2 T march 21. 1007 ▼ just out
just out
s in c e 1 9 8 3
PUBLISHER AND EDITOR
Renée LaChance
steppin’ out
COPY EDITOR
contents
VOL 14 NO. 10 MARCH 21,1997
FEATURE
Kelly M. Bryan
REPORTERS
Inga Sorensen
Bob Roehr
Rex Wockner
Out of Oscar’s
Closet
CALENDAR EDITOR
PHOTOGRAPHER
Now that queers are out and
about in Hollywood, foreign and
independent films, isn't it time
we had an awards show?
Linda Kliewer
(p. 19)
Kristine Chatwood
OFFICE MANAGER
Cory Murphy
DEPARTMENTS
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
World news
Meg Grace
Amnesty International report tells
o f anti-gay abuses in some
60 countries worldwide
ADVERTISING REPS
C. Jay Wilson Jr.
Marty Davis
(p- 6)
National news
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
E. Ann Hinds
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Rupert Kinnard
FORMATTER
Christopher D. Cuttone
TYPESETTER
Christopher D. Cuttone
DISTRIBUTION
Kathy Bethel
Rachel Ebora
Darla Moyer-Sims
Donald Rogers
Megan Weber
CONTRIBUTORS
Sasha Alyson
Christopher D. Cuttone
Gary Horn
Raymond Murray
Jeffrey L. Newman
Daniel Vaillancourt
Patricia Nell Warren
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guest editorial
Loose lips
Queers have known for ages that whom you kiss and where you do it can
make you unpopular, but maybe straights should take a lesson
▼
by Christopher D. Cuttone
I
t’s been said that there is a time and a place for every dominant-culture tactic of invasion and colonization.
thing—a reasonable assumption, but who decides on
Very often I must explain to straight friends that gay and
matters of decorum, Emily Post or Lon Mabon? Nowa
lesbian bars are special places. For many queers these bars are
days diversity makes it difficult to formulate even the the only place where they can be themselves completely and
simplest of rules governing behavior without stepping
without reservation. As such, it is an affront to be in a protected
on someone’s toes, and the cult of freedom makes it a crime space
to and be forced to witness the sexual display of a cultural
step on someone’s toes.
icon—the heterosexual couple— for which every place is a
Two weeks ago an incident in which a heterosexual couple
welcoming one and to which every place, be it physically or
was ejected from a San Francisco gay bar that had a “no hetero
ideologically, is dedicated.
kissing” policy gained attention from the national media, rais
As a bisexual I have a lot of straight friends and sometimes
ing the specter of so-called reverse discrimination. Witnesses
frequent straight, or at least straight-by-default, establishments.
said the pair was really going at it and making a bit of a scene—
I ’ ve even been to such places with a boyfriend in tow, and have
but that’s beside the point, isn’t it? The bar’s policy singles out
been known to play that classic game, “shock the hets.” And
a group or class of people for the purposes of limiting and
while my behavior when there with a same-sex partner is not
controlling their behavior. That’s discrimination, and discrimi
exactly guarded, I certainly do not take off my shirt and do the
nation is always wrong.
humpty dance (as I might if I were in a gay bar).
OK, then why in this case does it feel so right? My first
Although I like to provoke (thought, hopefully), I don’t
reaction to this story was, “Well it’s about damn time!”
enjoy actual fighting, so when tension rises too high or when I
Even the out-and-proudest queer knows that sometimes it
perceive a threat to my person because I have been too open in
pays to be demure, particularly if one Finds oneself in a macho
displaying my sexuality, I back down. Conversely, I have seen
sports bar or stumbles upon a gaggle of skinheads. It may seem
straight people do the exact opposite in response to a perceived
like a step back into the closet, but really it’s just what everyone
threat: When they enter a gay environment, they get all touchy-
the world overdoes to make getting along a little easier—isn’t it?
feely and step up their sexual display to make sure everyone
A Friday-night tour of Portland’s gay bars suggests that
knows they’re just visiting.
straight people just don’t get it—many have been spoiled by a
Of course I am generalizing; of course not all heterosexuals
lifetime of defining the norm and have thus lost the ability to
act this way. The ones who do just stand out more than those who
alter their behavior to conform to environmental conditions.
try to get along. Still, it is frustrating to see that they can choose
One example (without naming names): a trioof abutting bars all
to get along or not—while 1 am a de facto activist simply because
serve a primarily gay clientele, but the fabulous dance mix
I am different, and while I can never be entirely secure that I will
attracts a straight crowd to first one then another, until there are
be treated fairly or that I can walk alone at night in safety.
so many male-female pairs grinding away under the disco ball
With intolerance lurking around every comer and filibuster
that one can hardly tell it’s a queer establishment.
ing at the highest levels of government, queer life is a constant
Of course, it is a shame that there are not more clubs playing
battle between self-expression and self-preservation, a compro
the wild dance tunes that people obviously want, but that
mise between staying out of the closet and choosing battles that
doesn’t justify the dislocation of an already marginalized group.
can be won. It may be divisive and counterproductive but, after
When the queer community identifies an unmet need it rallies,
a lifetime enduring both the insults of bigots and the uncon
lobbies and raises funds to address the issue. When heteros need
scious, institutionalized prejudice of U.S. society, I guess I
something, however, they fall back upon the long-standing
thought maybe the hets could use a taste of their own medicine.
National black gay forum
expands outreach to youth,
regional communities; Megan’s
Law unleashes administrative
quagmire in California;
study shows strong bones in
postmenopausal women may
indicate breast cancer risk
(pp. 7-10)
Local news
Oregon transsexuals may lose
hard-won protections; Seattle
schools move to buy queer
positive books; women work
together to salvage LCP
(pp. 12-17)
COLUM NS
View from here
A conference o f Southeastern bi,
gay and lesbian college students
draws unexpected allies
(P- 3)
Venturing out
From Eugene to Buenos Aires—
it’s a world o f pride celebrations
(p. 33)
Last laugh
Has Martha Stewart committed
career suicide?
(p- 34)
ARTS
Cinema
Monte Bramer
talks about Paul Monette:
The Brink of Summer’s End
(P- 29)
Music
Jazzman Fred Hersch downplays
his new gig as HIV “poster hoy ”
(p- 31)
Entertainment
Author E. Lynn Harris speaks at
black culture lecture series;
The Embers Avenue turns 25
(p. 32)