A long-overdue Bent Alaska update — October 2013

Light the Way to Justice: Tuesday, March 26 in Anchorage

United for marriage: Light the way to justice. The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments this Tuesday and Wednesday, March 26–27, in two cases about freedom to marry. Please join us on Tuesday, March 26, at the federal courthouse in Anchorage (7th & C) in a circle united for equality.

Sara’s News, 10/18/12: The very real consequences of DADT repeal

The very real consequences of DADT repeal; seeking survivor benefits for same-sex partner of Alaska shooting victim; waiting on SCOTUS decision about whether it will hear Prop 8 case; and other recent LGBTQ news selected by Sara Boesser in Juneau, Alaska.

Sara’s News, 8/27/12: Brig. Gen. Tammy Smith — U.S. military’s first openly gay flag officer

Brig. Gen. Tammy S. Smith becomes the first openly gay officer of flag rank in U.S. military, California Senate votes to make “ex-gay” therapy illegal for use with minor children; our community’s changing alphabet soup; and other recent LGBTQ news selected by Sara Boesser in Juneau, Alaska.

Sara’s News, 6/10/12: More blows to marriage discrimination

Prop 8 headed to SCOTUS, yet another federal court rules against DOMA, and Washington State will vote on marriage equality this fall; Marriott has special deals for Pride; politicians & their gay kids; and other recent LGBTQ news selected by Sara Boesser in Juneau, Alaska (with supplemental info from Bent Alaska).

Happy Thanksgiving from Bent Alaska

Jeff Zarrillo and his partner Paul Katami are plaintiffs in the nationally-watched Prop 8 trial and appeared with co-plaintiffs Perry and Sandy Stier in a video from the American Foundation for Equal Rights discussing the importance of family and this Thanksgiving holiday. Happy Thanksgiving from Bent Alaska to you and your family — no matter what your family looks like.

Dustin Lance Black, screenwriter (LGBT History Month)

Dustin Lance Black is a screenwriter, director and producer. In 2009, he received an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for “Milk,” about openly gay San Francisco politician Harvey Milk. Bent Alaska presents his story as part of our celebration of LGBT History Month 2011, with thanks to the Equality Forum.

Dustin Lance Black

“I heard the story of Harvey Milk and it gave me hope that I could live my life openly as who I am.”

Dustin Lance Black (born June 10, 1974) is a screenwriter, director and producer. In 2009, he received an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for “Milk”, about openly gay San Francisco politician Harvey Milk.

Black grew up in a devout Mormon household in San Antonio, Texas. After his mother remarried, he moved to Salinas, California. As a young boy, Black knew he was gay. He believed he would be “hurt and brought down” because of it and that he was going to hell. He says his “acute awareness” of his sexual orientation made him gloomy and sometimes suicidal.

In high school he fostered a love of the dramatic arts and began working on theatrical productions. He enrolled at UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television and graduated with honors. In 2000, he wrote and directed two gay-themed films, “The Journey of Jared Price” and “Something Close to Heaven.” Black was the only Mormon writer for the HBO series about polygamy, “Big Love”, for which he received two Writers Guild of America Awards.

Captivated by the story of Harvey Milk, Black researched Milk’s life for three years, culminating in a screenplay. Academy Award-nominated director Gus Van Sant signed on with the project. In 2009, “Milk” received eight Academy Award nominations and won two. Black received an Oscar for his screenplay and Sean Penn won for best actor.

Black’s recent works include the screenplay for “Pedro”, profiling AIDS activist and MTV personality Pedro Zamora. He is the screenwriter for “J. Edgar,” a film about FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

In 2010, he narrated the documentary film “8: The Mormon Proposition”, a documentary about the involvement of the LDS church in anti-marriage equality Proposition 8 in California.

In 2009, Black topped The Advocate’s list of the “Forty under 40” most influential openly gay people. He is an outspoken LGBT activist, serving on the boards of The Trevor Project and the American Foundation for Equal Rights. Black frequently speaks about gay rights to college students across the country.

He resides in Los Angeles.

In May 2008, YouTube videographer castrointhestreets ran into Dustin Lance Black at the unveiling of Harvey Milk’s new statue in San Francisco’s City Hall, and interviewed him. Watch:

For more about Dustin Lance Black, visit his website, LGBT History Month page, or Wikipedia article.

Photo credit: Dustin Lance Black at the 81st Academy Awards, 22 Feb 2009. Photo by Greg Hernandez (greginhollywood on Flickr), used in accordance with Creative Commons license.

Bent News, 5/31/11: Pride fundraisers, & solidarity against hate

Last weekend’s Pride fundraisers, a presidential proclamation, Old Navy Pride t-shirts, and Moscow repression; solidarity against hate in Portland; marriage equality updates from California and Minnesota; a memorial to gay Holocaust victims in Munich; and more in this edition of Bent News.

Alaska is 13th state to join anti-marriage appeal

A dozen states joined marriage opponents in their desperate appeal of the federal court decision that declared California’s Prop 8 unconstitutional, even though Gov. Schwarzenegger supports the ruling and the opponents may not have legal standing to appeal. Now Alaska has become the 13th state to join the appeal. From Alaska Dispatch:

According to the Catholic News Agency (via the Anchorage archdiocese’s Catholic Anchor), Alaska Attorney General Dan Sullivan has submitted a brief, joining Alaska with 12 other states, in support of California’s Proposition 8. The measure, which is currently the subject of litigation in front of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, would formally define marriage in the state [of California] as a union between one man and one woman. Read much more, here. At first, Alaska Beat was surprised we hadn’t seen a press release from the Department of Law about this filing, but then we realized the measure doesn’t seek to define marriage as a union between one beluga whale and one Steller sea lion.

When the states originally joined the appeal, only 9 states were listed and I was relieved that Alaska was not one of them. But that was before the primary election. Now Gov. Sean Parnell is facing Ethan Berkowitz in the general election and he wants the far right behind him. Cue the Attorney General to join the appeal.

Parnell visited the anti-gay Focus on the Family this summer, and billed the state of Alaska for his travel expenses to their Colorado headquarters. Did Focus support Parnell’s campaign in exchange for promises to push an anti-gay agenda, like joining the Prop 8 lawsuit? What other anti-gay actions will he pursue if elected?

Vote for Berkowitz & Benson for Governor & Lt. Governor!

Join the Impact protest against California’s Prop 8: Photo wrap-up

Anchorage and Fairbanks fight the H8, protest Prop 8!

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and straight citizens will take to the streets of Anchorage and Fairbanks  on Saturday Nov. 15, 2008 to protest the passage of Proposition 8, California’s anti-gay marriage amendment, and the lack of LGBT equal rights in Alaska.

Tens of thousands of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people and our allies have taken to the streets to show outrage with the outcome of California’s Proposition 8. Prop 8 is a Constitutional Amendment to prohibit same-sex marriage, taking away a right that was granted before the vote. Same-sex marriage bans also passed in Arizona and Florida. The outcome of these propositions has angered the national gay community and our supporters. Many feel as if they are second-class citizens, but the fight is not over.

On Saturday, November 15, the LGBT community and their supporters will take to the streets in what could be the largest organized protest since the Civil Rights Movement. To date, more than 250,000 individuals have pledged to take part in the nationwide event and descend upon the City Halls, State Capitols and the Nation’s Capitol to make their voices heard. Signs, posters and numerous websites have already been created and the word is spreading quickly throughout the nation. JoinTheImpact.webpaint.com lists protest locations in all 50 States and the District of Columbia.

The message is simple, yet profound: Equal Rights for All.

The organizers of this nationwide event stress that these will be peaceful demonstrations. “Let’s move as one full unit, on the same day, at the same hour, and let’s show the United States of America that we too are United States citizens equal in mind, body and spirit and deserving of full equality under the law.”

The Protest / Movement is scheduled to take place across the nation at the same time: 1:30 PM Eastern, 12:30 PM Central, 11:30 AM Mountain and 10:30 AM Pacific on Saturday, November 15th, 2008. Those interested in attending this historic event may find their local protest location by visiting: http://jointheimpact.wetpaint.com

ANCHORAGE

• WHAT: Prop. 8 Protest – Equal Rights
• WHO: LGBT and straight citizens who support Equal Rights
• WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008; at 12 Noon*
• WHERE: 550 W 7th AVE, ATWOOD Building

*We are not the only city holding the protest at a different time. But if you feel that it is important to be there at 9:30, then go and make your voice be heard! (and stay for the noon rally if you can.) Thanks.

FAIRBANKS

• WHAT: Prop. 8 Protest – Equal Rights
• WHO: LGBT and straight citizens who support Equal Rights
• WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008; at 9:30 a.m.
• WHERE: 800 Cushman Street, CITY HALL