may 1fl.2001
■ustnn
by
M a r t y D avis
■ P The IN publication for the OUT population
F ounded 1983 • J ay B rown
and
Vol. 18 N o. 14
R enée L a C hance
M ay 1 8 , 2 0 0 1
FEATURE
AROUND T IE B E N I: Gays and lesbians are moving
a little closer to heaven
P 26
NEWS
NORTHWEST • Over the Rainbows
pp 7 - 1 0
NATIONAL • Homo Depot caves in
PP 2 1 - 2 3
WORLD • Parade promotes Polish pride
pp 2 4 - 2 5
ENTERTAINM ENT
FILM • Women in charge
p 30
DANCE • Shaking his bon-bon
P 37
DOORS • Spicy Tea
p 39
COLTORE • Outdoor adventures
pp 4 0 - 4 1
MHSIC • O Rogue Valley pioneers
P43
DIVERSIONS • The hippest gig in town
P 45
SPORTS • Out at the ball game
P 48
COLUMNS
M S . BEHAVIOR • A friend with a big truck
p 35
OHTWORR • Gay parents, straight kids
P 47
OHT LOUD • Reviving black queer community
P 49
THE 60SPEL ACCORDING TO MARC • Air Bitch
P 50
SPECIAL
lime traveler
Solitary excursion takes a detour at memory lane
L
ast week 1 took a couple of days off and indulged in a soli
tary excursion into the past as a means of celebrating
yet another birthday.
This is a ritual I relish passionately every few years. It
returns me to my earliest memories of childhood days
spent in the mountains and valleys of northern California.
During the course of this sentimental journey, 1 ponder in awe
the life path that started in extremely remote, isolated logging towns
and thus far has taken me to Portland and ownership of a gay and
lesbian newspaper. Among other things, 1 indeed think I serve as a
shining testament to the value of the proverbial one-room school-
house education.
This journey o’ mine is blended with thoughts of today and worry
for the future. The road trip of my day-to-day existence seems to be
moving at too fast of a pace, and I am concerned I might be missing
too many of life’s side roads.
Thus I return joyously to the gentle
speeds and scenic delights of bygone
years. A rest stop for this traveler’s soul.
message could be saved for later, then promptly forgot about it as I
set about other tasks. A s I finally listened to the message later, it
occurred to me that as Amy was preparing for her trip out of town—
her final rafting trip, as it were— she herself probably was tying up
loose ends and attempting to put her world in order— with the hope
that it still would be in said state upon her return.
When I leave home, it is always with the notion of “when” I
return, not “if.” But as clearly evidenced with Amy’s unexpected
death, sometimes we don’t come home.
O
n Page 5 of this issue you will find a letter to the editor from
Kevin Friends. This correspondence is troubling to me not
because of the criticism it contains but because I respect his work and
know him to be a person of honor and integrity.
And I’m distressed because I’m not sure I find his stance on
advertising to he reasonable. Or perhaps I’m troubled because I do
find it reasonable and just don’t want
to have to admit it and deal with it.
O n one hand, greyhound racing is a
licensed, legal and regulated business.
O n the other hand, it has a byproduct:
Sicr/ONS OF OME UNi RQ>\U:
the potential for mistreatment and
NEXT 3$ MILES; > , : . . .
ven a trip of short duration requires
abuse of dogs that is, or should be, rep
preparation and planning and the
YOU MAY MEET- OPPdsiNCi; TRATFlC ^
rehensible to all.
tying up of loose ends. Before departing,
The commerce of advertising con
SOUND HORN ON A LL BLIND CURVES'"-
I always make a sincere, albeit hurried,
tains many gray areas. Although I
NOT RECOMMENDED FOR CAMPERS : ^
attempt at putting home and hearth in
respect the beliefs of animal rights
TRAILERS OR DRIVERS INEXPERIENCED:
order. This is done with the optimistic
advocates such as Kevin, I also think it
notion that they still will be in said state
IN MOUNTAIN DRIVING
is not my place to censor what infor
upon my return.
mation is presented to readers.
A s such, one of the last tasks I need
And that’s what an advertisement
ed to accomplish was to clean out a
is: a smidgen o f information inviting the consumer to check out a
voice mailbox sadly overflowing with a
product, a business or an event. People then have the right to
week’s worth of waiting messages. I truly don’t mean to ignore mes
make their own decisions about what they purchase, support and
sages; instead, I often listen briefly to gauge their urgency, then elec
endorse.
tronically file away those that can await further action and atten
I believe our readership to be responsible, educated, informed,
tion.
compassionate and capable of making appropriate decisions. If I
Halfway through listening to my messages I was most startled to
bow to the pressure to refuse this advertising, what comes next?
come across one from Amy Gerver. This was a most unsettling
Environmental activists who are offended by hot tub and autom o
moment in that I already had received word of her death.
bile ads? Perhaps vegans who abhor restaurants that serve meat?
I did not know Amy well. We were casual acquaintances at best. I
How do I provide the services of a community newspaper, stay
last had spoken with her a few weeks ago, when I photographed her
minimally financially stable, pay respectable wages to employees and
and Nancy Sellers from Our House of Portland for the May 4 issue of still meet the political and social needs of a vastly diverse readership?
Just Out.
You tell me. Your opinion matters. J H
A few days after that brief meeting, Amy had called to follow up
on some fund-raising figures we had discussed. 1 determined that the
E
R F H
r m
n i u Q
15 years ago in
.-A,
-,
JHST FRIENDS • Free voice personal ads
p51
The Lesbian Community Project announced
two related workshops on internalized homo
phobia and building a lesbian community pre
sented by Suzanne Pharr, a national organizer
from the Arkansas Women’s Project.
Just out ic published on the first and third
Friday Of each month. Copyright © 2001 by Just Out.
No part of Just Out may be reproduced without written per
mission from the publisher.
The submission o f w ritten and graphic
materials is welcomed. Written material should he
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 advcrtisfhg deadlin e is the Monday
12 days before the next publication date.
Classified ads must be received at the Just Out office
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Contact Just Out at P.O. Box 14400, Portland, OR
97293-0400; 503-236-1252, advertising 503-236-1253, fax
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Internet site at www.justout.com.
• QueersvMe, Portland's only gay and lesbian radio
show, broke all pledge records by raising a total of
$320 in a half-hour April 13. The program w as pro
duced at KBOO-FM studios by volunteers from the
community.
• Men of All Colors Together, a gay multira
cial support group for couples and singles,
held its first meeting May 3. It w as estab
lished because of the need for a positive
space free from the racial discrimination
experienced in many gay and lesbian busi
n ess establishments.
• Out of the Closet opened for business at
text door to
store was managed
Rising’s Fred Menard and ben
efited Portland’s gay and lesbian nonprofit
organizations.
PIBUSRH AND MANAGING EMIDR • Marty Davis
ENTEHMNMENT EDITOR • Oriana Green
C9PY EDITOR • Jim Radosta
HAFF RLPMILR • Jonathan Kipp
C9NTRMUT0RS • Marc Acito, Meryl Cohn,
Michael Wayne Keck, Timothy Krause,
Andy Mangels, Hadley Scott, Natalie Shapiro,
• Pat Bond, nationally acclaimed theatrical artist, per
formed her one-woman show Beloved Hick a s part of
Eugene Gay Pride on May 9.
• The Rainbow Coalition played host to the second
annual Multicultural Dinner and Dance on June 1. The
dynamic soul sisters singing group the Strawberry
Gamblers, backed up by Dee Wiggens and the Velvet
Band, provided musical entertainment.
• Transforming Body Images invited women who hate
their bodies to make friends with their body through a
delightful combination of imagery, relaxation, music,
> art, movement, discussion and just plain fun.
Randy Siegel, Tom Stevenson, Rex Wockner,
Pat Young
ABVERmiK DIRECTOR • Meg Grace
AIVBITISING REPRESENTATIVES • Markie Acevedo,
Larry Lewis
NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE • Rivendell
Marketing Company Inc., 212-242-6863
ART DIRECTOR • Rupert Kinnard
PBMKT1GN BIRECTM • Kevin Moore
PRHKTMN ASSISTANT AM RfflCE MANAGER •
Melissa Sayler
MSTRMIIHN • Jerilyn Adams, Ian Drake,
Rick Gerger, Kelly Keigwin, Plum,
Merid Schwartz, Hadley Scott, Ruth Traut
¡3