Fighting the Droop: Portland Queer Reading at Bluestockings
When it comes of the culture of queer and all it means, many minds jump to the streets of San Fran, New York City, and (something new I’ve learned from the message boards) Austin, TX.
But somewhere between the extremity of those borders is a Northwestern gem that The Demcembrists, Powell’s Books, and some damn fine microbreweries call home: Stumptown, P-Town, or simply Portland, OR.
Another fine product that Portland might add to the list is Portland Queer: Tales of the Rose City.
Edited by author Ariel Gore, Portland Queer’s collection of essays “introduces” Portland in all its queer glory, through first-hand accounts of love, discovery, and the conundrums of identity: What happens when a gay guy falls for a straight acquaintance? Or what does fatherhood look like for a pregnant man? And can a video addict really open his heart to love (and people in the flesh)? These stories prove unique to the authors’ experiences within their community while still circling back to the common bumps in the road of anyone trying to find their way in this crazy world.
The LES’ Bluestockings will host a handful of contributors to the collection Wednesday, June 24th at 7 p.m., where excerpts of their essays will be read and discussed during a Q&A. But this weekend, I was able to catch up with author and contributor Christa Orth on her chapter, “Not Following the Rules,” an essay that discusses discrimination in the workplace.
Q&A with Portland Queer Contributor, Christa Orth
RG: How did you choose the queer figures of focus in “Not Following the Rules”?
CO: I’m a historian, and I’m inspired by the stories of queers like myself, people that live their lives openly and [choose to] be themselves. Most LGBTQ folks have to go to work everyday to support themselves, and we encounter a lot of inequalities when we do. I chose characters for my story that chose not to hide their sexualities, and found creative ways to negotiate the daily discrimination they faced in their workplaces. And the best part is the characters are real life people! I chose Steve and Pat because their stories represent two snapshots of recent queer history: Steve in the Pre-Stonewall era of the 1960s, and Pat in the vehemently anti-gay and anti-AIDS era of the 1980s and early 1990s.
RG: Tell me a story you would have include if not for space limitations, etc..
CO: There are hundreds of thousands of queers with great stories of their everyday lives…If I had more space, I would include more stories of all different kinds of workers from all geographies. A lot of non-fiction queer literature is focused on New York and San Francisco. I love Portland Queer because it gives a unique perspective of queer culture in the Pacific Northwest.
RG: You write that Steve “never went into the closet as a gay man.” What’s your coming out story? How is your story similar and/or different from the stories you share in your piece?
CO: I came out to myself when I was 15–there just wasn’t any doubt that I was queer. I sought out queer community by leaving the suburbs, where I grew up, for Seattle, where I got involved with AIDS activism. My parents took a while to come around that their daughter was queer, and I struggled with coming out to my family. Studying the history of the strength of queers before me gave me the inspiration to come out to my family–which I finally did when I was 26. I come out in my everyday life.
RG: I like the way your essay responds to how the media “threatens to paint queers as stereotypical characters.” As issues of gender and sexuality become more openly discussed, who are some of your favorite queer characters/media personalities that refuse to allow this to take place?
CO: Mainstream media will always co-opt any culture, so I find inspiration in independent queer media representations like queer theater, drag queen/king/thing shows, films, etc. Since moving to NYC recently, I loved Dan Fishback’s play You Will Experience Silence. And I love Silas Howard and Harriet Dodge’s film By Hook or By Crook.
RG: We are “officially” in the season of pride! How do you see Portland Pride celebrations different from NYC celebrations?
CO: I’m not sure how they compare, since this is my first NYC Pride!
RG: What are you looking forward to most about Pride Fest?
CO: My favorite part of pride parades that I’ve been to have been Dykes on Bikes and firefighters, if you must know.
Please join Christa and contributors Gabrielle Rivera, David Ciminello, and Stevie Anntonym for readings from Portland Queer at Bluestockings on Wednesday, June 24th at 7 p.m. Admission is FREE!
Tags:Bluestockings, Christa Orth, Portland OR, Pride Fest
Leave a comment