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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (May 5, 2000)
s X Tm* out 4 just mit - may 5. 2000 LOOKING FOR A NEW STYLE Qpive with Ppi(5e But not ready to give up your old one? You can have both! Let us show you how with one great looking pic ture frame and the will to loosen up a little. Schedule your appointment today with: Christina Sigwart 503-256-3700 REY REECE DEALERSHIPS BRIAN MARKI Fine Art & Framing OLDS-ISUZU-VOLKSWAGEN-USED 2236 NE Broadway 10-6 Mon.-Sat. 249-5659 clsigwart@hotmail.com 122nd & East Burnside www.vwci 503.296.3875 ©I properties EMAIL: ELISE@REALTOR.COM INTERNET: ELISECAMPBELL.REALTOR.COM II The flowers Second are out and so are we... HOME 6> GARDEN please come to our Natine CENTER Just say no To the E ditor : I am writing this letter to bring to light an upcoming threat to the queer community. As some of you know, the Oregon Citizens Alliance is up to its old tricks again. Yes, the OCA is back. And this time, the group is targeting someone I have a deeply personal and vested interest in—me. The OCA is currently collecting signatures to place on the November ballot an initiative it calls the Student Protection Act. I beg to differ. Basic Rights Oregon has taken to calling it the “Student Discrimination Act," a moniker with which I wholeheartedly agree. This initiative, which would prohibit public school instruction from “encouraging, promot ing, sanctioning homosexual, bisexual behav iors,” is a direct affront to gay rights in general and my rights in particular. As a lesbian high school student, let me hasten to reaffirm what is undoubtedly already running through your minds—this initiative is a very bad thing. Due to its ambiguous wording, this initiative could be interpreted in a number of different ways. At worst, good teachers could be fired just because they are gay or lesbian; counseling and support programs for gay youth would be banned; books and curriculums written by famous gay people would be banned; and AIDS/H1V information, as well as other impor tant topics, could be pulled from health classes. At the very, very best, queer youth would have to walk around with one more message telling us how wrong and unacceptable we are. With the suicide rates being what they are, we really don’t need that. This initiative is blatantly unfair; not a word is mentioned about the negative portrayal of homosexuality. It is essentially giving the OK to gay bashing. If any other minority was being attacked like this, the initiative would be killed without a second thought. As members of the queer minority, however, we have to worry for the next six or eight months over whether or not we’re going to be safe in our schools next year. I’m the president of Wilson High School’s Gay-Straight Alliance, and I’m proud of the fact that we exist, and that sexual orientation is mentioned in the anti-harassment section of the school rules. This initiative would destroy an awful lot of hard work from the past several years, as well as the self-esteem of a lot of gay teens. Please, don’t sign any petitions that would allow this initiative to get on the ballot, and if it does, don’t vote for it. But more importantly, spread the word to everyone you know to do the same thing. Basic Rights Oregon is one of the organizations work ing to combat this initiative, and I’m sure BRO would welcome any kind of support it can get, be it a donation of money or time, or just a promise to vote against this so-called Student Protection Act. E mma R ood Portland Kids, coverage, kudos To the E ditor : I want to take a minute to thank Jonathan Kipp for his article [“Bundles of Joy,” April 21]. I want you to know just how much your writing impacted me. 1 am a single gay father of two girls, 11 and 8, and have been raising them for six years now. I have found it very difficult at times to be in this position, but I would also do nothing to change what I have. So what if it means that I have to spend Friday nights at home instead of at the bar? Nothing much there anyway... The girls are a very important part of my life. I have found that just being a single parent is for more difficult then being a gay dad. What you wrote really hit home with a ring of truth. Thank you for bringing this informa tion to those of us who really need it. Jonathan, I wish you luck in your quest for a child. M ike S mith Portland Hope it doesn’t happen to you To the E ditor : I don’t understand why Lee Lynch’s "The Amazon Trail” is disappearing from Just Out. 1 read the column every month and find it very enjoyable, as do a number of my friends. When Lee’s Naiad novels were bestsellers, I’m sure Just Out was honored to have her pres ence. But now that nothing sells to the lesbian market but romances and mysteries, what has This issue, Just Out asks readers: “Who are your heroes and why?” GRA® May 13th 9am - 7pm ■ Complimentary wine, hors doeuvres & other goodies • Mothers Day Drawing $100 merchandise gift certificate J ody B oyer TD unn Portland Fort Lauderdale Human being Fuckin' faggot "My heroes are my dad, for beating can cer, and Oscar the Grouch, for living by his own agenda.” “My kitty Spyke is my hero, because shes always been there for S taci A vison V ance Y oakum ******* We feature: ******* • European Baskets • Keepsake Gifts • Garden Accessories • Shrubs & Trees • Hanging Baskets • Cut Flowers • Annuals • Pottery • Vases and Lamps • Statuary • Perennials • Free Gift Wrap 8601 SW Terwilliger Blvd, (next to the Chevron station) 503.977.6545 ‘ Sign up and drawing May 13th. Need not be present to win No purchase necessary Seattle area Administrative coordinator, Equity Foundation Sappho, because she was a voice for women when women ,. . . , didn’t have voices, and Marie Curie, because she was a woman scientist before there were any other women scientists. Portland Looking for work “My heroes are people who promote social and economic justice. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is one I’ve admired over the years.
