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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
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Office 503.2S1.4040
Cell 503.708.9508
Jewel2U@teleport.com
www.jewelrobinson.com
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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.
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25 Y e a r s in B u s in e s s