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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 18, 2002)
pdntmt 1 «. ?nrr j—t PEOPLE ..............* .............. A nyone who has ever watched Survivor knows how important alliances can be. John Carroll, the former nurse, current law student and contestant from the fourth installment set on the Marquesas Islands, will talk about allies and alliances Oct. 26 at the Human Rights Cam paign Port land G ala Dinner. The 37-year-old is warm, open and engaging (even over a bad cell phone con nection) and is eager to talk about his expe riences as a “survivor.” After eight years of living in West Hollywood, Calif., he has returned to his native Nebraska, where he is keen to use his celebrity to promote equality for gay, lesbian, bi and trans people and (he is very clear to add) intersex folk because they have had no allies. “A llies” is an important word for Carroll. A t O m aha’s Creighton University School of Law— a Jesuit college in one o f the nation’s most conservative states— he recently found ed the first gay/straight alliance on campus. He is also setting up a scholarship called the Alliance of Allies and Advocates, an apt name considering “advocate” also means attorney. Am ong the first things he learned from the Survivor experience is “that I can only do so much as an individual. I can only he outed on national T V once, and then 1 need allies.” Those allies include his mother, Michele, a lifelong Republican who left the Grand Old Party this year because o f the gay issue. He says he explained politics to her this way: “The economy doesn’t give a rat’s ass who controls the House because [Democrats and Republicans] both screw it up, and they both He will survive spend too surprised to dis much money. cover that some But what matters F or J o h n Carroll, fam e is fle e tin g of the other cast h u t a d v o ca cy is p e r m a n e n t are the civil and aways hadn’t fig social issues, and it has ured it out. b y F l o y d S k l a v e r been the Democratic Party Hel-lo!” he says. “ I have two that has been the conscience o f the country.” earrings, a pierced belly button, all the tattoos, I’m a male nurse working with A ID S patients, K, OK, I know what you’re thinking: What and I’m as single as the day is long.” about Survivor? Carroll is very candid about Carroll was a huge Survivor fan and says he his 24 days on the island and promises to applied to be a contestant on all four shows. give “the nitty-gritty and the details that don’t After viewing the previous openly gay contes get shown on T V ” when he speaks in Portland. tants, Richard Hatch and Brandon Quinton, he For instance, he tells me that since the pro was a bit wary of how he would be perceived. gram premiered, “three of us have come out, “Richard was a schemer, and poor Brandon and well over twice that many are in the clos was somewhat vilified because he was the epito et,” although he steadfastly refuses to divulge me of the stereotype— the bitchy queen,” he says. who they are. “He is a bitchy queen, but he’s also very funny.” While he has been out since he was 2 L, Carroll takes the responsibility of being in Carroll kept a low profile on the island until he 25 million living rooms very seriously: “I had to was outed by another contestant. Then he was get the pendulum to swing the other way. I O want to represent the people who are like me— not overly dramatic, without Brandon’s flair. I’m just trying to be John out there.” John being constantly followed around by a camera, that is. Is the camera ever not on the Survivor contestants? “Only when you’re taking a dump,” Carroll laughs. “Believe me, a coconut is a laxative.... If you ever want to lose weight, eat a coconut. One afternoon I had eaten a lot of coconut, and suddenly I had to go really badly.” Carroll dove into the bushes but was followed by a camera crew who thought he was sneaking off to strategize. They “had obviously never taken ballet,” he says, “because they are thudding through the jungle with cameras and lights, and I’m trying to get my pants up before they arrive.” Survivor has given Carroll “the platform to push me forward” toward a career in politics. Although he freely admits the show portrayed him accurately, what TV audiences didn’t see was his commitment and passion for equality. Those attending the H RC dinner will hear from an emerging civil rights advocate who gave up gay life in Southern California to further our cause in the conservative heartland. j n The H uman R ights C ampaign P ortland G ala D inner will feature a silent auction, comedian Vickie Shaw and “America's Favorite Dragapella Beautyshop Quartet" the Kinsey Sicks 6 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Portland Hilton Hotel, 921 S.W. Sixth Ave. Dress is festive or black-tie optional. Tickets are $150 a person from 800-494-TIXS or www.boxofficetickets.com. FLOYD S klaver is a free-lance writer in Portland. Don’t try reaching him Thursdays between 8 and 9 p.m. FOR A GREAT STEAK, LOOK FOR THE REVOLVING STEAK SIGN • i f ... -TSS***. : S -. 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