Articles tagged with: video
Kobe and The Lakers make a PSA for gay acceptance
Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers recorded a video message against bullying and anti-gay language as part of GLSEN’s “Think Before You Speak” campaign. After calling a referee an anti-gay slur during a live broadcast of a recent basketball game, Kobe claimed that his use of “f—king f—-t” was not a slur against LGBT people. [WTF?] He was given a $100,000 NBA fine, which he is appealing.
Gay teen from Wasilla was assaulted, tires slashed, rejected by parents but looking ahead
Cody had a horrible coming out. His college buddies at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks and his brother and parents in Wasilla all reacted badly, only his sister is supportive. But he won’t let them ruin his life.
The “I’m From Driftwood” team interviewed LGBT Alaskans for their national story project, and the first video from Alaska was uploaded on Monday. The story is from Cody James, raised in Wasilla. Watch:
How sad that their son was assaulted and, instead of helping him, they caused him more harm. Hopefully, they will learn to love and support him as the wonderful young gay man that he is.
And what kind of university would allow a student to be harassed for 4 months?
The main perpetrator got a slap on the wrist, 24 hours in jail and some community service hours, Cody told Bent Alaska. The others got off. The city and campus police wouldn’t do anything to stop the bullying, so he fled Fairbanks and moved to Anchorage. When he explained to his family why he left college, they rejected him for being gay.
The University of Alaska, Fairbanks and the Fairbanks police owe Cody an apology, at the very least, and assurance that they will protect other students from being bullied out of an education. [Hint: Get an LGBT-inclusive anti-bullying policy, and enforce it.]
Cody wants to put this bad time behind him and move forward. But he could have called the FBI to investigate the assault under the federal Hate Crimes law passed in 2009. They have the authority to step in when local officers won’t take an anti-gay attack seriously.
Why the FBI? Because we aren’t protected by Alaska’s hate crimes law, and a bill adding LGBT Alaskans is currently stuck in the Finance committee.
Please contact the legislators today and tell them to approve SB 11, the Alaska Hate Crimes bill. We obviously need it.
Thanks to I’m From Driftwood for including Alaska in their story tour and collecting this important story. And thanks to Cody for being brave, finding support and sharing his story. May his life get much better and stay good.
Huckabee and the lesbians sail to Alaska. Or Africa. Whatever.
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and a boatload of holy rollers are cruising southeast Alaska this summer, hot on the trail of two lesbian cruises. Well, maybe. Huckabee says he’s coming to Alaska, but the closing image of the tour’s video ad shows what happens when flat-earthers try to navigate a round world.
Stand Up! against anti-gay bullying (video)
This anti-bullying message is from BeLonG To Youth Services for their annual Stand Up! LGBT Awareness Week in Ireland. The campaign promotes friendship among young people as a way to combat homophobic bullying.
Watch the video:
More about Stand Up! LGBT Awareness Week:
“Many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) young people develop their sexual and gender identities within supportive families and communities and are leading happy lives. However, many other LGBT young people experience serious levels of homophobia, transphobia and exclusion in their schools, youth clubs and local areas.
Stand Up! Week will provide an annual focus for promoting positive awareness of LGBT young people, tackling homophobia and homophobic bullying, and building allies among young people and youth workers.”
This year’s Stand Up! Weeks are April 4 – 15, 2011.
DADT still in effect, as parents of gay soldier killed in Afghanistan post tribute to their son
Corporal Andrew Wilfahrt, a Minnesota native, died on foot patrol in Khandahar, Afghanistan in late February at age 31. He was gay.
Now his parents, Lori and Jeff Wilfahrt, have come forward with a tribute to their son for the Testimony: Take a Stand campaign. Lori and Jeff lament their son’s forced re-closeting when he enlisted, though “people in his unit knew he was gay…and nobody cared.”
Sara’s News Roundup 2/6/11
Recent LGBT news selected by Sara Boesser in Juneau, Alaska.
1) Parenting by Gays More Common in the South, Census Shows
Jacksonville, Florida, New York Times, January 18, 2011
2) UI student becomes Internet sensation after defending gay parents
Iowa, Daily Iowan, February 4, 2011
Here’s the speech referred to in the news item, in which Zach Wahls speaks about being raised by his lesbian parents during a public forum in the Iowa House of Representatives on Resolution 6, which would end civil unions in Iowa:
3) What Protests Mean for LGBT Egyptians
Egypt, Advocate, February 4, 2011
4) French court upholds ban on homosexual marriage
Paris, France, New Kerala.com, January 28, 2011
5) Transgender and Transgender-Like Veterans: A documentary of individuals who crossed gender lines to serve their country (video), Part 1, Part 2
U.S.A., YouTube, April 2, 2010
6) At last, a role model for ‘queer crips’
Washington Blade, February 3, 2011
7) Star Trek’s Gay Problem: Producer Brannon Braga Regrets Not Having Homosexual Character
Huffington Post, January 27, 2011
8) Methodists Urged to End Gay Clergy Ban
Advocate, February 4, 2011
9) Researcher: Mona Lisa Really da Vinci’s Gay Lover
Italy, Pennsylvania Fox News, February 3, 2011
10) Transgender activists face multiple challenges
New York, Boston Globe, February 4, 2011
11) Veteran Reveals Life As Transgender In Military
San Diego, San Diego 10News.com, February 3, 2011
12) Bush twin makes pro-marriage video for HRC
New York, Washington Blade, February 2, 2011
13) Tickets On Sale for Tony Kushner’s Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide Jan. 25
New York, Playbill.com, January 25, 2011
14) Gay Enough?
London, Gay City News, February 2, 2011
15) Obama Appoints LGBT Leader to Faith Council
Washington, Advocate, February 5, 2011
Avenue Q opening night LGBT social *RSVP required*
UPDATE: The Pre-show Reception is a private event, by invitation only. RSVP required. If you have tickets to see Avenue Q at the PAC, contact Identity for information about the invitations.
It’s finally here! Avenue Q is a hilarious, risque and thought-provoking Broadway show with positive gay content, and it’s live at the Anchorage Performing Arts Center on January 21-27, 2011. There’s even a GLBT mixer on opening night, for community members with tickets:
Join the LGBT community before the show for drinks and hors d’oeuvres at the PAC’s Sydney Lawrence Theatre, on Friday January 21 from 6-7:45 p.m. This free event is sponsored by the Concert Association with Mad Myrna’s and South. Come mingle with friends, then enjoy the show.
Bent Alaska first posted about Avenue Q almost a year ago, when the Anchorage Concert Association’s 2010-2011 season was announced. It’s wonderful that Anchorage will get to see this award-winning and gay-inclusive show! My partner and I saw Avenue Q several years ago on vacation in the lower 48 and we loved it. If you haven’t seen it yet, see it now. (And if you saw it years ago, see it again with your Anchorage friends.)
Note: Avenue Q is a show for adults and includes scenes with puppets having sex, drinking, swearing and surfing the web for porn. ACA recommends the show only for ages 15 and up.
Tickets for Avenue Q are available online through Center-Tix HERE. Don’t miss it!
The earlier post included a video of the song If You Were Gay. This time we’ll post the theme song, It Sucks To Be Me, performed by the original Broadway cast:
Video: President Obama signs DADT Repeal Act of 2010
“This is a good day,” President Obama said on Wednesday to a grateful audience of approximately 500 people, including administration officials, congressmembers, former servicemembers and repeal advocates who worked 17 years to end the military’s discriminatory Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy.
This is a very good day!
Watch the President’s speech and the bill signing ceremony:
A full transcript with the speeches of both the President and Vice President is posted on the White House website, and an article with photos is posted on the White House Blog.
In an interview with The Advocate, Obama said, “My strong sense is [implementation] is a matter of months… Absolutely not years.”
Goodbye DADT, and good riddance!
Alaskans Together on DADT repeal
Alaskans Together for Equality sent a message to their members and supporters following the senate’s historic vote to repeal the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy on Saturday. Alaskans Together is the statewide LGBT advocacy group for Alaska.
Just over an hour ago the Senate by a vote of 65 to 31 repealed the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. Today’s vote allows lesbian, gay and bisexual people the ability to serve openly and honestly in our military. It’s a wonderful step forward in our fight for full civil equality. We are extremely pleased to report that both Sen. Murkowski and Sen. Begich voted in favor of the repeal!
Your efforts made a big difference! This repeal couldn’t have happened without you and your calls and emails.
Please take a moment in the next few days to call and email both Sen. Murkowski and Sen. Begich and thank them for their vote to repeal DADT. It is great to have two Senators that believe in fairness and equality in our military.
Senator Murkowski
Email or Phone: 202.224.6665
Senator Begich
Email or Phone: 202.224.3004
Please thank Sen. Murkowski and Sen. Begich for representing all Alaskans with their vote to repeal DADT today. Our military has become even stronger with today’s vote.
Also, be aware there is still work to be done for the implementation of a full repeal of DADT. There is a 60-day waiting period, during which soldiers can still be discharged under the policy. We will post on our blog in the coming days when we have more details.
With all of our continuing efforts we are confident that we will have more victories to celebrate in 2011 on our road to achieving full civil equality in Alaska.
Let’s enjoy today’s victory.
Also, three Anchorage-based gay service members were interviewed by KTVA about the effects of the DADT policy and why repeal is necessary. The local troops are members of OutServe, a national network of gay and lesbian active-duty service members. (The clip was posted earlier this week, before Congress passed the stand-alone DADT repeal measure.)
Ninth Circuit hears first Prop 8 appeal
A 3-judge panel from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held a Prop 8 hearing on Monday, focusing on who has the right to appeal and how the case may be ruled. Here is a quick video report on the hearing:
