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Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest Oral Histories Text With digital objects English
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Oral history interview with Frodo Okulam [Transcript]

Transcript. This oral history interview with Frodo Okulam was conducted by Brisa Peters at the offices of SisterSpirit in Portland, Oregon, on November 2, 2000. Peters conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest as part of Professor Ann Mussey's senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University. The interview transcript includes a written introduction by Peters, as well as a copy of Okulam's curriculum vitae. In this interview, Okulam discusses her early life in Southwest Portland, her living situation at the time of the interview in 2000, and the origins of her name. She discusses her gender identity as a child and her experience as a lesbian when she was a teenager in the 1960s. She speaks about what "The Lord of the Rings" meant to her and describes how the story saved her life and influenced her spirituality. She discusses her early relationships and her family's reaction to her sexuality. She talks about her experience at Portland State University, including her involvement with the Women's Union. She describes the social life for lesbians in Portland, including bars and coffee shops that she frequented. She talks about practicing Wicca and describes participating in a ceremony during the 1980 solar eclipse. She describes her polyamorous relationship at the time of the interview in 2000, and speaks at length about her involvement in SisterSpirit and the Metropolitan Community Church. She discusses her book, "The Julian Mystique," and closes the interview by talking about teaching women's spirituality at Portland State University, and about some of her activism.

Okulam, Frodo

Oral history interview with Susie Shepherd [Transcript]

Transcript. This oral history interview with Susie Shepherd was conducted by Erin Sexton and Jamie Walton on November 4, 2000. Sexton and Walton conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest as part of Professor Ann Mussey's senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University. Several of Shepherd's pets were also present and occasionally interrupted the interview. In this interview, Shepherd discusses her identity as a gay woman. She talks about working with Jerry Weller on the Portland Town Council; about her experiences at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, and at Portland State University; and about her life as a lesbian in the 1970s. She speaks at length about coming out to her parents. She then speaks about her activism for gay rights with the Portland Town Council during the 1970s, and talks about some of the people she worked with, politicians they lobbied, and some of the opposition they faced. She also describes coming out on the television show "Town Hall." She discusses her abuse of alcohol in the late 1970s, describes how it affected her life and relationships, and talks about her recovery through Alcoholics Anonymous. She talks about her involvement in the Leather community, including winning the title of International Ms. Leather in 1989, and winning the title of International Master and Slaver with her partner, K.T. Chase, in 1992. She also describes how she parlayed those titles to further her activism for gay rights. She closes the interview by discussing her management of the Bill and Ann Shepherd Legal Scholarship.

Shepherd, Susie (Susan Mary), 1949-

Oral history interview with Steve Suss [Transcript]

Transcript. This oral history interview with Steve Suss was conducted by Danita Doun and Lachelle Ogden on February 15, 2011, as part of their Capstone course at Portland State University, under instructor Pat Young. Doun and Ogden conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest, which collects the histories of organizations and individuals active in lesbian and gay issues in the Portland area and throughout the Pacific Northwest. In addition to the audio, the collection includes a transcript of the interview and photographs of Suss. In the interview, Suss discusses his ownership of Embers, a gay bar in Portland, Oregon. He also talks about serving on the board for Esther's Pantry, which provides food and clothing for people with AIDS. He discusses his stance on marriage equality; talks about owning a bar and steam bath in Seattle, Washington, but leaving due to city government corruption; and talks about his reasons for relocating to Portland and some of his early business ventures. He discusses the early years of owning Embers, beginning in 1971, including his attempt to expand its original location, and moving to the location on Broadway in 1981. He also talks about his relationship with his partner and his family. He closes the interview by talking about a lawsuit against the Oregon Liquor Control Commission that he was involved in.

Suss, Steve (Stephen C.), 1939-2020

Oral history interview with Holly Hart [Transcript]

Transcript. This oral history interview with Holly Hart was conducted by Winter Drews and James Loos at Hart's home in Portland, Oregon, on November 14, 2000. Drews and Loos conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest as part of Professor Ann Mussey's senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University. The interview transcript includes a written introduction by George Nicola. In this interview, Hart discusses her experience at Reed College in Portland during the 1960s, including her experience as a closeted lesbian and her political and civil rights activism. She talks about working for the Willamette Bridge newspaper, her involvement in the gay liberation movement, and coming out as a lesbian. She briefly talks about her experience studying law at the University of California at Berkeley, then discusses practicing law in Portland. She talks about cases she worked on, lawyers she worked with, and her focus on civil rights cases, particularly gay rights. She discusses serving on the Task Force on Sexual Preference and describes the report of recommendations she authored for the governor. She talks about her dissatisfaction with practicing law and her decision to instead open a restaurant, Old Wives' Tales; describes the process of opening the restaurant; and talks about her original plan to also open a bookstore. She speaks at length about running the restaurant and its role in the Portland community. She then discusses having a child via artificial insemination and talks about raising her daughter. She also discusses her involvement in Portland's Jewish community. She then revisits the topic of her restaurant and talks about the diversity of its clientele; discusses how social conditions for LGBTQ people have changed in Portland; and talks about her experience as a lesbian and a mother in Portland's Jewish community. She closes the interview by revisiting the topic of her work at the Willamette Bridge newspaper, describing instances of harassment she has experienced, and talking about her hopes for the future of gay rights.

Hart, Holly, 1947-

Oral history interview with Holly Mulcahey [Transcript]

Transcript. This oral history interview with Holly Mulcahey was conducted by Erin Sexton on November 11, 2000. Sexton conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest as part of Professor Ann Mussey's senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University. In this interview, Mulcahey discusses the history of It's My Pleasure, a women's bookstore and lending library in Portland, Oregon, that was inclusive of lesbians, bisexual women, and transgender people. She discusses how the store evolved from its beginnings in 1991 to the time of the interview, in 2000. She talks about harassment she experienced at the bookstore's first location on Hawthorne Boulevard, about working with other women's bookstores in Portland, and about the increasingly expensive rent at It's My Pleasure's second location on Hawthorne. She then discusses moving to the business's location at the time of the interview in 2000 on Northeast 64th Avenue and Sandy Boulevard. She talks about running the store, including holding events and collaborations with other businesses. She also briefly discusses her life and career before opening the bookstore, as well as her involvement in the women's spiritual community. She speaks about her identity as a lesbian and her relationship with the broader LGBTQ community. She shares her hopes for the future of It's My Pleasure and for the LGBTQ community. She closes the interview by talking about some of the sex toys sold at the bookstore.

Mulcahey, Holly, 1943-

Oral history interview with Edward B. Segel [Transcript]

Transcript. This oral history interview with Edward B. Segel was conducted by Lisa Brandt Heckman on May 22, 2007, for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. The interview was conducted as part of a senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University, with instructor Christa Orth.

In this interview, Segel shares his experience of accepting his sexuality as a gay man in the 1970s while on leave in London, England, and talks about his involvement in the St. Catherine's Society, a gay men's organization. He then speaks at length about his involvement in various LGBT organizations in Portland, after he accepted a professorship at Reed College in 1973, particularly the Portland Town Council and the Right to Privacy PAC. He speaks about several of the people also involved in those organizations, about the organizations' activism, and about some of the conflicts within those organizations. He also talks about his involvement with the Portland Gay Men's Chorus. He talks about the acceptance of the gay community in Portland, and how it has increased since the 1970s. He shares his opinion on gay marriage rights. He closes the interview by sharing his thoughts about religion.

Segel, Edward Barton

Oral history interview with Laurie J. Lockert [Transcript]

Transcript. This oral history interview with Laurie Lockert was conducted by Lee Ann Phillips on July 26, 2007, for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. The interview was conducted as part of a senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University, with instructor Christa Orth.

In this interview, Lockert discusses her family background and early life in Portland, Oregon, including the expectations her parents had, and her experience of accepting her identity as a lesbian. She shares her experience of coming out to her parents. She talks about her involvement with the lesbian community in Portland in the 1970s, and about playing tennis with other lesbians. She speaks about her early relationships with women, then talks about her marriage to Kathleen M. Roy and about raising a child. She closes the interview by discussing how the lesbian community in Portland changed, and by talking about the increasing visibility and acceptance of gays and lesbians in American society.

Lockert, Laurie J. (Laurie Jo), 1952-

Oral history interview with Larry S. Copeland [Trancript]

Transcript. This oral history interview with Larry S. Copeland was conducted by Emily Bowen and Kenty Truong on February 17, 2011. Bowen and Truong conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest as part of Professor Pat Young's senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University.

In this interview, Copeland discusses his early life in Redmond and Portland, Oregon. He talks about his social life as a gay man in the mid-20th century, particularly the role of Portland gay bars. He speaks at length about his involvement with the Portland Town Council. He also discusses his 1982 campaign for the Portland City Council. He speaks about the progression of gay rights in the United States; talks about his experience during the AIDS epidemic; and speaks about the various jobs he worked. The interview closes with discussion about the senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University.

Copeland, Larry S. (Larry Steven), 1947-2017

Oral history interview with Lee Coleman [Transcript]

Transcript. This oral history interview with Lee Coleman was conducted by Katrina Griffiths and Joshua Fackrell on February 17, 2011. Griffiths and Fackrell conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest as part of Professor Pat Young's senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University.

In this interview, Coleman discusses his involvement with the Log Cabin Republicans in California and Oregon. He discusses the political fight against Measure 9, an Oregon ballot measure against LGBTQ rights, in 1992. He also talks about the state of the Republican Party at the time of the interview in 2011. He discusses the reasons he became a Democrat in 2004; talks about recent gay rights legislation in Oregon; and speculates about the future of gay rights. He closes the interview by encouraging his interviewers to become more politically active.

Coleman, Lee, 1931-

Oral history interview with Ellen Goldberg [Transcript]

Transcript. This oral history interview with Ellen Goldberg was conducted by Annica Eagle and Spencer Trueax on February 24, 2011. Eagle and Trueax conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest as part of Professor Pat Young's senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University.

In this interview, Goldberg discusses her involvement in the founding of the Mountain Moving Cafe, a collective-run coffeehouse, in Portland, Oregon; talks about how she and other people in the collective ran it as an "anti-profit" business; and speaks about events held at the cafe. She discusses the cafe's association with gay and women's groups and talks about life in the collective. She speaks about her activities since leaving the collective, particularly her involvement in gay and women's rights activism. She closes the interview by talking about the poem that inspired the cafe's name, "The Day the Mountains Move" by Yosano Akiko.

Goldberg, Ellen, 1949-

Oral history interview with Cindy Cumfer [Transcript]

Transcript. This oral history interview with Cindy Cumfer was conducted by Erik Funkhouser and Tim Aguirre on February 21, 2009, for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. The interview was conducted as part of a senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University, with Instructor Pat Young. One name was redacted from the audio and transcript at Cumfer's request.

In this interview, Cumfer discusses her involvement in the gay community and gay liberation movement in Portland, Oregon, in the 1970s. She talks about bars, restaurants, and bookstores that were welcoming to gay people. She discusses her work as a lawyer for the Community Law Project in Portland, and talks about some of the cases she worked on, particularly custody cases involving lesbians, and cases involving adoptions by gay parents. She also talks about the judicial career of Katharine Nachtigal. She discusses the Oregon ballot measures against LGBTQ rights in the 1980s and 1990s, and talks about how the homophobic campaign rhetoric led to her involvement in the First Unitarian Church. She closes the interview by discussing a case regarding guardianship and same-sex couples that got national attention in the 1980s.

Cumfer, Cynthia

Oral history interview with Charles Hinkle, by Nathan Guynn, Michael Pratt and Nichant Mehra [Transcript]

Transcript. This interview is the 2nd of two separate interviews conducted in 2009. Hinkle focuses on the No On 9 campaign and his efforts in defeating Ballot Measure 9. Also discussed is the Oregon Citizens Alliance and its leaders, Lon Mabon and Scott Lively (whom Hinkle debated in a well-known Town Council broadcast.)

Hinkle, Charles F.

Oral history interview with Jerry Weller [Transcript]

Transcript. This oral history interview with Jerry Weller was conducted by Libbey Austin at Weller's home in Portland, Oregon, on May 10, 2007. Austin conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Achives of the Pacific Northwest as part of Professor Christa Orth's senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University. The collection includes a transcript of the interview.

In this interview, Weller discusses his early life in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, including his experiences as a young gay man at Penn State University. He talks about his relationship with Bruce Muller, describes how he became involved in the gay rights movement while living in the Bay Area, and discusses his reasons for moving to Portland in 1976. He discusses his involvement with the Portland Town Council, describes the anti-gay legislation that passed in many places in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s, and talks about his involvement with the national gay rights movement. He discusses the development of the Portland Town Council, the Right to Privacy PAC, and other gay rights organizations he was involved in. He also talks about the development in the language regarding LGBTQ people. He talks about his experiences in Washington, D.C., and in Chicago, Illinois, and his return to Portland in the 1980s. He discusses his relationship with the Shepherd family; describes his experience with AIDS; and speaks about gay rights legislation he was involved with. He closes the interview by talking about the role gay bars and drag queens played in the gay rights movement, about the growth of gay pride events, and about his favorite gay bars in Portland.

Weller, Jerry (Gerald K.), 1948-2018

Oral history interview with Larry D. Smith [Transcript]

Transcript. This oral history interview with Larry D. Smith was conducted by Tanesha Dawson and Halla Williams in Beaverton, Oregon, on February 12, 2009, for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. The interview was conducted as part of a senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University, with instructor Pat Young. The interview took place at a hair salon where Smith was working, and customers often interrupted.

In this interview, Smith discusses his involvement with the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, a national organization dedicated to making school safe for LGBTQ youth. He talks about working with LGBTQ youth; describes some of the issues facing them, including familial abandonment and bullying; and discusses the ways GLSEN tries to address those issues. He describes how his activism with GLSEN affected his career as a history teacher in the Beaverton School District. He talks about homophobia and rebuts some common justifications for anti-gay beliefs. He speaks about his work building an AIDS education curriculum and about the importance of comprehensive sex education. He also talks about his current relationship. He describes his work to expand the Oregon chapter of GLSEN, talks about events he organized, and speaks about his hopes for his legacy. He closes the interview by talking about traveling and making presentations for GLSEN during his retirement, and by reflecting on his teaching career.

Smith, Larry D. (Larry Dale)

Oral history interview with Kimberlee Van Patten [Transcript]

Transcript. This oral history interview with Kimberlee Van Patten was conducted by Katie Horton and Amy Sherwood on February 12, 2009, for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. The interview was conducted as part of a senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University, with instructor Pat Young.

In this interview, Van Patten discusses her early life in Portland, Oregon. She shares her experiences going to gay bars in Portland during the 1980s and describes how she became involved with the Imperial Sovereign Rose Court, Oregon's oldest LGBTQ organization, which holds annual drag-themed charity galas that award titles ranging from Mister and Miss Gay Oregon to Rose Empress and Emperor. She talks about participating in Imperial Sovereign Rose Court pageants, her marriage to Blayne Van Patten, a drag queen who performs under the name Patti O'Dora, and her later relationship with Maria Peters Lake, also known as Rose Empress XXXVI Maria. She discusses her relationship with Lady Elaine Peacock, and speaks at length about her management of Peacock Productions, Inc. and the Audria M. Edwards Scholarship Fund. She shares the reasons why she and Lake ended the annual free event Peacock in the Park after 2004, and describes the operations of the scholarship fund. She also talks about her break-up with Lake. She discusses her reign as Rose Emperor XXIII Kimberlee Van Patten of the Imperial Sovereign Rose Court in 1996. She closes the interview by describing the effects of the AIDS epidemic on the Portland gay community.

Van Patten, Kimberlee R. (Kimberlee Rae), 1966-

Oral history interview with Khalil T. Edwards [Transcript]

Transcript. This oral history interview with Khalil Edwards was conducted by Natasha Lipai and Stephen Quirke at the offices of Basic Rights Oregon in Portland, Oregon, on February 27, 2013, for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. The interview was conducted as part of a senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University with instructor Pat Young. A transcript of the interview is available.

In this interview, Edwards discusses his involvement with the Portland Black Chapter of PFLAG, talks about its origins, and describes the intersection of racism and homophobia that Black LGBTQ youth face. He also talks about his parents' social justice activism. He discusses his involvement with Basic Rights Oregon, including his work on the Our Families video project and as a Racial Justice Fellow. He speaks about some of the goals of Basic Rights Oregon, including marriage equality and trans-inclusive health care, and talks about issues that the organization may focus on after achieving its current goals. He also speaks about racial inequity in the U.S. justice system. He discusses his career as a high school English teacher in San Bernardino, California, and shares his reasons for returning to Portland and focusing on racial justice and LGBTQ advocacy work. He closes the interview by talking about his love for Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.

Edwards, Khalil T. (Khalil Tamir), 1978-

Oral history interview with Linda Rae Besant, by Emma Bagley and Emily Kahnert [Transcript]

Transcript. Besant discusses her involvement in the earliest incarnation of the vocal group The Dyketones; coming out in her early thirties (to herself & to her family); her commitment to Women In the Wilderness (aka Keep Listening); her life with her partner, Marcia; and the community at the Mountain Moving Cafe in the 1980s.

Besant, Linda

Oral history interview with Roey Thorpe, by Roxanne Michelle Holtman [Transcript]

Transcript. Thorpe discusses her tenure as Director of Basic Rights Oregon (2001-2006) and her subsequent role on staff at Planned Parenthood in Portland. Thorpe also discusses her youth in Columbia, SC, her coming-out process during the early 1980s, and the significant positions she has held in organizations dedicated to LGBT rights, non-profit community childcare, and at Empire State Pride Agenda (NY).

Thorpe, Rochella, 1962-

Oral history interview with April D. Lewis [Transcript]

Transcript. This oral history interview with April D. Lewis was conducted by Tyler Brewington and Heaven Hartford on May 1, 2012, for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. The interview was conducted as part of a senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University, with instructor Pat Young. A transcript of the interview is available.

In this interview, Lewis briefly discusses her family background, early life in Portland, Oregon, and her early career. She talks about her relationship with Carol D. French, about her experience of coming out as a lesbian to her family, and about how social attitudes towards LGBT people changed. She discusses lesbian and gay bars in Portland, talks about recovering from alcoholism, and speaks about people she knew who were affected by the AIDS epidemic. She also speaks about raising children with her partner and talks about marriage equality. The interviewers close the interview by discussing their senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University, with instructor Pat Young.

Lewis, April D., 1952-

Oral history interview with Norm Costa [Transcript]

Transcript. This oral history interview with Norm Costa was conducted by Stephanie Munly and Ruben Reynaga from November 13-20, 2000. Munly and Reynaga conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest as part of Professor Ann Mussey's senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University. The interview was conducted in two sessions.

In the first interview session, conducted on November 13, 2000, Costa discusses coming to Portland, Oregon, from California in 1958. He talks about his experiences as an out gay man during that time, about his relationships, and about his career as a hairdresser. He discusses raising his niece, and his relationship with his mother. He talks about gay bars and clubs in Portland; discusses his work for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases; and talks about his work advocating for gay rights. He also briefly talks about racism within the gay community. He speaks at length about his work with AIDS/HIV patients, and talks about the history of public policy toward the disease. He talks about social conditions for young LGBTQ people from when he first came out as gay in 1947 to the time of the interview in 2000; describes the history of policing in the gay community; and talks about serving on the board of the Sexual Minorities Roundtable.

In the second interview session, conducted on November 20, 2000, Costa continues discussing his service on the board of the Sexual Minorities Roundtable. He talks about Portland Police Chief Mark Kroeker, the No on Measure 9 campaign, and his other political and advocacy work. He shares a story about being arrested in California in the late 1940s and serving time in San Quentin State Prison. He closes the interview by discussing issues facing the LGBTQ community in the 21st century.

Costa, Norm (Norman Robert), 1927-

Oral history interview with Ann Mussey [Transcript]

Transcript. This oral history interview with Ann Mussey was conducted by Justine Larson and Brooke Welch on November 13, 2000. Larson and Welch conducted the interview for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest as part of their senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University, for which Mussey was the instructor. In this interview, Mussey discusses moving to Portland, Oregon, from the Midwest in 1971 and living in a lesbian collective in Southeast Portland, called Red Emma, for one year. She describes the philosophy of communal living, as well as living conditions in the collective, and talks about the other women who lived there. She also discusses the various organizations that sprang from Red Emma, including women's health clinics and halfway houses. She closes the interview by talking about the lesbian community in Portland, particularly lesbian-owned businesses.

Mussey, Ann L. (Ann Louise), 1950-

Oral history interview with Gary Coleman and Steve Fulmer [Transcript]

Transcript. This oral history interview with Gary Coleman and Steven Fulmer was conducted by R. Michael Sanchez on May 19, 2007, for the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest. The interview was conducted as part of a senior capstone class on LGBTQ history at Portland State University, with instructor Christa Orth.

In this interview, Coleman and Fulmer discuss the origins of the Portland Gay Men's Chorus in 1980 and describe their first performances. They talk about the popularity of the chorus and about people who contributed time and resources to the chorus. They describe the organizational structure of the chorus, talk about how the chorus chose its repertoire, and discuss how the AIDS epidemic affected the chorus members. They talk about the Gay and Lesbian Arts Association, about the mission of the chorus, and about the chorus's role in the gay community of the Pacific Northwest. They discuss how the chorus has changed since 1980, talk about the challenges the chorus has faced, and speak about public reception of the chorus. They reflect on memorable moments and performances of the chorus, and close the interview by sharing their hopes and plans for its future.

Fulmer, Steven, approximately 1949-

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