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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (July 18, 1997)
* ‘ j u s t o u t T July 1 8 . 1 0 9 7 ▼ 17 They Were the Best of Friends It Was the Worst of Times i.4&. B IS E X U A L IT Y i r s NOT A *U C « 1 N C P H A S E officials say Initiative 677, which seeks to prohibit employment discrimina tion on the basis of sexual orientation, should be vali dated within a month. Hands Off Washington, a grass-roots coalition that promotes gay and lesbian equality, was instrumental in the signature-gathering campaign. The ballot title reads: “Shall discrim ination § f| based on sexual orienta tion be prohibited in em ployment, employment agency and union member ship practices, without re quiring employee partner benefits or preferential treatment?” Backers needed to col lect 180,000 valid signa tures to qualify the proposal for the ballot. Pride and Solutions is the nation’s leading provider of mental health and addictions treatment to the lesbian, gay and bisexual communities. We’re also HIV/AIDS-related stress, depression and grief specialists. From coast to coast, our centers offer a safe, personalized, professional and tranquil atmosphere to address the issues that effect your life. Whether it’s the company you keep, the behaviors you’ve struggled with or the overwhelming sense of helplessness - we have the solutions. Better times could be just a phone call away. Call Us Today 1-800-DIAL-GAY Medicare and Most Insurance Accepted Church selects gay minister The Rev. John Paul Davis III, who is openly gay, was installed June 1 as the minister of congrega tional life for the First Con ■>* gregational Church/United Church of Christ, located in downtown Portland. Davis, 33, is a 1990 Jacquelyn Zapp-Garcia was in attendance at the Portland Bisexual graduate of Princeton Alliance’s Bi Day ’97 Theological Seminary in New Jersey. He is the First Congregational Church’s first openly gay minister and one of an estimated 50 openly gay UCC ministers nation wide. At the national level, the United Church of Organizers estimate that 175 people turned Christ has called upon its churches to be “open out for Bi Day ’97, billed as Oregon’s first rally and affirming” toward gay men and lesbians and promoting bisexual visibility. has endorsed the ordination of sexual minorities “We’re really delighted by the turnout,” says Sven Bonnichsen, president and political director of the Portland Bisexual Alli ance, a community organization for bi sexuals. “We’re hoping this becomes a tradition—much like the Dyke March has—that only gets bigger and better.” The event, held June 27 at Pioneer Courthouse Square in downtown Port land, featured an array of speakers and music. State Sen. Kate Brown (D-Portland), who is openly bisexual, was slated to present but failed to attend due to her legislative schedule. However, Bonnichsen says Brown sent a letter, which was read during the gathering, expressing her solidarity. Members of the transsexual and anti violence communities were also on hand. “It was a great beginning,” he adds. PBA meets the first and third Fridays of the month at 7 pm at Laughing Horse Books, 3652 SE Division St., in Port land. For more inform ation, call 232-9275, or write to PBA at PO Box 412, Portland, OR 97207. The Rev. John Paul Davis III since the 1970s. First Congregational Church became an “open and affirming” church in 1992. Davis was ordained at the Philadelphia-based Tabernacle United Church in March. According to the Rev. Patricia Ross, FCC’s senior minister, An estimated 230,000 signatures have been the search committee considered 50 applicants submitted to the Washington secretary of state’s for the post, unanimously choosing Davis. office to place a statewide gay and lesbian rights initiative on the November ballot. The petitions were delivered July 3, and state Reported by Inga Sorensen ■ First time bisexual event dubbed success u Rights initiative headed for Washington ballot PRIDE INSTITUTE AT SOLUTIONS Los Angeles (three facilities) New York Area Washington, D.C. Pride Institute at Solutions