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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 1987)
VISA/US Olympic Committee Choices The Fourth Reich? W ex partner contact tracing has begun in Indiana. The Indiana State Board of Health is now notifying the known sex partners of people suspected of having AIDS, according to the New Works News. Those notified by the Indiana State Board of Health will not. however, be told the names of the contacts identifying them as sex partners. A spokeswoman told the New Works News that there may be times when those who test positive don't want to personally tell their partners for one reason or another. “ We'll do that tor them and it will be strictly confidential." This seemingly provincial matter has major national importance; Dr. Woodrow Myers. Di rector o f the Indiana State Board of Health, is a member o f Reagan's AIDS Commission. as September Queer Month in Portland. or what ’ The Portland Gay Men \ Chorus and Intimate Friends at the Portland Center for the Performing Arts played to sellout crowds. Both theaters will be blessed with fall out o f fairy dust for years to come. In mid-month gays and lesbians even had a choice on a Friday night. Tom Ammiano and Alix Dobkin and Phranc all played on the same night Both concerts drew excellent crowds. The opening ceremonies of the AIDS Vigil on the same night was also well attended Speaking o f choices on a Friday night, picketing Kristine Gebbie at the AIDS Vigil may have been the wrong choice. According to an informed source. Gebbie has been fair to gays and PWAs and on occasion gone farther for them in some areas than gay and PWA advocates were willing to go. But regardless of the alleged intransigence of a bureaucrat, picketing an AIDS Vigil at a Metropolitan Community Church is tacky. S he response to Sasha Alyson s call for action against VISA has been amazing. Alyson says. “ Clearly. I'm not the only one w ho absolutely loathes the U.S. Olympic Com mittee for their vicious and homophobic treat ment of Dr. Tom Waddell and the Gay Games.” Aly son says we.can also make an impact on other corporations who think Olympic sponsor ship is a “ good, non-controversial way to im prove their PR." The VISA sponsorship of the Olympic Com mittee will extend through September 1988, so remember that when using a VISA card a percentage of the money spent will go to the US Olympic Committee. . Alyson is making a scrapbook o f half cards and press clippings about this action. Sasha Alyson can be contacted at Alyson Publications. 40 Plympon S t.. Boston, MA 02118. Cruising parks still dangerous B Y J A Y B R O W N Tacky acts, part two A nother tacky act occurred two nights later bers. say ing that the owner wouldn't return on the same comer. The Rev. Gary my call. Wilson. Pastor of Metropolitan Community At 9:00 p.m. that night Gregory Casteel, ( hurch of Portland, told us: “ People who were owner o f Prestige, contacted me at home, say part of a religious ceremony at our church were ing he had had to go to his Catholic priest to find harassed by people who were probably em out if he should talk to me. He then went on to ployees of Prestige Limousine. The harassment say he did not support homosexuals or homo consisted of anti-gay/lesbian comments and sexual rights. I asked for an apology from Merv jokes about the disease. AIDS. and an investigation into the Sunday matter and On Monday. September 14. 1987. I called was told nothing further would be done. Prestige to ask that they look into the matter and Thursday. September 17. 1987. leaded to speak to any offending employees. A man Neighborh<xx! Mediation and asked for inter w ho identified himself as the manager and said vention. Today. Mr Emmanuel Paris of Neigh his name is Merv was very rude, hanging upon borhood Mediation called to say that Prestige me four times, ref using to tell me how or when I had said they would not be involved in mediation. could contact the owner (until the fifth call I At press time, the Rev. Wilson had received placed) and informing me that homosexuals are neither acknowledgement nor apology from an abomination before God. Only grudgingly Prestige Limousine. Prestige Limousine is did Merv take my name and telephone num located at 1716 NE 24th eople will persist in cruising parks late at night. Late night park cruising was never safe, even in the best of times. Among our correspondence this month was an anonymous letter relating an incident in Laurelhurst Park on September 18. The writer was accosted by a young man who threatened him and demanded money from him — “ He was grabbing and pushing me and calling me faggot and demanding that I hand over my money.” “ I called the police when I got home. They wanted me to give my phone number and name. I didn't because I . It happened so fast. I don't remember what the kid looks like. 2. 1 have a hunch the police would have asked me. What were you doing in the park at 3:00 a .m .?' To that. I wouldn't have a justifi able response.” Please, if you are cruising Laurelhurst Park late at night, use the utmost caution. I consider myself lucky that I didn't get stabbed or killed. I w ill never, however, wander through Laurel hurst Park alone after dark.” P Business in AIDS time anagement of a downtown gay bar has recently terminated the employment of at least two persons w ith AIDS. In one case, the bar ow ners have set attorneys brandishing release forms on the PWA. We wonder how much more o f this kind of thing is going on — and not only in gay busines ses We were particularly shocked, though, to hear about a gay-owned business acting so shabbily. M A last word othing in the Constitution points to a right to privacy.” Archibald Cox said recently in an interview on All Things Con sidered. Cox was the special prosecutor fired by Robert Bork on orders from then President Richard Nixon in October 1974. Just one more bit of evidence that gay/lesbian civil rights advocates still have a difficult road ahead. • N You are invited to our new store... s Food Front (o\ Co. ,o 0 GRAMO OPENING CELEBRATIONr saTUROAr- OCTOBER 31st 2 -6 pm easy parking ✓ wider aisles \/ expanded produce ✓ service deli And, as always , our concern for the highest quality! Pood Proni Open to All 9am to 9 pm Daily 23rd Place & Thurman TriMet Bus Routes 15 and 17 222-5658 JattO ut* A • Oututor. IVSt Quality, Variety, Community c o a p e A T I V E