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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1992)
Just out ▼ U b ru a r y 1002 ▼ 3 letters recently moved from Austin to the East Coast White woman until I came to pages 37-39. What a terrible disappointment to believe I had found a searching for publication that truly supported human rights and realize that it was like so many others; her heritage supporting the exploitation of gay men for the To the Editor: buck or do you run the ads for free as a service As a kid. I’d ask my mom, “what am I?” to your readers? I would be happy to make a She’d say, “you’re an American.” Oh, an contribution to offset the loss of funds from American. And then, on the forms I became running these phone sex ads if it meant their Caucasian “white in race.” Neither of these elimination. I will still send a copy of your terms satisfied me. I am not just a white paper to my friends, hoping they will not be so person, whose only claim to fame is the put off by the ads that they toss out what your destruction of earth-based spirituality, whose articles have to offer. only culture is consumerism. I am a woman If stopping human exploitation is not a good whose whiteness covers, as a blanket, an enough reason to end these ads, surely it has unseen richness of culture and belief. occurred to you that they are just the ammuni In white society we as women are not even tion the Oregon Citizens Alliance is looking for taught to love our sisters. We are taught to in their efforts to bash the gay community. compete with our sisters over clothes, over Good luck to you. Perhaps 1992 will be the men, over looks. Within white culture, we are year that newspapers such as yours will not be taught to leave our sisters behind, forgetting our dependent on phone sex ads to continue wisdom. We are taught self-oppression. We publication. are taught to read the fashion magazines and follow the soap operas. We are taught our Kathryn R. Sherman emotions make us weak, irresponsible. We are Portland given drugs for PMS, dioxin bleached tampons to stop our blood from flowing. We are taught the art of seduction, along with the evil mores Stop selling sex of pornography. We are taught to do this. So, for now, I am a white person who seeks To the Editor: her culture. A culture of sharing our differ There are certainly ominous threats to our ences. A culture which acknowledges the community on many fronts, and there is not wisdom and sacredness of women in dialogue. time to be petty or divisive. However, an open I seek a culture which sees the beauty of our sharing and continued support for each other diverse bodies, respects our physical and and our community in general is absolutely emotional changes. Yes, I am a white woman vital. Since Just Out is our community who wants to know her heritage. I am a white newspaper, it has an important part in my life in woman who wants to feel deep belonging, to be keeping apprised of political and social events brought home. I am more than just some white and in just being aware of what is happening in woman. the community. I respect and appreciate Just Out, and I Carolyn Rachel Jordan strongly disagree, often, with the policies Portland reflected by the staff. I am writing this letter to share a wonderful event in my life as a lesbian. I still question the judgement of the editorial staff Uncovering particularly regarding the inclusion of sex ads. on June 8, 1991, my partner, Kather deeper levels of ine, First, and I had a blessing ceremony in honor of our relationship, and it was a positive, beauti racism ful, affirming celebration. To the Editor: I believe these [sex] ads perpetuate Thank you for yet another inspiring and stereotypical beliefs concerning the gay confronting issue of Just Out. Thank you for community and are detrimental to our health your distribution in Hood River. As a person of and wholeness as a community. I am NOT white color in this world, some of the views anti-sex; I find great joy in my sexuality. expressed in the articles on racism raised some Reducing sex to a commodity to be bought and very intense feelings of frustration. sold is, in my opinion, greatly invalidating to us After reading the articles by gays and all. I understand that these adds generate lesbians about racism in the January issue, I needed income, but I still believe there could be realized I was experiencing a very strong creative ways to acquire more income. 1 desire feeling of discomfort. I also felt a strong need very much that our community celebrate to resolve that feeling. I reread each article sexuality, not exploit it. carefully to see if I could identify the source I hope you will find joy in my joy as a sister and perhaps uncover deeper levels of racism in this community, and I hope that, even though and discrimination within myself. you may be tired of hearing it, you will consider my concerns. David “Spike” Livermore Hood River Rylee Brown Beaverton Exploitation of Editor's note: The staff of Just Out has debated this issue more times than you can imagine. Our gay men for overriding concern is that the phone sex ads promote the safest sex of all in this post-AIDS a buck? era, and that t hey are now a part of gay male To the Editor: culture. The other concern is financial. Those As a newcomer to Portland from Austin, ads generate $2,000 per month for us and allow Texas, I picked up a copy of your January us to print four additional pages of news. At this tune, that news is very important. issue. Even though Just Out is not what I originally sought, I was very pleased to find a Since women have a different perspective and experience regarding sexual exploitation, paper supportive of the gay community. As a maybe it is time to hear from gay men. Are the supporter of human rights, I was both uplifted phone sex ads, etc. offensive to you? Do you and saddened by your “1991: A Look Back” feel exploited? Do you think Just Out should feature and the “Briefs” columns. I was all set keep running them? We want to hear from you. to share this new gem with two friends who JOANN LOULAN LIBERATING OUR SEXUALITY: A LESBIAN EROTIC LECTURE AND WORKSHOP r---------------- L_________________ ---------------- ^ FRIDAY FEBRUARY 14, 1992 LECTURE ________________ A Don't let the w ord lecture intimídate you. w atching JoAnn Loulan’s presentation is more fun than anything you ever sat through in school. Using lots o f provocative hum or and sex education, this lecture w ill explore lesbian culture and sexuality. Miss Brooks never talked about that. N orthw est Service Center, 18 19 NW Everett, 8 pm Tickets: $12 in advance, $15 a t th e door Available a t Ladds Editions, Music M illenium and Its My Pleasure W heelchair accessible ■ ASL interpreted S A TU R D A Y FEBRUARY 15, 1992 W ORKSHOP Loulan uses lecture, experiential exercises and group discussion to explore secrets o f lesbian sex. likes and.dislikes. impact o f roles/rules on dating, sexuality, issues between couples, and sexuality. N orthw est Service C enter,1819 NW Everett, (downstairs) 10am to 5pm Tickets sliding scale $50-80 Available a t Ladds Editions and Its My Pleasure W heelchair accessible sea tu rtle p ro d u ctio n s • 3 3 5 -0 2 2 1
