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.
“Alaska PrideFest 2010: A Pride Odyssey” runs from Saturday June 19 through Sunday June 27, with the Diversity Parade and Pride on the Park Strip Festival on Saturday June 26 starting at 11 am.
“The goal of PrideFest is to provide the community with a means to celebrate the diversity within Alaska, and to give expression to the pride we feel as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people. We hope this public celebration and affirmation of our heritage and history will serve as inspiration for those who are questioning their own sexual or gender identity.”
Here is the schedule posted on AlaskaPride.org, with something for everyone:
Saturday June 19
10am-6pm – Identity will have a booth at the Anchorage Market, at 3rd & E Street, selling the 2010 AK PrideFest T-shirts and rainbow merchandise.
11am – 11th Annual Gay Memorial Service, Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery (6th and Fairbanks St, enter off Fairbanks St or 9th Avenue, NE corner)
9pm – Mr. Miss and Ms. Gay Alaska ICOAA Pageant at Mad Myrna’s. Hosted by Ms. Gay Alaska Sarah Alvarez and Emperor Kevin Holtz. Come see who will be Mr/Ms/Miss Gay Alaska 2010-2011! Includes swimsuit competition, talent, evening wear and on-stage question.
Sunday June 20
10am-6pm – Identity booth at the Anchorage Market.
11am – Non-denominational Blessing of Pride service. Gay and Lesbian Community Center, 336 E. 5th Ave.
4:30pm – Pride Week Kick-Off BBQ at the Raven. Free.
Monday June 21
5:30pm – GLBT “mini film fest” at Bear Tooth. Feature Documentary: City of Borders $3
7:30pm – GLBT “mini film fest” at Bear Tooth. Feature Film: The Big Gay Musical $3
Wednesday June 23
8pm – 10pm – Lube Wrestling at The Raven. FREE Admission. Wrestlers will be auctioned off to be lubed up and rubbed down by the highest bidder before they compete! Proceeds to go to the Alaska PrideFest & The Last Frontier Men’s Club.
Thursday June 24
6pm – 9pm – Drag Queen Bingo at Snow City Cafe. Admission is $15 for 3 games, or come in drag and it’s $10 for 3 games. This is an all ages event. Hosted by Anchorage Mpowerment Project (AMP)
10pm – Anchorage’s Hottest Strippers at The Kodiak. Join Jade and her beautiful men for an evening of fun. $5 cover at the door.
11pm – GLBT “mini film fest” Bear Tooth. Feature Film: Priscilla: Queen of the Desert $3
Friday June 25
9pm – Friday Night Diva Variety Show at Mad Myrna’s. Cover is $4
10pm – Shawn M and the Lipgloss Revue at The Kodiak. Returning from Las Vegas for a 2 night engagement, welcome back your favorites to the stage (Madonna, Kylie Minogue and More). $5 cover at the door.
Saturday June 26
11am – Celebrating Diversity Parade, with Anchorage Assembly member Elvi Gray-Jackson as the Grand Marshal, will begin at 6th and D and proceed to the Memorial Block of Delaney Park Strip. The 2010 parade route is posted HERE.
Noon – 6pm – Pride on the Park Strip! A festival for all ages with free admission. Bring cash for food, vendors and fun new activities. The Kiddie Carnival is back for the youngest among us. Teens can meet up at the Chill Out Tent. Let out your inner child at the Bungee Run, Bucking Salmon, Sumo Wrestling and more. Plus, you can bike to the park strip where BCA will provide free and secure bike parking beginning at 11am. The festival will be on the Park Strip (between 9th and 10th) near K street.
9pm – GMK and Company at Mad Myrna’s. $10 at the door. All proceeds to benefit Alaska PrideFest (Identity, Inc).
10pm – Shawn M and the Lipgloss Revue at The Kodiak. From Las Vegas, the last of a 2 night engagement, with Madonna, Kylie Minogue and more. $5 cover at the door.
Sunday June 27
2pm – 3:30pm – Inaugural Pride Ecumenical Service “The Journey” held at 2222 East Tudor Road.
4pm – Pride Week BBQ at Mad Myrna’s. Bring your own meat! Myrna’s will supply salads, antipasta tray, condiments, cheese, buns, chips and Baked Beans ala La Choy plus plates, napkins, cutlery and the grill.
7pm – An After Pride Meet n’ Greet BBQ at The Kodiak. Free food for everyone. Join Doug and Calvin in a feast made for our Rainbow Family. No cover charge.
Wednesday, 16 June 2010 – 6:29 PM
| Comments Off on Celebration of Life for Dan Carter-Incontro, June 19
Please join the Alaska friends and family of Dan Carter-Incontro, a civil rights champion and good friend to many, for a Celebration of his Life & Legacy during Alaska Pride Week, on Saturday, June 19, from 3-5 p.m. at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Anchorage.
Dan died on April 18 in Clermont, Florida, at the age of 62. He is survived by his husband and partner of 42 years, Al Carter-Incontro, and his sister Sarah. Memorial services were held in Florida and Anchorage, but the local Celebration of Life was delayed until Al could join us.
Dan lived in Anchorage for about 30 years, worked for the Transit Department, and was a supporter of the Anchorage Gay and Lesbian Community Center, Identity, the Metropolitan Community Church, and other LGBT groups. He was also active in the Alaska Democratic Party and served as Alaska’s first openly gay democratic delegate. The new LGBT Democratic Caucus has been named after him, as the conference room in the Community Center was named after Dan and Al several years ago.
Celebrate the Life & Legacy of Dan Carter-Incontro: Saturday, June 19, from 3-5 p.m. at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, on the corner of Lake Otis & Tudor in Anchorage.
Monday, 14 June 2010 – 10:38 PM
| Comments Off on Juneau adds Film Night to Pride Picnic and Hike
Juneau’s Pride events for June and July include a new LGBT Film Night benefit for Alaskans Together featuring the award-wining film Out in the Silence, along with a Pride Picnic at Skater’s Cabin, a hike at West Glacier, a drag show benefit for Four A’s, and local events for HIV Testing Week.
The First Annual Alaskans Together for Equality LGBT Film Fun-Raiser is on Thursday, June 17 at the Gold Town Nickelodeon Theater, 171 Shattuck Way. Doors open at 5:45 p.m. and the film schedule is below. Come for one segment or stay for the whole evening. Finger foods and refreshments will be available. Bring your checkbook and cash for the donation baskets. Membership in Alaskans Together for Equality, Inc. is available at all levels, from $10 up.
LGBT Film Fun-Raiser Schedule – June 17
6:00 – 7:00 p.m. Dramatic Narrative Shorts
Coming to Terms – College student deals with coming out by phone
The Manual – Sent to psychiatric institution as a boy, Sonny tries to help niece avoid similar treatment
The Call – Lesbian women interact with their sperm donor
Two Encounters – Hidden cameras reveal difference in treatment of blacks and whites in gay bars
7:15 – 8:15 p.m. Main Feature
Out in the Silence – Challenges of coming out and living in small towns and rural America
The film will be followed by an optional discussion in a breakout room led by Juneau Assembly member Jonathan Anderson
8:30 – 9:30 p.m. Humor & Love Shorts
Hi Maya – Mature women strike up relationship in hair salon
Float – Male love in the Bahamas
Hummer – Dinner party brings surprises for women participants
For further information or to help with the event, email Kelli or Marsha.
Watch the trailer for Out in the Silence:
Juneau’s other LGBT events for June and July include the Mendenhall hike, the Pride Picnic, the Friday social, a drag show fundraiser for Four A’s, and free testing during National HIV Testing Week.
Mendenhall Journey: June 19, 2010. Meet at 9:30 AM at the trail head of West Glacier Trail. Round trip is 5-6 hours, distance is 3.4 miles one-way, bring a lunch and water to drink, trail mix would also be wise, good footwear is mandatory. The hike departs promptly at 10 AM. Do not be late! Access directions: take Montana Creek Road from the Mendenhall Loop road, and follow the signs to the campground. Go past the campground entrance, and Skater’s cabin to the parking area at the end of the road. This trail is rated “more difficult” by the Juneau hiking trail guide. There is some rock scrambling/climbing involved to reach the ice caves.
Annual Pride Picnic with SEAGLA and PFLAG: July 17, 2010 at Skater’s Cabin from 4-8PM. Please plan to be there. Bring a salad and whatever you would like to drink, glass is not allowed. Firewood might be good depending on weather. Volunteers are requested to help with set up, breakdown, music, and a BBQ grill. SEAGLA will provide paper plates, cups and plastic ware that we already have. Also we will provide some burgers both meat and non-meat as well as hot dogs, and soft drinks. But if you can bring a salad or bake some cookies or a cake that would be great.
Friday Social: June 18, June 25, 2010. Each Friday after work from 6-8 PM, community members and their friends, both men and women are invited to get together. Drop by the Jaded Lounge in the Goldbelt Hotel, downtown Juneau to unwind from the work week. If you are over 21, you are invited to join us. Please try it out this Friday, or another Friday in the future. Come on out, and make a new friend today! Visit SEAGLA for future locations.
Drag Queen and King show: July 9, 2010 at the Rendezvous Bar. Marguerite the recently appointed Duchess of Juneau is planning a local Drag Queen and King show and recycled flogger making party as a fundraiser for Four A’s, at the Rendezvous Bar on Friday July 9th, and she’s looking for help. Donations of time, supplies, ideas and funds are welcome. Please email Marguerite.
National HIV Testing Week is an annual campaign coordinated by the National Association of People with AIDS to encourage people of all ages to “Take the Test, Take Control.” National HIV Testing Week is June 21-27, 2010. The Four A’s will be providing free testing (Oral Swab, results in 20 minutes) at closed and public locations for the whole week in Juneau. The public locations:
Tuesday, June 22: 7-10 p.m. at Rendezvous
Wednesday, June: 23 11-4 p.m. at Blaze and 4-8 p.m. at Four A’s
Thursday, June 24: 8:30 a.m.– 3:30 p.m. Free blood draws at Juneau Public Health (no appointment necessary) and 8-11 p.m. at Alaskan Bar
Friday, June 25: 4-8 p.m. at Four A’s
Free HIV Testing also available at Four A’s (174 S Franklin Street, #207/Above Heritage Coffee) during business hours, call 586-6089 for an appointment.
Monday, 7 June 2010 – 4:46 AM
| Comments Off on New LGBT Caucus Named in honor of Dan Carter-Incontro
The LGBT Democratic Caucus has officially been named after the late Dan Carter-Incontro, Alaska’s first openly gay delegate to the Democratic Convention, with the endorsement of Dan’s husband, Al Carter-Incontro. Dan passed away on April 18.
The next meeting of the LGBT Dan Carter-Incontro Democratic Caucus is on Monday, June 7 from 6-8 p.m. at ADP Headquarters, 2602 Fairbanks Street in Anchorage.
They are currently working on a candidate questionnaire and a candidate forum, which is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday June 22 with the Democratic gubernatorial candidates. If you want to help with the forum and become involved in electing Democratic candidates who support LGBT issues, please attend the meeting.
Also, they are looking for Democrats to march in the PrideFest parade in downtown Anchorage on June 26. The party has applied for and been granted a slot in Alaska PrideFest “2010: A Pride Odyssey”. If you can participate, please call Bert Mead, Interim Chairperson, at 694-7528. Staging for the parade begins at 10 am and the parade starts at 11 am.
The caucus wants to involve more people statewide and is setting up conference calling ability for statewide participation, but they don’t have the arrangements completed for that yet. Stay tuned.
“Exciting things are happening in the Democratic Party and we want our caucus to be a part of the change we seek in our state legislature,” said Mead.
Saturday, 5 June 2010 – 11:18 AM
| Comments Off on AK Queerlympics begins today
LGBT Pride in Alaska kicks off today with part one of the new 3-part event AK Queerlympics. Week 1 is Queer Trivia, held at Organic Oasis at 2:30 p.m. and at Spenard Roadhouse at 4:30 p.m.
AK Queerlympics is a time to come out and WIN PRIZES through showing off what you know about your LGBT Community and competing in some outdoor competitions that you may never see anywhere else! Games will be based on teams of 4 and will take place on the 3 Saturdays leading up to PrideFest. Awards will be given at Pride on the ParkStrip.
AK Queerlympics will be divided into 3 parts
Week 1 – June 5: Queer Trivia. Spenard Roadhouse and Organic Oasis. Games will be intellectual and trivia.
Week 2 – June 12: Outdoor Blast. APU. Games will be physical and skills.
Week 3 – June 19: Mixed Talents. Held at one venue with final two teams playing for first place.
The Deal:
1) Come register Your Team
2) Play the Trivia to Gather Points for Your Team
3) Attend Next Week’s event to Collect More points
Here’s How You Win:
1) Win per Week – The Team with the Most Points at One Event
2) Win the Championship – The Team with the Most Overall Points
Download the rules, register your team, and see the full Pride schedule at Alaska PrideFest: www.alaskapride.org.
Saturday, 5 June 2010 – 7:02 AM
| Comments Off on LaMex for Four A’s, DoB at Pride, Softball, HIV testing & AYP in Fairbanks
Gay AK – Notes from and for LGBT Alaska
Calling all Dykes on Bikes (and other wheeled transport)
We need a leader to organize the entry in the parade this year. Is it you? Are you ready to lead us with flair? Alaska PrideFest 2010: www.alaskapride.org.
Eat Good, Do Good at La Mex
On the second Tuesday of each month, both Anchorage LaMex locations (Spenard and Dimond) donate 10% of their proceeds from the entire day to a non-profit. On Tuesday, June 8, The Four A’s will be the lucky recipient of this generous program. Go out to lunch, after work appetizers or plan on taking the family out that night to either location (or, maybe get something to go)! In addition, from about 6-8 p.m., Four A’s staff will be at each location with an information booth so be sure to stop by and say hello.
Women’s Softball in Anchorage
This is where the Grrlz are on Thursdays and the Fireweed Dry Cleaning softball team is the one to watch. Women’s D League, plays Thursday evenings at the Cartee Fields on Pine & DeBarr. 6/10 at 7:35 pm; 6/17 at 9:45; 6/24 at 8:40; 7/8 at 9:45; 7/15 at 8:40; 7/22 at 6:30; 7/29 at 6:30; 8/5 at 7:35. Put their games on your calendar and go support the grrlz!
June 21-27, 2010 – National HIV Testing Week
One of many free HIV testing opportunities that week will be at PrideFest on Saturday June 26th. The Four A’s and the Municipality of Anchorage will be offering free HIV testing and free gonorrhea and chlamydia testing from 1-5 p.m. Just come visit the Four A’s booth. Check out www.alaskanaids.org next week for full details about National HIV Testing Week!
Seeking LGBT groups for free youth-outreach event in Fairbanks
Angry, Young & Poor 2010 is looking for community-based groups to host booths (no fee) at our annual event in Fairbanks. Angry, Young & Poor is an upbeat, awesome event full of positive creativity, local bands, free food, art, activites and more! It’s a free concert from noon to nite on July 17 at the ever-scenic Ester Community Park. All the proceeds from the things we sell (t-shirts with local art, bumper stickers, patches, food) are given to a local charity. Last year we were able to donate $1,000 to the Street Outreach and Advocacy Program which supports homeless and underprivilged youth in Fairbanks, including LGBTQ youth.
AYP is super-inclusive, with a primary goal of helping kids in the Interior find ways of expressing themselves through art and find community support. Booths are hosted from everything from the Environmental Center to local magazines to theatre companies etc. It’s important to get LGBTQ community resources to these kids. Hannah would like to talk with services/groups in the Interior/South-ish that gear towards the younger folks and are in promotion of the caring, supportive community we all try so hard to establish and nurture. If you think you can help, please reply via email to Hannah Hill, Event Disorganizer. Thanks!
Saturday, 22 May 2010 – 3:35 PM
| Comments Off on Harvey Milk Day
May 22 is Harvey Milk Day, and cities across the lower 48 held events to honor his legacy and promote equality.
Many of the panels, protests, and other events link Milk’s words to our current fight to pass gay job protections (ENDA) and repeal the military’s gay ban (DADT.) Alaska’s members of Congress are divided on these: Sen. Begich supports the bills, Rep. Young opposes them, and Sen. Murkowski has not stated her opinion on either issue.
This HOPE video, set to words from a Harvey Milk speech, was made during the Prop 8 battle but is still powerful today:
Tuesday, 18 May 2010 – 5:22 AM
| Comments Off on Rep. Young should not be tolerated, however…
Alaska’s Representative Don Young responded to a letter asking him to support ENDA, the gay jobs protection bill, in classic Young-speak. Since this is ENDA Action Week, it’s the perfect time to see what our Rep. thinks about firing gays. So grab a cold one and take apart his letter with Bent Alaska. (his letter is indented, my comments are in italics)
Thank you for contacting me regarding H.R. 3017, the Employment non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.
He might not appreciate it by the time we’re done. Here is his description of the bill:
If enacted, H.R. 3017 would prohibit employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity by public and private employers in hiring and discharging of employees and in employment conditions and terms. The bill also prohibits retaliatory conduct and would be enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Additionally, preferential treatment or quotas on the basis of sexual orientation would be prohibited under this legislation. The legislation also provides exemptions for religious organizations, religious schools, and does not apply to the armed services.
An official description. Here is his opinion on ENDA:
Discrimination, on any basis, should not be tolerated. However, I have concerns regarding the underlying premise of this legislation and recognize the difficulties inherent in its application…
Prejudice is bad, HOWEVER?? Uh oh, red flag alert – or rather, “red shirt alert” because he sounds like the reactionaries at last summer’s ordinance hearings. Gays are not being discriminated against, HOWEVER I want the right to continue discriminating against them. Urgh.
So he has concerns about the premise and application of ENDA. Let’s see his concerns:
…Suits claiming violation of the Civil Rights Act based on sexual orientation would be difficult to establish. Plaintiffs would have to not only prove that there was prior knowledge of sexual preference by the defendant but also that the change in employment was motivated by sexual orientation discrimination.
That’s it – the only concern in his letter: it will be difficult for fired gays to prove that they were fired because they are gay. That’s his reason for voting against job protections.
Really? He’s worried that the law will be too hard on the fired gay employees? His concern is touching, but misplaced. We’re not even worried about that.
If he’s concerned that the discrimination will be too hard to prove, does that mean he would prefer that discrimination be easier to prove, that gays should be able to sue former employers without a difficult test of proof? How socialist of him.
Yes, the claims will be difficult to prove, and thus the lawsuits only filed when there is clear evidence. Sounds like a reasonable way to protect businesses from excess lawsuits, while giving workers protection from blatant discrimination.
H.R. 3017 has been referred to four different committees in the House of Representatives – Education and Labor; House Administration; Oversight and Government Reform; and Judiciary. I voted against this bill when it was voted on during the 110th Congress, and I will be sure to keep your comments in mind should this legislation come before the House of Representatives again for a vote.
He voted against this bill last time, and if it comes up again, he will think of the many reasons why we want him to vote Yes while he votes No. Classic.
Once again, thank you for expressing your views on this issue… If I can be of any assistance in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Well yes, Rep Young, you can be of assistance – by voting YES on ENDA and protecting thousands of Alaskans from blatant job discrimination, thank you very much.
Call Rep. Young at 202-225-5765. Give your name and your city and then let him know:
“I am calling in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H. R. 3017), which will protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from job discrimination. No one deserves to be fired from their job because of who they are. Vote Yes for ENDA.”
If you get voicemail instead of a person, you can leave a message. The messages are listened to and count as calls. You can call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you’ve called in the past, no problem – call again.
Then call Senator Murkowski and Senator Begich and ask them to support ENDA in the Senate, senate bill (S. 1584). Murkowski’s number is 202-224-6665, Begich’s number is 202-224-3004.
As part of a national ENDA action week May 17-21, GetEqual will rally outside Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco office on Tuesday, May 18, to call on her to move ENDA forward.
“Equal protection under the law is NOT happening when being fired because you are Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgender is legal in over half the states in the US. We MUST demand the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) be moved in Congress, immediately!”
Please call Speaker Pelosi in SF – 415.556.4862 and DC – (202) 225-0100, or email Rep. Pelosi HERE.
Discrimination is a real problem that affects real people. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people need basic job discrimination protections. Congress must prioritize ENDA for passage. ENDA can’t wait. PASS ENDA NOW!
Across the world, in many different social and cultural contexts, homophobic and transphobic violence is being propagated by people who use religious arguments to justify their positions.
But other voices do exist everywhere also within these same religions to object to the use of religions to justify hatred and rejection and sometimes even violence, crimes and bloodshed.
The objective of this campaign is to expose and oppose the negative impact of religious fundamentalist discourses and to give visibility and promotion to voices who are working for inclusion, tolerance and peace.
Join the voices that call upon religious leaders to stop fuelling homophobia and transphobia and to act for universal Human Rights for all people.
IDAHO is recognized around the world with conferences, marches, a Same-Sex Hand Holding Week, which was expanded from one day to one week to include both IDAHO and Harvey Milk’s birthday on Saturday…
We are asking people to find someone of the same gender, and hold their hand in public. It may be for only 1 min or for the whole week!
“Same-sex hand holding (Sshh!) is a silent revolution for LGBT people, because nothing needs to be said: no bold speeches, no reactive arguments, no war of words. Each LGBT person has the power to change the hearts and minds of people in their local community quietly, subtly, by simply holding hands publicly and owning their space. However, hand holding is a simple powerful gesture that can happen anywhere, at any time.”
Gay, straight, black, white — whatever they look like and whatever their political stripes are — as long as they believe in love and equality for ALL people everywhere, they joined us in the Great Global Kiss-in!
60 cities around the world joined the first Great Global Kiss-in this weekend, and more were planned for Monday. Watch this great video of hugging and kissing for equality:
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.
