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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (July 3, 1998)
»uiK 3 . î 998 - Ju st out 5 mïïiTInews PHOTOS BY LINDA KL I EWE R e approached this with the philosophy of ‘Let’s do this as if we had all the money in the world,’ ” explains Lesbian Avenger Mashinda Hedgmon. “In reality, we’ve got high hopes and no budget.” High hopes seem to be enough, though, to transform an idea into a tangible reality: The Portland Lesbian Avengers are hosting Loud Women Always Achieve Their Goals, a national gathering of Avengers being held July 3 to 5 in Portland. Not long ago, there was still a question mark — :v / i * twm it ■ A vengers C onverge Portland may be in (or a wild ride as a national gathering of Lesbian Avengers gets underway by Inga So ren sen symbolism stems from the 1992 deaths of Hattie Mae Cohens and Brian Mock, a lesbian and gay man whose home in Salem, Ore., was fire- bombed by a group of young people linked with the white supremacist skinhead movement. The first Lesbian Avenger group purportedly started -< ■ mm Sir the feisty Dyke March held annually on the eve of the pride parade. As for how and why this national gathering landed in the Rose City, Alexander says, “Because it was our idea.” She adds, “We were talking a few months ago about how we don’t really network with other Avenger groups. We were won dering how other Avengers do things, so we thought ‘Why not have a big party?’” According to Alexander, the Portland group formed an organizing committee, which includes Hedgmon and some other Avengers. They picked a date and circu lated word of the conference through the Internet and a proverbial favorite, word of mouth. Activists from as far away as Florida, Illinois, Washington, D.C., New York and Maryland are expected to take part in the conference, which features an array of workshops dealing with issues like how to avoid burnout and fat oppression. Avengers, like everyone, face chal lenges, Alexander says. One such chal lenge is figuring out how a group can run ■ L o ud W omen A lways A chieve T heir G oals is slated, Fire eating is an Avenger trademark as to where the event would actually occur after initial plans for the venue fell through. “If you know of any place, let us know,” requested Portland Lesbian Avenger Julia Alexander, 23, in an easy tone. Panic was nowhere to be found “As Avengers, we can improvise. Why waste time worrying about it? We always have a tent we can put up in someone’s back yard,” she added. Welcome to the paradoxically flexible yet come-hell-or-high-water world of the Lesbian Avengers, who, according to their handbook, employ “grass-roots activism to fight for the sur vival and visibility of lesbians, bi women and trans dykes.” With chapters nationwide, Avengers utilize dyke power and vision to ignite bold, sexy and saucy actions. They have a bomblike logo, their slogan is “We Recruit,” and they eat fire. According to Avenger history, the fire-eating shortly after in New York City, which in turn spawned the for mation of other chapters in this country and abroad. “Avenger Philosophy 101” instructs us that direct action, girl gangs, humor and theatrics, and flaming flamboyance are Making things happen, rather than simply griping about them— that’s what these girls are about. The “out” list, meanwhile, includes endless discussion, pro cessing, nice girls don’t..., and eeti r p S n d ' , 0 Avengers have. Th<: U sb ian Avengers banner headed up the Dyke March smoothly minus consensus or leadership models. among other tasks, handed out lollipops tagged “We don’t use either,” she says. with queer-friendly messages at area high Avenger recruitment also comes up on occa- schools, and protested the likes of the less-than- sion. queer-affirming Portland Fellowship and “1 know the Lesbian Avengers have typically Promise Keepers. The group also orchestrates ROSENBAUM & ASSOCIATES A u t o B ro k e rs ¡H T * 1 - J u s t ic e L o u is B ra n d e is Rogers & Rodz New & Used No Hassle, Personal Service All Rebates & Warranties Apply Trades & Factory Orders Welcome Ed McMahon far July 4 from 9 a.m . to 3 p.m. at the Metro politan Community Church of Portland, 2400 N .E . Broadway. Location of July 5 workshops to be announced. S liding- scale donations are requested, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. A welcoming din ner will be held July 3 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Counterculture, 3 0 0 0 N .E . Killingsworth St. The evening’s speaker will be artist Roberta Gregory. For more information, call the Portland Lesbian Avengers hot line at 452-5408. he f^ght to b e let alone is the most oompiehensive o f rights and the right most valued by dvilized people.” B u y o r L e a s e a ll V e h io le s a t F le e t P r io e s Jean Rosenbaum been viewed as young, overeducated white women who were slumming,” says Hedgmon, 25, who is African American. “That really has n’t been true for the {Portland] group.” Still, Hedgmon would like to see more women of color involved in the Avengers, and talks with friends about the group’s goings-on and “how they can make the Avengers be what they want it to be.” “This is not about others saying, ‘I can do this for you.’ It’s about what you can do if you get involved,” says Hedgmon, who will conduct a workshop addressing race and activism. Diana Courvant is a trans activist who has been involved with both the Portland and Corvallis Lesbian Avengers. She plans to do a radical gender theory workshop, which is designed to prompt participants to ponder how they construct and consider gender. “I think this conference is a fabulous idea,” she says. “It’s a time of sharing. You meet so many women who take different approaches to the same scenario. T hat’s really interesting.” There’s a good chance, however, those myri ad approaches will be on or near the cutting edge. “I think we have a reputation of being bad ass,” says Alexander. “We can get in people’s faces.... We have a lot of freedom to do that because most of us don’t have a lot of stuff, so we don’t have much to lose.” Stuff may be in short supply; chutzpah, how ever, is not. “It’s like eating fire. I’m afraid o f fire,” says Alexander. “It took me three or four times before I got comfortable.” Attorneys at Law 503-297-5250 Licensed & Bonded Motor Vehicle Dealer Call for brochure Criminal defense by a former judge, state and federal prosecutor, and state and federal public defenders 506 S.W. Sixth Avenue, Suite 900, Portland, OR 97204 (503)294-9998