COMMENTARY
1983
«J ay B rown
O riana G reen
population
publication for
F ounded
by
and
Vol. 18 No. 17
R enée L a C hance
July 6, 2001
FEATURE
SO FAR, 88 GOOD: The Rural Organizing Project
has been pulling together people from every comer
of Oregon for 10 years
P 26
NEWS
NORTHWEST • Cabin fever; elders rediscover the
great outdoors; counting queers
» 8-21
NATIONAL • Bronx advertisements removed
P* 22-23
WORLR • Berlin mayor comes out
pp 24-25
ENTERTAINMENT
BOOKS • Straight talk with David Sedaris
p 36
PEOPLE • Bridge operator stops traffic
p 39
FILM • Hollywood and the hills
p41
CULTURE • Dance hall days
p 43
DIVERSIONS • How does your garden grow?
p 45
CULTURE • Pride builds bridges
pp 46-47
SPORTS • Softball players vie for Cascade Cup
p 48
GROUPS • Amateur critics gab about cinema
p49
COLUMNS
MS. BEHAVIOR • Gold Star Lesbian seeks advice
p 35
SPECIAL
EATING OUT • Let someone else cook tonight
What if?
Thinking outside the rainbow-hued box
hat if we consider the unthinkable?
What if we suddenly veer away from tradition?
W
What if we cancel Pride celebrations in Portland
for the next three years and instead focus all that
blood, sweat and money (about $180,000 was spent
in the past three years) on buying our own building to house a much-
needed community center?
What if there was a permanent physical presence in Portland
for our community? Buildings confer credibility and stability on
organizations.
Instead of sending out a very narrow view of the queer community
when we make the 6 o’clock news every June, we could create a cen
tral place where all of our organizations could be represented: from
Brother to Brother to the Lesbian Community Project to Basic Rights
Oregon to the Portland Bisexual Alliance. Even the Lesbian Avengers
could have a room to call their own.
Pride proponents point out that the event offers young people and
the newly out an opportunity to learn about the many facets of our
community and a chance to feel “normal” rather than “other." But
what if there was a place where those same folks could go 365 days a
year to feel accepted and welcomed?
A place where they could easily learn about every existing social
and support group out there. A place where they could sign up to go
square dancing with Rosetown Ramblers or hiking with the Adventure
Group or fossil hunting with Lesbians Enjoying the Sciences.
What if our new center had a large multipurpose room for meetings,
dances, performances and even Flamingo Bingo? Activists always need
a space to spread out and make signs.
Money formerly shelled out renting other venues could remain
in our coffers. Perhaps we could even run a cafe on the premises to
stimulate some cash flow. There is no shortage of people in our
community with original ideas that could make this venture a self-
sustaining success.
This is not an attack on Pride Northwest. But this hardworking
group of volunteers toils year-round just to put on a two-day party
that really only a fraction of the queer community even attends.
Many older sexual minorities no longer find relevance in Pride cel
ebrations—especially in such a progressive city and county.
I lived in New York during the Stonewall era and marched in sever
al early parades there as well as later ones in San Francisco. During
those years it was very much about making political statements and
queer visibility.
But in the 21st century, in this part of Oregon at least, I have to
REFLECTIONS
believe that any straight people who want to know a homosexual
don’t have to look very far. We’re here, we’re queer, and everybody
is used to us.
We’ve assimilated in many ways. Portland Mayor Vera Katz,
Police Chief Mark Kroeker and City Commissioner Jim
Francesconi marched in this year’s parade, for heaven’s sake! And
although their show of support is heartily welcome, wouldn’t there
be plenty of other perhaps more meaningful opportunities for civic
leaders to prove their concern if we had a year-round venue for our
activities?
Sure, our Pride celebration draws folks from other parts of the
state where perhaps they still feel the need to be closeted and gives
them a fleeting glimpse of another way of life. But what if they
could attend queer events all year long in a building all our own?
What if they got inspired to create something similar in Eugene or
Corvallis?
It has always struck me as sad and ridiculous that the only town
in Oregon with such a center is Ashland. Kudos to them for found
ing the Abdill-Ellis Lambda Community Center, where myriad
activities are enjoyed.
What if having our own community center rallied people to
volunteer for causes they’d never considered before? What if, from
a solid base of operation, we could consider giving back to our larg
er community in a greater way? What if the Portland Gay Men’s
Chorus adopted a section of highway? (They could make especially
fetching T-shirts just to wear while collecting roadside trash.)
What if the Oregon Bears collected Toys for Tots at Christmas?
What if the Lesbian Garden Club went trick-or-treating for
UNICEF?
What if more people in the straight world viewed us as valuable,
contributing members of society?
What if the Oregon Citizens Alliance died out from a lack of interest?
What if we took some risks and made a Herculean effort for the
good of all of us?
What if you started to care again about your community?
What if, in another 25 years, we didn’t even need a community
center?
What if a safe haven like this saved just a few lives?
What if we all tried thinking outside the narrow boxes of our own
creation? jm
OR1ANA GREEN is the Entertainment Editor of Just Out and can be reached
at onana@justout.com.
ÌQ years ago in
pp 38-39
JUST FRIENDS • Free voice personal ads
p 50
just out i* published on the first and third
Friday of each month. Copyright © 2001 by Just Out.
No part of Just Out may he reproduced without written per
mission from the publisher.
The submission of written and graphic
material« 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 advertising deadline is the Monday
12 days before the next publication date.
Classified ads must be received at the Just Out 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 or via the Internet with Visa or MasterCard payment.
Ad policy: Just Out reserves the right tn reject or edit
any advertisement. Compensation for errors in, or cancella
tion of, advertising will be made with credit toward future
advertising. Advertising rates are available upon request.
Subscriptions are $17.50 for 12 issues. First Class (in
an envelope) is $30 for 12 issues.
Contact Just Out at P.O. Box 14400, Portland, OR
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.
Asian
actiwists
Cha«le«9e
doubl«
tnyt***
„»visibiW
• The 13th World Conference for the International
Lesbian and Gay Association, scheduled for
June 30 to July 6 in Guadalajara. Mexico, was
canceled June 12 after the mayor promised he
would have all the delegates arrested for
“ immoral behavior."
• AIDS and gay organizations May 30 called off
their yearlong boycott of Marlboro cigarettes,
Miller beer and Philip Morris, maker of the prod
ucts. The corporation promised to double its
annual charitable contributions to AIDS and gay
and lesbian organizations.
• Armed with a load of free cookies and various
handouts, Portlandia’s Pride successfully went
public June 12 in the Portland Building. It was a
coming-out party long to be remembered. After
meeting continuously for almost seven years,
the city of Portland and Multnomah County
gay and lesbian employee association held a
"Gay Day" in the lobby. Sexual minorities
I came out to fellow employees and let every
one know that. Indeed, “we are here."
• The sixth annual Tournament of Choice was held
Aug. 17 and 18 at North Clackamas Central Park in
Milwaukie. The Lesbian Community Project spon
sored teams from at least three states, including all
of the wonderful local dyke softball teams.
• Portland celebrated its first gay and lesbian sports
festival during Labor Day weekend Aug. 30 to
Sept. 1. Sponsored by the Pride of Portland Athletic
Association, the agenda included bowling, power lift
ing, swimming, running, tennis and volleyball.
• University of Oregon was under fire for refusing to
make a lesbian couple eligible for subsidized family
housing. The case was headed for the state Court of
Appeals.
• Ariel Waterwoman presented a "Communicating
with Animals" class July 6.
• City Nightclub presented It’s Zowie, Portland's only
post-industrial, alternative drag queen. July 27.
PUBLISH»AND MANAGING HNTOR • Marty Davis
ADVERTISING RffREBBTOinVEB • Markie Acevedo,
OFFICE MANAG» • Melissa Sayler
ENTEmAINMENT HNTOR • Oriana Green
Larry Lewis
INIEIN • Peter Zuckerman
COPY HNTOR • Jim Radosta
NATIONAL AOVOTISMG RffREBHUUinVE • Rivendell
UNTIUBUTDRS • Marc Acito, Richard Bray, Meryl
Marketing Company Inc., 212-242-6863
ART BMECTM« Rupert Kinnard
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR • Kevin Moore
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT • Melissa Sayler
Adams, Ed Carter,
Ian Drake, Rick Geiger, Kelly Keigwin,
Gaia Mather, Merid Schwartz, Boh Terry
Cohn, Timothy Krause, Christopher McQuain,
Tom Stevenson, Nancy Walseth, Rex Wockner
A0VBT1SMG BIRECTOR • Meg Grace
DISTRIBUTION • Jerilyn