January 4*20 0 2 ■
COMMENTARY
by
M a r t y D a v is
The IN publication for the OUT population
F ounded
1983
• J ay B rown
Vol. 19 N o . 5
and
R enée L a C hance
Ja n u a ry 4 , 2 0 0 2
FEATURE
WHAT'S IN YOUR S1ARST: Meet some wizards
(and one saint) who could tell you
p 22
NEWS
NORTHWEST • Lesbian mom wants to protect
students; minister and partner celebrate
holy union; campus coalition formed
PP 7 - 1 7
NATIONAL • Shame on Winn-Dixie;
Larry Kramer gets a new liver
pp 1 8 - 1 9
WORLD • Irish, British cops open their minds
pp
2 0 -2 1
CULTURE
MUSIC • Singer/guitarist Ajay loves music—
and Portland
32
BOOKS • Gay intellectual Edmund White talks
about predecessors Marcel Proust and Jean Genet
p 33
MUSIC • Six strings and a dream;
Richard Colombo makes beautiful music
p 34
FILM • See what you've been missing
p 37
BOOKS • Rebecca Walker, daughter of Alice,
is investing in new memories and coming
to Portland to chat about it
p 39
DIVERSIONS • Blackout Leather wants you; learn
ASL at LCP; award nominees golden and gay
P
P
41
COLUMNS
MS. BEHAVIOR • She comes on too strong;
he doesn’t come on strong enough
p 31
THE 608PEL ACCORDING TO MARC • He’s still
not famous
P
New year's resolutions
Just Out remains committed to excellence
elcome, 2002. For many of us, 2001 seemed to be the
year that would never end. But end it did, and now
we have a fresh new year with which to make new
plans, set new goals and make another run at it.
A t Just Out we are excited about the prospects
the new year holds. We recognize that the economy is in a slump
and that many o f our advertisers, readers and business partners are
hurting as a result. Knowing this, we are taking steps to ensure Just
Out continues to provide excellent economic value for our business
partners and the finest content for our readers.
O n the business end, I am committed to holding our ad rates
firm, with no increase in costs through at least the
second quarter of 2002— and longer if possible. We
value our advertisers, realize they all have choices as
to where they spend their money and are intent on
providing the highest value for their dollars.
O n another positive note, in addition to holding
Just Out
costs steady we are poised to increase our distribu
tion, especially throughout the core downtown Port
land area. Because of the untimely demise of another
local paper, we have acquired a supply of bright blue
plastic newspaper racks. For the first time in our 19-
year history, Just Out will he available at selected outdoor locations.
Unfortunately, this type of increased visibility brings with it the
potential for theft, vandalism and misuse of the papers. On this
note 1 am deputizing all of you and asking you to watch over our
new outdoor racks. If you see anyone messing with our papers, please
feel free to deal with them in any manner considered appropriate—
at all times, of course, staying within pre-Ashcroft constitutional
guidelines.
A long with price freezing and increased circulation comes a
renewed commitment to maintaining and continually improving the
quality of the writing in Just Out. One goal we have established is to
provide more consistent and detailed coverage of sports groups and
events within our community. Considering all o f the people who are
howling, hatting, skating, volleying, cruising, hiking, canoeing,
cycling, serving and cueing up, I think we can surely find plenty to
write about. If you have ideas about sports coverage, please contact
Culture Editor Lisa Bradshaw at lisa@justout.com.
Finally, to keep us focused on our main product 1 have decided to
discontinue publication of the Just Out Pocketbcxik. For 15 years it filled
a marketing niche and was a valuable resource to the community.
The phone numbers and directory information contained within
For the first time in
our 19-year history,
will be
available at selected
outdoor locations
42
SPECIAL
D C d
i * D T l
M ■ d**
mmmmm
EATING OUT • Let someone else cook tonight
pp 35-36
NIGHTSPOTS • Gay-friendly hangouts
P
the Pocketbook live on in the OutReach section of every issue, and
virtually all of those who advertised in it can he found in the twice-
monthly pages of Just Out. Business owners have higher expectations
of the product in which they place their ads, and directories are
becoming an increasingly passive tool in a rapidly aggressive and
technologically advancing market.
Our commitment to Just Out business partners is to surround
their ads with superior writing and fresh content and to provide a
readership that is automatically exposed to their messages. Directo
ries no longer keep pace with their needs, and we recognize and
accept the necessity for change to remain competitive.
Energy that went into the Pocketbook will he bet
ter served by promoting Just Out and eventually
establishing an increased Internet presence. So,
with some sadness— and, yes, some relief— we say
goodbye to the Just Out Pocketbook.
Aside from advertising and content, Just Out
renews annually its pledge to be a force in the
community by sponsoring activities and again
forming partnerships with organizations. U nder
standably, we never will he all things to all people,
hut we are dedicated to establishing and preserving
a sense o f cohesiveness for our gay, lesbian, hi and trans readers.
Partnerships o f all types form bonds that strength the fiber of the
entire community.
One of my favorite goals is to become “matchmaker diva” for all
of our single readers. The Just Friends Voice Personal A ds have
shown good growth in the three years since their inception, hut we
always, always, always need more.
So again for 2002 I will continue to schedule singles parties. They’re
a great way to meet people, have fun and help Just Out all at the same
time.
In our Jan. 18 issue look for details on the next party. I don’t know
the when and where yet, hut 1 can tell you it will he centered around
everyone’s favorite February holiday, that all-American day of joy and
laughter for singles everywhere.
Yup, you guessed it, we’re having a President’s Day Singles Party.
Who needs Cupid when we’ve got the likes of Millard Fillmore, James
K. Polk and Grover Cleveland?
Yes, Oregon is in a business recession, the nation is at war, and AIDS
still has no cure. While waiting for the solutions to all of these prob
lems, you can count on Just Out to be there for you. We have been for
more than 18 years— and we will be for many more. J H
The first Russian gay biker club has formed,
reports Out of Pittsburgh. The eight members of
Cossacks M C wear studded leather jackets,
tight jeans and high-top biker boots. But there's
a problem; The group has only one motorcycle,
a vintage W orld W ar II Harley Davidson, for
which they have no battery.
42
Ju s t ou t ii pu b lish ed on the f i n i a n d th ird F ri
d ay o f each m onth. G ipyright © 2002 hy Just Out. N o part
o f Just Out truly he reproduced without written permission from
the publisher.
The su b m issio n o f w ritten an d g rap h ic m ateri
a ls is w elcom ed. Written material should he typed and dou-
hle-spaced. Just ( 'hit reserves the right to edit tor grammar, punc
tuation, 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 he limited to 500 words. A n
nouncements regarding life transitions (births, deaths, unions,
etc.) should he limited to 200 words; photos are welcome. D ead
line for su b m issio n s to the editorial department and for the
C alen d ar IS the Thursday 15 days before the next publication
date. Views expresses! in letters to the editor, columns ami features
are not necessanly those of the publisher.
The d isp la y a d v e rtisin g de ad lin e is the Monday 12
days before the next publication date.
C lassified a d s must be receives) at the Just Out office by 4
p.m. on the Thursday eight days before the next publication date,
along with payment. Ails may be placed by telephone or via the
Internet with Visa or MasterCard payment.
Ad policy: lust Out reserves the nght to reject or edit any
advertisement. Compensation for errors in, or cancellation of,
.klvertising will be made with credit toward future advertising.
Advertising rates are available upon request.
D istribution policy: lust Out is available free of charge, one
copy per person. Just Out is delivered only to authorized distribu
tors. No person may, without prior written permission from Just
Out, take finite than one copy. Any person who takes unite than
one copy may be held liable for theft, including but not limited to
civil damages and/or criminal pn»edition.
S u b scrip tio n s are $22.50 for 12 issues. First Class (in an
envelope) is $40 for 12 issues.
C ontact Just Out at P.O. Box 14400, Portland, O R
97295-0400; 503-2)6-1252, advertising 503-2)6-125),
fax
503-2)6-1257; e-mail |ustoutD|ustout.com. Visit our Internet site
at www.)ustout.com.
• The U .S. military's ban on gays is proper
because gays get AIDS and because gay and
lesbian soldiers would view straight soldiers as
"sexual objects," a federal judge ruled Dec. 9.
The odd ruling came in the widely publicized
case of Midshipman Joseph Steffan, who was
forced to resign from the U.S. Naval Acade
my in 1987 after acknowledging he is gay
Republican presidential candidate David
Duke, the ex-Ku Klux Klansman and failed
candidate for Louisiana governor, says that
“the gay lifestyle" is bad for the United
States and that he's tired of seeing it pro
moted in the media.
• Oberlin CoHege in Ohio has become the
first college ever to sponsor a reunion of
gay, lesbian and bisexual graduates. Musica Femina. a
duo from Portland, was part of the official entertain
ment for the event. Flutist Kristan Aspen is a 1970
graduate of Oberlin.
• The Portland chapter o f the Salvation Army was
bombarded with phone calls protesting its alleged
support of the Oregon Citizens Alliance’s anti-gay
ballot initiatives. It received so much response, it
issued a press release denying the charge.
• Q ueer Nation members held a protest Dec. 15 at
Portland's Foursquare Church. Nearly 20 demonstra
tors wore pink gags around their mouths and
donned pro-gay and anti-Oregon Citizens Alliance
stickers as they sat in the front rows during Sunday
morning services. They w ere protesting the church's
connections to the OCA.
• Pomo A fro Homos (P ost-M odem African A m eri
can Hom osexuals) will be in Portland and Eugene
with their show Fierce Love: S tories from Black
G ay Life.
• Bridges, Portland's lesbian and gay choral ensem
ble. will perform the musical revue M yth America,
which honors and pokes fun at the mythical aspects
of gay and lesbian culture in the United States.
PUBLISHER AND MANAGING EDITOR • Marty Davis
Rex Wockner
PR00UCTNM ASSISTANT • Melissa Sayler
NEWS EDITOR « J i m Radosta
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR • Meg Grace
OFFICE M ANAGER • Melissa Sayler
CULTURE EDITOR • Lisa Bradshaw
ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES • Markie Acevedo.
OISTRIOVTION • Ian Drake, Rick Geiger,
CONTRMOTORS • Marc Acito, Meryl Cohn,
Larry Lewis
Oriana Green, Heather Hyharger, Andy Mangels,
Christopher McQuain, Andrew Preis,
Hadley Scott, Tom Stevenson, Jack Turteltauh,
NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE • Rivendell
Kelly Keigwin, Bonita Mattinson,
Merid Schwartz, Becky Warner,
Melissa Weigand, Carla Wright
Marketing Company Inc., 212-242-6863
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR • Kevin Moore