A long-overdue Bent Alaska update — October 2013

Annual spring and summer LGBT events in Anchorage

Memorial service for Dan Carter-Incontro at MCCA

Dan Carter-Incontro, long time Alaska GLBT activist and supporter of equal rights for all, died last Sunday at the age of 62. The funeral is on Saturday at 3:30 pm at the Nazarene Church in Lake City, Florida, and a local memorial service will be held on Sunday at MCC Anchorage.

Al Carter-Incontro, Dan’s husband, is planning a trip to Alaska in May, and a community Celebration of Life will be held during his visit.

Dan was a big supporter of the Anchorage Gay and Lesbian Community Center. If you wish to make a donation to the Center in memory of Dan, Identity will send an acknowledgement to Al and to Dan’s sister Sarah. If you would like to send flowers to the Florida funeral, call 386-755-0833 for a local florist.

The MCC Anchorage memorial is during the Sunday service on April 25 at 2 p.m.

It is not often in this life when you are blessed to have crossed paths with an individual such as Dan Carter-Incontro. Dan was a friend to many within the Church and our community.

Dan and Al Carter-Incontro were the second Alaskan couple to marry in British Columbia when it became legal there in 2003. They went to British Columbia just days after it became legal to get married there having spent more than 30 years as a couple.

Dan had many friends at Identity and almost all of its member organizations as well as the Municipality where he worked and retired from the People Mover department, the Alaska Democratic Party where he had the honor of serving as a National Delegate at least once, and of course his involvement with MCC Anchorage. His past involvement with MCC Anchorage ensured that the Life of the Church would continue serving the community of Anchorage.

Dan’s moving to Florida left a large hole in the community and now with his passing an even larger hole resides in our minds and hearts. It is, as some have said, the end of an era.

We will be celebrating the life of Dan Carter-Incontro this Sunday at 2:00pm. All from the community and the Church are welcome to attend.

This Week in LGBT Alaska 4/23/10

Juneau

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

Fairbanks

Green Tea Party and Dance at Jeff’s House 4/24, 9 p.m. A spring dance to raise funds for PFLAG Fairbanks. Open to all LGBT and allies 21 and older.

Dining Out For Life – Fairbanks 4/29, all day. Eat breakfast, lunch and/or dinner at participating restaurants in Fairbanks and raise funds for Interior AIDS Association.

Imperial Court’s Pretty ‘n Pink Prom drag show 4/30, doors at 7 p.m. show at 8 p.m. at Pioneer Park Civic Center, ages 18+.

Wednesday Social Group, contact Joshua for the location.

Kenai Peninsula

Celebration, an LGBT art show in Soldotna, through the end of April at Art Works gallery.

Mat-Su Valley

LuLu Small and the Small Band 4/24, 7 p.m. at Del Roi’s.

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

Friday Night Diva Show 4/23, 9 p.m. at Mad Myrna’s.

Identity Friend-Raiser at the Kodiak 4/23, 4:30-7 p.m. Snacks, music and cash bar.

Remembering Dan Carter-Incontro 4/25, 2 p.m. Memorial service at MCC Anchorage.

Tansgender Support Group 4/25, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Social support group, 2nd and 4th Sundays at the GLCCA.

Fetish Ball raised money and questions

Fetish Ball was a wild success Saturday night, with impressive costumes, sexy games, a packed house, and about $8000 raised for the Four A’s food bank to provide meals for people with AIDS. It also attracted a negative comment on the blog and a snarky poetic response. Sarha, Ms. Alaska Leather, wrote,

Fetish Ball 2010 will go down in history as the biggest fetish fund raiser ever! Thank you to those that attended the planning meetings, participated in setup and tear down, ran game booths, walked the runway and worked so hard to make this happen.

Fetish Ball is an annual theme party hosted by the Anchorage fetish, leather and s/m community. It’s not a specifically gay event, and many heterosexual people attend. Ms. Alaska Leather, one of the event organizers, is married to a man. But gay people have always been involved, it’s a benefit for Four A’s held at Myrna’s, and the event and poster were listed with other GLBTA weekend events last Friday on the blog.

Soon after the post went live, an anonymous comment appeared:

Fetish Ball 2010??? with a medical theme??? And those in the LGBT community wonder why they aren’t openly accepted… lol!

During the ordinance hearings last summer, Bent gained several anonymous trolls. They are attracted like moths to certain topics, such as the UA policy change and transgender issues. Posts that describe discrimination against LGBT people will often get a comment saying that we deserve whatever bad treatment we get. Some of the comments are openly hateful, like this one, for example, and these below the post.

The Fetish Ball comment isn’t as hateful as those, but the string of false assumptions between gays and fetishes and the lack of acceptance or rights was more than I had time to deal with on the weekend. So I posted the comment on Bent’s Facebook wall under the Fetish Ball link and waited to see how the friends would respond.

The first person easily summed up the situation:

Everyone has fetishes. The LGBT community and allies are just more willing to embrace it instead of acting like hypocrites.

Well said. The next person responded with a poem! She’s a transwoman who attended the ordinance hearings and noticed that some of the haters have a trans fetish:

The fundies sneering at me in halls,
for going to the fetish balls,
Are the ones behind restroom doors,
who hit on me to drop my drawers.

Only Baptists have asked me to,
do the things that Baptists rue,
to spread my legs for them to see,
When all I want to do is pee.

Spitting on me when I pass,
Then stand behind to watch my ass,
Brimstone public testimony,
Then privately ask to see my pony.

Sunday mornings go a-churching,
Friday nights ask me for birching,
For churchman insults heaped a-plenty,
Hun, you’re never going to get any.

She added, “I am not particularly appreciative of the behavior expressed towards me by certain orthodox individuals. Perhaps they believe that God doesn’t exist if no one is looking.”

SNAP! I’m glad I’m on her side.

Thanks to the FB friends for answering an ignorant blog comment with insight and creativity. And thanks to all for a great event that raised funds for a good cause.

Pride Prom rocks for Anchorage and Mat-Su students

“The bass vibrated the walls and strobe lights flashed on the dance floor. This was the scene that greeted LGBT youth and their allies on April 16th as they arrived at the Kincaid Chalet for Pride Prom 2010.

The youth planned and set up the event with help from supportive adults and their effort paid off. The dance was a huge success and everyone had a great time dancing to popular music hits, many by request to the live DJ.

The theme that was chosen was ‘gender bender’ and quite a few of the youth dressed up in clothes usually worn by the opposite gender. At one point in the night there was voting for a royal pride court based on how loud of a cheer the people nominated received. Two young men in drag were voted as the pride queens and they both received gift certificates.

The dance went off as planned and many youth are already interested in helping out in planning next year’s prom.”

“So… Day of Silence.

Per. 1: Mr. — took off points for me not speaking even though he didn’t even call on me. He gave Erica some BS about politics not belonging in the classroom. I should’ve ductaped my rainbow flag to my desk.

Per. 2: No problems.

Per. 3: Random guys asked me if I was a lesbian. Now that they know, hopefully they’ll stop hitting on me. They were really starting to get on my nerves.

Per. 4: I had a whiteboard conversation with a friend about what happened in 1st period.

Lunch: I sat next to my girlfriend and ate lunch quietly like I usually do. All of the DoS kids ate lunch in our adviser’s room.

Per. 5: The sub caught me saying sorry and said that I should just give up and take off my DoS tee (which was over my other shirt). I flipped him off in french when he wasn’t looking. I ate a cutie pie (turnover) that my girlfriend gave me and then had a spaz attack because of all the sugar.

Per. 6: No problems.

Now, on to Pride Prom…

My parents rented an impala and my mom put flowers in my hair and made a matching boutonniere for my girlfriend. I made french onion soup for dinner.

Pride Prom itself was spectacular. There was a strobe light, glow sticks, black lights, balloons, free pictures, great music, and more rainbows than I thought existed. In the car ride home I fell asleep on my girlfriend’s shoulder. Bliss. Some moments I wish could last forever…”

Trans Alaskans get back into Action

Dan Carter-Incontro 1947-2010

Bent Alaska received this sad news Sunday evening:

“Dan Carter-Incontro, long time Alaskan GLBT activist and supporter of equal rights for all, died this afternoon in Clermont, Florida, at the age of 62. Dan had been fighting complications from diabetes for many years but finally was overcome by the disease. He is survived by his husband, Al Carter-Incontro, and many Alaskan friends. A Celebration of Life will be held in Anchorage at a date yet to be determined. More details will be forthcoming as they are known.”

Dan was known and admired by many, and will be greatly missed. Our condolences to Al, and to all whose lives were touched by Dan. Rest in peace.

Sara’s News Round-up 4/18/10

Gay AK: locals win grants & awards, unblock web sites, thank Kristara

Student Leader wins Internship, asks for support

As a student at Alaska Pacific University, I have the unique opportunity to develop my skills as a leader, mostly because there are so few of us. At the school, I take on the roles of APU Editor (the campus newspaper), ASAPU Sophomore Representative (the student government), president of Spectrum (the GSA and diversity club on campus) and treasurer and secretary of Newman Club (the Catholic-based club on campus).

As you can see, this encompasses many different positions and responsibilities. One of the biggest strengths I can bring is the power of religious dialogue, as I am an active Catholic in the community, volunteering with CSS and Brother Francis from time to time.

In the community, I also serve various roles. As an employee of the Anchorage Youth Symphony, I have various connections with the musical world of Anchorage. As an intern at the Anchorage Daily News, I can represent the larger issues of the GLBT community in the media. I also volunteer in the GLBT community, representing Spectrum at the GLBT Alliance, serving on the Sponsorships Committee, volunteering for the Youth Drop-ins at the GLCCA, and working to start a subset of the GLBT Alliance focused on the issues of youth, which I am very excited to do!