•*
4
by Marty Davis
I Hope You're Proud of Yourself
*
-t.
lustout
J •
NEWSMAGAZINE
JUNE 15, 2007
Are Pride haters suffering from internalized homophobia?
I
t’s June. It’s Pride. Portland, Oregon, everywhere. Pride, a time for merri
ment and mirth. And unfortunately, also a time that signals the arrival of
the season for pissiness and pettiness on the parts of many. The good warm
weather that immediately follows the soggy Rose Festival sprouts out a full
bloom of hatemongers. And when 1 say that, I do not refer only to the
Bible-toting, sign-carrying, in-your-face fanatics who walk the Pride parade
route, flaunting their disapproval while preaching of Christ’s love and salvation.
Nope, while these folks are certainly annoying enough, I find it even more
irritating when members of our own community feel it their duty, their need, to
flaunt their disapproval, while letting everyone know how meaningless all of
Pride is. For many of these “I’m above it all” intellectuals, it has now become
cool to hate Pride. This is similar, of course, to all those people who have to
remind everyone for months and months and months how much they “hate the
holidays.” Some people are simply bom to disparage.
I’m especially intrigued by this quote, which appears in a recent issue of one
of Portland’s alternative weeklies: “I find any excuse to leave town during Pride.
I hate it. I find the self-congratulatory nature of it unbelievable, and 1 don’t feel
like it’s my world at all. Even though it’s supposed to show this wide breadth of
the queer community, or whatever. Just because you’re queer doesn’t mean
you’re a cool person, just because people are queer doesn’t mean we have to have
a party about it.”
So, what do you think? Is being “queer” reason enough to have a party?
Is that all that Pride is, a party? Has Pride lost all historical context? Does
hating Pride now make you a cool person? Are Pride haters suffering from
internalized homophobia? Who in the hell gets to decide who is or isn’t cool
anyway ? The uncoolest people of all are those who think they have the right to
decide who is and isn’t cool.
Should, or can, Pride be viewed as more than a party, more than a parade?
Could it also be seen as a celebration of rights and victories, of achievement and
merit? Can Pride be viewed as a celebration of family and unity, or are all the
gays and lesbians who proudly and lovingly march with their PFLAG parents
simply people not cool enough to know that they aren’t even cool at all?
Now I myself must admit to years of questions about Pride-related behaviors.
In this very column, at this same time of the year, I’ve questioned the need for
nudity and over-the-top public sexual behaviors. I still question the need for
this, but as the years go by, 1 accept it also. We are who we are. I myself will not
be getting naked in public, and really now, aren’t I the only person 1 should be
concerned about?
ride, to paraphrase, is in the eyes of the beholder. At Just Out, when we
think of Pride, we think of all you who steadfastly bring canned food items
to our monthly Gay Skate Night. We feel pride when we pile boxes of your
donated food in our cars to take to Esther’s Pantry. We felt and shared your
pride when our office was piled high with Christmas/holiday toys to share with
the children of families affected by HIV/A1DS. With your help, we worked
together as a proud community, and in a very short period of time, we accom
plished a great deal. We are proud to know that you’ll be there to help again
this fall, and we will make a positive impact on people’s lives.
Just Out is proud to contribute to the enrichment of community mem
bers via our Just Out Scholarship Fund. The deadline for the 2007 cycle is
rapidly approaching. For information on how to apply, please visit our Web
site at www.justout.com. Again, thank you gay skaters: A portion of your
entry fees makes its way back to the scholarship fund, and you enable us to
help others.
For Just (Jut, Pride marks the return of our annual photo contest. This year
we take pride in the partnership we’re growing with Q Center as we create an
art exhibit displaying the combined works of the hundreds and hundreds of
photos you sent us. Pride is in the creation of a project that brings us all togeth
er and showcases vision and beauty.
Pride is not a party, Pride is not a parade. Pride is how you live your life.
Pride is not about being a cool person; it’s about being the best person you can
be. Pride is taking ownership of weakness and celebration of strengths. Pride is
looking beyond being gay and understanding that we are all part of a greater
community. Pride is caring about our schools, our neighborhixxJs, our homes
and our families. Pride is caring about our city, our nation and our planet.
Pride can be an opportunity for introspection and analysis. Am I where 1 want
to be? Am I doing what 1 should be doing? Can 1 expect others to take pride in
me?
Am I proud of myself?
There you have it. More questions than answers. We’ve got an entire week
end to talk about this and anything else that’s on our minds. The Just Out staff
will be at Waterfront Park all weekend, except during the parade. You’ll find us
in booth E-1, proudly handing out papers.
Come on by. We’ll be proud to meet you. ©
P
FEATURE
28 OUT LOOK
Photo contest winners hit us with their best
shots
NEWS
9-23 NORTHWEST
Men’s Wellness Center turns one; PFLAG
presents trans panel; first trans march forms;
Dalton’s Law denied hearing; Lutherans
struggle toward equality; Independence Day
party benefits BRO; TriMet driver
suspended for ejecting queer youth
24-25 NATIONAL
Dem candidates polled; marriage bill passes
in Assembly; exhibit on Anita Bryant
opens; Family Pride expands; health benefits
reversed; GOP candidates support
discrimination; marriage equality pays
ARTS AND CULTURE
51 CULTURE
PLEASE NOTE: June has five Fridays, so the next issue of Just Out won't hit the
streets until July 6—an interval of three weeks rather than two.
Two government officials are the grand
marshals for Portland Pride 2007
52 NIGHTLIFE
Have gay noons at Zaytoon
55-57 FILM
The first Platform International Animation
Festival gets a little gay; French
documentary explores a grieving family’s
journey to move Beyond Hatred; Unconscious
can stand with the best of Pedro Almod6var
61 CULTURE
Titleholders will keep Portland queer all
year long
63-65 BOOKS
Trans author joins his mother for a
spectacular conversation about maleness
and femaleness; Portland author asks some
profound, disturbing and important
questions about the effects of sexual abuse
67 PEOPLE
Film documents range of male couples
COLUMNS
43 EPIQUEEREAN
A Japanese Garden
47 MS. BEHAVIOR
Pop Quiz
48 OUT GOING
Junket Junkie
Have a fabulous Pride weekend!
We'll be in booth E-1 at Waterfront Park Saturday and Sunday.
Stop by and say hello!
I
49 OUT OF MY MIND
Baby Talk
59 GET DIRTY WITH DAN
Progressive Gardening
70 JIM'S CLOSET
The Last Word