june 17.2005 •
Objection overruled
Senate OKs worst judge ever
Every woman's J-Jealth
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501 N Graham #445 • Portland Or 97227
’m never going to need an abortion. I’m
never going to be racially profiled. I’m not
allowed to serve in Iraq. (Thank Allah.)
Despite the Bush administration’s
relentless, ongoing attacks, I fully recognize
that few of them will ever directly affect me.
That doesn’t bring me any joy, but it’s the
truth: I’m a privileged white queer. Yeah,
I can’t marry a man tn Oregon, but 1 haven’t
even been on a date in five months, so-that’s
hardly a pressing matter.
The OOP’s latest power grab, however,
could have a devastating impact on one Port
land family.
In 2003 Dubya tapped Alabama Attorney
General William Pryor for a promotion to the
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.
After months of outcry about his terrible
record of hostility toward equal rights, 53 U.S.
senators—including back-stab'«er Gordon
Smith, R-Ore.—confirmed the lifetime
appointment June 9.
“The most anti-gay nominee in memory,”
declared Lambda Legal. “An ideological tyrant
of the highest order.. .an American travesty,”
sighed the National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force.
This is a man who called Rix; vs. Wade “the
worst abomination of constitutional law in our
history.” This is a man who filed a brief in the
U.S. Supreme Court case of Romer vs. Evans
supporting Colorado’s anti-gay initiative. This
is a man who also butted into Lawrence vs.
Texas, which put the state’s “Homosexual Con
duct” law to the test. (Translation: He believes
the sex police should be allowed to arrest cou
ples for engaging in private, consensual acts.)
Worst of all, while temporarily sitting on
the 11th Circuit via a sneaky recess appoint
ment, Pryor cast the deciding vote upholding
Florida’s ban on adoption by gay men and les
bians. The lead plaintiffs in that case are Steve
Lofton and Roger Croteau, the Portland couple
who inspired Rosie O’Donnell to come out of
the closet in support of their cause.
They’re also the subject of a new Showtime
documentary, We Are Dad. premiering at
7 p.m. on Father’s Day. Even if you think you
know their story, don’t miss it.
Lofton and Croteau are raising five foster
children with HIV, three of them from Florida.
They have become exemplary role mcxlels not
Gynecological Surgery
and Obstetrics
I
Happy Father's Day to Roger Croteau
(clockwise from left) and Steve Lofton,
pictured here with Frank. Tracy and Bert.
just for gay parents, but for all parents.
The dixLumentary gives us a glimpse at the
hardships they’ve endured through the years,
from medical crises to racism (three of the kids
are black) to flagrant homophobia. Longtime
family friend Richard Cardran recalls nosy
onkxikers snapping, “Where’s their mother?!”
“Steve would rum around and say, ‘Well,
she was a crack whore,.and she’s dead.’ That
would usually shut them up.”
503.493.9453
Kimberly Suriano, M.D.
Philippa Ribbink. M.D
Elizabeth Newhall. M.D.
Brenda Kehoe. M.D.
Sally Holtzman. M.D.
1 aurel Lee.C.N.M.
Jennifer Heiser. M.D.
Jim's Closet
by Jim Radosta
5416 N MARYLAND
Near Downtown & the Pearl
at the KILUNGSWORTB MAX STOP
503-284-5220
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Carina Wienk,L.M.T
Naturopathic Physician Tori Hudson. N.D
503-284-2469
Because one of the kids, Bert, no longer
tests positive for HIV, he is now deemed
“adoptable,” so the state of Florida is required
| to find him a permanent home, even though
he already has one. In other words, thanks to
Pryor’s hatred, this teen-ager could wind up
back in a notoriously corrupt child care system
that has lost more than 3,000 kids in its $300
million computer.
Cardran admits that Steve and Roger perse
vere as sort of a “screw you” to people who
don’t think gay men can be outstanding
I fathers. These are the same bigots, he adds,
who tried blaming homosexuals for 9/11.
“Gay people seem to be at the bottom of
the ladder,” he says. “It’s the catch-all for
everybcxly’s hate, for every problem. Are we
actually gonna start believing not just the
words of the Constitution and the Bill of
Rights, but the intent of those documents? Was
the intent of those documents to say that it’s
OK to single out certain people?”
To those of us who believe in “liberty and
justice for all,” the answer is obviously no. But
to those bastards in the Senate who continue
to nibber-stamp every ideological tyrant nomi
nated by the White House, I’d like to remind
them that the Pledge of Allegiance is to the
republic, not to the Republicans. JM
Arts and Culture Editor J1M RADOSTA needs your
feedback. Write to jtm@justout.com.
CHUCK FLOYD
HAIR CARE SERVICES
for WOMEN and MEN
WWW.CHUCKFL0YD.ORG
THE TOP SHELF
Lotta Liquor is not just the name of
the Imperial Sovereign Rose Court’s
last reigning empress. It may as well
be this year’s Pride theme, based on
the number of booze manufacturers
targeting queers.
The drag hostess of The Bnni Maxwell Show
on The Style Network recently sent me a
bunch of recipes for “lovely morning cocktails”
to serve while watching the parade. She’s also
the spokeswoman for Bacardi Flavored Rums,
so guess what ingredient pops up in every
concoction?
Meanwhile, Vox Vodka and Out magazine
are co-sponsoring the Emerging Voices of Style
+ Design Awards to honor gay artists and
designers who are just beginning to establish a
name for. themselves. If you know anyone who
fits this description in Chicago, San Francisco,
Los Angeles, Philadelphia or Miami, nominate
him at www.voxvodka.com.
The granddaddy of gay-friendly spirits con
tinues to be Absolut, which consistently spon
sors sexual minority organizations and cultural
events and features queer artists like Andy
Warhol, Keith Haring and Annie Leibowitz in
its advertisements. Earlier this month the
vodka maker staged competitions for bar
tenders and chalk artists to celebrate its 25th
anniversary in the queer market and to raise
money for Portland charities.
Please drink responsibly. Cheers!
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