Los Angeles Blade, Volume 07, Issue 21, May 26, 2023

The Sisters triumph

(Photo by Gooch)

Dodgers reverse course, plan to honor troupe, page 03

MAY 26, 2023 • VOLUME 07 • ISSUE 21 • AMERICA’S LGBTQ NEWS SOURCE • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

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LOCAL

LA Dodgers apologize, reverse decision on disinviting drag group

‘I was moved and grateful by the commitment in the room by all the parties’

By DAWN ENNIS & BRODY LEVESQUE In a tweet Monday afternoon, the Los Angeles Dodgers Major League Baseball franchise reversed last Wednesday’s decision to disinvite the LA Chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence from a scheduled “Community Hero Award” presentation for the team’s annual Pride Night on June 16.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath announced on Twitter Monday afternoon after the Dodgers apology, and its accompanying public acceptance by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, that she had been pleased to have assisted in facilitating a meeting between the team, the Sisters, and stakeholders in the LGBTQ community’s leadership both non-profit and political to come to an understanding.

In a Monday afternoon phone call with the Blade, Supervisor Horvath explained that important dialogue between the Dodgers and other parties had commenced. She said that earlier on Monday, in a meeting at Dodger Stadium, the stakeholders met to work out a solution. “I was honestly moved and grateful by the commitment in the room by all the parties, especially Dodgers President and part-owner Stan Kasten,” Horvath said.

In addition to the representatives from the Sisters drag group, the meeting was also attended by Los Angeles LGBT Center Chief Executive Officer Joe Hollendoner, LA Pride President Gerald GarthBoard, the City of West Hollywood’s Mayor Sepi Shyne, Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur, and California State Senator Caroline Menjivar. Zbur and Menjivar attended on behalf of the California Legislative LGBTQ caucus.

Horvath indicated that she felt it was a critically important meeting with all stakeholders as they worked through the anger, sense of betrayal, and misgivings over the Dodgers actions. She pointed out that she was convinced that the Dodgers president was genuinely remorseful and apologetic.

In an email Monday night, Assemblymember Zbur told the Blade: “It was clear that today’s meeting followed meaningful internal dialogue among Dodgers management, with whom I had numerous frank conversations during the week and weekend. I’m pleased that the Dodgers came to understand the genuine hurt and injury caused by the decision to exclude the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence – one that did not reflect our Los Angeles or California values.

“As the only LGBTQ members of the legislature representing Los Angeles, Senator Menjivar and I participated in the meeting at the request of the California LGBTQ Legislative Caucus to express the serious and uniform concern of Democratic members of the California Legislature.

“After hearing the perspectives of the Sisters, L.A. Pride and the LGBTQ+ leaders in the room, the Dodgers management apologized unequivocally for their mistake, re-invited the Sisters to participate in the event, and engaged in a discussion about the steps that they could take to reconcile with LGBTQ+ community.

“I was proud of the Sisters, who demonstrated resilience, strength and a commitment to the LGBTQ+ community during the discussion, and I was impressed with the sincerity of the apology by the Dodger management.”

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will be honored by the Dodgers after all.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center had called on the team to cancel Pride Night altogether. After the Dodgers had made their public apology, LGBT Center’s CEO Joe Hollendoner issued the following statement: “Today’s decision by the Dodgers to publicly apologize to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and roll back their exclusion from next month’s Pride Night is a step in the right direction, and we support the Sisters’ vote to accept their much-deserved Community Hero Award.

“Last week’s debacle underscores the dangerous impact of political tactics by those who seek to stoke the flames of anti-LGBTQ bias at a time when our rights are under attack. We must continue to stand together as a community in defense of the rights and recognition of LGBTQ+ people in Los Angeles and beyond.

“The Center is filled with gratitude to our Los Angeles community, who mobilized to support the Sisters, all of which compelled the Dodgers to ultimately do right by LGBTQ+ people everywhere. We are proud to stand with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and will join them at Pride Night to honor their many important contributions to our movement.

“The Dodgers’ course correction and the conversations we have had with the organization’s leadership since last week demonstrates the version of allyship we have come to expect from the team over the years. The Center will always strive to hold our corporate partners accountable— which means so much more than waving a rainbow flag.”

The team announced last week it would drop the drag group from its celebration of LGBTQ fans, the day after a letter-writing campaign was launched by the anti-LGBTQ Catholic League. Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, accused the team of “rewarding anti-Catholicism”

by honoring the group.

“The Catholic League has been the leading critic of this bigoted organization for many decades,” Donohue wrote on the organization’s website. “… These homosexual bigots are known for simulating sodomy while dressed as nuns.”

He added, “Just last month, they held an event mocking our Blessed Mother and Jesus on Easter Sunday.”

One of those writing, was U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) who also sent a letter to Major League Baseball (MLB) Commissioner Rob Manfred, stating that he was questioning whether the League is “inclusive and welcoming” to Christians.

At the time, the Dodgers said they removed the group from their Pride Night celebration “given the strong feelings of people who have been offended by the Sisters’ inclusion in our evening, and in an effort not to distract from the great benefits … of Pride Night.”

On Saturday, the mayor of Anaheim Ashleigh Aitken invited the drag group to Angels Pride Night in a tweet, as reported by the Blade: “I’m inviting the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to join me for @Angels Pride Night at Anaheim Stadium on June 7. Pride should be inclusive and like many, I was disappointed in the Dodgers’ decision,” tweeted the mayor.

Neither the Angels nor the mayor’s office confirmed that invitation as of press time, and also did not comment on the Dodgers’ reversal.

However, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange took aim at Mayor Aitken for extending the invitation to the drag group: “The decision to openly embrace a group whose demeaning behavior is anti-Catholic and anti-Christian is misguided and disrespectful to the sisters of the Catholic Church who minister in Orange County and selflessly dedicate their lives to God’s underserved people,” said Jarryd Gonzales, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange on Monday.

“We cannot condone any actions that have historically shown such high levels of disregard for the sincerely held beliefs of the faithful,” he added.

“Our June 7th Pride Night is part of Major League Baseball’s league-wide effort to raise awareness and promote acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community. As in the past, OC Pride has assisted our Organization in the planning of this event as well as outreach to all fans throughout Southern California,” an Angels spokesperson said on the mayor’s invitation.

The Sisters have not indicated publicly if they plan to attend the Angels Pride Night as of yet.

Sources tell the Blade out gay Dodgers VP Erik Braverman was being advised on this crisis by Outsports co-founder Cyd Zeigler. When contacted by the Blade, Zeigler declined to comment A spokesperson for the Dodgers did not respond to a request for comment for this story.

LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • MAY 26, 2023 • 03

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LOCAL

Salcedo: ‘Legal system targets and cages poor people’

On Tuesday afternoon Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lawrence P. iff issued a preliminary in unction halting enforcement of LA County’s harmful Cash Bail Schedule while a class action lawsuit filed by Public Justice and Civil ights Corps alleging that wealth-based detention is unconstitutional proceeds.

Last January, Danielle Dupuy-Watson noted that “BIPOC and LGBTQ+ people are disproportionately impacted by this systemic injustice. Over 85% of people in LA jails are BIPOC. LGBTQ+ people are twice as likely to be arrested relative to the rest of the population. A survey of incarcerated LGBTQ+ people revealed that 74% of those interviewed were incarcerated simply because they couldn’t afford the price of freedom.”

Bamby Salcedo, president and CEO of TransLatin@ Coalition, knows this discrimination. Salcedo spoke with the Blade addressing the cash bail “Incarceration matters to me because I have experienced firsthand what it is to be incarcerated. hen first came to Los Angeles in , there were no resources. hatever resources we needed, we founded in community. And so, to survive, I had to engage in the street economy— sex work, petty theft crimes. All of my convictions were drug related — I needed to escape from my reality. I had to sell my body for drugs and food and shelter.

“I am a survivor of that war with drugs. But trans people continue to be pushed to engage in the street economy as means to survive. Trans people continue to be criminalized and incarcerated because of who we are — but also be-

BAMBY SALCEDO (Photo Credit: JusticeLA)

cause of the lack of opportunities that we still do not have. started being arrested in and went to the Hall of Justice Jail, or the old county jail. But the very same things continue to happen in our community today.

“A lot of people refer to the justice system, but in all reality, it’s an injustice system because the way the legal system is set up is to specifically target and cage poor people.

People with money get out and continue to do crimes. Poor Black and Brown people continue to be incarcerated. So, there’s definitely a huge disparity there. They have set up this bail system that they say is a way for people to get out.

But in all reality, it’s a way for people to continue to be incarcerated.

“What’s the solution? Obviously, it really depends on the

alleged reason for the arrest. Why can’t people just get a ticket if people were trying to survive? Take myself as an example. I had to steal makeup from a store. I had to because I had no other way to get it. But if I were to get caught, if I would’ve gotten a ticket for me to appear, I would probably have had the opportunity with less stress to tell the judge, ‘this is my situation.’ But now incarcerated, you are stressed and you are violated in other ways by other people who are also incarcerated.

“In my case, I was sexually assaulted in the county jail multiple times. Even though they would separate you, just like they do now — before you get to where you are going, you are in this holding cell and you’re prone to being assaulted. And they parade people like myself around. They laugh at us and we’re humiliated. All of those things. Why can’t we avoid all of that? Instead of being traumatized, why can’t we be supported with the resources that we need instead of being incarcerated?

“And they target specific neighborhoods and specific Black and Brown populations that live in these neighborhoods. It’s like they don’t target people in Beverly Hills — but they do go target people in South LA. In my case, back in the s, it was Santa onica oulevard and sex workers. We were constantly targeted and being trapped by undercover officers.

“So, we need to completely change the way the system is set up because the truth is that the cash bail system impacts everyone.”

FROM STAFF REPORTS

First Santa Monica Pride Festival slated for June 3

The month-long celebration SaMo PRIDE returns in June with activities and experiences that honor the LGBTQ+ community. SaMo PRIDE is a citywide partnership between Santa Monica Place, Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. and Santa Monica Pier, in collaboration with the City of Santa Monica and Santa Monica Travel and Tourism.

On Saturday, June the first-ever Sa o P E estival will turn the entire downtown district, from the Third Street Promenade through Santa Monica Place to the Santa Monica Pier, into a PRIDE zone. All ages are welcome to enjoy live musical performances, PRIDE-related treats, free swag, games and much more.

The Santa Monica Public Library will share queer books for kids, featuring a special Drag Queen storytime, suited for all ages and abilities. Local service providers and community groups will offer support and resources for the LGBTQ+ community throughout the event along the Promenade.

Presented in partnership with Cayton’s Children’s Museum, the Santa Monica Place family zone will provide kid-friendly PRIDE activities, transforming Center Plaza into an interactive space for kids to play and learn about inclusivity and acceptance.

“Colors of PRIDE” photobooth installations, designed by LGBTQ+ artists, will be placed throughout the SaMo PRIDE estival with fun, interactive props. Photos from the installations will be assembled to create a photographic mosaic, bringing the three districts together in a rainbow of colors

that make up the L T Progress P E flag.

The celebration continues throughout the month with events that bring together the community including the Made with PRIDE Marketplace, a unique retail pop-up hosted every riday through Sunday in June at Santa onica Place on Level One. Hosted in partnership with Streetlet, the Marketplace showcases over a dozen LGBTQ+ business owners, highlighting their stories and featuring local goods and services made, conceived and curated in Southern California. Santa Monica Place will also host a live DJ spinning every weekend throughout the month where guests can enjoy music under “Lanterns of Love,” an overhead colored lantern installation that spans across Center Plaza.

The City of Santa Monica is dedicated to increasing visibility and understanding of the broad spectrum of gender identities and experiences within the LGBTQ+ community.

The City celebrates PRIDE with the month-long lighting of City Hall in rainbow colors and a series of educational, uplifting events during the month of June.

Community events include the City’s PRIDE Proclamation on May 23; live music, theatre and dance performances by SO O T A ES on June ainbow amily Storytime at the Santa Monica Public Library on June 6; an AIDS LifeCycle ide finish line celebration on June ueer Prom for L T youth on June rag ueen Storytime on June P E sunset swim at the Annenberg Community Beach House on June 23; Sapphic Poetry Workshop on June

06 • MAY 26, 2023 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

24; Party with a Purpose mixer and fundraiser on June 29; and much more.

The Santa Monica History Museum, in partnership with the OUTWORDS Archive, will feature the exhibit “Coming Out West”, a video-based collection of oral histories of Santa onica ay area L T elders, opening June . or more information and the full calendar of Sa o PRIDE events visit smpride.com. or sponsorship in uiries please reach out to TS , nc.

Director of Marketing & Partnerships Ariana Gomez at ariana@downtownsm.com.

FROM STAFF REPORTS

PRIDE STARTS HERE! CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD, JJLA AND KTLA PRESENTS

PA R A D E COVERAGE STARTS

1PM |SUN JUNE 4TH

LOCAL

Palm Springs police arrest gay dating app predator

Police announced the arrest of Hakan sik on ednesday as a result of an ongoing criminal investigation into the sexual assault of multiple men he had met via online dating apps by Palm Springs Police epartment PSP detectives. sik, , a resident of esert Hot Springs and the primary suspect in the case, was taken into custody by PSP and later transferred HAKAN ISIK (Booking photo courtesy Riverside to the iverside County Larry County Sheriff’s Department) . Smith Correctional acility in anning, Calif. etectives established probable cause to arrest sik and he was charged with PC a A Penetration with a foreign ob ect PC a Sodomy PC b Elder Abuse PC alse mprisonment and PC Administer a drug to commit a felony.

The case had been opened in January after PSP investigators received initial sexual assault information from one of the victims, and Snell, who was hospitali ed after his online hookup with sik, who he said allegedly anally in ected him with methamphetamine without his consent and then violently sexually assaulted him. n an interview with the Los Angeles lade, Snell said “ e started making out and that didn’t go on for very long.

He turned me away from him and felt the rush of drugs going into me t only took a few minutes for me to lose control.” According to Snell, he remembered going in and out of consciousness and that he was raped, burned, beat, bitten and kicked.

He was later taken to the esert egional edical Center on North ndian Canyon rive in Palm Springs. Snell told the lade that days after being attacked, he posted images about his story on his personal acebook page and was immediately contacted by two others who had also been

attacked.

Lieutenant ustavo . Arai a, a spokesperson for the PSP , told the lade ednesday that during the investigation, detectives spoke with other individuals who shared similar experiences as mentioned by the victim. Their encounters did not rise to a level of criminality but supported the initial investigation.

Arai a also told the lade that investigating sexual assault cases can take time “as it re uires the meticulous examination of evidence, collection of witness statements, medical records, and collaboration with various parties involved. nvestigators have pursued available leads and conducted multiple interviews with individuals who came forward in response to the victim’s online account.”

There had been some mounting frustration within the Palm Springs gay community over what was perceived as a slow response by law enforcement to the ongoing alleged criminal sexual activities by the suspect.

A member of a Palm Springs gay men’s acebook community who has spoken out about the attacks told the lade that while some victims are willing to step up, others see inaction from the PSP as a disincentive on telling their story and coming forward. “ ’ve talked to many of them and there’s one common factor in all their cases,” he said. “ t takes weeks to recover from their physical in uries and even longer to process the shock of what happened to them. eelings of shame and embarrassment naturally go along with trauma.” “ t’s not unlike the eToo stories,” he told the lade. “ ith the risks associated with app dating in mind, the Palm Springs Police epartment is updating the public regarding this ongoing sexual assault investigation,” Lieutenant Arai a said. “The initial sexual assault case, brought to our attention in January, continues to be investigated as additional people and information become available. The primary goal of this investigative process is to conduct a thorough and unbiased investigation while ensuring the integrity of the case,” he added.

A recent study by researchers of online dating apps at righam oung niversity reported that of , cases

resulted in sexual assaults. n a third of those cases, the victims were strangled and suffered more in ury than other sexual assault victims. The assaults tended to occur on the first in-person meeting. App ating According to the ape and ncest National Network A NN every seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. n a recent National Crime ictims Survey, the results indicated that police agencies reali e many sexual assaults go unreported.

“Let’s be clear no means no egardless of the type or length of the relationship or sexual orientation, all activities must stop immediately when a person says stop. f a person cannot say no, then the answer is still no,” Lieutenant Arai a said. “ sing illegal substances, overtly or covertly, to victimi e an individual is inexcusable, and police will do all within their power to bring ustice to those who victimi e others through intoxication.” n an email to the lade ednesday afternoon, and Snell said “ ’m glad that Palm Springs is a safer place tonight, although ’m sorry for the others Hakan sik victimi ed before and after my assault. hope that in the next few days others will be more willing to come forward.” “ talked today with someone victimi ed a month ago, who ust reached out to the police today. He is the sixth person am aware of, who were victimi ed by sik.”

“Although this took much longer than had hoped, the arrest does show it’s worth it to report sexual and physical assaults. t doesn’t matter the circumstances, what you might have been doing. No one deserves to be raped and beat up.” “ ou can withdraw consent. And once you do, anything after that is sexual assault.”

“Hakan ski is a sociopathic sexual predator. The community is safer with him behind bars.”

Lieutenant Arai a noted that the investigation is ongoing telling the lade “ n order to safeguard the integrity of the case and uphold the rights of all parties involved, we are unable to disclose further details related to the case.”

TROY MASTERS & BRODY LEVESQUE

Social media celeb JoJo Siwa’s Valley home burglarized Patrol officers from the LAP ’s est alley Community Police Station responded to a call for service from an alarm company at around a.m. ednesday to a residence in Tar ana, which is home to -year-old dancer, singer, actress and ouTuber JoJo Siwa. esponding officers found a door open and after review of security footage are now looking for at least two burglary suspects who are seen on the video wearing hooded sweatshirts and masks covering their faces.

Siwa, who is currently on a cruise with family members, shared a screenshot on her nstagram account. n her nsta post she wrote

08 • MAY 26, 2023 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

JOJO SIWA (via Instagram)

“ e were robbed last night at ish A . t was an armed robbery which is very scary. t was a EALLLL long night on the phone with my security, family, and LAP .”

Siwa also noted there was “lots of materialistic damage” as a result of the break-in, but added that “that can all be fixed.” “ ’m ust happy that my family and pups are safe. ost important thing to me,” Siwa said continuing “ o me a favor and hug your people extra tight tonight. Life is SCA . And you never know when anything could happen.”

An LAP spokesperson said that the investigation is ongoing.

FROM STAFF REPORTS

LOCAL

stri e eatures rans a eover’ in o y oo

On Thursday, riters uild of America est picket lines were oined by at least transgender and non-binary writers in a featured “Trans Takeover” led by WGA members Sydney aloue, and am, ranchesca “Chescaleigh” amsey in front of Netflix’s Los Angeles corporate offices on Sunset lvd.

The “Trans Takeover” was staged to address concerns about trans employment and how the transgender and non-binary community is portrayed in contemporary pop culture.

“Trans people are workers too. e’re in solidarity with the labor movement around the world and we are showing up in ways that we are often not depicted,” said writer Jacob Tobia speaking to ariety. “Strikes are moments where you redefine who is at the table, and we want to

be sure that we’re sending a really strong message to the world that we’re at the table now and we want to stay at the table.”

Tobia and others speaking with the entertainment trade magazine noted that the hostile backlash to LGBTQ+ rights, particularly for trans and nonbinary people, in states including Texas and Tennessee has come on the heels of a number of T series and movies focused on this marginali ed but emerging community.

“If you want to stand with us, you need to stand with us. ou can’t ust put us in a few T shows and then, when things get hard and when people are paying attention, stop greenlighting our pro ects,” they said. “ ou have to commit to us as a community and show that you really care about our dignity, our lives and our economic vitali-

e o City Coun i votes to a

our sheriff’s positions

its Semi-Annual Community Safety pdate as part of its At a regular West Hollywood council meeting, on Monregular meeting. The City’s community safety partners, day, May 15, the city council voted to refund Los Angeles which included representatives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies positions during a discussion on County ire epartment, the lock by lock Security the semi-annual community safety update.

Ambassadors program, and the Los Angeles County SherWest Hollywood Mayor Pro Tem John Erickson made the iff’s epartment LAS est Hollywood Station, providmotion that was seconded by ayor Sepi Shyne. ed the City Council with detailed updates about the City’s City Council voted on the motion regarding citywide community safety activities. community safety contract staffThe Semi-Annual Community ing levels. The City Council voted Safety pdate, tem . ., con4-1 (noting the no vote of Countains details. The item is posted cilmember yers to approve a as part of the meeting agenda motion to add four positions to and the meeting is available for the City’s budget for Los Angeviewing on the City’s eHoT les County Sheriff’s epartment ouTube channel at www.youservices, as follows: two (2) nontube.com wehotv. sworn Public nformation Officer “The safety and well-being Community Liaison positions of our community is the City of one (1) Entertainment Policing est Hollywood’s top priority.

Sergeant and one Sheriff’s e’re seeing that crime is trendeputy. ing downward in from The approved motion addilevels. e’re deeply committed tionally provides direction for the (Photo Credit: Paulo Murillo/WEHO TIMES) to continuing that trend and City Council to consider adding making sure our city is safe,” another one Sheriff’s eputy said ayor Shyne. “ e are continuing to work proactivefollowing the City Council receiving its next Semi-Annual ly with our community safety partners. There are more Community Safety pdate in ecember .

Block by Block security ambassadors than ever before and The budget for these additions will be incorporated into our Sheriff’s community policing team is out during days the City anager’s ecommended udget for and our entertainment policing team is out at night so , which will be on the agenda for the regular meeting that est Hollywood is a safe place to live, work, and visit of the West Hollywood City Council on Monday, June 26, around the clock.” . The agenda will be posted in advance of the meeting As background, in June the City Council of the City at www.weho.org councilagendas. of est Hollywood approved changes in community safeThe City Council of the City of West Hollywood received

10 • MAY 26, 2023 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

ty,” Tobia said.

The future of ueer representation in film and television could be at stake in the ongoing negotiations between the Writers Guild of American and the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers, many people are saying at the A strike enters its third week.

The A is broadly demanding better pay and better working conditions for film and television writers, alleging that studios are increasingly demanding unpaid labor from writers and reducing writing obs in television.

They’re also demanding limitations on the use of artificial intelligence in drafting scripts. The A says these developments are making writing in Hollywood unsustainable for the vast ma ority of writers.

BRODY LEVESQUE

ty as part of its approval of the City budget.

Changes included an increase of Block by Block Security Ambassadors by positions to perform foot patrols in residential neighborhoods adding one Sheriff’s eputy assigned to the Entertainment Policing Team maintaining existing funding levels for LAS Supplemental Patrols for the fiscal year and decreasing the number of LAS eputies by two within days. uring the second half of , the City’s lock by lock Security Ambassadors program was expanded by personnel for a total of security ambassadors. lock by Block Security Ambassadors work in collaboration with the est Hollywood Sheriff’s Station to provide supplemental safety services.

Expansion of the program aims to provide an additional public presence to proactively reduce crime and the City will maintain expanded staffing levels for its lock by lock Security Ambassadors program.

The lock by lock Security Ambassadors Hotline provides access to free, support by phone at EHOor by phone and text message at . or additional information, visit www. weho.org bbb.

The City of West Hollywood contracts with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s epartment for law enforcement and the Los Angeles County ire epartment for fire protection. or anyone with public safety concerns, please reach out to the Sheriff’s Station at . n an emergency, always call . or additional information about Community Safety programs in est Hollywood, visit www.weho.org publicsafety.

PAUL MURILLO/WEHO TIMES

DeSantis announces 2024 bid in chat with Elon Musk lorida ov. on eSantis was set to announce plans to run for president in during a live conversation with Elon usk ednesday evening on Twitter Spaces. The announcement came after the lade’s print deadline visit our website for updates.

The unorthodox move might generate renewed interest in eSantis, who was long expected to enter the primary race against former President onald Trump, the epublican frontrunner, but seemed to lose momentum as the official launch of his campaign drew nearer. t also comes on the heels of eSantis signing last week a slate of anti-L T bills including an expansion of lorida’s “ on’t Say ay” law, which criminali es classroom discussion of L T sub ects. usk, who has a trans daughter from whom he has been estranged, has expressed his affinity for eSantis in the past while also courting other public figures known for expressing transphobic views, such as the comedian ave Chappelle.

The polari ing and often pugilistic billionaire was widely

blamed for allowing anti-L T and especially transphobic abuse to proliferate on Twitter since he purchased the social media platform last year.

On Twitter, usk has occasionally complained about or mocked the use of personal pronouns by trans and nonbinary people, and he was widely critici ed last year for promoting a false and baseless anti-L T conspiracy about the violent attack on Paul Pelosi.

The L T ictory und denounced eSantis’s candidacy on Tuesday ahead of his announcement, writing, “Transphobic bigots like on eSantis have no place in government, let alone the hite House,” the L T ictory und wrote in a statement issued Tuesday.

“Not only does overnor eSantis’ appalling record against L T people and communities of color dis ualify him from the Presidency, the rhetoric he will spew on the campaign trail as he and onald Trump race to the bottom will have long-term conse uences for our community and L T kids in particular.

“L T leaders are our best defense against hate,

NAT ONAL

The Victory Fund denounced RON DESANTIS as a ‘transphobic bigot.’

which is why his announcement is a rallying cry to the L T community and our allies that we must redouble our efforts to elect pro-choice L T candidates in and . On Election ay, our message must be resounding we are not going back.”

CHRISTOPHER KANE

CDC data shows HIV infections down, but mostly among whites Data published Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a significant decline in new H infections, but suggests the impact of prevention efforts was far less substantial for lack and Latino populations. rom , as rates of H testing, treatment and the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis PrEP medication rose, new cases dropped by percent overall and by as much as percent among gay and bisexual males aged - .

The numbers show a “move in the right direction,” C C irector ochelle alensky said in a press release.

However, when broken down by race, the C C found new infections were down by percent and percent, respectively, among lack and Latino populations, compared with percent of whites.

Similarly, by about one third of those who are considered eligible were taking PrEP for H prevention, but the C C noted this number includes “relatively few lack people or Hispanic Latino people” despite the significant increase in prescriptions up from ust percent in .

“Longstanding factors, such as systemic ine uities, social and economic marginali ation and residential segregation,” alensky noted, continue to act as barriers “between highly effective H treatment and prevention and people who could benefit from them.”

She added, “Efforts must be accelerated and strengthened for progress to reach all groups faster and e uitably.” obyn Neblett anfair, acting director of the C C’s ivision of H Prevention, said that “At least three people in the .S. get H every hour at a

time when we have more effective prevention and treatment options than ever before.”

“These tools must reach deep into communities and be delivered faster to expand progress from some groups to all groups,” she said.

The H Hepatitis Policy nstitute issued a press release following the C C’s announcement of the new data, noting both the encouraging progress and need for improvement. “ t appears that our investments in H prevention are providing some positive results, but the persistent high number of new diagnoses and the low usage of PrEP among the communities most impacted by H point to the need for increased resources, particularly for a national PrEP program,” said the group’s executive director, Carl Schmid.

President Joe iden’s budget re uested million for a national PrEP program along with million to support the .S. epartment of Health and Human Services’ “Ending the H Epidemic in the .S.” initiative.

CHRISTOPHER KANE

Biden unveils new steps to protect youth online The iden-Harris administration announced a slate of new actions on Tuesday that are designed to better protect youth on social media and online platforms by applying a whole-of-government approach to address issues concerning mental health, safety and privacy.

The hite House noted that “undeniable” evidence links these technologies to the country’s “unprecedented youth mental health crisis,” with rates of depression and anxiety rising sharply among young people, including L T students, percent of whom report having persistent feelings of sadness.

New actions previewed by the administration’s fact sheet include the creation of an interagency Task orce on ids Online Health and Safety, which will be administered by the .S. epartment of Health and Human Services’ Substance

Abuse and ental Health Services Administration in coordination with the .S. epartment of Commerce.

The task force will develop a blueprint for new research on the harms and health benefits to minors caused by online platforms, “recommend measures and methods for assessing, preventing, and mitigating” the harms, and “recommend best practices and technical standards for transparency reports and audits related to online harms to the privacy, health, and safety of children and teenagers.” ork product from the task force will include resources for parents and legal guardians to better protect their children’s mental health, safety and privacy online, as well as “voluntary guidance, policy recommendations and a toolkit on safety, health and privacy-by-design” for industry, with the latter expected by spring .

Other initiatives highlighted in the administration’s fact sheet include rulemaking by the .S. epartment of Education to protect the privacy of minor students’ data and address concerns with its moneti ation. The agency will also be tasked with drafting “model policies and voluntary best practices for school districts on the use of internet-enabled devices.”

Additionally, the hite House announced, the Commerce epartment will work to curb the online harassment and abuse of minors by “promoting awareness of services and support for youth victims,” while the .S. epartment of Homeland Security will coordinate efforts with the .S. epartment of Justice on new approaches to “detect and investigate offenses involving child sexual abuse material.”

CHRISTOPHER KANE

LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • MAY 26, 2023 • 11

NAT ONAL

Anti-LGBTQ Sen. Scott enters 2024 presidential race

epublican .S. Sen. Tim Scott S.C. , who filed paperwork on Friday with the Federal Election Commission to run for president in , kicked off his campaign for the OP primary with an announcement address onday morning in Charleston.

The only Black Republican member serving in the Senate, Scott developed a strident anti-LGBTQ record since entering national politics in with his first election to the House, during which time he told Newsweek homosexuality is a “morally wrong choice, like adultery.”

Today, Scott remains opposed to same-sex marriage, writing on his Senate bio that South Carolinians “have voted overwhelmingly to protect the traditional definition of marriage, and stand with their decision.”

Last year, Scott cosigned a letter with other Senate epublicans urging the OP caucus to oppose the espect for arriage Act unless it contained provisions allowing for discrimination against L T couples. Scott, , is single and never married, which has led to some speculation about his sexual orientation. n ebruary, with OP Sen. ick Scott of lorida, Scott intro-

U.S. Sen. TIM SCOTT (R-S.C.) (Blade photo by Michael Key)

duced legislation that would cut funding for any elementary or middle school in the country that changes a student’s pronouns, gender markers, or access to sex-based accommodations like locker rooms without first obtaining consent from their parents or legal guardians.

Having developed a reputation as a fiscal and social conser-

vative who is well-liked by his Republican Senate colleagues, Scott hopes to build a coalition of establishment types and evangelical conservatives who are skeptical or critical of the party’s frontrunner, former President onald Trump.

According to ox, Scott is polling around percent, but he will be able to transfer $22 million from his Senate campaign coffers to help fund his presidential bid and has begun aggressively buying up television ads in early primary states as campaigns get underway in the next few months.

The unior senator from South Carolina will face off against the state’s former Republican governor, Nikki Haley, who served as ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump administration. Haley, who appointed Scott to fill the Senate seat vacated by Jim e int in , announced her bid for president in ebruary.

Caitlin Byrd, senior politics reporter for the Post and Courier, noted on Twitter that South Carolina Democrats are broadcasting mobile billboards that echo the same arguments they used to oppose Haley’s candidacy, seeking to portray the candidates’ platforms as indistinguishable from Trump’s.

CHRISTOPHER KANE

Transgender youth dies by suicide in N.H. ive of our students, families and staff,” said A 14-year-old transgender youth left Toland. his school, walked down Huse Road to ultiple sources alleged that bullying the overpass over busy Interstate 293, and transphobia factored into the death of climbed the chain-link fence installed by the teen, although the ashington lade the New Hampshire Department of Transhas been unable to verify any of those portation to prevent people falling off the claims. older bridge and its low guard rails, and In the past few months there has been lept into eastbound traffic. considerable attention focused on trans A spokesperson for the Rainbow Youth NOVA DUNN, 14, died by suicide youth nationally, particularly around Pro ect confirmed in a phone call onday after jumping from a bridge over school policies regarding trans youth that Nova Dunn, a student at Southside a busy interstate highway in Manchester, N.H., on May 17. (Family photo) health care and gender identity. Last iddle School, died by suicide. The New month, New Hampshire Public Radio reHampshire State Police while not comported that the New Hampshire Supreme Court heard argumenting, citing an ongoing investigation, confirmed the inciments in a case brought by a anchester parent challenging dent and the resulting “hours-long traffic am at the location” school policies around trans and nonbinary students. ust east of the all of New Hampshire.

The parent says she was kept in the dark when her child A friend of the family, Stacey Greenberg, wrote in the Gobegan using a different name and identifying as a different und e post to raise the funds to defray the cost of the fugender at school — something the parent objected to, NHPR neral: reported.

“Hello, this is Stacey a friend of elissa and om to one of At issue is a district policy that says anchester school staff Nova’s close friends. No one should have to outlive their child, generally shouldn’t disclose when a student identifies as trans but elissa has now experienced this twice. On ednesday or gender nonconforming without that student’s permission. afternoon, 14-year-old Nova left this earth and found the Republican New Hampshire lawmakers are rallying behind peace and acceptance he was searching for.” legislation that would force schools to disclose a student’s The New Hampshire nion Leader reported that anchesgender identity to parents when asked. The state House of ter School istrict Supt. Jenn illis sent an email to district Representatives narrowly rejected one such proposal last families last ednesday night that said in part “ t is with deep month, but another remains on the table after passing the sadness that we inform you that one of our students has died state Senate along party lines. unexpectedly.” n an interview on ated L T adio with ob atson this Gillis wrote that: “This loss may raise many emotions, conpast week, Lance Preston, founder and executive director of cerns and questions for our entire school community, espethe ainbow outh Pro ect SA, noted that the toxic legislacially our students.” tive atmosphere had tripled calls for assistance to the RYP’s anchester School istrict spokesperson Andrew Toland, crisis counselors, as nearly states have banned trans youth in a press statement, noted that counselors from other angender-affirming therapy for minors, and have also passed chester area schools and the state’s Disaster Behavior Health laws the forbid discussion of LGBTQ issues, history and peoesponse Team spent ay at the school “directly impactple in classrooms. ed” by the death.

Preston also pointed out that more than a half dozen states “Our focus in the coming days and weeks is to be support12 • MAY 26, 2023 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

enacting measures, like New Hampshire’s proposed disclosure of a youth’s gender to parents, in cases of non-affirming households specifically places those youth at risk for suicide or leaving, oft times ending up living homeless on the streets.

At the beginning of this month, the nation’s leading suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ youth, the Trevor Project, released the results of its latest survey of queer young people ages to .

The survey of , youth nationwide, conducted last fall, underscores the negative mental health impact of anti-LGBTQ legislation and policies. Among the key findings • 41 percent of LGBTQ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year — and those who are trans, nonbinary and/or people of color reported higher rates than their peers.

• 56 percent who wanted mental health care in the past year were not able to get it.

• young peop e ho ha a ess to a rming homes, schools, community events and online spaces reported lower rates of attempting suicide compared to those who did not.

• Trans and nonbinary young people reported lower rates of attempting suicide when all of the people they live with respected their pronouns and/or they had access to a gender-neutral bathroom at school.

• LGBTQ young people who experienced victimization because of their orientation or identity — including being physically threatened or harmed, discriminated against or subjected to conversion therapy — reported more than twice the rate of attempting suicide in the past year compared to those who did not have any of these anti-LGBTQ experiences.

• Nearly 2 in 3 LGBTQ young people said that hearing about potential state or local laws banning people from discussing LGBTQ people at school — also known as “Don’t Say Trans or Gay” laws — negatively impacted their mental health.

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INTERNATIONAL

Activist harassed during European bank meeting in Uzbekistan

Veldkamp in an email to the Blade said Uzbek authorities last week harassed he has “been in touch with” Sinani and an LGBTQ and intersex rights activist “shared his information with the EBRD’s while he was attending a European Bank office of the secretary general, which for Reconstruction and Development gathers information regarding several inmeeting that took place in the Central cidents, including a similar one regarding Asian country. my own staff.”

Nezir Sinani, who is from Kosovo, is the “They will follow up with the Uzbek auco-director of Re-course, which is based thorities,” said Veldkamp. in the Netherlands.

Veldkamp told the Blade that Uzbek He said Uzbek police on May 17 NEZIR SINANI, left, an LGBTQ and interauthorities have yet to respond. “started harassing and intimidating me, sex rights activist from Kosovo, holds a Pride tote bag while attending European The EBRD’s 32nd annual Meeting and stopping me from entering the meeting Bank for Reconstruction and DevelopBusiness Forum took place in Samarvenue in Samarkand and confiscating ment meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekikand from May 16-19. meeting materials.” stan. (Photo courtesy of Caspar Veldkamp/Twitter) The State Department’s 2022 human “This included the Uzbek police calling rights report notes “at least four cases” of authorities forcing the (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) semen to undergo so-called anal exams between 2017-2020. curity officer asking for my info details,” said Sinani in a tweet.

Anvar Latipov, a gay man from Uzbekistan who the U.S. has May 17 was the International Day Against Homophobia, Bigranted asylum, last month told the Blade during an exclusive phobia and Transphobia, which marks the World Health Orgainterview in D.C. that a group of vigilantes broadcast online a ni ation’s declassification of homosexuality as a mental disorvideo of a man they forced to sit on a bottle. der in 1990. Uzbekistan is among the more than 60 countries The State Department report cites other activists who said in which consensual same-sex sexual relations remain crimi“members of the LGBTQI+ community in Tashkent (the Uzbek nalized. capital) were being harassed by both local authorities and priCaspar Veldkamp, an EBRD board member from the Nethvate citizens and were on ‘red alert,’ and were seeking to avoid erlands, on May 17 posted a picture of him with Sinani and two going out in public” after a group of men attacked blogger other activists holding Pride tote bags.

Miraziz Bazarov in 2022. Latipov told the Blade that transgenSinani once he left Uzbekistan sent the Washington Blade a der Uzbeks and people with HIV/AIDS face additional discrimiseries of pictures that show security officials interrogating him nation and persecution. outside the meeting.

The Uzbek government previously kicked the EBRD kicked He is holding Pride-themed tote bags in two of the pictures. out of Uzbekistan after it criticized the country’s human rights Sinani said he and the other activists used them “to keep meetrecord. Latipov noted to the Blade the EBRD now has $2.4 biling files to distribute to E counterparts we met.” lion in 69 active projects in the country.

“Tote bags were not forbidden in the venue, but were still Latipov spoke with the Blade while he was in D.C. to lobby confiscated only because they were Pride-themed,” he told the the World Bank Group and other multilateral development Blade.

banks to pressure the Uzbek government to stop its persecution of LGBTQ and intersex people. Sinani and two other activists — Irena Cvetkovic, executive director of Coalitions Margins in North Macedonia, and Amarildo Fecanji, the Albania-based executive director of ERA – LGBTI Equal Rights Association for Western Balkans — were with Latipov.

“In Samarkand I attended the annual meetings of the EBRD with the aim of raising awareness on the brutal policies of Uzbekistan toward the LGBTI community,” Sinani told the Blade in a lengthy statement. “EBRD has a role to play to include the LGBTI community in its development projects to be able to fully deliver on its mandate.”

Sinani said he met with EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso, EBRD board members and management “as part of my engagement there.”

“The Uzbek police stopped me from entering the meeting venue following a speech I held at the main meeting of EBRD board of directors with the civil society representatives,” Sinani told the lade. “The police confiscated tote bags we used to handout reading marerials to the counterparts we met. Materials raised awareness on the brutal crackdown of Uzbek government on the LGBTI community in the country.”

“The behavior of the bek police is a reflection of the situation in the country toward the LGBTI community. In this case they harrased and intimated me for the sole reason of raising awareness on the situation on the ground. With the LGBTI community in the country they go harsh, way harsh. They imprison them after doctors establish their sexual orientation via anal examinations, which WHO regards as a form of torture,” he said. “Such criminalization and discrimination is completely unacceptable and E , alone the other international finance institutions, need to condemn and demand from the Uzbek government to repeal the law that enables them to hunt down the LGBTI community.”

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Gay student brutally beaten in Ireland A 30 second video that circulated on TikTok, Twitter and Instagram this past week showed a 14-year-old boy being jumped by a group of other young men, one punching the victim in the face, knocking him to the ground at which point the others joined in kicking and pummeling him.

A spokesperson for An Garda Síochána, the national police service of Ireland, told the Blade that the victim had been transported to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, where he was treated for serious facial injuries. The spokesperson also noted that the attack had taken place on May 15 at approximately 2.30 p.m.

Some of the teens in the video are wearing school uniform jackets from Beaufort College, a post-primary school in Navan, a medium-sized city located roughly 34 miles northwest of the Irish capital city of Dublin.

According to witnesses and in an interview with British LGBTQ media outlet PinkNewsUK, the teen was attacked over his sexual orientation. A family member, who wanted to remain anonymous, said the victim had been verbally harassed since the beginning of the last term.

“The whole family is aware of this, and that it’s been an ongoing issue,” the relative told PinkNewsUK. The boy, who was hospitali ed after the assault, suffered from a concussion, broken teeth and a shoe print on his fore-

head, the family member and the arda confirmed.

“No 14-year-old should be beaten like that for anything at all, especially because of who he is. He is only a child and it happened across the road from a family member, where he was trying to get to,” the family member told Irish media adding “ e are shocked, horrified and upset at what can happen in this day and age. It was a number of people against one boy, while others filmed it and posted it online. That is horrific and wrong.”

The arda spokesperson confirmed that investigators are aware of the video online.

“An Garda Síochána is aware of a video circulating on social media of this incident and out of respect for the victim in this case we would request that people refrain from sharing this video. An Garda Síochána is appealing to any person with information on the assault to contact Navan Garda Station at 046 9079930,” the spokesperson said.

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, who is gay himself, condemned the attack on the boy, telling Irish media outlet RTÉ Radio 1 that he hoped “everyone would condemn [the attack] utterly.” He added: “I want to send my solidarity to the person who was harmed and injured in this way. I would say to them that life does get better.

“It is very sad that people experience violence and bullying

14 • MAY 26, 2023 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

A screenshot from the video on Twitter showing the moment the attack commenced.

in school, but life does get better and I’d say not to give up. I would say how sad I am that in this day and age we still see this kind of bullying and violence in our schools.

“I understand there is a Garda investigation underway and that the victim has been treated for their injuries [and] I would ask anyone who has information to co-operate with the investigation.”

The prime minister also condemned the bystanders in the video who took no action to intervene and to stop the beating.

Five male teenagers were taken into custody by the Gardaí in Navan on May 19 and have been released without charge.

BRODY LEVESQUE

10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

LGBTQ+ PRIDE NIGHT AT D O D G E R S TA D I U M PRESENTED BY

The Dodgers have again teamed up with their long-time community nonprofit partner LA PRIDE and celebrate the 10th anniversary of the LGBTQ+ Pride Night at Dodger Stadium.

TIC K E T PAC K

friday, june 16 Party starts at 5:30 pm in the center Field Plaza.

Enjoy Music and drink specials!

F E AT U R I N G

Ticket package includes a ticket to the game and an exclusive 2023 Dodger LGBTQ-themed jersey.

David Archuleta NATIONAL ANTHEM

LA chapter of The Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence COMMUNITY HERO AWARD

PROUD PARTNERS IN CLUDE:

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BRODY LEVESQUE

is editor of the Los Angeles Blade.

Do LGBTQ people really need allies like the Dodgers?

Team displayed homophobia by caving to ubio’s bullying

On Wednesday of this week I reported Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio issued a statement on Monday that condemned the Los Angeles Dodgers Major League Baseball franchise for a scheduled “Community Hero Award” to be given to the LA Chapter of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence drag group during Pride month in June.

By Wednesday, the Dodgers folded and walked away from a total commitment to the L T community by “uninviting” The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence ludicrously claiming that the team felt it would be better to hold Dodger Pride Night without the “controversial” elements that honoring the drag group raised.

Let’s consider this for a moment, just the optics for example, a senior vice president of the team is openly gay AN married. n addition to that, one of the team’s minority owners is — wait for it — a LESBIAN! The team would rather cater to the manufactured rage of the conservatives, not wishing to offend the faithful of a religious group whose priests have been convicted of molesting thousands of children over multiple centuries, mostly male victims, rather than honor a drag group with a long established record of charity and philanthropic efforts Oh and NO record of molesting kids either.) have published the understandable and ustifiable anger and critique by community leaders in Los Angeles and beyond. The Los Angeles LGBT Center’s CEO noted in his statement: “ uckling to pressure from out-of-state, right-wing fundamentalists, the odgers caved to a religious minority that is perpetuating a false narrative about L T people. They have been fed lies about the Sisters of Perpetual ndulgence, and have therefore contributed to the ongoing, anti-L T smear campaign happening in this country. n a year where over pieces of

16 • MAY 26, 2023 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

anti-L T legislation are on the books many of them targeting freedom of speech, expression, and the bodily autonomy of our community the fight for L T rights is as critical as ever, and unfortunately the Dodgers chose to bow to the religious right rather than stand with our LGBTQ community.”

As I write these words, Texas lawmakers are considering yet another bill banning drag or severely limiting the ability of drag performers to practice their art, that state joining the dozen plus other states that have banned or are considering bans on drag performances.

This year has seen attacks on drag, attacks on trans healthcare, attacks on LGBTQ kids, book bans, a plethora of hate yet here in California, in Los Angeles no less, even with the aforementioned senior staff and owners being L T themselves, the odgers are tossing the LGBTQ community, its people, and THEIR fans out on the rubbish heap because of fake rage by people who don’t even live in LA. Seriously hy even bother holding a Pride night ou either back us entirely or you don’t. And if you don’t ell then recommend that LGBTQ baseball fans and our community allies consider cheering for and backing the Angels, the Padres, the Oakland Athletics, or the Giants.

My message to the Dodgers is simple: Screw you if you cannot support people who are in a battle for their very existence every. single.day ou are displaying what can rightly be considered outright homophobia. ou literally are allowing the L T community to be bullied. eally Honestly ou all suck.

(Note: After this piece was originally published online, the Dodgers reversed course on Monday and reinstated the invitation to The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.)

E

SS E

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A celebration of LGBTQIA+ culture

ISAAC AMEND (HE/HIM/HIS)

is a trans man and young professional in the D.C. area. He was featured on National Geographic’s ‘Gender Revolution’ in 2017 as a student at Yale University. Amend is also on the board of the LGBT Democrats of Virginia.

Find him on Instagram @isaacamend.

Trans rights have reached a crisis point

We should fear DeSantis more than Trump Trans rights have reached a crisis point.

There’s no other way to say it.

On March 4, CPAC speaker Michael Knowles plainly stated that “if [transgenderism] is false, then for the good of society, transgenderism must be eradicated from public life entirely – the whole preposterous ideology.”

To liken transness as a mere ideology is problematic on many different counts, but that paled in comparison to Knowles’s need for us to be eradicated. Eradication rhetoric is a genocidal tool, to ask and plead for an entire subpopulation to go away in one fell swoop is murderous and brutal. Genocides begin with this kind of rhetoric, then escalate to dangerous politicians being elected to office, then escalate even more to harsh policy, then escalate yet again when those harsh policies force humans to have to do many things — be locked in a cage, move out of the country, or even detransition, in this case.

Look no further than what happened at the southern border during Trump’s years in office, when images of migrants and their children surfaced at maximum security facilities, lying on the floor with nothing but a meager blanket and barbed wire surrounding their bodies.

Indeed, a lot of the CPAC conference was dedicated to engaging in these culture wars — but Knowles’s statement of eradication goes beyond the normal cultural bickering.

This is why trans politics are at a dangerous turning point.

Adding to this chaos are bathroom bills and sports policies that prevent trans high schoolers from accessing the bathroom they need, or playing on the right side of their sports team.

18 • MAY 26, 2023 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

In conversations with professionals, academics, and friends, I like to mention the fact that Republicans take peoples’ rights away when they notice that those people have gained more freedom. Think of it this way: when I was in high school, in 2010, far fewer trans people were out with their identities.

Transness didn’t take a center stage in culture be it on the left or on the right. And as a result, trans students were only attacked by bullies and in locker rooms, not by state politicians.

But the rise of Gen Z has witnessed many high schoolers now flouting gender norms, going by nonbinary pronouns, and being proud of their gender variance.

Moreover, society is filled with many more trans models and celebrities. When our presence becomes celebrated and known, Republicans will then take the necessary tools to push us back into the closet.

What’s adding to the concern is the rise of smarter Republican candidates for the 2024 election who have exactly the same feelings of Trump but with higher intellects.

Ron DeSantis is an example of a presidential contender who mirrors Trump’s bigotry and policies but is far more targeted and intelligent in his approach to public speaking and politics. Indeed, Democrats should be more afraid of DeSantis than of Trump.

On an end note, I like to summon an old saying by the late Martin Luther King. “The arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.” No matter how much cruelty Republicans will put us through, they won’t succeed in the long run. More and more of society is catching up to the fact that trans people deserve respect and fairness. There will come a day when we have to sigh less and less about the state of our rights.

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C O R N E R O F S A N V I C E N T E & S A N TA M O N I C A B L V D , W E S T H O L L Y W O O D , C A

LA Pride names grand marshals for parade argaret Cho, Leslie Jordan to be honored

FROM STAFF REPORTS Christopher Street West Association CS announced its trio of grand marshals to be Sunset lvd and Cahuenga lvd. celebrated at the LA Pride Parade on Sunday, June taking place at its original historic This year’s LA Pride Parade partners include Corona Extra, Corona Hard Selt er and location in Hollywood.

S E A odka Hero Sponsors Toyota irai, TikTok and H Activist Sponsors elta Air This year’s LA Pride Parade grand marshals include comedian, actor and activist argaLines the Official Airline of LA Pride, The Los Angeles County etropolitan Transportation ret Cho as the con rand arshal, an individual who needs no introduction and achieved Authority etro Official Transit Partner of LA Pride, lama on, im Crawford ines, L.A. ma or milestones within their career and industry a posthumous tribute to Emmy-winCare Health Plan, Los Angeles Tourism, Nordstrom, Optum, Sony Pictures Entertainment ner Leslie Jordan as the Legacy rand arshal, a new title this year in honor of Jordan for Advocate Sponsors AE , including the LA ings, LA alaxy, and AE Presents, Albertsons his everlasting impact on the community and the ACL of Southern California, that helped ons Pavilions, Coca-Cola, rindr, Honda, LA P, L H, are eauty, CLA Health, arCS obtain the permit for the first LA Pride parade, as the Community rand arshal, ner ros. iscovery and envue CA E TH P E Ally Sponsors Activision li ard, which celebrates a group or individual who has had a powerful influence through their the ream Hollywood hotel, O Pride, oxy AC arriott, N C niversal, Target, Tiffany work and dedication to and Co., as well as returning telefor the L T community. vision and digital broadcast “ ’m thrilled and incredipartner A C , and official rably honored to be the con dio partner iHeart edia Los rand arshal,” said Cho. Angeles and P E A O “ e need this Pride more on the iHeart adio app. than ever. have been atAdditionally, The Holtending Pride celebrations lywood Partnership, the since and this time non-profit organi ation that around the need to celeoversees the public realm brate as well as unite is more in the Hollywood usiness urgent than it has ever been. mprovement istrict , Our love is greater than their has once again partnered hate. with LA Pride to bring the LA “On behalf of Leslie Jordan, Pride illage back to Hollywe are over oyed by Christowood lvd. pher Street est’s heartfelt LA Pride illage is the offirecognition to name Leslie cial place to be after the LA as LA Pride’s Legacy rand Pride Parade, with festivities arshal,” said Jana “Cricket” taking place from p.m.

Jordan. “This honor further to p.m., ust steps from solidifies the positive imthe official parade route. pact he made in the world, hen the iconic LA Pride but more importantly for Parade returned home to the L T community. His Hollywood lvd last year afspirit continues to bring love ter more than four decades, and light.” it prompted the start of new “ or a century, we’ve been traditions and celebrations on the front lines fighting for in Hollywood, including LA people to be their true, auPride illage, a free and open (Graphic via Christopher Street West) thentic selves,” said Hector to the public street festival. illagra, executive director The second annual LA Pride illage celebration promises to be even bigger and better, of the ACL SoCal. “ e’re honored to be the Community rand arshal and proud to with a new location on Hollywood lvd, between ine St. and ower St., to make room for love, live among, and protect L T Californians.” more booths featuring local vendors and non-profits, an expanded beer garden, delicious “Christopher Street est is honored and humbled by this year’s three grand marshals,” food trucks, two performance stages for twice the entertainment, and more comfortable said erald arth, president of CS . “Each have contributed to the L T community in crowd space for dancing. their own uni ue ways, furthering our fight for acceptance, e uality, and ustice.”

All details can be found here https lapridevillage.com do la-pride.

The parade, which will feature a special drag performance presented by the ACL SoCal Sponsors of LA Pride illage include Princess Cruises and oyal-bud.com. and staged by organ c ichaels to music by -time Oscar nominee iane arren, will Public transit and ride share services to LA Pride Parade and illage are strongly encourair L E on long-time LA Pride broadcasting partner A C A C on Sunday, June beginaged. or the Parade, connect to the L.A. etro ed Line and exit Hollywood Highland ning at a.m. P T. or Hollywood ine Station. etro has many Park ide lots servicing the county parking t will also air nationally on A C News Live and Hulu, and wherever viewers stream A C is ust . per day, payable onsite. including abc .com and the A C LA mobile app. f self-driving to LA Pride Parade and illage, vehicles can access parking and the event Anchor Ellen Leyva and reporter Christiane Cordero from A C Eyewitness News will site via ine Street or ower Street. co-host the A C broadcast. The parade route will begin at Sunset lvd and Highland Ave or additional information about parking and transportation, please visit https heading north, then east onto Hollywood lvd, then south onto Cahuenga lvd, ending at lapridevillage.com about parking-and-transit.

20 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • MAY 26, 2023

COMPLEXIONS CONTEMPORARY BALLET Friday, June 16, 2023 @ 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 17, 2023 @ 7:30 p.m.

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The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion musiccenter.org | (213) 972-0711 Thomas Dilley by Rachel Neville.

FILM

Summer brings major dose of new ueer m ontent

Dramas, comedies, Barbie, and the return of ‘Heartstopper’

By JOHN PAUL KING BLUE JEAN n Theaters, filmmaker eorgia Oakley There’s no season quite like the summer when it comes to won high praise for this 2022 slice-of-history drama, now makhaving fun outdoors, for obvious reasons – but unless you ing its official .S. debut. Set in 1988 England as the conservawant a nasty sunburn, you need to spend time indoors, too. tive Thatcher government is poised to pass stigmatizing legislation Luckily, the Blade is here for our readers with our picks for the against gays and lesbians, it features a powerhouse performance most promising new movies and shows coming to our various from Rosy McEwen as a gym teacher whose closeted double life is screens over the coming season, so you’ll have something good threatened by the arrival of a new student. BAFTA-nominated, this to watch while you’re recovering from all that shiny Vitamin D. one won the Venice Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award and four British Independent Film Awards, making it both a heavy-hitter and THE NEIGHBOR (Limited theaters 6/2, Digital & DVD 6/6) a must-see.

– From Italian director Pasquale Marrazzo comes this freshfrom-the-festivals LGBTQ drama about two young men who WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS (FX, 6/13) – The popular begin an intense romance after having a terrifying experience vampire mockumentary – along with its breakout star, queer together, and the parental hate and homophobia that comes fan favorite Harvey uill n returns for a fifth season. to light in the face of their newfound love. It sounds grim, but it comes with a string of strong reviews to recommend it and JAGGED MIND (Hulu, 6/15) – Directed by Kelley Kali and inacclaimed performances from Michelle Costabile and Jacopo spired by her own short film “ irst ate”, this feature-length Costantini, plus a score by prizewinning composer Teho Tearueer thriller follows a woman aisie ichardson-Sellers do (“House of Gucci,” “Il Divo”). who, plagued by blackouts and strange visions, finds herself stuck in a series of time loops that may or may not be conHORSEPLAY (Limited theaters 6/2, Digital & DVD 6/13) – Annected to her mysterious new girlfriend Shannon oodward . other ueer L T film fest darling, this one a thriller from This one will have its world premiere at the American Black Film Argentina, about a group of friends at a summer get together; Festival in Miami Beach the day ahead of its streaming drop. their hard-partying fun leads to horseplay (naturally), which (also naturally) stirs up other issues – and submerged secrets, AND JUST LIKE THAT… ax, The Samantha-less refeelings, and jealousies begin to push tensions toward a violent boot of “Sex and the City” brings back the rest of the scandalbreaking point. irected by acclaimed filmmaker arco erger ous cadre for a second season. and described as “a boundary-pushing look at masculinity, homophobia and sexuality,” it stars Bruno Giganti, Agustin MachEVERY BODY (In theaters, 6/30) – Julie Cohen directed this ta, Franco De La Puente, and Ivan Masliah Taekwondo. It also revelatory doc, which investigates the lives of intersex people, looks very sexy, which makes us look forward to it that much telling the stories of three individuals who have risen above more. childhood shame, secrecy, and non-consensual surgeries to thrive as adults after coming out as their authentic selves; it THE IDOL (HBO, 6/4) – “Euphoria” creator Dan Levinson is also weaves in a “stranger-than-fiction” tale of medical abuse, also behind this much-anticipated new series, which stars Lilytold in exclusive footage from the NBC News archives, which ose epp as a rising pop star who falls under the spell a Svenhelps shed some light on the modern-day treatment of intergali-like self-help guru played by none other than The Weeknd sex people. e are definitely on board for anything that brings aka Abel Tesfaye . t also stars ueer fan favorite and “Schitt’s visibility to one of the most invisible sectors of our community Creek” co-creator Dan Levy, along with Jane Adams, Hari – especially when it also aims to reduce stigma.

Nef, and Troye Sivan, among others. Already controversial thanks to a behind-the-scenes whistleblower who told Rolling THEATER CAMP n theaters, Sure to be a big draw Stone that it “borders on sexual torture porn,” you can bet there for film fans who also love musical theater, this new movwill be a lot of eyes – queer and otherwise – streaming this one. ie from co-directors Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman is an original comedy starring Tony-winner Ben Platt (“Dear Evan ALL MAN: THE INTERNATIONAL MALE STORY (Digital, 6/6) Hansen”) opposite Gordon as a BFF pair of instructors at the – For a certain generation of gay men, the words “International rundown titular institution, who join forces with their loyal proMale” evoke memories of rushing home from high school to duction manager (Noah Galvin, Platt’s real-life boyfriend) to grab that precious sexy catalogue out of the mailbox before rescue it from the clueless tech-bro (Jimmy Tatro) that has been their parents got home. Now, this long-awaited documentary – brought in to run it. How? Why, with a musical, of course! Writwhich was an Official Selection at both the Tribeca and Outfest ten by Platt, Gordon, Galvin, and Leiberman, it also stars Patti ilm estivals finally arrives to bring the story of this iconic Harrison, Nathan Lee Graham, Ayo Edebiri, Owen Thiele, Alan touchstone of queer history to light, by charting “the journey of im, Alexander ello, ailee onick, yndra Sanche , onovan an unlikely band of outsiders” who “designed one of the most Colan, ivienne Sachs, uinn Titcomb, Caroline Aaron, and the sought-after mail-order catalogues of the ‘70s and ‘80s, forever always hilarious Amy Sedaris. Sign us up. changing the way men look at themselves, at each other, and how the world would look at them.” Matt Bomer, Simon Doonan, BARBIE (In theaters, 7/21) – Let’s face it, this wickedly and Carson Kressley are among the participating talking heads, but campy-looking, over-the-top comedy from the brilliant Greta the real attraction is the wealth of archival imagery showing some erwig is probably going to be the film of the year at least of the most outrageously gay (and irresistible) fashion ever created.

22 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • MAY 26, 2023

TAYLOR ZAKHAR PÉREZ and NICHOLAS GALITZINE star in e hite oya ue ’

for a solid percentage of the queer audience, who are certain to be passing the popcorn on opening weekend as they watch Margot Robbie’s Barbie and Ryan Gosling’s Ken visit the real world together. And since collections have always been part of the “ arbie” game, erwig’s satirical oyride offers an assortment of other Kens and Barbies, including Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Ncuti atwa, and Scott Evans as en, Hari Nef, ssa Rae, Kate McKinnon, Dua Lipa, Emma Mackey, Ana Cruz Kayne, Sharon ooney, Alexandra Shipp, and Nicola Coughlan. Truthfully, if they throw in a Barbie camper set, we will be in heaven.

KOKOMO CITY (In theaters, 7/28) – Lena Waithe executive produced this “wildly entertaining and refreshingly unfiltered” documentary that follows the lives of four Black transgender sex workers in Atlanta and New ork City. inner of Sundance’s NEXT Innovator Award and NEXT Audience Awards, it gives its quartet of subjects ample opportunity to spill the tea on their profession, and they do not hold back. As a bonus, it’s the directorial debut of producer singer songwriter . Smith, who made history as the first trans woman cast on a primetime unscripted TV show.

HEARTSTOPPER Netflix, The eagerly awaited return of Nick and Charlie (Kit Connor and Joe Locke), the most irresistibly adorable pair of young teen boyfriends ever, for a second season of this beloved UK series that will likely have everyone immediately clamoring for a third.

ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING (Hulu, 8/8) – Another returning favorite, the third season of this deliciously charming confectionary blend of characters, comedy and crime podcasts comes with the addition of a new premium ingredient – Meryl Streep real, not imitation for extra delectability. ho could resist?

RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE (Prime, 8/11) – “Heartstopper” fans who have binged through the new season in one sitting and are hungry for more might find a suitable fix when this reg erlanti-produced, atthew Lope -directed film adaptation of nonbinary author Casey McQuiston’s YA bestseller drops a week later. It’s an implausible but infectiously sweet rom-com that imagines a same-sex romance between America’s irst Son and the heir to the ritish throne, with young newcomers Taylor Zakhar Pérez and Nicholas Galitzine taking on the leading roles also starring are Clifton Collins Jr., Stephen ry, Sarah Shahi, achel Hilson, Ellie amber, Aneesh Sheth, and Polo Morín, but we are frankly most excited to see Uma Thurman playing America’s first female president. Let’s hope that plot detail isn’t such an implausible premise.

LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • MAY 26, 2023 • 23

OO S

‘Harley Quinn: Ravenous’ a dark Gotham novel with a feminist warrior New book awash in cra y action, humor, and superheroes

By TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

HAPPY PRIDE E

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT LO ES LOS ANGELES EXCELLENCE IN LGBTQ MEDIA

LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

24 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • MAY 26, 2023

Forget about it.

Put it out of your mind; don’t worry about it. t’s likely nothing, so let it rest.

Let it go and don’t be afraid because, as in the new book “Harley uinn avenous” by achael Allen, fear is how they make you scream. eing a first-year intern at otham niversity was going to be the best.

Having completed the university’s gapyear program last year, Harleen uin el was practically bouncing. She’d decided on research, possibly psychology, as a career and first year program included mentorship and a chance to study some of otham’s worst, most notorious criminal minds. The Joker, Two- ace, ing Shark, r. ree e, she could be assigned to any one of them at Arkham Asylum. irst year was also going to be a bit of a relief.

Sure, she’d still have to put up with classmates like the erk who kept asking if she was “straight now” nope, still bi, today, tomorrow, last week and she’d have to try to fit in, which was hard to do after what happened at the end of last year.

‘Harley Quinn: Ravenous’ Then, some of Harleen’s friends were attacked with a fear spray that made them

By Rachael Allen c. , andom House scream and scream, and her best friend $19.99 | pages died from it. There was gossip but Harleen had her research to en oy, she loved her mentor, and she was fascinated

by Talia al hul, who’d tried to assassinate otham’s mayor. Talia was a great study-subect even though Harleen wasn’t technically supposed to ever speak to her. ntil Talia said that she knew who made the fear spray. She needed information for information, tit for tat, and she hinted that she knew the truth about Straw an, who was rumored to haunt Arkham and who had a hand in the fear spray, so...

So then Harleen woke up in the hospital, the victim of a bad accident and amnesia. ut was it an accident ere this guy, in, and the adorable vy trustworthy And the escape of otham City’s worst, most violent criminals was Harleen at fault Let’s say a movie theater mushed its film to a pulp and made a novel from the leftover cells. Or they used the mush to paint a en- ot artwork panel, but in words. That’s kinda how you could think of this book. As a part of the “ C cons” franchise, “Harley uinn avenous” almost screams graphic novel or comic book.

So what’s the problem Nothing, as long as you know that before you pick it up because that’s the sort of feel you’ll get in what only looks like a regular novel. Nothing, if you relish a story that starts with action and peppers it with chaos before dropping readers into a land of dark monsters and crime. Nothing at all, if you’ve read author achael Allen’s novel-before-thisone otherwise, you’ll be awash in humor, feminism, superheroes, and scrambling to find your footing. e warned.

Overall, if you love a funny, cra y-paced dark- otham novel with a feminist warrior, you’ll devour “Harley uinn avenous.” As for a bookmark... Nah, forget about it.

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