The Pride LA 6.3.22

the pride

ISSUE NUMBER 79, VOLUME 50 | JUNE 1 – JUNE 30, 2022 06.01.2022 – 06.30.2022

WWW.THEPRIDELA.COM

LOS ANGELES

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THE LOS ANGELES LGBT NEWSPAPER

Pride Month Events Return to LA, Long Beach, Santa Monica and More

SEE INSIDE FOR THE PRIDE LA’S GUIDE TO LOCAL PRIDE MONTH HAPPENINGS

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06.01.2022 – 06.30.2022

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IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

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MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:

� Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your healthcare

� Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY”

provider will test you for HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months, and may give you HBV medicine.

section.

� Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get

stronger and begin to fight infections that may have been hidden in your body. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.

� Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare

ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.

BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains: � dofetilide � rifampin � any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY Tell your healthcare provider if you: � Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis

infection. � Have any other health problems.

provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.

� Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a

serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.

� Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your

healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, lightcolored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.

� The most common side effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were

diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

These are not all the possible side effects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY.

� Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.

Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

� Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not

breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:

Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

� Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter

GET MORE INFORMATION

medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. � BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect each other. Ask your

healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

� This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY.

Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.

� Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5 � If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for

program information.

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, GSI, and KEEP BEING YOU are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date: February 2021 © 2022 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. US-BVYC-0085 02/22

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BIKTARVY® is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in certain adults. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.

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Pride Is Here. Here’s What You Can Expect in West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Los Angeles and Long Beach

By Susan Payne

West Hollywood Pride: With Liberty, Diversity, Inclusion and Progress for All As California enters Pride month, WeHo Pride continues its monthlong Pride celebration with a weekend full of activities and music. Here are the details for several events in June: WeHo Pride Street Fair — Friday from 4 to 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from noon to 10 p.m. on Robertson Boulevard OUTLOUD Raising Voices Music Festival — Friday from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m., Saturday and Sunday from noon to 12 a.m. in West Hollywood Park. Tickets can be purchased here.

Dyke March — Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and PRIDE on Robertson Stage Women’s Freedom Festival — Friday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and PRIDE on Robertson Stage WeHo Pride Parade — Sunday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. from Crescent Heights to Robertson along Santa Monica Boulevard WeHo Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival — Queer Diasporas: Lavender City of Dreams runs until Aug. 19, Pride Poets, an interactive typewriter poetry project for custom poems written by an LGBTQ+ poet runs from June 4-5 and June 11-12, Church of Trans Love and Pledge Allegiance to Your Flag! A Festival of LGBTQ+ Flags are both on June 5, and a free LGBTQ comics convention, Q Con, in addition to a free concert is happening on June 18, and ‘Meringue’ art installation lit up in Inclusive Rainbow Colors is ongoing until June 30. More details on these exhibitions can be found here.

Santa Monica Pride: Miles of Pride SaMo Pride is a month long focus on family-friendly displays and activities that safely celebrate Santa Monica’s inclusive and diverse spirit.

Through June 30, visit the Miles of Pride Light Installation at 11:30 p.m. each night, spanning the Third Street Promenade and Santa Monica Place.

On Thursday, Party with a Purpose Mixer + Fundraiser will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at The Victorian. RSVP here.

Made with Pride Marketplace partners with Streetlet for a pop-up that will take place each Friday, Saturday and Sunday in June starting this weekend. Additionally, Drag Queen Story Hour from noon to 1 p.m. at the Cayton Children’s Museum and Pride Pawty from 4 to 6 p.m. at Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel will keep the family and pets busy. Drag Queen Story Hour will happen again on June 10.

On Saturdays, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Santa Monica Place, a live DJ will spin “Lanterns of Love” with a colored lantern installation across Center Plaza.

This Saturday, from 7 to 11 p.m., guests are invited to Drag me to the Loews hosted

by Lady Bunny, who will perform with 10

other queens the art of drag. Tickets can be purchased here.

On June 7, children ages three and over can attend the Rainbow Family Storytime at the Main Library, an inclusive story time for LGBTQIA+ and all families.

From June 9 to June 12, Cayton’s Children’s Museum will host Art Project: Self-Portrait Puppets inviting guests to create a puppet that expresses themselves.

On June 15, OUTLOAD! Ten poignant and hilarious stories that explore love, loss and cross-cultural queer identities through a Jewish lens was created by The Braid at the Annenberg Community Beach House.

Q&A to follow, get tickets here.

For the rest of the month, celebrate Pride with Art Studio: Clay Sculpting and Watercolor, the Mortified Podcast, Angel City Market, Pride Bar Crawl, Queer Prom, Dance with Dane, Pride Sunset Swim, HI DE HO COMICS: PRIDE-CON, and the City Council Pride Proclamation!

LA Pride presented by TikTok Celebrate a full month of Pride with a special LGBTQ+ Dodgers game, LA Pride in the Park with headliner Chirstina Aguilera, the LA Pride Parade on Hollywood Boulevard and the Pride is Universal event at Universal Studios!

Pride Month kick off begins Saturday at Dodger Stadium at 7 p.m. for the 9th Annual LGBTQ+ Night including a pregame party with DJ Bowie J and post-game Friday night fireworks.

The LA Dodgers vs. New York Mets game will feature a commemorative Dodger LGBTQ+ game jersey available for purchase. Pre-gaming starts in the Right Field Plaza Bar at 5:30 p.m. until the first pitch at 7:10 p.m. During the pre-game, former Los Angeles Dodger Glenn Burke, the first openly gay MLB, will be formally recognized.

Tickets for the kickoff party can be purchased here. Game tickets can be purchased here.

2022 LA Pride in the Park festival on June 11 features headliner Christina Aguilera and a full afternoon of activities, music, vendors and exhibitor booths, food and drinks, and sponsor activities at the Los Angeles State Historic Park.

Other main stage artists include Syd, Chika, Michaela Jae (formerly MJ Rodriguez,) Rebecca Black, Eureka Bob the Drag Queen, Zolita, Allison Ponthier, Alexander Stewart, Grag Qeen and Edward Frame. Additional performances throughout the day include A Club Called Rhonda, Boy Untitled x Boy Apocalypse, Drumraq, Gess, Malibu Babie, Mike Taveira, Rossi and San Cha. The LA Pride in the Park festival runs from 1 p.m to 11 p.m. on June 11. Tickets start at $60 and can be purchased here.

After this full day festival, continue the

Pride Guide, see page 15

“Miles of Pride” light installation on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica

WeHo Pride will take place over the course of June

Photo: Mathew Tucciarone

Photo: wehopride.com

06.01.2022 – 06.30.2022

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Brian had his HIV under control with medication. But smoking with HIV caused him to have serious health problems, including a stroke, a blood clot in his lungs and surgery on an artery in his neck. Smoking makes living with HIV much worse.

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Conflict Continues Over Third Grade Teacher’s Gay Pride Videos Played Over Zoo Receives threats, involuntary transfer

By SuSan Payne Nearly one year after a Glendale Unified School District third grade teacher showed videos celebrating gay pride to her students, debate continues as she has been involuntarily transferred from her classroom.

The teacher, having received threats, has been transferred from her classroom for safety reasons, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Glendale Unified School District is a suburban L.A. County school system of 25,000 students. Three of the videos explain gay prude with songs and animation and one features a song called, “Love is Love,” T Times reported. Another video, “Talking to Kids about Pride Month,” has seen the most public objection amid the nation’s debate over what should be taught in schools about gender identity.

In the three-minute video, TV personality Jessi Cruickshank uses the terms “sexual diversity” and “coming out of the closet.”

While it’s unknown which videos were shown during class, recent school board meetings have been flooded full of parents,

teachers, students, activists and community members who want to share their view on the subject’s appropriateness to age, The Times stated. One parent accused the teacher of holding a “sexual orientation class” with 8-year-olds while another speaker questioned why the teacher was taking time to push “political and social agendas.”

Currently, California law does not require advance notice or allow an opt-out provision for gender identity issues althought California’s history-social science curriculum framework states that gender noncomforming students have unfairly suffered emotionally and academically for being difficerent and that all students have the fundamental right to be respected and feel safe, regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression, The Times stated.

As the conflict unfolds, teaching about gender identity in public schools has joined the list of other political debates including critical race theory, social emotional learning, vaccine mandates for COVID-19 and a national cotroversy centered in Florida called the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

That Florida law prohibits classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity rom kindergarten through third grade. Similar legislation in five other states have been introduced, in addition to 19 other states posing or having restrictions against

children’s access to support of an individual’s gender identity that conflicts with biological gender at birth, The Times reported.

In Glendale, some students pleaded for acceptance and for those lessons to continue in that one-minute window to speak during the school board meeting.

Third-grade teacher Tammy Tiber, who was 34 years of teaching experience, and working at Jefferson Elementary until her transfer, also stepped up to make this point: “I had hoped to make my classroom a safe space, and that I could teach my students to love and accept others no matter their differences, even if some of them had been taught to disapprove or hate others who are

different from them,” she said. Instead, “my life has turned upside down.” The criticism, she said, has been like a “witch hunt against me.”

Tiber’s transfer was not disciplinary, officials told The Times, but the episode has raised alarms for teacher unions in California.

Verbal attacks and physical threats against teachers are “creating danger and harm to educators as well as the students,” said Jeff Freitas, president of CFT, a statewide union who members include many K-12 and college instructors, according to The Times.

Glendale Third Grade Teacher, see page 10

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Kaiser Permanente Hospitals Receive LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader Designation

By Susan Payne

This year, Kaiser Permanente’s 15 hospitals in southern California have received the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader designation from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation in its 2022 Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), according to The Los Angeles Blade.

HRC focuses on the equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals and creates impact with its 11 programs and initiatives.

Glendale Third Grade Teacher, from page 7 Karen Perdue, an area resident, rejected those characterizations of Freitas’ view, amd said, “I’m coming here by love and asking the board to listen to the parents not to indoctrinate our children on items that we don’t want discussed.”

During the alleged video sharing, Tiber was teaching remotely from her home, and no

“Kaiser Permanente has an unwavering commitment to providing equitable, culturally responsive care, and achieving equitable health outcomes for our LGBTQ+ members, patients and families, ,” said Julie Miller-Phipps, president, Kaiser Permanente Southern California and Hawaii, Health Plan and Hospitals. “We will continue to ensure that everywhere we deliver care, all patients feel welcome and are treated with empathy, dignity and respect.”

Kaiser Permanente Southern California medical centers, along with all other Kaiser Permanente hospitals nationwide, received the maximum score in each section of the HEI survey. Each participating Kaiser Permanente hospital completed more than 16,000 hours of LGBTQ+ training.

More than 900 health care facilities participated in the 2022 HEI survey. one complained about the lesson at the time, The Times reported.

Across the country, topics such as social justice learning standards, restorative justice and anti bias education have become targets of right-wing activists who view the way they are incorporated into public education as harmfully left-leaning, respectful of family and patriotic views and trampling on parental rights, The Times reported.

It was an exchange between Tiber and a district curriculum advisor in 2021, verified

by school district officials, posted on social media that ignited the Glendale conflict.

“Today I talked to my class about LGBTQ pride month and played 2 short videos from youtube that were geared toward kids,” Tiber wrote on June 7, 2021. “A parent who heard the lesson and discussion made her daughter leave zoom and texted me asking me when I was done discussing sexual orientation so that she could let her kids back into zoom. I was planning on doing more lessons tomorrow and Wednesday, but now I’m afraid to. Here

are the videos and lessons I was going to do with my class.”

Within 30 minutes, Tiber got a response from Craig Lewis, a specialist in “restorative practices and positive behavior intervention and support.” He wrote, “Do not be concerned or afraid,” The Times reported.

Lewis offered support and stated the Cruickshank video, although positive, could be a red flag for some and that she should consider not using it.

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Audio Meets Reality in ‘Being Trans’ Podcast Series Showcasing the Lives of Four Transgender Individuals of the LA Area

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Through narrative-style storytelling, BEING Studios gives listeners an intimate, first-person access into the worlds of people they may not otherwise know

By Susan Payne BEIN Studios, Lemonada Media —a podcast network that makes life easier — debuted an audio reality series called “BEING Trans” at the end of April, showcasing the lives of four transgender individuals of the Los Angeles area in an unscripted, doc-reality series.

The series follows Jeffrey, a transgender man and standup comedian who navigates a career and friendship with his partner; a trans woman from Guatemala who is working on tough issues at the courthouse; and Sy, who is married to his husband Robert who is facing trans non-binary transformation, according to a release posted on Cision on April 28.

“I’ve spent my whole career in unscripted television, and the opportunity to translate that into an audio format was too exciting to pass up,’’ said BEING Studios Executive Producer Kasey Barrett. “Over the course of taping, we fell in love with this incredible cast, and I think our listeners will too.

A crew with no lights or cameras really creates an intimate environment, allowing listeners to truly feel like they are walking in another person’s shoes.”

Last summer, Lemonada Media announced the launch of BEING Studios, a radio podcast that create groundbreaking immersive audio reality podcasts. Through narrative-style storytelling, BEING Studios gives listeners an intimate, first-person access into the worlds of people they may not otherwise know.

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Trans Fans Praise Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Auntie Diaries’ Track

Photo: Mathew Tucciarone

“Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers,” by Kendrick Lamar wrestles big issues, but his track “Auntie Diaries” has earned praise from the trans community.

Exploring Lamar’s evolving relationship with his trans relatives, the song is a “vivid, exceptionally provocative look into the mind of a younger Lamar forming a concept of transness amid a working-class Compton culture not often inclined to embrace it,” according to The Los Angeles Times.

Although dusted with anti-gay slurs and other purposefully ugly language around gender and sexuality, Lamar won the hearts of some listeners for being wrenchingly accurate about this cis, straight Black man’s path to a fuller understanding of his family relations.

Over Lamar’s youth, he comes to an understanding that his aunt had transitioned into a male identity.

“My auntie is a man now / I think I’m old enough to understand now,” Lamar raps at the song’s opening. “I watch him and his girl hold their hands down.”

Later in the song, Lamar revisits the story of a cousin he once knew as Demetrius, now a trans woman named Mary-Anne, according to the LA Times.

“The Barbie dolls played off reflection of Venus / He built a wall so tall you couldn’t climb over / He didn’t laugh as hard when the kids start joking ‘F—t, F—t, F—t,’ we ain’t know better,” he raps.

She first appeared in his song “Sherane a.k.a. Master Splinter’s Daughter,” off his 2012 album “Good Kid, m.A.A.d. City.”

Although startling, Lamar’s misgenderings and slurs are intentional for their effect. Cruel gestures like deadnaming and repeating slurs would be unforgiveable in conversation, but the son’s provocations feel like a wincing look back on the young mind Lamar inhabited on tracks like 2012’s “Backseat Freestyle,” a fan favorite for its evil strut, but also a character study of a naïve young man in the throes of foolish influences, the LA Times wrote.

“Auntie Diaries” attempts to revisit a younger Lamar and try to make sense of his fascination with the trans relatives around him while also absorbing the slights and violence he seems around him, the LA Times reported.

“See, my auntie is a man now, slight bravado / Scratching the likes from lotto / Hoping that she pull up tomorrow.”

In the song, Lamar says his trans uncle is the first person he ever saw writing raps, an influence that made his career possible. He also revealed: “Asked my momma why my uncles don’t like him that much / And at the parties why they always wanna fight him that much / She said, ‘Ain’t no tellin’ / N— always been jealous because he had more women / More money and more attention made more envy.’”

Later in the song, Lamar remembers an infamous moment onstage in 2018 when he invited a white fan to rap with him but stopped the show to reprimand her for repeating anti-Black slurs.

“Reminded me about a show I did out the city / That time I brung a fan on stage to rap / But disapproved the word that she couldn’t say with me / You said, ‘Kendrick, ain’t no room for contradiction / To truly understand love, switch position’ / ‘F—t, F—t, F—t,’ we can say it together / But only if you let a white girl say ‘n—’.”

While trans fans are going to have different reactions informed by their wide variety of lived experience, LA Times said some have said they’re grateful for Lamar’s candor and the delicacy with which he uses hateful phrasing to compassionate ends.

“Like it or not the use of the f— slur, dead naming and misgendering is reality.

I’m sorry he didn’t sugarcoat it for y’all but it’s realistic as personally I get dead named and misgendered by family to this day,” wrote a trans female fan on Twitter.

“This song may not be some of y’all’s ideal version of allyship and activism but it’s done in a way that holds truth and weight to the transphobia and homophobia in hiphop. We should be grateful one of the most remarkable rappers alive chose to bring up this topic.”

“A lot of ppl have problems with Kendrick’s use of the f-slur here but it’s important to remember the narrative frame the song uses,” wrote another trans fan.

“This becomes incredibly relevant at the apex of the song…I’ve looked over these lyrics countless times it’s very clear that everything in this song is deliberate. It’s an in your face re-telling of the events that lead a previously ignorant Kendrick Lamar to become understanding of LGBTQIA+ people & provoked him to fight for them.”

Lamar closes the song reflecting his understanding, ending with Lamar giving a full-bodied attestation of love and humility in the face of someone’s deepest truths about themselves, the LA Times said.

“Forcing me to stand now I said, ‘Mr. Preacherman, should we love thy neighbor?” he says. “The laws of the land or the heart, what’s greater?’”

A live drag performance featuring the world’s most iconic drag queens, hosted by Lady Bunny. Proceeds benefit LA! Pride.

Tickets starting at $45.

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06.01.2022 – 06.30.2022

LOS ANGELES

Happening Now: West Hollywood’s LGBTQ+ Arts Festival

By SuSan Payne

Happening now through the end of June, WeHo Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival celebrates the artistic contributions of the LGBTQ community and Pride month.

Presenting both in-person and virtual events, the festival runs until June 30, in congruent with WeHo Pride Weekend from June 3 to June 5.

Starting with a virtual staged reading of the play “Dear Harvey: Stories of Harvey Milk” by Patricia Loughrey, this year’s theme is “With Liberty, Diversity, Inclusion and Progress for All.” This documentary-style ensemble play recounts the life and lasting impact of the LGBTQ activist Harvey Milk as told by the people who knew him best, according to the Los Angeles Blade.

This year’s production features an entirely transgender and non-binary cast including: Luckie Alexander, Blossom C. Brown, Abdullah “Abby” Rahsheen Hall, Marval A. Rex, Mallery Jenna Robinson, Sydney Rogers aka Miss Barbie-Q, and Emily Westheimer. This performance is directed by Brittney S. Wheeler and produced by Parnell Damone Marcano and Celebration Theatre, LA’s oldest theatre dedicated to producing LGBTQIA+ work, The Blade reported.

Some highlights of the 40-day festival include: • QUEER DIASPORAS: Lavender City of Dreams — May 27 to Aug. 19, free. Presented by

by Rubén Esparza and Queer Biennial, this is an online exhibition with some in-person events at ONE Gallery that touches on identity, activism, futurity and beauty. Digital galleries, spaces, textured backdrops and live performances will be held May 28, June 3 and 4.

• differently-abled, neurodivergent, HIV positive, Trans, or Muslim, etc.

• Write Out Proud LGBTQ Writing Workshop — Wednesdays or Saturdays in June from 6-9 p.m., or 1-4 p.m., free. New and seasoned writers are welcome to write and share fun, flirty stories influenced by personal ideas of gender, sexuality and sexual orientation. Online reading will be held June 29 from 6-9 p.m. To sign up for this free workshop email info@

writeoutproud.com.

• Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence Pledge Allegiance to Your Flag: A Festival of LGBTQ Flags — June 4 from 2-4 p.m., free.

Erase shame and stigma and claim your LGBTQ identity better by choosing an LGBTQ color guard flag and creating a personalized madeup mad cap mad lib Pledge of Allegiance. For details: http://www.writeoutproud.com/pledge. html.

• Church of Trans Love — June 5 at 2 p.m., free. The fictitious “The Church of Trans Love” presents a queerdo take on ecclesiastical liturgical practices in the tradition of “The Book of Mormon.” Performances includes music from David Bowie and features Key Exchange, the show’s gospel choir of professional trans and non-binary singers. More information: https:// bit.ly/churchtranslove.

• WeHo Reads: Pride & Joy in the Matrix — June 7 at 6 p.m., free. LGBTQ+ authors take a hard look at society in real life and virtually, pinpointing ways to better connect and love each other. RSVP for this online session here: www. weho.org/wehoreads.

• Pride Poets – “Pledge” Poetry Hotline — June 11from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. overnight, free. LGBTQ poets stand by to tackle poetic needs by phone. Call in and have an original poem created for you or a loved one.

This year’s this is “Pledge: come share your allegiances with us!” Call 202-998-3510.

• Q Con: A One Day Comic Convention Celebrating LGBTQ Comics — June 18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Plummer Park’s Fiesta Hall, 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard, free. Find an exciting, diverse selection of LGBTQ comics and graphic novels all in one place. Q Con is family friendly, and admission is free. Cosplay is encouraged. Join in the costume contest for fun and prizes. For the latest updates on Q Con, visit https://www.prismcomics.org/q-con.

• Trans Pride LA 2022: The VarieTy Show — June 18 at 7 p.m., free but RSVP required.

The VarieTy Show serves as the grand finale of the annual Trans Pride LA Festival. RSVP here: https://transpride.lalgbtcenter.org/.

For additional information, please visit www. weho.org/arts. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.

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Long Beach Community Creates Own May Pride Weekend Long Beach Proud still takes place in May

By SuSan Payne A Pride event in Long Beach, historically held in May, was moved to July this year, but the Long Beach community still wanted to celebrate.

Sal Flores-Trimble, founder of LB Living, said when pride was canceled last year, he put together a few LGBTQ+ events in Long Beach, according to ABC 7 Los Angeles.

To accommodate a higher than expected turnout from last year, LB Living joined forces with Long Beach Councilwoman Cindy Allen to create an official event called Long Beach Proud, which took place May 20-22.

“Originally, Long Beach Pride was the third weekend of May. It is the first time this year they moved it to July and over the last few weeks, I got emails, phone calls you know, messages saying, ‘Hey, are you doing anything for the original pride weekend,’ so that’s really what came about,” Trimble told ABC. In 2021, a rainbow lifeguard tower was burned down, which inspired Trimble to create LB Living. Although the tower was replaced and repainted by lifeguards, the cause of the

fire has not been determined, according to the Long Beach Fire Department.

Trimble said the fire was motivation for 2021’s May event to show people the LGBTQ+ is still in Long Beach, according to ABC. “People just wanted to be together and what better place than the beach. We have it here. Let’s use it and lets making accessible to everybody,” Trimble said.

Long Beach Proud events this year included a nighttime bike parade, bar crawl and beach takeover, according to ABC. “I have the privilege of being the mother of a gay daughter so I get the opportunity — she’s in Vegas, so I’ve been to pride all over and they’re great no matter where we go — but she will tell you this and I can say this, there’s something special about Long Beach,” Allen told ABC.

06.01.2022 – 06.30.2022

LOS ANGELES

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Venice Pride Festival and Parade Around the Corner Live music, DJ sets, Sunday parade and more come to Venice Beach Recreation Center June 4 & 5

By Staff Writer The Venice Pride Festival is just around the corner, a two day event with live performances and for the first time ever, a parade.

The event, hosted by Venice Pride, will take place June 4 and 5 from noon to 10 p.m. at the Venice Beach Recreation Center.

Tickets cost $20 per person, per day and can be purchased at venicepride.org. Proceeds will benefit Venice Pride, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to education, to the commemoration of LGBT heritage and to the celebration of LGBT culture and liberation.

The festival will feature performances from an array of local artists, including Gess, Boy Untitled, Polartropical, SNG and AH-MER-AH-SU. In addition, on Sunday there will be a parade. Checking in at .66 miles, the parade will start at the Rose Avenue near Ocean Front Walk and proceed south on the boardwalk to Windward Avenue. The parade will take place over an approximately 2 hour period. This is the first such parade associated with the Venice Pride festival.

Pride Guide, from page 4 Pride festivities on June 12 for the free LA Pride Parade on Hollywood Boulevard starting at 10:30 a.m. This year’s theme is #LoveYourPride celebrating the missed 50th anniversary of the first-ever permitted gay parade in the world. The parade will feature over 130 floats, marchers, trucks, exotic cars, twirlers, performers and more!

The route starts on Hollywood Boulevard and Cahuenga to Highland, south on Highland to Sunset Boulevard, then east on Sunset to Cahuenga.

After the parade, head over to Pride Village on Hollywood Boulevard between Cahuenga and Vine, or the beverage garden on Cosmo between Hollywood and Selma for more Pride fun at this new neighborhood festival organized by The Hollywood Partnership. Sponsor tents are located between Ivar and Vine near the Ferris wheel, community stage and vendor booths.

The final culmination of Pride month in LA is June 24 from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Universal Studios for the Pride is Universal event including an after-hours party starting at 9 p.m.

For this event, access these rides and attractions: • The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash • Dreamworks Theatre • Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem • Simpson’s: The Ride • Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey • Flight of the Hippogriff • Ollivander’s Wand Show • Transformers: The Ride 3D! • Revenge of the Mummy — The Ride • Jurassic World — The Ride Tour Universal Studios as three DJs spin tracks throughout the park and watch a Drag Show at the main stage in Universal Plaza. VIP tickets include early access to the event, rides and shows. Tickets start at $99 and can be purchased here.

Long Beach Pride: Many Voices, One Spirit

Tickets are now available for the 39th annual Long Beach Pride Parade and Festival — the third largest Pride festival in California — celebrating the LGBTQ+ community.

Beyond headline entertainment, good vibes and great food, attendees will experience Long Beach Pride’s first ever roller rink and silent disco, along with long time favorites including the Drag Makeup Station.

The free Long Beach Teen Pride is set for July 8 at Marina Greek Park on East Shoreline Drive featuring a live DJ, performances and dancing geared toward LGBTQ+ teens. Teens must have school ID to attend.

The main festival at Marina Greek Park begins July 9 at 11 a.m. and continues through July 10 at 10 p.m. featuring headlining artists Iggy Azalea, Natalia Jimenez and Paulina Rubino. Performances times and dates are as follows: • July 10 — Iggy Azalea is set to perform 8 p.m., Paulina Rubino will perform at

6 p.m., and Gia Banks from the show “Legendary,” will perform at 5 p.m., and Nira from Amoro Prohibido, a Selena tribute band, will sing at 3 p.m.

• July 9 — Natalia Jimenez will take the stage at 7:30 p.m., hip hop singer and actress YoYo will perform at 6 p.m., and Sonora Tropicana will go live at 4 p.m.

Some activations at this year’s festival include: • Community Walls — spaces for reflection and interaction, where guests can write inspirational messages.

• Senior Fun Zone — music, karaoke and bingo!

• S&M Playground — an adult fun zone where leather, kink and body confidence dominate.

• Transcendence Dome — a pop-up museum celebrating the trans community and trans women of color who have pioneered all things Pride through protest, historical movements and survival.

Long Beach Pride Festival tickets start at $40 and can be purchased here.

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06.01.2022 – 06.30.2022

LOS ANGELES

SA N TA M O N I C A CO LLE G E

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June 20

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SANTA MONICA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES Dr. Louise Jaffe, Chair; Barry Snell, Vice Chair; Dr. Susan Aminoff; Dr. Nancy Greenstein; Dr. Margaret Quiñones-Perez; Rob Rader; Dr. Sion Roy; Ali Shirvani, Student Trustee; Kathryn E. Jeffery, Ph.D., Superintendent/President Santa Monica College | 1900 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 | smc.edu