A long-overdue Bent Alaska update — October 2013

Ex-gays inspire Kill the Gays bill in Uganda, CBC & Prevo are silent

American ex-gay leaders, mega-church pastors and conservative senators are behind the push for Uganda’s anti-homosexuality law that will impose life imprisonment for being gay, death by hanging for having gay sex if you’re HIV positive, and up to 3 years in prison for not reporting gay people to the government.

U.S. ex-gays organized a conference in Uganda earlier this year that provided the inspiration and supposed “evidence” to justify the Anti-Homosexuality Law, introduced right after the conference. If gays can be cured by prayer, goes the argument, then those who continue to be gay are just not praying hard enough. In Uganda, being gay is already a crime, and now anyone who isn’t cured will be sent to prison for life or killed.

Is the true intent of the ex-gay industry to eliminate homosexuals – by any means necessary? Do the sponsors of the ex-gay events in Alaska support this? Why haven’t the UAF Campus Bible Club, the Abbott Loop Community Church, and Jerry Prevo spoken out and condemned this death bill?

Rachel Maddow is reporting an on-going series called “Uganda Be Kidding Me” on the U.S. connection to the proposed law. A segment focusing on the ex-gays shows three American groups closely involved with Uganda’s effort to eliminate gays: congressmen connected to The Family, evangelical pastors, and the ex-gays.

Watch Uganda Be Kidding Me: the story behind ‘curing’ gays (Dec 8):

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The ex-gay methods are dangerous and ineffective, and these groups are exporting a deadly homophobia to countries like Uganda. But the larger goal of The Family is Dominion, a world run by evangelical Christian rule. In other words, sharia, and a return to the Dark Ages.

Frank Schaeffer on the Brad Blog shows that killing gays for Jesus is just part of the larger plan. Bruce Wilson on Talk To Action connects Rick Warren’s purpose driven “reformation” to Uganda’s anti-homosexuality law, and explains the Dominion plan for setting up evangelical Christian governments. Uganda is just the tip of the iceberg.

Box Turtle Bulletin tracks the ex-gay industry and has been following the Uganda bill all year.

For an inside look on African gays, GayUganda is a blog written by a gay Uganda man who is still in the country, writing about the bill and the international response, and questioning whether he and his partner should leave or stay and be martyred. It’s heartbreaking.

So who is going to ask Campus Bible Club, Abbott Loop, and Prevo if they support the Kill the Gays bill?

Wasilla Gays to Levi: We’re here

Levi’s gay Wasilla homeboys (un)straighten Levi Johnson on the topic of whether there are gays in Wasilla. Yes, Levi, there are!

Gay Movie Night at the Anchorage Film Festival

Sara’s News Roundup 12/6/09

Meditation, Grants, Facebook, Arctic Heat, and lots ‘o news

This Week in LGBT Alaska 12/4/09

Juneau

SEAGLA Social Fridays (6-8 p.m.) for GLBT people and our friends over 21, at The Imperial Bar, downtown.

Fairbanks

LGBTA Christmas Concert Gathering with the social group, Sunday 12/6, 4 p.m. for the Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra Christmas Concert in the David Concert Hall, UAF. Tickets here, and email Joshua to RSVP.

UAF Gay-Straight Alliance meets Mondays at 5 p.m. in the Women’s Center (Eilson 112). Jessi.

Wednesday LGBTA Social around 9:30 p.m. Email Joshua for the current location.

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

Kristara is co-hosting the Friday Night Diva Variety Show 12/4, 9 p.m at Mad Myrna’s.

Comic Mike Lebovitz 12/5, 8 p.m. performs at Mad Myrna’s and part of the proceeds benefit the YWCA.

Sunday worship with MCC Anchorage at 2 p.m.

Gay, Joyous and Free AA Meeting, Mondays 6:00 p.m. at the GLCCA.

“American Primitive” showing at the Bear Tooth 12/9, 8 p.m. as this year’s Gay-La gay movie with the Anchorage International Film Festival. Followed by an after-party at Myrna’s around 10 p.m.

Anti-Gay Lobby Bullies UA Regents and Students

Bent Alaska and the UA student, staff and faculty group asking the Board of Regents to add sexual orientation to the UA non-discrimination policy both got an unusual Facebook friend request the day after Thanksgiving: from Dave Bronson, of the anti-gay Alaska Family Council.

Why did Bronson ask to friend us three days before the regents meeting at UAA, when it was already public knowledge that the students would make their request again? Did he hope we wouldn’t notice that he’s an employee of the Family Council? Was he that desperate to know what else we might have planned?

Earlier in the week, the Alaska Family Council – a political lobby group unrelated to the university – sent an email blast titled “Don’t Let UA Regents Be Bullied By Homosexual Activists,” denouncing the students who are asking for the policy change (and who mostly happen to be heterosexual):

We have learned that activists in the homosexual movement are attempting to convince the University of Alaska Board of Regents to change the university non-discrimination policy so as to give special recognition to homosexuals. If successful, individuals engaging in homosexual behavior will be afforded the same recognition as members of racial and ethnic minorities.

Of course we want the same recognition as other minority groups. And if we’re asking for the same rights, then they aren’t special rights, they’re equal rights.

The Family Council told their members to email each of the 11 regents and pressure them to reject the students’ request.

Jessi Angelette, a UAF student leading the effort, did testify at the meeting, saying in part:

I am here today before you once again to urge you to amend the current non-discrimination policy and to add it to the next meeting’s agenda…

The Alaska Family Council has sent out an email stating that you the Regents are being bullied by homosexual extremists. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. We are a representation of the students you have sworn an oath to educate and protect. There are thousands of students who call the campuses home while trying to attain their education. Isn’t it their right to feel protected from being harassed and discriminated against based on their orientation or their perceived orientation where they call home?

After doing research of other college and university non-discrimination policies, we have found that many have sexual orientation included in their polices and some of the schools are in states that do not have laws protecting LBGT citizens, such as Alabama. We have also looked at Tier 4 in the school rankings where UAF is ranked and have found only 1/6 of the schools do not have sexual orientation in their non-discrimination policy. These schools have shown that even though their cities and states may not have laws to protect the LBGT citizens, they have taken it upon themselves to insure the safety of their students.

UAA students John and Heather Aronno also support the policy change. In The Bully on Campus at UAA, they quote the Family Council argument that this policy would limit their freedom to insult us, then respond to Jim Minnery, who signed the email:

…Have you been to UAA Jim? The right-to-life club hands out fliers with a revolver aimed at a fetus. We’re not in any danger zone that threatens the suppression of free speech, nor is anyone impeding the free exercise of religion… Unless it’s hate speech. You’re the one asking people who are otherwise in no way affiliated with UAA to flood board member inboxes and voicemail, and if that doesn’t work, barge into a board meeting and scream bloody murder. Again.

The students also note that the Council email links to a faux-college video called “Indoctrinate U: Our Education, Their Politics” and the page only lists past screenings, not the upcoming ones (to avoid protests?) Don’t be surprised if it shows in Anchorage next year.

So, which group do you think the UA Regents should give priority: UA students and staff, or an unrelated political lobby trying to force their religious bigotry on our public university?

Please take a moment and contact the UA Regents in favor of the student request. If you are a current or former UA student, staff or faculty member, please mention your connection to the university.

And if you moderate a GLBT Alaska Facebook page, please check profiles before you accept friend requests. You never know who will want to be your “friend.”

Alaska observes World AIDS Day

Sara’s News Roundup 11/29/09

Hate Vigil, Morality, Gospel Show, and a Seat at the Table