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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 18, 2002)
26 J i l t « i t • October 18.2002 """—"* eed started out as a Democrat because of the party’s open mind on social issues such as gay equality and womens rights. She switched to Libertarian last year. “1 became increasingly uncom fortable with the economic policies of the Democrats,” she said. “It seemed like I could never he paying enough taxes, and no one was ever accounting for where the money was going.... The Democrats want to take care of me like I’m a child, and the Republicans want to throw me in jail. With the Libertarians we can do what we need to do to make a living and we can love the people that we want to love and we’ve got money left over to sup port our families with.” Reed’s previous political experi ence includes a stint as secretary for the Oregon Business Alliance, Reed cheers on gubernatorial candidate Tom Cox before which helped defeat zoning and free- the «jabbin> at the A |addin» debate 0 c t. 14 speech measures targeted at adult' oriented companies during the mid-1990s. Her whether they be lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgen der, kinky, polyamorous, swingers and other folks platform embraces a mixture of views that might seem contradictory at first: safeguarding the First who are involved in mutually consensual adult Amendment, staunchly supporting of the right to forms of sexuality and love. We have as valid a own firearms, fighting the tax system, opposing the right to speak our minds and to live our lives as growing government surveillance of ordinary citi anyone else does.... With the Bush administra tion using the war on terror and now the war on zens, acknowledging the failure of the war on drugs and taking a stand for the fair treatment of sex Iraq as an excuse to clamp down on our civil lib workers, queer citizens, B/D/S/M practitioners and erties, the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, I those who live nonmonogamous lives. think it’s especially important for queer voices to be heard and to be involved in the whole “ My slogan is ‘Diversity, Dignity and . Responsibility’...diversity of opin process." ion, diversity of sexuality, of om in Jackson» Mich., Reed grew up religion, of race,” she says. throughout Oregon— Central Point, “All those things are won derful, and they’re part of Pendleton, Grants Pass— and in Burbank, Calif. what makes this country She settled in Portland in 1973. The 40-year-old, who identifies as bisexu- and this state so important. al/pansexual, first got involved with another woman five years ago but had been aware of her “That includes voices of orientation for years. “I was never in the closet; I just hadn’t affixed a label to myself.” queer people— Reed holds bachelor’s degrees in history and anthropology from Portland State University. In her spare time she serves as the director of com munication and outreach for Portland Pink Pis tols, a recently formed queer gun group. “I’ve had a few people absolutely go sideways on me when they find out where 1 stand on the issue," she said. “1 am definitely a very pacifistic person; however, I believe in the right of self-defense, and I think that queer people especially need to be aware that there are a wide variety of opportunities and options available to them, including the use of firearms.... The question is often asked, “What if Matthew Shepard had had a gun? ’’ JF1 PHOTOS BY MARTY DAVIS R Poly Sci Oregon House candidate Theresa “Darklady” Reed fights for freedom by Jim Radosta T heresa “Darklady” Reed, a Portland writer who makes a living spicing up the sex lives of readers nationwide, is adding some kink to an otherwise dull race for the Oregon Legislature. The Libertarian candidate is ninning District 42, a stKially liberal area that is a shoo- in for incumbent Democrat Diane Rosenbaum. Reed never intended to throw her hat in the ring. In July she attended the Libertarian convention to learn about the political process— how nominations are made and poli cy is determined— when she was approached by gubernatorial candidate Tom C ox and his campaign manager. They just wanted to get Reeds name on the ballot to raise visibility, so she agreed. “I made a lit tle speech, and the crowd went wild. She then sent out a press release, and before she knew it money was rolling in from queer and kinky people for House across the country. “1 decided if people were going to take me that seriously, then I needed to take my self that seriously,” she said. 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