_______________________ AUGUST 15, 2008
page3
justout 3
justiout
by Marty Davis
J
Hot Stuff
I NEWSMAGAZINE
Our hard-earned rights are secure, at least for the moment
S
inally, Just Out will be on vacation the week of Aug. 18. During that
week we ask that you take some time and look around your house. What
shouldn’t be there? What really needs to go? Now is the time to gather up
ail your great used items and set them aside to donate to the Q Center ga
rage sale. This mega garage sale will be held Sept. 7 at Just Out. Q Center is
working to meet its building fund matching donor gift and needs donations.
Books, clothes, all that rainbow crap you’ve hidden in the garage—dig it
out and bring it to Just Out during business hours. You’ll find us at 6234 N.
Greeley Ave. Seriously, you do not need those size 10 jeans. It ain’t gonna be
happening, darlin’. Come to the sale and buy the size 14 that fits now.
Dump your old stuff, buy some new, build a Q Center. What a deal. See
you here.
F
FEATURE
20 THE AWAKENING OF
MELISSA ETHERIDGE
“The experience of having hreast
cancer was an incredible gift”
NEWS
8-16 NORTHWEST
Eugene royalty dethroned; CAP names
new executive director; volleyball
association hosts grass tournament; p:ear
reopens with benefit; gay youth becomes
Obama advocate; sexual minority delegates
represent Oregon at DNC; no lemonade
for Lemons case; BRO accepts honoree
nominations; live from Hermiston Pride;
bathhouse gets McMenamins makeover;
interest renewed in saving OWL Farm
18-19 NATIONAL
Bush signs landmark AIDS bill; vigil
held for murdered Colorado trans teen;
Gay Straight Alliance in Florida wins
groundbreaking lawsuit; Peace Corps to
stop terminating HIV-positive volunteers
ARTS & CULTURE
35 FILM
Penèlope
Cruz has a
three-way
with Scarlett
Johanson and
Javier Bardem
in Woody
Alien’s Vicky
Cristina
Barcelona
36-37
FASHION
reflections
15 Years Ago In Jost Out... volume 10 number 19, august 15,1993
• Bridgetown Realty proudly announces the
"multigenerational crisis, and we've been slow
• The
opening of its second office, located at 21570
to realize that."
Senate passed
Oregon
Bill
House
Willamette drive (Highway 43) in the city of
just out
Fat Fancy
creates
“speakeasy boutique” for plus
size vintage clothing
38-39 ART
Queer artist observes human nature
with bonsai-inspired “plants”
West Linn. We look forward to providing West
• Legal activists predict that, because of the
3500 by a vote
Linn, Lake Oswego and the greater Clackamas
May 5 decision handed down by the Hawaii
of
County area with the courteous, professional
Supreme Court concerning same-sex marriage,
July 28,
service and attention to detail you have come to
gay and lesbian couples may soon be flocking to
Gov.
expect from Bridgetown Realty.
the Aloha State to seal their vows. In a 3-2 deci
Roberts signed
17 SASSY GARDENER
sion, the court ruled that the Hawaii Department
the bill into law
A Garden of Memories
• Some of the most prominent advocates of lift
of Health could not deny marriage licenses to
Aug. 2.
ing the ban on gays and lesbians in the military
same-sex couples unless it could prove that it
bill went into
were arrested July 20 outside the White House
had a "compelling" need to do so.
effect immedi
19-11
on
and
Barbara
The
ately because of an emergency clause added
while participating in civil disobedience.
• Holladay Market at Lloyd Center needs to hear
by state Rep. Gail Shibley, D-Portland. The new
• Twelve years into the AIDS epidemic, the
that you'd appreciate finding Just Out there. It
law blocks the enforcement of local discrimina
nation is now beginning to take note of older
is in the process of establishing new "criteria"
tory ordinances based on sexual orientation that
Americans with HIV and the even older relatives
to decide whether Just Out can be distributed
have been pushed through communities by the
who often care for them. It has been called a
there.
Oregon Citizens Alliance.
40 NIGHTLIFE
Your guide to queer karaoke
COLUMNS
32 EPIQUEEREAN
Portland is One Lucky Oyster!
33 OUT GOING
L.A. Story: Part Two
41 CORNER VIEW
Bi-shop-ing
50 MS. BEHAVIOR
Where Life Begins
p
ave for one—the first-ever Iris Festival next month in Lincoln City—the
Pride celebrations across our state are done for the year. Most recently I
attended events in Salem and Eugene, both of which, I’m happy to report,
were well-organized and well-attended. Salem’s 30th annual Capitol Pride
took a big step forward by moving to a prime downtown waterfront park. The
visibility to the greater community was vastly increased. To my mind, one
of the compelling reasons for having Pride events is to showcase ourselves to
those who don’t know who we are. We have to be accessible, inviting and
welcoming.
Eugene Pride did a bang-up job with its event. I drove down Interstate 5
with the anticipation of standing around talking to myself for a few hours.
This paper, and myself personally, are not connected to the Eugene com
munity. There’s no history of problems or ill will. It simply seems to be that
they are there and we are here. Opportunities to span the distance are few
and far between. But the day turned out great. Folks were friendly and chatty;
as 1 handed out copies of Just Out, I must have said “JustOut.com” about
3 million times.
One conversation stood out more than others did. A middle-aged lesbian
couple who had recently moved to Eugene from California approached me
looking for advice. They were troubled by their lack of successful efforts to
gain access into any Eugene social circles. They simply could not find the
houghts on the value of life have been sitting on my shoulders this week.
The Just Out offices were a half-block from a police action that took place
Aug. 13 because of the self-inflicted and fata[ gunshot of a stranger, a person-
down-the-street, someone I never knew and likely never would have met. This
person killed himself, and that makes me ask a lot of questions. How can anyone
do that? How does someone get to the point where they take their own life? How
bad can things be that death becomes your solution? I’ve had a bad day or two in
my life, but never, never could I see suicide as a problem-solving action.
This action comes in stark contrast to other sad news I received a few days
earlier. My friend, longtime AIDS activist and Our House of Portland icon Ju
dith Rizzio, lost her 25-year-old son after a valiant six-year struggle with liver
cancer. I never met Daniel myself, but from Judith I knew that this young man
valued his life and was determined to fight every day, every hour, every minute
for it. He fought long and he fought hard, and he might well have lived more life
in that process than many others ever will.
The family requests that remembrances be made in the name of Daniel
Clark-Rizzio to DeLiver a Cure, an organization researching cures for fibrolamel-
lar hepatocellular carcinoma. Details can be found at www.deliveracure.org/do-
nations.php. Judith, your friends in this community are standing with you, right
at your side.
p A Q
A
door to any existing groups or organizations. 1 gave them all the hints that
1 carry around with me— Just Out, Craigslist, Lavender Women—combined
with the strong belief that if you don’t find the group you’re looking for, start
one yourself. Often there are more followers than there are leaders. If you
organize Bunco, they will come.
However, it is unfortunate—often in the lesbian community, at least—
that it is harder to get in than it is to come out. Are we, as lesbians, as
women, as welcoming and inviting as we could be? Do we set up barriers and
structures and group ourselves off in closed circles? Do gay men encounter
these same obstacles to social acceptance?
BILLY NAME. -EDIE SEDGWICK*
s Portland and the Pacific Northwest head into the hottest days
of the past few years, even “hotter” good news comes from the
U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The court issued an opinion
Aug. 14 upholding an earlier U.S. District Court decision in
the Lemons vs. Bradbury case. The short version of the victory:
Oregon’s recently enacted domestic partnerships will not be voted on this
November. Our hard-earned rights, although not complete, are secure, at
least for the moment.
This is significant for a couple of reasons. First, when looking back at the
history of Oregon’s anti-gay ballot measures, 2008 will be only the second
presidential election since 1984 that doesn’t include an anti-gay measure
on the Oregon ballot. Secondly, this decision now frees up our time and
resources to focus on electing the local, state and federal candidates who
need our help. The presidential race will be the top priority for many, but
other races are also very significant. Chief among these priorities: the elec
tion of Jeff Merkley to the U.S. Senate. My personal involvement level in
this campaign includes hosting a house party to which many, if not all, of
you will be invited. 1 understand that there are those (i.e., the Human Rights
Campaign) who list compelling reasons why we need Gordon Smith as a
Republican ally. I also know that I’m supposed to eat five servings of fresh
fruits and vegetables each day and drink a few gallons of water. That doesn’t
work for me, either.