Just news
Marge Coalman says the chorus members
have received their music and Portland folks
Lifting voices in
will be gathering to rehearse in the upcoming
National
Organization
for
Women,
the
Boise
BY D E L L R I C H A R D S
weeks. The first full rehearsal will precede the
Coalition for Peace in Central America and the song for the world
first performance at the opening ceremonies.
fter seven months of organizing, Boise
Rainbow Coalition—s ille d the number of
Songs
at the performance will be “Proud” and
political activists did the impossible—
to hear
participants.
“Come Celebrate.” There will be ten songs in
pulled off the first gay parade in Idaho.
“I would guess about a third of the marchers
all, one of which is in French.
Despite initial fears in the gay community
were not gay,” said Edie Kilpatrick, treasurer of
The Games promise to offer as much
ay Games III will include a 300-voice
that marchers would wear paper bags on their
YFFN.
culturally
as competitively. Artists of all media
festival
chorus
performing
at
the
opening
heads to hide their faces and public predictions
Local church organizations—from a Friends
and closing ceremonies, plus a mid-week are being asked to bring along their works for
that people would be shot if they attempted to
(Quaker) group to the Disciples of Christ to the
concert Fourteen people from Portland will display. Public transportation will be free in
exercise their civil rights, an estimated 350 men Metropolitan Community Church (MCC)—also lend their
voices to that heavenly choir. Some
Vancouver during the Games as passes will be
and women marched on June 23 down the main lent an air of respectability to the parade in this of the members are: Marge Coalman, Cheyenne granted.
streets of Boise proudly carrying signs and
intensely-religious community.
Chapman, Karen Fong, Amy Valentine, Arija
With registrations from many countries
banners to mark the beginning of the fight for
“I believe that if Jesus were here today, he
Anderson, Trent Gagnon, Philip Anderson,
around the world, including newly liberated
gay and lesbian rights in this conservative
would be right in the middle of the AIDS
Nancy
Vanderburgh,
Heidi
Boenke,
Donna
Eastern Europe, the Games will surely be an
Rocky Mountain state.
wards,” said Carol Blakley, a retired mother of Dunais, Cindy Z. and Sherry Oeser. Karen
opportunity for intercultural exchange, and
“The march exceeded our wildest dreams,” a gay man who is HIV-negative. Like many of Fong, Amy Valentine and Arija Anderson will never-to-be
forgotten memories. It is something
said Ann Dunk in, chair of Your Family,
the parade participants, Blakley has been
in events as well as sing in the
we can all sing about!
Friends and Neighbors (YFFN), the group that fighting a lone battle for the acceptance of gays compete
performances.
—Sandra de Helen
organized the day’s events.
at her church since 1977. Blakley and her
For months, activists such as Dunk in
husband, Ron, carried one of the many banners
worried that the gay community was too
TEAM PORTLAND SWIM TEAM
with references to God and Christ.
closeted for a public display of pride to come
Jodi Mckkers, pastor of the local MCC
off.
church, opened the gathering at the Capital
Boise has a long history of intolerance
step—and closed the rally that followed—with
toward minorities. Saturday’s parade put an end a prayer. “People across the country are
to that era even though approximately 100
cheering you on—and watching you,” said Peri
counter-demonstrators—carrying signs such as Jude Radecic, legislative director of the
“Down with Gays”—lined the streets in protest National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, who
But the massive number of gays who were
flew in for the event
unafraid to show their faces in public—and the
After a two-hour trek across town in the 95
obvious support of Boise’s liberal heterosexual degree heat, marchers were treated to songs by
community—stunned even the angriest
Houston activist Carolyn Mobley, the comic
protestor into awed silence.
duo Romanovsky and Phillips, and Olivia
Many non-gay political organizations—such recording artist Teresa Trull.
as the American Civil Liberties Union, the
T
Idaho holds first Gay Pride Parade
A
G
Our apologies to Team Portland. The picture planned for lat month's article is above. The photo
for Team Portland pictured Amy and Karen who won their trophies in martial arts competition.
Team Portland's glue, otherwise known as the steering committee. Standing (from left): Dave
Corral (tennis), Richard Brown (tennis), Geoff Pleat (power lifting ), Jay Dobson (triathlon), Bev
Michelson (co-chair). Front: Jill Schudt (swimming, Tyler Cole (swimming), Dale Shaw (phy
sique), and Lonnie Sobocxinski (trathlon).
Bev Mic kelson would like to add that Bridgetown Realty and Cascade Therapy Associates are
Gold Medal sponsors. The Silver Medal sponsor is TV Host. The Bronze Medal sponsors are Just
Out and Hobo’s.
.
________________
Six members o f Team Portland Swim Team competed in the State Games of Oregon, July 7 and
8, held at the Club. This was the second o f three meets held to ready the swimmers for the
upcoming Gay Games. The team members represent a variety of abilities, ages and all are
working hard to achieve their personal best. Come cheer them on at the Games.
_____________________________________________________________________ —Marge Parker
representatives of many countries and cultures
will be featured.
Concert and
“The concert concept, ‘Beyond The Rain
bow,’
represents the bringing together of all the
marching bands to
colors from around the world: the colors of
people, the colors of culture, the colors of
perform "Beyond
thought, the colors of friendship, love and
humanity. The goal of the entire week's events
The Rainbow"
is each of us striving for our own personal gold
that lies beyond the rainbow,” stated artistic
esbian and Gay Bands of America
director, Nanisi Barrett.
(LGBA), the national organization
The massed bands will also perform at the
comprised of 18 concert/marching bands from Games' Opening Ceremonies under the
across the U.S., will present a major concert, direction of Bob Brown (Denver) and the
“Beyond The Rainbow,” on Wednesday,
Closing Ceremonies under the direction of Jim
August 8 at 8 pm at the Orpheum Theatre in
Cochrane (New York). Ticket information is
Vancouver. In keeping with the international
available by calling (619) 226-1101.
scope of the Games and Festival, music
L
VIOLENT CRIME AND GAY-BASHING HOTLINES
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Metropolitan Human Relations Commission: 796-5136
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