San Francisco Bay Times - October 27, 2016

Special Section on San Francisco Opera Costume Design See Pages: 23-24

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October 27-November 9, 2016 | www.sfbaytimes.com

In the News Compiled by Dennis McMillan Tight State Senate Race Becomes Increasingly Contentious The race for State Senate District 11 between San Francisco Supervisors Jane Kim and Scott Wiener seems to be involving everyone: Bernie Sanders, tech execs, the soda industry, charter school associations and more. Most recently, Equality California condemned what they say was a Kim attack on a gay, formerly homeless man. (http://www. eqca.org/kim-mccoy/) Firing back in support of Kim was long-time LGBT rights and housing activist Tommi Avicolli Mecca. His e-mail addressed to EQCA is at: https:// www.facebook.com/tommi.mecca/posts/10154121222582972) The race for the Senate seat, vacated by termed-out Mark Leno, is currently “neck-and-neck,” according to a San Francisco Chronicle story earlier this week. This will certainly be one to watch come November 8.

Killer of Bay Area Transgender Teen Gwen Araujo Granted Parole After 14 Years One of the men convicted in the brutal 2002 murder of a transgender teen has been approved for parole after serving 14 years in prison.

Jose Merél was convicted of seconddegree murder in the 2002 beating death of Gwen Araujo, in which he and another young man killed the 17-year-old after discovering she was transgender. Merél was sentenced to 15 years to life. The parole approval is the first step in a five-month process leading to his release from custody. The night Araujo was murdered, she attended a party at Merél’s home.

At the party, Araujo was interrogat-

ed about her gender and discovered to be trans. Two of the men who’d had sex with Araujo—Merél and Michael Magidson—became enraged and began to assault her. Two other men, Jaron Nabors and Jason Casarez, witnessed the assault and left to get tools to bury the teen’s body after she was beaten and strangled to death. During the trial, attorneys for Merél and Magidson used a “trans panic” defense to avoid a hate crime enhancement, arguing that the men lost it after discovering they had sex with a transgender woman, rather than a cis-gender one. Araujo’s death inspired California to pass Gwen Araujo Justice for Victims Act in 2006, which limited the use of the “gay/trans panic” defense. In 2014, that law was strengthened by the passage of a law prohibiting defendants from even invoking the socalled defense. lgbtqnation.com Board of Supervisors Approves Creation of LGBTQ Nightlife and Culture Working Group Legislation authored by Supervisor Wiener will establish a group of community leaders to work with city agencies to protect and preserve LGBT nightlife and culture. The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the creation of an LGBTQ Nightlife and Culture Working Group, which will be tasked with supporting nightlife and drafting and implementing the citywide LGTBQ Cultural Heritage Strategy. Supervisor Wiener authored the legislation after he held a hearing about how the city can better work to preserve and

protect LGBTQ nightlife. Previously, Supervisor Wiener authored legislation to landmark the Twin Peaks Tavern in the Castro—the first gay bar with open windows. Wiener also helped the owners of the revived Eagle to get their business going. Earlier this summer, Supervisor Wiener authored a piece on why LGBT nightlife spaces matter, after the news spread about the looming closure of the Stud, and in the wake of the massacre at Pulse nightclub in Orlando. sfgov.org President Barack Obama Endorses Bisexual Oregon Governor Kate Brown Oregon Governor Kate Brown holds the distinction of being the only candidate for governor endorsed by President Barack Obama this year.

The President released a video endorsement of the openly bisexual governor, highlighting her accomplishments in the less than two years she’s held the office. Brown became the first openly bisexual governor in U.S. history after previous Governor John Kitzhaber resigned. Because Oregon doesn’t have a deputy or lieutenant governor, the secretary of state steps into the role when the position is vacated. She’ll need to best Republican opponent Dr. Bud Pierce to remain governor. Obama highlighted Brown’s passage of legislation raising the state’s minimum wage, her commitment to renewable energy, and investments in education. lgbtqnation.com Report on Intimate Partner Violence in LGBTQ and HIVAffected Communities in U.S. Released The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) released

its report, “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and HIVAffected Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in 2015.” The report looks at the experiences of 1,976 survivors of intimate partner violence who reported to 17 NCAVP member organizations from 14 states across the country, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, and Vermont. IPV is a serious yet oft-ignored issue facing LGBTQ and HIV-affected communities. The 2015 NCAVP report looks at the unique ways that LGBTQ and HIV-affected people experience IPV, as well as the barriers they experience when attempting to access care and support.

In 2015, people of color made up 10 (77%) of the 13 reports of LGBTQ and HIV-affected IPV homicides. Of the 13 homicides, six victims were transgender women, four were cisgender men, and three were cis-gender women. All six of the transgender women homicide victims were transgender women of color, including four who were black and two who were Latinx. avp.org Mayor Lee’s Statement on Passing of Former Police Commissioner and LGBT Rights Pioneer Wayne Friday “The passing of Wayne Friday is a significant loss to the city of San Francisco,” said Mayor Ed Lee. He noted Friday was a man of many trades: Navy sailor, stock trader, bartender, LGBT rights pioneer, police commissioner and political columnist for the Bay Area Reporter. He was, as the Mayor said, “a true representation of the free spirit of San Francisco.” As a mark of respect for the

memory of Friday, Mayor Lee ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at City Hall, the Police Headquarters and the ten SFPD District Stations from sunrise until sunset on Friday, October 14. ssfgov.org Just Released: First Federal Study of LGBTQ Historic Sites The United States National Park Service has just released a groundbreaking new publication on LGBTQ history—a monumental work with 32 chapters contributed by 27 historians: “LGBTQ America Today: A Theme Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer History.” The theme study is the first assessment of LGBTQ placebased history and historic preservation sponsored by a national government anywhere in the world. It provides an overview of key themes in U.S. queer history; a framework to assist preservation advocates in identifying, interpreting and preserving LGBTQ places; and a resource for supporting nomination of sites for National Register and National Landmark status. nps.gov/articles/ lgbtqtheme-heritage U.K. Government to Pardon Gays Convicted Under Past Anti-Gay Laws Britain’s government will posthumously pardon thousands of gay and bisexual men convicted under longrepealed anti-gay laws. The calls for a more sweeping action came after World War II code-breaker Alan Turing was awarded a posthumous royal pardon in 2013 after a conviction of indecency in 1952. The gay computer science pioneer was stripped of his security clearance (continued on page 30)

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES O C TO BER 27, 2016

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The Wounds of This Election

Photos courtesy of Hillary for America Campaign

prehistoric vision I can think of.

I focused on the tally work, and prepared the data to take to the HQ. As I got on the bus to the HQ, I felt dismayed.

Debra Walker I have spent the past several months looking into the eyes of the Hillary haters and needed a respite. I have spent the past several months looking into the eyes of the beast and needed a respite. Our trips to Nevada for the Clinton campaign have been draining. As essential as that work is, it is emotionally exhausting.

I have heard our presidential candidate being called a liar, not to mention every derogatory expletive hurled at women. It is beyond comprehension that a man who clearly disrespects women—and actually assaults women—is running so close in the polls to the most qualified person for the job ever. The rampant sexism woven into our society and on display ever y where you look should shock anyone. I have been shocked that with all of his r a c i s m , bi g ot r y, and hear t lessness in cheating contractors and others, Trump still has been within striking distance of Clinton. The fact that 40% or so of the public still support him after the latest disclosures—and the allegations keep coming—is mind numbing.

I thought helping out in San Francisco at a friend’s phone bank, and then attending a viewing party of the second presidential debate, would be a breeze. In the beginning, it was, yet as time passed, our volunteers were getting a reality check by calling into Nevada. So many volunteers came up to me, shocked and troubled by some of the extremely negative and vicious responses. Such responders were not in the majority, but it only takes one call where someone is swearing at your candidate and shouting out unrepeatable names while repeating unsubstantiated conspiracy theories, to make you tremble a bit.

There I was, trying to tally phone bank results for a soft report as the packed phone bank became a debate watch party, and in the background on the screen is this large scary-looking man stalking and yelling at one of the brightest women of our time. The optics displayed the most bullying and

I imagine every woman watching was horrified by the debate spectacle. It was a contrived piece of strategy on Trump’s part to engage in the sexism and to wrap it around Clinton. I cannot imagine what Hillary Clinton experiences as she literally suffers the “slings and arrows of this outrageous fortune” by running against such a bully, but I can certainly feel how familiar it is.

Who among us women has not experienced that type of bullying from a man? Who amongst us Debra Walker (center), with staff and volunteers, welcoming Secretary Hillary Clinton has not been sexually pressured in some way or another? It has been shocking to see this blatant behavior from someone who is wanting to represent this country.

Those of us who are working to elect Hillary Clinton and daily hear some voters’ trashing of her in the same horrific ways all experience moments of feeling emotionally wounded. When I took the bus that debate night, data in hand, I dropped the materials off at the headquarters, headed home, and there just broke down and sobbed for half an hour. I am a strong individual, but being in the vortex of the relentless Clinton-directed misog yny, which spilled over to myself and to so many others, was very disheartening.

A re people really so afraid of being led by a woman that they have lost their collective minds?

Even friends on the left cast dispersions against Clinton that are truly unreal. As we come to the close of this campaign, with the likelihood of the most prepared and qualified candidate poised to win, the desperation grows proportionately. Witnessing Hillary Clinton standing strong against these assaults only solidifies her supporters’ commitment.

Fortunately, there are lots of transformative stories that I can share; they far outnumber the negative ones. These include the veteran in Reno who expressed weak support for Trump as I knocked on the door of the motel where here he lived. This was a typical downtown Reno motel, where folks might have checked in for a short visit to Reno, but wound up still living there years later. As I spoke with him, kids were running and playing hide and seek in and out of broken-down cars in the parking lot. His apathy and feelings about voting grew from disgust and disappointment, primarily at a Veterans Administration system and country that seemed to forget about him and his service. He informed me that he had received a silver star, and many other awards for putting himself in harm’s way for our country, and that he now believes the country has let him down.

I was able to share the positions of Clinton, who plans to increase benefits for our veterans. I could share that our candidate—because of her compassion, heart and effectiveness across the board—would provide vets like him with the respect and care they deserve. He burst into tears. This long forgotten individual just wanted a thank you from his country. He now feels

that Hillary Clinton will offer that in a way that no one else can. He registered to vote for the first time and committed in writing that he will support Clinton. The exchange that I had with him was a form of healing in itself, as this man had clearly felt left behind for so long.

Then there was a young 20-year-old whom I met. He claimed that he most likely shared the positions of the Green Party, but was not planning to vote because he thinks the process is all pointless. I listened as my canvassing partner, an immigrant from Israel, talked about what this election, this country and this candidate means to her. She passionately told him of her own life experience and how important freedom and the United States are to her. The two hugged and he too registered to vote for the first time in his life, even committing to vote for Clinton and to work as a volunteer.

Both of these examples, and so many more, reveal to me how many people feel heartbroken and angry about our political system and how they believe it has let them down. Most do not want to hear that republican obstructionism is the cause, but they at least will listen to our own personal stories of why we still have hope and faith in caring leaders like President Obama and Hillary Clinton. We can be stronger together by carrying forward President Obama’s promise of hope and by electing his choice for our nation’s top leader.

Hillary Clinton has the potential to untangle the web of politics in order to achieve real results that would benefit the vast majority of Americans. She is rising above the sexism, the bigotry and the meanness spouted by Trump, and is offering her full potential up to us.

We cannot afford to turn our backs on her as she will never stop fighting for LGBT rights and equality, racial justice, small businesses, and other issues of importance to our community. As Michelle Obama has said, “What I most admire about Hillary is that she never buckles under pressure. She never takes the easy way out. And Hillary Clinton has never quit on anything in her life.”

Debra Walker is a Commissioner for the City and County of San Francisco Building Inspection Commission. A past president of the Commission, the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club and the San Francisco Arts Democratic Club, Walker is also an internationally recognized painter and printmaker. For more information: http://www.debrawalker.com/

Secretary Hillary Clinton is introduced at her campaign’s San Francisco office.

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Images by Debra Walker © 2016

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As I Was Walking Down the Street One Day

TLC: Tears, Laughs and Conversation Dr. Tim Seelig The familiar words of the title are from the classic song, “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” by Chicago. I couldn’t help but hum along as I thought of my past and present experiences walking down the streets of San Francisco.

Walk (and hum) with me.

My very first visit to San Francisco was in 1968. My youth choir from the Travis Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, traveled to San Francisco on a mission trip. (You can’t make this stuff up.) We were here to sing and witness to the hippies in Golden Gate Park. We’d been convinced they were heathens and “had a Jesus-shaped hole in their hearts.”

They were smoking something called Mary Jane and doing that “free love” thing, too.

When I came out and eventually moved here 40 years later, I found that I had a lot in common with the very people I had tried to convert!

And I’m still doing musical mission work!

Every time I walked these streets as a tourist, I was incredibly sad to pack my suitcase to go home. I would literally leave a little bit of my heart in San Francisco. I dreamed of what it might be like to actually live here. (Cue: “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”)

The other “theme song” of San Francisco comes from the 1936 film San Francisco and was sung by Jeanette MacDonald (six times) during the film! Exactly 80 years later, the lyrics still speak truth: “San Francisco, open your golden gate.

You’ll let no stranger wait outside your door.

San Francisco, here is your wandering one, Saying I’ll wander no more.”

I was one of those strangers at the door. And, thank goodness, that door was open. And still is! According to San Francisco Travel, the city proper has approximately 300,000 residents and welcomes over 17 million tourists each year.

When some people walk down our streets, they complain about our obvious issues. Our streets aren’t the cleanest. We struggle with our homeless population. We have lots of reminders of the divide between haves and have nots. I just say to the visitors, “Keep your eyes above waist level, and you’ll see only the glory of our city.”

One of the most amazing things we have to offer is the food. After living here a year, my doctor asked, “Are you eating your way through San Francisco?” I proudly said, “Well, yes, I am.” In an interview, I was asked what my favorite restaurant was and I said, “the one that says OPEN.”

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To make sure I covered the topic, I asked a group of friends to complete the sentence: “As I was walking down the street one day …” Their answers will no doubt resonate with you as well. … I asked myself if it was Halloween.

Then I realized, it was just April.

–Mick … I celebrate everyone letting his or her freak flags fly.

–Brian … I realized I was no longer alone.

–Donald … I saw two men in their 80s, dressed in their Sunday best, walking down the street holding hands—a beautiful sight.

–Derek … I felt the hustle and bustle of NYC, the nightlife of Paris, business hub of London, fetishes of Berlin, friendliness of the South and the food of all of the above!

–Danny … I turned a corner on the crest of a hill and saw a view that left me breathless again.

–Troy … I heard 5 languages in a 5-minute walk.

–Dennis … I watched the fog fingers creeping over the hills juxtaposed against the golden light bathing the gorgeous city.

–Larry … I thought, “Well, that’s an interesting place to wear a sock.”

–Doug … I savored the smells … sweet flowers of Golden Gate Park, fresh salt air at the Embarcadero and urine around the corner from the Victoria Theater.

–John … I could wear whatever I want, do pretty much whatever I want and no one would stare.

–Nick … I chuckled at how we melt when the temperature gets over 80 and cry tears of joy when the fog returns.

–Michael … I celebrated flying parrots of Dolores Park and a man scantily clad as a peacock.

–Eli … I could hear Anna Madrigal from Tales of the City say, “It’s home.”

–Kirk Just for the record, many listed “home” and “diversity” as their top feelings about San Francisco.

Finally, since our entire world is now consumed with polls and difficult (or not so difficult) choices, here is an unofficial election year ballot for your enjoyment.

Choose your favorite: o Ferries o Fairies o Bay o Gay o Sourdough o Hot Cookie o Ghirardelli o Dandelion o Crabs o ...never mind o Embarcadero o Castro o Bay Bridge o Golden Gate Bridge o Angel Island o Alcatraz o Golden Gate o Dolores o Cliff House o Donna Sachet’s Sunday’s a Drag Brunch o SF Opera o Beach Blanket Babylon o San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus o San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus Or you can be bipartisan and love it all as I do.

I would like to end with lyrics from one more song. This one is by Andrew Lippa from his oratorio, I Am Harvey Milk.

“San Francisco, I have no one. So I’m hoping you’ll hold me. I’m hoping you’ll help me. I am broken, but you welcome the broken to come and to heal.”

And thus it is with many or most of us.

We have come here to have a new beginning, searching for a home, looking for healing in some way. And this city has been all of that!

We live in the most fabulous city on the earth. As I was walking down the street one day, I had to pinch myself to make sure it wasn’t just a dream.

Nope, wide awake—and feeling incredibly lucky and grateful.

Dr. Tim Seelig is the Artistic Director of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus.

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Community Banks Contribute to Individual, Career and Life Success cial and private banking experience.

Prior to joining the founding team of the Bank of San Francisco in 2005, Ross was Senior Vice President/Chief Credit Officer at Golden Gate Bank.

To learn more about Ross, her team, and the Bank of San Francisco, please visit: https://www.bankofsf.com/index.htm)

Bank with Pride Wendy Ross (Editor’s Note: We know that many of you, like us, are working longer hours, spending more time in traffic, and doing all that you can to make ends meet. Selecting the right bank for your hard-earned money is no small matter, especially given lasting concerns following the financial crisis of 2007–2009, which many economists have said was the worst financial crisis our country has suffered since the Great Depression of the 1930s. “Wall Street” has become a catch phrase for the wealthy few who were too big to fail. Countering such problems is the Bank of San Francisco, which raised its initial capital from employees who invested under the same terms and conditions as the general public— something that is basically unheard of in the world of banking.

Vice Chair of the Board is Roberta Achtenberg, who co-founded the National Center for Lesbian Rights and was the first openly LGBT public official in the U.S. whose appointment to a federal position was confirmed by our nation’s Senate. She was the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and currently serves on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Director Kelly McCown is also an out and proud member of our community who works in the difficult field of immigration law and is a volunteer attorney with the AIDS Legal Referral Panel.

She is additionally a mentor attorney with the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Asylum Program.

The Executive Team at Bank of San Francisco is known not only for their banking experience, but also for their integrity and commitment to civil rights. Education is a key part of this community bank’s outreach. In this series, you will learn how to better manage your money, avoid becoming a victim of fraud, strengthen small businesses, plan for home ownership and more. Your teacher couldn’t be better. Wendy Ross, the President of the Bank of San Francisco, has over 35 years of international, commer-

Whether you are saving for your wedding, launching a new business or buying your first home, there is always a bank somewhere in the background.

Choosing the right bank, and the right banker, can be the key to making good things happen in both your personal and professional life.

We sometimes think of banks as a necessary evil, “those guys who make me stand in line for my own money.” If you’re like many people, however, the way you picked your bank was less than scientific. Just over 52 percent of people choose a bank based on a convenient branch location or a handy ATM, notes a survey completed last year by compete.com, a business intelligence service.

To select the bank you deserve— whether for your personal needs, business needs or both—it pays to do your homework. Begin by asking yourself several questions: What are your everyday banking needs? On the business side, these might include depositing checks from the convenience of your office, or having your questions answered quickly by a real person. On the personal side, these might include the ability to make automated bill payments or transfer money seamlessly to your kids in college.

What are your other periodic banking needs? Businesses might need a loan to cover equipment purchases or to f inance growth or accounts receivable. Individuals might need a mortgage to buy a single-family home or TIC. What banking services do you anticipate needing in the future? Financing to expand office space might be a business need, while families may require a home equity line of credit for short-term personal expenses.

What is your “wish list” for a banking relationship? You might be tech savvy and want to handle as much of your banking as possible via online and mobile banking, or perhaps you would be more comfortable working with a single banker as the “go to” person who understands your needs and financial history.

A constructive next step would be to research banks and compare their offerings, levels of service and fee structures. If, for example, your business writes a lot of checks, you might look for a bank that offers technology to maximize efficiency and minimize costs. If you plan on buying a TIC, but the bank you’re looking at doesn’t offer TIC loans, you might think of banking elsewhere.

If you do your homework, you may determine that a community bank is the best alternative for you. A few of the positive qualities community banks possess include: Service- Community banks tend to be very responsive to clients’ requests and often make decisions locally with input from a personal banker, as compared to larger banks that rely on automation and impersonal call centers.

Fees- Fees vary widely among different types of banks. Many community banks offer flexible fee structures, which avoid the “nickel and diming” so many people dislike.

Technology- Larger banks often offer a “lowest common denominator” approach to technology features, providing only the basics that they estimate a majority of their customers will need. Community banks, on the other hand, understand how clients use technology to address their banking needs, and have the capacity and inclination to tailor technology accordingly.

Credit Approach- While regional and larger banks make mortgage and loan decisions strictly by the numbers, community banks are able to weigh the client’s history with the bank and other qualitative factors.

Intangibles- Every bank has a “personality,” a style for doing business and communicating with clients.

Community banks are often much more focused on providing a hightouch, personalized experience than are regional or national banks.

Whether you’re an individual looking for better service, a nonprofit that needs to grow or a business owner eager to expand, your bank can be a valuable partner in achieving your goals. It’s worth the time to research and select the bank that’s right for you—the bank you deserve.

Wendy Ross is the President of Bank of San Francisco. She has more than 35 years of international, commercial, and private banking experience. Ross is a 2002 graduate of Leadership San Francisco and is a board member for numerous Bay Area organizations.

LGBT Rights Deserve a Debate mate change, immigration, and criminal justice. But one key issue has been conspicuously absent from the discussion: LGBT rights.

While many Americans may believe last year’s U.S. Supreme Court decision establishing marriage equality was the end all for the LGBT rights movement, there is still so much to do to ensure that the community has the same rights and freedoms other citizens are provided.

Assemblymember Phil Ting No matter how much you’ve been keeping up with politics lately, you know this year’s presidential race is historic. Finally, a female nominee of a major political party is running for the highest office in the land.

The debates between the candidates, as well as their picks for vice president, have covered the economy, trade, women’s rights, terrorism, cli8

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I bet many San Francisco Bay Times readers would like to hear the views of each candidate about the next steps in the equality agenda. I would’ve liked to have heard them debate the establishment of anti-discrimination employment laws for LGBT workers in order to end a strangely unjust paradox confronting same sex couples in most of this country today. Get married on Saturday and risk getting fired on Monday.

In every state, an employer cannot fire his or her employees on the basis of gender, ethnicity, or religion due to the 1964 Civil Rights Act. However, employment discrimination is still very much happening for LGBT people. While California has banned employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, most of the nation—an astonishing 28 states—does not.

In 2014 President Obama extended such employment rights to federal employees and workers at companies contracting with the federal government by issuing an executive order, making history as the first sitting president to extend employment rights to transgender people.

Why private sector LGBT employees continue to lack nondiscrimination protections should be debated by any candidate for president. It is not a new issue in federal politics. Since 1974 (continued on page 30)

Road Trip Across America try, the more Trump/Pence bumper stickers and road signs we saw, and our homesickness steadily grew.

Alex Randolph, Trustee City College of San Francisco As you might remember from a previous column, my husband Trevor was in the process of transitioning into active duty service with the U.S. Navy.

Sadly, the day we dreaded for a long time came on October 4, when the two of us started a once-in-a-lifetime road trip across America. I took a week-long break from campaigning for my City College re-election to move him from San Francisco to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Our stops were Winnemucca, Nevada; Salt Lake City; Laramie, Wyoming (the place of Matthew Sheppard’s br uta l murder in 1998); Lincoln, Nebraska; St. Louis, Missouri; Charleston, West Virginia; and finally, Norfolk, Virginia, where he was awaiting his order for his new duty station in Philadelphia. It was especially surreal to leave the San Francisco bubble during this very ugly presidential election year. The closer we got to the middle of the coun-

One of the things that stuck with me the most driving through these small towns was the sense of community and togetherness. The slow pace of small town U.S.A. living in the middle of corn fields and vast emptiness does have a sense of tranquility. We saw neighbors helping each other in times of need, in places where everybody knows each other’s names, and the local gas station serves as the community hub to exchange the latest gossip.

In comparison, I was born in Hamburg, Germany, a very large city, and growing up I always heard about the two other Hamburgs in the world, one in Iowa (population 1,223) and the other in New York (population 58,000). Hamburgers are known as world travelers seeking out distant lands and adventures. I was so excited to get the opportunity to visit one of my sister towns during this trip.

The sense of community reminded me of what we have at City College.

It is that strong sense of togetherness and support, specifically in times of crisis. Students, classified staff, faculty, trustees, and administrators all pulled together to get us through the last couple of years. It is not always easy, but without that strong sense and love for the institution, City College would not be around anymore.

That being said, during this trip I

Taking a Stand Against Illegal Dumping This past July, as Chair of Public Works, I requested that, if the larger vehicle order would take too long, we should be given an option to separately order the trucks for illegal dumping removal. I recently learned that, in fact, it will take a long time to get the trucks by the planned purchase, and I requested that we take more immediate shortterm action to fill this need.

Out of the Closet and into City Hall Oakland City Councilmember At-Large, Rebecca Kaplan Illegal dumping continues to challenge our city, creating blight and, in some cases, health hazards. In recent years the Oakland City Council has voted to take several actions to help reduce, deter, and mitigate illegal dumping and related blight in our community, though some of these actions have not yet been implemented by the Administration.

I am pleased to announce that the Oak land Cit y Council recently voted to make our “rewards” program permanent. It provides financial rewards for witnesses with information leading to successful enforcement actions against illegal dumping.

I am also pleased to report movement on several other of our efforts on illegal dumping. We learned several months ago that one of the problems with removal of illegal dumping was due to city-owned collection trucks breaking down.

The City Council voted to authorize purchase of new trucks, and the Administration planned to order the new trucks along with a fleet of other vehicles, but this proved to be taking longer than expected.

I am happy to report that staf f agreed to my request and have committed to work on ordering the trucks for illegal dumping separately and immediately. That item will return to the Public Works Committee in the near future. We also asked for an update and expedited action on installing the Councilapproved cameras at illegal dumping hot spots, and this too, should be moving forward soon. We are to receive information concerning implementation by the beginning of December.

Illegal dumping is a significant and growing problem for our community. It can endanger public health and attract worsening problems. It is essential that we take action to remove illegal dumping, deter it, and hold those who trash our community accountable. I am optimistic that the rewards program, the working trucks, high-resolution cameras, and working together with the community will immensely help our fight against illegal dumping in Oakland.

Oakland City Councilmember At-Large Rebecca Kaplan was elected in 2008 and was re-elected in 2012. She is working for safe neighborhoods, for local jobs and for a fresh start for Oakland. Councilmember Kaplan graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the Massachusetts Institute of Technolog y, obtained a master’s degree from Tufts University and a Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School.

Photos courtesy of Alex Randolph

also saw the dark sides of America: the fear of the otherness, the history of hate and discrimination against the AfricanA mer ican commun ity and other minorities, and a lack of opportunities for the younger generation to thrive in an increasingly unaffordable economy.

I see it as a great privilege to live in San Francisco and to serve this incredibly diverse and tolera nt cit y on t he Alex and Trevor C om mu n it y C ol lege Board. That diversity is fertile ground for innovation and opportunity.

Since 1935, City College has played a tremendous role in the success of a thriving San Francisco.

It started giving people critical job skills to get out of the Great Recession, provided a place to come home to for our World War II veterans, allowed our thousands of immigrants a fresh start in this country, and it continues to be an affordable pathway into careers for many of our students.

Sometimes you need to leave home to appreciate what is right in front of you. Maybe, after November 8, we can all take a break and enjoy a road trip across America!

Alex Randolph is a Trustee for City College of San Francisco. He previously served in President Obama’s administration and as an LGBT advisor for Mayor Newsom. He lives in the Castro with his partner Trevor. Follow him on social media: www.twitter.com/adrandolph & www.facebook.com/AlexDRandolph

Reunited and It Feels So Good

6/26 and Beyond John Lewis When I was a first-grader in Kansas City back in 1964, my classmate Katie and I announced some exciting news to our fellow classmates: we were going to get married! We picked a date for our wedding, to be held on the playground at recess, and soon began making plans. But one morning as we sat with crayons and paper in hand, writing out invitations for our fellow first graders, our teacher put the kibosh on our impending nuptials. Leaning over us, she said, “Don’t you think you’ve taken this a little too far?”

Little did she know how prophetic her words would be: 40 years later my husband and I would be one of the first ten couples to marry in San Francisco City Hall on February 12, 2004, and much of the nation would be asking a question remarkably similar to hers.

Stuart and I just returned last week from my 40th high school reunion in Kansas City, attended by over 25 of my elementary school classmates and many other high school friends and spouses. The reunion was fantastic, and as I was telling my first grade story to my friend Rebecca, she interrupted to exclaim that she and I had, in fact, pulled off the feat in second grade.

She recounted how one day at recess, the two of us held hands, faced each other, and exchanged vows,

surrounded by classmates as witnesses. I was, of course, delighted to learn of our success. I wondered if it somehow foreshadowed how Stuart and I, and many other couples and supporters, did not give up after our 2004 marriages were taken away. Together, we worked to have California’s LGBT marriage ban declared unconstitutional. In 2008, Stuart and I married legally in San Francisco City Hall—not on a school playground—surrounded by friends and family.

As I thought back on prior high school reunions, I realized how radically different the legal status of our relationship—and thereby the status of LGBT couples more generally—was at the time of each one. At my 20th reunion in 1996, we had no legal rights; no state had marriage equality, civil unions, or domestic partnerships; and Congress had just enacted the notorious “Defense of Marriage Act,” denying federal recognition for any LGBT marriages that might take place in the future. The State of Missouri had laws criminalizing the sexual activity of LGBT people, even in the privacy of their own home.

By my 30th reunion in 2006, the United States Supreme Court had declared all such laws unconstitutional. Missouri could no longer imprison us for being gay, but at the same time the state afforded us no legal rights or recognition as a couple. Stuart and I were by then California domestic partners, but we lost that legal status as soon as we left the state. The marriage equality movement was struggling mightily in the face of great adversity.

Massachusetts was the only state where LGBT couples could marry, but opponents were mounting efforts aimed to take that freedom away. Many states had just passed anti-marriage equality constitutional amendments, and then President George W. Bush was calling

for a federal constitutional amendment barring LGBT couples from marrying. Stuart and I were one of the plaintiff couples in the lawsuit to have California’s marriage ban declared unconstitutional.

Last week we attended my 40th reunion as a legally married couple, whose marriage is recognized in every state in the union and is protected by the United States Constitution, and it felt great. My high school is a public school whose graduates come from a wide variety of backgrounds. Members of our class have done many different things in their lives: turtle farming, medicine, ministry, landscaping, dance, theater and law, just to name a few. Those in attendance at the reunions—from 20 years ago to last week—have embraced Stuart as part of the community. Twenty years ago, a straight evangelical Christian minister offered to perform a sacramental wedding ceremony for us if we wanted one. Last week, classmates celebrated the success of the LGBT movement with us and wanted to hear what it was like for me to grow up as a gay person in school.

I left the reunion last week with a profound sense of the power of friendship that can be forged when we share something meaningful, such as growing up and going to school together. Much still lies ahead for the LGBT equality movement. But as we continue to work to engender understanding of each other’s common humanity, I can’t wait to see what things will be like at our 50th reunion.

John Lewis, along with his husband Stuart Gaffney, were plaintiffs in the California case for equal marriage rights decided by the California Supreme Court in 2008. Their leadership in the nationwide grassroots organization Marriage Equality USA contributed in 2015 to making same-sex marriage legal nationwide.

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HRC-SF 32nd Annual Gala Dinner

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The evening also included performances by actress Yael Stone and singer/songwriter Emily West. Lesbian comic Dana Goldberg entertained and led a live high-tech call to action that raised move than $50,000 to support the Hillary Clinton Campaign.

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San Francisco Bay Times co-publishers/editors Betty Sullivan and Jennifer Viegas were on hand to accept the Charles M. Holmes Community Service Award. Congratulations to event co-chairs Christine Lehtonen and Jim Baney, as well as to Frank Woo, Linda Scaparotti, Heather Freyer, the entire event committee and all who made the evening such a success.

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“All in for Equality” was the theme at HRC’s Annual Gala held on Saturday evening, October 22, at the Westin St. Francis, Union Square.

HRC president Chad Griffin headlined the evening and presented a special award to PayPal’s CEO Dan Schulman, recognizing the company’s commitment to LGBTQ community and equality.

Entertainer Lea Delaria received HRC’s Visibility Award in recognition of her career success and unwavering commitment to performing openly as an LGBT community member.

Fearing Hope case, it isn’t true. He isn’t lazy; he’s hard-working and active.

Roland Schembari and Bill Hartman, Co-Founders Randy Alfred, Founding News Editor 1978

He begins to suspect that he may not completely understand what’s going on when we realize that he’s also “procrastinating” in his love life. He had a very painful breakup with a boyfriend four years ago—the second bad breakup in a row—but he feels that he has gotten over those losses.

Every week he tells himself that this is going to be the week when he starts to circulate and meet new guys, but when the weekend arrives, he mostly just stays home alone. Yes, he is “risk averse,” but why?

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Examined Life Tom Moon, MFT Tyler has been talking with me for over a year about how much he hates his job. He’s underpaid and underappreciated and his friends and colleagues continually assure him that he can find something better. His resolution for the New Year was to find a new job, but week after week he arrives at his therapy sessions and tells me that he hasn’t taken any actions, such as updating his résumé or making phone calls, which might get the ball rolling. He spends a lot of time beating himself up for “procrastinating,” and being “lazy,” but that hardly makes anything better, and, in any

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By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, “It’s our International High Holy Day of Celebrating Creative Queerness—otherwise known as Halloween. Please do your part! Stay safe but insane: grrrlll go cray-cray on the costumes!”

MAITRI honored loving friends, bronze and silver sponsors for BLISS 2016, their annual gala fundraiser, with a THANK YOU RECEPTION. Current Executive Director Michael Smithwick gave a lovely speech about Maitri and their slogan, “No one should suffer or die alone,” regarding the hospice. He is retiring at end of the year and Maitri will be welcoming a new executive director at the 2016 HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE at 401 Duboce Avenue on Saturday, December 17, 2 pm to 5 pm. maitrisf.org POSITIVE RESOURCE CENTER held their signature fundraiser WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY! in the stylish Art Deco surroundings of San Francisco’s premier business and social club, The City Club. This year they honored AIDS EMERGENCY FUND AND BAKER

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Dennis McMillan (aka Sister Dana) with LGBT activist and fashion phenom Bruce Beaudette.

They were photographed with Beaudette’s stylish canine, Yoko O Yes, at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation art space show held in September.

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He remembers that, when he was younger, his father actively discouraged, and even ridiculed, him for having any big dreams about his future. “I just don’t want you to be dis-

I talk about Tyler because his predicament is not at all uncommon. Many people condemn themselves to stultifying and mediocre lives because they don’t dare to imagine anything bet-

PLACES, INC., which recently merged, with the Community Legacy Award for their many years of outstanding contributions to our community. For more than 29 years Positive Resource Center has been providing crucial services to the community. Since their inception, they have helped their clients access lifesaving disability income and gainful employment, ultimately providing them with a baseline of financial and healthcare security. PRC Board President David Stith welcomed everybody and introduced Executive Director and new CEO Brett Andrews, who spoke about the state of the three agencies that serve a combined 5,000 clients yearly and “firmly believe in and advocate for the fundamental tenet of social and economic justice.” PRC Board Vice President Kent Roger opened the awards presentation with PRC Advisory Board Member Donna Sachet giving the Community Legacy Award to Joanie Juster and Chris Scott Williams of AIDS Emergency Fund, and to Sherilyn Adams and Margot Antonetty of Baker Place.

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When we look more closely, he notices something new that surprises him.

“I’m scared to hope that anything could be better in my life,” he tells me. Hope is the belief in the possibility of a better future, and we could also say that fear is hope’s shadow, because whenever we hope we have to live with the possibility that we won’t realize our dreams. This fear of hope turns out to be the core issue for Tyler.

This philosophy seems to have a lot of adherents, but the trouble with this point of view is that we can’t live by it. The first step in achieving anything new is to visualize it clearly, and without the capacity to dream and hope, we really can’t visualize much of anything. This means that without the capacity to hope, we can’t get much done in this life. As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps you moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all.”

ter for themselves. My suggestion to Tyler is that he deliberately set aside some time regularly to allow himself to imagine a better future for himself, and that he not hold himself back by any considerations about what is “practical” or “realistic.” The purpose of doing this is to exercise his atrophied “hope muscle.”

Having done that, his next move needs to be to utilize one of the mottos from the twelve-step programs, and “fake it until you make it,” that is, to act as he would if he actually believed it was possible to realize some of his dreams, and then to take some initial steps toward making them happen, even if, at the moment, he has no faith that any such thing could actually happen. In order to move forward, his task is to awaken again that capacity for hope that surely lies dormant inside of him. He doesn’t need to create this capacity, because it is innate in all of us. As Emily Dickinson described it, “Hope is the thing with feathers - That perches in the soul And sings the tune without the words - And never stops - at all.”

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

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun

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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, Wendy Ross, Howard Steiermann

appointed,” he would tell him. Tyler internalized the idea that hope for a better future is foolhardy, so he learned an unconscious strategy: “If you don’t hope for anything you can never be disappointed.” The present may suck, but at least it’s a known quantity. It’s as if he took his personal motto from the philosopher, Nietzsche, who wrote this dark comment, “In reality, hope is the worst of all evils, because it prolongs the torments of man.”

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LIVING HISTORY, THE 2016 GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY GALA, held in the Green Room of the War Memorial building, was the biggest and most fabulous ever fundraisers for the GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY. Hosted by hilarious Honey Mahogany of RuPaul’s Drag Race (in stunning red gown and white gloves), and featuring an electrifying exhibition by performance artist Dia Dear, and celebrity drag king Alex U. Inn (who will be installing the very first Drag King exhibit), the formal dinner and silent auction was filled with entertainment and fun inspired by LGBTQ history.

Executive Director Terry Beswick spoke of his activist roots and Vision 2020 (the year the lease runs out for the museum) for the future with support by attendees ensuring that the GLBT Historical Society will continue to fulfill their mission of preserving and presenting our history through their archives and museum—growing their collection of important historical materials, showcasing them in the museum, and preserving them for the benefit of future generations. Beswick noted we were also helping the GLBT Historical Society as they plan for a new, world-class museum in San Fran-

cisco. I felt so honored being seated next to freelance writer, speaker, and collections manager James Van Buskirk and veteran lesbian playwright/actor/activist Terry Baum.

Terry and I mused about perhaps presenting a performance at next year’s Historical Society Gala.

Three amazing community leaders were honored at the gala: Tamara Ching received the 2016 History Makers Award in recognition of her contributions on behalf of the LGBTQ community, and in particular transgender people, Asian Pacific Islanders, people with HIV and sex workers. David Weissman received the 2016 Clio Award in recognition of his contributions to promoting understanding of LGBTQ history through the medium of film.

Elisabeth Cornu received the 2016 Willie Walker Award in recognition of her leadership, generosity, and steadfast support of the society’s work in the field of LGBTQ public history.

CASTRO STREET ART SAVES LIVES Studio and Gallery presented LOCAL SAN FRANCISCO ARTISTS ON DISPLAY at the studio on 518 Castro Street. Artist/ host THOMASINA DEMAIO is currently 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 Thomasina DeMaio. At the reception, live entertainment was emceed by the fabulous comic MARGA GOMEZ, who couldn’t help but do a very funny standup routine about the Presidential election follies. She joked how she moved to the Castro because she expected to see her fellow Cubans there—but was pleasantly surprised to find it was a gay haven instead. As always, there was free food, wine, and beer to consume.

This was a delightful evening!

AIDS LEGAL REFERRAL PANEL (ALRP) held its 33RD ANNUAL RECEPTION & AUCTION in the Julia Morgan Ballroom at the Merchants Exchange to commemorate its 33rd year of service to people with HIV/AIDS at their biggest event of the year—the ALRP FROM THE HEART 33rd Annual Reception & Auction. Executive Director Bill Hirsh thanked everyone for coming out on the night of the

presidential debate, and spoke about ALRP as the only institution in the San Francisco Bay Area solely dedicated to providing free and low-cost legal assistance and education on virtually any civil matter to persons living with HIV/AIDS. During the evening, ALRP honored: Jerome Fishkin, Esq. with the 2016 Clint Hockenberry Leadership Award; Okan Sengun, Esq. with the 2016 Attorney of the Year Award; and Anwwdrea Fitanides and Caitlin May accepted for Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP with the 2016 Firm of the Year Award. San Francisco City Attorney, Dennis Herrera, was to serve as Guest Host, but had hip surgery, so he sent Ron Flynn, Chief Deputy City Attorney and former Alice Club co-chair to emcee and present awards.

SHANTI celebrated 42 years of compassion and service at COMPASSION IS UNIVERSAL, Shanti Project’s Annual Gala at The Palace Hotel. The Event Chair was Bahya Oumlil-Murad with Honorary Co-Chairs: The Honorable James C. Hormel, U.S. Ambassador and Michael P. Nguyen. The Founder’s Welcome was given by Dr. Charles Garfield. Attendees at the reception were swept into the dining hall by a grand performance

by Maisa Duke and Energia Do Samba—ladies in ornate headdresses beautifully rounding us up and into the hall. This year, Shanti recognized two true heroes of our community. The Nancy Pelosi Lifetime Achievement Award was presented by State Senator Mark Leno to life-long healthcare advocate, Dr. Sandra Hernández. Social justice champion Dan Bernal was honored with the James C. Hormel Community Spirit Award, presented by Christine Pelosi.

TRANSGENDER LAW CENTER celebrated 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. In the Julia Morgan Ball Room during the TLC fundraiser, SPARK!, they honored Slack Technologies for their visible support of trans advocacy and leadership in the Bay Area tech sector, as well as their prioritizing inclusivity and leadership of historically marginalized people. In an industry that (continued on page 30)

GLBT Fortnight in Review

By Ann Rostow Yes, Puppet There was something about the way he said it.

“Nooo PUPPet! Nooo PUPPet!” It was mindlessly delightful to me, and I could not get it out of my head for days. Even thinking about it makes me laugh as I type this, right this instant. I haven’t felt this giddy about a random expression since I heard the little chick on Wonder Pets say: “This.

Is. Sewious.”

A week later, I am still using the exchange from the third debate as a non-sequitur around the house.

Mel (making dinner): Where is the Greek seasoning?

Ann: No Puppet! No Puppet!

Mel: It was on this shelf…

Ann: You’re the puppet!

Mel: Wrong!

Ann: You’re the puppet!

Mel: Wrong!

Ann: It’s right in front of you.

We have these charmingly inane conversations several times an evening. I also got a little obsessed with the Hillary shimmy song, which I assume you have all heard. Google it and listen right now in case you missed it. I have played that one half a dozen times.

So this is how the election has devolved in our household. We’re just hanging on here, checking the glacial FiveThirtyEight polling every two hours as if one of these times it might give Hillary a 99 percent chance of victory instead of the scary 84 percent. Watching MSNBC as if Steve Kornacki might suddenly declare North Carolina for Clinton based on early voting. We cannot stand the suspense, and even though the polls look good, we will not believe them until November 9. Yes, it’s nice to have a four in five chance of winning, but it’s like having an 85 percent chance to survive an operation. Not pleasant.

Speaking of Steve Kornacki, he has an irksome habit of idly speculating on the ways in which Trump might win by flipping various toss up states from blue to red. What if Hillary loses Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia and Ohio? And your point, Steve? What if Hillary loses New York and California? That would also help the Republican ticket.

Oh, and the other thing that annoys me is people pointing out that Hillary’s chance of losing is the same as, let’s say, an NFL kicker missing a 30 yard field goal. In my long years of watching football I’ve seen that happen many times! So don’t tell me that.

Paralyzing fear has left me humming the shimmy song and mumbling about puppets under my breath like a shipwrecked passenger barely clinging to her raft as it drifts towards shore.

Shimmy, shimmy, shimmy HRC. Showdown on Title VII Ahead So, here’s some big gay news that seems to have slipped under the radar recently. As the last issue went to press, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit agreed to hear a major case en banc, meaning that the full appellate court will reconsider a legal issue of prime importance to our community.

Do you know the game where you build a tower of blocks or sticks and you take turns removing a piece without knocking down the tower? Well the (non-existent) status of federal workplace protection for gays and lesbians is arguably in a precarious position. We should be protected against bias on the job under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and there are many strong legal arguments to

be made on our behalf. But because of inertia and precedent, the anti-gay tower remains standing. Now, the full Seventh Circuit has decided to take a turn, and it’s very likely that the tower will finally fall.

What would it mean for us to be recognized as a protected class under Title VII’s ban on sex discrimination?

It would mean everything. It would effectively elevate gay bias to gender bias throughout U.S. law. In many ways, it would knock down the last major institutional barrier to gay and lesbian equality. (Transgender equality is a different, albeit related, issue.)

Let’s back up.

In July, a three judge panel from the Seventh Circuit reluctantly ruled against Kimberly Hively, an Indiana lesbian who claimed under Title VII (the federal law that protects Americans against job bias on the basis of race, sex and other categories) that anti-gay discrimination prevented her advancement at the community college where she worked. I say “reluctantly” because the two-judge majority wrote that the current law surrounding gays in the workplace no longer makes sense, but that they were nonetheless bound by prior precedent to rule that Title VII does not technically cover sexual orientation.

True, sexual orientation is not listed in the text of Title VII, but over the last decade or so, many federal courts have ruled that Title VII’s ban on sex discrimination includes discrimination based on sexual stereotypes. Under Obama, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has stated that sexual orientation discrimination is a form of impermissible stereotyping. Ironically, several transgender plaintiffs have won cases under this premise, because obviously, transgender bias is based on stereotypes of how men and women should look and act.

Indeed, the Seventh Circuit panel noted (in my words) that it’s possible for a swishy man or a butchy woman to win a Title VII case of workplace discrimination, even if they are heterosexual. At the same time, a straight-acting gay man could lose his job because he married his partner.

Prior rulings by the federal appellate courts are binding law for all lower courts in the jurisdiction, much like Supreme Court rulings are binding on all federal courts. But just as the Supreme Court can overturn its own judgments, so can an entire federal court overturn its earlier decisions.

Now, the Seventh Circuit may become the first appellate court to rule in favor of a pro-gay interpretation of Title VII. Although six of the nine active judges are GOP-appointees, those six include Judge Ilana Rovner, the author of the July panel opinion, as well as the veteran Reagan-appointee Richard Posner. Judge Posner authored the Seventh Circuit’s powerful decision in favor of marriage equality in 2014.

It goes without saying that a ruling of such significance would be reviewed by the Supreme Court. But returning to the tower metaphor, the Court would have to rebuild the fallible structure with all its contradictions and ironies in order to rule against us. A Clinton Court would surely rule in our favor, and I’m thinking even a Trump Court would do so as well.

In Defense of an Anti-gay Baker In cake wars news this week comes one of those weird decisions from countries that don’t seem to approach the United States when it comes to defending free speech. Every now and then someone in Canada or the U.K. gets nailed for saying something anti-gay, an unfortunate opinion, of course, but surely not something that should violate the law. When this happens, many of us Constitution-lovers find ourselves supporting the bigots.

This time, Northern Ireland’s top court has found that a baker violated equal rights law by refusing to create a cake that said “support gay marriage,” opining that a cake store that puts something in icing does not necessarily espouse that view.

But, as Obama would say, “C’mon man!” You can’t oblige someone to say or write a particular message in our country, which is why no Jewish baker has to worry about the Nazi customer who wants a swastika cake.

American non-discrimination laws at the state level oblige the baker to serve everyone, but they don’t oblige him or her to produce a customized written statement that trespasses on their beliefs.

Maybe you remember some blustering fool who tried to get a baker to make a cake with some anti-gay Bible bull on it in Denver a few years ago and then tried to make a stink when she refused. But her refusal didn’t ref lect discrimination against white male customers; it was a perfectly legal rejection of nasty nonsense on her cakes.

I don’t know what’s legal in Northern Ireland, but I assume that you can’t force someone to write “gays suck” on a cake because they probably have a bunch of hate speech laws that forbid it. Here in the U.S. we prefer to deal with hate speech in the open market of ideas where its grubby customers can purchase in public and where we can denounce it without fear of being fined for our own opinions. You see, that’s the problem with restrictive speech laws. This time you might like them. Next time, you may be the censored one.

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Can’t Stand Pat I don’t know if it’s significant, but early voting started in Austin on October 24, and the lines were unprecedented. We get to vote in most grocery stores until November 4 and I can tell you, there are normally no lines to vote during this period. These are grocery stores, not polling places, and each store has five or six voting booths open all day for well over a week. In 15 years of voting here I’ve never waited more than a few minutes, and yet I’m reading and hearing about lines out the door and around the block in many stores.

I assume it’s pent up demand from people who can’t wait to cast their ballots, and I’m also guessing the phenomenon was a one-day thing. But still, it’s encouraging given the fact that Austin is in a very Democratic county.

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Speaking of Democrats, I’m anxiously watching the tight North Carolina governor’s race, where antigay incumbent Pat McCrory is fighting off the challenge from Attorney General Roy Cooper. Cooper’s been ahead in the polls for weeks and weeks, but McCrory has caught up, perhaps in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. The Republican Senator Richard Burr is also leading his rival, Deborah Ross. And Hillary is only ahead by a shimmy in the Tarheel State.

I don’t like it. Before the passage of the trans-bashing HB2, McCrory was thought to be something of a shoe-in for reelection, ergo his defeat would represent a powerful example of the price people may pay for promoting anti-gay policies. If he loses, I’m guessing HB2 is repealed, and I know far right politicians will think twice and three times before using us as their punching bag again. If he survives, however, the point is obscured.

As of mid-October, McCrory was feeling a little sorry for himself, telling a group of Christian conservatives that his family has been shunned for his support of HB2. “My wife, for example,” he said. “She’s been disinvited to charity events, and basical(continued on page 30)

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The Night They Raided Tait’s pened. The Oakland Tribune simply stated that San Francisco police “broke up a midnight stage performance featuring five men impersonating women, while a crowd of diners looked on.” The impersonators were charged with “the holding of a performance without a license.”

Faces from Our LGBT Past Dr. Bill Lipsky On May 22, 1933, police raided San Francisco’s f irst “pansy show.” Although both female and male impersonators had been extremely popular in the city at least since the Gold Rush, the authorities were “shocked, shocked” to learn that some were appearing at Tait’s. According to Variety, “Frisco’s still a swaggering, tough town that likes its shows suggestive and its likker [sic] straight. But when it comes to pansy floor shows, that’s a different matter.”

Rae Bourbon was already a star when Joe Rosenberg invited him to bring his revue “Boys Will Be Girls” to Tait’s, his club at 24 Ellis Street. The City Fathers were not amused. Shortly after the show began, reported Variety, “Capt. [Arthur] Layne stepped up to the stage, blew his whistle, and half a dozen coppers nabbed the boys.” It was the first bar raid ever broadcast live on local radio.

Local newspapers used straightforward language to report what hap-

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Utilizing its famously—some would say notoriously—vivid language, Variety, published in New York, offered a much more flavorful account of the events. Its page one article, under the typically sassy punning headline “Rough Frisco Cops Send Pinched Boys to Women’s Court,” described how “great big gorgeous policemen descended upon the spot and hauled off seven members of the “Boys Will Be Girls” troupe, sticking ‘em in a nasty old cell.”

his beer license, Rosenberg cancelled the booking and brought in a “girl show.” The cafe kept its permit, but business dropped considerably without “the pinches.”

Bourbon and his troupe found new employ ment a lmost immediately. Rae Bourbon as Less than a month Bowrey Rose and Mae West in Diamond Lil after it closed in San Francisco, their “pinched pansy show” began an open-ended run— still as “Boys Will Be Girls”—at a roadhouse in Salt Lake City. According to Variety, the “show hasn’t been bothered by [the] sheriff ’s off ice, and the natives are taking to the entertainment big.”

The raid took place right “after Rae Bourbon had done a Spanish dance in fem attire.” Apparently the performers were givThe raid did not stop en every consideration. ot her clubs in Sa n The police “gave ‘em time Francisco from featurto take off their dresses” being female illusionists. Finfore they “hustled ‘em in the occhio’s, which started as a Rae wagon which clanged to the sta- Bourbon speakeasy at 406 Stockton Street tion house with the gang of masin 1929, spotlighted them from caraed, rouged, lipsticked imperson- the beginning. It was not raided until ators who floored the tough Irish desk 1936, however, to end “what officers sergeant upon their entrance” into characterized as a vulgar parody givCentral Station. en by one of the impersonators.” Police arrested several performers and When he regained his composure, the owners Theresa and Joseph Finocsergeant “scheduled the hearing for chio, whom they charged with “keepthe Women’s court.” There charges ing a disorderly house” and with “emagainst all the performers were disploying entertainers on a percentage missed, but the police continued to basis.” raid the club for next three nights.

Finally, with the Board of Beverage At their hearings, female impersonCommissioners threatening to revoke ators Walter Hart and Carroll Davis

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received sentences of 30 days in County Jail for performing “songs offensive to the ears in public”; Eugene Countryman, who showed that the took no part in the singing, was given a 30-day suspended sentence. Charges against the Finocchios were dropped with a promise that entertainers would not mix with customers.

from a Pennis. [sic] matron of reputation”—when he was seen “buying a lady’s fur coat at Sammy’s— for hisself ’n [sic].” Other writers also included the doings of “the long-time queen bee at Finocchio’s” in their articles, even reporting when “the peroxided boy” dyed his hair and was “no longer a blonde.”

Bourbon, who died in 1971, Shortly after the raid, Finocchio’s moved to 506 Broadway, Walter spent much of his career touring, but he also appeared on Broadwhere as ‘America’s most unusual Hart way with Mae West in Cathenight club’ it remained open for the next 63 years. Walter Hart soon rine Was Great (1944) and Diamond Lil became known as “The Male Sophie (1949) and in a sold out concert perTucker” for his amazing imperson- formance at Carnegie Hall where, ation of the singer; she would see his wrote one reviewer, “you could hardperformances when she was in the ly claw your way thru a mob of very city and occasionally sent him some spectacular characters.” Hart stayed of her gowns, which the local newspa- in San Francisco. He was a headliner at Finocchio’s for almost 15 years, pers duly reported. before moving on to Club Chi Chi in There was never anything small or 1953 and then to Ann’s 440 in 1958. secretive about Hart. A local celebriHe died in 1978. ty, he was mentioned occasionally for more than 20 years in Herb Caen’s Bill Lipsky, Ph.D., author of “Gay and “It’s News To Me” column in the San Lesbian San Francisco” (2006), is a memFrancisco Chronicle—after he had been ber of the Rainbow Honor Walk board of given “a pedigreed cocker spaniel … directors.

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE DE YOUNG AND LEGION OF HONOR

The Future of the Past

Mummies and Medicine, through August 26, 2018, at the Legion of Honor

Mummy of Irethorrou in coffin. Egyptian, Akhmim, ca. 500 BC. Human remains and linen; wood with polychrome. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Gift of First Federal Trust Company (from the Estate of Jeremiah Lynch)

Ancient Egypt meets modern medicine in this exhibition that makes use of state-of-the-art scientific techniques to explore two of the Fine Arts Museums’ mummies.

An interdisciplinary team of scientists, Egyptologists, physicians, and museum curators and conservators has learned more about how these embalmed individuals lived, died, and were prepared for eternity.

Rebecca Fahrig and Kerstin Müller of Stanford University Medical School’s department of radiology have conducted high-resolution, three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) scans of the mummies, revealing long-held secrets. The resulting data have been studied by Jonathan Elias of the Akhmim Mummy Studies Consortium, who offered much of the interpretation seen in the exhibition.

One of the mummies investigated is that of Irethorrou, a priest from an important family living in Akhmim in

middle Egypt about 2,600 years ago. The Future of the Past includes information that has been gleaned about Irethorrou’s lifestyle, the society in which he lived, his religion, and the funerary beliefs of his time. The second mummy, perhaps 500 years older, is that of a woman traditionally known as “Hatason.” Neither her mummy nor her coffin has fared as well as those of Irethorrou, and they present a stark contrast to Irethorrou’s perfectly preserved body.

Visitors can examine both mummies by means of an interactive virtual dissection table supplied by Anatomage, a San Jose medical solutions company. Hauntingly beautiful amulets and tomb furnishings are also displayed.

To purchase tickets and to see videos related to the exhibit, please go to: http://legionofhonor.famsf.org/exhibitions/future-pastmummies-and-medicine

Mummy cartonnage. Egyptian, Dynasty 21, 1069–945 BC. Linen and gesso. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Gift of Adolph B. Spreckels Jr. Shabti of Kha’-mesketet. Egyptian, New Kingdom, Dynasty 19, 1295–1186 BC Faience. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Gift of Adolph B. Spreckels Jr.

Wedjat eye amulet. Egyptian, Late Period, 525–305 BC. Faience. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Gift of Adolph B. Spreckels Jr.

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Rugby: The Naked Truth

Sports John Chen For those of you unfamiliar with rugby, one naked truth separates it from all other sports. This time-honored tradition is practiced by virtually all rugby clubs around the world: When a rugger (player) scores on his or her first try (in some cases scores the f irst try with every new team or club or simply scores for the first time) s/he shall remove all articles of clothing and do the “Zulu warrior” run around the field. Those fortunate enough to qualify to do the naked run—named after Shaka Zulu, the greatest Zulu Warrior King—understand that they are carrying on a prestigious tradition.

Rugby is a tough, rough and physical sport with a tremendous amount of bodily contact and with no protection other than athleticism and skill. For this reason, ruggers have a great number of fans and admirers.

Although deemed as a rugged sport, rugby is also one of the most social sports where singing, dancing and drinking are not just welcomed, but are also expected. Teammates bond through play, watching one another’s back, and through songs, dance and libation. It’s the rugby brother and sisterhood. There’s nothing like it. One more time in case you missed it: rugby is physical play followed by singing, dancing and drinking.

You’re probably thinking right now, “How do I sign up?” Don’t worry. Information on how to join gay rugby is at the end of this article, but please humor me and keep reading.

Around the Bay, San Francisco Fog Rugby Club recently began preparation and practice to compete in the upcoming Nor Cal Rugby Union

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SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S O C TO B E R 2 7 , 2 0 1 6

L ea g ue a nd 2017 tournaments around the country. As the only Northern California LGBT rugby team, according to former President Trav is Dom ineck, Fog ruggers include players of all shapes, sizes, ages and sexual orientations. Some of them have already done the Zulu warrior run, a few somehow escaped undetected, and others anticipate their turn.

Fog He a d C oa c h Dany Samreth (affectionately known as Papa Bear) and Assistant Coach Chelsea Cowell (nicknamed Daddy) encourage anyone interested, whether seasoned or novice, to come out and give it a try. Coach Dany tells me that Fog is not just a gay, social rugby team. On the field “our opponents know we hit harder than anyone, and at the bar we can out-drink any team,” he said.

Because rugby is a very physical sport where tackling is the centerpiece of stopping motion and advancement, Coach Chelsea leads drills that mimic and train players to repeatedly fall down and get up. In addition, Coach Chelsea focuses on getting her ruggers into tip top rugby playing shape so the players can endure physical 80 minute games. As Coach Chelsea depicted her practice regimen poignantly, all I heard and understood was if you enjoy being manhandled, being wrapped around from the waist down, being on your back over and over again, and being around thick and strong or trim and fast jocks, this is the sport for you.

A retired competitive rugger who has completed a few Zulu warrior runs, Coach Dany loves the brotherhood/ sisterhood that is rugby. The bond between teammates is strong and unrelenting. Coach Dany recalls the time when one of his ruggers was diagnosed with terminal cancer. His teammates rallied around him, took care of him and his needs, and never left his side. For Coach Dany, that closeness represents everything rugby

Photos courtesy of John Chen

stands for: hope, love, strength and togetherness.

If all of the above hasn’t convinced you to give rugby a try, then consider this: Fog Rugby recently completed a successful first-year Pathway program led by Rob Bascherini, a former college rugger and an assistant coach at University of San Francisco. The Pathway program is a six-week step by step program designed to teach the basics of rugby to rookies. This primer course helps new players to learn at their own pace without the pressures of performing around seasoned veterans. Rob was particularly proud of the “no apologies” rule in which no apologies are needed. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone is here to learn. On a side note, Rob sheepishly grinned when he told me that, as a straight rugger, he was groped and touched <censored> much more when playing with a straight team than with a gay team. How does that happen?!

So now you know the naked truth about rugby. Are you ready to make your Zulu warrior run? If not, Travis Domineck has another tradition you can do instead: shoot the boot. Don’t know what that is? I strongly encourage you to contact Fog Rugby, join the team, and find out!

For more information on Fog, please visit San Francisco Fog Rugby Football Club on Facebook or sffog.org John Chen, a UCLA alumnus and an avid sports fan, has competed as well as coached tennis, volleyball, softball and football teams.

Help for Back Pain

Inside Out Fitness Cinder Ernst Here at Inside Out Fitness we believe that having appropriate strength and flexibility in your muscles is the key to better mobility, increased stamina, less joint pain, and having more fun in life. The good news is that strength building is actually easy because it’s always done one step at a time. As long as you pick the right starting place and proceed mindfully, you’ll get great results. In this column I’m going to share how you can help your legs and back to feel better when you walk.

Gentle walk ing is often a great strengthening exercise for someone with back trouble. Sometimes, though, you might get soreness in your legs or low back when you walk.

I speak to a lot of plus size people for whom walking gets harder as they get older. They often complain of pain in their outer hips after taking even a short walk.

Today I’m going to give you a great stretch that you can do when you notice pain while you are walking. The

stretch is called The Football Huddler. I’ll tell you how to do it in a minute. The position takes the pressure off your spine while it stretches your lower back and butt. This stretch alleviates the back/leg pain that can stop or ruin your walk or hike. What’s great is that not only does the stretch reduce back pain and allow you to walk further with more ease, but it also builds flexibility in the lower back region that helps heal the pain.

The Football Huddler works best if you use it at the first sign of trouble. Here’s what I mean.

Let’s say you start out walking and all is well. After a bit, you start to feel a heaviness in your legs and then the ache in your outer hips becomes evident.

These symptoms often point to lower back trouble. You must interrupt the pain cycle when it first starts.

If the pain gets too big, it becomes harder to manage.

The easiest thing to do is just to sit for a minute—literally. Thirty seconds or a minute of sitting will get rid of that pain so you can keep walking.

While you are sitting, lean forward while putting your forearms on your thighs, and see if you feel a stretch in your lower back. You may have to rest again shortly, but it’s important not to keep going when you’re hurting. Rest briefly and then proceed. The rest is part of your walking protocol.

What if there’s no place to sit? That’s where The Football Huddler comes in. Stop walking. Stand with your feet spread fairly wide. Put your hands

Fitness SF Trainer Tip of the Month Cory Roberts

Fitness SF SOMA Stretching and foamrolling your chest and lats can improve your back squat form. This can help you get into a deeper squat.

on your thighs while you bend your knees and stick your butt out. This looks like you are in the football huddle. The position should feel good.

You can also find the position by pretending you are going to sit down.

I have clients who have had great success with this pain interruption technique. What happens is they use it, and, over time, the need for it diminishes. They can walk further with less pain, and so they walk more. When you walk more, you get stronger and gain stamina. As your strength, stamina and mobility improve, your back pain gets better, too.

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

Troy Macfarland of Fitness SF provides monthly tips he’s learned from his colleagues who are professional trainers at local gyms.

He can be reached at tmacfarland@fitnesssf.com

Take Me Home with You! Kahlua

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.”

“My name is Kahlua; I’m sweet and sugary, just like the drink! I love zipping around the neighborhood on long walks. My past roommates have included dogs, cats, and even birds. I get along with everyone! October is National Pit Bull Awareness Month, so please come and meet me to let me show you how much love I have to give!”

Kahlua 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 Kahlua.

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

More about Kahlua: http://bit.ly/ adoptkahlua © Randy Coleman, 2016

Dr. Jennifer Scarlett and Pup

And for more information about other pets that are up for adoption, please visit www.sfspca.org S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES O C TO BER 27, 2016

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Speaking to Your Soul ARIES (March 21–April 19) Ask the deeper, more penetrating questions. Be willing to strip yourself bare. The juice for all creativity lies at the core of our innermost truths.

TAURUS (April 20–May 20) What do you most deeply desire in a partnership? We do not get what we want, we get what we are. Give birth to your greatest self yet to be by slaying your obstacles.

Astrology Elisa Quinzi The atmosphere supports renewal at the deepest level. To the degree that we learn to be intimate with ourselves, so can we access intimacy with others, and with life itself.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Let a challenge you face motivate you to take an inner inventory, and release old behaviors that have held you back. It’s a good time for cleansing on every level.

CANCER ( June 21–July 22) Something from a more authentic place in you wants to be expressed. Let your uncensored creative voice speak up. Write a poem; sing a song; share your story.

LEO ( July 23–August 22) Be willing to initiate more intimate conversations with family members and loved ones. Going deeper strengthens bonds and helps nourish feelings of security.

VIRGO (August 23–Sept. 22) The focus is on connecting at a deeper level with the people you see every day. Your thoughts and words are seeds that will come to fruition at a later time. Be intentional with your conversations.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Honor your deeper needs for comfort and security by doing something loving for yourself. This can be anything from applying for a new job to getting a deep tissue massage. Your soul needs feeding.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Take a night to make a ritual of writing out on paper your intentions for the next year. This is very much an opportunity for rebirth.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) Meditation, dreams, or kundalini yoga can each be vehicles through which you access the source of your true power. Pay attention to ideas that come to mind now as the best of them are divinely inspired.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22–Jan.19) While you are no stranger to solitude, the energy is currently conducive to you participating in a group activity, one of relevance that resonates with your true nature.

AQUARIUS ( Jan. 20–Feb. 18) A walk alone in nature can provide the space for you to go within and realign to your inner compass. Make necessary course corrections.

PISCES (Feb. 19–March 20) A dull film has clouded the lens through which you see the world. Refresh your view with new experiences. Empower yourself by taking some healthy risks. Break from routine.

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 do you hope to be doing just after the presidential election results are announced?

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Kevin Weaver

Alana Conant

“Stocking up on survival gear”

“Celebrating the year of the woman”

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S O C TO B E R 2 7 , 2 0 1 6

Alex Cannarella

compiled by Rink

Blackberri

“Celebrating the year of the woman” “I don’t know but prayer is always in order”

Melinda Adams “Drinking whiskey”

From the Coming Up Events Calendar See page 28 Thursday, October 27 – Creatures of the NightLife – 6-10 PM @ Cal Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park. The creatures come out as NightLife joins forces with the Bay Area Science Festival. Drag show and costume contest hosted by Peaches Christ. calacademy.org/nightlife/creatures-of-the-nightlife-0

Wednesday, November 2 – The Dead Ritual Procession – 7:00 PM @ Corner of Bryant & 22nd Streets. The annual celebration honoring death and the cycle of life. dayofthedeadsf.org

Drag Queen of the Opera!

An Evening of Opera, Drag and Macabre Debauchery Hosted by Heklina Gals, ghouls, and divas in drag abound when SF Opera Lab pops up at Oasis (298 11th Street in the city) on Halloween Eve, October 30.

There, legendary drag artist Heklina will host a night of opera, drag and debauchery featuring soprano Julie Adams, mezzo-soprano Renée Rapier, tenor Brenton Ryan, bass-baritone Brad Walker and pianist Jennifer Szeto.

Come in costume or visit the costume booth provided by the San Francisco Opera Costume Shop for a chance to win SF Opera Lab swag and tickets. The performance begins at 8 pm

(doors open at 7 pm) and the party continues after the show with a live DJ. This event is 21+ only with valid photo ID. “Drag Queen of the Opera!” is SF Opera Lab’s third pop-up, following sold-out events at Public Works and The Chapel in San Francisco’s Mission district earlier this year.

San Francisco Opera’s SF Opera Lab pushes the boundaries of opera with intimate, eclectic and adventurous experiences. Launched in Spring 2016, SF Opera Lab explores innovative programming that celebrates the power of the human voice theat-

rically in intimate spaces beyond the War Memorial Opera House. You’ll find SF Opera Lab in the Company’s Taube Atrium Theater at the Wilsey Center for Opera, and popping-up in interesting venues around the Bay Area.

Season Two of SF Opera Lab at the Taube Atrium Theater opens in February 2017. Check out sfoperalab.com and http://sfoasis.com/ for more information about “Drag Queen of the Opera!” and other great upcoming events. Follow Heklina at https://www.facebook.com/ Heklina/and via Twitter @Heklina

San Francisco Opera’s Costume Design Virtuoso: Christopher Verdosci Entering the Costume Department of San Francisco Opera is like stepping into the workshop of a dream.

Boxes of silk, metallics, wool and other quality materials line the walls, with bolts of exquisite fabric propped here and there. Paints, dyes and other colorful potions are stacked on shelves, with psychedelic splatters showing evidence of their recent use.

For the uninitiated, the visit is like going into Santa’s workshop or Cinderella’s home, right after the elves or Fairy Godmother have disappeared.

No such magical beings are needed, however, as Assistant Costume Director Christopher Verdosci, now in his 17th season with San Francisco Opera, has everything under control.

The Costume Department is where visual dreams are made into reality.

Verdosci and his capable team translate the vision of the world’s leading composers, past and present, into unforgettable designs. To say that these clothes evoke drama would be an understatement. There are the shimmery Japanese-themed garbs of Madame Butterfly, the ultra-chic Grace Kelly-worthy gowns of The Makropulos Case and the bold Egyptian-inspired costumes of Verdi’s Aida just

Materials may be dyed in industrial-sized soup vats

San Francisco Bay Times: Please explain what the basic steps are for creating costumes for a San Francisco opera, once the production is known. Based on some of the videotaped interviews online, it sounds like you begin with sketches that are then used to create prototypes.

Christopher Verdosci for a start. The wardrobe of even those most f lamboyant members of our community would likely pale in comparison to these outfits that match the grandeur of their accompanying operas, not to mention the charismatic, world-famous singers who wear them.

Abby Zimberg of the San Francisco Bay Times was recently allowed entrée into this creative space. We were honored to learn more about San Francisco Opera’s costume design from the brilliant master, Verdosci.

Christopher Verdosci: When the design of a costume is finalized, the coordinated effort begins. The supervisors and designers source the materials; the dyers prepare the fabrics; drapers create the first patterns and prototypes, while their assistants cut the textiles and feed the pieces to the stitchers, who construct the costumes.

The dyers, milliners, craft artisans, leather workers, footwear specialists, shoppers and stock assistants all work in close collaboration under the guide of the production supervisor.

In any one day you will find the artisans of the San Francisco Opera Costume Shop surrounded by quilted petticoats, hoop skirts, huge turbans, jewel-encrusted crowns, leather armor, lizards and bears, chain maille and blood—all to create the magic onstage.

San Francsico Bay Times: Please describe one of your favorite costumes that you and your team created.

access certain historical pieces from the Bavarian Archives and to incorporate them into his signature shapes and colors.

Christopher Verdosci: So many of the world’s most amazing production designers have worked with the San Francisco Opera over the years and have left a stunning legacy of fabulous costumes in our archive. It would be impossible for me to choose a favorite, but the most recent production of Capuleti by Christian LaCroix will always be close to my heart.

Co-producing the piece with Bavarian State Opera allowed LaCroix to

There are several other SFO productions I consider to be legendary: Capriccio designed by the late Gianni Versace, showcased his impeccable sense of style, his master sense of color and his signature details. As a design student, I viewed the famous black and white dress, worn by Hanna Schwarz, at a retrospective exhibit in Miami. As I stood in front of that (continued on page 24)

PHOTOS BY ABBY ZIMBERG

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES O C TO BER 27, 2016

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masterpiece of a costume I knew this was a world I wanted to be a part of.

gle costume can require 75–80 hours of work.

San Francisco Bay Times: Please share an anecdote concerning working with a particular singer. So many greats have worn your team’s designs.

San Francisco Bay Times: Do you ever recycle old costumes in productions? Are some simply reused as is, while others are adjusted for new uses?

Christopher Verdosci: I have had the honor of working with the world’s leading opera stars: Susan Graham, Renee Fleming, Natalie Dessay, Danielle de Niese, Placido Domingo, Rene Pape, Thomas Hampson and so many others … wonderful people, both personally and professionally.

Christopher Verdosci: We absolutely do—depending on the needs of the production we may rework it in a number of ways, including color shifting and partial deconstruction.

One of my favorite artists, Angela Gheorghiu, was preparing to sing the tragic Mimi in La Boheme in San Francisco. We sat down together and she informed me that she would prefer not to wear light blue in the production. I immediately pictured in my head the many Mimi costumes I have seen that were, indeed, light blue (including the dress intended for her). I asked her why she would prefer another color, and she referenced Scènes de la Vie de Bohème by Henri Murger (the source material for Puccini’s operatic version) as she explained that Mimi was not as sweet and innocent as she has always been interpreted. But, rather much closer in personality to Musetta, a woman who clearly knew how to wield her beauty.

I found this thought process and level of commitment and care to the art to be incredibly inspiring. It is my responsibility to make the artist look and feel their absolute best on our stage. It is an interactive process with each artist to ensure their comfort and to provide them the costume tools they need for their characterizations.

San Francisco Bay Times: For the more elaborate costumes, perhaps such as the ones that you previously mentioned, how many people are typically involved in the design and creation, and how many work hours might be needed?

Christopher Verdosci: Creating a traditional eighteenth century costume is a collaboration between many artisans. From start to finish, the costume will involve at least 12 artisans. During a fitting, at least five artisans are present to fit accessories, footwear and headwear. A sin-

Additionally, we have sets of costumes that can be used in multiple productions. For example, gentlemen’s tail suits are used in La Traviata, La Cenerentola, and Die Fledermaus.

San Francisco Bay Times: How many fittings do you and your team usually hold with a singer?

Christopher Verdosci: Depending on the historical period and complexity of design, we often f it the costumes at least twice. More complicated costumes can require additional fittings. We also have two to three opportunities to work with the artists in costume on stage. This allows us to fine tune the details before the opening performance.

San Francisco Bay Times: Does the singer ever get to keep, or want to keep, his or her outfit(s)?

Christopher Verdosci: When an artist wants to keep their costume, it is the highest compliment to the artisans. Depending on the future scheduling and needs of the specific production, it is sometimes possible. We have also been known to lend specific artist items to other companies for performances. I recently found myself facing a missed deadline of military hats for Carmen.

Knowing that the Licieu in Barcelona had the same production, I borrowed their set of hats. Funny enough, it was at the time they were rehearsing the Lacroix Capuleti and found themselves in need of both the shoes and the wig for Joyce DiDonato. I like to imagine our FedEx boxes running into each other at customs.

San Francisco Bay Times: Regarding this year’s opera season, what have been some of the highlights for you, in terms of costume design?

Christopher Verdosci: I found Andrea Chénier to be one of the most exquisite productions I have seen of this opera. The costume designer,

Jenny Tiramani, is actually an esteemed costume historian with a long association with the Victoria and Albert Museum. Her approach was authentic in design and construction.

While we often employ some modern tailoring techniques, the costumes for Andrea Chénier were patterned and cut exactly as they would have been during the French revolution. As a history buff, I found it especially rewarding to work on the costumes of historical figures of the time, like the Robespierre brothers.

Basting stitching and finished soldier’s jacket

San Francisco Bay Times: Every so often, San Francisco Opera will hold a costume sale.

Do you know when the next one might be, and what attendees can expect to find?

Christopher Verdosci: While there are currently no plans for a costume sale in the immediate future, you never know when we may decide to divest ourselves of outrageous capes, giant hoop skirts or feathered hats. Past sales have included molded wings, swords, shields, ball gowns, peasant capes and even a few animal costumes. I love seeing pieces that I recognize at Burning Man and The Edwardian Ball.

San Francisco Bay Times: From Le Nozze di Figaro to Orfeo ed Euridice, operas often include gender-bending characters, with this aspect often communicated to the audience via the individual’s clothing.

Do you think that, in this regard, many operas were ahead of their time by allowing for such freedom onstage?

Christopher Verdosci: I think that the creative community has always been ahead of its time in terms of acceptance. The evolution of societal, dramatic and musical approach to gender-bending roles is complex.

Shakespeare used male actors as females for societal reasons, while I

think Mozart used female singers as men for musical depth. I can listen to Le Nozze di Figaro endlessly. I always ref lect on the genius of Mozart in creating the role of Cherubino. The vocal contrast between the solo tenors and basses is made more dramatically complex by the young cherubic voice of Cherubino.

San Francisco Bay Times: Can you think of example(s) where your team has created such gender-bending clothing? Do the singers seem to have fun defying stereotypes via the clothing?

Christopher Verdosci: Over the past two decades I have seen many of these types of costumes and casting. From Cherubino and Octavian to the Handel masterpieces, I am always amazed at the way singers can alternate between roles and genderSusan Graham is a perfect example.

She has excited me by performing my two favorite male operatic characters, Handel’s Xerxes and Strauss’ Octavian, and equally destroyed me

with her brilliant performances of tragic heroines Didon and Iphigenie.

Frederica von Stade, known for her San Francisco Opera performances of Cherubino, is also known for her fantastic interpretations of Massenet’s Charlotte and Rossini’s Rosina.

A recent favorite was our production of Handel’s Partenope. Setting the piece in a 1920’s Parisian salon with Man Ray, the production incorporated a mezzo in male drag to spy on her lover, a bass baritone entering in a hoop skirt laden down with weapons, and two counter tenors in tuxedos. The result was a glorious mix of vocals and visuals that viewed the complex tale of the Queen of Naples through a 20th century lens.

Costume has the ability to transform—not just visually. When I fit a man in a dress for a costume, their posture and attitude immediately adjust; it is fascinating to see. Opera singers are true performers. Their dramatic ability allows them to be fluid in their characterizations.

San Francisco Bay Times: Please mention anything else that you would like our readers to know.

Christopher Verdosci: I would like the opportunity to point out that what we do is a huge collaborative effort. There are so many important members of the opera family: the artisans who transport you, the patrons that come to our performances and the donors that allow someone like me to have my dream job.

This dress is a colorful example showing how jewels are added to materials. Most of the fabrics are ordered from New York.

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Applying color for a special effect to soldiers’ hats

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S O C TO B E R 2 7 , 2 0 1 6

Padded undergarments

To learn more about San Francisco Opera, including the stunning costumes featured in its productions, please visit: http://sfopera.com/

How Do You Really Find the One? (Meaning the Perfect Venue)

By Melisa Johnson Planning a wedding is an amazing time for you and your fiancé. Like most couples, you probably have a vision for what you want your day to look and feel like. So, how can you completely stress yourself out? The easiest way is not to pick the perfect venue! (Or the wrong partner, but that is a completely different topic.)

Finding the perfect venue involves multiple factors. Here are the top 3 to consider: Aesthetics While this might seem like I am being shallow, this is the #1 factor to consider. Why? There is nothing like having a vision of The Great Gatsby-themed wedding in a venue that screams rustic. Or wanting a modern minimalist wedding in an ornate ballroom f lanked with crystal chandlers.

Fighting the venue’s aesthetic, while trying to create your vision, will cause nothing but stress and frustration, and will lead to you blowing your décor budget. Pick a venue that truly has the aesthetics that compliment your vision. The decision will save money and time.

Staff This may seem like an odd item to consider, but think of this: The sales team & staff will be in your life throughout the process. If you feel as if they don’t understand your expectations, or you aren’t comfortable with them from the beginning, the entire planning process will be stressful. The worst thing to feel is that any vendor isn’t on the same page with you regarding your wedding’s vision. These people are an integral part in your planning and daily communication. If you aren’t comfortable with them, or if there is any friction, it will wear on you and your partner and overshadow the planning process.

Timing Every venue has different restrictions and day-of-timing allowances. If you know you will have a lot of décor, or you are wanting multiple ceremonies or activities, make sure your venue can accommodate.

Before you book, ask about pre and post wedding timing along with other allowances. Most venues are not flexible on these restrictions, and some restrictions are out of their hands due to city ordinances. Some venues will allow flexibility, but it usually comes with a price. No matter how much you love a venue, if the timing and restrictions don’t allow you to complete your day’s vision, you either need to change your vision or find another venue.

The Club at Ruby Hill, located in Pleasanton, has been awarded a number of awards, including The Knot’s Best Venue for Northern California (Top 11 venues in California) and The Most Glamorous Venue in the East Bay by Diablo Magazine, just to name a few. These accolades are based on service, ambiance and cuisine as noted by wedding couples and vendors. Ensuring your venue is accredited with awards, based on previous couples’ feedback, will also help to put your mind at ease.

The bottom line is that while you might fall in love with a venue at first sight, you need to take time to consider the technical aspects of how the venue can accommodate your wedding, and if your overall vision is an easy fit for the location’s aesthetics. Once you truly find “The One” in a wedding venue, your stress will reduce, and all other aspects will easily come together to create a wonderful planning experience.

Melisa Johnson is the Director of Catering and Special Events at The Club at Ruby Hill in Pleasanton. For more information: http://www.rubyhill.com/special-events/weddings

PHOTOS BY CARLIE STATSKY PHOTOGRAPHY

Can you keep your lifestyle in retirement?

Congratulations to DJ Christopher Berini and Jeffrey Huang on their recent marriage, held at Grace Cathedral.

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.

Let’s talk.

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A private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Service, Inc. 44 Montgomery St, Ste 4210 San Francisco, CA 94104-4815 415-623-2450

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S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES O C TO BER 27, 2016

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Moonlight Is an Incredibly Moving, Compelling Film About Being a Black Gay Man in America

Film Gary M. Kramer Moonlight, opening October 28 at the Embarcadero and November 4 at the Shattuck, is Barry Jenkins’ extraordinary film adaptation of Tarell Alvin McCraney’s play, In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue. A key sequence in the film has two teenagers experimenting with their sexuality on a Miami beach in the moonlight.

But first, Jenkins’ film introduces the main character, Chiron, as a 9-yearold boy (Alex Hibbert). Nicknamed “Little,” he is escaping from bullies at school who threaten to “kick his faggot ass.” Hiding out in a dope hole, he is discovered by Juan (Mahershala Ali), a local drug dealer. Juan takes Little home to his girlfriend Teresa ( Janelle Monáe). Although Little doesn’t speak much, he does eat.

When Juan returns Little to his mother Paula (Naomie Harris), she is determined not to have Juan help raise her son. Paula, it is soon revealed, is one of Juan’s customers.

Nevertheless, Juan does serve as a kind of father figure to the young boy.

A very tender scene has Juan teaching Little how to swim in the ocean, “baptizing” him. And in a very powerful moment that follows, Juan tells Little, “At some point, you have to decide for yourself who you are going to

be. You can’t have anyone else make t hat decision for you.” These words resonate throughout the film as Chiron’s transformation from youth to adult consists of many episodes in which he is forced to confront his true nature.

What is also particularly compelling about Moonlight is how many of the characters internalize, rather than express, their emotions. Jenkins deftly captures the unspoken empathy that exists between the characters. Moreover, Jenkins’ film allows viewers to understand the lives of his characters and why they matter.

Another character who has a key relationship with Little is Kevin ( Jaden Piner). Helping Little prove he isn’t “soft,” Kevin wrestles with him in the grass, and the sexual tension between these two young men, which plays out over the course of the film, is palpable.

Act 2 of Moonlight focuses on Chiron (Ashton Sanders), now a teenager, who seems to be living in constant fear. His mother’s drug habit has escalated out of control, and in a particularly uncomfortable scene, she demands money from her son. Chiron is still being bullied at school. He also has erotic dreams about Kevin ( Jharrel Jerome).

Before long, the boys spend an evening at the beach that involves the boys kissing and more.

It is what transpires after this romantic encounter that moves Moonlight into its third and arguably most compelling act. Chiron (Trevante Rhodes) has now assumed Kevin’s nickname for him, “Black.” When he gets a call out of the blue from Kevin (André

Holland), Black meets his old friend in a diner where Kevin works. As the men reconnect, Moonlight becomes transcendent.

It would spoil the pleasures of this intimate, deeply affecting film to discuss too many of the details, in part, because so much of the film’s action is internal, or happens off screen. One character disappears without explanation, allowing audiences to determine his or her fate for themselves.

Other scenes, such as Paula yelling at her son, are presented twice, to emphasize and magnify their importance. But Jenkins seems less interested in plot than he is about creating a raw space that conveys the film’s potent themes about power and masculinity.

Moonlight shrewdly investigates what it means to be black and gay and in a world that revolves in and around drug culture. The film’s sensitive moments, such as Little preparing a bath for himself, or Chiron getting a lesson on how to make a bed from Teresa, or even the way Kevin and Black express themselves in their body language sitting across from each other in a diner, convey tremendous emotion and reveal so much about the characters.

Likewise, Juan may be a tough drug dealer, but he practically melts when 9-year-old Little looks up at him and (continued on page 30)

Lessons Still to Be Learned from Stonewall

EVERYTHING

YOU NEED

FOR HALLOWEEN & THEN SOME

TOYS DECORATIONS COSTUMES SPOOKY PARTY STUFF 479 Castro Street 415.431.5364 cliffsvariety.com 26

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S O C TO B E R 2 7 , 2 0 1 6

(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 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.)

Student, Grade 12 As videos of police brutality were projected on the wall, my body got shivers. I stared wide-eyed at the screen as my LGBTQ class watched the documentary Stonewall Uprising. From seeing gay men being dragged away by police officers to watching them cry as they told their stories, I was in disbelief over their circumstances. Members of the LGBTQ community in the 1960s weren’t allowed to be themselves. Their identity wasn’t accepted.

Cities all across America prohibited homosexuality and crossdressing. But the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village was one of the few places where one could be openly gay.

We learned that a group of gay customers at the Stonewall Inn who had gotten fed up with police harassment stood up for themselves and rioted. As they shouted “Gay power!” some were being arrested, but others joined. People who were part of the movements for black power and women’s rights decided to take action as well. The riot lasted for days with numbers reaching over a thousand.

One man recalled that the morning after, the streets of Greenwich Village were “beautiful” with the broken glass. I can imagine the sun reflecting the glass into your eyes. The glass

signified the destruction, yet natural beauty, of that moment. All who had been part of the uprising remembered feeling like something had to be done.

They knew they had to take advantage of this moment in time, and not let it pass without change.

Those who participated in the Stonewall Uprising made their mark.

From that point forward, civil rights for LGBTQ people were discussed in advocacy groups. And the Stonewall Uprising is honored every year through gay pride parades in major cities, like in San Francisco. Today, LGBTQ people are more protected, have greater numbers of allies and are now telling their stories to people like me.

Student, Grade 12 This week in LGBTQ Studies, inevitably, we learned about Stonewall. I always wonder if, when something vital and momentous happens, the people in the presence of this moment know they are witnessing history. According to the Stonewall rioters featured in the Stonewall documentary we watched, they were well aware of this.

When we walk around, going about our routines and lives, we often forget about the histories that brought us there and that made us who we are, even long before we were born. We think of ourselves as pioneers, and in some ways we are. But we often forget about our predecessors.

There is no doubt that the people who took part in Stonewall—who gathered up the will and courage to fight back—are some of these predecessors. Stonewall led to more struggle, yes, but it also led to an awakening: that we don’t deserve to be treated

Student Voices like this. It galvanized many others all rallying for the rights of LGBTQ members and inspired the first gay pride march in New York City.

Though there are numerous significant people who have been forgotten over the course of history, it is important to make an active effort to remember those who have helped us, a cause, or a group. The human side of history is often covered up. It is an academic subject and is often seen as impersonal. But we must always find ways to connect to the past, and to relate to those before us.

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.

San Francisco Transgender Film Festival Celebrates 15th Anniversary The San Francisco Transgender Film Festival (SFTFF) is the world’s first and longest running transgender film festival. And this November 10 –13, SF TFF celebrates its 15th Anniversary festival with four days and nights of awardwinning films at the Roxie Theater. Featuring inspiring documentaries, jawdropping animation, hardhitting short f ilms, extraordinary biopics and gender-busting music videos, SFTFF 2016 truly has something for everyone.

“We’re going to celebrate this 15th Anniversary milestone in a big way,” says Festival Artistic Director Shawna Virago.

“From our Opening Night Feature FREE CeCe!, to an expanded number of international shorts, to filmmakers’ Q&As, to our first-ever subtitled-for-Deaf-andhard-of-hearing-audiences program. This is our biggest festival ever.”

The 2016 San Francisco Transgender Film Festival lineup features an outstanding collection of transgender shorts and feature films—with powerful tales of love, def iance, bullying, relationships, sex, humor, romance, political organizing and community-building.

Whether you’re a first-timer or a longtime SFTFF fan, advance tickets are recommended for all programs (tickets sell out quickly). Tickets can be purchased for individual programs, and Festival Passes will get you into every film over the 4-day Festival.

“And as we always say,” says Virago, “all genders are welcome!”

The Festival kicks off Thursday, November 10, with an Opening Night Feature at the Roxie Theater: the groundbreaking documentary FREE CeCe! (directed by Jac Gares). On her way to the store with a group of friends, Chrishaun Reed “CeCe” McDonald was viciously attacked.

In defending her own life, a man was killed. After a coercive interrogation, CeCe was incarcerated in a men’s prison in Minnesota. An international campaign to free CeCe garnered significant support from media and activists, including actress and executive producer Laverne Cox. Laverne uses her platform to explore the roles race, class, and gender played in CeCe’s case. CeCe emerges not only as a survivor, but also as a leader.

On Sunday, November 13, at 4 pm there will be a special screening of

Nakom—a beautiful, intimate narrative feature from northern Ghana.

Nakom follows Iddrisu, a talented medical student who returns to his home village after his father’s sudden death. Faced with a debt that could destroy his family, he must finally choose between two very different futures. Nakom premiered at the 2016 Berlinale, marking two historic firsts: the first fiction feature from Ghana ever to play the festival, and the first fiction feature directed by a transgender woman ever to play the festival. Nakom is directed by TW Pittman, who is a transwoman of color and a San Francisco-native, and is co-directed by her longtime collaborator, Kelly Daniela Norris.

SF T F F ’s inv it ing and inclusive space—which SFTFF has been creating since 1997—is needed now more than ever.

Virago reminds us, “All across the U.S., transgender and gender-nonconforming communities are under attack. Anti-trans legislation and so-called bathroom bills are being passed in more and more states. And we’re seeing virulent racism and anti-immigrant hatred f lourishing in this pre-election period. This is a profoundly important year for us to gather together in community at the Festival.”

Festival Coordinator Eric Garcia concurs. “SFTFF is a huge opportunity to witness our communities’ gifts, power, creativity and strength,” Garcia says. “We need to support each other in solidarity right now. SFTFF creates such a joyous and celebratory and powerful community space. (continued on page 30)

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Compiled by Blake Dillon

27 : Thursday LGBTQ Career Fair – 1 pm @ SF LGBT Center, 222 2nd Street at Howard. Leading Bay Area employers will be represented. Résumé review panels, LinkedIn profile reviewers and headshot photo booth. Lgbtqfallcareerfair2016. eventbrite.com ScreamGate Haunted House –Wed-Sunday through October 31 – 7 pm @ ScreamGate, 3251 20th Avenue. facebook.com/ events/1800443703571412/ Creatures of the NightLife – 6 pm @ California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park. The annual costume Halloween bash and tour of a haunted museum full of scientific curiosities and mad science. Drag show and costume contest hosted

by Peaches Christ. calacademy.org/ nightlife/creatures-of-the-nightlife-0

28 : Friday Haunted House Dinner @ Spooktacular Show – 6 pm @ The Payne Mansion, 1409 Sutter Street. A four course Halloweenthemed dining experience. eventbrite.com/e/haunted-house-dinnerspooktacular-show-afterlife-partypayne-mansion-tickets-27597154833 Red Hots Burlesque Show – 7 pm on Fridays @ The Stud Bar, 399 9th Street. Weekly show featuring burlesque, variety, musical acts, drag and comedy with a large rotating cast.

CarnEvil: The Magnificent House of Horror – 9:00 PM @ The Endup, 401 Sixth Street. A portmanteau of “The Carnival of Evil” and inspired by the 1962 movie Carnival of Souls. endup.eventbrite.com

29 : Saturday Castro Creepy Crawl – Halloween March Against Evictions – 1 pm @ Harvey Milk Plaza, 2401 Market Street. #AntiEvictionQueers in a Halloween march around the Castro. facebook.com/ events/1159739084108402/ Stephanie Teel Band – 7 pm @ Half Moon Bay Breewery, 390 Capistrano Rd, Half Moon Bay. Enjoy the music of Stephanie Teel’s rocking band at a popular beach bar offering food and freshly-brewed beer. The brewery has a dog-friendly patio with a blazing fire pit and tranquil views.

Phantasm Behind the Funhouse Door – 9 pm @ The Armory, 1800 Mission. Halloween at The Armory presented by Opel & Vau de Vire. phantasmsf.com/tickets/

30 : Sunday Jason Brock’s Halloween Show – 6 pm @ Martuni’s, 4 Valencia Street. Accompanied by Dr. Dee Spencer, Jason Brock presents classic Halloween favorites. jbhalloween.bpt.me Drag Queen of the Opera – 7 pm @ Oasis, 298 11th Street. San Francsico Opera Lab’s Pop-Up Halloween edition. sfopera.com/sfoperalab/seasontwo/sf-opera-lab-pop-up/

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Charles Anderson’s “Arcane – A Tale of All Hallow’s Eve” – 8 pm @ Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center. Company C Contemporary Ballet’s original production with bewitching dancers, spellbinding choreography and eerily enchanting music. companycballet.org 25th Anniversary of The Gilda Stories with Jewelle Gomez – 3 pm @ Borderlands Books, 866 Valencia Street. Reading and discussion with the author. borderlands-books.com/about_ events.html

31 : Monday Put The BOO! In Books On The Park – 7 pm @ Green Apple Books, 1231 9th Avenue. For allages, a psychedelic go-go Halloween party featuring live music, spooky videos and trippy treats. facebook.com/events/19161914 4595390/ Stud Bar’s Aloha Halloween Party – 9 pm @ 399 9th Street at Harrison. A celebration for bar owner Michael McElhaney benefiting Jane Kim for State Senate.

Studsf.com The Rocky Horror Picture Show – 8 pm @ The UC Theatre, 2036 University Avenue, Berkeley.

Relive the original of this cult classic.

Audience participation expected and prizes for best costumes. http://sfopera.com/sfoperalab/season-two/sf-opera-lab-pop-up/

1 : Tuesday Book Talk with Lucy Jane Bledsoe – 7:30 pm @ Booksmith, 1644 Haight Street. Author Bledsoe, in conversation with noted historian Estelle Freedman, will discuss her new novel A Thing Bright Line, a queer American love story. lucyjanebledsoe.com Oakland Ballet’s Luna Mexicana Day of the Dead Celebration – 7 pm @ The Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland. A dance and music celebration of the iconic Mexican holiday, Dia de los Muertos.

Oaklandballet.org

2 : Wednesday Weapons of Mass Distraction – 7 pm @ Feinstein’s at the Nikko, 222 Mason Street. Cabaret Chanteuse Darlene Popovic presents a pre-election evening of song, love and laughter. facebook.com/ events/1683824178604086/ The Dead Ritual Procession – 7 pm @ Corner of Bryant & 22nd Streets. The annual celebration honoring death and the cycle of life. dayofthedeadsf.org

3 : Thursday Shakespeare’s King John – November 3 through 20 @ Kelly Cullen Community Auditorium, 220 Golden Gate Avenue. Theater of Others presents Shakespeare’s rarely staged play featuring two of the Bard’s strongest female roles: Constance and Eleanor of Aquitaine. facebook.com/theaterofothers/

4 : Friday Shocktoberfest 17: Pyramid of Freaks – 8 pm @ The Hypnodrome, 575 10th Street.

Thrillpeddlers presents their 17th annual extravaganza of terror & titillation through November 19. hypnodrome.org Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco’s All Creatures Great and Small – 7:30 pm @ Community Music Center, 544 Capp Street. Also Nov 6 @ 4 pm.

A concert with Artistic Director William Sauerland and the Chorus. lgcsf.org/all-creatures/ Mother Cher Tribute – 10 pm @ Oasis, 296 11th Street. Featuring Chad Michaels, Boulet Brothers and Peaches Christ. Sfoasis.com

6 : Sunday Community Women’s Orchestra Family Concert Goes to the Movies – 4 pm @ Lake Merritt United Methodist Church, Oakland. Performance of musical scores by Mozart, Mancini and Williams made famous by movies including Amadeus,The Pink Panther, Star Wars and new film music by a woman composer. communitywomensorchestra.org First Sunday T-Dance – 3 pm @ The Fireside Lounge, 1453 Webster Street, Alameda. Afternoon event for queer folks and their friends with DJ Luna and hourly drag performances by Pearl E. Gates, Frankie Ficticious and more.

Shipwrecked! An AIDS Lifecycle Fundraiser – 3 pm @ Lookout Bar, 3600 16th Street.

Sunday Funday at the Lookout with drink specials and DJs. aidslifecycle. org facebook.com/events/1100301 590005654

7 : Monday Sacred Cocktails: Political Activism – 6:30 pm @ Lookout, 3600 16th Street at Market. Held the first Monday each month, a discussion of the spiritual practices of political activism. November featured guests: Shaun Haines and Todd Whitley. facebook.com/ events/1112194722 183311/ GGBA Impact Builder Workshop IV – Building Team Agreements – 12 pm @ SBA Conference Room, 455 Market Street, 6th Fl. Learn how to develop opportunities working with other suppliers seeking to do business with California-based Public Utilities.

LGBTQ Pride Reading: Beautiful Gravity and The Jungle Around Us – 7 pm @ Dog Eared Books, 489 Castro Street. Martin Hyatt reads from his new novel Beautiful Gravity and Anne Raeff from her new short-story collection The Jungle Around Us.

8 : Tuesday Queer Reading Series – 5:45 pm @ San Francisco Public Library, 100 Larkin Street, Latino/ Hispanic Room. RADAR Productions presents authors Michal Perks, Chast Joynt, Mk Chavez, and Paula Morales with cookies. facebook.com/ events/1157934334288108 LGBT Election Night Viewing Party – 4:30 pm @ Club BNB, 2120 Broadway, Oakland. Club-bnb.com API@WTC - Election Night Party – 6 pm @ Private residence in Oakland near Grand Lake Theater. RSVP to receive address. goo.gl/forms/ObbesItn19H9Fq2A3

9 : Wednesday 2016 State of the LGBTQ Movement – 5:30 pm @ Dropbox Headquarters, 333 Brannan Street. Horizons Foundation presents a panel discussion featuring prominent community leaders. Horizonsfoundation.org

Have A Safe and Happy Halloween!

“Like” Us On Facebook: facebook.com/ SanFranciscoBayTimes Find Us On the Internet: sfbaytimes.com Twitter: SFBayTimes

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES O C TO BER 27, 2016

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NEWS (continued from page 3) and later committed suicide. Under the plan, the government will make the change through an amendment to the policing and crime bill.

Anyone who is still alive can apply through the Home Office to have their names cleared. Justice Minister Sam Gyimah says the government is trying “to put right these wrongs.” edgemedianetwork.com Log Cabin Republicans Won’t Endorse Trump Due to AntiLGBT Advisers The Log Cabin Republicans announced that they are not endorsing Donald Trump for president. While they praised Trump as “perhaps the most pro-LGBT presidential nominee in the history of the Republican Party” for what they call his “unprec-

edented overtures to the ‘LGBTQ community,’” they signaled concern over who he was surrounding himself with, as well as his support of a discriminatory piece of legislation. “As Mr. Trump spoke positively about the LGBT community in the United States, he concurrently surrounded himself with senior advisers with a record of opposing LGBT equality, and committed himself to supporting legislation such as the so-called ‘First Amendment Defense Act’ that Log Cabin Republicans opposes,” a statement reads. The Log Cabin Republicans also criticized the Republican Party platform for containing language opposing same-sex marriage, preventing trans people from using the bathrooms matching their gender identity, and supporting conver-

sion therapy. Trump has also said he would like to see the same-sex marriage ruling overturned. Trump is only polling at 20 percent with LGBTQ voters. lgbtqnation.com Debate Moderators Did Not Ask a Single LGBT-Related Question Over the course of three general election presidential debates, moderators failed to ask candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump a single question on LGBT equality.

In the third and final debate, both candidates independently brought up LGBT people, though in drastically different terms, highlighting the need for a question to specifically parse policy positions on LGBT equality. The third presidential

debate concluded without Fox News host Chris Wallace asking a question pertaining to LGBT equality. Prior to the debate, the National Center for Transgender Equality had urged Wallace to address the “critical issue” of transgender equality. This year saw an unprecedented number of anti-LGBT bills introduced in state legislatures, high-profile lawsuits from several states against federal policy guidance over transgender student equality, and the adoption of North Carolina’s widely condemned HB 2, which, among other things, requires transgender people to use the bathroom that matches the gender on their birth certificates. mediamatters.org

Meet Me at the Food Court

“because I’m smart enough never to repeat the past.” Who writes stuff like that? Look, we have nothing against sexting, and 17 was above the age of consent in the Bayou State. But if you’re a married politician? It’s stupid.

Read more at sfbaytimes.com

ROSTOW (continued from page 15) ly, they call her up and they say, ‘You know, you better not come. You better not come.’”

“You’re being purged because of your silence,” he continued incoherently.

“The people who are speaking up are being purged and I’m seeing it every day … And so the purging is out there, the purging of norms, the purging of money, the purging of being embarrassed, the purging of being called a bigot. Which is an insult to me, because I’m the farthest thing from a bigot.”

Whew! Okay!

I have just enough room to tell you about Jefferson Parish (Louisiana) President Mike Yenni, who has been nabbed for sexting a 17-year-old boy.

Mike, who has a wife and a young daughter, is 40-something himself and admits making a “bad decision” to send “improper texts to a young man.” Among other things, Yenni met the kid in a mall bathroom, kissed him, gave him some special underwear and later asked him to model it over the phone.

Now he’s asking for a second chance and is swearing never to do it again

These stories are hardly worth reporting these days with all the progress we’ve made. But it was either Yenni, or something really drab like the anti-gay amendment that GOP house members have shoved into the defense spending bill. Do you have a problem with my choice? arostow@aol.com

SISTER DANA (continued from page 14) is desperate for models of diversity and inclusion, for more representation and leadership of people of color, women, and LGBT people, Slack Technologies is showing the business community how it’s done. Also honored were The Porters, Zeam, Louise, and EA, a fierce family of advocates for trans and queer youth.

Zeam is a member of the joint Transgender Law Center and GSA Network national trans youth advocacy board. When Zeam came out as queer and trans, his parents were supportive and became vocal advocates for trans and queer youth.

A third awardee was pioneer and “champion of change” for the transgender community, Ms. Dee Dee Ngozi Chamblee who has over 25 years of grassroots organizing experience and has helped Atlanta through her work in trans advocacy. She has also built an expertise on the issues of HIV/AIDS, homelessness, mental health, mass incarceration, and police profiling. In 2011 President Barack Obama awarded her with the prestigious “Champion of Change” honor. TLC Executive Director Kris Hayashi noted that last year, 23 transgender women of color had been tragically murdered in America. He spoke of the discriminatory bathroom laws denying trans people their right to authenticity, and how California is leading the nation in civil rights for transgender people. “We are building a movement,” he concluded. It should be mentioned that Master of Ceremonies was Don Reed (master story-teller from Snap Judgment), who approached the podium in super slow motion to the stirring theme from 2001 as the audience howled with laughter. He spoke of his hit play, East 14th, which tells the true story of his bold, beautiful trans sister.

SISTER DANA SEZ, “WITH HALLOWEEN SO NEAR, DON’T BE TRICKED AND MISS OUT ON THESE TREATS—

BY THAT, I MEAN THESE UPCOMING EVENTS!” THRILLPEDDLERS presents SHOCKTOBERFEST 17: PYRAMID OF FREAKS: 17th Annual Extravaganza of Terror & Titillation at the Hypnodrome, 575 10th 30

Street, now through November 19 (Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays @ 8 pm) plus 2 Special Halloween performances (both 8 pm, Sunday, October 30 and Monday, Oct. 31—Halloween Night).

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 “Small Opening.” If you pass this up, so sad, it’s “squish squish, sweetiedarling!” rbct.us 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 in the stunning Green Room. At the event, you can enjoy delicious food and drinks on the balcony, listen to music by Jason Brock and DJ Christopher B, and, of course, enjoy the fashion presentation of designers showcasing their one-of-a-kind condom couture!

Most importantly, all proceeds from the event go to fight HIV and hepatitis C in the US. projectinform.org “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. 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. Wine and light refreshments

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S O C TO B E R 2 7 , 2 0 1 6

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 There’s still time to catch BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER LIVE! at Oasis, 298 11th Street. D’Arcy Drollinger presents the drag sendup of the beloved Sci-fi television series—based on the popular 90’s supernatural series known for its groundbreaking themes and smart quips. It stars Michael Phillis (as Buffy), Kim Burly, Melanie Marshall, Flynn DeMarco, Adam Roy, John Paul Gonzalez, Laura LeBleu, Sergio Lobito, Sue Casa, Laundra Tyme and D’Arcy Drollinger as the Master. Buffy befriends two schoolmates, Xander Harris and Willow Rosenberg, who help her fight a series of vampires, in order to prevent The Master, an ancient and especially threatening vampire, from opening the Hellmouth and taking over the world. This is all especially challenging when Buffy suffers from a massive crush on a totally hot Vampire named Angel.

Thursday at 8 pm; Friday & Saturday at 7 pm, with a special Halloween show on October 31, which will include a costume contest and Buffy trivia challenge. Call 415-795-3180 or sfoasis.com The ART SAVES LIVES Gallery is happy to offer two Día de los Muertos themed community workshops centered on the art of nichos on Saturday, October 29, 1 to 4 pm, 518 Castro Street. The nicho is a time honored and therapeutic craft that is practiced throughout Latin America and serves to honor loved ones lost, saints, deities and other important cultural figures. Under the direction of William Sauerland, the LESBIAN/GAY CHORUS OF SAN FRANCISCO presents its fall concert, ALL CREATURES, GREAT AND SMALL, at Community Music Center, 544 Capp Street, November 5 at 7:30 pm and November 6 at 4 pm. lgcsf.org Sister Dana sez, “Just because it’s pumpkin season, don’t make the terrible mistake of voting for Old Pumpkin Face—better known as T-rump the Total Ass!!

KRAMER (continued from page 26) begins asking a series of tough questions, starting with, “What’s a faggot?”

Jenkins is not afraid to explore what makes Chiron cry, but he also includes a shocking act of violence that proves to be a catalyst in Chiron’s maturation. Seeing the shy, confused child and the haunted teen transform into the adult Black, who still grapples with his same-sex desires and deciding who he is, is remarkable and revelatory. All three of the actors playing this one character are indelible in the role.

If Jenkins’ film has a drawback, it is that the Teresa and Paula characters are, respectively, mother/saint and crack whore stereotypes. These women are not very nuanced, and that detracts from the film’s overall impact.

But this is a minor complaint. Moonlight is an incredibly moving, necessary, and empowering story about being an African American gay man. © 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

TING (continued from page 8) the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) has been introduced repeatedly in Congress but hasn’t passed. The need to know the precise positions of both presidential candidates on these issues is especially urgent given the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision of two years ago. It established that businesses may fire an employee for being gay or transgender because it is against their religious values.

This legal premise has since been used by lawmakers in many state legislatures where hundreds of new laws have been considered to justify LGBT discrimination. Such a large bend towards expanding institutionalized discrimination against LGBT people is frightening.

FILM FEST (continued from page 27) Plus, the films this year are just extraordinary.”

This year SFTFF will present its first ever subtitled-for-Deaf-and-hard-ofhearing audiences program on Friday, November 11, at 8 pm. ASL interpretation will also be provided before and after the screening. “We are really excited about this Program,” says Virago, “because this group of films is really strong, and because it will be accessible to Deaf and hard of hearing communities.”

Other Festival Highlights Mezzo Saturday, November 12 @ 7 pm T h i s d o c u m e nt a r y c e l eb r a t e s 25-year-old Breanna Sinclaire, an African-American opera singer and the first openly transgender woman to graduate from a major conservatory.

This short film traces Sinclaire’s earliest memories of self-discovery. It was directed by Nicole Opper.

El Camino Friday, November 11 @ 8 pm Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Alexander L. Lee, this film concerns 16-year-old Jorge, whose father Diego dies while serving time in a California prison. Jorge and his mother Gabriela must race across the state to claim Diego’s body before prison authorities cremate the remains against their wishes. For Jorge, this is his last chance to say goodbye to his long-absent father. For Gabriela, this is her husband’s last chance to find redemption in the afterlife.

“Eden’s Garden - Episode 1 “Eden’s Garden: Spark”

The deprivation of basic civil rights for millions of Americans is not something to be ignored. Every president takes an oath of office that includes a pledge to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” That standard demands a substantial debate of LGBT issues, and I’m disappointed they weren’t given the serious consideration they deserve.

Civil rights are not something presidents or any elected leader can support part of the time. It’s a full time job.

Phil Ting represents the 19th Assembly District, which includes the Westside of San Francisco along with the communities of Broadmoor, Colma and Daly City.

Friday, November 11 @ 8 pm This web series ‘dramedy’ stars an all-transgender male cast and features other Black and Latino characters.

Eden’s Garden is focused on many socially relevant issues, such as trans-reality matters and struggles, trans-dating, same-sex dating, HIV and AIDS awareness, infidelity, promiscuity, homophobia, gay-bashing, trans-bashing, friendships and betrayals. The series was directed by Seven King.

Ryans Saturday, November 12 @ 7 pm In this romantic comedy, a trans woman goes on a blind date with a man who had the same name as her ex—which seems like a total deal breaker. The film was directed by Rain Valdez and Natalie Heltzel.

Says Virago, “The San Francisco Transgender Film Festival provides a powerful counter-narrative to the increasingly assimilationist world of transgender reality stars and celebrities. Hollywood gets it wrong, very wrong. Come see transpeople telling our own stories. Come see trans characters played by trans actors. And help us celebrate our milestone 15th Festival!” The entire SFTFF lineup can be found at www.SFTFF.com 15th Anniversary San Francisco Transgender Film Festival (SFTFF) November 10–13 Roxie T heater: (3117 16th Street @ Valencia, San Francisco CA) Tickets: $12–15 sliding scale www.SFTFF.com

Professional Services

LAW OFFICES OF MILES & TORRES Estate Planning 1393 Noe Street, San Francisco, CA 94131 (415) 308-2307 www.milestorreslaw.com

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