o d o h f 19, 9001 »
ju s t ill I ■
COMMENTARY
JÊ Ê The IN publication for the OUT population
F ounded 1983 • J ay B rown and R enée L a C hance
Vol. 18 No. 24
October 19, 2001
FEATURE
ME YOU ROOM B0RE9T: Here’s some interior
decorating advice for the style-challenged
9 27
NEWS
NORTHWEST • Lesbian police officer
accuses bureau o f sex discrimination;
meet Harriet Merrick o f Basic Rights Oregon;
a history lesson about a true trailblazer
99 0 - 1 7
NATIONAL • A picture is worth a thousand
words; Californians gain domestic partner
benefits
99 1 9 - 2 1 , 25
WORLR • Desmond Tutu issues apology
PP 2 2 - 2 3
ENTERTAINMENT
ART
For Patricia Millar, art is looking up
9 37
MOSIC • 0 0 gay men get one new face
9
37
FILM • Our picks for guy flicks
p
41
COUVRE • Celebrating the body electric
9 43
FILM • Applause for Sensory Perceptions
P 44
TREATER • Suzanne Westenhoefer is a funny
lady
p 45 ’
COUVRE • ’Tis the season to crown new
monarchs
9 47
RIVERSIONS • Spooky doings are afoot;
bloomin’ art and music galore
p 49
COLUMNS
M S. RERAVIOR • Looking for love in all the far
places
p 35
LESRIAN COMMONITY PROJECT • A time to heal
How do you spell relief?
Tough economic times require smart spending decisions
Sept. 11 terrorist attacks have affected all o f us in
Oregon officially has been declared to be in a recession. W ith an
unemployment rate at 6 percent and rising, the effect o f a slow economy
different ways. For me, the uncontrollable urge o f need-
is or soon will start to be felt by all of us.
ing-to-know has altered my m orning ritual. Now, upon
awakening, the first thing I do is fumble for the rem ote,
Just because you’re not a laid-off Freightliner worker doesn’t mean
J L
usually warm and toasty under the dog, and click on the
you’re not going to be affected. People who lose jobs don’t go out to
dinner, don’t buy big-ticket items and don’t waste money on non-essen
television. If I see a com m ercial or Katie C ouric, th en 1 know the
tials. T heir spending comes to a halt.
world didn’t end overnight. If I awake to Tom Brokaw, it’s likely to
be a bad day.
T he next person laid off will be a waiter or a retail clerk who will
O n e recent morning I woke to the blurry image of a gaunt, starv
join the former Freightliner worker in the unemployment line. T h e next
ing Afghani woman. But then as my eyes focused and my hearing
business that shuts down will belong to a struggling entrepreneur, and
again more jobs will be lost.
kicked in, I realized it was actually Maria Shriver reporting live from
the N B C studios. I truly don’t mean to be harsh, but Mrs. C onan
W h en neighborhood businesses close down and retail areas
becom e devalued, residential real estate properties soon follow. By
manages to make the refugees look hale and hearty. Shouldn’t some
investing in your local m erchants you not
one arrange for the government to drop a cou
ple o f extra relief food packages on the Kennedy
only are helping save job s, you also are keep
A recession, terrorism
compound? In times o f crisis, charity begins at
ing com m unities vital and preserving th eir
home. Am ericans obviously are starving in
integrity.
an d the start o f the dreary g ra y
Hyannis Port, Mass.
Is saving a few dollars by shopping at giant
My take on the country’s current m ental
warehouse
stores really that important? W ill you
rainy season is bound
be
able
to
gamer
long-term value from those dol
state is th at we rapidly are moving out o f the
to
get
everyone
down
warm-and-fuzzy “one nation united” stage and
lars or cents saved, or will they com e back to
in to the freaking-out “oh my G od, it’s anthrax”
bite you in the butt?
a t some point o r another
phase. It’s clear to me th at these new behaviors
T o bring a stop to this cycle we’ve got to
are dangerous and unnecessary and that as a
provide econ om ic support for each other.
T hose who have m oney must m ake wise ch o ices about where to
n ation we now are playing right into scripted roles. T hese fears and
alarms are potentially far more dangerous than the actual disease.
spend it.
Looking back at earlier troubling times in our history, le t’s not
T h e impact o f your dollars is far greater than you m ight think. It is
ignore the leader who noted, “T h e only thing we have to fear is fear
imperative that we support gay- and lesbian-owned business and
itself.”
other independents who’ve been supportive o f our com m unity and
our struggles.
W hile the world works to regain solid footing and moves further into
military attack mode, gay men and lesbians must stay diligent and aware
A recession, terrorism and the start o f the dreary gray rainy season is
of front-line attacks within our nation from the ever-present anti-gay
bound to get everyone down at some point or another. W h en this hap
extremists. Nov. 6 is Election Day in many states, and voters will find at
pens to you please get out, join your friends and community and have
least four pivotal initiatives placed before them.
some good old fun.
W ith the absurd yet heinous words o f Jerry Falwell and his ilk
Social events for and by gay m en and lesbians abound in our
lingering in the back o f people’s minds, now unfortunately is an
area. Take advantage o f th e positive energy th at is being put out by
opportune tim e for our own A m erican Taliban to make advances
the likes o f the Rosetow n R am blers w ith th eir dances and roller
because o f distracted or simply absent voters. W h ile we individually
skating events. Listen to music at T ouch stone; hang out at 3 Friends
c a n ’t vote in M ichigan or Texas, we must stay alert to w hat’s going
or Crush.
on here at hom e and not allow sneak attacks while politicians strug
G o bowling, play volleyball, and, oh yeah, com e to the Just Out S in
gle with budgets, bailouts, shortfalls, unemploym ent and myriad
gles Halloween Party. W e are going to have a great time, and we’d like
you to join us. j n
concerns resulting from terrorism.
O n a more personal note, we’ve also got to take care o f our
selves— and each other. W e need to com e together as a community—
The J ust O u t S ingles H alloween P arty urill feature a costume
contest, prizes galore and free sushi from 6 :3 0 to 9 p.m . O ct. 31
a com m unity held together by econom ic goals, cultural sameness as
at Dragonfish, 909 S.W . Park Ave.
well as cultural diversity and that ephemeral, elusive “tie that binds.”
p 39
THE COSPEL ACC0RRIN6 TO MARC • Step aside,
Martha, Fag Sway is here
p 50
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