June 1st Thursday--City Hall Celebrates Pride
The Office
City Hall 1st Thursday Celebrates Pride
Thursday June 1st 5-7pm
City Hall 1220 SW 4th Portland
Come join us for a night of Queer art celebrating the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans Queer community at Portland’s City Hall. This historic 1st Thursday event is a collaboration with Portland’s City Council and Queer community organizations in highlighting the contributions of the LGBTQ community through art, food, and entertainment.
For more information about the featured artists, go to the indepth article in JustOut:
Commissioner Adams is particularly excited about this event and says: “June’s 1st Thursday Queer art show is a milestone event; it will be the first LBGTQ open house at City Hall. This is an opportunity not only to celebrate the important artistic contributions from the gay community, but also a way to better connect with your elected officials and one another.”—Commissioner Sam Adams
Featuring works from members of art collectives:
Terra Wilcoxson
Tony le Tigre
Mike Kabler
Vicky Frankland
Molly Jochem
Kate Stock
Jamie Winterhawke
Michael J. Wahl
PAGLA
David Strough
Jerilyn Adams
Lulla Boots
Paul Soriano
Larry Cwik
Mar Goman
Bouch de St. Rough
Entertainment:
Darleen Salomon-Rodgers AKA Blaque Butterfly
Alela
Kate Mann
Refreshments:
Posted by The Office on May 25, 2006
(16) Comments | Permalink | TrackBack (1)
Filed Under Arts & Culture, Events, Front Page
Comments by site visitors
Isaac:
I think straight people are welcome at this event so long as they wear something fabulous. And please; no hetero displays of public affection!
Posted by: Gecko | May 26, 2006 12:28:31 AM
Ah yes, but we don't discriminate, we don't single out special groups to "celebrate". Gee, how about a "middle age white men's night" down at city hall. How about a "KKK night" down at city hall. I'm sure a "Hispanic night" is right around the corner.
This ISN'T celebrating America, it's pointing out and pinpointing the differences in Americans. Instead of bringing us together, instead of finding common themes and ideas, this is throwing gasoline on the flames of what our differences are. I HATE the idea of this 'celebration' NOT because I'm homophobic, because I'm not, but because it's bringing about and magnifying our differences as Americans rather than magnifying what we have in common.
More governmental wrong-headedness (if that's a word). THIS is an example of what has gone wrong in America. We are Americans, NOT hispanic Americans, hetrosexual Americans, homosexual Americans, black Americans, white Americans ... we are AMERICANS, damn it.
Posted by: mmmarvel | May 28, 2006 10:44:44 PM
but we are hispanic Americans, hetrosexual Americans, homosexual Americans, black Americans, white Americans, just a name a few. That is what makes this country so special. We don't have one way of life, one language, or one mindset, we are America which has always stood as the world's melting pot. The great thing about the experience in America is that we see all sorts of cultures, celebrations, and customs.
From Cinco De Mayo to the Rose Festival, American's are always displaying the things that makes us unique, allowing the rest of the population to become educated and informed about our various communities.
Having a pride celebrations doesn't take away from any other group, nor does it highlight our differences. I don't think this will be a display the different sexual techniques between hetero and homo sex, it will be a display about the struggles of the community, the pride in the community, the way adversity brings those together, and an insight into a community of people you probably don't interact with daily.
Posted by: MarkDaMan | May 30, 2006 9:23:27 AM
mmmarvel,
If you are what epitomizes an American, then we are all screwed. Looking over your posts on this site makes my skin crawl at your intolerance, hatred, and myopia.
The America *I* know and love is one where people (*gasp*) acknowledge that there are differences among them - but then let everybody pursue happiness in their own way.
Live and let live- this spirit is embodied in the American constitution via freedom of speech, assembly, religion - we don't all have to be the same, act the same, talk the same, to be equals.
Pretending that differences don't exist is just a way for priveleged classes to keep other groups of folks down.
-Pretending that slavery didn't affect what it means to be black in America is serving only priveleged interests.
-Pretending that Native Americans haven't been given the extraordinarily short end of the stick by our government only allows that government to escape redressing them.
-Pretending that gays have not been hunted, persecuted, beaten and tied to fences for years only serves those doing the hunting.
-Pretending that women were not allowed into the workforce until a generation ago and were legally considered the property of their husbands just a little before that only serves the former property owners.
Catch my drift? Sometimes you need to address the differences that exist in order to simply define the social problems that exist. Pretending that the above groups of people and priveleged people "are all the same" just allows injustice to live on. It's only in identifying the homophobia, sexism, racism that exists (which means acknowledging different sexual orientations, races, genders) that we can cure those diseases.
And judging by your posts, you are are in need of some hard-core cures yourself, my American (but very, very different) friend.
The bottom line: "EQUAL DOES NOT MEAN SAME." We do not have to all look and act alike to be Americans, and we can frikkin' have a parade if we want one. That is not "un-American", as you are trying to make it out to be. It is the most American - celebrating what makes us special, what gives us meaning, what makes us happy - is what America is all about.
Posted by: truth hurts. | May 30, 2006 2:40:58 PM
Sorry, but your posts show it is YOU, not me (truth hurts) that discriminates. Don't believe me? Okay, instead of a homosexual art show I suggest that we have one of a group of people who like to wear sheets and pillow cases and burn crosses. I'm sure that many of them have artistic streaks in them and I'm sure they are just itching to show their work. Would you 'tolerate' that? We both know the answer is no, but it is an 'exclusive' group - being in THAT group excludes folks who are not like them (and we're both glad that there aren't a lot of them). Why don't we have an art show for folks who like to make love to sheep? Do you get my drift? If you do I'll be surprised as I consider you one of those people who sees yourself and your ideas as correct and anyone who disagrees is wrong. I'm sure you think a KKK art show would be wrong but DON'T see the parallel to the gay art show - and they DO parallel quite nicely.
Did I say I pretended that ANY of the injustices that you mentioned didn't exist? No, I did (and do) say that we should all be treated equally. If I speed I want to get a ticket same as you. I'm not allowed to marry someone of the same sex or two people of whatever sex, same as you. Do I think that I or society needs to 'make up' for past injustices? NO! Judge me on me, not the actions of my father, grandfather or great-great-great grandfather. I'm responsible for myself, not for the actions of those in the past.
To MarkDaMan - You miss my point, walked right by it. I know there is, always has been a love for old customs, traditions taken from the "old country". I grew up with a couple Italian uncles and I loved the traditions that they brought - the food, oh my, the food. However, at Italian festivals, you didn't have to actually BE Italian to join, in cooking, serving, trading, whatever. Ditto for many other ethnic festivals that I've attended. Do you think I feel welcome to this 'gay' art show? Do you think if I had some art work I would be welcome to display it? The show is to (in my mind) show off the work of gay artists - why are other artists banned?
Mark, you said "...pride celebrations doesn't take away from any other group, nor does it highlight our differences." I beg to differ with you, the entire reason that you have the parade highlights a difference between me and you. The entire idea of letting folks know you are gay is ... just that, let's shove it in their face and make them deal with it. Do you want to know what I do with baby pigs in my bedroom at night?
In any case, I wish you all the best, I do hate to have taxpayer money spent on something that is so discriminatory - but that's just my point of view, I could be wrong.
Posted by: mmmarvel | May 31, 2006 4:55:00 PM
"the entire reason that you have the parade highlights a difference between me and you"
hmmm, I think you'd be surprised at who I really am. If I had walked past you on the street, you wouldn't know I'm gay. When I dine with my partner, you wouldn't suspect we were 'together' or going on 6 years. This isn't to higlight that I'm different, it is that I am the same as you. An American, a human, and good hearted person, a piece of our community.
Marvel, there are some great opportunities for you in the upcoming month to really understand the gay and lesbian community. Yes, we have a community but I have never seen any person discriminate against heterosexuals at our functions. My father, a heterosexual male, routinely attends the events in the community. He has always been welcome and has always felt welcome. In fact, he nags me a few weeks before the AIDS walk and PRIDE, he tells me that he never feels more comfortable in any other group, including his LDS chapel on Sunday. It is too bad that you think a parade is an in your face protest. It isn't. There are groups with politcal messages, there are also shops, community groups, PFLAG supporters and city leaders coming together to enjoy one another's company.
"Do you think I feel welcome to this 'gay' art show?"
I'm not sure Marvel, but if you would like, I'd be happy to accompany you this evening to go see it. It is open to everyone.
Art doesn't always have to be nice or pretty, and sometime it can be downright uncomfortable, or disgusting. If the KKK puts on a show in DT Portland, that is their choice. It is also the choice of the people to go see it, go protest it, or counter it with another show in another location.
I don't know the qualifications for showing art in city hall, but I'm sure Mr. Adams would probably love to let you know the procedure.
Posted by: MarkDaMan | Jun 1, 2006 10:28:51 AM
Last I looked the gay community was not and is not preaching hate or intolerance for their ethnic neighbors. Unlike your example of the KKK or animal abusers. The gay community is not asking for special rights. We ask for "equal" rights! The Pride parade isn't something the city of Portland just gave the gay community. It is something the gay community thought up organized and paid money to the city of Portland for permits. The parade isn't to be "in your face". It's a chance for our whole community to gather and have some fun. Like any other festival held in Portland or across our the country everyone is invited. No one is excluded unless they are threating harm to another. I think you'll find that to be the case at any one of the other festivals in Portland. Have you ever been to a "gay" function and been treated badly? Or is it you are just uncomfortable around OPENLY gay people? Because I can assure you you deal with us unknowingly everyday. You write that you would not be allowed to display your art work at the gay art show. Do you think I could show my art work at an Italian art show beings how I am not Italian? My question to you is what are you so afraid of? Why do you feel so threatened?
Posted by: LW | Jun 1, 2006 11:34:16 AM
Thanx for setting time aside each month to recognize diversity and other important aoccasions.
Reference "Queer"...I am the token gay guy here at work and I am 58 years old (even though I do not look it), so maybe it is an age/generation thing, but what does "Queer" mean relative to today's First Thursday celebrations? My office is shocked at use of the word--equating it to the revulsion we all feel when hearing the "N" word--and are asking me to explain it and I can't. We all know about Lesbian, Gay and so forth, but is "Queer" a sub-set, or what?
Posted by: JustMe | Jun 1, 2006 2:04:26 PM
With the City's emphasis on the acceptance of cultural diversity, since when did the word "queer" become acceptable for City employee use?
Posted by: Matthew | Jun 1, 2006 4:33:30 PM
I am proud to be a City employee, mother, sister, friend, peer, artist, and a lesbian, among other things, but I feel personally offended by the term "QUEER".
Diversity is emphasized here at the City and encouraged. I feel it is a step back by using this term. I don't think I am being old fashioned about this at all.
Queer is associated with words like odd, unusual, abnormal, peculiar, strange, etc. I thought we (LGBT community) were trying to abolish that stereotype? Why should we call ourselves that?
As an openly lesbian person in my office, I have had a lot of people that I work with come ask me about the email received for this art show. There was a lot of concern that they were overreacting or being overly sensitive to the word "queer", and asked how I felt about it.
It's nice to see from this blog, that I am not the only one who is shocked and appalled!
Posted by: red faced | Jun 1, 2006 4:59:02 PM
The only problem I have with this is that they say it's celebrating pride. If they'd have said they were celebrating "gay pride" or "queer pride" or whatever word people like these days that'd be fine. It's like saying we're gonna hold a beer festival but we're only serving MGD. I just don't like the idea that pride has become synonymous with homosexuality. Pride means a lot more than just that. I still want my words back.
Posted by: Isaac | Jun 1, 2006 5:03:35 PM
Isaac -
No one took your words away from you. You are as free as anybody else to attach the word "pride" to anything you want.
The reason that so many people now refer to these events, which occur nation wide, as just "pride" is because of a number of factors, none of them intentionally sinister.
These celebrations try to be very inclusive of many distinct, but related, sexual minority groups. You either wind up with long acronyms like "GLBT pride", people who object to the term used, such as "queer pride" (see above).
It's just a natural linguistic phenomenon for these events to just be referred to shorthand as "pride", and "pride season" (most of these events happen in the summer months). Until someone comes up with a better name that sticks, momentum will keep it going.
Going back in history, "pride" was chosen as part of the name of these celebrations specifically to counter the notion that being gay was at best a sickness, or at worst sinful/criminal/predatory/deadly. Many individuals had suffered genuine abuse as a result of being different, and having an open, positive event served a dual purpose of personal self-realization and public protest.
- Bob R.
Posted by: Bob R. | Jun 1, 2006 5:38:42 PM
mmmarvel,
Pffft! You are so full of it.
First off, I should let you know that while I believe that the KKK is deplorable, I would fight for their right to free speech.
Second off, comparing the gay community to the KKK is a stretch. Last I checked, the gay community hasn't engaged in systematic violence against others in a way that is ideologically driven.
Third off, comparing me to someone who has sex with sheep or pigs is insulting. Who do you think you are? Who do you think I am? I am a human being who has loving consensual relations with a fellow human being. And being gay is just a part of my identity - one, by the way, that is reinforced when people like you try to minimize my love for my partner by comparing it to sex with an animal. That is exactly the wrong way to try to minimize differences, because it makes me want to fight for my rights as a self-identified queer man even harder.
And it is easy to say forget about the past when you are advantaged by it. Not all of us are that lucky.
Posted by: truth hurts | Jun 2, 2006 10:57:34 AM
I appreciated the theme of last nights "First Thursday".
Sam conceived of the First Thursday art celebrations and I have looked forward to and thoroughly enjoyed each one.
We have had First Thursday art themes that have displayed a variety of themes and cultures since this event began shortly after Sam arrived at city hall.
I love the fascinating and colorful citizens that come to city hall for these events. These are citizens that have told me over and over that they never would have imagined coming into city hall were it not for our First Thursday celebrations.
Thank you Sam and thank you to the artists that display their art in the various commissioner's offices at city hall.
Posted by: Randy Leonard | Jun 3, 2006 12:03:59 AM
Thank you, Portland City Hall, for featuring the Gay and Lesbian art show.
To blog posters Issac and "Mr. Marvel" I can only say
'Oh, that it were true!"
Take a look at what our President is proposing this very day - a nation wide enforcement of banning civil rights for gay and lesbian citizens. As Sen. Kennedy said:
"A vote for this amendment is a vote for bigotry pure and simple!"
So, for now we are indeed apart from our fellow citizens, a minority hated and feared by many. Do we need "pride"?
You bet we do
Virginia
Posted by: Virginia | Jun 5, 2006 11:51:18 AM
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I thought they were celebrating pride. I was hoping they were talking about American Pride or Portland Pride (not the team), even Mother Earth Pride, but suddenly a celebration that we could be proud of turned into a party about a small group of people, gays and other sexual minorities. Just like the rainbow, when did pride become only for gays? I want my words back.
Posted by: Isaac | May 25, 2006 10:20:50 PM