Articles in z
PFLAG Juneau wins $1,000 in Pride Foundation Raffle
Jump the Broom: In Solidarity and Celebration of Love & Marriage
This Week in GLBT Alaska – 10/3/08
Harvest Ball 10/3, door at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m. $15 at the Pioneer Park Civic Center. ICOAA
Disco/Funk Party with DJ Double D 10/4, 9 p.m.-? 21 and over. Jeff’s house.
Ever Ready in Eagle River 10/3, 7:30 – 11:30 p.m.
Salon DaVinci’s Four A’s Fundraiser 10/4, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
End of Summer Weenie Roast with The Last Frontier Men’s Club 10/4, 7 p.m.
The Voices of Mad Myrna’s, a Night of “Live” Karaoke 10/4, 9 p.m.
Bible Study at MCC, starting this Sunday 10/5, 1:15-1:45 p.m.
Hump Day Happy Hour with TLFMC 10/8, 5-7 p.m.
LGBT Alaskans on Sarah Palin: video
Stonewall Democrats Respond to Palin Accusations on Sexual Orientation
October Is GLBT History Month
Gay Men and Salmon Sex: Bob Smith Reads from Selfish and Perverse
Court crowns Emperor and Empress, gives awards and scholarships at Coronation
Mike Bartels of Fairbanks and Paula Butner of Anchorage were crowned at Coronation 2008 as the new Emperor and Empress of the Imperial Court of All Alaska (ICOAA). The Court also announced the winners of five annual awards, and the recipients of the scholarship program.
A total of $60,000 was granted to the 25 scholarship recipients for 2008.
The Scholarship Awards are based on economic need, scholastic achievement, leadership ability and contributions to the Lesbian/Gay community, with preference given to members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and allied (GLBTA) community.
The Imperial Court’s five annual community service awards are given to individuals and businesses in Alaska’s GLBTA community.
Chosen by the College of Emperors and Empresses:
The Raymond Jorgenson Community Service Award to a group/business went to Bent Alaska
Raymond Jorgenson worked tirelessly for many years on behalf of the GLBTA community of Alaska and the Imperial Court. He was a founding member of every GLBT organization that existed during his day and espoused that it was only through our combined efforts that Alaska’s community could grow stronger. In his honor, the College chooses an organization, group, or business award each year to recognize their outstanding works on behalf of our community.
The C Wayne Hussey Community Service Award to an Individual went to Mr. Gay Alaska Kevin Holtz
C Wayne Hussey was the first Elected Empress of All Alaska and a founder of the Imperial Court of All Alaska. This award is presented annually by the College in recognition of an individual’s outstanding contributions to the community.
Elected by the Fairbanks Community:
The Rochelle DeLite Fairbanks Community Service Award went to College Floral owned by Michael Bartels
Rochelle DeLite served the Fairbanks Community and Imperial Court throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s as a driving force to keep both the Duchy of Fairbanks and the community together. In her memory, the GLBTA community of Fairbanks elects a recipient each year for their outstanding contributions to the Fairbanks Community.
Elected by Alaska’s LGBT Community during voting for Emperor and Empress:
The Peter Dispirito Award for Community Service went to Allie Hernandez.
An outspoken member of the community, Peter was very active in all GLBTA Community affairs. He was instrumental in opening the first gay bar in Alaska, was one of the founding members of the Imperial Court of All Alaska, one of the foremost members of the gay social scene and was loved by all who knew him. He was murdered in 1973. His murderer was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to a mere 2 ½ years in prison. After serving only several months, he was released on parole. The murder and subsequent light treatment of the murderer only served to unite the Gay community and sparked the first real Gay Community activism in Alaska. To honor his memory past recipients, the board of directors of the ICOAA, and the College all place nominations on the ballot at the time of voting for Emperor and Empress… the community then elects the recipient of the award for their contributions to the advancement of the GLBTA Community in Alaska.
Chosen by the reigning Emperor and Empress and given to persons under the age of 21:
The Shante’ Youth Volunteer Service Award went to Paul O’Leary & Ashley Earll.
This award is given in memory of Shante’, for her outstanding contributions to the community. Our Hawaiian Princess worked closely and tirelessly with the GLBT youth of Anchorage to further acceptance among their peers and a more cohesive bond between them and the broader GLBT community. Also as a teacher of her Native dance to other young people, she brought them into our community as allies, helping foster new lasting friendships and understanding in the Anchorage community at large.
This Week in GLBT Alaska 9/26/08
Kenai Peninsula
“It Goes Without Saying” 9/26 & 9/27 at 8 p.m., 9/28 at 4 p.m. Bill Bowers performs at the Bunnell Street Gallery in Homer. $25 general/$22 gallery members, youth 8-18 pay half price.
Bac’untry Bruthers at the Seward Music Festival on Saturday 9/27 at 1 p.m.
Party with the New Emperor and Empress 9/27, doors at 8 p.m. show at 9 p.m. Investitures of the 36th Reign, $15 at Mad Myrna’s.
Last Sunday Brunch 9/28, 10:30 a.m. with The Last Frontier Men’s Club
Where is the love in trying to make gays go straight?
COMPASS: Other points of view
Opinion | adn.com
By TIFFANY McCLAIN
Published: September 22nd, 2008 10:41 PM
Last Modified: September 22nd, 2008 10:41 PM
One of my earliest memories is being told by the principal of my Christian school that, along with Prince fans and devotees of the rock band Kiss, homosexuals were going to hell.
I was only 6 years old and had never heard of a homosexual, but my principal was happy to spell it out for his elementary school audience: “Homosexuals are men who have sex with men.” By the end of the school day, I was in tears, convinced that my mother’s love for Prince had doomed us both for eternity.
At the time, homosexuality had no relevance to my life, and because after this incident my mother promptly enrolled me in public school, I was spared any additional attempts to prevent me from growing up to be gay. But what about the children whose parents weren’t aware of what their kids were being taught? Or whose parents’ beliefs might have been more in line with that of the principal’s? What about the slightly older child, already aware of his or her attraction to people of the same sex, forced to come of age weighed down by this message of condemnation?
For years, these children remained vulnerable to the harmful teachings of adults who used their authority and their religious standing to promote an anti-gay agenda under the guise of Christian righteousness. It is disheartening to know that some groups continue to promote a philosophy that endangers peoples’ mental health and validates social intolerance.
Over time, the homophobic discourse of Christian fundamentalism has grown more benevolent in tone. Instead of threatening the gates of hell, for example, Focus on the Family’s Love Won Out ministry claims to help people “overcome” their same- sex attractions with “compassion and grace.” They claim to be able to “transform” people’s lives with holistic therapies and counseling.
But just because the tone has changed doesn’t mean that the consequences have disappeared. In a 1998 position statement the American Psychiatric Association cited the numerous potential risks of the “therapies” promoted by these ministries of so-called “transformation,” including depression, anxiety and self-destructive behavior. The American Psychological Association, National Association of Social Workers, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have also expressed their concern about the harmful consequences of these ministries on the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning people and their families.
For all their talk of love, the Love Won Out ministry blindly ignores the love and affection that exists between gay and lesbian couples. We are portrayed as emotionally stunted in/piduals with no interest in each other beyond the physical, thereby diminishing public respect for and recognition of our relationships and families.
If you look beneath the “self-help”-styled rhetoric, at the core of their philosophy is the belief that if you’re gay or lesbian, there is something fundamentally wrong with you that needs to be changed. Not only is this belief medically incorrect — psychiatrists dismissed it almost 40 years ago — it also implicitly validates social prejudices that lead to acts of discrimination, harassment and violence. These acts cause far more mental harm to gays and lesbians — and do more harm to our democracy — than allowing law-abiding citizens to live their lives equally, honestly, and without fear — regardless of their sexual orientation.
I work for the American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska, an organization that protects the right of every citizen to believe in and promote the religion of their choice. Focus on the Family has every right to bring its Love Won Out conference all the way to Anchorage and share its mission with whoever is willing to listen. But our Constitution also grants me the right to urge you — for the sake of your loved ones’ mental well-being and happiness, for the sake of promoting a more democratic and compassionate community, and in the name of love — not to believe a word they say.
Tiffany McClain is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Public Policy Coordinator for ACLU of Alaska in Anchorage.
