A long-overdue Bent Alaska update — October 2013

Lucy Frey Inducted into Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame

Lucy Frey, a founder of Alaska’s lesbian community, was inducted into the Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame on March 6 as a member of the inaugural class. Frey is honored as a “social studies educator [and] feminist leader.”

The Hall of Fame inducted 50 women who have made or are making significant contributions to the shaping of Alaska. Seven of the 13 living inductees were present and most are supporters of the lesbian and gay community, according to the Grrlzlist, including Carol Comeau, Dana Fabe, Katie Hurley, Sarah James, Arliss Sturgulewski, Fran Ulmer and Esther Wunnicke.

“I remember Lucy Frey for two things,” wrote Rosemary Shinohara in an ADN editorial Some Teacher.

“She was my most memorable teacher at Clark Junior High. I loved social studies in seventh grade. Getting to stay after to work on the bulletin boards was a big treat. She put up with troublemakers. She furthered a passion for school that carried me through many years. And she often played Scrabble with my mother, a school secretary and die-hard Catholic. I went along for the games.

“I had no idea at the time that Lucy Frey had a life outside Scrabble and classrooms. But last week, she was among 50 women named to the first Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame induction, alongside such notables as Tlingit civil rights leader Elizabeth Peratrovich and Mary Louise Rasmuson of the Rasmuson Foundation.

“Now I find that she was a peace activist, noted Alaska feminist and rabble rouser.

“She handed out pledge cards downtown, asking people to resist violence. She co-owned the Alaska Women’s Bookstore. She helped launch the Alaska Women’s Political Caucus.

“Organizers of the Hall of Fame — a handful of women’s organizations — say many feminist causes originated over potluck dinners in her living room.

“I don’t know how Lucy and my mother became friends — I’ve always thought of my mother as having been a more traditional mom, certainly not someone to hang out with feminists. But I’m glad it happened.

“I always knew Lucy Frey was a special teacher. Now I know she was a special human being too.”

Many LGBT people and our allies knew Lucy and enjoyed the lesbian groups and events she helped to create. Although I moved to Alaska just after she retired to Missouri, I heard much about her, especially the potlucks and the Sing-Along.

What are your thoughts on Lucy Frey’s contributions to Alaska? Share your stories of Lucy in the comments.

LGB and T Resources for Schools and Staff in Alaska

“Gender identity” added to Fairbanks school policies

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District passed a motion to include “gender identity” as a protected group in their non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies — the first school district in Alaska to do so.

Fairbanks NSB school board vs. PTA president on gender identity

In a first for Alaska, the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District is set to add gender identity to its non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies — over the objections of the PTA president of the school that asked for advice on the policy.

Brother Outsider and Black History Month

February is national Black History Month, and the Anchorage Urban League is co-sponsoring a showing and discussion of Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin at the Anchorage Museum, along with Identity, the ACLU of Alaska and other sponsors.

The life of one gay Alaskan

Slade, a gay young man in Alaska, takes a lot of photos and creates music video slide shows of himself, his friends and their activities.

National Drag History Month

Jason: An ex-gay survivor from Alaska tells his story

The ex-gay conference Love Won Out came to Alaska to promote “reparative” therapy. Jason Ingram describes their methods in his personal story.

Rev. Johnathan’s New Journey: From Anchorage MCC to Edinburgh

It was such a pleasure to see you all again so soon. Now I am back in Edinburgh and have started working at a fast pace. Yesterday (July 20) was my first Sunday back and we celebrated MCC Edinburgh‘s 13th birthday. We had over 40 people in attendance and had a wonderful service. 

I have recently been reading a Thomas Merton book and there was a fabulous quote in there that I would like to share with you:

“Only when we see ourselves in our true human conditions as “one body” will we begin to understand the positive importance not only of the successes but of the failures and accidents in our lives. My successes are not my own. The way to them was prepared by others. The fruit of my labors is not my own: for I am preparing the way for the achievements of another. Nor are my failures my own. They may spring from the failure of another, but they are also compensated for by another’s achievement.” (Thomas Merton, No Man Is An Island)

As I read this passage, I was reminded of my time in Anchorage. I thought about my successes with the church and my failures with the church, but this passage made me realize that neither the successes nor the failures were solely my own. WE worked hard as a Church to outreach to the GLBT community of Anchorage. WE worked hard to establish a strong Building Fund account. WE worked hard to build An Inclusive Church. And there is a liberation in knowing that where we failed, we failed together and we learned together.

As I now move on another journey with MCC Edinburgh, I will always remember with joy my time with my first church. I will always keep in mind the invaluable lessons I learned during my four years with all of you. In the same manner, there are many things that MCC Anchorage can learn as you grow into your new journey.

I will pray for you often, and I will be back in January to visit with you. If you would like to keep in contact with me, I am keeping the same email address.

God Bless You.

Love,

Rev. Johnathan

Interim Pastor

MCC Edinburgh

CowGal Val and Ravenhurst: Lesbian and Gay Bloggers Who Lived in Alaska (But Don’t Now)