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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 7, 2009)
OREGON S GAY/LESBlAN/Bl/TRANS NEWSMAGAZINE AUGUST 7. 2009 ü PAGE 3 by M arty Davis August and Everything After A M arch. Memories. A D ifferent M ayoral H e a d lin e -A n d W ine igh five, Portland, we made it through the heat wave o f ‘09. It was a tad too warm for many, sleeping hours were pared down to a sad few, and certain peeps, none to be named, became a tad testy toward the end o f the seeming 143 days o f over 100- degree weather. On a fun note, as with the December snowy frigidness, the heat gave the city hours o f Facebook entertainment as friends competed for creative ways to whine and complain. The weather was again another community-bonding event. A non-virtual and very well organized community event o f a political and cultural nature launched itself on Saturday night, Au gust l.This was the evening o f Portlands first Gender Free for All March. Several hundred people gathered together in Unthank Park to voice desire for enhanced visibility and un derstanding within our community. To capture the feeling o f the evening I’m going to share the words o f organizer/emcee Jessamyn D. Rae, who spoke eloquently as the crowd prepared to march from the shady park, led in cadence by the Last Regiment of Syncopated Drummers. “This march is the first stand-alone Trans March in Portland. But I look around and 1 know that I do not stand alone. I see transfolks, genderqueer folk, gender conforming and gender non-conforming folk. I see folk who refuse or even CONfuse the very idea of a defining label. I’m proud to call us all allies. Today, we march for the freedom o f every individual to express in dress and behavior however they see fit. We are marching for the freedom to live and play within a duality o f gender even as we demand the free dom to live and play outside o f a strict either/or choice. We are marching in solidarity with and as people who have struggled tearfully and joyfully through meta H morphoses o f their bodies. We are marching in solidarity with and as people who have struggled tear fully and joyfully to love what Is. We are marching as people who have struggled to know who we are, in a world constantly telling us who and what we should be. We are marching as people who have struggled to be seen for who we know we are. We are marching to raise awareness that these struggles take place. The bottom line is: We are march ing to celebrate the amazing truth o f being human— and we are proof that there are as many ways to be trans as there are people.” Staying much longer in Unthank Park than I had expected that evening, I became caught up in the peaceful, friendly energy o f the crowd. I was happy to see new faces and hear new voices. These are the faces and voices that have not been seen and heard enough in Just Out. I look forward to the opportunity to change that. One evening, one march did not leave me with complete understanding o f the gender queer, gender free movement. But one evening certainly left me looking for more. attended the recent Silverton Town Council meeting where Mayor Stu Ras mussen faced a formal complaint about dress code violations. Rasmussen, as you’ve likely heard, is the self-identified hetero sexual male who often dresses in women’s clothing. The complaint was not that he cross-dresses, but rather that he cross- dresses poorly. Is this all just a cover-up for raging trans phobia lurking in the hearts o f Silvertonites? I don’t think so. I think that most o f these people simply want their mayor to dress in professional women’s clothing and represent their city well while on official business. I iVesl&ide/ It’s easy to jump to conclusions. Not ev eryone with a differing set o f opinions from yours, or mine, is, by virtue of difference, ho mophobic, transphobic, racist, ageist, sexist, or whatever else causes one to froth and foam. Sometimes, for the good o f the whole, you might be called upon to set aside a part o f yourself. Stu Rasmussen might want to consider, at least now and then, stepping out o f the media spotlight and putting his com munity first. Isn’t that a reasonable expecta tion o f a leader? et’s hear it for Hip Chicks D o Wine. On August 15 Laurie Lewis and Renee Neely will celebrate the 10th anniversary o f their winemaking business. Hip Chicks has grown into a viable, visible business in our community and this celebra tion is well earned and deserved. The first time I went looking for them I left shaking my head at the location, wonder ing how in the world people would find them. You know what? Find them, they did, and it’s all good now. Ten years seems like yesterday. Check out their Web site (www.hipchicks- dowine.com) and visit them soon, please. L I VOL. 26 NO. 19 AUGUST 7. 2009 INSIDE» » FEATURE 16 SUMMER KIND OF WONDERFUL Hitting the roads more and less traveled 18 19 VANCOUVER. BC X 3: A QUEER FAMILY VACATION HEY. EUGENE! » NEWS 5 LETTERS 6 12 NORTHWEST BRIEFS TAKING NAMES. STARTING CONVERSATIONS. AND CHANGING MINDS The fight for marriage equality in Oregon kicks off » ARTS 8 CULTURE 21 28 OUT 8 ABOUT LIFE'S A FRIENDLY GARDEN... D ig it at the left coast Eisteddfod with Welsh Super Celeb Chris Needs. REVIVAL OF THE FITTEST Legendary Portland Production The Circuit Returns 31 THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM Portland Filmmaker Andy Blubaughs Feature Debut Intersects with Headlines 34 NWDP CELEBRATES NEW HOME WITH PACKED SCHEDULE » COLUMNISTS 14 15 26 35 41 SASSY GARDENER OUT GOING LIVING OUT LOUD REMEMBER TO BREATHE MS. BEHAVIOR f f i Join Hearts d ’ia ù s i/ Jewel A. 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Suite 950 Portland OR 97232 Cell 503.708.9508 Fax 503.748.8277 jewelrocks@gmail.com rt r t t t i rn-t-ar-i », » . « r « . . f c i Central Lutheran Don Duncan owner V j T Teleflora t ■ . 642-9992 1 - 800 - 356-1884 NE 21st Ave, Portland, www.centralportland.org Mission of the Atonement Lutheran/Catholic ( 503 ) ''y' «¿ft t Bethlehem Lutheran YOUR DOM ESTIC PARTNER View a ll Portland area listings a t w w w jew elA robinson. com r RECONCILING IN CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCHES NE 39th Ave, Portland, www.bethlehemportland.org jy zillion D ollar P r orlucci* Aloha M arket Centre 20455 SW TV Highway www.westsideflorist.net Beaverton, www.motaspirit.org A I First Unitarian Church 1011 SW 12th Ave., Portland Commitment Ceremonies Welcome. w w w .firs tu n ita ria n p o rtla n d .o rg : 'just out 30 t’s with much sadness that I again close this column with news o f the passing of a friend and colleague. Paul Scott Tucker, P. Scott as we’d often see the name, died on July 20 from renal cancer. Scott had become ill in 2008 and worked hard to maintain his business, Super Realty Group, while strug gling with his health. Scott was a strong advocate for gay business and social organi zations. He gave a lot and cared more. Our thoughts go out to his partner o f 12 years, John Bunn, as well as his family and friends. A complete obituary will be pub lished in our August 21 issue. Scott always had that ever so slightly mischievous grin. Looking at his picture now makes me smile. Thanks, Scott, for all you did. « Mt Carmel Lutheran SW Portland, www.mtcarmellutheran.com Redeemer Lutheran NE 20th Ave, Portland, www.redeemerlutheranpdx.org St. James Lutheran Park Blocks, Downtown Portland, www.stiamespdx.orq
