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MARCH 17, 2006
JUSt|OUt 5
letters
Take That, Elitists
To the E ditor :
This is in response to the letters of Jon Sauer
[“Once Again, Oversensitive Homosexuals
Overreact,” Feb. 17] and Steve Smith [“Double
Standard Uncovered,” March 3[.
As a long-term activist recently said, “When
was it wrong to care?” when he was called “politi
cally correct.”
Sauer seems to think that “political correctness
is out of control,” while there is still rampant
homophobia in Portland.
Does anyone else reading this paper realize how
many homophobes are going to take “Fruitcakes
Not Welcome” (or “No Fruitcakes Please”) and
make it into a homophobic joke, one based on
hatred? Several times a week 1 hear someone on
the MAX say something really oppressive and
offensive regarding sexual minorities in general.
Sauer also seems to be unaware that hetero
sexists use the word “gay” in a very derogatory
sense constantly. The word carries very negative
associations among straight people, despite the fact
that homosexual elitist males decided that we were
going to be called that.
Sauer seems to be unaware that when a teen
age homophobe says, “That is so gay!" he is not
referring to a fabulous hairstyle, a tasteful interior
decoration or a trendy fashion statement.
Smith is also insensitive to the feelings of so
many Portland residents who do not think that
words like “gay” or “lesbian” fit them. The reason 1
chose “queer” was because, by definition, the word
means “unusual” or different from the status quo.
That describes me sexually, culturally and socially.
“Gay” means happy or cheerful, and no one uses
that word to describe those moods. Often people
use it when they have an outburst of flamboyance
or are acting silly.
And for the record, it is not a “take back” term
like the N Bomb for African Americans. Most peo
ple I know who identify as queer want everyone to
call them queer. We choose that word now. We do
not want straight people referring to us as gay or
lesbian, and we correct our friends who call us gay
each time they do use that word. 1 have no prob
lem with someone who likes the word. 1 will call
you what you choose.
When 1 saw Tales of the City and the character
complains how nonstraight males took their word
from them, my first response was: You can have it
back!
When Just Out uses words like “queer” or “fag,”
it is because their readers prefer those words.
Smith is also unaware of why Portland queers
call themselves that, and he comes off as a bit of a
fascist when he insists that nonheterosexists have
to conform to his mainstream expressions of their
unconventional sexuality. Does he refuse to watch
Margaret Cijo? She uses the word “fag,” and 1 think
she is awesome.
So “gay” men decided that we have to be
called “gay” some 40 years ago. While people are
beat up while being called “queer” and “fag” (and
quite a few of those victims were heterosexual
men and women), so many of those attacks begin
with the word “gay” and “lesbian.” Even if gay
men decided to call all homosexual males “gay,”
Now’s the Time.
Taste the Cold.'“
[7:isp.m.]
homophobes show that they can use that word
against us every day.
Or maybe Sauer and Smith are t<xi caught up in
their anti-political correctness to realize that. Such
an attitude does nothing for anyone’s community.
D amien C amacho
Portland
Homophobia in Hollywood
To the E ditor :
it won three of those.
Brokeback Mountain, on the other hand, earned
94 award nominations and won 54. Of those, 15
were for Best Picture, and it won 13.
So...a better film? Hmm...I dunno.
But we do know that heterosexism and homo
phobia are still alive and well in Hollywood. Big
surprise.
D onald F inch
Portland
Like many of you reading this, 1 was disappoint
ed that Brokeback Mountain did not take home the
CORRECTION
Because of an editing error, the name of Beth
Oscar for Best Picture. And, like many of you,
1 understand that the Oscars are a self-aggrandizing
Allen’s law firm was misidentified in the Feb. 17
Hollywood moment and that they don’t begin to
article “On Firm Ground.” Allen4" Law focuses on
matter in the grand scheme of things. But, like
protecting the civil rights of Oregonians and
many of you, 1 love a gixxl debate.
Washingtonians. She can. be contacted at
We know Brokeback Mountain was a love story.
503-241-3103 or beth@allen21aw.com.
We also know Brokeback Mountain
was not a happy love story because
it was about prejudice at its core.
So the academy gave its award for
Log on and let us
Senriap the LGBT Communities of Oregon t
Best Picture to Crash, a film overt
know what you
ly about prejudice. Crash might be
think.
a fine film; some critics are now
saying it’s a better film.
So...let’s crunch some num
Letters to the editor
bers, shall we?
Transitions
Using the Internet Movie
Weddings
Database, we can see that Crash
has earned 64 award nominations
and won 26 of those. Of those 26,
www.justout.com
seven were for Best Picture, and
JUStpUt