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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 7, 2001)
Ej33»J3 out September 7.2001 ' J m s I and hetero as we spend our lives trying to under stand ourselves. 1 have com passionate feelings for Ellen DeGeneres and A nne Heche. N one of us has the power to make another person change from hetero to homo; it’s like trying to change eye color. The code o f life controls who we are. Can we perform sexually as a homo and het ero? Obviously. 1 wager that when Heche realized she was incapable of being a lesbian, the separation couldn’t be stopped no matter how deeply they loved each other. I’ve backed off ffom judging anybody in their painful journeys to know themselves. I wish DeGeneres and Heche the best in their search for the loves of their dreams. Because of their public standing, their dignity has been assaulted and their privacy as two con sensual adults violated. It’s none of our business. And so it is with me. lead Just Out readers by engaging in a selec tive reading o f the words 1 used to criticize the Rural Organizing Project as undemocratic. In an attempt to prove I’m wrong to write that “ individuals as such aren’t permitted to join and vote {my emphasis),” Danger claims to be a member. Check the bylaws, Jack— Article VI, S ec tion I, titled “Supporting and Individual Memberships,” clearly states: “A suggested donation category will be set by the board from time to time for supporting and individ ual memberships. There are no voting rights Imy emphasis again] or benefits that accompany such memberships.” If Danger’s disingenuous contortion of plain English is any indication of the rest of ROP’s dis enfranchised "membership,” it’s no wonder the organization claims to support “the values of democracy” and “build statewide power for democracy” but won’t walk its talk. in the first-ever nationwide gay billiards tour nament. These and so many other sporting groups have a story to tell about the thrill of living. Tell us about the G LB T bowling groups and darts groups. Tell us about the Adventure Group for gay hikers. Tell us about other G L B T sport ing groups in the Willamette Valley and south ern Oregon. You recently told us about Team Oregon, which will attend the 2002 Gay Games in Syd ney. But tell us more, about the athletes and their events: swimming, track, field, bicycling. And many of these sporting groups raise money for local charities, thus strengthening a sense of community. The rise of G LB T sporting groups exempli fies a growing, maturing, dynamic G L B T com munity exploring its own talents and offering them to the wider world. Use your network of free-lance writers to capture this rising spirit of joy! EVKY SINGLE BOOK OF GAY ERG ICft ALWAYS ii STOCK! <@> Black. John Healy photographs black men like no one since Mapplethorpe. 4 stars! $43. OiE&The Queen is Dead. Two military chasers share bawdy notes, true stories, etc. $14.95. < © > Bikini.com Boys. Surfers, beach bums, jocks on spring break—they’re all here! $20. DOWNTOWN @ 9 2 7 SW OAK • 2 2 6 - 8 1 4 1 M argaret D eirdre O ’H artigan R on R asmussen J r . Portland F anchon B lake Vancouver, Wash. Eugene Sporting chance Walk the talk T o the E ditor : T o the E ditor : ’m sorry to hear Jack Danger has concluded— with regard to my writing— “ If she’s against it, I’m for it” [“Frontier and Center,” Aug. 3J. I guess that means he supports housing discrimi nation against transsexuals younger than 25 as well as allowing military recruiters back in Port land’s public schools, to cite a few issues I’ve written about in the past year. Danger apparently also is willing to mis- H ere’s a request: Just Out needs a regular sports column in every issue of the paper. Here’s why: In the past few years, the Northwest has witnessed a steady increase in G L B T sporting groups and events, only some o f which get covered in Just Out. T his summer, the Rose City Softball Asso ciation played host to the Cascade Cup tour nament with teams from around the region. Earlier this year, the Portland Lambda Pool League traveled to San Francisco to compete Support system T o the E ditor : E xcellent article about supporting those places that support you— and us (“Caught in the Cross Fire,” Aug. 17]. It would be most help ful if you would print a page of businesses that allow Just Out to be distributed. Also a list of places that have evicted us. Only then can we indeed know who to support. S competitive, they must eliminate barriers to hir ing and keeping the best people. I would patron ize a business that markets to the gay communi ty simply because they present us in a positive light. S andra S tewart Portland • • • Portland IWention tfiis ad ffor 10% discount Ceinen n, Mexico - Exclusive fiSXXp Week - Club Med Village JV or 3-10 , from $ kJ X t Q / Q »»*> l / Includes accommodations, 3 meals daily, wine & beer with lunch/dinner, gratuities, most sports, theme parties. Subject to availability. T ina C onover I R ob A dams Tigard L yle M . T ucker Lake Oswego But at the risk of sounding too cynical, I’d like to think I lean more on the side of thinking that maybe it really is starting to soften up out there. Companies are realizing we’re good con sumers, too, who want the same things everyone else does— but with more fashion, color, taste and style, of course! (Definitely said tongue in cheek., .hmm .. .maybe.) Vancouver, Wash. feel the mainstream companies are seeing lavender dollars. But is that all bad? They support local events. In return, all they ask is for a mutual support of their products. When we choose to “buy” or “not to buy,” we cast a cast a vote of “yes" or “no” to what prod ucts or services they offer. Until then, be thank ful the gay community has been vocal enough even to be recognized as a “niche." Hardware Pet Food & Supplies Gardening Tools & Supplies Down-to-Earth Products U-Haul Trailers & Trucks 10920 NW St. Helens Road (503) 286-1291/Fax: (503) 286-9592 C harlotte K emp Qay niche marketing: Does it signal growing acceptance by mainstream companies , or are they just seeing lavender dollar signs? Are we being supported, or are we being manipulated? upported or manipulated, it’s better than being told that we are not welcome, it seems to me. Whether it is because of acceptance of homosexuality and alternative “sexual lifestyles” or just a desire to get my “lavender dollars,” I’d rather spend my money at commercial estab lishments that give some evidence of wanting my business than at places such as Macheezmo Mouse, Taco Del Mar, Starbucks and Wal-Mart (see, I read the Aug. 17 Just Out!) that clearly are not welcoming to G L B T customers. And I let businesses know why I patronize or avoid them when deciding where to take my bucks. I have contacted the businesses that were reported to be unwelcoming to the G LB T com munity in the last issue to tell them I will take my “lavender dollars” elsewhere! I also sent a message of appreciation to Beaulieu Vineyards for becoming a corporate underwriter of the In the Life television series on PBS. • • • • • • • • LLOYD TRAVEL 1026 N E M u ltn o m a h N iche marketing is a clear indicator that gays and lesbians are being viewed as a powerful demographic sector of society. Organi zations like Netflix— which recently added a “Gay and Lesbian” genre among others such as “Romance” and “Action/Adventure”— obvi ously acknowledge the strength and existence of our community. Being seen as an economically powerful community is a very prominent step toward across-the-board acceptance. 503 288-5145 - Mon. - Fri. 8:30 am - 5:30 pm Sat. 10 am - 3 pm • • • • • • T he goal of most businesses is profit, not social change. Marketing to the queer com munity is purely a dollars-and-cents decision: We’re believed to have money; they want it. It is evidence that pragmatism, not prejudice (e.g., Cracker Barrel), is the driving force behind a company’s actions. For signs of acceptance, I’d look for the words “sexual orientation” in a company’s nondiscrimination policy. Even that is not nec essarily an affirmation of a gay lifestyle. It’s usu ally there because companies believe that to be P aul P ratt S eems like I’ve read enough articles about how “affluent" we gays and lesbians are all supposed to be. Well then of course companies that are in it for the big bucks are going to go after the lavender dollars, because there’s sup posed to be so much of it O n the flip side are the companies that give the appearance of being more accepting and go after our business as well as those that wouldn’t touch our dollars for “nuttin’ if we knows we doin’ bizness with folk ffom the homa-sex-wal population!” (That last part of the sentence is said in what’s called "redneck" speak.) Mournom View, Cakf. N EXT ISSUE: The Qay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation protests a stoner comedy and a 1970s game show. (See Page 2 3 .) Is political correctness going overboard? Respond at www.justout.com. (D on't forget to include your name, city and daytime telephone number.) www.pupsandcups.com 503-493-4000 4 5 1 6 N.E. 42nd Avenue (42nd & Prescott)
