The King Of Christmas - Just Out

The 

King Of 

Christmas 

J o h n n y M a t h i s 

Good Food + Helpful Holiday Tips + Elemental Astrology

Full -1 

2 JustOut.com December 2012

PUBLISHER'S GUEST | Jeana Frazzini, Basic Rights Oregon 

T 

HE 2012 ELECTIONS DELIVERED UNPRECEDENTED 

VICTORIES FOR THE LGBT COMMUNITY. 

I am filled with joy for the families in Washington, Maine and 

Maryland who have won the freedom to marry the person they 

love — and did so, for the first time ever, by a vote of the people. 

I am also glad for the people of Minnesota who successfully 

blocked a constitutional ban on marriage equality for the first 

time. 

The list goes on: our country re-elected the first sitting president 

to support the freedom to marry, elected the first openly 

gay U.S. senator, and four new out members of the House of 

Representatives (including the first out person of color and first 

out bisexual)! In New Hampshire, the first out transgender person 

was elected to the state legislature. 

And right here in Oregon, we championed the re-election of 

Secretary of State Kate Brown and Labor Commissioner Brad 

Avakian and helped secure a pro-equality majority in the Oregon 

house, where Rep. Tina Kotek will become the first-ever 

lesbian speaker of a statehouse. 

These are a lot of firsts and there is no question that the tide has 

turned irrevocably toward equality — and toward the freedom 

to marry, in particular. 

As more and more Americans are having conversations with 

LGBT, and allied friends and family, they're coming to realize 

that committed couples, whether they are gay or straight, hope 

to marry for similar reasons — to make a lifetime promise to 

share the joys and sorrows that life brings. 

The victories on election night have bolstered our confidence 

and confirmed that we are exactly where we need to be. We 

know that we are on the right path. The education campaign 

Basic Rights Oregon has undertaken over the past three years is 

winning hearts and minds. And our movement has proven that 

we can win marriage through legislatures, in the courtrooms 

and, finally, at the ballot. Now is the time to begin repealing 

these discriminatory amendments. 

We’re also keenly aware that none of our victories have been a 

slam dunk. In Washington alone, it took over 12 million dollars 

and more than 30,000 volunteer hours to eke out a four-point 

victory – despite going into the campaign with greater public 

support for marriage than there currently is in Oregon. For two 

months, Basic Rights Oregon dedicated staff and volunteers to 

the campaign to run the Southwest Washington outreach. Our 

volunteers had thousands of conversations with Washington 

voters at their doors and on their phones, accounting for 10% of 

the volunteer hours on the Washington campaign! 

Here in Oregon we still have work to do, and we know it won’t 

be easy. Oregon is one of 30 states with constitutional amendments 

banning marriage for gay and lesbian couples. Oregon 

stands ready to be the first state to overturn a constitutional 

amendment at the ballot. Basic Rights Oregon is committed to 

leading this effort, and our education campaign has already increased 

support for the freedom to marry by double digits in 

the past three years. 

While the movement now turns to states with constitutional 

bans, we must also continue working at the federal level. Next 

year, the Supreme Court could finally overturn the federal Defense 

of Marriage Amendment. We cannot win only at the state 

or only at the federal level. Either victory would be incomplete 

without the other. Winning at the federal level will not provide 

the freedom to marry in Oregon until we change our state laws, 

and winning in Oregon will not provide Oregon couples with 

any federal recognition until DOMA is gone. 

Now is the time for every fair-minded Oregonian to stand with 

us in order to complete this journey to the freedom to marry. 

We need you to GET ENGAGED today. 

A November 13th New York Times article described how the 

wins on the ballot this year were achieved through “patient, 

labor-intensive personal dialogue.” Mainers United for Marriage, 

the article explained, “phoned some 250,000 residents or 

knocked on their doors, engaging many of them in 20-minute 

conversations about love, marriage and commitment and persuading 

some to rethink their views.” 

The only way we will win the freedom to marry in Oregon is 

through heart-felt conversations. We must continue to have 

the courage and honesty to talk to friends, family and coworkers 

about why marriage matters for all caring and committed 

couples — gay or straight. 

Please go to our website and sign our pledge to have 10 conversations 

before the end of this year with friends and family about 

why marriage matters to you. 

In the next few weeks, we'll be on the road for a 

Victory tour through Oregon. We want to celebrate our 

victories and get to work for 2014. Look for details soon. § 

Jeana Franzinni is the Executive Director of Basic Rights Oregon. 

For more information about Basic Rights Oregon, basicrights.org 

December 2012 JustOut.com 3

December 

2012 

4 

Contents 

3 Publisher’s Guest 

6 Publisher's Note 

8 Notebook 

12 Voices 

20 Community 

32 Family 

34 Spirit 

60 Our People 

65 Marketplace 

66 Calendar 

Cover 

Johnny Mathis 

graces this 

month's cover. 

The legendary 

singer is in portland 

for a concert 

this month 

and talked exclusively 

to just 

out. Cover photo by Jeff Dunas. 

All food photography, including 

Mathis's dish, was shot by Just 

Out's Art Director and Photographer 

Horace Long (above). 


26 

Just 

Features 

10 QPDX 

Hot Holiday Tips 

Out’s editor has some holiday suggestions — 

martini included. 

22 A&E 

The legendary Johnny Mathis 

An exclusive interview with Mr. Christmas. 

26 Food 

Festive Foods 

Four Portland chefs share their favorite 

holiday recipes. 

50 Garden 

Bring The Outdoors In 

Personalizing your holiday mantel. 

52 Home 

Decking The Halls 

The quest for the perfect Christmas tree. 

54 Fashion 

Astrology Is Element-ary 

Ms. Tammy Whynot teaches astrology while 

she and Pagan Holliday represent the four 

elements. 

+ 

GO 

Pages 

All the resources you need for 

GAY OREGON 

Page 35

PUBLISHER'S NOTE 

by Eddie Glenn 

just outTM 

December 2012 

Plus ça change, 

plus c’est la même chose… 

As I approach the half-century mark of my life, it seems that it takes less and less time for the earth to 

circle the sun. Intellectually, I know this isn’t true, but it doesn’t sway how I feel … that yesterday was a 

sweltering day in mid-August and not another dreary, wet December day. Maybe it’s because our kids 

(5 and 8 years old) are constantly measuring the calendar in terms of the next ‘big event’: a holiday, a 

birthday, losing a tooth, a play date, a family vacation. Or, perhaps, ‘those college years’ are finally catching 

up to me. Or it could be because I now measure life in 30-day increments required with publishing 

a monthly magazine. 

Or just maybe the speed of change around us is the culprit. 

Indeed, there has been a lot of change for our community during 2012. Marriage equality referendums 

passed in three states last month (including our neighbor to the north) bringing to nine the total number 

of states that allow us to marry those whom we love. Contrast this to what we were facing 20 years 

ago with Oregon’s Measure 9 (fortunately defeated). 

2012 saw much change for Just Out as well. We started the year mourning the loss of a publication that 

had served our community for nearly 30 years. By June, Just Out was re-launched. Even though it has 

a new publication cycle (monthly) and a new format (glossy magazine), the soul of the publication – to 

serve the LGBTQ community – has not wavered. 

You, our readers, have embraced the change. Over the past four months we have had nearly one thousand 

readers participate in our reader survey. From the survey, 95 percent of you indicated that you 

loved the change to magazine format. You told us (90 percent of you) that you use Just Out to stay in 

touch with our community, including our advertisers. 

Nearly 50 percent read every issue of Just Out (another 30 percent say they read almost every issue). Over 

33 percent have been reading Just Out for over 10 years. And 10 percent told us they have been reading it 

for more than 20 years! You also told us that you read Just Out more than any other LGBTQ publication. 

Our readership identifies themselves as gay, lesbian, bi, trans, queer and everything in between. And 

economic level varies as much from those that need our help to those extremely well off. Readership is 

roughly split between male and female (with men just edging out women). Age-wise, we have young 

readers and mature readers alike. We, indeed, are a diverse community. 

Advertisers, we also want to take this opportunity to thank you for your support during the transition! 

When you invest your advertising budget with Just Out, you are not only supporting the publication, 

but also our community. 

In 2013, Just Out will celebrate its 30th anniversary. This is a big deal, not just for the publication, but 

also for our community. For 30 years, our extremely diverse community has worked together to accomplish 

great things, and has stuck together during very trying times. For 30 years, Just Out has chronicled 

this journey. We will not only take occasional looks back during our anniversary year, but will also look 

forward as we continue to make this place we call home a better place for all of us. 

Here’s to the next 30 years. 

Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose — the more things change, the more they stay the same. 

Cathleen Busha 

Atlas Flynn 

Anne Jaeger 

Lyska Mondor 

Courtney O'Donnell 

Miss Tammy Whynot 

PUBLISHERS 

Jonathan Kipp 

Eddie Glenn 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 

Alley Hector 

ART DIRECTOR 

Horace Long 

A&E EDITOR 

Ken Hoyt 

COPY EDITOR 

Ellen Fiscus 

CONTRIBUTORS 

DIRECTOR OF SALES 

Roy Melani 

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE 

David Wagner 

AD DESIGN & COORDINATION 

Juliette Miratsky Heather White 

just out 

P.O. Box 10609 

Portland, OR 97296 

editor@JustOut.com 

sales@JustOut.com 

Phone/Fax: 503.828.3034 

©Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. 

Published by 

Glenn-Kipp Publishing, Inc 

LLM Publications Inc. 

authorized local advertising representative 

Rivendell Media, Inc. 

authorized national advertising representative 

just out 

Founded in 1983 

Anna Deligio 

Jonathan Hopp 

Logan Lynn 

Scott MacDonald 

Aaron Spencer 

Rev. Jennifer Yocum 

FORMER PUBLISHERS 

Founders Renee LaChance & Jay Brown 

Marty Davis 

Just Out has a long and proud history of informing and 

entertaining the LGBTQ community in Oregon and 

SW Washington, our supporters near and far, and working 

to build bridges that lead to justice, fairness, and 

equality for all people. 

Eddie Glenn is the co-publisher of Just Out. Reach him at Eddie@JustOut.com. 

Printed in the U.S.A. 



Notebook 

(BOOK) 

Ditto's Memoir 

Gossip frontwoman Beth Ditto has just released her first 

book, Coal to Diamonds. Though her band’s recently released 

album, A Joyful Noise, debuted in Billboard’s top 

100 in the U.S. and managed to reach the top five in four 

European countries, life wasn’t always so great for the 

singer. She recounts some of the tougher moments in her 

memoir with help from writer Michelle Tea. 

Ditto talks about her early life in Judsonia, Arkansas — a 

place where indoor plumbing was a luxury, squirrel was 

a meal, and sex ed was taught during senior year in high 

school (long after many girls had gotten pregnant and 

dropped out) and her move to Olympia and Portland, including 

the life, loves and successes she found there. 

She also opens up about her battle with sarcoidosis, a rare 

immune-system disorder that attacks the internal organs 

(and killed comedian Bernie Mac in 2008), and her help from 

Portland and other communities at a time when she had no 

health insurance and was not yet a celebrity. 

With her usual blunt and unapologetic storytelling, Coal 

is still a poetic journey of a talented woman coming into 

her own. 

Congratulations James 

Komoro, Just Out's 

lastest iPad giveaway 

winner! James was 

randomly drawn from 

thousands of 

entrants in our 

second iPad 

giveaway this 

year! Follow 

us on 

Facebook and 

Twitter — 

JustOutPortland 

— for more fabulous 

giveaways! 

(MUSIC) 

Logan Lynn 

Portland indie-popster, Q Center PR Manager, and Just Out Columnist 

Logan Lynn has just released his seventh studio album, Tramp Stamps 

and Birthmarks. His danceable beats are often upbeat tunes with serious 

subject matter — good gay club anthems that have landed him praise 

such as “the new Golden boy of electro-pop.” The first single from the 

album, “Turn Me Out,” released in early fall, is a naughty on-the-floor 

track in more ways than one, and features a video about both the desire 

to be loved and the darker side of sexuality. 

loganlynnmusic.com 

(HOME) 

Rapid HIV Testing 

OraSure has just introduced its OraQuick In-Home HIV Test nationwide 

making it the first rapid infectious disease test ever to be made 

available directly to consumers for in-home use. The test detects 

antibodies to both HIV-1 and HIV-2 with an oral swab, providing a 

confidential in-home testing option with results in as little as 20 minutes. 

The in-home test is an over-the-counter version of OraQuick 

ADVANCE(R), the oral swab rapid test that has sold more than 25 

million units in the professional market, to doctors, hospitals, clinics 

and other trained professionals. OraSure is also making available 

specialized resources including live support and comprehensive referral 

services through a toll-free support center 866-436-6527 and 

consumer website. orasure.com


EDITOR’S NOTE | QPDX 

by Alley Hector 

Holiday Hot Tips 

Where to pick up a unique gift, and see twinkling lights during December, some recent decorating trends, plus a Peppermint Stick Martini! 

CRAFT FAIRS 

You don’t need to brave the horrors of a crowded mall in 

Portland where we have several local craft fairs that feature 

truly unique artisans and extra special gifts. 

SATURDAY MARKET Portland’s longest running outdoor market 

stays open all the way through Christmas Eve every Saturday 

10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at the Waterfront and 

Ankeny Parks in downtown Portland. Extended holiday days and hours. 

portlandsaturdaymarket.com 

CRAFTY WONDERLAND Quarterly hipster craft extravaganza gives 

us two days in honor of the holiday season, December 8th and 9th, 

11 a.m. – 6 p.m. at the Oregon Convention Center (777 NE MLK Jr Blvd). 

Goodie bags and free admission. craftywonderland.com 

BIKECRAFT Nothing goes together better than Portland queers 

and bikes, so check out this one-of-a-kind and oh-so-Portlandia fair 

December 1st and 2nd 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. at Sandbox Studio (420 NE 

9th Ave). Admission is free and prizes are given throughout the fair. 

bikecraftpdx.com 

SEE THE LIGHT 

Lots of different types of venues where you can see holiday lights 

without running up your own electric bill. 

PEACOCK LANE The homiest of all the light shows, Peacock Lane is 

simply a neighborhood in Southeast Portland that has agreed to celebrate 

their holiday spirit with lights, nativity scenes and Santa replicas since 

the 1920s. The lane is between SE Stark and Belmont, one block east 

of Cesar Chavez, and runs 6 p.m. - 11 p.m. December 15th - 31st with 

pedestrian only nights the 15th and 16th. You can even take a horse 

drawn carriage! peacocklane.net 

ZOO LIGHTS More than a million LED lights with animal themes 

take over the Oregon Zoo from 5 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. November 21st 

thru December 31st. Features include moving sculptures, forests of 

lighted trees, animal silhouettes and a light-bedecked steamer train. 

oregonzoo.org/visit/zoolights 

CHRISTMAS SHIPS See lights floating merrily down our city’s main 

stream from December 7th - 21st (with a special performance in Camas/ 

Washougal December 1st) featuring a 55 - 60 boat fleet of volunteers. 

christmasships.org 

DECORATING TRENDS 

Just a few ideas to make the yuletide gay. 

GLITTER Gays tend to like glitter all year round but now is your opportunity 

to really get out the reflective glitz. It’s the perfect contrast to 

the Pacific Northwest natural look and can add just the right contrast to 

a real tree. Glittered looks have appeared in more vendors’ lines either 

as new collections or as updates on popular classics like Kurt Adler nutcrackers. 

EURO/RETRO MASHUP Mid-century modern is the perfect motif for 

a cheeky yet stylish take on the holiday season. Rockefeller Christmas accessories 

can be both festive and ironic and it’s fun to throw in a little 70s 

Scandinavian charm into the mix of bubble lights. Rumor has it Santa 

actually resides in Lapland, and it should be easy to get good decorations 

from Ikea. 

SEASIDE CHARM I keep seeing the idea of a coastal Christmas popping 

up everywhere and there are lots of ways to integrate a nautical 

theme into the season. Think seashells, candles and metal lanterns. Plus, 

it’s a great excuse to make a winter escape to Cannon Beach for some cute 

new ornaments, and hopefully, a seaside cabin with a hot tub. Think of it 

as a present to yourself. 

DRINKS AND SNACKS 

We already know that no one likes Fruitcake, but what other 

food and booze ideas can we come up with that bridge 

the traditional and the new 

PARTY COCKTAILS I love a good eggnog or hot buttered rum but 

here’s a particularly different winter punch recipe for a drink dubbed 

"Santa’s Helper." Soak peeled and sliced cucumber wedges and crushed 

mint overnight in Bacardi Limon. Then right before the party, strain 

out the solids and add limeade concentrate, no-sodium soda water, and 

enough cranberry juice to create a beautifully crimson cocktail. Garnish 

with lime slices. 


For a more individual drink try this one! 

PEPPERMINT STICK MARTINI 

1 peppermint stick, crushed 

1 1/2 ounces vodka 

1 ounce peppermint schnapps 

1 ounce Triple Sec 

Ice 

1 small candy cane 

Use crumbled mint bits on the rim, then combine 

the vodka, schnapps, Triple Sec and ice in 

a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain the mix into 

the martini glass and garnish with the candy 

cane. 

e 

Alternately, if you’re really lazy, just make some 

hot chocolate and hang a cane on the rim of the 

coffee cup until it melts into the warm chocolate. 

DESSERT TABLE Party guests love variety, 

and a table of tiny desserts can give you the 

opportunity to throw in some handmade creations 

while not feeling bad about filling the 

bulk of it with store bought goodness. Luckily, 

in this foodie town there are a ton of local bakers 

and candy makers that will make the whole 

table look fancy and homemade. Try mini-cupcakes 

from Cupcake Jones, traditional candy 

such as peppermint bark from Willamette Valley 

Confectionary (a handmade candy company 

run by our own A&E editor Ken Hoyt), 

or the more traditional holiday petit fours and 

ribbon candy from the decidedly not-Northwest, 

but still delicious, Swiss Colony. That last 

one’s part of my bi-coastal family tradition. § 

Just Out’s Editor-In-Chief Alley Hector can. be reached at 

Alley@JustOut.com. 


VOICES | In The Trenches 

by Logan Lynn 

Back To The Garden 

Hearing familiar music one Autumn evening transports this man from darkness to the light of the universe and a once unknown clarity. 

I turned thirty-three this past October, and, on the 

eve of my new year on Earth, some strange magic occurred 

that has catapulted me into the most exquisite 

inner awakening I have ever experienced. At the risk of 

sounding totally certifiable, I have decided to share this 

journey with all of you. Some of you may relate, others 

may not, but I feel I may burst if I don’t give it back to 

the world. 

When I was seven years old one of the students at the college my father 

worked for came to live with us for a year. This was not uncommon in the 

close-knit Christian education system we were immersed in at the time, 

and my parents knew this young man well … at least they thought they 

did. Over the months that followed his moving into our home it would 

become clear that he was not who he seemed to be, as is so often the case 

with these types of people. 

During the year that this man lived with us he molested me countless 

times and raped me on a number of occasions. I was made to participate 

in sexual acts that no seven year old should even know about, much less 

be subject to. He used my fear to keep me quiet, and twisted my young 

faith up with sexualized violence to the point where I shut down completely. 

I no longer trusted adults, and the wedge he drove between my 

family and me would take decades to repair. 

By the time I was ten I began looking for escape wherever I could find 

it, and the burden left by the hurt this man had so thoroughly inflicted 

seemed to get heavier and heavier with each passing year. Every failed 

relationship, every broken feeling, all piling on top of the weight of this 

man who had taken me away from myself, my loved ones, and the world 

at such an early age. Even in happy times when everything was going 

well, I was not able to shake it. The inner burden was constant. 

In that moment a message was imprinted on me. There was no voice 

speaking words, yet some grand vision of my entire cosmic journey came 

rushing back — everything I have ever been, everything I am a part of 

still, the stardust from which I was formed — and it told me that none 

of this life has been happening to me, but rather that I have created it all; 

that these experiences I’ve been running from my whole life were chosen 

by me a long time ago, formed in this very place I was now seeing again 

for the first time; that somewhere along the way I had forgotten I am a 

teacher, a creator; that nothing is ever as it seems, and that this body is 

just a tool to get me back to the celestial garden I feel so much a part of. 

Even the seemingly horrifying bits of my memory were suddenly awash 

in the light of the universe, shown for what they really are, and put back 

in their place. 

It felt as if I was suddenly let in on the fact that I have spent all of my 

years in a comatose state, that my entire life up to this point had just been 

imagined. I don’t remember anything after that, nor do I recall falling 

asleep, but when I woke up the following morning I felt light, free, and 

at peace for the first time in decades. The weight of this man I have been 

carrying on my back all of these years was gone, and has not returned 

since. 

This body is 

just a tool to get me 

back to 

the celestial garden. 

At around midnight on my birthday this past October 15th, as I was lying 

down in bed next to my already sleeping, very supportive, loving partner 

and our new puppy, I heard music start to play. It was a song I had 

heard before somewhere long ago, a familiar tune, coming closer with 

each passing moment. It started soft, but the volume grew and grew until 

it was all around me, enveloping me, pulling me into its ancient melody. I 

cannot fully explain what happened next. It was as if the universe peeled 

back to reveal itself and the dark room filled with the brightest light I 

have ever seen. I was paralyzed for the moment, then transported from 

our bedroom to some other place; a place I had been before but can’t 

begin to describe; it just felt like I was home. 

It is my hope that those of you who are suffering will remember that you 

too are just stardust. You are in control of every breath, every molecule, 

every moment; they have been yours and yours alone all along. You are 

all teachers and creators, and nothing is ever as it seems. This life is simply 

your plan unfolding as you wanted it to long ago, and though you 

may have forgotten yourself at points along the way, it is not too late to 

remember that you are perfect just as you are. § 

Logan Lynn writes In The Trenches for Just Out. He is a Portland based musician, activist, 

writer, and is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post. 

Reach him at Logan@JustOut.com 



VOICES | In Transit 

by Courtney O'Donnell 

Where to Pee 

Nature's calling shouldn't be a cringe moment for trans people but it often is. Technology and Portland are helping to improve things, though. 

As trans people go about their lives, there’s the daily 

dilemma of where to pee Aside from our homes, 

and perhaps workplace and social routines, “where 

to pee” is the question trans people are most likely 

to ask ourselves when we’re out and about. Unfortunately, 

we usually just mumble in silence and look 

for the lesser evil of the choices we usually have — a 

male or female restroom — knowing that using one 

or the other could result in being shouted at or violently 

attacked. 

Trans people have been physically harmed for using the seemingly 

safer female restroom as evidenced by a recent east coast attack on a 

transgender fast food customer that was captured on videotape and 

closed-circuit TV. This nationally reported incident resulted in lengthy 

jail terms for the two female attackers. 

Gatekeepers can also get in the way of safe bathroom decisions. Across 

the river in Vancouver, a bartender denied a trans woman access to 

the women’s restroom, which later led to local media coverage. While 

television news cameras were rolling, the bartender explained she has 

no problems with trans customers, but drew the line at allowing the 

trans patron usage of the ladies’ room because the trans woman is “still 

a boy and she wants to go in the woman’s restroom…” Although the 

trans patron has since filed a complaint with that state’s human rights 

commission, it shows that trans people not only have to face difficulty 

with other users of public rest rooms, but also with those that own them. 

Gender-neutral restrooms, of course, are the solution, and down the road 

there will be more of them as the paradigm of public restrooms changes 

as a result of transgender advocacy. 

In Portland, a number of businesses and agencies are already on 

board with gender-neutral bathrooms. The Q Center, Reed College, 

PSU, SMYRC, and Portland Loos already have gender-neutral sites. A 

Portland business, Floyd’s Coffee Shop, adopted the idea after a customer 

suggested it. 

A website — safe2pee.org — collects information about gender-neutral 

or trans-safe bathrooms around the country and makes it available to 

anyone at no cost. I found that Portland appears to be in the top five 

cities with reported gender-neutral bathroom sites. I spotted numerous 

Portland businesses, retailers, malls and movie theaters in the database. 

Browsing through the Portland locations listed will bring peace of mind 

to many trans people in the city. 

In addition, there is an app for the iPhone that taps into the safe2pee data. 

By utilizing GPS, the TranSquat app can bring up the gender-neutral 

locations closest to you. It’s community driven so that users can add or 

update the database. Those new to Portland, or on the go in another city, 

can use this app to make safe choices. Trans man Billy Bolt developed 

the app to help fund his sex reassignment surgery — a really clever idea. 

There isn’t an Android version at this time, but I wouldn’t be surprised if 

one came out down the road. 

Gender-neutral 

restrooms, of course, 

are the solution... 

To help make the where to pee() dilemma a thing of the past, trans and 

the entirety of the LGBT community, as well as their allies can make 

a routine habit of urging places and businesses they frequent to adopt 

gender-neutral bathroom policies. Not only might some businesses like 

to be ahead of the curve on providing this access if given information of 

the need, others could be persuaded of the financial sense it makes when 

shown the safe2pee database, especially if their location is likely to be 

suggested to potential customers using the TranSquat app. 

Nature’s calling shouldn’t be a cringe moment. We now have options and 

solutions. More will come our way if we speak up. Thanks for reading. 

Your thoughts and comments are always welcome! § 

In Transit is written by Courtney O’Donnell for Just Out. Courtney is a Transgender actress, 

advocate, and writer, including being a regular contributor to The Huffington Post. She is 

also the star of the film 'Lexie Cannes'. Reach her at Courtney@JustOut.com. 



VOICES | In The Pink 

by Lyska Mondor 

A Lazy Guide to 

Volunteering 

Feel like giving back this holiday season Four non-profits that could use your gift of time — no waiting required. 

Recently, I was talking with a friend about funny things that 

have happened to me while volunteering. For example, there 

was that time a gust of wind swept a giant Styrofoam crucifix 

out of someone’s hands and into my head. It knocked me 

down, and needless to say, kept me in the line of fire for some 

pretty amazing jokes. Ashamedly, it has been too long since 

I last donated time to a good cause, and getting back on the 

wagon can be intimidating. 

Discussing the topic of volunteering with friends has revealed something interesting. In my age group of 25-35 

year olds there are rampant excuses, and loads of misinformation leading to a lack of action in our community. 

Asking around I hear a lot of the same things. 

“I hear there’s a huge waiting list to volunteer there, and it requires a lot of hours. It’s basically like having a job.” 

Okay, in my research for this, none of the places I contacted had a waiting list to volunteer. If for some reason you 

come across an organization that miraculously has too many hands trying to work for free, move on to the next 

one. Most of the groups I spoke with would love to have more volunteers, and offer time commitments at many 

different levels. 

Here are my top picks for easy-approach quick-turnaround volunteering. 

HANDS ON GREATER PORTLAND | HANDSONPORTLAND.ORG 

This is a wonderful organization. Go to the website and click on “Ways to Volunteer.” You can read a brief explanation 

on how it all works, and yes, 2 - 4 hour single time commitments are even possible. There’s no experience 

required for some of their opportunities, and the whole process is positive from beginning to end. 

They work with too many organizations to list, but seniors, cats, bikes, kids, and queers are all there. For opportunities 

working with vulnerable members of our community (i.e. kids and seniors) expect a background check. 

Keeping them safe from harm is a top priority. 

Lyska Mondor pens In The Pink for Just 

Out. She is a published poet and aspiring 

sci-fi author. Reach her at Lyska@ 

JustOut.com 

VOLUNTEERMATCH | VOLUNTEERMATCH.ORG 

The more I time I spend on their site, the more of a “wow” factor I feel. Basically, their whole purpose is to make 


matches between groups in need of help and 

volunteers with busy lives. Once you register 

with them at VolunteerMatch.org, you can immediately 

get paired with something just right 

for you. They’ve made over 6,000,000 referrals, 

and host very useful free web seminars full of 

information on who they are, volunteering in 

general, and the organizations with whom they 

partner. I really had a “welcome to the future” 

moment on their website. 

THE Q CENTER | PDXQCENTER.ORG 

Portland’s LGBTQ Community Center, located 

on Mississippi Avenue, is a great resource for 

all things Q. Whether you want to volunteer 

directly for them, or another program such as 

SMYRC — an LGBTQ youth program, helping 

is simpler than you’d think. I went in and 

spoke to a front desk volunteer named Michael 

Lecker. He’s a PhD student that wanted to get 

involved at a local level, and emailed Q Center 

through their volunteer link. In two days 

he had a brief interview scheduled that quickly 

landed him a part-time desk position. 

He also said that nonscheduled volunteering 

is easy too. You can work various one-time 

events, and I recalled the intense mayoral Q&A 

some weeks ago, and regretted not volunteering 

for it. For those who did not attend, let’s just 

say that the candidates were very colorful, and 

a few were downright entertaining. 

If Michael is an example of the kind of person 

that volunteers for the Q Center, then I want to 

be there too. You don’t have to look far to see 

the great amount of good they do in the community, 

and being a part of that is one email 

away. 

THE PIXIE PROJECT | PIXIEPROJECT.ORG 

What Portlander doesn’t want to volunteer 

with animals The Pixie Project runs a newly 

expanded atypical animal shelter with amazing 

pet owner support, and a fully stocked nonprofit 

pet supply store. They do pet-to-owner 

matchmaking, and have some of the most positive 

attitudes I’ve encountered in this kind of 

work. From their website you can get info on 

volunteering. Some of these opportunities include 

dog walking and working in their cattery. 

A cattery Me-wow! 

I’m impressed by how easy and positive talking 

to these organizations was. Thanks to everyone 

who got back to me with information. I think 

it’s pretty clear that any laidback Portlander 

can easily lend a hand. § 


VOICES | The Simple Truth 

by Scott MacDonald 

Sexual Reorientation 

We can change any number of things about ourselves if we want to. We are in charge. But what if one day humans can alter their sexual orientation 

The origin of homosexuality in humans has long been 

debated. In fact, it wasn’t that long ago (the 1970s) that 

the medical community viewed homosexuality as a 

form of mental illness. Forty years later, the landscape 

of science and society has dramatically changed. Years 

of research in genetics, psychology, and sociology have 

revealed that we still don’t know conclusively what 

causes a person’s sexual orientation. 

The debate still rages. Do people choose to be gay or is it genetic from 

birth What about environmental influence or evolution Is it a combination 

of all the above or something completely different A 2008 study 

published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal 

found similarities in brain structure between the brains of gay men and 

heterosexual women, and lesbian women and heterosexual men. A 1991 

study published in Science researched the anterior hypothalamus, which 

“participates in the regulation of male-typical sexual behavior.” This 

study found that certain cell groups in that area were “more than twice as 

large in the heterosexual men as in the homosexual men.” Another study 

published in Endocrine Development in 2009 found that, “The presence 

of a substantial genetic component in the development of sexual orientation 

is apparent from family and twin studies. However, exactly which 

genes play a role is not yet clear. Given the complexity of the development 

of sexual orientation, it is likely to involve many genes.” 

All of this is to say that genetics and biology do influence, but perhaps do 

not concretely dictate, our sexual orientation, which undoubtedly leads 

to the question – what if we can someday alter our sexual orientation 

And if possible, under what conditions is it morally and ethically responsible 

to undergo such a change 

It’s a question that many GLBT people, myself included, have wondered. 

Like many of us who struggled with our orientation, I tried to “pray the 

gay away,” and when that didn’t work I tried to “straighten” my sexuality, 

and when that didn’t work, I despaired. What about reparative therapy 

The American Psychological Association stated in 2008, in an informative 

pamphlet on sexuality, “All major national mental health organizations 

have officially expressed concerns about therapies promoted 

to modify sexual orientation. To date, there has been no scientifically 

adequate research to show that therapy aimed at changing sexual orientation 

(sometimes called reparative or conversion therapy) is safe or 

effective.” People with disabilities and those who are transgender have 

encountered this situation before. If a procedure existed to alter an aspect 

of your being you found incongruous with who you are, should you 

accept it A person who is deaf might be able to hear again with a cochlear 

implant. A person who is biologically male, but feels they are female, 

can change their gender. If a person is born gay, but finds homosexual 

attraction repulsive, is it acceptable for them to become straight or are 

they rejecting themselves 

The line at which people change for themselves or change because of societal 

expectations is barely a line at all. And “change” is the correct term 

here; no one is being cured, although, some would certainly view this as 

a “cure” for any sexuality or state of being that isn’t hetero-normative. 

Sexuality in our society is still viewed in such a black and white manner 

that it’s doubtful any person could distinguish between what they think 

they want and what society wants them to want. 

Such change cannot be taken lightly. Even if we can change, it doesn’t 

mean we should, and it certainly doesn’t mean that everyone would. Our 

ability to change someday should not undermine the development of a 

tolerant society. The “born this way” argument could change into something 

far more ugly when we have the ability to change, and yet decline 

to do it. Change could be an option; tolerance should not 

Science, politics, religion, and conjecture aside, an important point always 

seems lost in these discussions. Regardless of how anyone thinks 

that we “came to be,” we are still human, and perhaps surprising to some, 

just like everyone else. To those who say that we make a choice to be who 

we are, what kind of choice is that to make Why would anyone, in this 

day and age, make such a decision that results in others holding them in 

outright contempt, in immeasurable hatred The simple truth is that no 

one would. 

The choice we do make, to the vexation of others, is to act upon our attractions, 

feelings, and emotions, which is inherently human. Animals 

follow instinct and biological imperatives, but humans don’t always play 

by the rules. The capability to think and act, to rationalize and moralize, 

to feel and love, is what makes us unique in this world. To deny another’s 

sexual orientation is to deny part of their humanity. 

And to be hated for an aspect of our being that is beyond our control is 

to know hatred in its purest form. § 

Scott MacDonald is an award winning young journalist originally from Idaho. He writes 

The Simple Truth for Just Out. Reach Scott at Scott@JustOut.com 



Community 

The Oregonian editorial board thinks Oregon shouldn't wait until 2014 

for a vote on gay marriage. On November 10 the board suggested that 

2014 is too long of a wait, writing the legislature should take the cause 

up pronto, undoing the Oregon constitutional amendment that defines 

marriage as "one man, one woman." Since that amendment passed 

Oregon has changed, The O. claims, and is ready for, gay marriage. But 

newly named Speaker of the House, Tina Kotek, told The O. that she 

thinks this is an issue for the community and not the legislature. The O. 

team believes the misdirected amendment shouldn't be on the books a 

day longer than it has to be and calls for the legislature to get the issue 

on the ballot in 2013. 

(POLITICS) 

Go Washington! 

NOT ONLY DID OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE NORTH, WASHINGTON 

STATE, PASS A HISTORIC MEASURE ALLOWING SAME SEX MAR- 

RIAGE, THEY WERE AMONG THE FIRST STATES TO DO SO BY VOTE 

RATHER THAN THE COURT SYSTEM OR LEGISLATURE. MAINE AND 

MARYLAND ALSO PASSED LAWS FOR CIVIL MARRIAGE RIGHTS AT 

THE BALLOT BOX. THIS ELECTION BRINGS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF 

STATES THAT ALLOW GAY MARRIAGE TO NINE, IN ADDITION TO 

THE THREE STATES THAT RECOGNIZE MARRIAGES BETWEEN TWO 

MEN OR TWO WOMEN PERFORMED OUTSIDE STATE LINES. AT 

THE SAME TIME, MINNESOTA VOTERS REJECTED A BALLOT MEA- 

SURE THAT WOULD HAVE ENSHRINED AN ANTI-GAY MARRIAGE 

LAW IN THEIR CONSTITUTION, AND NEIGHBORING WISCONSIN 

ELECTED TAMMY BALDWIN AS THE COUNTRY'S FIRST OPENLY GAY 

U.S. SENATOR. 

(FILM) 

Da' Bears 

The independent film Bearcity2: The Proposal is having its Portland 

premiere December 7 - 9 at the Clinton St. Theatre. Director 

Doug Langway is flying in (all the way from a previous premier in 

Germany) and will be at all screenings. Portland is home to one of 

the biggest bear communities in the world — the Oregon Bears. 

bearcity2.com 

(NORTHWEST) 

World AIDS Day 

On December 1, around the world and throughout the United 

States, communities will come together to mark the 24th annual 

World AIDS Day. To commemorate the day and raise awareness 

throughout Oregon and SW Washington, local and global HIV/AIDS 

service organizations have collaborated to launch the World AIDS 

Day Northwest campaign with a message of “Getting to Zero – One 

Person at a Time.” With 33 million people infected world-wide with 

HIV and 1.1 million in the U.S., the goal of the campaign is to mobilize 

schools, faith-based organizations, businesses and community-based 

organizations to become involved in raising awareness, bolstering 

HIV prevention efforts and ensuring hope for those already infected. 

Local area AIDS organizations have come together to create a website 

to serve as a hub of information for World AIDS Day in Oregon 

and SW Washington. worldaidsdaynw.org 

(POLITICS) 

Speaker Kotek 

(VIDEO) 

BRO Videos 

Rep. TIna Kotek 

Oregon State Representative Tina Kotek will be the first openly 

lesbian politician to lead a state legislative chamber in the 

United States. Kotek, featured in Just Out last September, was 

selected by her Democratic peers November 15 to be the 

Oregon Legislature's Speaker of the House during the 2013 

session. The decision will become final in January. Gay leaders 

also will control the House or Senate in four other states: Washington, 

California, Colorado and Rhode Island, according to 

The Huffington Post. Senator Ed Murray was elected majority 

leader in Washington. Kotek represents District 44 in Portland. 

Cascade AIDS Project Executive Director Michael Kaplan left 

November 15 to accept the position of President and CEO of 

AIDS United, a national nonprofit headquartered in Washington 

DC committed to ending the AIDS epidemic in the U.S. Jackie 

Yerby, CAP's Board Chair said, "…the Board feels well-positioned 

to guide CAP through the next transition as we begin an Executive 

Search. CAP is a very strong organization. We have a topnotch 

team of Directors as well as a group of staff and volunteers 

who are deeply committed to CAP's mission." cascadeaids.com 

Basic Rights Oregon has just put out two video campaigns celebrating 

two-spirit families and trans justice. The trans justice video was a firstof-its-kind, 

discussing trans experiences of health care discrimination; 

eight incredible community members are joined by two allies to share 

struggles, joys, and triumphs regarding trans-inclusive care. 

Our Families is a community-based education project that raises the 

visibility of LGBT families of color in our communities. As part of BRO’s 

ongoing education campaign, this video highlights the unique trials 

and triumphs of Native American Two-Spirit LGBT families. A special 

screening was held on November 12th at the Native American Rehabilitation 

Association of the Northwest (NARA ). It included a panel with 

the courageous families who shared their stories and a fun social hour. 

basicrights.org 



A 

Legend 

Among Us 

It's just not the holidays without JOHNNY MATHIS playing in 

the background of our lives. The legendary crooner 

has sold over 350 million records and he cooks. 

One of our own, THE KING OF CHRISTMAS talks, cooks, 

and sings exclusively with Just Out.

y Ken Hoyt 

Culture Club |A&E 

Photo by Jeff Dunas 

The word legend is tossed about with some regularity 

and applied, without irony, to things that can 

scarcely bear the weight of such an accolade. Legends 

may well be born, but they generally require 

seasoning, and it is essential that they stand the test 

of time. Only then can the title be awarded without 

reservation. 

Johnny Mathis is, in fact, a legend. His cherubic face, velvety voice, and 

long sustained notes have launched many top selling songs. It helps to 

start early if you want a long career (although that’s not exactly insurance 

— see one-hit-wonders). 

Mathis began in his career in 1956 and he’s been on the charts every decade 

since, with over 73 albums that have hit the Billboard Charts and a 

tidy 350 million records sold. At seventy-seven years old, Mathis and his 

voice are in fine shape as he continues to travel extensively for concerts. 

It seems that where Mathis is concerned the world is blissfully colorblind. 

Even so, he began his career prior to the Civil Rights struggles of 

the 60’s, and yet he doesn’t recall much strife. “So many times,” he says, “I 

wondered when it would come up. I was a little naive, and very fortunate. 

When I came along Nat (King Cole), Ella (Fitzgerald) and Sammy (Davis 

Jr.) had blazed the trail and had taken the brunt. I didn’t have to deal with 

it. I’ve been very lucky.” 

Mathis began his career at Columbia records, a giant in the industry, 

but not known as a “race” label. The world was different too. Recording 

artists were heard long before they were seen. “Columbia,” says Mathis, 

“had mainstream Caucasian performers. I sounded like them.” His wavy 

hair and boy-next-door looks made his race more difficult to determine. 

Mathis credits a lot of his early success with Percy Faith, a bandleader, 

composer and arranger known for his use of string instruments in his 

lush orchestrations. The romantic sounds that Faith produced were a 

perfect match for Mathis’s rich vocal quality. 

Mathis recounts following the legendary Mahalia Jackson into the studio 

to record all afternoon. “Then, I was off to the Copacabana,” Mathis 

recalls, “to do five shows a night.” There was a dark side too. “Amphetamines,” 

he remembers, “were prescribed to keep performers going. No 

one knew they were harmful, but I was under the influence for three 

years. I went through hell and fire like everyone else.” 

Unlike many of today’s crop of teen idols, Mathis was better equipped to 

enjoy a lengthy career. That longevity may well have to do with a voice 

that he had help crafting and developing. His father, Clem, bought a 

piano when he thought his five-year-old son was showing interest and 

promise. Johnny sang everywhere, church, school and local festivals. 

When he turned thirteen his father decided it was time for him to get 

professional training. He studied with local voice teacher Connie Cox 

for six years. “I would help out around her house,” Mathis remembers, 

“in exchange for lessons.” 

The wisdom of that vocal training is evident today. His sound is unchanged 

to most ears. Mathis insists, “I’ve let go of certain songs that 

I don’t have the chops for anymore.” The tunes that he’s quietly retired 

do not include the songs he calls “the holy trinity:” “Chances Are,” “The 

Twelfth of Never,” and “Misty.” “Those,” he notes, “are the songs the audience 

is waiting for at every concert.” 

On a sweet separate note Mathis mused, after hearing a recent recording 

of himself, “Now, I sound just like my father.” 

To have a long career is a blessing, but one that may have built-in difficulties. 

For instance, how does one keep a song sounding fresh, meaningful 

and heartfelt when one has been singing it for over fifty years “The whole 

process of performing,” says Mathis, “is so visceral. No way I can go on 

and not sing from the heart. I can’t lie to people. I have so much respect 

for an audience — I love what I do.” 

Mr. Mathis is open and warm in conversation, but there are things he 

prefers not to discuss. Like many gentlemen of his era he prefers not to 

discuss the intimate matters of his life. Early in the 80’s he came out in 

an interview. He hasn’t talked about it much since. There is also a strong 

suggestion that the death threats that followed his openness in that original 

interview have made him very wary. 

He has been entertaining thoughts of a new album, but nothing has solidified. 

He hasn’t ruled out the idea of an autobiography, although he’s 

in no hurry to tackle the project. In fact, outside of regular touring dates 

he’s content to work on his golf game, which he does most days. 

To some readers, Mathis will be most recognizable as a frequently played 

Christmas artist. To date, Mathis has recorded five Christmas albums 

with lots of songs that have become holiday standards including, “The 

Sounds of Christmas,” “A Marshmallow World” and “Christmas Is a 

Feeling In Your Heart.” 

“When I was growing up we didn’t have a lot of extra money for gifts,” 

Mathis remembers, “but there was always the smell of holiday foods 

cooking and music all around the house. It’s always been my favorite 

time of year.” 

To some he has become the “King of Christmas,” a title he enjoys almost 

as much as he does the season itself. When asked if he would ever have 

dreamed he’d get that moniker he replied, “I was so unsure as a child 

of what the future would hold. If I’d known that I would be the King of 

Christmas … well, that would have been the star on the top of the tree.” § 

IN CONCERT Johnny Mathis, the King of Christmas, will be appearing 

with the Oregon Symphony on December 22nd at 7:30 p.m. Tickets and 

additional information are available at orsymphony.org. 


Q+A 

Johnny Mathis 

Cookbook author/Gourmet 

KITCHEN INSPIRATION 

Photos courtesy of Johnny Mathis 

I learned growing up; both of my parents were great cooks. I’ve 

always cooked all of my own food. I enjoy it and it’s relaxing and 

it’s never made sense to me to have someone cook for me. 

ENTERTAINING 

I don’t entertain so often now because of travel and golfing. But 

I used to love having groups over. The best thing was that I had 

a golfing buddy who would come over early and do all the chopping; 

he loved to chop and he was good at it. That made it easier 

and more fun. 

FAVORITE HOLIDAY 

I love Christmas; it has great memories for me. When I was a 

child there wasn’t a lot of money for gifts, but there were always 

wonderful foods, the smells coming from the kitchen, and we had 

lots of music. 

IS THIS A FAMILY RECIPE 

TOP: Mathis penned a cookbook in 1982, Cooking For You Alone. BOTTOM: An old family 

photo. Mathis’s mother and father are in the first row, and Johnny is standing in the back row 

with his brother and sisters (Johnny is top right). He had 6 siblings. “When I was growing up 

we didn’t have a lot of extra money for gifts,” Mathis remembers, “but there was always the 

smell of holiday foods cooking and music all around the house.” 

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING by Johnny Mathis 

3/4 pound (or 8 ounce package) of chopped Pitted Dates 

1 cup water 

1 tsp. Baking Soda 

¼ cup butter 

¾ cups sugar 

2 eggs 

1 cup + 2 Tbl. of all purpose flour 

½ tsp. vanilla 

Combine dates and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil 

Remove from heat 

Stir in Baking Soda 

Then set aside 

Cream butter and sugar together until smooth 

Add eggs – one at a time, beating after each addition 

Fold the flour into cream mixture 

Add dates with liquid and vanilla 

No, it actually came from my golfing buddy, Howard Keel (MGM 

musical star). He’s gone now, but he had great stories about his 

movie career. § 

Ken Hoyt is Just Out's A&E Editor. Reach him at Ken@JustOut.com 

Pour the batter into a greased 7 X 7 X 2 baking pan 

Bake @ 350 for 30-40 minutes 

While pudding is baking, prepare the sauce: 

Sauce 

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 

¼ cup + 2 Tbl. whipping cream 

½ cup butter 

½ tsp. vanilla 

Combine sugar, cream, butter, vanilla into saucepan 

Bring to boil 

Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes 

Pour some of the sauce over the baked pudding 

Return to oven for 7 more minutes 

Pudding should absorb the sauce and turn golden brown 

Cut into squares and serve with extra sauce 

P.S. “If You Want To Gild The Lily, Throw Some Pecans Into The Sauce.” 

Photo by Horace long 



FOOD | Chefs 

THIS PAGE 

Top: Cranberry Caramel Tart 

Bottom: Blue Collar Baking's 

Mt. Hood Bundt Cake 

OPPOSITE PAGE 

Top: Fattingman 

Bottom: Overnight Lamb Shoulder 

The detailed recipes for these 

4 dishes can be found at our 

website. Justout.com/recipes

Meet 4 Of Our Favorite 

Local Chefs + Get A 

Favorite Holiday Recipe 

The sense of smell is cited as a most 

effective trigger for memories. A whiff of 

fragrance can send us reeling into romantic 

thoughts, or perhaps elicit a shimmering 

glimpse of the sheltered, cozy world of 

childhood. 

One of the hallmarks of holiday festivities is the 

heart-melting scents wafting from the kitchen. 

It almost doesn’t matter what’s in the oven: 

cookies, cakes, scalloped potatoes or roasts — 

we’re crazy about them all! The precise combination 

of spices and butter along with time and 

talent wield the power to seduce and enchant. 

To help launch this season of gathering and 

feasting we’ve connected with some of our 

favorite cooks (sisters and brothers, all) to share 

their memories and the recipes that evoke them. 

Whatever your religion or traditions, may this 

season of sharing and celebration bring you 

hope and joy. § 

Festive Foods! 

Many Treasured Memories Begin In The Kitchen... 

by Ken Hoyt Photography Horace Long

FOOD 

Warren Becker, Head Baker/Owner 

Blue Collar Baking Company 

Blue Collar Baking’s 

Mt. Hood Bundt Cake 

KITCHEN INSPIRATION My Mom definitely 

was the one who inspired me. For better 

or for not, Mom always equated baked goods 

with love. If things were a little rough around 

the house I’d find an extra baked treat in my 

school lunch box. 

FAVORITE INGREDIENT Vanilla. Real 

vanilla is the only kind I use. It’s almost like 

a booster; it brings out the other ingredients. 

When I get stressed out at the bakery, it’s not 

uncommon for me to open a bottle of vanilla 

and take a big whiff. 

FAVORITE HOLIDAY Thanksgiving is my 

favorite holiday because it doesn’t involve the 

pressure of gift giving. There isn’t all that expectation 

about did I get the right gift, will I get 

a gift, do I have to put on a fake smile. It truly is 

about people gathering, breaking bread, relaxing 

and just being appreciative of what and who 

is in front of them. The whole country can get 

around it; it’s not a religious holiday. You don’t 

have to worry about being Muslim, Jewish or 

Christian. 

FAVORITE HOLIDAY MEMORY One of my 

favorite memories with Art (Kranz, his late 

partner) is that every year we would take my 

truck and go get a Christmas tree. We looked 

together to find the perfect tree on a crisp winter 

night. We’d bring it in to the house. 

On the first night we’d cuddle on the couch 

while the tree adapted. It would have no 

ornaments on it. The house would fill up with 

that evergreen smell. It was just beautiful. I 

haven’t had a real tree since he passed. I haven’t 

forsaken Christmas at all, but it’s still a work in 

progress for me to reclaim Christmas. § 

319 SW Pine Street, Portland 

503-227-3249 

The detailed recipes for this 

dish can be found at our 

website. Justout.com/recipes 

28 JustOut.com November 2012

Tim Thompson, Baker 

Caterer and Hired Gun 

FOOD 

Cranberry Caramel Tart 

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED My Mom 

worked in the cafeteria at my grade school. I remember 

going in early in the morning with her 

and playing with dough and making rolls. It 

was something that I always did, and I assumed 

that every other child did it as well. The baking 

was in me. It was something that was there. 

KITCHEN INSPIRATION My Grandmother 

was a nice German lady. She babysat me so I 

was around her a great deal. I remember some 

of her yummy treats. She was on a fixed income 

so at Christmas she’d make her Kringle cookie 

for everyone. Her apartment was crowded with 

the preparations. She’s since passed away, and 

that’s a tradition that I continue. 

FAVORITE HOLIDAY Michael (Mendelson, 

his partner) and I have two different faiths. 

It’s a little funny, Michael is Jewish but he’s 

generally a little antsy about putting up the 

Christmas tree and I’m excited about pulling 

out the Menorah. 

CHRISTMAS TRADITION Our biological 

families are in the Midwest, so we’ve had 

to create our own family, our own memories. 

On Christmas Eve, Michael and I go out to 

whichever expensive, extravagant restaurant 

we can find open and are defiantly decadent. 

Then (we go) home to watch the twenty-four 

hour marathon of Christmas Story and open 

a gift or two. The following morning, Christmas 

Day, we have our Christmas brunch for 

8 - 10 friends. And, of course, we have lots of 

Grandma Linda's Kringle. And Mimosas. 

FAVORITE INGREDIENT I loved chocolate 

until I moved to Oregon and discovered the 

fresh fruit. Now I can't wait to make something 

with the first rhubarb, the first apples or 

cranberries. § 

pdxtt@aol.com 

The detailed recipes for this 

dish can be found at our 

website. Justout.com/recipes 

November 2012 JustOut.com 29

Laura Widener, Baker/Owner, 

Pastrygirl 

Fattingman 

WHEN DID YOU START COOKING I was in second grade when I made my first cake. I think it was a box cake. [In my childhood home] 

most of our baking was done during the holidays. Occasionally during the summers there might be a pie. I took on the pie baking mantle 

when I was in high school. I perfected my apple pie before I graduated high school. 

WHO INSPIRED YOU My family kind of inspired me. I was really encouraged by how much they loved and enjoyed my cooking and baking. 

It brought me a lot of joy to have them respond so positively to it. 

FAVORITE INGREDIENT I love chocolate. I love the things you can do with chocolate. It can be something so simple as chocolate chip 

cookies or as elaborate as a chocolate soufflé. I love everything from the 40% milk chocolate to the 85% bittersweet chocolate and all of the 

different things you can do with them. 

FAVORITE HOLIDAY Halloween is our favorite holiday. I love it! I love all the treats, the decorations and the mystery that comes with it. 

It’s exciting to offer people home baked goods during this season, because they don’t expect it. 

When I was very young and homemade treats were still very popular (before scary people were doing scary things to candy), I loved that our 

neighbors would do popcorn balls and candy apples. 

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS The holidays for Stephanie and I are very special and our traditions are things we’ve built together. Christmas 

eve is fantastic; we have crab, a green salad and champagne. We’ve done it with just the two of us and with other family if they are in town. 

Everyone loves it. 

FAMILY TRADITIONS I didn’t know my Grandmother very well, but I do have a connection. The Fattingman were her recipe, but my 

Mother carried on the tradition by making them for the holidays. And now I make them, too. § 

7919 30 SE JustOut.com Stark Street, Portland, 503-254-5433 The detailed recipe for this dish can be found at our website. Justout.com/recipes 

December 2012

Devon Chase, Chef de Cuisine 

Oven & Shaker 

Overnight Lamb Shoulder 

KITCHEN INSPIRATION When I think about childhood, and developing a love for food, my grandfather, Chevy (Chase, but not the 

actor) stands out. He always cooked, and he often had everyone over for really big meals. It was the only time we sat down to eat in large 

groups. He loved to have theme nights, like “Chevy Chongas,” the chimichangas that were the feature of his Mexican feast. 

HOW DO YOU ENTERTAIN We spend the holidays with friends and family. A few times I’ve had friends to a restaurant that I worked 

at, while we were closed down, for a big Thanksgiving feast. I love to cook for friends, especially around the holidays. My partner (Rachel 

Palmer) and I have just started cooking together a lot. 

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS At Christmas we tend to try and relax through the holidays ... so we do the opposite of stressful. Last year we 

rented a hotel room downtown and ate at the buffet (laughs). Then we just lounged in the hot tub. 

Besides that, we like our plastic white Christmas tree. And we have friends over for Hot Toddies and holiday movies, like Scrooged and 

Christmas Story. We have a fake fireplace, so we plug that in. 

This recipe has become a new tradition. It’s a pretty traditional Italian style of cooking lamb, with a slow braise. A restaurant that I worked 

at featured it every Sunday and I cooked it regularly and it became easy. It may seem complicated, but it’s an easy thing to put together. 

Also, it feeds a lot of people and it’s not an expensive cut of lamb. § 

December 1134 NW Everett 2012 Street, Portland, 503-241-1600 The detailed recipes for this dish can be found at our website. Justout.com/recipes 

JustOut.com 31

FAMILY | In The Family Way 

by Cathy Busha & Anna Deligio 

Lighting 

Our Way 

Parenting can lead to conflict during the holidays. How much Christ do we want in Christmas Discuss. 

Softly glowing candles lit to warm 

the deep darkness of winter, gifts 

bought or made for those we love, 

special meals prepared with care and 

shared with joy – these are some of 

the markers of the winter holiday 

season. 

Whether we light the menorah or the 

Yule log at the end of the year, it is 

a time to gather with those we love 

and celebrate those relationships. 

Prior to being parents, perhaps you 

and your partner used the days off 

during this time to go somewhere 

special (and potentially sunny) to 

celebrate your relationship, bypassing 

the sometimes hectic pace and 

consumerism that can add a tin glint 

to the intended glow of the season. 

Perhaps you alternated years celebrating 

with each other’s families, 

or perhaps the two of you hosted 

your families of choice for the holiday 

celebrations. Whatever you did 

before you became parents, the activities 

were likely geared towards 

the tastes and traditions of your adult 

peers. 

Like most of the rest of your life, now that you are parents, 

what you do for the holiday season takes on more 

significance. Whereas in the past you and your partner 

might have casually cobbled together traditions from 

both of your histories to create a collage experience of 

the holidays, now you are aware of passing on and creating 

new traditions for your wee one. Like the rest of 

your life now, you find yourself basing decisions on a reflected 

response to your own upbringing. If the holidays 

were a time of great cheer as a child, you likely will try to 

recreate that magic for your little one. Conversely, if the 

holidays lacked the glow and cheer anticipated for the 

season, you likely will try to do everything you wished 

your care givers had done for you during the holidays. 

Will you have a 

Christmas tree and 

a menorah 

What about 

Solstice or Kwanza 

The cobbling of traditions between you and your partner 

that worked previously may now become a point of 

tension. A previously casual or semi-disdainful relationship 

with the sacred aspects of your holiday traditions 

may suddenly become a point of great contention as you 

and your partner discern how much Christ you actually 

want to keep in Christmas, so to speak. If celebrating 

Christmas, do you want the holiday to be about the 

birth of Jesus or do you want it to be about Santa Claus 


or both If you and your partner come from different 

religious traditions, how will you chose 

the traditions you will carry on Will you have 

a Christmas tree and a menorah What about 

Solstice or Kwanza 

Children act as instant witness to our decisions 

and reporters of how your family differs from 

those of their peers. Decisions made casually in 

the childless years are suddenly held to a new 

scrutiny when the open, innocent eyes of your 

wee one bear witness. Why don’t we have a 

Christmas tree Jacob gets 8 days of presents – 

how come we don’t Who is this scary, old, fat 

man with a big beard who is able to watch my 

every move and will be breaking into our house 

in a few weeks 

How do you wade through these decisions and 

create a holiday experience that, if not an experience 

worthy of gracing the front of a Hallmark 

card, would at least create some joy and set the 

foundation for some good memories 

Aside from the “something blue” bit, Cathy and 

I have framed our conversations of how we want 

to create the holidays for Oliver around the idea 

of “something old, something new, something 

borrowed…” She was raised in a fairly secular 

home that celebrated Christmas through gifts 

and food; I was raised in a very Catholic home 

with an Italian immigrant father who had no 

frame of reference for a Christmas tree but put 

one up every year anyway. From those old experiences, 

we’ve decided to pull the pieces of Santa 

Claus, Christmas trees, and stockings by the 

fire. Also, my family did the traditional Italian 

seafood feast on Christmas Eve, so we’ll do that. 

She has fond memories of watching the Nutcracker 

ballet on TV with her dad, so we’ll make 

sure Oliver knows that music. For our “something 

new,” we’ve decided to make an ornament 

each year as a family craft project. Finally, we 

plan to borrow Solstice ideas around creating 

light and honoring the shortest day of the year. 

We remain in discernment about the Baby Jesus 

and how much of that story we want to weave 

into our traditions, which is really a corner of 

the bigger question of how we want our child to 

understand and experience religion. 

However you decide to celebrate the holidays 

that mark the winter and end of the year, may it 

be a time of joy and belonging. § 

In The Family Way is written by Cathy Busha and Anna 

Deligio. Cathy and Anna are the new parents to son Oliver. 

Reach them at Cathleen_Anna@JustOut.com 


SPIRIT | Like A Prayer 

by Jennifer Yocum 

Less Than Kind 

A fan letter leads this Pastor down a familiar, painful road; she returned with good advice for all of us. 

I suppose I should not have been surprised, but I was caught off guard. I received 

a kind note from a reader complimenting my column from October’s issue of 

Just Out titled “Great Sex Thank God!” The note’s writer thanked me for the 

article and then suggested I check out an “outreach to gay and lesbian people” 

from the Catholic Church. 

The writer is unlikely to have known that I grew up Catholic and am well aware of the Catholic Church’s 

teachings on homosexuality, authored in 1986 by the man who is now pope. That 1986 document labeled 

homosexuality as an immutable trait, not subject to change, but also as a spiritual illness and as a condition 

leading to “a moral tendency toward evil.” 

Nevertheless, with 26 years having passed since that official teaching damning me and mine was published 

and the present day, some small part of me hoped that there might have been a thaw in the rhetoric, 

a crack in the ice that I’d somehow missed. 

I went to the website that had been recommended and … there it was again — the direction to “surrender 

same sex attractions into the agony of Jesus,” the invitation to join reparative groups, the pervasive 

hypocrisy present in the teaching that a loving God would give us the “affliction” of same sex attraction 

so that we could overcome that through our love for Him [sic]. 

I don’t think the writer of this piece of “fan mail” meant to be cruel, but repeating this plunge of the 

axe into my spiritual roots was less than kind. You see, as a child, teenager and young adult, I loved the 

Catholic Church, heart and soul. When I learned, over two decades ago, of the church’s betrayal of God’s 

promise to love me unconditionally, the shock and pain destroyed my sense of being God’s beloved own, 

and although grace has restored my faith, that pain still echoes in unguarded moments. 

This is what I would say to all those religious institutions whose “outreach” to the LGBTQ community 

consists of trying to “repair our brokenness.” Look to your own brokenness. Look to your own willingness 

to condemn, to judge, to cleave off the bright giftedness of those who have been drawn to your light. 

If your doctrine cannot tolerate difference, if your practice cannot allow you to embrace the other, if your 

religion has no resilience in the face of humanity, your faith is too poor. 

Just Out's Like a Prayer is written by Rev. Jennifer 

Yocum, pastor of the Forest Grove United Church 

of Christ. Reach her at Jennifer@JustOut.com 

This month, many of us will make an annual pilgrimage to visit families of origin where an insidious 

whisper of this kind of impoverished faith, begging us to return to a path that was never ours, will hum 

along with Christmas carols in the background. Don’t listen. Celebrate instead the miracle of light, the 

new birth, the return of the sun heralding more love, more joy, more hope, more compassion and more 

kindness yet to break forth. Pay no attention to the death rattles of institutional denominations that 

would strangle our spirits. There are more open, welcoming paths that will bring us truly home. § 

34 JustOut.com 

December 2012

GO 

Pages 

G A Y O R E G O N 

Presenting Sponsor: 

Q Center is a multigenerational 

community center that provides 

programs and services to the 

LGBTQ and allied community in 

four core program areas: Health 

& Wellness, Education & Training, 

Arts & Culture, and Advocacy. 

Q Center’s mission is to provide a 

safe space to support and celebrate 

LGBTQ diversity, visibility and community 

building. Our vision is a 

broadened positive perception of 

LGBTQ people. 

Sponsored by: 

Bars | Restaurants | Beaches | Adult Options 

People Watching | Community Resources | Fun! 

A

GARDEN | The Garden Gal 

by Anne Jaeger 

Bring The Outdoors In 

Simple but equisite holiday decorating begins with a trip outside to pick up some nature. Then the fun begins. 

To my eye, nobody does holidays like the guys 

at LoneSomeVille Studios. Now internationally 

known pottery makers, they’ve got artistry to die 

for. Of all the gardeners I've met, Danny Hills and 

Wayne Hughes have the most profound effect on 

my garden and aesthetics. Their Victorian home 

and garden in Southeast Portland are over-thetop 

in a completely natural way. Most of it has 

been rebuilt by hand, by one of the four men who 

live there. Let me just confess; I've taken a “bite 

(or two) outta their style” and tweaked ideas as 

my own. So why not pass on the gift Like me, 

you’ll see the art to their holiday decorating is accessible 

to all. It comes right out of nature. Holidays 

aren’t constructed with a bunch of plastic 

and throw away junk; these decorations come 

from the earth’s beauty. All it requires is picking 

up stuff off the ground and in the yard. How easy 

is that Happy Holidays!!! 

boughs on every flat surface, with votive candles, on 

fireplace mantels and to top our display cases and 

grandfather clock. 

AJ: You don’t just start piling stuff up on a mantel; how 

do you get the balance right 

WH: Anyone here at the “Gay-mune” (what they jokingly 

call their communal home) can perfectly decorate 

a mantle. 

DH: First, we wind the mini-light cords around the fir 

bows before putting it up on the mantle. No wire can 

show! The design is a simple triangle: make the center 

the highest point in the design and slope it down toward 

the ends. And remember to use enough stuff so 

it looks lush. 

WH: BUT(!) unlike donuts MORE is not better when it 

comes to decorating a mantle. Do a little, stand back, do 

a little more, and then evaluate. Repeat. 

ABOVE: Inspired by Danny and Wayne, 

Anne brings nature inside as she begins 

to decorate her home for the holidays. 

LONESOMEVILLE POTTERY 

Find LoneSomeVille Pottery at 

The Portland Art Museum andPendleton 

Home (Southwest Broadway/ 

Portland Airport). 

Sign up on the mailing list: 

Lonesomeville.com, or on Facebook 

at Lonesomeville Studios for invitations 

to their “serendipitous” open garden 

events. 

Anne Jaeger, writes The Garden Gal for 

Just Out. Anne was a hard news reporter 

and anchor at KGW and KOIN before turning 

to gardening full time. After that her 

award-winning garden shows appeared 

on both stations. You can now look for 

Anne's garden videos on the Oregonian 

newspaper web site: oregonlive.com/hg, 

catch her on Twitter @GardenGalTV, send 

her a suggestion via her web site: Garden- 

Gal.TV, or write Anne@JustOut.com. 

Anne Jaeger: What elements from nature are your favorite 

decorations 

Wayne Hughes: Well, first of all, the untrimmed noble 

fir tree in the front room can only be 9 feet tall but we 

get a 12 foot tree and cut off the lower branches to use 

as decorative touches around the house. 

Danny Hills: Yeah, we like our tree untrimmed, like 

our men. Just as nature made ‘em (laughing). Throughout 

the year, I stalk the neighborhood for (white) pine 

cones while on our dog walks and come home with 

bags full. We save them for our decorations, too. 

WH: Then, to screen out our neighbors we planted holly 

trees judiciously on the property line. For Christmas 

we have plenty of holly, so we bring lots of that in. We 

replace the holly when it dries out. And for more color, 

we cheat and buy the bright red holly berries from Michaels 

craft store, because only the female holly makes 

berries. And they last longer. 

DH: We use those berries, pine cones, holly and fir 

AJ: Why is nature such a strong component your holiday 

decorating and pottery 

DH: You can't get anything prettier than nature. I'm 

always heavily influenced by nature. I interpret what 

I see into my style. Good example is the Deco Tulip 

Vase, (available at their Christmas open house) which 

evolved from a trip to Seattle. We came home and out 

popped the Deco Tulip Vase from my imagination. I 

wasn’t even consciously aware of it. 

WH: Nothing says Christmas like ponderosa pine. 

That’s why you see the image on our plates and vases. 

It’s funny, visitors pick up a piece of our pottery and 

they blurt out “Oh, this really speaks to me!” And I say 

"Silly rabbit, the pottery’s beautiful, but it cannot talk." 

AJ: I guess I’m hearing things, then. I'd love people to 

see your decorations. 

WH: We're having a holiday open house: December 8th 

from 1 - 8 p.m., 5006 SE Long Street, Portland. We’ll be 

completely “Holi-decked” out. § 

Photo by Horace long 



HOME | Design Matters 

by Jonathan Hopp 

Decking The Halls 

The dream of a magazine-worthy tree, surrounded by perfectly wrapped packages, leads to a different — even better — version of perfection. 

“It looks like Christmas threw up in here.” I knew this 

wasn't the right response, but it’s the first thing that came 

to my mind. So, I managed to blurt out, “Magical!” This 

is one of those somewhat generic compliments when 

you’re at a loss for what to say. And it worked. I was off 

the hook, my friend Phil was happy, and the Christmas 

decorating was done. 

When you are the eighth child born to middle age parents, Christmas 

doesn't have the same meaning as it does for many others. Frankly, they 

were burned out, and at a certain point I remember being the kid that 

climbed into the garage and pulled down all the decorations, happily 

decked the halls with our red and gold balls, acrylic garland and, for fun, 

one year tied nearly one hundred tartan plaid bows because I had seen 

the completed red/gold/green color scheme in a magazine. It was clear 

early on who the decorator in the house would be. Over time, it grew to 

be a rather solitary annual event more influenced by A Charlie Brown 

Christmas as I sang the saddest rendition of "Christmas Time Is Here," 

one of the most melancholy songs I could find. At least it was animated. 

I always have wanted the perfect Christmas tree. As an interior designer, 

I am always envious of the seasonal design magazines where the stunning 

9-foot tree is artfully decked with matching ornaments, perfectly 

spaced white lights (designers don't do multi-colored bulbs), and stunning 

gifts artfully wrapped to match the theme of the tree. I mused over 

ornaments, pulled pictures from magazines, and developed a design file 

of ideas that I wanted to implement. My partner at the time had other 

ideas. 

He had collected ornaments since he was a child and his family made a 

point of exchanging ornaments. He had a tradition when he was little 

of pulling out his felt knee-hugger pixie elf tree ornament and telling it 

everything that had happened over the year. His ceramic choir singers, 

Christmas hand towels, and holiday candles that were never burned because 

they were so pretty never failed to elicit a resigned sigh from me. 

This was not the stuff of decorating magazines; how was I ever going to 

get on the cover of Traditional Home 

I have one friend from the south that uses dough to create a realistic 

appearance of snow on a tree branch. A friend here in Portland likes 

pink Christmas trees; another collects snowmen that take over his house 

during the holidays. And a few collect, well, all-things-Christmas. What 

is absolutely adorable about all of them is the joy that their holiday traditions 

bring to each of them. In their exuberance, they have made me 

realize that decking the halls isn’t about having a picture perfect home. 

It’s about what matters to you most. 

As an interior designer, I’ve worked with numerous clients in designing 

their homes. The first questions that come up are: What does ‘home’ 

mean to you What traditions do you honor What items do you cherish 

How do you want your home to feel The same questions can be applied 

to the holidays: What do the holidays mean to you What traditions do 

you honor, or more importantly, what traditions do you want to create 

How do you want your holidays to feel What do you cherish about the 

holidays 

A couple of years ago, my friend Phil, who adores Christmas, was decorating 

a restaurant and enlisted a couple of dozen people to install the 

décor. There was everything from vintage sleds hanging on the walls 

topped with misfit toys, to oversized gold leafed frames around sparkling 

green wreaths. The columns had upside down Christmas trees stuffed 

with brightly wrapped packages and all of the tables had custom centerpieces. 

I had never seen so much Christmas stuff and we didn’t use 

everything. Even the foyer was outfitted with a fireplace complete with 

crackling logs, nutcrackers, Santa in various shapes, and lights, lights, 

lights everywhere. When everything was complete it truly did look magical 

and brought a genuine sense of joy and sparkle to all of the spaces. 

Seasonal holidays are an anniversary of sorts. Regardless of your religious 

affiliation or nationality there is an annual event that is supposed 

be about something. My partner David and I are celebrating our fourth 

Christmas as a couple. Slowly we’ve developed our own Christmas traditions 

of food, celebrating friends and embracing the holiday traditions 

of others. Together we have created our own traditions here in Portland 

that I've come to love. There is the excursion to the Christmas tree farm 

where we agonize over the best tree, and I’ve come to love watching David 

fuss over the lights for hours. (One night he came to bed around 3 

a.m. after removing all the ornaments and re-doing the lights). We have 

both started buying ornaments as gifts for one another, and I am slowly 

building my stock of designer approved items to decorate the house. As 

we sit back and view all our handiwork, I smile, and though it will likely 

never be on the cover of a magazine, I think it’s just perfect. § 

Based in Portland, Jonathan Hopp has worked as a residential interior designer for over 

25 years designing homes all over the US. In 2011, he published Interior Bliss: How To 

Decorate Like A Pro Without Breaking The Bank. A regular personality on Portland's 

AM Northwest, Jonathan shares tips and trick of the trade to create a home that you will be 

a delight for years. jonathanhopp.com Write him at JonthanH@JustOut.com 

Photo by Horace Long Model Camron Hamilton - artist. 



FASHION 

Astrology 

isElement-Ary 

Long before Netflix or the electric light, our ancestors 

turned to the heavens for their entertainment. The Sun, 

the moon, and stars became their TV and over time they 

got good at channel surfing. The ancients also enjoyed 

a good plot line, so intricate mythologies were spun to 

describe each constellation and like any episode of the 

OC, they were jam-packed with plenty of intrigue and 

loads of drama. Eventually this sky drama was brought 

down to earth in the form of the 12 sign zodiac, and imbued 

with the four elements of terra firma: Fire, earth, 

air and water. 

FIRE is life’s spark and fire signs are hot, sassy, frisky and free. These 

firebrands want freedom to do what they please, but if they get the hots 

for someone, especially another fire sign, they are the quickest to shack 

up (think U-Haul gals). 

Aries is the first fire sign, and they hit you with a pow! They’re fearless 

pioneers who can work a crowd. When Elton John came out publicly, 

it damaged him, but he kept coming back like a refurbished jet. These 

guys have an assertive, masculine streak, and even the ladies look good 

in tight jeans. 

Leo is next, and they seem to draw you to them like cold hands to a warm 

hearth or a flat screen TV during premier week. They’re arduous lovers 

and very loyal. Delta Burke is one Leo cat who fought tooth and nail for 

LGBT rights, not just for her fans but also for her lesbian sister. 

Sagittarius is the most restless fire sign. They’re half horsey so they need 

wide open spaces. They crave travel and adore hobnobbing with foreigners. 

They’re uncomfortable in their own shoes (unless they’re dancing) 

and want to try on your moccasins. SAG award winner Felicity Huffman 

easily slipped into the shoes of a pre-op transgender woman in the film 

Transamerica. 

EARTH is stable, cautious, practical and surprisingly sensual. It takes 

time for earth signs to be intimate, but once you go out with them you 

become their property. What these folks lack in PDA’s, they make up for 

in practical ways like fixing your water heater. 

Earthy Taurus is pretty stubborn, but luckily they’re huggable, snuggable 

and squeezably soft. This sign is packed with gay icons like Cher, Babs 

and Grace Jones, along with “King of Trash” John Waters. 

Virgo is a nervous earth sign that seems like a canary in the coal mine 

with regard to the latest flu bug or elevated pollen count, but they are 

extremely smart and meticulous in how they look after you. Lily Tomlin 

is my fave Virgo/Lesbo combo. 

Capricorn is a rags-to-riches sign that contains one of the biggest fag 

hags. Dolly Parton says she loves makeup so much that if she were born a 

man, she’d be a drag queen. David Bowie has some sugar too. 

AIR is the intellectual element that focuses less on practicality and more 

on possibility. These signs are fun talkers and extremely bright. They relate 

to anyone and make you feel comfortable just being you. They seem 

so relaxed in social settings that coming out for them might seem like a 

breeze. 

Gemini is the “double your pleasure, double your fun” air sign that 

makes you giggle to tears, but sometimes their bad twin spoils the fun 

by eating too many Jell-O shots. Boy George has been down that road. 

Airy Libra tries to cultivate harmony and find a life partner all in one 

fell swoop. Their ruler Venus makes them look good (just think of your 

Continues on page 55 

PHOTOGRAPHY Horace Long | TEXT Miss Tammy Whynot 

MAKE-UP Viridiana Cervantes | ART DIRECTION Justin Warner 

MODEL Fire & Earth, Pagen Holliday | MODEL Air & Water, Miss Tammy Whynot 



November 2012 JustOut.com 53

ASTROLOGY 

Continued from Pg. 50 

average super model and there you go). The gay rights movement flowered 

during the late 60s and 70s when the planets Uranus and Pluto 

cruised through this sign. Robert Reed, aka Mike Brady on the Brady 

Bunch, was everybody’s favorite dad, and in reality, a big ol’ queen. 

Air sign Aquarius is a revolutionairy and often mistaken for water because 

of its wet sounding name. Its symbol looks like waves, but on closer 

examination you get lightning bolts that shock you. Aquarius is fixed air 

that holds moisture (think clouds) and they rain it down as knowledge 

(think wireless internet). Aquarius is the sign of friendship, and who 

could be a better friend than our old pals Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah 

WATER is the giver of life and governs the emotions that seem to well 

up in us. Water signs are psychic, secretive and tender. They soak up impressions 

all around them like sponges and if you’re feeling low, they sink 

with you. 

Cancer is a maternal water sign. They instinctively remember the concept 

of god as a great mother, and like Mother Nature, they want to nurture 

you but can have a nagging way of doing so. Give ‘em hugs now and 

then and remind them how special they are. George Michael is a Cancer 

who tried to sidestep his sexuality, but like his symbol the crab, he ended 

up in hot water. 

Scorpio is fixed water so be careful when rowing your dingy by their icebergs; 

there is way more berg below the surface. Scorpios appear cool but 

deep down is a boiling cauldron of passionate obsession. They have piercing 

eagle eyes that stare into your soul, yet they remain enigmatic until 

they have you. Sex is serious business with them so take a life raft. K.D. 

Lang and Peaches are two Scorpios that get under you skin in good ways. 

Give ‘em hugs now and 

then and remind them 

how special they are. 

Watery Pisces have big, beautiful fish eyes. They are chameleons who slip 

from the crowd and escape through the arts or a bottle of cheap bourbon 

and a pack of lucky strikes. They’re dreamy and mucho understanding, 

listening to your secrets as you cry on their shoulder. Theirs is a calming 

influence. Ever notice when you stare at a fish tank that your blood pressure 

goes down Wanda Sykes makes you laugh so you forget. § 


OUR PEOPLE 


Q+A 

Laura Amiton 

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING 

Owner of Healthy Pets Northwest (the Alberta 

Street location) 

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN PORT- 

LAND WHAT DO I LOVE/HATE ABOUT 

IT 

I was born and raised in Portland. I did leave 

for three years to get my second bachelors... and 

then moved back. 

I love how Portland seems to draw creative 

people to it — like a magnet. I love how openminded 

we are and how crazy happy we can be. 

What truly does bother me about Portland at 

this time is how unclean the streets are. For a 

moderate-sized city, not a large one, and one that 

claims to be so environmental, I am appalled and 

downright outraged at how much trash is strewn 

about all over the place. This is a newer problem. 

Portland has lost some of its pride. My first impression 

of our city, should I be a tourist would 

most certainly be littered, well, with litter. 

WHAT'S YOUR MOST EMBARRASSING MO- 

MENT OR PASSION THAT NO ONE WOULD 

GUESS 

I am already living my passion. I love my store 

and my customers, both two and four-legged. A 

very close second would be being a women's basketball 

coach. 

WHO DO YOU LOOK UP TO IN THE GAY 

COMMUNITY OR HISTORICALLY 

As a teenager in the 80's, I idolized (and still do) 

groups like The Eurythmics, most notably, Annie 

Lennox. Music is such a conduit and Annie, 

being so open-minded herself and so androgynous 

— I was just mesmerized. There was someone 

who stood for being different and it just 

resonated with me on so many levels. 

HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED GAY 

BASHING 

Photo by Horace Long 

The most noticeable was when I was fired from 

my first job out of college. I know it was because 

they found out I was gay. The reason I was told 

never lined up and I was pretty angry for a long 

time and I let it play with my self esteem for far 

too long. § 


OUR PEOPLE 


Q+A 

JAMES DIXON 

HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY 

I have a problem with structured sexuality in any 

form, so the hedonist in me comfortably identifies 

as queer. Men are typically the main course 

however I’m moderately polyamorous and pan 

sexually curious; and secretly attracted to masculine 

energy in any biological form that it manifests 

itself in. Sum that up in one word and make 

me a bumper sticker if you feel so inclined.   

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING 

I’m a Concierge for the Gerding Theater at the 

Armory, which is the home of Portland Center 

Stage. PCS is the first historic building and the 

first performing arts venue to achieve a LEED 

Platinum certification. I am also a Professional 

Development Volunteer for PCS which helps to 

support our renovation capital campaign and a 

variety of education and community outreach 

programs. 

HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED DISCRIMINA- 

TION WITHIN THE QUEER COMMUNITY 

The poignant truth is that I have. I am African- 

American, queer, Pagan, and I am not wealthy. 

These are all labels that I have been discriminated 

for and it is unfortunate. I think that the people 

of the LGBTQ community should research the 

definition of “solidarity”, look in the mirror, and 

paint that face on each morning. We could accomplish 

so much as an actual community.   

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE PEOPLE 

COMING OUT 

Own your moments… This life is yours to command 

and you should be free to manifest all of 

the wonderful things in it without the burden of 

caring what people think about you.  

WHAT DO YOU SEE FOR THE FUTURE OF 

LGBT PEOPLE AND THEIR RIGHTS 

Photo by Horace Long 

We will succeed! There are federal and state level 

LGBTQ nonprofits that are fighting this war for 

us and not everyone feels included in this process. 

Not having the ability to write a big check doesn’t 

mean that these people should not be heard. We 

are still so divided as a community which is so 

damaging to us as a whole. Even together we are 

outnumbered. How can we ask for acceptance if 

we can’t accept each other § 

Be a part of OUR PEOPLE: Send a short note to 

editor@justout.com and tell us about yourself or a friend. 


Just Out Business Directory 

These businesses support you. Please support them. 

Adult 

Hawks Gym................................................63 

Mr. Peeps/The Peephole............................63 

Attorneys 

Kelly K Brown.............................................65 

Legacy Preservation Law...........................21 

Redden & Findling LLP............................65 

Auto/Transport 

Armstrong Volkswagon............................11 

Classic Scooter & Cycle.............................61 

Bars 

CC Slaughters Portland, Inc.......................9 

Darcelle XV.................................................15 

Scandals.........................................................2 

Community 

Cascade AIDS Project...............................59 

Q Center......................................................43 

Counseling/Healing 

Jonathan Weedman....................................65 

Susan Rosenthall........................................65 

Dental 

Bling Dental................................................33 

Laurelhurst Dentistry, LLC.......................21 

Destinations 

Lincoln City Visitors Bureau....................17 

Events 

CC Slaughters New Years............................9 

Darcelle XV New Years.............................15 

Scandals New Years......................................2 

Portland Art Museum...............................19 

Portland Gay Men’s Chorus......................13 

Chocolate Fest - 

World Forestry Center........................21 

Family 

Northwest Surrogacy Center, LLC...........19 

Oregon Reproductive Medicine.................7 

Fitness 

BodyArchitects...........................................61 

Food/Beverage 

New Seasons Market..................................67 

Willamette Valley Confectionery.............33 

Garden 

Linnton Feed & Seed.................................65 

HIV/STD Prevention 

Cascade AIDS Project.........................15, 63 

Multnomah County 

Health Dept................................21, 65 

Partnership Project @OHSU....................63 

Home 

Dan Kasch...................................................65 

Harper Construction.................................65 

Sunlan Lighting, Inc..................................65 

Insurance 

Bias Insurance.............................................65 

Jewelry 

Malka Diamonds & Jewelry......................67 

Luggage 

Portland Luggage.......................................17 

Medical 

Center for Dermatology and 

Laser Surgery........................................11 

Dr. Robert Ruiz..........................................65 

Eyes on Broadway........................................9 

OraQuick....................................................68 

West Portland Physical 

Therapy Clinic.......................................7 

Pets 

Rose City Veterinary Hospital..................61 

Printing 

Morel Ink.......................................................7 

Real Estate 

Brad Wulf - Remax....................................61 

H. Dwayne Davis - Realty Trust...............33 

Kelly Stafford - 

Home Sweet Home Realty................65 

Resorts 

Bonneville Hot Springs Resort & Spa......19 

Windows/Doors 

Goose Hollow Window Co.......................19 

JOIN THE JUST OUT TEAM 

Citizen 

Sam 

October 2012 JustOut.com 1 

Sec. of State Kate Brown 

Fighting 

for 

Right 

E x c l u s i v e 

M a y o r S a m A d a m s 

Halloween Parties | Portland Mayoral Candidates 

October 2012 JustOut.com 1 

The 

King Of 

Christmas 

J o h n n y M a t h i s 

Good Food + Helpful Holiday Tips + Elemental Astrology 

hot fun i 

n t h e 

SummerTime 

+ 

GO 

Pages 

Meet 

Joe LeBlanc 

September 2012 

FRee CoPy 

Justout.com 

Peter Zuckerman Portland Queer Arts Rep Tina Kotek 

Seeking 

Advertising Sales Representatives 

If you have selling in your blood, would like to work for a 

quality LGBTQ magazine in a sales capacity, want to work in 

an autonomous environment, are self-motivated, and a team 

player, we want to talk to you. 

Send your resume to sales@JustOut.com for consideration. 


ATTORNEYS 

Marketplace 

GARDEN 

COUNSELING 

HIV/STD TESTING 

HOME 

INSURANCE 

MEDICAL 

REAL ESTATE 


December 2012 

Calendar 

FIND MANY MORE LOCAL EVENTS AT JUSTOUT.COM/CALENDAR 

Starts 

1 st 

DISPLAY OF THE NAMES PROJECT QUILT 

THE OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY IS DISPLAYING THREE 

PANELS FROM THE NAMES PROJECT NOVEMBER 30TH 

THOUGH DECEMBER 7TH IN THE LOBBY AT THE PORTLAND 

STATE OFFICE BUILDING. THIS DISPLAY IS OPEN TO THE 

PUBLIC 8 A.M. TO 5 P.M. EACH DAY THROUGH 12/7 

OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY (800 NE OREGON STREET) 

2 nd SuperHeroes for SuperKids 

TransActive’s 5th Annual fund raising and community 

event featuring a silent auction, raffle, 

kids' event area, snacks and guest speakers 

Wayne Maines and Oregon Secretary 

of State Kate Brown. 

$15, 3 – 6 p.m. at Refuge PDX (116 SE Yamhill St) 

TransActiveOnline.org 

Positive Force NW Winter Social / Toy Drive 

A clean and sober event for the HIV+ community 

to gather and celebrate the season. Food, drinks, 

and fun. For more info, please contact Shyle or 

Benjamin at positiveforce@cascadeaids.org or 

19 

5 – 8 p.m. at Pivot (209 SW 4th Ave) 

th 

Mx Justin Vivian Bond 

6 th 16 th 

Photo by David Kimelman 

Mx Justin Vivian Bond 

Café Christmas 

This play takes place in a mid-west cafe on Christmas Eve. 

The Walker Family stops for lunch at the Welcome Home 

Cafe while on their way to a family Christmas. When a 

blizzard rolls through town, the family is forced to stay the 

night at the Cafe. The family's own spiritual belief system is 

challenged by the Lesbian owners of the Cafe. 

10 a.m. Service at MCC Portland (2400 NE Broadway) 

PICA presents New York's favorite Trans-Disciplinary 

Artist, Mx Justin Vivian Bond 

Crooning, spoken word, and razor-sharp 

social commentary. 

$20 - 35, Star Theater (13 SW 6th Ave) 

pica.org 

20 th 

Queer Quistmas 

Fannie Mae Darling hosts her 6th annual holiday-themed variety 

show and benefit, this time with Carla Rossi. This year all proceeds 

will be going to start the Darling Kimberly Foundation. The goal for 

the Foundation is to be able to provide money to families affected by 

the massive costs, job pay loss, and just all around financial stress that 

comes with having a family member with cancer. There will also be 

a coat and non-perishable food drive (sponsoring Our House), silent 

auction, and raffle prizes. 

$5 advance, $7 day of show. 8 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. 

Mississippi Studios (3939 N Mississippi Ave)

The King Of Christmas - Just Out

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?