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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 2, 2009)
OREGON S GAY/LESBIAN/Bl/TRANS NEWSMAGAZINE OCTOBER 2 2009 3 PAGE 3 [just o u t by M arty Davis The Pride of Foil L o o k in g fo rw a rd a t a h is to ry -m a k in g m o n th O ctober is Lesbian and Gay History Month. This is not to be confused with June, recognized as Gay Pride Month. Collectively we are now such a strong presence that we are awarded two months in which to celebrate our fabulousness. L G B T History Month is an acknowl edgement o f the history o f gay rights. O b servances were first held in 1994, according to Wikipedia, from which all information floweth. October was selected due to the occurrence o f National Coming Out Day, traditionally observed on October 11. Addi tionally, October 1979 marked the first-ever gay and lesbian march on Washington, D .C. Each year, 31 gay, lesbian, bi and trans folks o f accomplishment are celebrated dur ing L G B T History Month. You can find daily updates highlighting these honorees at www.justout.com. October 2009 will mark another date of importance to Portlands L G B T community. October 7 is the deadline for the Campaign to Recall Portland Mayor Sam Adams to either turn in sufficient signatures to merit a recall election o f the openly gay Adams, or as pre dicted by most, announce that the bid failed. For the last few weeks the campaign has “gone dark.” Only the sparsest o f email updates have been sent. Mainstream media, electronic and print, appear to have lost inter est in the story. Even Willamette Week , which broke the story o f Adams’ confession that he lied to Portland voters, and then milked it for weeks and months, has seemingly moved on. Apparently, it’s true, time heals all wounds— or at least scabs them over. I, too, think it unlikely that there will be a recall. I am not closing the door entirely on the possibility o f a jubilant Jasun Wurster marching into the city auditor’s office and plopping down 35,000 or more signatures. There will be much shock and awe in Port land if Wurster and his supporters actually pull this off. Portland’s G L B T community has shown tremendous loyalty to Adams. He clearly remains the golden boy, the one who can do no wrong. This has been made abundantly clear— Portland gays and lesbians stand by their man. I asked my Facebook crowd their opinions on the seemingly failed recall effort. With little exception their messages were, “Good, move on.” I f I was to be asked how I feel at this time about the past 10 months, my answer would be a string o f two words. “Sad, tired.” “Worn down.” “Beat up.” I suspect that I’m not alone in this regard. I think that was Adams’ game plan from the beginning. Stonewall. Wear down. Survive. It appears to have been an effective strategy for the mayor. What I’d like to see from Adams now is leadership. Dynamic, heartfelt leadership. Portland needs a mayor whose reach and message extend beyond big thinking, pie-in- the-sky funding proposals. Portland citizens are fearful o f our police department. We are losing respect for our police chief. We are watching the decay o f a once vibrant down town city center. Jobs are few and far between. I f potholes could be filled with worries we’d be in good shape. Our city has a soul— it has been wounded. Fixing it will not be as simple as a pothole filling photo op. Talk to your people, Sam. Live up to the belief and faith that so many have in you. Sam Adams could have one day been eyond L G B T History Month, Oc tober brings a flurry of activity for Portland’s gay community. One ma jor event is the Cascade A ID S Project A ID S Walk, scheduled for October 11. Last year a new-to-town Michael Kaplan took to the stage as C A P ’s new executive director. In a touching and meaningful moment he introduced him self to the crowd as a man living with HIV. He asked others so impacted to join him. One by one, men and women came forward to the front of the stage. They stood together, with strength. Screw stigma. In the year since, Kaplan has proven him self to be adept at building bridges and restor ing CA P to a position of esteem in the gay, lesbian, bi and trans community. Kaplan and his staff have galvanized the gay population around A ID S Walk. Facebook postings are full o f announcements for teams being formed and walkers and pledges wanted. Gay bars are competing to raise the most funds and secure the right to host the official A ID S Walk After Party. It’s great to witness the resurgence of energy and enthusiasm for this organization and this project. There’s still time for you to sign up, as a team or as an individual walker, for A ID S Walk 2009. It’s a family-friendly, pet-friendly, everyone-friendly event. Visit the CAP Web site (www.cascadeaids.org) for all the details. I hope to see^ou there. I’ll be the one with the camera. its kind in the United States, according to The Washington Blade. Slated to open in October, the center will welcome the heterosexual as well as the entire gay and lesbian community. Agoraphobic support group for gays and lesbians meets weekly. Geared towards gay men and lesbians whose anxiety and fear control their lives. Women and Legal Land Issues is a work shop with Cynthia Cumfer, a Portland attorney experienced in working with nonprofit organizations, real estate law and wills. Family, Friends and Neighbors, a unique collection o f photos and personal stories focusing on 50 gay and lesbian Orego nians, is exhibited as part o f Beyond the Closet’s Illuminating Intolerance series in celebration o f National Coming out Day. “Adelante con Nuestra Vision” was the title o f the first National Leadership and Self-Empowerment Conference for Latina Lesbians. Co-sponsored by Lesbi- ana Latinas de Tucson and the National Latino/a Lesbian and Gay Organization, the purpose o f the conference was to give a national voice to Latina lesbian com munities in the work toward a future o f equality and justice on all fronts. • The Rev. Roy A. Cole has been elected senior pastor of Metropolitan Community Church of Portland. An installation service will be held at 10am Sunday, Oct. 30. • Opponents o f Ballot Measure 13, a broad- reaching, anti-gay and-lesbian rights initiative on the November ballot, hope to make a strong statement with a massive Oct. 9 rally in Portland’s Pioneer Court house Square. “We want 10,000 people to jam the square to send the message that we are united in our fight against discrimina tion,” says No on 13 campaign manager Julie Davis. • Co-Dependents anonymous for gay men and lesbians meets weekly. REFLECTIONS • • • 15 Years Ago in Ju st Out volume 11 number 23 October 7,1994 • Baltimore is the site o f the African Ameri can People o f Color Gay and Lesbian Community Center, perhaps the first o f • rj among the 31 individuals celebrated during national L G B T History Month. His political career, at the beginning o f 2009, seemed full o f promise. The next 3 1/2 years will tell what his place in gay history will be. B I VOL 26 NO. 23 OCTOBER 2. 2009 IN SID E » » FEATURE 18 WORTH FALLING FOR Preview what’s in store this season in visual arts, dance, theater and more » NEWS 5 NORTHWEST BRIEFS 10 WARRIORS. COME OUT AND PLAY National Coming Out Day events get local, thanks to PSU and Pride NW 12 REPEALING DOMA Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer Changes His Position to Co-Sponsor the Respect For Marriage Act 14 WALKING STRONG C A P ’s annual A ID S Walk marches on, despite growing national complacency about H IV /A ID S 16 DECODING THE INFORMATION AGE Tech Expert Brian M. Westbrook Explains It All... » ARTS 8 CULTURE 23 OUT 6 ABOUT 30 REVIEWS: NEW MUSIC 32 FREAKEASY SPEAKEASY Homomentum Rocks The Body at the E-Room 34 REVIEWS: NEW BOOKS 38 OUT OF THE ZEN ARCADE Former Hiisker Dii Frontman-Turned- Solo Artist Bob Mould Gets Into His Life and Times » COLUMNISTS 29 36 39 45 LIVING OUT LOUD THE SASSY GARDENER REMEMBER TO BREATHE MS. BEHAVIOR >• THANKS SO MUCH TO ALL OUR FRIENDS IN THE ARTS COMMUNITY WHO CONTRIBUTED ARTWORK FOR OUR COVERI THEY INCLUDE (USTED BY COMPANY AND PHOTOGRAPHER): HOT LITTLE HANDS / BRIAN MCDONNELL • OREGON BALLET THEATRE / ANDY BATT • PORTLAND ART MUSEUM • PORTLAND CENTER STAGE / OWEN CAREY 8 JONATHAN REINIS • AGNIESZKA LASKA DANCERS / CHRIS LECK 6 DAVID STECK • CURIOUS COMEDY THEATER • ARTISTS REPERTORY THEATRE / OWEN CAREY.
