Saturday, 3 April 2010 – 5:00 PM
| Comments Off on Ugly Betty, Equality Mixer, ATE update
Gay AK – notes for and from LGBTQ Alaska
Justin’s Episode on “Ugly Betty”
GLESN and the creative team of “Ugly Betty” have announced that the character Justin will come to terms with his sexual identity in an April 7 episode. “Your support for GLSEN is making real storylines, just like Justin’s, possible in schools all over our country. We applaud the work you do, and hope you’ll be watching with all of us at Ugly Betty as we help our much-loved Justin take the next step in his personal coming out journey.”
Equality Works Mixer
Join Equality Works for a night of entertainment, education, and community-building, on April 10 at 7 p.m. Meet other people interested in making Anchorage safe for gay and transgender Alaskans. Test your knowledge of LGBT issues and politics in the U.S. Find out how you can help Equality Works move Alaska forward. Be there for the start of something beautiful.
E-mail Tiffany McClain for address and directions or call (907) 258-0044 ext. 2006.
DADT, ENDA and AK Hate Crimes updates
Alaskans Together for Equality, Inc. (ATE) continues to monitor legislation at the federal and state level. The Military Readiness Enhancement Act (H.R. 1283/S. 3065) is moving forward to repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” law. In addition, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 3017/S. 1584) is making its way through Congress. In order for these two pieces of legislation to continue to move forward we need your help. If you haven’t already, please contact our Congressional delegation and voice your support for these two important pieces of legislation.
In Alaska, we have been monitoring Senate Bill 202 (Alaska Hate Crimes Legislation) that is making its way through the State Senate. If passed as amended it will cover crimes motivated by prejudice, bias, or hatred based on the victim’s sexual orientation as well as on other inherent characteristics. For more news, to become an ATE member or to volunteer for ATE visit
Alaskans Together for Equality.
Celebration wrap-up from RAW
“Thanks for another awesome Celebration! Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers, performers, crew and committees that helped make this year’s Celebration of Change a success. Special thanks to Metro and GLCCA for selling tickets and Kodiak for hosting the after party. And thanks to all that came out and watched the show. See you next year!”
Radical Arts for Women.
The Alaska Hate Crimes Bill (SB 202) has a second hearing before the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, March 17. Alaskans Together asks us to contact our state senators in support of SB 202 with gender identity added.
Senator Bettye Davis introduced SB 202 earlier this month, and five people testified in favor of the bill at the first committee hearing. The full text of the bill is
HERE.
Please send a message today in support of SB 202. Ask the Judiciary Committee to add gender identity and expression and to pass the amended bill out of committee.
Here are 2 ways to contact the senators in support of the Alaska Hate Crimes Bill.
Alaskans Together provided the contact info and a suggested message:
1. Send an email message to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee plus the bill’s sponsor, Senator Davis. It is always a good idea to copy your own state senator as well.
Senator Hollis French
Senator Bill Wielechowski
Senator Dennis Egan
Senator Lesil McGuire
Senator John Coghill
Senator Bettye Davis
2. Another option is a Public Opinion Message or POM, a short and easy-to-send 50 word message that should be addressed specifically to the Senators listed in the previous paragraph. Send the POM from the
Alaska State Public Opinion Message System.
Your POM could say something like:
“I strongly support SB 202 with an amendment that adds gender identity and expression to Section 11.76.150(a). Please pass this bill, with a gender identity amendment, out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, March 17th.”
Alaskans Together supports the amendment of SB 202 to add the phrase “gender identity and expression” to Sec. 11.76.150 (a) because:
a) it covers crimes motivated by prejudice, bias, or hatred based on the victim’s sexual orientation as well as on other inherent characteristics, but does not yet cover gender identity.
b) people who are perceived as gender variant, whether heterosexual or gay, seem “different” to some people and may evoke a violent emotional response leading to harm.
c) a substantial number of crimes have been documented that are based on the societal perception of someone as “too feminine” or “too masculine,” or transgender. These crimes can include bullying in schools as well as assault and battery throughout Alaskan communities.
Alaskans Together supports the Alaska Hate Crimes Bill (SB 202) because:
a) it covers crimes motivated by prejudice, bias, or hatred based on the victim’s sexual orientation as well as on other inherent characteristics.
b) we recognize that hate crimes are not limited to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community but occur throughout minority communities and are designed to create fear. This bill emphasizes that Alaska has no tolerance for such acts.
c) the Alaska court system has primary jurisdiction over crimes of assault and battery which may result in prosecution as hate crimes when occurring in Alaska.
d) Alaska prosecutors and law enforcement officials need the support and force of an Alaska statute in order to most effectively investigate, prosecute, and track all potential hate crimes within the state.
Friday, 12 March 2010 – 11:42 AM
| Comments Off on This Week in LGBT Alaska 3/12/10
Juneau
Emma’s Revolution/ Pat Humphries & Sandy O in Concert 3/18, 7:30 p.m. Juneau Pride Chorus opens the show at Aldersgate United Methodist Church. (Emma’s Revolution will also perform in Sitka and be live guests on KTOO radio.)
SEAGLA Social Fridays (6-8 p.m.) for GLBT people and our friends over 21, at The Imperial Bar.
Fairbanks
UAF Gay-Straight Alliance Meeting 4 p.m on Friday in the Alumni Lounge.
Wednesday Social at 9 p.m. Contact 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
Over Coffee: A Conversation For Gay Partnership & Conservative Faith 3/12, 8-9:30 p.m. at Metropolitan Community Church.
OUT’s “Pop Superstar Night” Drag Show 3/13, 7 p.m. in the UAA Commons. Imperial Court judges, MC Paige, and stand up comedy by Colleen Crinklaw at intermission. Tickets $5, half of all proceeds donated to the GLCCA.
Holcombe Waller performing at Out North 3/12-3/14 at 7:30 p.m. & 4 p.m. on Sunday.
MCCA Chili Cook Off 3/14 at 3 p.m., following the 2 p.m. Sunday service.
Alaskans Together Anchorage organizing meeting 3/14, 4 p.m. at the GLCCA
Gay Games presentation and Team Alaska 3/17, 7 p.m. at the GLCCA
Saturday, 16 January 2010 – 8:37 AM
| Comments Off on No Name-Calling Week, Prof. Smoke on Matthew Shepard, & the Women’s Summit
Gay AK – notes for and from LGBT Alaska
No Sticks, No Stones, No Dissing
GLSEN’s No Name-Calling Week is January 25-29, 2010, a week of educational and art activities aimed at stopping name-calling and bullying in schools. The Creative Expression Contest is an opportunity for students to submit essays, poetry, music, original artwork, or other pieces that convey their experiences and feelings about name-calling, and their ideas for putting a stop to verbal bullying in their schools and communities. Lesson plans and other resources at
No Name-Calling Week.
Gale Smoke on Matthew Shepard
Professor Gale Smoke will review Judy Shepard’s book “The Meaning of Matthew, and a World Transformed” (Hudson Press, 2009) at this month’s Anchorage PFLAG meeting. Refreshments will be available and all are invited to the meeting at Immanuel Presbyterian Church on Jan. 21 at 7 p.m.
Anchorage PFLAG.
Alaskans Together announces new board and officers
Congratulations to the new board members: Heather Bayless, Kelli Burkinshaw, Shayle Hutchison, Miguel De Marzo, Verner Wilson, and Christopher Narvaez. For 2010, the new executive officers for the organization are as follows: Elias Rojas – Board President, Joseph Lapp II – Vice President, Kevin Kristof – Treasurer, and Miguel De Marzo – Secretary. We are happy to announce that ATE is now a member of the Equality Federation. Come and join in the fun and hard work by volunteering to serve on one of the committees, which meet monthly by conference call. There is room for you! Join
Alaskans Together.
Women’s Summit: Anchorage lunch 3/17 and Juneau conference 3/18 – 3/19
It’s time to sign up for the 2010 Women’s Summit on March 17-19. The theme for this year is “Interpersonal Violence in Alaska: Why Alaska Ranks at the Top, and Strategies for Success.” The keynote speaker is Rebecca Levenson, Senior Policy Analyst with the Family Violence Prevention Fund. Come listen, learn and network with other women from around the state. Rebecca will also speak at a luncheon in Anchorage on Wednesday, March 17, 12 pm at the Sheraton Hotel downtown, $35/person. A limited number of scholarships are available for the Juneau conference (for travel, lodging and registration) and are due by March 1. For those arranging your own travel and lodging, applications are due by March 10. The Women’s Summit is organized by the
Alliance for Reproductive Justice.
Tantric Wisdom for the Activities of Daily Living
Bird Trungma, Rinpoche, has moved her short essays on Tantric Wisdom to HubPages. She hopes you will keep reading them, and continue to enjoy and benefit from them. Her first essay tells her story of moving to Anchorage, almost leaving, then deciding to stay. Check out
Bird’s Tantric Wisdom.
A Message from Alaskans Together for Equality
In Alaska, firing a person because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity is still legal. This is also true in 60% of the United States where gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) citizens are not protected against employment discrimination. Congress is getting ready to vote on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) which would offer protection from discrimination for LGBT citizens, and action on our part is required. If we want the discriminatory status quo to change, it is our responsibility to speak up and ask our Congressman Don Young and our Senators Mark Begich and Lisa Murkowski to vote in support of fairness and basic protections from job discrimination for LGBT Americans.
Neither Representative Young nor Senator Murkowski have made public their support for ENDA. We can help by writing letters to the editors of our local newspapers on the importance of passing this legislation. We can also spread the word among our friends and family to take action in support of this legislation. Most importantly and easy to do – we can email and call all three members of our Congressional delegation. This will only take about 5-10 minutes – isn’t ending discrimination worth that?
Call and email Congressman Young, Senator Murkowski, and Senator Begich today.
Contact Congressman Don Young
at 202-225-5765 and via e-mail.
Contact Senator Murkowski
at 202-224-6665 and via e-mail.
Contact Senator Begich
at 202-224-3004 and via e-mail.
Here is a suggested phone message:
“My name is____________ and I am a proud resident of (your city, Alaska). I am calling in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 3017 and S. 1584), to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from job discrimination. Please take swift action to pass ENDA. I can be reached at ________ (provide your phone number). Thank you.”
Sample email message to our Congressional delegation (please personalize):
“Subject: Support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 3017/S. 1584)
Honorable Congressman/Senator______________:
Today, employers in many states including Alaska can still legally fire people because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. These hardworking Americans deserve the same protection as their coworkers, and Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) would go a long way to making this a reality.
Please support an inclusive ENDA – the bill that protects lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans from losing their jobs simply because of their sexual orientation or their gender identity.
LGBT Americans deserve and need the ability to work — just like every American. Please help by supporting ENDA (H.R. 3017 and S. 1584) and bringing the bill to a vote in the House and Senate soon.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
[Insert Name,
address and phone number]”
We must speak up loudly and clearly! The opponents are flooding Congressional offices with calls and emails – we all need to call in and speak up against discrimination. Our elected officials need to hear that this bill (ENDA) is a top priority of fair-minded Alaskans.
The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act passed because the LGBT community and our many allies spoke up so loudly and clearly – that they even heard us in Washington DC.
We have a real opportunity for positive change!
Change will come, if enough of us act. The more of us who call, the faster full equality for LGBT citizens will arrive!
After you call and write your email, please forward this message or tell your friends and family what is at stake and ask them to contact their Congressional delegation too.
Are you a member of Alaskans Together for Equality yet? You can help by joining our organization and supporting our important advocacy work for LGBT equality across Alaska by becoming a member today.
Alaskans Together for Equality, Inc. applauds President Obama for signing the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law
Anchorage – The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act makes it a federal crime to assault an individual because of his or her actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Alaskans Together for Equality, Inc. celebrates the final passage of this legislation, signed into law by President Obama today. We congratulate the joint efforts of everyone who worked to make this bill become law.
“This is a great day for all fair-minded Americans that our government has finally taken a strong stand in opposition to violence targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans simply for their identity or perceived identity,” said Tim Stallard, Spokesperson for Alaskans Together For Equality, Inc.
The bill is named for Matthew Shepard, a gay Wyoming teenager who died after being kidnapped, severely beaten, and left to die tied to a fence in October 1998, and James Byrd, Jr., an African-American who in June of 1998 was beaten, chained to the back of a pick-up truck, and dragged for miles over rural roads in Jasper, Texas. While all violent crime is reprehensible, ‘hate crimes’ are meant to terrorize and invoke fear in an entire community of people.
“We are very proud that both Alaska’s Senators Mark Begich and Lisa Murkowski have supported this strong statement against hatred and violent discrimination,” said Elias Rojas, newly elected Board President of Alaskans Together for Equality, Inc.
This important legislation will make it easier for federal prosecutors to step in when state or local authorities are unable or unwilling to pursue hate crimes. This is welcome news for LGBT Alaskans in the wake of Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan’s recent veto of a municipal non-discrimination ordinance that would have extended protection to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from workplace and housing discrimination, despite evidence and extensive public testimony that such discrimination exists.
Alaskans Together for Equality is a membership based group that advances civil equality for all Alaskans through grass roots organizing and advocacy. Alaskans Together for Equality is the only statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization in Alaska.
When Cleve Jones announced the National Equality March for LGBT Rights, he invited people to come “from Utah and California, from Maine to Hawaii, from Alaska to Florida.” Four months later, several Alaskans marched in the Washington DC rally – and people noticed.
“From as far away as Alaska, thousands of LGBT people demanding marriage, adoption and immigration rights rallied Sunday at the National Equality March,” began a
Washington Blade article on the DC rally.
“The National Equality March brought participants from states across the country — some from as far away as California and Alaska — and included a strong contingent from Atlanta,” wrote
Southern Voice Atlanta.
A description of the Camp Courage workshop on Saturday said, “About 200 participants from across the country including Alaska showed up learning the basic skills of telling your story in order to change hearts and minds.” [
Asian Pacific Americans for Progress]
And a
365.GAY blogger was impressed by “the huge number of young activists – or would-be emerging activists – present and eager to be accounted for. Students had come from Maine, Alaska, Texas, Tennessee and California…”
“Some marchers came from as far away as Alaska. Maureen Longworth, a lesbian physician from Juneau, and member of Alaskans Together for Equality, said she wanted to join the march because she’s always been a civil rights believer.”
“A plaintiff in an Alaska lawsuit that brought partner benefits to state employees, Longworth said she hoped the march would push Alaska’s delegation in Congress to act more favorably on LGBT issues.”
“Two of three of our legislators are very conservative, and not always voting in our favor, she said.”
Three Alaskans, Marty, Lin and Maureen, were interviewed by
This Way Out, an international gay and lesbian radio program that
airs in southcentral Alaska on Wednesday evenings. The complete Equality March segment is online
HERE (in audio) and the Alaskans are interviewed near the end, between NAACP chairman Julian Bond and
America the Beautiful.
Reporter: “You’re coming from Alaska?”
Marty: “Juneau, Alaska. That’s right.
“That’s a long way. I think you win the prize for longest distance travelled to be here.”
“Yes, sore wings.”
“What was the impetus for your coming here?
“We had the privilege of getting married in California about a year ago, and then when the vote turned it around, it just brought [to our] attention that this is something that was really great, it was a really important thing for the two of us after we’ve been together for 27 years to actually be able to celebrate this. And it’s just wrong that other people don’t get that privilege and that right.”
“Is this the first march you’ve been to?”
“Yep.”
Lin: “We’ve been several times…”
Reporter: “How would you compare this one to previous marches?”
Lin: “This isn’t as big as the ’93 but the spirit is huge, and it’s wonderful to see a lot of young people too. I had already given up hope that in our lifetime we would have equal rights. During the Bush administration, it got very discouraging and now I feel like I have optimism again. It’s really wonderful to feel like my heart is more open to our government and the government’s heart is opening and softening towards us.”
Maureen: “I’m here because I believe in equality for all people and I always have. I was raised that way in Los Angeles in the 60’s and we started demonstrating for civil rights for African-Americans when I was a kid. So whoever needs the rights, I will be there for that person. That’s why I’m here today, and they happen to be for me.”
Thanks to the Alaskans who travelled so far and represented us so well at the 2009 National Equality March for LGBT Rights!
Saturday, 24 October 2009 – 9:21 AM
| Comments Off on Help Kalamazoo, Apply for Scholarships, Fix Alaska’s Property Tax Laws, Read the NorthView
Gay AK: short news items from and for LGBT Alaska
“No Discrimination” stickers
Anchorage helps Kalamazoo
Join Anchorage Won’t Discriminate in helping One Kalamazoo, the campaign to protect the non-discrimination ordinance facing a recall vote in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The Kalamazoo ordinance is similar to the one vetoed this summer in Anchorage.
GLCCA Open House x2
The
Gay and Lesbian Community Center (GLCCA) hosted QLBTQA youth from UAA’s The Family and APU’s Spectrum GLBT groups for an open house, tour, pizza, and meet and greet on Sept. 26. Later the same evening, another open house was held at GLCCA to celebrate Diversity Month. The center was packed to the rafters with visitors enjoying each others’ company, fine food and great entertainment. See the
October issue of NorthView, Identity’s quarterly bulletin, for more Community Center News.
Seeking over-65 same sex couples who own their home
Lesbian and gay couples in Alaska are not treated equally under the state’s Senior Citizen Property Exemption laws. Married residents 65 years of age or older are exempt from taxation on the first $150,000 of the assessed value of their home, regardless of whether the property is held in the name of the husband, wife, or both. However, same-sex domestic partners are excluded from the full exemption. Only one person in the same sex couple can receive the exemption, and the amount is essentially cut in half because state law treats same-sex partners as roommates. If you are 1) in a long-term, committed relationship with your partner, AND 2) at least one partner is 65 or over, AND 3) you are living with your partner in a home that one or both of you own, then the ACLU of Alaska would like to talk with you. Please contact Tiffany McClain at (
tmcclain@akclu.org).
Pride Foundation scholarship applications
Pride Foundation is now accepting scholarship applications for the 2010-11 school year. Each year, Pride Foundation provides educational scholarships to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight-ally leaders and role models from Alaska, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Washington attending any accredited post-secondary school. They offer
50 different scholarships, but have only one application to complete. Just
create an account and complete your application online.
Sunday, 18 October 2009 – 5:57 PM
| Comments Off on Sara’s News round-up 10/18/09
This week’s national GLBT news chosen by Sara Boesser of Juneau, plus a photo of Alaskans Together for Equality representing our state with a rainbow big dipper banner at the National Equality March in Washington, DC on October 11, 2009. (Thanks to the folks at SEAGLA for sending the photo.)
Washington, Washington Blade, October 16, 2009
Sacramento, Calif., Newsday, October 12, 2009
San Francisco, Reuters, October 14, 2009
Uruguay, Advocate, October 13, 2009
Washington, Advocate, October 14, 2009
Washington, 365Gay.com, October 14, 2009
Portland, Maine, WCSH6, October 15, 2009
Paris, France, Associated Press, October 14, 2009
Pittsburgh, Post-Gazette, October 15, 2009
Reconciling Ministries, Flashnet, August 27, 2009
Missouri, The Maneater, September 29, 2009
Philadelphia, The Triangle, October 16, 2009
Los Angeles, EURweb, October 13, 2009
San Francisco, Community Marketing Inc., October 17, 2009
Friday, 9 October 2009 – 3:35 PM
| Comments Off on This Week in LGBT Alaska 10/9/09
October 11 is National Coming Out Day and we have a busy weekend in Anchorage!
This week’s events from the statewide newsletter. Subscribe to
Alaska GLBT News.
Juneau
The Laramie Project sequel, one night only, Monday 10/12, 7:30 p.m. Free, at the Alaska Territorial Hall.
SEAGLA Social Fridays (6-8 p.m.) for GLBT people and our friends over 21, at The Imperial Bar, downtown.
Fairbanks
PFLAG’s October Meeting 10/11, 4 p.m.
Pump House Wednesdays, LGBTA social at the Chena Pump House, starts around 9:30 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
Mad Myrna’s Diva Variety Show, with MC’s Daphne DoAll & Duchess Paige, 9 p.m.
Pride Conference Kick-off Dinner 10/9, 7 p.m. at Organic Oasis. Please RSVP.
QueerWorld Connect: Alaska Pride Conference 10/10 at APU, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
National Equality March–Alaska Support Rally, 10/10, in front of Loussac Library 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Alaskans Together social 10/10 at Kodiak Bar & Grill 5-7:30 p.m.
Pride Conference Queer Bowling with Adam & Steve 10/10, 7 p.m. RSVP required.
Mr., Miss and Ms. Gay Alaska ICOAA Pageant 10/10, doors at 8, show at 9 p.m. at Mad Myrna’s.
Alaskans Together annual meeting 10/11 at the Country Kitchen (next to the GLCCA) 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
“Crossing the Generations” Pride Conference Brunch Panel 10/11, 10:30-noon. Registration required.
PFLAG meeting with the DVD “Anyone and Everyone” 10/15 at Immanuel Presbyterian Church, 7 p.m.
