Our communities have gone through a lot this past year. As part of our annual Queer issue, the Mercury is highlighting six LGBTQ+ Portlanders making an impact on the city right now. Their collective stories tie together decades of experiences and span the LGBTQ+ spectrum. These people are leaders in sciences, the arts, and nonprofits, […]
LGBTQIA+
Posted inMusic
Genderqueer Artist Maarquii Could Be Portland’s Next Rap Star
On a recent sunny afternoon at Townshend’s Tea House, Marquise Dickerson (AKA Maarquii) is dressed more lowkey than I’m used to. There’s no wig or makeup in sight, apart from some nail polish—just a black T-shirt paired with dark shorts, dad hat, and crossbody fanny pack. We order kombucha and get down to business: chit-chatting […]
Posted inLGBTQIA+
Black & Brown Stripes: Catching Up with Some of Portland’s Most Interesting Queer People of Color
For members of the LGBTQ+ community, there are numerous reasons to be proud. What follows are a series of discussions with five very different, but equally dynamic members of our complex community. Stephanie Duncker PRONOUNS: she/her and they/them ETHNICITY: Black AGE: 35 INSTAGRAM: @myalmedicinals I meet with activist Stephanie Duncker—a Black, vegan witch—at Townshend’s Tea […]
Posted inLGBTQIA+
What I Think About When I Think About Pete Buttigieg
I’m not planning to vote for Democratic presidential wannabe Pete Buttigieg in the primaries—but I certainly spend more time thinking about him than any other current candidate. An example: I recently spent a weekend in West Lafayette, Indiana, to watch my brother-in-law graduate from Purdue University. I’ll spare you the vague, disdainful gawking most coastal […]
Posted inFood and Drink
The Unique Flavors of Portland’s Drag Brunches
I love brunch and I love queens. I demand the former and desperately desire the approval of the latter. (Please, I brought you all these dollar bills.) Portland has a long, lovely history with drag brunches, and while some of the original weekly shows (like those at the Mission Theater and CC Slaughters) have fallen […]
Posted inNews
The Future of Trans Healthcare Is in Portland
When Molly Palmer came out as transgender in 2015—and decided to begin the process of a medical transition—she felt like her life was finally starting to come into alignment. Palmer, 45, was eight when she began experiencing gender dysphoria—the anxiety and discomfort some trans people feel because their gender identity does not sync with the […]
Posted inNews
Portland Man Convicted of Anti-Gay Hate Crime
Multnomah County Courthouse DOUG BROWN A Portland man was convicted of an anti-gay hate crime on Tuesday. Scott Wayne Smith, 47, pled guilty to second-degree intimidation, which is considered a hate crime under Oregon law, in Multnomah County Circuit Court. As first reported in the Oregonian, Smith received a sentence of 21 days in jail […]
Posted inNews
Portland’s First Trans Day of Visibility Will Focus on Housing Issues
Tracey Quirk, EyeEm / Getty Images The Portland City Council will formally recognize International Transgender Day of Visibility for the first time at Thursday’s council meeting. The day—which is officially on Sunday, March 31, but is being recognized by the city Thursday—is an opportunity to celebrate and draw attention to transgender people and issues across […]
Posted inLGBTQIA+
Is Bohemian Rhapsody an LGBT Film? China Concludes Only 1.5% of It Is.
And they’re right!
Posted inHealth
Meet the Trans Midwife Changing the World’s “Most Gendered Profession”
“The more of us there are in medical careers, the more research we’re going to get. We have to build up our numbers so we can lead the research to get the care we need.”
Posted inNews
Zoom+Care’s New Parent Company Has an Anti-LGBTQ History
HERO IMAGES / GETTY IMAGES Editor’s Note: This post has been updated to clarify how Zoom+Care is financially tied to certain organizations. It was announced today that Zoom+Care, the Portland-based urgent care empire that has come under legal and financial trouble in recent years after a failed foray into the insurance market, is being bought […]
Posted inLGBTQIA+
John Waters’s Advice to Antifa: Get Sexier
We interviewed the queer daddy of filth about Melania Trump, Black Friday, and Christmas-themed porn.
An interview with John Waters about Melania Trump, Black Friday, and Christmas-themed porn.