Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 17, 2004)
6 j U S t O U t - decomber 17.2004 7TïïïT7TFÎïïm net/U sfm e/s J ewel A. R obinson , S a l e m Y o u t h B e n e f it f r o m BRO’s R o a d T o u r abr Office 503.2S1.4040 Cell 503.708.9508 Jewel2U@teleport.com www.jewelrobinson.com Prudential Northwest Proporti«* naturopathic X)dy works ,nc q e u b e e n n fiu q h ty ? e> i e m e t h i n q n ite J . C o m e s e e us at 2.0^5 N W O verton 'One, hôuï n e x t to .... T f ia iiA ÿê, Mavericks Q ifjt C&Utfjtt&tc, *5 C SPORTS CLUB Educotiorol Toys & Gann»s » Special Nrpds BooAs 81 Toys ) ju s t r r r n B eportianifs Jinest specialty toy store in the heart of the (Westmoreianii/v3eifw’ooii shopping district. « Free gift Wrapping 0 « Mention this ad and • Birthday Club » receive 20% off any single regular priced Hern 0 hours: Tues-Sat 106. Sun 12-5, Closed Mondays. Call about our extended holiday hours. (503) 239-6925 will return from holiday break on January 7. For bulletins and updates visit www.justout.com. 7325 SE MilwauKle Ave., Portland, Oregon 97202 A quarter-century ago, Portlanders didn’t have a lot of “alternative” or “gay friendly” ways to gt) about buying a house. Now, with the legion of options, one business is pausing to cel ebrate 25 years in the business. Founder Debo rah Betron credits the success of Bridgetown Real Estate to its reputation for quality real estate, as well as an' ethical position that takes seriously the responsibility to the clients best interests. Because Bridgetown was known in the 1980s as the “gay real estate com pany,” some clients would not even post its signs. W hen the anti-gay ballot measures came around, Betron knew it was important to remain visible and to support clients who knew they were giving their money to supportive ser vice providers. Bridgetown is no longer a primar ily gay company; out of the 42 agents, about 70 percent are straight. The cul ture of the business, however, is open and accepting. “Real estate agents have to learn a lot about fair housing now, and so the anti-discrimination John Roop (top left) meets with other Salem high school stuff gets covered in their education,” students as part of the Basic Rights Oregon bus tour Betron notes. T h e culture of Bridgetown is also decidedly open. ed a meeting between a dozen high schix>l stu Betron is proudest of the loyalty of her dents and several college students to talk about agents, particularly Scott Bottaro, with her since youth activism. 1983; John Terrill, with her since 1987; and Gerry Federico, with her since 1990. In a high Many of the high schcxders are active in their sch(X)ls’ Gay Straight Alliances. John ly com petitive business with many other options, these agents have been the lifebkxxJ of Rcx>p, a 17-year-old at Sprague High Schtxd in Salem, has been involved in his G SA for two the company as it has grown. years. In honor of its 25th anniversary, Bridgetown “[The GSA] makes it safe to he who you is continuing its tradition of philanthropy by are,” he says. making gifts to Habitat for Humanity, Our House and Clackamas W omen’s Services. W hile Rcx>p said his GSA is mostly a stxzial group, he hopes it can become more political. Not many businesses, much less those in the He sees a need for raising awareness about cutthroat field of real estate, stick around for as harassment of queer students. long as Bridgetown. Yet, they have remained “1 got called ‘fag’ tcxJay for the first time in community-based and cultivated a strong local four years,” he told Just Out. He says he was so presence since Day O ne. (They were one of Just caught off guard by the slur that he did not O ut’s first advertisers in 1983!) respond. If he chose to, he could file a complaint with his sch<x)l under its sexual harassment pre O u r H o u s e R e c e iv e s vention policy. $100,000 M a t c h i n g G r a n t For the most part, however, Rcx)p says he has A n anonymous Portland foundation is pro “gotten a lot of support" at schix)l. viding a $100,000 m atching grant to O ur Melanie Altaras, 16, is not sure yet if her House, which provides a comprehensive net schixd, West Salem High, is supportive of her work of health and housing services for people GSA. She founded it only two months ago and with HIV/AIDS. says the principal’s office keeps losing the group’s The grant is designed to help O ur House paperwork. Still, five to 10 students meet once a increase participation in its major donor pro week. They, too, are concerned about anti-gay gram known as the Circle of Friends, a designa slang. tion for those who contribute $1,000 or more She says she wants to educate fellow students annually. that to deride something by saying “th at’s gay" The foundation will match, dollar for dollar, is, to her mind, “hate, discrimination and name gifts made by newcomers to the Circle of calling.” Friends. For a donation to qualify, it must he BRO board co-chairwoman Alisa Simmons received by Dec. 31. says the communities visited on the tour were W ith this grant— the first of its kind ever not feeling defeated after the pas sage of Measure 36. Instead, like the student groups, they want to get to work. “People are over [Mea sure 36]," she says. “They are tired of being on the defensive." Simmons says the communi ties BRO has visited are eager to do proactive work around human rights, including basic education about what a statewide nondis crimination hill for queers would mean. BRO communications director Rehekah Kassel I says more than 80 percent of Oregonians support the concept of a such a hill. 25 years strong! The staff of Basic Rights Oregon went on the road Dec. 7 to 12 on a 13-city tour of the state. Their purpose? To get together with community groups, dehrief about Measure 36 and strategize for the upcoming legislative session, when they plan to help pass a comprehensive nondiscrimi nation bill for sexual minorities. At one stop along the way— Willamette University in Salem— BRO organizers facilitat B’ zillion D ollar P roducer j family parties, work parties. PARTY-PARTIES. [where are you unwrapping HOT NEW GUYS this season?] Want to play safer during the holidays & beyond? Test for STDs every 3 months. Multnomah Co. STD Clinic • 503.988.3700 • All confidential, all the time B r id g e t o w n R e a l E st a t e C e l e b r a t e s 25 Y e a r s in B u s in e s s