LGBT culture in Eugene, Oregon

LGBT culture in Eugene, Oregon predates the Stonewall riots in New York in 1969, but that event coincided with organized efforts in Lane County, Oregon, to support and celebrate LGBT people. Even though Eugene has been rated on lists of cities friendly to LGBT populations, there are very few venues specifically for the LGBT community in the Eugene/Springfield metropolitan area.

LGBT pride festival

Since 1993, committee volunteers have organized the Eugene/Springfield Pride Festival each year in August, rather than in June, "which is Pride Month, but you know that unique Eugene thing: We're different,"[1] according to the town's alternative newspaper. "Plus, we're too busy at the pride celebrations of the city to the north in June. So: We're later, we're smaller, but we're still proud."[1] The Eugene/Springfield Pride Festival is supported by sponsorships and volunteer help.[2]

History highlights
  • 1969 - UO's Gay Peoples Alliance forms
  • 1974 - UO's Pride Week organized
  • 1975 - Lane County hotspots: Mother Kali's
  • 1978 - Ordinance banning discrimination against LGBT repealed in Eugene
  • 1983 - Lane County hotspots: Club Arena
  • 1992 - Springfield anti-gay Ballot Measure 20-08 passes
  • 1994 - Statewide anti-gay Measure 9 fails
  • 1993 - Eugene/Springfield Pride Festival location: Amazon Park, Eugene
  • 1994 - Citizens United Against Discrimination forms in Lane County,
  • 1994 - Statewide Anti-gay Measure 13 fails
  • 1994 through 2000 Eugene/Springfield Pride Festival location: Maurie Jacobs Park, Eugene
  • 2001 though 2013 - Eugene/Springfield Pride Festival location: Alton Baker Park, Eugene
  • 2010 - Gay in the Park location: Washington Jefferson Park, Eugene

Source: EugenePride.org[3]

Recreation and social activities

A dedicated LGBTQ space, "The Wayward Lamb" opened in August 2015.[3] Calling itself "Eugene's Official Queer Pub", the venue also offered a private event space and "unique dedicated queer programming".[4][5] Citing the expectation that it was "a de facto LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) community center as well as a bar", the owner closed the bar in February 2018.[6] The space re-opened as Spectrum in the summer of 2018 as a re-branded queer bar under new management offering a quiet reading room and southern-inspired dining in addition to the usual drag shows, lip-synch battles, and debauchery.[7]

A variety of other LGBTQ social, political, and support groups meet in Eugene:

  • Eugene Interweave is a church-supported group "dedicated to the spiritual, political, and social well being of gay Unitarian Universalists, allies, friends, and community". The group sponsors a potluck and film on the second Friday each month.[8]
  • Imperial Sovereign Court of the Emerald Empire is a non-profit social and community service organization hosting performances and activities to raise funds for local community charities and services.[9]
  • The Broadway Revue Burlesque Show performs every Sunday evening at Luckeys Club Cigar Store, one of the oldest businesses in downtown Eugene.[10]
  • Rain BoWomen meet twice monthly for dinner at restaurants in the Eugene/Springfield area.[11]
  • Soromundi Lesbian Chorus of Eugene ("sisters of the world") is a non-audition choir open to all women, celebrating themselves and community as "a visible expression of lesbian pride".[12]

Additional local resources are listed by the University of Oregon on the UOUT site.[13]

See also

References
  1. "It's time to celebrate the Gay!". Eugene Weekly. August 9, 2007. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  2. "Eugene/Springfield Pride Festival - Home". www.eugenepride.org. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  3. "Eugene/Springfield Pride Committee". Eugene/Springfield Pride Festival. 2014. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  4. Meny, Ellen (August 29, 2015). "The new Wayward Lamb calls itself 'Eugene's Official Queer Pub'". KVAL. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  5. "Eugene's newest queer destination". The Wayward Lamb. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  6. Darling, Dylan (February 1, 2018). "Wayward Lamb bar/LGBTQ event space to close". The Register Guard. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  7. Denis, Matthew (February 11, 2019). "Offering a Spectrum of services". The Register Guard. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  8. "Interweave". Unitarian Universalist Church in Eugene. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  9. "The Imperial Sovereign Court of the Emerald Empire". iscee.org. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  10. "The Broadway Revue Burlesque Show". Luckeys Club and Cigar Store. June 2016. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  11. "Rain BoWomen - Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  12. "soromundi". soromundi. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  13. "University of Oregon - UOut - Community Resources". lgbt.uoregon.edu. Retrieved June 3, 2016.

Sources
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