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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 1994)
ju st o u t ▼ o c to b o r 7, 1 9 0 4 ▼ 13 r A e e f you. S firih j Lesbian health issues to be explored at conference A lesbian walks into a doctor’s office for a physical exam This is her first visit with the physician, who automatically assumes the woman is a sexually active heterosexual. Like many lesbi ans, she does not use any birth control. Almost immediately the doctor asks, “So what kind of birth control do you use?” You may have heard similar tales from friends, or experienced such an incident firsthand. It’s an all-too-common occur rence that highlights the problem of lesbian invis ibility in the medical world: an invisibility that could seriously compromise the health and well being of lesbians. This issue will be one of many topics addressed Oct. 22 and 23 during the Lesbian Health Conference, a free event sponsored by the Lesbian Community Project. “A lot of lesbians haven’t received health care in years. That may be due to a lack of health insurance, but many of these women say they have had a bad experience with a doctor and simply never went back,” explains Dr. Jocelyn C. White, a Portland general internist and co-founder of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Physicians of Oregon. Lesbian health will be the focus of White’s keynote address at the conference Oct. 23. “One of the things I try to do is sensitize health Conference for people of color planned “Taking the Lead: People of Color in Nonprofits” is the name of a planned conference and cultural event for people of color involved in nonprofit organizations. care providers to the specific needs of lesbians. It is also important that lesbians be honest with their providers about their orientation,” says White. "There is limited research into lesbian health care issues at this point, but things are starting to get better.” According to White, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is currently target ing lesbians in its national screening programs for prevention of breast and cervical cancer. Another national study is monitoring the health of an esti mated 600,000 women, including lesbians. “I’m extremely optimistic about the work that is being done,” says White. “We’ve never seen such interest in lesbian health matters.” The Lesbian Health Conference will focus on issues such as living with chronic illness, alterna tive health care, and building a healthy lesbian community. Evelyn C. White (no relation), a jour nalist and editor of The Black Women’s Health Book, is scheduled to speak Oct. 22. The conference will be held at Good Samaritan Hospital at Northwest 22nd Avenue and Lovejoy Street in Portland. The event, which runs from 9 am to 5 pm each day, is free. Participants are asked to register as soon as possible by calling LCP at (503) 223-0071 (voicefTTY). Child care is avail able; call in advance to make arrangements if you are hearing impaired. Inga Sorensen multiracial, multicultural, community-based or ganization that works to improve the quality of life for hotel workers and their families. ROP was formed to fight Ballot Measure 9 and has since developed 52 human dignity groups in small towns and rural areas throughout Oregon. These groups confront all forms of bigotry and further the vision of human dignity for all. The celebration includes a light buffet and a no host bar. Tickets are $ 10-$20, sliding scale, and are available from MRG at 233-0271. Cards • Gifts Balloons • Gift wrap Journals • Pens • ETC. Presents of Mind 3633 SE Hawthorne L 230-7740 for Outstanding Service on your next Mortgage ^ everting & weekend appointments ^ new purchase & refinance residential & investment property * COLLEEN WEED 274-1500 780-1561 The only Real Difference is Service Black culture emphasized P e o pl e o f C o l o r in N o n p r o f it s -------------------------------------------------------------------® — — ----------------------------------------------------------- Presented by Technical Assistance for Com munity Service and The Center for Third World Organizing, the conference will be held Thursday, Oct. 27, from 9 am-6 pm at the Portland Confer ence Center, 300 NE Multnomah St. Cost is $35- $100, on a sliding scale. For further information, contact TACS 239-4001, or CTWO 232-5338. The conference is co-sponsored by the Black United Fund of Oregon and the Metropolitan Arts Commission.Happy birthday to MRG Happy birthday to MRG The McKenzie River Gathering Foundation celebrates its 18th anniversary Oct. 21, with a gala evening of politics and dancing. The event takes place from 7:30 pm until midnight at the Melody Ballroom, 615 SE Alder St. The keynote speaker will be Delores Huerta, co-founder and first vice-president of the United Farmworkers of America. Community activist Kathleen Saadat will emcee. The Irene Farrera Tropical Band will perform Caribbean, Latin American and African music. At the event MRG will present its Lilia Jewel Awards for Women Artists to performance artist Zoa Smith and local filmmaker Pat Baum. The evening will include a performance by Smith, and a screening of Baum’s short film The Cleansing Machine. MRG’s annual Grassroots Victory Awards will go to two organizations which exemplify grass roots organizing for progressive, social change. This year, the awards are being given to the Port land-based Hotel Workers Organizing Committee and the Rural Organizing Project. HWOC is a A new program, called “Family Night Out,” began in September at the Lutheran Community Center. A group of 14 African American perform ing artists launched the first of a planned series of evenings whose goal is to showcase African Ameri can culture. Storyteller and drummer Nyewusi Askari said, in an interview with The Oregonian, “We’re en couraging young people to come out and share their poetry and other talents. We’ll also offer [African] drum classes to both girls and boys.” Featured in the series will be drummer Art Alexander; actress Ruby Reuben, director of the Sojourner Truth Theater; the African American Drill Team from Beaverton; and the African Ameri can Women Drummers. Also scheduled are book sellers, vendors, food tastings, poetry readings and storytelling. For more information on these programs con tact Nyewusi Askari, 288-3370. Chávez honored with poster “You cannot un-educate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress people who are not afraid o f anyone. ” —César Chávez El Hispanic News and the Metropolitan Human Rights Commission have created a poster honor ing César Chávez as part of a Human Rights Advocates series. The release of the poster coin cided with the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month and the independence days of Mexico, Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Hon duras, Nicaragua and Chile. Other Human Rights Advocates posters fea ture Martin Luther King Jr., Harvey Milk and Abigail Scott Duniway. The poster is sponsored by a grant from El Hispanic News. Compiled by Jann Gilbert SE . KAZ TRAVEL RANDY ROSENAU, CHIYOKO H0NMA, TONY DUARTE, SIUKEE TONG and JOAN SHER NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY PR0VINCET0WN WOMEN'S WEEK. FANTASY FEST KEY WEST NEW ORLEANS HALLOWEEN WINTER SKI & SPORTS SHOW - PDX FOOD & WINE WEEKEND - P TOWN THANKSGIVING ON THE REEFS - BELIZE HEATWAVE ON BRAMPTON ISLAND WHITE PARTY - MIAMI DISNEYLAND PRIVATE HOLIDAY RSVP SEA SPIRIT SAN JUAN CARIBBEAN CRUISE - PIED PIPER NEW YEARS DOWN UNDER NEW YEARS MONTREAL MT. SNOW VERMONT SKI WEEKEND DC & REH0B0TH BEACH MEMORIAL DAY O ct 11 <?cr O ct 12-17 9 O ct 27-31 cT O ct 31 9 tf Nov 4, 5, 6 9 cf Nov 11-14 9 cf Nov 19-26 9cf Nov 21-26 cf Nov 27 9cT Dec 1Ô - 2 6 cf Dec 19 - 2 6 cf Dec 23 - 30 9 cf Dec 2 6 - Jan 4 cf Dec 29 - Jan 1 9cf Jan 21 - 27 9 cf May 25 - 29 9 cf ASK. ASOUT OUR INTERPRETER AND INSOUND TOUR SERVICES Japanese, Chinese, French and Spanish speaking agents available International Gay Trovel Association (503) 223-4585 FAX 223-2361 1975 SWFirst Avenue, Suite K KSIA Portland, Oregon 97201