august 4. 2Q00
n n T iT T T FT n T S n e w s
li i
o f K'*.
OCA R eturns
FORECLOSURE BLOWOUT!
with A nother
M easure 9
$101,950 - 6621 Columbia Way
HURRY! - ONLY 3 UIMTS LEFT!
Brand new 3 bdrm condos witti W D Fr-idge Window Cov. bid.
AMAZING FINANCING OPTIONS AVAAAB li
w w w x o i u m D ia c o u n t v n o m e .c o m
w w w .johnlscottxom
jenniferpugsley @ johnlscott.com
S03-543-3751 (o) 503-313-8130 (c)
3 »:v
,
Have you ever woken
up at 2:37am w ith the
overw helm ing need to
rent out your spare
bedroom ?
W estoyer H eights *
Offering general internal
medicine and excelling
in sexual health care
\
Serving the community for 17 yearo
2330 NW Flanders
Suite 207
2 2 6 -6 6 7 8
Specialising In
f c â n f i
a m a
J m i i
C a m
■•w ill® 11113I N i n j Iw T
gay men and lesbians.
Rose
Clt
mmmm
Mortgage Specialists
FREE consultations
$0-down loans
all credit & loan types
503 . 768.4248
WWW.
¿
T O
RoseCityMtg .com
T E *
Gii-ftS • A r t
garden essentials
f io m w o r e
V in t a g e St
Way Cool <§toTf
U p h o lstery
<Sr V e s i y u S t o d i o
1 3 1 3 NE F R E M O N T
P O R T L A N D
5 0 3 . 4 9 3 . 8 0 3 7
Reports also indicate homosexual youths
skip classes at four times the rate of their het
erosexual peers because they feel unsafe. Smith
says the act would make it impossible for ques
tioning or gay students to get support from
teachers, school counselors or even administra
tors.
Continued from Page 1
Some of those kids will he suicidal. Sexual
minority youths are two to six times more likely
to attempt suicide than their peers, according to
If passed, the Student Protection Act would
the U.S. Department of Health and Human
prohibit any presentation of homosexuality or
Services.
The agency also says 30 percent of all
bisexuality in public schixds— including com
munity colleges—“in a manner which encour suicides can he attributed to issues surrounding
sexual orientation.
ages, promotes or sanctions such behaviors.” It
The Oregon Health Division reports suicide
likely would ban HIV and AIDS health lessons,
was
the second-leading cause of death among
censor sex education, prohibit counseling and
10- to 19-year-old Oregonians between 1994
referral for gay youths, remove library books
and 1996. It also reports youths
who had no caring adults to
talk to were three times more
likely to attempt suicide.
For some students, school is
where they hope to find that sup
port. Smith, a middle school
teacher in the Beaverton Sch(X)l
District, says all indicators of suc
cess go up when students have
connections with staff members.
He says when kids feel safe
and connected with someone,
they have better attitudes,
attendance and performance.
The OCA’s act, Smith says,
would make it impossible for
staff to connect with students
Here we go again: Campaign signs like this one from 1992
at a crucial time in their lives.
will be popping up all over town in the coming months
Some opponents say the law
would make the situation even
around the state and prevent teachers from
worse for children who need help dealing with
identifying themselves as sexual minorities.
being gay— or even those who are perceived to
Basic Rights Oregon estimates its statewide
he gay but aren’t. The measure would he had for
effort to defeat the measure will cost more than
schools and all kids because a message of intol
$1 million.
erance couldn’t be avoided, they say. Others
Although BRO will be at the helm of the
indicate the environment is already bad for
effort, others also are busy getting organized and
many children because of a lack of information.
even raising money. The Oregon chapter of the
GLSEN says 75 percent of teachers in this
Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network is country never have received training about the
one such group.
needs of sexual minority youths. Not only that,
It is the largest national organization that
the network reports more than one-third of the
works to bring together gay and straight teachers,
gay students surveyed hear homophobic com
parents, youths and concerned citizens from all
ments from school personnel.
walks of life. The groups main mission is to ensure
Despite the sobering statistics, not everyone
students and staff in every school are valued and
is completely upset. At
respected regardless of their sexual orientation.
least one Oregonian is
GLSEN-Oregon co-chair Larry Smith says
feeling great after clear
his organization already has played
ing the first hurdle
host to the first of what he
toward victory.
hopes will be many
It is a race Mahon
house parties—small
has been running in
gatherings of con
Oregon since 1992,
cerned citizens in a
when he first pit
private home with the
ted the Christian
purpose of educating
right against the
voters and raising money.
gay community
The gathering, attended
and its support
by almost 50 people, raised
ers. “We are elated,”
more than $200 and con
he said in the press release.
vinced several volunteers to
This time, though, Mahon is trying some
step forward.
thing different: O n the OCA’s Internet site, he
Although Smith is con
encourages every Oregonian on both sides of the
cerned about the ramifications the act's passage
issue to show respect and courtesy. “We can dis
could bring to schools, he now sees the cam agree sharply, even passionately, but all within
paign as an opportunity as well. He says it can
the hounds of human kindness," Mahon said.
he used to help the public understand what gay-
students go through and the far-reaching effects
I To become a member, to volunteer or
discrimination has on everyone.
to make a donation, contact GLSEN-OREGON at
Smith and others say sexual minority youths
(503) 973-8489; P.O. Box 20565, Portland, OR
are hurting. The Student Protection Act, they
97294-0565; or glseno>r@aol. com.
say, would make an already hostile environment
Contact B a s ic R ig h t s O reg on at
even worse.
(503) 232-7176; P.O. Box 40625, Portland, OR
More than 90 percent of sexual minority
97240; or wwvv.basicrights.org.
youths regularly hear anti-gay comments at
school. One Iowa study estimated students hear JONATHAN K ipp is a Just O u t staff reporter who
an anti-gay slur 25 times daily.
can be reached at jkipp@teleport.com.
Unique garden gifts
and one-of-a-kind art
2707 SE Belmont St Portland. O R 972 I 4 Fax SOT 234 6609
Email hollyhocksge(3)earthlint< net
Phone S03 872 8672