just out
since 1 983
steppin’ out
Renée LaChance
contents
EDITOR-AT-LARGE
VOL. 12 NO. 2 NOVEMBER 18,1994
PUBLISHER AND EDITOR
Ariel Waterwoman
REPORTER
Inga Sorensen
FEATURE
CALENDAR EDITOR
Jann Gilbert
Election ’94
PHOTOGRAPHER
A brief look at
the good, the bad
and the ugly
(pp. 15-19)
Linda Kliewer
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Meg Grace
ADVERTISING REPS
E. Ann Hinds
Jewel Robinson
DEPARTMENTS
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
World news
E. Ann Hinds
Australian lesbian
group votes to
ban transsexual dykes;
Nicaraguans
lose appeal against
anti-queer law
(p. 5)
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Rupert Kinnard
COPY EDITOR
Kelly M. Bryan
TYPESETTER
Jann Gilbert
DISTRIBUTION
Ambling Bear
Outside In is part o f an entire city block that declared itself a hate-free zone.
OFFICE MANAGER
Aaron Bong
CONTRIBUTORS
Aaron Bong
Jann Gilbert
Christopher Kamera
Bob Roehr
Daniel Vaillancourt
Rex Wockner
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guest editorial
Razor-thin victory
Let's hope the community doesn't press the snooze button
b y Donna Red W ing
nce again, the citizens of Oregon have voted
We must also understand that the radical right has taken on
against discrimination and bigotry. Oregonians
the task of defining us. And for many in the United States, that
have decided— at least for the next two years—
is the only information they have. As gay, lesbian, bisexual,
who we are and who we get to be, as gay, lesbian,
transsexual and transgender people, we must find the courage
bisexual, transsexual and transgender people.
to tell our country who we really are. We must become part of
Since the Ballot Measure 8 campaign in 1988, Oregonians
the definition. We must replace the lies and the misinformation
have had the opportunity to vote for or against us. And, because
with the reality of our extraordinary lives. We must tell the
the Oregon Citizens Alliance has already filed its initiatives for
truth about ourselves—and the truth about us is the right’s
1996, we know that, again, our friends and our families, our
worst nightmare.
neighbors and our co-workers, and lots of people who don’t
To find that courage, we must start from a place where we
even know us, will have another opportunity to decide our fate.
agree that our rights are worth fighting for, where we believe
We know, too, that we will spend millions of dollars and that
that our lives are worth fighting for, and where we believe that
we will expend thousands of volunteer hours over many
we have a right to win this ‘holy war.’ When we acknowledge
months, all over the state. And the best that we can expect to do
our worth, we can begin the job of reaching out and touching
is run in place.
the lives of the people around us. We can begin the job of
We must create an agenda and a strategy that moves us
changing hearts and minds.
forward. We must figure a way to do the work so that there is
I am indebted to the work of the No on 13 staff and
a place of entry for everyone who wants to engage. We must
volunteers, friends and funders. They have given us a reprieve
figure out where we, as queer Oregonians, go from here.
for another two years. The Rural Organizing Project, African
The first thing to understand is this: We are engaged in a
Americans for Human Rights, The Equity Foundation, The
'holy war.’ a ‘cultural war’— that is the language of the radical
Lesbian Community Project, and the long list of community-
right. We have won one battle, one skirmish, for which we are
based organizations and community activists who worked
grateful. The OCA has 26 municipality wins and we cannot
towards our victory must be acknowledged and appropriately
dismiss that reality. We can, however, be thankful for HB
supported for their efforts.
3500, the legislation that prohibits those 26 municipalities
Now we must begin the task of creating a community
from acting on their votes of discrimination.
response and a community agenda.
We must understand that the radical right is gunning for us in
Our razor-thin victory was a wake-up call. Let’s hope that
every referendum state, in school boards around the country,
the community doesn’t press the snooze button.
with discriminatory curricula, and with their work against AIDS
education and First Amendment rights. We must understand that
the issue of lesbian and gay rights has become a primary part of
Donna Red Wing is the national field director o f the
the radical right's national agenda.
the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.
O
National news
Pedro Zamora dies at 22;
Patricia Fleming
is appointed
the new national
AIDS policy coordinator;
HRCF runs afoul of the
Republican Party
(pp. 7-10)
Local news
World AIDS Day
commemorated
in Oregon and southern
Washington;
is The Oregonian
neglecting the
alternative arts?
(PP- 1 M 3 )
ARTS
Television
Margaret Cho
talks about
gay life and sudden
sitcom stardom
(pp. 2 7 -2 9 )
Theater
Four talented nerds
sing Perry Como
in limbo
in Forever Plaid
(p. 31)
Aural gratification
A circus o f CDs—
but no calliope
(P- 32)