I
Kendall's a Doll
Meet Q Center's new director
he’s here, she’s queer, and she’s taking
names. Q Center’s vibrant new executive
director, Kendall Clawson, arrived this
month with her feisty wife, Michele
Mannix, in tow and Portland threw open
its doors.
First, Brian Wilson and Ramesh Manickam
hosted a house full of hotties including Russ Riggs,
Jody Clemmons and Tim Bloom. The next day,
Gwenn Baldwin and Judith Gray greeted a gaggle of
gays including Cody Bambino, community organizer
for Seattle’s Pride Foundation, and Don Powell, one
of the founders of Right to Privacy, the foreninner to
Basic Rights Oregon. Standing around the buffet,
Mark Clift and Jeff Knapp told me about their Friday
night lessons with Out Dancing and made me prom
ise to join them. 1 agreed, but first 1 had to waltz over
to learn a bit more about Kendall, who moved here
from Northhampton, Mass. (“Lesbianville, USA,”
she calls it; “where Smith College is—a training
ground for lesbians.’’)
S
Floyd Sklaver: Who are your role models?
Kendall Clawson: I’m really big on Eleanor
Roosevelt. She was nervy, and 1 like that about her.
She was married and rumored to be queer, which is
great, but she still did things that women weren’t
allowed to do at the time. She put ideas out there
and asked people to think in different ways. That’s
how I am. I’m not saying I’m like Eleanor
Roosevelt. But I want to come up with ideas and
programs that are not thought about now but can
make some positive change.
Out Going
BY FLOYD SKLAVER
FS: Why Portland?
KC: We considered San Francisco, but I would
have had to sell a kidney to buy a house. I had just
read The Secret and then watched Oprah and learned
about the law of attraction. I decided to put my
hands up and see what happens.... Michelle came to
Portland for a job interview. That weekend, I was
perusing through ldealist.org, a great Website for
nonprofit people, and saw the Q Center ad. It was
totally kismet.
FS: Where’s the most unusual place you’ve
had sex?
KC: I’m not telling you that. Here’s why. I wan
na stay married so no, no, no.
FS: What color are your favorite sheets?
KC: Light yellow, like butter. There’s nothing
better than sleeping on a big bed of butter.
FS: If you could meet
one living person, who
would it be?
KC: I’d love an hour
to sit down with Bill
Clinton. First, he’s a sexy
motherfucker.... Plus he’s
the most real president
we’ve ever had. Even with
the blow job. Let’s face it,
Floyd welcomes Kendall Clawson (left) and Michele Mannix to Portland.
lots of guys are doing
that.... He’s a white boy who loves the sisters.
wood tree. [Or] I think I’d want to be a dog, but
I don’t want to experience the whole SPCA life.
FS: Why did you fall in love with Michele?
1 want to be one of my dogs, with a routine and
KC: She is easily the nicest, most real and most
someone to take me on a walk, give me a biscuit,
compassionate person I’ve ever met. This is an hon scratch my ears and tell me how wonderful I am.
est woman.... I hope people take the opportunity
to know her, because what you see is what you get.
FS: Do you have a personal motto?
KC: To follow iny gut...it won’t lie to you. It’s
FS: Storm Large/Tim Bias’ ass...what else
that primitive sort of caveman thing that protect
impresses you most about Portland?
ed you from being eaten by a dinosaur. The times
KC: There’s the fantasy right there. Me, the
I’ve made the biggest mistakes were when I ignored
creamy middle in a Tim Bias and Storm Large
my gut.
sandwich. Yum, yum. Seriously, people here have
been incredibly nice. East Coasters have an
FS: Any last words?
edge.... The driving thing is so bizarre because I’m
KC: Just know I’m not going to break into flan
still screaming and honking. You’ll know me, the
nel anytime soon. Don’t let the eyeliner ftxil you.
one black woman screaming and honking.
1 am gay.
FS: When you die, what would you like to
come back as?
KC: Certainly not a Body World statue. What
would be long-lasting and gorgeous? Maybe a red-
sviliti
FS: And very Out Going. ©
FLOYD S klaver wants to know about your event.
E-mail him at floydsklaver@comcast.net.
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