Lucy Frey Inducted into Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame

Lucy Frey, a founder of Alaska's lesbian community, was inducted into the Alaska Women's Hall of Fame on March 6 as a member of the inaugural class. Frey is honored as a "social studies educator [and] feminist leader."

The Hall of Fame inducted 50 women who have made or are making significant contributions to the shaping of Alaska. Seven of the 13 living inductees were present and most are supporters of the lesbian and gay community, according to the Grrlzlist, including Carol Comeau, Dana Fabe, Katie Hurley, Sarah James, Arliss Sturgulewski, Fran Ulmer and Esther Wunnicke.

"I remember Lucy Frey for two things," wrote Rosemary Shinohara in an ADN editorial Some Teacher. 

"She was my most memorable teacher at Clark Junior High. I loved social studies in seventh grade. Getting to stay after to work on the bulletin boards was a big treat. She put up with troublemakers. She furthered a passion for school that carried me through many years. And she often played Scrabble with my mother, a school secretary and die-hard Catholic. I went along for the games.

"I had no idea at the time that Lucy Frey had a life outside Scrabble and classrooms. But last week, she was among 50 women named to the first Alaska Women's Hall of Fame induction, alongside such notables as Tlingit civil rights leader Elizabeth Peratrovich and Mary Louise Rasmuson of the Rasmuson Foundation.

"Now I find that she was a peace activist, noted Alaska feminist and rabble rouser.

"She handed out pledge cards downtown, asking people to resist violence. She co-owned the Alaska Women's Bookstore. She helped launch the Alaska Women's Political Caucus.

"Organizers of the Hall of Fame -- a handful of women's organizations -- say many feminist causes originated over potluck dinners in her living room.

"I don't know how Lucy and my mother became friends -- I've always thought of my mother as having been a more traditional mom, certainly not someone to hang out with feminists. But I'm glad it happened.

"I always knew Lucy Frey was a special teacher. Now I know she was a special human being too."

Many LGBT people and our allies knew Lucy and enjoyed the lesbian groups and events she helped to create. Although I moved to Alaska just after she retired to Missouri, I heard much about her, especially the potlucks and the Sing-Along. 

What are your thoughts on Lucy Frey's contributions to Alaska? Share your stories of Lucy in the comments.

Gay AK News & Notes

DJ Trina spins for 2,000 Lesbians

Babes Around Denver celebrated 6 years of "First Friday" - the biggest monthly event for lesbians in the US - with a massive event on March 6 that was expected to draw thousands of lesbians from around the country. The resident DJ for First Friday, Trina Johnson "DJ Trina J" flew down from Anchorage to spin Top 40 Dance and Hip/Hop for the record-setting crowd, and will continue her tradition of donating all of her fees and tips to various humane societies in Colorado. Babes Around Denver.

Concert and Movie Night entertain Juneau

"Our Pride Chorus concert and dance went very well," writes Marsha. "We had 166 people in attendance for the concert and many stayed for the dance. The women thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to socialize after the concert. The big spread of food and the dance time allowed that to happen. People loved the choice of music and the quality of the singing during the concert. We did indeed sing many FUN songs in this concert."

"The men's movie night was a success," writes the Webmaster of SEAGLA. "We had about 20 guys, about half couples and half singles. It was a wonderful potluck dinner and the film was a romantic comedy."

Alaska AFL-CIO Asks for Our Support

"Congress will soon debate the Employee Free Choice Act," writes John Lepley, of the Alaska AFL-CIO. "Also known as EFCA, this act will help restore the rights of working people and punish employers who violate current labor law. Alaska is a union-dense state and, on a national level, the LGBT community is gaining a larger presence in the labor movement. Pride at Work is a national LGBT organization and member of the AFL-CIO." Check out the Pride at Work Fact Sheet on The Employee Free Choice Act.

International Two Spirit Gathering

The 2009 International Two Spirit Gathering will be held on October 7-11, 2009 in Estes Park, Colorado. The annual Gathering is for all two-spirit people and their family members. For application, financial assistance and updates, please visit the Two Spirit Gathering.

LGBT Power Summit, April 24-26

The annual LGBT Power Summit is "a three-day intensive training designed to provide activists with the skills, tactics and strategies for moving lawmakers and voters to support the LGBT community." The Summit is co-sponsored by the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force and EqualityMaine, and they hope to bring a team from each of the 50 states. "If you're thinking about getting involved in a campaign for an LGBT cause or pro-LGBT candidate," writes Elias, the contact person for Alaska, "please consider attending this training." For more info on the 2009 LGBT Power Summit, visit NGLTF. 

Alaska's Suicide Prevention Grant Includes GLT Youth

Alaska received a $1.5 million, three-year grant from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that will enable the state, Indian tribes, colleges and universities to develop suicide prevention and intervention programs. Alaska will target youth ages 14-24 with the grant, including young Native men in rural Alaska; gay, lesbian and transgender youth; young veterans; and youth in foster care.

Celebrate Women in March

March is Women's History Month. The 2009 theme is Women Taking the Lead to Save our Planet, and the National Women's History Project is honoring 100 women who have taken the lead in the environmental or "green" movement.

March 8 is International Women's Day, celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some countries, IWD is a national holiday.

March 10 is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. "HIV is Right Here at Home" is the theme for 2009. Women comprise about 27% of HIV infections in the United States, and 19% of reported cases in Alaska.

Locally, The Alaska Women's Hall of Fame inducts its inaugural class on March 6. The ceremony honors 50 women who have made or are making significant contributions to the shaping of Alaska. Lucy Frey, a founder of Alaska's lesbian community, is one of the women being honored.

Another of the inductees is Lena Morrow, subject of the play Make Good the Fires by Arlitia Jones. Lena came to Alaska in 1912 when women were just getting the vote. She was a socialist, activist, journalist, feminist and even ran for office in 1916. The play runs March 13-29 at Cyrano's.

The LunaFest Film Festival on March 20-21 presents ten short films by and about women. Proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Fund and local nonprofit women's organizations. LunaFest is showing at Out North and is sponsored in part by UAA Women's Studies. 

If you know about other Alaskan events celebrating women during March, please share your information in the comments.

This Week in LGBT Alaska 3/6/09

Check out this week's events from Alaska GLBT News.

Juneau

Women of Distinction Dinner, with the Pride Chorus and Marsha Buck, 3/7

SEAGLA Social Fridays (6-8 p.m.) for GLBT people and our friends over 21, at The Imperial Bar, downtown. 

Fairbanks

The movie MILK, about Harvey Milk, is showing at the Blue Loon 3/5 - 3/6 at 5:30 p.m. & 8 p.m., and 3/10 - 3/14 at 8 p.m., except March 13. See the Blue Loon for details.

PFLAG meeting 3/8 at 4 p.m.

Mat-Su Valley

Mat-Su LGBT Community Center social support group meetings to discuss LBGT issues in the valley. Wednesdays at 5 p.m. Vagabond Blues in Palmer.

Anchorage

Alaska Rainbows dinner 3/7, 5-7 p.m.

Gothique Leather & Lace Divas Goth Fashion Show hosted by Kynt & Vyxsin. 3/7, 9 p.m. Mad Myrna's. $10.

Men of Atlantis 3/8, 9 p.m. Mad Myrna's. $10.

The second Sunday of Lent with Rev. Norman Van Manen and MCC Anchorage 3/8, 2 p.m.

Transgendered Alaskans' Social Group (TASG), meets Sundays 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the GLCCA.

Juneau Student says Gay Marriage should be Legal

An 8th grader in Juneau wrote a great essay in support of same-sex marriage and it was published in the Capital City Weekly:

There is no good reason to ban gay marriage

by Madeleina Ellingson-van Sickle, Floyd Dryden Student

Ten percent of America is gay. That's 1 in 10. Chances are that's someone you know or someone you come in contact with every day. Why should they be given different rights just because of their sexual orientation? They shouldn't. Gay marriage should be legal in all 50 states.

The government shouldn't tell people how to live their lives. Right now, only two states allow gay marriage: Connecticut and Massachusetts. For a short time California allowed gay marriage, but then the people overturned the decision and it is no longer allowed. The problem is, only a small percentage of our country's population live in those states. What about the millions of others who are gay and love each other? Many people say they should just get a domestic partnership (which is similar in some ways to marriage, except for the 1,138 other rights that married couples have), but still 19 states don't allow that either. As George Sand, a famous French novelist once said, "There is one happiness in life, to love and to be loved." Should the laws choose who can and can't have that happiness based on their sexual preference? People should choose whom to love; we don't need the government to intervene. 

Gay marriage is similar to interracial marriage. People used to say interracial marriage was wrong because it wasn't "normal" and it was a tradition for couples to get married that were of the same race. But eventually they realized that it was unconstitutional for making individuality illegal. There isn't much difference with gay marriage. Banning it is unconstitutional. As Charles Evans Hughes, the former Secretary of State, once wrote, "When we lose the right to be different, we lose the right to be free." 

All in all, there is no plausible reason to ban gay marriage. Just because you think it's gross, or that your friends don't like it, doesn't give us the right to tell people who to love or how to live their lives. This country has freedom of religion, so we shouldn't make law because our religion says it's wrong. 

As a nation, we should come together and make it legal for gay couples to get married. In the Pledge of Allegiance, it doesn't say with liberty for the straight people, liberty for the white people, or liberty for men. It just says with liberty and justice for all. 

Gender Bender Party in Fairbanks

The Fairbanks Duke and Duchess of The Imperial Court of All Alaska invite you to a Gender Bender Party as a fundraiser for Fairbanks PFLAG and Interior AIDS Association, on March 21, at the former Cafe Alex downtown (310 1st Ave.) Doors open at 7, show at 8 p.m. Due to the location, this is a 21-and-over event.

Gothique Fashion Show with Kynt & Vyxsin

This Saturday is the Gothique Leather & Lace Divas Goth Fashion Show, presented by American Gothique and hosted by Kynt & Vyxsin.

"Alaska's Finest models go GOTHIC for a Fashion show that is Wild, sexually charged, and hosted by Amazing Race stars Kynt and Vyxsin. This is a night that you do not want to miss. Exciting and unlike any other fashion show. The show includes nudity, so viewer discretion is advised." 

American Gothique is based in Chugiak?!

The Leather & Lace Fashion Show is March 7, 9 p.m.-1:30 a.m. 21 & over. $10 at the door. One night only, at Mad Myrna's.