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Circus performers rise against “evil ringmaster” Kelsey Bryce Riker in the opening of GLITZ’s Act Two during a tech rehearsal on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, at Perseverance Theatre. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire) Circus performers rise against “evil ringmaster” Kelsey Bryce Riker in the opening of GLITZ’s Act Two during a tech rehearsal on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, at Perseverance Theatre. (Jasz Garrett / Juneau Empire)

News

‘Step right up’ to the 10th annual GLITZ this weekend

A circus of community this year, with limited availability remaining

Daaljíni Mary Cruise, left, offers encouragement to participants in a Unity for the Queer Community rally at the Alaska State Capitol on Sunday afternoon. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Hundreds participate in Juneau LGBTQ+ rally as Trump administration seeks to erase letters and rights

President’s actions to stop “woke” are putting people’s safety and health at risk, participants say.

Southeast Alaska LGBTQ+ Alliance Board Chair JoLynn Shriber reads a list the names of killed transgender people as Thunder Mountain High School students Kyla Stevens, center, and Laila Williams hold flags in the wind during a transgender remembrance at Marine Park on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019. (Michael Penn / Juneau Empire file photo)

Opinion

My Turn: It’s hard enough to be a trans kid in the US without Trump trying to erase them

Donald Trump is using his power as president of the United States to bully trans children. Signing multiple…

A Pride flag hangs in a Kenai Peninsula Borough School District room. (Peninsula Clarion file photo)

News

Judge blocks Biden’s Title IX LGBTQ+ protections in Alaska, other states

Third ruling in less than three weeks puts policy on hold in 14 states; more challenges pending.

Eighty-four girls from Southeast Alaska high schools set out from the starting line of the Capital City Invite’s 5K race on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. The Juneau Board of Education on Friday unanimously voted to seek advice from outside council on a new state policy banning transgender girls from high school sports teams. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

School board unanimously votes to seek outside legal advice on new statewide transgender sports ban

Juneau reportedly first district to take step that may lead to lawsuit challenging policy.

Lamia Monroe of Anchorage (center) is crowned the first First Miss Gay Alaska America by pageant sponsor Gigi Monroe (left) and reigning Miss Gay America Tatiyanna Voche during the finale of the two-night event Saturday at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

First-ever Miss Gay Alaska America is crowned in Juneau

Lamia Monroe wins two-day female impersonator pageant, will go to national event with runner-up.

A row of rainbow flags are displayed above the bookshelves in the teen room at the Mendenhall Valley Public Library. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Schools, libraries get warning letters from state attorney general about youth content

Local officials say letters lack specifics, aren’t considering changes in policies.

Basketball players face off at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at for a basketball game in December 2022. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)

Sports

Transgender sports ban now in effect, but Juneau and other school districts in no rush to comply

“I’ve never seen such unity against a policy,” local school member says after statewide conference.

Troy Michael Smith, a part-time Juneau resident, at the Mr. Gay World competition in Cape Town, South Africa, where he prevailed among the 11 candidates. (Photo courtesy of Rudi Du Toit Photography)

News

Juneau resident crowned Mr. Gay World

Troy Michael Smith bests 11 international candidates in Cape Town.

Emily Wright, an assistant attorney for the City and Borough of Juneau, explains legal ramifications of the state’s new ban on transgender girls participating in girls high school sports to the Juneau Board of Education on Tuesday night at Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Sports

Legal, moral concerns raised by local school and city officials about state’s transgender sports ban

School board seeks more input after hearing ban violates city bylaws and maybe state’s Constitution.

A sign opposing the participation of trans girls in girls sports is propped against a fire hydrant outside of the George A. Navarre Admin Building on Thursday, June 8, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. The Alaska Board of Education met in the building to discuss a resolution that would ban trans girls from girls high school sports. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

News

State Board of Education bars trans girls from girls’ high school sports teams

Alaska becomes 24th state to impose such restrictions.

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy speaks to reporters during a news conference at the Alaska State Capitol on April 28, 2022. Transgender girls would be barred from participating on high school girls' athletic teams in Alaska under a proposal being considered Wednesday by the state board of education. Opponents of the proposal call it discriminatory and unconstitutional and say it likely will lead to litigation. Supporters, including Dunleavy, say it is needed to ensure fairness in girls' sports. (AP Photo/Becky Bohrer, File)

News

Alaska board delays action on proposal to bar transgender girls from girls’ high school sports teams

Alaska board delays action on proposal to bar transgender girls from girls’ high school sports teams

Rae Mills, a mentor with the “Weaving Our Pride” project, hangs strands of wool yarn on a loom that will be used to create two Pride Robes at the Zach Gordon Youth Center on Friday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

News

Spinning the first threads of two Alaska Native Pride Robes

Mentors to spend year with students at Zach Gordon Youth Center creating the permanent wearable art

Emily Mesch, president of Southeast Alaska LGBTQ+ Alliance, smiles for a photo near the Mendenhall Glacier Thursday evening. SEAGLA is a Juneau-based nonprofit that works to “provide a supporting social network for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer people in Southeast Alaska.” (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Faces of Pride: Emily Mesch

“There are people out there and we want to help support them.”

Chloey Cavanaugh, owner of Black and White Raven Co., folds a shirt at her downtown studio Monday morning. Cavanaugh’s company is an LGBTQ+ and Indigenous small business based in Juneau. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Faces of Pride: Chloey Cavanaugh

“I feel really lucky to be so supported by the community.”

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire File Girls teams face off on the twin courts of the main gym at Juneau-Douglas Yadaa.at Kalé High School during the Juneau Invitational Volleyball Extravaganza on Oct. 15, 2022. A proposal being considered by the Alaska State Board of Education and Early Development to ban transgender females from participating in girls high school sports could take effect before this year’s fall sports season.

Sports

Public comment open for statewide transgender sports ban

Proposal barring transgender girls from girls’ high school sports teams to be reconsidered July 26

City and Borough of Juneau Assembly member Greg Smith smiles Thursday afternoon while walking across the rainbow crosswalk recently repainted in downtown Juneau. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Faces of Pride: Assembly member Greg Smith

“For me it’s about acceptance, respect and understanding where people are in their lives.”

Writer Jane Hale smiles for a photo as the wind blows a newly raised LGBTQ+ flag at the Hurff A. Saunders Federal Building downtown. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

News

Faces of Pride: Jane Hale

This is the first story in a four-part series spotlighting Pride Month in Juneau.

Dozens of Juneau teachers, students and residents gather at the steps of the Alaska State Capitol on Jan. 23 in advocacy for an increase in the state’s flat funding via the base student allocation, which hasn’t increased sizeably since 2017 and has failed to keep pace with inflation during the past decade. A one-time funding increase was approved during this year’s legislative session. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire file photo)

News

What’s next for the most debated bills pending in the Legislature?

Education funding increase, “parental rights” and other proposals will resurface next year.

Teaser

News

State association considers transgender ban on student sports

Change would limit girls teams to birth-assigned sex; public meeting scheduled Monday