¿une 2,2000 * J u st o u t 3
ju st m i
CO M M EN TAR Y
by
M
arty
D
a v is
W m The IN publication for the OUT population
F ounded 1983 • J ay B rown
Vol.
17
No.
15
and
R enee L a C hance
June
2,
2 , 4 , 6 , 8 . . . we refuse to assimilate!
2000
FEATURES
But since you did, you can go ahead and pay.... Publisher ponders pride, economic justice
and black holes of political correctness
BIGGER THAN BARBIE, STKONGER THAN KEN:
Just Out looks at women’s body image traumas
and triumphs
p 21
ey gang, it’s June again. Winter finally starts to look like mind right now...thoughts that will no doubt annoy some of you just as
spring. Spring contemplates turning into summer, and sum much as the notion of keeping your pants on at pride. For instance, I’m
mer showers turn to rainbows while rainbows parade gaily wondering what’s up with the “committed to economic justice” theory. I
down city streets. Yes, it’s June, the month that is recognized am very aware of economic disparity within our community, especially
among lesbians, but I can also clearly see that a great deal of this dispari
throughout the nation as Gay Pride Month.
Yup, my favorite, gay pride, as in the mantra “where’s the pride in gay ty is by choice. I recognize that people don’t choose to have life-altering
pride?” People have been asking me for weeks now it I’m going to bring up accidents, that children and young people don’t choose to be kicked out
everyone’s favorite topic of how and how not to behave at pride again this of their homes by nonsupportive families, that mothers don’t choose to be
abandoned by fathers and husbands. On the Qther hand, people do
year. Or, they ask, did I learn my lesson last year?
choose to lead lifestyles that place them outside the accept
The answer is no, no to both. I’m not going to delve
ed norms that allow them to achieve their own eco
into the topic of proper or improper pride behavior
nomic independence and parity. If an individual
simply because it’s got that “been there, done
I fear that the world
can’t pony up the bucks to pay to attend an
that” feeling about it, and, while I learned
doomed
to
drown
in
a
deepj
event because they don’t like or want to
lessons, I definitely did not change my
work, or because their appearance and
mind. Furthermore, I doubt that anyone
dark
well
o
f
absurd
political
correctness.
attitude preclude them from gaining
else did either. And besides, I’ve got
meaningful employment, why can it
other things on my mind this year.
Someone has to call a truce on this ridiculous
then be expected that others should
We’ll get to those in a moment.
pay their way? In the quest for “eco
war o f semantics. What's a lesbian?
It’s pretty clear what resulted from
nomic justice,” aren’t the tables being
last year’s call for “prideful” behavior.
What's a bisexual, women who love
turned on those who do faithfully toil
About half of Just Out readers
at jobs and careers only to be expected
appeared to hate me—loudly, vocally,
w om en.. .inclusivity, exclusivity. God help me to share the burden of others who
some even with signs—and lots of let
thumb their noses at the very beliefs and
ters were written and received. And we
that I ever (mis)quote Susan Powter, but ideals of those expected to provide assis
printed all of them... well, all the ones the
police didn’t keep. Happily, the other half of
STOP THIS FU C KING t m j m tance? Where’s the economic justice here?
I’m oppressed in the struggle, so let’s use your
the community was strongly in agreement with
money, sister. I don’t think so.
me—not quite as loudly, and nary a sign was carried,
IN SAN ITY!
Finally, I fear that the world is doomed to drown
but still lots of letters were received in support. And we
in a deep, dark well of absurd political correctness. Someone has to
printed all of them. When the dust finally settled, months later, or
so it seemed, it was very clear that people felt very strongly about this call a truce on this ridiculous war of semantics. W hat’s a lesbian? W hat’s
topic and also that nobody was likely to be moved by opposing opinion. a bisexual, women who love women...inclusivity, exclusivity. God help
So, for this year, I’m going to stay off to the side and hold court with the me that I ever (mis)quote Susan Powter, but STOP THIS FUCKING
INSANITY! There, I feel calmer now. We’ll be talking about this again
“don’t wrestle with pigs” theory.
Besides, as I mentioned, I have other thoughts and questions on my later. For sure.
H
NEWS
NORTHWEST • Washington state employees to
get same-sex partner benefits; Portland-area
domestic partnership registry delayed; Dyke
March on deck; Bigot Busters pound the
pavement; notes from LCP's annual
membership meeting; Salem human rights
group talks to sexual minorities; Jeff Fisher’s
secrets of success
pp 7 - 1 5
^^|
NATIONAL • Dan Savage pleads not guilty to
voting fraud charges in Iowa; Navy wants
money back from ex-midshipman
p 17
WORLD • Canadian Broadcast Standards
Council blasts Dr. Laura; activists gather for
conference in India
p 19
ENTERTAINM ENT
& CULTURE
THEATER. Adam and Steve, Jane and Mabel
rewrite the Book
p 35
GROOPS. These bears aren’t hibernating
p 37
A R T . Rhoda Fleishman makes pots and pots
plants
p 39
INTERVIEW • Introducing Meryl Cohn
p 41
R EFLECTIO N S
DIVERSIONS • PGMC gets intimate; queer
artists get exposure
P 45
• Mollie A. B. Sidhe took over duties as
editor at Just Out.
COLUMNS
• Southwest Stark Street merchants
hired their own police force to patrol the
neighborhood. The merchants—both
gay and straight—pooled their funds and
rented a two-man uniformed patrol to
keep an eye on things for their area. The
upper Stark Street merchants funding
this project included Fish Grotto,
Silverado, Scandals, C.C. Slaughter’s,
Jake’s, Mark Spencer Hotel, Club
Portland, Spartacus Enterprises, Kent
Hotel, Three Sisters Tavern and City
Nightclub.
M S. BEHAVIOR • She gives good advice
p 43
Ju st o u t is p u b lish ed on the first and third
F riday o f each m onth. Copyright © 2000 by Just Out.
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10 years ago in
j
• For the first time, Women in the
Woods, an annual retreat for women
at Breitenbush Hot Springs and spon
sored by Phoenix Rising Foundation,
offered financial assistance through a
scholarship fund.
j
1
• Marty Davis
ENTER1AINM ENT EDITOR • Oriana Green
COPY EDITOR • Christopher D. Cuttone
REPORTERS • Katy Davidson, Jonathan Kipp
CONTRIBUTORS • Marc Acito, Kristine Chatwixxl,
Meryl Cohn, Andy Mangels, Muffy White,
Rex Wockner
PUBLISHER AND MANAGING EDITOR
• Meg Grace
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Marketing Company Inc. (212) 242-686J
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A IT DIRECTOR • Rupert Kmnard
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Katy Davidson, Oriana Green
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
♦
♦
♦
• Team Portland surpassed its goal of register
ing 100 gay and lesbian athletes for Gay
Games III in Vancouver, Canada, in August.
• The Washington, D.C., chapter of ACT UP
announced plans to name names of closeted
members of Congress at an early June press
conference on the steps of the U.S. Capitol.
• After 17 years as Portland’s only feminist
book retailer, A Woman’s Place Bookstore
announced it would close its doors June 9.
Store managers and board members planned to
file for bankruptcy shortly afterward.
• The Northwest Scenic Cruisers planned a
carwash to benefit the Starlight Gay
Community Float Fund.
• Just Out and Cinema 21 presented Reel
Proud, the third annual International Lesoian
and Gay Film Festival, featuring films from six
different countries.
• Katy Davidson
DISTRIBUTION «Jenlyn Adams, Michael
Albright, Kathy Bethel, Jody Boyer,
Jennifer Davidson, Merid Schwartz,
Ruth Traut, David Warded, Larry Williams
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