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community
JULY 15. 2011
W W W .JU S T O U T.C O M
Not Afraid
Additional anti-gay attacks inspire emboldened response
BY ERIN ROOK
The recent upsurge in anti-gay attacks—
three reported in just two months—is
prompting efforts from the community as
well as the city to let potential perpetrators
know that such attacks will not be tolerated.
Jeffrey Carr and drag performer Bolivia
Carmichaels announced on July 13 plans for
a late-night march to show the city that
Portland’s LGBTQ_ community is not
afraid.
“I think it’s important that even though
there are people who don’t like who we are
that we are proud of who we are,” 33-year-
old Carr said.
The march is tentatively scheduled for 11
p.m. on Saturday, July 23, pending approval
by the city. The route, which Carr says will
travel along the sidewalk rather than the
street, will likely start at CC Slaughters,
making a loop to pass by Hamburger Mary’s,
Casey’s, Embers, Red Cap/Boxxes and Sil
verado before returning to Slaughters.
“We wanted to do it. at night and on a
Saturday when people would be out at the
bars,” Carr explained.
Carr said he got the idea for the march
after hearing about the latest gay-bashing
on the news Monday night, July 11.
An initiative proposed by Mayor Sam
Adams at the July 12 Sexual Minorities
Roundtable meeting is also targeting down
town bars, seeking to establish them as
hate-tree zones.
“One thing we’ve talked about... is to do
more of a messaging campaign at the time
that people enter a bar, regardless of whether
it’s a ‘straight’ bar or a ‘gay’ bar, that this is a
hate-free zone in the city, and this neighbor
hood and these establishments are for every
body,” Mayor Adams said. “We concede not
one inch anywhere in this city to bigotry or
hate or phobia. This city is for everybody.”
Others at the round table, which meets
the second Tuesday of every month at the
“I think it’s important that even
though there are people who don’t
like who we are that we are proud of
who we are.”
-JEFFREY CARR, MARCH ORGANIZER
Portland Police Bureau’s Central Precinct,
echoed the need for a public messaging
campaign.
“Our messaging needs to be as high pro
file as a DUI ticket—‘If you target someone,
you w ill go to jail,’” said.Cory Murphy, staff
member for Pride NW. “We can’t protect
everybody... but we can let people know
there will be consequences.”
Murphy, who previously worked as a
bouncer, also proposed that the OLCC
training for private bar security include in-
formation on bias crimes so that bars can be
truly safe spaces for victims.
Barbara McCullough-Jones, executive di-
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rector of Q. Center, said the organization
plans to produce public service announce-
ments this fall that target people both inside
and outside of the LGBTQ_community.
Mayor Adams also urged anyone with in-
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