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^ ings and parties from Aug. 3 to 11. Portland and
g San Francisco are the only cities in the United
asic Rights Oregon an
5 States that have issued mayoral proclamations
nounced an aggressive
formally acknowledging the positive contribu
agenda for the 2003 legislative
tions of the leather and fetish communities.
session during its annual din
“Is this how we want to be known?" Brownlow
ner Sept. 13. The fund-raiser’s
said. “Katz seems intent on outdoing San Francis
theme was “Setting Sail.”
co officials as the laughingstock of the nation
Executive director Roey
when it comes to supporting bizarre behavior.”
Thorpe said the nonprofit
Brownlow linked the proclamation to the
organization plans to intro
case of a Seattle transient who allegedly was
duce a civil rights hill protect
held as a “sex slave” for eight days in Brush
ing gay, lesbian, hi and trans
Prairie, Wash. Two men were arrested and
people in employment, hous
charged with kidnap, rape and assault Sept. 5.
ing and public accommoda
"Such sadistic practices are becoming more
tion. It would make Oregon
common as ‘leather pride’ goes mainstream,”
the 1 3th state to ban discrimi
Brownlow said. “Mayor Katz might argue that
nation on the basis of sexual
her endorsement is limited to ‘consensual’
orientation and only the third
behavior, but the line keeps getting
to include gender identity.
redrawn, and real victims are emerging.”
“Every week we get
T he Sept. 12 edition of Culture & Fam
calls...from people across the
ily Report, a CWA-affiliated publication,
state whose lives are deeply
features a lengthy article about the procla
mation. It includes sections about the ori
affected by prejudice, Thorpe Oregon Secretary of State Bill Bradbury, the Democratic nominee for U .S.
gin
of the “hanky code” as well as clinical
said. “A young man in Bend Senate, takes the mike Sept. 13 as fair-minded candidates introduce themselves
descriptions of fisting, “a sadistic perver
fired from his very first job as a during the Basic Rights Oregon Annual Dinner
construction worker because
sion... in which one man inserts his hand
his Kiss heard that he’s gay. A woman from G x »
and arm deep inside another m an’s
Protection Act 11 on the ballot this fall. Thorpe
icy women’s group
Bay fired from her dream job as a bus driver
said this gives BRO “an enormous opportuni
behind.”
with more than
because when her kiss, who was titillated when
ty. . .to literally take back the civil rights agenda.”
500,000 members.
“Whereas ‘your honors’ of old have paid
“The
mayor Gubernatorial candidate Ted
tribute to visitors with keys to the city, per
he found out she’s bisexual, fired her when she
asked him to stop sending her erotic e-mail. A
haps Mayor Katz can now present keys to
should be ashamed Kulongoski gets lei’d
eather
hafes
omen
transgendered woman in Klamath Falls won’t
of herself for using
the city’s fur-lined handcuffs and bondage
leave her house dressed as a woman because she’s
chamber," CW A president Sandy Rios said. “It’s
Concerned Women for America issued a
the good name of Portland’s citizens to encourage
afraid she’ll he evicted from her apartment. A
/ statement Sept. 12 urging Portland Mayor perverse, criminal behavior," Clackamas-based
amazing to behold how— in the name of ‘diver
lesbian couple in Hillskiro was harassed by their
sity’— committed liberals can’t say no to any
Vera Katz to rescind her proclamation for
state director Suzanne Brownlow said. “In fact, she
landlord until they had no choice hut to move.”
Leather Pride Week, calling it “a celebration of has disgraced all of Oregon by this absurd action.” perversion, yet we’re supposed to somehow
The Oregon Citizens Alliance failed to collect
sexual violence.” The anti-gay Christian organi
Blackout Leather Productions and Portland
enough signatures to place the anti-gay Student
zation claims to he the nation’s largest public pol
Leather Alliance sponsored the series of meet-
Continued on Page 8
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art for e v e r y d a y life. 3 a nw 2 3 r d p l , P o r t l a n d , O r e g o n , 5 0 3 - 2 2 4 - 0 3 3 4 .
platinum
and
diamond
b a n d s
by
cathy
w aterm an
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