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  Queer acrobatics from the Collective-of-Geniuses Events, gatherings and celebrations are already underway for Trans Empowerment Week leading up to this Saturday’s Trangender Day of Remembrance. Today at 6pm on KBOO’s Outloud (90.7FM) Tobi Hill-Meyer and Smitty Buckler will be talking with Sasha about TDR, a day dedicated to day primarily memorializes those lost to hate crimes, it also serves as a forum for transgender communities and allies to raise awareness around the threat of violence faced by gender variant people and the persistence of prejudice felt by the transgender community, trans justice and intersecting oppressions and the connections between violence and the mainstream adult film industry.
Though the TDR may have somber overtones, there are also plenty fun and affirming activities and performances.
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  Rev. Mark Kiyimba at the 2009 UUA General Assembly Uganda has been in the LGBT news a lot lately for its upcoming bill that proposes executions for gays. Introduced in Uganda’s parliament last year, the bill would give the death penalty to any homosexual person who tests positive for HIV, and up to three years in jail for anyone who knows a gay person and does not report them. The proposal emerged after ex-Oregon Citizens Alliance communications director Scott Lively spoke to Uganda’s parliament.
It it likely to pass but there are still Ugandans working for justice in their country. One of them, Rev. Mark Kiyimba, will be in Portland this weekend.
Kiyimba, one of a small number of straight supporters of gay rights in Uganda, has risked his life by holding an LGBT conference last February in Kampala, attended by 200 people. His church runs a school for 150 orphans who lost their parents to HIV and AIDS, as well as an orphanage for 22 children infected with the virus.
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  sPLURt is hot and gross at the same time...but who didn't love the drugs of the 90s? Thursday
Work! – Brand spankin’ new night at Plan B (1305 SE 8th Ave), last home of infamous Booty by DJ Gutter Glamour. It evokes that feel good gay 90s RuPaul anthem…so you better work! Oh and leave the drama for yer mama, cuz this ain’t no place for shade just really good music in a fun space. Big back patio and the last day before the rain settles back in for the duration of winter.
Splurt! – The former hump day fest is just making it’s way to every third Thursday, but its not too far from Plan B, so you can probably make it to both this and Work! The “hardest workin’ DJs” in town say not to bring either your bad attitude or that sweater (you know the one) but with a theme like, 90s rave bukakke, there might be just a little dramz at this one. Nevertheless Thursdays are for exclamation points and peace, love unity and respect.
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  Portland State University‘s Queer Resource Center presents the ninth annual Trans Day of Remembrance and is looking for transgender, transexual and genderqueer/gendernaut performers, artists, speakers, workshop facilitators and volunteers. To Submit please email a short description of your proposal and a detail budget to ape2@pdx.edu. There will also be a public meeting in the upcoming weeks where PSU students and non-students can get involved and give feedback on what they would like to see for this years TDOR. For more information contact Smitty at ape2@pdx.edu or call 503-804-3716
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 Aden(l) and Jordan(r) Jaric in happier times
Gay porn stars and former boyfriends Aden and Jordan Jaric are in hot water after an altercation that happened at last Wednesday’s Miss Thing in Portland. After appearing together at the Bling Dental party on Tuesday, an alcohol-fuelled fight broke out at Miss Thing, and Aden Jaric smacked Jordan Jaric upside the head with a paperweight he received at the show as a gift. He now faces assault charges, and the fight has moved to twitter, where Byron Beck has now somehow become involved!
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  Katey Pants Another essay from the astute Katey Pants:
The past month there has been a crisis of safety in the queer community. Gay bashings, rampant rumors of Nazi gangs patrolling our community, and the Westboro Baptist Churches arrogance in claiming space in our communities. The response to this violence from police and politicians in Portland has offered us- at best- bureaucratic solutions to fundamental structural problems. However, I want to posit a different view of safety, care, and community outside of state and police solutions. I hope to provide some philosophical reasoning behind this and also present concrete things that are happening in Portland and throughout the country where people everyday are creating alternatives to police to keep themselves and their communities safe.
A Moral and Practical Argument Against Calling The Police:
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 QUIPS . Queerly informed patrol system? Maybe Erik Estrada will be there too
A new hate crime reporting system will be announced, according to a press release sent out yesterday by Oregon State Attorney General John Kroger. The full breadth of the new initiative will be announced in a press conference scheduled to be held at 1030-1130 am today. We’re unlikely to be able to attend due […]
  Stop hate crime While none of the qPDX.com staff were able to attend last night’s community forum due to conflicts in our schedules, we’re excited to see that the event, organized by JustOut columnist Daniel Borgen and Stephen Cassell, was well attended, and that Portland Mayor Sam Adams was there to hear concerns from the community first hand. According to coverage by JustOut, one of the main concerns of the forum is the difference between actual homo/transphobic incidents that we all experience, and the rate at which they are reported to the police. At this juncture, I want to share a little story with you about gay bashing, about violence, about police reporting, and about why it matters.
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  Katey Pants for Diesel Femme. Photo by Kina Williams Community member, DJ, and femme fashionista Katey Pants has never been a qPDX contributor per se but this is at least the second time I’ve asked to borrow her erudite thoughts that she has publicly posted in other forums. Girl’s got a lot to say and I hope we all have a lot to say back.
Take it away KP!
In August, 2009, city officials in Multnomah County Oregon declared August 1st-8th Transgendered-Americans Week. In conjunction, organizers held a Gender-Free –For-All rally in Portland. I was not part of the organizing of the rally but an attendee. I also consider many of the organizers to be close allies and some friends. The march started with a celebration of the enactment of the Transgendered-Americans Week and a number of speeches, made predominantly by Portland politicians. From there our short and permitted march went through a neighborhood in NE Portland, led and surrounded by police.
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  Homophobia Sucks Breaking news: LGBTQ Community Forum to be held TOMORROW (June 2nd) in wake of recent Memorial Weekend violence @ The Q Center, 7pm.
The press release reads:
“Because of the attacks over Memorial Day weekend that targeted LGBTQ members, our friends and loved ones, we have come together to host a forum that focuses on gay bashing in our community and how we can prevent and respond to it.
PLEASE do not take this issue lightly – we encourage you to come out, participate and get involved. Tell your friends, loved ones, family members – get the word out and we will see you tomorrow!”
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Queers, Community, Safety: Lets take care of ourselves and each other
Katey Pants
Another essay from the astute Katey Pants:
The past month there has been a crisis of safety in the queer community. Gay bashings, rampant rumors of Nazi gangs patrolling our community, and the Westboro Baptist Churches arrogance in claiming space in our communities. The response to this violence from police and politicians in Portland has offered us- at best- bureaucratic solutions to fundamental structural problems. However, I want to posit a different view of safety, care, and community outside of state and police solutions. I hope to provide some philosophical reasoning behind this and also present concrete things that are happening in Portland and throughout the country where people everyday are creating alternatives to police to keep themselves and their communities safe.
A Moral and Practical Argument Against Calling The Police:
Continue reading »