lu s tr a n
GUEST COMMENTARY
by
K r is t a n A sp e n
I^P The IN publication for the OUT population
F ounded 1983 • J ay B rown
and
Vol. 18 No. 11
R enee L a C hance
April 6, 2001
FEATURE
A call to action
HEALTHIER, WEALTHIER AND WISER: Greatest
need, riskiest behavior sum up CAP’s bottom line
p 26
Now is the time to build community and organize for justice
NEWS
NORTHWEST • That hits the spot
pp 6 - 1 9
NATIONAL • Church chat
pp
20-21
WORLD • Welcome to gay Paree
pp 2 2 - 2 5
ENTERTAINMENT
TH U TER • No wonder they win awards
p 39
M U S IC - Sing out, Diane
p
41
D A N C E• A bird named Barney
p 43
DOORS • New releases for voyeurs and Oz fans
pp 4 6 - 4 7
ART • History and art combine beautifully
p 48
DIVERSIONS • Rufus and Tret, Tony and Jodie
p 49
COLUMNS
M S. DEHAVIOR • Setting a poor guy straight
p 35
OUT LOUD • Tales from fraternity and sorority row
p 40
OUTWORD • Personal power outages
p 45
SPECIAL
EATING OUT • Let someone else cook tonight
pp 3 8 - 3 9
NIGHTSPOTS • Gay-friendly hangouts
p 46
JUST FRIENDS • Free voice personal ads
p 50
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L
ets face it. A lot of us are angry.
Imagine the myriad projects we could take on! Think of the difference
The election didn’t go as we would have liked, and it is
we could make in so many situations by motivating our members to
now clear the tides have turned in Washington, D.C. We
speak out, take action, show up and otherwise pressure the system
are going to have trouble standing our ground, let alone
toward inclusiveness, fairness and other democratic principles.
making any headway toward LGBT civil rights, preserving
LCP does not have 5,000 members. No organization in our com­
womens rights or protecting the earth, our children, poor people,
munity does. But we have the potential to grow and develop a power­
those without health care, the hungry, the elderly and the destitute.
ful lesbian voice. All it will take is you making the commitment, join­
The list of those falling through the safety net is growing daily.
ing with your lesbian sisters, to nurture a community that respects and
This new millennium is not beginning auspiciously. Even if Dubya
understands our differences as it focuses on what w'e have in common
only lasts four years, the effects of his administration likely will he with
and how our struggles intersect with those of our trans, hi and gay
us well beyond the next decade. So, what are we doing about it?
brothers and sisters.
I’ll tell you what I’m doing. 1 am throwing my lot in with lesbians. 1
T h e L G B T com m unity needs LC P and other established
am investing in our community through the Lesbian Community
queer organizations to provide the foundation for a collabora­
Project. I know that together we can dream up creative, supportive,
tive activist network that will allow us to learn from each other
useful, fun and effective ways to take a stand, use our clout and forge
as we work cooperatively together. T h e most effective action I
collaborations to resist and hopefully turn hack the fundamentalist,
can take against reactionary forces is to participate in my own
conservative, reactionary right wing before we all forget what a demo­
community, to practice collaboration by supporting our allies
cratic society looked like.
and to show up and speak out on behalf of
Do you think I’m overreacting? Do you think
Think o f the difference we could lesbians whenever possible.
it’s not really that had? 1 would like to suggest this
It’s what 1 can do. It’s what I want to do. It’s
is exactly what King George wants us to think.
the best way I know to preserve my sanity at a
m ake in so m any situations b y
He and his team of media spin wizards are
very challenging time in history.
pumping out the propaganda as fast as they can m otivating our members to speak
I have lived in Portland for 30 years as a
to distract us from the fact that our president is
lesbian
and a community organizer. I know
out, take action, show up and
thumbing his hose at the democratic system.
what it takes to start new organizations. 1
And we the people, we the LGBT people, we
otherwise pressure the system
know what it will take to keep LCP alive. It
the women, we the people of color, we the
will take time and money, which means vol­
toward inclusiveness, fairness and unteers and members.
young people, we the elderly, we the poor and
powerless, have to see his blatant disregard for
I invite you to join me and 200 others
other democratic principles.
us as a call to action.
who already have made the commitment. If
Now is the time to dedicate ourselves 100 percent to “building
you’ve got a better idea, I’d like to hear it, but I don’t want any
community and organizing for justice.” This is the work of the Lesbian
excuses for not participating. It’s 2001, and a vibrant, active
Community Project, an organization already known regionally and
Lesbian Community Project is critical to the health and well-being
nationally for its innovative leadership in supporting the health and
of our whole community.
well-being of lesbians.
So, give LCP a call. And watch the Just Out calendar for special
I invite you to join us. We offer a sliding fee scale for membership, so
April events open to everyone, including a women’s music history
1 can think of no reason why every lesbian and lesbian ally in the state is slide show, a gender-bender all-ages SQ U EER Dance and Deaf
not an LCP member. Yes, LCP is a women’s organization, hut we wel­
Culture Night.
come everyone who supports lesbian leadership and our mission (which
Members are invited to help shape the future of LCP at the annual
should he just about everyone reading this paper) to he a contributor.
membership meeting May 6. I expect the room to be packed with les­
I calculate at least 50,000 lesbians live in Oregon. That’s 5 percent
bians ready to “build community and organize for justice.” Can we
of 1 million, so probably it’s a low estimate. If 10 percent of all lesbians
count on your support?
in the state joined LCP, we would be 5,000 strong. That’s a fonnidable
membership!
KRISTAN A spen is executive director of the Lesbian Community Project.
Add in all our friends and allies, and imagine what we could do!
For more information call 503-233-39/3.
REFLECTIONS
PU6LISHER AND M ANAGING EDITOR • Marty Davis
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Way
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Richard!
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