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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 20, 2004)
by ■ustrrrn M a r t y D a v is m Ê The IN publication for the O U T population California, here we come Vol. 21 N o. 8 Now that San Francisco allows same-sex marriage, will Portland follow suit.7 FEATURE F ounded 1985 • J ay B rown reasons behind this decision are valid, varied and vast. The event, in T hat’s about as elixjuent as I can he regarding the some ways, falls prey to its own success. It has become too big, too popu marathon of same-sex marriages that is going on in lar and tixi overwhelming for the small yet determinedly dedicated vol San Francisco. At last count the number was some unteer coordinators and board to manage. thing close to 3,000 couples, with lines still forming Please don’t doubt for a minute that this decision was anything but and applications still being requested. Across the nation editorials are painful for the coordinators. Their emotional dedication to Lady Elaine Peacock is beyond question. Their dedication and years of work is to be being frantically penned and newspaper articles are stacking to the ceil ing—or filling hard drives, as the case might be. The endless stream of honored. The spirit, the goals, the principles will continue. e-mail is filled with quotes, opinions, legalities, fervor and furor. I will feel the loss of Peacock in the Park because it is a traditional Will other cities, counties, municipalities follow suit? Chicago Mayor and a meaningful part of our Portland culture, legacy and social struc- Richard Daley says he supports the idea of same-sex marriage and basi- ture. In these rapidly changing days— days bringing wondrous accep- cally tossed the decision back on his county clerk. Will Chicago be the tance and assimilation— we also face losing sight of the value of the next major city to break down the barriers to same-sex marriage? I keystones of our gay heritage. Peacixk in the Park is one of these key- wouldn’t count on Portland following suit anytime soon. It would be a stones, and we should ail be keenly aware that the loss of this event is a grandiose gesture for outgoing Mayor Vera Katz—quite significant erosion of continuity and pennanence in our the legacy to leave behind. The problem with that idea, I will feel the loss o f community. though, is that the city doesn’t issue marriage licenses, While saddened by the loss of Peacock, my reflections Peacock in the Park on community were buoyed by the recent Vive la Com' Multnomah County does. And you know, somehow I don’t see County Chair Diane Linn making such a bold pagrue! concert presented by the Portland Gay Men’s because it is move at this time. With her career already taking a sud Chorus. This musical masterpiece was attended by more den veer toward fast tixxi management, it diK'sn’t seem a traditional and a than 700 people and was filled with the powerful voices likely that she’ll be so emboldened anytime soon. of the choir and of our community. I love those sing- meaningful oart Absolutely no one at this rime knows what will come alongs! The audience was a glorious mix of friends, family and community and was a celebration of who we are. of the San Francisco marriages. Will they be legal? Will of our Portland Former Oregon Gov. Barbara Roberts was honored for they continue? Stay with Just Out for further details. culture, legacy and her years of work on behalf of civil rights for all people. he second major news story of this week is the end of The reception that she received from the audience was a social structure. the Howard Dean presidential campaign. What a delight to behold. We must never fail to honor those who paved the way for the events that are happening today. stunning turn of events. From frontrunner to “outta here” in, what, less than a month? While Dean will clearly not be leading the Gav men and lesbians are getting married in San Francisco today attack against President Bush, he is to be given credit for awakening the because Roberts, and others like her, worked for us yesterday. passions of a lackluster Demixzratic Party and for forging a viable path to victory in November. inally, a thank-you and a gixxlhye. The thanks gix.*s to former Just Out staffer Melissa Sexton-Sayler, who stepped in and aided us with the Oregon Democrats will have no say in the nomination, as the deci prcxluction of this issue while another staff person needed to be away with sion will have been made prior to our late May primary— our hope now family. The gixxlhye comes as Erin Sexton-Sayler leaves us to pursue her is that the other states select well for us. At this point John Kerry would graduate studies. She has been a valuable and energetic part of the staff, seem to be on his way to sealing the nomination, but I still wouldn’t and it’s been a pleasure and an education to have worked with her. With rule out “nontraditional” events happening at the convention. Who has her departure we welcome Kari Tate to Just Out along with former free the best shot at heating Bush? John Kerry? A1 Gore? Hillary Clinton? Right now the president is leading the way by ambitiously working to lance writer Meg Daly, who has joined us full time as Features Editor. defeat himself; let’s all encourage him in his efforts. hese are heady times. History is swirling about us. While celebrating une will find our community facing the end of a legacy. The 18th and rejoicing, do keep a vigilant look to the right. It’s not yet time annual Peacock in the Park will be the final staging for this event. The i to dismiss the guard. JH T ow! R enée L a C hance February 20, 2 0 0 4 DIVIDED LOYALTIES?: The black queer experience in Portland P 24 N E WS NORTHWEST. ”>004 will be Peacock in the Park’s swan song; binational lesbian couple confront biased U.S. immigration laws; national conference taps into trans community consciousness; The Queer Profit pp 6 - 1 7 NATIONAL • San Francisco makes history by granting mamage licenses to same-sex couples pp 1 8 - 2 1 WORLD • Melbourne men put Canadian marriage to the test pp 22-23 ARTS AND CU LTU RE CULTURE . Queer open mikes offer libation for the soul; Portland’s first drag king troupe nudges you a little closer to your edge pp 34-35 BOOKS • Wayne R. Besen goes from Ga\ arut Unhappy to Anything hut Straight p 37 THEATER • Gay playwright's outrageous macabre on view at CoHo p 39 DIVERSIONS • Artist visits Sodom: queer theater makes connections in Southern Oregon; Deaf & Hearing OUT Reach celebrates two years; gaying up the Oscars p 40 WHAT’S POPPIN’ ? * Skip Havana Nights p 41 MUSIC • Musicians offer peace and healing at end of life p 43 COLUMNS M S. BEHAVIOR. Sweet surrender p 33 Ufi -1 J and ------ t - J " 1 -----A ------ I EPIQUEEREAN • Sweet, lovely and wild I ^ p 36 OUT WITH IT! • Too much of a good thing? • Nearly 31 years after the murder, Byron De La Beckwith, 73. was convicted in the killing of civil nghts leader Medgar Evers. Beckwith, a white supremacist, avoided conviction twice before when all-white junes deadlocked in 1964. • Brandon Teena, a resident of Humbolt, Neb., and two friends, Lisa Lambert and Phillip DeVine, were found murdered in Teenas farm house on New Year s Eve. Teena, a cross dressing lesbian, moved into the farmhouse last fall. Bom a female, she lived and identified herself as a male. • The Cascade AIDS Project administra tion has discovered that bills, including rent, health insurance, telephone and grant payments, have gone unpaid during the past several months. Ail together CAP owes about $120,000. Attorney Ben Mem ll was appointed by the board to conduct an independent investigation For the past 3 1/2 m onths, the Lesbian Com m unity Project has been engaged in a search to find a new exec utive director following the departure o f Donna Red W ing. The search is over, and the new LCP executive d ire cto r is LaVeme Lewis. NEW S EDITOR • Marty Davis • Jim Radosta ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR • Lisa Bradshaw • Meg Daly CONTRIBUTORS • Marc Acito, Meryl Qihn, Jixli Darby, Chelsea Fine, Christopher McQuain, Gary FEATURES EDITOR Morris, Eric Plemons, J.B. Rahm, Boh Riwhr, Floyd Sklaver, Rex Wixikner ADVERTISING 0IRECT0R • Larry Lewis ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE ADVERTISING ASSOCIATE GRAPHIC DIRECTOR • Pam Colton • Kari Tate • Kevin Moore THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARC • I’ m a celebrity...get me a career! p 45 • Oregon Gov. Barbara Roberts announced Jan. 28 that she will not run for a second term as governor. She cited family illness and the challenges of her position as the reason for her decision. Robert's husband, former state Sen. Frank Roberts, died of cancer last October. During her career, Roberts has been a champion of civil nghts for all people, including sexual mmonties. • The 1994 Gay and Lesbian Pride parade and rally has been set for July 9, said Eric Brown, interim chairman o f Stonewall Northwest-Gay and Lesbian Pnde. which is organizing the event. The celebration is set for later than past years because of lack of early coordination and funds • Last Friday Videos at Widdershms features Salmonbemes. starring k.d. lang in her big-screen debut, Feb. 25 • Finally! Portland s premier lesbian nightclub has found a permanent home. Don't miss the Feb. 18 grand opening of Code Blue, now open every Friday and Saturday .......... ..... . PUBLISHER AND M ANAGING EDITOR p 40 PRODUCTION ASSISTANT • Zanne dejanvier • Kristine Ashton, Allison Benn, Ed Carder, Ashley Conley, Darren Linder, S &. E Distributors DISTRIBUTION j u s t o u t is p u b lish e d o n the first a n d th ird F r i d ay o f e ac h m on th . Copyright © 2004 hy lust l )ut. N o pan ol ]ust ( >ut may he reproduced without written permission from the publisher. T he s u b m issio n o f w ritte n a n d g r a p h ic m a te ri a l * 1* w elco m ed . 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