November 27, 2025 edition of the Bay Area Reporter
Castro-Mission Health Center marks 60 years
by John Ferrannini
As they mark the 60th anniversary of San Francisco’s Castro-Mission Health Center this year, medical practitioners and patients are reflecting on what makes it a special place.
Located at 3850 17th Street, the center booked 11,200 primary care appointments last fiscal year. Twenty-two percent of patients come from the LGBTQ community, according to the San Francisco Department of Public Health, and 55% are Latino or Latinx, DPH stated.
The center has a commitment to uninsured, underinsured, and medically underserved populations, the department stated in a fact sheet, and is one of 14 San Francisco Health Network neighborhood clinics.
Joseph, who declined to give a last name, is an HIV-positive gay man who is a patient at the center.
“I don’t know if I would have made it to 56 if not for my doctors,” he said, adding that he seroconverted around 20 years ago and is grateful for the care he’s received since that time.
In addition to helping him with his HIV diagnosis, the center also assisted him in creating a diet and meal plan.
“They set me up with people to help me with high blood pressure,” he said. “At this point, it’s like family. When I go there I see the same people every day, and they say, ‘Hey, how’s agoing?’ and we talk about what’s going on in our lives, the holidays.”
A longtime member of the Castro-Mission Health Center community is Ricardo Duarte, a straight ally who was a nurse manager from 1996 to 2004, and again from 2015 until his retirement earlier this year, in June. He transferred from Ward 5A, one of the first in-patient AIDS wards at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center.
It was just as Duarte was starting at the health center that anti-retroviral therapy was coming online – the game-changer in the fight against the HIV epidemic. He said, “Once we started seeing actual viral loads drop and CD4 counts get high – it was very encouraging.”
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World AIDS Day events will evoke the power of community
by John Ferrannini
Alocal TV news anchor will headline the 37th annual World AIDS Day observance Monday, December 1, in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. The day, observed across the globe, is a way to draw attention to the epidemic, for which there is no cure.
In California, this year will be the first time that Governor Gavin Newsom will officially proclaim December 1 as World AIDS Day. It’s the result of a bill authored by gay state Senator John Laird (DSanta Cruz) that was passed in 2024 and signed by Newsom. https://www.ebar.com/story/75856
At the AIDS grove, KGO-TV’s Dan Ashley will emcee the observance, which will start at 11:30 a.m.
The grove is located at Nancy Pelosi and Bowling Green drives. According to John Cunningham, a gay man living with HIV/AIDS who is CEO of the grove, Ashley has “spotlighted stories of health and social justice in the Bay Area and beyond” for over 30 years.
People can reserve a seat at the event on Eventbrite, though RSVPs are not required.
Ashley, a straight ally, has “used his platform to speak up for those silenced when few figures on the national stage supported those impacted by HIV/ AIDS,” Cunningham added.
Ashley didn’t return a request for comment for this report.
Cunningham said this year’s AIDS grove theme is the “Power of Community.”
“We gather to remember those lost to HIV/AIDS and educate younger generations about the leadership and activism associated with this disease,” he stated.
by Dominic Laituri
BFounded by the World Health Organization and the joint United Nations Programme on AIDS (now UNAIDS) in 1988, World AIDS Day seeks to call attention to the global epidemic that has killed 44 million people since it was first discovered in 1981.
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Gay couple’s connection lives on in quilt panels
2017 Media Kit 0
arrett Lindsay-Steiner lives in Walnut Creek, California, and is a gay modern-day Renaissance man. He has written over 200 stage shows and over 500 songs, and has directed 15 productions starring over 300 kids while working as a drama teacher. The afternoon before his phone interview with the Bay Area Reporter, he said he had just finished prepping dozens of pastrami Reubens for an event his catering company was serving the next day.
The Los Angeles Blade covers Los Angeles and California news, politics, opinion, arts and entertainment and features national and international coverage from the Blade’s award-winning reporting team. Be part of this exciting publication serving LGBT Los Angeles from the team behind the Washington Blade, the nation’s first LGBT newspaper. From the freeway to the Beltway we’ve got you covered.
Lindsay-Steiner said that he dresses exclusively in black and white and enjoys playing a white baby grand piano in his Art Deco living room. He has also hand-sewn dozens of quilts, including a special panel for the AIDS Memorial Quilt, a block of which is now hanging in Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. The panel he made is for his late partner, Carl Daddio. Lindsay-Steiner said that he also made a second one that’s not part of the AIDS quilt for himself.
It was in 1981 that Lindsay-Steiner met Daddio, a gay man who was part of the Bay Area theater community, as was Lindsay-Steiner. Daddio was diagnosed with AIDS in 1990.
“Carl was dying, and I just wanted the quilt square to represent the very best for him,” said LindsaySteiner. “Carl’s colors were gold and rust, he looked so handsome in them, so I used those colors heavily when designing his square,” Lindsay-Steiner said.
The story of Daddio and Lindsay-Steiner tumbled out.
“I used to be a bit shy when I was a young man, but I had a very outgoing friend who used to take me into San Francisco to see shows,” recalled Lindsay-Steiner.
“One day he took me to see the musical ‘1776,’ probably for the 1976 Bicentennial. I remember nudging my friend, saying, ‘That actor playing Virginia senator
Richard Henry Lee is so handsome!’
“About four or five years later, I was 20 and started performing in musicals. I kept noticing this ex-
tremely good-looking actor, he was the star of all the shows, headlining ‘Evita’ and ‘La Cage Aux Folles’ and countless others,” Lindsay-Steiner continued.
“My friend organized a meeting for us and we had an instant connection.”
That actor was Daddio, and he and Lindsay-Steiner became a couple, running lines back and forth and starring in shows together. Things progressed quickly.
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Dr. Andrea Grosz is the lead HIV provider for the Castro-Mission Health Center.
Courtesy the subject
Carl Daddio, left, and Barrett Lindsay-Steiner are shown in a 1988 photo.
Courtesy Barrett Lindsay-Steiner
John Cunningham, CEO of the National AIDS Memorial Grove, spoke at last year’s World AIDS Day observance.
Onyx & Ash Inc.
IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®
This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY® and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.
MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY
BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:
Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months, and may give you HBV medicine.
ABOUT BIKTARVY
BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.
BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS.
Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains:
dofetilide
rifampin
any other medicines to treat HIV-1 BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY
Tell your healthcare provider if you:
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Have any other health problems.
Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.
Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed.
Talk to your healthcare provider about the risks of breastfeeding during treatment with BIKTARVY.
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BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:
Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.
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Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.
The most common side e ects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).
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HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY
Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.
GET MORE INFORMATION
This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.
Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5.
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Book features long-term AIDS survivors’ stories
by John McDonald
There are moments when history tilts, not gradually but all at once, and the change is so abrupt, so without precedent, that those who survive it spend the rest of their lives trying to explain what it felt like – how the air itself seemed altered, how the light went out of familiar rooms.
When Les K. Wright, Ph.D. speaks of San Francisco in 1981, he is trying to convey exactly that: how thousands of gay men – many of them young, searching, desperate for a place to belong – moved west in pursuit of community and freedom, only to wake up one morning to find themselves living inside a catastrophe.
Wright, who is gay and HIV-positive, remembers the speed of it, how the Castro – once an improbable republic of open doors and open nights, gay-owned bookstores and bars that stayed lit past closing time, restaurants filled with men who finally understood they were not alone – seemed to vanish almost overnight. He lived in San Francisco from 1979-1993, and again
silience: A Polemical Memoir of AIDS, Bears, and F*cking,” in 2023. One week, the streets were humming,
who tested positive in 1989, remembers thinking the only moral response was to disappear. He had watched too many friends die. He could not imagine asking others to bear the weight of his decline. His essay in the anthology recounts his suicide attempt – a moment he survived only because a friend intervened, refusing to let him become one more name spoken at a memorial service.
Trout eventually reassembled his life from the wreckage, becoming an activist, a writer, and a columnist for the nowclosed A&U magazine. Thirty-six years later, he wears a T-shirt that reads “Alive out of Spite,” a slogan both humorous and deadly serious.
Spite, after all, can be a form of resistance. “I just got tired of doctors telling me when I was going to die,” Trout said in a phone interview. “That’s my decision.”
And so the survivors keep fighting – not only the virus, but the stigma that shadows it still. The discrimination. The erasure.
“It went from being scary to alarming to ‘Oh my God, this is a Holocaust and everybody’s going to die,’” said Wright, who now lives in Syracuse, New York.
Death was all around – ugly, painful, without explanation. And by the time the first names for it arrived – gay-related immune deficiency, or GRID, gay cancer, whispers of immune systems collapsing – it was as though half the neighborhood had already closed its doors.
This is the terrain of “Children of Lazarus: The Forgotten Generation of LongTerm AIDS Survivors,” a new anthology Wright has edited, assembled like an act of preservation. There are 15 stories from the men who endured the plague years, who walked through fire and somehow lived long enough to narrate the aftermath.
What remains, four decades later, are the memories of those who saw it firsthand. Gay men like Harry Breaux, now 80, who recalls the San Francisco bathhouses before they became symbols of risk, before they were closed, first by then-health director Dr. Mervyn Silverman and then by court order. (Another judge later allowed them to reopen but with strict rules against private locked spaces and staff monitoring, which doomed the establishments.)
“The bathhouses were great because everybody was in a towel, so everybody was equal,” Breaux said.
It is the kind of line that reveals a world: the anonymity, the democracy, the conversations in steam rooms, the unexpected job offer from a stranger you met leaning against a tile wall.
“It was more than sex,” Breaux added. “People talked. People helped each oth-
to
Police
Lieutenant Edward Barry and Mary Mills Barry. Stephen was predeceased by his parents and his husband, Edmundo Duran. He is survived by his brothers Monsignor Edward Barry of the Bronx, New York, and James of Brandon, Florida, and sisters Eileen Updyke of Duncannon, Pennsylvania, and Kathy Barry of Las Vegas, as well as several nieces and nephews. Stephen earned a journalism degree at State University of New York, Oneonta. He served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army stationed in Korea. Later, he worked for United Way in Maine. He worked at Just Desserts in San Francisco. He retired from Pflueger and Baerwald in San Francisco as a financial adviser.
A funeral Mass was offered by his brother followed by a memorial at his home attended by family and many,
er.” If today’s equivalent is a golf club – as he joked – it is only in the sense that both are places where men once learned who they were allowed to be.
Now, as an elder in a community that once had few of them, Breaux speaks with the calm certainty of someone who knows he is a bridge to a vanishing history.
“They’ll forget me,” he said, “but they won’t forget my story.”
And the story he insists on leaving behind is simple: the rights young queer people now claim with ease were won by men who lived and loved in an era when even holding hands was a form of rebellion.
If there is a common thread among long-term survivors, Wright observed, it is that the diagnosis reordered everything. These men have lived with the virus longer than some people live entire adult lives. They carry post-traumatic stress disorder the way others carry scar tissue – quietly, permanently, invisibly.
By the mid-1980s, it is estimated that 20,000 gay men in San Francisco alone had died. Many were infected before a test existed, long before the federal government – pressured relentlessly by AIDS activists, particularly ACT UP – was finally forced to acknowledge the crisis.
In “Children of Lazarus,” Wright defines long-term survivors as those infected before 1996, when the right cocktail of drugs had not yet altered the calculus.
To test positive was to receive a terminal sentence. Wright wanted to know, how did you live your life under that sentence? How did it change where you went, who you loved, and what you believed possible?
Hank Trout, a gay San Francisco man
many friends. Stephen will be laid to rest at Bay Pines National Cemetery in Bay Pines, Florida, alongside his parents.
Prayers are welcomed.
A celebration of life will be held Saturday, December 6, from 4 to 7 p.m. at 440 Bar, located at 440 Castro Street in San Francisco, arranged by Stephen’s good friend and business partner, Gordon Boe.
Celebration of life for Miss Major Griffin-Gracy
A celebration of life will be held Saturday, December 6, from 3 to 5 p.m. for Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, a Black transgender activist known for her justice work. The memorial will be held at Glide Memorial Church, 330 Ellis Street in San Francisco.
The Bay Area celebration will uplift Miss Major’s legacy through music, testimony, poetry, and collective reflection, a news release stated.
Speakers include Angela Davis, a lesbian and co-founder of Critical Resistance; Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee and Congressmember Lateefah Simon (D-Oakland), both straight allies; and Marvin K. White, a Black
“It has only gotten worse,” Trout warned, in a voice that suggests he has lived long enough to measure such things.
This year’s World AIDS Day on Monday, December 1, arrives under its own cloud of actions taken by President Donald Trump and his administration: health programs dismantled, international funding gutted, an administration that has treated vulnerability as an inconvenience.
“The epidemic is still raging in other parts of the world,” Wright said, as if anticipating the forgetting that has become its own epidemic.
Which is why “Children of Lazarus” matters, noted Wright.
Wright said he named it “Children of Lazarus” because the survivors occupy an impossible space: alive when they were expected to die, forgotten when they should have been remembered. Men returned from the edge only to find the world had moved on without them.
“The reason for the title,” Wright said, “is that we have become invisible people.”
The miracle is that they are here at all – still speaking, still remembering, still insisting that the rest of us learn what it meant to live through a time when entire communities vanished.
“Children of Lazarus” is available on Amazon or bookstores. t
Les K. Wright, Ph.D., will be at Book Passage at the San Francisco Ferry Building Saturday, January 10, at 3 p.m. for a book signing and discussion. “Children of Lazarus” is available on Amazon or bookstores.
gay man who is minister of celebration at Glide.
The Reverend Dr. Yvette Flunder, who identifies as same-gender loving, will deliver the keynote address. Transgender activists scheduled to speak include Honey Mahogany, executive director of the San Francisco Office of Transgender Initiatives; Janetta Johnson, CEO of the TGI Justice Project; Alexander Lee, TGI Justice Project co-founder; and Billie Cooper.
Miss Major died October 13 at her home in Little Rock, Arkansas. She was 78. Miss Major, also known as “Mama,” fought for more than 50 years for trans, gender-nonconforming, and LGB community – especially for Black trans women, trans women of color, and those who have survived incarceration and police brutality.
The release stated the celebration is being presented by the TGI Justice Project, a San Francisco nonprofit that Miss Major once led, in collaboration with City of Refuge UCC and Glide. It is open to the public.
For the Bay Area Reporter’s obituary about Miss Major, go to https:// www.ebar.com/story/159150.
Miss Major Griffin-Gracy. Photo: From “Major!”/Floating Ophelia Productions
Les K. Wright, Ph.D., left, edited “Children of Lazarus,” an anthology of essays by long-term AIDS survivors, including Harry Breaux, center, and Hank Trout, who live in San Francisco.
Courtesy the subjects
Holiday tree lightings usher in season
compiled by Cynthia
Laird
H oliday tree lightings will be plentiful in San Francisco in the coming days. The yuletide events serve as a way to connect communities as well as promote local shopping corridors. The tree lighting events are free and open to the public.
The Castro Merchants Association’s tree lighting is set for Monday, December 1, also World AIDS Day, from 6 to 6:30 p.m. in the Bank of America Plaza at 501 Castro Street. Expect special guests, music, and more as the LGBTQ neighborhood welcomes the holiday season.
In another LGBTQ-centric neighborhood, the Noe Valley Merchants and Professionals Association has announced the second annual Noel Valley, a month of festive activities in December designed to support small businesses during the crucial holiday shopping season. The association will have its tree lighting December 1, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Noe Valley Town Square, 3861 24th Street.
The association also sponsors the windows and parklets holiday decorating contest, which runs Saturday, November 29, through Christmas Day, December 25. People can stroll the streets of Noe Valley and marvel at elaborately decorated store windows and parklets, all vying to be crowned most festive, most fun, or most San Francisco. Judging is on Wednesday, December 10, followed on Thursday, December 11, with winners being recognized by local dignitaries.
A winter wine walk is set for Thursday, December 4, from 4 to 7 p.m. People can pick up their glass at the Town Square and look for banners of participat ing businesses to stop in for a sip. Tickets are $49.87 and available at https://tinyurl. com/4ex3jzp6.
A holiday night mar ket will be held Tuesday, December 23, from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Town Square.
rating, food trucks, and more, according to a flyer. Rec and Park is also sponsoring the tree lighting at Civic Center Plaza Wednesday, December 3, from 4 to 7 p.m.
The eighth annual Tenderloin People’s Holiday Tree Lighting will take place at Boeddeker Park, 246 Eddy Street, Friday, December 12, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Mayor Daniel Lurie, gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), and Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) are scheduled to
The San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department has several tree lighting ceremonies planned around the city, under the theme “A Season to Remember.” The main one is at McLaren Lodge in Golden Gate Park Thursday, December 4, from 4 to 8 p.m. There will be live stage acts, a rock wall, archery games, carnival rides, cookie deco-
The LGBTQ-based humanitarian nonprofit Rainbow World Fund will light its World Tree of Hope Monday, December 8, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Grace Cathedral, 1100 California Street. The tree is unique in that its decorations consist mostly of origami cranes that contain messages of peace and hope.
Tenderloin Tessie
Thanksgiving dinner
Tenderloin Tessie will have its free Thanksgiving dinner for those in need Thursday, November 27,
from 1 to 4 p.m. at First Unitarian Universalist Center, 1187 Franklin Street (at Geary Boulevard). Michael Gagne, president of the nonprofit’s board of directors, stated that all are welcome.
In addition to a holiday dinner, there will be free haircuts by LoveCuts, a pop-up barber shop; gift bags; and free clothing from St. Anthony’s.
Gagne said that volunteer shifts are available on Thanksgiving from 9 a.m. to noon, noon to 4 p.m., and 3 to 6 p.m.
Helpers are also needed Wednesday, November 26, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., to load supplies and pick up groceries, and Saturday, November 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to return supplies to the storage facility and take inventory for the organization’s upcoming Christmas dinner.
To volunteer, contact Gagne at (415) 584-3252 (landline, no text) or tenderlointessie@gmail.com.
Tessie’s holiday fundraiser
Tenderloin Tessie will hold a cabaret benefit for its holiday dinners Friday, December 5, at 8 p.m. at First Unitarian Universalist Center, 1187 Franklin Street. The event also celebrates the organization’s 51st year.
“Tessie’s Angels: A Holiday
Cabaret” will feature hosts board president Michael Gagne and Sister Roma of the drag nun philanthropic group Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
Entertainment will include Honey Mahogany, a trans person who is executive director of the San Francisco Office of Transgender Initiatives and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum; Ashle Blow, the reigning emperor of San Francisco’s Imperial Court; Ukecurious; Richard Howell; Jota Mercury, Mr. California Gold 2018 and 2019; Dusty Pörn, Miss California Gold 2018; Elsa Touche, cohost of “The Monster Show;” puppet maestro Rich; Calliope Katerina Solis, Miss Golden Gate 2014; Prince impersonator Ace Palomino; Pina Busch and Stephen Fambro; and DJ Brandon Stanton. Piano accompaniment will be provided by James Campbell.
Tickets are $28.52 online (includes fees) or $25 at the door. Discounts for seniors, disabled, lowincome, and families of four or more can be obtained by first contacting Gagne at (415) 584-3252 (landline, no text) or tenderlointessiedinners@ yahoo.com and put “Cabaret” in the subject line.
For tickets, go to https://tinyurl. com/5n8szsrt
Leadership change at LGBT Asylum Project
Okan Sengun, a gay Turkish man who’s co-founder and longtime executive director of the LGBT Asylum Project, will step down December 1 after 10 years at the helm, he announced November 20. He will be succeeded by Kenan Arun, a queer man who has co-led the project with Sengun for the last year, an email announcement stated.
“The LGBT Asylum Project has been one of the most meaningful chapters of my life,” Sengun stated. “I’m deeply grateful to our team and to everyone who supported our mission and shared in this work. Although my time as executive director has come to an end, my commitment to serving immigrant communities is stronger than ever.”
The announcement noted that the idea for the project came as Sengun was having dinner with his husband, QBarSF co-owner Cip Cipriano. Soon after, with cofounder Brooke Westling, a straight ally, they began providing free legal support to LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. The organization held its first meeting 10 years ago, in November 2015, the announcement noted.
Over the last decade, the project has provided legal support to thousands of queer immigrants, the announcement stated. It opened its Castro office in 2019. Sengun stated that Arun, who was a San Francisco Pride community grand marshal this year, is ready to lead the agency.
“Kenan and I have worked side by side for years, and I have seen firsthand his compassion, professionalism, and unwavering dedication to our mission,” Sengun stated.
Arun said that he looks to build on the agency’s foundation alongside Westling, who serves as legal director.
“Our mission remains clear –to ensure every LGBTQ+ asylum seeker in the Bay Area finds safety, dignity, and belonging,” Arun stated. For more information on the LGBT Asylum Project, go to lgbtasylumproject.org.
See page 9 >>
The first 100 people to complete at least 75% of our readers choice poll will win two tickets to For this 15th readers’ poll we’re including nominees for each category, along with a write-in designation. This year’s nominees are a mix of previous winners, runners-up from prior years, and new entries. The survey should only take 10-15 minutes. Your identity and answers are completely confidential and will be used to contact the winners of Cirque su Soleil’s ECHO tickets. You must complete at least 75 percent of the survey to qualify for the prize drawing. Entrants will be added to our newsletter recipients.
You may vote once per day, per device. Surveys must be submitted by midnight (Pacific) December 31, 2025. Survey results will be published in the April 2 issue of the B.A.R. celebrating our historic 55th Anniversary as America’s longest published LGBTQ newspaper.
Kenan Arun, left, will succeed Okan Sengun as executive director of the LGBT Asylum Project.
The LGBT Asylum Project
A large crowd turned out last year for the holiday tree lighting at McLaren Lodge in Golden Gate Park.
Courtesy SF Rec & Park Dept.
Volume 55, Number 48
November 27December 3, 2025 www.ebar.com
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AIDS progress is slipping
There may be a giant red ribbon displayed at the White House on Monday, December 1, signifying World AIDS Day. President Donald Trump had continued the tradition during his first term as president. Though in 2025, this first year of his second term, the symbolism will fall flat. Trump and his administration, notably Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have done more to dismantle programs that help people living with HIV/AIDS than any other administration, with the exception of former President Ronald Reagan, who didn’t do – or say – anything in those early years as the disease unleashed its horror on gay men, trans people, women, injection drug users, and others.
As Mary Fisher, a straight white woman living with AIDS, said during her groundbreaking speech at the Republican National Convention in 1992, AIDS doesn’t discriminate.
“It does not care whether you are a Democrat or Republican,” said Fisher. “It does not ask whether you are Black or white, male or female, gay or straight, young or old.”
Thankfully, Fisher and thousands of others have survived. Tragically, millions more have not. A vaccine appears unlikely, as various trials have failed. New HIV prevention drugs have proved extremely successful, but they cost a lot of money and, as a result, there are disparities, especially in communities of color in the U.S. and poorer countries abroad.
The state of AIDS in 2025 is marked by a funding crisis that threatens decades of progress. Elon Musk rode into Washington, D.C. as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency in January and promptly slashed global funding for HIV/ AIDS and other programs. USAID was decimated. Today, after all of the cuts and false information about government programs, DOGE has been disbanded, even though there are eight months left on its charter. “That doesn’t exist,” Office of Personnel Management Scott Kupor told Reuters when asked of DOGE’s status.
the great expense of human lives, livelihoods, and global respect. It was a high price to pay.
In San Francisco, new HIV transmissions ticked up slightly in 2024, rising from an all-time low of 140 cases in 2023 to 146 cases in 2024, according to the latest HIV epidemiology annual report from the SF Department of Public Health, released in September.
The report showed an increase in diagnoses among Black people and women; in 2022, cases rose among Latinos.
And at a time when San Francisco faces budget deficits, nonprofits that have served HIV/AIDS communities are struggling.
But don’t look for the government to restore any of those contracts or personnel. Trump got what he wanted, a drastic reduction in the federal workforce. And Musk got what he wanted, more federal contracts for his SpaceX company. All of it was at
Several of them, including the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the San Francisco Community Health Center, continue to wage legal action against the Trump administration. As we reported earlier this year, nine LGBTQ nonprofits filed a lawsuit in federal court, seeking the restoration of grant funding. After a judge issued a temporary injunction, the nonprofits saw $6.2 million in funds restored, as the legal case proceeds. This is an early victory, and an indictment of Trump’s executive orders trying to erase transgender people as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. But it is not enough. The AIDS foundation announced staff layoffs this summer and ended its AIDS/Lifecycle bicycle fundraising program it coproduced with the Los Angeles LGBT Center, in part due to declining revenue. (The foundation will
offer a new, different endurance bike ride benefit, Cycle to Zero, next year.)
As we look ahead to 2026, some things are clear to us. First, Congress needs to step up and take back its power of the purse regarding federal funding. It can no longer capitulate to Trump. Funding for HIV/AIDS programs must be restored throughout the country.
Second, the Department of Health and Human Services needs to stop meddling in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which, as we’ve noted, has been hit hard by Kennedy’s anti-vaccine stance. (Kennedy has cast doubt on whether HIV causes AIDS.)
HHS oversees the CDC, which has seen its new director fired and other staffers resign. This has left a vacuum at the agency that’s charged with dealing with pandemics and public health matters, such as HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections. Finally, the president himself needs to spend more time addressing top domestic priorities such as affordability and less on efforts denigrating trans people, women, and others. We don’t hold out hope for that; Trump has been parroting the same nonsense for the last decade. But maybe his MAGA followers are beginning to see the light. Congressmember Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) sure is. She announced last week that she’s resigning her seat in early January because she’s tired of being bullied by Trump. More Republicans need to speak out like that. Greene is certainly no friend of the LGBTQ community, but even she has realized that Trump is no good.
As for progress fighting HIV/AIDS, that takes money. We’d like to see more companies and foundations step up with grant funding since cuts by federal and local governments are likely to continue. It’s all interconnected: when federal grants, many of which are funneled through state and local governments, dry up, then there’s no way to make up the difference. That means the private sector and generous donors are going to be called up to help out. Now is the time for these benefactors to contribute to the many nonprofit agencies that are working to provide HIV/AIDS services. HIV transmissions can be reduced, and people living with AIDS can achieve undetectable viral loads – but many rely on programs and agencies that are struggling themselves.t
With thanks to ‘Bachelor Father’ Bill Jones
by Elinor Gale
Thanksgiving, 2025. Now is the time, more than ever, to give thanks for all we have and to work to preserve all we value and love. It’s also the time to express gratitude for those we honor, including quiet heroes who show us the way.
Meet Bill W. Jones, a 97-year-old gay activist and the first single man to legally adopt a child in America. On February 13, 1969, after an 18-month struggle, Jones signed papers adopting Aaron Hunter Jones in San Francisco. In a judge’s chambers packed with friends, Jones signed the document that changed his life and LGBTQ history, opening the doors for single-parent adoption, then samesex parent adoption in America. Approximately 28% of adoptions in the United States are singleparent adoptions, according to the National Council for Adoption. adoptioncouncil.org. In the U.S., 35,000 same-sex couples have adopted, and 6,000 are fostering, per the Williams Institute, an LGBTQ think tank housed at UCLA School of Law.
Jones has always been an activist and today he’s vigorously campaigning and rallying at proDemocracy events. You can see him out in Marin County, where he now resides, with his signs. For decades, Jones has protested against injustice in LGBTQ+ matters; anti-war campaigns, particularly Vietnam, and pro-choice issues. He has been arrested for the causes he believes in. He has also participated joyfully as an officiant in marrying approximately 500 couples at San Francisco City Hall in 2004 and 2008.
In the 1960s, because of the hostile, anti-homosexual environment, Jones hid that he was gay.
A single man wanting to adopt was bad enough.
Aided by three courageous supporters, Dorothy Murphy, head of the San Francisco Social Services Adoption Agency; Mary Davidson, a social worker; and attorney Evander Smith, Jones survived suspicion and opposition to achieve his dream and change the lives of many adopting parents and children. For years, he kept his homosexuality secret, fearful he would lose Aaron if the truth were told.
then a hateful aunt, eventually returning him to his mother and her new husband. When Jones was 11, he joyfully welcomed a baby brother, whom he parented while his mother and stepfather worked in their restaurant/bar. He also loved his younger stepbrother and step-sister, but they came and went at his mother’s whim. Longing for a stable family, Jones resolved to have a family of his own someday.
Why adopt a child? During his own childhood, Jones suffered abandonment and loss. His parents divorced when he was 2, leaving him with neighbors. Grandparents took him in next,
At 37, just as he despaired that his struggle to adopt or father a child was failing – even being chased out of a Cuban orphanage by outraged nuns – he spotted an adoption notice in the San Francisco Chronicle, mentioning a brochure about new, easier adoption. Ready to exchange his role as gay bachelor for that of bachelor father, Jones sent for the brochure and applied. Not without misgivings and doubts. During his initial interview with Murphy, he tried to convince her he wasn’t a suitable candidate: he didn’t have adequate income; he had to do maintenance on the building he owned, so what about a child’s safety? Fortunately, Murphy saw through his doubts, countered each, and the adoption process continued with its bumps, crises, and delays to a happy conclusion. Aaron, almost 2, was one of 850 harder to place children who were part of Murphy’s caseload. Born addicted to heroin, Aaron was taken from his young mother and placed in
foster care, where he lived in a playpen outdoors most days – information not shared with Jones until years later. When Jones met Aaron, he didn’t make eye contact, uttered incoherent sounds, and looked unclean. His head was shaved. Jones wanted a child he could send to college. Aaron wasn’t that child. Jones left disheartened, but was drawn back. Knowing Aaron was turning 2, Jones splurged on a Teddy bear at FAO Schwarz and revisited Aaron. This time, Aaron ran to greet him, babbling excitedly and hugging Jones’ legs. The rest is history.
Jones was a devoted father, raising Aaron with love, care, and the support of his wonderful village of friends. He taught Aaron to read, speak, love, and trust. Aaron, in turn, was a loving, affectionate, and beautiful child, creative and musically talented. Sadly, he was also learning disabled and was finally diagnosed as schizophrenic. With characteristic determination and courage, Jones sought the best treatment and care for his beloved son, taking extra work to pay the cost. They had almost 30 years together when Aaron died of a heroin overdose.
Jones has written “Bachelor Father,” a compelling book about life before and with Aaron that will make you laugh, weep, rage, and cheer. Asked why he wrote his story, he said, “I want the world to know you don’t have to be chaste or perfect to love and care for your child. You don’t have to be married or even a couple. You can be straight or gay, a man or a woman or something in between. Any race, any religion, any time or any place. Rich or homeless. Athlete or handicapped.
“Belonging, devotion, and caring intensely are the common denominators,” he added. “To hold your child and feel the bond, that sacred bond, is worth living for. And in my case, fighting for.”
We thank you, Bill Jones, for your fighting spirit, courage, commitment, love and generosity – and for fathering the adoption movement that continues to save and enhance lives worldwide.
“Bachelor Father,” published in 2022, is available on Amazon or can be ordered at your local bookstore. t
Elinor Gale, a straight ally, is Bill Jones’ friend, writing colleague, and occasional editor. Author of “The Emancipation of Emily Rosenbloom,” she is working on a second novel, “Escape from Safe Harbor.” https://elinorgale.com/
Bill W. Jones wrote “Bachelor Father” about his quest to adopt a child.
From Amazon
A red ribbon was displayed on the North Portico of the White House December 1, 2023, in observance of World AIDS Day.
White House archives on X
Recalling Harvey Milk’s B.A.R. political column
by Matthew S. Bajko
On the morning of November 27, 1978, both the city and the nation were shocked to learn of the assassinations of San Francisco progressive politicians Harvey Milk and George Moscone inside City Hall. Forty-seven years later, the anniversary of their untimely deaths is falling on the Thanksgiving holiday.
The annual vigil in their honor hosted by the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday evening. It will begin with remarks at Harvey Milk Plaza, the parklet above the Castro Muni station at Castro and Market streets, followed by a candlelight march to 575 Castro Street where Milk operated his Castro Camera shop.
That day of the week also coincides with the current publication day for the Bay Area Reporter. Back in the 1970s, Milk had penned a column for the weekly LGBTQ newspaper to opine on politics both local and national. Called “Milk Forum,” the pioneering gay civil rights leader filed 102 columns under his byline between October 2, 1974 and November 22, 1978.
He had continued the column even after making history in the November 1977 election by winning a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. In doing so, Milk became the first LGBTQ person elected to public office in both the city and state of California.
After being sworn into his District 5 seat that ran from the Haight through the Castro and over to Noe Valley, Milk worked closely with Moscone, then the mayor, to push forward groundbreaking LGBTQ laws and other reforms. He was a firm believer in the power of civic engagement and citizen organizing to achieve political goals.
That sentiment is reflected in his column published in the 1974 Thanksgiving issue of the B.A.R. (Back then the paper came out on Wednesdays, so it was dated November 27 that year.) With an emphasis on neighbors coming together and organizing politically to assist one another, its theme mirrors the breaking of bread and finding of common ground by friends and family, whether chosen or blood relatives, taking place at Thanksgiving dinner tables across the Bay Area and the country Thursday.
In light of this week’s paper coinciding with the annual observance of Milk’s passing, the Political Notebook column is reprinting the Milk Forum that originally ran in the November 27, 1974 edition. A digital version of that day’s paper is available at https://archive.org/details/BAR_19741127/ page/n5/mode/2up via the Internet Archive, one of the online repositories for archival issues of the B.A.R. from May 1971 through July 2005.
In his column, Milk refers to the political dynasties of the late Republican president Richard Nixon and the late Democratic San Francisco mayor Joseph Alioto, who led the city from 1968 to 1976. It was subtitled “Vox clamantis,” the Latin phrase for “a voice crying.”
With the midterm elections of 2026 fast approaching, Milk’s clarion call for citizens to pay attention to who is representing them in the halls of power rings as true today as it did when first published 51 years ago. As he urged back then, be sure to register to vote to hold the powers that be and those who want to serve accountable to the needs of the people they represent.
Milk Forum Vox clamantis… by
Harvey Milk
At some time in the remote past, a cry went out and man began to come to the aid of his fellow man. As the race grew, man formed into units. Into nations. Somewhere in the process, man lost touch with his unit...his neighbor. He belonged to the nation. He was lost in the mob and out of that grew the Nixons, the Aliotos. Man’s needs on a local level were lost to the needs of the nation. Man’s cries were no longer heard. Things got worse. The problems of the nation, of the state, of the city got worse. Man was stepped on. His cry was not heard as the powerful grabbed whatever they could. Then someone remembered. They remembered the unit.
“Block by block until we drive from office all who are unresponsive.” The cry has gone out. Everyone will claim that he or she was the first to raise the cry. That is meaningless, except to the ego of those who want to be the first. What is important, is that the cry is out: “block by block.” It is starting in many areas of the city: Bernal Heights, the Haight, Castro and on and on.... Neighborhood by neighborhood. The only way that the city of man will be heard is to reform the unit. Unit by Unit...until all are linked together. Only then will City Hall understand man’s needs.
Many in the city have been doing it for some time. Many groups are already formed. All are being formed for one reason: To take City Hall away from the politicians and return it to the people. You too can help...in fact you must help in order for it to work. Each person should help to organize his or her own block into a unit. No bigger. No outside help. No outside “know-how.” Each block in this city has people who are intelligent enough themselves to know what to do. Appoint yourself temporary block leader...talk to everyone on your block.
Call small meetings...large meetings... talk over what you feel your block and you want from city hall. Make sure all are registered to vote. Make sure all who move into your block join and get registered. Give your block a name: the 3400 block of 15th street, whatever. Start to write letters to the candidates for mayor. Tell them how many people reside in your block. Tell them what your unit wants. Tell them what your unit wants in the way of government... start it now. Keep your block unit together and DO NOT COMMIT YOURSELVES TO ANY CANDIDATE NOW...make them all aware of your unit’s needs...make them come to you and not for you to jump on their bandwagon. If the government is ever going to be returned to the people, it will only be returned when the people demand it. It will be so stated when the people throw off the political machines, the public relations’ speeches and the crumbs thrown to keep you quiet... it will come when each and everyone of you forms your block into a unit. 2,000 blocks. Each must stay within its own. Each must not try to sway others to think their way. Each must remain active. Each must let their presence be known to city hall. Each must speak out. It is almost an impossible task. As long as it remains impossible, the Aliotos’ will control our lives, and the police will continue to arrest you for obstructing the sidewalk... (someone else was arrested on a recent Monday at 2 am and there were all of five people on the street). The only way city hall will get the message is not through talks with leaders, but in the numbers of units we form. Go out and form your unit...your block. It is for your own protection...that is what the caveman learned to do...we must learn from him. His forming into units beat back the wild animals. We must also beat back those who prey upon us. Unit by unit. Block by block. Start today with your next door neighbor. “Until we drive from office all who are unresponsive.” t
Harvey Milk waved to the crowd as he rode in the 1978 Los Angeles Pride parade.
Courtesy ONE Institute
Harvey Milk wrote about the need for citizens to come together to take back their government in his November 27, 1974 column in the Bay Area Reporter.
Courtesy BAR Archives
<< Health clinic
From page 1
“We had patients who cashed out 401ks because they didn’t think they’d make it. They had quit their jobs and had to go back,” continued Duarte, referring to the days when having an AIDS diagnosis was often a death sentence. “Healthwise, just having better therapy made everyone’s life a lot better because they didn’t need to come in all the time anymore. Before we really made a difference with antiretrovirals, folks came in outpatient, folks would come in outpatient a minimum of
<< Quilt panels
From page 1
“Six months into our relationship, I told Carl, ‘Let’s buy a house!’ This was 1982, so you could actually afford one back then,” he said. “So, we bought a house in Walnut Creek, the very house I live in today.”
‘Star’ couple
Lindsay-Steiner reminisced about his years together with Daddio.
“We became the ‘star’ couple,” he recalled. “We performed in ‘South Pacific’ and hosted Murder Mystery Dinner Theater nights at our home. We threw parties all the time. For Carl’s 40th birthday, we hosted a ‘Funeral Party,’ where the bar was a coffin.”
It was shortly afterward that Daddio got sick.
“Carl was diagnosed with AIDS. He had to have a catheter sewn in; he couldn’t do the latest production of ‘Evita.’ Six months before he died, he got a bloody nose that wouldn’t stop,” Lindsay-Steiner recalled. “I thought I was going to lose him that night, it took four transfusions before it stopped. He lost so much weight, he went into a coma. The doctor told me, ‘All those drugs that have kept him alive are now killing him.’”
Back then, there were no effective treatments for AIDS.
“Carl’s parents arrived at the hospital, the first time I would meet them,” Lindsay-Steiner said. “They spoke with the doctor, heard about the coma and life support, and said, ‘Thank goodness, we can keep him alive.’ But I knew Carl would never want to be alive on life support. We had the foresight to designate me with power of attorney, this was the early 1990s, so we weren’t married. Carl’s parents were not happy with me. They left, and I never saw them again.”
Daddio died in 1994 after a four-year battle with AIDS. He was 46.
“We had a two and a half hour show to
The San Francisco AIDS Foundation will host a Latine and Indigenous ceremony at the grove from 2:30 to 4:40 p.m. the same day. It will feature cultural music, Aztec dancing, shared food, an altar of offerings, and blessings.
Jorge Zepeda, lead director of community programs at the foundation, stated that the event “is offered in honor of all the community members who have died of HIV and AIDS, not only in San Francisco but around the world. This event is a beautiful celebration of life and respect through dance, music, and food. It is a remembrance infused with love and passion to pay respect to those who fought invisibility and for those who continue fighting to end the HIV epidemic.
Those events will come the day after the Light in the Grove annual benefit gala Sunday, November 30, at 6 p.m. The gala will celebrate the 35th anniversary of the grove, and tickets are available on Eventbrite starting at $300.
“Fittingly, once again, we invite you to join us as a host of our iconic, annual Light in the Grove gala, a one-of-a-kind outdoor/indoor fundraising experience,” Cunningham stated. “Light in the Grove is a magical evening celebration of hope, community, and remembrance at the grove in Golden Gate Park. Join us on November 30, the eve of our annual
eight times a year. That’s a lot of visits.”
Dr. Andrea Grosz, who is pansexual and the lead HIV provider for the clinic, told the Bay Area Reporter that she sees about 18 patients per day. In the years since anti-retroviral therapy was introduced, newer preventive medical interventions have also helped bring down the rates of HIV. San Francisco did see a small uptick in HIV cases in 2024, according to DPH’s annual epidemiology report. New diagnoses rose from an alltime low of 140 cases in 2023 to 146 cases in 2024, according to the report, which was released in September. The
report showed an increase in diagnoses among Black people and women; in 2022, cases rose among Latinos. In terms of HIV prevention, PrEP has been a game-changer for many. PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, refers to the use of antiviral drugs to prevent people exposed to HIV from becoming infected. The pill Truvada was first approved for PrEP use in 2012 by the Food and Drug Administration; since then, the agency has also approved the pill Descovy for some groups, and long-acting injectables Apretude and Yeztugo.
“It’s a really exciting time. There are
celebrate Carl’s life,” said Lindsay-Steiner. “I sang the song ‘In a Very Unusual Way’ from the musical ‘9,’ where one of the lyrics is ‘I owe what I am to you.’ We were together for a festive 15 years.”
Lindsay-Steiner had told Daddio that he would make a quilt panel for him.
“And I did,” he said. “I spent a year on it; it became my therapy. And when I finished with his, I made one for myself. I wasn’t sure if I was going to get sick too. My mantra is ‘just in case,’ so I made my own square, all in black and white. Just to keep busy. It served its purpose. I poured my love and sadness and grief into it; the quilt square helped me work through the pain.” Lindsay-Steiner said that he is HIV-negative.
It was an old acquaintance of Lindsay-Steiner’s that had the idea for Grace Cathedral to display the AIDS quilt block featuring Daddio’s panel as well as the one Lindsay-Steiner made for himself, which is off to the side.
World AIDS Day National Observance (also at the grove) for this truly unique and inspiring experience, recognized year-after-year as the Bay Area’s Best LGBTQ+ fundraising event.”
Light in the Grove will include a candlelight reflection, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, sweets, beverage stations, live music and DJs, and a “stunning nighttime display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, curated to evoke touching moments of love, community, action, and resilience,” Cunningham stated.
The quilt is now overseen by the AIDS grove and several blocks will be on display.
Gay saxophonist Thomas Kurtz will be among the musical performers.
“This year’s Light in the Grove performance is my most immense undertaking yet,” Kurtz stated. “I’m collaborating
so many opportunities for treatment and prevention, especially in the injectable world that 10 years ago we didn’t have at all,” Grosz said. “We’re really excited to continue to be able to offer to any person who wants HIV prevention all the types of oral and injectable, so yeah, it’s just a really exciting time.”
Asked what the center could use from the city, Grosz suggested more staffing.
“In the public health field especially, more staffing is always better,” she continued. “I think we have amazing staff, truly a joy to work with all the folks: a
multidisciplinary team. But we could use more staffing. A lot of folks in the city are not engaging in care yet.”
Public health officials recommend that people who test HIV-positive start care as soon as possible. Immediate rapid anti-retroviral therapy is part of the city’s Getting to Zero program that aims to reduce HIV transmission, deaths, and stigma. For more information about the Castro-Mission Health Center, go to https://www.sf.gov/location-castro-mission-health-center. For more information on Getting to Zero, go to gettingtozerosf.org. t
“One of my old drama students, Jack Sale, he’s an activist in San Francisco, he made it happen to get the squares hung in Grace Cathedral,” Lindsay-Steiner said.
Sale, 37, works part time at Grace Cathedral, an Episcopal church, and was 6 years old when he met Lindsay-Steiner while starring in his self-written parody, “The Not-So-Secret Garden.” The two kept in touch over the years, and Lindsay-Steiner became a mentor to Sale, who came out as gay at age 16.
In a phone interview, Sale explained, “I felt the loss of gay men in the Castro who were taken by the AIDS epidemic. Being gay and being out of the closet so early, I felt like it wouldn’t have been as difficult if that generation were here. Less shame, less stereotypes. Disco never died.”
Sale had heard the story of Daddio and Lindsay-Steiner, and learned that Grace Cathedral will hang AIDS Memorial
with my students in my Music & Queer Community course at the University of San Francisco, with my students at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and with the intergenerational dance company, Dance Generators. Together, we’re bringing to life several works by composers whose music is inspired by HIV/AIDS or queer identity, weaving their voices into a shared performance.”
Ashley, who’s also a singer-songwriter, will be performing a song he wrote especially for the occasion of the grove’s 35th anniversary.
Other events
Other events observing World AIDS Day are also planned.
News Is Out, a national queer media collaborative of which the B.A.R. is a part, is one of the sponsors of a webinar at 3 p.m. Pacific Time featuring Gilead’s Choose U ambassadors. The Choose U ambassadors highlight how the outlook for living with HIV has changed, according to the San Mateo County-based biopharmaceutical company, and they will be sharing their stories of resilience, empowerment, and life with HIV. The webinar will be available on the News Is Out Facebook channel.
The three panelists have each been living with HIV for over two decades and are named Andrew, Jahlove and Joyce, according to News Is Out. (Last names were not provided.)
Quilt blocks by request in its AIDS Interfaith Memorial Chapel. Grace Cathedral lost many members to AIDS and was one of the few churches to allow funerals of people who died of AIDS in the chapel in the 1980s and 1990s. “The Life of Christ,” Keith Haring’s last major work, hangs in the chapel, alongside a rotating panel of quilt blocks.
Haring, a gay man and well-known New York artist who emerged from the graffiti scene, died of AIDS-related complications in 1990. He was 31.
Lindsay-Steiner is honored that both his and Daddio’s panels are on display at the church.
“I just went to go see it recently, I hadn’t seen it in 30 years,” Lindsay-Steiner said. “I was impressed, that was seven lives ago. I’m married now. But seeing it made me feel warm; it was rewarding and enriching. You know, it wasn’t until much, much later that I put together that it was Carl playing Richard Henry Lee in ‘1776’ that night. Unbelievable. Carl and I met when I was 22. I’m 67 now. Carl would be 77 today, and I’m sure he would still be acting, taking smaller character parts in shows like ‘The Fantasticks.’”
All day in San Francisco’s Castro LGBTQ neighborhood, people are invited to inscribe the names of those who have died on the sidewalk for the 11th consecutive INSCRIBE event. Chalk will be available beginning at 9 a.m. on the 400 and 500 blocks of Castro Street, as usual. The event is the brainchild of Castro resident George Kelly, 65, a gay man and longtime HIV survivor. Kelly didn’t return a request for comment
Also in the Castro, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation will be holding a poetry book launch of “Holding HIV: Poems of Hope” at 6 p.m. at its Strut health center, 470 Castro Street.
Ebony Gordon, a HOPE for HIV Cure Community Partner and community engagement specialist with the Black health portfolio at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, stated to the B.A.R. that the foundation is excited to help launch the book.
“The collection draws on conversations with 27 Bay Area community members about what an HIV cure could mean: their hopes and their fears,” Gordon stated. “As part of our Community Arts Integrated Research program, dialogue was interpreted by authors Pauline Sameshima, Emily Turner, and Dazie Rustin Grego-Sykes, showing how art can bridge science and lived experience, opening new space for collective reflection and possibility in HIV cure research.”
AJ Grinnell, Lindsay-Barrett’s husband of 17 years, said, “Our attachment to the home Barrett created with Carl is very deep. We are so blessed to live together in this haven of songs, stories, and food.”
Lindsay-Steiner spoke both reverently and matter-of-factly of the old days with Daddio and present day with Grinnell, while explaining his thoroughly busy life of cooking, singing, and entertaining. But he still remembered the early days with Daddio fondly.
“Carl died in October. The following spring, a dragonfly flew into our garden,” he said. “We don’t get dragonflies here, but this dragonfly has come to visit me every spring since. I don’t know if I believe in reincarnation, but I think it’s Carl checking on me. Even my husband will glimpse the dragonfly and call out to me, ‘Carl’s here.’”
The AIDS Memorial Quilt block containing Carl Daddio’s panel is expected to remain on display through December. Grace Cathedral is located at 1100 California Street in San Francisco. For more information, go to gracecathedral.org. t
World AIDS Day will also be commemorated in the South Bay and East Bay.
San Jose Vice Mayor Pam Foley will lead a display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt at San Jose City Hall, 200 East Santa Clara Street, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. December 1. There will be a flag raising ceremony at the same location at noon, a City Council proclamation in the chambers at 1:30 p.m., and a candlelight vigil at 5:30 p.m. outside the Janet Gray Hayes Rotunda.
In Oakland, gay-owned Fluid510 LGBTQ nightclub at 1544 Broadway will be the location of an Alameda County Division of Communicable Disease Control & Prevention event December 1 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., to honor the lost and recommit to ending the epidemic. Prospective attendees can sign up at https://veoci.com/v/p/ form/mpwzvkhtdyqy
Sean Sullivan, a gay man who is a coowner of Fluid510, stated, “Fluid510 is honored to host this most important event. It’s important to commemorate our history of struggle, accomplishment and the need to continue the fight until there’s a cure. We are super excited that our former congressperson and now Mayor [Barbara] Lee will be with us, as she has been so instrumental in advocating for HIV prevention across the globe.”
Lee’s office didn’t return a request for comment by press time. t
<< World AIDS Day
Barrett Lindsay-Steiner made a black and white quilt panel for himself, left, and one for his late partner Carl Daddio, at center left in the block of quilt panels, that is part of the AIDS Memorial.
Jack Sale
AJ Grinnell, left, holds sheet music as his husband, Barrett LindsaySteiner, sits at the piano in their Walnut Creek home.
Courtesy Barrett Lindsay-Steiner
Candles were placed on the Circle of Friends during last year’s Light in the Grove benefit.
Onyx & Ash Inc.
Gay man severley attacked in Sacramento
by John Ferrannini
Agay Sacramento man is in the hospital facing permanent brain damage after an attack outside an LGBTQ nightclub. A suspect has been arrested as police look into whether a hate crime was committed, according to media reports.
Andrea Prasad set up a GoFundMe to help with expenses incurred by her father, Alvin, being in the hospital. The campaign has raised over $10,000 as of press time.
She’d been out with her father on Halloween night and early November 1 at Badlands Sacramento, a nightclub at 2003 K Street in the city’s midtown area. It is also part of the California capital’s LGBTQ neighborhood, Lavender Heights.
“Me, my father, and our best friend were walking back to our car like any other night after dancing at Badlands, Sacramento,” Andrea Prasad stated on the GoFundMe. “A man walked past my dad and insulted him. My father verbally confronted the man. My father didn’t physically do anything towards the man, only used words, a simple question. Within seconds, the man punched my father on the forehead. My father hit the sidewalk, his head hit the concrete, causing immediate damage and bleeding on the back of his head.”
She did not elaborate on what the man said to her father.
Sean Wesley Payton Jr., 24, was
Glide holiday toy drive
Glide Church in the Tenderloin has announced its toy drive for children in several of its programs. It has set a goal of collecting 2,500 toys to bring joy to 500 kids who rely on Glide’s child care, afterschool, and family support programs, an email announcement stated.
Each personalized toy bag will contain five new items matched to a child’s age and preferences. Items on Glide’s wishlist are sourced via
arrested in connection with the incident. He appeared in Sacramento County Superior Court November 17, charged with a count of assault leading to great bodily injury and obstructing a police officer, according to charging documents shared with the Bay Area Reporter by the Sacramento County District Attorney’s office. It could not be determined if Payton has entered a plea, and an attorney for him could not be immediately located.
A DA spokesperson stated Payton is due back in court December 16 for bail review, a pretrial release hearing,
Amazon. But if people don’t want to shop on the retail giant’s site, they can drop off toys at Glide, 330 Ellis Street, or make a cash donation to help fill any gaps.
Toys must be new, unwrapped, and suitable for kids ages 0-11, the announcement stated. Imitation weapons and noisemakers should be avoided.
To view Glide’s wishlist, go to https://tinyurl.com/37sbve6y.
Post office’s Operation Santa underway
The U.S. Postal Service’s Op -
and a preliminary hearing.
Sacramento police are also investigating whether Payton allegedly committed a hate crime, according to media reports.
A spokesperson for the Sacramento Police Department stated to the B.A.R. that officers responded to the block where Badlands Sacramento is located just after 1:30 a.m.
“Responding officers located a male adult victim with serious injuries. The victim was transported to an area hospital,” the spokesperson stated. “While on scene, officers were able to identify and locate the suspect of the assault in the area. Officers arrested 24-year-old Sean Payton of Sacramento.”
The spokesperson continued, “Payton was booked into the Sacramento County Jail where officers also requested for a bail enhancement.”
Alvin Prasad, 57, had planned to move to Palm Springs, his daughter wrote on the fundraising page, but now, she indicated that his life as he’s known it is over.
“My father had plans that he can no longer complete,” Andrea Prasad stated. “He retired while still in the hospital. He can’t move to Palm Springs and have a fresh start like he wanted to. This GoFundMe is to help with finances so that my father doesn’t lose his house that he earned on his own and to help with medical bills. My father has already lost the chance to continue living the vibrant life he wants to; I don’t want him to also lose
eration Santa is now open for letter adoption for the holiday season. Individuals, families, workplaces, and community groups can go to uspsoperationsanta.com to adopt letters to Santa and purchase gifts to help make the holidays brighter for children and families across the country, a news release stated.
This year, the postal service is placing a special emphasis on adopting family letters – including a new way to do it, the release noted.
“We invite the public to join us in spreading holiday cheer by adopting a USPS Operation Santa letter,”
his house. I didn’t know what amount to choose for the goal. Any amount is appreciated.”
Andrea Prasad did a number of interviews with Sacramento-area media outlets.
Reached for comment November 20, Andrea Prasad stated, “Legally, I don’t know if it would be smart for me to do more interviews. I want my dad’s story out there but I also don’t want to hinder my dad’s active case.”
Andrea Prasad had posted to Facebook, “My dad is a proud, gay man who supports the LGBTQ+ community. Me, myself, am straight but happily support the community as well. The focus of the interviews is the assault and life-threatening damage done to my dad.”
Andrea Prasad continued, “hate comments I’ve seen under the news reports” have disturbed her, including “jokes about my dad’s brain damage.”
“So, with that said, I am taking a big step back. I am staying quiet,” Andrea Prasad stated. “I will support the LGBTQ+ community quietly and support my dad quietly.”
Andrea Prasad nonetheless recalled the events of November 1 in a statement to the B.A.R.
“I called 911 because no one else would help,” she stated. “I tried to wake my dad up but he wouldn’t respond. There was so much blood ... Jonathon [the best friend they’d been out with] and the man were in the street, in a scuffle. The man ended up getting
stated Sheila Holman, the postal service’s vice president of marketing. “Every year, we receive far more letters than those adopting. So, if you have the means, we encourage you to adopt a letter.”
Adopters can participate by visiting the above website to create a login and verify their identity. Then, people browse the available letters, find one they like, including family letters, shop for a gift through Santa’s Work Shoppe on the site or on their own, and ship the gift right away through the online catalog or from a post office.
away. Jonathon held my dad’s head until EMTs arrived. Jonathon cannot look at his hands now without seeing my dad’s blood on them. I have nightmares even with my eyes open.”
A candlelight vigil was held in Sacramento the evening of November 22.
In a statement, the Sacramento Badlands team expressed it is “deeply saddened by the violent attack that took place in Lavender Heights on November 1. Our hearts are with Alvin Prasad, his family, and everyone affected by this tragedy.”
“Violence against members of our LGBTQ+ community impacts all of us,” the statement continued. “Badlands stands with our neighbors, friends, and the entire Sacramento LGBTQ+ community as we support Alvin during his recovery. We remain committed to helping keep Lavender Heights a safe and welcoming place for everyone, and we’re grateful to those who continue to show care and support.”
Gay Sacramento Badlands owner TJ Bruce is also a proprietor in San Francisco Badlands, 4121 18th Street in the Castro LGBTQ neighborhood.
The Sacramento LGBT Community Center, also in Lavender Heights, stated it is “deeply concerned by recent violence,” stating that in addition to this attack there were “several other bias and hate-related incidents in the neighborhood,” including “an attempt to tear down the center’s Pride flag.” t
Family letters can be adopted by a team that is created by one person who invites others to participate to help fulfill a family’s letter. This option is designed for offices, community groups, and organizations, the release stated.
The gift shop includes many items and the online catalog saves a trip to the post office, the release noted. Free shipping is available for orders over $49.
Gifts should be shipped by December 13 to ensure timely delivery. t
Alvin Prasad was severely injured after he was attacked outside a Sacramento LGBTQ nightclub.
From GoFundMe page
Aby Philip Mayard
MUSIC
s the holiday performing arts season unfolds, the Bay Area shines as a vibrant hub of LGBTQ artistry and imagination. From glittering drag extravaganzas to innovative reinterpretations of seasonal favorites, San Francisco and its surrounding communities offer a dazzling array of performances that honor our diverse community. And for an added dash of sparkle, we’ve included a few standout programs that aren’t holiday-themed, but were too good to leave out.
San Francisco Symphony: “Holiday Gaiety”
Don your most festive holiday attire for the symphony’s annual LGBTQ holiday variety show, co-emceed by conductor Edwin Outwater and drag legend Peaches Christ. The program features comedian Evan Mills; singer-songwriter and drag performer Adore Delano (“RuPaul’s Drag Race,” “American Idol”); vocalist Sasha Allen (“The Voice”); mezzo-soprano and aerialist Nikola Printz; drag artist Sister Roma from The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence; and vocalist and drag performer Sapphira Cristál (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”). $39-$225, December 17, Davies Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave. www.sfsymphony.org
Cantare Chorale, Aurora & Nova Youth Choirs: “Lead with Love”
This intergenerational holiday concert centers on themes of hope, compassion, unity and peace, culminating in “All of Us,” the moving finale of Craig Hella Johnson’s album “Considering Matthew Shepard,” an homage to the young gay man whose legacy lives on. $20–$44, Dec. 6, Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church, 1801 Lacassie Ave., Walnut Creek; Dec. 7, First Presbyterian Church, 2619 Broadway, Oakland. www.cantareconvivo.org
San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus: “Holiday Spectacular”
by David-Elijah Nahmod
From December 4-21, “The Golden Girls Live:
The Christmas Episodes” will perform at the historic Curran Theater. This marks the second year in a row that the popular drag parody plays the theater. This year the “Live” show celebrates
its twentieth year, just as the original TV series celebrates its 40th.
“The Golden Girls” ran on NBC from 1985-1992 and was a top-rated show for its entire run. Set in Miami, it followed the adventures of four older women who became a chosen family. It was a series that was unafraid to tackle what were at the time controversial subjects, like lesbianism and cross-
dressing. But always, its first and main goal was to make people laugh.
D’Arcy Drollinger, who is directing “The Golden Girls Live” as well as playing Rose, spoke to the Bay Area Reporter about why the original series retains its popularity after so many years.
“It did something no other show had done before,” he said. “It had these four elderly women living
The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus lights up the season with its 300-voice celebration of holiday classics, heartfelt ballads, and camp-filled showstoppers. With queer twists on favorites by Irving Berlin, Elton John, Lady Gaga, Madonna, and more, the Chorus delivers joy, humor, and enough sparkle to power even the Grinchiest gay through the holidays. $31–$143. Golden Gate Theatre (Dec. 12–13), Cal Performances/Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley (Dec. 20), Sonoma State University Weill Hall (Dec. 21), and Davies Symphony Hall (Dec. 24). www.sfgmc.org
together as the stars of the show. Because they were older, it gave them freedom to tackle some interesting issues. There was a lot of comedy but it was more in line with Norman Lear shows like ‘All in the Family,’ ‘The Jeffersons,’ and ‘Maude.’ It was a very unique show for that reason.”
Down the road
Drollinger credits the various drag versions of “The Golden Girls” that play all over the country with raising the show’s profile more than thirty years since it ended.
“And that started here, with the late Heklina and the late Cookie Dough in a living room,” he said. “That was a catalyst for making this a bigger thing. Of course everything keeps going, but a snowball has to start with a tiny little nugget and then it grows.”
“The Golden Girls Live” began twenty years ago in the late Mike Finn’s house on Grove Street. There were folding chairs and people had to call to make reservations as tickets weren’t sold online in those days. Painted canvas tarps were hung up and the cast wore thrift store costumes and used thrift store furniture.
The show became so popular that it would be performed several times per year. Eventually they moved to venues like CounterPulse, which was followed by a multi-year run at the Victoria Theater. The show continued to grow, inspiring other “Golden Girls” drag shows around the country. Drollinger joined the show in 2015.
“I have a background in theater, so I worked at getting real sets built,” he said. “Getting the furniture to look as close as I could to the TV show, getting the costumes made vs thrift store clothes, really elevating the show, and more and more people came.
Matthew Martin, Miss Coco Peru, D’Arcy Drollinger and Holotta Tymes in ‘The Golden Girls Live’
Have yourself a merry John Waters Christmas
by Gregg Shapiro
W
hen it comes to iconic Christmas scenes in movies, none can top the tree-toppling tantrum thrown by cha-cha heels-deprived Dawn Davenport in John Waters’ fifth full-length feature, “Female Trouble” from 1974. Therefore, it’s not all that surprising that Waters continues to make art out of Christmas, performing his spoken word Christmas tour in cities across the country.
Waters has even more reason to celebrate with the release of his new red vinyl 7” single, a cover of Little Cindy’s “Happy Birthday Jesus (A Child’s Prayer)” on the A-side, and “A Pig Latin Visit from St. Nicholas” on the Bside. If you’re still looking for unique Christmas gifts, consider this record.
Waters performs his annual Christmas spoken word show November 30 at Great American Music Hall in SF.
Gregg Shapiro: John, in preparation for this interview with you, I went back and listened to Little Cindy’s original rendition of “Happy Birthday Jesus (A Child’s Prayer)” on your “A John Waters Christmas” CD.
John Waters: One thing I did, if you notice, I make the same stumble in my recording that she did in the original.
It sounded to me like she got choked up.
No, I think she just stumbles over a word, so I stumbled over the same word. It’s appropriation, insanely.
Is this a song you first became aware of in your youth or when you were an adult?
When I was doing the Christmas album, I had this friend named Lar-
ry Benicewicz. He was kind of my idea man with music. He knew every single old record. I would say to him, “Weird Christmas songs,” when we were doing a soundtrack, or a song about bears, or a song about this, and he would give me all these tapes. It was one of the ones he played for me. A lot of the songs I put in my movies and on my records, I did know as a kid. I did not know this one, but I immediately embraced it.
I don’t think it’s campy. I think it really is spiritual in a weird way. My doing it makes it a novelty record. I am really for novelty records, and there aren’t any anymore. Why was there not a COVID novelty record?
That’s insane. The dance “The Bug” that’s on the “Hairspray” soundtrack would be perfect for COVID.
The thing that struck me was that for a Christmas song in the voice of a child, a kind of death pall hangs over it, with lines like, “If I was good, you’d let me live with you” and “They nailed you to the cross, they wanted you to die.”
All of it! When I see children at midnight mass kneeling in front of a nude man nailed to a cross, I feel like I’m at The Eagle! It is S&M, it’s creepy. I took the same cover (photo) from her record to parody and put my face on it. The same thing I did with The Singing Dogs last year when I covered (their version of)
“Jingle Bells.”
I’m really into novelty records. I love them and I’m trying to bring them back. I don’t expect anybody to ever play these records. Even The Singing Dogs one said on it, “Please do not play this record” [laughs]. And the flipside, the Pig Latin version, is almost impossible to listen to.
How did your relationship with record label Sub Pop, which released 2021, 2022, 2024, and new 2025 holiday singles, come about?
I believe the first thing I did for them was “Prayer to Pasolini.” They came to me through Ian Brennan. He’s won a couple Grammys for World Music, but he is also is one of my agents who does the Christmas tour and a lot of my shows, anything with music. He helped me arrange each one of the songs. He had a relationship with Sub Pop. It was perfect. My friends in Baltimore, (the band) Beach House, have had huge success.
Aside from your annual Christmas show tour, what else do you do for the holidays now, and are there any traditions that you’ve carried over from your family?
Certainly! I have two sisters, my brother’s widow, and me, so there are four and we take turns each year to have the Christmas dinner. Mine was last year. An entire sit-down dinner. Mom’s China, the silverware, the entire full dinner. It’s pretty traditional.
I don’t have a Christmas tree, but I do decorate the electric chair from “Female Trouble.” That is a tradition in my family. We do have Christmas decorations, but they’re usually weird ones that fans sent me. I have one with Divine knocking over the Christmas tree, and the Christmas tree lights up, all sorts of amazing things. There is definitely a tradition here that might be a little altered, but it is definitely a tradition. I used to have a giant party every year, but COVID ended that. I still wouldn’t want 200 people in my house breathing right now.
<< Holiday sparkle
From page 11
Silicon Valley Gay Men’s Chorus: “Light”
The Silicon Valley Gay Men’s Chorus illuminates the South Bay with “Light,” a jubilant winter program featuring the organization’s largest ensemble to date. The show features 80 singers, beloved holiday songs, theatrical surprises, and a high-energy set by its smaller ensemble, Desperate Measures. $27–$37, Dec. 12–14, Campbell United Methodist Church, 1675 Winchester Blvd., Campbell. www.svgmc.org
Golden Gate Men’s Chorus: “Tidings of Joy”
The Golden Gate Men’s Chorus returns with its cherished holiday tradition, offering yuletide harmonies and other choral works spanning Vaughan Williams to contemporary favorites. Don’t miss this 50-voice ensemble in a radiant celebration of the season. $30–$50, Dec. 13–17, St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, 3281 16th St. www.ggmc.org
Ensemble Cherubim Chamber
Chorus: “Carols of Birds, Bells, and Peace from Ukraine”
Led by Ukrainian-American conductor Marika Kuzma, Ensemble Cherubim returns to Zellerbach with a poignant program of sacred and seasonal music, sung primarily in Ukrainian and interwoven with spoken word. With visual projections highlighting Ukraine’s landscapes and traditions, the concert evokes the pride and resilience of the Ukrainian people. $38–$89, Dec. 13, Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley. www.calperformances. org
SF Jazz: “Cyrus Chestnut Plays
‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’” Renowned pianist Cyrus Chestnut brings his unique virtuosity to Vince
I was looking at your tour schedule and wondered if there are any new cities in which you’ve never performed ‘A John Waters Christmas’ that have been added to this year’s schedule?
I don’t think there’s a city in America in which I haven’t done one show! The only places I haven’t been to are Hawaii and Alaska. I could do it there, but it’s too long on a tour. I can’t think of a city I haven’t played
in in America over the last 50 years. The Christmas show is completely different every year. It doesn’t matter if you saw it last year.
Read the full interview on www.ebar.com. t
‘A John Waters Christmas,’ $78 ($153 VIP), November 30, 8pm at Great American Music Hall, 859 O’Farrell St.
Guaraldi’s beloved score from the classic 1965 Charles Schultz holiday special, with soulful swing and heartfelt nostalgia. A longtime audience favorite, this jazz tribute offers the perfect blend of charm, memory, and modern flair. $54–$134, Dec. 20, SF Jazz’s Miner Auditorium, 201 Franklin St. www.sfjazz.org
DANCE
Smuin Ballet: “The Christmas Ballet” Smuin’s signature holiday showcase blends classical elegance and contemporary flair in a dazzling collection of festive dances, this year featuring new works by Julia Adam, Myles Thatcher, and Artistic Director Amy Seiwert. The company’s ever-popular LGBTQ Night at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts returns on Dec. 27 with special appearances and playful twists, including drag sensation Lady Camden (former Smuin company dancer Rex Wheeler).
$25–$120. Performances in Carmel, Mountain View, and San Francisco. www.smuinballet.org
San Francisco Ballet: “Nutcracker”
SF Ballet’s “Nutcracker” stands alone as the Bay Area’s most spectacular holiday production, featuring world-class dancers, glittering costumes, opulent sets, and a full orchestra performing Tchaikovsky’s iconic score. Set in 1915 San Francisco, during the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, former Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson’s beloved staging honors the city’s historic connection to the first U.S. full-length “Nutcracker,” which premiered at the War Memorial Opera House in 1944. $55–$612, Dec. 5–28, War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Ave. www.sfballet.org
MOMIX: “Alice”
MOMIX’s “Alice” blends stunning illusion, daring acrobatics, and playful theatricality as dancers tumble through inventive vignettes inspired by Lewis Carroll’s fantastical characters. With visual magic and inventive choreography, the production invites audiences deep into a dreamlike wonderland. $40–$92, Nov. 29–30, Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley. www.calperformances.org
Golden Gate Men’s Chorus: ‘Tidings of Joy’
John Waters in one of his recent Christmas cards
Dreamland
‘Judy Garland: We Need a Little Christmas’
Debbie Wileman hauls out the holly at the Strand Theater
by Adam Sandel
N
othing says Christmas like Judy Garland’s timeless song “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” from the classic film “Meet Me in St. Louis.” But Garland herself never recorded a Christmas album.
Acclaimed Garland impersonator Debbie Wileman set out to remedy that with her new album, “A Christmas Garland,” and a multi-city concert tour that she’ll kick off at A.C.T.’s Strand Theater in San Francisco on December 6 and 7.
“It’s always been surprising, and a little disappointing, that Judy never recorded a full Christmas album,” said Wileman in an interview with the Bay Area Reporter. “Creating this record was my chance to imagine what it might have sounded like, and to bring Judy’s magic to some of the more modern Christmas favorites that she never had the chance to sing.”
Produced by Scott Stander with orchestrations by Steve Orich (who arranged Broadway’s “Jersey Boys” album), “A Christmas Garland” offers a joyful and poignant mix of songs, from timeless standards like “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” to modern classics like Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and Wham!’s “Last Christmas,” reimagined in Garland’s style.
“Many of us are going through troubling times,” Wileman says. “Music can be so healing and helpful in bringing joy and cheer, which is what we all want at Christmas.”
The album also includes a duet of “Little Drummer Boy – Peace on Earth” with rock and roll icon Pat Boone, and Judy’s definitive holiday staple, “Have Yourself a Merry Little
<< Holiday sparkle
From page 12
ODC/Dance:
“The Velveteen Rabbit”
A treasured Bay Area holiday tradition now in its 39th year, “The Velveteen Rabbit” brings Margery Williams’ classic tale to life with KT Nelson’s choreography, Geoff Hoyle’s narration, and colorful storybook design. With Britten’s music and ODC’s acclaimed dancers, this family favorite charms audiences of all ages. $30–$125, Nov. 29–Dec. 7, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 700 Howard St. www.odc.dance
Mark Foehringer Dance Project: “Nutcracker Sweets”
Since its premiere in 2008, thousands of families have fallen in love with “Nutcracker Sweets,” a fast-paced, 50-minute reimagining of the classic ballet, this year featuring updated choreography, fresh design elements, falling snow, and a live nine-piece chamber orchestra. Be prepared for an interactive experience; young audience members are known to engage with the characters on stage. $23.50–$63.50, Dec. 6–21, Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center. www.mfdpsf.org
Peninsula Lively Arts: “Three Nutcrackers”
Peninsula Lively Arts presents three distinctive takes on the holiday ballet: a family-friendly “Nutcracker Sweets,” especially for young children; the high-energy “Hip-Hop Nutcracker,” geared for teens and young adults; and a full-length production featuring more than 130 performers, including local choirs and ballet students. With options for all ages, San Mateo becomes a one-stop “Nutcracker” destination. $35–$65, Dec. 6–21, various San Mateo venues. www.peninsulalivelyarts.org
Christmas,” performed with Oscar winner Margaret O’Brien, who originally sang the song with Garland in “Meet Me in St. Louis.”
“Having Margaret on this album is such a thrill,” says Wileman. “She’s a true Hollywood legend and a lovely lady to boot.”
Another highlight is “After the Holidays,” a poignant song written by John Meyer for Judy Garland that she performed on “The To-
San Francisco Pride Band:
“Dance-Along Nutcracker”
Put on your pointe shoes and get ready to have fun! The SF Pride Band returns with “A Wicked Dance-Along Nutcracker,” a new twist on its delightfully irreverent mashup. Blending music from “The Nutcracker,” “Wicked,” “The Wizard of Oz,” and “The Wiz,” the show is part concert, part musical comedy, and part dance-it-yourself romp. $28 (children/students/seniors), $48 (adults), Dec. 6–7, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Forum, 701 Mission St. www.dance-along-nutcracker.sfprideband.org
New Ballet & Symphony
San Jose: “The San Jose Nutcracker”
Set in 1905 San Jose, this richly detailed production celebrates local history with period-inspired costumes, skyline backdrops, and scenic elements including the San Jose Electric Light Tower. With choreography by New Ballet Director Dalia Rawson, the production honors the region’s heritage while delivering a heart-warming holiday experience. $31–$126, Dec. 13–23, California Theatre, 345 S. First St., San Jose. www.newballet.com
Oakland Ballet: “Graham Lustig’s The Nutcracker”
Oakland Ballet’s spirited “Nutcracker” features live accompaniment by the Oakland Symphony and the Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir, alongside art nouveau–inspired sets and costumes. With dozens of professional and youth dancers, this beloved East Bay tradition fills the glorious Paramount Theatre with color, elegance, and seasonal magic. $35–$166, Dec. 20–21, Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland. www. oaklandballet.org
night Show” but was never officially recorded, until now. Wileman, who befriended Meyer before his passing, also includes another of his rarely heard works, “When Do the Words Come True” on the album.
“John told me he wrote it on the day of Judy’s funeral,” she says. “He said it was everything he thought she felt. Recording it was my way of honoring him and Judy both.”
“A Christmas Garland” is now
available on all major streaming platforms.
The voice of a century Judy Garland was arguably the greatest singer of the 20th century, thrilling audiences who saw her on film and television, listened to her many recordings, or experienced her live in concert. Her technical perfection was infused with emotion, from longing to joy to heartbreak, which
likely contributed to her having a passionate gay following.
She also had unmistakable performance mannerisms (that seemed to intensify over time), which many of her impersonators exaggerated. But Wileman downplays Garland’s mannerisms, focusing instead on capturing her legendary vocal style and warmth.
The 40-year-old suburban mother, who lives in North Essex, England with her husband and young daughter, became a social media singing sensation during the global pandemic, capturing world-wide attention as a modern-day Judy Garland phenomenon.
When Wileman came to the United States to celebrate Garland’s 100th birthday, she released her debut album “ I’m Still Here ,” and kicked off a widely acclaimed multi-city tour. The album features many Garland classics as well as contemporary hits that she believes Judy would be singing today.
“Judy Garland: We Need a Little Christmas” promises an enchanting evening of storytelling, humor, and Garland magic.
“Every show will be a little different,” Wileman says. “I love chatting with people, sharing tidbits, having a laugh, and, of course, singing my guts out!” t
‘Judy Garland: We Need a Little Christmas,’ Strand Theater, 1127 Market St. $19-$178. Dec. 6 at 7:30pm & Dec. 7 at 2pm.
www.act-sf.org www.instagram.com/debwileman
“It takes all the people - black and white, Catholic, Jewish and Protestant, recent immigrants and Mayflower descendants - to make up America.”
–Judy Garland
Debbie Wileman
Gabriel Goldberg
‘Peter Hujar’s Day’
by Brian Bromberger
I f you ever wondered what it was like to live in the early years of gay liberation in the Mecca of LGBTQ freedom, New York, without overromanticizing that era, then the new experimental, shot on 16mm film, “Peter Hujar’s Day” (Janus Films) directed by the incomparable gay director Ira Sachs and starring Ben Whishaw, the greatest gay actor in the world, provides that snapshot.
On one level, this film resembles a theatrical monologue, yet it’s a film that calls to mind some of Andy Warhol’s early 1960s films which record almost silent observations of typical daily life. “Peter Hujar’s Day” is one ordinary day in the life of an artist in a vanquished time, thriving in a city where there was cheap rent which gave you the freedom to make any money you could accrue to survive.
Anyone under 50 might not be acquainted with Peter Hujar (19341987). Hujar was a gay American photographer best known for his black-and-white portraits. Two of his famous photos are the Warhol transgender actress “Candy Darling on Her Deathbed” and “The Orgasmic Man,” a man in sexual ecstasy or agony, most famously used on the book cover of Hanya Yanaghi -
hara’s novel, “A Little Life.” In the early 1980s Hujar met artist David Wojnarowicz, became his lover, then mentor, promoting his art for the rest of his life.
During his lifetime, Hujar published only one book of his photos, “Portraits in Life and Death,”
(republished last year), had only one major exhibition, and received marginalized recognition. He and his work were overshadowed by his contemporary, the more famous and controversial gay photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, whom he knew and occasionally worked.
Both men focused on portraits and homoerotic themes. Hujar died of AIDS. However, in the last decade his work has been rediscovered, thanks to the Yanaghihara photo but also as society reevaluates and reappreciates the creative artistry lost during the AIDS holocaust. Hujar was the subject of a much-praised 2018 exhibition at the Morgan which had purchased his papers and photos in 2013.
The film is based on rediscovered tapes, considered lost that resurfaced at the Morgan Library archive and was published as a book in 2021, which was discovered by Sachs in a bookstore. It’s a 1974 interview by nonfiction writer Linda Rosenkrantz, still alive today at 91 (played
THEATRE
Cirque du Soleil: “Echo”
by Rebecca Hall) in which she asked creative artists to narrate the events of their previous day in minute detail into a tape recorder, almost like a verbal version of Virginia Woolf’s “Mrs. Dalloway.”
Sachs wrote a screenplay based on Hujar’s words to develop this two-character film, a queer version of “My Dinner with Andre,” recreating a bygone era as we are enmeshed in an almost cinema verité rendition of its queer countercultural and bohemian milieu.
Small ways, big art
There are phone calls from intellectual Susan Sontag (a friend and supporter) and writer Fran Leibowitz as well as from a horny lover who wants to hook up with him. It’s all casual with Hujar being a gossipy jokester with his sarcastic asides, present in the moment small details between two friends in a relaxed reporting of events whether it be the price of cigarettes, his worsening eyesight, taking a brief nap, figur-
ing out how much money his commercial work will amount, pouring tea for each other or admitting how frequently he lies, eating Chinese takeout food at night, as they climb to the roof to continue their chainsmoking and banter.
For Hujar there’s not much difference between daily life and being creative. They bleed into each other. There’s a fourth wall breaking moment when we get a glimpse of Sach’s crew positioning a mic over the actors who are constantly moving, but mostly it feels like friendly inviting voyeurism cocooned in a docudrama.
Whishaw not only embodies Hujar but in his movements, moods, looks, and gestures, witty delivery, the way he can change the position of his body or posture, seems to inhabit the ethos of the era, carefree but determined to get ahead. He’s constantly paying attention to his surroundings.
For viewers craving action, this film will not be satisfying even boring, stagey, or feel like an elongated talk show interview. There are so many obscure references to arts figures of the 1960s and ’70s, some now forgotten, that there’s a list and description of them in the press kit.
Yet to others, it will seem as if Hujar has been resurrected and we get to spend a day in his presence relishing his deep observations about art, friendship, sexuality and the costs of being gay, that at times can feel mesmerizing. It’s also a portrait of a longgone New York City with its ghosts temporarily summoned. Its message of being willing to listen intently to others has a resonance that I found moving in the era of cruelty, where people with different views are seen as enemies, not as potential for dialogue or unexpected insights. t
‘Peter Hujar’s Day’ screens at the Roxie SF Nov. 21-25 www.roxie.com www.peterhujarsday.com
Center Repertory Company:
“A Christmas Carol”
The legendary Montreal-based troupe Cirque du Soleil returns to San Francisco with “Echo,” its most ambitious touring production to date. A boundarypushing fusion of acrobatics, technology, theatricality, and storytelling, the show examines how humans relate to the natural world and to each other. With jawdropping special effects, over-the-top sets and costumes, and stunning feats of athleticism and artistry, it’s the must-see theatrical event of the holiday season. $60–$180, now through Jan. 18, Oracle Park Parking Lot A, 74 Mission Rock St., San Francisco. www.cirquedusoleil.com
Panto in the Presidio:
“Peter Pan”
Following a high successful debut in 2024, the Presidio Theatre revives its hit
British-style panto with a joyous, laughout-loud retelling of “Peter Pan,” complete with audience call-backs, slapstick antics, dancing chickens, and the beloved dame, Dolores O’Farrell. Bursting with local humor and holiday mischief, this family-friendly program features a cast of nearly 30 Bay Area performers and live musicians. $16.50–$66, Nov. 29–Dec. 28, Presidio Theatre, 99 Moraga Ave. www.presidiotheatre.org
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley:
“Georgiana and Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley”
TheatreWorks returns to the world of Jane Austen with a charming holiday tale centered on two young women eager to chart their own romantic and personal paths during a chilly winter at Pemberley. Filled with music and wit, this new chapter from Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon offers familyfriendly delight for Austen fans and newcomers alike. $34–$115, Dec. 3–28, Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto. www.theatreworks.org
Center REP presents the West Coast premiere of Harrison David Rivers’ adaptation of Dickens’ tale, directed by multimedia artist Jared Mezzocchi and created in association with AXIS Dance Company. Blending digital magic, inclusive casting, and heartfelt storytelling, this retelling highlights the urgency of caring for our most vulnerable neighbors. $36–$69, Dec. 10–21, Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. www.centerrep.org
Berkeley Repertory Theatre: “A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story
Told by Jefferson Mays”
Tony Award–winner Jefferson Mays astonishes in this highly acclaimed solo production, embodying more than 50 characters in a virtuosic retelling of the classic ghost story. Using stark design, shadow, and sound to heighten its eerie undertones, the minimalist set becomes a vivid canvas for Mays, creating an intimate, radio play-like experience that is both immersive and haunting. $49-$99. Dec. 16–21, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, 2025 Addison St., Berkeley. www. berkeleyrep.org
Orpheum Theatre: “Moulin Rouge! The Musical”
The Tony Award–winning sensation “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” returns to San Francisco with its explosive mash-up score, decadent scenic and costumes, and sweeping tale of love, art, and freedom set in the famed Parisian nightclub. If you’re not in the mood for a holiday-themed show, this show is an irresistible spectacle and pure, escapist joy. $72–$269, Dec. 16–28, Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market St., San Francisco. www.broadwaysf.com t
Panto in the Presidio’s ‘Peter Pan’
Rebecca Hall and Ben Whishaw in ‘Peter Hujar’s Day’
Janus Films
Chopin, Scriabin preludes
by Tim Pfaff
Among record collectors there are desert-island discs –the handful of discs you’d take to said isolated island–and dream discs –recordings that would have gone to the top of the charts if only the record companies were as wise as you. Now, Mikhail Pletnev has made a recording of the early preludes of Frédéric Chopin and Alexander Scriabin, which I’ve waited a lifetime for –and it’s a dream.
Both Chopin and Scriabin were devotees of J.S. Bach’s preludes and fugues in the “Well-tempered Clavier.” Chopin took up the pattern with his own 24 Preludes, Opus 28, and Scriabin, with his Opus 11, took his inspiration from both Bach and Chopin. They’re too rarely performed together, but both of their explorations of “the circle of fifths” –all the major and minor keys in sequence– are treasures of the piano repertoire.
Pletnev has performed both the Chopin and Scriabin cycles often and recorded both at least twice previously. But the new recording finds him at his best in both works, which clearly have benefitted from the pianist’s sustained devotion.
All and everything
Pletnev, who made his name as a pianist, is also a composer, conductor, and arranger, but he’s at his best at the piano. Even there, his playing in the past has sometimes proved controversial. Whether it’s age or some other aspect of maturity, his playing on this recording has settled in. Now it retains its individuality without the severity of his earlier interpretations, some of which seemed calculated to prove he’s his own man artistically.
The acid test is the Chopin set, in which, we are told, lies all of Chopin, an understandable truism if over-enthusiastic. Opus 28 is a favorite of audiences and adventurous pianists alike, to the point that there seems to have evolved a kind of standard interpretation. Pletnev, who has played a great deal of Chopin, now approaches the Preludes in a fresh way, but without resorting to idiosyncrasies to stake his claim.
Take, for example, the famous “Raindrop Prelude,” which has often had a hard time of it in recital precisely because even amateur pianists can play it. The repeated-note raindrops can be boring or over-insistent in the wrong hands, but Pletnev keeps them in the background as he attends to the other weather in the piece, carefully sounding out the important lines in playing of remarkable metric freedom. The final sprinkle becomes background as Pletnev pronounces the final descending phrase so delicately, and so slowly, that it shouldn’t work but does.
Two preludes later, the one in A-flat Minor has qualities shared by many of
<< Golden Girls
From page 11
Then we moved to the Curran, which was scary because it was so much more expensive. It was this gorgeous theater where they filmed ‘All About Eve.’ It was scary but it was very rewarding. 16,000 people came last year.”
And back again
The Curran production is quite elaborate, and includes a refurbished couch that was actually used on the TV show. They have recreated the full living room set as it was seen on NBC.
Drollinger added that he feels a deep kinship with Betty White, who played his character Rose on the TV show, because he and White share a birthday. The other Golden Girls are played by Matthew Martin as Blanche, Holotta Tymes as Sophia, and Miss Coco Peru as Dorothy.
There will also be a special guest performer for the first week at the Curran. Cindy Fee, who sang the theme song “Thank You for Being a Friend” for the
the Bach and Chopin preludes: a strong, even stern, opening; firm yet delicate play with the principal melodic line; enormous freedom of rhythm; and, for good measure, accents of the pedal points that in other hands could overtake the more important music but almost miraculously do not.
Take them or leave them, the elements of Pletnev’s overriding approach are an amalgam of clarity of line, a firm underlining of the shapes of phrases that sometimes verges on staccato, and, again, the exhilaration and reveling in what musicians call rubato, that allencompassing borrowing and lending of time itself that sets scores free.
Scriabin squares the circle
Alexander Scriabin (18721915) composed preludes throughout his too-short life. The only set that conforms to the Bach and Chopin models are those of Opus 11, and the debt to his predecessors is unmistakable there.
To look at the first preludes of each set, the homage is clear. Bach’s C-Major prelude, with its crystalline arpeggios, sets what becomes the musical standard for these cycles. Chopin makes sterner work of those splayed chords, and Scriabin weighs in with inverted arpeggios that move from engaging filigree to something promising, then realizing drama.
mantine descending cascade to music that swells into the realm of the dramatic in a way that seems inevitable. By the time of the tenth prelude, in C-sharp Minor, the music moves decisively into the realms of the mysterious, with advanced harmonies that play off against more typically lyric passages.
Pletnev’s recordings of Op. 11 have, over the decades, gone from a juicy romp through some seductive music to something bonier and more assertive to the current set, which proposes a rainbow of expressive music upheld by sturdy but not didactic tracing of the music’s underlying architecture. The new recording skirts extremes while performing this music “from the inside.”
The Op. 11 preludes are closer to the romanticism with which Scriabin was schooled, particularly by contrast with some of the late, exploratory, some say visionary piano music that is now associated with him (and that Pletnev also plays superbly). But these preludes are finished, considered products, composed over the years from 1886 to 1896, by no means the work of a tyro composer.
That said, the beauties are almost extravagant and Pletnev’s approach to them dynamic yet “settled” in interpretation. But what enlivens this set is the pianist’s unflagging spontaneity with music he knows to the corners.
In a little over a minute, Scriabin’s C-Major prelude moves from the dia-
TV series, will do the same, live onstage, for “Golden Girls Live.”
Drollinger said that the audience can expect to see episodes that they love on the Curran stage.
And their hard work has certainly paid off as they continue to play to packed houses.
“The audience gets to escape for two hours,” Drollinger said. “They get to be with these characters that they know and love, and they just get to laugh. We’re living in these crazy times and I really see my place in my community and society in general as being an entertainer. My job is to make people laugh and to make people forget their problems for two hours and feel some joy. That is the best medicine in my opinion.” t
‘The Golden Girls Live: The Christmas Episodes,’ Dec. 4-21, Thu.-Sat. 7:30pm, Sun. 1:30pm, $37.44-$141.57, Curran Theater, 445 Geary St. www.broadwaysf.com
Pianist Mikhail Pletnev circles the keys in a new CD
interpretation of the set has been praised as second only to that of Vladimir Horowitz, the great Scriabin pianist of the middle of the last century. Call it heresy, but, loving Horowitz’s Scriabin as I do, Pletnev matches him in this particular repertory. t
Frédéric Chopin, Preludes Op. 28, Alexander Scriabin, Preludes Op. 11, Mikhail Pletnev, pianist, CD and streaming. www.deutschegrammphon.comwww.mikhailpletnev.com
Recordings of Op. 11 date back to the rightly famous one by Vladimir Sofronitsky, a far more important pianist than his reputation today and someone who knew Scriabin personally. Pletnev’s
Jacks
SF reopening next month
After six years without a location to practice self-care, Jacks SF announced it’s back on second and fourth Tuesdays, starting December 9.
Jerry Zientara, a gay man also known as Dr Woof!, said the new location is 1286 Folsom Street, near the corner of 9th Street, in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood. This will be Jacks SF’s fifth venue.
Doors will be open for men who are interested in jacking off only from 7-8 p.m., but the sessions will continue as long as participants desire.
A $10 donation is requested, Zientara said. “We’re not a business,” Zientara said. “We’re a volunteer organization. We have had people have spiritual experiences, but don’t promote ourselves as a religion."
Before COVID, Jacks had been housed at the now-shuttered Center for Sex and Culture’s building at 1349 Mission Street.
Zientara said that there may be a lot for attendees to see.
“For many of the years we’d get about 75 people on average,” Zientara said, but “just before Christmas, we don’t expect a huge crowd, but we expect people to be appreciative.”
Jacks dates to 1983, after Ron Bluestein brought the idea back to San Francisco after a visit to New York.
Jacks SF will be open on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays each month (Door 7-8pm only) at 1286 Folsom Street beginning December 9.
Jerry Zientara, right, also known as Dr Woof!, studies a map of SF Jacks’ 14 prior venues with Dan, who did not give a last name. Dan has been part of the Jacks operating team for over 21 years. Photo courtesy Jerry Zientara
