[3.2003'
GUEST COM M ENTARY
I
Thf IN publication for the OUT population
F ounded 1983 • J ay B rown
Vol. 2 0 N o . 23
and
R enee L a C hance
O ctob er 3, 2 0 0 3
FEATURE
85 FILMS, 11 DAYS: A sneak preview of the
dizzying montage that is Portland's seventh
annual queer film festival
p 28
! NEWS
NORTHWEST • Portland life coaches and
therapists guide people out of the closet; groups
create an environment o f support and education
for trans people and their partners; volunteer
helps church with Spanish-language outreach
pp 7-19
NATIONAL • Gays begin planning for GOP
convention; AIDS funding stagnates in Senate
pp 21-25
WORLD • Canadians refused entrance into
United States
pp 26-27
ARTS AND CU LT U R E
ART • Queer artists open up during Portland Open
Studios
p 41
CULTURE • Haunted house welcomes fairies to an
all-homo’s-eve; out on the town— see what
Portland queers have been up to lately
pp 43-45
MUSIC • Rejuvenate with Anne Weiss; why
you’re going to Bands Against Bush
pp 46-47
800RS • The queer body in fine form
p 49
DIVERSIONS • Fall Balls left and right; vote for
Mr. Gay Poder Latino; Last of the Bathhouse
Beauties; leave those wire hangers at home for
Momntie Queerest
p 52
WHAT'S POPPIN'T • Enroll in the School o f Rock
p 55
COLUMNS
MS. BEHAVIOR. My friend's girlfriend hates me
37
EPIQUEEREAN • Mediterranean stew
P
P 42
OUT WITH IT! • Your fall queerviPw
P 52
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARC . Target;
Sissyphobia
p 57
ju s t ou t it p ublish ed on die first an d (b ird Fri
d ay of each m onth. Copyright © 200 1 by Just Out. N o p.irt
ot Just Out may be reproduced without written permission from
the publisher.
U.S. K m *. E arl B u
menai m <
Equal rights: A personal odyssey
Congressman reconsiders the Defense of Marriage Act
T
i
fear and bigotry based on sexual orientation continue to do so regardless
of any efforts to diffuse the issue. In fact, the passage of D O M A only
made some gay-bashers even bolder in their hypocrisy.
government policy in very profound ways.
My vote on D O M A caused political confusion and serious personal
In fact, the first time someone acknowledged to me that he was
pain
tor people who knew of my commitment to equality for gays and
gay was in 1973, when l chaired the Oregon Legislature’s first
lesbians. Voting on the basis of political tactics rather than my own per
hearing on a nondiscrimination hill. After the hearing, a young man 1
sonal
beliefs also muddied my message about the critical need for anti
had known in high school told me how urgent and important issues of
discrimination protections for gays and lesbians. Most troubling for me
employment, housing and even personal safety were to gays and lesbians.
was the implication that my vote might he interpreted as a direct attack
Since that day, 1 have observed the ebb and flow of the debate on
on people’s ability to make their own choices about their personal rela
gay rights, attending hearings, learning the stories of people— like my
tionships and their dignity as human beings.
former classmate— who were harassed and living in fear. I also have
Recently, civil rights victories in the U.S. Supreme G xirt, Vermont and
developed a wide circle o f friends and many colleagues who are gay and
Ginada
have created a resurgence iff the controversy surrounding gay and
in committed relationships. 1 have come to understand that equality for
lesbian marriages. These successes do not have to lead to more anti-gay pnv
gays and lesbians is an issue of justice for us all, regardless o f our sexual
posals and rhetoric; most Americans today have friends or
orientation or political philosophy.
Looking
back
relatives who are involved with same-sex relationships
A long the way, I’ve experienced two extraordinarily
based on the same deep, emotional commitment and affec
painful episodes that help define my thinking.
eight years later,
tion found in the heterosexual community. Unfortunately,
When 1 was a Multnomah County commissioner in the
despite
their increasing acceptance by commercial media,
I
now
feel
that
1980s, we enacted one of the first and most comprehensive
by
the
marketplace,
by almost all thoughtful employers and
nondiscrimination ordinances in the country. The back
m y vote was wrong. even by the Supreme Quirt, same-sex relationships remain
lash, however, was brutal. Faced with an opposing referen
the target of discrimination.
dum that threatened to divide the community, leaders in
While m y analysis
It is now time for Qmgress to play a constructive role in
the local gay and lesbian movement urged the commission
m
ay
have
been
affinning
civil rights for gays and lesbians. After eight years
to repeal the ordinance. Although we already had
of refusing to grant even a hearing on the Employment
nondiscrimination administrative policies in place and 1
accurate an d m y vote Nondiscrimination Act, the House should now make it a
was strongly in favor of the ordinance, I joined with my fel
m a v have even been priority to enact this important legislation. Nondiscrimina
low commissioners to repeal it, hoping to spare our com
tion in employment should he tine of the bedrocks of a
munity an ugly campaign. Politicians and leaders of the gay
the
hest
political
m
ove,
society that claims to value self-reliance and the opportuni
and lesbian community agreed on the action, hut that did
not make it any easier to explain to the gay citizens sitting
it remains one o f the ty for individuals to reach their full potential.
Qmgress should also forcefully reject House Joint Reso
in the front rows, some crying with disbelief and anger.
lution
56, which proposes a constitutional amendment that
few
votes
I've
m
ade
That experience framed my thinking 12 years later
would define marriage solely as the union between a man
when 1 was confronted with the Defease of Marriage Act
in Congress that
and
a woman. Tragically, this same legislation would also
in Qmgress. D O M A created a federal definition for mar
prohibit
states, local governments and the courts from con
riage as the union between a man and a woman, prevent
I would change.
ferring legal rights or civil unions to gay or lesbian couples.
ing the federal government from recognizing marriages at
It
simply
makes
no sense to deny the benefits, legal rights and opportunities
the state level. In addition, it provided that states do not have to recog
afforded to married couples to others who want to commit to a long-term,
nize same-sex marriages performed in other states. Until DOM A, mar
loving relationship— and it is particularly galling to do so when the admin
riage issues hadn’t been a priority for the gay and lesbian movement; their
istration proposes to spend hundreds of millions of dollars in a curious exer
national agenda focused on nondiscrimination policies in employment
cise
to "promote marriage.”
and housing, while in Oregon, we were busy fighting the destructive and
This attempt to pre-empt decisions at the state level is not just stun
hateful anti-gay initiatives of extreme right-wing organizations.
ningly
hypocritical; it will fuel fear and prejudice, creating further divi
The introduction of DOMA in 1996, however, changed all that. It quick
sions in our communities and intolerance throughout our society.
ly became clear that people like Ralph Reed and Jesse Helms were pushing
It’s time for Q m gress to recognize gays and lesbians as people who
the hot-button issue of banning same-sex marriages to ensure the political
deserve the same basic and civil rights afforded to every other person,
failure of the gay and lesbian civil rights agenda. Focusing on DOMA instead
whether in the workplace or at home. Disagreement with a person's reli
of issues such as employment nondiscrimination and civil rights put support
gion,
sexual orientation or cultural background does not entitle the U .S.
er» of gays and lesbians at a severe disadvantage; the country was simply not
Q m gress— or anyone— the right to suppress them. Instead of pitting
ready to discuss same-sex marriage in any rational way. Hoping to deny the
citizen
against citizen over questioas of identity, sexuality and private
more extreme right-wing elements the opportunity to further exploit the
behavior, Q m gress should model the behavior it expects from others:
issue of gay and lesbian civil rights, I cast my vote in favor of DOMA.
fairness, tolerance and a basic respect for human dignity. J H
Looking hack eight years later, I now feel that my vote was wrong.
n my 30 ygars as an elected official, the evolution of the gay and
lesbian civil rights issue has touched my notion of fairness and
While my analysis may have been accurate and my vote may have even
been the best political move, it remains one of the few votes I’ve made
in Q m gress that I would change. Sadly, people who choose to exploit
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id
U .S. R ep . E arl B lumenauer , a Democrat , represents the 3rd
Congressional District of Oregon.
20 years ago in
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