(Photo by Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons)
Calif. salons, barbers set to defy state COVID shutdown Protest planned for Aug. 17
By BRODY LEVESQUE
One of the many business areas hit hardest by California’s ‘Stay-At-Home’ COVID-19 orders and rollback of re-opening of the state’s economy by Gov. Gavin Newsom has been the beauty, barber salon, and cosmetology sector.
Many of those affected are sole proprietorships that are now struggling to find ways to keep their businesses from disappearing altogether. The Los Angeles Blade spoke with several salons around the region, including LGBTQ owned and operated salons that have been severely impacted.
One out owner, who asked not to be identified, spoke frankly about his fears of facing permanent closure.
“Even with the ability to operate out in the open, which is ridiculous and cumbersome, I can only afford to keep one stylist working — that’s me, I’ve had to furlough my six other stylists and it is not fair,” he said.
“They have no idea what they’re doing; they [Public Health] do not even take into consideration the education we are required to have even in normal times for hygiene and sanitation. We are better prepared to interact with our customers and take greater precautions,” he added.
The steps that salons and the industry take is exactly the reason that Gov. Newsom’s orders make no sense says Fred Jones, legal counsel for the Professional Beauty Federation of California, (PBFC).
“We have growing data that our salons had nothing to do with the increased number of positives. Some creative salon suite chains, product distributors and others have developed a social media campaign to track and report how many services we performed during our sixweek reopening and how little COVID contagions resulted,” Jones told the Blade this week.
Newsom and state officials are ignoring science and data in regard to precautions taken by PBFC membership and other salons to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
“The CDC just issued a report on July 17 that showed there was a low probability of transmission of COVID,” said Jones. “Newsom is not listening to the experts and the science and data he claims that his orders are based on.”
The state has nearly 621,000 licensed and registered salons and barbershops, Jones pointed out. The ongoing-shutdown-reopen shutdown cycle leaves many businesses facing a bleak future or in some cases no future at all.
“To be fair, in response to our lawsuit and concerted #OpenSalonsNow campaign, Newsom did briefly capitulate and allowed our shops to reopen back in late May, but he reimposed the latest round of lockdowns on July 13,” Jones said.
The owner that spoke to the Blade echoed Jones’ frustration.
“Since this began and I closed when I was instructed to, with the first shut-down then the reopening until last month, outside of the ridiculous modification where I can cut
and style on the sidewalk, I have lost 25% of my yearly income. That’s going to represent a loss of nearly $100,000 or one quarter of my year,” he said. “Worse is that many of my stylists depend on those paychecks to survive and now they may lose everything they have including possibly being homeless, which makes no sense,” he added.
PBFC membership did their own ‘contact tracing’ by using customer data during the brief reopening period to see if there was any uptick in rates of infection that were verifiable and found that out of 100,000 customers, there was minimal to no appreciable positivity rates Jones told the Blade.
“The requirements that were spelled out by Newsom during that time our membership was allowed to operate had greater precautions mandated than the so-called essential businesses like say Home Depots or grocery stores and that was before his mandatory mask order,” Jones said. “Our stylists and even the barbers are required to follow procedures that are comparable almost to preparing for surgery right down to face shields and gloves.
Factored into the overall picture is that for those who may survive, ballooning unpaid rent and expenses threaten to close salons regardless, Jones pointed out.
“My landlord has deferred my rent,” the salon owner told the Blade. “The problem is that I have lost all of my staff, my income, and how am I going to repay the rent with limited funds when I open again?”
The building anger at Newsom and state health officials has spurred a proactive movement within the PBFC to defy the governor’s orders.
“That is why the PBFC has stepped up big time to defend our livelihoods from a heavy-handed, shoot-from-the-hip governor who is totally fixated on the impossible task of stopping COVID dead in its tracks and marginalizing a well educated, trained, licensed profession that he should be partnering with instead of kicking to the curb,” Jones said. “We have hundreds of hours of formal education in sanitation; implemented stepped up safety protocols in our shops and booths; gathered contact tracing data showing our effectiveness in preventing the spread; and now have the backing of the CDC. What more could our governor ask of his state-licensed professionals?”
Jones tells the Blade that on Monday, August 17, there will be a massive reopening effort in defiance of the governor’s orders.
“He can no longer ignore the science, or disrespect our training, our license and our ability to keep our beloved clientele safe. We will not allow him to continue to bury his head to the rampant and growing underground defiance to his lockdown orders. It’s up to us, as licensed professionals with a united and loud voice, to demand Newsom allows our heavily regulated and sanitary, safe businesses to reopen now,” Jones said.
The Blade reached out to Newsom’s office for comment but received no reply.
A protest was held Aug. 11 at the state capitol. (Photo courtesy of the PBFC)
Takano ‘aghast’ at proposed UC affiliation with restrictive Catholic hospitals
Regent Chair Perez ‘will do everything’ to block healthcare discrimination
By KAREN OCAMB
The California congressional delegation is “deeply alarmed” by proposed new healthcare rules governing the affi liation between the University of California and Catholic hospital systems that operate under religious restrictions.
Hospitals such as Dignity Health and St. Joseph Health adhere to the Ethical and Religious Directives (ERDs) set by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, not by medical professionals, New Ways Ministry reported last June. “Dignity Health operates by the ERDs at 17 out of 31 of their hospitals.”
“The ERDs do not allow the prescription of any FDA-approved methods for preventing pregnancy including sterilization, elective abortion; assistive reproductive technology such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF) or the use of a surrogate for pregnancy; gender-affi rming care such as hormone replacement therapy or surgery or physician-assisted aid in dying,” The California Aggie reported June 5. “Some argue that partnering with Dignity restrict care to LGBTQ+ people, women, others argue more are harmed by not partnering.”
A previous attempt to expand Dignity Health’s affi liation with UC San Francisco (UCSF) was called off last year after 1,500 UCSF doctors and hospital staff signed a petition opposing the proposed expansion. The UC Working Group on Comprehensive Access (WGCA) was formed to fi nd a way forward but failed to reach a consensus.
In August 2019, the WGCA presented two options: UC Health-backed Option 1 would allow existing affi liations to continue, understanding that some people might be denied care because of the hospital’s adherence to religious doctrine. Option 2 would discourage the continued affi liation.
Evan Minton, a longtime California politico, was among the LGBTQ advocates who argued against the expanded relationship between UCSF and Dignity. He sued Dignity Health after his hysterectomy was cancelled because they learned he is a transgender man, about which he testifi ed before Congress. The ACLU, which is representing him, argues that hospitals should not be able to “pick and choose” the care they provide to individual patients.
Meanwhile, there is some concern the coronavirus pandemic may impact the Regents’ decision. After all, “Catholic health systems control one in six hospital beds and are often the only location for treatment in some rural areas,” New Ways Ministry reported last June 17.
The California congressional delegation wanted to register their disapproval.
In their Aug. 5 letter to UC President Dr. Michael Drake and the UC Regents, 39 out of 45 members of the Democratic delegation expressed “serious concerns” over UC’s affi liations with hospitals and providers “that impose religious restrictions” limiting medically necessary care. “The consequences of denying this care are serious and can even be life-threatening,” they wrote.
Led by U.S. Reps. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland), Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village), and Mark Takano (D-Riverside), the letter , issued with the backing of a coalition that includes NARAL Pro-Choice California, Equality California, and the ACLU of California, noted that many of the signers strongly oppose the Trump administration’s Refusal of Care Rule, which they describe as a “dangerous, discriminatory regulation…designed
to allow health care institutions and providers to deny patients information and treatment based on personal religious or moral beliefs.”
Given the Trump administration’s repeated attacks on “access to evidence-based health care,” the members wrote, “it is deeply alarming that the University of California, which has long been a national leader in comprehensive reproductive and LGBTQ-inclusive care, would be willing to involve its providers and patients in arrangements that subject them to religious rules that hold that basic reproductive health care is impermissible, and that directly exclude LGBTQ patients. Reproductive and LGBTQ-inclusive care is fundamental, basic health care, and we in California should stand strong in protecting it.”
They “strongly urge” the Board to vote against Option 1. “’Option 1’ does not require that contracts with outside health systems affi rmatively state that religious directives will not apply to UC providers and students. It also does not state that hospital policies prohibiting gender-affi rming services for transgender people or reproductive health services violate UC’s nondiscrimination policy,” they wrote.
Out California Rep. MARK TAKANO (Screen grab)
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The delegation also rejected the proposition that the affiliation is necessary “to expand health care access to underserved communities. In fact, hospitals with Catholic religious directives often prohibit many types of medical services that communities of color critically rely upon, particularly in the areas of reproductive and LGBTQ-inclusive health, where some of the deepest racial health inequities exist. Indeed, patients of color, low-income patients, people living with HIV and AIDS, and others who experience health disparities and systemic barriers to health care access are most in need of science-based, comprehensive care that is not limited by religious restrictions.”
Moving forward with Option 1, “will send a message to the nation that it is permissible to impose such limits on care, just as the Trump administration has sought to do with the Refusal of Care Rule,” the delegation wrote, urging the Regents to vote to reject ‘Option 1’ and “contracts that impose religious restrictions on UC providers and patients.”
“We, as members of the California delegation, are fighting against members of the Trump administration but we’re really aghast at the idea that within California, which should be using all of its muscle to ensure that discrimination does not occur in healthcare,” Takano told the Los Angeles Blade. “The way they push back on this is they’re saying they need to reach more people of color and low-income people.”
Takano also noted that the LGBTQ community in Riverside County and all over low income areas – Latinos and African Americans, in particular — don’t have access to HIV counseling and healthcare services.
“This is still one of the most significant healthcare challenges – the continued spread of HIV among low income people and people of color” who may not have access to or may not have even heard about PrEP, Takano said. “And this cannot be solved by entering into discriminatory contracts that will inhibit the ability to reach out to these populations. So, I reject the notion that they’re going to reach more low-income people and people of color who need healthcare.”
Takano challenged UC Health to come up with alternatives. “We should not be stuck with
providers who insist on discrimination,” he said.
“This really got brought to the Regents’ attention because UC San Francisco was trying to get into a four- hospital agreement with Dignity Healthcare. But we blocked them,” UC Board of Regents Chair John A. Perez told the Los Angeles Blade. “It was clearly the pattern of discrimination against LGBT folks, in particular transgender folks, but also the limitations on reproductive healthcare.”
The issue is personal for Perez. “I have a friend who went into emergency labor and was refused a medically necessary tubal ligation, which put her in very dangerous circumstances,” said Perez, an issue he addressed in open session. “If you got an emergency room open to obstetrics and somebody comes in, in emergency labor, for you to put these constraints that are not based on science or medical best practice is fundamentally at odds with our obligation and our standards and our values as a public university hospital system.”
Perez, who notes that he is one of three out LGBTQ Regents, is adamantly opposed to Option 1.
“I will do everything in my power to make sure Option 1 is never adopted,” Perez said. “I believe that running a hospital or a health system and making decisions based on anything other than science — the medical best interest of the patient — is tantamount to the corporate practice of medicine, which California expressly prohibited by law.”
Perez notes that the “thorny issue” raised by Option 1 has not yet been put forward. Meanwhile UC Health is focused on fighting the COVID-19 crisis. He disputes the notion of temporarily disregarding state and UC non-discrimination laws and core values to expand healthcare to low income people of color.
“We’re serving not only our patients, but we’re providing broader assistance to folks in other communities that aren’t part of our hospitals,” Perez said. “So, for example, Imperial County is about the most significantly impacted County in the state and we’re taking patients from Imperial County -- not only in San Diego and Irvine, but as far away as Davis. We’re right now focused on direct patient care and direct research and helping turn the corner on COVID. And I think that really does speak to why nobody within the health operations has put this forward at this point.”
JOHN A. PEREZ chair of the California Board of Regents (Courtesy Regents)
Rising LGBTQ stars, historic platform for Dem convention
New language recognizes trans women of color, nonbinary people
By CHRIS JOHNSON
With election season in high gear, Democrats are preparing an unprecedented convention next week that includes a mixture of live and virtual events, including components seeking to highlight the party’s commitment to the LGBTQ community.
The lineup leading up to Joe Biden’s speech accepting the Democratic presidential nomination includes visibility for high-profile LGBTQ Democrats, including Pete Buttigieg and Danica Roem, as well as ratification of a national platform that includes the words “transgender women of color,” “non-binary,” “non-conforming” and “confirmation surgery” for the first time.
Those LGBTQ components will be integrated into the convention, which during the time of the coronavirus has been downsized to a largely virtual event, although operations will remain based in the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee, Wis.
Buttigieg, who performed well in the primaries, was given a primetime slot for a speech Tuesday night. That’s a high honor in a convention where many participants — with the exception of Biden and his newly selected running mate Kamala Harris — will be given short times to speak as opposed to time for a major address.
Meanwhile, Virginia State Del. Danica Roem (D-Prince William), is set to have a role at the Democratic convention, although the exact nature of her presence is at this time unclear, Democratic officials told the Blade.
Alphonso David, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement choosing Roem to have a role at the convention “was an inspired decision.”
“In 2017, Roem made history beating Virginia’s self-described ‘chief homophobe,’” David said, referring to former State Del. Bob Marshall. “Alongside [Minneapolis City Council member] Andrea Jenkins, she began a revolution for increasing LGBTQ representation in government inspiring a community hungry for a seat at the table.”
Roem won’t be the first openly transgender person to address a major party convention. That distinction belongs to Sarah McBride, a transgender advocate for the Human Rights Campaign now running for a seat in the Delaware State Senate, who addressed the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
Joe Solmonese, CEO of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, told the Blade the integration of LGBTQ rising stars in the event underscores Biden’s commitment to the community.
“Vice President Biden very clearly sees that LGBT people are part of the fabric, and they will be part of the fabric of the convention,” Solmonese said. “We’re asking lots of people to participate in all sorts of different ways.”
Also during the convention, Democrats are expected to ratify the quadrennial party platform, which includes many planks in support of LGBTQ rights, including a commitment to transgender health and support for the Equality Act, which would comprehensively ban anti-LGBTQ discrimination as a form of sex discrimination under the Civil Rights Act 1964.
Delegates are currently voting on the platform and voting closes Saturday night, a Democratic National Committee spokesperson said. Among them is language making the document the first to recognize transgender women of color, gender non-conforming people and the non-binary community.
COVID continues to delay trials in LA County courts
By BRODY LEVESQUE
Pointing out that the courthouses in Los Angeles County were not designed architecturally for ‘social disdaining,’ the presiding judge of the Superior Court announced Monday that some trials face further delays.
Judge Kevin C. Brazile announced in a statement that he has ordered postponements in civil jury trials until January of 2012 with exceptions for non-jury civil trials excluding small claims and traffic courts trials postponed until November 16.
Brazile’s order will allow some criminal proceedings to move forward in September and after Oct. 5 in cases that can be heard by a judge without a jury and in full compliance with public health orders on social distancing and facial covering protocols.
“The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has expressed concerns to the court about commencing jury trials and bringing jurors into county courthouses given the current COVID-19 numbers and trends,” Brazile said. “Courthouses are not designed to facilitate social distancing given their fixed configuration.”
Brazile also noted that remote courtroom solutions that would allow some hearings to proceed are being considered although in criminal proceedings the defense must consent. Additionally because of California legal mandates as well as ethics there will be some appearances that would not be able to utilize the remote option.
Regarding remote hearings in civil matters Brazile noted, “The court cannot mandate remote appearances in civil trials due to logistical and evidentiary issues.”
Brazile also noted that all non-jury trials scheduled from Monday to Sept. 8 — other than small claims and traffic trials and any case statutorily required to proceed — are continued until further notice.
Family law evidentiary proceedings, other than restraining order hearings, that can be completed within two court days may be held. Otherwise, such proceedings cannot commence before Nov. 20, except as authorized by the supervising judge.
Most LA County dependency hearings have been held virtually since June 22
The order issued Monday states: Prescheduled appointments are required for inperson services from the Clerk’s Office, court support services, and/or the Self-Help Centers. Appointments may be made the same day for persons seeking Restraining Orders who have completed paperwork and arrive at the courthouse no later than 3 p.m.
For telephone or video assistance, or to schedule an appointment, the telephone number for each courthouse is listed at the courthouse entrance and posted on the Court’s website (www.lacourt.org).
Access to proceedings shall be limited to the judicial officer presiding, Court personnel, parties, counsel, witnesses and those members of the public (including news reporters/media representatives) who can be accommodated in the designated courtroom while enforcing mandatory social distancing of at least six (6) feet.
The determination of courtroom capacity shall be made by the Judge or Commissioner presiding in the courtroom.
Parties and counsel are strongly urged to avoid in-person appearances and make use of technology to appear remotely whenever possible. For more information visit lacourt.org.
Virginia Del. DANICA ROEM (D-Manassas Park) and former Mayor PETE BUTTIGIEG (D-South Bend) are set to have roles at the Democratic National Convention. (Blade photos by Michael Key)
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Harris brings diversity, LGBTQ ally to ticket Biden makes historic decision as convention nears
By CHRIS JOHNSON | cjohnson@washblade.com
Joe Biden made history Tuesday by selecting Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) as the first woman of color as a vice presidential candidate on a major party ticket, and a rising political star who has demonstrated a commitment to the LGBTQ community.
Harris is a relative newcomer to Washington, but her record on LGBTQ rights extends back to her tenure as a district attorney for San Francisco and California attorney general as well as her work during her first term as U.S. senator. That’s made her a favorite among LGBTQ people, many of whom still wear “For the People” shirts from her presidential campaign.
“I grew up in a community and a culture where everyone was accepted for who they were, so there wasn’t a moment where it was like, ‘OK, now let’s let this person in,’” Harris told the Los Angeles Blade in 2019. “Everyone was a part of everything. It was about community. It was about coalition building. It was about equality, inclusion.”
Rick Chavez Zbur, executive director of the LGBTQ group Equality California, congratulated Harris in a statement for being the pick, calling his home state senator “an exceptional choice.”
“Throughout her career, Sen. Harris has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to civil rights and social justice for all LGBTQ+ people,” Zbur said. “As vice president, we are confident she will continue Vice President Biden’s tradition of using the office to champion and advance full, lived LGBTQ+ equality — and equality for the diverse communities to which LGBTQ+ people belong.”
The crown jewel of Harris in terms of her LGBTQ record is her decision as California attorney general not to defend Proposition 8, the constitutional ban on same-sex marriage enacted at the ballot in 2008.
“I declined to defend Proposition 8 because it violates the Constitution,” Harris said in a statement in 2013. “The Supreme Court has described marriage as a fundamental right 14 times since 1888. The time has come for this right to be afforded to every citizen.”
After the U.S. Supreme Court restored marriage equality to California in 2013, Harris officiated the wedding of Kris Perry and Sandy Stier of Berkeley, Calif., the first same-sex marriage performed in California after the landmark decision.
Additionally, Harris instructed clerks to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples with “no exceptions” despite complaints from officials in more conservative parts of the state.
In 2015, Harris declined to certify a measure that obtained enough signatures to get on the state ballot to institute the death penalty for homosexual acts, which became known as the “Kill the Gays” initiative, bucking her requirements as California attorney general.
Before that time, as district attorney for San Francisco, Harris worked with the California Legislature to pass legislation barring the use of gay or transgender panic defense in court. As a result, California in 2014 became the first state to ban
the plea.
Since becoming a U.S. senator in 2016, Harris has taken major steps to lead efforts on LGBTQ rights, including the introduction of proLGBTQ legislation in addition to drawing attention to the anti-LGBTQ policies of the Trump administration.
After the Trump administration affirmed it wouldn’t allow people to identify themselves as LGBTQ in the 2020 U.S. Census, Harris introduced legislation that would require the Census Bureau to include questions on the Census, as well as the American Community Survey, asking respondents whether they’re LGBTQ.
When a transgender immigrant from Honduras, Roxsana Hernandez, died from AIDS complications after being held in immigration detention, Harris and other senators demanded answers. An autopsy concluded Hernandez wasn’t physically abused before her death.
Harris and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) had called on U.S. Attorney General William Barr to revoke a 2017 Trump administration order declining to enforce Title VII of the Civil Rights Act in cases of anti-transgender discrimination in the workforce. That request was renewed after the Supreme Court determined in June anti-LGBTQ discrimination is unlawful under Title VII, but the memo still hasn’t been rescinded.
Among other Senate Democrats, Harris is among the cosponsors of the Equality Act, comprehensive legislation that would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to ban anti-LGBTQ discrimination as a form of sex discrimination.
Alphonso David, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said based on Harris’ record, Biden made “nothing short of an exceptional choice” for his running mate.
“Throughout her groundbreaking career, Sen. Harris has been an outspoken advocate for the LGBTQ community, standing with us when many, even sometimes those within her own party, did not,” Davis said. “As a presidential candidate, Harris spoke with deep understanding of and empathy for the issues our community faces. It’s clear the Biden-Harris ticket marks our nation’s most pro-equality ticket in history.”
U.S. Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) praised Harris in an interview with the Blade on Tuesday.
“I’m delighted that my home state Sen. Kamala Harris will be the next vice president of our country,” Takano said. “She comes to this opportunity well qualified, well prepared and I definitely look forward to campaigning for the Biden-Harris ticket. I think it’s a winning ticket and it’s a ticket about the future.”
As a 2020 presidential candidate, Harris was among the contenders for the Democratic nomination who unveiled a comprehensive plan for LGBTQ Americans. Among other things, Harris promised to create a White House advocate for
LGBTQ affairs.
Harris, however, faced criticism when she said Pete Buttigieg was “a bit naive” for bringing up the struggle of being a gay American when asked about diversity issues, even though he explicitly said “there’s no equating the two experiences.” LGBTQ and Black activists were split over whether Harris was right to denounce Buttigieg.
But Harris has faced criticism from progressives who say her career has been too aligned with support for the police at a time when law enforcement and police brutality are under heavy scrutiny. Harris fought to keep a non-violent prisoner locked up in state prison, openly defying a 2011 Supreme Court decision ordering the state to reduce overcrowding, according to a report in The American Independent.
Critics of Harris in terms of LGBTQ rights point to legal filings she signed in 2015 as California attorney general defending the state prison system in refusing to grant transgender surgery to inmates. Among them was MichelleLael Norsworthy, who was formerly incarcerated at Mule Creek State Prison in Ione, Calif., for second-degree murder.
“Norsworthy has been treated for gender dysphoria for over 20 years, and there is no indication that her condition has somehow worsened to the point where she must obtain sex-reassignment surgery now rather than waiting until this case produces a final judgment on the merits,” says one brief signed by Harris.
Harris was able to secure a change that led to Norsworthy being able to obtain the procedure upon parole, the first in the Untied States, outlining a procedure for inmates to obtain gender reassignment surgery.
But according to information the Blade obtained last year in a public records request, few transgender inmates were able to obtain the procedure under the new policy.
As of 2019, only seven prisoners ever got the male-tofemale procedure out of 130 who asked, and 10 out of the 51 inmates who requested female-to-male gender reassignment surgery obtained it. The California prison system has updated its policy on transgender inmates, but hasn’t yet made changes specific to gender reassignment surgery.
Jillian Weiss, a New York-based transgender advocate who has been critical of Harris’ handling of trans inmate cases, said via email to the Blade she believes the vice presidential candidate “has moved beyond her previously limited understanding of transgender rights.”
Sen. KAMALA HARRIS (D-Calif.) was chosen by Joe Biden as the 2020 Democratic Party vice presidential candidate. (Photo courtesy of CNN)
Federal agents target nonbinary Portland protester
‘I am a marginalized sitting duck’
Denied medical attention, misgendered, jumped and aggressively handcuffed. These are the abuses that Juniper Simonis, a genderqueer nonbinary pansexual person, suffered after federal authorities took them into custody last month during a protest in the city.
Simonis was drawing property lines with surveying chalk in front of the Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt Federal Building in downtown Portland on July 10. Simonis three days earlier attended a vigil at the same location to honor Summer Taylor, a Seattle protester who was hit and killed by a car in early July. Federal authorities violently disrupted the vigil.
In the days between the vigil and Simonis’ arrest, they traced the property lines of the federal building in chalk to help protesters avoid trespassing. Simonis also frequently shouted from a distance at agents, asking why the vigil had been disrupted.
Simonis, a 35-year-old quantitative ecologist, has been involved in the protests in Portland since they began in late May. Simonis has marched, provided medical attention and put out fires at the demonstrations — often helping to keep the peace.
“(We) are there to put our bodies, and our lives, and our money and energy towards protecting those who are standing up for their rights right now,” they said.
Simonis believes federal agents targeted them because of the information they have been collecting and sharing on social media. This information included the property lines of federal buildings, photos of agents with their badge numbers, and details about federal police funding.
Simonis also said they feel they were targeted because they are “visibly queer and trans,” and visibly disabled because of their use of a service dog.
“I am a marginalized sitting duck in some respects,” they said. While Simonis said what happened to them was traumatizing, they do not want their experience to detract from the Black Lives Matter movement. Simonis also believes they survived their detention because they are white.
“We can’t have everybody focusing on the white people getting kidnapped when Black people are still getting killed dayto-day,” they said.
Federal agents during the July 7 vigil stormed the area. Simonis suspects federal officers were targeting a specific protestor in the crowd for arrest, but to their knowledge, no arrests were made. Simonis described the vigil as peaceful and said there was no provocation for the agents to disperse it.
Amid the disruption, while federal officers were moving back towards the building’s entrance, they threw a flashbang grenade at Simonis and their service dog, Wallace. The agents who conducted the raid were unknown to Simonis, and they couldn’t determine what organization or bureau they represented.
“I was super pissed,” said Simonis. “I spent the next 36 hours trying to figure out who these guys were.”
After fruitless calls to the Portland Police Bureau and the Multnomah County Police Department to help identify the
By KAELA ROEDER
been killed multiple times, including by someone grabbing me from behind, what I instantly get shunted into is a fight or flight response,” they said.
Simonis was detained in handcuffs in the building foyer for an hour before being taken down to the basement. There, agents told them they were under arrest for spray painting federal property.
“Even though everything I had in my hands was chalk — it was clearly chalk — they just assumed I was doing something illegal, even though I knew I wasn’t, and I had all of the documentation to show them that I wasn’t,” Simonis said.
federal agents, Simonis decided to take matters into their own hands.
Knowing the federal agents in question often stood outside the building watching protestors, Simonis decided to research where the property lines of the building are. They wanted the agents to explain why they had disrupted a peaceful vigil, without risking being arrested for trespassing. On July 8 and 9, Simonis marked the divide between federal and public property with chalk to ensure their safety.
“I wanted to stand on the sidewalk and fucking yell at these people, and I wanted to know where I was legally allowed to do that,” Simonis said.
For two days, Simonis documented agents moving in and out of the federal building and eventually identified the officers as members of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Protective Service.
Simonis on July 9 said they saw multiple federal agents storm out of the building towards them when they were on the southeastern corner of it.
Simonis, who was aware of the arrest of other protestors throughout Portland, said they expected to be “snatched.” But, the agents retreated back into the building.
Simonis at 8:30 p.m. on July 10 returned to the federal building to touch up the chalk line and continue protesting.
As they were fixing the lines near the front entrance, Federal Protective Service and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents surrounded Simonis, threw them to the ground and handcuffed them.
“They do not say anything. They don’t say, ‘stop.’ They don’t say, ‘what are you doing?’ They don’t say ‘get off our property’ … they don’t say anything. They just streamed out of the front of this building and snatched me,” Simonis said.
Simonis provided the Washington Blade with a video of their arrest.
Simonis said officers used mace and separated them from their service dog.
“As someone who already has PTSD, who already has almost
When Simonis was taken into the federal building foyer, an officer offered medical attention, but Simonis requested a trained medical professional flush their eyes and tend to their open wounds.
Two Portland Fire and Rescue members arrived an hour later, but Simonis said they only made matters worse.
According to Simonis, the medical team did not properly flush their eyes, mouth and nose with pressure. Rather they splashed saline solution from an IV bag into the affected areas. Simonis also said the medical team did not remove their contact lenses, even though they repeatedly asked them to do so.
Simonis asked repeatedly for additional medical attention, including treatment for open cuts on their body. They were denied additional help.
Throughout the time Simonis was in federal custody, they said they were repeatedly misgendered. The agents exclusively referred to Simonis, who identifies as nonbinary and has two forms of identification legally identifying them as a woman, as “sir.”
Despite the fact Simonis’ driver’s license and passport both identify them as a woman, the medical services receipt also listed their gender as male.
Simonis was then taken to the adjacent Mark O. Hatfield Federal Courthouse after two hours in the Edith Green-Wendell Wyatt Federal Building, and was held in a cell without access to a lawyer, phone call, sanitizer or water.
Simonis was still separated from their service dog when they were at the courthouse, and did not have access to their medication. Simonis said agents threatened to take their dog to a shelter, telling them their dog “would not be there when you get out.”
Simonis was released on petty charges roughly six hours later. They are still awaiting a court date for failure to comply with a lawful order and assaulting, resisting or impeding officers.
Officials with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Protective Service and Department of Homeland Security did not respond to the Blade’s requests for a comment. Portland Fire Rescue and the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse have also not returned requests for comment.
Simonis has not proceeded formally with charges but plans to in the near future. They are planning to pursue a variety of legal actions, including individual and class action lawsuits.
“I have been getting all of my legal ducks in a row … while also trying to heal and support the movement,” they said.
JUNIPER SIMONIS said federal agents targeted them because of the information they have been collecting and sharing on social media. (Photo courtesy of Simonis)
Beirut explosion damages LGBTQ group’s offices
A massive explosion that killed more than 200 people in Beirut on Aug. 4 nearly destroyed the offices of Lebanon’s oldest LGBTQ advocacy group.
Helem’s offices are located less than a mile from the city’s port where the explosion took place. Helem Executive Director Tarek Zeidan on Monday told the Blade during a Skype interview the blast damaged buildings up to 10 miles away.
“You can imagine how close we were,” said Zeidan. “Nothing much inside the center remains: Doors, windows, fixtures, furniture, everything was blown out.”
Zeidan said the explosion injured several Helem staffers.
“They had to be taken to the hospital that night for their wounds to be stitched, but thankfully no one lost their life,” he said.
Helem was founded in 2001. Its offices are located in Beirut’s Mar Mikhael and Gemmayzeh neighborhoods, which Zeidan described to the Blade as “the most vibrant … most LGBT-friendly neighborhoods in the entire Arab World, much less in Lebanon and in the city.” Zeidan said a lot of bars, coffee shops, art galleries and nightclubs were located in the area.
“All of that has been destroyed,” Zeidan told the Blade. “The entire area has been brought down.”
Zeidan said most of the buildings in the area that remain standing are not structurally sound. Zeidan added “nothing inside” Helem’s offices “is salvageable.”
Zeidan and his partner live more than a mile away from the blast’s epicenter.
Zeidan told the Blade the explosion caused “one entire side of the house to sort of implode inwards with all the glass” and “the living room fixtures blew inside as well.” Zeidan said his partner was in the room “that sort of exploded, but thankfully he wasn’t hurt.”
“I was not in the house,” said Zeidan. “I just came back and saw the carnage and went down and saw the same.”
Initial reports indicate a fire that ignited more than 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate stored in Beirut’s port since 2013 sparked the blast. The explosion took place against the backdrop of Lebanon’s economic and political crises that the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated.
Zeidan on July 22 was in Helem’s offices when he spoke with the Blade in a Zoom call about the impact the crises and the pandemic has had on Lebanon’s LGBTQ community.
“You’re not exaggerating when you say things are really bad,” said Zeidan.
Zeidan noted to the Blade that Helem at the beginning of the pandemic launched food and clothing drives.
Zeidan during the Zoom call also said Helem was working to create what he described as a “community kitchen” to provide people in need with hot, nutritional meals twice a week. Zeidan also said Helem worked with the American University of Beirut to create a clinic within its medical center that would provide free diagnostic services to LGBTQ people.
Helem is among the organizations that participated in last October’s anti-government protests that forced then-Prime Minister Saad Hariri to resign. Prime Minister Hassan Diab and his Cabinet on Monday resigned amid growing outrage over the blast.
Zeidan is among those who police tear gassed on Sunday during anti-government protests in Beirut. Zeidan’s voice was hoarse when he spoke with the Blade on Monday.
“Yesterday it wasn’t outrage,” he said. “It was rage. It was rage against everybody: Not just the people responsible, not just the people that ran the port, not just the political sponsors. It was rage against subsequent governments, of subsequent bad governance and corruption and murder and theft and the deliberate impoverishment of the Lebanese people and the fattening of the pockets of the political elite and ruling class.”
Zeidan told the Blade the Lebanese people have launched their own relief efforts without assistance from their country’s government. Zeidan said Helem volunteers and staff “immediately joined” them.
“Many of our volunteers are out on the streets cleaning up debris or assisting the makeshift community kitchens,” he said. “We’ve dedicated funds to support people who are seeking shelter from the community, particularly because so many places are unlivable, even if they are structurally sound.”
MICHAEL K. LAVERS
Gay El Salvador politician makes history
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — A groundbreaking El Salvador National Assembly candidate hopes to make history as the first openly gay man elected to the country’s legislative body.
Erick Iván Ortiz is among the candidates that members of Nuestro Tiempo, a new political party, have chosen to run in the National Assembly elections that are scheduled to take place on Feb. 28, 2021.
Ortiz, 29, has an economics degree from the Higher School of Economics and Business in El Salvador. He also studied human rights at Luis Amigó Catholic University in Medellín, Colombia, and participated in a social leadership development course at George Mason University.
Ortiz told the Blade his social activism began a decade ago with a specific focus of defending democracy, promoting institutions and transparency and young people’s participation in politics, among other issues.
“[My work] began in a very difficult context for El Salvador because it was a moment in which we were facing an attack on democracy due to the attempt to tie up the Constitutional Court,” said Ortiz. “We joined forces with different sectors of the population to make ourselves clear, and at that young age I saw myself as an agent of change.”
Following the 2014 presidential campaign in which LGBTQ issues were used in a negative way, Ortiz, along with other people who were uncomfortable with what happened, decided to organize themselves. They formed Colectivo Normal in 2015.
Colectivo Normal has since used cultural and political advocacy to advance their cause, using the arts as a strategy to spark new conversations in order to change the narratives around the LGBTQ community. After a process of deconstruction and constant learning within the collective, members met with different LGBTQ organizations in a round table in which the Salvadoran LGBTI Federation was created.
“I have been able to train alongside El Salvador’s best trans activists like Karla Avelar, Karla Guevara, Ambar Alfaro, Paty Hernández, among other people, and better myself,” Ortiz told the Blade.
ERNESTO VALLE
ERICK IVÁN ORTIZ (Photo courtesy of Iván Ortiz)
A massive explosion that destroyed large swaths of Beirut on Aug. 4, seriously damaged the offices of Helem, a Lebanese LGBTQ advocacy group. (Photo courtesy of Tarek Zeidan/Helem)
Trump’s executive order scam
‘The hydroxychloroquine of economic policy’
President Trump has just perpetrated one of the bigger scams of his presidency, trying to make people think the executive orders he signed actually mean something. He is using one order delaying payroll taxes in his ongoing effort to undermine Social Security and Medicare. In addition, most people don’t realize they will be billed for the whole amount sometime in the future. Delaying payment of these taxes for those who are employed will do nothing for the unemployed who are the ones really in need of help.
Respected economist Paul Krugman tweeted, “I don’t know if anyone else has said this, but payroll tax cuts are the hydroxychloroquine of economic policy. They won’t do anything to solve the employment crisis, but will have dangerous side effects. Yet Trump remains obsessed with them as a cure.”
To Trump and his administration sycophants like Mark Meadows and Steve Mnuchin this is all a great political game that they think will help him win votes. Instead of meeting with Democrats to hammer out a negotiated package, Trump is off playing golf and signing these generally useless executive orders, which will be trashed as soon as a congressional package is agreed to.
The scam is evident if you look at the orders more closely. As reported, “He is ordering a payroll tax deferral, not a cut, meaning the taxes won’t be collected for a while but they will still be due at a later date. On housing, he instructs key officials to ‘consider’ whether there should be a ban on evictions. He also insists that state governments pick up the tab for some of the unemployment aid.” It is all one big PR stunt.
The administration had one of the bigger Trump a-holes, Peter Navarro, go on “Meet the Press” and say the president is looking for Democrats to negotiate a package and they need to agree to a middle ground. Well, Speaker Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Schumer have already agreed to negotiate a middle ground. In May, the House passed the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act—a $3.4 trillion stimulus package that the
president and the Senate refused to even respond to. Now it’s August, nearly three months later, and “Moscow Mitch” announced a $1 trillion bill he cobbled together for which he can’t even get enough Republican support to get passed in the Senate. So he and Trump are negotiating from a bill that everyone knows in the end will need Democrats’ support if it has any chance to get passed in the Senate.
Pelosi and Schumer have come back and said they would meet McConnell and the president in the middle and have come back to the table with a $2 trillion bill. But the president and his representatives won’t budge. Trump won’t even sit down to negotiate as he is busy playing golf in New Jersey.
One of the main sticking points appears to be that Democrats understand the need to provide money to states and cities to help balance their budgets. Those are the budgets that pay for basic services including police, fire, sanitation, teachers, social workers, judges, nurses and other healthcare workers. Democrats understand because of Trump’s bungling of the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting need to close down the economy for so long that states and localities will lose billions in tax revenue. They, unlike the federal government, cannot pass deficit budgets as their budgets by law must be balanced. So the money to help pay for these services can only come from the federal government. The Federal Reserve has agreed with Democrats now is not the time to worry about the federal deficit if we are to see our economy recover once the pandemic has eased.
After Democrats announced their $3 trillion package in May, Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell spoke and “crystallized the choice before legislators: more, expensive fiscal support or prolonged economic damage.” He added, “Additional fiscal support could be costly but worth it if it helps avoid long-term economic damage and leaves us with a stronger recovery.”
The question is will the American electorate fall for Trump’s scam? I think after some thought the answer will be a resounding NO!
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Peter Rosenstein is a longtime LGBTQ rights and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly for the Blade.
Terry Angel Mason is a Los Angeles resident.
Surviving COVID nightmare against all odds
I’m 63 and have lived through AIDS, malaria, and Typhoid fever
On the evening of March 25, I found myself walking down Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles past a homeless woman who had positioned her tent at the corner of a busy intersection. I was a bit irritated because her tent made it almost impossible for me to get across the street to the other side. To make matters even worse, I was extremely ill and could barely breathe.
While walking toward the hospital, I was somewhat disappointed because I couldn’t physically make it to the hospital I had initially wanted to go to. I was so ill that I decided to go to a medical center nearer to my home. When I finally reached the hospital I immediately noticed there were numerous tents set up outside to treat the hundreds of people who were infected with COVID-19.
Being that it was late at night, I was able to easily get into the emergency room without having to wait in a long line. Once at the front desk, I struggled to get my identification out of my wallet. Seeing how ill I was, the attendant quickly input the information and called an attending nurse to take me to an examining room.
I was greeted by another nurse who took my temperature and other vitals. After she left, an X-ray technician entered the room and took a few photos. When the technician was finished, a young doctor entered the room and I immediately picked up his negative attitude. I was startled that he was a physician due to his youthful appearance. He introduced himself and explained that he was one of the attending physicians at the hospital. He said to me, Mr. Mason, “I believe you have COVID-19, but there is nothing we can do to help you. You will have to go back home and quarantine.” After the doctor gave me blunt instructions, he abruptly left the room leaving me lying there on the examining table. When he exited, it was as though he left the door open for death to enter.
In despair, I began to put my clothes back on, only to be interrupted by another doctor whom I had not been introduced to. He said to me, “Where are you going?! I just reviewed your X-ray and it appears you may have pneumonia and a temperature (classic symptoms of COVID-19). I’ve arranged to admit you now and I’m sending you directly to the ICU.” After reaching the ICU, nurses hurriedly hooked me up to a heart monitor and IVs that administered fluids and other needed medications. Suddenly, I realized how ill I was. I’m a 63-year-old African-American male who has survived full-blown AIDS, malaria, and Typhoid fever (while teaching in Africa), cancer, high blood pressure, and cholesterol. Fear gripped me like an armed bandit and a sense of hopelessness came over me as I was forced to accept the fact that the odds were against me. After being in that particular hospital for seven long days with substandard care, I knew I had to check myself out or I would die. But before I did, two ICU nurses — one male and one female — entered my room dressed in protective gear similar to what an astronaut would wear. I immediately expressed my dismay about being left unattended for what seemed like days on end. I complained about the cold food and the fact that I was connected to so many monitors and IVs, It was almost impossible to walk to the restroom and there was no one there to assist me. Their response was that the hospital was overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients and they simply could not provide me with quality care. What I did not know is something most people my age would never imagine and this is still true today: If a hospital is overwhelmed in the midst of a pandemic, they follow a preset protocol; that being to focus on the patients who are younger and stronger who may have a greater chance of survival. It is no secret that under these conditions some hospitals tend to give less attention to older COVID-19 patients who have pre-existing health issues that would make their recovery almost impossible.
To my dismay, newscasts have emphasized that as of today, nearly 4 million people in the United States are confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 and 160,000 have died.
Astoundingly, it has been projected that by September, more than 200,000 will be dead. It is important for older people to be careful, the reason being, if you are in a high-risk category like me, the likelihood of getting out of the hospital is slim.
I slept for several hours in the same clothes I was wearing when I left the hospital, too weak to remove them. Hours later I was jarred out of sleep by a phone call from my brother-in-law who said, “Angel, I know what you’ve done (referring to checking myself out of the hospital) and you have to go back to the hospital! What he said made sense, though I was reluctant to do it. Nevertheless, I called the paramedics. When they arrived, I answered the door and saw there were four of them and I was relieved because I thought I was finally being rescued. But my hopes were soon dashed when one of them said, “Sir, we cannot take you to the hospital.” “Well I’m still going,” was my reply. “How are you going to get there? And he reiterated, “We are not going to take you!”
I had already called my personal physician who called the hospital and I was given clearance to go there. I told them, I’m going and closed the door.
I boarded a city bus while wearing my face mask. The ride seemed as though it took forever. Once there, I walked several blocks to the hospital entrance and it seemed to be the hardest thing I’ve done in my life. I was literally at the point of collapsing by the time I got to the emergency room doors. To my dismay, the lobby was packed with people, but thankfully they took me ahead of everyone else. Since I already had a positive coronavirus diagnosis, I was taken immediately to ICU.
Days went by and my condition had declined to such a degree that they feared I would not make it through the night.
In spite of all of this, the doctors were furious with me because I refused intubation, which may have been the very thing that saved my life. Little did I know at the time that 89 percent of COVID-19 patients who are intubated eventually die. I went from ICU to a regular room four times. Eventually, they gave up on trying to intubate me and let me stay in a regular room.
I was grateful that my friends and family were diligent in calling to inquire about the status of my condition. I recommend everyone who has a loved one in the hospital do exactly the same because it not only keeps the staff on their toes, moreover, it encourages the patients as well.
During this time, my fiance Joel refused to let me die. Every day he would send me lighthearted videos to lift my spirits. Also, there were thousands of people all over the world diligently praying for me.
At that time, the Centers for Disease Control did not know as much as they know now about COVID-19. People were being told to stay at home and quarantine (and not go to the hospital).
I remember lying in my hospital bed watching President Donald Trump botch the whole thing as the numbers were increasing exponentially daily. He could have possibly saved thousands of lives had he acted promptly with leadership and integrity. Even today he continues to deny the facts about COVID-19 as countless Americans continue to die and become infected.
When I came home from the hospital, I did not realize the whole ordeal would cause me to have PTSD, which I still suffer from. I also had to learn to walk again, and I still had breathing problems because my lungs were damaged. That was the beginning of months of recovery. I liken my experience to a war where thousands of people died. It seemed as if even though I was wounded and stranded in the midst of a nightmarish dream, an angel picked me up, carried me off the battlefield, to give me another chance at life
‘Sunset Boulevard’ of broken dreams
At 70 years, everything old is meaningful
again
By DAVID EHRENSTEIN
“I AM big! It’s the pictures that got small.”
So goes one of many famous quotes from “Sunset Boulevard,” the 1950 Billy Wilder classic that celebrated its 70th anniversary on Aug. 10. Like many of the film’s now-iconic lines, it is spoken by Norma Desmond, the forgotten silent screen goddess (fearlessly portrayed by real-life silent starlet Gloria Swanson) who serves as the grotesque centerpiece of Wilder’s cynical show business fable; it’s a proclamation of contempt, hurled against a Hollywood that has left her behind as it moves into an era that has no room for her larger-than-life ego.
Wilder’s beloved film noir, which he co-wrote with Charles Brackett, is one of those classics that stands the test of time.
Equal parts bitter tragedy and shrewd satire, it’s a cautionary tale against the ephemeral allures of fame and fortune, as well as an indictment of an industry that exploits and then discards the very people who make it possible in the first place.
More than anything, it’s a warning against the dangers of holding on to the past in a world that moves forever forward.
With themes like that, “Sunset Boulevard” is guaranteed to have something to say for audiences in any era – but thanks to a global pandemic, it’s a film that has suddenly become particularly relevant. After all, if Norma Desmond were around in 2020, she would surely complain that the pictures had gotten even smaller.
As we try to make sense of our new COVID place in the world, splitting our time between “working from home” and binge-watching reruns on television, the images we stream have become postcard-sized or even smaller, as the computer and phone become the New Cinema. Even the medium of streaming is being shattered into ever tinier fragments by the likes of Instagram, Quibi and TikTok.
Not only that, our world itself has shrunk; the nightclubs and bars, dinners and awards ceremonies, all the red-carpet events that once defined social life in Hollywood have disappeared. Our experience of The Fabulous has been reduced to fleeting sound-bites and awkward livestreams.
For those who are part of industry itself, the impact of these changes has been swift and profound.
Even before COVID, the landscape of celebrity was already transforming. New avenues to fame had sprung from the virtual world of social media, driven by a generation of influencers who, like Norma with her fake fan-mail, could even “buy” followers to convince themselves of their own popularity by increasing the number of “likes” and “shares” they rack up.
Complicating things further, the sheer amount of content now available, coupled with the high cost of producing it, meant that an actor’s famous name was no longer enough to ensure that a new film would be a hit, no matter how much social media buzz they might have behind them; the Franchise Picture was now the only safe bet for studios – and in a world where a single well-timed tweet could shift the tide of popular opinion in an afternoon, even that was no guarantee.
GLORIA SWANSON as Norma Desmond.
Now, months into the pandemic, even the brightest stars face an uncertain future. Everyone who was famous in January suddenly finds themselves canceled, irrelevant, dimmed and unsure of their path back to celebrity.
The star machine of late-night television has become a pale imitation of itself, turning former supernova-caliber appearances into mediocre Skype calls and half-hearted attempts at staging a “feels-live” show. The exceptional has given way to the perfunctory, and it’s hard to escape the feeling that everyone involved would rather be doing something else.
At the end of “Sunset Boulevard, Norma delivers her most famous line. “Alright, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up,” she purrs, as she prepares to slink down the stairs toward the camera for a comeback that’s never going to happen.
As COVID continues to rage with no end in sight, how many real-life stars fear that they are facing the same fate?
After all, there were few “Mr. DeMilles” left in the world even before the pandemic, and now they are virtually a thing of the past.
In any case, productions have come to a halt, and if it was hard to get that close-up before, it’s next to impossible now.
As for Sunset Boulevard itself (the place, not the movie or the Andew Lloyd Webber neo-opera based upon it), it has been decimated, like most urban haunts, by the epidemic, a place where a once-teeming urban existence has been replaced by miles-long swaths of badly boarded-up storefronts, graffitied with wheatpaste dreams of normalcy and an equality that has always been out of reach in LA.
It would be easy enough during this state of affairs to succumb to gloomy nostalgia for a world gone by, or to echo the hard-edged tone of “Sunset Boulevard” and devalue the things we have lost by decreeing that they were never worth that much to begin with.
We are, essentially, in survival mode now, locked down for the duration – and happily so, if we have adequate food supplies, a well-functioning computer, a TV and streaming
services to help us pass the time.
It’s a time to be thankful for important things we still have, not to bemoan the absence of trivial things we don’t.
In the middle of an ongoing traumatic event, it’s often difficult to remember that things won’t always be as they are. The day will come when the viral danger has passed, and though there will undoubtedly be some permanent changes to the way we live, it’s reasonably certain that we will, at last, return to some version of our “normal” world.
When that day arrives, a resurgent entertainment machine will surely come back, too, eager to once more clamor for our attention (and our money) as it offers up its seemingly eternal parade of stars.
After what we are going through now, will we still be interested? Will we even be able to care?
The answer to that question is hard to see, for now, but even within the cruel universe of “Sunset Boulevard” there is room for a glimmer of hope, and yet another of its famous lines may point the way to our path forward.
Midway through the film, Joe Gillis, Norma’s reluctant gigolo (William Holden), says to her, “There’s nothing tragic about being 50 – not unless you’re trying to be 25.” In context, it’s a gentle admonition over an obsession with youth and beauty, but it can easily be seen in a broader sense.
For better or worse, we have been changed, and we can no more go back to who we were than Norma can convince Paramount to let her star in a movie about Salome.
But it doesn’t have to be a tragedy.
Instead, it can be a choice. We can retreat into the shadows to play parlor games with the other “waxworks” and mourn for our former glories, or we can pick up the pieces of our broken dreams and rebuild them into something bigger, better, and kinder.
If Hollywood wants to come with us into that new world, it will have to do the same.
(John Paul King contributed to this article.)
Ripa’s phony tributes to Regis?
Philbin said he never heard from former co-host after leaving show
By BILLY MASTERS
“If Mr. Lawrence can produce a contract, signed by me and Mr. Lawrence on the same page, at any time in history from the beginning of time, I will toast that contract, smear it with cream cheese and eat it on national television.” —Judge Judy Sheindlin addresses accusations of skulduggery regarding the sale of her syndicated show’s library. While I assume she will prevail, I would really enjoy seeing her eat the contract on TV.
Pandemic or not, August is typically the slowest time in entertainment - at least in terms of consumption. When I cannot watch “The View” shortly after waking, I feel out of step with the world. And when I cannot watch “The Talk” shortly after breakfast, I know it’s August. And yet, in the midst of this wasteland, television news continues to be generated — whether it is speculation on if Meghan McCain will return to “The View” after her baby is born (she claims she will); whether Sara Haines will return to “The View” since her “GMA” offshoot has been cancelled; and what will happen to Michael Strahan...and his lisp?
I admit it: I got caught up in the tributes to Regis Philbin. Then I started watching interviews he gave. In a sit-down with Larry King, Regis made a staggering confession when asked, “Do you keep in touch with Kelly Ripa?” “Not really, no. Never once did they ask me to go back … She got very offended when I left. She thought I was leaving because of her. I was leaving because I was getting older and it wasn’t right for me anymore.” Larry pressed - has Regis heard from her? “Never have.” Counter that with all the tributes Kelly has shown up on — inconsolable. Not all is as it seems. Think about that when you judge Ellen. Moving on to something far more important - the Rockettes have cancelled their annual “Christmas Spectacular” at Radio City Music Hall. When the Rockettes are worried about kicking off, we’re doomed. What a week we had on “Billy Masters LIVE.” Tuesday kicked off with the outrageous Judy Gold - whose book, “Yes, I Can Say That,” is not only hilarious but also brilliant. It is a perfect book to read in these times of social media outrage and political correctness (I heartily recommend the audiobook, which Judy reads). We were joined by Wilson Cruz. To say I’d wait a lifetime for Wilson is an understatement. We talked about our long friendship - complete with many heretofore unseen photos of him in various forms of undress. He was thoughtful, witty, sincere, and dishy. Everything I’d want in a boyfriend...er, I mean a guest! Definitely worth checking out.
show at the Crown & Anchor. Also at the Crown is Varla Jean Merman, who popped in (out of drag) to discuss the challenges of laughing at the coronavirus. It was a perfect way to end the week. You can see all of our shows on BillyMasters.com/TV.
You may not have heard of Alex Morse, but he’s the gay, 31-year-old mayor of Holyoke, Mass., who is running for Congress. That alone would not make him column-worthy during our quarter-century celebration. No, he made the cut because he’s admitted to having had consensual sex with college students. Oh, did I mention he was a lecturer at the school in question? He made this revelation after some of his students claimed it was not consensual. He’s been accused of “using his position of power for romantic or sexual gains.”
I was shocked to read that Kevin McHale tried to kill his boyfriend. That may be a bit harsh. What he actually did was “accidentally poison” him. Potato/Potahto. The “Glee” star served his boyfriend, Austin McKenzie, some undercooked chicken sausage. In short order, McKenzie got “superrrrr sick” and ran out to get tested for the coronavirus...twice! After both tests came back negative, they realized McHale has simply given him salmonella. Oops! “He should break up with me. I would,” said Kevin. Austin then posted this: “I left Twitter years ago. I’m back on now to monitor my thirsty boyfriend, Kevin Mchale, who ‘accidentally’ gave me salmonella 5 days ago.”
Our “Ask Billy” question comes from Tim in Detroit: “Did you see those photos of Kit Harington? WTF?”
For those of you who aren’t in the know, the “Game of Thrones” star was snapped walking down the streets of London with his right arm down his pant leg. From the series of snaps, many have speculated that Kit was simply adjusting his dick - which we’ve all done from time to time. But his arm is so deep down there, I think he might have been trying to flatten some boxers. Unless his dick is REALLY long. I guess you’ll have to check out BillyMasters.com and decide for yourself.
On Thursday, Provincetown during a pandemic was the topic. We started off with Edmund Bagnell - who you may know from Well-Strung. He is currently doing a solo
When we’re running longer than Kit’s kit, it’s definitely time to end another column. Speaking of long, this month we are celebrating 25 years of writing this column. In some ways, it’s even more fun today. Believe it or not, back then I had to fax the column every week to some of my papers. And a few got theirs via snail mail - talk about timely! Should you need more of me (allowing for social distancing), write to Billy@BillyMasters.com, and I promise to get back to you after I find the answer in my pants! So, until next time, remember, one man’s filth is another man’s bible.
Regis Philbin told an interviewer that he never heard from KELLY RIPA after he left their show. (Photo by Keith Wills via Wikimedia Commons)
‘A Star is Bored’ a delicious work of fiction Carrie Fisher’s assistant pens irresistible novel
By KATHI WOLFE
“If my life wasn’t funny, it would just be true,” the late actress, writer, screenwriter and gay icon Carrie Fisher wrote in “Wishful Drinking,” her memoir, which she performed in a one-woman show.
I miss Fisher! She was loved by her legions of fans for her indelible portrayal of Princess Leia in the “Stars Wars” franchise and other performances — from Marie in “When Harry Met Sally,” to her cameo in a “Sex and the City” episode. Fisher, the daughter of Eddie Fisher and queer icon Debbie Reynolds, had bi-polar disorder and struggled with substance abuse. In “Postcards from the Edge” and other novels and memoirs, she wrote with wry humor about alcoholism, drug addiction, mental illness and life as Hollywood royalty.
Byron Lane, author of “A Star Is Bored,” was Fisher’s personal assistant for several years. This irreverent, yet poignant debut novel is the fictional story of 29-yearold Charlie Besson’s life as the personal assistant to the queer icon, actress and writer Kathi Kannon. Kannon, aged 59, renowned for starring as Princess Talara in the blockbuster film “Nova Quest,” is bi-polar and struggles with alcohol abuse and drug addiction. As with the case with Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, Gracie Gold (Miss Gracie) lives next door to Kathi.
From the get-go, Lane says the book isn’t an account of his experience as Fisher’s personal assistant. He isn’t Charlie and Kathi isn’t Fisher.
You’ll know you’re in for a fun ride when you read Lane’s disclaimer. “This is a work of fiction...” Lane, the partner of novelist Steven Rowley, writes, “Any resemblance to reality is purely coincidental, including, names, places, weapons and sexual acts.”
“A Star Is Bored” is a coming-of-age novel. Charlie, who’s gay, grew up in Louisiana. When he’s 12, his loving mother dies. She didn’t mind that Charlie didn’t play sports as the other boys did. Knowing that he worshiped Princess Talara, she gave him a Princess Talara action figure.
His father was another story. He’s abusive and homophobic. As a child, Charlie loved Oreos (but only for their filling). One day, after he realized that Charlie
had thrown the chocolate part of the cookies into the trash, his Dad made him eat the cookie remnants out of the garbage.
His father was no fan of the Princess Talara action figure! “He thought female action figures were the reason I ‘ran like a girl,’” Lane writes.
Even when he’s grown up and Kathi is interviewing him for the assistant job, Lane writes, Charlie says his father’s “masculine voice is still screaming at me, in my head...even while here, auditioning for a new role in Hollywood’s royal court.”
It’s no wonder that on his way to his job interview with Kathi, Charlie, who’s been working the graveyard shift for a local news station, says his life “feels like rot.”
It’s not surprising that his therapist says Charlie engages in “passive suicidal behavior” or that Charlie’s love life sucks. Hope enters his world when he becomes assistant to Kathy, who Charlie says is the “heroine of film, television, maybe my life.”
Working for his idol, though life-changing, is far from easy. Kathi lives in a mansion that “looks like a carnival,” Lane writes, “like an acid trip...like heaven.”
Kathi is friends with Meg Ryan and other celebs. She gives Charlie not only a gorgeous sweater and other swag but the inimitable nicknames “cockring” and “stepson.” She has, Lane writes, a moose head who “once saw Jack Nicholson nude.”
Yet, Kathi is demanding – wanting Charlie to answer ASAP, 24/7 questions like, “Where’s that website with those things I hate in that store I love?”
Kathi’s demands and sallies are often laugh-out-loud funny. But, there’s sadness in her story for us and for Charlie. She struggled with drug addiction and often resists taking her bi-polar meds.
Despite these challenges, Charlie learns how to change his life as he works for Kathi. You’ll root for him as he looks for sex and romance – while knowing that the bond forged between Charlie and Kathi is its own love story.
If you want to forget the pandemic, check out “A Star Is Bored.” It’s a scene-stealing read.
‘A Star Is Bored’ By Byron Lane Henry Holt and Co. $26.99/352 pages
