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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (May 2, 2008)
MAY 2, 2008 Let me earn your business! Holistic Pet Vet Clinic Integrative veterinary medicine emphasizing naturopathic care Portland Metro Real Estate Portland to see. It was a huge event. “We had to find women who were willing to put their faces on a hillhoard,” recalls Aspen. “And again, that was the thing. These women are able to put their faces out there when not all of us can. But look, we represent every race, every age, every style of person.” In 1989, LCP sponsored a float in Portland’s Starlight Parade. It was the first time a group of gay men and lesbians rode in a rairjbow-flag-decorated float. The float even won the Queen’s Trophy. It was a really big step to be out and show Steve Buchert izing the Walk for Love and Justice, which started in Eugene and ended in Portland. Clinical Nutrition Homeopathy, Herbs, Natural Flea Control Chiropractic Acupuncture Residential Broker 14 years experience helping buyers and sellers in Portland M w Bob Ulhrich, VMD Cydria Manette, DVM 503-293-6666 www.holisticpetvetclinic.com Kristan Aspen led the Lesbian Community Project through a tumultuous period when feminist and trans- inclusive values clashed. Portland that “we support the Rose Festi val just like everyone else,” says Aspen. Other highlights include National Coming Out Day in 1991, when then LCP director Donna Red Wing took five lesbian couples to the Mult nomah Building so they could file for marriage li censes. Needless to day, their request was denied. As soon as Oregon had a state law requiring law enforcement agencies to keep statistics on hate crimes, LCP received a grant to help track those crimes. In 1992, it was ac tive in defeating the anti-gay Ballot Measure 9 by organ justput 21 tunity to get to know each other by meeting in small groups for eight weeks. They discussed what it was like growing up and how and when they knew they were different from each other. clusively lesbian to queer. A rift occurred; some members wanted the group to close rather than change. Aspen stepped in to lead LCP through this difficult time. She brought people together to talk about their differences. In the end, they decided to keep going and open it up to any self identified woman. “We felt that was a logical evolution from who we were,” says Aspen. “Still retaining our femi nist sense of ourselves, but also acknowledging women who had previously been invisible as trans women.” Later Aspen would use her leadership skills to «D avid W. O wens ■— .. P.C. & ASSOCIATES serving the community since 1975 As LCP closes its doors, Aspen recognizes that other organizations in the community “support our search for equal rights and support our social needs,” including Q Center, Basic Rights Oregon, Live A ttorneys at L aw Serving Oregon & Washington Makes a Family and In Other Words bookstore. “There is so much to choose from now that LCP has sort of lost its function,” she says. “I think it is the passing of a time. It is just the evolution of the community. Not that lesbians are gone, —Kristan Aspen but those of us who mostly identify as les bians, we’re able to be on our own two feet now. We sort of don’t need LCP to hold us up.” With its closing, LCP donated mongy to sev eral nonprofit organizations, including Bradley- Angle House, Sisters of the Road, Oregon Food Bank and In Other Words. "Those of us who mostly identify as lesbians, we're able to be on our own two feet now. We sort of don't need LCP to hold us up." By the end of’ the 1990s, LCP was going through difficult times. There was a push to change its focus from ex Fresh-Frozen, Preservative Free Pet Food 503°224°3100 DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS ADOPTIONS • ESTATE PLANNING WILLS • TRUSTS • ADVANCE DIRECTIVES POWER OF ATTORNEY GUARDIANSHIPS AND CONSERVATORSHIPS www.owens-law.com • 101 SW MAIN, SUITE 700 • Portland, Oregon 97204 • Parking Validated We cover both sides of the fence. Luckett encourages anyone who misses LCP or who wants to see something along the same lines to get involved with In Other Words. ©. The L esbian C ommunity P roject softball tournament will take place Aug. I to 3 at Brush Prairie Fields in Brush Prairie, Wash. For more information e-mail letsplaylcp@comcast.net . Well find you a home and get you the loan. 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