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iustiout
by Marty Davis
J
Season's Greetings
VOL. 25 NO. 3
NEWSMAGAZINE
DECEMBER 7, 2007
Holidays are a time to create powerful good memories
mericans have a love-hate relationship with labels. We deplore them
as quickly as we attach them. We find a name, a niche, a spot, whether
it fits or not, and we label and shove everyone and everything into
little boxes. The past few years have seen a special rush to do just this,
most notably with the holiday formerly known as Christmas, repack
aged now as The Holiday Season. The retail portion of us leans toward The Season
of Giving, while our nonprofits and charities nudge us toward The Season of Sharing.
Therefore, in this spirit of labeling and nomenclature, I hereby declare
December 2007 to be, for myself personally at least, The Season of Memories. I’m
basing this on a couple of factors, among them the decision of my family to
relocate from Oregon to Texas and, most very recently, the loss of my longtime
companion and housemate, my little dog Peanut. Memories are on my mind this
holiday season.
Peanut fell prey to old age shortly before Thanksgiving. With a couple of
weeks now to settle with the actuality of her departure, I’ve arrived at that
bittersweet space where everything goes along smoothly until a little ding goes
oft in my head. This causes me to retreat into an inner quiet space where a quick
memory will bring a smile, or perhaps a tear and a sniff.
The process of remembering has been revealing and, I’m sure, quite good for
me. It’s one that I need to carry over into other aspects of my life. In the past year
or so, my relationship with my dog had become one strictly of caretaking. It was
n’t until her passage that I was able to find myself smiling about the totally out
rageous dog that had been her younger version. As Peanut had grown older and
lost her hearing and vision 1, too, had lost sight—sight of the dog she’d once
been. In her last weeks and months, the highlight of the day had become a gentle
cajoling of “come on, you can do it, just pee a little, OK."
It took the shared memories of those who knew her to open the doors to my
own memories. Their stories were usually accompanied by head-shaking and rolling
of eyes, as they recounted tales of previously forgotten errant behavior. Thanks to
them, I can smile and think fondly of my dog, even while mourning my loss. I hope
that this season—this season of whatever you choose to make it—will include
pleasant memories of the past as well as the making of new ones for the future.
A
he next issue of Jost Out will be our year in review, but because interest was
so high, I’m going to tell you now a few more details about an article that we
featured in our Nov. 16 issue. News Editor Jaymee R. Cuti wrote a very fine and
accurate story, “Thorn of the Rose,” about two gay travel columnists, Don Pile
and Ray Williams. These fellas had not been pleased with Portland and were
going to let the world know about it. They would, in their own words, “tell our
thousands of readers that we do not recommend that they visit Portland.”
As evidenced by our letters page, this story did not sit well with our reader
ship. Angry Portlanders rose in defense of the homeland. The story, my friends,
does not end there. Pile and Williams’ automated e-mail sent the following
response Nov. 19 to a follow-up question from Cuti:
T
Peanut in her hell-raising days.
“Because of the ‘hate mail’ that we have received (and one death threat) we
are unable to reply to your e-mail. A few e-mails even went so far to say that if
we ever returned to Portland that our tires would be slashed and the other
windows in our auto smashed! So much tor the good gay citizens of Portland.
All e-mails about our Portland, Oregon, travel column are now being forward
ed to our attorney and he is forwarding them to the authorities. We have
received a few very constructive criticisms about our Portland, Oregon, travel
column and we thank you for those.”
But wait, it gets better. While I was off on Thanksgiving break and not
checking e-mails hourly, as I had happily taken myself out of cell and e-mail
range (yes, it can be done), I was sent a message from a gentleman in Texas. He
indicated that he was starting a new gay publication and that its first issue in
January would include the saga of Pile and Williams and the atrocities heaped
upon them by Portlanders. He went on to describe Cuti’s article as “very nasty”
and concluded that Portland “must not be a gixxJ city for gay people to travel
to.” Umbrage was then taken because, due to my vacation, I didn’t respond as
promptly as he thought I should have, and the conclusion was then made:
“When people don’t want to talk about something, there is usually a ‘problem.’ ”
So, Portland, the story may or may not continue. We’ll keep you posted on
whatever happens next. We may be boycotted. Stay tuned.
he recent flooding in our area is going to stretch the resources of local fixxl
banks far beyond the normal winter demand. The need for replenishment
was great to begin with; it’s more severe now. As such, I’m stepping up the pace
with our 2007 food drive and asking you all to come to the aid of the folks
served by Esther’s Pantry.
How exactly are these folks affected by rural fkxxling? Most, if not all, of the
smaller food banks receive their fixxl from the Oregon Ftxxl Bank. When the
shelves go bare there, everyone runs out. Heavy demands are going to be made
upon the Oregon FocxI Bank, and we need to step in and help.
Coming back to the idea of memories, I’m asking you to help create a memo
ry for someone else this holiday season. Let’s show people that in their time of
trouble and need the burden was made lighter by the help of friends and allies in
Portland’s gay, lesbian, bi and trans community. So, even if you feel that you only
have Grinch-like memories of your own regarding the holidays, you can set that
aside and become a part of creating someone else’s powerful gixxl memory. And
then—guess what?—you have a positive new memory of your own, too.
Gay Skate Night on Dec. 17 will be a big fcxxl drive night. The November
event drew in a crowd of nearly 300 highly energetic skaters, and it was some
thing to behold. I’d love to see everyone return in December and fill our tables
with fixxl items. Also, please note that Oaks Park has been very generous with
its pricing with us but now must increase the costs, to help offset its own expens
es. Starting in January, the cost for Gay Skate will increase to $6, which does
include the skates. This still makes this night the best entertainment value in
Portland. And, as always, a portion of the
proceeds does come back to the community by
way of the Just Out Scholarship Fund. Don’t
forget also that 1 have two tables available at
each skate night for nonprofits and community
organizations and groups to set up shop and
showcase yourselves. If you’d like to join us,
please contact me at marty@justout.com.
As I’m writing this I’m also in discussion with
folks in the community to see if, at this late date,
it’s possible to still do a credible job of hosting
the traditional women’s New Year’s Eve dance. It
would be quite a feat to pull it off at this late
date, but we’ll decide within days if we’re going
to try. Please check www.justout.com daily to see
what is decided. This event has been important
to many for years, and if there’s a way that it can
be done, we’ll give it a try. We will need your
support if we step in at this late date, so don’t put
away your dancing shoes yet.
In closing, remember you can find us at
6234 N. Greeley Ave. Please stop by, say hello
and drop off your donations for the food drive.
We thank you very much. ©
T
FEATURE
22 'TIS THE SEASON
Bringing on the holidays
NEWS
8-16 NORTHWEST
Opposition records go public; rebirth of the
Peacock; HIV testing added; workshop
addresses partnerships; Equity hires interim
director; BRO hires communications
director; gay club proposed at University of
Portland; community remembers Dan
Callaway; law firm’s Portland branch earns
perfect score
19 NATIONAL
Trans woman sues Library of Congress;
Republicans defend gay military ban; Ohio
partnership registry approved; directive
protects trans employees
21 WORLD
Italian gay leader dies; daughter: Raúl
Castro supports gays in military; Iranian’s
sodomy death sentence lifted
ARTS AND CULTURE
44 ART
Mural spotlights history-making Portland
women
46-47 BOOKS
Presbyterian minister risks being defrocked
to publish book
48-49 FILM
Northwest Film Center screens
rediscovered films of Danny Williams,
onetime lover/collaborator with Andy
Warhol
50 NIGHTLIFE
Fox & Hounds under new ownership
53 CULTURE
Portland Revels celebrate winter solstice
through a blend of theater, dance and
music
55 THEATER
The party was over, but our relationship
with AIDS was just beginning
COLUMNS
37 EPIQUEEREAN
Arbor Day
41 MS. BEHAVIOR
Leather Etiquette
43 OUT GOING
Dream Weavers
58 JIM'S CLOSET
The Mighty Sequin