘not a fag guy'” (Brenden Joel Kelley, Anchorage Press).
Now imagine the remarks to follow THAT, from both sides of the spectrum. I do really suggest reading the entirety of the article and responses, they made me laugh. My response is below.
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@Chris: Congratulations on throwing a very successful and fantastic party. I wish I could have gone and supported you and your efforts, but know I hold you in dear regard. I am so glad that the Anchorage community responded so positively to the block party. I hope to see pictures of it soon!
To the general public: I fervently hope you read all this. If not, you’ll miss the surprise plot twist.
Let me make another target for you. I’m an average student going to college, from a loving home with an amazing set of parents and extended family close-by. My brother and I grew up happy and healthy, with all our needs met to beyond compare and most of our wishes fulfilled as it was possible. Abuse was never a situation in my family, and my parents spent a lot of time with both my brother and I growing up. As an adult, I look back and see a very happy life, filled with positive influences up the wazoo; friends and lovers to my heart’s content; and generally a long 20 years without want. But even with this blissful life (which many others are not blessed with, and for which I am extremely thankful), I ‘turned out’ pansexual–meaning that I disregard gender in my relationships through life. This status has never fluctuated through my life, and I knew at a young age who I was. My parents love and accept me for who I am, and it has never impacted my life other than weeding out the close-minded individuals who I had, regrettably, come into contact with. I’ve never felt the urge to touch children or animals (because that’s just… I’m not going there, it’s not my thing. REALLY not my thing.), and no one in my community (my town) had ever come to me and said “You’re going straight to hell, you muff-diving little bitch” because A) that’s inappropriate to say to a 15 year old (that’s when I formally ‘came out’, though most people in my life knew long before then) and because that’s just plain rude and inhumane. Where is the wrongness in the above scenario? Oh, probably that no one came to set fire to a rainbow float in my yard, huh? Yeah, that’s probably it.
There are many theories on why people are gay and why others are straight while others go through the spectrum between. My favorite is “It’s a choice”. Believe me, When I say that I weeded out people I had once considered friends, it was a tough business. Being a 100%, no-vaginas-other-than-my-own-allowed straight girl would have been a BLESSING. It certainly would have made a lot of things easier, but I’ve been looking back over the years–growing up hearing bigots on the radio, TV, reading them in print– and wondering, when exactly did I choose to like and love women as well as men?
I’ve found my answer: Never.
I even asked the people in my life the same question, whether straight, gay, nonsexual, or in between: When did you choose your orientation? Everyone has answered some variant of “Never” (well, to be fair, there were a couple awkward pauses before the conversation was swiftly carried to a new topic, because…well, you don’t ask my religious, Republican grandparents ‘that kind of question’ out of the blue. They later both came back and said that there was never a time they chose what sex they appreciated romantically or sexually). My point is that there isn’t a choice. Of course, the above study isn’t scientific, but out of the thousands of people I’ve asked over the past five years, I’ve never gotten an answer indicating choice.
Now onto genetics, another favorite of mine. Is there a gay gene? (My best friend Gene is a wonderful gay man–and Catholic! Whodathunkit?–but I’m sure that’s not what we’re looking for here.) I have no idea. All I know is that my paternal grandfather is a gay man in a loving and committed relationship with his partner, and has always been gay–even when he was less-than-happily married to his wife, who always knew he was gay but married him anyway and granted me a wonderful father. (That’s drama for another story-time.) On my mother’s side, her paternal grandparents had three children of seven* declare they were either gay or lesbian early in their lives. Within three generations of myself, there are or were gays and lesbians. (And three of seven kids being not-straight-Steve/Sally? That knowledge always amuses me.)
If someone is so afraid of being diverse, I would advise them to think about it to themselves. Quietly. If you talk to people (or the general populace) about your feelings and thoughts, I would expect you to ready yourself for comments from wherever they come (because we all know that word spreads like wildfire). I respect Rouse’s (loudly stated) opinion on this matter, and would defend him (and like-minded individuals, of which there are an abundance) to the death for the right to say it– but I do believe that only a fool is unprepared for the consequence of conversation when airing laundry for public consumption. (Yes, that includes myself.)
Ogopogo, I wish you many blessings in the future. May your performances be many, and may they be at venues you approve of. I will never call your band for any gigs, paid or otherwise, and will recommend the (numerous) LGBT-friendly communities across Alaska to do the same. I dearly hope for you to get only what you want.
As for commentators who are clearly either homophobic, intolerant or otherwise disapproving of the ‘lifestyle’, as you call it: I only ask that you discriminate equally. If I’m a bad person, unclean and dirty and filthy and a lot of other names, for being attracted to people who self-identify as men and women, please, I ask you to hate me for also being Korean, Irish, Scottish, third-generation American on one side, Native/Indigenous People/First Nation of North America, bipolar, tall, middle-class, publicly schooled, fat, Wiccan, and the result of unwed, teenage parents. I’m certain that there are other reasons to discriminate against me, you’re free to find them. Hate my fellow LGBT citizens of the US for also being black, brown, Asian, white, African, thin, fat, rich, poor, sick, healthy, and a slew of other things.
Oh, I’m sorry. That means discriminating against us all for being American. That’s too bad… I’m sure your consciences will figure that one out. We are, after all, in the land of the free, right? Where people aren’t equal, where rights don’t matter if they’re not yours. I’m sorry, I forgot about that one.
Veterans and enlisted servicemen and -women of the country and of my family, thank you for proudly volunteering and serving our country and insuring the safety of our democratic political system, where people are “endowed certain unalienable Rights by their Creator, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. I will take my Rights and be cozy with the love of my life, and advise you to do the same, if you are able to.
*Edit: I had mistakenly thought that my great-grandparents had five children; in truth, they had seven. My mistake. –L
Homophobia won’t dim the spirit of “The Sound of Fairview” Block Party 2011
Anchorage’s Fairview Community Council is sponsoring a neighborhood block party this Saturday, and even the sudden pullout of one of scheduled bands — because its drummer can’t abide “flaming faggots” — will not dim Fairview’s spirits.
Bohemian Rhapsody “too gay” for Wasilla? — Beyond the snark, bad situation for gay kids in Mat-Su schools
Beyond the headline-catching absurdity of the short-lived Wasilla High School ban on “Bohemian Rhapsody,” there’s a more serious reality for LGBT students in the Mat-Su — one which hasn’t gained so much media attention.
Gay pride flags thrown in mud outside youth dance
136 queer and allied youth from Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley attended the Glee-themed Pride Prom last weekend at Out North – and at least one vandal, who took down four of the five rainbow flags decorating the outside of the building. A flag was hung upside down, others were thrown on the ground in the mud.
Can you stomach this?
Caleb Pritt writes opinion pieces for Bent Alaska. His opinions are his own.
This post concerns an attack on a transgender woman in a Baltimore McDonalds, the attack video that went viral over the weekend, Caleb’s response to the incident, and suggestions for taking action.
Update: Please see Caleb’s post “Words do matter….” for a follow-up on issues about race brought up in comments to this post.
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I want you to watch this video before continuing with the article. [warning for violence]
Chrissy Lee Polis is just like you and I. She has a brain, a heart, and she is an American who expects the benefits of a nation that promises LIFE, LIBERTY, & THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. But in the words of one of this nation’s modern fathers, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., from his famous “I Have a Dream” address at the Lincoln Memorial, we now echo for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, TRANSGENDER, Ally community, the following:
“When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens are concerned….a bad check which has come back marked “insufficient funds.” But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.”
Chrissy Lee Polis was spit upon, attacked, beaten, and dehumanized by sadly two African-American women who forgot Dr. King. Forgot about the sacrifices and the lives that allowed these two women to walk into a McDonalds and order their food. Even more insulting, McDonalds, which is a symbol of America as much as Sunday football or the American flag, had employees that looked on and watched this display of hatred and did nothing to intervene.
The question has to be asked, when do we say enough is enough? I say today is the day we say enough is enough. When the day has come, which is now, that ANYONE cannot enter a McDonalds and be served, but rather savagely treated like a dehumanized choice to be viciously assaulted with no regard, enough is enough.
Shall we as a society continue to fund a corporation that allows this hatred and violence to happen? If it doesn’t stop now….WHEN WILL IT?!
McDonalds needs to institute policies for ALL of its employees teaching them sadly how to be humans. This means no violence, no sacrificing of liberties, and no allowing the idea of some or any violence or disrespect is allowed.
As Dr. King also said, “An injustice somewhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
What happened in Baltimore can tomorrow be in Anchorage, in Honolulu, in Salt Lake City, in Boston, in Fayetteville, N.C., or yes even in Washington, D.C.
We need to remember the words of Dr. King and re-echo them today. We need to stand up and tell McDonalds, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.
Here are 3 ways to do it:
Starting Monday at 4:00 p.m. for twenty-four hours, I ask you to make your Facebook profile pic a picture of a simple candlelight. The candle is for Chrissy Lee Polis and to let her know, while we are not at the vigil in Baltimore, a candle of hope burns bright all across this nation and she is loved.
Secondly, the phone number for McDonald’s Corporate is 1-800-244-6227, open 7 days a week from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. CST. Let them know you are horrified and that you demand nationwide training in transgender issues for ALL McDonald’s franchise owners and employees.
Thirdly, and finally, if you want to sound off, join Aunty Anita and I in two places. Join on Facebook, the group named BOYCOTT McCRUELTY. And also join us on the radio at Aunty Anita on Tuesday, April 26 at 7p.m. Alaska Time/ 8pm Pacific. The studio hotline is toll free (619) 393-6513. Please call in or listen on demand.
In the words of Reverend Jesse Jackson, who I hope will join us in this fight for civil rights, “Red, Yellow, Black, and White….WE ALL are precious in His light.”
American Family Association’s Bryan Fischer: Shoot grizzlies on sight
Bryan Fischer, spokesperson for the anti-gay American Family Association and host of their daily radio talk show, tweeted that grizzlies should be shot on sight. Bears aren’t the only ones Fischer doesn’t like. Who else would he shoot?
