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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1992)
2 0 ▼ ju nm 1 0 0 2 ▼ j u s t o u t Daddy q ueerest THE PET It’s all very weird, but in a lot of ways, it’s quite wonderful by Dennis Johnson I I ... celebrating the 8:30-6 Mon-Fri 8:30-5:30 Sat. spirit of W oman in sculpture, • Dog and Cat Grooming • Pet Supplies photography and • Cat Boarding fi ne jew elry 1411 SW 14th Ave. Located next to Animal Medical Clinic 241-4051 ’m going to be a father. This is all still very weird to me and kind of hard to deal with in many ways. V/ait, let me back up a bit. See, I ’ve been asked by lesbians to donate my sperm several times since 1981. I have obliged, on occasion. The last time was in 1983. The recipi ent was unknown to me, as were two other gay guys also donating their sperm. We all “jizzed” on alternate days for several months. It was strange, even a bit disconcerting, and certainly far from spiritual to masturbate in the basement of a lovely Alameda home while the go-between and would-be mother waited upstairs. S traight friends of mine have commented that they could never perform under such conditions. Gay men, I’ve concluded, are resilient and can have sex almost anywhere and anytime (but don’t tell the OCA). By the way, the woman never got pregnant, at least that’s what we were told. In mid-1991 I was asked to donate sperm again, this time by a woman I knew. I was more than a little apprehensive. I was pretty sure I ’d say no. (Nancy Reagan would have like that.) How ever, I considered the many positive things: the woman and her lover had a long-term stable relationship; they both earned good livings; and they shared values similar to mine. After much indecision, I decided to spill my seed, as it were. This time things were much more medical and precise. We would use a fertility clinic. She would estimate the time of ovulation. I would go to the clinic with her and donate fresh sperm which her doctor would then use to inseminate her. On subsequent days I would go to the clinic DAVID RO LIN DESIGN By appointment ▼ 233-13Ö3 Crossdressing and the la w BRADLEY J. WOODWORTH ATTORNEY AT LAW 920 CROWN PLAZA • 1500 S.W. FIRST AVENUE PORTLAND, OREGON 97201 (503) 273-9146 Free Initial Consultation SERVING THE LEGAL NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: • ACCIDENTS & INJURIES (NO RECOVERY, NO FEE) • ( RIMIN AL LAW * DU11 • DIVORCE A N D CUSTODY • • • • WILLS RESTATES BUSINESS LAW AN D LITIGATION REAL ESTATE LITIGATION IN ALL STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS LflDD7 EDITIOÍ1/ BOOK/TORE — - vy — MON-SAT 11-6 »SUN 12-5 1864 SE HAWTHORNE 236-4628 Storewide sale Sunday, June 21 in honor of Lesbian and Gay Pride Day and donate my sperm so it could be frozen for later use. (I couldn’t help thinking o f Walt Disney.) Back to the fertility clinic. Imagine what fun it was for two healthy, potent queers to walk into a roomful of impotent heterosexuals. I mean, there was a certain sense of irony to the fact that my lesbian friend and I could conceive all on our own, but the idea of us actually doing the deed was truly inconceivable! At times sex, sexuality and conception are such confusing issues. Talk about masturbating in a fertility clinic, well, it’s a far cry from a basement in Alameda, to say the least. The nurse shows you to “the room.” It’s the standard examination room, however, there’s a comfy loveseat in the comer with a VCR, porno tapes (heterosexual, of course) and titty magazines like Gallery and Penthouse. As with so many of my dates I was forced to use my imagination. I delivered the goods without fail every time, even though the specimen container did chafe. I don’t mean to brag, but I did suggest to the nurse that, in the future, she might try ordering some wide- mouth jars. This was several months ago and I ’m happy to report that the baby is due in early September. Although I won’t be legally responsible for the child, I will be known to him (yes, it’s going to be a boy). It’s exciting, scary, confusing and adven turous. And even a little adult. Maybe that’s what’s so nerve-racking about iL I can’t help but feel some joy in knowing that a child will be bom to two mothers who really want him and went to great lengths to bring him into this world. A child that, in all probability, won’t be hateful and homophobic. What a gift! Police Chief Potter talks to the Northwest Gender Alliance by Roni ^ ortland’s Chief of Police, Tom Potter, was guest speaker at the Northwest Gender Alliance (NWG A) dinner meet ing on April 15. There were 42 mem bers and guests present. Chief Potter was invited to speak to the organization about the law and crossdressers in Portland. Questions were submitted to Potter a few weeks before the dinner so that he would have time to research the answers. These were perti nent questions relating to the laws in Portland and how they might affect the crossdressers in the community. In general, there are no law s against crossdressing in the city of Portland. As long as one obeys existing laws, there is not a problem with being in public while crossdressed. Chief Potter was shown the membership card Police C hief Tom Potter with Rom for NWGA members. This card has a picture of the crossdressed member with a statement that restroom is utilized. this person is psychologically recognized as a Chief Potter was asked if it was possible to be crossdresser. The bearer of this card is not put into a separate holding cell in the event a crossdressed for illegal or fraudulent purposes, crossdresser did have to go to jail. He stated that but rather for the purpose of his own self-expres it was permissible to ask for an empty holding sion. Chief Potter recommended that the indi cell, which would probably be provided if avail vidual, if crossdressed, show this card, along with able. The only exception would be if the person their drivers license if ever confronted by a police was drunk, then one would have to be put in the officer for any alleged violation of the law, such drunk tank. as a traffic infraction. It was a very informative evening for all in The question of which restroom one should attendance, and Potter asked just as many ques use while crossdressed and out in public was also tions about crossdressing as he was asked about Chief Potter stated that there are no spe the law. cific laws against a male, while crossdressed, For more information on crossdressing, con using the women’s restroom. But, one should tact NWGA, PO Box 4928, Portland, OR 97208- abide by the rules of the establishment where the 4928, or call the hotline, 289-5283. P
