SP Elections 2014: The Results Are In

This years Second Pride election results are in. As all the candidates to the board ran unopposed the voter turnout was, as could be expected, extremely low and easy to certify for the Election Committee.

The newly elected members to the Second Pride Board of Directors are

Ezzie Mirabella
Secretary & Co-Chair

Marge Beaumont
Treasurer

LLedge Eames
Events Director

Karl Kalchek
Community Relations Director

Jak Calcutt
Building Director

Sutry
Security Director

The board will assume office at the upcoming board meeting on Saturday September 13, 2014, at 11 AM SLT. At this time all powers will be transferred from the resigning to the elected officers.

The first order of business for the newly elected board should be to decide how to handle the vacancy on the position of Chairperson and after that on the remaining vacant seats on the board (Marketing and Communication/IT).

The SP Election 2014: Some Reflections

The Second Pride elections this year are well underway, the candidates have declared themselves and the discussion has started in the Second Pride discussion forum (url). The forum will be closed at midnight Friday August 29th, so head on over and join in.

There are six candidates for the nine positions on the Second Pride board, all the six candidates are running unopposed. This, however, doesn't mean that there aren't some interesting complications.

Let me start by informing you about this years line-up. After that I will share some of my thoughts on the situation.

As I said, there are nine positions according to the bylaws

1. Chairman
No candidate

2. Secretary & Co-Chair

Ezziedq "Ezzie" Mirabella
New election








3. Treasurer

Marge Beaumont
Reelection








4. Events Director

LLedge Eames
New election








5. Community Relations Director

Karl Kalchek
Reelection








6. Building Director

Jak Calcutt
Reelection








7. Security Director

Sutry
Reelection








8. Marketing Director
No candidate

9. Communication/IT Director
No candidate

---

My first reaction, when I saw the candidates that had declared themselves, was sadness and astonishment that there were not more candidates and not candidates to all positions on the board.

On second thought, however, I realized that it is a major undertaking to commit oneself to a year long duty of service to the LGBT community in SecondLife. As a candidate one promises the electorate that - if elected - one has the ability and willingness to put ones time and efforts to the cause of Second Pride. Many of us have restrictions set by family, work or health that prevent us from making such a commitment, we should therefore cherish and be grateful to those that are able and willing.

Another reason for the lack of candidates must certainly be the ugliness that occurred before, during and after the last election. Even if someone was willing and able to run, they must have considered the slander, the backstabbing and the malicious rumor mongering that has occurred repeatedly in our community over the last year. It takes a special kind of brave person to risk having their first and second lives scrutinized, exposed and/or maligned by anonymous or semi-anonymous "detectives", blogs and avatars on social media, especially since it is virtually impossible - or extremely complicated - to hold them accountable in criminal or civil action.

My second reaction was a feeling of reassurance and gratitude that four of the board members of the previous board had been brave and strong enough to decide to run again. All four have proven their capacity for the job in the past difficult year when Second Pride was at the brink of imploding completely through the undermining work of the destructive forces. I also welcome the new candidates, Ezzie and LLedge. Fresh blood with new thoughts and ideas are valuable for any organization that wishes to evolve and move with the times.

Although all the present candidates can now be certain of being elected as they are running unopposed and it only takes one vote to get elected, which I will supply if no one else does, there is the matter of the three vacant positions to consider. Most important of these is the position of chairperson. My friend Dodo Ahanu has raised the question in the discussion forum and has asked the candidates how they view the vacancy on this position.

I don't entirely share the views that have been expressed in the discussion forum and would therefore like to give you my interpretation of the situation, which is not entirely covered by the bylaws as a situation like this has not been foreseen.

In my opinion, based on what is available in the bylaws and a general knowledge of rules governing associations, this is how the situation of the vacancy on the chair position should be handled.

First of all we need to recognize that even if the position of chairperson is only one of the nine board members, this position is special. The chair is "first among equals", with a special significance and special powers. We then also must recognize that there is a difference between a general election and a by-election.

An association must have a chairperson and this chairperson should be elected in a general election. I have no qualms whatsoever about the positions of Marketing Director or Communication/IT Director being filled in a by-election after a "call for directors" by the elected board, but that is not acceptable for the position of chairperson.

After the general election we will have a vacancy in the position of chairperson, but we will have elected a Secretary/co-Chair, whose job description contains stepping in as chairperson if there is none. As an association must have a chairperson, the elected Co-Chair therefore automatically becomes chairperson.

The board then, through a "call for directors" has to fill the position of Secretary/Co-Chair along with the other two other vacant positions.

I would appreciate your thoughts and input on my reasoning.

Slipshod Security at Second Pride Festival?

Do we need to nail Security Chair Sutry's (nonexistent) balls to the wall for insufficient security at the Second Pride Festival this year? Perhaps even the rest of the Second Pride board should be held responsible for being negligent (some of whom do have large hairy balls, I'm almost certain)?

Well, I suggest you read this truly shocking eyewitness report by blogger Rusty Redfield (picture left) concerning a possible serious security lapse two days ago and then come back and tell me what you think.

You can read Rusty's heart wrenching testimonial here: Playing with the Big Boys; "035:...".

Second Pride: Continued Trials and Tribulations (Edited)

This is probably old news for many of you, but as I have failed to report on it earlier I am doing so now.

Andy Long

Jagger Naughton

Last week we saw new changes on the Second Pride board as the board approved the resignations of Co-Chair Andy Long and IT Director Jagger Naughton. Both resignations cited "personal reasons" for this move.

Merrick Genesis

World Undercroft

At the same meeting two other board members, the Events Director Merrick Genesis and the Marketing Director World Undercroft, positions were discussed for "failure to attend meetings for three consecutive sessions without prior permission from the Chairman of the Board". Further discussion will take place at the next meeting when the board may also decide to release them from their positions.

Baz Ceawlin

The board also appointed Baz Ceawlin as new IT Director. As he has previously been a reliable board member we should be hopeful that he will stick with it until the next election.

After this "annus horibilis" with all the coming and going of members of the board, the Second Pride board now, apart from Baz, Merrick and World, consist of these reliable and stalwart people who will hopefully stay with us trough the fast approaching Second Pride festival period.

Petr Hastings Vanbeek, Chairman
a.k.a. "Big Daddy"

Marge Beaumont, Treasurer
a.k.a. "No Nonsense Marge"

Sutry Long, Security Director
a.k.a. "Sutry the Strong"

Karl Kalchek, Community Relations Director
a.k.a. "The Little Helper"

Jak Calcutt, Build Director
a.k.a. "The Best Little Hugger in SecondLife" & "Master Builder Extraordinaire"

P.S. I have corrected this post after receiving some feedback from members of the board.

Second Pride's "Fashion Pride"

The information below is from a notecard in the Second Pride Festival Group.

This event is a Second Pride Fashion Fundraiser for AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT)and will take place March 10th - March 17th 2014

"AN INVITE TO FASHION DESIGNERS

Dear designer,

As you know, HIV and AIDS still impacts the lives of millions throughout the world today. Its impact in urban areas is often understated publicly, but the effect it has on those it touches is profound, transforming lives, destroying health, and devastating families.

Second Pride, the organization that creates Second Life's largest pride celebration, is holding a fundraiser for AIDS Committee of Toronto to raise funds to increase awareness of the disease, assist those living with HIV, and service the community, while researching its impact on various segments of society.

WHAT IS FASHION PRIDE?

Fashion Pride is an exciting shopping event that will take place from March 10th through March 17th 2014. It will include fabulous shopping, fashion shows, entertainment events, and a final art auction to raise funds for both the Second Pride main festival in June and ACT.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST TO BE PART OF FASHION PRIDE?

We are asking for donations which will purchase your stall space for the duration of the event. 100% of the store cost will be donated to help Second Pride, an entirely non-profit organization, hold the pride festival in June. This important festival helps the LGBT come together for fun, information and camaraderie. In addition, it provides a Pride event to those who may not be able to attend one in RL due to real life oppression and animosity. Second Pride webpage (url)

This can be paid at the time of your confirmation directly to the account of the event, Second Pride.

We will have three available store sizes you can choose:

-Large (100 prims): L$1,500

-Medium (50 prims) L$1,000

-Small (20 prims): L$500

VENDORS AND SPLIT INFORMATION

We are asking that 100% proceeds of at least ONE EXCLUSIVE ITEM be donated to ACT (for exclusive item we mean a new and never released item). Funds for this item will go directly to an avatar run by the charity.

Second Pride is supportive of diversity and as such we have not selected a theme for this event. We want to see your creativity in your exclusive item.

All sales from the remaining items in your store are yours to keep, of course, we do appreciate any further donations you wish to make to ACT or to the upcoming Second Pride event.

For your exclusive charity item, we will happily provide you with the vendor.

TRANSPARENCY

Second Pride is the treasury avatar for the Second Pride event in June. All shop reservation transactions will go through this account and all transaction history will be publicized on the Fashion Pride blog (url).

All transaction history, participating creator names, raised amounts, schedules, and anything else related to the event, will be located on this blog.

100% of exclusive item donations will be donated to ACT avatar, ACT Merryman, and all of the transactions will be released to the public.

SIM INFORMATION

Marcus Lefevre has generously donated the use of one sim for the Fashion Pride event. We are grateful for his generosity.

I WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION. WHO CAN I ASK?

Feel free to IM: Bastien Berboral [ENG/SPA], Merrick Genesis [ENG], Mrs Sutry Long (Sutry Resident) [ENG/SPA], or Skylei Caproni (ENG]."

Finally Moving Ahead

The Second Pride meeting on Sunday was a joy to witness for a devoted member. Instead of the bickering and infighting that has characterized the previous meetings, the few members that had assembled, saw a board working constructively to deal with the issues at hand and even raise their eyes to look into the future.

Left to right: Jagger Naughton, Sutry Long, Marge Beaumont, Karl Kalchek,
Andy Long, Jak Calcutt, Hottie B LockJaw and Merrick Genesis

The second most huggable man in SecondLife Jak Calcutt (Build Director) was granted access to the Second Pride avatar for the remainder of this year. The step was taken to avoid unnecessary delays in building as the avatar holds all the landscaping material, textures and buildings etc. that are owned by the organisation. The board and the membership present were convinced that enough safeguards are in place.

Jaggy’s Co-chair for IT Director is Baz Ceawlin, Andy’s Co-chair for Secretary/Co-chair is Story Long, Sutry’s Co-chair for Security Director is Jordan Anderson, Marge’s Co-chair for SP Treasurer is Jynxx Beebe. Karl, Jak, Hottie B (the board member formerly known as Hotboy) and Merrick are still looking for suitable candidates.

(Source my imperfect memory and Meeting Minutes of SP Board Meeting December 8, 2013)

Second Pride - Finally A Full Board Again

I have been remiss in my bogging to keep you updated on Second Pride, if you desperately need someone to blame I suggest you speak to Mr. Tomais Ashdene.

However, there was a board meeting last Thursday (which I unfortunately could not attend due to timezone hassles) that presented quite a few interesting developments. If you should wish to read the complete and unadorned minutes please visit the Second Pride website, Meeting Minutes of SP Board Meeting Nov 20, 2013 (url).

Here are my personal reflections on what occurred.

The attending membership was informed that Damian Tar had chosen to resign as Chairperson of the Second Pride board. He was duly thanked for his services to Second Pride.

This news saddened me greatly. Damian has been treated abominably by parts of the gay community, both in the election process and afterwards. He has received countless vicious and unreasonable personal attacks ever since he declared his intention of running for Chair. Damian has not even been granted the common decencies, that are fundamental principles of every democratic society, the right of being considered innocent until proven guilty or the chance to be heard in his own defence. Instead he has been judged, condemned and hung out to dry by the mob in whispering campaigns on social forums with little or no mercy shown.

I have grown to like, respect and admire Damian, but I can also see that in the end the hostility and focus on his person took away his and the boards ability to perform the important work they are elected to do. With the added burden of his sickness it is understandable that he, for his own good and the good of Second Pride, finally decided to step down. Like the board, I wish Damian all the best for the future.

Petr Hasting-Vanbeeck was appointed to replace Damian as chairperson.

Petr is a hardworking, no-nonsense and charming man who is well equipped to handle this position. I trust him and his level headedness to assure that the board's focus now is turned to the business at hand.

Andy Long was appointed to the position of Secretary/Co-Chair. I welcome this appointment also, although I will implore the new secretary to in the future spell my last name correctly, i.e. McMillan with two capital M's.

Sutry Long was appointed to the vacant position of Security Director. I am certain that Sutry will be an asset in the boards continued work.

So we finally have a full board again, lets get some work done people!

IT Director Jagger Naughton informed that Baz Ceawlin had agreed to become his co-chair.

At the meeting Petr then commenced to announce the creation of an ad hoc committee to review the bylaws of Second Pride.The committee is to be co-chaired by board directors Karl Karlchek and Marge Beaumont and include "Doc Spad, Bock Mcmillan (sic!) and one more as yet unnamed committee member".

The Meeting of The Day

Don't miss it, those of you who can make it!

There are now four candidates for the vacant Security Chair, beside Tylendel Falconer and Sutry Long (whom I have informed you about earlier) we now also have Andre’ “Andy” Rennebohm and Jake. Read the candidates statements here to prepare for the meeting.

Yeah, yeah, I mistakenly published this yesterday, but the meeting is actually today!

Second Pride Board Reshuffles

It's been awhile since I was able to attend a Second Pride board meeting, but I follow whats going on closely by reading the agendas and minutes that are posted at the Second Pride website (url).

Lately there have been a few interesting developments that I would like to report for those of you who do not have the time, inclination or patience to read minutes.

Tylo Mabellon (picture), who was elected to the Marketing Chair, has been voted off the board for having missed more than three consecutive regularly scheduled meetings without notification. 

I am hoping that Tylo is well, despite having failed to respond to the questions from the board. He is a pleasant man that worked well as marketing director during the last board.

Merrick Genesis (picture) was voted in to replace Tylo as Marketing Chair at the board's latest meeting on November 13, 2013.

The elected Security Director Gaius Tripsa (picture) was voted off the board at the last meeting for having missed four consecutive regularly scheduled meetings without notification. 

An open call has been made for parties interested in taking over the Security Chair to submit a notecard to the secretary/co-chair Petr Hastings-Vanbeeck as soon as possible. The applications will be posted on the Second Pride website for discussion and comments by the membership.

I don't believe that losing Gaius as a board member is a loss to the board in any way. From what I have observed Gaius has since the elections mostly been destructive and acting as a puppet for the losing faction in the election. He has invariably tried to cause as much havoc and damage as he possibly could whenever or wherever he could, both at meetings and in-between them.

So far two applications have come in and have been posted on the forum. One of the applications is from a European man, Tylendel Falconer, and the other is from an American woman, Sutry Long. As I see it both of them would be qualified and a welcome addition in diversifying the board, whether it be to broaden its geographical base or to improve the gender balance.)

Petr Hastings-Vanbeeck urged the other members of the board to consider appointing co-chairs, so that no-quorum meetings can be avoided in the future. Petr also announced that Andy Long (picture) had agreed to be his Secretary Co-Chair for 2014. 

At the meeting the question was raised on why the board had changed the normal time of the board meetings from Sundays at 11AM to Wednesdays at 7PM. The reply given was that this "is currently (the) time when we can definitely get all the board together to be able to hold a meeting with quorum."

I certainly hope that the board will consider the question of what time to hold its meetings carefully in the future, when they have replaced all the vacancies and non-attendees and also appointed co-chairs, because the new time of the board meeting only accentuates the impression that Second Pride is solely an American affair, which I do not believe is quite the impression the board wishes to convey.

Life Is A Cabaret @ Spinners

Yesterday I gave ya'll the prologue, well parts of it, because I said nothing about the many, many hours I spent shaving my face and every nook and cranny of my body. In some hard-to-reach places I even had to beg for assistance by an unnamed hair-remover. But let's forget about those traumatic moments now, suffice it to say that it takes some pain to be pretty.

Guykita, Butchette and the radiant Bocquerelle arrived to the venue on the specified time only to find that we were the only three in full drag, well except for Andy Long and his beautiful husbands, Story and Sutry. Not only that but - to add disaster to discomfort - it turned out there was an alpha layer on the ballroom floor that made Butchette's and my amazing gowns from Paris Metro disappear. "Alpha on alpha, just doesn't work, as every noob knows!", said Butchette (or something to that effect) as we moved on to the stage (which was non-alpha).

Guykita, Butchette & Bocquerelle
Photo by Butch Diavolo 

Butchette looking absolutely divine
Photo by Butch Diavolo

Isn't it amazing what can be accomplished with highlights and lowlights? Just look at Butchette's wonderful bosom, who would think that if you saw him from the side he was as flat chested as he always is.

The radiant Ms Bocquerelle, lairdess of Southern Charm etc.
Photo by Butch Diavolo

Story, Andy & Sutry Long

Kharissa, Pieni & Larz Kas

Poor little Pieni, was threatened by Butchette to be skinned and made into shoes. Brave little Pieni was not frightened by the bully because - as I was told later - "Lol he wuld have been in real trouble then. I has sharp teethies and twelve protective uncles. AND aunties and cousins. Hehe".

After a grueling two hour period eventually more and more people started showing up in the requested attire, although some were still not confident enough.

Former Second Pride Chair Doc Spad with one of our DJ's for the evening Karl Kalchek. 

Ms. Regina Yifu (in a creation she made herself) joined Butchette and me in a dance

Andy Long, the second DJ of the evening, surrounded by wives and a sister

We even had the pleasure of being joined by the renowned SecondLife
performance artist SaveMe Oh for a while (before she was kicked out
for creating lag with her sheep and meadows rezzed all over the ballroom)

Butchette, I and my brother in-law Dej with some of SaveMe's sheep

A dazzling beauty whose name I am afraid I have forgotten.
I am not even sure if she was in drag or is a woman.

Well known party goer, illustrious blogger and curmudgeonly Co-Chair of
Second Pride Petr Hastings-Vanbeeck (someone has to keep the others in line)

Hotboy Lockjaw, our last DJ for the evening, for the occasion dressed as Ms Dolly Parton