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February 3 -February 17
Vol. 1 No. 8
Contributors
Roseanne K ing
Lisa M. Keen
Jane Howard
Rupert K innard
D ouglas B loch
S cott Swentek
Diana Plunkett
Garcia Phelps
Bruce Mason
Staff
P ublisher
O ut M edia Inc.
D ire cto r
Renee LaChance
E ditor
Jay Brow n
P ublic R elations D irecto r
Lisa Bouslaugh
Art Contributor
E. Ann Hinds
P rod uction D irecto r
Bev La Belle
S ta ff P hotographers
Sherri Riggs
Helen Lottridge
G raphic D esign D irecto r
Rupert K innard
D istrib u tio n
Bev La Belle
C harlotte W alters
E
A dvertising A ssociates
Eve S icular
Sarah Koehl
B retton Palm
Sherri Riggs
D
I
T
If the ’60s were the daw ning o f the Age o f Aquarius, then the '80s m ust surely be the Age o f
C ynicism . In ju st one m onth, January 1984, we witnessed the follow ing: Ronald Reagan
no m ina ted Edward (There are no hungry people in Am erica) Meese as his choice for United
States A ttorney General; Linda Chavez, a recent appointee as Executive D irector o f the Human
R ights C om m ission, said that the reason w om en and blacks do not get traditionally white male
jo b s is because they d o not apply fo r them .
In a m em o urging the com m ission to study the issue, saying that it may em erge as the m ost
im p o rta n t civil rights issue o f the 1980s, Chavez said, “The principle that underlies com par
able w orth is a fundam entally radical one that w ould alter ou r existing m arketplace economy.”
Inequality in salaries am ong races or between the sexes is due in large measure to choice,
she said — w om en o r blacks often choose jobs that pay less. She cited herself as an example:
Enthusiasm and
appreciation
D ear Just Out,
A go od m any o f m y guests and I wish to
express o u r enthusiasm and appreciation o f
th e article on U n le a rn in g R acism by Dennis
Peterson.
M y experience in being discrim inated
against w hen I was a ch ild is very m inim al
com pared to m any o th e rs— bu t how clearly I
re m em b er it
It’s m y be lie f that every parent and every
teacher needs to be m ade m ore aware o f the
self-esteem robberies caused by racism and
d iscrim in a tio n . C ongratulations on the good
q u a lity o f J u s t Out\
Sincerely,
Ja cq u e lin e Barrett
o f Jacqueline’s See Vue M otel
Excellent forum
D ear Staff:
I w ant to take the op portun ity to thank you
Just Out February 3-February 17
fo r y o u r excellent handling o f som e
im p o rta n t and controversial issues in ou r
com m un ity. Just O ut provides an excellent
fo ru m fo r good investigative journalism and
the valuable exchange o f ideas and in fo r
m ation.
W orking w ith your editorial staff has been a
d e lig h t Best wishes fo r continued and
increased su cce ss. . . we need vou.
Sincerley,
Roseanne K ing
Unlearning
Racism
enlightening
D ear Just Out:
I w ould like to offer a hearty “ HEAR, HEAR"
to D ennis Peterson’s enlightening article on
“ U nlearning R acism " in the January 6th is
sue. W hat a relief and jo y it was to hear others
vocalize th e ir hurts, frustrations and anger at
an age old m alady o f o u r seem ingly “ civi
lized” society.
I have been greatly concerned w ith the
J u s t O u t is published every other Friday.
C op yright 1983. N o part of J u s t O ut may be
reproduced w itho ut w ritten perm ission
fro m the publishers. W ritten and graphic
m aterials are w elcom ed. W ritten m aterial
sho uld be double-spaced. Deadline is ten
days p rio r to publication date fo r ads and
w ritten m aterial. Camera ready ads w ill be
accepted no later than five days from p u b li
catio n date.
J u s t O u t w ill reject or edit any article or
advertisem ent that is offensive, dem eaning,
o r m ay result in legal action.
The views expressed in letters to the
editor, colum ns, and features m ay not be
those o f the editorial staff o f Just Out.
S ubscriptions are available fo r $ 10.00 for
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re que st
The m ailing address fo r Ju st O u t is 923
SW 17th, Ste. B, Portland, OR 97205.
Phone 503-223-9652.
O
R
I
C O N T E N T S
Out around the n a tio n ....... 4
Out in Oregon ....................... 5
Corrinne and Strough .......... 6
Out about Town ................ 8
Just Entertainment ...............10
Life of Ryan ...........................11
Profile .................................. 13
BLGU Report ....................... 14
Star Talk .............................. 14
A
L
“ I co u ld m ake m ore m oney in the corporate w orld, but I choose to be in public service."
And if that isn’t enough; the sam e week that Reagan sajd his massive stockpiling o f
m u n itio n s and nuclear warheads is keeping the w orld safe from nuclear destruction the
O re g o n ia n carried a half-page story ou tlin in g the Pentagon’s plans fo r WWIV. T hat’s W orld
W ar 4. A ccording to the scenario, after all the nuclear devices have been exchanged in W orld
W ar 3 a Poseidon subm arine hiding under the A rctic Icecap w ill provide the denouem ent,
“ You let the other guy know that no m atter what happens, we re still going to be able to make
his rubble bounce a b it" This last is a com m ent made by an adviser to several congressional
nuclear-freeze leaders.
J a y B ro w n
attitudes o f bigotry in people fo r the greater
p o rtio n o f m y life. However, the past year has
seen a resurgence in m y fire fo r m ilitancy
against racism as I have realized m y own
hom osexuality and have been witness to a
m yriad o f hom ophobic statem ents from
possesses the virtue by w hich we can con
dem n som eone else." I rem em ber tears co m
ing to m y eyes when she so eloquently told
m e th a t principle w hich has guided her life,
and it was shortly after th a t that I made the
decision o f choosing her to be the very first
stra ig h t’ friend to hear that I was gay.
I fin d it iron ic that we as gay people can
becom e outraged to the po int o f physical
violence at the injustice portrayed because o f
the un tim ely release o f convicted killer, Dan
W hite, b u t still insist on con tinuin g to judge
people, even o f o u r own sub-culture, on the
basis o f color, social status, clothing, appear
ance, o r sexual preference. I’m even m ore
dism ayed that we as gay people can continue
to consider ourselves so alm ig hty when we
ourselves are the victim s o f countless infer
ences, pu t downs, and jokes o f bad taste by
stra ig h t' society. Personally, m y com in g out
heterosexual ‘friends.’ How dare we as m em
bers o f a culture o f proclaim ed equality co n
sider ourselves any better than our
neighbors? W ith what standards o r criteria
are we to ju d g e anyone?
As a very close heterosexual friend once
to ld m e: “ We are all on this earth doing the
very best th a t we can and if one o f us stu m
bles, it is up to the rest o f us to help that hurt
one along. We a ll m ake m istakes, and that is
w ith o u t exception. Therefore, not one o f us
process has been the single m ost en lig hte n
ing and educational experience o f m y life,
especially in reference to attitudes o f
patience, tolerance and understanding co n
cern in g those groups w ho were at one tim e
repulsive to me. C ivil rights has becom e o f
param oun t im portance to me, because now
it hits at hom e. (O nce a R epublican, now a
D em ocrat?)
The answer? F irst and forem ost is an in-
erased attitude o f pride and confidence in
w ho we are and that we are still viable co n
trib u to rs to o u r society. O ur battle cry should
be: "Sexual Preference Does N ot D eterm ine
P ersonality!!’’ Then a relearned attitude o f
tolerance, patience and genuine concern for
all indviduals regardless o f any quality in
the m w hich m ay not appeal to us. And finally,
a little un cond itiona l love never hurt anyone!
(If this letter is printed, you m ay p rin t m y
nam e boldly, w ith prid e!!)
Roger Wilson
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