4
___________________ ____________________________________________________ DECEMBER 1, 2006 justioyv_7
outstanding
just asking
It's Only Rational
Just Out went to Gay Skate Night to ask,
"Who would you like to come out or be outed?"
athy Oliver gets things done for
homeless queer youth, and she
does so because it’s rational.
“1 found 1 could do things at
Outside In that 1 couldn’t do any
where else,” she says. “1 started a syringe
exchange in late ’80s. It was controversial,
but I felt very strongly about it, and it seemed
like such a rational thing to do to save the
lives of our clients.”
She also started a queer-specific group
called Voices in ’93. “It was still a little con
troversial in ’93, but I was looking at our
clients, and one-third are LGBTQ or ques
tioning. Again, it seemed like such a logical
thing to do, and at Outside In 1 had the sup
port to implement that idea.”
A lesbian who grew up in the Seattle
area but has lived in Portland for more than
30 years, Oliver was hired in 1980 at
Outside In as grant writer and intended to
stay for only two years. “1 found this was
such an extremely innovative agency and it helps
clients in ways I didn’t see anyone else doing in
Portland, and that compelled me to stay,” she says.
She became the executive director within a couple
of years.
Oliver says she is proud to have opened the
Virginia Woof Dog Daycare, which provides on-
the-job training for homeless youth at 1520 W.
Burnside St. “Moving from the street to the busi
ness world can be a culture shock," she says. “Youth
have such a natural affinity for dogs. Anytime
S arah D e M erritt
Grocery Checker
L ily -R ygh G len
“Gillian Anderson.
She appeals to a wide
spectrum of women.”
“Billy Idol because
he’s such a bad-ass
and nobody snarls
like him. Gay people
need to learn how to
snarl.”
L ane H unter
M ark B rown
Manager of Esther's
Pantry
Performer with
BodyVox
you’re helping queer youth have a safe place and
give them support they need to help trade street life
for independent living, it’s a tremendous help to
the entire community.”
Oliver says her biggest hope for Portland is that
funding for sexual minority youth does not
completely dry up. She recommends that
concerned Just Out readers donate to or volunteer
with Outside In. Visit www.outsidein.org for more
information. ©
"I feel strongly that
it’s not my place to
say. It’s a personal
thing. We have a lot
of people trying to
force people out.”
Bear Pom Aficionado
“Condoleezza Rice
because she’s single,
anti-gay and a bitch."
—Malka Cieffen
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ßUY/NG F
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2007
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