September 26, 2019 Edition of the Bay Area Reporter by Bay Area Reporter

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Vol. 49 • No. 39 • September 26-October 2, 2019

Courtesy Robert Haynes/Facebook

Eric Slomanson/Courtesy End Hep C SF

Robert Haynes’ new vanity plate is a play on “depravity.”

UCSF epidemiologist Meghan Morris, Ph.D.

Hep C rising nationwide, but SF sees progress

by Liz Highleyman

epatitis C rates are rising and the epidemic is moving into younger age groups, a shift linked to the ongoing opioid crisis, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As a consequence, efforts to eliminate the virus are falling behind. “We’ve now experienced a 375% increase in new [hepatitis C] cases since 2010,” said Frank Hood of the AIDS Institute. “Hepatitis C can be cured, and we can end the epidemic in our lifetimes. With data showing that the crisis is worsening, we are calling upon the administration and the Congress to commit the necessary resources until hepatitis C is eliminated in the country.” In San Francisco, where hepatitis C is mostly occurring among people who inject drugs, several local initiatives to expand testing and treatment are showing good results, researchers and advocates reported at a September 16 research symposium sponsored by End Hep C SF. Shared injection equipment is the most common route of hepatitis C virus transmission, but it can also be transmitted sexually – especially among gay and bisexual men – and from mother to child. Over years or decades, chronic HCV infection can lead to severe liver complications including cirrhosis, liver cancer, and the need for a liver transplant. There is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C, but new antiviral medications can cure most people in eight to 12 weeks with few side effects.

New CDC numbers

Each week, health departments across the country report cases of viral hepatitis to the CDC. The latest national surveillance figures, through the end of 2017, show 3,186 reported acute, or recent, HCV infections, for a rate of 1.0 per 100,000 people. This represents an 8% jump from the prior year and continues a steady rise over the past decade. But experts estimate that fewer than one in 10 acute HCV infections are ever diagnosed, so the actual number is probably around 44,300. The CDC estimates that 2.4 million people have chronic HCV infection lasting more than See page 12 >>

OCT 25-27 co - p r es e n t e d by z s pac e

Vanity plate chides DMV censorship

Huge flag greets Leather Week

aul Valente, right, raises the new leather flag Sunday, September 22, as representatives from many leather community groups helped unfurl it, including Bay Area Reporter leather columnist Race Bannon, third from left. The new flag and flagpole are part of Eagle Plaza, believed to be the world’s first leather public parklet, which fronts the Eagle Tavern and is expected to be finished later this year. Attendees at the event, which ended the annual

by Matthew S. Bajko Jane Philomen Cleland

Leather Walk, included District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney. Last week, before the flagpole was installed, Eagle Tavern owner Alex Montiel wrote inside of it “#leatherbindsusall,” and his name and the name of his former business partner, Mike Leon, who died in May. For more Leather Week events, and information on the Folsom Street Fair Sunday, September 29, check out the BARtab section.

gay man whose request for a vanity license plate signaling he is a leather daddy was rejected by California’s Department of Motor Vehicles has succeeded in a bit of linguistic revenge against the state agency. Turning the DMV’s censorious policies on their head, San Francisco resident Robert Haynes won approval this summer for a vanity license plate that reads “DEPRAVT.” It is lifted straight from the rejection letter the DMV had sent him explaining it could not See page 13 >>

Lesbian-owned pharmacy opens Castro flagship location by Matthew S. Bajko

lesbian-owned independent pharmacy chain is opening its flagship location in the Castro this weekend in a new storefront on upper Market Street. It will also be the first independent pharmacy in California to provide its customers 24-hour access to their medications through a kiosk known as an automatic drug dispensing system. TIN Rx Pharmacy will open its doors Saturday, September 28, at 2181 Market Street. The retail space was carved out of the former Myriad food hall and was where the bar Mrs. Jones had operated. It is the company’s third location and its first pharmacy in an urban setting. Life and business partners Christina Garcia and Patricia J. Nachman opened their first location in 2017 when they took over a rural pharmacy in Los Molinos, California north of Chico. The business, Latimer’s Pharmacy, has operated in the Tehama County community since 1946. The following year the couple acquired a second rural pharmacy, Old Time Drugs, in nearby Corning, California. It first opened in 1970. “This business is dreamed up by pharmacists and created by pharmacists to cater to our patients,” said Garcia. “I am in a fight to keep

Rick Gerharter

TIN Rx Pharmacy co-owners Christina Garcia, left, and Patricia “PJ” Nachman enter the consultation room at their new pharmacy in the Castro.

independent pharmacies open.” When they first took over the Los Molinos pharmacy, the women received death threats due to being a lesbian couple, recalled Garcia. But as the community came to know them, and realized they are the biggest private business with a location in town, the women came to feel embraced.

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“We employ over 50 people with up to 20 employees between the two rural pharmacies,” said Garcia, “so they always come to us for support for fundraisers. Once they knew we would always be there for the community, the community warmed up to us.” The couple, together eight years and engaged See page 12 >>

<< Community News

2 • Bay Area Reporter • September 26-October 2, 2019

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or the third consecutive year, Santa Clara County observed Bisexual Visibility Day by raising the bi flag outside the County Government Building in San Jose Monday, September 23. On hand were Robert Sheehan, left, the bisexuals & friends group facilitator at the Billy DeFrank LGBTQ Community Center; Richard Mehlinger, chair of the Sunnyvale Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Commission; the Reverend Nancy Palmer Jones,

senior minister at First Unitarian Church of San Jose; Sera Fernando, chief diversity officer at Silicon Valley Pride; and Maribel Martínez, director of the Santa Clara County Office of LGBTQ Affairs. Also on hand was gay County Executive David Campos. In a news release, Martínez said that the county “is a firm believer in equity and social justice ... today we want to say to our bisexual community members, we stand with you and we celebrate you.”

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he board that oversees the San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration Committee will see two new board members, following elections last weekend that saw three incumbents defeated. Anjali Rimi, a transgender activist who co-founded Parivar, a collective for South Asian transgender and gender-nonconforming people, was the top vote-getter at the September 21 SF Pride annual general membership meeting. She received 95 votes. Longtime activist Alex U. Inn came in second with 65 votes. None of the other candidates received the 61-vote minimum. A total of 119 ballots were cast. Rimi and Inn will be seated at the next Pride board meeting and serve for three-year terms. “I feel excited and energized to continue the work that’s very much needed to bring us together as one community,” Rimi told the Bay Area Reporter after the vote. “A community that is trans, people of color, immigrant, differently abled ... building accountability for SF Pride as the social institution for underrepresented queer and trans voices here and everywhere else.” Inn did not respond to a Facebook message seeking comment. According to Fred Lopez, interim executive director of SF Pride, the board has the discretion to appoint a third board member. Current SF Pride board President Jacquelene Bishop, along with incumbents DJ Gray and William Walker, did not win re-election. Two of the candidates were not present for the meeting. The other 11 candidates were given four minutes each to speak. Lopez, Marsha Levine, and Alvaro Gonzalez served as election inspectors, while former SF Pride executive director George F. Ridgely Jr., Jokie X. Wilson, and former school board member Kim-Shree Maufas were the election observers. Carolyn Wysinger was the time-keeper, and Suzanne Ford was the vibe watcher, who had the authority to pause the meeting if standards of behavior were not being met. During her remarks, Rimi called for the accountability of police actions to be addressed. “I will deploy inclusion and diversity checks for any [for-]profit corporation participating at SF Pride, along with a revamp of the revenue model that relies heavily on corporations,” she said. “SF Pride has a responsibil-

Rick Gerharter

Anjali Rimi, who won a seat on the SF Pride board, spoke at the annual meeting last Saturday.

Courtesy SF Pride

Alex U. Inn was elected to the SF Pride board.

ity to evolve beyond cisness, beyond whiteness, and deter any anti-blackness that still exists in our community at large. The Latino gay man fighting racism, that Muslim lesbian fighting Islamophobia, and black trans woman fighting transphobia, these voices need to be uplifted.” Inn, founder of Momma’s Boyz, a local drag king troupe, was met with wild applause when they spoke. “My statement is simple,” Inn said. “We must bring Pride back to its roots. We owe it to our queer-cestors before us to recognize that Pride started as a riot, fighting for our rights and our lives. Pride should be looked at through a protest lens. “With this current administration trying to eliminate any gains we have made, we can’t stand back as the platform we have as the most-watched Pride organization in the world,” Inn said, referring to the Trump administration. “We owe it to those who don’t have a voice. Our 50th anniversary should say it all: we are proud and not intimidated. Pride is a riot, a protest, a march.” Next year marks the 50th of the San Francisco Pride celebration. This year

was the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York City, largely viewed as the birth of the modern gay rights movement. Attendees at the meeting were pleased with the results. “I’m so thrilled to have a trans woman of color on the board,” said Dana Hopkins, a 68-year-old queer woman. “I know Anjali and how experienced and competent she is.” Others were first-time participants. “I am encouraged by all of the exuberance and passion that all the candidates have displayed,” said Simone Campbell, a 53-year-old lesbian. “Clearly everyone is really interested in affecting real and meaningful change and while that’s great, like any other team it’s about putting the best people in the right position.” SF Pride board member Bruce Beaudette, a 60-year-old gay and queer man, said that he thought that the candidates were very passionate and interested in seeing change happen. “The winners will learn about the process of bringing about change,” he said. “It’s harder than simply talking about it.” t

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<< Open Forum

4 • Bay Area Reporter • September 26-October 2, 2019

Volume 49, Number 39 September 26-October 2, 2019 www.ebar.com PUBLISHER Michael M. Yamashita Thomas E. Horn, Publisher Emeritus (2013) Publisher (2003 – 2013) Bob Ross, Founder (1971 – 2003) NEWS EDITOR Cynthia Laird ARTS EDITOR Roberto Friedman BARTAB EDITOR & EVENTS LISTINGS EDITOR Jim Provenzano ASSISTANT EDITORS Matthew S. Bajko CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ray Aguilera • Tavo Amador • Race Bannon Roger Brigham • Brian Bromberger Victoria A. Brownworth • Philip Campbell Heather Cassell • Belo Cipriani • Dan Renzi Michael Flanagan • Jim Gladstone David Guarino • Liz Highleyman Brandon Judell • John F. Karr • Lisa Keen Matthew Kennedy • Joshua Klipp David Lamble • Max Leger David-Elijah Nahmod • Paul Parish Lois Pearlman • Tim Pfaff • Jim Piechota Bob Roehr • Gregg Shapiro • Gwendolyn Smith Sari Staver • Tony Taylor • Charlie Wagner Ed Walsh • Cornelius Washington • Sura Wood ART DIRECTION Max Leger PRODUCTION/DESIGN Ernesto Sopprani PHOTOGRAPHERS Jane Philomen Cleland • FBFE Rick Gerharter • Gareth Gooch Jose Guzman-Colon • Rudy K. Lawidjaja Georg Lester • Dan Lloyd • Jo-Lynn Otto Rich Stadtmiller • Kelly Sullivan • Fred Rowe Steven Underhil • Bill Wilson ILLUSTRATORS & CARTOONISTS Paul Berge • Christine Smith ADVERTISING/ADMINISTRATION Colleen Small Bogitini VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVERTISING Scott Wazlowski – 415.829.8937 NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Rivendell Media – 212.242.6863

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The category is: Winning

illy Porter made Emmy history Sunday night when he became the first openly gay black man to win outstanding lead actor in a drama series for his work on “Pose.” The FX series, which recently ended its second season, is about New York City’s African American and Latino LGBTQ and gender-nonconforming ballroom culture scene in the 1980s and early 1990s. Porter plays the gregarious emcee Pray Tell, a father figure to many of the queer characters, most of whom are played by out actors. They cheered him on from the audience at the Microsoft Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. Porter’s speech was electrifying; a proud gay black man took a few minutes to remind all of us why the fight for equality is not over. “The category is love, y’all,” Porter exclaimed. “I am so overwhelmed and I am so overjoyed to have lived long enough to see this day.” He quoted the late gay novelist and playwright James Baldwin’s 1960 essay “They Can’t Turn Back”: “It took many years of vomiting up all the filth I’d been taught about myself, and half-believed, before I was able to walk on the earth as if I had a right to be here. “I have the right,” Porter said.“You have the right. We all have the right.” After thanking his husband, the “Pose” cast, and others, Porter added, “We as artists are the people that get to change the molecular structure of the hearts and minds of the people who live on this planet. Please don’t ever stop doing that. Please don’t ever stop telling the truth.” He’s right, and these days, truth, as in us living authentically with our own truth, is more important than ever. “Pose” presents LGBTQs struggling against prejudice and the AIDS epidemic at a time when we weren’t accepted in the mainstream and did not have as many rights – but had the resilience to create chosen families when our biological families disowned us. Decades later, it’s still much the same as evidenced by

Courtesy ABC

Actor Billy Porter talks about his historic Emmy win Sunday night.

the 46% homeless rate among queer youth in San Francisco’s latest PointIn-Time Count that was issued in July. Black and brown gay and bi men remain stubbornly more likely to be diagnosed with HIV than their white peers and disparities are still present regarding early treatment. PrEP use

among black and brown gay and bi men and trans women is lower than it should be. As artists, the cast of “Pose” remind us how bad those old days were, when the awful, toxic AZT was the only drug available, when T cells rapidly fell, and opportunistic infections ravaged bodies. But even 38 years into the epidemic, some people in the U.S. and many around the world still suffer from lack of treatment. Out actors who give stellar performances should be recognized. Hopefully, Porter’s historic win won’t be an anomaly and will show the entertainment industry that queer people can act at top levels to be considered for awards. Emmys statuettes were awarded to two other black men. “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” the VH1 reality show fronted by the gay star himself, won for competition series, which it also won last year. RuPaul won last week at the Creative Emmys for competition series host. Jharrel Jerome, who is straight and 21, became the youngest to win in his category of lead actor in a limited series for his portrayal of Korey Wise in “When They See Us.” The Netflix show examined the case of the Central Park Five, about the five black and Latino Harlem adolescents who were wrongfully convicted of raping and beating a female jogger in 1989. There was no #Emmyssowhite this year, and that itself is a positive sign after comedian Shane Gillis was suddenly hired and fired from “Saturday Night Live” for his racist and homophobic remarks. The controversy overshadowed SNL’s historic hiring of a gay Asian comic, Bowen Yang, which was announced at the same time earlier this month. With more TV content than ever before – broadcast, cable, streaming – it looks like the television academy, at least, is starting to pay attention to what the Los Angeles Times calls “peak TV” – and how far the medium has come creatively and still has to go. t

Unsure whether I’ll join Gilead lawsuit by Hank Trout

have recently learned about a class action lawsuit instituted on behalf of people living with HIV who took one or more of Gilead’s tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) drugs – Truvada, Viread, Atripla, Complera, and Stribild – and then suffered kidney disease and/or bone density loss. The suit alleges that some 20,000 people with HIV have been diagnosed with kidney disease after taking TDF-based antiretroviral drugs. Studies have also shown that TDF drugs cause an increased risk of bone diseases and fractures. Thousands of bone breaks have allegedly been linked to the drug compound. The basis of the lawsuit is that Gilead allegedly knew as early as 2001 that TDF could cause serious side effects. In 2002, it allegedly tested a new, less toxic formula – tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF), now found in, and marketed as, Biktarvy, Descovy, Genvoya, and Odefsey – that works as effectively as TDF but uses a smaller, safer dose. The newer formulations have never been linked to the same risks as the earlier versions. The lawsuit alleges that the company intentionally delayed development and release of the safer TAF version so that it could continue to profit from its monopoly on TDF. The suit alleges that the company hid TDF’s risks while earning billions of dollars as it became one of the world’s most-prescribed HIV medicines, thus harming patients who could have benefited from the newer formulations. I was diagnosed with HIV in 1989. Since the antiretroviral therapy (ART) cocktails were introduced in 1996, I have taken more different regimens of HIV meds than I can remember. But a glance at my medical records reveals that for nearly 11 years, from late 2004 through early 2016, my ART regimen included Truvada. And while I have had no problems with my kidneys (knock wood), I have indeed been diagnosed with advanced osteoporosis. In recent years, my bones have become extremely fragile. During 2018 alone, I had four compression fractures in my spine – the last one caused by simply bending over to tuck the bed sheet under the bed corner. I have also suffered three herniated discs near the base of my spine. I believe a darn good case could be made that the Truvada either caused, or at

Courtesy Hank Trout

Hank Trout

least has aggravated, those problems. I meet all the requirements for joining the lawsuit as a member of the class suing Gilead. Over the years, friends of mine have listened patiently as I ranted about how horribly pharmaceutical companies have treated HIV patients whose lives depend upon their medications. I have posited that, since no one could accurately predict the horrendous immediate side effects of their ART drugs or the drugs’ long-term effects on our bodies, all of us who have taken those drugs since 1996 have essentially been unpaid guinea pigs for Big Pharma. I have argued that instead of making us pay for these drugs, pharmaceutical companies should be paying us for letting them experiment on us. Gilead and other pharmaceutical companies have made billions of dollars from their experiments on us – it wouldn’t hurt them to share their profits. After all, even lab rats get fed now and then. And so the litigious little devil that sits on my left shoulder keeps screaming at me, “Fill out those papers and mail them in! Get in on the action, you fool! You might be compensated for these years you’ve suffered!” I find myself reluctantly agreeing with him more and more.

And then ... And then there’s the prissy little goody-twoshoes angel sitting on my right shoulder, shaking his head and frowning disapproval at me. You see, even if taking Truvada for 11 years did cause or aggravate my osteoporosis, I’m aware that for 11 years Truvada also kept me alive. The little angel on my right shoulder looks at the devil on the left, shakes his head in disappointment, and says to me, “You ungrateful, selfish little man! Gilead created a drug that kept you alive for 11 years, and this is how you show your gratitude – by suing the company over the side effects?! What is wrong with you?” So here’s the dilemma: Do I join the class action lawsuit and hope for a court settlement that results in compensation for the acute pain and suffering and injury that osteoporosis has already caused me and which will continue for the rest of my life? Or do I just let it go, remind myself that if it weren’t for the Truvada I wouldn’t be here contemplating this decision, and just content myself with being kept alive for all these years? Suing the company whose drugs have kept me alive for so many years just doesn’t feel right, like an example of “no good deed goes unpunished.” It feels disrespectful and ungrateful. But do I want to give the company a pass on that whole “first, do no harm” idea? And if Gilead’s gains are ill-got, well, yeah, the company should relinquish some of those gains. If the class wins compensation, I can consider it payment for my services as a guinea pig and compensation for my injuries. I’ve filled in and signed and dated all the forms and put them in the pre-paid FedEx envelope provided. Right now, I’m not sure what I’ll do with it. t Hank Trout is a 39-year resident of San Francisco and a 30-year long-term HIV/AIDS survivor. A veteran activist, he is a senior editor at A&U: America’s AIDS Magazine; http:// www.aumag.org. For the Bay Area Reporter’s story on the Gilead suit, go to https://www. ebar.com/news/legal//281973/advocates_say_ gilead_broke_antitrust_laws.

Politics >>

t Out CA House members back impeachment hearings

September 26-October 2, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 5

by Matthew S. Bajko

s calls to impeach President Donald Trump snowballed this week in Congress following revelations that he withheld aid to Ukraine while imploring the country’s newly elected president to investigate his political rival former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., bisexual California Congresswoman Katie Hill (D-Agua Dulce) came out Tuesday in support of impeaching the president if the allegations he misused the power of his office are proved true. “I was elected to represent people who love our country, and I swore an oath to uphold, protect, and defend the United States Constitution. That’s why, now, I strongly support the House of Representatives moving forward with impeachment proceedings – it is what the Constitution, my constituents, and my conscience demands,” Hill wrote in an email to her supporters. “If Congress confirms reports of egregious misconduct that threaten the security of our country or undermine faith in our democracy, I will vote to impeach the president.” Her statement comes a little more than a month after California’s other out House member, gay Congressman Mark Takano (D-Riverside), called for holding impeachment hearings against the president. His decision was based on the findings in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report that concluded Russia had interfered in the 2016 presidential election and that Trump’s campaign welcomed the intervention by a foreign government. “Taking everything into account, I cannot ignore the call to defend our institutions, to safeguard our democratic norms, and to stand up for our democracy. It would be a dereliction of duty to sit by idly as the president chips away at our democracy, day by day,” stated Takano in a video message he released August 22 to explain why he supported launching impeachment proceedings against Trump. Tuesday afternoon, based on the latest revelations, Takano called for the president to be impeached as his actions were “an egregious abuse of power” and “a textbook definition of corruption” aimed at undermining the country’s democratic process. “Soliciting interference in our elections by a foreign power is unlawful and un-American. As I have said before, under our system of checks and balances, Congress has a duty to use the powers granted by our Founders to seek remedy and restore the people’s faith in our government,” stated Takano. “No person is above the law, and that includes the person who holds the highest office in the land. The path forward for Congress is clear; President Trump must be impeached.” Since the news broke last week about Trump’s conversations with the Ukrainian president, numerous Democratic House members who had been on the fence about holding impeachment hearings have come out in favor of either starting the inquiry or outright calling for Trump to be impeached. Various media outlets count more than 200 House Democrats in support of launching an impeachment inquiry. Trump, who has insisted he did nothing wrong, released on Wednesday the summary of his phone call where he repeatedly brought up an investigation into Biden and his son, Hunter, who had business dealings in Ukraine. And the White House was in talks on also turning over the whistleblower’s complaint and allowing the anonymous person to speak with

Courtesy Facebook

Out California Democratic House members Katie Hill, left, and Mark Takano back impeachment hearings for President Donald Trump.

congressional investigators. After meeting with the Democratic Caucus Tuesday afternoon, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) announced the House would begin a formal impeachment inquiry of President Trump. At a news conference, she said, “The president must be held accountable. No one is above the law.” For the past two years Pelosi has strained to quell calls for impeachment in her party, instead preferring to wait for the Mueller report to be released and then favoring congressional investigations into a number of potentially impeachable offenses Trump has been accused of since taking office in 2017. In her statement Tuesday, Hill noted that she had been “incredibly measured” in regard to the impeachment issue. Elected in 2016, Hill helped her party retake control of the House by flipping a district north of Los Angeles that had long been represented by a Republican. Considered a moderate, she is likely to be targeted by the GOP next year as she seeks a second term. The latest revelations about Trump’s actions was the final straw for Hill, whose spokesperson had indicated last week to reporters that the freshman lawmaker was supportive of beginning impeachment proceedings. “I believe in our country, in the Constitution, and in the checks and balances we have in place to protect our democracy. Those rules have ensured that our government is and will always be of the people, by the people, and for the people,” wrote Hill. “At this point, I believe a threshold has been crossed by this President and those checks and balances are in jeopardy.” Monday lesbian Congresswoman Angie Craig of Minnesota came out in support of starting impeachment proceedings. In a statement, she wrote, “We must safeguard our electoral process and our very democracy from outside threats. For this reason, the current investigations into corruption must continue. And when there is an abuse of power of this magnitude, it is our responsibility to stand up for what is right. This is why I am calling to open impeachment proceedings – immediately, fairly, and impartially.” As of Tuesday afternoon two of the eight out House members, all Democrats, had yet to come out in support of either impeaching Trump or holding an impeachment inquiry. The holdouts are gay Congressman Sean Maloney of New York and lesbian freshman Congresswoman Sharice Davids of Kansas. Both have come under increased pressure in recent days to back impeaching Trump. In May, Davids was quoted in a Washington Post article as saying, “While we still need to access the underlying documents and evidence, I continue to have full faith in my colleagues on the relevant House committees to conduct necessary

oversight and uphold the rule of law. Congress has a constitutional obligation to serve as a check on the executive branch.” As for Maloney, he told CNN in April that, “I want the president held accountable and I want that done in the best way. I’m not sold that impeachment is the best way.” But on Tuesday he signaled he was closer to backing impeachment. In a statement, Maloney said that if the White House doesn’t “immediately” hand over the whistleblower complaint made about Trump’s calls with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky “and the recordings of any calls – and they dispel these allegations – I’m prepared to support an impeachment inquiry.” Gay Congressmen Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, Chris Pappas of New Jersey, and David Cicilline of Rhode Island were some of the earliest backers for impeaching Trump. “The dam’s not breaking. It’s broken. Proud that so many of my colleagues are standing up to President Trump’s wanton abuse of power today. It is clear that there is no other option than to impeach this President,” Cicilline wrote on Twitter Tuesday. Pocan also took to Twitter Tuesday to write, “It’s time to end the ‘I’ games – investigations, inquiries, indictment – no more word salad. It’s time for impeachment.” As for Pappas, he had called in July for impeachment proceedings to begin against the president. In the Senate, lesbian Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin), and bisexual Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona) have yet to back impeaching Trump or calling for an impeachment inquiry to begin. On Tuesday, Baldwin called on the White House to turn over the whistleblower compliant. She wrote on Twitter that the House “is taking appropriate action in response to the Trump administration’s refusal to follow the law and provide this whistleblower complaint and inspector general report to Congress, which has a constitutional responsibility to get all the facts and provide oversight of the Executive Branch.”

Correction

Last week’s column, “SF D5 supervisor candidates split on transit issues,” misquoted tenants rights activist Dean Preston saying that he rides the N-Judah Muni subway line everyday. The quote should have said that Preston has “been riding Muni every day for 26 years, and I haven’t seen it worse.” The online version has been corrected. 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 covered a report looking at how the majority of states and the federal government are failing to collect LGBT data.

Barry Schneider Attorney at Law

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!

<< Community News

6 • Bay Area Reporter • September 26-October 2, 2019

Appeal court revives Dignity Health bias suit by Rae Raucci

trans man who sued Catholicaffiliated Dignity Health over claims it was discriminatory in deciding not to perform his surgery has won an appeal that has revived his lawsuit. It was three years ago that Evan Minton, 37, had been scheduled to get a hysterectomy at Dignity’s Mercy San Juan Medical Center in Sacramento. To his shock and dismay, as he moved toward his surgical date with the approval of his surgeon, Dr. Lindsey Dawson, his disclosure of his transgender status on a routine visit led to the hospital banning his surgery on discriminatory grounds. Not only did the hospital tell him that the surgery was called off because he was transgender, shortly thereafter a hospital administrator also told his surgeon they would “never” do a surgery for a person like him at their facility, according to court documents. Minton, a former state legislative aide who now works for Voices for Progress and lives in the Sacramento suburb of Orangevale, filed a lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court in April 2017, arguing that Dignity withheld care from Minton because of his gender identity, a violation of California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act. In October of that year, the court sustained Dignity’s demand for a demurrer, an objection that an opponent’s point is irrelevant or invalid, while granting the factual basis of the point. Minton appealed the dismissal of the case and last week, the California Court of Appeal, First District, found Dignity’s actions discriminatory and remanded the case back to San Francisco Superior Court. “The trial court’s fundamental error is that it misconstrues Minton’s pleading,” the three-judge panel wrote in its ruling. “Minton does not allege,

Courtesy ACLU

Evan Minton won an appeal and his case is headed back to San Francisco Superior Court.

nor does he contend on appeal, that providing him with access to alternative hospital facilities violated the Unruh Act. He alleges that the act was violated on August 29, 2016, when defendant canceled the scheduled procedure at Mercy and Mercy’s president told Dr. Dawson that she would never be allowed to perform Minton’s hysterectomy at Mercy.” As the panel said in its unanimous decision: “When his (Minton’s) surgery was canceled, he was subject to discrimination. Dignity Health’s subsequent reactive offer to arrange treatment elsewhere was not the implementation of a policy to provide full and equal care to all persons at comparable facilities not subject to the same religious restrictions that applied at Mercy (Hospital). As Minton argued at the hearing for the demurrer, it cannot constitute full equality under the

Unruh Act to cancel his procedure for a discriminatory purpose, wait to see if the doctor complains, and only then attempt to reschedule the procedure at a different hospital. ‘Full and equal’ access requires avoiding discrimination, not merely remedying it after it has occurred.” The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California and Covington & Burlington LLP are representing Minton. “We are pleased by the Court of Appeal’s decision, which confirms that it is illegal discrimination for a hospital to deny someone care simply because that person is transgender,” Lindsey Barnhart, a lawyer with Covington & Burling, told the Bay Area Reporter. “California’s Unruh Act promises full and equal access to public accommodations, including hospitals. Dignity Health’s cancellation of Mr. Minton’s

hysterectomy after learning he is transgender, despite regularly providing hysterectomies for cisgender patients, violated the Unruh Act. We look forward to moving ahead with the discovery process and taking the case to trial in San Francisco Superior Court.” Elizabeth Gill, a senior staff attorney with the ACLU of Northern California, said in a news release that Dignity “refuses to provide necessary care to transgender patients.” Dignity Health, however, continues to contend that it has the right to turn away transgender patients if it provides separate but equal medical facilities. “Dignity Health has a legacy of providing care to all people regardless of their background, sexual orientation, or gender identity,” Dignity external communications director Dan Loeterman wrote in an email.

“Our services are available to everyone without discrimination and all are welcome at our care sites. Catholic hospitals do not perform sterilizing procedures such as hysterectomies for any patient regardless of their gender identity, unless there is a serious threat to the life or health of the patient. Courts have repeatedly recognized the right of faith-based hospitals not to provide services based on their religious principles.” Loeterman added that Dignity is “sensitive to the specific health needs of transgender patients and specialty care for trans individuals is offered at many of our care sites. In this case, Mr. Minton was able to quickly receive the sought-after procedure at another nearby Dignity Health hospital that is not Catholic-affiliated.” On the whole, Minton feels vindicated and hopeful about winning his case. “I feel really affirmed,” he told the B.A.R., referring to the appellate court ruling. “I feel great, excited, and hopeful for the trans community, moving Dignity Health one step closer to abiding by the law to stop discriminating against trans people. While there was clearly a fight before the wind of victory of this judgment came at my back, it was devastating at first to be turned away because of who I am.” Minton said he felt the appeal court “stood for civil rights in my case, and that all trans people deserve this type of validation that the court said that my medical treatment was necessary. Dignity Health has been dismissive of trans people for so long, this decision has been really affirming. “My next step is for this case to be heard in San Francisco Superior Court, to lay out our full narrative for the court, and to see what Dignity Health’s response will be,” Minton said. “In this day and age, trans people should be not treated this way, and I look forward to my day in court.” t

Travel >>

t Life’s a beach in Laguna and on Catalina Island by Charlie Wagner

lay on a warm beach. Dive into the Pacific without a wetsuit. Explore an exotic and mostly uninhabited island without flying to Hawaii. My husband and I did all that and more on a Southern California road trip.

The beach is Laguna

We drove down Highway 5 very early on a Saturday in late August, and checked into the Laguna Brisas Hotel in Laguna Beach (https://www.lagunabrisashotel.com/, doubles from $149 plus taxes and “resort fees”). The hotel fronts what locals call PCH, otherwise known as the Pacific Coast Highway. Cross PCH, take a short path around the oceanfront hotel and down some wooden steps, and you’re on the sand. To warm up for an ocean swim, we jumped into the small hotel pool. The air temperature was a perfect 80 degrees and the pool was only a few degrees cooler. “Surf City” by the Beach Boys played quietly on the PA system as tension from the drive melted away. PCH becomes a parking lot on summer days, but Laguna Beach has a free trolley system, so we never moved our car. The trolley’s an open-air ride so slow traffic just enhances the people-watching. You won’t have the beaches to yourself, but with temperatures in the high 80s the water was refreshing and not cold. Most Laguna beaches are small coves separated by rocks. There are some strong undertows, but many beaches have lifeguards. Popular Woods Cove Beach is closest to Laguna Brisas, but the trolley also reaches the larger, gay-popular West Street Beach in South Laguna. In easy walking distance is Laguna’s only, but very visible, gay bar, the Main Street Bar (https://www. mainstreet-bar.com/). On a Saturday night, it was fairly lively with a small but popular dance floor with a mix of people enjoying themselves. Just next door is the Selanne Steak Tavern (https://www.selannesteaktavern.com/), recommended by a SoCal friend as the best in Laguna. It’s more than a steakhouse and we ordered a very fresh salmon entrée, but plan on spending $200-plus for two with wine. The meal started with a delicious amuse-bouche of Poblano Pepper soup with a dollop of Crème Fraiche, garnished with tiny tortilla chip strips. Next we shared two salads: a Summer Melon salad with a gorgeous mélange of red and orange cherry tomatoes, red and yellow watermelon, and cucumber slices, topped with basil and a lemon yogurt emulsion; and a wedge salad with iceberg lettuce, bacon bits and bacon foam. The Mac and Cheese side comes with Parmesan cheese foam, a sensual delight as the foam slowly deflates on your tongue. The small dessert menu includes a creative take on coffee & donuts. We sat in the wind-protected outdoor veranda under glowing Moroccan lamps painted white. Like almost every Laguna restaurant, dress is casual and many diners wore shorts. Laguna has long been LGBTQfriendly and we were delighted to read on the front page of the formerly very Republican Orange County Register the headline, “LGBTQ History isn’t what you’d think.” Since the early 1900s, Laguna has been called an “art colony” and has dozens of galleries. We spent an hour at the modern, oceanfront Laguna Art Museum (https://lagunaartmuseum.org/), enjoying the works of California artist John Baldessari. One employee, who asked to remain anonymous, said the more serious commercial galleries were on PCH north of Broadway, starting with Sue Greenwood Fine Art (www.suegreenwoodfineart.com/).

September 26-October 2, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 7

For sauntering along Main Beach there’s a small boardwalk and fans of print media will enjoy a rare newsstand at Ocean and PCH just across the street. The nearby visitor center has maps and very helpful staff. Pick up the Heritage Walking Companion, which illustrates two walking tours of historic Laguna bungalows and cottages, built as early as 1884. The Greeter was a famous figure in Laguna history, a cheery man who waved to everyone who passed through town. At the southern end of Main Beach, Greeter’s Corner Restaurant (https://www.thegreeterscorner.com/) is a decent spot for lunch (about $70 for two). Much better, but more expensive, is Las Brisas (https://www.lasbrisaslagunabeach.com/), featuring “Foods of Mexico,” on a cliff overlooking the entire Main Beach and the coast looking south. Filet (mignon) and Lobster Enchiladas were delicious: lobster without the work. Service was exceptional and just outside is beautiful Cliff Drive, a favorite route for an evening promenade. No visit to Laguna is complete without seeing “where art comes to

Untitled-2 1

(http://www.foapom.com) and includes admission to the adjacent Festival of the Arts. There’s far more to do in Laguna than time allowed. There’s easy hiking in neighboring Willow Canyon, a monthly Art Walk, live theater and music at the Laguna Playhouse (http://www.lagunaplayhouse.com), and the Jazz International Summer Series at the Woman’s Club. The free OC Weekly newspaper has other entertainment options.

Catalina is the island Charlie Wagner

People enjoy Main Beach in Laguna Beach, as seen from cliff top Heisler Park.

life” during the Pageant of the Masters at the Festival of Arts of Laguna Beach. Live models replicate (mostly) famous works of art. Our confidential art adviser at the museum said his friends told him, “You have to go once. But only once!” Cynics (and spouses) might argue it transgresses into what John Waters calls “bad, bad taste,” but one of us enjoyed the experience nonetheless. The three-dozen tableaux vivant

(living pictures) combined Vermeer’s “The Music Lesson,” five different Saturday Evening Post covers, and my personal favorite: the Mechanic’s Monument on San Francisco’s Market Street, a favorite prop for risqué photos during our LGBT Pride parade. Photography during the pageant is prohibited, but be sure to bring binoculars! Last-minute tickets are offered at a deep discount on the official website

You can see Catalina Island from Long Beach on a clear day, but in only 70 minutes the Catalina Express catamaran (http://www.catalinaexpress. com) transports visitors 26 miles out to sea to Catalina’s only town, Avalon. Get tickets in advance as they often sell out in summer; reserve plenty of time to find the correct parking lot. Adult round-trip fares are $74.50; if the boat is crowded, it’s worth paying $15 extra to upgrade to the Commodore Lounge. William Wrigley Jr., of the chewing gum family, purchased nearly the entire island in 1919 and spent millions developing it as a tourist destination See page 12 >>

9/25/19 9:51 AM

<< Community News

8 • Bay Area Reporter • September 26-October 2, 2019

New sex toy to be unveiled at Folsom

by Sari Staver

new sex toy designed and produced by a local queer person will be unveiled at the Folsom Street Fair. Assisted Reproduction • Surrogacy • Prenups Cute Little Fuckers is a line of small Divorce • Custody • Parentage Disputes vibrators shaped like “adorable monsters,” along with a webcam series on www.waldlaw.net sexual health and queer issues. It’s the brainchild of 28-year-old Stephen Tranovich, known as “Step,” an Oakland resident who identifies as gender fluid and has been active in the sex88 Kearny Street, Suite 1475 • SF, CA 94108 • (415) 648-3097 positive community in the Bay Area since they moved here five years ago from Washington, D.C. Tranovich is also the founder of the nonprofit organization Loud and Queer, which “runs lots of events around sex positivity, polyamory, and kink” and has an online presence, they said in a recent interview in San Francisco. Designed for use by all genders, the new vibrating toy was introduced September 24 on Kickstarter (https:// www.kickstarter.com/projects/stranovich/cute-little-fuckers) and Sunday, September 29, at the Folsom Street Fair. Tranovich said Cute Little Fuckers “is an activist organization in a cute GAY TOUR OF package, fighting for gender inclusion and more accessible sexual health.” $2,439.00 (not incl. airfare SFO - DEL - SFO: $800.00) Tranovich started the company earDelhi, Taj Mahal, Camel Safari, Lake Palaces, lier this year “for social impact” but was also “hoping to find a way to support” Blue City, 5-Star Hotels, Gay Guide(s), Spectacular Shopping. themself if it turns out their painful Departures: Nov 9 - 22, 2019; 2020: Jan, Feb., March neuropathy, which has forced them to leave the nine-to-five workforce, For information: phil@askphilwalker.com doesn’t improve. Ten months ago, TraPhil Walker: 415-816-3527 novich said they developed numbness This is our Fourth Tour since October, 2018 in both hands, causing them to leave Affordable India Gay Travel their computer-based job. The symptoms have since spread throughout their body and doctors have been unable to find the cause, they said. PhilWalker_1-8PAGE_090519-122619.indd 1 9/3/19 12:01 PM The idea for the vibrators came

INDIA

Stephen “Step” Tranovich holds their new sex toys.

during a conversation with friends who agreed “it would be fun to have sex toys with more personality and creativity.” Tranovich said they “let the idea simmer in their head for a while” before constructing the first prototypes. After interviewing “tons of people” to see what they thought of the idea and receiving “an overwhelmingly positive response,” Tranovich took the plunge. There are currently three characters available: Princette Puppypus, Trinity, and Galh. The toys are made of 100% medical grade silicone, except for the internal electronics, Tranovich said. They vibrate at five speeds and in five modes. They’re “incredibly strong,” they said. The toys are USB rechargeable, quiet, waterproof, and easy to clean They’re also “innocuous,” Tranovich said. “You can leave them on the counter and nobody will know it’s a sex toy.” Tranovich is keeping their fingers crossed that the product will take

Sari Staver

off. The first batch of prototypes sold out in a week, based on publicity on social media. “I think they will help a lot of people to explore their sexuality,” Tranovich said. At a price of $90 each, “they’re super affordable for the quality,” they said. By next year, Tranovich said they hope they’ll also be available in retail stores. No matter how well they sell, Tranovich said starting their own company has had its own rewards already. Tranovich’s illness has been “genuinely terrifying” they said, “but my ability to launch the new company has shown me that even in difficult times I can still show up to the world in powerful ways. “And I realize I’m part of an incredible community that has supported me in more ways than I can count,” they added. For more information, visit www. cutelittlefuckers.com and www.loudandqueer.com. t

SF’s 30th Street Senior san francisco ColumbariuM Center turns 40 THIS IS THE

and

by Samantha Laurey

Funeral Home

member of the LGBT community who has long advocated for seniors, and is now one himself, is helping celebrate the 30th Street Senior Center’s 40th anniversary. The San Francisco center opened in 1979. In 1995, it became part of On Lok’s family of senior services. According to a recent On Lok newsletter article, “One day 40 years ago, groups of enterprising seniors in search of a gathering place went to see Hadley Hall, executive director of San Francisco Home Health Service.” “They had been meeting in churches, in garages, in storefronts, and they were looking for an opportunity to create community and provide for themselves,” Hall said in the article. The article noted that one group was led by Graciela Cashion, an outspoken Nicaraguan immigrant on a mission to rally the community around the idea of a senior center; another by Arturo Cardenas; and a third by Ray Moreno, a quiet and thoughtful former Teamster who helped to organize the seniors as he would a union group. Through his role at SFHHS, Hall had also been thinking about creating a multi-purpose senior center in the former psychiatric hospital at 225 30th Street that the agency had acquired. Hall, a gay man who joined SFHHS in the 1950s, explained in a recent interview that the agency had people assist elders in their homes

formerly the Neptune Society

We’ve expanded our services and kept the spirit and tradition.

Call (415) 771-0717 One Loraine Court between Stanyan & Arguello

FD 1306

SF_Columbarium_2x7.625_033017.indd 1

COA 660

8/11/17 12:30 PM

Samantha Laurey

Hadley Hall has been involved with the 30th Street Senior Center from the beginning.

by helping clean and driving them to appointments, among other tasks. At the time, however, it did not provide any health care services. “The 30th Street Senior Center saves Medicare and Medi-Cal in health care spending, with fewer ambulance rides, ER and doctor visits, fewer hospital stays, fewer medications, and a significant reduction in health emergencies,” Hall said. Hall said that he had become colleagues with On Lok founder Marie-Louise Ansak through their advocacy of senior health care and social services. Between Hall and Ansak, they had worked together to grow the possibilities of improving care for elders, he said. On Lok serves as the parent agency for a group of nonprofit organiza-

tions whose collective mission is to pursue quality of life and quality of care for older adults and their families, its website notes. That includes the 30th Street Senior Center. “For the last four decades, 30th Street Senior Center has helped seniors live full, independent lives for as long as possible,” On Lok Executive Director John Blazek wrote in an email. “From the popular Mission Nutrition meals program to the many integrated health and social services offered, we’re proud of the opportunity we have to nourish souls and minds with companionship and human interaction.” Hall continues to attend the 30th Street Senior Center and advocates for all seniors to have health care, social services, and leisure activities. He wants all seniors to have a comfortable life that does not bind them to a bed. According to its website, the center offers an Always Active program, general exercise and fitness programs, and a midday meal Monday through Saturday, with seatings at noon and 1 p.m., for eligible seniors. It offers home-delivered meals for those who qualify. “My motivation for continuing my work with 30th Street and On Lok is that I am still alive and nothing is perfect yet and I can help make it so,” said Hall. A benefit anniversary dinner set for Friday is sold out. t To inquire about programs at the 30th Street Senior Center, visit http:// www.30thstreetseniorcenter.org/.

Community News>>

September 26-October 2, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 9

PFLAG to host ‘5B’ film screening at benefit event

Rejuvenate your vitality! We can make a difference in how you feel about yourself.

compiled by Cynthia Laird

FLAG San Francisco will screen “5B,” the inspirational story of everyday heroes who took extraordinary action to comfort and care for patients of the first HIV/AIDS ward unit in the U.S. – at what was then called San Francisco General Hospital (it’s now formally known as Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital). The event, a benefit for the PFLAG chapter, takes place Saturday, October 5, at the Women’s Building, 3543 18th Street. Doors open at 5 p.m., the film starts at 6. John Foertsch, a board member of PFLAG SF, said that several of the film’s participants are expected to attend and talk about how HIV/AIDS affected their lives and how it led them to becoming involved on the ward, which became the model for AIDS care at the time. The audience will have the opportunity to ask questions. The documentary includes firstperson testimony of the nurses and caregivers who build the ward in 1983, their patients, loved ones, and staff who volunteered to create care practices based in humanity and holistic well-being during a time of great uncertainty. According to the film’s website, “the result is an uplifting yet candid and bittersweet monument to a pivotal moment in American history and a celebration of quiet heroes’ worthy of renewed recognition.” According to the film production company, those who are expected to attend the screening include Sasha Cuttler, George Kelly, Harry Breaux, Guy Vandenberg, Steve Williams, Alison Moed, and Cliff Morrison. In an email, Breaux wrote that he is looking forward to attending the local screening. “5B” premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year as an official special screening. The film is co-directed by Paul Haggis and Dan Krauss. Tickets are $25 for a movie ticket and one drink ticket. To purchase tickets and see a trailer of the film, go to https://pflagsanfrancisco.regfox.com/a-night-at-themovies-with-pflag-sf-5b.

Send postcards to politicians, biz leaders

People who are fed up with business leaders who support President Donald Trump, or politicians who oppose equal rights for LGBTQ people, can vent their frustrations at a Disco Coalition postcard party Thursday, September 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Lookout bar, 3600 16th Street in San Francisco. Drag queen Juanita MORE! and Disco Coalition members ask that interested people join “Shame on You,” the postcard party, and leverage the power of the pen to publicly express a desire for a better future and opposition to their behavior. Organizers said there will also be on-site voter registration. Postcards and postage will be provided. The bar will offer drink specials.

District 8 meeting on homelessness

The All In campaign is bringing San Franciscans from all walks of life together to support solutions to homelessness across the city. It is starting with a meeting in District 8 Wednesday, October 2, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the LGBT Community Center, 1800 Market Street. According to a Facebook announcement, gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman will be on hand, along with All In partners Brilliant Corners, the Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center, Openhouse, and the LGBT center. A community conversation will focus

Providing Testosterone Treatments to: • Improve body composition & muscle strength • Increase energy & vitality • Enhance sexual response Dr. Bruce Bornfleth, Medical Director Courtesy “5B”

Ward 5B personnel seen in a still from the film “5B.”

on solutions and is an opportunity for attendees to ask questions and learn more about the All In campaign. For more information, visit https:// bit.ly/2kV0pbz.

Shanti marks 45 years

The Shanti Project will hold its 45th anniversary gala Thursday, October 3, in the grand ballroom of the Palace Hotel, 2 Montgomery Street in San Francisco. The evening begins with a cocktail reception at 6, followed by dinner and the program at 7:30. Shanti provides emotional and practical support to people living with HIV/AIDS and other illnesses. Founded in 1974 by Charles Garfield, Ph.D., at the UCSF Cancer Institute, Shanti was one of the first volunteer organizations in the United States to provide support to people with life-threatening illness. In 2001, it expanded its services to include women diagnosed with breast cancer, and in 2015, it began to serve women facing any cancer diagnosis. Also in 2015, it merged with Pets Are Wonderful Support, whose mission ensures that no person has to make the decision between caring for their pet or caring for themselves. Shanti will honor philanthropist Dede Wilsey with its Lifetime Achievement Award and client Hulda Brown with the James C. Hormel Community Spirit Award. The Margot Murphy Women’s Cancer Inspiration Award will be given posthumously to former board member Brisdell Hunte. Last month, Shanti was criticized for honoring Wilsey, because her name was listed as a co-host on an invitation for a high-priced fundraiser for President Trump’s re-election. Shanti renamed the award (it had been named for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, who asked the organization to remove her name from it) and withstood pressure from gay San Francisco Democratic Party chair David Campos to rescind the award. (Wilsey has contributed to various Republican and Democratic politicians over the years.) Kaushik Roy, executive director of Shanti, explained in last month’s statement that he vigorously disapproves of Trump and noted the last time Shanti had a gala, his remarks underscored how the Shanti nonprofit represents the values that this president and the White House do not. This week, Roy said that Shanti met with Campos and Rudy Gonzalez, executive director of the San Francisco Labor Council. It was agreed that Shanti wouldn’t have additional comment. Roy did say that they expect hundreds of attendees. “We are anticipating 500 guests coming together to celebrate the best of San Francisco and Shanti’s bedrock values of cultivating compassion, honoring human dignity, and supporting each other unconditionally,” he wrote in an email Tuesday. “It will be a heart-warming and moving

event where we honor three incredible individuals who have given so much to Shanti, the people we serve, and the San Francisco community.” General admission tickets are $300. To purchase tickets, visit http://www. shanti.org.

Horizons gala coming up

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Horizons Foundation will hold its annual gala dinner and celebration Saturday, October 5, at the Fairmont Hotel,PMOP_Version4.indd 950 Mason Street in San Francisco. The evening begins with a reception at 5:30, followed by dinner and the program at 7. An after-party follows. Horizons supports nonprofits that help LGBTQ community members in the Bay Area and beyond. It also mobilizes donors and funders and inspires giving. At the event, there will be a live auction emceed by Michael Tate, as well as a luxury raffle drawing and online auction that features a wide array of getaways, unique experiences, and dining. Tickets are $350 each and can be purchased at http://www.horizonsfoundation.org. The online auction is live at https:// bit.ly/2kQ4cXF.

9/10/19 1:40 PM

Temenos Catholic Worker marks 25 years

Professional headshots / profile pics The Temenos Catholic Worker, a Weddings / Events nonprofit that ministers to homeless youth in the Polk Street neighborhood of San Francisco, will mark its 25th anniversary with a homecoming feast Saturday, October 5, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at St. Luke’s Episcopal 415 370 7152 • StevenUnderhill.com Church, 1755 Clay Street. Father River Damien Sims, director and pastor, wrote in an email announcement that the evening will include communion and sharing sto-Steven-LinkedIn_17160.indd 1 ries. The guest speaker will be Sara Solis, the daughter of author Sue Haines, who wrote “Are You Susan?” For more information, contact (415) 305-2124.

StevenUnderhill 9/18/19 10:02 AM

Elections dept. looking for poll workers

The San Francisco Department of Elections has announced it is recruiting people interested in serving as poll workers for the November 5 municipal election. Poll workers receive a stipend ranging from $180 to $240, depending on the assignment. “Each election, we recruit more than 2,000 volunteers to assist voters at the polls,” department director John Arntz said in a news release. “Those who served as poll workers before as well as newly-recruited volunteers receive training and materials to make sure they are confident and ready to help voters on Election Day.” There are several ways people can apply. They can fill out an application at http://www.sfelections.org/pwa; call the department’s recruitment team at (415) 554-4395; or apply in person at the elections department during business hours, located in Room 48 of City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Drive. t

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<< Community News

10 • Bay Area Reporter • September 26-October 2, 2019

Takei optimistic in SF visit by Veronica Dolginko

eorge Takei is on a mission to make sure younger generations know about one of this country’s darkest chapters. Takei, widely known for playing Hikaru Sulu in the “Star Trek” series, was one of the few Asian Americans on TV when it aired in the 1960s. Now 82, he came out as

gay 14 years ago and has a savvy social media presence where he comments on his life experiences, issues of the day, and LGBTQ rights. He was in San Francisco Tuesday, promoting his latest project, a well-received graphic memoir “They Called Us Enemy,” based on what he and his family went through when they were forced to

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go to a U.S.-run internment camp during World War II. He appeared at the Commonwealth Club and was interviewed by Mina Kim, evening anchor at KQED, who kept the pace of the conversation moving so that a broad spectrum of topics could be covered. In just over an hour, both current events and recent history were brought up and dissected, alongside issues as personal as sexuality and the parent-child relationship. Takei has shared his internment story over the years and the graphic memoir vividly brings it to life. Weeks after his 5th birthday in 1942, he and his family were rounded up, along with thousands of others, and forcibly moved into prison camps. “Literally, at gunpoint, ordered out of our homes,” Takei said, painting a grim scene. He and his brother were looking out the window early one morning after being woken up by their frantic parents when two soldiers carrying rifles “with shiny bayonets on them” walked up the front drive. Takei remembers the fear through the memories of his parents, recalling his mother leaving the house with “a duffel bag in one arm, baby sister in the other, and tears streaming down her face.” From there, the family was brought to a temporary camp set up at a horse track where they stayed in the horses’ stalls until the more permanent housing was ready. After a few weeks, they were moved to a camp in Arkansas, built among the swamps and the undergrowth. For Takei’s parents, this was all a crushing, disheartening experience, he said. For the young Takei, it was seen a bit differently. “To 5-year-old me, it was fun to sleep where the horsies slept,” he said, laughing about the stark contrast between his parents’ reality and his own at the time. “When we got to the camp, I thought it was a fantastical place.”

Jane Philomen Cleland

George Takei gives the Vulcan salute Tuesday during an appearance at the Commonwealth Club.

One of the most interesting aspects of Takei’s story is how a child can experience something as traumatizing as being forced from one’s home and imprisoned for no reason as an adventure. Takei described the wet, marshy environment in and around the camp as “fantastical” to him. “The magical thing was that there were these trees growing out of the water,” he said, as he went into detail about exploring the area and finding tadpoles that he thought were fish then later watched morph into frogs. “Do you remember a time when it stopped being fun?” moderator Kim asked, and even in the answer to that question, Takei’s memory of fear is ciphered through his parents. “Thinking back, I awoke one night and saw my parents hovering over a kerosene lamp having a hushed conversation,” he said. “My mother sounded like she was crying. ... They were discussing the loyalty questionnaire.” Japanese Americans were given a questionnaire that asked if they were loyal to America. Many of the questions were convoluted and contradictory; other questions implied that just to be of Japanese descent was to have a loyalty to

Japan over the U.S. To Takei, this was beyond the pale. “We were Americans. My mother was born in Sacramento, California,” he said. The belief of “an innate racial loyalty to Japan” was a subtle but insidious form of othering, scaffolding on which racism is built, he said. Even out of the camps, Takei saw how differently he was treated because he was Japanese. This led him to remain closeted for a long time, as he was very conscious of being an “other.” In the entertainment industry, Takei was able to succeed at a time when Asian American representation was inadequate but he was also acutely aware of what it meant to be a gay person. He watched one of his favorite crushes, the late Tab Hunter, go from matinee idol to obscurity after being outed by the gossip rag Confidential. Takei understood that in order to keep the career he loved so much, he’d have to keep that part of himself quiet. “I didn’t want to be different,” he said. “We were imprisoned because we were different.” That all changed when he publicly came out in October 2005 and said he’d been in a committed

Ernesto Javier Perez Aguas

Thomas (Tom) Cannon Menk

Stephen O. Murray

June 16, 1989 – September 10, 2019

October 27, 1956 – September 4, 2019

On Tuesday, September 10, 2019, Ernesto Javier Perez Aguas, a resident of San Francisco, passed away unexpectedly in the city at the young age of 30. Ernesto was born in San Felix, Venezuela on June 16, 1989. He grew up with his mother, Anais, and three sisters, Dailys, Yurvis and Mayerlin, in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela. In June 2011, Ernesto moved to Dublin, California, to work as an au pair for the Cepeda family. After his year as an au pair, Ernesto relocated to San Francisco. He studied at Las Positas College in Livermore and later worked at the Inn at the Presidio hotel in San Francisco as a front desk agent and a concierge. Ernesto was beloved by his family, friends, and co-workers. He was a beloved member of the San Francisco LGBTQ community. He always had the most beautiful wide smile and radiated joy to everyone around him. Ernesto is greatly missed by his mother, sisters, the rest of his family, and friends. A service for Ernesto was held on Friday, September 20, among his friends and host family. His final resting place will be by his loving family in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela.

Tom Menk transitioned peacefully at home with his spouse, Paul Giguere, by his side. Tom was born in the Panama Canal Zone and was raised in Kentucky. He lived in Cincinnati, Ohio; Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; San Francisco, Concord, and Cathedral City, California, where after a year and a half of being in and out of hospitals he succumbed. He moved to San Francisco in the 1970s and lived in the Castro area. While living in the Castro area he moonlighted at Aloha Records, where he met many of the friends he still maintained. Music could always be heard in a Menk office, car, and home. His last job was as credit manager of the Palace Hotel. His love and knowledge of the Palace Hotel’s history was well known by anyone who was lucky to get a tour from Tom. He lived in Concord for 27 years and was known for his “pool parties.” He will be missed by his many relatives, friends, and people he touched. Good night Lucy, Dora. A celebration of Tom’s life will be held Sunday, October 27, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Round Hill Country Club, 3169 Round Hill Road, in Alamo, California.

See page 13 >>

Obituaries >>

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9/19/19 9:08 AM

May 4, 1950 – August 27, 2019

Stephen O. Murray, Ph.D., a San Fr a n c i s co - b a s e d sociologist, anthropologist, and independent scholar, died August 27, 2019 from an aggressive lymphoma. He was born and raised in Minnesota. Steve’s publications include studies in sociolinguistics, the history of social sciences (anthropology, sociology, linguistics), and publications on the historical and cross-cultural social organizations of homosexuality. His books for the University of Chicago Press, “American Gay” (1996) and “Homosexualities” (2000), investigate the emergence of gay and lesbian lives across extensive geographical places and historical eras. His many collections of articles on homosexualities in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, the Islamic world, Oceanic and Pacific areas including Taiwan and Cambodia show an amazing breadth of knowledge and history in many cultures. He was a prolific critic, writing reviews in print publications and online websites about African cinema, Italian fiction, and Japanese culture. He was a founding member, in the mid- to late-1970s, of the gay caucuses in the American Anthropological Association and the American Sociological Association. Steve is survived by his loving spouse, Keelung Hong, Ph.D., with whom he shared a life since 1981. Hong will continue to contribute to Steve’s charities in his honor.

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THE BOB ROSS FOUNDATION

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8/28/19 11:48 AM

<< Community News

12 • Bay Area Reporter • September 26-October 2, 2019

Pharmacy

From page 1

to marry, has their headquarters in downtown San Francisco. They spent 18 months looking for a retail space in the Castro neighborhood where they could open their flagship pharmacy. When they signed their lease in May, the women were unaware that health care provider One Medical had taken over the remaining food hall space and would open next door to them. “It was a coincidence,” said Garcia, 37, who graduated from the Pacific University School of Pharmacy in 2013. TIN stands for The Independent Network and also is a nickname for Garcia, who emigrated from the Philippines with her mom and four siblings in 1999. They moved into a one-bedroom apartment in San Francisco. Her father, who died in 2008, came to the U.S. years later. Nachman, who goes by PJ, is the company’s chief operating officer. She was born in Tennessee and grew up in Miami. She turns 51 this Saturday, the same day as the pharmacy opens its doors in the Castro. In an interview with the Bay Area Reporter to show off their new location, the women said they are excit-

Unique experience

They are aiming to provide their customers a unique experience, one

not only tailored toward patientcentered care but also affirming of their customers’ health choices, whether it be LGBT individuals, people of color, or women. They are strong proponents of PrEP and PEP, the medications taken before or after sex, respectively, to prevent the transmission of HIV. They also advocated on behalf of legislation passed by the state Legislature this year that will allow pharmacies to furnish a 30-day supply of PrEP without a doctor’s prescription. It is awaiting Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature to become law. TIN furnishes birth control pills and Plan B, the morning after abortion pill, and works closely with transgender individuals taking hormones to assist with their gender transition. The pharmacy also sells its own line of vitamins and will stock various over-the-counter medications for sale. First-time TIN customers have a 15-minute consultation with one of TIN’s pharmacists to go over their medications and any issues they may be having in maintaining the right dosing regimen or reactions to their prescriptions. TIN has a machine that will presort a person’s prescriptions, no matter how many, into daily packets

Laguna, Catalina

Hep C

From page 1

six months. This number appears to be declining as a growing proportion of the roughly 4 million people who test positive for HCV antibodies are treated and cured. Although baby boomers historically have had the highest hepatitis C rates, new infections are rising rapidly among people ages 20 to 40, according to the report. Men and women, and white, African American, and Latino people all saw increases. In August, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued a new recommendation that all adults ages 18 to 79 should be screened for hepatitis C at least once, regardless of risk. The task force previously recommended one-time universal HCV screening only for people born between 1945 and 1965. Those under 18 and over 79

so it is easier for customers to maintain their dosing regimens. It also allows the location’s seven pharmacists to spend more time with customers rather than counting out the right number of pills to fill their prescriptions. Customers can ask for their medication to come in one bottle if they prefer; the pharmacy also provides online ordering of refills and discreet packaging for delivery orders. Nachman and Garcia split their time between homes in Vacaville, California and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. They are looking to expand into more LGBT neighborhoods, with their location on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood set to open in January. For their Castro pharmacy, the women bought the photo rights from Getty Images for a black-andwhite shot of a smiling Harvey Milk, the late gay San Francisco supervisor, standing in front of his Castro Camera store on Castro Street. It adorns the left wall of the entrance that also features a timeline of the local LGBT community’s history. Included is the last page of an AIDS patient’s diary with a note from the anonymous person that says, “if you are reading this I am dead.” There are also photos of Star Pharmacy.

“Our young patients don’t understand the history of HIV. It is something they should not forget,” said Garcia in explaining the idea behind the wall installation. Next to the historical timeline is the computerized kiosk, known as an ADDS machine, that will dispense customers’ prescriptions afterhours. There is a sliding wall that can be locked in place to close off the entrance area when the pharmacy isn’t open. Only customers with an established account with TIN will be able to utilize the kiosk. They will be given a keycard in order to open the front doors and gain access to it. It will be able to dispense non-refrigerated medications, including painkillers, from unmarked boxes that the machine will randomly open. “Nobody will know what box holds what items,” said Garcia, explaining the randomized system is meant to deter thieves. TIN Rx Pharmacy is hosting an open house with food, drinks, and other giveaways this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will be open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. To learn more about TIN Rx Pharmacy, visit its website at https:// www.tinrx.com/. t Eco Tour ($79). Commercial companies also offer jeep tours, but we felt supporting the conservancy was the best use of our money. Our knowledgeable guide and driver, Maria Dominguez, outreach program coordinator for the conservancy, told us that 88% of the island is owned by the conservancy, 1% by the Wrigley family (some still live on the island), and 11% by the Catalina Island Company. She explained how in drought years, Avalon must supplement its drinking water from energyintensive, expensive desalination. After the conservancy was founded in 1972 and granted 42,000 acres of the island, it inherited a bison herd. Fourteen of the animals were originally brought to the island in the early 20th century to be used in a film. With no natural predators, the population grew to more than 600 by the 1980s. The conservancy’s research indicated the island could support only about 120 bison without harming the ecosystem, so the others were transported to mainland preserves. The conservancy is continually surveying Catalina to identify endemic plant, animal, and insect species, and have found over 60 so far, according to Dominguez. “Everything here arrived by wind, water, or on the wings of a bird,” she pointed out. “The current also takes Catalina’s plant debris to islands off the coast of Baja, California,” Dominguez noted. Catalina offers a rare mix of daytime adventure and evening serenity. Visit the island and you’ll understand why Nat King Cole sang many years ago, “I left my love in Avalon.” t

ing with, and at risk for, HIV. “In PrEP programs, we’re seeing [sexually transmitted infection] rates that are very high, and HCV is a sexually transmitted disease,” said UCSF’s Dr. Annie Luetkemeyer. “PrEP has been incredibly important in terms of reducing HIV risk, but the message about hep C risk hasn’t gotten out there as much.” Luetkemeyer suggested that the same type of rapid treatment that has helped bring down HIV rates could potentially also work for hepatitis C. “I joke that in San Francisco, it’s like a crime if you’re diagnosed with HIV and you’re not on medications within three hours. ... That was a crazy thought that now has become a national model,” she said. “Why should anyone walk out the door the day they’re diagnosed with hep C without drugs in their hand to treat them?” t

lar with locals. A sign inside read, “No pissy attitudes” and we happily complied. Lunches of fresh lobster roll and local bluefin tuna sandwich were very good ($50 for two with wine). Don’t come to Catalina expecting fine dining. Our best meal in Avalon was at the waterfront Bluewater Grill (https://www.bluewatergrill.com/ locations/catalina-island), which specializes in seafood, but the view easily surpassed the food in quality ($100 for two with wine). If you rent an apartment, however, the recently expanded Vons Market had prices and selection similar to the mainland. We used Catalina Island Vacation Rentals (https://www.catalinavacations.com/), which shares many listings with VRBO but charges less, to rent a slightly shabby but spacious two-bedroom in the nearby Bahia Vista condominiums. Two large terraces enabled dining outside as we

admired the views of Avalon, the surrounding hills, and the magnificent Pacific. If you walk in the early morning along the tiny beaches on the Avalon waterfront, you’ll see towels covering every bit of the trucked-in sand. Step around them and over the pebbly shoreline to find clear water perfect for swimming. A nicer, and less crowded, pay beach is just beyond the Casino: the Descanso Beach Club (https://www.visitcatalinaisland.com/ things-to-do/descanso-beach-club/), where you can order food and drinks delivered to your (rented) lounger on the sand. Check out the weekly Catalina Islander newspaper for a peak into the local culture and don’t miss the sheriff’s log. One hapless guy from Long Beach was arrested as he tried to use a boat ticket purchased with a stolen credit card. Catalina is a tough place

to escape the arm of the law. That’s partly because there’s almost no cars and everyone gets around by golf cart, which means it’s quiet and peaceful at night. You can cruise around for about $60 an hour, a popular activity for visitors and locals. Golf carts are limited to one per household, but if you move to Avalon and seek a car permit, plan on at least a 25-year wait. And gas was nearly $7 a gallon when we visited. Our favorite walk followed Pebbly Beach Road (the beach actually rattles as the waves roll in), past the temporarily deactivated desalination plant and turned uphill onto Wrigley Road, where the former Wrigley Mansion is now a luxurious bed and breakfast, open to the public only for lunch. Our fellow tourists chugged slowly up the steep road in their golf carts, but the views at the top were panoramic; total distance is 3.5 miles. About one mile up Avalon Canyon Road is the Wrigley Memorial and Botanical Gardens, part of the Catalina Conservancy, which is another popular golf cart destination or an easy walk. Spring is probably the best time to visit as it was noticeably dried out in late August. The memorial is decorated with colorful tiles in the style of Catalina Pottery and has a view all the way to the water. Another favorite activity is a glassbottom boat tour of the Lover’s Cove Marine Reserve, where you can see the bright orange Garibaldi fish, the California marine state fish. Lover’s Cove is also an easily accessible snorkeling site, as is the water behind the casino. Our favorite activity was the Catalina Island Conservancy’s (http://www. catalinaconservancy.org) two-hour

should also be screened if they have known risk factors. According to the CDC’s latest National Viral Hepatitis Progress Report, the goal of reducing the rate of reported acute HCV infections to 0.25 per 100,000 people by 2020 is unlikely to be met. However, the target of reducing hepatitis C-related deaths has already been achieved, thanks to the new treatments.

Morris, Ph.D., said that around 22,000 people in San Francisco – about 2.5% of the population – test positive for HCV antibodies, of whom around 12,000 have active chronic infection. Most of those with chronic HCV are people who inject drugs, who account for 11,147 cases. Men who have sex with men (2,264 cases) and transgender women (163 cases) are also disproportionately affected. About one out of six trans women in the city are living with hepatitis C, according to Morris. Morris gave an overview of the city’s progress in fighting the epidemic, which was described in more detail by representatives from organizations including the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, Glide, Larkin Street Youth Services, and the DPH’s Street Medicine Team. Much of the city’s success has come from offering HCV testing and treat-

ment in non-traditional settings such as needle exchanges, methadone clinics, pharmacies, jails, and a mobile screening van. SFAF’s Sixth Street Harm Reduction Center, for example, has tested more than 6,000 people for HCV, of whom 90 have completed treatment. Providing hepatitis C treatment for people who are homeless or unstably housed can be particularly difficult, as they face challenges such as having their medication stolen, confiscated by police, or lost in street sweeps, according to Amanda Bierkamp of the San Francisco Department of Public Health. DPH’s Emily Raganold said that UCSF’s Positive Health program at Ward 86 has dramatically reduced hepatitis C among people living with HIV, having treated over 400 coinfected people. But new HCV infections continue to occur among people liv-

From page 7

to give the locals employment. His most impressive structure is the Art Deco Catalina Casino, named using the Italian word meaning “a gathering place”; it never had gambling (https:// www.visitcatalinaisland.com/thingsto-do/catalina-casino/). The 50-minute casino tour ($20) was fascinating and covered both the movie theater with its Art Deco murals, and the wooden dance floor on the upper level, surrounded by an outdoor terrace. Our tour guide emphasized the casino’s Hollywood connections and noted that at the height of its popularity, the dance floor could accommodate 6,000 dancers. Another Wrigley venture to create employment was the Catalina Clay Products operation. Production of the art pottery and tiles on Catalina ended in 1937, but vintage pieces are on exhibit in the small but interesting Catalina Museum (http://www. catalinamuseum.org) and on sale at the new Catalina Pottery store. The Catalina Museum displays a spectacular Chihuly chandelier and a Catalina history exhibit that depicts the many Hollywood celebrities who visited the island. It even describes the mysterious drowning death of actress Natalie Wood in 1981 in Two Harbors, a small village in another part of Catalina reachable by public bus or boat. We had lunch at the Lobster Trap (https://www.catalinalobstertrap. com/), a short stroll from the ferry terminal, because our favorite guidebook (Moon “Coastal California,” 2016 edition) assured us it was popu-

ed to return an LGBT-owned pharmacy to the city’s famous LGBT neighborhood. It is believed the last gay-owned independent pharmacy in the Castro was Star Pharmacy, which closed in 1985. Its location, at the historic intersection of 18th and Castro streets, is now a Walgreens store and pharmacy. “We have been trying to bring this pharmacy to the community for quite a while. We are bringing our care back to our community, our LGBTQ community, which is very important for us,” said Nachman. “Being gay-owned and operated is just one facet we bring to the community. People are a little bit tired of being just another number at a pharmacy or just another prescription.” As it happens, the new TIN Rx Pharmacy is two doors down from a Walgreens store and pharmacy. But the women are not trying to compete head-to-head against the national chain or its rival CVS. “We are more patient-centric,” said Garcia. “I can compete with service and new innovations against the chains.”

Charlie Wagner

Boats fill Avalon Bay on Catalina Island with the Green Pleasure Pier, center, and Catalina Casino, upper right

Hep C in San Francisco

End Hep C SF, a consortium of public health workers, researchers, care providers, advocates, and people living with HCV, aims to eliminate hepatitis C as a public health threat. In practice, this would mean that the few people who still become infected would be quickly identified and cured, thereby preventing transmission to others. UCSF epidemiologist Meghan

t <<

Community News >>

Vanity plate

From page 1

approve a “LTHR DDY” license plate because it can be read “as a term of lust or depravity.” “The more I thought about the word ‘depravity’ and studied it’s origin (from the Latin ‘pravus,’ meaning perverse) and the way that homosexuals were long called ‘perverts’ I decided to own the word,” Haynes wrote in a Facebook post in mid-August that included a photo of the vanity plate on the back of his 2015 Kawasaki Vulcan motorcycle. In a bit of irony, however, the DMV had initially refused to approve his request for the “DEPRAVT” plate because it viewed it as a swear word, noted Haynes. “Well, the DMV rejected that plate as well, stating it was a curse word, EVEN THOUGH THEY USED THE WORD THEMSELF!!!” he wrote in his social media post.

Takei

From page 10

relationship with his partner, Brad Altman, for 18 years. (The two are now married.) Considering the course of his

September 26-October 2, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 13

In July, he reached out to the office of gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) for assistance. And after Wiener’s staff made an inquiry with the DMV, Haynes received an email from the lawmaker informing him that the DMV had reconsidered. His new vanity plate arrived in the mail in early August. Reached in St. Petersburg, Florida this week, Haynes told the Bay Area Reporter that he views the approval of the “DEPRAVT” plate as winning one battle in a longer war against the standards the DMV is using to review vanity license plate requests. “I feel like I only won a small battle,” he said. “I think the very fact this license plate was even a battle shows the level of absurdity.” As the B.A.R. first reported in February, Wiener had sent the DMV a letter in which he castigated the agency for basing its rejection of the “LTHR DDY” license plate on homophobic notions about leather

daddies. He had demanded that the DMV approve Haynes’ vanity plate request. Former acting DMV director Kathleen K. Webb responded in March and defended the agency’s decision. In her letter to Wiener, Webb disclosed that the agency had twice before rejected vanity license plate requests using the “LTHR DDY” configuration. Wiener and Webb eventually met in person to discuss the issue, and Wiener told the B.A.R. this week that she came to the meeting with a list of leather-themed vanity license plates that the DMV had approved. But she remained resolute that a “LTHR DDY” plate was not appropriate, Wiener said. “She was clear the DMV had no issue with approving leather community vanity license plates but this one was where they were drawing the line,” said Wiener. “I was disappointed but I was also pleased to see

the number of leather community vanity plates they had approved.” While disappointed in the decision about the “LTHR DDY” plate, Wiener said he was satisfied by Webb’s acknowledgement that the language the DMV had used in its rejection letter sent to Haynes “was inappropriate and very outdated.” “I was satisfied they had acted in good faith,” said Wiener, adding that his office is “watching and interested to know if other people in the LGBT community have these issues with their vanity plate requests.”

life, Takei said that has taken everything he’s gone through in stride. He continues to be an activist for equality as well as human rights, and spoke at length about how horrified he is by the current situation at the U.S.-Mexico

border. He has spoken out against President Donald Trump and his administration’s policies. He works to produce films and TV shows by and about Asian Americans, and was visibly excited when mentioning the recent shows with

majority Asian casts. Despite a political and social climate today that might seem overwhelming and a history that shows the ugliness behind a revered, patriotic era, Takei remains hopeful. “Cynics and pessimists say you

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A federal lawsuit may upend how the DMV handles vanity license plate requests. Jonathan Kotler, who teaches at the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, is suing the agency over its rejection of his request for a “COYW” vanity plate. It is shorthand for “Come

on you whites,” which is chanted by fans of the FC Fulham soccer team in London, famous for its white jerseys. The DMV rejected the plate partly due to the racial connotations of the chant. U.S. District Court Judge George Wu recently rejected the DMV’s request to dismiss Kotler’s lawsuit. In his opinion, Wu explained, “it strains believability to argue that viewers perceive the government as speaking through personalized vanity plates.” Asked if he would also want to sue the DMV, Haynes told the B.A.R. that he wasn’t sure if he has “the energy” to pursue legal recourse. But he did stress that he would still prefer to have a “LTHR DDY” plate on his bike. “By all means, if any legal professionals would like to help me, I am certainly open to talking to somebody,” said Haynes.t

can’t do anything, it’s not possible,” he said as a closing message to the audience. “I’m an optimist. Optimism is what moves us forward.” t

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Legal Notices>> ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-19-555175 In the matter of the application of: ANTOINETTE THADA PAO, 702 ASHBURY ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner ANTOINETTE THADA PAO, is requesting that the name ANTOINETTE THADA PAO AKA ANTOINETTE PAO, be changed to HAISLEY THYDA PAO. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, Room 514 on the 17th of October 2019 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEPT 05, 12, 19, 26, 2019 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-19-555173 In the matter of the application of: EMMA FUGLSANG FROEKJAER, 488 ANDERSON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner EMMA FUGLSANG FROEKJAER, is requesting that the name EMMA FUGLSANG FROEKJAER, be changed to EMMA FUGLSANG HARDING. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, on the 17th of October 2019 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEPT 05, 12, 19, 26, 2019 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-19-555131 In the matter of the application of: ITIKA DENISE ROBINSON, 37 GROVE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner ITIKA DENISE ROBINSON, is requesting that the name ITIKA DENISE ROBINSON, be changed to ITIKA DENISE ROBINSONCURRINGTON. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, Room 514 on the 22nd of October 2019 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEPT 05, 12, 19, 26, 2019 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-19-555153 In the matter of the application of: CALEB IKAIKA SIMA, 548 MARKET ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner CALEB IKAIKA SIMA, is requesting that the name CALEB IKAIKA SIMA, be changed to CALEB FANG SIMA. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, on the 22nd of October 2019 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEPT 05, 12, 19, 26, 2019

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038777700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: VISO PURO, 1538 PACIFIC AVE #110, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed NADINE STRONG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/27/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/29/19.

SEPT 05, 12, 19, 26, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038750100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GNOMAD LABS, 4521 19TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed GEORGE REASONOVER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/09/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/08/19.

SEPT 05, 12, 19, 26, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038764200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TT CONSTRUCTION CO., 1418 43RD AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed TIMOTHY TAM. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/19/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/19/19.

SEPT 05, 12, 19, 26, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038772500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DONBURI YA, 764 HARRISON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed IRON GRILL ASIAN BBQ, INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/03/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/26/19.

SEPT 05, 12, 19, 26, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038777900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TYCOON KITCHEN & CATERING, 276 5TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed ASIAN BOWLS INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/29/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/29/19.

SEPT 05, 12, 19, 26, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038776300

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038778300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CAL STREET CO., 1398 CALIFORNIA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed DISPLEASED MARMOT LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/29/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/29/19.

SEPT 05, 12, 19, 26, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038764600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DAVID RIO CHAI CART, 1019 MARKET ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a limited liability partnership, and is signed SF CHAI, LLC (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/19/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/20/19.

SEPT 05, 12, 19, 26, 2019 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-038461500

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: SOMA SUSHI, 764 HARRISON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business was conducted by a corporation and signed by IRON GRILL ASIAN BBQ, INC (CA). The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/07/19.

SEPT 05, 12, 19, 26, 2019 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-19-555192 In the matter of the application of: JACKY KHAI DANG, 2211 29TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner JACKY KHAI DANG, is requesting that the name JACKY KHAI DANG AKA KHANH KHAI DANG, be changed to JACKY KHAI DANG. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, Room 514 on the 29th of October 2019 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-19-555190

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HAULIT, 1075 O’FARRELL ST #11, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed HAULIT (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/28/19.

In the matter of the application of: PENG LI, 1010 16TH ST #644, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner PENG LI, is requesting that the name PENG LI AKA TIAOLI LO, be changed to TIAOLI LI. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, Room 514 on the 24th of October 2019 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEPT 05, 12, 19, 26, 2019

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038787500

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038780500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: WAN CONCEPTS, 786 MARLIN AVE, FOSTER CITY, CA 94405. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed MING YING XU. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/05/19.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: RAMIREZ TILE DESIGN, 4049 3RD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JAVIER RAMIREZ. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/30/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/30/19.

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-19-555193

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038785400

In the matter of the application of: ANN THI HONG NGUYEN, 2211 29TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94116, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner ANN THI HONG NGUYEN, is requesting that the name ANN THI HONG NGUYEN AKA HONG AN THI NGUYEN, be changed to ANN HONG NGUYEN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, Room 514 on the 29th of October 2019 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-19-555184 In the matter of the application of: YONG QIAN FENG, 40 WESTGATE DR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94127, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner YONG QIAN FENG, is requesting that the name YONG QIAN FENG AKA ADAM YONG QIAN FENG AKA ADAM Q. FENG AKA ADAM FENG, be changed to ADAM YONG QIAN FENG. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, Room 514 on the 24th of October 2019 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038762400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NITESTAR CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, 1939 A 15TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SAQIB JALIL. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/16/19.

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038772800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FRINGE ELECTROLYSIS, 1731-B BUCHANAN ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed KATHERINE MARIE CARROLL. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/31/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/26/19.

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SISTERS FASHION, 5243 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed JOSE ANTONIO RODRIGUEZ ZAMORA & OLGA MORA OLMOL. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/04/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/04/19.

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038764100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: KINDERBLAST PRESCHOOL, 15 ALDER COURT, FAIRFAX, CA 94930. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed PLANETWORK NGO, INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/01/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/19/19.

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038774600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: AURA BRANDS; ROUGE; DALE + COMB, 2132 OAKDALE AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed TOP HORTICULTURAL CONCEPTS INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/27/19.

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038775600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ICHI SANDO, 1581 WEBSTER ST #150, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed THE BOMNAL INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/26/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/28/19.

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038792300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DI DI DA DAYCARE, 436 7TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118.This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed TIANYAN CHEN.The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 02/28/19.The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/10/19.

SEPT 19, 26, OCT 03, 10, 2019

<< Legals

14 • Bay Area Reporter • September 26-October 2, 2019

Legal Notices>> SUMMONS SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: MARCO MONROY; YOLANDA MONROY; AND DOES 1 -10 INCLUSIVE, YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: JUAN CARLOS GALICIA & PATRICIA GALICIA CASE NO. CGC-19-574309

NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below. You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this Summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/ selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court. There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/se;fhelp) or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The court’s lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. SAN FRANCISCO SUPERIOR COURT, UNLIMITED JURISDICTION 400 MCALLISTER ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102 The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff’s attorney is: Law Office of Andrew Westley PC, 870 Market St., Ste. 788, San Francisco, CA 94102 415-362-2817 March 05, 2019 Clerk of the Superior Court by Bowman Liu, Deputy. Statement of Damages To: Defendant: Marco Monroy Plaintiff: Juan Carlos Galicia seeks damages in the aboveentitled action, as follows: 1. General damages A. Pain, suffering and inconvenience …$250,000 B. Emotional distress…$250,000 E. Other – Lost value of tenancy rights…$500,000 3. Punitive damages: Plaintiff reserves the right to seek punitive damages in the amount of (specify) when pursuing a judgment in the suit filed against you. Date: September 3, 2019 Andrew E. Westley, Attorney for Plaintiff’s Statement of Damages To: Defendant: Marco Monroy Plaintiff: Patricia Galicia seeks damages in the aboveentitled action, as follows: 1. General damages A. Pain, suffering and inconvenience …$250,000 B. Emotional distress…$250,000 E. Other – Lost value of tenancy rights…$500,000 3. Punitive damages: Plaintiff reserves the right to seek punitive damages in the amount of (specify) when pursuing a judgment in the suit filed against you. Date: September 3, 2019 Andrew E. Westley, Attorney for Plaintiff’s

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038788000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: OKI SUSHI, 1740 CHURCH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed KIMANA & CO. LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/01/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/06/19.

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-037253200

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: COLETTA GELATO, 685 HARRISON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business was conducted by a limited liability company and signed by GRUPPO D.O.P. LLC (CA). The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/08/16.

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038792500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DANDAN’S CLEANERS ONE, 905 SUTTER ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SUCHAN YU. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/11/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/11/19.

SEPT 19, 26, OCT 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038784200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HOWARD TAPS & BANH MI PO’BOY, 1599 HOWARD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ANDY NGUYEN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/15/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/03/19.

SEPT 19, 26, OCT 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038794300

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GLOBAL BUSINESS PORTAL, 1 AVE OF THE PALM #415, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94130. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed KAMILLA WADE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/11/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/12/19.

SEPT 19, 26, OCT 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038793200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: LIMITLESS, 1 ST. FRANCIS PL #1108, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94107. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ANDREA SCRIVANO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/11/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/11/19.

SEPT 19, 26, OCT 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038771400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HELLO YOGA QUEEN; YOGA FITNESS QUEEN, 855 BRANNAN ST #443, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ERICA MOSELEY. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/23/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/23/19.

SEPT 19, 26, OCT 03, 10, 2019

SUMMONS (FAMILY LAW) SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CIVIC CENTER COURT, 400 MCALLISTER ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102 NOTICE TO RESPONDENT: SVETLANA CHEPURKO, YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PETITIONER: SEMEN GORSHTEYN CASE NO. FDI-17-788466

You have been sued. Read the information below and on the next page. You have 30 calendar days after this Summons and Petition are served on you to file a Response (form FL-120) at the court and have a copy served on the petitioner. A letter or phone call, or court appearance will not protect you. If you do not file your Response on time, the court may make orders affecting your marriage or domestic partnership, your property, and custody of your children. You may be ordered to pay support and attorney fees and costs. For legal advice, contact a lawyer immediately. Get help finding a lawyer at the California Courts Online Self-Help Center (www.courts.ca.gov/selfhelp), at the California Legal Services website (www.lawhelpca.org) or by contacting your local county bar association. NOTICE – RESTRAINING ORDERS ARE ON PAGE 2: These restraining orders are effective against both spouses or domestic partners until the petition is dismissed, a judgment is entered, or the court makes further orders. They are enforceable anywhere in California by any law enforcement officer who has received or seen a copy of them. FEE WAIVER: If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. The court may order you to pay back all or part of the fees and costs that the court waived for you or the other party. The name and address of the court are: Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, 400 McAllister St. San Francisco, California 94102 The name, address and telephone number of petitioner’s attorney, or petitioner without an attorney is: IRINA AEROV (SBN 209005), 789 CABRILLO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118 (415) 290-7001, Date: September 14, 2017 Clerk of The Court, Brie Reddick, Deputy. STANDARD FAMILY LAW RESTRAINING ORDERS: Starting immediately, you and your spouse or domestic partner are restrained from: 1. Removing the minor child or children of the parties, if any, from the state without the prior written consent of the other party or an order of the court; 2. Cashing borrowing against, canceling, transferring, disposing of, or changing the beneficiaries of any insurance or other coverage, including life, health, automobile, and disability, held for the benefit of the parties and their minor child or children; 3. Transferring, encumbering, hypothecating, concealing, or in any way disposing of any property, real or personal, whether community, quasi-community, or separate, without the written consent of the other party or an order of the court, except in the usual course of business or for the necessities of life; and 4. Creating a nonprobate transfer or modifying a nonprobate transfer in the manner that affects the disposition of property subject to the transfer, without the written consent of the other party or an order of the court. Before revocation of a nonprobate transfer can take effect or a right of survivorship to property can be eliminated, notice of the change must be filed and served on the other party. You must notify each other of any proposed extraordinary expenditures at least five business days prior to incurring these extraordinary expenditures and account to the court for all extraordinary expenditures made after these restraining orders are effective. However, you may use community property, quasi-community property, or your own separate property to pay an attorney to help you or to pay court costs. NOTICE-ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTH INSURANCE: Do you or someone in your household need affordable health insurance? If so, you should apply for Covered California. Covered California can help reduce the cost you pay towards high quality affordable health care. For more information, visit www.coveredca.com. Or call Covered California at 1-800-300-1506. WARNING – IMPORTANT INFORMATION California law provides that, for purposes of division of property upon dissolution of a marriage or domestic partnership or upon legal separation, property acquired by the parties during marriage or domestic partnership in joint form is presumed to be community property. If either party to this action should die before the jointly held community property is divided, the language in the deed that characterizes how title is held (i.e. joint tenancy, tenants in common, or community property) will be controlling, and not the community property presumption. You should consult your attorney if you want the community property presumption to be written into the recorded title to the property.

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019 SUMMONS - SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO, CIVIL UNLIMITED JURISDICTION NOTICE TO DEFENDANT: MATINA E. MACDANIEL AKA TINA MCDANIEL, YOU ARE BEING SUED BY PLAINTIFF: PLAINTIFF’S NAME IS JANET TAPIA CASE NO. CGC-18-570359

NOTICE! You have been sued. The court may decide against you without your being heard unless you respond within 30 days. Read the information below. You have 30 CALENDAR DAYS after this summons and legal papers are served on you to file a written response at this court and have a copy served on the plaintiff. A letter or phone call will not protect you. Your written response must be in proper legal form if you want the court to hear your case. There may be a court form that you can use for your response. You can find these court forms and more information at the California CourtsOnline Self-Help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), your county law library, or the courthouse nearest you. If you cannot pay the filing fee ask the court clerk for a fee waiver form. If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case by default, and your wages, money, and property may be taken without further warning from the court. There are other legal requirements. You may want to call an attorney right away. If you do not know an attorney, you may want to call an attorney referral service. If you cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services from a nonprofit legal services program. You can locate these nonprofit groups at the California Legal Services Web site (www.lawhelpcalifornia.org), the California Courts Online Self-help Center (www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp), or by contacting your local court or county bar association. NOTE: The court has a statutory lien for waived fees and costs on any settlement or arbitration award of $10,000 or more in a civil case. The courts lien must be paid before the court will dismiss the case. The name and address of the court is: Superior Court of California, Civil Unlimited Jurisdiction, 400 McAllister Street, San Francisco, CA 94102 The name, address, and telephone number of plaintiff’s attorney, or the plaintiff without an attorney, is: JANET TAPIA, 237 KEARNY ST #237, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. (510) 823-5373 Date: April 08, 2019. Clerk of the Superior Court, by Vanessa Wu, Deputy NOTICE TO THE PERSON SERVED: You are served as an individual defendant

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038800800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BROWSER BOOKS, 2195 FILLMORE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed GREEN APPLE BOOKS, INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/19/19.

SEPT 26, OCT 03, 10, 17, 2019

NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF EMMA EDWARDS IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: FILE PES-19-303152

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of EMMA EDWARDS. A Petition for Probate has been filed by KIM RIDINGER in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that KIM RIDINGER 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 02, 2019, 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: STANLEY R. FRAZIER (1148030) LAW OFFICES OF STANLEY R. FRAZIER, 870 MARKET ST #1128, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102 Ph. (415) 362-3035.

SEPT 12, 19, 26, 2019 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF CHARLENE D. LOWE IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: FILE PES-19-303103

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of CHARLENE D. LOWE. A Petition for Probate has been filed by KAREN CLARK in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that KAREN CLARK 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 30, 2019, 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: CORA LEWIS, 5032 WOODMINSTER LANE, OAKLAND, CA 94602; Ph. (510) 530-4078 X 105.

SEPT 12, 19, 26, 2019 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-19-555179

In the matter of the application of: LEWAM GIRMAY / BINIAM GHEBRESELASIE BRHANE, 222 TAYLOR ST #511, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner LEWAM GIRMAY / BINIAM GHEBRESELASIE BRHANE, is requesting that the name ABIGAIL BINIAM GIRMAY AKA ABIGAIL GIRMAY, be changed to ABIGAIL BINIAM BRHANE. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, Room 514 on the 17th of October 2019 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038779800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MINDFUL LIVING, INC., 200 GREEN ST #200, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed MINDFUL LIVING, INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/03/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/30/19.

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038785600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CLEANERIFIC, 682 26TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed CLEANERIFIC, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/01/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/04/19.

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038786900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DA CHANG YUAN, 860 WASHINGTON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed DA CHANG YUAN LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/03/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/05/19.

SEPT 12, 19, 26, OCT 03, 2019

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038786600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: US BEACH SOCCER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, 3032 FULTON ST #2, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed TIMOTHY S. O’SULLIVAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/04/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/05/19.

SEPT 19, 26, OCT 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038776800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: EYEBROW BEAUTY BAR, 4792 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed LAL BAHADUR BAN & SANGITA PARAJULI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/28/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/28/19.

SEPT 19, 26, OCT 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038793300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CENTRAL REALTY, 32 BYXBEE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed JENNY HE REALTY ASSOCIATES (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/08/15. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/11/19.

SEPT 19, 26, OCT 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038792100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: AJ’S, 655 TOWNSEND ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed ANGELES BENITO (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/10/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/10/19.

SEPT 19, 26, OCT 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038779600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: LET’S EAT, 5130 3RD ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by a married couple, and is signed ANDREW L. THORNTON & MONIQUE HAYES. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/29/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/29/19.

SEPT 19, 26, OCT 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038764800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE DISTRICT BARBERS, 897 BRANNAN ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed THE DISTRICT BARBERS, LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 07/18/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 08/20/19.

SEPT 19, 26, OCT 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038792000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: THE GREENWICH, 3154 FILLMORE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed COW MARLOWE SF LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/10/19.

SEPT 19, 26, OCT 03, 10, 2019 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-038187300

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: COW MARLOWE, 3154 FILLMORE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business was conducted by a limited liability company and signed by COW MARLOWE SF LLC (CA). The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 06/14/18.

SEPT 19, 26, OCT 03, 10, 2019 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-038482400

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: KIM AND PROPER, 2443 FILLMORE ST #123, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business was conducted by a limited liability company and signed by KIM BACHMANN LLC (CA). The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/17/19.

SEPT 19, 26, OCT 03, 10, 2019 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-038626100

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: LOVE IS IN THE HAIR, 1163 BUSH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by ELIAS LOPEZ SOTO. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 04/23/19.

SEPT 19, 26, OCT 03, 10, 2019 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-19-555237

In the matter of the application of: ELIZABETH BOER, 1363 GROVE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner ELIZABETH BOER, is requesting that the name AALIYAH ROXY-KAMORA BERNARD, be changed to AALIYAH ROXY JOY BOER. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, Room 514 on the 7th of November, 2019 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEPT 26, OCT 03, 10, 17, 2019 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-19-555223 In the matter of the application of: ROE ROY COHEN, 278 30TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner ROE ROY COHEN, is requesting that the name ROE ROY COHEN, be changed to ROY COHEN. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, Room 514 on the 5th of November 2019 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEPT 26, OCT 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038795200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GREENFORCE GROORGANICS, 2031 UNION ST #6 SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed GREENFORCE CLEAN TEAM GGGG, YY, PPP LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/12/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/13/19.

SEPT 26, OCT 03, 10, 17, 2019

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-19-555232

In the matter of the application of: DENISE RENEE DAYVAULT, 1461 BROADWAY #403, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner DENISE RENEE DAYVAULT, is requesting that the name DENISE RENEE DAYVAULT AKA DENISE TIERNEY KELIIHOOMALU, be changed to DENISE RENEE TIERNEY. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, Room 514 on the 5th of November 2019 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

SEPT 26, OCT 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038804900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SANTINO’S VINO, 2101 FILLMORE ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed DINO STAVRAKIKIS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/23/19.

SEPT 26, OCT 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038798300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BAY PACIFIC CONSTRUCTION; BAY PACIFIC INSPECTION SERVICES, 35 ANZAVISTA AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed GARY YEE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/30/86. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/17/19.

SEPT 26, OCT 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038798000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SEVEN HILLS LAW FIRM, 3301 CLAY ST #204, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ANUAR RAMIREZ-MEDINA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/10/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/17/19.

SEPT 26, OCT 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038794400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: COLIBRI CREATIONS, 1638 BRODERICK ST #A, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94115. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed DANNHAE HERRERA-WILSON. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/10/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/12/19.

SEPT 26, OCT 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038799800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SF LOCAL COLOR, 850 SOUTH VAN NESS AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed WINNING COLORS INC. (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/19/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/19/19.

SEPT 26, OCT 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038797800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ONPODIO, 149 NEW MONTGOMERY ST, 4TH FLR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed RHYTHMICX INC. (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/22/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/17/19.

SEPT 26, OCT 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038799500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MINA SPA INC., 2920 DIAMOND ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed MINA SPA INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/19/19.

SEPT 26, OCT 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038801300 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: SWELL, 80 DENSLOWE DR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94132. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed ANECURE INC, (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/20/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/20/19.

SEPT 26, OCT 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038801700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: FYSICAL, 1836 BROADWAY ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed GIS OPERATIONS, INC (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/09/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/20/19.

SEPT 26, OCT 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038804200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: A&F SECURITY SERVICE, 2038 CLEMENT ST, UNIT 2, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed A&F SECURITY SERVICE (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/10/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/23/19.

SEPT 26, OCT 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038783900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BHOGA, 468 CASTRO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed SAFFRON BREWHOUSE (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/03/19.

SEPT 26, OCT 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038800900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BRIO FINANCIAL GROUP, 19 SUTTER ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed BRIO CONSULTANTS LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/20/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/20/19.

SEPT 26, OCT 03, 10, 17, 2019

Vinyl love

Saturday Night vile

Downton train

Wave effect

Vol. 49 • No. 39 • September 26-October 2, 2019

www.ebar.com/arts

James Kudelka (background) works with Smuin dancer Peter Kurta during rehearsals for “The Man in Black,” Kudelka’s Johnny Cash tribute ballet.

James Kudelka shapes ‘The Man in Black’ by Philip Mayard

Rosalie O’Connor

Chris Hardy

efore Smuin Contemporary Ballet moves into its new home on Potrero Hill in the coming months, they’re making a lot of noise in their rented studio space on Market Street. With temperatures in the 90s, the un-air-conditioned studio is stiflingly hot. The surprising sound rattling the walls is the rhythmic thud of ballet dancers in cowboy boots, kicking and forcefully pounding their aching feet into the floor. See page 20 >>

Mark Morris Dance Group masters Mozart by Paul Parish

everal football games had gone by already before Cal Performances, the great Arts & Lectures series of U.C. Berkeley, finally kicked off its season of major international performing arts last Friday night in Zellerbach Hall with a brilliant revival of Mark Morris’ “Mozart Dances.” I am glad to see it again. Morris is at the moment the last of the great musical choreographers. See page 20 >>

Mark Morris Dance Group performed “Mozart Dances” in Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley.

{ SECOND OF THREE SECTIONS }

<< Out There

16 • Bay Area Reporter • September 26-October 2, 2019

Out There’s Western roots by Roberto Friedman

ut There is visiting Santa Fe, New Mexico, this week, on a sweet little press tour, and we’ll fill you in on our travels next week. Surprisingly, the pre-statehood New Mexico Territories figure in our own family back-story, as related in this oral history provided by our cousin Danny Friedman. “Here’s what I ‘know’ about our paternal grandparents’ histories. I put ‘know’ in quotation marks because I learned all of this from my father, so it’s oral history without any documentation, but, then again, so is most history. “Isidore and Sophie did not meet in the Old Country, but in New York City. She was from Kiev, Ukraine, and he was from Bialystok, Poland. Sophie’s father was a rabbi, and both her parents died from an epidemic that swept through Kiev when she was 12. My father didn’t

know what the disease was. The following year, when she was 13, she left for America on her own. She got work in the garment industry in NYC, and worked as a seamstress most of her life. Her original surname was Bitchov, but upon learning what ‘bitch’ meant in English, she changed it. “Meanwhile, in Bialystok, Poland, then an industrial city which was about 60% Jewish before the Holocaust, Isidore (Izzy as he was known to friends and family) became involved in radical politics at the age of 13 after his best friend was shot dead next to him during a pogrom. He joined the Young Communist League after that, since the communists were the only ones, at that point, who were arming to fight back against the anti-Semites [in the early years of the 20th century. In the ensuing century, not so much. – OT]. “At 17, Izzy fled the Russian Empire to avoid serving in the Czarist

Army. The draft was for 12 years, and Jews rarely came out of the army alive. He was smuggled out through Poland and into Germany in the bottom of a hay wagon. Once in Germany, in exchange for passage to America, Izzy agreed to work for two years on a ranch in New Mexico – that is, he was an indentured servant, working as a cowboy, for two years. “My father says it was a lonesome time for Izzy. While he could speak Yiddish, Russian and German, he had not yet mastered English, so the only one he could talk to, he said, was his horse. He got one day off work each month and would travel to a nearby town where there was a Jewish tailor who spoke Yiddish. (The photo is of our Grandpa in his cowboy outfit.) “Once he had done his two years on the ranch, Izzy moved to New York and became a professional boxer. He fought for (and lost) the welterweight championship of the world. Welterweight is between 140-147 lbs. He was only 5’3”, but I remember him being powerfully built. Sophie (who was 4’11’’) and he met when he was a fighter. After he lost the championship, she made him quit boxing as a condition of their getting married, according to my father. He then worked for some years as a baker before becoming a housepainter. I don’t know why he switched trades. He was a militant with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades all his life, as well as an active member of the Workman’s Circle, a Yiddishlanguage cultural and mutual aid organization long affiliated with the Communist Party. “As for the name Friedman: My father says that his father’s original surname was Flectich. When he was going through immigration at Ellis Island (or? not sure where), the agent asked him his name. Since he didn’t really understand English

Courtesy Friedman family

Isidore (“Izzy”) Friedman in New Mexico, c. 1910s.

at that point, he said that arriving in America made him ‘a free man,’ which immigration wrote down as Friedman. It’s probably too corny a story to be true, but I loved it as a kid. As we know, Friedman is a common Ashkenazi name.” OT loves this story (and Grandpa Izzy’s cowboy duds) because it “rhymes” with our own story of coming out West. When we were young, we were radicalized when our own best friend died of AIDS during the early days of the epidem-

ic, when straight society was largely indifferent to the fate of homosexuals, Haitians and IV drug-users who had contracted the disease. In that respect, his death was analogous to Izzy’s best friend’s murder in a pogrom. OT was motivated, like our granddad, to “light out for the territories” when life in the Old Country (or in our case, the East Coast) had become unbearable. Much happier news next week, when we catch up with New Mexico today.t

Vinyl destination by Gregg Shapiro

ne of the best things about the vinyl revival is that albums initially issued on CD only, during the mid-to-late 1990s and through the early part of the 2000s, are finally

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getting the chance to be heard in the beloved, “warm” classic format. Originally released in 1999, the eponymous debut by Disneydarling-turned-sex-kitten Christina Aguilera is now available in a 20th anniversary limited edition on vinyl “pressed on genie orange with fiery red swirls” from RCA/ Legacy. Keep in mind this is before her Xtina transformation as she and the far inferior Britney Spears competed for the hearts and dirty minds of the music-buying public. On her debut album, Aguilera kept things relatively clean and focused on showing off her impressive singing abilities, which comes through on the hits “Genie in a Bottle,” “What a Girl Wants” and “I Turn to You.” The album features tunes by schmaltz queens Franne Golde and Diane Warren, as well

as future plagiarizer Robin Thicke. It serves as a fine introduction to Aguilera, paving the way for what was to follow. The LP also includes a lyric sheet and a download code. Also observing a 20th anniversary, Backstreet Boys’ second studio album “Millennium” (Jive/Legacy) has been reissued in a collectible picture-disc edition, including a download card. The album, which contains the hit singles “I Want It That Way,” “Larger Than Life” and “Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely,” suffers from soggy Swedish songwriting by Max Martin and others. To make matters worse, much of the material is indistinguishable from BSB’s main rivals *NSYNC (why the asterisk and caps?). That probably has something to with the late sleazy swindler Lou Pearlman, who managed both boy bands.t

TV>>

September 26-October 2, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 17

Saturday Night slurs by Victoria A. Brownworth

he new fall season is starting out with a bang. “SNL” hired its first Asian comedian in its 45-year history, and it fired its first conservative white-guy comedian before he ever went on air. As we say often under President Trump, what a time to be alive. We’re not sure how “SNL” forgot Asians exist for 45 years, but Bowen Yang joined the “SNL” writing team in Sept. 2018, and now joins the cast. Yang is also the third openly gay male cast member on “SNL.” (John Milhiser was on the show for one season in 2013, and Terry Sweeney was on for one season in 1985.) Openly lesbian cast member Kate McKinnon has been on “SNL” since 2012. “SNL” dropped new cast member Shane Gillis after video surfaced of the comedian using Asian slurs and homophobic language. Gillis was also grossly misogynist, but we know that male comedians can not only be misogynist, they can sexually assault women and still not only be on “SNL,” but not have any professional blowback (looking hard at you, Louis CK). After all, it took 50 years and 70 women coming forward accusing him of sexual assault before Bill Cosby was taken off the stage and held for trial at 81. As someone said to us unironically, “Well, it’s not like comedy is the U.S. Supreme Court.” Yeah, about that – Emmy winner Sandra Oh, star of the fabulous lesbian thriller “Killing Eve,” hosted “SNL” last season, only the third Asian woman ever to do so. Oh tweeted she was “glad to see” the NBC show had decided to “NOT legitimize/give platform [to] purveyors of racist homophobic content.” Gillis had taken to social media to justify his offensive comments, which he claimed were “taking risks” as a comedian. He said he would apologize “to anyone who’s actually offended.” Turns out a bazillion of us were offended. For her part Oh said, “Risks? LAZY ASS UNORIGINAL.” Gillis had referred to Asians as “f*cking ch*nks” and mocked Asian accents. Gillis also asserted that comedians who have spoken openly about mental health, like “SNL” cast member Pete Davidson, were “white f*ggot comics.” Gillis also ranked comedians using their race, gender and sexual orientation. Who wouldn’t hire that guy? It’s confusing why “SNL” made no effort to vet Gillis before hiring him, particularly after the furor around Kevin Hart hosting the Oscars when his past homophobic comments surfaced. But apparently producer Lorne Michaels was attempting to appeal to conservative viewers. Viewers like former cast member Rob Schneider, who tweeted “Dear @Shanemgillis: As a former SNL cast member, I am sorry that you had the misfortune of being a cast member during this era of cultural unforgiveness where comedic misfires are subject to the intolerable inquisition of those who never risked bombing on stage themselves.” It’s almost like there is still a perception that it’s okay to be racist, misogynist and homophobic, and that only people who are straight white cisgender males matter. The victimhood of these guys is as stunning as it is tedious. So in this climate, imagine how disappointed we were to discover that Bernie Sanders, much of whose platform we strongly support, isn’t going to either of the LGBTQ Iowa forums in October, citing “scheduling conflicts.” CNN partnering with HRC to broadcast an LGBTQ forum is groundbreaking. Why wouldn’t everyone want to be part of that

historic event? As Angelica Ross (“Pose”) tweeted, “Y’all need to ask @BernieSanders why he’s not participating in the #LGBTQForum. At this point I don’t know the answer to that. Either way his presence or absence will be noted.” Ross is hosting the CNN forum with GLAAD president-CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. Queer issues have been ignored in the debates, despite the fact that Pete Buttigieg, the first openly gay candidate, is in the top five. Buttigieg told a moving story about coming out publicly in answer to one of the debate questions on ABC’s Houston debate, but that was the sole reference to anything queer in the third debate. GLAAD says there are “more than 124 anti-LGBTQ attacks in policy and rhetoric from the Trump administration, including the President’s ban on transgender Americans from serving in the military and the administration’s opposition to the Equality Act.” Then CNN reported Sept. 19 that HUD Secretary Ben Carson said that “big, hairy men” were attempting to enter women’s homeless shelters. Two HUD staffers told The Washington Post that during the meeting in HUD’s San Francisco office, Carson complained about “the blurring of gender roles,” “a refrain that upset many staffers.” According to CNN, “That was the first time any of us heard him use such derogatory language,” one SF staffer said. “He’s more tactful when he’s talking before Congress, whereas this sounded like a slur to me.” It sounds like a slur to us, too. Carson has previously cited incarcerated people being in same-sex relationships as proof that same-sex sexual orientation is a choice. When Carson was running for president in 2016, he compared being a trans person to changing ethnicities. Since becoming HUD secretary, Carson has proposed a rule that would allow federally funded shelters to consider gender identity when deciding whether or not to house a homeless person. Just writing that makes our stomach churn. It’s in this climate that Bernie Sanders is perfectly comfortable with being absent at the LGBTQ forums (the second is being hosted by The Advocate) as they are televised to the nation. Meanwhile Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren are out there talking about the latest tragic killing of trans women, so: priorities.

Groff center

Now for a palate cleanser. Actor Christian Borle (“Smash,” an impossibly gay show about theater we still miss) described Jonathan Groff as “scrumptious” to Vulture, and we hear that. Groff is mesmerizing in Netflix’s “Mindhunter,” and when he’s not doing TV, he’s doing musical theater. His latest role is in “Little Shop of Horrors.” Charmingly selfdeprecating (unlike his “Mindhunter” character), Groff says he puts everything into his theater roles, and that the song “Skid Row” really impacted him as a seventh grader. “When Seymour sings, ‘Someone show me a way to get outta here,’ it was an appealing message to a closeted kid,” said Groff, who describes his seventh-grade self as “a sweaty, uncomfortable person with a secret so deep-rooted I wasn’t even flirting with the idea of being myself.” Groff also told Vulture that while he was starring in the SF-based HBO dramedy “Looking,” “We would talk about stories about PrEP, uncut dicks and monogamy,” and “so many stories about anal douching.” We could watch Groff in anything. One dishy item that caught our eye is that Janet Mock, the first trans

Courtesy NBC-TV

“SNL” dropped new cast member Shane Gillis after they found out what he was like.

woman to direct and write a primetime TV series, “Pose,” is now dating Angel Bismark Curiel, who plays Lil Papi on the series. She’s dropdead gorgeous, he’s adorable, and they looked fabulous stepping out together for the papi-razzi at New York’s Fashion Week. Less than charming was former Trump press secretary Sean Spicer in his debut on “Dancing with the Stars.” Spicer was paired up with Season 25 champion dancer Lindsay Arnold. Arnold said Spicer dances at a “pre-pre-school level,” and “he definitely isn’t natural at it.” We witnessed the train wreck and the hideous outfit that some bitchy Resistance queens designed for him. Wearing a neon-yellow-green frilled shirt and tight, unflattering off-white pants, Spicer epitomized all we have come to loathe about mediocre straight guys rising. “Top Boy” is a British series about the opposite: the things black people have to do to rise in a white society dominated by institutional racism. Netflix has been instrumental in reviving series that other networks discarded and giving them not a second life. The first two seasons of “Top Boy” originally aired on Britain’s Channel 4. The series was cancelled abruptly despite winning a Bafta (British Emmy) and getting rave reviews. It has now been revived with the help of rapper Drake. Drake saw the first two seasons on YouTube and approached Netflix for a revival. It began streaming on Netflix last week with Drake and fellow rapper Future credited as executive producers. Netflix describes “Top Boy” as “two seasoned drug dealers return to the gritty streets of London, but their pursuit of money and power is threatened by a young and ruthless hustler.” That doesn’t begin to cover what the series is about or elevate searing performances by Ashley Walters, Kane Robinson, Shone Romulus and others, but Netflix is always underselling its series. “Top Boy” will remind some of David Simon’s brilliant “The Wire.” Set in a fictional low-income housing complex in London’s fraught Hackney neighborhood, it’s all about how ascendancy and survival commingle in the most urban of centers, East London. The timing of the revival is significant, with the Brexit decisions (referenced in the story) hanging over the heads of the poorest, most vulnerable citizens, who would be most harmed by Brexit. “Top Boy” is vivid and has a strong queer streak. Be advised it is also quite violent, but the violence is always contextual, which makes it more realistic. There is great music both as background and part of the plot. There are several trailers available so you can decide whether it’s too violent. The debut of “American Horror Story 1984” had us screaming. Billie Lourd is great. Cody Fern was made

for 1980s dyed blond hair and exercise latex. Emma Roberts and Matthew Morrison are playing wildly against type. Gus Kenworthy can’t act, but he doesn’t talk too much and shows off his gorgeous body so you won’t notice. Angelica Ross has carried over some of the snap diva of her “Pose” character Candy, but is playing a nurse who is regularly off the clock, part of Camp Redwood’s camp. Leslie Grossman is spectacular as the creepy Christian anti-sex camp owner who wants everything to be pure. Lourd and Grossman have all the best lines, some of which are priceless. It’s the usual bloodbath from Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, with literal streams of blood in the first five minutes, but it’s enjoyable, not sickening like some of the seasons have been. Of course, it’s early days yet, and there was that knife in the eye, but with “AHS,” it’s all relative. “AHS 1984” will send you right back to those killer-camp films of our youth. The music, starting with “Cruel, Cruel Summer,” is perfect. This is a high-camp camp outing, and yes, it’s queer af. Several of our faves are back for final seasons, including “The Deuce,” “How to Get Away with Murder” and “Modern Family.” The third season of “The Deuce,” David Simon’s dark drama about the New York City sex trade, moves from the 1970s to the 80s, and takes on the AIDS epidemic. The vantage point of sex workers and adult-film stars is one plotline, while gay bartender Paul (Chris Coy) is living through that time many of us will never forget: what the disease did to the queer community, how every day

was a funeral and a fight for our survival. In addition to the gay storylines, Season 3 has two of our fave lesbian actors, Roberta Colindrez (“Vida”) and Kat Cunning (“Trinkets”). Starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and James Franco. Be forewarned, once you start watching, you won’t be able to get Grace Jones’ iconic “Pull Up to the Bumper” out of your head. “HTGAWM” will end with its sixth season. The Emmy-winning drama created by out gay “Grey’s Anatomy” alum Peter Nowalk and exec produced by Shonda Rhimes has been one helluva queer ride, and we cannot wait to see what the new season brings. Starring the alwaysbrilliant Viola Davis. Premiering Sept. 26 on ABC, available on demand. What can we say about ABC’s “Modern Family” that we haven’t said over the decade it’s been on the air? It’s always funny, the acting is always good, we’ve watched the kids grow up, and some have kids of their own now. As the show heads into its 11th, final season, remember that it picked up where the first round of “Will & Grace” left off: It taught America that queer couples were living in their neighborhoods, they had kids, and they also had 99 problems, though being straight wasn’t one of them. Many credit the series with getting straight people more comfy with queers. All we know is that we always laughed when we watched, even when we cringed, and it’s had a good run. ABC’s new crime drama “Stumptown” checks a lot of boxes. Based on the graphic-novel series, the show stars “How I Met Your Mother” alum Cobie Smulders as Dex Parios, a former Marine with PTSD. Dex is bisexual, which makes her one of the only bisexuals on the tube, one of the few who is bisexual to start. Dex is a complicated character who is into both women and men who uses sex to heal herself. She is working as a private investigator and is supporting her brother, Ansel, who has Down Syndrome. Ansel is portrayed by Cole Sibus, who has Down Syndrome. The number of disabled actors on TV can be counted on one hand, even though the CDC states that one in four Americans has a physical, neuro-atypical or intellectual disability. Also featured on the series is indigenous actress Sue Lynn Blackbird as Tantoo Cardinal. So for what’s new, what’s old and what’s new again, you know you really must stay tuned.t

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18 • Bay Area Reporter • September 26-October 2, 2019

Symphonic illuminations in September

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Daniil Trifonov performs Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 4 with the San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas conducting.

by Philip Campbell

eptember concerts in Michael Tilson Thomas’ 25th and final season as Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony are telling us what we may expect as he sets the seal on an historic legacy. MTT’s greatest hits and artistic strengths are rolling out with fresh energy and insight. Davies Symphony Hall is livelier than ever. Last week, the maestro displayed

his gracious support of a musical soloist, offered a smart reminder of the Orchestra’s successful recording projects, and conducted a World Premiere that showed the inspiration he gives to present-day composers. During the previous week, first of the season’s subscription series concerts, he devoted the entire program to Mahler’s profoundly affecting Symphony No. 6 in A minor, sometimes referred to as the “Tragic.” As an example of MTT’s

ongoing intellectual and emotional involvement with the composer, the performance provided another illuminating look at the score’s details and Mahler’s (and MTT’s) thrilling grasp of showmanship. The Sixth keeps coming back to the SFS, perhaps most memorably in the bewildering days after the terrorist attacks of 9/11. The awful pain of the Symphony No. 6 truly earned the title “Tragic,” and superb performances brought listeners

together in a remarkable catharsis. Years passed, and the Symphony returned as a rather clear-eyed look at the certainty of death. Now, MTT seems inclined to explore the lighter elements and vivid theatrical strokes of the massive score. Sitting to my left was an admirably attentive younger man (no condescension meant) and directly across the aisle to my right, composer John Adams. When Jacob Nissly (Principal Percussion) appeared in the Terrace above and behind the orchestra, wielding a mallet almost his own size to deliver the terrifying strikes of fate in the finale, both companion listeners reacted like a couple of excited kids. Stomping their feet with the mighty blows, they joined in the awesome experience. Once again, MTT brought a sense of mutual involvement with Mahler’s expressive greatness. Most recently, Fearless Leader opened a sort of grab-bag (Ferragamo, of course) concert with the World Premiere of aforementioned John Adams’ brief, fun tribute to the “continued youthful vitality” of “my longtime friends, Joshua and Michael.” Including MTT’s husband and business partner in the dedication illustrates the affection shared by “industry” musicians with the famous pair. Adams has a relationship with the conductor that goes back even farther than MTT’s 25year tenure. At eight minutes, “I Still Dance” (Joshua Robison is still an enthusiastic swing dancer) is a quick (crazy fast) curtain-raiser that manages to show Adams’ brilliantly transparent orchestration and quirky, instantly recognizable harmonic rhythmic style. One listening wasn’t enough, but the rush of adrenaline and “soft landing” the piece (co-commis-

sioned by the SFS and Carnegie Hall) provides certainly kept listeners’ attention. Young Russian piano virtuoso Daniil Trifonov appeared next for a predictably dazzling rendition of Sergei Rachmaninoff ’s revised, somewhat overlooked, “problem” Piano Concerto No. 4 in G minor, opus 40 (1926/1941). If some snobs dismiss Rachmaninoff as a facile writer of musical Faberge Eggs – glittering and pretty, but ultimately useless – they are denying his astonishing gift for memorably moving melodies and exciting orchestration. The Fourth Concerto shows him at strength, maybe even tighter than usual. The big tunes rush in with emotionally satisfying power, and solo passages are predictably intricate and demanding. Trifonov, looking a bit like a wan Rasputin, hunched over the keyboard and delivered persuasively. MTT and the orchestra offered rich-sounding support and interaction with care. The concert closed with an earlier example of classical Romantic repertory. Schumann’s beautiful and appropriately, autumnal Symphony No. 3, “Rhenish,” is a stand-out in MTT’s recent set of complete Schumann symphonies on the orchestra’s SFS Media label. The recorded performance shows his knack for bringing out chamber details in a big orchestral work. The recent matinee was less successful in making the case for a work that sometimes feels like a tone poem, but the finale, emerging from solemn shade to exuberant, sunny warmth, was totally convincing. This week MTT wraps September with Stravinsky and Haydn,å two highly contrasted but delightfully compatible composers. sfsymphony.orgt

Too much & not enough: ‘The Great Wave’ by Jim Gladstone

“W

e’re not so different, you and me,” says gumshoe Takeshi, trying to ingratiate himself with Tetsuo, an alienated teenager he suspects knows more than he’s admitting. See, there’s a girl gone missing. And both she and her sister had a thing for this kid. We’re in a shadowy gray concrete interrogation room. Tetsuo (Julian Cihi) sits at a small table. Takeshi (David Shih) stands across from

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him, looming tough in a black leather jacket. A single lamp throws a cone of harsh light. Not at Tetsuo, though. The light falls onto the empty tabletop, illuminating nothing; it’s as misdirected as the whole gimcrack SVU procedural that dominates the first act of Northern Irish playwright Francis Turnly’s “The Great Wave,” now in its American premiere at the Berkeley Rep, directed by Mark Wing-Davey. In the late 1970s, the North Korean government abducted Japanese citizens, using some of them to teach language and culture to Korean spies who would later go undercover in Japan. This stunning bit of history – let alone the broader scope of Korea and Japan’s complex and tempestuous relationship – may be unknown to many American audience members, so presenting it in the form (and formulaic dialogue) of a detective story might well be an attempt to provide an accessible framework. But Takeshi discovers absolutely nothing during his investigation, and he’s unceremoniously dropped about an hour into the play’s threehour sprawl. The entire detective story is one giant red herring. What a waste of an audience’s attention. After this whole lot of leisurely next-to-nothing, things get hectic. It turns out that 17-year-old Hanako (Jo Mei) is in fact being brainwashed in a North Korean spy school. First her captors relentlessly drum Hanako with propaganda, intent on transforming her into a Korean-speaking Kim Jong-il-worshipping fembot. Flash-forward! Years later, believing they’ve succeeded, the spies insist that Hanako now teach one of their own to convincingly speak and act Japanese.

Courtesy of Kevin Berne/Berkeley Repertory Theatre

Sharon Omi (Etsuko) in the American premiere of “The Great Wave” at Berkeley Rep, directed by Mark Wing-Davey.

Your “Wait, what?!” is merited; this pedagogy seems like a surefire recipe for backsliding. Flash-forward! More years later, the well-taught spy lady and Hanako embrace in twisted sisterhood just before one is sent sneaking into Japan and the other is forced into marriage with a Korean ex-convict. Back in small-town Japan, over the course of 16 years, Tetsuo (still Julian Cihi, convincingly devoted) and Hanako’s sister Reiko (Yurié Collins) and mother Etsuko (Sharon Omi) have each delivered a soliloquy about how this whole mess is their fault (honorable self-

flagellation, check!). But ultimately they have banded together, guessing Hanako’s true fate and repeatedly petitioning a government functionary to do something about it. The play concludes with a sentimental but momentarily affecting family reunion of sorts, set on the tarmac of an airport. And then, the play concludes again, with yet another sentimental scene tacked on, adding nothing but length. There’s lots of expensive technical work on hand here, including Tara Knight’s handsome but sometimes inexplicable video design. Why do we need footage of a kid emerging

from the sea immediately before, on stage, we see a kid emerging from the sea? Why does an image of an airplane remain unchanged as characters stare and point, narrating its disembarkation? But it’s all in service of a script that’s both too slow and too rushed, that gives its audience too much and too little. “The Great Wave” is no detective story, but this production is a huge mystery.t The Great Wave, through Oct. 27. Berkeley Repertory Theatre, 2015 Addison St., Berkeley. Tickets ($45-$97): (510) 647-2949 www.berkeleyrep.org.

Film>>

September 26-October 2, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 19

Upstairs, downstairs: ‘Downton Abbey’ returns by David Lamble

he magic of the big Castro Theatre screen becomes practically another character as “Downton Abbey,” a BBC-TV import that ran for six hit seasons on PBS, makes the tricky transition to a stand-alone for a movie audience. It’s 1927, and at Downton Abbey, a centuries-old castle stuck in a rural slice of Yorkshire, members of the Crawley household prepare for the visit of King George V and his queen. Director Michael Engler (with screenwriter Julian Fellowes) smooths the way with a stellar Anglo-American cast, many of whom we have met in some notable American films. Elizabeth McGovern (Tim Hutton’s high school girlfriend in Robert Redford’s “Ordinary People”), Maggie Smith (the cranky chaperone in the enchanting Merchant-Ivory production of “Room with a View”), Imelda Staunton (the scenestealing, penny-pinching Jewish mom in Ang Lee’s witty backstory comedy “Taking Woodstock”) and Hugh Bonneville (“Notting Hill”) combine to allow us to experience the magnificent absurdity of a way of life that was quickly becoming a museum piece. “Downton Abbey” the TV series opened in 1912, the year the Titanic sank, an especially anxious time when Britain was preparing for the “Great War,” the conflict that bankrupted the nation, leading to the loss of empire. Screenwriter Fellowes creates in “Downton Abbey” a

Michelle Dockery as Lady Mary Talbot (center left) and Matthew Goode as Henry Talbot in a scene from the film.

very human symbol of all that had been and would soon no longer be. The series and the film (running through at least Oct. 3 at the Castro)

allow us to be flies on some very old walls as lords and ladies, servants and kitchen staff bicker and tussle for position in whatever the new

post war pecking order will be. Maggie Smith brings a world-weary and witty wisdom to an old duchess who’s so out of touch that she fails

to understand what her younger sophisticated kinfolk mean when they chat about coming up to Downton Abbey for “the weekend.” Queer fans of the series will especially delight in a moment when two young men meet at the Abbey, then depart to wicked London, where they gain entrance to a very hushhush gay club where men from different backgrounds dance, kiss and feel each other up, only to be rudely interrupted by a brutish police raid where they are hauled off to jail and an Oscar Wilde-style night of shame and humiliation. At the heart of the “Downton Abbey” film is a bitter struggle between the servants and the large entourage that follows in the wake of a royal visit. At one point, the woman in charge of the Abbey’s staff dukes it out with a nasty official who orders them to stay out of the way as he and a haughty French chef prepare the grand meal. “So my maids and I will not be involved in the preparations. You will be the butler?” “Excuse me, I’m not a butler, I’m the King’s Page of the Backstairs.” Spoiler alert: This time the “good guys” win, and Downton Abbey welcomes the king on its own terms. In many ways, “Downton Abbey” is a lavishly mounted, hilarious missing link between films set pre-WWI inspired by E.M. Forster’s novels (“Room with a View”) and “The King’s Speech,” where George V’s stuttering heir would have to speak for a nation under both verbal and physical assault from the Nazis.t

Lost history of woman film pioneer

by Brian Bromberger

“T

here is no merit in being first,” is an incredible understatement by Alice Guy-Blache, the subject of the new comprehensive Blu-ray documentary “Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice GuyBlache, the First Female Filmmaker,” just released by Kino Lorber. She was cinema’s first female director, screenwriter, producer, and studio chief-owner, whose innovative and landmark career lasted 20 years in two countries, writing, producing and/or directing 1,000 silent films. Yet only in the last 15 years has she been rediscovered after being ignored and virtually rewritten out

of film history. While “Be Natural” is problematic in its presentation, it makes Guy-Blache’s inspiring and appalling story more widespread. It finds and restores several of her lost movies, and discovers rare footage, recordings, and interviews of GuyBlache herself, who died at age 94 in 1968. Finally Guy-Blache is receiving the approbation she deserves as a trailblazer in narrative filmmaking. Born in 1873, she became a stenographer at age 22 for Leon Gaumont, head of the company which manufactured movie cameras. Through him, she was invited in 1895 to witness the first film invented by the Lumieres. Intrigued, she saw the possibilities of film to tell fictional stories

instead of just documenting daily life. In 1896, she made the first narrative movie, “The Cabbage Fairy,” and became Gaumont’s head of production, directing comedies, melodramas, westerns, and histories. In her films, she not only established the “poetic grammar of movies,” but invented the close-up, hand-tinted color, and synchronized sound, decades before Hollywood. Her subject matter included alcoholism, child/ spousal abuse, immigration, antiSemitism, feminism, and genderswapping. Her film, “A Fool and His Money,” was the first ever to feature an all African-American cast, despite racial stereotypes. She married Herbert Blache, a Gaumont employee, in 1907. They moved to the U.S., where in 1910 she set up her own company, Solax, rivaling the other established studios, in Fort Lee, NJ, for a while the Hollywood of the East. She hung a large sign proclaiming “Be Natural” as a reminder to her actors. She influenced both Eisenstein and Hitchcock. Divorcing her philandering husband in 1920, she moved back to France, but the Wild West freewheeling atmosphere of the early years was gone, and like Hollywood, the industry became male-dominated and corporate profit-oriented. She never made another film. “Be Natural” centers as much on writer-editor-producer Pamela Green’s investigative search, tracking down material about GuyBlache, as it does on her life and legacy. We’re introduced to her descendants, often clueless about their ancestor’s influence or the importance of the dusty boxes of photos and films in their possession. It feels as though two films have been crammed into one, contributing to its frantic pace. Unfortunately, the movie gets off to a rocky start when Green asks a Who’s Who of actors and directors (Jon Chu, Ben King-

sley, Geena Davis, Martin Scorsese, Evan Rachel Wood, Patty Jenkins, Kathleen Turner, Peter Bogdanovich, Ava DuVernay) whether they’ve heard of Guy-Blache. Virtually all of them say no. It’s redundant and takes valuable time away from Guy-Blache’s story, as does Green’s attempt to track someone who can digitize an antiquated videotape of an interview with her. Apparently Green began her career in animation, so there are cutesy graphics, maps, even voicemails illustrating her search for clues about GuyBlache. There’s too much information. One appreciates her efforts, but must every cumbersome detail about her hunt be documented? Despite this caveat, “Be Natural” is an impressive achievement in silent-film history in rightfully restoring Guy-Blache as one of the

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true pioneers of cinema. Her contributions were left out of the records. Till the end of her long, financially insecure life, Guy-Blache wrote letters to authors and scholars attempting to set the record straight concerning which films she directed, and to locate in vain lost prints of her movies. Because of their naturalistic acting and sophisticated subject matter, her movies don’t seem dated. Kino Lorber includes a volume on Guy-Blache in two excellent DVD collections: “Gaumont Treasures (1897-1913)” and “Pioneers: First Women Filmmakers.” “Be Natural” goes a long way in restoring GuyBlache’s historical reputation, arguing she was one of the first auteurs of cinema. This frustrating and exhilarating documentary is mandatory viewing for any cinephile.t

<< Film

20 • Bay Area Reporter • September 26-October 2, 2019

Joining the cult of Judy by David Lamble

hat’s the secret to creating a hit bio-pic about a person we feel we already know too well? Do as Renée Zellweger does in her moving homage to one of the last great entertainers, Judy Garland, and ignore all the naysayers who claim you’re all wrong for the role, or that you shouldn’t attempt to imitate that memorable voice, play it safe and lip-sync. In “Judy,” Zellweger does it her way, and while not everyone will love her take on the Garland songbook, I predict many newcomers to the cult of Judy will sign up and even buy the CDs. The fourth feature from British director Rupert Goold (with screen-

play by Tom Edge), “Judy” backs Zellweger with a great supporting cast: Jessie Buckley, Finn Wittrock, Rufus Sewell, and Michael Gambon. It takes on the last year of Garland’s life as she lands in London to headline a five-week, sold-out run at The Talk of the Town. This is 30 years after she was fired out of the MGM cannon as the little girl who just wanted to get back to her aunt and uncle’s dustbowl Kansas farm in the film that’s probably been playing somewhere every day since, “The Wizard of Oz.” While 12-year-old Judy may have been abused by handlers, hangerson and especially big-studio executives, that was nothing compared to the battering the 40something

diva receives from management, musicians, friends and adoring fans. All the while charming the hell out of everyone on and backstage, she manages to set out on a whirlwind courtship with her soon-to-be-fifth husband, Mickey Deans. As she belts out some of Garland’s best-loved songs, Zellweger demonstrates her thorough grasp of the qualities that allowed Judy to be not only one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th Century, but also a very special icon and even guardian angel to millions of gay men worldwide. With “Judy,” Renée Zellweger joins a short list for award-season top honors with a performance I bet you won’t be Renée Zellweger as Judy Garland in “Judy.” able to see just once.t ballets have been staged by companies around the world, including American Ballet Theatre, Joffrey and San Francisco Ballet. Well-known to be uncomfortable with interviews, Kudelka answered questions about his life and work via email.

Chris Hardy

Smuin dancers Valerie Harmon and Peter Kurta in James Kudelka’s “The Man in Black.”

James Kudelka

From page 15

But the dancers don’t notice the pain, heat or noise. They are “in the zone,” soaking up every bit of guidance given to them by choreographer James Kudelka, who is putting the final touches on his ballet “The Man in Black,” the top-billed work on Smuin’s first program of the season. Set to the music of Johnny Cash (covers of The Beatles, Nine

MMDG

From page 15

He has always been about the music. As a child he started with Flamenco, then had a hippie phase as a member and choreographer of a Balkan folk-dance collective. He came to “serious concert dance” up from the roots of the dances of the people, which are always rooted in the music they’re danced to, and the rhythms and harmonies that belong to them. So the moods, rhythms, melodies, harmonies of the music have always shone through his most complex structures to give his work popular appeal. And his taste in music is excellent. But “Mozart Dances” is a hard nut to crack. The relation of the movement to the music is not straightforward. I found it easier to grasp this time, since they downplayed the music and elevated the dancing. At its premiere here a decade ago, the star was the great pianist Garrick Olson, who played Mozart’s parts in all three selections: the 11th and 27th piano concertos, separated by the Sonata for Two Pianos. This time around it was better danced throughout, with better balances, clearer phrasing, and with a sovereign performance by Lauren Grant in the opening piece “Eleven,” which is necessary to lead you into the work. It’s been her role since the

Inch Nails, Gordon Lightfoot and others), “The Man in Black” is a highly stylized, sculptural blend of Country-Western and classical dance idioms. Hailed as “the most imaginative voice to come out of ballet in the last decade” (The New York Times), Kudelka has been openly gay throughout his career. He was artistic director of National Ballet of Canada, and now serves as artist-inresidence there. His more-than-70 beginning, and her authority has grown stronger. The theme seems to be, in E.M Forster’s phrase, “Only connect!” As she enters a grove of women, they are fixed like columns on a temple-front. They gradually become less inert as she approaches, then darts away. Every move she makes is suddenly arrested, with heart-stopping balances on the brink of some abyss. A number of times, she falls. One moment the pose is noble, could have come off a Grecian urn. The next minute she’s flat-footed, facing upstage, with her elbows beside her ears and both hands on the back of her neck. She’s stumped in a variety of moods, but she persists. The women onstage will sometimes fall into line and follow her, or suddenly veer off as if repelled. The forces seem “animal-magnetic,” but gradually they look more life-like. Finally, two women take hands, and it’s catching. Still, the final image is a woman fallen to the floor, reaching out with a clamorous gesture that is held as the lights go down. The second movement is the heart of the matter: the double piano sonata, a dance for the men with the finest circle dance perhaps ever created at its center, It opened up with every device a dance-maker could devise to create a sense of community: its gravitational forces, those that hold it together and those

Philip Mayard: Tell me about growing up in Newmarket, Canada. Was there cultural life? James Kudelka: I grew up on a dairy farm. We were six children plus parents and my father’s parents in the house, when they were released from Bergen-Belsen after WWII. We last four children [born in the 1950s] were taken to Toronto pretty consistently to theatre, dance and art galleries. I was fortunate to have been exposed to the thrill of the theatre and stimulating conversations on the drive home. This is very different from loading classes of kids on a school bus and having them see “Cats.” How did you become interested in dance? Were you ever bullied? My mother put me into dance classes because it was easier to leave me there with my elder sister. I was taken to my first ballet, “Swan Lake,” when I was six. But I don’t think it was a magical moment. I was just doing what everyone else was doing in the family. I was not made fun of for studying ballet. It all just seemed foreign to everyone. I must have shown some kind of ability; the local ballet teacher suggested that I study where

there might be some other boys. So at age seven I started taking classes at the National Ballet School in Toronto. (By the way, there were no other boys.) I entered the full-time School, which was residential, when I was 10 in 1965. I was in fact the first boy to enter the School at that age. I joined the National Ballet of Canada in 1972. Has being out ever presented professional challenges? In “Monument for a Dead Boy” in the 1970s, I had the lead role. It was about a gay kid. I remember doing an interview for a gay publication, but I didn’t use my real name. The writer chastised me for not choreographing ballets that reflected my real world. I was the guy in New York in the 70s who, rather than go to Studio 54 – we could get in if we told them we were with Nureyev – instead bought a sandwich and went back to the hotel to watch “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.” I was too young and too scared of the world. Some years later I made a dance called “15 Heterosexual Duets,” which was, in fact, just that. But it was an important piece for me because for the first time I actually sort of outed myself as an observer of heterosexuality and not a participant. I did get push-back for that title. But I persevered. Basically, all my work is about what it is like being gay. Although my characters and dancers are not

Stephanie Berger

Mark Morris Dance Group performed “Mozart Dances” in Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley.

that might pull it apart. Morris has stolen from Balanchine’s “Concerto Barocco, Divertimento # 15,” though the motifs both choreographers use come from folk-dance, where the bigger dancers lift the little ones, or make arches, “thread the needle” and pull a line of dancers after them. It takes a hell of a choreographer to make anything appealing with music as tightly organized as this. A suite of dances lends itself to dance-making; so does a bunch of songs. Social dancers can improvise all night long to a playlist of songs. But sonata structure is musical argument. Balanchine showed how to do this with “Serenade”; Massine showed how to make a huge, klugey mess with his attempts. Here Morris has programmed the three pieces

together. He has mastery of spacing, the change of mood that a sudden entrance can make, and above all the ability to set the group moving in complex ways: in canon, in opposition, weaving through each other, falling suddenly, separately or in groups, with at all times well-chosen steps that fit the music so skillfully it’s as natural as water running over rocks. The heart of the matter is intimacy. Mozart can lead you round the corner by indirect means, and suddenly you feel a big emotion. Morris can lead you there with the same sense of revelation. There are several star turns. Though the piece is about community, there are two other major roles. Aaron Roux excelled in the commanding role that opened

David Hindley/Roadside Attractions

necessarily all gay, there is an undeniable sensibility. Tell me about “The Man in Black.” Are you a Johnny Cash fan? Cash was suggested because the program [at BalletMet in Columbus] was “The American Songbook.” I had seen “Walk the Line,” and Joaquin Phoenix was so hot. I didn’t want to do a piece about prison songs. I was told about all the covers Cash had done late in his life, and that was intriguing and somehow once-removed from what one expects from him. “The Man in Black” is a celebration of masculinity. I didn’t set out to make it that, but it is what it became. I don’t think that it is pornographic. But it is sensual and maybe even erotic. How do you think Michael Smuin (the late founder of Smuin Contemporary Ballet) would have felt about “The Man in Black?” [Smuin was] a true man of the theatre. He was very comfortable meeting the audience on its own level. I always strived to give the audience what it didn’t know it wanted. I have no idea what he would make of “The Man in Black.” He might have thought I just got lucky with this one. I certainly feel that way.t Smuin’s Dance Series One runs Sept. 27-Oc. 6 at Cowell Theater. Tickets: smuinballet.org.

“Double,” a petit allegro virtuosic role with stunning pirouettes, turning on a dime and finishing in a pose of noble command, alternating with brilliant running steps, lacy footwork of the frothiest kind. This entrance, applauded wildly, prepared the way for the jeun premier Noah Vinson, the most delicate, gentle of the men. Vinson became the center of the six-man circle when it was most embracing. When the music turned ominous and the stage was invaded by implacable creatures who threatened Vinson with imprisoning energy, it was Roux who circled the group, arms outstretched, without being able to pierce it. But the threat melted away. And the finale is a picture of civilization, ending in a frolic. Everyone danced well, especially Billy Smith, Laurel Lynch, Domingo Estrada, and Dallas McMurray. Several apprentices were needed as there were injuries in the group, notably Jammie Walker, Matthew McLaughlin, and Karlie Budge. Production values were superb across the board: costumes by Martin Pakledinaz, lighting by James F. Ingalls, an abstract backdrop by the distinguished painter Howard Hodgkin. The Berkeley Symphony played the concerti conducted by the Mark Morris Dance Group’s excellent music director, Colin Fowler. Inon Barnatan played lead piano parts brilliantly.t

10 Tips for Folsom newbies

BARtab

Navigating the sexy street fair for optimum fun

by Race Bannon

olsom Street Fair is just days away. Among the crowd will be throngs of people who have traversed past Fairs multiple times. For them, it’s an annual gathering for which they already know the ins and outs. For others, if this is their first Fair, they might have some trepidations and concerns. See page 24 >>

Henri Leleu, courtesy GLBT Historical Society

Dancer Paul William welcomes fans to a recent Folsom Street Fair.

Finding Fe-Be’s Rediscovering the history of an iconic bar by Michael Flanagan

ne thing about Fe-Be’s that most people know it is that it was the first leather bar on Folsom Street. If there is a second thing people know, it’s that the bar was the place that the iconic “Leather David” was born - and generally that’s where their knowledge stops. See page 23 >>

Fe-Be’s sign.

{ THIRD OF THREE SECTIONS }

@LGBTSF

@eBARnews

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BARchive>>

September 26-October 2, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 23

Fe-Be’s

From page 21

In his book, Gay San Francisco: Eyewitness Drummer - A Memoir of the Sex, Art, Salon, Pop Culture War, and Gay History of Drummer Magazine - The Titanic 1970s to 1999, Jack Fritscher quotes the creator of the “Leather David,” artist Mike Caffee, as saying: “Fe-Be’s is long gone and mostly forgotten—only the statue lives on.” The bar, which opened at 1501 Folsom Street on July 26, 1966, deserves to be remembered for more than the statue, despite its iconic nature. It was a home to outlaw gay bikers, owners Don Geist and John Kissinger, who fought the law. Fe-Be’s was also the first location of A Taste of Leather, where owner Nick O’Demus sold poppers and ‘napkin rings’ for the needs of the bikers in the bar. It was also home to bartender and Emperor II Russ Higginbotham and much socializing by members of the Imperial Council of San Francisco. In an oral history from the GLBT Historical Society, Warlock Motorcycle Club member Jim Connor talked with the Historical Society’s Paul Gabriel about Fe-Be’s and the gay biker scene: “In L.A. Griffin’s West and FeBe’s up here became the headquarters for most of the club scene. The Warlocks met the first Friday of every month in a little garage at 33 Gilbert Street. And at that time, Don Geist and John Kissinger were the owners of Fe-Be’s and they would come to these meetings and hand out drink tickets. And that’s how the clubs got to go to Fe-Be’s and establish that as their local place to meet – because of Don and John giving out free drink tickets – and they got the crowd.” As you can probably imagine, these men did more than just polish their bikes while they were at the bar. Ron Williams, author of San Francisco’s Native “Sissy” Son remembered the bar this way: “I spent a lot of time in that bar during the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. On Sunday afternoons Fe-Be’s was especially busy. Being just down the street from The Stud there was a lot of activity, in the back, ‘crushed fruit’ is a better description. The hankypanky was so blatant, groping and guys with the dicks out BJs going on. You could buy Poppers from Nick O’Demus from Taste of Leather up in the attic over the bar.” The sexual activity at Fe-Be’s did not go unnoticed by authorities. The Alcoholic Beverage Control held hearings on September 18 and 19 in 1967 and May 27, 1968 over two counts against the bar: running a business contrary to public morals (11 instances were cited) and distributing obscene matter. The behavior leading to the counts happened between September 1, 1966 and June 1, 1967. The ABC began surveilling the bar less than two months after it opened. The document that I found at San Francisco Public Library concerning this was an appeals board hearing (AB-3150) from January 6, 1969. The “behavior contrary to public morals” included the following: “On May 24, 1967, a male patron did place his hand inside the trousers of another male patron.” In another instance, “On June 1, 1967, a male patron did rub the genital area of Special Inves-

Bay Area Reporter

Don Geist and John Kissinger (at left) in 1971 at Fe-Be’s.

tigator Paul E. D’Andrea.” Count two stated, “On April 26, 1967, respondent’s president, John R. Kissinger, had in his possession for sale or distribution, two simulated rubber penises.” Behavior in the bar wasn’t given a pass because of the summer of love, and there was much ado about dildos. The hearing was extraordinarily odd. At one point Don Geist suggested that the dildos were used as a gag prop to stir drinks. The ABC wanted Fe-Be’s’ license to be revoked and the bar to be closed, but the community rallied behind them. From October 1970 through October 22, 1971 the bar was closed. The Adz Gayzette posted notices of hearings and ads for a legal fund benefit

with performers Michelle and Jose at the Roundup (298 6th Street). Other benefits happened at Off the Levee (527 Bryant) and the InnB-Tween (1347 Folsom). The fifth anniversary party was held in exile at the Corner, at 15th and Folsom. The first issue of the Bay Area Reporter (April 1, 1971) listed Fe-Be’s as a member of the Tavern Guild “on vacation.” In the midst of the ABC drama, Geist and Kissinger celebrated their 25th anniversary as a couple. They originally met in a laundromat in St. Louis, Missouri while both were under 21 and in the Navy. The anniversary party was a black-tie dinner party at the Jack Tar Hotel with hundreds of guests. Mr. Marcus remembered that they gave Jose a blank check for the event and said, “Plan the party. Invite the guests and let’s celebrate.” It was memorable for another reason: 10 years later they not only celebrated their 35th anniversary, but the 10th anniversary of the addition of Doug Anderson to their menage. It’s unclear what the ultimate resolution of the case was, but we have hints. When the bar reopened, the ad in the Adz Gayzette said it was “under new management.” When Fe-Be’s bartender was elected Emperor Russ II in September 1973, an article in the B.A.R. referred to him as the “licensed owner of Fe-Be’s.” It was a common practice during the period for bar owners to name a relative or employee as the new owner of the bar to keep it open. Fe-be’s continued to inspire the community into the ‘80s. The Mr. Febe’s contest was the first leather contest with a title. Emperor XIV Matthew Brown told me that Geist, Kissinger, Higginbotham and Anderson were involved with the Imperial Council for as long as they were in San Francisco. Fe-Be’s also continued to be involved with the motorcycle clubs with events like the Interclub Fund’s Casualty Capers and their own Valentine’s Day Massacre. They welcomed members of all clubs as well as independents. A Taste of Leather remained in Fe-Be’s until 1978, when it moved to 960 Folsom Street. It continued to offer S&M Black and Blue Stamps with purchases, including the “Leather David” statue and “napkin rings.” When the bar closed on June 12, 1986 it was Geist, Kissinger and Anderson who made the decision – not the ABC. Connor attributed the closure to fear of AIDS, but as there were many benefits there in the early days of the epidemic I would guess burnout Ron Williams

The “Leather David,” iconic art from Fe-Be’s.

Left: John Kissinger in the 1980s. Right: Don Geist in Mississippi, 1988.

Top: Fe-Be’s grand re-opening ad in the Bay Area Reporter, December 1, 1971 Bottom: A mid-1970s Taste of Leather ad in the Bay Area Reporter.

played an equal role. John, Don and Doug moved close to Biloxi, MS in 1986. John died in 1988, Don in 1998, Russ in 2015 and Doug in 2016. In his tribute to Fe-Be’s when it

closed, Mr. Marcus wrote, “While they never said anything about it, Don and John gave so much money to charities it was unbelievable.” In the end they were as iconic as the statue.t

<< Leather

24 • Bay Area Reporter • September 26-October 2, 2019

Twisted Windows @ SOMArts Cultural Center Gooch

Surrounds you with sensual shows on simultaneous stages featuring international artists and unique acts you won't see anywhere else. Exquisitely erotic, sensually subversive, and particularly perilous – the performances spotlight suspension bondage and shibari while also celebrating other lascivious artistic expression. $50-$90, 934 Brannan St., 7:45pm-1am. www.facebook.com/ events/870631263317815/

Sat 28

Full Fetish @ Space 550

Leather Events Sept 26 - 30, 2019

Thu 26 Back Pocket: FLSM Flagging Fun @ Atlas Transport yourself back to the good old days when the lights were dim, all the young dudes were there, and flagging (aka hanky code) signaled to those in the know just what you were after. Hankies available for purchase. Coat check available. $5 pre-sale or at the door (21+). Atlas members get in free. 9pm-2am. www.atlas-sf.com

The Balcony @ Underground SF Mr. Drummer ‘79 presents a tribute to The Balcony (1977-83). The Balcony opened at 6am as sex clubs like South of the Slot and Catacombs were winding down. DJs Orographic (Bridge Club PDX) and Matthe Paul (Mr. Drummer '79). $10, 424 Haight St., 9pm-2am. www.facebook.com/ events/394789734512345/

C-Gar’s Social Welcome Party @ SF Eagle Kick off the start of Folsom Weekend as smoking, hot leathermen converge on the patio, meeting up with friends and making new ones. DJ Jeff Johnson provides music. 398 12th St. 9pm-2am.sf-eagle.com

Frisky Pups: Folsom Edition @ SF Catalyst Sex-positive and kinky party for men, boys, and pups gather for sweaty night of debauchery. Fully equipped play space with BDSM equipment, benches, beds, slings, puppy mats. Unleash your primal instincts. Lube, condoms, and snacks provided. All sex-positive, male-identified 18+ are welcome. $20-$30.1060 Folsom St. 8pm-1am. www.fpfolsom19.eventbrite.com

The Maze: FLSM Friday @ Atlas Immerse yourself in a cruisy, dimly lit labyrinth. Dim lights and 2-room maze. Refreshment stations. Coat check available. Tickets online or at the door or get in free with Atlas Membership. $22. 10pm-3am. www.atlas-sf.com

The Mr. S Folsom Block Party @ Mr. S Leather Join hundreds of sexy men at Mr. S Leather for this 2-day event leading up to the Folsom Street Fair. They’re opening their Back Alley Beer Garden from 12-6 on both Friday and Saturday (you must be 21+ to enter with valid identification). 385 8th St. 11am-8pm. www.mr-s-leather.com

Pre-Folsom Social @ Starbucks Join Andres Campos at the Castro community Starbucks for a preFolsom coffee social. 4094 18th St. 6pm-8pm.

Prime @ Club Six Two floors, two clubs, one ticket; San Francisco Meat plus Prime, The Daddy Pit Leather Bar. Upstairs with DJ Neon The Glowgobear, downstairs with DJ Serge P, direct from Berlin. Hot gogo studs in their prime. Hosts: Race Bannon and Russ Beets. Clothes check available. $30-$40, 60 6th St., 10pm-4am. www.facebook.com/ events/2114370182189266/

Sober Kink Together @ Castro Country Club Officially a CMA meeting, but open to all Anonymous 12-step Fellowship members, 4058 18th St., 9:30pm. www.castrocountryclub.org

Street Sex Photos 2 @ Mark I Chester Studio

Brüt and Brian Kent Productions join forces. Dark seedy dancefloor, amazing NYC underground house music, and some hot man meat. Clothes check available. 119 Utah St., 10pm-4am. www.brutparty.com

Opening night, this second part of Street Sex Photos documents images of gay men being sexual on the streets of South of Market in San Francisco. It is both a love letter to the past and a hope and dream for the future. They are part documentary, part fantasy, part fine art sexual portraiture and part outlaw behavior. Donations encouraged. 1229 Folsom St. 7pm-10pm. markichester.com

The Exiles Folsom Social @ SF Catalyst

SubMission: Cocktails & Comedy @ The Armory Club

Stop by before your evening party – or make this your party – and enjoy entertainment, demos, delicious refreshments, and cake. Silent auction features leather clothing, toys, knives, and more. $10-$30 for non-members. 1060 Folsom St. 7:3010:30pm. www.theexiles.org

Weekly stand-up comedy show in the basement of the SF Armory Club. Grab a craft cocktail from the bar upstairs and prepare for a night of laughter with the right amount of kink. $15, 1799 Mission St., Shows at 7pm and 9pm. \www.facebook.com/ events/2224047767836170/

Fri 27 Brüt – FLSM Friday @ The Great Northern

Sat 28 Big Muscle Folsom Party @ DNA Lounge Muscle guys and the guys who like them gather for this longstanding Folsom weekend dance party. Beats by DJ Charly. 21+ in photo ID. $20 advance or at the door. 375 11th St. 1pm-7pm. www.facebook.com/ events/2553456038011030/

Friendly Fire: Red vs. Blue @ Danzhaus Dance Center Gage Lennox presents a coded fetish party with preferred red or blue (or both) hanky color armbands. Gay, bi and FTM; come with a hungry, prepared and welcoming vibe. DJ Trever Pearson and Visual Artist ‘3’. $40. 1275 Connecticut St. 10pm3am. https://Friendly-Fire.com

Full Fetish San Francisco @ Space 550 Recon.com and Folsom Street Events team up to host the Official Saturday Night Party of Folsom Street Fair Weekend; a sleazy, Euro-style event to build the atmosphere for this fetish, kink and underground party. All fetish dress codes are encouraged. DJs Cyril G Deejay and DJ Bryan Novy. $55$60. 550 Barneveld Ave. 10pm-4am. www.folsomstreetevents.org/fullfetish-san-francisco/

Geared Up @ Atlas Get geared up for some fun. Dim lights and 2-room maze. Chill underground beats. Refreshment stations. Coat check available. Tickets online or at the door or get in free with ATLAS Membership. $15. 10pm-3am. www.atlas-sf.com

Masteurdome @ Regency Ballroom The producers of Club Universe, Pleasuredome, and Pride at the Armory bring you a new experience to surpass all others. Brian Kent Productions and Audrey Joseph are back to deliver a production with amorous visuals. Tech house producer-DJs Chus & Ceballos are joined by dance/house DJ Ralph Rosario. $55-$100. 1300 Van Ness Ave. 9pm-3am. masteurdome.com

Men’s BDSM Party @ SF Catalyst The 15 Association men’s BDSM play party. Check website for attendance details. 1060 Folsom St., 6pm-12am. www.the15sf.org

The Mr. S Folsom Block Party @ Mr. S Leather Join hundreds of sexy men at Mr. S Leather for this two-day event leading up to the Folsom Street Fair. They’re opening their Back Alley Beer Garden from 12pm-6pm on both Friday and Saturday (you must be 21+ to enter with valid identification). 385 8th St. 11am8pm. www.mr-s-leather.com

New Breed @ Club Six Pound Puppy and Polyglamorous present this doubledecker event featuring Polyglamorous upstairs and Pound Puppy downstairs. A group of great DJs: D. Tiffany, Justin Cudmore, Perfect Lovers, Kodemul, Victor Rodriguez, resident DJs Oscar Pineda, Kevin O'Connor; BEYA, Major, and Mark O’Brien (Polyglamorous). $30-$50. 60 6th St. 10pm-5am. www.facebook.com/ events/401121184087294/

Rogue @ SF Eagle The SF Eagle goes Rogue once a month for this hot and nasty leather fetish event that doesn't follow the rules. This is a leather/Levi/ gear/fetish party. DJ/Producer Tony Moran. Live demos and gogo slaves. Play by your own rules, go Rogue or stay home. Dress code highly encouraged. 398 12th St., 9pm-2am. www.sf-eagle.com

Sun 29 Bawdy Storytelling’s ‘Kinktacular’ @ Verdi Club Well-known storytelling event where every story has to do with sex. This month, celebrate Folsom Street Fair, featuring true stories from Ponies, Leather Daddies, and more, an extra kinky game of Bang-O, songs by Rachel Lark, and real people telling their true stories of being the Pup, a Unicorn, or who knows what. 2424 Mariposa St. 8pm-11pm. www.facebook.com/ events/354609782149543/

CumUnion 10th Anniversary Folsom Party @ SF Catalyst International play party for men now held in 40 locations worldwide. Men of all races and types ages 18+. Two levels of play with play beds, tons of kinky play equipment, and men. Come ready to play. $20 includes locker (ID required for deposit). 1060 Folsom St. 3pm-12am. www.CumUnion.com

Deviants @ Mezzanine The official closing party of Folsom Street Fair features DJ Whitney Fierce, DJ Lina and DJ Chris Cruse. Folsom Street Events keeps the energy of the Fair going into the night, just a ten-minute walk from the fairgrounds. Mario Diaz hosts this affair, to end your weekend with a bang and some great music. 21+, photo ID required. $50, 444 Jessie St., 6pm-2am. www.facebook.com/ events/448231999091127/

Gear Queers @ Jolene’s Bar The official Folsom after-party for womxn and friends. Partnering with Folsom Street Events and Kink.com, these folks are bringing you the after party focusing on womxn in a safe space to explore. Wear your favorite fetish gear. No cameras. Consent is mandatory. Live demos. Life DJs. Presales are highly encouraged. $10. 2700 16th St. 6pm-10pm. www.facebook.com/ events/724332908012708/

Mon 30 Aftershock @ City Nights Frisco Disco Events wants you to put on your boots, bring your friends and join sexy men from around the world at this afterhours Folsom dance party. DJ Abel returns to spin joined by New York’s light and visual artists, Guy Smith and Rob Montenegro. Official after-hours party of Folsom Street Fair. $50-$60. 4:00am-10:00am. 715 Harrison St. Tickets at https://bit.ly/2IAENKA

Blackout Play Party @ SF Catalyst With the lights extra low, free glow in the dark wristbands help light your way through the super dark play spaces. Secure lockers available. Not WA. $20. 5pm-12am. Every Monday. 1060 Folsom St. www.sfcatalyst.org

Ride Mondays @ Eros A motorcycle rider and leathermen night at Eros. Bring your helmet, leather, AMA card, MC club card or club colors and get $3 off entry or massage. All day. Every Monday. 2051 Market St. www.erossf.comt

For more Leather Events, visit www.ebar.com/events

10 Folsom Tips

From page 21

If you’re a newcomer to the Fair, here are a few tips that might help make your first time better. While these tips are specific to the Fair, most of them apply to attending any big leather or kink event. 1. Be polite. I could have labeled this ‘respect consent’ but I feel consent is ultimately a subset of being polite. If you don’t know someone and how they will react, don’t reach out and touch them. If some erotic activity is going on, don’t assume you can step in and join. Be a polite person and ask permission or wait for a clear cue that you are invited. 2. Realize photos and video will be taken. There have been attempts at events to manage the desires of those who do and don’t want photos or videos taken. Such efforts are not 100% effective, at least not at big, public events like this one. Some people will ask you if they can take your photo. Most will not and there’s no way to filter who takes photos or video of larger groups. 3. Wear sunscreen. Every year you see hundreds of people walking around late on Fair day with severely sunburned bodies, often with the pattern of a harness or whatever they were wearing burned on them like a painful temporary tattoo. Don’t be one of them. If necessary, the Fair has a sunscreen station on the fairgrounds. For the truly fairskinned, huddle under whatever shade you can find and watch the parade of fetishes and kinks walk by, which is much of the fun anyway. 4. Hydrate. Even if you are not drinking or otherwise indulging in something altering, the hot sun and excitement of the day can take its toll. Drink plenty of water. Try not to overheat. If you are hanging out with a friend, encourage them to do the same. Wearing less rather than more can alleviate overheating. There is a clothes check on the fairgrounds. 5. It’s not a contest. Whether a newcomer or a seasoned kinkster, being around so much fetish attire or exotic kink practices can elicit a sense of competition. Damaging thoughts can creep in. Am I kinky enough? Am I wearing enough gear? Should I be able to take what that guy tied up can take? There are so many people here with amazing bodies and I’m just average so maybe I don’t belong. The competitive mental chatter can ramble through our brains and squelch the fun right out of it. None of this is a contest. Chill out and just be yourself. 6. Don’t try to attend every event. The number of events that have sprung up around the Fair has skyrocketed in recent years. Dozens of events compete for your attention and dollars. Realize you can’t do it all. Trying to do so is a mistake. Leave gaps in your schedule to embrace spontaneity. Over-scheduling is a mistake. Plus, there’s that thing called sleep you will need if you are to truly enjoy yourself. Naps are good. Like most things in life, pacing is everything. 7. If you’re a shopper, get to the Fair early. The Fair offers an amazing kink shopping experience. Retailers from around the world set up shop and offer an assortment of garb and gear to take your fetish and play to new levels. The Fair gets extremely crowded late in the day, making shopping more difficult. Getting there early allows you to browse unimpeded, and the booths will still be fully stocked. Going early also allows you to experience a wide-open street before the pressed flesh of the packed crowds. 8. Suspend judgment and release expectations. Especially if you’re a newcomer, try to have few expectations and leave any judgmentalism home. It has no place at the Fair. Remember what the late,

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Left: A new 25’x15’ Leader Pride Flag now flies prominently on the new Eagle Plaza currently under construction. Top Right: Hundreds of people walked Sunday in the first Leather Pride Parade that culminated at the SF Eagle for the raising of the new Eagle Plaza Leather Pride Flag. Bottom Right: Members of the local leather communities held the new Eagle Plaza Leather Pride Flag prior to its raising as part of a flag raising ceremony.

great Frank Zappa said. “The mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it is not open.” 9. Donate at the gate. Remember, the Fair is a fundraiser. Much of the money you donate at the gate ends up in the coffers of worthwhile nonprofits that help lots of people. Even if you do not have a lot of extra money right now, try to donate something. If you are currently flush with cash, consider donating more than the suggested contribution. 10. Attend with a smaller group. It might seem like fun to walk around with 10 of your best friends, but it’s extremely difficult to keep track of everyone. Consider going with just one or two people so you can easily hang together and not constantly stop and start to wrangle your posse. Be aware that cell reception in large crowds often grinds to a halt. You might not be able to text or call. Have a meeting place set up in advance in case you lose track of each other. Enjoy the Fair. It’s one of the most amazing gatherings of kinksters in the world. We are lucky to have it right here in San Francisco.

route that stopped along the way at the Powerhouse, Mr. S Leather, The Stud, Lone Star Saloon, finally arriving at the SF Eagle for an extended block party beer bust and a celebration of the raising of a new 25’x15’ leather pride flag on the 80’ flag pole

that will serve as a highly visible marker for the new Eagle Plaza now under construction.t Race Bannon is a local author, blogger and activist. www.bannon.com

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<< Arts Events

26 • Bay Area Reporter • September 26-October 2, 2019

Andrew Stoner @ SF Main Library Author discusses his biography, The Journalist of Castro Street: the Life of Randy Shilts. Hormel Center, 3rd floor. 100 Larkin St. www.sfpl.org

Events @ GLBT History Museum Sept 26: book launch for E.R. Ramzipoor’s The Ventriloquists: A Novel of Queer Resistance. Oct. 3: ‘Remembering a Police Riot: The Castro Sweep of 1989,’ a 30th anniversary panel discussion with visuals. Each 7pm, $5. 4127 18th St. www.glbthistory.org

The Great Wave @ Berkeley Repertory U.S. premiere of Francis Turnly’s drama about Asian family members separated by an ocean. $30-$81. Thru Oct 27. 2015 Addison St., Berkeley. www.berkeleyrep.org

Lois Tema

Sept. 26 - Oct. 3, 2019

Thu 26

The Flick @ Ashby Stage, Berkeley

Arts Events

For full listings, visit www.ebar.com/events

Jonathan Biss @ Hertz Hall, Berkeley The acclaimed pianist performs a 7-concert cycle of the complete Beethoven Pianos sonatas. $68. Sept 21, 8pm & 22, 3pm. Oct 12 & 13, Dec 15 Mar. 7 & 8. Bancroft Way at College Ave., UC Berkeley campus. www.calperformances.org

Triptych (Eyes of One on Another) @ Zellerbach Hall

Fri 27

This Side of Crazy @ New Conservatory Theatre Center

Hot Mikado @ Gateway Theatre 42nd Street Moon’s new production of Rob Bowman and David H. Bell’s jazz interpretation of Gilbert & Sullivan’s operetta. $31-$72. Thru Oct. 13. 215 Jackson St. www.42ndstmoon.org

Naomi Klein @ First Congregational Church of Oakland The author discusses her new book, On Fire: The Burning Case for a Green New Deal, with Mother Jones editor-in-Chief Clara Jeffery. $10-$53. 7pm. 2501 Harrison St., Oakland. www.berkeleyarts.org

Readings @ The Green Arcade Sept 26, 7pm: Raymond Caballero discusses his book McCarthyism vs. Clinton Jencks, about a war veteran’s plight and false imprisonment. 1680 Market St. www.thegreenarcade.com

Theater of Terror: Revenge of the Queers @ Strut Launch party for a new queer horror comics anthology, with editors Justin Hall and William O. Tyler, and host Peaches Christ. 8pm-10pm. 470 Castro St. www.strutsf.org

Top Girls @ Geary Theater American Conservatory Theatre’s new season kicks off with Caryl Churchill’s modern classic drama about the cost of progress in a world divided by class, cruelty, and capitalism. Enjoy a special-made Humphry Slocombe ice cream flavor in the lobby. $15-$110. Thru Oct. 13. 415 Geary St. www.act-sf.org

#We @ Wolfman Books, Oakland

Fri 27 Art & MORE! @ The Academy Group exhibit of works by Elliott C Nathan, J. Manuel Carmona and Serge Gay Jr., with an art talk led by Juanita MORE with SF Art Commission President, Roberto Ordenana. 2166 Market St. www.academy-sf.com

Dionysus Was Such a Nice Man @ Joe Goode Annex Fools Fury production of Kate Tarker’s modern take on the story of Oedipus from the perspective of the family of shepherds who raised him. $24-$50. Thru Oct. 20. 401 Alabama St. www.foolsfury.org

Exit Strategy @ Aurora Theatre, Berkeley Performances of Ike Holter’s play about teachers and students who fight the demolition of a beloved school building. $40-$70. Thru Sept. 29. 2081 Addison St., Berkeley. www.auroratheatre.org

Firsts: Coming of Age Stories for People with Disabilities @ Congregation Shaar Zahav Editor Belo Miguel Cipriani ( Blind: A Memoir) and writer David-Elijah Nahmod discuss and read from their stories. 6pm. 290 Dolores St. https://shaarzahav.org

Smuin Contemporary Ballet @ Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek

Sun 29 Paula Cole @ Yoshi’s

Sex scenes in stunning photos by the veteran leather /kink photgrapher. Donations/sales. 7pm-10pm. Sept 29, 1pm-6pm. 1229 Folsom St. www.markichester.com

The Grammy-winning singersongwriter performs with her band at the stylish restaurant-nightclub. $29-$69. 7pm. 510 Emabrcadero West, Oakland. www.yoshis.com

This Side of Crazy @ New Conservatory Theatre Company

Romeo & Juliet @ War Memorial Opera House

Previews for Del Shore’s new comedy about four very unusual women brought together for a family reunion. $22-$44. Wed-Sat 8pm. Sun 2pm. Thursday night preshow music/drag cabaret concerts. Thru Oct. 20. 25 Van Ness Ave., lower level. www.nctcsf.org

Titus Andronicus @ La Val’s Subterranean Theater, Berkeley Shakespeare’s violent bloody tragedy gets an intimate local production. $15-$25. Thu 7:30pm. Fri & Sat 8pm. Sun 7pm thru Sept 29. 1834 Euclid Ave., Berkeley. www.tituslunatico.bpt.me

Sat 28 Caroline, or Change @ Victoria Theatre Jeanine Tesori and Tony Kushner’s musical drama about a Southern Jewish family and their Black maid. $35-$40. Thru Oct. 5. 2961 16th St. www.rayoflighttheatre.com

Drag Queen Story Hour @ The Bindery Celebrate Banned Books Week with kid-friendly story readings, activities and LGBTQ fun. 2:30pm. 1644 Haight St. booksmith.com/Bindery

San Francisco Opera performs Charles Gounod’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic romantic tragedy. $31-$306. 8pm. Also Sept 29 & Oct 1. 301 Van Ness Ave. www.sfopera.com

The Teen Age @ Cartoon Museum Summer exhibition, The Teen Age: Youth Culture in Comics. Also, Surfside Girls, original work from book illustrator Kim Dwinell; other ongoing exhibits. Free-$10. 11am5pm, except Wed. 781 Beach St. www.cartoonart.org

Mon 30 Firsts: Coming of Age Stories for People with Disabilities @ Booksmith Editor Belo Miguel Cipriani (Blind: A Memoir) and local contributors Caitlin Hernandez & David-Elijah Nahmod to the anthology read from their stories. 7:30pm. 1644 Haight St. www.booksmith.com

Justin Hall @ Strut The local comic artist and editor’s Greetings From Dadville, his new collection of illustrations from a new comic book; thru Sept. 470 Castro St. www.strutsf.org

Alonzo King LINES Ballet @ YBCA The local contemporary dance company perform’s King’s new evening-length work with musicians Charles Lloyd and Jason Moran. $45-$95. 7:30pm. Thru Oct. 6. 700 Howard St. www.linesballet.org www.ybca.org

Lino Tagliapietra @ Montague Gallery Radiance, the acclaimed glass sculptor’s exhibit of beautiful new works. Thru Sept 28. 445A Sutter St. www.montaguegallery.com

Wed 2 Chuck Forester @ SF Main Library The longtime SF resident reads from and discusses his memoir/novel Eat, Sleep, Love. 6pm. Hormel Center, 3rd floor, 100 Larkin St. sfpl.org

Jon Roemer @ The Bindery Book release event for the gay author’s Five Windows (Dzanc Books), a dystopian take on modern San Francisco life. 7:30pm. 1644 Haight St. www.booksmith.com

The Rocky Horror Show @ San Jose Stage Company Richard O’Brien’s cult classic musical gets a South Bay production, with Keith Pinto as Frank N. Furter. $32$60. Thru Nov 3. 490 South First St., San Jose. www.thestage.org

Thu 3 Debbie Harry @ JCCSF The lead singer of Blondie discusses her new memoir, Face It, with band cofounder/partner Chris Stein and director Rob Roth. $30-$85. 7pm. SF Jewish Community Center, 3200 California St. www.jccsf.org

femMasculine @ Brava Cabaret Kevin Seaman’s solo “Queer Journey Through Digital Desire” takes on contemporary problems with gayness, queer identity and gender, also as his drag persona LOL McFiercen. $20-$50. Oct 3-5, 10-12, 8pm. 2773 24th St. www.brava.org

Jess Curtis/Gravity @ CounterPulse The local acclaimed dance/ performance ensemble performs Curtis’ new work, (in)Visible. $10$30. Oct 3-6 & 10-13. Thu Sun 8pm. ASL interp. Oct 6 & 12. 80 Turk St. www.counterpulse.org

Sintonia Dance @ Presidio Theatre Tattooed, an experimental flamenco dance performance about survivors’ strength and resilience, performed at the newly re-opened theater. $25-$50. 7pm. Oct 4 & 5, 8pm. 99 Moraga Ave. sintoniadance.comt

For full listings, visit www.ebar.com/events

Wed 2

Varla Jean Merman’s A Star is Bored @ Oasis

Nighlife Events

Dance Series 1, the company premiere of The Man in Black (James Kudelka dances set to Johhny Cash songs), Rex Wheeler’s Take Five and Michael Smuin’s Carmina Burana. $25-$93. Sept 27-Oct 6 at Cowell Theater, 2 Marina Blvd., SF. www.smuinballet.org

Street Sex Photos @ Mark I. Chester Studio

Bryce Dessner’s music and vocals contemplation on the works of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, with lyrics by Essex Hemphill and Patti Smith, performed by Roomful of Teeth and a chamber orchestra. $30-$68. 8pm. Bancroft Way at Dana, UC Berkeley campus. www.calperformances.org

Tue 1

Sept. 26 - Oct. 3, 2019

Queer reading and discussion series, formerly at Octopus Literary Salon, features Dena Rod and Juba Kalamka, hosted by Richard Loranger. 7pm. 410 13th St., Oakland. http://wolfmanhomerepair.com/

Shotgun Players performs Annie Baker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 2014 drama/comedy about three people working in a cinema. $7-$40. Thru Oct. 6. 1901 Ashby Ave., Berkeley. www.shotgunplayers.org

GET TICKETS TO SIN CITY’S BEST RESIDENCIES AT