Has There Been A Coup In the Gay Archipelago? (Corrected 2015-07-15) (Updated 2015-07-16)

The Gay Archipelago (GA) is an association of landowners of multiple diverse LGBT/LGBT-friendly sims in SecondLife. They conduct Archipelago-wide events, and welcome LGBT newcomers into SecondLife.

"G Dragon Coup d'etat" by Sui-Kunoichi

The GA is governed by The Owners Group, which consists of the sim owners themselves or their appointed representatives.

Hitherto - i.e. until yesterday - the leaders of the governing body (the GA Lead, the Vice Lead and the PR Lead) have historically always been vetted by and voted upon by the The Owners Group.

According to information from several well informed sources Weylin Vale, the current Lead of GA, announced a meeting on Saturday at 11 PM SLT set to take place only eight hours later on Sunday at 7 AM SLT. (Correction 2015-07-15: This information was incorrect, please see the my later post  Bock in SecondLife; Re:Coup Or Not In the GA?. My sincere apologies to all involved and to my readers.) Update 2015-07-16: Myles Capalini On "Suddenness" & More, where you will find that the date of the meeting was announced early, but not the time.

The purpose of the meeting was purportedly about the upcoming GA SummerFest 2015.

At the meeting yesterday Weylin Vale unexpectedly announced to the owners group that he had appointed the following positions
Vice Lead - Dextrum Boucher

PR Lead - Rico Bluestar,

Treasurer - Chade Dagger,

IT Director - Hiro Dagger-Clemenceau,

Membership Director - To Be Announced and

2015 Festival Director - Caeru Dubrovna.

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As I understand it, this sudden and unexpected deviation from previous procedure by the GA Lead has raised concerns among many sim owners in the GA on the future direction of the organization and whether or not they wish to remain a part of it. 

I will try to keep you updated on further developments as they unfold.

GA Announces New Lead and Vice Lead

Today I received some long awaited news from the Gay Archipelago group.

Several months ago Rico Bluestar stepped down as Lead of the GA, since then there has been a selection process in the owners group to find a new Lead to replace him. The selection has now come to a successful conclusion with today's announcement.

The new lead-team of the Gay Archipelago will consist of Chris Magic as Lead, Weylin Vale as Vice Lead and with Parvin (Xcept Atlas) continuing as Public Relations Lead.

The new GA Lead-team courtesy of the GA WeBlog
Chris (center), Parvin (left) & Weylin (right)

Today's full press release:

Three years ago we mourned the passing of our founder, Fabrice Snook. Days ago we grieved with our friends when we learned that Avacar Bluestar had also left our Earth. 

Today, we welcome long overdue good news, the appointment of a new Gay Archipelago Lead and the creation of a new role, the GA Vice Lead.  They will join the current GA Public Relations Lead to serve our growing community.

We are proud to announce that after months of searching and vetting candidates for the positions the leadership committee completed their arduous task and have selected our new GA Lead and GA Vice Lead. 

Our GA Lead, Christope Magic, of Britain, has a long history of service to the Gay Archipelago and our LGBT community.   His roles include events manager for GA Summerfest 2014 and Winterfest 2014, our master of ceremonies for Miss Wigstock, a performer with Corinthia Isle Concerts, owner of the Remix Room, DJ, and host. 

Our GA Vice Lead, Weylin Vale, of Australia, brings real life LGBT event management experience to our team.  His resume includes participating, event managing and a Director of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, as well as event management for multiple governmental agencies. In Second Life he is owner of the sim Lycan Moon, a club owner, DJ, and established member of our community.

Together with our current GA PR Lead, Xcept Altas, of the USA, these appointments will give our community access to leadership without the boundaries of timezones, and clear, consistent responses to hurdles we will overcome together.

They are tasked with promoting unity and inclusion across our diverse international LGBTIA Second Life community. Each are committed to utilizing their skills to foster acceptance, offering support, and guiding teams and volunteers so that we may plan for and together embrace our future.   

Gay Archipelago brand represents our shared values, the knowledge that we are stronger together, and our belief that we can assist our member estates and our community, as well as our supporters, to live and grow in an environment that is tolerant and accepting of our common goals.

We thank the leadership committee; Garth Raleigh, Savannah Christensen, Leroy Voorhees, Evan Greymyst, Sangi Phaeton, and Draghan Marksman, for their service. Their diligence and care has given us leaders who will set us on a defined path towards tomorrow. 

In a two short weeks we will celebrate together as a community at our annual Winterfest. Please join us in welcoming our leads as they embrace their new roles.  

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.” [Address in the Assembly Hall at the Paulskirche in Frankfurt, June 26 1963] ― John F. Kennedy

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Greetings GA. 

I would like to introduce myself as your new GA Lead. Thank you so much to the GA Lead search committee, for all their hard work and time over the last few months. Thank you to Parvin for his hard work and amazing dedication to the GA, as interim Lead. You are truly awesome, never change. Today, i accepted the chance to guide the GA into the future. I feel very honored, and humble to be given this amazing opportunity. I have a huge task ahead of me, but one i will gladly take. I will not being doing this alone. Weylin who will be my vice lead, along with Parvin who will stay as PR Lead. Together, we will strive to constantly improve, strengthen your experience as member estates, sims and owners. 

Every estate, sim, owner will play an important role in the future of the GA. You are all vital to the GA. Without you, there is no GA. You will be heard, your voices are what we need to bring forward the organization. Let us work as a team, in harmony.  Together, we are one. United we stand. As the Lead team, settle into our new roles, please do bear with us over the coming weeks. I look forward to meeting you all to start this journey together.  Never change, be you.  Stay fabulous. 

This is your GA. Thank you, for your amazing support. 

"The greatest gift that you can give to others is the gift of unconditional love and acceptance" ― Brian Tracy

 Sincerely,
 Chris Magic

Absolutely Fabulous!

The delicious Tomais and his spouse Bock, the laird of Southern Charm

The delicious Avacar and his spouse Rico, the Lead of Gay Archipelago

On Sunday evening I dragged the second most patient man in SecondLife with me to the finals of the Miss Wigstock 2014 contest. I mean, isn't it wonderful how things work themselves out - sometimes with a little help from close friends - here I am madly in love with a man almost as patient as myself and he is in love with me too?

Anyhow, the Gay Archipelago, through the combined forces of nature Othon Weiland and Oliver Elton, had yet again put together a great show for us to enjoy.

There were five finalists, the fabulous Fanny Flamingo (Richardson Nootan), the Divine Dame Black (Waveyjustin), the delectable Cieline Dionysis (Ciel Silentghost), the delicious Donatella (Didier Rascon) and the peerless Paige Turner (Hobbit Zenfold).

The Fabulous Fanny Flamingo with escorts

The Delectable Cieline Dionysis with escorts 

The bygone drag queens, from left to right
Hottie B Lockjaw (winner 2010), Juve Wheelwright (winner 2013) and Oliver Elton

The Delicious Donatella with muscular escorts

The Peerless Paige Turner
who had the most stunning entrance

Judge Mimi Juneau

Judge Rene Bonaparte

Judge Owl Braveheart

Rico and Parvin on the podium for the prize ceremony

Parvin dashing as always

Some poor sods who could not get a table in the V.I.P. section

The results of the contest turned out like this.
Winner (score 93 points) Didier Rascon
1st runner up (score 91 points) Hobbit Zenfold
2nd runner-up (score 81 points) Waveyjustin

I agree with the judges that it was indeed a toss-up between Didier and Hobbit, congratulations to both of them and thank you to Gay Archipelago and all the other organizers and contestants for giving us a wonderful show!

The GA Retirement & Induction Party

I have, almost since I first rezzed into SecondLife, been a member and supporter of the Second Pride group. As such I admit to once having viewed the formation of The Gay Archipelago as a new LGBT community in-world with much scepticism and even suspicion, "Why would we want or need two or more groups with such a relatively small LGBT community?". 

Over the years - through my friendly relations with first Fabrice Snook (the founder of the GA-group) and later with also with Garth Raleigh and Othon Weiland (the outgoing Leads) - and having seen all the good work that has been done in the Gay Archipelago over the years I have completely revised my position on this matter. Today I (as a Swedish saying goes) stand "with one foot in each camp", although perhaps still leaning a little towards Second Pride. I now view the two groups as necessary and complementary and I also understand that both are working for the LGBT community in SecondLife as a whole. My only hope is that we may in the future see some more collaborative efforts and unified activities. 

The following message comes to us via a press release from The Gay Archipelago, kindly supplied to me by the outgoing GA-Lead Garth. (I really must have a talk with Rico and Xcept (formerly also known as Parvin) soon, so that this excellent service and tradition is continued under the new leadership, it is sometimes difficult for a poor blogger to keep up with everything that goes on in two lives without a few kind prods.)

I hope to see you all at the retirement and induction party at Gay Fun World tonight!

"In 2007, The Gay Archipelago was founded to be a place where the LGBT community could live, create, and share dreams together.  A diverse group of visionaries, leaders, and their assistants committed themselves to the idea that we are stronger together.  In those seven years we have grown and labored to become what we are today, an international community of over 100 member estates and well in excess of two thousand Second Life residents. This progress did not happen overnight, nor did it happen without embracing change. 

Today marks another change for our Community, one in leadership. Garth Raleigh and Othon Weiland have retired from their positions, but not from their active lives in the GA.  They will take their well earned places in history as one of the most successful teams of leaders our community has ever seen. They have set the standard upon which we, the incoming leadership team, will be measured. The bar has been set high.

Ricogenu, your new GA Lead, and Xcept Atlas, your new PR Lead, stand at the ready to continue to provide service to you, our member regions, and your residents. We are committed to listening to your feedback, answering your questions, identifying and fixing any challenges we encounter, and sharing our skill sets, so that we may continue to meet the needs of our community.

We also want you to know that during this time of change, we greatly value you and the significant work you do every day to sustain the Gay Archipelago's position as a leader of Second Life's LGBT Community - a place of welcome, orientation, community and help. 

Finally, we thank you for the opportunity to lead this great association. Together we will grow our future, and plan for the years ahead. 

We invite you to join us in celebration on Sunday, February 16th at 1pm SLT at Gay Fun World (SLurl) for Garth's and Othon's retirement party and the induction of Ricogenu and Xcept. Like yesterday, today, and tomorrow, Our Journey Continues Together. 

Sincerely,Ricogenu Resident and Xcept Atlas"

EXCLUSIVE: Interviews with Outgoing and Incoming Leads of Gay Archipelago

Yesterday, while I was taking it easy and dancing bareassed with my husband - and several other hotties - at the Boystown Beach Party with DJ Ryder Bowman, all hell broke loose as the Gay SecondLife metaverse reverberated with the news that Gay Archipelago, or "the other organisation" as it was once upon a time referred to at Second Pride meetings, had gotten a new lead.

Ricogenu Resident (right) with his partner Avacar Bluestar at the
GA Estate Owners Meeting yesterday prior to the announcement

ricogenu Resident had just been named by the GA Discovery Committee to succeed in the position as lead of Gay Archipelago being vacated by Garth Raleigh-Underby next week.

What is an avatar blogger supposed to do when he is thus caught by surprise without any pants? As your intrepid reporter I called my two friends in Instant Message to get exclusive interviews with them both. (I did most certainly not inform either of them that I was conducting the interviews in the buff.)

First off I called Garth Raleigh-Underby, the outgoing lead
Bock: Hello my dear friend! What is this news I just got?
Garth: Hi, Bock dear! :)
Bock: Have you stepped down as lead for GA?
Garth Raleigh: Actually, I did that about a month ago when I informed the Owners group that I was retiring. A Discovery Team was created to vett and interview prospective candidates prior to my official last day (February 13th). Today was the announcement at the GA Owners Gathering. Now I work with the incoming Lead, Rico (ricogenu) on transitional issues and continue to advise him.
Bock: He is a nice guy too, although I do not know him as well as I know you.
Garth You will have many chances to know him better as he wades into the deep end of the pool, so to speak. lol
Bock: LOL
Garth: As for me... I have already started taking classes on Firestorm viewer issues and am slated to begin classes on building/creating with sculpties and mesh. Things I have not had time to do for myself. And I can spend more time with friends and with Mitch. It is our 1 year anniversary today, btw. :)
Bock: OMG congratulations!
Garth: Also, Othon retired as PR/Publicity lead for the GA. The new PR/Publicity Lead is Parvin (xcept.atlas).
Bock: Big changes on important positions
Garth: Change... is essential. Without change groups like the GA become stagnant and unable to move ahead. I wanted to make sure the organization remains vital and full of fresh new ideas and ways of doing things. Now I move out of the spotlight, it was getting a bit toasty under there. LOL

Bock: I am happy for you though
Garth: This means I can come pester YOU more. LOLOL
Bock: YAY! I hope you and Mitch have saved March 8th for me and Tomais
Garth: 8th... Right, saw that on your blog, dear.
Bock: Excellent! Now you can relax and say and do whatever and tell everyone to go screw themselves - although I know you would never express it quite like that...

Next I called on Rico Resident, who according to what his partner Avacar jokingly told me was attempting to "bury a hole". 

Bock: Congratulations buddy! Best of luck with your important mission

ricogenu: Thanks Bock

Bock: I assume you are busy so I will not pester you, just wanted to tell you I you I think you will be an excellent lead for GA

ricogenu: No I am good and Bock you are never a pest

Bock: Hugs mate and *fingers crossed* KICK ASS!

ricogenu: OK I will do my utmost best at it!

This is Rico’s acceptance speech at the GA Owner's meeting transcribed (quoted from the GA WeBlog:

“Hello and I thank you very much for turning up today for this announcement. I stand before you as a very humble man, ready for the challenge that awaits me, a gracious representative to the Second Life lgbt community as a whole.

Each of you play a very important part of the Gay Archipelago mission and I look forward to serving all of you both individually and collectively.

Many of you have worked with my partner in the GA over the last 3 years, and his experience along with mine are to be explored in the very near future on the GA blog.

I appreciate the diligence that the Discovery committee carried out in evaluating my qualifications to take the reins of the GA leadership and I hope to both meet & exceed your many expectations as we move forward this year.

Please bear with me as I become familiar with each estate owner and its superlatives as I hope to learn the many great talents of our overall team.

Your participation is vital to our success and along with many excellent and acclaimed accomplishments for the GA under Garth and his team, we aim to carry that same momentum into all future endeavors that benefit our membership.

Thanks again for your commitment and dedication to the Gay Archipelago.
Sincerely yours, Ricogenu.”