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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (April 18, 2003)
44 o u t ’ aprii IB. 2003 DIVERSIONS Hoot ’n* holler for In Other Words n Other Words Women’s Books and Resources says it’s time to break out those chaps, dust off that 10-gallon hat, polish those spurs and lasso the whole family in for the Laydeez Hoedown from 7 to 10 p.m. April 20 at the Alberta Street Public House to benefit the Southeast Portland landmark bookstore. Musicians, artists, writers, book fiends and friends are gathering with local bluegrass greats T he Flat Mountain G irls and queer musicians Myshkin, Pirate Jane and Tamara J. Brown. You’ll also get a chance at raffle prizes donated by local businesses. In Other Words is one of only two women’s bookstores in Oregon. T he nonprofit offers two book clubs, monthly open mike and music nights, free community event space and a kid sized reading area. The Alberta Street Public House is at 1036 N.E. Alberta St., and $5 gets you in the door. (Give more if you can.) See y’all down there, y’hear? I Clear out those skeletons S o who caught Cher’s April 8 Farewell Tour television special? Wow. What with the drag costumes, the leather and the “me, me and me some more” big-screen film clips, 1 think she managed to secure first place in the Queen of the Gay Divas contest. 1 loved it, and I love her. 1 don’t mean I’m a fan of her music, I mean 1 love her. How can you not? Seeing her on T V reminded me of the last interview I read with her, which was a year ago in Out magazine. She asked the interviewer, Judy Wieder, if she thought gays were obligated to come out, and Wieder responded that people not coming out is generally based on fear and that being closeted perpetuates itself so that change never occurs. A nd Cher came back with “I know a gay man who’s an actor, and he plays husbands, he plays boyfriends.... If he came out, his career would be over— he would not be given the parts that he’s given right now. S o does he want to be an artist more than he wants to be honest? I think he does. And I can’t blame him ." Which is a pretty compelling argument, too. But it’s not good enough. Gay novelist Annistead Maupin is probably the most noted voice on this celebrity coming-out thing. His lovely quote “Change occurs in direct proportion to the number of people willing to live their lives authentically” is mellow compared to his comments published in Chicago’s Outlines in 1990: “I regard the greatest villains today to be those famous closet cases who are not being open about their lives. These people could make an enormous difference in enlightening the general public about the nature of homosexuality. And I’m tired of hearing their feeble excuses for why this isn’t possible. It almost always boils down to money.” He was especially angry at Lily Tomlin, who he said had “been pulling this shit for years,” when she fought and won the opportunity to narrate the celebrated documentary The Celluloid Closet , a narration that Maupin penned on the agreement that she would publicly come out. She never really did, later chim ing she was never in. There’s a difference between coming out and just not men tioning you’re not straight. If celebs don’t start admitting their bi and homo identities, how do they expect the situation to ever improve? I know not everyone wants to be a pioneer, but in large droves they wouldn’t be pioneers, would they? They’d just be one in a long list. Cher isn’t wrong when she says her actor friend’s career could take a sharp downturn if he comes out. But shouldn’t act ing be part of your life, rather than the other way around? What kind of downturn does his life take filled with lies designed to get work? What’s more important, good roles or large-scale cultural change ? And, speaking of Cher, do you think she'd be in the closet if she were a big ol’ dyke? One time back when she was dating some guy half her age, I saw a talk show about older women dat ing younger men, and she called in to give what-for to one of the guests who was critical of it. I remember it distinctly— she said, “Who died and made you king?” to the delighted roar of the audience. She could say she’s been courting chicks for years, and she’d still have a career ’cause she’s a tough broad who lives by her own rules. Change excuts in direct proportion to the number of people willing to live their lives authentically. I’m sick of people’s excuses, too. Celebrities need to get some balls (or ovaries) and come out of the closet. Like Maupin, I’m getting too old to put up with this shit, j n May day! May day! G ood old May Day. Workers’ rights marches, Beltane Spring celebrations...oh, and the May Day Celebration of Feminist Words and Music at Nocturnal, where you’ll get a little activism, a little spring and a whole lot of fine female performance. Starting at 8 p.m. May 1 is one big dyke extrav aganza: Boston musician Pamela Means, Rase City It’s a Laydeez Hoedown on April 20 with The Flat Mountain Girls resident Tamara J. Brown and New York slam poet extraordinaire Alix Olson, who is celebrating the release of her and at book readings problematic,” Koyama says, “we do new CD, Independence Meal. nonetheless feel that the book raises public awareness of inter Olson is also looking forward to returning to our little town. sex issues in a way that hasn’t been possible in the past.” “Portland is a warm, galvanized, rowdy crew. 1 love that! ...I love going jogging around the all-brightly painted little houses, tripping over all of the cats. There are so many cats in Portland! It’s like a maze.” oxxes and Red Cap Garage Whether you leave your pussy friend at home or bring her to > celebrate 20 years of Madon- the club, this is a show you won’t want to miss. Nocturnal is at I na during the American Life 1800 E. Burnside St. All ages are welcome. Tickets are $10 in C D Release Party at 9 p.m. advance from In Other Words. April 21. Both bars will be jump ing with the Material Girl’s music and image, and you can win CDs, DVDs, posters and more. n April 8, the Pulitzer board awarded its annual prize for fic Your host is the uproarious Celebrate 20 years of Madonna tion to Jeffrey Eugenides for his novel Middlesex, the first- DJ Alex, a big Madonna fan. on April 21 with Boxxes and person autobiographical narrative of one Calliope “She’s an icon,” he says, “she Red Cap Garage Stephanides, a third-generation Greek American hermaphrodite pushes buttons, she does what (or, in the post-millennial vernacular, intersex person). she wants and doesn’t conform to any set of niles.. .she’s by far Eugenides (whose previous claim to fame is 1993’s The Virgin one of the best video entertainers...she’s the Queen of Pop.” Suicides) begins his much-acclaimed epic of family, gender and Oh, and it’s free, so what’s your excuse? Don’t like Madonna? sex thus: “I was bom twice: first, as a baby girl, on a remarkably Then please leave the gay community at once. smogless Detroit day in January of 1960; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Petoskey, Michigan, in August of 1974.” The heterosexual author has said that Middlesex was directly wo favorite gay-owned eateries are celebrating anniversaries inspired by the memoir of a 19th century intersex person includ this month. On April 21 the lovely, intimate Wild Abandon ed by the controversial 20th century queer French philosopher & Red Velvet Lounge at 2411 S.E. Belmont St. is throwing an Michel Foucault in his History of Sexuality. eighth anniversary party, at which 50 percent of what you spend Emi Koyama of Intersex Initiative Portland confront on dinner gexs to Our House of Portland, ed Eugenides a residential care facility for people living during his with and dying from HIV/AIDS. Order appearance last the ziti ziti— you won’t be sorry. October at Pow Meanwhile over in the Burnside Tri ell’s to discuss his angle, Scandals celebrates 23 long and use of the word prosperous years of serving the gay com “hermaphrodite" munity with anniversary Retro Dance throughout the Parties on April 25 and 26. Dancin’ Kxik. Regardless, boys help you get into the groove of she is pleased ’70s, ’80s and ’90s tunes, and they’ll be that Middlesex shelling out prizes all weekend long. has educated From 6 to 7 p.m. April 27 is “ Customer many readers. Appreciation” in the form of free “While we drinks. Dang, try not to hurt each other find some of the getting in the door. J D things the author has said Compiled by L is a B r a d s h a w , M a r ie F l e i s c h m a n n , in interviews Jeffrey Eugenides’ Middlesex wins the Pulitzer CHRISTOPHER M cQ U A IN , JlM RADOSTA and KATHY B e l g e Queen of pop hop ' Middlesex wins Pulitzer O Happy anniversaries! T
