Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1992)
MRG 8 ▼ February 1002 ▼ just out CHUCK FLOYD for men and women WILLIAM JAMISON A GUS VAN SANT Invite You to Colobroto the 15th Anniversary of the M cKIN ZIl RIVER GATHERING FOUNDATION 1640 N E 16th And the Creation of the OUT FUND FOR LESBIAN AND GAY LIBERATION, a National Pro gram o# the Funding Exchange Sunday and evening appointments 2 8 7 -5 7 3 7 GAY & LESBIAN HELPLINE Thursday, February 20Hi 6x 3 0 -8 :3 0 p.m. Jamlson/Themas Gallery 1313 N.W. Gllsan Portland a project of Tickot information: 5 0 3 /2 3 3 -0 2 7 1 jfpknderflgtHxnii (503) 683-CHAT (2428) M onday-Friday 4-11 pm V/TDD Statewide Resources • Referrals • Peer Counseling • Recording of Hate Crim e Statistics Maximize your profit. le s -rra J »•stale can b»* a very profitable venture We all know that But at Bndgetown Realty we believe you can proht in other ways as well You can make your money work for you by doing business with a company which returns a portion of its earnings to the community F»>r over a decade, the agents of Bridgetown Realty have con tributed to many progressive organizations Some of them include Cascade AIDS Pniject Amnesty International, National Organization for Women, KB(X). Lesbian Community Project. Friends of (»ail Shibley, Osbirg. American Civil Liberties I'nion. Our House, Right to Privacy PAC S o . when you. or a friend, or a co-worker, think about moving, remember us We sell properties throughout the Portland area, be it city or country, east or weslskie Know where you are putting your mdney. Ramifications of OCA ballot measure are extensive Hairstylist FUNDING SOCIAL C H A N G E IN O R E G O N A FUND FOR LESBIAN AND GAY LIBERATION The future? . T by Inga Sorensen I u t has been more than eight months since the ers throughout Oregon-could be nullified almost conservative Oregon Citizens Alliance filed instantly. “If the initiative were to gain approval it would an initiative petition with the secretary of automatically overturn and invalidate any laws stale’s office which declares homosexual that include the phrases ‘sexual orientation,’ or ity “abnormal and perverse,” and prohibits ‘sexual preference,’” explains Portland attorney state and local governments from “promoting, Charles Hinkle. “That would include repeal of condoning, encouraging or facilitating abnormal such clauses in the state’s hate crimes reporting behaviors.” During the months following that act and intimidation measures. It would also action, the OCA has fed on a steady diet of media attention. This includes the coverage of its efforts repeal any local ordinance that bans discrimina to collect voter signatures at a host of area ¡nails tion on the basis of sexual orientation, such as the and food chains, its weak attempts to boycott one recently passed by the Portland City Council.” According to Oregon law, it is illegal to intimi various businesses throughout the state, and the publicity surrounding its recently released video date people because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation, race, color, religion, or na depicting gays and lesbians as pedophiles. Analysis of, and focus upon, the proposal’s tional origin. “Intimidation,” is defined as oc potential effect on the lives of lesbians and gays, curring when a person threatens to inflict serious as well as the public-at-large, has been scant as the harm against you, tampers with your property, or media strives to follow the OCA’s frequent and intentionally subjects you to offensive physical sensational activities. The group’s statewide ini contact. State law also requires that police agencies tiative is nearly always reported as an “anti label and track crimes motivated by prejudice against lesbians and gays. The cities of Portland homosexual measure.” That’s it. PERIOD. While one may have sensed the seriousness of and Springfield have also recently approved or the OCA’s threat, rarely do we hear about the dinances banning discrimination based on sexual tangible effects the proposal would have, if it orientation in housing, employment, and public were written into the state Constitution. There accommodations. Corvallis officials hope to pass have been several legal challenges to the wording a similar ordinance in the near future. If the of the measure’s ballot title since its initial filing. OCA’s ballot initiative were to pass, however, Currently the proposal’s summary maintains that such protections and guarantees would no longer “governments in Oregon may not use their mon be available to lesbians and gays. ies or properties to promote, encourage or facili “All the gains we have made would be nulli tate homosexuality, pedophilia, sadism, or mas fied,” explains John Baker of the Right to Privacy ochism. All levels of government, including Political Action Committee. “The measure pretty public education systems, must assist in setting a much says that the state of Oregon must not and standard for Oregon’s youth which recognizes cannot deal with the issue of sexual orientation. that these ‘behaviors’ are ‘abnormal, wrong, un Discrimination against lesbians and gays would natural and perverse’ and that they are to be be allowed and there would be little we could do discouraged and avoided. The sta^ may not or even say to combat i t ” recognize this conduct under ‘sexual orientation’ Hinkle, meanwhile, believes passage of the or ‘sexual preference’ labels, nor through ‘quotas, amendment could have a chilling effect on one’s minority status, affirmative action, or similar con ability to speak freely without fear of retaliation. cepts.’” “I think the primary effect of this measure is that The ramifications of such an amendment could it would punish people who even talk about gay be extensive. Firstly, it essentially mandates rights. It says that we should all just shut up about government discrimination specifically against it. If we spoke about it, we could be fired. If we lesbians and gays. Its passage could additionally wanted to have a march or rally supporting gay lead tq the removal of literature depicting lesbians rights, it could be difficult, if not illegal,” he says. and gays in a positive light from the shelves of “This is an anti-free speech amendment which public libraries. Censorship of similar materials could have a real terrorizing effect on the public. throughout the public school system could be It also says that gays and lesbians are not worthy widespread, severely limiting young people’s of the same constitutional protections granted to access to important, and sometimes life-saving, everyone else.” information. (Studies indicate lesbian and gay Both Hinkle and Baker say it’s difficult to teenagers are three times as likely to attempt know just how far-reaching the effects of such an suicide than their heterosexual peers. Just Out amendment would be. Hinkle maintains the interviews with gay and lesbian young people OCA’s effort is “historically unprecedented,” thus find that a lack of role models and information one can only speculate how the lives of lesbians leave many feeling isolated and unsupported.) and gays would be restricted and altered. Funding for HIV educational materials con “The changes could be very significant,” says taining explicit language about safer-sex meth Baker. “I hope we don’t have the opportunity to ods, especially information directed toward the discover just how significant they might be.” gay male population, could be eliminated. Non The OCA’s No Special Rights Committee profit organizations that endorse gay and lesbian must gather 89,029 valid voter signatures by July civil rights, or provide necessary services, could 3 in order to get the measure on this year’s have their status rescinded if their actions were November general election ballot. Many believe deemed in violation of the amendment’s clause the OCA should have little difficulty collecting prohibiting government “promotion” of homo those signatures, and efforts are underway to sexuality. Public funding for various counseling defeat the initiative. If you’re interested in be services could also be eliminated. Recent legal coming involved, you can contact the No on Hate gains-which took years of hard work, tenacity, campaign at 2384732, or the Campaign for a and creativity by lesbian and gay rights support Hate Free Oregon at 245-5351. STEPHEN D. YEW, D .M .D . A GENTLE APPROACH TO DENTISTRY Bridgetown Realty Red laon Uoyd Center • 1000 N.E. Multnomah • Portland. Oregon 9'2.A2 • ( 5 0 3 ) 28"’- 9 3 '’0 700 N. Hayden Island Drive, Suite 330 Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 8 am-5 pm Phone: 289m12l5
