june 16.2000 »
COMMENTARY
by
M
arty
D
avis
The IN publication for the OUT population
F ounded 1983 • J ay B rown
V o 1.
17
N o.
16
and
R enee L a C hance
June
16,
20 0 0
FEA TU RE
No rainbow flags here
Instead, publisher waves white flag of surrender
FAMILY PRIDE CLASS OF 2 0 0 0 : Just Out
surveys the many faces and ways of life in our
proud community
P 25
N EW S
NORTHWEST • Law enforcement and gay
community working together; Peacock in the
Park preview; Portland and Multnomah County
release registry draft for comment; Eugene pride
day coming up; Spirit of Pride Award recipients;
Diversity Alliance of days gone by; Hambleton
Project growing, maturing; BRO gets ready to
poll; gay guiding angel Dale Rhodes
pp 7 - 1 9
NATIONAL • Gill Foundation creates colossal
scholarship program; ACLU takes aim at Puerto
Rico's sodomy law
p 20
WORLD • Canadian lesbian couple suing for
marriage license; World Pride Rome 2000
organizers push ahead despite opposition
p 22
E N T E R T A IN M E N T
& CU LTU RE
ROOKS • Catching up with Tom Spanbauer;
summer reading fun
pp 4 3 , 5 3
ART • Two big art events spotlight local artists
P 45
COMEDY • Lea DeLaria rewrites the rules
p 47
GROUPS • The band marches on
p 51
t doesn’t look like I’m going to be able to march in Portland’s pride
pered in respectful process, however. Respectful process does not mean
parade this year. My mobility seems to have been severely impacted
swallowed alive in political correctness; it means following a path of open
by a serious case of foot-in-mouth disease. This painful and awkward
ness and honesty. The goals, objectives and plans of this paper will be
condition is the direct result of my poorly chosen words as present accomplished while maintaining the highest standards of integrity and
ed in this space in the June 2 issue. My thoughts at that time were professionalism. Attacks and unkind remarks, intended or otherwise, are
wandering all over the place and stopped briefly for a fuzzy focus on the
not appropriate in the pages of Just Out — and certainly not from the pub
concept of “economic justice,” a phrase I’ve heard recently and frequent lisher.
ly in the lesbian community. Actual reader feedback and response was
My plans for increasing my skills and knowledge include striving to be
minimal and relatively mild, yet even without a lot of people writing or
more open-minded at all times. I must work to create and take advantage
calling I have the sense to know that I didn’t do a very good job of pre of opportunities to meet and talk and develop relationships with people
senting my thoughts and questions on this topic. As one good friend
who aren’t just mirror images of myself and my own lifestyle and my own
pointed out to me, “It didn’t seem to be very well thought out.”
experiences. This sounds almost simplistic in design, but in actuality it
The positive side of this is that now it is clear to me that I definitely
can really push comfort levels to step outside the boundaries of the safe
and the familiar. I truly don’t want to be a judgmental person; this is not
have some work to do in educating myself on the dynamics of economic
justice within the gay and lesbian community. What was intended to be a
a characteristic that draws me to others, and I can see that I have some
questioning of the rationale of those
work ahead of me in avoiding similar
who disparage people for “assimilating"
behavior in myself.
I must work to create and take advantage
while at the same time demanding
OK, ’nuf said on that sub
and/or accepting the benefits of assimi
ject...
though is it enough, I wonder, to
o f opportunities to meet and talk and develop
gamer me a second Willamette Week
lated lifestyles, turned out instead to be
relationships with people who aren't just
perceived as an attack on all readers
Loser of the Week award? I am the
falling into lower income levels. I did
proud recipient of one such award
mirror images o f myself and my own
not clearly distinguish between quality
already— the result of a previous apolo
gy presented in this commentary sec
of life and quantity of dollars and, worse
lifestyle and m y own experiences.
tion. Regardless of the consequences, I
yet, I apparently implied that the latter
did indeed make an error in judgment, I admit it. I’m stepping up to it, am
has more value than the former. This was not my intent and I regret that
I a loser? Guess we’ll have to wait and see. (Note to WW: How about T-
I so unskillfully presented my thoughts.
shirts for these dubious awards? I’ll need XX large.)
As an aside of sorts, I think it fair to ask that readers not resort to mud-
slinging and vicious name-calling when angered by my commentary.
nd now it is time for us to enjoy Portland’s pride festivities, the first
Republican! Horrors! There is certainly no need for that sort of language,
ever.
of several celebrations to be held around Oregon and southwest
Please understand, though, that while I take responsibility for the poor
Washington over the coming weeks. You are very cordially invited to stop
choice of words, I do still have questions and a desire for additional knowl by our booth, pick up a 2000 Just Out Pocketbook and meet the staff of Just
Out. I look forward to meeting and talking with you all there.
edge and clarity on the diverse dynamics and components of the gay and
lesbian community. I do still have questions about economic justice, ques
■ PLEASE NOTE: June has five Fridays, so the next issue of Just Out w on't
tions about enabling victimization, questions about who oppresses
hit
the streets until July 7— an interval of three weeks rather than two.
whom— lots of questions and few answers. These questions and my desire
to create dialogue and sometimes just stir things up a bit need to be tem
I
A
M USIC • Szymko takes Aurora on rosy ride
p
57
S sE
DIVERSIO NS- Drag shows galore; singers
abound; showdown with the cops
P 59
CULTURE
Rural women congregate, celebrate
p 61
CO LU M N S
M S . BEHAVIOR * Dishing on fidelity
p 41
M Y QUEER LIFE * Author gets mushy
p 62
ju s t o u t it p u b lish ed on the first an d th ird
F rid ay o f each m onth. Copyright © 2000 hy Just Out. No
P-9 LAG
part of Just Out may he reproduced without written permission
from the publisher.
The su b m issio n of w ritten an d grap h ic m ateri
a ls is w elcom ed. Written material should he typed and dou
ble-spaced. Just Out reserves the right to edit tor grammar, punc
tuation, 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 ed itor -hould he limited to 500 words. An
nouncements regarding life transitions (births, deaths, unions,
etc.) should be limited to 200 words; photos are welcome.
D eadline for su b m issio n s to the editorial department and
for the C alen d ar is the Thursday 15 days before the next pub
lication date. Views expressed in letters to the editor, columns and
features are not necessarily those of the publisher.
Th' d isp la y a d v e rtisin g d ead lin e is the Monday 12
days before the next publication date.
C lassified a d s must be received at the Just Out office by 4
p.m. on the Thursday eight days before the next publication date,
along with payment. Ads may be placed by telephone or via the
Internet with Visa or MasterCard payment.
Ad policy: Just Out reserves the right to reject or edit any
advertisement. Compensation for errors in, or cancellation of,
advertising will be made with credit toward future advertising.
Advertising rates are available upon request.
Su b scrip tio n s are $17.50 for 12 issues. First Class (in an
envelope) is $ 10 for 12 issues.
Contact Just Out at P.O. Box 14400, Portland, OR 97291-
0400; (501) 216-1252, advertising 236-1251, fax 216-1257; e-
mail justout@justiHit.com. Visit our Internet site at
www.justout.com.
oft
“ You know, this nudity thing is getting out of hand.”
AND M ANAGING EDITOR
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
COPY EDITOR
• Marty Davis
• Oriana Green
-
• Christopher D. Cuttone
S W F REPORTERS
• Katy Davidson,
Jonathan Kipp
CONTRIRVTQRS • Marc Acito, Bonita Bielski, Lisa
Bradshaw, Kristine ChatwtxxJ, Meryl Cohn,
Michael Thomas Ford, Christopher McQuain,
Catherine Sameh, Julie Weber, Muffte White,
Glenn Williams, Rex Wockner, Pat Young
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
• Meg Grace
ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE
• Larry Lewis
• Rivendell
Marketing Company Inc. (212) 242-6863
NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
ART DIRECTOR
• Christopher D. Cuttone
• Rupert Kmnard
PRODUCTION MASTER
• Kevin M.xire
• Thomas Christian,
Katy Davidson, Melissa Sayler
PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS
OFFICE MANAGER
• Melissa Sayler
•Jerilyn Adams, Michael
Albright, Kathy Bethel, Jody Boyer,
Jennifer Davidson, Mend Schwartz,
Ruth Traut, David Wardell, Larry Williams
DISTRIROTION
3