Oakland politics and Pride
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Health survey for South Bay
ARTS
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Fall theatre
The
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Serving the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities since 1971
IRS to recognize gay couples
Lyon-Martin likely to move by Seth Hemmelgarn
A
San Francisco nonprofit that provides health care to women and transgender people, regardless of their ability to pay, is facing the possibility of having to move in the coming years. Officials with Lyon-Martin Health Services, at 1748 Market Street, are also preparing for changes under national health care reform that they expect will mean they can pay off more than $1 million in long-term debt. The clinic, which serves thousands of patients and almost had to shut down in 2011, recently held an open board meeting to update community members on its plans. Dr. Dawn Harbatkin, Lyon-Martin’s executive director, said in a phone Rick Gerharter interview after the meet- Dr. Dawn ing, “the landlord came Harbatkin to us a few months ago and told us he was putting the building on the market. He said it would happen within two weeks.” Harbatkin emphasized that a move is not imminent, but she said even though the landlord hasn’t yet put the building up for sale, she thinks it will still happen. The nonprofit’s landlord couldn’t be reached for comment. Other businesses at the site include a tax preparer. “Based on what we see up and down Market Street, my guess is he’s going to sell it to somebody who’s going to tear it down and build condos,” said Harbatkin, referring to the spate of residential construction in the Castro and Upper Market neighborhood. She said her “favorite choice” among prospective new sites for her organization would be the San Francisco LGBT Community Center, which is at 1800 Market Street, near LyonMartin. Discussions with the center about a possible move are “very preliminary,” she said, but the space is “in our neighborhood, and in the right location.” “It’s a beautiful space, and it would fit with our brand,” she said, noting that 60 percent of Lyon-Martin’s patients identify as LGBT. The agency’s current rent is $5,922 a month for 5,023 square feet. Asked about what rent would be at the LGBT center, Harbatkin said, “We haven’t gotten that far in conversation.” However, she said, “Anywhere we move is going to be a lot more than we pay now.” “We always thought we’d have to move, but it wasn’t in our short term plan,” she said, calling relocating “very disruptive” and “very expensive.” As part of a move, Lyon-Martin would have to build out whatever space it relocates to in order to make the site into a clinic, and See page 10 >>
Vol. 43 • No.36 • September 5-11, 2013
by Lisa Keen
T Star-studded Oakland Pride Jane Philomen Cleland)
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n Vogue, which got its start in Oakland in the late 1980s, returned home to headline the fourth annual Oakland Pride festival Sunday, September 1. The day was proclaimed En Vogue Day by
Mayor Jean Quan, who presented the group with a proclamation. All in all, Oakland Pride was a success this year, with a strong turnout of about 45,000 people. For more on the politics of the day, see story, page 4.
he impact of the United States Supreme Court ruling striking down the core provision of the Defense of Marriage Act continues to roll out, both within the Obama administration and in court. Two major federal departments announced that their interpretations of the Supreme Court ruling in U.S. v. Windsor will bring benefits to married samesex couples regardless of whether a couple’s state of residence accepts or Treasury Secrebans their marriage. The most far-reaching tary Jacob J. Lew announcement came last week from the Internal Revenue Service, the tax-collecting arm of the Department of the Treasury. An IRS press release announced that legally married same-sex couples “will be treated as married for all federal See page 13 >>
Films depict Castro fairs of yore
by Matthew S. Bajko
of Market to view the several hours worth of film for themtreet performers, from ethnic selves. dancers and magicians to jug“We knew they probably glers and stilt walkers, entertain had some artifacts, old posters the crowds. Local artisans sell their or programs. The video was a wares. surprise to us,” said Ridgely, Booths promote gay organizawho was hired in 2006. tions, such as Bay Area Gay LiberaHe was struck by how simition, or BAGL for short, where bagels lar the early fairs appear comwith cream cheese are available, and pared to today’s incarnations. the Gay Teachers Coalition. “It is not unlike today. You The scenes aren’t that different see the roots of the event in the from today’s Castro Street Fair, which footage,” he said. “Quite honcontinues to celebrate the neighborestly, other than some layout hood, its merchants, and its LGBT changes, the fair is still true to community. This year’s outdoor fesits roots.” tival, set to take place Sunday, OctoThe fair organizers decided ber 6, marks the 40th anniversary of screening the footage for a the event. larger audience during this Courtesy GLBT Historical Society Yet the images captured in grainy, year’s event would be an apblack and white home movies were The scene at the 1976 Castro Street Fair is remarkably similar to propriate way to mark the shot during the 1976 and 1978 Cas- the current festival. fair’s ruby anniversary. tro Street Fairs. Part of the Daniel A. “This is a good opportunity Smith (Queer Blue Light) video colto celebrate it and highlight lection at the GLBT Historical Socithis particular footage,” said archival footage’s existence. ety’s archives in San Francisco, the footage has Lopez, who began volunteering at the fair “Earlier this year we heard the footage exrarely been seen by the general public. seven years ago and joined the board in 2010. isted and that parts of it had been screened A roughly two-minute clip of the donated Stephen Quinones, a San Francisco-based at the historical society’s Castro museum for films that was posted to the society’s YouTube visual artist, filmmaker, and photographer, is Harvey Milk Day,” said Fred Lopez, president page last October has racked up slightly less working with the fair organizers on editing the of the fair’s board of directors. than 5,300 views. It was only in the spring that footage down into a three-minute clip that can He and George Ridgely, the fair’s executive fair organizers themselves learned about the director, recently visited the archives South See page 10 >>
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