2 ▼ d .c « m b « r 15. 1995 ▼ Just out
just out
since 1 9 8 3
steppin’ out
PUBLISHER AND EDITOR
contents
Renée LaChance
VOL. 13 NO. 4 DECEMBER 15,1995
COPY EDITORS
Kelly M. Bryan
Jeff Boswell
FEATURES
REPORTERS
A community
grieves
Inga Sorensen
Bob Roehr
Rex Wockner
Two loving, exuberant
Medford lesbians are slain
family, friends and other
mourners share memories
(pp. 17-19)
CALENDAR EDITOR
Kristine Chatwood
PHOTOGRAPHER
Linda Kliewer
Words of
encouragement
OFFICE MANAGER
Teri Ventura
Our winter reading list will
help you hear voices—voices
that will inspire, incite
and delight
(PP- 21-23)
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Meg Grace
ADVERTISING REPS
E. Ann Hinds
C. Jay Wilson Jr.
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
DEPARTMENTS
E. Ann Hinds
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Rupert Kinnard
Participants in a demonstration on World AIDS Day, Dec. I, held a red ribbon the length o f the Burnside
Bridge. Many o f the demonstrators were young people.
FORMATTER
Rachel Ebora
TYPESETTER
Jann Gilbert
DISTRIBUTION
Ambling Bear
CONTRIBUTORS
Kristine Chatwood
Cathay Che
Lee Lynch
Gip Plaster
Richard Shumate
Darcey Spears
Daniel Vaillancourt
C. Jay Wilson Jr.
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editorial
Life during wartime
We forget that we ’re living under siege until
something happens close to home
World news
Cuba to begin human testing
o f an HIV vaccine in 1996
(p. 4)
National news
Spokane County Coroner
Dexter Amend is in hot water
again; a new organization
will involve heterosexuals in
the movement
(pp. 5-9)
Local news
by Renée LaChance
▼
wo European American lesbians in Medford, Ore.,
gay men running back to their closets. It may not feel safe to
are reported missing and then found murdered—
be out. In isolated communities these feelings can be intensi
each shot execution-style. An African American
fied. To avoid such feelings, many lesbians and gay men
man and w om an are g unned dow n in
congregate in liberal, populated areas where queemess is
Fayetteville. N.C., by two U.S. soldiers from Fort
tolerated and, sometimes, even embraced. But still, we know
Bragg—a third soldier drives the getaway car. A 9-year-old
boy hearts that out lesbians and gay men are a vulnerable
in our
who played with dolls is reported missing in Delaware and then
target in the war.
found brutally murdered. An African American woman in
Living an out life is a revolutionary act— one that we must
Detroit, Mich., is forced to jump off a bridge to her death in
commit daily in order to persevere. But we must commit it
order to escape a European American man who is assaulting her
with love, not with rage or hate. Michelle and Roxanne knew
while a predominantly white mob cheers him on. Two Euro
this. They worked hard for the basic rights of all people. They
pean American gay men are reported missing, then found shot
spoke out against injustice, and they gave time and energy to
to death in Mississippi. These are just some of the stories from
build harmony within their community. Their friends and
this past year that caused terror, rage and grief to flare within the
family say that was the message of their lives— that each one
local communities affected by the murders.
of us can make a difference by being true to who we are and
There is a war being waged against marginalized communi
by meeting adversity with love. That is the only way to win this
ties in this country. A marginalized community is any that sits
war.
on the margins of society’s mainstream— that includes people
Holding love in our hearts is difficult to do in the face of
of color, women, sexual minorities, youth and impoverished
terror, grief and rage, but we must try, in order to honor the
people. The war is undeclared; one not recognized by any world
lives of Michelle and Roxanne and to create something posi
government. But it is very real.
tive from their senseless deaths.
We live in denial of this war’s existence. We have to, or we
would go insane or become immobilized by fear. Not until a
What can you do? Oregon Public Broadcasting will air a
tragedy hits close to home— a tragedy like the murders of
documentary titled Not in Our Town at different times on
Roxanne Ellis and Michelle Abdill—do we allow ourselves to
different dates throughout the state (check local listings). The
feel the terror, grief and rage that we suppress daily to survive.
documentary is a powerful and encouraging look at a Mon
Some will find this analogy extreme, w hile others will think
tana community s response to intolerance and violence. The
it doesn’t go far enough. Yet when you hear how right-wing
Medford, Ore., community encourages all o f us to invite five
fringe groups have declared a holy war against us— and accuse
people into our living rooms to watch this 30-minute program,
us of initiating a cultural war against them simply by living our
and to tape it to share with others later, and then discuss how
lives—and you see how the right wing is gaining power in our
it is relevant in the face o f Roxanne's and Michelle s murders.
government, you can draw no other conclusion: We are under
A town hall meeting has been scheduled in Medford on Jan. 4
siege
to discuss people s ideas on how to respond to the murders.
The murders of Ellis and Abdill may send some lesbians and
T
The Multnomah County
Sheriff’s Office appoints a
liason; the new year could
bring big changes for state
Reps. Gordly and Brown
(PP- 1 M 5 )
COLUMNS
Health
Hepatitis B may be forgotten,
but it’s not gone
(p. 37)
ARTS
Books
Walt Odets breaks the
silence barrier on
HIV-negative gay men;
lifeless writing mars
Untold Millions
(pp. 30-32)
Cinema
Sense and Sensibility is both
sweet and wicked
(p. 34)