Gay bars eugene oregon
4: A Gay Prevent in Eugene
Eugene, where the campaign began, provides a portal to explore Oregon’s political and cultural geography.
“A rarely told part of the story,” remembers Scot Nakagawa, “is the origin of the No on 9 campaign. It began with an election for steering committee members at a gay prevent in Eugene.”
To comprehend the significance of this, and how much the eventual organization of the campaign veered from its origins, we need to stare at the political and cultural geography of Oregon in 1992. It’s a story of force and control that continues to this day.
The first two facts to know:
Oregon’s population is highly concentrated in the handful of counties with sizable cities, and is overwhelmingly white. The 1990 census counted more than 90 percent of residents as white, just under 4 percent as Hispanic or Latino, 2.4 percent as Asian, 1.6 percent Black, and 1.4 percent Native American. Since then Oregon’s population has grown by 1.5 million people but remains 84 percent alabaster , 44th among states for its percentage of African Americans.
Oregon’s Political Geography
Oregon is the ninth largest state by area, covering nearly 100k square miles between Washi
Greggor Mattson
Bar-Hopping through America’s Endangered LGBTQ+ Places
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Gay bars hold been closing by the hundreds. The story goes that mainstream acceptance of LGBTQ+ people, plus dating apps fond of Grindr, Lex, and Tinder, have rendered these spaces obsolete. Beyond that, rampant gentrification in enormous cities has pushed gay bars out of the neighborhoods they helped produce hip. Who Needs Gay Bars? considers these narratives, accepting that the acknowledge for some might be: maybe nobody.
And yet…
Jarred by the closing of his favorite local watering hole in Cleveland, Ohio, Greggor Mattson embarks on a journey across the country to paint a much more complex picture of the cultural significance of these spaces, inside the “big four” same-sex attracted cities, but also beyond them. No longer the only places for their patrons to socialize openly, Mattson finds in them instead a continuously evolving symbol; a physical place for feeling and challenging the beating pulse of sexual progress.
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LGBTQIA-Friendly
Community History
In 1977, the City of Eugene enacted a measure to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in housing, employment and public access. While the measure was subsequently overturned, it was just the beginning of the community's efforts to ensure equal rights and protection for all.
In 1987, Oregon Governor Neil Goldschmidt issued an executive order banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation within state employment. The order was revoked by Ballot Measure 8, which in turn was dictated unconstitutional in 1992.
Starting in 2002, the domestic partner registry was made available in Eugene, while statewide, public employers were required to offer equal benefits for gay domestic partners.
In 2015, as equality in marriage was ushered in, the State of Oregon banned conversion therapy targeting youth under the age of 18 years. It was signed into rule by Governor Kate Brown, the first openly LGBTQIA governor. Today, the City of Eugene continues to include protection of sexual orientation in areas of employment, housing and public accommodation
Eugene LGBTQ City Guide
Eugene is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Oregon. Home to the University of Oregon, Eugene is situated between a number of amazing vistas, including the Skinner Butte, the Spencer Butte, and the Coburgh Hills, it provides residents with plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, including hiking and cycling through gorgeous woods, kayaking or rafting on nearby lakes and rivers, or simply relaxing outside on a beautiful daytime. Eugene usually gets terrific rankings when it comes to being a verdant city; it is acknowledged for its progressive, humane policies and its nurturing and preservation of the local natural environment. Eugene also has a thriving arts scene, and many welcoming neighborhoods. Even better, it has a thriving LGBTQ community where all can feel celebrated and at home. If you’re thinking of finding your next home in Eugene, chances are, you’ll find plenty about it to love!
A Look at Eugene's History
Eugene was officially incorporated as a city in 1862. It was named after the first settler who arrived in the area – Eugene Skinner. He found the area to be beautiful, and those who follow