TheStandard_Vol11_Issue9.pdf

CONTENTS

VOLUME 11, ISSUE 9

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Volume 11 Issue 9

COVER CINEMA DIVERSE

THE PALM SPRINGS LGBTQ+ FILM FESTIVAL

COVER ON THE RISE

LGBTQ+ FILMMAKERS AND ARTISTS ON THE RISE IN 2023

FEATURE

TRUE STORIES

OUTSTANDING LGBTQ+ DOCUMENTARIES

DAP UPDATE

HEALTH EQUITY WALK

THE DESERT AIDS WALK GETS A NEW NAME

FEATURE

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COMMENTARY

The Standard Magazine

400 N Sunrise Way #263 Palm Springs CA 92262 760.831.4869

NINO EILETS Publisher

LUCIANO McNULTY Editor

MAYA KALABIC Art Director

PHOTOGRAPHER

David A. Lee

CONTRIBUTORS

Ilich Mejia, Martha Tang, Michael C. Green, Roman Furness, John Stein, Alina Jafri, Trevor Garrison, Jeff Dorta, Stacy Holmes, Greg Stillwell, Dann Foley, Jill Langham & Terri Schlichenmeyer www.thestandardps.com

EDITORIAL CREDITS : BrandPoint, Huffington Post, LGBTQ Nation, Project Publicity, MSN, Reuters, NBC News, Artsy, Forbes, Time.com, xtramagazine & ITV

The Standard Magazine is published monthly. Opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinions of the Standard or its staff, advertisers or readers with exception of editorials. Publication of the name or photograph of any person, business or organization in articles or advertising in the Standard is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of such person, business or organization. The Standard disclaims any responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Advertising rates are subject to change without notice. The Standard reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to reject any advertisement for any reason including, but not limited to poor taste. It is the policy of The Standard that we only publish letters to the editor that are signed by the author and verifiable by phone number. We can reserve the right of anonymity upon request. The letters need to be original, in good taste and free of libel as well as edited for clarity and grammar. Letters are subject to editing by The Standard that also reserves the right to decline print. Please forward your letters to: info@thestandardps.com The views expressed is not necessarily those of The Standard. Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. No portion of the publication may be reproduced in any form without the expressed consent of the publisher.

COVER CINEMA DIVERSE IS BACK!

BY MICHAEL C. GREEN

The Sixteenth edition of Cinema Diverse, The Palm Springs LGBTQ+ Film Festival will soon be underway. The schedule is set, and tickets and passes are now on sale. The festival, which includes forty-nine feature films and over 100 short films this year, runs for two long weekends at the Palm Springs Cultural Center: September 21-24 and September 28-October 1. Films will be screening in all three of the Camelot theatres.

Cinema Diverse opens on Thursday, September 21st at 7:30pm with a super special preview of Billy Clift’s new feature, Here We Are. It’s a timely and emotional tale of love, family and prejudice. Here We Are stars Mel England (Electricity) and Wil J. Jackson, and features Sally Kirkland, Christine Elise, Gregory Zarian and Elizabeth Regen.

Following are some of this year’s other feature films, please visit www.cinemadiverse.org for complete list of films and showtimes.

Fireworks (Stranizza D’amuri), a touching and emotionally powerful film from Italy about two teenage boys, Gianni and Nino, who meet and fall in love in the heat of a Sicilian summer in 1982. The relationship soon becomes a topic of gossip in their small town and despite their families’ objections the boys dream of living together - something the community is determined to stop.

The French film, Lie With Me, in which Novelist Stéphane Belcourt returns to his hometown of Cognac for the first time in 35 years to help promote a distillery, even though he doesn’t drink alcohol. After meeting the son of his teen lover, his memory is flooded with thoughts of that first love.

Three Nights A Week, sponsored by the Desert Film Society. Another powerful French film about Baptiste, a photographer in search of his art, who meets and becomes involved with drag performer Cookie Kunty on the streets while volunteering at a publichealth clinic alongside his girlfriend, Samia. His involvement with Cookie leads Baptiste on a profound journey of self-discovery.

COVER

The enlightening documentary, Body Electric, which examines body image in the LGBTQ+ community and body dysmorphia. The film traces the history of queer culture and its fixation on the body and explores steroid use & plastic surgery. It also investigates the impact of the AIDS crisis, while hearing inspiring stories from Leslie Jordan, Judy Gold, Bruce Vilanch, Rajee Narinesingh and others.

Glitter And Doom, a fantastical summer musical romance told with the iconic tunes of Indigo Girls. A musician who wears charisma as camouflage & a carefree kid about to run away with the circus fall in love at first sight. But will 29 days be enough time for them to fall in love forever?

Coming Around, a touching story about a 28-year-old secondgeneration Palestinian-Egyptian Brooklynite who is grappling with the decision to come out to her devout mother. Along the way, she decides to marry her male partner to evade silent disapproval. When that fails, she struggles with various ways to be herself while somehow maintaining the tight bond she has with her mother and sister.

Jess Plus None, a comedy-drama about a reluctant maid-ofhonor who is forced to attend her best friend’s off-the-grid wedding in the woods, where she’s forced to confront her ex-girlfriend, all her more successful college friends, and every bad choice she’s made in her life so far. Sponsored by The Center.

Norwegian Dream

Norwegian with English Subtitles Robert travels from Poland to begin work in a salmon processing plant off the Trøndelag coast in Norway. Isolated and far from home he plans to keep his head down and work hard, seeking financial security for him and his mother. However, his focus shifts when he begins spending time with colleague, and aspiring drag queen, Ivar. Robert’s budding relationship and loyalty to his fellow workers is tested when a strike breaks out and his employer offers him a solution for his financial troubles. Will he choose the security he has sacrificed so much for or a chance at love with Ivar?

The Floating Man

As anti-trans and drag queen rhetoric in a new wave of rightwing gender wars rage across the globe, Michael V. Smith’s intimate documentary unpacks his journey as a radical drag performer and genderqueer. Inspired by Agnès Varda, The Floating Man is a unique blend of DIY documentary, road trip, performance art, and video poem.

The Winner Takes It All

What do you get when you throw an outrageous Drag Queen, her bestie, a smoking hot gigolo and a porn star into a blender? The most hilarious, sexiest, Aussie film since ‘Priscilla’ of course! ‘The Winner Takes It All’ sees drag megastar Maxi Shield embark on a crass crusade of revenge after her best friend finds her super-hot, maybe not so straight (ok, he’s super gay), husband cheating on her. What follows can only be described as the most insane, hysterical and unashamedly steamy saga ever set to celluloid!

Blue ID

Turkish with English Subtitles Rüzgar Erkoçlar received his first testosterone injection on October 4, 2012, marking an important step in his gender affirmation. He never imagined that traditional Turkey would make him front-page news because he was formerly a well-known actor. The entire process, a path paved with frustration, humiliation, and endless waiting, is captured in home.

movie-esque observations and self-assured phone videos. An intimate report of a struggle with self-realization and acceptance in a traditional society, under intense media scrutiny.

Nelly And Nadine

On Christmas Eve, 1944, Belgian prisoner and opera singer Nelly Mousset-Vos is asked to sing Christmas carols in one of the barracks at the Ravensbrück concentration camp. After she meets Nadine Hwang, the pair begin a secret relationship.

Aligned

English, Modern Greek with subtitles . Aligned is an intimate exploration of self-discovery, love, desire and pain. Set against a backdrop of beautiful music, dance and photography. Two male dancers with shared cultural heritage, though worlds apart, find a deep unexpected connection. This intimate tale reveals the beauty that lies within us all and the transformative power of self-love.

The Judgment

English/Egyptian An Egyptian gay couple return from the U.S. to Egypt for a family emergency and must force themselves back into the closet and pretend to be just friends. When they fall prey to witchcraft as punishment for their “homosexual sins,” one of them falls into religious terror and exposes his unhealed past.

Legendary Children: [All of Them Queer]

Legendary Children [All Of Them Queer] follows many of the original Gay Liberation Front pioneers of the 1972 and first European Pride March during events over the summer of Pride 50 when the UK marked its 50th anniversary in spectacular style. The headline cast encompasses some genuinely influential figures in LGBTQIA+ rights activism and its history, there at the very start when Pride took its first steps in Europe. We won’t quite see their like again. (Screens with the short documentary, Stonewall Postal Action Network)

Shoulder Dance (Closing Night Feature)

Best friends Ira and Roger haven’t seen each other in 24 years. When Roger arrives unexpectedly for the weekend, long suppressed desires dangerously resurface. As the boundaries of friendship, love, and sex collide, the strength of Ira’s long-term relationship with Josh is tested as never before in the romantic drama.

These films and more - lots more - tell the stories that are part of Cinema Diverse this year. Stories that help Cinema Diverse continue its mission of sharing films that empower the LGBTQ+ community, advance our efforts to gain equal rights, and introduce us to a world that has heretofore never known us. We believe LGBTQ+ films and LGBTQ+ film festivals are critical to our local community, and to the world community, because they tell stories that remind us of where we came from, who we are, and who we can be.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: The Sixteenth Edition of Cinema Diverse: The Palm Springs, LGBTQ+ Film Festival

WHEN: September 21-24 & September 28-October 1, 2023

WHERE: Palm Springs Cultural Center, 2300 East Baristo Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262

TICKETS AND PASSES: www.CinemaDiverse.org

TAKE 5 WITH MICHAEL C. GREEN WEARER OF MANY HATS

Michael C. Green often describes himself as a wearer of many hats, and in his case that’s an accurate statement. He’s an innkeeper. He and his husband, Stephen Boyd, purchased the Triangle Inn Palm Springs in January of 2000, and they have been running it successfully ever since.

He’s an advocate for valley tourism. He serves as President of the Desert Gay Tourism Guild (DGTG), served as President and Board member of the Palm Springs Hospitality Association, for many years, and served as a member of the Palm Springs Bureau of Tourism’s Planning, Budget and Joint Advisory for as long as it existed. He also helped found and currently chairs the Palm Springs Small Hotel Tourism Business Improvement District Board.

He’s a marketer, public relations and marketing guy. Prior to moving to the desert, Michael had a successful career in advertising and public relations in Atlanta, Georgia.

He’s the Executive Director of the Palm Springs Cultural Center, a local non-profit that cultivates, incubates, supports and/or creates all sorts of cultural programs, including the valley’s Certified Farmers’ Markets, the Historic Camelot Theatre, the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival and more.

He loves LGBTQ+ films and filmmakers. He’s the Executive Director and Lead Programmer for Cinema Diverse: The Palm Springs LGBTQ Film Festival which takes place every September, bringing LGBTQ filmmakers from all over the world to share their films with valley residents.

He’s a long-time advocate for the LGBTQ community. His first volunteer position was as the Public Relations Director of the Atlanta Gay Center in 1979/80 so he’s been at it a long time.

He’s a writer. Michael has written and published articles, stories and poetry in a variety of publications for the last forty years.

Lots of hats. Lots of joy. Lots of Life. Michael wouldn’t have it any other way!

For those who do not know, can you give our readers a little background on Cinema Diverse? When did it start? Who is its founder?

It was founded by the Palm Springs Cultural Center, one of the first two programs that PSCC created in its first year. Thomas Ethan Harris was the artistic director for the festival and worked with O’Bayley & Associates to produce and promote it. Shann Carr was also involved that first year, as was Stephen Boyd (my husband) who created the logo.

What sets Cinema Diverse apart from other film festivals?

Cinema Diverse is a short but comprehensive festival. By that I mean we offer a large number of both features (49) and shorts (150) in just seven days (plus opening night). We screen in three theatres on all days. We offer more content than festivals that are technically much larger and longer in terms of their overall schedule.

Cinema Diverse is just one of many hats you wear, what are some of the other projects you spearhead?

Ha! I have had the pleasure of owning the Triangle Inn Palm Springs with my husband Stephen since January of 2000. I have been very involved in tourism over the years and was instrumental in forming the Tourism Business Improvement District for Palm Springs Small Hotels (49 rooms and under). I have also worked with the Palm Springs Cultural Center since 2009 and am currently the Executive Director for PSCC.

You must be a huge movie buff, what is your favorite genre in film and what actors would you watch regardless of what they are in?

I do love film and I watch lots of them, usually well over 300 a year for Cinema Diverse alone. I am also a huge SciFi fan, and I really like a good musical. Rather than actors, I’d say I will watch SciFi or a musical no matter who is in it!

Where do you see the future of Cinema Diverse going?

Cinema Diverse continues to grow and mature. It’s sixteen this year. I hope it will always bring greater Palm Springs audiences the best and broadest selection of LGBTQ+ cinema from all over the world.

Take 5 with Michael C. Green

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LGBTQ+ FILMMAKERS AND ARTISTS ON THE RISE IN 2023

BY FRANCISCO RIVAS

Twenty twenty-three is shaping up to be a Very Queer Year. Sundance was very gay, between the new Ira Sachs film, and a documentary about the Indigo Girls, and Anne Hathaway in a lesbian drama. The talk of Cannes was Pedro Almodóvar’s queer Western, Strange Way of Life, starring Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke. Summer movie season is shaping up to be very fruity, with R-rated comedies like Bottoms and Joy Ride, romantic comedies like Red, White & Royal Blue, and even an animated movie too, in Netflix’s Nimona. And don’t get us started on Barbie.

Movies by, about and for the community don’t happen on their own — queerness on-screen is still hard-won — and so we have LGBTQ+ writers, directors, producers, and stars, many of whom wear multiple hats by necessity, to thank for contributing to and continuing to shape the state of queer cinema.

BEN ALDRIDGE / ACTOR

Until recently, Ben Aldridge might have been best known as “Arsehole Guy” from Fleabag. Although the English actor has been working for more than a decade, his breakthrough arrived with the back-to-back releases of Spoiler Alert and Knock at the Cabin. In the former, an adaption of Michael Ausiello’s memoir Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies, Aldridge plays the love interest, Kit, who is diagnosed with terminal cancer. In the latter, a horror flick from M. Night Shyamalan, he and Jonathan Groff play husbands terrorized by religious zealots. Both roles came to Aldridge shortly after coming out as gay in 2020. “The journey to pride was a long one for me,” he said at the time. “I love the LGBTQ+ community and am incredibly proud and thankful to be a part of it.”

LILY GLADSTONE / ACTOR

Queer cinephiles — and fans of independent cinema in general — know Lily Gladstone as the lovelorn rancher smitten by Kristen Stewart’s character in 2016’s Certain Woman. This year has given the actor, who is of Blackfeet and Nimíipuu heritage and uses she/ they pronouns, plenty more opportunities to be recognized: In Fancy Dance, the Sundance standout from queer Indigenous filmmaker Erica Tremblay, Gladstone plays a Native American woman who kidnaps her niece from her white grandparents; and in Killers of the Flower Moon, the latest drama from Martin Scorsese, they star alongside Oscar winners Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, playing Mollie Burkhart, an Osage woman at the center of the film. When the film debuted at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Gladstone, especially, earned rave reviews.

OLIVER HERMANUS / DIRECTOR, WRITER

South African filmmaker Oliver Hermanus won the Queer Palme for 2011’s Cannes-premiering Beauty, while 2019’s Moffie, about a young man hiding his sexuality while serving in the South African military, further proclaimed him as a queer auteur to watch. Then came Living, his remake of the Akira Kurosawa 1952 classic Ikiru, which earned Oscar nominations for star Bill Nighy (Best Actor in a Leading Role) and for Kazuo Ishiguro’s adapted screenplay. “All my films are portraits of individuals in particular situations, whether facing internal crises or grand themes like mortality,” Hermanus tells A.frame. “I take interest in making films that allow the audience to step into someone else’s shoes and journey with them, prompting questions about what it means to be a human being.” His next film will be the queer romance The History of Sound, starring Josh O’Connor and Paul Mescal.

D. SMITH / DIRECTOR, EDITOR, CINEMATOGRAPHER, PRODUCER

A Grammy Award-winning music producer and one-time reality TV star, D. Smith makes her directorial debut with Kokomo City, an unflinching look at the lives of four trans women — Daniella Carter, Liyah Mitchell, Dominique Silver and the late Koko Da Doll — as they navigate their identities as Black women, as trans women, and as sex workers. Smith didn’t just direct the documentary; she produced it, shot it herself, and edited it. (Lena Waithe executive produced.) At Sundance, Kokomo City won both the NEXT Innovator Award and NEXT Audience Award. “In real life, trans women are funny. And we’re sad, and we’re sexy, and we have body parts that are our body parts. It’s time to embrace that,” Smith said upon winning. “Enough with the fortresses that are built around us, keeping us from fully joining society.”

SHERRY COLA, STEPHANIE HSU, SABRINA WU AND ASHLEY PARK. THE CAST OF ‘JOY RIDE’ / ACTORS

Stephanie Hsu (who landed on our Pride Guide last year) certainly was on the rise — towards her first Oscar nomination (Best Actress in a Supporting Role), for her performance in Best Picture winner Everything Everywhere All at Once. She returns to the big screen in a film that is likewise Asian-led, Asian-made, and the must-see movie of the summer: Joy Ride, an R-rated comedy about four friends causing chaos during a trip to China. Alongside Hsu, Joy Ride introduces nonbinary standup comic Sabrina Wu, in their film debut, and bisexual actress and comedian Sherry Cola (who also stars in Randall Park’s directorial debut, Shortcomings). Ashley Park, a Grammy and Tony Award nominee and beloved ally, rounds out the quartet.

MATTHEW LÓPEZ / DIRECTOR, WRITER

Matthew López began his career Off-Broadway, before The Inheritance — a reimagining of Howards End set amidst the AIDS crisis — took him to the West End and then Broadway. In 2020, he became the first Latine playwright to win the Tony Award for Best Play. (He received another Tony nomination for his musical adaptation of Some Like It Hot.) López makes his film debut directing Red, White & Royal Blue, a rom-com about an affair between the president’s son and a British prince. “I never imagined I’d read a book with a queer Latine character at the center,” he told Glamour of Casey McQuiston’s novel, which he adapted. “I think having this book in my life when I was younger might have made it a little easier.”

TRACE LYSETTE / ACTOR, PRODUCER

Being cast in Transparent forever changed Trace Lysette’s life. The groundbreaking series provided the actress with her breakthrough role, sure — which led to parts in movies like Hustlers and Venus as a Boy (not to mention a Cher music video) — but it was also her public coming out party. Just short of a decade later, she made history as the first trans actress to lead a movie in competition at the Venice Film Festival. Just as remarkable is her performance in Monica, a new sort of breakthrough announcing the arrival of a true leading lady. “I am open to whatever,” Lysette tells A.frame of what comes next. “I welcome all of it! That’s the most beautiful thing about being an actor, is that no two jobs are really the same, and you just get to keep evolving.”

HARI NEF / ACTOR

The B in LGBTQ+ could stand for Barbie this summer, as the Greta Gerwig fantasy comedy is shaping up to be one of the gayest movies of the year. The cast of Barbies and Kens includes Kate McKinnon and Alexandra Shipp, Scott Evans and Ncuti Gatwa, and Hari Nef — the latter of whom is experiencing quite the moment. The history-making trans model-turned-in-demand-actress plays Doctor Barbie. “I had big feelings about wanting to join this film,” she shared on social media. “Identity politics and cinema aren’t my favorite combination, but the name BARBIE looms large over every American woman. Barbie’s the standard; she’s The Girl; she’s certainly THE doll.” In addition to Barbie, Nef stars in Bad Things, director Stewart Thorndike’s queer twist on The Shining, and will next portray Candy Darling in a biopic about the trans icon and Andy Warhol muse.

EMMA SELIGMAN / DIRECTOR, WRITER, PRODUCER

ROGER ROSS WILLIAMS / DIRECTOR, WRITER, PRODUCER

In 2010, Roger Ross Williams made history as the first Black director to win an Oscar, for his short documentary Music by Prudence. Over the ensuing decade, the New York-based filmmaker has helmed feature-length documentaries, including 2016’s Oscarnominated Life, Animated, 2019’s The Apollo, and this year’s Love to Love You, Donna Summer. At age 60, Williams is making his narrative film debut with Cassandro, which tells the true story of Saúl Armendáriz (played by Gael García Bernal), a gay wrestler who achieves international stardom as the Liberace of Lucha Libre. “My own life experience as a gay, Black man has made me realize the importance of telling stories we don’t usually hear,” Williams says of the movie, which he also co-wrote. Cassandro premiered during the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and will be released this fall.

Writer and director Emma Seligman is bisexual, Jewish and gets it: All of which was made clear in their film debut, Shiva Baby, about a college student (the iconic Rachel Sennott) trapped at a funeral with her sugar daddy and ex-girlfriend. On that film, Seligman previously told A.frame, they focused on “getting over imposter syndrome, putting on your director pants, and being like, ‘I’ve got this’ — and not letting my Canadian-ness or my womanhood tell me I’m not good enough.” Their follow-up, Bottoms, which they wrote with Sennott, is even more audacious: Sennott and Ayo Edebiri (herself a queer rising star) play high schoolers who start a fight club in order to hook up with cheerleaders. Thanks

ALWAYS OVERBOOKED

BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

The last stool on the left, over by the neon beer sign, is yours.

That’s your spot, the place where you can see almost the entire place. You hold court there, have a few drinks there, and you meet new friends. On that stool, you’re among your people but enjoy it while you can: in “Moby Dyke” by Krista Burton, watch how your seat is in a dwindling place.

A few years ago, toward the end of the pandemic, masking, and lockdowns, Krista Burton was asked what she missed most. Her answer was a surprise: she longed to be in a crowded “dyke bar,” shoulder-to-shoulder with people like her.

Dyke bars. Wouldn’t that make a great subject for a book?

Burton found an agent but then she found bad news: supposedly, there were just twenty lesbian bars left in the entire country!

Not wanting to miss anymore opportunity, and with book contract in-hand, Burton began planning road trips. It was, she said, “the gayest possible dream project...”

She began in San Francisco at “the oldest... lesbian-founded, owned, and continuously operated bar” there. From her home in Minnesota, she flew to New York City to visit two lesbian bars. A visit to a San Diego bar was wrapped up with a friend’s wedding.

Burton’s husband, a trans man, loved the football atmosphere in a Milwaukee lesbian bar. She caught a drag show in Indiana. Columbus, Ohio was “extremely queer-friendly.” She endured karaoke in Nashville, and she visited a cannabis dispensary while in Denver. Seattle was a place of nostalgia. She was mistaken for straight in Houston, was impressed by a real Dallas club, almost missed visiting a Mobile bar, wanted to quit when she was in Atlanta (but didn’t), then went to Phoenix and Richmond, imagined herself as a “senator’s gay wife” in Washington D.C., and she wrapped her tour up in Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

Once, Burton says, LGBTQ people were persecuted and arrested for dancing, drinking, and for being themselves in a public place.

“We could all go anywhere now.”

Just twenty lesbian bars? You’re giving that “Whaaaat?” squint, aren’t you?

It’s okay, author-blogger Krista Burton addresses that number at the end of “Moby Dyke” by writing with delight that since lockdowns are over, lesbian bars have rebounded.

She doesn’t address the bars she missed in the first place...

And yet, you’ll get the picture with the twenty she includes – in part, because, as she admits and as many bartenders and owners told her, lesbian bars aren’t just for lesbians anymore. To call a drinking establishment a “lesbian bar” ignores the diverse crowds, drag shows, quiet activism, and the inclusion that’s now offered alongside the fun Burton craved.

Don’t think this book is all about barhopping, either. It’s funny, with observations that are so sharp, they’ll cut you, and it’s part memoir. That’ll hurt your heart.

Yes, there are omissions in this book but what’s here overshadows what’s missing. If you want a fun, funny memoir-in-a-bar, grab “Moby Dyke” and pull up a stool.

“Moby Dyke: An Obsessive Quest to Track Down the Last Remaining Lesbian Bars in America” by Krista Burton c.2023, Simon & Schuster $28.99 / 320 pages.

OUTSTANDING LGBTQ+ DOCUMENTARIES

BY ROMAN FURNESS

Documentary films are a great way to learn about LGBTQ+ history -- and be entertained at the same time. We’ve assembled 32 films to recommend, from 1977’s Word Is Out to 2021’s Pieces of Us. They cover subjects including marriage equality, hate crimes, transgender rights, groundbreaking politicians, and how Hollywood has portrayed us. Check your preferred streaming service or DVD source for these films, many of them award-winning, The stories we consume have the power to shape how we see other people, as well as the world around us – and this has never been more true than in the turbulent times we currently find ourselves living in. Representation is key, which is why it’s so important to watch and celebrate the seminal queer movies and documentaries that really reflect the experiences of gay and trans communities. In honour of Pride Month, we’ve rounded up the best LGBTQ films to

inspire, entertain and uplift. Check out over three decades of queer and trans real life stories! The list is, of course, far from exhaustive. So please feel free to shout out your favorites in the comments, even if they’re hard to find!

Representation of the LGBTQIA+ community in media has made some strides over the past few years, but it’s still not perfect. Whether it’s Pride Month and you want to learn more or if you want to become a better ally, it’s worth learning what has been done and how we’ve gotten to where we are today. The documentaries are available on various streaming platforms, and you can use a streaming device to watch them with friends. We collected some excellent documentaries that showcase both the struggles and successes of the LGBTQ community.

CIRCUS OF BOOKS

Circus of Books is an undeniably affectionate and absorbing documentary from filmmaker, Rachel Mason, who looks back at her devout Jewish parents’ lives – Karen, a former journalist, and Barry, a former special visual effects engineer – who ran the infamous Los Angeles adult bookstore in the early 1980s after getting into financial trouble. When they took over the gay book and adult film store, it stocked titles such as Confessions of a Two Dick Slut and Don’t Drop the Soap, which it continued to do, however, under their management the Sunset Boulvard shop thrived, and became a famed LGBTQ+ meeting spot in the area.

https://youtu.be/Cxksd8ytFJg?si=P-bQwi7BQhhiHaLr

DISCLOSURE

An eye-opening documentary, first shown at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and currently streaming on Netflix to critical acclaim, that deep dives into the history of transgender representation on the big and small screen, from the early black-and-white silent movies through to modern day cinematic offerings. Director Sam Feder has pulled together leading trans creatives and thinkers for the film – including its executive producer Laverne Cox, Lilly Wachowski, Yance Ford, Mj Rodriguez, Jamie Clayton and Chaz Bono – all of whom share their heartfelt perspectives and analysis of Hollywood’s impact on the trans community and how decades-old stereotypes in the media have shaped the cultural narrative about transgender people.

https://youtu.be/ysbX6JUlaEc?si=hUxDQPqjp9YfPBvl

Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts

“RuPaul always says he’s an introvert dressed up like an extrovert, and I always feel like that too,” confesses Brian Firkus in the documentary, Trixie Mattel: Moving Parts. Firkus is more widely known as their drag alter ego, Trixie Mattel – the singer, performer, podcaster, and champion of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season three. Loved for her undeniably quick wit, Dolly Partonesque country charm, and larger-than-life cartoonish make-up, this documentary goes behind the scenes and follows Trixie on her tour with the new album, along with her win on Drag Race, and the filming of her YouTube series turned TV show, hosted with fellow drag queen Katya Zamolodchikova. Although it certainly celebrates the heyday of drag, it doesn’t shy away

from discussing heavier subject matter: Moving Parts also meditates on the topics of addiction, finances, and the human condition.

https://youtu.be/g9rUUsnWIDo?si=tZEoGeSg3pIKBZTD

FEATURE

PARIS IS BURNING

Jennie Livingstone’s landmark documentary – which won the grand jury prize at the Sundance film festival in 1991 – explores New York City’s drag-ball subculture in the Eighties, a vibrant portrayal of African American, Hispanic, gay and transgender communities as they engaged in the elaborately-structured competitions based around style, dance (this is where “voguing” originated) and sass. The film alternates between flamboyant ballroom settings and interviews with prominent members of the scene, notably Willi Ninja, Pepper LaBeija, Dorian Corey and Venus Xtravaganza, all of whom give a searing insight into the lives and struggles of its subjects in a world rampant with racism, homophobia, transphobia, AIDS and poverty.

https://youtu.be/9SqvD1-0odY?si=89yRtjuRY9KNrHIm

A SECRET LOVE

A 60-year-long relationship sits at the centre of this moving Netflix documentary about forbidden love. After hiding their homosexuality for decades by pretending to simply be ‘good friends’, octogenarians Terry Donahue and Pat Henschel come out to their families and decided to get married. Terry was 22 years old and working as a professional basketball player when she met 18-year-old Pat, the woman who would be the love of her life –a story this documentary unpicks, exploring the fear and shame experienced by so many members of the older gay community, as well as the love that ultimately wins out.

https://youtu.be/ghv3-lpFOcc?si=4LVozm-AeVnev38m

BEFORE STONEWALL

An Emmy award winner for good reason, this documentary charts the gay and lesbian community in the decades leading up to the seminal Stonewall riots of 1969. The film – which was re-released last year to mark the 50th anniversary of Stonewall – by Greta Schiller and narrated by writer and activist Rita Mae Brown looks at homosexuality in America, from 1920s Harlem through the Second World War to the McCarthy era, and the violation of human rights during these periods through police tactics, witch hunts, censorship and ‘cleansing’ operations. A combination of archival footage and powerful interviews, including with poet and writer Allen Ginsberg, gives an impactful insight into an often disturbing closeted history.

https://youtu.be/atrlRznk4Z4?si=kizPIFAbRaBb4iQo

October 19-22

Our October Festival features more than 50 events

Tickets and Information modernismweek.com

Choose from Six Unique Bus Tours

Daily Tours October 19-22 | Various Times

Premier Double Decker Architectural Bus Tour

Legendary Palm Springs Commercial Architecture Bus Tour

The Homes That Define Palm Springs Bus Tour

Charles Phoenix Super Duper Double Decker Bus Tour

Twilight Bus Tour

Bella da Ball’s Celebrity Homes Bus Tour

Albert Frey’s 1931 Aluminaire House and Its Influence on American Modernism

by Leo Marmol

October 21 | 1–2 p.m. | Palm Springs Convention Center

In anticipation of the Palm Springs Art Museum’s permanent installation of the Aluminaire House, architect Leo Marmol will explore the impact this structure had on American Modernism design.

Modernism Show Preview Party

October 20 | 6–8 p.m. | Convention Center

Lizzy & The Triggerman

October 21 | 7:30–9:30 p.m. | Annenberg Theater

Interested

Palm Springs Art Museum

FEATURE

THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK

A true twentieth-century trailblazer, Harvey Milk was an outspoken human rights activist and one of the first openly gay U.S. politicians elected to public office; even after his assassination in 1978, he continues to inspire disenfranchised people around the world. The Oscar-winning The Times of Harvey Milk, directed by Robert Epstein and produced by Richard Schmiechen, was as groundbreaking as its subject. One of the first feature documentaries to address gay life in America, it’s a work of advocacy itself, bringing Milk’s message of hope and equality to a wider audience. This exhilarating trove of original documentary material and archival footage is as much a vivid portrait of a time and place (San Francisco’s historic Castro District in the seventies) as a testament to the legacy of a political visionary.

https://youtu.be/qjpKuP9LEDU?si=oR9rsf9HdAhijXZ0

THE SONS OF TENNESSEE WILLIAMS

Tennessee Williams (best known for A Streetcar Named Desire) is one of the most influential American playwrights of the 20th century. He was also gay, an open secret to everyone around him, and he even wrote a play about drag queens that was never published while he was alive. As a foundational gay entertainment icon, he is an inspiration for gay performing artists, as evidenced by the film The Sons of Tennessee Williams. The film has nothing to do with his work, but the legacy Williams leaves behind is on full display. The film follows five decades of gay carnival balls in New Orleans. It shows how gay participants endured discrimination and police prejudice to celebrate Mardi Gras the way they wanted.

https://youtu.be/WTkT7duuDVo?si=UnC6upo3-JWd4-7u

MATT SHEPARD IS A FRIEND OF MINE

Matt Shepard, a 21-year-old gay man, was murdered while at school in Wyoming in 1998. His murder drew national attention and shone a light on the hostility LGBT people faced every day. Matt Shepard Is A Friend of Mine takes a behind-the-scenes look at Matt's life as friends and family reflect on him. It's an intimate, tragic, and hard-hitting look at the pain bigotry and intolerance can inflict. It's worth a view since the documentary won a slew of awards when it came out in 2014.

https://youtu.be/Nox3PncPYCE?si=uiTu--of-23fGBVN

HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE

How to Survive a Plague, from director David France, follows activist groups ACT UP (The AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) and TAG (Treatment Action Group) as they seek aid for afflicted gay people during the AIDS epidemic. The film covers the early years of the AIDS crisis through the mid-90s. It highlights how ineffectual and apathetic the United States government was in treating something they thought only affected gay people. The activism of ACT UP and TAG improved conditions, but the lack of regard for human life is discouraging.

The film is all the harder to watch as the world continues to emerge from another pandemic, but it's an important piece to understanding the broader issues the LGBTQ community has faced over the years. How to Survive a Plague was nominated for an Oscar and won several awards upon its release.

https://youtu.be/haEPLCA_H2Y?si=TlM-fQkOnKBVUla3

THE DEATH AND LIFE OF MARSHA P. JOHNSON

David France's 2017 film follows activist Victoria Cruz as she investigates the mystery surrounding the 1992 death of Johnson, a legendary figure in the LGBTQ+ rights movement and a veteran of Stonewall. The documentary was acclaimed, but activist Reina Gossett accused France of capitalizing on her research to make it -- something France denied.

https://youtu.be/pADsuuPd79E?si=PLLmRY85QAgfFvhC

SCOTTY AND THE SECRET HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD

Matt Tyrnauer's 2018 documentary profiles Scotty Bowers, who claims to have arranged sexual assignations for many of the stars of classic Hollywood. Bowers says he fixed Katharine Hepburn up with 150 women and that her supposed love affair with Spencer Tracy was a cover for the gay tendencies of both. He also talks about arranging a tryst between Cary Grant and Rock Hudson and his own liaisons with both men and women.

https://youtu.be/1qn6HxTJp0k?si=MszXRUhlJwGa1b6o

HOLLYWOOD AND THE HOME HOW MOVIES INSPIRE THE WAY WE LIVE

BY DANN FOLEY

I doubt that it will be a revelation for me to say, the Hollywood can have a terrific influence on the way we live and see ourselves through our homes. It is, after-all the job of set designers, production designers and location scouts to help tell the story through the way the characters live. In fact, I will go so far as to say, that the background and sets are as important as the actors and dialogue. They work in unison to further the story through the visual representation of the lives depicted on film.

When it comes to my own work and my avenues of inspiration, I am fully aware of how Hollywood set design has influenced my own sense of style and design. For me though, I am very specific about a certain period of Hollywood set design. There is not greater arbiter of classic interior design than, what is known as, the Golden Age of Hollywood. Technically, the Golden Age of film began during the depression era of the late 1920s through the 1960s. The achievements mostly written about during that 40-year span is mostly in regard to the advancements in picture quality, sound and technique. But one must consider how those technical advances also advance the overall look and feel, as well as the authenticity of the sets.

I have spent a great many year’s studying classic films of the golden age and have come to the personal conclusions that there is not a greater set designer of the period than Edwin B. Willis. His work was nominated an astonishing 32 times and he won 8 Oscars. An incredible feat for anyone in the industry. What is funny is that, you probably have never heard of him. But if you love classic films, then I can assure you, you know his work. From Oscar winning films such as the Pride and Prejudice, to Mrs. Miniver to The Bad and The Beautiful. He created the living breathing backgrounds that made those characters more real, more life-like. That is what the most successful interiors do, they use those things of substance that we surround ourselves with as a narrative.

Mr. Willis spent his entire career working at MGM, the biggest of the glamour studios in the period. They were known for having, “More stars than the in the heavens above.” Those stars made some of the biggest films of the era and Edwin B. Willis was there creating living, breathing interiors for those characters. I like to say that if the script and costumes create the story, then the sets bring it all to life.

Like in the movies, our surroundings say a great many things about who we are. How we live tells our story. As I have said many times in these pages, living well it is not about how big your home is or how grand its style, it is the life we bring to our spaces that helps to define who we are.

Think about how many movies you have seen in your lifetime and which of those films has “stuck with you”. Beyond the story, do you know why you have remembered them for so long. Maybe it was the stars or the costumes or the homes and spaces depicted in them that left you feeling something…more. I have heard countless times from clients how they wanted a room or home just the like one that movie…you fill in the blank. We are influenced by those things around us that draw our attention. Movies are the perfect vehicle to help bring your own desires to life.

In the case of Edwin B. Willis, he designed spaces from the mosthumble of cabins, and the grandest of palaces. Every interior had to feel authentic. How is that approach any different than designing and decorating your own home? Authenticity may be an overused word in the age of social media but, if you focus the idea of being authentic as an inward directed act of personal understanding, you can create the home of your dreams. When you make decisions based on your true story, select those things that spark emotions and memories, then you will always have a home that is truly authentic to who you are today. The story may be ever changing and evolving, as nature intends but, your home can help reflect your life and your

growth. That is a home that says to others, “Oh yeah, this is so you!”.

A life is meant to be explored and experienced and a home is meant to be enjoyed and shared. Without trying to sound too philosophical, I hope that you will realize that your choices are not random, nor are they based on how much money you spend. Those things that you choose to live with should feel like old friends…or new friends. Either way, tell the world you let in who you are. Show them what a life well lived can look like.

Live Well!

Designer Dann WWW.foleystinnette.com

Dann@FoleyStinnette.com

Designer Dann: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest & Houzz

BATHROOM EDWIN B. WILLIS

EDWIN B. WILLIS

BATHROOM FOLEY & STINNETTE

ROOM BY FOLEY & STINNETTE

Healthy Living!

COMMUNITY EDUCATION

SEPTEMBER

Health Insights Blog

Eisenhower Health’s blog featuring articles, videos and podcasts on various health care topics. Visit Insights.EisenhowerHealth.org to learn more.

Living Well Podcast

Living Well is a health and wellness-focused podcast featuring physicians and other health care professionals discussing their area of expertise. Recent topics include transcranial magnetic stimulation, the benefits of cryoablation, clinical trials leading to new treatments, treatments for heart failure, early heart attack care, and allergy and immunology treatments. Living Well podcasts can be found at EisenhowerHealth.org/Podcast or on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Stitcher and TuneIn apps.

Provider Referral

Need assistance finding a doctor or other provider? Call 760-568-1234.

Quit Smoking Now!

Five-week group-based smoking cessation program, $100 participation fee.

To register online, visit EisenhowerHealth.org/Calendar or call 760-834-3798

Bariatric Surgery Information

SA, Sept 9, 10 a.m. to noon

Bobby Bhasker-Rao, MD

Board Certified in General Surgery

To register online, visit EisenhowerHealth.org/Calendar or call 760-834-3796

To join online, visit GoToMeeting.com/Join/262589909

To join by phone, call 872-240-3212 and enter meeting ID 262 589 909

Navigating Prostate Cancer: Insights Into Advanced Treatment Options

Selby Dunham Community Lecture Series

TH, Sept 14, noon to 1 p.m.

Delshad Ahmad, MD

Board Certified in Hematology/Oncology and Internal Medicine

To register online, visit EisenhowerHealth.org/Calendar or call 760-834-3798.

Shining a Light on Prostate Cancer: Exploring Radiation Treatments and Innovations

Selby Dunham Community Lecture Series

M, Sept 18, noon to 1 p.m.

Kamal Patel, MD

Board Certified in Radiation Oncology

To register online, visit EisenhowerHealth.org/Calendar or call 760-834-3798.

Bariatric Surgery Information

TU, Sept 19, 8 to 9:30 a.m.

Jorge A. Almodovar, MD

Board Certified in General Surgery

To register online, visit EisenhowerHealth.org/Calendar or call 760-834-3796

Cancer Survivorship –A Roadmap for Recovery After Treatment: Emotional Health and Well-Being

Selby Dunham Community Lecture Series

Atalia Steele, MSW

TU, Sept 19, 12:15 to 1:15 p.m.

To register online, visit EisenhowerHealth.org/Calendar or call 760-834-3798

Blood Drive

W, Sept 20, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

To register online, visit EisenhowerHealth.org/Calendar or call 800-879-4484.

A Healthier Life is in Your Hands

Bariatric Surgery Information

W, Sept 20, 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Bobby Bhasker-Rao, MD

Board Certified in General Surgery

To register online, visit EisenhowerHealth.org/Calendar or call 760-834-3796.

To join online, visit GoToMeeting.com/Join/262589909

To join by phone, call 872-240-3212 and enter meeting ID 262 589 909

Advances in Prostate Cancer: Detecting Early Signs and Symptoms, PSA Testing, Imaging, and Robotic Prostatectomy

Selby Dunham Community Lecture Series

TU, Sept 26, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. James Hendricks, MD Board Certified in Urology

To register online, visit EisenhowerHealth.org/Calendar or call 760-834-3798.

SUPPORT GROUPS

For information or registration, call the number listed, or visit EisenhowerHealth.org/SupportGroups

Adults Molested as Children

Every TH, 4 to 5 p.m.

To register, call 760-340-2336.

Bariatric Surgery

Second M of month, 6:30 to 8 p.m.

To register, call 760-834-3796.

Bereavement

Every W, 3 to 4:30 p.m.

To register online, visit EisenhowerHealth.org/SupportGroups or call 760-674-3618

Breast Cancer Information

Every W, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

To register online, visit EisenhowerHealth.org/SupportGroups or call 760-834-3798

Breast/Chestfeeding

Every TU, 10 a.m. to noon

To register online, visit EisenhowerHealth.org/SupportGroups or call 760-773-2096.

Grupo de Apoyo Contra el Cáncer en Español

El primer y tercer miércoles del mes de 1 a 2 p.m. Llame a 760-773-1426 para confirmar asistencia o para más información.

Mended Hearts

Second TH of month

6 to 8 p.m., Oct to Jun

To register, call 760-770-8390

Multiple Myeloma and Blood Cancer

First and third TH of month, 3 to 4 p.m.

To register online, visit EisenhowerHealth.org/SupportGroups or call 760-834-3798.

To join online, visit Zoom.us/j/99146440280 and enter passcode 874433

To join by phone, call 669-900-6833 and enter meeting ID 991 4644 0280 and enter passcode 874433

Prostate Cancer Information

First and third M of month, 4 to 5 p.m. To register online, visit EisenhowerHealth.org/SupportGroups or call 760-834-3798.

Type 1 Diabetes: Tools, Tricks and Technologies

Third TU of month

3 to 4:30 p.m., Oct to Jun

To register, call 760-773-1403

Annenberg Health Sciences Building

Eisenhower Family Birth Center

Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center

Eisenhower Lucy Curci Cancer Center

Eisenhower George and Julia Argyros Health Center, La Quinta

Probst Building

Refreshments or meal available

Virtual option

Phone option

Live Healthy!

EISENHOWER LECTURES AND ACTIVITIES

SEPTEMBER IS PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS MONTH Selby Dunham Community Lecture Series

Navigating Prostate Cancer: Insights Into Advanced Treatment Options

Thursday, September 14, noon to 1 p.m.

Join Delshad Ahmad, MD, Board Certified in Hematology/Oncology and Internal Medicine, for an informative and empowering community lecture on treatments for advanced prostate cancer. This presentation is designed to provide patients, caregivers and community members with comprehensive knowledge and support by covering topics such as targeted therapies, immunotherapy, precision medicine, and emerging research breakthroughs. Lunch provided.

Shining a Light on Prostate Cancer: Exploring Radiation Treatments and Innovations

Monday, September 18, noon to 1 p.m.

Focusing on various radiation treatment modalities, such as external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), this presentation by Kamal Patel, MD, Board Certified in Radiation Oncology, will provide an overview of how radiation therapy targets and destroys cancer cells while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. This lecture will also shed light on the importance of multidisciplinary approaches to prostate cancer care, emphasizing the collaboration between radiation oncologists, urologists and other health care professionals. Lunch provided.

Advances in Prostate Cancer: Detecting Early Signs and Symptoms, PSA Testing, Imaging, and Robotic Prostatectomy

Tuesday, September 26, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Join James Hendricks, MD, Board Certified in Urology, for this engaging session covering a range of important topics including: identifying early signs and symptoms of prostate cancer, the role of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, the benefits of advanced imaging techniques, and the cutting-edge approach of robotic prostatectomy for early stage prostate cancer. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about these crucial aspects of prostate cancer care and gain valuable insights into improving outcomes for yourself or your loved ones. Dinner provided.

All lectures held in person at the Annenberg Health Sciences Building. To learn more or to register, scan the QR code, visit EisenhowerHealth.org/Calendar, or call 760-834-3798.

39000 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage, California

DAP HEALTH ANNOUNCES DATE FOR ITS 2023 HEALTH EQUITY WALK

The popular event, formerly known as the Desert AIDS Walk, kicks off at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 28 at Ruth Hardy Park in Palm Springs.

Consistent with DAP Health’s almost 40-year history of protecting and expanding access to health care, the organization has renamed its perennially popular Desert AIDS Walk the DAP Health Equity Walk as an affirmation of its mission to remove all barriers to care.

Presented by Desert Care Network, the event will take place throughout Palm Springs — kicking off from Ruth Hardy Park at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 28 — and will feature a Health & Wellness Village sponsored by Walgreens. Gilead is a major sponsor.

The pet- and kid-friendly affair is an opportunity for all residents across the Coachella Valley to walk out loud so that every member of the community — regardless of who or where they are — can achieve optimal health in a more just system.

“When we were founded as Desert AIDS Project almost 40 years ago, there were no HIV medications, advocacy was in its infancy, and the prognosis for those sickened by the disease was inevitably grim,” says DAP Health CEO David Brinkman. “Four decades later, our work to end HIV continues through prevention and education, but our measurable successes have enabled us to also create a unique patient-centered model of care we can replicate in other marginalized communities, removing barriers for those who need it most. Honoring

our past to create health equity is part of our history and how we plan to continue making history for decades to come.”

With the recent acquisition of the Borrego Health system, a total of more than 100,000 patients of all populations, genders, and ages — from newborns to seniors — at a total of 25 Southern California clinics located within 240 rural and urban zip codes from the Salton Sea to San Diego now fall under DAP Health’s protective umbrella of care.

“Because DAP Health now works on behalf of such a large swath of individuals, it makes sense to broaden our walk’s mission to reflect the totality of our patient population,” continues Brinkman. “While compassionate, state-of-the-art HIV care and prevention is in our organization’s DNA, and will forever be at the heart of our work, the truth is that today, our lifesaving efforts are carried out on behalf of everyone in disciplines that include primary care, OBGYN, pediatrics, gender affirmation, mental health, harm reduction, and recovery, to name but seven. The walk, one of our biggest annual fundraisers, is now representative of the incredible diversity of services we offer.”

Participants and supporters of the 2023 DAP Health Equity Walk are being asked to do the following:

Walk Out Loud to End HIV. HIV/AIDS care, testing, and prevention have always been at the heart of DAP Health’s mission, and that simple fact will never change. The organization’s clinical

expertise has been hard-won from its vast experience, and is what has enabled it to expand as it has.

Walk Out Loud For LGBTQ+ Care. Every stripe of the rainbow, including those seeking gender-affirming care, have continually found a safe haven here, free of shame and stigma.

Walk Out Loud For Women’s Health. The recent acquisition of the Borrego Health system has brought a multitude of clinics that serve women (and their children) into the DAP Health fold. The nonprofit is very proud to now boast robust OB-GYN and pediatric services, among many others.

Walk Out Loud to End Epidemics. This has forever been DAP Health’s superpower, with the organization swiftly and successfully addressing a number of community health crises. For instance, its on-campus COVID-19 clinic was the first to open in the Coachella Valley, and the agency successfully lobbied the powers that be for the community’s fair share of the much-needed mpox vaccine.

Walk Out Loud For Mental Health. Thanks to the 2022 opening of the Marc Byrd Behavioral Health Clinic — which offers in-person and telehealth individual psychotherapy, as well as medication management — this long-held DAP Health dream is now a reality.

Walk Out Loud to Care For Everyone. Health equity means all people have the same access to health care, no matter what social determinants of health negatively impact them. At DAP Health, everyone is welcome, with no one ever turned away due to their lack of health insurance.

Of note, the Ryan White Western Regions Provider Meeting — which brings together nearly 50 peers who specialize in HIV care, and who receive Ryan White Part C and Part D funding — will take place October 26 and 27 in Palm Springs. At the event, these likeminded colleagues, from Denver to Hawaii, will share best practices to improve the quality of care and services they provide to their patients.

daphealth.org/healthequitywalk

760.322.2268

PSP FOCUS THE PURPLE ROOM CELEBRATES ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY

Palm Springs’ iconic supper club, Michael Holmes’ Purple Room is thrilled to announce the opening of its tenth season since the grand reopening in 2013. This landmark year brings an extraordinary lineup of talent and an exhilarating blend of nostalgia, celebrating the rich history of this cherished venue.

“We are very excited to announce that kicking off the season Labor Day Weekend, Debby Boone will be performing with her band in her first performance at Purple Room! What makes this particularly exciting is Miss Boone primarily plays major concert venues. This is a wonderful opportunity to see this brilliant performer in our intimate club,” said owner and performer Michael Holmes known for his Sunday evening star turns in The Judy Show! “September will also see the brilliant Verve recording artist, Brenna Whitaker, Debby Holiday and her tribute to Tina Turner, Jonathan Karrant with his new CD release, Tony Nominated Sharon McNight, and Meghan Murphy’s premier with The Big Red Show, a true must see.”

The club famously known as the birthplace of The Rat Pack, consisting of legendary entertainers Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr., among others, continues to be a beacon for live entertainment in Palm Springs. The Purple Room, originally opened in 1960, has always stood as a testament to the heyday of classic Palm Springs style and swagger.

“October brings the ‘by popular demand’ return of the incomparable Lorna Luft with her retrospective show, 70, Girl, 70.

Then imagine a glorious infusion of the Great American Songbook, Django Reinhart and witty banter and you have one of our all-time favorites, The Black Market Trust,” Holmes continued. “Lee Squared – the hysterical return of Peggy Lee and Lee Liberace performing together in their riotous world tour returns to Purple Room. Wrapping up October is the stunningly talented Liz Callaway bringing her first solo show to Palm Springs.”

Don’t miss out on the chance to be a part of this historic season. For tickets, please visit www.purpleroompalmsprings.com.

PRIDE ON THE PAGE BOOK FESTIVAL 2023

Pride on the Page Returns Saturday, October 14!

Opening Night Ticketed Event Friday, October 13:

Armistead Maupin in Conversation with David Eugene Perry

Join us for the Opening Night Ticketed Event: Armistead Maupin in Conversation with David Eugene Perry on Friday, October 13 and for Pride on the Page 2023 on Saturday, October 14. All panels and events, including book signings, will be held at the Palm Springs Cultural Center (PSCC) at the historic Camelot Theatre.

Except for the opening night event with Armistead Maupin, attending Pride on the Page is free. Register for Pride on the Page 2023 https://rb.gy/3nvgw.

Armistead Maupin, whose Tales of the City novels and TV

series have made the author one of the world’s most important and best known gay literary voices, will appear as a special guest at this year’s 2nd Annual Pride on the Page Book Festival (www. prideonthepage.org). The on-stage discussion with local writer David Eugene Perry on Friday, October 13 at 7pm will benefit the Palm Springs Public Library Foundation. United Airlines, a longtime ally of

the LGBTQ community is sponsoring the appearance with additional support from El Mirasol Villas Resort and Visit Palm Springs. Maupin and his husband, artist, and photographer Christopher Turner, make their home in London, England.

“Chris and I are thrilled to be returning to Palm Springs,” said Maupin, “and I look forward to reading aloud a sneak preview of my new novel, Mona of the Manor, to be published in March 2024.”

Maupin will be onstage in conversation with longtime journalist David Eugene Perry, host and creator of 10 Percent TV, the longest running LGBTQ TV show in California history which ran for ten years and 351 episodes. Perry’s debut novel, Upon This Rock, won the 2021 Ben Franklin Silver Medal from the Independent Book Publishers Association and “Best Gay Book of 2021” from the San Francisco Book Festival. Called an “elegant, twisty thriller” by Maupin, and “the gay ‘DaVinci Code but a lot better” by Fenton Johnson, Upon This Rock, is currently in screenplay development with a sequel, Thorns of the 15 Roses, underway. Following the main event Maupin will autograph books. A selection of his titles will be available for sale in the lobby courtesy of The Best Bookstore in Palm Springs.

Tickets for the evening are $65 in advance for general admission seating ($75 day-of, if available) with a limited number of VIP tickets at $95 that include a pre-event reception (6pm), a copy of his memoir Logical Family and preferred seating. Tickets to the event may be purchased online at: https://rb.gy/3nvgw.

PANELS INCLUDE:

The Stories We Tell: Exploring Exciting New Works of Fiction

Foraging through outstanding new fiction in its many forms and subgenres.

Young at Heart from the Start: On Writing the LGBTQ+ Young Adult Novel

Young Adult authors discuss their books and the challenges and joys of writing YA novels.

In/Visible: Queer Histories Real and Imagined

A serious and humorous exploration into LGBTQ+ history.

Remember Me: Writing About Our Queer Lives

A close look at fascinating lives under the microscope in magnificent new memoirs.

Queer Love, Lust, Eros and Everything in Between

A lively conversation about sex, romance, and erotica from LGBTQ+ writers.

It’s A Drag. Or Is it? —Across the Gender Spectrum in Art and Life

An exploration of gender identity/ies, binary busting and drag on and off the page.

Rising: On Thriving and Surviving Through The Art of Writing

Writers discuss their current works and how writing serves them as a healing/nurturing art.

Christian Cooper in conversation with Lorenzo Taylor

Central park birdwatcher, comics writer, television host, science editor and proud Blerd (Black nerd) discusses his book Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World.

A.M. Homes in conversation with Jim Holmes

Winner of the prestigious Orange/Women’s Prize for Fiction discusses her new novel The Unfolding.

PANELISTS INCLUDE:

Noel Alumit, Charlie Jane Anders, Chris Belcher, Christian Cooper, Robbie Couch, Frank DeCaro, Sina Grace, A.M. Homes, Daniel M. Jaffe, Byron Lane, Elías Miguel Muñoz, Abdi Nazemian, Rasheed Newson, Lydia Otero, David Eugene Perry, Kamala Puligandla, Cristy C. Road, Steven Rowley, Eduardo Santiago, Justin Elizabeth Sayre, Omar Sharif Jr, Wendy L. Silva, Lorenzo Taylor, Michelle Tea, Lisa Teasley, Josh Trujillo, Guinevere Turner, and Justine Pucella Winans. More to be announced!

Evening Under the Stars – Genesis –

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14 - 5:30 PM

A GARDEN/COCKTAIL PARTY AT THE HOME OF BRAD LAMPLEY & RIGO LOMELI (Formerly known as ‘Houston South.’ Address to be provided upon purchase.)

SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCE BY THE LEGENDARY LILY TOMLIN

COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARDS HONORING LORI & AUBREY SERFLING AND NELDA LINSK

Tickets for the benefit are available at $200 per person and include hosted bar, abundant hors d’oeuvres by Eight4Nine, entertainment, and valet parking. For tickets and more information call 760-325-8481 or visit aapfoodsamaritans.org

PRESENTED BY

WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE

BY JILL LANGHAM

Happy September Everyone! Here we are once again in the Fall of the year. Labor Day is behind us and the Holiday Seasons not too far down the road! Where does the time go?

I’d like to go back a minute to compliment the residents of Palm Springs for the concerted efforts bestowed on many of us during tropical storm Hilary!

My BFF had scheduled her engagement party in San Diego 6 weeks earlier now coinciding with the infamous storm weekend. Most of her guests were flying in from around the country, except me, so when the news began reporting that a Hurricane was coming up the coast and was scheduled to hit the Coachella Valley on Sunday I was filled with trepidation and angst about what to do.

I had arranged my schedule on Friday to coincide with the 3:00pm arrival in San Diego of the other guests. I knew full well that we were about to be hit hard according to the weather experts but also knew that I

didn’t want to miss the opportunity to help my friend celebrate her special time. Faith is one thing, but I have had an odd history with floods and water damage as I’ve had 3 in this condo alone!

I was one of those individuals who experienced flood #1 in my first-floor condo back on February 14, AKA, Valentine’s Day 2019. The unfortunate part of this saga was that the HOA had scheduled the yearly drain cleaning of the upper floor’s decks on, wait for it, February 15th! A day late and many dollars short! So here with another day/ weekend devoted to love, I was choosing to abandon my condo praying that this time things would be different.

In 2019 the condo above mine was a rental unit and was unoccupied. The owner who was supposed to make sure that her patio drain was clear and unobstructed, obviously did not heed the HOA’s advice and my condo suffered 5K worth of damage, which was repaired and expensed to the HOA, but the job was not done to my satisfaction if truth be told.

But, 6 months later, when the cold-water hose to her toilet broke the morning, I was returning from a 6-week summer vacation and again flooded not only my master bedroom but the master bath, too, I was beyond flummoxed! This time the water ran into my place for over 4 hours before a neighbor noticed it. She and my next-door neighbor spent hours squeegeeing it out and to this day, it still humbles me! Sadly, due to HOA CC&R’s, it was my responsibility to pay the 1K deductible! That part really sucked but thankfully, this upstairs neighbor sold her unit about 9 months later!

The new tenant and I quickly became friends and commiserated about the “flood!” We got along famously until he told me a month ago that he had sold his place, and the new tenants were moving in on August 1st. He sold his unit to a couple who live in Seattle. As everything happened so quickly and because we rarely get the kind of rain that would be problematic, I doubted seriously that anyone had been thinking about drains and rains!

PERSPECTIVE

The couple, whom I met for a hot second the day they were taking ownership only stayed for a few days not giving us the chance to exchange information. So, this is where the story takes a big turn.

My other upstairs neighbor, (his place sits over my kitchen, living room and second bedroom) is also on the Board of Directors and part of the HOA. He has been a champ and a personal hero of mine since he moved in September 2020. He took it upon himself to not only meet the new Seattle neighbors but to exchange digits and keys with them as well.

I contacted him before I left to see if he could look over the wall of his patio and into the newbies place to see if there was a rug or a piece of furniture covering the drain. He said he would check and get back to me. But he didn’t stop there. He, along with the other next-door neighbors, got a drain snake and cleared out the drain to make sure it could handle the deluge which we knew we were going to get.

I was in touch with all these ‘champions,’ prior to my departure and all throughout the storm. The flood cleaner, next door neighbor,

who has my keys, made sure that the cushions on my patio furniture were safe and out of the way allowing me to be at peace with my decision to leave.

As a single woman, it warms my heart to know that I am not alone. I, know this to be true in my heart but trust me there are times when I forget that I am being looked after at home. You have all made it very clear when I am out and about, but this was different.

During that flood of 2019, 6 other condo’s experienced extensive damage like I did and I’m certain were wary of the potential for repeated damage with Hilary. But this time with the love and concern by many new residents who moved into my building during COVID, they came together like a community should and not only cleaned out the upstairs drain over my bedroom but took it upon themselves to clean out many of the other patio’s which are owned by out-oftown landlords and sit unoccupied.

Many of the residents of Palm Springs for the most part was spared major disasters that many other Valley citizens experienced. I, for one am very grateful. I hope you were all spared any big problems during Hilary

and that you have neighbors like I do, who will jump in to help and go the extra mile to ensure that others are safe.

One last note as I didn’t want to keep you hanging, flood #3 took place in my apartment 6 months after the last one I wrote about! No, I am not kidding! In 54 weeks from 2/14/2019-2/22/2020 I had 3 floods in my condo. This occurred 2 weeks before I was exposed to COVID and 3 weeks before the state of California was shut down.

It was a Saturday night, and I had just smoked a few tokes of sativa, when I decided to give myself a foot bath. I went to fill up a small tub with sudsy, hot water when I suddenly remembered that my master bath drain had begun to drain slowly. I went into my guest bathrooms vanity to grab my plunger. I was wearing a long, terry-cloth robe and had squatted down to pull the plunger out.

As you know, plungers have those long wooden handles and as I began to turn the plunger sideways to clear the sink innards, I pulled it past the only item in my condo that had not been replaced during my very

expensive and extensive re-model a few years earlier. As the plunger head passed by the hot water hose, whose threads were evidently rotted, it caused the water to come shooting out directly into my face and for a quick moment wondered if I had died and was being re-born again!

Luckily, I had never had very hot water in my condo (which has finally been resolved). If the water had been boiling hot, I would have had at least 2nd degree burns on my face and I say that because the hot water valve was sealed shut and I could not budge it or turn the water off!

By the time I gathered my “stoned” senses and went to stand up, my robe which maybe weighs 3 pounds dry, now weighed about 20 pounds and as I was naked under it, had no choice but to keep it on while in a panicked state, went to ask my neighbor, with the key, for help.

But he didn’t answer so I had to go up to ask the former Living room neighbor and his wife to help. They quickly grabbed brooms and pails and came down to help. In the meantime, the key neighbor had come out and was also equipped with towels and rags

to do his part, yet again!

The husband from upstairs agreed that the hot water valve was stuck, and it took him and the key neighbor 45 long minutes to shut it off. We all quickly realized that none of us knew where the main hot water shut off was located. That fiasco created an opportunity for us to let the HOA that we all needed to know the location of the hot and cold water shut offs for each building!

Lastly, this flood damage was minimal, and it turns out was due to the fault of the contractor who had been told that I must have access to the shut off valve which they had sealed behind the bathroom wall! As they say, “All’s well that ends well!” Or in my case, “All’s well that ends DRY!”

Be safe! Talk to your neighbors and lend a hand because you never know when you are going to need theirs to help you!

XOXO, Jill, your Dry and Happy Dancing Queen! (Well, you know what I mean)

TOTO, WE’RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE

BY JOHN STEIN

Doggy Style, the fetish line, is now in Full Technicolor. The Technicolor Collection represents the next stage in the evolution of Doggy Style, the LGBTQIA+ underwear and accessories brand that launched earlier this year with Monochrome, their line of gear in black and white.

Founded by real-life partners Levi Woods and Manu Bautista, the fetish brand started small, with two briefs and jockstraps, five harnesses (including two vegan leather options), four styles of stainless-steel necklaces and two styles of tees. It was an instant hit around the world, thanks in large part to the support of the kink community and the pup-and-handler enthusiasts, of which the founders are a part of.

Woods and Bautista are excited to expand Doggy Style this fall with new gear in pink, yellow and blue, not only because of brand growth. Both men have big philanthropic goals as well. A portion of all Doggy Style sales are donated to community charities and organizations, such as The Trevor Project. Levi Woods explains more. “The new collection is reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy and Toto land in Oz and the picture goes from black and white to glorious technicolor . We thought about The Wizard of Oz while we were dreaming up our collections, so the reference is absolutely intentional! The reaction to The Technicolor Collection has been so fantastic. Everyone loves the new colors. Even before we announced our plans for this new line, we had men requesting a color line, so we knew we were on the right path, and we couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.

Can we discuss the name? I mean, could there be a better name for fetish gear?

Levi Woods: It’s one of those serendipitous things, really. The phrase Doggy Style came up in casual conversation, as it naturally does, of course. As just an off-the-cuff comment, one of us said “wouldn’t that be a great name for an underwear brand?” The name is fun, flirty, silly, naughty, sexy, provocative: all those things.

Take us back to the beginning. Neither of you has a fashion background, correct?

Levi Woods: That’s right, no formal fashion background, per se, just a love for all things fashion and a willingness to jump off into an unknown adventure. We’ve always wanted to have a fashion line and knew it would happen at some point. We kept playing with different ideas, toying with our muses, until we landed on our Doggy Style concept.

What did you know about creating fashion designs and cuts? How did you decide on the pieces for the first collection?

Levi Woods: It’s been a fun learning process. Luckily, we have a knowledgeable and skilled team who help make the brand the

firecracker that it is. As far as cuts, we always knew that we wanted to have jocks and briefs as the nucleus of our brand. They’re our favorite styles of underwear. It’s the fabric that we really needed to learn about. We searched for the softest, most comfortable fabric we could find.

Why did you choose to launch with a black-and-white collection?

Levi Woods: For the brand’s introduction to the world, we wanted it to have a sleek, classic and timeless feel, and a monochrome black and white palette seemed to be the perfect way to accomplish this. White and black works seamlessly alongside any other color our target audience might wear, so we knew it would be easy to coordinate. It was our version of the Little Black Dress. It goes with anything.

Why color? Why now?

Levi Woods: Now that we’ve gotten the black-and-white basics out of the way, we wanted to introduce a pop of color into our lineup. What better way to do that than with the colors du jour: pink, blue and yellow? These hues are super-hot right now and we wanted to give our customers some fun options to choose from.

FEATURE

Putting the logo on the back of the jock is pure genius.

Levi Woods: Yes, as Manu likes to say, the rear view of a jockstrap is one of its best assets. Pun intended. The back is the focal point. So, moving the logo to the rear? Well, that’s just good marketing!

Are there other significant edits that you made to the new collection?

Levi Woods: We added a new small logo’d ribbon tag on the front of the jock and on the back of the brief. The tag and logo are color coordinated to the rest of the piece and has a nice, satin quality to it. We think it elevates the color line. Plus, now you can see the Doggy Style name from both sides.

The logo harnesses are color coordinated in the same pink, blue and yellow as the brief and jock.

Levi Woods: Yes, it makes for an ideal opportunity to create an entire look. You can wear all the same color or mix and match,

as desired. The logo harness design is the same as from our Monochrome Collection. It has been one of our most popular sellers and seemed a natural fit to add it to our Technicolor Collection.

Will you still offer Monochrome Collection?

Levi Woods: Absolutely! Now is the best time to buy Monochrome as there are steep discounts on the website. Manu and I love a good bargain and we believe our customers do too. We’re always offering sales on our site. It’s important to us that the collections be accessible to everyone, whoever wants to wear our gear can find something in their price range. And yes, we plan to have a few blow out deals for Black Friday and some great sales leading up to all the holidays.

DATE EVENT

Sept 10

Riverside Inland Empire Pride Festival 2023

Sept 20 2023 Business Expo & Taste of Palm Springs

Sept 20–24 Club Skirts Dinah Shore

Sept 21-24/28-Oct 1

Sept 22-24

Sept 23

Cinema Diverse

Gay Days Anaheim

8th Annual Aging Positively Conference

Sept 28-Oct 1 The Desert Jazz Festival

Sept 29

Planned Parenthood's 60th Anniversary Cocktail Reception

Oct 5–8 Joshua Tree Fall Music Festival

Oct 6 Singing with the Desert Stars

Oct 7 Pride Under the Pines 2023

Oct 7 2023 PS Mod Com Preservation Awards

Oct 7 House Party PS : Margarita Madness

Oct 7 SAND STARS AND GUITARS: Ty Herndon

Oct 8 Coachella Valley Filipino Festival

Oct 11

CVEP Economic Report & Breakfast

Oct 11 Out On The Walk/LGBTQ Archives Project

Oct 13-14 Pride on the Page

Oct 14

Oct 14

Oct 19–22

Oct 20

Oct 21

Evening Under the Stars - Genesis

Paint El Paseo Pink 2023

Modernism Week - October

Center Stage - LGBTQ Center Gala

Palm Springs Aerial Tram Road Challenge

Oct 21-22 57th Annual Borrego Days Desert Festival

Oct 26–29

Oct 28

Oct 29

Oct 29

Nov 3–5

Nov 4

PS Leather Pride

DAP Health Equity Walk

Halloween Palm Springs in the Arenas District

Palm Desert Golf Cart Parade 2023

Palm Springs Pride

Palm Springs Pride 5K Run & Walk 2023

Nov 8 Michael Childers' One Night Only

Nov 11-12

Nov 17-19

Nov 19

Palm Springs Food & Wine Festival

Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon & Food Truck Fest

The L-Fund Annual Golf Tournament 2023

Dec 3 14th Annual Men of the Desert Fashion Show

STEWART TAYLOR RELEASES “FAVORITE EX”

BY JOHN STEIN

In his latest single release, “Favorite Ex,” out artist Stewart Taylor sings about an old flame he regretfully had to extinguish. “We ended things when I left New York to pursue my career in Los Angeles,” he explains. “We both knew life would eventually take me out West and that our time together was limited, but I often wonder what would’ve been had I stayed.” The song merges eighties vibes with today’s pop and R&B and is the second ballad Stewart Taylor has written about his former lover. His debut single, “Mess Your Hair Up”, released in 2019, is about him too. Stewart says that years later, on a phone call, he thanked his ex for being so wonderful and told him that he was in fact, his favorite ex. “I look back and smile about what we had.” Produced by Romanian hitmaker MADS (David Guetta, Imagine Dragons), Stewart Taylor’s “Favorite Ex” is being distributed independently and is available on Apple Music, Spotify, and all digital platforms. Its video is available on Youtube.

The video for “Favorite Ex” is a captivating reflection of the song. Its’ gorgeous ocean vistas (filmed in Malibu) and sweeping desert scenes (filmed in the Mojave Desert) whisk viewers through the tumultuousness of an unwelcome breakup. “Walking through the desert for hours on end had me in awe and also brought up some very heavy feelings.” Stewart recalls. “It really captured the sadness I felt when leaving the relationship.”

The video draws inspiration from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and its theme that every party eventually must end. As they do in the novel, beautiful things fall apart. The chandelier on the desert floor represents the end of opulence in the relationship, while the white roses represent the end of the romance.

Benjamin Farren directed the video. Julie Vegliante, who has worked with Lady Gaga, choreographed, and German designer Joseph Auren designed and styled Stewart’s looks in the video. “The beautiful outfits are among my favorite parts of the ‘Favorite Ex’ video,” Stewart says. “While filming, I imagined myself as a lonely prince, dressed to the nines and surrounded by all of this beauty with no one to share it with.”

He admits that, in real life, learning his former lover had found someone new was especially difficult for Stewart to come to terms with.

“In the song, I fantasize about getting back with my ex and stealing him from his new man, but I would never actually do something like that,” he laughs. “I definitely took some poetic license for that one!”

Stewart Taylor is an LA-based singer, songwriter, dancer, and MMG actor/model. He grew up in a small town outside of New York City, where he began writing songs and performing in local talent shows and Lower East Side clubs. Since graduating from Berklee College of Music in Boston, he’s collaborated with Grammynominated songwriters and producers including Charlie Puth and Kara DioGuardi and has penned songs for Romanian pop star Antonia, American Idol’s David Hernandez, and RuPaul’s Drag Race’s JuJu Bee, Mo Heart, and Manila Luzon.

He has also released several singles including his funk and R&B inspired debut single “Mess Your Hair Up” and 2022’s “Maybe We Shouldn’t Talk”.

Stewart Taylor is an active voice in the LGBTQ+ community and his coming out story was featured in the New York Times bestselling book, It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living.

The Hector Fonseca and Thiago Dukky remix of “Favorite Ex” will drop on Friday, September 8th, followed by the DJ Mentol and Scott Storch remix later in the month.

Stewart Taylor’s “Favorite Ex” is being distributed independently and is available on Apple Music, Spotify, and all digital platforms. Its video is available on YouTube. Follow on IG @imstewarttaylor and www.stewarttaylorofficial.com

QUEER ELECTRONIC POP DUO FIIZ SHARE THOUGHTS ON QUEER INTIMACY AND NEW LOVE

BY ALINA JAFRI

Hailing from the diverse and kinetic music scene of Brooklyn, New York, FIIZ is an electropop duo transforming the contemporary pop landscape with its genre-defying sound and empowering storytelling. Composed of two best friends, Fiona and Isabelle, FIIZ emanates an enchanting energy that results in mesmerizing and immersive sonic adventures.

With their newest single, “Lungs,” FIIZ weaves a poignant narrative of queer sensuality. Delving into the overwhelming and powerful feeling of a first-time intimate experience with a woman, the duo’s vivid lyrics capture the heightened emotions and intensity of newfound desire. The duo strives to go beyond traditional pop themes and heteronormative

narratives, skillfully creating a soundscape for representation and connection within their music. By embracing their authentic selves, FIIZ’s music becomes a powerful outlet for raw and unfiltered emotions. “Lungs” is an experience that leaves you spellbound and craving more.

FIIZ was born out of the bond between Fiona and Isabelle and their shared experiences during quarantine. The duo’s music delves into their dual perspectives, resulting in rich, authentic narratives that resonate with many. Their captivating blend of pulsating beats, ethereal synths, and immersive vocals offer a unique take on electropop that stands as a testament to their shared creativity and fearlessness. Their recent musical explorations have seen a shift towards a more concentrated electronic-pop sound. By incorporating elements of hyperpop and EDM, FIIZ takes listeners on a journey through uncharted sonic territories, challenging norms, and pushing boundaries. Their work is produced by Sietse Fase, a producer from the Netherlands who was trained under the same tutelage as Martin Garrix.

Driven by their authenticity and unique vision, FIIZ serves as a vessel for raw, unfiltered emotions. Their music isn’t merely a listening experience; it’s an immersive exploration of emotion and identity that leaves listeners spellbound and eager for more. Follow their musical journey on Instagram @FIIZmusic.

LADY GAGA CELEBRATES 15 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF MULTI-PLATINUM DEBUT ALBUM THE FAME

BY MARTHA TANG

LOREEN RELEASES TATTOO (TOPIC REMIX)

BY MARTHA TANG

In May, Loreen made history as the first woman to win the Eurovision Song Contest for a second time with the song “Tattoo”. The song entered directly at #5 on the global Spotify Top 50 list and has surpassed over 210 million streams. Now a remix of “Tattoo” by Topic is available now.

“The response and love you’ve shown me for Tattoo has been unbelievable, there’s no better feeling than seeing you dance and sing to it. To find and create the right remix has been so important for me because I want to match the energy that you’ve all given meso when I heard Topic’s take on the song, I knew we’ve found the one. I hope this keeps you singing & dancing all night long.”

Lady Gaga celebrated the 15-year anniversary of her historic debut album The Fame released August 19, 2008. The 6x RIAA certified platinum album has sold over 23 million copies worldwide and boasts certified diamond singles “Just Dance” (11x platinum) and “Poker Face” (10x platinum) and multi-platinum singles “Paparazzi” (5x platinum) and “LoveGame” (3x platinum).

The Fame is the longest running #1 album on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Chart of all time with over 175 non-consecutive weeks to date. The album ranks #12 on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums of All Time chart and is the 6th longest-charting album by a female singer on the Billboard Top 200 chart with 319 weeks. Over the span of her career, Lady Gaga has had six consecutive #1 albums on the Billboard 200 chart, making her the first female artist to do so over a ten-year period (2011-2020).

To celebrate 15 years of The Fame, Interscope Records is releasing a limited edition translucent blue vinyl of the record and a select array of new merchandise. Shop now at www.ladygaga.com

Since the historic victory in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, “Tattoo” has taken the world by storm and is a big radio hit across Europe. The song has reached #1 on Spotify in 11 countries, including the UK, and has been in the Spotify Top 10 in 25 countries, including Germany and France. “Tattoo” also entered at #2 on the UK singles chart, and after 8 weeks, it is still in the Top 40. In Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, and Sweden, the song has also topped the official singles charts.

Ever since her breakthrough, Loreen has captivated audiences with her amazing voice, unique artistic expression, and captivating lyrics. She managed to touch hearts when she won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time in 2012 with “Euphoria”. The song became a worldwide hit and a sing-along classic - the immediate chorus, Loreen’s expressive voice, and the distinctive staging captured the hearts of all of Europe.

German producer Topic is currently one of the hottest producers in the world. He achieved his big international breakthrough with the song “Breaking Me”. The song has over 1 billion streams on Spotify, making him a member of Spotify’s exclusive Billion Club, alongside artists like Beyoncé, ABBA, Rihanna, Ed Sheeran, and others. Over the years, he has had major hits with artists such as Becky Hill (“My Heart Goes”), Bebe Rexha (“Chain My Heart”), and ATB (“Your Love”).

LOREEN (@LOREEN_TALHAOUI) / X

THE CHICK ANGEL RELEASES “ONE MARGARITA”

BY ILICH MEJÍA

Actress, comedian, and host That Chick Angel (Angel Laketa Moore) releases “One Margarita (Margarita Song) (Saucy Remix)” feat. Saucy Santana and an accompanying music video featuring a cameo from supermodel Cindy Crawford.

“One Margarita (Margarita Song)” is Angel’s response to a slut-shaming sermon by an Evangelical Christian pastor better known as Sister Cindy on TikTok. After the sermon went viral, Angel decided to flip the message into one of empowerment and owning your sexuality. With the help of producers Carl Dixon (Casa Di) and Steve Terrell, “One Margarita (Margarita Song)” was created. To date, the song’s been streamed over 8 million times, has inspired countless lip sync videos, and has also garnered support from Cardi B and Lizzo. As a black female creator, Angel is fully owning her moment. “This was one of the first times that I felt like my content was resonating a lot with people who look nothing like me,” she shared in an interview with WIRED.

That Chick Angel levels up her message even further with the “One Margarita (Margarita Song) (Saucy Remix).” Saucy Santana delivers an incandescent rap verse that will have summer club crowds racing to the dance floor. Always sassy, sexy, and scintillating, Saucy is true to form as he quips “Give me one margarita Imma open my mouth, in the club p*ssy popping with my feet on the couch. I’m a bad bitch, make ‘em start a bottle war, get him for his pockets then I ask him what he crying for?”

With an assist from Cindy Crawford, who opens the remix’s music video by recreating her iconic ‘90s Pepsi commercial and replacing the beverage with a Casamigos margarita, Angel and

Saucy have a message for all the Sister Cindy types out there: hot girl summer is here to stay, and the most quintessential Cindy is in full support. Directed by Jake Wilson (Lizzo, Latto, Ava Max), the video features That Chick Angel in a gold glitter outfit and Saucy Santana in ice blue leather corset living their best lives as they party away at Silver Lake’s El Cid restaurant. Further cameos include “One Margarita (Margarita Song)” producers Casa Di and Steve Terrell as bartenders charmed by Crawford, TikToker Terri Joe as a restaurant server, and Angel’s husband Marcus Tanksley as himself.

Of creating the video, director Jake Wilson says: “The story of how this song blew up feels like an American fairy tale. Maybe not a fairy tale for CHILDREN, but you get my point. Angel is so easy to root for and I jumped at the chance to help take her to the next stage in her first music video. Santana’s new verse takes the song to another level. I mean, who doesn’t want “a big dick and a bankroll”? And then to have THE ultimate legend Cindy Crawford recreating perhaps the most iconic commercial of all-time? The cherry on top.”

www.instagram.com/thatchickangel/?hl=en

www.thatchickangel.com

the3D’S DINE | DRINK | DANCE

RESTAURANTS

GRAND CENTRAL

160 La Plaza

Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.699.7185

www.grandcentralpalmsprings.com

KOFFI NORTH (3 Additional Locations)

515 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.416.2244

www.kofficoffee.com

BOOZEHOUNDS PALM SPRINGS

2080 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.656.0067

www.boozehoundsps.com

1501 UPTOWN

1501 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.320.1501

www.1501uptown.com

TAC/QUILA

415 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.417.4471

www.tacquila.com

PS AIR BAR

611 S.Palm Canyon Dr. #22

Palm Springs CA 92262

760.327.7701

www.psairbar.com

TOWNIE BAGELS

650 E Sunny Dunes Rd #5

Palm Springs, CA 92264

760.459.4555

www.towniebagels.com

ON THE MARK

111 N Palm Canyon Dr. #155

Palm Springs CA 92262

760.832.8892

www.onthemarkpalmsprings.com

SHERMAN’S DELI & BAKERY

401 E Tahquitz Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.325.1199

www.shermansdeli.com

849

849 N Palm Canyon Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.325.8490

www.eight4nine.com

THAI SMILE PALM SPRINGS

100 South Indian Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.320.5503

www.thaismilepalmsprings.com

TRIO RESTAURANT

707 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.864.8746

www.triopalmsprings.com

THE TROPICALE

330 E Amado Road

Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.866.1952

www.thetropicale.com

ZIN AMERICAN BISTRO

198 S Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA

760.322.6300

www.pszin.com

LULU CALIFORNIA BISTRO

200 S Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.327.5858

www.lulupalmsprings.com

EL MIRASOL

140 E Palm Canyon Dr.

Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.323.0721

www.elmirasolrestaurants.com

RICK’S RESTAURANT

1973 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.416.0090

www.ricksrestaurant.biz

PINOCCHIO IN THE DESERT

134 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way

Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.322.3776

www.pinocchiops.com

BLACKBOOK BAR

315 E Arenas Road

Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.832.8497

www.blackbookbar.com

BARS AND NIGHT CLUBS

HUNTERS NIGHTCLUB

302 East Arenas Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.323.0700

www.huntersnightclubs.com

TOUCAN’S TIKI LOUNGE

2100 North Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.416.7584

www.toucanstikilounge.com

CHILL BAR

217 E. Arenas Road

Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.327.1079

www.chillbarpalmsprings.com

STREETBAR

224 E. Arenas Road

Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.320.1266

www.psstreetbar.com

THE TOOL SHED

600 E. Sunny Dunes Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.320.3299

www.toolshed-ps.com

QUADZ

200 S Indian Canyon

Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.778.4326

AMP SPORTS LOUNGE

68-718 E. Palm Canyon Dr Cathedral City, CA 92234

760.699.7090

www.ampcatcity.com

ROOST BAR LOUNGE

68718 E Palm Canyon Dr #203

Cathedral City CA 92234

760.507.8495

www.theroostcc.com

ONE ELEVEN BAR

67555 E Palm Canyon Dr A103 Cathedral City, CA 92234

760.537.3111

www.oneelevenbar.com

BARRACKS BAR

67625 E Palm Canyon Dr Cathedral City, CA 92234

760.464.0957

www.barracksps.com

RUNWAY

68300 Gay Resort Dr Cathedral City, CA 92234

760.537.7800

www.runwayccbc.com

REFORMA

333 S. Palm Canyon #2 Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.902.6630

www.reformaps.com

DICK’S

301 E Arenas Road

Palm Springs, CA 92262

760.327.0753

www.dicksps.com

PHOTO REWIND

THE CENTER SOCIAL

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID A LEE

PHOTO REWIND

THE CENTER SOCIAL

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID A LEE

ichael C PRESENTS ONE

BENEFITING

Musical Direction by SCHROEDER

Honorary Co-Chairs

Event Co-Chairs

BARBARA FROMM TERRI KETOVER

STARRING*

`

KLEA BLACKHURST DEBBY BOONE CAROLE J. BUFFORD SCOTT COULTER JULIE GARN Y E

ALEX GETLIN JASON GRAAE DEBBIE GRAVITTE JESSICA HENDY CLINT HOLMES

NICOLAS KING TAMIKA LAWRENCE AARON LAZAR DANIEL LECLAIRE CHRIS MANN

LESLI MARGHERITA ANTHONY MURPHY VALARIE PETTIFORD KELLI RABKE

JONATHAN SHARP GARY SHAW SETH SIKES JAMES SNYDER BILLY STRITCH

JENNIFER LEIGH WARREN NITA WHITAKER NICKERSON-ROSSI DANCE

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