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Despite the fact that I grew up here, and Ive been back long enough to be on my second Portland summer, I had never been to Sauvie Island before this June. Presented with four different beach options I figured it was worth swimming in water that might be less than crystal and was excited to finally scope it out. Unfortunately, Ive discovered its not quite as simple finding the perfect spot so, loyal readers, Ive decided to give you some tips Ive discovered among the many weekends Ive spent at Collins Beach.
Sauvie was presented to me as a line of four themed beaches: a clothed straight beach, a clothed gay beach, a nude straight and a nude gay. The nekkid beaches were to begin as the paved road turned to gravel. However, our first stop, near the beginning of the gravel road, presented us with a hoard of beach bunny blonde teens. The sign that had previously read clothing optional had painted over the optional, extending clothed space. We christened this section of the beach MTV Beach Party.
The next weekend slightly farther down the beach seemed a fairly mundane, family-friendly section of clothing optional waterfront. This was not a bad area. Attempt number three, at the next porta-potty down the lane, was a nice, fairly quiet and private space, but the sand and water were kinda mushy in an unpleasant muddy and seaweed-laden way. However, on our jaunt down the beach, past where you might think its ok to park, brought great clear water, flying rainbow kites, and several scattered log forts which definitely brought back the excitement of youthful beach play, and yet in a much queerer way. And yes, though the gay Captain Americas on these sections of the beach can, occasionally, be intimidating there really is a vast array of folks in various levels of undress (youll see me in my trunks and sunglasses), including the professor who takes and bus and hitchhikes the rest of the way, the old couples wearing nothing but fanny-packs, and even some ladies who arrived on motorcycles (although the fellas do dominate the beach).
So, in short, my advice to you is, go west, young man, go west. Go past what seems the end of the road to find your queer haven, although the spot between the 2nd and 3rd potties after the gravel begins is pretty good for mixed groupings. The summer marches on so enjoy it while you can.
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Last nights series ender was a much pleasanter surprise than anticipated, even if it was carried out in Queer as Folks usual glaringly obvious and cheesy manner. The rest of this post is filled with spoilers, so if youve waited to see it with the boys at Slaughters read the rest of this tomorrow.
Thank you, thank you Queer as Folk, for returning to your thumpa thumpa, plastic ass, roots. Thank you for not putting Teddy and Emmett together. Thank you for your bittersweet decision to keep Brian and Justin in love but still the party boys and dream pursuers, not marriage material. And thank you, most of all, for cracking a much needed joke at the HRC. Because, Michael Nvodty, you are right. Straight gays may want it to look like our community is just like everyone else: married with children in perfect stable, monogamous relationships, wearing the clothes of the appropriate gender. Thank god, thank us, we are different. We do embrace gender variance, new constructions of family, new ways of looking at the world. So queer as folk, I can happily say, so long, its been fun
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Americas first all queer show (stolen from across the pond of course) is ending . . . forever. What ever are we going to do without our soft core boy on boy action fix? As I stated earlier, I am concerned that the show is going to end with a happy heteronormative fix, and my fears have not been allayed in subsequent episodes. But I have other worries as well. Obviously, that Tad character is bad news for Teddy. Hes cutting him off from all his friends and we all know how fragile and susceptible lil Mr. Schmidt is. But worse than anything happening to Teddy, would be if he and Emmett got back together. Emmett, you are way too fabulous for that sniveling sap. Teddy, I never really liked you. It is significant that his character dies in that initial Season 1 episode in the British version. Everyone else seems to be tied, rather neatly, into their matrimonial packages, so I suppose Im not particularly concerned, or excited really, to see what happens to them. But bravo boys, youve had a good run, and, despite all your flaws, I will miss you. Be sure to tune in early to check out the retrospective a half hour before the show.
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Yeah, this little shindig definitely needed its own entry as well. Beware, though I have no intention of being explicit, leather pride is not necessarily appropriate dinner table discussion for all. Now, the highlights.
Although the 100 degree weather might make leather week feel a little more like a hamburger grillfest, nevertheless, those with real pride will endure the sweat and meaty feeling. It may even work to the advantage of some.
Events have already begun but the official kickoff is tomorrow nights party, the 6th Annual Leather, Feathers & Fur Fetish Ball at the Melody Ball Room (615 SE Alder St) 8p 1a $12 advance, $15 door. Saturday has the usual weekend fare and auction (no, I have no idea what will be on auction but Im guessing several Tom of Finland prints?). Sunday however, seems to have a rather interesting leather tasting event. No word on whether kinky vegans will be hosting their own vinyl tasting
The week continues with the introduction of lace, movies, women events, frat parties, bears, beers, brunches, barbeques and potlucks. (My but havent we worked up an appetite?) But the finale will be next Saturdays (the 13th that is) Mr. & Ms. Oregon State Leather 2004 Contest at Embers (10 NW Broadway) $10 door. Doors at 6p, show 7 9p.
For more details and a full schedule visit www.oregonleatherpride.org
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(Thought this deserved it’s own separate little mention)
LCPs infamous Softball Tournament of Choice, in its 20th year, gets underway this weekend in the Couv (aw, my home town), well actually Brush Prairie (13599 NE Prairie Road), and its bound to be as slick as ever. Forget the sportsmanship, the skill and those arms (ok, remember the arms), I hear theres supposed to be a soaped up slipnslide. And who wouldnt want to see a gaggle of naked lesbians getting sudsy plastic burns up and down that lovely yellow slide? That should be even better than the raffle prizes, games, food and camping that have been promised. You dont have to be a baller to attend so check it out and email letsplaylcp@comcast.net for more information.
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And that’s why I’m giving you time to prepare. So here’s just a quick little run down of what’s getting going, to be (hopefully) expounded upon as the week progresses:
Lesbian Community Project hosts its 20th annual Softball Tournament of Choice through Sun at Prairie Fields in Brush Prairie, WA. Spectators welcome! (13599 NE Prairie Road.) letsplaylcp@comcast.net
The second annual PDX Pop Now! festival features queer musicians The Gossip, The Blow, Tara Jane O’Neil and more through Sun at Loveland. (320SE 2nd Ave.) For a complete schedule visit www.pdxpopnow.com.
Models strut burlesque, gender-punk and drag styles during Genderfly Fashion Faux at Bossanova (722 E Burnside) featuring a Sissyboy showcase, hip-hop duo Smash & Airloom, DJs Spike and Eric, and bands T-reXXXa, The Del Toros and Cathole. Proceeds benefit Basic Rights Oregon. 8p, $7
The sixth annual Leather, Feathers & Fur Fetish Ball at Melody Ballroom (615 SE Alder) kicks off Leather Pride Week, continuing through the 14th. 8p, $15 at the door, $12 in advance from Spartacus. For a complete schedule visit www.oregonleatherpride.org.
[…]
And that’s why I’m giving you time to prepare. So here’s just a quick little run down of what’s getting going, to be (hopefully) expounded upon as the week progresses:
Lesbian Community Project hosts its 20th annual Softball Tournament of Choice through Sun at Prairie Fields in Brush Prairie, WA. Spectators welcome! (13599 NE Prairie Road.) letsplaylcp@comcast.net
The second annual PDX Pop Now! festival features queer musicians The Gossip, The Blow, Tara Jane O’Neil and more through Sun at Loveland. (320SE 2nd Ave.) For a complete schedule visit www.pdxpopnow.com.
Models strut burlesque, gender-punk and drag styles during Genderfly Fashion Faux at Bossanova (722 E Burnside) featuring a Sissyboy showcase, hip-hop duo Smash & Airloom, DJs Spike and Eric, and bands T-reXXXa, The Del Toros and Cathole. Proceeds benefit Basic Rights Oregon. 8p, $7
The sixth annual Leather, Feathers & Fur Fetish Ball at Melody Ballroom (615 SE Alder) kicks off Leather Pride Week, continuing through the 14th. 8p, $15 at the door, $12 in advance from Spartacus. For a complete schedule visit www.oregonleatherpride.org.
[…]
Sometimes you never know from whence the next breakthrough in civil rights will come or when certain groups will decide to stand by you or let you fall. (I mean who can really explain the existance of Log Cabin Republicans?) And in this country with an enourmously varied native population there is certainly no way to declare a Native American perspective on gay marriage. Traditional native culture varied greatly, from accepting variant forms of gender and sexuality (one of the most well-known being the Two-spirit), to condemning it outright. However, these opinions could extend beyond the reservation, as the US must recognize tribal marriages. Under Cherokee law a lesbian couple in conservative Oklahoma married and tried to register with the state. As of now it seems that the Cherokee Nation is not completely behind the move, however, and proceedings seem to have stalled. But might other tribes feel differently? With a fairly sizeable native population here how might that affect the marriage debate in the Northwest?
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I was pleasantly surprised to see a profile of a young transgendered person tucked away in The Os local section yesterday. Yet while I may expect a high schooler, still unraveling the mysteries of gender and sexuality, to express confusion and inaccuracies I did hope that the author might be on surer footing.
I applaud that by the end of the article Reddy uses Dannys chosen gender pronoun (he) but why the switch, beginning with the she that Danny must put up with in the struggle of the rest of his life. But ok, perhaps it could be a clever literary device striving to envelop the inner turmoil of transition. This, however, is a stretch.
Reddy also refers to the youth with the term transgender lesbian. And while Danny is free to identify any way he so desires I dont believe this is a chosen moniker or most likely correct. In general that would imply a male to female trans individual who dates woman, while it seems Danny is a female to male to dates women. Completely different.
As someone who has participated in the gender Gumby game as well as speaking with Bridge 13 as a teenager, these more straightforward explanations, too, seem a bit confusing, even to me. I wonder if a larger Oregonian audience will come away from the story with any sense of the lives and difficulties of transgendered youth. While I am happy to see trans issues in the news I wonder if an article this muddled and short goes in depth enough, or is clear and accurate enough, to be more good than harm.
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The festivals hosted by small town with big scene Olympia, Washington, never fail to amaze me. For an extended weekend hordes of hipster from across the globe converge on our little neighbor to the north and create an energy found at precious few events. I expect this years Ladyfest, returned after 5 years, to be no different.  The first Ladyfest put stars in my eyes with acts like Freddy Fagulas drag performance to Space Oddity at 3 in the morning and Sleater-Kinneys rousing rendition of Dude looks like a lady. The last Oly fest I attended, last years Homo-a-go-go, equally mesmerized me with a reunion performance by the band that got me through secondary education, Team Dresch. Did I come home with the sweat of a hundred girls soaked through my shirt and wet against my skin? You bet I did. Was I upset to be so stinky? Not a bit.
I am hoping that this summers big Olyfest can measure up. And with the nonstop workshop, music, craft fair action, I have faith that it will. Here are just some of the few things Im excited about:
Tracy and the Plastics Whitney veteran Wynne Greenwood takes on the role of 3 spaced out electronic rockers on video. Weird and visually engaging her voice and music are both still incredible.
Mary Timony Ethereal popster whose Helium sounds never failed to make me lightheaded. Shes a great artist to blend with and her cameos have always lent a wonderful slippery edge to artists such as Carrie Brownstein. With so many fabulous ladies around this weekend, perhaps well see these seamless syntheses in action.
Romanteek Oh my lord, the chords on this girl. Shes got the soul and the throat of a blues artist, an opera star, a Jersey girland theyre completely dance-worthy.
 Tender Forever Ive never seen her before but the description of cardboard laptop has got me jonseing for a front row perch.
I also cant see the rock stopping with the southern flavor of The Gossip or the hard riffs of metal art bangers King Cobra. C.O.C.O should keep ya steppin with their stripped down beats, and Mirah and Sarah Dougher will both touch your heart with their guitar strings. Beyond the music exists a world of film and workshop interaction that should also not be overlooked. From Radical Feminist panel discussions to doll crafting with Dame Darcy learning is back in style. (Sorry too-cool-for-schoolers, its over). And, being the home of acclaimed Olympia Film Society the screen line-up is also sure to keep butts in seats and yeast covered popcorn in hands.
More info at http://www.ladyfestolympia.org
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