It’s been a very big week for news in the queer community: Obama’s big announcement, the defeat in North Carolina,  John Travolta…

…the month of May also has a lot going for queer literature. So let’s keep this trend going, and discuss the big stories in the LGBT publishing world.

First off, the bad news. Beloved children’s author, illustrator and literary/queer hero Maurice Sendak passed away. Author of ubiquitous books such as “Where the Wild Things Are” and “In the Night Kitchen,” Sendak saw little distinction between a child’s mind and an adult’s. Perhaps that is one of the reason’s why his books are favorites to people of all ages. He did not shy away from dark and dangerous themes. When “Wild Things” was released in the early 60s, parents the country over tried to keep it away from their children, whom they did not reading about a protagonist who yelled at his mother and escaped to wild rumpuses. But sure enough, it quietly grew in popularity (with help from insightful librarians who awarded it the Caldecott in 1964) before becoming a national favorite.

To learn more about Sendak and his work, you can check out his remembrances on the Lambda Literary Blog, on NPR and in the New York Times.

Now on to some much happier news. Probably one of the most anticipated new releases – both in the queer and cartoon communities – is Alison Bechdel’s “Are You My Mother?” The creator of Dykes to Watch Out for, a comic strip debuting in 1987, Bechdel has creating thought-provoking, non-conforming comics for over 25 years. In 2006 she released “Fun Home, A Family Tragicomic,” a memoir of her childhood in rural Pennsylvania and an examination of her relationship with her closeted gay father. It was met with high critical acclaim and went on to win many awards. Which brings us to “Are You My Mother?” On the surface, it is a memoir about Bechdel’s relationship with her mother, but on a deeper level it examines the deeper issues of the nature of emotional attachment and the idea of self. Already it is set to be one of 2012′s most popular memoirs.

For more on Bechdel and the release of her new book, check out her interviews and reviews on BuzzFeed, Slate, NPR, and Salon.

Finally, we have John Irving’s latest novel,”In One Person.” While John Irving isn’t necessarily known for being a gay writer (although he is known for not being shy writing about a variety of sexual proclivities), this book certainly dives pretty deep into the gay community. The main character, Bill Abbot, is an earnest young man who at the start of the novel is in love with both his stepfather and a transsexual librarian. From the New Yorker’s book review: “Bill Abbott, the narrator of his own long erotic history, explains that the bear movement didn’t begin until the mid-eighties—those big hairy guys, consciously sloppy, rebelling against the chiseled neat-and-trim men, with their shaved balls and gym bodies. Not going to lie, pretty excited about this one.”

How about you? What are you reading these days and what new books are you excited to be released?

Today President Obama said he supports marriage equality. By affirming marriage equality for lesbian and gay people, our President exercised leadership through his open and affirming words. Today, Mr. Obama recognized that America is better served when equality exits. The President now understands that protecting all families is an American value.

Q Center applauds President Obama’s statements and congratulates activists everywhere who fight every day to bring equality to America. At Q Center, we know firsthand equity and equality are the goals of many fights – voting rights, economic opportunity, hunger, poverty and education. Q Center pledges to continue our work to inspire, empower and encourage people to live authentically and contribute to the betterment of society.

Today President Obama led us in that joint vision. Bravo!

I had the privilege of speaking at Oregon’s National Protest Against the War on Women on Saturday, April 28th. The purpose of the rally was to bring awareness to the many ways in which women are being attacked by today’s lawmakers, under-paid and abused in today’s society.

Referred to as a “feminist dream team”, organizers introduced speaker after speaker for more than three hours. Some talking about their organization’s role in supporting women’s rights, some reciting data on how women are targeted, some singing and chanting and some were just downright inspirational.

I was seated between Margaret Carter, Carma Corcoran (Indian Law Program Coordinator, Lewis and Clark Law School) and Secretary of State Kate Brown.

It was my first time meeting Margaret Carter. Margaret is an Oregon treasure! She was the first African-American woman elected to the House of Representatives. Later she would be elected to the Senate where she spent nine years protecting Oregon’s children and natural resources.

What I reminded is that women still only earn 77 cents for every dollar that men earn. A woman with a Ph.D. will earn less that a man with a Master’s degree. On the bright side, more women than men are currently enrolled in America’s colleges and universities.

It was a good day. We were treated to wonderful Oregon sunshine with a few passing clouds, but nothing could dampen the spirit of the people that showed up that morning. We stood in solidarity to let congress know our bodies are not their political fodder. We will remember in November!

Below are the remarks I delivered that beautiful Saturday morning.

********************

Remarks delivered in Salem, Oregon for the – National Protest Against the War on Women
Saturday, April 28, 2012
By Barbara McCullough-Jones
Executive Director
Q Center | 4115 N Mississippi Avenue, Portland, OR 97217
www.pdxqcenter.org | 503-234-7837 | info@pdxqcenter.org

“I hope you will indulge my use of a sports metaphor this morning. I am a pre-Title IX sports dyke and that is how I learned to organize.

The most prized player in baseball is one that possesses what’s called a triple threat. That means that player can run, hit and field. They can do it all.

I would argue that the push back we now see in the war against women is in fact because women are that prized player – that triple threat that must be neutralized in order for the opposition to win the game.

I have news for our opposition. Yes, women are not just a threat, we are a triple threat.

Skill number 1: We can run: We run organizations. We run businesses and corporations. We run for public office. We run schools, churches and we run our homes.

Our take charge, run with it, can do attitude is what brought us the 19th Amendment and Title IX. It’s what brought us the Lilly Ledbedder Act and just this week it is what brought us the groundbreaking Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) unanimous ruling that charges of gender stereotyping are considered claims of sex discrimination under existing law.

For too long gender and gender identity discrimination has been a barrier to our collective success. As social justice movements evolve and intertwine we have begun to realize those barriers are external forces trying to divide and conquer us on the path to our collective equality.

Now is the time to see those divisions for what they are – money making, power grabbing and defamatory strategies. Designed with the sole intent to create a second class, uneducated and impoverished people. We can and must not allow these actions to continue.

We are people of action. Skill number 2 reflects our ability to hit the nail on the head, to work with precision, calculation, creativity and passion all of which clearly threatens and intimidates those that work to silence our voice.

It was that tenacity that led Dr. Marie Equi in 1893 to chase a man down the streets of The Dalles here in Oregon. Dr. Equi was outraged over a pay dispute between her companion Bess Holcomb and Bess’ employer, Baptist Minister, Rev. O.D. Taylor at Wasco Independent Academy, who cheated Bess out of $100 of her pay.

Back then we did not recognize and rarely named same-gender relationships. Like so many women loving women before them, Marie and Bess did not hide but went about making change by the very way they lived their lives. They lived authentically and with integrity.

Marie was one of the first women to graduate from the University of Oregon Medical School in 1903. She was arrested for protesting WWI. She was arrested with Margaret Sanger for protecting a woman’s reproductive freedom and she was given an Army accommodation for her work in organizing an Oregon medical team to assist in the 1906 San Francisco fire.

There are many more Dr. Marie Equi and Bess Holcomb throughout Oregon. Just waiting to make their mark, share their talents and their passion.

Finally, skill number 3: our ability to play the field is unstoppable. Whether we are in the trades, a stay at home Mom, a teacher, a preacher or a candlestick maker, women have developed leadership skills that rival history’s most notable generals. This gathering here today and across the country is testament to that fact.

In 1997 Hillary Clinton said, “We are here to advance the cause of women and to advance the cause of democracy and to make it absolutely clear that the two are inseparable. There cannot be true democracy unless women’s voices are heard.”

So I say to you, to us, the iron jawed angels of the 21st century. We too can continue the rich history of our fore-mothers, women like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Alice Paul, Lucy Burns, Marie Equi, Bess Holcomb, who more than 100 years ago set us on this path toward equality.

We are women of vision and action. We are women who don’t borrow from integrity for political expediency. Hold your power.

Use it to lift us from poverty, oppression, self doubt and inaction.

I leave you today with one challenge. Find a young woman. Teach her your history, how you found your power and how you are using it to make this a better world. Do it today. We cannot afford to wait another minute to grow many more players who are a triple threat!”

Authors Note: If you’d like to learn more about Dr. Marie Equi please click HERE.

Q Center’s Logan Lynn was the guest on OPB’s Think Out Loud today chatting with Pastor Tim Smith from Mars Hill Church about the past week, as well as the months which led up to it.

Click HERE to stream or HERE to download an MP3 of the show.

For a quick history of the past 7 days:

Q Center’s Executive Director Speaks Out Against Threats of Violence
KGW News (NBC)
Fox 12 News
PQ Monthly (Article 1)
The Christian Post
PQ Monthly (Article 2)
The Oregonian
The Portland Mercury
KOIN 6 (CBS)
Rev. Chuck Currie

It’s high time for some recommended readings from the Kendall Clawson Library. With what has been happening in our community, we thought we should start with books in our collection that discuss the work of successful queer activists. What follows are just a few of our titles, for a full list here is the link to all books tagged “activist(s), activism.” 

Stonewall, by Martin Duberman. This title really does deserve to be at the top of the list. The NYC Stonewall riots in 1969 are often described as the boiling point of the Gay Liberation Movement. Duberman chronicles the activities of some of the main players in that event, both leading up to and after the famous riots. This an important read in terms the history of the liberation movement, and is excellently written.

Lost Prophet: The Life and Times of Bayard Rustin, by John D’Emilio. Rustin’s story is an amazing one. He was an instrumental part of the Civil Rights Movement, a trusted adviser to Martin Luther King, Jr, and an organizer of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (where MLK gave his “I Have a Dream” speech). He was also a member of the labor movement, protested the Japanese Interment Camps, and as a gay man, a fighter for the queer community. His story is not one to be missed.

This Is What Lesbian Looks Like: Dyke Activists Take on the 21st Century, edited by Kris Kleindienst. This book is a collection of essays written by 26 activists. It includes a variety of topics, including blueprints for effective and inclusive organizing as well as personal experiences a activists. As described in Publishers Weekly: [this volume]  documents some forceful voices on everyday activism, even for those for whom “being out was all I could do.”

Transgender Warriors: Making History from Joan of Arc to RuPaul, by Leslie Feinberg. In this book, Feinberg (author of the novel Stone Butch Blues) undertakes a history of individuals who challenge the boundaries of sex and gender. While this title has received mixed reviews, it does offer an extensive list of activists throughout history who refuse to follow social norms and often hold a mirror up to society, forcing its members to deal with caustic notions towards gender and sexuality.

Come Out and Win: Organizing Yourself, Your Community, and Your World, by Sue Hyde. Written by a seasoned activist, this book offers a wide array to fight for the rights of the queer community. From starting gay-straight alliances, lobbying elected officials, monitoring the media or even run for elected official yourself, this books covers a lot of ground. It also includes a historical overview of the injustices brought against the queer community and a description of some of the earliest fights for queer rights. An important read for anyone wanting to join the movement.

Again, these books are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of our collection. We have over 40 books that have been tagged as being about activism and our entire collection can be viewed here.

What are some books that you have read about queer activism that you would recommend? Know of any great books that you son’t see in our collection? Let us know and we’ll do are best to make sure that they are included!

These are the rocks which were used in Tuesday night's attempt at intimidation. Photo by Logan Lynn.

Q Center’s Executive Director Barbara McCullough-Jones released the following statement today with regards to this past week’s attack on the Mars Hill Church and threats of violence to Q Center:

Within any social justice movement there comes a time when divergent strategies emerge. From time to time groups have used violent civil disobedience as a means to shine light on bigotry, hatred and discrimination. I am certain that even in the face of the overwhelming urge to fight injustice with anger and violence people realize, at some level, acts of violence will not now, nor have they ever, changed hearts and minds thereby not changing the situation they find most distasteful.

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, April 24th a group calling themselves “angry queers” chose to confront their opposition with acts of violence. Their actions toward Mars Hill Church, and threats of violence against Q Center, have only served to elevate the very discussions they are trying to silence.

Q Center respects First Amendment rights to freely express our opinions. We do not however, respect or condone choosing violence over civility. We do not accept that behavior from those who perpetrate violence against the LGBTQ community, and we do not accept that behavior from LGBTQ people perpetrating violence against anyone else.

There are many ways to explore and resolve our differences. Q Center is committed to a process of respectful dialogue on many issues. That we have chosen discussions of faith with individuals and institutions whose practices and beliefs we vehemently disagree with, is in fact the kind of leadership and community building Q Center is committed to fulfilling.

We will not shy away from this task. We will not be intimidated. We will not be silenced.

For those individuals and institutions involved in Q Center’s current dialogue with Mars Hill Church, and for those watching from the outside, we will continue to solicit your participation. It’s an unexpected turn of events that Tuesday’s act of violence in some ways has brought our communities closer together.

Rest assured, we will not be deterred from our steadfast march toward equality. Our paths, and the diversity of voices along the way, are now forever intertwined.

-Barbara McCullough-Jones, Executive Director, Q Center

Research suggests that LGBT individuals face health disparities linked to societal stigma, discrimination, and denial of their civil and human rights. Discrimination against LGBT persons has been associated with high rates of psychiatric disorders, substance abuse and suicide. Experiences of violence and victimization are frequent for LGBT individuals, and have long-lasting effects on the individual and the community. Personal, family, and social acceptance of sexual orientation and gender identity affects the mental health and personal safety of LGBT individuals.

Please join us as Q Center’s Health & Wellness Program Presents “A Spotlight on LGBT Health: Transgender Health Issues” Webinar on Tuesday, May 8th!

More details in the flier below…

Charles Rice-González’s novel Chulito has been praised by Junot Diaz, Sandra Cisneros and Jaime Manrique, it’s been included on several lists of best books of 2011 including the National Book Critics Circle Small Press Highlights of 2011 and the Lambda Literary Review raved, “This dazzling debut takes the coming-out, coming-of-age narrative and gives it a fresh landscape, namely, the Bronx urban scene.” Magnus Books released Chulito on October 11, 2011, National Coming-Out Day.

Set against a vibrant South Bronx neighborhood and the youth culture of Manhattan’s piers, Chulito is a coming-of-age, coming out love story of a sexy, tough, hip hop-loving, young Latino man and the colorful characters who populate his block. Chulito, which means “cutie,” is one of the boys, and everyone in his neighborhood has seen him grow up including Carlos who was Chulito’s best friend until they hit puberty and people started calling Carlos a pato…a faggot.

Chulito rejects Carlos and buries his feelings for him, but when Carlos comes home from his first year away at college and they share a secret kiss, Chulito’s worlds collide as his ideas of being a young man, being macho, and being in love are challenged. Vivid, sexy, funny, heartbreaking, and fearless, this knock out novel breaks new ground as the first novel detailing a gay Puerto Rican experience in New York City.

Portland Latino Gay Pride has partnered with Portland Community College: Rock Creek Campus Queer Resource Center, Sylvania Campus Women’s Resource Center and Multicultural Center, Cascade Campus ASPCC; and Western Oregon University Multicultural Student Union to bring Charles Rice-González to the region. Portland’s Q Center will host the Chulito Book Signing & Reading Tour Kick-Off, this all ages event is an opportunity to meet the author and welcome him back to Portland. Community Tour sponsors include: Latino Network, Causa Oregon, Portland Black Pride, PQ Monthly and Jupiter Hotel.

The Chulito Book Signing and Reading Tour Dates include:

Wednesday, May 2, 6pm, Wallowa Room, Werner University Center, Western Oregon University, Monmouth, OR

Q Center has been proud sponsor of QDoc: Portland Queer Documentary Film Festival for 6 years this year! My, how time flies! Check out this year’s lineup of films HERE and please join us opening night as we host Chely Wright in person and screen her documentary “Wish Me Away”!

Event info:
Wish Me Away
Thurs, May 17, 7 pm
Kennedy School Theater
(5736 NE 33rd Avenue)

Tickets: Film-only $9 general, $7 senior/student, Film & Party $25
Get yours HERE now!

Chely Wright will be in attendance!

As The Dixie Chicks learned all too well, the world of country music isn’t the most inviting place for anyone who deviates from the narrow Nashville norms. In 2010, singer Chely Wright put this conservative environment to the test when she became the first major country music performer to publicly come out as lesbian. Having made a strong debut as the Academy of Country Music’s Top New Female Vocalist in 1995, Wright went on to score big hits with “Shut Up and Drive” and “Single White Female.” She was romantically linked with superstar Brad Paisley and was invited to perform at “The Mother Church of Country Music,” the Grand Ole Opry. Behind the scenes, though, Wright was struggling with her sexuality and her Christian faith, and she was haunted by a difficult childhood in rural Kansas. After attempting suicide, she decided to risk her career by releasing Like Me, a memoir about her years in the closet. Named after a track from Wright’s album “Lifted Off the Ground,” Wish Me Away is a candid profile of a groundbreaking figure in music history.

Wish Me Away: Dirs Bobbie Birleffi and Beverly Kopf 2011 USA 96 min.

Today marks Miranda May‘s last day as Interim Youth & Young Adult Program Manager at Q Center. We have been so lucky to get to work with her during the merger of SMYRC and Q Center and will miss her around these parts. The nation-wide search for a permanent Youth & Young Adult Program Manager is on (click HERE for details), but we figured it would be fun to chat a bit before she goes. Q Center’s Logan Lynn sat down with her today. Read the conversation below…

LL: Hi Miranda. Thanks for sitting down with me to chat a bit on your last day at Q! You were tasked with being the Interim Program Manager during the merger of Q Center and SMYRC. What initially drew you to this community service?

MM: Thanks for having me! Logan you look pretty snazzy today. Just sayin. SMYRC is one of the most beloved organizations in all the lands. I was also a clinical intern here back in 2008-2009. When I was trying to land that position, I feared that the Program Manager would get a restraining order against me because I called so nonstop. Why did I want to get involved in SMYRC? I went to high school in Sandy, Utah where I felt that identity and expression were a bit stifled. All kinds of people are drawn to the work that SMYRC does because we all dream that one day we’ll be able to be free. Free of everything from the big restrictions on our inherent civil rights to the little micro-aggressions of peers and authority figures, we want to be free. When we invest in providing a space for youth and young adults to feel empowered we invest in that freedom in the future.

While in private practice as a mental health therapist, I was drawn to the Interim Program Manager position here at SMYRC because, well, it’s SMYRC. If someone asked me to clean a toilet at SMYRC I’d do it. I knew that SMYRC would be walking in to new territory merging with the Q Center. I have been lucky enough to be involved with both the Q Center and SMYRC so it was a natural fit for me to help with the merger. In the end, it was gratifying to see that being a therapist serving the LBTQQ community is where my heart remains.

LL: Ahhh…and what a sweet heart it is! What are your dreams for queer youth and young adults in the Pacific NW and how do you see Q Center’s SMYRC program fitting into that dream historically and moving forward?

MM: I dream that all LGBTQQ youth with live in environments where their identity and expression will be validated and celebrated. I have that same dream for straight and cisgender youth and young adults too! How do I see SMYRC fitting in to that dream? The world has come a long way since SMYRC’s inception in 1998. There are more and more safe spaces for queer youth, particularly for youth in Multnomah County where SMYRC is located. And by safe space, I mean a space where a person can both be free from physical violence, but also free from having to excuse oneself for just being alive. Bullying, increased rates of substance use, suicide, and homelessness are very real issues for queer youth. I see the future of SMYRC as continuing to meet the needs of youth and young adults who face those very real issues while increasing a focus on leadership development. For example, we don’t have to stop at helping a trans-identified young adult get off the streets. She needs to be in public office helping make big change out there!

LL: Agreed. If you could snap your fingers and have 3 wishes granted for Q Center’s SMYRC Program, what would they be?

MM: A wish for more wishes! Can’t do that? I hope, and do feel confident, that community members far and wide will be patient with SMYRC as the program goes through some growing pains. I also hope SMYRC gets the most wonderful Program Manager in the entire rainbow galaxy. Lastly, I hope SMYRC holds a 50 year anniversary celebration and that I show up wearing something gaudy and fabulous.

MM: I sure am. I’m going to start taking new clients again in a week or so.

LL: Nice one. Do you love what you do?

MM: I looooove what I do! I work in private practice as a mental health therapist at a little place called the Owls Nest North Collaboration at about Fremont and Grand in NE Portland. I see individuals who are struggling with depression and anxiety and general life adjustments but I also have two particular foci that most of my clients fall under which are gender transitioning and eating/food/weight issues. Those are the issues that make me want to wake up in the morning. Seriously! I’m very passionate about being with people through both the journey of transitioning and the journey out of disordered eating. I’m not comparing them, just like to think of them as lifelong journeys full of daily trials and triumphs. People can check out my website at mirandamaytherapy.com if they’d like to know more.

LL: I love that you love what you do. That’s important! Speaking of important things, how important are allies to the mission of empowering LGBTQ youth?

MM: Allies are crucial in the lives of everyone, no matter what social justice movement we are talking about. It is not enough to have one or two LGBTQ-identified allies in the life of a young person if everyone else feels like an enemy. I’ve never met an LGBTQ-identified person who wants to “recruit” straight people in to changing their identity or expression. Being an ally simply means returning that favor by doing a little work to make sure you are leaving space for others’ experiences. And in the life of a young person, that sets that person up for a lifetime of radical self-loving. That’s powerful!

LL: What do you think is most needed at the moment to take SMYRC, the Pride Project, and Bridge 13 to the next level?

MM: The staff and volunteers are majorly passionate but they can only do so much with their limited numbers. It’s a pretty basic formula that we all know. More students and fewer teachers equal kids falling through the cracks. To provide great leadership development while also addressing the needs of the highest risk youth, SMYRC, Pride Project, and Bridge 13 need a stable and large enough funding pool to get and keep all these talented and dedicated staff. There is another piece, which is the bending to the times. What do LGBTQ youth want from a resource center all these years after the organizations inception? Q Center is on the right track right now with developing these focus groups with youth to really figure out what the need is and how to fill it. Honestly the Bridge 13 trainings couldn’t get any better. I’ve never met a person who said they didn’t appreciate the training. Some more outreach so that more people know about it would be great.

LL: What have you learned about yourself through this process of being Interim Program Manager?

MM: I’m sure if I sat with this question for a bit longer I could come up with something more profound, but I learned that a 28 ft. U-Haul is really big. Much too big for me to be driving.

LL: ha ha ha – Totally. If you had it to do over again, would you still accept the position of Interim Manager?

MM: For sure. I got to be a part of creating a beautiful new space that will be enjoyed by thousands of young people over the years to come. That feels very tangible and deeply satisfying.

LL: Yep. It’s a pretty special thing we’ve done here. Thank you for all your hard work, Miranda. It has been a joy getting to work so closely with you on this project. Any last words as you move on to the next part of your planetary adventure?

MM: Thank you Logan. People all across the country who are working in non-profits are not getting thanked enough for how dang hard they are working! So I’m going to thank each person one by one. Ready? Thank you Barb. Thank you Paul. Thank you Jess. Thank you Bree. And thank you Logan, both for all your tireless work at Q Center and for sharing this conversation with me.

LL: Anytime, love. I wish you all the best and thank you for everything you’ve done for Q Center, SMYRC, and queer youth & young adults in the world. You are a class act, and I know the community is so appreciative of the work you’ve done here as well!

If you are interested in applying for the Youth & Young Adult Program Manager Postition, CLICK HERE.

What does the environment and the LGBTQ movement have in common? Nancy Sutley!

This week, Q Center played host to the White House’s highest ranking out-lesbian as part of our InQuisitive series. For nearly an hour I had the opportunity to ask the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) about environmental policy, her career path and significant issues facing the LGBTQ community.

Sometimes serious but mostly light hearted, Nancy Sutley offered her perspective on the greening of America. Did you know that the US federal government is America’s single largest user of energy? Who knew?! According to an interview with Sutley in June 2009, The Guardian reports the US government uses enough petrol “to drive the average US passenger car 171 BILLION miles. Sutley talked about new minimum mileage standards now being implement that by 2025 will require a fleet average of 50mpg. That will result in significant reduction in both greenhouse gases and oil consumption.

Born in Queens, New York (Wikipedia has her born in Argentina – wrong) to immigrant parents, Sutley is most proud not about being the “White House’s highest ranking out-lesbian” but that her parents are very proud of her. Sutley learned early to work hard and give back. Educated at Cornell and Harvard, Sutley has used her skills in environmental policy for the past 25 years to protect our air, water and land resources. She has worked at the EPA, City of Los Angeles and the State of California writing and enforcing policies that make this world a better place for all.

Nancy Sutley doesn’t stop with the environment when it comes to changing the world. She cares deeply about what is happening in the LGBTQ movement. She and many of her White House colleagues recorded an “It Gets Better” video.

Watching the video made me reflect on my own career and life-path. ..but we’ll leave that for another blog…

Wrapping up Nancy’s hour long visit to Q Center, I asked one final question.

We have a challenge in the LGBTQ movement. On one hand we are trying to keep youth in school and advancing toward higher education and meaningful career choices. Their environment is one of increasing hostility – bullying – and declining support for teachers and public schools. On the other hand our “greatest generation” those elders who came out and fought so hard for equality are now finding themselves having to go back into the closet in hopes of a safe living environment in assisted living facility or nursing home. Often times alone or having to disavow their life-partner/spouse our elders are left to fade into the night.

I asked, “If you could wave a magic wand and have all the resources needed…which problem would you fix FIRST and how would you do it?”

I will leave you now to reflect on that question and offer your solutions to help make this a better place for all LGBTQ people.

We went to see Cirque Du Soleil’s production of OVO last night in Portland and it was stunning. I had never actually been to any Cirque performance before (and neither had my partner). From the moment the lights went down under the big top, we sat with our jaws to the ground, completely taken by the pure magic of what we were watching. To say OVO is a spectacle is an understatement. From the costumes to the music to the mind-blowing tricks performed by the cast, the only way to sufficiently describe the experience is “other-worldly”. In addition to the visuals and excitement of it all, I also just really appreciated the diversity of the cast and the messages (implied and spelled out) about acceptance, body image, love, friendship, and community.

Cirque Du Soleil is an all-inclusive experience great for adults and children. As a gay couple attending on a date, my man and I were made to feel just as welcome as everyone else. Since Cirque is generously offering tickets to Q Center supporters at 30% off, I suggest you get yours now. This is a do-not-miss experience. FOR REAL. It was unlike anything either of us had ever seen before. (Also, we were entered to win a free car under the big top…fingers crossed my lucky stars were paying attention last night!)

OVO is seriously the best drag show ever!

Watch the trailer:

To take advantage of the killer 30% off tickets deal, click HERE.

Seriously DO NOT MISS THIS. It’s beyond amazing.

We were sad to learn of the recent passing of Rhoda London, artist, teacher, feminist, thinker. Rhoda was one of the first artists to share her artwork and her vision with the Q Center family in the gallery of the old space on Taylor Avenue in a show she called “Absence / Presence” in the summer of 2006. The community will miss her vision and her passion.

For more on Rhoda, click here.

“A library is not a luxury, but one of the necessities of life.” – Henry Ward Beecher

Happy National Library Week! Started in 1958, National Library week is an opportunity to celebrate institutions and organizations that fight for the ability to access information freely and privately – a concept that fundamentally tied to what makes this country pretty great.

Volunteering for Q Center’s Kendall Clawson Library, obviously I am a fan of libraries. True, I am an avid reader, but my love for libraries go beyond checking out good books – libraries played a major role in my ability to live a happy life as an out and proud gay man. While sill in the closet, I was able to connect with the gay community through my college library’s bookshelves. It was a safe and non-judgmental space where I would spend hours in the library, reading about queer heroes who helped shape our community. My coming out process was long and awkward, but the library was always my sanctuary.

In celebration of this national observance, here are some resources worth checking out to help celebrate and support libraries, locally and nationally:

To start, read Honorary Chair of National Library Week Brad Meltzer’s blog post on the Huffington post discussing the value of libraries and librarians.

One of the most important roles that librarians play is fighting censorship. Across the country the legitimacy of books are constantly challenged, and it is a battle to keep them on the shelves in classrooms and libraries alike. The American Library Association has created a board on pinterest, highlighting the top challenged books over the past decade. You might be surprised to see what is pinned there…

While Portland is known as a city of readers, the funding of our local public libraries will be going up for a vote. With the current levy due to expire this summer, a measure will be on the ballot this spring to ensure the libraries receive the funding they need to continue their service to our community. Read more about it here. You can also watch videos the “Yes For Libraries” campaign has put together highlighting how to support libraries through social media accounts.

And finally, stop by and visit Q Center’s Libraries! The Kendall Clawson Library is located right inside Q Center’s headquarters on North Mississippi, and you can check out our library’s collection on Library Thing. Be sure to also check out our Facebook page and follow our twitter account for  information and resources. If you really want to show us love, check out our wish list on amazon and help us make our collection as inclusive and dynamic as possible.

Many thanks to the community who already support us, and if you’re reading that then let us know how we can support you!

Venue:
Q Center
4115 N. Mississippi Ave
Portland, OR 97217

Dates:
April 12-14, 19-21, & 26-28 @8pm; 15 & 22 @3pm
Special Performance and celebration on April 23 @8pm in honor of
Shakespeare’s Birthday (PWYW)
(12 performances Total)

Tickets:
$20 at the door ($15 students/senior citizens)
$15 in advance (visit www.fusepdx.org for more info)
PWYW every Thursday

Q Center is participating in the Healthy Oregon Partnership for Equity (HOPE) Coalition. The HOPE Coalition is a regional partnership of communities of color, health advocates and policy-makers to develop a five-year policy and action plan to increase health equity in Clackamas, Marion, Multnomah and Washington County.

As part of the process HOPE Coalition members are asked to rank the following issues in order of priority importance. Q Center is seeking your input to help us understand the broader LGBTQ community priorities.

Please take a quick minute to share your thoughts with us HERE.

One of the many reasons Q Center is a member of CenterLink, the national community of LGBT Centers is because they provide us great resources. In today’s email from CenterLink was a brilliant follow-up to my blog yesterday about National LGBT Health Awareness Week.

Please take time to read through the SAMSAH report. From their newsletter… “SAMHSA has released Top Health Issues for LGBT Populations Information & Resource Kit. This publication demonstrates SAMHSA’s commitment to creating awareness of the needs, experiences, and health status of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans and to addressing behavioral health disparities.

Top Health Issues for LGBT Populations Information & Resource Kit informs health care providers and prevention specialists about the health experiences of LGBT populations. Understanding the health issues of LGBT individuals is a significant step in improving access to care and the quality of behavioral health services.

The information and resource kit contains seven fact sheets as well as PowerPoint slides that can be used individually or together. The fact sheets address the following topics:

• Helpful Terms for Prevention Specialists and Health Care Providers
• Gender Identity
• Top Health Issues for Lesbians
• Top Health Issues for Gay Men
• Top Health Issues for Bisexual Men and Women
• Top Health Issues for Transgender People
• Selected Web-based Resources

Download Top Health Issues for LGBT Populations Information & Resource Kit HERE.

This week is National LGBT Health Awareness Week 2012. So much has changed since I attended my first LGBT health coalition conference in the early 90’s. I recall a session on lesbians and breast cancer presented by a physician/researcher from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control). This was a rare opportunity to have our government present a keynote at a conference specific to LGBT health.

It was a disaster!

The presenter started rattling off data that was so mind numbing you would have thought no one was awake and listening. On the contrary. We were all wide awake and appalled at what we heard. Despite being thrilled our government showed up to talk LGBT health care, listening to census data from “unmarried women” and having that called “lesbian” representation was more than we could take.

Protests ensued and the session abruptly ended.

What happened as a result of that interaction was a seismic shift in addressing LGBT health care. We as a community began to demand appropriate representation in health care data collection. We worked with President Clinton’s administration to have LGBT concerns included in the Healthy People 2010 project. And we began to take care of ourselves…not only as individuals but as a community. We began to see CDC grants for smoking cessation, self-help groups popped-up in community centers across the country and anti-bullying work began to emerge. HIV/AIDS awareness peaked and some say today is barely visible in the broader discussion of LGBT health care.

We also allowed, and in some instances invited, an insurgence of alcohol consumption into our celebrations. I place no judgment on whether alcohol companies should have a role in funding our organizations. After all we do contribute to their profit margin. That is a debate for another day. What I do know though is if we don’t raise issues of health and wellness for our own community NO ONE will do it for us.

We’ve come a long way but still have much to accomplish. Health People 2010 briefly addressed LGBT health in a “companion document”. I call it an afterthought. Fast forward to Healthy People 2020 that puts LGBT health as a central concern, fully integrated into our nation’s health care plan. For the first time, US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius issued a statement “to highlight the progress our country is making to address the unique health needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans.” She’s right, we are making progress.

Quality of life is about balancing physical, mental and spiritual health. I’m pleased to say at Q Center we are laying the groundwork to help you with that challenge. Over a dozen self-help groups are offered monthly. Our Anti-Violence Project is expanding to address issues of domestic violence and self-defense. And Market Q will be introducing some very creative ways to “freshen up” healthy eating.

Stay tuned! There is much more to come!

-Barbara McCullough-Jones, Q Center Executive Director

A bit about the library: You can find our collections online through LibraryThing, a social network where members  catalog their books. We currently have three different collections:

Our Transgender Reference Library is one of the largest collection of trans-specific titles in the state of Oregon. It was developed in 2004 by the Trans/Identity Resource Center, a program of Outside In and was funded by a grant from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Pacific Northwest Region or (NNLM/PNR).

Our general collection hosts both fiction and nonfiction and is comprised of thousands of books – we really have something for everyone! We’re not quite ready to have it circulating yet – but will announce when our books are ready for check-out.

The Kendall Clawson Library has also been working with PCC’s Rock Creek Campus to build a library there as well, making it the only Queer Library in Washington County. The collection there can also be viewed from our LibraryThing profile and you can check out their website here.

What you you expect from us online? We’ll have relevant blog posts, connecting our library with what is happening in the wider community. For example, this past Saturday (March 24th) was the 25th anniversary of ACT UP’s first demonstration in New York City. Among our books on AIDS and activism, we have ACT UP founder Larry Kramer’s autobiography, Report from the Holocaust: The Making of an AIDS Activist. This week is also LGBT Health Awareness Week: here are our books that look at health issues in the LGBT community.

And the Kendall Clawson library is represented both on Twitter and on Facebook, which will be additional venues for sharing what’s happening in our library and our community. So be sure to follow us as we explore the queer literary world together.

Q Center’s Education & Training Program is partnering with Process Work Institute, an international conflict resolution & process-oriented psychology school, on a youth & young adult summer intensive workshop. We would love to hear from you!

Please spread the word. The more people ages 16-24 we get to fill out this quick 3 question survey, the better our programming will serve you!

Click HERE to tell us things!

Thanks!

Q Center

Q Center & Portland Playhouse are pleased to present Tarell Alvin McCraney’s The Brother/Sister Plays, a trilogy presented in two parts. The stories are set on the Louisiana Bayou in a presentational style paired with unconventional, yet lyrically rhythmic music. As a whole the trilogy deals with the identity of the self, how the bonds of kinship shape one’s life, and coming to terms with one’s sexuality. In Part 2 of the play, McCraney manages to capture the experience of coming out from the point of view of a young black man living in the Bayou using a unique framework never seen before, demanding a level of intimacy that illuminates the beauty of the journey.

From Process Sense: Human Development:
“At the core of our experience of our humanity is our experience of belonging to a community, family, friendship, intimacy and love. These experiences can be a source of ecstasy or agony, an experience of belonging or of marginalization –they are a way to live our inner and outer diversity. But what happens when two or more of these inner and/or outer experiences of our humanity come together inside one person’s experience, for example one’s race and one’s sexual orientation? How do you choose when the choice is to live a deep inner experience, a part of your humanity or to kill it? What and who do you choose when the choice is between being a part of a family and community and loving your partner? Which part of us lives and how do we decide, especially in the face of experiencing larger mainstream marginalization?”

Please join Q Center and Process Sense: Human Development as we host a community dialogue and talkback after the performance on Sunday, April 29th. The dialogue will be facilitated by Aleksandr Peikrishvili, M.S.W., PW. Dipl., creator of Q Center’s Face2Face Community Dialogue Series and owner of Process Sense: Human Development. Aleksandr is a conflict facilitator/trainer and mental health therapist in Private Practice and in one of Portland’s Community Non Profits.

To get tickets for the April 29th performance and community dialogue, CLICK HERE. Portland Playhouse is also offering 20% off the price of tickets for this event. Use the coupon code “qcenter” when purchasing yours to take advantage of this amazing offer!

Portland Playhouse & Q Center Present…
THE BROTHER/SISTER PLAYS
by Tarell Alvin McCraney

Cast: Ramona Alexander*, Bobby Bermea*, Jennifer Lanier*, Damian Thompson*, Lava Alapai, Brian Jones, Salim Sanchez, Jonah Weston
*Member of Actors Equity Association
Directed by Victor Mack

Show dates and times: Mar 29 – May 13
Show Times: Thursday–Sat 7:30pm; matinee Sundays at 2pm; Sat 4pm on some days
Post-Show talkback hosted by Q Center: Sunday, May 29th

Plays are presented in two parts in repertory:

IN THE RED AND BROWN WATER (PART I)
Mar 29 – May 13

THE BROTHERS SIZE & MARCUS: OR THE SECRET OF THE SWEET (PART II)
Apr 21 – May 13

Tickets:
Tickets $12 – $23
Buy online HERE.
Call the box office: (503) 205-0715
For more information, call: 503-488-5822

Location:
The Old Church, 602 NE Prescott Street, Portland, OR 97211

The Story

His Brother/Sister trilogy is set in the Louisiana Projects and explores Yoruba mythology, and Wig Out, which is set in New York drag clubs, explores McCraney’s experiences as a gay black man.[1] Marcus: or the Secret of the Sweet has been optioned by London’s Young Vic Theatre and in 2009, McCraney was awarded the first annual New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award for “The Brothers Size” and the Steinberg Playwright Award.

Our friends at Oregon Ballet Theatre have cordially invited Q Center supporters to save 30% off upcoming performances of Chromatic Quartet. Additionally, 10% of your purchase goes back to the programs and services of Q Center!

Get tickets HERE now.

Defining & Negotiating Fidelity For Same-Sex Relationships: A weekly process group to foster a safe space to explore issues around fidelity within the context of same-sex relationships

Together, using mindfulness and experiential approaches, the group will explore the issues and the psychological material that resides under them for same-sex partners navigating the path to healthy working models for intimacy and commitment.

The group will address fidelity issues such as:
• Emotional Safety and Commitment
• Physical Safety and Health
• Levels of openness in relationships
• Understandings and Agreements
• Don’t ask/Don’t tell
• Needs vs. desires-how to get them met
• Social Media/Internet Pornography
• Playing together or separately with limits

The group will be facilitated by:

Christopher Boothby, MS, LPCIntern
www.mindfulcounsel.net
info@mindfulcounsel.net
(503) 201-8126

and

Jennifer D. Samsom, MA, MFT
www.pdxmindfulmft.com
jenn@pdxmindfulmft.com
(503) 341-6393

For more information or to register, please contact one of the above facilitators.

Q Center’s Advocacy Program is pleased to present two special screenings of Dustin Lance Black’s Prop. 8 Play about the historic California trial, “8″, and a community dialogue on Saturday, March 31st at Q Center!

The first showing is at 4pm. The second showing is at 7pm. From 6pm to 7pm we will be hosting a community dialogue. Please join us!

Hosted by Q Center, Human Rights Campaign Portland Steering Committee, and Basic Rights Oregon

This event is FREE when you donate 2 cans of non-perishable food (one for SMYRC and one for Esther’s Pantry) and is open to all.

Joining Tom Goss and Kerry Hallett on The Q Center Concert Series stage on Sunday, May 13th is guitar-wielding queer heartthrob Bobby Jo Valentine! Get tickets HERE now.

Mr. Valentine is an award-winning singer/songwriter currently residing and touring around the coast of CA. His new album, ‘A Place to Belong’ released to national acclaim and his single “Be Mine” had radio airplay even before the album’s release. He is the winner of several awards, including 2011 Songwriter of the Year by West Coast Songwriter’s Association and has made appearances on mainstream television shows on ABC and NBC. LA Weekly recently said of Bobby’s music “Witty lyrics and catchy melodies…the nicest guy ever to pick up an acoustic guitar!”

Download Bobby Jo Valentine’s song “Chase Away My Dark” for FREE by clicking HERE.

Q Center is pleased to present queer singer/songwriter Kerry Hallett to The Q Center Concert Series on Sunday, May 13th! She will be performing with Tom Goss and Bobby Jo Valentine. Tickets to the show are available HERE now.

Hallett is a Portland-based musician whose obsession with and execution of sound comes in many permutations. While she’s constantly experimenting with new instruments and approaches, most familiar to listeners is her singer/songwriter side. Stay tuned for a new project that has her out from behind her guitar and banging on drums for “Muscle and the Marrow” with local favorite Kira Clark. Her singer/songwriter earnestness shines through a cute hipster exterior, and her music is a perfect reflection of that. Occasionally produced, but always beautifully crooned, songs like the ethereal “Through Your Fingers” will draw you in.

Download Kerry’s song “Easy Go” for FREE by clicking HERE.

Q Center’s Public Relations & Innovations Manager Logan Lynn is competing for a 2012 Netroots Nation Scholarship. Please take a moment to vote for him so we can represent Q at the conference!

Q Center is currently developing a new program as part of our Health and Wellness program area.

The mission of Q Center’s Health & Wellness Program Area is to enhance the quality of life for LGBTQ people and our allies by supporting a holistic approach to mental, physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. We believe strong healthy LGBTQ individuals and community will make a great contribution to the wider world.

In order to determine how many people would be interested in a weekly, hot nutritious lunch at Q Center with friends, social activities, speakers, games, etc. at least one day a week, we are asking for your help.

Your answers will remain ANONYMOUS so please feel free to comment. Your NAME or other identifying information is NOT required to complete the survey. If you’d like to provide your contact information at the end you may do so, however it is NOT required.

We are committed to building the best program we can to meet YOUR needs and sincerely appreciate you taking the time to give us input and guidance.

Bag&Baggage Productions, Hillsboro’s resident professional theatre, presents a “powerful, emotional, raw and gripping” performance of Joe Calarco’s “Shakespeare’s R&J!” This is the last weekend of performances, and Q Center supporters can get $10 off the regular ticket prices by using the code QCENTER10 when you book tickets online or over the phone at our box office!

Join us on Thursday March 15, Friday March 16 and Saturday March 17th at 7:30pm and Sunday March 18th at 2:00pm at the beautiful Venetian Theatre (253 East Main Street) in downtown Hillsboro for a thrilling, exciting new production of Joe Calarco’s “Shakespeare’s R&J!.”

Four young men living in the repressive regime of a conservative boarding school engage in a clandestine reading of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet they find hidden under the floorboards of the chapel. In this school, Shakespeare is banned for fear it will “enflame the passions” and the four young men suddenly find themselves plunged into Shakespeare’s most passionate and rebellious story, living out their own fears, joys, and youthful awakenings right alongside Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers.

Portland Monthly says, “Like no adaptation I’ve seen, it re-instills the raw, dangerous, thrilling, and emotional poignancy that the story lost somewhere between Gounod’s opera and Dire Straits’ “A love-struck Romeo…”

More information and tickets available online at www.bagnbaggage.org or by calling the box office at 503 345 9590.

As you all know, queer hip-hop super duo God-Des & She are performing for The Q Center Concert Series at the SMYRC program space grand opening party on Friday, April 13th! Get your tickets HERE now and support LGBTQ youth and young adults in the Pacific NW while you’re at it!

To tide you over, God-Des and She have given Q Blog permission to give away a FREE MP3 of their song “Yeah Yeah Yeah”. Download yours for zero dollars now by clicking HERE.

If the one free song isn’t enough, you can always stream their tunes here as well: