page 3
The U-Haul Is Empty
just out
by Marty Davis
w
J
VOL. 24 NO. 21
NEWSMAGAZINE
SEPTEMBER 7, 2007
Just Out invites you to check out our new digs
of Craigslist. If you couldn't deal with the increasingly conservative image of a
bare-chested male, you are so not ready for what the digital camera era has
brought to the electronic “dating” scene for gay men. And when I say gay
I include, of course, the foot-tapping, Republican, married, straight family val
ues fellas who, of course, are not gay.
It must be noted that we do still have a handful of phone-line advertisers
who continue to cater to our male readers. These are valued advertisers who
offer a service still used by many, and as such, they remain welcome in Just Out.
While we ponder our next redesign of the paper and the best utilization of
the now available back page, we’ll be filling the space with our newest section,
aptly called, what else, “The Back Page.” This
page will feature photos of events and activities
that Just Out attends. I’ll also happily accept sub
missions from anyone out there who attends or
hosts an event and would like to see it featured in
the paper. If you’ve got photos, drop me a line at
marty@justout.com.
For this kickoff issue I’ve showcased a selec
tion of photos from recent weekend events.
Softball is a mainstay of summer in Portland,
and with only a couple of weeks remaining in the season for the Rose City
Softball Association, you’ll want to head out to Hillsboro on Sunday to cheer
on your favorite ream. To view additional photos, please visit the galleries at
www.justout.com.
MARTY DAVIS
The change in scenery
and routine is good, and
the energy flowing in the
newly appointed digs is
vita! and positive.
abor Day weekend brought two visual highlights: the women’s soccer event
Festival of the Babes and the stunning La Femme Magnifique International
Pageant hosted by Darcelle XV.
I arrived near the end of the soccer tournament and immediately wished I’d
shown up earlier, like the entire day before earlier. What a happy
bunch of women. What a lot of beer. While wandering about, 1 had
a brief but meaningful encounter with a beautiful border collie that,
I’m sure, will think of me often and fondly. This dog was smart. How
do I know this? Because when 1 threw a Frisbee for him, he trotted
back with a better disc than what I’d thrown. Yup, smart dog.
These soccer players were happy, so very happy, and it was more
than just rhe beer. They were cavorting and sharing their athleticism
and the camaraderie involved in playing a team sport. They weren’t
necessarily all stellar players, but they were out in the sun, sweating
and running and being zestfully uninhibited. Now, agreed, that last
part was probably the beer, but the rest was joyous social interaction.
(Turn to “The Back Page” to see just how uninhibited the ladies
were.)
In my envy I found myself thinking of ways that the, um, mature
lesbians in Portland could come together and share a similar experi
ence. How could we play a sport together, exercise (without hurting
ourselves), share the camaraderie of team competition and whoop it
up in a hearty manner that might also involve beer? What the hell,
we can take our tops off, too—well, should that ever be deemed nec
essary, I suppose we could.
Volleyball. That’s our sport. Volleyball.
I believe volleyball could become the sport of the Hot Flash set.
It can be played indoors or outdoors—outdoors in the shade, that is.
Unlike softball or soccer, volleyball doesn’t involve running across
large, dusty fields yet still can provide a fine walkout. Unlike golf,
L
BeBe J was crowned La Femme Magnifique International on Sept. 2 at the Oregon
Convention Center.
you need no expensive equipment or cute matching clothes.
Volleyball allows more social interaction than tennis and has far less
cumbersome rules than basketball. Bones are not likely to be broken,
and there’s room for varying skill levels. I played years ago and
remember it as being easy to organize. You rent a school gym, take
your time slot and show up to play. Until the rain starts, we could
even play outdoors. We just need a ball, a net and those whatchama-
jiggies that hold up the net. Anyone interested? My e-mail address
again is marty@justout.com.
Finally, congratulations go out to Portland’s own talented enter
tainer, BeBe J, who was crowned the 2007 winner of La Femme
Magnifique International. If you’ve ne^r been to this event, you
must set aside Labor Day 2008. ©
FEATURE
20 TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE
Performance artists descend upon Portland '
for annual creative orgy
NEWS
9-15 NORTHWEST
PFLAG races for cure; create a game plan;
bowling brings unity; PA BA awards
schqlarships; Glass moves from anti-gay
church; Shepherd scholar announced; Ford
gives scholarship; dancer synergizes open
space; new java joint opens; former
Silverado landlord speaks up; program
launches for queer homeless youth
16-17 NATIONAL
Fortune 500 companies favor
nondiscrimination; sex scandal brings down
Idaho senator; marriages brief for lowans;
N.J. voters ready for marriage; N.Y.
congressman backs gay immigration rights;
gay adoptive parents in Oklahoma gain
rights
ARTS & CULTURE
41 CULTURE
Stripping classes
teach women
how to be
comfortable in
their bodies
42-43 FILM
The Northwest
Film Center
revives Jock
Smith and the
Destruction of
Atlantis, a memorable biography of a genius
who was queer in more ways than one; Gus
Van Sant’s Mulo Noche surely must have
been an instigative touchstone for New
Queer Cinema
PAGE 41
ell we did it. We moved our Just ()ut office. R<x>ms were paint-
ed, boxes were hauled, nests were cozied, all while a paper was
being written. I recall reading somewhere that the three biggest
factors in causing major stress in life are divorce, job loss and
moving. Hmm, death of loved ones probably should be on that
list somewhere, one would think? And what about being arrested for lewd acts in
an airport restroom? Now that’s got to be stressful. Of course, such behavior
probably does fall into the category of job loss, so it would make the list.
All said, moving was simply more tiring than anything else. The change in
scenery and routine is good, and the energy flowing in the newly appointed digs
is vital and positive. You are cordially invited to
stop by and see us anytime at 6234 N. Greeley Ave.
And if you should happen to be a visual artist look
ing for a place to display your work, then please let
me know. My plans include creating a dynamic
space for monthly showcases of local talent.
Change at Just Out is also reflected in the pages
of this issue that you’re holding now. If you look to
Page 55, you’ll notice that the dreaded “men’s sex
ads” are no longer there. The number of these ads
had finally dwindled to the point where it’s no longer realistic to set aside a ded
icated page. In the 24-year history of this paper, no one topic has been as endur
ing and as contentious as the ongoing presence of these ads. In the early years,
the ads were an advertising mainstay and filled three to four pages of the back of
the paper. Lesbian readers hated them then, lesbian readers hate them now. If
one were to sit down and page through the archives of all the past issues, over
and over again you’d read letters to the editor protesting the presence of the
dreaded male sexuality. For those who complained through the years, all 1 can
suggest is that they never, and I mean never, visit the “men seeking men” section
44 NIGHTLIFE
Casey’s causes Ruckus
COLUMNS
31 EPIQUEEREAN
Meat and Two Veg
33 MS. BEHAVIOR
Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk
37 OUT GOING
Separated at Birth
39 DEAR ETHEL
Personal Victory
46 JIM'S CLOSET
Sad Excuse
®