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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 21, 1998)
stehhin I o u t «00«. J— photo by L inda K liewer fust out The IN publication for the O U T population Vol. 15 No. 20 August 21, 1998 FEA TU RE With a new owner and a new name, Portland’s embattled underage queer nightclub endeavors to walk the fine line between patrons’ expectations and community-imposed standards CAN MISFITS ASSUAGE THE RAGEY: PP 1 9 - 2 1 DEPARTM ENTS RTP and BRO elect not to join; Sen. Gordon Smith lobbies for gay ambassador; youth activist profile; claims of discrimination at Princeton Athletic Club; Gay Games results are in LOCAL N EW S * pp 7 - 1 1 NATIONAL NEWS • House vote to ban adoption by unmarried couples in D.C.; problematic protease inhibitor; Hclfley amendment defeated pp 1 2 - 1 5 Gay former soldier sues Croatian military; Fiji’s new constitution protects queers from discrimination WORLD N EW S * Pl7 CO LU M N S EDITORIAL by M arty D avis OOTWORO * Gay men and a baby P 34 I HID Y IO NOT animals are Size sensitivity p 35 Being overweight is no picnic, even in a community that claims to celebrate diversity’ ARTS wejgfrt js back. This time was supposed to be different from the time before—which was going to be different from the time before that. But it has happened again. The weight is back. With the weight gain come all the old familiar feelings of self-doubt, low self-esteem and concerns about acceptance. 1 know there are overweight people who accept their size, even rel ish and delight in their personal power and positive self-image. There are people who embrace the notion that who you are and how you live your life is more important than what size you are. I envy them. 1 want to be like them, but instead I fall prey to the daily onslaught of reminders that being overweight is undesirable, unhealthy and unac ceptable. I know there will be some who will read these words without under standing how anything so trivial as body size could be worth this space. There will be those who say, “Stop whining, find something important to worry about.” But I know there also will be many others who know exactly how I feel. Each day we come face to face with reminders there is something wrong and unacceptable about being overweight. Each day we strive to balance the obvious health benefits associated with weight loss against concerns about falling into the trap of trying to meet unrealistic and unattainable standards and expectations. Some time ago a close friend, in a moment of her own anguish, con fided that she would rather be dead than fat. These are the most stun ning words 1 have ever heard. Even though I understand she meant only herself, I still reel at the notion that such pain could be caused by the THEATER • Renée LaChance ASSISTANT PUBLISHER • Marty Davis NEW S EflfTOB • Inga Sorensen ENTERTAINM ENT EDITOR • Will O’Bryan COPY BUTORS • Christopher D. Cuttone, Will O’Bryan REPORTERS • Bob Roehr, Rex Wockner PUBLISHER • Home is where the perceived, or actual, unwillingness of our own community to accept overweight people. She was not willing to deal ever again with the rejection and unkindness she felt when she was overweight. Conversations with both male and female friends show clearly that no one completely recovers from the trauma of being overweight as a child. There is nothing quite equal to the unkindness shown overweight children. People with these scars, added to the confusion around sexu al identity, become insecure adults, no matter how strong the facade. Often it takes only a few careless words to cause the inner crumbling of a strong-appearing exterior wall. Political correctness deems we never knowingly make a sexist, racist or deliberately unkind remark. Yet so often, and so easily we mow down someone’s self-esteem with a thoughtless remark directed towards size and appearance. 1 once heard a woman make an embarrassed explanation to her friends: “She wasn’t heavy when I dated her.” She felt her friends would think less of her for dating an overweight woman. In our “height and weight proportionate” world, she was being teased for having stepped outside the standards. How often have you heard or spoken the phrase “I can’t eat that, I’ll get fat”? Do you think about the feelings of the person listening? Being healthy is not an unworthy goal, yet these words fall hard on the ears of the overweight listener. Even though the George Bush years are behind us, I would favor the concept of becoming a “kinder and gentler nation.” Wouldn’t it be a fine thing if different sizes and shapes were celebrated as part of the diversity that our community claims to hold so dear? • Debby Morgan • Beren deMotier, Paul Harris, Grace Pastine, Julian South, Flora Sussely ADVERTISING DIRECTOR • Meg Grace ADVBITISINC REPRESENTATIVE • Marty Davis PRODUCTION DIRECTOR • Christopher D. Cuttone CREATIVE DIRECTOR • E. Ann Hinds GRAPHIC DESIGN • Rupert Kinnard CALENDAR BUTOR CONTRIBUTORS • Linda Kliewer OFFICE MANAGER • Michelle R. Knox DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR • Linda Williams DISTRIBUTION • Debbie Bcrgendahl, Kathy Bethel, Mary Hauer, Michelle R. Knox, Deb Meadows-West, Lake Perriguey, Teri Price, Marie Price, Renée Skrzypchak PHOTOGRAPHER • Rent delivers p 31 • Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss doesn’t set off any fireworks CINEMA p 32 ENTERTAINMENT • Queer cruise shoves off soon; Tongues Untied shows at Film Center p 33 Juat O U l is published on the first and third Friday of each month. Copyright © 1998 by Jo st out No part of jM t mat may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. The submission of written and graphic materials is welcomed. Written material should be typed and double- spaced. Ju s t OWt reserves the right to edit for grammar, punctuation, style, liability concerns and length. We will reject or edit articles or advertisements that are offensive, demeaning or may result in legal action. Letters to the editor should be limited to 50Q words. Announcements regarding life transitions (births, deaths, unions, etc.) should be limited to 200 wotds; photos are welcome. Deadline for submissions to the editorial department and for the Calendar is the Thursday 15 days before the next publication date. Views expressed in let ters to the editor, columns and features are not necessarily those of the publisher. The display advertising deadline is the Monday 12 days befrtre the next publication date. Classified ads must be received at the fa st o at office by 3 pm on the Monday 12 days before the next publica tion date, along with payment. Ads may be accepted by telephone with VISA or MasterCard payment. Ad policy. No sexually exploitative advertising will be accepted. Compensation for errors in, or cancellation of, advertising will be made with credit toward future adver tising. Subscriptions arc $17.50 for 12 issues. First Class (in an envelope) is $30 for 12 issues. A copy o* Just OWl is available for $2. Advertising rates are available upon request. 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