Continued from Page 21
by. They would give her roses, and some would
come over and give her kisses and big hugs.
“1 don’t know of any political leader in Ore
gon or Portland who has done more for the
LGBTQ community than Vera Katz—both in
the state Legislature and as mayor—in her poli
cy-making life and personal life,” says Adams.
“We have been lucky to have her,” he adds.
“She did it in a way that brought along the
straight community, and that is a special talent.”
Through her years in the Legislature and
then as mayor, Katz has watched the gay rights
movement grow in number and sophistication.
Fund-raisers for political candidates have come
a long way since the days of the $5-a-plate
spaghetti feed.
“The movement has been able to pick up
additional people who support it with money
and with their love and commitment,” says
Katz. “It is a huge credit to the leadership from
the Portland Town Council to Basic Rights
Oregon and every other group that is out there
now.
“The community keeps thanking me and
showing their gratitude and their love, and 1
i say to them, ‘You know, this is easy,’ ” says
Vera Katz, 2002
First day of domestic partnership registrations in Multnomah County, 2000
Katz. “The worst things in society are poverty
and the inability of people to feel like they are
full citizens of this community. The discrimina
tion of anyone in the community is something
that we have to be vigilant about and fight to
eliminate, because it could happen to any one
of us.”
Katz notes that she posed a series of ques
tions to herself throughout her political career:
Where are the inequalities.7 Where are people
being treated differently? Where is the discrim
ination? What do we need to do? “And that’s
the way 1 approach it,” she says.
Her work in supporting equal rights for the
sexual minorities community has been person
ally rewarding because in doing so she sent a
message to Portlanders “who felt they were
second-class citizens that they are not second-
class in this community,” says Katz. “They are
very important to us as friends and family
members. And the city of Portland will not
tolerate discrimination.
“So, to me, it was easy,” she says. “I never
had heartbum over it. I never had second
thoughts.” jFl
P at Y oung is a Portland free-lance writer and
gay and lesbian historian.
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Group starts in February 2005.
Call (503) 742-5382
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2006 CHICAGO GAY GAMES 2006
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2006 MONTREAL OUT GAMES 2006