_________________________________________________________ _ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 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