don't miss it!
Once in a while, there
Problems are major for gay street youth
TURNABOUT 90
BY
Sunday August 26th 8:30 pm
benEÌÌT!
new arrivals from
south of the border
e m u PEPPER
IMPORTS
Darcelle XV
34 NW FIRST
208 NW 3rd • Portland
PO RTLAN D 288-2313
CHUCK FLOYD
Hairstylist for men and women
c it \r >vw
LOQ|^
1320 NE Broadway
287-5737
Sunday and evening appointments available
Complimentary SHADES EQ" with first haircut.
A conditionaing color gloss -
to blend grey or add highlights.
An array of color from subtle to vibrant.
10 £ O
Rentals and Sales
• Games
• UC R' s
Located Near Washington Square
Large S e le c tio n
C l a s s i c and C u r r e n t Fi l ms
Gay a nd N o n - G a y Rd u l t F i l ms
Bring in ad. and get 1 free movie rental.
one Is rented a t regular price.
when
10120 SUI Hall, Suite 202
P or t l an d Oregon 97223
2 4 6 - 8 3 28
just out ▼ 10 ▼ August 1990
SI
in a building sponsored by several
L V E R women
agencies. It is an environment of caring women
I
: y i*
Mouies
S H A E
who are all trying to leave the streets behind.
There is a small, yet proud, group of lesbians
t’s a cold, wet December day as she walks
here that support each other.
down the city streets. Her stomach growls as
There are a lot of young gays and lesbians
the small life within her cries out for food. She who would like to be a part of the leather
is 18-years-old, gay, pregnant from a rape five community. The problem is that many of them
months ago. She is alone on the streets.
don’t know where to get information. Once
That girl was me a little over a year and a
they do get the information on leather activities,
half ago. Being a gay street youth isn’t very
however, there’s the problem that most of the
easy. It’s even more difficult if you’re pregnant. activities, such as the Mr. and Ms. Leather
Why not abort? I couldn’t. It wasn’t my child’s contests are in bars. This makes it very difficult
fault that I was raped. That left me two choices. for those of us under 21.
Keep it or give it up for adoption. Reality caved
Getting information about the leather
in on me fast enough that I knew I couldn t
raise my baby on the streets, which left me only
one choice—adoption.
A
and tribute to Sandra Dee
Frank and Allison's
Pride of the Rose
Scholarship Fund
Donation: $6
help
Not long after I hit the streets, I heard about
an organization which helps street youth called
Outside In. While I was there I came in contact
with Peggy Brady. After answering several
newspaper ads for the adoption of my child, I
became very discouraged. All the people I had
contacted told me that they either didn’t want
my child because I was gay or because I was a
street kid. I was told that one or both of these
traits were probably genetic. Peggy then asked
me if I had thought of giving my child to gay
parents. With a growing excitement, I told her
that I hadn’t She made a few phone calls. One
hour later, a lesbian couple called and we made
plans to meet for dinner.
After talking to them for a couple of hours,
we agreed that we’d get to know each other
better and possibly even make them the proud
parents of a newborn baby. The months that
followed weren’t easy ones. Outside In gave
me an apartment for 90 days to help me get on
my feet. During that time, I went through four
false labors. Labor, whether it be false or real,
is extremely painful. There was concern all
around that the child wouldn’t make it to the
due date alive.
My transitional housing was coming to an
end as I entered my seventh month. The parents
and I arranged for another apartment to carry
me through until a month after the baby’s birth.
On April 22, 1989,1 began false labor that was
to last one week. On the seventh day, my doctor
induced my labor. The parents filmed my 12-
hour labor and 28-minute delivery. My son was
bom on April 29 at 2:35 am. After spending
three days with him, I signed the papers and
handed him to his new parents. He is now 15-
months-old and in a very happy lesbian home.
Looking back, I realize how lucky I was
during my pregnancy. Without resources like
Greenhouse for food and Outside In for shelter,
my stay on the streets could have been much
more difficult. There was also great support
from the lesbian community. Many hands
carried me through that rough time and
continue to do so.
I got in touch with the leather community
through Susie Shepherd (Ms. International
Leather *89) after I gave my son up. Later, I
joined the National Guard as an “out” lesbian.
While I was in basic training for the military, I
received the ORGASM (Oregon Guild
Activists of S/M) newsletter. Their warm
strength helped me deal with my surroundings
of total homophobia. I now reside with other
community is easily fixed. There are several ex
cellent sources for finding out about not only
leather activities, but S/M as well. I know, S/M
is still a subject that brings a blush of embar
rassment to one’s face. It did to me a little over
a year ago. With a lot of open discussion with
members of the leather community, I overcame
my naivete to learn about a very safe, sane, and
consensual community. With the help of Susie
Shepherd, I found out about talking openly
about S/M and the S/M Safety Manual.
Don’t laugh or blush. S/M is a lot of fun but
can be very dangerous if you don’t play safe.
Unfortunately, due to censorship activists, the
S/M Safety Manual is no longer available.
However, Coming to Power is available at
Powell’s Bookstore on West Burnside.
There is an organization just for the S/M
community called ORGASM. Spartacus, the
downtown leather shop, has information and
ORGASM’s newsletter. There is also an
organization called Portland Power and Trust
(PPT), who specialize in information concern
ing S/M. They hold several workshops monthly
at 333 NE Hancock. In order to participate,
even as an observer, you must be at least 18
years old with valid I.D.
The only problem left to address is how
‘minors’ can participate in or watch the
contests. There is an annual Jr. Leather Contest
at the City Nightclub every August. This year it
will be held August 11 at midnight. To find out
how you can enter, drop by the City Nightclub
(1313 NW 13th, off West Burnside). You must
be under 21 and willing to be a representative
for the leather community’s “under 21”
generation. For the moment, that’s the only
“Jr.” contest available.
This is just our beginning, but with help
from all of us, a young leather community just
may yet form. I have been luckier than most in
having a gay and lesbian community which
supports my emotional needs so lovingly.
Thank you all for being who you are.
don't keep it to
yourself say you
saw it in
ju s t O U t