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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 5, 2001)
16 5.2ÛQ1 î h whin news ì E l is e C a m p b ell T he Y ear of the Q ueer An analysis of national news for 2000 S e r v ic e is t h e k e y . . . IT’S THAT SIMPLE! 503 . 296.3875 EMAIL: E L IS E @ R e a LTOR.COM INTERNET: ELISECAMPBELL.REALT0R.COM ropertles to be expelled for being gay. Then in May, the Pentagon went after him to recover the money spent on his education. The Bush administra tion had ended this policy, known as recoup ment, but it began again under President Clin ton. Enough of a public stink and pressure from the Congressional Black Caucus forced the Pen tagon to back down, but it waited to the very P o l it ic s last moment to act. Despite Clinton’s claims to dislike “don’t ask, olitics dominated the news as only it can don’t tell,” his appointees have been vigorous in during a presidential election year. their defense of the anti-gay policy. Discharges On the Democratic side, former New Jersey were up 42 percent, according to the Service- Sen. Bill Bradley competed for the gay vote, which was crucial in primary states like Califor members Legal Defense Network’s annual report, Conduct Unbecoming. Co-executive nia. He pushed Vice President Al Gore to take stances that were more pro-gay than perhaps he director C. Dixon Osbum said, “While the Defense Department claims everything is fine, would have liked to have taken publicly. events of the past year show that On the Republican side, conclusion to be a whitewash.” many voters, gay and nongay Arizona Republican Steve alike, swooned over the surpris May is being prosecuted for vio ing candidacy of Sen. John lation of “don’t ask, don’t tell” for McCain. But he faded as the the “telling" he did on the floor weather warmed up. of the state assembly during Texas Gov. George W. Bush debate on legislation. That was held a meeting and news confer before he was called up from ence with gay Republicans in inactive status to the Army April, a historic first for the pre Reserve. Once the crisis passed, sumed nominee. And at his ini his prosecution began. tiative, openly gay Arizona Rep. Massachusetts Democrat Bar Jim Kolbe addressed the Republi ney Frank and more than 20 can National Convention in Barney Frank other members of Congress wrote Philadelphia, another first. Log Cabin Republicans said they were Clinton saying this prosecution was a constitu tional violation of May’s role as an official carry encouraged by the progress made with the Bush ing out a duty of that elected office. But Clinton campaign and endorsed the party nominee, ignored this graceful out and continues to something they had not always done. They process May out of the Reserves. The next step acknowledged that the candidate and the party likely will be a federal court sometime this year. still had a long way to go on gay issues. Dick Cheney’s nomination for vice president brought broader public acknowledgment that H ea lth his daughter, Mary, was a lesbian. The Human Rights Campaign said that both Cheneys had to IDS remains a principal concern of the gay publicly address issues of gay rights during the community as protease inhibitors and campaign, but the pair managed to ignore that dictate. However, the fathers comments on gay other drugs used in combination therapy allow many to treat the deadly disease as a chronic, marriage during the vice presidential debate manageable one. But the list of possible long were seen by many as the most thoughtful and term side effects continued to grow in 2000. It supportive of the major national candidates. Final resolution of post-election legal wran now includes lipodystrophy, or shifting deposits gling over votes in Florida touched off specula of body fat; increased risk for heart attack and tion about which openly gay people might be diabetes; calcium loss leading to bone problems; appointed to positions within the Bush adminis and an increased rate of malignancies such as tration. Expectations were low, in part because anal cancer and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Perhaps the most encouraging development the community has not identified many people was the limited initial data indicating patients with the appropriate political resume. Openly gay and lesbian candidates contin might be able to cycle off and back onto thera ued to break barriers in their quests for public py at points during their treatment. That could reduce toxicity, side effects and cost while office, being elected for the first time to state legislatures in Georgia and Michigan. Four les improving quality of life. For some, the cycling might be able to bians now serve in the California legislature, and three gay men are in the Arizona state “teach” their immune system to better help con assembly. Gay bashing was down significantly in trol the virus. A lucky few might be able to learn campaigns across the country, a sign that being to do that without drugs at all. Some public health officials fear that com gay or gay friendly has lost much of its sting. placency about HIV has led to an increase in risky behavior, especially among young men, and with it an increased rate of new infections. M il it a r y Some anecdotal evidence supports those fears, ays did not disappear from the military nor although the data are still sketchy. To the surprise of many, Congress in October J f from the headlines. The pair of soldiers who bludgeoned Pfc. Barry Winchell to death in reauthorized the Ryan White CARE Act— the July 1999 as he slept at Fort Campbell, Ky., were principal way the federal government funds sentenced to long prison terms. AIDS services— for another five years. Credit Tommy Lee Watkins Jr., president of his largely was given to the bipartisan efforts of archconservative Tom Cobum, R-Okla., and graduating class, resigned from the U.S. Naval Academy when he was told either to do that or staunch liberal Henry Waxman, D-Calif. topia did not arrive with the new millennium, but overall 2000 was a pretty good year for gays and lesbians. Even the dark clouds often had their silver linings. P É, Specializing in heme financing far gay men and lesbians. Rose Cit Mortgage Specialists . FR EE consultations $0-down loans all credit & loan types i S ill - r f-í fr i « M ; . . s ¡X;? ; 503.768.4248 WWW. RoseCltyMtg .com Contemporary, Original, Elegant... Jewelry, art-glass, ceramics and exotic woods by A America's finest artisans Original designs in ster ling silver and 14 k gold by Tami Dean. Thirtieth • i 9 7 < -200< • Anniversary Downtown Portland Portland Airport 503.284.9929 901 S.W. Yamhill 503.223.9510 Washington Square 503.620.2243 by Bob Roehr
