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 I’ve known about this impending awesomeness for days, but it only occurred to me last night, as we tried to convince an east coast friend to move to Portland because of how much fun she was going miss at this show, that I realized I hadn’t let you know what a fantasically musical and dance righteous night this would be.
The night at Holocene starts off with "Portland’s answer to the tribal, experimental punk music of The Slits and The Raincoats," The New Bloods, at 9p, then moves on to Swan Island. Lead singer Brisa Gonzalez manages to commingle thrashing Siren with a throaty lusty Dietrich voice that is as smooth and soothing as it is energizing.  I don’t even know how that’s possible, but it gets me on the dance floor in a sort of rock’n’roll trance that cannot be broken. If I had to be stranded on a deserted island and could only take 2 recent albums with me, Swan Island’s debut would be one of them. The other would be The Gossip’s latest, which I could also listen to over and over for the rest of my life. Check out sample videos from both of these fine bands in a post from December.
The evening ends with a Dj set by JD Samson and Johanna Fateman. From the amount of love Le Tigre generally produces combined with the beats I’ve heard hottie-dyke-mustached JD throw down this set is sure to get hoards of sweaty girls on the dance floor. I have little doubt that it will get you laid. If that ain’t worth 8 bucks, well, I just don’t know what is…
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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… […]
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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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.
[…]
 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.
[…]
 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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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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 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… […]
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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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… […]
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