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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 2, 2002)
augual2.2QQ2 - nriTîTTTPÎÏÏ3!Tïneu;s hen Aquene and Laura Am- arys brought their son home in 1997, they didn’t know any other queers with kids. So a few months later Aquene did something about Rainbow Rascals, a resource group for Lane County gay men and lesbians with babies and toddlers. Only one other family attended the first meeting. Since then, that number has grown to 20. And the kids have grown up, too, with some now as old as 7. Rainbow Rascals offers fun activities for gay and lesbian parents and their children. It wel comes new members who have kids by birth, make a family through adoption, are new to the area or just are in search of support. Two years ago five Rainbow Rascals families began holding annual campouts up the McKen zie River. This year they reserved seven camp sites at Honeyman State Park on the Oregon coast for Libor Day weekend. “In 2000 I know my family got the Sleepless Nights Award, as we brought our 9-month-old daughter, Indigo,” Aquene reflects. ‘TmTiappy to say in 2001 we passed that award to a family from Jefferson who had an even younger baby.” The goal of Rainbow Rascals is to create com monalty and opportunity. Children run and play with other families that look like theirs, and adults talk about topics ranging from potty training hints to finding schools. Participants share baby-sitting duties with one another and bring potluck dishes for parents with new babies or when someone is ill. “I think the kids themselves look forward to the group even more than the parents do these days,” Aquene explains. “We form extended family that, for many of us, is lacking.” W T he L ittle R ascals he doesn’t. Rainbow Rascals provides support for parents and children in just this kind of situation. Olson has been out for three years without encountering conflicts as a queer parent, other Queer parents come together for fun and support by Susan Detroy than family concerns about what kind of teasing it: She created Jesse and Dylan, 6 and 3, might face from class As of yet, no gay mates. She thinks it is helpful that talk men with small chil show host Rosie O’Donnell finally came dren have joined the out of the closet this year to fight Florida’s gay adoption ban. group. But if any need support, members agree “This is probably the first opportuni they are welcome. ty that some of her fans have had to Kim Olson, a Salem know a gay parent,” Olson says. “Once it becomes someone you know and love, it mother of two boys who travels to the Eugene makes a big difference.” Aquene— who hopes to get a group meetings, started a Rain started in Lane County for kids between 7 bow Rascals group in and 11 years old-^-thinks O ’Donnell’s high May for Oregon’s capital visibility only can help because she is well city. She wanted to bring the same energy and liked, showing that good parenting has nothing to do with sexuality. She says this support to parents where reinforces that family is about love, nurtur she lived. ing, communicating, interacting, creating O lson points to a stable home and being there for children. one difference: “We “Rosie has been a great example and feel that if someone has shown this to the public eye, and I who has older kids think it’s awesome that she finally came wants to come, they out,” Aquene says. “And not only did are more than wel she come out, but she came out with a com e.” T he first gath Rainbow Rascals participants say Rosie O ’Donnell has helped put a familiar ering drew five wom face on queer parenting cause. j n en and seven children R ainbow R a sca ls meets from 10 a.m . to noon between 15 months and 7 years old. Howard says. “Our family and neighbors knew on the second Saturday o f every month in Eugene. us as a couple long before we had children, and Michelle Howard-Popple and Ereena they have all been very supportive.” To join call 5 4 1 '3 4 4 -5 8 4 7 . C ontact the Salem Howard, a 20-year Salem couple with three children, attend both groups. Although many This year the Howard-Popple family had its group at 5 0 3 -581-5102 or kimolson 1 @ queer parents face a number of challenges, they first contact with the Salem-Keizer School Dis hotmail.com. For more information visit the Internet site wuAV.rainbowrascals.org. trict. The response was positive. consider themselves fortunate. One dilemma came when their 6-year-old boy “We haven’t had any negative response to realized all of his friends and cousins have a dad and SUSAN D etroy is a Eugene free-lance writer. our being a lesbian couple with children," YOUR WILLAMETTE VALLEY FAMILY REAL ESTATE CONNECTION GWWamette I su p p o r t GALA c h o r u se s! (\yaiiey Contact Clark to list your upcoming GALA C h o ru s E ven t (Free public service provided by Clark) CLARK HOUSE Sales Associate (5 4 1 ) 7 5 8 - 1 2 3 4 x 21 1 1**°- m S H r iE M r 1575 MW 9th Street • Corvallis. 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