September 16, 2021 edition of the Bay Area Reporter

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Vol. 51 • No. 37 • September 16-22, 2021

Liz Highleyman

Bill Wilson

San Francisco Supervisor Matt Haney, center, is planning a hearing on his resolution urging Mayor London Breed, left, to declare a state of emergency on the city’s drug overdose crisis.

Governor Gavin Newsom easily defeated the recall election.

California voters reject Newsom recall gambit

Haney: Mayor needs to declare OD emergency

by Matthew S. Bajko

by John Ferrannini

S

an Francisco Supervisor Matt Haney’s office is coordinating a hearing on his resolution urging Mayor London Breed to proclaim “a local emergency around the overdose crisis” – and to implement overdose prevention sites.

The supervisor’s office is seeking the resolution be heard by the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services committee, on which Haney sits alongside District 4 Supervisor Gordon Mar and District 2 Supervisor Catherine Stefani. A date has not yet been set.

The resolution is the fulfillment of a promise by Haney, who represents District 6, which includes the Tenderloin and South of Market neighborhoods, to gay activist and policy analyst Gary McCoy. As the Bay Area Reporter reported last month, McCoy held a hunger strike outside San Francisco City Hall from August 1-3 demanding that local leaders take action to declare a state of emergency to facilitate the authorization, funding, and implementation of safe consumption sites (termed “overdose prevention sites” in Haney’s resolution).

McCoy, who once battled drug addiction himself, ended his hunger strike when he got commitments from a majority of the board to support a resolution to that effect. Haney had been proposing the same idea for years.

If Breed – whom McCoy had worked for when she was a supervisor – declared a state of emergency, the city could authorize safe consumption sites “on city property with staff, protected by the city attorney should the state or federal governments try to stop it,” McCoy told the B.A.R. Safe consumption sites, also known as supervised injection facilities, allow people to use drugs under the watch of trained staff, reducing the risk of overdose deaths. They provide sterile needles to prevent transmission of HIV and hepatitis B and C, and offer clients an entry point for seeking medical care and addiction treatment.

McCoy told the B.A.R. that whatever you call them, the sites have to open to save lives.

Pride at Lake Merritt

T

he Oakland LGBTQ Community Center’s Pride in the Park at Lake Merritt September 11 drew headliner CeCe Peniston, who wowed the crowd. This was the Oakland center’s fourth Pride event at the lake, and took place amid the cancellation of

Jane Philomen Cleland

the official Oakland Pride parade and festival.

Pridefest Oakland took place September 12 on a portion of Broadway at 20th Street and was produced by Port Bar co-owners Sean Sullivan and Richard Fuentes and Oakland Black Pride.

C

alifornia voters overwhelmingly rejected the recall attempt against Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, based on the preliminary ballot count. It hardly comes as a surprise, as multiple polls leading up to the September 14 recall election predicted it would fail.

With all precincts reporting their ballot counts as of Wednesday morning, 64% of the more than 9.1 million voters who cast ballots objected to removing Newsom from office nearly a year before he stands for reelection. Elected in 2018, Newsom is set to seek a second four-year term in 2022.

See page 4 >>

Trans pastor makes history as Lutheran bishop

by David-Elijah Nahmod

A

longtime spiritual leader in San Francisco made history when they were installed as the first transgender bishop in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The Reverend Dr. Megan Rohrer is now officially the bishop of ELCA’s Sierra Pacific Synod, which oversees nearly 200 congregations in Central and Northern California and Northern Nevada. Rohrer previously made history in 2014, when they were installed as pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in San Francisco as the first openly transgender person to lead a congregation in the denomination.

Security was tight on Saturday, September 11, at Grace Cathedral atop Nob Hill, where the installation took place. There was a police presence, and bomb-sniffing dogs went through the church before the ceremony began.

Other LGBTQ pastors were on hand to view the service and to wish Rohrer well, such as the Reverend Drew Stever, who identifies as queer and trans and serves as pastor at Hope Lutheran Church in Hollywood.

“I think in recent years the church has been on the cusp of a great turning, where the table that was originally set has been rebuilt to make more

Gooch

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Bishop Megan Rohrer breaks bread for Communion during their installation ceremony September 11 at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.

room,” Stever, 29, told the Bay Area Reporter.

“One thing that is often said is that we are standing on the shoulders of giants. I am excited for the history being made and the work that will continue to be done.”

A brief news conference was held on the steps of Grace Cathedral at noon. ELCA presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton and the Reverend Marc

See page 12 >>

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Handley Andrus, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of California, joined Rohrer.

“I am personally excited about Megan’s being a bishop in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,” Andrus said. “I’ve known them for many years. We’ve shared ministry together, and I’ve been impressed, along with my wife Sheila, by their commitment to justice at the ground level. They radiate joy and welcome. And that is, I think, their hallmark.”

Andrus noted that the day was the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

“Here at Grace Cathedral on that day, without planning, without anyone putting press out to say there was something happening here at Grace Cathedral, 5,000 people gathered from San Francisco and the area spontaneously to find a spiritual home,” Andrus said. “To find a place where they could be accepted and be loved and find solidarity and community with each other. We need to continue that. We need to continue as one.”

Eaton said Rohrer’s installation was one of several in the denomination.

“This is the first of seven new bishops who will be installed,” Eaton said. “You’re the first of these people taking up this call and this ministry, as Bishop Andrus said, in this really difficult See page 12 >>

<< Community News

2 • Bay Area Reporter • September 16-22, 2021

t

Destination Oakland: Gay SF CEO markets East Bay city

by John Ferrannini

W

hen people think of Oakland, Peter Gamez wants them to imagine lakeside gondola rides, mountain biking, and hiking amid Redwoods.

“And all within a 25-minute distance,” touted Gamez, a gay man who is the new president and CEO of Visit Oakland, the East Bay city’s destination marketing organization.

Gamez, 54, started leading the organization last month. For the past two years he’d been running his own shop at Hunter Hospitality Consultants, which worked with developers, owners, and hotel management companies. Before that he’d been on the board of directors for SF Travel, serving as board chair from 2018-2019.

SF Travel CEO Joe D’Alessandro, who is also gay, said that Gamez is still active on the board as the immediate past chair.

“Peter is an excellent choice to take the lead at Visit Oakland,” D’Alessandro stated. “His in-depth knowledge of the travel industry and passion for the Bay Area is unique and will serve Oakland well. I’ll look forward to partnering with Peter and Visit Oakland to help rebuild the travel industry post-pandemic.”

Gamez, a native to the Mission neighborhood, lives in central San Francisco with his husband, Ricardo Ramirez, and their dog Hunter. He goes to Visit Oakland’s offices five days a week.

“People think I named my company for my hunter instinct,” Gamez recounted. “But it’s actually named

Courtesy Visit Oakland

Peter Gamez is the new president and CEO of Visit Oakland.

for my 120-pound Bernese Mountain dog, who you’ll see me walking around Buena Vista Park.”

While the pair has no plans to relocate to Oakland, Gamez said he knows the Bay Area well and that often people’s expectations of the Town – as Oakland is affectionately called – across the bay often don’t match up with reality.

“So many people come to Oakland and think they know what it’s like, but they are viewing Oakland from what they’ve heard in the past,” Gamez explained. “There’s so much to do in the East Bay, and in Oakland.”

Now is the time for Oakland to show what it has to offer, Gamez said, both because of COVID-19 restrictions on international travel and the beginning of the Bay Area’s summer season.

“As you know, [travel is] an industry impacted heavily economically,

as people are not allowed as much to travel internationally, and so now is the time Oakland can showcase itself to its neighbors,” Gamez said. “This is the drive market. Leisure vacations – especially with an outdoor element – are prime right now.”

To that end, Oakland has lots to offer, Gamez said, such as kayaking on the Oakland Estuary between the cities of Oakland and Alameda.

“There are three areas I’m a big fan of. Number one, not many people realize we have this lake in the middle of our city called Lake Merritt,” he said.

“Even across the bay people don’t realize Lake Merritt offers bicycling, kayaking, and gondolas.”

Gamez is also a “big fan” of Joaquin Miller Park on the city’s east side.

“It’s Redwoods, and you’re actually hiking in the Redwoods,” Gamez said.

The Cinderella Trail at Joaquin Mill-

er Park offers a great downhill mountain bike ride, Visit Oakland’s website states. Dog-friendly hiking is also offered through the Redwood Regional Park, a bit to the east of Joaquin Miller.

The third place Gamez wanted to highlight is the 80-acre Oakland Zoo, which he described as “a zoo that celebrates conservation work with the animals of California.” At the zoo there is “an aerial tram featuring some of the most amazing views of the whole Bay Area,” he added.

And, what’s more, temperatures in Oakland are “five to 10 degrees warmer than our neighbors across the bay, so it’s a warmer experience in September-October.”

One of the things Gamez likes to do himself when he visits Oakland is go to free concerts by the Oakland Symphony in the Brooklyn Basin neighborhood. The series concluded last week. (Michael Morgan, a gay man who was the symphony’s longtime artistic director and conductor, recently passed away.)

“I’d just grab a bottle of wine and a picnic for a cool experience,” Gamez said.

Gamez said that his leadership of Visit Oakland is a testament to the diversity of the whole community.

“As I told some of my colleagues, being an LGBTQ and Latinx leader, it’s not surprising. It’s accepted here in Oakland, because Oakland has been at the forefront of equality and equity for four decades,” Gamez said. “I feel right at home and welcome.

“Maybe in another destination it’s like ‘Yay! The new CEO is LGBTQ’ or ‘Yay! The new CEO is Latinx.’ In Oakland, it’s like ‘yes, but what can we do

more,’” Gamez continued.

Oakland’s LGBTQ community, which celebrated its annual Pride event last weekend, is integrated in every aspect of the tourist bureau’s marketing.

“It’s not just on a certain weekend or month,” Gamez said. “This is one of our pillars for Visit Oakland.”

He said a new marketing campaign that’ll ask people to see things from Oakland’s point of view has a double meaning, as many LGBTQs would like cis-het people to see the world from their point of view, too.

In his first hundred days, Gamez will be “diving into the organization’s financial, legal and governance standings to help determine how best to recover and rebuild after the traumatic impact of the pandemic,” according to the news release announcing his hiring.

In that same release, Gamez received a welcome from Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf.

“Oakland welcomes all visitors to our beautiful and inclusive city with open arms,” Schaaf stated. “We know that tourism fosters incredible economic opportunity citywide, and particularly for our small, locally-owned businesses. I want to congratulate Peter Gamez as the new CEO of Visit Oakland, whose commitment to Oakland and business acumen will elevate Visit Oakland and help boost our local tourism economy.”

She was joined by Barbara Leslie, the president and CEO of the Oakland Chamber of Commerce.

See page 12 >>

Beswick resigns as GLBT Historical Society ED

by John Ferrannini

T

he GLBT Historical Society announced Tuesday that Executive Director Terry Beswick is stepping down, effective September 15.

The email blast announcing the resignation stated that Beswick is leaving “as he leaves to pursue other career and life opportunities.”

Beswick, a gay man who has been head of the society since 2016, told the B.A.R. September 14 that he is not ready to discuss what those opportunities are.

“I’m actually not going to be discussing, right now, my future employment until after I leave the society,” Beswick said.

He said that leading the society was a “great, rewarding opportunity.”

Rick Gerharter

Terry Beswick

While he’d been mostly working remotely from Palm Springs for some nine months, Beswick is planning on returning to San Francisco in Oc-

tober. He told the B.A.R. he did not apply to lead the LGBTQ history museum scheduled to open in New York City three years from now, which officially broke ground Tuesday, though he had considered it.

“It’s got a good strong position,” Beswick said of the historical society and “a great staff.”

“I’m always going to be a supporter of the historical society,” he continued.

Beswick’s departure comes roughly a month prior to the nonprofit archival group’s Reunion gala being held virtually Thursday, October 21. He is being succeeded on a temporary basis

by Kelsi Evans and Andrew Shaffer, who will be serving as interim coexecutive directors until a new per-

manent ED is chosen. He expressed confidence they will lead well.

Evans and Shaffer signed the email statement announcing Beswick’s departure. Evans is the director of the Dr. John P. De Cecco Archives & Special Collections with the society, and Shaffer directs the society’s outreach, media, and fundraising programs.

“As the interim co-executive directors, we express our sincere gratitude to Terry for all the work he has done to create a strong, resilient organization,” they stated in the email. “When Terry joined the society five and a half years ago, we were a small set of loyal volunteers, contractors, and two other staff members. During his tenure, the team grew substantially, and so did

the society’s impact. We now manage more than 1,000 archival collections, and share LGBTQ history with tens of thousands of people all over the world every year. We look forward to continuing to preserve and share our irreplaceable history.”

Maria Powers, chair of the historical society’s board of directors, stated in the email that “the society has become a stronger, more diverse and more effective organization during Terry’s tenure and we are grateful for his efforts on behalf of LGBTQ history.

“Terry leaves us well-positioned for future growth, and we know he will continue to make a positive impact in our community,” Powers continued.

See page 12 >>

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<< Election 2021

4 • Bay Area Reporter • September 16-22, 2021

<<

H O USING A UTHORITY

CITY

AN D

COUNTY

OF

OF THE

SAN FRANCISCO

Tonia Lediju, PhD Chief Executive Officer

HOUSING OPPORTUNITY The Housing Authority of the City and County of San Francisco (Authority) is opening its online

waitlist application process for the Mainstream preference for the Housing Choice Voucher program.

**The SFHA will accept up to 500 applications for this preference at which time the online waitlist will close.**

In order to apply: •

At least one person in the household must be non – elderly (18 to 61 years at the time of admission) and disabled AND

• • •

Homeless OR

Transitioning out of an institutional facility or other segregated setting OR At serious risk of institutionalization

Income Requirements: Total household income must not exceed the following: FAMILY SIZE

VERY LOW - 50% of AMI

2

$73,100

1 3 4 5

$82,250 H O USING$91,350 A UTHORITY OF THE

CITY

6

AN D

C O U$98,700 NTY OF SAN FRANCISCO

Tonia Lediju, PhD Chief Executive Officer

$106,000

7 How to Apply:

$63,950

$113,300

8

$120,600

HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

The Housing Authority of the City and County of San Francisco (Authority) is opening its online **Waitlist applications will be accepted ONLINE ONLY beginning September 29th, 2021 at 8:00 a.m. waitlist application process for the Mainstream preference for the Housing Choice Voucher program. to October 13th, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. PST OR when 500 applications have been received, whichever **The SFHA will accept up to 500 applications for this preference at which time the online waitlist will comes first. close.**

Before you begin the waitlist application process, please have available the names, social security In order to apply: Month 202X numbers (if available), and dates of birth of all family members. You will also need the grossXX, annual of 2 • At least one person in the household must be non – elderly (18 to 61 years at thePage time2 of income of all family members. admission) and disabled AND 1. Complete the waitlist application using any device with internet access at • Homeless OR https://sfha.myhousing.com • Transitioning out of an institutional facility or other segregated setting OR 1815 Egbert Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94124 • www.sfha.org

• Atall serious risk of institutionalization 2. Review information to(415) make sure you have entered the requested information HCV Phone: 715-5200 • EHV Phone: (650) 356-8353 • TTY: (415) 467-6754 correctly!

3. Income SubmitRequirements: your application.

4. Total Printhousehold or save the online confirmation You can either print, e-mail or write this income must not exceednumber. the following: number down with pen and paper FAMILY SIZE VERY LOW - 50% of AMI (Paper waitlist applications will NOT be accepted) 1 $63,950

2 $73,100 The San Francisco Public Library has free community computers that may be used to fill out this 3 $82,250 paperless waitlist application!

Call 311 for locations of libraries and operating hours or go to www.sfpl.org .

4

$91,350

5 $98,700 Contact the Authority with any questions!

6 $106,000 7 contact SFHA Customer $113,300 For questions, please Care Center Monday –Friday, 8 am – 5 pm: 8 $120,600 • Phone: (415) 715-5200 How to Apply: • E-mail: customercare@sfha.org

• Address: 1815 Egbert Ave, San Francisco, **Waitlist applications will be accepted ONLINECA ONLY beginning September 29th, 2021 at 8:00 a.m.

to October 13th, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. PST OR when 500 applications have been received, whichever Disclaimers comes first.

Applications can be received online anytime during the wait list period, once a sufficient number of Before you begin the waitlist application process, please have available the names, social security applications are received, the wait list period will automatically close. Applicants will receive a numbers (if available), and dates of birth of all family members. You will also need the gross annual confirmation number to acknowledge successful transmission of their application. income of all family members.

The content in this announcement is subject change without notice at any time. The waitlist applicant is non-transferable and does not administer nor guarantee housing assistance.

1815 Egbert Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94124 • www.sfha.org HCV Phone: (415) 715-5200 • EHV Phone: (650) 356-8353 • TTY: (415) 467-6754

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Newsom recall

From page 1

“It was over before it even started.

I am very confident in that fact,” gay Assemblyman Evan Low (D-Campbell), chair of the Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, told the Bay Area Reporter in a phone interview shortly after the polls closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

“The takeaway is that Californians are smarter than being duped by the Republican strategy to try to focus on this power grab.”

Equality California, the statewide LGBTQ rights advocacy organization, hailed the rejection of the recall shortly after CNN projected it had failed.

“Tonight, we have defeated the anti-LGBTQ+, anti-abortion, antiimmigrant, anti-science and antiworker Republican recall. We have affirmed our California values and our support for Gavin Newsom, the most pro-equality governor in California history, and his tireless efforts to build a California for all,” stated outgoing EQCA Executive Director Rick Chavez Zbur, who is seeking a Los Angeles area state Assembly seat next year. “LGBTQ+ Californians – 12% of registered voters in the Golden State – and our pro-equality allies played a decisive role in this resounding victory. We stood with Governor Newsom because he has always stood with us – no matter the personal or political consequences.”

At a campaign stop in San Francisco Tuesday, Newsom called the recall “a life and death decision” that could not only harm Californians amid the COVID-19 pandemic but also imperil the Golden State’s economy. “California is the fastest growing economy of all western democracies over the last five years. No other state, no other nation has outperformed California ... not despite our values, because of our values.”

Speaking to reporters later that evening after it was clear the recall had been defeated, Newsom said, “No is not the only thing that was expressed tonight. I want to focus on what we said yes to as a state. We said yes to science.”

He thanked the state’s voters, noting that with their help, “we rejected cynicism and bigotry and chose hope and progress.”

Lesbian state Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) tweeted out her congratulations to Newsom for “defeating the Republican recall! Now that the baseless power grab is behind us, we can continue the momentum we’ve built on addressing the needs of California and all who live here. Let’s continue to build back boldly.”

Should Newsom, previously the state’s lieutenant governor and a former San Francisco mayor, maintain his double digit trouncing of the recall once all the votes are counted then he is expected to see his political stock rise nationally. He likely will be tapped as a surrogate during the midterm elections for President Joe Biden, who has seen his poll numbers tank following the U.S. military’s deadly withdrawal from Afghanistan in August and a resurgence of COVID-19 this summer due to the Delta variant, leading him to impose a national vaccination mandate for most workers.

Biden, however, remains a popular president in California and flew west Monday to help stump for Newsom with a campaign rally in Long Beach.

He echoed one of the main arguments Newsom has made about the recall, that it is a Republican-driven attempt to usurp power in a state where no GOPer holds statewide office and install a Trump acolyte in the governor’s mansion.

“Well, this year – this year, the leading Republican running for governor is a – the closest thing to a Trump clone that I’ve ever seen in your state,” said Biden. “No, I really mean it. And he’s leading the other team. He’s the clone of Donald Trump. Can you imagine him being governor of this state?”

See page 13 >>

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Community News>>

September 16-22, 2021 • Bay Area Reporter • 5

SF supes ask CA high court to defend LGBTQ seniors

by John Ferrannini

T

he San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution September 14 calling on the state Supreme Court to protect the rights of LGBTQ seniors, particularly those who are transgender or nonbinary, amid a legal battle over requiring employees at senior care facilities to address residents by their preferred names and pronouns.

As the Bay Area Reporter reported last week, gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman introduced the resolution urging the state’s Screengrab highest court to reverse a lower court ruling that struck down part Supervisor Rafael Mandelman spoke at the September 7 Board of of the state’s LGBTQ Senior Bill of Supervisors meeting.

Rights as unconstitutional.

State Attorney General Rob In the case of Taking Offense v.

Robie stated. “Instead of mandatBonta, a straight ally, filed a similar California, the three-judge appellate ing that employers ensure the use of petition of review with the state’s panel came to a unanimous deciproper pronouns in the workplace, highest court last month. That came sion that these protections – which the Legislature unwisely made misafter certain anti-discrimination had required long-term care staff use of pronouns a crime. When protections were struck down by a to refer to facility residents by their three-judge panel of the 3rd District preferred names and pronouns – California Court of Appeal in Sacimperiled freedom of speech and ramento. the free exercise of religion.

In a statement Tuesday to the “We agree with Taking Offense B.A.R., Mandelman said that the that ... the pronoun provision, is a city’s elected representatives have content-based restriction of speech spoken loud and clear. that does not survive strict scru“Today’s unanimous vote sends tiny,” Justice Elena J. Duarte stated a strong message that the San Franin the ruling. “A person’s right to cisco Board of Supervisors will not speak freely prohibits the governstand by while the rights of our LGment from compelling adoption of BTQ seniors are rolled back,” Mangovernment message and protects ISO 12647-7 Digital Controla Strip 2009 delman “The intentional 100 60 stated.

100 30 100 60 40 100 40 100 100 70 30 100 60 30 100 40 40 70 40 A the right70 of citizens to refrain100from 70 misgendering of trans and genderspeaking.” nonconforming people is a harmful In a concurring opinion, Justice act that no one, especially vulnerRonald B. Robie stated that the goal able people living in long-term care of the LGBTQ Senior Bill of Rights 100 100 60should 100 100 face.

70 70I hope 30 30 100 60 100 100 70 70 30 30 100 100 60 100 100 facilities, that100the was laudable but that it “went too70 70 30 30 100 40 100 40 40 100 10 40 40 California Supreme Court will put far.” He suggested the Legislature try an end to this harm and restore all again. of SB 219’s protections for LGBTQ “To not call one by the name one seniors and other long-term care faprefers or the pronoun one prefers, T:9.75" cilities in California.” is simply rude, insulting, and cruel,”

we rule this law cannot stand, we do not reject the need for persons to use appropriate pronouns but, in my opinion, are suggesting that the Legislature fashion a workable means of accomplishing the laudable goal of the legislation.”

The LGBTQ Senior Bill of Rights, also called Senate Bill 219, had been introduced by gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco).

He has denounced the court’s ruling and called on the state Supreme Court to reverse it.

Wiener stated to the B.A.R. September 14 that, “I’m grateful to the Board of Supervisors for standing up for trans seniors and for our legislation to protect them. We need to make sure this terrible legal ruling gets fixed.”

A draft copy of Mandelman’s resolution made available to the B.A.R. “urges the Supreme Court of California to review the Court of Appeal ruling in Taking Offense v. California and to restore all of SB 219’s protec-

EQCA honors B.A.R.

E

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tions for LGBTQ seniors and other long-term care facility residents.”

It cites statistics showing “numerous studies of transgender and nonbinary people have found that misgendering can cause great personal harm.”

“One 2014 study of around 130 transgender adults finding that 32.8% of participants said they felt ‘very stigmatized’ when they were misgendered, and a 2020 review of 20 studies published since 2009 finding that the more frequently a trans person was misgendered, the more likely they were to experience distress,” the resolution states.

The appellate court panel “failed to acknowledge the serious harm caused by the intentional misuse of transgender people’s names and pronouns,” the resolution states, concluding with the instruction that if passed by the board, the clerk should transmit a copy to the state Supreme Court. t

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quality California recognized the Bay Area Reporter for its 50 years of serving the LGBTQ community at its San Francisco Equality Awards September 10 at the California Academy of Sciences. B.A.R. news editor Cynthia Laird noted that while the paper and the statewide LGBTQ rights organization “haven’t always seen things with the same lens, at the end of the day we want the same thing – equality for all.” B.A.R. publisher Michael Yamashita, left, recounted 25 75 90 the3 paper’s10history: “From the50beginning, the B.A.R. was100 concerned with politics, in fact publishing a newspaper for the LGBTQ community was a political act. Our first political columnist Harvey Milk had the vision to lead us to pursue political power for ourselves.” EQCA also honored state Attorney Bonta, who audience that80he will 10.2 7.4 7.4Rob 25 19 19 50 40 40told75the 66 66 100 100 100 70 70 100 3.1 2.2 2.2 General continue fighting for the LGBTQ community. The program also paid tribute to outgoing EQCA Executive Director Rick Zbur, who’s running for a state Assembly seat in Southern California, and welcomed Executive Director-designate Tony Hoang.

Trish Tunney for Equality California

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<< Open Forum

6 • Bay Area Reporter • September 16-22, 2021

Volume 51, Number 37 September 16-22, 2021 www.ebar.com

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t

Breed should get behind OD emergency S

an Francisco supervisors are likely to approve a resolution in the coming weeks urging Mayor London Breed to declare the city’s overdose crisis a local emergency. We think Supervisor Matt Haney’s planned hearing on the matter is long overdue and that Breed should have been proactive earlier and declared the emergency on her own. Once the board passes the resolution, the mayor should act on it.

We and many other local outlets have covered the city’s overdose epidemic for some time. As we report this week, accidental drug overdoses claimed 697 lives last year in San Francisco. As of June 30, 2021, there were 344 additional accidental overdose deaths in the city, meaning the number of deaths this year is on track to be about the same as last year. The city made international headlines for losing more people to drug overdoses in 2020 than to COVID-19, for which Breed declared a state of emergency last year before a single death due to the coronavirus had been reported in San Francisco.

At its core, such a mayoral emergency declaration would allow the city to take action, such as operating a safe consumption site on city property with staff, protected by the city attorney, according to Gary McCoy, a gay man who staged a three-day hunger strike in August to garner support for a board-sponsored resolution. He got commitments from Haney and several other supervisors, although Haney has been promoting the idea for some time.

Gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman is a co-sponsor. He, too, has seen the ravages of overdose deaths in the Castro, where earlier this summer there were three suspected OD deaths on the same day.

McCoy once worked for Breed – and House

Rick Gerharter

Mayor London Breed

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) – and is now heading up policy and public affairs at HealthRIGHT 360, one of the city’s providers of mental health and substance use disorder treatment, among other services. And McCoy knows firsthand the critical nature of such services – he once battled drug addiction himself. Gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) has been pushing legislation to establish safe consumption pilot programs in San Francisco, Oakland, and Los Angeles, but his efforts have been stymied for years, first by a veto from then-Governor Jerry Brown then because of delays in the Legislature. The most recent hold up occurred earlier this year; now Wiener’s bill must wait until the 2022 legislative session.

Safe consumption sites, also known as supervised injection facilities, allow people to use drugs under the watch of trained staff, reduc-

ing the risk of overdose deaths. They provide sterile needles to prevent transmission of HIV and hepatitis B and C, and offer clients an entry point for seeking medical care and addiction treatment. Indoor sites also reduce streetbased drug use and improper syringe disposal, a chronic problem in the city. While there are currently no sanctioned injection sites in the United States, around 150 such facilities operate worldwide. Efforts to open such a site in Philadelphia were dashed by a federal judge earlier this year, when he determined it would violate federal law. And that seems to be the crux of the problem: No one is willing to make a bold move because of potential federal resistance.

But we are not under the Trump administration now. The secretary of health and human services is Xavier Becerra, the former California attorney general. His number two is a trans woman, Dr. Rachel Levine, who is assistant secretary of health. As Pennsylvania’s physician general, Levine signed an order that allowed law enforcement officers to carry the anti-overdose medication naloxone. She has credited the drug with saving the lives of almost 1,000 opioid users who had overdosed.

Federal officials should be open to new programs to stem overdose deaths, and if President Joe Biden really means to lead by science, his administration should not put up roadblocks – including actions by the Justice Department – to squash innovative programs.

We recognize that any local program likely would be small and under intense scrutiny.

But as mayor, Breed should lead on this effort.

During the early days of the AIDS epidemic, the Board of Supervisors voted every week for an emergency declaration that allowed needle exchange programs to operate in the city. The overdose crisis calls for similar leadership and action, in this case by the mayor. San Francisco should not be a city where more people die of drug overdoses than COVID. t

Susan Sontag and me: Epidemics I have lived through

by Les K. Wright

including the health of the nation.

While gay men dramatically changed hen the COVID-19 shutdown their sexual habits (something that had began in the spring of 2020, I never happened before), even giving it posted on Facebook that I expected up for years, to protect themselves and the pandemic to be, for me, a pain others, much of the evangelical right in the ass, a royal pain in the ass. I and all of the Trumpite Republicans am a long-term (pre-highly active have refused to follow public health antiretroviral therapy, or HAART) guidelines. Wearing a face mask is survivor of AIDS. I lived through the now a public statement, not a health Courtesy Les K. Wright first 15 years of the AIDS epidemic at precaution. Gathering in crowds and Les K. Wright ground zero in the Castro district of social distancing are encroachments San Francisco. I was infected in 1981 on personal freedom. Getting vacand diagnosed with full-blown AIDS in 1991. In cinated is a personal choice, even in the face of the early years it was assumed that 100% of the nearly certain infection and possible death. It has gay men in San Francisco were infected and that now become a constitutional right to kill others in 100% of us would die from AIDS. Having lived complete anonymity and with no consequences. so many years of my productive adult life with an Even the chance to win $1 million (the appeal to assured early demise, COVID couldn’t possibly greed) is not enough to persuade anti-vaxers. be more than a “royal pain in the ass.”

In the European Middle Ages, the Black Death In the 1980s then-President Ronald Reagan led to the death of nearly half of Europe’s poputried to ignore AIDS out of existence, and has been lation. People lost faith in the Roman Catholic forever despised by the gay community for failing Church, which changed the world profoundly, to say the word “AIDS” in public until 1985. Many leading to the world we have been livgay men worried our newfound open sexual exing in since then. Disease overthrew pression – having too much sex – was the cause an entire social, political, and ecoof AIDS. Some suspected AIDS was a government nomic order. Susan Sontag, in her plot to kill homosexual men. The evangelical right seminal “Illness and Its Metaphors” seized upon AIDS as God’s judgment of homo(1978), demonstrated that how sexuals and our lifestyle. AIDSphobia became we assign meaning to illness derampant and, even today with the “undetectfines how we react to it. Her later able = untransmittable” information campaign, “AIDS and Its Metaphors” (1988) AIDSphobia remains distressingly widespread, was even more germane to me: it even in the LGBTQ community. deconstructed how I had become When the COVID-19 virus began spreading a “diseased pariah.” When I took across the globe, its potential dangers were quickthe first test for “exposure to HITV-III virus” in ly known by the Chinese government and the 1986, my result was positive, as expected. The knowledge suppressed. Even as COVID-19 startclinician at UCSF told me I was in the “highest ed to devastate Americans, then-President Donald risk” category and they could not explain why I Trump withheld the truth from the American was not already dead. Today, I am once again in public. In the face of emerging facts, Trump and the “high risk” category – over 65 and living with his supporters lied. They lied and lied and lied. a compromised immune system. However, I feel When the right had demonized AIDS as just punfar safer today. I stopped counting the number ishment for the afflicted Other, this same segment of people I knew who died of AIDS when that of the American people now demonized science reached 500. A year and a half into the COVID and facts, and public health officials’ recommenpandemic only two people I knew have died. dations, as lies, as efforts of rob them on their conAIDS profoundly altered my gay world – the stitutional right to control them, to do whatever world I knew and the life I led then are now disthey want. This response was made possible by tant history. I have survived one revolution. And Trump and his cadre’s politicization of everything, I started over.

W

The COVID pandemic continues to rage on, in one wave after another, as I write today in 2021. The entire world has entered into the next profound change in the social, political, and economic order. Randy Shilts blamed the outbreak of AIDS in the U.S. on his Patient Zero, a “promiscuous” gay French-Canadian flight attendant.

Trump blames COVID on secret Chinese forces in a Hunan medical lab, demonizing China. AIDS began as a “gay disease,” COVID has begun as a “Chinese disease.” It is yet to be seen how COVID will be metaphorized. There is still no vaccine or cure for AIDS. Vaccines for COVID-19 were developed and deployed in under a year. AIDS is still endemic in parts of the world, where medical treatment remains unaffordable to most and having AIDS remains a stigma, as much of the global population has wearied of endlessly repeating shutdowns. In the U.S. more and more people are turning hostile, throwing tantrums on airplanes, berating wait staff (who are quitting their jobs in increasing numbers), and shooting store employees because they will not be told to wear a face mask. Giving up sex and wearing a face mask are not exactly comparable.

So, what will emerge? As Ben Rhodes describes in “After the Fall” (2021), for the last 30 years the world has been descending into a frightening (from the democratic, Western point of view) failure of globalization, the rule of oligarchs everywhere, the spread of neo-fascism, the rise of technologydriven authoritarianism, and the ascent of China as the leading world power. In the current leading world power everything has been politicized. Truth is a matter of opinion.

The government is incapable, or unwilling, to assert public health policies on an ever-more hostile population. Politicizing a pandemic will not end it. In China the government imposes a strict and strictly obeyed shutdown. If people in a democracy do not want to save themselves, there’s no telling what we are to do. t

Les K. Wright, Ph.D., is a retired professor of English and German, gay historian, and gay activist. He is an economic refugee from San Francisco, now living in rural upstate New York.

t

Politics >>

September 16-22, 2021 • Bay Area Reporter • 7

Barry Schneider Attorney at Law Courtesy International Imperial Court

Bevan Dufty, left, joined veteran Morgan Hurley, Commissioner Nicole Murray Ramirez, and Stuart Milk for a look at the USNS Harvey Milk in San Diego.

Launch date set for Milk naval ship

by Matthew S. Bajko

W

ith the Biden administration once again voicing support for LGBTQ rights on the global stage, the U.S. government will soon have a floating soapbox to project its pro-equality stance in ports around the world. The first American military ship named after an LGBTQ icon is set to take its maiden voyage later this year.

The Navy’s USNS Harvey Milk, honoring the late gay San Francisco supervisor gunned down 43 years ago this fall, will launch Saturday, November 6, the Bay Area Reporter has learned. It will do so from the General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company’s shipyard in San Diego where it has been under construction. Various LGBTQ dignitaries and elected leaders from across California are expected to attend the ceremony, slated to begin at 9 a.m. that morning.

The Navy had announced in 2016 that a fleet replenishment oiler, T-AO 206, would be named in honor of Milk, the first gay person elected to public office in San Francisco and California with his 1977 victory of a seat on the city’s Board of Supervisors. Milk would only serve 11 months in office, as he was assassinated along with then-mayor George Moscone the morning of November 27, 1978 by disgruntled former supervisor Dan White.

An LGBTQ San Diego advisory group had launched a campaign in 2012 to have a naval ship named for Milk, a Navy veteran who was on active duty during the Korean War. The Imperial Court System, the philanthropic drag organization that began in San Francisco in 1965, led a letter writing campaign to convince the secretary of the navy to approve a Milk vessel.

Gay San Diego city and county commissioner Nicole Murray Ramirez, who as the Queen Mother I of the Americas and Nicole the Great is the titular head of the court, first thought of the proposal after the repeal of the mili-

tary’s homophobic “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, which will mark its 10th anniversary Monday, September 20. With the navy secretary the lone person who has final say over naval ship names, Murray Ramirez had the court’s 70 chapters across North America send letters from its members and local officials in support of a Milk ship.

“First the stamp, now the ship.

Though I came up with the idea, it definitely takes a village,” said Murray Ramirez, referring to the U.S. postal stamp in honor of Milk released in 2014.

A naming ceremony for the Milk oiler was held on Treasure Island in San Francisco in August 2016 with Ray Mabus, at the time secretary of the Navy, and Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), then the House minority leader. The vessel’s first cut ceremony took place December 13, 2019 at the San Diego shipyard.

It marked the start of construction, with the cutting of the first piece of steel being used. This past May Murray Ramirez, Milk’s gay nephew Stuart Milk, gay former San Francisco supervisor Bevan Dufty, who served in what had been Milk’s board seat, and veteran Morgan Hurley were among a select group that got a sneak peak of the ship, as the B.A.R. first reported.

Murray Ramirez had hoped to work with the office of gay San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, and naval and NASSCO officials on a grand public ceremony to launch the USNS Harvey Milk. But the COVID-19 pandemic has upended those plans, and the event is expected to be a smaller affair.

“I am excited but also devastated it will not be what it could have been,” Murray Ramirez told the B.A.R. in a phone interview Tuesday.

Milk enlisted in the Navy in 1951 and attended Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode

Island. By 1954 he was a lieutenant (junior grade) stationed at what was then called the Naval Air Missile Test Center in Ventura County in Southern California. He was serving as a diving instructor.

As the B.A.R. reported in February 2020, Milk was given an “other than honorable” discharge from the U.S. Navy and forced to resign on February 7, 1955 rather than face a court-martial because of his homosexuality, according to a trove of naval records obtained by the paper. It contradicted an archival document housed in the San Francisco Public Library’s San Francisco History Center that authors of several recent biographies of Milk had used to claim that Milk was honorably discharged from the Navy.

The Milk replenishment oiler is one of four that will posthumously honor civil rights leaders, with the first congressman John Lewis and the others for U.S. attorney general Robert Kennedy and U.S. Supreme Court chief justice and California governor Earl Warren.

The USNS John Lewis, T-AO-205, was christened July 17. t Web Extra: For more queer political news, be sure to check http:// www.ebar.com Monday mornings for Political Notes, the notebook’s online companion. This week’s column reported on LGBTQ Californians’ efforts to defeat the attempt to recall Governor Gavin Newsom.

Keep abreast of the latest LGBTQ political news by following the Political Notebook on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/politicalnotes.

Got a tip on LGBTQ politics? Call Matthew S. Bajko at (415) 8298836 or e-mail m.bajko@ebar.com.

Letters >> Flag is about sexual orientation

Enough already about the great rainbow flag [“Two issues observed in flag fight,” Guest Opinion, August 26 https://www. ebar.com/news/news/308200]. This flag is about sexual orientation, not about race.

People of all races are already included in

the rainbow flag because people of all races have the sexual orientations already represented in the flag. It doesn’t need changing.

Don’t fix what’s not broken.

Bill Barksdale Willits, California

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

415-781-6500 *Certified by the California State Bar 400 Montgomery Street, Ste. 505, San Francisco, CA

LGBT PROGRESSIVE CATHOLICS † OUR FAMILIES & FRIENDS

Celebrating our Sexuality and Love as Gifts of God Liturgy & Social: Every Sunday 5pm First Sunday Movie Night Second Sunday Potluck Supper Third Wednesday Faith Sharing Group 1329 Seventh Avenue † info@dignitysanfrancisco.org Follow us on Facebook!

<< Health News

8 • Bay Area Reporter • September 16-22, 2021

t

Survey shows LGBTQs stressed by pandemic

by John Ferrannini

T

here’s been anecdotal evidence for more than a year that the mental health of LGBTQs has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now a new research brief backs that up.

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation recently showed that LGBTQ people are more likely than heterosexual people to have reported the COVID-19 pandemic had a “major impact” on their mental health, while a separate brief stated that they are more likely to have gotten vaccinated.

In July 2021, six in 10 LGBTQ people reported to the KFF Vaccine Monitor Fund that the pandemic had negatively impacted their mental health, compared to 37% of the nonLGBTQ population. Thirty-one percent of LGBTQs reported that the impact was “major,” compared to 17% of the non-LGBTQ population.

“A range of factors may contribute to these mental health disparities among LGBT+ people during the COVID pandemic, including different work, life, and health care experiences,” an August 27 KFF brief stated.

“LGBT+ people more commonly report quitting a job because of COVID-19, taking time off work because of becoming ill with COVID-19 or quarantining, or taking time off work to care for a family member who was sick with COVID-19 or quarantining than non-LGBT+ people.

“Given that LGBT+ have lower-in-

Courtesy KFF

Lindsey Dawson of the J. Henry Kaiser Family Foundation

comes than their non-LGBT+ peers, disruptions in employment could be especially challenging for families and harmful to mental health,” the brief continued.

Michael Carpenito, a gay San Franciscan, told the Bay Area Reporter that the pandemic has been stressful. He’d worked at a Castro nightclub that had to close in March 2020.

“COVID has shown how polarized society truly is,” Carpenito stated. “Losing work and figuring out how to manage being in quarantine was one of the most stressful moments ever. But taking the vaccine has shown that with teamwork, we can develop a new normal.”

LGBTQ people were more likely to say, in the two months prior to the survey, that “worry or stress related to the coronavirus” caused difficulty sleeping (39%, compared to 21% of

the non-LGBTQ population), appetite problems (41%-18%), and difficulty controlling temper (23%-10%).

“Historically, the LGBT+ community has faced mental health and substance use problems at higher rates than their non-LGBT+ peers,” the brief states. “While the share reporting negative mental health impact of the pandemic fell for both groups in July 2021, a time of widely available vaccination and partial reopening, LGBT people continue to report the pandemic has negatively impacted their mental health both more widely and more severely than non-LGBT people.”

Lindsey Dawson, a public policy analyst with KFF, said that sexual orientation and gender identity questions are now asked on all its COVID surveys and LGBTQ data is extrapolated from the results.

“We have incorporated collecting LGBT data in all our polling work,” Dawson said.

This has been the case since December 2020, Dawson said, calling it “routine.”

“The aim of this analysis is to provide data in a place where it’s quite limited – LGBTQ+ people’s experiences of the pandemic,” Dawson said.

“Our findings, especially in the mental health piece, can be used to help lower disparities.”

Still, KFF doesn’t see its role as to advocate for particular policies – only to provide data for policymakers.

More LGBTQs likely to be vaccinated

KFF also found that LGBTQs were more likely to be vaccinated.

Eighty-two percent reported receiving at least one vaccine dose, compared to 66% of the non-LGBTQ population.

“This may reflect the fact that larger shares of LGBT adults identify as Democrats, a group that has been disproportionately likely to get the vaccine,” another August 27 KFF brief states. “However, the high level of vaccination among LGBT adults is notable given that they are a younger population.

Nearly half (45%) of LGBT adults are under age 30, an age group that has lagged in vaccination rates compared to older populations.”

LGBTQ adults were also more likely to support the government recommending employer vaccine mandates, at a rate of 65% compared to 50% of the non-LGBTQ population.

“This division of opinion between LGBT adults and non-LGBT adults likely reflects the fact that LGBT adults lean more Democratic,” the brief states.

Dawson said that there may be other reasons, too. For one, other research has shown more LGBTQs identify with the Democratic Party than the Republican Party, the latter of which has largely shunned

public health policies associated with combatting the pandemic.

“Democratic Party ideas are strongly associated with vaccination, even though the LGBT population is younger and lower-income, which is usually associated with the unvaccinated,” Dawson said. “LGBT adults are more likely to think the media has underrated the seriousness of the pandemic, and so that can tie into vaccination.

“This could also reflect the community’s experience with HIV,” Dawson said, adding that people at risk for HIV infection are more familiar with heeding public health guidelines.

Finally, Dawson said that higher vaccine uptake may be occurring because LGBTQ people were more likely to have to take time off work to quarantine or self-isolate than heterosexual, cisgender people.

The data in the briefs comes from the KFF Vaccine Monitor survey conducted July 15-27 from a random digital dial sample of 1,517 adults, including 95 LGBTQ adults; 1,403 non-LGBTQ adults; and 19 who did not know or did not answer. Interviews were in English and Spanish over cellphone (1,341) and landline (176).

The margin of error is 13 points for LGBTQ adults and 3 for nonLGBTQ adults.t

LGBTQ family group plans cookout, town hall compiled by Cynthia Laird

O

ur Family Coalition, the Bay Area-based organization for LG-

BTQ families and their children, will have a town hall and cookout at scenic Baker Beach in San Francisco Sunday, September 26, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

San Francisco renters, visit SFADC.org for information about your rights and where to get help or call a local tenant counseling clinic.

English, Spanish, Russian: 415-703-8644 (HRCSF) Chinese: 415-984-2728 (CCDC) Filipino: 415-552-5637 (SOMCAN) Arabic: 415-513-5177 (BISHOP)

Trouble paying rent?

Landlord pressuring you to leave?

You don’t have to move.

You have rights even after the moratorium expires, and there is help to pay past and future rent.

To apply for rental assistance, call 833-430-2122 or visit Housingiskey.com We are here to stay! Let’s stand together for a just recovery. Everyone deserves a safe and secure place to live!

San Francisco Anti-Displacement Coalition

SFADC.org For updates on rent relief and eviction protections, text “Rent” to 1-888-732-3215

An email announcement stated that OFC wants families to safely reconnect and it wants to hear from them about how they are doing and what they’d like to see from the organization moving forward. The in-person town hall will be safely distanced and there will also be a virtual component for those who want that.

As the Bay Area Reporter recently reported, OFC has playgroups for queer parents of newborns and toddlers in a new dedicated room at its San Francisco office. The play space is packed with toys and children’s books as well as comfortable adultsized seating. Free for parents to use largely on a drop-in basis four days a week in the mornings and early afternoons, donations are also accepted.

Those who do stop by will have their temperature checked and be required to wear a mask due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The agency also brought back one of its former program directors, Shareena Clark Ascher.

At the upcoming cookout, Executive Director Mimi Demissew will be slinging the burgers, hot dogs, and veggie burgers.

There is no cost to attend. To RSVP, go to https://bit.ly/3E6dKl0.

Constitution Day program to look at marriage equality

History San José will hold its first Constitution Day program and it will feature local LGBTQ activist Judy Rickard. The outdoor event takes place Saturday, September 18, from 1 to 2 p.m. at History Park, 635 Phelan Avenue in San Jose.

The program, “United by LoveDivided by Law” coincides with History San José’s current exhibition, “Coming Out: 50 Years of Queer Resistance and Resilience in Silicon Valley” that was spearheaded by gay former Santa Clara County supervisor Ken Yeager (https://www.ebar.com/news/history/306300). According to a news release, Rickard will discuss her work to strike down the former federal Defense of Marriage Act and her advocacy for same-sex binational couples. Rickard fell in love with an

Rick Gerharter

Our Family Coalition will have a town hall and cookout at scenic Baker Beach in San Francisco.

English immigrant, Karin Bogliolo, and the couple married in 2008. But their union was not federally recognized because of DOMA, a 1996 federal law that defined marriage as between one man and one woman.

Because of that, Rickard could not legally apply to sponsor her spouse.

Rickard worked with the DOMA Project and wrote a book, “Torn Apart: United by Love, Divided by Law,” about her experience. After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a key provision of DOMA in 2013, Rickard immediately sponsored her wife for a green card. That same year, the release noted, then-President Barack Obama recognized Rickard as a Cesar Chavez Champion of Change for Immigration, and she spoke on a panel at the White House.

Constitution Day is being held in honor of the delegates to the Constitutional Convention signing the document September 17, 1787.

Rickard will be joined at the San Jose event by Ann Raval, former chair of the Federal Communications Commission, and former Congressman Mike Honda (D-San Jose). Remarks from Congresswom-

an Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose) will be read. After the program, guests will be able to take home a free pocket copy of the Constitution (available in English and Spanish).

The program is free, but people are urged to reserve tickets ahead of time at https://historysanjose.org/ programs-events/.

Castro COVID center ends for now

The Castro LGBTQ Cultural District has had to end its Saturday COVID testing and vaccine station at Noe and Market streets.

Stephen Torres, secretary of the cultural district’s board, wrote in an email that it is working to find another location in partnership with the Department of Public Health and the Castro Merchants Association. Torres wrote that the district and health department were scheduled to do a site assessment September 15 and are hoping to have third doses of the vaccine available for those living with HIV by September 18. (The B.A.R. will update information on its website when available.)

See page 12 >>

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At Saint Francis Memorial Hospital, we take pride in treating alI people with dignity and respect. It’s how we spread humankindness and make everyone feel safe, seen, and supported. Celebrating the diversity in our communities makes the world a better place, and we’re embracing it every step of the way. So no matter who you are or who you love, know that you are welcome here.

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<< Community News

t CA legislators send Newsom LGBTQ bills to sign 10 • Bay Area Reporter • September 16-22, 2021

by Matthew S. Bajko

nonbinary students – that is using their former names they were given based on the sex they were assigned at birth – on their diplomas and academic records is also waiting for Newsom’s signature. It was sent to the governor’s desk September 2, kicking off the 12-day deadline for him to sign it.

Sponsored by Planned Parenthood, AB 1184 prohibits health care providers from disclosing services a patient receives under an insurance policy held by another person, such as a parent or spouse. Thus, a youth receiving transgender health care under their parent’s policy can request their health provider not inform them their child is receiving such care.

The legislation establishes automatic confidentiality by putting that

burden on health insurance companies rather than patients, as Chiu exn the final days of their 2021 legisplained in a June guest opinion piece lative session, California lawmakers for the Bay Area Reporter. In addition approved a bevy of legislation adto gender-affirming care, behavioral dressing various sexual orientation health care and substance use care are and gender identity concerns from also covered by the legislation, noted the mailbox and coroner’s office to the Chiu. The Senate passed AB 1184 toy store aisle. It is now up to Goveron a 29-8 vote with three members nor Gavin Newsom to sign them into abstaining September 8 and the Aslaw or veto the bills. sembly approved the amended bill One of the bills, Assembly Bill 1184, September 9 on a 61-14 vote with five aims to protect the privacy rights of members not voting. people receiving sensitive health care “Patients should not forgo the services, such as gender-affirming health care they need because they care. It is one of two trans rights bills are worried about their privacy being Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San violated,” stated Chiu. “By protecting Francisco) carried this year. privacy, this bill is a simple step that His AB 245 prohibiting public uniwill go a long way towards keeping versities from deadnaming trans and California patients safe and healthy.”

AB 218 allows Californians to update their marriage certificates and the birth certificates of their children to accurately reflect their legal name and gender in a manner that protects their privacy. Gay freshman Assemblyman Chris Ward (D-San Diego) revived the legislation after Newsom vetoed similar legislation last fall due to concerns it would inadvertently out transgender and nonbinary individuals.

It passed out of the Senate September 8 on a 29-9 vote with two abstentions, and the Assembly approved the amended bill September 9 on a 60-13 vote with seven members not voting.

“LGBTQ Californians deserve to know their privacy is respected and secure when dealing with any institution,” tweeted Ward, who urged NewWhen you plan your life celebration and lasting remembrance in som to sign the revised bill this year. advance, you can design every detail of your own unique memorial AB 1094, authored by Assemblyand provide your loved ones with true peace of mind. Planning ahead man Dr. Joaquin Arambula (D-FresWhen you plan your life celebration and lasting protects your loved ones from unnecessary stress and financial burden, no), enhances the collection of pubWhen you remembrance plan your celebration and lasting remembrance in allowing themlife to focus on what will matter most at that time—you. in advance, you can design every lic health data about violent deaths, advance, you can design every detail of your own unique memorial detail ofusyour owntheunique memorial andlegacy provide Contact today about beautiful ways to create a lasting including homicide and suicide, so at the San Francisco Columbarium. and provide your loved ones with true peace of mind.

Planning ahead that it includes stats related to the your loved ones with true peace of mind. Planning LGBTQ+ community. The Senate protects your loved onesProudly from unnecessary stressunnecessary and financial burden, ahead protects yourserving loved onesCommunity. from the LGBT approved it 39-0 with one abstenallowing them focus on whatburden, will matter most them at thattotime—you. tion September 1, and the Assembly stresstoand financial allowing passed the amended version the next focus on what will matter most at that time—you.

Contact us today about the beautiful ways to create a lasting legacy day on a 71-0 vote with eight members not voting. at the San Contact FranciscousColumbarium. today about the beautiful ways to create It will establish a pilot program to train coroners and medical examina lasting legacy at the San Francisco Columbarium. ers on how to collect SOGI data in One Loraine Ct. | San Francisco | 415-771-0717 Proudly serving our Community. all cases of violent death so there is a SanFranciscoColumbarium.com better understanding of disparities Proudly serving the LGBT Community.

FD 1306 / COA 660 in the mortality rate in the LGBTQ community that could lead to policies addressing those disparities at the county level.

“Passing #AB1094 is a huge victory and, if signed, means CA will enhance the collection of public health data about violent deaths for our #LGBTQ+ community,” tweeted Equality California, the statewide LGBTQ One Loraine Ct. | San Francisco | 415-771-0717 advocacy organization that co-sponsored the bill with the LGBTQ youth SanFranciscoColumbarium.com agency The Trevor Project.

Gay Assemblyman Evan Low’s AB FD 1306 / COA 660

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PlanningAhead Ahead isisSimple Planning Simple The benefits are immense.

Planning Ahead is Simple The benefits are immense.

The benefits are immense.

AP

Several LGBTQ-related bills were sent to Governor Gavin Newsom September 10, the last day of the legislative session.

1084 requires retailers with 500 or more employees to remove signs for gender in toy and child care sections or provide a gender-neutral retail section for the items. In a compromise to move the bill out of the Legislature, Low and co-author Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens) agreed not to include children’s clothing sections in the bill. It passed out of the Assembly September 2 on a 49-16 vote with 14 members not voting; the day prior the Senate had approved it on a 29-9 vote with two abstentions.

AB 465 by Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian (D-Van Nuys) requires that professional fiduciaries receive LGBTQ+ cultural competency and sensitivity training during their education and licensing process. Private professional fiduciaries provide critical services to older adults and people with disabilities, from managing their clients’ daily care, housing, and medical needs to ensuring their bills are paid and managing their investments.

It passed out of the Assembly on a 72-0 vote with seven abstentions September 1 after the Senate approved an amended version 31-1 with eight members not voting on August 30.

The bill was sent to Newsom’s desk September 8, while those passed in recent days should be presented to the governor in the coming days.

The last remaining LGBTQ-related bill to pass was Senate Bill 357, the Safer Streets for All Act co-authored by

gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Assemblyman Ash Kalra (D-San Jose). It will repeal California Penal Code Section 653.22, the law that criminalizes loitering for the intent to engage in sex work. It also allows those convicted of loitering with the intent to commit prostitution, particularly the Black women and transgender individuals often targeted under the law, to seal their records.

It passed out of the Senate June 6 on a 29-9 vote with two abstentions and survived several committee votes in the Assembly. Friday, September 10, it cleared the lower chamber on a 41-26 vote.

While those opposed to the bill claimed it would put child sex traffic victims at risk, despite the fact a 2016 bill adopted into law decriminalized loitering for prostitution for minors under the age of 18, proponents argued it was time to do the same for adult women whose lives have been negatively impacted from being charged for such a crime.

Noting that the crime has largely targeted Black women, especially those who are transgender, Assemblyman Isaac Bryan (D-Baldwin Hills) implored his colleagues to pass SB 357.

“We made a mistake and we need to roll it back,” he said of the loitering section in the penal code.

Assemblywoman Rebecca BauerKahan (D-Orinda) stressed that SB 357 only applies to people over the age of 18 and also passionately argued for its passage.

“We all want to end human trafficking,” she said, but noted “the LGBT community is not safer with this law on the books. As a long-time ally of the LGBTQ community, I am proud to stand for this bill today.”

Family leave bill shelved for now

One LGBTQ-related bill was shelved Thursday at the request of its author, Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland), and will be revived in January for the 2022 legislative session. AB 1041 aimed to expand the definition of “family member” for purposes of family and sick leave to allow covered workers See page 13 >>

Below Market Rate (BMR) Rental Apartments Available The Vance at 830 Eddy Street, San Francisco CA 94109 4 Studios at $1210.00 a month; 10 One Bedrooms at $1379.00 a month; 6 Two Bedrooms at $1533.00 a month.

Seven parking spaces available to BMR renters for an additional $100.00 a month and will be offered to households in lottery rank order. Must be income eligible and must not own a home. Households must earn no more than the maximum income levels below:

Courtesy B.A.R. Archive

50 years in 50 weeks: 1994: SF LeatherWalk

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8/27/21 10:06 AM

L

ooking back at our September 22, 1994 issue, Leather Week was upon San Francisco as the third annual LeatherWalk commenced from the old Headquarters bar in the Castro to the Eagle in the South of Market neighborhood. The late Marcus “Mister Marcus” Hernandez chronicled the event that included “almost 250 leather men and women and at least three dogs” taking part; it raised some $13,560 for the old AIDS Emergency Fund (now part of PRC).

This year, a revitalized LeatherWalk takes place Sunday, September 19, at

noon with a new route, starting at City Hall and continuing on to SOMA. It’s a lead up to the September 26 Megahood 2021, which is this year’s iteration of the Folsom Street Fair. Things are still a little different because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Folsom Street Events, producers of Megahood, are requiring that attendees wear masks. For more information, go to https://www.folsomstreet.org/. To view this old issue of the Bay Area Reporter, go to https://archive. org/details/BAR_19940922

Welcome!

Kathleen M. Sullivan, PhD

Openhouse’s New Executive Director The Openhouse Community — our board of directors, staff, donors, volunteers and thousands of LGBTQ+ seniors in San Francisco — welcome you with open arms.

We are so proud and privileged to have you as our new leader in building an intergenerational community with older adults at the center of all we do.

Please scan the QR code to make a donation in support of LGBTQ+ seniors and welcome Kathleen to Openhouse!

<< Community News

12 • Bay Area Reporter • September 16-22, 2021

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Bishop

From page 1

time. We believe in unity, but not in uniformity. God did not create us to be uniform. God did not make us to speak all the same languages, but we can all hear the good news. This is the witness that Bishop Rohrer brings not only to this part of God’s vineyard, but to the rest of us in the Lutheran church and the Episcopal church, that in fact it’s a beautiful thing to celebrate our diversity and in fact understand that we are one in Christ.”

Rohrer, 41, received applause when they spoke.

“I think today is a humbling kind of a day,” Rohrer said. “A day when you have a fancy party in the biggest church we can find, with the most flowers and the most fabulousness, and some of the loveliest people we can gather, not only those who will be worshipping with us here in person, but all over the globe, worshipping with us online. And I know that while

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OD emergency

From page 1

“I appreciate Supervisor Haney for introducing a resolution supporting a declaration of emergency on the overdose crisis by Mayor Breed, and glad to see Supervisor [Rafael] Mandelman co-sponsor this resolution as well,” McCoy stated. “Safe consumption sites, or overdose prevention sites, have been discussed and championed by so many folks across our San Francisco political spectrum, advocates, and people who use drugs for quite some time now – it’s time we finally open these sites. We can’t continue to lose an average of more than two San Franciscans a day to overdose.”

McCoy, a former district office staff-

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Oakland

From page 2

“We are excited to welcome Peter to our Oakland family,” Leslie stated, “and look forward to his leadership in amplifying Visit Oakland’s initiative, ‘Think Oakland First.’ A strong tourism industry is essential to Oakland’s economic sustainability – one that embraces all of our small, local, women owned and BIPOC businesses who

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much of the attention is about me, I always try, when I can, to step aside a second and remember the God who reminds me over and over again that there is nobody that isn’t welcome in a church like this, that isn’t welcome in God’s community, that isn’t a full and faithful part of the church.”

Rohrer added that they felt it was a blessing to be part of the day’s service.

“Because of the diversity of people who have put their hearts and souls into planning this service,” they said.

“And so a huge thank you to all who have been a part of today’s service, from those who are wearing faithful uniforms to those who are wearing the patch of the city and county of San Francisco, and to all who will be joining us, I share my sincere gratitude.”

Rohrer spoke to the B.A.R. about how they were feeling.

“It is a combination of joy and humbleness, and a little bit of wanting to remember to breathe like a bride at the beginning of a wedding,” they said.

The bishop also spoke of how they

would react to people who might object to them becoming bishop because of who they are.

“The good news is that God’s love is bigger,” Rohrer said. “And I think that the time that we have with each other will prove faithfulness exists even if it’s unbelievable at first. I’m going to commit to continuing to pray with people and serve with them and live with them and maybe their minds will change or maybe they won’t, but God’s still gonna show up even if we can’t figure out all the ways that we need to get along.”

There were panels from the AIDS Memorial Quilt on display inside the church. At Rohrer’s request one of the panels was for Joel Workin, a young man who died of AIDS in 1995. In 1989 Workin was one of three seminarians who were denied ordination after coming out to their candidacy committees. But he went on to write and to inspire others, according to Joan Juster, who served on the installation committee. When he died,

Workin’s family created a scholarship foundation to fund LGBTQ people who want to have a life in the church.

There was also a small table inside the church’s AIDS memorial chapel that featured a photo of Workin and the story of his life and what he had accomplished.

Among those attending the installation were gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney, District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar, out Fire Chief Jeanine Nicholson, and Mary Ellen Carroll, head of the city’s Department of Emergency Management. Prior to becoming bishop, Rohrer served for several years as community chaplain coordinator for the San Francisco Police Department.

Press was not allowed to attend the installation ceremony, but a livestream was made available. In accordance with COVID-19 safety protocols, masks were worn. Rohrer received a standing ovation when they were introduced as bishop for the first

time. They began their speech by reciting a portion of Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise.”

“When they write me down in history with their bitter twisted lies, trod me down in the very dirt, but still like dust, I rise,” Rohrer said. “We are gathered here in a historic place in historic times, not the first to do a hard thing.

As we live through all the hard things, but we rise.”

A trans woman who attended the event said that she was moved by the historic nature of Rohrer’s installation.

“These are moments I never dreamed of,” said Vica Steel, 56, speaking outside Grace Cathedral before the ceremony. Steel said that she was just starting seminary, inspired by Rohrer.

“I’ve only heard words of faith twisted into weapons of exclusion,” she said. “But with the leadership of Bishop Rohrer and so many others I have a path, still bumpy, that I can follow to faith leadership.” t

er for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (DSan Francisco), is currently director of policy and public affairs for HealthRIGHT 360 and co-chair of the Alice B. Toklas LGBTQ Democratic Club.

Mandelman, who represents District 8 (the LGBTQ Castro neighborhood and surrounding areas) on the board, told the B.A.R. that he is glad to partner on the resolution.

“I support it and am co-sponsoring it,” the gay supervisor stated. “We have a serious drug crisis in San Francisco, we lost more than 700 San Franciscans to overdose last year, and we need to do everything we can both to reduce the use of drugs like fentanyl and meth and keep those who are using alive.”

Accidental drug overdoses claimed 697 lives last year in San Francisco. As

of June 30, 2021, there were 344 additional accidental overdose deaths in the city, meaning the number of deaths this year is on track to be about the same as last year. The city made international headlines for losing more people to drug overdoses in 2020 than to COVID-19, for which Mayor London Breed declared a state of emergency before a single death had been reported in San Francisco.

Legislation authored by gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) that would remove the current state prohibition and allow local authorities to decide whether to open safe consumption sites on a pilot basis in San Francisco, Oakland, and Los Angeles has been stalled until at least 2022.

Speaking to his colleagues at the September 7 meeting of the Board of Supervisors – the first since McCoy’s hunger strike, which occurred during its summer recess – Haney said that “what we are proposing is not a radical new idea.”

“One hundred overdose prevention sites now operate in over 65 cities around the world. No site has experienced an overdose death and many have transitioned thousands of people into treatment and detox services,” Haney said. “We all know that this is the right thing to do, and we all know that it makes financial sense. It’s time for San Francisco to urgently implement this proven tool, as part of a broader multipronged, comprehensive strategy, to stop overdoses and save lives.

“All available effective means should be deployed to prevent these deaths,” Haney argued, because “what we are doing now is not enough.”

While not a safe consumption site, Breed announced the launch of a new street team to stop drug overdoses and other overdose prevention measures two days before McCoy started his hunger strike. It started August 2. The Street Overdose Response Team, or SORT, will proactively identify, engage, and follow up with individuals who have survived an overdose in order to prevent another, possibly fatal one from occurring, according to a release from the mayor’s office.

Wiener and Breed’s offices did not return requests for comment. t

are responsible for creating the beautiful tapestry we call home.”

A main driver of visitation to Oakland has been its professional sports teams. But in recent years both the Raiders football team and Golden State Warriors basketball team decamped for other cities, Las Vegas and San Francisco, respectively. Now the city could potentially lose the Athletics baseball team as negotiations drag on over its preferred site for a new sta-

dium at the Port of Oakland.

Asked for his thoughts on the Oakland Athletics’ Howard terminal ballpark proposal, Gamez said, “I really am not able to give any comment on that because I haven’t gotten to the point of viewing the proposal, but numbers do show sports help with leisure travel and economic development, not only lodging, but restaurants as well.”

The team and the city remain at

odds over the ballpark plan, which suffered a further setback in August when the Alameda County Board of Supervisors said that it would not vote this month on whether to opt into a tax district to help cover infrastructure costs, as the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Gamez said he didn’t feel comfortable sharing his salary.

Visit Oakland, a private nonprofit, is funded by 1.5% of the funds col-

lected from the Measure C hotel occupancy tax, and from the Oakland Tourism Business Improvement District, which receives $1.50 for each hotel rental. It has five full-time staff members and 21 directors on its board. The organization’s most recently available IRS 990 is from Fiscal Year 2016-2017, and it shows thenCEO Mark Everton received $147,029 in total compensation. Its budget is about $3.9 million. t

In addition to Breed both District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman and state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), gay men who represent the Castro, have embraced the concept of the larger facility and pledged their support to bringing it to fruition. The city had looked at buying the building that once housed a Pottery Barn at the corner of Market and Castro streets as a site for the LGBTQ museum possibly combined with affordable housing but balked at the reported $15 to $18 million price tag the property owner wanted.

The historical society last year was planning to identify a location for the museum and launch a capital campaign to pay for its construction but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. It opted not to sign a sublease for a vacant office space that had housed a real estate firm on Market Street near 17th, as the B.A.R. reported in May, due to the

health crisis upending its operations. Both its Castro museum and archival center in a downtown office building were closed throughout much of 2020.

In a statement, Mandelman told the B.A.R. that his office is losing a “strong partner.”

“Terry has been a strong partner in our efforts to preserve and commemorate San Francisco’s queer history,” Mandelman stated. “He worked closely with my office to landmark the Lyon-Martin House and grow support for a large-scale LGBTQ museum in the Castro. I wish him well in his next chapter.”

Breed’s office did not respond to a request for comment by press time.

Beswick was formerly a principal leader at the Castro Country Club, a sober space, from 20092016. A longtime AIDS activist, Beswick was once an assistant editor for the B.A.R. t

ple at highest risk for severe illness or exposure, the newsletter states.

For more information, check out the county’s Health Care Services newsletter at https://covid-19.acgov. org/response.page.

services that are provided in the East Bay. Project Open Hand also provides services in San Francisco.

According to a flier, participating restaurants are located in Fremont, Alameda, Emeryville, Berkeley, and Oakland, where the event started three years ago. In keeping with changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the participating eateries include outdoor dining and take-out options.

For a list of participating restaurants, visit https://www.diningoutforlife.com/city/eastbay/. t

Beswick

From page 2

The society runs the museum of the same name in the heart of the city’s LGBTQ Castro neighborhood on 18th Street between Castro and Collingwood streets and for some years now has been searching for a larger, permanent location in the area. As the B.A.R. previously reported earlier this year, Mayor London Breed budgeted $12 million for the city to build the first large-scale, freestanding LGBTQ history museum, though city funding for the existing museum is being decreased.

As the B.A.R. reported in October 2019, the archival group had determined it made the most sense for it to construct a fullscale LGBTQ Museum and Research Center somewhere in the Castro neighborhood based on the recommendations of a fea-

News Briefs

From page 8

COVID shots in the East Bay

Meanwhile, immunocompromised residents in Alameda County can begin scheduling a third vaccine dose, according to an item in Supervisor Nate Miley’s newsletter.

It stated that third doses are authorized for moderately to severely immunocompromised people who have received two doses of Moderna or Pfizer (mRNA vaccines).

Immunocompromised individu-

t

Courtesy GLBT Historical Society

Under Terry Beswick’s leadership the GLBT Historical Society has undertaken efforts to relocate its Castro museum to a nearby freestanding location.

sibility study it had conducted.

The consultants estimated that a combined facility would require a gross building size of 40,000

square feet, with around 20,000 square feet dedicated for the exhibit area, and draw upward of 106,000 attendees per year.

als are encouraged to speak with their health care provider before getting the third dose, and they must sign a selfattestation indicating that they qualify. The attestation form can be signed electronically when making an appointment. Individuals must wait 28 days or more after their second dose and must register for the same vaccine (e.g., two doses of Moderna must be followed by a third dose of Moderna).

Miley’s newsletter points out that neither the federal Food and Drug Administration nor the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have

yet authorized or recommended boosters or additional doses for anyone other than those who have immunocompromising conditions.

The county is following the science and awaits federal and state public health guidance before administering boosters, the newsletter states. In the meantime, Alameda County-supported vaccination clinics will continue focusing on eligible residents who are not vaccinated or not fully vaccinated. If boosters are authorized and recommended for the general public, Alameda County will prioritize peo-

Dining Out for Life-East Bay

Project Open Hand will benefit from Dining Out For Live-East Bay Thursday, September 30.

Those who enjoy meals at participating restaurants, which will donate a percentage of the day’s proceeds, will help Open Hand and its HIV/AIDS

t

Sports >>

September 16-22, 2021 • Bay Area Reporter • 13

2022 Gay Games postponed due to COVID pandemic

by Roger Brigham

G

ay Games organizers announced late Tuesday evening the event would be postponed one year for the first time in its 40-year history.

Gay Games XI, which was scheduled to be held in Hong Kong in November 2022, is being postponed to 2023 because of COVID-19 pandemic concerns regarding travel restrictions, inability of athletes to train adequately in their chosen disciplines, everchanging lockdowns, and lack of adequate vaccination in many parts of the globe.

“Throughout the pandemic we’ve been developing contingency plans with a consulting organization, reviewed on a monthly basis,” Dennis Philipse, co-chair of Gay Games Hong Kong, told the Bay Area Reporter. “In the last two months in the U.S. and Europe with the Delta [variant], and also in Asia and Australia, we decided it didn’t look like things were going to get better in the next couple of months. We don’t want to have people excluded because they are not vaccinated or don’t have enough time to prepare.”

Two months from now would have been one year out from the scheduled start of the Gay Games.

Registration had already been delayed by more than a year in hopes international travel restrictions would have been eased and stronger, sustainable control of the pandemic would be seen on the horizon late this year.

Instead, many parts of the world have had minimal access to vaccinations; surges in cases and deaths keep recurring glob-

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LGBTQ bills

From page 10

to take time off to care for someone designated by the employee at the time of the request.

The bill takes into account LGBTQ people’s chosen family members who aren’t biologically or legally related and other household units that don’t abide by a “nuclear family” model so that such individuals can get time off to provide health care and other assistance to their loved ones. Among its co-authors were Ward and Wiener, who requested it be moved to the inactive file as it had been pending in the Senate.

The San Francisco LGBTQ-focused nonprofit Our Family Coalition had urged its supporters to contact their state lawmakers and

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Newsom recall

From page 4

Biden was referring to Larry Elder, a conservative radio host that polls showed was the frontrunner among the Republican recall candidates. He did land in first place among them with 2,373,551 votes, taking 47% of the recall ballots counted so far where voters answered the second question of who should replace Newsom.

But with his anti-mask and antivaccine mandate stances, Elder became the perfect GOP boogeyman for Newsom to use to rally Democratic voters and get them to take the recall seriously. Biden also drove the point home in his remarks Monday, praising Newsom for his handling of the health crisis.

“First, voting no, we’ll be protecting California from Trump Republicans trying to block us from beating this pandemic,” said Biden. “COVID-19 – Gavin Newsom has had the courage to lead, stand up for science. For the very thing he’s been one of the leading governors in the nation, protecting his people and vaccinating his state.”

Courtesy GGHK

Organizers of the 2022 Gay Games in Hong Kong have announced the event will be postponed for a year.

ally; and lockdowns and travel restrictions remain commonplace.

This not only affects the ability of athletes and teams to make travel plans, it means that in many cases their ability to train for the sports events have been compromised or eliminated. (See August 25 JockTalk, “The uncertainty of it all.”)

“We want to make sure that everyone is able to come to the event,” Philipse told Hong Kong Free Press. “We cannot be in a bubble event, people cannot be in quarantine for 21 days.”

Sean Fitzgerald, co-president of the Federation of Gay Games, the licensing entity for the Gay Games, said, “The FGG stands behind Hong Kong’s decision to postpone the games and will continue to work with the GGHK team and our member organizations to ensure that our event in November 2023 delivers on meeting our core aims of participation,

inclusion and personal best to the widest possible attendance from Asia and internationally.”

Philipse told the B.A.R. that organizers made the announcement as early as they did so sports clubs could make alternative competition plans for the year.

“We decided the earlier we can make this decision the better,” Philipse said. “If you tell (sports groups) too late they will not be happy. We want to let them look at alternative competition events.”

GGHK has publicly projected a turnout of 12,000 participants, which would have been almost impossible to achieve under current circumstances but may be more doable by 2023. So far 1,540 individuals have paid small non-refundable fees to pre-register. Philipse said those deposits will be credited toward registrations for 2023.

“We will keep promoting preregistration until registration opens next year,” he said.

Commitment remains

Philipse said sponsors and volunteers remain committed to the event and that organizers had the support of FGG in making the decision. The FGG will hold its annual meeting in November in the United Kingdom to select a host city for the 2026 Gay Games XII. Philipse said organizers would focus the next two months on developing their status report for the meeting, including identifying specific dates for the competition.

The FGG announced the decision to Gay Games stakeholders early Wednesday morning in its newsletter. In the newsletter, Philipse said recent criticism of the

Gay Games by some Hong Kong politicians did not play into the decision to postpone the event.

He stated that instead, the criticism had increased the resolve of GGHK volunteers and three local lawmakers were quoted as supporting the postponement and staging of the event.

The newsletter also provided a somewhat confusing quote from GGHK Co-Chair Lisa Lam that provided a perspective that transcends the Gay Games mission of personal empowerment.

“All of us involved, envision a world without competing political ideologies, without national borders, without tribalism,” Lam said.

It was not clear whether Lam was speaking about GGHK organizers and volunteers, or for Gay Games supporters and past participants.

There has never been a survey of Gay Games stakeholders that has polled them on whether they envision a world without competing ideologies, borders, or tribalism.

Lam continued, “There are massive problems ahead of the human race, too overwhelming for any single nation or ideology to solve, so only through unity can we overcome them together. The word ‘gay’ in our name is an anachronism, a reminder of past decades when LGBTQ minorities were fighting a different beast. Today, our aim is to unite and celebrate diversity, whether you are straight or belong to a minority.”

The Gay Games have always

sought to bring participants together regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression to fight against every form of discrimination – the same “beasts” they are fighting today.

Some athletes welcomed news of the delayed games.

“From an athlete’s viewpoint the decision to postpone the Gay Games until 2023 is a positive one, as it gives them more time to prepare and make key decisions about their travel arrangements – especially those who would have been traveling long distances to Asia from Europe and the United States of America,” said Chris Morgan, a Gay Games ambassador and meet director for the LGBT International Powerlifting Championships. “The return of powerlifting to Gay Games will sadly be delayed for one year, however, we are looking forward to hosting the first powerlifting championship within Gay Games since 2014.”

The Gay Games were started in San Francisco in 1982. The multisport and cultural festival has been held every four years since: San Francisco, 1986; Vancouver, British Columbia, 1990; New York City, 1994; Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 1998; Sydney, Australia, 2002; Chicago, 2006; Cologne, Germany, 2010; Cleveland, Ohio, 2014; and Paris, 2018.

Five of the past seven Gay Games have drawn 10,000 participants or more. Hong Kong was chosen in 2017 to be the first Gay Games host in Asia. t code. It parallels another bill Newsom signed into law that month authored by Bauer-Kahan, who signed on as a co-author to Laird’s legislation.

Bauer-Kahan’s AB 378 systematically goes through laws related to the offices of the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state controller, treasurer, insurance commissioner, and board of equalization to make all references to the gender of the officer gender neutral. Currently, most parts of the state code refer to these constitutional office holders as only “he” or “him.”

Newsom also signed Bauer-Kahan’s AB 439 to allow for deceased Californians who are nonbinary to be identified as such on their death certificates. t Jenner, who came out as a transgender woman several years ago, barely registered with voters.

She received just 1.1% of the ballots with the second question answered for 13th place after 100% of precincts reported their early returns. Former San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer ran away from his LGBTQ-friendly record leading his Southern California city and made little effort to explain to Democrats why they should support him. He landed in third place with 8.6% of the count so far.

Republican businessman John Cox, who lost to Newsom in 2018 by 24 points, turned himself into a joke candidate with his stunt of using a live bear as a campaign prop and ending one widely aired commercial with a profane-laced question. He flopped in the recall with 4.4% of the vote count as of Wednesday morning.

As for the best known Democrat on the recall ballot, YouTube personality Kevin Paffrath barely registered with voters, receiving just shy of 500,000 votes for a share of 9.8% of those tallied as of early September 15. t

ask them to support AB 1041 since it ensures California’s “leave laws extend to a worker’s chosen or extended family – and for LGBTQ folk, that is often the primary family we have.”

In a September 9 tweet Wicks wrote that she was making the bill, known as the Chosen Family Act, “a 2-yr bill to give us more time to work w/the Gov’s office & key stakeholders for the strongest possible policy. We’re committed to honoring the full intent of the bill: ensuring our leave policies reflect modern family relationships.”

Erin Ivie, a spokeswoman for Wicks, told the B.A.R. Friday that backers of the bill need more time to fine-tune the definition of who qualifies as chosen family. She added that the Assemblywoman does

intend to continue pushing the bill at the beginning of next session.

“All are committed to honoring the full intent of the bill, which is to ensure our leave policies reflect modern family relationships,” wrote Ivie in an emailed reply.

As the B.A.R. has previously reported, Newsom has already signed into law several LGBTQ-related bills. Two aimed at assisting people living with HIV became law in July.

SB 283, authored by Senator Lena A. Gonzalez (D-Long Beach), strengthens the Equal Insurance HIV Act of 2020. It imposes a prohibition as of January 1, 2023 on a life or disability insurance insurer

from considering an applicant’s occupation in determining whether to require an HIV test.

The other HIV-related bill, SB 258, specifies that older people with HIV are to be part of the population of “greatest social need” when it comes to programs and services administered by the California Department of Aging. Gay state Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), a founder and former executive director of an AIDS agency in his coastal city, authored the legislation.

The governor in July also signed into law Laird’s SB 272 updating “archaic gender-specific pronouns” used in the state’s vehicle code to refer to the California Highway Patrol commissioner, now led by a woman, as well as throughout the state’s insurance

Greeting the two men was the Southern California city’s gay mayor, Robert Garcia, who has taken an aggressive approach to battling the ongoing COVID pandemic. He lost his mother and stepfather to the coronavirus last summer.

“So proud of California and our Governor. This was a huge win. Now let’s get back to beating this pandemic,” Garcia tweeted Tuesday roughly 90 minutes after the polls closed.

As the Bay Area Reporter’s online Political Notes column reported Monday, LGBTQ community leaders across the Golden State rallied behind Newsom within the final week of the recall election. They took to the campaign trail to speak glowingly of Newsom’s support for LGBTQ rights, manned the phones for get-out-thevote sessions, and walked precincts to raise awareness of the off-year election.

Newsom has been a beloved figure within the LGBTQ community ever since he ignored California law in 2004 and ordered San Francisco officials to wed same-sex couples early in his mayoralty. He has continued to be

on the forefront of numerous LGBTQ issues since moving up to Sacramento, from signing first-of-its-kind legislation addressing transgender issues to naming the first openly gay justice to the California Supreme Court.

It is why Newsom was able to rely on deep support within the Golden State’s LGBTQ community to assist him in defeating the recall. EQCA marshaled its resources in recent days to focus LGBTQ Californians’ attention on the recall election.

It paid for an online voter education campaign, including via the B.A.R., to explain how the recall ballot works. And it echoed Newsom’s pleas for voters to leave blank on their recall ballot the question of whom among the 40-plus replacement candidates should become governor were Newsom to be ousted from office.

“Last night, President Biden delivered a message to California. He told us that the eyes of the nation – and indeed the world – were upon us. Let tonight’s results be a clear response: Trumpism has no place in our politics, in California, in our world,” stated Zbur late Tuesday.

Low, who has already endorsed Newsom’s bid for a second term, had taken to the gay pickup app Grindr to talk to guys about the recall in the final weeks of the campaign. He told the B.A.R. he spoke with fellow users from Sacramento to Stockton to San Jose about the recall race, with 80% saying they opposed it.

“Refreshingly, our community was well aware of the history of Gavin and our community,” said Low. “They were not ready to easily discard someone who has been at our side when the environment was so difficult for us.”

Few of the recall candidates bothered to directly court LGBTQ voters and largely ignored LGBTQ issues on the campaign trail. Newsom was ineligible to run as a recall candidate himself and was successful in blocking a high-profile Democrat from running as a possible fail-safe choice should the recall be successful.

Newsom also lucked out in having to run against a weak field of Republican opponents in the recall. Despite an early blitz of media coverage former Olympic gold medalist Caitlyn

Five LGBTQ-related bills already signed

<< Legals

14 • Bay Area Reporter • September 16-22, 2021

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556553

In the matter of the application of SORMEH KASHEF HAGHIGHI, 2133A LYON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner SORMEH KASHEF HAGHIGHI is requesting that the name SORMEH KASHEF HAGHIGHI be changed to SORMEH KASHEF. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Rm. 103 on the 30th of SEPTEMBER 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

AUG 26, SEP 02, 09, 16, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556560 In the matter of the application of FENGHUAN LI, 2216 LARKIN ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner FENGHUAN LI is requesting that the name FENGHUAN LI be changed to KRISTEN H. LI. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 30th of SEPTEMBER 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

AUG 26, SEP 02, 09, 16, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039459600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as COMPRESSOR WORKS, 341 10TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed HANS KELLER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/01/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/16/21.

AUG 26, SEP 02, 09, 16, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039456500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as SAILING SAN FRANCISCO, 1221 37TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JONATHAN YELDA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 04/01/16. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/11/21.

AUG 26, SEP 02, 09, 16, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039464600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as HULKS TOWING, 1306 GILMAN AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed WALTER BUESO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/20/21.

AUG 26, SEP 02, 09, 16, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039466000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as LARRY’S LIMO SERVICE, 685 48TH AVE #6, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed LARRY S. SOLOMON. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/14/08. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/23/21.

AUG 26, SEP 02, 09, 16, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039453000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as CLOCKWORK, 370 DE HARO ST #A4, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed ELEMENTREE INC. (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/04/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/09/21.

AUG 26, SEP 02, 09, 16, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039448000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as MASON BOTTLE, 791E SIBLEY RD, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94129. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed KINETIKA INC. (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/18/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/06/21.

AUG 26, SEP 02, 09, 16, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039447100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as THE DOREL, 1507 CALIFORNIA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed CAL LARK LLC (CA).

The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/23/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/05/21.

AUG 26, SEP 02, 09, 16, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039463600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as MILLER & LUX, 70 TERRY A FRANCOIS BLVD, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94158.This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed LLH TGO LLC (CA).The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A.The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/19/21.

AUG 26, SEP 02, 09, 16, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039458900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as KING OF THAI NOODLE HOUSE TARAVAL, 1541 TARAVAL ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed KING OF THAI NOODLE HOUSE TARAVAL LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/13/21.

AUG 26, SEP 02, 09, 16, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039463800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as PICA PICA, 401 VALENCIA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed MEGAS (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/19/21.

AUG 26, SEP 02, 09, 16, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039465200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as MAISON DE ETOILE, 1770 POST ST #233, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed MAISON DE ETOILE LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/19/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/23/21.

AUG 26, SEP 02, 09, 16, 2021 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-039267200

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as AMERICAN SPA & SALON AT SF, 1327 9TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112.

This business was conducted by an individual and signed

by CONNIE LY. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/22/21.

AUG 26, SEP 02, 09, 16, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039467300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as SAGE BAKEHOUSE, 3 CLEMENT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118.

This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed NICHOLAS LEE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/15/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/24/21.

SEP 02, 09, 16, 23, 2021

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF MARY QUINTANA AKA MARY ELIZABETH QUINTANA IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: FILE PES-21-304732

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of MARY QUINTANA AKA MARY ELIZABETH QUINTANA, C/O SCHNEIDER LAW, 315 MONTGOMERY ST #1025, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104.A Petition for Probate has been filed by CARY SCHNEIDER in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco.The Petition for Probate requests that CARY SCHNEIDER be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate.

The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: SEPTEMBER 22, 2021, 9:00 am, Dept. 204, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing.Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the latter of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined by section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor.

You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.You may examine the file kept by the court.

If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250.

A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.Attorney for petitioner: BARRY SCHNEIDER, ESQ. (SBN #62668), SCHNEIDER LAW, 315 MONTGOMERY ST #1025, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104; Ph. (415) 781-6500.

SEP 02, 09, 16, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039455100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as MULAN’S MARKET, 2570 NORIEGA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122.This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed LAN ZHU.The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/08/21.The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/10/21.

SEP 02, 09, 16, 23, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039465600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as BTOOPOSITIVE, 125 3RD AVE #4, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed BRANDON DAVIS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/27/14. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/23/21.

SEP 02, 09, 16, 23, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039468500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as BABYFACED PRODUCTIONS, 1044 REVERE AVE #C-78, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124.This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed GIOTTO HARRISON.The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A.The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/26/21.

SEP 02, 09, 16, 23, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039474100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as VAUTIS.AI, 1060 HOWARD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103.

This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JEFFREY ARMIJO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 04/23/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/18/21.

SEP 02, 09, 16, 23, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039466800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as ALPACA FASHION, PIER 39 J-13, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a married couple, and is signed TITO REYES & NELLY REYES. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/02/02. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/24/21.

SEP 02, 09, 16, 23, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039468700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as UNION YEE LLC, 533-537 UNION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133.This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed YEE FAMILY UNION STREET PROPERTY LLC (CA).The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/27/21.The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/26/21.

SEP 02, 09, 16, 23, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039468800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as JASPER YEE LLC, 124-132 JASPER PL, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed YEE FAMILY JASPER PROPERTY LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/27/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/26/21.

SEP 02, 09, 16, 23, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039465000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as COMANCHE JANITORIAL SERVICES, 77 PASADENA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134.This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed COMANCHEVENTURES LLC (CA).The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/18/21.The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/20/21.

SEP 02, 09, 16, 23, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039468000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as SKYSCRAPER MAINTENANCE SERVICES, 3908 THIRD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed SKYSCRAPER MAINTENANCE SERVICES (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/23/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/25/21.

SEP 02, 09, 16, 23, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039470700

The following person(s) is/are doing business asALLEN DENSON ART SERVICES LLC,145 NATOMA ST BLDG,SAN FRANCISCO,CA 94105.This business is conducted by a limited liability company,and is signedALLEN DENSONART SERVICES LLC (CA).The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/29/21.The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco,CA on 08/30/21.

SEP 02, 09, 16, 23, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039456000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as SAFFYRE ULTRA DETAILING SERVICES, 1216 73RD AVE C, OAKLAND, CA 94621.This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed SAFFYRE ENTERPRISES LLC (CA).The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/01/21.The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/11/21.

SEP 02, 09, 16, 23, 2021

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF ROSS C. GORDON AKA ROSS COCHRAN GORDON IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: FILE PES-21-304745

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of ROSS C. GORDON,AKA ROSS COCHRAN GORDON,AKA ROSS GORDON, C/O MARY P.WHITE (SB#087007),WHITE LAW PC, 2200 SAND HILL RD #220, MENLO PARK, CA 94025.A Petition for Probate has been filed

by ROBERT C. GORDON III in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco.The Petition for Probate requests that ROBERT C. GORDON III be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent.The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate.The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court.The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority.A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: OCTOBER 04, 2021, 9:00 am, Rm. 204, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing.Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the latter of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined by section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor.You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law.You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250.A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk.Attorney for petitioner: MARY P.WHITE (SB#087007),WHITE LAW PC, 2200 SAND HILL RD #220, MENLO PARK, CA 94025; Ph. (650) 854-7950.

SEP 09, 16, 23, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556589 In the matter of the application of BRIAN WEI CHAN & KELLY KIMIKO LEONG, 2239 32ND AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner BRIAN WEI CHAN & KELLY KIMIKO LEONG is requesting that the name COLIN KUMA LEONG-CHAN be changed to COLIN KUMA LEONG CHAN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 14th of OCTOBER 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEP 09, 16, 23, 30, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556593 In the matter of the application of STREET GARDNER, PO BOX 721, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner STREET GARDNER is requesting that the name STREET GARDNER AKA MALE GARDNER be changed to STREET GARDNER. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 19th of OCTOBER 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEP 09, 16, 23, 30, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039472100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as KOKORO KARA WELLNESS; PUCKER PUNCH COSMETICS; 3442 SACRAMENTO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118.

This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed CHERYL ROUCH. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/31/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/31/21.

SEP 09, 16, 23, 30, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039472500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as CASA SANCHEZ DISTRIBUTING, 4652 CALIFORNIA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118.This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JAMES SANCHEZ.The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/18/21.The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/01/21.

SEP 09, 16, 23, 30, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039475800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as DOOG GOOD FOOD, 3450 SACRAMENTO ST #107, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118.This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ANTOINE JOHNSON.The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A.The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/07/21.

SEP 09, 16, 23, 30, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039471800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as BODIED BY YESI, 531 GEARY ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102.This business is conducted by an individual, and is signedYEZENIA IBARRA.The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A.The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/31/21.

SEP 09, 16, 23, 30, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039474200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as STILL HERE SF 415, 751 GRAFTON AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed JEANETTE WRIGHT, NICOLE FITT & PAULA HARRELL. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 04/15/20. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/02/21.

SEP 09, 16, 23, 30, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039471900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as SEVENTEEN & COLE MARKET, 1400 COLE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by a corporation. and is signed FATENA, INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/31/21.

SEP 09, 16, 23, 30, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039464200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as LEOS ROOFING, 2679 HENRY AVE, PINOLE, CA 94564. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed LEONARDOS ROOFING INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/20/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/20/21.

SEP 09, 16, 23, 30, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039473800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as PLAN P, 956 EDINBURGH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112.This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed 2B MOM INC (CA).The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A.The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/02/21.

SEP 09, 16, 23, 30, 2021

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039457200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as 3582 20TH ST PROPERTY, 3582 20TH STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a trust, and is signed by trustees PATRICK MILLS, OSAMA MOGANNAM, ANTHEA STOLTZ & ANNE WALKER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 03/05/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/11/21.

SEP 09, 16, 23, 30, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039471500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as DECOMMISSIONING OFFICE SOLUTION, 739 VALENCIA ST #3, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed SAMANA LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/31/21.

SEP 09, 16, 23, 30, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556594 In the matter of the application of CLAUS RALPH GOLDBERG, 1212 10TH AVE #306, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner CLAUS RALPH GOLDBERG is requesting that the name CLAUS RALPH GOLDBERG be changed to CLAUS RALPH COOPER. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Rm. 103 on the 19th of OCTOBER 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEP 16, 23, 30, OCT 07, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556600 In the matter of the application of KOUNG MENG TEAR, 126 TAPIA DR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner KOUNG MENG TEAR is requesting that the name KOUNG MENG TEAR be changed to TOMMY MENG THEA. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 21st of OCTOBER 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEP 16, 23, 30, OCT 07, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556605

In the matter of the application of HILDA JOANNA MENDEZ, 115 CENTRAL AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner HILDA JOANNA MENDEZ is requesting that the name HILDA JOANNA MENDEZ be changed to JOANNA VALENTINA DE PIRUL. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 23rd of NOVEMBER 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEP 16, 23, 30, OCT 07, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556611 In the matter of the application of CLIFFTOINETTE ANGELA ROGERS AKA C. ANGELA ROGERS, 1350 35TH AVE #2, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner CLIFFTOINETTE ANGELA ROGERS AKA C. ANGELA ROGERS is requesting that the name CLIFFTOINETTE ANGELA ROGERS AKA C. ANGELA ROGERS be changed to ANGELA. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 23rd of NOVEMBER 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEP 16, 23, 30, OCT 07, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556607 In the matter of the application of BENJAMIN LOUIE, 170 GRAVEN ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner BENJAMIN LOUIE is requesting that the name BENJAMIN LOUIE be changed to BENJAMIN LOUIE RUAN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 23rd of NOVEMBER 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEP 16, 23, 30, OCT 07, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556599 In the matter of the application of YUNA SUH & WADIE ROPHAEL, 4144 24TH ST #1, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner YUNA SUH & WADIE ROPHAEL is requesting that the name CELINA ROPHAEL be changed to SAERIN ROPHAEL. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 23rd of NOVEMBER 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEP 16, 23, 30, OCT 07, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556609 In the matter of the application of GREGORY ALLEN JONES, 1521 GOLDEN GATE AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner GREGORY ALLEN JONES is requesting that the name GREGORY ALLEN JONES AKA CHRISTOPHER GREGORY DEWINTER be changed to CHRISTOPHER GREGORY DEWINTER. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N on the 23rd of NOVEMBER 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

t

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556613 In the matter of the application of KELLE ANN PEDRO, 1282 23RD AVE #A, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner KELLE ANN PEDRO is requesting that the name KELLE ANN PEDRO be changed to KELLE ANN NICHOLS. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Rm. 103 on the 26th of OCTOBER 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEP 16, 23, 30, OCT 07, 2021 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-21-556615 In the matter of the application of RONALD ANWAR ASWAN GIBSON, 162 KISKA RD, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner RONALD ANWAR ASWAN GIBSON is requesting that the name RONALD ANWAR ASWAN GIBSON be changed to EMMITT JOVON LEWIS JR. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Rm. 103 on the 28th of OCTOBER 2021 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEP 16, 23, 30, OCT 07, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039479200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as LUMODOS, 1 HAWTHORNE ST UNIT 15A, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed LESTER SAN LUIS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/01/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/09/21.

SEP 16, 23, 30, OCT 07, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039481700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as SOCIUS STRATEGIES, 2816 PACHECO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ROSALIND COHEN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/01/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/10/21.

SEP 16, 23, 30, OCT 07, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039466300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as SF HOUSE OF NAILS 2, 3221 PIERCE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed LIEN LOI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/18/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/23/21.

SEP 16, 23, 30, OCT 07, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039482900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as ALOHA KITCHEN, 752 VAN NESS AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed LISA CHAU. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/13/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/13/21.

SEP 16, 23, 30, OCT 07, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039479400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as THE CALIFORNIA STREET STUDIO, 5954 CALIFORNIA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed MONICA T. SAMANIEGO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/13/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/09/21.

SEP 16, 23, 30, OCT 07, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039476600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as WETZEL’S PRETZELS, 3251 20TH AVE #102, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed INNOVATIVE IMPACT INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/03/21. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/08/21.

SEP 16, 23, 30, OCT 07, 2021 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-039481400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as GOTT’S ROADSIDE – MISSION BAY, 151 WARRIORS WAY #102-3, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94158. This business is conducted by a limited partnership, and is signed GOTT’S PARTNERS LP, GENERAL PARTNER GOTT BROTHERS DEVELOPMENT LLC (CA), 1344 ADAMS ST, ST HELENA, CA 94574. I declare that all information in this statement is true and correct, JOEL A. GOTT, as Manager of Gott Brothers Development LLC as GP for Gott’s Partners, LP. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/10/21. Deputy County Clerk, Sonya Yi.

SEP 16, 23, 30, OCT 07, 2021 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-037723800

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as MESSY LENS, 3545 24TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by HEATHER HORTER. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/14/17.

SEP 16, 23, 30, OCT 07, 2021 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-039111800

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as ALOHA KITCHEN, 752 VAN NESS AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business was conducted by a corporation and signed by LISA CYNTHIA CHAU (CA). The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/07/20.

SEP 16, 23, 30, OCT 07, 2021

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[upper] Mary (Sean Hayes), Deb (Wanda Sykes), [lower] Twink (Matt Rogers), Stat (Patti Harrison), V (Laurie Metcalf) and Buck (David Harbour) in Q-Force.

The Way of the Force an interview Q-Force's Gabe Liedman

By Gregg Shapiro

D

o you love to hear cartoon characters swearing and talking dirty? What about seeing them naked, muscular, and anatomically correct? Oh, and can you dig a story involving brainwashing, world domination and LGBTQ+ folks saving the planet? If so, the hot new Netflix series Q-Force is meant for you!

Featuring the voices of a stellar cast of queer and queer-friendly actors including Sean Hayes (Steve Maryweather aka Agent Mary), Wanda Sykes (Deb), Patti Harrison (Stat), Matt Rogers (Twink), Laurie Metcalf (V) and Gabe Liedman (Benji) in lead roles, as well as several other guest stars, Q-Force takes animation to a new level.

Liedman, who plays the love interest of hunky Agent Mary, also writes for, and co-created, the series.

Gregg Shapiro: Gabe, Q-Force is a perfect opportunity to ask if when you were younger, were you a follower of Saturday morning or primetime cartoon shows, or both?

Gabe Liedman: Both, definitely! My favorite Saturday morning was Garfield and Friends. I never missed it. U.S. Acres was my favorite part of that show. Primetime, I really was raised by The Simpsons. I used to watch it every week and run to school on Monday to quote all the best lines with my friends. We would memorize it; very much a huge fan of those two.

A recent episode of CNN’s History of the Sitcom featured Get Smart, Mel Brooks and Buck Henry’s 1960s James Bond parody. Is that a show from which you find inspiration?

Absolutely! I did a lot of research. I watched a lot of old James Bond films, watched a little bit of Get Smart. I wanted to see what the genre

was like. I would say that one of the biggest influences on the show though was Brooklyn NineNine, which is a show that I used to write for. I consider that a bit of a training ground for me on how to tell these kind of case-of-the-week or short-arc case stories while still doing a show that’s a workplace comedy about people. I looked mostly to my days at Brooklyn Nine-Nine when I was trying to make a decision.

On the same History of the Sitcom episode, the show also highlighted several classic animated series including The Flintstones, The Simpsons, and The Boondocks. What would it mean to you have Q-Force talked about in the same breath with these other shows?

[Laughs] it would blow my mind! I don’t think I’m there yet in my imagination. This is still such a baby, and it hasn’t really been seen by anyone yet. I’m just sort of holding my breath, waiting

National sensation

The Capote Tapes reveals the writer's lost legacy Truman Capote

“I

’m an alcoholic. I’m a drug addict, I’m a homosexual, I’m a genius,” was the way author Truman Capote described himself. But vivid characterizations mentioned by others in the new documentary, The Capote Tapes, include candied tarantula, seductive freak, naughty little kid, and sleazy wicked bit of work.

He was probably the most famous writer of his time, celebrated not only for his talent but a mas-

The lead actors providing voices read like an LGBTQ who’s who, and each one is a great fit for the character. Which came first, the character or the actor providing the voice?

It was a little bit different with each character.

Sean was a part of the show since its very inception. He and I developed the idea for it together with his producing partner Todd Milliner and Mike Schur, the legendary television creator.

Sean was a part of it from the very beginning and the rest of the cast came later. Wanda Sykes was Deb in my head from the moment I sat down to write it. It’s always helpful for me to have an actor in mind when you’re writing someone’s dialogue, so that it sounds organic and authentic, See page 16 >> Andre Leon Talley, Jay McInerney, Dotson Rader, Dick Cavett, Colm Toibin among others as well archival footage of TV interviews and readings from his oeuvre.

Capote’s early roots are well known, so there is only a surface review of his courtesan-like mother abandoning him with his aunt growing up poor in rural Alabama with Harper Lee as his neighbor and friend.

The Truman Show

by Brian Bromberger

for it to come out and see what people think of it. I know we worked really hard on it and had a ton of fun. If it got to live in in a lineup like that, I would just be blown away.

ter of self-generated publicity, still engendering discussion and controversy thirty-seven years after his death.

2021 is turning out to be an exceptional year for Capote after the excellent documentary Truman and Tennessee on his life and career screened last spring. Director Ebs Burrough wanted to tell the never-heard-before true story behind the headlines and gossip about a man who paid a tremendous price for his gift. The Capote Tapes largely succeeds in that lofty endeavor.

The film boasts two scoops: access to jour-

nalist George Plimpton’s hundreds of hours of audiotapes he recorded while working on a biography of Truman with interviews of people who knew him (i.e. Lauren Bacall, Norman Mailer, Gloria Vanderbilt, Gore Vidal) and the input of Kate Harrington, the daughter of one of his lovers, manager John O’Shea.

Capote served as Harrington’s “adopted” surrogate father and she reveals what he was like privately behind closed doors. The film also includes on-camera conversations with those acquainted with Capote such as Candice Bergen,

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Sensing a vocation as a writer at age 8, he started working as a mail clerk at The New Yorker in 1943, but within a few years would be submitting short stories printed in that magazine. He became a national sensation with the publication of his debut novel Other Voices, Other Rooms, later described as a fairy Huck Finn, perhaps the first openly homosexual book to hit mainstream America.

However, its success could also be attributed to the notorious come-hither suggestive reclining pose captured in the dust jacket photograph.

His 1958 dark novella Breakfast at Tiffany’s featuring his most famous fictional character, Holly Golightly (based loosely on his mother) – later immortalized by Audrey Hepburn (Capote wanted Marilyn Monroe) in the vastly differentfrom-the-book sprightly 1961 film– won him lasting literary fame.

He spent the next six years researching and writing his masterwork, In Cold Blood, virtually inventing a new genre, the nonfiction novel (as well as a pioneering entry in the true crime category) about the 1959 massacre of the Kansas Clutter family by two young men, with one of whom Perry Smith, Capote developed an intense friendship, ended only by his 1965 execution.

See page 17 >>

<< Film

16 • Bay Area Reporter • September 16-22, 2021

Eyes of Tammy Faye

t

Jessica Chastain’s mascara-full televangelist drama

by David-Elijah Nahmod

I

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t’s hard to believe that the late Tammy Faye Bakker would be 79 years old were she alive today. It seems like it was such a short time ago that she and her husband Jim Bakker were making headlines when their televangelist empire collapsed amid a variety of financial and sexual scandals.

But Tammy Faye emerged unscathed. In 2000, she was the subject of a feature-length documentary titled The Eyes of Tammy Faye, which was produced by gay filmmakers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato.

That film has now been adapted into a scripted biographical drama of the same name. Jessica Chastain, who serves as a producer of the new film, stars as Tammy Faye, with Andrew Garfield co-starring as Jim Bakker.

The film, directed by Michael Showalter and written by Abe Sylvia, paints a loving portrait of Tammy Faye. She is presented as a woman who honestly believes in what she preaches, a woman who loves her husband and wants to bring the love of God to the masses. The film follows her life as she first meets Jim in bible college. The couple falls instantly in love and soon take to the road, performing for children as they share bible stories in sketches which include comic puppets.

They quickly catch the eye of televangelist Pat Robertson (Gabriel Olds) and bring their puppet show to his fledgling TV network. After a few years, the Bakkers move on and launch their own network, whose flagship show, The PTL Club (Praise The Lord), stars themselves. They become celebrities. Jim shamelessly asks for donations on the air, and the money starts rolling in. The Bakkers are soon living in a mansion.

But as the film recounts, Tammy Faye wasn’t your average Christian.

She embraces the LGBTQ community, and even interviews a gay man with AIDS on the PTL Club. Fellow televangelist Jerry Falwell (Vincent D’Onofrio), who is perhaps the most powerful man in the evangelical

<<

Christian community, is horrified. But Tammy Faye stands her ground.

The film follows the fall of the PTL Club, as Jim is accused of misusing ministry funds, which leads to his imprisonment. He is also accused of sexual misconduct by church secretary Jessica Hahn.

There are hints that Jim may be struggling with homosexuality.

Falwell turns on the Bakkers, and the PTL Club is ruined.

Now divorced from Bakker, Tammy Faye is left to start over.

Chastain is wonderful as Tammy Faye. She captures the innate goodness, and the naiveté of the late icon, and even looks like her.

It’s hard not to like Tammy Faye when she urges her TV viewers to show compassion for people with AIDS. It’s hard not to feel for her when, in the aftermath of the wreckage of the PTL club, she tries to launch a mainstream show business career and is rejected by a TV executive.

The film does not mention Jim J and Tammy Faye, a talk show the real Tammy Faye co-hosted with gay HIV positive actor Jim J. Bullock. Nor does the film mention her second marriage to building contractor Roe Messner, though Messner is included in the film as a minor character.

Garfield is quite good as Jim Bakker. He plays the character as a man who is at first sincere in his desire to bring the word of the gospel to the masses, until he becomes a victim of his own excesses.

Vincent D’Onofrio is equally good as the treacherous, anti-gay Falwell.

Falwell was an enemy of the gay community during his lifetime. The film does not whitewash this and presents him as the hateful sleaze that he was.

Lesbian actress Cherry Jones, who can always be counted upon to give powerful performances, unfortunately isn’t given much to do as Tammy Faye’s long-suffering mother. A winner of several Tony Awards, Jones has a strong presence onstage and onscreen. It would have been nice to see her character developed further.

Andrew Garfield and Jessica Chastain in The Eyes of Tammy Faye

The Eyes of Tammy Faye is an entertaining film. It pays tribute to a decent woman who wanted to do good even as she was surrounded by people who did not have her best interests at heart. The film brings to life the decades in which Tammy Faye lived, from her childhood in the early 1950s, to her first meeting with Bakker ten years later, through the PTL years and beyond. It’s a story that seems almost hard to believe, yet it’s all true. t The Eyes of Tammy Faye screens locally starting Sept. 16 at AMC Kabuki, Regal Stonestown Galleria, and Rialto Cinemas Elmwood. www.searchlightpictures.com/theeyesoftammyfaye

Q-Force

From page 15

like a personal talking. I chose Wanda because she’s my idol and I thought she’d make a great Deb. She is great!

She just exploded my mind when she agreed to play the part. The rest of the cast came together piecemeal.

Patti and Matt Rogers, who plays Twink, are comedians on the scene who I really admired and had somewhat of a relationship with. But Laurie Metcalf and David Harbour and Gary Cole and Dan Levy and Niecy Nash were actors I was a huge fan of, but our casting people just sent them the script. It was really just up to them and up to the strength of the writing as to why they said, “Yes.” The guest stars are another queer who’s who, including Jane Lynch and Fortune Feimster. Do you think there’s a waiting list of performers who want to be turned into cartoon characters?

[Laughs] I was surprised that they were all down for it. I think that animation is a fun type of work. In regular, non-pandemic times, it’s actually fun and easy to pop into a recording studio and bang out an episode or two in an hour. It doesn’t really take much of actors’ time. They don’t have to get in makeup and wardrobe and do a bunch of takes and wait for the lighting to be done. It’s something that I think actors gravitate to. It was much more difficult to do over Zoom, but we still did it. I was thrilled with who

courtesy Of Netflix. Netflix ©2021

Mary (Sean Hayes) and Benji (Gabe Liedman) in Q-Force.

said yes. We really shot for the stars.

You provide the voice of Benji, the love interest of Agent Steve Maryweather. It’s not the first time you are doing voice work. What do you like best about it?

When your body goes away and you’re just your voice, you can really inhabit different types of characters you wouldn’t be cast as based on your looks. I think it’s a really freeing experience. I’ve played a mouse, which I’m not. It’s much more imaginative acting. All the possibilities exist in front of you. You can really kind of do anything. t Read the full interview on www.ebar.com.

Gabe Liedman, co-creator and costar of Q-Force

t

Theater >>

September 16-22, 2021 • Bay Area Reporter • 17

Marga Gomez revs up her ‘Spanking Machine’

By Jim Gladstone

I

t may not be brand spanking new, but seen live on stage at The Marsh, Marga Gomez’s Spanking Machine promises to feel fresh as a daisy. Marking the local icon’s full-fledged return to in-person performance after 18 months spent reaching out to audiences from behind the chilly scrim of monitor glass.

Gomez developed the piece –her 13th solo show– at the Marsh and Stagewerx during 2019, but the finished work’s premiere engagement was scheduled to open at the Brava Theatre in March 2020, the very week of the initial COVID shutdown. With dress rehearsals just completed, that run was postponed and relegated to Zoom, as was an engagement at New York’s Dixon Place.

A game improviser thanks to years of stand-up comedy experience, Gomez took last March’s postponement as an opportunity to hone her technological skills and on-camera performance technique, revising the show so she could effectively present it on her own, from the confines of her apartment.

“I geeked out watching hours of tech tutorials on YouTube,” she told the Bay Area Reporter last September, before the reblocked and reconfigured production was presented live online, “My living room looks like a public access studio now. When shelter-inplace started, I invested a chunk of money into live streaming gear.”

<<

Truman show

From page 15

With Breakfast hitting bookstores in early 1966, Capote became a superstar, such that on November 28, 1966 in honor of Katherine Graham (The Washington Post publisher) he hosted his legendary masked Black and White Ball at New York City’s Plaza Hotel, later called the Party of the Century due to its many famous guests. Capote was at the apex of his intertwining personal and professional life.

Prayers unanswered

The documentary is built around Answered Prayers, which Capote claimed would be the greatest American novel ever written, an exposé about the glittering jet-set New York society in which he aired their scandalous dirty laundry gossip in public.

Capote had been cultivating the friendship of these sophisticated society women (his Swans), married –usually unhappily– to the wealthiest men: Slim Keith, Marella Agnelli, Lee Radziwill, and his best friend Babe Paley, confiding dark secrets to their caustic little Truheart. Capote played the role of witty mascot to get the tawdry details he needed for what became the ancestor of reality TV. In 1975 he published the first chapter in Esquire magazine and his Swans felt betrayed, exiling him from their company, leading to Capote’s long embarrassing decline into drug and alcohol addiction, often appearing drunk and disoriented in his TV talk show appearances.

Was the book meant to be satire or revenge at having to play the role of pet court jester? The full manuscript

Marga Gomez at The Marsh

That investment paid off in more ways than one. The online iteration of Spanking Machine was well attended and critically well-received: “…Beautifully balanced between gut-busting laughs and life-altering heartbreak,” wrote David John Chavez in Bay Area Plays; The Chronicle’s Little Man was wideeyed, applauding. And, ever the impresario, Gomez spun her new streaming skills into a side gig consulting with other performers who were uncertainly wading into the waters of online production.

Still, as engaging as they were, the streamed version of Spanking Machine pointedly revealed its own shortfallings. Interspersed with Gomez’ live-to-camera performance were videotaped clips of last year’s final live dress rehearsal, presented for an invited audience. The attendees’ laughter and murmurs of recognition of Answered Prayers has never been found, with only a few chapters extant.

Half the interviewees say he finished it and hid it expecting it to be found after his death, while others claim it was a literary hoax, his final prank.

A mess in his later years, it seems unlikely he was capable of such persevering artistry, though Harrington asserts he wrote every day until he died of liver disease in 1984. The documentary leaves the question open.

Cold courage

The two fictional films on Capote (Capote, Infamous) argued his decline started during the In Cold Blood years, that he never recovered from the loss of Perry Smith, complicated emotionally by the fact that Capote lobbied for his execution so he could finish his book. More discussion of this alternative thesis in The Capote Tapes might have been enlightening.

While Capote’s homosexuality features prominently in the film, details are scant, only that he had a long-

Marga Gomez

captured in those snippets reminded viewers of the performer-audience feedback loop that gives live theater its unmatchable tension and energy.

And that unique frisson of mutually fueled emotion is perhaps more critical to the success of one-person shows than any other form of live performance. Even when performed for only a camera, concerts, dance performances and plays can generate some connective charge through the exchange of energy among the players themselves.

But for most solo shows, including Spanking Machine, the audience is more than audience. It is the receiver of confession, the performer’s only sounding board, the relatively silent partner in what is nonetheless a dialogue.

Where multi-character plays can choose to either toy with or ignore the so-called “fourth wall,” a solo show has only one wall to play with and when, instead of being a metaphor, that wall becomes the hard glass of a

suffering life partner Jerry Dunphy, an open relationship that lasted 36 years.

What The Capote Tapes does so well is show the effeminate Capote’s tremendous courage in just being himself day in and day out during the period when homosexuality was illegal and rarely publicly discussed, fully aware that people ridiculed him behind his back.

An insightful Norman Mailer, ad-

mired Capote’s ballsiness in that “he was going to live his life his own way, no matter what it cost him or how exhausting it was.”

In the end, it might have been too heavy a burden to carry and he became a casualty of the emerging celebrity culture. But The Capote Tapes gives us a voyeuristic, absorbing, heart-rending glimpse of the

computer screen there’s an unavoidable loss.

So, after a year and a half of necessary compromise, it should be a thrill to see Gomez make like Jim Morrison and break on through to the other side to once again grip us in the way she’s always intended.

Ironically, Spanking Machine offers another dimension of post-pandemic perspective. The show –which grows a tangle of free-associative tendrils from Gomez’ reunion with a childhood boyfriend, who like the performer herself eventually came out as queer– is a reflection on the relationship between pain and pleasure, punishment and release.

The titular torture device –a rumor from Gomez’s Catholic school days, kinky sex, and childhood bullying– are woven into her reminiscences and to an ultimate acknowledgement of personal progress and work yet to be done.

For the past 18 months, we’ve all experienced a spanking machine of sorts.

And for many of us its led to meditating on how best to move forward. That will surely add an extra layer of meaning to the in-person experience of Marga Gomez’s latest gem. t Spanking Machine, Fridays and Saturdays, Sept. 17 through Oct. 23. Tickets $20-$100. The Marsh, 1062 Valencia St. Tel: 415-2823055. www.themarsh.org www.margagomez.com

gay lost boy who never felt loved, but triumphed over his early handicaps by transferring them brilliantly onto the written page. t The Capote Tapes opens in theaters on Sept. 17 and KinoLorber will release it on DVD Oct. 26. www.kinolorber.com

“Spin the bottle, ride the Rolodex,

and fasten your seatbelt a sweet roller coaster ride.”

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Truman Capote at his legendary Black and White Ball

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18 • Bay Area Reporter • September 16-22, 2021

Shapeshifter

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bisexual Surrealist poet Alice Paalen Rahon’s new compilation

by Mark William Norby

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urreal, Surrealist, Surrealism. How often the words are used to describe an inner eddy of image and energy, cosmic forces, deep inner angels and avatars emerging from within, born into existence without. Enter Alice Paalen Rahon, frequently simply Alice Rahon, a Surrealist poet and painter largely overlooked but reemerging in a new compilation of poetry.

In the new complete collection Shapeshifter (New York Review Books), Rahon rises again, this time having found her true place in the world. She gave shape to Surrealism that didn’t die with André Breton in 1966, or even eventually with the death of Salvador Dalí in 1989.

Shapeshifter presents both the original French poems and brilliant English translations by Mary Ann Caws, distinguished professor emerita of French, English, and Comparative Literature PhD program at the Graduate School of the City University of New York.

Alice Paalen Rahon with a necklace by Pablo Picasso.

Alice Paalen Rahon was born in Chenecey-Buillon, France, June 8, 1904. Shapeshifter is the first complete compilation of Rahon’s three books of poetry, most of them extremely rare and virtually impossible to find. One, Sablier couché - Reclining Hourglass, has only six known copies. Infused with mythology, magic, memory, meaning, Rahon’s poems and paintings awaken psyche, soul, mind and the agency of primitive spiritual hauntings found in dreamwork.

She married Austrian-Mexican painter, sculptor, and art philosopher Wolfgang Paalen in 1934. As Alice Paalen, the two traveled widely, joining inner circles which included, among others, writers André Breton, Valentine and Roland Penrose, and Anaïs Nin; filmmaker Luis Buñuel; painters and visual artists Pablo Picasso (with whom she had a love affair), Leonora Carrington, Paul Klee,

Man Ray, Joan Miró, Diego Rivera, and Frida Kahlo.

To understand the complex conditions of early 20th-century sociocultural artistic movements in Europe from which she came, consider Futurism (beginning about 1909), Dada (commencing in and around 1916), and Surrealism (1919-1920 onwards). Developments contained in their artistic breakthroughs possessed calls to smear and to blur one’s self in the bewilderments and fantasies of art.

The art movements resisted the shackling madness of world wars and what followed, from the birth of the liberal Weimar Republic to the contrasting rise of Adolph Hitler in 1933, and the devastation that followed. Artists in these movements were driven abroad, many into exile.

As Futurism largely died out due to its developing fascistic leanings –in 1924 the socialists, communists and

Valentine Penrose and Alice in India in 1936.

anarchists walked out of the Milan Futurist Congress– Dada carried on.

Revealing stories, exalting mysteries

In 1917, Dadaist Guillaume Apollinaire introduced Soupault to Breton, the latter known as the principal theorist and father of Surrealism.

In 1924, Breton issued the Surrealist Manifesto after having broken with Tristan Tzara and the Dadaists.

By breaking with the group, Breton embarked on an adventure to marry Surrealist writings, particularly poetry, with painting. Breton envisioned poems as the voice of paintings, revealing stories, exalting mysteries displayed upon canvases and together, talismans to viewers, create by became called Automatic Writing.

In 1936, Éditions Surrealistes published Rahon’s first work, À même la terre - On Bare Earth, her first poetry collection which caught Breton’s attention. That same year, during Rahon’s journey to India, she met up with poet Valentine Penrose, whom she had first met in Europe. Her first reported love affair with a woman, Rahon’s life enlivened, both women expressed lesbian attributes present in their work at that time.

Rahon found previously unexpressed love with Penrose, the two women consummating their affair in India (her unconsummated marriage to Paalen eventually ended in divorce). In India with Penrose, new work emerged, a more liberated voice, fresh content and Surrealism evolving, her bisexual tendencies first appeared in Sablier couché - Reclining Hourglass and later in Noir Animal - Bone Black.

A deep camaraderie

Ultimately Rahon returned to Europe. Still married to Wolfgang Paalen, the two went on extensive travels through British Columbia and the United States. Photographer Eva Sulzer

A painting by Alice Paalen Rahon

joined them at one point. Kahlo invited them to Mexico City. The Paalens and Sulzer took up her invitation.

Kahlo and Alice Paalen Rahon found deep camaraderie in their physical impairments, both severely injured in the pelvic region in accidents during childhood. A shared love of canvas and color, their bond grew and Kahlo and her husband Diego Rivera invited the Paalens into their inner circle of artists in Coyoacan, the location in Mexico City of Casa Azul the Blue House, Kahlo’s family home she inherited from her father.

But in Mexico, unsettled inside, she began to turn away from writing and turned to the canvas. With Kahlo she was able to flower, becoming the brilliant painter she is known more so than as a poet. In reading Shapeshifter, one can find the two art forms are, in fact, inseparable, as Breton had seen them a hundred years ago. Riches fill the collection, photographs, poems that break out to prose and complete prose texts originally published in Wolfgang Paalen’s art magazine Dyn. Eventually, in 1947, the Paalens divorced and Alice changed her name to Rahon, spending the rest of her life in Mexico City. In her new home in the San Ángel neighborhood, not far from Kahlo at Casa Azul in Coyoacan, Rahon became a pivotal figure in bringing abstract expression to Mexico. t New York Review Books publishes collections of the finest literature in the world. The book publishing arm of The New York Review of Books, their works are available at www.nyrb.com and at independent booksellers – City Lights in North Beach and Fabulosa (formerly Dog Eared Books) in the Castro. For direct connection to the paintings of Alice Rahon, contact Gallery Wendi Norris in San Francisco. www.gallerywendinorris.com

50 years in 50 weeks: 1994, Pedro got real

by Jim Provenzano

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994 was a big year for LGBT arts. The first TV adaptation of Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City made its U.S. premiere and was previewed in our January 6 issue.

Tongues Untied director Marlon Riggs’ expansive obituary was published in the April 7 issue.

Poet Eileen Miles’ Chelsea Girls was reviewed on September 15, and New York City-based performers David Drake and John Kelly graced the cover of the March 31 arts section when they performed locally.

But perhaps the brightest –yet sadly briefest– star to shine was in Season 3 of The Real World, produced by MTV. Pedro Zamora not only came out as the third gay or lesbian participant in the SF-shot third season of the series. He also came out as having HIV. In Alan Frutkin’s interview in the July 28 issue, Zamoras, who worked in youth HIV outreach, said, “I thought it would be really great to bring those issues out. I felt I could break a lot of stereotypes that people have of gays, and of people with AIDS.” With Zamora’s boyfriend Sean Sasser, also HIV-positive, included in many episodes, the couple broke

new ground for Latino and Black gay representation.

Zamoras died on November 11, 1994. The November 17 obituary quoted President Bill Clinton, who stated, “In his short life, Pedro educated and enlightened our nation. He taught us that AIDS is a disease with a human face and one that effects every American, indeed, every citizen of the world.”

Sean Sasser died of a non-HIVrelated lung disease on August 7, 2013.

Read vintage issues of the Bay Area Reporter at https://archive. org/details/bayareareporter

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Theater >>

September 16-22, 2021 • Bay Area Reporter • 19

Circus Bella

Big top fun in Bay Area parks

by David-Elijah Nahmod

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ircus Bella is now in the Bay Area offering the excitement of a circus in their new live shows taking place at various Bay Area parks. The circus is calling their new show Humorous, and it promises to be a celebration of wonder and laughter. Directed by Abigail Munn, the 60-minute performance features a talented and diverse group of acrobats, aerialists, jugglers and clowns, all performing to the live music of Rob Reich and the Circus Bella All Star Band.

Two members of the company are out and proud members of the LGBTQ community. Garrett Allen is a gay man whose specialty is chair stacking. He has been in love with the circus since he was ten years old and has performed all over the U.S. and around the world.

Allen’s travels have taken him to India, Cuba, China, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and Latvia. In addition to his chair-stacking abilities, Allen has also been known to engage in aerial rope performances and duo trapeze.

Toni Cannon is trans and performs as a strong man. He specializes in acrobatics and Chinese pole, which is the art of climbing, sliding down and holding poses on poles that can be as high as ten to thirty feet. He has also travelled quite a bit.

Chair man

Allen recalls seeing a man walking on stilts when he was a young child.

He was immediately entranced.

“My grandpa Lloyd built me a pair,” he recalls. “And I taught myself how to walk on them, and I’d just do it for fun around the neighborhood, or in the backyard.”

He became quite adept at it, and so his grandfather built him a taller pair.

Soon he found himself taking classes at the Sophia Isadora Academy of Circus Arts in his native San Diego.

“And I just stuck with it,” he said.

Allen describes chair stacking as a “super traditional circus act.” In his act he stacks six wooden chairs on a table all on top of each other as he climbs up them.

“So I’m at least 25 feet off the ground depending how high the table is,” he said. “And I do handstands on top of it. The whole stack wobbles and shakes, it’s kind of like a thrill act.”

Daisy Rose Coby

Garrett Allen in Circus Bella

He admits that he often gets nervous during his act.

“There’s a lot of people who say when you stop getting nervous you should quit,” he said. “It’s not like I’m backstage sweating bullets dreading going out there, but certainly there’s a healthy respect for the amount of risk involved. This particular act is one that I’ve been doing for eight years now and so it’s been the same set of chairs and more or less the same act with the same tricks, so it’s a routine that I have really, really rehearsed, every little step of it. It’s familiar and I’ve tested the waters. So it’s something that I’m really comfortable with and lots and lots of practice.”

Allen also performs with aerial ropes. He has done a variety of aerial acts and has also worked on a trapeze.

“I consider myself so lucky that I get to travel so much for work,” he said. “I get to live in a new country, a new culture and get to eat different food, and to perform for people. It’s so wonderful. I think performing and art is something that is so fundamentally human and that everyone can enjoy, so to get to go to these places and have people who you may have no form of communicating with, but they can watch me perform and I can see them cheer and clap, so there’s a camaraderie.”

Allen has always been out as a performer and feels lucky to have come from a home where he was supported, encouraged and nourished. He was always able to talk not only to his parents, but to the people he knew at the circus school he attended.

Baloney’s back

“I just feel really lucky to have been told that whoever I was is okay,” he said. “And I hope that in all of my performances and teaching and workshops –I work with kids a lot too– if just one person isn’t being told that who they are is okay and good and exactly who they should be, maybe seeing somebody else who can show them that will make all the difference.”

Strong man

Cannon describes one of the things he does as partner acrobatics, which can include doing flips, or handstands where one of the partners stands on the other partner’s hands.

“I do a little bit of that, and my strong man act for Circus Bella this year,” he said. “When I performed for Circus Bella in 2019, I did Chinese pole.”

In his strong man act, Cannon lifts a person off the ground and bends a metal bar. He got into circus work while working as an optician.

“I’ve always been intrigued with wanting to find a profession that allows me to be in my body all the time,” Cannon said. “So I got a little training.

I love that I have to exercise so much in order to keep my job. But I think the thing that draws me the most to performing in general is that it’s always different. I get very bored if it’s the same thing all the time. Every time you’re in a show it’s different. And you can always be better.”

Cannon is open to doing other types of performances in the future, but for right now he’s happy with his circus work. Like Allen, Cannon is out.

Saucy male burlesque show returns to Oasis

by Jim Provenzano

“I’m trans,” he said. “I think it’s really important to be out. It’s been fifteen years since I transitioned. I remember how hard it was when I started transitioning because there just wasn’t a lot out there. Even now, there are trans people doing circus work but they’re not very visible.

So I try to make it a point to be that person that it would have been nice to have when I was first coming out.”

Allen promises that the show Humorous lives up to its name.

“There’s definitely a lot of comedy in it,” he said. “We have several clown acts with props and gags.

Even the acts that I would not say are directly a clown act, like my chair-balancing act, there’s definitely strings of humor pulled into

it and interacting with the audience and making them laugh.”

Allen has a simple message for those who might be on the fence about attending Circus Bella.

“I would say that there is no better way to spend a beautiful Bay Area weekend than coming down to one of the Circus Bella shows.

Pack a small lunch, bring your friends, bring your kids, bring your dogs. Have a little picnic, see a great show, enjoy the beautiful weather.

It doesn’t get any better than that.

Some easy, lighthearted family entertainment in a beautiful city on a beautiful day.” t

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ith a blend of the comic, erotic and intellectual, Baloney SF, the “all-male” burlesque review, finally returns to Oasis’ stage for its seventh season.

When the pandemic hit, the company cancelled shows, but pivoted with hilariously sexy stripper ‘Suds & Studs’ carwashes outside the SoMa nightclub. They also made a few videos, online shows, and a documentary film.

But performing for a live audience makes for much more interactive fun.

“It’s going to be so wonderful to be onstage again, but the backstage is our favorite part,” said co-creator, MC and performer Michael Phillis.

“There’s nothing like the camaraderie with a side of ball sweat that you get in a Baloney dressing room.”

Choreographer and Baloney co-creator Rory Davis, who’s been making dances for drag performers in the Bay Area for years, and is Phillis’ hubby, also led online dance classes through lockdown and before.

Asked which numbers will return and what new routines audiences can expect, Davis replied, “We’ve got

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returning classics like our Nine Inch Nails number,” (a Folsom favorite with men in harnesses, jocks, boots and, by the finale, not much else).

New dances will include their parody dance/sketches on erotic massage and Mormon missionaries, as well as comedic takes on a few classic musicals.

Film fans may know that the new documentary about Baloney, directed by Joshua Guerci, recently made the LGBT film festival circuit, to audience and critical raves.

Now that Baloney’s even more famous, is another tour in the works?

Said Phillis, “There’s no tour in the works just yet, but we’re happy to be back at our home venue Oasis for our new show; also for New Year’s Eve, and a full slate of shows in 2022.”t Baloney: Don’t Call It a Cumback! $35-$70. Sept 16-18, 23-25, at 7pm (doors 6pm) at Oasis, 298 11th St. www.sfoasis.com Proof of vaccination required.