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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 2, 2007)
just out by Marty Davis J Friends in Need VOL. 25 NO. 1 NEWSMAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2, 2007 Join Just Out as we collect canned food for the holidays rowing up, back in the olden times, Thanksgiving Day, in addition Let’s do it all again in 2008, this time collecting nonperishable food items. •to being a holiday unto itself, also marked the official start of what The toy drive had a preset ending date, but food needs will continue through was then known as “Christmas.” Remember Christmas trees, and all out the winter, so we have even more of an opportunity to make an impact. that stuff? Ah, she’s going to tell us stories from the old days, you At this point you might be asking the question, “Why should I donate time, money and energy to an organization that doesn’t specifically serve the gay and lesbian community?” Nah, not so much. Instead I’m simply briefly noting the fact that Halloween 1. Like sex, it feels good. Over the holidays we’ll hear, see and read much has now come and gone and that its passage brought forth an immediate about “holiday blues" and depression. The last thing that I want to do is throw barrage of television commercials advertising products for the “holiday season.” out clichés, but allow me this one. Helping others can make you feel better So, while on one hand we’ve lost Christmas, we do now have an extra month about yourself. Will buying a few cans of soup change your life forever? Probably to plan, prepare and shop for it. not. But it sure as hell won’t hurt, either. FEATURE But I’m not here today to debate the merits or semantics of any of the 2. Recently 55,000-plus Oregonians signed petitions in an effort to take winter holidays. Celebrate what you will, as you will, hopefully without a take away civil rights provided by the passage of House Bill 2007 and Senate Bill 2. 22 SISTERS OF THE REVOLUTION 21st century nuns bring unique charity to away from anyone else. What I would like for us to talk about instead is what Prior to that, more than 250,000 Oregonians, a quarter of a million of our Portland this season brings to our city and our neighborhoods, besides gifts, decorations neighbors, friends and family, signed petitions and then voted into law Ballot and festivities. Notably, this year especially, winter brings to far too many Measure 36, a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage in individuals and families increased hunger, cold and financial hardship. I’d also Oregon. What’s this got to do with canned food? Hardcore activists will NEWS like to talk about ways that we, the gay, lesbian, bi and trans community, can likely dismiss with anger the notion that good works should play a role in 8-17 NORTHWEST Brother to Brother must address charges; come together to help alleviate a few of these problems for folks living in our addressing voter alienation. We demand marriage, we demand equality. We Silverado reveals when but not where; queer greater community. settle for nothing less. Fine, good. But while we’re waiting for that to work, filmmakers love Outside In; PSU plans for Last year, with your help, Just Out was tremendously successful, in a very how about we step up and put a giving face on the gay and lesbian commu Trans Awareness Month; theater program short period of time, at gathering up thousands and thousands of dollars of toys nity that so many Oregonians apparently fear and revile? enriches youth; breakfast served for “bigs"; and holiday gifts for children. We worked with one specific organization that newcomer wants to fish; manage holiday As winter cold and dampness find their way into Portland, we are also faced stress; HRC helps with money management; took the toys and was responsible for getting them to the right people. For 2008, with coldness of a different nature. This winter finds Portland a bundle of raw magazine honors women; PGMC receives it’s not going to be practical to collect toys. The group that we worked with in nerves, nerves feeling the pain of anger, division and contentiousness. The news $10,000; AIDS Memorial Quilt arrives; 2007 has changed its structure, and I wasn’t able to find another organization is filled daily with us vs. them stories. We’re a jangled mess of bikers vs. drivers, perfect scones found; show created for that fit my vision of what we, working together, could accomplish. neighbor vs. neighbor over street names, city government that battles homeless nontraditional families; Bravado Home But I found an equally important way for us to help. The food shortage in ness and panhandling and health care advocates that battle anti-tax activists. opens in Pearl; Just Out scholarship winners announced; Clark County legislator resigns; Oregon is crucial this year. Donations to food banks throughout the area have Our ballot measures pit landowners and developers against planners and trans rights examined dropped dramatically. Rising fuel and energy costs are affecting spending and environmentalists. Smokers and nonsmokers face off daily. It’s all becoming giving. Food banks are sitting with empty shelves. a tad wearisome. Let’s take a break from it all and uplift ourselves above the 18-19 NATIONAL Shepard site launches; study suggests gay For almost two years now, Just Out has collected canned food at our gloom while bringing hope and help to others. men earn less; gay candidate enters North monthly Gay Skate Night. These donations go to Esther’s Pantry, an organi Just Out will be the warehouse for the fixxl drive. We have lots of space now. Carolina race; Obama tours with anti-gay zation that exists to help families affected by HIV/AIDS. Each month we To be successful we will need help from the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus and pastor; Giuliani said to support same-sex come up with two to three boxes of food, and it makes a nice, albeit small, from Pauline Miriam and the Hot Flash Dances. I need every Realtor and marriage ban supplement to the other food that Esther’s Pantry management has to procure mortgage broker to make a donation and to challenge his or her competitors to 20-21 WORLD Calgary mayor upsets gays; Moscow Pride and purchase elsewhere. 1 know that in lieu of toys this year, we can fill the do the same. I encourage The Adventure Group and PFLAG to contact their organizers lose slander case; Istanbul shelves of Esther’s Pantry with needed food. We can make a tremendous members. Rose City Softball: You’re off season, but your have a large member governor tries to terminate gay group; difference. 1 know we can do it because 1 saw what we were able to do last year. ship and can use your mailing list to make a tremendous difference. The thousands march in Taiwan; Singaporeans The toy drive last year was a rousing success due in great part to the generos Portland Area Business Association alone can make a tremendous impact by call for legalization of gay sex; 5,000 march ity of Pauline Miriam and the women of the Hot Flash Dance. Collecting toys asking for donations at its November and December events. The bowling in Johannesburg was a spontaneous decision, and I was looking for a kickoff event to get us start leagues can ask their members to bring food to the games, and a volunteer can ed. On the basis of a few small ads in Just Out and Pauline’s mailing list, women bring it to Just Out. ARTS AND CULTURE showed up at the November dance with piles and piles of toys. It was a grand Can we count on you, your organization and your business to help? Please con 38 NIGHTLIFE and amazing event, and it set in motion a network of other individuals and tact me at marty@justout.com or at 503-236-1252, ext. 11, and let’s make a plan. Embers hosts monthly dance for lesbians 35 business owners who worked together to create a highly successful toy drive. and older G n closing, 1 must acknowledge also that Pat Lanagan, owner of Eagle Portland, is still unhappy with Just Out. How do I know this? Well, he’s been placing messages like this one shown here on the marquee at his North Portland business. Both Willamette Week and The Oregonian have noted the signs and called for comment. What can 1 say that hasn’t been said before? Mr. Lanagan is certainly entitled to his opinion and expresses it freely. And so, to paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, “You can please some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, hut you cannot please all of the people all of the time.” In Lanagan’s case, I don’t see where there’s ever going to be any pleasing him. As such, I deem it a better use of my time to go collect canned food. Pat, would you and your business like to join in? It would be the manly thing to do. © I 40-41 FILM CineKink, Northwest Film & Video Festival feature queer-themed shorts 42 BOOKS Rosie memoir pales in comparison to ambitious novel 44 FILM Pop these early queer flicks into your DVD player for a trip back in time COLUMNS 31 EPIQUEEREAN “Thanks a Latte!" 33 MS. BEHAVIOR Disturbing the Peace 37 OUT GOING Making Each Day Count 45 DEAR ETHEL Snowshoes for All 46 JIM'S CLOSET Let’s Get Physical
