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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (July 4, 2003)
m <• 20Û3 • n .m io u t Continued from Page 5 background as I was (finally) giving birth to my oldest daughter. She’s a budding young fag hag who I’m always having to remind to leave the budding young gay boys in her classes alone so they can come out in their own time. Again, there are no accidents in the universe. Has anyone else noticed? S herrie T aha Portland Equality, e h ? To the E ditor : fter the very public threats to us Canadi ans over our position on Iraq and our recent decision to relax p o t‘laws, I’m very curious to see what new threats will be hurled at us over our bold decision to legalize gay marriage. It will be equally as interesting to see what discriminatory laws the U.S. feds will have to put in place to invalidate Cana da’s marriage laws and the impact it will have on the United States. I am very proud that our government has the guts to not leave this issue for the Supreme Court but to tackle it head on and push it through, regardless of veiled threats from conservatives. This decision shows that Canada has a true commitment to its consti tution, which says all Canadians are equal under the law. Oh, Canada. We stand on guard for thee. C olin B rownlee Vancouver, British Columbia Spitzer w a s n ever a hero To the Silas McGowen, Proudly serving our community since 1989 in personal injury claims including; 1953-2003 • Auto & Motorcyle Accidents Hala Gores, P.C. Attorney at Law Free Consultation N o F e e U n le ss You R e c o v e r 503 / 295-1940 He is survived by his partner, Scott Philips; best friends, Frank, Curtis, Joe and Gary; and four sisters, two in Atlanta and two in Florida. A celebration of life will be held 2 p.m. Aug. 10 at 8229 S.W. 42nd Ave. Mourners are invited to join court and community members as they remember the joy that McGowen brought as well as his support for the Devotion of the Rose and Emperor XXIX Josef A. Foxx. Remembrances may be made to the Pride of the Rose Scholarship Fund of Equity Founda tion, P.O . Box 5696, Portland, OR 97228-5696. 12th Floor 621 SW M orrison Portland • Bicycle & Pedestrian Accidents • Medical Malpractice • Wrongful Death • Defective Products • Insurance Claims You Deserve Full Compensation for: • Pain & Suffering • Medical Expenses • Lost Earnings • Property Damage P O R T I A N O ARRA • Cor Rental BUSINf-S.S SSSIH IA T IO N Integrity, E xperience Results & E ditor : x-gay evangelist Mike Haley, in his June 20 Just Out interview, misleadingly stated that Robert L. Spitzer “was the hero of the gay com munity in 1973 for fighting to get homosexuali ty” removed from the official list of mental dis orders (“Gay or Nay?’’). In fact, Spitzer success fully argued, in a 1973 American Journal of Psy chiatry paper, to retain a mental illness category for homosexuals who were upset and wanted to change. Spitzer still supports some ex-gay treatments. He did not change his mind. He was never a “hero" to gays. Tcxlay, charlatan therapists are still using Spitzer’s kxtphole to bill medical insurance for ex-gay treatments. Unfortunately, many insur ance providers have cited these types of sham treatments to justify not covering genuine men tal illnesses. Spitzer’s reply to Just Out was also mislead ing. While I appreciate his public compassion for homosexuals and his support for gay civil rights, it does not excuse him for providing help to anti-gay organizations. Spitzer’s feeble excuse is that the media are oversensationalizing his work. Rut Spitzer has decades of experience with getting his press releases widely published. Yet, his press releases are consistently being used against gays. Either way, he is responsible for this happening. My essay “Psychiatry, Pedophilia and Vixxkx)’’ (www.gaytiKlay.com/penpoints/061603pp.asp) describes how Spitzer’s latest press release is being used against gays. Predictably, many radio and television stations have used it to equate pedophilia with homosexuality. It also conve niently supported the scare tactic of anti-gay U.S. Sen. Rick Santomm that legalizing homosexual sodomy will cause pedophilia to become legal. T homas K raemer Corvallis Injured? ...Call me tra n s it ions ilas Leon McGowen, also known as Imperial Sovereign Rose Court Prince XXVII1 Silas Battenberg, died June 6 in Portland. He was 50. Slightly more than a year ago, McGowen got a new lease on life with a kidney transplant. Unfortunately, with his immune system shut down hy the anti-rejection drugs, he contract ed an aggressive lung cancer that was advanced and fast moving, leaving no opportunity for treatment. 1 le was crowned during investitures in December and had just completed Spring Rail with Princess XXXIII Miss Ariel View when the disease was diagnosed. He was able to complete his life journey at home surrounded by those he loved. McGowen was horn Jan. 17, 1953, in Fitzgerald, Ga. He lived for many years in Chicago, Miami and Atlanta before moving in 1998 to Portland, where he worked as financial controller at the Conven tion Center Holiday Inn. He was lauded for his landscaping and gar dening skills as well as his abilities in the kitchen. Friends say his creativity, energy and passion were boundless, especially when center ing around a just and noble cause. McGowen also was involved in the leather community both Kxzally and nationally. 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