Bonnie Tinker Remembered

Portland peace and LGBT activist Bonnie Tinker died in a biking accident on Thursday. Bonnie was a life-long activist. She co-founded one of the first battered women's shelters in the country and started and ran Love Makes a Family, an agency for LGBT families, for many, many years. I would say she was a tireless worker for LGBT rights, but the truth is, she looked tired a lot of the time.

She was always there, at the county budget meetings, at the police review board meetings, at the war demonstrations, at gay pride. Her cause was to give a voice to the voiceless.

As sometimes happens with people on the same side of the struggle, we sometimes butted heads. She was a woman with strong opinions. So am I.

I learned a lot from Bonnie. She was a fierce advocate for social justice, working for the most underserved in our movements. She challenged me to examine my beliefs. Always a good thing.

I respected her. And I know she respected me. She will be greatly missed.