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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (March 15, 2002)
15,2002 . - s ÿy V out M i UNIQUE] To be queer To the E ditor : PORTLAND ORE&ON Le Meitour Gallery ‘R eally Cool Stujf A fun collection of Antiques, G ifts A Home Furnishings ---------------------- - Northwest Native Landscaping Plants Return March 23rd! * * Open Tue-Sat10-6 Sundays 11-5 The only museum where you get to take the treasures home. 7814 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland • 503/246-3631 7872 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland Ü 5 0 3 / 2 A 6 -6 2 6 7 ” www. real ly - cool - stuf f . com p o f \ t h « Kid in all of* v i . . . -s m , 'a* ».» # •175 Ha ml made »>« Silks & Runners Natural « ....- & War Rugs Area Rugs Floor % ' n i * Coverings $ whimsical c a d s, qifcts. jew elry A art 76S0 SW Capitol Hwy / 503.244.7381 ~www.zingogallery.com-*' i W all Hang- iugs Marie in Afghanistan. Persia & Kazakhstan Fast West Oriental Rugs (503) 203-4330 7642 S.W. Capitol Hwy.. Portland 97210 ©lite jfattoríttó Antique Home Furnishings 7858 Capitol Highway (503) 293-5034 P h o n e : 5 0 3 / 2 4 6 -8 2 6 3 SMi) SW Capitol ll\\\ • Portland Untile Essentials in M n /ln n n iab Villane m + itsr ’ »• “* ■ t’s hard to decide—should 1 comment about Byron Beck and some other nontrans queer people who claim trans issues are irrelevant (or incomprehensible) to them? After all, as he said, what did you expect? In fact, should we expect more? Should we hope for a higher level of awareness about the bias and exclusion that await those of us who think (and identify, act, live and love) outside the cultural box? Should we expect all queer people to use their hearts, minds and consciences to envision and create a society in which every person has dignity and worth? Shouldn’t we just expect “mainstream” culture to expand its own values to accept us? Do we actually have to show them what that would lixik like in our own communi ty for them to get it? It’s hard work being out and queer in this cul ture, and it’s hard work being a person of con science in an unjust world. W hen do we get a break ? Don’t we get to draw our line of inclusion out just so far? Don’t we get to lixik down our noses at somebody? Don’t we get to admit we can he bigots, t ( X ) , and just leave it at that? Sure. G o ahead. Pretend the courage you found to he who you need to he, to love who you need to love, is mostly for folks who fit your defi nition. Pretend it doesn’t really apply to trans folks if you want. But remember, the very act of closing the dixir on each other robs us of the most precious gift our stniggles might have provided: the capacity to show compassion and support for the safety and dignity of others who really need it. Next time we demand this society and its institutions honor our human rights, we just can hide behind our own rationalizations about why we couldn’t do the same. Next time we feel threatened on the street or by a ballot measure, we can “go stealth” and pretend we’re just like everykxJy else, only just a little gay. Maybe they won’t notice us...or they can go after someone more visible or more queer instead.... Personally, 1 don’t think it’s going to work, hut I guess everykxly’s free to try. OK, doing so will he a capitulation to the Kinds of selfishness, fear and ignorance that are our real sham e.. .hut hey, what did you expect? L ori B uckw alter It’s Time, Oregon! Executive Director Prevention priority To the E ditor : vention. Mammography is only a detective device; it does not prevent cancer. Also, an increasing Nxly of research indicates mammography might not make a difference in mortality rates. More than 8.9 million people are living with cancer in the U nited States. O ne in two men and one in three women will develop some form of the disease in their lifetime. Despite years of research, there is still a lot we don’t know a k u it what is causing cancer. Hered itary factors only explain a small fraction of cases. Growing evidence, however, indicates vari ous environmental toxins are contributing to our high rates of cancer and other diseases. Although more research is needed, there is also enough evidence now encouraging us to decrease the use and production of pollutants to stop the increasing rates of cancer. We need to ask why these mainstream organizations are not doing research on pre ventable risk factors for cancer. O ne reason might he because of their funding. For example, Armand Hammer— the same company that brought us Love C anal— pays for the Komen Foundation’s headquarters in Texas. The founder of the Komen Foundation is married to N onnan Brinker, w'ho has been CEO for various fast fixxl corporations. Many compa nies that make breast cancer dnigs (and who help fund these corporations) also make pesticides and animal hormones. They also receive funding from mammography equipment manufacturers. 1 would like to suggest Ashling and your readers check out Breast Cancer Action of San Francisco, an advocacy organization that raises issues about environm ental risk factors and alternative forms of research. It has instituted a policy of not taking corporate contributions that might compromise its message. Its Internet site is www.bcaction.org. Support ing BCA truly would he a positive step toward eradicating the dreadful disease of breast cancer. G race M. H ague , M PH Portland Airing grievan ces To the E ditor : t appears prejudicial to gay men and lesbians for KGW-TV to have scheduled a Portland Trail Blazers telecast March 16 that cuts off the first half-hour of N BC’s The Matthew Shepard Story. KMTR-TV in Eugene has scheduled the entire two-hour movie at 9 p.m. Is N B C trying to hide The Matthew Shep- ard Story by first scheduling it for the same tim e as H B O ’s The Laramie Project, then by airing it Saturday night, w hich usually draws the fewest viewers? W hy has K G W cut this movie w hen it carefully shifts o th e r N BC shows th at are pre-em pted by Blazers games? Why did NBC give KGW permission to read with great interest your story about Krys tal Ashling (“Survival Story," March 1]. Although I applaud her resiliency from the loss of her children and her strong motivation to help other women, I also need to inform your readers ak u it the Avon Breast Cancer Walk. The fund-raiser is prixJuced by Palotta Team- Works, a private, for-profit company. Partici pants must contribute at least $1,900, and they j must have health insurance. 1 9 5 7 -2 0 0 2 The walks raise between $8 million and $12 million in each city. All of the expenses are taken ortland resident Fern Ridge died March 8. from the hinds contributed by the participants. She was 44. As a result, only between $4 million and $8 She was K un Aug. 6, 1957. She graduated million from each walk actually is distributed for from Portland State University with a bachelor’s breast cancer treatment. The programs b e n efi degree in fine arts. ted include those encouraging women to obtain Ridge worked as a professional bartender for mammography screening as well as research ak u it 25 years at several establishments, most efforts at selected hospitals. The money may not notably Virginia Cafe. She was known for he used for screening itself nor for innovative throwing Palm Sunday parties every year for research being done outside government-hacked more than 100 people. facilities that already have access to ample funds. A service will he held 1 p.m. March 24 at The Avon Foundation and the Susan G. W ilf’s Restaurant and Piano Bar, 800 N.W. Komen Breast Cancer Fixjndation fix;us their Sixth Ave. For more information call Steven N iefat 503-281-5759. efforts primarily on detection instead of on pre- I tr c ir is itio n s Fern Ridge, P
