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  Hollywood Bowl Last week we delved into the situation surrounding accusations of homophobia against Hollywood Bowl. A week later it still seems to be pretty much a game of “they said, they said” but folks seem rather interested in this one, so I figured I’d give what little updates are to be had.
Firstly, a reader by the name of ‘jo’ was able to wrench even more information out of an HB Manager Heather Moeller than I was, saying,
There were no leagues on Saturday already…The Sunday PCBL League was approached and asked if they would switch from 3:00pm Sunday to either 10:00am or 6:30pm which would allow us to have as large chunk open for birthday parties and open play. The league being at 3:00 on Sunday just made it hard to book anything else.
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 These are the parts of qPDX.com that piqued the most interest and caused the most kerfuffle. […]
  Blow Pony in the summer of 2010 Our little queer community of Blow Pony organizers, DJs/performers, attendees and others have gotten into a big row this week, and many have been asking me to comment. Truthfully, forming a a clear opinion has been rough. I’m very much still in process about it all, but I do think it is important to address here, so I’m going to start a community conversation. I think it is also important and ok, to admit to having mixed feelings and/or evolve your opinion and I am open to discussion and refutation of my points. I may even change my mind! But I will also acknowledge my process. But this is not about me. It’s about all of us, so mostly I just want to continue the discussion. I want you, as the reader, to feel like this is a safe space to discuss and learn.
In case you haven’t been following some community members voiced concerns that Blow Pony was using the term “tranny.” Many trans and other folks consider this derogatory and there followed a heated argument about who has the right to use it, if anyone does, and who can “reclaim” it, if anyone can.
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  Iris Pride in Lincoln City, Oregon The Superhero themed LGBTQ Pride celebration Iris Pride in Lincoln City is the only one the Oregon coast and they need your help. They sent the following letter yesterday about residents unhappy with the city sponsorship:
Hello friends and family,
Our Sept 2011 Annual Iris Pride Festival in Lincoln City, on the fabulous Oregon Coast is over and the controversy has begun. A small group of people have become very verbal about the City of Lincoln City sponsoring this GLBT event. They want the city support to stop and are even implying the city officials be removed from their positions. Unfortunately, via letters to the editor in The News Guard (the local newspaper) as well as appearances in City Council meetings, this group in opposition of our Pride is pretty much the only one being heard from at this time.
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 Parade route controversy…at least we’re not in a kerfuffle over taping the streets right? (Oh damn, that big Rose Fest parade is this weekend isn’t it? I won’t be anywhere near downtown…)
 An Open Letter to the LGBTQ community from the President of Pride Northwest:
Questions continue to be raised about the intentions, responsiveness and decision-making process of the Board of Pride Northwest. Since we are responsible to the entire community for our actions, we feel a need to answer these questions in a public forum, directly and, we hope, definitively.
One of the greatest misperceptions about Pride Northwest is that we make closed-door decisions that ignore the community will. Nothing could be further from the truth. Your feedback is key to our development as a community-based organization. We have listened for four years to a community that has felt abandoned by Pride, to other community organizations who felt no connection to Pride; to the marginalized communities within the larger LGBTQ community who have been searching for a voice with which to make their presence and needs known; all while still respecting and celebrating our diversity. Yes, we have been listening, and we are proud of the decisions we have made as a result.
Two years ago, for example, a few members of the community complained about our decision to restrict smoking on the festival grounds at the waterfront. In making that decision, we were responding to the serious concerns of our youth and non-smokers, including families, who objected to the health risks of exposure to second-hand smoke. That risk has been well documented and we believe it was the right thing to do for our community even in an outdoor venue.
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