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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 20, 1997)
j u s t o u t ▼ June 2 0 . 1 9 9 7 Y 5 letters Bad timing, big bummer The Community’s Home Loan Resource ► Refinance/cash out ► 100% equity loans ► Pre-approved loans ► Pre-qualification by phone or fax lic Broadcasting and Just Out readers fo r confus ing Tales of the City with another show. To the Editor: I am writing on behalf of the City Repair/T- Horse project to give you some background on the regrettable conflict in timing between our event To the Editor: and the Pride parade. With regard to the recent letter from Margaret City Repair is a community-building project Deirdre O’Hartigan [Letters, Just Out, June 6, which invites us to see the common ground we 1997], I have a couple of comments. First of all, share as a human family. It will occur at noon on O’ Hartigan repeatedly mentions “the typical trans June 21, when the people of Portland join hands sexual.” Is there such a thing? And if there is, is it in a gigantic circle that brings together the South fair to diminish the plight of a transsexual who is east, Northeast, Northwest and Southwest quad not “the typical transsexual”? Is the transsexual rants of the city. City Repair is an event that we community so lacking in diversity that we can can share regardless of ordinary boundaries of speak of trans issues only in how they pertain to geography, “class,” race or sex. “the typical transsexual”? Although the idea may seem pointless or ide Further, O’Hartigan stated that “married men alistic, we believe that this simple gesture—hold and daddies who decide to change sex should ing hands—has the power to transform us and our respect the choices made by the wives who would city in a profound and wide-reaching way. rather divorce than be forced by their husbands to So, if City Repair is all about inclusion, why become lesbian.” Whoa. Forced to become les did we schedule it to run through downtown on bian? We’ve been accused of recruiting, but this Southwest 18th Avenue, at the same time that the is ridiculous. Most importantly, this places a very Pride parade is going down Broadway? strict definition on what it means to be a lesbian. Wemessedup. Wechose June21 monthsago, This statement implies that being a lesbian is because it is the Summer Solstice and also Inter something that can instantly occur if your male national Peace and Justice Day. We didn’t realize partner changes his biological sex and you still the conflict until hundreds of fliers and maps had love him and want to be with him. It implies that already been distributed. Although sincerely being lesbian is defined by who we love, not who bummed, we decided that it would be too confus we are. I’m sure JoAnn Loulan would concur ing to try to move the event at that late date. when I suggest that O’ Hartigan allow the lesbians We hope you will think of City Repair as to adopt our own labels as we see fit and not do the encircling and embracing Pride, not excluding it. labeling for us based upon the perceived biologi And we hope very much to see our gay, lesbian, cal sex of our partners. bisexual and transgendered brothers and sisters at the Potluck Party at Pioneer Courthouse Square at Darla Moyer-Sims 7:30 pm on June 21. There will be live music, Portland dancing, potluck food, and a great diversity of community art and spirit. Please come and share I the strength and beauty of the queer community with your neighbors. To the Editor: For more information about City Repair, call Radical Women, in coalition with drag queens, 321-5089 or visit www.millennium-cafe.com/t- lesbians, transgenders and gay groups, co-founded horse/ on the World Wide Web. the first Lesbian and Gay Pride march through downtown Portland in 1977. Ironically, that same Carol Carmick, Circle Coordinator year the Portland City Council passed two ordi City Repair/T-Horse Project nances that violate everyone’s free speech rights. Most people don’t know these ordinances exist, until they try to organize a rally or march. Ordinance 20.12.010 (Conducting Business or To the Editor: Soliciting Charity) says, “It is unlawful for any As a supporter of Oregon Public Broadcasting person to solicit for or conduct any business, or to and a five-year volunteer for OPB’s Audience sell or offer to sell any article or service, or to Services, 1 must challenge a statement in Lee solicit for a charitable contribution in a park unless Lynch’s article [“Ellen backlash,” Just Out, June that person has been granted a concession or a park 6, 1997]. permit by the Commissioner in Charge of the Lynch states that someone had to tape Armi stead Bureau of Parks or by the Council.” Ordinance Maupin’s Tales o f the City for her “because the 20.12.020 (Distributing Printed Material) says, local public TV station didn’t have Ellen’s cour “It is unlawful for any person in a park to distribute age.” Assuming that her local public TV station is or offer for sale any written, printed or graphic OPB, I can assure you that this delightful and material except from a sidewalk or footpath.” controversial series was indeed aired in Oregon by As more people become fed up by the injus OPB. Furthermore, I believe that OPB was coura tices in our society and gather to share informa geous enough to broadcast the version which was tion, these two ordinances are used against us, shown to British audiences instead of a special especially radical and grass-roots groups, to version for prudish American audiences. squelch the proliferation of progressive ideas. I remember very well, the day after each of the Instead of police, city officials are using expen episodes aired, having to listen to irate callers to sive fees to intimidate the community from orga Audience Services objecting to the “disgusting” nizing marches and demonstrations. Activists are scenes of two men shown kissing or in bed to penalized for selling their newspapers and distrib gether. Each week a number of viewers (or people uting leaflets. As workers and taxpayers, we need who had only heard about the shows) threatened to remind the mayor and City Council that the (or promised!) never to contribute another penny parks are public areas, governed by the Constitu to OPB. tion not censorship, and demand that ordinances So let’s thank our local public television sta Title 20.12.OlOand Title 20.12.020 be abolished. tion for providing Oregon viewers the opportu nity to see Tales o f the City and for continuing to Jordana Sardo offer other programs of special interest to gay, Radical Women lesbian, bisexual and transgendered viewers and our supporters. OPB was there for us before Ellen and ABC were. ► New purchase ► Residential, commercial & investment property ► Appointments at your convenience Let us adopt our own labels * * CORRECTION Lyle M. Tucker Lake Oswego Lee Lynch responds: I apologize to Oregon Puh- In the cover story of our June 6 issue, “Moving Pictures,” the statements attributed to Kalim Winata were actually made by C.C. Keong. Just Out regrets the error. Office Evenings/Weekends 297-9900 780-1561 MORTGAGE Colleen Weed 9 9 0 0 S. W. W ilshire Street • P ortlan d, Oregon 9 7 2 2 5 impulse VIDEO Bring in this ad and receive 1 FREE RENTAL! p e r When you rent another video at regular price an < fii»m > iin waanr'innwurwfiimwi— m nrrr -m mu P e r s o n all 1 0 1 2 0 S . W . (near Washington Sguare) 8 5 11 P e r S .W . B l v d 246-8328 T e r w illig e r B lvd (across from Chez Jose's) m t h Home Model Now Available o l M w y 245-8351 «¡¡an m ELLIPTICAL FITNESS CROSS TRAINER Featured in these Local Fitness Facilities 452-8254 €3 3 £3 €3 S . W . 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