JULY 18, 2008
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Pride and Joy
What have you done today to make you feel proud?
ay Pride has come and gone, but the
the last day, and I can finally relax,” she said, let­ who sells ads for Just
as long as I have.”
memory lingers—as do my notes. Dur­ ting out a deep breath. Financial adviser Tiffany Out and performs drag
I also met the new­
ing Pride Week, I asked Portland’s
Helleson, who specializes in women’s finances, is
under the name Ivory
est member of the
queers to share with me an accomplish­ proud of being “fierce. I’m the little girl who never Cox, is proud to have
drag
community,
ment of which they were proud. Their gives up,” she said.
been recently crowned
David
Dawson,
answers were as varied as the people themselves.
The crowds at Pride this year were also fierce.
Princess of Vancouver,
who recently moved
Most of the crowd at Eric Sellers and David
I started the weekend at C.C. Slaughters, where
Wash. And Josh Weis-
BY FLOYD SKLAVER
here from Tucson,
Fletcher’s “Hanky Panky” party were too young
Bryan Gutelius told me he’s proud “we can all
senbom is proud of
Ariz., where he was
to remember when gay men used colored bandan­ come together and have a really great time.” Simi­ working hard and having it pay off. Young Josh a promoter of the Miss Arizona America pageant.
nas to communicate their sexual tastes, but these
larly, Bret Pinyerd is proud of “overcoming my put himself through school and now works in the
The weekend after Pride, the festivities
altema-queers were proud to let their freak flags .fear of being who I am,” and Lex Sterling is “proud accounting field.
continued when Noah C. Buck and a gaggle
fly. Lawrence Lowery, wearing more facial armor of the leaps and bounds that the gay community
Next, I dropped by Hobo’s and ran into Dono­ of young gays came over to cook Marc and me
than I’ve ever seen before, is proud of his strength
has made in the past five years.” Justin Taylor,
van Fairley, whose proudest accomplishment was
brunch. Noah is proudest of his relationship with
of spirit and being conscious of who he is.
touring from 2001 to 2005 with the
his parents, which was tumultuous for a while. As
Ryan Scanlan moved here from Brook­
funk band Earth, Wind & Fire. Ray­ Noah grilled French toast, Maekol James sliced
lyn, N.Y., just two weeks earlier and is
mond Shafe is proud of his mom,
nectarines for the fruit salad. Maekol is proud of
proud that he had the courage to do so,
who was beaten and raped and
his sister for being so strong while going through a
while Bryn Knowles recently broke up
yet raised six kids. “She accepted
messy divorce. And Sam Gould is proud of com­
with her girlfriend and began playing bass
me when 1 came out without any
ing out of his shell. “I came out in high school and
guitar in a rock band, despite having al­
hesitation,” he told me. Ben West
never looked back,” the beauty school beauty told
ways been afraid to perform in public.
and Paul Rummell are proud that
me as he and Jeremi Carroll sliced strawberries.
No one was afraid to perform in pub­
they’ve survived two years together. Jenny Taylor beamed as she informed me she got
lic at a special staged reading of Holly
her black belt in tae kwon do after six years of
They met at Pride when Paul was
Hughes’ The Well of Hominess at Q Cen­
running around shirtless and Ben classes.
ter. Proud director Kelsey Tyler was de­
As for what I’m proudest of, it’s probably that
was in dusty boots. “I looked like
lighted by “the talent, energy and pizzazz”
an angry lesbian,” Ben jokes. Trey
I’ve written 68 of these columns so far. Consider­
of his group of actresses, including the
Malicoat and Eric Smith (aka Erica
ing I’m naturally shy, it’s not always easy to be
tasty Torrey Cornwell. In the audience,
Chandler) began living together Out Going.
Andrea Lowgren was proud to tell me
right after they met, and Trey is
about her first year as a history professor
proud that he’s been able “to last in
F loyd S klaver wants to know about your
From left, Noah C. Buck, Jenny Taylor, Jeremi Carroll, Sam Gould
at Portland Community College. “Today’s
a relationship with a drag queen for event. E-mail him at floydsklaver@comcast.net.
and Maekol James prepare a post-Pride brunch.
Out Going
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