justiout
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Travel Oregon
VOL. 25 NO. 19
’m not a great fan of summer. I put up with it because, well, I really
have no choice. I never have and never will be a fan of hot weather.
Stretches of sunny days make me ache for clouds and rain. Yet, give
me an air-conditioned car and some travel articles with maps and I’ll
head joyously in any direction, at any time, for summer getaways and
adventures.
The constraints of small-business ownership don’t allow me to disappear
for long periods of time; however, 1 long ago learned that Oregon offers a
never-ending bounty of locales to visit and view. Even brief four- and five-
day sojourns can be a marvel. Oregon offers her residents and guests moun
tains, deserts and an ocean—all within a day’s reach.
While eastern Oregon calls to me most frequently, I am never one to turn
down a trip to the coast. From Astoria to Brookings, I love it all. Well, actu
ally, I despise Gold Beach, but that’s another story for another day. Twice
I’ve almost been arrested there. Seriously. I’ll tell you about Gold Beach
someday when I’m feeling calm. 1 may have to move to that place one day
and take over as the lesbian mayor. It would be only fitting.
Over on Oregon’s central coast, Lincoln City is putting out quite the
welcome mat for the gay, lesbian, bi and trans community. Sure, a good part
of the effort is about the dollars we bring on our travels. I am not naive to the
concept of marketing. That’s what business is about: promoting your products
and your services and hoping for the best result. But Lincoln City, like every
other destination, has choices, and Lincoln City is choosing to welcome us
warmly to its community. I encourage you to accept its invitation.
Our central coast friends are even planning a specific Pride celebration.
The inaugural Iris Festival will be held the weekend of Sept. 19 to 21. Festi
val coordinator Nichole Le Sage writes, “With Iris being the goddess of the
rainbow and the messenger of peace, we feel she is the perfect symbol for
Lincoln City’s GLBTQ event.” There you have it: It’s not iris the flower, it’s
Iris, the goddess of the rainbow.
Promoters hope to be able to bring portions of the AIDS Memorial Quilt
to Lincoln City for the Iris Festival. These panels, although sobering and
thoughtful, should always be viewed when the opportunity arises. Tire quilt
is a deeply thought-provoking tribute to the saddest chapter of our shared
history.
Just Out will provide more details of the Iris Festival as they become avail
able. Check our print edition as well as online at www.justout.com.
Here’s my personal travel tip for Lincoln City. One of the most attractive
and overlooked hiking trails in the state can be found on the outskirts of
the town. The Drift Creek Trail features an awesome waterfall, a suspension
bridge and some of the best scenery to be found anywhere. Check it out.
When I head out on my adventures, I take on a bit of an evangelical
persona. It’s not that I can’t leave work behind, it’s just that, well, I can’t
leave work behind. Whenever I stay in a motel or eat in a restaurant, I leave
a copy of Just Out behind. I imagine that most, if not all, are either recycled
or thrown away, but I have this notion that maybe, just maybe, a copy will
reach someone who needs it and wouldn’t find it any other way. I recognize
that the Internet has removed many of the barriers of isolation facing those
who are gay and rural, but there’s still nothing quite like a newspaper in your
hand to foster a feeling of connection. Or so I like to think.
I’m not good at talking to strangers and tend to leave a trail of missed op
portunity behind me everywhere I go. I recall one incident, in a small store
over around Maupin. I stop in nearly every country store I come to. They are
often stocked with fascinating items that I always want but never need. In
this specific store there was a young woman—very young, 15,16, who knows.
But she had “baby dyke” written all over her. If you spent a weekend at the
E Room, you wouldn’t find a cuter and butchier-looking young girl. And
here she was, out in the middle of nowhere. I wanted to talk to her. I wanted
to know how she was, who she was, was she OK? Did she have folks who were
good to her? Was she being taken care of? Did she know how to find the way
to be who she was? I wanted to ask all these questions and give her a Just Out
and let her know there were people out there just like her.
I did none of this. 1 second-guessed myself and pictured her discomfort if
I was wrong. What if she was simply a county girl still in her tomboy phase?
What if she already suffered torment and teasing from her peers? Wouldn’t 1
possibly make her uncomfortable? I had no right to do that, well-intentioned
or not.
1 bought a bottle of water and left.
But I left knowing that if it had been me, when I was that age, when I was
that young girl, that if anyone had taken the time to stop and look at me, to
talk to me, to see me, I would have burst out in tears of sheer joy.
To be truthful, I still have days when 1 feel that way. As the outer body
ages and wears, the needs of the inner child remain the same. Don’t let any
one tell you anything different.
Enjoy your travels, and please share your stories with me when you
return.
reflections
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AUGUST 1, 2008
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PAGE 20
Mfr.
Our state has mountains, deserts and an ocean—all within a day's reach
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I NEWSMAGAZINE
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FEATURE
20 GET OUTTA TOWN!
Four vacations within state lines
NEWS
8-15 NORTHWEST
Nike pulls “That Ain’t Right” ad
campaign; Equity Foundation beefs
up staff; gay Washingtonians observe
anniversary; Portland hosts international
soccer tournament; Just Out dominates
in “Papergate 2008!”; Pride marches
on in Eugene; trans man works with
queer homeless youth; gay leader hired
as CEO of educational nonprofit
16-17 NATIONAL
“Don’t ask, don’t tell" repeal hearings
under way; Bush leaves legacy with
AIDS bill; McCain backpedals on gay
adoption; Massachusetts opens marriage
to out-of-state residents; anti-gay
Oklahoma lawmaker brings gun to work
18-19 WORLD
Singer: No gays in Cuban Communist
Party; large, violent attack on
Budapest Pride; Wowereit welcomes
Obama to Berlin; Moscow officials
ban gay picket at Iranian Embassy;
Lambda Istanbul eradicated by court;
120,000 at Vienna Pride; Italian man
wins discrimination case; British
army joins gay equality program
ARTS & CULTURE
39-41 FILM
Man on Wire documents one of
the greatest pranks in history;
infamous drag troupe exits in style
with film parody, documentary
Trans musician brings sexy back to Oregon
44 NIGHTLIFE
Dance diva Kristine W
headlines block party
• A former top health official in Oregon and
enough signatures to qualify for the ballot in
topics of interest to the gay, lesbian, bisexual
Washington, as well as a professor of nursing
Forest Grove. In preparing to fight the measure,
and transgender communities inclusively, as
and public health, Kristine Gebbie is now the
the Forest Grove Human Rights Coalition put to
they pertain to the Portland Police Bureau.
nation's first federal AIDS czar. She was ap
gether educational information for the commu
These are ongoing, informal discussions that
pointed to the post by President Clinton after
nity. The coalition is going ahead
take place in a relaxed at
the job was turned down by other candidates,
with plans to print bumper stick
mosphere of mutual trust
COLUMNS
including U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash.,
ers and buttons. In case the OCA
and respect.
15 SASSY GARDENER
and New York Health Commissioner Margaret
tries again, the information will
A. Hamburg.
be available and the community
• Stonewall
will be prepared.
invites you to a commu
Oregonian
reported
Oregon
Northwest
nity meeting to express
House
Speaker Larry Campbell, R-Eugene, would not
• The Portland Area Business
your ideas, thoughts and
be seeking re-election to another term in office.
Association
concerns about the 1993
He has been the main block to gay and lesbi
Rep.
an legislation for the past two sessions of the
as guest speaker at its monthly
Parade and Festival. Bring
House.
luncheon. She is the first openly
your ideas for next year's
lesbian member of the Oregon
event as well!
welcomes
Gail Shibley,
state
D-Portland,
Lesbian
and
Gay
Pride
• The Metropolitan Human Rights Commission
Legislature and helped author the
is seeking applicants for five three-year posi
controversial House Bill 3500,
tions of the 15-member commission. The ap
designed to nullify local anti-gay-rights initia
bian and gay choral ensemble, is looking for a
pointments are made by the mayor of Portland
tives throughout the state.
musical director and administrative coordinator
• Bridges, Portland's les
for the '93-'94 season. There is some pay, but
and the Multnomah County chair.
• The Oregon Citizens Alliance did not get
■
42-43 MUSIC
,
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15 Years Ago In Just Out... volume 10 number 18, august 1,1993
• The
k
• —
1
• The Sexual Minority Roundtable with Chief
applicants would be working for the love of music
Charles Moose is a time set aside to discuss
and the gay, lesbian and bisexual community.
45 MUSIC
Hot young composer bums
through Portland