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_________________
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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