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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 17, 2005)
» ▲ □ by just rm a M arty D avis newsmagazine the in publication for the out population Founded 1983 • Jay Brown and Renée LaChance We are Everyday People Vol. 22 No. 16 FEATURE Make a connection with community this year veryday People. That’s the theme of the 35th annual Gay/Leshian/Bisexual/Transgender Pride Festival & Parade being held in Portland on the weekend of June 18 and 19. Everyday People has a nice ring to it. It’s basic, it’s simple. We are, after all, for the most part, just that, Everyday People. Acknowledging us as Everyday People is what The Oregonian does in a June 16 editorial encouraging the Oregon Senate to pass Senate Bill 1073, creating “Vermont-style” civil unions for gays and lesbians. The editorial states that passage of this bill, with no mention of action required by the House, “will be a victory for Oregonians who unequivo cally cherish fair treatment of their neighbors, sons and daughters who are gay.” Hmm...unequivocally cherish? In November Oregonians passed Bal lot Measure 36, an amendment to the state constitution banning same- sex marriage. Did these election results make you feel unequivocally cherished? I think we’re pulling the Band-Aid off the wound a little too soon here. The editorial concludes with: “If legislators approve this legislation, we’ll be able to say that, way back in 2005, Oregonians had already fig ured out what fairness means. Our state already knew that gays and les bians deserved to be treated equally [my italics], as full Oregonians and full human beings.” Excuse me, sirs, if we’re to be treated equally, why are you pushing for “Vermont-style” civil unions? Wouldn’t “treated equally” warrant “Massachusetts-style” same-sex marriage rights? Back to the theme of Everyday People, let’s pause and ponder who we celebrate as the Everyday People in our lives. As individuals we have our cherished partners, lovers and friends. As a community we have activists, politicians, business leaders, entertainers and performers. We have Sam Adams, who I hope does not falter from the burden of being a city’s Great Gay Hope. At some point we’re going to have to cut him kxise and accept the fact that he’s a mere mortal who cannot be faulted if and when he’s unable to make an appearance at every gay event in the city. As a rising star on the horizon we have Cascade AIDS Project exec utive director Thomas Bruner, who says he is considering a run for a seat on the Multnomah County Commission. 1 think Bruner would be an excellent fit for this position. His passion for his work and for provid ing services to those in need makes him an ideal march for the county. We won’t be able to label him as the first openly gay Multnomah Coun ty commissioner, however. Thar title, 1 believe, goes to Dick Levy, who was blazing political trails for gay and lesbian civil rights years ago. Scott Jensen is someone I’ve recently met who is a shining Everyday June 17, 2005 Person. His fruitful efforts at organizing the first-ever North Portland Pride event resulted in a delightful gathering of neighbors, business people, church folk and gays and lesbians from across North Portland. This regional event should be viewed by others as an opportunity wor thy of emulating in your own neighhorhtxxJs. As Everyday People, get ting involved in our neighborhtxxls is an excellent way of forging per sonal bonds, and for those so inclined, neighborhtxxl asstxziations are a tried-and-true stepping stone for progressive folks who might harbor greater political ambitions. Everyday People will be all over the place at the Pride Waterfront Festival. Tucked away among the tents and canopies you’ll find hiking groups and animal rights activists and social service providers and Everyday People hoping to be able to share their dreams, their ambi tions, their hopes with you. Stop by and visit with Maria Callahan, a woman with a vision and a passion for owning her own gym and being able to provide a safe place for all gay, lesbian, bi and trans folks to work on achieving and maintaining gtxxl physical well-being. Maria, and others like her, are all Everyday People hoping to make a connection with you, a connection with community. There’s been a bit of grumbling and muttering about Pride events and activities this year. That would make this year quite similar to all those prior. There are those unhappy with the parade route, unhappy with the parade being on Father’s I>ay, unhappy with the beer and food vendors, unhappy with the lineup of performers and probably unhappy with the weather. I’ll hold my thoughts and comments until after the event and in the meantime make the best of what I’ve been given. I didn’t do a damn thing to help; I have no right to complain. I understand the ire of the Stark Street business owners who will not be on the parade route. Next year we’ll start early to work out a better plan. Business owners need to step up and take a place at the planning table. A whole bunch of Everyday People need to step up and create a new mtxlel that reflects rhe changing times and the changing community. This is the 35th year for Pride events nationwide. In these 35 years, a cultural and social revolution has taken place. While acknowledging that the work is far from finished, it’s also time to pause and ponder the need and reason for Pride celebrations. Are we now “post-Pride”? Is it time to hang up the parades, the parties, the alcohol and the nudity and offer a citywide series of parenting classes instead? Finally, should you find yourself dissatisfied with any or all of this year’s celebration and feel the need to lob blame in someone’s direction, I suggest that rather than direct your ire at rhe very few who worked to organize this event, aim instead at all those who didn’t. JH REFLECTIONS Scott Jensen (far right) enjoys a successful North Portland Pride, 4he event he helped organize. 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 editorial department and for the Calendar is the Thursday 15 days before the next publication date Just Out reserves the right to edit for grammar, punctuation, style, liability concerns and length. Views expressed in letters to the editor, columns and features are not necessarily those of the publisher Advertising policy: The display advertising deadline is the Monday 12 days before the next publication date Classified ads must be received at the Just Out office by 5 pm. on the Sunday five days before the next publication date, along with payment Classifieds may be placed via www.justout.com. by mail or in person at our office Just Out reserves the right to reject or edit any advertisement Compensation for errors in. or cancellation of. advertising will be made with credit toward future advertising Advertising rates available upon request Distribution policy: Just Out is available free of charge Just Out is delivered only to authorized distributors No person may. without prior written permission, take more than one copy Any person who takes more than one copy may be held liable for theft, including but not limited to civil damages and/or cnminal prosecution Subscriptions are $22 50 for 12 issues First Class (in an envelope) is $40 for 12 issues Contact Just Out at PO Box 14400. Portland. OR 97293 0400, 503-236-1252. advertising 503-236-1253. fax 503 236 1257; e-mail justout@justout.com. Visit us on the web at www justout.com. 34 BACK ROADS OF COURAGE, BACKWATERS OF FEAR Finding pride in rural Oregon NEWS 7-25 NORTHWEST Updated Pride calendar; Rural Organizing Project Walk; When Pigs Fly; Eric Sten speaks; Addison’s Market; two Dyke Marches this year! 26-31 NATIONAL Gay rights groups denounce U.S. Senate confir mation of William H. Pryor Jr. to the federal bench 32-33 WORLD Swiss voters OK partner law; 2 million attend S8o Paulo Pride ARTS AND CULTURE 46 FILM The best Bat-film ever done 49 SPORTS Play hall! 51 MUSIC Concert discs put queer fans in the front row 55 DANCE Latest edition of Ten Tiny Dances brings together artists from Seattle and Portland 56-57 DIVERSIONS Stonewall; Drammy Awards; Scratch Pad; TX 2 PDX QueerMusicFest; The Education of Shelby Knox; Nadine in Dateland 58 BOOKS Author bridges class divides 61 TELEVISION Jim J. Bullock reflects on the sitcom that launched his career 62-63 FILM After years of medi<x:rity, Gregg Araki finally comes into his own as a major artist 64-65 BOOKS Photographers capture pleasure and pain with their queer eyes 67 CULTURE Ballnxim blitz hits Northeast Portland COLUMNS 45 MS. BEHAVIOR Lesbian outraged at proposed threesome 50 EPIQUEEREAN Lez hears it for the boys 69 JIM’S CLOSET Objection overruled 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 Yvonne P. Behrens, Stephen Blair, Lisa Bradshaw, Meryl Cohn, Lawrence Ferber, Timothy Krause. Andy Mangels. Christopher McQuain. Gary Morris, Jenny Nguyen. JB Rabin, Rebecca Ragain, Bob Roehr, Aaron Scott, Clair Shannon, Glenn Scofield Williams, Rex Wockner, Pat Young DISTRIBUTION Kristine Ashton. Allison Benn. Lisa Benson, Pat Kilmer-Cramer
