2 ▼ aprii 7. 1 0 0 9 ▼ ju st ou t
just out
since 1983
steppin’ out
contents
VOL 12 NO. 11 APRIL 7,1995
PUBLISHER AND EDITOR
Renée LaChance
EDITOR IN SPIRIT
FEATURES
Ariel W aterwom an
REPORTER
Make room
for daddy
Inga Sorensen
CALENDAR EDITOR
Aaron Bong
Gay fathers agree about the
important things
PHOTOGRAPHER
Linda Kliewer
(pp. 17-19)
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
A battle of identity
Meg Grace
Queers demand the right to be
openly Irish American
ADVERTISING REPS
E. Ann Hinds
C. Jay W ilson Jr.
’ (p- 29)
DEPARTMENTS
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
E. Ann Hinds
World news
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Nelson Mandela will fight
to retain the
South African constitution’s
queer rights clause
Rupert Kinnard
COPY EDITOR
Kelly M. Bryan
TYPESETTER
(p. 4)
Jann Gilbert
DISTRIBUTION
The Lesbian Community Project launched LezBingo on March 24 in the basement o f the Northwest Service Center. Next LezBingo
will take place April 21. The table in the foreground monopolized the winnings fo r the evening.
A m bling Bear
OFFICE MANAGER
Aaron Bong
CONTRIBUTORS
Aaron Bong
Kelly M. Bryan
Kristine Chatwood
Howard N. Dana
D. Killian
Risa Krivé
Lee Lynch
Bob Roehr
Richard Shumate
Rex W ockner
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guest editorial
Spin on killing askew
Elected officials, public leaders, and the media should use this opportunity to aggressively
condemn and confront bigotry and violence against gay men and lesbians
National news
Mel White is eating again;
Gunderson insists the GOP
is not “ anti-gay ”
(pp. 5-10)
Local news
Oregon hate crimes rise
during volatile election years;
area HIV/AIDS sendee
groups get what they asked
for, funding-wise
(pp. 11-15)
T
by R o b in K a n e
ast month, a gay man named Scott Amedure was
and the media seem to fully understand Schmitz’s confessed
shot to death while he stood unarmed in the doorway
feelings o f humiliation without any real discussion o f their
o f his trailer home. The accused and confessed
cause? Is it because Schmitz was not interested in the person who
murderer, Jonathan Schmitz, is an acquaintance of
expressed having a crush on him? Certainly not. Every woman
Amedure. Schmitz had appeared on The Jenny Jones
in this country has at some time experienced unwanted interest
Show with Amedure just three days earlier, when Amedure
from a group o f men on a street comer. Is it, then, because the
acknowledged that he had a crush on his straight male acquain
person who expressed interest in Schmitz is o f a different sexual
tance. Contrary to media spin on this event, “surprise,” “hum ili
orientation than Schmitz? No, not really. As a lesbian, I navigate
ation,” and The Jenny Jones Show did not lead to A m edure’s
my way through the world without buying a shotgun and using
murder. Instead it is the rampant homophobia of this culture that
it on straight men who merely express attraction. The sole reason
is at the root o f this murder.
that everyone is discussing Schm itz’s “humiliation” with such
Yes, talk shows are increasingly exploitative, with each show
ease is that homophobia is rampant in this culture. It does not
upping the ante for drama and surprises. In their thirst for ratings,
need to be directly stated. It is just a given that Schmitz would
talk show producers often ignore the real-life implications o f the
feel humiliated, according to the media and officials.
drama they create. The producers of this program certainly did
One man was embarrassed; another man was shot twice in the
not consider the all-too-real drama o f anti-gay bigotry that would
chest with a shotgun. Surprise, humiliation and embarrassment
ultimately lead to Scott Am edure’s murder. These shows need to
are no excuse for murder. While the media focus their attention
seriously evaluate their surprise tactics and should refrain from
on the hysteria o f talk shows or the uncomfortable feelings of the
creating volatile situations.
assailant, the actual murder of Scott Amedure is nearly lost.
The sh eriff s department, the county prosecutor on the case,
This tragedy highlights the deadly nature of homophobia in
and the media are all pointing to the “ surprise” and “humiliation”
our society. That anyone should be killed simply for being gay
o f the accused m urderer to explain the incident. A sh eriffs
is deplorable. Sadly, the murder o f Scott Amedure is not an
lieutenant told the press that the public revelation of a gay m an’s
isolated incident. Last year, 59 gay men and lesbians are known
crush had “eaten away” at Schmitz. The county prosecutor who
to have lost their lives in bias-motivated murders. None of the
is responsible for pursuing charges against Schmitz aimed most
murders followed the taping of a talk show, but the victims are
of his vitriol during a news conference not at the accused
equally dead due to homophobia.
murderer but at The Jenny Jones Show. According to that
Rather than wringing their hands over Schm itz’s so-called
prosecutor, Amedure is dead because o f Schm itz’s “hum ilia
humiliation, elected officials, public leaders, and the media
tion.” Friends o f Schmitz are quoted throughout press reports
should use this opportunity to aggressively condemn and con
discussing Schm itz’s embarrassment that a gay man had a crush
front bigotry and violence against gay men and lesbians, which
on him. Wire stories. The Washington Post, and a commentary
are at the root o f Scott Amedure’s death. A different headline, if
on National Public Radio all focused enormous space on the
true— “After Killing, Anti-Gay Bigotry Roundly Condemned”__
humiliation and the hysteria o f talk shows. The New York Times
could have helped prevent future incidents.
ran an Associated Press story under the headline “Fatal Shooting
Follows Surprise on TV Talk Show" and a later follow-up story
headlined "A fter Killing, Hard Questions for Talk Shows.”
Rohm Kane is the media director o f the National Gay and
Why is it that the sh eriff s department, the county prosecutor,
Lesbian Task Force in Washington, D.C.
L
COLUMNS
Queer thing
In idealizing Greg Louganis,
we forgot his vulnerability
(p. 30)
Amazon trail
Realizing a moral
responsibility to the young
(p. 31)
ARTS
Music
A new alliance o f Northwest
women’s and lesbian
choruses will tour
(p. 24)
Cinema
The clerical rebels of Priest
do have a cause
(p. 25)
Books
A selection o f fools
fo r the season
(p. 27)