Los Angeles Blade, Volume 06, Issue 40, October 07, 2022

Criticism and controversy over new Neflix series ‘Dahmer,’ PAGE 18

OCTOBER 07, 2022 • VOLUME 06 • ISSUE 40 • AMERICA’S LGBTQ NEWS SOURCE • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

LOCAL

Polls show LA mayoral race tight New polling released Monday showed that in the race re e ri r e i s r s n e es e ren ss is e in i i n ire siness n i r so 34% to 31% among all voters.

In the new UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies survey, Caruso is now just 3 points behind — which is within the poll’s margin of error. In August, Caruso trailed by 12 points although the poll found that among likely voters, Bass still leads by 15 points – 46% to 31%. n e r e r s n e es n s eri e s n

geles Times reported Monday that retired Long Beach i e ie er n s r i e in e among likely voters over the incumbent, Alex Villanueva, a new UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies/ Los Angeles Times poll showed. i i e re n n ni eN r n election, 36% of likely voters polled said they are planning to cast ballots for Luna, while 26% said they favor Villanueva.

FROM STAFF REPORTS

(Photo courtesy LA County)

Newsom criticizes gas companies On Friday California Governor Gavin Newsom in a scathing video on his Twitter account castigated oil and s nies r w e er e flee in ns ers in the Golden State. i nies re ri in eir re r r s are coming at your expense at the pump,” the Governor said. “I’m calling for a NEW windfall tax exclusively on oil companies. If they won’t lower their prices we will do it for them. The money will go directly back to you.”

According to AAA, gas prices statewide crept up yet again overnight, reaching an average of $6.36/gallon for regular unleaded Saturday.

In the Los Angeles area, gasoline hit $6.45/gallon, up 7 cents from the day before. Ongoing Southern California fuel supply issues pushed Los Angeles wholesale gasoline prices to new records this week and pump prices may also break new records soon if they keep increasing at the current pace of 10-15 cents a day.

The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in Calirni is w i is en s i er n s wee e average national price is $3.78, which is ten cents higher than a week ago.

“The degree of diversions from the national prices has never happened before, and oil companies provide no explanation,” Newsom said. “We’re not going to stand by w i e ree i nies flee e i rni ns

Gov. GAVIN NEWSOM says gas companies are fleecing Californians. (Screenshot via Twitter)

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $6.26 per gallon, which is 67 cents higher than last week, 98 cents higher than last

month, and $1.85 higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $6.20, which is 67 cents higher than last week, 96 cents higher than last month, and $1.85 higher than last year. e ern r s nn n e n ri i re ner ies could roll out winter-blend gasoline ahead of schedule, which could reduce the price of gas up to 25 cents per gallon.

“In light of the dramatic increase in gas prices that California is experiencing, we should not wait until the end of the month to start distributing or to ramp up production r win er en s ine win re ners e an early transition to winter-blend gasoline could quickly increase fuel supply and provide a much needed safety valve with minimal air quality impacts,” Newsom said in e er i ne n ir e i rni ir e sources Board. “Accordingly, I am directing that the Air es r es r i e i e e w e er s e s re necessary to allow for an early transition to gasoline to be manufactured, imported, distributed, and sold in California.”

Switching from the summer to winter blend would likely save consumers 15 to 20 cents per gallon, said Doug Shupe, a spokesman for the Southern California Automobile Club said.

FROM STAFF REPORTS

Gas prices rocket up at second-highest pace of 2022 Ongoing Southern California fuel supply issues pushed Los Angeles wholesale gasoline prices to new records this week and pump prices may also break new records soon if they keep increasing at the current pace of 10-15 cents a day, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch.

The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $6.18, which is 66 cents higher than last wee e er e n i n ri e is w i is en cents higher than a week ago.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $6.26 per gallon, which

is 67 cents higher than last week, 98 cents higher than last month, and $1.85 higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $6.20, which is 67 cents higher than last week, 96 cents higher than last month, and $1.85 higher than last year.

On the Central Coast, the average price is $6.20, which is 67 cents higher than last week, 80 cents higher than last month and $1.84 higher than last year. In i ersi e e er e er n ri e is w i is 67 cents higher than last week, 95 cents higher than last month and $1.79 higher than a year ago. In Bakerse e er e ri e is en s i er n s

02 • OCTOBER 07, 2022 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

Thursday, 58 cents higher than last month and $1.62 higher than a year ago today. is wee s w e s si ni n s ri e in re s es since they jumped 77 cents in one week in March.

Local wholesale gasoline prices are now 35 cents higher than their all-time record reached in June, when gas prices climbed to an all-time record average of $6.46 in s n e es s i s es ers n e n i e s e re ei es si ni n ns i re s ine n re neries re er i n in we will likely continue to see pump price increases.”

FROM STAFF REPORTS

NATIONAL

New Supreme Court term includes critical LGBTQ case with ‘terrifying’ consequences Business owner seeks to decline services for same-sex weddings

By CHRIS JOHNSON The U.S. Supreme Court, after a decision overturning Roe v.

Wade that still leaves many reeling, is starting a new term with justices slated to revisit the issue of LGBTQ rights.

In 303 Creative v. Elenis, the court will return to the issue of whether or not providers of custom-made goods can refuse service to LGBTQ customers on First Amendment grounds. In this case, the business owner is Lorie Smith, a website designer in Colorado who wants to opt out of providing her graphic design services for same-sex weddings despite the civil rights law in her state. enni er i er in ie e er e said in an interview with the Blade, “it’s not too much to say an immeasurably huge amount is at stake” for LGBTQ people depending on the outcome of the case. is n ri e i e in s s r erin a custom service, somehow tacitly conveys an endorsement of the person — if that were to be accepted, that would be a profound change in the law,” Pizer said. “And the stakes are very high because there are no practical, obvious, principled ways to limit that kind of an exception, and if the law isn’t clear in this regard, then the people who are at risk of experiencing is ri in i n e n se ri n e e i e r e i n ing a non-discrimination laws, because at any moment, as one makes their way through the commercial marketplace, you don’t know whether a particular business person is going to refuse to serve you.”

The upcoming arguments and decision in the 303 Creative case mark a return to LGBTQ rights for the Supreme Court, which had no lawsuit to directly address the issue in its previous term, although many argued the Dobbs decision put LGBTQ rights in peril and threatened access to abortion for LGBTQ people.

And yet, the 303 Creative case is similar to other cases the Supreme Court has previously heard on the providers of services seeking the right to deny services based on First Amendment grounds, such as Masterpiece Cakeshop and Fulton v.

City of Philadelphia. In both of those cases, however, the court issued narrow rulings on the facts of litigation, declining to issue sweeping rulings either upholding non-discrimination principles or First Amendment exemptions.

Pizer, who signed one of the friend-of-the-court briefs in opposition to 303 Creative, said the case is “similar in the goals” of the Masterpiece Cakeshop litigation on the basis they both seek exemptions to the same non-discrimination law that governs their business, the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, or CADA, and seek “to further the social and political argument that they should be free to refuse same-sex couples or LGBTQ people in particular.”

“So there’s the legal goal, and it connects to the social and political goals and in that sense, it’s the same as Masterpiece,” Pizer said. “And so there are multiple problems with it again, as a legal matter, but also as a social matter, because as with the re i i n r en i fl ws r ei e in s e in to do with us is endorsing us.” ne i eren e e s er ie e es ii i n stemmed from an act of refusal of service after owner, Jack Phillips, declined to make a custom-made wedding cake for a same-sex couple for their upcoming wedding. No act of dis-

crimination in the past, however, is present in the 303 Creative case. The owner seeks to put on her website a disclaimer she won’t provide services for same-sex weddings, signaling an intent to discriminate against same-sex couples rather than having done so.

As such, expect issues of standing — whether or not either party is personally aggrieved and able bring to a lawsuit — to be hashed out in arguments as well as whether the litigation is ripe for review as justices consider the case. It’s not hard to see U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts, who has sought to lead the court to reach less sweeping decisions (sometimes successfully, and sometimes in the Dobbs case not successfully) to push for a decision along these lines. n er e i eren e e re i e se in es n the argument of freedom of speech as opposed to the twofold argument of freedom of speech and freedom of religious exercise in the Masterpiece Cakeshop litigation. Although 303 Creative requested in its petition to the Supreme Court review of both issues of speech and religion, justices elected only to take up the issue of free speech in granting a writ of certiorari (or agreement to take up a case). Justices also declined to accept another question in the petition request of review of the 1990 precedent in Smith v. Employment Division, which concluded states can enforce neutral generally applicable laws on citizens with religious objections without violating the First Amendment.

Representing 303 Creative in the lawsuit is Alliance Defendin ree w r ss n er ine i i rights laws for LGBTQ people with litigation seeking exemptions based on the First Amendment, such as the Masterpiece Cakeshop case.

Kristen Waggoner, president of Alliance Defending Freedom, wrote in a Sept. 12 legal brief signed by her and other attorneys that a decision in favor of 303 Creative boils down to a clear-cut violation of the First Amendment.

“Colorado and the United States still contend that CADA only regulates sales transactions,” the brief says. “But their cases do n e se e in e n n ex ressi e i i ies se in rin e ees res ri in s en n e i i in club memberships, and providing room access. Colorado’s own cases agree that the government may not use public-aci n ws e er i r s s ee Pizer, however, pushed back strongly on the idea a decision in favor of 303 Creative would be as focused as Alliance Defending Freedom purports it would be, arguing it could open the door to widespread discrimination against LGBTQ people.

“One way to put it is art tends to be in the eye of the beholder,” Pizer said. “Is something of a craft, or is it art? I feel like I’m channeling Lily Tomlin. Remember ‘soup and art’? We have had an understanding that whether something is beautiful or not is not the determining factor about whether something is protected as artistic expression. There’s a legal test that recognizes if this is speech, whose speech is it, whose message is it? Would anyone who was hearing the speech or seeing the message understand it to be the message of the customer or of the merchants or craftsmen or business person?”

Despite the implications in the case for LGBTQ rights, 303 Creative may have supporters among LGBTQ people who con-

The U.S. Supreme Court is to set consider the case of 303 Creative, which seeks to refuse design services for samesex weddings. la e le p o o y ic ael ey

sider themselves proponents of free speech.

One joint friend-of-the-court brief before the Supreme Court, written by Dale Carpenter, a law professor at Southern Methodist University who’s written in favor of LGBTQ rights, and Eugene Volokh, a First Amendment legal scholar at the University of California, Los Angeles, argues the case is an opportunity to r e irs en en ies s n ser i es are uniquely expressive.

“Distinguishing expressive from non-expressive products in some contexts might be hard, but the Tenth Circuit agreed that Smith’s product does not present a hard case,” the brief says. “Yet that court (and Colorado) declined to recognize any exemption for products constituting speech. The Tenth Circuit s e e i e re ni e s e in eres in s e in e re ation of speech itself to antidiscrimination laws.”

Oral arguments in the case aren’t yet set, but may be announced soon. Set to defend the state of Colorado and enforcement of its non-discrimination law in the case is Colorado Solicitor General Eric Reuel Olson. Just this week, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it would grant the request to the U.S. solicitor general to present arguments before the justices on behalf of the Biden administration.

With a 6-3 conservative majority on the court that has recently scrapped the super-precedent guaranteeing the right to abortion, supporters of LGBTQ rights may think the outcome of the case is all but lost, especially amid widespread fears same-sex marriage would be next on the chopping block. After the U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against 303 Creative in the lawsuit, the simple action by the Supreme Court to grant review in the lawsuit suggests they are primed to issue a reversal and rule in favor of the company.

Pizer, acknowledging the call to action issued by LGBTQ groups in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision, conceded the current Supreme Court issuing the ruling in this case is “a terrifying prospect,” but cautioned the issue isn’t so much the makeup of the court but whether or not justices will continue down the path of abolishing case law.

“I think the question that we’re facing with respect to all of the cases or at least many of the cases that are in front of the court right now, is whether this court is going to continue on is r i s r wre in e e i e se e w n seemingly a goal of setting up whole new structures of what our basic legal principles are going to be. Are we going to have another term of that?” Pizer said. “And if so, that’s terrifying.”

LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • OCTOBER 07, 2022 • 05

LOCAL

LA County Supervisors approve sick leave for monkeypox

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a motion Tuesday, sponsored by Supervisors Hilda Solis and Sheila Kuehl, which directs County attorneys to report back to the board in three weeks on how the County could implement a paid sick leave policy for people who contract monkeypox, or other new and emerging infectious diseases.

The Board also is urging California Governor Gavin Newsom to extend the state’s coronavirus supplemental paid sick leave by signing the AB-152 COVID-19 relief leave bill.

Supervisor Solis prior to the vote pointed out that both coronavirus pandemic and the monkeypox outbreak has is r ri n e e e essen i w r ers w re re dominantly Black and Latino.

Solis further noted that without a form of paid sick leave, re in s ses n e e e re en e e

to 10 days to isolate for COVID-19 — much less the two to four weeks needed to isolate for the duration of a monkeypox diagnosis as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the County Dept. of Public Health .

During a monkeypox townhall hosted by the Blade in East Los Angeles last week, which was also attended by Supervisor Solis, Sherrill Brown, M.D, AltaMed’s Medical Director of Infection Prevention, in her presentation noted the need for economic relief.

In her practice treating primarily Latino monkeypox cases at AltaMed clinics in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, she told the townhall attendees she was hearing some of er ien s were in i wi e re ire is tion protocols because of their economic needs.

BRODY LEVESQUE

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting room (Photo courtesy County of Los Angeles)

First-in-nation trans healthcare law enacted

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Senator Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) Senate Bill 923, the TGI Inclusive re is rs in e n i n w wi e re e more inclusive and culturally competent healthcare system for TGI (transgender, gender diverse, and intersex) people in California. e w re ires • That physician Continuing Medical Education (CME) include evidence-based culturally competent curriculum to help physicians provide inclusive care for TGI people • That the Health and Human Services Agency issue enforceable quality standards for treating TGI patients and recommend curriculum working collaboratively with Departments and TGI-serving organizations • That health insurance companies provide TGI c l ral compe ency raining or eir s a an delegated entities who are in direct contact with patients • That health insurance companies, in their network directories, include a list of in-network providers o o er gen er-a rming ser ices so a patients know where to go for specialized care • That the relevant oversight agencies track and monitor complaints relating to TGI-inclusive care an p licly pos n ings in eir ann al repor s or website “Today is a momentous day for trans-inclusive healthcare,” said Senator Wiener. “California is setting groundbreaking standards that will help us create a better, more culturally competent healthcare system for trans, gender diverse and intersex people. No one should have to educate a doctor in order to get the care they need. Thank you Governor Newsom for being an ally to the TGI community.”

SB 923 comes at a time when LGBTQ people — and particularly transgender children — are under attack across the country by right-wing state leaders. Many of those ats see ri in i e en er r in re

In February, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order making it illegal for parents to allow their r ns i s re ei e en er r in re ese ren s could have their children taken away and be sent to prison simply for allowing their children to be who they are and re ei e is ne ess r re e en er r in care “child abuse.”

California State Capitol Building o o co r esy

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e o ernor

Alabama just enacted a law imposing 10-year state prison sentences on parents and physicians who allow or proi e en er r in re eir i ren “Senate Bill 923 will alleviate a lot of the trauma, anxiety, and depression that many TGI individuals experience when seeing a medical provider,” said Dannie Cesena, CA LGBTQ HHS Network Director. “Now in a medical setting, providers can’t just turn us away, treat us with disrespect or say ‘we don’t treat people like you.’ This bill isn’t just about access to health care, but it’s access to mental health too and knowing that TGI individuals shouldn’t have to experience any type of discrimination when seeking care.”

Many TGI Californians encounter discrimination and

06 • OCTOBER 07, 2022 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

i essin e e re e nee i r nians report discrimination including being refused treatment, verbally harassed, physically or sexually assaulted, or having to teach the provider about transgender people in order to receive appropriate care.

“By signing SB 923 into law, California has prioritized creating protections to support the lives of TGI people and sets an example for the rest of the nation to follow,” Cesena added.

Healthcare discrimination and a lack of access to culturally competent care is a major problem that many TGI people regularly face. The National Center for Transgener i re r s ne ir r ns en er in dividuals who saw a healthcare professional had at least one negative experience related to being transgender, with even higher rates for people of color and people with disabilities.

These negative experiences include being refused treatment, verbally harassed, physically or sexually assaulted, or having to teach the provider about transgender people in order to receive appropriate care.

This is especially problematic given that TGI people, re wi e ener i n s er r re chronic health conditions. TGI people experience higher rates of health problems related to HIV/AIDS, substance use, mental illness, and sexual and physical violence, as well as a higher prevalence and earlier onset of disabilities that can also lead to longterm health issues. Sadly, 23% of transgender individuals reported that fear of discrimination caused them to postpone or not receive necessary medical care SB 923 is sponsored by the California LGBTQ Health and n er i es Ne w r i i rni N i n Health Law Program, Trans Community Project, TransFamily Support Services, and Western Center on Law & Poverty.

It is co-authored by Assemblymembers Sabrina Cervantes (D-Corona), Evan Low (D-San Jose), Alex Lee (D-Fremont), and Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens).

FROM STAFF REPORTS

LGBTQ+ patient s can expec t to be cared for by a team

experience.

- Melissa Wong, MD Cedars-Sinai Doctors and Life Partners

We’re committed to ensuring your comfort with staff who personally understand your concerns. That means making every single person who walks through our doors feel welcome and heard.

As an LGBTQ+ Health Care Equity Leader for the third consecutive year, our continued commitment is to provide expert care tailored to every patient. From everyday care to our Transgender Surgery and Health Program, providing an inclusive experience is our priority.

At Cedars-Sinai, we’re right here for the LGBTQ+ community.

Since August of 2019, Cedars-Sinai has achieved a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Healthcare Equality Index, and maintains this Leader designation through 2022.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW

LOCAL

an mar

Co n y pro ec spo lig s e ec s o

Starting in the fall of 2020, the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture and the Los Angeles County e i en e Prevention housed in the Department i e e barked on a landr r e re r e in ense personal stories of a diverse group of ll s ra ion co r esy o e os ngeles Co n y residents whose lives epar men o r s an C l re e een ire e e i en e For more than a year, Olga Koumoundouros, Department of Arts and Culture Creative Strategist-Artist in Resien e wi e e i en e re en i n en is e e e ni se r ni i ns n in i i s i en i e e wi in s re eir s ries e e r er s n e es n refle in i erse ers e i es s e in n ns rin n e e erri e si n s i i en e infli s n in i i s n i ies se e i n ese in i e s ries n wi r i rr is n e n ri rs en w een is e in i en e e n e in in s n e es n w i is n w i e n i r ries n er esi n e i ns i i e book along with the remaining stories will be published on e e r en rs n re n e we si es “I truly hope that by sharing my story,” said Mildred r wn ri i n w ex erien e e rs si sex n er ss i wi e e w ers n in n en e n n w re n ne s r is r ss se r r i n e ween r e r en rs n re n e e i en e re en i n s i s n e es n r er is rs ir i e n e er ne w r e s s re eir s ries wi s e n e is r e erin i is r e r i es i ers n r ni ies wi e r ni e rn r e re i e ex erien e e in e er s r s re

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e in erse i n i en e re en i n n r s e s e in r s r i rs n r ni ies s i s n e es n er is r i is irs is ri n Olga for developing a way to gather and uplift the stories s r i rs r r e n w e ex e rien e r in ri nner n e s r i rs e rw r e r is r e re in re i r e rin i e w en ex erien e nerability and fear and turning that into an inspiring mess e si e e n e in is ess n r w i we n ene n rr wi s s r e e ex r r in r resi en s w s re eir e r e r er n e wi s n thank the Department of Arts and Culture for their partners i n is r e s i r r r errer ire r e n e r en i e ese s ries ni e e e s in i i en e n resi en s r r ss s n e es n w i e r i in s wi e rin r w r ni n e n s e e r i e e r en rs n re s re i e r e is r r es r is s r s inis r rs n er re i e w r ers in n e r en s e e n i e en r is ri en s i ns ex s i en es e n w r is s e n ex r r in r w er ni e e e in i in n e s s e in n er ers n s s r s we s r i e r ni ies r re i e e in n ni i in in e nin w s is r e s is res ens refle s e in in si n n re resen i n es w en n e r en s en r ss se r r ser i e s i ris in ire r s n e es n e r en rs n re e s ren is r e ies in w i s n is s re in ins i i n r e r r i es s e n en er n i es s e re r i e n ex pressed,” said Koumoundouros, “so that the established en e ni i n is s ren ene n s ii e n e n s w in e ri ri ies r s e ne ni in si e i en e re en i n w r re es r i is enin r er n i more deeply so the details within the high stakes work i en e re en i n n e re e e i e e r i n in nne i n n r s wi r ni ies s

e e e ew ne e r ire r i en e s r i rs n ers n e ex en n e e i en e n e i es r rien s r nei rs n r ni ies s i n re e sin ire r e s n e es n e i en e re en i n e sin n e e s ries er e in e i en e e w s in w i r is sexis i r ns i er i i n n s se i i res e e e er e e re i en e r ss ni ies n s e e s ries re ne ere e e in see in en ess e i en e e e i en e se es i e ess e is n ri e s e i e ese s ries n r i en e is en re i e n re en e n i i w we n s r re en i n n e in e e sin es i e wi se ese s ries i e r i es n r r s in r w r e re i e r e is r is in esi en e r r w s n r i n n si n ni i i e re mendation that the Board of Supervisors, in a motion aure er is r i is n e in in e i s in e i n e r r s ex re w r s se s r e ies n e se s e ex i i en es n e ern en re e i e rs n re irs re i e s r e is wi n department to bring arts-based thinking, methodologies, r e s n r es ress n iss e e i in r ners i wi s si n es e r ss se r r e e r s in er e r en r i n n i ersi e i n in si n e r r s rs e s e n wi e r i w i s r n and all its departments to ensure every resident has meanin ess rs n re e issi n e s n e es n e r en rs n re is n e rs re n re i i r s n e es n r i es e ers i ser i es n s r in re s in in r n s n e ni ssis n e r n n r r ni i ns n wi e rse i n ini i i es issi nin n re r i i r e i ns rese r n e i n ess re i e reer w s r essi n e e en ree ni r r s n r ss se r re i e s r e ies ress i i iss es BRODY LEVESQUE

LGBTQ military think tank shuts down

en er in n n e in e i rni n r r w i rese r e i n ernin ser i e e ers s n rin e n in i e es e e re e in e in n er i n wn s n s n e nn n e i is s in wn er e rs rese r in i i r ser i e ns e in e en en rese r ins i e w i w r e wi n er s r ner r ni i ns r in re

se r ni e in e n in n i i in studies that were leveraged to overturn two longstandin ns n ser i e en r s nn n e e e er i w s sin i s rs n e e er ew r ni i ns re w e e nee e n ii r ini n s e e i e s e en er s i N ir i e en en ir n e in ie s er e re e n s n e

08 • OCTOBER 07, 2022 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

iolence

s rese r n i i n e were in e in s win in si e ser i e w s n i e n w n r re iness e s i e en er re r e e n i n n ers i n er ii r ser i e sin s n rese r n si e e n sr e in si n es r r e r es n r n r s r n er Continues at s n e es e BRODY LEVESQUE

Spread love, not monkeypox (MPX).

Talk to your partner/s about any new rashes or sores.

To get the facts about MPX visit GO.CDPH.CA.GOV/MONKEYPOX

LOCAL

Newsom signs refuge bill for trans kids and their families

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation to provide refuge for trans kids and their families authored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco). Senate Bill 107 will protect trans kids and their families if they flee i rni r Gov. GAVIN NEWSOM Alabama, Texas, Idaho ile p o o co r esy ce o e o ernor or any other state criminalizing the parents of r ns i s r win e re ei e en er r in re If these parents and their trans kids come to California, the law will help protect them from having their kids taken away from them or from being criminally prosecuted for supportin eir r ns i s ess e re wi ee e n January 1, 2023.

“As so many states work to erase trans kids and criminalize their families, California must always have their backs,” said Senator Wiener. “With SB 107 signed into law, California is forcefully pushing back against the anti-LGBTQ hatred spreading across parts of our nation. The rainbow wave is real, and it’s coming. Thank you, Governor Newsom, for standing with our community.”

SB 107 was co-sponsored by Equality California, Planned Parenthood, TransFamily Support Services and Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis.

“While small, hateful men like Greg Abbott and Ron DeSantis attack trans children and their families, Governor Newsom today made clear that California will welcome them with open r s i es i rni s e re e r trans kids and their families,” said Equality California Executive Director Tony Hoang. “SB 107 will continue California’s

legacy of leadership in protecting and advancing the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ communities in a time when we cannot take our rights and protections for granted. We are grateful for the leadership of Senator Scott Wiener and his commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community.”

“Extreme politicians across the country are openly attacking trans youth and their families like never before, but thanks to today’s action by Governor Newsom and the leadership by Senator Scott Wiener, SB 107 provides reassurance that California will be a place where people can get the care they need,” said Jodi Hicks, President and CEO of Planned Paren i es i rni e s n in s i ri wi our friends and colleagues at EQCA and LGBTQ+ communities across the country. California Planned Parenthood health centers are committed to providing care, including gender-afr in re n ser i es w e r their doors – regardless of where they call home.”

Senate Bill 107 provides for a range of safeguards meant to block out-of-state attempts to penalize families that come to California seeking medical treatment for transgender children and teens or move to the state to avoid consequences for already seeking that treatment elsewhere.

SB 107 has three main components: 1. It prohibits the enforcement of a law of another state that authorizes a state agency to remove a child from their parent or guardian based on the parent or guardian allowing their child to receive gen er-a rming eal care e ill o l pre en California’s law enforcement from cooperating with any individual or out-of-state agency regarding the pro ision o la l gen er-a rming eal care performed in this state. As a result, families will be able to come to California to avoid having their trans children taken away from them.

2. It bars compliance in California with any out-of-state subpoena seeking health or other related information about people who come to California to receive gen er-a rming care i e s poena rela es o e or s o criminali e in i i als or remo e c il ren rom eir omes or a ing recei e gen er-a rming care. Some states are considering legislation that would extend their criminal prohibitions even to residents who travel out of state to receive gender-afrming eal care 3. It prohibits law enforcement participation in the arrest or extradition of an individual that criminalizes allowing a person to receive or provide gender-afrming eal care ere a con c is la l in California and to the fullest extent permitted by federal law. It will declare that it is California’s public policy that any out-of-state criminal arrest warrant for someone based on violating another state’s law agains recei ing gen er-a rming care is e lo es priority for law enforcement in California.

Trans youth already face numerous barriers to receiving the health care they need. Studies have shown that access en er r in re r r ns i s re es ris r e pression, psychological distress, and suicidal ideation. The criminalization of trans children and their parents leads to increased mental health issues and even suicide.

SB 107 is co-authored by Senators Susan Eggman (D-Stockton), and John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), and Assemblymembers Evan Low (D-Campbell), Alex Lee (D-San Jose), Chris Ward (D-San Diego), Sabrina Cervantes (D-Corona), Matt Haney (D-San Francisco), Ash Kalra (D-San Jose), Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda), and Mia Bonta (D-Alameda). Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (San Diego) and Assemblymemer ri i s n ir e rin i rs BRODY LEVESQUE

LA County expands monkeypox vaccination eligibility

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has expanded eligibility to the monkeypox vaccine to closely align with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recent expansion, which includes persons in select occupational groups whose jobs may expose them to orthopoxviruses (such as monkeypox).

Monkeypox vaccine will be available to residents who self-attest to being in the following groups: • Gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men or transgender people who have sex with men or other transgender people • Persons of any gender or sexual orientation who engage in commercial and/or transactional sex • Persons living with HIV, especially persons with uncontrolled or advanced HIV disease • Persons who had skin-to-skin or intimate contact with someone i s spec e or con rme mon eypo incl ing ose o a e no ye een con rme y Public Health • (NEW) Sexual partners of people in any of the above groups • (NEW) People who anticipate being in any of the

(Photo courtesy LA County)

above groups Monkeypox vaccine is also available for persons in select occupational groups whose may be exposed to orthopoxviruses including: • Research laboratory personnel working with orthopoxviruses • Clinical laboratory personnel performing diagnostic

10 • OCTOBER 07, 2022 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

testing for orthopoxviruses • Designated public health response team members • Health care personnel who administer ACAM2000 (Smallpox [Vaccinia] Vaccine) • Designated health care workers who care for persons i s spec e or con rme or opo ir s in ections, including clinicians and environmental services personnel Note that the risk of monkeypox transmission remains very low for health care workers if appropriate personal protective equipment is worn and other infection control practices are followed.

Eligible residents can go to a Public vaccinating site or visit rn n er in in si es ne r Residents do not need to show ID in order to get a vaccine at sites run by Public Health. However, because residents may need to show vaccination record and ID if you travel or visit certain venues, it is recommended that when getting a vaccine that residents provide the name that is on their ID. Residents who met prior eligibility criteria can still get vaccinated.

FROM STAFF REPORTS

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ros om s a e e new r s e s e rs gay romantic comedy produced by a major Hollywood s i e e x e rin in in s i i n e i i n re i i n r enin weekend. e w i s rs i i ner n e r ne nis e in r e r e wee en rr r ie e s wi i i n i ner i rne to Twitter to blame straight people for the poor showing. en wi win re iews re en es scores, an A CinemaScore, etc., straight people, especially in certain parts of the country, just didn’t show up for r s i ner wr e n s is in in i is what it is.”

N e er ne rees wi i ner s ssess en rie in a Monday story, cited marketing problems and a lack of star power as likely culprits for the disappointing numbers.

“For the romantic comedy genre, star power is integral ese s e in e e e se rie s r n i i r wr e r n s e s

e o o ce i ei e i i n r in e e strength of pairing A-listers Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum.” ii n e s r e in se n e is ri n re e r er ni s e i e “’Bros’ marketing worked overtime to sell its importance s e rs r s i e ressi e marketing a movie as a glass-ceiling breaker can make it ee i e ew r r iewers r n r n e There have also been anecdotal reports of homophoi in i en s e ers in e e s s er w i e res i ner n r ne r in e other’s butts.

“The goal was to make the funniest, laugh-out-loud movie as possible, that just happens to be about a gay couple,” i ner e e in n in er iew s wee The studio released a statement that it remains hopeful positive reviews and word-of-mouth will give “Bros” a long e ri r n e s i i n e i ner ser e s wri er r er n s r e

The chemistry between LUKE MACFARLANE and BILLY EICHNER asn eno g o s eam p e o o ce las ee en (Photo courtesy Universal Studios)

r ni e w i en i gay guys in a relationship. All of “Bros” writers, producers, n e e n s r in rs i en i s wi the exceptions of director Nicholas Stoller and producer Judd Apatow).

FROM STAFF REPORTS

Feds asked to investigate trans healthcare threats In a letter sent Monday to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, the American Medical Association joined with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and Children’s Hospital Association asking the Department of Justice investigate [the] increasing “threats of violence against physicians, hospitals and families of children for r i in n see in e i en e se en er r in care.”

The AAP and AMA collectively represent more than 270,000 physicians and medical students and CHA represents more than 220 children’s hospitals across the country. The groups wrote to Garland urging “swift ac-

tion to investigate and prosecute all organizations, individuals, and entities responsible.”

The AMA letter highlighted one instance in which a mother was prevented from seeing her newborn premature infant because the NICU was locked down due to a bomb threat. These attacks on children’s hospitals have e e s n s n e e w ren e en in e in en er r in re Attacks on American hospitals providing trans healthcare, especially those with clinics treating trans youth have been targeted by anti-trans extremists led by the Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh and Brooklyn, New York-based

Chaya Raichik, a former real estate agent whose ‘Libs of Tik-Tok’ has spread misinformation and lies about en er r in s r er w i s s ere s on those healthcare facilities by far-right extremist elements.

“Whether it’s newborns receiving intensive care, children getting cancer treatments or families accessing compassionate care for their transgender adolescents, all patients seeking treatment deserve to get the care they need without fear for their personal safety,” wrote AAP President Moira Szilagyi, MD, PhD, FAAP. BRODY LEVESQUE

Pocan seeks to create national LGBTQ history museum Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) has introduced legislation that would set up the process to create a National Muse eri n is r re en i ly as an official site within the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. n ne nine en e ers e se n ir e i s s i in s e en e e s re w reser e history “as our community faces unprecedented attacks and attempts to erase our history.” The pair of bills is n “It is vital to remember our collective past – particularly when certain states seek to constrain and repeal exis in ri s ssin i s r and our community at large,” Pocan said. “Let’s tell these stories, and honor the many contributions the ni s e is n i n wi seum in Washington, D.C.” The first bill, according to a statement, would create an eight-member commission of individuals with exer ise in se nnin r rese r n

Rep. MARK POCAN

culture “to look into the viability of establishing such a facility in the nation’s capital.”

Among other things, the commission would be charged with recommending an action for the museum, including fundraising, and submitting to Congress

12 • OCTOBER 07, 2022 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

a plan for construction of the museum, the statement says.

The bill would also instruct the commission to address whether the museum should be part of the Smithsonian Institution, based in the nation’s capital and the world’s largest museum and research complex, per the news statement. The full study, the statement says, w e e e e in n s If the Smithsonian were to adopt the museum on is r n re i w e si i r er museums under its jurisdiction focused on minority populations in the United States, including the National se ri n eri n is r re n e National Museum of the American Indian.

The second bill would be eligible for consideration by Congress after the commission completes its work and issues its recommendations and allow for formal crei n e se re n w ers in in nine en e ers e se co-sponsor the legislation.

CHRIS JOHNSON

N

N

N

olsonaro

la o ace o in secon ro n o

(Editor’s note: Blade International News Editor Michael K. Lavers will be on assignment in Brazil through Oct. 11.)

BRASÍLIA, Brazil — Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and r er resi en i n i i wi e in e se n r n e n r s resi en i e e i n n after neither of them received a majority of votes on Sunday.

Da Silva was ahead of Bolsonaro by a 47.9-43.6 percent margin with 97.5 percent of electronic voting machines counted, according to Brazil’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal.

Bolsonaro, a former Brazilian Army captain who is a member of the right-wing Liberal Party, represented Rio de Janeir in e r i i n n ress r ni e e in Polls ahead of Sunday’s election suggested Da Silva was ise ee s n r in e rs r n s n r se forts to discredit Brazil’s electoral system increased concerns that violence could erupt in the country if Bolsonaro did not accept the results.

The incumbent president has faced sharp criticism because of his rhetoric against LGBTQ and intersex Brazilians, women, people of African and indigenous descent and other groups.

He has encouraged fathers to beat their sons if they think

they are gay. s n r rin ress n eren e in e ie House Rose Garden stressed his “respect of traditional family values.” Bolsonaro has expressed his opposition to “gender ideology,” supports legislation that would limit LGBTQ-specifi rri in r i s s s n n e ne r i ian Supreme Court ruling that criminalized homophobia and transphobia.

A Brazilian Federal Police investigator in August called for prosecutors to charge Bolsonaro with incitement for spreadin se in r i n er e s i e e who are vaccinated against the virus are at increased risk for AIDS. Activists and HIV/AIDS service providers with whom the Washington Blade spoke in March sharply criticized Bolsonaro’s policies towards people with HIV/AIDS. i w w s r i s resi en r is member of the country’s leftist Workers’ Party.

Sergio Moro, a judge who Bolsonaro later tapped as his ern en s s i e n i e ri inis er in sen en e i e rs in ris n er is n i i n on money laundering and corruption charges that stemmed r er i n r s

ra il elec ions

The Brazilian Supreme Court in N e er ordered Da Silva’s release.

Julian Rodrigues, who was the coordinator of the Workers’ r s N i n From left, Brazil President JAIR BOLWorking Group SONARO and former President LUIZ r INÁCIO LULA DA SILVA (Photo of Bolsonaro by Celso Pupo/Bigstock; photo of Lula noted to the courtesy Lula campaign) Blade during a previous interiew i in re e e e inis r s “Brazil without Homophobia” campaign. Rodrigues also highlighted Da Silva created the Culture Ministry’s Diversity Secretariat that, among other things, funded community centers and s e i e ers n er w en r e en i s re rien n in ersex e e MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Two trans women elected to Brazil’s Congress BRASÍLIA, Brazil — Two transgender women this week won seats in the Brazilian Congress.

Voters in São Paulo elected Municipal Councilwoman Erika Hilton, a Black travesti and former sex worker who is a member of the leftist Socialism and Liberty Party. Voters in Minas Gerais state elected Belo Horizonte Municipal Councilwoman Duda Salabert, who is a member of the leftist Democratic Labor Party.

Salabert in a video she posted to her Twitter account noted she received the highest number of votes for any congressional candidate in Minas Gerais’ history. Salabert also highlighted she received death threats during her campaign. e rs r ns ers n e e e eN i n n gress,” she said. “We won the election, despite the attacks from leftists, attacks from Christian fundamentalists and death threats from the extreme right.”

Hilton also received threats during the campaign.

“Erika and Duda showed true courage in their campaigns for Congress,” said LGBTQ Victory Institute Global Programs Director Alhelí Partida in a press release.

From left, DUDA SALABERT and ERIKA HILTON (Screen captures via campaign videos)

Hilton and Salabert are two of the 324 openly LGBTQ candidates who ran in the presidential, congressional and state legislative and governor elections. Eighteen of them, including

Hilton and Salabert, won their respective races.

Fábio Félix, a gay member of the Socialism and Liberty Party, who is a member of the Federal District’s Legislative Chamber, won re-election with the highest number of votes of any of the candidates running for seats in the body that governs Brasília, the country’s capital. Eduardo Leite, the openly gay governor of Rio Grande do Sul who is a member of the Soi e r i r wi e ins n x ren ni member of President Jair Bolsonaro’s right-wing Liberal Party w is is r er ie s in n r n “While we hope their success is a sign of better days, Brazil remains an incredibly tough place to engage as an out leader – where homophobia, transphobia, death threats and worse re n s i ri n we s ne r wn Rio de Janeiro Councilwoman Marielle Franco, assassinated by anti-LGBTQ and anti-women attackers. While her loss continues to be devastating, she has become an icon and the fuel needed to inspire more courageous LGBTQ Brazilians to raise their voices.”

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Putin slams LGBTQ people in Ukraine annexation speech In a rally that resembled a political convention on Sept. ssi n resi en i ir in e e r e is si nin a decree that Russia had annexed four regions of Eastern Ukraine that were overrun by Russian military forces and Russian-backed separatists.

“The people made their choice,” said Putin in the formal signing ceremony at the Kremlin’s St. George Hall. “And that choice won’t be betrayed” by Russia, he said.

Last week, in an election President Joe Biden labeled fraudulent and a sham, Ukrainians in the occupied territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia voted to join Russia in elections supervised by heavily armed Rus-

sian troops.

Putin, in his speech at the ceremony, which took place on a massive stage in Moscow’s Red Square opposite the Kremlin’s walls, took aim at the West with particular emphasis on Western values and culture.

“Western countries have been repeating for centuries that they bring freedom and democracy to other peoples.

Everything is exactly the opposite: instead of democracy — suppression and exploitation; instead of freedom — enslavement and violence,” Putin said.

Later during the speech Putin decried the LGBTQ community and Western nations that allow equity and equality

14 • OCTOBER 07, 2022 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

and human rights.

“In fact, they spit on the natural right of billions of people, most of humanity, to freedom and justice, to deterine eir wn re n eir wn N w e e pletely moved to a radical denial of moral norms, religion, and family. … Do we really want perversions that lead to degradation and extinction to be imposed on children in our schools from the primary grades? To be drummed into them that there are various supposed genders besides w en n en n e ere sex n e er tion?”

BRODY LEVESQUE

1933 S Broadway

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JASMYNE CANNICK

is an award-winning journalist based in Los Angeles. She spent five years working to bring Ed Buck to justice. Her ‘Ring the Alarm’ podcast is available on Apple, Spotify, and Amazon Music. For more information, visit iamjasmyne.com/ringthealarm.

Follow her travels on Instagram @hellojasmyne and Twitter @jasmyne.

e rey a mer as eal i

i

i e an gay

Black LGBTQ community deserves to hear the truth

I’ve been watching a scary phenomenon sweep across America where if enough of us don’t like something from our past and take to social media to bitch and complain about it, we can simply erase and revise it under the guise of anti-racism and reconciliation.

The latest victim of whitewashed revisionist history is serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

After social media backlash, Netflix has removed the LGBTQ tag from its Ryan Murphy-created Jeffrey Dahmer limited series, “Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.” Apparently, the LGBTQ community doesn’t want to be associated with a serial killer.

This is a complete about-face considering Netflix didn’t flinch in the face of its controversy over its relationship with comedian Dave Chappelle over his comments made about trans people. They seemed to double down it.

Now I don’t claim to know everything, but I know that Jeffrey Dahmer was three things: a serial killer, white, and gay.

No amount of whining and wishing it wasn’t so will change that or that most of his victims were Black gay men.

There are a lot of things that, as a Black woman, I don’t want to be associated with. I can’t tell you how many times I joined the collective groan of Black people everywhere when some atrocious crime is on the evening news, and a Black face appears on the screen as the alleged suspect. Do we get to call up the news, ask them not to show that the perpetrator is Black — to just gloss over that part — and they actually do it? No, we don’t.

Both Samuel Little and Lonnie Franklin, Jr. were Black male serial killers who spent decades murdering Black women before being caught. As Black people, we don’t get to change the fact that they were Black men because we’re embarrassed.

Jeffrey Dahmer was a white gay man who murdered lots of Black men. Deal with it. Deal with it in the same way that the families of his victims had to. Be mad, be offended but don’t you dare say that, “This is not the representation we’re looking for.”

The white LGBTQ community doesn’t get to disassociate

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itself from one of its own just because they’re worried about the impact on its image, and the fact that Netflix acquiesced is a slap in the face to the Black community — specifically the Black LGBTQ community. So what? Our truth and history doesn’t matter because white gay men are offended?

As a Black lesbian, I’ve spent my entire adult life trying my best to offend the white LGBTQ community with the truth about their racism.

Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

Well, 23 years later, we had a repeat with the murder of 27-year-old Gemmel Moore at the hands of another white gay man — Democratic major donor Ed Buck. Yes — Democratic donor, because similar to Dahmer and the white LGBTQ community, the Democrats never want to admit that Buck was one of them — one of us.

Also, like with Dahmer, no one wanted to believe that this white gay man in West Hollywood was targeting Black gay men and shooting them up with meth. Law enforcement, the district attorney, and for a long while, even the news media gave Ed Buck the benefit of the doubt over his Black victims, even after there were two dead bodies.

Five years later, Buck is finally in prison with a 30-year-sentence.

Watching “Dahmer,” I felt for Glenda Cleveland because I know exactly what it feels like to know what’s going on and scream it as loud as you can, and still no one listens. To be gaslit and told it isn’t what you know it is and then have those same people turn around and pat themselves on the back for stopping a killer two deaths, one near death, and countless other victims later.

Rest assured that when I do the Ed Buck story, it will be tagged LGBTQ, true crime, geriatric, horror, and whatever other genre it falls under.

The Black LGBTQ community deserves to have the truth told about both Jeffrey Dahmer and Ed Buck, and that starts with the fact that they are both white gay men who killed Black gay men. White gays shouldn’t get to absolve themselves from that.

V O L U M E 06 I S S U E 40 ADDRESS 8237 Blackburn Avenue Ste. 201, Los Angeles, CA 90048 PHONE 310-230-5266 E-MAIL tmasters@losangelesblade.com INTERNET losangelesblade.com PUBLISHED BY Los Angeles Blade, LLC PUBLISHER TROY MASTERS tmasters@losangelesblade.com 310-230-5266 x8080 (o), 917-406-1619 (c) SALES & MARKETING SALES EXECUTIVE CHRIS WILMORE cmwilmore@losangelesblade.com 310-230-5266 x9461 NATIONAL ADVERTISING RIVENDELL MEDIA sales@rivendellmedia.com, 212-242-6863 MARKETING DIRECTOR STEPHEN RUTGERS srutgers@washblade.com, 202-747-2077 x8077 EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTING WRITER KAREN OCAMB karenocamb@losangelesblade.com NATIONAL EDITOR KEVIN NAFF knaff@washblade.com, 202-747-2077 x8088 EDITOR AT LARGE BRODY LEVESQUE California CONTRIBUTORS MICHAEL K. LAVERS, TINASHE CHINGARANDE, ERNESTO VALLE, YARIEL VALDÉS GONZALEZ, PARKER PURIFOY, CHRISTOPHER KANE, AUSTIN MENDOZA, JOHN PAUL KING, JOEY DIGUGLIELMO, CHRIS JOHNSON, LOU CHIBBARO JR., REBEKAH SAGER, JON DAVIDSON, SUSAN HORNIK, CHANNING SARGENT, SAMSON AMORE, CHRISTOPHER CAPPIELLO, MICHAEL JORTNER, DAN ALLEN, SEAN SHEALY, SCOTT STIFFLER, RHEA LITRÉ

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DENNIS JAFFE

of .C. is an active member of rE All’s monkeypo advocacy project.

He has years of professional e perience in grassroots advocacy for social justice causes.

Biden administration must overhaul monkeypox response now

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The Biden administration needs to overhaul its response to monkeypox. Now. For many who were around during the height of the AIDS epidemic, the Biden administration’s missteps around monkeypox are pale but haunting reminders of past battles. That’s particularly galling for eri ns s re n n e x ses in re striking men who have sex with men (MSM). e en ers r ise se nr n re en i n es i es i i n eri ns re ris re irin i i n ses re s een ine e i e N e en re in e It’s imperative that the White House implement a comprehensive ne si in e i in re en i n in i n es in n re en n s e inis r i n irres nsi e i e wi n e x ines r eri ns w se e en ies ren using a newly mandated injection method. Washington theorizes the re e ien in r er e wi in e ses r i s e i s r e e re r er in ses er i i si ni n isr i ns e ss i i n e n erri ri e i se e eir i s sin fl we ss i ns e re r i ers wi ex r e ses r e i e i en inis r i n is sen in ne e i s re i s e e i in es eir i ine in re se s in n is sen in r n ewer s e ses compared to pre-mandate allotments. “The federal government has patted themselves on the back for how they’re accelerating the dei er ines refle e e r en e eni r e Director Patrick Ashley. D.C. has nearly the highest case rate in the nation. “What they did is they moved numbers around.”

We urge President Biden to reinstate original vial allocations. The point of doing ID, noted Johns Hopkins scholar Caitlin Rivers, was ene r e in re se in s i e we e NN s w s rse r es s e n e e tive, data is scant for subcutaneous use, and more so for ID – pari r r e e w re i n r ise in in se i in wi ne s re r e s we ne se r i in ne r n ee e r e i n n s e en ies s i ren s e in se n in e i ns en i s n rer en e reser i ns e inis r i n s r n en s ne wri er in e ni e is n w in high-stakes game with the health and trust of people most vulnerae n e x i ses r s n fl i e s s but lesions around the anus, genitals, or mouth are excruciating. An

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ie s s ws NN se i s se n ri r xi e n s n w ie e sr i en receiving ID. The reduction in doses has forced some jurisdictions, like Philadeli s e ine re i in ns r re ire second doses. While cases are disproportionately high among Black n is ni in i i s in i n n e e re ins ex ceedingly low. Reasons include distrust, stigma, and less accessible vaccine centers. e ie se s e i s r ne w r s vaccinate under-vaccinated demographics, especially people of color. s e i nee e e ie i en in e incarcerated and un-housed individuals. n is ni in i i s i ns s ris n r in n e x n in si n ni ies re r ne e i s rrin w i ses s in is r i n r se e e w e ine e i e n i e r n in trust of the public health community.

ID’s smaller doses are also deepening skepticism in vulnerable communities. The shrunken supply and over-emphasis on intradermal injections will exacerbate existing racial and socioeconomic disparities in in i n e s n w is r in es ne s option is critical to encourage vaccination, especially for those ineligible for ID. Demetre Daskalakis, White House Deputy Coordinator for monkeyx ni i es re w r r e en ies n s es r i s er iss in e n e s is n ire r r e e ens in i e ris i i ns n re es re i s in in rs ne s in e i ns but their vagueness has prevented some agencies from scheduling second shots. n e x w s n ne ri w ere e res r es re r r si i w s in ni n ries w ere i n exis e re r e ses in e r e r ni i n e re i e e er en n resi en i en i n ni i e wee s er es i ses re n ri e i en s en s i e is n e w s in e n r e n is rs in ress n ress i en r ns en er eri ns w re i ris n r in n e x r resi en s r s we e r s ee ier re e i e vaccination, that assurance could use its own booster.

LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • OCTOBER 07, 2022 • 17

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18 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • OCTOBER 07, 2022

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TV Today, sexy vampires are a staple of pop culture, but it hasn’t always been that way.

Up until the last few decades, vampires have been mostly interpreted as a metaphor for the dangers of an unconr e i i n were r in e i e in rr r tion as monsters to be resisted and destroyed, no matter how alluring they might seem.

Anne Rice changed all that.

Before “True Blood” or “Twilight,” or any of the other popular vampire fantasy sagas that have played on the more seductive aspects of the vampire mythos, her 1976 debut novel “Interview with the Vampire” paved the way by forcing readers to identify with its “evil” narrator. Suddenly, the monster was the hero of his own story instead of the villain in someone else’s, allowing us to embrace our vicarious participation in his sensual pleasures and face a fact we all suspect in our hearts to be true: that given the chance, each and every one of us would probably choose to be a vampire.

That can be a disturbing revelation for some, and Rice’s book wasn’t an instant hit; reviews from critics, who weren’t ready to see the ocean of counter-cultural nuance beneath the shocking and gory details of the plot, were mostly dismissive. Readers, however, were more responsive, and i e s n se rew en e e s rs se e (1985’s “The Vampire Lestat”) into a bestseller. The author – who passed away at 80 last December – would eventually pen a total of 13 books in a series that became known as “The Vampire Chronicles,” and her fans have remained loyal – some might even say obsessive – to this day.

That, of course, means that AMC’s new series adaptation of Rice’s seminal book – which premiered on the cable netw r wi i s rs w e is es n is r n ee sizable built-in audience. It also means that the series must live up to a very high standard if it wants to keep those fans watching.

So far, despite a few notable divergences from the source material, things look promising.

Like Rice’s novel, the series centers on Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson), a vampire who – for his own inscrutable reasons – decides to tell his life story to a young reporter. In the re-imagined scenario constructed by show creator Rolin Jones, however, there have been some updates. Fifty years later, Louis feels he was not ready to be completely honest during that original interview in the 1970s, and he has endeavored to bring the same reporter – now a seasoned veteran journalist battling Parkinson’s disease (Eric si n is s s e r ers in is he can set the record straight.

The tale he tells – beginning with his mortal life as the scion of a wealthy Louisiana family and his transformation by the amoral yet charismatic vampire Lestat (Sam Reid), to whom he then becomes lover and companion – remains largely the same, in broad swaths. The updated premise, however, allows for some not-so-minor changes in the details– not the least of which is making its protagonist a ers n r s ess New r e ns siness n Creole descent instead of a wealthy white plantation owner wi s es w i re res es i s re e n e r s en r audience while expanding the scope of the themes enfolded within the gothic architecture of its plot.

Besides bringing America’s troubled relationship with race into the forefront of the story, the show’s “faithful with

Thrilling ‘Interview’ revives Rice’s beloved ‘Vampire’ in style AMC’s lavish and loving retelling will thrill fans of original books

By JOHN PAUL KING

SAM REID and JACOB ANDERSON bring Anne Rice’s iconic supernatural heroes to life again. (Photo courtesy AMC)

i ense r ws i ne i ex ress e eerness e e n i s se e s touchstone for countless LGBTQ readers across the years.

Though later installments in the chronicle were more directly candid about the nature of Louis’s relationship with Lese ri in ne er i e we i s nfli e er to fully own his sexuality. Jones’s show corrects for that, cementing the connection between Rice’s brooding, sexually fl i ires n e i i ns eer ns e seen e se es refle e in e es i es s n e r s rein en es r r new er i well raise hackles among Rice’s fans, some of whom may decry the changes as unnecessary capitulations to a modern “woke” sensibility that seems far away from the unapologetically hedonistic worldview at the core of Rice’s books. e e en e s r re i e ers wi n e se es hard-pressed to complain about the way the series leans hard into the power of Rice’s literary gifts.

Blessed by its episodic long-form narrative with the ability to take its time, the show gives us lengthy, rapturous seen es in w i e rs s r n i se rin n passionate prose – or language inspired by it – becomes e in r i n s ere w ere e i ies e Rice’s vampire books speak so thrillingly to its readers are allowed to work their magic on viewing audiences, too; though the story’s more concrete elements – the meticulous evocation of its period setting, the lurid abandon of its sexuality, the merciless savagery of its horrors – all do their r in rin in s e e i s ese fl ri r r s stretches of narration accompanying the visuals, spoken wi e ifl s n i ssi ne n i i n n ers n that allow us to partake of the feast being served there. In the poetry of these passages, we are drawn into the vam-

20 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • OCTOBER 07, 2022

pire’s world, and we are transformed without even having to be bitten.

That’s not to say the show’s imagery is not compelling in its own right – the climactic scene of episode one, a grand Guignol style symphony of gore that culminates in one of the most brazenly erotic moments in recent television memory, is alone enough not only to satisfy those who have come for the horror, but to make all but the most adamant Rice purists jump on board. i ewise e in e es is in en n ers n at once earthier and more deeply sensitive than his role in “Game of Thrones” gave us reason to expect, delivers a Louis that commands our attention, our respect, and our compassion; and though Reid’s shining Lestat remains just s in is er s s w s re ire eir r es in the narrative, he leaves no doubt of his ability to project the r s rfl n e n re e n e re re ire is character in later installments of the chronicle. Rounding out the trio of main players (at least those we’ve seen so far), Bogosian’s world-weary, satchel-faced reporter makes r re s i e s n in r ien e n e naive youth of the book; cynical, mistrustful, yet somehow longing to be impressed, he’s heard this tale before – but something inside him needs to hear it again.

That feeling is something with which Anne Rice fans should be well familiar; they’ve been waiting decades for these beloved books to be adapted for the screen in a way w e si e e rs w e is es s lavish and loving retelling of them are any indication – and r s s w en we e e re e i n be getting what they want.

We should all be grateful for that. After all, it’s Halloween season, and sexy vampires are always welcome.

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BOOKS Despite the hype, Wenner memoir is a buzzkill Reading this book is as exciting as perusing a spreadsheet

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“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” the Rolling Stones sang in 1965.

When reading “Like a Rolling Stone: A Memoir”

by Jann S. Wenner, you may well n rse sin ing along with the Stones.

Whether you’re a Boomer who ‘Like a Rolling grew up to the Stone: A Memoir’ soundtrack of the

By Jann S. Wenner rock ‘n’ roll, Woodc.2022, Little, Brown stock generation $35 | 592 pages (from the Grateful Dead to Jimi Hendrix to Bob Dylan to Joni Mitchell), a Gen-Xer who listened to punk rock, a millennial who voted for Barack Obama or a Gen-Zer who put Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” back on the charts, you’re likely curious about Wenner’s memoir.

In 1967, Wenner, 76, co-founded (with music critic Ralph J. Glisten) Rolling Stone, the magazine of youth culture and politics. Decades later, Wenner co-founded the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Today, Wenner with his husband, designer Matt Nye and their three children, divides his time between Montauk, N.Y., Manhattan, and Sun Valley, Idaho. He and his ex-wife Jane are on amicable terms. Wenner and his former spouse have three sons.

Who other than Wenner, you’d think, digging into “Like a Rolling Stone,” would be better at taking us behind the scenes of the cultural history of more than half a century (from the late 1960s through the early 2020s)?

You’d expect, given the rock stars and politicians Wenner has known, worked with and interviewed (from Mick Jagger to John Lennon and Yoko Ono to Bob Dylan to Obama to acclaimed photographer Annie Leibovitz to Bill Clinton), that Wenner’s memoir would be brimming with dazzling anecdotes, wit, and insights.

Unfortunately, despite all of the hype and anticipation, “Like a Rolling Stone” is, by and large, a buzzkill.

Wenner, who grew up in San Francisco, has been associated with bold-faced names since he was a child. When he was hard to handle, Dr. Benjamin Spock stepped in to treat him.

His life was privileged from the get-go. His father was in the baby formula business and his mother was a novelist.

In boarding school, Wenner wrote a gossip column for the school paper and discovered (though he would be in a hetero marriage for

decades) that he liked boys. He went on to college in Berkeley, Calif., during the height of the Free Speech movement. At 21, he was able to obtain the money he needed to start “Rolling Stone.”

Nearly every page of Wenner’s nearly 600page memoir is infested with name-dropping.

Celebs, tony nightspots and jet-setting locales appear more often than ants at a July 4th picnic.

But Wenner rarely reveals anything interesting about the famous names or his interactions with them.

Take Bruce Springsteen. What do we learn about the Boss from Wenner? That Springsteen at Wenner’s 60th birthday party sang, “Champagne, pot cookies and a Percocet/Keep him humming like a Sahre jet.”

Wenner’s name-dropping is a reminder that in 1986, Wenner with the Walt Disney Company bought Us Weekly, the celeb gossip magazine.

What’s most disappointing about the memoir is that Wenner says so little about what life has been like for him as a gay man.

It’s understandable that he, as a man of his generation, didn’t come out until the 1990s. e w in e s en r Wenner writes little about what it was like to be closeted for decades. Or how being closeted impacted Rolling Stone.

Wenner interviewed Bill Clinton extensiver in ne e e esn refle n DOMA or “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Wenner wasn’t totally insensitive to what it means to be LGBTQ. One of his sons, Theo, talked to him about kids speaking of his “dad being gay.”

Wenner sent a condolence note to the paren s in nes s er n ne n Warhol’s lovers who died of AIDS. Rolling Stone is e ne e rs s ries But you can’t help wishing that “Like a Rolling Stone” had more of a queer quotient.

Thankfully, Wenner sometimes tells a revealing anecdote about a celeb. One day, he recalls, when he dined with John Lennon in a restaurant, a fan approached Lennon for an autograph. “Can’t you see I’m eating,” Lennon said to the fan, showing how annoying it was to have his privacy breached.

Yet, even with the glitz and glam, reading much of this memoir has the excitement of perusing a spreadsheet.

Wenner has done what neither God nor the Devil could do: he’s made his friend Bette Midler seem dull.

Wenner has led a fascinating life. His story is more interesting than anything a novelist, like his pal Tom Wolfe, could have imagined.

If only Carrie Fisher or Oscar Wilde had written his memoir.

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