October 21.2005
Therein lies the rub: Little Sister’s is a queer
bookstore. In Other Words is a feminist,
To the E ditor :
women’s bookstore. Little Sister’s serves its com
y partner and 1 were walking down North
munity by stocking gixxls for and about gay men,
west 23rd Avenue about 3 p.m. Oct. 9.
gay women, transsexuals, bisexuals, etc. In Other
A voice in front of a coffee shop, where all the
Words’ mandate is to build and strengthen
hikers congregate, muttered hatefully, “1 don’t
women’s community. As such, it strives to speak
care what you do behind closed doors, but 1 don’t
to all facets of t/uit community: gay women,
want to see that shit.” We were only holding
straight women, old women, girls, women who
hands, not making out, not even a peck on the
are athletes, academics, poets, pagans, parents.
cheek, and we certainly were not doing anything
And men interested in feminism. (Men interest
that needed to be done behind closed doors!
ed in Tom of Finland, not so much.)
We confronted the bigot. Screaming on
Feminist is not just another word for lesbian.
both sides, blah, blah. But we confronted him.
1 have never been prouder of myself or my
K ate Y ule
partner before.
Portland
This Measure 36 has cost us a lot, but most
Queer bikes unite!
ly it has cost us our dignity and sent the message
To the E ditor :
to the bigots that their attacks are OK and that
s a veteran bicyclist, I was overjoyed to see
we will buckle underneath their words. Well,
the feature article on bicycling in the
I’ve got some words for them: We’re here, we’re
Sept. 16 edition of Just Out (“Feel the Love’’].
queer, get over yourself, and I’m mad as hell and
For several years I rixle my bicycle in the
1 am not going to take it anymore.
Pride parade. And I commuted downtown to
I would like to invite queers all over the city
to fkxxl 23rd and Hoyt and to hold hands—go
work by bike before retiring four years ago. Now
1 have a cute little folding bicycle that 1 use on
ahead and kiss, too. There is comfort in num
trails around town.
bers. Most of all, do not be ashamed of your love
It is such a delight at the Pride festival when
anymore. That is exactly what they want.
a fellow queer recognizes me from a bike shop or
elsewhere and we strike up a conversation. The
M ike M artinez
bicycle community is alive and well here in
Portland
Portland in spite of all the controversy.
Kiss-in on NW 23rd!
M
In Other Words is a store
for women
To the E ditor :
K athy B ambeck
Portland
’m frustrated by a fundamental confusion at
Boycott Wood Village;
the heart of your suggestion that In Other
Words consider adding men’s books and prixlucts recall Karen Minnis!
To the E ditor :
to boost its finances and better “serve the entire
t is time for Oregonians to respond to House
community” (“Reeling in the Years,” Sept. 16].
Speaker Karen Minnis’ calculated effort to quash
You cite the example of Little Sister’s, the won
any opportunity of equality for gays and lesbians.
derful queer bookstore in British Columbia.
I
I
Thanks Christine!
Obviously, calls to her Salem office to plead
for a fair treatment of Senate Bill 1000 have fall
en on deaf ears. Her “gut and stuff” of SB 1000,
as well as her personalized message of never sup
porting equality, is a call to action for all Orego
nians interested in living in an environment
that is fair and just.
Minnis needs to be recalled. Residents of this
great state have available to them the means to
unseat her and to shout the message that intol
erance will not prevail in Oregon.
1 urge all Oregonians to commence a mass
boycott of Wixxl Village business and industry.
The constituents of Minn» must experience a
loss of revenue as a direct result of the irrespon
sible actions of their despicable elected repre
sentative. As business receipts significantly
decline, her constituents will press for her
removal because her brazen actions are now
hurting their pocketbcxiks. This simple, effec
tive tool, so often used by the conservative right,
is clearly available to Oregonians who favor fair
treatment of gays and lesbians.
Wixxl Village businesses that don’t support
Minnis can avoid being boycotted by prominent
ly displaying a “Recall Karen Minnis" placard.
As consumers, we have the supreme ability
to effect a change: Boycott Wixxl Village to
force the recall of Karen Minnis!
’ just out 5
resource. If you or someone you know wants to
find clean-and-sober friendships, the 3LC spon
sors fun, safe activities throughout the year. We
also offer meeting space for GLTB-friendly 12-
step meetings at $ 10 an hour. And if you want to
develop leadership, the 3LC can offer you a place
on our board of directors, or you can help at one
of our upcoming activities. At the 3LC, you can
become a treasured part of a needed service.
The 3LC is open for membership; monthly
dues are $5-$2O sliding scale, and rhe money is
tax-deductible. The 3LC really needs more
members; please consider becoming involved
with this recovery-based resource.
For more information you can leave a mes
sage at 503-238-6091 and I will return your call
ASAP, or you can stop by 1210 S.E. Seventh
Ave. on the second Sunday of any month at
1:30 p.m. for a board of directors meeting. We
will make it worth your time and money with
our thanks and openness to new ideas. Until
then, wishing us all peace, health and happiness.
K eely P epper
Portland
P at L anagan
Portland
Live and Let Live Club
invites the community
To the E ditor :
ave you heard of the Live and Let Live
Club of Portland? Some of us are calling
the club 3LC nowadays, trying to keep up with
the times.
I would like to send out an invitation to our
community to continue to support this valuable
Lori Lynn Goodrich (left) and Jeannine Somogyi
were engaged Aug. 27 with friends in atten
dance. A wedding date hasn't been set, as they
are waiting to see either civil unions or marriage
become a reality in the state of Oregon.
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Thanks for taking our hands ami
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