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Yet another post that doesn’t have much to do with anything

Whoa, you thought your lesbian drama was excessive. What is all this I hear about a fortune and a woman adopting her lover in order to make sure their wealth was distributed upon her death? Ok, I’m all for a partner of 14 years receving a portion of the fortune. 14 years isn’t a gold-digging fly-by-night affair. But what I don’t understand, and everyone (article writers, commenters etc.) seem to expect me to, is how anyone can be adopted past 18 at all. Can anyone adopt anyone even if they are a year older than them. I just don’t get it. Anyone else have insight on this? I love my momma but boy if I could have an adoptive second parent there could be all kinds on interesting eligible candidates. I mean, I’ve been trying to finagle citizenship in a lot of interesting coutries for awhile now… […]


Turn it around: Barren heteros barred from childless marriages?

Wow, I’m super stoked in this way of going about things. I’ve always thought it so strange how in a country founded on the very basis of separation of church and state that a religious argument over marriage can even be argued in any sort of legal situation. Marriage itself, however, is such a religious matter I also wonder at why we’ve made it so fundmental to our legal and economic systems. Yet we have. So if it is a social and not religious insitution I am for gay marriage, of course. That’s why this argument being put forth by the Washington Defense of Marriage Alliance is so smart.

Under the measure, marriage would be limited to men and women who are able to have children. Couples would be required to prove they can have children in order to get a marriage license, and if they did not have children within three years, their marriage would be subject to annulment.

All other marriages would be defined as "unrecognized" and people in those marriages would be ineligible to receive any marriage benefits.

If one argument the right has against gay marriages is children this should be fine with them. But of course it’s not fine. It’s horrible. Why would I deny any Romeo and Juliet from contractually fullfilling their love. I wouldn’t.

According to the group’s Web site, organizers hope that the supreme court will strike down the initiatives as unconstitutional, weakening the basis for the same-sex marriage ban.

Absolutely brilliant. I can’t wait to see this one play out.

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Two pro-equality bills introduced in Legislature

Courtesy Basic Rights Oregon:

Today, the Oregon Legislature introduced two historic bills that would enact basic fairness for GLBT Oregonians and their families. The legislation is based on the recommendations of The Governor’s Task Force on Equality–a diverse committee of business, clergy and civil rights advocates from across Oregon. The Task Force invested seven months in assessing current Oregon law, analyzing applicable legal precedent, and listening to public testimony at open meetings across the state. Based on this process, the Task Force recommended that the legislature and Governor take action on both anti-discrimination and relationship recognition this session.

The first of these bills is HB 2007, titled "The Oregon Family Fairness Act"
. House Bill 2007 would create a new Oregon law to legally recognize the committed relationships of same-sex couples and their families. This legislation would confer on same-sex couples certain legal protections, rights and responsibilities similar to those generally afforded to opposite couples through marriage.

Upon introduction of HB 2007, our newly elected, fair-minded Speaker of the House, Jeff Merkley said, "The Oregon Equality Act and The Oregon Family Fairness Act are essential to ending discrimination against LGBT Oregonians. Both of these issues will be considered by the Oregon House this session and I will do everything I can to see that we pass these fundamental human rights."

The second is SB 2, titled "The Oregon Equality Act". Senate Bill 2 would amend Oregon’s existing non-discrimination laws to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in such situations as housing, employment and public accommodation.

"No Oregonian should suffer from discrimination and I am excited to work on this landmark legislation in the Senate. The time for this is long overdue," remarked Senate Majority Leader Kate Brown, who last session was a chief sponsor for Senate Bill 1000.
Basic Rights Oregon is thrilled to be able to give this legislation our full and unequivocal support. This is a very exciting day for our community and for our state, and we applaud Governor Kulongoski and the House and Senate leadership for recognizing the importance of extending basic fairness to all Oregonians.

So now what?
Now is the time to move into action. While we have a lot of support in Salem, those who oppose the Basic Fairness Package will be hard at work trying to stop this legislation from passing. We can take nothing for granted. It will take hard work by lawmakers and advocates alike to make this legislation a reality in Oregon… so your legislators need to hear from you!

Join Basic Rights Oregon and hundreds of pro-equality members of the community as we converge on the Capitol in Salem on March 7th. The day’s activities will include lobbying visits with our elected officials, and a rally on the steps of the Capitol.

Breaking news… We also just learned that Christine Chavez, granddaughter of Cesar Chavez, has eagerly agreed to be a keynote speaker at the rally! Christine is flying up from Los Angeles just to attend this event – you won’t want to miss it!

So sign up now for Lobby Day on March 7th. The more people we have on the steps of the capitol–the clearer the message that IT IS TIME for basic fairness. Remember, alone our voice may be heard, but together our voices will resonate.

Magnify your voice! Click here to register now for Lobby Day.

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Post-Oscar snarkism and weekend wrap up

Despite it being one of the more boring Oscar years, I followed much of last night’s show (ok, an hour interrupted by the L Word but, whatever, I hear I didn’t miss much).

Highlights:

As more and more ladies of some age appeared on the stage looking absolutely fantastic my girlfriend dubbed them GILFS, a takeoff on the popular MILF acronym, replacing Grandma with Mother. So congratulations Helen Mirren, Meryl Streep and Diane Keaton. You certainly get an Oscar from me.

Melissa Ethridge winning for "An Incoventient Truth." Tammy Lynn Michaels, who I can only really ever think of as a mean girl from D.E.B.S. is so sweet and in love with her. She was biting back tears as she kissed her on live TV. I’ve never been a huge Melissa fan (ok, I did go to a concert when I was about 12) but it’s always good to see the liberals and the queers teaming up and WINNING. Yes, we will inherit the earth. Al Gore’s speech cutoff joke wasn’t bad either.

Penelope Cruz. The best dress ever. ‘Nuff said.

Lowlights:

Much of the show in general.

Sadly, Ellen. I love her normally but she really was pretty lame, although I actually thought the vacumming was a little bit amusing (and Queerty seemed to like her, though I think they’re the only ones). I can’t imagine though having to host a huge show like that, then go on that creepy creepy Jimmy Kimmel’s show (I didn’t actually stay up late enough to watch this because I loathe him, but I assume it was as painful as his horrible negation of identity as he tried to fight with Rebecca Romijn last week), go to a bunch of parties until 6am, and then wake up to tape your own daily show. I don’t envy her so I’m gonna cut her some slack.

The worst local angle was Willamette Week who effectively ruined my enjoyment of the Deaparted as it waited for me in my mailbox the very same day the Willy published. It’s one thing to give spoilers, it’s quite another to splash them in huge letters across a centerfold page with other articles. I hate you.

As for the rest of the weekend it was pretty excellent. I actually went out twice in a row! That’s a lot for me as I enter my golden years. But the new club nights at Rotture are pretty good, even if they don’t really get hopping until 12:30. But there’s actually two, The Thin Pink Line and Juicy, so you got something every Friday night. They’re pretty dang queer but mixed with heteros as well so its a pretty interesting scene. Definitely recommended. One thing about this club, as well as my Saturday night Double Down experience, that I’ve noticed is that they’ll always put the mediocre DJ somewhere after the middle of the night so that you say 2 more songs and if they suck we’re gone. Inevitably, the better DJ will come back just as your gathering your coats. At Rotture, I held one, at Double Down I was tired of fighting the smashed in crowds and bailed. Eh, it’s a formula I guess.

And one last thing. We all watched L Word, as usual, and still hate everybody for the most part but I gotta say Alice and her new girl are adorable. Alice is still ok in my book and has really always been the only decent character. (Also, the only out actress on teh show until Daniela Sea). Her new lady’s pretty hot too and we all understand why she’s gotta bite that butt.

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New club night, The Thin Pink Line, tonight!

Sorry this is so last minute, dear readers, but I just found out about it. I know, that means I’m painfully out of the loop. But winter’s ending and I feel myself jumping right back into said loop. The Thin Pink Line busts a juicy queer dance move every second and fourth Friday of the month at Rotture (315 Se Third). Better yet, it’s a themed dance party. (You know how I fetishize a good theme). Today’s is Mardi Gras. Ok so we’re a little late but it’s Portland and we’re operating on Gay Standard Time anyway right?

Rotture, the former Loveland, B Complex, what-evah, has traditionally been all ages but I really can’t say what kind of venue it’s become. But my chief concern was whether there would be alcohol and, thankfully, the answer is a resounding (and slurred) yes. In fact, Sparks-mosas are on special for a lowly dollar. And since Sparks is already champagne infused with taurine and malt substance (yes, the American version of the Brit loved vodka and Red Bull) that means you get two! Two Sparks! And as I age I realize the importance of keeping both my alcohol and caffeine levels up when I go out, so this is my perfect drink. Too bad I don’t realize the importance of good taste huh?

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Blame Canada

Thought our neighbors to the North were just a friendly bunch of Canucks? Well you were wrong. Because they’re gonna make you gay.

It’s not huge news or even particularly locally relevant (although you might want to rethink those weekend plans to Vancouver) but I just couldn’t resist this one…

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Our own Oscar party

For those of you with cubicle monkey type jobs, this is the perfect way to while away your desk jockey day. Our favorite MTV owned gay station had got a whole mess of end of the year movie polls just for the gay kiddies. So while the Academy is snubbing Brokeback or making their grand pronouncements this Sunday we can have our own party with cheers for the queer year. But please people, don’t choose Casino Royal…for anything. Just because you think Daniel Craig’s has a really hot chest, despite his oddly misshapen face, doesn’t make it gay, nor a good movie… […]


Commissioner Sam steps it up a notch

Today the Portland Commish has filed suit over same-sex partnership rights. I was fairly surprised to see this bit of news pop up a few minutes ago. Who knew this was in the works? It looks as if Basic Rights wasn’t involved, or at least it’s implied by this news post, because it mentions that they have their own agenda coming up. It’s great to see new challenges to current law and the unfair state of things come up but I do wonder sometimes that there is a lack of communication between the many individuals and organizations in Oregon that work for gay rights. Hey, I would’t go through Basic Rights all the time either; they’ve got their own set of continually revolving leadership problems. But still, it’d be nice to know what’s coming.

Then again, I know very little about the legal system so perhaps in that respect surprise attacks are key. In my own less political realm this says to me that he could indeed be Portland’s most eligible (gay) bachelor. Not only that, but judging my the suit, he’s all about being fair and amicable in a breakup. So go for it boys.

PS This gives me yet another opportunity to bring up my soapbox speech on the gay tax. Yay me.

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In a way she is that innocent…

So, no longer innocent li’l Brit is all over the news yet again this today with the bizarre news that she shaved her head (to match her shorn locks below perhaps?). And really, any gay gossip blog co… […]


Movie review: ‘Madeinusa’

Many sad movies, nay, most truly depressing tales have a lesson to give, a compelling reason to exist, even hope, or some other redeeming qualities. Madeinusa, the Peruvian submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, which shows this Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at PIFF, had none of these. (I am also particularly thankful to report this film has nothing to do with gay culture)

The ironically named Madeinusa lives in an isolated village in Peru, dirt poor despite being the daughter of the town’s mayor, a patient pedophile. Her mother has left her and her sister appears to hate her. On the eve of the town’s annual festivities, or "Holy Time," as they call it, a non-indigenous (gringo) geologist from Lima, Salvador, gets stranded in the town, as there is no coming or going from the town during this holiday. What begins with what might seems like a fairly benign Holy Virgin Beauty Contest and Good Friday night prayers in the Catholic Church turns sinister quickly. God is dead and will not arise until Sunday morning. Therefore, this weekend God sees nothing and there is no sin. You can do anything to want and you will not be punished. And while I’m all for debauchery and parties, moral obligations exist in both religious and secular life for reasons and it is disturbing to think that they only matter because God is looking.

The audience already knows that Madeinusa’s father has been waiting these 14 years to deflower his younger daughter when she decides to preempt him and cavort with the gringo in an alleyway. By this time you are praying that Salvador will rescue her but he refuses. Unlike any other character, however, his decency prevails when he witnesses Madeinusa’s father raping her despite her deflowerment.

But while you may have a tiny grain of hope as they prepare to flee don’t hold onto it. Madeinusa has been driven to insanity and betrayal by her dire straights. This all leads to an ending even creepier and more disturbing that you might have initially imagined. I wouldn’t claim any saving grace in the beauty of Madeinusa‘s parting shots but there certainly is elegance to the cinematography. These colorful and bizarre images that ride through the horror of this film are the only split seconds of enjoyment one might be able to take away. But even they are not worth it. The shot of Salvador’s eye through the craggy wooden slats of the cell in which he is initially imprisoned is nicely framed but is also a frequently used, trite shot that pales in comparison to close ups in something like the disturbing-but-highly-worth-it Pan’s Labyrinth. Even the scene of the urinating cow is a beautiful, welcome relief to the ugliness of the movie as a whole. And when farm animal pee is the highlight of your screen experience you just can’t recommend a film.

Madeinusa screens Tues Feb 20th, Wed the 21st and Thur the 22nd at Broadway. A complete schedule can be found on the NW Film Center website. […]