¡ U S t [11 ! I
COMMENTARY
by
M \un
D
avis
W Ê The IN publication for the OUT population
F ounded 1983 • J ay B rown
Voi. 2 0 N o. 11
and
R enée L a C hance
A pril 4 , 2 0 0 3
FEATURE
BOWLED OVER!: Portland Gay and Lesbian
Community Bowling Association turns 25—
with the history to prove it
p 28
NEWS
NORTHWEST • Gay man honored for his
considerable charitable contributions; roll out the
welcome mat for a trio o f newcomers to our
region; Forest Grove PFLAG gets a shot in the
arm; Jay Harter is determined to combat HRC’s
reputation as a rich white boys club
PP 9-21
NOTIONAL • California trans woman honored
PP 23-25
WORLD • What’s up with Prince Charles?
PP 26-27
ARTS AND CULTURE
MOSIC • Germany manufactures the first all-gay
boy band; queer Brit boys are back
pp 38-39
BOONS • Extraordinary queer love poetry from
Sappho through the first World War
p 41
THEATER • Stark Raving premieres Kennedy
Center honoree Tundra
P 43
WHAT'S POPPIN T • Gwyneth. return your Oscar
p 45
CULTURE • Croonin’ and spoonin’ up barbecue
at Tennessee Red’s
P 47
DIVERSIONS • FatCiirl Speaks; Heaven sweeps
pp 48-49
CULTURE • Clinton Street Cabaret celebrates
25 years of The Rocky H o rro r Picture Show
P 51
COLUMNS
M S. BEHAVIOR • Be selective with boundaries
P 37
EPIQUEEREAN • There’s got to be a morning after
p 42
OUT WITH IT! • Lesbian pom sucks
p 48
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARC • Working out
P 52
Publishing 101
Just Out needs advertisers, and advertisers need us
ssumptions.
People make them all the time. As a result, we oper
ate far tot) frequently on unnecessarily high levels of mis-
communication, misconceptions and misunderstandings.
And what joy these can bring to our lives.
A letter to the editor, published in this issue, smacked me in the face with
the knowledge that perhaps I’ve been assuming that people understand more
about Just Out and its structure and function than they actually do. With Just
Out now in the 20th year of publication, we do realize that our readership
has changed. While many of you have been with us from the start— and we
surely do cherish you— there are also many more readers who are newer,
younger and less familiar with the workings of the paper. So let me fill you in
with some background information— this done with the intent to foster bet
ter understanding and communication between us and our audience.
Q uestion: How does Just Out generate revenues?
Answer: Just Out is funded totally and solely by revenues generated from
advertising sales. Just Out is not a nonprofit organization. There are no grants,
no loans, no endowments, no legacies, no gifts. The ongoing existence of this
paper depends entirely on our ability to sell sufficient ads to cover our expens
es. Ad sales mark the success or failure of alternative publications. Across the
country, gay and lesbian papers are failing at a disheartening rate. The ability
of Just Out to perpetuate and succeed is a tremendous testament to the loyalty
of our readers, the value we bring to advertisers, the quality of our content
and, certainly not least, the talents and abilities of my sales staff. These are
damn tough times for newspapers, and ad sales and the ability of Just Out to
grow and prosper should he celebrated as a community victory.
Q : A re there too many ads in Just Out ?
A : There can never be too many ads. W e adhere to a consistent con
tent ratio of ads to copy. By industry standards, we actually produce a rel
atively low percentage of ads. T he amount of ads sold determines the size
of the paper. T h a t’s why we jump all over the place in size. O ne issue
we’re 48 pages, then maybe 52 or 56— this issue we’re up to 64 pages.
Yes, it’s because there are more ads. More ads means a bigger paper. It’s
always the same. T he ratio is constant. And if you’re counting ads, don’t
forget to count all the OutReach pages, which contain no ads and gener
ate no revenue. Your support of advertisers pays for these pages.
Q : W hat about charging for the paper— and decreasing depen
dence upon ads?
A : Unfortunately, that’s not a practical solution. T he cost to pro
duce, including all the administrative hassle and headaches, would push
the price to an impractical level. For alternative papers to succeed, they
must have free distribution. T h at’s a historic and proven fact.
Q : W hat are the expenses at Just Out ?
A: Staff salaries are the single highest expense to the paper. Again, Just
Out is not a nonprofit entity. We are not staffed by volunteers. My staff con
sists of eight of the most dedicated, skilled and qualified people who a publish
The su bm ission o f w ritte n and g rap h ic m a te ri
als is w elcom ed. W ritten material should he typed and dou
ble-spaced. Just Out reserves the rijjht to edit for urammar, punc
tuation, style, liability concerns anil length. We will reject or edit
articles or advertisements that are offensive, demeaning or may
result in lejr.il action.
Letters to the ed ito r should be limited to 500 words. A n
nouncements retfardinc life transitions (births, deaths, unions,
etc.) should be limited to 200 words; photos are welcome Dead-
lin e for su bm issions to the editorial department and for the
C alendar is the Thursday 15 days before the next publication
date. Views expressed in letters to the editor, columns and features
are not necessarily those of the publisher.
The d isp lay ad v ertisin g d ead line is the Monday 12
days before the next publication date.
C lassified ads must be received at the Just ( )ul office by 4
p.m. on the Thursday eiu’ht days before the next publication date,
alone with payment. Ads may be placed by telephone or via the
Internet with Visa or MasterCard payment.
Ad policy: lust Out reserves the rijjht to reject or edit any
advertisement. Compensation for errors in. or cancellation of,
advertisint! will be made with credit toward future advertising.
Advertising rates are available upon request.
D istribution policy: lust ( )ul is available free of charge, one
copy per person. Just Out is delivered only to authorized distribu
tors. No person may, without prior written permission from Just
Out, take more than one copy. Any person who takes more than
one copy may be held liable for theft, including but not limited to
civil damages and/or criminal prosecution.
Su bscriptions ire $2 2 .5 0 for 12 issues. First Class (in an
envelope) is $ 4 0 for 12 issues.
C o n tact Just O ut at P.O. Box 14400, Portland, O R
9 7 2 9 1 -0 4 0 0 ; 5 0 3 -2 $ 6 -1 252. advertising 5 0 - 2 ) 6 - 1 2 5 ) ,
fax
5 0 - 2 ) 6 - 1 2 5 7 ; e-mail )ustout@)ustout.com. Visit our Internet site
at www.justout.com.
Q : W here could expenses be cut?
A : To cut expenses significantly I’d have to cut into the very heart
and soul of what this paper is about. But it’s true, expenses could be cut.
Savings could be immediately realized by eliminating distribution to
areas outside Portland. Consider, if you will, how the recent dramatic
increase in gas prices is affecting my expenses. These expenses have to be
offset by increased ad sales. I mail or ship this paper to libraries, schools,
colleges, bookstores, coffee shops, groups and organizations across the
state. This is all unnecessary expense? No, this expense is needed for
those who rely on Just O ut for a connection to community, for a link to
their world, for a validation of their worth and right to be— this expense
guarantees that this connection can be found. W hat would be the real
price of eliminating this cost? W ho would actually pay?
Ju st O ut provides thousands o f dollars annually in donated ads and
sponsorships of community events. I could easily cut expenses by deny
ing all these requests. Is this what you’d have o f your community paper?
To lower costs Ju st O ut could also elim inate all the free calendar list
ings and directories of groups and organizations that fill page after page
of each issue. These listings generate no income and are expensive and
time-consuming to maintain.
To cut expenses I could eliminate the voice personal ads. They do not
generate sufficient revenue to warrant their continuation— on the other
hand, they are read and enjoyed by many. W hat should be my priority?
Q : W hat role do Ju st Out readers play in the continued success of
the paper?
A : Every business in this city, every advertiser and every potential
advertiser have many options as to where they spend their limited advertis
ing dollars. W hen an advertiser selects Just O ut, they’re not making a state
ment of support for the community. No, they’re making an investment in
their business based on the belief that they’ll receive value from their dol
lars. They expect results. If they don’t get them from our readers, they’ll
take their dollars elsewhere. For Just Out to continue, our readers need to
support these advertisers and show them that their money was well spent.
Just O ut provides quality content to our readers. In return, we
depend upon readers to support advertisers. Advertisers pay the staff.
T h e staff writes the paper— it’s a circular thing— and we need all of you
to be part of the ongoing circle o f community and success. |H
10 years ago in
Ju s t o u t is published on the first and th ird F ri
day o f each m onth. ( jify n ^ h t © 2 0 0 ) hy Just O ut. No p.irt
o f Just ( hit m.ty he reproduced without written permission from
the publisher.
er could ever hope to find. These folks work tirelessly to ensure the consistent
and overwhelming high quality of this paper, and for this they deserve fair,
decent and competitive salaries. Each of them could easily make more money
elsewhere. They deserve the very best that I can offer. I am proud to be able to
provide my full-time staff with benefits such as paid health insurance and an
employer-match retirement fund. Without revenue generated by ad sales
there would be no staff. Without this staff there would be no Just Out.
After staff salaries, the next highest expense is the cost of printing the paper.
Other fixed costs are rent, telephones, insurance, wnters, distribution, taxes,
bookkeepers, accountants, lawyers, community sponsorships, computers and
upkeep on the corporate condos in Aspen and the Bahamas (in my dreams).
• More than
2 0 0 protesters, including gay N ew York C ity
C ouncilor Thom as Duane, were arrested on St. Patrick's D a y
for violating a court order barring the Irish Lesbian and G ay
Organization from the traditional parade on Fifth Avenue.
• The National A ssociation for the Advancem ent of C olored
People board voted unanim ously Feb. 2 0 to endorse the 1993
National M arch on W ashington for Lesbian, Gay. Bi and
Transgendered Equal R ights and Liberation.
• Portland Police Chief Tom Potter announced his resignation
M arch 10 at a joint p re ss conference with newly elected
M ayo r Vera Katz. The shock w aves ripped through the
Portland com m unity alm ost a s fast a s the rumors.
• State Rep. Gail Shibley, D-Portland. recently introduced a M l
banning employment disenmination on the basis of sexual
orientation to the Oregon House of Representatives. House
B I 3465 is written to protect gays, lesbians and bisexuals while
PUBLISHER UNO MANAGING EDITOR • Marty Davis
NEWS EDITOR • Jim Radosta
ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR • Lisa Bradshaw
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT • Marie Fleischmann
CONTRIBUTORS • Marc A cito, Michael Barrett,
Kathy Beige, Meryl Cohn, G ina Daggett,
Michael Wayne Keck, Christopher McQuain,
Vou 10 No* 10, A pril 1,1993 *
keeping conservative panic to a minimum. It provides exemptions for
religious organizations and businesses with fewer than 25 employees.
• Help is on the w ay for lesbians suffering "B reiten b ush
deprivation. ’ The W om en in the W o o d s event, w hich h a sn 't
happened sin ce 1991, has been reborn with a new nam e—
Le sb ian s on the Loose. The next gathering is scheduled for
A u gu st 1994 at Breitenbush Hot Springs.
• Sparkplugs, a coalition of A ID S activists and service providers,
organized O re g o n ’s first A ID S lobby day M arch 1 at die state
Capitol. A bout 25 people met with 18 legislators.
• M ary Ann Humphrey, author of My Country, My Right to Serve,
will be the keynote speaker at Right to Privacy’s W illiam Stoat
M em orial Dinner benefit April 10.
• First Tuesday C offeeh ouse for w om en April 6 features S h u g
Mauldin. Kristie Chrlicote and J.P.
Gary Morris, T J Norris, Catherine Sameh,
Maggi W hite, Glenn Williams, Rex Wockner,
Pat Young
PRHHRCT1HN ASSISTANT • Zanne dejanvier
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR • Larry Lewis
ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE • Mark re Acevedo
ADVERTISING ASSISTANT • Erin Sexton
GRAPHIC DIRECTOR • Kevin Moore
Ian Drake, Ron Geer,
Mary Hauer, Crash Schwartz
OH ICE MANAGER • Marie Fleischmann
MSTRIBUTIRN • Kristine Ashton,