MONTHLY
PRIDE WANTS YOU! FREE
PQMONTHLY.COM VOL 1 No. 5 June/July 2012
QUEER MUSIC FEST
PRIDE
EVENT LISTINGS
K.D. LANG
SHARON NEEDLES,
PLAYING IN PDX
AND SO MUCH MORE!
ON LIVING AND VOCKAH REDU,
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(We can’t guarantee you’ll get so lucky with Poison.)
• June/July 2012
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Clockwise from top: Oregon Bears Farewell Bear-B-Que, Bend Pride, Portland Black Pride
COME OUT, COME OUT WHEREVER YOU ARE! There are so many reasons Pride season is our favorite time of the year — the parades, the parties, the dancing, the shine of glitter beneath an overcast sky, short shorts and tank tops — but what we at PQ Monthly are most looking forward to is the chance to celebrate and connect with all the lovely, wild, and inspiring people from every nook and cranny our amazing LGBTQ community. PQ recently made the trek out to Bend for their Pride festivities, and while Benders (we’re not actually sure that’s what they call themselves, but we enjoy it) may be a slightly smaller contingent than Portlanders, they are strikingly united as a community. Unfazed by their dearth of queer spaces, people opened up their homes for potlucks and barbeques, showing that what Benders lacks in numbers, they make up for in a strong sense of family. Wherever you are, Pride season is all about being yourself in a comfortable and accepting environment, but in the spirit of PQ’s mission of representing every color and every letter of the LGBTQ community, we encourage you to venture out of your comfort zone and expand your idea of family a little bit this year. To that end, we’ve compiled an extensive list of Pride events happening throughout the region, giving you plenty of opportunities to look beyond your inner circle and show some support for all the beautiful diversity our community has to offer. The phrase “I’m bored” is hereby stricken from any queer’s vocabulary for the next several weeks. We can’t wait to see you out and about! -The PQ Monthly Team
A SMATTERING OF WHAT YOU’LL FIND INSIDE: Marcy Westerling: Builder of bridges between communities and generations..................................... page 9 Pride commandments and a whole heap of Pride event listings........................................................... pages 11-13 Sharon Needles takes a stab at Portland................................................................................................... page 14 Vockah Redu bounces to his own bedazzled beat.................................................................................. page 17 Opposing viewpoints: Can Pride sexiness go too far?.............................................................................. page 26 Pride in our people: A few folks who make us proud to be queer........................................................... page 34 Hot Chocolate: A diva for any occasion.................................................................................................... page 37 k.d. lang makes herself at home in Portland.............................................................................................. page 41 Portland Queer Music Festival returns......................................................................................................... page 42 Columns: Latebian Life; The Comeback Kid; Whiskey & Sympathy; Rain City; The Lady Chronicles; Cultivating Life; and Eat, Drink, and Be Mary
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BREVITY ROCKS! NEWS FROM NEAR AND FAR QUEER VANDALS TARGET WELLS FARGO; BANK TO REMAIN IN PRIDE PARADE By Erin Rook PQ Monthly
A group calling itself the “Queer Attack Squadron” has claimed responsibility for throwing a Molotov cocktail into the window of the Wells Fargo bank branch at 5730 NE MLK Jr. Blvd. in Portland in the early hours of June 6 via an anonymous posting on the Puget Sound Anarchists website and emails sent to local television stations. The apparent vandals wrote that the action was a “small gesture of solidarity” with CeCe McDonald, a trans woman who was recently sent to prison for killing a man she says was threatening her and using anti-trans slurs. “Banks like Wells Fargo continue to profit and flourish at the expense of people like CeCe, funding the police and prison industrial complex which protect banks’ interest and profit through brute social control,” the message said. Following the attack, KPTV reported that Wells Fargo would no longer march in the Portland Pride Parade due to safety concerns. According to Pride NW President Debra Porta, this is not true. “After speaking directly with Tom Unger, spokesperson for Wells Fargo today, we have been assured that Wells Fargo will be in the 2012 Portland Pride Parade,” Porta said in a June 9 press release. Though the group said the explosive was lit, police say it did not detonate and was found outside the building. Arson investigators are looking into the incident but have not yet identified any suspects. The incident, as well as the tone and content of the message claiming responsibility, bears striking resemblance to the vandalism against Mars Hill Church. A group calling itself “Angry Queers” claimed responsibility via messages posted to anarchist sites and sent to TV media for throwing rocks through the church’s windows in act of solidarity with deceased trans women. Lt. Robert King said he was not aware of any connection between the two incidents. PQ Monthly will continue to cover this incident online at pqmonthly.com.
LOCAL
Speaking of trailblazing, Portland’s first female — and lesbian — Pride NW is honoring three people fire chief was sworn in June 5 on the step of City Hall. for their exceptional contributions Erin Janssens, a to the local LGBTQ community. The 24-year veteran 2012 Spirit of Pride Award — which of the Portland recognizes leadership, commitment, Fire Bureau, advocacy/education/services/orgawill take over nizing, and coalition building — goes for retiring chief to Norm Costa. His John Klum. many contributions to the comErin Janssens Cameron munity include board member for Whitten — the queer Occupy activist the Gay Lesbian and fifth place finisher in the Portland Straight Education Mayoral race — is staging a hunger Norm Costa Network (GLSEN) strike outside City Hall to call attenof Oregon, past president and board tion to issues of poverty and homelessmember of Veterans for Human ness. As of press time (June 12), WhitRights, steering committee member ten was on day 11 of consuming only for the Coalition Against Hate Crimes, juice and vitamins. Whitten is asking and past co-chair and active member the city to do three things to addresses of the Portland Police Sexual Minori- the needs of the homeless and those ties Roundtable. The 2012 Pride Youth soon-to-be. He wants City CommisAward — which recognizes and seeks sioner Dan Saltzman to withdraw the to encourage the leadership of a youth fines against co-owners of the Right 2 age 16-24 — goes to Alex Horsey. A Dream Too Rest Area, City Council to senior at Wilson High School in Port- add a housing levy measure to the Nov. land, he is a student journalist and 2012 general election ballot, and Sheriff the founder of Project Believe in Me!, Daniel Staton to issue a one-year mora youth-led anti-bullying initiative. atorium on Multnomah County home Special this year, Pride NW created a foreclosures. Pride Pioneer Award to recognize the trailblazing contributions of Renee A new radio show giving voice LaChance, who founded Just Out to Latino LGBTQ Oregonians has with the late Jay Brown in 1983. The launche. Causa’s LGBT Alliance publication went out of business in Building Coordinator Christian Baeff Dec. 2011 and the brand assets were hosts “La Voz de Todos,” which airs purchased by Jonathon Kipp, who every Wednesday at 4 p.m. on 95.9 FM launched a glossy monthly magazine Radio Movimiento in the Woodburn in June. area and at pcun.org/radio/listen.
NATIONAL
A U.S. Senate panel held a hearing on the Employment Non-Discr imination Act (ENDA) June 12. It was the first hearing on the act, which would bar discrimination based on gender identity and sexual Kylar Broadus orientation, in nearly three years. The hearing also marked the first time an openly transgender person has testified in Senate. Kylar Broadus, founder of the Trans People of Color Coalition of Columbia, Missouri, shared his experiences with employment discrimination in front of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.
WORLD There will be no (legal) Pride celebrations in Moscow, Russia this year, or the next 100 years, if the Moscow City Court can help it. The Court recently upheld the decision of a lower court to ban Pride parades until 2112. The decision was prompted by a request by activist Nikolay Alekseev, who submitted a request to hold parades for the next 100 years. He knew the request would be rejected and apparently took the action to expose the absurdity of the system to the European Court of Human Rights.
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NEWS
COMPLAINT FILED IN ANTI-GAY ‘REPARATIVE THERAPY’ CASE
Local attorney Beth Allen partnered with the Southern Poverty Law Center to author the complaint. By Nick Mattos PQ Monthly
A gay Portlander’s experience with a psychiatrist who attempted to change his sexual orientation has led a national advocacy group to file a complaint with local and national psychiatric associations. Max Hirsh, 22, sought out psychiatric care in February 2011 for depression related to the stress of coming out. On the recommendation of another provider, Hirsh began seeing a psychiatrist (whose name
• June/July 2012
has not been released for legal reasons), but early on in his treatment Hirsh saw problems with the doctor’s approach. “I had some signs after the first couple of sessions when I was seeing this person,” Hirsch told PQ Monthly. “The first big sign that I got was when he [kept] saying that I was heterosexual, even though I explained a few times that I was gay. It was strange that he was insistent on that.” As a result, Hirsch ceased his visits to the psychiatrist; however, out of desperation he resumed the doctor-patient relationship soon thereafter. During these sessions, the letter of complaint asserted, the psychiatrist “made… Hirsh’s sexual orientation a central focus of the treatment. In particular. [the psychiatrist] repeatedly delved into stereotyped and discredited potential ‘causes’ of … Hirsh’s same-sex attractions, at different times suggesting that … Hirsh’s poor relationships with women, deficient bonding with men, distant relationship with his father, or his failures in sports might have ‘caused’ his homosexuality.” The doctor allegedly prescribed for Hirsh to essentially “man up” — get into sports, engage in more traditionally masculine pursuits, deepen the relationship with his father, and seek out non-sexual “father figures” — as a treatment for his queerness. Moreover, the doctor asserted that if Hirsh were to continue to insist upon embracing
his same-sex attraction he would “need to accept that his love life would always be dissatisfying, disappointing, and unstable.” “Having [the psychiatrist] force anti-gay, pseudo-scientific stuff on me was a very shocking experience — very maddening,” Hirsh said. “It left me feeling betrayed.” To add insult to injury, when Hirsh confronted the doctor about the practices he was incorporating, the doctor allegedly asserted that the term “homophobia” pathologizes those who dislike gay people, and that the real issue was “heterophobia” amongst the gay population. Hirsh fired the psychiatrist last August and filed a complaint to the Oregon Medical Board about the care he received. However, the board rejected his complaint. “It was shocking to me, as I outlined it as a violation of medical ethics, and they didn’t take it seriously for whatever reason,” he said. In response, Hirsh contacted the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), where deputy legal director Christine Sun took action. Partnering with Portland attorney Beth Allen, the SPLC sent a letter of complaint to both the Oregon Psychiatric Association (OPA) and the American Psychiatric Association (APA) on May 8 charging that Hirsh’s psychiatrist committed what Sun describes as “an appalling violation of physician ethics, as well as a breach of a client’s trust.”
Sun and Allen are optimistic about the APA’s response to the complaint. “The APA has taken a strong stance against conversion therapy,” Sun said, “and also taken a strong stand in favor of patients knowing what type of therapy the psychiatrist is performing on them.” However, the process is in the beginning stages. “Right now it’s in what I would call ‘the conversation’ stage,” Allen said, “the point at which we can see whether we can talk about what has happened and can reach some resolution for our client that may be meaningful for others that may run into similar situations.” The attorneys hope to hear from the APA as to whether the association will open up an investigation through their own ethics committee soon. If nothing else, Allen hopes that this case will help to highlight that, as comfortable as life can be for queer people in liberal cities such as Portland, we have quite a ways to go before we are at a place of full equality. “I think that one key thing is that this reminds us that we have not gotten there yet,” she said. “Sometimes I think, especially in Portland, we think that we are just about there — we have registration of domestic partnerships, laws that protect us in our jobs and housing. However, in the day-to-day lives of LGBT folks, there is a lot of work to be done, and this [case] is a prime example.”
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THIS MONTH IN QUEER HISTORY JUNE 1969: The Stonewall Riots, a series of spontaneous and violent demonstrations, break out in New York City’s Greenwich Village in response to a police raid at the Stonewall Inn, a pub popular among LGBTQ folks. Police — who had been in the habit of arresting patrons, employees, and bar owners for no reason other than being gay or gender nonconforming — are outnumbered by about 600 people. In the days to follow the raid, thousands continued to riot on Christopher Street. [Stonewall Inn] 1970: Marches commemorating the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Riots take place in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and other cities. The march in New York was inspired by the pre-Stonewall Annual Reminder demonstrations (typically held on July 4) and proposed via a resolution at the Eastern Regional Conference of Homophile Organizations: “That the Annual Reminder, in order to be more relevant, reach a greater number of people, and encompass the ideas and ideals of the larger struggle in which we are engaged — that of our fundamental human rights — be moved both in time and location. We propose that a demonstration be held annually on the last Saturday in June in New York City to commemorate the 1969 spontaneous demonstrations on Christopher Street and this demonstration be called CHRISTOPHER STREET LIBERATION DAY. No dress or age regulations shall be made for this demonstration. We also propose that we contact Homophile organizations throughout the country and suggest that they hold parallel demonstrations on that day. We propose a nationwide show of support.” 1971: Portland joins the growing national movement and holds the precursor to the modern Pride Parade, organized by the Portland Liberation Front and the Second Foundation, to commemorate the Stonewall Riots of 1969. 1980s: Marches st ar ted to become parades, losing the emphasis on “liberation” and “freedom” in favor of “pride.”
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2000: President Bill Clinton declared June “Gay & Lesbian Pride Month.” He was the first president to make such a declaration. President George W. Bush did not continue that trend. President Barack Obama picked it back up and has declared June “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month” each year he has been in office (2009-2012). pqmonthly.com
FEATURES
‘BE YOUR MOST COURAGEOUS SELF’ Marcy Westerling: A builder of bridges between communities and generations By Erin Rook PQ Monthly
Marcy Westerling never intended to start the Rural Organizing Project. But in the early 1990s, as the reactionary right in rural Oregon began increasingly scapegoating LGBTQ people, she knew something needed to be done. “It was very much a byproduct of living in a rural community, seeing the challenges of being a semi-out lesbian,” says Westerling, who lived in Scappoose at the time and only moved to Portland recently for health reasons. “When the [Oregon Citizens Alliance] and the anti-[gay] language started emerging as more and more a topic of conversation, I knew my community well enough to know there was no one to lead diffusing the anxiety around queers.” The OCA was campaigning for Measure 9, a “no promo homo” initiative to change the state constitution that attracted national attention. “All governments in Oregon may not use their monies or properties to promote, encourage or facilitate homosexuality, pedophilia, sadism, or masochism,” the proposed amendment read. “All levels of government, including public education systems, must assist in setting a standard for Oregon’s youth which recognizes that these behaviors are abnormal, wrong, unnatural, and perverse and they are to be discouraged and avoided.” Rather than encouraging the isolated queers of rural Oregon to take on the OCA alone, thereby by jeopardizing their safety, Westerling started seeking out allies to build strength in numbers. “I ran the only 24-hour crisis line for women in the community, so I had lots of connections throughout the county and had a sense of who would not be ok with this hysteria,” Westerling, 53, says. “We started with under a dozen people; by the end of the campaign we had over 500.” Westerling is well-suited for this work, says ROP Executive Director Cara Shufelt, who calls the group’s founder “a force.” “Marcy is very bold, she’s very visionary,” Shufelt says. “She’s the gal that really saw issues that were considered urban issues and realized there is a way to mobilize around them in rural communities.” Though Westerling had been involved in conversations about homophobia through her work in the non-violence community, Measure 9 was a tipping point. Though the initiative failed to pass, subsequent campaigns by the OCA would put Westerling’s crisis-management skills to the test. “There were so many cycles of ballot measure that that was a pretty long period of time that we went from crisis to crisis to crisis,” she says. The ROP also lost two of its organizers in 1995 — Roxanne Ellis and Michelle Abdill — to a murder motivated, at least in part, by anti-gay bias. pqmonthly.com
Since receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis in 2010, Rural Organizing Project Founder Marcy Westerling is focusing on passing her wisdom on to a new generation of organizers. Despite the onslaught of anti-gay attacks, the ROP maintained a broad vision rooted in democracy. Using experience gained as an organizer with the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), Westerling built a network of independent human dignity organizations in rural communities across the state, united in their commitment to uphold the democratic values of majority rule, minority rights, an informed and educated public, and an adequate standard of living. ROP found an early ally in the farm workers union PCUN (Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste) and newly-formed immigrant rights organization Causa. “It behooves the queer community to look at who else is vulnerable for being scapegoated and say, ‘We remember what that’s like, that’s bad, and we have your back,’” Westerling says. While the approach de jour of LGBTQ advocacy groups is “changing hearts and minds,” Westerling prefers to focus on advancing the values of democracy instead of pushing for acceptance. It’s easier to build a bridge when both sides are standing on common ground. “It’s like, why should people be comfortable with what someone may or may not be
doing sexually? It’s none of your business,” Westerling says. “We stick with what do we agree on and gradually try to get to the rest. Then [we] try to normalize things that people don’t have a familiarity with. Politically, we’re trying to frame it in terms of democracy.” In that spirit of democracy, Westerling has committed herself to preserving the organization’s grassroots approach and serving on the frontlines alongside the organization’s many volunteers. (ROP’s paid staff fluctuates between three and five people.) Though she is no longer on staff, Westerling continues to dedicate herself to the cause of rural community organizing. These days, however, her health requires that more of that work happen in an urban setting, often behind a computer. Westerling was diagnosed with metastasized ovarian cancer — considered a terminal condition — two years ago and moved to Portland to be closer to her doctors. She is straightforward about her declining health and her struggle to accept what that means for her organizing work. “I’m kinda closing out my life. I’m hoping that doesn’t mean I’ll have to actually leave when my work is done,” Westerling says. “So much of my organizing has been about building relationships with people and
Photo by Ken Hawkins, Street Roots
saying, ‘If you will be your most courageous self I will be with you at all times.’ It’s hard when that promise becomes, ‘I will try to be by your side when I’m not puking my guts out and dying.’” In 2010, Westerling was granted an Open Society Fellowship. She originally intended to use the fellowship to map rural progressive infrastructures in four states in an effort to build alliances and strengthen the individual efforts of isolated civic organizations. Because her health makes travel difficult, she has shifted focus to mentoring young organizers, documenting the history of ROP, and serving as an adviser to the organization. With such a legacy of community organizing behind her, what words of wisdom does Westerling have for the next generation? “I think one thing is to really really really be watchful of clique organizing — we find a pool of peers and feel like with this group of contacts we can get whatever we want,” Westerling says. “You don’t want to just build a movement with people who feel the same way. … Organizing is not about winning or losing, but staying in engagement.” Learn more about the Rural Organizing Project by visiting www.rop.org. June/July 2012 •
PRIDE
PRIDE 2012 COMMANDMENTS Thou shalt sparkle, shine, shimmy — and expand thy comfort zone
Pride NW Portland Waterfront Entertainment Schedule Friday, June 15 6 p.m. Announcements/Emcees 6:05-7 p.m. DJ Dougalicious 7 p.m.-7:55 p.m. DJ Paul Song 7:55 p.m. Announcements/Emcees 8-10 p.m. DJ Tony Moran
Saturday, June 16
Photo by Julie Cortez, El Hispanic News
By Erin Rook PQ Monthly
Pride is about celebrating our authentic selves — a time to shed the daily drag of being who the world requires us to be and let our unique light shine through. Fortunately, the LGBTQ communities in our region recognize this and have created a host of celebrations catering to a wide range of experiences and identities. The event listings on the following pages reflect that diversity and speak to level of engagement in the LGBTQ community around Pride. Between June 14 and July 22 (the dates this issue covers), we will show our Pride in more than 58 ways. If that sounds like a lot, it’s because it is. Pride 2012 in Oregon and SW Washington (which actually began in early June with Portland Black Pride, Eastern Oregon/Bend Pride, and Beartown) has something for everyone. There are block parties, dance nights, performances, BBQs, networking events, marches, breakfasts, pageants, athletic events, tours, dykes on bikes (and bicycles), drag shows, and even water slides and astro-turf. Part of this incredible diversity is the organic outgrowth of our collective fabulosity. But some of it’s curated too. Debra Porta is one of those curators. As president of Pride NW (the organization that puts on the Portland Pride Festival and 10 • June/July 2012
Parade), Porta is essentially tasked with throwing a week-long party that appeals to, well, everyone. Since that sort of broad appeal is nearly impossible to achieve in a single event, Pride NW is branching out this year. “In an effort to expand the reach of the city’s Pride celebrations, Pride NW is sponsoring more events over the course of Pride week, and generally giving people more ways to engage with Pride,” Porta says. “In looking around at other festivals that most closely aligned with our vision and mission, we noticed that those Prides weren’t necessarily one big bang — they are a series of events throughout the week, incorporating events that appeal to a broad spectrum of the community.” This includes both additional events for as well as a VIP option for the Waterfront Festival that offers a specialized experience and creates much-needed revenue for the organization. Official events were chosen based on a few criteria, including their potential to raise funds to sustain Pride NW and their likelihood to appeal to underserved segments of the LGBTQ community, such as families and seniors. Beyond Pride NW, other organizations have tailored their events to particular audiences. The Vancouver, Wash., Pride celebration “Saturday in the Park” is an intentionally “family-friendly” affair. The July 14
event began as a way to celebrate LGBTQ rights victories and has continued to be a means through which the community gathers with family and friends to show pride. Portland Latino Gay Pride (PLGP) likewise seeks to create a welcoming space for folks not always explicitly included in broader Pride festivities. That diversity is not just a challenge for Pride organizers, but a boon to the rest of the community. While it’s important to see oneself reflected in Pride event programming, there is much to be gained from attending events that offer different perspectives and experiences. “I believe, when it comes to ‘people of color’ [events], people have a stronger reaction or response. There is a quicker reaction of, well ‘that’s for THEM’ or ‘that’s not for ME.’ It immediately becomes ‘us’ and ‘them’ and people exclude themselves,” says PLGP Chair David Martínez. “It’s one thing to feel uncomfortable [being outside your comfort zone], but when it keeps a person from learning about others and new experiences, it is unfortunate to everyone. We learn more from people who are not like us, bottom line.” So as you peruse the event listings to follow, make note of the ones that speak to your experiences and interests, but also consider attending an event not tailored to your culture or clique. The outcome may surprise you.
12:05-12:20 p.m. Autry 12:20 p.m. Announcements/Emcees 12:25-12:45 p.m. Marty McConnell 12:45 Announcements/Emcees 12:50-1:10 p.m. Vanessa Rogers 1:10 p.m. Announcements/Emcees 1:15-1:35 p.m. Devin Tait 1:35-1:55 p.m. Swedish Ish Fish 1:55 p.m. Announcements/Emcees 2-2:20 p.m. Sunday Last 2:20 p.m. Announcements/Emcees 2:25-2:45 p.m. Portland Lesbian Choir 2:45 p.m. Announcements/Emcees 2:50-3:10 p.m. Rebecca Scott 3:10 p.m. Announcements/Emcees 3:15-3:35 p.m. Laura Ivancie 3:35 p.m. Announcements/Emcees 3:40-4 p.m. Bruce TD King 4 p.m. Announcements/Emcees 4:05-4:25 p.m. Heather Hawkins 4:25 p.m. Announcements/Emcees 4:30-4:45 p.m. Leslie Ward 4:45 p.m. Announcements/Emcees 4:50-5:10 p.m. Delaney & Paris 5:10 p.m. Announcements/Emcees 5:15-5:55 p.m. NiNA SKY 5:55 p.m. PDX Dyke March
Sunday, June 17 11:30 a.m. Pride Parade (begins at Burnside and NW Park Ave.) 12-12:20 p.m. Brandon Carmody 12:20 p.m. Announcements/Emcees 12:25-1:25 p.m. TBA 1:30 p.m. Announcements/Emcees 1:35-1:55 p.m. Drewy King 1:55-2:10 p.m. Awards 2:10 p.m. Announcements/Emcees 2:15-2:35 p.m. Mattachine Social 2:35 p.m. Announcements/Emcees 2:40-3 p.m. Bobby Jo Valentine 3 p.m. Announcements/Emcees 3:05-3:25 p.m. Portland Gay Men’s Chorus 3:25 p.m. Announcements/Emcees 3:30-3:50 p.m. Von Tanner 3:50-4 p.m. Announcements/Emcees 4-4:30 p.m. Kim English 4:30-5 p.m. DJ Spinna Devinyl 5-5:25 p.m. Cazwell 5:25-6 p.m. Colton Ford pqmonthly.com
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June/July 2012 • 11
PRIDE
SO MUCH PRIDE, SO LITTLE TIME
PORTLAND PRIDE THURSDAY, JUNE 14
• PQ Monthly Press Party 5-7 p.m., Vendetta (4306 N. Williams Ave.) Free, 21+, PQMonthly.com Featuring: Music by DJ Tank Top, tarot readings by Tarot Chick, spa services by Emerge Medical Spa, and drink special PQ Pink Tart. • Queer Heroes NW Opening Reception 5:30-8 p.m., Q Center (4115 N. Mississippi) Free, all ages, Pdxqcenter.org Featuring: Queer Heroes honorees and gallery display. • Pride Comedy Showcase 7 p.m.-9 p.m., The Star Theatre (13 NW 6th) $20 advance, $25 door, $30 advance VIP, 21+, Pridenw.org Featuring: Comedy by Sandra Valls, Xander Deveaux, Whitney Streed, and Belinda Carroll.
$7 suggested donation, all ages, Pridenw.org Featuring: DJ Tony Moran.
• Pride Party Bus with The Sisters 7 p.m.-12:30 a.m., Begins at Crush (1412 SE Morrison St.) $20 cover, 21+, Portlandsisters.net Benefits various community organizations. Features: “Kinda gay, gay, and super gay” bars with drink specials. • GAYCATION Pride 9 p.m.-2 a.m., Holocene (1001 SE Morrison St.) $5 cover, 21+, Facebook.com/gaycation Featuring: DJ sets by special guests Chelsea Starr (SF/PDX), Equestrian (LA), and Boy Joy (LA) and resident DJs Mr. Charming and Snowtiger; photo booth by Lesbians in PDX. • TrikoneNW BollyQ Pride Filmistan with DJ Anjali & The Kid 9 p.m.-2 a.m., Someday Lounge (125 NW Fifth Ave.) $5 cover, 21+, anjaliandthekid.com Featuring: Bollywood DJ sets by hosts DJ Anjali and The Incredible Kid; performances by Seattle-based Bollywood Drag Queens Bishmati Spice and Sheela Pari.
• Queerlandia: Last Year Best Year Part III 9 p.m.-2 a.m., Embers (110 NW Broadway) $5, 21+. Facebook.com/QlandiaPDX Hosted by Serendipity Jones; DJ sets from Hold My Hand (Bridge Club), Chelsea Starr, Huf N Stuf (Queerlandia, Bridge Club), and Orographic (Queerlandia, Bridge Club); performances by Carla Rossi and her Doomsday Vabaret, Austin Tatious & Dede Desperate, Ash Kenazi, Charlie Walker, Georgia Ray Babycakes, Just Mr & Sleazy E, Kajanne Pepper, Kitty Morena, Little Tommy Bang Bang, Sally Ingus Wilder, and Serendipity Jones; gogo dancing by Austin Tatious and Dede Desperate; photobooth by Wayne Bund Photography; and vendors.
• Have a Heart on 3: Have a Threesome 9 p.m.-late, Crush (1400 SE Morrison St.) $3 cover, 21+, crushbar.com Featuring: X-rated dance music, naughty gogos, sleazy clown grope box, and contest for best threesome action.
• OMG! She’s So Toe Up: Tacky Costume Party 9 p.m.-late, Red Cap Garage (1025 SW Stark) Free, 21+, redcapgarage.com Hosted by Poison Waters.
• Crossover Pride: The Jump Off! 10 p.m., Carefree Bar & Grill (10209 SE Division) $10, 21+, crossover04@yahoo.com Featuring: DJ set by DJ George “The Mixologist” and hosted by Brazzle Sisters.
FRIDAY, JUNE 15 • Taking Pride On Stark 2012: Scandal’s Block Party: “Prophecy” 5 p.m.-midnight, Scandal’s (1125 SW Stark) $5, 21+, Scandalspdx.com Benefits Cascade AIDS Project and Peacock After Dark. Featuring: DJ sets by Grant, StormyRoxx, and Robb; performances by Peacock Productions, Acoustic Minds, Saturday Night Orphans, and Funkcaucus-All Star Band. • Pulse! Dance Party 6 p.m.-10 p.m., Tom McCall Waterfront Park (SW Naito Parkway and SW Pine St.) 12 • June/July 2012
• Gaylabration 9:30 pm-4:30 a.m., Leftbank Annex (101 N. Weidler St.) $25 advance, $30 door, $100 VIP. 21+, Gaylabration.org Benefits Basic Rights Oregon. Featuring: DJ sets by Skiddle, Chris Cox, and Vize and performances by Wanderlust Megacircus.
• Drag Superstars 9 p.m.-late, Embers (110 NW Broadway) Free, 21+, Embersportland.com • Bearracuda 9 p.m.-late, Red Cap Garage (1025 SW Stark St.) $6 cover, 21+, bearracuda.com Featuring: Matt Consola (SF), Matt Stands, and Danimal. • Bearracuda Official After Party 10 p.m.-6 a.m., Hawks PDX (bathhouse- 234 Grand Ave.) $5 lockers for Bearracuda attendees or Oregon Bears, 18+, HawksPDX.com
SATURDAY, JUNE 16
• Portland Pride Waterfront Festival Noon-6 p.m., Waterfront Park (SW Pine St. and the Morrison Bridge) $7 suggested donation, $50 VIP; all ages, Pridenw.org. Features: National and local entertainers, community organizations, vendors, food, and drink. See Pride NW Soundstage Schedule for entertainers. • Rose City Softball All-Stars vs. Portland Police Charity Softball Game Noon-3 p.m., Erv Lind Stadium, Normandale Park, (NE 57th Ave. and Hassalo St.) $5 donation, all ages; benefits Q Center, SMYRC, and the Portland Police Cadets. • TAKING PRIDE ON STARK 2012: Scandal’s Block Party: “Prophecy” 2 p.m.-midnight, Scandal’s (1125 SW Stark St.) $7, 21+, Scandalspdx.com. Benefits Cascade AIDS Project and Peacock After Dark. Featuring: DJ sets by Grant, StormyRoxx, and Robb; performances by Peacock Productions, Acoustic Minds, Saturday Night Orphans, and Funkcaucus-All Star Band. • Dyke March 6 p.m. step off, Waterfront Park to North Park Blocks, Free, all ages, Featuring: Grand Marshall Michelle Clunie (“Queer As Folk”). • History is a Drag! LGBTQ Youth Dance Party 7-10 p.m., Montavilla Community Center (8219 NE Glisan St.) Free, Ages 13-19, Facebook.com/montevillaCC. Featuring: DJ Alejandro Aguato, free pizza, raffle prizes, and resource fair. • Portland Gay Men’s Chorus Summer of Love Concert 7:30 p.m., Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (1037 SW Broadway) $16-$42, all ages, pdxgmc.org Features: A throwback to the 1967 “Summer of Love,” featuring songs from the Beatles’ album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band; tickets available online, at the PCPA Box Office, and Ticketmaster. • Pride NW Official Event Party by Inferno Dances 8 p.m.-4 a.m., Refuge (116 SE Yamhill) $11 advance, $15 door; 21+. (Open to the entire LGBTQ community.) Pridenw.org; Infernodances.com. Featuring: DJ sets by Bomb Shel, Wildfire, and Rockaway; performances by Fringe Benefits, Burlesquire, Happy Hour Hooptini’s, fan dancer Leslie War, pole dancer Noelle Wood, aerialist Lady Ra Ra, fusion belly dancer Lydia Buessler, drag king Cesar Hart, and Gemma Lusterious Burlesque; vendors including Morning Star Bewtender, Olivia Cruises, Curve magazine, She Bop, Ritual Arts, and One Soul Revolution Tshirts; gogo dancers; and art by local artists. • Pinkalicious Pride 8 p.m.-late, Crush (1400 SE Morrison St.)
$5 cover, 21+, Crushbar.com Benefits Equity Foundation and Planned Parenthood. Featuring: DJ Aurora and drink specials. • Blow Pony: Queer Mutiny 8 p.m.-late, Rotture/Branx (315 SE Third Ave.) $5-$6, 21+, blowpony.com Featuring: Indoor and outdoor dancing; free vegan BBQ; official record release for Christeene; performances by Christeene and Boyz (Austin), Jackie Hell (Seattle), Pink Slip (PDX), Jeau Breedlove (PDX), Jay Douglas (Vancouver, B.C.), Matt Bearracuda (SF), and Porq (Seattle). • Hey Girl Hey: Queer Pride 9 p.m.-2:30 a.m., Plan B (1305 SE Eighth Ave.) $10 cover, 21+, heygirlheyqueer.tumblr.com/ Featuring: Performance by Vockah Redu and DJ sets by LA Kendall (Hard Times Seattle), Beyondadoubt (Hole in My Soul/ Mrs.), Roy G Biv (Bent), Mr. Charming (Gaycation), Freddie Says Relax (Wicked Awesome), Pocket Rock-It (Magic Mouth/ Bridge Club); photobooth by Bloodhound Photography; gogo dancing by Leila, Jade Fair, Nicoletta Gaywad, Kiel, Tita Compere, and Boys + Mixtapes. • Second Annual Pride Dollhouse 9 p.m.-2:30 a.m., Hamburger Mary’s (19 NW Fifth Ave.) $3 donation, 21+, Hamburgermarys.com/pdx Featuring: DJ Alicious (Crave), giveaways, and a $300 balloon drop. • Drag Superstars 9 p.m.-late, Embers (110 NW Broadway) Free, 21+, Embersportland.com • Second Annual Mustache Party & Beauty Shop 9 p.m.-late, Red Cap Garage (1025 SW Stark St.) Free, 21+, Boxxes.com. Featuring: Hosted by Svetlana with Angelo Marconi and Matthew Rush. • Crossover Pride: The Extravaganza! 10 p.m., P Club (5264 N. Lombard St.) $10, 21+, crossover04@yahoo.com Featuring: DJ set Heartthrob, hosted by Bolivia Carmichael, with special guests Jody and Iesha Spinks. • CumUnion National Sex Party: Pride 10 p.m.-6 a.m., Hawks (234 Grand Ave.) $15 lockers, 18+, HawksPDX.com • Steam Portland Pride: The Triple Whammy Midnight, Steam Portland (2885 NE Sandy) No cover (locker prices vary), 18+, steamportland.com Featuring: Performances including Brian Davilla, Shay Michaels, and Fabio Stone. pqmonthly.com
PRIDE
SUNDAY, JUNE 17 • Dykes and Allies on Bikes Breakfast 8:30 a.m., Dingo’s (SE Hawthorne St.) $5 for breakfast, all ages. • Pride Parade Party 9 a.m., Embers (110 NW Broadway) Free, 21+, Embersportland.com • Big Bang: A Take Pride Party 11 a.m.-Midnight, NW Fifth & Couch $5 general, $15 with tour, $25 VIP; all ages until 5 p.m., 21+ after, Bigbangpdx.com Benefits Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Portland Public Schools, and Cascade AIDS Project. Featuring: Performances by Prince Poppycock (America’s Got Talent), And And And, Toxic Zombie, Endless Loop, and DJs; a doubledecker party bus, drag queen bus tours, giant waterslide, drag queen dunk tank, dancing, Astro-turf, non-stop live entertainment, carnival games, and vendors. • 42nd Annual Portland Pride Parade 11:15 a.m., SW 13th and W. Burnside to Waterfront Park Free, all ages, Pridenw.org Featuring: Grand Marshall PFLAG Portland and a number of community organization, businesses, politicians, and social groups. • Steam Portland Pride: The Triple Whammy After the Pride Parade, Steam Portland (bathhouse- 2885 NE Sandy Blvd.) No cover (locker prices vary), 18+, steamportland.com Featuring: Performances including Brian Davilla, Shay Michaels, and Fabio Stone. • Portland Pride Waterfront Festival Noon-6 p.m., Waterfront Park (SW Pine St. and the Morrison Bridge) $7 suggested donation, $50 VIP; all ages, Pridenw.org Features: National and local entertainers, community organizations, vendors, food, and drink. See Pride NW Soundstage Schedule for entertainers. • Party City: Red Cap’s Eighth Annual Block Party 1 p.m., Red Cap/Boxxes (1025 SW Stark St.) Advance GA $15, $40 VIP; Boxxes.com Benefits Q Center. Featuring: Performances by Sharon Needles (winner of 2012 “Ru Paul’s Drag Race”), Frenchie Davis (“The Voice” and “American Idol” finalists, Grammy nominee, and Broadway star), Pendulum Aerial Arts, Lisa Dank with DJ Nark, Carla Rossi, Drag Mansion, and the 2012 Portland Idols; DJ sets by Adam West, Hollywood, and Lephreak. • FUCKING GAY ART SHOW PARTY 2 p.m., SoHiTek Gallery (Everett Station Lofts - 625 NW Everett) Free, all ages, sohitekgallery.com Featuring: Art by Susie Rumsby, Ashley Shumaker, Ben Curtis, Ebin Lee, Mary McAllister, Katey Pants, Ryan Swedenborg, and Dawn Yanagihara and music by Magic Mouth. pqmonthly.com
• Pride, Progress & Prosperity 2-4:30 p.m., Hotel 50’s H5O Bistro and Bar (50 SW Morrison St.) Free, all ages, RSVP to Eric Brown at 619818-0502. Featuring: Celia Lyon and Eric Brown celebrating professionalism and friendships impacting communities in Portland, Palm Springs, and San Diego. Co-hosted by Portland Gay and Lesbian Yellow Pages. • TAKING PRIDE ON STARK 2012: Scandal’s Block Party: “Prophecy” 2-8 p.m., Scandal’s (1125 SW Stark St.) Free, 21+, scandalspdx.com Benefits Cascade AIDS Project and Peacock After Dark. Featuring: DJ sets by Grant, StormyRoxx, and Robb; performances by Peacock Productions, Acoustic Minds, Saturday Night Orphans, and Funkcaucus-All Star Band. • Hot Meat Tea Dance 4-8 p.m., Hawks PDX (bathhouse - 234 Grand Ave.) Free, 18+, HawksPDX.com Featuring: Free BBQ and dance music. • GREEDY: Bi Pride and Genderf**king Takeover’s Official Block Party/Sharon Needles After Party 8 p.m.-late, Yes and No (20 NW Third Ave.) Free, 21+, facebook.com/events/386112974770481 Featuring: DJ sets by FreeQ, Darkcloud, Stormy Roxx, and more. • Cross Over Pride: The Kick Back! 8 p.m., Carefree Bar & Grill (10209 SE Division St.) Free, 21+, crossover04@yahoo.com Featuring: DJ House • Latino Night + Karaoke 9 p.m.-late, Embers (110 NW Broadway) Free, 21+, Embersportland.com Featuring: Dancing, Dj sets bu Jen and Jub Jub, and gogo dancers. • Aalto Pride with Reynosa 9 p.m.-1 a.m., Aalto Lounge (3356 SE Belmont St.) Free, 21+, Facebook.com/aaltolounge Featuring: Cumbia records spun by Reynosa and cheap margaritas.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20 • Rice, Beans, and Collard Greens 8:30 p.m.-2 a.m., Holocene (1001 SE Morrison St.) $5 sliding scale, all ages, Basicrights.org Featuring: Hosted by Basic Rights Oregon, Asian Pacific Islander Pride, Portland Black Pride, Portland Latino Gay Pride, and Portland Two Spirits Society and DJ sets by Equestrian, Boy Joy, and Common Deminator.
SATURDAY, JUNE 23 • Oh So (Queer) History of Portland: A Tour of PDX’s LGBTQ Community 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Downtown Portland $10 (preregistration required), all ages, Dillpickleclub.org Featuring: A walking tour of LGBTQ Port-
land’s past and present culture, including guest speakers Darcelle XV, David Kohl, Dr. Ann Mussey, and representatives from Cascade AIDS Project and Basic Rights Oregon. Part of the PICA symposium “Bodies, Identities, and Alternative Economies.”
PORTLAND LATINO GAY PRIDE
• Mr., Miss & Ms. Gay Oregon Pageant 6 p.m., Embers (110 NW Broadway) $20 donation, 21+, Rosecourt.org Benefits Audria M. Edwards and Pride of Rose Scholarship Funds. Features: A pageant put on by the Imperial Sovereign Rose Court.
• Noche Bohemia – PLGP Opening Reception 7 p.m., Location TBA All ages, Latinogaypridepdx.com Featuring: Poetry and music and celebrating this year’s Mariposa Award Recipients, PLGP Scholarship winners, and saying gracias to sponsors and volunteers.
CORVALLIS PRIDE Saturday, June 30 • Corvallis Pride Celebration Noon-6 p.m., Central Park (SW Sixth St. and SW Monroe St.) Free, all ages, Pridecorvallis.com
VANCOUVER PRIDE FRIDAY, JULY 13 • Friends and Family BBQ 6 p.m., The DuPont House (Contact Shelia Dupont for address) $5 suggested donation, all ages, Gayvancouverwa.org
SATURDAY, JULY 14
THURSDAY, JULY 19
FRIDAY, JULY 20 • PLGP Dance Party 9 p.m.-late, Boxxes (1025 SW Stark St.) $5 cover, all ages, Latinogaypridepdx.com Featuring: Carnaval style gogo dancers, Latin tunes, and late night surprises.
SATURDAY, JULY 21 • PLGP Festival: CARNAVAL 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., Pure Space (1315 NW Overton) $5 suggested donation, 21+, Latinogaypride.com
SUNDAY, JULY 22 • Nuestras Latinas y sus Amigos – Brunch en estilo Latina/o 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Dingos Restaurant & Tequila Bar (4612 SE Hawthorne St.) $10, all ages, Latinogaypride.com Featuring: Food and friends en puro estilo Latina/o.
• Lyles Myles 8:30 a.m. registration, Esther Short Park (W Columbia Ave. and W 8th St) $2 for dogs, whatever you can raise in pledges for humans, all ages, Gayvancouverwa.org Benefits Martha’s Pantry, Global Partners, and Cascade AIDS Project. Features: A 5K walk (9:15 a.m.), a 5K run (9:45 a.m.), a trophy ceremony (10:30 a.m.), and raffle.
EUGENE/ SPRINGFIELD PRIDE
• Saturday in the Park 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Esther Short Park (W Columbia Ave. and W 8th St.) Free, all ages, Gayvancouverwa.org Featuring: Family-friendly live music, performances, and other events.
OREGON COAST PRIDE (LINCOLN CITY)
• Gay Vancouver Pageant: Blush and Bashful, A Cotton Candy Affair 5 p.m., Fraternal Order of the Eagles Lodge # 2158 (107 E. 7th St.) $12 from a candidate, $15 door; all ages, Gayvancouverwa.org
SUNDAY, JULY 15 • Celebration Brunch 10 a.m.-noon., Fraternal Order of the Eagles Lodge # 2158 (107 E. 7th St.) $5 suggested donation, all ages, Gayvancouverwa.org
AUGUST 11
http://eugenepride.org/
September 6-9 Oregoncoastpride.com
SOUTHERN OREGON PRIDE (ASHLAND) October 11-14 Sopride.org
June/July 2012 • 13
FEATURES
CARLA STORMS THE TOWN WITH A BANG BANG By Daniel Borgen PQ Monthly
Contrary to popular belief, Portland’s nightlife is always in flux — change is mostly inevitable. There are old standbys, of course, but along with those are the shots-in-the-arm, the new approaches that keep things feeling fresh. Exhibit A and B: Carla Rossi and Little Tommy Bang Bang. If you’ve seen Peep Show, or surveyed any number of our city’s late-night parties, you’ve probably already caught glimpses of Portland’s preeminent drag clown, Carla Rossi (aka Anthony Hudson). You’ve beheld the glory with your own eyes, you’ve heard with your own ears the sort of maniacal laugh that’s now trademark Rossi. And with a slew of projects and party-hosting duties in the works — along with rumors of a “onewoman” show — Rossi’s exposure shows no signs of slowing. In addition to pursuing citywide notoriety, this savant does what every queer artist eventually must: hose off the makeup, shed the garb, and slip into his or her day job. Pressed about his innermost secrets, Hudson — slipping in and out of Rossi mode — shared: “I’m my own pimp and prostitute for the performing arts. I don’t star in any regular show at any single venue but I certainly can work a variety of events each month.” “Since I’ve become a household name,” Hudson added, “I also have a solid asking rate for every show I do — I’m up from two drink tickets to three! But when I’m not Carla, I work less vulgar jobs as a proofreader and tutor at PNCA [Pacific Northwest College of Art] — where I’m a full time
student — and work as a video editor.” Hudson, who often works alone, reflected a bit on his Carla Rossi process. “I was originally projectile-vomited onto the scene as one half of the Tampon Troupe. Carla is fun — I usually start with a topic I think is funny, like quantum teleportation or books on tape read by Ethel Merman. Then I just have to find a way to work in a show tune and a dash of social commentary.” But in what has become vintage Portland, Hudson doesn’t shy away from group work. “It’s [collaboration]
Photo by Raina Stinson Phtography
Little Tommy Bang Bang (top) and Carla Rossi.
usually with Little Tommy Bang Bang and the Drag Mansion, Melody Awesomeazing, or Kaj-anne Pepper. Kaj-anne and I are working on a gloriously ambitious project called
WRQ* with our friends. We’ve been working on it since April. The project utilizes our talents differently and in many new ways from what audiences are used to, so we’re tackling it under a new group moniker The DECEPTiCONS.” Busy, busy. Hudson names Peep Show his favorite show to perform in — and pledges upcoming hosting duties. “Carla has an on-again, off-again romance with Little Tommy Bang Bang [Peep Show organizer], so here’s hoping nepotism wins out over talent in my case.” Pride, as is the case for so many, means a gaggle of performances — and some serious Sharon Needles anticipation. “I’m kicking off Pride by starring in Carla Rossi’s Doomsday Cabaret for the latest Queerlandia Party at Embers. Half of that will be dance-centric, and the other half an apocalyptic musical vaudeville emceed by Carla,” he said. “Of course I’m most excited to perform my number at Red Cap’s Block Party with Drag Mansion. That show is hosted by the gorgeous Sharon Needles — so hopefully Carla remembers to show up. I’m really hoping she slaps me at some point. When I’m not covered in white face and whiskey, I plan on spending the rest of my time sleeping — in the nearest dumpster.” Frequent Carla Rossi collaborator, current Peep Show architect, member of Drag Mansion, and Miss Thing (remember that?) disco ball showstopper — drag king Little Tommy Bang Bang, aka Korin Schneider, has donned a variety of hats (and facial hair, and skin-tight pants) of late. Hailing from Milwaukie, Wisconsin — helping balance out some of that Scott Walker stuff —Schneider performed regularly with a troupe there called the Miltown Kings and, at the very beginning of her time here, struggled to find a place as a performer in Portland. “Peep Show became my most regular venue,” Schneider recalled. “I performed
there monthly for a while; a group of us ended up performing together a lot. Eventually we made it official and gave ourselves a name: Drag Mansion.” When Peep Show’s mastermind, Artemis Chase, moved on — reigns were eventually passed to Little Tommy Bang Bang. Nighttime duties alone obviously don’t make ends meet. Outside that realm, Schneider works as a property manager and ceramics class teacher. “Wearing my drag performer hat doesn’t pay the bills. I do it because I love it. I host Peep Show because I want all the other wonderful, talented queer performers in this town to have a stage to express themselves and show off their talents. I also sell my artwork, whore my drag persona, and shop exclusively at thrift stores.” And, as is the case for many a transplant, there’s plenty of love for the Rose City. “What I love about queer Portland is the sheer volume,” she said. “There’s something for everyone, and I love going to events and not knowing half the people there even after living here for four years.” For Pride festivities, Drag Mansion kicks things off at Queerlandia, then plans to march. “We’re decorating a float and hoping to bring masses to represent the fierceness of Peep Show, Genderfucking Takeover, Homomentum — and any other queer performance-based shows,” Schneider said. Then her troupe saunters up Stark to share Red Cap’s stage with a slew of local greats — and, of course, the one we’re all waiting for: Sharon Needles. The DECEPTiCONS premiere at Hand2Mouth’s Risk/Reward festival on June 23 and 24. Peep Show and Genderfucking Takeover’s monthly rotating party — the latter Rossi hosts — will both be back in July. Stay with PQ online for all the latest event updates.
CLOWN OF CONTROVERSY: RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE QUEEN SHARON NEEDLES TAKES A STAB AT PORTLAND By Sunny Clark PQ Monthly
Sharon Needles wears her RuPaul’s Drag Race crown with pride, and admits her “life has become ridiculous since the crowning. I’m zipping to every city in America and fitting in photo ops and interviews. I’m trying to meet every fan I can. It’s definitely a nightmare come true!” Interviewed from her Pittsburg, Penn., home, where she is “loving being back with my drag family, Haus of Haunt,” Needles is also eager to resume touring, particularly for her upcoming visit to the Pacific Northwest. “I’ve never been, and I’ve always been interested in Portland,” she says. “It’s like a sister city to Pittsburg.” The reigning Queen of Queens dubs Portland “a mecca for artists, writers, and freaks in general. We lose a lot of kids to Portland.” 14 • June/July 2012
“[I’m] looking forward to meeting the artistic individuals of Portland, and sampling the granola [and] the marijuana. And I’m so glad everyone can attend,” she needles, “because no one there has jobs!” What should fans and the curious expect from her Portland performance? “My show embodies my tag lines: beautiful, spooky and stupid!” she says. “I want to bring the punk rock back to drag. Hopefully, my crowning can help that. The world needs it; these underground punk messy queens are in every city.” Referring to Portland’s own Burlesquire and one of its principal dancers, Isaiah Tillman, Needles says, “I’m excited to work with artists like male burlesque dancers who are pushing the boundaries. You don’t see a lot of big African Americans in burlesque. It’s exciting.” Asked about accusations of racism and the controversy surrounding her impersonation of RuPaul at a club in Oklahoma City in April, she
remains defiant. “Sharon Needles has always been a controversial character designed to create controversy,” she says. “... We’re clowns of controversy!” Needles considers the backlash to be undeserved hater hype. “There’s a huge difference between impersonating a black person and wearing blackface,” she says. “No one seems upset that RuPaul impersonates a blond, rich, white lady.” Now that Needles is herself a “blond, rich, white lady,” she is preparing to meet an adoring public during her upcoming tour. “I throw a wig in a bag, hop on my broom, and wait for my manager to whisk me away!” Sharon Needles performs at Red Cap Garage’s annual Block Party on June 17, also featuring Frenchie Davis, Burlesquire, Peep Show, and a pride of local talent. Visit redcapgarage.com for more information. pqmonthly.com
NIGHTLIFE
pqmonthly.com
June/July 2012 • 15
NEWS
16 • June/July 2012
pqmonthly.com
VOCKAH REDU BOUNCES TO HIS OWN BEDAZZLED BEAT By Erin Rook PQ Monthly
For queers who love hip-hop, there may be nothing more magical than a “sissy bounce” show. The synchronized gyrations of booty-clad backup dancers. The sequinencrusted bling. The beats that shake all pretense to the floor. Vockah Redu — a New Orleans-based artist and contemporary of bounce royalty such as Big Freedia and Katey Red — will bring that primal, spiritual experience to Portland June 16. Sandwiched between two Seattle perform a n c e s, Re d u ( p ronounced Rah-doo) will headline Hey Girl Hey!, a queer pride dance party from DJ Roy G Biv (Bent) and Plan B. “I am indeed uper uper super [excited] about this show; not just because I’m performing, but [because] it’s celebrating pride and selffreedom,” Redu says. He’ll be bringing his Cru, which currently features Shortee Whop (Glendell Weir), Ener- Vockah Redu gyzah (Clarence Mosley), and Taveion Rodeo (Donte Brown). A quick perusal of YouTube reveals the Cru to be particularly skilled at booty popping. (It really is a skill — complete with YouTube tutorials.) That they have their own stripper pole speaks to their dedication to perfecting their sultry moves. Because when it comes down to it, bounce is a verb. Beats per minute become synonymous with bounces per minute, and the crowd transforms into a human metronome, vibrating in time with the rhythm. “I know the show is going well at the end of the show when my Beatfreakquincyz [audience] is still dancing,” Redu says. Pushing through an entire bounce set is a physically taxing feat, but Redu isn’t asking for anything he isn’t willing to bring to the stage. He combines an eclectic mix of African, hip-hop, and modern dance with over-the-top theatrical costuming and gunfire-fast raps to create a powerfully contagious energy. “Fashion is a feeling and I wear what makes me feel good,” Redu says of his performance aesthetic, which has in the past included glowing Gaga-like glasses, metallic space suits, and bright sequined jackets. “Performing, to me, is my therapy. It does by body right, no left.” There is something about bounce music that, when fully engaged, has the ability exorcise one’s demons — if only tempopqmonthly.com
rarily. The West Coast experienced its first booty poppin’ revivals thanks to DJ Beyondadoubt (Hole in My Soul), who introduced sissy bounce artists through her dance night Buck and Bounce and continues to spin her own queer bounce creations at party’s such as Mrs. “Bounce is on the rise and I am happy that people of all different lives are enjoying [it],” Redu says. Beyondadoubt, who recently toured Europe with Gossip, will also be performing at Hey Girl Hey!, alongside NW power DJs LA Kendall (Hard Times Seattle), Roy G Biv (Bent), Mr. Charming (Gaycation), Freddie Says Relax (Wicked Awesome), and Pocket RockIt (Magic Mouth/Bridge Club). Bloodhound Photography will be on hand with a photobooth to document the shortness of the shorts, while gogo dancers Leila, Jade Fair, Nicoleta Gaywad, Kiel, Tita Compere, and Boys + Mixtapes will provide the inspiration. Redu credits an equally diverse cast of muses. “My inspiration [is] the Creator, my mother, Erykah Badu, Nina Simone, Al Jarreau, Prince, Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5, Andre 3000, Lil Wayne, Beyonce, Grace Jones, Janelle Monae, Sir Mix-a-Lot, [and] Lady Gaga,” Redu says. He recently had the opportunity to collaborate with one of his influences when he recorded “Fantahsea (Shake Yo’ Bones)” with Seattle-based emcee and producer (of “Baby Got Back” fame) Sir Mix-a-Lot. The project includes a video, the trailer for which can be seen on Redu’s website. But the multi-talented performer has more than sick beats and hot moves up sometimes-eccentric sleeves. Redu has plans to start a rock band (perhaps to help him earn the “latter-day George Clinton” title bestowed on him by New York Times Magazine) as well as film, fashion, and fitness projects. “What’s next for me? I’m working on this movie in NYC this fall, this play in New Orleans called ‘Lilly’s Revenge,’ new music, exercise video, music video, fashion shows and underwear line, [and] being a great father and human being,” Redu says. He didn’t mention where he gets his inexhaustible energy. But considering that he identifies as a “unicorn” (among other things), it probably wouldn’t hurt to bottle up his sweat. Who knows what queer magic it contains? (If you need to lure him closer, we hear he likes peanut butter and jelly.)
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PERSPECTIVES
LATEBIAN LIFE PRIDE, POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE
By Kathryn Martini PQ Monthly
My first Pride celebration was in 2005 and the one thing that stands out in my memory is being at the (now closed) Egyptian Room, where a woman looked me up and down and said to her friend, “What happened to our dyke bar?” It certainly wasn’t a very welcoming introduction to what Pride is about, but I didn’t let it bother me — too much. I can’t really help the way I look (very femme) and even if I could, I wouldn’t want to. I enjoy cute clothes, shoes, and makeup and there’s plenty of room for ladies like me in our everwidening diverse community. I’ve managed to let go of that uncomfortable feeling of wanting to fit in. I’m involved with lots of people, activities, and organizations that validate me as a full-fledged member of all things gay and I’m proud to be part of the Portland queer community. I’m reminded of that pride each June. Pride has several meanings, depending on definition. It’s one of the seven deadly or cardinal sins (along with lust and gluttony and a few others that were detailed in a Brad Pitt movie). It can mean an inflated sense of self-importance or superiority (bad), selfrecognition for an accomplishment, or the feeling of belonging and attachment to a group of people (both good.) As an emotion, it stands alone, meaning it is different than happiness, sadness, or anger. Pride is a personal or collective feeling, hard to describe but apparent when it’s there. Pride for our community is a time to come together, enjoy the festivities, see a parade, and reflect on the past year — kind of like a family reunion. Whatever the participation level, most of us at least pause and recognize its significance and know that a lot of people are celebrating who we are in the world. Pride also increases our visibility in the greater community; even Safeway has “Celebrate Pride” signs hanging from the ceiling! This year, I will be missing the parade and festivities, because on June 17, I will be graduating from college. I have a lot of things to be proud of in my life, some of which is pride for other people’s accomplishments, like my daughter’s academic and athletic achievements and my wife’s perseverance and dedication to anything she puts her mind to. Some are personal. I’m proud to be mothering strong and competent daughters who have all made it to their teenage years without
any apparent significant damage. I’m proud of my small successes, the help I’ve given others, and the life I’ve created. Seven years ago, I wouldn’t have imagined my life now. I was in a very sad and confusing place, knowing I brought it all on myself. Not only was I dealing with the guilt of breaking up my family with divorce, I was grappling with my identity and trying to figure out what I would do for the rest of my life. My role was wife and mother, and even though I pursued outside interests, I never considered my own future or who I would become beyond taking care of a family. Slowly I started to build a new existence. I met my wife and with her help and encouragement went back to school, first at a community college and then to Portland State University, where I’ve been studying English and writing. Every term I’ve held myself to the highest standard and lamented every grade that wasn’t perfect. It was highly annoying to all of my friends and family, but it was what I needed to do. I almost didn’t graduate high school but for the grace of my geometry teacher, who gave me a “D” instead of the “F” I deserved. I failed out of college the first time, failed at two marriages, and believed somewhere inside that I would fail at this, too. I had nightmares that I forgot to go to class for the entire term or didn’t do any of the work and needed to take an exam; even during this final quarter, a remnant of that doom and disappointment was lurking just around the corner. I realize now that I worked so hard for good grades less because I wanted accomplishment and more because I feared failure. In retrospect I probably could have saved myself a lot of worry and grief by just chilling out and enjoying it more. I’ve heard other women my age say that going back to school would be too hard, too time consuming, and too expensive. It is indeed all of those things but not without reward. Learning what I have and earning my degree has been the most difficult but best thing I’ve ever done for myself and I wouldn’t trade the past four years for anything. I’m a different person now than I was then, because of education. While everyone else is watching the parade with merriment, I’ll be wearing a god-awful-unflattering-ridiculous-looking cap and gown waiting for my name to be called. I will walk across a stage in front of thousands of people to shake the university president’s hand and be congratulated. I’m pretty sure it will be the proudest moment of my life.
Kathryn Martini is a writer, blogger, and columnist. She lives in the Portland suburbs with her beautiful wife and three teenage daughters. She blogs at recoveringstraightgirl.com and can be reached through kathrynmartini.com. 18 • June/July 2012
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By Nick Mattos PQ Monthly
Friday night, 10:30 p.m., Roadside Attraction is packed. Dennis lifts his cosmopolitan up to his lips, smiles as he looks over the rim of his glass to the handsome red-haired architect sitting before him. The sound of rain against the tin roof above them mixes with the happy sound of bargoers, other dates laughing at each other’s jokes. On the other side of the smoking area, Natalie taps away at the screen of her phone. “Are you here yet, sweetie?” she types to her girlfriend. She scans over the crowd, looking for her lady; her eyes settle upon the table with two boys. Oh, hell no, she thinks, picking up her glass. It’s Ross. She stands up, making her way through the crowd to his table. “I really think I’m starting to like you,” Dennis tells Ross, sliding his foot under the table to touch Ross’. Suddenly, the girl in the green hoodie stands next to their table, glaring. “We need to talk,” Natalie says to Ross, setting her drink down on the table, rosycheeked and whiskey-bold. “I really don’t have anything to say to you,” Ross says, looking at Dennis and smiling. “Sorry,” he mouths silently to him. Natalie feels her face flush hot. “Well, I have something to say to you,” she says, her eyes narrowing. “Why the fuck would you treat Matt so badly?” “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ross replies, his eyes narrowing in response. “You treated my friend like shit!” Natalie says, heat rising into her head. “Why?” Ross says, anger rising in his voice. “Because I dumped him?” “No! Because you didn’t give a shit about him!” Natalie says, watching Dennis’ eyes get wide. “He told me everything. A week after you had your families meet, you cheated on him in the goddamn bathroom of your sister’s wedding! You told all your shitty friends and they didn’t even give a fuck about Matt!” Natalie is on a roll, unconsciously spitting with righteous rage, watching Ross’ jaw drop. “Then you didn’t even have the balls to tell him and dumped him for bullshit reasons that didn’t make any sense! You didn’t even have the balls to tell him until after you psychologically tortured him with your on-again-off-again dating shit for six fucking months!”
Ross slams his beer glass down on the table. “You don’t know what happened in our relationship, Natalie!” he says defensively. “I know that you chewed my friend up and spat him out!” Natalie says, her voice rising. “Listen … he was unfaithful too,” Ross says, looking down at the table. “What the hell are you talking about?” Natalie asks incredulously. “Matt didn’t cheat on you!” “Yes, he did.” Ross says sadly, his eyes fixed on the table. “He probably didn’t tell anyone. He didn’t even tell me, but I knew. You just know.” He sighs. “The burden of knowing was terrible — it broke my heart, but I couldn’t talk about it with him. Even if I did, Matt would just deny it anyway.” His eyes meet Natalie’s. “I shouldn’t have done what I did. It’s weighed on me terribly, and seeing Matt suffer the way he has since then has almost killed me, knowing that what he and I once had turned into this, seeing the results of our relationship. We both hurt so badly, and hurt each other so badly, but we couldn’t talk about it. Please, just believe me when I say that I have a lot of regrets, but that I did the only things I could, and God, I am so sorry to have hurt him. I was just in so much pain myself, and didn’t know what to do.” Natalie glares at Ross as he cowers slightly, then lets out a sharp sigh. She picks up her drink, looks at Dennis and back at Ross. “I’m not the one you need to apologize to, Ross.” With that, she turns and walks away quickly, not letting them see the embarrassed confusion on her face. The boys are left alone. “Is this true?” Dennis asks, stunned. Ross keeps looking at the table sheepishly. “Yes,” he sighs. “I fucked up. Matt and I both fucked up.” He looks back up at Dennis. “This is my baggage, right? The past?” Dennis and Ross look at each other silently, confusion in Dennis’ eyes, Ross’ full of sadness. Farther back than anyone can see, beneath and throughout everything, lies a great chain of causes, decisions made in snap judgment, actions executed in public and private. The chain leads up to the present moment, invisible but real, the links making up everything we know about ourselves, everything we wish we could know about each other, forming our histories and bodies, the rainy city on a Friday night, two boys at a table in a red-lit bar. The past doesn’t go anywhere, Dennis thinks, searching Ross’ face for hints of the truth, searching his heart for a signal of what to do. They sit, silently watching, the sound of bar chatter and rain against the tin roof filling all the space between them, waiting to make their next causes, looking to see the next effect that they will bring.
Nick Mattos can be reached at nick@pqmonthly.com. pqmonthly.com
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PERSPECTIVES
THE FIGHT FOR FULL HOMOPHOBIA AND THE BLACK COMMUNITY: EQUALITY WAGES ON DON’T BUY INTO THE STEREOTYPES By Sen. Jeff Merkley
“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Forty-five years have passed since Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. u t t e re d t h o s e now-famous words, but this Pride month, they ring as true as ever. In the realm of LGBT rights, the arc is being bent every day, inch by inch, with changes that are making America a fairer and a more equal place to live. The past four years have been an unprecedented period in our history for LGBT equality. The passage of the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act means that finally it is no longer any less a crime to attack someone on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity than for their religion or the color of their skin. The repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell brought an end to an unfair era that asked our men and women in uniform to hide who they are to serve the country they love. And the extension of marriage equality to the residents of five new states and the District of Columbia has given thousands more couples the power to express their commitment and love under the law. The momentum has stayed strong this year with the passage of marriage equality in two state legislatures and a watershed moment in American history: the first public endorsement of marriage equality by our president. But there is no doubt that we have more work to do. An appeals court recently ruled that the so-called Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional. This is a great step forward, but the law is still on our books. Instead of waiting for the Supreme Court to act, we should repeal that legislation now. Similarly, marriage equality is being challenged on the ballot in the two states where it recently pqmonthly.com
passed, requiring us to fight back harder than ever. Meanwhile, it is simply unthinkable that in 2012 it is legal to fire or refuse to hire someone on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity — yet this is still the case in the majority of states. One of my proudest accomplishments as the Speaker of the Oregon House was passing Oregon’s version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which outlawed this form of discrimination in Oregon. Now, I am working in the U.S. Senate as the cosponsor of a law that will protect LGBT Americans across all 50 states. I am thrilled that this month we are holding a Senate hearing to address this issue of fundamental fairness. And this hearing will make history again in its own small way: it will be the first ENDA hearing in Senate history to include a transgender witness. There is one other Dr. King quote that, though less famous, bears directly on the challenge before us: “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable. Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” When looking back at the struggles and the triumphs of history, whether the last 40 years or the last four years, it is important to remember how far we have come — and how much of it is thanks to individuals like you. I will keep fighting until we have full equality under the law for all LGBT Americans, and I am proud and honored to have you by my side. Happy Pride. Son of a millwright, Jeff Merkley was born in Myrtle Creek, Ore. Merkley was a fiveterm member of the Oregon Legislature and served as the speaker of the Oregon Legislature beginning in 2006. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2008.
(Left to right) Khalil Edwards with his dad, Keith Edwards, and his sister, Kijana Winchester. By Khalil Edwards Portland Black Pride and PFLAG Portland Black Chapter
It has long been the narrative that Black folks are anti-gay and homophobic. This type of messaging is inherently problematic. The recent announcement made by President Barack Obama in support of marriage equality has brought to light what many of us have known all along. Over the years many mainstream media outlets have continued to perpetuate the myth that Black/African Americans as a demographic are anti-gay. Politicians in turn have used this stereotype to drive anti-gay campaigns. Whether it is the media spreading the political rhetoric or politicians using the media to support their arguments, the message is wrong and the outcome harmful either way. The argument has been used time and time again, too often successfully, to drive a wedge between communities. To paint the Black population as anti-gay denies Black/African Americans who identify as part of the LGBT community and makes them invisible. We as a people come into this world with multiple identities that are continuing to be shaped and shifted over time. Our gender identity, race, sexual orientation, and religion are all pieces of what makes us our whole selves. Too often LGBT Black/African Americans are forced to minimize, prioritize, or ignore part of their identities. We can be and often are Black, Christian, and gay. That in itself, to me, makes the whole ant-gay argument not only false, but just a little silly. I applaud the president for his recent announcement in support of marriage equality for a few reasons, the topmost of those being simply that he has sparked a national dialogue. The conversations, debates, cam-
paigns, and political battles around marriage equality are not new to me. Partly because I work for Basic Rights Oregon and PFLAG Portland Black Chapter and partly because I identify as part of the LGBT community, the issue of marriage equality is constantly on my radar. But for those of us in Oregon and in the rest of the country who are not engaged in these issues, the president’s announcement is very potent. Obama has brought marriage equality to the dinner table, the living room, the grocery store, Facebook, email, and more. Aunties are talking to their gay cousins, moms and dads are talking to their children, friends are talking to neighbors, and coworkers are talking to each other. Obama has sparked a national conversation that before had been somewhat marginalized in different pockets of communities throughout the country. And in the wake of all this, people are presented with the opportunity to become public allies and supporters. Celebrities like Jay-Z and Will Smith, along with influential national organizations like the NAACP, are speaking up to affirm or reaffirm their commitment to LGBT equality. Now we get to highlight what many of us have already known: don’t believe the hype and there is still much work to do. Polls are being conducted, surveys are being collected, data is being analyzed, and numbers are being crunched. Overall the majority of the Black community supports LGBT equality and marriage equality, often in higher numbers than other communities. “Black people are just as multidimensional as anyone else, but a stubborn media narrative routinely suggests that Black folks are robotic, monolithic and homophobic, programmed by ‘powerful’ ‘Black pastors’ who are all anti-gay,” journalist Rod McCullom wrote in an opinion
piece for Ebony magazine. Black folks have deep spiritual ties to faith-based groups and organizations and tend to be more religious than the population at large. On the same token, Black folks overwhelmingly support progressive political candidates, and overwhelmingly elect pro-gay politicians. As Portland Black Pride fast approaches and we come together to celebrate our achievements, honor our heroes, and work to build a more vibrant community, we can be proud of where the country is moving and use this opportunity to continue the dialogue and momentum it has begun, using this momentum not only to build support for marriage equality, but also to highlight the many inequities LGBT Black/African Americans are dealing with every day. Black Gay and Transgender folks are among the most vulnerable in our society. In particular we experience stark social, economic, and health disparities compared to the general population and our straight black counterparts. These issues must be addressed, as well as the structural barriers that prevent the wellbeing of all Americans. PFLAG Portland Black Chapter is currently working with the Urban League of Portland on a groundbreaking report that will highlight some of the issues and disparities facing LGBT Black/African Americans in Oregon. This report will help to inform how we can better serve our community and improve the lives of not only LGBT Black/African American Oregonians, but all Oregonians. We know that dismantling discriminatory practices, systems, conditions, and institutions does not only serve the individual, but entire communities. The president has opened a window of opportunity, the Black community has responded overwhelmingly, and we are here not only to open all the windows, but to open doors, and tear down all barriers through education. However, don’t mistake our patience for complacency. We are going to accomplish what we will by any legal means necessary. Khalil Edwards is a native of Portland, and recently returned in 2007 after teaching middle and high school English in Southern California. He has long been an advocate and activist in the LGBTQ community and will be recognized as one of 30 Queer Heroes at the Q Center on June 14. He currently works as an organizer in Basic Rights Oregon’s Racial Justice Program and as the coordinator for PFLAG Portland Black Chapter (pflagpdx@gmail.com). For information on Portland Black Pride, email portlandblackpride@gmail.com. June/July 2012 • 25
ARTS & CULTURE
OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS When does sexy go too far?
For this edition’s version of Opposing Viewpoints, we wade into the touchy subject of Pride parades. More specifically, sexiness in Pride parades. Not the kind of sexy that means showing some skin, but sexual innuendo. Is it appropriate considering our history and liberation? Or should we consider the unintended implications of our behavior on a hapless public? We’ve asked community members to weigh in; their replies are below. CHRIS WARR-KING, NW PORTLAND
SATURDAY IN THE PARK
The SW Washington GLBT community invites you to experience the 18th annual Saturday in the Park celebration “Gateway to equality” the weekend of July 14th. Saturday in the Park provides a family friendly venue for the safe and open expression of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. We encourage all community members to gather, celebrate, acknowledge, and embrace the importance and value of their efforts, achievements, experiences, and life.
Events: Saturday, July 7, 2012 Vancouver Gay Pride Pageant, Join us at the Vancouver F.O.E. at 107 E. 7th Street, Vancouver, WA. Door 6 PM/Show 7PM No cover charge although donations are welcome! Saturday, July 14, 2012 Lyles Myles Charity Walk and Run Esther Short Park, Registration at 8:30 am 5 K walk at 9:15 am - 5 K run at 9:45 am Trophies and Raffle at 10:30 am
Saturday in the Park at Esther Short Park, W Columbia Ave and W 8th St Vancouver, WAAll are welcome! Opening Ceremonies 11:00 am - Live music and events from 11:30 am - 5:00 pmLive Performances by Local Entertainers: The 2012-2013 Gay Vancouver Pageant; Blush and Bashful; A Cotton Candy Affair To be held at Fraternal Order of the Eagles Lodge # 2158 - 107 E. 7th Street Door: 5:00 PM Show 6:00 PM Tickets are $15 at the door or $12 if you purchase them from one of the candidates for Mr., Ms., or Miss Gay Vancouver at Saturday in The Park.
For more information, please visit our website at www.sitppride.info 26 • June/July 2012
Recently I engaged in a conversation with members of the PQ Monthly team — expressing my disappointment in the disrespect demonstrated by some of our community in the Pride Parade. My point: it’s sad that I feel I cannot bring my supportive family to our parade because there are a handful of participants who use it to fan their fetish for exhibitionism. The last thing I want is to explain to my nieces what those guys are doing in the leather swing, grinding and grunting. I imagine same-sex parents might feel the same way. Don’t get me wrong — and come on down from the militant cross (we need that wood to build a half-decent parade float). Be flamboyant, be yourself, be filled with pride —after all, we’ve made some major strides as a community. But be aware of your audience in our parade which marches down major city streets midday Sunday, and keep it respectful to everyone. I’m not talking about being sexy during Pride — please, please bring the “Altoid Boys” to Portland already! Give me a welldesigned float (talk about Pride)! Here’s my point: as a community, we ask for respect and tolerance from our neighbors — so shouldn’t we show the same respect to them? We are proud to be supported by so many wonderful organizations and public leaders, let’s show them the same respect. I watch families march with heads high supporting their LGBTQ loved ones from PFLAG groups across our diverse state and cringe as a 70-year old woman with a sign reading, “I love my gay grandson” is forced to watch people running up and down the street nearly naked whipping each other ‘til they’re bleeding.
Does it fill you with an overwhelming sense of pride that you like to get nailed in a swing? (Who doesn’t, right?) But if this is your only sense of fulfillment you may need more than a parade. Or better yet — we need another parade focused on fetishes, like Folsom Street Fair. I have just the outfit. This year let’s think it out. What’s my motivation? How does this benefit my community while demonstrating pride to the audience? It’s not a sex parade. It’s not even a human anatomy parade. (Put the effort into a pride costume.) It’s a Pride parade. If we continue to only define ourselves based on outrageous sexual acts (which I’m thinking aren’t performed by the majority of parade goers or marchers), we will only continue to drive fear and repulsion into the hearts of those who may otherwise show tolerance and learn the truth. We are proud of ourselves, our loves, and our contributions to society — and they should be, too. ELIZABETH HAMMERHEART, N PORTLAND
My understanding of Pride has always been it’s about complete acceptance of who you are in the face of terrible adversity. Although LGBTQIA folks have made strides in social acceptance, we’re still not there yet, that wonderful there where our work is done. Sexuality is a critical part of what makes us different; I am not arguing that there should be overt sex acts happening in public, but I also find a complete denial of sexuality to be accommodationist. We have come too far to start giving in now. In the past, we could be more accepted if we denied what we were. The freaks and the opposing viewpoints page 33
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FEATURES
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Laurelhurst SE Stark St
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3 Scandals - 1125 SW Stark St QUEER SPACES 4 Crush Bar - 1400 SE Morrison St 15 Red 1035Park SWAve Stark St The Cap/Boxxes Escape - 333- SW 26 Silverado - 318 SW Stark St Eagle - 835 N Lombard 37 Scandals - 1125-SW St St CC Slaughters 219Stark NW Davis 48 Crush - 1400 Morrison SteamBar - 2885 NE SE Sandy Blvd St 59 The Escape Park Ave Hawks PDX -- 333 234 SW SE Grand 610 Eagle - 835 Darcelle XVN- Lombard 208 NW 3rd Ave 711 CC St FoxSlaughters & Hound’s--219 217NW NWDavis 2nd Ave 812 Steam - 2885 NESE Sandy Starky’s - 2913 StarkBlvd St 913 Hawks Grand EmbersPDX - 110- 234 NWSE Broadway 10 XV -Mary’s 208 NW 3rdNW Ave5th Ave 14 Darcelle Hamburger - 19 11 217 NW 2nd Ave 15 Fox Joqs& -Hound’s 2512 NE-Broadway 12 - 2913 -SE Stark 16 Starky’s Local Lounge 3536 NESt MLK, Jr. Blvd 13 Embers - 110 NW Broadway 14 HamburgerQUEER Mary’s SPACES - 19 NW 5th Ave SOMETIMES 15 - 2512 NE- Broadway 17 Joqs Foggy Notion 3416 N Lombard 16 - 3536 Jr. Blvd 18 Local BranxLounge / Rotture - 320NE SEMLK, 2nd Ave 19 The Florida Room - 435 N Killingsworth St SOMETIMES SPACES 20 HoloceneQUEER - 1001 SE Morrison St 17 Foggy Notion - 3416 N Lombard 18 Branx / Rotture - 320 SE RESOURCES 2nd Ave QUEER/QUEER-FRIENDLY 19 Florida Room - 435 N Killingsworth St 21 The Q Center - 4115 N Mississippi Ave 20 - 1001NE SESandy Morrison 22 Holocene SMYRC - 2406 BlvdSt 23 Outside / In - 1132 SW 13th Ave QUEER/QUEER-FRIENDLY 24 Pivot - 209 SW 4th Ave RESOURCES 21 Center - 4115 N Mississippi 25 QGay & Grey - 2617 NW SavierAve St 22 2406 NE Sandy Blvd 26 SMYRC In Other- Words - 14 NE Killingsworth St 23 / In - 1132 SW 13thCtr Ave- 917 SW Oak St 27 Outside Ind. Publishing Resource 24 Pivot - 209 SW 4th Ave 25 Gay & Grey OFF THE MAP - 2617 NW Savier St 26 In Other Words - 14- 704 NE Killingsworth St City The Living Room Main St., Oregon 27 Ind. Publishing Resource Ctr Fairview - 917 SWIndustrial Oak St Southside Speakeasy - 3529 Dr SE, Salem, OR 97302 OFF THE MAP The Living Room - 704 Main St., Oregon City Southside Speakeasy - 3529 Fairview Industrial Dr SE, Salem, OR 97302
MONTHLY
SE Stark St
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CALENDAR
GET OUT! SATURDAY, JUNE 16
Rose City Softball All-Stars vs. Portland Police. This charity softball game is an annual favorite, with proceeds to benefit Q Center, SMYRC, and the Portland Police Cadets. Noon, Erv Lind Stadium, Normandale Park, $5, rosecitysoftball.org. Third Rail Repertory presents An Evening with Jane Lynch. Kick off Pride weekend with a laugh and spend an evening with one of our favorite celesbians! 7:30 p.m., Newmark Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway, $27-75, thirdrailrep.org. The Portland Gay Men’s Chorus presents Summer of Love, featuring the music of the world’s most iconic band, The Beatles. 7:30 p.m., Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1111 SW Broadway, $11-30, pdxgmc. org. Bear Bust Fundraiser. The Bears throw a special furry bash for the HIV Day Center! 9 p.m., The Eagle Portland, 835 N Lombard, 21+, $5 cover, oregonbears.org.
TUESDAY, JUNE 19
L a t e Aw a k e n i n g s i s a monthly support group for women who question their orientation or come out later in life. 7 p.m., Q Center, 4115 N Mississippi. Trans/Scribe, a five-week writing workshop moderated by Carter Sickels, is a creative and supportive space to explore writing fiction and nonfiction from a trans perspective. 7 p.m., Q Center, 4115 N Mississippi, $150 for the five-week workshop, email Carter at asickels@ gmail.com to register. Beary-oke! 9 p.m., Scandals, 1125 SW Stark, 21+, oregonbears.org.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20
PABA’s June Luncheon features David Martínez, president of Portland Latino Gay Pride. 11:30 a.m., Kells Irish Pub, 112 SW 2nd, for more information email luncheon@paba.com. The Feminist/Queer Science Fiction/Fantasy Reading Group meets to discuss Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.” 7 p.m., In Other Words, 14 NE Killingsworth, for more information, email sara. jadew@gmail.com. pqmonthly.com
THURSDAY, JUNE 21
Bites For Rights! Restaurants, coffee shops, barsm and bakeries around the state will donate a generous percentage of their day’s proceeds to Basic Rights Oregon. For a full list of participating businesses, visit basicrights.org/events/bitesfor-rights.
FRIDAY, JUNE 22
Pivot hosts Film Friday. This week’s film: “After Stonewall” (1999). 5:00 p.m., Pivot, 209 SW 4th, pivotpdx.org. The Oregon Bears migrate to Embers for a Double X Dance, the scruffiest night in town! 9 p.m., Embers Avenue, 110 NW Broadway, 21+. DJs Ill Camino and Moisti want to play a little Slap ‘n Tickle with you on the dance floor. 10 p.m., The Eagle Portland, 21+, $3 cover.
Saturday, June 23
The Dill Pickle Club presents The Oh So (Queer) History of Portland, a walking tour of our city’s past and present queer culture. Pre-registration required! 11 a.m., $10, dillpickleclub.org. T he Por t la nd L esbia n Choir presents Don’t Stop Believ in’, t hei r 25t h a n n iversary concert and celebration. 7:30 p.m., Scottish Rite Temple, 1515 SW Morrison, $15-18, plchoir.org.
Sunday, June 24
The Trans-spiritual Gathering offers the transgender, intersex, two-spirit, genderqueer population an opportunity to discuss the intersection of gender and our spiritual journeys. 4-7 p.m., In Other Words, 14 NE Killingsworth, inotherwords.org. Femmes Unite! Meet other queer femmes, talk, eat, organize, and relax in the “comfort where we overlap.” 6-8 p.m., Q Center, 4115 N Mississippi.
TUESDAY, JUNE 26
HRC Bridges. Work with the HRC to build, develop, and strengthen diverse connections throughout our community. 5:30 p.m., Cyan/PDX Community Room, 1720 SW 4th, hrc. org.
Want the full scoop? Head over to pqmonthly.com to check out the full calendar of events, submit your own events, and look through photos from parties around town! pqmonthly.com/calendar
THURSDAY, JUNE 28
Gay & Grey Fourth Thursday Social. 4 p.m., Rainbow Room Lounge, 219 NW Davis, call 503-224-2640 for more information. Join the Democratic Party of Oregon for the 3rd Annual GLBT Caucus Party on the 43rd anniversary of Stonewall! 5 p.m., Crush Bar, 1400 SE Morrison, 21+, dpo.org/stonewall2012. To Your Health Launch Party. Basic Rights Oregon partners with TransActive to present their latest program, “In a Bind.” 6-9 p.m., Hamburger Mary’s, 19 NW 5th, basicrights.org.
SATURDAY, JUNE 30
Revolution Saturdays! CC’s sets out to prove that the revolution WILL have a beat you can dance to. 9 p.m., CC Slaughter’s, 219 NW Davis, 21+, No cover!
SUNDAY, JULY 1
Bridge Club is Oregon’s TDance, the best place to check out the cuties in the light of day. 3-9 p.m., Produce Row Cafe, 204 SE Oak, facebook.com/bridge. clubpdx.
TUESDAY, JULY 3
Bears Coffee. 6:30 p.m., Cooper’s Coffee, 6049 SE Stark, oregonbears.org. The Border Riders Motorcycle Club holds a meet-andgreet for gay men interested in recreational motorcycle touring. 7-9 p.m., The Eagle Portland, 835 N. Lombard, 21+, borderriders.com. Girltopia. CCs welcomes the ladies to dance it out, downtown. 9 p.m., CC Slaughters, 219 NW Davis, 21+, no cover!
THURSDAY, JULY 5
Queer Polyamory Discussion Group. Whether you have been practicing ethical sluttery for years, or are just starting to think about it, you are welcome. 6:30-8:30 p.m., In Other Words, 14 NE Killingsworth, inotherwords.org. Paper Cowgrrls: A Crafting Circle for Women! Plan your next project, pack up your tools and materials, and join others using paper as a base for art and craft. 6:30-8:30 p.m., Q Center, 4115 N Mississippi, $5 suggested donation.
First Thursday means DIRT BAG wants to punch you in the face (in the form of a queer, indie dance pop, electro, house, remix jams party). With DJs Bruce LaBruiser and Ill Camino! 9 p.m., The Know, 2026 NE Alberta, 21+, No cover!
FRIDAY, JULY 6
Pivot hosts Film Friday. This week’s film: Son of Rambow (2007). 5 p.m., Pivot, 209 SW 4th, pivotpdx.org.
SATURDAY, JULY 7
Happy Birthday, Sugar Town! Slinger of soul, DJ Action Slacks brings out the shimmy for Sugar Town’s first birthday, featuring the swingingest, springingest soul music. 8:00 p.m., The Spare Room, 4830 NE 42nd, 21+, $5 cover. Maricon, a dance night for homos and their homeys. 10 p.m., Eagle Portland, 835 N Lombard, 21+, facebook.com/ maricon.saturday.
SUNDAY, JULY 8
Butch Crew PDX social group. Come and join other butches for bonding and conversation. 3-5 p.m., Q Center, 4115 N Mississippi, For more information, email ButchCrewPDX@gmail.com. Bear Paw Bust. 4-7 p.m., The Eagle Portland, 835 N Lombard, 21+, oregonbears.org. Superstar Divas Megashow. Honey Bea Hart, Bolivia Carmichaels, and Ginger Lee bring you diva realness every Sunday night! 8 p.m., CC Slaughters, 219 NW Davis, 21+, no cover, ccslaughterspdx.com/divas.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 11
Old Lesbians Organizing for Change. 1-3 p.m., Q Center, 4115 N Mississippi, oloc.org. Gender Crash! is a monthly group for youth who identify anywhere in the trans spectrum. 4 p.m., SMYRC, 2406 NE Sandy, smyrc.org.
FRIDAY, JULY 13
Pivot hosts Film Friday. This week’s film: “The Blind Side” (2009). 5 p.m., Pivot, 209 SW 4th, pivotpdx.org. Dirty Queer x-rated open mic for erotic entertainers of all sorts. If you haven’t experi-
enced it yet, you have no idea what you’re missing. 6:30-8:30 p.m., In Other Words, 14 NE Killingsworth, 18+, $1-$5 suggested donation, dirtyqueer.com. Crush hosts Hotter Than July, a dance party for queer and trans people of color (and, of course, allies) to benefit BRO’s Racial Justice Program! 9 p.m., Crush, 1400 SE Morrison, 21+, $5 cover, basicrights.org. BENT With your dance floor hero, Resident DJ Roy G. Biv, and with special guests (as always). 9 p.m., The Foggy Notion, 3416 N Lombard, 21+, $5, facebook. com/bentpdx.
SATURDAY, JULY 14
MRS. is Portland’s favorite themed (and costumed) dance night. Check out their Facebook page for this month’s theme, then dance it out! 10:00 p.m., Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 21+, $5, facebook.com/ MRS.PDX.
TUESDAY, JULY 17
L a t e Aw a k e n i n g s i s a monthly support group for women who question their orientation or come out later in life. 7 p.m., Q Center, 4115 N Mississippi. Beary-oke! 9 p.m., Scandals, 1125 SW Stark, 21+, oregonbears.org.
THURSDAY, JULY 19
Adoption Mosaic hosts a monthly LGBTQ Adoptive Parent Support Group, offering the support, information, and tools necessary to nurture healthy families. 6 p.m., Q Center, 4115 N Mississippi, adoptionmosaic.org.
SATURDAY, JULY 21
Daddies and Papas is a monthly group for gay, bisexual, and trans men raising young children. 10 a.m.-noon, Q Center, 4115 N Mississippi, for more information, email info@daddiesandpapas.net. PDX Bad Girls invites all self-identified kinky women to come HOWL with them! Leave the chains of civilization behind and give “roughing it” a whole new meaning. 18+, Twisted Cedars, $40-100, visit pdxbadgirls.net/howl for more information. June/July 2012 • 29
FEATURES
THE COMEBACK KID FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH By Andrew Edwards PQ Monthly
“It’s none of her business,’ said Alberto. “It’s my bed, not hers.” I couldn’t wrap my brain around why the 29-year-old man sitting next to me, who was muscular and collected motorcycles and managed a villa in the Montepulciano wine country, hadn’t told his mother — the most important person in every adult-male Italian’s life — that he’s gay. “But … don’t you hate lying to her?” I implored, remembering all too well the agony of being a closeted mama’s boy in a close-knit family. “Has she ever met one of your boyfriends?” “I don’t have boyfriends,” he sighed. I swooned over his Roman gladiator bone structure and hairy knuckles. “Just fun.” This was a lot for my naïve and smitten 20-year-old self to swallow. But Alberto was finished with his espresso and, I intuited, with our relationship-if-you-could-call-itthat. Two forced cheek-pecks later, it was just my indignation and me alone at the bar. I was hurt by Alberto’s snubbing, but more pressingly, I felt exasperated at the malaise I had observed among nearly every gay Italian I’d encountered on my year abroad; all were equally disinterested in sharing their gayness with their families. This, despite the fact that — in true Italian form — they admitted their families were one of the only things that actually mattered to them (along with carbohydrates and rhinestone-embellished denim). I diagnosed this affliction as a fear of being found out, and felt impatient at the immaturity. I had come out to my parents my senior year of high school, and except for the odd awkward conversation (“The son I thought I knew is dead!” “Why couldn’t you have been a drug addict instead? At least that’s fixable!”), the experience had been intoxicatingly liberating. Flowers smelled fresher, birds chirped more cheerfully, and a fulfilling relationship with Jake Gyllenhaal finally became possible. How could anyone not want this? As I sashay through my early 20s, my dependency on the affections of carousing Europeans diminishes, and I find myself more accepting of the disparate choices we queers make regarding our private lives. It’s not up to me to out every closet case I meet; we all have our own shit. But on a balmy Portland evening in May, my new attitude is tested by an unlikely source. Openly gay author Augusten Burroughs is speaking at Powell’s, surrounded by a rapt audience that includes my boyfriend and myself. Amid the
fawning, a gangly hipster pipes up: “How does your pride in being a gay man influence your writing?” Burroughs sips his 64-ounce coffee and only slightly hesitates before replying, “I’m no more proud of being gay than I am of being right-handed.” His words ring loudly in my ears, and for a moment I’m revisited by the indignation that sat next to me at that Italian bar. The activist side of my brain cries, “Irresponsible! Didn’t you hear: We’re struggling for equal rights?!” Burroughs elaborates: He’s not proud of being gay because it’s not something he accomplished. Just like being right-handed, he always knew he was this way, was raised without anyone telling him he shouldn’t be. What he is, he says, is grateful to those who came before that made it possible to be so blasé about it. I never knew what this was like. Having fought tooth and nail against years of selfloathing and sugarcoated hate speech from my family and friends, I love the confident queer I am today, and never took being open about it for granted. But even if I had lain complacent and never come out, never confronted the hate, I would still be the same queer, just dressed poorly. Should I take pride in this trait, shared by the man who trolls Craigslist for restroom love affairs and brings the aftermath home to his unsuspecting wife? Or the high school linebacker who puts the faggot in the hospital to distract the world from his own feelings? I’m proud of being the first in my family to graduate from college, of convincing my mother to vote Democrat, of my relationship with a man who inspires me. Being gay, in and of itself, doesn’t even make the top 10. Don’t get me wrong, I’m tickled pink about it (indeed, I shudder to imagine straight Andrew), but it alone isn’t a source of pride because I had nothing to do with it. (Maybe this is where Alberto was coming from. Or maybe he was just a douche bag.) It’s the big, gay, ex-Christian writer-slash-waiter that I am today who I find boast-worthy, because I took the shame and the vitriol and used them as tools to build him with my own two hands. I’m like the queer Dr. Frankenstein. After the book signing, Adam and I are in bed. He’s asleep, and I can feel his breath on my face. My mind wanders to last week’s news: The president supports gay marriage, and yet another state institutionalizes bigotry. We’ve taken incredible strides, but there’s still progress to be made. In the end, what I’m most proud of is the work we’ve done — are still doing — to get where we are. Adam stirs, and his arms tighten around me. This is worth working for.
Unfortunately, Jake Gyllenhaal wasn’t interested. Send condolences or otherwise to andrew@pqmonthly.com. 30 • June/July 2012
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PERSPECTIVES
opposing viewpoints Continued from page 26 sexy beasts, the ones who were so full of that je ne sais quoi, the ones who could not pretend, they were the ones who broke ground for those who could conform. They were themselves not only while risking the disapproval of family and society, but often under the imminent danger of violence. It is on their backs that we have come to be where we are. I am not arguing that everyone should live that life, but we should not deny their existence either. Nor should we retreat to some safe de-sexualized zone. If we retreat now, we risk wasting the incredible sacrifices those who’ve come before have made. Denial of innuendo will not make Pride universally acceptable. Grandma may still not approve because she might not approve any shade of LGBTQIA. How many folks are still consternated by the sight of two women walking down the street holding hands? How many folks still insist on using the pronoun he — when she has already communicated that she is a she? Pride is not for the onlookers as much as it’s for the marchers. Pride is about celebrating who you are. Not ever yone in the parade will want to partake in the sexy aspect — nor should they feel pressure to. The parade is about celebrating their sexuality as much as anyone else in the greater community. Conversely, those sexy beats should get to show off their innuendo, their costumes, etc. These folks are part of the community and Pride is a celebration of the community as well as being about acceptance. Among our “family” we can find renewed strength against the still very real adversity that lurks just beyond the safety of our community. The community is our rock against the storm of wavering public sentiment. However, communities and families only work when they are united. When Pride stops being a celebration of the community and all its members, we have nothing to be proud of. pqmonthly.com
WHISKEY & SYMPATHY
Dear Sophia and Gula,
What are the do’s and don’ts of Pride celebration etiquette?
-Out and Proud and Polite in NoPo
Sophia St. James
Dear OPP in NOPO, There are many facets to Pride etiquette. I want to cover two areas that I think are most important: the Portland Waterfront festival/parade and Pride parties/hooking up. When it comes to the Waterfront festival, courtesy goes a long way. One of my biggest pet peeves (and I’m sure others will agree) are people who stand in the middle of the walkway and have a conversation. Move over to the side so folks can pass — especially if you are part of a large group. Another thing is to be mindful of others around you. I understand it’s an outdoor event and it can be difficult to do so, but taking the time to look around to make sure children are not in ear shot when you want to have a swear-a-thon might prevent you being humiliated by an irritated parent. During the parade, please don’t crowd into the streets. The floats and marching contingencies need room to get through the parade route and if parade watchers slowly make their way into the street it slows the parade down. If you smoke, please stick to the designated smoking areas. They are there for a reason. Yes, I know it’s your right to smoke it up, but it is also the right of others to not inhale your secondhand smoke. If you happen to encounter a “God Hates Fags’ person, don’t act like an ass. That is what they want. They use that behavior as ammunition to make their point. I think the best way to deal with these people is with humor or not dealing at all. We all know they are full of it. We should actually feel sorry for them. On to the nightlife of Pride. First and foremost, if you are going to drink DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE. This also includes riding your bike or skateboard. Arrange for other transportation, such as TriMet, cab companies, and pedi-cabs. You can also arrange for a designated driver. Party it up for Pride, but do it in a safe manner. Carry safer sex items with you, ‘cause let’s face it, it’s Pride and there are a lot of hot, sexy people out in very little clothing. There is going to be sex in the bathrooms and lots of rubbing on the dance floor. It never hurts to carry a couple gloves, condoms, and maybe lube with you when you go out. Trust me, you just might need it. Most of all, have fun, be safe, and celebrate who you are!
Polite?
OK, I think I might have been smoking under the bleachers when we went through this in school, but I will try to answer with the very best of my abilities! Pride. This is our day. Everyone has a birthday, but not everyone is a parent, secretary, Irish, or Latino with a special day devoted to you! It has taken a fight most of us don’t remember to have this day! My first “Do” is to take a minute and look up the Stonewall riots, the Gula Delgatto Christopher Street Liberation Day, “Gay is Good,” Daughters of Bilitis, and Mattachine Society. Get your history down and you will have a better appreciation of what is happening around you! Or find an elder who was around in the 70s and ask them about their experiences. You will be amazed with the stories you will hear on what life was like for queers back then, and the fashions too! So I say enjoy Pride with all your might. It’s not just a parade and a block party, it’s remembering and thanking our community for giving us Pride! Every Pride I’ve been to the PFLAG section of the parade goes by and you see signs and faces from loving, supportive, and proud parents so happy to walk for the love of their gay child. A knot balls up in my throat, my eyes water, and my chin starts to quiver. It’s beautiful! My second “Do” is to scream your head off when they walk by! Show them we love them back! We need a world filled with parents and loved ones like them! Other Do’s: • Do get up and look fierce! • Do get as much sun as the day will allow. • Do wear SPF foundation! • Do have a few cocktails. I’m not the police! • Do have water! • Do say “Happy Pride” to random strangers. • Do be careful; the wrong heels could ruin your day. • Do stop partying at some point and/or find a food cart! • Do take a photo of your favorite moment of Pride and post it to www.facebook.com/pqmonthly. • Do dance like there’s nobody watching. • Do find love. • Do tip a stripper • Do have an amazing Pride celebration! My little ghouls, there are tons of functions and I will try to hit as many as I can. If you see me, come up and say “hi.” Let me know there are people out there reading this! I will give you a big Happy Pride Hug and you can buy me a shot! DON’T do anything I wouldn’t don’t!
xox, Sophia
-Gula Delgatto
Need some advice from Sophia and Gula? Send your query — with “Whiskey & Sympathy” in the subject line — to info@pqmonthly.com Sophia St. James has been an erotic entertainer since 1996. She has traveled performing and educating the public on self confidence, self worth, and the art of sensuality no matter their outer appearance. Working as a sex and sensuality educator, sex toy/product reviewer, adult film director/producer, model, and erotic visual performer, Sophia is a well rounded woman with drive and determination. Sophia is also a mother and healthcare professional who takes pride in being a body positive and sex positive fierce femme.
Gula Delgatto’s life began in a small rural farming town in Romaina. She was scouted singing in a rocky field picking potatoes by a producer of a “Mickey Mouse Club” type ensemble. While touring the Americas the group fell apart due to jealousies and drugs. She later transitioned from Vaudeville to starring on the big screen to woman’s prison, and eventually advised the Dali Lama on fashion n-stuff. Currently she’s taking her life knowledge and giving back in an advice column for PQ. June/July 2012 • 33
COMMUNITY
PRIDE IN OUR PEOPLE A few folks who make us proud to be queer By Nick Mattos PQ Monthly
In honor of Pride Month, PQ picked a small handful of LGBTQ folks in our fair city who make us proud to be queer. They’re a bit of an odd crew: businesspeople and volunteers, DJs and construction workers, atheists and Radical Faeries. However, they are each sassy, earnest, accomplished, beautiful, and strong — just like the community itself. This is by no means an exhaustive list — in fact, we reckon that you look at it and can think of other queers in your life that deserve high praise and accolades just for being themselves, too. This is where you come in: head over to PQMonthly.com and tell us who else makes you proud to be a member of our local queer community. It’s good news worth sharing.
Name: MJ Petroni
Photos by Greg Maguire
What do you do?: Run an innovation consulting firm for social enterprises (Causeit, Inc.) based here, San Francisco, and Seattle, as well as own an job-creating entertainment company (Fliptography). What makes you most proud about living in Portland?: I love that we seem to be closest to a balance between economic innovation, quality of life, and a realistic practice of sustainability. And that we finally have some worthwhile dance parties. Weapon of choice for zombie apocalypse: My skateboard and a map. Pet peeves: Grammar errors, lack of integrity, people who can’t be heart-centered and vulnerable. Do you believe in aliens?: I have a degree in Cyborg Anthropology and help organize Radical Faerie gatherings. Whoa, what was that noise?: Probably my end-of-the-day dance party.
Name: Mary McAllister (Mr. Charming)
What do you do?: DJ, promoter, co-founder of Gaycation, office worker, artist. Who makes you most proud to be queer?: Old bulldaggers, Rufus Wainwright, everyone from “Paris is Burning,” gay boys that hold hands on the street, pre-Stonewall queers, Keith Harring, Ellen, all of my awesome friends. Celebrity crush: Kelly Clarkson, Serena Williams, Salma Hayek, Johnny Weir, Shannon Funchess. Boxers or briefs?: Briefs, although that really undersells how cute 99 percent of my under ware is. You have a half hour to make a full meal — what’s for dinner?: Tacos. May I have a sip of your soda?: No, I need it to wash down my tacos.
Name: Andrew Hogan
What do you do?: Help nonprofits plan fantastic fundraising events (with Samantha Swaim Fundraising, LLC). What are you most proud of about yourself?: Coming out at 14 in a small town in upstate NY. What makes you most proud about living in Portland?: That I am part of a community that is genuinely trying to make the world a better place (and have fun while they are at it). In the film of your life, you’d be played by: Parker Posey. Location of first kiss: My local graveyard. Pet peeves: People who ride bikes that are too small for them and/or without helmets; low-rider trucks. Whoa, what was that noise?: Sorry, I can be a little gassy sometimes. 34 • June/July 2012
Name: Oriana Quackenbush
What do you do?: I spend my days split between playing with kids (nannying), selling families cool kids’ stuff (Bella Stella), studying nonprofit management at PSU, and looking for full time nonprofit work. I have also been volunteering since 2009 with Oregon Safe Schools and Community Coalition, focusing on making schools and communities safe for LGBTQ youth in Oregon, and recently joined the board. Location of first kiss: Some boy whom I never saw again took me by surprise while sitting by a lake on a family vacation in Idaho. Naughtiest thing you did in junior high: I saved most of my naughtiness for high school. Does writing bad poetry and subjecting my family to Nine Inch Nails and Nirvana on endless repeat count? Do you believe in aliens?: I feel like I’d better say yes, since they might be watching.
Name: Simone Neall
Age: Are you kidding? I hope so! What do you do?: Only what I have to. [Simone is too humble to mention that she is a general contractor and was recently appointed to the Oregon State Construction Contractors Board.] What are you most proud of about yourself?: That I made this far and I am still upright. See “Age” above. In the film of your life, you’d be played by: Me. No one else could pull it off. Weapon of choice for zombie apocalypse: A pair of Uzis. Celebrity crush: Storm Large. May I have a sip of your soda?: Who drinks soda anymore? That’s designer water — and no, you may not.
Name: Heather Wilkinson (Hell Vetica)
What do you do?: I’m the volunteer manager for the Rose City Rollers and the volunteer coordinator for the Hoyt Arboretum. In my volunteer life, I’m the program coordinator for the Rosebuds, RCR’s Junior derby league, and my partner and I coordinate the Hollywood Gleaners, where we redistribute unsold produce from the Hollywood Farmers’ Market to low-income seniors. What are you most proud of about yourself?: Everyone who watched the first Harry Potter movie with me thought Hermione and I were the same person. Location of first kiss: Boy: on stage, during a play... in front of my parents. Girl: on the beach, on a very windy day. Celebrity crush: There’s a pretty long list, and for a variety of reasons. How about this: if you’re a celebrity and you’re reading this, get in touch and I’ll let you know.
Name: Bill Dickey
What do you do?: I am a business man. I am in the business of doing business! Location of first kiss: Playing Cushman on the Rogue Valley Country Club. In the film of your life, you’d be played by: Brian Dennehy. Weapon of choice for zombie apocalypse: My trusty light saber. Naughtiest thing you did in junior high: I had some HOT action at Hedrick Jr. High. Boxers or briefs?: Black briefs. Do you believe in aliens?: I’ve lived with one for 18 years. Celebrity crush: Ryan Thomas Gosling. May I have a sip of your soda?: Back off, bitch. pqmonthly.com
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June/July 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ 35
PRIDE
36 â&#x20AC;˘ June/July 2012
pqmonthly.com
NIGHTLIFE
HOT CHOCOLATE: A DIVA FOR ANY OCCASION VENDETTA WANTS YOU TO GET SUNBURNT By Daniel Borgen PQ Monthly
Vendetta, the little dive bar that could, has housed some great parties over the years. It has played host to LunchLady and his Cafete-
ria, hosted big gay garage sales, and offers whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s routinely referred to as one of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best patios. So, naturally, Vendetta has decided to leverage its talents for your summer-long lounging â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and dancing â&#x20AC;&#x201D; pleasure. According to co-owner Craig Olson, SunBurn â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the every Sunday dance party heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s orchestrating â&#x20AC;&#x201D; was borne out of the need for a destination â&#x20AC;&#x153;after a great brunch, or a day at Sauvieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Island or Rooster Rock â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or, more truthfully, the need for a fog-lifter after a big Saturday night out.â&#x20AC;? He continued, â&#x20AC;&#x153;There should be something fun to do on a sunny, Sunday after-
noon. Several other cities â&#x20AC;&#x201D; not necessarily even larger ones â&#x20AC;&#x201D; have what is commonly referred to as a TDance: regular afternoon, outdoor dance parties that let you wrap up your weekend dancing to fun music surrounded by cute people â&#x20AC;&#x201D; all without having to be in a dark, late night club.â&#x20AC;? And SunBurn, Olson promises, is going to be just that: a weekly patio dance party every Sunday during Portlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hottest summer months. He plans to kick things off the weekend after Prideâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; June 24 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and end the first weekend of September. â&#x20AC;&#x153; Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re p r o u d that Vendetta is known as a welcoming and diverse bar and we think SunBurn will provide us an opportunity to showcase one of Portlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prettiest patios, and with what I hope will become an annual city tradition. Our goal is to let Portlanders end their weekend on a high note, but still be home in time for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;60 Minutes.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? The event will be free and will feature rotating local deejays and drink specials. First up: DJ Bruce LaBruiser. See you on the patio. Stay with PQ for updates â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and watch www.byronbeck.com for exclusive tidbits.
Ladies of the 80s in Action (left to right): Tiara Desmond, Kourtni Capri Duv, Maria, Alexis Campbell Starr, and Poison Waters. By Daniel Borgen PQ Monthly
Drag is as integral a piece of queer culture as, well, being gay. For many of us, some of our first forays into the gay collective involved sneaking peeks of these wonderful creatures. Love drag or hate it (but really, how could you hate it?), not many cogs in the big gay machine are as expressive, liberating, and hell â&#x20AC;&#x201D; entertaining. And no one does it quite like the girls at Darcelleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x201D; specifically Poison Waters, whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easily one of the most recognized drag queens in town. Of late, Ms. Waters has recruited some serious star power to help curate Hot Chocolate, an all-black drag troupe thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s presently the talk and toast of the town. Hot Chocolate really made waves this past February when they put together an impromptu, last-minute tribute show honoring the late, great Whitney Houston; the group worked through Houstonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lengthy catalogue and had a sold-out audience on its feet. Their most recent show, a tribute to African-American stars of the 1980s (including a brief ode to Donna Summer), struck similar nerves. PQ caught up with Waters to talk Hot Chocolateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s past, present, and future. Perhaps the most pressing question: how did Hot Chocolate come to be? â&#x20AC;&#x153;In late 2010 I was asked to perform
in a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;20s themed musical/dance revue with vintage dance troupe The Charleens,â&#x20AC;? Waters recalls. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I decided on a performance I had done before that included four other queens â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a sort of tribute to the Cotton Club era performers: Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, Josephine Baker, etc. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I invited girls I had worked with over the years: Alexis Campbell Starr, who was a contestant in the first season of Portlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Drag Race; Kourtni Capri Duv, who competed in La Femme Magnifique, Drag Race, and who works with me at Darcelleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s; Tiara Desmond, who Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve worked with for years, we were both in the musical la Cage aux Folles with The Musical Theater Company in 2001 [she also works at Darcelleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s]; and, of course, Maria Peters Lake, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve worked together since I first came on the scene in 1998, in shows and events like Peacock in the Park and Peacock After Dark. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exciting to me that the five of us all are all very different in our performance styles and where weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re at in our drag careers.â&#x20AC;? And â&#x20AC;&#x201D; who knew? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; this was supposed to be a one-time thing. When asked about upcoming Hot Chocolate performances and the possibility of taking the show on the road â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which has been hinted at by the likes of Byron Beck, Poison had this to say: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was only to be that one time, but we all realized how special our time
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together had been â&#x20AC;&#x201D; rehearsing, planning wardrobe, all that. The night of the performance we all decided to get in drag together in the dressing room at Darcelleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, and we had such a great time laughing, sharing stories, bonding, I said, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hey, we should do this again. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re great together.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;We would love to take it on the road; it really is a unique ensemble performance, a rare mix of personalities, talent, and emotion. Our Forever Whitney [tribute] really touched all of us â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been invited to bring an abridged version to the Pride Festival in Vancouver, Wash.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Saturday in the Park. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our second year there.â&#x20AC;? Even with all that talent and star power in the same room at the same time, rumors of catfights are greatly exaggerated. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everyone chooses their own numbers,â&#x20AC;? Waters says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It really hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been that difficult; weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all so different. Once we agree on a theme and start the planning process, everyone just sends in their songs â&#x20AC;&#x201D; first come, first served. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a pretty painless process. Then I write out an evenlyspaced show list and away we go!â&#x20AC;? Just call them Portlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dreamgirls, and hope this collaboration sticks around for a very long time. For upcoming performances, stay with PQ online or check out www. poisonwaters.com.
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June/July 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ 37
ARTS & CULTURE
The Lady Chronicles WHEN SUITORS DON’T SHOW UP ALONE By Daniel Borgen PQ Monthly
This year, I’ve stared down a sort of sad truth: the novelty of Pride has waned for me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t delight in our annual Week of Debauchery — I do. It’s just become more of a bracingfor than an all-out Christmas-like anticipation. Yes, magic still happens year in and year out (hell, last year I met Danny Roberts of “The Real World” and nearly lost my shit) — just like “Queer as Folk” long ago taught me it would. If enthusiasm can be muted, mine is. But that doesn’t mean it’s gone. Quite recently, I took a just-divorced (from a woman) gentleman caller. From the outset, we (and by we I mean he) set clear boundaries. There’d be small talk and pleasantries aplenty, but no dating. There’d be no public forays into socializing — no joint Maricon or Bridge Club appearances for us, only behind-closed-doors shenanigans. As a routine pursuer of just about anything without a boundary (my knack for pursuing the undefined remains unmatched among men), I welcomed a new, more straightforward approach. Got it: it’s just sex, can’t go to your place, produce Pivot paperwork every time we make babies. Oh — he insists he’s “mostly straight.” Eventually, the straighter-than-bi moniker brought with it more boundaries, each a bit more unpleasant than the last (“no touching when it’s over”), rules that made me pine for the days before boundaries rolled into town. At least the other stuff could be romantic. Because un-gaying my apartment is impossible, conversations inevitably veered toward queer culture, something he crudely defines, generalizes, and “hates.” (If I had a second super power, it’d be attracting men married to self-loathing.) With each no-strings adventure, I better compartmentalized developments, soon happening upon an unexpected sensation: I felt a little sorry for him. It wasn’t pity or a sense of superiority that fueled my empathy, it was more relief. Relief I didn’t end up married and closeted, staring down my sexuality halfway through my life. Because the roles could have easily been reversed — one choice, one maneuver, one wrong move could have derailed my entire being. It’s like this: before my family moved on to a more reasonable brand of apostolic Christianity, I grew up United Pentecostal (google it) — and it was there some seriously crazy bullshit went down. Years upon
years of believing it imperative to cast off “worldly” aspirations, feeling tremendous amounts of guilt for dabbling in the most innocuous of pop culture (Whitney Houston, “90210,” “The Golden Girls”), indulging prophecies cast my way by church elders. For a time, I bought every bit. When elders would lay hands on me during altar calls, I believed them when they told me I’d be a missionary. When traveling evangelists and faith healers called me out of an audience of hundreds, I’d assume that (probably rigged) spectacle was a sign from the Almighty. Hell, I even spent the year after my high school graduation in California at my church’s bible college trying to force the issue. (Hint: don’t allow repressed gays anywhere near San Francisco.) I think anyone who’s emerged from any even slightly oppressive circumstance wonders what might have been. I rack my brain, searching memory banks relentlessly, all in an attempt to pinpoint the moment when things changed, when something clicked in my head and I chose relative sanity instead of a life of impossibility. Was it the same survival instinct that led my bisexual beau to get a divorce? How many small choices added up to form the one big decision that righted my course? What, if anything, could have happened to make me marry that girl my church wanted me to? Was me packing my bags and heading out to the missionary fields ever a real possibility? These questions — and their answer, my life — are why I have no prolonged patience for anyone who bemoans gay culture (no matter his prowess in the bedroom). I take issue with anyone arguing simply being open about your sexuality isn’t something to take pride in. Sure, you can’t help who you are, and being a homo is as genetic as being left-handed — but what you do with your otherness isn’t so inconsequential. Perhaps there are plenty of other things to be proud of: careers, relationships, academic endeavors — whatever your pleasure. I just don’t think separating any of those things from your intrinsic being is within the realm of possibility. We’ve done whatever we’ve done precisely because we’ve dealt with who we are. (And the opposite is true.) No forward motion is possible without it. That’s why, despite innumerable poor choices on my part — men, finances, career moves — I’m pretty content to openly, happily, and delightfully partake in Pride festivities each June — along with every sweaty dance party and magnificent drag show in between. And I guess that’s when enthusiasm becomes unbridled.
The scenario with the bisexual belongs in the past tense. Formerly author of Lady about Town, Daniel now pens The Lady Chronicles for your reading (dis)pleasure. Daniel@PQMonthly.com. 38 • June/July 2012
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PERSPECTIVES
40 • June/July 2012
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SING IT LOUD AND PROUD k.d. lang makes herself at home in Portland By Nick Mattos PQ Monthly
Watch out, ladies: k.d. lang is in town, and she’s here to stay. A veteran of the music industry for nearly 30 years, lang has been a queer icon since coming out in 1992. Since then, she has risen to international stardom and worked with some of the biggest names in music. After several years’ hiatus, lang came back with a new band, the Siss Boom Bang — and a new home in the Rose City. In an exclusive first interview since relocating to Portland, lang talked with PQ about her excitement for living the Portland lifestyle, the transition into single life after divorcing her partner, and the Buddhist faith through which she’s found peace in all areas of Sultry chanteuse k.d. lang now calls the Rose City home. her life. PQ: What do you think are the next steps PQ: So, k.d., I understand that you’re coming to Portland on July 1 to play at the Oregon for queer people, both as individuals and as a commuZoo. This isn’t the first time you’ve played at this series. nity? KDL: You know, I’m a practicing Buddhist, and for me What keeps you coming back for this one? k.d. lang: Well, it’s my second time, and last year was the thing I think that the LGBTQ community would benefit such a blast and so successful that they asked us back. most from would be to, while dealing with ignorance, come from a compassionate point of view. Not being aggressive, We’re happy to do it! PQ: Apparently you had such a good time that you not being divisive. I know that we face oppression, and I know that we suffer a lot of ignorance and bias, but for me decided to move to Portland. KDL: I always felt very comfortable in and excited by the best way to deal with that is to understand that evoluPortland, and I felt the pull over many years of visiting tion is a slow process, and to take the higher road. PQ: I’m curious — how do you find that your Buddhist there. It just came to be time, and an opportunity came practice plays out in your art? up to move up there — so I did! KDL: It’s inseparable. It’s part of everything I do, and PQ: What are your favorite things about the city so far? KDL: Well, I’ve only been in town for about eight days, meshing the two was interesting at the beginning because so I haven’t spent much time in it yet. [Laughs] I just love it was hard to make sense of making something so … well, the vibrancy of it, how many amazingly creative people you can think of [music] as frivolous or useless. I came to there are. I love that you can walk everywhere, I love understand that the two [my practice and my creativity] were the culinary and music scenes. It’s a very alive city, yet inseparable, and that music really is a wonderful offering. PQ: Forgive me if this is a sensitive question, but I underso small. It’s a very exciting city, and I’m very excited to stand that you ended your domestic partnership [with Jamie spend more time there. PQ: Thinking about vibrancy, your most recent album, Price] last December. How has the transition to single life “Sing It Loud,” is such a vibrant album that shows more of been for you? KDL: Oh, just fine! Jamie and I are very strong — we’re your country roots than a lot of your other recent work has. sangha sisters — and we’re still doing very well. After 10 What do you think precipitated this look back for you? KDL: I always just go with my instincts, and it felt like years, we just decided it was time for me to move out of L.A. the right thing to do. I met [bandmate] Joe Pisapia in Nash- I’ve been working ever since I became single, so I haven’t ville, and I started to go down there to work with him. My really been out there “workin’ the scene” at all. I’m not the instincts, and the environment in which we were working kind to get hooked up again, you know? PQ: Are you excited about getting up here and “workin’ in Nashville, influenced it a lot. So, I guess it stemmed from the scene” in Portland? natural occurrences. KDL: No, not really! [Laughs] I think Portland is the last PQ: You’ve been part of the queer zeitgeist for decades. place I want to go for “the scene!” How have you seen the larger gay community change PQ: You’re not alone in that; I think many Portlanders during that time? KDL: It’s amazing, the impact that the last 25 years have find the same thing. KDL: I’m just enjoying the single lifestyle after being in had upon the social landscape, not just within the LGBTQ community, but also the general acceptance we’ve found a relationship for 10 years, really. PQ: You’ve collaborated with some astoundingly taloutside — how we’ve infiltrated popular culture, how we’re represented in the media, and more and more accepted ented musicians over the course of your career. Whom else and considered as a culture. We’re now part of discussions, do you dream of collaborating with? KDL: I think about whom I’ve collaborated with in taken into consideration in terms of things from advertising to elections. We’re now a culture that is considered a my lifetime, and it’s been so random and spontaneous, viable part of the fabric of the world and the culture, the not premeditated. I think it’s best to leave it that way and let the universe surprise me. I mean, if you had asked civilization. pqmonthly.com
MUSIC
GET WILD AT THE OREGON ZOO’S SUPER QUEER SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
me this question 30 years ago, never in a million years would By Nick Mattos PQ Monthly I have said Roy Orbison, or Tony Bennett, or even Jane Siberr y, and t hose have The Oregon Zoo has announced been huge, major impacts the lineup for their long-running upon my career and my summer concert series — and this life. I’ll just leave it up to the universe to put me in year is queerer than ever. the right direction. In 1979, the Oregon Zoo became the PQ: Do you have anything coming to mind first in the nation to host such a series. in terms of new projNow, it’s is one of the top summer events ects? What does your in the Northwest, and is the region’s creative process look longest continuously-running outdoor like in preparation for that? concert series. KDL: I get off However, the 2012 offerings may be the the road in October, and I’ll spend queerest year yet for the zoo; amongst the some time in 16 shows, at least six of the acts prominently Por tland, go feature LGBTQ individuals. Stephen Reischman, up to Canada for a bit and long-time booker of the concerts, explains that see my mom, this queer lineup is less the result of intentionalh e a d d ow n ity than it is a happy result of the zoo’s dedication to Nashville and hang to the series. out with “It’s not a deliberate attempt to book gay acts,” he Joe. I’ll see what hap- says. “It’s long-term relationships that we’ve built over pens. the years, a partnership that has developed between PQ: So them and the zoo. … Sometimes it happens that we this next end up with a very diverse lineup as a result. I think work could be your Portland it makes perfect sense for the zoo; we’re full of a album? wide range of animals from around the world, KDL: [Laughs] and now we’re full of a wide range of musical Yes, I’m sure Portland is going to acts from around the world as well.” have a big influence The season kicks off with the B-52 on June on this one. Whatever 22. Shortly thereafter k.d. lang seduces us that looks like! PQ: What makes all on July 1. Iconic lesbian rocker Melissa you proud about the gay Etheridge takes the stage on Aug. 11, community these days? followed soon after by two raucously KDL: The diversity in the community itself is jazzy nights with Portland’s own Pink really exciting to me. There Martini on Aug. 18 and 19. have been so many subdivides within our culture, and I think For a full listing of shows at it’s good that we have less of that the Oregon Zoo, head over to — they weaken us. To embrace oregonzoo.org. Allow shows everyone, even the Log Cabin begin at 7 p.m.; concert Republicans, helps us to understand that we’re a broad and diverse tickets allow entry into culture, and to look at the commonthe zoo after 4 p.m. alities between us rather than the difTickets are available ferences. It makes us stronger. PQ: What sort of advice do you have at the zoo, all Tickfor queer musicians here in Portland? etmaster outlets, KDL: First of all, I think I’d become at ticketmaster. confident and comfortable with whom I am, whether that’s being really flamboyant, com, and by or really serious and focused on your music. phone at Wherever you think in terms of yourself, get to 800-745know yourself and who you are, and don’t try to change. Just be natural and confident. 3000. June/July 2012 • 41
MUSIC
EPIC PORTLAND QUEER MUSIC FESTIVAL RETURNS THIS JULY By Daniel Borgen PQ Monthly
Our city certainly has and knows its fair share of music festivals; local publications routinely list the many gatherings here and around the Northwest. One conspicuous omission, though, is this year’s second annual Queer Music Festival, slated for July 22. Founder and principal organizer Samuel Thomas — known most recently for his valiant efforts to revitalize nightlife on Stark Street — sits inside The Commodore on SW Morrison, seemingly reveling in his relative underdog status. While discussing last year’s inaugural edition — which was wildly successful by all accounts — Thomas remains unfazed by any more mainstream shuns, and instead focuses on the road ahead. This year: more venues, two headliners (Imperial Teen and Sacha Sacket), dozens of other acts (including local darlings Magic Mouth, Jeau Breedlove, and Mattachine Social) — hours of music in total, a full day overflowing with bands. Corralling talent into a cohesive whole — not to mention orchestrating a schedule — seems like a daunting task, but Thomas exudes nothing but a calm demeanor. He waxes a bit nostalgic when asked how it all came together. “It actually came to be quite suddenly last year. I woke up after attending a concert and I thought about people in the LGBTQ community and how we really didn’t have a dedicated music festival for them,” he recalls. “Portland should be the epicenter of LGBTQ musical talent and innovation; our voices shouldn’t have to struggle to be heard. Because of my experience in the music industry and with music festivals, I felt like I could contribute something, so I called up some friends and said, ‘Let’s do this.’” Then there is, of course, the talent-gathering portion of the process, which now happens months in advance. After securing headliners Imperial Teen and Sacha Sacket, Thomas went about assembling this year’s lineup. “I opened up the application process and received over 80 artists from around North America that were interested,” he says. “I had to narrow it down to acts that were touring, were local, and those that really showcased LGBTQ music. I tried for a broad spectrum of styles and sounds and believe I have a winning collection of artists this year.” Anyone who partook in last year’s revelries knows it’s one of the most attended events outside Pride, though Thomas hesitates classifying it a definite second place. 42 • June/July 2012
“I don’t have numbers from the other events, so I wouldn’t feel comfortable comparing them,” he says. “But yeah, we definitely drew a crowd.” He estimates over 600 people came through the doors last summer. (That’s a lot of fans.) Portland’s Queer Music Festival is one of the only of its kind in the world, according to Thomas. “There are a lot of music and arts festivals, but it’s rare to find one that is dedicated to promoting and presenting only music,” he said. “I am also incredibly proud of our community. Last year we assembled over 30 acts on two stages with only three months of planning. That’s pretty incredible. I can’t wait to see how we come together this year.” Red Cap Garage played host last year, but the festival’s size and scope called for significant expansion. Thomas cited the need for a more music-oriented, professional (music-wise) setting, and — above all else — extra room. “Red Cap was awesome last year, but we decided to go with Someday Lounge and Backspace because that would afford us two great venues and the ability to have an all-ages stage — which we felt was really important for the community.”
And, ever e ye i n g g row t h and opportunity, Thomas doesn’t shy away from big dreams. “I just want it bigger and better,” he says. “I want people to walk away saying, ‘Wow, that was awesome,’ and I want them to come back next year. I also want to be able to bring bigger bands. Having Scissor (Top photo) Christopher Sein — of Boys + Mixtapes — takes the stage. (Lower) One of many crowds revelSisters or Gossip ing in the action. or Rufus Wainwright — or all three — could be a really PQ is a proud media sponsor of this year’s fantastic experience.” event — and is Portland Queer Music Festival’s In just under a year and a half, Portland official LGBTQ publication. Tickets are $12 in can now boast a queer music-fest with mul- advance, $15 at the door; not too shabby for a tiple venues, a long, ever-growing list of per- day filled with music. Watch for more online formers, and hundreds of attendees. At the and much more in our next edition. You can very least, it adds to an ever-growing list of find details — along with the list of acts and reasons why Portland — and Thomas him- ticket information — on Facebook. Search: self —warrants any praise headed this way. Portland Queer Music Festival 2012. pqmonthly.com
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BOOKS
POOLSIDE PAGE-TURNERS PQ readers (and writers) present five summer reads to get you through the dog days
“One of my favorite books, especially to read in the summer, is ‘Three Junes’ by Julia Glass. I read it twice — both times in the summer, a few years apart. I always like when writers break up a book into parts and use a shifting protagonist in each part.” — Daniel Peabody The winner of the U.S. National Book Award for Fiction, Julia Glass’ debut novel tells the story of the family McLeod through f lashback s spa nning over a decade, looking at the ways that family loyalties can lead to both joyous love and profound isolation. As Glass has said herself, t he t hree sections of book should be viewed not as a trilogy but rather a triptych. Elements that may seem small in one section play a large role in another, seducing readers to look deeper into the McLeods’ lives and draw parallels to their own experience. (2003: Anchor Books) “We can highly recommend ‘The Strain,’ a trilogy by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan. It’s a great scifi read, very suspenseful and visual, with a very different take on vampires than you usually read.” — Judge Kemp and Eric Schnell The trilogy consists of “The Strain,” “The Fall,” and “The Night Eternal” and looks at the effects of a viral outbreak in New York City that renders the infected as horrific vampires. Dr. Ephraim “Eph” Goodweather, a leading epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control, is joined by circumstance to a motley crew that includes a Holocaust survivor and a young Mexican gang member in a fight to save the city and the world from the virus. The trilogy has garnered high praise for its cinematic qualities — logically so, considering it was co-written by Del Toro, who is also rumored to be directing a film version of the trilogy. (2009-2011: William Morrow) “I keep coming back to Twyla Tharp’s ‘The Creative Habit’ because I love t he way she combines insights from her experiences as a professional choreographer with sage advice and practical exercises designed to encourage people from all backgrounds to develop creative habits. I’d recommend it to anyone who pqmonthly.com
seeks to create, no matter their profession.” — Erin Rook Dancer and choreographer Twyla Tharp took the lessons and techniques that fueled her creativity during the four decades of her career and shaped them into this book as a gift for other creatives, empowering readers to cultivate the inspiration needed for creative endeavors. Presenting more than 30 practical exercises suitable for every step of the creative process, Tharp encourages readers of all persuasions to dive into the rituals, memories, and cadences of their lives in order to mine the raw materials of the creative spark and find optimism about their own identity as artists. (2003: Simon & Schuster) “‘The ‘Gangster We Are All Looking For’ by lê thi diem thúy is a brilliant novel that perfectly captures the cadence and mood of being young in the heat of summer, trying to reconcile the adult problems that you are just starting to recognize on the horizon of your life with the magical thinking that you still have as a child.” — Nick Mattos A fragmented sequence of events recollected by a young and nameless narrator, “The Gangster We Are All Looking For” explores the interconnected lives of a group of Vietnamese immigrants who settle in the United States after fleeing their home country. Concerned primarily with the themes of identity, family dynamics, war, and liberation, thúy’s debut novel was awarded a “special mention” by the Pushcart Prize and extensively praised upon its release for its spare narrative and nuanced, impressionistic take on the immigrant experience. (2004: Anchor Books) “Salman Rushdie’s ‘The Moor’s Last Sigh.’ It’s basically a grown-up fairy tale. The writing is absolutely phenomenal — it’s like poetry mixed with prose. It caters to every part of me that wants to read a fantasy novel, but is fundamentally embarrassed by that instinct.” — Kerry Hoeschen Set in the Indian cities of Mumbai and Cochin, R u s h d i e ’s c e l e b r a t e d novel traces four generations of a Portuguese merchant family, examining the effects that histor y and lineage have upon the current generation. The narrator, Moraes Zogoiby or “Moor,” is one of Rushdie’s most extraordinary characters; his physical deformities and sense of isolation serve as a metaphor for the ways that being different make an individual both valued and reviled in an increasingly singular culture. (Vintage: 1997)
LOCAL AUTHOR PETER ZUCKERMAN GOES TO WORLD’S EDGE TO MAKE THE HIDDEN VISIBLE By Nick Mattos PQ Monthly
Celebrated local journalist Peter Zuckerman has released his first book, the nonfiction wilderness adventure “Buried in the Sky: The Extraordinary Story of the Sherpa Climbers on K2’s Deadliest Day.” “Buried in the Sky’ is a true adventure story about one of the most dramatic disasters in alpine history, as told through the eyes of the Sherpa climbers,” Zuckerman explains. “In 2008, 11 people died in 27 hours. The disaster unfolded on K2, a mountain that straddles China and Pakistan and is largely considered the world’s most dangerous peak in highaltitude climbing.” Zuckerman has already made a formidable name for himself in the journalistic world. A recipient of the National Journalism Award, the Livingston Award, and the Bletheny Award, he has served as visiting faculty at the prestigious Poynter Institute and been profiled by Harvard University’s Nieman Foundation for Excellence in Journalism as an example of courage in journalism. Much of this attention came after a groundbreaking series of investigative reports Zuckerman crafted for the Idaho Falls Post Register, looking at the cover-up of a multi-state child molestation case involving at least two-dozen minors by the Boy Scouts of America and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The series led to Frank VanderSloot, who has since become presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s national finance co-chair, outing Zuckerman as gay in a newspaper ad. Since his days in the investigative trenches, Zuckerman has shifted his focus towards stories with an adventurous environmental edge. However, his work continues to carry the theme of making hidden things seen and heard. Ultimately, it was this impulse that led him to take a hiatus from his position at the Oregonian to embark
upon penning “Buried in the Sky” with his co-author and cousin, Amanda Padoan. “Besides being a great adventure tale,” he says, “what made me want to write this book is
Peter Zuckerman that it dramatically illustrates how we need to include the stories of the people who are unseen. When your life hangs from a knot, you need to know who tied it. When you’re putting together a team of Sherpas to lead you up a mountain, you need to know whether they speak the same language. This book shows how the Sherpas of every story matter because our lives depend on them.” Since its release on June 11, the book has received high praise for shedding light upon the previously-unshared story of the impact mountaineering has upon the Himalayan people. “The book takes pains to explore their culture and the burden felt by such impoverished young men,” noted Library Journal in their review, “ who take on dangerous work that pays well yet remains an offense to the mountains they revere.” Described by reviewers as “sobering,” “revelatory,” and “compelling,” “Buried in the Sky” is certain to further expand Zuckerman’s profile as one of the most skilled and courageous investigative writers of the modern era. “Buried in the Sky: The Extraordinary Story of the Sherpa Climbers on K2’s Deadliest Day,” by Peter Zuckerman and Amanda Padoan (2012: W. W. Norton & Company). June/July 2012 • 45
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ARTS & CULTURE
PICA SYMPOSIUM EXPLORES QUEER BODIES AND ECONOMIES By Erin Rook
ticipation — no passive observers here. The symposium will feature happy hour reading groups, conversations, performances, Visiting queer artists — led by Portland panels, music, and a walking tour of queer Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA) Portland organized by the Dill Pickle Club. artist-in-residence Keith Hennessey — Artists in attendance will include A.L. Steiner, A.K. Burns, Holcombe Waller, and Jodie Cavalier. Hennessey will use the residency to work on Turbulence, a dance about the economy that will premier at September’s TimeBased Art (TBA) Festival. “We should all be engaging questions of economy and class, with whatever resources and talents we have,” Hennessey says. “I just happen to be a maker of dance-based experimental performance, so that’s where I’m making this inquiry. He will also perform his Bessie Award-winning solo “Crotch,” which explores both the work of Joseph Beuys and Hennessey’s divorce. “I never intended to make a work about my gay divorce and I surely never intended to make “Crotch” a work about Joseph Beuys. But will explore “Bodies, Identithen I did the latter to avoid ties, and Alternative Econothe former and ended up doing mies” as part of PICA sympoboth,” Hennessey says. “Crotch sium June 21-24. is an odd work that includes very The symposium seeks to “Community Action Center” conventional theatrical enter” engage participations in the creation of an tainment and more obscure practices that unscripted collective experience. Many of hybridize installation and ritual. People the weekend’s events will call for active par- laugh. A few people cry. Many agree to come PQ Monthly
into the strange world of the performance and feel themselves in a new way.” In a way, that is the invitation extended by the entire symposium. Many of the events encourage active participation. Steiner and Burns are hoping their film, “Community Action Center,” will, if nothing else, invite a response. “Our goal is to engage you. With pleasure or disdain,” Burns says. “The piece can only be viewed communally and publicly, so it does require some effort on the part of the viewer to step away from their computer/ their home, from convenience and move their body with intention to a location to be amongst a group of people with whom they will share the viewing experience.” To learn more about the upcoming symposium and read interviews with the participants, visit pqmonthly.com. IN OTHER ARTS NEWS … Local author Peter Zuckerman released a new book “Buried in the Sky” (written with Amanda Padoan) June 11. The book draws from unprecedented interviews and access to tell the story of the two Sherpas who survived a deadly day on K2 in August 2008, which claimed the lives of 11 climbers. Zuckerman’s writing has won the Livingston Award and the National Journalism Award. Padoan is a Los Angeles-based writer and mountain climber. Read more about Zuckerman and his writing on page 45.
Cock Gallery’s current show “F*CK’D” features the sexually-charged work of four Brooklyn artists — Alvaro Luna, Nicholas Rispoli, Jason Talley, and Anthony Viti. Their works address everything from internal neurosis and notions of beauty to sero status. The show runs through June 30 at 625 NW Everett St. #106. Open Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. and by appointment. The First Congregational Church will host the Portland premiere of “The Right to Love: An American Family,” a documentary about a family that created a YouTube show to combat ignorance about marriage equality, June 15 at 7:30 p.m.. The straight filmmakers say they had no prior connections to the LGBTQ community and called the process transforming. The family – Jay Foxworthy, Bryan Leffew and their two children — will be present for the screening. Kaj-Anne Pepper (Gender Fantasy) will direct and perform in a new collaborative piece called WRQ! for Hand2Mouth’s Risk/Reward Festival June 23-24 at Artist Repertory Theatre and July 19-21 as part of Conduit Dance Studio’s Dance+ series. WRQ! features the newly founded DECEPTiCONS (Pepper, dancer Jen Hackworth, Carla Rossi, and Mickey Pollizatto). Learn more about this queer exploration of sound, music, dance, and theatre at kajannepepper.wordpress.com.
2012 NW CONGA FOR THE CAUSE, JULY 21-22
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Cultivating Life PRIDE ALWAYS FEELS PERSONAL By LeAnn Locher PQ Monthly
Fifteen years ago, I went to my first gay Pride p a ra d e. I w a s just coming out and figuring out what it meant to be queer. I read a lot of great books during that time, and my wonderful girlfriend (now partner), who had always been in touch with who she was, encouraged me to learn more about the gay community, issues, and the subculture surrounding queers. A little nervous, but also pretty excited, I went to my first Pride with my friend Greg, who was a little older, and whole lot more “out” than I was. He had worked professionally in the gay cause movement, and was such a special gay role model for me. He and I talked about my coming out, about the early dramas of my now 15-year relationship, and he shared his own wonderful stories of being gay and coming out in the decade prior, and what it meant to him as a proud, gay man. He may have been the one who introduced me to jazz hands, and it may/may not have been while singing along to Barry Manilow. Greg and I had a prime spot for the parade on SW Broadway. He wore his vintage “I Marched on DC” t-shirt that he was so proud of. He was so excited. I didn’t know what to expect. I thought there’d be a few hundred fellow queers, a couple of floats, and some drag queens. My only other memory of Pride was from when I was 12, and on a family vacation in San Francisco. We discovered our vacation in the mother of all gay cities coincided with Pride weekend. ( There were a few uncomfortable moments.) What I discovered on the day of my first Pride parade was something that has and will always stay with me. Thousands of people, not hundreds, but thousands — male, female, androgynous, trans, old, young, families … I had never seen such a cross-section of the community — together in one place, at one time. Couples holding hands. In public! And pure, unadulterated celebration. In the light of day. Celebration for who we are. I was in awe. Greg clapped and hooted and hollered for every contingent walking in the parade. Politicians marched or rode in cars, and he ran out there, shook their hands, and thanked them for supporting us. He he greeted each
and every one with excitement, happiness, and pride. We danced along with the dancers on the Boxxes float. We saw people we knew marching and cheered for them. I saw fierce, amazing women, riding without shirts, on fast, loud motorcycles. I was in awe. I was embarrassed. I was excited. I was surrounded by people who were either just like me, or who embraced people like me. I was in a place where I felt safe and I realized it was a very rare thing in my life. I was safe. Greg and I applauded for every single marching contingent. But when PFLAG approached, he got misty. There were mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, all marching in support of their gay family members. “I Love My Gay Son” was a sign carried by a mother walking hand in hand with her son. I was speechless. And they came, one chapter after another, from Roseburg, Medford, Eugene, Portland — all vocalizing, and marching in support of those they loved. Greg told me how important this was, and how incredible these people were. I knew. My biggest fear at the time was coming out to my family and not knowing if they would support me. We clapped as hard as we could and thanked them for marching, mouthing “THANK YOU” when it was too loud to hear our voices. And we cried for the families who loved their children so much that they marched in Pride, publicly declaring their love. It’s June 2012 and it’s time for another Portland Pride parade. It’s been 15 years or so since I went to my first. A lot of queers don’t “get” Pride anymore, and I understand. I used to not get it either. But Greg taught me it’s about our history, about connecting with our family, and celebrating who we are. For so many of us being queer in a straight society means hiding parts — or all — of our authentic selves. Pride, historically, has been about letting that go and being true to ourselves and seeing the thousands of others around us who are doing the same. We are not alone. At this Pride, I’ll be true to myself, to the love of my life who will be by my side, and to the memory of Greg. Sometimes I think if he had been able to connect with the love he felt on Pride all year round, and not just on that one day, he could have loved himself enough to keep living. But he’s gone. I’ll clap for those marching, I’ll thank the politicians for making a statement by being there, and I’ll dance to the disco floats and their dancers. But when PFLAG appears, I’ll cry for Greg, and clap as loud as I can. And thank them.
LeAnn Locher writes about life, and cultivating magic in her garden and kitchen. You can connect with her at facebook.com/sassygardener. pqmonthly.com
THE GOOD LIFE
EAT, DRINK, AND, BE MARY GO OUT FOR A BITE FOR BASIC RIGHTS By Brock Daniels PQ Monthly
In the tradition of old-fashioned cake walks and bake sales, Basic Rights Oregon has turned food fundraising into a true community event. “This is one of the most fun — and easy — fundraisers we have all year,” saidBRO’s Development Director Juan Martínez. “How often do you get to take a stand for equality simply by going out for coffee, brunch, drinks, dinner, or dessert?” The exciting thing is — it really is that easy! Bites For Rights started 13 years ago as a fundraiser called Dine Against 9, meant to help sustain the fight against the anti-LGBTQ Ballot Measure 9. After Measure 9 was defeated, Dine Against 9 turned into Bites For Rights to continue the fight for equality. There are currently 79 participating restaurant across the state of Oregon, and it continues to grow every year. To take part in this annual fundraiser, simply enjoy the amazing culinary creations from your favorite participating local eateries on June 21. Make a full day of it and create your own experience. Start your morning at Blue Collar Baking Company with an amazing Pumpjack bundt cake made with pumpkin, buttermilk, and candied ginger. You have to get a mini bundtlet too! Next, head over the river to Old Wives
Tale for a remarkable lunch — and remarkable variety. Their menu offers something for just about every dietary need or desire — but even their soup and salad bar alone makes for a pretty stellar, healthy, and filling meal. Your tour through beautiful Portland continues with a yummy afternoon snack at Starky’s, where great appetizers and beverages can help you really get the day
going. It’s 5 p.m. somewhere, right? Coconut prawns and a real Cuban mojito complement the gorgeous summer day. Wrap up your day of delicious fundraising with a world-class five-course tasting menu at Uptown Billiards Club on NW 23rd. Chef Nate creates to-die-for small plates using one special ingredient that each of the 5 dishes contain. The five-course tasting menu is paired with wines to complement each individual dish. This is not just a dinner, it’s a dining experience. Reservations are recommended. By dining at any of the participating restaurants on June 21, you are helping “send a message from our business community that you support equality for all Oregonians and that you stand against discrimination,” says BRO Communications Manager Sasha Buchert. Create your own adventure! Shoot me an email and tell me about your experience; I’d love to hear about it. For more information and a lits of participating restaurants throughout Oregon, visit basicrights.org/events/bites-for-rights/.
Brock Daniels, a Pacific Northwest native, has studied wine, culinary arts, gastronomy, and loves researching new food. Brock has written a self-published cookbook titled “Our Year in the Kitchen.” Reach him at brock@pqmonthly.com. June/July 2012 • 51
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THE FUN STUFF
QUERY A QUEER
the entire LGBTQ community and share a common spirit of celebrating who we are and where we come from. The organizations that put them on are co-collaborators, supporting one another’s endeavors. Queers of color attend Portland Pride and allies of all backgrounds attend Pride events tailored to groups to which they do not perAre you a lesbian puzzled by gay men? A sonally belong. transgender person pondering bisexuality? Of course, this does not mean that they are not distinct. While Portland Pride seeks to be inclusive of the entire A straight person perplexed by queers of all community, Pride NW President Debra Porta acknowlstripes? PQ is here to help you through your edges that culturally-specific Pride celebrations meet an “questioning” period. Send your questions to important need. info@pqmonthly.com and put Query a “I think that celebrations like Black Pride and Latino Pride are important because the people who live those intersecQueer in the subject line. tions of identities have decided they are important. If these communities saw everything they needed to see (AKA themQuestion: Why do we have to have separate Pride organizations selves) in the Portland Pride celebration, these individual and events for different parts of the community (i.e. Port- Prides wouldn’t likely have come into existence,” Porta says. land Black Pride, Portland Latino Gay Pride, Asian Pacific “It isn’t my place or responsibility to determine for everyone Islander Pride, etc.)? Why can’t communities of color just that the big festival should be enough. What is my responsimake their events part of the big Portland Pride weekend bility is to continue to do my best in seeing that we do everything that we can to ensure that the Portland Pride celebraso we can all celebrate together? tion — the Waterfront or otherwise — represents as broad a spectrum of our community as possible.” Answer: While culturally-specific Pride celebrations may have It is something of a misnomer to call these celebrations separate. While they often occur on different days emerged out of a need for representation, it’s possible (or even during different months), they are each open to that no amount of inclusion will negate their continued importance. Simply stated, our incredibly diverse communities have too much to celebrate to fit it all into one THEME: HOLLYWOOD LEGENDS 39. Country singer _____ Tucker long weekend. 40. Irritate “From a practical end, no one event can have every41. _____ of parsley ACROSS 43. *What Perkins did in the shower in thing for everyone. It’s unrealistic to think that in one week1. Large, imposing house “Psycho” end or one celebration the entire LGBTQ community can 6. “Lake” in France 44. Accord or comport with be fully represented,” says Portland Latino Gay Pride Co9. *”Que ____,” sang Doris Day 46. Yugoslavian communist Founder and Chair David Martínez. “There is so much to 13. Unwritten exams 47. Location of Dante’s nine circles 14. Spermatozoa counterparts 15. *Hollywood legend quality? 16. Laker great 17. Judge on “Dancing with the Stars” 18. L on clothes 19. *”The Big Sleep” leading lady 21. *He played “Spartacus” 23. Before, old English 24. Ancient Greeks’ harp 25. Cattle prod 28. “For” in Spanish 30. *”Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship,” in “Casablanca,” e.g. 35. Port of Yemen 37. Comedy Central’s 1990s animated s e r i e s “ D r. _ _ _ _ , Profe ss i o n a l Therapist”
48. *Eastwood’s Josey Wales, e.g. 50. 2009 Daniel Day-Lewis musical 52. Charlotte of “Facts of Life” fame 53. First, second or third in baseball 55. Follow ems 57. *Last name of two female legends 61. *He called for Stella 64. Relating to axis 65. Second person of “be” 67. “Unbearable Lightness of _____” 69. Pulitzer winner _____ Cather 70. Decorate cake 71. Dam 72. Flower holder 73. Once around 74. Undo
DOWN
31. 100m ____ 32. Prefix for “among” 33. African antelope 34. *He said, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” 36. A Broadway legend, given name 38. Tubular pasta 42. One who’s doomed 45. Singular of tabulae 49. It engulfed the world in the 1940s 51. Render capable 54. Escargot 56. Express contempt 57. Hems and ____ 58. Sign of escape 59. Arrange in a stack 60. Healing ointment 61. Road Runner sound 62. Cher or Celine Dion? 63. Dollar bills 66. AV manufacturer 68. “____ whiz!”
1. *Garland to Minnelli 2. United ____ Emirates 3. Hindu serpent deity 4. New York is famous for it 5. Protective embankment 6. Be lazy or idle 7. ____ Maria 8. *Canadian funny man 9. Ore smelting by-product 10. Basketball great ____ “The Pearl” Monroe 11. Capital of Latvia 12. Greek god of war 15. Like a native speaker 20. Accidental holes 22. Mine deposit 24. Soldier’s bathroom 25. *Famous for her low, husky voice 26. *”Farewell” from Catherine Deneuve 27. Blue and white pottery style 29. Wholly engrossed
54 • June/July 2012
share beyond food and music. I always say, ‘That is why it takes us four days to celebrate.’” And that’s just PLGP. Imagine if all the culturally-specific Pride events happened over the same weekend. Rather than encouraging folks to celebrate together, it would create competition for people’s time. Portland Pride weekend is already so jam-packed with (official and unofficial) events it is virtually impossible to attend them all. (Though if you manage to do so, we’d love to hear how you did it.) Holding Portland Black Pride and Portland Latino Gay Pride on different dates increases our ability to support each other while giving LGBTQ communities of color an opportunity to celebrate their cultural backgrounds in a meaningful, rather than tokenizing, way. The latter is especially important for folks living in more remote corners of a region as white as Oregon and SW Washington. “We want to create a space where you will hear Spanish spoken; where the performances, speakers, and programs reflect our culture and history,” Martínez says. “I remember getting an email from a young Latino, who did not speak English and lived at the Oregon Coast, inquiring about the event. He could not believe this was happening.” The issue of culturally specific spaces is one that comes up around the need for Pride in general. There are some who wonder if a day will come when LGBTQ Pride (not to mention its culturally-specific manifestations) is no longer necessary — that we will at some point become so assimilated into and/or validated by society at large that these celebrations will become superfluous. “It is always important to take time to focus on who we are and where we come from. We have an amazing history and culture; no matter how much we progress, taking a moment to reflect and celebrate is needed,” Martínez says. “Pride events and cultural history months (Hispanic Heritage Month, Women’s History Month, etc.), give people that opportunity. I also keep in mind and literally tell myself, it will always be a ‘first Pride’ for someone.” -Erin Rook, PQ Monthly staff writer
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THE FUN STUFF
End Up Tales ASTROSCOPES WITH MISS RENEE
PROVE IT
By Anonymous
How many dates did we go on? I lost count, which is maybe romantic, or maybe a sign that you and I drink too much. Anyway, after all this, you get all bashful — “Hey! Let’s just be friends!” you say. “What the fuck ever,” I say. I know that “let’s just be friends” doesn’t mean “let’s actually be friends” as much as it means, “If you see me on the street, please don’t feel the need to shout a cuss word and then flee in horror,” or “we should be able to run into one another at house parties without needing to set each other on fire.” I get it, okay? It’s one of those basic pleasantries, polite passivity for the sake of social peace, saying one thing and meaning another. Portland in a nutshell, right? But goddamn it — friends call one another. Friends invite the other out to drink too much vodka and laugh too loudly. Friends even freak out, have bad days, fall into hard times and need someone to offer a shoulder to cry on and brutal guidance on how to get their lives out of the shitter. At the very least, friends have some modicum of loyalty and affection, some sort of sense that each other is special and important and perhaps even worthy of some protection. Can you actually give me that? All we did when we were together was drink, and fuck, bicker from time to time, sit in bed, and watch Netflix movies. All of those things were great, but none of them gave me any sort of assurance that I’m more than just some sort of diversion to you, something warm and soft and thirsty and perhaps even comforting but insufficiently interesting to actually date. So, “friend,” if that’s what you want to be — fucking prove it. Call me, whether it’s to laugh or cry. Ask me how my day was and at least pretend to be interested in the answer. Show me that you actually want to be loyal and kind and considerate, and that you deserve these things from me. If you’re going to say it’s what you want, make a point to be my friend. Otherwise, just tell me you don’t want me to set you ablaze when I see you at parties — because right now, I want to. Have a romantic encounter “end up” somewhere interesting? Feel particularly strongly about some irritating habit repeated again and again by someone—or our collective? Send anonymous stories, protecting names and identities, from awkward dating— and other—scenarios to us at enduptales@PQMonthly.com. We promise we’ll keep all your secrets.
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Miss Renee aka Tarot Chick is an empath, tarot card reader, and spiritual astrologer of 19 years based out of NE Portland. She loves love notes so feel free to holla or schedule a tarot / astrology chart session: that_tarot_chick@yahoo.com.
Leo: Hopefully you’ve utilized the opportunities falling like pennies from heaven in 2012. Jupiter (luck/travel) pop-locked its way into butterfly Gemini June 11 and will bring you even MORE. Separate the wheat from the chaff. Harmonizing Uranus retrogrades July 13, slowing you down a bit. That’s good! Cap, organize, and strengthen. Aries: Jupiter, (luck, travel, expanding horizons) entered quick-thinking, variety-loving Gemini on June 11. Utilize this and up your skills; delve into learning a new language or craft. This can help buffer the upcoming full moon squaring you in, “What are you doing with your life?!” Capricorn on July 3. Theme Song: Stereo MCs, “Elevate My Mind.”
Virgo:
Mars moves on to Libra July 3, finally moving off YOUR ass! Whew! Use these last days to really push through in all the areas it stimulated you to get moving since November. Jupiter (growth) in sister sign Gemini brings you the opportunity/necessity of higher learning, which you love anyway, Hermione. ;)
Taurus: Mercury (communication/mental processes) gets emotional in Cancer on June 7 while Neptune (spirituality/fantasy/denial) retrogrades. The Bull’s solid nature gets swirled by feelings re: family, stability, woundedness, and reality check. Linus-blanket process this til Mercury enters “Im the ish!” Leo on June 25. Full moon in earthy Capricorn July 3 puts feet on the ground.
Libra: Jupiter entering Gemini June 11 and Mars entering Libra July 3 bring loads of options and feelings of being pushed to the notoriously indecisive Libras. Uranus opposing in Aries said, “Captain your own ship,” but its retrograde July 13 harmonizes with Jupiter and Mars with an, “Okay, you can bring a friend, now.” Tag team it.
Gemini: Real talk for a minute, Geminis. Your tribe has more cosmic “juice” right now than ANY OTHER SIGN. Venus (values/art/love) Jupiter(luck/travel/growth), Sun (Illumination/Will) all in Gemini. Handcuff them twins to each other, honey, and ground yourself. You RUN THIS ISH if you FOCUS. Theme song: J Hud, “Feelin’ Good!”
Scorpio:Your ruler Pluto joins the full moon in Capricorn July 3 highlighting issues of hierarchy, public face, definitions of success, familial responsibility. Through that tough exterior, unlike Honey Badger, Scorpio really does give a sh*t. This transit, though, might surprise you with breakthroughs in WHERE you do and where you no longer do.
Ca n c e r : A bit intense for Tribe Cancer now. Mercury (communication/mental processes) entered Cancer on June 7, emotionally sensitizing you even further. Choose to occasionally mentally “go Spock,” utilizing fact based thinking. Shifts with Mars, Uranus, and Neptune help you define parameters, revamp blueprints, switch out players. Plus side: Muses are at your command. You bettah work!
Sag loves adventure. Great, cuz Mars’s recent entry into partner-oriented Libra and Mercury’s upcoming foray into Leo might produce an opportunity to couple up and create in tandem. Choose wisely. Spiritual Neptune and Wounded Healer Chiron, both retrograde, give you time to process months worth of “aha moments” regarding what matters most to you.
Capricorn:
The Universe is trying to deconstruct you to build you back up stronger. Learning to laugh at yourself and releasing control freakness is KEY. Dance! Daily mantra (w/ whiskey) for Capricorn: “The roof! The roof! The roof is on fiyah! We don’t need no water, let the mutha f*cka burn!” Rock Master Scott
Aquarius: Jupiter and Mars in fellow air signs Gemini and Libra put gas in your car/spaceship. If you’ve been feeling stuck or uninspired your head might spin at the sheer speed and volume of opportunities coming your way. However, air signs are “conceptual” and your ruler’s currently retrograding so work within “idea” mode for awhile. Pisces: Your ruler, Neptune, and Wounded Healer Chiron are riding piggyback through the heavens. Both are now retrograding, giving you an opportunity to review deep truths. So dust off the yoga mat, look into meditation meet ups, and journal. Get your “OM” on, mermaid/man. Side note: You’re a sexual healer baby. ;) ANSWERS TO PUZZLES ON PAGE 54
Sa g i t t a r i u s :
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