Saturday, 25 July 2009 – 2:00 PM
| Comments Off on Gold, Fur & Feathers for Coronation 2009
The Imperial Court of All Alaska requests the Honor of Your Presence at CORONATION XXXVII – “GOLD, FUR, AND FEATHERS” CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF STATEHOOD, Sept. 3-7, 2009.
Enjoy Labor Day weekend with the Imperial Court: two shows, a bus run, a glacier tour, a victory brunch, the Rotten Family Reunion, plus the big night of Coronation itself in the Sheraton Ballroom!
Schedule, Tickets & Program Ads
The Coronation schedule is posted on the
Imperial Court’s Coronation page and tickets can be purchased online. The two shows and most of the other town events will be held in Mad Myrna’s showroom. Sponsorship Ads for the Coronation Ball Program are a great way to advertise your business inexpensively, not to mention raising money for one of the Court’s greatest programs, the Scholarship fund. Share your business with hundreds of people. Ads must be received and paid in full by August 7. For more information, visit the
The Imperial Court of All Alaska.
Saturday, 25 July 2009 – 1:55 PM
| Comments Off on Pride Conference seeks committee members
It’s time to start planning for the annual Pride Conference in Anchorage! The Conference is sponsored by
Identity and held in October on the weekend nearest to October 11, National Coming Out Day.
Johnathan Jones and Jasmine Stokes are the Pride Conference co-chairs for 2009, and they are looking for volunteers for the planning committee. “You do not need experience to help out, but any skills, connections & resources you have are welcome,” writes Jasmine.
Friday, 24 July 2009 – 3:16 PM
| Comments Off on This Week in LGBT Alaska 7/24/09
This week’s events from the statewide newsletter. Subscribe to
Alaska GLBT News.
Sunday is Sarah Palin’s last day as Governor of Alaska and people all over the state are celebrating with Quitting Parties. Also on Sunday is a memorial service for progressive ally Allan Tesche, at the Central Lutheran Church on 15th and Cordova, in Anchorage.
McCarthy
Irina Rivkin performs in McCarthy on 7/25, 8 p.m. at BMAC’s, and on 7/27, 6:30 p.m. at Wrangell Mountain Center & Hardware store, playing a concert plus audience-participation live-looping jam, $5-15 sliding scale donation. See her current tour schedule
here.
Juneau
SEAGLA Social Fridays (6-8 p.m.) for GLBT people and our friends over 21, at The Imperial Bar, downtown.
Fairbanks
March with PFLAG and carry the Key West Pride Flag in the Golden Days Parade, 7/25. Meet in the Carlson Center parking lot by 9:30 a.m. in space 36. Post-parade Picnic at Nussbaumer Park from 2-6 p.m.
Women’s Motorcycle Ride Saturday, 7/25 meets in the Regal/Goldstream Theater parking lot at 4 p.m.
Mat-Su Valley
Mat-Su LGBT Community Center in Palmer is open M-F 5-8 p.m. (except 6-8 on Wed.) The social group meets Wednesdays, 5-6 p.m. at Vagabond Blues.
Anchorage
Lesbian Film Group & Potluck 7/24, 6 p.m. See The Anchorage LGBT Meetup Group for details.
The Diva’s Variety Show Fridays, 9 p.m. at Mad Myrna’s.
Adult Comedy Hypnosis Show with Jay Her, Saturday 7/25, 9 p.m. $10 at Mad Myrna’s. Tickets available online here.
Mad Mike @ Mad Myrna’s spinning Electro, House & Trance, Saturdays 11 p.m.-2:30 p.m. with Special Guest DJ’s.
Sunday worship with MCC Anchorage 7/26, 2 p.m.
The Last Frontier Men’s Club Annual Meeting and Election 7/26, 6 p.m. Mad Myrna’s.
Transgender Support Group, Sundays 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the GLCCA.
Self-Healing & Compassionate Communication Workshop for LGBT Community & Allies 7/27, 6-8:30 p.m. 1057 W. Fireweed, Suite 102 (Four A’s Building), United Way Conference Room. Please pre-register if possible.
Anchorage Frontrunners, Tuesdays, 6 p.m.
Friday, 24 July 2009 – 1:30 PM
| Comments Off on Irina’s tour, Frank’s podcast, LGBT Bowling, ATE thanks Senators, Newsletter seeks Helper
Gay AK – Notes from LGBT Alaska
Ordinance Update
A new version of the equal rights ordinance was released today.
Check it out, ask
Mayor Sullivan to support it, and write a supportive
letter to the ADN. Then come to Loussac Library on August 11 for the Assembly debate and possible vote.
LGBT News seeks Co-editor
Alaska GLBT News, the statewide weekly email newsletter, is looking for one or two people to help collect events and news from the local LGBT web sites for posting in the newsletter. Email
Alaska GLBT News to volunteer.
Alaskans Together on passage of Matthew Shepard Act
“
Alaskans Together for Equality is grateful to our Alaska Senators Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich for voting in support of the Matthew Sheppard Hate Crimes Prevention Act,” writes ATE spokesperson Tim Stallard. “Many Alaskans called in to both Senators’ offices to request this support, which resulted in Senator Begich becoming a co-sponsor of the bill. This act will help enable gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered Americans to live happy, productive lives without fear of violence.”
Northern Exposure Bowling League
Northern Exposure, the gay and lesbian bowling league in Anchorage, is getting ready to start the 2009/2010 bowling season. We will have our first league meeting on Saturday, August 29, 4 p.m. at Park Lanes, and we’ll cover signup, registration and league setup. Our first day of bowling is the first Sunday after Coronation, Sept 13, and we will bowl every Sunday after that, barring holidays and League tournaments. For more info, email
Stephen.
5 minute Frank
Frank Tano, formerly of Anchorage, makes a podcast called
5 minute Frank. “He frequently mentions Alaska and Alaskans,” writes Lisa. “It’s stream of consciousness, out gay humor. Very Frank. Listen to the later ones.” Listen to 5 Minute Frank
here or use the iTunes link on
Frank’s myspace page.
Irina Rivkin tours Alaska
OutMusic Awardee live-looping folk-world-harmony artist (and out lesbian) Irina Rivkin is on tour in Alaska. She is available for back-yard concerts, house concerts, festivals, summer camps, & live-looping workshops. (Contact
Rose Street booking.) Listen to her music
here and
here (includes live concert video).
Irina’s Alaska tour dates so far:
7/25/2009, 8pm, McCarthy, playing a birthday party at BMAC’s.
7/27/2009, 6:30pm, McCarthy, Wrangell Mountain Center & Hardware store, concert plus audience-participation live-looping jam $5-15 sliding scale donation.
8/01/2009, 8pm, Fairbanks, House Concert, 1202 Heath Ave.
8/06/2009, 10pm, Denali,
Panorama Pizza, Mile 224 Parks Highway on Carlo Creek.
8/8 or 8/7 – seeking concert in or near Denali or Talkeetna.
8/10/2009, 8pm, Anchorage, Tap Root Café, 1330 E Huffman (btwn Old and New Seward, across from Wells Fargo, look for the prayer flags.)
8/9 or 8/11, Anchorage area (Palmer to Girdwood) concert TBA.
Wednesday, 22 July 2009 – 1:33 AM
| Comments Off on Public Testimony Closed on Anchorage Equal Rights Ordinance
The Anchorage Assembly voted to end testimony on the equal rights ordinance at 11:15 p.m. Tuesday night, after everyone on the speakers list either testified or failed to respond when their name was called. The Assembly has held 6 public hearings on the ordinance since it was proposed on May 12, and over 600 people signed up to testify.
On August 11, Assembly members will debate the ordinance without public input, and will vote on the ordinance when the debate ends, possibly on the same night.
Please write a letter to Mayor Sullivan and the ADN in support of the ordinance, and plan to attend the Assembly meeting on August 11.
Tuesday’s testimony represented a mix of arguments for and against the ordinance. Many opponents spent three minutes displaying their ignorance and fear of homosexuals, sometimes in pornographic detail, then said they were not homophobic.
Supporters spoke of families and friends, discrimination and inequality, history and progress. Chrissy said, “I, like the majority of Anchorage heterosexuals, support this ordinance.” The tolerant majority has spoken.
Bent Alaska would like to thank the many brave supporters who testified during the weeks of hearings, as well as those who attended the hearings and wrote about the ordinance. Your words give us hope and your attendance shows that this is a community effort.
To share that hope, several of the ordinance testimonies will be posted on the blog, along with letters to the Mayor and the newspaper. If you want your letter posted, please send it to Bent Alaska.
We need YOU at the public hearing on Tuesday to show Assembly members that people in our town want lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Alaskans to be protected from discrimination. If you haven’t already testified, now is the time to sign up. Don’t let opponents of equality have the last word!
The hearings are at Loussac Library (36th & Denali) in the Assembly Chambers on the 1st Floor. The meetings run from 5-11 p.m, but the Assembly does other business first and gets to the equal rights ordinance around 6 or later.
Wear blue—the color of peace and unity—and your Equality Works button.
Beware false information
At the last hearing on July 7, one of the security guards told people dressed in blue that the ordinance had already gone to a public vote and there was no reason for us to be there. This is false – the Assembly has not voted on the ordinance yet and is allowing more people to sign up and give testimony. As a security guard on duty at the Assembly meeting, it was unprofessional of him to give false information on the ordinance and try to limit our freedom of speech at a public hearing. Do not be deceived by wrong information about the ordinance and hearings, even if it comes from a library or Assembly employee.
Words of encouragement from our allies
Our allies on
Alaska Commons and the pro-ordinance site
SOS Anchorage.NET have written thoughtful and inspiring new posts for this hearing. Heather explains why she, a straight woman, is fighting for the rights of her friends and the community of Anchorage. She describes how she became involved in gay issues, and why she is involved this time:
I and they know that this ordinance won’t make hatred and discrimination go away, but it will give them somewhere to turn when they are harassed because of who they are. I will stand and fight with them, and with you, to make this community the place that it should be.
He [Jerry Prevo] has built his career out of hatred, and I am not willing to let him win this time. He is a pitiable man and a bully, but he does not dictate the behavior of the Anchorage community.
John reports on the hearings and why the ordinance is important for the future of Alaska:
I’ve heard and learned a staggering amount during these hearings. Some words have left me in absolute awe of the intelligence, bravery, and perseverance on display. Other words are harder to drink away.
For now, the fate of Ordinance 64 rests with the Assembly. We need to keep showing up, and keep reminding the Assembly that we won’t go away.
Hate, in no way, results in the betterment of a society. And we are foolish if we pretend that Anchorage is somehow immune.
Visit their blogs to read the posts, plus transcripts from the hearings and guest posts by Tonei Glavinic. They will live-blog today’s hearing, as will other local bloggers. Bent Alaska will add updates from the hearing on the Facebook wall and below this post.
If you are in Anchorage, please join us at the equal rights ordinance hearing, Tuesday at Loussac Library. Wear blue!
Friday, 17 July 2009 – 5:02 PM
| Comments Off on This Week in LGBT Alaska 7/17/09
** The next Anchorage ordinance hearing is Tuesday, July 21 at Loussac Library. **
This week’s events from the statewide newsletter. Subscribe to
Alaska GLBT News.
Juneau
SEAGLA Social Fridays (6-8 p.m.) for GLBT people and our friends over 21, at The Imperial Bar, downtown.
Fairbanks
Women’s Motorcycle Ride Saturday, 7/18 meets in the Regal/Goldstream Theater parking lot at 4 p.m.
Mat-Su Valley
Mat-Su LGBT Community Center in Palmer is open M-F 5-8 p.m. (except 6-8 on Wed.) The social group meets Wednesdays, 5-6 p.m. at Vagabond Blues.
Anchorage
Midnight Soapscum: Goes to Hell! Final Episode, 7/17-7/18, 10:30 p.m. Out North Tickets $15 online or at the door. Saturday’s show follows The Big Fat Gay Wedding (see below.)
Integrity (Episcopal GLBT group) monthly potluck, fellowship and worship 7/17, 6:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Lake Otis & Tudor.
Gay-Karting with Adam & Steve 7/18, 2 p.m. RSVP required.
Barony of Spenard 7/18, 7:16 p.m. at Mad Myrna’s $5. Best in Theme Contest & Auction.
The Big Fat Gay Wedding 7/18, 7 p.m. Out North. Unions blessed & vows renewed.
Mad Mike @ Mad Myrna’s 7/18, (Saturdays) 10 p.m.-2:30 p.m. with Special Guest DJ’s.
LGBT & Supporters Community Potluck at Goose Lake Picnic Shelter 7/19, 1 p.m.
Sunday worship with MCC Anchorage 7/19, 2 p.m.
Transgender Support Group, Sundays 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the GLCCA.
Anchorage Frontrunners, Tuesdays, 6 p.m.
Anchorage Equal Rights Ordinance Hearing 7/21, 5-11 p.m. Loussac Library. Equality Works.
Gay AK – Notes from LGBT Alaska
BREAKING: Hate Crimes Amendment Passes
The US Senate voted 63-28 Thursday night to include the Hate Crimes Act as an amendment to the must-pass defense spending bill. The added measure will “provide Federal assistance to States, local jurisdictions, and Indian tribes to prosecute hate crimes, and for other purposes.”
Both Begich and Murkowski voted in favor, and Begich is a co-sponsor of the original bill. The House passed a stand-alone hate crimes act in April, and President Obama supports it.
Episcopal Church passes LGBT measure co-authored by Alaskan
The Episcopal Church Convention approved two gay-positive resolutions: to open the ordination process to all individuals (D025), and to start the process of developing rites for blessing same-sex marriages (C056). Resolution D025 is a response to the restraint passed in 2006 on the election of gay and lesbian bishops in committed same-sex relationships. In the vote by orders, D025 passed the lay and clergy orders in the Diocese of AK, but not without dissent. Rebecca Snow, senior lay deputy from Alaska, co-authored the original version of D025 and
was interviewed before the vote. Mary Ellen Harris, an alternate delegate member,
describes the day the Convention passed D025 on the Alaska delegation’s blog. The national
Integrity (LGBT Episcopal) blog has a news roundup on both measures.
Eagle River/Chugiak Ordinance meeting
We believe that the LGBT community has more support for the equal rights ordinance in Eagle River/Chugiak than most people assume, but we need your help to make sure that the voices of those who support equality are heard. Please join us for an organizing and strategizing meeting in the community room of Jitters Coffee House in Eagle River, 11401 Old Glenn Hwy, on Thursday, July 23, at 6:00 pm and help us create and execute an action plan to let Debbie Ossiander know that she has constituents who support LGBT equality. Invite supportive friends, neighbors, and family members to attend this meeting and learn how they can get involved. Thank you.
Equality Works.
Top 4 on Bent Alaska
Self-Healing & Compassionate Communication Workshop
Are you in need of healing after the marathon of public hearings that have taken place this summer? Are you looking for effective ways to speak and hear compassionately in difficult circumstances? An evening introduction to
Nonviolent Communication (NVC) offers practical tools that help you to generate empathy for self and others, identify what’s at the heart of people’s behaviors, and create simple, profound shifts in awareness and speaking habits. NVC can be used in any kind of interpersonal interaction. Interactive learning invites participants to use their own real-life situations to experience the NVC process. Facilitated by NVC practitioner and teacher Louise Baquero Deerfield. The LGBT Workshop is Monday, July 27, 6:00-8:30 pm, 1057 W. Fireweed, Suite 102, United Way Conference Room. Please pre-register if possible. E-mail:
Tiffany McClain.
Is it too early to list Sarah Palin’s worst moments as Governor of Alaska? Change.org doesn’t think so. Their Gay Rights blog posted a list of her anti-LGBT moments the day after she resigned, although she had (and still has) a few more weeks as Gov.
The introduction to the list suggests that Palin is divorcing Alaska despite her support for traditional marriage, describing her as
“a politician who thinks that the commitment between a man and a woman is sacred above anything, but the commitment between a governor and a state’s population is disposable.”
Ouch. Change.org’s Michael Jones made a good list of 6 Palin anti-LGBT moments, but missed a few big ones. Here are Bent’s 4 additions, rounding out a full Top 10 List:
Signed $1.2 million Advisory Vote bill: Palin’s most harmful anti-LGBT moment, and one of her first acts as governor, was signing HB 4002, the statewide advisory vote on taking away same-sex partner benefits, at a cost of $1.2 million for the state and in opposition to a state Supreme Court ruling. That signature led to 3 months of anti-gay speech and a pitched battle to defend the benefits that had protected some families for 5 years (City of Juneau) and others for 10 years (University of Alaska.) The result of the non-binding vote was much closer than expected, and the failure to get a ‘mandate of hate’ stalled the move for a statewide benefits ban, which Palin advocated.
Censorship: As Mayor of Wasilla, Palin supported a religious group that pushed to remove copies of Pastor, I am Gay, by Mat-Su resident Rev. Howard Bess, from the public library. She used removal of the gay book as an employee litmus test, and fired a library director who said she would not remove the book unless it met the library policy guidelines for removal.
No Pride Month: Palin’s most recent anti-LGBT moment was refusing to acknowledge Anchorage PrideFest’s Gay Pride Month proclamation, although President Obama declared June 2009 as LGBT Pride Month in the United States.
Defended Carrie Prejean: In May, Palin stated her support for the now-ex-Miss California Carrie Prejean, who declared her opposition to same-sex marriage and became a poster girl for the anti-gay lobby.
Change.org’s list of Sarah Palin’s Worst Anti-LGBT Moments:
National Coming Out Day Stay in the Closet Day: Despite being urged by civil rights groups like Alaskans Together to officially recognize National Coming Out Day, Governor Sarah Palin refused to acknowledge a day that fosters acceptance of LGBT people. Sure, during her time as Governor she made official proclamations to recognize “Alaska Taiwan Friendship Week,” “Christian Heritage Week,” and “Biomedical Technician Week,” but giving the gays one day where tolerance and understanding are the norm was a bit too much for the Alaska Governor.
Support of Ex-Gay Ministries?: Sarah Palin’s hometown church in Wasilla actively promoted the ex-gay ministry “Love Won Out” by posting their ads in weekly church bulletins. These ex-gay therapy groups have been roundly criticized by science, religious leaders and politicians of all stripes, but nonetheless, Palin’s own church seemed to preach that homosexuality could be overcome.
Alaska and Traditional Marriage: Though she was just a few years removed from the Bachelor’s Degree that took her seven years and four colleges to get, Sarah Palin was a strong proponent of Alaska’s 1998 statewide constitutional amendment which banned same-sex marriage. Additionally, Palin told the Anchorage News in 2005 that she supported repealing many domestic partner benefits given to same-sex couples in Alaska, because DP benefits were anti-family.
The Three Amigos – Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachmann, and Phyllis Schlafly: They’re three of the most anti-LGBT people in the country, and the connection? Michelle Bachmann (who has called global warming a “hoax” and “voodoo,” and said that God is blessing the Iraq War) stepped in for Sarah Palin during a anti-choice award ceremony at the Republican National Convention this year. Phyllis Schlafly, the denmother of radical conservatives ’round the country, said that McCain’s selection of Palin as a running mate was “terribly smart,” at the time. Hmm…wonder what she was saying on November 5, 2008?
Let’s Define Marriage Federally: In a break with her running mate John McCain, Palin told the Christian Broadcasting Network in October 2008 that she wished the federal government would follow the lead of states like Alaska and work to ban same-sex marriage. Because fighting two wars and solving an economic crisis deserves to be side-stepped by knocking down marriage equality…..
A “Perversion and Degenerates” Ally: In March of this year, Sarah Palin had the task of choosing an Attorney General for Alaska. Her preferred candidate? Wayne Anthony Ross, a radical right-wing lawyer who has referred to LGBT people as “perverts,” “degenerates,” and “immoral.” Ross also had a resume filled with other star attributes, like defending a KKK art project, and representing nutjobs that harass anti-war protestors.
These are her worst anti-LGBT moments, but let’s broaden the question: What is on your Top 10 list for the Worst Palin Moments Ever?
Passports Magazine: The Insider’s Guide to Gay Travel posted an interview with local guide Tim Stallard, owner of Out in Alaska, an adventure tour company catering to GLBT travelers. The article also lists gay-friendly lodges, restaurants and B&B’s in Alaska.
“Tim Stallard believes that the best way to experience our 49th state is to get out and enjoy the wilderness,” reads the introduction to the online story. “His company, Out in Alaska, makes sure you do just that.”
Out in Alaska takes small groups of LGBT travelers and open-minded friends all over Alaska, often visiting Seward and Denali in addition to Anchorage and Fairbanks. They organize adventure travel, comfortable land tours, small boat cruises, and custom options like romantic remote lodge trips and corporate retreats, and have a full line-up of exciting trips for summer and fall 2009.
Passports: “Why did you choose to cater to LGBT travelers?”
Stallard: “Because LGBT travelers have a reputation for being avid, adventurous, and discerning travelers. However, straight travelers (especially Europeans) have gay travelers beat for recognizing Alaska as a world-class destination. No one was serving the gay market for real travel experiences in Alaska so I saw an opportunity to do that. Also, many gay people love nature and animals, but a majority of gay people live in highly urbanized cities, so gay Alaskan adventures seemed the obvious antidote! As I later realized, operating a gay travel business in Alaska also allows us to promote equal rights for gay Alaskans through our business networking and supplier connections.”
In addition to being an explorer, adventure guide and Fairbanks-based business owner, Tim is the Vice President of
Alaskans Together for Equality, a group dedicated to achieving full civil equality for all Alaskans.
