At Alaskans Together for Equality, we celebrate every step forward toward full equality for LGBTQ+ Alaskans and this September, Anchorage marked a major one. It has now been 10 years since the Municipality of Anchorage extended civil rights protections to include gender identity and sexual orientation, a milestone that wouldn’t have been possible without sustained advocacy, community engagement, and the collective voice of Alaskans committed to dignity and fairness for all.

A decade ago, after years of effort and resistance, the Anchorage Assembly passed an ordinance enshrining these protections into law. As advocates and community members gathered to reflect on this anniversary, the historic importance of that action was clear — “Those rights were given by the stroke of a pen, and a stroke of a pen can take them away,” Anchorage Ombudsman Darrel Hess reminded the crowd. “So we have to be vigilant, not just the gay community, but everybody.”

This sentiment echoes the experience of countless LGBTQ+ individuals who now live with real recourse against discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodation. And while progress has not always been linear, Anchorage’s ordinance stands as a testament to the power of community organizing and the importance of rooted protections at the municipal level.

As we honor this milestone, Alaskans Together reaffirms our commitment to ensuring that these hard-won rights are defended and expanded — because equality requires both celebration and vigilance.