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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (May 16, 1997)
ju st out ▼ m ay 16. 1997 V 17 local news Th e next generation Youth and supportive adults convene to co-create a safer way to grow up gay ▼ by Buffy Adams queer youth are just as human and need just as money issues and materialism. A person may be he Fourth Regional Lesbian, Gay and much support as straight youth. told that if they leave their partner they’ll lose all Bisexual Youth Conference took place There were many workshops and theatrical their belongings, their home, their job, etc. The April 25 and 26; the theme was “Cre fear of this loss keeps them in the relationship, and presentations at the conference, and it was impos ating Safety for All Youth.” This sible to attend all of them. There was more infor that is economic abuse. year’s conference was both fun and mation than could comfortably be pushed into “Stories of the Truth: Coming Out Whole” informative. There were activities, entertaining was a large discussion group of adults and youth two days—each workshop was one and a half to speakers, workshops and performances—both who were interested in telling their own stories of two hours long. theatrical and musical—by, for and about queer how they came out and how they were able to deal “Domestic and Dating Violence Between youth. The conference was sponsored by Somos with the feelings of their loved ones. This was the Same-Sex Couples” detailed the cycles that abu Orgullo Latino, Phoenix Rising, Cascade AIDS sive relationships go through, and how to spot most touching and emotional workshop at the Project, the Urban League of Portland, the Met conference. them before it’s too late. Unfortunately, there ropolitan Community Church of Port land, and Washington County Health and Human Services. The conference began with a pow erful keynote address by Kevin Jennings, executi ve di rector of the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Teachers Network. He made several good points on ho mosexuality in schools. He pointed out how the people who work in schools and people throughout the world need to open their eyes and really look at what’s going on around them. “We are fighting to let the light in, not the darkness of bigotry,” he said. Then he had helpers open all the blinds in the room, and he said, “Let the light in. The people out there are the ones in the dark.” He related a few of his own expe riences that dealt with the way youth are treated in society. He said that queer youth need to be more comfort able in school instead of always feel ing left out or afraid. “People who are not professionals should stay away from children. You have to check your prejudices at the door,” he said. Another interesting thing Jennings did was have everyone check the cloth- ing of their neighbor, and he then had Youth at the conference, which was held at the Portland Conference Center those wearing blended fibers stand up. He pointed aren’t enough organizations or resources to help At the end of the first day there was a perfor out that the Bible said the people who were either men or women to get away from these mance by Outside In’s Gorilla Theater, a theater standing should be stoned to death. He said if situations. An abusive relationship can have one troupe composed of youth. The troupe performed you’re going to take the Bible literally, then take or all of the following attributes: emotional, physi skits that dealt with real-life issues for them and the entire Bible literally. cal and economic abuse. Physical abuse is obvi the world around them. It was an amusing and Jennings nailed the issue of queer youth in ous, and many youth think that if they’re not being very believable portrayal of youth confronting education perfectly in his address. He said all beaten then they’re not being abused. That’s not gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans issues in their own through history one group of people would con true. If a person is being put down a lot and treated way. The audience was receptive and clapped demn another, based solely on their beliefs or like they’re nothing unless they’re dependent on loudly after each skit. There was a tremendous theiropinions. And the point he made most clearly their partner, that is emotional abuse. Economic amount of feedback from the audience: Com was that schools don’t take the time to realize that abuse is the hardest to recognize; it involves ments such as “That guy has great facial expres T TRAVEL SERVICE Club RSVP Puerto Vallarta All-Inclusive Resort Michael Scott m e m b e r usa One SW Columbia Suite 1010 Portland, OR 97258 sions,” and “I’ve been through that!” were heard. “Bisexuality: Hearing and Respecting Young Peoples’ Experience” was a panel discussion by five youth who explained the myths of bisexual ity. The group seemed very interested and quickly realized that bisexuality isn’t about sex and sleep ing around with whomever one chooses. One mother in the audience thanked the panel for clearing up her misconceptions. She said she felt that the panel was very informative. The crowd agreed. “Why Should Queers Care About Racism and Sexism?” was more of an activity than a workshop, at first. Participants were put into groups and given a box of magazines and instructed to make a collage of a diverse world. I found myself in the group that had all the gay magazines and all of the supplies. We were told not to share with the other groups. We did as we were told, and at the end it was explained that while we were in our own little world the other groups were put down and discrimi nated against. It was very easy to see that when you’re given all the instru ments to run your life smoothly, things will fly by you and you will not even notice. There were a number of booths from organizations such as Gay, Les bian, Straight Teachers Network, and booths from a few of the gay-owned businesses. A new program that really means a lot to queer youth is one sponsored by Phoenix Rising Founda tion, the Pride Mentorship Project. It provides youth with mentors. Brandt Rigby, coordinator for Pride Mentorship Project, says, “In our soci ety adults and youths don’t get an opportunity to intercommunicate and that’s what we’re trying to do with the Pride Mentorship Project. We’re try ing to keep that dialogue going between youths and adults.” It would be great if more youth became in volved with the conference next year and with the many organizations that provide mentoring, coun- seling and aid to gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans and questioning youth. Buffy Adams is working as a youth intern at Just Out through the Private Industry Council employment program. 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