COM M ENTARY
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 . 9
and
R enee L a C hance
M arch 1, 2 0 0 2
FEATURE
VIN1AGE VOICES: Portland Gay Men's Chorus
salutes seniors
P
24
NE WS
NORTHWEST • Lesbian mom walks for a cause
pp 6-19
NATIONAL • Alabama judge condemns gays
pp
2 0 -2 1
WORLD • Gay priest defrocked in Spain
PP 22-23
CULTURE
SPORTS • Zen running
P 35
ROOKS • Biography profiles early queer feminist
P 36
MUSIC • Lesbian icons Chris Williamson
and Holly Near play Aladdin
P 37
FILM • New documentary proves Harry Hay
is a living treasure
P 39
THEATER • Angels in America still timely in look
at U.S. cultural conflicts
p41
DIVERSIONS • Change s in arts organization
leaderships; Yvonne Rainer film at Four Wall;
gay author takes shrewd look at family;
landscape photography at B & N; Team Oregon
Down Under; International Women’s Day;
Rosie coming out?; Matthew Shepard movies;
good or insidious?
pp 42-43
COLUMNS
THE COSPEL ACCORDING TO MARC • The old
guys are all right
p 44
MS. REHAVIOR • White clad seductress; alone
and pouty in bed
p 45
SPECIAL
EATING OUT • Let someone else cook tonight
pp 40-41
JUST FRIENDS • Free voice personal ads
pp 45-46
Judgment day
Lon, protect me from your followers
Thus said, I’m now going to do so anyway. I take serious exception to
was privileged to have been able to claw and elbow my way into
the accusatory question put forth hy Max Horn in a letter published in
the Feb. 20 Multnomah County Courthouse hearing that ended
this issue.
with Lon Mahon being hauled off in handcuffs. This was a
And let me tell you all here and now: What follows is the much-
remarkable experience.
edited version of my response to his query— a self-edited version,
It was my first time seeing the real, live, actual Lon Mahon up
mind you. My initial thoughts poured down this page like a river-
close and personal. Although he isn’t at all remarkable in his demeanor,
bank after a cloudburst in August. Here now comes the toned-down,
one can’t help hut notice his pack of followers. To he polite, they appear
semiprofessional
version.
to he a very, um, “colorful” hunch.
Is that description less polite than “well-funded sodomites?” That’s
D ear M r . H orn :
how they fondly refer to us.
Thank you for your inquiry regarding Just Out’s coverage of the
I left that courtroom feeling the Oregon Citizens Alliance was less to
Damon Woodcock story. As you no doubt know, this series of events has
he feared as a political nemesis hut far more to he concerned about as a
been going on for several years now.
religious cult. The people in that room appear more interested in the
And as time goes on, so does the complexity of the issues involved
tenets of Scripture than they do in upholding the constitution and
in WtxxJcock’s “saga.” Willamette Week did an excellent job of providing
enacting legislation. But they are followers and Mahon is a leader prey
coverage of his travails.
ing on religious fervor, and these people are not to he
But please note: Woodcock deliberately chose
taken lightly.
Bonnie Mabon, in her own
that paper to tell his story. By bypassing the gay press,
Bonnie Mahon, in her own right, is one tough
right, is one tough cookie. would that then make him “gayphobic” ?
cookie. Although she has perfected her “stand hy
Should you be so interested, please note also Just
your man" routine, I have no doubt this woman is
Although she has perfected
Out has a total editorial staff of two people. We do
capable of perpetuating some serious trouble all on
her "stand by your m an" not have a news reporter.
her own.
What I have is one damn fine employee, Jim
She’s tough, she’s controlled, and she’s pissed. She
routine,
I
have
no
doubt
Radosta, who acts as News Editor/Reporter/Copy
also apparently was not willing to join her husband in
martyrdom and has avoided serving actual jail time.
this woman is capable o f Editor. He does a fine job of providing coverage of
area activities.
That’s too bad now, isn’t it?
perpetuating some serious
Will we always be all things to all people? Hell no.
Would
I love to have a reporter? You bet.
n the housecleaning department, Roma Virginia
tiO u b ld dll OH tlBT OWil
But guess what? Working part time for the gay and
Hanvey is taking issue with an item about the Les
lesbian press is not a big draw to freshly graduated journalism students
bian Community Project that appeared in the Feb. 1 issue. She disagrees
with a degree in one hand and a bucket of student loaas in the other.
with my perception of the events as described in the newshrief.
Try as we might, Just Out now and then falls prey to time, budget
I am standing hy the account but do acknowledge one error. During
and staffing restraints. Combine these elements with the fact that
the latter part of January, I was the recipient of many, many e-mails and
WotxJcock has not talked once to us “on the record” up to and includ
even one handwritten fax from Hanvey and fellow activist Judith
ing the day the settlement was approved, and you have the true reason
Applegate— missives in which they clearly identified themselves as “the
for the limited yet adequate coverage his story received.
real LCP.”
Granted, this scenario is not nearly as provocative, inflammatory,
However, in the “unauthorized”— and I stand by my usage of that
self-serving, inaccurate, hostile and incorrect as your accusations of
word— letter that they mailed to the general LCP membership, they did
transphobia and fear of the police bureau, but you know, that’s just the
not use the words “the real LCP" in reference to themselves or their
way it is. Have a good day, and we hope you continue reading.
cause. They later claimed their usage of “the real LCP" in communicat
ing with me was meant to be tongue-in-cheek.
n the last bit of unfinished business, work is progressing on organizing gay,
The lesson here, ladies: Be careful where you stick your tongues-in-
lesbian, bi and trans day at the Oregon Ftxxl Bank. Thanks to all of you
cheek. As will 1.
who expressed interest. I should have some real details by the next issue.
It’s also time to be thinking about the second annual Just Out Ama
s a mle, I don’t specifically address statements made in letters to the
teur
Photography Contest, and during the next few months you’ll be
editor. This is a fomm that is provided to our readers as a means for
them express their opinions, and it’s not intended as a place for me to hearing a lot from me about the Creating Change conference coming to
town in November. There’s a lot going on around here. Stay tuned. JH
square off in argument.
1
I
A
REFLECTIONS
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ot Jn.it Out nwy lx- reproduced without written permission from
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•
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In memory of
Daniel Pearl
1963— 2002
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