A man in a shimmering mermaid pants glided down the boat’s cabin, striving to keep their alcoholic beverage upright on the boat that pushed forward through a restless bay.    The captain started slowing the boat near a cluster of honking sea lions, coming to a stop.  A DJ cranked up music to blend with the sea lion wailing, and much of the Pride party migrated to squeeze on the top deck and enjoy the moment.  People whooped in exhilaration as the cool summer air whipped through the towering mountains flanking the long glacial bay.   It was a powerful feeling to just BE, and express ourselves each in our own queer ways with minimal masking, while floating in the middle of this epic place that many called home.  

Rainbows over Resurrection Bay might have been one of the less conventional Pride events I took part in last year.  The year before I had taken variations of this boat tour hosted by Kenai Fjords three times when I was living on a steadier income.  Every time I get to see the length of this bay and the massive glaciers that hide around the corner, it feels like awe-inspiring experience.  I honestly can’t remember if we saw any orcas on this particular tour, but felt like I saw orcas on nearly every tour down the bay, so have to share a few wildlife photos … while resisting the urge to flood this blog article with wildlife photos from Seward.  The orcas, the horned puffins, Dahl’s porpoises, sea otters, seals by the dozens lounging on icebergs … ahhh … I’m kind of in love with this place!  It’s a wildlife safari every single time. 

This time I resisted the urge to spend all my time looking for wildlife in the water, even leaving my long lens behind.  I was joining the cruise party solo, and absorbed myself in making new friends and taking in our wild surroundings with my shorter camera lens. After reconnecting with a “pride fairy” from the Queen’s Guard who I met the week before, we did an impromptu photo session on the boat’s bow for All the Genders.  I set up my “cruise base camp” with ‘Cara,’ an Elder in her Alaska Native community with a quirky, awkward personality.  She shared some of her experiences and that the majority of her family members embraced having LGBTQ+ identities.  Like everyone else, she expressed some of the joy she had in being at this colorful, quirky event.  

A Hidden Pride BBQ in the Rainforest

A small Pride BBQ hidden away on the outskirts of Seward’s small footprint had a completely different vibe than cruising Resurrection Bay under the rainbows.  I wasn’t sure if I was in the right place after following instructions to park behind a small vocational center on a quiet street that hid from the tourist bustle.  I initially missed the white handwritten sign peeking out of the lush ferns that said “Pride” with an arrow directing drivers behind the building.  After doubling back, found maybe 5-6 cars parked for the event. 

The park itself was a clearing under a thick canopy of trees, where two tents were set up to protect hotdogs and burgers from the rain, and one tent was set up by a queer organization based in Anchorage.  The creek rushing by was fed by a cascading waterfall only a 1-2 minute walk away.   I had become so accustomed to large and showy Pride events living in small to moderate sized cities, and Seward Pride … was not this … it felt like a family gathering.  It made for some great conversations, with the intimate environment lending itself to my introverted personality and need for quiet places being hard of hearing. 

Another traveler who looked more disheveled than me was there without a vehicle.  He engaged in some awkward conversation that missed many of my social cues, emphasizing how much he needed a ride, in between wolfing down free hotdogs and hamburgers.  “I came to Alaska just for Pride events … it’s really hard being gay … I need help getting set up with a date … could you set me up with a date? Do you know anyone here?”  Hmm… sorry guy.  I wasn’t comfortable with his hyperfocus on me that alternated between a couple other people, and I left him on his own for finding a ride to the next PrideFest. 

Photographing a LumberJack Queen

One of my less conventional photo shoots was working with Tiff, or Tyler.  Tyler, a lumberjack who owned their own business, suggested taking down a tree for a client while in drag for a photo shoot. I kept an eye on the weather forecast in Seward, and we managed to catch the only sunny day in Seward, Alaska that month.  

Tiff rapidly scaled a towering pine tree in a utilitarian drag outfit with chainsaw in hand stripping branches, then took a quick break at the top to strike a few poses that still showed off her sparkling eye shadow coated in sawdust. When we sat down for some coffee shop conversation post tree-felling, Tiffany unabashedly expressed that she seems to operate more in the extremes for flipping between different gender expressions, as compared to the fluid flow I talked about experiencing for myself in between different genders. They seem to truly feel most comfortable being themselves without being forced into any labels at all, embracing being a dad, being a queen, being a lumberjack, and everything else that fits each phase of their life’s journey.  

Thank you for being here, and keeping me company on this journey! Continue the journey another 130 miles north to find out what Anchorage, Alaska is known for.

See more stories of all gender experiences in Seward and other Alaska regions here.

June – July 2023