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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 15, 2003)
nTTïïïïfTlnews politan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens, urged ^ay men and lesbians to become officers. “One way of reducing anti-gay bate crime is to contribute as a member of the MPS staff,” he said. “I would encourage and positively welcome you to come and see if this is a career for you. “We recognize that crimes against gay people are often not reported to police and that histor ically the gay community may not have felt con fidence in us," Stevens said. "We’re committed to changing this." The parade began at Victoria embankment in central London and passed the House of Com mons, Downing Street and Trafalgar Square. CANADA ay activists kissed July 22 in front of Alberta Premier Ralph Klein in Edmonton to protest his opposition to same-sex marriage. He has said he will do everything he can to ensure no queer weddings take place in the province. The 12 protesters struck at the Klondike Days pancake-and-sausage breakfast outside the provincial Legislature just Ralph Klein as Klein began addressing the 6,000 diners. The activists rushed the stage and started making out. The siTKXKhing and fondling continued throughout Klein’s address. At the end Tie said, “Thanks also to the roster of talented people who have been keeping us all entertained, including those in front of us today.” ( •5» Knit 250 people marched July 26 during the first Gay Pride parade in St. John, New Brunswick. “The mtxxl was festive and a small crowd in Kings Square supportive and polite as the parade went by," according to The Halifax Herald. The parade was a reaction to nasty com ments made May 8 by St. John federal Mem ber of Parliament Elsie Wayne. She also is deputy leader of the federal Progressive C o n servative Party. “This parade would never have happened if it wasn’t for Elsie’s remarks,” organizer Judith Mcinert told the Herald. “She mobilized people to come out and show their support for the gay community." FRANCE onservative French Prime Minister Jean- Pierre Raffarin met with gay activists July 18 and promised to intrixiuce anti-discrim ination legislation. He had separate meetings with members of the Joint Association of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexu als and Transsexuals and with members of Gay Lib, who are affiliated with President Jacques Chirac’s center-right Union for a Popular Move ment party. Attendees said Raffarin refused to C budge on two of their requests: residency and pension rights for gay couples who tie the knot under France’s civil solidarity pact law. U Z B E K IS TA N he sodomy trial of openly gay journalist Rus lan Sharipov began July 23 in Tashkent. According to Human Rights Watch, his May 26 arrest likely was retaliation for articles he has writ ten on police corruption and human rights abuses. Sharipov also was charged with having sex with minors and pimping. The trial has been closed to protect the identities of the hoys he allegedly violated. “Sharipov s long-standing history of criticizing government policy, combined with past harass ment against him and his colleagues, raise strong suspicions that this is a politically motivated case,” said Elizabeth Andersen, executive director of Human Rights Watch’s Europe and Central Asia division. “That the authorities would charge him with committing homosexual acts, violating his fundamental rights to nondiscrimination and privacy, makes it doubly egregious.” Only three of the 15 former Soviet republics still ban gay sex: Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. T ISR A EL el Aviv announced July 30 that same-sex cou ples will have access to city-provided spousal benefits such as disaxints at municipal cultural and sports events. To be eligible, gay couples must pre sent an affidavit declaring they live together. T “ From stru d e ls to n oo d les, w o rk in g 's a dream in my new ly remodeled kitchen... I needed more room First Time Buyers ♦ FHA/VA Loons to add cooking classes Self-Employed • Complicated Borrowers to my catering business Bankruptcies & Foreclosures • Credit Problems but I dreaded the thought Investment Properties ♦ Pre-approvols o f refinancing to do it. 100% Financing Programs Luckily, 1 w a s referred to Christine. She came Srnior l.oan Consultant to our house with all the l\esidcnt's Club paperwork, smoothed out - (he bumps with 800-343-9943 solutions and made the whole refinancing ■ ' J 503 501 1941 process genuinely friendly. Bon Appetite!" “ W O R K if Hi#cr S a s h a , "A nd Sh e Cooks ” ti* ) hollt(n) eoglehomemortgage.com Call today for a free qualification over the phone r 503 698-5429 Sex on the brain? $$ % if n Bruce Q y% ûaV^oüse y 1 4 a " U Come into the clinic to get a low-cost STD screening just for peace of mind. Call 503.988.3700 THE P H ILIP P IN E S olice raided a gay bar July 5 in Baguio City and arrested seven male performers for working without permits and dancing nude. A police spokesman said the mid on the Chip and Dale bar was the beginning of a new drive against bars that offer nude shows. P LEBANO N 1 ay activists in Beimt have launched a boy- ' cott of Dunkin’ Donuts, alleging the chain regularly evicts obvious homosexuals. “Dunkin’ Donuts’ Beimt branches have been denying service to gay and ‘gay-lurking’ customers under the pretext of protecting their version of ‘family values,’ ” activist Ghassan Makarem said in a statement posted at beimt.indymedia.org. Company spokesman Elie Tanios told The Daily Star that the evicted customers “talk loudly and invade other customers’ privacy.” An employee at one of the shops told the paper: “ In several instances, these customers displayed homosexual affection. They held hands, hugged and sometimes even kissed while they were on the premises. Personally, I’m not offended by such demeanor. But for Lebanese social norms, their behavior was not acceptable to other customers, who threatened to call the police." The activists are demanding “a press release from the mother company and the Lebanese local branches clarifying the issue and stating that homosexu als are welcome on the premises of Dunkin’ Donuts worldwide, including Bei- mt, and will he offered the same services just like any other customer.” Christine Hall courtesy of Multnomah County Health Dep’t C SDITI}. uie don't do exotics. K ose G itij VETERINARY When an ordinary Realtor simply won’t do... 11 O S P I T A I , jn French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin (center) promises the government will introduce anti-discrimination legislation Compiled by R ex W cx :KNER, who has reported for the gay press since 1985. He has a bachelor's degree m journalism from Drake University and started his career as a radio reporter. CRAIG STEPHEN 809 (near the QUIRK DVM K0CHIS SE P o w e l l Ross DVM B I v d Island 232-3105 Bridge) iâ 3144 SE Belmont Portland, OR 97214 office: 503-238-7617
