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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (March 15, 2002)
J “»1 oul 11 wmmmammmmmmmmmm ITiïïTrTïwTTineu/s Continwed from Page 9 “sexual do’s and don’ts” to a phi losophy “that looks at the broader and more comprehensive picture of health in the gay community, recognizing that gay men are not going to make good decisiohs if they are not supported in their social and cultural environm ent.” Beardsley also served as chair man of the Gay Life Health N et work, which held a number o f racy forums designed to get men talking about safer sex. T h e infa mous events included Tunnel o f Love: The G reatest H ole on Earth, a frank discussion o f anal sex; O ral Fixation, a primer on blowjobs; and facilitated discus sions following performances of The (Bad) Boy Next Door, Tony Valenzuela s one-man show about barebacking. Between 200 and 400 men attended the forums, which Beards ley considers “pretty impressive.” Unfortunately, he says, Gay Life has disbanded because financial and manpower support were lacking. “1 think we did some really good stuff, and 1 believe that we Kip Beardsley is now the state A ID S director for Arizona were doing prevention efforts that He’ll be back in town about twice a month to nobody else was doing in Portland,” he says. see his partner, Matthew Nelson, Equity “Hopefully in the future another organization Foundation executive director. will pick that up.” “I miss the city and my friends there,” he Beardsley, 33, says he lived longer in Port says. “1 plan on staying connected to the com land than any other place in his life. But he munity in Portland." won’t have a chance to get to o homesick: RE/MAX R epo r t R anks O regon A mong B est S ta tes for Q u eer F am ilies T he rights and responsibilities granted to sexual minority families vary dramatically from state to state, county to county and often judge to judge— with no state providing equali ty under law, according to a new report released March 8 by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. In the year after the enactment of civil unions in Vermont, some courts and legislators began to engage in a new dialogue on the status of these families, and a few states have passed some limited new protections and benefits, according to The State o f the Family: Laws and Legislation Affecting Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Families. The report also shows just how vulnerable gay and lesbian families are without the security, benefits and protections afforded by civil marriage in U.S. society. “Gay and lesbian families are living on a fault line,” said Elizabeth Birch, HRC executive director. “Even the most expensive and careful ly crafted safety net leaves couples, parents and children vulnerable— and will continue to do so until the law catches up with the realities of the changing family.” The report ranks states on 14 indicators, including laws covering marriage, civil unions, domestic partnership, adoption, safe schools, discrimination, hate crimes and sodomy. It found that no state provides full equality to sex ual minority families. According to the report, the 12 places that scored the highest are the District of Columbia, Vermont, California, Connecticut, New Jersey, WENTWORTH SUBARU S ig n a t u r e P r o p e r t ie s ! Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Hampshire, Oregon and Washing ton. The lowest-scoring states were Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah and Virginia. “We applaud the fair-minded state legislators and judges who have recognized that all families deserve equal protection and call upon their col leagues nationwide to follow their lead,” said Seth Kilboum, HRC national field director. “As the report makes clear, however, we have a long road ahead of us as we strive to achieve civil marriage for gay and lesbian couples and establish some level of security— piece by piece— along the way.” Copies o f the report can be obtained by contactmg HRC FamilyNet at 202-628-4160 or familynet@hrc.org. J a ck so n R ec a ll E ffo r t A bo r t ed t appears Portland Public Schools board member Derry Jackson, who was the target of a recall effort after making anti-Semitic and anti-gay comments last year, will be staying in office until 2004. C hief petitioner Jeff Muir abandoned the campaign Feb. 28 because mon etary support fell far short of his $40,000 goal. “We are tremendously grateful for the efforts of the many citizens who have given their sig nature, time or money to help,” he wrote on the Internet site DumpDerry.org. “It is our sincere hope that our community continues to confront the issues that prompted our campaign.” JH I Compiled by JlM RA D O STA Injured? ...Call me COME IN FOR A NO HASSLE PRICE! Proudly serving our community since 1989 in personal injury claims including: • Auto & Motorcyle Accidents Hala Gores, P.C. Attorney at Law Free Consultation No Fee Unless You Recover Hip Alberta Arts! IF W ERE NOT THE CHEAPEST.. 3br, I bath bungalow oozing with charm! 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