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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (May 21, 2010)
JftJíL WWW JU STOUT COM MAY 21. 2010 NORTHWEST NEWS Getting Schooled in Pride Portland State University's Lavender Graduation caps off a week of celebration for LGBTQ students BY JONANNA WIDNER í>15 V a l u e D i s c o u n i ale OR 97060 .„ ,1 9 6 5 7 5 SW MUE« www.powsforaíouseshop.íom * Visit w w w . \ T s i o n I62.com for details INTEGRITY EXPERIENCE COMMITMENT The time is now for home buying and refinancing. Rates are at all time low. and YES! There is money out there to lend! Call us today to discuss your mortgage needs. office 503.654.7369 Remember we are the G 0 2 G irls ! t= l PRESIDENT’S CLUB MEMBERS PROVIDING SOCIAL WORK AND NURSING MEDICAL CASE MANAGEMENTTO PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS SINCE 1995 PARTNERSHIP PROJECT HIV ADVOCACY A SERVICES SINCE I W Serving 1200 individuals a year in the Portland 4 county area. Working to keep you insured, in medical care and in contact with the services you need! SERVICIOS DISPONIBLES EN ESPAÑOL For intake scheduling, information and referral, call our intake team at 503 517-3590 - www.ohsu.edu/partnership OREGON HEALTH &SCIENCE UNIVERSITY Queer college students and their allies face an interesting climate. O n the one hand, their generation is fortu nate. Times have changed, and the acceptance o f the LGBTQ_community has grown since earlier decades. O n the other, the state of queer acceptance is far from perfect. Overt aggression toward the community is still common, and even when it’s somewhat veiled, a quiet homopho bia reigns, including on college campuses. Enter Portland States Second Annual Lavender Graduation. The concept o f a Lavender Graduation, which takes place Friday, May 28, is in some respects a simple one— a special ceremony, meant to parallel the university’s commence ment, to celebrate the accomplishments o f PSU’s LGBTQ_community, its allies, friends and family. But it’s also a way to acknowledge a community still often swept under the rug, even if this marginalization is subtle. “I would describe [Lavender Graduation] as a place for queer students to be recognized for the con tributions they make to the community,” explains Casey * Payseno, development co ordinator at PSU’s Queer Resource Center, which is responsible for the event, “and to have a specific venue to have a final celebra tion o f the year as we part ways and reminisce about our time at PSU.” The Lavender Graduation is the culmi nation o f PSU ’s Pride Week schedule. Graduating senior Alyssa Bostain co ordinated many o f the week’s events. She says that despite PSU ’s generally supportive environment— fostered by faculty, staff and students— Lavender Graduation is needed: “I truly feel all the queer students are such an invisible minority. [Lavender G radu ation] is a chance to say, ‘W e’re not scary people. W e’re just here and we’re proud.’ I t’s just a big celebration o f acceptance.” The Lavender Graduation promises to be “more intim ate” than campus-wide ceremo nies, according to Payseno. There are no ticket requirements, and friends and family— along with students, staff and faculty— are encour aged to attend. “I t’s targeted to be like a traditional ceremony, but with the emphasis on queer students,” Payseno says. For students like Bostain, the purpose o f Lavender Graduation melds well with PSU ’s philosophy. “One o f PSU ’s four main educational goals for University Studies students is to understand the diversity o f the hum an ex perience,” she says. “That’s really hit home with me during my experience working with the Q R C .” Payseno will give the opening address, "I w ould describe [Lavender G raduation] as a p la ce for queer students to be re co g nized for the contributions th e / m ake to the com m unit/." Stubblefield PAINTING • Exteriors / Interiors • • Residential • • Commercial • • Gutters Cleaned • 948 NE 102nd , Suite 105, Portland, OR 97220 503.253.1109 • www.luschsmile.com • Power Washing • • Decks • 5 0 3 . 888.9507 tstub@comcast.net Licensed & Bonded: CCB #171290 -C ASEY PAYSENO. development coordinator. PSU Queer Resource Center
