2 ▼ fa b r u a r y 1 9 0 2 ▼ ju » t o u t
just out
since 1983
PUBUSHER AND EDITOR
Rene6 LaChance
steppin' out
CO-EDITOR
contents
VOL. 9 N 0 . 4
Ariel Waterwoman
CALENDAR EDITOR
FEB. 1992
FEATURE
Linda Shirley
STAFF REPORTER
Inga Sorensen
Cathartic Chums
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Rupert Kinnard, the Brown
Bomber and Diva Touché
Flambé explode upon a
national consciousness
Catherine StaufTer
ADVERTISING
(p- 1 9 )
Linda Shirley
Amanda Colorado
Erotic Workshops
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Jo Ann Loulan facilitates
lesbian erotic workshop and
Joseph Kramer teaches a
hands-on workshop for men
(p. 17)
E. Ann Hinds
PROOFREADER
Inga Sorensen
TYPESETTER
^XmandaCoforado
FORMATTER
Oregon Health Plan
or Death Plan?
Meg Grace
DISTRIBUTION
Coyote Distributing
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Carol Steinel
Chloe De Segonzac
The news crew from CBS’s 48 Hours film ed Donna Red Wing throughout her day. She is on the
phone calling Bigot Buster Central to see where she should go next to thwart the Oregon Citizens
Alliance as its petitioners attempt to gather signatures. The news crew film ed 54 hours o f tape to
air a 10 minute segment sometime late February or early March.
Dr. David Lane explains
what's going on here
(P- 13)
DEPARTMENTS
CONTRIBUTORS
Lee Lynch
Dr. Tantalus
Matt Bailey
Al Cunningham
Marilyn Davis
Rex Wockner
David Lane
Ron Bloodworth
Lou Miles
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Letters
editorial
(p. 3)
World news
(P- 5)
O C A fe a rs d iv e rsity
Mabort, Casey and Lively as heroes? No way. They are the worst kind of bullies.
National briefs
(p.6)
OCA watch
(p-10)
Local news
(PP- 12-15)
bunch of us queers stood in the foyer o f City Hall,
numb witnesses to O regon’s latest example of
free speech and the democratic process, as the
Oregon Citizens All iance dropped off its petitions
to overturn the Portland City Council’s ordinance
banning discrimination against lesbians and gays. OCA
leaders Lon Mabon and Bill Casey made their remarks to the
press, after which, most left. Only the camera crew of CBS’s
news show 48 Hours remained. The 48 Hours reporter asked
each of the assembled, "are you afraid?” The resounding
answer was “no.” One gay man reminded the news crew and all
present, that the OCA is only trying to legally formalize the
hatred, bigotry and violence that has always been directed at us.
This is nothing new.
Gay men and lesbians have never had any legal recourse to
protect us against discrimination in housing, public accommo
dations, and jobs. Violence against gay men and lesbians has
been going on for hundreds of years, and is on the rise. The only
difference now is that we know who we have to fight. We can
band together to defeat this common enemy. Not only gay men
and lesbians, but coalitions of sensible people are fighting to
stop the tide of insanity and facism that is washing over this
continent. It is insane to try and legislate away the basic human
rights of any group of people.
We are being tested in Oregon. If the Oregon Citizens
Alliance wins here, its tactics will be used as a model in every
state and city to ensure the continuance of their particular brand
o f oppression. Hundreds of thousands o f dollars are being
funncled into the OCA from all over the United States. We all
know the OCA will not stop once it outlaws lesbians and gay
men. The next targets are pagans, new age practitioners,
alternative health care-givers, people o f color, Jewish people
A
and anyone else who threatens or contradicts the white, het
erosexual (so called Christian) privilege.
Members of the OCA are blinded by fear. Fear of
diversity; fear that their deity may actually have intended our
existence; fear that they will have to accept us as the individuals
that we are and take responsibility for their legacy of gay
bashing and teen suicides; fear that they may be judged by their
god for actions perpetrated against us. Churches, temples, and
congregations are turning away, daily, from the OCA and its
hate messages.
Several weeks ago, Donna Red Wing was at the First
Methodist Church in Estacada with six other lesbians and the
news crew from 48 Hours. The pastor stopped the service and
every member of the congregation came up and hugged each of
the dykes in turn, and told them that they were loved and
promised to help defeat the OCA. There was not a dry eye in the
house. That love, understanding and compassion exemplifies
the fairness of the people in this state. The campaign to beat the
OCA will be won on a personal level, by each one of us coming
out and meeting with people, and asking them not to sign the
O CA ’s petitions and not to vote for its initiatives.
The leaders of the OCA tried to paint a picture of their effort
to bring in the petitions as “heroic.” We know the true heroes
are lesbians, gay men and our allies who have the courage to
live life honestly and openly. We face our worst fears every
day, as each of us comes out with heart in hand. We are fighting
because we have to. Lon Mabon, Bill Casey and Scott Lively
as heroes? Hardly. They are the worst kind of bullies. Itdoesn’t
take a courageous effort to viciously attack a group of people
who have to fight tooth and nail for the basic human rights
intended by the Constitution. Pathetically, the OCA exempli
fies and exploits a fear of diversity.
COLUMNS
Amazon Trail
Zines, the next generation
(p .3 0 )
Just Dish
Linda Shirley channels
Charles Dickens
(p. 16)
ARTS
Books
Intimate Wilderness: Lesbian
Writers on Sexuality is
reviewed by Marilyn Davis
(P- 26)
Music
Dr. Tantalus dishes the
Grammy's
(p. 28)