Articles in News
Bent News, 9/29/11: Andrew Caleb Pritt makes the Anchorage Daily News
The Anchorage Daily News reports on Caleb Pritt, Wal-Mart adds transgender protections, and more in this edition of Bent News.
Bent News, 9/28/11: Census data on same-sex married couples
Bent Alaska tweets the news, data from the 2010 U.S. Census on same-sex married couples, a “This Gets Better” video, and more in this edition of Bent News.
Tweeting the news
- Bent Alaska has added (we think) Selective Tweets to our FB profile (as well as page), so we can share news when we’re out & about. #
Bent Alaska has added the Selective Tweets app to our Facebook profile, so we can easily share news with our Facebook friends when we’re out and about — merely by adding a simple #fb hashtag to any tweet we wish. You can also follow us directly on Twitter @bentalaska.
But what if you’re not on Facebook or Twitter? We’ve also added a plugin called Twitter Tools to our blog, which will automatically creates a daily post from our tweets. And suddenly Bent News is reborn: a daily (at least when we tweet) summary of some of the interesting stuff we’ve found around the web. As we’re able, we’ll also supplement it with other news, photos, videos, etc., to try to make it interesting & informative. Our Bent News posts will post the day after the tweets were made.
Let us know how we’re doing! Write to us at bentalaska [at] gmail [dot] com.
Census data on same-sex married couples
- Census Bureau reports 131,729 same-sex married couples, and 646,464 gay couples in the country overall. http://t.co/NdHUdImC #
One of our Facebook friends asked, “Was there a category for LGBTQ persons overall?” Our answer: Not yet. Single people couldn’t self-identify as LGBTQ on the 2010 Census, so there’s no data on how many of us live in the U.S. We’ve got to get that added for 2020!
There’s a campaign by the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force (NGTLF) to do just that, called Queer the Census (Facebook page). In its blog post about the Census Bureau’s newly released data on same-sex couples, the Task Force writes,
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force played a key role in getting the U.S. Census Bureau to report the number of married same-sex couples in the 2010 census, and continues to work with policymakers to ensure lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people are included in a broad swath of federal surveys and data collection.
See the U.S. Census Bureau’s official press release on the data.
Other tweets
- Biblical arguments for LGBT equality? Yes. @LambdaLiterary reviews God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality http://t.co/nPGV8TRw #
- Right wing claims TX student’s religious freedom being violated by teacher he harassed b/c he thinks teacher is gay http://t.co/i4lAVL2H #
Shared on our Facebook wall
“All the bullies I’ve known were insensitive jerks.” — so says Rep. Jim Moran of Virginia in this video for the It Gets Better Project. Watch:
Judge rules for three gay couples in Alaska property tax case
“Alaska’s gay and lesbian couples who are senior citizens or disabled veterans pay higher property taxes than similar heterosexual couples,” E. Ross wrote last August, “because we are treated like roommates or business partners instead of couples and families.” Now the lawsuit described in that story — Bent Alaska’s first on the lawsuit by three same-sex couples against Alaska’s biased property tax — has resulted in a victory in Anchorage Superior Court, the ACLU of Alaska announced today.
Homes for Our Troops: “Money from the fundraiser was lost” (Andrew Caleb “Drew” Pritt aka Diedra)
Questions emerged over the weekend about missing funds from a fundraiser held last month to raise money for the charity Homes for Our Troops (HFOT). The fundraiser, dubbed “Home for an Alaskan Hero,” was intended to help complete building of a fully accessible home for Army Sergeant Latseen Benson of Chugiak, who lost his legs to an improvised explosive device (IED) in Iraq in November 2005. Latseen is the son of Alaska politician Diane Benson, an ally of the LGBT community.
One Anchorage campaign to begin gathering signatures
About 50 people gathered last night in Waldron Hall at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Anchorage to learn about One Anchorage, the campaign by Equality Works to add sexual orientation and transgender identity to the Anchorage equal rights code through a ballot initiative. The initiative, if successful, will provide the same legal protections against discrimination already provided in Anchorage on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, marital status, age, physical disability, and mental disability. The One Anchorage campaign was announced on September 1.
Tina Beltz (1979–2011)
We were saddened to learn of the death of Tina Beltz in a traffic accident in Manhattan, Montana on August 31. A celebration of her life will be held this Saturday, September 10 at 2 PM at the Covenant Church in Wasilla. We offer our condolences to her fiancée, family, friends, and all who knew her.
Sara’s News Roundup 9/5/11
Recent LGBT news selected by Sara Boesser in Juneau, Alaska.
1) Pro-gay judge sworn in to Calif. Supreme Court
Sacramento, Calif., 365Gay.com, September 2, 2011
2) Producers: Don’t boycott ‘Dancing’ over gay, transgender casting
Los Angeles, Advocate, September 2, 2011
3) Controversial Nominee Approved to Court in Time for Prop. 8
California, Advocate, September 1, 2011
4) Canada amends ruling on Dire Straits’ song
From correspondents in Toronto, September 1, 2011
5) Chaz Bono to appear on Dancing With the Stars
PinkNews.com, August 31, 2011
6) K-Y Aims for Lesbian Lovers
Advocate, September 1, 2011
7) Apple CEO urged to come out as gay
Washington Blade, September 1, 2011
Note: Sara writes that she’ll be taking off about a month off from her regular weekly news sends.
Equality Works launches One Anchorage Campaign ballot initiative
Equality Works has launched the One Anchorage Campaign, a ballot initiative campaign to place an initiative on the April 2012 municipal ballot in Anchorage to add sexual orientation and transgender identity to Anchorage’s equal rights code. This follows on an equal rights ordinance which passed the Anchorage Assembly in 2009 by a vote of 7–4, only to be vetoed by Mayor Dan Sullivan.
Celebration of Steve Reese’s life Wednesday, September 7 in Juneau
Steve Reese’s family invites his friends and coworkers in a celebration of his life.
Steve died an accidental death while hiking near Juneau at Herbert Glacier, where his body was found on August 2nd. He worked at Bartlett Regional Hospital for eleven years as a registered nurse and most recently as nursing supervisor, and was an active volunteer within the Juneau community, including with PFLAG Juneau. Bent Alaska published his obituary and an excerpt from one of his letters to the editor of the Juneau Empire on August 11.
Come for food, music and conversation. Vegetarian cuisine, energy drinks, diet pepsi and other favorites of Steve’s will be served. Please bring written memories, stories or letters about Steve. They will be treasured by his family.
Come as you are. Dress up or down.
- Date/time: Wednesday, September 7, 5 to 9 PM
- Location: Parkshore Condominium Clubhouse, 800 F Street (Behind Downtown Fire Hall), Juneau (see map)
- Further info: See Facebook event page or Bent Alaska’s post about Steve Reese’s death, and life
Steve’s family writes:
There seems to be some confusion concerning donations. To set the record straight, donations can be made in Steve’s memory to the Girl Scouts of Alaska, as stated in his obituary. I truly believe this would be his top priority as evidant from his many years of devout cookie selling. Checks can be made out to Girl Scouts of Alaska Troop 4026 and either mailed to PO Box 33441 Juneau, AK 99803 or deposited in First National Bank of Alaska account #30758437.
If you wish to make a donation elsewhere, please wait 2 months. We are trying to raise as much funds as possible right now for Janae’s girl scout troop. I personally feel that donations to other causes right now are taking away from what my father would have wanted.
Please share this information with anyone who may be confused.
Thank you for your support.
-Jordan Reese
Sara’s News Roundup 8/30/11
Recent LGBT news selected by Sara Boesser in Juneau, Alaska.
1) “My (Extra) Ordinary Family — My Kid Is Transgender”
Nightline, ABC, August 31, 11:30 Alaska time (4 hours earlier than East Coast time)
2) Perry signs pledge on anti-gay marriage amendment
Austin, Texas, Associated Press, August 26, 2011
3) No Surprise for Bisexual Men: Report Indicates They Exist
New York Times, August 22, 2011
4) Trevor Project Honored at White House
Washington, Advocate, August 25, 2011
5) Op-ed: My Bathroom Transition, and Letting Go of Trans Privilege
Advocate, August 24, 2011
6) New Belgian Statistics
Gay Marriage Blog, August 2011
7) Census: More same-sex couples in more places
CNN, August 25, 2011
8) Man goes to hospital with stomach ache, gets uterus removed
U.K., CBS News, August 3, 2011
9) Quebec unveils guide to care of gay elderly people
Quebec, Canada, BBC News, August 9, 2011
