Articles in Politics
Alaskans Attend Creating Change
Creating Change 2009, The 21st National Conference on LGBT Equality, runs Wednesday through Sunday in Denver, and two Alaskan leaders are attending this year.
“I am excited about Creating Change,” wrote Tiffany McClain. “I’m really hoping that I learn something I can put to use in the campaign for Equality Works.”
Tiffany is managing the Equality Works campaign “to protect Anchorage residents from discrimination and harassment, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.” She is the LGBT Coordinator for the ACLU of Alaska, and the Secretary of Alaskans Together for Equality.
“Identity is sending me to Creating Change,” wrote Scott Turner, co-chair of Identity, Inc. “I will do my best to bring back plenty of good info on things we are working on locally.”
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) sponsors and organizes Creating Change, “the nation’s pre-eminent political, leadership and skills-building conference for the LGBT social justice movement.”
This isn’t the first year that Alaskan activists have attended the national conference.
“Creating Change was very educational for me every time I went,” wrote Elias Rojas, also of Alaskans Together. “I think for Alaskans it offers understanding of the bigger GLBT issues that are happening across the country and the trends and issues.”
“Any Alaskan that makes it to the conference will come back with a fresh perspective.”
Roe v. Wade Anniversary Brings New Direction and Local Celebrations
Today marks the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the United States.
And today President Barack Obama is expected to reverse at least a few of the anti-choice policies of the last eight years.
The “global gag rule” is the most likely option for reversal. It prohibits U.S. foreign aid assistance to international family planning groups that offer information on abortions.
One such group is Planned Parenthood. Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, says she’s hopeful that early action by President Obama will signal a new direction.
“It’s been eight long years in the wilderness,” said Richards. “I think for women in this country and women around the world, this is a president and administration that takes their health care needs seriously.”
Planned Parenthood of Alaska Advocates (PPAA) will celebrate women’s rights at two Roe v. Wade Birthday Bash and Pro-Choice Presidential Inauguration Parties, in Anchorage tonight and in Fairbanks tomorrow evening.
The free events include wine, food and games, with fundraising to support PPAA. RSVP required.
Congratulations to Obama, from a Fairbanks Vlogger
Today is Barack Obama’s inauguration as President of the United States.
“We are truly in for an era of change,” wrote Brian the day after Obama was elected, “an era that could not have come at a better time.”
Brian, 25, vlogs on gay rights and other issues from Fairbanks, Alaska as thenewBMW. This Nov. 5 video congratulates Obama on his election victory, thanks the voters, and supports Obama’s appeal for unity.
Let Us Stay Married
Allison Mendel is a lawyer in Anchorage. Her and her partner were married in California two days before the voters rescinded the right for same-sex couples to marry. The following editorial appeared in the Anchorage Daily News on Dec 29.
Barriers to same-sex marriage should come tumbling down
I have been a so-called “gay activist” for at least 20 years. Marriage used to be a little controversial as a gay cause. In the beginning, a minority of gay activists firmly adopted marriage as the ultimate 20th century gay cause. A louder majority called it a sellout, a throwback to paternalistic social forms, an unworthy goal.
The minority, through obstinate and painstaking work, became the majority. I joined the cause early — I came to see that excluding same-sex couples from this supremely ordinary, ubiquitous state marked us as less than human more than anti-gay violence or workplace discrimination ever did. Because it affected everyone, every day.
Marital status? Spouse’s name? Next of kin? You can’t even go to the doctor without being asked these questions. We were left outside the nomenclature that defined everyone else — with no way in.
Even as I believed all that, and fought for marriage, I never thought that I yearned to be married myself. I am a divorce lawyer who knows very well that the blessed state of marriage often is not. Blessed, that is.
Imagine my surprise when the California Supreme Court announced that excluding same-sex couples from marriage is unconstitutional. Suddenly, almost anyone who wanted to, could get married in California. And after all these years I realized that I wanted to. Apparently it was simply sour grapes when I thought I did not care, personally, if I could ever get married. I did care, and I do care. I wanted the same chance everyone else has to “tie the knot,” “walk down the aisle,” and “hear the wedding bells chime.” I felt like the lame who can walk and the blind who can see. So we went and got married in California.
Two days later the California voters pulled the plug. They don’t want me to be married any more.
This should not have come as a surprise. Nearly every time voters anywhere in the country have been asked to vote on same-sex marriage, they have said no. But this time I was shocked.
I find I don’t want to go quietly any more. I want someone to explain to me why anyone else cares whether I am married or not. It matters a whole lot to me, to my family and to my new spouse.
Religion can’t be the reason, because my religion allows it, and we don’t let other people’s religions determine my legal rights.
I don’t want to have to win a popularity contest for my marriage any more — who else has to have their wedding plans approved by the electorate? I can no longer imagine any serious public policy reason why anyone is better off if I choose to spend my life with my partner but can’t marry her.
Unfortunately, gay rights really is the 21st century civil rights struggle. We are the only ones left whose basic rights still have to win a majority vote. I don’t think Obama would be president today if we had approached racial equality this way. We don’t expect approbation or approval, just tolerance. Just let us be married.
It doesn’t seem like much to ask.
Create a Logo for Alaskans Together
Do you know how to make a graphic logo?
Help Alaskans Together find a logo to represent the organization and our mission: to advance civil equality for all Alaskans, through grassroots organizing and advocacy, and through public education.
Email a digital logo idea to Alaskans Together by February 15 and your design may be chosen as the official logo!
Please Don’t Divorce Alaska’s Married-in-California Couples
The “Yes on 8” campaign has filed legal papers to nullify all 18,000 gay and lesbian marriages performed in California between May and November of 2008.
In response, dozens of families added wedding and holiday photos to a slideshow of same-sex couples who will be divorced if the anti-gay effort succeeds.
The California Supreme Court is expected to rule on the constitutionality of Prop 8 in the spring.
The “Please Don’t Divorce” Project
In response to the threat to gay and lesbian families, The Courage Campaign created an online slideshow of same-sex married couples, along with friends and relatives who support them.
“It’s time to put a face to the 18,000 couples facing forcible divorce by the state of California. To put a face to marriage equality,” says the web site of the community photo project.
Dozens of families contributed wedding photos with the message “Please Don’t Divorce Us” and holiday pictures of their children, pets and Christmas trees.
Other supporters sent pictures saying, “Please Don’t Divorce Our Friends” or “Please Don’t Divorce Love.”
Gay Alaskans Married in California
There is no residency requirement for marrying in California, and same-sex couples from Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau were married there, along with couples from other states and countries.
Mo and Lin of Juneau were legally married in San Francisco on Sept. 15, eighteen years after their original, non-legal wedding. Juneau residents formed a “human arch of love and acceptance” for the couple to walk through during the October reception, and the party raised money for Equality California.
At the Anchorage rally protesting the passage of Prop 8, a gay couple put their wedding photo on their signs, and a lesbian couple brought copies of their Palm Springs marriage certificate. Both couples were interviewed by local television reporters at the Nov. 15 rally.
The same day at the Fairbanks City Hall protest, two young men posed for a photo with their sign: “Just Married, San Francisco, Sept 8, 2008.”
The state of Alaska does not recognize these marriages, but they are recognized in at least four states, Canada, and several other countries.
Please don’t divorce them!
View the pictures “Please Don’t Divorce Us” and add your wedding photo, or a photo in support of your married friends.
– Photo: Lori & Artemis with their California marriage certificate, at the Anchorage protest against Prop 8. (photo by Koala)
Right-wing Pastor Invited to Bless Obama’s Inauguration
President-Elect Barack Obama chose Rick Warren, an ultra-conservative pastor who is anti-gay and anti-choice, to give the invocation at his inauguration in January.
Why? Because he wants to include all voices, all Americans.
So which LGBT leader was invited to participate the inauguration to represent our inclusion? No one.
No openly-gay leader was given a role in the ceremony. We are represented by . . . a GLBT marching band during the entertainment.
Which leads to the next item:
Protest for Equality
Barack Obama made promises to the LGBT community. He promised to help:
repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA),repeal the anti-gay military policy Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,strengthen Hate Crimes Legislation, andpass a fully inclusive Federal ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act.)
Another national Join the Impact protest is scheduled for Saturday, Jan 10, 2009, to make our voices heard and remind him of his commitments.
I heard from a few Alaskans who said “Let’s Do It.” Are you with us?
The “Milk” Challenge
The movie Milk opens tomorrow (Friday, Dec. 12) in Anchorage, showing at 1:40, 4:35, 7:35 and 10:30 p.m. at the Century 16, across from Loussac Library. The message of Milk is timely, and the reviews sound great. (Watch the Milk trailer.)
Here’s the problem: We want to support a good-quality gay movie (and encourage the production of more gay movies) but don’t want to support the Mormon-owned Century/Cinemark whose CEO donated $9,999 to Prop 8, the California initiative that eliminated gay and lesbian marriage.
The solution: Boycott Century’s concessions! Eat before you go and only buy the ticket, no food or drinks.
Theaters don’t make much on admissions; most of their profit is from concessions. We can support the film and still deprive the theater of revenue.
Several people wrote in about the concessions boycott (thank you!) Jason suggested that we “sneak in our own candy” as an extra dig at Century.
Elias suggested that we offset the ticket fees to Century with a donation to Alaskans Together for Equality, the state LGBT rights group that takes on political issues like the ones Harvey Milk fought for. It’s a great way to support equal rights and, at the same time, withhold money from those who work against us!
Take the Milk Challenge: See Milk, and balance your political karma with a donation to Alaskans Together.
And Milk is the perfect time to start wearing a White Knot for marriage equality, “because everyone should be able to tie the knot.”
Light Up the Winter with More Impact Events
Join the Impact, the group that promoted the nationwide prop 8 protest, is coordinating an ongoing series of national LGBT events through February 12, the annual Freedom to Marry Day. The goal is to keep LGBT issues in the media, keep the momentum going within our community, and keep having discussions about gay rights with more and more people.
Some of their ideas are individual actions, like sending a postcard to Obama, wearing a white knot and participating in Day Without a Gay. Other events (LGBT Food Drive, Light Up the Night and the DOMA protest) require planning.
Which actions do you want to do in Anchorage, Fairbanks and/or Juneau?
Actions planned for specific dates
LGBTQ Food Drive – now through Dec 20: With the first national LGBTQ Food Drive for Equality, we will reach out not only to those who have worked alongside us, but to organizations and individuals that fear us and oppose our cause by donating to *faith-based* food pantries.
Day Without A Gay – Dec. 10: On December 10, which is International Human Rights Day, don’t call in sick to work, call in “gay” and donate your time to community service. Day Without A Gay lists local volunteer organizations that need your help. (Don’t see your favorite Alaskan LGBTA non-profit on the Day Without A Gay Alaska page? Send them the link so they can get on the list before Dec 10.)
Light Up the Night – Dec 20: On December 20th, join us again for a nation-wide demonstration, Light Up the Night for Equality. Hold a peaceful candlelight vigil in the commercial center of your city, in memory of the rights taken away and in support of the 18,000 marriages in legal limbo.
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) National Protest – Jan 10, 2009: DOMA states that a) states don’t have to recognize same-sex unions from other states, and b) the federal government will not recognize those marriages, even if the state does. With DOMA in place, we cannot have full marriage equality.
Ongoing actions
Project Postcard: Make an impact on the next presidency. Send Barack Obama a postcard from your town asking him to follow through on his promises around equal rights.
Wear a White Knot: The White Knot is the symbol for marriage equality. It takes two traditional symbols of marriage – white and tying the knot – and combines them in a simple way to show support for the right of gays and lesbians to marry. Wear the knot and tell people why you are wearing it.
Which actions do you want to do?
Join the Impact protest against California’s Prop 8: Photo wrap-up
Alaska contributed to the nationwide Join the Impact protest on Nov. 15, and we have the pictures to prove it!
The Anchorage rally was held at the Atwood Building, outside Gov. Palin’s local office. Watch Stef’s video clips of the Anchorage protest.
Some of the links below are reposted from the Anchorage protest article and Fairbanks protest article, because several people wrote to ask where they could see more photos.
Photo sets of the Anchorage protest
from Elias: Anchorage Equal Rights Rally/No on Prop 8 Protest,
from Blue-in-AK: Anchorage Proposition 8 protest,
from Yksin: Protesting Prop 8, Anchorage, AK, 15 Nov 2008,
from Perpetual Emptiness (aka lilyfluffbottom): Anchorage, AK 11/15/08
and from Join the Impact: the Alaska page.
Photos of the Fairbanks City Hall protest are posted on the Facebook page Protest Prop 8 in Fairbanks.
Thanks for the photo and video links, and a big “Thank you” to everyone who participated!
This issue isn’t going away, so stay tuned for more national marriage equality news and events.
