ju st o u t ▼ o c to b o r 7, 1 9 0 4 ▼ 13
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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
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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.
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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
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Nov 27 9cT
Dec 1Ô - 2 6 cf
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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