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.
Sunday, 30 May 2010 – 1:49 PM
| Comments Off on Sara’s News Roundup 5/30/10
I was on vacation over the holiday weekend, so I’m a few days late posting Sara’s NEWS and a special message about her vacation for the month of June. Have a great time, Sara, and I look forward to your return in July!
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Hello Readers,
I’m writing to let you know I’ll be away from my trusty computer for a month starting tomorrow. I’ll still be able to receive emails, but won’t be in News-send mode.
As a result, my NEWS will pause until I return. My next NEWS will be either July 4th or July 11th.
In the meantime, let’s hope DADT passes the Senate, that California allows same-sex marriage (again!), and that ENDA passes for all of us: gay, lesbian, bi, and trans alike.
. . . Well — a gal can dream, can’t she? :-)
Until then, I wish you all a very good month of June,
Sara
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Recent LGBT news selected by Sara Boesser in Juneau, Alaska.
In this 30 second PSA, actor Daniel Radcliffe raises awareness of The Trevor Project‘s around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. He reassures young people who may be feeling lost or alone that there’s always a safe place to turn.
If you or someone you know is in need of crisis intervention or suicide prevention services, please call The Trevor Helpline at 866.4.U.TREVOR or 866.488.7386, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Friday, 28 May 2010 – 3:18 PM
| Comments Off on U.S. House passes DADT repeal
The full U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate Armed Services Committee both voted in favor of a compromise amendment to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell on Thursday, May 27. The House passed the measure by a vote of 234 to 194, and the Senate Armed Services Committee passed the DADT amendment 16-12 earlier in the day. The full Senate will vote on it next.
The amendment does not stop the discharges of gay and lesbian service members, but it would repeal the Congressional law banning open service. If the amendment passes, the President, Secretary of Defense, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have to sign off on a full repeal before the discharges would end.
While we wait for the Senate vote, here is the final letter in the “Stories from the Frontlines” series. It is actually two letters: a letter to President Obama from former service member and current SLDN leader Aubrey Sarvis, and a love letter written by a World War II soldier and published in ONE Magazine in 1961.
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May 28, 2010
President Barack H. Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
For the past month, we have sent you personal letters from those harmed by “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” With the votes in the House and the Senate Armed Services Committee, we are bringing our series to a close. The final letter we are sharing with you was written by a World War II soldier to another service member. It is a love letter penned on the occasion of their anniversary.
The letter, which follows below, was published in September 1961 by ONE Magazine – an early gay magazine based out of Los Angeles. In 2000, Bob Connelly, an adjunct professor of LGBT studies at American University, found a copy of the letter in the Library of Congress. He brought the letter to the attention of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network last month.
We sincerely thank Mr. Connelly for his research and the ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives for granting permission for the letter to be republished.
Please accept this letter on the behalf of all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender service members on active-duty, in the reserve and in the National Guard; those who have been discharged; and those who didn’t enlist because of the discriminatory law now being dismantled.
With great respect,
Former Specialist 4th Class Aubrey Sarvis
United States Army
The letter as published by ONE Magazine:
Dear Dave,
This is in memory of an anniversary – the anniversary of October 27th, 1943, when I first heard you singing in North Africa. That song brings memories of the happiest times I’ve ever known. Memories of a GI show troop – curtains made from barrage balloons – spotlights made from cocoa cans – rehearsals that ran late into the evenings – and a handsome boy with a wonderful tenor voice. Opening night at a theatre in Canastel – perhaps a bit too much muscatel, and someone who understood. Exciting days playing in the beautiful and stately Municipal Opera House in Oran – a misunderstanding – an understanding in the wings just before opening chorus.
Drinks at “Coq d’or” – dinner at the “Auberge” – a ring and promise given. The show 1st Armoured – muscatel, scotch, wine – someone who had to be carried from the truck and put to bed in his tent. A night of pouring rain and two very soaked GIs beneath a solitary tree on an African plain. A borrowed French convertible – a warm sulphur spring, the cool Mediterranean, and a picnic of “rations” and hot cokes. Two lieutenants who were smart enough to know the score, but not smart enough to realize that we wanted to be alone. A screwball piano player – competition – miserable days and lonely nights. The cold, windy night we crawled through the window of a GI theatre and fell asleep on a cot backstage, locked in each other’s arms – the shock when we awoke and realized that miraculously we hadn’t been discovered. A fast drive to a cliff above the sea – pictures taken, and a stop amid the purple grapes and cool leaves of a vineyard.
The happiness when told we were going home – and the misery when we learned that we would not be going together. Fond goodbyes on a secluded beach beneath the star-studded velvet of an African night, and the tears that would not be stopped as I stood atop the sea-wall and watched your convoy disappear over the horizon.
We vowed we’d be together again “back home,” but fate knew better – you never got there. And so, Dave, I hope that where ever you are these memories are as precious to you as they are to me.
Goodnight, sleep well my love.
Brian Keith
(Reprinted with permission of ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, www.onearchives.org, ONE Magazine, September 1961)
Tonei Glavinic is a Queer 20 year old from Anchorage, AK. Tonei is a student at American University in Washington, DC and is pursuing a degree in Political Science and Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies. Tonei wants to thank Anchorage Youth Court, GLSEN, the ACLU, and everyone who has supported Tonei’s work over the years. Tonei is a Public Policy and Advocacy Intern at the Task Force; volunteer at a pro-choice clinic; Executive Director of American University Queers and Allies; and will be a Resident Assistant next year.
Tonei won the following scholarships: Pride Foundation Community, Political Leadership, and Scott Rodriguez Leadership
Kady Titus is 21, bisexual, and an Alaskan Native. She is currently a freshmen at Haskell Indian Nations University studying Social Work. Kady owes a huge “thank you” to Kathy Halverson, who was Kady’s first social worker from Foster Care. Kady says, “She stayed with me throughout everything.”
“My plans and aspirations are the same now as they were almost 10 years ago: to open the interior of Alaska’s first Transitional Living Program with special services geared toward GLBT youth and foster children.”
Kady won the following scholarship: Pride Foundation/Alaska
Congratulations to Tonei, Kady and all 108 scholarship recipients! More information on the annual scholarship program can be found at PrideFoundation.org.
Tuesday, 25 May 2010 – 7:06 AM
| Comments Off on Transgender podcast debuts with Alaska show on "Transpeople and Christianity"
The first show of “Good Morning, TransAmerica!” is now available, with news and discussion on transgender issues around the world, hosted by Anja Gensel of Anchorage, Alaska.
The first show is called “Transpeople and Christianity: Does God have a plan for us?” Anja and her guests address why many fundamentalist Christian churches reject transpeople, how they hijacked the Anchorage Assembly hearings last summer, and why they have it wrong.
We ask the question “Can you be transgendered, AND be a Christian?” We hear from Anchorage Televangelist Jerry Prevo, Pastoral Minister Sarah Gavit of St Mary’s Episcipal Church, and two Christian Transwomen, Kelly Johnson and Piper Moritz.
Another local segment on the show is “TransLife in a small Alaskan town” with commercial fisherman and transwoman, Carrie Thorne. Carrie also discusses her experiences with Dr. Toby Meltzer, who performed SRS, Voice modification and FFS on her.
Other guests include Lisa O. discussing her SRS results performed in Thailand by Dr. Suporn.
Finally, Mental Health Clinician Roni Lanier, M.S. reviews the book: “Transgender Emergence: Therapeutic Guidelines for Working With Gender-Variant People and Their Families” by Arlene Ister Lev.
Plus, the podcast opens with a review of recent transgender world news.
The second show is called “TransLife in Australia” and will be available in June. For the third show, Anja travels to Chicago to the 2010 “Be-All” International Gender Conference.
“Transpeople and Christianity: Does God have a plan for us?” is available HERE.
A Fairbanks soldier is under investigation for posting on Facebook a video titled “future gay terrorist!” with two Iraqi children being taunted about being homosexuals and terrorists, and writing, “I was bored in Iraq. So I kept myself entertained.”
The young boys don’t understand the soldier’s insults about being gay and liking gay sex, so they nod and smile. When he asks if they will grow up to be terrorists, at first they return his thumbs up, then the older boy realizes the soldier is not being friendly.
Robert Rodriguez, stationed at Fort Wainwright near Fairbanks, made his Facebook page private a week after posting the clip, and his wall and videos are no longer visible to the public. However, a second Alaska-based soldier shared the video, and concerned friends in North Carolina contacted a local television station, which posted this video and the article quoted below:
The 30-second clip shows the two boys standing side by side on a dusty road, and the photographer asks them if they’re gay and engage in homosexual acts. The boys smile and nod, but it’s unclear whether they understand English.
“Are you going to grow up to be a terrorist? Yeah! All right! Cool! Yeah, terrorists! Woo!” the photographer says.
The boys smile and give a thumbs-up signal.
“Are you going to plant IEDs?” the photographer asks. “Yeah, awesome!”
The older boy apparently realizes at this point that they are being mocked, and he holds down the younger boy’s arm.
The video was posted May 14 on the Facebook page of Robert Rodriguez and titled “future gay terrorists.”
Rodriguez describes himself on Facebook as a soldier living in Fairbanks, Alaska. An Army spokesman said a Spc. Robert Rodriguez is stationed at Fort Wainwright, outside of Fairbanks.
It’s unclear whose voice is heard on the video, but in posting the video to Facebook, Rodriguez wrote, “I was bored in Iraq. So I kept myself entertained.”
A North Carolina soldier who also is based in Alaska subsequently shared the video with friends on his Facebook page, and a concerned area resident alerted WRAL News.
“The conduct portrayed in video is disgraceful and clearly inconsistent with the high standards we expect of every Soldier. The incident is currently under investigation. The Army will take appropriate action based on the findings of the investigation,” Maj. Bill Coppernoll, a public affairs officer for the U.S. Army in Alaska, said in a statement Friday.
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:
Please join the Imperial Court as they host the annual Memorial Day Picnic in Anchorage, at the Kincaid Park chalet again this year, on Monday, May 31, noon-5 p.m. For more than 30 years, this showcase event has launched the summer meet and greet season. Strike a pose! See you there!
Homer’s New Youth-Community GSA
A group of young adults in Homer started a Youth-Community GSA. Their first meeting is on Saturday, May 22, from 3:30-5:30pm in the Homer Public Library Conference Room.
Marcia’s Redfish Lodge on the Kenai
Thinking about a summer tip to the Kenai? Check out Marcia’s Alaska Redfish Lodge. Beautiful cabins, friendly environment, and a great place to get away.
Half Moon Creek opens new art gallery in Palmer
The new Palmer store is open! Come support some fabulous lesbians and some of Alaska’s finest artists. Half Moon Creek.
Juneau Drag Queen and King benefit show, help needed
The recently appointed Duchess Marguerite of Juneau is planning a Drag Queen and King show as a fundraiser for Four A’s, at the Rendezvous Bar on Friday June 18th, and she’s looking for help.
“I need some awesome talent to get up there and shake it. You can lip synch, sing live or karaoke, juggle, I don’t care really, just as long as you’re willing to cross dress while doing so. Or not, I’m pretty open to any help! Not a performer? How about help with sound, lighting, costumes? Sign making, donations, general street team getting the word out action is definitely needed. Donations of time, supplies, ideas, money, I want it all.” Please contact Marguerite, to offer assistance.
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.
Community Memorial Day Picnic
