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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 15, 2000)
december 15.2000 ............... ▼ ............... Binds of a feather Lesbians flock together to enjoy the natural world by R ebecca R oyce Crystal Dolph in LE S members partaking o f the great outdoors ’ll be the first to admit that when I initially came across Lesbians Enjoying the Sciences, I was assaulted by images o f retired P.E. teachers and school nutritionists sporting Dorothy Hamill hairdos, all sitting about dis cussing the most interesting aspects o f m ito chondria— not your average dyke’s idea o f a good time. Now let me be the first to reprimand myself for falling prey to gross generalizations and stereotypes. T h e women o f LE S are not home- bound gray women who force themselves into commingling once a m onth to retain their ties to humanity. On the contrary, they surely know more about themselves and the environm ent and how each aifects the other than do most peo ple. They are intelligent, inquisitive, active women who explore every aspect o f the world around them for the pure and unequivocal joy of discovery. In fact, the two outings I participated in were so enjoyable, even refreshing, I do think they have another m ember on their hands. My first excursion with L E S began at the terribly early Sunday morning hour o f 8 a.m. We met in Sellw ood at O aks Bottom for a nature walk organized by Susan, one o f the few professional scientists in LES. Members, about 40 at present, range any where from lawyers to civil servants to blue- collar workers. O n this particular rainy m orn ing, however, only four braved the damp November chill to explore Portland’s anomaly of a wildlife refuge within city limits. I had walked the loop at O aks Bottom before, hut apparently 1 had missed much o f what surrounded me. My com panions, howev er, didn’t miss a thing. They spotted alm ost 20 species o f birds, many recognized by their musical calls. 1 got to see an osprey nest splayed across the top of a power line tower. I borrowed binoculars so I could spy on the heron rookery on Hartack Island, where a pair o f bald eagles were nesting nearby. I These three women were a wealth o f infor mation on Kith the history o f the region and its natural resources, and it was tmly a pleasure to spend the morning in such am iable company. The following weekend, L E S met at the Oregon Zoo for a behind-the-scenes tour o f the tcllar G iv e exhibit. A senior zookeeper and friend of an LE S member was kind enough to take off two hours from her duties to provide the tour. Now I have some ethical issues with caging animals, so 1 tend not to frequent such places, but the knowledge I gained during the course o f the morning helped erase another miscon ception I had held. For instance, the mammals o f Stellar G iv e are not caught in the wild, as that method is highly frowned upon these days. Instead, they either are acquired from facilities o f poorer quality (as is the case with sea lions Stella and Julius) or were unable to he released hack to the wild. W hat impressed us the most, though, was the technology and people power it takes to properly duplicate and manage the animals’ environments. The methods used to control the specialized salt water mixture for each species are so effective, they Kiast a 100 per cent recovery rate for the water used in the exhibit. By the time the tour was over, I had concluded that the $6.50 I paid to enter the zoo was an incredible bargain. A s John Muir wrote, “W hen one tugs at a single thing in nature, [sjhe finds it attached to the rest o f the world.” Lesbians Enjoying the Sciences not only do the tugging, they explore the attachm ents. Such experiences not only enrich the mind, they enhance the spirit. All members are encouraged to suggest activities at the monthly potlucks, and any les bian is free to join the group or just show up for an outing. The annual membership fee of $12 provides a monthly newsletter and helps finance certain wildlife sponsored by the group. Past and future activities include bird watch ing, snowshoeing, camping, fossiling, watching meteor showers, touring museums, aquarium outings, building bird and hat houses— and the list goes on. These women know how to have a good time, so if you’re kxiking for a way to get more out of life or simply spend a pleasurable day, 1 suggest you tag along. You just might fall in love with the natural world and discover a piece of yourself in the process. i n Enjoy Sunday brunch, lunch or dinner cruises on the Portland Spirit. Perfect for out-of-town guests. Commitment Ceremoni mies. Portland group hooking and private yacht rental available. I T O 'T For reservation s and in form ation please ca II 5 0 3 - 2 2 4 - 3 9 0 0 or 8 0 0 - 2 2 4 - 3 9 0 1 . B ook on-line at w w w .portlandspirit.com Join us for the Lighted Christmas Ship Parade on Dec. 11th-23rd, New Year’s Eve Dinner Cruise, and the New Year s Party Cruise. Gift Certificates Available. 2 mm 0 0 m r 1 m 0 ' A ¥ „ I K * 1* * ' New Year’s Eve Buffet Dinner & Dance Extravaganza Sunday, December 31, 2000 • 7:00 pm to 1:00 am Lloyd Ctr. DoubleTree Hotel • 1000 NE Multnomah B e n e fittin y L o v e M akes A F a m ily . P o rtla n d L e sb ia n C h o ir. L e sb ia n C o m m u n ity P ro je ct Tickets $35-$50 sliding scale Children under 12 free. A vailable from lienefit groups and from It's My Pleasure and In Other WbrcLs Bookstore. For more information: 505/233-3913 ♦ Buffet Dinner, 8-10 pm a Portrait Photo Booth Tango/Flamenco Trio a All Ages a Special Overnight Rates a Wheelchair Accessible a ASL Interpreted a Free Parking a On Max Line a ♦ Silent Auction a ♦ No-host Bar a To jom L esbians E njoying the S ciences call 503-289-3605 or 503466-0058 or send Fortune Telling Dancing at 9 pm 1 ♦ Complimentary Midnight Toast e-mail to lcspnu*u)aol.com. R ebecca R oyce is a Portland freelance writer. Sponsored by Millynn lames (Equity Group). Floreid Walker (Waddell & Reed). Hawthorne Auto Clinic. Celia /. Lyon (Equity Group). Healthy Pets NW. lust Out. Alternative Sound. & Riverrun Graphics. 37
