page 3
lustout
by Marty Davis
J
Eater's Rights Now!
VOL. 24 NO. 5
^NEWSMAGAZINE
JANUARY 5, 2007
What's with smokers' sense of entitlement?
s often happens, this new year starts with unfamiliar rules and regu
1’11 pretend not to notice. Eater’s rights.
lations coming into enforcement. These changes are frequently
If smokers are concerned about losing their rights, it’s because public
accompanied by wailing protests coming from the masses. 2007 starts
smoking is rude, messy and inconsiderate. Through inconsideration, smokers
as no exception. The most vocal pissing and moaning seems to come
have abdicated their rights, not lost them.
from those being highly offended by the new smoking ban in
Portland’s Pioneer Square. With great indignation, smokers are protesting that
everal Just Out staff members, myself included, attended opening night of
their rights are being taken from them.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. It was a fairly enjoyable
Tough shit.
evening of largely bland and harmless humor and song. It’s not as gixxl as some,
This smoking ban in an outdoor public place is not only appropriate, it also
not as bad as many. In discussions afterward, one staffer expressed dismay over
FEATURE
warrants immediate and further expansion. It should extend to all the farmers
the handling of the “two dads” characters. As portrayed on stage, the gay dads
22 A MAN OF MANY COLORS
markets and any and all outdoor events where people are closely gathered
were just as competitive and flawed as the other parents and displayed equally
As Chameleon Restaurant and Bar
together. Specifically, I encourage organizers of Portland Saturday Market to
exaggerated bad behavior.
prepares to celebrate its 10th birthday,
ban smoking when they reopen in March. Why? Because Christmas shopping
Yup, there were gays acting badly on stage. Quick, someone call GLAAD.
meet the wizard behind the curtain
at this normally delightful venue turned into an adventure into hazardous This would never happen in real life. In real life, of course, all gay people are
waste management as shoppers found themselves forced to duck, stand back,
perfect. Perfect parents, perfect partners, perfect neighbors, perfect employees.
NEWS
fend off flames and gasp from the noxious fumes. Woe to those unfortunate
And all with perfect haircuts. Perfect, perfect, perfect. As such, it is only fitting
6-16 NORTHWEST
enough to become trapped in the narrow, crowded aisles behind someone who
that we always be cast in such a light in movies, TV and theater.
Possible gravestone for Touchstone; follow
felt the need to light up as he or she slowly ambled through the vendors,
Reality check, folks. In real life, we gays are no better, no worse, no more
the adventure lawyer; promoter among us;
leaving behind a trail of wretched smoke and ash. Worse yet, because many
special than the nongays, other than the fact that we demand to be treated as
what’s in a name?; find your type; Maya
smokers seem to not even want the nasty things near their own bodies, they
such. So congratulations to The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for
Angelou, living history; Basic Rights
Oregon transitions; granting a radical
hold the pungent burning objects away from themselves—and directly into the
setting aside concerns of political correctness and putting gays right where they
platform; PABA closes year; arts boost;
faces, hair and clothing of anyone who happened to be nearby. Dogs, babies,
belong—center stage, as flawed and human as the rest of the characters.
drunken-driving victim grateful; Dragon
any and all are at risk.
Paddling, anyone?; SHARE poised for
Stepping indoors for a minute, what’s with dancing and smoking? Why on
ongratulations to Rebekah On, who will be leaving Basic Rights Oregon to
action; gay Orthixlox rabbi arrives;
earth do people need a cigarette in their hand as they flail and writhe on a
take a position with the Oregon House Democrats. Details of her new
hospitals under the microscope; defeated
civil
unions bill resurrected?
crowded dance floor? Gtxxl grief, didn’t your mother ever tell you that you’d
position are available on Page 8 of this issue. Rebekah has been a standout leader
18-19 NATIONAL
put out someone’s eye with that thing?
at BRO. Her departure is going to widen the gap of leadership at this organiza
Military comfortable serving with gays;
tion.
The
executive
director
position
has
been
vacant
for
half
a
year
now.
What
’
s
In addition to the hazards of secondhand smoke, why on earth is it accept
California bills boost rights; Nevada
able for smokers to fling their cigarettes onto the ground or out the window
up with this? BRO looks to our community for funding and support. Our com
Subway settles; trans nondiscrimination bill
when they are finished? What’s with the sense of entitlement that compels
munity kxiks to BRO for leadership. Is it there?
passes in Jersey; Ohio governor appoints
smokers to believe that someone will always come along and clean up after
first gay Cabinet member; employment
discrimination lawsuit in Texas
them? The doorways around my office building are littered with smokers’ debris.
an. 15 will mark the first anniversary of Just Out’s Gay Skate Night at Oaks
Smoke it, fling it. It’s all a pile of crap.
Park. This monthly event has been very successful, and the proceeds have
20-21 WORLD
Swedish church to bless gay unions;
As a nonsmoker, I’m more than aware that 1 have my own bad habits and
been a great contribution toward the success of the Just Out Scholarship Fund.
Scotland
OKs gay adoption; Italy to
addictions also. I’m fat. I eat too much. But 1 don’t go around spewing ftxxl into
Pretty cool, huh? You get a evening of fun and gixxJ exercise and in doing so
introduce civil union legislation; Far<x?
people’s faces, and I don’t leave a trail of litter behind me. Trust me, though,
are helping fund the college education of others. The canned and nonperish
Islands ban discrimination; Colombian
I’m sorely tempted on occasion. In fact, I’m thinking of carrying a snack bar in
able food items that you bring benefit Esther’s Pantry, assisting families living
civil union bill dies; Canada will not revisit
my pocket at all times and responding to the next barrage of foul smoke in my
with HIV/AIDS. Join us Jan. 15 for birthday cake and lots of dixir prizes. It’s
same-sex marriage; Nigeria set to ban gay
life; Iraqi gay activists abducted; Thai
face with a hastily chewed granola bar right back at the offending smokers. As
a birthday party! If you joined us anytime last year, we hope to see you back.
military
reclassifies gays, trans people;
the fantasy continues, I set the wrapper on fire and wave it in the smokers’ faces
If you’ve not come before, we hope to see you start off the new year with us.
Australian state passes partnership law
For directions to Oaks Park, visit www.justout.com. ©
as they glare, push off the smoke and attempt to flee.
A
S
C
J
ARTS AND CULTURE
reflections
39 PEOPLE
Year in Review
15 Years Ago in Just Out... volume 9 number 3, January 1992
• The National Association of Black and White Men Together
has issued a manual to help the gay and lesbian community
explore the issue of racism. It is available at most gay and
lesbian bookstores.
♦
just out
• In the first encounter of its kind in the nation's capital,
representatives of the gay and lesbian leather and S/M
community met with top National Endowment of the Arts
officials to discuss attacks on freedom of expression.
• The U.S. military's ban on gays is proper because gays get
AIDS and because gay and lesbian soldiers would view straight
soldiers as "sexual objects," a federal judge ruled Dec. 9. The
odd ruling came in the widely publicized case of Midshipman
Joseph Steffan, who was forced to resign from the U.S. Naval
Academy in 1987 after he acknowledged that he is gay.
• Oregonians for Human Dignity, the statewide coalition formed to defeat
the statewide petition and possible ballot measure filed by the Oregon
Citizens Alliance, has changed its name. The committee is now titled
Campaign for a Hate Free Oregon.
• Queer Nation members held a Dec. 15 protest during Sunday morning
services at Portland's Foursquare Church. Nearly 20 demonstrators wore
pink gags around their mouths and donned pro
gay and anti-Oregon Citizens Alliance stickers as
they sat in the front rows during the worship
services. They were protesting the church's
connections to the OCA.
• Lesbian and gay rights activists are considering
legal action following their unsuccessful efforts to
obtain marriage licenses during a recent protest at
the Multnomah County Marriage License Bureau.
• Tonko Laaksonen, known as homoerotic artist
Tom of Finland, died of an emphysema-induced
stroke Nov. 7, 1991, in Helsinki. In the course of
his career, he saw his artwork go from being
unpublishable in the world to receiving
worldwide recognition. In recent years, Tom of
Finland drawings have been collected by celebrities such as Andy Warhol,
Keith Haring and Robert Mapplethorpe.
• Following last May's sold-out, critically acclaimed appearance in
Portland, gay performance artist Tim Miller returns to Echo Theatre in
Stretch Mark, a weird journey through war, the AIDS crisis, growing up,
love and trying to make sense of the world.
40-41 FILM
Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds serves up some
tasty eye candy; Cate Blanchett and Dame
Judi [Tench face ott in Notes on a Scandal;
odd couple connect in A Soap
42 BOOKS
Longtime lesbian activist reflects on her
rich life
44-45 THEATER
Wedding bells herald the opening of
Portland’s new gay theater company;
William S. Gregory returns to the stage to
banter about our family circle, circa 1947
COLUMNS
17 DEAR ETHEL
Happy New Year!
35 MS. BEHAVIOR
XXX-Ray Vision
36 OUT GOING
That Small Town Feeling
37 EPIQUEEREAN
Gentrific-Asian
46 JIM'S CLOSET
Out Rage