Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 5, 2001)
January S. 200 COMMENTARY by M arty D a m s The IN publication for the OUT population F o u n d ed 1 9 8 3 • J ay B row n V o i. 18 N o . 5 and R enée L a C h ance Ja n u a ry 5 , 2 0 0 1 FE ATURE ACTING BN U S U R Y : Theater exchange promotes diplomatic relations with Vietnam P 22 . NEWS NORTHWEST • Talcin' it to the streets; restaurant owners dish about being partners— at work and at home; support program targets gay youth in rural southwest Washington; Oregon Citizens Alliance launches new anti-gay effort PP B -15 NATIONAL • The year in review; President-elect George W. Bush fills his cabinet; Dr. Laura Schlessinger earns her highest ratings yet pp 1 6 -1 9 WORLD * Kate Winslet complains about cruising; ruling favors Vancouver bookstore; pregnant lesbian makes history pp 20-21 ENTER TAIN M EN T & CULTURE DIVERSIONS • Singin’ , dancin’, bowlin’ and tubin’ P 31 F ILM * Chick flick; the best and worst o f cinema in 2000 pp 3 2 -3 3 MUSIC • Guys get in the spirit; gals get real pp 3 5 -3 6 CBLTHRE • Couples’ quandaries P 37 A R T * Brett Bigham will seat you now p 38 COLUMNS MS. BEHAVIOR* Rebounders never learn Jell-0 salad and Montgomery Ward Blowing the dust off memories of Christmas Past dredge up these memories. T his was culinary child abuse. t’s often said Christmas is for children, and this holiday brought I finally found one treasured mental recipe and enthusiastically that point a little closer to home as I set out to find the child 1 served my friends green Jell-O with carrots and pineapple. It was used to be. This season marked a rite of passage as I learned that solemnly examined, proclaimed to be a “Midwestern thing” and then going forward sometimes requires going backward first. resoundingly ignored. I happily ate it all. My mother died last summer, and it was not until very close to My jaunt through childhood briefly was jarred by the late-December Christmas Day that I came to fully realize the significance of the fact announcement that all Montgomery Ward stores would be closing soon. that I am now the oldest living person, and presumably the titular head, Like many people who grew up in smaller towns, Wards was the main of my immediate family. The symbolic implications of this knowledge stay of our shopping expeditions. exceed any actual practical applications in that my family consists only All the stores were much the same back then. They had half-bal of a brother in Texas, a sister in California and two nieces and a nephew conies at the back, with wide center stairs and a much higher front who, regrettably, I scarcely even know. I head a family so scattered, it has balcony for the offices. T h e front balcony was accessed through a sin been years and years since any holidays were spent together. gle steep side staircase. A few days before Christmas 1 was struck with the notion that it was now I clearly see this front staircase through 4-year-old eyes. It was the up to me to preserve long-forgotten family holiday traditions— to look back, architectural wonder o f my world. It climbed to the stars and was the to retrieve memories and to re-create them as best as possible so they may be most frightening thing so far encountered in kept alive and cherished. But at the same time came the realization that these memories likely Unfortunately, I exercise m y m em ories mi: mral c! " ld!“ od T stcn“ . . , will end with me— who will 1 pass them on to? os infrequently os I exercise the rest er and timidly approaching the bottom of the This holiday, and perhaps this one holiday only, I needed to venture into my own personal o f m e. I fear this pattern o f living stairs 006 terror s,ep' two steps' three steps' then total would grip maybe my little heart and Christmas Past. I’d back down in quivering fear. This was not to be an easy task. Like many for today and tomorrow puts to risk I doubt I could climb those steps today with of us, I live for the present, plan and worry out shivering a bit. They climb clear to the losing m any o f m y yesterdays. about the future and seldom venture into stars, you know? thoughts of days gone by. I cannot clearly recall the smell of Christmas, the thrill of opening Unfortunately, I exercise my memories as infrequently as I exercise presents or the warmth of family, but I see those brown scuffed stairs the rest of me. I fear this pattern of living for today and tomorrow puts with white railings as clearly as if I were there yesterday. And as I mourn to risk losing many of my yesterdays. the loss of these stores and jobs, I am grateful for the gift of the memory My journey into the past turned out to be a short trip. The attic of my of Wards— and for that of green Jell-O with carrots and pineapple. mind, while dusty indeed, also seems to be largely dimly lit and empty. Very early in my life, and clearly evident in my memories, was the sense No bad memories. No sad recollections. Just not a lot there, period. and knowledge that I was “different”— that there was something about me I did come up with a few visions of old holiday dinners, large family I never should discuss or let anyone know about. It was to be a long time affairs with aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents. Those went on before I found the words and explanations to associate with my feelings, my until I was about 10 or so— and then, well, then I don’t what happened. thoughts, my dread of life and my horrible self-imposed, self-defending, self- They just stopped. And now I never will know, because there is no defeating isolation. It was a long time before I learned about being gay. one left to ask. And so now, in perhaps a Pollyannaish attempt to create Christmas For my Christmas dinner 1 invited a few hardy friends over to share memories for others, I would ask for this new year, and others to follow, the day, and I planned my menu based on my recent journey of explo that we all strive to work together, as family, as community, to set goals ration. But as it turned out, most of the things I remembered I couldn’t and make plans to do what we can to make sure the future holds brighter bring myself to re-create. promise for our youth. Sen tim en t aside, there is no way a raisin carrot salad ever will be Everyone deserves to have happy Christmas memories, a safe today brought to life by my hands. T h e same goes for W aldorf salad— and a promising tomorrow. Happy New Year to us all. j n apples, walnuts, celery and mayonnaise! No wonder I don’t want to REFLECTIONS 5 years ago *. X". . .'« x - y - ...■ . P 29 BOT LOUD * A short trip for a big change P 34 just out Jacst mat is published on the first and third Friday of each month. Copyright © 2001 by Just Out. • A Los Angeles man was sentenced to 120 days in jail after he was convicted under California s new domestic violence law, which includes same-sex relationships. No part of Just Out may be reproduced without written per mission from the publisher. The submission o f w ritten and graphic m aterials is welcomed. Written material should be typed and double-spaced. Just Out reserves the right to edit for grammar, punctuation, 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 editor should be limited to 500 words. Announcements regarding life transitions (births, deaths, unions, etc.) should be limited to 200 words; photos are wel come. Deadline for submissions to the editorial department and for the Calendar is the Thursday 15 days before the next publication date. Views expressed in letters to the editor, columns and features are not necessarily those of the publisher. The display advertising deadline is the Monday 12 days before the next publication date. Classified ads must be received at the Just O ut office by 4 p m. on the Thursday eight days before the next publi cation date, along with payment. Ads may be placed by tele phone ix via the Internet with Visa or MasteiCard payment. Ad policy: Just Out reserves the right to reject or edit any advertisement. Gxnpensation fix errors in, or cancella tion of, advertising will be made with credit toward future advertising. Advertising rates are available upixt request. Subscriptions are $17.50 for 12 issues. First Class (in an envelope) is $30 for 12 issues. G xitact Just Out at P.O. Box 14400, Portland, O R 97293-0400; 503-236-1252, advertising 503-236-1253, fax 503-236-1257; e-mail justoutfijustout.com. Visit our Internet site at www.justout.com. • Lambda Rising bookstore made a great leap forward when it opened a branch bookstore on America Online, the nation’s largest online com puter service. • Community Outreach Inc., also known as Sunflower House, received grants from Equity Foundation and the Seattle-based Pride Foundation to provide lesbian health clinics at its Corvallis location. • A fter three terms in the Oregon Legislature. Rep. Lisa Naito said she would not seek re-elec tion. The Portland Democrat, who represented House District 15, said she wanted to spend more time with her two school-age children. • The Lesbian Community Project's board of directors presented the All Lesbian Talent Show. Marty Davis Steve Warren, Rex Wockner • About 10 percent o f Cuba’s 1,180 HIV-positive inhabitants were released from quarantine and returned to normal life after convincing authori ties they would behave responsibly, the Prensa Latina news agency reported Nov. 14. • The Urban League o f Portland said it would step up its efforts to help prevent the spread of HIV in the metro area, particularly in communi ties o f color. President Lawrence J. Dark and several staff members joined a public walk across the Burnside Bridge to dramatize the impact o f the epidemic Dec. 1, W orld AIDS Day. • Don Horn, triangle productions! executive pro ducer and founder, described his new space, Theater! Theatre!: “ I want this to be a place where gays and lesbians can celebrate pride every day— not just once a year. I want this to be valuable to the whole community." • The Portland Women’s Theatre Company pre sented M isguided Lives: A Lesbian Soap Opera — it’s not just about Casa Delores anymore! • Melissa Sayler ENTERTAINM ENT EDITOR • Oriana Green ADVERTISING DIRECTOR • Meg Grace OFFICE M ANAGER • Melissa Sayler COPY a m ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE • Larry Lewis DISTRIBUTION «Jerilyn Adams, Kathy Bethel, Ian Drake, Bonita Mattinson, Pam Novitzky, Merid Schwartz, Ruth Traut, Larry Williams • JimRadosta S W T REPORTER • Jonathan Kipp CONTRIBUTORS • Lisa Bradshaw, Richard Bray, Meryl Cohn, Heron, Timothy Krause, Bob Roehr, Lynn Thomas, Paula Walowitz, NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE • Rivendell Marketing Company Inc. (212) 242-6863 ART DIRECTOR • Rupert Kinnard I • Kevin Moore
