PQ Monthly March/April 2015 Edition

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PQMONTHLY.COM Vol. 3 No. 3 March/April 2015

Inside: Style Deconstructed, Embody by Sossity Chiricuzio, an Update on All Things Q Center, Astoria’s Marco Davis, DJ Phenom Katey Pants, Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, and Much More!

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TJ Acena, Belinda Carroll, Marco Davis, Gula Delgatto, Andrew Edwards, Leela Ginelle, Sossity Chiricuzio ,Shaley Howard, Konrad Juengling, Richard Jones, LeAnn Locher, Matt Pizzuti, Michael James, Monika MHz, Miss Renee, Katey Pants, and, of course, your PQ Editorial Team

I am writing this edition of Page 3 on an airplane; I am on a flight home from Philadelphia, where I just spent a weekend with some of the most dynamic and inspiring people I’ve ever laid eyes on. I went for the sixth annual LGBT Media Convening, an event that brings together writers and journalists from all over the country; at the Convening, we talked about pressing issues facing the LGBT community, and how we, as writers, can affect enduring social and political change. We examined the ways in which we tell our stories. We asked ourselves and each other tough questions, and we shared ideas. It is impossible to leave the Convening unmoved and uninspired.

For our opening night’s reception, organizer Bil Browning (of the Bilerico Project) and the host committee booked the Reverend William Barber of the NAACP to speak. And speak he did—he took the entire Convening to church, offering a passionate, spirited sermon about coalitions and fusion politics and the moral necessity of social justice movements. He is a dynamo, and I encourage anyone who can to listen to that man speak. He talked about the importance of social and political movements to remain committed to each other, to realize the same system that oppresses one of us oppresses all of us. He reminded us the system wants to pit black against queer and Latino against trans—the list goes on. And it’s up to us to frame the debate. It’s empowering to hear someone so eloquently reinforce what we already know in our hearts to be true—the only path to true lived equality is the one we forge together.

Throughout the conference, we broached tough subjects. We talked about our tendency to erase bisexuals from LGBT stories and conversations. We talked about the ways in which we allow media outlets to demonize PrEP use. We touched on misogyny in the LGBT movement, and the tendency to erase women’s experiences from conversations. We learned about the latest in HIV, we were reminded someone doesn’t “give you” HIV, you acquire it, and we heard a variety of speeches from experts in their respective fields. And we did, of course, talk extensively about the trans justice movement, which leads me to something that’s been on my mind for some time.

I’ve heard many of my cisgender friends (mostly men) complain about

this “new” label we’re using. And while the term may be technically new— it wasn’t coined until the 90s—I am confused about why we’re so vehemently rejecting it. I read a story in The Atlantic, a piece on the term by Paula Blank, and this passage stood out to me: “Cisgender” suggests a commonality among transgender and non-transgender people, at a time when transgender people are struggling for recognition. It tells us that we all experience some kind of relationship between our bodies and our selves, whatever that relationship may be. And it reminds us that those who experience a “match” between their body and their selves have it a lot easier in our society than those who do not. To the extent that “cisgender” helps raise awareness of intolerance and injustice towards transgender people, it serves a crucial political purpose right now. Potentially, “cisgender” could help build consensus on transgender rights.

Here’s the truth. If there’s something so simple we can do—like embracing a term that doesn’t really affect our lives in any way—why aren’t we embracing it with our whole heart? Why does it matter if you’re a cis gay male or just a gay male? Cis is simply a point of clarification. It is a description. It is precision language. It is acknowledging, as Blank wrote, that everyone has a relationship between their body and their self, and asking folks to recognize that relationship isn’t reaching for the stars. Most people simply can’t fathom experiencing gender dysphoria. I know I can’t. But something we all know too well is how the pain of difference feels. The next time you want to get riled up about being called cisgender, try taking a deep breath and realizing it’s merely an explanation. It’s a point of order.

It’s a nod to the fact that not everyone has it as easy as cis people do when it comes to gender and identity. How in the world is the trans movement supposed to get anywhere if the L and the G are hell-bent on taking them on? Like Reverend Barber said, we’re all in this together, and we’ll never achieve the lasting social change we want—an end to poverty, lived equality for all—if we spend all of our time fighting one another, especially over something like “cisgender.”

On my flight home, I sat next to a mother and her young daughter, who’s in the first grade. The mother and I talked about the future of the LGBT movement, and she really wanted to know what I thought the “next fight” will be once marriage is put to bed. Hard to pick one, I told her, but I am certain trans justice will remain at the forefront for quite some time.

She then went on to tell me about how her first grade daughter and her friends view gender. “She always talks about how different people ‘present’ and ‘identify’ and she reminds me to never make assumptions,” she told me. That right there is the future, and it’s up to us to get on board or let the movement pass us by. I certainly don’t want to be the angry old white dude complaining about the kids on my lawn. I’d wager you don’t, either.

--Daniel Borgen, cisgender gay male

A SMATTERING OF WHAT YOU’LL FIND INSIDE:

ON THE COVER

Greg Gourdet dishes to PQ Monthly..................................................Page 4 A State of Emergency Faced by Trans Women of Color..................Page 5 Lots of Changes--and more to Come--Meet Q Center Staff..........Page 6 Award-Winning, Beloved Oregon Teacher Harassed......................Page 9

503.228.3139

Conservatives Take Aim at Gender-Neutral Bathrooms.................Page 10 Queer Fashion Week in Oakland......................................................Page 11

proudqueer.com

Portland Gay Men’s Chorus and Harvey Milk.................................Page 14 On Being Femme and Speaking Truth.............................................Page 19 Style Deconstructed..........................................................................Page 24 Our inspiration for this month’s cover is Greg Gourdet, who’s fresh off his very successful run on “Top Chef.”

This photograph was styled and shot by Melanie Davis,

THE NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE OF PQ MONTHLY IS RIVENDELL MEDIA, INC. BRILLIANT MEDIA LLC, DBA EL HISPANIC NEWS & PQ MONTHLY.

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taken at Departure. Read Amanda Schurr’s interview with Gourdet on Page 4.

Syphilis on the Rise--Get Tested.......................................................Page 27 Plus: Embody, The Lady Chronicles, ID Check, Pretty, Witty, and Gay, GLAPN, an Op-Ed on Trans Health Care, an Update on Q Center, See and Be Seen, Queer Aperture, the Warrior Queen--our Coastal Correspondent, and more! Not seeing what you want to read? Want to contribute? Email the editor--Daniel@PQMonthly.com.

March/April 2015 • 3

FEATURE

By Amanda Schurr

RUNNING MAN

like, “Hey, hi.” … The scope of the show, the reach is pretty huge.

Gregory Gourdet can’t stop. Even now that PQ: What about the reaction, nationally he’s home, after a whirlwind year that saw the and beyond, to Portland as the home of two— culinary force placing second in the 12th, Bosalong with Imperial’s Doug Adams—of the ton-set season of Bravo’s smash series Top final three cheftestants?

Chef and, even more recently, landing a covGourdet: We’re on the map. I think the most eted James Beard nomination as semifinalamazing thing for me has just been the supist for Best Chef Northwest, the guy won’t sit port that we’ve gotten here. I think it’s cool down. As soon as we take a seat at Departure, that we live in such a small town and everythe restaurant he’s run as executive chef since one really rallied behind us. That’s probably 2010, Gourdet hops up to get the table coffee. what made me the most emotional, just seeing It’s hardly surprising for the NYC native, all that. I wasn’t really emotional throughwho since his move to Portland in 2008 has out the show. When I landed in L.A. after our become one of the city’s brightest new stars, time in Mexico, I had a little emotional breakfrom his kitchen’s award-winning modern down because you realize it’s all over and Asian cuisine to his hot seasonal party, Elecyou’re stuck with what just happened. But it tric Summer, to his work with organizations was mostly like just thank you letters that I’ve including Our House, Basic Rights Oregon received, like after the finale, people telling and Share Our Strength. “I’m not that politme, “You did such a great thing for Portland,” ical but I do believe in human rights, the and they’re so proud. … It’s just so nice! I just human spirit, and causes that affect our felt like I just did what I was supposed to do health and our food,” says the 39-year-old to be on the show, you know?

Gourdet, an avid fitness fan whose inspiraPQ: Looking back on what you’ve accomtional social media posts have earned him plished, what has most inspired you? the nickname “mini-Oprah.”

Gourdet: A lot of things. I mean, my recovAs humble and soft-spoken as he is busy, ery is probably the biggest inspiration keeping Gourdet says all the “cheftestants” came off me going. I can equate seven years of my life fairly accurately through the reality in New York just battling addiction, falling into TV lens. “It’s funny because they have “There’s a certain addiction with drugs and alcohol, and it took cameras on each and every single one me two years to get sober from the first time I of us, so you’re like, ‘I do remember expectation, I think, checked myself into rehab to the first night I making that reaction.’ They catch especially living walked into AA and stopped drinking. … It was you,” he recalls. These days, he’s gearthis messy thing, so when I got sober in Porting up for his latest adventures on the somewhere like Portland land I made it my mission to get super healthy, road while planning a Denver outpost where there are so many and I was very public about all the stuff that I of the Nines’ signature restaurant. All was doing so everyone back home could see amazing places to eat that, and some actual running, too. that I was actually getting my shit together.

Gourdet spoke with PQ Monthly and people eat here as In terms of success, when I started workabout the Top Chef experience, which an activity. … We can’t ing here at Departure after I’d been sober for took him to Mexico City for the finale, a year and a half, publicly we were just a very the Portland culinary scene today, and really fake stuff here. You different restaurant. … I knew that I was going what keeps him going… and going. to have to work really hard to get us in the best can’t not be amazing and light, and that was going to be by connecting PQ Monthly : W hat was the use the best ingredients with the farmers, connecting with the writers, audition process like? connecting with the food community, doing and try to push yourself Gregory Gourdet: I actually audimy part to serve our local product, doing my because people are tioned a very long time ago, like part to work with artisans and doing my part season two or three, in New York, and expecting it, people are to connect with shops, and I’ve made that then when I moved here I auditioned looking and they know my mission in the past five years. … So it’s again, and then this time, my friend been a series of things and just letting go of Grayson Schmitz, who was on season what they like.” the demons of my past and wanting to move nine in Texas, she’d suggested I do it forward. I feel a lot better about myself. and I said no, and then a casting proPQ: What do you say when people ducer from another show I was on called Cutapproach you? You’re an ambassador for the throat Kitchen was the same casting producer city, but also a role model with how candid Running enthusiast Gourdet says he gained 20 lbs. during the eight-week Top Chef production. His guilty for Top Chef, so she said I should do it…. Just you’ve been. pleasures? Carrot cake at Blossoming Lotus and the gluten-free, dairy-free mac ‘n’ cheese at Harlow. the application process itself is a very huge Gourdet: Honestly, one of my problems is time commitment, in terms of flying to L.A., all the paperwork, video submissions and that I kind of bury my head and I just go and I just think about what’s in front of me and the waiting game, because basically you’re on lockdown waiting for weeks and weeks and what I have to do, and if I have any spare time, I’m gonna put another project in there— every time your phone rings and you see an L.A. number, you’re hoping it’s them. There’s that’s something I’ve been doing for the past few years. One of my problems is that it’s rare a lot of anxiety around it. that I stop and just appreciate things, so [with] the whole Top Chef thing, just being able PQ: This season was relatively free of drama. Did you have any expectations going in? to feel the gratitude surrounding that and just everyone reaching out and saying thank Gourdet: It was a very personal thing. For me, I didn’t really talk to anyone for like the you for what I did for Portland, that feels really good. I’m a member of Alcoholics Anonyfirst half of the show. I was very much in my room, working on my recipes and I won a lot mous, and I know we’re not supposed to talk about it publicly, but so many people have of stuff in a row, which was awesome, I was very focused and then you loosen up a little bit, come to me, so many chefs have come to me, at this point I feel like I can’t hold it in. It’s or it just changes, some people leave, and you realize no one can hinder your performance, a part of me. … I’m just gonna put it out there because it’s been helpful. And just talking you’re just kind of competing against yourself, so I was definitely avoiding drama. I was not about being sober on the show, my friend was like, “I had my first talk with my son about getting involved, I was just very focused on the food in hand. But at a certain point, there’s being sober and sobriety, and he’s 10, so now he understands,” it’s just little things like that. fewer and fewer of you so you’re bonding a little bit better, you’re talking a little bit more, PQ: What’s next for you? you realize that you’re in this weird, crazy situation that’s kind of shitty but kind of crazy fun Gourdet: It was a really stressful year in terms of me being out of the kitchen for as much as and all you have is each other, so you can commiserate and hang out.

I was. … I’m just really happy to just be back and reconnect with my cooks and just be in the PQ: Was it surreal to witness the public response as the show aired? kitchen. Obviously there’s a bunch of trips coming up, but I’m just really happy I’m not going Gourdet: Yeah, it’s weird. The day the first episode aired I was expecting this amazing to be gone for eight weeks, because it was quite the bear. Every day I wake up I’m so happy the thing to happen, like 10,000 more Twitter followers overnight, but it wasn’t overnight at show’s over, you know? Just for many reasons but, I got to go running today, I’m trying to get all. It was this really gradual thing, and by the end it’s just insane. I was in Thailand. I got back in shape, like all these things I completely put to the side… It just feels good to be here. stopped like four times by people who recognized me—just standing there at the airport, not even turned around so they see my face, like just tapped on the shoulder, people were Visit pqmonthly.com for the complete transcript of our talk with Gourdet. pqmonthly.com 4 • March/April 2015

Top Chef runner-up and James Beard semifinalist Gregory Gourdet reflects on a nonstop year

FEATURE

A STATE OF EMERGENCY: ADDRESSING THE VIOLENCE EPIDEMIC FACED BY TRANS WOMEN OF COLOR

By Leela Ginelle, PQ Monthly

community members. I, personally, have lost four friends.

The lives of trans women of color are not being respected.”

One Portlander who’s acting to change that is Ryannah, a trans woman of color youth, who works with many agencies, including SMYRC, Basic Rights Oregon, and the agencies that serve Portland’s homeless youth continuum.

While she was a Basic Rights Oregon Fellow, Ryannah herself was attacked by seven men on the PSU campus, who

women, and 67% were trans women of color.

In addition to this public education, Brown says HRC When Latina trans woman Kristina Gomez Reinwald was attempts to address the problem by countering the povmurdered on February 16, it made her the seventh US trans erty and chronic unemployment suffered by trans women woman killed in as many weeks. Six of these homicides through HRC’s Corporate Equality Index. Likewise, HRC were committed against trans women of color (TWOC), hopes to support trans youth by creating benchmarks to shining new light on the epidemic of violence faced by the help foster care agencies become competent in placing TWOC community. trans youth in affirming homes.

The sense of frustration and despair “Our All Children-All Families profelt by TWOC is heard in a message from gram helps foster care systems,” says the Trans Woman of Color Collective’s Brown, who himself identifies as trans.

National Director Ashley Lourdes Hunter, “We want to create agencies that recmemorializing two of the earlier deaths. ognize the problem of family rejection “In just 9 days, two Black Trans Women trans youth face, and screen families have been brutally murdered. Goddess in a way that avoids it. They recognize Lamia Beard, 24 years old, from Northere’s a need.” folk, Virginia January 17th and Goddess As for the day to day work of stopTy Underwood, 30 years old from Tyler, ping the deluge of anti-trans woman Texas January 26th” Lourdes said. of color violence, Brown points to, and “I know there will be no petitions lauds, the work being done by local started in your name to end structural agencies around the country, like Trans violence and oppression. I know there will Tech in Chicago, and Casa Ruby and be no protests that stop traffic and SHUT the Whitman-Walker Health Center in SH-T DOWN in your honor. There will be Washington D.C. One agency addressing the issue no national outrage or pleas from politihere in Portland is PFLAG Black Chapcians to end this brutal violence. But we ter. To Coordinator Khalil Edwards, will honor you. We will mourn for you. We tackling it means understanding at the will not let your lives be in vain. I am hummultiple oppressions that fuel it. bled by the ultimate sacrifice you made to “I would encourage people to look live unapologetically in your truth.”

The Trans Women of Color Collective of Greater New York demonstrating in Harlem last summer after the death of another trans woman of color. Photo at the ways race and transphobia are PQ reached out to activists working courtesy of GLAAD. interlocked,” Edwards says. “People of to address this problem, in Portland and nationally, to learn what is being done to help the most targeted her based on her gender identity. She reported the color and trans women are two groups that are extremely threatened part of our community. crime to the police, but has received no update on her case. marginalized and constantly have their rights and access At Basic Rights Oregon, the Trans Justice working group Ryannah urges other trans youth of color to access the stolen from them. We need to look at the intersections that has initiated several campaigns designed to combat the vio- resources available to them, from CAP, SMYRC, and Safer push people out from living and breathing and getting their lence and stigma surrounding trans women of color, says PDX. “I would say to trans women, I encourage you to needs met. The privileges we have to pursue a life have been BRO Policy Director Nico Quintana. He cites the working always have someone with you if you’re going somewhere, stolen away and not shared with trans women of color.”

Edwards says PFLAG Black Chapter serves people who group’s “End Profiling,” “End Violence” and “End Conver- and if you can’t, to be in contact with someone on your identify as TWOC through GSAs and youth groups. The sion Therapy” initiatives as efforts to begin dismantling phone,” she says. the transmisogyny and racism that underlie these crimes.

While she’s personally experienced transphobic harass- organization advocates for them in its work with educaHarassment and discrimination plague trans women, ment, Ryannah remains resilient and optimistic. “I believe tors, church groups and with Multnomah Co., teaching Quintano says, pointing to the National Center for Trans- awareness is here, and hope is here,” she says. “Our youth those they consult with to view the issue through the lens of intersecting oppressions. Current focuses for PFLAG gender Equality’s 2011 survey “Injustice at Every Turn,” are our strongest voices.” which found that 54% of trans people in Oregon report While the Human Rights Campaign is not a direct ser- Black Chapter also include examining and addressing the having been verbally harassed and 31% have been denied vice organization, it makes efforts to bring the plight of unique ways gentrification affects black trans women, and services because of their gender identities. “Every aspect trans women of color to light, says Director of Program ensuring trans women of color can access shelters that align of harassment and discrimination is higher for people of Strategies Jay Brown. He points to HRC’s recent report, “A with their gender identities.

Edwards says to address the violence against trans color—in some cases doubled,” adds Quitano, who is trans National Crisis: Anti-Transgender Violence.” The report and Latino identified. is continuously updated, recording all the murders of women of color, we must consider its impact. “This is hapQuintano previously worked with the DC Trans Coali- trans women this year, and places the crimes in stark pening to our family members and in our communities,” he tion, where he witnessed the murders of trans women of perspective, quoting the National Coalition of Anti-Vi- says. “To address it we need to raise its visibility and keep color firsthand. “This is an issue that’s been devastating olence Program statistics, which found that in 2013 72% it on our consciousness. To address it we can make it a top communities for generations,” he says. “We’re losing our of LGBTQ hate violence homicide victims were trans priority and treat it like a state of emergency.”

pqmonthly.com

March/April 2015 • 5

FEATURE

THE GLUE THAT HOLDS Q CENTER TOGETHER — MEET THE STAFF

By Matt Pizzuti, PQ Monthly

think we’ve all really come together to figure out how we can be supportive of each other and our community; we’ve leaned Editor’s note: Just before we went to press, we learned on each other a lot, and done a lot of problem solving.” about significant changes involving Q Center staff, but we Young, like many others on the Q Center staff, noted chose to leave this story as-is, as folks deserve the recogni- the challenges the staff and volunteers face but took an tion. Read about the changes starting on page 26. optimistic perspective. “Changes always have their positives and negatives, but a lot of these have been necesThe last few months at Portland’s Q Center have been sary,” Young said. a turbulent era, to say the least, in the 10-year-old organiYouth and Young Adult Programs Manager Michael zation’s history.

Weakley only had a matter Shortly after PQ Monthly of months to settle in before published a letter from an things began to dramatiunnamed former employee cally change — he moved last December that accused to Portland from Arizona for the Q Center’s leadership a job at the Q Center in June of systemic failures, the 2014 — but spoke more nonprofit’s entire board emphatically than anyone of directors was dissolved, that the changes are to be executive director Barbara embraced.

McCullough Jones resigned “The changes have been from her post, and sibling the best thing that hapLGBTQ organization Basic pened to the Q Center, a Rights Oregon stepped in light at the end of a clouded with a $30,000 gift to the Q tunnel,” he said. “It’s an Center to cover a looming opportunity for real and funding shortfall, enabling “It feels like we’re really in flux,” Susan Kocen, above, said; “some of my folks have been troubled valuable programming; the troubled Q Center to because they’re worried that something’s going to end that’s been very good for them.” people who were never meet payroll. part of the Q Center before Since then, the Q Center has assembled an interim board have come out of the woodworks and gotten involved. The and leadership, and commenced a series of town hall meet- staff has taken this opportunity to connect and bond.” ings to get community input moving forward. But while a Weakley contrasted the new energy with what he saw as 10,000-foot view of the Q Center’s last four months paints some of the previous obstacles: “Under former leadership a picture that is, without a doubt, tumultuous, it’s easy to we really worked in silos,” he said. Meanwhile, “the comforget that many in the community continue to use the Q munity tends to be a little shy, but in the last few weeks, Center as a resource just as they always have, and the Cen- with the interim board, a lot of people have been coming ter’s staff and core volunteers continue to meet those day- in and getting engaged — they feel like they have a voice to-day needs just as they did before the transition began. within the organization.”

“The staff has changed quite a bit since August,” said Some of the staff members seemed reluctant to say anySusan Kocen, senior community coordinator and manager thing on the record that could be perceived as openly critof the Q Center’s *eRa* (Encouraging Respect for Aging) ical of the Q Center’s previous workplace climate or leadprogram, which provides services and activities to local ership. One staff member said it was often difficult hearLGBTQ seniors. “But I’m just trying to do my job and look ing community members express dissent against Q Center out for my community.” policies, agreeing with those dissenters, but not being able “It feels like we’re really in flux,” Kocen said; “some of to do much about it as a Q center employee. my folks have been troubled because they’re worried that More than one staff member indicated that there had something’s going to end that’s been very good for them.” been missed opportunities for coordination between differNeola Young, whose job title is Safe Schools and Train- ent departments, a situation that was rapidly changing as ing Institute Manager, echoed that sentiment. staff pulled together in the absence of permanent executive “People in the community are asking questions — every- leadership. Also, more than one staff member noted that the body’s asking ‘is this place gonna stay open, and what can we outside community often hears about the Q Center mainly do to help?’” Young said the biggest concern on the minds of at a top leadership level, without seeing who works there or community members they encounter is whether they’ll show understanding the full range of services the Q Center provides. up at the center one day to find the doors locked.

“Some of my coworkers here are just badass and amaz“We’re saying, no, we’re not expecting that to happen! I ing people,” Young said, “and there are so many people out

there in the community who don’t even know them. They’re here every day and have been some of the most deeply affected by these changes — we all deeply and incredibly care about this community and the work we’re doing.”

Take, for example, Nash Jones, who coordinates the Bridge 13 Community Education Project. That’s professional training the Q Center provides to outside organizations on sensitivity and awareness of LGBTQ people — for municipalities, colleges, for-profit companies, schools, medical clinics and hospitals, Jones said. It can focus on LGBTQ youth, youth and adults, trans identities or issues in health care, depending on the organization being trained does.

“I went to Lewis & Clark College and did a lot of gender studies and queer studies, and it felt really life-changing to me, but really inaccessible to most folks,” Jones said. The Bridge 13 training, which trained about 2,500 people last year, makes broader knowledge of those issues a reality.

“My hope is that it changes not only a policy in their workplace or a sign on their door, but even a conversation at their dinner table,” Jones said.

The Bridge 13 program is run by of SMYRC (for Sexual & Gender Minority Youth Resource Center), a Q Center department that was once part of Cascadia Mental Health Center but folded into the Q Center in 2012. That move brought Jones, then a SMYRC volunteer, along, eventually leading to Jones’ Q Center staff position.

In fact, many Q Center employees started out as local community members or rose into their posts through temporary or volunteering positions.

Susan Kocen first came to know about the Q Center as a local member of the community, and came aboard after graduating with a Master’s in gerontology. “It just was perfect, because it’s my community. It’s been an amazing opportunity to build something. I hope I can continue doing what I’m doing, to expand the programs and help ease the loneliness and isolation that can come with aging.”

Neola Young has a background working on the intersections between social justice movements, and was moving to Portland from Mississippi when she saw the Q Center job posting that would eventually be hers.

“This was the perfect marriage of all the things I’ve ever cared about in my life,” Young said. “I feel incredibly passionate about it, working with youth.”

“I think one thing that’s important about the folks who work here is that it’s an incredibly passionate group of people,” Jones said. “It’s been a challenging place to work, and it’s been that passion that keeps them there. I’ll speak for myself,” Jones explained — “the Bridge 13 Project is an incredibly needed service. It would be a shame to see such an important resource go away and I couldn’t bear to see that happen.”

“I think we’re going to find out, does the community think the work we’re doing is what is needed?” Jones said.

“An important part of that is to tell the story and let folks know what we’re doing in the first place.”

FEATURES

6 • March/April 2015

pqmonthly.com

FEATURE

PEACOCK’S SCHOLARSHIPS AND LGBTQ COLLEGE DREAMS Compiled by PQ Monthly Staff

Pictured: Jeffrey DeGroot, onetime scholarship recipient. Photo courtesy Kimberlee Van Patten.

pqmonthly.com

The 20th offering of Peacock in the Park will occur at the Washington Park Amphitheater on June 28, 2015. This all ages, free, picnic and variety show is back with all its bells, whistles, sequins and glitter, all to entertain and encourage you to donate money toward the education of one of our own. Many who come out to family lose college savings accounts and other supports, making advanced education near impossible. In honor of the 2015 recipients and this special benchmark in our history; our 20th Peacock in the Park, we are sending a special call out to all scholarship winners and supporters so we can make this the best attended and largest fundraiser for the scholarship ever.

“Peacock in the Park is like a big family reunion” says event producer Maria Peters Lake. “The best part of each year’s event is reconnecting with friends and family from throughout the community. The fact that we are also raising money to send folks to college is icing on the cake!”

The funds awarded have been received by students with tears of joy… though not always the largest some have won, the Audria M. Edwards Scholarship is exponentially more meaningful because it comes from the community. ”I cried when I was awarded the $500 check in 1997,” said Michael Sorensen, MPA.” “ I was the first [in my family] to go to college and this award meant others had faith in me.”

“The support of the Audria M. Edwards Scholarship was important on so many levels, Miriam Volpin, RN, PhD said.”

“Having the support of my community was a powerful motivator when school was challenging. Perhaps most importantly, receiving the AME Scholarship reinforced and supported my commitment to LGBTQ health and health access for all vulnerable populations.”

“As a person who was raised by two moms, receiving the Audria M. Edwards Scholarship meant more than gaining

the much needed financial support, it was a recognition that people with queer parents are part of the LGBT community” Jeffrey DeGroot .

The Audria M. Edwards Scholarship Fund is Oregon and SW Washington’s second oldest Scholarship dedicated to LGBTQ students or students with LGBTQ parents. Established in 1988 to honor the late Audria M. Edwards, the fund pays tribute to mother of six and the first African American PFLAG President in the country. Of Audria’s six children, she had two straight daughters, a lesbian daughter, bisexual daughter, transgender daughter (Portland entertainer Misty Waters) and a gay son (drag entertainer Lady Elaine Peacock; founder of Peacock in the Park and the AME Scholarship Fund).

Peacock in the Park is the largest annual fundraiser for the Audria M. Edwards Scholarship Fund and is scheduled for June 28, 2015 at the Washington Park Amphitheater. Each year, thousands make their way to the home of the famed Portland Rose Test Gardens of Washington Park for a summertime spectacular which includes a picnic, live music and a variety show featuring hostess’ Maria Peters Lake and Poison Waters. Past performers include Jinkx Monsoon, Pink Martini, Alexa Manila, Michael Allen Harrison, Edie, Darcelle XV & Company, Nonsense Dance Company, and many more.

All net proceeds from Peacock in the Park benefit the Audria M. Edwards Scholarship which has awarded 190 grants to 152 individuals totaling $225,000 since 1992 (earlier records are unavailable due the death of founding members). Scholarships are presented each year at Peacock in the Park.

This year’s sponsors include PQ Monthly, Alpha Media, Scandals, Silverado, US Bank, Benrati Charitable Trust, Robert Goman, and many more.

To sponsor or donate to this cause, go to www.peacockinthepark.org or contact Kimberlee Van Patten at Kimberlee@ peacockinthepark.org.

March/April 2015 • 7

VOICES

FEATURE

THE LADY CHRONICLES How to Heal Your Life; an Island Retrospective

By Daniel Borgen, PQ Monthly

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When you sit on the beaches of Oahu— it isn’t terribly important which beach you choose, if you are still, if you are quiet, if you are open, there is a communion with nature and the gods that can touch your very core.

(If you are drunken on the streets of Waikiki bro-ing out, there is less of a chance this communion can take place, but I believe it is still possible.) On the island, you are Liz Gilbert on the floor of her monastery in India; you are in search of your guru; you need to hear from her, you seek the reprieve from your busy, distracted existence. The island will speak to you—perhaps a little like it did to John Locke in “Lost,” and you feel a little foolish admitting it, especially foolish writing it, but once you give in, it is transcendent.

Last year was my first visit to Oahu. This year marked my second. Last year, my trip provided me the perspective and impetus to quit my job of ten years and upend my life. This year, I am still processing what Pele said to me. I am not sure if every year for the rest of my life I will feel the urge to upend everything (I hope not), but I do know now the Hawaiian Islands will always be on my winter agenda. How can this be, some ask— how can you find peace and harmony in Waikiki, the island equivalent of the Vegas strip? It’s like Disneyland for adults, others argue—lots of chain restaurants and chain shopping, and the beaches are crowded.

This is how it works: When you go to Waikiki, you must choose the right travel companions. There can be two of you or four of you, but your comrades must be easy-going, they must go with the flow, they must embrace the notion of “island time.” This is the first step and it is the most important one. Once you and your friends are settled into your respective accommodations, you must agree to avoid the big chains. You cannot eat your meals at the Cheesecake Factory, lest you dim Pele’s voice or ignore her altogether. In Waikiki, you will see droves of suburbanites clamoring for that salted, preserved goodness, but you must trust the locals and take their advice. Talk to Lee at Hula’s, the incredibly gracious and patient island hostess. She will tell you to go to Ono’s or Diamond Head Grill or Rainbow Drive-In; it would behoove you to listen to her.

When you are on the island of Oahu, you must seek out Queen’s Beach, the surf park the gays have taken over. On Queen’s Beach, sitting on the cool grass—some sit in the shade of the palm trees, others in the sun— are the most fantastic, interesting queens you will ever meet. And once you introduce yourself, once you befriend them, you are theirs forever. There on Queen’s Beach, as the palm trees rustle and the waves crash

and the sun singes your cheeks, you will hear the stories of our queer elders. They will tell you about parties on Fire Island and of activism on the Castro and how AIDS decimated an entire generation, one we’ll never get back. You will tear up when they talk about lost loved ones, and you will pledge to yourself and Pele to return to them year after year. It is a moral imperative to remember their stories.

Though you will be weary from a day in the sun, from treading water in the salty Pacific, you must not give in; you mustn’t call it a night when the sun goes down.

You will watch the sun set, because it is unspeakably beautiful, the oranges and reds, and you will summon your second wind. Because you should frequent the gay bars, even if you don’t drink—aside from Queen’s Beach, there’s no better collection of queer around. You will meet Australian men, Spanish men, Brazilian men, Russian men, Japanese men—Honolulu is a metropolis and the men arrive from all over the world, ready to flirt with you, dance with you, buy you shots, listen to your stories, and tell you theirs. Even if you have a special gentleman friend back home, you will flirt and be flattered. There’s no harm in a little ego stroking when in Honolulu; Pele demands it.

Finally, when staying in Waikiki and visiting Queen’s Beach and frequenting the island’s gay bars, you must do one last thing: get off the strip and get out of Waikiki.

You must leave the city far behind, rent a car and spend hours on the North Shore, watching its sky-high waves, eating its fresh grilled shrimps, and marveling at the stunning surfers. You must take the scenic route there, so you pass Diamond Head, Turtle Bay, hidden landmarks and beaches not found on maps, tour guides who’ve functioned without a computer for decades, angry locals who do not want the suburban sprawl to spread one more foot. But there you are, an outsider, a tourist, spending your money, supporting their state’s most lucrative export—tourism. But you join the residents in praying the sprawl doesn’t spread. The island does not need another Cheesecake Factory; it does not need another high-end shopping mall.

On your last night, you and your cohort will dine together; you will choose a restaurant overlooking the beach, and you will watch the sun set one final time, and you will listen to the waves crash. You will saunter along the shores of Waikiki one last time, well into the night. You will walk with your old friends and your new ones, and you will wish for time to stand still, but it won’t.

The next morning, you will take a taxi to the airport, and you will begin planning your return.

Daniel@PQMonthly.com pqmonthly.com

FEATURE NEWS

BELOVED TEACHER OF THE YEAR HARASSED FOR BEING GAY—AND OUT

By Matt Pizzuti, PQ Monthly

their cause, along with his own, as Teacher of the Year.

Instead of reporting to a school principal, Bingham It all started with a heartfelt personal line in a speech reported directly to district administrators. In early 2014 he’d written as Oregon’s 2014 Teacher of the Year, said Port- it was Jeane Zuniga, the director of functional life skills for land Special Ed teacher Brett Bingham. The sentence went, the entire district. In fact, Bingham works in close proxim“15 months ago my partner ity to most of the top offices might have been a widower, in the district, including the but instead here I am, one of superintendent. the first openly gay teachers In January 2014, Bingham of the year, and just my being gave his speech at a public here sends a message to gay event in Hood River. It wasn’t youth that it gets better.” the first time he’d given it, but It was referring to a heart this time Zuniga was there to attack that Bingham survived observe and offer feedback. in June 2012, and to BingSo when Zuniga and Bingham’s partner of 6 years, Mike ham spoke about it afterTuray, whom Bingham would ward — Zuniga had already marry the following May just left the event and Bingham hours after it became legal called her from the parking to do so in Oregon. And it lot— he took notes. referred, of course, to the fact Bingham said he was that Bingham is gay. taken aback by the feedback Bingham believes it’s that he received. line that triggered the spi“She said, ‘you need to raling relationship between stop saying you’re gay. You’re himself and district supermaking people really uncomvisors, in which the life skills fortable, I think someone’s teacher of 11 years — who going to kill you.’ I asked, had so recently gotten his ‘you think someone will kill managers’ high recommenme?’ and she said ‘I think dations to become Teacher someone’s going to shoot you of the Year — faced months Oregon Teacher of the Year Brett Bigham with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Photo in the head.’” of what he calls bullying and provided by Bigham.

Bingham said Zuniga told intimidation by those same managers, a tedious process him to walk around the parking lot and look at the bumper of grievances to save his job, and a cascade of more than stickers — implying that Hood River is a conservative area, 33 written orders threatening him with disciplinary action as are many other parts of Oregon Bingham would be up to termination over trivial demands. speaking at.

First, some context about the unusual nature of Bing“I guess it sounded like an order, but I didn’t really think ham’s job: Bingham isn’t your typical classroom teacher; it could be,” Bingham said. “I kind of brushed it off.” he teaches life skills to 18-to-21 year olds with disabilities Bingham said he continued giving his speech at subsedirectly out of the Multnomah Education Service District quent events without changing anything. administration building. He leads a small team of paraIn April, in what Bingham argues was a reaction to the professionals and nurses who help attend directly to the line about being gay, the school district forbid him from students’ needs. speaking in public at all anymore unless he had their “After kids in Special Ed graduate high school, they can approval. The district said the order was responding to get 3 more years of public education — a job training pro- an editorial Bingham wrote for The Oregonian supportgram — to get them ready for the next step in their life,” ing Common Core, a nationwide set of educational stanBingham said. That could mean assisted employment, or a dards strongly supported by the White House. The teachmore intensive care setting if necessary. The students Bing- er’s union said the order was unenforceable anyway — that ham works with come in from schools all over the district. his right to express his opinions is protected by the First “These kids are the least represented,” he said — which Amendment — and that he could keep doing what he was made it all the more meaningful to Bingham to represent doing, which he did.

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Bingham said the district started doing what they could to make life difficult for him — they took away crucial members of his staff, boxed up his desk and supplies, and brought him a new supervisor who started off the bat making demands against his job.

In September, Bingham filed a formal complaint about the situation, to the Oregon Teachers Standards and Practices Commission, an Oregon state agency that oversees professional conduct in education. He filed another complaint in November, this time with the state Bureau of Labor and Industries, an Oregon state civil rights watchdog, and said that the department will announce at any time whether it will take up his rapidly-evolving case. Bingham has since then also hired a private attorney.

“Let me give a plug to the union,” Bingham said. “They’ve been amazing and saved my job multiple times.” (The Oregon teachers’ union has named Bingham their own Teacher of the Year for 2015.)

District administrators may have gotten themselves in more hot water in February — and boosted Bingham’s claims about the district’s impropriety — when the HR office wrote Bingham an email saying Bingham could only take unpaid leave to receive a national teaching award at the White House if he withdrew his formal complaints.

Bingham and the teacher’s union say that action shows the district is retaliating against Bingham for filing the complaints, which is illegal. With the union’s intervention, Bingham was eventually cleared to travel to Washington D.C. to receive his award.

Still, Bingham said he’s been put on what’s called a plan of assistance — in other words, probation — starting March 9. “I’m probably the first sitting teacher of the year — because I’m the union’s teacher of the year right now — who’s ever been on a plan of assistance.”

Bingham was unclear on what the next steps might be, or his future in the Multnomah Education Service District.

Leaving the district to find another teaching job could be difficult due to the probationary measures against him — he would have to disclose them during the hiring process, and they could hurt his chances even despite his high commendations from the Teacher of the Year program and the White House.

“Over the last year there’s been these incredible moments, moments where I’m meeting Hillary Clinton as Teacher of the Year, then these incredible lows where I’m being written up for not teaching my students about leg-shaving,” Bingham said. “I guess I need to wait and see this play out. My hope is that some of these people will no longer be my supervisor. I want to keep doing what I’m doing — it’s what I’m recognized for.”

PQ Monthly will continue to follow this story as it develops.

March/April 2015 • 9

NEWS FEATURE

CONSERVATIVES TARGET TRANS PEOPLE’S LEGAL ACCESS TO BATHROOMS

By Leela Ginelle, PQ Monthly

To observe the limits of transgender rights in the U.S., one need look no further than the restroom. Three states are currently debating legislation to criminalize trans people’s accessing of bathrooms and facilities that align with their gender identities. Moreover, trans bathroom access recently extinguished efforts to pass non-discrimination ordinances in Charlotte, NC, and is at the center of controversy around a trans rights bill in Canada.

Behind all these dehumanizing efforts and debates is the implication that trans people are either mentally ill predators, or that providing them access—something the federal government has already done for K-12 students in U.S. public schools— will open the door for rapists and voyeurs.

In Kentucky, an anti-trans bill sailed through the Republican-led state Senate along party lines, passing 27-9. The measure was introduced in response to a Louisville high school’s decision to allow a trans girl to use the restrooms and locker room that aligned with her gender identity. To supercede this, Kentucky Republicans advanced a bill forbidding any school in the state from accommodating their trans students in such a way, because no one knows more about the needs of trans youth than conservative male legislators.

Though passed easily in the Senate, the bill is expected to die in the Democrat-led Kentucky House, where Speaker Greg Stumbo has been withering in his criticism of the Senate’s actions, saying, “deciding where kids can go to the bathroom. That’s a heck of a weighty issue for the state of Kentucky.”

In Florida, a bill that would require people to use the facilities matching the gender on their driver’s licenses or passports passed through the ironically named Civil Justice Subcommittee. The bill, denounced by Equality Florida and ACLU Florida, was introduced by Republican Frank Artiles in response to a Miami-Dade County Ordinance which honored people’s abilities to self-identify their genders and use the facilities that aligned with their identities.

10 • March/April 2015

Artiles, however, harbors no such faith in his fellow citizens, saying of the County ordinance, “I believe that criminals—males—will use this law as the cover to go into the women’s locker room. All they have to say is, ‘I feel like a woman today.”

Artiles quote is emblematic of the confusion conservatives seem to have about what bathrooms are for. As someone who’s used both women’s and men’s restrooms during my life, I can testify that people in both use them for exactly the purpose you might expect. The notion that men will take advantage of laws allowing trans people to access restrooms that align with their gender identities to molest women is supported by no evidence, and ignores that fact that most sexual assaults suffered by women are committed by acquaintances of those women, not mysterious, legally astute strangers.

Artiles quote, and bill, are also underlain by the old prejudice that trans people are “deceivers,” lying about their identities for nefarious purposes. In that way, the logic of the bill becomes self-perpetuating: only cisgender identities are legitimate, therefore only cisgender people can access bathrooms. People “saying” they’re transgender, therefore, are not to be trusted. Ideas like this, thankfully, are now considered hopelessly retrograde; but sadly, we can count on southern conservative lawmakers to bring them back.

In Texas, one such lawmaker is Rep. Debbie Riddle, who has introduced two bills designed to punish trans folk and their allies. The first would amend the state’s disorderly conduct law to include a person who “enters a public restroom that is designated by a sign for members of the opposite sex of the actor.” That bill would allow trans people who’d changed the gender marker on their driver’s licenses to access facilities aligning with their identities.

Riddle’s second bill, however, is more radical, defining gender as “established at the individual’s birth” or “established by the individual’s chromosomes.” This bill would make it a misdemeanor for a person to “enter a locker room, shower facility, or toilet facility that is designated

for use by persons of a gender that is not the same gender as the individual’s gender.” Moreover, it would forcibly enlist business owners and facility managers to enforce the rule, making it a misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine to allow a trans person to use a restroom or facility that aligns with their gender identity.

Her motive? You guessed it: saving ladies and kids from those mythical deranged criminals. On Facebook, Riddle declared she’d introduced the bill to “protect women & children from going into a ladies restroom & finding a man who feels like he is a woman that day.” (Side note: Our culture’s level of transmisogyny is almost immeasurable. The idea that a cis guy would impersonate a trans woman—which Republican lawmakers and Fox News hosts raise like clockwork whenever this topic comes up—is ludicrous.) Riddle’s bills have not advanced in the legislature.

In Charlotte, NC, the City Council recently debated and rejected LGBT-inclusive non-discrimination ordinances. In the midst of the lengthy and heated public hearing, some council members proposed a compromise to the measure, which exempted all those restrooms, locker rooms, and showers that trans people like to use from protection. In the end it was this exemption that may have caused the bill to fail, as two Democrats joined the Republicans in voting it down, saying they did not want to leave trans people open to discrimination.

Republicans in this case brought up the specter of “public safety” repeatedly, and the religious group Faith Matters NC ran radio ads with women speaking about their fears for their children should the bill pass. Classy.

In Canada, a bill introduced to protect transgender rights has been amended by conservative legislator Don Plett to exempt places like restrooms, prisons, and changing rooms from its non-discrimination clause. To demonstrate the ways in which measures like these, supposedly undertaken to ensure “public safety,” in fact place trans people in public danger, trans activist Carmen Brae has mounted a Facebook campaign, posting photos of herself in men’s restroom’s with the slogan “Plett Put Me Here,” and urging people to share the images if they think she looks out of place.

Anyone viewing Brae’s posts will see she does, and understand that trans people know their gender identities, and where they feel comfortable, much better than reactionary politicians do. Trans equality asserts that all people’s gender identities are theirs to decide. Birth assignment based on genitalia is erroneous in the case of many trans people, and completely erases the existence of non-binary individuals. Laws based on it are cissexist and transphobic. They don’t keep people safe; they merely preserve outmoded, prejudiced ideas we’d all be better off without.

pqmonthly.com

FASHION

OAKLAND’S QUEER FASHION WEEK More than 25 designers will be unveiling their latest creations featuring up to 20 different looks on the runway during the firstever Queer Fashion Week, April 16 – 19.

Guests can expect to see more than 100 models sashaying down the runway sporting the latest designs from Crookid Mindz, Haute Butch, Im.Butterfly Creations, Immigreat Designs, Inner Diva Styles, Kreeps in Disguise Co., Lady Lovers, Note 2 Self, Pascual Keyng, Play Out Apparel, LLC; Qwear Fashion, Saannti, Sambi Fashion, Sharp Suiting, Show & Tell Boutique, Shades Company, Clothing, Size Queen Clothing, Speechless Vulgarity, Split Personality Designs, Stuzo Clothing, SunSun, SX Couture, Thuy Custom Clothier, True Life Clothing, and Vagina Jenkins in Oakland, Calif.

The designers represent a variety of fashion styles from accessories, evening wear, lingerie and undergarments, outdoor wear, urban wear and more made for the fashionista – feminine to the masculine of center and everyone in between.

“Queer designers are designing in a myriad of styles from evening wear to urban apparel, unisex to swimwear and beyond and we want to showcase this incredible talent,” said Christine De La Rosa, Producer of Queer Fashion Week, who chose to host the fashion week in Oakland because it’s a hub of creativity and cutting edge of fashion on the West Coast. “What is really exciting to me is seeing the level of excellence that we have in our community.” The schedule, as follows:

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More than 25 designers will be unveiling their latest creations featuring up to 20 different looks on the runway during the first-ever Queer Fashion Week, April 16 – 19.

THURS APRIL 16 QFW Welcome Party & PQ Monthly Bay Area Release Party Parliament www.811parliament.com 811 Washington, Oakland 5pm-9pm Meet the Designers & Models, grab a quick bite and an after work cocktail, and shop.

PARKING: Street Parking and Parking Lot Across the Street ($10) BART: Nearest Bart Station is the 12th Street Bart Station. Venue is 3 blocks from 12th Street Bart.

FRI, APRIL 17 QFW Explosion Geoffrey’s Inner Circle www.geoffreysinnercircle.com 410 14th St, Oakland, CA Doors Open at 7pm Show Starts Promptly at 8pm After party Starts at 10pm SHOWS: Celebrity Runway Show, Extreme Hair, Makeup and Body Art Show, RED.org Show PARKING: Street Parking and Parking Lot Across the Street ($10) BART: Nearest Bart Station is the 12th Street Bart Station. Venue is 2 blocks from 12th Street Bart.

SAT, APRIL 18 QFW Genesis American Steel Studios www.americansteelstudios.com 1960 Mandela Parkway Oakland, CA Doors Open at 1pm QFW Genesis Show Starts Promptly at 2pm QFW Genesis Afterparty Starts at 9pm

--Compiled by PQ Monthly Staff

March/April 2015 • 11

THEATER

PORTLAND THEATER’S BENEFACTRESS: RONNI LACROUTE

By Leela Ginelle, PQ Monthly

If you attend a few Portland theater shows, you become familiar with the announcement, “We’d like to thank our season sponsors, Ronni LaCroute and Willakenzie Estates.” If you attend shows regularly, you likely start wondering whether any shows are produced here without her Who is Ronni LaCroute, and what led her generous support. to become Portland Theater’s leading Who is Ronni LaCroute, benefactress? and what led her to become Portland Theater’s leading benefactress?

LaCroute was raised on the East Coast in a culturally inclined family. In the 1970s, she became the youngest theater professor at Suffolk University, before being laid off when the new department head eliminated all the female faculty members, a practice that was legal at the time. She worked as a high school teacher until 1983, when she moved to Silicon Valley as her then-husband was hired to work in computing. LaCroute worked as a substitute teacher in California, and, in a bit of foreshadowing, planted and raised fifty fruit trees on the couple’s property.

In 1990, the couple visited Oregon and were struck by what she saw as the “gorgeous, affordable” land they encountered—land, which she knew by its classification, would be ideal for growing fruit. They soon purchased the acreage that makes up her estate for the same amount a residential lot would have cost in northern California, and LaCroute began learning the wine business on the fly— taking classes at UC Davis and working closely with the

12 • March/April 2015

winemaker/caretaker she’d hired when she visited for California one week a month.

By 1997, the couple had moved up full-time and begun selling wine. LaCroute takes pride in Willakenzie Estates’ business practices, such as preserving the land’s ecosystem, so as not to require chemicals when growing grapes, and employing a twelve month crew, who receive benefits and a retirement plan.

Listening to LaCroute speak, one feels no surprise at her success. Whether talking about soil quality, theater, or the numerous social causes she supports, LaCroute displays the same engagement, intelligence, and self-assurance.

When starting up the winery, which is in Yamhill, she had little time for theater, LaCroute says. By the early 2000s, though, she began to explore Portland, and frequent the the Artist’s Repertory Theater (ART). In 2005, she sponsored her first Portland play, “Take Me Out,” directed by then ART artistic director Alex Neuse.

“Alex came to me and said, ‘No one will sponsor my play, because it has a gay character,’” she recalls. “I said, ‘Why? That’s not a problem,’” noting that she’d had LGBTQ friends since adolescence.

Actors she’d met at ART soon invited LaCroute to shows they were in at other Portland theaters, such as Milagro and Profile, and she was soon sponsoring shows, and whole seasons, there. She says she was instantly “enthralled” by the theater she took in on her outings, “especially people taking a risk, doing cutting edge work.” At the same time, she felt disappointment at the lack of support the theater community enjoyed. “We don’t have the patron base to go along with the theater being made here,” she says.

LaCroute attributed this to cultural differences between the coasts. “In New York or D.C., where I grew up, there was a culture of supporting. If you went, you were a sup-

porter. In this way, sponsoring shows is an impulse from my background.”

LaCroute realizes she occupies a unique place in the theater community currently, as such a consistently generous contributor. She’s tried to recruit other sponsors like herself, but has been unable to, thus far. Asked how she sees her role, she says, “My place is to challenge people to take risks—to be behind them and catch them when they fall.”

LaCroute’s home is even further than her winery from the city, giving her a three hour drive to see shows. She voices no complaints about this, though, and says that, when the weather’s good, she comes in three to four times per week. The shows she’s closest to, she shares, are the ones she’s most closely involved with, such as the ones at ART, from which she receives rehearsal notes, or at Profile, where she’s often invited into the rehearsal process.

Talking to LaCroute, one marvels at her capacities. She describes her schedule, thus: “By day I’m at the winery, and I take sales trips around the country. That’s full-time. I do theater. That’s full-time, too. But I do other things, like the relief nurseries and the food bank.”

LaCroute’s social conscience was on display throughout our conversation. When the talk turned to race, she noted Oregon was by far the least diverse place she’s lived. “It’s hard not to be white here,” she says. “Let’s look at the halls of power. Let’s look at when we pull together a who’s who.

It’s all white. Those things have a big effect.”

LaCroute works to do her part, spreading her good fortune, supporting social services, and sponsoring art that pushes boundaries and excites audiences. “Some people say, ‘Oh, that play’s about LGBT people, or African-Americans, or people with disabilities. It’s about other people,” she says. “No, it isn’t. It’s about all of us. We all need to see those stories.”

pqmonthly.com

VOICES

ID CHECK

FEATURES

Trans Exclusion in Portland

By Leela Ginelle, PQ Monthly

At Q Center’s second Town Hall meeting, an attendee stood, identified herself as a “woman born woman” and requested space to meet exclusively with other women who identify as she does. Hearing her, I, and the other trans women in attendance, knew that the term for such a person is trans exclusionary radical feminist, or TERF. That this speaker was not immediately shouted down by all in attendance indicates how little is known about anti-trans woman discrimination in the LGBTQ and feminist communities. What this woman was saying, in essence, was that she is an “actual” woman, unlike trans women. What TERFs believe about trans women can vary.

The most virulent, such as those that run the website Gender Identity Watch, refer to us as “men,” and accuse us of “invading” women’s spaces and making the “legitimate” women (meaning those who were assigned female at birth) unsafe via our presence.

Other TERFs complain about trans women’s genitalia, as though that defines a human’s gender, or the fact that we were misgendered and forcibly raised male, as though that’s somehow more harmful to them than it was to us.

Each of these lines of thinking is transphobic and cissexist. In pursuing them, cis women entitle themselves to define womanhood via their gender identities, and to exclude trans women because of ours.

Because our society has been so transphobic and cissexist historically, such prejudice and discrimination has heretofore been difficult to challenge.

In her article “Identity is Power,” Renee LaChance spoke of the Women in the Woods (WIW ) retreat as a celebration of lesbian feminist pride. She did not mention that was and is a trans exclusionary event. WIW’s “Herstory” page on its website describes the retreat’s “no penises” rule, which has been in place since its inception in 1984. The page further describes efforts by trans women to integrate the retreat in 1999, which were rebuffed by a majority vote of its attendees, and its adherence to its rule since that time.

I’ve gathered in the time since the second Town Hall that lesbians who support the idea of cis women only spaces at Q Center do not wish to be referred to as TERFs, but there’s simply no other way to describe their actions and aims. Women in the Woods is not only a TERF event, but, like the Michigan Women’s Music Festival, with which it compares itself in its “Herstory,” it is a proudly defiant one. MichFest this year was condemned by the HRC and Equal-

ity Michigan for being t r a n s p h o b i c . We r e Women in the Woods a more high profile event, I imagine it, too, would receive such censure.

Trans women want and need equality.

The time when we could simply be told we are not welcome is past, as is the time when lesbian feminist pride could be synonymous with trans exclusion. The time since Q Center’s Town Hall has been anguishing for trans women, as we’ve witnessed how little is known about our history of marginalization and oppression at the hands of second wave feminists, like those who organized Women in the Woods, or who now lobby for trans exclusionary space in our own community center.

Over and over we’ve had to assert truths that should go without saying: that trans women are women, that attempts to exclude people on the basis of gender identity are transphobic, and constitute a form of discrimination completely at odds with LGBTQ equality, and that trans exclusionary radical feminist beliefs can have no place in a movement that includes trans women.

Renee LaChance’s article asserted that her generation “paved the yellow brick road to equality.” I have no doubt they accomplished much, but I cannot with my whole heart applaud them knowing they did so while perpetuating transphobic beliefs and actively working against transgender progress.

Second wave feminist leaders, such as Gloria Steinem, Germaine Greer, and Janice Raymond all put forth TERF ideas, and the latter was instrumental in persuading the Reagan administration to discontinue federally funded trans health care. While these women were progressing, trans women were shut out, ostracized from their own community, and struggling merely to survive.

It’s not lost on any trans woman I know that our current controversy is playing out against a backdrop of epidemic level violence against our community. Transmisogyny says over and over that trans women’s lives are disposable.

If trans women are loud, angry, and unreasonable—as I hear people calling us often these days—I’d argue it’s because we’re trying to be heard over prejudice and hatred that surrounds us. As long as TERF ideas are received with polite approval, as they were at the Town Hall, trans women will likely be screaming. When everybody is as angry as we are at the people who discriminate against us, deny our identities, and omit the transphobic actions of their pasts, we’ll have the luxury of lowering our voices.

Leela Ginelle is a playwright and journalist living in Portland, OR. You can write her at leela@pqmonthly.com. pqmonthly.com

March/April 2015 • 13

COMMUNITY

PORTLAND GAY MEN’S CHORUS: “CELEBRATE THE JOURNEY” AND HARVEY MILK

Your LOCAL full-service marketing agency that will connect you with the diverse populations of Oregon and SW Washington

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14 • March/April 2015

Both Soromundi and the PGMC have non-discrimination policies, and include nonLGBTQ members. “Early on,” Hagedorn says, “we established policies and guidelines, including that membership was open to anyone who identified as a woman.” Of the PGMC, Mensel says, “Gender and sexuality are PGMC, now celebrating their 35th year, will present the Northwest premiere of I Am Harvey irrelevant in assessing a singMilk—a powerful choral work depicting the life and times of California’s first openly gay er’s suitability for the chorus. elected public official. Photo provided by PGMC. A prospective singer must be able to sing in the range of our

By Daniel Borgen with Leela Ginelle, repertoire — bass to tenor — and be a good PQ Monthly musician.”

PGMC Today With that, we introduce the next chapter History The first LGBTQ choruses emerged for the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus: “Celebrate almost 40 years ago. While the movement the Journey” March 21 & 22 at Kaul Auditobegan with the Anna Crusis Women’s Choir, rium on the Reed College campus. PGMC, which formed in Philadelphia in 1975, the now celebrating their 35th year, will presfirst chorus to include “gay” in its name was ent the Northwest premiere of I Am Harvey the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, who Milk—a powerful choral work depicting the gave their maiden performance on the City life and times of California’s first openly gay Hall steps the night of Harvey Milk’s shoot- elected public official. Written by Broadway composer Andrew Lippa, I Am Harvey Milk ing death in 1978.

From Seattle’s BEARatones to Salem’s weaves the story of Harvey’s life leading up to Confluence, this blending of art and poli- his tragic assassination in 1978. I Am Harvey tics, community and visibility, have always Milk is an emotional celebration of an Amerbeen present in the LGBTQ chorus move- ican icon.

Kansas transplant Dru Rutledge has ment, though perhaps not as pronounced as it was on that night 35 years ago. The Soro- quickly won over Portland audiences with mundi Lesbian Chorus of Eugene formed her spectacular soprano voice and stage presin 1989 after its founders attended the Port- ence. In this, her second appearance with land Pride Festival. Co-founder Karm Hage- the Chorus, Dru performs the roles of Hardorn had sung in choirs in high school and vey’s mother and his teacher Mrs. Rosenblatt.

Ms. Rutledge sings with the Portland Opera at the University of Oregon.

Of the early days, and the chorus’s entry and has appeared in numerous musicals with into activism, she says, “I had no motives or Portland Center Stage, Lakewood Theatre and agenda at the beginning, but when three or Broadway Rose. She also recently performed more lesbians gather, opinions and ideas with the Oregon Symphony on the Distant pour out and before long, we were singing Worlds Tour and in Miami, Florida with the at political events and rallies right away, New World Symphony.

Also joining the Chorus for I Am Harvey as the times were ripe with anti-gay legislation — causes like ‘Take Back the Night” Milk are two young up and coming Portland and such.” Soromundi, which translates to stars, 9-year old Dylan Beckett (Saturday) “sisters of the world,” also became a social and 14-year-old Matthew Snyder (Sunday), who will be performing the role of the young hub for its members. “[It] very quickly became a community,” Harvey Milk. Rounding out the cast are PGMC Hagedorn says. “It was a pretty wholesome tenors Brian Haimbach (Saturday) and Rob place to meet other people who were tired McElroy (Sunday). These seasoned profesof the bar scene.” The same is true for the sionals sing the role of the adult Harvey.

“Celebrate the Journey” will also feagroup that inspired Hagedorn 24 years ago at Pride, the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus. ture the debut of PGMC’s own commission, The PGMC formed in 1980, and was the A Brighter Day, a song cycle composed by fourth chorus to call themselves “gay,” Portland’s own Scot Crandal with libretto

by PGMC member Doug Bom. This work according to artistic director Bob Mensel.

In the PGMC’s early years, Mensel says, embraces LGBT history and celebrates the “The reasons that men joined the choir were Pockets of Light that have brought inclusion myriad, but a common theme was to build and acceptance to the LGBT community.

The Portland Gay Men’s Chorus is one of an alternate safe space for gay men to gather that was not a bar or a bathhouse.” Mensel the nation’s first gay-identified choruses, and has observed society’s changes in the trans- now in their 35th year remains committed parency practiced by the chorus’s members. to social change through choral music. The In the early years, he says, “Many members Chorus “aspires to expand, redefine, and perof the chorus listed ‘name withheld’ in the fect the choral art through eclectic perforprogram, or used a fake name. I do not think mances that honor and uplift the gay comthat any member of PGMC uses a fake name munity and affirm the worth of all people.”

“Celebrate the Journey,” March 21, 8pm, anymore, and I think it would be unbelievable if anyone were fired in this community March 22, 3pm, Kaul Auditorium, Reed College.

Tickets: tickets.pdxgmc.org. Tickets start at $15. for being gay.” pqmonthly.com

OPINION

PAID SICK DAYS LEGISLATION FIGHTS FOR WORKERS, OUR MODERN FAMILIES

By Nico Quintana, Policy Director, Basic Rights Oregon

The great news for LGBTQ Oregonians is that this bill is the first in the entire country to include a new model defiOne of the most important pieces of legislation Basic nition of family; it will cover those who are associated by Rights Oregon is supporting this session is HB 2005/ blood or affinity. We need the definition of family in our SB454, which would allow all workers in Oregon to earn public policy to reflect how our families actually live— paid sick days. If passed, this bill would four of every five families in this counonce again demonstrate Oregon is at try fall outside the outdated notion that the forefront when it comes to issues of a family consists of a mom at home and equity and family. In fact, Oregon would a dad at work. become the fourth state in the nation For generations, LGBTQ families have (California, Connecticut and Massachuformed out of survival as so many LGBTQ setts have sick days laws) ensuring that youth have been discarded or shunned by all workers have access to paid sick days. their birth families. Despite years of progThis bill is groundbreaking because ress, this harsh reality still exists today— it includes a more modern definition thousands of our LGBTQ youth are still of family that would reflect and supliving on our streets, struggling to create port how LGBTQ Oregonians have lived new families that are often not recogfor years. nized in the eyes of the law.

First, let’s address the economic benAs a part of my role as Policy Direcefits of this bill to our communities. This tor at Basic Rights, I help lead our Transpast fall, during our strategic planning outgender Justice Program and this change reach, the results were clear. LGBTQ Orewould be very meaningful in the lives of gonians throughout our state are being transgender Oregonians. Transgender left behind in this economic recovery people are four times more likely to live in and as a result, aren’t experiencing full poverty than other Oregonians because equality. of the discrimination we face. Including This feedback is not surprising when you This bill is groundbreaking because it includes a more transgender people in basic labor laws is consider only 47 percent of all private-sec- modern definition of family that would reflect and support one way to help alleviate the many barritor workers have paid sick days and a how LGBTQ Oregonians have lived for years. ers we face to equal participation in our shocking 71 percent of low-wage workeconomy and society. ers have no paid sick days where they work. These numbers As a transgender person, it was challenging for me include many LGBTQ workers, whose families are often left growing up in Eugene, Oregon. I came out as queer when out of labor laws. We know everybody gets sick, but not every- I was 13 and lacked acceptance and support from many one gets the time they need to recover or care for sick family family members, teachers and classmates. Due to many members, which is why Basic Rights is supporting this bill. factors, I experienced homelessness when I was a queer

pqmonthly.com

and gender non-conforming youth. Throughout my teenage years I couch-surfed, slept in cars and stayed in the homes of LGBTQ chosen family and friends. In addition to receiving support from my birth mother, I was lucky enough to receive love and support from the lesbian community in Eugene, particularly one couple, Marlene and Floyce, who I now consider to be family. They provided me with emotional support and love and helped me become the person I am today. I am not sure if I would be here today if it were not for the love and support of Marlene and Floyce.

HB 2005/SB 454 would allow me to include Marlene and Floyce as my family, acknowledging the years of love and support they provided to me family does. I am lucky enough to be in a job with paid sick days that allows me to care for my chosen LGBTQ family. But many LGBTQ people do not have access to paid sick days to care for the people they love.

Right now there are many thousands of people across our state who face being fired or losing much needed pay because they need a day or two to care for a loved one.

Every person should have the right to work with dignity and care for their family without fear for their financial future.

Our families desperately need policy to catch up to the way we actually live and paid sick days are a crucial piece of the policy framework needed. The law should recognize my family and the families of thousands of transgender people like mine. While we may not be related by blood, we are family just the same. This is the time for the State of Oregon to once again demonstrate its leadership on issues of equity and family.

You can help make this bill a reality in Oregon by joining us on Tuesday March 24, for our Lobby Day in Salem.

Please contact Kathleen@basicrights.org to get involved.

March/April 2015 • 15

GET OUT

1

THURSDAY, MARCH 19

PQ Monthly Press Party—mix and mingle with the makers of your queer newsmagazine. Rub elbows with a wildly diverse crowd. (And hit up Polari afterward.

See: Dance it Out to the right.) This month’s shindig is at Vault! As always, 5pm. (And mark your calendars— every third Thursday at rotating venues.)

5pm-7ishpm, Q Center, 4115 N Mississippi. Home Theatre System presents: DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL III, an Want more? We’ll give you evening of stand-up tragedy. Help us everything. Head over to say goodbye to the winter months with pqmonthly.com and check 2015’s final installment of this cathartic out our online calendar of events, submit your own storytelling adventure! Featuring nonficevents, and peruse photos tion tales of shame, masculinity, and failfrom your reporters-about- ure by some of Portland’s bravest queer town. Also, remember to voices! Ring in the spring and watch us carefully examine our weekly take off our “mascs” as we flaunt our weekend forecast — with the vulnerability. HOSTED BY KAJANNE latest and greatest events — PEPPER! With stories by JENS IRISH, each Wednesday (sometimes KYLE SMITH, J SCOTT MOORE, Thursday), online only.

MICHAEL W. DUPRÉ, and DANIEL --DANIEL BORGEN PULVER. New location in inner NE Portland. 7pm, Service, 2319 NE Glisan. $7.

Polari. Troll in for buvare. Back-in-the-day language, music, and elegance. An ease-you-into-the-weekend mixer. Bridge Club boys make the music. Bridge and tunnel patrons have no idea what to do with us when we pour in. Hint: it’s always the Thursday we go to press. What serendipitous fortune! 10pm, Vault, 226 NW 12. Free.

GET

OUT!

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25

Pride Northwest has opened an interim office inside Q Center—

2

DANCE

IT OUT

FIRST SUNDAYS

Bridge Club. A slew of stellar deejays play music on the city’s most treasured patio.

Old Boys Club regularly welcomes special guests. (On hiatus until spring. We hope. Please come back, Bridge Club!)

EVERY SUNDAY

Superstar Divas.

Bolivia Carmichaels, Honey Bea Hart, Topaz Crawford, Isaiah Tillman, and guest stars perform your favorite pop, Broadway, R&B, rock, and country hits. Dance floor opens after the show. The Drag Queen Hunger Games are over, and the shows must go on! Check out the newest and freshest Diva hits. 8pm, CC Slaughters, 219 NW Davis. Free!

EVERY MONDAY

Family Home Evening. A weekly, post-work lounge party every Monday night at Vault, featuring DJ Orographic (Bridge Club, Queerlandia) and occasional special guests (Sappho fills in now and then).

16 • March/April 2015

and they want to celebrate! As part of their commitment to support- and shows like Whatever Happened to Baby Jane to American H ing Q Center in their work to stabilize and chart a stronger future, Pride Story, horror has deeply impacted queer culture and sensibilities Northwest is renting an interim office at Q Center and providing on-site QUEER HORROR asks why. 7pm, Hollywood Theater, 4122 NE S support. Food, drink, and great company. If you have FRIDAY, MARCH 27 always wanted to learn Turnt Up Featuring Bomb Ass Pussy: Every 4th Friday, Turn more about Pride North- is a dance party featuring queers and queer sentiments, perform west and Portland Pride, live music and deejays from near and far. Turnt says: We wish to c this is a great opportunity a space to free ourselves of constraints through art and dance m to drop by, check them that pushes boundaries, while maintaining that essential element c March 19th out, and get involved! FUN. We believe the night is for While you are here, drop us, you, me and each other. We by and check out the great work of PABA and WPR—soon to be on create space for all sexualities, the airwaves as our community’s first ever LGBTQ-specific radio sta- body types, ages, genders, class tion. Pride NW is excited about the opportunity to support Q Center, backgrounds and ethnicities. In as well as have a place to call home. We invite their supporters, volun- and of itself, we believe this to teers, and all of our community to drop by and say hi, get the latest on be a potentially radical act and Pride 2015, and to Make Pride Happen. 6pm-8pm, Q Center, 4115 invite you to help contribute.

N. Mississippi.

B.A.P. Info: Transplants QUEER HORROR is a from Los Angeles, transplants from drag, transplants from an new multimedia festival of planet of fierce queer creatures—the trio Bomb Ass Pussy genre works by queer artstories of queer identity and celebration through hip hop. ists, performers, and filmmusic is raw and visceral—drawing influence from all the makers. Short films and rapstresses with the reading of real radical feminism. 9:3 videos are punctuated by Lovecraft, 421 SE Grand. $5. live campfire storytelling Strip the Light Fantastic…into the night and back w and performances that featuring a striptease showcase focusing on the bright thin question horror’s relathe dark. NEON//BLACKLIGHT//FLUORESCENTS. Featuring a tion to queerness and of strip-teasers handpicked by Zora Phoenix. In the warm da what it means to identify Crush’s inviting showroom, you’ll be ‘raving’ about the deli March 27th with the monster. QUEER drink specials and invited to glow crazy over the full menu of HORROR is programmed by PNCA + Hollywood Theatre Media Resident including vegan & vegetarian options. 8pm, Crush, 1400 SE Morr Anthony Hudson and hosted by Portland’s premier drag clown Carla Rossi.

Maybe it’s the fact that queer people are so often relegated to shadows of otherness that the horror genre is more immediately relatable for us. SATURDAY, MARCH 28 We grew up with boogeymen. We’ve lived with boogeymen. Goblins HER HRC Portland: She Brew. Come celebrate Women’s H and ghosts are a welcome escape from real-life monstrosities. From Month with the intoxicating combination of empowered women and the work of James Whale to John Waters and Clive Barker, and films ulous homebrewed beer, all to benefit the LGBT community! Her (Human Rights Campaign), along with the Ladies of Lager and Jens Irish serves you happy hour all the live long night. 7pm-11pm, Vault, 226 NW Twelfth.

FIRST THURSDAYS

Hip Hop Heaven. Bolivia Carmichaels hosts this hip-hop-heavy soiree night every Thursday night at CCs. Midnight guest performers and shows. Remember those midnight shows at The City? Bolivia does! 9pm, CC Slaughters, 219 NW Davis. Free.

FIRST SATURDAYS

Sugar Town. DJ Action Slacks.

Keywords: Soul, polyester. Great place to find the ladies, to mingle, to get your groove on. 9pm, The First Saturday Spare Room, 4830 NE 42. $5.

Second Tuesdays Bi Bar—every second Tuesday at Crush, and it’s an open, bi-affirming space for music and mingling.

Correction: Bi/Pan/Fluid/Queer. 8pm, Crush, 1400 SE Morrison.

SECOND FRIDAYS

Slo Jams is a Queer Modern R&B & Neo Soul Dance Night at Local Lounge. DJ II TRILL (TWERK) and DJ MEXXX-TAPE lay down everything from Mary J // Jagged Edge// Keyshia to Badu//Lauryn Etc. 10pm, Local Lounge, 3536 NE MLK. $5.

SECOND SATURDAYS

Hot Flash: Inferno. (Second and Fourth Saturdays) In the heart of Portland is where the women are—dancing the night away and burning up dance floors the second and fourth Saturdays of every month at Trio. Welcoming all women, queers, and their allies.

6pm-10pm, Trio, 909 E. Burnside.

Mrs.: The queen of theme welcomes its new h ess, Kaj-Anne Pepper! OK, she’s not anymore. But we love her so. And dyna DJ duo: Beyondadoubt and Ill Cam Costumes, photo booths, all the hits. L of ladies, very queer. 10pm, Mississ Studios, 3939 N. Mississippi. $5.

THIRD WEDNESDAYS

Comedy at Crush: Our own Beli Carroll and a slew of locals rustle up so funny. Special guests, and Crush’s sig ture cocktail and food menus. Donations, sliding scale. (Comics h to eat and drink, too, so give!) 9pm, Crush, 1400 SE Morrison.

Third Thursday

THIRD THURSDAYS pqmonthly.com

Horror s and Sandy.

nt Up! mance, create music called:

nother y tells Their great 30pm,

we go, ngs in a cast ark of icious f eats, rison.

istory d fabr HRC d Ales

(LOLA), are delighted to announce the second annual She Brew Festival.

This year’s She Brew, a gathering of women and allies to foster community and ignite action in the LGBT civil rights movement, will be held at Portland’s own Jupiter Hotel.

Contrary to the perception of beer as a historically male beverage, the link between women and beer brewing was forged over a millennia ago—after all, Ninkasi was the ancient Sumerian goddess of beer!

In the grand tradition of Martha Jefferson (that’s right, Thomas’ wife), Oregon and SW Washington’s finest female homebrewers team with Her HRC for this unique beer tasting event, featuring samples from assorted local craft brewers and a special judging for the homebrew competition. After the tasting you’ll vote on your favorite lady’s homebrew, awarding a winner the opportunity to brew on a commercial system and the coveted She Brew Stein.

So join LOLA and Her HRC on Saturday, March 28th March 28th from noon to 8pm at the Jupiter Hotel Courtyard and Dream Box to learn more about the history of women in brewing and the critical work of the Human Rights Campaign as we continue 2015.

Tickets available online or at the door. She Brew is open to and welcomes EVERYONE 21 and Over. http://tinyurl.com/ln623q5 The All Things Nerdy Bar Crawl: Let your NERD flag fly at this geeky bar crawl. Come in Cosplay, sexy nerd ensemble, or even your favorite Star Trek or Dr. Who shirt, anything goes. Raffle Prizes along the way and special dweeby drinks at each stop. Scandals Pdx, CC Slaughters Portland, and Silverado. A benefit for AIDS Walk Portland.

7pm, Scandals, 1125 SW Stark.

Blow Pony’s EIGHTH Anniversary Celebration. From the party planners: Mark your calendars, get your hair done, clean out those holes. We’re gonna ride real hard on this one. For 8 years we’ve been setting fires and fanning flames of the HOMO

Polari. Troll in for buvare. Back-in-the-day language, music, and elegance. An ease-you-into-the-weekend mixer. Bridge Club boys make the music. Bridge and tunnel patrons have no idea what to do with us when we pour in. Hint: it’s always the Thursday we go to press. What serendipitous fortune! 10pm, Vault, 226 NW 12. Free.

THIRD SATURDAYS

AGENDA! Let this night be no different. In this time our stages have hosted over 100 Queer artist from across the country and abroad, Artist like Leslie Hall, Hi Fashion, Double Duchess, SSION, Heklina, Peaches Christ, CHRISTEENE, Bruce LaBruce, Raja Gemini, Delta Work, Tammie Brown, and many many more. This Sissy Saddle up has been riding March 28th long and hard because of its supporters, lovers, family and friends, this means you! We all thank you and love you for the 8years of total QUEERUPTION! Check out their flyer in our Dance It Out calendar. (Look up!)

THURSDAY, APRIL 2

SHADES: A monthly POC, LGBTQ and ally happy hour celebrating diversity by bringing community together through the best R&B, Old School HipHop and Chilled-Out-Disco-Lounge!

SHADES is a driving force with our involvement in hosting benefit fundraising for our allies and other POC LGBTQ nonprofit organizations. 6pm-10pm, Bad Habit Room, 5433 N Michigan.

MONDAY, APRIL 20

The days are getting longer! And it’s still an excellent time to get your active socializing on. Gay Skate is a joy. Meet queers and mingle with them outside the bar setting — maybe your dream lover will ask you to hold hands during couples’ skate. And there are themes now! Themes! (Check online for the latest—this edition will be particularly diva-esque.) Come dressed to impress and wine beautiful prizes, and look for our publisher, who’s always handing out copies of PQ. And, you know, you’ll probably get a date. Every third Monday.

Food drive for Take Action Inc. 7pm, Oaks Park, 7805 March 27th SE Oaks Park Way. $6.

entry. Clothes check and raffle prize provided by Cub Cleaners.

FOURTH FRIDAYS

Twerk. DJs ILL Camino and II Trill. Keywords: bring your twerk.

The city’s longest-running queer hip hop/R&B party--where artists, deejays, performers come to mix, mingle, and move on the dance floor. Established fun, all night long. 9pm, Local Lounge, 3536 NE MLK. $5.

Burlescape! Burlesque & boylesque wrapped in a taste of tease! Zora Phoenix, Isaiah Esquire, Every Sunday Tod Alan. (And there’s more than that, kids.)

Zora is a treat and a treasure—and so are host- her shows. Try one out! 9pm, Crush, 1400 SE Morrison. $10.

FOURTH new Gaycation: DJ Charming always SATURDAYS amic welcomes special guests—and Blow Pony. Two giant floors. mino. here you’ll find everything lesWide variety of music, plenty Forth Saturday Lots bian, gay, and in between. Be of room for dancing. Rowdy, sippi early so you can actually get a crowdy, sweaty betty, the one tried and true, even after all these drink. Sweaty deliciousness, hotyears. 9pm, Rotture/Branx, 315 SE 3. $5. test babes. THE party. Yes, boys, Judy on Duty. Lesbian hardcore. Judys, Judes, and cool ass freaks. even you can hit on Mr. CharmDance it out. DJ Troubled Youth. Organized by Ana Margarita and inda ing. We know you want to. 9pm, Megan Holmes. 10pm, High Mark Water Lounge, 6800 NE MLK. ome Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison. $5. gna- Undergear: Eagle Portland’s Third Saturday LAST SUNDAYS have monthly underwear, jock, mankini, Sabbathhause Discotheque, gay night is back at Aalto etc., fetish party every third Saturday. lounge and it is bigger and more queer than ever before. FeaturFree if you arrive before 9pm or if you use free clothes check upon entry after. After 9pm arrivals who do not check clothes must pay $5 ing some of the best deejays and performers around and hosted by night hawk Chanticleer Tru. 8pm, Aalto Lounge, 3356 SE Belmont. pqmonthly.com

3

FEATURES

SATURDAY, MARCH 21.

Slumbertwink. From the party architects: We’re having a good, old-fashioned slumber party and we want you to sleep over! Don’t worry about waking your roommates; we’ve got several rooms of plaid clad dads, Lumbertwinks, and other woodland creatures partying all night. Hop on the photo bed and pose for our photographer, dance to the beats of our DJ’s: Freddy, King of Pants and Orographic, and party with 100’s of guys all night. Hundreds! You know, no bigs. Beefy beats by: DJ King of Pants (Seattle) and DJ Orographic.

Photo booth by Wayne Bund Photography. 9pm, Funhouse Lounge, 2432 SE 11th Ave. $4 in plaid or pajamas, $6 without.

PQ PICKS

FRIDAY, MARCH 27:

NetRippers DRAG Soccer Tourney. Dust off that lace front, tighten up your tuck, stuff in those tube socks, and slap on that stash... it’s time for some drag soccer, sweethearts! Join us Fri., March 27th @ Rose City Futsal for our 3rd annual DRAG TOURNEY EXTRAVAGANZA! Dusted, busted, or rusted... your skill level doesn’t matter. The important part is to have fun and look sick’ning. Not a soccer player? It’s OK. There will be plenty of dancing, drinking, and crazy shenanigans to keep everyone entertained. For more information and TO REGISTER OFFICIALLY: http://tinyurl.com/k83enb7.

You better sissy that walk. 5pm, Rose City Futsal, 5010 NE Oregon.

SATURDAY, MARCH 28:

Heavenly Creatures, a celebration of the weird queer beauty of Portland. Get yr freak number set right. Ugly is the new pretty. Pretty is boring. Heavenly creatures is what we are. Sounds like…heaven?

Hosted by House of St. Darling, Music by Mother’s Day (DJ Sappho + Roy G Biv), Gogos, Fortunes, Door Feme Dudes, and much, much more. The party is $5 and doors at 9pm.

This charge is so artists, DJs, organizers, and photographers can be paid a living and sustainable wage for their art. Politics of the space: This is a queer and queer allies party. We are anti-racist, body-positive, sex positive, queer-as fuck freaky radicals who strive to create an environment of respect, celebration, and fun in our parties. Therefore, disrespectful, belligerent, heterosexist, misogynist, transphobic, abelist, fat phobic, racist, and/or violent behavior is not welcome and those who exhibit it will be asked to leave immediately. This event is a ONE TIME ONLY queer shindig at Dynasty, which is located at 832 N. Killingsworth. It opens this month.

March/April 2015 • 17

VOICES FEATURES

GLAPN

NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR QUEER HEROES NW 2015

By Robin Will and George T. Nicola, GLAPN

For the fourth year, GLAPN (Gay & Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest) and Q Center are teaming up for Queer Heroes NW, to name a queer hero for every day in June.

The project honors individuals and groups, including straight allies, who have been significant in the movement for LGBTQ equality in the Pacific Northwest, especially in Oregon.

Queer Heroes NW is community-driven. Nominations are collected through GLAPN’s and Q Center’s web pages through the month of March. A committee composed largely of previous Queer Heroes makes the selections, based on the criteria of risk, sacrifice, service, example, and inspiration A poster is made for each Queer Hero, and the posters are displayed in Q Center’s Aaron Hall Gallery following a reception, open to the public, on Thursday, June 11, from 5-7PM at Q Center.

A duplicate display will go to Portland Pride, and then circulate among other community Pride events in the Northwest.

Nominations are open at http://www. glapn.org/9060QueerHeroesMain.html, where there are also links to the 2012, 2013 and 2014 Heroes displays.

PORTLAND PFLAG BLACK CHAPTER HOLDS BLACK HISTORY MONTH LGBTQ

By George T. Nicola, GLAPN

“If we don’t know where we’ve been, how will we know where we’re going?” asked PFLAG Portland Black Chapter introducing the LGBTQ community to a special celebration honoring National Black History Month.

The February 26 event, held at Portland 18 • March/April 2015

State University, was titled “REMEMBER OUR PAST & BUILDING TOWARDS OUR FUTURE: The Past & Future of the Black LGBTQ Movement.” The event was planned and carried out primarily by PFLAG Portland Black Chapter Coordinator Khalil Edwards. Award winning graphics designer Rupert Kinnard created much of the printed content. Also helping facilitate the content were GLAPN President Robin Will and GLAPN videographer Daniel Spiro.

The large room featured posters representing a timeline of Oregon Black LGBTQ history.

A live panel discussion was held by three veteran Portland Black LGBTQ activists: Kathleen Saadat, a winner of four lifetime achievement awards; Reverend Cecil Prescod, founder of People of Faith Against Bigotry; and Rupert Kinnard, one of the founders of Brother to Brother. All three have been past recipients of the Queer Heroes NW Award.

The event was also an opportunity to share video clip discussions that were recorded as part of PFLAG Portland Black Chapter’s Black LGBTQ History Project. Black LGBTQ elders including Clifford Jones, Margaret Ann Jones, and Bobby Fouther were convened to share, discuss, and record the legacy of Black LGBTQ organizing. The videos can be viewed on GLAPN’s YouTube channel at https://www. youtube.com/user/GLAPN. pqmonthly.com

VOICES FEATURE PERS{ECTOVES

ON BEING FEMME: SPEAKING TRUTH TO EXPERIENCE ability, my sexuality, my personhood, and my essence will just be written off as me just being a big bitch. “She’s too aggressive.”

All of these fears are coming from a long place of direct feedback to my voice. A voice that doesn’t claim to speak for others but is just trying to speak for herself. A voice that understands that femme is not a monolith.

And my experience with patriarchy is just that: one of the many experiences. I put this off for a year and felt that with a cringe I had to just finish it up and press send.

Just talk about being femme.

But how can I even explain I am a dynamic person with thousands of contradictions that does experience sexualized violence in a way that is different from straight women. Just talk about being femme. But seriously, I am not dealing “I’ve been femme all my life, whether or not I have chosen to identify as such. But we all know identity is never just with any privilege of having heterosexuabout our relationship to ourselves. It’s about that and it’s about how we are read and how we are treated in relation ality being assumed on my body. That has to how we present.” just made me disposable to my queer community and seen as a piece of angry trash

By Katey Pants, Special for PQ Monthly in the straight world. Just talk about being femme. But seriously, it’s so much and man it hurts like I have been putting off writing this and sending it in for none other. It’s constant threats of multiple forms of vioover a year. I mean what’s so hard about it? Just talk about lence. It’s sexism and the economy of desire. It’s homophobeing femme. I’ve been femme all my life, whether or not I bia in the sense that queers as a whole have decided what is have chosen to identify as such. But we all know identity is valuable and what is authentically gay usually means what never just about our relationship to ourselves. It’s about that is masculine. It is some class shit because it is assumed that and it’s about how we are read and how we are treated in my décor of my body is related to what’s in my wallet. And relation to how we present. Just talk about being femme— trust, I don’t have a bank account and have seen a dentist people will really like it, I am told. But I know that not to be twice in my entire life. And goddamn it hurts. true, deep in my heart and in the back of my eyeballs that Part one. I love being femme. The closer I get to my turn to tears every time I try to give voice to the pain the authentic self, the more femme I become. I love other over-valuation of masculinity has on my mind, my body, femmes. I love having conversations with other femmes my emotions, my sanity. about their experience under misogyny. How their experiJust talk about being femme. ences are shaped by their position in this world in relation But I sit down to collect and archive my conversations, to race and class. Being femme is not a monolithic expeprivate and otherwise, about my experience with being rience. And more specifically my experience as a femme femme and I am paralyzed by it. I come to this grinding lesbian is fundamental to my daily lived experiences in halt because of this intrinsic fear. Just talk about being homophobia and misogyny and are also shaped by being femme. I can barely do it. Because in the years I have been poor and working class. coming of age as a femme, aging as a femme, changing my I am told by straight and gay worlds that my life as a ideas and conceptions around being femme, and just being dyke will be better when I can marry, which eclipses the femme, I have learned loud and clear that not only do very many ways institutional homophobia and sexism affect few people give a shit—a lot of people just straight up hate my healthcare, my housing, my body, my emotions, my hearing what femmes have to say about anything. I fear physical safety, my access to institutions of learning, and being called a whiner, which happens constantly when I my ability to meet my basic needs—all of which marriage am trying to talk about sexualized violence. will not solve for me.

I fear that by speaking truth to my experiences with Part Two: I don’t want to be visible anymore. I don’t want misogyny and sexism in my queer community, I will be to talk about my visibility anymore. I want to escape patripitted as being hostile. I fear that my feelings, my vulner- archy and escape the garbage my community refuses to see,

the refusal to acknowledge me as a whole person because of their own misogyny. I want femme escapism. I want queer escapism. I want to resist assimilation into heteronormativity and into homo-nationalism. I want to create new forms of love and entanglement that have never existed. I want to subvert the stupidity of assuming that gaudy décor makes artifice and that tough masculine attributes make someone authentic. I want to fail at being visible.

Recently I have been obsessed with the rejection of queer activism’s focus on strategic visibility. This is a long conversation that this weird essay cannot solve. However; in an intense study around it—I came across the art and work of Zach Blas and his work titled Escaping the Face: Biometric Facial Recognition and the Facial Weaponization Suite that looks into concepts of not only rejecting visibility politics but a replacement of an understanding that we should be failing at the institutions we are trying to gain access to because those very institutions in themselves are harbingers of white supremacy, violence, sexism, and of course, homophobia.

In his lecture around The Queer Art of Failure, by Jack Halberstam, he highlights that we should be failing and escaping. “Failing,” Halberstam writes, “is something queers do and have done exceptionally well; for queers failure can be a style…or a way of life…” Halberstam explains that queers have always failed heteronormativity, so failure can be turned into an opportunity to live otherwise. Queer failure emphasizes the impractical and impossible desires for resisting political visibility from the state. For example, an act of queer failure might reject gay marriage as a form of recognition-control. Queer failure engages political and social change differently than policy; attention is not given to legal reform but to styles of living as disorderly and uncompromising (anti-)aesthetics and (anti-)politics.” I want this. I feel this and it’s terrifying and liberating at the same time.

Just write about being femme, they said. But how do I explain what is so much? Should I just copy and paste Julia Serano’s chapter in her book Whipping Girl on “Putting the Feminine Back in Feminism”? Because I am just tempted to do that. Just write about being femme. Well I don’t want to often because I want to not hog the mic and step back and listen to other femmes first. But a year is a year and heres just some collected notes. I guess I did it. I just wrote about being femme.

Katey Pants is a femme, a dyke, a communist, a weirdo, a broken person, sometimes a sad person, sometimes a party person. She DJ’s in the northwest a lot. She makes strange art. She keeps a blog about her life called Ghost Narratives on tumblr. She has plans one day to go to a dentist and have a working vehicle. She wants to not work so hard. She loves inviting good conversation and shutting up when it’s her time to do so.

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March/April 2015 • 19

GLAPN

NIGHTLIFE FEATURE STYLE

TRANSGENDER OREGONIANS AND HEALTHCARE: WHY OHP’S COVERAGE IS SAVING LIVES

By Megan Bird, M.D., Legacy Medical GroupWomen’s Specialties

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by Realtor Gabriela

“HOME PRICES ARE UP! What is YOUR home worth?

Text “kw2f3g82a” to 87778 for an evaluation of your house.

I will get you more money, fast, and with less hassle!!

With the recent announcement from the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) adding health coverage for transgender Oregonians, I have heard praise from my patients but confusion within our community. Many people don’t understand what transition-related care is and why it is important. As a physician at Legacy Health, treating transgender patients, I felt it necessary to discuss the importance of this decision by OHP, as well as why I believe transition-related care is valuable lifesaving care that is good for Oregon.

Several years ago, I received a call from a physician I worked with that had a transgender woman who needed hormones.

This physician did not have an expertise in providing hormone therapy and asked if I could take over the care of her patient.

I didn’t look at this case as a transgender care case but more providing hormone care for a patient in need. However, once it was known that I was providing care, more and more patients began to seek me out. Now, I provide gynecology care for all transgender patients: men, women, and gender queer patients. I provide hormone therapy, hysterectomy procedures for trans men and I provide post-operative care for patients who have had sex reassignment surgery.

Why transgender care, you ask? One consistent issue that I saw as patients came to see me was the gender dysphoria they were experiencing. The decision made by OHP centers around treatment of gender dysphoria. For transgender patients, the dissonance between the sex they are born at birth and the person they know they are inside creates significant unhappiness, distress, and discomfort. This discord can cause

GLAPN CELEBRATED ITS 21ST BIRTHDAY WITH AN EXHIBIT AND OPENING RECEPTION

“Results that move you!”

By George T. Nicola GLAPN

RealtorGabriela.com • 503-481-9870 • Gabriela@KW.com

9755 SW Barnes Rd #560 Portland, OR 97225 Each office independently owned and operated 20 • March/April 2015

depression, anxiety, and other health issues that contribute to a horrifically high suicide attempt rate and high poverty rates among transgender people. By our best studies, up to 41 percent of transgender Oregonians will attempt suicide, compared to less than a percent for other Oregonians. Without appropriate treatment, many will self-treat with drugs and alcohol. Fearing rejection and mistreatment, they may avoid mental health help until they are in crisis, seeking medical care in emergency rooms. OHP agreed with the growing evidence that health coverage for transgender people saves lives and treatment helps Oregonians be happy and healthy.

Health coverage includes some transition-related care, although not all aspects. Covered services include mental health counseling and treatment, puberty suppression or delay for adolescents, hormone therapy and some surgical therapies.

This coverage will help all Oregonians experience their gender safely and transition when needed.

I am excited that OHP now provides health coverage to transgender Oregonians.

I have seen how transgender related health care transforms people--it is inspiring and reminds me why I became a doctor. I have seen these patients begin to have hope for their future and I am so fortunate to be a part of that hope. Over time I get to watch their anxiety improve; see them smile genuinely for the first time; see them comfortably interact as the gender that they are.

They start to see a future where they are happy and healthy. It is truly incredible and I am so proud to be a part of this network of lifesaving care.

Legacy Medical Group-Women’s Specialties: (503) 415-4160

GL APN has been collecting, documenting, and sharing the LGBTQ history of the Pacific Northwest, especially Oregon, since 1994. Our history is community based, which means it is told and recorded by the community that made the history.

Although GLAPN has always been an

all-volunteer organization, our research is used by academics and attorneys. To celebrate our 21st birthday, we presented an exhibit of historical materials in the Aaron Hall Gallery at Q Center during the month of February 2015.

About 100 enthusiastic people attended the exhibit’s opening reception on Thursday, February 5. Special thanks to Bill Dickey for providing an excellent array of finger food, and to GLAPN president Robin Will for producing the impressive display. Much of the content can still be viewed in our article “A Place at the Table” at http://glapn.org/6019Place_at_the_ Table.pdf.

For information on GLAPN, please see our web site at http://glapn.org/ or like our Facebook page “GLAPN Oregon”. pqmonthly.com

VOICES FEATURE CALENDAR

THE RE-BIRTH OF THE WARRIOR QUEEN

“I do the only logical thing to me, shimmy and shake. All I get is a floppy wrist and a dizzy head. I have no memory of how I came to be here. I know my name is Daylight Cums. I know I am a Warrior Queen. How did I come to be here?” This excellent photo by Greg Maguire.

By Marco Davis, Special for PQ Monthly

It begins with the sound of running water, a stream perhaps. I have no sense of anything prior to this moment; the sound of running water is what pulls me into awareness. No feeling, no sight, no smell, only sound. I breathe in through my nose, trying to pick up a scent of something I may recognize. I note warm berry blossoms, earth, moss— green comforting smells fill me. I feel my left hand. It is on moist moss. My eyes see light floating down through the trees. Upon moving my head, I see the moss my left hand is resting on... at eye level. What the fuck. I try to move and I cannot because my eyes show me that my head and left hand are the only things above ground.

I appear to be coming out of the earth.

I do the only logical thing to me, shimmy and shake. All I get is a floppy wrist and a dizzy head. I have no memory of how I came to be here. I know my name is Daylight Cums.

I know I am a Warrior Queen. How did I come to be here?

I use my chin to start moving the soil away, but quit when I realize that I have not been buried here; I have sprouted up and out of the earth. Something shifts and I begin to be pushed up and out. I feel like a yogurt pop being pushed up towards an eager mouth. Only the mouth is the sky, and

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I am the yogurt. Kind of turns me on. A sly smile spreads across my face as I picture being licked by the sky; I rise more.

I find it so odd that I am not frightened. I should be! I mean, come on, how in the fuck did I end up here, growing out of the soil? I use my sudden height to survey the landscape. My ears were right, there is a stream off to my right. Not too big, maybe three strides across. I am in old growth forest, the trees are big and I am at the edge of a clearing. My heart skips a beat within the earth. I recognize this place. I am pushed further out of the soil, my arms are free. This was where I had my encounter with Hawk; lying in that field I felt his wings within my arms and his sight was my own. I understood that we were connected and that he was to be a guide for me on the quest.

I remember standing in the field after the flight with Hawk, feeling the warmth of the sun on me and the feel of the wind still in my lungs pulsing through my body, leading me on. The moment I step out of the field and into the woods and Hawk flies beyond me leading me on. I feel myself being pushed and pulled along the forest floor, almost hovering over the ground, but still able to feel the earth beneath my feet. I stop near this very stream and there was a man.

He motioned for me to join him on the rock next to him at the stream’s edge. I move. He is earth, air, and water. He is the knowledge of the earth and the spirit of the stream’s song; I feel the song within my body. I sit (in a flourish).

His smile brings light to heart and his blue eyes a calm to my blood. He doesn’t speak, yet he tells me all I need to know. The Ancestors have heard my call and wish to assist me on my quest. They understand my desire to expand beyond and become one with the whole. My spirit animal, Hawk, has accepted my request for guidance and skill. It is now up to me to decide to step beyond the understanding of all I have known and leave it to become all that is unknown. I accept.

He asks me to remove my clothes and step into the stream. I am in a gown and require some assistance with the laces in back. He winks and my gown falls off of me. I remove my heels, my jewels, panties and wig. I step into the water. I sit on a low wide rock and let the water rush past me. He encourages me to relax and allow the water to hold me. I give in. I do not go floating down the stream but find myself being supported by the water, as if her hands were wrapping me in an embrace and bringing buoyancy to my body. Time passes. I melt. My body is being dissolved by the rushing current and I sense myself letting go of all that I have known and have had held onto within each cell of my being. The last thing I remember him saying was that I would be met by another guide when I arise.

The earth shifts again and I am pushed up and out to my knees. I sit. The soft moss a welcome treat to my naked body. I am not cold. I lay back and feel the support of the earth I have just emerged from. The fading sunlight across my body lulls me to sleep.

A brush of a hand across my waste pulls me to the present. I open my eyes and look up to see you. You continue to brush the earth from my body. Golden dust in shards of sunlight is what I see. Well, that and your eyes; golden brown like the gold dust floating around us. You are the physical of that which I cannot touch, but see all around me. I reach up. You are real. I feel flesh. You smile and help me to my feet. I sparkle in the lace of sunlight upon my body.

My hair long and luxurious, heavy with curl and bounce; my skin articulated with the way of the path, Hawk, and the knowledge of my quest.

You place a robe of linen and gold on my shoulders and fasten it around my waist with a golden rope belt. A crown of flowers and jewels is placed with such care and reverence, I feel my heart swell. With a slight bow, you indicate the direction we should travel and with a nod we step forward into the unknown, Hawk circling above...The glow of adventure within my soul seeping out of my being and your hand reaching for mine as we step on, side by side...

[To be continued…]

March/April 2015 • 21

NIGHTLIFE VOICES

VOICES

Pretty And Witty And Gay “50 Shades” of Patience

By Belinda Carroll, PQ Monthly

I have something to tell you, and it’s going to be hard for me to admit. Aly, my fiancée, who is a librarian and generally a very astute and intelligent person, likes 50 Shades of Grey. I know, I know. This is like finding out she is obsessed with Huey Lewis and the News, or she wants to hang up a dream catcher in the bedroom, or she swore off every cheese except American.

In a perfect world I would have fallen in love with someone with infallible taste, who would never think a book that originally started as fan fiction for Twilight—for the love of God—wasn’t ‘so bad’. I’ve tried to dissuade her with sarcasm and my most withering eye roll—which, believe me, is formidable. My fantasy is she’ll get into Pat Califia, or Sassafras Lowrey, like a good queer.

Alas, that is my fantasy but yet, life is not like a fantasy. No matter what Madonna said. Or, did she say mystery? Either way I blame Madonna for many of my life’s misconceptions. The ease of ‘striking a pose’ among them. She did say ‘there’s nothing to it,’ but you have to remember all of those steps and then I don’t know what to do with my hands when she starts naming all of those names. But, to be fair, I was never good at the Time Warp either. Maybe I’m just bad at choreographed dances.

As I get into my very, very late 30s, I find I can forgive things that in my 20s would deem me incapable of speaking to you again. I can forgive grammar errors, really bad TV, and apparently horrific taste in books. I just keep chanting “at least she’s not into ‘The Bachelor,’” because I’d have to swear her to silence socially. Just because she’s into bad books doesn’t mean to she has to subject other people to it.

Part of the reason I have become so patient and understanding in the last few years is: there is nothing like dating. Unless that nothing is a stroll through the valleys of craziness unparalleled by either Muddy Waters lyrics or Michele Bachmann’s eyes.

Finding a new relationship is like a mining

22 • March/April 2015

e xc u r s i o n ; y o u don’t know what you’re going to find and you hope what you do find is not hazardous to your health or your criminal record. I figure she makes me laugh and I’m more likely to be the annoying one so I’ll forgive her one or two horrific lapses in judgment.

But 50 Shades of Grey, really?

What you have to understand is that I was Ms. Leather once upon a time. I’m like Christian Grey without the helicopter, the unlimited funds, or the inability to respect someone’s safe word. It occurs to me that I assume there’s a helicopter but having never read the book or seen the movie I don’t know. “There’s a helicopter right?”

I yell to Aly. “What?” “A helicopter. In the stupid book.” “Yes, Charlie Tango. That’s the name of the helicopter.” I am so sad that she knows that off-hand; I’d be less disappointed if she had a heroin addiction. She could have used that room in her head to learn mandarin, or something useful.

But I digress. Living with me she’s also had a lot of exposure to correct practice of BDSM. Through extensive field testing and research she’s discovered what works for her. If you are in a position of being new to kink, maybe you read 50 Shades and were like “oh yeah, that,” there are a ton of books like SM 101 by Jay Wiseman and websites like FetLife.com that will always have ways for you to get involved safely, and still have a hot time.

So enjoy 50 Shades of Grey, if you must.

But seek out education if you decide to take it from between the sheets and make it into real life.

For more information on this subject check out my Podcast Belinda Carroll’s Happy Hour where I sit down with this year’s Ms. and Mr. Oregon Leather, along with Sossity Chiruzio, PQ Monthly’s resident sexpert, to talk about leather and writing and comedy.

Belinda can be reached at Belinda@PQMonthly.com

pqmonthly.com

EMBODY: OTHER PEOPLE’S SEX

By Sossity Chiricuzio, PQ Monthly

It can be envy producing, beautiful, unsettling, or sometimes just noisy.

The truth of this economy is that many of us are living with other adults who have a sex life that we’re not a part of, but still need to navigate and negotiate around.

Perhaps you’re having flashbacks to that house with particularly thin walls, or that housemate with a particularly vocal lover, but it’s not just the big highs and lows that contribute to the atmosphere of a house.

Most of us have been socialized with an incredible amount of shame around sex. Our own, other people’s, or just the fleshy facts of what bodies might do in the pursuit of pleasure. We often end up moving in with people with no idea of what kind of sexual activities they enjoy, until they impact us.

When those activities are things we’re not into, we can get judgmental. When they are things we are into, we can get fuzzy on boundaries. Regardless of how we feel, we may just want to try to pretend it isn’t happening, which can lead to all sorts of repression and resentments.

If you are some flavor of queer, you are statistically likely to have extra layers of shame/guilt/repression around sexuality. Of course there are many other pieces that can further complicate this, including the actual physical space, survivor issues, or other imbalances in the power dynamics in the house.

It’s reasonable to want to have some rules, but not to expect those rules to be centered on your comfort only, or to make it so that people have to pretend like they are not a sexual being in their home. Clear communication can go a long way to making room for everyone’s needs, while projection and passive aggressive comments will likely lead to conflict. For example: Direct: “Hey, so—I see that you prefer to clean your sex toys by boiling them, but from now on, can you please not do it while I’m cooking brunch?”

Project: “I already know you’re having way more sex than me, do you really need to be so obvious about it? You’re making it impossible for me to feed myself!”

That first comment is stating a need, and trying to work with someone towards a compromise that makes sure you both get as much of what you need as possible. The second one is intended to shame someone into doing what you want.

Wondering how to tell which approach you’re using?

Take a look at our infographic and see which voice sounds familiar. Some quick clues include: Are you using “I” statements? Does the issue you’re bringing up line up with your own issues? What feelings are coming up for you in this situation? Are you using language that is shaming? Are you

pqmonthly.com

giving the benefit of the doubt or assuming the worst?

Getting clear on that is not always easy, but can be really productive both for good housemate relations, and also for knowing yourself better. Approaching a conversation from a place of reflection rather than a place of reacting gives betters odds for both efficiency of the process (OK, processing), and for mutual respect as the outcome.

Even better, of course, is when you can have that conversation before moving in with someone. I polled a dozen or so people (friends, coworkers, the other person waiting 30 minutes for the number 44 bus), and they all told varying stories with the same premise: be upfront about it. Even something as simple as telling a prospective new roommate: “We’re a household of adults, and there will probably be times when we hear each other having sex. If it’s actually interfering with your sleep or well-being, please check in the next day and we’ll make some ground rules together.

Otherwise let’s just agree to be happy for each other and maybe put in some headphones.”

If that doesn’t work for them, better for you all to know before they are scowling at you over the breakfast table.

Soundproofing is not easy or cheap, and while white noise can help (even just a simple fan), there’s no substitute for dialog and agreements before the situation gets tense.

Among all this recognition of other adults as deserving to enjoy their own sex lives, it’s also important to remember that what that looks like will vary widely depending on the person. Whatever it might be, it isn’t yours to comment on, judge, shame, or disclose to anyone else. You’re being entrusted with someone’s tender places, please treat them as such.

If you find yourself actually concerned for someone’s safety or well-being in regards to sex, be sure to check in with them directly, in a private space, and without any assumptions of being right, or some knight riding in to the rescue.

Sex is complicated, and often doesn’t look like what you think it should. Maybe she likes being called a tramp; maybe he likes the mind fuck of being left in the dark for an hour; maybe ze really does prefer to only have sex with people traveling through town; maybe they don’t have sex at all.

If you want to ask questions, do it respectfully, and understand it’s not their job to explain themselves to you.

Sharing intimate knowledge is a gift, not an obligation, even if you’re curious about that extended rumbling sound, or the significance of the items placed just so on their dresser, or why they need a tarp. Our sexual autonomy and normalcy are challenged by the world at large every day, let’s not do it to each other.

End note: If you have questions you’d like me to answer or seek out answers for, products you’d like me to review, people you’d like to hear from, or resources to share, please get in touch! SossityWrites@gmail.com.

ARTS & CULTURE VOICES

PIONEERING STRAIGHT ALLY GRETCHEN KAFOURY DIES

By George T. Nicola, GLAPN

In 1973, a small group of Oregonians in the state’s recently launched gay movement wanted to obtain non-discrimination legal protection for the first time. However, none of us had political experience. One day a friend introduced me to a sympathetic straight woman named Gretchen Kafoury. Gretchen had been hired by a coalition of women’s rights organizations to lobby the 1973 Oregon Legislature on feminist issues. Gretchen took me to Salem and taught me the art of citizen advocacy.

Gretchen, Representative Vera Katz, and Gretchen’s ex-husband Representative Stephen Kafoury showed me how to write the bill, gather sponsors, and lobby. I would have had no idea how to proceed without their mentorship.

House Bill 2930 sought to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment and housing. We gathered 17 sponsors, and the bill failed House passage by just two votes short of a majority. But our efforts helped build a sense of purpose and identity instrumental in the evolution of today’s Oregon LGBTQ movement. So Gretchen gave us a huge boost when we really needed it. Oregon finally enacted such a law in 2007, with sexual orientation defined to include gender identity.

In the meantime, Gretchen helped us on the local level.

In 1985, she was elected Multnomah County Commissioner. There she successfully pushed for a resolution that banned sexual orientation discrimination in county employment.

In 1991, when on the Portland City Council, Gretchen helped pass an ordinance that banned sexual orientation discrimination in all employment, housing, and public accommodations in the city. In fact she allowed her staff member lesbian activist Kathleen Saadat to help write the law. Just before leaving the City Council in 1998, Gretchen started working toward strategies that would ban discrimination based on gender identity.

Gretchen was a founder of Oregon National Organization for Women (NOW) in 1970 and the Oregon Women’s Political Caucus in 1971. The two groups were cornerstones of Oregon’s modern women’s movement. Gretchen also took a keen interest in health care, mental health care, criminal justice, homelessness, poverty, and teen health centers.

Certainly there are few people in Oregon history who have advanced human rights and dignity as much as Gretchen did. On March 13, Gretchen passed away. She left an Oregon that is a much kinder and humane place than it was before her. For more information, see: http:// glapn.org/6464KafouryKatzKafoury.html and http:// glapn.org/6100kafoury.html.

March/April 2015 • 23

BOOKS FASHION

“SHOES ARE MY LEAST FAVORITE PART OF MANDATORY DRESS”

By Eric Sellers and Michael Shaw Talley, PQ Monthly

Find us on Facebook:

facebook.com/pqmonthly

In a city teeming with fashion, personal expression, and trend setters, we want to get into the heads of some of Portland’s stylish LGBTQ icons. To us style, is personal. That is the reason for this style deconstruction.

Name: Mads Dudebabemodel.

Age: 28.

Occupation: Esthetician/Drag performer.

Look out for: PQ Podcasts!

MONTHLY

24 • March/April 2015

PQ Monthly: What age were you when you realized style mattered?

Mads Dudebabemodel: I believe I always understood the power of personal style and fashion to some degree.

Many of my childhood stories involve me loving an article of clothing so much, I wouldn’t dare take it off. Certain items gave me insta-power and confidence. I was always very picky with my clothing as a child, immediately voting down many items my parents had chosen for me. Tapping into my internal stylist, I would feel the pitter-patter of my heartbeat, my eyes widen, and would know that’s what I wanted to put on my body.

I knew what made me feel good, and often times would get made fun of what I wore in school. Partially, my family did not have the money to buy Abercrombie & Fitch (thank gawdesses), nor was I ever interested in looking like everyone else. It wasn’t until I was featured in my high school paper as a “Fashion Goddess” that I realized anyone liked what I was wearing. In fact, I was always inspired by making people uncomfortable with what I wore. Honestly, I still love when people hate what I wear. Rebellion has inspired my lifestyle as well as my style. I took bits and pieces from rebellious movements such as Punk. I was tapering my bootleg jeans from Wal-Mart to be skinny jeans way before you could buy skinny jeans, thanks to being inspired by Punk fashion. I was wearing vintage polyester man shirts, despite being pressured to be modern and feminine.

PQ: Who gives you a style boner today?

MD: Anyone who has a unique look and owns it literally gives me a boner. Drag performers who blur lines between king and queendom. I’m fascinated with playing with gender and fashion, and I like to in my drag performances. I move one article around and all of a sudden I went from butch daddy to femme fag. I just love queerdos who break binaries, leaving muggles confused about what category they may fit in.

PQ: Do you wear jewels? What accessories are a must have in your closet?

MD: EARRINGS! I am beyond naked without them. The bigger, the brighter, the flashier, the better. I haven’t mastered any other accessory to the extent of earrings. Many people don’t understand that I must leave earrings on in the river, while camping, and during sex. Try to take them off me, I will slap your hand. I believe it began when I cut my hair super short for the first time many years ago and thought I needed to compensate. But then I got obsessed.

And Mid-K has bomb-ass earrings for under $2, so I always get stocked up.

PQ: EAT, DRINK, SCENE. What do you nosh? What’s your sip? Where are your haunts?

MD: I am a sucker for a good breakfast/brunch. Bridges Cafe is my fave (get the catfish hash!). Sweedeedee is too cute and so delightfully Portland.

That beet and bacon sandwich they got is a very special sandwich. When I grab a beer (any kind of porter or stout) or a Maker’s & ginger, you can find me at my local dive bars: Kenton Club or Barlow Tavern.

PQ: Shoes! O my god! Shoes! What do you have? What do you need? Brands, color, styles? Let’s talk shoes!

MD: Shoes are my least favorite part of mandatory dress!

Don’t get me wrong, I love to look at shoes. Stiletto pumps are hot as hell and platform sneakers are bomb. But I have a very difficult relationship with shoes. My feet pretty much always want to be free and when I was 16 I went barefoot for a month. That’s so embarrassingly hippy of me, but it is a part of my past that I must admit. Then I wore just ballet slippers that I had to replace every few weeks because of course I busted holes in them. These days when I find a comfortable pair of shoes that I don’t feel terrible in, I wear them every day and bust through them within a couple months (some claim I am “heavy-footed”). But I am proud to say that I have finally invested in some black Alexandra-style Docs. I will be wearing them every day with everything.

PQ: Forever young! I wanna be forever young! What do you slather and slop on to pamper yourself?

MD: As an Esthetician, I am obsessed with face masks.

Mud, exfoliating, enzyme-filled masks. Also a tonic I mix myself with witch hazel and essential oils I spray all over at least once a day. Also this magical serum I get at my workplace is one of the best exfoliants I’ve ever tried. Pick up a pump of it at Urban Waxx after you come see me for your body and facial waxing needs.

PQ: Who’s you favorite artist, fashion designer, musician and why?

MD: Favorite fashion designer is Rei Kawakubo. I mean, her designs are hilariously horribly gorgeous. I would never spend money on any of her designs, but the fact she can sell handkerchiefs with burned holes in them for thousands of dollars…yas queen, werk! Favorite musician is Bjork. Because she is a high priestess and weird as all hell.

PQ: What’s your most irritating fashion faux pas?

MD: Looking like everyone else in Portland. Try something no one is doing…even if it fails, I will give you major kudos for doing something REFRESHING. Turn a look!

PQ: Where are some of your favorite places to shop?

MD: Fat Fancy and clothing swaps. pqmonthly.com

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March/April 2015 • 25

FEATURE

SMYRC PERMANENTLY INTEGRATES INTO NEW AVENUES FOR YOUTH; OTHER Q CENTER UPDATES SMYRC homelessness by creating better opportunities and outSMYRC, Portland’s Sexual & Gender Minority Youth comes for LGBTQ youth. While we’re aware the program Resource Center is officially integrating into New Avenues has unmet needs, New Avenues for Youth is committed for Youth’s comprehensive programto providing a permanent home for ming for foster, at-risk, and homeSMYRC, and we hope the commuless youth. The transition, initially nity will wrap around this new alignbeginning as a partnership between ment of services and help us maxiQ Center and New Avenues earlier mize this opportunity.” this year when SMYRC moved to New SMYRC was created in 1998 by Avenues’ Joyce N. Furman building two youth, Tre Sangrey and Britta downtown, builds upon organizaHouser. Since that time, SMYRC has tional synergy and provides importfound homes with Cascadia Behavant stability to SMYRC. ioral HealthCare and then Q Center.

SMYRC’s efforts to engage disThe stability and focus of New Aveconnected youth and New Avenues’ nues for Youth is an ideal match for vision of every youth having a safe SMYRC, ensuring the important place to call home has created a partwork and services continue and even nership that now evolves into leveraggrow. Stepping up to the plate in ing resources and coordinating out2011 when the space for and future reach by integrating SMYRC’s staff of SMYRC was up in the air, Q Center and services. “It’s been imperative at is grateful we were able to provide a Q Center to ensure ongoing stabilhome to SMYRC for the past twoity and the best home possible for and-a-half years.

SMYRC” says interim board member Q Center is currently undergoLeAnn Locher. “We believe an LGBTQ ing important stability and transiyouth program should be run by an tion, and the move of SMYRC to New organization that excels in youth Avenues for Youth reflects the priprogramming, and New Avenues for orities heard of the community and Youth is a solid, proven and vital comhard work of the current Q Center munity asset to provide just this.” staff, interim board of directors, During this transitional period, and the commitment of New AveNew Avenues’ priority is stabilizing nues for Youth. SMYRC employees, SMYRC’s current range of services for Steadfast Q Center staffer, Stacey Rice, is now Director of Operations including Micheal Wheatley, Elaina LGBTQ youth, including a drop-in & Programs.

Medina, Nash Jones, Shane Penunuri space and activities in downtown Portland, support for and Seth Johnstone, are now employees of SMYRC at New rural youth as part of Washington County Pride Project, Avenues for Youth and while we will miss them here at Q and access to community counseling through a partnership Center, we will be forever touched by their amazing work. with Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare. New Avenues will also Q Center be taking on Bridge 13, SMYRC’s long-standing technical Between January and February 2015, more than 600 assistance program that trains service providers, educa- LGBTQ community members and allies participated in tors, and students on how to enhance the safety and acces- small-group community conversations, one-on-one dissibility of their services and spaces for LGBTQ individuals. cussions, all-community town hall meetings, and online “LGBTQ youth are among the most vulnerable young and paper surveys. This community engagement process people in our community,” says New Avenues for Youth’s was intended to help Q Center’s leadership better underExecutive Director, Sean Suib. “Integrating SMYRC into stand our community’s experience with the center, needs, New Avenues for Youth’s services will allow us to reach hopes and expectations for the future, and what the commore youth and have a greater impact in preventing youth munity in general is needing. Q Center is carefully review-

ing this important information to help chart our future. A statement from Q: “What we knew already was that Q Center has made mistakes in the past. Among them are missteps that further marginalized parts of our own community. HIV/AIDS survivors, trans women, People of Color and others have been led to feel unseen, unheard and unwanted. This doesn’t align with Q Center’s mission and values, and we all should have been more active in making Q Center safer.

The new leadership at Q Center today is very sorry for the mistakes that have been detrimental to these parts of our community. We are committed to making amends and doing better in the future. We have great hope that we can change the experiences and perception of Q Center for some of our most vulnerable LGBTQQIAAP family, and move forward together.

As we walk the talk, new policies and procedures have been adopted, specifically defining discrimination and oppression, how we prevent it and how we deal with it when it happens. There are also new bylaws being drafted to govern Q Center staff, volunteers and board members, and we are exploring movement towards a member-based organization. As we continue to expand the board and hire a new Executive Director in the coming weeks, you can expect to see a new Vision and Mission Statement for Q Center, as well. In the meantime, know that your voice is heard: we are listening. We hope to have an additional town hall and more information about Q Center’s future in April. Onward!”

Q Center Updates Staff Transitions: Congratulations Stacey Rice! Steadfast Q Center staffer, Stacey Rice, is now Director of Operations & Programs. Stacey’s responsible for program coordination as well as oversight of volunteer-led administration. She’s the glue that holds Q Center together. Please be sure to say congratulations when you see her next. Thank you for all you do, Stacey.

Let’s bring Q-community to Q Center Join in the movement of rallying for Q Center by becoming a monthly donor. Signing up for monthly giving is a snap and an easy way to provide critical, steady income to Q Center. Giving at any level, from $10 a month to $100 a month and beyond, makes a huge difference. As a monthly donor, you ensure that Q Center keep the doors open. Did you know over 200 individuals come to Q Center for gatherings, classes, support groups and information every week?

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HEALTH

AS SYPHILIS RATES INCREASE, THE COMMUNITY RESPONDS Get tested!

In December, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its annual snapshot of the three nationally reported STDs: chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.

Syphilis infections were up 10% from 2012. This 10% increase in the national rate is due mainly to a huge increase in infections among men, particularly men who have sex with men (MSMs).

Actually, MSMs accounted for 75% of all primary and secondary syphilis cases.

The CDC cites higher numbers of sex ua l pa rtners, higher prevalence of STDs, difficulty in accessing/affording health care, and social stigma as possible reasons for this dramatic increase. It’s recommended that sexually active MSMs get tested for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV once a year at least.

It doesn’t help that it can be hard to tell if you have syphilis. From the CDC: Syphilis has been called ‘the great imitator’ because it has so many possible symptoms, many of which look like symptoms from other diseases. The painless syphilis sore that you would get after you are first infected can be confused for an ingrown hair, zipper cut, or other seemingly harmless bump. The non-itchy body rash that develops during the second stage of syphilis can show up on the palms of your hands and soles of your feet, all over your

body, or in just a few places. You could also be infected with syphilis and have very mild symptoms or none at all.

A community town hall on syphilis entitled “A Call to Action” took place on March 2 at the Q Center and was attended by over 35 community members, health care providers, and public health officials.

The sheer visibility of the event through social media and all the press stories (both print and tv) meant that the message “we have a syphilis problem and let’s come together to do something about it” reached a substantially larger amount of folks than just those who attended the event that night.

The evening opened with a general overview of what the syphilis rates in Portland have looked like in recent years and how they increased 1000% from 2007 to 2013. This was followed by some information about syphilis and a chance to dispel some common syphilis myths. A comment that seemed to particularly resonate with the audience was confusion around testing. Many do not realize that a syphilis test involves collecting a vial of blood, unlike tests for other STDs and rapid HIV tests. There was also some discussion about the last syphilis outbreak in Portland in the 1990s

which was centered on crack cocaine use and sex exchange for crack in both men and women in certain areas of NE Portland. While the demographics of the current syphilis outbreak are different, what hasn’t changed is the ability of syphilis to spread easily within a small community, particularly when people are unaware that they may be infected.

Multnomah County also reviewed steps they’ve undertaken since 2008, along with Cascade AIDS Project, to address syphilis in the Portland area, including innovative uses of technology and social media and increased testing. Officials from the Oregon Health Authority then reviewed findings from a joint Epi-Aid project in 2014 that involved clinical and social researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who came to Portland to study the syphilis outbreak with the help of staff from Multnomah County and Oregon Health Authority and assistance from Cascade AIDS Project (see handout “Syphilis in the Portland-Metro Area: What do we know?

Where are we going?”).

The town hall concluded with a chance for participants to break into smaller groups to discuss messaging around syphilis and other ways to increase awareness around syphilis symptoms and testing, and to encourage prevention efforts. Officials from Multnomah County, Oregon Health Authority, and Cascade AIDS Project will be meeting shortly to review participant feedback and suggestions and continue refining a plan of action to address syphilis in the community.

PQ will be following this story as it develops.

If you are without insurance or desire to speak to people who specialize in these matters, PQ highly recommends Pivot. You can find all the information you need here: http://cascadeaids.org/prevention-testing/pivot.

Get tested!

--Daniel Borgen

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PHOTOS

SEE AND BE SEEN

We want to see more of you! Do you have photos you’d like to share in the pages of PQ Monthly? Send your photos along with a photo credit and caption to info@pqmonthly.com, post them on our Facebook page, or tag PQ Monthly in them.

Featured: Photos from the Superstar Divas Sunday Night Mega Show, PQ Monthy’s February Press Party at Q Center, and Scandals PDX. Photos by the Official Fans of the Superstar Divas Mega Show, Nestor Miranda, and David Hull, respectively.

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PHOTOS

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March/April 2015 • 29

QUEER APERTURE Through his Queer Aperture project, photographer Jeffrey Horvitz has spent years documenting the LGBTQ communities of Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver, B.C. He’s well aware that a picture paints a whole mess of words, but here he offers a few actual words to better acquaint us with his dynamic subjects.

What is your name?

Lisa Watson

Favorite book?

Anything by Chelsea Cain

How long have you lived in Portland?

25 years

Favorite movie?

“When Harry Met Sally” or “Jurassic Park”

What is the first time you noticed gayness existed?

Junior High; I had a male friend who really liked boys

Favorite word?

Snuggle

What would you consider a guilty pleasure?

“House of Cards” & “Orange is the New Black”

Least favorite word?

Moist

You’re having a dinner party of 6; who would you invite?

Gregory Gourdet, Kim Malek, Katey Poppe, Tracy Curtis, Storm Large, Thomas Lauderdale, and my husband— wait, that’s 7. Well, it’s my party!

Favorite swear word?

Fuckity Fuck or Fuck You or Fuck Off

What would you consider a perfect meal?

Copper River Salmon, green beans, really good mashed potatoes, and a berry cobbler a la mode.

If you could with a snap of a finger what would be another profession you would like to do?

Travel Writer or Secret Shopper for a worldwide resort chain

What would be a perfect day off?

A beach, a book, my man, no phone PHOTO BY JEFFREY HORVITZ

What is your profession?

Bakery Owner

Who would you like to meet dead or alive?

The Obamas—I am fascinated by how real they seem

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