A long-overdue Bent Alaska update — October 2013

UA faculty & staff: It Gets Better!

Alaska is joining the It Gets Better project! University of Alaska Fairbanks faculty and staff are uploading It Gets Better videos to Kate Wattum’s new YouTube channel and inviting faculty and staff from across the UA system to participate in the LGBT suicide prevention project.

There are 5 videos so far, and three more on the way. Project organizer Kate talks about struggling to come out in her 20’s as a student at UAF, and introduces the UA: It Gets Better project:

Visit the UA: It Gets Better channel and watch the other videos:

• Jeanne Laurencelle talks about the (sometimes) long process of self-acceptance.
• Pete Pinney, UAF staff and long time member of PFLAG, talks about leaving his home town to discover a new life in Alaska.
• Joy Morrison describes a climate of acceptance at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
• Jerry Farnam talks about being bullied in high school and learning to come to terms with his sexuality.

Do you want to participate? Contact Kate.

Giessel wants to take away our partner benefits, and much more

She believes in “the sanctity of the individual from conception” and that “anti-family policies” should be ended. She believes that the government doesn’t give us our rights – God does. She believes that English should be the common language of the United States. She agrees that Alaska should sue the federal government to repeal Health Care. She supports predator control. And, she will NOT… I repeat, NOT join with Democrats to form a majority legislative coalition. She answered all the questions so well, that the Wasilla group actually made an independent expenditure for her campaign, and against her two opponents.

Not only is she endorsed by the Conservative Patriots Group, but also the Alaska Family Council.

Giessel, a nurse practitioner, would support Gov. Parnell’s veto of funds for Denali Kid Care (SCHIP), leaving more than a thousand children without health care because Denali KidCare pays for medically necessary abortions.

She would oppose a civil rights statute that included the words “sexual orientation” and/or “gender identity” because it would “inevitably lead to discrimination against those persons who, for reasons of conscience, cannot pretend to be morally indifferent to the homosexual lifestyle in the operation so their schools and businesses.” Discrimination against bigots! Oh, the horror.

It’s a great read, really. You can find out all about the Choose Life specialty license plates and the denial of same sex partner benefits for public employees, getting rid of the Alaska Judicial Council, and all sorts of interesting things. Check it out HERE.

APU to Anchorage: Stop the Bullying!

APU to Anchorage: Stop the Bullying!

On Wednesday, October 20, APU students, staff and faculty will be wearing purple in support of an anti-bullying movement which started on Facebook.

After a series of what was five suicides by gay youth across the country, Facebook users rallied together to form a variety of groups to commemorate the lives of these youth and send a message to the nation – No more bullying, no more harassment and no more discrimination.

This movement slowly picked up steam and drew the attention of hundreds of thousands of Facebook users.

At Alaska Pacific University, we remember those who have taken their lives and, with one voice, remind Anchorage that the lives of all youth are valued.

The student government of APU, the Associated Students of APU, and Spectrum, the diversity club on campus, are co-sponsoring this event at the university.

Dr. Don Bantz, the new president of APU, gave permission last Friday to drape the log in purple and decorate the school grounds in purple flags and triangles.

We hope to raise awareness and understanding by unifying the many different voices at APU.

Wear Purple today for Gay Youth

It’s been decided. On October 20th, 2010, we will wear purple in honor of the gay boys who committed suicide in recent weeks/months due to homophobic abuse in their homes and at their schools.

Purple represents Spirit on the LGBTQ flag and that’s exactly what we’d like all of you to have with you: spirit. Please know that times will get better and that you will meet people who will love you and respect you for who you are, no matter your sexuality.

Please wear purple on October 20th. Tell your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors and schools.

RIP Tyler Clementi, Asher Brown, Seth Walsh, Justin Aaberg, Raymond Chase and Billy Lucas. You are loved.

This is not only for these 6 young men, but for all teenagers who have lost their lives due to bullying and abuse.

Transgender health care workshop in Anchorage, Wed. Oct 20

Unions oppose anti-worker (& anti-gay) Rep. Mike Kelly *Vote for Bob*

[O]rganized labor takes issues with Kelly’s work to eliminate Alaska’s defined benefit pension plan for state workers, as well as his votes against outlawing mandatory overtime for nurses, raising the state minimum wage and providing presumptive disability benefits for firefighters.

“In short, Mike Kelly has been no friend to working families,” Beltrami said.

Following a few chants of “Vote him out,” the union members from the Local 1547, Local 942, teamsters, carpenters, Alaska Public Employees Association and other groups went door-to-door to campaign for Kelly’s opponent, Democrat and TV anchorman Bob Miller.

Alaska Native youth for Scott McAdams

Verner Wilson III, who spoke at Pride Conference last year, is at the Alaska Federation of Natives Elders & Youth Conference this week and is one of four Alaska Native youth in a new video for U.S Senate candidate Scott McAdams. McAdams grew up in rural Alaska, worked as a fisherman in western Alaska and supports the teaching of Native languages. He also supports LGBT equality.

Here is the video:

Verner shared more reasons for supporting McAdams:

5 things you might not know about Scott McAdams

1) He was born to a single mother in rural Alaska, and admitted they didn’t always have food in the cupboard of their small house growing up.

2) He fought at School Board conferences to allow schools to teach Alaska Native languages.

3) He’s just 40 years old, and wants to gain seniority in the US Senate and use this power to make Alaska energy-independent and help us in the long run while voting for Democratic values (unlike Lisa who is entrenched by big oil and Republicans).

4) As a fisherman in Sitka alongside his indigenous wife, they understand and will fight for subsistence…HE’S ONE OF US!

5) He’s within striking distance of beating both the Republicans in the latest polls and if you vote for him you can put him over the top, really pissing off Joe Miller!

Juneau sales tax discriminates against same sex partners

A tax exemption policy on the City and Borough of Juneau’s books technically violates the Alaska Constitution, and Assemblyman Jonathan Anderson wants it corrected.

He addressed the assembly on Friday and presented the problem and two ways of fixing it.

The city code allows senior citizens to apply for an exemption to the sales tax. Their “spouses” who are under age 65 are allowed the same benefit.

Anderson said that’s where the language is unconstitutional, and cited ACLU vs. State and Municipality of Anchorage, a 2005 Alaska Supreme Court case. Alaska state law prohibits same sex marriages, but on the same token the tax exemption benefit can’t exclude domestic partners or folks who can’t get married, the state’s top court ruled then.

“The law says you can’t exclude people on basis of marriage when one group is excluded from getting married,” Anderson said in an interview. “To make our code constitutional, we need to add ‘and same-sex partners.'”

The other option to fix the issue of violating the state constitution, is for the city to no longer offer a sales tax exemption for all senior citizens.

Anderson noted the city already addressed this issue in other portions of its code, including establishing rules for providing benefits for domestic partners of its employees.

City Attorney John Hartle said he had reviewed the information and found Anderson’s assessment to be correct.

Hartle said if the assembly chooses to go the route of inserting the language “or same-sex partners” it will have to be sure similar documentation standards are implemented as with married couples.

“I will suggest what is probably apparent,” said Assemblyman Bob Doll. “What we really want to do is insert the language, ‘or same-sex partners’ and proceed that way.”

The finance committee will review the code amendment issue at its November meeting.

“The assembly will have to decide do we remove it entirely or do we provide it for same sex partners,” Anderson said in an interview.

Sara’s News Roundup 10/17/10

City Councilman Joel Burns: It Gets Better