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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 2, 2001)
february 2.2001 » J u s t a a tjg 9 * 1 oui Injured? come when we have acted together to support civil rights. The Dec. 13 vote to extend civil rights protection on the basis of gender identi ty directly helped those struggling day to day with intolerance. But this vote, coming at the close of the past century, was also an important message to all Portlanders. Discrimination of any sort and against any community has no place in the city 1 love and serve. My decision to support the civil rights amendments to the City Charter is part of implementing my vision for One Portland. As a longtime social and civil rights activist, ensuring all citizens receive equal protection under the law is at the core of my personal values. As an elected official, it is my obligation to serve all of the citizens and taxpayers I repre sent equally. Transsexual and transgendered people, along with other sexual minorities, have long contributed to our community by paying their taxes, voting, volunteering and serving without receiving the fair and equal treatment and protection from discrimination that all citizens are entitled to. This City Code amendment represents a first step toward cor recting this historic wrong, and it is a reminder that our city is the better for its diversity of human experience. I consistently have advocated for equal rights for all, and I will continue to do so as long as some are the objects of oppression and discrimination. When 1 voted to establish a domestic partnership registry and congratulat ed the first of our newly registered partners, I did so out of a belief that these actions were long-overdue affirmations of the inherent worth and equality under the law of all Port landers. As I begin my second term on the Portland City Council, I will continue to work to ensure we move forward together, as One Portland. J im F rancesconi City Commissioner Slippery slope To th e E ditor : I I 7 ith Multnomah County contemplating a I \ human rights ordinance inclusive of sex ual orientation and gender identity, the time has come for sexual minorities to confront the fact that the concept of civil rights protection is being co-opted to promote and enforce second- class citizenship for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transpeople. The initial descent on the slippery slope began locally with the city of Portland’s adop tion some years ago of a human rights ordi nance that enacted a broad prohibition of dis crimination— on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, marital or familial status, national origin, age and mental or physical disability— yet specifically permitted religious institutions and certain types of landlords to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation (thereby compounding the discrimination inherent to rescinded that order in 1992. Oregon’s civil rights law, which accorded reli But since 1973, with the passage of the gious groups preferential exclusion from the Helms amendment to the foreign operations general prohibition of employment discrimi appropriation bill, renewed annually, the nation). This debasement of the concept of United States hasn’t actually funded any equal rights drastically was accelerated locally overseas abortions. Now, any organization with the recent addition of gender identity to that talks about or pays for abortions with its city ordinance, as yet another list of exclu own funds will not get U.S. aid for any of its sions to legal protection from discrimination services. was codified into law to benefit employers and The effect of the Bush mandate will be to “health or athletic clubs or other entities” (in impose a “gag rule” on any program con addition to the extension to gender identity of cerned with women’s health. Along with the existing exclusions pertaining to sexual counseling and access to abortion, people will lose access to contraception, prenatal care orientation). The concept of civil rights protection for and other basic reproductive services. Hun historically oppressed people thus is being dreds of thousands of women will suffer, and whittled away in a manner that favors prop many will die. erty owners— such as religious groups, Bush advisers probably realize that the mur employers, businesses and landlords— to the derous ban is actually counterproductive: Under particular detriment of sexual and gender the Reagan ban, the incidence of abortion minorities. Rather than meekly accepting a increased. These people don’t really care about womens well-being or human life, either. They county ordinance that recapitulates— and are asserting their power over half the world’s thereby reinforces— the disparities codified population. into state and city law, we as an oppressed What this U.S. government really wants is to people owe it to ourselves to challenge the second-class status being imposed upon us by build a climate of intimidation and repression and to send the clear message that women’s lives degree. Why should we tolerate being singled out are not our own. They have declared war on a whole gender. for second-class status on the basis of an innate trait such as sexual orientation or Radical Women calls on feminists to fight transsexualism while individuals embracing back and continue to demonstrate full sup the lifestyle choice of one religion or another port for reproductive freedom at every oppor not only are accorded the full protection of tunity. We are committed to working with the law but allowed to legally discriminate others to demand the repeal of the Helms against us? Why should we accept the premise amendment and the equally oppressive Hyde that an innate trait such as race— which amendment, which denies use of federal includes white skin— is deserving of the law’s funds for abortions to impoverished U .S. res full protection while the innate trait of idents. And we call on the elected politicians to publicly oppose the reactionary campaign homosexuality isn’t? Given the growing disparities between our of terror that manifests in women’s clinics civil rights “protection” and those of truly being bombed and the murder of abortion providers. protected classes, we are deluding ourselves— Radical Women believes the power of as a people and as an oppressed minority— if we think the situation will change without women around the globe can be asserted to our active involvement. Gender and sexual overrule the despotic president who wasn’t even the American people’s choice. minorities need to organize, mobilize and vociferously demand that county commission ers adopt an ordinance guaranteeing equal JORDANA SARDO rights under law. To accept anything less is to Radical Women be complicit in our continued slide down the slippery slope. Practice w hat M argaret D eirdre O’H artigan Portland Bound and gagged To the E ditor : On his first official workday, Jan. 22, Presi dent Bush sent a clear message to the world: This U.S. administration will do everything in its power to deny women control over their own bodies. Women and their male allies will fight back with equal tenacity. By executive order, Bush reimposed the Reagan-era ban on U.S. funding to foreign groups that provide counseling or otherwise facilitate abortions. President Clinton had ju strrT T W Welcomes letters to the editor Letters must be accompanied by a phone number for verification purposes. Anonymous letters and letters without sufficient contact information will not be published. ...Call me Proudly serving our community since 1989 in personal injury claims including: • Bicycle & Pedestrian Accidents Hala Gores, P.C. Attorney at Law F re e C o n s u lt a t io n No Fee Until We Get You Money • Insurance Claims 503 / 295-1940 12th Floor 621 SW Morrison Portland Fn iT |"4 * IT \ M B A Integrity, E xperience ^ R e s u lts you preach Second Nature To the E ditor : OME S> GARDEN CENTER was troubled by a letter from Anthony Wynn concerning his attempt to get cov erage of an event in Just Out and the rude way he was treated (Jan. 5]. In spite of the impres sive list of reasons he gave for qualifying for the calendar, it obviously fell on deaf ears. You have espoused in many of your edito rials the need for us all to work together, rec ognize our differences, etc., yet you seem to be going against your very own preaching. 1 do not see how Just Out's sharing o f the Friends of the Parkinson’s Center of Oregon benefit would be any different from an A ID S benefit, a breast cancer benefit or any other benefit to help humankind. What I find even more appalling is the fact you choose not to address the letter with a simple apology. What could that have hurt? Rather than mend a fence, you choose to exacerbate the situation by printing the letter and making no comment, compounding your rudeness and unwillingness to practice what you preach. I hope those who belong to the Friends of the Parkinson’s Center are not as small-minded when they are in the voting booth in a short while voting on yet another measure put forth by Lon Mabon! I J ohn T allerino Shendan E xcellen t S e le c tio n : » Blooming Plants * European Gardens » Gifts * Vases » House Plants » Lamps v Garden Accessories »Statuary — ¥ — 8601 SWTerwilliger Blvd. (next to the Chevron station) 503 . 977.6545
