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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 2, 2002)
4 Ju st OMt ' august 2.2002 ^33713 out A big fat lie Elise Campbell, gri , abr To the E ditor : It's th a t S im p le ! \ C all Today! Thank you, Elite! We loved w orking with you. Not only did you do a great job locating houses to show us that fit our tastes, but you were also a lot of fun to spend a Saturday with. You m ade everything go sm oothly and easily and all we had to do was show up where you told us to. We couldn't be happier in our new hom e.” 503 - 296-3875 Email - Elise@Realtor.com Web - http://EliseCampbell.Realtor.com bender, properties -Sincerely, Kali and Tara 503 - 232-3600 • • • • • • • • Collision Repair Problems Solved Wheel Alignment Tires Oil Changes Service Work State Farm Service First Provider Specializing in Foreign & European Cars Mini-Vans & Sport Utility Vehicles 2 4 5 4 E. B U R N S I D E • P O R T L A N D , O R 9 7 2 1 4 w w w .fergu son au to.com Family Owned & Operated Since 1952 OL D W O R L D C H R I S T M A S • C H R I S T O P H E R R A D K O o S L E I6 H B E L L S Of SHERWOOD 23855 SW 195th Place Sherwood H Located just two miles south of Sherwood off Hwy 99W on Chapman Road ( 503 ) 625-6052 A arc Acito, you just don’t get it. Your latest I V JL gospel is just another advertisement for Madison Avenue and the whole self-loathing, cyn ical judgment culture (‘‘Weighty Matters,” July 19j. Weight is a complicated matter involving genetics, food processing, labor issues (do you have time to make and digest a healthy meal for lunch?), our lack of leisure time (what artistic, social, con nected time do you have to sacrifice to make it to the gym three times a week?), our lack of holistic approaches to life and our cultures twisted views (including yours) of what makes people beautiful. If you were tying weight loss to health, we wouldn’t be quite so pissed off. You still would he wrong, though. Many people are fat and are as healthy as they can he. Ivar, whose ancestors come from the Russian steppes, might have a different- looking healthy than Suky, whose ancestors come from Okinawa. It’s just the way diversity works. G et used to it. But this isn’t your argument. Your diatribes tie weight loss to beauty and sexiness. And this is why bears and others are growling at you. Attraction is an individual’s specific taste. There are many, many people in the world who find big men and big women sexy and exciting and vibrant. I find it interesting that you want to he played by Robert Downey Jr. or Matthew Broderick and not by Harvey Fierstein. Besides the Freudian implications here (do you hate being gay?), there’s the notion that Fierstein is somehow embarrassing in his appearance. (“Look at the fat queer! Aren’t you glad you’re not like him?”) And it’s even more damaging coming from you because you do not have a weight issue. You were not fat before you lost weight. Your self-loathing reeks o f the rant of anorexics and bulimics who worry about their dangly arms and big bellies. You mock people with serious weight issues. Worst of all is your use o f the word “normal.” Do you fail to see the irony? W hat is a “normal weight,” Marc? Are you going to he the one to tell us what normal is? Maybe you can tell us what a normal voice sounds like. Or normal eye color, skin color or, hey, tell us what normal sexual behavior is. Just for a moment, think, Marc, just think what kind of message you’re sending to young people (let alone the rest of us) out there: That love is condi tional on the size and shape of your body. That acceptance is only for the “normal.” That it’s all right to scorn someone based on what they look like. You say, “If I can do it, anyone can.” Well, statistically speaking, that’s a lie. A big fat lie. And it’s time we put these lies away and start accepting and loving ourselves no matter what size, shape, color, gender or anything else we are. Fat is fine. Fat is beautiful. If you can’t accept people as they are, then you’re in the wrong damn community. G lenn W illiams Portland Bear attack? To the E ditor : our humorist, Marc Acito, included in part of his column called “Weighty Matters” that “Some bears even growled at me during Gay Pride.” T he implication was that the bears were heavy men and that they took offense to his announcement o f losing 60 pounds. In my opin ion, M arc’s vision is a hit defensive. Perhaps this is justified in the case of the growling hears, hut for entirely alternate reasons! If Marc were not so wrapped up in the sheer weight of his position, he would have realized the hears growling at him might have been doing so for, how shall 1 say, more carnal reasons? First off, I notice he has a little Vandyke grown on his face. Most hears respond favorably to a show of facial hair. Also, Marc is a man of a smaller build, which some hears find very attractive in a “cub.” If he found the growling demeanor a bit threatening, I would like to add that some bears enjoy a little love nip, and so this overt aggression could have been a courtship stance. S o yes, Marc, a defensive reaction might have been justified, and in many experts’ opin ions, a genuine hear attack can he averted by assuming the fetal position. I would recommend a big hug for the two-legged variety, though. . Y R andy H ogue Oregon Bears Founder and Past Board Member The last w ord To the E ditor : 1 attend church to hear G o d ’s word (“Church Bans Anim al Rights A dvocate,” July 5]. Vegetarian menus welcome all— to eat vege tarian dishes. I haven’t ever found steak on a pizza menu. A s a member of Metropolitan C om munity Church o f Portland, 1 enjoy being wel comed— to hear G o d ’s word. Everybody is wel come— unless, of course, you don’t want to! R ich K ibbons Portland Open Every Day I Oam to 6pm We enthusiastically maintain your BMW so you can be a driving enthusiast Now that O regonians won’t have to battle an ju s t FPTnTirn anti-gay ballot m easure this year, where should SUMMER SALES! the queer movement focus its money, time and energy? Garden Accents During August garden accents, porch furniture, twig products & table fountains will be 2S% to S0% off. There are some great deals to be had on some unique items so be sure to check us out. SERVICE • REPAIR • PROFESSIONAL 503 . 232.5545 i ueer Summit 2002.” Calling all members of queer community— iesbian, gay, trans Lets meet and discover what issues we share, what issues are unique to our particular com munities and, finally, how we can work as a united front to improve the quality of life experiences for each community within the queer spectrum. Sports Collection We have gathered maybe the largest collection of sports ornaments in Oregon. We have something from the most popular teams in the NFL NHL NBA, College Football & Basketball. We also have NASCAR & Olympic events. We have mini-reproductions from Department S6 of Yankee Stadium. Wrigley Field A Fenway Park. If you have a favorite team A we don't have something for them we will gladly order something for you. 2242 N Williams (Near Broadway & 1-5) Portland • 97227 www.thebmwshop.biz yL MOTORSPORTS p a c if ic • • • Mention Just Out for a special discount OF PORTLAND x SARAH'S ATTIC • FIGI • V A R I O U S O R E G O N ARTISTS A m anda W agner Portland R achel L ane Portland T <" And most of my friends who are gay have had to face physical intimidation, too. The places we turn to for help and escape don’t have enough money to provide (or keep providing) the resources we need and are in danger of dying out. Queer youth are the gay future, and we need to be able to flourish. he focus should he turned to queer youth. We don’t have to worry about queer kids facing legal hatred, but the hatred is still there (just not supported by the government). Trust me, I’m a queer youth still in high school. Every school day 1 hear at least one igno rant person say, “T hat is so gay!” n ext How should the sexual minorities community respond to First Baptist Church’s complaint about scantily clad women at Portland Pride 2002? Respond at www.justout.com, (Don’t forget to include your nam e, city and daytime telephone number.)
