just out ▼ a p rii 19. 1996 ▼ 3
just out
since 1 983
steppin’ out
PUBLISHER AND EDITOR
Renée LaChance
contents
VOL 13 NO. 12
APRIL 19,1996
COPY EDITORS,
Kelly M. Bryan
Jeff Boswell
FEATURE
REPORTERS
Primary primer
Inga Sorensen
Bob Roehr
Rex Wockner
Kristine Chatwood
Just Out takes an inform ative
look at the gay and lesbian
candidates fa cin g opponents
in the M ay 21 election
PHOTOGRAPHER
(p. 19)
CALENDAR EDITOR
Linda Kliewer
OFFICE MANAGER
Teri Ventura
DEPARTMENTS
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
World news
Meg Grace
Gay cops are w elcom e to
w ear lipstick on the job, says
M anila m ayor
ADVERTISING REPS
C. Jay Wilson Jr.
Marty Davis
(p. 6)
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
National news
E. Ann Hinds
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Rupert Kinnard
k.d. lang wowed a Portland audience at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall on April 8
FORMATTER
Christopher Cuttone
TYPESETTER
“D o n ’t ask, d o n ’t tell ” struck
down in circuit court;
Lavender A ction watches
right-wing legislators in
W ashington state
(pp. 7-11)
Christopher Cuttone
DISTRIBUTION
Local news
Ambling Bear
Rachel Ebora
Helen Ford
P ortland lesbian will run in
the Olym pic torch relay; you
m ay want to cancel that
garden burger order
(PP- 1 2 -1 5 )
It's no joke
CONTRIBUTORS
Howie Baggadonutz
Kristine Chatwood
Bumie Gipson
Daniel Vaillancourt
Rupert Kinnard, Just Out graphic designer, is seriously injured
in an auto accident on Easter weekend
T
by Renée LaChance
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4
COLUM NS
Civil rights
graphic designer, Rupert is an integral part of that process.
t’s the kind you thing you pray is an April Fool’s joke.
While dealing with the emotional shock of the situation, I also
“Hello, this is the Elvis Presley Trauma Center in
had to think of the practical elements of how we would get the
Memphis, Tennessee,” the voice, heavy with Southern
work done that Rupert normally does. J spent most of that day
accent, said on our office manager’s voice mail. “We
stumbling around the office being pretty ineffective.
have Rupert Kinnard in our facility. He was in an auto
As time passed, the facts became known. Rupert had been
accident. He said he has health insurance through you, and we
driving
alone down a “desolate road” in rural Mississippi. As
need information about it. Could you please give me a call?”
he rounded a bend, an oncoming car nearly side-swiped him
Rupert is known for his love of surprising people, but on
and he swerved to avoid
April 8, the day after
it. He lost control and
Easter, who would ex­
If
anyone
can
meet
a
sticky
situation
with
grace
ended
up in a ditch. The
pect one like this? Rupert
had gone to Mississippi
and aplomb it is Rupert, and we all hold out hope other car didn’t stop.
Rupert knew he couldn ’t
for his grandmother’s
that
his
persistence
and
determination
will
have
move and laid on his
funeral. He had flown
horn until a passing mo­
into Chicago and was
him dancing to his own music in no time.
torist stopped to help.
planning to drive down
Eventually he was taken to a hospital in Clarksdale, Miss,
to Mississippi with several of his family members. My head
where he was put on a helicopter and flown to the trauma center
was reeling with the possible accident scenarios.
in Memphis.
I immediately got on the phone to the trauma center and then
One of his lumbar vertebrae had been crushed by his seat belt,
to Rupert’s partner, Scott Stapley, who was in Portland. Scott
collapsing his spinal column at that site and causing his paraly­
told me that Rupert had suffered a spinal cord injury, was
sis. He underwent surgery to repair the vertebra only, and any
awaiting surgery, and was at that time paralyzed from the waist
lessening of the paralysis will come from future rehabilitation.
down. Scott had just found out, too. I hung up, tom between
It soon became obvious to the doctors that Rupert would
rising to the crisis and needing to feel the emotions that were
need to recuperate in his hometown of Portland, where his loved
welling up at the thought of my dear friend and co-worker lying
ones
eagerly awaited his return. The insurance company char­
in a hospital bed in Tennessee without any of his family of
tered a jet to transport Rupert and Scott back to the Northwest.
friends there for support.
Rupert is currently in Providence Hospital’s rehabilitation
Within moments of getting this news, every staff person
unit, learning to live in his new body. If anyone can meet a
came into the office, except Ann, our creative director, who had
sticky
situation with grace and aplomb it is Rupert, and we all
somehow known to call in. I told everyone what had happened.
hold out hope that his persistence and determination will have
Shock and grief flooded the room. We were in the middle of
him dancing to his own music in no time.
production for our April 15 Seattle issue, and production for the
We love you, Rupert, heal well and soon.
April 19 Portland edition was just around the comer. As our
I
♦ 4
4 4
S e a ttle ’s Partners Task Force
brings the p o w er o f im ages
to the struggle f o r
m arriage rights
(p. 17)
Sports
Take som eone out to the Rose
City Softball season opener
(p- 37)
ARTS
Books
M arion Winik on loving a gay
man a n d helping him die
(p. 31)
Cinema
M ichael K earns brings
Intim acies to the silver screen
(p- 35)