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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 6, 2003)
P36 • tune 6.2003 Continued from Page P 33 was in ninth grade I told my friends that I want ed to play at Carnegie Hall,” HaywixxJ says. She didn’t have the support of her family, though, who saw classical music as “white.” The only support she had came from within herself. “It was difficult for me to believe in myself as classical pianist. I never felt entitled," HaywixxJ explains. “Most of the time when 1 play, people focus on my race over my talent.... Instead of accepting people for who they are, society mea sures people hy stereotypes and expects them to fit in a nice little hox. I am a hlaclc gay female who plays and composes classical music and lis tens to country. I’ll never fit in a hox.” • — MF —TK B a y H a ll John Scussel Jr. tions, eventually serving as controller for a national distributor of professional salon prod ucts. To gain credibility with clients, he sought a cosmetology license and stxin traveled the country teaching hair coloring. isten up! Bay Hall has something to say. T his 26-year-old Vancouver, W ash., transplant is head of the Les bian C om m unity Project’s D eaf Awareness Program. W h eth e r she’s speaking or signing, she’s working hard to create opportunities for deaf and hearing queers to interact and com m unicate. T h e LCP hoard m em ber’s program offers education, support and social events. “It takes the whole com m unity working togeth- PHOTO BY MEG DALY a women’s union and lesbian alliance. “I was able to make the decision to explore transition once 1 started Icxisening up about the whole idea of identity and the thought that you have one identity that can’t change,” he says. “It was an evolving understanding of myself that went from being lesbian— which felt closer and certainly was better for me than being a straight person— to becoming a hutch dyke.” By then, Lind had settled into a relationship with his partner. He knew she’d he accepting of his desire to pr<x:eed with transition, hut he also realized the decision would affect her life, tcxi. Their identity as a lesbian couple would change, though Lind continues to consider himself queer. Land began taking hormones even while beginning a new position with the Information and Technology Group at Oregon Health & Sciences University. He came out to co-workers a year later, having begun what was probably the first visible on-the-job transition at OHSU. TixJay, Land is senior manager of the computer support team and considers his transition com plete, having faced a difficult second coming- out to his family last year. In another change two months ago, the couple moved from urban Hawthorne to 5 1/2 acres in niral Warren that Land says come with peace, quiet and critters. Scussel, 41, moved to Portland about a year ago to date a guy h e’d met at a Radical Faerie gathering. Although the relationship didn’t go anywhere, neither did he. Contentedly single, Scussel lives in Southwest Portland and works full time as “hair god” for Cuts and Chemistry, an independent salon in the nearby Garden Home neighborhood. Every fourth week, however, he packs his hag—and his shears— to visit family and clients back in Tampa. Between fawning with Faeries and flights to Florida, Scussel enjoys naturism and country western dancing (kudos to DJ Crystal, he says). But on the horizon are two goals: running the Portland M arathon this fall and hiking the Grand Canyon from rim to rim next year. —TK J o h n S c u s s e l Jr. Cris Land C ris Land ris Lind describes himself as a trans guy ambassador, and he’s observed firsthand how Portland queers have become more understanding of their trans siblings. “Gay folks and trans folks are very much joined," the 39-year-old affirms. “G ender identity protection and hate crimes legislation help protect gay people because gay people are also victims of that very same violence and discrim ination." Lind grew up mostly in Colorado and came out as lesbian after high school hut found little family support. He sampled college, worked at a group home and hitchhiked to Oregon, where he studied s<x:iology and women’s studies at Portland State University and helped found C rom Gulf Coast hanker to West Coast hair stylist, John Scussel Jr. has made a journey in more than mere miles. “As I’ve matured and migrated north and west, I’ve gotten more and more away from the standard culture of America,” says this Radical Faerie known as FireWolf, a nickname reflect ing his affinity for flame and the canine’s role as teacher in native lore. "It was like I’d found a home for myself," he says of Faerie gatherings, “a commonality of acceptance that doesn’t generally exist in gay culture. Everyone has their own reason for being there, hut for me it’s a celebration of the male spirit in all its manifestations." Raised in Florida, Scussel worked in hanking while studying for a marketing degree at Univer sity of South Florida. He came out as a gay man during his college senior year, hut he’s never been one for labels. “Sexuality is fluid," he explains. Scussel explored lucrative accounting posi- it's ME! Bay Hall (right, with partner Boots Davis) © detours A Travel Shoppe "Let the Spirit o f iMove < y bu!" Different Roads • New Views (formerly Lloyd Travel) Open 11am to 5:30pm daily located 7 miles SW of M cM innville on H w y 18 at Bellevue WE SUPPORT GAY PRIDE! 503/843-9797 fi reseyega I lery @on I i nemac .com Let me he(p you reach your fu tt potentini! breast forms, bras & more! trans friendly cosmetic makeovers & consultation visit our booth at the PRIDE FESTIVAL! susan johnson owner/fitter 2041 ne burnside, gresham 503/491-5110 ~ www.shopitsme.com Timothy ^Mather psychic channel counselor 503-888-8451 ~ Here's to a Great Portland Pride 2003! Call us for your next adventure. 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