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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2002)
november 1 .2QÛ2 * rarWITTlnews Eric Brown A B ittersweet V ictory Does the financial j world have you a little crazy? 503 238 6036 Ay left Wright sees the lasting impact of Measure 9 in Bend schools by T om Stev en so n L on M abon might have failed two years ago to convince Oregon voters to pass Measure 9. Still, according to a bi Bend woman, a great deal of damage was done, at least in some areas of the state. Aylett Wright, education and training coordinator for Planned Par enthood of the Columbia-Willamette Central Oregon Health Center, was approached about four years ago by a group of young people who wanted to move away from having individual gay-straight alliances in different schools and instead have one that was communitywide. Because her job includes various aspects of sexuality education, she agreed to get involved. “We always had a lot of kids attending,” she says. “I was able to write a small grant to support the group’s activities for quite a while. We used money to take kids to train ing, publish a ’zine and resource guide the kids prepared, purchase wonderful resources for a library and participate in community gather Aylett Wright also serves as a board member of the ings. The members did great things Central Oregon Human Dignity Coalition for N ational Com ing Out Day, National Day of Silence...all of which had approach is respectful of nearly all community norms, including encouraging young people to many participants and were a great success.” abstain from intercourse until they know what But two years ago, when the Oregon Citizens they need to know and have made a thoughtful, Alliance pushed the Student Protection Act, well-informed decision." Wright says she saw a dramatic change. School Wright has a long background in working administrators and teachers who had been open and welcoming became distant and quietly with with the queer community. The formerly mar drew because they were “afraid to show support.” ried mother of two sons says she got “radical ized” in the early 1980s while living in Mis “Measure 9 passed in Deschutes County, and 1 believe this was unbelievable and frightening soula, Mont. . to the kids who watched this happen,” Wright “I had two friends die in the first wave of the HIV pandemic,” she says. “Still in school [at says. “A t that time I began to observe change in G S A attendance: The last couple of years we University of Montana], I began to study human sexuality and developed a philosophy about typically had three to six kids per meeting, teaching and talking openly about it. I did an sometimes more, sometimes none. All of these internship with the health department’s kids hear anti-gay rhetoric and name calling in the schools and communities, even from adults HIV/AIDS program and began to do health who work with them. Many have experienced education.” some degree of harassment or violence but are Wright eventually began training HIV edu cators for the state and in 1991 became educa afraid to ask for help. Lon Mabon has succeeded tion director for Planned Parenthood of Mis in some not-so-subtle ways.” soula. “I was able to go to groups and individu This year, Wright says, no new students have als of all kinds, colors, ages and orientations,” stepped forward, and the other members have she says. “ I taught about contraception, STDs, moved on. She has not lost hope, however, and HIV/AIDS and other topics around healthy, has plans to revamp the program. Wright is no stranger to feeling heat regard whole-person sexuality.” Wright’s job eventually was downsized, so ing her job. When she started working at she went to work as a private contractor and Planned Parenthood, it just had opened the consultant. But more importantly to her, she health center and met with strong resistance decided to stop drinking around that time. “I am from some members of the community. a recovering alcoholic with 4 1/2 years of sobri In her sexuality education work, Wright ety,” she says. deals with people of all ages but takes great This is also when her daughter-in-law told delight in working with kids. “1 do programs for her about the Bend job. She applied, was inter nearly all agencies and organizations serving viewed by phone and was hired. It has been a high-risk youth,” she says. Wright finds that the kids in alternative pro perfect fit. Her work, especially with at-risk youth, has been extraordinarily rewarding. grams “tend to receive a far more open and in- “I was a high-risk kid,” she says. “I survived depth sex education than most in public schools and have gone on to do my sacred work. Maybe in Oregon.” Slowly, she is seeing the rewards from the hard work of everyone involved in something I say one day will make a difference in the lives of one of these kids. ” j n Planned Parenthood. “1 am beginning to make inroads to the T o m STEVENSON is a Portland free-lance writer school districts and more mainstream programs, and a full-time Portland State University student but it has tnily been a challenge,” she says. “Some folks are beginning to realize that our who can be reached at ntraltom @ yahoo.com . Today you'll find a lot of companies that say they can help you create a financial plan. And you'll find even more that want to sell you mutual funds. But wouldn't it make sense to talk to someone with a proven track record of doing both? Waddell & Reed has been providing sound advice anjd solid investment products for more than 60 years. Eric can take you through a step-by-step process to create a plan specifically tailored to your family's personal needs and goals. - For investing, with a plan. call Eric Brown today. Mutual Funds Investing IRAs and Roth IRAs Investments foi Retirement Income Retirement Planning IRA Rollovers Tax Advantaged Investments Estate Planning Working with the Gay and lesbian Community for ovei ten Years Savings Plans for College Investing. Wilh a plan. waddell.com WADDELL. ¿srR E E D C 'm o n B oys and G irls G et on board the v w y BUS Let us be your designated driver as you cruise Portland's hottest nightspots! Saturday, November 9th 7i30pm-2i30 am Catch the bus at/to; • Hobo's • Haven Cafe • Club Z • Chez What • Spartacus • The Dive • Dingo's • The Egyptian Room • Tennessee Red's • Starky’s • The Embers • Boxxes/The Brig/ Fish Grotto/Panorama • AMF Pro Lanes • Rose City Gay Freedom Band Concert! • DJ Alex at the Creating Change Conference $10 bus paSS good all night • available on any of our four buses! Hosts include Marc Acito, Byron Beck, lack Danaer, Miss Gay Pride 2002, Sierra Lonepine Briano, Susan Leo, Diane Syrde, Empress XLIV Poison Marie Waters, Rose Emperor XVIII SheHeY. call or email IcpGxprt.nat A fundraiser for and by LCR Sponsored by JU S tH T T ? mate tap»! C a ll 5 0 3 -2 2 7 -0 6 0 5 13
