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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 1997)
just out ▼ novom bsr 21, 1007 ▼ 7 Metcalf, who is campaigning for a third term in Washington’s 2nd District. “The Victory Fund’s No. 1 goal for 1998 is to make history by electing the first open lesbian to the U.S. Congress,” Bond said in the news state ment. “We believe that fair-minded voters will judge these exceptional women on their qualifi cations— not their sexual orientation. All we ask is that the Democratic Party do the same.” We are family A Minnesota Family Strength Project survey released Oct. 20 found that gay and lesbian fami lies are the healthiest and strongest family struc tures in the state and families headed by unmar ried heterosexual couples are the weakest, reports the Washington Blade. The survey relied on an admittedly unscien tific sample o f 400 self-identified families, nearly 15 percent of which involved same-sex couples. Researcher Dr. Judy Tiesel found that gay people and their children are more likely than heterosexual parents to report having “exception ally” or “very” strong families, while at the same time gay men and lesbians are more likely to report having grown up in “weak” family situa tions. Tiesel postulates that sexual minorities “have developed certain strengths— such as better com munications skills or support systems” as a result o f their “struggle to adapt in a relatively hostile culture.” The survey data is not considered scientific because each person interviewed was asked to provide her or his own definition o f the term “family,” but the results are still useful, says Terrance Steeno o f the state’s Family and Children’s Services agency, which cosponsored the research. “We hope this is a catalyst for more research,” he says. “This information begs for someone to go further with it, to find out what makes a family unit strong.” Texas stands by lesbian and gay foster and adoptive parents Texas child welfare officials are defending their policy of allowing gay men and lesbians to be foster and adoptive parents after a former worker who opposed the policy threatened a law suit. The Dallas Morning News reported Nov. 11 that Child Protective Services spokeswoman Linda Edwards said the primary criteria for qualifying foster and adoptive parents is their ability to “nurture and parent a child.” Edwards’ defense came after former CPS su pervisor Rebecca Bledsoe filed a grievance with the state agency, claiming that she was demoted Nov. 1 for removing a foster child from the house of a lesbian couple. Bledsoe said she told caseworkers to remove the infant boy because “homosexual conduct is against the law in Texas.” She also questioned placing a black infant boy with two white lesbian caretakers. Supervisors say they demoted Bledsoe be cause she did not follow the rules in moving the infant to another foster home. They deny the action was taken because o f a difference over the policy regarding gay or lesbian families. Edwards says the boy was returned to the home o f the lesbian couple after the action was taken against Bledsoe. Bledsoe is threatening a lawsuit unless the policy is changed. T here ’ s N o T ime L ike the P resent To P lan for the F uture . What's stopping you from planning for your financial future right now? No time? All it takes Filling the lesbian health care void Doctors held a health fair Oct. 19 to inaugurate the Gay W omen’s Focus at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. GWF, a collection o f doctors dedicated to lesbian health care issues, offers affordable pri- is one hour to get started. Ttx) Confusing? I'll explain all the options clearly, in language you can understand No huge pool of cash avail able? You don't need thousands of dollars to start As little as S50 a month can provide big returns. Make today the day you stop making excuses. m. Call Floreid Walker and make an T he P R ID F ^ entorsh,p Proj6ct V Ever wish you knew an adult who really had a clue? Remember what it was like \ / to grow up feeling different? appointment instead. FLOREID WALKER (503) 238-6036 8”-6626 503) 291-7713 waddell.com mary and gynecological care and mental health services. According to the New York Blade , Dr. Robert Newman, now president o f Greater Manhattan Healthcare Systems, got the project moving in 1995. The idea was timely, filling a void left earlier that year when St. Mark’s W omen’s Health Collective, a community health project for lesbi ans, closed due to lack o f funding. “Our goal is to make Beth Israel and every other medical center a gay-friendly place,” says Dr. Joan Waitkevicz, who was associated with the collective from its inception in 1973 and ison staff at GWF. “Not just to get them to accept gay people, but to have a knowledge about their health care issues.” She and other GWF doctors have already made presentations around the city to teach practitio ners “how to unlearn homophobia, so that if a lesbian comes through their doors, she leaves feeling her voice has been heard and her needs have been met.” She’s still got it The personal and professional life of everyone’s favorite lesbian, Ellen DeGeneres, is still a hot topic— at least Variety thinks so. Army Archerd, a senior columnist at the quasi-tabloid, re cently dished up an Ellen update and dug up details on Ellen’s date. Archerd reported that the Nov. ^ s e g ment o f Ellen fea tured g u est star Emma Thompson as a lesbian from Day- ton, O h io, w ho picked up an English accent from watch ing too many Julie Andrew movies; and that Sean Penn, no stranger to coattails, got in on the act by “coming out” on the show. On a more personal note, Archerd revealed that DeGeneres has been asked by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer to play opposite Matthew McConaughey in Ed TV, a film he said Howard described to him as “Capra-esque.” Word is DeGeneres had yet to read the script. Compiled by Christopher D. Cuttone Waddell i* Reed Qti I'hi/elvtdi The PRIDE M en to rsh ip Project m a tc h e s M ultno m ah C o u n ty q u e e r y o u th w ith a earin g an d resp o n sib le a d u lt w ho e a r serve a s a positive role model. C all B ran d t R igby at 5 0 3 /2 23 -8 2 9 9 We Appreciate Our Just Out Supporters! 500 NE M ultnom ah, Suite 278 Portland, OR 97232 A program o f Phoenix Rising Foundation. Inc. TB uying or Selling...? Let Our Family Help Your Family into the Home o f Your Dreams! " We start by listening..." ▼ ▼ ...to y o u r hopes ...to y o u r wishes ▼ ...to y o u r dream s" /hiiCw nn 'James A ssociate B roker, G R i MuHimfflion-doiiar Producer K aren Sorensen, Licensed Assisfanf ▼OUT on Broadway..! 2 1 0 0 NE Broadway. Quite 1-B ▼Blue, Karen, Millynn Sr Belle Portland, OR 9 7 2 3 2 ▼Office 5 0 3 -2 8 7 -8 9 8 9 x122 ▼Cellular/pager 3 3 0 - HOME(4 8 8 3 ) ▼OUT o f the area?... 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