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Vol. 52 • No. 26 • June 30-July 6, 2022

Abortion ruling protested at SF Pride parade by Ricardo De Melo Matos

Courtesy the Governor’s Office

Governor Gavin Newsom attended a Pride Month event June 23 with the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus where he announced that he signed a bill that will annually proclaim November 20 as Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Newsom signs trans remembrance bill by Matthew S. Bajko

overnor Gavin Newsom on June 23 announced that he signed Assembly Bill 1741 to honor victims of transphobia. According to a release from his office, Newsom made the announcement at a gathering with members of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus at the historic Governor’s Mansion for the caucus’s 20th anniversary Pride celebration and to highlight California’s leadership on LGBTQ rights. First partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom also attended, the release stated. “In California, we fight for and celebrate our LGBTQ community’s right to live their lives out loud,” Newsom stated. “I’m proud to stand with our LGBTQ Caucus today and lift up their commitment to advancing equality, freedom and acceptance. As we push back on the forces of hate that seek to undo our progress, California will continue to lead the way to a better, fairer future for all.” Added Siebel Newsom: “We’re committed to supporting members of the LGBTQ community to live as their most authentic selves and will fight to safeguard the policies that protect those rights. Alongside the Governor and the LGBTQ caucus, I encourage us all to continue to lead with California’s values of respect, equality, kindness, and acceptance because that’s the California Way and the best way forward.” AB 1741 is one of two bills relating to transgender issues that the governor was sent this week. It adds California to the list of states that annually proclaim November 20 as Transgender Day of Remembrance. The bill, introduced by gay Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Campbell), chair of See page 14 >>

ttendees and contingents at the June 26 San Francisco Pride parade had the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision reversing the right to an abortion on their minds as the in-person festivities returned for the first time since 2019. About 700,000 people attended the 52nd Pride parade, according to the San Francisco Fire Department. All in all, the massive event went pretty smoothly, returning to Market Street for the first time since the COVID pandemic forced Pride to resort to virtual celebrations the last two years, but it wasn’t all peaceful. A small disturbance near the main stage late Sunday afternoon forced headliner Martha Wash to be whisked away from the stage, cutting her set short. There were also reports of numerous small fights, police reported. (See related story, page 12.) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) rode in the parade holding a rainbow gavel. Other political leaders who participated included state Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) and outgoing Congressmember Jackie Speier (D-San Mateo/San Francisco), who

Rick Gerharter

People riding on the Oasis nightclub float made their feelings known about the Supreme Court’s abortion decision in the June 26 San Francisco Pride parade.

wore a rainbow dress. The energy on the streets was unique. People of all races, classes, and colors celebrated diversity and praised equality. Some contingents urged people to vote in the upcoming midterm elections in light of the re-

cent Supreme Court ruling, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, overturning nearly 50 years of precedent established by Roe v. Wade, guaranteeing a person’s right to See page 12 >>

CA officials decry Supreme Court’s Roe decision by Cynthia Laird

alifornia women lawmakers and elected officials decried the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade during a Zoom call June 24 and vowed to make the state a “safe haven” for people who give birth, while at a later news conference Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta said the state would do more than its fair share in helping pregnant people who need abortion services. The 6-3 decision issued June 24, in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, was a case in which an abortion clinic challenged a new law in Mississippi that banned abortion at any time after 15 weeks, unless there is a medical emergency or severe fetal abnormality. It overturns nearly 50 years of precedent established by Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed a federal right to an abortion. The decision now leaves access to abortion up to the individual states. Seven states automatically banned abortion following the court ruling, while Oklahoma lawmakers had banned nearly all abortions in May. Another 13 states are expected to do so in the coming days. Elected leaders in the Golden State, meanwhile, are taking steps to further protect a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion. They are also sounding alarm bells over how the Dobbs

Screengrab

Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes spoke on the U.S. Supreme Court’s abortion decision during a Zoom call June 24.

decision could be used to erode other federal protections. During the virtual press call lesbian Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes (D-Corona) pointed out what she described as troubling comments from Justice Clarence Thomas in his concurring opinion, which she said could lead the court to overturn LGBTQ precedents like the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

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Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (DOrinda) said that Newsom was expected to sign her Assembly Bill 1666 Friday. The bill would protect patients and providers in California from civil actions and financial retaliation by states with abortion bans that they may face for providing abortion care that’s legal in the state, according to a fact sheet provided by the women’s caucus. “How it feels to be a woman in America, to be a birthing person in America? It feels really devastating,” she said. Newsom signed AB 1666 at the news conference. “I’m very mindful California will play an outsize role,” in reproductive health care, the governor said. He said the state has budgeted tens of millions of dollars to provide grants to clinics to help cover the costs of people seeking to travel to California. Newsom was forceful in urging people to see what’s happening in the country. “Pay attention to what the hell is going on. The 1790s founding era – that’s what they’re pursuing,” he said, referring to the Dobbs decision and efforts by Republicans to roll back rights. He was asked by a reporter if he thought that there would need to be future state constitutional amendments on issues like same-sex marriage. “Yes, I do,” he said, recalling his time as San See page 14 >>

<< Community News

2 • Bay Area Reporter • June 30-July 6, 2022

For SF LGBTQ theater, it’s a Kinsey Sicks Christmas

by Matthew S. Bajko

early two decades after the Kinsey Sicks debuted their Christmas show “Oy Vey in a Manger” at the New Conservatory Theatre Center, the dragapella group is bringing it back to the LGBTQ nonprofit arts organization for a yuletide residency this year. The leader of the San Francisco theater hopes it becomes a new holiday tradition, albeit on an alternating calendar year basis. “We are hoping for that,” said New Conservatory artistic director Ed Decker, who founded the theater in 1981. “They do the show every other year at Theater J in Washington, D.C.” The Jewish theater presented the long-running holiday show last December as part of its 20212022 season. It will be presented at New Conservatory this holiday season from December 7 through December 31 as part of its 20222023 season. “We’re very excited about settling the show here for a month. I know folks that know them are going to be very excited,” said Decker, who believes the holiday musical will also attract a new generation of fans for the Kinsey Sicks. “We want to introduce them to younger audiences coming to NCTC now and help them build their new following.” This is the first time the Kinsey Sicks has performed the show in San Francisco since December 2017. That year the group staged it at a venue in North Beach. “I love this show. I absolutely think it is one of the best shows we have ever done,” said Jeff Manabat, a gay man who has performed as Trixie with the quartet since 2004. “I am excited every time we do it. It is always fresh. We always update our shows wherever we go and something topical reaches the zeitgeist.’ According to Decker, the Kinsey Sicks first mounted “Oy Vey in a Manger” at New Conservatory in 2003. It was such a hit, they brought it back the following year. A blurb about the 2004 production noted it was “guaranteed to stamp out holiday cheer! Now in its second year at NCTC, the show will premiere new songs sensibly excluded from last year’s production.” Co-founder of the group Ben Schatz, who had performed as Rachel until his retirement in 2019, wrote the show’s musical parodies. Manabat remembers seeing the show in 2003 right before he became a member of the Kinsey Sicks, which initially formed as a group in 1993. Other than in 2020, when they were “all homebound” due to the COVID pandemic, Manabat told the Bay Area Reporter he is pretty sure the group has performed “Oy Vey in a Manger” every year. The core storyline remains the same, with the members of the group trying to sell off their manger – “yes, that manger – before it’s foreclosed upon,” as their promotional materials for the holiday comedy explain. Along the way they perform their own “heretical” versions of beloved holiday songs, noted Manabat, who grew up in San Francisco but has called Los Angeles home since 2008. “Some people are just howling with laughter by what we can get away with,” he said. “I may be getting older, but the show itself does not get old. It is an evergreen show whenever and wherever it performs. People in San Francisco are especially delighted for it to return.”

Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee

The Kinsey Sicks will bring “Oy Vey in a Manger” to the New Conservatory Theatre Center in December.

Because the show is so beloved among the group’s fans, they try to schedule as many performances of it as possible during the holiday season. They are still deciding if they will mount performances of it before bringing it to New Conservancy in December. “We might do it outside of the Bay Area this year but that’s not finalized,” said Nathan Marken, a queer man who joined the group in 2014 and portrays Winnie. “Because the show is only done during a certain season, we try to pack in as many performances as we can. It is such a crowd pleaser.” The other two members of the quartet are J.B. McLendon, who performs as Angel, and Spencer Brown, who personifies the character Trampolina. Brown has been with the Kinsey Sicks since 2008, while McLendon joined in 2019. Where the 2023 holiday run of the show will be is likely to be locked down by the end of the year, said Marken. Asked about Decker saying he would like it to become a rotating holiday tradition for New Conservatory, Marken didn’t exactly rule it out. “Thank you, Ed! We look forward to seeing you in 2024,” he quipped. The group routinely looks at the show’s script to see where they can bring in topical references. For example, jokes about the Trump administration were added in 2016 and remained through the four years he was in the White House. “The onus is on us to jazz it up and bring it fresh every time,” said Marken. “We have been looking at this year’s version of the show, but the basic premise of selling off the manger is still there.” The plot, joked Marken, “is as well-defined as are our eyebrows. It will still be a lot of fun.”

‘Avenue Q’ exits stage left

In reaching a deal with the Kinsey Sicks to do a month-long residency at New Conservatory, Decker told the B.A.R. the theater was looking to replicate the success it had for years with the raunchy musical “Avenue Q.” As the B.A.R. noted in a 2017 story, LINK: https://www.ebar.com/story.php?ch=news&sc=news&sc2= &id=252687 the Tony Award-winning production had turned into a

Courtesy Instagram

The New Conservatory Theatre Center in San Francisco will feature a December residency of the Kinsey Sicks.

yearly hit for the LGBTQ theater as an offbeat counterprogramming option against typical yuletide theatrical fare like “The Nutcracker” or “A Christmas Carol.” First mounted in 2013 as New Conservatory’s Christmas season offering, the cast of trash-talking puppets was such a hit the show’s initial five-week run sold out and was extended for two weeks. A similar reaction met the 2014 production, leading “Avenue Q” to become a Christmas mainstay at NCTC through 2018. “I was starting to feel as though, by the end of our run, the piece was a little dated,” said Decker. “I kept thinking audiences would feel that way too and they just kept not feeling that way.” Nonetheless, New Conservatory lowered the curtain for good on the show and mounted in 2019 as its Christmas showcase a production of “Head Over Heels,” the musical based on songs by the Go-Gos created by Jeff Whitty, who had won the 2004 Tony Award for best book of a musical for “Avenue Q.”

“We reckoned it was time for a switch,” said Decker. “We did it for six years.” Plus, added Decker, the rights for “Avenue Q” became unavailable as plans were in the works for a national tour of the show, which premiered in 2003. For its 2020 holiday musical, New Conservatory had planned to mount a production of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.” But it was unable to present the show amid the ongoing COVID pandemic, which had ended live performances at the theater that year starting in March. This past Christmas, instead of doing a featured musical, New Conservatory opted instead to mount Martin Sherman’s play “Gently Down the Stream” about a gay MayDecember romance. Unfortunately, due to cast members catching COVID, the show was forced to end earlier than scheduled. “‘Gently Down the Stream’ was one of the shows we had to close a week early because of illness in the cast,” said Decker. “It was the first

show this season we closed early for COVID.” As they turn their attention to the upcoming season, which officially kicks off in September, New Conservatory will be asking Santa to bring them a safe and sold out run of “Oy Vey in a Manger” for Christmas this year. “I am very excited about this year’s Christmas show! The Kinsey Sicks have quite a history at NCTC,” noted Decker. Plus, their holiday show is just as offbeat and skewering of beloved tropes as “Avenue Q.” Instead of sending up children’s puppet shows, the Kinsey Sicks aim their satirical prowess at the Virgin Mary, the birth of Jesus, and the oxymoronic Wise Men, noted Marken. “It is naughty, bawdy, and very uncouth,” he said. Added Manabat, “It is also incredibly intelligent.” To learn more about the show and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.nctcsf.org/2223-Season/oy-vey-in-a-manger. t

0121

<< Community News

4 • Bay Area Reporter • June 30-July 6, 2022

Supes’ panel forwards police panel pick

by Cynthia Laird

ongtime lesbian artist Debra Walker’s nomination to the San Francisco Police Commission moved forward June 26, with the Board of Supervisors rules committee sending it to the full board but without a recommendation. District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan, who sits on the committee, said during the meeting that she would not be supporting Walker’s nomination because she wanted someone with more experience in police reform work. Walker, 69, was nominated by Mayor London Breed June 1 to replace Malia Cohen, a former supervisor and current elected member of the state Board of Equalization. Cohen stepped down earlier this year as she’s running for state controller. She advanced to the November general election where she will face off against Republican Lanhee Chan, after placing second in the June 7 primary. Walker currently serves on the city’s arts commission. She was a strong supporter of Breed’s 2018 mayoral campaign and co-chaired the arts and tourism committee that advised her on policy matters during her transition that summer. As the Bay Area Reporter previously reported, if Walker is confirmed by the board, she will return LGBTQ representation to the powerful police oversight body. It has been more than a year since Petra DeJesus, a lesbian and attorney, resigned from the closely scrutinized police commission on April 30, 2021. Last December, the supervisors rejected two transgender applicants who had sought to succeed DeJesus and instead seated Jesus Gabriel Yanez, a program director with Instituto Familiar de la Raza. There was no public comment at the rules committee meeting. Chair Aaron Peskin, who represents District 3, also had little to say. Chan, however, said the city is at a “critical juncture” regarding public safety and she felt the police commission should have a member who has “worked around criminal justice reform.” Gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who also sits on the committee, said he would be supporting Walker’s nomination. “I think you have a lot to bring to the commission. I think you have done the work,” he said, noting that Walker is a former president of the

Courtesy Facebook

Debra Walker’s nomination to the San Francisco Police Commission will soon go to the full Board of Supervisors for a vote.

progressive Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club. He noted Walker would return LGBTQ representation to the police panel. During the meeting, Walker said that she was “interested and excited to engage in dialogue” and work to reform the police department. “I’ve been meeting with a lot of people in the community.” She also said she wanted to see if the many programs around public safety could be more connected. Peskin worded the motion to forward Walker’s nomination to state “without recommendation” so that it would be unanimous. One of the police commission’s tasks is to conduct disciplinary hearings on charges of police misconduct. In an interview with the B.A.R. when she was nominated, Walker said she would thoroughly review each case brought before the seven-member body and be as transparent with the public as she could be. She would strive to do the same whenever there is a police officer-involved shooting. “If I am seated and approved by the board, I will be making sure we get all the information and the public knows what happens,” she said. “It is upsetting whenever there is a shooting of any kind.” Prior to serving on the arts commission, Walker served as a tenant representative on the city’s Building Inspections Commission between 1999-2019. Walker did not return a request for comment. The full board is expected to soon take up her nomination, likely at its July 12 meeting as it is off next week for the July 4 holiday.

Screengrab

Paul Woolford speaks at the Board of Supervisors rules committee June 27 about his nomination to serve on the new Public Works Commission.

Other out nominees

The rules committee unanimously approved moving forward two other out people for commission posts. One was approved at the board’s June 28 meeting while another was continued to the July 12 meeting. There was no public comment on either nominee. Alex Lemberg, a nonbinary person and attorney, was nominated by District 10 Supervisor and board President Shamann Walton to an unexpired term on the city’s Board of Appeals that runs through July 1, 2024. In introducing Lemberg, Peskin used the wrong pronouns but Lemberg stated in an email to the B.A.R. that he wasn’t offended. “It was nothing personal,” Lemberg, 34, said. In a brief phone interview, Lemberg said they are honored to be nominated. “I’m very much looking forward to serving on the Board of Appeals,” they said. “It has quite a bit of power and is pretty substantive.” During the meeting, Peskin noted the board is a quasi-judicial body that is the final administrative review process for appeals relating to a wide range of city determinations. At the June 28 board meeting, Walton moved to continue the vote on Lemberg’s appointment to the July 12 meeting and that passed 10-0 (Supervisor Chan was absent.) Finally, architect Paul Woolford, a gay man, was unanimously ap-

Courtesy Twitter

Alex Lemberg, shown here when he was a contestant on “Jeopardy!”, will have his nomination to the Board of Appeals heard by the supervisors July 12.

proved to a seat on the city’s new Public Works Commission. Proposition B, which was approved by voters in 2020, established two commissions – public works and sanitation and streets. Both commissions are expected to have their first meeting in July, which will be a joint session to review various commission duties. Prop B also created the new Sanitation and Streets Department. Woolford was named to the architect seat on the commission. He said that he served for eight years on the arts commission. Peskin asked

him about potential conflicts of interest because he is a design principal for HOK’s San Francisco studio. But Woolford said he understands when he needs to recuse himself – he reviewed ethics requirements when he was named to the arts panel and again more recently, he said – and stated that he doesn’t personally benefit from any city contract awarded to HOK. Woolford’s nomination was unanimously approved 10-0 at the June 28 meeting.t

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<< Community News

6 • Bay Area Reporter • June 30-July 6, 2022

New group wants to save Castro Theatre seats by Eric Burkett

eeking to preserve the rich film history of the Castro Theatre, as well as its LGBTQ programming, the Castro Theatre Conservancy has launched a campaign to draw attention to proposed changes at the much loved institution – including a plan to remove the seats on the main level. While the group itself only launched on June 22, with a news release calling for “preserving and protecting San Francisco’s Castro Theatre as a cultural and entertainment venue for motion pictures and live performance,” its leaders actually approached brothers Donald and Steve Nasser, of the family which has owned the movie palace since it was built in 1922, back in 2020 in the hope the family might consider letting them take over the theater’s programming. “I was exploring with them whether they would be interested in running a nonprofit, possibly as a long-term lease,” said Peter Pastreich, executive director of Castro Theatre Conservancy, in a phone interview with the Bay Area Reporter. The Nassers didn’t bite. In fact, Pastreich said on the phone from southern France that he was later surprised when Another Planet Entertainment announced in January that it was taking over management of the theater. A Berkeley-based concert promotion company, APE operates several venues around the Bay Area including Bill Graham Auditorium and The Independent in San Francisco, as well the Fox Theatre in Oakland. Promising to maintain the theater’s commitment to film as well as LGBTQ programming, APE submitted plans for extensive renovations of the theater, which immediately caught the attention of a public already wary of APE’s assumption of management. Those plans, submitted to the San Francisco Planning Department in March, called for removing the banked seating on the main floor of the auditorium and replacing that with three tiered platforms, providing more flexibility for live performances. Chairs, or what APE spokesperson David Perry has described as “movable, comfortable, flexible seating,” would be brought out for films or other events. (That type of seating is in place on the main floor of the Fox Theatre in Oakland.) The mezzanine level seating would remain unchanged save for individual seats that need to be replaced because of wear and tear. The proposal drew immediate concern – and criticism – from numerous people within the LGBTQ community as well as film aficionados.

Rick Gerharter

The Castro Theatre Conservancy wants Another Planet Entertainment to maintain the seats in the lower level of the auditorium that APE wants to replace with “movable, comfortable, flexible seating.”

The Castro LGBTQ Cultural District has expressed continued concern over APE’s plans for renovating the cinema, and has frequently accused the concert promoters of not being very transparent with their plans. Other groups and organizations that have expressed concerns include Castro Merchants Association; Frameline, which produces the LGBTQ film festival that just concluded; the Leather & LGBTQ Cultural District; SOMA Pilipinas Filipino Cultural Heritage District; the Harvey Milk and Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic clubs; Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza; the Queer Cultural Center; drag artist Juanita MORE!; gay activist Cleve Jones; and gay photographer Daniel Nicoletta. In fact, at a Frameline screening June 25, APE was the sponsor of “In From the Side,” about gay British rugby players. The audience booed and hissed after an APE promotional video was shown ahead of the film. “Save the seats,” someone shouted in the theater, which was met with laughter and a smattering of applause from the audience.

2375 Market St. | San Francisco http://chadwickssf.com @chadwickssf

“The [Castro] was dark for 12 days in 2019. There was always something going on there.” –Film preservationist Robert Byrne Orchestra seating ‘essential’

In the conservancy’s June 22 release – which was also the 100th anniversary of the opening of the movie theater – it stated its concerns about plans to remove the cinema’s “orchestra seating and sloped floor, as both are essential to preserving the filmgoing experience.” “In addition, we are working to ensure the many film festivals, luminaries of the world of cinema, LGBTQ+, and other community events are able to continue using the theater at affordable prices,” the conservancy stated. Their release included a veritable who’s who of civic, film, and cultural giants, not only from San Francisco but throughout the world. Signatories calling for preservation of the theater as a film center include former San Francisco mayor Art Agnos; filmmaker Wes Anderson; singers Jello Biafra and David Byrne; attorney Nanci Clarence; and directors Joel Coen, Francis Ford Coppola, Guillermo del Toro, Ernest Dickerson, Rob Epstein, Ang Lee, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg. Other supporters include former supervisors Sandra Lee Fewer and Leslie Katz, a lesbian; Alexandra and Christine Pelosi, daughters of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (DSan Francisco); Sister Roma of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence; and gay author Armistead Maupin. Gay filmmaker John Waters is also listed.

The conservancy has found support in other groups, as well. “We have been meeting with the conservancy on a regular basis, and their membership and goals overlap with ours,” said Lee Hepner, a spokesperson for Friends of the Castro Theatre. “As Friends of the Castro Theatre, we continue to advocate that APE work together with our merchants and cultural institutions to enhance the theatre’s queer past, present, and future,” said Hepner. “Though APE has hired high-profile community liaisons, we remain skeptical that they are interested in good faith engagement.” Besides concern about maintaining the theater’s current seating configurations, Pastreich also called upon APE to commit to running 100 days’ worth of the programming, including LGBTQ, it has been running annually until now. “We are urging two things,” said Pastreich. “Don’t mess up the orchestra floor, and allow reasonable access for a set number of days.” APE spokesperson Perry has noted in the past that film attendance at movie theaters is down overall and that repertory film showings aren’t drawing the audiences they once did. Live performances, such as concerts, are an important way of helping to preserve old theaters like the Castro, he has said. Perry declined to comment for this story.

Film preservationist and conservancy President Robert Byrne disagreed with the idea that art house and repertory films aren’t drawing sufficient audiences. “The [Castro] was dark for 12 days in 2019,” Byrne told the B.A.R. on the phone from Amsterdam where he was attending a film festival. “There was always something going on there.” “There are plenty of other venues,” he added, “that APE can go to to maximize its profits, other than taking one of these incredible, rare, cultural components.” Byrne pointed to the nonprofit California Film Institute, based in San Rafael in Marin County, as an example of an organization that has managed to make the showing of arthouse films financially feasible. In addition to showing films at the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center, the organization also produces the Mill Valley Film Festival and Doclands, a documentary film festival, as well as conducts educational outreach throughout the year. Mark Fishkin, founder of the 45-year-old California Film Institute and its executive director, as well as the director and founder of the Mill Valley Film Festival, agreed that the Castro’s current seating is important to the ability of the Castro to retain its vital role as a film center. The role the Castro plays is vital, Fishkin said in an interview with the B.A.R. “What the Castro has been doing, in a sense, is a testament to their role in the community,” said Fishkin. Programming at the theater is represented through the many important festivals that occur there, as well, such as the Silent Film Festival, the Jewish Film Festival, and Frameline, the LGBTQ film festival, he said. Byrne said there aren’t many theaters like the Castro left in the United States. “There is no replacement for this venue. It is not a dinosaur. It is active and it’s very important to people,” said Byrne. “When it’s gone, it’s gone.”t

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<< Open Forum

8 • Bay Area Reporter • June 30-July 6, 2022

Volume 52, Number 26 June 30-July 6, 2022 www.ebar.com

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‘They’re coming for you next’

alifornia officials spent last Friday telling the public and reporters that the state is a safe haven for those seeking an abortion and will likely become even more inviting to those seeking such services as a package of reproductive justice bills makes its way through the Legislature and is signed by Governor Gavin Newsom. This comes in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that overturned Roe v. Wade and Casey v. Planned Parenthood, the two precedents that established a right to abortion. On Monday, lawmakers passed State Constitutional Amendment 10, which will now go on the November ballot; it would enshrine the right to an abortion and the right to contraceptives in the California Constitution. It was during a June 24 news conference, however, that Newsom let loose, saying in no uncertain terms what the draconian Supreme Court ruling means, not just for women and others who give birth such as trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming people, but for the greater LGBTQ community and other minorities. For one, as legal observers and others have noted, the court’s ruling marks the first time that a constitutional right has been stripped away, in this case one that’s been on the books for nearly 50 years. Additionally, Justice Clarence Thomas’ frightening concurring opinion opens the door to the court overturning other precedents, like same-sex marriage (Obergefell v. Hodges), same-sex sexual relations (Lawrence v. Texas), and the right for couples to use contraception without government restriction (Griswold v. Connecticut). Newsom spoke of the “enormity of the moment” and how it isn’t lost on him. “I’m sorry as well,” he said, “but a little less sorry than pissed.” The governor said he’s mindful of the outsize role the Golden State will now play in abortion access – since the ruling it is now illegal or heavily restricted in 11 states, according to NPR, with the practice expected to be banned in about half the states. (https://www.npr.org/ sections/health-shots/2022/06/24/1107126432/ abortion-bans-supreme-court-roe-v-wade) And he said California will “double down” as the various reproductive justice bills are approved. In response to a question, he also acknowledged that national Democrats could do more. Ever since Roe was decided in 1973, antichoice forces have laid the groundwork that led to the Dobbs decision. That included successfully putting anti-choice politicians in office,

Courtesy Governor’s Office

Governor Gavin Newsom, flanked by state leaders, talked about the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision that overturned Roe v. Wade during a June 24 news conference.

and culminated with former President Donald Trump, who named three Supreme Court justices – all opposed to abortion and part of the majority opinion – who were approved with a laser-like focus by a Senate led by thenMajority Leader Mitch McConnell (RKentucky). Newsom noted that these same politicians have spent the last several years attacking rights for transgender people. “Nine states have bans on trans girls from playing sports,” he said, before he got to his main point. “They’re coming for you next,” Newsom warned. “I’m resolved to wake all of us up to what’s going on in this country.” Republicans, he said, are aggressively and successfully rolling back rights. “They’re not pro-life, they’re pro-birth,” he said, referring to Build Back Better, President Joe Biden’s nearly $2 trillion domestic program, which is effectively dead because of Republican opposition as well as that of two Democratic senators, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Newsom said it was “pro-family” legislation. Most troubling to Newsom and us is Thomas’ concurrence and his willingness, no, eagerness, to overturn the aforementioned rulings on marriage equality, same-sex relations, and contraception. “A Supreme Court justice expressed clarity to reconsider same-sex marriage,” Newsom said. So, yes, while abortion opponents are having their moment and relishing the demise of a long-held right, they’re not stopping there. Conservatives want to return American society

to past centuries by controlling people’s bodily autonomy, who they can sleep with, and who they can marry. But they have absolutely no proposals to address the consequences of their actions. There will be no massive increase in funding for low-income people forced to carry pregnancies to term, there will be no expansion of Medicaid in those red states, which would provide healthcare for low-income Americans. In addition to the real possibility of the high court accepting a case that could potentially overturn previous decisions like the legalization of same-sex marriage, there could be a federal ban on abortion, which would negate the safe haven status that California and other states, like Oregon and Washington, have established. That’s why as dismal as Democrats’ prospects look in this November midterm elections, we hope that women and others impacted by the court’s reversal of Roe will vote in large numbers for candidates who support pro-choice laws and policies. We lived through former President George W. Bush’s push for a federal same-sex marriage ban, and while thankfully that did not come to fruition, the political landscape has changed dramatically since the early 2000s. Today, the Republican Party looks nothing like it did during Bush’s time, and it’s full of people who dismiss science and reality. The lasting damage of the Trump administration reverberates far beyond the Supreme Court: it’s evident in myriad congressional races and among candidates for statewide offices. Newsom is right, except they are already coming for us and have set their targets. We must be prepared. t

Liberal status quo brought us to this moment by Andrew Kelly

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ithout a doubt, the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling overturning Roe v. Wade’s right to abortion will go down as one of the most egregious abuses of judicial authority in our country’s history. Never before in the history of our republic has a right been bestowed to a group of people, only to be stripped away later. And, of course, as anyone who isn’t lying to themselves is aware, this is only the beginning of a war against civil liberties the religious right has been brewing for decades that will ultimately come to affect racial minorities, women, and yes, our queer community. While I see many people within queer spaces rightfully blaming the Republican Party for its brazen assault on civil liberties, it’s less often that I see people point out the political decisions made by many prominent members of the Democratic Party that allowed this to happen. The fact is, Democrats have had plenty of opportunity and forewarning that this day would come and did nothing. Take, for example, former President Barack Obama’s promise to Planned Parenthood when he was running for president that one of his first actions if elected would be to codify Roe into law before eventually saying that doing so was not his “biggest priority.” While defenders of the Democratic Party would be right to say that Obama did not have a completely pro-choice supermajority in Congress to work with, this is no excuse.

Jane Philomen Cleland

Members of the Dykes on Bikes contingent express their anger at the U.S. Supreme Court decision reversing the right to abortion in the June 26 San Francisco Pride parade.

President Lyndon Johnson (D) was known for cajoling Southern senators into voting for the Civil Rights Act, at times even threatening them with the loss of their political fortune if they did not vote for the bill, as well as using his bully pulpit to rally the American public behind its passage. Imagine if Obama had used his role as leader of the Democratic Party to cajole antichoice senators into voting for the codification of

Roe by threatening them with the loss of campaign funds from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, as well as rallied the public, who, by and large, support the Roe decision, to advocate for its passage. Some would argue that this would have caused these senators to lose their seats; meanwhile that exact thing happened in our timeline with the passage of the Affordable Care Act, when Obama himself said the DemoSee page 14 >>

Politics >>

June 30-July 6, 2022 • Bay Area Reporter • 9

In CA insurance czar primary, Levine again falls to third place by Matthew S. Bajko

fter moving into second place last week in his primary bid for California’s insurance czar, Assemblyman Marc Levine (D-Greenbrae) once again finds himself in third place as more ballots have been counted. As of Wednesday, he was trailing Republican Robert Howell for second place by 4,939 votes. Maintaining his first place finish is gay California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara (D), the lone elected LGBTQ statewide leader in the Golden State. With more than 2.4 million votes, Lara is currently leading his opponents with 35.9% of the vote. As of Wednesday morning, an estimated 171,112 ballots remain unprocessed from the June 7 primary, according to the Secretary of State’s Office, so Levine and Howell could very well again switch positions in the coming days. County elections officials have until July 8 to report their final official results, as Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber will certify the results on July 15. Should he compete against Howell, a cybersecurity equipment manufacturer, on the November 8 general election ballot then Lara will likely have an easy path to a second four-year term. But Lara’s reelection bid could be in trouble if he ends up facing Levine and GOP voters cast their votes for the state legislator from the North Bay. The combined support in the primary for Levine, Howell, and Greg Conlon, a Republican currently in fourth place, stands at 52% of the vote. Levine’s current total is 1,202,573 votes, while Howell has 1,207,512 votes. Conlon’s share is 1,079,224 votes. A campaign spokesman for Levine didn’t respond to the Bay Area Reporter’s request for comment by the paper’s press deadline Wednesday. Last week, on June 22, Levine had hailed his “top two finish” in a tweet after he had moved back up to second place in the primary. LINK: https://twitter.com/MarcLevine/status/1539695703995256833 On election night he had been behind Lara but by the next day had fallen down to third place behind Howell. “Taking on an incumbent in a statewide race is a tall order,” noted Levine in his tweet. “Many political observers assumed we’d go quietly into the night on June 7, leaving the incumbent with a non-competitive runoff. That happened in other statewide races. But so far we are beating the odds and setting up a very competitive race in November.” Over the weekend Levine participated in San Francisco’s Pride parade June 26 with his family as part of gay state Senator Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) contingent. One photo he posted showed him holding a sign that said, “Proud to be an ally & Jewish,” as they waited to march. “Full of pride to celebrate & fight for equality. Be proud to love. Be proud to be loved,” tweeted Levine. Also joining Wiener’s contingent was California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a former Democratic state assemblymember seeking election to a full term as the state’s top prosecutor in the fall. Wiener and Bonta, however, are among the many Democratic officials who endorsed Lara’s reelection bid this year. Lara’s election four years ago marked the first time an LGBTQ person had been elected to statewide office in the Golden State. But he had a rocky first term beset by ethical scan-

Barry Schneider Attorney at Law Courtesy Twitter

Assemblymember Marc Levine, who is running for state insurance commissioner, participated in the San Francisco Pride parade June 26 with his family.

dals dating back to 2019, leading to the intraparty challenge from Levine. Most of the state’s daily newspapers endorsed Levine, as did the B.A.R., while the LGBTQ newspaper the Los Angeles Blade urged its readers to vote for Lara. The power of incumbency and the strength of the Democratic vote, as Lara had secured the endorsement of the California Democratic Party, helped the Latino politician from Los Angeles County survive the primary. Lara’s campaign hasn’t issued any statements since the day after the primary, when it touted his winning by a two-to-one margin after running a “positive campaign” compared to the onslaught of negative ads that Levine and outside interest groups had aired against the incumbent. “I look forward to meeting with more Californians from across the state to talk about what we’re doing to help wildfire survivors and make insurance accessible to all, no matter what zip code you’re from. I’m here to finish the work I started and look forward to earning your vote again in November,” stated Lara.

Insurers on notice about HIV statute change

In the meantime Lara remains focused on his job at hand. On June 20 he issued a notice LINK: http://www.insurance.ca.gov/0250-insurers/0300insurers/0200-bulletins/bulletinnotices-commiss-opinion/upload/ The-Equal-Insurance-HIV-Act.pdf that “strongly” encourages insurers to provide life and disability income insurance to individuals living with HIV in advance of upcoming mandatory changes to California’s HIV statutes that take effect January 1. Lara had co-sponsored legislation in 2020 to outlaw unfair discrimination against applicants for life insurance and disability income insurance based on HIV status. The operative date of the statutes was delayed until January 1, 2023 to give insurers time to collect the information they need

Courtesy Lara campaign

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara

family law specialist* • Divorce w/emphasis on Real Estate & Business Divisions • Domestic Partnerships, Support & Custody • Probate and Wills

to underwrite individuals living with www.SchneiderLawSF.com HIV, his office noted in a press release announcing the issuance of Lara’s notice during Pride Month. *Certified by the California State Bar “California’s outdated HIV statutes needed to be changed to protect indi400 Montgomery Street, Ste. 505, San Francisco, CA viduals living with HIV,” stated Lara, Did You Overspend During who had worked with state Senator the Holidays? Lena A. Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) Debt Consolidation Loan, to pass her Equal Insurance HIV Act Did You Overspend During of 2020. “HIV status will no longer be the Holidays? unfairly used as a barrier to obtaining Debt Consolidation Loan, life insurance or disability income insurance. Now individuals living with HIV will have the same opportunity as other individuals to protect themselves and their loved ones by pur4115 19th Street chasing the insurance they need.” The legislation is repealing the San Francisco, CA 94114 state’s Insurance Code sections 799 through 799.09 that were enacted in 1988 as an article titled “Underwriting of AIDS Risks.” One of the statutes, Insurance Code section 799.02, allows insurers to decline an application for life or disability income insurance if the applicant tests positive for HIV. At that time, there was no effective kirk@yankeeclippertravel.com treatment for HIV and the illness was seen as a life-threatening condition for many. Now, more than three decades later, most people living with HIV are able to enter into their senior years due to advances in treatment, making it important for them to be able to purchase life insurance policies as well as disability income insurance. “For far too long, California’s outdated laws have kept people living with HIV from getting the insurance coverage they need,” stated Tony Hoang, executive director of statewide LGBTQ advocacy organization Equality California, which had also co-sponsored Gonzalez’s Senate Bill When you plan your life celebration and lasting remembrance in 1255 two years ago. “We know that advance, you can design every detail of your own unique memorial people living with HIV can live a long, and provide your loved ones with true peace of mind. Planning ahead healthy life and we are glad to see CaliWhen your celebration lasting protectsyou your plan loved ones fromlife unnecessary stress and and financial burden, fornia’s law treat them with the respect When you remembrance plan your celebration and lasting in allowing themlife to focus on what will matter most at design that remembrance time—you. in advance, you can every they deserve.” you canofdesign every detail of your ownand unique memorial detail own memorial provide As Lara’s office noted, insurersadvance, that Contact usyour today about theunique beautiful ways to create a lasting legacy atyour theloved San Francisco Columbarium. don’t comply with the update inand the provide loved ones with true peace mind. Planning ahead your ones with true peace ofof mind. Planning law will be subject to his enforcement protects your loved ones from unnecessary stress and financial ahead protectsProudly yourserving loved onesCommunity. from unnecessary burden, the LGBT powers, including Lara’s authority to allowing them focus on whatburden, will matter most them at thattotime—you. review consumer complaints, investistresstoand financial allowing gate violations of the insurance code, focus on what will matter most at that time—you. and, when necessary, bring enforceContact us today about the beautiful ways to create a lasting legacy ment actions for violating statutes that FranciscousColumbarium. protect individuals living with HIV.at the San Contact today about the beautiful ways to create “The Equal Insurance HIV Act a lasting legacy at the San Francisco Columbarium. means California is standing up One Loraine Ct. | San Francisco | 415-771-0717 Proudly serving our Community. against HIV-related stigma and endSanFranciscoColumbarium.com ing once and for all the unjust pracProudly serving the LGBT Community. tice of insurance companies unfairly FD 1306 / COA 660 discriminating against HIV-positive individuals,” stated Gonzalez, who replaced Lara in the Legislature after he stepped down from his 33rd Senate District seat to become insurance commissioner in 2019.t

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<< Commentary

10 • Bay Area Reporter • June 30-July 6, 2022

Standing up in a post-Roe world by Gwendolyn Ann Smith

am sure you don’t need me to tell you this: in a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which established constitutional protections for abortion, as part of a 6-3 decision to uphold an abortion ban in Mississippi in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. (Chief Justice John Roberts issued a separate opinion agreeing with the Mississippi ban but didn’t join Justice Samuel Alito’s majority in overturning Roe.) The decision is a devastating rollback of the rights of women and so many others. In a concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas called for overturning several other decisions, including Obergefell v. Hodges and Lawrence v. Texas. This would, of course, be the end for a lot of LGBTQ rights victories won in the courts in this century. Obergefell, in 2015, legalized same-sex marriage nationwide; Lawrence, in 2003, struck down state bans against samesex sexual relations. It is notable that Thomas stopped short of considering the reversal of Loving v. Virginia, the 1967 case that overturned bans on interracial marriage, perhaps because that one – unlike the others – he has a personal investment in keeping intact. Thomas, who is Black, is married to a white woman and enjoys the legal protections gained via the Loving decision. Much like Thomas, the conservative justices on the Supreme Court telegraphed their willingness to overturn Roe late last year after oral arguments in Dobbs,

and a leaked copy of Alito’s draft decision in early May showed exactly where things were bound to go. We should be prepared for Lawrence, Obergefell, and Griswold v. Connecticut (1965), which struck down bans on couples using contraception, to fall as soon as the court’s next session, which begins in October. As dire as this is, however, I want to light an even more urgent fire: at their heart, the fight for abortion rights and the fight for trans rights are intertwined. Both are very much about bodily autonomy, and who has a say over what you can and cannot do with your own flesh. We cannot have a robust trans rights movement without being a part of the abortion rights movement. For that matter, transgender people who happen to have uteri have just as much to lose by this ruling. A large part of the transgender community is directly affected by the loss of Roe. There has been a lot of anger directed not just against conservative Republicans, but also Democrats in the wake of this ruling, with many – frankly, including myself – arguing that they are not doing enough. On June 24, the very day Roe was overturned, we saw members of Congress take to the steps of the Capitol – and sing “God Bless America.” Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (DSan Francisco) responded by reading a poem. Further, the Democrats have seized this moment to return to their regular messaging around voting, particularly in the No-

Christine Smith

vember midterm elections. I, who have voted in every election since I came of age, am nonplussed by this. I did not, after all, vote for a poet or a church choir. I voted for lawmakers, and I expect them to do everything they can to codify the rights lost under this illegitimate Supreme Court. At the same time, I know that I’m not their audience for this message: it’s the roughly 80 million people who did not vote in 2020, who are probably not that fired up about 2022 or 2024. If they stay home, and the Congress flips to Republican control, we will see no further positive action to protect bodily autonomy or civil rights – likely for a generation. Yet, “just vote” isn’t the answer, and it is cold comfort for those who do show up at the polls. We

June 30, 2022

Support Bay Area LGBTQ nonprofits! giveoutday.org

need a Congress and a president who are not just saying the right words – when they are not singing, of course – but are acting on the needs of the people. If all they can do is once again plead for votes, then what is their purpose in Washington, D.C.? If I may, it is as the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said: “We will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” We know where the GOP stands, but what will our allies in the Democratic Party do at this juncture? This is a time for bold moves – not reciting poems. In the end, however, it isn’t about the Supreme Court, or the Democrats, or even the president. In the end, it is up to us. There are nine justices on the Supreme Court. There are 525 members of Congress in the

House and Senate. There are 329 million or so Americans, and we need to understand that the only people who are going to save us are ourselves. We can’t expect anyone else to do the job for us. We will need to donate to abortion rights causes and volunteer for them. It will finally be time to address the subject with friends and family, especially those with whom it will be difficult to converse. It is time to take to the streets, to the airwaves, to anyplace we can. It is time to be ready to fight back – metaphorically and otherwise. Yes, those of us who haven’t gone to the ballot box had best go and do so, presuming we can. Yet we also need to be calling on our representatives, from either side of the aisles, and let our voice be heard. Our opponents are counting on our complacency and expecting us to feel demoralized and afraid. In the last few days, many tears have been shed over this decision, mine included. At the same time, many of us are afire with rage at the stripping away of our rights. When a blacksmith crafts an object, they will often take the redhot metal and quench it in water and other substances to rapidly cool it down, hardening the piece. Your tears and your rage are powerful. Use them to strengthen yourself into the most effective version of you, a tougher self, ready to fight back. They’ve taken enough from us. Let’s not hand them anything else for free.t Gwen Smith will not cede an inch. You’ll find her at www.gwensmith.com

Community News>>

t Boudin urges successor to keep progressive policies

June 30-July 6, 2022 • Bay Area Reporter • 11

by Cynthia Laird

tra Costa County in 2017, leaders there conducted an open DA recruitment and appointment process that included community forums, and other opportunities for public engagement. That resulted in the appointment of progressive District Attorney Diana Becton, who easily won reelection last month. Becton was a former Superior Court judge in the East Bay county. The letter urged Breed to follow a similar path.

an Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who was recalled from office in the June 7 primary, hopes his successor will retain the progressive policies he implemented during his two and a half years in office. During a phone interview June 28, Boudin said he does not know when he will officially leave. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors certified the election results later that day, but Boudin said he has not been in contact with Mayor London Breed, who will appoint his successor. “I have not heard from the mayor,” he said. The new district attorney will need to run in a special election on the November ballot to complete Boudin’s term, which runs through 2023. Anyone else can also run, and Boudin did not rule out being a candidate himself. He said that many supporters have talked to him about such a possibility. “I’m exploring it. I’m considering it for sure,” he said. According to final results from the San Francisco Department of Elections, Boudin was recalled with 55.3% of the vote, a narrower margin than was first reported on election night as additional returns were counted, while 44.97% voted to keep him in office. Boudin, 41, had some words to impart to his successor. “Criminal justice reform makes us safer and is widely popular with voters,” he said. “I urge whoever is appointed, stay the course with bail reform and not prosecuting juveniles as adults.” Both of those policy changes – along with expanding victim services – are changes Boudin

Regrets

Rick Gerharter

San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin kissed his wife, Valerie Block, at his swearing in on January 8, 2020.

implemented after taking office in January 2020, and of which he said he is most proud. Those programs, along with others, like not seeking gang injunctions and refusing to seek the death penalty, are at the heart of a letter to Breed signed by several organizations stating what they would like to see in the next DA. “The staff and volunteers of our organizations have had conversa-

tions with thousands of San Francisco residents over the past several months. Through these conversations, it has become even more clear that San Franciscans overwhelmingly support reducing incarceration, holding police officers accountable when they break the law, eliminating racial bias from our legal system, and investing in mental health and substance use treatment. And they want the policies

that support those values to remain in place,” stated the letter, which was signed by the American Civil Liberties Union Northern California, San Francisco Rising, Smart Justice California, Glide, Courage California, Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth, the San Francisco Coalition on Homelessness, and Service Employees International Union Local 1021. The letter also noted that in Con-

Boudin said there were “absolutely” things that in hindsight he would have done differently. “Every day we make mistakes when you run the risk of balancing due process,” he said, adding that his office has over 300 employees. Imperfect investigations by other agencies also contribute to oversights, he said. But he regretted that at the outset of the COVID pandemic, he did not “adequately explain to the public the effect of court closures,” he said, noting that he “had just two months of full court access.” The court closures affected cases from shoplifting to murder, he noted. The COVID-related shutdowns that closed the courts began in March 2020, just two months after Boudin assumed office. Public safety was a big issue during the recall, with Boudin coming under attack for expanding diversion programs and other alternatives to incarceration. But he was firm that the problems like car break-ins and the city’s homeless population existed long before he became DA. “It depends on how you measure it,” he said of the state of public safety in the city. “There is a lot of See page 15 >>

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<< Pride 2022

12 • Bay Area Reporter • June 30-July 6, 2022

Fights, reported chemical spray mar SF Pride festival by Eric Burkett

s the first in-person Pride parade and festival since 2019 was winding down June 26, the celebration was cut short after someone sprayed what may have been Mace into a crowd outside the main stage at Civic Center. That followed a melee only a few moments before. Police were informed around 5:25 p.m. – 35 minutes before the event was due to end – of a vocal dispute near the portable toilets and arrived to find a large number of people embroiled in a physical fight. After police broke up that incident, an unidenti-

fied woman allegedly let loose on the crowd near the main stage with a can of what SF Pride said was Mace. Performing on the main stage at the time was headliner Martha Wash, who was whisked off stage for safety and had her set ended early. SF Pride officials then decided to cut the event short. “It’s important we let people know that at the time, it was a person spraying mace into the crowd,” SF Pride stated later in a statement issued through social media. “Although no one was harmed, we know it was not a pleasant experience. We decided to cut the performance short in the in-

terest of safety.” As people were leaving the event “a whole bunch of fights” were reported, San Francisco Police Department public information officer Kathryn Winters told the San Francisco Chronicle, although they were much smaller than the fight minutes before. Around the same time, reports of a shooting outside the festival near Seventh and Market streets drew police to that location but, according to a tweet sent out by Winters, “Officers weren’t able to locate any victims/witnesses. Doesn’t appear to be merit to shooting in area…”t

Jane Philomen Cleland

People lined Market Street for the first in-person San Francisco Pride parade since 2019.

Pride parade

From page 1

an abortion. The 6-3 decision, issued June 24, stemmed from a challenge by the Jackson women’s clinic to a new law in Mississippi banning abortion after 15 weeks, unless there is a medical emergency or severe fetal abnormality. People expressed both disappointment and fear that LGBTQ rights could be diminished in the

future, as a result of the court’s decision. A concurring opinion in Dobbs, written by Justice Clarence Thomas, urged the court to “reconsider all of this court’s substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell.” Lawrence v. Texas struck down state bans against same-sex sexual relations; Obergefell v. Hodges struck state bans against marriage for same-sex couples; and Griswold v. Connecticut struck bans against

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Jane Philomen Cleland

San Francisco Pride headliner Martha Wash, center, was safely escorted off stage after a disturbance led officials to end the celebration early.

Rick Gerharter

The Righteously Outrageous Twirling Corps contingent did their thing during the San Francisco Pride parade.

couples using contraceptives. He stated that the court has “a duty to ‘correct the error’ established in those precedents….” Carolyn Wysinger, board president of San Francisco Pride, warned in a press release that the ruling could threaten recent gains for the LGBTQ community. “This ruling means that genderaffirming care could be in jeopardy and gay marriage could face an uncertain future,” she said. “We cannot allow this ruling to set a precedent that will thrust us back into the dark ages or shove us back into the closet.” Maria Lourdes Gutierrez was at the Pride parade and had attended the Women’s March the night the court decision was released. A Texan, Gutierrez said she came to San Francisco especially for the Pride parade. Women in Texas, especially women of color, are struggling because they can’t legally have an abortion in most cases, she said. “The number of irregular clinics are on the rise,” said Gutierrez. “Sometimes those clinics are unsafe because they don’t follow basic standards that, commonly, are supervised by a government department, like a health department, for example, making women exposed to unhealthy treatment.” The Texas law, known as SB 8, severely limits abortion and makes it illegal to obtain one after six weeks of pregnancy. The law also allows any citizen to file suit against anyone who violates the ban, or who helps someone else violate it, and promises the court will award such citizens a minimum of $10,000 per successful lawsuit. The law further notes that Texas “never repealed” its ban on abortion subsequent to the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, which was just reversed. Pride-goer Shana Bing, in the crowd having a good time with her friends, said that Pride gives her the opportunity to be someone who is unafraid of speaking out about herself. As part of the Latinx community, she said the increasing violence against minorities has put her on alert and, even with all the security and police around, she could not feel 100% safe. A pre-parade controversy surrounding the presence of uniformed police officers marching in the parade, stemming from an incident in 2019, was settled only a

few weeks before the parade. Under a compromise reached by SF Pride and SFPD, command staff marched in uniform while officers wore casual attire. The disagreement had prompted Mayor London Breed and gay District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey to state they would boycott the parade unless the matter was resolved. It was but, unfortunately for Breed, she contracted COVID and had to self-isolate, missing Pride anyway. Dorsey rode in her parade contingent. Celebrity grand marshals for Pride 52 included bisexual actor and comedian Sherry Cola of the television series “Good Trouble,” and trans “Jeopardy!” champion Amy Schneider. The community grand marshals were selected by the Pride membership, board, and the public earlier this year. They were: Melanie DeMore, a Grammy-nominated singer/composer, choral conductor, music director, and vocal activist; Vinny Eng, who serves on the board of Open-

house, an organization focused on LGBTQIA+ seniors, and also cochairs the policy committee of the Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club Board of Directors; Amber Gray, a group facilitator and public service aide for the City and County of San Francisco’s Community Behavioral Health Services; and Socorro “Cori” Moreland, founder and CEO of Brotherhood510, a resource and education group for Black trans masculine people. Other community grand marshals were Mellanique “Black” Robicheaux, a 30-year veteran DJ who couldn’t play in queer clubs because of racism so she paved her own way in the 1990s hip-hop scene by opening her own clubs and producing memorable parties like Tight, Rise, Dream EZ, Hella Gay, and Ships in the Night; and Andrea Horne, a Black trans woman who is this year’s lifetime achievement grand marshal. This year’s honored organization was the African American Art & Culture Complex, a Black arts and cultural institution in the Fillmore. The arts and empowerment organization provides “space for Black creatives, healers, and activists all over the Bay Area to create art, host provocative conversations, and bring people together in joy, mourning, and political power.” Last year queer African American Arts and Culture Complex co-executive directors and twin sisters Melonie and Melorra Green were community grand marshals. The Trans and Dyke marches also returned to the streets this year, as did the People’s March. That more activist event traced the original route of the Pride parade on Polk Street and was organized by activist Alex U. Inn and drag artist Juanita MORE!t

Photos: Rick Gerhartre

Top: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi waved a rainbow gavel as she rode in the San Francisco Pride parade. Above: Members of El/La Para TransLatinas joined the June 24 Trans March with their flags and banners.

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14 • Bay Area Reporter • June 30-July 6, 2022

Roe decision

From page 1

Francisco’s mayor in 2004 when he ordered city officials to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, sparking the legal fight for marriage equality. “It’s something I thought I’d never see,” he said of the possible need for an amendment. “A Supreme Court justice expressed clarity regarding reconsidering same-sex marriage.” Newsom also said that national Democrats “have a lot of work to do.” He noted that the anti-choice movement has been agitating for Roe’s repeal since it was decided 50 years ago. Now that it’s been overturned, others’ rights are at stake. “Trans rights – nine states have banned trans girls from playing sports,” Newsom said. “They’re coming for you next.”

Women’s caucus

The Legislative Women’s Caucus held the virtual call just a few hours after the ruling, and several speakers described themselves as “pissed” and “speechless.” They vowed that the Legislature would pass a package of 14 bills, developed with the help of the Future Council of Abortion, that they said would protect women and others who give birth, such as transgender people not only in California but those who come to the state seeking reproductive services and abortions. In Thomas’ concurrence, the justice urges the court to “reconsider all of this court’s substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell.” Lawrence v. Texas struck down state bans against same-sex sexual relations; Obergefell v. Hodges struck state bans against marriage for same-sex couples; and Griswold v. Connecticut struck bans against couples using contraceptives. He stated that the court has “a duty to ‘correct the error’ established in those precedents….”

Newsom

From page 1

the Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, requires the governor to officially recognize the date each year as a day of special remembrance in the Golden State. The event, started in 1998 by Bay Area Reporter Transmissions columnist Gwen Smith, commemorates those transgender people lost to violence in a given year. One of the first states in the country to make the day an official yearly observance was Virginia. The Virginia House of Delegates adopted a resolution January 7, 2020 that annually designates November 20 as Transgender Day of Remembrance in the Mid-Atlantic state. Transgender Delegate Danica Roem had authored it. In 2017, the provincial government of Ontario, Canada, unanimously passed the Trans Day of Remembrance Act, which requires members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario to annually observe a minute-long moment of silence at 10:29 a.m. on November 20 if they are in session, otherwise they are to do so the next

Guest Opinion

From page 8

crats took a “shellacking” in the 2010 midterm elections and lost control of both the House and Senate the following year. Furthermore, much blame for the tearing down of Roe must also be placed on the late Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Ginsburg indeed had ample warning that her health was failing, having been treated for pancreatic cancer as far back as 2009. Obama, as well as Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy (D), even met with Ginsburg to nudge her into retiring. However, for whatever reason, she chose to stay on throughout Donald Trump’s presidency. Her death in September 2020, just weeks before the

Jane Philomen Cleland

The June 25 Dyke March returned this year, with participants sounding off about the recent abortion ruling.

“I’m deeply concerned about Thomas’ concurring opinion to revisit marriage equality and contraceptives,” Cervantes said. Newsom also mentioned Thomas’ concurrence. “They’re coming after you next. Period. Full stop,” he said. “It’s a serious moment in American history.” Assemblymember Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens), chair of the women’s caucus, noted that as a Latina, she sees how the decision will affect marginalized communities, including people of color and the trans community. “It’s the first time we’ve lost a constitutional right,” she said. Lawmakers have been preparing for this decision even before the leaked draft opinion by Justice Samuel Alito was made public in early May. As many feared, the opinion issued Friday mirrored that draft, overturning the 50-year-old Roe decision. For example, Garcia pointed out the 14

FAB bills that make up the Reproductive Justice Policy Priority Package now making its way through the Legislature was introduced in January. (Oral argument in the Dobbs case was heard December 1, and many court observers said then that Roe could be overturned.) “Women and child-bearing people will be protected by the package of bills,” Garcia said. State Senator Nancy Skinner (DBerkeley), vice chair of the women’s caucus, said she was “pissed” about the court ruling. “This is about power,” she said, adding that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) and former President Donald Trump (R) don’t “care about abortion. It’s about power.” (As majority leader, McConnell blocked former Democratic President Barack Obama from filling a court vacancy ahead of the 2016 election and

pushed through the nomination of conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett after the death of liberal justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg just weeks before the 2020 election. Trump nominated Barrett, and Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh during his four years in office. The result was a 6-3 conservative majority on the court.) “The Republicans who put these justices in positions care about power,” Skinner said. Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis (D), a former ambassador to Hungary during the Obama administration, said that the six justices who voted to overturn Roe “have just weakened the institution of the court. They stripped away a right that’s been protected for 50 years. This will not stand. We’re going to fight for that right.” Several speakers called on the federal government to protect abortion

Thursday that they meet. California’s Assembly passed AB 1741 on a 58-20 vote in late May. The state Senate passed it Monday, June 20, by a 31-9 vote, and it was presented to Newsom at 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 22, amid the Pride week celebrations held annually on the seven days preceding the last Sunday in June. As Smith told the B.A.R. in April, “In a time when so many other states are attempting to legislate trans lives and trans history out of existence, it is all the more important to see California lead the way in honoring people lost due to anti-transgender violence and hatred. This is a small but important move that shows the state cares.” Also on June 23, the governor signed AB 421 by gay Assemblymember Chris Ward (D-San Diego), which makes technical changes to the procedures for changing gender and sex identifiers on official documents, such as a marriage certificate, according to the release.

Should Newsom sign the bill then California would join the state of New York in repealing its loitering laws. The Empire State did so in 2021.

Also being sent to Newsom is legislation to repeal California’s

“walking while trans” loitering law. Sex worker advocates and LGBTQ leaders have denounced such criminal codes due to police using them to arrest transgender women who engage in prostitution in order to make a living. The California Legislature last year had approved the legislation repealing the state’s Penal Code section 653.22, which makes it a misdemeanor to loiter in a public place with the intent to commit prostitution. But gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), who authored Senate Bill 357, had withheld sending it to Newsom amid concerns that the governor would veto it. As the B.A.R. first reported online Monday, June 20, Wiener made a motion that day to enroll Senate Bill 357, kick-starting the formal process to submit the bill to Newsom’s desk. According to the state’s online tracker for bills, it was enrolled and presented to the governor Friday, June 24, at 10:30 a.m. Newsom will have 12 days to either sign or veto SB 357 once he receives it.

presidential election, allowed Trump and then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) to jam through the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the high court, solidifying the 6-3 conservative supermajority that exists today. Even when the threat to abortion was most tantamount during President Joe Biden’s first months in office, just after Barrett was confirmed to the court, it took the current president 468 days to even mention the word “abortion” after being elected. And, at that, only once in a news release mentioning the leaked draft opinion in May that would become the Dobbs ruling. While Democrats have certainly made a case that this would never have been possible in the face of obstruction from Sena-

tors Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona) and Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia), the Democratic Party has done itself no favors by continuing to stump for anti-abortion candidates. Indeed, just three weeks before the Dobbs ruling, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) reiterated her support for Congressmember Henry Cuellar (Texas), the lone anti-choice House Democratic incumbent. He was in a competitive runoff race that he narrowly won. This casts much doubt on the idea that the Democratic Party ever cared about Roe beyond using it as a wedge fundraising issue. Furthermore, the idea of a conservative insurgent within the Democratic Party using their influence to stunt positive social change is nothing new. Remember former Democratic Con-

necticut senator Joe Lieberman? He switched to being an independent. The fact of the matter is, no politician is coming to save women, racial minorities, trans people, or the queer community from the Supreme Court. The Democratic Party is too beholden to its corporatist large donors to ever even think about doing something like abolishing the filibuster, which would be needed to codify Roe. All one needs to do to see this is to look at how Democrats have continually called for more police funding, even as the police would be responsible for enforcing a national ban on abortion the GOP is no doubt salivating over. And the Republican Party – well, it’s actively trying to dismantle what few civil rights we have left. Now is the time for mass resistance

‘Walking while trans’ bill

Highlighting LGBTQ rights

The Pride Month gathering highlighted Newsom’s actions on LGBTQ rights, the release stated. California was the first state in the country to officially form a caucus of openly LGBTQ state legislators and continues to lead in advancing policies that create safer, more inclusive communities, the release stated. Newsom has signed a number of measures to advance these efforts, including AB 493 to develop a training program for educators to better support LGBTQ youth; SB 932, which ensures comprehensive data collection to understand how COVID-19 is impacting the LGBTQ community; AB 2218 to establish the Transgender Wellness and Equity Fund to provide grants for programs focused on trans-inclusive health care; AB 1094 to collect data on an individual’s sexual orientation

and others noted that California voters will have an opportunity this November to vote on a state constitutional amendment to explicitly secure contraception and abortion. “It will no longer be based on privacy,” Skinner said, as the Roe decision was. Assemblymember Mia Bonta (DOakland), the wife of state Attorney General Rob Bonta, said that the caucus has prepared itself for “this darkest moment.” At the news conference, Rob Bonta said, “Abortion remains fully legal in California. Today’s decision does not impact our state’s laws. In California, we refuse to turn back the clock.” The caucus was asked what the state is doing to prepare for a likely influx of people coming here for abortions and reproductive services. Skinner said that immediately or soon, as many as 26 states are poised to criminalize those seeking abortions. “We’re getting prepared,” she said, referring to SB 1375 by lesbian state Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) that would increase access and accessibility in health care and abortion services by making the necessary clarifications to state law to allow nurse practitioners that meet specified criteria to practice independently without physician assistance and provide first trimester abortion care without physician supervision. Garcia pointed to AB 1918 by Assemblymember Cottie PetrieNorris (D-Irvine) that would create a reproductive health service corps within the Department of Health Care Access and Information. The corps would recruit, train and retain a diverse workforce of health care professionals who will be part of reproductive health teams assigned to work in underserved areas.t

or gender identify in cases of violent death to help inform prevention efforts; and SB 1255 to end the practice of insurance companies discriminating against individuals because of their HIV status. In 2020, the governor appointed Justice Martin Jenkins to serve as the first openly gay man on the California Supreme Court, and this year appointed Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Andi Mudryk to the bench. Mudryk is the first transgender person appointed to the bench by Newsom. The governor’s release stated that Mudryk is “the first openly transgender person to serve on the state’s judicial bench,” but Alameda County Superior Court Judge Victoria Kolakowski, a transgender woman, was elected to the Alameda County Superior Court bench in 2010, as the B.A.R. has previously reported. (Kolakowski is married to B.A.R. news editor Cynthia Laird.) The governor’s release also stated that shortly after taking office in 2019, he launched a new initiative to pardon people who were prosecuted in California for being gay.t and mutual aid on a scale the likes of which the U.S. has never seen before – donating en masse to abortion funds, civil disobedience, and learning self-defense through groups such as the John Brown Gun Club, Pink Pistols, and Socialist Rifle Association. I would also like to close this essay by asking anyone who has the means to do so to match my donation of $5.20 (including fees) to the National Network of Abortion Funds at https:// abortionfunds.org/.t Andrew Kelly (he/him/his) is currently a junior at San Francisco State University, studying communications and professional writing.

t <<

Community News>>

Boudin

From page 11

work to do. Over decades there have been serious problems with property crime. But in my 880 or so days in office there were 28,000 fewer reported crimes than in the 880 days before I was in office. “Homelessness and drug overdoses – the DA can’t solve,” he said. Boudin said that he was on the city’s 2018 methamphetamine task force. Its report listed the establishment of a meth sobering center as the top priority, as the B.A.R. reported at the time. Yet it was just this month that Breed announced the opening of a drug sobering center. “It’s frustrating that it took four years,” Boudin said, “and an example of why, if City Hall can’t do it, it doesn’t matter who the DA is.” Longtime LGBTQ Democratic leader David Campos, a gay lawyer and former supervisor hired by Boudin to be his chief of staff in September 2020, told the B.A.R. he

“really enjoyed” his time working at the office. Campos had taken a leave of absence earlier this year to focus on his ultimately unsuccessful bid for state Assembly. “We had a good working relationship,” said Campos, who elected not to return to his position with Boudin following his defeat in the special runoff race in April for the Assembly seat. “He is a smart, hardworking person who I think leads by example in terms of how hard he works. He is truly committed to the mission of criminal justice.” Asked if he thought Boudin should run again for election as DA, Campos told the B.A.R. that he didn’t “have an opinion one way or the other,” as it is a decision his former boss needs to decide on his own. “It was a rewarding experience for me to serve as his chief of staff. I think whatever differences people have with him, there is no question he is a dedicated public servant,” said Campos. “I hope he continues to serve.”

June 30-July 6, 2022 • Bay Area Reporter • 15 Future plans

As for the future, Boudin said he hasn’t made any decisions. He said that he was in campaign mode almost the entire time of his tenure as DA – an earlier recall effort fizzled before the successful one made the ballot. And he continues to point out the millions of dollars pumped into the pro-recall campaign. In an email to supporters soliciting donations to retire his campaign debt, Boudin noted that the pro-recall campaign spent $65 per vote. By contrast, he said his campaign spent $9 per vote. “I want to remind you that the recall effort spent 10 times more than what our campaign spent on the entire 2019 election,” he wrote. “And despite that, we won about 15,000 more votes against the recall than when I was elected 2.5 years ago.” Boudin’s predecessor, former San Francisco DA George Gascón, was elected Los Angeles County DA in 2020 and now he is facing a potential recall. According to an article

in the Los Angeles Times, Gascón, also a progressive, has been the subject of intense criticism since taking office. While a first recall effort against Gascón failed, a second one has a July 6 deadline for submitting 569,000 valid signatures that organizers say they will meet, though as the paper reported, some observers say the recall effort faces an uphill battle. Boudin said he has not spoken with Gascón on the phone, but he has been part of group calls. “I expressed my hope that it doesn’t qualify,” Boudin said of the LA recall effort. “I know how much of a distraction it is. They need and deserve a DA focused full time and not being in a perpetual campaign cycle.” Right now, at least, Boudin is planning to spend some time with his family. “My focus is on my family,” he said, noting that he and his wife, Valerie Block, had their first child last summer and his father, David

Gilbert, won parole last October after being imprisoned for 40 years in a New York state prison. Gilbert and Boudin’s mother, Kathy Boudin, were involved in a botched robbery in 1981 of a Brinks armored truck in Rockland County, New York that left three people – a Brinks guard and two police officers – dead. In one of his last acts in office before resigning last August, former New York governor Andrew Cuomo commuted Gilbert’s sentence. Gilbert then received parole. Gilbert and Kathy Boudin were members of the Weather Underground, a radical revolutionary group responsible for a bombing campaign targeting government buildings and banks in the 1970s. Kathy Boudin also served 23 years in prison in connection with the case and was released in 2003. She died of cancer in May, just weeks before the recall election. Boudin said that he remains committed to “continuing the fight for criminal justice reform.”t

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-22-557199 In the matter of the application of MEREDITH RENE KURPIUS & JAMES WINSTON KURPIUS, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner MEREDITH RENE KURPIUS & JAMES WINSTON KURPIUS is requesting that the name NATALIE KURPIUS be changed to PEREGRINE FOREST KURPIUS. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 9th of AUGUST 2022 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039736400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as BROWS BY LISA, 5813 GEARY BLVD, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed LISA LAM. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/01/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/13/22. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022

Legals >> ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-22-557179 In the matter of the application of ELIZABETH OSTERMAN BROWN AKA ELIZABETH OSTERMAN AKA ELIZABETH BROWN, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner ELIZABETH OSTERMAN BROWN AKA ELIZABETH OSTERMAN AKA ELIZABETH BROWN is requesting that the names ELIZABETH OSTERMAN BROWN AKA ELIZABETH OSTERMAN AKA ELIZABETH BROWN be changed to ELIZABETH SUZANNE OSTERMAN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 14th of JULY 2022 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted. JUNE 09, 16, 23, 30, 2022 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-22-557186 In the matter of the application of TING LI, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner TING LI, is requesting that the name TING LI, be changed to SOPHIA LI. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 14th of JULY 2022 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted. JUNE 09, 16, 23, 30, 2022 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-22-557185 In the matter of the application of YOU JIN HA, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner YOU JIN HA is requesting that the name YOU JIN HA be changed to JENNIFER YOUJIN HA. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 14th of JULY 2022 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted. JUNE 09, 16, 23, 30, 2022 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-22-557159 In the matter of the application of PAIGE MACINTYRE, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner PAIGE MACINTYRE is requesting that the name PAIGE LONDON MACINTYRE MCBRIDE be changed to STEFON DONELL MCBRIDE. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 5th of JULY 2022 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted. JUNE 09, 16, 23, 30, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039728400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as INTEGRITY TELECOM SOLUTIONS, 301 EXECUTIVE PARK BLVD #502, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed PABLO MEMBRENO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/03/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/03/22. JUNE 09, 16, 23, 30, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039727500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as JH COMPANY, 1242 NORTHPOINT DR #A, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94130. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JESSE CHUNG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/02/22. JUNE 09, 16, 23, 30, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039715700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as SYBARITE LUXURY REALTY, 891 BEACH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed PHIL CHEN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/18/22. JUNE 09, 16, 23, 30, 2022

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039727400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as DA HOT SPOT, 201 TURK ST #A, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed EMAN M. DIAB. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/02/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/02/22. JUNE 09, 16, 23, 30, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039727800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as SHAPUR; SHAPUR MOZAFFARIAN; MOZAFFARIAN; SHAPUR MOZAFFARIAN FINE JEWELRY; MOZAFFARIAN FINE JEWELERS; ST. FRANCIS BOUTIQUE; PARTIEH; 155 POST ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SHAPUR MOZAFFARIAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/84. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/02/22. JUNE 09, 16, 23, 30, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039727300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as BON BON SPA 2, 3636 CESAR CHAVEZ ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed DOMINIC CAY NGUYEN & THUYAI BUI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/02/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/02/22. JUNE 09, 16, 23, 30, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039723500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as MARTELLLS LIQUOR & GROCERY, 5615 GEARY BLVD, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed MARTELLLS LIQUOR & GROCERY INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/17/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/26/22. JUNE 09, 16, 23, 30, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039723900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as URBANA SOMA, 122 10TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed URBAN FLOWERS, A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/26/22. JUNE 09, 16, 23, 30, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039720800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as MUGUBOKA RESTAURANT, 401 BALBOA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by a married couple, and is signed JAE YOUNG BYUN & EUN HEE PARK. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/24/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/24/22. JUNE 09, 16, 23, 30, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039727600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as PRIK HOM, 3226 GEARY BLVD, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed SUWAAN LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/01/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/01/22. JUNE 09, 16, 23, 30, 2022 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-039685100 The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as JOY NAIL SPA, 3636 CESAR CHAVEZ ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by DOMINIC CAY NGUYEN. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 04/11/22. JUNE 09, 16, 23, 30, 2022 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-039481600 The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as HALAL SPOT, 201A TURK ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by EMAN M. DIAB. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/10/21. JUNE 09, 16, 23, 30, 2022

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF PES-22-305401 IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: FILE JOHN CHARLES BRANDOLINO To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of JOHN CHARLES BANDOLINO. A Petition for Probate has been filed by GIOVANNI GAVAL BRANDOLINO in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that GIOVANNI GAVAL BRANDOLINO be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: JULY 06, 2022, 9:00 am, Dept. 204, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the latter of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined by section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Petitioner: GIOVANNI GAVAL BRANDOLINO,14622 VENTURA BLVD #301, SHERMAN OAKS, CA 91403; Ph. (310) 496-9260. JUNE 16, 23, 30, 2022 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-22-557195 In the matter of the application of KWOK YAM JUNG, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner KWOK YAM JUNG is requesting that the name KWOK YAM JUNG AKA CHARLEY YAM JUNG AKA CHARLES JUNG AKA CHARLEY KWOK JUNG be changed to CHARLEY KWOK-YAM JUNG. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 21st of JULY 2022 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-22-557197 In the matter of the application of EVA NELL HOLSOME AKA EVA NELL FULLER AKA BARBARA ANN HOLSOME, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner EVA NELL HOLSOME AKA EVA NELL FULLER AKA BARBARA ANN HOLSOME is requesting that the name EVA NELL HOLSOME AKA EVA NELL FULLER AKA BARBARA ANN HOLSOME be changed to EVA NELL HOLSOME. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 21st of JULY 2022 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039735100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as HEAVY HANDS JANITORIAL, 929 CONNECTICUT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed EDWARD G. ARGUETA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/09/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/10/22. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-22-557200 In the matter of the application of MEREDITH RENE KURPIUS, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner MEREDITH RENE KURPIUS is requesting that the name MEREDITH RENE KURPIUS be changed to MEREDITH BEATRICE BAUER. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 9th of AUGUST 2022 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-22-557201 In the matter of the application of DAVID HUANG, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner DAVID HUANG is requesting that the name DAVID HUANG be changed to DA WEI HUANG. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 21st of JULY 2022 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039727700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as NU NORML, 702 MOULTRIE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed MARI ARREOLA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/02/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/02/22. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039733100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as ASIAN CAPITAL REALTY; ALLAN LEUNG CHAN REALTY; ALLAN LEUNG CHAN INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES; 5264 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ALLAN LEUNG CHAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/09/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/09/22. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039730000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as CNA ROADSIDE, 2513 HARRISON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed CARLOS RODAS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/01/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/07/22. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039733300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as HONDURAS KITCHEN, 5278 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed RAMON U MARTINEZ FLORES & OLVIN FLORES PONCE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/01/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/09/22. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039732000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as BLADE, 221 KEARNY ST #4, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed LUCKY TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/08/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/08/22. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039733000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as WALLY’S COMMUNITY MARKET, 453 O’FARRELL ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed XPRESS MARKET INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/01/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/08/22. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039732800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as SF TAXI-CAB CO, 1340 25TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed SF TAXI TRANSPORTATION COMPANY INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/08/22. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039732200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as UPFRONT SALES, 584 CASTRO ST #2081, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed FRANCO SALES LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/18/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/08/22. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039729700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as NISI’S CRAFT BAKERY, 533 BROWNING ST, MILL VALLEY, CA 94941. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed PRETZEL LOGIC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/07/22. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039731700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as HIDDEN STORY MEDIA, 4328 20TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed RICHARD HANEY ARMSTRONG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/07/22. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039735900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as DOWN THERE NATURALS, 1142 JACKSON ST #6, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed DOWN THERE NATURALS LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/25/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/10/22. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039737000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as PURPOSE VIBES, 15 TERRACE DR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94127. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ANSLEY ECHOLS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/13/22. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022

STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-034156500 The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as SF TAXI-CAB CO, 2575 MARIN ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by IGOR KOPETMAN. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/24/12. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022

<< Legals

16 • Bay Area Reporter • June 16-22, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 589254 Fictitious Business Name(s): 1. BEAUTY BAY, 2. BEAUTY BAY LASHES, 2250 96TH AVE #203, OAKLAND, CA 94603 County of ALAMEDA Registrant(s): ROSA A. MARTINEZ PAVON. Business conducted by an Individual. The registrant began to transact business using the fictitious business name(s) listed above on NA. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct. S/ ROSA A. MARTINEZ PAVON. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of Alameda County on 05/20/2022. JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 291145 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: BEAUTY QUEEN, 425 GRAND AVE, SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94080 County of SAN MATEO. Registrant(s): JIA LI YANG. This business is conducted by an Individual. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above on N/A. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct, S/ JIA LI YANG. This statement was filed with the County Clerk of San Mateo County on 05/19/2022. Mark Church, County Clerk HENRY SALGADO, Deputy Filing with Changes JUNE 16, 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF KRISTINE BARBARA MORGAN AKA KRISTINE B. MORGAN IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: FILE PES-22-305349 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of KRISTINE BARBARA MORGAN AKA KRISTINE B. MORGAN. A Petition for Probate has been filed by JASON ALLEN WAUGHTAL in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that JASON ALLEN WAUGHTAL be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: AUGUST 03, 2022, 9:00 am, Dept. 204, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the latter of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined by section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Petitioner: Jason Allen Waughtal, 21 Duncan St, San Francisco, CA 94110; Ph. (415) 215-0641. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 2022 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-22-557213 In the matter of the application of CHARLOTTE E TAYLOR, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner CHARLOTTE E TAYLOR is requesting that the name CHARLOTTE E TAYLOR be changed to CHARLOTTE E ELFALAN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 28th of JULY 2022 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-22-557170 In the matter of the application of EVELYNE THEOPHILIA VANIE, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner EVELYNE THEOPHILIA VANIE is requesting that the name EVELYNE THEOPHILIA VANIE be changed to SOLOMON ELIEDIVINE JOSHUA. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 26th of JULY 2022 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-22-557215 In the matter of the application of HAU TRUNG NGUYEN & THI HONG HUONG DUONG, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioners X HAU TRUNG NGUYEN & THI HONG HUONG DUONG are requesting that the name DUONG GIA HAN NGUYEN be changed to HANA HAN NGUYEN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 18th of AUGUST 2022 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-22-557219 In the matter of the application of ANGELINA YEGYAZARYAN, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner ANGELINA YEGYAZARYAN is requesting that the name SYDNEY MONROE AGBOR AKA SYDNEY AGBOR-YEGYAZARYAN be changed to SYDNEY MONROE YEGYAZARYANAGBOR. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 30th of AUGUST 2022 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039733700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as BO & BEURRE, 606 EDDY ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed DANNY NGO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/01/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/09/22. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039739700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as KAQCHIKEL TRANSLATIONS, 1000 WISCONSIN ST #2, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed GONZALO GUORON TZIAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/01/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/16/22. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039733900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as RUTA, 690 LONG BRIDGE ST #116, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94158. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed PIERROT RUTAGARAMA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/09/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/09/22. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039729400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as THE VERY HUMAN, 548 BRANNAN ST #303, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed MICHAEL ANSA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/06/22. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039742900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as PROTOCOL FORCE NETWORK, 88 HOWARD ST #1509, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed RASOUL SADEGHI HARDANGI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/21/22. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039740400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as ARTISTIC NAILS & SPA, 1826 DIVISADERO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed ARTISTIC NAIL & SPA (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/17/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/17/22. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039736000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as WUCHER & ASSOCIATES, 56 SANTA FE AVE. SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed BWCO (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/10/22. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039736500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as FORTIFIED FORMATION, LLC, 50 SANTA CLARA AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94127. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed FORTIFIED FORMATION LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/01/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/13/22. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039739000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as NUCHA, 103 HORNE AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed GAUCHO’S TABLE LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/15/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/16/22. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039740900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as CHARLIES MARKET, 3400 JUDAH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed CAMINO CORNER STORE LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/17/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/17/22. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039740500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as NAIL LAB LLC, 3036 FILLMORE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed NAIL LAB LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/17/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/17/22. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039739900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as VM ESTATES, 1700 VAN NESS AVE #1151, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed VM ESTATES LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/16/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/16/22. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039723000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as ORACLE UTOPIA,1320 5TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed ORACLE INNOVATIONS LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/02/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/25/22. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039741300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as PLA RA, 2380 LOMBARD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed MAVEL LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/17/22. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039739500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as MONEY MONEY JUICE, 31 BEATRICE LN #2, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed POINT PUSHAS LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/16/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/16/22. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039727200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as LOTUSLAND YOGA SF, 1360 VALENCIA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed LOTUSLAND INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/01/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/02/22. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-039664600 The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as ARTISTIC NAIL & SPA, 1826 DIVISADERO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by THUY THI BUI. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/18/22. JUNE 23, 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF WILLIAM ROY SIKES, JR. IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: FILE PES-22-305445 To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of WILLIAM ROY SIKES, JR. A Petition for Probate has been filed by JOHN TEASE III in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that KEITH C. PEPPER be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: JULY 20, 2022, 9:00 am, Dept. 204, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the latter of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined by section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: KEITH C. PEPPER (SBN 146565), 1835 MOSCATO PL, BRENTWOOD, CA 94513; Ph. (707) 334-5078. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 2022 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-22-557221 In the matter of the application of WEIWEN YU & MANYING ZHAO, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner WEIWEN YU & MANYING ZHAO is requesting that the name YUYING YU be changed to AMY YUYING YU. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 30th of AUGUST 2022 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-22-557229 In the matter of the application of CHUN HOI LO, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner CHUN HOI LO is requesting that the name CHUN HOI LO be changed to KEVIN CHUN HOI LO. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 4th of AUGUST 2022 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-22-557231 In the matter of the application of CANDY WONG, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner CANDY WONG is requesting that the name CANDY WONG be changed to SHAO JUAN HE. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 4th of AUGUST 2022 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-22-557236 In the matter of the application of LEJIA ANNA SU, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appears from said application that petitioner LEJIA ANNA SU is requesting that the name LEJIA ANNA SU be changed to ANNA LEJIA SU. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 9th of AUGUST 2022 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039749700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as MOLLIE NE, 1345 FILLMORE ST #408, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed NAM M. LEE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/23/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/23/22. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039746100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as LEV’S PLUMBING CO, 74 MIRALOMA DR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94127. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed LEV SHEVKHOD. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/30/83. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/22/22. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039743500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as VTL, 1325 LINCOLN WAY #6, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed OMER BICEROGLU. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/21/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/21/22. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039753600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as EYETHRIFT, 1264 VALENCIA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed MARIA GARCIA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/16/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/27/22. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039754500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as BERNAL HILL PLAYERS, 183 ELLSWORTH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JENNIFER PERINGER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/27/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/27/22. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039747400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as COLOR BLOCK SALON, 1255 9TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed COLOR BLOCK SALON (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/23/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/23/22. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039730300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as MILKTOPIA, 1139 TARAVAL ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed FUNFA INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/05/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/07/22. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039744800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as PRECIOUSDESIGNSBYME, 84 WESTBROOK CT, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed KNIGHTEN-JONES L.L.C. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/06/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/21/22. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039745600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as RANDY & SON’S AUTO REPAIR, 112 SAGAMORE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, C A 94112. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed MENDOZA & CORTES LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/22/22. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039738600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as UD ENTERPRISES, 734 INNES AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed SIERRA’S SECRET LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/15/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/15/22. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039745400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as RAD RADISH, 301 HAYES ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed 301 HAYES STREET, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/22/22. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/22/22. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039751600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as SUPER DUPER, 346 KEARNY ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed KBURGER, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/04/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/27/22. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039751700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as SUPER DUPER, 2201 CHESTNUT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed EBURGER, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 04/08/11. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/27/22. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039751800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as SUPER DUPER, 721 MARKET ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed JBURGER, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/25/11. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/27/22. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039751200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as SUPER DUPER, 783 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed METBURGER, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/05/11. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/27/22. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039751400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as SUPER DUPER, 3401 CALIFORNIA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed 3401 CALIFORNIA STREET, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/28/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/27/22. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039751500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as UNO DOS TACO, 595 MARKET ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed APMEX, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/10/11. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/27/22. JUNE 30, JULY 07, 14, 21, 2022

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Devin Way and Billy Sibilly in the new ‘Queer as Folk’

by Brian Bromberger

ith some reservations, we welcome back “Queer As Folk” in its third eight-episode incarnation, currently screening on Peacock. Russell T. Davies’ 1999 groundbreaking British series about the lives of LGBTQ friends as chosen family flew over the pond and landed in its American Showtime cable version, which ran from 2000 to 2005. In the press notes, the creator of this latest version, Stephen Dunn (“Closet Monster”) claims when he pitched his idea successfully to Russell T. Davies, “I told him that I didn’t want to tell the same story he’d already done so well, but I wanted to create a new version that could break ground and reflect the next generation of queerness.” Dunn mostly adheres to this vision, but remnants of its two predecessors still pervade the storylines, though he incorporates more of the punk, badass, muddy, and sometimes venomous composition of the original British characters, so it feels wilder, freer, but also angrier. Dunn addresses social justice concerns, unlike Davies, who even avoided AIDS. Dunn sets his queer community in New Orleans’ Faubourg Marigny neighborhood. Tragedy strikes in the first episode with a shooting at the Babylon club (a holdover) in the style of the 2016 Pulse nightclub massacre. All this emphasis on hate crimes, targeted violence, and discrimination, seems sadly as pertinent as ever. To his credit, Dunn has recruited an almost entirely queer cast.

Family, connections

The central figure is Brodie (Devin Way), a commitment-phobic prodigal dropout from medical school, who comes home, but doesn’t

Queer as Folk 3.0

Third version of popular series gets diverse want to stay with his estranged biological family, which includes his martini-soaked, high-society-southern-debutant-with-trailer-park-roots mother Brenda (Kim Cattrall), his emotionally distant father Winston (Ed Begley, Jr.), and his pop-culture-nerd-with-cerebral-palsy gay brother Julian (Ryan O’Connell). Brodie assumes he can move in with his exboyfriend Noah (Johnny Sibilly), and resume where they left off, but Noah has embarked on a secret relationship with Brodie’s best friend Daddius (Chris Renfro). Brodie wants to connect with his trans best friend Ruthie (Jessie James Keitel), who’s adjusting to parenthood with her non-binary spouse Shar (CG) about to deliver twins, for whom he donated the sperm. Meanwhile the late twentysomething Brodie has a problematic ickyish hookup with the jaded 17-year-old high school

student Mingus (Fin Argus), who’s exploring their sexuality. With the blessings of his overly supportive mother Judy (Juliette Lewis), Mingus prepares to make their drag debut at Babylon on that fateful night. At Babylon, we’re introduced to Bussey (Armand Fields), the reigning drag queen and matriarch of the local scene, as well as Marvin (Eric Graise), a jaded barfly, sex-positive wheelchair user, and bilateral amputee. In line with the previous series, “Queer As Folk” is chockfull of soap opera plots centered on romantic travails. Defiant hedonism in the form of excessive drug use and sex, skillfully photographed, includes many hot, erotic scenes with very little frontal nudity, suggesting you are seeing more than what is actually there. The show’s chief virtue is that it has significantly more diversity in terms of race, gender fluidity, and sexual orienta-

Pansy Division: Joel Reader, Luis Illades, Chris Freeman and Jon Ginoli

tions than its previous incarnations, so issues of trans identity and intersectionality are broached.

Disability and sexuality

The first episode introduces the main plot threads, but is unwieldy and overwhelming. The series really doesn’t hit its stride until halfway, the season’s peak episode 4 entitled “Fck Disabled People,” written by actor and executive producer O’Connell, who has cerebral palsy. It explores sexuality and disability through a resurrected Babylon club night called Ghost Fag, which hosts a “crip” sex party. Julian’s pairing with Noah is daring and promising. Marvin’s exclamation, “Yes, I have a dick. And yes, it fucking works,” finds fulfillment in a touching relationship with sex worker Ali (Sachin Bhatt), See page 18 >>

Pansy Division in 2002

The persistence of Pansy Division

Jon Ginoli on the queer band’s longevity

by Gregg Shapiro

ong before there was ever a Lil Nas X (seriously, before Lil Nas X was even born), the queer music act Pansy Division had the right combination of in-your-face lyrics and unexpected public exposure. With the good fortune of having shared a record label (Lookout Records) with Green Day, as well as a similar punk aesthetic, Jon Ginoli and his fellow Pansy Division bandmates embarked on a massive cross-country concert tour with Billie Joe Armstrong and his Green Day bandmates in the

mid-1990s. In other words, a queer rock band from San Francisco was being exposed to a very different audience than the ones to which they were accustomed. Fast-forward almost 30 years, and Pansy Division is still at it. With seven studio albums under its belt – the most recent being 2016’s “Quite Contrary” – as well as a handful of singles and compilations, Pansy Division springs eternal. Following a pandemic pause, the band is playing some upcoming live shows, including the Mosswood Meltdown on July 2 in Oakland’s Mosswood Park. Ginoli was gracious enough to answer a few questions before the festival.

Gregg Shapiro: Jon, I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing you a few times over the years, beginning in 1994, after Pansy Division played an all-ages show at a south suburban Chicago record store while the band was on tour with Green Day. How does it feel when you look back on those early days? Jon Ginoli: Playing arenas with Green Day was a life-changing experience for a band who had not expected to make it that far. We thought we’d be playing small clubs in obscurity. We have incredible gratitude that it happened and that it went so well.

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Pansy Division is performing on the second day of the Mosswood Meltdown in Oakland’s Mosswood Park on July 3. Were you a regular attendee of the festival in the past? Yes, it’s been going on for about 10 years and I’ve gone almost every year. The Mosswood festival, with its focus on garage rock, ’60s rock, new wave, indie, and punk rock, is right in my sweet spot. What does it mean to you and Pansy Division to be performing at the Mosswood Meltdown? See page 18 >>

<< TV & Music

18 • Bay Area Repor ter • June 30-July 6, 2022

Left to Right: CG and Jessie James Keitel; Fin Argus; and Ryan O’Connell and Billy Sibilly in the new ‘Queer as Folk’

Queer as Folk

From page 17

a topic rarely broached in television. Episode 7 traces back Ruthie’s and Brodie’s friendship to their Catholic high school days, even bleeps out Ruthie’s dead male name, another highlight. Underlying the run of the show is how it handles the massacre. Dunn has to walk a thin line between not wanting to exploit real trauma (there’s nothing said about the shooter or his motives) but not have it overwhelm the action so it casts a pall. He opts to have the tragedy rear its ugly head only at selective moments, mostly as a rationale to explain bad behavior. Overall, the series doesn’t avoid the psychic wounds or the grief, but shows how the characters rebuild their lives in light of the shooting, not getting past the horror, but living with it. The series is spot-on at satirizing benefit vigils and social media influencers who use the shooting to become the calamity’s self-appointed public mourners to enhance themselves. The show is never a downer or sad,

and even in its darkest moments is funny. As Bussey says, in terms of a queer survival tool, “Trust me, it’s a lot harder if you don’t know how to laugh.” The series adeptly balances frivolity alongside pain. There’s oppression and marginal- ization, but the focus is on how the characters overcome it by becoming fully who they are.

Kim Cattrall in ‘Queer as Folk’

Flawed and flawless

The series isn’t afraid of portraying messy characters, flawed, selfish ones who make mistakes in their quest to find happiness, mirroring real life. However, the chief flaw of “Queer As Folk” is that its lead Brodie is an unlikable narcissistic jerk to the point of grating. While there are hints towards the end that he may have some redeeming qualities, the minor revelations come a bit too late to alter one’s initial negative impressions. The disabled Julian and Marvin, along with the trans/non-binary actors, are the breakout stars of the show, with O’Connell having honed this theme in his landmark Netflix web series “Special.” Cattrall (having wisely passed on the abysmal “Sex and the City” HBO Max reboot, “Just Like That,” and endures a surprising evolution in her character) and Lewis radiate in diva variations of Showtime’s Sharon Gless role as the proud PFLAG-waving mother. The series has received some criticism for being too entrenched in today’s pluralist identity politics, a

progressive woke fantasy of representing everyone, which strains credulity. Perhaps that is why we’re ambivalent about this series. Yes, every racial, gender, and sexual orientation box has been checked, but most of the characters, with the exception of the disabled ones, lack emotional warmth and come across as

Juliette Lewis in ‘Queer as Folk’

one-dimensional. There is some hope for future development as they aren’t afraid to call out each other’s selfishness, gripes, and BS. Consequently, we partially identify with them, precisely because they’re not perfect role models. So does “Queer As Folk” deserve this reboot and a second season? We answer with an equivocal yes, provided more character depth is provided, especially relating to Brodie and Mingus. The LGBTQ world is now very different than it was in 2005, primarily with regards to marriage equality, but also a broader awareness of gender and sexual self-identity. All these changes are reflected in the program’s update, giving us a glimpse into what it’s like to be young and queer in 2022. What succeeds in “Queer As Folk” is what’s fresh and bold, which along with its joyful spirit, makes the series intermittently dynamic, illuminative, and gripping. We just need more audacious story arcs and more complex characters for whom we can root and eventually love.t peacocktv.com/dr/queer-as-folk

and we’ve done that, I really dislike that process, it takes so much of the fun out of it.

Shannon Hale

Green Day and Pansy Division’s first meeting in July 8, 1994, with Mike Dirnt, Tre Cool, Billie Joe Armstrong and Jon Ginoli at Mac Ewan Hall at the University of Calgary.

Pansy Division

From page 17

It means a lot, since I love the festival, which is hosted by John Waters, who introduces each band in hyperbolic terms. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with for us [laughs]. The line-up on the day that Pansy Division is performing also includes queer musical acts such as Hunx and His Punx, Brontez Purnell, and Fatty Cakes and the Puff Pastries, as well as riot grrrl progenitors Bikini Kill. What is the significance to you of performing as part of such a queeraffirming roster? I’m thrilled to be on the bill with Bikini Kill, who we opened for exactly 30 years ago and are such an inspiration. I knew there would be other queer bands who came after us, and it’s exciting to see them and play with them. We can take the idea of being able to see a queer band for granted now, but it wasn’t so 30 years ago. Very true. Will Pansy Division be playing any new songs?

No, it will be kind of a greatest hits set. Is Pansy Division at work on the follow-up to “Quite Contrary”? Probably not. We are geographically challenged; all of us live in different places. For me, part of the fun of being (in) a band is getting together in one place to work on songs and develop them. Even though there are ways to do that digitally now, from a distance,

Above: Pansy Division’s first EP Right: Flyer for 2014 Folsom Street Fair afterparty at the Eagle

In addition to the Mosswood Meltdown show, Pansy Division will be back on tour following the pandemic delay. What are you most looking forward to about getting back out on the road? We still love to play live, but all have jobs that preclude long tours. We hope to play long weekends now and then, where we fly somewhere, play three or four shows, and then go home. Our next show after Oakland is in New Orleans on September 2 for Southern Decadence. We also play Palm Springs on June 30. With a 2008 Pansy Division documentary (“Pansy Division: Life In A Gay Rock Band”) and your 2009 memoir (“Deflowered: My Life In Pansy Division”) under your studded belt, could a Pansy Division Broadway musical be far behind? After all, Green Day did one. Great idea! Get the agent on the phone [laughs]!t www.pansydivision.com www.mosswoodmeltdown.com

Books >>

June 30-July 6, 2022 • Bay Area Repor ter • 19

‘Smahtguy’

Eric Orner’s new book about Barney Frank

Stella Johnson

Eric Orner

by Jim Provenzano

ans of Eric Orner’s popular syndicated comic, “The Mostly Unfabulous Life of Ethan Green” will be happy to know that after several years of work, Orner’s new book is out, a graphic novel based on the life of his former boss, Barney Frank. In a phone interview with the Bay Area Reporter, Orner discussed the years-long process of developing his new more serious book about the gay congressman. Orner will be the guest at a discussion and book-signing event on July 8 at California College of the Arts in San Francisco. Cited as “an enveloping visual experience crafted by a terrific artist with an amazing line” by NPR, “Smahtguy: The Life and Times of Barney Frank” tells the story of one of America’s first out members of Congress and a gay and civil rights crusader. But more than a biography of an indispensable LGBTQ pioneer, this funny, beautifully rendered, warts-and-all graphic account reveals the inner workings of Boston and Washington, D.C. politics, all told through Orner’s signature illustrations and energetic storytelling. As Frank’s longtime staff counsel and press secretary, Orner, 58, lends his first-hand perspective to this extraordinary work of history, paying tribute to the work of committed liberals to defend ordinary Americans from rightwing attacks on our liberties. Orner created one of the country’s first and longest-running gay comic strips. A cute feature film adaptation of the Ethan Green story appeared in 2005, the same year that Orner retired his comic strip. Before discussing his new work, we recalled the old days of pre-internet hand-drawn cartooning with Duotones, Xacto knives, and mailing photostats to multiple publications. “I began drawing Ethan Green, just before personal computers launched a graphics revolution,” said Orner, a Chicago native who lived in Boston for two decades. He and his partner Blake Maher live in Tarrytown, New York. “I often used a reprographics shop when I needed text manipulated, like white text on a black background. I used to have to do that photographically, and at the end of the process, I mailed out high-quality copies. It was a lot of work.” Orner’s run with the “Ethan Green” series coincided with his off and on tenure working for Barney Frank in Boston and D.C.

Cartooning as art

His new work has gained much praise, including from his colleague, Alison Bechtel. “’Smahtguy’ restored my battered faith in the American political process,” she wrote in pre-publication praise. “Barney Frank’s relish

for the thankless work of governance is deeply inspiring, all the more so because it came at the expense of his personal life. Orner’s masterful visual storytelling, inexhaustible graphic detail, and witty vignettes makes all the procedural nitty gritty read like a thriller.” Does Orner think cartoonists have been given their due as an art form, particularly in LGBTQ themes? “I think there’s been a lot of interest in our stories across many art forms for a generation. Queer cartooning certainly wasn’t at the vanguard at first. But cartooning is more esteemed among the arts than it was when I began in the 1990s. But we’re living in a much more visual age now, so visual storytelling is more popular. Author Alexander Chee concurs, citing “Smahtguy” as “the story of Barney Frank but also the story of the transformation of America. Eric Orner’s cartooning captures both the

frenetic energy of Frank’s times and the person he was: a young man willing to work for civil rights that didn’t include him, who grew to fight not just for others but for himself, too. Unforgettable, complicated, and powerful, like the man himself.” Orner says his cartooning roots are in newspapers and journalism, having been published in the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the New Republic, rather than comics books. “I came out of a format of opinionated, subversive and politically focused work that found its home in alternative weekly newspapers,” including his first appearance in the Boston Phoenix. Orner offered a nod to the Village Voice cartoonists of the 1960s and ’70s as an inspiration (Jules Feiffer, Lynda Barry, Mimi Pond, Stan Mack). “I wanted to follow in their footsteps.” What’s fascinating is that Orner’s political career wasn’t an inspiration for his art until years after his work with Frank, who suggested the project, and that most “Ethan Green” fans were unaware of his political work, what he calls “my weird bifurcated career trajectory. But despite having a day job that required a coat and tie (rather than, y’know a waiter’s apron or whatever). Cartooning was all I have ever wanted to do.”

curious about how much of his “Ethan Green” series is based on his own life. “It’s not about me. I wasn’t writing ‘My Travels With Barney.’” Orner’s current process is a hybrid of hand-drawn and computer illustrated creation. “I start with a story, like a screenplay, then I do sketches on paper and with storyboards (many on Post-Its); very rough, and then home and heighten them on the computer. It’s not all digital. But the drawing is

‘Smahtguy: The Life and Times of Barney Frank’ by Eric Orner, Metropolitan Books; $25.99; paperback. www.us.macmillan.com ‘The Completely Unfabulous Life of Ethan Green,’ by Eric Orner, $24.99, Northwest Press. www.northwestpress.com Eric Orner will discuss and sign copies of ‘Smahtguy’ July 8, 7pm at SF’s CA College of the Arts, Timken Hall, 1111 8th St. www.cca.edu

Eric Orner with Barney Frank at a Harvard University panel in May.

Drawing politics

And yet, having been raised by a politically focused family, Orner grew skills in political communication, and Frank knew that. “Four years ago, Barney said to me, ‘You’re a writer,’ but actually I’ve worked as a speech writer, not a biographer. He was dissatisfied with some coverage about him. He wanted something that understood his struggle a little better; having a public life but also a shambolic personal life. For a gay man in the early ’60s to have political ambitions was a recipe for trouble.” When Frank suggested that Orner draw a story, “it had a lot of appeal,” said Orner. “I’m familiar with the landscapes of Barney’s life. I was a Bostonian for nearly 30 years, and I’m a gay Jewish American.” After a storyboarding job in LA for Disney ended, for his second job with Frank, Orner became the congressman’s press secretary. “When I’m familiar with something, the way I was with the dating scene for Ethan Green, it sticks with me,” said Orner. “So, the idea of drawing Barney’s life went from zero to sixty, with the only caveat on my part was that ‘Smahtguy’ wouldn’t be an authorized biography. I started to interview him for places where there were gaps in my knowledge. Then I took three years to research and draw it. He understood that to make it interesting, it would have to be warts and all. He would see it before it was published, but had no rights of refusal.” In the book, Orner cleverly compacts what could be tedious moments into a variety of composed panels that summarize the process of, say, pushing through policy legislation. Also included is the controversy of Frank’s 1989 male escort scandal, and how he atypically confronted the media with his account. “In creating a biography, some things have to be shortened, otherwise it could go on forever.” Orner also said the focus is “a very editorialized take. If you want the full story, read his autobiography.” Orner also mentioned a frequently asked question, why he isn’t in the book, and how, similarly, fans remain

where my creativity starts.” Some pages imbue a sense of reality visualized as comedy, such as thencloseted Pete Williams, during the gays in the military hearings, seen in cheerleader drag with pom-poms. “The point is to make politics as interesting, colorful and circus-like as I experienced it.”t

Eric Orner will also be in conversation with Carlo Quispe on June 30, 7 p.m. at the Bureau of General Services Queer Division in NYC, 208 West 13th St. Visit website for live-streaming/ archived info. www.bgsqd.com

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20 • Bay Area Repor ter • June 30-July 6, 2022

Andrew Holleran’s postcard from Florida by Gregg Shapiro

any readers of gay fiction no doubt have their likes and dislikes. But one thing on which most of them can agree is that a new novel by Andrew Holleran is cause for celebration. Since the publication of his groundbreaking 1978 debut “Dancer from the Dance,” Holleran has created unforgettable fictional portraits of the emergence of gay life in the novels “Nights in Aruba,” “The Beauty of Men,” the short story collection “In September, the Light Changes,” and the novella “Grief,” as well as in his essay collections “Ground Zero” and “Chronicle of a Plague, Revisited: AIDS and Its Aftermath.” Holleran’s new novel, the Floridaset “The Kingdom of Sand,” is a welcome addition to his canon. In the book, the nameless gay narrator confronts the aging process, his own and those around him, as well as the prospect of what comes after. This is particularly poignant considering how many gay men of Holleran’s generation passed well before their time. Andrew was generous enough to answer a few questions about his new novel. Gregg Shapiro: There are 16 years between the publication of 2006’s “Grief ” and 2022’s “The

Personals

Kingdom of Sand.” Were you working on the latter all along, or did it come about much later? Andrew Holleran: I was working on other stuff. “Kingdom of Sand” took about a year and a half, I think, though it incorporated some of the stuff I’d been working on earlier, so I can’t really say how long “Sand” took.

From my perspective, “The Kingdom of Sand” represents a connection between 1996’s “The Beauty of Men” and 2006’s “Grief,” the way it incorporates Gainesville and Washington DC. Am I on Andrew Holleran the right track, and if so, is that how you see it? Yes, there is a connecfriends, “Why are they all men?” tion between, or should I say Which leads me to ask, what among, those books. In fact, I think would it have mattered if he’d of “Kingdom” as what happens to the come out to his parents? narrator of “Grief ” after he returns to I have no idea, either in real life or Florida. in “Kingdom,” and that is why the narrator walks out of the room without Early in the book, the daughter answering; he can’t imagine the conseof a neighbor tells the narrator quences of telling the truth, of coming “Everybody here knows you’re out. I think this is a conceptual block gay.” Not long after that, the nara lot of gay people have or have had. rator’s mother asks about his

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In “The Dirty Hat,” the first of five sections in “The Kingdom of Sand,” the narrator details his experiences in an adult video store. There’s a story, “Kid A,” in John Weir’s new short story collection “Your Nostalgia is Killing Me” which is set in an adult boothstore. Would you describe this as a coincidence or a comment on our times? Well, I do think one of the hilarious ironies of what the Internet has done to our lives – much of it, in my mind, awful – is that one of the chief things people are using it for is pornography! When the narrator in “Kingdom” goes to the “dirty” video store, he says it’s because he’s been watching so much porn, he thinks he needs to see people having sex in real life. To me, it’s one of those things that is a Comment On Everything. As to why both John and I chose it, I can’t say. It’s either in the Zeitgeist, or it’s some metaphor for gay life, or part of both our lives. Your Florida observations – including that Florida is “a state where you rarely see anything from a height” – are alternately heartwarming and heartbreaking, especially since I also live here during these challenging DeSantis years. As someone who has a longer history with the state, are you surprised or not by what is taking place here? I am and am not surprised, though I am concerned, because I have never forgotten the Ray brothers, who got HIV from a blood transfusion years ago, being burned out of their home down in Arcadia, Florida. You can’t make this up! That is, I’ve always been aware that there are two cultures in Florida … actually, many more, but in this case, I’m referring to the native, Protestant, rural, conservative bedrock –versus the invasive species: retirees, snowbirds, etc. – which makes Florida both a “cracker” state and an extremely heterogeneous, multicultural one. The former has always been there and was exemplified a few decades ago not only by the treatment of the Ray brothers, but when the U.N. wanted to designate the St Johns River some version of a UNESCO world culture site or something like that, and people protested because they thought that would cede control of Florida’s government

ites. But I didn’t, because I wanted the movie choices to characterize (the narrator’s friend) Earl, and his generation, to summon up a vanished USA. There were so many movies Earl shows the narrator that the narrator has never heard of, with actors Earl knew from his own youth; it’s a generational difference, and therefore a difference between two Americas – Earl’s, and the narrator’s.

If there was a movie version of “The Kingdom of Sand,” who would you want to play the narrator? I’m so out of touch with current movie and TV-making that I have no idea [laughs]. I leave that to you! to the U.N.! I thought, “That’s looking a gift horse in the mouth.” And now we have a resurgence of that segment of the culture in DeSantis’ obvious appeals to the Trump base, though, of course, it could be sincere on his part. But these two Floridas are always going to be in contention, I think. But let’s face it: at this point, Florida is a long, long way from its roots. We’ve talked about movies many times; we both share a love of the medium. Movies are a central part of “The Kingdom of Sand.” Are the movies you mention in the book favorites of yours, and would you say that you are subliminally making recommendations to the reader? Actually, it occurred to me too late that I could have used those movie lists as a way to push my own favor-

Many writers, including Henry James, George Santayana, and Anton Chekhov, are also referenced throughout the book. Is this the educator in you sharing your knowledge in the hopes that readers will explore some of these writers on their own? Yes, I think so, though that wasn’t my idea when I wrote the book. It occurred to me that the novel form is so loose at this point, that one might as well do anything one wants, and I thought, “Why hide the narrator’s reading?” Earl reads the Bible and books about the Civil War. The narrator’s reading is all over the place; he has a sort of magpie mind, taking aphorisms from this writer and that. He reads books the way Earl watches movies. He’s got a distressed mind, searching here and there, and coming to no conclusion. Dogs, including the narrator’s friend Earl’s dog Betty, are also a presence in the book. Is there any chance that you’ve added what the kids today call a “fur baby” to your household? I love dogs, when they’re not off leash and running toward me with indeterminate intent outdoors, but the moment I realized I could not have a fur baby was when I lived with a wonderful dog whose owner was in the hospital for a month. Sitting at home reading or working on the laptop, I’d look over at the dog and worry that it was bored. So, I’d get up and take him for a walk. And I thought, “If you’re such a people pleaser that you can’t bear the idea of a dog being bored, then I don’t think you can live with one.” Plus, the usual reason: If you have a dog, you can’t travel as freely.

Two of Andrew Holleran’s previous books, “Dancer From the Dance” and “Nights in Aruba”

In the titular third section, you write about a “friend in Washington” who called the narrator to ask him for help in teaching a course. Is the friend in Washington based on the late gay writer and educator Richard McCann, and if so, what do you think Richard would have thought of “The Kingdom of Sand”? That is Richard McCann, and the sad thing is I had so much trouble with this book, that I wish I’d taken Richard up on his offer to read it when I was working on it. But for some reason – a) not wanting to burden a friend with that task, and/ or b) thinking I had to solve it on my own -– I didn’t take him up on his offer. And you know that Richard would have seen the problems immediately and been of immense help, because he was so, so smart.t ‘The Kingdom of Sand’ by Andrew Holleran, FSG/MacMillan, $27 hardback. us.macmillan.com

TV>>

June 30-July 6, 2022 • Bay Area Repor ter • 21

Book smart, Swift part

The Lavender Tube on Supreme evils, ‘The Book of Queer’ & ‘Tom Swift’

Hayward Leach and Tian Richards in ‘Tom Swift’

by Victoria A. Brownworth

spin-off of the CW’s “Nancy Drew” series, “Tom Swift” (Tian Richards) is a mystery series about a Black gay scientist plotting to go to Saturn. The CW series is based on the book series of the same name by Victor Appleton and was developed and written by Melinda Hsu Taylor, Noga Landau and Cameron Johnson. Hsu Taylor is co-showrunner of “Nancy Drew” and has worked on some spectacular series, including the iconic “Lost,” “The Vampire Diaries,” “Falling Skies” and “Touch.” Richards gives a powerful and nuanced performance as the complicated and not always likable Tom. Unapologetically Black, totally gay and a brilliant inventor, Tom aches for love and acceptance but there are many roadblocks in his way and self-sabotage is a surprising aspect of his persona. “Tom Swift” is best when Richards is given full rein to be all that Tom is and the writers release him from some annoying restraints. In a video released by the CW titled “Tian Richards: Pride Spotlight,” Richards talks about how Tom Swift “can look like someone like me – a Black guy who is chocolate, who is queer, who is all those things that we’re told aren’t the normal or the status quo.” Richards talks about how his first experience of seeing a character on TV who looked like him and was Black and gay was Omar Little on “The Wire,” played by Michael K. Williams. “I got to see a dark-skinned Black man who looked like me kiss another Black man, so that was cool. In a 2021 interview with TVLine, Richards said of his role as Tom Swift, “If I had an opportunity to see someone like this exist when I was younger, just think of how much sooner I would have felt [more confident] in my skin and welcomed by the world.” How often must we say it? Representation matters. Stream new episodes of “Tom Swift” free only on The CW. www.go.cwtv.com

The Book of Queer

As Pride draws to a close and the Independence Day celebrations begin, take in some queer history as Discovery+ on YouTube streams “The Book of Queer.” Discovery+ invites viewers to watch the five-part miniseries “celebrate history’s forgotten LGBTQ+ heroes, kings and queens--some of whom were actual kings and queens! From trans Indian warriors to gay Roman emperors, these colorful and often titillating tales give history a much needed, head-to-toe makeover.” Dr. Eric Cervini, a self-described Los Angeles-based queer historian, is the author of the New York Times best-seller, “The Deviant’s War: The Homosexual vs. the United States of America.” Cervini’s 2020 book was a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, winner of the 2021 Randy Shilts Award for Gay Nonfiction and one of The Washington Post’s Top 50 Nonfiction Books of 2020. Harvard and Cambridgeeducated Cervini takes us on a semi-comedic historic romp through an annotated and sometimes eyebrow-raising series of historical figures who were presumed to be gay, lesbian (not many of these elusive figures) and trans. Cervini told the B.A.R. that the miniseries he executive-produced “features the largest all-queer cast in the history of Hollywood.” We can’t verify that (“Pose” seems to have as many queer cast members), but we can verify that this is a fun, if often uneven and sometimes revisionist, series of historical vignettes. In its introduction, “The Book of Queer” promises to “untuck” history. This romp begins with the Bible, declaring it a queer-authored tome with King James I named as a “king in the streets, queen in the sheets.” No doubt this first segment, which is 20 minutes of the first nearly hourlong episode, is what flipped out folks in the comments under the trailer. Why these people were watching something titled “The Book of Queer”

‘Vanjie: 24 Hours of Love’

is its own mystery, but haters gonna hate, as we well know. While many of the re-enactments are played for laughs, there is a ton of embedded history, like the story of the “Queer Wild West,” that includes the fascinating story of trans cowboy Harry Allen, AFAB, who grew up in South Bend, Indiana and was allowed to cross-dress by their mother. Allen, as trans historian (and San Franciscan) Dr. Susan Stryker explains, moved West to live their authentic trans life. Expanding on the Western theme, two-spirit queer historian Souksavanh T. Keovorabouth, enrolled member of the Diné (Navajo) Nation and second-generation Laotian, details how non-binary identities were endemic to Native cultures. Among those whose stories are told, is that of We’wha. Born in 1849, We’wha was a Zuni Native American artist and two-spirit person. We’wha was “discovered” by an anthropologist who brought them to Washington D.C. to introduce President Grover Cleveland and basically be put on display among the not-so-cognoscenti. Yikes! No wonder the GOP doesn’t want real American history taught. Cervini notes at one point during the story of Native American twospirit and non-binary people that the colonizers used this data as another rationale for genocide: “Sodomy–another page from the colonizers’ handbook. Classic.” There are a myriad of historical figures in this series, including Sappho, Alexander the Great, Abraham Lincoln, Joan of Arc, Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Ma Rainey, Alan Turing, Josephine Baker, Bayard Rustin, Sylvia Rivera, Stormé De Larverie and more. Cervini hopes the series will help people “learn about the documented diversity of our collective history.” Narrators include LGBTQ stars Margaret Cho, Dominique Jackson, Leslie Jordan, Ross Mathews and Alex Newell. www.discoveryplus.com

Vanjie: 24 Hours of Love

‘The Book of Queer’

Summer screams for fun and frolic and what could be more frolicksome than 18 sizzling hotties parading in

barely there Speedos while looking for love? That’s the plotline of WOW Presents Plus’s “Vanjie: 24 Hours of Love.” Why not? Vanessa Vanjie Mateo aka Miss Vanjie is José Cancel, an American drag performer known for competing on the tenth season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Now they are seeking a hot love interest in this reality series that is pure gay (melo)drama. From the producers of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” “Vanjie: 24 Hours of Love” purports to “peel back the curtain on gay romance--just in time for Pride Month! Giving you Miss Vanjie as you’ve never seen her before, ‘24 Hours of Love’ will feature compelling conversations about sex positivity and confront the oftenunspoken subjects within the gay dating community--as Vanjie spends a wild 24 hours whittling down a cast of 18 eligible singles in the quest to find her boo.” Among the competitors is San Francisco native Ernesto Flores.

people if Trump’s presidency had never happened. But there is no “Dr. Who” TARDIS time machine for a do-over. And now anyone with a uterus is at risk. What’s more, Justice Clarence Thomas laid the groundwork for going further than Roe–asserting that Obergefell and Lawrence v. Texas also be overturned. No bodily autonomy, no same-sex marriage, no gay sex. As we noted on Twitter after the ruling in a tweet that got more than 80,000 likes, “So Clarence Thomas wants to invalidate my marriage protected by Obergefell but not invalidate his marriage protected by Loving. Got it.” Gavin Newsom has made California a go-to state for anyone seeking abortion, but that’s a long trek if you’re in Mississippi and poor. Those folks are living “The Handmaid’s Tale.” We hope we don’t have to tell you to vote, vote, vote this year. If Kevin McCarthy, California’s worst politico and a participant in the January 6th coup, becomes Speaker, we are utterly screwed.

Supreme deception

Nuns and abortion

While covering the 2016 presidential election in our other role as politics reporter, we predicted that a Trump win would lead to a conservative majority Supreme Court that could overturn Roe v. Wade and Obergefell v. Hodges. We would very much have liked to be wrong. Someone else who predicted this was then-Sen. Kamala Harris when she grilled Brett Kavanaugh in his confirmation hearings about Roe and Obergefell. While it was heartening to turn on any network and see thousands protesting spontaneously and immediately nationwide after the SCOTUS ruling overturning Roe, it would have been better for women and LGBTQ

Abortion brings out the hypocrites. And the Catholic Church is and has been throughout our life as a Catholic, steeped in hypocrisy. In a report by PBS News Hour Special correspondent Christopher Livesay, he details stories of nuns–many quite young at the time of the assaults–who were raped by priests and then subjected to abortions. In a report from the Vatican, Livesay notes, “They’re known as brides of Christ, revered for their quiet service, not for speaking out. But that’s beginning to change.” The full report can be viewed on PBS.org. So from the traumatizing to the titillating, you know you must stay tuned.t

Protestors outside the Supreme Court last week.

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<< Music & Celebration

22 • Bay Area Repor ter • June 30-July 6, 2022

SF Pride @ Civic Center photos by Steven Underhill

elebrations for LGBTQ Pride returned, with a lengthy parade from the Embarcadero to Civic Center, where several stages hosted DJed dancing, and the mainstage drew thousands of attendees who enjoyed the sunny celebrations. A VIP reception was held at the Asian Art Museum. www.sfpride.org Enjoy more nightlife albums at facebook.com/lgbtsf.nightlife And see more of Steven’s work at www.stevenunderhill.com

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MARIN COUNTY

June 30 - July 4, 2022

OUT AT THE FAIR! Be proud and join the crowd for Out at the Fair on July 3rd!

Sport your pride colors all day at the Fair, join The Stud for a live drag show on the Community Stage and DJ sets throughout the day, ride the rides, participate in a group photo at 5pm the Giant Ferris Wheel, and stay for Digable Planets on the Island Stage followed by fireworks over the Lagoon.

FREE CONCERTS • CARNIVAL RIDES • FIREWORKS Visit MarinFair.org for more details!

by Gregg Shapiro side from ABBA, can you think of another Swedish quartet with two female (Anni-Frid and Agnetha) and two male (Bjorn and Benny) members, a 50-year history, and multiple hit singles, as well as 10-CD and 10LP box sets? No? Neither can I. What about a Swedish pop quartet whose music inspired a long-running Tonynominated Broadway musical, and a subsequent dreadful movie adaptation and sequel? If you answered “no” to the previous question, you’d be right. Ne ver t heless, even though ABBA has been celebrated via numerous compilations, the 10disc “ABBA: Album Box Set” (Polar/ Universal) is the first of its kind domestic product. Beginning with 1973’s “Ring Ring” and concluding with the 10-song “Tracks” collection, this box set ought to be of interest to longtime fans and newcomers (if there are any left) alike. ABBA’s queer appeal shines through like a rainbow made of ice, amongst the 10 albums, which includes 2021’s reunion album “Voyage” (released after a 40-year recording gap). Over the course of ABBA’s lengthy recording and performance hiatus, its popularity seemed to increase not fade for its LGBTQ+ fans. Featured in movies and associated soundtracks with strong queer draw such as “Muriel’s Wedding” and “The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert,” to name a couple, ABBA be-

came a constant presence. Even synthduo Erasure, featuring gay vocalist Andy Bell, got into the act, putting out the four-song “ABBA-eque” EP in 1992. Diva-goddess Cher followed suit in 2018 with her ABBA album “Dancing Queen.” While early hit songs including “Waterloo” and “S.O.S.,” were definitely meant for getting down at the disco, it was “Dancing Queen” (yes, queen) from 1976’s “Arrival” album that earned ABBA a permanent place in rotation at gay clubs. Buoyed by a retro-disco beat and inspiring words of encouragement, “Dancing Queen” transcended gender to become a sensation (although the titular character being “only 17” might still give one pause). Following that, ABBA made the most of the popularity of dance music on subsequent albums with tracks such as “Take A Chance On Me,” “Voulez-Vous,” “Angel Eyes,” “The Winner Takes It All,” “The Visitors,” and especially “On and On and On” and “Lay All Your Love On Me.” But it’s not all midnight sunshine and Volvos. English not being ABBA’s first language often works against the lyrics. There’s nothing profound being said, although there doesn’t necessarily need to be. Regardless, the simplicity tends to drag the songs down, instead of elevating them. Thankfully, the melodies and instrumentation go a long way in saving the material. The 1974 Eurovision champions were simply unstoppable, and remain so to this day.t

Film>>

June 30-July 6, 2022 • Bay Area Repor ter • 23

FIERCE THINGS

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479 Castro Street , San Francisco • (415) 431-5365 • www.cliffsvariety.com

Let’s go “C.R.A.Z.Y.” By Gregg Shapiro

he late filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée, who died unexpectedly at 58 in December 2021, never saw his 2005 movie “C.R.A.Z.Y.” (Samuel Goldwyn Pictures) receive a general theatrical release in the States. This despite being a hit at numerous regional LGBTQ film festivals, receiving multiple awards in Canada, having a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and getting released on DVD. But that has changed, giving more people a chance to go crazy for “C.R.A.Z.Y.” First, about the title. “C.R.A.Z.Y.” are the initials of the five brothers in the French-Canadian Catholic Beaulieu family – Christian, Raymond, Antoine, Zac, and the youngest Yvan. Also, Patsy Cline’s rendition of the song “Crazy,” is a favorite of the Beaulieu brothers’ father Gervais (Michel Côté). Now that we got that out of the way, “C.R.A.Z.Y.” opens in 1960 with the birth of fourth brother Zac on Christmas Eve. As a young boy, Zac (Émile

Émile Vallée in ‘C.R.A.Z.Y.’

Vallée) is clearly different than his three older brothers, not just because he’s sensitive, but because he has a special mark. A strip of discolored hair at the back of his scalp. His devout mother Laurianne (Danielle Proulx) is convinced that it is a sign from God. His macho father Gervais is less certain of that and throughout Zac’s childhood remains suspicious of his son’s less-than-masculine behavior. During his teenage years, Zac (MarcAndré Grondin) is virtually ignored by “egghead” Christian (Maxime Tremblay), mildly teased by “sport nut” Antoine (Alex Gravel), and regularly brutalized by his “sworn enemy” Raymond (Pierre-Luc Brillant). It is Zac’s relationship with Raymond, along with the complex rapport he has with his parents, that is at the core of the movie. That, and the fact that he is struggling with his sexuality. Set, as it is, during the especiallyturbulent 1960s and 1970s, and continuing into the 1980s, “C.R.A.Z.Y.” does an exceptional job of capturing the zeitgeist of those periods. Sex (gay and straight) and drugs, and of course, rock and roll, add fuel to the fire of Beaulieu family’s burning flames. The soundtrack, which features David Bowie and Pink Floyd, along with Cline and Charles Aznavour, among others, is suitably stirring. Vallée, who went on to make hit movies including “Dallas Buyers Club” and “Wild,” as well as HBO’s “Big Little Lies,” deserved the acclaim he received for “C.R.A.Z.Y.,” and his perceptiveness and sensitivity to the subject matter, particularly as a straight man, truly comes through in the most authentic way. Rating: A-t www.samuelgoldwynfilms.com

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YOUR CHAIR. YOUR SLIPPERS. YOUR HOME. At The Sequoias, you will have all the comforts of home, plus so much more. Enjoy Friday nights at the movies, musical performances, educational series, guest lecturers, and delicious chef-prepared favorites. You’ll find a warm, welcoming, and actively engaged community where your furry friends are welcome.*

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