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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (May 3, 1996)
j u s t o u t ▼ m ay 3 , 1 0 0 6 T i l TABOR FLORI57 Serving Portland and its suburban areas with unsurpassed quality and service Sense and civility KKEY Radio’s Love Makes a Family may go national— can a hate-free talk show survive? ▼ 4848 SE Division St. Portland, OR 97206 7819 SE Stark St. Portland, OR 97215 236-4119 256-2920 o by Inga Sorensen AMERICAN CHOREOGRAPHERS SHOWCASE Sponsored by Philip Morris Companies Inc. $2.00 off ANy purc N ase ! C loth in g fro m P e r r y M a so n to th e t} r a d y launch P BO UNDING BURNING - E R R y & BRINGING THE DANCE... D e H a ’ s 10-24 2-BALLET M ay C all T IC K t T M A S T E R 7 90 -A RTS E H S t V . S q O reg o n balletta THEATRUy 786-8943 l.tim s I Anlirkl A n isin J ust M xjr L o c a l VM trld C lass EH nct C ompany 16703 SE McCoughlin, Milwaukie Host Bonnie Tinker logical gobbledygook. Vitriol is never part of the ach Wednesday morning Bonnie formula. Tinker simply—and subtly—encour Tinker rises early and makes her way to the studios of KKEY Radio 1150 ages people to think through the issues for them AM, a Vancouver-based talk/sports selves. “We really are trying to engage people in a station heard throughout Southwest constructive dialogue,” says Tinker, who through Washington and the Portland metropolitan area. her program and an organization of the same From 7 to 9 am, she chats with guests and name strives to create broad understanding about fields calls from listeners. What’s so unusual lesbian and gay families. about that, you ask? As host of Love Makes a “We still have a solid following of anti-gay Family, Tinker is one of just a few lesbian and gay callers, but many seem to be concerned with a commercial radio talk show hosts nationwide wider spectrum of interests, such as the minimum who specifically focus on gay and lesbian issues wage issue and immigration. As the host, that while on the air. change provides more of a challenge to me,” she The program, which shifted to the coveted says. morning drive-time slot in 1994, celebrates its Going national provides Tinker with another third-year anniversary this month, and Tinker challenge. recently received a $5,000 grant from the Colo “I ask myself: ‘Can we sell this program rado-based Gill Foundation to develop a national nationally without ongoing on-the-air dogfights?’ ” syndication plan designed to bolster listenership she says. “We have to convince [station managers of Love Makes a Family on a grander scale. and the public] that we can.” “We started this program in the wake of Mea Love Makes a Family is supported through sure 9. Back then I would get callers who knew grants and program sponsorship. “We are always very little about gay and lesbian issues,” explains looking for more sponsors,” stresses Tinker, who Tinker, an openly lesbian grandmother and long says the May 8 program will address alternative time human rights advocate. “There were lots of insemination. comments then that reflected a great deal of “I guess you could call it a lesbian Mother’s ignorance— comments like ‘gay men spread dis Day show,” she laughs. ease.’ Now there seems to be a lot more general Portland Metropolitan Community Church knowledge about gay people.” pastor Roy Cole and author Leslie Feinberg will For those who have never listened to Love be the featured guests on upcoming Love Makes a Makes a Family, the show has a down-home Family shows. flavor and a calculated civility aimed at fostering “I think things will heat up again as we begin awareness of gay and lesbian families. to tackle the issue of same-sex marriage,” she Such a format flies in the face of much of says. “Let’s face it, we’ve come a long way, but today’s talk radio, which is purposely crafted to there’s still so much work to be done.” generate controversy. Instead of publicly lambasting a caller for, Love Makes a Family can be heard each let’s say, being a narrow-minded bigot, Tinker Wednesday from 7 to 9 am on KKEY Radio will employ her calming vocal tones in an attempt 1150 AM. Tinker encourages listeners to call in to find out why a caller feels the way he or she during the show. From Portland, call does. 222-5539; from Vancouver, call 693-5539. For She methodically guides the caller through a more information about sponsoring Love maze of reasoning, until his or her argument Makes a Family, contact Tinker at 228-3892. eventually crumbles into a pile of verbal and E THAT'S THE 0N.Y way to describe K a te B rown ’ s cow tw ent TO GETTING TTC JO B DONE. Birr her B oum xess E nergy D etermination W een and are only the beginning . she was a b le to forge a dialogue with P a tty Mine Sore P eople W U.D 0 to pass sweeping J ust domestic violence legislation , she P roved her a b ility about A nything . TO WORK WITH EVEN OUR MDST OUTSPOKEN OPPONENTS. R ight to P rivacy K a t e for PAC is P roud S enate D istrict 7 . H er T rack R ecord and T enacity A re F urther E xamples the to endorse of V aluable CoNTRiBLrnoNS MADE BY INDIVIDUALS IN OUR Com M TTY EVERY DAY. K Alt BROWN FOR STATE S tN A lt. PAID FOR AND AUTHORIZED BY RIGHT TO PRIVACY POLITICAL ACTION COMAAITTEE, 921 SW M ORRISON, SUITE 546. PORTLAND. OR 97205 • (503)228-5825