Articles in Friends & allies
James Steven “Steve” Reese (1968–2011)
We were saddened to learn last week of the death of PFLAG Juneau volunteer Steve Reese. Our condolences to his children, family and friends, and all who knew him. We excerpt one of his letters to the editor, on Christian attitudes towards LGBT people: “If your Bible tells you to hate or to do hateful things, then you are reading your Bible wrong.”
Paula Poundstone: America is maturing on gay marriage
NPR is taping “Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me” live in Fairbanks on August 11 with panelists Paula Poundstone, Tom Bodett, and Adam Felber (sorry, it’s sold out.) Poundstone is also touring her own standup comedy show, although she’s not performing it in Alaska (darn!) OUTTAKE VOICES interviewed her after a recent show and asked about her tour, the NPR series and LGBT issues.
When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights, Poundstone stated, “I think that I am an advocate of civil rights for all, I don’t know if it’s limited to one particular group. I am thrilled to death to see America maturing in the gay marriage arena. Although frankly, I’m not clear why anyone wants to be married, but OK.
I always thought that people’s argument against gay marriage has always been that it would somehow destroy the sanctity of marriage and I’m kind of a mind that whoever was in charge of the sanctity to begin with had kind of fallen asleep at the helm.
I think it is exciting to live in a time when things are changing. I’m really excited when my daughter who’s in high school tells me ‘you know so and so is gay.’ I just marvel. Not because her friend is gay but that it’s casual information.
It’s just when I was growing up, in high school, I was the class of ’77, of course there were many gays among my class, no one would ever have said so. Ever. So I think it’s thrilling and I try to emphasize that to my kids how lucky they are to be alive in a time when people can more or less be who they are.”
Paula is headed to Alaska to record the NPR hit weekly news quiz show, “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me”. Poundstone states “To have access to the NPR audience is pretty darn fun. They’re smart. They’re well informed. Not that I fall into either of those categories, by the way; less and less so as I grow older, in fact.” She adds that her appearances on NPR actually improve her stand-up act and vice versa.
Listen to the full interview on OUTTAKE VOICES. (There’s much more to it, the gay questions are at the end.)
To the lucky Fairbanks people who got tickets to the live taping – enjoy the show!
NAACP’s first LGBT Town Hall: Gay Rights are Civil Rights
Comedian Wanda Sykes, who is performing in Anchorage next month, and CNN reporter Don Lemon headlined the NAACP‘s first ever LGBT Town Hall at the annual convention in Los Angeles last week, supporting same sex marriage and using humor to explain why ‘praying away the gay’ doesn’t work.
Julian Bond, former NAACP chair and veteran civil rights activist, gave a strong opening speech on the panel theme “Our Collective Responsibility: Overcoming Homophobia.”
He explained that the LGBT Task Force was formed in 2009 with the National Black Justice Coalition, and described the NAACP’s three-point mission to increase acceptance of black LGBT people in the African American community:
- strengthen the NAACP’s knowledge of LGBT issues and policies,
- build alliances with LGBT organizations, and
- advance awareness of LGBT issues as they relate to the programs and interests of the NAACP.
He also addressed several areas where conflict exists between the LGBT and the African American communities.
We know that black lesbians, black gay men, black bisexual people and black transgender people suffer a level of discrimination and harassment far beyond the level felt by straight black women and men.
If you disagree, or if your Bible tells you that gay people ought not be married in your church, don’t tell them they can’t be married at City Hall. Marriage is a civil rite as well as a civil right, and we can’t allow religious bigotry to close the door to justice for anyone….
For some people, comparisons between the African American Civil Rights movement and the movement for gay and lesbian rights seems to diminish the long, black historical struggle with all it’s suffering, sacrifices and endless toil. People of color, however, ought to be flattered that our Movement has provided so much inspiration for others, that it has been so widely imitated, and that our tactics, heroes, heroines and methods, even our songs, have been appropriated as models for others….
People of color carry the badge of who we are on our faces. But we are far from the only people suffering from discrimination…. They deserve the laws, protections and civil rights, too.
(Thanks to Metro Weekly for the partial transcript.)
There were several moments of controversy during the 2 hour discussion. NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous joined the panel and was asked why the organization has an anti-gay preacher, Keith Ratliff, on its board. Ratliff claimed in March that gay rights activists have “hijacked” the Civil Rights movement.
Jealous responded, “He did not say it in the name of the NAACP…. We have board members who hold all sorts of divergent views.”
The last speaker, transgender audience member Ashley Love, pointed out the importance of including transgender people in the discussion:
“The NAACP was founded because black people were being excluded from having a seat at the table,” she said. “So why would we as an LGBT black coalition exclude transsexual and transgender people, who are the most vulnerable, the most marginalized, the most endangered in the entire coalition?”
Other critics of the Convention noted that there were neither transgender nor bisexual members of the panel.
But the people at the town hall, and many of the news reports, agree that the first NAACP LGBT panel was a good start for the veteran civil rights organization, and could have a positive effect on the regional branches and thousands of members nationwide.
Alaska hearts Pink Dot
Anchorage joined cities around the world on June 18 when we gathered a circle of people wearing pink – a human Pink Dot – in an Anchorage park to support the Freedom to Love. In addition to the dot, we made a big heart in honor of Love. Pink Dot Anchorage was an official Alaska PrideFest event. Here’s the wrap up report and photo from Pink Dot Anchorage Alaska.
DADT repeal certified, & Sen. Begich’s remarks on DADT at Anchorage Pride
Seven months after DADT repeal was signed into law, it’s finally being certified! This seems like a good time to post our video of Sen. Begich’s remarks at Anchorage Pride, and to again thank him and Sen. Murkowski for their votes to end this draconian law.
Lauren Potter of “Glee” in Fairbanks and Anchorage to celebrate the Americans with Disabilities Act
Lauren Potter of the hit Fox show Glee will be in Fairbanks tonight and in Anchorage on Thursday to help Access Alaska celebrate the 21st Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In Fairbanks, she’ll also be joined by champion musher Lance Mackey.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), enacted by Congress in 1990, is a wide-ranging civil rights law which provides similar protections against discrimination to Americans with disabilities as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 provides against discrimination based on race, religion, sex, national origin, and other characteristics.
We at Bent Alaska share in celebrating the 21st anniversary of this landmark civil rights legislation. Welcome to Alaska, Lauren!
Co-sponsors of Lauren’s appearances include University of Alaska Fairbanks, State of Alaska ADA Coordinator’s Office, and Fox 7 Fairbanks.
In Fairbanks —
- Date/time: Tuesday, July 19, 6:30–9:30 PM
- Location: Westmark Fairbanks Hotel & Convention Center, 813 Noble St, Fairbanks, AK (see map)
- Cost of admission: Free admission; donations appreciated
- Further info: see Facebook events page
In Anchorage —
- Date/time: Thursday, July 21, 6:30–9:30 PM
- Location: West Anchorage High School Auditorium, 1700 Hillcrest Drive, Anchorage (see map)
- Cost of admission: Free admission; donations appreciated
- Further info: see Facebook events page
Lauren Potter was joined by Glee‘s Jane Lynch to finish out a compelling PSA on the unacceptability of calling people by derogatory terms… including fag, including retard.
Watch. And then join the campaign to spread the word to end the word.
Moving on — watching closely
The time comes when Bent Alaska must move forward bearing our sadness over James Crump’s death on June 25 and getting back to our core business of sharing information and serving as an information hub for Alaska’s LGBTA communities. But first, I’d like to share some of the information I learned about healing from grief and trauma.
This one for you, James Crump
James Crump came to Alaska to find himself, and stayed in Alaska to share himself with us. His death on June 25 at Anchorage’s Pride parade was a blow not only to his family & friends, but also to our whole community. But just what is our community — and where do we go from here?
ICOAA’s 4th of July celebration — & a winning float!
The Imperial Court of All Alaska (ICOAA) float won the Judges Choice Award at the Anchorage 4th of July festival and parade. Paige, Empress 38 of Alaska, graciously accepted Bent Alaska’s invitation to post her account of the day’s festivities; photos and additional comments by Bent Alaska contributor Mel Green.
Alaska Presbyterians react to LGBT ordination vote
Last week the Presbyterian Church (USA) ratified a historic change permitting the ordination of gay and lesbian clergy. How have Alaska Presbyterians reacted?
