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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 19, 1997)
just out ▼ M E D I A Oregonian gives fair coverage on trans issue A headline atop a front-page Metro section story in the Sept. 5 issue of the Oregonian screamed, ‘Transsexual gets 18 years for Old Town stabbing death,” prompting one trans rights activist to remark via e-mail to Just Out. ‘interest ing that this is front-of-the-Metro-section news when violence against trans people is so rarely given significant coverage.” Meanwhile the article, authored by staff re porter Laura Trujillo, was an informative piece which addressed a critical issue affecting trans people and the corrections system—namely, where they are placed within the system. Trujillo’s article focused on Anny May Stevens, 35, who was sentenced to 18 years in prison for the stabbing death of an Old Town man earlier this year. Stevens pleaded guilty to manslaughter Sept. 4 in Multnomah County Circuit Court. According to the report, Stevens is “a man but has said she takes female hormones and wants to be known as a woman.” Though Stevens wants to be known as a woman, the article says she will ultimately be sent to the state system’s “men’s intake system and will remain in a single cell during assessments.” Trujillo also touched upon the issue of trans inmates receiving hormone treatments, writing, ‘The state will not pay for inmates’ hormone treatment unless they are so far along in the procedure that withholding treatment would cause harm. [An Oregon Department of Corrections spokesperson] said it doesn’t appear that Stevens will receive treatment because she hasn’t had surgeries or medical procedures.” Trujillo, whose piece was written in a nonjudgmental tone, used the pronoun “she” throughout the article when referring to Stevens. Op-ed pieces play both sides on conversion therapy On the op-ed side of recent Oregonian cover age, associate editor David Sarasohn penned an Aug. 20 column mulling the American Psycho logical Association’s passage on Aug. 14 of a resolution that marked a serious setback to propo nents of so-called “reparative” or “conversion” therapies intended to change lesbians and gay men into heterosexuals. (See Just Out's Sept. 5 issue for details.) The resolution, which passed overwhelmingly at the APA convention in Chicago, asserts that there is no sound scientific evidence on the effi cacy of such therapies. Sarasohn’s column is basically informational, though toward the end he interjects a little sass, saying, “In several ways, it hasn’t been a good summer for people who are certain how other people ought to live their lives.” He cites the Montana Supreme Court’s action in July tossing out a state law that made "homo sexual behavior illegal.” He also kidded about a recent finding by researcher Anne Perkins who concluded after years of study that “ 10 percent of rams would not mate with ewes.... Perkins did not suggest why. Possibly a lack of ramily values.” Fellow associate editor David Reinhard, mean while, has often used the same op-ed space to tout the possibility of straightening out gay and les bian people. In a June 5 column entitled “Help for homo sexuals? New study of therapists and clients sug gests homosexuals can overcome their homo sexuality—if they want to,” Reinhard sarcasti cally writes, “Let’s really celebrate diversity to day. Let’s open our minds nice and wide and show true tolerance.” He then cites findings of a survey suggesting that “gays and lesbians can change their orienta- W Septem ber 10, 1907 T 19 A T C H tion with intense therapy and desire to change... this should be a legitimate alternative to indifferent acceptance, particularly for young sters struggling with their homosexuality.” The survey was conducted by the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homo sexuality. Allanya Guenther, executive director of Phoe nix Rising Foundation, which provides counsel ing services to the sexual minorities community, shot off a letter to the Oregonian which pointed out, “NARTH is a group of 700 mental health professionals who all make money getting people to change their sexual orientation. Of course their research is going to show they are successful.” Reinhard also talked about self-described "ex” gay men and lesbians, saying those people— coupled with NARTH’s survey—are "testaments of hope and possibility for those ready to question our day’s new orthodoxy.” (2 C2 ^ P o r tla n d ’s L esbian an d Gay F ilm Festival"^ A Project of The Girl Artists Septem ber 18-21 Cinema 21 616 NW 21st. Ave. 223-4515 Saturday Sept. 20th ▼ Totally Queer Video 1 pm ▼ Surviving Friendly Fire 2:45pm I Shall N o t Be Removed: The Life o f Marlon Riggs 4:45pm Late Bloomers 7pm ▼ Leather Jacket Love Story 9pm Paper urges city to aid audit committee The Oregonian put pressure on Portland city officials via a Sept. 9 editorial headlined “Release Garvey file.” The paper urged City Attorney Jeff Rogers to “give the Portland Police Internal Investigations Audit Committee full access to the information it needs to judge the internal investigation of police Capt. Mike Garvey, who was suspected of asso ciating with prostitutes and making personal calls on city cell phones.” The case involving Garvey, who is openly gay, has been going on for more than a year. A grand jury failed to indict him, and Garvey has suggested he was targeted due to his sexual orientation. The Oregonian said, “The [citizen] auditors look at the way police investigate themselves. They look for omissions, for mishandling, for unfair treatment. Garvey’s case, which has dragged on for more than 15 months, is a prime target for review.... If Rogers doesn’t produce the reports immediately, Mayor Vera Katz and/or the City Council should order the information be made available to the watchdog committee.” I Different for Cirls 10:45pm . J n Sunday Sept. 21st i i Shinjuku Boys 2pm i O u t at Work with Bill and A n n Shepard: A L ife’s Work 4pm ▼ Some Prefer Cake 6pm ▼ Crocodile Tears 8pm i î j ▼ FILMMAKER IN ATTENDANCE For information call 242-0818 sponsored by EQUITY F O l ' M I A I io \ CELIA J. LYON i«s* «»“* OurTown paints flattering Garvey profile If you caught a glimpse of the Sept. 15 cover story in OurTown, a free weekly newspaper serv ing downtown Portland, you saw openly gay Portland Police Capt. Mike Garvey peering back. Garvey, who has been reluctant to speak extensively with the media since the Port land Police Bureau’s investigation into his conduct began more than a year ago, talked with w riter Ethan Machado about the ups and downs of the past several months. Much of the article _ .... _ is a rehash of the saga, Capt. Mike Garvey whlch includes an jn. temal police investigation into charges that Garvey solicited male prostitutes; his suspension, rein statement and subsequent demotion from com mander to captain; and Garvey’s plan to sue the city over the incident. The article is clearly sympathetic toward Garvey, and relies only on quotes from Garvey himself. At one point in the piece Machado describes Garvey by saying, "His fortitude is as steely as the heat in his holster.” Such is the tone of the whole article. Reported by Inga Sorensen KATE C linto N Saturday, October 25, 7:30 pm Aladdin Theater Powell Blvd. at Milwaukie Tickets: $14 advance, $17 at the door Available at Ticket Master outlets M adame P resident of C omedy and It’s My Pleasure, 236-0505 sea turtle productions