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Photos and recap from the Winter Gala

Photo by Ashley Bedford

After interviewing Kendall Clawson about the details of the 2nd annual Q Center Winter Gala, I just had to go check out the event myself. My girlfriend and I scrounged our closet and multiple thrifts stores in efforts to find outfits suitable to wear to a black tie affair. It was a daunting task considering my part of the closet consists mostly of converse and tattered t-shirts, but it all worked out nicely in the end and we enjoyed an exceptional night out on the town. Take a peak into the event with our Winter Gala photo gallery. (All photos taken by Ashley Bedford).

Was it all it was cracked up to be? Basically! Everything was gorgeous, and yes, extremely glittery. The 6th floor of the Nines hotel was packed with fabulous looking, borderline-celebrity queers and political figures, all who had jazzy cocktails in hand. The VIP room (which I tried to sneak into but was reminded by my virtuous girlfriend that that wasn’t the best idea) looked abuzz and downright fun.

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Conversations from the Gayborhood

Photo by Ashley Bedford

Kendall Clawson, executive director of the Q center, has been referred to as Gay-prah—aka the gay Oprah—by Portland gossip extraordinaire Byron Beck. After meeting her myself in her cozy corner office at the Q, I am compelled to second that notion….to an extent.

Without a doubt, she radiates an Oprah-esque charisma, resolve and allure. But the conceitedness and ostentation? It just doesn’t exist in Clawson, whose primary concern is the LGBT community, not her own self-interest. The minute I met her, I suspected I would spend the next hour of my time doing two things: laughing and learning. And I wasn’t let down.

My chat with Clawson was so rich with info that I’ve divided the interview into two parts. This week, Clawson talks with me about the Winter Gala (pronounced GAY-la for this occasion), her favorite Portland personalities, and which character she would date from the L word.

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‘That’s What She Said’ comedy benefit

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Amy Turner and Kathryn Lounsbery of That's What She Said

Good looks are great, but nothing’s hotter than a lady that’s both sexy and funny. And while I have not seen the That’s What She Said duo in person the ladies of comedy have been getting rave reviews. (And I’m a sucker for a puffy rainbow jacket)

This Saturday at 8pm they take over the Q Center (4115 N Mississippi) to benefit Jeff Bader‘s increasing needs for in-home care as he moves forward in life with ALS.

In a town that has great club nights, concerts, food fairs and beer fests comedy is a much needed entertainment source. To find out more about these ladies check out their bio, along with hip pop hilarious U-Haul video below.

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In Other Words feminist bookstore celebrates its sweet 16

IOW16Our sweet and saucy sister in literature In Other Words, one of that few remaining feminist bookstores in the country, has survived and thrived in Portland for the past 16 years. This Thursday it’s time to celebrate that fact with their Freaky, fancy sweet 16 birthday party.

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Happy Homo Halloween – parties and events

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Fruitcake goes all out for All Homo's Eve

Whether you like dressing up in order to explore your faggy sense of fashion, to explore the costumes and the performance on self or just for the silly, scary fun of it all, Halloween is a homo-happy holiday. Here are some of the events you shouldn’t miss. Let the screams begin.

Saturday Oct 24th

Halloween week starts off right with Blow Pony‘s Night of the Living Queens brain draining dance party. Hosted By the Scum queen Artemis Chase with performances by Anna Conda (SF charlie Horse), Glamamore (SF charlie horse), Muthachucka (SF charlie horse), Hoku Mama Swamp (SF charlie Horse), Turleen (SF charlie Horse).

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qPDX on gaycation

team-dresch

Team Dresch

I hate to do this to you folks. I’ve been a bit frantic of late in general, my co-editor has become entrenched in the wilds of Reed College and the newbies are most certainly not yet up to speed. And yet, this is the time I choose to leave you, unattended, for 10 whole days. Now behave while I am away, and I will try to post little bits of my gaycation ephemera but who knows when I will see an internet cafe in the wilds of the jungle. So I make no promises.

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Recap of the Queer Town Hall

Queer Town Hall in Portland, OR

Queer Town Hall in Portland, OR

It’s been a few days, but I’d like to take the time to share the results of the Queer Town Hall that happened last thursday at the Q Center on Mississippi. The Queer Town Hall was a project organized by a bunch of folks in our community as a “response” of sorts to the recent acts of violence and inadequate police response that became especially evident over Pride Weekend this year.

Town Hall organizers aim to create a space for discussion and the sharing of information and resources to empower us to engage with each other and the authorities in a different, and hopefully safer, way.

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Violence Update: Queer/Trans Self Defence Workshop to be held

Learn basic principles of self defence with your queer and trans peers.

Learn basic principles of self defence with your queer and trans peers.

In the wake of the incidents of violence that happened over Pride weekend that we’ve referred to a couple of times, one of the victims, Audrey, decided to take steps towards organizing a series of self defence workshops geared towards queer and trans people. The classes are taught partly by Jaddua Ross, who has been studying martial arts for a long time and are geared towards any experience level.

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Violence Update: Queer Town Hall Date & Location Set

Stop violence in and against our community!

For all of you who were waiting to find out the news about the Queer Town Hall that is being organized to discuss the recent acts in/against our community and the police response to said events, there is now a date, time and location set. Here the deets:

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009 7pm-9pm The Q Center (4115 N Mississippi Ave)

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Pride weekend begins…Thursday parties

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RuPaul Drag Race winner Bebe, will make a special guest appearance at the Portland Edition finale

Take a deep breath my friends, because Pride weekend is here…You might want to take this evening to relax and prepare. I’m sure I’m gonna wreck the closet tonight. Because the fun starts tomorrow and it just ain’t gonna stop for days. And each day qPDX will preview the night’s happenings, making sure to highlight our picks. So get your Red Bull and vodka together and try not to spill on that party dress, because it’s gonna be a doozy.

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