September 1 5 .2QÛÛ Public enemy To the E ditor : PENINSULA REALTY INC. Fernando's Hideaway in Forest PRICE $209,950 Contemporary style 3 bed. 2 1/2 ba. a rowhouse alternative, decks on 2 levels w/ mtn & river views, minutes drive to Dwtn locations. 8t£hanlVBM, CRT CENTURY 21 PENINSULA REALTY 503-804-9424 Cell/VM 503-286-5826 Office CB X i= ± Works Professional Service Comfortable Bikes Recumbents a Specialty! Open Tuesday-Sunday 230-7723 2025 SE Hawthorne W estover H eights C L I N I ( Offering general internal medicine and excelling in sexual health care Serving the community for 17 yearo 2330 NW Flanders Suite 207 226-6678 After reading Chuck Engel’s letter (“Get Off My Back”) in the Aug. 18 issue, I felt moved to ask the question, “What is it about the male libido that makes men engage in sexual activity in public placesT This behavior isn’t particular to sexual orien tation. On the contrary, Engel’s letter makes it quite clear that “adult bookstores” (what a funny euphemism!) are not the private sleazy kingdoms of heterosexuals alone. No, indeed! Gay men also haunt the dark and dingy aisles and hack rooms of these places, jerking off to fine literature and film. Seriously, though, 1 never have understood why men need to have sex in parks, book stores, movie theaters and bars. When Engel says that “the problem isn’t simply public sex. It is that the male libido is not easily out lawed,” I wonder what he’s referring to. Is pub lic sex a problem, or is the attempt to outlaw public sex a problem? When he says that “given the male anatomy, some sort of outlet is warranted,” I’m curious about what that means. Does he mean that because a man has a penis, it needs to be stuck into something? Or does he mean that men are ruled by their libido, driving them to uncontrollable urges that come upon them without warning, and there fore they need to duck into bookstores or movie arcades to satisfy these sudden attacks of sexual desire? Either way, it seems to me that Engel per petuates some tired old stereotypes that don’t give men much respect or credit. I just can’t believe that, these days anyway, it’s so difficult to meet other gay men in safer cir cumstances, in the light of day. And I refuse to accept that most gay men need a public place to engage in sexual activities. In fact, I hope we have evolved beyond back alleys, dark and dingy bookstores, public sex in parks and other historically shameful places. Otherwise, it sort of puts the lie to “gay pride.” I mean, how proud can you feel, jerking off alone in a dirty booth of a movie arcade or behind the books in an adults-only store? Or having to meet a strange guy down under a bridge by the river in order to have sex? Ah, I guess I’m just an old feminist dyke with naive, old-fashioned attitudes left over from the 70s. But it still bothers me that gay men might fall back on dangerous, unnecessary behaviors that only give the Baptists, the Oregon Citizens Alliance and other straight folks of that ilk ammunition against us. It’s the 21st century. Do you guys really need to have sex in public places in order to find companionship or as an outlet for your sexual satisfaction? R hiannon A she Corvallis I T Ü F P I N Ö I t • Art iP G ffo iw w Q re V in fG g ’a & Way Coot StoPP V p il o t s l e r o & £>«<S/cjn S t f u j i o 1 3 1 3 NE FR EM O N T P O R T L A N D 503.493.8037 Fight back To the E ditor : During last year’s queer film festival, I was astonished at the line of gay men stretching around the corner— hundreds at least. But only four or five of Jesus’ psychotic henchmen were yelling disgusting slurs and inviting us to curl up in hell with Satan and Saddam for eternity. Why was it I still felt like the minority? Why is it the rest of you didn’t fight back, too? Yell back! Intimidate right hack at them—as would any other minority in this country today if faced with the equivalent of that kind of big oted attack. Hold a kiss-in! Sing "Kum Ba Yah”! What happened to A C T UP? When attacked, do something! To defend oneself, especially when numbers are in our favor, is not stooping to their level; it is elevating our own level to that of equals who say. “Hell no, we aren’t gonna take it anymore! Hell no, we are not buying into your shit anymore. Everyone just stood there and ignored them. How mature! No minority group ever was handed its civil rights on a silver platter. It had to fight for them, demand them and take them. Mic H olden Portland have somebody in your immediate or extend ed family who has struggled or now is strug gling with growing up other than heterosexu al. Would you really want to put them through the kind of hell the O C A is attempt ing to create? As a rural Oregonian, I’ve seen how the O CA has played the divide-and-conquer game in small towns and rural counties in the past. Don’t let them do it again. Fair-minded, inde pendent, intelligent Oregonians can see beyond this nonsense and simply will vote no on 9 once again this fall. S cott T hiemann Unite and conquer G old Beach To the E ditor : A poem for Dr. Laura It looks like the Oregon Citizens Alliance is at it again. Instead of offering up a ballot mea sure lumping homosexuality together with pedophilia and bestiality, this time they’re aim ing to "protect” students from positive “instruc tion of behaviors relating to homosexuality and bisexuality.” Besides mistakenly equating one’s sexual orientation with sex acts, what the heck could they be after? Oregonians should not have to vote on another Ballot Measure 9, this one titled the Student Protection Act. Protecting young peo ple is the last thing such an initiative would do. Youths who come to the realization that they are gay, lesbian or bisexual do so at great lengths and pains to themselves. The last thing they need is another mean-spirited ballot measure to make them feel more isolated from and rejected by the general population than they already do. The reason I can say this is because I know. While a teen-ager, coming to the realization I was not heterosexual was extremely difficult. Even as student body president in a school of 2,000 young people, I felt like I was the only one attracted to the same gender. Had I been able to talk to my counselor, I might well not have suffered in such severe isolation and self-hatred. Had I had support, I wouldn’t have needed to put myself through endless prayer and spiritual self-abuse to be right with God. Perhaps I would not have hidden so deeply in the local library reading the few books I could find on the subject. Fortunately, I came out to myself when the American Psychiatric and Psychological Associ ations were declaring homosexuality neither a mental disorder nor an illness. Fortunately, I chose to focus my energy on school and work instead of on suicidal thoughts and drugs to numb what I was feeling. Fortunately, I had a strong, caring family at home, although I didn’t come out to my parents until I was 30. And, most positively, I’ve been able to create a fine life with a great guy, my partner of 10 years and my best friend. Chances are pretty good that many of you To the E ditor : Hey, Doc Laura— it speaks for itself. “Your Intolerance” With religious freedom guaranteed We split the church and state Yet failed to serve diversity On our educational plate I, too, believe in God As do many of my Brothers A message of love is what I read Not one of hate towards others But Brother against Brother Is the Bible’s listed fate Parents teaching their children Not tolerance— but, hate So why should you be alarmed? Or even show surprise? You’ve set your children on a course That’s sure to be your demise The future is looking grim With every passing day This cancer of intolerance Is eating peace away And it doesn’t seem to matter If religious you chose to be just walk a difference path— Condemnation you’re sure to see You point a blaming finger At others and loudly mention How wrong they are in what they do While you somehow avoid attention In the way you’ve raised your kids To point out others’ flaws Forgetting to keep in mind That someday they will write the laws How unfortunate for us all You practice what you preach And somehow leave the truth Out of what you teach n o ta b le s Stephen J . ‘Flossie’ Boden, 1953-2000 S tephen J. “Flossie” Boden, the namesake of Flossie’s Tavern, died of liver failure Sept. 7 in Dayton. He was 47. He was bom April 25, 1953, in Camden, N.J. He moved to Portland in 1972. In 1982, Boden opened the tavern, which had its name changed to Silverado in April 1987. He retired as part owner and operator in June for health reasons. He was a gourmet cook and enjoyed col lecting things. Tavern co-owner Tommy Breazeale said Boden will be remembered for his originality, generosity and unique look. He was a hippie when being a hippie wasn’t cool,” he said. “He was himself, and he didn’t let other things influence who he wanted to be.” Boden is survived by his sister, Pattie Che- nea of Dayton; brothers, Mike of Newport and Bob of Escondido, Calif.; mother, Alyce of Dayton; and father, Henry of Dayton. Memorial services will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Sept. 16 and 17 at Silverado, 1217 S.W. Stark St., and 4 p.m. Sept. 16 at Chapel of Macy and Son, 135 N. Evans in McMinnville. Final disposition will be b\ cremation.