San Francisco Bay Times - October 13, 2016

October 13-26, 2016 | www.sfbaytimes.com

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Firefighters Pose for Calendar

Smoking Hot Preview: See Pages 15-19

PHOTO COURTESY OF @MYSCHABEAR FOR FIREFIGHTERS WITHOUT BORDERS

to Raise Critical Funds

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In the News Compiled by Dennis McMillan Voter ID Laws Could Prevent 34,000 Transgender People from Voting A new study has found that over 34,000 transgender people may be prevented from voting in the upcoming election due to strict voter ID laws. The study, “The Potential Impact of Voter Identification Laws on Transgender Voters in the 2016 General Election,” was released

by UCLA School of Law’s The Williams Institute—a think tank focused on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy. Its author, Williams Institute Scholar Jody L. Herman, Ph.D., used data from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality to look at voter ID laws in eight states: Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin. In those states around 112,000 transgender people are estimated to have transitioned and are eligible to vote, but about 30% may be prevented from doing so. The reason? A lack of identification that accurately reflects their correct gender, according to the study. Currently, thirty-four states have voter ID laws that require someone to produce an “acceptable” form of identification to poll workers in order to vote. The strictest forms of those laws require a government-issued ID, which is where transgender people face a potential barrier. edgemedianetwork.com NCLR Launches Campaign Urging Municipal and State Leaders to Ask Congress to Pass Equality Act The San Francisco-based National Center for Lesbian Rights launched a

new campaign—Support the Equality Act—urging municipal and state leaders across the country to enact resolutions pressing Congress to pass the federal Equality Act. While the LGBTQ community has experienced landmark victories over the last year, including the historic U.S. Supreme Court marriage equality decision, we still do not have comprehensive and specific anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people under federal law or in 32 states. In several states—including North Carolina and Mississippi—extreme anti-LGBTQ lawmakers have mounted unprecedented attacks on LGBT people in an attempt to set back the movement for LGBTQ equality. More than 200 bills that seek to legalize discrimination against LGBTQ individuals were considered this year in states across the country. Introduced last year, the Equality Act would amend federal civil rights laws to reflect that federal sex discrimination laws bar anti-LGBTQ discrimination, as many courts have held, and to create nationwide protections against sex discrimination in public accommodations. nclrights.org Outer Space Declared an LGBT-Friendly Zone Outer space has been declared an LGBT-friendly zone, thanks to human rights activist group Planting Peace, which launched a gay pride flag into orbit. With the use of a weather balloon and a GoPro, the flag was sent into space, reaching an altitude of 21.2 miles above Earth and remained in orbit for just

over three hours. Planting Peace is an adversary of the Westboro Baptist “God Hates Fags” Church. “It was an honor to send the first Pride flag into space, and it provided a wonderful opportunity to show that Planting Peace will not stop fighting for LGBTQ rights until all sexual and gender minorities experience full, fundamental rights in every corner of the universe,” Aaron Jackson, President of Planting Peace, said. “The backdrop of space gave us a stunning, inspiring and peaceful canvas for our message of hope to our LGBTQ family. I would love for LGBTQ children who are struggling to see this, and look up to the stars and remember that the universe shines brightly for them, and they are not alone.” edgemedianetwork.com Activist Fighting Major 6th & Market Development Over LGBTQ Historical Significance On October 27, the Planning Commission is set to consider the approval of Group i’s 12-story development project at 950-974 Market St. (at Sixth). Current plans call for a 120-foot-tall building with 247 condos, a 232-room hotel, approximately 16,000 square feet of retail space, and 82 below-ground parking spaces.

At the hearing, the Planning Commission will also consider the appeal of the Preliminary Mitigated Negative Declaration (a.k.a. Neg Dec) filed by housing activist and Q Foundation president Brian Basinger, formerly of the AIDS Housing Alliance. Basinger is appealing the project on both historic and contemporary grounds. As proposed, the project would demolish five existing structures, including the former locations of The Old Crow, one of the first gay bars in San Fran-

cisco, as well as other now-closed gay bars like the Pirate’s Den, The Landmark Room and The Silver Rail. hoodline.com Radical Love to Present 4th Annual East Bay LGBTQ Youth Pride Radical Love has announced that East Bay’s 4th annual LGBTQ Youth Pride will take place in Hayward on Saturday, October 22. The vision for Radical Love is to promote justice, wellness and community for LGBTQ youths by offering this free, fun and meaningful event where such individuals can come together to watch inspiring live performances by artists from our community. They can also receive free healing work, share a free meal, connect to local resources, and mobilize to stand up for justice and liberation. The Youth Pride event will be at 22245 Main Street, Suite 102, Hayward, from 1 to 5 pm. ourfamily.org SF LGBTQ Community Responds to Haiti Hurricane Crisis Rainbow World Fund is a San Francisco-based LGBTQ humanitarian organization helping out with Hurricane Matthew that has left a path of devastation throughout much of Haiti, where cholera is quickly spreading in the devastated southwest with the death toll topping 1,000. People are asked to be part of the LGBTQ community’s response by making a donation to Rainbow World Fund’s Haiti Emergency Fund. RWF has been funding humanitarian projects in Haiti since 2004. RWF’s disaster relief partner CARE is on the ground providing clean drinking water, food assistance and emergency supplies such as tarps for shelter, blankets and

hygiene kits. 100% of donations will fund these lifesaving actions. Specify “Haiti” when donating online or when sending a check to RWF, 4111 18th Street, San Francisco, CA 94114. rainbowfund.org Marriage Equality Pioneer Edith Windsor Finds Love Again with New Wife Edith Windsor is best known for her historic marriage equality case, in which she sought to be legally recognized as her late wife’s widow and ended up taking down the Defense of Marriage Act. But after spending years in the spotlight for the love she lost, the octogenarian activist remarried activist and finance executive Judith Kasen in New York. Windsor, 87, and Kasen, 51, married in a simple courthouse ceremony with a single witness, a little less than a year after the couple’s first date. In February, they will attend an Olivia Cruise where Windsor has a speaking engagement. And come 2017, if Donald Trump wins the presidency, they’re apparently contemplating a four-year vacation to Barcelona. lgbtqnation.com Governor Brown Signs Nation’s Most Inclusive Restroom Access Law Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation authored by Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco) establishing the nation’s most inclusive restroom access law among states.

Assembly Bill (AB) 1732 makes all single-user restrooms in California businesses, government buildings and places of public accommodation universally accessible to all genders starting March 1, 2017. Sponsored by (continued on page 30)

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Here’s What Millennials Have Taught Me

(Editor’s note: Clinton released this piece ahead of the recent town hall debate. She addressed it to millennials, many of whom have previously said that they will not vote at all in this election, or that they plan to support third party candidates. It is a reality that, as President Obama said a few weeks ago: “If you don’t vote, that’s a vote for Trump. If you vote for a third-party candidate who has got no chance to win, that’s a vote for Trump.”)

We hear a lot of things about the millennial generation. But too often, the people who are busy trying to define you are the ones who have spent the least time listening to you.

Here’s what I have learned: Your generation is the most open, diverse and entrepreneurial generation in our country’s history. And if we work together to take on the barriers that are holding you back and unleash your full potential, that won’t just improve your lives—it’ll make our entire country stronger.

From the first days of this campaign, you have shared the problems that keep you up at night and the hopes that get you up in the morning.

You’ve reached for the opportunities that come with a college education at the highest rates of any generation in history—but faced ballooning tuition costs and crushing student debt like never before. Many of you entered the workforce during the worst recession since the Great Depression. And you’ve come of age during two deadly, costly wars in the Middle East.

And yet, despite all these challenges, you’ve never given up. Not even close.

Instead, you’re leading the way to a brighter future for all of us. You’ve fought for some of the most important accomplishments in our nation’s history, like the Affordable Care Act and marriage equality. You’ve come together to challenge our country to protect human rights and strengthen families by fixing a broken immigration system, reforming our criminal justice system and ending the era of mass incarceration. And you’ve demanded that people of color be able to live their lives without fear of being killed at a routine traffic stop.

And it’s nothing short of inspiring.

Around the time I graduated from college, our country was in its own moment of soul-searching. We were mired in a war in Vietnam, and reeling from the shooting of peaceful pro-

testers at Kent State and the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Bobby Kennedy. At the same time, we were making progress on important fronts. The Civil Rights Act outlawed discrimination on the basis of race, and the Voting Rights Act broke down barriers that prevented too many people of color from casting their ballot. Women were entering the workforce like never before, challenging attitudes and expectations. It felt like all of America was struggling to decide who we were going to be.

Today, many of you have told me you feel the same way. We’ve seen the rise of a presidential candidate who pits A mericans against each other and traffics in prejudice and paranoia. I’ve heard how uneasy this race has made many of you feel—how chilling it is to see protesters beaten at political rallies while the candidate eggs them on. When he talks about making America great again, it’s code for taking America back to a time when many of us— women, people of color, immigrants, LGBT Americans, people with disabilities—were marginalized, ostracized and treated as less-than.

them if you spend 10 years in public service. You can even see how much you and your family could save under our plan by looking at the “college calculator” on our website (www. hillaryclinton.com). And we’ll make sure a four-year degree isn’t the only path to a goodpaying job by supporting apprenticeships and other highquality training programs.

Second, everyone should be able to get a job that pays the bills and can support a family.

And not only that, you should be able to do work you love and find meaningful. So we’ll create more good-paying jobs, raise the minimum wage and guarantee equal pay. This will help a lot of Americans, especially young people struggling

Hillary in Pennsylvania

But that’s not what our country is made of. And it’s not what I see when I look to your generation. In large part because of all of you, I am convinced that America’s best days are ahead of us.

Hillary 2016 sign in the Castro

Senator Sanders in Minnesota

There’s a lot that needs fixing—and we’re going to fix it together.

to find footing in a difficult economy.

To make it happen, we need to change both hearts and laws. Starting with my first job at the Children’s Defense Fund, I’ve learned that if you want to help the greatest number of people in our democracy, you have to push for reform from both the outside in and the inside out. So we need activists and advocates, entrepreneurs and innovators, teachers and mentors, and everyone who changes lives every day in a million quiet ways. But we also need to do the slow, hard business of governing. We need to win elections, write laws, allocate resources and find common ground. Doing both is the secret to making change.

Let me tell you about a few things I want to work with you to change as your president.

T h i r d , no ne w parent should have to face the impossible choice between caring for a child or family member and losing a paycheck or even a job. It’s outrageous t hat i n 2016, the United States is the only developed country in the world without paid family leave of any kind. So we’ll make high-quality child care and preschool available to every family in every community.

I’ve spent my career fighting to make a difference for children and families, and I can’t wait to do even more as president.

First, everyone who wants to go to college should be able to without drowning in debt. That’s why I worked with Sen. Bernie Sanders to design a plan that will let everyone attend college debt-free. If you already have loans, we’ll let you ref inance them, defer them to start a business or forgive

Of course, to do any of these things, we can’t have secret unaccountable money poisoning our politics. So I’ll appoint Supreme Court justices who will overturn Citizens United and even propose a constitutional amendment to do the same. And by doing that, we’ll make sure that no special

PHOTO BY RINK

By Hillary Rodham Clinton

Photos courtesy of Hillary for America Campaign

interests can get in the way of protecting and expanding civil rights, LGBT rights and all human rights.

Many of you have shared with me that it feels like you’re out there on your own—like no one has your back.

It shouldn’t be that way. If I’m fortunate enough to be elected, you will always have a champion in the White House. But I can’t do it on my own. I need you to work with me, keep fighting for what you believe, hold me ac-

countable. I can’t promise we’ll win every fight on our first try. But I can promise you this: I’ll never stop fighting for you.

So let’s stand together to show the world what our country, and your generation, really stands for. Let’s overwhelm division and intolerance with compassion, understanding and unity. Let’s make clear that Love Trumps Hate—not just this November, but always.

Repudiate Trump

By David Perry For the next six week s I w i l l be working remotely: a U.S. citizen in Europe. As I write this I am f lying David Perry over the frozen pole, contemplating the inf light movie I have just seen, Suffragette. It brought to mind the words of my Grandmother, the fiercely loving woman who, along with my Mother, raised me.

On one second Tuesday of November, while we walked together to the polls, I asked her, “When was the first time you voted?” Her answer was, “I voted in the first election in which women could.” That was 1920 when my Grandma was 22. She died at age 91 having never missed a vote. To her it was not only a right; it was a sacred duty.

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Alfredo (Casuso) and I have made certain that our vote will be counted from abroad. We had not planned it this way, but work opportunities drop into our laps often with plane tickets attached. This year, especially, I am grateful for the chance to see and listen to other perspectives as the world waits—and holds its breath—until November 8. When the United States sneezes, the world catches a cold.

This year the U.S. is in the grips of something far more insidious than merely the grip. It has become the sneeze heard round the world. It is the hacking cough of Donald Trump.

It is a disease of fear and socially-mediated manure. It stinks.

I actually know people who are voting for Donald Trump, which is their perfect right. My tiny screed will not convince them otherwise. Neither will the unprecedented condemnations of the country’s editorial pages: left, right and center. Neither, evidently,

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Do I think they are deplorable? No, I think they have tied their hopes for change to a rancid candidate.

Rabaul. I know the price our country has paid in blood and treasure for the world’s freedom. It’s a promise that can’t be paid for on credit, or leveraged against the development debt of a casino.

And so, I don’t try to “change” a vote.

I urge those who have never voted— or who don’t think it matters, or who just can’t summon the energy of a 91-year-old woman—to get off their duffs and to give a damn.

Donald Trump is not worthy of those fields of honor. No policy put forth by the Republican Party can redeem the emptiness of his character and the dishonor he has already done to our national brand.

Having visited over 70 countries, I can assure you that Donald Trump is an embarrassment to everything for which our nation stands. I have walked the beaches of Normandy, the battlefields of Italy and the jungles of

Reject him.

will the unseemly and grotesquely base antics of a serial narcissist keep some from pulling the “Trump” lever.

On Election Day, repudiate Donald Trump. Reject the fear on which he feeds. Push his seaminess back into the swamps of reality TV and show

the world that we have not lost our way as well as our minds.

If you are Republican, work to rebuild the Party of Lincoln. If you are a Democrat, work to hold our candidate to a higher standard. But let’s be real and let’s be honest: Donald Trump is in a league of his own, and that league is one that is horrifying to the rest of the civilized and thinking world.

Truly, the world is watching.

David Perry is the creator/host of “10 Percent,” the longest running LGBT TV show in California history. He is also the CoFounder of the Rainbow Honor Walk and the CEO/Founder of David Perry & Associates, Inc.

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The Fallacy of the Protest Vote/Non-Vote proval rating for the two candidates is unprecedented, with Trump’s at 61% and Clinton at 54%.

Do Ask, Do Tell Zoe Dunning We are less than four weeks away from our U.S. Presidential Election. This will be my ninth election, and the stakes have never been higher. This is not hyperbole, or the media trying to generate frenzied interest to sell more advertising—this is reality.

The two nominees from the two major parties, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, could not be further apart in demeanor, experience, expertise or vision. In prior elections we could definitely argue policy differences, or whether candidates were more likeable, or the impact of their vision and positions on the future of our country and the world.

This year I am perplexed how any voter could be undecided between the two candidates this late in the election season. In fact, I have not heard from many who are still trying to choose between the two. The more typical stance is: “I’m a Republican, but I can’t abide Donald Trump’s braggadocio and don’t trust Hillary.” Or: “I’m a Democrat and supported Bernie in the primaries, but can’t bring myself to vote for Hillary and would never vote for Trump.” The disap-

Win Kim Win!

A San Francisco Kind of Democrat Rafael Mandelman Congratulations to District 11 Supervisor candidate Kimberly Alvarenga, who managed on September 29 to (for the second time) deny opponent Ahsha Safai’s bid for the endorsement of the local Democratic Party. It had been a significant and unexpected boost for Alvarenga back on August 17 when she blocked Safai’s first attempt to win the Party endorsement.

Although a majority of the members of the Democratic County Central Committee elected back in June (including me) support Alvarenga, the “ex oficio” members—that is, the Party bigwigs who hold seats on that committee by virtue of holding a State or Federal office—have almost all lined up behind Safai, and going into the August meeting everyone knew the vote was going to be very close.

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In fact, it couldn’t have been closer, with the Committee deadlocking 15 to 15 and thus not making an endorsement in the race. When Safai’s supporters subsequently started agitating for a re-vote at the September meeting, a lot of folks speculated that he must have managed to flip at least one member and would be walking away with the coveted endorsement.

And as it became clear that night that Norman Yee would not be showing up—Yee had been part of the narrow no-endorsement majority in Au-

As a result of this disillusion with the major candidates, Green Party nominee Jill Stein, and Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson are drawing more interest than is typical. The most recent Wall Street Journal poll— conducted after the Trump “locker room talk” video scandal and prior to the second debate—shows Clinton with 46%, Trump at 35%, Johnson with 9% and Stein trailing all at 2%.

The conclusion from the polls, and anecdotally from my conversations and reading of friends’ Facebook feeds, is that the decision some voters are grappling with is not between the two, but more a choice on whether to vote for one of the major party candidates vs. not voting at all. Or, vote for one of the major candidates vs. lodge a “protest” vote with Stein or Johnson.

Or, the disdain for the two candidates is so visceral, that the choice is Stein, Johnson or stay home.

With the stakes so high, the options above are, in my opinion, false choices. Come January 2017, either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton will be our next President, with all the power, authority, and responsibility that office bestows. Gary Johnson and Jill Stein have no chance—zero, zip, none—to become President. A voter would only choose one of them because they can’t abide the two major candidates and want to lodge a protest vote. Alternatively, they might not vote at all.

These decisions would have disastrous consequences. Hillary Clinton is the only candidate standing between Donald Trump and our nuclear codes. She is the only candidate positioned between Trump and his poten-

gust—many of us assumed Safai had the thing wrapped up. But, after hours of public testimony (most from supporters of Alvarenga urging the Party to stay out of the contest and leave it to the voters of District 11 to decide), School Board member Rachel Norton (a Safai vote in August) now voted against revisiting the endorsement vote, thus dashing Safai’s hopes for the endorsement.

Needless to say, the Alvarenga supporters on the Committee and in the audience were pretty ecstatic. As the endorsed candidate of the District 11 Democratic Club, and with the strong backing Supervisor Avalos, Kim looks to have a strong chance of winning in November. And how sweet it would be to see District 11, comprised of neighborhoods once represented by Dan White, elect a queer Latina mom to the Board of Supervisors. For folks with a little spare time between now and November 8, Kim’s office is located at 4458 Mission Street; drop by and lend a hand.

More Kim, Please!

I don’t believe it’s possible to do justice to the artistry of the drag makeover of District 6 Supervisor (and State Senate candidate) Jane Kim executed by Juanita More and Glamamore on October 1 at the Powerhouse. It has to have been the most delightful political event I have been to this season, maybe ever. I am supporting Jane because she has always supported me (even in 2010 when I supported her opponent Debra Walker in the District 6 race that year), because she’s a champion of poor and marginalized people, and because I trust her to fight for a more just world, but it certainly doesn’t hurt that she makes one fierce drag queen.

That night made me (and a room full of other delighted screaming queers) love Jane and Juanita even more than we already did!

What Were They Thinking?

Speaking of that State Senate race, what is up with Equality California?

tial to put in place some of the most egregiously racist, sexist, harmful policies our country has seen in quite some time. From a national security standpoint, his performance in the debates and in media interviews demonstrates his significant lack of understanding of foreign affairs and the dynamics at play in the Middle East, China, and across the globe.

I realize not everyone is on the Hillary bandwagon, mostly from doubts created by the right wing’s attack machine spreading false information that has time and time again been fact checked as inaccurate. I unabashedly support her for President, not just because she is a woman, but because she is the most qualified presidential candidate in our nation’s history. Her experience, expertise and temperament make her an exceptional candidate and will make her a great President.

That is my opinion and the opinion of millions of her supporters.

As a reader, you may disagree. I urge you, however, not to be cynical and refuse to vote, or to vote for another candidate in protest. Doing so brings Donald Trump that much close to the Oval Office. Your vote is your most powerful voice. Please exercise it, and exercise it wisely for the good of our country. This election matters, more than perhaps any other in the past 40 years.

Zoe Dunning is a retired Navy Commander and was a lead activist in the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. She served as CoChair of the Board of Directors for the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club and as an elected Delegate for the Democratic National Convention. She is a San Francisco Library Commissioner and is the former First Vice Chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party.

I have long admired and supported the group’s advocacy for the rights of LGBT Californians. But I was puzzled by the group’s decision to pour hundreds of thousands of dollars into attack ads targeting my new favorite drag queen Jane Kim. I can certainly understand their endorsement of Wiener—after all, he’s gay, she’s not, and representation matters—and I can understand spending money to promote his candidacy.

But why savage a strong progressive who always has been, and will also be, excellent on LGBT rights? Indeed, there are plenty of folks (including folks in the trans community) who argue that Kim is the stronger candidate when it comes to the “T” in LGBT. Equality California’s decision to hit Kim this year reminded me of the 2011 mayor’s race, when the Victory Fund chose to spend resources attacking Dennis Herrera, of all people; you remember, the City Attorney who fought for same-sex marriage all the way up to the Supreme Court? Yeah, that one. I love Equality California and Victory Fund, but I don’t love it when they spend our resources and credibility attacking our friends.

Now Vote!

It’s a long ballot, dear readers, but as I have tried to explain in past columns, there are a number of extremely important candidate races and measures on that ballot. So, yes, please do make sure to vote for Hillary and Kamala, but then keep voting all the way down the ballot. If you care about City College, make sure to vote for Prop 51 (school bonds that will help finance desperately needed improvements at our campuses), Prop 55 (renewing the Prop 30 income taxes that have been critical to funding operations at schools and community colleges across the State), Proposition B (the City College parcel tax extension) and Proposition W ( Jane Kim’s transfer tax on high end real estate to fund (continued on page 30)

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Castro Street Fair 2016

Photos by Rink and Paul Margolis

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“Love Your Hood” was the theme for the 43rd Castro Street Fair held on Sunday, October 2, on Castro, Market and adjacent blocks of 18th Streets. The day’s beautiful weather contributed to the fun and excitement as participants enjoyed entertainment stages, information booths, vendors offering a variety of art and other merchandise, as well as food and beverage purveyors.

Congratulations to Executive Director Fred Lopez, President Juan Garcia, Board member Steve Gaynes and all of their colleagues, local merchants, volunteers and friends of the Castro Street Fair who worked together to achieve this year’s fair.

Reducing Loneliness, One Group at a Time the country to over 70 phone and online groups every week.

Every group is created to meet the interests and needs of the diverse population calling in every day. Groups include health & wellness presentations, armchair travel, brain health, games, friendly conversation, support groups, and other special events.

Aging in Community Amber Carroll On September 6, the New York Times publ ished a n i mpor t a nt ar t icle about loneliness and social isolation amongst older adults. For those of us in senior services, or those of us who are entering or are already in our senior years, this isn’t new news. Life happens as we age, and the sad reality is that life, if we’re lucky enough to keep it, involves aging parts. With changing bodies come changing lives, and getting out and doing everything just isn’t as easy as it used to be.

Senior Center Without Walls, a program of Episcopal Senior Communities, has been addressing the needs of isolated older adults since 2004 by providing an array of phone groups allowing individuals to socially connect with each other from the comfort of their own homes. What began as a half hour conference call connecting six Bay Area seniors has grown into a national program that engages approximately 600 individuals across

Through volunteer facilitation, Senior Center Without Walls utilizes the wealth of knowledge, skills, and hobbies of our participant community. If there’s a will to start a group, there’s most likely a way to make it happen.

One of the longest running and most popular groups is Bingo, which takes place three times a week. You heard correctly: Bingo, over the phone!

In addition to participant volunteers, Senior Center Without Walls partners with community organizations to provide supportive groups, health & wellness presentations, and other special events as a venue to get relevant and interesting information into a community often missed by traditional education and outreach efforts.

Although social isolation and loneliness know no bounds, the LGBTQ senior community is even more likely to suffer the effects of social isolation compared to their straight counterparts. Studies have shown that LGBTQ seniors are twice as likely to live alone, and are less likely to have traditional support structures in place to rely on as they age.

With an overarching goal of alleviating social isolation for all older adults, Senior Center Without Walls looks

LGBT Resources for Seniors • Openhouse: 415-296-8995 openhouse-sf.org/ forward to expanding its partnership with Openhouse by including a biweekly supportive group for LGBTQ seniors beginning in October. LGBTQ Chat is an open group that will provide LGBTQ seniors an opportunity to socially connect with each other in a safe and supportive environment. Sylvia Vargas, Program Manager for Caring Connections, a friendly visitor program of Openhouse, will be facilitating the group and is “excited to be creating a safe and warm space for LGBTQ folks to engage with one another, share stories, laugh, and create new friendships.”

Senior Center Without Walls welcomes adults over the age of 60 to participate in groups at their convenience. Gratitude, a favorite for over a decade, will be offered 16 times each week during the fall session in English, Spanish, and Russian. Gratitude is a half hour call in which participants all share something they are thankful for. It’s virtually impossible to leave a gratitude group without a teary smile and a grateful feeling for being a part of such a supportive community.

It’s encouraging to know that more and more attention is being paid to elders in our community and the experience of aging. It’s also comforting to know that solutions can be simple,

and involve as little as a phone and an interested community. A recent survey showed that approximately 70% of participants reported that calling and logging into Senior Center Without Walls groups increased their connection to others, reduced feelings of isolation, increased mental stimulation, and created a sense of community.

Manuel Martinez, Information and Assistance Specialist at Openhouse, has facilitated the Spanish-speaking Gratitude group since January and reports that “it’s such a joy to hear those at home share something positive about their lives. In that moment, we all feel alive and connected to each other.”

Senior Center Without Walls Fall Session began on October 10. To register, please contact Senior Center Without Walls: 877-797-7299, scww@jtm-esc.org, seniorcenterwithoutwalls.org Amber Carroll, MFT, is the Director of Senior Center Without Walls, a program of Episcopal Senior Communities. Carroll has over twenty years of experience building programs that provide direct services and impact to the community. Since 2012, she has focused her attention on improving the lives of seniors.

• National Resource Center on LGBT Aging www.lgbtagingcenter.org/ • Project Open Hand San Francisco: Nutrition Services, 415-447-2300 www.openhand.org/ • SAGE: 212-741-2247 www.sageusa.org/about/ • Shanti Project, Inc: HIV Services and Life Threatening Illnesses, 415-674-4700 www.shanti.org/ Alzheimer’s Association Programs and Services: • 24/7 Helpline: 1-800-2723900, www.alz.org/norcal/; Online Community: www.alzheimersblog.org/lgbt-forum • Memory Clinic, Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center: 408-530-6900, mydoctor.kaiserpermanente. org/ncal/facilities/region/ santaclara/area_master/departments/memoryclinic/index.jsp Dr. Marcy Adelman oversees the Aging in Community column. For her summary of current LGBT senior challenges and opportunities, please go to: sf baytimes.com/ challenges-and-opportunties

SF Sketch Randy Coleman Randy Coleman hails from New York, but has lived in San Francisco since 1975.

Coleman shares that before moving to the Bay Area, he studied Art History and Architecture at Boston University while working as a resident artist for architectural rendering at a Massachusetts historical society. “All of my life I’ve been an artist,” Coleman says.

“To know me is to know that I have a passion for art and architecture. I love this project for the San Francisco Bay Times, and hope that you enjoy my sketches.”

© Randy Coleman, 2016 10

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Should You Pay Off Your Home Mortgage Early?

Two Mature Cars with a New Image

for your financial situation for these reasons: 1. The interest rates on mortgages tend to be more reasonable than other types of credit, and the terms often provide more certainty (30year fixed rate mortgage).

Money Matters Brandon Miller Many people who carry a home mortgage dream of the day when they will no longer face the burden of a monthly house bill. They want the financial freedom—and the satisfaction— of owning their home outright. Does that mean you should make paying off your mortgage early a priority? The answer depends on your circumstances and goals. One question you should ask yourself is, “Would the money you spend on your home loan be better spent on, or invested in, another financial opportunity?”

Getting a different perspective on debt Reducing debt as early as possible could help you avoid costly interest rate charges. You may have experience with this principle if you’ve eliminated credit card debt or a car loan.

While your home mortgage is a type of debt, the same concept may not apply. In certain instances, staying true to your repayment terms may be best

2. The interest you pay can potentially be deducted from your taxes. This deduction makes a mortgage much more cost-efficient on an after-tax basis than most other forms of debt. If mortgage interest is part of your tax strategy, consider if you’ll be able to itemize deductions once you own your home outright.

3. If you’ve reaped the benefits of today’s historically low interest rate environment (by ref inancing or purchasing a home recently), your payment could be half of what homeowners paid 15 years ago.

On the other hand, the earlier you pay off your loan, the longer you could have the opportunity to invest the money each month. This additional investment could help you achieve a more secure financial future. To see if investing may make sense, compare your interest rate to what you could reasonably expect to earn in market returns.

Factoring in time As you evaluate your situation, you should consider the time you expect to stay in your home and how close you are to retirement. Those who are approaching retirement or are already retired may prefer to be done (continued on page 30)

Auto Philip Ruth Maturity comes in different forms, and in the LGBT community in particular, we have different ideas about what being a grown-up means. Marriage and adoption seemed out of reach to many of our younger selves, so growing into middle age wasn’t marked with the same guideposts as our straight friends. Two cars I drove recently speak to these divergent paths, and they’re both from Hyundai.

Actually, they’re both from Genesis, Hyundai’s new upscale division.

Like Lexus to Toyota, Genesis improves upon Hyundai’s still-building brand equity with a fresh image start, away from the focus on affordability that got Hyundai going in the US. Both luxury sedans Genesis is selling are aimed at buyers who can spend between $41,400 and $72,200, so many will be middle-aged or above.

Both the G80 and G90 have been Hyundai-branded before: the G90 was the Equus, and the G80 was known as the Hyundai Genesis.

That kind of identity shift is what’s fun about your 40s; you realize that flexibility and fluidity can replace the drive to constantly prove one’s self.

A s a c c om p l i s h me nt s build, you’re freer to take the chances you couldn’t before. That’s why Hyundai is going out on this Genesis limb. Both the G80 and G90 are appealing, and each creates its own impressions.

The G90 is bigger and more expensive; it starts at $68,100 for the rearwheel drive version with a V6 engine, and then you can add a V8 and/or all-wheel drive. The G80 starts about $27K lower and has the same engine selection, though the G80 V8 is rearwheel drive only. Though they share the same powertrains, both of these Genesis sedans give different driving experiences, with both reflecting various states of middle age.

The G90 struck me as aligning with a domestic homebody. My G90 V6 tester was quiet and relaxed; it floated over bumps, and its interior was packed with padding and stitching.

The G90 seemed to manifest the idea that it’s time to settle down a bit.

The G80, par t icularly our V8 equipped tester, was the single counterpart to the G90’s matrimonial feel.

This G80 felt fit and strong, with explosive acceleration and a brawny suspension. The steering was sharp for a large sedan. The G80 V8’s responses were viscerally satisfying, and they made my spirited drives memorable.

Genesis G80

Genesis G90

Along with the new Genesis identity comes a commitment to technology, and Genesis is the first carmaker to offer connectivity to Amazon’s Alexa AI device, where you can tell your countertop silo to start your Genesis, unlock its doors, etc. It’s in the novelty stage, but this is the f irst OEM move to connect a car to a home portal. Commands are currently limited to the Alexa device directing the car, but upcoming generations will allow you to control your house’s functions from the car.

That seems to be the best approach to middle age—embracing your identity with a fixed eye on future possibilities. That’s what Genesis is doing, and we’ll see how buyers respond.

Philip Ruth is a Castro-based automotive photojournalist and consultant at www.gaycarguy.com. Check out his automotive staging service at www.carstaging.com

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES O C TO BER 13, 2016

11

The Rejection Game own fear of rejection, or his personal problems, or because your body type isn’t what he’s looking for—what have you actually lost that was essential to your well-being? “I need to be validated by other people.” I hear that phrase often. If that guy on the other side of the bar doesn’t look at you does that make you “invalid”? What does that mean? That you’re empty, unlovable, not worthy of being seen?

How does it happen that your sense of being alive or being worthy comes to depend on the casual glances of complete strangers?

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Examined Life Tom Moon, MFT

I understand that no one likes being rejected. But here are a couple of ideas that might help you not feel completely devastated when it happens:

Greg is paralyzed by his fear of being rejected by other gay men. Whenever he’s at a club or a gathering where other gay guys are present, the people he absolutely avoids are the ones who interest him. He’s so terrif ied that he’ll be devastated if they snub him that he won’t approach them in the first place. The predictable consequence is that he has almost no sex life and remains single. What can you do if you find yourself in this predicament?

First, consider that when someone rejects you, that person is giving you information about himself or herself, not about you. If a man tells you, “You’re the hottest guy who ever lived,” he isn’t really telling you about yourself, as much as you might like to believe he is. What he’s saying is, “I’m strongly attracted to you,” which is information about him. Similarly, if he rejects you, he is giving you information about his own feelings and preferences, not about you.

Ask yourself this question: When you’re at a social gathering and that hot guy ignores you—because he’s half drunk, or preoccupied with his

Second, remember that everyone experiences rejection. The important

in’ Adonisaurus, Cheer SF with amazing acrobatics in the streets, queer punk band Bitch Please, DJ Jim Hopkins, The Monster Show with fabulous drag queens, Above and Beyond the Valley of the Ultra Showgirls with rock musical DQs, feminists Vollmer, DJ Juan Garcia, Transcendent reality TV star Simone Gemini, DJ Markus, Prince tribute band The Purple Ones, DJMC2, DJ Adam Kraft, and synthesizing trio Beautiful Machines.

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By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, “Indiana Governor Mike Pence has a long history of threatening queer rights. His despicable record has not only relegated LGBTQ people to second-class status, but has also put their lives at risk. Over his career, Pence has opposed hate crimes legislation, attempted to divert HIV funding to be used for conversion therapy, written anti-LGBTQ discrimination into state law, opposed marriage equality, attacked LGBTQ families and more. Remember: this vice president candidate could be second in line for the presidency. Yikes! “

Sister Dana sez, “The Will & Grace cast have reunited ten years after the show’s finale for a new scene about the presidential election. Will and Grace are understandably mortified that Trump is the Republican nominee for president (which filthy rich Karen loves), Jack is an ‘unemployed, uneducated angry white man’ who is registered to vote in Pennsylvania, and convinced to vote for the right candidate in the end. And Rosario, as usual, has the last laugh.” Check it out at towleroad. com/2016/09/will-grace-reunion CASTRO COMMUNITY ONPATROL (CCOP) celebrated their 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY at Espressamente Illy Café. Ten years ago in October of 2006 the leather community, CCOP founder Carlton Paul, San Francisco Safety Awareness for Everyone, SFPD Mission Station, and then Supervisor Bevan Dufty all came together to address serious safety concerns within the Castro and surrounding neighborhoods, and CCOP was born. Orange became the new fashion statement for late night attire, and they successfully trained 150 volunteers within the first few months of their creation.

Against all the odds with respect to an organization established in response to a “crime wave,” CCOP remains active and arguably more effective ten years later as they moved quickly from an initial reactionary model to their current preventive and educational model.

CASTRO STREET FAIR this year was slightly smaller and easier to get around, especially since organizers had the booths facing inward—allowing better pedestrian flow on the surrounding sidewalks. The Fair’s Information and Merchandise booth was conveniently located near the intersection of Market and Castro Streets, where people could pick up the official program and buy a limited-edition t-shirt of this year’s and past Fairs. This year there were fewer booths offering information about LGBTQ/HIV-AIDS organizations, and even fewer games booths. Entertainment was superior—starting with the San Francisco Lesbian Gay Freedom Band setting the tone of pride and joy, DJ Rose Gold, Fun Home by Curran Theater, rock-

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Dennis McMillan (aka Sister Dana) and Don Kirchman on the balcony outside the The Green Room attending REAF’s Help Is on the Way XXII. 12

Don Clark, in his classic book, Loving Someone Gay, describes a “rejection game” that he found helps people to tackle the fear of rejection directly.

The goal of the game is actually to see how many social rejections you can earn in a single day. The game has three rules. First, your attempted interaction must be based on your real feelings of attraction, sexual or otherwise. Second, you must anticipate being rejected. And third, you must be honest and respectful in your words and deeds in the interaction.

The game works like this: When you notice that someone interests you, anticipate that the person will reject you, and then show your interest by saying hello and trying to make small talk. If the person turns away or in some other way makes it clear that he or she isn’t interested, it counts as one rejection. On the first day your goal is

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun

Technology Director

CONTRIBUTORS Writers Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Kirsten Kruse, Kate Kendell, Alex Randolph, Heidi Beeler, Gary M. Kramer, Dennis McMillan, Tom Moon, Tim Seelig, Cinder Ernst, John Chen Rafael Mandelman, Kit Kennedy, Phil Ting, Rebecca Kaplan, Leslie Katz, Philip Ruth, Bill Lipsky, Karen Williams, Donna Sachet, Gary Virginia, Zoe Dunning, Marcy Adelman, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Brandon Miller, Jamie Leno Zimron Thom Watson, Michele Karlsberg Lyndsey Schlax, Elisa Quinzi, Elizabeth River, Debra Walker, Howard Steiermann

thing to do here is not to personalize these experiences—that is, to resist the temptation to see them as commentary on your worth as a human being, or as unique experiences that happen only to you. No one is universally loved. We all find rejection unpleasant, but with practice, it’s possible to learn to take it in stride.

Here’s one way to practice taking it in stride:

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S O C TO B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 6

Greg Carey was emcee for the event. Ken Craig presented an award to Senator Mark Leno, and Senator Leno presented a Certificate of Recognition to CCOP, remarking about the uniform colors, “Orange is the new black for CCOP.” Leno also presented a certificate to Ken Craig.

San Francisco SAFE presented an award to CCOP. Founder Awards were given to Carlton Paul, Su-

pervisor Scott Wiener, and Ken Craig. Community Pillar Awards were given to Leno, Wiener, District Attorney George Gascon, and Chief Greg Suhr (Retired).

Community Guardian Awards were presented to San Francisco Safety Awareness for Everyone , Ptlr. Neil Fullagar, (C.G.) for 15 Patrols YTD, and Cpt. D. Perea, SFPD. Patroller of the Year Award for 26 Patrols YTD went to SPtlr.

Kyle Wong, S.O. (C.S.G.). SPtlr.

Alexander Upchurch, (C.S.G.) received a Certificate of Appreciation for 22 Patrols YTD).

“ERASED: BABI YAR, THE SS, AND ME” was a stirring dramatic Jewish memoir with song performed at the Marsh in San Francisco.

The inspirational piece was written by Corey Weinstein, directed by Maya De La Rosa-Cohen, and starred Saralie Pennington, Tom Herz, and Weinstein in a truly poignant performance. The play was dedicated to the memory of Lazlo Frankovitz, born on January 10, 1944, in northwestern Romania to Rifka and Oskar. He died at Birkenau in the Auschwitz concentration camp before his first birthday.

“TUBULAR INSIGHTS: REFLECTIONS FROM THE RABBIT HOLE” was an Art Opening for artist DAMON MCLAY. In this show, curiosity leads way to awe-inspiring, vibrant photographs using cylindrical reflections to create astonishing beauty from everyday objects.

These will be on display all through October at Strut in the SF AIDS Foundation building, 470 Castro Street. For the past 12 years Magnet (now Strut), has been exhibiting the works of a local Gay or Queer artist once a month. Come for the art, the light snacks, and free wine and refreshments. Artist’s Statement: “This collection is about ... embracing the possibility that with a slight shift of perspective the commonplace can become extraordinary. While these complex textures and colors may not feel familiar, they are, in fact, things you see every day. It’s within these moments that we can realize astonishing beauty that’s just waiting to be discovered.” It is the artist’s reflections of cylinders, pipes, and tubes— in the medium of dazzling 3-D photographic prints on aluminum. My personal faves were “Q,” which I interpret as “queer” with the letter in

to get one rejection, on the second day it is to get two, and so on.

According to Clark, “Interesting things happen. You begin to worry less about rejection as you focus on earing your increased required score for the day without spending your entire day doing it. Not everyone you thought would reject you does reject you and your self-esteem improves. As you have more contact with individuals who are attractive to you, your social skills in interacting with people improve and it becomes more difficult to find rejection. Finally, you reach a saturation point when you realize that the game is annoyingly time-consuming rather than the anxiety-provoking task it was at the beginning, since the rejections you experience no longer matter to you as much.”

The point of this game is that as long as we act on the idea that rejection is so terrible that we have to avoid it at all costs, we continue to feel paralyzed. But if we change our strategy and actually seek it out, we will probably discover that it is not the devastating experience that we imagine it to be.

Tom Moon is a psychotherapist in San Francisco. For more information, please visit his website http://tommoon.net/

rainbow stripes, and the series of four “Duboce Park” representations in lush green colors of the park. damonmclay.com SISTER DANA SEZ, “THERE’S NO DEBATE ABOUT IT, YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT THESE UPCOMING EVENTS!” CASTRO STREET ARTSAVESLIVES Studio and Gallery presents LOCAL SAN FRANCISCO ARTISTS ON DISPLAY on October 14, 6–9 pm at the studio, 518 Castro Street. Artist/host THOMASINA DEMAIO is exhibiting amazing pieces by these artists: Gary Rocchio, Joseph Johnston, J B Higgins, Dale Wittig, Frank Pietronigro, Celia V Beatts, Joel Hoyer, Patrick Bear, James Windsor, Jack Stelneki, Bonita Cohen, and DeMaio. Live entertainment will be emceed by the fabulous comic MARGA GOMEZ. There will be free food, wine, and beer—as usual. This is always a delightful evening!

“LIVING HISTORY” is the GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY GALA on Saturday, October 15, 6–9 pm in the Green Room at the War Memorial, 401 Van Ness Avenue. The 2016 GLBT Historical Society Gala promises to be their biggest and most fabulous yet. Hosted by HONEY MAHOGANY of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and featuring performance artist Dia Dear, the formal dinner and silent auction will be filled with entertainment and fun inspired by LGBTQ history. Festive attire is encouraged.

Your support ensures that the GLBT Historical Society will continue preserving and presenting LGBTQ history through their archives and museum, so they can grow their collection of important historical materials, showcase them in the museum, and preserve them for the benefit of future generations. You’ll also help the society as they plan for a new, world-class museum in San Francisco. glbthistory.org HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN announces Saturday, October 22, is the 32nd Annual HRC SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA GALA DINNER & SILENT AUCTION held at the Westin St Francis Hotel on Union Square. Hundreds of the Bay Area’s most influential citizens will gather (continued on page 30)

GLBT Fortnight in Review

By Ann Rostow Billy Buddy

Do you know what scene bothered me the most in the Access Hollywood tape?

It’s when Billy Bush asked the actress Arianna Zucker to give Trump a hug, and then demanded one for himself, even though they had just met. Basically, she had two options: gracefully give a light embrace or interject a cool thread of hostility and awkwardness by saying no or turning her back. I suppose there’s a delicate third option that involves a clever joke—warm spirited—said with a laugh that allows everyone to carry on. But who can pull that off on the spur of the moment?

The woman had a split second to respond. She basically had no choice but to suffer through smarmy hugs from horny strangers. And don’t forget that the cameras were rolling, putting her even further on the spot.

And for what purpose did Bush manipulate her into providing such an intimate greeting? We know from the prior discussion that he was doing Don a favor, wing man-style. He was giving him a few seconds of up close and personal with their smoking hot hostess. He was doing a little bit more than “playing along.”

Watching the plodding 60-ish white guy drool over a woman half his age who obviously hadn’t the slightest interest in him was grotesque and infuriating. As for the peppy preppy Bush, with his manic conspiratorial laugh and his enabling strategies, he was mainly a sycophant, but he was certainly fluent in so-called “locker room banter.” Today, Bush seems genuinely embarrassed by his frat boy antics, but it’s the facilitating sidekicks like Bush who do almost as much damage as the real predators like Trump.

As many people have pointed out, this was not “locker room banter.” There’s a line between banter and sick talk.

“Woah, she’s hot!” is on one side and, “I’d like to rape her,” is on the other. No, Trump didn’t go that far, but he crossed the line and Bush stayed right with him, egging him on. What if Bush had gone a little quiet or had just said “hmmm?”

What if he had treated that actress like a co-worker rather than a piece of ass? It might not have stopped Trump, but it would have helped.

The fact is, many women deal with forced hugs, irritating comments and handsy clients all the time and they rarely complain. Why? Because these gestures—rude and intrusive as they are—are on the low end of the scale as far as sexual assault goes. It’s hard for a woman to prosecute an actual rape and nearly impossible to get justice for the kind of pussy grabbing that appeals to Trump. So how does a woman confront the guy who uses a hug as an excuse to push up against her body? The answer is that unless she wants to make a scene, she doesn’t.

And the guy, in Trump’s words, “can get away with it.”

Billy Bush might not have been a fullfledged pussy grabber, but he was in the same ballpark and playing for the same team. When guys like this realize they are part of the problem, we’ll make some progress.

Moving On … Or Not I could go on about that tape for a long time. Among other things, it’s fascinating that this exchange has generated more of an outrage than the hundred other crazy things we’ve seen and heard from Trump. I mean it was bad, but surely not unexpected.

There’s something very Rick’s Cafe about it. (I am shocked, shocked!)

Then there’s the weirdly sexist reaction from all the politicians who spoke

of their wives and daughters, as if they needed a personal tie to a female in order to condemn her mistreatment.

They seemed like manly protectors rising up against violent threats to their families, and it was in that paternalistic role that they attacked him.

As my observant wife pointed out, they condemned Trump because, finally, they themselves were his targets! Not Mexicans, not Muslims, not even women per se; but married white American fathers whose wives and daughters were in jeopardy.

And while we’re on politics, I’m tired of hearing people say that it’s time to talk about the “issues” and stop focusing on all of these distractions and sideshows. That’s like a student standing up in a lecture hall during a full on riot and insisting that we continue with chapter twelve. We have never had an election like this. We have a lunatic with no credentials going nuts several times a day, and you want to focus on what? Tax policy?

I don’t think so! Particularly when it’s clear by now that Trump does not have what you would call a “policy” on anything.

Oh, speaking of “twelve,” I have to mention that at least half of the Trump supporters who spoke about the fall of 2005 tape kept calling it a “twelve-year-old tape.” Am I missing something, or is it now 2016? That makes it an eleven-year-old tape, if anyone cares. No one does, but that’s my point. Why did so many people go out of their way to add one year? Was it ordained from Trump Tower?

Finally, what the hell has happened to Rudy Giuliani? I never liked him that much, but I never hated him either.

Now he’s turned into a monster. It’s like one of those movies where people eat something or their bodies are invaded and they look the same but eventually you realize that they have … changed.

By the way, I just proofed the last two sections and had to delete about a dozen exclamation marks. I don’t like them and use them only rarely, but my subconscious had littered them all over. I basically screamed at you for the first half of my column. Taking a deep breath now.

Back to the Issues I feel like the student in my analogy who wants to talk about chapter twelve. I actually have “same sex marriage in Australia” on my list even after I’ve promised so often to steer clear of that morass. But just as I start to research the latest Down Under comes news that Trump is psychotically tweeting nasty things about Paul Ryan, calling him and his fellow GOP “traitors” worse than Hillary Clinton.

He is unravelling and I find it hard to look away.

It turns out that the Australian parliament will not call for a non-binding public referendum on marriage equality. (I know that I wrote that this was a likely outcome some weeks ago. Well, that was true, or as Trump would say, “I was right.”) Our side is basically happy about this, because a non-binding vote serves little purpose and indeed might stir up a divisive debate on settled issues of gay rights.

On the other hand, the status of marriage equality remains in limbo, with some speculating that same-sex marriage will go nowhere for the next few years, and others are certain that Parliament will itself make marriage equality the law of the land in a free vote, um, sometime soon. I have no feeling for Australian politics and I have no idea what will happen.

Give Peace a Chance (continued on page 30) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES O C TO BER 13, 2016

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Six Words to Remember Before Considering a Wedding Celebration

By Chelsea Bowman Wonnell Six seconds is all it takes to make a great first impression. Six hours is the recommended time span for a wedding celebration. Not following the next six items can ruin the former two statements: Hire a wedding and event specialist!

Here are my top six reasons to follow these vastly important words: 1. Experienced wedding and event specialists have developed and fostered relationships with the best vendors in the industry. We will connect you with these vendors, secure the best rates, and guarantee the vendors execute unparalleled service. Why? Because these vendors want to work with us for years to come, and as we say at Chelsea Events & Floral Design, “You’re only as amazing as your last event.”

2. We make it possible for you to have a life outside of planning your wedding. We handle the details with your vendors, venue, and often times your wedding party and in-laws too!

3. We make your vision come to life. We have the experience and the resources to tell your love story in a way that is unique to you. Your closest friends and family will leave your wedding knowing more about you and your partner than when they arrived. Tell your love story through the save-the date, the sign-in props, and even the menu.

4. We save you money. My goal for every wedding is to save my clients, at least, what they spend on us. Through negotiating better rates with vendors, knowing the best place for alterations, or tricks to design for less, we will add to your honeymoon account.

5. Experienced wedding and event specialists allow you to enjoy your special day. From bringing you lunch as you prep and pamper to packing your toasting glasses at the end of the night, I am behind my couples every step of the way. With an emergency kit that com-

pares to Mary Poppins’ bag, I’ll mist you with calming lavender oil as you walk down the aisle and keep to the time-line while making sure you, your guests, your wedding party, and your vendors have a smooth and most enjoyable day!

6. You already have a job, so why would you want another? Experienced wedding and event specialists allow you to enjoy the planning of your most precious day. Every element of this most amazing day should be enjoyed, and we allow you to do so. I recommend celebrating after the invitations go out and the marriage certificate is obtained. This way the wedding day is just the icing on the cake.

You won’t have everyone you love so dearly under one roof again until your funeral (think about it), and you won’t be there for that. So, hire a wedding event specialist and enjoy your love.

Chelsea Bowman Wonnell is the owner of Chelsea Events & Floral Design, one of San Francisco’s premier wedding and event planning companies. Chelsea is a specialist who has planned and coordinated hundreds of weddings over the past decade, and she also has over 20 years of floral design experience. She can handle all of your details from the planning to the petals! Ring anytime 415-310-4430 or contact her at chelsea@ chelseaeventsandfloraldesign.com

Frederick Sullivan and Jaime Botello, who oversee the Weddings & Occasions page for the “San Francisco Bay Times,” are the talented wizards behind Sullivan-Botello Events (415-334-7394, http://sullivanbotelloevents.com/) and SnB Party Rentals (650-877-0840, wwwsnbpartyrentals. com). Both are Certified Wedding Planners with extensive experience in creating memorable, personalized events for special occasions. Their rental service is exceptional, offering everything from beautiful gold Chiavari chairs to LED dance floors, and all at competitive prices. They are the creators of the Gay Vanity Wedding Show and are longstanding members of the Golden Gate Business Association, which is the nation’s first LGBT Chamber of Commerce.

Can you keep your lifestyle in retirement?

Let’s talk.

415.623.2450 Brio Financial Group

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14

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S O C TO B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 6

San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus Announces Season 39: Community Unity. Fellowship. Bonding. All of these sentiments create a sense of “Community.” And starting in December, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (SFGMC) will once again bring artistic excellence and distinction with the premiere of its 39th Season, celebrating its Northern California community.

The Chorus, along with SFGMC’s Artistic Director Dr. Timothy Seelig and Executive Director Chris Verdugo, recently announced the theme of its newest season—Community—and its concert offerings for its Season 39 (2016-2017) schedule.

“This Chorus has delivered music of all kinds for the last 38 years,” wrote Dr. Seelig. “This season, we once again present a huge variety of repertoire geared to delight every audience member. What you will experience cannot be put into simple words.

When all is said and done, we know that the axiom will be true, ‘You may not remember what we sang, but you will never forget how you felt.’ The 300+ men of the Chorus will serenade you and sing right into your heart.”

In December, the Chorus will present three dazzling performances of Babes in Joyland, from December 9–10, 2016, at the Nourse Theater (275 Hayes Street, San Francisco), with performances Friday, December

9 at 8 pm and Saturday, December 10 at 2:30 pm and 8 pm. Tickets range from $25–70 and will be available for purchase starting October 18, 2016.

The Chorus is joined by soprano Marnie Breckenridge for Babes in Joyland.

Nearly 30 years ago, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus gathered for the first time on Christmas Eve in 1990 at the Castro Theatre to bring the holidays home to those who had none.

Thus began the annual tradition of joining together every Christmas Eve at the Castro Theatre for this night of joyous music and heartwarming festivities.

T h is hol iday season w i l l mark SFGMC’s 27th annual “Home for the Holidays” at the Castro Theatre (429 Castro Street, San Francisco) on Christmas Eve. Performances are Sat-

urday, December 24, 2016 at 5 pm, 7 pm and 9 pm. Opera soprano Melody Moore will be the Chorus’ special guest artist for Home for the Holidays.

For Season 39: Community, the Chorus has re-crafted and will be relaunching its signature Crescendo annual fundraising event as a dazzling evening gala. The 11th annual Crescendo gala will be held at the RitzCarlton San Francisco (600 Stockton Street, San Francisco) on Sunday, March 12, 2017, from 5 pm to 9:30 pm. More details will follow, including special guest artists and celebrity hosts.

This spring, the Chorus returns to the magnificent (and recently renovated) Herbst Theatre (401 Van Ness Avenue, (continued on page 30)

Firefighters Without Borders

Firefighters Without Borders Creates Smoking Hot Calendar to Raise Critical Funds

Imagine what it is like in communities that lack proper funding and the necessary infrastructure to adequately train and prepare their fire departments. In such places across the globe, the charity Firefighters Without Borders steps in to provide professional training, education, resources and support. Since its inception, Firefighters Without Borders has trained teams of volunteers from Peru to Canada while also coordinating the donation of over $250,000 in firefighting and medical services equipment.

A portion of the funding comes from sales of their popular Firefighter Calendar, which is smoking hot, but for all of the right reasons.

In this issue of the San Francisco Bay Times we

share some of the best images from the 2017 calendar, as well as favorite ones from earlier editions. The featured indiv iduals are actual volunteer firefighters from the Canadian cities of Mississauga, Toronto, Durham and Markham.

fire fighter team equipping tomorrow’s heroes and saving more lives.”

“We are thrilled to kick off our next fundraising campaign with the launch of the 2017 Firefighter Calendar,” said Russell Chalmers, who is President of Firefighters Without Borders.

“Firefighters around the world continue to be challenged to stay on top of the latest fire service techniques. Firefighters Without Borders ‘train the trainer’ approach brings knowledge that can be shared with a broader

PHOTO COURTESY OF @MYSCHABEAR FOR FIREFIGHTERS WITHOUT BORDERS

This year’s devastating fire season in California provides a stark reminder on how important firefighters are to our communities. Wildfires are growing more dangerous and costly, creating greater pressure on firefighters to work longer hours and to put their lives in danger for the sake of our welfare. 2016’s Erskine, Sand, Soberanes, Chimney, Clayton and Blue Cut fires are some of the largest and most damaging that have ever affected our state, requiring the most skilled firefighters to battle these conflagrations.

The 2017 Firef ighter Without Borders Calendar is 14 months with 13 different firefighters who represent the hardworking men and women in the fire service today, as well as Molly, the Ajax Fire Service mascot. The calendar is 16 glossy pages with a finished size of 8.25” wide and 10.5” high.

“Our organization is founded by passionate volunteers dedicated to helping their fellow fire ser vice professionals save more lives,” said Darius Kharazmi, Director of Volunteers for Firefighters Without Borders. “The calendar helps to raise awareness for firefighters around the world who don’t have access to the lev-

el of training that we do. Since the Firefighters Without Borders team cover 100% of their travel expenses, it allows the funds raised to be allocated to the timely shipping of equipment, (to) public education and more.”

FWB offers fire service organizations around the globe help via the following training programs: First Aid and CPR, Hazardous Materials Response, Vehicle Extrication, Incident Management, Fire Suppression and Vehicle and Small Engine Maintenance. The volunteer team also conducts public education seminars in fire prevention for both children and adults, believing that prevention is the key to saving more lives. In addition, the team has received donations of fire service equipment from fire stations. These items will be distributed where such materials are needed the most.

The calendar will soon be available for purchase online at http://firefighterswithoutborders.ca/ Check for updates on the calendar and other Firefighters Without Borders news via social media at https://www.facebook. com/firefighterswithoutborders and https:// twitter.com/fwbdotca

Nation Looks to San Francisco Fire Department for Diversity Guidance Earlier this year the U.S. Department of Labor selected the San Francisco Fire Department to be one of five sites profiled in the USDOL’s study identifying promising practices to increase diversity among first responders. SFFD has been sharing its strategies and experiences for recruiting, training, and retaining a diverse workforce.

“This recognition is a testament to the Fire Department’s work to recruit and retain one of the most diverse fire departments in our country,” Mayor Ed Lee said. San Francisco Human Resources Director Micki Callahan added, “We’ve modernized the way we test entry-level firefighters and now conduct those exams continuously. This means candidates can take the test on their schedule, open-

ing the door to people with families, or other commitments that might prevent them from coming to a test given on our schedule. This change has positively impacted the diversity and the quality of our candidate pool.”

The justifiable high fiving does not mean the matter of diversity is a done deal, however. In recent years, SFFD has made an effort to increase the number of LGBT members in its ranks. Sometimes this has been at our community’s own urging. For example, two years ago, the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club met with SFFD leadership to draw attention to improving the Department’s numbers as they pertain to our community. Keith Baraka, who is an out gay black veteran

of the SFFD, shared via Alice: “It is our belief that the SFFD and the residents of San Francisco deserve a Fire Department made of members that reflect the make-up of the city. This means we need a Department that is made up of members that are at the very least commensurate with our diverse population. This is woefully not the case … .”

Issues pertaining to women and to racial disparities are also of concern. Regarding the former, just a few weeks ago, Chief Joanne HayesWhite announced that she is considering a plan that would require all firefighters to undergo training to prevent sexual harassment. This was in response to allegations brought forth by a female firefighter who alleged that male co-workers verbally

abused her, and even urinated on her bed as part of that bullying.

cates improvements have been made, but that more work is still needed.

The San Francisco Black Firefighters Association points to just some of the racial disparity problems. “Our concern and issues include: hiring, promotions, discrimination, racism, affirmative action, training, and education,” the organization states on its website (http://www.sf bfa.org/ about.html). “Since our inception, the SFBFA has been able to bring about a tremendous change within the San Francisco Fire Department. One aspect of our struggle was to challenge the city and county of San Francisco, specifically the San Francisco Fire department to create a non-hostile and non-threatening work environment.” SFBFA indi-

If you are qualif ied and interested in becoming an entry-level firefighter, you can be a part of the solution. SFFD has an open enrollment now for an Entry-Level Firefighter.

Even if the position would not be a good match for you, please consider sharing the information with someone else who could help to further improve SFFD’s diversity. Given the USDOL’s study, such efforts would go beyond San Francisco to influence positive changes at fire departments nationwide. Please see the “Job Opportunities” section at: http://sf-fire. org/employment-opportunities

Firefighter Calendars Go Global!

Firefighters on at least four continents and in multiple nations are taking it off for causes they support. In France, the NGO charity Pompiers Sans Frontieres, which provides humanitarian aid, receives funds from the sale of a calendar featuring steamy images by fashion photographer Fred Goudon.

In Australia, a firefighters calendar raises funds for the Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Westmead Children’s Hospital Burns Unit. In South Africa a calendar produced in Cape Town features both male and female firefighters and supports the Red Cross Children’s Hospital. In New York City a firefighters calendar produced for more than two decades supports the Staten Island University Hospital Burn Center.

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Fire Safety Tips While rain has been in the recent forecast, f iref ighters now say that California’s fire season occurs year round and not just in the summer and fall months. Take time to check out the following fire, burn and related safety tips provided by the San Francisco Fire Department: Don’t Get Burned • Keep hot foods and liquids away from tables and counter edges so they cannot be pulled or knocked over.

• Have a 3-foot “kid-free” zone around the stove.

• Never hold a child in your arms while preparing hot food or drinking a hot beverage.

• Teach children that hot things hurt.

• Be careful when using things that get hot such as curling irons, oven, irons, lamps, heaters.

• When using heating pads only use for 15–20 minutes at a time and don’t lie, sit or place anything on the pad.

Just Right?

• To avoid scalds, set the thermostat setting in your water heater to no higher than 120 degrees F. • Remember young children and older adults skin burns more easily.

• Consider having “anti-scald” devices on tub faucets and shower heads to prevent scalds.

• Test the water before placing a child or yourself in the tub.

• Never leave young children alone in the tub, shower or near a sink.

• Be careful about scalding water.

The water should feel warm, not hot.

Before you put your child in the tub, test the temperature with your wrist, elbow, or the back of your hand.

Don’t rely on a tub with a temperature indicator, such as a drain plug that changes color to indicate too hot, too cold, and just right. If you’re using a thermometer with a readout, infant bath water should be no more than 100 degrees. Even when using a thermometer use your wrist, elbow, or the back of your hand as your main guide.

Cool a Burn • Treat a burn right away. Put it in cool water for three to five minutes.

Cover with a clean, dry cloth.

• If the burn is bigger than your fist or if you have any questions, get medical help right away.

• Remove all clothing, diapers, jewelry and metal from the burned areas.

Cooking with Caution • The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking.

• Pay attention to what you are cooking. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food.

• When you are simmering, boiling, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, stay in the home, and use a timer to remind you.

• If you must leave the room even for a short time, turn off the stove.

• If you have young children, use the stove’s back burners whenever possible.

• Keep children and pets at least 3 feet away from the stove.

• When you cook, wear clothing with tight-fitting or short sleeves.

• Allow food cooked in a microwave oven to cool for a few minutes before you take it out.

• Open microwaved food slowly. Hot steam from the container can cause burns.

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The Heat Is On… • Have a 3-foot kid-free zone around open fires and heaters.

• Use a f ireplace screen to keep sparks inside the fireplace.

• Turn portable space heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room.

• Keep things that can burn, such as paper, bedding, or furniture, at least 3 feet from heaters.

• Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected each year by a professional.

• Make sure your portable space heater has an auto shut-off so if it is tipped over, it will shut off.

• Have your chimneys cleaned and inspected before each heating season.

Take It Outside • Ask smokers to smoke outside.

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• Give smokers deep, sturdy ashtrays.

• Never smoke if you are tired, have taken medicine, drugs, or alcohol that makes you sleepy.

• Keep smoking materials away from things that can burn, like bedding, furniture, and clothing.

with blowing fuses or tripping circuit breakers, discolored or warm wall outlets, f lickering lights or a burning or rubbery small coming form an appliance.

Neighborhood Watch

• For best protection use both photoelectric and ionization technology. You can use individual ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms or combination units that contain both technologies in the same unit.

• With the economic downturn, it is important to keep a watchful eye on your neighborhood. Encourage your community to implement an anti-arson program.

• Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button.

• Keep trash from collecting on your property.

• Make sure everyone can hear the sound of the smoke alarms.

• Replace cracked and damaged electrical cords.

• Remove abandoned vehicles from your property.

• Use extension cords for temporary wiring only. Consider having additional circuits or receptacles added by a qualified electrician.

• Remove dead branches that could be used as a fuel source.

• Have a home f ire escape plan.

Know at least two ways out of every room, if possible, and a meeting place outside.

Stay Grounded • Keep lamps, light f ixtures, and light bulbs away from anything that can burn, such as lamp shades, bedding, curtains, and clothing.

• If you have young children in your home, have tamper-resistant electrical receptacles.

• Call a qualified electrician or landlord if you have recurring problems

Fire-Safety Basics • Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home. For the best protection, interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home.

When one sounds, they all sound.

• Replace smoke alarms every 10 years.

• Practice your escape plan twice a year.

• When the smoke alarm sounds, get out and stay out.

• If you are building or remodeling your home, consider a home fire sprinkler system.

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE DE YOUNG AND LEGION OF HONOR

The Brothers Le Nain: Painters of 17th-Century France Through January 29, 2017, in the Rosekrans Court, Special Exhibition Galleries 20B-E at the Legion of Honor The Brothers Le Nain: Painters of 17th-Century France is the first major exhibition in the United States devoted to the Le Nain brothers—Antoine (ca.

1598–1648), Louis (ca. 1600/1605–1648) and Mathieu (ca. 1607–1677). The presentation features more than forty of the brothers’ works to highlight the Le Nains’ full artistic production, and is organized in conjunction with the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, and the Musée du Louvre-Lens in France.

Active in Paris during the 1630s and 1640s, the brothers are today best known for their startlingly realistic depictions of the poor. Painters of altarpieces, portraits and allegories, the brothers’ work was rediscovered in the 19th century by such art historians as Champfleury, and influenced many artists including Gustave Courbet and Édouard Manet. The brothers then became famous as “painters of reality,” admired for their deeply sympathetic and affecting portrayals of hard-working men and women. In these paintings, we see smiling field laborers, city beggars with deadpan expressions, mothers cradling infants with perfect intimacy, and children that dance and play music with a lack of pretension. The Museums’ Peasants before a House is one of the finest examples of this subject.

Despite their renown, many important details of the brothers’ lives and work continue to elude historians. This comprehensive presentation and its almost five-hundred-page catalogue offer new scholarship concerning the authorship, dating and meaning behind their art. As the works were not individually signed, assigning a specific painting to a specific brother has long been a matter for debate. Extensive new research has been conducted to address questions of authorship through direct comparisons of key works from the brothers’ oeuvre. Visitors have the rare opportunity to compare these pieces side by side in the Legion of Honor’s galleries. The exhibition also includes a substantial technical study from painting conservators at the Fine Arts Museums and the Kimbell, detailing the materials and working methods of the brothers.

Le Nain, “Bacchus and Ariadne,” ca. 1635. Oil on canvas, 40 1/8 x 59 7/8 in. Musée des Beaux-Arts, Orléans, France, 70.4.1. Photo by Christophe Camus

In their day the brothers were celebrated not only as genre painters, but also as portraitists and painters of religious subjects. One of their most important devotional works, Nativity of the Virgin, an altarpiece from Notre-Dame Cathedral, will be on display for the first time in the United States. The exhibition also includes loans from the Musée du Louvre, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Royal Collection of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Le Nain, “The Resting Horseman,” ca. 1640.

Oil on canvas, 21 ½ x 26 ½ in. Victoria and Albert Museum, London, Bequeathed by Constantine Alexander Ionides, CAI.17.

Photo © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Patrons of the brothers included Anne of Austria, Cardinal Mazarin, and the captain of the royal musketeers, le comte de Tréville—one of the inspirations for Alexandre Dumas’s celebrated novel The Three Musketeers. A portrait of Tréville will be on view for the first time in more than sixty years.

Trans Activist Felicia Flames Elizondo Inspires Trans High School Students and Others (Editor’s Note: Teacher Lyndsey Schlax of the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts launched the nation’s first on-site high school LGBT course in 2015. She has just resumed teaching that groundbreaking class. In this column, her students share their thoughts about LGBT-related matters, including their concerns, what they have learned in class and more.)

en of color; and many people don’t learn about the riot at Gene Compton’s at all. Transgender people do not deserve to be written out of history. Our lives are not less significant or less important than other people’s.

We deserve to be recognized for who and what we are.

Role Model Felicia Flames Elizondo

Student, Grade 12

Student, Grade 11 In our LGBTQ Studies class recently we had the pleasure of meeting Felicia Flames Elizondo. She is a transgender activist, AIDS survivor, Vietnam veteran, and San Francisco icon. She talked to us about prostitution, fighting in the Vietnam war, and the reality of being a transgender woman in 1960s San Francisco. Specifically, she talked a lot about the riot at Gene Compton’s Cafeteria, which took place three years before the infamous 1969 Stonewall riots. Trans women, armed with coffee mugs and heels, fought in protest against the unfair treatment they faced from police.

As a trans person, hearing about the history of the community from someone who was a part of it was incredibly moving. It really reminded me about my reasons for signing up for this class in the first place, to learn about the untold stories in history.

Many people who learn about the Stonewall riots don’t learn about the fact that it was started by trans wom20

Knowing about San Francisco’s ‘Stonewall’ T h i s week my L GBTQ+ cla ss watched a film about a largely unknown riot that took place in our very own city. On a hot August night in 1966, tensions boiled over when the queens, “hair fairies,” and trans women dining at Gene Compton’s Cafeteria finally fought back against the police, spilling out of the shattered doors and windows into the streets at the corner of Turk and Taylor. Despite this riot occurring three years prior to Stonewall, this historical event is little known among LGBTQ+ and nonLGBTQ+ people alike.

Who were these revolutionaries?

How had such a relevant piece of LGBTQ+ history been buried, especially in a city like San Francisco? I asked my mother, who was born in 1960 and raised in the city, and knows much of its history. I asked my brother, a gay twenty-year-old, and rising San Francisco drag queen. Despite being immersed in times and communities that should have taught this story, neither of them had heard of the riot at Compton’s Cafeteria. My mother didn’t even know that the Tenderloin

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had once been a hub for gay and trans residents. To bring some justice to the rioters, I watched the film again with my mom and brother the next evening.

There is great importance in hearing the untold stories of history. Sometimes, those stories may have little to do with the shaping of one’s own identity, but each riot and subsequent step forward has contributed to the present state of our world nonetheless. As a citizen of San Francisco, I see it as my responsibility to acknowledge the events, and the people, who are to thank for the resulting community in this city that has given me a safe space to explore my own identity.

The activists of the Compton’s Cafeteria riot helped bring awareness to the struggles of LGBTQ+ people, specifically trans women, at a time when simply being themselves in public was worthy of a charge for “obstructing the sidewalk.” Stonewall may have been a pivotal moment for the LGBTQ+ liberation movement, but the revolutionary accomplishment of the Compton’s Cafeteria rioters helped me, my family, and my classmates understand ourselves, our city, and our movement in a new way.

Hidden History Student, Grade 12 For some people outside of this area, San Francisco has the name of The Gay Capital of California. The city has the Castro, the history of Harvey Milk, one of the biggest gay pride pa-

rades, and more. Now, if San Francisco is this important to the LGBTQ community, why does a major event that helped pave the way for the rights of drag queens get lost in LGBTQ history?

When thinking about drag queens as part of the LGBTQ community, many put them under as being transgender, however, there is a difference.

While transgender people take their identity very seriously and it is who they truly are, queens make fun of identity and shapeshift into whomever they want to be. They express themselves through fashion and makeup, and their bodies are their canvases.

San Francisco is a place where many LGBTQ people feel safe to express who they really are, but in the 1960s things were different. There were very few places in San Francisco where queens felt safe and comfortable. An important one of these was Gene Compton’s Cafeteria in the Tenderloin. As time went by and police continued to harass the queens in Compton’s, enough was enough and the first recorded riot against police brutality and discrimination against the LGBTQ community commenced in August 1966.

Being born and raised in San Francisco, I was shocked when I learned about this event. I am seventeen and had not heard of Compton’s Cafeteria Riot until just a few weeks ago.

Why does important history like this get buried underneath everything else that is assumed to be more signif-

Student Voices icant? There was a moment where the feeling of embarrassment fell over me because an event so significant like this one had occurred in my home city, and I had no idea.

It is facts and stories like these that can save someone, open someone’s eyes, and help them realize they are not alone and they are not the first.

Room must be made for history like this. We cannot keep hiding it.

For more information about the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts, please visit http://www.sfsota.org/ Lyndsey Schlax has been a teacher in the San Francisco Unified School District since 2008.

She is uniquely qualified to address multiple areas of LGBT studies, having also specialized in subjects such as Modern World History, Government, Economics and U.S. Politics. She is a National Board Certified Teacher, and earned her M.A. in Teaching at the University of San Francisco.

From the Coming Up Events Calendar See page 28 Thursday, October 20 – The Rocky Horror Picture Show premieres on Fox TV, starring Laverne Cox, Adam Lambert and Tim Curry.

8 pm or live stream on fox.com/the-rockyhorror-picture-show

Sunday, October 23 – Cheer SF Benefit - 4 pm @ Brewcade SF, 2200 Market Street. facebook. com/events/673151102847648

Ready for Halloween at Cliff’s Variety With Halloween just a few weeks away, we recently visited with Terry Austin Bennett and her staff at Cliff’s Variety to find out what’s new for the holiday this year.

Terry and her colleagues are once again, as they are every year, on it and the images captured by photographer Abby Zimberg are evidence of that.

Cliff’s reports: “The holidays are the best time to visit us. Whether it’s Christmas with all the lights and ornaments or the high holy days of Halloween, we really go all out to create a fun and festive shopping experience.”

And indeed they do! “You can count of Cliff’s to have all the costumers, wigs, tiaras and stockings the neighborhood will need for a fun and festive Halloween.” Be sure to go and see for yourself and thank you, Cliff’s, for taking care of us for 80 years and counting. cliffsvariety.com

EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR HALLOWEEN . . . & THEN SOME

TOYS • DECORATIONS • COSTUMES • SPOOKY PARTY STUFF 479 Castro Street

415.431.5364

cliffsvariety.com

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Being 17 Tells Gritty, Engaging Story of Two Teen Boys Grappling with Same-Sex Desires ease his 3-hour roundtrip commute to school.

Living together, the boys learn to tolerate one another, but they also have fights, as well as suppressed, burgeoning passions.

Film Gary M. Kramer Gay French filmmaker André Téchiné may be best known for his 1994 film Wild Reeds that depicted the comingof-age of four teenagers (one of them queer) in Southwest France, 1962. His new film Being 17, opening October 28 at the Landmark theatres in San Francisco and Berkeley, is also a teenage coming-of-age film, this time set in the Pyrenees in contemporary times. Like the superb Wild Reeds, Being 17 is a perceptive drama about youth grappling with same-sex desires and learning to be more flexible in their lives.

Damien (Kacey Mottet Klein) is a good student who lives with his mother, Marianne (Sandrine Kiberlain), the local doctor. His classmate Thomas (Corentin Fila) lives on a farm in the nearby mountains with his adoptive parents Christine (Mama Prassinos) and Jacques ( Jean Fornerod). As the film opens, a rivalry has developed between the boys in school. Thomas trips Damien in class one day. The guys start a fight in gym class during a basketball game. Thomas also pushes Damien into the snow one afternoon.

The bullying is a concern to the principal, but what is behind it is initially unclear.

Being 17 eventually forces the boys to confront their dislike for one another. When Marianne pays a house call on Christine one day, she is charmed

by Thomas, and instructs the pregnant Christine to go to the hospital for a rest. Marianne invites Thomas to move in with her and Damien to

Téchiné keeps his camera close-up on the boys’ faces throughout the film, scrutinizing them and their emotions as Damien feels anger and lust in equal measure, or Thomas stares back at Damien, practically daring him to blink first. Their tough exteriors mask an insecurity and desire that eventually brings the boys together. The sexual tension between them also provides a mild undercurrent for the various experiences they share, from fighting each other, to an excursion Damien initiates online with a local gay man in an attempt to gain some same-sex experiences.

Being 17 unfolds, unhurriedly, in three parts: the boys’ winter, spring, summer trimesters. The thawing metaphor is an obvious parallel for the boys’ hearts. When Damien confesses to Thomas, “I don’t know if I’m into guys or just you,” it is a powerful, emotional moment. But Téchiné plays it very matter-of-factly, which makes it affecting without being portentous. The filmmaker uses the same light touch when Damien comes out to Marianne, telling her that Thomas hurt him because Damien tried to kiss him.

It takes a while before the two teens do steal some kisses in secret, but when they do, it is satisfying because viewers have come to learn about the boys, appreciating their difference and similarities. The film has a raw, gritty feel to it—given the snowy mountainous setting and scenes of animal husbandry—but Téchiné infuses Being 17 with a romantic sensibility as well. He is especially tender when Damien ogles Thomas as he strips to go skinny-dipping in a cold mountain lake, or during a scene when the two boys are seen

Subject Matters

lying naked together in bed the morning after sex.

The naturalistic style of the film is also reflected in the performances. Kacey Mottet Klein has a baby-face, and a sensitivity about him, but he projects an intelligence and a toughness that are equally endearing. In contrast, the angel-faced Coratin Fila plays Thomas with a much harder, defensive nature. He resists Damien’s affections in front of his adoptive parents, suggesting he is still not completely comfortable with his sexuality. He is also trying to reconcile his place in his family with Christine’s new baby on the way.

Fila makes all of Thomas’ pressures heartbreaking, and his closed-in body language and blank expressions belie deeper troubles that may be why he is quick to fight. As his character transforms, Fila makes Thomas’ change wholly credible.

In support, Sandrine Kiberlain is warm and engaging as Marianne, who undergoes her own dramatic arc in the third act. But it is best not to reveal more about that subplot.

Being 17 certainly has the hallmarks of Téchiné’s best work—a compassion for its characters, a leisurely-paced, elliptical narrative, and insights into the human condition. While this may not be as superb as Wild Reeds, it is certainly worthwhile. © 2016 Gary M. Kramer Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the co-editor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.” Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer

and queer people of all sexualities and genders.

For me, history is essential to my poetics, especially that of the 300 + years of en-

Words Michele Karlsberg Michele Karlsberg: How did you become involved with the subject or theme of your book?

Elisabeth Nonas: Story Workout grew out of my experiences as a writer and teacher of writing. Learning to write isn’t only about how to structure a story, create dimensional characters, craft compelling dialogue, use setting to enhance your themes and meaning. It’s also about figuring out what to write, and knowing the kinds of stories you want to tell and where you want to tell them. The channels for what I call “narrative delivery” have expanded beyond film and television. A partial list includes video games, narrative apps, web series, virtual and augmented reality, ancillary content for TV shows and films, and even theme park rides.

The stories I had the most professional success with were those that I had a deep connection to, rather than the 22

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ones I thought I “should” write based on what I saw on the screen or in novels. So in my classes I don’t just cover story structure, screenplay format, character development, and what makes good dialogue—relatively straightforward material—but I also focus on the more abstract process of teaching students how to find their way to the stories they want to tell.

My book is my way to provide anyone who reads it with the same tools I give my students. These come in the form of mini-lessons and exercises designed to help storytellers find and connect to the stories they want to tell.

Novelist and screenwriter Elisabeth Nonas is the author of “Story Workout: Exercises to Help You Connect to the Stories You Want to Tell.” She is an associate professor and the Program Director of the cinema, photography, and screenwriting degrees at Ithaca College.

Cheryl Clark: My new book By My Precise Haircut is a continuation of my lifelong poetic commitments as they addressed key awarenesses: blackness, women’s sexuality, the endangered lives of women and children,

slavement in this hemisphere—as is so in my previous collections. I include the voices of two enslaved black women in a suite of poems called “Women of Letters: ‘Belinda’s Petition Remembered’ and ‘Please Read.’” I dedicated my book to “Miriam Carey, Sandra Bland, and all black women who have died unarmed at the hands of the state.” Therefore, I write about them and in honor of them. I write also about black women in the armed services, like the poem “A Sister’s Lament as She Poses for an AP Photograph Holding Her Dead Sister’s Portrait.”

Cheryl Clarke is the author of five books of poetry, the most recent is “By My Precise Haircut” in 2016 from The Word Works Press of Washington, D.C. She resides in New Jersey and Upstate New York.

Michele Karlsberg Marketing and Management specializes in publicity for the LGBT community. This year, Karlsberg celebrates twenty-seven years of successful book campaigns.

Historical Lesbian Migrations In 1944, when my aunt and namesake Lucybelle Bledsoe was 21 years old, she shot off the family farm in Arkansas, under the cover of the war, and headed straight for Greenwich Village. She got an apartment on West 12th Street. Thousands of women— many of them queer like my aunt— did the same and used the distraction of the war, not to mention the availability of good jobs that previously hadn’t been open to women, to flee small lives and launch themselves into much bigger, more exciting ones. Call it the first wave of lesbian migration.

In 1977 I f led a small conservative college town in Massachusetts for the wilds of Berkeley, California. I didn’t realize it at the time—I thought of myself as a late arrival for the summer of love and was searching for scraps of what Janis Joplin might have left behind—but I was part of the second wave of lesbian migration.

Summer of love and Janis Joplin long past, I soon found gratification of a new order. Thousands of us packed into the Berkeley Community Theatre for Cris Williamson concerts, long rows of women (womyn) with their arms around each other’s shoulders, swaying back in forth as Williamson implored us to be drops of water.

Can we be like drops of water falling on the stone Splashing, breaking, dispersing in air Weaker than the stone by far, but be aware That as time goes by the rock will wear away.

Oh, we felt powerful. I am woman, hear me roar. We built an entire movement on the strength of these songs.

In the East Bay alone, lesbians founded the Berkeley Women’s Health Collective, A Woman’s Place Bookstore, the Brick Hut Cafe, Plexus newspaper, a couple of bars, and even a lesbianowned and patronized gelato shop.

In 1978 word spread that Jill Johnston, author of Lesbian Nation, would be speaking at “the Bach,” short for the Bacchanal, the lesbian bar at the top of Solano Avenue (now Britt Marie’s). Though just 21, I’d been frequenting the bar for a couple of years, using the fake ID I’d fashioned with an X-Acto knife and a f ine-point Sharpie. A philosophy major at Cal, I wouldn’t have missed the Johnston event for anything. She sat on a high bar stool and spoke haughtily, clearly feeling like lesbian royalty. A woman in the audience, nervous and trying to impress, asked what Johnston thought about some Heideggerian idea. Johnston brushed her long hair off her neck, smirked, and said, “Heide-whodian?”

The liveliest bar was a place in Oakland called the Jubilee. No sign marked the entry; there was just a plain door on which you had to knock and ask for admittance. A woman would open a tiny window in the door, much like the Wizard of Oz, and ask your business. Once she was satisfied that you understood this was a lesbian establishment, she’d let you in. Downstairs there was a tame, quiet bar with a few tables, which was a nice cover for the party on the second floor. Anything could happen on the Jubilee’s dance f loor. My girlfriend at the time almost broke up with me when I refused to go home with a couple of women who invited us to join them for a foursome.

For breakfast on weekend mornings, everyone waited in line for one of the few tables at the Brick Hut on Adeline, another lesbian outpost, run by a notoriously grouchy collective. I made the mistake one morning of ordering an orange juice, forgetting about the boycott. Anita Bryant, spokeswoman for orange juice sales, had become

famous for her anti-gay campaign. My gaf fe earned me a stern lecture from our waiter.

Author Lucy Jane Bledsoe

We had a blast in the seventies. The feeling of community was giant and palpable. We did believe we were drops of water, wearing down the patr iarchy. Our young hearts swelled with pride and joy in the new world we were envisioning and creating. We young lesbian feminists had come to Mecca—Berkeley, California—and believed with every cell in our bodies that change was nigh.

It was a heady time in history.

Of course, we were wrong. The slaughter in Orlando, forty years later, proved once again that change is glacial. That hate is tenacious. But Orlando also reminded me of how much we need to remember our history, and how grateful I am for the courage of my aunt and namesake, Lucybelle Bledsoe, who came out in the forties. Yet her story, and the stories of other women from her era, are absent from documented history. Much of the reason for this is explained in Stanford historian Estelle Freedman’s essay, “The Burning of Letters Continues,” in which she shows how lesbians in the past, fearing detection, literally burned the evidence of their lives and loves.

I’ve spent the last few years uncovering my aunt’s story, depending primarily on interviews with her coworkers and friends.

S u r p r i s i n g l y, n o t much more documentation exists for the second wave of lesbian migration, the one that washed upon the shores of Berkeley. Lynn Keller, long time Bay A rea resident, is working to change that. In 2014 she founded the Bay Area Lesbian History Archives Project.

An activist, photographer, and filmmaker, Keller is using her archiving, photography, and filmmaking skills to gather documentation, stories, and oral histories with the goal of preserving this unique history. More about the project can be found on the website http://labryshealthcarecircle. com/ace/balhap.html Another historian, Juliana Delgado Lopera, has published a stunning collection of bilingual oral histories and illustrations by LGBT Latin@ immigrants who arrived in the United States during the 80s and 90s. ¡Cuéntamelo! is available on Lopera’s website: http://www.julianadlopera.com Both Lynn Keller and Juliana Delgado Lopera will join me in conversation for the launch of my book, A Thin Bright Line, about my aunt’s midcentury queer life and adventures, on October 16, 5 pm, at Laurel Bookstore in downtown Oakland, 1423 Broadway. The amazing Stanford historian Estelle Freedman will join me for a conversation about A Thin Bright Line at Booksmith in San Francisco (1644 Haight Street) on November 1, 7:30 pm.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF LUCY JANE BLEDSOE

By Lucy Jane Bledsoe

Lucybelle Bledsoe

Four-time Lambda Literary Award finalist and Stonewall Book Award winner Lucy Jane Bledsoe is the author of a collection of short stories, a collection of narrative nonfiction, and four novels, including “The Big Bang Symphony.” Her new novel, “A Thin Bright Line,” is published by the University of Wisconsin Press. For more information: http://www.lucyjanebledsoe.com/index.htm UPCOMING APPEARANCES

by AUTHOR LUCY BLEDSOE Sunday, October 16, 5:00 pm Launch Party at Laurel Bookstore 1423 Broadway, Oakland The author in conversation with Juliana Delgado Lopera and special guest, Lenn Keller, Bay Area Lesbian History Archives founder Tuesday, November 1, 7:30 pm Book Talk at Booksmith 1644 Haight Street, San Francisco The author in conversation with Estelle Freedman, U.S. Historian, at Stanford specializing in Women’s and Feminist history

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Horizons Gala 2016

Photos by Rink

A standing room only crowd enjoyed Horizons Foundation’s Gala 2016 on Saturday evening, October 1. Held annually at the elegant Fairmont Hotel San Francisco atop Nob Hill, the event included a reception and silent auction, dinner, casino-style gaming, dancing and socializing in the famous Tiki-style Tonga Room bar and restaurant. Honorees included Senator Mark Leno, who received the Leadership Award, and Bishop Yvette Flunder, who was presented the Visionary Award. Congratulations to Roger Doughty, Deb Stallings and the entire Horizons staff, board and volunteers.

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Speaking to Your Soul

Astrology Elisa Quinzi The gentle beauty of fall is not without its periodic fiery roars.

The current sky picture ref lects such urgency for courageous reflection and actions.

ARIES (March 21–April 19) Take another bold step toward claiming your authentic life. Do it with love, kindness, and grace. You are learning how to be more fully you in the context of relationships.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) You attract someone now who is independent, dynamic, and unpredictable. Recognize that you are to integrate these qualities into your own being to become more whole.

TAURUS (April 20–May 20) Being struck into a state of humility pierces the veil between ordinary reality and the realm of spirit. Surrendering your ego allows real power to have its way with you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) This is a good time to let your mantra be “there is a higher order in the chaos.” Pick your battles with a looser grip.

Trust in a divine harmony.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) You catch a glimpse of a vision of how you can contribute to the revolution. Take action on that glimpse. It involves expressing something beautiful from within you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) While the form fun takes surely changes as you mature, the need for such freedom from care and spontaneous joy remains. Make some space for that, rather than putting it off for the future.

CANCER ( June 21–July 22) Your outer world is intimately connected to what you experience as your inner world. There is no separation. Let one inform the other.

LEO ( July 23–August 22) Let curiosity guide you now. By seeking signs with an open mind, and dialoguing with various people around you, you receive a key that expands your paradigm.

VIRGO (August 23–Sept. 22) Be courageous around confronting your deepest fears.

Looking them in the eye could liberate you further now and bring you a sense of ease.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22–Jan.19) Bravely facing your feelings can unlock an important realization that influences your work. Be sure to get a little down time to drop into your heart-space.

AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Have courage giving voice to your truth without being combative. There is an opportunity now to see the bigger picture as it pertains to everyone involved.

PISCES (Feb. 19–March 20) Put yourself out there. As you have the courage to give your gifts, you are also building relationships for the future. You have to be vulnerable to be seen.

Elisa has been enjoying the art of astrological counseling since earning professional certification many years ago. In addition to astrological knowledge, she brings a high degree of conscious presence to her work, and creates a safe, comfortable atmosphere for sessions to unfold organically. Contact her at futureselfnow@gmail.com or 818-530-3366 or visit www.ElisaQuinzi.com

As Heard on the Street . . . What have you done to prepare for the next big earthquake?

compiled by Rink

Holly Willis

Nikki Nathan

Gemma

Paul

Jessica Bonner

“I am prepared.”

“I have lots of water, thanks to my dad’s advice.”

“Yes, I have what I need, lots of water.”

“I have an earthquake survival kit”

“I am a 5th generation San Franciscan so I know to have an earthquake backpack.”

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Knee Rehab While You Brush Your Teeth morning because I do my knee/hip rehab at that time. When I do the strengthening exercises that support my mobility and well-being (rehab exercises), I feel happy anticipation on most days. I love thinking about how much fun I’ll have doing my favorite activities like motorcycling or walking my dog. Rehab strengthening helps make that happen.

Inside Out Fitness Cinder Ernst The last two columns have been about helping you to help your knees feel better. We pointed out some sitting, standing and sleeping positions that hurt your knees and what you can do instead. We also offered a great way to strengthen the muscles that support your knee: “The Miracle Knee Exercise.” Today we’re going to look at some other easy exercises to benefit your knees and more.

For people who are not naturally athletic or drawn to exercise, getting stronger is the key. The stronger you are, the more mobile you will be. The stronger you are, the better you can manage or reduce joint pain.

The more strength you gain, the more stamina you will have. The good news is that strengthening is easy do.

You just start where you are and take a small next step, building strength slowly and safely.

At Inside Out Fitness we are always thinking of ways that you can get stronger with in as little time and effort as possible. In this column I will give you some ideas on how to gain leg, thigh and core strength while you brush your teeth! These exercises can also be done while you are standing in line, waiting for water to boil, waiting for the microwave to finish, and at other seemingly non-productive times.

Take Me Home with You!

We all know how important balance is as you get older. The problem is, if balancing is hard, you won’t want to do it. And the fact that it’s hard makes it more important to do it. These tooth brushing exercises are all about strength and balance.

These exercises were inspired by my impatience with the 2 minutes that the electric toothbrush wants me to spend brushing my teeth. Now I look forward to brushing my teeth in the

Did you try that standing posture? If not, go back, really, and give it a shot.

Just standing like this will strengthen your legs, core and back. Think of all the times that you are standing around. You might as well make such moments useful to your body.

We are going to do some single leg standing exercises. You will probably notice that one leg is easier than the other to balance on. This is normal, and often will correct over time with practice.

Balancing: Start in the recommended standing position. If you can, stand on one leg for 30 seconds while you brush your teeth. Be sure to squeeze the butt of the leg you’re standing on while you keep your ribcage lifted and your shoulder blades back and down. Then do the other leg. If that is easy, close your eyes (this is extremely challenging). You can also balance on one leg while you move the other leg forward and back 5 times, and then switch.

Remember that you are likely to have a very different experience from one leg to the other.

Photos by Rink

Oreo

The “Beats for Boobs 2016” fundraiser held on Saturday, October 8, at the Mezzanine was a unique music-driven benefit supporting local breast cancer organizations. Art, fashion, food and information resources were offered as well. The event’s featured music personalities included Lauren Li of tangled headphones, Gravity of Pink Mammoth, Mancub and Brad Robinson of Space Cowboys, Rachel Torro of Panda Lounge/ZERO NY and more.

Beats for Boobs raises awareness and funds for local breast cancer organizations that promote prevention or provide related support services within the Bay Area. beatsforboobs.org

Oreo is presented to San Francisco Bay Times readers by Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, the SF SPCA’s Co-President. Our thanks also go to Krista Maloney for helping to get the word out about lovable pets like Oreo.

Dr. Jennifer Scarlett and Pup

Aside from major holidays, the adoption center is open Mon–Fri: 1–6 pm and Sat–Sun: 10 am–5 pm. Free parking is available for those wishing to adopt! For more info about Oreo: https://www.sfspca.org/adoptions/petdetails/5697767 26

The exercises will be done standing; so first, I’ll give you the best way to set up your standing position. Try it with me right now. Start with your feet at a comfortable distance apart. Your toes can be pointing straight ahead or slightly turned out. Let your weight sit mostly in your heels and the balls of your feet while you wiggle your toes.

If you can wiggle your toes a bit while standing, you know you’re in a pretty good starting position. Soften your knees so they are not locked straight.

When you soften your knees, it’s a good idea to gently squeeze your butt muscles. Then lift your ribcage as you drop your shoulder blades.

Pre-balancing: If standing on one leg feels too hard or impossible, or hurts your joints—stop! We’ve got a good way to build up to balancing. It’s called weight shifting. It’s pretty much what it sounds like except you want to intentionally recruit your muscles.

Begin in the recommended standing posture. Shift your weight to your left leg. Be sure to squeeze the left butt while keeping your ribcage lifted and your shoulder blades back and down.

Hold for 5, 10 or more seconds. You can keep your right foot flat or use just your right toe for balance. Let this be easy. Eventually you will be able to lift the right foot up and balance for a few seconds. Then do the other side. Remember, you will probably notice it’s easier on one side. Be kind and gentle with yourself about all this.

Here’s to standing strong and moving forward!

Cinder Ernst, Medical Exercise Specialist and Life Coach Extraordinaire, helps reluctant exercisers get moving with safe, effective and fun programs. Find out more at http:// cinderernst.com

October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

“My name is Oreo, and I just celebrated my 17th birthday! I’m a wise old cookie who’s looking for a quiet retirement home. I’m a handsome tuxedo boy who is mostly sweet and with a little dash of sass! I’ve lived with several cats before and enjoy spending time with both my human and feline friends. Come add a sprinkle of Oreo to your life; I’d love to meet you!”

To see Oreo and other pets seeking their forever homes, please visit: San Francisco SPCA Mission Campus 250 Florida Street San Francisco 94103 415-522-3500

I love that my toothbrush has a signal at 30 seconds (when I’m supposed to change quadrants in my mouth), so I can use the signal as a guide. If you don’t have an electric toothbrush with a timer, or if you brush by hand, then you can count repetitions or seconds.

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Compiled by Blake Dillon

13 Thursday Real Housewives of Macaroni – 7:00 pm @ Dog Eared Books Castro, 489 Castro Street. Food Network Award nominee Jason Mecier presents his new macaroni portraits. dogearedbooks.com It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown – Every day through October @ The Charles M. Schultz Museum & Research Center, 2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa. 50th Anniversary celebration of the beloved show, featuring rare animation cels, storyboard selections, photo ops with Linus and more. schulzmuseum.org/collections/itsthe-great-pumpkin-charlie-brown/

A Thin Bright Line Book Launch – 5:00 pm @ Laurel Bookstore, 1423 Broadway, Oakland.

Author Lucy Jane Bledsoe in conversation with Juliana Delgado Lopez, co-sponsored by the Bay Area Lesbian History Archives Project. laurelbookstore.com

17 Monday The Hannibal Montanabal Experience – 8:00 pm @ Nourse Theater, 275 Hayes Street. Emmynominated comedian, writer and actor Hannibal Buress’ solo show. facebook.com/events/ 608260762690304

A Streetcar Named Desire – Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays through October 29 @ Shelton Theater, 533 Sutter. Tennessee Williams’ classic. sheltontheater.org

Hard Hat Tour of Openhouse Affordable Housing Complex for Seniors – 3:00 pm (repeats October 24 & 31) @ Openhouse LGBT Senior Center, 55 Laguna Street. A limited number of spaces are available. fallopenhousetours. eventbrite.com

Imbibe at The Mix – 7:00 pm @ San Francisco Public Library’s The Mix, 100 Larkin Street, 2nd Floor.

Friends of the SF Public Library’s after-hours cocktail party and fundraiser. Friendssfpl.org Castro Harm Reduction Night – 7:30 pm @ Strut Group Room 1, 470 Castro Street. A fun, friendly, welcoming place for gay, bi, MSM interested in exploring their relationship to drugs, sex, dating and whatever else. http://strutsf.org/ event/castro-harm-reduction-night/ UHAUL SF – 10:00 pm @ Oasis, 298 11th Street. Special guest Daniela Sea (The L-Word) and DJs from LA and Sweden. http://sfoasis. com/event.cfm?id=172931&cart

15 Saturday Living History: The GLBT Historical Society Gala – 6:00 pm @ Green Room at the War Memorial, 401 Van Ness Avenue.

Formal dinner and silent auction with entertainment and fun inspired

by LGBTQ history. glbthistory.org/ A Prince Tribute – 8:00 pm @ Empress Theatre, 330 Virginia Street, Vallejo. Dancing is encouraged as the 1st Avenue Revue, a six member live band, presents a high energy show in tribute to Prince. empresstheatre.org/ events/1st-avenue-prince-tribute/ Stephanie Teel Band – 7:00 pm @ Lighthouse Bar & Grill, 475 E. Strawberry Drive, Mill Valley. stephanieteel.com/gigs/ The Klipptones @ Potrero Hill Festival – 11:00 am @ 20th Street between Wisconsin and Missouri Streets. Free admission to the annual block fiar featuring music, food and crafts. potrerofestival.com

16 Sunday Octoberfest 2016 – 12:30 pm @ St Mark’s Lutheran Church, 1111 O’Farrell Street. Traditional German meal with veggie options featuring libations, games, bouncey house and

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Still Queer – 3:00 pm @ Beauty Bar, 2299 Mission Street. Presented

by SF Dyke March, a mixer to dance of just hang with friends, benefitting The Dyke March. facebook.com/ events/300587616979796

Shocktobergest 17: Pyramid of Freaks – 7:00 pm @ Hypnodrome, 545 10th St. Thrillpeddlers presents the 17th annual extravaganza of terror and titillation featuring five one-act performances. hypnodrome.org

14 Friday

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more. facebook.com/ events/915745555196051

18 Tuesday Velvet Rage Book Club – 4:00 pm @ Strut Group Room 1, 470 Castro Street. On-going book club exploring the complexity of gay identity and culture, HIV, substance abuse, healing relationship trauma and more. strutsf.org Every 28 Hours One Day Festival – 7:00 pm (repeats October 19 at Berkeley Rep) @ The Rueff at A.C.T.’s Strand Theater, 1127 Market Street. A collaboration of Bay Area artists to raise awareness about the urgent issues facing the Black community. education@act-sf.org LGBTQ Alumni Mixer in SF – 6:30 pm @ 20 Yerba Buena Lane.

Princeton and other university alumni monthly event. josephlee@berkeley.edu

19 Wednesday ALRP 33rd Annual Reception & Auction – 6:00 pm @ Julia Morgan Ballroom at the Merchants Exchange, 465 California Street.

AIDS Legan Referral Panel’s annual benefit reception featuring outstanding food and wines. alrp.org/events/ alrp-33rd-annual-reception-auction 3G: Bridging the Golden Gates – 7:00 pm @ Lookout Bar, 3600 16th Street (Market and Noe).

Every 3rd Wednesday, an evening of games and funds benefiting the Monarch’s Charity Fund. facebook. com/events/1868786533349235 Marcus Samuelsson in Conversation with Chris Cosentino – 6:30 pm @ Commonwealth Club of California, 555 Post Street. Restaurant founder and author of The Red Rooster Cookbook:The Story of Food and Hustle in Harlem, Chef Samuelsson will discuss his journey from Ethiopia to Sweden to Harlem. facebook.com/ events/1745420615708209

20 Thursday The Rocky Horror Picture Show – The “television event” remake of the cult classic premieres on Fox TV, starring Laverne Cox, Adam Lambert and Tim Curry.

Check local listings to confirm 8 pm or live stream on fox.com/the-rockyhorror-picture-show Author Talk: Sex Science Self – 7:00 pm @ GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th Street.

Author Bob Ostertag will discuss his new book, “Sex Science Self: A Social History of Estrogen, Testosterone and Identity.” glbthistory.org/events/ Mary-Go-Round: CHER Tribute Show! – 9:30 pm @ Lookout Bar, 3600 16th Street (Market and Noe). Starring bartender Jimi Germilhac and presented by Mercedez Munro, Holotta Tymes and Camille Tow and a line-up of performers. facebook.com/ events/1799061840373487

21 Friday 12th Annual This Old Bag: The Power of the Purse Gala – 6:30 pm @ Bently Reserve, 301 Battery Street. Breast Cancer Emergency Fund’s signature handbag fundraising event offers an array of handbags, clutches, manbags and more from top celebrities. facebook. com/events/1564081883900865 After Hours: Black Cat Drag Makeover – GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th Street.

The monthly After Hours party celebrating drag icon and activist José Sarria and the Black Cat Café where he performed. glbthistory.org/events Women’s Spiral Dance – 6:30 pm @ Orinda Masonic Temple, 9 Altarinda Road, Orinda. A multi-cultural celebration of beloved ancestors and crones. daughtersofthegoddess.com Every 28 Hours – Through November 12 @ PianoFight, 144 Taylor Street. Full production of the project addressing issues faced by the Black community. www.eventbrite.com/e/every-28-hours-a-bayarea-collaboration-tickets27847954983

22 Saturday 32nd Annual HRC San Francisco Bay Area Gala & Auction – 6:00 pm @ The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square, 335 Powell Street. A gala dinner and silent auction celebrating the strides HRC has made toward achieving equality during the past year. www.sfhrcgala.org MANGO’s 20th Anniversary – 2:00 pm @ El Rio, 3158 Mission Street. Celebrating two decades of the event created by the legendary Chantal as a meeting spot for women of color and their friends held every 4th Saturday. elriosf.com The Rocky Horror Picture Show with the Russian River Sisters – 8:00 pm Doors/9:00 pm Movie @ The Rio Theater, 20396 Bohemian Hwy, Monte Rio. A benefit for the Sisters’ Grants Fund. North Bay Lesbians On The Go Yahoo Group.

23 Sunday Bare Chest Calendar – 2016 Queen of the Calendar Contest – 5:00 pm @ Oasis, 298 11th Street. Eight calendar men compete for the chance to be crowned. barechest.org Keshet LGBTQ Tribe at Sukkot on the Farm – @ Eatwell Farm, 5835 Sievers Road, Dixon. LGBTQ Jews of all ages and their friends gather at Wilderness Torah’s Sukkot on Farm festival. keshetonline.org/event/keshetlgbtq-tribe-at-sukkot-on-the-farm/ CHEER SF Beer Bust – 4:00 pm @ Brewcade SF, 2200 Market Street. San Francisco’s officia cheerleading team presents an all you can drink party with raffle tickets, classic arcade games and more. facebook.com/events/ 673151102847648

24 Monday Flesh & Spirit Community – Intermediate Yoga – 7:00 pm @ 924 Presidio Avenue.

Fleshandspirit.org/calendar.thml Larkin Street’s 7th Annual Golf Tournament – 10:30 am @ Lake Merced Golf Club Daly City. A key fundraiser supporting Larkin Street Youth Services, the tournament includes a putting contest, complimentary lunch, hosted awards reception and silent auction. Larkinstreetyouth.org

25 Tuesday Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie – 3, 5, 7 and 9:00 pm @ The Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street. The big screen debut of characters Edina and Patsy bringing their glitz, glamour and high life with shopping, drinking and clubbing their way around London.

Castrotheatre.com/p-list.html

castrocountryclub.org

Premature Election Comedy Spectacular - Marga’s Comedy Salon – 8:00 pm @ Sparks Arts, 4229 18th Street.

Talented comedian Marga Gomez hosts this event and welcomes friends every 4th Tuesday. sparkarts.com/special-events

26 Wednesday Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club Monthly Meeting – 7:00 pm @ The Women’s Building, 2nd Floor, 3723 18th Street. General membership meeting held every fourth Tuesday. milkclub.org Castro Country Club – 7th Annual Harvest Feast: Through The Looking Glass of Recovery – 6:00 pm @ War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Avenue. Enjoy the Mad Hatter’s Teatotaler Party followed by a the gala dinner, auction and show hosted by Heklina and featuring Frenchie Davis and auctioneer Lenny Broberg.

Enjoy October and Have A Safe and Happy Halloween!

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MANDELMAN (cont’d from page 6)

SFGMC (continued from page 14)

nizing the event, says the visibility of celebrities, athletes, politicians, faith leaders, schools, and other people taking a stand against bullying can change the world for LGBTQ youth, sending a strong message to let them know that they are not alone. This year, in an effort to help raise awareness and build even more support for Spirit Day, GLAAD is challenging supporters, friends, and others to help raise $100,000 by October 20 to fund this vital campaign that builds awareness in communities around the world about the epidemic of anti-LGBTQ bullying. For information and resource kits, contact glaad.org/spiritday

Free City College). Vote No on the nasty and ill-conceived Props U, P, Q and R (see my September column if you need to know why). And vote for strong progressive women locally as well as nationally: Jane Kim for Senate; Sandra Lee Fewer, Hillary Ronen and Kimberly Alvarenga for Supervisor; Lateefah Simon for BART Board.

San Francisco) for three performances of Paradise Found on Friday, March 31, 2017 at 8 pm and Saturday, April 1, 2017, at 2:30 pm and 8 pm. Tickets will range from $25–75 and will be available for purchase starting early next year. Paradise Found will feature many world-premiere commissions and breathtaking new choral works, including the massive “Paradiso” by SFGMC Composer-in-Residence Dr. James Granville Eakin III. The Na Lei Hulu Dance Company joins the Chorus as special guest artists for Paradise Found.

And some of John Podesta’s hacked emails revealed that Hillary’s staff immediately realized that her explanation to Rachel Maddow for supporting the Defense of Marriage Act was so much hogwash. At the time she claimed that Bill thought it was acceptable to pass DOMA in order to forestall a federal constitutional amendment against same-sex marriage. In fact, the push for an amendment came many years after the 1996 passage of DOMA. According to the hacked information, aides worried about the faulty excuse, and wondered whether to walk it back, but just moved on because no one really noticed. (I did! I did! I was right!)

a jewel-tipped cane on a Manhattan sidewalk. Cozy Bear is lying on the couch under a quilt watching NCIS with a little pot of honey in his paw.

NEWS (continued from page 3) Equality California, the Transgender Law Center and California NOW, the bill stands in sharp contrast with 19 states this year that considered restricting access to restrooms, locker rooms and other sex-segregated facilities on biological sex. asmdc.org Our Family Coalition Offers Halloween Party for Youth Our Family Coalition, advancing equity for LGBTQ families with children through support, education, and advocacy, will present a Ghostbusters Halloween Party on October 23,12:30 pm–2:30 pm at Eureka Valley Recreational Center, 100 Collingwood Street in the Castro. OFC encourages attendees to “show off your

costumes at our super-fun annual Halloween celebration. Kids and their grown-ups can enjoy crafts, activities, and our infamous costume fashion show. Donate outgrown Halloween costumes, and bring a dastardly potluck dish if you can.” OFC staffer Shareena can answer any questions at shareena@ourfamily.org or call 415-981-1960 ourfamily.org Millions Will ‘Go Purple’ to Stand Against Bullying Every year, millions of people “go purple” on Spirit Day, October 20, to take a stand against bullying and to show support for LGBTQ youth by wearing purple or coloring purple in social media. GLAAD, orga-

Rafael Mandelman is an attorney for the City of Oakland. He is also President of the City College of San Francisco Board of Trustees.

Read more at sfbaytimes.com

ROSTOW (continued from page 13) I don’t have much of a feeling for Columbian politics either, but I was surprised a couple weeks ago when the country voted against the peace deal that was to end a half-century old civil war. I mean, who votes to continue such a conflict? I paid only scant attention, but I had the impression that, like Brexit, the vote was laden with complicated cultural freight.

Fast forward and I stumble over a headline that linked homophobia to the peace deal vote. Say what? That was pretty intriguing, but I still managed to sidestep what appears to be a complicated subject until the President of Colombia won the Nobel Peace Prize. Now I think we’re obliged to examine the situation there because otherwise, what’s the point of the Nobel Prize? It’s there, in my view, to hook the rest of us and force us for a brief minute to focus on a poem or a bosun or a country.

So. There’s been a festering conservative backlash brewing in Colombia in the wake of a number of forward thinking developments, including several that have benefited the GLBT community. In April, the high court legalized marriage equality. Last summer, Gina Parody, the progressive education minister, advanced a gay friendly set of policies that included a controversial student manual.

The government has legalized marijuana, and, of course, tried to peace-

fully end a rebellion that has continued since the 1960s.

Needless to say, conservatives have not been pleased, and nor were they happy to see none other than Gina Parody take charge of the campaign to ratify the peace deal. Like the xenophobes of England, the nay-sayers cut off their noses to spite their faces, in this case rejecting their initiative that will send their president to Oslo. Unlike the Brits, who will face the consequences of their actions for decades, the Colombian voters will not block peace for long. This seems to be a nasty eruption, a protest statement against change that will have little significance in the long run.

That’s Not So Gay It’s interesting when our issues intersect with the larger political environment, don’t you think? And how interesting is it that this has to be one of the least gay presidential campaigns we’ve seen in years? We’re not even talked about between the lines. We’re just last year’s news, period.

I had “LGBT” on my debate bingo card the other night, and I got nothing. Not even “gay.” No mention. No one cares. No one even asked the insufferably unctuous Mr. Religious Freedom Mike Pence about the antigay law he and his buddies were obliged to undo a year or so in Indiana.

I’ve always thought Hillary should have just admitted that it was 1996, for God’s sake. No one supported marriage equality. That anti-marriage position was wrong, but it was almost universal. After all, even the Human Rights Campaign tried to run as hard as possible in the other direction, insisting that the gay community had no interest in marriage and that the topic was a red herring.

Hey, who thought up the nicknames for the Russian hackers? One is cozy bear and the other is similar. Fancy bear! I just looked it up. They sound adorable. Did the Russians make up the names? Is it a mistranslation? I imagine Fancy Bear late at night with an ascot and beret leaning jauntily on

What Dreams May Come?

So, they may not mention us by name this year, but I’ll tell you where we’re going to have an impact. North Carolina, that’s where. I’m sure that much will depend on the erratic behavior at the top of the ticket, but the governor’s race seems to me to be a straight up vote on HB2, the anti-gay and anti-trans bill that has turned Tarheel State politics upside-down since last March. North Carolina also has a close Senate race, but it’s really Governor Pat McCrory who has put his reputation on the line here. I want him to go down.

I confess, in fact, that these evenings I put myself to sleep by imagining election night. I imagine the top of the hour, the election result music, and the states on the board turning blue. I think of that nice photo of Hillary in the pink jacket, with her bright eyes popping up over the outline of Ohio, or North Carolina or Florida. I imagine the Senate turning blue. Then I start to dream about the House and slumber happily away. arostow@aol.com

SISTER DANA (continued from page 12) at this event to celebrate the strides HRC has made toward achieving equality for our community this past year, while preparing for the work ahead. sfhrcgala.org THRILLPEDDLERS presents “SHOCKTOBERFEST 17: PYRAMID OF FREAKS,” the17th Annual Extravaganza of Terror & Titillation, now through November 19—Thursdays, Fridays, Saturday, 8 pm at The Hypnodrome, 575 10th Street. Limited Engagement—Only 22 performances! Plus 2 Special Halloween performances (both 8 pm): Sunday, October 30, and Monday, October 31, Halloween Night. This annual festival of Grand Guignol horror theatre and black comedies includes a scary lights-out spook show finale. Horrors! hypnodrome.org TRANSGENDER LAW CENTER will celebrate 14 years of igniting change in the law, policy, and cultural climate so that people of all gender identities and expressions can live safely, authentically, and free from discrimination. At their annual gala, SPARK!, TLC will honor Slack Technologies for their visible support of trans advocacy and leadership in the Bay Area tech sector; The Porters, who are a fierce family of advocates for trans and queer youth; and a pioneer and “champion of change” for the transgender community, Ms. Dee Dee Ngozi Chamblee. The party is on October 20, with 6 pm Reception, 7 pm Awards Ceremony and Program at 30

Julia Morgan Ballroom, 465 California Street. transgenderlawcenter. org/spark

“Small Opening.” If you pass this up, so sad, it’s “squish squish, sweetiedarling! rbct.us

THE QUEENS OF THE CASTRO presents “HIGH SCHOOL IS A DRAG 4,” a yearly drag show benefiting LGBTQ+ youth. For over 4 years, QOC has set the stage on fire by bringing together drag talent to entertain and educate attendees on the importance and significance of drag. This year they return with an emphasis on drag within our San Francisco community with performances featuring local talent. This year’s theme is “Power Ballot/Highlights in LGBTQ+ history and politics.” Saturday, October 22, 7:30– 10:30 pm, Mission High School, 3750 18th Street. Hosted by Sister Roma & BeBe Sweetbriar. queensofthecastro.com

“NOCHE DE AMBIENTE” opens on Friday, October 28, at the GLBT HISTORY MUSEUM with a public reception set for 7 to 9 pm, 4127 18th Street. For decades, Spanish speakers in many parts of the Western Hemisphere have recognized the word “ambiente”—literally meaning “atmosphere” or “environment”— as a coded reference. Queer Latinas and Latinos have used the word to identify themselves, their distinctive cultures, and their spirit of resistance.

The show at the museum opens a window into the meanings of “ambiente” as reflected in Latinx drag performance and LGBTQ and AIDS activism in San Francisco from the 1970s into the 1990s. The curators will make brief remarks to inaugurate the show. Wine and light refreshments will be served. Admission is $5; free for members. The exhibition will be on display in the museum’s Front Gallery through February 2017. Muy bueno! glbthistorymuseum.org

Fresh from their success promoting Absolutely Fabulous the Movie, the company of ROYAL BRITISH COMEDY THEATRE presents “ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS: SEASON 3!” Oct. 27–November 19 at Exit Theatre, 156 Eddy Street. Starring: Terrence McLaughlin as Edina, ZsaZsa Lufthansa as Patsy, Lisa Appleyard as Justin & Christopher, Dene Larson as Saffy, Ryan Engstrom as Gran, and Raya Light as Bubble. With: Nick Leonard, Ginorma Desmond, Steven Sparrow, Lisa Darter, and Hilda Roe. Do not miss this deliciously wicked live interpretation of two classic TV AbFab faves, “Sex” and

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S O C TO B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 6

“CASTRO CREEPY CRAWL - A HALLOWEEN MARCH AGAINST EVICTIONS” is Saturday, October 29, 1 pm in Harvey Milk Plaza. Just in time for Halloween, this spooky event reflects the specter of evictions haunting San Francisco! Join #AntiEvictionQueers in a Halloween march around the Castro to cast spells and exorcise the

ghoulish spirits of greed evictions.

Come dressed as your “favorite” leachy landlords, creepy politicians, rabid realtors, and spooky speculators! The #CastroCreepyCrawl will haunt them!

PROJECT INFORM is proud to announce their annual event, “EVENING OF HOPE - A NIGHT OF LIFESAVING FASHION,” on Saturday, October 29, 7 to 9 pm, 401 Van Ness Avenue. This wonderful event will take place at San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center in the stunning Green Room—decorated as a beautiful atelier! At the event, you can enjoy delicious food and drinks on the balcony, listen to music by Jason Brock and DJ Christopher B, attend the exciting live auction of distinctive experiences and destinations, and, of course, enjoy the fashion presentation of designers showcasing their one-of-akind condom couture! Most importantly, all proceeds from the event go to fight HIV and hepatitis C in the U.S. Project Inform is a national nonprofit that supports thousands of individuals and families each year. Come and help create the next generation without HIV and hepatitis C! projectinform.org Sister Dana sez, “The good thing about Fleet Week was the sexy sailors. The bad thing? Those way too frequent, excessively loud jet planes made me feel I was trapped in a war zone!”

Season 39 will finish with an overthe-top, joyous Pride Month celebration. The Chorus will proudly present three performances of The Gay Kitchen Sink at the Nourse Theater (275 Hayes Street) on Friday, June 16, 2017, at 8 pm and Saturday, June 17, 2017, at 2:30 pm and 8 pm. Tickets will range from $25–65 and will be available in April 2017. Very special guests Kinsey Sicks, known as “America’s favorite dragapella beauty shop quartet,” will join the Chorus for these lively Pride concerts.

“In my short time here as SFGMC’s executive director,” wrote Chris Verdugo, “I have found a deep sense of community and pride both in and for this spectacular chorus. It’s only fitting that Season 39 will celebrate an ideal that we hold true to—our community.”

To access special discounts and exclusive benefits, season subscription packages are available for sale now before individual tickets go on sale to the general public. To learn more about subscribing, and for more information on the Chorus, please visit www. sfgmc.org MILLER (continued from page 11) with the monthly expense of a mortgage. Since this is also a stage in life when your investment approach may be more conservative, the tradeoff of reducing your balance rather than investing may not be as significant.

Those who are in this position may want to consider if accelerating payments today would help reduce housing expenses in retirement.

The same is true for those who plan to stay in their homes for a long time.

Reducing your loan may be appealing if it results in years of living without a house bill. Younger homeowners should explore methods of accelerating their mortgage pay down. Among the strategies to consider are contributing more money each month, refinancing your mortgage over a shorter term (i.e., a 15-year mortgage instead of a 30-year one) or occasionally making a larger, lump sum payment to reduce the balance.

Considering the emotional side Deciding if you should carry a home mortgage is not only a rational decision, but also an emotional one. Your home is where you raise your family, create memories and return to each day. How important is it for you to know that you will own your home free and clear?

As you think about your decision, be sure you’re in a position not to jeopardize your financial security today by putting additional funds toward your home. Adjusting your monthly bill will impact your cash flow, and you’ll want to have flexibility in your budget to cover unexpected expenses.

Review your financial circumstances carefully before you decide what’s right for you.

Brandon Miller, CFP is a financial consultant at Brio Financial Group, A Private Wealth Advisory Practice of Ameriprise Financial Inc. in San Francisco, specializing in helping LGBT individuals and families plan and achieve their financial goals.

Olivia Travel Day in San Francisco - September 29, 2016 Olivia Travel Day in San Francisco, co-sponsored by the San Francisco Bay Times and the Port of San Francisco, began early on Thursday, September 29, with a ceremony at Pier 35. Friends, supporters, passengers and more joined Olivia Travel founders Judy Dlugacz and Rachel Wahba and vice presidents Jill Cruse and Tisha Floratos at dockside to commemorate Olivia’s first every official Port of Call visit to the historic lesbian travel company’s home city.

PHOTO BY SANDY MORRIS PHOTO BY SANDY MORRIS

PHOTO BY SANDY MORRIS

PHOTO BY CHLOE JACKMAN PHOTO BY JANE HIGGINS

PHOTO BY JANE HIGGINS

PHOTO BY CHLOE JACKMAN

PHOTO BY JANE HIGGINS

PHOTO BY JANE HIGGINS

PHOTO BY JANE HIGGINS

PHOTO BY JANE HIGGINS

PHOTO BY CHLOE JACKMAN

PHOTO BY SANDY MORRIS

PHOTO BY CHLOE JACKMAN

PHOTO BY SANDY MORRIS

PHOTO BY CHLOE JACKMAN

PHOTO BY CHLOE JACKMAN

More than 1400 lesbians arrived aboard Holland America’s MS Zaandam and were welcomed by San Francisco Port Commissioner Leslie Katz, Elaine Forbes, City of San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim and a host of rainbow flags waving in anticipation of the day’s activities taking passengers on tours of wine country, the Castro and other historic San Francisco locations.

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES O C TO BER 13, 2016

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