San Francisco Bay Times - April 19, 2018

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2018) April 19–May 2, 2018 | sfbaytimes.com

SF’s First Mayoral Candidate Town Hall See pages 15–19

ANGELA ALIOTO

(TOP) OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BY CHUCK KENNEDY (LOWER LEFT) OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BY PETE SOUZA

LONDON BREED

MARK LENO

JANE KIM

In the News Compiled by Dennis McMillan War on Data Could Erase LGBT Victims of Crime Several Bay Area organizations are expressing concern over the Department of Justice plan to stop asking 16 and 17-year-olds about their sexual orientation and gender identity in the National Crime Victimization Survey. The national survey, conducted twice a year, asks about 135,000 households questions about the frequency and nature of reported as well as unreported crimes. Since July 2016, the questions concerning sexual orientation and gender identity have been included. In a Federal Register notice on April 11, however, the Bureau of Justice Statistics requested to raise the minimum age for those questions from 16 to 18 “due to concerns about the potential sensitivity of these questions for adolescents.” Since the data is used in creating public policy, there is concern that the lack of LGBT-specific information will quietly erase many LGBT victims of crime. As Shannan Wilber, youth policy director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said, “When groups of people are invisible, their problems are invisible.”

The Bureau’s request is open for public comments until May 11. For more information, see the Federal Register page (federalregister.gov/documents/2018/04/11/2018-07448/ agency-information-collection-activities-proposed-ecollection-ecomments-requested-revision-of-a). motherjones.com Women’s Community Clinic Is Moving to Lyon-Martin Health Services Location Lyon-Martin Health Services and Women’s Community Clinic are both programs of HealthRIGHT 360 and for many years have provided safe, high-quality and culturally sensitive services for LGBT community members. Beginning May 8, both will be located at 1735 Mission Street, along with the Lee Woodward Counseling Center for Women. Women’s Community Clinic, which is presently located at 1833 Fillmore Street, 3rd Floor, will begin the move on Friday, May 4. Lyon-Martin Health Services will be open for a half day on that Friday, from 8:30 am to 12:15 pm. Together, they will reopen on the following Tuesday at 8:30 am. A statement released by Lyon-Martin mentions: “In a healthcare environment that makes it increasingly difficult for small clinics to survive, Lyon-Martin Health Services and the Women’s Community Clinic will be stronger together than we could possibly be apart.

But this move is about more than just our financial sustainability: we see this as an opportunity to strengthen our mission and deepen our impact on people who have struggled to find safety and care in the traditional healthcare system.” lyon-martin.org Mayor Mark Farrell Signs Legislation Renaming Airport Terminal After Harvey Milk Mayor Mark Farrell was joined by Supervisor Hillary Ronen, David Campos of the San Francisco Democratic Party, San Francisco International Airport’s Chief Operating Officer Jeff Littlefield and Stuart Milk of the Harvey Milk Foundation to sign legislation that will rename San Francisco International Airport Terminal 1 after Harvey Milk. The brief ceremony was held on April 16 at 11 am on the Mayor’s Balcony at City Hall. San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk was the state’s first openly gay politician. He was assassinated in 1978. Prior to the mayor’s signing the legislation, it had been approved 2

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unanimously by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. sfmayor.org Rotary Club of SF Named First LGBTQQ Rotary Club in the World On March 25, the Rotary Club of San Francisco Castro gained official status as being the first LGBTQ+ Rotary Club in not only the U.S., but also the entire world. According to Rotary International, such clubs bring businesses and professional leaders together in order “to exchange ideas, and form friendships and professional connections while making a difference in their backyards and around the world.”

Altogether, there are 1.2 million members within the approximately 35,000 clubs. The San Francisco club’s official “rebranding” as LGBTQQ allows them to focus their efforts on bettering the local gay community. They already have held related speaker events, participated in Pride parades and more. Membership chair Gary Keener said that anyone is welcome to join, even if they do not identify as being LGBTQQ. sfchronicle.com Third Harvey Milk Plaza Community Meeting Held San Francisco’s Harvey Milk Plaza, at the heart of the Castro District, is sacred ground for LGBT civil rights history. Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza (FHMP) is undertaking an effort to reimagine and reinvigorate this public space into a fitting and lasting tribute to the plaza’s history and namesake, so that Milk’s legacy may continue to educate and inspire generations of visitors. Accordingly, FHMP has been holding a series of community meetings to get feedback. The April 7 meeting, third of a fourth and final to come, at Most Holy Redeemer Parish Hall had 11 roundtables of 5 each gathered to discuss four different architectural design plans by Perkins-Eastman architects. The four different plans were entitled: “Harvey’s Journey/Your Journey;” “Castro’s Living Room;” “A Soapbox for Many;” and “Castro’s Perch.” Three important aspects were requested: adding a second elevator, widening the sidewalk near Collingwood Street, and replacing existing lighting. Of most importance were universal access to all and a memorial to Milk that would educate and inspire. The final meeting open to the public will take place in Sanchez Elementary School on May 15. After that, City approval will be required before production can begin. FHMP is now asking the public to examine the four designs and make comments (neighborland.com/ harveymilk).

Lambda Legal Challenge to Military Trans Ban on Course to Proceed to Trial On April 13, a federal court in Seattle rejected the Trump Administration’s claim that its new discriminatory plan to ban transgender people from serving openly in the U.S. Armed Services passes muster. Instead, the court found that the implementation plan the Administration issued in late March was not a new policy, but rather threatens the very same constitutional violations and that the lawsuit brought by Lambda Legal and OutServe-SLDN can proceed to trial. Furthermore, the court also found that the effort to ban transgender people from (continued on page 30)

A House Divided: The Fair Housing Act and Kerner Commission Report 50 Years Later mortgage, and insurance schemes to primarily keep blacks out of white neighborhoods—were in sum too numerous, onerous, and untenable to maintain against the turning tide toward racial desegregation.

13 BELOW MARKET RATE ownership units available 99 Rausch, 99 Rausch Street, San Francisco • 2 studio, 6 one-bedroom and 5 two-bedroom units selling from $220,755 for studio without parking, $298,216 for studio with parking; $284,417 for one-bedroom unit without parking, $335,449 with parking; $279,033 for two-bedroom unit without parking, $369,950 with parking available to households at or under 100% of median income • Buyers households must earn no more than the income levels listed below:

HOUSEHOLD SIZE

100% OF MEDIAN INCOME 2017

One Person Two Person Three Person Four Person Five Person

$80,700 $92,250 $103,750 $115,300 $124,500

Applications will be accepted beginning March 1st and must be received by 5pm on Thursday, April 12th, 2018 to:

Please contact 415.701.5613 for more information about the COP Program.

Information session

Homeownership SF 275 Fifth St. Suite 314 San Francisco CA 94103

Contact Homeownership SF for further information.

For more information & to apply contact Homeownership SF:

Open House Dates

All BMR Application and qualification questions should be directed to one of the five housing counseling agencies listed here: homeownershipsf.org/workshops or to HomeownershipSF at info@homeownershipsf.org or 415.202.5464.

March 10th, 9-11am; March 12th, 5-7pm; March 17th, 9-11am

Cross Currents Andrea Shorter 1968. Just saying “1968” floods the mind, body, and spirit with memories of one of the most unforgettable periods in American history. If you were “there” in 1968, 50 years later your first-hand accounts of what was going down with the worsening of the Vietnam War, the earth-shattering assassinations of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert Kennedy, the violent protests outside of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the eruption of urban African American communities uprisings, the Ronald Reagan governorship, President Lyndon B. Johnson’s the Black Panther movement, and at least 20 other upheaval events might now blur together as a not too distant, but distant enough, amass of factoids sadly reduced to a tidy Wikipedia snapshot. Even sadder, from the perspective of the post-baby boomer to Gen Z mindsets, the expansive and historical depth events of 1968 might carry little more relevance today than the events of 1776.

No matter one’s personal, Googled, PBS, or CNN sourced accounts, it is undeniable that the confluence of seemingly endless insurgencies that occurred in 1968 shook America, and the world, to its very core. There was very little that was trivial then or in the aftermath of 1968. In a world turned upside down, righting the paths towards justice, fairness, and peace were ensconced in a series of acts cast as elemental and foundational hallmarks of LBJ’s Great Society.

2018 marks the 50th anniversaries of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, commonly known as the Fair Housing Act, and the Kerner Commission Report. The Fair Housing Act (FHA) was signed into law by LBJ one week after the assassination of Dr. King.

The FHA ideally sought to remedy gross and abject housing discrimination based on race and to enact policies and practices that would ensure the “de-ghettoization” of African Americans into racially integrative residential living along with historically resistant whites. Before the FHA was signed into law, it was commonplace—and practiced as common law since the 1800’s as perfectly legal, socially accepted and expected—for majority white property owners and brokers to deny rental or purchasable housing or land to people of color, particularly African Americans.

Relatedly, the LBJ appointed Kerner Commission’s Report sought to identify, define, and posit supportive recommendations to address the causes of African American urban unrest, turmoil, and riots. A Smithsonian showcase of the reports resides in the collections of the newly opened National Museum of African American History. The following from it pointedly sums up the horrendous variables the report identified and sought to address: “Bad policing practices, a flawed justice system, unscrupulous consumer credit practices, poor or inadequate housing, high unemployment, voter suppression, and other culturally embedded forms of racial discrimination all converged to propel violent upheaval on the streets of African American neighborhoods in American cities, north and south, east and west. And as black unrest arose, inadequately trained police officers and National Guard troops entered affected neighborhoods, often worsening violence.”

Through 2018 eyes, the collision of any two or three of these variables would obviously culminate into understandable social upset and urgent demands for redress. Perhaps what was most startling and controversial, however, about the report was its clear and definitive identification of white racism as a direct cause of the problems at hand: “White society is deeply implicated in the ghetto. White institutions created it, white institutions maintained it, and white society condones it.” It was further posited that the nation would become so divided, it was “poised to fracture into two radically unequal societies—one black, one white.”

50 years later, the summary of the report’s intended impacts and the FHA remain broadly lacking in def initive results. The dynamics between race and poverty may have changed only slightly for African Americans and other racial minorities, but they still persist against a lack of organized political will and practical investments in substantial job creation, increased minimum wages, pay equity for women, and tax credits that are proven to lift families and communities out of poverty. This current administration’s posture to undermine, if not totally reverse or erase, declarative actions charged to feder-

al agencies, such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development, provides little to no hope that any further advances are to be made to rectify with urgency these social ills.

The affordable housing crisis in the state of California is not immune to the implications and consequences of development rooted in bygone regressive, segregationist policies and practices. As debates ensue regarding various legislative proposals to address the need to build more affordable housing, aside from the usual political bomb throws against proponents’ speculated alignment with or representation of developer interests over the public’s trust, what gets easily and conveniently lost is the fact that much of the mess in which we currently find ourselves still lies within widely applied practices that can result in segregated residential patterns. Affordable housing has sadly become code for inviting the undesirable, and undeserving, into an exclusive sanctity.

Perhaps foremost among those practices are neighborhood organizations that exist to protect property values, preservation of neighborhood character, transit impacts, etc. Gated community NIMBY-ism too often still serves to keep the right people in, and the wrong people out. While race may appear to play a lesser role than socioeconomic status (apparent affordability) of preferred residents and neighbors, the social, political, and economic effects of their actual influences and culpability as silent vestiges of institutional racism should be further examined in relation to compromising fair housing and urban development towards promoting desegregated communities over the past half century.

The political will is as necessary today as it was in 1968 to prevent another 50 years of “good neighborly” resistance in traditionally declared untouchable zip code areas toward realizing the greater social benefits of racially and socioeconomically diverse communities. After all, a house divided cannot stand—especially if the social foundation upon which it is built is faulty.

Andrea Shorter is 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.

The severe consequences of blatant segregationist policies and practices—the development of homeowner associ- Andrea Shorter, representing the San Francisco Bay Times, joined special guest Jackie Biskupski, Mayor of Salt Lake ations, neighborhood City; Lesbian Super PAC board members and staff; and other guests at the LPAC reception on Thursday, April 5, at watches, rea l estate, Chambers, the unique bar/restaurant at the historic Phoenix Hotel.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREA SHORTER

Affordable Homes for Sale in San Francisco

A Fantastic New Exhibit and Book About Our Shared Humanity: hapa.me – 15 years of the hapa project

6/26 and Beyond Stuart Gaffney How many times has a stranger on the street asked you the question, “What are you?”—as if you looked like you were from outer space? In fact, many people of mixed race like me are asked this question repeatedly throughout our lives—by friends, neighbors, classmates, and even strangers. Years ago, at a party, people thought it would be fun to play a guessing game regarding my racial identity. One person told me with conviction that I was an “Aleutian Eskimo.” In reality, I am mixed race Chinese and English/Irish—or Hapa—a broad term referring to people of mixed Asian ancestry.

For the last 15 years, I have been proud to be part of UC Santa Barbara Professor Kip Fulbeck’s The Hapa Project. In 2001, Fulbeck had the brilliant idea to reclaim the “What are you?” question and create a book and travelling art exhibit, entitled Part Asian, 100% Hapa. In the book and exhibit, Fulbeck displayed original photographs of many Hapa people and our handwritten responses to “What are you?” on our own terms.

In 2018, I answered the question very differently. I talked about the parallels between my parents’ experience of being able to marry in California in the 1950s only because the California Supreme Court overturned the state ban on interracial marriage, and all that my husband John and I have experienced over the last 15 years as part of the marriage equality movement. I described how wonderful it was for my parents to walk me down the aisle when John and I married in 2008 after our community’s historic victory for marriage equality at the same California Supreme Court. This time I wrote in all caps: “LOVE IS LOVE!” and “EQUALITY .”

♥

In our own way, queer people also have to answer the “What are you?” question over and over again. We do this when we come out. Of course, all too often politicians, preachers, our own family members, and many others have imposed their own ignorant or misguided answers on us and on society, to our great detriment. But the world is changing because millions of queer people and our supporters are answering the question on our own terms, articulating the truth of our lives from our hearts

and living openly and honestly— just as The Hapa Project invites Hapa people to do.

Something else that queer people and Hapa people often have in common is that our parents do not share our experience—my parents weren’t queer or mixed race. We have to discover, investigate, and come to understand our identities for ourselves and in community with each other.

When I attended the opening of the hapa.me exhibit two weeks ago, I was struck by how happy, safe, and at home I felt surrounded by hundreds of other mixed-race folks, our friends and families. As the day went on, it became not only an opening of an art exhibit but also a festival of spontaneous storytelling as well. Seemingly everyone wanted to tell their story and to hear everyone else’s.

Indeed, the exhibit was bringing out the very best in people, as if everyone suddenly wanted to get to know everyone else in a celebration of all that we share as well as the ways we differ. We all have a story to tell. And as we have learned so profoundly through the marriage equality movement, our personal stories have the power to open hearts and to create change. hapa.me – 15 years of the hapa project is on view at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles until October 28, 2018 ( janm.org/ exhibits/hapa-me/).

For more information or to participate in the project, please visit: hapa.me Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis, 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 same-sex marriage legal nationwide.

PHOTO CREDIT: KIP FULBECK

A few weeks ago, a beautiful new art exhibition, entitled hapa.me – 15 years of the hapa project, opened at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. The exhibit and recently published book of the same name feature then and now portraits of many of the participants and new

answers to the “What are you?” question alongside those of 15 years ago. Fifteen years ago, I answered the question in two words in all caps: “QUEER EURASIAN.” I wanted anyone viewing the book or exhibit to know that both my race and my sexuality were queer and to be aware of the existence of queer Hapas. Indeed, when the exhibit went up at a university in Georgia, staff told Fulbeck that he would have to remove my portrait and words from the show at their school. To his great credit, Fulbeck told them that if my photo and words went, the entire exhibit would go. They relented, and my portrait and words remained proudly part of the show.

GGBA’s Make Contact Photos by Rink

The monthly business and social networking mixer Make Contact, hosted by GGBA (Golden Gate Business Association) is among the Bay Area LGBT community’s most long-standing monthly events. Officers Paul Pendergast, Dawn Ackerman and Audrey deLucia were among the organization’s board members welcoming attendees to the April 10 event held at Sennheiser “The Future of Audio.” The annual Mega Make Contact will be hosted by BMW of San Francisco on Tuesday, May 15, 5:30–8pm. ggba.com S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

APR IL 19, 2018

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Keeping Score of the San Francisco Mayor’s Race

Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History Louise “Lou” Fischer I’m a sports superfan. I’ll watch, and sometimes play, anything that involves a ball or a puck: baseball, basketball, ice hockey, tennis, rugby, football, volleyball and lacrosse. I’ll cheer for athletes participating in any kind of race: track, swimming, skiing ... heck, I’ll even watch the baby pig racing at the Alameda County Fair.

(While no piglets were harmed in the race, I try not to think of their probable future in the Oscar Mayer section of the supermarket.)

I’m often asked by neighbors, friends, co-workers and random people, “Who is winning the San Francisco mayor’s race?” We watch sports and measure the outcome and probable winner by the “score,” so why not keep score during the mayor’s race?

The only other alternative would be to invite the candidates to the Alameda County Fair to suit up for pig racing, but I don’t see that happening.

What is the appropriate measure for scorekeeping? While the amount of money raised by the campaign is important, it is not a guarantee of electoral success. History is littered with candidates who spent the equivalent of the Gross Domestic Product of a developed nation on their campaign and lost ... badly. In addition, the last thing I want to do is to hunker down in the SF Ethics office and pore through reams of Campaign Finance Disclosure forms (Form 460), so with no other alternative and a scientific mind that doesn’t believe in psychic readings, I chose the all-important and often overrated holy grail of campaigns: the “endorsement.”

What are endorsements, and do they really matter? Endorsements are a person or group’s support of a candidate for elected office. Whether they really matter is up for debate, but they make the candidate feel good. A campaign is a back-breaking, sleep depriving equivalent of running a 26mile marathon almost every day, so who wouldn’t want a little endorsement love? Some endorsements are more valuable than others. In San

Francisco, the LENO BREED KIM coveted endorse- CATEGORY ment of the Al- Elected Officials 44 48 23 ice B . Tok l a s 24 26 25 L GBT Demo - Organizations cratic Club is a Community Leaders 238 119 117 much sought-after golden tick- Friends 135 et, as is the San 306 328 165 Francisco Dem- TOTALS ocratic County So, “What’s the Score?” To tabulate, Central Committee. They both have I used the self-reported endorsement active Slate Card and field programs lists on the candidates’ websites. In sitand do a great deal of “get out the uations where the candidate received vote” (GOTV) organizing for their either a dual or ranked endorsement, they still got 1 point; my rationale was endorsed candidates. that they are appearing on the slate The other categories of endorsers are: card (or other materials) and because elected officials, in other words, peo- I generally prefer whole numbers. All ple who have won an election; com- 3 candidates have categories entitled munity organizations/groups that “Elected Officials,” “Organizations” include unions, affinity groups, polit- and “Community Leaders.” London ical clubs, news/media outlets or any Breed added a fourth category for aggregate of 2 or more people who “Friends and Neighbors,” and by the give themselves a catchy name; and a looks of things, she is a very friendnew-ish category called “community ly and neighborly person. For this exleaders,” which used to mean famous ercise, I added her F&N total to the people who made substantial contri- Community Leaders. butions to the community and were recognized for their greatness, but in In the “Elected Officials” category, the era of social media where every- Jane Kim listed people who were acone can be a celebrity, let’s just say tually “elected,” so she gets browncommunity leaders are unsung heroes ie points for accuracy. London Breed labeled her category as “Elected Ofwho walk among us. ficials & Commissioners” and I like Of the 4 major candidates in the race, that because I’m a stickler for detail.

3 have posted their endorsements on Mark Leno listed Commissioners in their websites, so as much as I respect this “Elected Officials” category— Angela Alioto for the good work she note to the campaign: Commissionhas done for the city, I had to leave ers are appointed, not elected, so you her out of this fun exercise. (Angela, have a bit of a misnomer to fix. post your endorsements so I can do According to my not-so-scientific ala follow-up!) I know Angela and adgorithm, London Breed is currently mire her commitment to civil rights ahead of Mark Leno by 22 endorseand her no-nonsense approach to im- ments (7% for those keeping score at proving the quality of life issues that home). That said, all 3 of these candicurrently plague the city. dates have a record of winning races I’m not personally endorsing anyone in this column, but I will say kind words about everyone because my Mama raised me right. Mark Leno has a long and distinguished career in public service as a Supervisor and State Legislator; I’ve introduced him at political events and I could never list all of the contributions he has made for the citizens of San Francisco throughout his illustrious career.

I helped London Breed on her first campaign for Supervisor when she boldly took on and vanquished an appointed incumbent. She has continuously beaten the odds in a world where the deck is often stacked against her and as President of the Board of Supervisors, she has cemented her reputation as a formidable and respected leader.

Jane Kim and I are political friends and have worked together on initiatives. I respect her for the hard work she has done in one of the most challenging districts in the city.

against incumbents, or in Jane Kim’s case, against a well-endorsed favorite, so none of them should be counted out.

If London Breed wins on June 5, you heard it here first. If Leno, Kim or Alioto win, then, this was a fun exercise that gave me a topic to write about. Two years ago, when a friend asked me why the Sharks lost in the Stanley Cup f inals, the logical response was “because the Pittsburgh Penguins scored more goals than the Sharks in 4 out of 6 games.” The answer to who will win the mayor’s race on June 5 is “whoever gets more votes than the other candidates.”

Louise “Lou” Fischer is the Immediate Past Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club and has served as an appointed and elected Delegate for the State Democratic Party. She is a San Francisco Commissioner and has served in leadership positions in multiple non-profit and community-based organizations.

In Memoriam: Doris Ward (1/27/32–4/14/18) A lifelong civil rights activist, Doris Ward spent her career fighting for equality and justice. Whether working for the San Francisco Community College District, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, or the Office of the Assessor-Recorder, Ward brought a compassionate and kind approach to her duties, reflecting the values of the City she served.

“Doris Ward was a fearless political leader who cared deeply about San Francisco and the residents of this city,” said Mayor Mark Farrell. “As the first African American female president of the Board of Supervisors, Doris was a trailblazing presence whose courage and resolve helped inspire countless others to follow in her footsteps.”

He added, “San Francisco has lost a respected politician, valued friend and admired community leader.

Our thoughts are with Doris’ family during this difficult time.”

San Francisco Bay Times columnist and Commissioner Andrea Shorter was a close friend of Ward. Shorter said, 6

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“She had been winding down for the past month, and late last week, friends were notified that her passing was eminent.”

“Doris and I were both from Indiana (she was born in Illinois), where she was already a trailblazer,” Shorter continued, “and my family and I knew of her well before I arrived in San Francisco. She became a dear friend and mentor. I was particularly proud to eventually succeed her as the second African American woman to serve on City College’s Board of Trustees.”

The San Francisco Chronicle on April 16 ran an extensive piece on Ward (https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Doris-Ward-first-black-woman-to-lead-SF-Boardof-12837761.php). It indicates that a celebration in San Francisco of Ward’s life is being planned.

Tips for Surviving a Volatile Investment Market achieve in life. Your goals are probably more stable than the markets, so a solid plan makes it easier to weather ups and downs.

Money Matters Brandon Miller The President tweets and the markets soar. His next tweet sends the Dow toward its worst day ever. Months of astounding gains are wiped out in a single day. And before you can fully absorb what has happened, another domestic or global situation causes the market to rise and fall like a Richter scale during an earthquake swarm.

So, how do you keep calm and carry on when it comes to your investments?

Here are a few suggestions: Keep things in perspective. Simply put, volatility is a given when you are investing. Everything from political uncertainty at home or in the far corners of the world to natural disasters to breakthrough discoveries can impact investor confidence. But history has repeatedly shown us that market setbacks are typically followed by periods of recovery.

Create a goals-based plan. Instead of chasing the next great investment or bailing out when stocks tank, develop an investing strategy that centers around what you want to

A goals-based plan also removes the temptation to try market timing, where you attempt to buy when investments are low and sell when they’re high. This is challenging, to say the least, since no one really knows where the market is headed at any given time. And it could actually end up costing you money if you get into, or out of, the market at the wrong time.

Diversif y your invest ments.

Investing in different types of assets helps spread out your risk. Often when one type of investment is down, another asset class may be experiencing banner growth. For example, bonds may offer an island of stability when stocks and other equities are plummeting. Using an asset allocation strategy, you can balance risk and reward by investing in different types of assets in portions that make sense for your goals, risk tolerance and time horizon.

Invest regularly. One of the smartest ways to combat market uncertainty is to create a regular investment schedule. You can choose any interval that works for you—weekly, monthly, quarterly or per paycheck. The beauty of this strategy is that you invest during both peaks and valleys, which helps to even things out. And this disciplined approach helps to ensure that short-term downturns have minimal impact on your portfolio’s ultimate performance.

Review your investments often.

The world is always changing and your investments may need to change

too, to reflect new realities. An annual review of your portfolio can help to make sure your investments take advantage of new opportunities, while still aligning with your ultimate investment goals.

Turn to the professionals. You may have read through all of these suggestions and still not be totally comfortable making important investment decisions yourself. No worries. A financial planner can help you to sort through the myriad options and to create an investment strategy that works best for you.

If you are nervous about your investments, especially when the market makes a major correction and drops precipitously, you might be in the wrong ones. A financial professional can help you to find assets that are a better fit for your risk tolerance. They can also make sure your investments ref lect your values (keeping gun investments out of your portfolio, for example), and advance you toward your goals.

Whether you turn to professional help or invest on your own, the main thing to remember is that a solid financial plan that is based on your goals provides one of the best antidotes to the anxiety caused by a roller-coaster investment market.

Given that the tweeter-in-chief has almost three more years remaining in his term, creating a solid financial plan now may save you from an ulcer later.

Brandon Miller, CFP® is a financial consultant at Brio Financial Group in San Francisco, specializing in helping LGBT individuals and families plan and achieve their financial goals.

Sporty Cars for Driving Fun viewer, the Miata and the BRZ feel l i ke old friends who have benef ited from helpfu l adjustments along the way.

Auto Philip Ruth “Alexa, next.” My neighbors who hear me bark that many times per day probably wish I’d go ahead and clean up my playlists, rather than continue to order my AI device to skip “Ebony and Ivory” and “I Want It That Way.” That kind of bland issuance of orders characterizes the driving experience of many new cars, as technology and autonomy eclipse the joy of a welltuned engine and suspension. It’s an environment where seamless compliance has the highest value.

This week’s Mazda MX-5 Miata Club and Subaru BRZ turn that on its head. To this longtime new-car re-

T hese spor tsters landed in my driveway at about the same time, and that pointed up how fundamentally similar they are. Neither has excess horsepower; enthusiasts have groused for years that the BRZ and its twin, the Toyota 86, could benefit from a boost in thrust. Personally, I wouldn’t ask for much more—maybe another 40 horses or so—and they’d preferably be positioned low in the rev range for sharper around-town scoot.

The Miata could use a little more down low as well, but its lighter overall feel corrects for that a bit.

It’s helpful to emphasize the more fundamental nature of these two, particularly if you’re thinking of either for your primary transportation. I happened to park on Castro Street in front of another BRZ, and the owner said he loved driving it—but he was about to sell it, because it proved to be too noisy and sharp-riding in his trips to Palm Springs. “This is a good second car for someone like me,” he said.

But it was too uncomfortable to be his only rig.

Subaru BRZ TS

Keep that in mind as you’re considering either of these, as city parking typica l ly rest r ict s people to one car, if that. It means committing to a certain set of demands

Mazda MX-5 Miata

every time you drive, which again is the opposite direction most buyers are headed. You’re a deliberate outlier if you sign a BRZ or Miata purchase contract.

Both cars will handsomely reward your boldness. Like the gear shifters, the BRZ’s has a longer throw, but that can be easily tidied up with an aftermarket short-shift kit. The Miata’s is just about perfect, with a deliciously satisfying mechanical flick landing it in place. Mazda has been refining the Miata over decades, and that kind of evergreen development shows in its generally slick response.

The BRZ has the rougher charm of a Subaru, with its horizontally-opposed engine kicking to life with the thrums of the DL 4WD wagons that originally got the company on its feet. The BRZ’s personality is present from the turn of the key.

That’s pretty much the opposite of the unthinking acquiescence we’re being conditioned to appreciate in all our tech: we don’t want Alexa talking back. Meanwhile, the BRZ and Miata both have a lot say, each in their own voices.

Philip Ruth is a Castro-based automotive photojournalist and consultant (www.gaycarguy.com). Check out his automotive staging service at www.carstaging.com S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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Survivors remained HIV-negative through the epidemic, didn’t just feel fortunate about their own survival, but also experienced deep conflict about it. Had they in some way abandoned those who died? Had they stolen a “survival slot” from someone else? If they allowed themselves to go on to find success or happiness or love, were they being insensitive or indifferent to those who could never have those things again?

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

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Examined Life Tom Moon, MFT The concept of survivor guilt has been around since the 1960s, when it was identified in survivors of the Holocaust and the bombing of Hiroshima. Originally, it was assumed to be a relatively rare syndrome that only occurred in horrific disasters, maybe because the idea of feeling guilty for surviving seems so strange that most people assumed that it had to be rare.

Only recently has it become clear how widespread the issue really is.

I first noticed this form of guilt in gay men who were survivors of the AIDS epidemic. Many men who lost friends and partners to the epidemic, but who themselves survived long enough to access effective treatments, or who

If ideas like these sound bonkers, well, yes. They are. Part of the treatment for survivor guilt is to make the ideas that drive it conscious, so that their inherent irrationality can be recognized. But irrational or not, survivor guilt is normal, even common, and the human mind is far more susceptible to it than we used to think.

I remember, for instance, a crystal meth addict who hit bottom and recognized that his addiction was killing him. He knew that he was only going to survive if he left behind his whole circle of friends, who were also meth users. Today he’s free from the grip of his addiction, and virtually all of his friends are dead. He mourns them, but he also suspects that his own survival meant selfishly turning his back on them, and he is tormented by the question, “What right do I have to be alive when they’re all gone?”

Survivors of family dysfunction often feel deep conflict about their survival. I think of a woman who grew up in a household with chronically depressed parents. She escaped the family misery and now struggles to allow herself to thrive, but has to fight the judgment that she has no right to be happy when that was impossible for her parents. Survivor guilt also shows up among people who come from backgrounds of crushing poverty, but who rose out of it in their own lives; in people who are healthy but have relatives with severe hereditary illness; in veterans of war; in first responders to tragedies; in recipients of organ transplants, and so on.

Survivor guilt can be tricky to spot, because often the ideas behind it aren’t fully conscious. Typical symptoms are anxiety and depression, insomnia, inability to grieve, emotional numbness, and preoccupations with questions about the meaning of life and about why one survived. A very common pattern is self-sabotaging behavior. People with survivor guilt often are accident prone, or in other ways unconsciously take away their success or happiness in order to atone for their guilt.

To get a feel for the acute emotional suffering that survivor guilt can create, I highly recommend the 1980 film Ordinary People. In that film, Conrad

(Timothy Hutton) suffers agitation, depression, and isolation following a boating accident that he survived, but in which his brother drowned. In his talks with a therapist, he comes to understand that his symptoms aren’t just the result of the trauma of the accident, but are due to his guilt over surviving when his brother did not.

When we look at the bigger picture, sooner or later almost all of us face the dilemmas of the survivor. Most of us at some point leave behind people or situations that are destructive or dangerous to us; or we experience health, success, or good fortune that is denied to people we care about.

In such situations, it can take considerable effort and determination to remember that self-care isn’t selfish, and to maintain a focused commitment to our own well-being. If you recognize this struggle in yourself, you might be inspired by reading Mary Oliver’s poem The Journey, which beautifully depicts the intensity of courage and steadfastness that is required to remain loyal to our highest good.

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

Resist. Rebuild. Give OUT!

By Roger Doughty As LGBTQ people, we f ind ourselves at a moment in history when we all need to stand up and be counted. That means resisting. That means saying “no” to injustice in every form.

Standing up—especially in times like these—also means giving. Giving is one of the most radical ways to resist, because it means fueling the grassroots organizations that fight for our rights day in and day out.

Every LGBTQ person and ally can take this simple but radical step—together—on Give OUT Day (giveoutday.org), which takes place on April 19. That’s when tens of thousands of LGBTQ people, from every part of our community, will give to power our movement and our communities.

Give OUT Day happens only once a year: it’s the only 24-hour day of giving benefitting LGBTQ nonprofits and programs. More than 600 organizations from every state in the Union and Washington, D.C., are

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taking part. Collectively, these nonprofits represent the vast diversity of work being done to safeguard our rights, meet our community’s needs, and celebrate the lives of LGBTQ people and culture.

Across the country and in the Bay Area, Give OUT Day organizations drive impact and empower members of our community to create positive change.

Locally, dozens of organizations are participating that serve the needs and celebrate the life of our community. You can help the Q Foundation raise money to combat LGBTQ homelessness, or El/La Para TransLatinas provide health services in the Mission, or Old Lesbians Organizing for Change to build lesbian community. You can make it possible for New Conservatory Theatre to bring plays about homophobia and bullying to deep-red areas of the Central Valley, or the Pacific Center to meet mental health needs, or LGBTQ Connection in Napa to create a welcoming space for teens.

Here’s what’s great about Give OUT Day: it’s not just that a breathtaking range of LGBTQ groups participate, but also that every LGBTQ person (or ally) can be part of it. Every gift matters. That means $10 gifts as well as $1,000 gifts. Put together, they add up to a one-day total of nearly a million dollars of support for LGBTQ causes.

And our community needs every one of those gifts, bigger ones, smaller ones, and all in-between.

Because the task we face now isn’t just about resistance, it’s about rebuilding as well.

In these troubled times, more than ever, we’re called to resource the hope and passion that are so alive in our community. The tide of resistance is having impact. It’s building stronger solidarity across LGBTQ groups active in the fight for social justice, as well as those taking care of our community in towns, cities, and states across the country. We know that there is power in numbers and that by working together, we are stronger. We know that no one group can achieve the equity they seek if other people

fall behind. We know that what matters for one of us must matter for all of us.

You can be part of the tide by supporting an LGBTQ nonprof it on Give OUT Day on April 19. Give early. Give today. Give often. Give big.

Give small. Just Give OUT. Roger Doughty is the President of Horizons Foundation (https://www. horizonsfoundation.org/).

Anchor Oyster Bar and Cove Cafe are both participating restaurants in Dining Out for Life on Tuesday, April 24. For a complete list of locations, visit: doflsf.org/participating-restaurants/

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SF Sketch Randy Coleman Randy Coleman hails from New York, but has lived in San Francisco since 1975. Coleman shares that before moving to the Bay Area, he studied Art History and Architecture at Boston University while working as a resident artist for architectural rendering at a Massachusetts historical society. “All of my life I’ve been an artist,” Coleman says. “To know me is to know that I have a passion for art and architecture. I love this project for the San Francisco Bay Times, and hope that you enjoy my sketches.”

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© Randy Coleman, 2018

GLBT Fortnight in Review

By Ann Rostow

My Time of Day I’m up early this morning watching Mika and Joe, to my continuing and profound irritation. Can these two talkaholics get smugger if they tried?

Every show starts with an oh my God can you believe this roll of the eyes and big sigh from Mika, followed perhaps by a sanctimonious speech by Joe, or maybe a vignette of faux confusion. “Wait, Mika. I don’t understand. Are you telling me Donald Trump’s lawyer has his own lawyer?

I don’t get it ... .” Then there are the dumb inside jokes about the various guests or the show’s technicians: “Alex said he’s going to kill Barnacle if he wears that tie again!” This is not to mention Joe’s boorish habit of deliberately starting a new monologue just as Mika announces a break.

Perhaps you’re wondering why I put myself through the unpleasantness to begin with. I’m a political junkie and it’s five in the morning, that’s why. It’s like asking me why I’m drinking pinot grigio out of a box at lunchtime. It was all I could find.

Oh, and am I the only one who thinks Jim Comey is a sanctimonious dipstick, redeemed only somewhat due to his status as a Trump irritant? The man cost us the election, people! For no reason. Egomaniac puffin.

There She Is… Deep breath. I’m sorry for the rant.

I go in and out of focus these days, some days drilling down on the latest dirt and other days letting the news swirl around in a haze. Today, we drill bien sur! But first, I had a double take at the headline: “Former Miss America Weds Girlfriend.” I’ve been covering the picturesque GLBT community for a couple of decades now and I feel sure that I would have remembered a lesbian Miss America.

Apparent ly, however, t his M iss America became gay years after winning the pageant in 2005. Or at least she married a man and divorced him prior to opening the closet doors or discovering her true nature. Deirdre Downs also became a doctor and was a finalist for a Rhodes scholarship, so I’d say she’s had a busy decade or so since donning the crown.

I’d be remiss not to mention that former Miss Missouri, Erin O’Flaherty, was the f irst openly lesbian Miss America contestant a couple of years ago. And also, I read in the press that the Miss America organization sent a congratulatory tweet to Deirdre Downs and her wife, attorney Abbott Jones. That’s nice.

ical Research Institute says that the institute’s numerous baboons “have aided” in the development of numerous drugs for “conditions like heart disease, diabetes, obesity and osteoporosis.” Yes, I’m sure they’ve been very “helpful,” poor creatures. RIP, fellas.

I know! That had nothing to do with anything, but I could not help but envision the baboons in my mind’s eye carefully rolling the barrel into position and clambering their way to freedom. I could picture the evil scientists in their white coats and imagine the security cameras that scanned the enclosure. I could see the men scanning the four-screen panels.

“There. Doctor Bridges. Over by those trees. It’s Misty.”

“That’s Misty all right. Call your men, Captain. Dodger and Maggie can’t be far.”

Run Misty, run! I call out in my head to the frightened animal. But alas, it’s too late. At least my fantasy provides me with an idea for a sub-headline.

Sue ... Whee Hog! I was just getting the details on our electoral victory in Anchorage, Alaska—a major story—when I got sidetracked yet again. Do you recall when the Arkansas Supreme Court attempted to block one of two married lesbian parents from their child’s birth certificate? The case was one of several post-marriage equality anomalies that were brought to the Supreme Court’s attention and rectified by the justices without further ado. In the Arkansas case, the High Court didn’t bother with briefs or hearings.

They simply ordered the Arkansas Supremes to revise their decision in line with Obergefell, the marriage ruling that had been issued months before their insulting birth certificate nonsense.

The Hog State brought its documents policy in line with constitutional law as instructed, but when it came time for the winning lawyers to get a check, as is the rule in such civil rights cases, the Arkansas Supreme Court said no, withholding over $200,000 in fees from a number of difference legal groups. The coalition has now asked the U.S. Supreme Court to give Arkansas yet another rap on the knuckles, even though the High Court is not in the habit of interfering in the nitty gritty of billing disputes.

Sometimes, the more things change, the more different they get, thankfully.

The reason civil rights victors get their attorney’s fees repaid is that, absent such a scheme, only the rich would be able to take principled stands in court. If Arkansas is allowed to get away with these deadbeat antics, it could set an unfortunate precedent for the next set of Little Rock civil rights lawyers.

Play Misty For Me

Thanks, Anchorage!

I just paused to join the live waiting game that many of us have been playing over at Scotusblog on the mornings that we anticipate the High Court may issue an opinion in a pending case. Of course, we—you and I— are waiting for the Masterpiece Cakeshop opinion. It’s not really due yet, given that some earlier-argued cases have yet to be announced. But still, we check. No luck this morning.

As for Anchorage, I hadn’t realized that the April 3 referendum on transgender rights was the first public vote in our country that focused solely on gender identity. You may remember the jaw-dropping 2015 defeat in Houston, when voters rejected a citywide civil rights ordinance that had previously seemed innocuous, even popular. The ordinance, that protected everyone based on race and other factors, was repealed after a transphobic campaign based solely on the logistics of public bathrooms. The shocking results, 61 to 39, lifted the spirits of cultural conservatives, and led directly to attacks on transgender men and women from North Carolina onward.

I recommend that you check out the site just before 10 am Eastern on the days when opinions are expected. As you know, when Masterpiece comes, it will be a gay rights (or wrongs) blockbuster. And no, I won’t rehash the legal details this week.

You’re welcome!

Down another news side street, I just read that four baboons escaped from a research facility near San Antonio by pushing a large barrel against the fence and climbing over. The clever simians were all caught and relocated elsewhere within the grounds. A spokesperson for the Texas Biomed-

Those efforts have had mixed results—the North Carolina bathroom bill, effectively banning transgender citizens from using public facilities, boomeranged, costing the state millions in lost revenue, boycotts and bad publicity, and also leading to the election of a new governor. That North Carolina example, in turn, dissuad-

ed many state legislatures from entertaining bathroom bills of their own, or passing them. But in Anchorage, we saw a public vote on the matter for the first time since Houston. This time, with transgender rights front and center, the American Civil Liberties Union and allies took the opposition on full bore and won, 52–47.

It’s a good sign, because the issue isn’t going away. There’s a statewide civil rights repeal set for November in Massachusetts. (Surely that can’t pass?) And conservatives are still focused on bathrooms simply because, after losing on marriage, they see no other venue for victory.

On the positive side, however, three years of bashing have led the rest of the country to a much better understanding of transgender Americans.

Much as the stories of dedicated gay couples helped Americans recognize the need for marriage equality, so the stories of transgender boys, girls, men and women help Americans recognize regular people, rather than the freaky pedophiles of Houston campaign lore.

New Trans Ban Not Fooling Old Courts Speaking of transgender Americans and the education of the average citizen, Donald Trump’s latest effort to keep transgender troops out of the military has lost its first court challenge, a continuation of the court defeats handed out to the previous antitrans policy.

In truth, there’s little the administration can do to recondition a military “policy” based on a spur-of-the-moment impulse by Trump, who called for transgender men and women to be barred from the military, apparently unaware that thousands of transgender troops were already serving their country. In making his announcement last July, Trump claimed he had consulted military authorities— a lie. He also insisted that transgender troops would be a budget buster for the military, based on (I’m guessing) his own vague sense of costly sex change operations and who knows what. In fact, the health costs of transgender service people add less than two hundredths of one percent to the military health budget.

Four major federal court cases have ensued, with Trump and company losing at every turn, including at a couple of appellate panels. Now, the administration is trying to convince the federal judiciary that recent tweaks constitute a completely new policy and render the existing litigation moot. Not only did Seattle-based U.S. District Court Judge Marsha Pechman disagree, but she also recently strengthened her legal dismay concerning trespass on the civil rights of transgendered citizens, calling for the highest level of judicial scrutiny to apply to the government’s rationale.

In other words, Trump is toast in her court, and likely the others as well. By the way, Pechman was the same judge who recently ruled in favor of the “bikini baristas” of Everett, Washington, where town fathers have now asked the Ninth Circuit to make the provocative maids cover up.

What Day Is It? I was just reading one of our annual gay high school prom stories, this one about two boys in a Georgia school who can’t be prom kings, because the school votes from one list of boys and another list of girls. The students will find a way if they want to elect these guys. They always do.

But I was reminded that it’s been a long time since I’ve read a “Day of Silence” article, maybe a few years.

I gather that the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network is still promoting the annual protest, this year on April 27, so I will keep an ear (continued on page 31) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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Maitri Celebrates 31 Years of Service to the Community Maitri has provided compassionate care to our community’s most vulnerable with advanced HIV since 1987. The venerable organization is one of the city’s most respected and valued resources in providing such essential medical care. On May 6, Maitri will celebrate its well-deserved 31st anniversary. The event, Bliss 2018, will be held at the beautiful Julia Morgan Ballroom in San Francisco on Sunday, May 6, from 4:30–8 pm.

Maitri will take the opportunity to honor former Executive Director Bill Musick and Kirsten Havrehed for 20 years of service to the organization’s family.

Musick, who was ED from 1997–2000, helped with the organization’s move from a residential hospice on Hartford Street to the current location at 401 Duboce Avenue. He returned to the organization in

the summer of 2017 to guide and lead Maitri as Interim ED. During that time, he assisted in getting two new tenants to their building’s first floor. One of them is CorePower Yoga (corepoweryoga.com/).

The other tenant is expected at the end of the year.

Havrehed joined Maitri in 1997 as a volunteer.

Since then, she has raised thousands of dollars—at least $60,000—for the organization via her popular annual holiday jam and bake sales. The offerings are incredibly delicious, with the proceeds going to a great cause.

Speaking of food, Bliss 2018 will be catered by Credo Restaurant. The event will feature powerhouse singer and original Dreamgirls cast member Jennifer Holliday. Do you remember Holliday’s 1982 Tony Award performance of “A nd I’m Telling You”? Many believe that it was one of the award show’s best ever moments. You can see it at YouTube (youtube.com/ watch?v=kC_u_q-iND0).

Entertainment will also be provided by Jason Stuart, guitarist/vocalist Jonny Zywiciel and vocalist Frenchie Davis. A live auction will additionally take place, with proceeds benef itting the medical care of Maitri residents.

The auctioneer and host will be Dale Johannes.

The live auction items will include a Portland, Ore-

gon, vacation package; “date night for a year” (15 gift certificates); a 50-bottle wine cellar starter kit; a Hawaii vacation package and a travel package to Normandy, France!

Maitri’s Development Off icer, Toni Newman, will be leaving the organization just 3 days after Bliss 2018. But we are happy to report that Newman will soon be taking the helm as Exec-

Spring at Maitri

By Anne Gimbel While it can be easy to get consumed with hurt and urgency, claiming space to reconnect to nature, renew our spirit and build resilience for each day is vital for all of us and for our residents. Spring is a time of renewal, a time of building a sense of trust and connection. It is also a time for weeding, for pruning, and for grafting to grow more without adding more.

At Maitri, we have added beautiful sliding doors for our outside patios with ADA buttons so our residents in wheelchairs and walkers can easily enter and leave the space. Three resident rooms have received a complete new fresh coat of paint, and every bathroom has a new exhaust fan.

Chris, our volunteer, has been giving our plants special food, so they are growing rapidly, and new hanging plants have been added to our lush outdoor patio.

As the HIV epidemic has been fueled with stigma, discrimination, and ignorance, our residents are experiencing a home with beautiful updates and a safe place to live and not be alone.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to Maitri’s life of thirty-one years! We are keeping our promise, that no one should have to die alone, with the great help of our dedicated staff and well-trained volunteers.

We do count on the generous gifts from folks like you and promise our stewardship of each dollar given. Most importantly, I hope to see you at Bliss 2018 on May 6!

Anne Gimbel is the Executive Director of Maitri.

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utive Director of St. James Infirmary (stjamesinfirmary.org/). If you have not already read Newman’s best-selling 2011 memoir I Rise - The Transformation of Toni Newman, we recommend that you soon check it out, as well as the film short Heart of a Woman that is based on the book.

For more information about Maitri and Bliss 2018, please visit: maitrisf.org/

Weddings, Occasions & Relationships My Journey Learning to Love thing within my power to keep this relationship going. But after all of the ups and downs, like most couples, it didn’t turn out the way that I had expected. After fifteen years, we ended up going our separate ways.

I was devastated and overwhelmed with frustration, disappointment, and pain.

Lonely No More Scott Tsui (Editor’s Note: Longtime readers of the San Francisco Bay Times probably recall the famous Bay Times personals, which back in the day helped many members of our LGBTQ community to find their soul mates, as well as to find friends, work partners and more.

Remember that this all happened at a time when many people were not out, and the internet, smart phones and social media were not yet available as tools for making connections.

Combining the best of both the classic personals and such useful tech, we recently started a new way to discover love, romance and friendship on your mobile device or desktop (BayTimesDating.com).

We are also introducing two new relationship advice columns, with the first—Lonely No More—starting in this issue. It is authored by Scott Tsui, a talented and compassionate Relationship Results Coach with several years of experience helping gay men forge meaningful and lasting relationships.

Tsui shares more about his own life and experiences in this introductory piece.)

Hello, and welcome to your new relationship advice column!

For my first article, I’d love to share with you my story while I get to know all of you a little better. So, who am I? I’m Scott Tsui, the Relationship Results Coach, and my biggest passion in life is to help people make meaningful and fulf illing connections, which include everything from meeting people, casual dating, and committed relationships through to nurturing loving lifelong relationships.

Like many of us in the gay community, my teenage years were spent with feelings of isolation and loneliness.

That all changed when I met my first partner in my early twenties. I was head-over-heels in love and felt absolutely ecstatic—a complete dichotomy of the isolation and loneliness that I felt growing up. I vowed to do every-

It was during this phase that it hit me: what if being good at relationships was a skill set that could be learned? That was the moment when I realized that I needed to learn some things— not only from my own mistakes, but also from the successes and failures of other gay men and couples.

When I met my current partner, with whom I have spent the last sixteen years, I wanted to ensure that this time around, I would not make the same mistakes again. This is why I interviewed countless couples, read book after book, took a number of courses and surveys, and trained to be a relationship coach ... all to understand: what does it take to find the right person to be your companion? And when you’ve found that person, how do we have the most magical, deep, connected and intimate relationship? Then, how do you make it last?

Everyone deserves to love, to be loved and to experience love.

That realization led me to determine that my passion in life is to help people to make meaningful and fulfilling connections. It inspired me to write the book Lonely No More - Eight Steps To Find Your Gay Husband, and motivated me to become the Relationships Results Coach.

I was t ravel i ng four yea r s ago and met this nice gentleman, who was 74 years old and had never been in a relationship. I was completely shocked!

I offered to help, and with my coaching, encouragement, and his willingness to open up and take a chance, he is now in a wonderful relationship with his loving partner. I was thrilled and so excited that he had found the love of his life. His experience was completely opposite to mine and, wow, what an incredible outcome!

“I am alone, but not lonely, but it would be nice to have that spe-

cial someone.” Those were the words that the 74-year-old gentleman said to me when I met him, and it’s the same phrase I so often hear when I’m out spending time with many people in our community.

W hether you’re that person searching for your loving lifelong relationship, a person desiring a healthy committed relationship, or perhaps you’re seeking a meaningful connection, we all have it within ourselves to realize our dreams. I’m excited to have this incredible opportunity to share with you my insight and experience to help you make such desires your reality!

Scott Tsui is the author of “Lonely No More – 8 Steps to Find Your Gay Husband” and the creator of the world’s first online gay relationship training: Gay Men Relationship Blueprint. Tsui works to help gay men find their compatible companion or to build lasting friendships for fun and adventure. For more information: scotttsui.com/

Remembering First Lady Barbara Bush

Members of the San Francisco Bay Times team who knew First Lady Barbara Bush—who worked with her staff and attended White House events during the first Bush Administration—were moved to hear of her passing.

“Barbara Bush endeared herself to us during the heyday of her work on the issue of literacy through her support for the use of media, including newspapers, for building reading skills,” said San Francisco Bay Times co-publisher Dr. Betty L. Sullivan.

Her willingness to speak her mind and differ with the ideas and policies of other Bush family members was well known.

In a 1990 response to a request for support from PFLAG’s national president Paulette Goodman, the First Lady personally replied saying, “I firmly believe positive comments ever to come out of the White that we cannot tolerate discrimination against any House. individuals or groups in our country. Such treatment Bush’s support for LGBT people was evidenced always brings pain and perpetuates intolerance.” in other instances, including attending the sameHer reply to Goodman, made public in an Associated sex wedding of two longtime friends, Helen Press story, has been noted as possibly the first gay- Thorgalsen and Bonnie Clement, in 2013.

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Are) a CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2018

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Round About - All Over Town Spring Continues!

Photos by Rink

Say “Hello!” to photographer Rink when you see him at events all over town.

T

he street sign saying “CASTRO” appearing in this issue’s Rink Photo Throwback can still be seen today—and now even virtually, at full screen level, on the livestreaming 24/7 Castro Street Cam http://sfbaytimes.com/castro-street-cam/

Daniel Bergerac, Donna Sachet, Brian Springfield and Robin Abad Ocubillo at Most Holy Redeemer Church’s Community Room for the Reimagining of Harvey Milk Plaza held on Saturday, April 7

Congregation Sha’ar Zahav’s Cantor Sharon Bernstein sang at the 40th Holocaust Remembrance Day at the Jewish Community Center on April 11.

Rink in 1978 captured some handsome, happy fellows hanging out at this spot, near where Orphan Andy’s restaurant and the historic Twin Peaks Tavern are located.

Today, the adjacent area is known as Jane Warner Plaza, named in honor of beloved SFPD Officer Jane Warner. At this plaza, the Castro Business District organization sponsors the Live In the Castro! performances. Be sure to check out Rink’s recent image, taken on Saturday, April 7, featuring a line dancing lesson and performance by the Sundance Saloon dance group: sundancesaloon.org.

Across the street, in Rink’s historic photo, the Bank of America building is visible along with the area now known as Harvey Milk Plaza, where the giant Rainbow Flag flies and the Castro Muni Stop is found with its history-summarizing plaques. Harvey Milk Plaza has become a key gathering point for our LGBT community here in San Francisco during times of important protest or celebration.

Tables filled with community members participating in the Reimagining of Harvey Milk Plaza event held at Most Holy Reedemer Church

Robin Abad Ocubillo, project manager Erin Elliott and Castro Benefit District executive director Andrea Aiello at the Reimagining of Harvey Milk Plaza meeting held at Most Holy Redeemer Church on April 7 Ceramic artist Liam Peters at the Art Saves Lives Gallery on April 6

A sign outside of Grubstake diner on Thursday, April 12, proclaimed a “Participating Business” for the Polk Street Spring Wine Walk.

2018 Visit the Live-Streaming 24/7 Castro Street Cam sfbaytimes.com/castro-street-cam/

Cissie Swig lit a remembrance candle at the 40th Holocaust Remembrance Day at the Jewish Community Center on April 11.

Performers S.K.Thoth and Lila’Angelique at the Art Saves Lives Gallery opening on April 6

Reuel and Ally of the Polk Street Wine Walk staff displayed the commemorative glass received by each participant during the event held on April 12.

Jen, coordinator of the Polk Street Wine Walk, placed a sign directing guests to participating locations on Thursday, April 12.

A sign at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts proclaimed “Teens Will Change the World.”

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Ken and Ron from Team Marin Marauders held a sidewalk benefit in front of Beaux dance club and bar on Market Street to benefit their ride at AIDS LifeCycle 2018.

sfbaytimes.com Kelly Hart (right) with a friend at Strut Gallery for the opening of artist Danyol Leon’s exhibit and benefit for PRC on April 6

Cleve Jones (left), actor and activist George Takei and Arthur Corbin led the crowd of walkers on Wednesday, April 4, in a Castro Walk About supporting the Leno for Mayor Campaign.

Servers Will and Gary poured wine for guests at Danyol Leon’s exhibit opening at Strut Gallery on April 6.

Mayoral candidate Mark Leno spoke at the GLBT Historical Society Museum’s anniversary event held at the Museum on 18th Street in the Castro.

Doug McAllister and Spark Arts Gallery’s Angie Stitcher at the Gallery during the April Castro Art Walk on April 5.

Artist Danyol Leon with one of his works on display at Strut Gallery

Grand Duchess Miss Shugana, Landa Lakes, Terry Beswick and Grand Duke Madd Dogg 20/20 at the GLBT Historical Society Museum’s anniversary event.

Artist Ronit Hendel displays her art for poet Barbara Piper at Spark Art Gallery during the April Castro Art Walk.

Remember the Bay Times Personals?

The Ruth Asawa School of the Arts Band performed at Spark Arts Gallery during the April Castro Art Walk.

Artist Norio Fujikawa with a display of his work at the Art Attack SF Gallery during the April Castro Art Walk.

They’re back and better than ever!

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NATIONAL POETRY MONTH

By Kit Kennedy

Poet in Residence Kit Kennedy

Celebrated each April since 1996, National Poetry Month is organized by the Academy of American Poets. It is the largest literary collaboration of schools, publishers, libraries, booksellers, readers, and, yes, poets. Check out their website (poets.org/national-poetry-month/home) for 30 Ways to Celebrate NPM. My favorite is #7: Buy a book of poetry from your local bookstore.

Kit Kennedy is the Poetin-Residence of the “San Francisco Bay Times” and at herchurch Ebenezer Lutheran (herchurch.org).

She has published 5 poetry collections, and for the past several years she has hosted the poetry series at Gallery Café. For more information, please visit her blog: poetrybites.blogspot.com

THE DESIRE to NAME Did you know when the blossom falls away, the magnolia is left with a leaf imprinted with the image of a petite tree? Some are quick to say there is beauty in the subtle.

In the sublime. In a promise of steadfast fragility.

Stacy Boorn, Photographer

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Others prefer dramatic, monumental beauty.

For example, bandied about by wind & water, wave erosion shapes steep vertical columns of rock. What’s left is constant change & the absence it creates. These geological marvels are aptly named: sea stacks. Think of weather sculpting & editing an organic poem.

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for National Poetry Month

Words sculpt the mystical, the beautiful, the otherworldly, the common, the discarded.

Sometimes rusty chains, old ropes & hubcaps.

Cracks in sidewalks. Beauty is what is named.

Yes, it is possible to love the old, the queer, the quirky, the silly, the misfit, the shattered mirror. It is also a gift to savor a ripe bowl of cherries. To imagine tiny trees in leaves or experience joy in seeing stacked rocks you simply need to find the words. Name it yourself.

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he worldwide senior population is now at its highest level in human history, according to the United Nations Population Division. The number of people aged 60 years and over has tripled since 1950, surpassing 700 million in 2006. That is obviously good news tied, in part, to longevity-related factors such as medical care and lifestyle.

co, are not exceptions to these global trends.

In fact, seniors and people with disabilities account for 25% of the population of San Francisco. It is also sadly the case that, according to the California Economic Security Index, a staggering 56% of residents 60 years or older lack basic economic security because of increasing costs of living here.

Numbers are also up in terms of the world’s population of disabled individuals, with the World Health Organization reporting that over a billion people, or around 15% of the planet’s population, have some form of disability. Bay Area cities, including San Francis-

To address such challenging problems targeting some of our most vulnerable residents, The Dignity Fund Coalition (DFC) was formed in 2016. DFC is comprised of more than 30 community organizations that serve and advocate for our city’s seniors and people

with disabilities. Coalition members work every day to help ensure that San Francisco retains its vibrant social fabric with the continued participation and contributions of these valued individuals.

As part of such efforts, DFC is the proud organizer of the forthcoming Mayoral Candidate Town Hall at Herbst Theatre in San Francisco on April 26. The free event, taking place from 10:30–12 pm, will be the first-ever San Francisco city-wide Town Hall to address issues of importance to seniors and people with disabilities. The confirmed participants are

Angela Alioto, London Breed, Jane Kim and Mark Leno.

DFC wants to know that the candidates for mayor will address the needs of seniors, people with disabilities, and their hands-on care providers. We do too, and hope that you will attend the important Town Hall. While the event is free as mentioned, you are encouraged to register. Please note that the Herbst Theatre has a strict no food or drink policy, but bottled water is allowed. To register and learn more, please go to: eventbrite.com/e/ dignity-fund-coalition-mayoral-candidatetown-hall-tickets-43911257754

The Dignity Fund – Advocacy in Action

By Marie Jobling and Fiona Hinze For over a decade, California policy leaders have called attention to the graying of California and the needs of an expanding Marie Jobling and significantly more diverse senior population.

What’s more, in the over 25 years since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, innovative support and services have Fiona Hinze emerged to ensure greater participation of our community members with disabilities.

In San Francisco, government leaders and a strong network of community organizations have long recognized the importance of establishing services and supports for those most in need. The rapid growth in the number of older adults and adults with disabilities, coupled with the escalating cost of living in our city, is creating a true challenge. Through

the San Francisco Long Term Care Coordinating Council, leaders have been working to create a baseline of support to meet the current need of our neighbors who are older or with disabilities—most of whom are barely making ends meet now. But our vision also includes building a stronger network of services and supports on that foundation, to assure everyone’s right to aging with dignity in their own homes and communities.

A small group of advocates examined the success of San Francisco’s Children’s Fund in bringing sorely needed attention and resources to children and youth over the past 25 years, and saw the necessity of raising awareness and increasing stable funding for seniors and adults with disabilities as our numbers continue to grow. The goal was to create a measure to address the needs of older adults and persons with disabilities, including veterans, persons aging with HIV and other chronic conditions, and caregivers.

The first step to assess the feasibility of a similar ballot measure was a professional political poll. The first leaders of our coalition under-

ABOUT The Dignity Fund The Dignity Fund, passed by San Francisco voters as Proposition I in 2016, guarantees funding to enhance supportive services to help older adults (60+ years old) and adults with disabilities (18–59 years old) age with dignity in their own homes and communities. The Fund is administered by the Department of Aging and Adult Services and has two primary functions: 1. It stabilizes funding for current services and support for older adults, veterans, adults with disabilities and caregivers.

• the density of our urban area, including the highest percentage of seniors and adults with disabilities of any urban area in California; • the cost of living and increased economic disparities that threaten the stability and well-being of hundreds of thousands of San Franciscans and the neighborhoods in which they live; • 56% of San Francisco residents age 60 or older lack basic economic security;

2. The Fund also provides additional setaside dollars each year to address the unmet and emerging needs of the aforementioned communities.

• approximately 50% of San Francisco seniors and almost 70% of San Francisco adults with disabilities live on less than $35,000 per year;

For San Francisco, the Fund serves as a down payment on true reinvestment in a social compact for our community. Timely implementation, oversight and protection of it are then fundamental first steps in ensuring that San Francisco’s seniors and adults with disabilities have the opportunity to remain safely and securely at home, making substantial contributions to the city’s life and culture.

• over 40% live alone without adequate support networks, in part because their families have been forced to seek more affordable housing elsewhere or they have no children.

Needs Assessment of the Dignity Fund

Full Text of The Dignity Fund Charter Amendment 69.89.31.206/~sfcommun/sfdignityfund/ wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Leg-Final. pdf

On April 4 of this year, a draft comprehensive needs assessment of the Dignity Fund was presented to the San Francisco Aging and Adult Services Commission for review. The needs assessment recognizes:

Learn More The Dignity Fund 69.89.31.206/~sfcommun/sfdignityfund/ the-fund/

San Francisco Dignity Fund Coalition sfdignityfund.org/

took the initial fundraising for the poll, bringing in $38,000 from the first circle of Dignity Fund Coalition members. The results of the poll showed strong support for a ballot measure to set aside funds in the budget for these services.

Armed with the poll data, the group began meetings with then Mayor Ed Lee (1952– 2017) and his staff as well as members of the Board of Supervisors to determine the scope of the legislation and level of funding. After many discussions, the language for a charter amendment called the Dignity Fund (Proposition I) was placed on the November 8, 2016, ballot with support from all but 2 of the 11 Board of Supervisors members.

Building on its efforts to get a measure approved by the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors, the Dignity Fund Coalition turned its attention to the voting public. After the measure won its place on the ballot as Proposition I, the Dignity Fund Coalition members fanned out across the city to win the support of community organizations, neighborhood associations, democratic clubs, labor groups and more—and even got a lovable mascot named Dignity Dog! The Coalition organized a Dignity Day event, which attracted hundreds of supporters, elected officials, and media; and garnered an impressive list of over 110 organizational endorsements in the months preceding the election.

On election night, Proposition I won handily in all Supervisorial Districts and in all but a handful of precincts across the city, with a final voter approval rate of 66.3%.

The need to increase funding for services to seniors and adults with disabilities had broad agreement. The decision to take a measure to the ballot to achieve that goal was not so easy.

Most coalition members had little experience with this kind of political involvement and previous discussions about crafting a measure similar to the successful San Francisco Children’s Fund usually ended up with folks giving up before they even got started.

Fortunately, we had strong guidance and advice from veterans of the movement that put the Children’s Fund on the ballot. It took a lot of effort to get the early leaders in the Dignity Fund Coalition ready to do what it would take to win. The first step was to raise money for a political poll that would help assess the level of support, test various campaign messages, highlight areas of the city with the broadest support, and most importantly, show that we were serious. The early Coalition members helped to raise the $38,000 needed to conduct the poll. Tulchin Research undertook the poll on behalf of the Coalition and within a few weeks, we learned that our chances for success at the ballot box were very high.

The measure that created the Dignity Fund moved $38 million of existing services dollars into a special budget fund that was protected from future cuts. It also detailed a level of increased funding, starting with $6 million dollars the first year and adding $3 million additional each year for the next ten years, at which point the amount is increased on a percentage basis for the remaining 10 years covered by the legislation. The Department of Aging and Adult Services was charged with carrying out the mandate to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment and to begin the process of allocating funds.

The Dignity Fund Coalition leaders participated in the Oversight and Advisory group for the legislation. The Dignity Fund Coalition continues to meet monthly to monitor implementation and to preserve the intention of the fund. And we remain vigilant, as the two members of the Board of Supervisors who did not support the Dignity Fund set-aside are working to put a measure on the November 2018 ballot to weaken this and other set-asides for community services.

Information about the implementation of the Fund can be found at https://www.sf hsa.org/about/commissions-committees/dignity-fund-oversight-and-advisory-committee Marie Jobling and Fiona Hinze are the CoChairs of the Dignity Fund Coalition.

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SF’s First Mayoral Candidate Town Hall

LTSS: What They Are and Why They Matter to All of Us

By Mark Burns More than a quarter of our city’s population are seniors and people with disabilities.

One in four. And our population continues to grow. Some call it a “silver tsunami” and others see it as a “silver reservoir” of time, talent and experience. Either way, it is here, it is coming, and it is us.

As a percentage of the voting population, we are even bigger. We vote; we count.

What is important to us, therefore, should be very important to our next mayor. And what is important to us are Long Term Services & Supports, or “LTSS.” What is LTSS? Great question! Unless you “work in the field,” you’ve probably never heard of the acronym and related terminology.

For an increasing number of San Franciscans—that is, for many of us—LTSS is the thread that allows us to remain a contributing and vital part of the fabric of our city, community and neighborhood life. LTSS are affordable housing, eviction defense, housing subsidies, nutrition services, home delivered meals, congregate meals, senior centers, senior activities, pedestrian safety, accessibility to buildings, service centers and transportation for people with mobility limitations.

LTSS include getting services that are appropriate to one’s situation, such as healthcare that is skilled and appropriate to one’s age and gender identification. LTSS are these and so very much more. LTSS are about those programs and services, and the government and societal policies that

enable them. They allow seniors and people with disabilities to remain living vibrant, engaged lives in our communities of choice.

So LTSS as a body of policies matter to us if we want to stay living the life we have built as passionate members of the San Francisco community. We don’t need senior living facilities, we need a fully integrated society whose policies actively seek to value and include our lifelong participation.

Across the state, The SCAN Foundation is funding efforts at all levels to increase awareness and advocacy for LTSS. It starts with recognizing the term and what the term means for each person’s current and future life plans. SCAN is funding policy development and, this year, they are underwriting conversations with candidates for office at both the gubernatorial and the local level.

Yes, that means right here in San Francisco, where in a very few short weeks we will be electing our next mayor. Given that we represent a quarter of the total population—and an even larger voting contingent—what the next mayor thinks about LTSS really, really matters. Why? Because the next mayor can direct policy to improve access to all of these programs and can create budget opportunities, including both support for the current Dignity Fund and support for a host of other programs that can build on a vision of an “age and disability friendly” city.

This is w Fund Co oral Tow 26 at the ater is so an oppor a commu directly ing candi about iss us. Every about ho portation, health, and pub this is our chance to ask qu hear answers about LTSS— will now, or in the near futur ly to each and every one of u

The Dignity Fund Coalit Town Hall will be one of the al candidate events during th are anticipating several hu ees at the Herbst, with man ing the event through a live dates will start with an ope about the broad array of pro ed to keep us living in comm we’ll be taking questions from from the live stream.

We hope that you’ll join us or online—and remember— Term Services & Support here and across the state. S LTSS matters in the race for ernor, too. And, of course, v

Mark Burns is the Executi Homebridge, Inc. (homeb which is a member of San nity Fund Coalition.

Homebridge Success Stories Dignity Fund Coalition member Homebridge, Inc., is an organization that provides home care and support services in San Francisco county.

Its largest program provides more than 500,000 hours of home care services to over 1,200 clients annually. Homebridge also operates a training program for personal caregivers, and a transitional care program for those discharged from hospitals.

Homebridge’s expertise is in working with clients who are ill, cognitively-impaired or have other issues that make it challenging for them to live independently in their homes. The organization’s innovative, client-centered model of care integrates case management, operations and scheduling support and caregiver training. It is designed to tailor to the personal, changing and frequently-intensive needs of its clients.

The home care clients reflect the ethnic and racial diversity of the Bay Area and speak more than 10 languages and dialects. Homebridge further serves adults across the age spectrum, with approximately 50% of clients being over the age of 65 and 10% over the age of 85. Here are just a few of the organization’s success stories: Miguel F., Client “I’m all alone. No one would have helped me. It’s only me and Marisol,” said Miguel while speaking about his Home Care Provider, Marisol.

Miguel was at risk of becoming homeless because of the hazards of years’ worth of belongings cluttering his home.

Homebridge’s care team, including service coordinator Enedina Mendoza and scheduler Jackie Varela, worked to ensure Miguel’s home since 1993 continued to be his home. In addition to connecting Miguel with legal resources, his care team partnered with him to ensure he would be accepting support from Homebridge again. Home Care Provider Marisol, a 17-year Homebridge veteran, worked for a week to make 16

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Miguel’s home free from anything that could lead to an eviction. Marisol even accompanied Miguel to court and celebrated with him when he was able to stay at his home.

Thanks to Marisol and the Homebridge care team for supporting Miguel!

Kevin T., Home Care Provider “If you’re going to work, at least have it be something where you’re helping and have a chance to connect with people and make improvements in clients’ lives,” says Kevin T., a Homebridge Home Care Provider for nearly three years.

Kevin did just that several years ago when an electrical fire broke out in the apartment of a client. Kevin said, “I thought the fire was outside, so was really nervous when I saw it inside my client’s apartment.” Kevin was able to extinguish the fire before the fire department even arrived.

It’s not every day a a fire, but Homeb ly impacts. Recen his schedule due to tiative to support a room inspectio ents, a successful difference betwee ness. Kevin spent ent’s room. Due t ent avoided a lease home.

“The most mean Care Provider,” you’re helping peo receiving support people get to recei

Tynisha W., Ho

The first two tim she didn’t see her.

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why the Dignity oalition’s Maywn Hall on April e Herbst Theimportant. It is rtunity for us as unity to interact with the leadidates for office sues specific to yone is talking ousing, transblic safety—but uestions and to —the things that re, matter deepus.

tion’s Mayoral e largest mayorhis election. We undred attendny more accessstream. Candiening statement ograms intendmunity, and then m the floor and

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s at the Herbst —LTSS (Long s) matter both So, keep up on r our state’s govvote!

a Home Care Provider puts out bridge providers do make daintly, when Kevin had a break in o a cancelation, he took the inia client who was going to have on. For many Homebridge cliroom inspection can mean the en being housed and homelesst several hours cleaning the clito Kevin’s forethought, the clie violation and remains in their

ningful part of being a Home Kevin says, “is knowing that ople who wouldn’t otherwise be . We are the last chance many ive services and support.”

ome Care Provider

mes Tynisha met her new client, . Tynisha sat on the floor of the

hallway, talking with her client through the door because the client felt ashamed at how her apartment looked.

On her third visit, Tynisha convinced the client to unlock the door.

The door would hardly open and once she could see inside, Tynisha realized there was no place to walk. The client, who suffers from body lice, was crying, saying, “Look at my house. I understand why no one wants to help me.”

Tynisha helped her into the shower, made her feel comfortable, and proactively convinced her to accept help. Within weeks, Homebridge removed 30 large bags of papers and non-working electronics. The client, in her 80s with no family support and fearing becoming homeless, says she is, “happy I got it done.” Her door can fully open and she can, again, see her kitchen sink.

Tynisha has been a Home Care Provider for nearly two years. When she first started, she was ready to quit because she felt the work was too stressful and hard. Today, she says, “What I do is challenging sometimes, but I get attached to my clients and I won’t leave them.” Tynisha’s impacts aren’t just on her clients. Her two-year-old daughter has clearly seen the compassion, patience, and care she brings to the job because she recently said, “Mommy, I want to go do what you do.”

Humbert W., Client, and En Xia H., Home Care Provider En Xia comes from a family devoted to caring for others. Her parents modeled the patience and commitment needed to enjoy this work and her two older brothers are doctors in China. En Xia says that when she helps somebody, she herself feels happy.

En Xia, who has been a Homebridge Home Care Provider for 13 years, worked in a sewing factory before pursuing her passion and her family’s professional calling.

Twice a week for the past three years, En Xia has provided services to Humbert, who just celebrated his 89th birthday. Humbert immigrated to the U.S. through New York City and, in 1951, was drafted into the Army and fought in the Korean War. His family now lives in Canada, but Humbert says that the two days En Xia is with him, “those are good days because she’s the best.”

In addition to cleaning his apartment and making food (the aroma of the tomato and garlic meatball dish En Xia had made for Humbert was delectable), Humbert says the best part of En Xia’s twice weekly visits are their times singing together. En Xia, who received a Home Care Provider of the month award, sings traditional Chinese music in Cantonese to many of her clients, including Humbert.

En Xia’s dedication to caring for others has inspired many around her. Among them is her own son, whom she is helping to support as he studies to become a nurse, furthering the family tradition.

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SF’s First Mayoral Candidate Town Hall

Notes on the Dignity Fund Community Needs Assessment

Strengths The majority of the people currently using services report having a positive experience and of highly valuing programs that promote community and social engagement.

Aging in Community Dr. Marcy Adelman The San Francisco Dignity Fund Community Needs Assessment (DFCNA) Report is now available online (https://www.sf hsa.org/about/ reports-publications/older-adultsand-people-disabilities/dignity-fundcommunit y-needs). The Dig nit y Fund, passed by voters in 2016, established a stable and sustained funding source for community-based services to assist San Francisco’s seniors and adults living with disabilities to live well in their homes and in their communities.

The legislation mandated the Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) to begin the planning process in fiscal year 2017–2018 with a Dignity Fund Community Needs Assessment. The needs assessment, to be conducted every four years, would identify the strengths, challenges and services gaps of community-based senior services as well as the unmet needs of service participants. Results of the needs assessment will provide data driven criteria for the department’s service and funding allocation. This year’s needs assessment is the first survey in compliance with the legislation.

Research participants were consumers of current services and service providers. Participants were asked about their awareness of, engagement in and barriers to accessing different services. The study consists of an online, paper and phone survey from a total of 1127 consumers of current services and 298 service providers. An additional 744 participants took part in community forums and focus groups.

The results of the survey are a mix of service strengths and challenges.

Utilization rates and concerns for services differed across diverse communities and groups, while many other concerns and needs overlapped. The research team, Resource Development Associates, developed an equity

Low to moderate income older adults reported high utilization rates of a diverse number of services with the highest utilization rates of Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC). Results indicate the effective targeting of support services for older adults with income-based needs and disadvantages.

The diversity of research participants mirrors the diversity of the general older adult population.

Older adults of color represent 60% of San Francisco’s older adult population. The majority of people currently using DAAS services represent San Francisco’s diverse ethnic groups: Asian or Pacific Islanders 51%; Whites 21%; African American or Black 12%; Hispanic or Latino 10%; unknown or other 7%.

Older adults living alone, low to moderate income older adults, older adults with limited or no English-speak ing prof iciency and communities of color participated more in services compared to all older adults.

Challenges Research participants identified several barriers to accessing services, such as lack of awareness about what services are available, where services are located and whether they could meet eligibility requirements. In many instances, DAAS was already providing services survey participants were interested in receiving.

A ll groups of participants expressed much frustration navigating the system of services and many expressed interest in peer service navigators to facilitate connections to appropriate services.

Adults with disabilities reported feeling more challenged than older adults in navigating the system of services.

Survey and focus group participants with limited or no English indicated that not seeing their cultural background reflected in staff and not enough staff who speak their language were barriers to engaging in community services. Older adults with limited or no English were two times less likely to participate in the Community Living Fund, Nutritional Counseling, Village Model and Home Delivered Meals. But they were more likely to participate in ADRC’s, DA AS funded Transportation, Congregate Meals and Food Pantry Services.

Utilization rates of services by adu lt s w it h d isabi l it ies were mixed. Although adults with disabilities had a much lower participation rate compared to older adults, adults living with disabilities living alone and low to moderate income adults with disabilities participated more in services compared to older adults. Adults with disabilities with limited or no English-speaking proficiency participated in Food Pantry, Aging and Disability Resource Centers and Congregate Meals Services almost twice as often as older adults with disabilities, but utilized certain services such as Home Delivered Meals and DAAS funded Transportation services less often.

One in three adults with disabilities lives at or below the poverty level. Adults with disabilities need improvement in services in housing support services, employment transportation, dedicated service space, social engagement opportunities and improved safety.

Both consumers of services and service providers cited staff capacity as a challenge to accessing services. Participants talked about waitlists for programs, such as case management, food delivery and adult day programs.

Assisted transportation services were considered unreliable, inf lexible and expensive across all groups.

Filipino, Korean, Japanese and Latino clients identified the need for mental health services.

The need for more services to prevent social isolation were cited in the Chinese, Latino and AfricanAmerican or Black communities.

The need for affordable in-home services was identified by consumers of services in the Filipino and

African-American or Black communities.

Filipino, Chinese and Latino clients expressed the need for permanent locations for Community Service Centers.

Both older adults and adults with disabilities expressed the need for guidance in resolving legal challenges and mone y m a n a g e ment concerns and a need for resources and support to make home modifications because of disability needs and to continue aging in their homes.

Consumers and service providers both emphasized the importance of making the city more age and disability friendly by creating greater aware- Dr. Marcy Adelman speaking at the Openhouse Spring Fling 2018 ness of the needs on April 8 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. and challenges of older adults and adults with dis- LGBTQ older adults participatabilities in general, as well as spe- ed more often in programs tarcifically related to safety concerns geted to the LGBTQ community on public transportation and street than in general older adult services, and were more likely to answer crossings. demographic questions about sexOlder adults of color were near- ual orientation and gender identily two times less likely to partici- ty. Research Development Assopate in Village Model services and ciates (RDA) offer that LGBTQ participated slightly less often in people may be reluctant to disclose Community Living Fund services. their identity. In fact, numerous Although the distribution of funds studies have shown that LGBTQ spent across districts in the city older adults go back into the closseems related to the number of et, or don’t access needed services service sites, the average f inan- at all, if they don’t feel welcomed cial benefit did not always align and safe. with the level of need among older The historical LGBT Data Coladults and adults with disabilities. lection Ordinance that required Absence of Data on LGBTQ Older Adults, LGBTQ Adults Living with Disabilities and Long-term Survivors of HIV Although LGBTQ older adults are estimated to be 12% of San Francisco’s older adult population, LGBT older adults only accounted for 4% of survey participants. According to the survey, nearly 40% of DAAS clients had missing data on sexual orientation and gender identity or clients declined to identify themselves.

f ive city departments—Department of Public Health, DAAS, Department of Human Services, Department of Children, Youth and Their Families and Mayor’s Office of Community Development—to collect demographic data on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) was passed in the summer of 2016. A client’s participation in responding to the questions is entirely voluntary. This legislation was first proposed by the LGBT (continued on page 19)

As Heard on the Street . . . What is a primary issue that the next mayor of San Francisco should address?

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Deb Kinney

Richard Davis-Lowell

Bill Lowell

Saralie Pennington

Felicia Elizondo

“Homelessness and the problem of the mentally ill. ”

“Regional cooperation. San Francisco is absent from most regional issue organizations.”

“Bringing residents together for united action.”

“Housing.”

“Trans community and homeless people.”

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factor analysis that prioritized five factors: Social Isolation, Poverty, Limited or No English-Speaking Proficiency, Communities of Color and Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.

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Notes on the Dignity Fund Community Needs Assessment (continued from pg 18) Aging Policy Task Force in 2014, and then was championed and initiated by DAAS. The five departments have until the summer of 2019 to be in full compliance with the legislation. DAAS has taken the lead and is already collecting SOGI data and has also partnered with Openhouse to design an online training for DAAS staff and community-based senior service providers on SOGI data collection.

The timeline for this data collection, however, is too late to have an impact on the DAAS Service and Allocation Plan for the next fiscal year.

If LGBTQ older adults and adults living with disabilities don’t feel comfortable revealing their sexual orientation, it likely isn’t just about a question on a page or a question posed by one service provider. It is most likely emblematic of the organization’s culture. Some years back, Openhouse conducted a successful program at two senior centers, one in the Mission and one in the Castro, where an Openhouse staff person, imbedded in the senior center, provided outreach to LGBTQ older adults in the surrounding neighborhood to introduce them to and to bring them into the center and to help the center build internal capacity to serve LGBTQ older adults.

Once those centers had a critical mass of LGBTQ older adults, Openhouse’s work was done.

Just as older adults with limited or no English indicated the failure to see their cultural background ref lected in staff and not having enough staff speak their language were barriers to engaging in community services, not having out LGBTQ staff people and signs that reflect the acknowledgement and validation of LGBTQ people, such as images of LGBTQ couples and rainbow flags, would most likely contribute to LGBTQ older adults feeling unsafe, or at the very least, uncomfortable in revealing their authentic selves or even in continuing to utilize that organizations services.

The lack of data on LGBTQ older adults and adults with disabilities may indicate that, while an online training about how to ask sexual ori-

entation and gender identity questions may secure more responses on a questionnaire, real change may require a greater commitment to diversity ref lected in the staff and in the culture of the organization.

The needs assessment also lacks data on the service needs of long term HIV survivors and LGBTQ older adults with disabilities. In fact, there is little to no research on LGBTQ adults with disabilities. Once it was obvious that there would be insufficient LGBTQ data, further efforts could have been made to conduct more LGBTQ and HIV focus groups. This has been more than frustrating. Lack of data has for too long been an impediment to identifying and reducing health disparities in the LGBTQ and HIV communities. That is all about to change with the collection of sexual orientation and gender identity data by city departments.

In the meantime, it isn’t necessary to wait on prioritizing services to LGBTQ older adults and adults with disabilities or the HIV community.

There are more than a few national, state and local studies that can serve as a guide in setting priorities for services for HIV long-term survivors, and programing could be introduced that increases or supports staff diversity in community-based senior serving non-prof its. When community-based senior services center LGBTQ older adults, LGBTQ older adults will participate and engage in those services.

The first Dignity Fund Community Needs Assessment has its limitations, but it also has provided much important information to guide future planning. It was a huge effort on the part of all involved to meet the very aggressive timeline of delivering a final report by April first.

The assessment provides a baseline for future surveys.

Dr. Marcy Adelman is the Cofounder of Openhouse, a Commissioner on the California Commission on Aging, a member of the San Francisco Dignity Fund Oversight and Advisory Committee, and a leading expert on LGBTQ dementia care and policy issues.

With Appreciation from Dignity Fund Coalition On behalf of our members and our community, the Dignity Fund Coalition wishes to acknowledge and to thank the following organizations for their aid and support of the Mayoral Town Hall: • The San Francisco Long Term Care Coordinating Council for their vision of a Mayoral Town Hall devoted to seniors and people with disabilities. Thank you for pushing for this important event and for your incredible support.

• The SCAN Foundation for their generous underwriting of expenses and for their leadership in supporting seniors and people with disabilities here in San Francisco and across the State of California. You can join their efforts (westandwithseniors.org/) and learn more about their important work (scanfoundation.org).

• The San Francisco Bay Times, media sponsor for the Mayoral Town Hall, for their many opportunities to publicize both the event and for the important content supporting the need for awareness and support of the Dignity Fund Coalition, the Dignity Fund and for issues of great importance to the senior and disability community of San Francisco. (Editor’s Note: Thanks back to Dignity Fund Coalition, for the essential and critical tireless work that benefits our entire community.)

• To the many, many community partners who helped to spread the word and contributed in so many ways to the event. Thanks for being the best collaborators anywhere ever!

• And, finally, to our volunteers. Because, as we all know, volunteers make it all happen.

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From the Coming Up Events Calendar See page 27 Friday, April 20 - Paula West @ SF Jazz Center, 201 Franklin Street.

Songs of protest, hope, resistance and social consciousness.

7:30-9pm. sfjazz.org

Sunday, May 6 - Mary Lou’s Apartment @ Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison Street, Berkeley.

Featuring music of Mary Lou Williams and Melba Liston. 7pm. the freight.org

Saturday, April 21 - 31st APIQWTC Lunar New Year of the Dog Banquet @ Cinnamon Tree, 708 Franklin Street, Oakland. A celebration of the Lunar New Year. 5-11pm. apiqwtc.org

Remarkable Documentary About Grace Jones Dazzles

Film Gary M. Kramer How does anyone approach the inimitable, indomitable Grace Jones?

The singer/actress/model turns 70 this year. She still has those impeccably sculpted legs and cheekbones, that distinctive, throaty voice, that androgynous appearance, and that outré sense of fashion. She is utterly unconventional and totally alluring. In the remarkable documentary, Grace Jones: Bloodlight and BAMI, opening April 27 at the Embarcadero Center Cinema, director and editor Sophie Fiennes reveals her subject’s essence in performances and personal moments.

The film opens with the singer performing her hit song “Slave to the Rhythm” on stage, dressed in a mask in one scene, and gyrating with a rainbow-colored hula-hoop in another. These performance scenes are a testament to her showmanship, and as adoring fans greet her outside the stage door, there is no doubt she deserves the worship.

But Fiennes is not looking to discuss Jones’ art and craft, or personal story and struggles. Instead, the f ilm whisks Jones back to her homeland, Jamaica, where she reconnects with her family. In a series of observational scenes, Jones talks with her mother and siblings about their collective history, drinks fresh coconut water, and shucks some tricky bivalve mollusks, candidly stating, that she wishes her privates were as tight as these mussels.

As Grace Jones Bloodlight and BAMI shows, its subject does not mince words. She reacts badly to collaborators cancelling studio time that she paid for, and she pushes back regarding a performance where she claims she has been made to look like a “lesbian Madame in a whorehouse”— because her backup dancers are gyrating on a tacky set in negligée-like costumes.

Jones later yells during a phone call about an unsigned contract and hotel room issues. Her anger is justified in each situation, and such scenes

indicate how much harder the performer has to work to get what she deserves—especially since she is doing the work. Such moments of demanding behavior reveal more about Jones’ perfectionism than any interview might.

Moreover, these episodes are reflected in Jones’ song lyrics. When she sings “This Is,” her refrain, “They tried to strip me of dignity/but I still have tenacity,” speaks volumes. Likewise, her song “Williams’ Blood” has more meaning after viewers meet Jones’ mot he r, M a r jorie Jones (nee W i l l ia m s) a nd gets snippets of her family history.

Jones is absolutely hy pnotic on stage. The dozen performance scenes are infectious, each one a riot of music, color and style. Her appearances are dazzling, from her makeup—she does her eyebrows in one scene, and “goes tribal,” painting her face in another—to her wearing a sparkly bowler hat and some fabulous headwear.

Jones also comments on her androgyny in the film. Her remark about appearing masculine is to emphasize “dominant and scary” qualities, and it makes sense in light of what viewers learn about Jones’ strict father. The performer claims that she used acting to deal with some of the difficulties she had growing up with him.

Such insights are interesting, but one senses from the documentary that Jones is very conscious of what she presents on screen—even when she is seen fully naked. What comes across most clearly is how carefully

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Jones constructs her image, on stage and off.

As Jones insists in one conversation she has about a fight that broke out on live TV, she “doesn’t strike without a warning.” She also espouses philosophies, from “Sometimes you gotta be a high-f lying b----,” to one that exclaims, “Men should be penetrated at least once to know what it is like to receive.” Fans will no doubt appreciate Jones’ unfiltered remarks.

Fiennes is adept at capturing moments both big—such as Grace accompanying her mother to church, where Marjorie sings for the congregation—and small, as when Grace reveals her skill at playing jacks. (Who knew?) And such is the magic of Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami.

The opportunity to see Jones strut on stage to perform “Pull Up to the Bumper” as well as “Warm Leatherette,” “Love Is the Drug,” and “Nipple to the Bottle,” among other classics, is irresistible. Seeing her acknowledge that she is surprised her version of “La vie en rose” became a disco hit is gratifying. It is nice to see her appreciate an unexpected success.

Such humility does come across throughout the film, and Jones is not always seen as fierce or being a diva.

In fact, she achieves a measure of poi-

gnancy when she talks about her late father’s “death eyes.” It’s a touching moment in a portrait that never aims to demystify Jones, but rather, simply presents her as she is and shows Grace Jones just being Grace Jones. © 2018 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

BEARDED LADY Who was actor Rock Hudson’s (1925–1985) “beard” in real life?

A) Doris Day B) Elizabeth Taylor C) Katherine Scherer D) Phyllis Gates ANSWER ON PAGE 30

Karin Jaffie as Kitty Tapata hosts Miss Kitty’s Original Trivia Nights at The Wild Side West on Wednesday nights from 8 pm–11 pm, 424 Cortland Avenue in San Francisco. As Tapata says, “It’s free, fun and friendly! To play is to win!”

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Game Changers The meeting in October never happened because in September, Scout called in their own threat and, wandering outside their dorm barefoot, Scout was shot through the heart at close range by a rookie GTU cop.

To this day, it gnaws at me that had I been able to come to the campus and discuss the prospects for living a full, open, happy and loving queer life, maybe Scout, a 3.9 GPA computer science senior, might not have taken their life.

Words Michele Karlsberg Michele Karlsberg: Two new books by lesbian authors Kathleen Archambeau and Robin Lowey are featured in this issue of the San Francisco Bay Times. I asked both Archambeau and Lowey to share their thoughts about these new works and what inspired them.

The statistics are still daunting for queer youth—92% are bullied in American schools. Queer teens are four times as likely to commit suicide and eight times as likely to do so in

Kathleen Archambeau: A slight, long-haired, fine-featured young intersex student with oversized glasses reminded me of why I wrote Pride & Joy: LGBTQ Artists, Icons and Everyday Heroes. When I got off the call with Scout Schultz, President of the Georgia Tech University Pride Alliance, I was excited about the prospect of speaking to the group—Scout leading the charge with an unbridled curiosity and enthusiasm that fueled my own.

religiously condemning households, which is why the messages in this book are so important: from Academy Award-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black to the first openly lesbian Bishop Karen Oliveto.

As many queer youth, straight parents, teachers and allies have f igured out, “finding community, finding your peeps” is the best inoculation against self-abnegation. My book is just the beginning of a new conversation that starts with the premise, “You are fabulous just the way you are and everything’s possible.”

Kathleen Archambeau is an awardwinning writer and L GBTQ act i vi st .

She was a founding member of the SF Public Library’s L G BT w i n g. To learn more: www. kathleenarchambeau.com Robin Lowey: I wrote Game Changers – Lesbians You Should Know About in response to the FAIR Act, a 2011 law requiring inclusion of LGBT studies in the California public school curriculum. It’s a fun, large-format book with colorful portraits, aha moments, illustrated timelines and pull-out game cards.

The women featured are over 50, came out young, and made significant contributions to LGBTQ cul-

ture. Kate Kendell, Jewelle Gomez, Mariah Ha nson, M a rga Gomez, and Crystal Jang are a mong t he 30 feat ured lesbians who are well k now n i n t he L GB T Q c om munity, but not necessarily in the world at large.

I was a pioneering lesbian mom in the 1990s. I was stunned when I turned 50, my kids grew up, my 27-year relationship ended, I got laid off and my best friend died. I needed to start over and find a new path. I began volunteering for my local LGBT Center and visiting classrooms to dispel myths about LGBTQ people.

In 2010, I launched Epochalips.com – Smart Lesbian Commentary, popular with lesbians over 40. When the FAIR Act passed, I realized I needed to write this book. I raised $20,000 through crowd funding to achieve my goal of providing a book to every public high school in the Bay Area. It’s important that today’s youth understand about our history. I’m having a blast taking the book into classrooms and leading discussions about LGBTQ issues, history, stereotyping and

how it leads to discrimination. Plans are in the works for an animated Ebook, and a Volume 2.

Robin Lowey’s writing has appeared at several websites (such as Epochalips.com Lesbian.com and More. com). She was Creat i ve D irect or of “Girlfriends Magazine,” and a graphic designer for “Coming up” (now “San Francisco Bay Times”) during the 1990s.

For more info: lesbiangamechangers.com Michele Karlsberg Marketing and Management specializes in publicity for the LGBT community. This year, Karlsberg celebrates thirty years of successful book campaigns.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE DE YOUNG AND LEGION OF HONOR

Judy Dater: Only Human At the de Young through September 16 Spanning five decades of the artist’s work, Judy Dater: Only Human is the first exhibition in over twenty years to explore the career of Bay Area photographer Judy Dater. This exhibition provides a survey of Dater’s work, celebrating her achievement as a pioneering figure in 1970s feminist art and her subsequent creative evolution.

Living most of her life in California, Dater (b. 1941) grew up in Hollywood with the influence of cinema amplified by the hours she spent in her father’s movie theater. This early exposure to the realm of the visual led her to study art at the University of California, Los Angeles, and later at San Francisco State University, where she earned her degrees (BA 1963, MA 1966). At SFSU, Dater committed more seriously to photography and her early talent was encouraged by several prominent members from the West Coast’s Group f.64 and its followers, including Imogen Cunningham and Edward Weston.

Though the theme of feminism remains present in Dater’s work through the decades, her compositions increase in narrative depth and implication over time. Her self-portraits incorporating the landscape of the Southwest use geographic features as subtle allusions that reveal the weight of social constructs.

Judy Dater, “Maxine Hong Kingston, Berkeley, California,” 2015.

Judy Dater, “My Hands, Death Valley, Death Valley, California,” 1980.

deyoungmuseum.org

Judy Dater, “Lovers #2, San Francisco, California,” 1965.

Judy Dater, “Twinka and Tree, San Anselmo, California,” 1970.

Judy Dater, “Russ Ellis, Berkeley, California,” 2003.

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Judy Dater, “Maria Rosario Domenici, Rome, Italy,” 1998.

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Judy Dater, “Chris and LaShaune #1, Oakland, California,” 2014.

Judy Dater, “Selfportrait with Stone, Badlands, South Dakota,” 1981.

BAY TIMES food

Welcome to the Castro Farmers’ Market

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2018)

Farm-Fresh Eggs in a Rainbow of Colors

Photos by Rink Live music, friendly neighbors, fresh fruit and vegetables, artisan meats, designer pastries, cheeses, honey, jams and so much more await you every Wednesday in the Castro at the 16th and Noe intersection, 4-8pm.

A chicken’s genes determine the eggshell’s color. You can tell what color of egg they will lay by looking at their earlobes! A hen has earlobes, you say? Yes, even though their ears are covered with feathers, their earlobes are visible and come in different hues. White-feathered chickens with white earlobes lay white eggs. Red or brown chickens with red earlobes lay brown eggs. Blue to green chicken eggs come from the Araucana, a breed of chicken developed in Chile. Araucanas have also been crossed with other breeds to produce the Americauna, sometimes called the “Easter egg chicken” because of multicolored eggs.

PHOTO BY RINK

Have you ever wondered why chicken eggshells come naturally in different colors? Some really beautifully colored eggs can be found at your farmers’ market. The shells range in colors from the usual white, to shades of cream, tan and brown, to light and dark turquoise.

The color of a chicken’s feathered coat, on the other hand, is irrelevant to the color of eggs. Chickens actually come in a wide range of shapes, colors, and sizes that run the gamut from the strange-looking Frizzled Cochin to the sleek black and white Lakenvelder.

Crucolo Cheese in Oakland Visitors to Market Hall in Oakland’s Rockridge district know that it is spring when the enormous Crucolo cheese arrives. The artisanal cow’s milk cheese from Trentino, North Italy, is only available for a short time each year in three U.S. cities, Market Hall staff informed the San Francisco Bay Times. (The other two locations are in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.) This rich, buttery cheese is aged for 1–2 months. It is often paired with olives, hazelnuts and prosciutto for a predinner cheese course, but is delicious just by itself.

The cows that produce the limited-supply milk for this cheese graze on lush, green grass along the picturesque banks of the Brenta River at the foot of the Lagorai Mountain range. April 6 was declared “Crucolo Day,” when the 385-pound wheel was brought in to Market Hall — next to the Rockridge BART station — with much bell ringing and fanfare. A similar parade is held annually in Concord, MA: www.youtube.com/ watch?time_continue=136&v=QRv1ecDl04w Rockridge Market Hall: www.rockridgemarkethall.com/

Eggs of different colors are essentially identical in f lavor, with the taste itself determined by the chicken’s diet.

Have you ever cracked open a farm-fresh egg to discover a deep rich yellow yolk? Compare that to the pale yellow yolks you get in supermarket eggs. Pasture-raised chickens are free to roam and eat insects, grass, and other natural foods in their environment. They are free to consume the dietary minerals they need, which are then passed down to the eggs and the shells.

PHOTO BY RINK

Originally, all chicken eggs were probably brown. Over time, selective breeding for white eggs became the norm.

It wasn’t until the late 20th century when brown eggs were reintroduced, and then came the return of those breeds with bluish-colored eggs, although breeders and farmers were obviously familiar with them.

Get your eggs from the Castro Farmers’ Market for the prettiest colors and the best flavor available! Visit Shelly’s Farm from Brentwood. Their pasture-raised birds offer the best eggs around. Try farmers’ market eggs and compare them to the grocery store variety of eggs. We bet you’ll notice the difference in quality and flavor.

Asparagus and Egg Salad 1 dozen medium eggs 1 pound asparagus 1 tablespoon dill, or other asparagus-compatible herb like basil, chervil, chive, scallion, thyme or tarragon 1 cup mayonnaise* Salt and pepper to taste Hard boil a dozen eggs. Cool completely, peel, and dice. Prepare asparagus while your eggs are cooling by washing and snapping off the hard ends. Cut off the tips and cook separately, reserving for garnish. Slice the stalks into thin rounds; blanch in boiling salted water for 20 seconds.

The tips are larger, so let them blanch for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until tender but not mushy. Cool in cold running water. Drain and mix with the diced eggs, dill, mayonnaise and salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe: Chef Marisa Ades, Cookin’ the Market, PCFMA. * Find out how to make your own mayonnaise at pcfma.org/eat/recipes

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Success with Physical Therapy

Take Me Home with You! Pancho

“Hi there, my name is Pancho! I’m a zippy little guy who enjoys small dog playgroups, chasing balls and butt scratches. I walk with a cute wobble—it’s part of my signature style, and I think it gives me a little extra pizzazz. My dream is to meet someone special ASAP so we can go on lots of fun adventures together this summer!”

Pancho 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 Pancho.

To meet Pancho, as well as other pets seeking their forever homes, please visit: San Francisco SPCA Mission Campus 250 Florida Street San Francisco 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: sfspca.org/adoptions

Easy Fitness Cinder Ernst I love physical therapy. It’s the best thing for you when your body hurts.

Physical therapists have a way of “reading” what’s going on in your body. From that reading they can plot a path for your recovery. PTs are all about getting you stronger in the weak parts, and longer in the tight or short parts, so that you come into balance. That balance will often resolve pain and mobility issues so that you can get back to your life.

One thing to note in today’s insurance centered world is sometimes your PT may only be able to address the body part that was mentioned in your referral. As you know, bodies are connected from head to toe, and sometimes one area is creating pain in a different area. The insurance limitations can be frustrating for both patient and therapist. Keep asking for what you want and need, and know that the therapist is on your side.

I am a medical exercise specialist with 20 years of experience, and was a personal trainer for a decade beforehand. I’ve been at this fitness thing for a long time. I’m pretty good at reading bodies too, and plotting a course for improved mobility. One big difference between what I do and what a PT does is I will never direct you into a place of pain to aid in your recovery.

I don’t know enough to do that safely.

Often PTs will adjust or move you in

ways that will hurt a bit later, but lead to your desired outcome.

One of the most important aspects of your successful treatment outcome with physical therapy is to do the recommended exercises between appointments. This is where I and my 30 years of helping people to exercise come in handy. The first hurdle concerns how much, and how often, you are expected to do the rehab exercises. For instance, being asked to do something three times a day that takes ten or fifteen minutes and may feel lousy when you are doing it has failure built right in. It’s just plain hard to make yourself do it if you’re human.

If you f ind yourself feeling overwhelmed as you receive your PT assignment, speak up. Let your therapist know you might not be up to all of it and ask if they could prioritize or shorten the assignment. If you get home and feel that way, then cut the assignment down to a manageable chunk and start there. You will still benefit to a certain extent from doing some of the exercises and that is all good. At your next appointment, be truthful about what you’re up to and not up to. Watch out for the “all or nothing” trap and do something. It will help; I promise.

Here are ways to fit in your exercises as you proceed through your day:

• Some lying down exercises, such as slow roll-ups, will work in bed; try them and see.

• Some stand ing exercises and stretches can be done while you handle other tasks—while water is boiling, the microwave is heating your meal or coffee is brewing.

• Some exercises can be done while you’re brushing your teeth.

• Some can be done at your desk, in your car, in the elevator or while you’re waiting to cross the street.

Be creative in your day. You also might free up time if you limit your social media use. I don’t have such apps on my phone, and that’s what I recommend to my clients. I often do rehab stuff lying on the floor watching TV at night. Be kind to yourself and keep an eye out for the improvements that come with your rehab efforts.

Cinder Ernst, Medical Exercise Specialist and Life Coach Extraordinaire, helps reluctant exercisers get moving with safe, effective and fun programs. Her book, “Easy Fitness for the Reluctant Exerciser” (http:// cinderernst.com/easy-fitness-book/), is available in paperback and E-book.

She specializes in fitness and rehab for plus-size clients, but her stressfree approach is suitable for all. Find out more at cinderernst.com

RESPECT: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom

By Lyndsey Schlax (Editor’s Note: Teacher Lyndsey Schlax of the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts (SOTA) launched the nation’s first on-site high school LGBT course in 2015. She still offers that groundbreaking class but is teaching Ethnic Studies this semester. The two subjects often intersect, so in this column her students share their thoughts about both Ethnic Studies and LGBT-related matters, including their concerns, what they have learned in class and more.

Here, two twelfth graders write about the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) exhibit RESPECT: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom.)

Rapper Kendrick Lamar’s recording “Damn,” released on April 14, 2017, received the 2018 Pulitzer Prize in Music.

The Pulitzer Committee said the work was “a virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism, that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern AfricanAmerican life.”

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1. “People hone their skills and find their voices in the energy and flow of the community.” With these warm words, guests were immediately welcomed into RESPECT: Hip-Hop Style and Wisdom. This exhibit at the Oakland Museum asks for an engaging and supporting community, as it invites individuals to share their thoughts and speak their truth. Walking through the maze of history and origin, OMCA made sure to embrace the roots of hip-hop’s culture and the stories that built its foundation.

From ceiling to f loor, from the barbershop to graffiti, the California museum presented portraits of the way that hip-hop culture was expressed into daily activities and events. Graffiti murals covered the walls as fashion displays filled exhibit platforms, each partnered with their upbringing stories. With an open dance floor, vidA PR I L 1 9 , 2 0 1 8

eos screened tutorials on dance moves and simple choreographies that remain popular in hip-hop arts.

Visitors crowded around the DJ spinning infamous, movement-starting tracks, inviting people to the floor, as well as to the open mic. While poetry and spoken word are a key role in expressing one’s feelings, hip-hop incorporated such practices and ideas through the art of rap. OMCA’s special exhibit provided wired microphones for anyone to step up and share a song, line, quote—any piece of mind to be a voice in the crowd and to help build community.

Stepping through the doors of the exhibit, guests walked in with an open mind and walked out with f looding information, pride, fellowship and ... respect! We will carry on in solidarity and awareness, sharing the untold stories and histories of the style, culture and wisdom of hip-hop.

2. Recently, my LGBTQ+/Ethnic Studies class took a trip to OMCA. It consisted of different exhibits that illustrated various aspects of California’s history. The first exhibit that my class and I went to was the main one that described California before it even was California, and the Native American tribes who lived there.

Then, as we went further into the museum, their history was gradually revealed—showing when the Europeans took over, including when immigrants arrived for the Gold Rush.

That particular part of the museum was basically one large timeline that people could walk through.

STUDENT VOICES The separate hip-hop exhibit was perhaps my favorite part of the entire museum, because it clearly went into depth about the true meaning of hiphop and what it means to be Black.

Certain parts of this museum made it seem so realistic. I felt a connection with the exhibit and felt empowered. A sense of hope and inspiration were felt among the people walking around.

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

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

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun

By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, “April showers bring MayFlowers, but who wants a bunch of oppressive Puritan immigrants sailing on ships coming to our shores?!”

The monthly CASTRO ART WALK gave us art aficionados a lovely evening (despite the rain) to soak in (sorry about the pun) the talent on display all over the Castro district. Alas, Kitten on the Keys had been scheduled to perform in Jane Warner Plaza, but had to cancel due to her distaste for electrocution on keyboards. I especially encourage visits to Art Attack SF with “Into the Wild,” a rotating group exhibition of works by 47 California-based artists inspired by nature, sharing a connection to nature via subject matter or materials used in appreciation of Earth Month. I really enjoyed Local Take with lots of animals portrayed.

And I strongly suggest a visit to Spark Arts with the poetic genius of Barbara Piper nailed next to the beautiful paintings entitled “Gate of Destiny” by Ronit Hendel showing a journey of struggle to find a form of expression in a new country. Hendel moved to San Francisco in 2016 to be with the love of her life. She had always lived in Israel and had not yet been in the situation where English was the main language.

That night, we were treated to music by the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts band. So, to sum it all up: bravo for the April Castro Art Walk!

STRUT, the gay/bi men’s health and social wellbeing center in the Castro, is now exhibiting the art of DANYOL LEON, a San Francisco-based, multidisciplinary, Latinx artist who has been active in the Bay Area arts community for over 15 years. His saccharine, pop-influenced mixed media art utilizes bright colors and cartoon-like figures to explore intersectional identity and the inconsistencies in our social fabric. His exhibition is punnily entitled IT’S ALL IN THE JEANS and will be on display all April at 470 Castro Street.

Zounds! Me thinketh this musical, HEAD OVER HEELS, truly slayeth!

Forsooth! Imagine a musical featuring the many delightful songs of THE GO-GO’S with the setting back in Elizabethan times and most of the dialogue in Shakespearean iambic pentameter! It concerns a royal family that must prevent an oracle›s prophecy of doom. In order to save their beloved kingdom, the family embarks on a wild and wacky journey loaded with mistaken identities, jealous lovers, sexual awakening, same-sex love, binary sexuality, scandal, and self-discovery, where everything (and everyone) is not quite what it seems. Let’s just say it’s the gayest play since La Cage aux Folles.

The principal cast features Andrew Durand (Spring Awakening), Taylor Iman Jones (Groundhog Day), Jeremy Kushnier (Cirque du Soleil Paramour), Bonnie Milligan (Kinky Boots tour; Broadway debut), Peppermint (RuPaul’s Drag Race; and the first transwoman actress to create a principal role on Broadway), Tom Alan Robbins (The Lion King, original cast), Alexandra Socha (Spring Awakening), and Rachel York(Disaster! ). Seventeen of The Go-Go’s iconic hit songs include “We Got the Beat,” “Get Up and Go,” “Cool Jerk,” “Vacation,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “Lust to Love,” “Head Over Heels,” and Belinda Carlisle’s solo hits “Mad About You” and “Heaven is a Place on Earth.” Heaven is this musical! The fun runs at the Curran, 445 Geary Street, through May 6. sfcurran.com

PHOTO BY RINK

OPENHOUSE held their annual SPRING FLING celebration at the Ritz-Carlton with a delicious brunch and a program honoring LGBTQ older people and those fighting to keep them central in our lives and our community. As Openhouse’s biggest fundraising event of the year, monies raised through Spring Fling are criti-

cal to providing and expanding quality programs and services for LGBTQ seniors. Members of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus opened the event with rousing gay anthems.

2018 honorees included Kate Kendell and Cecilia C Chung, both having dedicated their careers to fight with unwavering strength to better the lives of our community. After brunch they brought back the Tea Dance, hosted

by DJs Sergio Fedasz and Steve Fabus of longtime San Francisco disco/dance club institution Go BANG! Also recognized were city nightlife and activism champions Donna Personna and Collette LeGrande. Executive Director Karyn Skultety spoke of how just a year ago they opened the first LGBTQ-welcoming senior affordable housing in the Bay Area—along with a permanent headquarters. Since that time, they have supported the development of an incredible group of residents (68% of whom identify as SLBTQ , and 57% from communities of color). And 100% have engaged in Openhouse programs and services in the first year. They call these folks GenOUT. She pointed out the need to address the startling fact that over 30% of seniors in San Francisco are living in poverty—a number that has dramatically increased in the past four years.

Skultety concluded, “We ask you to believe in the power that comes from the experiences of a generation of activists who had to fight to come out, and now fight to stay out as they age!”

Dennis McMillan (aka Sister Dana) with honoree Colette LeGrande at the Openhouse Spring Fling held at the San Francisco Ritz Carlton Hotel on Sunday, April 8

We attended a lovely reception featuring Bay Area artists and their take on “NITE LIFE ” at the office of Senator Scott Wiener at 455 Golden Gate Avenue, Suite 14800. Curated

by Joseph Abbati, these artists came from all different backgrounds, ages, sexual orientations, countries of origin, races, and artistic styles. They represented all of the incredible diversity of the San Francisco Bay, and their pieces were just as diverse. The artists included Torrey Spoerer, Diane Heron, Catherine Gutierrez, Nathalie Fabri, Rikki List, Billy Douglas, Chad Berwald, E. Wendell Shinn, Susan West, ENTROPY, aka Bianca Nandzik, Jeffrey Yip, Deirdre Weinberg, Tim Armstrong, Chloe Meyer, Athena K im, Stephanie Peek, Suzanne Engel(continued on page 31) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2018)

Compiled by Blake Dillon

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS sfbaytimes.com

19: Thursday SpaceAge NightLife @ California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, 55 Music Concourse Drive. “SpaceQuest” is the theme for the evening in the Academy’s ongoing Thursday NightLife series featuring art, music, performances and ideas inspired by the future of life in space and shared by guest experts. 6–10pm. calacademy.org

their friends meet to socialize and enjoy the scene at Beaux. 5–8pm. maxsf.org Space @ The Port Bar, 2023 Broadway, Oakland. Presented by SF La Queer Nightlife, the event will feature and welcome DJ Deity and all queers and their allies. 9pm–2am. portbaroakland.com

It Must Have Been Something I Ate @ SF Public Library, 6th Floor, Skylight Gallery, MAX Third Thursday @ Beaux, 100 Larkin Street. A special gastronomic adventure and cook-off event 2344 Market Street. Gay men and

will be held in conjunction with the Schmulowitz Collection exhibit that continues through May 31 featuring items with wit and humor. 12 Noon. sfpl.org Queer Game Dev Meetup at Unity @ Unity Technologies, 30 3rd Street. Social networking plus board games, video games and more. queergdm.com

New Year. 5-11pm. apiqwtc.org OutWest 7th Anniversary Dance @ Wischemann Hall, 465 Morris Street, Sebastopol. The only LGBTQ partner dance venue in Sonoma. Held every 3rd Saturday, it features a free lesson for beginners followed by non-stop dancing.

6:30pm lessons/8-10pm dancing. outwestdance.com

20: Friday

22: Sunday

We Turn Up the Volume @ The Fairmont San Framcisco, 950 Mason Street. The Lambda Legal SF Bay Area event will feature cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a dessert reception plus speaker Sharon McGowan.

6–11pm. lambdalega.org

Fog Rugby Beer Bust @ The Lone Star Saloon, 1354 Harrison Street. The event will feature cold beer, jello shots, food, raffle prizes, short shorts and hot ruggers. 4-8pm. fogrugby.com

AIDS Walk Benefit with Paula West @ SF Jazz Center, Ducal Council @ Aunt Charlie’s, 201 Franklin Street. Songs of protest, 133 Turk Street. Food, drinks, raffle hope, resistance and social conand show will be hosted by Grand sciousness throughout history to the Duchess Roxy-Cotten Candy. 4pm. present day will comprise Ms.West’s sfducal.org program. 7:30–9pm. sfjazz.org Smuin Dance Series 02 @ Donna Sachet’s Songs for No Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Reason - The Big Gay 700 Howard Street. The program Comedy Extravaganza @ will include Oasis by Helen Pickett, Russian Center of SF, 2450 Sutter Falling Up by Amy Seiwert and the Street. A benefit for REAF world premiere of If I Were a Sushi (Richmond Ermet Aid Foundation) Roll by Val Caniparoli. Continues and PRC. 8pm. reaf.org through April 29. smuinballet.org

21: Saturday Barbary Coast Trail Walk @ A guided tour of historic points in Portsmouth Square, Jackson Square and the Barbary Coast. 10am–Noon. sfhistory.org Daybreaker Seniors Disco Dancing @ San Francisco City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place.

Join more than 100+ seniors for a morning dance party with music from the 1950s-2010s along with yoga, juices and healthy breakfast treats.

10am–12 Noon. daybreaker.com Castro Street Fair Public Forum @ Eureka Valley Recreation Center, 100 Collingwood Street. The event’s Executive Committee seeks community input to discuss the future of this historic neigborhood fair founded by Harvey Milk. 3-5pm. castrostreetfair.org Krewe de Kinque Beer/Soda Bust @ Edge, 4149 18th Street.

Queen XV Miss Chief and King XV Gooch will host this monthly event with raffle prizes and more. 4-7pm.

Krewe de Kinque on Facebook 31st APIQWTC Lunar New Year of the Dog Banquet @ Cinnamon Tree, 708 Franklin Street, Oakland. A celebration of the Lunar

23: Monday Geeks Who Drink Pub Quiz @ El Rio, 3158 Mission Street. A selfdescribed “authentic pub quiz for beer-soaked nerds.” 8-10pm. elriosf.com Photosynthesis: Love for All Seasons @ San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers, 100 JF Kennedy Drive. Artistic illuminations are presented nightly through Spring.

Sundown to midnight. conservatoryofflowers.org

24: Tuesday Sister Circle @ Openhouse, 55 Laguna. A monthly 4th Tuesday event for women-identified LGBTQ community members to make new connections in a luncheon setting.

12-1:30pm. sylvia@openhouse-sf.org

SAVE THESE DATES FRIDAY, APRIL 20

Donna Sachet’s Songs for No Reason SATURDAY, APRIL 21

APIQWTC Annual Lunar New Year Banquet TUESDAY, APRIL 24

SF Dining Out for Life SUNDAY, MAY 6

Maitri’s BLISS WEDNESDAY MAY 9

PAWS Petchitecture FRIDAY, MAY 11

Our Family Coalition Gala THURSDAY, MAY 18-20

38th Russian River Women’s Weekend SATURDAY, MAY 19

NCLR Anniversary Celebration SUNDAY, JUNE 3-9

AIDS/LifeCycle FRIDAY, JUNE 8

Oakland A’s Night Out THURSDAY, JUNE 21

SF Giants Night Out SATURDAY, JUNE 23

Pride Brunch SUNDAY, JUNE 24

SF Pride Parade SUNDAY, JULY 15

AIDS Walk San Francisco AUGUST 2-5

Lazy Bear Weekend SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

Oakland Pride SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6

Dining Out for Life 2018 @ Multiple restaurants. A day of fun, food and fundraising supporting the SF AIDS Foundation. 5-9pm. doflsf.org

Horizons Annual Gala

StartOut Demo Day @ PARISOMA, 169 11th Street. A top roster of LGBTQ-led startups will pitch Bay Area VCs and Angel investors. 6:30pm. startout.org

MONDAY, DECEMBER 24

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7

Castro Street Fair SFGMC Home for the Holidays

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25: Wednesday Castro Farmers’ Market @ 16th and Beaver Streets. The Castro neighborhood’s Farmers’ Market has begun a new season with fresh veggies, fruits, crafts and artisan-made goodies. 4–8pm. Castro Farmers’ Market on Facebook Out in Tech SF/Extending Reality @ Samsung NEXT SF, 201 Spear Street, Suite 1600. A networking reception will follow the program, which will feature a stimulating panel discussion on how augmented and virtual reality are changing the way we experience everything.

6:45pm program/7:30 networking. outintech.com

Francisco Arts Commission Gallery, 401 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 126.

LGBT artist Lenore Chinn and other participating artists and organizations will celebrate the opening of a new exhibit on the art and legacy of the Neighborhood Arts Program.

6–9pm. Exhibit dates: April 27-June 9. sanfrancisco.carpediem.cd Untold Workshop Presentation @ Brava Theater Center, 2871 24th Street. A theatrical adaptation of Untold Stories, a collection of written works exploring the cost of holding and hiding the secrets of women who have relinquished children to adoption, of queer and trans women, of women of color and more. 8pm. Continues on April 28 and 29. brava.org

Milk at Munros At Midnight @ Midnight Sun, 4067 18th Street.

Miss Big & Milky, Milk Queen will join Paju Munro, Mercedez Munro and Ruby Red Munro for a midnight show. 9pm–Closing. midnightsunsf.com

1: Tuesday Castro Rotary Club @ The Sausage Factory, 517 Castro Street.

Join LGBT Rotarians on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays and learn about current projects and volunteer opportunities. 6:30–8pm. portal.clubrunner.ca/13807

The Doctor Is In: Neurology Updates in HIV @ Strut, 470 Castro Street. Join HIV specialist NERT (Neighborhood Neal Sheran, MD, from Mission Emergency Response Madeleine Albright, Former Neighborhood Health Center for a Training) with SFFD @ St. Secretary of State @ Crowne Francis Memorial Hospital, 900 Plaza, 4290 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. discussion of the current information and findings. 6:30–8:30pm.

Hyde Street. San Francisco Fire Presented by The Commonwealth strutsf.org Department staff will instruct the Club, Albright will discuss her new session designed to get you ready book Fascism: A Warning. 7pm for any emergency. 6:30-10pm and program/8pm book signing. also on May 2 & 9. bit.ly/2GMxCuY commonwealthclub.org Wednesdays at Feinstein’s @ Fighting Back: Queers & the Feinstein’s at the Nikko, 222 Mason.

Class Divide @ GLBT History A rotating series of events presented Museum, 4127 18th Street. A comeach month on Wednesdays, includBay Area Book Festival @ munity forum in the Museum’s ing Broadway Bingo at the Nikko Multiple Venues in downtown monthly “Fighting Back” series, the Berkeley. This two-day event (contin- with host Katya Smirnoff-Skyy and event will feature a panel of historimusical director Joe Wicht. 7pm. ans, organizers and younger activists. ues on Sunday, April 29) will include feinsteinsatthenikko.com nearly 500 authors and exhibitors 7-9pm. glbthistory.org from the Bay Area and beyond along Tapata Trivia Round UP! @ Grab ‘Em By The Songs @ The Wild Side West, 424 Courtland with keynotes, interviews, panels, Ivy Room, 1860 San Pablo Avenue, performances and more. 10am-6pm. Avenue. Kit Tapata hosts the weeklyAlbany. An in-the-round show of on-Wednesdays trivia competition baybookfest.org women sharing songs led by host Kim mixed with music and live improv at Lembo with guests Emily Zisman and Independent Bookstore Day the popular Bernal Heights location.

Mya Byrne. 7:30pm. ivyroom.com @ Laurel Book Store, 1423 7–9pm. tapatatwins.com Broadway, Oakland. 10am-7pm.

Special activities will celebrate the role of independent bookstores in the Bay Area and throughout the Femprovisor Fest ’18 Shows Castro Art Walk @ Castro U.S. laurelbookstore.com @ EXIT Theatre, 156 Eddy Street.

District Locations. A neighborhood Four days of workshops and perforApril Follies Same-Sex Dance art walk held monthly on the first mances will showcase female-identified Competition & Show @ Just Thursday of each month at multiple improv ensembles, comics and sketch Dance Ballroom, 500 Embarcadero, hosting locations. 6-7pm. Castro Art groups from the Bay Area and Oakland. The 16th annual Walk at Facebook throughout the U.S. Continues Dancesport Classic, the longest-runthrough April 29. femprovisorfest.com ning same-sex dance competition in Art Tech NightLife @ California Academy of Sciences, North America, will feature a full Queer Ancestors Project Golden Gate Park, 55 Music complement of competitive dance Workshop @ SF LGBT Center, Concourse Drive. Explore the future 1800 Market Street. A free two-hour events plus a star-studded evening of art and technology with a custom show.

9:30pm-Midnight. workshop on the theme Queer & Planetarium show, forward thinking aprilfollies.com Trans Writing to Heal with teaching lectures and DJs. The evening in the artist Celeste Chan. 2:30-5pm.

Academy’s ongoing Thursday sfcenter.org NightLife series features art, music, Unity is Resilience - LYRIC’s performances and ideas inspired by LGBTQ Holistic Health & 30th Anniversary Open the future of life in space and shared House @ LYRIC, 127 Collingwood Wellness Day @ Oakland with experts. 6–10pm.

LGBTQ Community Center, 3207 Street. A celebratory evening of calacademy.org Lakeshore Avenue, Oakland. community networking and youth Speakers, panel discussions, demos, creativity looking back on 30 years vendors and more will address of LYRIC’s service. 5:30-7:30pm. health-related topics. 11am-8pm.

NightLife Spotlight @ MAX’s May TGIF @ Hyatt oaklandlgbtqcenter.org California Academy of Sciences, Embarcadero Eclipse Lounge, Gay Pints and Paws Benefit for Golden Gate Park, 55 Music men and friends meet for the Muttville Senior Dog Rescue Concourse Drive. “City Nature monthly first Friday networking eve@ Triple Voodoo Brewery, 2245 3rd ning. Limited to 150 and RSVP Challenge” is the theme as San Street. Four-legged friends are welFrancisco competes with 60 cities required. 6–8pm. nationwide. The evening is one in the come for this kickoff of a monthly concierge@masxf.org benefit series. 1-4pm. muttville.org Academy’s ongoing Thursday Desperate Living SF Dyke NightLife series featuring art, music, Stephanie Teel Band @ March Benefit @ The Stud, 399 live performances and presentations Sausalito Crusing Club, 300 Napa 9th Street. A monthly benefit event by experts. 6–10pm. calacademy.org Street, Sausalito. Get your name on hosted by Sgt Die Wies and guest “the list” for this popular dance Fruity Thursday with the performers with an absurd raffle event at a private club by calling 415- including a drag queen pie-in-theDucal Court & LGBT Youth @ Castro Country Club, 4058 18th 332-9922. stephanieteel.com face. 10pm–3am. studsf.com Street.The Ducal Council’s Miss Way Bay Exhibit @ BAMPFA Shugana will co-host the event, co(UC Berkeley Art Museum and sponsored with Larkin Street Youth Pacific Film Arthive), 2155 Center Services, where adults and young peo- Street, Berkeley. The exhibit is a Cinco de Mayo Dance ple hang out at the Castro Country Festival @ Jack London Square, sweeping exploration of creativity Club. 4:30-6:30pm. sfducal.org Oakland. The first ever Cinco de through art, film, poetry and performance as expressed in diverse com- Mayo Dance Festival will include turf Club Beautiful: A Drag Show battles hosted by featured emcees munities of the Bay Area during the @ The Elbow Room, 647 Valencia. and DJs with live performances, past two centuries.

Thursday–Sunday Hosted by Vivvyanne Forevermore, dancing horses, live painting, prize through June 3. bampfa.org the event will feature drag perforgiveaways and more. 12 Noon–7pm. mances, queens, pop-up shops, djs jacklondonsquare.com and more. 10pm. elboromsf.com Elixir’s 15th Anniversary Strut Book Club @ Strut, 470 Year Party Series: Cinco de Castro Street. Less by Andrew Sean Derby 2018 @ Elixir, 3200 16th Greer is the selection for April. 7:30- Street. San Francisco’s second oldest Opening Reception: Culture saloon continues celebrating its 9pm. strutsf.org Catalyst Exhibit @ San

2: Wednesday

28: Saturday

Check Out the New Personals Section for LGBTQ Singles: BayTimesDating.com

26: Thursday

3: Thursday

29: Sunday

4: Friday

5: Saturday

30: Monday

27: Friday

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160-year-old tradition with drink specials, free snacks, hat contest and more. 1pm-2am. elixirsf.com Peaches Christ’s “Steel Dragnolia” with Alaska, Coco Peru & More @ Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street. Peaches Christ will host a parody stage show followed by a screening of the 1989 classic Steel Magnolias. 3pm & 8pm. peacheschrist.com The Annual Cinco De Meow @ The Cinch, 1723 Polk Street.

Hosted by Emperor 32 and Empress 49 China Silk, the annual party will include raffles, grab bags, show and crowning of the new Chico and Chica Chulo 2018. chinchsf.com Country Nights - Women’s Partner Dancing @ Lake Merritt Dance Center, 200 Grand Avenue.

Oakland. Lessons for two-step, waltz, line dancing, Latin, swing and more will be offered and all ages are welcome with no partner necessary.

7–8pm lessons/8–10pm dance. countrynightsdance.com Saturday Night Soul Party @ The Elbow Room, 647 Valencia.

Held every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month at the Elbo Room San Francisco, the event is hosted by DJs Lucky, Phengren Oswald, and Special Lord B. aka DJ Paul Paul.10pm. elboromsf.com

6: Sunday 2018 Year of the Dog Photo Exhibit @ McLaren Lodge, 501 Stanyan Street. The exhibit, presented jointly by the Harvey Milk Photo Center and the McLaren Lodge, features photos from the oldest and largest outdoor event of its kind in the world. Check times on harveymilkphotocenter.org Queericulum @ The Center SF, 548 Fillmore Street. An all-day, queercentered educational, artistic and social urban retreat with play-shops and a community dinner theatre.

11am-10pm. Queericulum at Facebook 19th Annual How Weird Street Faire @ The Disco Ball Inferno, Howard and 2nd Streets. A wide array of dance will be presented on 10 stages. Noon-8pm. howweird.org Swagger Like Us @ El Rio, 3158 Mission Street. Hosted by Kelly Lovemonster, the event, described as a party, a vibe and a culture, will feature performer Shug and a lineup of DJs, photos by Takeover Tokyo and free BBQ. 3-8pm. swaggersf.com Mary Lou’s Apartment @ Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison Street, Berkeley. The all-women band’s maiden voyage featuring music of African American musical geniuses Mary Lou Williams and Melba Liston.

7pm. thefreight.org

7: Monday Sacred Cocktails @ The Lookout Bar, 16th and Market Streets. The monthly (First Monday) event features a selected conversation topic and guest speakers. 6:30-8pm. lookoutsf.com 40 Plus Men’s Group @ Oakland LGBTQ Community Center, 3207 Lakeshore Avenue, Oakland. A new monthly (1st Monday) multiethnic support group for men 40+.

7-8:30pm. oaklandlgbtqcenter.org

8: Tuesday Poetic Tuesday @ Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, 760 Howard.

Litquake will host some of the Bay Area’s best poets and musicians outdoors where you can enjoy your lunch.

12:30-1:30pm. bgfestival.org

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NEWS (continued from page 2) military service must meet the most demanding level of scrutiny because it so clearly targets transgender people. Meanwhile, the preliminary injunction the court previously granted remains in place, preventing the implementation of the ban pending trial. “Until the ban is put on trial, transgender people serving or wishing to serve in the military are protected by four separate court injunctions barring its implementation,” Lambda Legal Senior Attorney Peter Renn said.

“If history is any prediction of the future, the ban is still doomed at its next reckoning.” lambdalegal.org Castro Street Fair Board Seeks Public Input The Executive Board of the Castro Street Fair is seeking community input at a public forum on April 21 to discuss the present state, history and future of the Castro Street Fair. The public is asked to meet at Eureka Valley Rec Center, 100 Collingwood Street, from 3–5 pm. Traditionally held on the first Sunday in October, the Castro Street Fair has been a consistent community celebration since Harvey Milk founded it in 1974. The Fair has evolved along with the neighborhood and the increased challenges of producing large outdoor community events in the San Francisco urban landscape. The Board of Directors is seeking community feedback to address the needs of the neighborhood that hosts the event and the Fair attendees. Castro Street Fair is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that has raised nearly $1.5M in event proceeds for community organizations. They are not only a celebration, but also a vehicle to provide much needed community support.

Register at eventbrite.com/e/castro-street-fair-public-forum-tickets NCLR Looks for New Executive Director The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) is seeking an Executive Director (ED) with a pioneering spirit and unwavering commitment to serve as an inspirational leader for NCLR and the LGBTQ communities and movement.

NCLR is a national nonprofit, public interest law firm that serves at the forefront of advancing the civil and human rights of LGBTQ people and their families through prec-

edent-setting litigation, legislation, policy and public education across the country. Their legislative victories have been blazing trails in support of justice, fairness, and legal protections for all LGBTQ people for over 40 years. The Executive Director is based in the national San Francisco office. NCLR also has a Washington, D.C., office. The position requires frequent domestic travel. The ED reports to the Board of Directors. The Board has two co-chairs who partner closely with the ED. The ED directly supervises the Director of Development and Community Engagement, Deputy Director, Legal Director, and Communications Director. The ED will be responsible for managing a budget of approximately $5 million. nclrights.org San Francisco Community Health Center Kicks Off National Transgender HIV Testing Day San Francisco Community Health Center in collaboration with UCSF Center of Excellence for Transgender Health kicked off National Transgender HIV Testing Day on April 18 at 730 Polk Street by holding a daylong event to engage the transgender community in their healthcare. According to the 2016 San Francisco Epidemiological report, from 2006 through 2016, there were 144 transgender persons newly diagnosed with HIV in the City. 90 % of these diagnoses were trans female. “Trans women, especially trans women of color, are especially hard hit,” said Nikki “Tita Aida” Calma, Associate Director of HIV Prevention and Health Promotion. “The HIV epidemic is particularly hard because of the harsh conditions we face by multiple oppressions that stem from racism, classism, homophobia, etc. This day was to bring together the community and highlight these issues as well as to test and link others to healthcare options.” sfcommunityhealth.org Civil Rights Bill for Transgender People in Correctional Facilities Approved by Senate Public Safety Committee The Senate Public Safety Committee has approved the Dignity and Opportunity Act, a bill authored

by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San

Francisco), to expand civil rights protections for transgender individuals in California jails and prisons. This includes creating certain gender identity rights and preventing exclusion from programming and work opportunities. SB 990 was passed by a bipartisan vote of 6–0 and now moves to the Senate Judiciary Committee for a hearing.

Senate Bill 990 requires correctional facilities to allow people in custody to register their preferred gender identity and first name, and also that facility staff address people by these expressed preferences. “Transgender people deserve to be treated with dignity and be granted the opportunities to work and access programming just as everyone else does,” said Senator Wiener. “We shouldn’t be excluding anyone or treating them worse than others, simply because they are transgender or have a gender identity that differs from what their birth certificate says. This bill is an important step to expanding the rights of transgender people.” sen.ca.gov After Boston Marathon Clarifies Policies on Transgender Athletes, Care2 Petition Asks San Francisco to Do the Same After the Boston Marathon announced it will allow transgender runners to compete under the gender they identify with, a Care2 petition is asking the San Francisco Marathon to clarify its policies around transgender runners as well. The Care2 petition has already gathered over 1,000 signatures. “With the Boston Marathon joining Chicago, New York City, London and Los Angeles allowing transgender athletes to run under the gender of their own designation, it’s time for San Francisco to do the same,” said Sarah Rose, Care2’s Senior LGBTQ Issues Advocate. “This Care2 petition gives the City a chance to show what San Francisco values are all about—and join the movement for transgender equality for marathon runners.” A form on the San Francisco Marathon’s website requires people signing up to select a gender, male or female. “We would love to see San Francisco Marathon clarify whether or not it honors gender identity for transgender and genderqueer individuals,” the Care2 petition reads. unbendablemedia.com

KIT’N KITTY’S

QUEER POP QUIZ ANSWER (Question on pg 21) D) Phyllis Gates Hudson married his agent Henry Willson's secretary, Phyllis Gates, after dating and living together for months before his surprise marriage proposal. Gates said she married Hudson out of love and not, as it was later reported, to prevent an exposé of Hudson's gay sexual past. Their marriage only lasted three years, however (1955– 1958). His movie pairing with Doris Day started a year later with the popular romantic comedy Pillow Talk.

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SISTER DANA (continued from page 25)

open for t-shirt debates and counter protests.

berg, Dyanna Dimick, Nick Aitken, Judy Joy Jones, Nancy Calef, Scott Fin, Ole Johnson, Myke Reilly, and Joseph Abbati. One of my favorite series is by Nick Aitken, glossy photos entitled “URBAN JUNGLE,” depicting naked men painted to resemble “a climbing leopard,” “a sleeping tiger,” “a tricky cheetah,” “a white tiger,” “a giraffe,” and “a zebra”—all on the prowl midnight in the SoMa. Truly representing Night Life is a hardwood, glass, resin, acrylic, and LED assembled “Pulse” by OLE, a lot of dots that light up, blink, and change patters. “Night Owl” appeals to the night owl in me with a mixed media piece by Rikki List of guy and gal owls drinking and dancing while a huge clock runs backwards, counterclockwise. And you can’t have nightlife without drag queens, so Joseph Abbati provides a series of DQs including Turleen, Carnie Asada, Pollo Del Mar, and Grace Towers. Senator Wiener proudly brought to the front the artists who are participating all month long. He noted that San Francisco is “such a natural place for artists to be inspired by.” He said his office never looked better and always impresses his guests. He mentioned his bill in Sacramento to allow bars and dance clubs to stay open until 4 am, encouraging much more nightlife.

I wasn’t even aware of the Focus on the Family “Day of Dialogue,” which aimed to counter the silence with a moralizing little postcard you can hand out to a gay student. Now it seems as if Focus has stopped the Dialogue, but not before one genius (Zach Moore) created a parody “Day of Monologue” postcard that reads: “I am giving you this card as a reminder that I am planning to talk to every gay and lesbian student in this school, including you—and to invite you to listen to an awkward sermon about how God cares about which kids in school you want to date. I believe that Jesus Christ came to this earth to make it free from gay prom kings and lesbian cheerleaders. That’s why as a Christian—someone who constantly judges others even though Jesus warned me not to—I will stand up to homophobic bullies in public so that I can try to make friends with you and preach to you in private like I’m doing now. Because God cares so much about your sexuality, that he would rather have me preach to you about “intimacy” and “relationships”—things that I know nothing about—than spend this time collecting food and money for the poor.”

It goes on like that, and is printed with the same graphics and typeface. For the life of me, I would swear they used to have a completely different anti-gay “Day of” something, but it’s vanished from my memory like a bad dream.

I suppose my point is that our slow but steady progress has lifted us to the point where the goings on in the schoolyard aren’t quite as bad as they once were. We can say that, right? arostow@aol.com

The SF LGBT CENTER presented SOIREE 2018 at Terra Gallery, 511 Harrison Street, for an extraordinary evening celebrating community. The mission of the SF LGBT Center is to connect our diverse community to opportunities, resources, and each other to achieve the vision of a stronger, healthier, and more equitable world for LGBT people and our allies. When visitors arrive at the Center, they find free services like career counseling, job fairs, comput-

er lab, social activities, mentorships, youth meals, daycare, various workshops, and much more. Here they can connect with other LGBT people and organize to secure our equal rights. The Center is truly the heart, home and hands of the San Francisco LGBT community. Together at Soiree, we helped to uplift the impact of their work, raise funds to expand their programs and services, and highlight their newly remodeled building, which breathes new life into their physical space and creates a sustainable home for future generations to come. Senator Mark Leno (who was heavily involved in the very beginning of the creation of the Community Center) and Senator Scott Wiener lauded the Center. Emmy award-winning CBS-TV & KCBS Host Liam Mayclem came back as Benef it Auctioneer. Event Cochairs were Michelle King and Steve Schessler. Executive Director Rebecca Rolfe spoke about the renovation of the building and also addressed the plight of so many homeless queer youth in the City and how the Center was trying to help out. Juanita MORE! returned as Entertainment Director with a fabulous lineup of singers, dancers, halfnaked hunks, and drag queens galore. A good time was had by all!

Sister Dana sez, “Earth Day is April 22. Be sure to love your Mother Earth. And while you’re at it, check out these earthly delights held right here on planet Earth!”

Donna Sachet is back. After 25 years of presenting Donna Sachet’s “SONGS OF THE SE ASON,” which ended in December 2017, Donna is teaming up with RICHMOND/ERMET AID FOUNDATION (REAF) to present a brand new event, SONGS FOR NO REASON, a big gay comedy extravagan-

za featuring stand-up comedy and musical comedy. This outrageous evening of fun and merriment will benefit Positive Resource Center and REAF. The show is at The Russian Center of San Francisco, 2450 Sutter Street (between Divisadero and Broderick Streets) on Friday, April 20, 8 pm. Performers include Donna Sachet, Bruce Vilanch, Ronn Vigh, Kim Nalley, Shawn Ryan, Brian Kent, Kitty Tipata and Jessica Coker. reaf-sf.org BOYS IN TROUBLE is having its World Premiere: Thursday–Saturday April 19–21 at Z Space, 450 Florida Street at 17th Street. This dance exhibition hits the stage as America grapples with toxic masculinity, the Trans revolution, and renewed attacks on trans and LGBTQ rights.

In turns powerful, explosive, devastatingly honest, humorous and sexy, it offers an urgent and timely examination of American masculinity’s deep roots in Trouble. SEAN DORSEY DANCE’s award-winning, multi-generational ensemble performs these athletic dances with gusto—moving seamlessly between full-throttle dancing, live speaking, and intimate storytelling. zspace. org/boys-in-trouble K REWE DE K INQUE is a social charitable club founded in 2004 that raises awareness and funds in the spirit of Mardi Gras in San Francisco. Join Queen XV Miss Chief and King XV Gooch of Krewe de Kinque as we host our monthly $10 Beer/Soda Bust at the EDGE, 4149 18th Street in the Castro. Win fabulous raffle prizes. Support our fundraising efforts and buy Jell-o shots for your friends. We’ll have some of the best Drag and Live entertainers in the City. This is an open show with tips going to our next beneficia-

ry via our Bal Masque Fund. Tell ‘em Queen VII Sister Dana sent ya!

MEGABYTES! THE MUSICAL is a world premiere musical comedy revue playing now through May 5 at Shelton Theater, 533 Sutter Street.

Two performances, Fridays and Saturdays, 8 pm. The show takes a humorous look at how we navigate technology in our lives. It’s about the frustrations, anxieties, annoyances, and occasional joys we encounter as we all struggle to cope with the frustrating challenges created by technology. megabytesthemusical.com LYRIC is turning 30 and they want to celebrate with you! Join them for a night of community and LYRIC youth creativity. The theme is UNITY IS RESILIENCE. LYRIC’s 30th anniversary party is Thursday, April 26, 5:30 to 7:30 pm at their headquarters, 127 Colling wood Street. Please RSV P to t he LY R IC A N N UA L OPE N HOUSE event page, facebook.com/ events/1636579716461578 THEATRE RHINOCEROS presents THEATRE RHINO FUNDR AISER at Beaux, 2344 Market Street, on April 28, 3–6 pm with gorgeous guys, great raffle prizes, superb entertainment, and gourmet Jello shots. It will be a fun-filled afternoon of beer busting and celebrating to help support Theatre Rhinoceros. therhino.org Sister Dana sez, “My newest hero in the ongoing anti-Trump campaign is for mer FBI Director James Comey with his new book, ‘A Higher Loyalty,’ where he calls the presidency a ‘forest fire’ doing serious damage to the country’s norms and traditions, and says Trump is ‘unethical and untethered to the truth.’ Bravo!”

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

APR IL 19, 2018

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