Just out., May 21, 2010, Page 6, Image 6

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NW NEWS IN BRIEF
LGBTQ-inclusive Sex
Ed Workshop Aims for
Community Feedback
As Oregon’s revised sexuality education law
now specifies that schools must “use culturally
and gender-sensitive materials, language and
strategies that recognize different sexual ori­
entations and gender roles,” questions will no
doubt be posed as to exactly how to accommo­
date this course of study. Portland just wouldn’t
be Portland without those answers being ad­
dressed sooner than later.
The Oregon Department of Education,
Working to Institutionalize Sexuality Educa­
tion (W ISE) and the Queer and Trans-Inclu­
sive Sex Ed Work Group are offering a free,
interactive workshop open to educators, ad­
ministrators, school board members and com­
munity members from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 27 at the Portland State Office
Building (800 NE Oregon St., room 1A).
The workshop’s aim is to better determine
how to be inclusive of all students, including
LGBTQ_youth, in respective schools’ compre­
hensive sexuality education programs and how
to address community input and concerns.
Those who are interested in signing up, and
those seeking further information, can con­
tact Molly Franks at the Multnomah County
Health Department by phone at 503-988-3030
ext. 24550, or by e-mail at molly.c.frankst®
co.multnomah.or.us
-
Ryan J. Prado
b y R/an J. Prado and Erin Rook
LGBTQ Couple's Café at
Q Center Gets Everything
Out in the Open
Relationship specialist and LGBTQ_coun­
selor Mariah Ureel has been teaching com­
munication skills for couples since 1994, and
has heard one consistent refrain at the end of
her classes: the participants wished there was
a place they could continue to visit to be re­
minded of their paths toward stronger, healthier
relationships. A casual setting seemed the right
environment to facilitate this need. Enter the
LGBTQ Couple’s Café gathering at Q_Center.
The first installment of this regular gath­
ering will be held Monday, June 7 from 7 to
8:30 p.m. Ureel realized the necessity for more
open discussion through her years of experience
working with couples in the class setting.
“There’s always a little bit of a social aspect
in the classes, and it seems like people enjoy
meeting one another,” said Ureel. “I thought
this could maybe fill that need that people
have, perhaps for those who aren’t super strug­
gling—or they could be, too, and this might be a
non-threatening way to have your partner go to
something, and it’s not so heavy like a therapy
or a class. It’s more like, ‘Hey, we’re going to do
something good for our relationship, and at the
same time we might meet people.m
The first gathering’s discussion will focus on
“Emotional Intelligence for Couples,” a phrase
that Ureel explained covers both awareness and
behavior.
“W hen couples are
able to change their per­
spective or their frame
o f reference, then that
allows for new ways of
seeing and new choices
that can be made in their
relationship,” she said.
The format for the
gathering will have some structured activities
as icebreakers, designed so people can feel more
comfortable branching out. Ureel will give a
“lecturette,” followed by table discussions in
small groups to include fun exercises while par­
ticipants sip complimentary coffee and tea, and
munch on snacks. Couples are also encouraged
to bring friends in couples if they so desire.
There is a $5 suggested donation fo r the Couple's
Cafe’, w ith proceeds going to both Ureel and Q
Center. However, no one w ill be turned away fo r
lack o f funds. For more information, visit pdxqcen-
ter.org or mariahureel.com. Q Center is located at
4115 N. Mississippi Ave.
-R yan J. Prado
"God Hates Fags" Group
Targets Grant High School
Westboro Baptist Church, the Topeka,
Kans.-based group known for its Web site God-
HatesFags.com and picketing everything from
San Francisco’s Twitter office to the funerals of
straight soldiers, is coming to Portland June 3
to stage a protest at Grant High School.
The independent Baptist church is sched­
uled to appear at the high school from 7:35 to
8:35 a.m. The reason for the picketing is unclear,
but may be related to the fact that Grant High
School has a Gay-Straight Alliance.
According to a W BC statement posted ver­
batim on the Facebook event for the counter­
protest, they will be picketing the high school
because “today’s youth are violent brute beasts
who are good for absolutely nothing. Their par­
ents, teachers and preachers did that to justify
their own sins.... The educational system is an
easy target because the lazy teachers are not
interested in teaching you to read and write, but
to socialize. Obama put out-of-the-closet fag
Kevin Jennings in charge of Doomed america’s
schools so he can sodomize them with his GSA
and GLSN clubs that promote fag filth.”
Members o f the queer community and its
supporters are encouraged to attend a peaceful
counter-protest, inspired by the response to
the counter-picketing in San Francisco that
called attention to the nonsensical nature of
W BC’s statements with signs reading, “Silly
Hats Only,” “I Have A Sign” and “God Hates
Ponies,” among others.
Additional locations for planned W BC pro­
tests (and counter-protests) include: May 28,
5:30-6 p.m. at Congregation Ahavath Achim,
3225 SW Barbur Blvd.; May 28, 7-8 p.m. at
Havurah Shalom, 825 NW 18th Ave.; May 29,
8:30-9 a.m. at Congregation Neveh Shalom,
2900 Peaceful Lane; May 29,9:10-9:40 a.m. at
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