LGBTQ

On Thursday, the Alaska State Board of Education approved a resolution that supports barring transgender female students from participating in girls’ sports. (Getty Images illustration via Alaska Beacon)

State school board supports barring transgender female students from participating in girls’ sports

On Thursday, the Alaska State Board of Education approved a resolution that supports barring transgender female students from participating in girls’ sports. The resolution supported… Continue reading

On Thursday, the Alaska State Board of Education approved a resolution that supports barring transgender female students from participating in girls’ sports. (Getty Images illustration via Alaska Beacon)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Rep. Sara Hannan, a Juneau Democrat, speaks to the state House Health and Social Services Committee Thursday afternoon in support of a bill she sponsors that would ban licensed practitioners from providing conversion treatment to minors or vulnerable adults in the state of Alaska.

Conversion therapy survivors advocate for banning practice in Alaska

Invited testimony given for Rep. Sara Hannan’s bill.

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Rep. Sara Hannan, a Juneau Democrat, speaks to the state House Health and Social Services Committee Thursday afternoon in support of a bill she sponsors that would ban licensed practitioners from providing conversion treatment to minors or vulnerable adults in the state of Alaska.
Susan McKenzie, director of Innovation and Education Excellence, foreground, and Deb Riddle, division operations manager for the state Department of Education and Early Development, explain details of bills to restrict mentioning sex/gender in schools and give teachers year-end retention bonuses during a House Education Committee meeting Monday at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Bill limiting sex, gender talk in schools gets first public hearing

Testimony limited to supporters who refer to indoctrination, religion in arguing parents know best.

Susan McKenzie, director of Innovation and Education Excellence, foreground, and Deb Riddle, division operations manager for the state Department of Education and Early Development, explain details of bills to restrict mentioning sex/gender in schools and give teachers year-end retention bonuses during a House Education Committee meeting Monday at the Alaska State Capitol. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire State Sen. Löki Tobin, D-Anchorage, reads an announcement during the Senate floor session Wednesday. Tobin, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, emerged as a potential road block to Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s “parental rights” bill by declaring it would not get a hearing if referred to her committee. The bill was subsequently referred to two other committees, with Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, stating it will get a public hearing.

Bill limiting sex, gender discussion in education will get public hearing, senate president says

However, lawmakers say it will not be a main focus.

Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire State Sen. Löki Tobin, D-Anchorage, reads an announcement during the Senate floor session Wednesday. Tobin, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, emerged as a potential road block to Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s “parental rights” bill by declaring it would not get a hearing if referred to her committee. The bill was subsequently referred to two other committees, with Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak, stating it will get a public hearing.
Gavel (Courtesy photo)

Alaska rights commission limits LGBTQ+ discrimination cases

ANCHORAGE — Alaska’s human rights commission has reversed an earlier policy and now is only investigating LGBTQ+ discrimination complaints related to workplace discrimination and not… Continue reading

Gavel (Courtesy photo)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Rep. Sara Hannan, D-Juneau addresses a crowd during a recent rally outside the Alaska State Capitol. Hannan is the sponsor of a bill that would ban licensed practitioners from performing “conversion therapy” in the state.

Lawmaker says ban on conversion therapy can help address LGBTQ+ youth suicide

The bill, sponsored by Juneau Rep. Sara Hannan, awaits a House committee hearing.

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Rep. Sara Hannan, D-Juneau addresses a crowd during a recent rally outside the Alaska State Capitol. Hannan is the sponsor of a bill that would ban licensed practitioners from performing “conversion therapy” in the state.
Luke the Duke of Bell and Santa bust a move during their performance Saturday evening at the Alaskan Bar, a part of Juneau Drag’s Holi-gay Spectacular Ho Ho HOMO. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Juneau Drag invites residents to celebrates the ‘holi-gays’ in style

Now they don their gay apparel.

Luke the Duke of Bell and Santa bust a move during their performance Saturday evening at the Alaskan Bar, a part of Juneau Drag’s Holi-gay Spectacular Ho Ho HOMO. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
President Joe Biden signs the Respect for Marriage Act, Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo / Andrew Harnik)

Gay marriage bill signed at White House ceremony

“This law and the love it defends strike a blow against hate in all its forms,” president says.

President Joe Biden signs the Respect for Marriage Act, Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo / Andrew Harnik)
People gather in Washington’s Lafayette Park to see the White House illuminated with rainbow colors to mark the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling to legalize same-sex marriage, June 26, 2015. President Joe Biden plans to sign legislation this coming week that will protect gay unions even if the Supreme Court revisits its ruling supporting a nationwide right of same-sex couples to marry. It’s the latest part of Biden’s legacy on gay rights, which includes his unexpected endorsement of marriage equality on national television a decade ago when he was vice president. (AP Photo / Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Biden called gay marriage ‘inevitable’ and soon it’ll be law

He plans to sign legislation, passed by bipartisan majorities in Congress, to protect gay unions.

People gather in Washington’s Lafayette Park to see the White House illuminated with rainbow colors to mark the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling to legalize same-sex marriage, June 26, 2015. President Joe Biden plans to sign legislation this coming week that will protect gay unions even if the Supreme Court revisits its ruling supporting a nationwide right of same-sex couples to marry. It’s the latest part of Biden’s legacy on gay rights, which includes his unexpected endorsement of marriage equality on national television a decade ago when he was vice president. (AP Photo / Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Has Du Eetíxʼ Xʼaakeidíx̱ Haa Sitee performs at Pride Outside at Skater’s Cabin, an LGBTQ community event organized by NAMI Juneau on June 5, 2022. (Courtesy photo / Meryl Connelly-Chew)

Local LGBTQ+ advocate receives award for work building community

Community-based work is their focus and their calling.

Has Du Eetíxʼ Xʼaakeidíx̱ Haa Sitee performs at Pride Outside at Skater’s Cabin, an LGBTQ community event organized by NAMI Juneau on June 5, 2022. (Courtesy photo / Meryl Connelly-Chew)
Gigi Monroe emceed the 2020 GLITZ Drive-in Drag Show, held at the University of Alaska Southeast Juneau campus where viewers stayed in their cars arranged around a stage in the parking lot on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020. This year, the event is returning to Centennial Hall and will be less of a “GLITZ-lite” than organizers worried it could be. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)

Live and in color: GLITZ returns to full, glorious presence

Back from the pandemic, the performance heads to Centennial Hall once again.

Gigi Monroe emceed the 2020 GLITZ Drive-in Drag Show, held at the University of Alaska Southeast Juneau campus where viewers stayed in their cars arranged around a stage in the parking lot on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020. This year, the event is returning to Centennial Hall and will be less of a “GLITZ-lite” than organizers worried it could be. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire File)
A Pride flag hangs in downtown Juneau on Thursday, June 2, 2022, in honor of June as Pride Month. A number of Juneau's Pride events are being sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness Juneau, who say LGBTQ youth are at higher risk for depression and suicidal ideation. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

Pride Month is here, statewide LGBTQ protections aren’t

Events to focus on fostering community.

A Pride flag hangs in downtown Juneau on Thursday, June 2, 2022, in honor of June as Pride Month. A number of Juneau's Pride events are being sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness Juneau, who say LGBTQ youth are at higher risk for depression and suicidal ideation. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
The Senate Judiciary Committee moved a bill that would ban transgender athletes from competing on teams of the sex they identify with on Monday, May 2, 2022. The bill could go to a floor vote sometime this week. (Screenshot)

Transgender sports bill ready for Senate vote

Privacy issues.

The Senate Judiciary Committee moved a bill that would ban transgender athletes from competing on teams of the sex they identify with on Monday, May 2, 2022. The bill could go to a floor vote sometime this week. (Screenshot)
Sen. Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer, spoke to the Senate Education Committee on Thursday, March 3, 2022, regarding a bill that would prevent transgender athletes from competing as the sex they identify with. (Screenshot)

Hearing held for restrictive transgender sports bill

Opponents say courts will strike it down.

Sen. Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer, spoke to the Senate Education Committee on Thursday, March 3, 2022, regarding a bill that would prevent transgender athletes from competing as the sex they identify with. (Screenshot)
A progressive pride flag hangs in teacher Winter Marshall-Allen’s classroom at Homer High School on Friday. Marshall-Allen was previously asked to remove the flag and other symbols displayed in her classroom, but was allowed to put it back up after she filed a grievance with the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District. (Photo courtesy winter Marshall-Allen)

‘The school building needs to be a safe haven’

Union forms commission in response to accusations of LGBTQ+ censorship in Kenai Peninsula schools

A progressive pride flag hangs in teacher Winter Marshall-Allen’s classroom at Homer High School on Friday. Marshall-Allen was previously asked to remove the flag and other symbols displayed in her classroom, but was allowed to put it back up after she filed a grievance with the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District. (Photo courtesy winter Marshall-Allen)
Drag performers dance Saturday to “YMCA” by the Village People at the Zach Gordon Youth Center’s Pride Month event at the center. Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire

Youth center holds Pride event for LGBTQ youth

Food, music, and age-appropriate fun for the community’s LGBTQ teenagers.

Drag performers dance Saturday to “YMCA” by the Village People at the Zach Gordon Youth Center’s Pride Month event at the center. Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire
Juneau’s Pride Week, hosted by the Southeast Alaska LGBTQ+ Alliance, is going smoothly despite its new virtual format. (Courtesy art / SEAGLA)

Organizers: Despite challenges, virtual Pride week is going smoothly

And there’s stil a few days to go.

Juneau’s Pride Week, hosted by the Southeast Alaska LGBTQ+ Alliance, is going smoothly despite its new virtual format. (Courtesy art / SEAGLA)
Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Juneau’s rainbow crosswalk, a project funded by fundraising, is just over a year old now on Aug. 20, 2020.

Rainbow crosswalk shines on a year in

The publicly fundraised crosswalk marches on

Peter Segall / Juneau Empire Juneau’s rainbow crosswalk, a project funded by fundraising, is just over a year old now on Aug. 20, 2020.
SEAGLA readies to kick off belated Pride Week

SEAGLA readies to kick off belated Pride Week

Many of the events are virtual, and all of them are inclusive.

SEAGLA readies to kick off belated Pride Week
Willie Anderson holds up a flag in front at a short PFLAG gathering held near the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. (Ben Hohenstatt | Juneau Empire)

Despite pandemic, they’ve still got Pride

PFLAG and Juneau Suicide Prevention Coalition gather near glacier.

Willie Anderson holds up a flag in front at a short PFLAG gathering held near the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. (Ben Hohenstatt | Juneau Empire)