Los Angeles Blade, Volume 08, Issue 01, January 05, 2024

Ominous signs Polls show uphill fight for Biden, Dems as 2024 arrives, PAGE 07

JANUARY 05, 2024 • VOLUME 08 • ISSUE 01 • AMERICA’S LGBTQ NEWS SOURCE • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

LOCAL

Slate of new LGBTQ laws & protections now in effect

SACRAMENTO - A law first signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom in the Fall of 2021, AB-1084, that requires a retail department store that is physically located in California and has a total of 500 or more employees across all of its California locations, which sells childcare items or toys to maintain a gender neutral section or area, took effect on Monday.

The bill set off a firestorm of critique from anti-LGBTQ+ groups angered by the trans friendly law. California Family Council President Jonathan Keller, in a statement released after Newsom signed the law said: “We should all have compassion for individuals experiencing gender dysphoria. But activists and state legislators have no right to force retailers to espouse government-approved messages about sexuality and gender. It’s a violation of free speech and it’s just plain wrong.”

Assemblymember Evan Low the bill’s author had noted that in drafting the measure he was inspired by an 8-year-old girl who asked, “Why should a store tell me what a girl’s shirt or toy is?”

“Her bill will help children express themselves freely and without bias. We need to let kids be kids,” Low said.

Also taking effect on Monday were: AB 223 “Transgender Youth Privacy Act,” sponsored by Assemblymember Christopher Ward, D-San Diego This law requires courts to seal any petition for a change of gender or sex identifier filed by a minor to protect their privacy. This does not affect the petitioning process, but instead helps prevent online discovery of documents leading to outing and harassment.

SB 407 Foster care: resource families, sponsored by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) Requires foster care officials ensure LGBTQ children in the system are placed with foster families that will be supportive

of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

SB 760 School facilities: all-gender restrooms, sponsored by Senator Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) Requires that all K-12 public schools in California must provide at least one easily accessible all-gender restroom for students “to use safely and comfortably during school hours.”

AB 783 All Single-User Restrooms, sponsored by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) This bill would require a city, county, or city and county that issues business licenses, equivalent instruments, or permits within its jurisdiction to provide written notice to each applicant for a new or renewed business license, equivalent instrument, or permit of the requirement that all single-user toilet facilities in any business establishment, place of public accommodation, or government agency be identified as all-gender toilet facilities.”

AB 2436 Requires parental fields on death certificates gender inclusive, co-authored by lesbian Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes (D-Corona) and Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda) Calls for death certificates to list a decedent’s parents without referring to the parents’ gender (Requires the State Registrar to implement the changes by July 1.)

SB 372 Department of Consumer Affairs: licensee and registrant records, sponsored by Senator Caroline Menjivar (D-San Fernando Valley/Burbank) Ensures that the public records kept by the state’s Department of Consumer Affairs don’t use the deadnames or disclose the home addresses of licensed mental health professionals AB 760 California State University system and the University of California system requirements, sponsored by Assemblymember Lori D. Wilson (D-Suisun City)

The California State University system and the University of California system by the 2024-25 academic year must have campus systems that are “fully capable” of allowing current students, staff, or faculty to declare an affirmed name, gender, or both name and gender identification.

SB 857 LGBTQ+ Student resources expanded, sponsored by Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) Existing law requires the State Department of Education to develop resources or, as appropriate, update existing resources for in-service training on school site and community resources for the support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) pupils, and strategies to increase support for LGBTQ pupils and thereby improve overall school climate. Existing law requires those resources to be designed for use in schools operated by a school district or county office of education and charter schools serving pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive.

This law will require the Superintendent of Public Instruction, on or before July 1, 2024, to convene an advisory task force to identify the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and plus (LGBTQ+) pupils and to make recommendations to assist in implementing supportive policies and initiatives to address LGBTQ+ pupil education and well-being, as provided. The bill would require advisory task force members to be selected by the Superintendent, as provided. The bill would require the advisory task force to, on or before January 1, 2026, report their findings and recommendations to the Legislature, the Superintendent, and the Governor.

Additional reporting from Matthew S. Bajko, Assistant Editor, The Bay Area Reporter BRODY LEVESQUE

Triple A: Alerting California motorists about new laws for 2024

LOS ANGELES - In 2023, the California State Legislature approved several new laws of interest to drivers, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California. Unless otherwise noted, these measures take effect January 1, 2024.

PARKING ADJACENT TO CROSSWALKS

ers that have been so altered.

• AB 641 redefines “automobile dismantler,” making it a misdemeanor for anyone other than a licensed automobile dismantler to possess 9 or more used catalytic converters that have been cut from a vehicle.

CRUISING

Attempting to curtail California’s higher-than-national-average pedestrian fatality rate, Assembly Bill 413 generally prohibits a person from parking a vehicle within 20 feet of the vehicle-approach side of any crosswalk, a safety measure known as “daylighting.” A local authority can permit commercial vehicle loading or unloading within 20 feet of a crosswalk if it adopts an ordinance and uses appropriate signage or paint to mark the loading zone. Violators will receive a warning until January 1, 2025.

AB 436 repeals the existing law that allowed local governments to ban vehicular cruising. It also prohibits local governments from placing restrictions on cars that have been modified to be a certain height (i.e., lowriders). In 1982, the legislature permitted cities to ban cruising, but critics argued that the law targeted certain groups. In 2022, the legislature adopted a resolution that encourages law enforcement to work with car clubs to conduct safe cruising events.

CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFTS

ELECTRIC BICYCLES

Three new Auto Club-supported laws were adopted to address catalytic converter thefts: • SB 55 generally prohibits a car dealer from selling any vehicle equipped with a catalytic converter unless the converter has been permanently marked with the vehicle’s VIN, though there are some specified exceptions.

• AB 1519 makes it a misdemeanor to remove, alter, or obfuscate any VIN or other unique marking on a catalytic converter, or to possess 3 or more catalytic convert-

SB 381 requires the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University to conduct a study on electric bicycles to improve rider safety. The institute will identify best practices by analyzing data on injuries, crashes, emergency room visits, and deaths related to the use of electric and nonelectric bicycles.

SPEED CAMERAS AB 645 authorizes an automated speed-enforcement pilot program in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Glendale, Oakland, San

02 • JANUARY 05, 2024 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

Jose, and San Francisco.

The new law allows the placement of speed detecting cameras in school zones; on streets with a high incidence of races and side shows; and on designated “safety corridors,” which are streets with the highest incidences of fatal and severe injury crashes.

Cameras are not authorized on freeways or expressways.

Fines for violations escalate based on how much the speed limit is exceeded, ranging from $50 for 11–15 mph over the posted limit to $500 for exceeding 100 mph.

A public information program must be commenced for at least 30 days prior to implementation, and first violations will receive warnings for the first 60 days of enforcement if the violation is not more than 15 mph over the posted limit.

AIR QUALITY AND CLEAN TRANSPORTATION FEES AB 126 extends the smog abatement fee ($8), alternative fuel and fleet modernization fee ($3), and vehicle identification fee ($5) until 2035 to help fund advanced transportation and fuel technologies. These fees are due at the time of registration.

Owners pay the smog abatement fee through the eighth year of registration. After that, vehicles are required to pass a smog check every 2 years. However, a smog check is still required in other circumstances, such as a sale, transfer of ownership, or initial registration of an out-of-state vehicle.

LA BLADE STAFF

Long Beach

3500 Pacific Coast Hwy (562) 494-0340

NATIONAL

Iconic Scottsdale Arizona LGBTQ+ bar calls it quits after 35 years

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - One of the oldest LGBTQ+ bars in the Northeast Valley area of metropolitan Phoenix announced on its social media accounts Tuesday that the bar will close forever this weekend on January 7.

The sudden announcement caught many in the LGBTQ+ community off-guard BsWest Scottsdale opened in 1988, and in their Facebook post, the owners noted: “As we approach the end of an era, we wish to extend our deepest appreciation and best wishes to those who made our journey meaningful,” read the post. “Thank you to the family of staff, show casts, partners and loyal patrons who helped us create a safe space and loving atmosphere over

the years.”

The club took up two floors at its Fifth Avenue location where it hosted drag shows, trans nights and go-go dancers and became known as a safe space and go-to for the LGBTQ+ community.

Reacting to the news, many of the club’s clientele posted comments reflecting their feelings: Matt Peters: Thank you for the memories. This place was my go to bar in the late 90’s. So many amazing friendships.

Thank you Patrick Keown: aww BS was everything in my twenties!

Thanks for so many great memories….. farewell & much love.

JR de Luna: As a patron most of those years, it’s sad to

see this closing chapter. Many great memories and lifelong friendships made. Farewell BS, you will be missed Peter J Hegarty II: Soooo very sorry to hear this news. I’ve had plenty of great times there, after coming out 14 years ago. The bartenders on up have been the best.

P Joseph Rooney: I met my husband here It’s sad to see y’all go. First bar I ever went to, too.

The bar’s Facebook post noted: Thank you family to staff, Show Casts, partners, and loyal patrons. Thank you community. The last few shows will continue through this week. Final good-bye will be Sunday Jan. 7th 2024.

Thank you all BRODY LEVESQUE

Texas restaurant drops NYE drag show after right-wing outage GRAPEVINE, Texas - A popular restaurant in this city adjacent to the sprawling Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, noted for its Mediterranean Coastal Cuisine and rooftop bar was forced on Friday to cancel a drag performance as part of its New Year’s Eve celebration show.

Piaf Kitchen + Wine + Bar, had been inundated with hundreds of attack comments on its social media when it announced the line-up for the evening celebration. Fort Worth Star-Telegram columnist Bud Kennedy reported Sunday the restaurant promoted a “drag show” Dec. 31 as part of a circus act at a premium-priced party that also will include a fire thrower, a magician, a palm reader, dinner, music and a DJ. The restaurant posted Friday on social media, the lineup was changed, “For the safety of our Performers, and Staff, and for a pleasurable experience for our Guests … to ensure a more universally enjoyable and safe experience for everyone.”

Piaf had been the target of hundreds of online complaints after ads for the $75-$150 event including “drag entertainers” were circulated Thursday on social media. One post came from Julie McCarty, leader of the Grapevine-based True Texas

Project tea party group, Kennedy noted.

“Heads up, Grapevine,” McCarty wrote: “Who/What will be strolling our beautiful downtown, and how will they be dressed? … This is not the atmosphere we want in Grapevine.”

After the restaurant changed its show line-up, McCarty bragged on her social media page: “Victory! Victory! Let’s repeat it! I just heard from a very reliable source that Piaf has canceled their drag show in Grapevine! Way to go citizens and city council! And thank you to Piaf’s for hearing our concern.”

McCarty also criticized Piaf for hosting a palm reader, according to her social media posts.

The Texas Tribune reported on Oct. 23, 2023 as part of a profile on neo-Nazis and hate groups in Texas, that McCarty, the founder of True Texas Project, is also a central part of the Defend Texas Liberty network, organizing voter drives, fundraisers and other events to mobilize Tea Party activists and pressure lawmakers from the right. True Texas Project is also labeled as an extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, in part because of statements that McCarty and her husband and co-leader, Fred McCarty, have made about immigrants.

In a Facebook post in the aftermath of the El Paso Walmart massacre, she seemed to express sympathy for shooter’s belief in the “great replacement theory,” a foundational white supremacist belief that there is an intentional, often Jewish-driven, effort to replace white people through immigration, interracial marriage and the LGBTQ+ community.

“I don’t condone the actions, but I certainly understand where they came from,” she wrote.

“You’re not going to demographically replace a once proud, strong people without getting blow-back,” responded Fred McCarty McCarty has also attended numerous school board meetings in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area supporting anti-LGBTQ+ book bans and is vehemently opposed to support for trans students by public school districts.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s columnist also noted that U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, was among commenters defending Piaf. On Facebook, he called the event a “grown folks New Year’s Eve party.” “Just tell the easily offended to not come,” he wrote. “And why is Palm Reading offensive?”

BRODY LEVESQUE

Democratic PAC will spend $5+M to flip Santos seat back WASHINGTON - The Democratic-aligned House Majority PAC told NBC News this week that it is investing heavily in TV and digital ads to flip back the congressional seat once held by disgraced Republican George Santos, who was expelled earlier this month.

Former Democratic U.S. According to NBC News, the Representative TOM organization will place $3.7 SUOZZI (NY-03) pictured with Apple CEO TIM million on TV and $1.5 million COOK in September 2022, on digital platforms, along is running in the special election to regain his with $700,000 on mail ads, in House seat. the weeks ahead of the spe(Photo Credit: Former U.S. Rep. Tom cial election in New York’s 3rd Suozzi/Facebook) Congressional District.

The race for the special election to be held on February 13, 2024, with early voting from February 3 – February 11, 2024, was scheduled by the New York state board of elections on December 5, 2023 after being announced by Gov.

Kathy Hochul. Under the New York political structure, candidates in the special election were picked by party leaders, not voters.

Democrats chose former Rep. Tom Suozzi, who had represented the district for three terms before stepping down to launch an ultimately failed bid in the race for New York governor against then incumbent, Hochul. The Republican choice is Mazi Melesa Pilip, a former Israeli army soldier and current Nassau County legislator.

New York’s Third Congressional district encompasses northwestern Suffolk County and northern Nassau County on Long Island and northeast neighborhoods in Queens and leans Democratic, having voted for President Biden in the 2020 campaign.

Santos won the seat in a tight race against openly gay businessman Robert Zimmerman in 2022. Santos who is also openly gay made it for the first time in history, according to the LGBTQ Victory Fund, a race where both major parties’ Congressional candidates were openly gay. Considered a purple district, redistricting has also changed the makeup of the district since the 2020. Michael Dawidziak,

04 • JANUARY 05, 2024 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

a political strategist and pollster in New York, estimated around 80% of the district remains the same after being redrawn.

Given the narrow margin of majority the Republicans currently are holding on to, the seat will be a factor to determine whether the Democrats win the House back in 2024.

NBC News senior national political reporter Sahil Kapur reported: The contest “represents the first step to Democrats taking back the House in 2024,” House Majority PAC President Mike Smith said in response to written questions. “A resurgence in New York represents House Democrats’ best path to the majority.”

“This race is about New Yorkers, and voters in NY-03 are looking for someone to right the ship after Republicans propped up a serial fraudster in 2022 — and no one is better suited for that than Tom Suozzi,” Smith said when asked whether Biden’s low approval rating will be a factor in the special election.

BRODY LEVESQUE

NATIONAL

Miami Police arrest two in November 26 attack on queer women after 3:30 a.m. on Nov. 26, outside of 38 NW MIAMI, Fla. - Miami Police have arrested two 24th St. The incident was partially caught on a men in the brutal beating of a group of queer bystander’s cell phone video released on social women in the City’s Wynwood neighborhood. media after the attack.

NBC News South Florida affiliate WTVJ 6 reportIn the arrest report, the group of queer womed that investigators arrested 33-year-old Jorge en, one who identifies as trans, was approached Giovani Estevez and Daiken Fernandez, 25, on by the suspects who accosted the women tellDecember 27.

Booking Photos: JORGE ESing them: “You’re just lesbian because you haA police spokesperson told local media outTEVEZ and DAIKEN FERNANDEZ (Photo Credit: Miami-Dade Corrections ven’t had good cock.” The pair added further lets that both men face multiple felony charges & Rehabilitation Department (MDCR)) hateful rhetoric telling the women: “You have a with hate crime enhancements. One of the vicbigger dick than us.” tims said that Estevez was one of the men who In the video, the victims are heard pleading to stop the fighting punched her, adding that Fernandez was the man who punched and that they’ve called the police. The two suspects seen wearing her making her lose consciousness and punched her friend, white shirts then attack swinging at a man who is trying to stick causing her to fall and hit her head, causing a concussion and a up for the group of women. According to police the man was cut to her forehead that needed stitches, NBC6 Miami reported. attacked trying to prevent the pair from leaving after the women According to the arrest report, the incident happened just

were assaulted.

ABC News South Florida affiliate WPLG 10 reported police said the verbal dispute escalated when Fernandez punched one of the women in the face, causing her to fall, hit her head on a stair and lose consciousness.

According to arrest reports WPLG 10 reported, while speaking to investigators Estevez claimed that a “(man) in a white dress” punched him first and he retaliated. Fernandez made a similar claim, which police said was contradicted by video evidence.

Estevez, facing one count of battery with prejudice, was no longer listed in Miami-Dade jail records as of Thursday afternoon.

Fernandez, facing two counts of battery with prejudice, remained in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $15,000 bond.

BRODY LEVESQUE

Federal judge partially blocks Iowa Governor’s anti-LGBTQ law DES MOINES, Iowa - A U. S. District Judge for the Southern District of Iowa moved to partially block Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds’ sweeping education bill SF 496 Friday, leaving the section regarding parental notifications by school staff, should a student request to use a pronoun or name other than listed in their school records or birth certificate, enforceable.

In his ruling, U. S. District Judge Stephen H. Locher noted that the law’s section on restricting books and educational materials are “unlikely to satisfy the First Amendment under any standard of scrutiny.”

Locher also took aim at the section of the law that proscribed teaching students about gender identity and sexual orientation saying it had application beyond LGBTQ+ students and included straight, cisgender students as well writing: “The statute is therefore content-neutral but so wildly overbroad that every school district and elementary school teacher in the State has likely been violating it since the day the school year started.”

In writing about the parental notifications section of the law, Judge Locher ruled “Only the GLBT youth student plaintiffs challenge this portion of the law, but they are all already ‘out’ to their families and therefore not affected in a concrete way by this requirement.”

There had been two separate lawsuits filed against Gov. Reynolds’ education bill, decried by the LGBTQ+ community

and advocacy groups as another ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law similar to a measure enacted in 2022 by the state of Florida.

Iowa Public Radio reported Locher’s ruling follows a hearing last week that combined arguments from two separate challenges against the law signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds in May. A lawsuit brought by LGBTQ students calls the law discriminatory while another from a group of educators and the publisher Penguin Random House claims it violates their freedom of speech.

Lambda Legal attorney Nathan Maxwell, an attorney for the students said the ruling still provides some protection for LGBTQ students.

“This decision sends a strong message to the state that efforts to ban books based on LGBTQ+ content, or target speech that sends a message of inclusion to Iowa LGBTQ+ students cannot stand,” he said.

Enforcement provisions in the law that apply to book removals were set to take effect January 1, 2024.

Journalist and Publisher’s Weekly editor Andrew Albanese pointed out that in his ruling Locher suggested that the law was a solution in search of a problem. “The State Defendants have presented no evidence that student access to books depicting sex acts was creating any significant problems in the school setting, much less to the degree that would give rise

to a ‘substantial and reasonable governmental interest’ justifying across-the-board removal,” he wrote. “Instead, at most, the State Defendants presented evidence that some parents found the content of a small handful of books to be objectionable.”

“When education professionals return to work next week, they can do what they do best: take great care of all their students without fear of reprisal,” said Mike Beranek, president of the Iowa State Education Association which is a plaintiff in the second lawsuit. “This ruling means they can continue successfully guiding all students without fear of punishment or losing their jobs.”

WQAD ABC 8 Des Moines reported that Iowa educators Alyson Browder, Mari Butler, and Daniel Gutmann are key plaintiffs in the second case. They believe the law takes away constitutional rights from students.

“When it comes to our state house, Governor Reynolds and republican legislature, we have a constitution,” Guttman told Local 5. “You cannot target the LGBTQ community, and I hope that message is loud and clear.”

Gov. Kim Reynolds said in a statement she is “extremely disappointed” in the ruling.

CONTINUES AT LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

RETIRED COUPLE HAS $1MIL TO LEND ON CA. REAL ESTATE* V.I.P. TRUST DEED COMPANY

Buys T.D.s and Buys/Lends on Partial Interests

OVER 40 YEARS OF FAST FUNDING Principal

(818) 248-0000 Broker

WWW.VIPLOAN.COM *Sufficient equity required - no consumer loans Real Estate License #01041073

CA Department of Real Estate, NMLS #339217

Private Party loans generally have higher interest rates, points & fees than conventional discount loans LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • JANUARY 05, 2024 • 05

NATIONAL

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine vetoes trans youth healthcare ban

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Today, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine took the extraordinary step of vetoing a bill that would have banned gender-affirming care for transgender youth in Ohio.

His move will be remembered alongside famous vetoes by Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas and Gov. Spencer Cox of Utah, who opposed anti-transgender measures proposed by Republican legislatures in their states. Due to DeWine’s veto, the bill must now return to the Ohio legislature, where a threefifths vote is required to override the veto and pass the bill over the governor’s objections.

“Parents have looked me in the eye and told me that but for this treatment, their child would be dead,” Gov. DeWine said to reporters in a press briefing. “And youth who are transgender have told me they are thriving today because of their transition.”

He then spoke about his individual discussions with those parents: “What so many of these young people and their families have also told me was that nothing they’ve ever faced in their life could prepare them for this tough journey. Parents are making decisions for the most precious thing in their life: their child. These are gut wrenching decisions that should be made by parents, and should be informed by teams of doctors that are advising them.”

He then reiterated the importance parents rights, “While the parents doctors inform those decisions, it is the parents who know their child best… Were Ohio to pass HB68, Ohio would be saying that the state knows what is better, what is medically best for the child, than the two people who love that child the most: the parents.”

When asked what was the biggest influence on his decision, he cited his conversation with parents as well as testimony from directors and doctors of Ohio’s Children’s Hospitals, which rank #1 in the United States.

He closed, “I cannot sign this bill as it is currently written. Just a few minutes ago, I vetoed this bill.”

The bill, House Bill 68, sponsored by Rep. Gary Click, a rightwing pastor, combines both a gender affirming care ban and a sports ban. Click has acknowledged practicing conversion therapy.

Under the proposed law, gender-affirming care for transgender youth would be prohibited, and transgender individuals would be excluded from a wide range of sports, from dance to darts, in both high schools and colleges. If Ohio enacts this bill, it will become the 22nd state to explicitly outlaw gender-af-

firming care for minors. Notably, all these states have seen such legislation driven by Republican supermajorities.

The legislation received swift and strong opposition in the state. Senator Paula Hicks-Hudson, a Democratic senator sitting on the committee that passed the bill, noted that there were 525 opponents to only 43 proponents that submitted testimony.

Most of the proponents of the legislation came from out of state and included high profile right-wing figures like Riley Gaines and Chloe Cole. Testifying against the bill, however, were leading representatives from most major medical organizations in the United States and Ohio, including the Ohio Children’s Hospitals.

Others who testified included parents of trans youth in the state, the trans kids themselves, business leaders, therapists, and local activists. Significantly, even many detransitioners— individuals who previously identified as transgender but have since returned to a cisgender identity—spoke out against the bill. This fact is particularly noteworthy considering the right wing’s use of detransition narratives as a tool to target transgender individuals, despite detransitioning being a relatively rare occurrence among transgender people.

Despite widespread opposition, Republicans gave attention to conservative supporters of the bill who argued that rejecting transgender individuals was the appropriate approach. “Partners for Ethical Care,” an organization comprising parents who oppose their transgender children’s gender identities, likened being transgender to an addiction that needs treatment.

Furthermore, the Alliance Defending Freedom, known for its involvement in drafting and defending such bills, also advocated in favor of the legislation. This stance aligns with the organization’s history of association with the ‘ex-gay’ movement and its ongoing defense of conversion therapy for both gay and transgender individuals This veto is crucial as it grants transgender youth in Ohio additional time to access medical care and provides families the opportunity to exert further pressure on Republican legislators. Some may interpret Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto as an indication to reassess the bill. DeWine, a popular governor with a 57% approval rating in Ohio, wields significant influence within the state’s Republican Party. His position could signal that the bill may not enjoy the level of popularity its Republican sponsors have claimed.

Gender affirming care, the kind banned by this bill, saves

Republican Gov. MIKE DEWINE briefs reporters on his decision to veto Republican majority lawmakers gender-affirming care ban bill. (Screenshot/YouTube)

lives. There is extraordinary amounts of evidence backing that up: some studies have reported up to 73% decreases in suicidality among trans youth who are allowed to obtain it.

These findings were replicated as early two weeks ago, when a journal article was published in the prestigious Journal of Adolescent Health, puberty blockers were associated with a significant reduction in depression and anxiety. The endorsement of gender affirming care is supported by a collection of over 50 journal articles compiled by Cornell University, all of which underscore its beneficial effects.

The veto statement included some caveats. Gov. Mike DeWine announced his intention to use administrative processes to prohibit surgeries in the state and to gather data on transgender care for both youth and adults. However, the most concerning aspect of Gov. DeWine’s announcement was the potential for increased scrutiny of transgender adults in Ohio.

The specifics of these administrative processes and rules are yet to be determined.

Now, the bill returns to the legislature, offering a temporary reprieve for families and parents of transgender youth. Meanwhile, Republicans face a pivotal decision: prioritize the welfare of Ohio families and adhere to best medical practices, or yield to conservative influencers who advocate for policies detrimental to transgender youth for political gain.

ERIN REED

Washington Post finds LGBTQ books are banned the most

Republican Florida Gov. RON DESANTIS, whose anti-LGBTQ agenda has been supported and pushed by Moms For Liberty, addressing the group’s national convention last July in Philadelphia. (Screenshot/YouTube)

WASHINGTON - An analysis of 872 challenges to 444 books in 29 states conducted by the Washington Post revealed books featuring “LGBTQ characters, themes and stories” are banned the most, while nearly half of all books that were challenged were eventually returned to library shelves.

The study included challenges from the 2021 to

2022 school year in more than 100 school districts.

Compared with all targeted titles, those “about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer lives were 30 percent more likely to be yanked,” while those “by and about people of color, or those about race and racism” were 20 percent likelier to survive challenges, the Post found.

Librarians who spoke to the newspaper were heartened, in many cases, by the high rate of return of challenged books to their shelves, but they also detailed how much time and effort was required to defend them.

Martha Hickson, a librarian who fought off efforts to ban books with LGBTQ themes, said this involved working nights and weekends -- while facing down “allegations that she was a

06 • JANUARY 05, 2024 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

pornographer and a pedophile, shouted by parents at school board meetings and written into the book challenges, which named her personally.”

Moms for Liberty, a powerful anti-LGBTQ organization deemed an extremist group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, is behind many of the efforts to pull books from library shelves -- disproportionately targeting titles with LGBTQ content, or those by and about people of color or race and racism.

Last month, school board candidates backed by Moms for Liberty suffered major losses in closely watched off-year elections, with NPR reporting the results showed the group is facing increased opposition at the local level.

CHRISTOPHER KANE

NATIONAL

Early polls show Biden, Democrats face uphill fight President losing support among Latino, Black, young voters

By CHRISTOPHER KANE | ckane@washblade.com With the holidays behind us and the Iowa caucuses less than two weeks away, the nation’s attention is turning toward this year’s presidential election as new polls suggest President Biden and the Democrats face uphill battles to victory.

On the heels of the new numbers, top Biden-Harris reelection campaign officials hosted a press call on Tuesday to preview some steps they will take as part of what Campaign Manager Julie Chávez Rodriguez called an “aggressive push in early 2024 to mobilize the winning coalition that will reelect” the president and vice president.

According to a USA Today/Suffolk University poll released Monday, the president is, as Fox News wrote, “hemorrhaging support from Black, Hispanic and young voters.”

Among those first two groups, compared with data from 2020 captured by Pew Research, the poll showed Biden’s support down a respective 29 and 25 percentage points.

Ominous new polls show PRESIDENT BIDEN losing support among key demographics that delivered his victory in 2020.

(Blade photo by Michael Key)

Among voters younger than 35, meanwhile, the data showed him trailing former President Donald Trump by four points. The younger demographic was instrumental in delivering him the White House in 2020.

The findings come with important caveats. For example, to the extent that support for Biden has eroded, the numbers suggest a greater embrace of third-party candidates rather than movement in the direction of Trump.

However, 44 percent of Trump voters ranked their enthusiasm for his candidacy at a 10 out of 10, versus just 18 percent of Biden supporters.

A survey released by Gallup at the end of December found Biden’s approval rating hovering around 39 percent.

Gallup notes that former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump had slightly higher ratings heading into the year they sought reelection, 43 and 45 percent, respectively, while all of the other past seven presidents were above 50 percent at this point in their tenures.

Another survey, which was released on Monday by The Washington Post/University of Maryland, found that onethird of U.S. adults believe that Biden was not legitimately elected president of the United States in 2020.

The survey was meant to explore evolving views about

the deadly ransacking of the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters on Jan. 6, 2021. On that topic, opinion is moving “in a more sympathetic direction to Trump and those who stormed the Capitol” according to the Post.

At the same time, the paper wrote, “most Americans have not bought into that revised version of events” and Jan. 6 remains a political liability for the former president heading into 2024. For example, most Republicans said they believe punishments for those who breached the Capitol were either “fair” (37 percent) or “not harsh enough” (17 percent).

As they gear up for the months ahead, it looks like the Biden campaign is betting that Jan. 6 will be a sticking point for voters, and an illustration of the contrast between the candidates’ visions for America.

Focusing on the contrast “On election day in 2020, Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump by more than 7 million votes and got more votes than any presidential candidate in history,” Chávez Rodriguez said. “On Jan. 6 2021, we witnessed a very different vision of America — one defined by revenge, retribution, and a rebuke of our very democracy.”

“When Joe Biden ran for president four years ago, he said we are in the battle for the soul of America,” she said. “And as we look towards November 2024, we still are. The threat Donald Trump posed in 2020 to American democracy has only grown more dire in the years since. There’s less than two weeks until GOP primary voters began casting ballots in Iowa and former President Donald Trump’s extreme and dangerous MAGA agenda continues to define the Republican Party.”

“The choice for voters next year will not simply be between competing philosophies of governing,” Chávez Rodriguez said. “The choice for the American people in November 2024 will be about protecting our democracy and every American’s fundamental freedoms.”

The campaign’s Communications Director Michael Tyler later told reporters, “If reelected, Donald Trump will use all of his power to systematically dismantle and destroy our democracy.”

“He wants to end free and fair elections altogether, is promising to rule as a dictator and use the government to exact retribution on his political enemies, all while he and his MAGA supporters encourage and applaud political violence across the country,” Tyler said.

He noted the Post’s poll about Jan. 6, highlighting that respondents said the insurrection was an attack on democracy that should never be forgotten, and an event for which Trump bore responsibility.

Biden team outlines early 2024 plans “The threat that Donald Trump posed in 2020 to American democracy has grown even more dangerous than it was when President Biden ran last time,” Principal Deputy Campaign Manager Quentin Fulks said during the call.

“That’s why we’re hitting the ground early. We’re running hard this year to bring the message directly to voters who

will decide this election.”

This will begin, Fulks said, with an address by Biden on Saturday, Jan. 6 near Valley Forge, Pa., a historic site with important ties to the American Revolution. “There, the president will make the case directly that democracy and freedom — two powerful ideas that united the 13 colonies and that generations throughout our nation’s history have fought and died for, a stone’s throw from where he’ll be on Saturday — remains central to the fight we’re in today.”

Biden will then head to South Carolina on Jan. 8, for a visit to Mother Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, Fulks said, the site where a white supremacist murdered nine Black churchgoers in 2015.

He said Vice President Kamala Harris will also be in Charleston on Saturday for an appearance at the 7th Episcopal District AME Church Women’s Missionary Society annual retreat to discuss the attacks on freedoms in states across the country.

Vice President KAMALA HARRIS plans to campaign on abortion on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade later this month.

(Blade photo by Michael Key)

“And on the anniversary of Roe v Wade later this month on Jan. 22, Vice President Harris will kick off her official reproductive freedoms tour in Wisconsin,” Fulks said, “where she’ll highlight the chaos and cruelty created by Trump all across the country when it comes to women’s health care.”

Harris will be joined “in full force,” he said, by “the entirety of our campaign” on that anniversary.

“The rest of 2024 will be no different as we will continue scaling up our operation and taking our message to the American people,” Fulks said. “We’re entering the election year with significant resources thanks to a historic 2023 fundraising operation, including a strong Q4 powered by consistent and stronger than expected grassroots support.”

Fulks said this will mean expanding programs across states, hiring leadership teams “in every battleground state,” and dedicating thousands of staff to “talking to our voters early and often” while implementing new organizing efforts.

Finally, he said, “we’re going to continue to scale up our paid media program including a new paid media investment we will announce ahead of the president’s speech near Valley Forge on Saturday.”

LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • JANUARY 05, 2024 • 07

NATIONAL

Federal judge blocks Idaho trans youth healthcare ban law In this Court’s view, the Sixth and Eleventh Circuits framed the asserted fundamental MISSOULA, MT. - On Tuesday, Judge B. Lynn Winmill, a federal judge in Idaright far too narrowly…” ho, ruled that a ban on gender-affirming care in the state violates the equal protection Another major portion of the ruling focuses on the legal status of transgender people and due process rights of parents and their transgender children. and how they are treated under equal protection. While Idaho argues that the law does The court also ruled that gender-affirming care is “safe, effective, and medically not target “transgender people” or discriminate on the basis of sex and instead targets necessary” for transgender youth. Importantly, the court directly addressed the argu“medication used for the diagnosis of gender dysphoria,” the judge was not convinced, ments from the 6th and 11th Circuit Appeals Courts that gender-affirming care is not stating, “that’s like saying that classifying on the basis of gray hair doesn’t classify on “traditionally protected.” the basis of age, or that classifying on the basis of wearing a yarmulke doesn’t classify It argued that the right to seek medically accepted care for children is “deeply rooted on the basis of being Jewish.” in this nation’s history and traditions.”

The judge issued rulings on severIn doing so, the judge ordered a preal aspects related to the law. Firstly, liminary injunction to block state attorhe ruled that gender-affirming care is neys from enforcing the law, allowing “safe, effective, and medically necesthe continuation of care in the state. sary” for many transgender youths.

The decision, issued in a 51-page Additionally, he determined that the memorandum and order, is notable in risks associated with gender-affirming that it responds to recent circuit court care are comparable to those of other cases in more conservative court cirmedical treatments commonly sought cuits that have allowed bans to go forby parents for their children. He furward. ther ruled that detransition is rare, Earlier this year, Republican-apstating, “adolescents with gender dyspointed judges in the 6th and 11th Cirphoria are unlikely to later identify as cuit Courts ruled that gender affirming their birth sex.” care bans were legal because gender The ruling specifically addresses “the affirming care is not “deeply rooted in Swedish study” and the practices of Euthis nation’s history and traditions.” ropean countries, which the state cited This extremely narrow test of whether to argue that the care was not medicalor not a right is offered constitutional ly accepted. Upon reviewing the examprotection under the 14th Amendment ples provided by the state, the judge is known as the Glucksburg test, which determined that none of the European was popularized in the Dobbs decision countries mentioned have implementoverturning abortion rights. ed a ban on medical care. He also obResponding to this new test, the served that many of the state’s referjudge rules that a parent’s right to obences to European restrictions were tain widely accepted medical care for misleading. For example, the state their children passes the test (emphaasserted that “the leading Swedish sis added): pediatric gender clinic” recommended “As the Court sees it, the approprilimiting gender-affirming care to those ately precise way to frame the issue is aged 16 and older, yet the judge notto ask whether parents’ fundamental ed that the Swedish Health Service has right to care for their children includes Trans activist LANDON RICHIE protesting anti-trans healthcare ban in 2022 in Texas at a rally at the state capitol in Austin. (Los Angeles Blade file photo) not adopted these recommendations. the right to choose a particular medical The judge found similar situations in treatment, in consultation with their other countries that are often cited to justify bans on care. healthcare provider, that is generally available and accepted in the medical communiThe judge ultimately ruled that gender affirming care bans for trans youth violate the ty. And the Court has no difficulty concluding that such a right is deeply rooted in 14th amendment’s equal protection and due process protections, stating in a striking our nation’s history and traditions and implicit in our concept of ordered liberty.” paragraph that spells out the rationale for his groundbreaking decision: Judge Winmill issued a scathing rebuke of the decisions by the 6th and 11th Circuits, “In some senses, the answers to those questions are intuitive and obvious to lawyers highlighting that the narrow interpretation of the Glucksburg test would “render the and laypeople alike: Transgender children should receive equal treatment under the 14th Amendment largely meaningless.” He points out that, under their interpretation, law. Parents should have the right to make the most fundamental decisions about how “all of modern medicine” would fall outside the protections of the 14th Amendment. to care for their children. As it turns out, case law applying the Fourteenth Amendment Citing examples of medical advancements that would not be considered “deeply roottracks with our intuition. Time and again, these cases illustrate that the Fourteenth ed in this nation’s history and traditions,” he mentions penicillin, corrective heart surAmendment’s primary role is to protect disfavored minorities and preserve our fundagery, the polio vaccine, and other medical innovations from the 20th and 21st centumental rights from legislative overreach. That was true for newly freed slaves followries, noting that these would lack any constitutional protections under the test. The ing the civil war. It was true in the 20th Century for women, people of color, inter-rajudge rules that the majority of district judges in those circuits, who overturned the cial couples, and individuals seeking access to contraception. And it is no less true for gender-affirming care bans, had applied the correct standard. transgender children and their parents in the 21st Century.”

“This Court finds the majority of the district court opinions persuasive, and, by conERIN REED trast, respectfully disagrees with the Sixth and Eleventh Circuit’s treatment of the issue.

08 • JANUARY 05, 2024 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

PETER ROSENSTEIN is a longtime LGBTQ rights and Democratic Party activist.

He writes regularly for the Blade.

Some hopes and dreams as we enter 2024

Biden’s re-election, peace in the Middle East, and more As we move into 2024, a presidential election year, it is my hope the country, and the world, will end up in a better place than we did at the end of 2023.

I don’t expect miracles. My hope is some people in our country come back to their senses and understand progress will only be made when people talk to, and listen to, each other, and be willing to compromise to find solutions to our problems. I don’t expect we will see the old Republican Party reappear. Trump will still control the party until he is defeated in November. But let’s hope that when Congress comes back in January there will be a deal on the border issues, allowing Congress to pass a bill funding Ukraine and Israel aid, on which our national security depends. Then they must fund the government through the rest of the year.

It is my hope Trump will see some of his trials begin in 2024.

Despite this, he will be the Republican candidate against Biden.

Conventions will be held in the summer, and the campaign will hit its final stride. I believe when it’s a decision between Biden and Trump, young people won’t vote against their own best interests.

They will come out and vote for Biden based on an improving economy, their improving job options, the chance to have their student loans forgiven and to move the nation forward in the fight for equality for women, African Americans, and other minorities, including the LGBTQ community. They will vote for Biden to ameliorate the disasters caused by climate change.

Then we must pray early in the year the Israel/Hamas war will end. Hamas will be defeated at least to the extent Israel will feel comfortable with a ceasefire. Then the world must work to see the people of Gaza have the food they need, medical facilities rebuilt, and there is a way forward for the Palestinian people to live freely, and have their children grow up free, safely, and with the

same options the children of Israel, and all children around the world, must have. Perhaps after this tragic war Hamas began, the dream of moving toward a two-state solution, can become reality.

We must curb the increase in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia everywhere, particularly on our college campuses. Students must be educated on the history of the Middle East, and the land called Palestine, allowing for discussion in a collegial way so students can share their opinions, their passions, and learn from each other. Isn’t that what we hope will happen at universities where too often passion, not reason, tends to rule?

Then in 2024 if Democrats win, we can move the nation forward on restoring the rights of women to control their bodies, and their healthcare choices. We can see the LGBTQ community granted full equality, finally passing the Equality Act and move away from the hate and vitriol Trump and his acolytes spew. We can work to rid the nation of structural racism so African Americans, and all minorities, are treated fairly and have full equality, and economic opportunity.

It is my wish in 2024 all my friends will see only health and happiness. For myself I expect to continue to travel and have two cruises planned — one in February to the Galapagos, and another transatlantic the end of October. I also anticipate my memoir, which will include my coming out story, being published in April.

I hope to help to elect a Democratic Congress and see Joe Biden and Kamala Harris win a second term.

This can be a momentous year, one we will be able to look back on one day with positive thoughts and memories. A year that will see the nation less divided, and a world more at peace. I ask you join me in praying for that, but also making a commitment to do what you can to see it happen.

V O L U ME 08 I S S U E 01

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 x 8080 SALES & ADMINISTRATION SALES EXECUTIVE SHANA WONG SOLARES swong@losangelesblade.com, 808-386-0872 SALES/EVENT MARKETING EXECUTIVE ANDREW BEAVER abeaver@losangelesblade.com, 646-907-4482 NATIONAL ADVERTISING RIVENDELL MEDIA sales@rivendellmedia.com, 212-242-6863 MARKETING DIRECTOR STEPHEN RUTGERS srutgers@washblade.com, 202-747-2077 x 8077 EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTING WRITER KAREN OCAMB karenocamb@losangelesblade.com NATIONAL EDITOR KEVIN NAFF knaff@washblade.com, 202-747-2077 x 8088 EDITOR 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

ADMINISTRATION PHILLIP G. ROCKSTROH prockstroh@washblade.com, 202-747-2077 x 8092 CREATIVE DESIGN/PRODUCTION AZERCREATIVE.COM DISTRIBUTION CHRISTOPHER JACKSON, 562-826-6602

All material in the Los Angeles Blade is protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the Los Angeles Blade. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, writers and cartoonists published herein is neither inferred nor implied. The appearance of names or pictorial representation does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that person or persons. Although the Los Angeles Blade is supported by many fine advertisers, we cannot accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Unsolicited editorial material is accepted by the Los Angeles Blade, but the paper cannot take responsibility for its return. The editors reserve the right to accept, reject or edit any submission. A single copy of the Los Angeles Blade is available from authorized distribution points, to any individual within a 50-mile radius of Los Angeles, CA. Multiple copies are available from the Los Angeles Blade office only. Call for rates. If you are unable to get to a convenient free distribution point, you may receive a 52-week mailed subscription for $195 per year or $5.00 per single issue. Checks or credit card orders can be sent to Phil Rockstroh at prockstroh@washblade.com. Postmaster: Send address changes to the Los Angeles Blade, PO BOX 53352 Washington, DC 20009. The Los Angeles Blade is published weekly, on Friday, by Los Angeles Blade, LLC. Rates for businesses/ institutions are $450 per year. Periodical postage paid at Los Angeles, CA., and additional mailing offices. Editorial positions of the Los Angeles Blade are expressed in editorials and in editors’ notes as determined by the paper’s editors. Other opinions are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Los Angeles Blade or its staff. To submit a letter or commentary: Letters should be fewer than 400 words; commentaries should be fewer than 750 words.

Submissions may be edited for content and length, and must include a name, address and phone number for verification. Send submissions by e-mail to tmasters@losangelesblade.com.

2023 GLAAD Media Awards

10 • JANUARY 05, 2024 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

©2024 LOS ANGELES BLADE, LLC.

Looking back: The top 10 sports events and stories 2023 This past year was filled with firsts and also setbacks for queer athletes as well as fans. From a ban imposed by the National Hockey League on display of Pride Jerseys to the triumphant return of WNBA star Brittney Griner to the hardwood, 2023 certainly was unique.

This past June, the National Hockey League’s Board of Governors agreed that players will no longer wear special rainbow-colored Pride-themed jerseys during warmups next season. This was despite the fact that only 7 of the 1,123 active NHL players objected, The autographed Pride jerseys are typically auctioned off to raise money for LGBTQ+ charities. The change was prompted by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman’s recommendation, who defended his decision using the oldest homophobic trope in LGBTQ+ sports: That anything or anyone queer in sports is a “distraction.”

This was soon followed in October an NHL decision to prohibit its players from placing tape on their hockey sticks representing social causes, including rainbow-colored Pride tape in support of the LGBTQ community. After considerable outcry including by GLAAD, the League reversed that decision.

In January 2023, the National Football League’s first out gay player confirmed his relationship with Olympic swimmer Søren Dahl on Instagram. Although there have been a series of snapshots since last summer featuring Nassib and Dahl together on the beach, in a club, and at the gym, this is the first one in which Nassib wrote something to clarify they are dating: “Kicking off 2023 with my man and a trip to the playoffs,” he captioned the photo. Until now, Nassib has been extremely private about his personal life.

In the Fall of 2023, Nassib, who made history in 2021 when he became the first active player in the NFL to come out as gay, announced he is retiring at age 30.

Trans athletes of all sports have for the most part had a rocky year as evidenced by the push by national and international sports federations to ban them from participating.

In recent years, those lobbying for restrictions on transgender individuals have focused heavily on sports. Some of the most influential anti-trans lobbyists in this arena, such as Terry Schilling of the American Principles Project, have stated that sports are an easy way to sell anti-trans policies to people who might otherwise reject discrimination.

On December 3rd, Victoria Monaghan made history as the first transgender woman to compete in the World Darts Federation’s World Darts Championship. Monaghan, who has played darts since she was 12, mentioned that the New Zealand Darts Council has been incredibly supportive of her participation.

This past August, FIDE, the world’s foremost international chess organization, has introduced guidelines that would revoke titles from transgender men and bar many transgender women from competing, asserting that trans women “have no right to participate.”

On the same day in July that a ban on transgender women athletes was issued by Union Cycliste Internationale, the organizers of World Cycling in Switzerland, the Disc Golf Pro Tour announced it had “adjusted its competition schedule” to prevent trans women from competing with

By DAWN ENNIS cisgender female athletes.

Also in July, a year and a month after banning transgender competitors, the head of World Aquatics told the World Aquatics Congress that his organization is setting up an “open category” that will include trans swimmers, at some point in the future. “This is a very complex topic,” Husain Al-Musallam the first vice president of FINA, the International Swimming Federation said to the Associated Press adding: “Our sport must be open to everybody.”

Che Flores, who pronounces their first name “Shay,” is no stranger to basketball. But basketball has never ever seen someone like Flores on the floor. After refereeing at least 1,000 games over 14-years in three countries, working in three professional leagues as well as college athletics and deciding the fate of 10 championship games, Flores started their second season in the National Basketball League this week.

LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Sport (Screenshot/YouTube University of Nottingham)

What’s different is that Flores did so as their authentic self: On Oct. 24, they came out as transgender nonbinary.

In July 2023, Canada geared up for its second match in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, facing Ireland with trans nonbinary trailblazer Quinn. Earlier, Quinn made history as they are the first out trans nonbinary player to compete in soccer’s international championship.

Ten-thousand miles away in Monaco, trans nonbinary sprinter Nikki Hiltz set a new U.S. national record that has stood for nearly 40 years. Although they finished in sixth place, the Aptos, Calif. native ran the mile in 4 minutes, 16.35 seconds, breaking the mark of 4:16.71, set in 1985

by Mary Slaney.

Two-time Olympic champion Caster Semenya, who has been sidelined from her signature track and field event since 2019, has finally won an appeal of testosterone rules that the European Court of Human Rights say discriminated against her. Even so, the South African runner cannot expect to be back in the 800 meter race anytime soon, according to track and field’s governing body.

That’s because Semenya’s case was solely against the government of Switzerland, whose Supreme Court upheld rules imposed by World Athletics, not against the sports organization itself. Although a 4-3 majority of judges on the European Court found “serious questions” about the

validity of those rules, World Athletics said in reaction to the decision that its rules would remain in place, according to the Associated Press.

Ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Out sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson was suspended after testing positive for marijuana. This August however, Richardson ran a championship record 10.65 seconds in the final at the track and field 2023 World Athletics Championships on Monday (21 August), taking 0.02 seconds off the previous best set by Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce last year and also breaking her personal record.

WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon led her team to their second consecutive championship this past October, making Las Vegas the WNBA’s first back-toback champions since the Los Angeles Sparks won it all in 2001 and 2002.

Hammon is partnered with former basketball player and coach Brenda Milano. They have been together since 2015 and are raising two sons, Samuel and Cayden. This past summer, Hammon was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

In November, Ali Krieger raised the National Women’s Soccer League championship trophy after New York’s Gotham FC win over Seattle’s OL Reign. She then ended her career of 17 years as she retired telling reporters “I don’t think I could dream of a better ending for myself,” Krieger said. “I just want to ride off into the sunset and enjoy this with my family and friends and kids, most importantly, and my teammates. My back hurts, my calves hurt. I love it so much and it’s so much fun. But it’s time. This is the perfect ending for me.”

Out lesbian activist, anti-racist, transgender ally and twotime World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe announced on Instagram this past July that the 2023 championship season will be her last.

In September, with the final score United States 2, South Africa 0, Team USA’s victory in her final match playing for the U.S. Women’s National Team, Rapinoe, walked away from the USWNT at age 38, 17 years and 63 days after her Team USA career began.

That September 24, Sunday game marked her 203rd appearance, with a total of 63 goals scored, 73 assists, two World Cup trophies, an Olympic gold medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, not to mention several hair colors.

Last April after nearly a year of being imprisoned in Russia on contrived drug charges, preparing for the upcoming 2023 WNBA season, Brittney Griner talked with reporters for the first time since returning to play with the Phoenix Mercury.

“I’m no stranger to hard times,” Griner said, fighting back tears. Asked how she became so resilient after spending nearly 10 months in a Russian prison on drug charges, she said: “Just grind it out. Just put your head down and just keep going and moving forward.”

Griner, who regained her freedom in December 2022 in a prisoner swap between Russia and the United States, signed a one year contract in February worth $165,100, according to ESPN.

LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • JANUARY 05, 2024 • 11

Subjects matter: an interview with author Martin Duberman New book ‘The Line of Dissent’ debuts Jan. 8

Gay writer and historian Martin Duberman is the very definition of a living legend. At the age of 93, with nearly 40 books to his credit, Duberman shows no signs of slowing down. His latest book, “The Line of Dissent: Gay Outsiders and the Shaping of History” (G&LR Books, 2023), out Jan. 8, compiles a dozen essays (many of which were previously published in “Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide”), along with a pair of codas. Some of the names, including W.H. Auden, Alfred Kinsey, and Sylvia Rivera, will be familiar to many readers, while others are sure to be revelations. Duberman was gracious enough to make time for an interview in advance of the book’s publication.

BLADE: In the introduction to “The Line of Dissent,” you write that the book is “opinionated” and “contains no demolition jobs,” and you note “appraisals are mostly appreciative.” Is this in response to something you’d seen other historians doing?

MARTIN DUBERMAN: Historians, being human, have a wide range of responses to the individuals they choose to write about. In my earlier books (“Charles Francis Adams, 1807-1886” and “James Russell Lowell”), I felt personally more distant from the subjects. But my recent work follows the trajectory of my politics — that is, moving steadily leftward.

BLADE: Most of the essays in “The Line of Dissent” previously appeared in “Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide.”

Was the idea to compile the essays into a book your idea or G&LR publisher Richard Schneider’s?

DUBERMAN: The idea for the book was mine though Richard was immediately enthusiastic.

BLADE: Were there any essays of yours from “Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide” that didn’t make the cut for the book?

DUBERMAN: There are 12 essays in the book, and I’ve probably written some 20 (my memory’s a little shaky here), which, if accurate, would mean some seven to eight didn’t make the cut. David McReynolds would be one example.

BLADE: In many ways, “Gay & Lesbian Review” fills a void

left by the loss of “Christopher Street,” as well as the death of several regional LGBTQ newspapers. What does it mean to you that a publication such as “Gay & Lesbian Review” exists?

DUBERMAN: I think the role “Gay & Lesbian Review” plays in the community is significant. No other publication reaches an educated, but not academic, audience.

BLADE: 2023 turned out to be a year in which historically significant LGBTQ people — including Bayard Rustin, Diana Nyad, and Leonard Bernstein — are the subjects of high-profile biopics. Are there one or two people about whom you wrote in “The Line of Dissent” that you think would make a good subject for a movie?

DUBERMAN: Lord, yes! Offhand, I couldn’t name even one who wouldn’t qualify for a film, and who wouldn’t find an audience. Every one of their lives was dramatic and rich.

As were dozens of other LGBTQ+ people not in the book.

Check out the lists in “Outwords” (theoutwordsarchive.org) as one source for candidates. It’s an invaluable resource for candidates to write about and to honor.

BLADE: Essay subjects Essex Hemphill, Andrew Dworkin, and Lincoln Kirstein are people about whom you also wrote the full-length books “Hold Tight Gently,” “The Feminist as Revolutionary,” and “The Worlds of Lincoln Kirstein,” respectively. What makes a person a fascinating subject worthy of a book-length project to you?

DUBERMAN: Using “drama” as a guideline, I’d say that Sylvia Rivera’s life was especially full of vivid and sometimes hair-raising episodes. Ditto Essex Hemphill and Andrea Dworkin. A film on Andrea was recently completed, but I haven’t seen any release date for it.

BLADE: When you write a revelatory essay such as “Edward Sagarin: ‘Father’ of the Homophile Movement,” are you as excited about sharing your knowledge and/or the results of your research as you hope the reader will be when they receive the information?

DUBERMAN: My level of excitement varies with the subject. The three you cite are among the most important. In a semi-conscious way, I tend to respond to “second rank”

12 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • JANUARY 05, 2024

figures — that is, people who in their own day made a substantial political contribution but the general public has forgotten.

BLADE: “The Line of Dissent” opens with the dedication: “To the current generation of queer radicals. Please hurry!”

I live in South Florida, which is suffering greatly under anti-LGBTQ Gov. DeSantis and his cronies. However, we are seeing young LGBTQ people in the state taking action and becoming activists in response. That’s not just happening in Florida, but in other places, as well. Does that give you a sense of hope for the future?

DUBERMAN: Yes! I see lots of evidence of activity emerging from the latest generation. Alas, I also see Young Republicans who are equally outspoken. It could come down to a dogfight, with damn near everything at stake. For now, I’m still sticking with my optimistic prediction.

GREGG SHAPIRO

FILM

Emma Stone shines in ‘Poor Things’ New film less far-fetched fantasy than it is social satire

If you’re not familiar with the work of filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos, you might not be fully prepared for the level of oddness you’ll encounter in “Poor Things,” the Greek director’s latest work and winner of the Golden Lion Award at the 2023 Venice Film Festival. Known for the unsettling and vaguely grotesque absurdities of his mise en scène in movies like “The Lobster” or “The Favourite” the material he’s chosen this time allows his droll-but-disturbing imagination to run wild.

Adapted by Tony McNamara from Scots writer Alasdair Gray’s 1992 faux-Victorian sci-fi novel of the same name, it’s the strange and Odyssean tale of Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), a young woman whose past is shrouded in mystery after her experimental reanimation by a brilliant-but-controversial doctor (Willem Dafoe, sporting elaborately disfiguring facial prosthetics) following an attempted suicide.

With whatever old life she may have had erased from her memory and no exposure to the outside world, she sets out to gain knowledge and experience before settling down into an arranged marriage with a young research assistant (Ramy Youssef), embarking with a debauched lawyer (Mark Ruffalo) for an extended sea cruise, an adventure that shapes her rapidly developing sense of self even as setbacks along the way – along with the shadow of her forgotten former life – threaten to derail her journey to autonomy and force her forever back into the gilded cage of isolation with which women of her era were expected to content themselves.

Ambitious, sprawling, and unapologetically allegorical, Lanthimos’ immersive film makes very little effort to disguise its true identity as a high-concept parable, even as it painstakingly builds the fantastical world in which it takes place; though its setting may look like a palpably authentic version of 19th century London (and later, beyond), it’s as much derived from familiar tropes of literature and cinema as it is from period detail, and it leans into the faux-Victorian sci-fi trappings of its Penny Dreadful-ish mad scientist plotline to transform that ostensibly real-world landscape into a dream-like reality that shifts ever deeper into a sort of steampunk-flavored metaverse as Bella’s quest for full personhood takes her further from the social constructs of the “polite society” for which she has been groomed.

To that end, the production design from Shona Heath and James Price, captured by the luminous cinematography – which shifts throughout among varying degrees of blackand-white and color – of Robbie Ryan, creates just the right blend of magical realism and macabre whimsy to make us accept it without question. More crucially, it evokes the kind of not-so-subtle surrealism that helps us understand we’re in an esoteric world of dreams, myths, and fables, no matter how much it might look like the real one.

That’s a key element in making “Poor Things” hit home, because despite the genre trappings in which it is wrapped, it’s a movie that is less far-fetched fantasy than it is social satire. In Lanthimos’ vision, the story’s thematic observations about the conflict between personal freedom and cultural conditioning – particularly when it comes to women – become central. Reborn as a blank slate, Bella is free

WILLEM DAFOE and EMMA STONE in ‘Poor Things.’ (Image courtesy Searchlight Pictures)

from the constructs that dictate her proscribed role in society, and she acts according to her true nature – putting her in direct conflict with those she encounters (particularly the men) on her travels. Like a feminist version of Voltaire’s Candide, her episodic adventure exposes her to different aspects of the civilization around her, charting an evolution from naïve bumpkin to self-actualized wise woman that confronts her with a menu of ideological perspectives – mostly advanced, again, by men, all of whom seek to control her for reasons ranging from the protective to the predatory. Seeing it take place in a reality that seems to evolve along with her into an ever more idealized iteration of itself drives home the point that, regardless of when it takes place, it’s a story about simply being a real human in the here and now, no matter where or when that might be.

Underscoring this sense of the universal are the inherent echoes in its narrative of mythic figures, from Prometheus and Pygmalion to Faust and Frankenstein, all of whom remind us of the dangers we face when we defy “the gods” – or nature itself – in our quest to subvert their dominion over us and exert control over our own fate. Re-imagined in a tale about a woman attempting to define her own existence in a world that wants to deny her that power, these classic cautionary tales of self-defeating hubris take on a new aspect; instead of reinforcing those traditional morals about knowing our place in the universe, it challenges us to question them instead. Add to that a dedication to the notion of empiricism as the means to true enlightenment – as opposed to blind devotion to a time-honored construct that no longer works – and you have a movie that feels pointedly apropos for our current reality, despite its period setting.

Yet despite all the brainy-sounding conceptual ideas it invites us to contemplate, Lanthimos’ movie doesn’t feel as cerebral as it is; thanks to his admittedly black sense of humor – more directly comedic here, perhaps, than in his earlier, drier films – it keeps us in a perpetual state of

bemused curiosity, which lets us absorb its philosophical explorations without feeling like we’re attending a college lecture. On the contrary, it’s a highly entertaining, near-hypnotic treat for the eyes, ears, and imagination as well as the mind, replete with quirky details that make it sometimes feel like the cinematic equivalent of a Bosch painting. Much of that is due to the tone of Lanthimos’ finely tuned direction and McNamara’s devilishly clever, understated screenplay, not to mention the above-mentioned visual artistry and a loopily ethereal score by first-time film composer Jerskin Fendrix.

But as well crafted as “Poor Things” is, it would be nothing without its star. Stone’s Bella is one of those instantly iconic film characters, larger than life but drawn with such layered authenticity by the performer that she becomes unforgettably human. Tasked with taking her role from pre-verbal simplicity to worldly sophisticate with stops at all points in between, she executes a complicated character arc with the precision of an Olympic athlete; it’s a career-defining accomplishment, worth the price of a ticket by itself – and as a bonus, Dafoe and Ruffalo also deliver memorable, pitch-perfect performances, with out queer comedian/actor Jerrod Carmichael shining as a cynical traveling companion that Bella meets along the way.

It should be noted that, for some viewers, “Poor Things” might push some boundaries; part of Bella’s explorations involve sex, and the movie doesn’t hold back in showing it.

It’s also fallen under some criticism for depicting sex work as a means of empowerment for women, though we suspect there are quite a few sex workers out there who would dispute that point.

With that small warning out of the way, we have no qualms about urging you to see “Poor Things” – preferably on a big screen, to fully appreciate its visual style – as soon as possible. Yes, it’s strange – but its strangeness is where its beauty becomes most visible.

JOHN PAUL KING

LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • JANUARY 05, 2024 • 13

BOOKS

‘Blood Sisters’ a lesbian thriller not to miss Mystery ensues when a female skull is found in the crook of a tree It’s the truth. Scout’s honor.

Pinky swear. Spit on your palms or prick your fingers, and shake hands. As a child, you had many ways to show that you intended to keep a promise when you made it and your word was your bond, but you’ve grown up. Today, you cross your heart but, as in the new novel “Blood Sisters” by Vanessa Lillie, you hope no one has to die.

She wasn’t looking for skeletal remains.

For Bureau of Indian Affairs archaeologist Syd Walker, such a find was very unusual but not unknown. Odd things happen during geological surveys on tribal lands everywhere. Still, the gruesome recovery in Rhode Island wasn’t top on Syd’s mind.

She’d gotten a call that her sister, Emma Lou, was missing in Oklahoma.

Again.

Fifteen years before, as Syd, Emma Lou, and Luna, whom they’d considered a sister, were chilling in Luna’s family’s trailer, a group of men broke in. Wearing masks, the “devils” killed Luna and her parents, and the small town of Picher, was never the same.

Neither were Emma Lou or Syd. As a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, Syd was well aware of the problems near her hometown, the issues Native Americans had there with the BIA, and her own ancestors’ efforts to survive on land that was given and then snatched back. She also knew the fact that she had a wife at home in Rhode Island set her apart since she’d left. And drugs – too many people on tribal allotments were getting drugs too easily.

But someone wanted Syd to come home: a female skull was found in the crook of a tree with her old work badge in its mouth. Despite knowing that Syd had fled Oklahoma on purpose, her new boss at the BIA pulled strings to arrange the trip and assigned her the case.

Years ago, Syd had promised to protect Luna and Emma Lou. One of them was already dead. The other was missing. Was the skull a threat – or a warning?

Here is the best advice you’re going to get when you grab “Blood Sisters”: pay close attention to the minutiae. Without

14 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • JANUARY 05, 2024

‘Blood Sisters’

By Vanessa Lillie

c.2023, Berkley | $27 | 384 pages

being a spoiler, little things mean a lot.

Unless you watch carefully, you’ll be cruising along at 200 miles an hour in a screaming run through pages and pages of barely bearable excitement when suddenly, your brain will make that scratchy sound like a stopped record. It’s there where author Vanessa Lillie drops three tons of TNT, right toward the almost-end of her story and whoa, Nelly. If you’re not paying attention, you may have to read the chapter multiple times to cut your “What the....?” down to a manageable level.

Yeah, this is that kind of book, the kind that’s written with authenticity, an insider’s feel, and heightened tension that’ll keep you awake. The kind that you think you know how it’ll end and you’re wrong.

For mystery lovers or thriller fans, “Blood Sisters” is the kind of book you should scout out.

TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

CLASSIFIEDS

ANNOUNCEMENT

FINANCIAL SERVICES

REAL ESTATE/ LOANS

NEW AUTHORS WANTED! Page Publishing will help you self-publish your own book.

FREE author submission kit!

Limited offer! Why wait?

Call now: 1-855-667-0380

Over $10K in Debt? Be debt free in 24 to 48 months. No upfront fees to enroll. A+ BBB rated. Call National Debt Relief 1-888-231-4274.

Switch & save up to $250/ year on your talk, text & data. No contract & no hidden fees. Unlimited talk & text with flexible data plans. Premium nationwide coverage. 100% U.S. based customer service.

Limited time offer get $50 off on any new account.

Use code GIFT50. For more information, call 1-844-908-0605

Jacuzzi Bath Remodel can install a new, custom, bath or shower in as little as one day. For limited time, we’re waiving all installation costs! (Additional terms apply. Subject to change & vary by dealer.

Offer ends 1/31/24).

Call 1-833-985-4766

RETIRED COUPLE $1 MIL for business purpose Real Estate loans. Credit unimportant. V.I.P. Trust Deed Company www.viploan.com Call 1-818-248-0000 Broker-principal DRE 01041073.

No Consumer Loans.

AUTOS WANTED WANTED! OLD PORSCHE. 356/911/912 for Restoration Hobbyist. 1948-1998 only.

Any Condition. Top $ Paid.

PLEASE LEAVE MESSAGE 1-707-339-5994 or email Porscherestoration@yahoo. com DONATE YOUR CAR TO KIDS Fast Free Pickup – Running or Not - 24 Hour Response - Maximum Tax Donation – Help Find Missing Kids! Call 1-888-491-1453.

CABLE / INTERNET/ SATELLITE TV FREE high speed internet for those that qualify.

Government program for recipients of select programs incl. Medicaid, SNAP, Housing Assistance, WIC, Veterans Pension, Survivor Benefits, Lifeline, Tribal. 15 GB internet service. Bonus offer: Android tablet FREE with one-time $20 copay.

Free shipping & handling.

Call Maxsip Telecom today!

1-855-480-0769

HOME REMODEL

INSURANCE SAVE BIG on HOME INSURANCE! Compare 20 A-rated insurances companies.

Get a quote within minutes.

Average savings of $444/ year! Call 1-844-410-9609!

(M-F 8am-8pm Central) MEDICAL / HEALTH STROKE & CARDIOVASCULAR disease are leading causes of death according to the American Heart Association.

Screenings can provide early detection! Contact Life Line Screening to schedule your screening. Special offer - 5 screenings for $149.

Call 1-888-892-5598 SAFE STEP North America’s #1 Walk-In Tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-the-line installation & service. Now featuring our FREE Shower package & $1,600 off for a limited time. Financing available.

Call 1-888-989-5749

The difference in winning and losing market share is how you spend your ad dollars. CNPA’s power to connect nearly 10 million consumers and an engaged audience, makes our services an indispensable marketing solution. For more info 1-916-288-6011 or cecelia@cnpa.com This Space Can Be Yours!

Call 1-916-288-6011 Get the best ROI WANTED! OLD PORSCHE. 356/911/912 for Restoration Hobbyist. 1948-1998 only.

Any Condition. Top $ Paid.

PLEASE LEAVE MESSAGE 1-707-339-5994 or email Porscherestoration@yahoo. com RETIRED COUPLE $1 MIL for business purpose Real Estate loans. Credit unimportant.

V.I.P. Trust Deed Company www.viploan.com Call 1-818-248-0000 Broker-principal DRE 01041073.

No Consumer Loans.

DID YOU KNOW 7 IN 10 Americans or 158 million U.S. Adults read content from newspaper media each week? Discover the Power of Newspaper Advertising. For a free brochure call 916-288-6011 or email cecelia@cnpa.com

LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • JANUARY 05, 2024 • 15