Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (July 1, 1988)
A CRUISE T O REM EM BER — M ARCH MARCH 25 I I s I9H‘A 4 DAYS! 7 DAYS! < ■ ?> * CAH< » J f m J C A S — PUERTO VALLARTA — MAZATLAN ADDITIONAL SAILING ADDED APRIL 1st. CALL FOR ALL OTHER CRUISE INFORMATION ACAPULCO BARGAIN! ROUND TRIPAIR 7 NIGHTS AT THE ACAPULCO DOLPHINS HOTEL. $499.00 PPDO. CICLO Leonard Matlovich SPORT SHOP 86 NW 91 8 THIRD «V STATE ST OLD TOWN PORTLAND LAKE OSWEGO 00W NT0W N 836-8521 227 3535 aurata BIANCHI p e u c e o t I tPüuncndßock, . SPECIALIZED I tM m m n n n m % 1 1 A IA O vft 3S yt<wj of Wfw<r lo ou» nngM xxs Frank Warrens- Butomotive & Morine Services Inc. WAIKIKI — FROM $386.00 PPDO AIR, 7 NIGHTS HOTEL AIRPORT TRANSFERS Our complete automotive repairs & Service on ALL Domestics & Imports. CALL FO R T H E BEST I N T E R N A T IO N A L FARES 228-6607 50 N W 20th Approve Auto Ropolr Psychological Services for Women, Men, and Couples Wayne Boulette Travel Counselor VISTA TRAVEL SERVICE 224-5000 In Oregon I 800-245-5557 Kristine L. Falco, Psv.D. P sych ological R esident Supervisor lean A Furvhnor. Ph D. ri.34-9866 M ihvaukie, O regon PEOPLE'S 200 S.W. MARKET • PORTLAND. OR VANCOUVER, U S A. 693-3839 - si oui • ê • Jul> 1988 GOOD If there has to be a disease, and l have to have it, then this is the disease I want FOOD- F R I E N D L Y PEOPLE 3029 s.e. 21st he had been living since his dismissal from the Air Force, to San Francisco, where he joined the Republican party and ran for city supervisor. eonard Matlovich, the former Air Force He lost that campaign, but this did little to sergeant who was the first openly gay man to appear on the cover of Time magazine, died dampen his enthusiasm for public life. In late 1980, following a court victory order on June 22 at a friend’s home in West Holly ing his reinstatement in the Air Force, Mat wood of AIDS-related illnesses. With him lovich agreed to settle out of court with the when he died were his parents, a cousin, his military for $160,000. He did this because his roommate, and his best friend, Michael Bed- case was no longer a constitutional one; instead well. His sister and two nieces had also visited it revolved around technicalities and therefore shortly before his death. Matlovich was 44 years old. had little bearing on the right of other gay people to serve in the Armed Forces. The son of an Air Force master sergeant, With the settlement money, Matlovich Matlovich was bom in a military hospital in Savannah. Georgia, on July 6,1943, and raised opened a pizza parlor in Guemeville, California, on a series of Air Force bases around the world. which he operated from 1981 to 1984. Although he enjoyed the life of a small-town business After graduating from high school in England in 1962, he joined the Air Force a year later and man, he was forced to sell the restaurant due to spent the next 12 years in the service. the AIDS crisis and the resultant, if temporary, While in the service, Matlovich served three period of public hysteria. He then returned to San separate tours of duty in Southeast Asia, for Francisco, where he dedicated his energies to which he was highly decorated. For meritorious closing the city’s bathhouses. For this he was service performed in Dong Ha, Vietnam, on his severely criticized. first tour of duty, he received a Bronze Star. A few months later, Matlovich was asked by Four years later, in Da Nang, he stepped on a a group of fellow gay conservatives in Washing mine and was awarded a Purple Heart. He also ton, D.C., to help form an organization called received an Air Force Commendation Medal in Concerned Americans for Individual Rights, 1971. which would lobby Congress on behalf of gay After leaving Vietnam for good in 1971, rights concerns. Unfortunately, the organization Matlovich served as a counselor with the Air was racked by political infighting, so Matlovich Force’s Drug and Alcohol Abuse Program. He left for Europe, where he spent the next year later became a Race Relations instructor, win traveling and supervising American teenagers ning praise from students and supervisors alike through a U S. Army summer hire program. He for his bold and innovative classroom tech returned to Washington to become involved in niques. It was while teaching race relations that that city’s efforts to close the baths. When that he began to study the problems of other second- effort, too, ended in failure, he moved once class citizens in the United States, including again back to San Francisco. homosexuals. It was then that he also began to Matlovich’s concern with AIDS reached an explore his own homosexuality, which he had entirely new level when he was diagnosed as hitherto suppressed. having the disease in September 1986. Rather In 1974, Matlovich met Dr. Frank Kameny, a than turn inward, he became more gay activist who was looking for someone serv active than ever before. He raised a memorial to ing in the military with a perfect record to gay Vietnam veterans in Washington, D.C.; challenge their policy excluding openly gay protested the Reagan administration’s lack of people. After considerable deliberation. Mat response to the AIDS crisis by getting arrested lovich agreed to serve as the gay community’s for nonviolent civil disobedience at the White test case, and in March 1975 he delivered a House; established the Never Forget Project, an letter to his superior officer at Langley Air organization to honor gay historical figures; Force Base in Virginia stating, “ I consider my took part in the National March on Washington self to be a homosexual and fully qualified for for Gay and Lesbian Rights; led the boycott further military service. My almost twelve against Northwest Airlines for their policy con years of unblemished service supports this cerning people with AIDS; spoke at the position.” demonstration against the Pope during the Both the military and media response was Pope’s visit to San Francisco; considered run swift. In May 1975, the Air Force commenced ning for the state assembly; and demonstrated in discharge proceedings. That same month, Mat support of the AIDS/ARC Vigil in San lovich’s picture appeared on the front page of Francisco. Wom out at last, he moved to West The New York Times. The Time magazine cover Hollywood in May 1988 to be with a friend for followed in September. Matlovich quickly his final months. became one of the most famous gay people in Matlovich’s final message was, as it had the United States and, according to journalist been foryears, one of hope and faith. As he told Randy Shilts. “ the country’s first certifiable his biographer for the forthcoming story of his gay hero.” His status did not prevent the Air life, to be published by Alyson Publications in Force from discharging him, however, after early 1989, “ Ifthere has to be a disease, and if I only four days of testimony and argument at have to have it. then this is the disease I want, administrative hearings. because the good that has come out of it is just Matlovich s lawyers appealed the case — a incredible. The reality of the situation is that process which took six years. In the meantime. before we meet, the main thing gay people have Matlovich toured the country as a spokesperson in common is our sexuality. Yet the AIDS crisis for gay rights, leading battles against Anita allows us to share far more by bringing us closer Bryant in Florida in 1977 and John Briggs in together. For this much love, care and com California in 1978. He also became heavily passion to come out of this community because involved in politics, often espousing his own of AIDS proves that we truly are a people of rather controversial conservative philosophy In incredible love. We’re going to be a better 1979 he moved from Washington. D C., where community because of this.’’ * B Y___ M I K E L H I P P L E R