2 ▼ Ja n u a ry 1 «. 1996 ▼ ju * t o u t
just out
since 1 9 83
PUBLISHER AND EDITOR
Renée LaChance
steppin’ out
VOL. 13 NO. 6 JANUARY 19,1996
COPY EDITORS
Kelly M. Bryan
Jeff Boswell
FEATURES
REPORTERS
Inga Sorensen
Bob Roehr
Rex Wockner
More than friends
Jane Sibbett and Jessica
Hecht play lesbians —
and house —
on N B C ’s Friends
CALENDAR EDITOR
Kristine Chatwood
(p. 14)
PHOTOGRAPHER
Linda Kliewer
Triplets!!!
Whew! Three times the fun,
and three times the work.
Just O ut checks in with
moms Sheila and Mimi
one year later...
OFFICE MANAGER
Teri Ventura
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Meg Grace
(p. 17)
ADVERTISING REPS
C. Jay Wilson Jr.
Marty Davis
DEPARTMENTS
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
E. Ann Hinds
World news
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Rupert Kinnard
FORMATTER
Rachel Ebora
TYPESETTER
Jann Gilbert
DISTRIBUTION
Ambling Bear
CONTRIBUTORS
Kristine Chatwood
Cathay Che
Christopher Kamera
Risa Krive
Daniel Vaillancourt
C. Jay Wilson Jr.
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contents
vX<v...
guest editorial
AIDS is taking a catastrophic
toll on sub-Saharan Africa;
Portuguese prime minister
says legalizing same-sex
marriage is a possibility
(p. 4)
National news
CompuServe says the German
government told it to delete
queer newsgroups
Not only members
benefit
For 20 years , Portlanders have had a place to worship that unabashedly honors
and respects their sexual orientation
▼
(pp. 5-8)
Local news
Anti-gay initiatives fa il
to make Washington ballot,
but activists say Oregon
will not be so lucky;
Eugene group unexpectedly
plays host to skinheads at
screening o f N ot in O ur Tow n
(pp. 9-13)
by D o nna R ed W in g
t was Halloween night. They had shaved parts of my
head. The procedure which had cauterized an artery in
my brain and capped it with a bit of platinum was over.
The MRI was done.
The next morning I would face brain surgery. I was
terrified. And very medicated. A friend dropped by and laughed
when I said that the Rev. Roy Cole would be offering commun
ion. I was astonished and said, “Damn it, it is my immortal soul,
after all.” ‘Immortal soul’ is a phrase I had never uttered before.
It was the thing that my Catholic friends in grade school had
worried about whenever we were about to do something we
shouldn’t.
Roy Cole did visit me on Halloween night. He offered
communion to all of us there; to my partner, Sumitra, and to my
son, Julian, and to all of the Christians and Jews, pagans,
agnostics and atheists who were there that night to wish me
well. His communion prayer was loving, optimistic and inclu
sive. He spent the next day, all day, with my family and friends,
through the grueling eight-and-a-half-hour surgery. And he,
and his congregation, prayed for my recovery. He was both a
friend and a pastor.
I am not a member of the Metropolitan Community Church.
I try to attend Christmas Eve services there because I love the
carols and the candles. I try to attend community celebrations
and World AIDS Day services. I do not need to be a member to
participate. I do not need to be a member to feel included. I do
not need to be a member to understand and appreciate the fact
that MCC Portland is an integral part of our larger gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgendered community. I don’t need to be a
member to feel pride each time my bus zooms past the newly
painted and renovated church. I don’t need to be a member to
use the meeting rooms with other activists as we cook up
strategies and responses. I don’t need to be a member to stop by
after an election or a tragedy to meet with friends and allies. I
don’t need to be a member to call Reverend Cole about my
spiritual concerns.
I don’t need to be a member to take from this church the
pieces I need. I do, however, have a responsibility to MCC
Portland. It is my responsibility to contribute to its financial
well-being and to offer my resources and networks. It is also my
responsibility to think about, appreciate and forward MCC’s
place in our community.
MCC Portland is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Think
about that. For 20 years, Portlanders have had a place to
worship that unabashedly honors and respects their sexual
orientation, that affirms their spirituality, and is a relevant
voice in the community. And now that place sparkles on the
comer of Northeast 24th Avenue and Broadway.
I enthusiastically join in the celebration of MCC Portland as
it commemorates this milestone. I hope you will join me.
See related story on page 11 for a listing of events to be
held during MCC Portland's 20th anniversary weekend
celebration, Jan. 19-Jan. 21.
ARTS
Cinema
The media fascination with
lesbians will mean more
screen time in '96
(p- 26)
Visual arts
View 1940s Portland through
the eyes o f photographer
Minor White
(p. 27)
Theater
Portland Repertory and
triangle productions! portray
the human struggle with
ideas and injustices
(pp. 28-30)