2 ▼ O ctober 18, 1 9 9 6 T ju s t out
just out
s in c e 1 983
PUBLISHER AND EDITOR
Renée LaChance
contents
steppin’ out
VOL 13 NO. 24 OCTOBER 18,1996
ASSISTANT PUBLISHER
Ten Ventura
FEATURES
CO PY EDITOR
Kelly M. Bryan
Power play
REPORTERS
Inga Sorensen
Bob Roehr
Rex Wockner
Hopes for a national
women's basketball league
rest in part on the sinewy
shoulders o f the 10 women
of Portland Power
CALENDAR EDITOR
Kristine Chatwood
(p. 19)
Vote on it
PHOTOGRAPHER
Linda Kliewer
Just Out's endorsements
for Nov. 5
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Meg Grace
(p. 15)
ADVERTISING REPS
C. Jay Wilson Jr.
Marty Davis
DEPARTMENTS
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
E. Ann Hinds
A Taiwanese mayor will
officiate at a gay wedding
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Rupert Kinnard
(p. 4)
World news
National news
FORMATTER
Christopher D. Cuttone
TYPESETTER
Christopher D. Cuttone
DISTRIBUTION
Kathy Bethel
Rachel Ebora
Daria Moyer-Sims
Donald Rogers
Megan Weber
CONTRIBUTORS
Boston AIDS Writers Group
Kristine Chatwood
Cathay Che
Christopher D. Cuttone
Andy Mangels
Dale Reynolds
Daniel Vaillancourt
Steve Warren
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„
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Pride Northwest sponsored a National Coming Out Day event Oct. 11 at Pioneer Courthouse Square. Organizers estimate
nearly 2,000 people attended the festivities.
Melinda Paras resigns
from NGLTF; the U.S. Navy
denies the clemency appeal
o f a seaman convicted of
bias-related murder
(pp. 5-7)
Local news
editorial
Shaken confidence
After the Defense of Marriage Act fiasco, queer voters are finding it hard to
support political allies previously perceived as “staunch
”
▼
by Renée LaChance
espite the nationwide lack of anti-gay initiatives,
who say this wasn’t that important an issue and certainly not
this has been a lively political season in regard to
one that warrants throwing away votes.
the gay and lesbian community. Early on, the Grand
Just one day after the DOMA vote, at the then-Right to
Old Party devised a plan that would drive a wedge
Privacy’s Garden Party, Blumenauer and Furse were questioned
between Democrats and the queer community and
by Just Out reporter Inga Sorensen about their “yes” votes.
serve as a lightning rod for debate and controversy—the
Blumenauer said, “The picture of marriage that I have in my
Defense of Marriage Act.
mind is of a man and a woman.”
For those of you out of the political know: The Republicans
Furse was defensive and argumentative and had only vague
submitted the Defense of Marriage Act to Congress in response
answers to Inga’s questions. It was obvious that the two had no
to the possibility that Hawaii might soon legitimize same-sex
ready responses to put a positive spin on their decisions.
marriage. DOMA allows states to disregard same-sex mar
Nevertheless, both earned a good rating with the Human
riages performed in other states, and precludes federal spousal
Rights Campaign regarding their record on issues of impor
benefits typically afforded people in a heterosexual union. It
tance to the lesbian and gay community. Furse scored 89 out of
defines “marriage” as a formal union between a man and a
a possible 100, and Blumenauer scored 83. (DeFazio had a
woman. The bill was approved by the House on July 12 by a
perfect score.)
342-67 margin; the Senate approved it last month, and Presi
It’s no joy to say it, but that’s good enough to keep our
dent Clinton signed it into law Sept. 21.
support. We’re endorsing Furse and Blumenauer for the Nov.
Polls indicate that “Middle America” does not support
5 election because of their overall record. If they are elected,
same-sex marriage. Democrats who had been allies to the
we’ll watch their legislative actions with a critical eye, and
sexual minorities community found themselves beseiged by
reconsider our endorsement in 1998.
the better-organized right wing to vote for DOMA. We queers
Now in regard to Bill Clinton, whom we endorsed in the
assumed we had our allies in our pockets and did not voice the
primary: Yes, he screwed us on his “gays in the military”
importance of this vote to them until it was too late.
pledge. Yes, he screwed us when he fired Surgeon General
Some of our nongay political allies held firm against the
Joycelyn Elders. Yes, he screwed us by not instructing the
GOP’s plot without our prodding; Rep. Peter DeFazio is a
attorney general to submit an amicus brief to the Supreme Court
shining example. Some of our perceived allies took the low
urging it toovertum Colorado’s Amendment 2. Yes, he screwed
road to save their political skins, like Reps. Elizabeth Furse and
us on the Defense of Marriage Act.
Earl Blumenauer, which stunned many of us— in Blumenauer’s
So why vote for him? See if you can answer yes to this
case especially, since he is running in an extremely liberal
question: “Can I wake up the morning of Nov. 6 with Bob Dole
district.
as president and live with myself for the next four years
Now there are two camps among the activists in our commu
knowing I didn’t vote for Clinton?”
nity: those who want to send a warning shot, by not supporting
I can’t.
them in this election, to the politicians who won our support
- Qvpf. ths yea£spp(yjq §tab.us in.the collective back,.and those
You 'll find our complete list o f endorsements on page 15.
D
BO LI will investigate
discrimination claims based
on transsexualism; cable TV
crew comes to Portland to
get a take on gay and
lesbian families
(pp. 10-13)
COLUMNS
Reasons to hope
Immune-based therapies
represent a new frontier in
HIV/AIDS research
(p. 9)
ARTS
Theater
Jefferson Beeker gives a
behind-the-curtain look at his
play First Couple
' (P- 31)
Music
Disco diva France Joli
is back in “Touch
Cowgirl Sweethearts sing
with a topical twang
(pp. 33-34)
Entertainment
Sonic boom: 300 bands
converge for North by
Northwest; Ysaye Barnwell
sings with Aurora Chorus
and satori
(p. 35)
Cinema
A Beautiful Thing transpires
at Cinema 21; Jennifer Tilly is
Bound and determined
(pp. 37-38)