|
||||||
|
Here’s a rundown: Boy, and don’t I just love combining intellectualism with erotcism…find out all about it below. Blackout Leather Productions & Darklady Productions Present Meet & Greet Buck Angel Love & Lust During Time of Transition: A Female-to-Male Transsexual Perspective Play Party All questions and RSVPs to darklady@darklady.com Proceeds to benefit Blackout Leather Productions. More information about Buck Angel can be gained at: www.buckangel.com and www.transexual-man.com Navigating queer politics makes me feel like a crew member on Odysseus fated ship as it wound its way through the waters between Scylla and Charybdis. Today Nike endorsed both the civil union and anti-discrimination bills being voted on tomorrow. Im not shy about my anti-corporate sentiments, though I understand the necessity for jobs and products from some mega-companies. But Nike? Im sure all my sneaks have been glued in the third world, but none of them bear the swoosh, as theyve seemed to be one of the worst, despite supposed recent sweatshop improvements. I marched against corporations this weekend and booed as Nike went by in the parade, and yet, part of me wants to at least whisper a little thank you to a big deal backer to our little bill, especially after Microsofts retraction after the blow-up surrounding its support of a non-discrimination bill in Washington. As if conservatives would ever buy a Macintosh! But really, its not worth selling out or kissing Nikes naked shoes for a move that really benefits them as much as us. They arent risking their necks for us. It doesnt take much for them to support a bill like this. No ones going to stop buying their products. The American consumer probably ingests a lot more ads than news, and this is a local issue, while Nikes an international corporation. These bills are small potatoes. Its worth more to Nike to keep its gay professionals happy. And besides, arent Civil Unions practically a cop-out anyway? But if one does want to pat the backs of Portland business many other locals support the bill and, and voiced it a lot sooner. I don’t mind spending my bucks with folks like Powell’s and others. So Nike, thank you for your support. I do still hope that the bills will pass, without or without you. But for myself, Id still rather layer duct tape to my soles than wear you on my feet. SO our local boys the gay sheep have turned up in the news again. And yet, while i find this all fairly amusing, I also feel much of it is just that. Hilarity, not science. All this talk about nature vs. nurture, genes vs. hormones seems to have been stunted and appears to live in scientific infancy despite being in the popular science, and gossip minds for a very long time. Who actually, besides middle schoolers, measures fingers to try and determine if that boy sitting next to you in homeroom is gay? Seems a pretty juvenile game to me. Is this post, then, an urgent call to action and for further intense inquiry? Not necessarily. While I may find it interesting to note that sheep may have gay proclivities, or that men with multiple older brothers are more likely to be gay, I don’t think it’s necessarily a particularly compelling question in science right now. We, as gay people, often want to use this to say, “Hey, we can’t help it. We were born this way,” and thereby justify our existance and self-worth. I feel no need to have science validate me. I am who I am, whether I was born to it or chose it I am a person worthy of respect. In addition, I worry that once the “disease” is diagnosable, we will look to “cure” it. And then how boring a world would be have with no queers in it. Really, I shudder at the thought. For a serious and thoughtful look, that still doesn’t gloss over social realities, I recommend checking Evolution’s Rainbow: Diversity, Gender, and Sexuality in Nature and People by Joan Roughgarden. She really tears down Darwin’s walls and looks critically at animal behavior.
Downtown overflowed yesterday with the sun kissed checks of various species of queer. Yours truly marched, or rather tried to keep her bike upright while holding a camera, with Queer Revolution and the Dyke March, who boldly proclaimed their place in the parade without giving into any of PrideNW’s red tape. Yet the merging was, mercifully, peaceful. So peruse the photos aplenty. This is just a snippet of the characters I saw, the tamer and more clothed among them. As a whole the parade this year was quite a bit more entertaining than last year’s overabundance of rather plainly outfitted church-goers. Hey, I’m all for welcoming congregations, but a parade needs a fair amount of drag, of whatever kind, to truly be entertaining. The O took a couple pictures as well, and have their own take on the day. Although the quote from the Salem couple, that Pride is the only day of the year they can hold hands without feeling awkward, makes me very sad. It may not always be safe to display queer public affection, but to let others dictate what feels awkward to you is just disppointing on so many levels. Pride may be once a year, but I celebrate it so that I remember that I am NEVER ashamed or embarrassed to love who I love. And by the way, one such loved individual looked adorable perched on her Peugeot, with her little fist raised in solidarity, in front of Queer Revolution’s coffin. Li’l J I’m proud to hold your hand all year long. “I got your pride right here.” All the usual weirdos team up — DJ Puppet, the Sissyboys, Flava Kelly, Rebel DJs and other performers for this particular Saturday extravaganza that yours truly can be spotted at. In case you care… Tomorrow. Bossanova Lounge (722 E Burnside) 9p, $5. 1 Queer knitting contingent will be at Pride. This Saturday at 1p at on the corner of Morrison and Naito Parkway downtown you li’l knitters will be gathering to do your thing down on the waterfront. This is the fun and friendly version of knots and needles folks, the rest is later. (For more info e-mail Adrienne at starstealinggirl@gmail.com) 3 Our gay city commisioner has his own blog. That’s right, you can hear all the local politico gossip you want right from the source. He’ll even mow your lawn for 30 in cash. I don’t know if he wears short shorts.
Just a quick snapshot of all the performers and speakers at the waterfront this weekend. More thorough descriptions can be found at the PrideNW website. Saturday Sunday |
 |
|||||
|
Copyright © 2026 qPDX.com – Queer news, views and events for Portland - All Rights Reserved 29 queries. 0.376 seconds. |
||||||
Not only am I usually a cheapskate, and wait until movies come to those special theaters where I can get beer, but I’ve also been much too busy to park my bum in front of a multiplex screen lately. Apparently, I’ve been missing out, as there seems to be a mess of queerly themed films out there right now. So while you may not be able to take my word for it, go ahead and take The Oregonian’s (or any number of critics). 
Lazy queers, tomorrow June 21st, you don’t have to make dinner or write any checks to all those worthy causes. When your tummy’s rumbling fill it with a slice from the best pizza parlour in town, Escape from New York, or a delectable hazlenut min-torte from Pix Patisserie, because these and many other restaurants are serving 15% of their proceeds to 
2 The Multonah County Central Library has a whole display just for us. And yes, the gay section at the library (or Powell’s) are good spots to cruise those literati hotties.
Though the main drag of the boy scene in town often seems a lit overdone and trite to me it certainly does have its place in Portland’s gay culture and history. So I have to give Stark street its props, even if it is generally referred to as “Vaseline Alley.” So this Sunday, even though the parade has switched its route and doesn’t swing exactly through go ahead and head on down for the street’s very own block party: “Taking Pride in Stark.” It’s all freaking day, 10a-10p and your measly $3 goes right to