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just rm
M arty D avis
newsmagazine
the in publication for the out population
Founded 1983 • Jay Brown and Renée LaChance
Brothers, sing on!
Vol. 22 No. 10
FEATURE
Portland Gay Men’s Chorus marks a quarter century of survival
hat a week of festive celebrations the gay, lesbian, bi and
trans community has just had! Portland Parents, Families
and Friends of Lesbians and Gays bring together a nx>m
chock full of proud parents and families sharing love and
pride for gay sons and daughters and toasting the sentiments of wedding
memories. Equity Foundation takes over the Governor Hotel ballrtxim
for its annual Investments in Dignity Awards and shows our community
and the city the power and scope of giving and sharing. Basic Rights
Oregon throws a festive anniversary party for celebrants of last year’s
historic same-sex weddings, and the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus cele
brates its 25th anniversary with a concert simply unsurpassed in memo
ries, music and moments.
Pixir planning almost kept me from PGMC’s Brothers, Sing On!, and
1 shudder at the thought of what 1 might have missed. The evening was
well planned and executed from beginning to end. The handsome tuxe
do-clad chorus was brought to rhe stage in order of the year each mem
ber joined, starting with 2005 and working back to 1980. As the count
down reached rhe founding year, the audience took to their feet in
proud and rousing celebration at the presence of original and founding
members Steve Fulmer and Gary Coleman.
The concert was a memorable visual journey as well as a musical cel
ebration. News file footage from 1980 showed the power of Mount St.
Helens and her devastation, while old photos flashed back to the fresh
and youthful faces of gay men teetering on the brink of an equally dev
astating AIDS epidemic.
To date, AIDS has claimed the lives of more than 100 members of
the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus.
The comparisons between “now and then” were evident in many
ways throughout the evening. Paragraphs could be written on hairstyles
alone. Flairstyles and facial hair, that is. Clearly at one period, a Tom
Selleck look-alike thing was going on. In an ironic moment, a cell
phone was heard chiming away in the audience during hxitage of the
chorus founding—a time prior to the invention of the now-omnipresent
and ever-noisy device. 1 deeply appreciated the sentiment and strength
of the leadership of Fulmer and Coleman as pictured in old photos and
news files.
At the same time, it’s evident that while the chorus is rich in history
and tradition, the future of the organization is also looking strong and
secure. As Fulmer and Coleman anchor the beginnings of the chorus,
the future lies in the hands, and voices, of new and young members like
Class of 2005 tenor Andrew Dyer. 1 was lucky enough to sit behind the
W
March 18. 2005
family of this young man, and it was an extra bonus of the evening to
share their pride and joy in their son’s musical accomplishment. There’s
nothing like watching a proud mom as her son steps up for his solo
number. His solo in the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus.
As a side note to the overview of the concert, it was interesting to
observe the presence of beleaguered Multnomah County Circuit Court
Judge Sid Galton. Galton, a lifetime chorus member who is facing disci
plinary prixzeedings for violating state judiciary conduct axles, was
recently the subject of a Willamette Week cover story. Barraging the
openly gay judge with reports of being vindictive, retaliatory and a “nar
cissistic hothead,” the article labeled him “Sid Vicious.” Galton was a
jaunty participant in the concert’s opening choreographed number, Cole
Porter’s “Anything Goes.” Anything goes, huh? Apparently not, Sid.
22 ONE YEAR LATER
Just Out celebrates the first anniversary of
same-sex marriage
NEWS
7-15 NORTHWEST
Guest commentary by Bonnie Tinker and Cecil
Charles Prescod of Love Makes a Family; photo
flap follow-up; queer schixil board candidate
emerges; Washington Supreme Court weighs
marriage equality; new treats, old digs
17-19 NATIONAL
Repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” launched; Cali
fornia court strikes down same-sex marriage ban
as unconstitutional; AFL-CIO against Federal
Marriage Amendment
s we mark the first anniversary of Multnomah County same-sex
20-21 WORLD
marriages and remain in limbo as to the legal status of these
unions, we kxik south and join our comrades in California as they cele Mexican government runs pro-gay radio ad;
brate judicial rulings paving the way for legal same-sex marriage in their
Argentine TV broadcasts gay dating show;
state. Meanwhile, a year of marriage has left Massachusetts no worse for
Romanian airline discriminated against gays;
wear. The state, the first to recognize legal same-sex marriage, has not
Sweden to OK lesbian insemination
been descended upon by plague nor pestilence, nor kxzusts, nor famine.
ARTS AND CULTURE
Back here at home, Oregon—a state whose judicial and legislative
34-35 ART
leaders slowly, slowly sift and sort—has been hit with the old biblical
Art for Life: “It’s the gay event of the year”
favorite, drought. Worse yet, we now also have to suffer through an
37 DANCE
accompanying pestilence of cheerful, dim-witted television personalities
chirpily heralding, “It’s another beautiful summer-like day.” I’d rather
Australian Dance Theatre takes flight with
have the famine.
Birdbrain
A
39 MUSIC
losing on a note of utter insignificance, 1’11 add my voice to the
Erasure’s Andy Bell bravely comes out as poz,
chorus of those heralding the improvement of the second season of
while Moby voluntarily goes in the cloz
The L Word. The dialogue is much improved, and now and then the sit
41 DIVERSIONS
uations encountered border on real life.
Oregon Bears turn 10; The Adventures of
Who couldn’t identify with Bette—who’s being very naughty, and
Barrio Grrrll; DanceAbility; The Ditty Bops
having very bad days in turn—when, after her you-could-see-it-coming-
42 FILM
for-miles car wreck, she made the situation worse by physically attack
Conspiracy of Silence exposes hypocrisy within
ing the obnoxious male driver of the car she t<x>k out. This was a fine
the Catholic Church; Wixxly succeeds with
fantasy anger management moment. Remember, ladies, do not try this
Melinda and Melinda
at home. In real life, such behavior would be followed with an arrest for
assault. Gotta say, though, the sex scenes are kinda boring. You seen one
43 CULTURE
skinny naked girl ’n’ you’ve pretty much seen them all. Come on,
• Everything’s cornin’ up roses at the Red Dress
L Word, bring on the real women. jM
Party
C
COLUMNS
33 MS. BEHAVIOR
Fiancés fret about wedding registry
36 EPIQUEEREAN
After-party appetite?
44 OUT LOUD
Drag kings go to Slovenia
45 JIM'S CLOSET
Private parts
Just Out congratulates Taylor West,
Ann Hubard and a host of others
on their first wedding anniversaries.
May you all share many more.
Just Out is published on the first and third Friday of each month. Copyright © 2005 by Just Out No part of Just Out may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher Editorial
guidelines: Letters to the editor should be limited to 500 words Announcements regarding life transitions (births, deaths, unions, etc ) should be limited to 200 words; photos are welcome Deadline for
submissions to the editonal department and for the Calendar is the Thursday 15 days before the next publication date Just Out reserves the nght to edit for grammar, punctuation, style, liability concerns
and length Views expressed in letters to the editor, columns and features are not necessanly those of the publisher Advertising policy: The display advertising deadline is the Monday 12 days before the
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PUBLISHER & MANAGING EDITOR
Marty Davis
NEWS EDITOR
Sarah Dougher
ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR
Jim Radosta
STAFF WRITER
Jaymee R. Cuti
ART DIRECTOR
Bonnie Barrett
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Katy Maehl
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Larry Lewis
ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES
Ashley Austin, Kari Tate, Cshea Walker
CONTRIBUTORS
Stephen Blair, Michael Burdick, Meryl
Cohn, Loree Hyde. Lisa McCormack, Gary
Morris, Johnny Mozzarella, Jenny Nguyen,
Cecil Charles Prescod. Rebecca Ragain,
Bob Roehr, Floyd Sklaver, Ricky Z. Starr,
Cori Taratoot, Jim Thompson, Roey
Thorpe, Bonnie Tinker, Rex Wockner
DISTRIBUTION
Kristine Ashton, Allison Benn, Lisa
Benson. Pat Kilmer-Cramer