The Milk Challenge
from Bent Alaska
The movie MILK opens tomorrow (Friday, Dec. 12) in Anchorage, showing at 1:40, 4:35, 7:35 and 10:30 p.m. at the Century 16, across from Loussac Library. The message of Milk is timely, and the reviews sound great. (Watch the Milk trailer.)
Here's the dilemna: We want to support a good-quality gay movie (and encourage the production of more gay movies) but don't want to support the Century/Cinemark whose CEO donated $9,999 to Prop 8, the California initiative that eliminated gay and lesbian marriage.
The solution: Boycott Century's concessions! Eat before you go and only buy the ticket, no food or drinks.
Theaters don't make much on admissions; most of their profit is from concessions. We can support the film and still deprive the theater of revenue.
An even better solution: Off-set the ticket fees to Century with a donation to Alaskans Together for Equality, the state LGBT rights group that takes on political issues like the ones Harvey Milk fought for. It's a great way to support equal rights and, at the same time, withhold money from those who work against us! (thanks to Elias for the suggestion)
Take the Milk Challenge: See Milk, and balance your political karma with a donation to Alaskans Together.
And Milk is the perfect time to start wearing a White Knot for marriage equality, "because everyone should be able to tie the knot."
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
Palin declines to acknowledge National Coming Out Day
MEDIA RELEASE
October 9, 2008
PALIN DECLINES TO ACKNOWLEDGE “NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY”
GAY ALASKANS DISMAYED BY GOVERNOR’S REBUFF
(Juneau, AK) --- Gov. Palin has declined to issue a formal proclamation recognizing “National Coming Out Day,” in Alaska. Heartened by the Gov. Palin’s positive comments about gays and lesbians in the Vice Presidential Debate, Alaskans Together submitted a formal request to acknowledge the day, which is observed on Oct. 11th internationally by members of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) communities and supporters.
“But I also want to clarify, if there’s any kind of suggestion at all from my answer that I would be anything but tolerant of adults in America choosing their partners, choosing relationships that they deem best for themselves, you know…,” said Gov. Palin during the debate.
“Governor Palin called for ‘tolerance’, and we hoped she’d show that type of leadership as Governor with this proclamation,” said Alaskans Together President Marsha Buck. “Coming out is a difficult and deserves recognition.”
So far in October 2008 Governor Palin has issued proclamations for: “Careers in Construction Week,” “10th Annual Christian Heritage Week,” “Biomedical Technician Week,” “Alaska Taiwan Friendship Week,” “World Farm Animals Day,” “Breastfeeding Awareness Month,” and “Grand Opening of Rilke Schule Day.”
“We were asking for the Governor to acknowledge and recognize the dignity of openly-gay Alaskans. We weren’t asking for a policy position, beyond simple acknowledgement.” Buck said.
###
Alaskans Together for Equality, Inc. is a 501 (c)(4) organization. Its mission is to advance civil equality for all Alaskans through grass roots organizing and advocacy.
October 9, 2008
PALIN DECLINES TO ACKNOWLEDGE “NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY”
GAY ALASKANS DISMAYED BY GOVERNOR’S REBUFF
(Juneau, AK) --- Gov. Palin has declined to issue a formal proclamation recognizing “National Coming Out Day,” in Alaska. Heartened by the Gov. Palin’s positive comments about gays and lesbians in the Vice Presidential Debate, Alaskans Together submitted a formal request to acknowledge the day, which is observed on Oct. 11th internationally by members of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) communities and supporters.
“But I also want to clarify, if there’s any kind of suggestion at all from my answer that I would be anything but tolerant of adults in America choosing their partners, choosing relationships that they deem best for themselves, you know…,” said Gov. Palin during the debate.
“Governor Palin called for ‘tolerance’, and we hoped she’d show that type of leadership as Governor with this proclamation,” said Alaskans Together President Marsha Buck. “Coming out is a difficult and deserves recognition.”
So far in October 2008 Governor Palin has issued proclamations for: “Careers in Construction Week,” “10th Annual Christian Heritage Week,” “Biomedical Technician Week,” “Alaska Taiwan Friendship Week,” “World Farm Animals Day,” “Breastfeeding Awareness Month,” and “Grand Opening of Rilke Schule Day.”
“We were asking for the Governor to acknowledge and recognize the dignity of openly-gay Alaskans. We weren’t asking for a policy position, beyond simple acknowledgement.” Buck said.
###
Alaskans Together for Equality, Inc. is a 501 (c)(4) organization. Its mission is to advance civil equality for all Alaskans through grass roots organizing and advocacy.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Governor Palin asked to sign proclamation supporting National Coming Out Day
This week Alaskans Together for Equality, Inc. submitted a request asking Gov. Sarah Palin to sign a proclamation supporting "National Coming Out Day" held internationally on October 11.
Unfortunately, our request has not been granted at this time.
***********************************************************************************
PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY
WHEREAS, National Coming Out Day is an internationally-observed awareness day for coming out and discussion about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ("LGBT") issues, observed on October 11 by members of the LGBT communities, their families friends and allies,
WHEREAS, National Coming Out Day was founded in 1988 to celebrate the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1987, in which 500,000 people marched on our nation's Capital for the purpose of raising awareness of the LGBT community in America,
WHEREAS, National Coming Out Day is an effort to put real human faces on the LGBT rights movement, so that the American people become more aware that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered individuals can be found among their own families, friends, business associates, fellow church-goers, and every other part of American society,
WHEREAS, in every state of the union, the diversity of the American people is mirrored in the LGBT community, members of whom can be found in every faith, ethnic group, profession, in the military and clergy, and every age group from young people to elders,
WHEREAS, coming out has been recognized by many Americans as a vital and often life-saving step for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered persons, making it possible for them to be fully honest with their families, friends and associates about who they really are,
WHEREAS, coming out is an opportunity for the closeted individual to find dignity, empowerment and self-respect, as well as tolerance and loving support by other human beings, which cannot be found in the loneliness and self-denial of the closet,
WHEREAS, Alaska has its own vibrant LGBT community, which contributes richly to the vigor and diversity of this great state and is active in every area of Alaskan life, from civil rights work and HIV prevention programs, through youth support organizations like PFLAG and churches like the Metropolitan Community Church, as well as publications, businesses, and contributions in the arts,
WHEREAS, Alaska has a tradition of rugged and pioneering individualism, as well as tolerance for those who are different, going back to its earliest days as a territory, and the LGBT community of Alaska are a part of that tradition,
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Sarah Palin, Governor of the state of Alaska, do hereby proclaim October 11, 2008 as:
National Coming-Out Day
In Alaska, in recognition of the importance of respect for the humanity and dignity of all LGBT Alaskans living among us.
Dated: ------------------, 2008
Unfortunately, our request has not been granted at this time.
***********************************************************************************
PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY
WHEREAS, National Coming Out Day is an internationally-observed awareness day for coming out and discussion about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ("LGBT") issues, observed on October 11 by members of the LGBT communities, their families friends and allies,
WHEREAS, National Coming Out Day was founded in 1988 to celebrate the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1987, in which 500,000 people marched on our nation's Capital for the purpose of raising awareness of the LGBT community in America,
WHEREAS, National Coming Out Day is an effort to put real human faces on the LGBT rights movement, so that the American people become more aware that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered individuals can be found among their own families, friends, business associates, fellow church-goers, and every other part of American society,
WHEREAS, in every state of the union, the diversity of the American people is mirrored in the LGBT community, members of whom can be found in every faith, ethnic group, profession, in the military and clergy, and every age group from young people to elders,
WHEREAS, coming out has been recognized by many Americans as a vital and often life-saving step for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered persons, making it possible for them to be fully honest with their families, friends and associates about who they really are,
WHEREAS, coming out is an opportunity for the closeted individual to find dignity, empowerment and self-respect, as well as tolerance and loving support by other human beings, which cannot be found in the loneliness and self-denial of the closet,
WHEREAS, Alaska has its own vibrant LGBT community, which contributes richly to the vigor and diversity of this great state and is active in every area of Alaskan life, from civil rights work and HIV prevention programs, through youth support organizations like PFLAG and churches like the Metropolitan Community Church, as well as publications, businesses, and contributions in the arts,
WHEREAS, Alaska has a tradition of rugged and pioneering individualism, as well as tolerance for those who are different, going back to its earliest days as a territory, and the LGBT community of Alaska are a part of that tradition,
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Sarah Palin, Governor of the state of Alaska, do hereby proclaim October 11, 2008 as:
National Coming-Out Day
In Alaska, in recognition of the importance of respect for the humanity and dignity of all LGBT Alaskans living among us.
Dated: ------------------, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Commentary: On the "Ex-Gay" Movement
One of my earliest memories is being told by the principal of my Christian school that along with Prince fans and devotees of the rock band, Kiss, homosexuals were going to hell. I was only six years old and had never heard of a homosexual, but my principal was happy to spell it out for his elementary school audience: “Homosexual are men who have sex with men.” By the end of the school day, I was in tears, convinced that my mother’s love for Prince had doomed us both for eternity. At the time, homosexuality had no relevance to my life, and because after this incident my mother promptly enrolled me in public school, I was spared any additional attempts to prevent me from growing up to be gay.
But what about the children whose parents weren’t aware of what their kids were being taught? Or whose parents’ beliefs might have been more in line with that of the principal’s? What about the slightly older child, already aware of his or her attraction to people of the same sex, forced to come of age weighed down by this message of condemnation? For years, these children remained vulnerable to the harmful teachings of adults who used their authority and their religious standing to promote an anti-gay agenda under the guise of Christian righteousness. It is disheartening to know that some groups continue to promote a philosophy that endangers peoples’ mental health and validates social intolerance.
Over time, the homophobic discourse of Christian fundamentalism has grown more benevolent in tone. Instead of threatening the gates of hell, for example, Focus on the Family’s Love Won Out ministry claims to help people “overcome” their same sex attractions with “compassion and grace.” They claim to be able to “transform” people’s lives with holistic therapies and counseling. But just because the tone has changed doesn’t mean that the consequences have disappeared. In a 1998 position statement the American Psychiatric Association cited the numerous potential risks of the “therapies” promoted by these ministries of so-called “transformation,” including depression, anxiety, and self-destructive behavior. The American Psychological Association, National Association of Social Workers, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have also expressed their concern about the harmful consequences of these ministries on the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning people and their families.
For all their talk of love, the Love Won Out ministry blindly ignores the love and affection that exists between gay and lesbian couples, portraying us as emotionally stunted individuals with no interest in each other beyond the physical, thereby diminishing public respect for and recognition of our relationships and families. If you look beneath the “self-help”-styled rhetoric, at the core of their philosophy is the belief that if you’re gay or lesbian, there is something fundamentally wrong with you that needs to be changed. Not only is this belief medically incorrect—psychiatrists dismissed it almost forty years ago—it also implicitly validates social prejudices that lead to acts of discrimination, harassment, and violence. These acts cause far more mental harm to gays and lesbians—and do more harm to our democracy—than allowing law-abiding citizens to live their lives equally, honestly, and without fear—regardless of their sexual orientation.
I work for the American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska, an organization that protects the right of every citizen to believe in and promote the religion of their choice. Focus on the Family has every right to bring its Love Won Out conference all the way to Anchorage and share their mission with whoever is willing to listen. But our Constitution also grants me the right to urge you—for the sake of your loved ones’ mental well-being and happiness, for the sake of promoting a more democratic and compassionate community, and in the name of love—not to believe a word they say.
Tiffany McClain
ACLU of Alaska
tmcclain@akclu.org
But what about the children whose parents weren’t aware of what their kids were being taught? Or whose parents’ beliefs might have been more in line with that of the principal’s? What about the slightly older child, already aware of his or her attraction to people of the same sex, forced to come of age weighed down by this message of condemnation? For years, these children remained vulnerable to the harmful teachings of adults who used their authority and their religious standing to promote an anti-gay agenda under the guise of Christian righteousness. It is disheartening to know that some groups continue to promote a philosophy that endangers peoples’ mental health and validates social intolerance.
Over time, the homophobic discourse of Christian fundamentalism has grown more benevolent in tone. Instead of threatening the gates of hell, for example, Focus on the Family’s Love Won Out ministry claims to help people “overcome” their same sex attractions with “compassion and grace.” They claim to be able to “transform” people’s lives with holistic therapies and counseling. But just because the tone has changed doesn’t mean that the consequences have disappeared. In a 1998 position statement the American Psychiatric Association cited the numerous potential risks of the “therapies” promoted by these ministries of so-called “transformation,” including depression, anxiety, and self-destructive behavior. The American Psychological Association, National Association of Social Workers, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have also expressed their concern about the harmful consequences of these ministries on the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning people and their families.
For all their talk of love, the Love Won Out ministry blindly ignores the love and affection that exists between gay and lesbian couples, portraying us as emotionally stunted individuals with no interest in each other beyond the physical, thereby diminishing public respect for and recognition of our relationships and families. If you look beneath the “self-help”-styled rhetoric, at the core of their philosophy is the belief that if you’re gay or lesbian, there is something fundamentally wrong with you that needs to be changed. Not only is this belief medically incorrect—psychiatrists dismissed it almost forty years ago—it also implicitly validates social prejudices that lead to acts of discrimination, harassment, and violence. These acts cause far more mental harm to gays and lesbians—and do more harm to our democracy—than allowing law-abiding citizens to live their lives equally, honestly, and without fear—regardless of their sexual orientation.
I work for the American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska, an organization that protects the right of every citizen to believe in and promote the religion of their choice. Focus on the Family has every right to bring its Love Won Out conference all the way to Anchorage and share their mission with whoever is willing to listen. But our Constitution also grants me the right to urge you—for the sake of your loved ones’ mental well-being and happiness, for the sake of promoting a more democratic and compassionate community, and in the name of love—not to believe a word they say.
Tiffany McClain
ACLU of Alaska
tmcclain@akclu.org
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Alaskans Together reforms as two different groups
Alaskans Together, the group that led the surprisingly successful fight against the April 2007 anti-gay advisory vote (on same-sex partner benefits) is pleased to announce that it is re-forming as two new groups: Alaskans Together for Equality, Inc. is a non-profit that can lobby the Alaska Legislature for equal rights for LGBT Alaskans, and Alaskans Together Foundation, Inc. is an educational non-profit that can receive grants and educate the Alaskan public on the need for equal treatment and civil rights for LGBT Alaskans. We are proud to be working closely with the ACLU of Alaska which has been helping to lead the struggle for LGBT equality for many years. We look forward to your future membership and involvement in both organizations.
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