April 20, 2017 Edition of the Bay Area Reporter

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PrEP web series debuts

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Rita Moreno

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Since 1971, the newspaper of record for the San Francisco Bay Area LGBTQ community

Vol. 47 • No. 16 • April 20-26, 2017

Feinstein has rowdy SF town hall

Gay attorney, trans friend told to leave Paris eatery by David-Elijah Nahmod

Rick Gerharter

Senator Dianne Feinstein, right, spoke at her first town hall Monday, joined by moderator Bevan Dufty.

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or attorney David Waggoner, a former co-president of the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club, last weekend was going to be fun and relaxing with his close Courtesy Facebook friend, Aimar Sahae. Currently traveling Attorney David across Europe to- Waggoner gether, the pair went on Saturday to La Chope Des Puces, a popular bar and restaurant in Paris. Their visit ended with harsh words exchanged between Waggoner, Sahae, and restaurant management. Waggoner, 42, is a queer-identified cisgender man. Sahae, who declined to give her age, is a queer transgender woman. “The restaurant is a famous place for jazz guitar,” Waggoner told the Bay Area Reporter via email from Paris. “We both love jazz and it was highly recommended to us by a local.” Waggoner said that he and Sahae had enjoyed the company of a French family they met while having food and drinks. They eventually moved toward the front of the restaurant to be closer to the music, which is when things took an ugly turn. “We were enjoying the music and occasionally sharing a kiss every five or 10 minutes,” Waggoner recalled. “We were not passionately making out. A woman began to ask Aimar if she is a man or woman and asked her why we were kissing. She then pulled on Aimar’s hair to see if it was real – Aimar has long hair. Meanwhile, the man who was with her started shaking his head in disgust at us. He then kicked Aimar’s chair.” Waggoner admitted that he became irate at this point. He said that a staff member noticed the tension and asked Waggoner and Sahae to move to another table, which they refused to do. “When I refused to move – as we had done nothing wrong and in fact were being harassed – the staff person told us to leave,” Waggoner said. “I was disgusted that the individuals who had assaulted Aimar were not asked to leave or move. Feeling thoroughly outraged, we left.” Waggoner said that he cried afterward. “Aimar had been getting stared at and misgendered almost everywhere we went so this experience was especially upsetting,” he said. “Also, because this is a very bohemian place in Paris, I was flabbergasted. See page 10 >>

Feinstein has rowdy SF town hall by Seth Hemmelgarn

Sisters take on ‘Trump’

T

L Gooch

he Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence took on President Donald Trump during their Easter party in Golden Gate Park Sunday, April 16. The Sisters conducted an excorism of a Trumpinspired character, portrayed by John Flaw of the

Thrillpeddlers, to the delight of the audience. The Sisters also held their popular Hunky Jesus contest, won by “Wet T-shirt Jesus,” and the Foxxy Mary contest, won by Mary and her dog, Joseph. For more photos, see Shining Stars in BARtab.

ongtime California Senator Dianne Feinstein addressed the dangers presented by leaders of North Korea and Syria, as well as President Donald Trump, Monday at a rowdy town hall in the city during which she was frequently criticized herself. The event was the first of its kind for See page 10 >>

SF protest targets Chechnya by David Nahmod

“If I’d been born 50 years earlier it would have been me wearing a group of about 50 LGBT pink triangle,” he said. activists gathered outside Mandelman talked about his the Russian Consulate in Jewish heritage. San Francisco Tuesday, demand“As a Jew I’m quite used to having that the Chechen Republic ing mixed feelings about Russia,” end its abuse of gay people there. said Mandelman, who recalled Reports have surfaced of the that his own family was rescued Russian republic actively targetfrom the Nazis by Russians at the ing gay men, or those perceived end of World War II. to be gay. Human rights groups Longtime gay activist Cleve have reported that men have Jones, Alice B. Toklas LGBT Dembeen detained and that some ocratic Club Co-Chair Lou Fischhave been tortured. er, and gay former Assemblyman A Russian newspaper reported Tom Ammiano also attended. that three men have been killed. Several speakers noted that Rick Gerharter Earlier Tuesday, gay San Franboth President Donald Trump cisco Supervisor Jeff Sheehy in- Community College Board Trustee Alex Randolph spoke at a and Russian President Vladimir troduced – and the board unani- rally at the Russian Consulate in San Francisco denouncing the Putin had close business ties to mously passed – a resolution imprisonment and murder of gays in Chechnya. numerous large corporations. condemning Chechnya’s actions. “I am frustrated by our inability “The actions taking place in to organize and fight back,” said in honor killings if gay men were in Chechnya.” Chechnya are tragic and an affront to all of huOther LGBT officials on hand included City Jones. “It matters that we are a sanctuary city. manity,” Sheehy, who attended the protest, said College of San Francisco board members Rafael If those people can get out of Chechnya I want in a statement. “San Francisco continues to be them to come here.” Mandelman, Tom Temprano, and Alex Rana beacon of hope by loudly denouncing this afRandolph said that no one emerged from the dolph, and gay former state Senator Mark Leno. front and standing as one with our LGBT brothconsulate while the protest was happening. In an interview with the Bay Area Reporter ers and sisters.” Meanwhile, the California Legislative LGBT Wednesday, Randolph said that what’s happenSheehy’s resolution stated that Chechen leader Caucus issued a statement Wednesday. ing in Chechnya is “very personal” to him. Ramzan Kadyrov has “actively chosen to erase “We are deeply disturbed by the reports of Randolph said he explained to the crowd the existence of gay Chechens in public comabuse, kidnapping, and murder of LGBT people that as a black, queer, German who grew up in mentary by claiming they do not exist, and at the Germany and went to school there, the news See page 10 >> same time inferring families would murder them reports out of Chechnya affected him.

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