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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (April 16, 2004)
avril 16. 2004 jiistrrn The IN publication for the O U T population Stranger than fiction F ounded 1985 • J ay B rown and R enee L a C hance Vol. 21 N o . 12 As an ER character struggles with inequality, real-life gays and lesbians play out the same drama across America asic Rights Oregon is on a roll. The string of successes for the organization continued with the 11th annual Oregoni ans Against Discrimination Luncheon on April 14. This well-attended and place-to-he-seen event had two shining moments. Well, three, if you count the desserts. As expect ed, Multnomah County Commissioners Serena Cruz, Lisa Naito, Diane Linn and Maria Rojo de Steffey were greeted with a warm and enthusi astic ovation. For me, the second shining moment of the luncheon was the keystone address presented by Matt Hennessee, president and CEO of Quiktrak and chairman of the Portland Development Commission. What a powerful speaker Hennessee is. He spoke passionately of his own childhood and family struggles and drew eloquent parallels between discrimination that he faced as a black man and discrimination faced by gays and lesbians. One conclusion shared by Hennessee was that education is a major factor in allaying the concerns of those who fear and oppose same-sex marriage. This sentiment is shared by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, which recently announced its “I Do” campaign, a new media initiative designed to promote marriage equality. The two-part promotion features a competition to create 30-second television spots and public service announcements that will ultimately feature celebrities followed by GLAAD-led solicitations to local stations to air the spots. “Our goal is to tell stories that will change the hearts and minds of Americans who are not yet convinced that marriage rights are a simple matter of equality,” executive director Joan M. Garry says. “This cam paign taps into the deep level of frustration and anxiety in this country around the ongoing erosion of our civil rights. We cannot allow the Federal Marriage Amendment to slip under the radar and go undehated. The media have a responsibility to cover this civil rights story.” How Americans will respond to these spots remains to he seen. GLAAD may be getting a helping hand in this process by a story line under way on the popular NBC drama ER. Regular viewers of the show are familiar with the trials and tribulations of the once- evil Dr. Kerry Weaver, who, since she was once evil, was, of course, the natural choice to morph into the lesbian character. So in the past few seasons we’ve seen Kerry discover her sexual identity, date, get partnered and start a family with Sandy, the birth mother of their child. With the season finale and May sweeps approaching, Sandy is abruptly killed. In the midst of dealing with the grief over the loss of her partner, Kerry is dealt a double blow by Sandy’s fami ly’s refusal to allow her access to their child. Kerry is not the moth er, they were not married, she has no rights. While Sandy and Kerry are fictional characters, this same drama, in real life, could be played out daily in gay and lesbian homes across America. Here we have the truth of our lives being broadcast directly into the homes of mainstream Americans. Our truth is that gays and H loser to home, I’m curious about what I see, or actually don’t see, hap pening in our Portland community. Specifically, where’s the uproar, the outrage, the questions, the marches, the call for solidarity and the coalition building around the recent police sh<x>ting of James Jahar Perez? As we all know, it was less than a year ago that Kendra James lost her life in a similar scenario. Her death and the circumstances around it sent waves of shock and activity throughout the sexual minorities community. And now, a year later, where’s the fuss, where’s the turmoil? In recent weeks there has been much alignment in our community between our fight for same-sex marriage and the centuries-old battles for civil rights fought, and not yet won, by African Americans. I’m puzzled. Why was Kendra James, in her death, embraced by our leaders and activists and James Jahar Perez not? One struggled to escape police; one seemingly didn’t. One was a mother. One was a father. Both appear to have loving families. Both lost their lives in tragic circumstances. Why is one of less value to us? I sure hope it’s not because our plates are full and we’re so busy taking care of our own stuff right now that there’s no time to stand in support of others. C A 15 y e a r s a go in Just out • In February, Portland attorney Janice R. W ilson filed a complaint w ith Secretary o f S tate Barbara R oberts’ office claiming the Oregon C itizens Alliance flouted election laws by publishing false statem ents in its literature urging repeal o f Gov. Neil G oldschm idt’s executive order banning dis crim ination against gay men and lesbians in state jobs. • According to Alyson Publications Inc. of Boston, the Oregon congressional delegation ranks 21 st of all 50 state delegations on votes sup porting gay interests. First ranked was Massachusetts, sec ond was Washington state. W orst were New Hampshire, Idaho and Wyoming. • Marty Davis • Jim Radosta ARTS AND CRTDRE EDITOR • Lisa Bradshaw I • Meg Daly Marc Acito, Kathy Beige, Michael Burdick, Meryl Cohn, Andy Mangels, Christopher NEW S EDITOR ART AND PlEARTTY: Queer-friendly homeless youth program sparks creativity and hope p 26 N EW S NORTHWEST • Fired Cirque du Soleil gymnast speaks at CAP auction; lesbian vies for a seat in the Oregon Legislature; two gay men oppose Commissioner Randy Leonard pp 10-19 NATIONAL . Help nears for AIDS facial wasting pp 20-23 WORLD • Vatican, Muslim nations scuttle U.N. gay rights resolution pp 24-25 ARTS AND C U L T U R E THEATER • The personal is political. And theatrical, too. p 37 MUSIC • Queer girl rockers take root at Nocturnal P 39 CULTURE . Queer yoga classes promote a well body and mind 41 FILM • Men on a mission pp 42-43 WHAT'S POPPIN'? • Filmmaker documents execution o f Monster subject p 44 DIVERSIONS • Art groups co-mingle for razzle- P pril brings to us five Fridays, and this means a week’s vacation for the Just Out staff. We’ll be back with you May 7. But before we go I’d like to remind you of a few special upcoming events that I hope you can attend. First, join us for Gay Night at the Sing-a-Long Wizard of Oz April 17. This is going to be great fun, and if you bring along the ad from this issue you’ll get a sizable discount off the cost of admission. Wear a costume, bring your singing voice, and let’s hit the yellow brick road. April 19 is opening day for Rose City Softball Asstxriation games. This is a great way to relax and people watch while enjoying being out doors and letting someone else do all the running around. Sweat is so much more appealing when it’s on someone else. Finally, the election is getting closer and Multnomah County Commissioner Maria Rojo de Steffey needs our help to secure her re-election. Please join her from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. April 21 at Aura Restaurant and Lounge, 1022 W. Burnside St. Her special guest that evening willY>e Thomas Lauderdale. A $50 suggested donation will get you good company, hors d’oeuvres and that special feeling that comes from knowing you’ve done a really good thing. jPI 1 The Oregon Health Division's new HIV public educa tion campaign contains “nothing of value," according to Jim Clay, Willamette AIDS Council’s director of youth programs. He said the materials prepared for the division by Turtledove Clemens Inc. of Portland, at a cost of about $70,000, is another example of wasted public funds. MANAGING EDITOR FEATURE lesbians do not have equal rights. Fictional or not, millions of viewers tune in weekly to involve themselves in their lives. NBC has created a tremendous opportunity to showcase the inequities of denial of rights. Let’s hope that they chtxise to use this situation wisely. The impact could be tremendous. i m EJECTIO N S A p ril 1 6 , 2 0 0 4 VOL. 6 No. 6, A pril 1989 • Cathy Siemens, a founder of the Lesbian Community Proj ect and former deputy campaign manager for the No on 8 Ballot Measure Campaign, joined Bridgetown Realty as a sales associate in March. • To the distress of some gay leaders and to the delight of many others, members of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) in Portland are circulating a flier alleging that U S. Sen. Mark Hatfield, R-Ore., is a closeted homosexual who has repeatedly voted against the gay community on AIDS and civil rights matters. • The Portland Lesbian Choir presents its first major concert April 1. Proceeds will allow the choir to attend the 1989 National Festival o f Gay and Lesbian Choirs this July in Seattle. • The Men’s Sexual Ritual for Personal Communication is a three-day intensive for trance, alchemy and magic through Tarot Keys. • In Her Image: A Gallery of Women's A rt presents a group exhibit of women’s artwork and crafts titled A Healing War McQuain, Gary Moms, J.B. Rabin, Bob Roehr, Helen Silvis, Floyd Sklaver, Cori Taratoot, Rex Wockner I • Larry Lewis • Kari Tate, Ashley Austin I • Kevin Moore Zanne dejanvier I • Kristine Ashton, Allison Benn, Ed Carder, Ashley Conley, Dairen Linder, S &. E Distributors dazzle show; Do Jump! peddles hope; goodbye to Playing It Straight P 45 ROOKS • Senior drag queen is star o f Harlem Renaissance history PP 46-47 COLUMNS M S. BEHAVIOR • Without the one P 35 EPIQUEEREAN • Portland’s own SoHo P 36 OUT WITH ITI • Old lesbians organizing for dates p 45 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARC • What, me worry? P 49 j u s t o u t is p u b lish ed o n th e first a n d th ir d F ri d a y o f ea c h m o n th . Copyright t ) 2004 hy Just C Hit. No p.m of Just Out may he reproduced without written permission from the publisher. The su b m issio n o f w r itte n a n d g ra p h ic m a te r i a ls is w e lc o m e d . Written material should lx- typed ,ind dou ble-spaced. Just ( >ut reserves the right to edit for grammar, punc tuition, style, liability concerns and length. We will reject or edit articles or advertisements that are offensive, demeaning or may result in legal action. Letters to th e ed ito r should he limited to 500 words. An nouncements regarding life transitions (births, deaths, unions, etc.) should he limited to 200 words; photos arc welcome D ead lin e for su b m issio n s to the editorial department and tor the C alen d ar IS the Thursday 15 days before the next publication date. 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