24
jM St M t - february 20. 2004
Divided
Loyalties?
The black queer
experience
in Portland
by J.B. Rabin
P?F*
'Vrr^r— -*~
áPÉ M M s
Cover model Kevin C\>ok
thinks homophobia amon^
jjay black men contributes to
hieher HIN’ infection rates
PHOTO BY
I
ight now it’s dangerous to be
black and gay,” says Andre Pruitt,
a mental health therapist who
works with the African AmerL
can and at-risk communities. He cites his race
as the reason for being pulled over in his car
multiple times by police officers, once at gum
point. And he notes that being gay once cost
him a teaching job. “The principal wanted to
sleep with me,” he says, “hut I wasn’t willing
to go there, so he fired me.”
Navigating the maze of identity politics is
considerably complicated for queer African
Americans. According to the National Gay
and Lesbian Task Force publication Say It
Loud: I'm Black and Lm Proud, race, gender,
class and sexual orientation are “experienced
holistically or intersectionally” by black queers.
For Pruitt, though, the intersection of identic
ties is a source of frustration. “When I talk to
my [black] friends who are dealing with coming
out, I always say to them: ‘Can you stand alone
and be a person who’s not allowed in any corm
munity? If you can stand alone, come out. If
you can’t stand alone, be quiet because you will
not be embraced by the gay community.’ ”
Don Valerio, MD
Internal Medicine
Support groups Ar\/(cil(\i>le-
Tor Wotncti who Partner With W ritten
Fanno Creek Clinic ♦ 2400 SW Vermont ♦ Portland
The Hambleton Project and the Susan 6 . Komen Foundation have collaborated
to provide these free resources to our community.
^
Sports Injury
HIV Testing/Care
Cancer Screening
Smoking Cessation
Physical Exams
Bi-weekly support group fo r lesbians/bisexual women with cancer and
their partners/caregivers (ongoing)
8-week bereavement group fo r lesbians/bisexual women who have
lost a loved one (next session begins 3 /4 /0 4 )
These groups are currently held in the Portland area, and will soon be available in
the Salem area.
For specific meeting times, locations, or for more information,
call the Hambleton Project at 503.335.6591
Hepatitis Immunization
Skin Problems
Anxiety/Depression
STD Testing
General Adult Healthcare
Appointments are now available. New patients welcome.
• ( 503 ) 452-0915
I
Board Certified. Most insurance plans accepted.