<
-------------- x
:
Organization helps young gays sort out feelings
(Continued from page one)
homosexual. If accurate, that would
make approximately 890 gay and
lesbian students enrolled at
Clackamas Community College
(there were 8,937 students enrolled
here winter term) enrolled at
Clackamas Community College and
74 homosexuals among the staff and
faculty. In Clackamas County, with
a population of 245,100, approx
imately 2,450 people may be gay.
One of the group members,
Shawn, age 18, said popular
estimates suggest Portland is home
to 50,000-70,000 gays and lesbians,
many of whom are minors and as
yet unable to deal with their sexual
roles.
Shawn has been with the group
for 10 months. He did not “come
out,” or publically admit to his
homosexuality, until a few months
ago, after seeking counseling.
Shawn heard of Windfire from his
counselor.
“This group gives gay youths a
chance to get together and work
their problems out,” Shawn said. It
is also one of the few places in the
metroplex where gay minors may
gather.
For Shawn, one of the hardest
things about coming out was telling
his mother, who lives in
Washington. “She freaked out,” he
said. “I sent her a three-page letter
explaining what happened and the
day after she received it she arrived
on my doorstep, her eyes raw from
crying. She hadn’t slept any since
receiving my letter. It was real rough
on her, but she’s adapting to it
now.”
Coming out, or accepting his
sexuality, was “a risk that you have
to take,” Shawn said. “Not
everyone in Windfire has come out
yet. I know what that’s like. It’s
very difficult. All my life, it
(homosexual feelings) plagued me.
‘It’s sick...it’s abnormal...’ Finally,
I had to face it.”
Now, in retrospect, Shawn
looks back at his life and sees “No
happy times. I was never happy.
This group helped to change that for
me. If I can now help people
through this group, then I will.”
Another member of Windfire,
Brett, age 18, helped found the
group in 1982. “We have provided a
place where teenagers can be
themselves,” Brett said. “We draw
energy and support from each
other.”
Brett has been out for approx
imately 18 months now, ever since
he helped Frank to form the
fellowship organization. He said
there is no comparison between his
life now and his life before coming
to terms with his homosexuality.
Another member of the group
is Susan, age 17. She is one of the
few women who attend Windfire
meetings regularly. Susan is bisex
ual, and claims the disproportionate
ratio of men to women (approx
imately 60-70 percent of the
membership is men) is because
“many lesbians are less open” and
less likely to join any group with
male members. “I attended a couple.
and listened to the speaker, many
holding hands or with arms around
shoulders—men and women
both—for physical, as well as
moral, support. Fear and tension
were obvious. The group diew
sustenance from each other in a way
no person isolated from his/her
community could ever do.
It is to deal with that isolation
and the misunderstandings sur
round homosexuality that Frank
helped found the group, and why he
continues to act as advisor. Frank is
currently working on a thesis for his
master’s degree in psychology. The
theme of his work is biases among
counselors.
“Many psychotherapists still
see being gay as a mental disease,”
Frank said, even though homosex
uality has been stricken from the
lexicon of diseases in the medical
community. He said there are still
many counselors, whether
psychologists, psychiatrists or social
workers, who attempt to “cure” a
patient of homosexuality.
“Every gay person knows that
being gay is the way you are. It is
not an intelligent choice the person
makes,” Frank said. “It is as hard
for a gay person to be'‘straight’
(heterbsexual) as it would be for a
‘straight’ to be gay.”
Persons interested in informa
tion on Windfire are encouraged to
contact Ann, 244-3225. For those
who are 21 or older, another group
is now being formed. It will be call
ed The Bridge Club and will work in
conjunction with Windfire.
of lesbian group meetings and was
very uncomfortable because of how
they feel about men: All men,”
Susan said.
Susan has been with Windfire
since October of 1983. She has been
out for about a month and a half.
“I didn’t know (she was bisexual)
until a year ago,” she said.
“I’m much happier now. It
(Windfire) doesn’t let me deal with
the issues alone anymore,” Susan
said. “It feels good to belong and to
teach other people.”
The group teaches by speaking
or writing to schools and other
youth groups. In May, a delegation
from Windfire will speak to a
Human Sexuality class at the
Multnomah Learning Center. The
group is also drafting a letter to be
sent to junior high and high school
administrations throughout the
metropolitan area, explaining the
purpose and function of Windfire.
Education within the group is
also part of the format. Last
weekend, a representative from the
Cascades AIDS
Project (CAP)
spoke to the group, talking about
the fears, misunderstandings and
problems facing AIDS (Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome) vic
tims. AIDS is a fatal disease that
strikes mostly homosexuals and is
nearly always lethal. The speaker
from CAP said there are currently
11 cases of AIDS in the Portland
area, and there have been four
deaths to date.
The Windfire group sat quietly
College plant sale begins May 2
By Kathy Johnson
Of The Print
The Environmental Lear
ning Center will be having
their ninth annual plant sale
starting today, May 2, and
continuing through May 12.
On sale will be several
outdoor plants and materials
from bedding stock to garden
vegetables to evergreens.
“This year seems to be
the year for evergreens,”
Charles Puckett, education
and recycling coordinator,
PLANTS, PLANTS, PLANTS—These are just a few of
specimens that will be featured in Clackamas Community Col stated. “We have got little
pines, firs and other galore.
lege’s plant sale. Sale will run from May 2-12.
Photo by Joel Miller We also have some large shade
trees which should provide for
almost instant shade.”
The plants have been
donated by various nurseries
throughout the area.
“In order for nurseries to
make money they need num
ber one stock, and they need
it immediately,” Puckett
said. “So a lot of times they
give to us what is considered
by them to be number-two
stock for one reason or
another. I have never been
able to see any real difference,
but then we have the time to
OREGON CITY
Smucker’s building gears up for auction;
more than 250 items to be disposed
On Saturday, May 5,
Clackamas Community Col
lege will be holding a public
auction to dispose of five
years’ worth of College items
that are currently over
crowding the warehouse at the
Smucker’s Building.
“We really need to have
one (auction) every year, ideal
ly,” College Buyer Louise
Slawson said. However, due to
4 shortage of staff and time,
Slawson said it has been dif
ficult for the College to do so.
Page 6
The auction is being
handled by the College’s pur
chasing department and will
begin at 10 a.m. at the
Smucker’s Building. Slawson
said there would be about 250
numbered items for sale,
although by counting in
dividual items, she said the
amount will be greater.
Items to be auctioned
range from vehicles to office
machines and furniture to
audio-visual equipment and
beauty salon supplies. All of
the items are on-campus,
College-owned materials that
have been piling up and
therefore need to be disposed
Slawson said.
Viewing time for the auc
tion items will be between 8-10
a.m. on May 5. All sales will
be final and all sold items
must be paid for by cash or
check and removed from the
College on the date of the sale.
Proceeds from the auction will
go into the miscellaneous
revenue account of the Col
lege’s general fund.
take a little care of them and
do whatever pruning might be
necessary. With a little fer
tilization, they make good
looking plants.”
The majority of the plants
range in price from $12-$20,
Puckett estimated. The pro
ceeds from the plant sale will
support the Environmental
Learning Center which is a
non profit association. Cur
rently, there is a push for
funds to complete the ELC’s
fish rearing facility by June
23.
EVERY
DAY
OPEN
24 hrs.
Hot Fresh
Homemade nachos
89 c
Clove cigarettes
16 brands to choose from
Hot Dogs
and
Corn Dogs
3 for $1.00
The latest in video games
Featuring: spy hunter and tennis
BIG GULP
32 oz. Fountain Drink
Z
o
ft-
p
8
49*
Reg. 69‘
8
I
o
2!
Good only at O.C. 7-11 through May 9, 1984 ;
■ a f ii
itfi
ifi ■ ■ «■■■■■■* n ■
■■■■•■■
Clackamas Community College