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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 17, 1995)
Just o ut V n o vo m b o r 17, 1993 ▼ 3 “The themes we've dreamed” are at the letters Thanks for your support To the Editor: A very special thank you to Just Out and its readers who, over the years, have supported us faithful and consistent advertisers. Through your support, I am able to offer gay and lesbian couples the same investment programs and services and the same insurance benefits offered to any couple at Waddell & Reed Financial Services. I also provide employment opportunities for account representatives and assistants. Professionally, your support is reflected in the fact that for the third year in a row, I am the top representative in the Portland office and in the top 1 percent of all Waddell & Reed representatives nationwide. I recognize that I am there because of the support of my gay brothers and lesbian sisters and our friends. I feel a strong bond with Just Out readers and our community and want to share with you a professional decision. As you know, I have been a district sales manager with Waddell & Reed for the past three years. During this time, I managed my clients’ accounts and recruited, trained and mentored new representatives into the financial planning business. My time commitment associ ated with recruiting and training new representa tives was exceeding 20 hours per w eek, b e yond a typical 40-hour to 50-plus-hour work week. I would rather use my “volunteer” time to support community activities and causes directly related to ensuring the basic rights for all of us. I have decided to continue with Waddell & Reed as a senior account executive to have more time available for my family and my personal and professional pursuits. To our community this means more time for me to work with my existing clients and to accept new clients, as well as more time to volunteer in community activities and projects. As always, I thank you for supporting my decision. Your continued support means a lot to those of us who share our time, money and re sources with our community. Floreid Walker Waddell & Reed Financial Services Portland Same-sex domestic violence needs to be outed To the Editor: Your editorial [“Flotsam and Jetsam”] in the Oct. 6 issue of Just Out reminded me of the Just Out feature article [“Outing the Violence,” March 1992] that was authored by my friend and yours, Ariel Waterwoman. This article was about do mestic violence in the lives of gay men and lesbians. Let us not forget that, while the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman and the subsequent trial of Simpson’s ex-spouse brought forth many of the issues of domestic violence among heterosexuals, there has not been any reference to or information brought forth by the media about same-sex domestic violence. I believe it is important for our lesbian and gay communities to bring the issues of same-sex vio lence out of the closet. From my work, I know that lesbians have died and are dying as a result of domestic violence. My assumption is that gay men have died and are dying too. I am not [aware of] there being any “victim/survivor” support services for gay men, though there are some therapy-based services for gay male perpetrators of domestic abuse. Lesbians who are a part of the “Battered Women’s Movement” have been successful in organizing a few agencies (such as Advocates for Abused and Battered Lesbians in Seattle, Wash.) throughout the country for battered lesbians. There are “mainstream” domestic violence programs which include support services for battered lesbi ans, individual advocacy, legal advocacy and support groups. Bradley-Angle House Inc. in Portland does have support services for battered lesbians. There are few services for female perpe trators, although in Seattle there is a batterer’s treatment group for lesbian perpetrators of do mestic violence and one for gay men, too (Seattle Counseling Services for Sexual Minorities). Gay men have often asked me why there aren’t any services or agencies for gay male victims (AABL does provide individual support services to gay men), and my reply is that gay men have not organized within their community to stop the violence. It’s just a fact, not a criticism. As it is, generally speaking, lesbians as a group have not recognized the problem, brought it out of the closet, or organized to stop the violence either. Given the current political climate and anti gay sentiment that is so prevalent, I understand on one hand that organized communities of gay men and lesbians can justify not bringing same-sex violence out because it fuels the Christian Coalition’s fire against us, but on the other hand this attitude makes it easier for an abusive partner to maintain power and control because the victim, being already isolated, has no community support or options for getting help. So the trial and the fact that domestic violence. has been brought out of the closet in the straight community can be useful to our communities. We can acknowledge that abuse in same-sex couples is happening (in approximately 25 percent of same-sex couples there is an ongoing pattern of coercive abusive behaviors whereby one partner maintains power and control over the other); we can get more information about the issues and resources; and we can organize to stop the vio lence. Anyone interested in more information should read the 1992 Just Out article about domestic violence— a very powerful, accurate article writ ten by a very powerful warrior woman, Ariel Waterwoman. If you need advocacy services con tact Bradley-Angle House at (503) 281-3541. Alma Goddard, director Advocates for Abused and Battered Lesbians Seattle CHRIS STEVENS at Rockaway Beach “ Where the Pacific Ocean is open 365 days a year!" Vancouver Y o u r h o s ts : G eoff P faff & D a n n y L eines New & Used Cars & Trucks 421/423 N. Miller • PO Box 920 Rockaway Beach, OR 97136-0920 (503) 355-8610 503 - 226-0006 1 - 800 - 527-7542 Mention this ad (or a 10% discount © T ravel A gents H I nternational , S c ry in n O iff Co/n/fjffj/iftf ... R if Alccfi/r/j Yon/ NccSs FREE Air to Hawaii plus FREE CAR!!! C L A S SIC Receive 1 FREE round-trip airline ticket to H aw aii from th e w est coast for each room booked. M axim u m o f o n e credit per room . 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When my staff attempted to call the club’s organizer, John Baker, to fax the completed ques tionnaire on the due date, as agreed, they were unable to contact him to initiate the transmission. Later, much to the surprise and dismay of my staff and myself, we were informed that the club had endorsed Rep. Wyden. When asked to reconsider their decision in the light of the aforementioned unusual events, they refused, stating that to do so would be “too much work.” I have enclosed my completed questionnaire for your reference. It is regrettable that the Keeston Lowery Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club did not make a fully in formed decision on their endorsement and that, due to circumstances beyond our control, we were penalized. You and your readers are welcome to compare my record with that of Rep. Wyden on issues important to the gay, lesbian and bisexual community. Rep. Peter DeFazio Member of Congress Royal t Caribbean lig » All You Can Eat! 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