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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 2008)
Continued from Page 25 KNOW YOUR FOES eloquent but soft-spoken division manager for Multnomah County’s office of School and Com the documentary Queens of Heart, some type of munity Partnerships. Her career up until 2004 was strange and wonderful community therapist. Even distinguished, to be sure—in leadership roles with hat would Oregon be without David Crowe (1988-2008): Crowe was an in the tres gay 21st century, Cole believes his drag Portland Women’s Crisis Line, Bradley-Angle our beloved coterie of anti-gay early Mabon protégé who went his own way by shows help dispel backward-looking myths about House and Oregon Minority AIDS Coalition, activists? More humane, tolerant or founding the ultra-conservative Restore America queer folk. “So many of our gay friends come in, among others—but it was hardly under the pub progressive, perhaps, but the opposite group. He briefly led the new Concerned Orego and they bring their parents,” he says. What do lic’s harsh glare. could just as well be true: Most pro-equality lead nians political action committee, which failed the parents learn about queer folk from the shows? Li says she and her family are still approached ers from the '80s and ’90s praise the people below with a series of anti-gay initiative petitions in “That we don’t have two heads and aren’t mastur by strangers on the street, offering handshakes and as saviors for helping rally the queer and allied 2007 and 2008. Now he’s based in Tennessee. bating onstage.” hugs of congratulations for their bravery. / Karen troops against their nasty efforts. Minnis (1998-2006): Karen “the Since then? “My life has gone incredibly in MARY LI sular,” Li says, “to my kids.” In spite of the flurry So here they are: nine of our favorite anti- Menace” ruled the Oregon House rooster for gay foes from the past 25 years, with their most several years as a representative of Wood Vil potent years of activism in parentheses. lage, blocking pro-equality legislation at every marriage in 2004, and the state’s revoking of those turn. Her reign of terror ended in 2006 with the same-sex marriage licenses only months later, she Lon Mabon (1986-2002): Loony Lon found ed the Oregon Citizens Alliance in 1986, and for Democratic takeover of the state Senate. of flashbulbs surrounding her family’s very public . /tyfytàiÿ r/t/s (aste/ Claim to Fame: One-third of Oregon’s 2004 doesn’t regret her decision. “The incredible power of putting a face on nearly a decade, the group hijacked the state’s Tim Nashif (1996-2006): Nashif is political ballot measure system to advance an agenda director for the powerhouse conservative Oregon So They Say: “It would not be appropriate for me, something that’s unfamiliar to people, and how most politely described as severe. Mabon served Family Council and a major machinator behind as an Asian woman, to go to a group of Asian men transformative that was,” she says, is one of the jail time for contempt of court related to a civil its successful multimillion-dollar 2004 Yes on 36 and talk about safer sex. I’ve done it, and 1 was morti strongest ways gays can make their case for mar case against a Just Out staffer (see below), then campaign, which enshrined discrimination in fied, and they were mortified.” (January 1989) riage equality. “I see your family,” she remembers re-emerged broke and in shame, his beloved the Oregon Constitution. For now, anyway. organization a sad shell of past glories. Now he Gary George (1996-2008): Shut up! The state hunkers down at home in Salem, half-heartedly senator from McMinnville made national headlines filing anti-gay initiative petitions with no hope when he told Just Out this year that, in the face of of passing, just to pass the time. violence and discrimination, gays should keep their Priscilla Martin (1987-92): Infamous Just Out paper snatcher and convicted felon, caught with ink traps shut about their orientation—“Just don’t talk about it,” he told us. Oh no he di-in’t! “same-sex marriage poster family.” Who’s Next: Amy Santos-Lines of Western States Center and Pam Phan of the city of Portland. someone telling her in 2004. “I get it now.” DAVID MARTINEZ If Mary Li hadn’t answered the door, none of this might have happened. But a fateful visit from a family friend, begging to “talk about something important,” ending up turning Claim to Fame: Co-founder of Portland La tino Gay Pride. Craig Myers (2006-present): Inheritor of the into one of the most axis-shifting decisions of her life: So They Say: “Being Latino and gay gives state’s anti-gay mantle as new executive director She and her partner, Becky Kennedy, joined Ore me such a rich history and a sense of pride.” Marylin Shannon (1995-present): One of our of Concerned Oregonians, Myers has promised re gon’s marriage paper’s true sweethearts, Shannon is a disgraced newed attention on putting rights-stripping ballot equality former state senator from Brookings who counted measures before voters in 2010. We’ll see just hovV as Mabon, Karen Minnis and David Crowe as some far he gets. couple.” on her hands unloading boxes of our fine publica tion into the trunk of, what else, a stolen vehicle. a fight “model (April 21, 2006) Who’s Next: Melanie Davis and Enrique Andrade. they David Martinez is about firsts: first in his ru edly to get Oregon’s 2007 queer civil rights laws said their wed ral Oregon migrant farmworker family of seven overturned, or at least sent to the ballot. Give ding vows in to finish high school and attend college; among up the ghost already, Marylin. March 2004 to the first board Scott Lively (1991-1998): Oregon Citizens Al kick off Mult members liance’s teddy-bear-cuddly communications direc nomah Coun Portland’s tor. After the group imploded and lost a civil law ty’s same-sex Q Center; se suit to Just Out photographer Catherine Stauffer for marriages, photos and stories of the couple—with nior staff mem his physical assault on her at an OCA event, he hit their newborn daughter—raced across interna ber for one of the road, touring Russia and the states to sprinkle tional television and print media. Gay marriage Multnomah his vitriolic lunacy on eager followers. These days was the law of the land in Multnomah County, County’s first he’s involved in a new anti-gay collective called and the celebrations began. The family became Latina celebrities overnight. missioners; of her best buds, and tried (and failed) repeat Watchmen on the Walls and has relocated, again, from California to Springfield, Mass. Edible’ ARRANGEMENTS Halloween Celebration —Stephen Marc Beaudoin Lon Mabon, captain of the anti-queer agenda, in handcuffs. making business work for you. 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