2 ▼ S ep tem b er 1 0 02 ▼ ju s t out
ju st out
s in c e 1 983
PUBUSHER
Renée LaChance
steppin’ out
EDITOR
Ariel Waterwoman
V O L. 9 N O . 11 SEPT. 1992
CALENDAR EDITOR
Meg Grace
FEATURE
FREELANCE REPORTERS
Jeff Williamson
Jim Hunger
Howard N. Dana
Working in the
worst of times
Eric Rofes, the executive
director o f Shanti Project in
San Francisco, talks about
the International Conference
on AIDS and his thoughts
about the AIDS epidemic.
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS
Linda Kliewer
Linda Carter
ADVERTISING
Amanda Colorado
Meg Grace
E. Ann Hinds
(p. 13)
DEPARTMENTS
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
E. Ann Hinds
PROOFREADER
Mary Catherine Lamb
TYPESETTER
Amanda Colorado
FORMATTER
Meg Grace
Letters
(pp. 3-4)
We ca n ’t all be winners. Meet the losers o f the Lesbian Community Project's Tournament o f Choice, the SOS
Team. They lost every game and had a blast doing it. The tournam ent took place Aug. 15 and 16.
guest editorial
The master’s tools
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Chloe De Scgonzac
Just Out is published on the first day
of each month. © 1992. No part of Just
Out may he reproduced without written
permission from the publisher.
The subm ission o f written and
graphic m aterials is w elcom ed.
Written material should be typed and
double-spaced. Just Out reserves the
right to edit for grammar, punctuation,
style, liability concerns and length. We
will reject or edit articles or
advertisements that are offensive,
demeaning or may result in legal action.
Just Out consults the Associated Press
Style Book and Libel Manual on
editorial decisions.
Letters to the editor should be
limited to 400 words. D eadline for
submissions is the 15th of the month
proceeding
publication.
Views
expressed in letters to the editor,
columns and features are not
necessarily those of the publisher.
Display advertising will be accepted
up to the 17th of each month.
Classified ads must be received at the
office of Just Out by the 17th of each
month, along with payment. Ads will
not be taken over the telephone.
Subscriptions to Just Out are
available for $17.50 for 12 issues. First
Class (in an envelope) is $30 for 12
issues.
A free copy o f Just Out and/or
advertising rates are available on
request.
The mailing address and telephone
number hr Just Out are: PO Box 15117,
Portland, OR 97215; (503) 236-1252
World briefs
(p. 9)
DISTRIBUTION
Up Front Distribution
CONTRIBUTORS
Lee Lynch
Dr. Tantalus
Rex Wockner
Sandra de Helen
Matthew Nelson
Tee Corinne
Rachel Timoner
Susan Baker
Susan Dobrof
Steve Warren
Brian Gorrin
Walt Mandcll
contents
by Pattie Ladd
I
An easy lesson on internalized oppression,
internalized homophobia
just got home from a No on 9 house party where I saw
heterosexual variety.)
the infamous OCA video for the first time, and I feel
I understand that it’s too much to expect perfect harmony
sick and sad. Not because the video is a powerful
and unity. W e’re all so scared. But I don’t expect such
propaganda piece, obsessive and manipulative beyond
intolerance from people who are currently the linchpins in a
belief. Not because the video provides more evidence
movement to freeze right-wing hate crimes. Too much is at
that some members o f the OCA must be getting off on us (they
stake-for us, for Jews, for people o f color and for every fringe
do see the video over and over). Not because their lies this time
element and despised subculture targeted by the ultraright.
around are at least as vicious and calculating as last time. That
What really capped it for me tonight was when the cam
all made me angry. What makes me want to cry and throw up
paign worker who brought the video to the party said that
is the reaction of the majority o f the people in the room watching
ignorance of OCA supporters is obvious...so many words
the video. After watching footage of gay men in the San
misspelled in their hate mail! Let’s try to remember how many
Francisco Lesbian and Gay Pride March waving their penises
people who can’t spell “homosexual” are going to check “no”
at the crowd and the cameras, one lesbian said, “I don’t blame
on their ballots. I ’ve heard about other official spokespeople
the OCA, I blame us!” Someone said thank goodness they
referring assumptively to “the rednecks in rural Oregon....”
“behaved" much better in Portland’s parade this year. The
And the word “Christian” is thrown around so loosely that my
murmurs of affirmation in the room made my heart begin to
m other-a straight but not narrow Christian-would believe
pound. In my head I heard that part o f Bi 11 Clinton’s convention
herself lumped in with the likes of Lon. Is it so hard to
speech when he talked about Americans “them-ing” ourselves
remember that it’s fascism w e’re facing down, not Middle
to death. While the OCA is busy painting us as other, we are just
America? Stereotyping and name-calling don’t win us any
as busy drawing distinctions between good and bad queers.
votes. Without the support of people like my mom and the
They want us to conform, and so do we. Getting cozy with the
logger in Roseburg who knows his H ispanic neighbor is next on
master’s tools.
the OCA’s list, we will surely lose.
We know exactly what the OCA is up to with this video. But
And if we lose on Measure 9, who do you think the shock-
I wonder if even the OCA realizes what a bonus it brings in
troop bullies will kill or maim first in their celebratory frenzy?
further dividing their enemy. The video brings the gay and
The gay lawyer on his way home to his loft in the Pearl District
lesbian community’s differences into graphically sharper focus
or the drag queen hurrying down Stark Street to catch his bus?
and provides a golden opportunity for the margins-to-the-
One of the Lesbian and Gay Pride organizers said recently in
mainstreamers to set themselves apart from the leather dykes
print that he was looking tor a way a “normal” gay man like
and flaming faggots. No, that man with the leather jock strap
himself could become politically involved. Can we even hear
on the parade float doesn’t represent me. And I w ouldn't think
ourselves? Is this battle worth winning if it’s on the backs of
of trying to represent him. What an odd notion. But let me tell
those of us who can’t pass, who can’t or won’t assimilate, or
you, the mood in the room at the house party was such that if we
who insist on flaunting it for those of us who can only talk the
ran the world beginning tonight, the man on the float with the
^ ° f freedom? This is about stopping an organized move
fish between his legs and the bare-breasted dyke with the whip
ment of ten-orist bigots who don’t care whether you find your
would not be free to walk the streets. We, ourselves, would
pleasure in the Dungeon or in your Jacuzzi. I have to believe
punish them for not conforming. Their civil rights were so
we’re going to win this one. and when we wake up from this
clearly less precious than ours tonight, in that comfortable
terrible dream, I hope we have strength left to fight the
room, in the blue TV light, as we happily scarfed down our “No
homophobe perched within.
on 9” cupcakes.
Donna Red Wing said recently if you don’t come out this
(Please know that I’m not defending members o f the North
year, don’t bother, because those of us who will take the heat
American Man-Boy Love Association, who were trotted out
need you right now. To that I would add: if you’re not working
later in the video. I wholeheartedly support rejection of
to protect the civil rights of all queers, keep your money and
NAMBLA as criminal pedophiles, indistinguishable from the
stay home.
National news
(PP- 10-12)
OCA watch
Former Just Out staff
photographer Catherine
Stauffer is finally getting her
day in court, and the OCA
may have to pay.
v r r
No on 9 and No on Hate share
their progress in fighting
the initiative.
(p.14)
Local news
Tee A. Corinne reports from
the southwest corner
o f Oregon.
(p. 18)
What I'm doing to
fight the OCA
Readers write in with many
creative ideas from sample
letters to coming-out stories.
(PP- 5-7)
COLUM NS
Amazon TVail
(p. 35)
ARTS
Cinema
Lily Tomlin gives Steve
Warren her still-not-coming-
out interview on the eve o f the
debut o f her movie on
Showtime.
(p. 27)
Gus Van Sant will direct
The Life and Times of
Harvey-Milk
(p. 29)