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  Katastrophe performs Saturday with Athens Boys choir at Gaycation Whew! So one small weekend of only a few events and we’re back to the melee of 20 million dueling events. Here’s what you got to choose from.
Thursday
Triskaidekaphilia (Just My Luck) – Former Just Out arts writer Jimmy Radosta hasn’t had the best of luck. But his loss is our comedic gain with his one man show that highlights his growing up in Salem and other gay misfortunes. Billed as blending the dry wit of David Sedaris with the political humor of Jon Stewart and the cheeky musical stylings of “Weird Al” Yankovic, this love of 13 is surely a good luck charm for the rest of us.
Radical Act at the Reel Music Festival –Radical Act may have been made in 1995 but women in rock still have a glass ceiling. The film screened at Outfest in Los Angeles and appeared in 1999 as part of Miranda July’s “Break My Chainletter” collection, and now it’s being revived at the Reel Music Festival.
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  Ernesto Dominguez qPDX would like to congratulate Portland Community College (PCC) student Ernesto Dominguez, who recently received the HRC Awards Scholarships to Student Activists Committed to Achieving LGBT Equality. Only 3 were awarded out of 400 applications from all 50 states in the categories of first year student, returning student 2-year institution, and returning student 4-year insitution. Dominguez won in the first year category.
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  Task Force Deputy Executive Director of External Relations Russell Roybal presents Ernesto Dominguez with the Youth Leadership Award. Local youth, HIV/AIDS and immigration activist Ernesto Dominguez isn’t new to winning awards. A year and a half ago Dominguez received the HRC’s student activist award and he just recently accepted the the Paul A. Anderson Youth Leadership Award for his work with ChatPDX, a collaboration between organizations and individuals working to curb HIV and AIDS transmission among young people through peer education and outreach, HIV testing, youth services and social media, and with Advocates for Youth, which also aims to help teens make informed decisions around sex.
You can see video of Dominguez’s acceptance speech, given at the Creating Change conference in Baltimore, MD, Tuesday January 31st, put on by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. In it he powerfully equates LGBT and immigration rights saying, “LGBT rights are immigrant rights, and immigrant rights are LGBT rights,” and basically gives us all hope for the future of our young people. (I can say that now that I am a solidly adult 30 year old right?)
The video, as well as a transcript of his acceptance speech, are below.
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  Last week the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. The Human Rights Campaign successfully delivered over 135 thousand petitions calling for this repeal. The bill’s main sponsor, Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California (D) fears that the bill will have no chance in the House that is controlled by Republican conservatives. Even with 31 Democratic Senate sponsors, there is Republican hindrance.
President Obama announced this past February that the law would no longer be defended by his administration. He stated recently that he supports “civil unions” but, what about “same-sex” marriages? This federal law has economically impacted all gay and lesbian couples around the nation, not giving them the same government privileges as heterosexual couples. There are currently six states which now recognize gay and lesbian marriages (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire) however, couples’ rights are still limited. They cannot file for joint federal tax returns, nor do they have spousal Social Security benefits. Also, couples are not a part of the Family and Medical Leave Law or protected from estate taxes if their partner dies.
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  I believe at this point you’re pretty well aware that this blog is gay, I’m gay, Portland loves a gay gay gay. But Happy National Coming Out Day nevertheless. I’ve had other posting priorities but now that the day is here I have some guilt about not mentioning it at all, so here are some links.
Just Out‘s Guide to local Coming Out Day events – Today may be the actual day, but there are celebrations of outness all week long, so if you just can’t handle being flaming enough on a Tuesday, and I have a feeling I might be one of those people, feel free to save the glitterbombing for the weekend.
Join the #CountMeOut campaign – We all know that the most important place to come out is Facebook, ok, maybe Twitter, so the Huffington Post has some very helpful hints on how to gayify your profile pictures, along with their usual heartfelt commentary. Instructions below! (And not their official Facebook page but another local FB-related resource).
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  Preview Kaj-Anne Pepper's GenderFantasy this Friday at Bent Thursday
DJ Challenge and Gaga look alike contest for AIDSwalk – A benefit for the upcoming walk to bring attention to AIDS (cuz the fight is not over my friends) this Gaga look alike contest can also win you tickets to Ke$ha. Gay cliché as it may be I bet there will be many good costumes provoking laughter and gasps alike. And though I don’t know what the DJ challenge entails I’m excited to see Mr. Charming (Gaycation) participate in it. If it was DJ Hero on the Wii I might even give them a run for their money…
Big Eyes, Tacocat, Forever, & Guantanamo BayWatch – Punk rock at the Fleetwood Shac.
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  Bacon Salt man at last year's Portland Baconfest. 2011 version takes place this Saturday on E Burnside Thursday
Q center open house – Come say hi to the new Executive Director, Barbara McCullough-Jones while you check out featured art on the history of Portland drag from photographer Greg Pitts.
Kerry Hallet @ Alberta Pub – The pub may be eclipsed by its newer hipster neighbors across the street but it’s still got amazing fries and damn good acoustic music sets, like this one by local Kerry Hallet.
Friday
Bent featuring Jeau Breedlove – This months gay ass dance party up north features the homo hop stylings of Jeau Breedlove. The name will probably get old quickly but I heard the cat at the Queer Music Fest the rhymes are pretty dope.
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