Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 20, 2002)
H O U SE and l& l 4 B R 1 C S T in t tAft&ICS • CLMStS O t t t P t D CUSTOM ’ 408 Dtsicn st 6 £ W ORKROOM 503.234.9373 th P astor Kathy T ack ett T h e C ity C h u r c h , P o r t la n d Openly G ay & Diversified A ll Sexual Orientations & Gender Expressions Welcome Services: Sunday 10:45am 503-775-5024 i a r a ild h le far c o m m i t m e n t c e r e m o n ie s “The best workout spares no effort... the same holds true for Christine!” “/ wasn't sure I could buy a home but / saw Christine's Call today for a free qualification over the phone First Time Buyers ♦ FHA/VA Loons Self-Employed ♦ Complicated Borrowers Bankruptcies & Foreclosures ♦ Credit Problems Investment Properties♦ Pre-approvals 100% Financing Programs ad and called. We m et and before I knew it I was pre qualified. Just as I found the perfect house / had to leave Christine Hall the country fo r three weeks. Senior Loan Consultant President's Club This could have m eant disaster, but Christine went the 503 - 698-5429 distance and handled everything hassle-free! 800-343-9943 W hen I returned, all I had to do was sign ■ 503-301-1941 the papers a n d m ove in ." Pager - Richard, M anager, Jazzercise, Inc. s s ss hollc@eaglehomemortgo 9 e.com GRAND OPENING! Tour our m o d e l an d r e c i e v e a S5 S t a r b u c k s Gift C e r t i f i c a t e Life in th e city c a n b e exerting a n d c o n v e n ie n t at th e Lair Hill H e ig h ts C o n d o m i n iu m s . N e s tle d a g a in s t a tre e c o v e r e d hillside Lair Hill has in c re d ib le m o u n ta in a n d river v ie w s , e a s y a c c e s s to d o w n t o w n , th e Y M C A , city p a rk s , a n d P o rtlan d S ta te University 2 B e d r o o m , Flats & T o w n h o m e s F ro m $ 16 4 ,9 5 0 Driven up the wall T o the E ditor : \ 7 our recent article on Outside In’s ID Project testifies to Portland’s advancement in social awareness vis-a-vis trans issues (“Identity Crisis,” Dec. 6]. Yet, as a person formerly identified as transsexual and once on the transitioning track these kids now are on, I feel the ID Project is still a compromise plan, however well intended it might he. Although Oregon sets itself apart from many other states on this issue, the current Depart ment of Transportation administrative rules regarding the “sex markers” in its identification documents are grossly inadequate. In order for one to obtain an authorization to change a sex marker on a drivers license, he first must accept a dehumanizing label of “gender identity dis order” upon himself. O nce a person embarks on the transition process, she is encouraged to learn in a very stereotypical manner how a woman (or a man) is supposed to act and is made dependent on hormone medications produced by pharma ceutical giants. The medical institution and the state of O re gon are interested only in maintaining the strict boundary of separation between “M” and “F,” or no one would need pennission from a therapist and the government to change his or her gen der. It should he as easy as changing one’s address, weight or height. Have you seen a scale at any Department of Motor Vehicles office so you can prove how much you weigh, or has anyone asked you to provide a letter from your doctor stating how tall you are ? T hen why are people who change gen ders seen with such a deep suspicion that they must prove their innocence by showing a letter from a therapist? Furthermore, I believe some transgender people even lie to their therapists and call themselves transsexuals just for the benefit of having their driver’s licenses changed and undergo surgery for the similar legal and soci etal benefits. This will he unnecessary if sex markers categorically are eliminated from all public documents. The existence of the list of “approved” ther apists is a problem, not a solution. First, the list creates an unlawful cartel among mental health professionals, allowing a very small number of them to gain an unfair competitive edge over other equally licensed therapists— a possible violation of anti-trust laws. Second, this list will create two classes of people among trans sexuals— one who can afford $100 an hour and those who cannot— and the state of Oregon will provide a “right" ID to the economically advan taged former so they won’t risk more discrimina tion, hut not to the underprivileged latter. This corepilates Authentic Pilates™ T A I R H IU , I love my new ass. - Tom Spanbauer H E I G H T S C O N D O M I N I U M S 3 5 0 5 S W B a r b u r B lv d , P o r t l a n d ‘ V 2 Mile South o f the Y M C A " O p e n 1 p m t o 6 p m Thursday thru Monday For m o r e inform ation p le a s e c o n ta c t D J M a y e r or M ik e M u lle n with the H a s s o n C o m p a n y at 503.2 95.9 556 intro series monthly mat classes private sessions semi-privates 5 0 3 .2 2 2 .7 0 1 1 1500 nw 18th ave n° 107 easy parking now booking appointments monday-saturday goes counter to the constitutional doctrine of equal protection. Furthermore, neither the O D O T regulation nor the ID Project truly addresses the rights of those who are outside the male-female bigen der construct. N othing short of abolishing all references to sex in all identity papers would he an adequate solution. T he ID Project is one small step toward the right direction, hut it’s not an answer. S a r a h - A ndrea (S a m ) M o r r ig a n International Association for Multigender Minority Empowerment Coordinator Where there’s sm oke... T o the E ditor : an someone explain it to me? C an someone ./sen d me an e-mail, a letter, a card? W ith all the evidence of its link to cancer, impotence and shorter life spans, why do gay men do it more often than any other group? W ith the gay community’s political enemies being funded by companies who provide our ability to access it, why aren’t we stopping? I m ean, com e on! T h e gay com m unity practically created th e h ealth m ovem ent of the ’90s. Bally Total Fitness and 24 Hour Fitness can hank on our monthly contributions more easily than the televangelists can with the poor wid owed ladies. Bars are out; weight rexsms and treadmills are in. Yet, after an hour or two of working out to stay healthy, gay men light up. No, they don’t get happy; they start to smoke. A t the Gay Games in Sydney, Australia, 1 was amazed at the men who finished a race, grabbed their towel and went outside for a smoke. T he streets, the bars, wherever there were men, the faggots followed. O u r com m unity obsesses w ith looking good and perform ing well. I would think smoking would he th e last thing any of us would w ant to do. Smoking causes death and disease. Sure, I guess we d o n ’t have to worry about impo tence— heck, we have the little blue pill read ily available. A nd since many men take pills while they are at clubs dancing, why not take one more for sex? If our community stopped smoking, think of the money we’d save, the things we could do! We wouldn’t have to take our bar wear to the cleaners every Monday morning reeking of smoke. We could reduce the am ount of Oil of Olay we smear on our faces at night due to the nicotine-related age lines. More of us could work out an extra hour or not become so bitchy on those long plane rides. And we even could
