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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 2013)
Community (FILM) AUSTIN UNBOUND PORTLAND FILM PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR ELIZA GREENWOOD JUST WON THE AWARD FOR BEST FILM THAT BREAKS DOWN STEREOTYPES AT THE SIXTH INTERNATIONAL DISABILITY FILM FESTIVAL — BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS, HELD FROM NOVEMBER 9 - 12, 2012 IN MOSCOW, RUSSIA, FOR HER LOCALLY PRODUCED FILM, AUSTIN UNBOUND. GREENWOOD, A SELF-IDENTIFIED LESBIAN, HAD TWO AIMS FOR THE FILM, WHICH FOLLOWS THE TRANSITION OF A DEAF TRANS MAN. SHE WANTED TO DISCUSS THE BARRIERS DISABLED PEOPLE FACE IN THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES AND ALSO TO REVEAL THE RICH POTENTIAL OF INDIVIDUALS THAT GAIN ACCESS TO EQUAL RIGHTS. THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES BOTH THOSE GOALS IN A COUNTRY THAT STRUGGLES WITH THE BASIC EQUALITY OF ITS OWN CITIZENS. Eliza Greenwood (HRC) (NEW RULES) EQUALITY INDEX A new report on LGBT equality in America’s cities by the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights organization, rated 137 cities across the nation, including Salem, Eugene, and Port- land. The average score for cities in Oregon is 89 out of 100 points, which exceeds the national average. Salem scored a 76, Eugene scored a 91, and Portland achieved a perfect score of 100 points. The MEI rates cities based on 47 criteria falling under six broad categories: Non-discrimination laws; Relationship recognition; The municipality’s employment practices; Inclusiveness of city services; Law enforcement; and Municipal leadership. The full report, including long form score- cards for every city, and a searchable database, is available online at hrc.org/mei. TRANS HEALTHCARE The Insurance Division of the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) announced that insurance companies doing business in Oregon must end discriminatory exclusions of medically necessary healthcare for transgender Oregonians. Many transgender Oregonians are denied the ability to purchase health insurance or are denied cov- erage for basic, medically necessary care solely because they are trans- gender, and the Insurance Division has made it clear that this kind of discrimination has no place in Oregon. The Insurance Division bulletin specifically states that: • Health insurers may not categorically exclude transgender patients from coverage. • Health insurers must provide coverage and cannot deny coverage of treatments for transgender policyholders if the same treatments are covered for other policyholders. • Health insurers may not deny treatment on the basis of a policyholder’s actual or perceived gender. That means that all policyholders can rely on annual exams, cancer screenings, and gender-specific health care, regardless of their gender on file. • The statewide mandate for coverage of mental health ser- vices must apply to transgender patients. Steam Portland is celebrating their 10th Anniversary this month. The club, opened in 2003, was one of the first in the industry to mandate a safe sex atmosphere and prides itself for bringing awareness to HIV prevention by teaming with Pivot to supply free HIV/Syph testing at the club. The testing is anonymous and is available for guests four times a month. Steam Portland 16 JustOut.com The 33,000 members allows Steam to support local charities like Cascade Aids Project’s AIDS WALK , the annual Red Dress party, sports teams, and various other LGBT organizations. steamportland.com February 2013
