OREGON S LESBIAN/GAY/BI/TRANS/QUEER NEWSMAGAZINE
OCTOBER I 2010 3
PAGE 3
b / M a r t/ Davis
just out
Dragging It Out
VOL. 27. NO. 20
We re not just about queens, we re about businesses (with queens)
j \ 11 y ° u write about is drag
/ ’ Aqueens,” spattered and sput
tered the indignant alcohol-fueled
friend at a typical-for-me Sunday
morning brunch. “Drag queens, drag
queens, drag queens. Why can’t you
write about the business community,
why always the drag queens?”
Answering the question and at
tempting a robust conversation at that
moment wasn’t really an option, so I
simply wiped off the spittle and left—
with a good bit of dramatic indigna
tion, I might add. Now, several months
later, I’d like to calmly and rationally
address the off-balance notion that Just
Out only writes about drag queens.
Horse pucky.
There.
Addressed.
Moving on.
Wait a minute. I may not be done
with this after all. The truth is that
some of the finest people in this com
munity are drag queens. Some of the
most generous and giving people
you could ever hope to meet are drag
queens. Admittedly, some royal pain-
in-the-ass folks are drag queens, too,
but that’s another story for another
day. Drag queens— traditional, punk,
genderqueer, new and old school— are
the liveliest and most entertaining part
of our community. They are embedded
in the roots of our history; many will
become the leaders of our future. They
are free spirits, they celebrate, they are
joyous. Sometimes they’re just tipsy,
but again, another day. As long as there
are drag queens, Just Out will write
abut them. To say that’s all we write
about, though, is more than a little
shortsighted and just plain wrong.
Here’s the short version of this story.
The LGBTQ_ community as a whole,
and Just Out in its role, is not about
drag queens or business leaders. It’s
not political leaders or show promot
ers. It’s not gay men or lesbians. It’s
not genderqueer or Primetimers. It’s all
of us. We demand inclusiveness from
the greater community; let’s offer it up
to ourselves, too. While our friends in
heels and glitter may get the spotlight
and center stage, that’s not to say that
the business leaders of our community
aren’t doing important work in their
own right. Business owners are the first
people called when money and dona
tions are needed to support our causes
and nonprofits that we hold near and
dear. LGBTQ_business leaders, and our
strong, supportive allies and friends,
are always the first asked and usually
the first to step up. A drag queen may
lead the parade, but a business owner
donated the balloons. It takes both of
them together to make a good parade.
Just Out staunchly supports local busi
ness and our business leaders—always
have, always will. In this issue, we shine
the spotlight on a diverse and vibrant
bunch of new and old business own
ers. Kindly note that only one involves
men wearing dresses.
O
uch. Nothing makes you sit
up and take note of your poli
cies and practices like a scathing and
threatening letter from a reader. In this
instance, it’s our Letters to the Editor
policy that has come under question
and under fire. Back before Facebook,
back in the olden days, people didn’t
have forums for discussion like those
available today. This will seem hard
to imagine for many but once upon a
time, when people had something to
say, and wanted to share, they wrote
letters, Letters to the Editor. People
would read these letters, mumble and
grumble and then write back their own
letter in response. Discussion on these
heated topics could go on for weeks,
even months. Today a perceived injus
tice will be posted as a Facebook sta
tus, righteous indignation will rise like
steam, people will fuss and fume for a
good 20 minutes and then, oh look, a
cute kitten video and that’s the end of
that.
Where am I going? Oh yeah, Letters
to the Editor. We like them, we en
courage people to write them, we print
them, but we don’t print them all. Let
ters to the Editor have to be relevant to
some aspect of our specific community.
While I love that you’re passionate
about the Sellwood Bridge, send that
letter to the Oregonian. If, as an LG-
BTQ_voter, you support a candidate for
office based on their marriage equality
position, please share your thoughts
with us .Just Out will not print “broad
cast” letters, those that are nonspecific
to a publication and are sent to every
paper in the state. We won’t print let
ters from folks who have destroyed
„ {t f
their credibility by sending 250 letters
a week on every topic under the sun.
Again, the Oregonian.
As a newspaper, Just Out supports
the first amendment and freedom of
speech rights. It is not our place to
censor reader opinions and beliefs.
As editors, we don’t, can’t, fact-check
people’s opinions. But what we can do
is keep a more watchful eye on content
that might be damaging or be perceived
as an attack on a community member.
That said, all community leaders and
institutions are subject to the watchful
eye of the public. There may be dis
agreement; there may be differences.
Just Out has always been, and will con
tinue to be, a forum for the discussion
of these differences. But again, we will
also be watchful of letters that might
prove to cause unwarranted damage to
said leader or institution.
OCTOBER I. 2010
INSIDE»
» FEATURE
20 THE BUSINESS OF
COMMUNITY
A roundup o f LGBTQestablishm ents offering
a little something different:
Oasisba, Stone Buddha, Fido’s Indoor Dog
Park, Cassell Communications and Fantasma
» PROFILES
16 WALKING TALL
Jonathan Reitan ramps up A ID S Walk
fundraising, confronts A ID S head-on
» NEWS/EVENTS
6 NORTHWEST NEWS IN BRIEF
18 ASHLAND CALLING
New organizers step up with Southern Oregon
Pride’s first official march
» ARTS 8 CULTURE
25 OUT 8 ABOUT
32 A GROWN-UP NOISE
etters to the Editor aren’t the only
way to get your name before Just
Out readers. We’ve got the welcome
mat out for experienced freelance writ
ers. Please take note, we’re not looking
for columnists right now—we’re quite
happy and full up with the ace ones we
have. We do need, however, more lively
and sharp voices to send to the the
ater, to the movies, to interview drag
queens—oops, I mean business owners,
and to fill our pages with quality news
reporting. We’ll send you off to meet
fascinating people and we’ll give you a
seat at our bloggers table.
We’ll even pay you for your efforts.
Remember that old saying, “A penny
for your thoughts?” Close.
You’ll work under the tutelage of
Amanda Schurr, one of the finest edi
tors in Portland. You should actually
pay me for the lessons and training
you’ll get from her. Just kidding. Sort
of.
To be specific, we would like to
hear from you if you’re versed in AP
style, understand deadlines like moth
ers understand children, are Out &c
About in Portland’s LGBTQ_ com
munity and have an understanding
and love of the place and the power of
print publications. If this sounds like
you, please contact Amanda Schurr at
amanda@justout.com.
We look forward to hearing from you
L
Corin Tucker goes solo and rocks quieter
34 MAKING A KILLING IN VARIETY
THEATER
Star performers shine darkly for “Murder”
36 DANCING MACHINE
New leadership and new productions energize
Oregon Ballet Theatre
38PLGFF. TAKE TWO
More from the 14th Annual Portland Lesbian
and Gay Film Festival.
40 KEEPING IT WEIRD
The Egyptian Room widens its welcome mat
» COLUMNISTS
30 LIVING OUT LOUD
35 LADY ABOUT TOWN
42 PETLANDIA
43 REMEMBER TO BREATHE
» BACK PAGES
50 OUT AND ABOUT
51 PEACOCK AFTER DARK 2010
COVER ARTIST
Alisa Starr makes Snarky
Cards: Brutally Honest Greeting
Cards. She sells them in bars
from a box that hangs beneath
her boobs. She guarantees
that they will “crack you the
fuck up.” You can learn more
about this “art prostitute” at
superalisa.com, and in our
Oct. 15 issue.