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in Review
A look back at the year Lon Mabon
went behind bars, Portland created change
and two gay dads lured Rosie O’Donnell
out o f the closet
b y Jim R a d o s t a
regon Citizens Alliance chair
man Lon Mabon was arrested
Feb. 20 for refusing to partici
pate in lesbian photojoum al-
ist Catherine Stauffers legal
efforts to collect more than $40,000 owed to
her for a 1991 assault.
A s a result, he told Just Out in July, the
organization fell “considerably” short in col
lecting enough signatures to qualify its latest
anti-gay measure for the Nov. 5 ballot. Peti
tions for the Student Protection A ct 111, the
O C A ’s next stab at preventing the “promo
tion” of homosexuality in public schixils,
already are circulating for 2004.
This fall Mahon ran for U .S. Senate on
the Constitution Party ticket but finished last
with 2 percent o f the vote. He now is expect
ed to target the Oregon Legislature, which
might consider a hill in 2003 prohibiting dis
crimination based on sexual orientation and
gender identity in housing, public
accommodation and employment.
Lon Mabon is handcuffed Feb. 20 at Multnomah County
“Although God does so love the
world...He nevertheless still requires all to
“How much longer can we identify as a
single-issue movement that is ‘just about
repent of their sin before He gives any housing,
public accommodation or employment in
being gay’ as we struggle for equality and jus
Heaven,” Mabon wrote in September’s Oregon
tice? Are we about justice or just us?” asked
keynote speaker Mandy Carter, one of the
Alliance. “And although that may sound
nation’s leading African American lesbian
humorous it remains, with a view to eternity,
very serious.”
activists.
Not everyone was satisfied with the confer
bout 400 volunteers mobilized to put
ence theme and its execution, however. Accord
together Creating Change, the National
ing to New York’s Gay City News, the fallout
included the resignation of a senior staffer during
G ay and Lesbian Task Force’s 15-year-old
a closing meeting Nov. 10 in Portland.
conference for sexual minority activists, from
Nov. 6 to 10 at the DoubleTree Jantzen
“ I finally realized...the incongruency
Beach. T he theme was “ Building an Anti-
between the organization’s leadership and my
Racist Movement: Working for Social and
own approach in doing anti-oppressive work,"
Economic Justice,” an attempt to address a said Kenneth T. Jones, one of five African
growing disconnect felt by queer people of Americans or Latinos who have left N G LTF
color.
during the past year. “In order to retain a
A
Courthouse
decent amount of self-respect and personal
integrity I resigned immediately.”
P
ortland couple Steve Lofton and Roger
Croteau continue to fight Florida’s gay
adoption ban, which threatens to remove their
son Bert from the only family he ever has
known. Their appeal of last year’s mling that
upheld the law was scheduled to be presented
the week of Nov. 11 in Miami, hut a federal
appeals court has postponed arguments.
“We are touched and amazed at the out
pouring o f support and kindness that has
come our way since we stepped forward with
our family’s story a few months ago," the
fathers wrote in an August letter posted at
their Web site, LetHimStay.com. “Fortunate
ly, Bert is still at home with his brothers and
You Can Say That Again!
Ju st O ut compiles the year’s most memorable quotes
b y R e x W ockner
“Saying gays should have their own chan
n e l... is like saying everybody who m is
behaves in this culture should have their own
channel. Why do they need a particular
channel when so much of prime time features
stars that are gay?"
— The Rev. Jerry Falwell on the planned
MTV/Showtime/Viacom digital cable network,
to Fox News, Jan. 10.
“I guess it sells papers. I mean, l know who I am.
That’s the most important thing. We are going
to beat the odds. W ell die in each others arms,
I promise you."
— David G est, Liza Minnelli’s
new husband, responding to tumors that he is
secretly gay, as quoted by ThisIsLondon.com,
March 21.
“W hat? N o! I’m terrible. You’re talking to
the girl who married Peter A llen ."
— Liza M innelli asked by the Texas Triangle
whether she has “good gaydar,” March 8.
“ ‘Oh, but you were
lying,' the gay Nazis
say. ‘You said you liked
Tom Cruise.’ I said I
wanted him to mow
my lawn and bring me
a lemonade. I never
said I wanted to blow
him!"
— Rosie O ’Donnell in
a Feb. 25 appearance
at Carolines Comedy
Club in New York
City, according to
USA Today.
“There are people who still don’t believe that
Liberace was gay, that Rock Hudson was gay.
U n til they hear it from your own lips— i ’m
gay’— they don’t want to believe it. I remem
ber talking to Rosie lO’Donnell) about it
when she was thinking about coming out,
and she said: ‘Well, everybody knows I’m gay.
It’s been in the tabloids.’ A nd I said: ‘N o,
Rosie. They don’t. Believe me.’ ’’
— Ellen DeGeneres, to the Providence [R .I.J
Journal, April 28.
“You just wish sometimes that the [Catholic]
Church protected children as much
as it protects fetuses."
— Lesbian comedian Kate Clinton
writing in July's The Progressive.
“I’ve told them to stop. T his is
what’s sick about politics.... I repu
diate it in the strongest term s.... To
do it while claiming to be acting in
my best interests is inexcusable."
— Florida Gov. Jeb Bush in reference
to Americans for Bush, an organiza
tion that mailed fliers suggesting his
opponent, Janet Reno, is gay.
“Abstinence is the surest way, and
the only completely effective way, to prevent
unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmit
ted disease. When our children face a choice
between self-restraint and self-destruction,
government should not be neutral.”
— President Bush, Feb. 26.
“For this brief shining moment, 1 am Ethel
Merman, starring in a musical.”
— Veteran gay actor Harvey
^Fierstein on his role as Edna Tumbtad in the
Broadway version o f John Waters’ Hatrspray, to
the New York Times, June 23.