A long-overdue Bent Alaska update — October 2013

1) Sweden’s Lutheran church to celebrate gay weddings

Stockholm, Sweden, AFP, October 23, 2009

2) Focus of Gay-Marriage Fight Is Maine

Maine, New York Times, October 27, 2009

3) Katherine Ragsdale installed as Episcopal Divinity School’s president and dean

Cambridge, Mass., Episcopal Life, October 28, 2009

4) Prominent United Methodist Minister Elected to National Board of Directors of PFLAG

Washington, DC, PFLAG, October 26, 2009

5) Stoning law to be reviewed

Banda Aceh, Indonesia, Straits Times, October 27, 2009

6) Newsom’s Out: Quits Calif. Governor Race

San Francisco, Advocate, October 30, 2009

7) Army dream of transgender man

Middlesbrough, Ireland, Belfast Telegraph, October 30, 2009

8) AP NewsBreak: IOC to hold meeting on gender cases

London, Associated Press, October 27, 2009

9) Call for equal rights for all forms of family

Malta, Times of Malta, October 30, 2009

10) Paterson calls lawmakers back for marriage bill ~ New York Governor wants ‘extraordinary session’

Albany, New York, Southern Voice, October 30, 2009

1) Obama Administration to Ensure Inclusion of the LGBT Community in HUD Programs

Dept. of Washington, Housing and Urban Development (HUD), October 21, 2009

2) Gay & Lesbian Manners: Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are

Huffington Post, October 14, 2009

3) D-Day veteran’s speech on gay marriage is YouTube hit

Maine, Telegraph, UK, October 21, 2009

4) Students pledge to address anti-gay bullying

Baltimore, Maryland, Baltimore Sun, October 21, 2009

5) 8-year-old boy has “sex change”

Arizona, Vietnam Net, October 20, 2009

6) O Danny Boy! Gay tourism to Ireland booming

Dublin, Ireland, Irish Central, October 21, 2009

7) Killer renounces Mob, says he is gay

New York, UPI.com, October 20, 2009

8) Karger: Proposition 8 Film Explains Mormon Gay Marriage Involvement

Utah, On Top, October 21, 2009

9) Federal Bill Would Deny Funding to States Banning Gay Adoption

Washington, Memphis Flyer, October 19, 2009

10) Census will count same-sex couples

San Francisco, The Reporter, October 19, 2009

11) Transgender Shoplifting Story Inspires Absurd Corrections

Maryland, Washington City Paper, October 20, 2009

12) American gays looking to Indian surrogate industry to have children

Washington, New Kerala, October12, 2009

13) Bishop Spong issues personal manifesto

Auckland, New Zealand, St. Mathew In-the-City, October 20, 2009

14) Do we really want sports defining gender?

Copenhagen, Salon, October 12, 2009

15) Congress extends hate crime protections to gays

Washington, 365Gay.com, October 23, 2009

16) 2 Maine newspapers: Preserve gay marriage

Augusta, Maine, October 23, 2009

1) Equality March draws protesters from across nation

Washington, Washington Blade, October 16, 2009

2) Schwarzenegger creates day honoring Harvey Milk

Sacramento, Calif., Newsday, October 12, 2009

3) U.S. gay marriage case clears hurdle

San Francisco, Reuters, October 14, 2009

4) Sex Changes Legal in Uruguay

Uruguay, Advocate, October 13, 2009

5) Reid Criticizes Mormons for Prop 8

Washington, Advocate, October 14, 2009

6) Obama picks MN woman as 1st openly gay US marshal

Washington, 365Gay.com, October 14, 2009

7) New Hampshire’s Gay Bishop Speaks On Marriage In Maine

Portland, Maine, WCSH6, October 15, 2009

8) Muslim team banned after refusing to play gay team

Paris, France, Associated Press, October 14, 2009

9) Documentary of Western Pennsylvania Transsexual’s journey part of Lesbian & Gay film fest

Pittsburgh, Post-Gazette, October 15, 2009

10) HRC Completes Out in Scripture

Reconciling Ministries, Flashnet, August 27, 2009

11) Columbia celebrates Pagan Pride Day

Missouri, The Maneater, September 29, 2009

12) Takei discusses sexual equality

Philadelphia, The Triangle, October 16, 2009

13) Turner’s Two Cents: Yes, Gay Rights ARE Civil Rights!

Los Angeles, EURweb, October 13, 2009

14) 14th Annual LGBT Travel Survey

San Francisco, Community Marketing Inc., October 17, 2009

This week’s national GLBT news chosen by Sara Boesser of Juneau.

1) Obama: I will end military ban on gays

Washington, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 11, 2009

2) Obama’s message last night – watch and pass it on

Washington, HRC, October 10, 2009

3) Gay rights advocates march on DC, divided on Obama

Washington, Associated Press, October 11, 2009

4) Rick Garcia, Chicago ~ National Equality March 2009

Washington, Metro Weekly, October 8, 2009

5) A Step in Faith

Washington, Newsweek, October 8, 2009

6) DADT Disproportionately Affects Women

Washington, Advocate, October 09, 2009

7) House Approves Hate Crimes Provision in Defense Bill

Washington, Christian Post, October 9, 2009

8) Gay marriage about love, not politics

Bona Venture, October 2, 2009

9) Maine voters face historic choice on gay marriage

Portland, Maine, 365Gay.com, October 9, 2009

10) Corvino: Stand up for Maine – and for marriage

Portland, Maine, 365Gay.com, October 2009

1) Speakers announced for National Equality March

Washington, 365Gay.com, September 30, 2009

2) Equality March route approved

Washington, 365Gay.com, September 30, 2009

3) South African Angst

New York Times, September 2, 2009

4) Coming Out in Middle School

New York Times, September 23, 2009

5) Transgender Pastor Speaks Out

Portland, Oregon, CBS News, October 1, 2009

6) Indiana court turns down same-sex divorce request

Indianapolis, Indiana, Washington Blade, September 18, 2009

7) Gay penguins book is most banned

BBC, October 1, 2009

8) Maine ethics commission approves probe of anti-gay marriage fundraising

Augusta, Maine, Star Tribune, October 1, 2009

9) Transgender teacher fired by Catholic school board

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Canada News, October 3, 2009

10) 20 films that resonate with LGBT crowd

St. Petersburg, Florida, St. Petersburg Times, October 4, 2009

11) Study finds more gay characters on network TV

Los Angeles, Associated Press, September 20, 2009

12) LGBT Community Smoke More Than Missouri’s Average

Missouri, KSMU News, October 1, 2009

13) The costly failure of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’

Washington, Boston Globe, October 3, 2009

14) Forget Chicago: Cleveland Gets the Gay Games

Cleveland, Ohio, Time, October 1, 2009

15) Faith drives activism for gay rights supporters

Washington, National Catholic Reporter, October 1, 2009

A selection of current GLBT news chosen by Sara Boesser, author of Silent Lives: How High a Price?

1) A world first: Vaccine helps prevent HIV infection

Bangkok, Thailand, 365Gay.com, September 24, 2009

2) Minorities Constitute Nearly Half FY2008 Discharges under ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

Washington, Servicemembers United, September 10, 2009

3) Exhibit explores transgender people

St. Louis, Joplin Globe, September 21, 2009

4) Groundbreaking study on LGBT Parents Released by APA

Windy City Times, September 23, 2009

5) Laos tackles transgender taboos

Vientiane, Laos, BBC News, June 18, 2009

6) Met advertises for lesbian and gay police to guard the Queen

London, London Evening Standard, September 9, 2009

7) Corvino: Coming out advice

365Gay.com, September 25, 2009

8) House hears ENDA testimony ~ Frank, Baldwin push for trans-inclusive bill at hearing

Washington, Washington Blade, September 23, 2009

9) Measure submitted to dump Calif. gay marriage ban

San Francisco, Washington Blade, September 24 2009

10) Gay rights measures on the ballot in three states

Olympia Washington, Newsday.com, September 26, 2009

11) October is LGBTQ History Month…Make History on the 11th

Flashnet, Reconciling Ministries

Another batch of interesting news from Sara in Juneau. Follow the linked titles to the articles and web sites.

1) Anchorage Pride Conference 2009!

October 9-11, 2009, at Alaska Pacific University – Atwood Center

Anchorage, Alaska, Identity Inc.

2) Uruguay allows gay adoptions

Uruguay, ABC, September 10, 2009

3) Torah Queeries: Weekly Commentaries on the Hebrew Bible through a “bent lens”

Amazon.com

4) Straight spouses advocate same-sex marriage

San Francisco, 365Gay.com, September 14, 2009

5) Welcome to the Straight Spouse Network

Straight Spouse Network

6) Corzine: NJ Gay Marriage “This Year”

New Jersey, Advocate, September 15, 2009

7) ‘We need to celebrate ourselves’ ~ Black Gay Pride parties with a purpose

Atlanta, Southern Voice, September 11, 2009

8) Partridge ‘surprised’ by response

UKPA, September 12, 2009

9) Lesbian to Be Named to EEOC Post

Washington, Advocate, September 14, 2009

10) Brandon church claims Pepsi promotes gay lifestyle

Brandon, Florida, ABC Action News, September 11, 2009

11) Vanasco: Is Maine about to lose marriage?

Maine, 365Gay.com, September 18, 2009

12) Gay, bisexual teens at risk for eating disorders

New York, Reuters, September 18, 2009

13) Entertainment Industry and Faith Leaders Endorse National Equality March

TowleRoad, September 15, 2009

14) Serbian gay parade is called off

Serbia, BBC, September 19, 2009

15) Offer to deface Bible withdrawn

Glasgow, Scotland, BBC, August 3, 2009

16) Charlize Won’t Marry Unless Her Gay Friends Can

Advocate, September 18, 2009

Follow the linked titles to the article or podcast.

1) Hostility Against LGBT Youth Increases in Rural, Low-Income Areas, Report Says

School Library Journal, September 9, 2009

2) Logo ‘Goes Dark’ on Sunday, October 11th in Support of LGBT ‘National Equality March

New York, Reuters, September 11, 2009

3) Evan Wolfson: ‘Freedom To Marry’ Interview (podcast)

September 11, 2009

4) Republican backs same-sex marriage, Democrat opposes it

New York, Washington Blade, September 4, 2009

5) Sudanese woman fined for wearing trousers

Khartoum, Sudan, Reuters, September 7, 2009

6) ‘God Hates Fags’ church pickets Jewish organizations, CDC

Atlanta, Ga., Southern Voice, September 9, 2009

7) Father of South African intersex athlete outraged at handling of case

South Africa, Miami Herald, September 11, 2009

8) Gay, bi men 50 times more likely to have HIV ~ CDC reports hard data at HIV Prevention Conference

Washington, Southern Voice, August 28, 2009

9) Semenya pulls out of race amid gender speculation

Johannesburg, South Africa, August 17, 2009

10) British PM apologizes for treatment of gay code-breaker

London, CNN.com/Europe, September 11, 2009

11) How Britain drove its greatest genius Alan Turing to suicide… just for being gay

London, Mail Online, September 12, 2009

12) Greenwich Reform Synagogue to host its first gay marriage

Manhattan, Advocate, September 11, 2009

13) American lesbian soldier seeks asylum in Canada

Ottawa, Canada, AFP, September 9, 2009

14) Tenn. Schools Lift Gay Web Filter

Tennessee, Advocate, August 13, 2009

15) Ellen says she’s tough enough to be ‘Idol’ judge

Los Angeles, September 10, 2009

For as long as I can remember, Sara Boesser has sent her NEWS round-up from Juneau every week, sharing an interesting mix of local, national and international items with a list of friends, allies and LGBT community members. Sara is also the author of Silent Lives: How High a Price? I’m pleased to welcome Sara and her NEWS to Bent Alaska!

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1) Join Alaskan contingent marching in DC on October 11

If you are or were an Alaskan resident (or friend of one) and want to march with other Alaskans at the National March on Washington on October 11, 2009, email Mo to join up.

2) Lesbian Couple to Hold First Gay Marriage in Swaziland

Manzini, Swaziland, Times of Swaziland, August 30,2009

3) Statement on Changing Sexual Orientation

National Black Justice Coalition, August 9, 2009

4) Are You a Transgender Individual Who Was Born in Alaska?

Please contact Tiffany McClain at the ACLU of Alaska

Alaska, AkCLU, August 25, 2009

5) Wis. A.G. Refuses to Defend D.P. Law

Madison, Wisconsin, Advocate, August 24, 2009

6) Iceland’s Lesbian PM Makes Forbes List

Iceland, Advocate, August 26, 2009

7) Kennedy was our ‘greatest champion’ says gay activist

Washington, CNN, August 27, 2009

8) Group that opposes gay marriage now targeting Iowa

Des Moines, Iowa, Associated Press, August 26, 2009

9) Hermaphrodite: Hollywood’s goddess of beauty

Brisbane Times, August 27, 2009

10) Doctors “playing God with children’s sex”

Switzerland, SwissInfo, August 26, 2009 .

11) New impetus for bill banning anti-gay bias at work

Washington, 365Gay.com, August 27, 2009

12) Washington Post Profiles NOM Leader

Advocate, August 28, 2009

13) Judge nixes suit that created rift between Obama, gays

Santa Ana, Calif., Washington Blade, August 28, 2009

14) Hugh Hefner, Gay Rights Pioneer

Advocate, August 28, 2009

15) First openly gay Episcopalian bishop: Faith a key to civil-rights struggle

Utah, Salt Lake Tribune, August 21, 2009

16) Eliot revealed as defender of lesbian fiction

U.K., The Independent, August 30, 2009