San Francisco Bay Times SFGMC - January 24, 2019

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2019) January 24–February 6, 2019 | http://sfbaytimes.com

Family’s Legacy of Giving Nurtures SFGMC, LGBTQ Arts

TERRENCE CHAN & EDWARD SELL

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN’S CHORUS

See Pages 16–18

Building Bridges While Tearing Down Walls That Divide Us – GGBA in 2019

By The Golden Gate Business Association Board of Directors

partment of Hope, and we have never been more important.”

Ricardo Lara, who was sworn in on January 7 as our state’s Insurance Commissioner, is California’s first openly LGBTQ statewide elected official. At the ceremony he said, “California’s Department of Insurance is the largest state consumer protection agency in America. We are the Department of Fair Deals, the Department of Fresh Starts, the Department of Rebuilding Your Home, the Department of Protecting Your Investment, and the Department of the Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow. In short, we are the De-

These are historic and unprecedented times as the Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA) enters our 45th year of championing the economic needs of the LGBTQ community. If we are going to have hope, we are going to need to collaborate, build bridges and renew our commitment to the economic vitality of all communities.

Since we are a mission-driven organization, there is much work to be done to achieve economic equality for the LGBTQ community and our members. For example: • We are shocked, and saddened, by the fact that 39% of all homeless youth in San Francisco are from the LGBTQ community. With current trends of intolerance growing throughout the U.S., we fear this figure may grow as more LGBTQ youth arrive in San Francisco and throughout California.

• As one transgender participant in our 2018 LGBTQ Economic Summit pointed out quite clearly: “How can I think about starting my own small business when I can’t even get someone to call me back for an entry level job?”

• A consistent theme highlighted throughout the 2018 LGBTQ Economic Summit is an overwhelming lack of LGBTQ business/corporate role models for millennials and an inability for many LGBT entrepreneurs to access capital to build their businesses and take their products to market.

To address these issues and the countless others our LGBTQ community is currently facing, the GGBA has vowed to increase its efforts to build effective coalitions with service-providers who

have existing programs/services that we can augment and amplify. We are committed to engaging our entrepreneurial skills to develop new and innovative ways to address these challenges. We can bring government, the diverse business community and nonprofits together to create sustainable jobs and economic growth. This effort is going to take energy, vision and commitment.

On Friday, February 1, Power Lunch V: Bridges will celebrate the GGBA’s commitment to building bridges across economic, geographic, cultural and inter-community boundaries throughout the last 45 years.

As the world’s first LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, GGBA, through Power Lunch V: Bridges, will showcase several extraordinary people who personify our community’s ability to expand opportunities, build collaborations, strengthen existing relationships and forge new and forward-thinking initiatives that lead to sustainable economic growth for our community and our businesses.

Join us in our mission to create sustainable and meaningful jobs, to collaborate with a wide range of industry and community groups, and to foster the innovative entrepreneurial spirit that will propel our community forward.

To learn more about the GGBA: https://ggba.com/

GGBA’s Power Lunch to Feature the United Nation’s Free & Equal Global Campaign More than a third of the world’s countries criminalize consensual, loving same-sex relationships, entrenching prejudice and putting millions of people at risk of blackmail, arrest and imprisonment. Many countries force transgender people to undergo medical treatment, sterilization or to meet other onerous preconditions before they can obtain legal recognition of their gender identity. Intersex children are often subjected to unnecessary surgery, causing physical and psychological pain and suffering. In many cases, a lack of adequate legal protections combined with hostile public attitudes leads to widespread discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people—including workers being fired from jobs, students bullied and expelled from schools, and patients denied essential healthcare.

In July 2013, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) launched UN Free & Equal—an unprecedented global U.N. public information campaign aimed at promoting equal rights and fair treatment of LGBTI people. In 2017, UN Free & Equal reached 2.4 billion social media feeds around the world and generated a stream of widely shared materials.

National UN Free & Equal campaigns and events have been organized in almost 30 countries, with visible support from U.N., political, community and religious leaders and from celebrities in all regions of the world.

The UN Free & Equal campaign is an initiative of the United Nations Human Rights Off ice and implemented with support from U.N. and non-U.N. partners at the country level. Several celebrities have been named as campaign “Equality Champions”—including U.S. singer Ricky Martin, South African musician Yvonne Chaka Cha-

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ka, Bollywood actress Celina Jaitly, Brazilian pop star Daniela Mercury and her wife Malu Verçosa Mercury, U.S. hiphop duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, and the band fun. Other prominent supporters—many of whom have taken part in campaign events—include South African Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, tennis legend Martina Navratilova, U.S. basketball champion Jason Collins, Indian actor Imran Khan, U.S. actor Zachary Quinto, and musicians Melissa Etheridge, Sara Bareilles and Rachel Platten.

The past decade has seen important progress in many parts of the world in the lives of LGBTI people who have benefited from legal reforms and, in some cases, shifts in social attitudes. But such progress has been uneven. In most countries, protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is inadequate at best. Even in countries that have made significant strides, LGBTI people can face high hurdles, with studies suggesting that they are more likely than the general population to be bullied at school, treated unfairly at work and denied access to basic services.

In 2000, the United Nations launched the UN Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. In 2011, the UN Human Rights Council endorsed a set of Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights that affirm that every business has a responsibility to respect human rights, and to address any adverse human rights impacts of their operations.

Companies have important opportunities to foster diversity and promote a culture of respect and equality. Many f irms have also found that doing so brings economic benefits—helping to attract and retain talent, improving decisions and building loyalty with custom-

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ers and investors alike. Awareness of the role that businesses can play is growing, and many companies have already taken steps to translate a commitment to LGBTI inclusion into action.

Even so, most are just beginning to grapple with these issues, and accumulated knowledge and best practices remain thin. The five Standards of Conduct are intended to help accelerate the pace of change. They set out the steps that companies can and should take to ensure equal treatment at work and to tackle discrimination in the broader community.

The United Nations Human Rights Office encourages companies to endorse, use and refer to these Standards and to promote their use by others. It also encourages civil society and other stakeholders to use the Standards as a tool in assessing and reporting on companies’ commitments, policies and practices.

The Five Standards At All Times: 1. Respect human rights.

All businesses have a responsibility to respect human rights—including the rights of LGBTI people—in their operations and business relationships.

Businesses are expected to develop policies, exercise due diligence, and, in cases where their decisions or activities have adversely affected the enjoyment of human rights, remediate such impacts. Businesses should also establish mechanisms to monitor and communicate about their compliance with human rights standards. Where higher levels of human rights violations against LGBTI people have been documented, including in countries with discriminatory laws and practices, companies will need to undertake more extensive due diligence to ensure that they respect the rights of LGBTI people.

In the Workplace: 2. Eliminate discrimination.

Employees and other people with whom the business engages are entitled to freedom from discrimination. Businesses should ensure that there is no discrimination in their recruitment, employment, working conditions, benef its, respect for privacy, or treatment of harassment.

3. Provide support.

LGBTI individuals are employees, managers, business owners, customers, and community members, among others, and yet many face formidable obstacles to workplace acceptance and inclusion. Businesses are expected to provide a positive, aff irmative environment within their organization so that LGBTI employees can work with dignity and without stigma. This standard requires businesses to go beyond equal benefits and take steps to ensure inclusion, including addressing the specif ic workplace needs of LGBTI people.

In the Marketplace: 4. Prevent other human rights violations.

Businesses should ensure that they do not discriminate against LGBTI suppliers or distributors, or against LGBTI customers in accessing the company’s products and/or services. In their business relationships, businesses should also ensure that business partners do not discriminate. Where a business partner discriminates against LGBTI people, businesses should use their leverage to seek (continued on page 4)

GGBA Power Lunch V Guest Speaker: Ricardo Lara Throughout Ricardo L a r a’s c a r eer, he’s always stood up for working families and against injustice, even when doing so was diff icult or unpopular. Grounded in his East Los Angeles upbringing and raised by a factory worker and a seamstress, Ricardo has built a record on bringing people together around tough challenges and delivering results that improve people’s lives.

Elected as the California Insurance Commissioner on November 6, 2018, Ricardo is the first out LGBTQ person in Califor-

GGBA Power Lunch V Featured Honorees

nia history to be elected to statewide office.

He leads the California Department of Insurance and regulates the California insurance market. During his campaign, Ricardo said that “I believe at my core that California needs a strong defender, and a counterpuncher, who will stand up to fight our bullying President, Donald Trump, and his increasingly reckless federal government on issues from healthcare access to economic security and more.”

Juan P. Novello Senior Vice President California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce Juan P. Novello serves as Senior Vice President at the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, where he manages the operations and internal strategy.

He engages with Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, businesses associations, corporations and elected officials throughout California.

In terms of insurance, how big is California’s market? According to the California Department of Insurance, insurers collect $310 billion a year in premiums in the state, making it the nation’s largest insurance market.

Born in Mexico, he migrated to the U.S. at the age of 13. In 2012, Juan graduated from San Diego State University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and with a focus in management and a specialization in entrepreneurship. Juan founded and led student organizations and was actively involved in his community while completing his undergraduate studies. He was an Inaugural Fellow for both the CLYLP Comcast Fellowship Program and the EQCAI Comcast Fellowship Program. These fellowship programs allowed him to learn about California’s politics and to develop a passion for public service.

Stonewall Inn Remains at the Forefront of LGBTQ Activism

By Stacy Lentz (Editor’s Note: The Fireside Chat of the GGBA Power Lunch V on February 1 will feature Stacy Lentz, Owner of the historic Stonewall Inn in New York City. She will be interviewed by Roy Hunt, Senior Vice President of International Franchise and Strategic Alliances at Gap, Inc. Ahead of the event, Stacy shared the below with the San Francisco Bay Times.)

Some of the younger generation sip on cocktails, watch inspiring drag performances, and remain oblivious to all of the work it took to get them there, in that space. They are blind to the activists and groups that formed after the riot and have continued to fight for 50 years so they could live their lives openly and freely, without fear of expressing themselves and of loving whomever they wish to love.

I and my partners—Kurt Kelly, Bill Morgan and Tony DiCicco—have the goal of changing that. We want to make sure that the story of the riots and Stonewall Inn becomes common knowledge and that this bar with its rebelliously groundbreaking history remains active and at the forefront of the current struggle for equality.

The Living History of Stonewall

César Casas Ferrer President and Founder Mexican Federation of LGBT Businesses César Casas Ferrer is the President and Founder of the Mexican Federation of LGBT Business (Federación Mexicana de Empresarios LGBT) FME-LGBT.

Stonewall Inn, 1969

ebrate the victories of our community, and sadly, where they come to mourn our losses as well.

This has not always been the case over the years. It took remodeling, rebranding and an entire staff—which is more like a family—to make Stonewall come alive again.

If you walk in for Friday’s happy hour, you may find Kurt, the Operating Owner, behind the bar making jokes with a friendly crowd of locals and tourists. Kurt has managed to rally talented and dedicated people and to create a team of loyal Stonewall staff members.

The Stonewall staff know that they are the Inn’s keepers of history and take pride in making sure that everyone who walks in has a good time. They are friendly and take the time to connect to the community members as well as to chat with tourists from all over the world. Many travelers make Stonewall their first stop while in New York. Most of them look forward to having a simple drink in a place with a not-so-simple history. A trip to the Inn is on many people’s bucket list, and we hope it stays this way for the generations that follow.

The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative We also knew that we had a responsibility to use the bar as a vehicle to continue to fight for equality, and after throwing hundreds of fundraisers and charity events for so many other nonprofits, we decided to formalize the process by creating our own 501c3: The Stonewall Inn Gives Back initiative.

We realized the large disparity of being LGBTQ in a New PHOTO SOURCE: ABENEWS.GO.COM

Bars have played such an important role in maintaining LGBTQ culture, as clearly our struggle for equality began in one. If bars are the churches of our culture, then Stonewall Inn is the mega church. It has become a place where people come to cel-

Juan lives in Sacramento with his husband Josh and near his adoptive fathers Eric and Michael.

PHOTO BY DIANA DAVIES

If you walk into the Stonewall Inn on a given night, you will find a mix of every walk of LGBTQ life drinking, dancing and sharing.

Some of them enter with the awareness that they are, in fact, entering a place of history, whereas the majority do not. Unfortunately, they have no idea of what the brave men and women did in order to help give them equality. They don’t know about that fateful hot summer night in June 1969, when their ancestors decided to exchange their freedom for that of future generations. It is because of them that the queer kids of today can walk freely and enjoy the rights that were withheld from us for so long.

Through President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA), he was granted immigration relief. Juan’s undocumented status allowed him to develop a strong and unique perspective about life, and to share his experience with others.

Orlando Massacre Memorial, 2016

(continued on page 21)

An accomplished entrepreneur acting as Director in several companies ranging from pet accessories to digital media, advertising, PR and movie production, César has a master’s degree in communications, PR and protocol. He also studied advertising, design, multimedia communications and arts.

His interests in empowering the economic development of the LGBT community led him to develop a Mexican LGBT chamber of commerce: Federación Mexicana de Empresarios LGBT. This Chamber not only empowers the economic development of the LGBT community within business agents and entrepreneurs, but also helps to enforce inclusion in companies and corporations, guaranteeing talent acquisition and diversity procurement programs.

César has supported many government offices by leading them into diversity and inclusion. He further supports labor, tourism, and human rights, opening doors for the FME-LGBT and its members to effectively empower themselves.

Fabrice Houdart Human Rights Officer United Nations Fabrice Houdart is a former Senior Country Officer for the Maghreb and managed a Nordic Trust Fund grant, “Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Development” that examined sexual minorities in development. He served as President of World Bank GLOBE, the Bank’s LGBT employee resource group. During his career at the Bank, he worked in Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia, first as a Human Development Consultant and later in country management units.

He holds a B.A. in economics and management from Dauphine University and an MBA from American University. His efforts to promote diversity in the Bank were recognized by an ECA VPU Award and a Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Award in 2012.

A U.N. Human Rights Officer since January 2016, Fabrice led an unprecedented initiative, #Biz4LGBTI, to engage the private sector on respecting and promoting the Human Rights of LGBTI people. He and his colleagues further work to strengthen the bonds of international cooperations around shared interests and values. The U.N. is the one place where all countries and citizens can unite behind collective action to address our greatest challenges and to deliver a better world for all. The UN Foundation supports the U.N.’s ability to tackle these challenges and to harness opportunities for the benefit of all humanity. As we head deeper into the 21st century, this task is more urgent than ever.

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A Powerful Voice for the GGBA Power Lunch V: Featured Artist Breanna Sinclairé

By David Perry

Breanna Sinclairé knows a thing or three about the power of the human voice.

PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND ATHLETICS

“When I was a ch i ld i n Ba lt imore, I begged my mother to be in youth choir,” says t he st at uesque mezzo soprano. “I sang my first solo at the age of six and my mother saw that I lit up with excitement. People in the audience were amazed and shocked that a toddler could sing with such strength and passion.”

uation from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, she has gone on to wow and win over audiences across the world, and around the country, most recently making her debut with the San Francisco Symphony. Famed as the f irst transgender singer to perform the National Anthem at a major American sporting event, Sinclairé now brings her gifts and her powerful journey to the GGBA Power Lunch V on February 1. She knows it’s about more than the music.

Strength and passion are but two of the many descriptors of the unique talent brought to the stage by Sinclairé. Subject of the documentary film Mezzo, which screened at the 2016 San Francisco Transgender Film Festival, the 28-year-old singer is on a roll of operatic proportions.

“Trans folks are still fighting for their civil rights, especially trans women of color,” says Sinclairé, very much aware of her dual roles within the community: artist and activist. “We are being murdered and disrespected. I want the attendees at the GGBA Power Lunch to know that trans people are human; we can be whatever we want: opera singer, doctor, lawyer, you name it.

A graduate of the esteemed Baltimore School for the Arts, Sinclairé earned her B.F.A. at the Herb Alpert School of Music at the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia. Since her grad-

No one who hears Sinclairé’s voice has any doubt as to her talent—or her power. There were more than a few wet eyes and applause-tired palms following her performance before interna-

GGBA’s Make Contact

tional cultural leaders at the recent World Cities Culture Summit in San Francisco. However, along with the high notes and high fives, there have been low moments.

to do this, and that I didn’t feel ‘normal.’ But when I saw Jessye Norman sing, she had conf idence and power. She inspired me to be all that I am today.

What a gift she has!”

“My family disowned me,” she says simply and without malice.

“Now, I have a beautiful LGBT family in San Francisco, including my f iancé Michael Pembridge. He is a strong man and has been my rock through thick and thin. His strength amazes me and keeps me on my feet.

During one of my gender transitional surgeries, I almost died, and he stood by my side and slept with me in the hospital until I was back on my feet. He is my hero.”

Ditto for Breanna Sinclairé, gifted with a voice, a powerful narrative and a passionate commitment to her art and to her community. She is the perfect accompaniment to this year’s gathering of LGBT business leaders at the GGBA’s Power Lunch V, appropriately themed “Bridges.”

Certainly, Breanna Sinclairé has become a heroine to her brothers and sisters in the LGBTQ+ communities, and beyond. Artistically, does she have a hero of her own?

“Jessye Norman!” She answers quickly and with enthusiasm.

“She is a tall, strong and powerful singer: a black woman with class and her voice is divine! I used to worry that I was too tall

Photos by Rink & Paul Margolis

When GGBA members are asked what they value the most about this LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, many report that the monthly GGBA event known as “Make Contact” has proven to be invaluable as an ongoing opportunity to meet and collaborate with mentors, mentees, potential clients or customers and even new friends.

While every Make Contact is unique, the series for 2019 was launched in a special location, the International Mark Hopkins Hotel’s “Room of the Dons.” The event honored veteran San Francisco business leader Jim Lazarus.

Dubbed “A Remarkable Public Affair,” this first Make Contact of the year praised Lazarus for his thirteen years of leadership and service on staff at the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. He has recently assumed a new role as State Director for the Office of Senator Dianne Feinstein. Lazarus accepted the award presented on behalf of GGBA by Audry DeLucia, President of the Board.

“I want my voice to be a bridge,” Sinclairé says. “I hope that my voice opens the minds and hearts of people. I want people who hear my voice to know that my existence matters—and the existence of all trans people matters.”

For tickets to this year’s GGBA Power Lunch, go to: https://bit.ly/2B1xyan David Perry is the CEO and Founder of David Perry & Associates, Inc. https://www.davidperry.com

United Nation’s Free & Equal Global Campaign

(continued from page 2)

to prevent that act of discrimination.

This means looking beyond avoiding discrimination to address issues of violence, bullying, intimidation, illtreatment, incitement to violence, or other abuses against LGBTI people that a company may be implicated in through their products, services, or business relationships. Companies should also ensure that they provide access to products and services to LGBTI customers.

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PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

5. Act in the public sphere.

Businesses are encouraged to use their leverage to contribute to stopping human rights abuses in the countries in which they operate. In doing so, they should consult closely with local communities and organizations to identify what constructive approaches businesses can take in contexts where legal frameworks and existing practices violate the human rights of LGBTI people. Such steps can include public advocacy, collective action, social dialogue, financial, and in-kind support for organizations advancing LGBTI rights and challenging the validity or implementation of abusive government actions. Companies will need to undertake more extensive due diligence to ensure that they respect the rights of LGBTI people where higher levels of human rights violations have been documented, including in countries with discriminatory laws and practices.

For more information regarding the Standards of Conduct, download the related booklet, which discusses the case for businesses to play a larger role in promoting LGBTI equality, and outlines each of the Standards in more detail: https://bit.ly/2yskiHW

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

In the Community:

The U.N. also provides resources on how to use the Standards to empower LGBTI people in the workplace, marketplace and community: www.unfe.org/Stand

GGBA CERTIFICATION

New DGS Certification As of this year, the Office of Small Business and DVBE Services (OSDS), part of the California Department of General Services (DGS), is administering a new “Small Business for the purpose of Public Works Certification.” The new certification, SB-PW, expands the opportunities for small businesses to compete in the public works arena. Find out more at: https://bit.ly/1SeEBjp

GGBA FOUNDATION Founded in 2017, the GGBA Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting diversity by funding educational opportunities for the LGBT and allied business community of San Francisco and the Bay Area. The mission of the GGBA Foundation is to create scholarships and resources that assist LGBT and allied businesses to achieve sustainable business development, further professional growth and create leadership structures that strengthen their businesses.

Continued education will support capacity building for LGBT businesses to meet the requirements of corporate supplier diversity programs, increasing opportunities across multiple industries for LGBT businesses to win contracts. In return, our community will be enriched by the economic impact of these companies and the jobs created by their growth.

Additionally, these business leaders will be advocates for LGBT business inclusion and economic equality for all diverse communities and will provide mentorship and other resources to empower the next generation of LGBTQA entrepreneurs. https://www.ggbafoundation.org/

Be a Part of the Solution: Join & Volunteer Support LGBT businesses throughout the Bay Area and beyond by bringing you enthusiasm and skills to the GGBA! Being a GGBA member and volunteer is an ideal opportunity to become more deeply involved with the chamber. You can help to guide the chamber’s continuing success while building deeper business relationships with your fellow GGBA members.

The Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA) is the world’s first LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, and is now one of 65 around the globe advocating for positive economic, social and political change for LGBTQ businesses to prosper, create jobs and to have economic equality. Our mission is to champion opportunity, development and advocacy for our LGBTQ & allied business community.

We empower our small business entrepreneurs and professionals by creating opportunities for marketing, networking, procurement and referral-based business growth.

We also collaborate with other nonprofits and engage with business and civic leaders to support policies that foster a more inclusive and welcoming business community, thus creating greater opportunities for our member businesses. If you are an LGBTQ or allied business person looking for a place to make sincere connections that can lead to greater success and a sense of community, the GGBA is the place for you. We encourage you to visit our next event to see for yourself. For more details: https://ggba.com/

GGBA BOARD

Meet the 2019 GGBA Board of Directors

The 2019 GGBA board is made up of a dynamic group of business professionals. They bring a diverse range of perspectives and business acumen to the boardroom and to the chamber at large. As you may know, the GGBA is a working/governing board. These directors volunteer their time not only to steer the chamber on its mission of championing opportunity, development and advocacy for our LGBTQ & Allied business community, but they also roll up their sleeves and get to the hard work of producing the many events and programs the GGBA is responsible for throughout the year. Please take a moment to seek these fantastic human beings out at the next GGBA event and thank them for the time and resources they each give in pursuit of an economically empowered San Francisco Bay Area LGBT business community that inspires others.

AUDRY DELUCIA President Chair Executive Committee ellaprint

PAUL PENDERGAST Past President Chair Public Policy Pendergast Consulting Group

DR. KRYSTAL DRWENCKE Vice President Chair Membership Ascent Sports Chiropractic

TOM BAKER Secretary Baker MedFirst

TONY ARCHULETAPERKINS CFO Chair Finance Committee Eclat Group

LARA BRECHER Assistant CFO Brecher Consulting Services

ANNA COLIBRI Chair Communications Colibri Digital Marketing

STACEY BLANDA Golden State Warriors Community Foundation

JACQUI EGAN GAP, Inc.

SANDRA ESCALANTE Laner Electric Supply

OLGA GARCIA CG Moving Company

GINA GRAHAME Gina Grahame Presents

JAY GREENE Greene Law Firm

MICHAEL GUNTHER Collaboration LLC

JOHN HENNING Granite Solutions Groupe

AARON LANDER REActivate

MAGDALENA RODRÍGUEZ GPS GAY

“Congratulations to the 2019 Board Members and a heartfelt ‘Thank you!’ for your service to the organization,” from the San Francisco Bay Times

GGBA CALENDAR Golden Gate Business Association 5th Annual Power Lunch Power Lunch V: Bridges Feb 1, 11 am–2 pm San Francisco Marriott Marquis 780 Mission Street Power Lunch V - Bridges will celebrate the GGBA’s commitment to building bridges across economic, geographic, cultural and intercommunity boundaries throughout the last 44 years. As the world’s first LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, GGBA, through Power Lunch V: Bridges, will showcase several extraordinary people who personify our community’s ability to expand opportunities, build collaborations, strengthen existing relationships and forge new and forward-thinking initiatives that lead to sustainable economic growth for our community and our businesses. https://www.ggbapowerlunch-v.com/ Regional Chamber Business After Hours Event – South San Francisco February 7, 5 pm–7 pm Headquarters of S&B Party Rentals 1098 San Mateo Ave, Suite #6, South San Francisco (Just 3 blocks from the CalTrans station) GGBA Member Business S&B Party Rentals is hosting a regional business mixer at their brand new headquarters in South San Francisco. Come take advantage of the opportunity to meet and mingle with business members of the South San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. https://bit.ly/2MonwEz

Golden Gate Business Association March Make Contact March 12, 6–8 pm GGBA Members: Complimentary, Non-Members: $25.00 Western Business Alliance Annual LGBT Economic Summit & Conference March 14–16, Los Angeles – Hosted by the LAGLCC This year’s conference will focus attention on issues facing our business community and the LGBT community at large, including creating influence, working with the LGBT community, LGBT homelessness and housing, social and corporate responsibility, marketing to millennials, transgender entrepreneurship and freelance opportunities, and access to capital for LGBT businesses. https://www.wbasummit2019.com/ Stand Up Speak Out Series Office of the Small Business Administration 455 Market Street, San Francisco February: Stand Up and Speak Out: Storytelling as a Business Tool February 6, 7:30 am–8:45 am & February 20, 3:15 pm–4:45 pm March: Stand Up and Speak Out: Do’s & Don’ts of the Media Interview: March 6, 7:30 am–8:45 am & March 20, 3:15 pm–4:45 pm The Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA) is proud to present “Stand Up. Speak Out!” This workshop series is designed to teach entrepreneurs, business professionals and community leaders to become more confident speakers and more effective communicators. This workshop is free to all GGBA Members, Partners and their staff. Non-GGBA members can attend two (2) meetings for free as a guest of the GGBA. For more information about these and all other GGBA events, please visit https://ggba.com/

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Photos by Rink

Photos by Paul Margolis

SAN FRANCISCO

SALT LAKE CITY

PHOTO COURTESY OF BETH GREENE

San Francisco Bay Times contributors joined readers and friends at Women’s Marches held in San Francisco, Salt Lake City and Denver.

Women’s March Has Evolved to Become a Movement, Not a Moment

By Morgan Shidler

When the Women’s March was announced just days after the election in 2016, I think the prospect of organizing to get out to D.C. for it saved me. I put up a Google form on Facebook to see who would be interested, and within hours there were 40 of us—some were friends, some were strangers. But we all navigated through tough conversations to support an emerging movement.

San Francisco Bay Times photographer Morgan Shidler in Denver

We fundraised, donated to The Women’s Building, and in the end, thirty of us trekked from the Bay Area to D.C. for a weekend that we will never forget. We weren’t prepared for the juxtaposition of the presidential inauguration being back to back to the march, and how palpable the changing paradigm felt in real time.

The following year, I was excited to stay local in Oakland and San Francisco, and was ecstatic that the national organizers held their main event the following day so I could fly out to support it. I hit both of the central Bay Area marches early last year, and then hopped a plane that night to Vegas, only for my first stop in my Lyft line to be the Trump Hotel. What are the chances!?

At the march, I couldn’t believe that the crowds were comparable, and in some cases larger in number, than the year before. It solidified my commitment to this movement at all costs. I had been impressed with the national leadership over the course of 2017, and could see evidence in every direction that their efforts to create a truly intersectional movement were working.

This year’s march was also during my sister’s birthday and I was going to be in Colorado. I therefore thought that it would be a great opportunity to see how Denver would march. In preparation, I immediately noticed that the Denver chapter changed their name to Womxn’s March Denver, explicitly including all women-identi6

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fying folks. Colorado just recently turned blue this year, electing its first openly transwoman to the state legislature, and hosting a stage full of politicians that covered the full range of diversity of the beauty that is our country. Under clear blue skies and with an estimated crowd of 30,000, I couldn’t help but wonder if such diversity would have been attainable had this march never happened.

It was impossible for me not to get emotional and to feel hopeful, despite so much still to worry about politically. For now, I am so grateful to the national and local organizers who have worked so hard to make this impactful effort a movement, and not a moment.

Photographer Morgan Shidler is based in Oakland. For more information: https://www.morganshidler.com/

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DENVER

Photos by Morgan Shidler

Courage, for a Change, from California’s First ‘First Partner’

These actions took place within the context of a new era marked by the last midterm elections of record numbers of women, people of color, LGBT, persons with disabilities, immigrants and veterans to local, state and congressional seats of power rising up to redef ine the realities of changing American social, cultural and political currents. This collective revolutionary act is poised to seriously challenge the predominantly straight white male majority status quo.

Meanwhile, there is one significant act of 2019 that has received some

The bold, radical assertion to redefine the role of the spouse to the Governor of the virtual nation-state of California might come about as little surprise to some, given that it occurs in the bluest of blue states, it is asserted by the spouse/partner of the man who courageously placed the fight for same sex civil marriage on the global stage, and that Siebel Newsom has long established her own personal agency challenging gender norms as a filmmaker and founder of The Representation Project.

Siebel Newsom’s welcome departure from age old reference and deference to the governor’s spouse—expectedly a woman, and therefore, wife, in engrained gender specific terms—is a long overdue, yet timely, revolutionary act.

Yes, we will one day soon elect a woman as governor of California (hint: not too soon to look out for newly elected first woman Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis for that next chapter of her-story). And, rather presumably, within the confines of heterosexual

PHOTO BY BILL WILSON

It’s the middle of January 2019, and we just celebrated the birthday and civil rights movement legacy of the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with marches, speeches, panel discussions, freedom train rides and various national day of service projects. We also recently took to the streets by the millions through hundreds of city thoroughfares around the world at the third annual Women’s March.

Furthermore, First Partner denounces the idea that should the governor or POTUS have a significant other (Governor Jerry Brown 1.0 of the way back 1970s was our last single, unattached chief of state), that he, she or they must be a person brought to the Capitol by marriage. Partner might imply spouse, but it also signif ies, well, that one’s significant other may or may not be brought along by marriage, same sex or otherwise.

Perhaps by the time these historic elections to the governor’s seat occur, “First Partner” will not seem so radical. For the time being, the possibilities and implications of First Partner are quite exciting and liberating.

Andrea Shorter is a Commissioner and the former President of the historic San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women. She is a longtime advocate for criminal and juvenile justice reform, voter rights and marriage equality. A Co-founder of the Bayard Rustin LGBT Coalition, she was a 2009 David Bohnett LGBT Leadership Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

PHOTO BY BILL WILSON

Andrea Shorter

First Partner Siebel Newsom has broken the barrier to confining gender norm for not only the eventual first male spouse of a presumed female head of the Golden State, but also for the first female spouse or partner of the first lesbian or bisexual governor, the first male spouse or partner of the first openly gay male to serve as governor, and so on.

PHOTO BY BILL WILSON

Cross Currents

First Partner Siebel Newsom might very well have started the new governor’s administration with this radical departure from an evidently obsolete political-historical-quasi-constitutional norm. “Courage, for a change,” one might say. OK, I couldn’t resist.

political power couple norms, there would be a First Husband to be. Already this all sounds so arcane.

The San Francisco Interfaith Council hosted a rally and celebration for Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day on Monday, January 21, at Yerba Buena Gardens. Prior to the rally, participants gathered at the Caltrain Depot and proceeded in a march, commemorating Dr. King’s march in 1965 from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. A large crowd gathered at Yerba Buena Gardens cheered for speakers, including Mayor London Breed and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, along with other civic, community and interfaith leaders.

PHOTO BY RINK

media fanfare, but without the celebration and recognition of the historical import it truly deserves: Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s declaration as California’s “First Partner,” not First Lady, to her spouse and newly inaugurated Governor Gavin Newsom. It is a revolutionary act that deserves a closer look and more celebration.

Dr. Martin Luther King Day 2019

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

JANUARY 24, 2019

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California Leads When Washington Will Not with our new governor to make our state an even better place for all of its residents. In early January, Governor Newsom released his first proposed budget, and I am heartened to see that it reflects many priorities that were outlined in my Blueprint for a Responsible Budget, which I wrote about here last month.

Assemblymember Phil Ting Here in California, we are witness to unprecedented dysfunction in Washington, exemplif ied by the longest government shutdown in American history. While the drama unfolds in our nation’s capital, millions of Californians are harmed. Trash piles up at our closed national parks, and thousands of our state’s federal workers, including many of the over 6,000 living in Assembly District 19, go without pay. Thankfully, California has stepped in to fill in the gap with Governor Newsom directing our state’s Employment Development Department (EDD) to streamline the processing of Unemployment Insurance claims.

JOIN THE BID TO WIN! PUBLIC NOTICE: Access To Caltrans Upcoming Construction and Architectural & Engineering Projects California Senate Bill 1 (SB1) will provide $54 billion over the next 10 years for state and local transportation projects. This creates additional opportunities for all small businesses, including businesses owned by women, minorities, disabled veterans, LGBT, and other disadvantaged groups, to participate on public works projects with local and state transportation agencies.

Now is the time to get involved. Visit Caltrans’ SB1 web site, www.rebuildingca.ca.gov, and learn more about planned improvements. Review Caltrans’ online “look ahead” reports of upcoming construction and architectural and engineering contracts to identify potential opportunities for your business. Attend contract-specific outreach events, that include prebid meetings and pre-proposal conferences, and meet with prospective bidders/proposers. Learn about Caltrans contracting requirements at a free training or workshop.

Caltrans needs your help to repair and rebuild California’s transportation system. We are looking for qualified contractors, consultants, suppliers, truckers, and service providers to help fix our roads, freeways, and bridges.

Construction look-ahead report: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/esc/oe/contractor_info/12_ month_Advertising_Schedule.pdf Architectural and Engineering look-ahead report: http://www.dot.ca.gov/dpac/ae/doc/lookahead.pdf Caltrans Events Calendar: http://www.dot.ca.gov/obeo/calendar.html For more information, contact Caltrans’ Small Business Advocate at smallbusinessadvocate@dot.ca.gov.

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The contrast could not be clearer: while Washington continues to lurch from crisis to crisis, California’s state government works every day to serve all of our state’s residents.

As the Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, I am excited to work

For example, while the GOP in Washington have repeatedly attempted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and some Republican governors have resisted Medicaid expansion in their states, California will continue to work to ensure that everyone has access to affordable health coverage.

Governor Newsom’s proposed budget includes provisions that would lower the price of prescription drugs and expand Medi-Cal eligibility to young adults ages 19–26, regardless of immigration status.

This Medi-Cal expansion would cover an estimated 138,000 people who currently lack coverage. Additionally, this spending proposal would increase subsidies to those insured through Covered California, and it would expand subsidies to individuals with income up to 600% of the federal poverty level.

This proposed budget also prioritizes investing in education at all levels.

We are on track to surpass $12,000 in base per-pupil spending, and we hope to continue increasing this figure. There is funding to help relieve school districts of long-term pension

liabilities, which will enable more money to stay in the classroom.

The proposal also includes investments to support persistently low-performing students and to build facilities so that we can move towards full-day kindergarten across the state, a model championed here in San Francisco. Regarding higher education, this budget would head off any tuition increases at UC, fund a 2% enrollment growth at CSU and expand free tuition for full-time community colleges students to their second year.

We’re also helping working families.

Governor Newsom shares my priority to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit to more of the working poor and low-income families with children, and his budget proposes granting new parents up to six months of Paid Family Leave. Additionally, this budget prepares for a future downturn, with additional money going into our rainy-day funds as Washington runs record deficits.

I look forward to working with Governor Newsom and my colleagues to pass a budget that will continue to make the California dream more attainable for all. As always, if you have any budget-related questions or ideas, feel free to contact my District Office at 415-557-2312.

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

After Ten Years, Oscar Grant Honored In committee I stated: “We are here today to honor a life that was tragically cut short at the Fruitvale BART station. The activism of the family and the community sparked an international movement. We need to honor the life of Oscar Grant, the activism his death has sparked, and we need to continue to fight for a world where black men and boys are not targets of these types of killings.”

Out of the Closet and into City Hall Oakland City Councilmember At-Large, Rebecca Kaplan Oscar Grant III was a 22-year-old African-American man who was fatally shot in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day 2009 by BART Police Officer Johannes Mehserle in Oakland, California. On a crowded BART train returning from San Francisco, BART Police officers detained Grant and several other passengers on the platform at the Fruitvale BART Station. Two off icers, including Mehserle, forced the unarmed Grant to lie face down on the platform. Mehserle drew his pistol and shot Grant in the back. Grant was rushed to Highland Hospital in Oakland and was pronounced dead later that day.

The events were captured on multiple official and private digital video and privately-owned cell phone cameras.

Owners disseminated their footage to media outlets and to various websites where it became viral. Numerous protests of police actions took place in the following days.

On January 22 at the Oakland City Council Meeting, the Resolution introduced by former Councilmember Desley Brooks, and co-authored by me, to rename the unnamed road adjacent to the west side of the Fruitvale BART Station to “Oscar Grant Way” was heard after passing Life Enrichment on Tuesday, January 15.

It was determined that the street to be named is the property of BART, so I called my longtime friends on the BART Board and asked them if they would consider renaming the street, to which they agreed. The Life Enrichment Committee heard from BART Board President Bevan Dufty and BART Director Lateefah Simon, who did come and speak on the Resolution.

nationally. We will do this. We have no choice.”

Oscar’s Uncle Cephus “Uncle Bobby” Johnson thanked former member Brooks for bringing this resolution forward and thanked the community for keeping vigilant for 10 years. “I have been saying it is because of the community and political figures and clergy and activists in the streets that prayed with and for us and speaking on behalf of us for Oscar’s name never to be forgotten. Thank you. We will do what we’ve got to do to name this street.”

Said Oscar’s mother Wanda Johnson: “I would first like to thank God and the BART Directors for carrying this forward. I am so grateful today that you all see that Oscar’s life lost was not in vain. His death has sparked a movement. One of the atonements is

(Left to Right) Bevan Dufty , BART Board President; Lateefah Simon, BART Board Director; Beatrice Johnson, Oscar Grant’s Aunt; Rebecca Kaplan, Oakland City Council President; Wanda Johnson, Oscar Grant’s Mother; Cephus Johnson, Oscar Grant’s Uncle

Said Dufty: “I want to thank Oscar’s mother for working with me. I want to apologize to the community, and to take accountability for the delays that have occurred in naming this road.

I am 100 percent in support and am committed to working with my colleague Lateefah Simon to correct this at the upcoming BART Board meeting on February 14.”

Simon, in turn, said, “We are ten years too late. I apologize to the community. The BART Board will move mountains to name this street after Oscar Grant. We will organize like Oscar’s mother has organized inter-

for BART to name the street after my son, Oscar Grant. Thank you for seeing this injustice and not ignoring it but acting.”

Councilmember At-Large Rebecca Kaplan was elected in 2008 to serve as Oakland’s citywide Councilmember; she was re-elected in 2016. She also serves on the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC).

Follow Councilmember Kaplan on Twitter @Kaplan4Oakland https://bit.ly/2OxFLer and Facebook https://bit.ly/2Qm2Qhk

Kamala Harris Enters U.S. Presidential Race, Promises to Fight for “Our Nation’s Very Soul” ing to seek truth and speak truth.

That’s my promise to you.”

She added, “As the head of the largest state justice department in the country, I took on the big banks and powerful special interests like big oil when they preyed on working people. In the Senate, I have led the fight against the Trump Administration’s radical agenda—standing with you to save our health care, oppose Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, and so much more. Our American values are on the line, and I’m ready to see this fight through. We need to defend them before it’s too late, or risk losing our nation’s very soul.”

Harris went on to share that “ours will not be a campaign against something or someone. It will be a campaign for the very future of our country. For the people. Together, we will fight for a country with strong public schools in every zip code. A country where one

As of this writing, 7 other Democrats have entered t he 2020 race for president.

They are former housing secretary and former mayor of San Antonio Julián Castro, former Maryland congressman John Delaney, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (New York), former West Virginia state senator Richard Ojeda, Senator Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts) and former tech executive Andrew Yang.

PHOTO SOURCE: RADIONZ.COM.NZ

Oak land nat ive Senator Kamala Harris officially entered the U.S. presidential race on Monday, January 21. Speculation was high that the former attorney general of California and former district attorney of San Francisco would run. As Harris informed her supporters shortly after the announcement on Martin Luther King, Jr., Day: “The outpouring of support from people across our country asking me to run over the last year has been incredible.”

job is enough to pay the bills. A country with full, universal health care for every single American. Together, we will fight for a country where getting a college education doesn’t mean taking on a lifetime of debt. Where middle-class and working families are prioritized with tax breaks, not corporations or the wealthiest 1%.

Where every single person can retire with dignity. Where every single person can breathe clean air and drink clean water. Where Black women aren’t three to four times more likely to die in childbirth than white women. A country where a for-profit prison business, a billion-dollar industry, is a thing of the past. We’re going to fight for an America where all our civil rights are respected. We’re go-

Several prominent politicians, such as former vice president Joe Biden, Senator Bernie Sanders (Vermont) and Congressman Beto O’Rourke (Texas), may run as well, according to numerous political analysts. They have not yet tossed their hat into the already crowded ring, however.

For more information about Harris and her campaign: https://kamalaharris.org/

Could a Gay Phoenix Rise from the Ashes in Poland? noid schizophrenia), many believe the ruling party’s hate-filled rhetoric could have inspired the assassin’s violence. The day after the killing, thousands marched in cities across the country, urging an end to hate.

6/26 and Beyond Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis On January 14, the nation of Poland was rocked by the horrific stabbing to death of Gdansk Mayor Pawel Adamowicz—on stage in front of thousands of people participating in the “Light to the Sky” ceremony, celebrating the culmination of an incredibly popular national charity event to raise funds for sick children.

The assassination shook Poles from all walks of life, but in particular the LGBTIQ community, immigrants, other minorities and their supporters. Adamowicz was an outspoken advocate for minorities, in the face of the rise of the far-right Law & Justice Party of President Andrzej Duda, who narrowly won election in 2015.

We traveled in Poland just months after Duda come to power, and we remember how LGBTIQ Poles feared his ascension. After the assassination, a Polish journalist friend of ours told us that the ruling Law & Justice Party has “brought the warmongering, anti-immigrant, anti-Semitic, homophobic, anti-EU narrative to a level Poland has not witnessed in this century.” In the face of such hostility, Adamowicz, who was not gay, boldly supported marriage equality and LGBTIQ rights and took the public step of marching in last year’s Pride Parade in Gdansk.

Although publicly available evidence to date suggests the assassin’s motives were not overtly political (media reports claim he suffered from para10

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Poland, like America, the United Kingdom and a number of other countries, may be at a crossroads.

Our journalist friend observed how some Poles believe the assassination sadly may signal a new level of violence in Polish society, while some “think it is high time for politicians to wake up and stop warmongering—that the assassination is a tragic wake up call.”

In the wake of these horrific events in heavily Catholic Poland, we learned of a seemingly unimaginable ray of hope that could lead the country out of this darkness: Robert Biedron, the first openly gay member of the Polish Parliament and then popular progressive mayor of the city of Slupsk, Poland. Many consider him to be a formidable potential candidate in the 2020 Polish presidential elections.

What? A gay president of Poland?!

Our journalist friend, who has interviewed the 42-year-old Biedron for her work, told us she thinks Biedron “absolutely has a chance” to become president. Former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski has urged Biedron to run, and a 2018 public opinion poll shows him third and within striking distance of President Duda. Our friend said Beidron could be the strong favorite of the relatively weak political left but also has “the capacity to win over the general electorate, too.” When Biedron won the Slupsk mayoral election, the “whole of Poland was stunned, except for Slupsk, where citizens stressed (that) he was the best candidate and he did his job.”

In our fr iend’s words, Biedron “has done a marvelous job coming from an activist background to become a nationally recognized politician.” She described how in the early 2000s, Biedron founded and

led the LGBTIQ organization the Campaign Against Homophobia.

The Campaign tracked anti-LGBTIQ hate crimes and initiated the “Let Them See Us!” campaign, which placed pictures of same-sex couples holding hands on billboards.

Biedron marched in the first Polish Pride Parade as well as subsequent parades, one of which was banned by the mayor of Warsaw.

Biedron is credited with helping reduce homophobia in heavily Catholic Poland. Biedron has often recounted how several years ago, as an openly gay Member of Parliament, he was beaten up a number of times in public. He told Politico two years ago that he took this risk to raise the visibility of gay people in Poland to help change people’s minds.

Together with his partner for 16 years, Biedron is a strong marriage equality supporter. Last year he told the BBC: “It’s not fair that in 2018 two adults cannot get married if they love each other and are committed to each other.” And when Biedron conducts weddings for heterosexual couples, something he does often as a local mayor, “I’m extremely jealous because I see their happiness.”

We and many other same-sex couples know that feeling as well, having gone to San Francisco City Hall with Marriage Equality USA for years to ask for marriage licenses only to be turned down.

Our journalist friend described the handsome Biedron as “charismatic, natural, and authentic. He walks to work and chats with people on the way.” And he is also very “professional” and strategic, while still exuding his earlier “activist enthusiasm and energy.” Some have likened his appeal to that which propelled French President Emmanuel Macron’s election. Biedron chose not to run for reelection as Slupsk Mayor to devote himself to building a national movement. He is currently on a national tour to solicit people’s input on their (continued on page 26)

Denny Fouts: The ‘Most Beautiful’ (and Expensive) Boy in the World into desperate poverty in Dublin in 1857 and was a “pretty boy” whose “person was blessed by nature in every capacity.” He was quick to tell prospective clients that he was “ready for a lark with a free gentleman at any time,” whether working in the notorious Monto district of Dublin, in Piccadilly or the Haymarket in London, or in the male brothels of both cities.

Faces from Our LGBT Past Dr. Bill Lipsky Truman Capote thought him “the single most charming-looking person I’ve ever seen.” To Gore Vidal, he was “un homme fatal.”

Nightclub singer Jimmie Daniels called him “about the most beautiful boy anybody had ever seen.”

For Christopher Isherwood, he was “the most expensive male prostitute in the world.” True or not, Denham Fouts became legendary as “the bestkept boy in the world,” one of the 20th century’s most famous grand horizontals.

Saul became London’s most famous male prostitute, first as the author— or at least the source—of The Sins of the Cities of the Plain; or, The Recollections of a Mary-Ann—one of the earliest entirely homosexual pornographic novels written in English. It was published under his name in 1881.

Victorian bookseller Charles Hirsch, who sold expensive erotica under the

Jack’s renown also came from his testimony in the infamous Cleveland Street case of 1889, one of Britain’s most formidable same-sex scandals.

No. 19 Cleveland Street was no ordinary brothel. It had class. There were Dresden vases on the mantlepiece, oil paintings on the walls and silk sheets on the beds. It catered to genDenham Fouts tlemen of social position who faced possible prison time and certain social ostracism, should their sexual passions become public knowledge.

Un le s s s ome one c om plained, same-sex intimacy during the nineteenth century, however distasteful to the guardians of other people’s morality, was largely ignored. Called to the stand during the scandal, Jack was asked, “And were you hunted out by the police?”

“No,” he testif ied, “they have never interfered. They have always been kind to me.” “Do you mean they have deliberately shut their eyes to your infamous practices?” “They have had to shut their eyes to more than me.”

Isherwood met Fouts in 1940. Although he once told him, “You’re a rather vulgar little not-soyoung boy from the most unpleasant state in the Union, whose chief claim to sophistication is having been thrown out of a few European hotels,” he also noted Denny’s allure. “He really understood how to give pleasure,” Isherwood wrote, “to make daily life more decorative and to create enjoyment of small occasions.”

Born into a middle-class family in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1914, Fouts left his job as bagger at a General Foods store to move to New York, determined to be kept. With “an instant and potent power of attraction,” as author Glenway Wescott described him, his became a world of admirers who understood that the pleasure of his company was expensive. He never “rented by the hour,” but like Blanche DuBois, Cafe Society’s favorite toy friend “always relied on the kindness of strangers.”

Not everyone was as enamored of him as actor Jean Marais or the 2nd Viscount Treadgear or Crown Prince (later King) Paul of Greece. Writer and filmmaker Jean Cocteau described Fouts “as a bad inf luence.”

Photographer Cecil Beaton, in one of the sourest grapes since Aesop invented the fable, called him a “strumpet.”

This perhaps because Beaton was deeply in love with Peter Watson— “My dearest Darling”—who became Denny’s greatest benefactor and longest inamorato.

Christopher Isherwood

Jean Marais, center

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That admission was scandalous in itself, but what truly shocked rigidly class-divided Victorians about Cleveland Street was someone from one class consorting somebody from another, blue bloods “being thick” with rent boys. By the end of the trial, 22 men, mostly from the upper classes, had f led the country. Jack, himself never prosecuted for his admitted crimes, took a job in service at a small, presumed reputable hotel. He returned to Dublin a few years later, where he died in 1904.

Other male sex workers achieved lasting fame, Phaedo of Elis and Febo di Poggio among them. Denny and Jack, however, became legendary. Fouts especially, “absolutely enchanting and ridiculously good-looking,” inspired a generation of writers. Capote’s “Unspoiled Monsters,” a chapter in Answered Prayers, his unfinished last novel; Vidal’s short story “Pages from an Abandoned Journal;” and Isherwood’s novella “Paul,” included in Down There on a Visit, are about him.

No other kept boy became the literary muse to so many creative minds.

Wilde alluded to the Cleveland Street scandal in The Picture of Dorian Gray, a book that one contemporary reviewer called suitable for “none but outlawed noblemen and perverted telegraph boys,” the very people caught up in the scandal.

Remembered now for more than 100 years, most recently Saul inspired The Sins of Jack Saul—The Musical, staged in London in 2016. For many, Jack is now the “patron saint of rent boys the world over.”

One of Britain’s richest men, Watson could well afford to keep Fouts in the style and comfort his favors required. Because both men were “essentially made for honeymoons and not for marriages,” as poet Stephen Spender wrote later, their relationship was difficult and complicated. The bond between them, however, was real. Arguing and reconciling, living together and living apart, taking on different lovers and leaving them, Watson supported Denny for the rest of his life.

Unlike Denny Fouts, Jack Saul was a true rent boy. He was born

Peter Watson by Cecil Beaton

counter, claimed Oscar Wilde purchased a copy from him in 1890.

Bill Lipsky, Ph.D., author of “Gay and Lesbian San Francisco” (2006), is a member of the Rainbow Honor Walk board of directors.

19 Cleveland Street

Dignity Fund Coalition Interview with Mayor London Breed disabilities and how best to provide social services to meet those needs. Much of the work, transportation, meals, legal assistance, health and wellness programs are contracted to community partners, nonprofit senior serving agencies. DAAS staff are direct providers of in-home services, adult protective services and act as the public guardian when people are unable to care for themselves.

Aging in Community Dr. Marcy Adelman It was a cold, rainy, windswept Thursday afternoon. I made my way from the Civic Center garage, grateful for the umbrella I keep in the car and the good conversation with a friend as we walked across the street to the Public Library to attend the Dignity Fund Coalition (DFC) sponsored interview with Mayor London Breed.

The Dignity Fund was a measure on the 2016 June ballot to raise additional funds to meet the needs of the city’s growing population of seniors and adults with disabilities, expected to double by 2030. The Dignity Fund targets programs and services to help low and low middle-income seniors and adults with disabilities to stay in their homes and in their communities. The DFC, a group of senior advocates, senior community organizations and senior-serving nonprofits, successfully made their case for the need for more funding to support the health, wellness and continued social engagement of the fastest growing segment of San Francisco’s population. The ballot measure passed with a two thirds majority vote.

The mood in the auditorium was so upbeat that it was almost celebratory. DFC advocates know that they achieved a hard won and stunning victory at the ballot box. The Dignity Fund measure is now a Charter Amendment, a set aside from the city’s General Fund of six million dollars in the first year and an additional three million each year thereafter for the next 19 years. Marie Jobling, a leading DFC advocate and Executive Director of the senior serving nonprofit Community Living Campaign, pointed out: “This funding is not a ceiling, but a floor, and with continued advocacy can continue to grow as the number of seniors and adults with disabilities grows.”

The Dignity Fund is administered by the Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS). It is required to have a needs assessment conducted every 4 years and a planning process to provide services that assures equity and ensures the city’s diverse communities are well served. It also establishes an Oversight and Advisory Committee to work with DAAS. Shireen McSpadden, DAAS’s Executive Director, was invited to speak about the services and programs offered by the department and to describe the planning process for the Dignity Fund, initiated in 2017–2018.

In the spirit of the day’s event, McSpadden first spoke to how grateful she feels to work in a city where people care and want to work together—providers, seniors, adults with disabilities, advocates, Supervisors and Mayors on behalf of seniors and adults with disabilities.

McSpadden went on to explain that DAAS is charged with planning for the needs of seniors and adults with

DAAS works closely with the Dignity Fund Oversight and Advisory Committee and the Dignity Fund provider group. DAAS is responsible for conducting the Dignity Fund needs assessment. The first Dignity Fund Community Needs Assessment can be accessed online: https://bit.ly/2DpnJ7T The results of the Dignity Fund needs assessment are a mix of strengths and challenges. Most of the people using services report having a positive experience and of highly valuing the programs that promote community and social change. The results indicate that DAAS services and programs are effectively serving older adults with income-based needs and disadvantages, and that the racial diversity of people using DAAS services mirrors San Francisco’s diverse ethnic groups.

McSpadden presented some of the challenges identified by the needs assessment. Results indicate that LGBTQ and Latino older adults and adults with disabilities are currently underserved. McSpadden offered that “DAAS is now in an ongoing process to understand what is not working, why certain communities are not accessing services and how best to increase needed service utilization.”

Yomi Wong, a disability advocate and journalist, was the event moderator. She also had served as the moderator for the DFC Mayoral Candidate Town Hall meeting. Wong’s questions were a follow-up from the Mayor’s response to questions at the Town Hall meeting. Questions focused on housing, jobs, work force issues for inhome care providers, increased social and civic engagement and visibility of seniors and adults with disabilities and their issues at City Hall.

The Mayor responded that she is moving forward on the housing promises she made during the campaign. She is acting on small building acquisitions, rehabbing buildings and expanding subsidies. The city is building modular housing, but with found resources, and will not have to put a modular bond on the ballot. The Mayor cited one of the first modular projects in the pipeline is a proposal to fund 258 units of modular housing for people and adults with disabilities.

Mayor Breed made it clear that she is committed to delivering on her promise to build a minimum of 5000 affordable housing units each year. She announced, “We just hired a housing delivery person. The city is its own worst enemy in building; we can’t produce housing fast enough because of all these codes that delay, sometimes for years. We are going to cut out this obstructive bureaucracy. You will have 6 months to pass all codes. I will cut back on these requirements.

Wong asked Mayor Breed about her plans for workforce housing. The Mayor replied that increasing the affordable housing stock increases opportunities for housing for everyone.

But one of the issues that the Mayor is very concerned about is housing for caregivers. She cited the need to protect live-in caregivers, who are forced to move out when the person they are caring for passes away. She would like them to be allowed to stay where they are until suitable housing for them can be secured.

Wong asked what can be done to increase visibility of elders and adults with disability issues. Mayor Breed responded by inviting seniors and adults with disabilities to volunteer to serve on city commissions and boards. She encouraged people to be proactive and to apply for these positions. The Mayor also offered that she will be hiring someone knowledgeable about senior and disability issues to be a community liaison in her office. This is good news.

Wong asked about what is being done concerning affordable and universal long-term care. The Mayor replied: “One of the first things that I did was to help cover the gap funding for board and care homes.” She also wants to help people to navigate the long-term care system. She would like the city to provide more social workers to connect people to the services they need and to assist seniors and adults with disabilities through care and housing transitions.

Two areas the Mayor admitted to making little progress on in her short time in office are better wages for long-term care workers and improved access to technology for seniors and people with disabilities. She did express her commitment to taking on these issues in time. Lastly, Mayor Breed reaffirmed her support for SB 1045, the bill to establish a pilot conservatorship program for persons unable to care for their own health and well-being due to serious mental illness and substance use.

It was a fr iend ly exchange between Breed and Wong and a warm and supportive audience of seniors, people with disabilities, advocates and senior service providers. The Mayor appeared relaxed and comfortable. She shared many stories about being her grandmother’s caregiver and how she experienced firsthand the stress and difficulties navigating the long-term care system. Her stories resonated with the audience.

But it was clear that the Mayor’s focus these past 8 months has been primarily on housing and homelessness.

This was no surprise to anyone; housing and homelessness are what Mayor Breed campaigned on. The city desperately needs to see a change for the better in our housing crisis. But will tackling the huge challenge that is San Francisco’s housing crisis leave little bandwidth for other pressing issues and needs? A community liaison in the Mayor’s office gives me hope that will not be the case.

Dr. Marcy Adelman, Co-founder of the nonprofit Openhouse, oversees the Aging in Community column. She is a psychologist and LGBTQI longevity advocate and policy advisor. She serves on the California Commission on Aging, the Board of the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California and Northern Nevada and the San Francisco Dignity Fund Oversight and Advisory Committee.

To find out more about Openhouse, visit: http://www.openhouse.org

Alegre Home Care is proud to support Dr. Marcy Adelman’s Aging in Community column in the San Francisco Bay Times.

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

JANUARY 24, 2019

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From Self-Criticism to Self-Compassion Roland Schembari and Bill Hartman, Co-Founders Randy Alfred, Founding News Editor 1978 Kim Corsaro Publisher 1981-2011

2261 Market Street, No. 309 San Francisco CA 94114 Phone: 415-601-2113 525 Bellevue Avenue Oakland CA 94610 E-mail: editor@sfbaytimes.com www.sfbaytimes.com The Bay Times was the first newspaper in California, and among the first in the world, to be jointly and equally produced by lesbians and gay men.

We honor our history and the paper’s ability to build and strengthen unity in our community.

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CONTRIBUTORS Writers Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Patrick Carney, Kate Kendell, Alex Randolph, Heidi Beeler, Gary M. Kramer, Dennis McMillan, Tom Moon, Tim Seelig, Cinder Ernst, John Chen Rafael Mandelman, Jewelle Gomez, Phil Ting, Rebecca Kaplan, Kin Folkz, Leslie Katz, Philip Ruth, Peter Gallotta, Bill Lipsky, Karen Williams, Donna Sachet, Gary Virginia, Zoe Dunning, Marcy Adelman, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Brandon Miller, Jamie Leno Zimron Michele Karlsberg Lyndsey Schlax, Randy Coleman, Debra Walker, Howard Steiermann, Andrea Shorter, Scott Tsui, Tom Temprano, Lou Fischer, Frankie Bashan, Karin Jaffie, Brett Andrews, Karen E. Bardsley

Examined Life Tom Moon, MFT Lucas arrived for his weekly therapy session in an agitated and unhappy state. It was confusing, he told me, because his life had been going great.

It had been just two weeks since he succeeded in getting a big promotion at his job, the culmination of a year’s work of effort on his part. Just one week earlier, he’d shown up elated at my office to tell me the news.

But more recently, he has been down in the dumps.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” he said. “I’m so frustrated and angry at myself. Why can’t I ever be content with anything I have? I should be happy, but now I’m scared I won’t be

In addition, he reported that he still wakes up every morning longing for his boyfriend, who broke up with him six months ago. “I should be over this by now,” he told me. “Why am I so addicted to feeling sorry for myself?”

He went on to berate himself for his perceived inadequacies for fifteen solid minutes.

The notion that we need to be constantly shaming ourselves in order to become better people is a strange idea, but a common one.

The cause of Lucas’ agitation is not external circumstances, but his selfcritic, an inner voice, which constantly tells him that he isn’t who he’s supposed to be and isn’t feeling what he’s supposed to feel. He has no right to be apprehensive about his new job; that’s cowardice. He has exceeded his allowable allotment of mourning time for his ex-boyfriend; that’s selfpity. His self-critic berates him for everything he does and feels, and then judges him for not feeling contented.

He was intrigued when I described the self-critic and identified it as the cause of his suffering, but when I tried to move on to talk about strategies for neutralizing it, he rose to its defense.

“If I don’t have some part of me kicking my butt when I’m not living up to my potential, I’m never going to get anywhere in life,” he informed me. “I

Mary Oliver Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award and numerous recognitions, poet Mary Oliver was often compared with Emily Dickinson for her artistry and introspection.

She and her partner, photographer Molly Malone Cook, were together for more than forty years and lived primarily in Provincetown, Massachusetts. For more information about her life and work: https://bit.ly/2RHkfpW

If we want to overcome the power of the self-critic in our lives, the first thing we need to do is to stop being loyal to it. We also need to stop letting it intimidate us, by seeing it for what it actually is. The critic is not the voice of conscience, and it’s far from being any kind of trustworthy guide to success. It makes sweeping and crackpot judgments, such as: “If you don’t always succeed, then you’re a failure,” or, “If you feel any fear, then you’re a coward.”

Its judgments are unreliable because, in reality, the critic is really a very immature voice. While it postures as the voice of parental authority, it’s actually a part of us that develops when we’re very young, usually between about five and seven years old. It’s a child’s imitation of what a parent sounds like. That’s why its judgments are harsh, absolutist and uninformed by any real understanding of how life actually works.

So, what do we do about it? The first step is always to become more con-

scious of it. Every time you experience a sudden feeling of depression or anxiety, for instance, recall what you were thinking just before that happened.

You’ll often find that your self-critic was berating you just before your mood changed. You can make a list of the messages your critic speaks to you, and instead of unquestioningly cringing like a child who is being lectured by a parent, you can evaluate them with your adult mind.

In my experience, once you’re aware of the destructive nature of the selfcritic, the most effective way to counteract it is to incline your mind in the direction of its opposite, which is selfcompassion. Recent psychological research suggests that self-compassion is actually a learned skill, and that it can be taught and practiced using specific methods. This will be the subject of my next three columns, in which I’ll describe the three major components of self-compassion, and actions you can take to strengthen each of them.

Next Time: Self-Judgment vs. SelfKindness.

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

Deborah Schatzlein The Co-Owner of Bink wines with Cindy Paulson, her partner of 27 years, Deborah Schatzlein was loved throughout the LGBTQ and winemaker communities for her expertise, professionalism, generosity and welcoming spirit. She often helped to host wine tasting events and attended the annual NCLR Anniversary Gala, where her wines were served. ( http://www.binkwines.com/ ) Larry Schmidt Admired for his kind spirit and annual free Wobblin Gobblins show at Halloween, Larry Schmidt was an accomplished artist and devoted spouse with his partner for almost 43 years, Carl Linkhart. The founder of the Driveway Follies dedicated to “marionette magic” ( https://www.drivewayfollies.com/ ), Schmidt once said, “I don’t feel like I’m suing Halloween to express my individuality; I feel like Halloween uses me to express itself.”

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SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

need the self-critic to motivate me to achieve my goals.”

In Memoriam

Photographers Rink, Phyllis Costa, Jane Higgins Paul Margolis, Chloe Jackman, Bill Wilson, Jo-Lynn Otto, Sandy Morris, Abby Zimberg, Morgan Shidler, JP Lor

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able to do the work. I’ve always been such a coward.”

JA NUA RY 2 4 , 2 0 1 9

GLBT Fortnight in Review

By Ann Rostow Justice Denied and Delayed The Supreme Court has stalled our success in the fight against the Trump ban on transgender military service, allowing the administration to stop enlisting transgender service members while the underlying lawsuits that challenge the anti-trans policy continue in federal court. On the other hand, at least the justices declined to prematurely grab these ongoing cases from the lower courts (which Trump and company had requested), but their 5–4 decision is ominous. It implies that even if we win all four of our current lawsuits before the appellate courts, we will not win a final High Court showdown on this issue in the end.

The four lawsuits, which have confused me during the alcohol drenched holiday season, include two West Coast cases, one in California and one in Washington, the two targets of this week’s High Court action. Both courts had issued injunctions preventing the Trump ban from going into effect during the litigation, and these injunctions were put on hold by the five conservative justices last Friday. A similar injunction was reversed earlier this month in a third lawsuit by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. A fourth injunction is still pending review in Maryland, where we assume it will either be denied, thanks to this signal from the Court, or if granted, quickly fall victim to another High Court stay.

Injunctions are granted when courts believe the plaintiffs are likely to win and/or when the injunction is needed to prevent a hardship or to preserve the status quo while a major change is under consideration. Here, by staying the injunctions, the justices are telling us essentially that transgender troops don’t belong in the military and that the government is legally within its power to prohibit their service. This is a complete about face from the prior consensus that Obama-era rules allowing open transgender service have not harmed military readiness and that the arbitrary Trump tweet that ushered in the transgender ban did not deserve deference from the courts.

Part of the setback is explained by the fact that former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was ordered to clean up Trump’s incoherent 2017 decision, which seemed based on the false premises that no transgender troops were currently serving (there were thousands) and that any who were about to join would carry along enormous medical bills as they all promptly transitioned on the military’s dime.

(It was quickly shown that transgender medical coverage would cost a fraction of the military’s bill for Viagra alone.)

The Mattis policy grandfathers currently serving transgender troops who may remain on duty, but bans any new recruit with a formal diagnosis of gender dysphoria, and lets other transgender troops join the military if they aren’t transitioning and remain in their birth gender. This ludicrous allowance was apparently enough to satisfy the D.C. Circuit Court, and now seems to satisfy the five conservatives on the Supreme Court as well.

The Court’s January 18 conference was the last opportunity for the justices to add new cases to the current 2019 docket, so we seem to have ducked several near-term confrontations on the question of whether existing civil rights laws protect GBLT workers from discrimination on the job. One article I read suggested that Chief Justice Roberts, and maybe Brett Kavanaugh, seem inclined to postpone contentious issues for the

time being, but who knows? Have we just bought a little time before an antigay Court slaps us back to 20th Century gay rights jurisprudence? Or are there grounds for optimism?

Travel Advisory My news list is f illed with random musings about extraneous topics ranging from black holes, to Clinton’s emails, to the Clemson dinner at the White House and how much I hate the Verizon spokes-bro. Where, I ask myself, have I listed the trenchant issues surrounding the vibrant GLBT community? Have I not been paying attention, or have I descended into a miasma of post-gay disfunction, limiting myself to the bright and shiny legal stories that hover over the darkness and catch my eye?

Horrible things, for example, are happening in Chechnya, where authorities have been rounding up both gay men and gay women, urging families to murder their gay relatives, holding some people for ransom and torturing others. Two people have reportedly died in custody, and the State Department has issued a stern warning to the Russian government: “We are deeply disturbed by credible reports out of Chechnya about renewed attacks against individuals perceived to be members of the LGBTI community,” says the release.

“Civil society groups report that at least 40 individuals have been illegally detained since December, including two who reportedly died in custody after being tortured. We call on Russia to live up to its international obligations and commitments and its own constitution, and launch an immediate investigation into these human rights abuses. We also urge the Russian Federation to ensure that the rights of all human rights defenders are fully respected in Chechnya, and those illegally detained ... be immediately released.”

I’m sure we can expect a quick response from Putin and company, considering their delicate sensitivity to gay civil rights.

Welcome Sphengic Meanwhile, gay Australian penguins Magic and Sphen have earned an additional fifteen minutes of fame after becoming the first and only parents in their colony to hatch a chick. The chick, sadly named “Sphengic,” is doing well, and was recently determined to be female after genetic testing. Apparently, it’s difficult to discern a penguin’s gender with the naked eye.

After the two penguins had been observed collecting ice pebbles for a nest and fussing about, the zookeepers gave them an extra egg that would normally have been abandoned by a heterosexual pair. During the hatching season, while the straight penguins carelessly let their eggs get cold and die, Magic and Sphen stayed on their nest and took care of their egg, which hatched in October. Subsequently, they have been busy teaching the chick about the mysteries of the penguin world, and according to press reports, have done a great job raising the little one, particularly Sphen who is said to be the more responsible parent. Magic, the younger penguin who initially had been seen playing and cavorting instead of role modeling, has since been feeding Sphengic, helping to tuck her into bed and singing to her.

As for the name Sphengic, this cumbersome portmanteau is an unworthy moniker for such a charming media star. Happily, The New York Times says the name is temporary. (continued on page 26) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

JANUARY 24, 2019

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170 Valencia: Home to SFGMC and th From Itinerant Chorus to Finding Home

TLC: Tears, Laughs and Conversation Dr. Tim Seelig Most residents of San- Francisco hail from somewhere other than the city.

Since its founding, the Bay Area has been a landing spot for people from all over the world. It is one of the things that makes our city great.

Eight years ago, I joined the incoming throngs. I arrived in San Francisco ready to start a new job, in a new city in a new state. I soon encountered the biggest challenge to everyone who moves here: housing. I moved here with a partner and three dogs. We moved from a 4,000-square-foot loft/studio in Texas to an 800-square-foot apartment with a roommate. Then there was the challenge of getting a residential parking sticker!

The second shock was the real estate needs of my new employer, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (SFGMC). The chorus has struggled for its entire existence to find suitable rehearsal, office, performance and storage spaces. 1978 was an exciting year for the chorus to launch, but it was also the beginning of 40 years of wandering in the real estate wilderness of the Bay Area.

In my eight years, the chorus rehearsed at the Kanbar Center at 44 Page, First Unitarian Church, Mission High School, First Congregational Church, Everett Middle School, Bahai Center at 170 Valencia, Academy of Art at Union Square, Laguna Honda Hospital and others. Among those, our favorite was the Bahai Center.

It was fantastic. It fit our needs like a glove. Then the owners decided to put it on the market and we had to move out. The chorus had experienced the same itinerant status over the decades prior to my arrival.

Many weeks, the location for events seemed like a “Who’s on first?” scenario. Singers, not having read the fine print, consistently showed up at the wrong place for rehearsals.

The only permanent address the chorus had was our U-Haul storage unit.

Office space was no better. The chorus has had off ices from peoples’ homes to above “Sit and Spin” laun-

16

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

dromat, to what is now the current Soul Cycle spot at Castro and 18th.

When I arrived, the administrative offices were at the LGBT Center and the artistic offices were across from Costco on Harrison. We eventually moved into the Harrison space before being evicted to make space for a start-up. We landed in a fabulous spot in the Castro above Wasabi Bistro. Performance space is a completely different topic. We travel the entire Bay Area for our approximate 60 appearances a year. The 40-year wilderness continued.

chorus—in the rehearsal hall at the Bahai Center—and announced that the chorus had “bought the building you are sitting in!” You would have thought the 49ers had just won the Super Bowl! Oh wait, our dream was actually coming true! It was as if 40 years of pent-up angst was suddenly released and 300 bottles of champagne popped all at once.

As gays, many of us have experienced displacement in our own lives.

This may have come as the result of coming out. It may have been as the result of searching for a logical family and a place that felt like home. Or, it may have come at the hands of an economy and cost of living in our city that finds people moving from place to place just to find affordable housing—or a new set of roommates.

Terry was there to share the story of his grandfather coming to this country as an immigrant and building a life for his family. He spoke of his family teaching him the importance of hard work and of giving. And, he spoke of the day he remembers too well in 1978, when as a young gay man, he saw a flyer for a new gay chorus on a telephone pole in the Castro. He joined. He was there at the chorus’ first public appearance at the candlelight vigil for Mayor Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. And there every step of the way since.

Regardless of the reason, it leaves a mark! There is an insecurity that comes with not putting down roots, not knowing exactly where you might live next or how soon that might come. That is how it has been with SFGMC. It has had no place to call home for all of these years.

You may remember the earlier mention of the Bahai Center, where we rehearsed off and on for four years or so. You may remember they put it on the market. From the moment we had our first rehearsal there, everything seemed to fit our needs. We knew we could never afford such a building, even though we felt the building was perfect for us and, interestingly enough, the Bahai folks really wanted us to have it. We shared a core value in our mission. They absolutely love what the chorus does in the world. But there was that price tag thing.

Regardless, we began to dream of what it would be like to be in one place. Executive Director, Chris Verdugo and I first visited with the realtor, and then our board. The months went by. We kept dreaming and talking. One of our founding members who was present at the very first rehearsal, Terry Chan, had followed the chorus to every venue listed above. He knew firsthand the impact a permanent home would have. Six months into doing our due diligence, Terry and his partner, Ed, stepped in with an anchor gift toward the project. With their generous gift, there was no turning back.

Fast forward another seven months of contracts, inspections, appraisals, insurance, zoning and more. On the night of January 14, Keith Pepper, our board chair, stood before the

JA NUA RY 2 4 , 2 0 1 9

There were cheers. And tears. And hugs. And new dreams—not of finding a home, but of what we could now do with and from our home.

As the thirteen months of planning progressed, the chorus was also completing a 5-year strategic plan. It could not have been better timing.

The f irm doing the plan encouraged us to dream big and to look at the impact that the chorus has not only locally, but also nationally and internationally. Having a home for the SFGMC was beyond our wildest imagination, but our thoughts turned to what we could do with the magnificent resource that would make a larger impact on the world outside of the Bay Area.

With months of preparation, study and planning, we are also announcing the formation of the National Center for LGBTQ Performing Arts.

It will also be housed at 170 Valencia.

We are beginning this with five major initiatives to make the dream a reality. The center will be a “National Home for Arts and Activism.”

We are absolutely thrilled to dream of what will be. We are grateful to every single person who has had a part in supporting the chorus across the years. We stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before and who no longer have a voice to join in our song.

Our permanent address has now changed from U-Haul storage to 170 Valencia.

We have found our promised land!

And are moving in!

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

he National LGBTQ Center for the Arts

Photos by JP Lor Photography

First Ever National LGBTQ Center for the Arts to Open in San Francisco

Located at 170 Valencia Street, the Center will mark the f irst permanent home for SFGMC since its inception over 40 years ago. The fourstory building, which will undergo significant renovations to modernize and adapt its use for a performing arts organization, will allow SFGMC to embark on never-before-possible programs.

SFGMC will soon be able to host ongoing master classes and an interview series with notables such as Award-winning composers Stephen Schwartz and Andrew Lippa and actress and singer Laura Benanti, community sing-ins, a new and exciting virtual reality experience and a recording and production studio.

Chris Verdugo, Executive Director of the Chorus, stated, “We are so grateful to Terrence Chan and his husband Edward Sell, who will lead our campaign and our board of directors for

their most generous support of this remarkable venture. We look forward to working with and alongside other LGBTQ arts organizations while supporting them in their artistic and advocacy endeavors.”

Sell wrote at Facebook that he is “humbled and honored to be able to change the world for the better just this little bit.”

With its new home near the Castro District, SFGMC will remain deeply committed to the San Francisco area by continuing and creating new meaningful local partnerships and working with students from various San Francisco schools. SFGMC will also maintain and expand its national presence through extensive external programs.

The Chorus’ national work includes the expansion of RHYTHM (Reaching Youth Through Music), an immersive workshop series aimed at inspiring students to live their most authentic lives, and the new tour of “It Gets Better,” a community residency and performance program produced by SFGMC in collaboration with the It Gets Better Project and Speak Theater Arts.

“In its forty-year history, the Chorus has performed at the world’s most prestigious venues, but we have never had our own home,” said Board Chair Keith Pepper. “The new space will allow the organization to expand its performing calendar to include master classes, an interview series with

leading LGBTQ voices and ‘sing-ins’ that welcome members of the community to perform with the Chorus.”

While a campaign to cover the cost of purchase, renovations and a supporting endowment fund will be announced in the future, Chan—a founding Chorus member—made a leadership gift of $5 million toward the cost of buying and renovating the space, and the SFGMC Board has pledged an additional $1 million.

In making the gift, Chan said, “I am particularly excited about the vision for a National LGBTQ Center for the Arts. At this time in our nation’s history, it is vital that we in the LGBTQ community have a home for our art and artists. I am confident that great work will be created in our new home—work that will inspire, engage and educate.”

Dr. Timothy Seelig, Artistic Director of the Chorus and a San Francisco Bay Times columnist, said, “In my 30 years conducting LGBTQ choruses, none of us have had the ability to purchase a building that had multiple rehearsal spaces, a recording studio and the ability to provide space for the community. Our new Center will be open to all. It is appropriate that the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, which started the LGBTQ choral movement 40 years ago, once again is leading the field.”

For more information about the SFGMC: https://www.sfgmc.org/welcome/

Terrence Chan and Edward Sell Continue Pansy Chan’s Legacy of Giving San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (SFGMC) concert programs for many years listed “Mrs. Pansy Chan” as a patron—marking the highest level of giving to the venerable organization. While she died in 2017, her legacy continues through her son, Terrence Dexter Chan, and his life partner Edward Sell.

Pansy Lim Chan

CHAPEL OF THE CHIMES OAKLAND

On January 17, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (SFGMC) announced that the first ever National LGBTQ Center for the Arts will open in San Francisco. With a primary focus on performances, public programs and community partnerships, the Center will provide a space to bring the arts community and SFGMC together. Purchased for $9.6 million, the new Center will house a cutting-edge media center, provide a creative space for LGBTQ artists, serve as a meeting location for community leaders, host trainings and internship programs and more.

Born and raised in San Francisco, Pansy was intelligent and ambitious. She attended Francisco Jr. High School and the High School of Commerce. She graduated from the Chinese language school of Hip Wo and received a Bachelor’s of Science degree from the University of California-Berkeley’s School of Public Health, Medical Technology. Dedicated and hard-working, she was a clinical laboratory scientist at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Richmond for more than 24 years until her retirement in 1989.

In addition to advancing her own career, Pansy assisted her husband Norman Ping Chan’s father, Chan Bock Hing, with his various Hong Kong business ventures that included banking and hotel materials purchasing. Upon Pansy’s retirement and her husband’s passing, Terrence and Edward helped her with her philanthropic giving. When she died, Sell wrote that he hoped “that we can carry on with her generous endeavors,” and so the couple has.

Accomplished in their own right, Terrence and Edward both work at Chansell Capital Properties, Inc. Chan is the company’s CEO while Sell is the COO and Managing Director. Together, they have served as patrons of the SFGMC for many years. Just a few months ago, they helped to fund the Artists Portal at the National AIDS Memorial located in Golden Gate Park.

Now comes the news of Chan’s $5 million donation, helping to make possible the Chorus’ purchase of the beautiful four-story art deco building at 170 Valencia Street. The gift marks the largest single donation in SFGMC history. As reported in this issue, the building will serve as a permanent home for the Chorus and will house the first ever National LGBTQ Center for the Arts.

In the not-so-distant future, when you will likely often visit the building, please then think of Terrence, Edward and Pansy, and their family’s living legacy that will educate, uplift and inspire countless others for generations to come.

SFGMC members and supporters gathered at their new home to share a toast with Mayor London Breed, Supervisor Rafael Mandelman and other elected, civic and community leaders.

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

JANUARY 24, 2019

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Donna’s Chronicles

“Who was Sylvester?”

– anonymous young gay man

By Donna Sachet

“Really, Queen?”

T

his edition’s column presents the entire schedule preceding Imperial Coronation, so that those who follow all things Imperial may properly plan for a host of activities and events. As you may know, the Imperial Court of San Francisco is the Founding Mother Court of the International Court System with nearly 70 chapters in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. It was started over 50 years ago

by José Sarria and continues to this day with a new Emperor and Empress publicly elected each year. We produce creative events, raise thousands of dollars for worthy charitable organizations, provide a variety of volunteer opportunities, champion equal rights for all members of the LGBTQ Community and encourage the development of community leaders. As Absolute Empress XXX, we are happy to share the goings-on of the Imperial Court with our readers all year long, but especially during February, when one reign ends and another begins.

On Saturday, January 12, Twin Peaks hosted the Imperial Council as the deadline for official applications for Emperor and Empress neared. Some years, there are several applicants for each title, but we have never had a year in over 50 when at least one person did not apply to run for each title. This year’s applicants were Terrill Grimes for Emperor and Baby Shaques for Empress, who were officially approved shortly afterwards, becoming our candidates. Watch for two innovative campaigns all over the city, leading up to voting day on Saturday, February 16.

Later that night, we were thrilled to join Bevan Dufty at the book tour event for Senator Kamala Harris at the Curran Theatre. Hundreds of enthusiastic San Franciscans welcomed her warmly as she was interviewed on stage for over an hour by Mayor London Breed. Their personal friendship and mutual admiration were evident throughout. Afterwards, we joined a small politically connected group at the Redwood Room of the Clift Hotel. We report on this evening not with political motivation, but simply to celebrate the success of one of our own, a local San Francisco success story and a genuinely lovely individual. However you reacted to her later Martin Luther King, Jr., Day announcement of her Presidential campaign, many in this city consider her a friend, including us, and we wish her the very best.

What makes a successful event? As one who has attended more than her share of events, we believe that certain elements combine to create success and the recent Imperial Crown Prince and Princess Winter Beaux Arts Ball is a perfect example. First, the location of Folsom Street Foundry offered a spacious warehouse space, not often used by our community, with lots of seating and standing room, a long bar on one side and full kitchen. As the event began, only the front room was open for early arrivers, but after an hour, a floor to ceiling curtain was whisked aside to reveal the main room, festively festooned with silver balloon arrangements and a loop of slides portraying Monarchs from the history of the Imperial Court. Don’t you just love a “reveal”?

Second, the entertainment ran the gamut from well-known drag performers to newer talent, ballads and anthems to dance numbers, and represented a rich variety of gender presentations; there was something for everyone!

The trio of dancers from GAPA was a particular favorite. And finally, the attendance was not just large but represented a wide cross-section of the LBGTQ Community, including all ages, leather, drag, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Bare Chest Calendar modes, gender non-conforming, title-holders and not. Imperial Crown Prince William Del Toro y Flor and Imperial Crown Princess K of the White Rose are to be congratulated on a splendid event, not to mention looking fabulous all night! The success of the Winter Beaux Arts Ball says volumes about their work this year and their generous contributions to the Imperial Court. And from all reports, it was also financially successful, raising nearly $8000 for Aguilas and Trans Lifeline. Glimpsed among the crowd, besides a bevy of Emperors and Empresses, were Keith & Gladys Bumps, Ehra Amaya, Mimi Osa, Ben Wong, Kippy Marks, Jimmy Strano, Juan Davila, CoCo Butter, Lawrence Wu, Migitte Nielson, Ken Hamai & Jack Henyon, Jouke Lanning and Andrew Hirst.

The House of Glitter and Grand Ducal Council’s 10th annual California Gold Pageant on Sunday presented three wonderful contestants at El Toro Nightclub, emceed by Reigning Empress Pollo del Mar and Grand Duchess Landa Lakes.

We were pleased to join Diana Wheeler, Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez and Miss California Gold 2012 Alina Malletti on the judging panel. Ours was not an easy job as Elsa Touche, Primadonna Moore and Rexy competed in categories of creative dress, eveningwear, talent, and question and answer. Each brought unique strengths to each category, but the talent portion gave us and the audience amazing performances. In addition, former title-holders Vanity Ytinav, WooWoo Monroe and Alina Malletti each delivered memorable performances, and stepping-down Miss California Gold Dusty Porn blew the crowd away with a carefully produced and thoroughly enjoyable number. Among those attending were Reigning Grand Duchess MGM Grand, Mr. California Gold King Buster Riteopen, Colette LeGrand, Kylie Minono, Miss Shugana, MaddDogg 20/20, Todd Barron, Jimmy McConnell and Sophilya Leggz. When all was said and done, Elsa Touche emerged as the winner and was crowned Miss California Gold 2019.

We ended our weekend with the Imperial Court’s Gala Presentation of Candidates, named earlier in this column, at Encore Karaoke Lounge, followed by part of Baby Shaques’ bus tour of several bars, and finally a birthday celebration at Powerhouse for Nic Candito, host of the monthly Shag party there and DJ at Sunday’s a Drag at The Starlight Room. As we have often said, there is always something going on in San Francisco!

PHOTO BY SHAWN NORTHCUTT

Coming up, the Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation presents a brand new show featuring artists from Broadway’s Kinky Boots, The Seven Fingers and various circus shows and alumni of L’Ecole Nationale Du Cirque and DECCA, L’ecole. A Sexy Circus

– Brian Kent on his new radio podcast ( www.reallyqueenradio.com )

Calendar a/la Sachet Every Sunday Sunday’s a Drag!

10:30 am Brunch, 11:30 am Show $75 inclusive The Starlight Room Sir Francis Drake Hotel https://starlightroomsf.com/sundays-a-drag Monday, January 28 REAF’s Sexy Circus Cabaret 7:30 pm $40 & up The Great Northern Club 119 Utah Street https://bit.ly/2WcIISs Saturday, February 16 Emperor & Empress Voting Day Project Open Hand: 11 am–4 pm Powerhouse: 1 pm–5 pm Harvey Milk Plaza: Noon–6 pm Sunday, February 17 The Earthquake Party 4 pm–7 pm Aunt Charlie’s Lounge 133 Turk Street Wednesday, February 20 In Town Show Details TBD Thursday, February 21 Anniversary Monarchs’ Reception 6 pm–8 pm Free HA-RA Club 875 Geary Street Friday, February 22 Out of Town Show Details TBD Saturday, February 23 Imperial Coronation 54: Under the Sea 6 pm $70 SF Design Center Galleria 101 Henry Adams Street Sunday, February 24 Annual Pilgrimage to Colma Cemetery Host Hotel Bus: 8 am José Sarria Plaque at Castro & Market: 8:30 am Free Sunday, February 24 Victory Brunch 1 pm Details TBD

Cabaret will be at The Great Northern, 119 Utah Street, this Monday, January 28, 7:30 pm, hosted by Vladessa, the Goddess of Virginity. REAF never disappoints with first class entertainment, raising money for great causes.

We’ll see you there!

Donna Sachet is a celebrated performer, fundraiser, activist and philanthropist who has dedicated over two decades to the LGBTQ Community in San Francisco.

Contact her at empsachet@gmail.com

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

JANUARY 24, 2019

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Couples Who Can Play Together Stay Together: Love Strikes

Take Me Home with You! Toucan

Sports John Chen

“My name is Toucan. I was named for the many pretty hues in my coat! I love meeting new people and snuggling up. If you come and sit next to me, I’ll be in your lap in an instant—purring with delight. I just celebrated my very first birthday, and I’m looking for someone special to be with me for the rest of my years.

Maybe you?!”

Toucan 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 Toucan.

To meet Toucan, as well as other pets seeking their forever homes, please visit: San Francisco SPCA Mission Campus 250 Florida Street San Francisco, CA 94103 415-522-3500

Dr. Jennifer Scarlett and Pup

Aside from major holidays, the adoption center is open Mon–Fri: 1–6 pm and Sat–Sun: 10 am–5 pm. Free parking is available for those wishing to adopt!

For more information: https://www.sfspca.org/adoptions

Serving the American people is what Stacy Stobo and Alex Alexander have in common. Softball is what bonds them. Love is what has continued to keep this couple strong for 16 years and counting.

A former Marine who ser ved to protect the American people, Stacy always loved the game of softball, whether playing, umpiring or being more knowledgeable than even the most diehard fans. Growing up in Southern California, she observed that while boys played a variety of sports, girls pretty much played softball. She was no exception and quickly learned to love the game, developing an aff inity towards winning because, as she happily conveys, winning is the bomb!

A former firefighter who served to protect San Franciscans, Alex always loved softball too, whether it’s playing, umpiring or being more knowledgeable than ... wait, this sounds familiar. Apparently, Alex’s affinity for softball parallels that of Stacy’s. Cue the foreshadowing music!

Around 1999, Stacy and Alex played on the same women’s softball team in San Francisco. For some time, they were just friends and teammates. Life moved forward with no ulterior motives, no love connection and obviously no U-Haul rental. Three years had gone by, and still nothing.

Then, at the 2002 NAGAAA (North America Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance) Softball World Series in Portland, Oregon, a fateful moment happened. Alex and Stacy’s team represented San Francisco at this single most important and significant softball event every year. At the end of this particular Series, without any warning or hinting or signing from above, Alex out of the blue confessed to Stacy that she had feelings for her.

Completely caught off guard, Stacy remembered her immediate response being a shocked, “No!” After thinking things through for a couple of days, however, Stacy eventually felt smitten, and in her own words, “fell hard for Alex.” Three weeks later at the U-Haul rental office ... wait. Stacy just corrected me and said that they decided to live together three years later and got married at San Francisco City Hall in 2014.

As the years went on, Alex and Stacy continued to play softball together on the same team in both the women’s and the open divisions of the SFGSL (San Francisco Gay Softball League). Alex pitched and Stacy caught, that is until Stacy’s injured knees forced her to play first base. Together, they helped their teams to win a few league championships and even took home bronze at the 2018 Gay Games in Paris while playing with the San Francisco Eagles. Win or lose, this sports-loving couple always supports one another.

Their love of softball, now even after their playing days, led both Alex and Stacy to become certif ied umpires working recreation and park leagues including SFGSL, as well as at high

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school and NCAA Division I games. “Softball is the main component that we built our relationship on as players and as umpires,” Alex told me for the San Francisco Bay Times. “We b ot h w a nt t o progress and to achieve the most and be there for each other when things go well or don’t go well,” added Stacy.

Having the same goals and passion for softball enabled A lex and Stacy to find love in one another, but it took time. This allowed them to navigate the complexities of a successful partnership through softball. Whether it’s dissecting plays, strengthening their technical abilities, dealing with wins and losses, watching top college teams or debating the merits of rules, there’s

always something for this successful sports couple to talk about.

John Chen, a UCLA alumnus and an avid sports fan, has competed as well as coached tennis, volleyball, softball and football teams.

Sports John Chen

Fitness SF Trainer Tip of the Month Melanie Wong , Fitness SF Oakland “Women often have this idea that lifting weights makes you look bulky. It’s totally not the case! Lifting weights can actually make you look lean and athletic. Gradually, more and more people are learning this cool fact. So, come to the g ym and pick up those weights! Here I’m doing one of my favorite full-body exercises, the Dead-Lift.”

Tore Kelly, Director of Creative & Social Media for Fitness SF, provides monthly tips that he has learned from professional trainers. For more information: https://fitnesssf.com/

Weddings, Occasions & Relationships Deal-Breakers, High Standards, or Just a Fear of Commitment? loving, committed relationship, when it ultimately comes down to it, those same individuals are also often perpetually alone. It may have nothing to do with them being so unlucky in love. It likely has more to do with their own fear of commitment.

The Lesbian Love Doctor Dr. Frankie Bashan

Commitment-phobia is a social term used to describe a pattern of avoiding emotionally intimate relationships. Commitmentphobes believe that every relationship will end negatively. They believe that the people they get close to will ultimately hurt them and they will therefore end the relationship before allowing that to happen. Generally, a commitment-phobe will engage in a constant “push and pull” of attention and silence, using patterns of seduction to engage their partner without truly being vulnerable and allowing her to emotionally connect.

When you look around, does it seem like everyone has a “plus one” except you? Do your friends all comment, “You’re such a catch. I can’t believe you are single.” Or do you long to love another and to have someone to do things with, yet day after day you find yourself alone and slowly starting to lose hope?

It could be more than just bad dates.

As you think back to your recent dating experiences, perhaps you’ve met quite a few people, but there’s always some reason as to why they aren’t worth pursuing.

Maybe you were not initially attracted to them. It could be that, based on your past experiences, when you tried to date someone, hoping the connection would just happen, it didn’t, and then you immediately counted them out. Or perhaps you had several second dates—with your list of deal-breakers in hand, those items that you absolutely promised yourself you would not compromise on. Even though you tried to overlook some of these, when you did, you felt so hurt that you promised yourself that there was no way you were ever going to be with someone who had even just one of those.

A commitment-phobe will believe that she is just never meeting “the one” or connecting. She may even feel sorry for herself that she just can’t seem to “click” with others like everyone else seemingly is. But, if she is really honest with herself: Is it possible that nobody will ever meet her high standards?

Working with clients who cannot seem to maintain a relationship past a few months reveals the commonality of crazy chemistry—once the initial honeymoon period wanes, they believe the relationship is over and want to break up. This is unfortunate, because chemistry calms down for all couples and it reveals nothing about the future longevity of the pair. In fact, relationships have many phases. It is those couples that understand, and are willing to work through, these phases who stick together and have strong, healthy relationships.

Sound familiar? Perhaps your standards are too high. Or maybe you’ve been hurt so harshly in the past that you just can’t open up because you refuse to be hurt again. You believe that if you are going to spend the rest of your life with someone, you shouldn’t have to compromise.

Herein lies the struggle. When does a list of deal-breakers and adherence to high standards go from being a healthy set of guidelines to becoming an excuse to keeping yourself from having to commit?

So, what does this all mean for you? If you find that you have not been successful in dating and that you really can’t seem to find anyone who remotely meets what you

Although many single people adamantly profess their desire to be in a

are looking for, perhaps it is time to take a step back and consider if the reason why is more than just “bad luck,” or that there are just no good people out there to date.

There are a lot of individuals who struggle with commitment. Seeking help from a trained therapist can help you to decipher why and how you are like this. He/she can help to identify some possible faulty beliefs, patterns and behaviors that could be contributing to your troubles with relationships. Or, if nothing else, therapy could help you to understand if you might be afraid to commit, and if so, why.

For more healthy lesbian dating tips, visit my blog. If you’d like to date a person and not an app, check out my lesbian/ bi events all over the U.S. ( https://bit.ly/2T6ygdv ). And finally, if you’d like to receive individualized therapy or coaching, please reach out to me directly: drfrankie@littlegaybook.com https://bit.ly/2Q5KNw4 Dr. Frankie Bashan is a psychologist, matchmaker and relationship guru who has been using her psychology background combined with technology and personalized algorithms to successfully match lesbian couples nationwide. As the founder of Little Gay Book, the only exclusively lesbian/bi matchmaking agency in the U.S., she helps women in every state to find authentic, healthy, righteous, fullblown love and she knows what makes relationships tick. For more info: https://www.littlegaybook.com/

Stonewall (continued from page 3) York City or a San Francisco compared to a Kansas or a Mississippi, and really wanted to focus the work of the initiative on helping grassroots organizations in places where equality has been slow to arrive.

Not only are the laws oppressive in certain areas across the county, but also the social stigma is definitely still there. Many in the LGBTQ community still face daily discrimination.

Today, 28 states allow for the legal firing of people within the LGBTQ community. Many of these same states also allow for housing discrimination. Eventually, we would love to see the work of the initiative be-

come global, as there are still some countries where same-sex interactions are ruled illegal, and still others where being LGBTQ is punishable by death. Something as simple as hand-holding might cost someone their freedom, or even their life.

We have enlisted some incredible corporate partners who understand that they too have a responsibility to give back and that today’s consumers value that they do so. In order to win equality, we need to enlist everyone we can, as we still feel serious opposition across the globe.

see it not only as a time of reflection, but also as an opportunity to honor all of those who came before us by continuing this fight. We at the Stonewall Inn are proud to help keep a living, breathing piece of history alive.

We will continue our activism, and hope that the revolution that started there back in 1969 continues onward.

As WorldPride comes to New York for Stonewall 50, we hope to remind the world, including the younger LGBTQ generations, that knowing and honoring our past is what allows us to change our future.

As the Stonewall Riot’s 50th anniversary approaches, we want people to

The Stonewall Inn is now a National Monument: https://bit.ly/2sJ3E65 S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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From the Coming Up Events Calendar See page 28

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2019)

Saturday, January 29 - Wanda Sykes @ The Masonic, 1111 California. This award-winning stand up comic has been named one of the 25 Funniest People in America.

8pm. http://www.sfmasonic.com

Monday, February 4 - Jason Brock & Dee Spencer @ Martuni’s, 4 Valencia Street. Sing along with pianist Dee Spencer and parodies sung by Jason Brock. 6pm.

Martuni’s on Facebook

Postcards from London May Leave Viewers Spellbound McLean’s focus is to examine the nature and value of beauty and objectification.

Film Gary M. Kramer Jim (Harris Dickinson), the hero of writer/director Steve McLean’s highly stylized drama Postcards from London, now out on DVD, is “young, fit, and has the face of an angel.” He also has a sickness; when he encounters an artistic masterpiece, like a Titian in a London gallery, he faints.

Jim is that sensitive to beauty.

McLean’s film will leave viewers who connect with it equally spellbound.

It is a heady—albeit talky—mix of beauty, art and intellect shot in a deliberate style that plays up its own artificiality. The film features a handful of vignettes in which Jim imagines himself posing for Caravaggio (Ben Cura), getting into debates with the artist about his sexuality, and even participating in a duel with the painter. These are fun episodes that may come across as campy or silly, but

In one of the f ilm’s wittiest scenes, Jim, who works as a rent boy—though that term is frowned upon—poses as Saint Sebastian. The joke is that, despite the efforts to transport his client back to ancient times, the vibe is spoiled because the men keep getting interrupted. Nevertheless, a gorgeously lit shot of Jim posed as “the world’s f irst pin-up” is quite striking.

But this is getting ahead of things. Postcards from London opens with Jim moving from Essex to a neon-lit Soho “to make his fortune.” He encounters men and women selling sex and drugs on the very street he will soon sleep on. After being robbed, Jim is encouraged to head to a bar, hoping to find a job. Instead, he meets the raconteurs, a group of handsome young men—David ( Jonah Hauer-King), Jesus (Alessandro Cimadamore), Marcello (Leonardo Salerni), and Victor (Raphael Desprez)—who offer him a vocation: providing intimacy to older men as well as post-coital conversation.

Their mission is to “drag male prostitution into the 21st cen-

tury while paying homage to the artists who came before.”

As such, the raconteurs educate Jim about f ilmmakers Pier Paolo Pasolini and Rainer Werner Fassbinder, and artists such as Francis Bacon and Lucien Freud. For Jim, sex is the easy part; it’s the art that messes him up.

McLean prefers showing beauty, not sex. An amusing bit has a shirtless Jim posing for photos to advertise his good looks.

The camera loves him, especially when he reveals his penis. (Spoiler alert: the nudity in the film is kept to a minimum). Jim’s f irst tr yst unfolds as a series of arty shots of hands intertwined while a stripped-down version of “My Funny Valentine” plays on the soundtrack. Jim later becomes a muse to Max (Richard Durden), an older artist who is inspired to paint this handsome young man.

Jim’s fainting upon seeing great art, however, starts to have serious consequences for him.

He is diagnosed with “Stendhal Syndrome,” a rare condition that stems from the strong emotions he feels. Whether audiences will feel anything emotional for Jim or Postcards from London will depend on how seduced or empathetic they are to the protagonist’s actions and exploitation. Jim’s encounters become more difficult for him, but the film becomes less, not more, interesting because of how detached the character becomes.

In the f ilm’s third act, Paul (Leemore Marrett, Jr.) lures Jim away from the raconteurs.

Paul wants Jim to evaluate various paintings by fainting, so he can determine if they are authentic and valuable. This episode shifts the film’s earlier messages about beauty, creativity and intellect to commerce—but it also suggests the promise of romance and possibly love. This episode feels underdeveloped, though, and the film becomes somewhat tedious with dialogue being repeated, albeit for effect.

McLean may box his protagonist into a corner dramatically, but he does use some clever visuals to tell his story. In addition to the anachronistic dream scenes featuring recreations of Caravaggio paintings, there are irises, peepholes and split screens employed to focus the viewer’s attention on Jim. There is also a curious se-

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quence of Jim walking through a bar where all the characters posed around a pool table appear frozen in time. These gimmicks may be a bit pretentious, but they emphasize Jim’s objectification.

Postcards from London will be most appreciated by viewers who are as attracted to the actor as the film’s characters are. Dickinson, who played gay last year in Beach Rats, gives another mesmerizing performance here. He makes Jim both self-aware, and adorably clueless. It comes off as charming because he is in on the sly joke.

GET UP, STAND UP

ANSWER ON PAGE 26

During what year was the first largescale, official March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay, and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation held?

A) 1965 B) 1973 C) 1979 D) 1993

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McLean’s film is a companion piece of sorts to his last feature, 1994’s Postcards from America, adapted from the writings of David Wojnarowicz. This new film, like the last one, is an acquired taste, but the combination of Jim’s chiseled chest and cultural learnings is certainly enticing. © 2019 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

Karin Jaffie, aka Kit/Kitty Tapata, won the title of Mr. Gay San Francisco in 2011 and has earned many other honors since.

Connect with Jaffie via Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pg/ktapata

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun

By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, “The Trump shutdown enters the history books as the longest government shutdown ever, and Trump threatens to declare a national emergency. Where is Trump’s heart? Oh, I forgot. He wasn’t born with a heart.”

The CENTER FOR SEX & CULTURE is sadly closing its Mission Street doors on January 31. This unique cultural center has been providing amazing resources about sex and gender for a decade and a half to the SF Bay Area and beyond.

It was therefore an honor for Jack Davis to mount the very last visual art show in this space, FAGGOTS. On January 11, CSF Executive Director Carol Queen held a reception for Davis, whose art centers around the taking back power over the ancient anti-gay slur, “faggot,” for a bundle of sticks to light on fire and kill gay men. My faves are “Labyrinth,” “Pink Triangle Faggots,” “Flying Faggots,” “Pansy (another gay slur) Faggots” (made of pansies), and “Camo Faggots” for the military-minded. But the best is “Kiss Faggots,” a sign that originally said, “Kill Faggots,” but was sequined over to read “KISS,” and we were invited to apply one of the lipsticks and put a big smacker all over the art. The CSC official goodbye party will be on January 25, the last day of “FAGGOTS,” at 1349 Mission Street. http://www.sexandculture.org/ Studies show PrEP on-demand (also known as PrEP 211) allows greater flexibility of dosing when taken correctly—and works as well as PrEP taken daily for people.

In the coming weeks, Governor Gavin Newsom will be naming a new state AIDS czar, who will face calls from AIDS activists around the state to implement a statewide GETTING TO ZERO strategy.

Imperial Crown Prince William Del Toroy Flor and Imperial Crown Princess K of the White Rose, in conjunction with Emperor Leandro Gonzales and Empress Pollo Del Mar and the Imperial Council of San Francisco, Inc. presented THE IMPERIAL BEAUX ARTS WINTER BALL 2019 at The Folsom Street Foundry in SOMA on January 13 on its 54th anniversary. This was the event of the century! Esteemed MCs for the evening were Absolute Empress L Khmera Rouge, Emperor XLIII A. N. Kevin Lisle, Mr. S.F. Leather 2010 Sir Lance Holman, and reigning Empress Pollo.

DeeJay duties were by the always energizing DJ Joe Prince Wolfe.

Glamour photos were courtesy of Gooch. Beneficiaries of the fabulous fundraiser were TRANS LIFELINE and AGUILAS/EL AMBIENTE. To list just a few of the talent, there were current reigning Grand Duchess of San Francisco MGM Grande; Sadie Payne; Kylie Minono; Miss Jordan L’Moore; current reigning Mister Gay San Francisco, Khalil Riley; Miss Golden Gate 2018, Miss Scarlett Menzie; Grand Duke 44 and Grand Duchess 45, of the Court of the Sacred Golden Beavers, Miss Shugana and MADD DOGG 24

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20/20; Mister SF Leather Matt Welch.

peach the Traitor” and “Shut Down the Clown!”

But wait! There’s more: Imperial Court’s Czarina de Camp Miss Gladys Bumps; last reign’s Imperial Crowned Prince and Princess Terrill Grimes and Cameron Stiehl; Emperor John Weber; Imperial Crowned Princess grand mama Ehra Amaya; and Queens of the Krewe de Kinque, LadyCuki Couture Queen XIV and current reigning Miss Chief. Emperor XIV AN and Imperial King Father of San Francisco Matthew Brown gave an impressive slide show of the past 25 years of the Imperial Court System. Sorry if I left anyone out, but my fingers are numb from typing!

Senator Scott Wiener has now been honored to serve as Chair of the LGBT CAUCUS, and thanks to Assemblymember Evan Low for “his extraordinary leadership of the LGBT Caucus for the past two years. Under Evan’s leadership, the Caucus has made huge strides,” Wiener stated.

Thomasina De Maio of ART SAVES LIVES and Dave Christensen, Executive Director of the HARVEY MILK PHOTO CENTER presented the JANUARY PHOTOGRAPHY & ART EXHIBIT reception at the Photo Center on January 18. The art consists of many mediums: photo, painting, ceramic, and hand-painted furniture by over 40 artists. These will be on display the whole month long, through February 7. Here are some of my faves. Starting on the right is an eye-catching seven-foot high oil on unprimed board with fabric and acrylic beads, “My Friend Floozy,” which is Sister Flora Goodthyme captured exquisitely by Deidre De Franceaux. There are some lovely oil on linen nature pieces by Ed Terpening. Co-curator De Maio has displayed her stunning large oil of branches over a river.

Stand back to really appreciate its beauty! Clever ceramic sculptures are displayed by Jack Stelnicki.

Especially whimsical are the three mixed media (bits and scraps, buttons, dominos, and a harmonica—all painted black) of a big poodle and the crowns and eyeballs of both Queen Elizabeth & Prince Charles by Gregory Conover.

One of my favorite artists, Walker Dukes, has portrayed two of my favorite drag queens, Mrs. Vera and Pristine Condition. Alexander Nowik has a delightful duo of white trucks. A heartwarming oil on canvas, “The Tin Man,”

by Diego Gomez has the Oz character receiving his heart, which brings tears to his eyes and possibly rusts his armor. Look way down in the left corner in tiny print for the phrase: “Wherever you go, go with all of your heart.” At the reception, the live entertainment included a special performance of two energetic, animated violinists, Tribal Baroque, who sang very high notes to very low ones, danced with bells on their ankles, stomped, chanted and growled in original pieces to put us all in a mesmerizing trance. www.harveymilkphotocenter.org

GET A CLUE was the title of KREWE DE KINQUE’s murder mystery fundraiser at the Edge on January 19 at 4 pm. Loosely based on the popular board game and movie Clue, there were six “suspects” under interrogation in the untimely demise of the house go-go boy (no actual go-go boys were harmed during this event!). The suspects: Professor Plum (played by Mr. Bill); Ms. Green (Deana Dawn); Mz White (BeBe Sweetbriar); Colonel Mustard (Kit Tapata); Miss Peacock (Olivia Hart); and Miss Scarlett (Roxy Cotten Candy) performed and also were asked a series of questions by Inspector Colby Michaels to ascertain their guilt or innocence. Patrons purchased a special raffle ticket and made their choice as to who was the guilty suspect! Inspector Sister Dana, a dirty cop, was at the door, shaking down people for donations. The culprit was found to be Ms. Green with the murder weapon, her stilettos!

Prior to the “Clue” event, we members of KREWE DE KINQUE had kicked off Mardi Gras season 2019 with our Annual TWELFTH NIGHT PARTY at the Palace of Queen XI Lil Kim Chee. There we learned the secret of who would be the next KdK King & Queen (which will only be revealed at our Mardi Gras masked ball).

Sister Dʼs Poetry: PG&E, we hardly knew ye; bankruptcy?

Means higher fees! We cry, “aieee!”

Sister Dana sez, “Horrifically, this shutdown has made history as the longest ever. Meanwhile, don’t let the shutdown make you a shut-in. Get outta the house and get into these wonderful events!”

THE SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN’S CHORUS presents PARADISE BENEFIT CONCERT with Bobby Jo Valentine and also featuring SFGMC’s two ensembles, The Lollipop Guild and Homophonics. 100% of the proceeds go to the Campfire Relief Fund and the music programs of Paradise High School. It’s on Sunday, January 27, 5 pm at 170 Valencia Street, the Chorus’ new home, which is a four-floor historic property. https://bit.ly/2W8YGgE FOX TV announces the upcoming live musical production of the Tony award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical “RENT,” airing Sunday, January 27. This will be a re-imagining of Puccini’s La Bohème but set in New York City’s gritty East Village. It tells the unforgettable story of seven artists struggling to follow their (continued on page 26)

An estimated 60,000 demonstrators participated in the WOMEN’S MARCH SAN FRANCISCO 2019 on January 19 in the Civic Center to rally, and then marched to Embarcadero Plaza. This year’s theme was #TruthToPower and celebrating the #WomensWave. The march’s Unity Principles included reproductive rights, LGBTQIA rights, worker’s rights, civil rights, disability rights, immigrant rights, environmental justice and ending violence. Emcee Mona Shaikh introduced 17 women speakers, Throughout her long career, the remarkable Carol Channing supported the LGBT community and made many appearances here in the Bay including SF May- Area. Thanks to event production guru and San Francisco Bay Times or London Breed. reader Kim Teevan for providing the image above with Channing surPlacards spotted: rounded by fans, including Sister Dana, Mark Leno, Tim Patriarca, “Rise Above!” “Im- Sister Mysteria and others.

Winter Fancy Food Show Highlights 2019 Trends The Specialty Food Association (SFA) recently presented the Winter Fancy Food Show at Moscone Center in San Francisco from January 13–15. This year’s Show featured over 80,000 foods and beverages presented by more than 1400 exhibitors from around the globe.

SFA’s Trendspotter Panel identified the following eight food trends for 2019:

1. Plant-based blossoms into a movement. The plant-based groundswell has firmly established itself in consumer eating habits. Stretching beyond vegans and vegetarians, plant-based foods now hold broad appeal to consumers who are intrigued by health benefits and have concerns about how their food is sourced.

• Makers are creating new product categories and disrupting old ones with plant-based options.

• The movement will become situated in the larger context of sustainability: intertwined with upcycled products, as more companies turn to root-tostem ingredients to combat food waste; snacks made from “rescued” bananas (which might otherwise be discarded), or flours made with spent grains or pulp.

• In addition to continuing product rollouts in snacks, and as dairy and protein alternatives, plant-based foods’ rise across the foodservice sector will be significant this year.

2. Palates shift to regional cuisines of Africa, South Asia and Latin America—driven by millennials and Gen Z. Much has been said about younger generations’ unprecedented exposure to global culture and cuisine from an early age. These consumers are adventurous and seek experience in their travel and in their food, which has led to a shift in interest to authentic regional fare.

• African foods and ingredients from all over the continent are gaining notice, including fonio (West), nitter kbeh (East), ras el hanout (North) and biltong (South).

• Regional South Asian cuisines are emerging and ayurvedic products—primarily whole or minimally processed foods—are on the radar.

• Savory-sweet snacks in the street snack tradition will become more popular.

• Expect to see new menus and packaged foods touting the regional flavors and ingredients of Mexico, Central and South America, from heritage corn tortillas to the advent of mezcal as a spirit and an ingredient.

3. Cannabis across multiple categories. 2018 saw the emerging edibles segment gain a foothold in snacks and treats, as more states legalize sales of hempderived CBD products. Though the segment has its challenges as cannabis is still illegal at a federal level, consumer curiosity has been piqued. Factor in that a new generation is growing up in states where cannabis is legal, and signs point to future growth of the edibles market.

• New products are rapidly hitting the market, many with high-end beautiful packaging and savvy marketing.

• Look for more infused cooking oils, coffees, teas, chocolates, baked goods, snacks and even beer and pasta to hit the market this year.

• Foodservice will continue to adopt cannabis cuisine menus and cocktails.

4. Packaging takes center stage in the environment, and in consumer communication.

Soliciting consumer trust through values conveyed on product packaging and, in some cases, the material of which it’s made, will be more visible in 2019.

• As consumers increasingly place a premium on company values, producers are making their certifications and accreditations, such as B Corp, women-

certified and animal welfare, more prominent on packaging.

• Sustainable packaging will grow, especially plantbased varieties. Expect to see some made of upcycled ingredients or scraps. Research is advancing the use of tomato peels, kelp and mushrooms into sustainable alternatives, coatings and other packaging materials.

5. Cassava. A specif ic star of the plant-based phenomenon is cassava, also known as yuca, a starchy tuberous root native to South America. Grain- and gluten-free, the cassava root is high in carbohydrates, but its leaves are a reported good source of protein and rich in lysine.

• Cassava leaves have been especially evident in packaged snacks from cassava leaf chips to popped cassava and even a cassava leaf jerky.

• While many products so far are packaged for retail, expect to see more cassava on foodservice menus as well in 2019, likely in baked goods or tortillas made with cassava flour.

6. Fermented functional beverages. Refrigerated ready to drink (RTD) “functional” beverages have grown 20 percent in retail sales, according to SFA’s State of the Specialty Food Industry research. Probiotic-friendly kombucha has led the charge, and more fermented functional beverages touting health, tradition and flavor are on the horizon.

• Look for mushroom brews highlighting varieties like chaga, a nutrient-dense mushroom linked with antioxidants and cholesterol-lowering benefits; lion’s mane, reported to have anxiety-reducing and heart-health benefits; and cordyceps, which may help with anti-aging as well as diabetes prevention and heart health.

• Drinking vinegars, which are high in probiotics, amino acids and antioxidants, will also continue to emerge.

• Watch for kvas. This traditional Slavic and Baltic fermented grain beverage is commonly made from rye bread and f lavored with fruits or herbs like mint.

7. Edible beauty. Noted as emerging by last year’s Trendspotter panel, collagen is a fullfledged trend in 2019, and part of a bigger move to develop products that promote skin health and appearance.

• Collagen is being infused into beverages, snack bars and even wraps to help replace diminishing levels as consumers age.

• Traditionally used topically, argan and almond oils are coming to market. Both oils are high in omega fatty acids and vitamin E, which can help hydrate skin, restore elasticity and reduce the visibility of wrinkles.

• While marketed broadly, many of these products are targeted at the aging, and often overlooked, Gen Xers.

8. Ice cream renaissance. We all scream for ice cream, and now this traditional favorite is being rethought in function and f lavor.

Its reinvention started with dairy-free varieties made with coconut, almond or soy milks. Then Halo Top entered the scene with its high-protein, low-calorie product that others are emulating. Now makers are blurring the lines between treat and healthy snack even further with some blending vegetables like cauliflower and carrots into ice creams. (continued on page 26) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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SISTER DANA (continued from page 24)

See You in 2044 I have a couple of stories about conversion therapists gone rogue, including one from Israel about a guy who sexually abused his “patients,” and one about a Mormon ex-gay who has given up the fight and turned gaygay once more. (For the record, New York just joined the several states, including California, that ban conversion therapy.)

I used to relish these items, as well as the many accounts of hypocritical gay bashers caught on Grindr or traveling incognito with a boy toys, but I find my interest in such shenanigans waning as the years go by. They no longer seem central to our communal life, if there still is such a thing.

Speaking of time passing, I wrote what I thought was a clever article for the Bay Times back in 1994, when we were celebrating the 25th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots. It was written from the perspective of 2019, purporting to look back at the gay rights movement on the 50th anniversary of Stonewall, and I never kept a copy. Editors? Is it lurking in a file cabinet somewhere?

I remember that I predicted the High Court had outlawed sodomy prohibitions and passed marriage equality, but first, those weren’t such tough calls, and second, I wrongly predicted a marriage ruling based on the Full Faith and Credit Clause, which was the legal justification du jour. I also wrote that the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force was disbanded and I may have tossed the Human Rights Campaign out as obsolete as well. I can’t remember what other prescient conclusions I boldly put in print, but my main reason for bringing this up is that I can’t believe a quarter century has gone by and I’m still around speculating on GLBT civil rights in these very pages! I’m not sure whether that’s an accomplishment or a sad testament to my obsession with a single, albeit vast, topic. Whichever, the lengthy timespan may hint at why I’m sick of people like Mormon ex-gays.

I’ve earned it.

Judging Karen In other news for which I’m having a hard time amping up my enthusiasm, I find myself not caring about Karen Pence and her new teaching position at the antigay evangelical school where she used to work. I should care. I have many emails and links to commentaries that point out how wrong it is for the wife of the Vice President of the United States to align herself with an institution that denounces gays and lesbians as abhorrent and, of course, I agree.

Indeed, if you read the school’s Biblical policies, it’s evident that the school is not simply “Christian,” whatever that means these days. It’s crazy, verging on cult-like.

The notion that this is a case of respect for religion conflates your average churchgoer with a fanatic extreme that believes, “Christ will, prior to the tribulation, catch away His church [sic] and return to rule during the millennium,” and that “there exists a real personality who is the author of sin and god of this age, called Satan.”

More importantly for me, we are talking about Karen Pence. Karen can go jump in a lake and baptize herself naked once a week, for all I care. She can wander the grounds of the Naval Observatory screaming like a banshee all night long. She can try the Tide pod challenge, or run out before the Super Bowl and beat on kneeling players with her little fists. I don’t care what she does, period.

I was going to write that she could turn the family pet, Marlon Bundo, into lapin a la moutarde, but indeed that would actually bother me, so I suppose I’m not entirely indifferent to the actions of Karen Pence, but it’s very close.

Black Holes and Hillary Finally, I sort of want to cross black holes and the Clinton emails off my random subject list, and I’m sure you all want to know what I may have to say on these matters. First, I’m no physicist, but as far as I know, a black hole is not a “hole,” but a collapsed star so dense that not even light can escape its gravitational pull. Ergo, it will look black since no light will reflect it, and it will suck in and instantly mash to bits anything that hits its event horizon.

That said, I’m tired of reading and hearing casual remarks in articles and elsewhere about what’s inside a black hole or whether or not something can survive a black hole or go through it. I’m not talking about the esoteric question of whether information is lost in a black hole, which I’m not equipped to understand. I’m talking about regular people blathering about “the other side of a black hole” as if it’s an actual hole. It’s not!

Second, I’m annoyed that whenever the issue of “Clinton’s emails” is broached, the media never points out— even in passing—that the FBI looked through 40,000 emails and found only three classified items, two of which had a little “c” next to a paragraph and all three of which were classified after the fact. For this she was investigated for months and months and then accused of carelessness based on the idea that someone could have hacked these non-classified messages, although no one did.

The Clinton email debacle is still treated like an actual scandal, when it should be dismissed as a media rabbit hole that was weaponized by her political foes. Let’s add that all her emails were sent or received to or from others, so there were no secrets, nor did any of them elude government records. And finally, for Republicans who continue to shake this tree, what exactly do they think Clinton was “hiding” in what was basically an open database? Why is this two-word phrase still used as a shorthand to describe some suspicious kind of shady operation that we still don’t understand, when the entire sequence of events is public knowledge? As for the personal emails that she deleted (done by attorneys), since when does a candidate owe the electorate a full airing of their personal correspondence?

I feel better now. arostow@aol.com

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QUEER POP QUIZ ANSWER (Question on pg 22)

C) 1979 October 14, 1979, was the date of the first official National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, although two previous smaller marches took place in 1965 and 1973. After those initial two efforts, much dissent concerning the March stymied progress, but then Harvey Milk took the lead in strengthening the March’s central team. His assassination on November 27, 1978, served as a catalyst and touchstone for organizers.

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THE RICHMOND/ERMET AID FOUNDATION (REAF) presents CABARET CIRQUE - A Sexy Circus Cabaret on Monday, January 28, 7:30 pm at The Great Northern Nightclub, 119 Utah Street at 15th Street. Must be 21 or over. Tix and info at https://bit.ly/2Dq6bsf

D’Arcy Drollinger presents FRIENDS LIVE! at the Oasis, 298 11th Street @ Folsom, January 31– March 2, Thursdays at 8 pm, Fridays & Saturdays at 7 pm. Come down to Central Perk and hang out with all of your favorite Friends: Ross, Rachel, Monica, Chandler, Phoebe and Joey, who will perform adaptations of two classic episodes. Warning: there WILL be drag! Yay! http://www.sfoasis.com

Legendary punk rock, trans pioneer, and chanteuse Bambi Lake joins forces with Birdie Bob Watt, Kitten on the Keys, and celebrated Cockettes songster Scrumbly Koldewyn and his Cirque du Scrumbello, and more for TENDER IS MY LOIN, a musical revue and homage to The Tenderloin of San Francisco at PianoFight, 144 Taylor Street on Wednesday, January 30, 8 pm. https://bit.ly/2DrmQvt

Sister Dana sez, “As long as Trump is keeping the government closed for everyday Americans, it should be closed for his political speech-making. Let’s stand with Speaker Pelosi and say no to the State of the Union while the government is shut down! And without one penny for Trump’s racist, wasteful wall!”

dreams during a time of great social and political turmoil. We can certainly relate to THAT! https://www.fox.com/rent/

FANCY FOOD SHOW (continued from page 25) • It’s not all about health—boutique creameries known for local, hand-crafted and indulgent ices creams are expanding nationally.

• On the flavor front, global and floral notes like black sesame and jasmine are adding new touches to the market.

• Look for innovations to continue to drive the category, including advances in the non-dairy segments.

“The specialty food industry is growing rapidly, and much of this can be attributed to innovations happening in areas like sustainability, the plant-based movement, and desire for deeper regional flavors,” said Denise Purcell, head of content for the SFA. “The Trendspotters are seeing major shifts in how consumers are eating. These shifts are providing us with amazing options, along with the opportunity to change how we eat and how food is created. Old favorites like ice cream are being reinvented, while at the same time, we’re seeing foods and flavors from around the world increasingly adapted into our everyday meals. It’s an exciting time for specialty food, and we expect to see even more growth and innovation throughout 2019.”

STUART & JOHN (continued from page 10) priorities. As mayor, Biedron sometimes took a red sofa out on the street to sit and listen to constituents.

Biedron’s rise to popularity to a level another Polish journalist describes as a “prophet” to some is testament to the power of “coming out.” His popularity in such a seemingly unexpected place as Poland illuminates the subtle, complex and seemingly contradictory ways the LGBTIQ movement progresses in different cultures—never giving up and always looking to rise from the ashes.

John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney, together for over three decades, were plaintiffs in the California case for equal marriage rights decided by the California Supreme Court in 2008. Their leadership in the grassroots organization Marriage Equality USA contributed in 2015 to making samesex marriage legal nationwide.

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Bay Area American Indian Two Spirits (BAAITS) will host the annual LGBTQAI Two-Spirits Native American Powwow on Saturday, February 2, in the Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason. http://www.baaits.org

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS http://sfbaytimes.com/

24 Thursday Fighting Back - Stop AIDS Now or Else: Protest as Community Catalyst @ GLBT History Museum, 4127 18th Street.

The latest in the monthly Fighting Back series, the event will bring together a panel of allies, organizers, activists and historians reflecting on what it meant to be an AIDS activist and organizer when Stop AIDS Now’s sit-in shut down traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge on January 21, 1989. 7-9pm. http://www.glbthistory.org QTPOC Screening of Pariah @ Strut, 470 Castro Street. Queer & Trans People of Color at Strut presents the film about a black teen fighting for and embracing her queer identity. 5-8p. http://www.strutsf.org Conversation with Authors Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore and Rebecca Brown @ James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center, San Francisco Public Library, 100 Larkin Street. The authors will read from their new fiction books: Sketchtasy (Sycamore) and Not Heaven, Somewhere Else (Brown) with a book signing to follow. 6-7:30pm. http://www.sfpl.org

Salvador Dali: In Search of Immortality Screening @ Roxie Theater, 3117 16th Street. The documentary is described as an exhaustive journey through the life and work of the famous painter. 6:458:30pm. http://www.roxie.com SF Sketchfest: 20th Anniversary Screening of Office Space @ Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street. The classic workplace comedy will be discussed by director Mike Judge and cast members with a costume contest and more. 8pm. http://www.castrotheatre.com

25 Friday Drag Alive - Happy Hour Variety Show @ The Stud, 399 9th Street. Every Friday the Stud presents this variety show where all are welcome. 7-8pm. http://www.studsf.com Magnificent Magnolias @ San Francisco Botanical Garden, 1199 9th Avenue. Nearly 100 magnolias, many rare and historic, will be at this annual budding of pink and white blossoms and visitors can take a docent-led tour. 7:30am-4pm

through March 7. http://www.sfbg.org Marga Gomez’s The Latin Standards Hour @ Playground Solo Performance Festival, Potrero Stage, 1695 18th Street. Marga Gomez will present an original performance based on her own true story of perseverance and creativity inspired by her family relationships.

8pm. http://www.playground-sf.org

26 Saturday Wanda Sykes @ The Masonic, 1111 California. The award-winning stand-up comic, proclaimed by Entertainment Weekly as one of the 25 Funniest People in America, will bring her show to San Francisco.

8pm. http://www.sfmasonic.com Mango @ El Rio, 3158 Mission Street. The longstanding party for women and their friends continues with DJs Edaj, Marcella, Olga and La Coqui. 9pm. http://www.elriosf.com Dancing Queen: ABBA ‘70s Glitter Disco @ The Great Northern, 119 Utah Street. Hosted

by Sara Jayne McDonald, the event features resident DJs 2NITE and DAMON along with glitter makeup and body paint, glow balloons, a photo booth and more. http://www.thegreatnorthernsf.com SF Sketchfest: The Gale: A Ferociously Queer Night of Improv @ Gateway Theatre, 215 Jackson Street. An entirely improvised comedy show presented in two acts with every performance highlighting a brief history of an icon of the LGBTQ movement.

10:30pm-12:00am. http://thegaleshow.com/

27 Sunday A Paradise Benefit Concert @ 170 Valencia Street. San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus presents a benefit supporting the Camp Fire Relief & Paradise High School Music Programs featuring Bobby Jo Valentine and SFGMC’s Homophonics and The Lollipop Guild. 5-6:30pm. http://www.sfgmc.org SF Sketchfest Tribute: Neil Patrick Harris @ Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, 3301 Lyon Street.

Harris returns to SF Sketchfest for a much-deserved celebration of his work and an on stage conversation.

4-5:30pm. http://www.sketchfest.com People, Paper, Power: Building Community Through The Tenderloin Times Exhibit Opening Reception @ Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, 3200 California Street. The event, to be 28

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Compiled by Blake Dillon held in the Katz Snyder Gallery, includes a reception and panel discussion with former editors and reporters at The Tenderloin Times.

4pm. http://www.jccsf.org Interfaith Service of Remembrance @ Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Marin, 240 Channing Way, San Rafael.

Hospice by the Bay hosts its annual ceremony honoring lost loved ones through music, prayers, a flower ceremony and messages from a variety of spiritual traditions. 4pm. http://www.hbth.org Carrie Gerendasy and the Delivery Band @ Ivy Room, 860 San Pablo Avenue, Albany. The East Bay-based LGBT band will perform their 21-and-over show. 4:00pm. http://www.ivyroom.com Reading and Release Party @ Dog Eared Books, Castro, 489 Castro Street. Gay Sunrise:Writing Gay Liberation in San Francisco 1968-1972, a collection of works by 32 writers will be the focus of discussion. 5pm. http://www.dogearedbooks.com

28 Monday Navigating the Queer, Asian American and Immigrant Experience @ SF LGBT Center, 1800 Market Street. Hosted by GAPA (Gay Asian Pacific Alliance) and United Democratic Club, the event will feature a panel discussion on the queer API experience. 6-8pm. http://www.gapa.org The Diversity Jam and Open Mic @ Stage Werx, 446 Valencia Street. Join Endgames Improv for 90 minutes of improvised comedy and open-mics. If you self-identify as part of any under-represented diversity group, you’re invited to play on stage in a supportive environment.

7:30-9pm. http://www.endgamesimprov.com

29 Tuesday Come from Away @ SHN Golden Gate Theatre, 1 Taylor Street. The Tony Award-winning musical, based on the true story of a small town in Newfoundland that welcomed 7,000 stranded passengers. 7:30-9:10pm through March 3. http://www.shnsf.com Janiva Magness @ Yoshi’s Oakland, 510 Embarcadero West, Oakand. The multi-award winning and Grammy nominated artist, recognized for her inspired vocal performances with the character of Memphis rhythm and blues, brings her show to this popular East Bay venue. 8pm. http://www.yoshis.com

30 Wednesday Tracy K. Smith, Poet Laureate of the United States @ Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, 3200 California Street. Pulitzer Prize winning poet Tracy K. Smith will appear in conversation with Marvin K. White, Interim Minister of Celebration at Glide Memorial Church. 7-9pm. http://www.jccsf.org Tender Is My Loin @ PianoFight, 144 Taylor Street. Punk rock, trans pioneer and chanteuse Bambi Lake joins with Cockettes songster Scrumbly Koldewyn and his Cirque du Scrumbello for Tender Is My Loin, a musical revue and homage to The Tenderloin. 8-9:30pm. http://www.pianofight.com

31 Thursday Two-Spirit Voices: Returning to the Circle Exhibit Opening @ GLBT History Museum, 4127 18th Street. Join curators Roger Kuhn, Amelia Vigil and Ruth Villaseñor for the opening reception of this new exhibit celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits (BAAITS). 7-9pm. http://www.glbthistory.org NightLife Spotlight: Color @ California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive. Get your late-night science fix with rainbowhued cocktails in hand while wandering among rainforest greens, aquarium blues, and coral pinks.

6pm. http://www.calacademy.org Martinis & Writers with Literary Speakeasy @ Martuni’s, 4 Valencia Street. Hosted

by James Siegal, this regular event showcases Bay Area talent reading their original works.

Martuni’s on Facebook

FEBRUARY

1 Friday GGBA’s Power Lunch V: Bridges @ San Francisco Marriott Marquis, 780 Mission Street. Build relationships and mingle with dynamic GGBA members and business leaders from throughout the Bay Area. 12:00 Noon. http://www.ggba.com Ebabes TGIF @ The Terrace Room, Lake Merritt Hotel.1800 Madison Street, Oakland. Join hosts DB, Jen and Lynn for this First Friday Happy Hour, featuring a beautiful view of Lake Merritt, The event is now in its 11th year. 6pm.

Ebabes on Facebook

2 Saturday LGBTQAI Two-Spirits Native American Powwow @ Fort Mason, Festival Pavilion.

Opening with a procession of dancers, the event will include vendors offering food, jewelry and other crafts along with drumming and dance contests. 10am-6pm. http://www.baaits.org

3 Sunday DRIP - A Queer Daytime Dance Party @ El Rio, 3158 Mission Street. A QTPOC and friends party creating a safe space for all queer and trans folx with djs and gogos. 2-8pm. http://www.elriosf.com Super Bowl Sunday Unleash!

Dance Party @ The Ivy Room, 860 San Pablo Avenue, Albany. DJ Page Hodel and DJ Mysdefy will spin tunes for this monthly 1st Sunday dance party. 3pm. http://www.ivyroom.com

4 Monday Martuni Mondays: Piano Bar with Jason Brock & Dee Spencer @ Martuni’s, 4 Valencia Street. Sing along with pianist Dee Spencer and enjoy parodies sung by award-winning singer Jason Brock.

6pm. Martuni’s on Facebook. 6:308pm. http://www.jasonbrockvocals.com Immigration Reform + Being Undocumented in America with Jose Antonio Vargas @ Manny’s, 3092 16th Street. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Emmynominated filmmaker Vargas, a Bay Area native and leading voice for human rights of immigrants, will discuss his new book Dear America: Notes of An Undocumented Citizen. http://www.welcometomannys.com

5 Tuesday You SA Ho Bingo with Holotta & Saki @ Club 1220, 1220 Pine Street, Walnut Creek.

Drag Bingo hosted by Holotta Tymes and Saki Samora. 7pm. http://bit.ly/2rkdMS4 Ginger’s Karaoke with DJ Shaggy @ Gingers, 86 Hardie Place. Every Tuesday everyone can be a star at this no judgement event where all are entertained with “the good, the bad and the fab.” 8pm1am. http://www.gingersbar.com

6 Wednesday Stonewall: Damn, Daddy! @ Strut, 3rd Floor, 470 Castro Street.

The event is a discussion group featuring real talk about getting older as a gay man and how to make the most of it. 2-3:30pm. http://www.strutsf.org Dykes with Drills Get Wild @ Wild Side West, 424 Cortland Avenue.The legendary lesbian bar hosts a social mixer for all who identify as a woman, dyke, trans or gender non-conforming person.

6:30pm. http://www.wildsidewest.com

7 Thursday Regional Chamber Business After Hours @ S&B Party Rentals, 1098 San Mateo Avenue, Suite #6, South San Francisco. Fred Sullivan and Jamie Botello will host a business mixer at their new headquarters with GGBA and South SF Chamber of Commerce members.

5-7pm. http://www.ggba.com

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lthough entertainer Carol Channing (1921–2019) was born in Seattle, she spent most of her formative years in San Francisco, becoming one of Lowell High School’s most famous graduates (she was in the class of 1938).

Many of us enjoyed her good company over the years, since she was such a loyal supporter of the LGBTQ community.

San Francisco Bay Times photographer Rink captured her iconic look in numerous images.

The photos evidence her generosity. In one photo from 2010, she is seen with fellow performers Carole Cook and Kimberly Locke. They had just performed at the Richmond/Ermet AIDS (now Aid) Foundation’s “Help Is on the Way” charity performance at Herbst Theatre. In another photo from 1986, she stands with legendary entertainer Mary Martin (1913– 1990) and our own local legend Steve Silver (1944– 1995), who created and produced the still-thriving “Beach Blanket Babylon.” The trio, with an amazingly realistic living Statue of Liberty, had gathered in honor of the 4,000th performance of BBB. Channing was a favorite subject of look-alike contests over the decades. She even famously lost one to a drag queen whom the judges thought was more Channing than the diva herself! See if you can spot the real Channing in the contest photos here. Some were taken in 2008 at an event held at Theatre Rhinoceros, while another image dates to 1980 from that year’s Imperial Coronation at the Hilton.

We also recommend that you check out our December 18, 2018, issue, for another photo taken by Rink. It shows a jubilant Channing with an equally delighted Harvey Milk (1930–1978). These two incredible forces of nature clearly admired each other.

Round About - All Over Town Photos by Rink

Gay Softball League Commissioner Vincent Fuqua (right) with guests and volunteers enjoying the League’s celebration at Papi Rico restaurant on January 12

Baby Shaques (left) and Terrill Grimes, who are candidates for Empress and Emperor of the Imperial Court of San Francisco, were fundraising on Castro Street on January 12. The Imperial Coronation 2019 is on Saturday, February 23.

Moderator Carolyn Thomas introduced Supervisor Rafael Mandelman for a Q&A discussion on conservatorship and other issues, co-hosted by the SF Neighborhood Action Group (SFNAG) at the Harvey Milk Branch Library on January 16.

The Inaugural Meeting of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, held in the Legislative Chamber at City Hall on January 8, included the Oath of Office ceremony administered by Superior Court Presiding Judge Garrett Wong.

Tony Winnicker and Lisa Williams were on hand for ceremonies held at SF City Hall on January 8.

Legendary activists Roma Guy and Diane Jones shared a hug with Google’s Rebecca Prozan during ceremonies on January 8 at SF City Hall.

Supervisor Hillary Ronen (third from left) joined with her supporters, including Harvey Milk Democratic Club co-president Carolina Morales (second from left) at City Hall on January 8.

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Former Milk Club president and noted artist Debra Walker congratulated Supervisor Rafael Mandelman at SF City Hall on January 8.

District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton and his wife Mesha joined Mayor London Breed for the Swearing in Ceremony at City Hall on January 8.

Former Supervisor Sophie Maxwell spoke and served as emcee at the inauguration of Supervisor Shamann Walton on January 8.

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Frameline Board President Nadir Joshua, Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, Frameline executive director Frances Wallace and Celebrity Cruises’ LaTonya Lawson at the Frameline Partners Mixer held on January 17.

HRC store staff members Tom Maffea, Steven Marker and Andy Stumato welcomed guests to the store on January 14 for the book talk presented by author Andrew Reynolds.

http://sfbaytimes.com/

A large crowd, including a group of University of North Carolina alumni, was on hand at the HRC store on January 14 where author Andrew Reynolds presented his new book The Children of Harvey Milk. Reynolds, who teaches at UNC, discussed how Harvey Milk inspired other LGBT people to run for elected office.

items of the week Aarke Water Carbonation

Author Andrew Reynolds (left) with his new book The Children of Harvey Milk was joined by Irish Sinn Féin politician and former mayor of Dubin Fintan Warfield on January 14 at the HRC store on Castro Street.

Fintan currently serves as Senator for the Cultural and Educational Panel of Ireland.

Aarke is the world’s first sparkling water maker designed with a complete stainless steel enclosure. Forget the plasticky soda makers of the past. This machine will look beautiful for years to come on your kitchen counter.

Richmond-Ermet Aid Foundation’s (REAF) Ken Henderson shared a toast with Baby Shaques during the Imperial Court’s benefit for REAF held at Beaux on January 12.

Dr. Dee Spencer, jazz musician and San Francisco State University instructor (right) and Cheryl Brown shared a hug with a friend at Beaux during the Imperial Court’s benefit for REAF on January 12.

January is a good time to test your smoke alarms. If it’s time to upgrade or replace, the Nest Protect is a sweet choice. Not only does it give you a heads up in a pleasant voice when you burn the toast, it can also be joined with other Nest alarms to let you know what room has the issue. Not at home?... No problem. The Nest Protect can be monitored and controlled from your phone.

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Former Senator Mark Leno congratulated Bare Chest Calendar Man Max Killen during the party held at the Lookout bar on January.

Bare Chest Calendar men and their supporters and friends placed banners on the balcony at the Lookout bar on January 12, announcing the total of $201,261 raised in support of PRC.

Nest Protect Smoke and CO2 Detector

PRC’s Brett Andrews thanked supporters of PRC during the Bare Chest Calendar Party on January 12.

Speakers welcomed guests to the Bare Chest Calendar party supporting PRC held at the Lookout bar on January 12.

An announcement at the event acknowledged that more than $200,000 has been raised from sales of the 2019 calendar.

appy January from all of us at Cliff’s.

The beginning of the year means our amazing buyers are taking off for trade shows to find the newest and greatest things for 2019. All of these new fun things should start rolling into the store in early February. We can’t wait to share with you some of our new treasures.

As Heard on the Street . . . Why are you attending the 3rd Annual Women’s March?

Lisa Williams “I am here to support all women’s rights and it’s our time!”

Chava Kiki

Sally Buchmann

“I am here to: represent the Sacramento “Because we need to change to provide Sisters House, represent asexual women, wage equity, universal health care, and to be a positive voice of support for affordable housing, honor diversity, all women.” and save our planet.”

compiled by Rink

Larry Nelson

Sister Pansies

“I am following the lead of my activist mother. Women have always empowered me with their actions.”

“To support women’s rights, to support my Sisters, and to experience the event in person.”

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