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2001: A R ace O dyssey
e
ail-in ballots for the election to fill two positions on the Multnomah County Board of
Commissioners must be returned by May 15.
Just Out asked the candidates about issues specific to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgendered community. The questions were:
1. What do you see as the most significant role Multnomah County can take in
maintaining and continuing civil rights protections for members of the sexual minorities community?
2. What specifically have you done to support civil rights for our readership?
3. What do you see as the major issues facing gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered citizens of
NT» County?
«I* «•**»«»
Multnomah
iM Ü S M fis a
aspects of life. Despite
how far the community
has come, 2000 demon
strated that the assault
on the rights o f the
GLBT
community—
from the U .S. Supreme
Court to the
Oregon Citizens
Alliance— is not subsid
ing. I will play a leader
ship role at every op
portunity to ad
vance the basic,
t civil rights of
every member of
our community,
specifically
our
G LB T members.
M ultnomah C ounty
C ommissioner , D istrict 1
M ultnomah C ounty C hair
JO ANN
and laws that will allow gay, lesbian, bisexual
and transgendered individuals to live and
work freely without fear of discrimination.
2. As a county commissioner I proudly sup
ported and voted for Multnomah County’s
domestic partnership registry as well as the
county’s resolution adopting a strategic plan
for increasing supports for sexual minority
youth in all parts of Multnomah County. I also
supported and voted for a resolution that cre
ated a workshop that is charged with creating
a countywide ordinance that will eliminate
discrimination based on sexual orientation,
gender identity, familial status and source of
income in employment, housing and public
accommodations. We are expecting their
results in June. I have been honored to stand
shoulder to shoulder with leaders and activists
in the gay and lesbian community to fight for
basic rights for all members of our community.
1 was actively involved in raising money and
actively campaigning to defeat both Mea
sures 9s and Measure 13.
3. There are many issues facing the G LBT
1. Multnomah County must set the exam
ple in equal opportunity and protection under
the law. And the example must start from the
top, on the desk of the chair. A person’s sexual
orientation will have no bearing on their
opportunity to work for and advance in Mult
nomah County offices. Attention must be paid
to hate-induced crimes against members of our
community.
2. In the state Legislature, I testified and
voted against every idiotic, homophobic bill
that came across my desk including so-called
marriage protection, easing of hate crime
penalties and restrictions on adoption based
on sexual orientation. In 1993, I co-chaired
Stand Up-Portland Diversity Celebration after
the No on 9 and No on 13 campaigns. I active
ly campaign against any Oregon Citizens
Alliance-sponsored initia
tive. We’re all affected
P U **# * vw»*'
when civil rights are
fty M hv Mito
denied to victims of hate
crimes. When homopho
bic fanatics seek to repress
civil rights for some,
they’re repressing civil
rights for everybody.
3. The biggest single
issue is equal protection
under the law. This is
manifested specifi
cally in domestic
«MMM
partnership agree
ments for county
community such as domestic violence serv
employees. Sexual ori
ices for G LB T individuals, counseling to help
entation should have no
G
L B T youth as they navigate a very chal
more bearing on a per
lenging time in their lives, the AID S crisis,
son’s freedom than their
making sure states don’t pass marriage laws
race, gender or political
affiliation. We all benefit from what Mult that restrict marriage to just a man and a
nomah County offers, regardless of sexual ori woman as a way to prevent same-sex unions
and honoring domestic partnerships with the
entation. We must all share the burdens, too.
full benefits that married people receive. I
believe the major issue facing G LB T citizens
DIANE LINN
surround discrimination relating to sexual
1. If elected chair of Multnomah County,
orientation
and gender identity in employ
I will aggressively pursue (and set the exam
ment, housing, public education and all other
ple for other jurisdictions to follow) policies
I
«MS
I
SAGER
Candidates vie for county positions
M
ELECT
CHARLOTTE COMITO
1. We can continue to advo- ___
cate for civil rights, as we have
in the past. We recently passed
the domestic partnership reg
istry, which more than 200 cou
ples have participated in. I
served on the work group that
created the registry. In addi
tion, I serve on the county
wide Civil Rights Task Force.
The Multnomah County
Board of Commissioners cre
ated the task force to make
recommendations for extend
ing civil rights on the basis of
gender identity, sexual orien
tation and source of income
in employment, housing and
AatOorntO >» Cfti*
public accommodations.
2. In addition to the work I have listed above,
I served on the Right to Privacy board and politi
cal action committee, where
I worked to help elect les
bian- and gay-friendly can
didates to the state Legisla
ture. We also introduced a
statewide omnibus civil
rights bill every year. That
effort has unfortunately
been unsuccessful thus far.
I also worked as a fund
raiser on the first
*
No on 9 Campaign,
which fortunately
for everyone in
the GLBT com
munity was success
fully defeated.
3. In addition to gen
eral civil rights issues,
including the right to
work and live where you
want, issues for the GLBT community are the same
as for the rest of the community: stable and secure
employment, caring for children, affording a home,
the environment, caring for aging parents and a
sense of feeling safe in our community.
WSTWCT i
2. Like most of your readership, I work for
equality from conviction, not profession. From
my time registering voters in Mississippi and
Alabama to now as an advocate for senior citi
zens and affordable housing, I take my opportu
nities as they come. When my firm sponsored
the Amazon Dragons boat team, it was done
because a group of women needed a sponsor and
I could help. Not because they were lesbians.
Not because other firms didn’t want their
names on the team shirts. It has been, is and will
be a matter of equality with me.
3. Equality. Separate is not equal. Only by
united action can these groups achieve that
measure of equality that is enjoyed by the
straight society.
B&an
For
Multnoniai, County Chair
ROJO DE STEFFEY
1. First: Be an example. Multnomah Coun
ty should take the lead and serve as an educa
tor in supporting the rights of all people includ
ing sexual minorities. Second: Be courageous.
Dispelling myths and moving ahead isn’t
always easy. If there are members of our com
munity who are uncomfortable with the issues
involving sexual minorities, we should not
ignore them but engage them positively.
2. As a board member of the United Way I
found it unconscionable that they continue to
fund the Boy Scouts while they pursue an
aggressive anti-gay policy. I raised this as a pub
lic issue. Unfortunately, the United Way board
did not agree, and I resigned in protest. I was,
however, able to bring media and public atten
tion to this issue, and other funders responded.
Overall, a strong victory for civil rights.
3. Prejudice, discrimination and misinforma
tion, which lead to nonacceptance of sexual
minorities as productive members of our society.
These realities are not just imbedded in parts of
our culture but are being used in a cynical and
dangerous way by some political elements to
forward their own broader agenda.
JA M ES SAGER
JAM ES DAVIS
1. An independent citizens review board to
investigate complaints of police misconduct.
1. The county, through the commissioners,
Continued on Page 17