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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 3, 1995)
ju s t ou t ▼ fo b ru a ry 3 . 1 0 9 9 ▼ 13 M 0R TG A 6E LOANS f local n ew s ▼ new purchase T cash out refinance ▼ pre-approved loans ▼ investor/rentaI property Zapping Mr. Mannix ▼ 9 5 % equity loans ▼ pre-qualification by phone/fax ▼ appointments at your convenience Portland Lesbian Avengers protest “anti-turkey baster bill” ▼ I'm available when you arel " by Inga Sorensen 4 4 f n n wo* four, eight, it’s all right to ' B ■ inseminate. One, three, five, seven, H fuck you and your bill, Kevin.” H That’s not the lingo one typically hears at the state Capitol, but then again, it’s not often that the Lesbian Avengers pay a visit to our esteemed lawmakers. With turkey basters in tow, about a dozen members of the Portland Lesbian Avengers, a direct action lesbian-rights group, trekked to Sa lem recently to share their views about state Rep. Kevin Mannix’s efforts to “promote traditional family values.” More specifically, the Avengers are outraged at the Salem Democrat’s proposal which would make it illegal for an unmarried woman to be alternatively inseminated in Oregon. House Bill 2303 would do just that. Mannix has also introduced House Bill 2317, which would require the state to "favor and support” hetero sexual marriages above all other relationships. “Kevin Mannix is not pro-family, he’s pro- penis,” maintained one colorfully worded leaflet the Avengers handed to passers-by. “That’s abso lutely true,” says 22-year-old Jenni fer Carson, a com puter specialist at the Oregon Mu seum of Science and Industry. “This has nothing to do with his sup port of families. He ju st wants women to have sex with men in order to have children. What’s that got to do with promoting families?” Carrying signs saying “Turkey Basters Forever” and “Support All Kinds of Fam i State Rep. Kevin Mannix flees lies,” Carson and other Avengers—all from the Portland metro area— converged upon the Legislature on Jan. 23. “I had called a few days before to find out whether we could get a meeting with Mannix,” explains Carson. “We were told that since we didn’t live in his district, he wouldn’t see us, that he only sees his constituents.” Undeterred, the Avengers went ahead with their plans to pay the representative a visit. “When we got to the Capitol, we stood outside with our signs and chanted. We were told by state police that we couldn’t go into the building with our signs, so some of us put them down and went on in,” she says. With security escorts, the Avengers—who ranged in age from 20 to 29—went up to Mannix’s office. “A secretary told us that he was in a meeting and probably wouldn’t see us. We decided to wait a bit anyway,” says Carson. After a brief wait, Mannix, who had just con cluded his meeting, stepped out of his private office and agreed to see the Avengers. Carson says as the group stepped into his office, Mannix glanced at the flier—the one that described the conserva tive legislator as “pro-penis.” “Before we could talk about anything, he said, ‘This is insulting.’ We asked him what was insult ing, and he just said, ‘Get out,’ ” says Carson. Carson says as the Avengers started to leave, chanting along the way, four state troopers who were acting as security began to manhandle group members. She says one Oregon state trooper in particular— Lt. Rick Geistwhite—grabbed and shoved her. “Geistwhite kept pushing us toward the eleva tor. We said no, we were going to take the stairs. He said that we must take the elevator. We said that’s not true... finally he backed off but still followed us down the stairs. He then blocked the door so we couldn’t get out.” Carson says the Avengers were still chanting and speculates security officers didn’t want the noise to spill into the lobby. At the other side of that door stood state Rep. Kate Brown (D-Portland), an ardent supporter of reproductive freedom and lesbian, gay and bi sexual rights. “I usually walk the stairs instead of take the elevator,” explains the 34-year-old vice chair of the House Judiciary Committee. Brown is also openly bisexual. “I couldn’t get through because the door was blocked. I quickly found out why.” Brown, who says she found the Lesbian Aveng ers’ zap action amusing, adds, “Let’s just say that [the Avengers] provoked much discussion among COLLEEN WEED 2 7 4 - 1 5 0 0 Office 7 8 0 - 1 5 6 1 Eves/Weekend VN We are everywhere. Cj0ventr\f Cycle ( 1 W orks THE LESBIAN COMMUNITY PROJECT UPCOMING EVENTS Friday, Feb. 10. 7 pm Join the Over 35 Grout broup tor Game and Video Night UPHILL TECHNOLOGY. DOWN HILL PRICING. Come in and test ride the new 1995 models from Trek. Mountain Bikes and City Bikes starting at $259. OPEN TUESDAY-SUNDAY 2 3 0 -7 7 2 3 • 2 0 2 5 SE H aw th o rn * HIV Center 3835 SW Kelly Bring snacks and your own non-alcoholic drink &A v\ his office to avoid the Lesbian Avengers my colleagues here, and quite frankly, sometimes citizens have to do bizarre stuff in order to get [legislators and the public] to focus on social issues.” She says: “Someone asked me, ‘Doesn’t this only hurt your cause?’ and I replied, ‘Listen, when they’re here, they make me look moderate.’ I really do believe that we need to hear from all spectmms of the community.” Carson says the Lesbian Avengers were ulti mately allowed to leave, but not before she and other group members were “grabbed and shoved some more.” Carson says she has bruises on her upper arm from the incident and has filed a formal complaint with the Oregon State Police against Geistwhite and another officer. Additionally, she says she is considering bringing charges against Geistwhite. Oregon State Police spokesman Lt. Bemie Giusto admits the women were “physically es corted” out of the Capitol after they “refused to leave when asked.” “They apparently were causing a real ruckus, and they could have been arrested for disorderly conduct,” he says. “They were physically escorted out when they refused to leave, but there wasn’t any undo force used.” Giusto says state police filed reports with the House speaker’s and Senate president’s offices detailing the incident. “Says Carson, “If this helps bring attention to this awful bill, then it will have been worth the bruises.” Call Joan for details: 252-0762 Saturday, Feb. 11, 6 pm SW Washington Lesbian Potluck will m a t for an tvoning of sodaizing Bring a dish to share Call Tina C. for location: (206) 892-3766 Tuesday, Feb. 21, 7-9 pm Why Peso “AFFORDABLE VACATIONS” Westminster Church, NE 16th and Hancock GAY AND LESBIAN PACKAGES (503) 684-1236 FAX (503) 620-5184 $2 donation (morn If you can, loss If you can't) Heavily Discounted Air & Cruise Packages The Lesbian Forum will discuss: “Growing our Community Through Conflict.” Grace: (503) 864-4446 or ___________ Frann: 2 22-7160____________ BUDGET PRICES FOR... A membership organization... join today! (503) 223-0071/TDD Fax 242-1967 f P.O. Box 5931 O - _____Portland, OR 97228_____ Anti-Violence Project 796-1703/1 800-796-1703 ______ m Olivia Cruises RSVP Cruises Mexico ▼ Las Vegas Hawaii ▼ Reno South Pacific Safari ▼ Diving D e n is e L. S t e r n formerly of Samuels, Yoelin, Weiner, Kantor & Seymour is pleased to announce the opening of her own practice. ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Emphasizing business law, litigation, real estate & employment issues Wills & family issues Mediator/Arbitrator Member o f Oregon & Washington Bars 7430 S E Milwaukie Avenue P O Box 82244 Portland, OR 97282-0244 ...................................Tel: (5QD.231.-9340 Fax (503) 231-6650
