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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1994)
2 ▼ aprii 1, 1 0 0 4 ▼ juat out just out s in c e 1 9 8 3 steppin’ out PUBLISHER contents Renée LaChance EDITOR Ariel Waterwoman V0L.11 NO. 11 APRIL 1,1994 CALENDAR EDITOR Meroc Elahi FEATURES PHOTOGRAPHER Access and community Linda Klicwer REPORTER Lesbians and gay men with disabilities <pp. 15-16) Pamela Lyons ADVERTISING Fred Allcmann Meg Grace E. Ann Hinds Jewel Robinson Equal access The ADA is a first step to ending discrimination CREATIVE DIRECTOR (p. 17) E. Ann Hinds GRAPHIC DESIGN Rupert Kinnard DEPARTMENTS COPY EDITOR World news Kelly M. Bryan PROOFREADER Thomas Lauderdale TYPESETTERS The new VOICES billboard at Outside-In, 1236 SW Salmon St. Dee StarDancer Fultz Jann Gilbert DISTRIBUTION Up Front Distribution CONTRIBUTORS Miss Betsy Hunt Bob Roehr Howard N. Dana Rupert Kinnard Lee Lynch Marc Davis guest editorial One door opens Gays, immigrants and earthquake relief mix to protect some and discriminate against others ▼ fust out is published on the first and third F riday o f each m onth. Copyright 01994 by Just out No part of Just out may be reproduced without written per mission from the publisher. The submivaon of written and graphic m aterials is welcomed. 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, de meaning or may result in legal action. Just out consults the Associated Press Style Book and Libel M anual on editorial decisions. Letters to the editor should be limited to two double-spaced typed pages. Deadline for submissions to the editorial department and for the Calendar is the Thursday before the first and third liriday for the nest issue Views expressed in letters to the editor, columns and features are not necessarily those of the publisher. The display advertising deadline is the Monday after the first and third Ixiday for the next issue. Classified ads must be received at the office of Just out by the Monday after the first and third Friday for the next issue, along with payment Ads will not be taken over the telephone. Ad policy. No sexually exploitive advertising will be accepted. Compensation for errors in, or cancellation of. advertising will be made with credit toward future advertising. Subscriptions to Just out are available for $17.50 for 12 issues. F-lrst Class (in an envelope) is $30 for 12 issues. A copy of Just out is available for $1 and/or advertising rales are available on request The m ailing address and telephone num ber for Just out are PO Box 15117, Portland, OR 97215; (503) 236-1252. Our fax number is 236-1257. by Robert Bray ays, lesbians and bisexuals in Southern California are still repairing their homes, community centers and AIDS support offices following last January’s massive earthquake. Many citizens affected by the temblor are rebuilding their lives with federal disaster assistance authorized by the U .S. Congress. That assistance— $8.6 billion for victims of the quake— came with the first federal non-discrimination clause that includes sexual orientation. The legislation authorizing the money contained a little-noticed amendment that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation in distributing emer gency earthquake aid. It’s the first time the government has banned discrimination against sexual minority communities in a federal program. But the good news is bittersweet. While the measure opens a door for queers, it slams shut a door for another vilified group, also at the top of the far right’s attack list: immigrants. The queer-inclusive language appears in a controversial section of the legislation that bars assistance to “individuals not lawfully within the United States.’’The bill requires disaster aid officials to take “reasonable" steps to determine the immigra tion status of those seeking aid. The measure was quickly condemned by immigrant groups as an example of the rising tide of immigrant scapegoating now sweeping the nation. Although sexual minorities are protected, the ban against immigrants will result in wholesale discrimination of another kind. All people should be eligible for earthquake relief regardless of immigrant status or sexual orientation. This is a humanitarian concern, and politics should not be a part of the consideration. The ban also reflects a fear linked with racism. The majority of immigrants in the U.S. arc, in fact, European. But the current immigrant-bashing spree directs suspicion primarily toward Latino/as and Asians. Anti-immigrant sentiment directly affects queers. Many undocumented immigrants and those seeking asylum arc gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgcndcr. G The far right—the same folks behind discriminatory initia tives in several states—are fueling the anti-immigrant back lash. It uses many of the same tactics against immigrants that it does against gays. First, the concept of protected rights is narrowly defined. Queers are not a “rightful minority" and immigrants aren’t “American” so neither should have protection, say the funda mentalists. Queers are demonized as a threat to traditional family values. Immigrants are scapegoated as a threat to U.S. economic security. The far right aims to institutionalize discrimination against gays in the form of Colorado-style initiatives. It targets immi grants with laws that discriminate against foreign citizens and even their U.S.-born children. Scapegoating and bashing nurtures an environment of ha rassment and violence. This makes many queers think twice about coming out. It makes those hit hardest by disaster fearful of seeking assistance. “The far right has been influential in altering political and ideological culture in this country so people are fairly accept- ing of intolerance, says Calhi Tactaquin, executive director of the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. “They’ve made it easier for people to rationalize discrimina- tiorv—to morally and legally justify it against immigrants or gays.” The current battles against sexual minority and immigrant rights pose a critical question about our country: Will our democracy expand to provide rights to an increasingly diverse population, or will it contract to limit rights to a few? Gay, lesbian and bisexual activists must work in alliance with immigrants,people of color andother groups toexpose the broader repressive agenda of the far right—an agenda that attacks basic civil, human, labor, economic and reproductive rights. We must establish a stronger civil rights foundation for all. Then we can build a solid, united front against intolerance that will result in a more inclusive democracy. Neo-Nazi movements on the rise in Europe; the ILGA holds its annual convention (p. 4) National news A gay man is forced to submit to HIV test; David Leavitt and publisher admit to plagiarism; Lambda nominations announced (pp. 6-11) Local news Friendly House honors Keeston Lowery; skinheads arrested in Eugene for attack on synagogue; Urban League starts group for sexual minority youth o f color (pp. 12-13) C O LU M N S It’s a queer thing Increasing violence in our society demands awareness, caution (p. 27) Amazon trail Battle-wise veterans could lead us down path to common ground (p. 28) ARTS Mutters Derek Jarman s Blue, 4 Big Girls, and PSU’s gay fraternity (pp. 22-23) Video Roseanne and the 66th Academy Awards provide fodder for queer media-watchers (p. 25)
