I
nwnews
OREGON'S LGBTO NEWSMAGAZINE
NOVEMBER 11, 2011
GABY BEMBRIOGE
BY RYAN J. PRADO
BRO Announces It Will Not
with additional community leadership for ad a winning path for marriage equality,” ex
vice, as well as evaluating data from an online plained Kaplan. “I think taking time to make
Move Forward with Gay
Marriage Ballot Initiative in 2012 survey that garnered more than 1,000 respon sure all our ducks are in a row in Oregon
Basic Rights Oregon announced Wednes
day, November 9 that they would not move
forward on a ballot initiative to legalize gay
marriage in Oregon for the 2012 general elec
tion. After months of speculation, online sur
veys, town hall-style meetings and the recom
mendation of an advisory group consisting of
prominent Oregon equality advocates, BRO’s
board of directors said that there was not
enough of a majority to risk mounting a costly
effort for marriage equality this time around.
“We have considered the possibility of put
ting this issue on the ballot for the 2012 elec
tion,” read the statement. “However several
factors, including the expense of waging a
statewide political campaign in the midst of an
economic crisis, led us to conclude that [we] are
better off extending our education campaign
and building momentum for a later election.”
Over the previous three years, BRO has
launched increasingly more visible ad cam
paigns designed to educate potential voters
on the plight of gay and lesbian couples de
nied the right to marry in Oregon. Television
ads aired in 2010-11 across the state, featur
ing Oregon gay and lesbian couples relating
their perspectives on marriage equality, met
with positive feedback. But despite convening
dents—a majority of whom told BRO not to
move forward in 2012 unless there was a solid
chance of victory—the organization’s next
step became clear as an informal early No
vember deadline loomed.
“Today we recommit ourselves to this ef
fort,” continued the statement. “We’re com
mitted to opening a new dialogue with our
friends, family and neighbors and, ultimately,
winning the freedom to marry.”
The announcement resonated community
wide Wednesday. The Oregon Family Council
said that though they are relieved BRO is
postponing their efforts, the O FC’s work to
defend Oregon’s Constitutional definition of
marriage will continue soon enough.
“[BRO has] made it clear...that a battle to
change marriage is coming. Therefore we will
remain vigilant in our efforts to educate Ore
gonians about the importance of protecting
marriage and the impact that redefining mar
riage can have on society,” said OFC commu
nications director Teresa Harke.
Michael Kaplan—Cascade AIDS Project
executive director and BRO advisory group
member—said he fully supports the board’s
decisicfti not to move forward.
“BRO led an incredibly thorough and
thoughtful process with a clear goal: ensuring
makes good sense, and has me confident that
with BRO’s leadership, we will get there.”
For more on the decision , turn to p. 3 fo r in
sight fr o m Basic Rights Oregon executive direc
tor Jeana F razzini.
Ben Cohen Announced as
Special Guest for P C C ’s First
Ever Lavender Career Panel
Portland Community College’s Rock Creek
Campus Career Resource Center, in partner
ship with the new Queer Resource Center,
will host its first ever Lavender Career Panel
Monday, November 14 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
The inaugural event will feature an esteemed
panel of LGBTQ_ professionals and allies
from all walks of life, including English rugby
icon Ben Cohen.
Cohen, who is among the first straight pro
fessional athletes to focus his philanthropic
work to help the LGBTQ_community via his
StandUp Foundation, will anchor the panel,
sharing personal stories to inspire impetus for
success and satisfaction in attendees’careers.
“Having Ben on the panel can facilitate a
dialogue from an allied perspective, and that
is equally as important for the success of the
panel,” explains PCC career resource special
ist Tamara Ryan. “As allies, we all have that
‘unique moment’ that inspired us to take ac
tion, and my hope [is] that allied students will
find their own reasons for a call to action by
attending.”
Other panelists include Q_ Center’s Paul
Fukui, Beth Allen Law PC attorney Megan
Gluth, PABA president Jill Nelson and more.
Ryan hopes that the diversity of the panel
will instill students with a renewed self-confi
dence in their ability to achieve their goals.
“From my personal experience, seeing ‘some
one like me,’ a Mexican-American woman, in
S E E W H Y J O F F E IS T H E S M A R T C H O I C E F OR L A S I K
20/20
Life changing results without
spendinq qour life savinqs
Sav** up to S0% everq Haq on
Custom Wavpfronl IASIK
OK-
Multiple custom lasers to treat
nearsiqhteriness
farsiqhtrdness
ASTIGMATISM
0 %
Personalized follow up
vision tare and
FRff FNHANCFMFNTS...
tipcausp wp rare.
Our financing plans and
Best Price Guarantee make
IASIK affordable to more
ppoplp than ever before
SAVE EVEN MORE
WITH YOUR VISION
CARE OR FLEX PLAN.
ASK U5 HOW!
>