may 7.2004 *
ju s t OUt 4?
D IV ER S IO N S
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Queer-night-o-rama
n order to throw a queer night at a sushi bar,
you’d better be one mother of a cool sushi bar.
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Fatty Fatty 2x4
O
ne hundred people who got turned away
from Hollywixxl Theatre last May will
no doubt be delighted to know that
FatGirl Speaks: A Celebration of Size,
Self & Sexuality has moved for its May 8 encore
to the Roseland— with a capacity of 800.
Founder and organizer Stacy Bias, who also
owns TechnoDyke.com, expects to sell out again.
The queer Portlander has created a national firestorm
of interest and activity with this one-of-a-kind venue of work
shops, fashion shows, performance and partying designed to deliver
the simple message that everyone has the right to love her body.
People are flying in from all over the country to attend, and
a group in Seattle has been given permission to produce its own
similar event (Dangerous Curves, scheduled for May 14).
Just what the hell is going on here? I decided to ask Bias a
few questions.
Lisa Bradshaw: Stacy, everyone knows that being over
weight isn’t good for you, so why celebrate it?
Stacy Bias: Being mired in self-loathing isn’t good for you.
Being mucked down in hatred for your appearance, comparing
yourself endlessly to wafer-thin models... isn’t good for you.
Watching the fucking Swan isn’t good for you.
So why celebrate your body? Because it’s yours. It’s the one
you’ve got. It’s the one you live in.
Why celebrate yourself? Because inside this mixed-messaged,
aesthetically driven corporate culture where diet tips, fashion
clips and chocolate cake recipes dichotomously exist on all
women’s magazine covers, the most revolutionary thing a woman
can do is love her body. Because a healthy dose of self-esteem is
the only true foundation you can set that will spark off a lifetime
of positive choices for your heart, soul and skin. Because all body
types exist— and will exist until the end of time— and there’s
nothing anyone can ever do that will change that.
LB : Yeah, OK. But do you really believe that being 100
pounds overweight can be healthy?
SB : Yes, I do. I know fat folks that can bench-press a Volks
wagen. I know thin folks that can’t run up a flight of stairs with
out being winded. Fitness and fatness are not mutually exclusive.
LB : Last year I noticed a lot of skinny butts in the chairs
at FatGirl. Why would they go?
SB: Hopefully, they count themselves as allies! B<xly image
isn’t just a fat issue. Our show is about fat women because we are
on the front lines of body image, but negative stereotypes about
bodies affect everyone— fat, thin, young, old, female, male. I think
our message is heard by people of all sizes, and they find something
to identify with in what we’re doing and come out to show support
for strong women making powerful change in fun ways. Plus, we’re
hot! Hello, Big Burlesque? Who would want to miss that?
LB : It seems like the fat advancement movement is being
spearheaded by queer women. Why do you think that is?
SB : It does seem that way, doesn’t it? ...I think being queer
gives us a built-in community that is already organized for
making change in several ways and that provides a ready-made
platform from which other types of activism can spring.
LB : I think some guys would like to attend this but might
be kind of nervous. Are they welcome?
S B : Yes, yes, yes! O f course. Everyone should com e.... We’re
in this together, and we want to see as many shiny, happy faces,
•round or thin, as we can! j n
Tickets to F at G irl S peaks are $10 from In Other Words or at the
door. Visit vuvuw.fatffrlspeaks.com for a complete schedule.
So far, we’ve heard no complaints from the
queer patrons of the dimly lit, urhanesque
Madame Butterfly on the comer of Southwest
Fourth Avenue and Stark Street.
Metamorphose, which kicks off every
Sunday about 8 p.m., is the brainchild of
general manager David Prewitt and the
restaurant’s gay D J Blue Submarine
(aka Kevin Schaer), who spins
house, progressive and trance
while you swap glances across
the bar with a slight figure,
hair in his eyes, supping on a
bright blue cocktail waiting for
his teriyaki donburi.
Meanwhile over at the
unendingly queer-friendly
Members of Triangle Recreation Camp in Washington are planting trees and
Holocene, the every second
making other improvements in the nature conservancy this summer
Wednesday queer night
Movement, brought to you by the kids who
Triangle Recreation Camp, which is open now, is a member-
used to produce The Blackbird’s queer night, is doing well
owned camp in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. This
enough that the bar is considering making it twice a month.
year members, some of whom live at the camp the entire season,
Holocene also sees no end in sight to the popular second
are committed to extensive tree planting on the 80-acre nature
Sunday queer girl night Tart, the fourth Sunday queer girl night
conservancy.
Diva or the first Sunday queer events: alternate appearances by
Although the camp serves mostly men, women of the queer
DK PDX and Sparkleheart’s Burlesque. In fact, notes co-owner
persuasion are welcome, too. For information and directions,
Jarkko Cain, everyone feels a little sorry for the third Sunday of
visit www.camptrc.org or e-mail info@camptrc.org.
every month, which is empty and void of meaning. Therefore,
they’re considering a “boys-oriented T-Dance.” Stay tuned.
Finally, that Cobalt Lounge Tuesday night Breakdown called
it quits, hut D J Puppet has moved her entourage of DJs and
f you’ve already seen the one gay movie at Regal Cinemas
loyal queer dance fiends over to Porky’s at North Lombard and
(Latter Days), step into one of three other queer film opportu
Albina streets. Dubbed Booty, the every Thursday queer night
nities In Portland this month.
goes from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. and encourages pirate-type dress and
First up is the Northwest Film Center’s series Global Lens:
pillaging behavior.
New Cinema from the Developing World, which runs through
May 26 at Guild Theatre and Whitsell Auditorium. The Iranian
film Women’s Prison, which follows 17 years in the life of a
prison guard and her turbulent relationship with a prisoner,
niversity of Oregon’s Women’s Resource Center presents the
shows May 7 and 12.
fifth annual Lesbopalooza on May 14 at WOW Hall and
Then on May 14, the series presents Mango Yellow, a Brazil
May 15 at Agate Auditorium in Eugene.
ian pastiche of stories, including one about a seriously flamboy
Music lovers are coming from all over
ant hotel manager. For the complete schedule, visit
the West Coast, says ccxirdinator Kirista
www.nwfilm.org.
Trask, to see the all-queer lineup, which
Next up is a special showing of the new film I Exist: Voices
includes Station Wag, Magdalen Hsu-Li,
frtrm the Lesbian aiul Qay Middle Eastern Community in the
Demimonde Slumber Party, Chris Pureka,
U .S. 8 p.m. May 8 at The Know, 2026 N.E. Alberta St. The
The Butchies, Nicole Sangsuree, Piper
film is being presented by Seattle filmmaker Basil Shadid to
McKenzie, Kinnie Starr and spoken word
raise money for his feature film project about a first-generation
artist Irvin. The first evening will be
Arab American coming to grips with his sexuality.
“aggressive,” notes Trask, while the second
“J Exist is a documentary that chronicles the stories, mes
evening is more “grtxjvy.”
sages, experiences and context for lesbian and gay Middle East
Lesbopakx>za is “one of those few
erners living in the United States,” explains Shadid. The film
times queer people come together not to Chris Pureka joins a
allows, he continues, “a unique opportunity to see something
talk about he politics of being queer hut whole herd of queer
that’s never been seen on screen before.... It’s especially impor
musicians for
to celebrate them,” Trask says.
tant because of
Lesbopalooza
Quintessential dyke hand The
how much neg
Butchies, who also play Portland’s
ative attention
Meow Meow club May 16, will sure be celebrating it. “We’re
is given to
grateful to the folks putting the festival on, as so many peo
Arabs and other
ple insist on shying away from a queer frxrus,” says band
Middle Eastern
member Kaia W ilson. “W e’re a bunch of rowdy homos, and
ers in the media
we’re not afraid to show it."
these days.”
Tickets are $7-$ 10 for one night or $10-$ 16 for both from
Admission
the university box office or 541-346-4363.
to 1 Exist is
$5-$10 sliding
scale. The event
includes a short
hat plucky little Portland organization The F O R E ST
opening film
Portland sees its first screening of / Exist:
Group (Feminists of Oregon Really Excited about Seeing
from Lebanon
Voices from the Lesbian and Qay Middle
Trees) is readying for its second annual campout for women
and a raffle.
Eastern Community in the U .S. May 8 at
and children July 3 to 5 at Milo Mclver State Park in Estacada,
Finally,
The Know
where it has secured the entire site for itself.
Clinton Street
Members plan a Sunday hike and a visit to the area fish
Theater’s Forest Film Festival, which nins May 10 to 16 and
hatchery. The weekend is “geared to just about anyone,” assures
showcases independently pnxluced experimental shorts, includes
group mcxlerator Tami Keller-Clark. “Last year we had seasoned
a screening of Portland gay filmmaker Aaron Kirk Douglas’ gem
backpackers and those that hadn’t gotten their tent (H it in
of a short “ My Days of Awe and G rief” about him and his best
years.” To join the tree huggers, call Tami at 503-659-2782 or
friend growing up in Springfield. |H
e-mail nccl 127@hotmail.com for an application.
If you’re of the gay male persuasion, the oldest gay camp
Compiled by L isa B rahshaw
ground in the nation beckons from 90 minutes north of Seattle.
Queer film everywhere!
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Aggressive, groovy lesbos
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Nappy campers
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