Lesbian Singer Performs Coming Out Song at UAF

What does a lesbian Jewish Russian-emigre songwriter do when she comes out to her mother? She writes a song about it.

Irina Rivkin, a singer/songwriter from California, and her sister Dr. Inna Rivkin, of Fairbanks, performed Irina's coming out song "Ya Eyo Lublu" at her Nov. 8 concert in UAF's Schaible Auditorium. 

The concert was sponsored by the UAF Women's Center and the Office of Multicultural Affairs & Diversity.

A week later, Irina sang her bilingual love song for the anti-Prop 8 rally outside Fairbanks City Hall on Nov. 15, part of the nation-wide protest after California's Prop 8 narrowly passed and same-sex marriage was rescinded.

"In a time of hope for change to come," wrote Irina two days after the election, "I'm taking a plane from CA to Fairbanks tonight" to perform and join the protest.

Irina returns to Alaska every summer, to visit her family and perform her music. She plans to visit again in 2009.