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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (April 17, 1998)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________ aprii 1 7 steùùin I out p h o t o by 1QOfl . J — « « L in d a K l i e w e r just out The IN publication for the OUT population Voi. 15 No. 12 April 17, 1998 FEATURE AT HOME AT OUR HOUSE: With 10 years of service to the HIV/AIDS community, the Portland-based facility reflects on the pandemic’s new challenges pp 1 9 - 2 3 DEPARTMENTS LOCAL MEWS • In Other Words gets accessible; researchers document Oregon’s SM community; RCSA has big plans for Portland pp 7 - 1 1 NATIONAL NEWS • AmFAR launches trial of combination therapy for hepatitis C and HIV; federal courts continue to analyze military’s “don’t ask” policy PP 1 2 - 1 8 WORLD NEWS • Canadian Supreme Court orders inclusion of sexual orientation in Alberta’s human rights statute; transsexual elected to regional government in New Zealand P 17 COLUMNS OUTWORD • Some of the rules o f the gay male dating game EDITORIAL by R en ée L a C hance Kudos to businesses and organizations that are making accessibility a priority M 37 I KID YOU NOT • On the pros and cons of letting your kids invade your bed p 38 Access no longer denied y friend Rupert Kinnard was involved in a car accident two years ago and it left him paralyzed from the waist down. A t that time 1 was struck with the knowledge that full mobil ity, while often taken for granted, is in no way guaranteed. Local activist Marguerite Brodie lived her adult life in a wheelchair and taught me the importance o f accessibility in Brodie passed away last December but her accessibility-issues activism lives with me, reminding me. Early in the 1980s, 1 made a personal commitment as an individual and as a business person to utilize establishments that were accessible. I have not always been true to my commitment. For too long the Just O ut office was two flights up and there was no elevator. In 1988 when I opened Cafe Mocha with La Verne Lewis we did exten sive remodeling to the space we had rented before opening for business. As part of the renovation we made the bathrooms accessible and built a ramp to the dance floor and sitting room. We had a lower level play room with pinball and pool tables but ran out of funds to make that space accessible. O n the evening of our grand opening we had several patrons in wheel chairs who attended. T h e women who came wheeled about with plenty of turning room and though it was crowded seemed comfortable in the sur roundings until coming upon stairs leading down to the play room. “Hey,” one of the women called to me as the front wheels of her chair spun over the steps. “W here’s the ramp?” I explained that we ran out of money to build a play-room ramp but that we would do so as soon as the project was affordable. T he lcx>k of disap pointment that washed over her face and the guilt I felt for not having made that ramp a priority stick with me still— like Brodies lessons. T he point I want to make is that I have juggled several sides o f the acces sibility issue. I’m personally committed to support accessible establishments. I’ve made a professional commitment to rent public spaces based on acces p sibility. I have been a business owner trying to find the funds to make a space accessible. I have friends who have mobility issues. I have compassion for all sides of the struggle. T h at’s why I want to applaud In Other Words and the Metropolitan Community Church. T he spaces. board and volunteers of In Other Words finally removed a platform public that had long blocked accessibility to a portion of the bookstore for people with limited mobility in our community. Five years ago when Just O ut ques tioned the management about the problem, they rationalized their decision to put in the platform and did nothing to change it. Many of us with a per sonal commitment chose other places to spend our book money. Now, thanks to enterprising volunteers, the platform has been dismantled and access is no longer denied. (See related story page 7.) M C C had long lived with a less than adequate lift that allowed people with limited mobility to avoid the flight of stairs into the building as long as they had assistance. Recently M C C replaced the inadequate lift with one that meets all Americans W ith Disabilities A ct requirements and allows wheelchair users to utilize the lift independently. Last year’s MCC-sponsored Shepherd’s Award Dinner and fundraising within the church raised the necessary dol lars for the new lift. Some volunteer energy helped with the installation. I hope the actions of In Other Words, M C C and the spirit of volun- teerism inspires other businesses in our community to make their spaces accessible as well. Imagine an army of lovers armed with hammers, nails, and 2 x 4 ’s build ing ramps and widening doorways to make more of our spaces welcoming to all. It’s certainly possible. I won’t even mention my tool belt fantasies. ■ This year’s M C C Shepherd's Award Dinner will he held May /. C all 2 8 1 -8868 for m ore information. PUBLISHER AND EDITOR • Renée LaChance CONTRIBUTORS • Beren deMotier, J.S . Hall, PR00UCTI0N DIRECTOR • Christopher D. C uttone NEW S EDITOR • Inga Sorensen Jeffrey L. Newman, Alan Rose OFFICE M ANAEERS • M ichelle R. Knox, COPY EDITORS • Christopher D. Cuttone, W ill O ’Bryan PH0T0GRAPHBI • Linda Kliewer W ill O ’Bryan ADVERTISING DIRECTOR • Meg Grace OUTREACH COORDINATOR • Marty Davis REPORTERS • Bob Roehr, Rex W ockner ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE • Marty Davis CALENDAR BUTOR • Debby Morgan CREATIVE DIRECTOR • E. A nn Hinds DISTRIBUTION • Kathy Bethel, Marcia Cook, James Galluzzo, M ichelle R. Knox, Valerie Lutz, Retta Offinga GRAPHIC DESIGN • Rupert Kinnard ARTS MUSIC • Donna Summer interview; the latest relases from Madonna and Aretha Franklin pp 3 T - 3 3 BOOKS • New volume by columnist Michael Thomas Ford *34 CINEMA • O bject o f My A ffection is a light and pleasing snack p 35 ENTERTAINMENT - Stephen Petronio Company dances for CAP benefit; W YM PROV! raises awareness o f women’s health issues p 36 J l l S t O U t is published on the first and third Friday of each month. 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