CULTURE
...............▼............. V
PHOTOS BY
MCCrPórtl^nd
in Decémber
Christmas Concert
Sun. December 22
T h e Portland Pride 2 0 0 2 parade filled downtown w ith 5 0 ,0 0 0 m archers and spectators
7:30pm -Featuring MCC's
Sanctuary Choir
Continued from Page 41
June
Christmas Eve Services
Oft a Queer Bey»
Tues. December 24
5:30pm -Kids and their families
Blow-out B-day party for Jesus!
6:30pm Potluck Dinner
a\G u e sfc
8pm Christmas Eve Service
9:30pm Concert o f Carols
11 pm Christmas Eve Service
•
Blayne Bell
ONE NIGHT ONLY!!
New Years Eve • December 31,2002
Doors 7pm • Concert 7:30pm
FREE WILL Donation
Metropolitan
Community
Church of Portland
2400 ME Broadway
Portland, OR 97232
503/281 -8868
www. mccportland. com
We know what June is all about, and this
year was no different. Pride Northwest estimated
that 20,000 attended the Portland Pride 2002
festival June 15 and 16 and that 50,000 enjoyed
the parade, which was led by lesbian cop Katie
Potter. For some inane reason, the Rose City
Softball Association allowed the police to win
the two teams’ annual grudge match, but other
than that everything (Dyke March, beer garden,
stage performances) came off without a hitch.
And there was a distinct lack of interference
from the religious right, which relieved some
participants but made others more nervous.
July
T h e summer also brought the circus to
town, and we managed to ferret out a couple of
queer Cirque du Soleil boys who were kind
enough to share their charming story about
how a dancer falls in love with a clown on the
road. Dampening spirits o f the boys and the
good people of Portland was the theft of valu
able and irreplaceable outfits from the costume
tent, which Cirquers unofficially accused
queers of stealing to wear at Pride. (T h e cos
tumes, which were indeed fabulous, were not
seen in the parade and were never recovered.)
August
Playing ball with Bush
¿«0* V « c ^
W o m e n in th e W in t e r
%
S n o z v s fio e in q
101 S e m in a r s
Jan 24-26 & Feb 21-23 & Mar 14-16
'Experience the snows (toeing adventure in SeautifuC Centred Oregon
$185 pp
(2 person private lodging) •
$185 PP (4/5 persons shared lodging)
Price includes 2 breakfasts, 2 dinners, 2 nights lodging * on private 300 acre
resort close to Sunriver & M t. Bachelor, snowshoe rental, “how-to" snowshoe/
winter seminar, guided day treks, great fun, good company!
• Additional lodging days can be arranged
The Rose City Softball Association played
host to the 26th annual Gay Softball World
Series, which welcomed more than 2,000 players
and their families from throughout the country to
Portland— just in time for President Bush’s visit
and accompanying protest. The players were
extremely patient waiting in line to he searched
before checking into the Hilton Hotel, where
Dubya was also staying. Almost unbelievably (yet
true) the Bush administration asked to have the
hundreds of gay softballers moved to another hotel
during the president’s stay, to which the Hilton
answered with a resounding “No.”
September
Lights! Camtra! Bay Bctlanl
i ft w
i m t ls ai
C all Cee: 1-866-752-9822
email: cee@playtimevacations.com
Sensory Perceptions introduced its most ambi
tious queer film festival program to date with 32
screenings, the wine-tasting benefit In Vino We
Trust and the annual gala party. Highlights
included in-person appearances by Helen Lesnick,
director of A Family A ffair, and Steve Guttenberg,
who made his directorial debut with P.S. Your C at
Is Dead. Guttenberg also attended the gala,
schmoozing with the queer audience and sharing
his room number with hostess Poison Waters.
T h e Rose City Softball Association brought more
than 2 ,0 0 0 queers to town for World Series 2 0 0 2
October
Fun and Gay Gamas
Team Oregon headed off to Gay Games VI
Sport & Cultural Festival in Sydney, Australia,
packed with physical talent and high expecta
tions. They came back with five gold medals in
bowling, powerlifting, golf, sprint triathlon and
cycling. Notably, Sue Gill, who battled breast
cancer and won between the ’98 Games and Syd
ney, secured her third gold medal in weightlifting.
T he euphoria the Games provided, though,
proved more valuable than gold. “1 never knew
how oppressed I was until I spent a week without
being oppressed,” basketball player Bee Williams
said. “It was a life-chapging experience.”
November
m is Is Tsdd Baynes
Just Out's Nov. 15 cover story on Todd
Haynes was just what the doctor ordered after
he received a queer whitewashing from T he O re
gonian. T he Portland gay director of Far from
H eaven talked about reaction to his past films,
how much he loves the Rose City and what he
thinks a gay film is (and isn’t, in no uncertain
terms). As for the new movie, it has so far gar
nered five awards from the New York Film C rit
ics Circle, while Los Angeles film critics
bestowed their Best Actress nod to Julianne
Moore, who won the same honor in the Venice
Film Festival. Far from H eaven also was named
best film of the year by Entertainment W eekly and
nominated for four Golden Globes as well as
Outstanding Film in Wide Release by the Gay
and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. JT1