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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
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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
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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