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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 3, 2007)
22 JUStlOllt AUGUST 3.200? Z* J If» 'w » j 1 1 ' 27 ■ ... J4?*.*, 4L \ -_ i I-Är.Air- 4* > — After five goals are scored on a team, the winning ladies must remove one article of clothing for every additional point scored. Is this a soccer festival or a radical party for queer women? by Maria Callahan ith sidelines packed with rowdy, sunburned spec lesbians. More specifically, it is for lesbians or any woman who is eager tators, 14 sweat-soaked women rally for the final to be actively mistaken for one. Inspired by the 1990 Gay Games in plays under the midday September sun. Whcxrps Vancouver, British Columbia, Festival of the Babes (FOB for short), and hollers emanate from the now tipsy-to-total- was birthed by a small group of dedicated soccer dykes, working ly-crunked fans as a midfielder of the defending tirelessly to kick off an event focusing not only on soccer but also on __ * team hooks the ball from an oncoming forward, sprints through a hole community building. The first FOB hosted eight teams on two mod left by the advancing defenders and takes a straight shot at the goal. est fields, establishing the framework for a tradition that, almost two For a split second, it seems the tie may be broken until the keeper decades later, is still building momentum. spots the oncoming ball and hurls herself in its general direction. Millie Supple, one of the founding mothers of FOB, describes the Cheers erupt from down the field as the goalie snags the ball and growth of the event: “With little more than word of mouth, it grew clears it with a thud. The score is frozen, 5-5. year by year into what it is now: almost a Halloween, Gay Pride, While seemingly similar to any run-of-the-mill Sunday aftemwn Burning Woman, soccer event that now turns teams away.” soccer game, this is not your common club side scrimmage. The quick Indeed, the growth has been remarkable. FOB now caps its entry footed midfielder is a high femme from San Francisco sporting gold, jewel-encrusted cleats and matching lamé hot pants. The goalie? A Canadian bulldyke who happens to be dressed as Captain Jack from Pirates of the Cxmbbean. The crowd? All lesbians. Or close approxima tions thereof. And how is this arduous battle concluded? With a rous ing game of Spin the Bottle, special smooches reserved for the ref. For every one of us who lingered a little longer than normal in team showers, or found being tackled by a teammate surprisingly stimulating, this type of athletic endeavor is nothing short of a dream come true. For the past 16 years, this has been the case for the droves of women who attend the annual Festival of the Babes. Having found its roots in San Francisco during the summer of —Alexa Wilkie 1991, Festival of rhe Babes is a seven-a-side soccer tournament for W "/t was about challenging homophobia in sports and creating an environment for a soccer tournament in which lesbians could be w comfortable expressing B ■ themselves." Gillan Bradley Co. Custom Fine Jewelers Express Yourself with Jewelry Distinctly Crafted for You! • Jewelry & Watch Repairs 503.282.0282 Tuesday - Wednesday 10 30AM - ópm Thursday 10:30AM • 7PM Friday Saturday 10 30AM 5PM i * w * Come and join us! Hollywood Art Beat Every 3rd Thursday 47 7 4049 Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97213 at 24 teams and hosts two solid days of soccer played by approximate ly 300 women on four fields. With such growing enthusiasm, why cap the event at 24 teams? Jane White, an FOB enthusiast of many years, explains that the organizers “made a conscious decision to keep it smaller and more intimate,” even though this means occasionally turning teams away. Festival of the Babes differs in many ways from traditional soccer tournaments in both theory and practice. However, as many veteran FOB women will attest, a love of the game remains integral to the spirit of the event. Rather than maintaining an unrelenting empha sis on competition, FOB is a place for athletes of all skill levels and experience. For those women who do enjoy a healthy dose of competition, the tournament is divided into Competitive, Semi- Competitive and Recreational divisions. For those who, perhaps, are more interested in the assemblage of a flawless outfit and slide tackling that devastatingly dapper defender, the recreational division might be the best option. Through the years, FOB has developed some innovative idiosyn crasies that really do set it in a league of its own. Initially instated to prevent one team from running up the score against another team, a rule was laid out deeming that after five goals were scored on a team, one article of clothing must be removed by each player on the winning team for every additional goal scored against the losing team. Needless to say, the threat of public nudity in a sea full of dykes playing a contact sport did not elicit the planned inhibitory effect. Longtime FOBer Julie Johnson fondly recalls the first time this new Great Healthcare Happy People! • • • Bridge City... Your Clinic That Cares! B ridge C ity F amily M edical C linic , PC 2821 NE 58,fl Avenue • Portland. Oregon 97213 (Cross Street is Sandy Boulevard) www bridgecity medical com Monday - Friday h 30 s-wopm
