San Francisco Bay Times - May 30, 2019

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2019) May 30–June 12, 2019 | http://sfbaytimes.com

2020 Gold Rush: San Francisco Welcomes Democrat Presidential Hopefuls presidential hopefuls along the way to the White House.

Cross Currents Andrea Shorter Spring temperatures have been cooler than usual across the Bay Area, but the weekend’s political forecast is predicted to be thunderous and heated with the California Democratic Party’s (CDP) Organizing Convention descent upon San Francisco starting Friday, May 31, through Sunday, June 2.

The Organizing Convention is the first of two conventions to be held by the CDP this year. The second is the Endorsing Convention, which most political watchers are familiar with or interested in. It is scheduled for November in Long Beach, California.

The Golden State is hands down the deepest blue state of all. Nearly half (44%) of our state’s registered voters total 8.6 million Democrats.

Every single statewide constitutional office holder—governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, controller, treasurer, attorney general, insurance commissioner, superintendent of public instruction—is a Democrat. Our senior and junior U.S. senators are Democrats. Fortysix of the 53 people whom we send off to the House of Representatives are Democrats. Electorally speaking, we’re as blue as blue can be.

You can bet the almond, pistachio and cannabis farm that extending the California Democratic home rule domination into a national home run to take back the White House will be front and center at this year’s organizing convention. And, while the CDP does not endorse in the presidential race, make no mistake that this weekend’s gathering of the party faithful is still an important stop for

At least 14 of the 20 plus candidates for president are scheduled to make an appearance at this first stop in the CDP’s two-part convention cycle.

According to the CDP, Senator Cory Booker (NJ), Mayor Pete Buttigieg (South Bend, IN), former HUD secretary Julian Castro (TX), former representative John Delaney (MD), Representative Tulsi Gabbard (HI), Senator Kristen Gillibrand (NY), Senator Kamala Harris (CA), former governor John Hickenlooper (CO), Governor Jay Inslee (WA), Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN), former representative Beto O’Rourke (TX), Senator Bernie Sanders (VT), Representative Eric Swalwell (CA), and Senator Elizabeth Warren (MA) are among the confirmed.

California’s primary election or Super Tuesday date moved up from June to now March 3, giving the nation’s most diverse and populated state greater relevancy in the presidential primary election season. No more next to last in line: we’re in the big leagues now with Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. As the world’s fifth largest economy, and a chief financier and ATM machine for national democratic party electoral interests, the California political class is also banking on a brass tack benefit of exerting greater influence sooner rather than later on the primary and into general election for president.

While the CDP offers no endorsement for president, pressing palms with some of the most influential party delegates, political operatives, fundraisers and media representatives can pay off. At the very least, the potential media exposure and “while you’re in the area” fundraising events alone are well worth the trip. And, of course, vigilantly dedicating oneself to delivering on the party’s platform concerning the array of pressing matters of social justice and equity for women, LGBTQ, people of color, immigrants and migrants as POTUS 46.

We should also expect plenty of commentary or debate on the wisdom or mistake of moving to impeach Trump, and the burgeoning threat to reproductive rights.

Finally, we can and should also absolutely expect an all hands on deck, full court press from campaign enlisted volunteers, operatives and delegates to promote and capture as many delegate pledges to support California’s own hometown candidate and junior Senator, Kamala (continued on page 27)

White Night Riots 40th Anniversary

Photos by Rink

Event coordinator Stephane Torres spoke at the rally held at Harvey Milk Plaza on May 21 in observance of the White Night Riots 40th Anniversary and the Harvey Milk Democratic Club’s annual commemoration of Harvey Milk’s birthday. Lesbian BART board member Janice Li, Harvey Milk Club officer Brad Chapin and Milk Club president Kevin Bard were also on hand to lead the march to SF City Hall that followed the rally.

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Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza (FOHMP) on May 15 revealed semifinal architectural designs for the Plaza and transit station at the corner of Castro and Market Streets.

The designs, inclusive of proposed Harvey Milk memorial concepts and SFMTA upgrades, were presented at this final community meeting.

Supervisor Rafael Mandelman on May 14 introduced a resolution in support of inducting José Julio Sarria into the California Hall of Fame. A week later, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the resolution. Mandelman explained Sarria’s importance:

According to FOHMP and the architecture firm Perkins Eastman that created the designs, the new renderings address a wide variety of community desires and concerns including inspirational elements that appropriately memorialize Milk as well as greenery/landscaping, a place for gathering, open sight lines, better circulation, improved access and short-term seating. The criteria that formed the framework for the project were also established in unison with the community, and were: Inspiring Memorial, Successful Public Space, Universal Access and Health/Safety/ Security.

This meeting completed a monthslong series of community gatherings where individuals and groups were invited to share their perspectives.

After the first meeting in January 2017, an international design competition ensued with the contract ultimately being awarded to Perkins Eastman. Subsequent meetings, held every 4–6 weeks from January 2018 to the recent unveiling, led the community through discussions that drove the actual design of the memorial components. Certain aspects of the project, such as the new elevator and regrading, are SFMTA upgrades.

“Community engagement is what helped get Harvey elected to office,

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Dr. Tim Seelig, Artistic Director of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (SFGMC) and a San Francisco Bay Times columnist, said that SFGMC’s “first performance was at the candlelight vigil for Harvey Milk. In many ways we feel he passed the baton on to many of us, including the Chorus. Since that time, almost 40 years ago, we have been inspired almost daily by the man who was Harvey. We have gathered all over town to celebrate his life. But there is no location befitting his world-wide legacy. We need a place where people from all over the globe can visit as they continue to gain inspiration from his life and, most of all, his message.”

José Sarria is a crucial figure in LGBTQ and San Francisco history. Born in San Francisco in 1922, José served in World War II and, following his honorable discharge in 1947, returned home to San Francisco. During the 1950s he became one of San Francisco’s best-known drag performers, singing fullblown operas in his natural high tenor at the Black Cat Cafe in North Beach. At the time, police harassment of gay people and raids of gay bars were routine. José himself had to give up his pursuit of becoming a teacher after being arrested and convicted on a morals charge, and this experience inspired him to become one of the LGBTQ rights movement’s early activists.

He was a vocal critic of the criminalization of queer people and queer meeting places, and would promote a groundbreaking sense of gay pride and positive gay identity in his performances.

With the community-facing portion of the project now completed, the next steps are to initiate the city’s approval and permitting process. Fundraising will also commence to generate the funds necessary to implement the Milk memorial aspects of the project while the SFMTA upgrades will be funded by the city.

In 1961, José became the first known openly gay candidate for public office in the world by running for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Although he did not win his election, he received over 5,000 votes coming in 9th in a field of 32 candidates, thus dem-

Harvey Milk Plaza redesign updated rendering

and it’s fitting for the community to be so engaged in this tribute to his legacy,” said State Senator Scott Wiener, who thanked FOHMP and the Castro CBD “for their continued efforts to create a plaza that works with our public transit systems, serves as a community gathering space and celebrates the legacy of Harvey’s work.”

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF IMPERIAL COUNCIL OF SAN FRANCISCO

Resolution Approved to Induct José Julio Sarria into the California Hall of Fame PERKINS EASTMAN/ADVOCATES FOR HARVEY MILK PLAZA

New Designs Revealed for Harvey Milk Plaza

onstrating for the first time the existence of a “gay voting bloc.”

His courageous decision to run for office paved the way for every out candidate to follow, including Harvey Milk, who was a friend of José’s and whom José supported in his successful run for the Board of Supervisors in 1977.

In 1964, José proclaimed himself “Empress of San Francisco, widow of Emperor Joshua Norton and Protector of Mexico,” and founded the The Imperial Court of San Francisco. Today, the Imperial Court system is one of the oldest and largest LGBTQ organizations in the world with 68 courts across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The Imperial Court of San Francisco raises up to $100,000 annually for a variety of charities, including the Gay-Straight Alliance, San Francisco Suicide Prevention and the Trevor Project.

In 2013, José passed away at the age of 90, and, to honor him, the International Imperial Court System began a national

campaign to induct him to the California Hall of Fame. Six years later that campaign has garnered the support of many organizations and elected officials including President pro Tempore of the California State Senate Toni G. Atkins, Senator Scott Wiener, founder and president of the Harvey Milk Foundation Stuart Milk, and the City College of San Francisco Board of Trustees.

Though José was not successful in his own election to the Board of Supervisors, the trail he blazed for all of the queer politicos who would follow, and the impact he had on LGBTQ rights in San Francisco and around the world make him deeply deserving of induction into the California Hall of Fame.

Governor Gavin Newsom is expected to approve the resolution. The public may also nominate individuals to the California Hall of Fame: https://bit.ly/2VR356o

GLBT Fortnight in Review

By Ann Rostow But Those Emails!

Hillary Clinton stopped by the Pride Portraits office during a trip to Houston the other day, adding her photograph to a series of gay friendly celebrities and allies who have posed for the visibility project over the last three years. Started after the Pulse nightclub massacre, Pride Portraits has photographed over 4,000 people and has been shared with followers in 46 countries.

I was drawn to this story because I remain a Clinton admirer and do not share the conventional view that she was a lousy candidate who ran a horrible campaign. She lost in a fluke election, beset by a relentlessly negative press corps that failed to explain that she did not send classified information over her private email server.

Instead, we all heard how “careless” she was for using a system that might be hacked, although it wasn’t. Never mind the fact that the communications involved mundane administrative traffic and that any classified materials were exchanged over a different, secure system.

This, the true story, contained too much nuance for a simple-minded audience, and meanwhile, the media gleefully spent its time knocking down the woman who appeared to be a lock for the presidency. No one likes a front runner, particularly during campaign season when there was colorful counter-programming to be had at the Trump camp with its over-the-top insults and rabble rousing. Throw in holier-than-thou Jim Comey, who also assumed Clinton

would win, and we find ourselves in our current ungodly mess.

Let’s not even mention that Trump himself uses a hackable cell phone all the time, that Ivanka used personal email for months at the start of the administration and that Jared failed his top-secret clearance vetting over and over again, yet he was given access to high level material regardless, as were several colleagues. But who cares! Even the expression “Hillary’s emails” remains a shorthand for some mysterious transgression, an empty suitcase that no one bothered to unpack or even open, while the current White House wallows in corruption and shady dealings that spring to life every other week in the pages of the Times or the Post, only to fade from view as the latest scandal takes center stage for a day.

On Our Knees Shall we remind ourselves (and I refer to all GLBT Americans) of the impact of our tepid support for this accomplished woman, our protest votes for Jill Stein and our flat-out misogyny?

We have a five–four conservative majority on the Supreme Court, now poised to undermine GLBT rights for a generation or more in two major cases next year.

We have almost as many far-right antigay federal appellate court judges seated by Trump (41) as we had good ones seated by Obama over eight years (55).

We have reversed Justice Department, cabinet level and

agency policies that recognized GLBT civil rights throughout the United States, stripping protective language and reinterpreting federal statutes to facilitate discrimination in myriad areas of public life. (More on that in a minute.)

We have ripped transgender soldiers and sailors out of the military and refused to recognize the families of binational same-sex couples.

And that’s just in our community.

We’ve separated children from their parents, damaging them forever, deported thousands of tax-paying immigrants for no reason, and jeopardized the status of those who came to this country as children and are now hard-working, educated residents.

We have blown up our relationships with allied countries, perhaps irreparably, and destroyed our reputation as honest brokers of international disputes around the world. We have turned Iran into an arch-enemy on the brink of war, thanks to Jared’s naive man-crush on the barbaric Saudi crown prince.

We are a laughing stock, and yet it’s not funny at all.

Meanwhile, Trump, who declines to issue Pride proclamations, is selling a $24 rainbow t-shirt on his website that says, “LGBTQ For Trump.”

Gays for Trump Speaking of LGBTQ for Trump, The Washington Post just ran an article describing the Trump campaign’s habit of trotting out an anomalous minority supporter like the one

Black guy we used to see standing behind the President at Trump rallies. There’s now a gay guy, Brandon Straka, who hates Democrats, and a Jewish woman, Elizabeth Pipko, who leads the “Jexodus” effort to get American Jews to renounce progressive politics. Straka, the Post reports, has been bopping around Fox explaining that transgender men and women don’t belong in the military and that Democrats are forcing all of their voters to hate white people and men.

But he’s gay! So surely that indicates some debate within the GLBT community, right? We’re not a monolith. Um, I also read that scientists are constantly checking the composition of El Capitan in Yosemite, and that every now and then they find a small chip or something. Maybe El Capitan is not as solid as it looks!

A week or so earlier, I read an op-ed in USA Today by a gay college kid who thinks the Equality Act, our signature civil rights effort in Congress, goes too far and is an assault on religious freedom. Thanks for your input, random conservative gay kid.

And thanks, USA Today, for recognizing that a contrarian essay is more interesting than (yawn) a thoughtful piece by one of those boring GLBT political activists.

Meanwhile, Trump and company’s revised antigay and anti-trans legal analysis is seeping through the administration to our detriment with every passing week. While the Obama lawyers concluded that transgender Americans were protected under laws that banned sex

discrimination, Trump minions have gone the other way. Under Trump’s interpretation, language in the Affordable Care Act no longer extends to gender identity or to pregnant women.

Now, the Department of Housing and Urban Development no longer welcomes homeless transgender men and women into its publicly funded shelters. Instead, shelter providers can insist on faith-based exclusions or require trans people to revert to their sex at birth before allowing them to use a facility.

At the Justice Department, where Obama’s team considered sexual orientation to be a suspect classification, requiring courts to scrutinize instances of bias and giving the benefit of the doubt to gay plaintiffs, Trump’s lawyers have asked the Supreme Court to rule that sex discrimination under federal law covers men and women, period. No trans, no gays, no lesbians, no nothing. The High Court, as you know, has agreed to rule on the scope of sex discrimination next term in two cases, a gay case and a trans case.

Over at the Education Department, Betsy Devos now says that Title IX’s ban on sex bias no longer covers transgender students or employees.

And how about the new “conscience rule” that lets faith-based medical practitioners pick and choose their patients and their procedures, even in emergencies? (continued on page 26)

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A Nod to Nonprofits worked various jobs that made up that middle class. It was not uncommon to have family members working as farmers, teachers or firemen, with many pulling long hours in the steel mills and the coal mines.

Fast forward and more people than ever are doing “middle-class jobs,” but are earning working class wages.

When you think of middle-class jobs in the Bay Area, you often think of jobs in the hospitality, retail, construction/trade, government and transportation sectors. Rarely does one think of the nonprofit sector.

From the Frontlines Brett Andrews

In fact, there are approximately 18,000 nonprofit organization workers in San Francisco. Why is that important? Well, it’s good for the city’s bottom line. Many of our nonprofit workers live in the city and all contribute greatly to the economy.

We are proud of the fact that San Francisco is recognized as a world leader when it comes to creating and carrying out innovative and effective models of community care. It would be almost impossible for the city to provide our robust level of service to such a diverse community without its partnership with the nonprofit sector.

Recently, a few members of my extended family started posting old family photos on Facebook. As you can imagine, it didn’t take me long to jump in on the nostalgic fun. With a bit of trepidation, I began to post a few photos of my own. There they were, for all to see: an aqua–colored kitchen; a small birthday party, with my mouth full of cake; kiddy train rides; and so much more. Clearly, those were my wonder years.

I often reflect on my very middleclass childhood, being raised in a home that had just enough resources to provide for the family—solidly placed in Pennsylvania, and surrounded by honest, loving, salt-ofthe-earth people with a strong work ethic. What was less apparent to me then, and quite clear to me now, were the multitudes of people who

While San Francisco’s nonprofit sector is moderately healthy by most indicators, it is important to pay close attention to the constant tension between the increased demand for its services and the constant struggle

the sector faces in keeping nonprofits capitalized through investments from government and philanthropy.

I have had the honor of working within the nonprofit sector for twenty-seven years. I have seen, first-hand, the triumphs and struggles that organizations experience as they aim to advance their noble missions. Through it all, what remained abundantly clear to me was the abiding commitment and dedication of individuals who chose to take up the charge in doing this noble work. This important work is often overlooked, is less-compensated, and is not nearly as appreciated as it should be. To our dedicated nonprofit workers I say, thank you. The results of your efforts allow us to experience the humanity in the world.

Leading PRC since 2003, Brett Andrews has overseen PRC’s evolution from a small HIV/AIDS legal service agency to an integrated social and behavioral health provider bent on fighting poverty, stigma and isolation by uplifting marginalized adults and affecting the social conditions of health.

Brett holds an M.A. in Industrial/ Organizational Psychology from George Washington University, received the San Francisco Pride Celebration’s Heritage Award for 10+ years of service in 2017, and was appointed to the San Francisco Mayor’s Methamphetamine Task Force. https://prcsf.org/

PRC Integrated Service Center Grand Opening

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PRCSFS.ORG PRCSFS.ORG

PHOTO BY RINK PRCSFS.ORG

PRCSFS.ORG

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Wednesday, May 15, PRC held a Grand Opening Reception and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to celebrate the organization’s new Integrated Service Center at 170 9th Street. Mayor London Breed joined executive director Brett Andrews and current and former board members in opening the doors at the new facility. PRC continues its more than thirty year history of serving those affected by HIV/AIDS, mental health and substance use and has evolved to provide additional services including emergency financial assistance, legal representation for access to healthcare benefits and support in housing and employment training. http://www.prcsf.org

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

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

GGBA Member Spotlight

GGBA CALENDAR

The GGBA empowers small business entrepreneurs and professionals by creating opportunities for marketing, networking, procurement and referral-based business growth. The chamber also collaborates with other nonprofits and engages with business and civic leaders to support policies that foster a more inclusive and welcoming business community, thus creating greater opportunities for its member businesses. If you are an LGBTQ or allied business person looking for a place to make sincere connections that can lead to greater success and a sense of community, the GGBA is the place for you. We encourage you to visit the GGBA’s next event to see for yourself. For more details: https://ggba.com/

Tuesday, June 11 Business of Pride 5:30–8:30 pm Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco 757 Market Street Info and tickets: https://bit.ly/2WsbT79 Tuesday, June 18 June Make Contact 5:30–7:30 pm Goorin Brothers 1612 Stockton Street San Francisco GGBA members and SFCDMA members: FREE, Non-members: $25 https://bit.ly/2HP8gyE

Dawn Ackerman of OutSmart Office

By Magdalena Rodriguez

Dawn Ackerman, the Immediate Past President of the Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA), is the CEO of OutSmart Office, the first and only LGBT “Tier One Supplier Diversity Partner” of Office Depot/ Magdalena Rodriguez Max. The company was also named the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) 2012 LGBT Supplier of the Year for its commitment to supplier diversity. OutSmart Office continuously works to procure their goods and services Dawn Ackerman from other minority owned business enterprises. Here, Ackerman shares more about her life and work.

3. procurement and installation of furniture, fixtures, equipment, supplies, art & signage.

Magdalena Rodriguez: Why did you decide to create your business?

Dawn Ackerman: We have been in the office products business for over 20 years and enjoy getting testimonials like this from our clients: “My office is now my favorite place to be, thanks to OutSmart Office Solutions. I’ve been proud of my business for years, but I wasn’t thrilled with our space as I did not feel that the physical presence of the office reflected the stellar work we were doing for our clients. I engaged Dawn Ackerman to come evaluate what could be done and I love the result. She took the time to analyze how we use the offices so that she could make practical recommendations that really improved our work flows. She spent time with me to get a sense of my style, then used what she had learned to propose a design that blew us away. She was flexible with me on my price points and delivered on time. Our office is a beacon of style and sophistication that my staff and my clients all rave about. Thank you Dawn and OutSmart for taking my office to the next level!”

Magdalena Rodriguez: Describe your business and its mission and values.

Dawn Ackerman: OutSmart Office is a full-service office design company. We work closely with our clients to create an office environment that they love! Our services include: 1. office design & space planning; 2. tenant improvement (construction, paint, flooring) & move management;

Magdalena Rodriguez: Do you have any specific policies in place that benefit the LGBT community?

Dawn Ackerman: OutSmart Office is a 100% owned and operated LGBT company.

We have been certified as an NGLCC LGBT Business Enterprise (LGBTBE) since our inception. We work with LGBT owned companies and nonprofits nationwide and help them to create phenomenal workspaces.

Magdalena Rodriguez: Why did you decide to join the GGBA? Dawn Ackerman: I moved to San Francisco in 2010 and knew that the best place to start to build my business here was with the GGBA. OutSmart Office is also a member of the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (LAGLCC) and the Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA).

have built through the GGBA, GSBA and NGLCC. Magdalena Rodriguez: What has been your biggest reward and satisfaction during your journey as an entrepreneur?

Dawn Ackerman: As entrepreneurs and leaders in the LGBTQ business community, the members of the OutSmart Office team get great satisfaction out of helping businesses be successful. In our roles as designers and consultants, we are able to help our clients grow their businesses by creating a productive environment that they love to work in and that makes a statement about who they are to their clients.

As leaders in the community, we get to share our experience and knowledge of what it means to be a successful LGBT owned

Magdalena Rodriguez: How has the GGBA helped your business so far?

Dawn Ackerman: Ninety percent of our business comes from the relationships we

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PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

“Building Business Champions” was the theme for GGBA’s MEGA Make Contact 2019 held on Tuesday, May 7, at Hi-Tops Sports Bar, co-host of the event. The large and lively crowd of attendees was welcomed by volunteers, including members of the Board of Directors and President Audry deLucia. Featured guest Stephen Adams, San Francisco Small Business Commission President, discussed the observance of the 15th Annual Small Business Week (May 6–11) and introduced Regina Dick-Endrizzi, Executive Director of the San Francisco Office of Small Business.

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

GGBA’s MEGA Make Contact 2019

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

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PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

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PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

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The annual MEGA Make Contact welcomes members and friends of Bay Area business groups, including the Castro Merchants Association, SF Small Business Association, Hispanic Chambers of Commerce of San Francisco and others.

GGBA’s next monthly Make Contact will be held on Tuesday, June 18, 5:30–7:30 pm with the theme “The Pride of Retail.” Watch for details at https://ggba.com/

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Pride 2017, which we were honored to attend as guests, was the largest gathering of LGBTIQ people in Asia ever. It was truly inspiring.

But there was a catch. The Court gave the national legislature two years to enact legislation to implement the decision. If the government did not act, LGBTIQ couples could begin marrying in late May 2019 under existing law.

6/26 and Beyond Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis The rain poured down from the sky on Taiwan’s national legislature building on the morning of May 17, 2019, as lawmakers inside debated whether to enact legislation to make Taiwan the first country in Asia with marriage equality.

The past two years had been filled with enormous hope and joy, as well as great frustration and challenge for Taiwan’s LGBTIQ community.

Tens of thousands of queer activists stood tall outside the legislature under the deluge that morning.

Nearly two years ago to the day, the LGBTIQ community led by attorney Victoria Hsu of the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights (TAPCPR) won a stunning and sweeping victory at Taiwan’s Constitutional Court with a landmark decision mandating nationwide marriage equality and rendering anti-gay discrimination presumptively unconstitutional. The decision catapulted Taiwan ahead of the U.S. when it came to our constitutional rights. The LGBTIQ community was euphoric, and Taipei

Unfortunately, sympathetic legislators and Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen, a marriage equality supporter, seemed frozen with fear and uncertainty as to how to respond to the Court’s powerful ruling. They equivocated and failed to act. Their delay enabled opponents to organize.

With massive support from notorious American anti-LGBTIQ groups, such as the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), opponents placed anti-marriage equality and anti-LGBTIQ referenda on the November 2018 national election ballot and ran a negative campaign that employed smear tactics and false and degrading messages akin to those of California’s Proposition 8 and many other anti-gay campaigns.

And they were successful. Seventytwo percent of the Taiwanese electorate voted to forbid the legislature from amending the Civil Code to permit same-sex couples to marry, although 61 percent supported same-sex couples’ rights being protected in some way other than amending the Civil Code.

The election results emboldened opponents, who used them

to claim mass popular disapproval of marriage equality. The challenges facing the devastated LGBTIQ community and its supporters suddenly became much greater. But unlike Prop 8, the Taiwanese referenda did not reverse the Constitutional Court decision.

That decision mandated the right to marry, not just some form of legal recognition. The community did not give up. TAPCR’s Hsu told us for the San Francisco Bay Times, “We won’t compromise on equal rights.”

After six more months of legislative wrangling and attempts to water down equality, such as considering civil unions for same-sex couples, the national legislature on the rainy morning of May 17 finally had to decide what it was going to do.

A friend of ours from the Weiming Taoist temple in Taipei, a temple dedicated to the centuries-old Taoist God Tu‘er Shen who protects LGBTIQ people, emailed us what happened next: The rain slowed, “the sun” began to “show,” and then “rainbows flooded in.” We “basked [in] the outcome of glory.” The legislature voted in favor of marriage equality, and on May 24, Taiwan would become the first country in Asia with marriage equality.

Longtime LGBTIQ activist leader Jay Lin described it as “a cliffhanger thriller-drama down to the last vote.”

The legislation was not perfect. For example, some limits on adoption rights for same-sex couples remain.

Some binational couples may face challenges, and pursuant to the referendum, same-sex marriage is in

PHOTO COURTESY OF STUART GAFFNEY AND JOHN LEWIS

Rainbows Over Taiwan

Legendary Taiwanese gay activist Chi Chia-wei (left) with John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney and other young lesbian activists at the 2017 Pride March held in Taipei.

a separate legislative code, not the Civil Code. Hsu, in words echoed by other leaders, told us that they would not relent until “true marriage equality” was achieved.

But it is hard to overstate the significance of the marriage equality victory in Taiwan, years in the making.

Our friend from the temple shared with us his “thrills” and “happiness.” Lin called it a “miraculous day” and now looks forward to marrying his long-term partner, with whom he is raising two children.

Upon the vote, President Tsai tweeted: “#LoveWon,” and, “We took a big step towards true equality, and made Taiwan a better country.” TAPCR described the victory as a “new page in history” not just for Taiwan, but also for Asia, and expressed its gratitude for the vote.

The victory creates new momentum in Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand and other places in Asia for the freedom to marry and LGBTIQ rights.

It is traditional at a Taoist temple to write your wishes and aspirations on special paper to submit to

the god to whom the temple is dedicated. We had completely forgotten that 18 months ago we had written something at the gay Taoist temple. But our friend had not, and he reminded us of our words: “LGBT FREEDOM LOVE EQUALITY RESPECT.” As in the U.S., the path to complete LGBTIQ equality and dignity in Taiwan continues to unfold and the struggle is ongoing. But Taiwan has taken a huge step toward fulfilling this goal. The hope and inspiration that the victory engenders will propel us forward. Tu‘er Shen is smiling and there are rainbows in the sky above Taiwan.

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

Real Estate

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

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In Memoriam: Mike Angel Leon (May 20, 1966–May 17, 2019) Mike Angel Leon, co-owner of the historic SF Eagle bar, passed away suddenly after a tragic accident on Friday, May 17, 2019.

Born in Los Angeles, he was a creative and talented student who, after graduation at St. Monica High School in Santa Monica, went to the Otis Parsons School of Design. There he earned a bachelor’s degree in Art and Design.

Soon after college he moved to San Francisco and opened a jewelry store in the North Beach district. Known for his artistic jewelry, Leon operated the store for many years and created many beautiful pieces for family and friends. A successful entrepreneur, he became co-owner of SF Eagle bar after it had been closed for some time. He revitalized the bar that is known, in part, for being a hub of bear and leather subcultures.

An LGBT community leader, Leon hosted weekly “Beer Busts” at SF Eagle for many San Francisco nonprofits. He cared deeply for others, giving generously to many people in need. Besides his parents Evelia and Margarito Leon, he is survived by his beloved husband Ben Ames, his devoted sister Nancy Leon Copeland (Glen), and numerous other relatives. He will be missed by loyal friend “Wags” too.

A Memorial Mass was held on Wednesday, May 29, at 10:30 am at Saints Peter and Paul Church located at 666 Filbert Street, San Francisco. Later that evening a celebration of his life took place at SF Eagle. Donations in Leon’s honor may be made to The San Francisco AIDS Foundation: https://www.sfaf.org/

MARCUM Food & Beverage Summit

Photos by JBJ Pictures

Addressing the theme “When Innovation, Regulation and Disruption Collide,” MARCUM hosted its first West Coast Food & Beverage Summit at the San Francisco Onmi Hotel on Tuesday, May 14. Panel discussions, presented by food and beverage industry executives, including Mat Schuster, Chef and Owner of Canela Bistro & Wine Bar located in the Castro, addressed innovation and sustainability along with growth and continuity as key issues for business success. Suppliers, providers and vendors were invited to display and offer samples of products in a live competition at the event. The winner, Miyoko’s Creamery represented by Melanie Carpenter, was selected by attendees.

MARCUM’s Lou Biscotti presented the $2500 prize.

For more information about MARCUM’s business events and services, e-mail Elizabeth.Doradea@marcumllp.com and view the event video: http://www.marcumevents.com/FBS-CA

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

M AY 30, 2019

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AIDS Life/Cycle Is a Transformative Experience and the last one I attended was for Carlos. I was a pallbearer and I cried through the whole ceremony. This was so unbearably painful that I had to stop attending funerals and wakes for my own sanity.”

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

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

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

The Bay Times is proud to be the only newspaper for the LGBT community in San Francisco that is 100% owned and operated by LGBT individuals.

Dr. Betty L. Sullivan Jennifer L. Viegas Co-Publishers & Co-Editors

Beth Greene Michael Delgado Abby Zimberg Design & Production

Kate Laws Business Manager Blake Dillon Calendar Editor

Kit Kennedy

Poet-In-Residence

J.H. Herren Technology Director Carla Ramos Web Coordinator Mario Ordonez Juan Ordonez Distribution

CONTRIBUTORS Writers Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Patrick Carney, Kate Kendell, Alex Randolph, Heidi Beeler, Gary M. Kramer, Dennis McMillan, Tom Moon, Tim Seelig, Cinder Ernst, John Chen Rafael Mandelman, Jewelle Gomez, Phil Ting, Rebecca Kaplan, Kin Folkz, Leslie Katz, Philip Ruth, Peter Gallotta, Bill Lipsky, Karen Williams, Donna Sachet, Gary Virginia, Zoe Dunning, Marcy Adelman, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Brandon Miller, Jamie Leno Zimron Michele Karlsberg Lyndsey Schlax, Randy Coleman, Debra Walker, Howard Steiermann, Andrea Shorter, Lou Fischer, Karin Jaffie, Brett Andrews, Karen E. Bardsley, David Landis Photographers Rink, Phyllis Costa, Jane Higgins Paul Margolis, Chloe Jackman, Bill Wilson, Jo-Lynn Otto, Sandy Morris, Abby Zimberg, Morgan Shidler, JP Lor ADVERTISING Display Advertising Standard Rate Cards http://sfbaytimes.com/ or 415-503-1375 Custom ad sizes are available. Ads are reviewed by the publishers.

National Advertising: Contact Bay Times / San Francisco.

Represented by Rivendell Media: 908-232-2021 Circulation is verified by an independent agency Reprints by permission only.

CALENDAR Submit events for consideration by e-mail to: calendar@sfbaytimes.com © 2019 Bay Times Media Company Co-owned by Betty L. Sullivan & Jennifer L. Viegas

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SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

Examined Life Tom Moon, MFT Among participants in the AIDS/ LifeCycle (ALC), there is a longstanding tradition in which riders read personal testaments—”Why I Ride”—to one another. Here is one, representative of many, by my good friend Tom B.: “I have lived in San Francisco for 40 years, which means I have buried more friends than I can remember. The worse day of my life was in 1990, holding my best friend Chris’ hand at Mt Zion Hospital as he took his last breath. Later, standing on the top of Twin Peaks, giving his eulogy before we sprinkled his ashes in the wind, I felt grief like I did not know existed. The funerals kept coming,

He continued, “I turned 60 this year, and I have lived 1/2 my life with HIV. When I was first diagnosed, the only treatment was monotherapy with AZT. Luckily this did not kill me, and I lasted until the cocktail came out. I have survived HIV/Hepatitis C related liver cancer and a liver transplant. As a longterm AIDS survivor, I know that I am only alive because people raised money to support AIDS research and treatment. It isn’t just the medical care. The support around grieving and surviving that I received from the SF AIDS Foundation (SFAF) literally saved my life. Today I am healthier than I have been in 25 years, and it is time to give back.

I ride for Chris. I ride for Carlos. I ride for all the other men and women we lost during the darkest days of the epidemic. I ride to show my immense appreciation for the SFAF. I ride to show the world that we are strong and resilient and we take care of our own. And most importantly, I ride so that SFAF can continue to provide

life-saving support, treatment and prevention to our community.”

ALC is co-produced every spring by the SFAF and the Los Angeles LGBT Center. It supports the goals of reducing new HIV infections, improving the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS, raising awareness and reducing the stigma of HIV. Every year, more than 2,800 people from all over the country and the world gather and make the 545-mile journey down the coast, from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Last year, 2,300 cyclists and more than 650 volunteers raised a record $16.6 million for critical HIV/ AIDS services.

But as a gay psychotherapist, I’ve long been impressed by the fact that, in addition to being a fundraising event, ALC is also a healing event, on so many levels, for so many in our communities. Queer communities are communities of outsiders. We are the ones who have been marginalized, cast out, told we aren’t wanted and don’t belong. We migrate to urban centers in the hope of creating community with one another, and it should be no surprise that we don’t do it perfectly.

The ALC comes closer to perfection in creating an experience of commu-

nity than almost any other event of which I’m aware. Those who participate, both in the months of training, and in the ride itself, say they find themselves immersed in a “love bubble,” and often say it is unlike anything that they have ever experienced. I have seen this immersion transform the lives of many riders every bit as profoundly as years of psychotherapy can accomplish.

Many of the riders were here (as I was) in the years between 1981 and 1995, when there were no effective treatments, and thousands of young gay men died horrible and painful deaths. The survivors of that nightmarish time in our history suffered repeated traumatization, and carry bottomless wells of grief. In the ALC experience, their grief is witnessed and held in the loving embrace of a community that is strong and resilient and takes care of its own, as Tom puts it. It is a community that not only remembers its past, but also is resolutely creating its future. It is a community that manifests the truth that, in the long run, life and love win.

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

Come with Us to San Francisco Giants’ LGBT Night!

The San Francisco Bay Times and “Betty’s List” are very proud to once again be partnering with the San Francisco Giants for their annual LGBT Night. This year’s event will be on Wednesday, June 12, with the Pre-Game Party starting at 4:30 pm before the Giants take on the San Diego Padres at 6:45 pm.

Our tickets are available in the Club Level and View Reserve Infield locations and include a limited-edition wearable Giants Pride flag. Partial proceeds will be donated to support the LGBT media projects of the Use the News Foundation, a 501c3 organization co-founded by San Francisco Bay Times publisher Dr. Betty Sullivan in 1998. The Giants for this special event are also partnering with the Federation of Gay Games, the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom

Band, San Francisco Pride and Horizons Foundation.

The Giants have long supported our community. In 1994, for example, they became the first ever professional sports team to host an HIV/AIDS awareness game. They were also the first pro sports team to participate in the It Gets Better Campaign, thanks to legendary figures such as Matt Cain, Barry Zito, Sergio Romo and Hensley Meulens.

In 2002, the Giants launched their LGBT Night, becoming one of the few teams that does not rely on an external group to organize the event.

GLAAD awarded the Giants the 2013 Corporate Leader Award in recognition of the team’s activism.

Even former President Obama recog-

nized their support for the LGBT community.

As you sit and cheer at Oracle Park, also consider that the stadium was the first to install solar panels. That happened back in 2007. Three years later, the U.S. Green Building Council recognized the park for its sustainability. These efforts include diverting waste from landfills to recycling plants, having environmen-

tally friendly concession stands, promoting sustainable transportation and more.

For additional information and to purchase tickets, call Betty at 415601-2113 or email her at publisher@sfbaytimes.com Let’s go, Giants!

Similar Sizes, Different Missions in Crossovers tells part of the story. Predictably, the Hyundai slots in a lower entry fee of $20,950 for the Tucson SE, while the humblest CX-5 checks in a chunk above, at $25,750. So, the Tucson wants to be on every shopping list, while the CX-5 is OK with forgoing the bargain-hunters.

Auto Philip Ruth

Dimensionally, they’re darn near spitting images. The Mazda is a tad longer, taller and heavier; the Hyundai is a smidge wider. Length on both is held to less than 180 inches, so they park more easily than four-door Civics and Corollas, which add a few potentially impactful inches to the total.

Compact crossovers are where it’s at these days, and why not? They combine the aura of an SUV with familysized practicality, all nestled within parkable dimensions. While today’s crossovers all look a lot alike, consecutive weeks spent in direct competitors can tell us about the design philosophies that hatched them.

Inside, both the Tucson and CX-5 are pleasingly roomy. The back seats have full-sized-sedan legroom, and the fronts sit you up high. Both are at or right around 30 cubic feet of cargo space with all of the seats up, and the Hyundai squeezes out 2.3 cubic feet more for its seats-down maximum capacity of 61.9 inches.

That’s the case with at least two crossovers, the Hyundai Tucson and Mazda CX-5. Both aim for mainstream crossover buyers, though not necessarily the same ones. Pricing

It’s over the road where the Hyundai and Mazda diverge. Both offer the choice of two engines, with the Hyundai’s 161-horsepower, 2.0liter four-cylinder installed in the

MAY 3 0 , 2 0 1 9

two least expensive trims. In the five pricier trims —yep, there are seven Tucsons from which to choose, including a “Night” trim—power climbs to 181 horsepower from a 2.4liter.

The CX-5 picks it up from there, with its lower three trims hosting a 2.5-liter with 187 horses. The upper two trims, peaking at the “Signature,” have the engine that puts clear distance between it and the Tucson: a turbocharged 2.5liter that cranks out 250 horsepower.

Even better is its 310 lb.-ft. of torque, a measure of the grunt off the line, and more of it is a valued asset in the stop-and-go of San Francisco traffic.

It is appropriate that turbocharged CX-5s require greater financial commitments, because there’s more to them than just more thrust; there’s also handling fluidity that inspires the confidence to use all of the available power. The Tucson does not prompt you to prod it, mostly because it is motoring along nicely on its own, as is the case with most compact crossovers.

And so the outwardly similar Tucson and CX-5 excel at their divergent

Hyundai Tucson

Mazda CX-5

missions. Tucsons are fully competitive and compassionately priced; CX-5s justify their higher asks with benefits that are both objective and perceptive. No wonder compact crossovers are so popular.

Philip Ruth is a Castro-based automotive photojournalist and consultant www.gaycarguy.com.

Check out his automotive staging service at www.carstaging.com

Why I Ride in the AIDS/LifeCycle Like many people who participate in the AIDS/LifeCycle, I lost someone whom I cared about during the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. I was just out of college and working on the Options Floor of the Pacific Stock Exchange in San Francisco. I struck up an unlikely friendship with a man named Joe Sanchez. Here I was, a relatively sheltered sorority girl from UC Berkeley, standing next to a very flamboyant gay man from the Castro.

Joe was open about his lifestyle and all of the shenanigans he was up to ... especially during Fleet Week when all of the sailors were in town. We became good friends, often getting together outside of work to hang out.

He was also very matter of fact that he would die young of HIV/AIDS. I didn’t believe him and didn’t know enough about how truly horrific those times were back then, but he did die at age 33.

Fast forward a couple of years and one of my best friends from college came out to me. It didn’t matter to me at all what her orientation was, and I was dismayed to find out that some of her other friends couldn’t handle the truth. For me, this was a big turning point in my awareness of the LGBTQ community. I couldn’t understand

By Pam Schmitz

financial solutions that help our clients achieve long and short-term goals. We specialize in the complex needs of nontraditional families, such as the LGBTQ community here in San Francisco. Our approach is professional, yet fun-loving, and it always places our clients’ needs and wishes at the core of everything we do.

why anyone would treat others differently based on their sexual orientation. I became more and more aware that the world at large treated this group of people poorly.

As the years passed, I got married and had children. My friend couldn’t legally get married, but did have children who were similar in age to mine.

She also was very involved in writing the legislation for Proposition 8 for marriage equality. She called me and asked to put signs in my yard as well as to bring my family into San Francisco to march with her family.

She said it was important that I show her kids that this wasn’t just a gay issue, but something that we should all care about. And so, I did.

In 2015 I accepted a job with Brio Financial Group in San Francisco.

Our mission is to provide brilliant

I recently attended the Our Family Coalition Gala and had the honor of hearing Allision Collins, San Francisco School Board Member and Community Organizer, accept an award for her advocacy for the LGBTQ community. She is a hetero woman, like me, and said this: “To be an ally for this community is not a noun; it is a verb. We have a call to action to stand up and protect this community that we care about.”

I ride not only to raise money to find a cure for HIV/AIDS and to offer support for those living with the disease, but also because I love the LGBTQ community and am proud to stand with them.

If you would like to support me on my ride, I am rider #3547. You can find my page at https://bit.ly/2VVWuYk

Take Me Home with You! “Hello there, I’m Gamby! I’m a big, happy, handsome boy who clocks in at 70 pounds. A gentle giant, I’ve been told!

I’m 10 years old, and enjoy things easy these days. My perfect evening would include a delicious dinner, easy stroll and some quality cuddle time. If you’re into big hugs and snuggle sessions on the couch, I’m your boy!”

Gamby

Gamby 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 Gamby.

To see Gamby as well as other pets seeking their forever homes, please visit: San Francisco SPCA Mission Campus 250 Florida Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 415-522-3500 Aside from major holidays, the adoption center is open Mon–Fri: 1–6 pm and Sat–Sun: 10 am–5 pm. Free parking is available for those wishing to adopt!

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

Dr. Jennifer Scarlett and Pup

Focus for Less Knee Pain

Easy Fitness Cinder Ernst

to help their people to move forward on a specific subject. Challenges help these coaches to attract clients. I, however, don’t like the word or the idea of a challenge when it comes to helping plus size folks with knee pain.

It seems like there is already enough challenge in the situation. Challenge also feels like it creates more resistance. Instead, I offer three points of focus that will get around resistance and put you on a path to stronger, happier knees. So, the 3 Day Knee Enlivenment was born.

Take away #2: If you’re facing something hard, hitting it head on may not be the best idea.

In the last three years I’ve had a lot of leg drama including cancer in my thigh and groin, a hip replacement and a complicated knee. I’ve managed beautifully, learned some great focusing techniques and grew my fitness coach tool kit. Now I am even more valuable to my clients struggling with physical discomfort and chronic pain.

If you want happier knees, you may need to get stronger. If you want to get stronger you probably have to exercise (not as much as you think, but still ... ). Exercise is hard, overwhelming and frustrating for many people. Here is a focus that can help you to circumvent exercise resistance and make way for knee strengthening small steps.

Take away #1: Silver linings are everywhere.

Considering fitness, you may think and feel like you’re not doing enough or anything at all. In Day 1 Knee Enlivenment we looked at where you are already moving in your life.

Experts say that everything counts but it doesn’t count if you don’t count it. I don’t mean count by numbers, but give yourself credit. Do you have stairs in your house or the subway? Do you walk to work, at work and/or to the bus? Do you walk your dog? Do you love museums and wander around there? Do you get up and down from a chair or toilet frequently? Do you shop? Take credit

In May, I grew my professional influence by offering a complementary 3-day training to my online community utilizing my newer skills and my 30 years of fitness experience. The training was positioned to attract plus size women with knee pain into my new program, but it was such a hit for everyone that I thought I’d share it with you. The training is called the 3 Day Knee Enlivenment.

Why enlivenment? Online coaches everywhere offer free “challenges”

for and appreciate the moving that you are already doing. Aim for feeling satisfied and readying yourself to do more.

Take away #3: Giving yourself credit for the ways in which your body is already moving around will soothe exercise resistance and set you up for next steps.

For Day 2, create an evidence log. I’m working with a business coach right now and she has us do an evidence log every morning of what’s going right. (You can get her app, “Speed Dial the Universe.” I highly recommend it.) When you look for evidence of things going well and find it, soon you see evidence everywhere that things are going well. I recommend that you do not make this about your knees or your body or health to start.

Look for easy things. Maybe you hit more green lights today while you were driving or found a quarter on the ground. Look around; things are going your way.

Take away #4: You will find what you are looking for.

Ten years ago, when I was in life coach school, I mentioned to my mentor that my hips hurt all of the time. She asked, “Do they hurt right now?” I paused, and well, they didn’t hurt right then. I guess they don’t hurt all of the time. I had never taken the time to notice when my hips did not hurt. When your knee hurts, it gets your attention. Of course, it does.

You probably don’t have any attention on when that knee doesn’t hurt.

For Day 3, notice the times that your knee (or any part) doesn’t hurt.

a much more hopeful situation than you at first might think.

Take away #5: Expand your noticing of knee comfort or okness.

Cinder Ernst, Medical Exercise Specialist and Life Coach Extraordinaire, helps reluctant exercisers get moving with safe, effective and fun programs. She specializes in fitness and rehab for plus-size clients, but her stress-free approach is suitable for all. Find out more at http://cinderernst.com

Follow doctor’s orders and always have a plan for literally moving forward with your fitness goals. We all experience setbacks. Just don’t let them take over what in reality may be

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BAY TIMES S

Travel

By Jill Cruse

Let me start out by saying that I have never been one of those who could just pack a carry-on to travel for two weeks. My hat is off to anyone who can do that. I average 1½ –3 weeks of travel each month to every continent, multiple times, so I am a creature of comfort, and enjoy having some things around me that normalize my surroundings. I travel with a roll-on, large shoulder bag and two large pieces of luggage that I check in.

Here are my top 18 travel tips: Make lists.

One week before the trip, write down the things that you need to pack, and the things that you need to do before leaving. Keep the list handy and add to it if you think of something new. I will forget if I don’t write it! At Olivia Travel, we include helpful hints in each Olivia Departure Booklet that we send for every trip as it gives good packing tips specific to the trip as well.

Invest in good luggage, which is key to effortless travel.

For years I bought the sets at Costco or one-offs on sale, and they always broke after a few trips. It’s more difficult to maneuver luggage around airports if the pieces are not matching because the handle heights differ as do the way the wheels roll. I prefer hard-sided so that I can bring home a bottle of wine without it breaking.

Seriously, it protects your contents against breakage and getting wet from rain. I finally invested in good quality luggage, “Rimowa.” Twentyseven trips later, it still functions, and the luggage is guaranteed for 5 years against breakage. If you buy from a reputable luggage shop, they will usually work with the manufacturers to fix or replace as needed long after the 5-year warranty is up. The investment is well worth it.

Stock up on packing cubes and dry-cleaner bags.

I have a cube for just about everything. But before you pack these, lay everything out and ask yourself, “What can be laundered and/ or worn more than once?” Can you wear those black pants 2 or 3 times, and leave one pair behind? This may help you to scale down.

tions, bring things made of cotton and linen. Pack shorts, short-sleeved clothing and lighter weight attire.

For cold weather, I often wear the heavy jacket on the plane. If you are not sure, plan to dress in layers.

While on an Olivia Amsterdam to Switzerland Riverboat last April, the weather ranged from 50–80 degrees, when usually it averages much cooler weather.

Alaska

Plan for enough time to get to the airport.

Did you know that if you check in when it is less than 1 hour before your flight, they will not check your luggage? I have had several close calls.

Give yourself plenty of time to get to the airport in case of bad traffic so that you will arrive a full 2 hours before your flight departs.

Puerta Vallarta

Sign up for Clear, Global Entry and/or TSA. Be sure you are signed up for one or all of these. I recently added “Clear” ( https://www.clearme.com ) to my TSA ( https://www.tsa.gov/precheck ) and Global Entry status ( https://bit. ly/1WkRfzQ ). With Clear, you can be escorted to jump the TSA line to the front! Delta offers a discounted plan with Clear. It’s well worth it to have all of these if you travel frequently. At the bare minimum, get TSA approved so that you can keep your shoes on and not have to take your laptop or liquids out. This is particularly helpful when traveling to/from destinations outside of the U.S. Black is beautiful ... and smart.

Wear black pants and a black top when traveling. The color helps to cover any spills or messes! I especially prefer quick-drying pants. My neighbor sitting next to me spilled her red wine all over my leg on one trip, but with these pants, you couldn’t see any spills and they dried quickly.

Bring supplies for the plane

ride.

Whether in first, business or economy, I always travel with the following: • compression socks that will stop the swelling of your ankles; ATN makes a “Pride” edition in rainbow colors too! And just for you, ATN is offering a 30% discount using discount code TRAVEL30 https://bit.ly/2Wj1r1V

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Olivia Travel Schedule 2019 Check for 2020 Vacations: http://www.olivia.com Cruises Ultimate Alaskan Summer Jul 1 - Jul 8, 2019

Discover Iceland Luxury Jul 16 - Jul 23, 2019

• hand lotion; • vitamin C and zinc; (Take with food; they help to ward off colds and a sore throat.)

• ear plugs and ear buds; • bandana; • aspirin; • water bottle; (Fill it inside the terminal or ask the airline attendant if they could fill it for you.)

• sanitary wipes to wash off everything that you touch on the plane, such as your arm rest, your light and air controls, tray and seat belt clip; (Planes and hotels can be a cesspool of germs. Your neighbor will wish they had one, so offer one to them too! These are great for hotels as well—for remote controls and doorknobs. I do all that I can to avoid getting sick.)

• neck pillow and snacks, especially when you’re in economy; • a jacket that can double as a blanket.

Tahitian Paradise Luxury Aug 24 - Aug 31, 2019 Gems of the Italian & French Riviera Luxury Oct 5 - Oct 12, 2019

Load your smart pad/iPad before your trip.

Download your airline app before you leave the house. Many airlines offer free movies on flights, but you must have their app to watch. Most airlines have an electric outlet at all seats, so load your iPad or smart pad with your favorite movies and shows that you can also watch during the flight. These are also great to transfer your trip photos to as you go. (See photo equipment section.)

Winter Wonderland & Christmas Market Dec 3 - Dec 11, 2019

Pack quick-drying underwear.

The only item that I have learned to pack less of is underwear. Patagonia and Exofficio make great quick-drying panties.

Resorts Dreams Tulum, Mexico May 25 - Jun 1, 2019 Hard Rock Hotel Cabo Oct 27 - Nov 3, 2019 Family & Friends Harmony of the Seas Caribbean Group Cruise Jul 21 - Jul 28, 2019 Riverboats Budapest to Prague Jun 4 - Jun 13, 2019 Paris to Normandy Aug 6 - Aug 14, 2019

Adventures

Denali Jun 26 - Jul 1, 2019 African Safari I Oct 28 - Nov 6, 2019 African Safari II Nov 7 - Nov 16, 2019

(continued on page 16)

Machu Picchu Nov 8 - Nov 17, 2019

Know what to expect weatherwise for the destination.

Are you going to the Arctic, Africa or the Caribbean? For hot destinaSA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

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Africa

Pack half of your items in your partner’s luggage if you are traveling as a couple.

If you are traveling as a couple, put half of your things in each other’s luggage. This way, if one of your bags is delayed, each of you will still have something! To help keep clothes from wrinkling, put dressy clothes in a hanging bag, with each one covered and separated with reusable drycleaner bags.

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

My 18 Best Travel Tips After Three Decades of Traveling the World

Personalize your luggage with safety in mind.

Put your name and cell phone number on your luggage tags and keep your address and trip itinerary “inside” the luggage. You don’t want someone seeing your address to know that you are away.

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Amazing Galápagos I Nov 16 - Nov 25, 2019 Amazing Galápagos II Nov 30 - Dec 9, 2019 MAY 3 0 , 2 0 1 9

Travel Rolling on the River in the ‘New’ New Orleans the streetscape and the district boasts one of the city’s proud new achievements: the riverfront Crescent Park.

Walking along this stretch of green, one feels transported to a different city. But as you climb the Rusty Rainbow Bridge to the park, you’ll have a surprising— and breathtaking—reminder that you’re still in NOLA, with a magnificent view of downtown and the mighty Mississippi from the top.

In the Bywater, there are two bucket-list restaurants.

The first is Bacchanal Wine, a wine bar that’s also a cheese shop, outdoor courtyard, jazz club and laid-back party. As the owners describe it, “What started as a sleepy little wine shop on the outskirts of New Orleans slowly emerged as an eclectic Bywater watering hole.

After Katrina, it became an epic part of the city’s recovery as guest chefs from around the city came and cooked for the crowds.”

The Gay Gourmet David Landis When a dear friend and his wife said that they wanted to celebrate a milestone birthday in New Orleans and asked us to join them, it took less than a New York minute to say, “Yes.” I’ve always said that New Orleans is one of the most unique American cities. The food, the architecture, the nightlife, the welcoming hospitality of the locals, the walkability and the music (oh, and did I mention the bars?) all combine for a singular vacation destination. But truth be told, my husband and I hadn’t been back to NOLA (as the locals call it—get it, short for “New Orleans, Louisiana”) since before Hurricane Katrina. My, how the city has changed. And that would be for the good.

The city still prides itself on its wellknown, tried and true haunts. (There will be more on that later—after all, isn’t that what you expect from “The Gay Gourmet”?) But, there’s a whole “new” New Orleans just waiting to be discovered.

One of NOLA’s hot new neighborhoods is the Bywater—just a hop, skip and a jump from the charming French Quarter and the jazz-filled streets of the Faubourg Marigny.

Colorfully painted Victorians dot

At Bacchanal, you select your cheeses from the refrigerator in the front store (along with your wine, which you buy at retail prices), and then the kitchen delivers it to you at the backyard patio with bread, cheese, olives, condiments and more. If you want something more substantial, there’s a pop-up window where you can order hot food (we had a brie and bacon sandwich special that was off the charts). Or, you can mosey upstairs to the craft cocktail bar and watch the action from above—all of this while dining al fresco with live jazz every day.

The second go-to restaurant in Bywater is LGBTfriendly The Country Club, which doubles as a poolside retreat (members only, or you can buy day passes) and fine dining destination. Chef Chris Barbato’s credentials include a stint at one of the city’s dining stalwarts, Commander’s Palace. An elegant escape, The Country Club is set in a gracious home. Dining on the veranda (as we did) takes you back to an era of cosmopolitan Southern living, but with modern, innovative cuisine. Try the crabmeat beignets and the grilled gulf fish. And the Sunday drag brunches are a hoot (but they sell out weeks in advance, so reserve early).

Another hopping area is the Faubourg Marigny, centered along buzzing Frenchman Street adjacent to the French Quarter. Jazz bars, hotels, bohemians, artists and cafes all stand shoulder to shoulder in this fun, emerging neighborhood. I’d recommend the Frenchman Hotel—an LGBT-friendly bed and breakfast in an old Victorian with a charming courtyard— for your jumping off point.

Nearby is the outdoor Palace Market, a destination for handmade New Orleans art (we got original hand-painted one-of-a-kind sports jackets from 1 of 1 Blazers). The marketplace really comes alive at night, but we visited during the day and it was still hip and happening. Jazz bars like Snug Harbor and the Spotted Cat are nearby and dozens of bars and restaurants Commander’s Palace

make it easy to find a nosh or something to whet your whistle, whatever your taste.

A favorite new speakeasy, opened by the folks who oversee Bacchanal, is the Elysian Bar. It’s located in the upscale and sophisticated Hotel Peter and Paul, set in a converted Catholic Church with a courtyard on Burgundy St. Their aperitivo happy hour (from 4–7 pm daily) is a great deal: order the house-made Negroni, one of the best anywhere.

It’s New Orleans, where drinking is a fine art. So, it’s important to know the great LGBT places to meet, drink and be merry. The oldest gay bar in town is Café Lafitte in Exile, a must-see just because of its history.

Down the street, also in the French Quarter, are two popular bars (right across the street from each other): Oz and Bourbon Pub & Parade—each with big dance floors, fun drag shows and strippers on select nights.

And for lesbians, there’s Grrl Spot, a monthly lesbian pop-up dance party on the third Saturdays of the month.

If you’re into art, Julia Street is the place to go for up and coming contemporary art. Strolling along this four-block stretch of historic buildings, you’ll happen upon Callan Contemporary, the Arthur Roger Gallery and more, as well as the Auction House Market Food Hall with dozens of artisanal food vendors. Close by is the Ogden Museum of Southern Art and the National World War II Museum—both well worth a visit.

After all of that museum-going and art-hopping, if you’re puckish, I’d recommend the Cochon Butcher for their house-made muffaletta sandwich (all of their meats are made on the premises). It’s a butcher shop, sandwich counter and wine shop all rolled into one great venue. (Insider’s tip: Sit at the bar and they serve you, otherwise you order at the counter and must find a seat at communal tables.)

I also recommend a trip to the Longue Vue House and Gardens. It evokes Louisiana’s grand past, without the long drive to more rural areas. This historic home is set on 8 beautiful acres and was built by an heiress from the Sears family and her husband. It has a collection of museum-quality art, and landscaped gardens and fountains that take their cue from Generalife, the former summer house of sultans in Granada, Spain.

Bananas Foster

• Save a dinner for Arnaud’s with a nightcap next door at their intimate French 75 bar (where, naturally, the drink was invented).

• Commander’s Palace, in the Garden District, is still the reigning king of longstanding New Orleans restaurants.

Another off-the-radar neighborhood for a relaxing stroll is the Bayou St. John. Near New Orleans’ famous City Park, this stretch of waterway was made famous in years past for voodoo rituals along its shores. Now, you’re more likely to encounter dogs, bikers, kayakers and hipster cafes and restaurants along its verdant shore. For a delicious repast, I’d recommend the French-inspired offerings at the charming Café Degas.

(Did you know that Degas lived in New Orleans for a short period of time?)

• Don’t forget a drink at the Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone. It includes a replica of a David Landis (right) real carousel and the Sean at the historic bar actually revolves.

Hotel New Orleans

We’re in New Orleans, so we have to pay homage to the tried and true—which, as you know, is The Gay Gourmet’s specialty!

After all of the activity, eating and drinking need to buy some bigger sizes when you ret Francisco—but your memories will always return to the magic of The Big Easy.

• Friday lunch at the historic Galatoire’s is a must, but line up early as there are no reservations.

• Book early for brunch at Brennan’s and ask for a courtyard table. Order the turtle soup, eggs Sardou and bananas Foster, where it was invented.

• Visit Acme Oysters for lunch, but if the line is too long, head to Felix’s across the street.

• Sneak a peek into the public spaces at Th Roosevelt and its famous Sazerac Bar, wh cocktail was created.

David Landis, aka “The Gay Gourmet,” is ie, a freelance writer and a PR executive. F low him: @david_landis, email him at: david@landispr.com or visit online at: www.gaygourmetsf.com

CRUISE (continued from page 14) Don’t skimp on your photo equipment.

On all of the Olivia Adventure trips, especially those with animal sightings or beautiful landscapes (like Olivia’s Riverboat trips, Alaska and all adventure trips), I carry my camera and 2 lenses: 28mm-280 lens and a 200mm-400 lens.

Always put these in your carry-on, preferably a hard-sided roll-on. Yes, these all make your carry-on a little heavier, but the memories that they will capture are priceless! Bring enough memory cards, an extra battery and access to your owner’s manual in case of any issues.

There are small hard drives that you can bring to transfer photos and to back up your cards (iPad too); and it’s so important to do this in case any problems occur with your cards.

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Learn some of the local language.

“Google translate audio,” as well as “Google translate image” for your iPhone or smart phone’s camera, work great. Remember that we are visitors to these different countries.

Don’t expect everyone to speak English. Do visitors in the U.S. from France expect us to speak French? Try to speak a few words of the language of the country you visit. “Please,” “Thank you,” ... a little effort goes a long way.

Bring needed power cord(s) and adapters.

In the world of technology, there is a lot to charge! For me it’s my iPhone, iPad, computer, camera batteries, iWatch and the list could go on. I bought a 220-240V power cord on

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Amazon for my travels to Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa, and I have a 110V power cord for Mexico, Central and South America, Canada and the U.S. Check Amazon for adapters needed for specific countries.

Pack a travel-size coffee/tea maker for certain trips.

I must have a cup of strong coffee in the morning before I greet the world. Not all hotels have coffee makers, and most resorts and cruise ships don’t. I bring a travel-size dual voltage hot water maker (also found on Amazon) with a retractable rubber cone, and also pack good coffee. If space is limited, Starbucks “Via” coffee does the trick. It’s hard to find artifi-

cial sweeteners in other countries, so if you use them, bring your own.

Place essentials in your carry-on luggage.

What happens if your luggage gets delayed?

Are you one who will let it ruin your whole vacation, or can you brush the matter off? On a trip to the Galapagos, flights delayed many people and their luggage due to a volcanic eruption. This affected about 10 people who had no luggage for the first few days. One person was so upset that she stayed in her cabin.

Everyone else just borrowed from guests and did not let the situation ruin the trip. When we got word that the luggage was being sent, she was the only person whose luggage was

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San Francisco Travel’s Self-Guided Tour of Women’s History

When entertaining out of town visitors, such as for upcoming Pride, or for a great staycation, we recommend going on San Francisco Travel’s self-guided tour of women’s history. The tour, which includes travel on foot and via public transit, will take you and your guests to places where women’s history was made and where the women who helped to shape San Francisco are remembered.

From Coit Tower, walk south on Montgomery St. to California St. The Julia Morgan Ballroom (465 California St.) The first licensed female architect in California, Julia Morgan was one of the most influential and prolific designers of all time. Nowhere is her talent on finer display than at the Julia Morgan Ballroom, one of San Francisco’s most coveted venues. Morgan was key to rebuilding the city after the earthquake of 1906 and also designed important parts of the UC Berkeley campus. If there are no events scheduled when you visit the Julia

Coit Tower Morgan Ballroom, you can admire the timeless Beaux-Arts interior up close.

Walk west on California St. to St. Mary’s Square.

Monument to the “Comfort Women” (651 California St.) San Francisco erected this statue of three young Asian women holding hands in St. Mary’s Square, the heart of Chinatown, to commemorate those forced to work in Japanese brothels during WWII. A fourth statue represents Kim Hak-sun, who was the first of these “comfort women” to publicly testify about her experiences in 1991.

Continue west on California St. to Stockton St. Turn left and head south on Stockton St. to Union Square.

The Goddess of Victory Statue in Union Square Although it is meant to represent the ancient Greek goddesses Nike, local leg-

and husband Roosevelt

he Hotel here that

g, you might turn to San make you

San Francisco City Hall (1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Pl.) Looking mighty impressive with its massive dome (taller than the U.S. Capitol), San Francisco City Hall is a beautiful building. San Francisco city government has long been shaped by women leaders. Mary Margaret Morgan was the first woman elected to our city’s Board of Supervisors (San Francisco’s City Council) in 1921, just one year after American women gained the right to vote. San Francisco has had two women mayors: Dianne Feinstein, who went on to become a U.S. Senator, and current Mayor London Breed, who is the first African-American woman ever elected to the office.

The Women’s Building (3543 18th St.) Julia Morgan Ballroom

• photocopy of passport; • camera and lenses; • favorite hair brush; • 2 extra pairs of underwear; • an extra pair of glasses; • sunglasses; • a change of clothes; • t-shirt that you can sleep in;

From Union Square, walk south (downhill) on Powell St. toward Market St. At Powell St., turn left and head west on Market St. toward UN Plaza. If you’re facing west at UN Plaza, City Hall will be in front of you.

From the Van Ness Ave. side of City Hall, board a southbound 49 Muni bus at the corner of Oak St. Exit at Mission and 18th streets and walk west on 18th St.

s a foodFol-

not found! There is something important in the universe about “letting go.” The destination and the experience should not be compromised because of lost luggage. However, if there is anything in your checked luggage that you just can’t live without, put it into your carry-on.

Here are my essentials:

end has it that Union Square’s central statue was modeled from the likeness of San Francisco heiress Alma de Bretteville Spreckles. Installed in 1903 to celebrate the U.S. victory in the Spanish-American War, this trident-and-wreath-wielding feminine deity is perched on top of an 85-foot tall column, looking out over the bustling action with a cool, confident demeanor.

• flip flops; • prescription snorkel mask; • bathing suit; • and last but not least, medications.

Except for that last item, almost everything else can be purchased or borrowed when on the road.

Massive murals celebrating powerful female leaders and artists, from Rigoberta Menchu to Georgia O’Keefe, cover The

the world in their smiles by sharing your own smile as often as possible.

Jill Cruse is Olivia’s Vice President of Guest Experience and has been with Olivia for 30 years! She has led and traveled on over 300 Olivia trips on all seven continents in the capacity of Cruise/Resort Director.

Photography is her hobby and pasBe f lexible when things sion. Jill has won several major don’t go as planned. awards for her photographs and Stay in the present moment and has been published with “Nationrelease that which you have Jill Cruse with her Olivia colleague al Geographic,” “Travel Weekno control over. See the comly Magazine,” “Churchill Wild” monality of all people all over Tisha Floratos (left)

Women’s Building, located in the heart of the Mission District. A women-owned cultural center founded in 1979 that advocates for gender equality and social justice, the four-story building hosts a variety of programs and events and serves as a hub for other nonprofits.

Walk west on 18th St. to Church St. Turn right and walk north to Duboce Ave. (or board a J line Muni train headed in the same direction).

At Duboce Ave. and Church St., board an outbound N line Muni train and exit at Irving St. and 7th Ave. San Francisco Women Artists Gallery (647 Irving St.) Founded as a “sketch club” for female artists in 1887, San Francisco Women Artists (SFWA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and expanding women in the arts. Past members include luminaries like Imogen Cunningham and Ruth Asawa. The onsite gallery hosts monthly exhibitions, as well as permanent work by current and past members.

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The tour begins at one of San Francisco’s most iconic landmarks. A defining element of the San Francisco skyline, Coit Tower was built in 1933, thanks to a generous bequest from longtime resident Lillie Hitchcock Coit. Her goal was to leave a lasting gift that would further enhance the beauty of her beloved city.

The interior of this 210-foot high architectural jewel is adorned with federallyfunded murals from the New Deal era, including Maxine Albro’s 42-foot masterpiece California.

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Coit Tower (1 Telegraph Hill Blvd.)

Walk west on Irving St. and turn right at 9th Ave. Walk north to enter Golden Gate Park.

Nancy Pelosi Drive in Golden Gate Park In honor of Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi’s 25 years of service in Congress, including her time as the first female Speaker of the House, the City of San Francisco named one of the streets in Golden Gate Park after her. A trip down Nancy Pelosi Drive, which is bookended

by Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and John F. Kennedy Drive, takes you past the California Academy of Sciences to the AIDS Memorial Grove.

For more local travel tips and information: https://www.sftravel.com/

and “Canadian Geographic.” She received an editor’s picks award from the “National Geographic” and had her photo experience (of a sea-lion hugging her in Baja) documented and published with “National Geographic.”

Since 2012, Jill has been doing social media projects with Oprah Winfrey for her network and about “living your best life,” the “Life Classes” series, “Belief” series, “Greenleaf,” “Have and Have Nots” and “Queen Sugar” programs. She has also appeared as a guest speaker on OWN TV’s “Super Soul Sunday” episode with Oprah and the author of the “Four Agreements,” Don Miguel Ruiz.

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San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band’s Spotlight on Broadway 2019 Photos by Michael Kerner The San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band’s (SFLGFB) annual Spotlight on Broadway Sing-Along Concert was held on Saturday, May 18, in the Empire Ballroom at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel. Hosted by Donna Sachet, the event featured guest David Korn singing with SFLGFB members Stephanie Richardson and Liz Nelson. The program included songs selected from Hairspray, Les Misérables, Dear Evan Hansen, Carole King’s Beautiful, Beauty and the Beast, The Sound of Music and numerous others. Congratulations to artistic director Pete Nowlen, SFLGFB president Doug Litwin, and the entire team of volunteers who created another memorable evening of music showcasing the Official Band of San Francisco!

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“There are two kinds of change: change you like and change you get used to.”

By Donna Sachet

he Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band under the direction of Pete Nowlen presented Spotlight on Broadway May 18 at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel. For those not in the know, they are now the Official Band of San Francisco and their musical expertise and love of performance were on marvelous display for a packed house. We loved hosting the night, ably assisted by David Korn and additional band volunteers, encouraging the crowd to sing along, bid on attractive live auction packages, and otherwise raise money for this beloved group. For a singer, it is a rare opportunity to sing backed by an accomplished full band of instrumentalists. Through crowdpleasing Broadway music and numerous costume changes and humorous on-stage antics, the audience roared its approval. One of our personal favorite pieces was a commissioned piece by Philip Orem called The 1978 San Francisco Pride Parade March, full of solid marching band rhythms and sly references to popular songs. Only this group could convince this dignified performer to don a nun’s habit for the Sound of Music finale! Throughout the year, the Freedom Band performs at a myriad of public events free of charge, so it was a particular pleasure to help raise money to support their work.

As a matter of fact, the very next day, the Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band played in the Castro as part of several events recognizing Harvey Milk Day. From Harvey Milk Plaza to the location of his camera shop and in window displays up and down Castro Street, the community joined in remembrance of our Gay icon. Remodeling plans nearing completion for Harvey Milk Plaza were revealed by the Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza and awards were presented to State Senator Scott Wiener and others.

Afterwards, we popped into Hamburger Mary’s where Saturday and Sunday brunches and other drag shows have been taking off. This day’s brunch was hosted by Holotta Tymes, supported by her husband Robert Carstensen, and the crowd was raucous and happy. How refreshing to have a vibrant business in this long vacant space on Castro Street!

The very next night, we were back at Hamburger Mary’s for the Stoli Key West Cocktail Classic San Francisco bartender competition. We co-hosted for the sixth year with Stoli International LGBT Ambassador Patrik Gallineaux as five competitive bartenders displayed their talents for a panel of four judges, including last year’s winner Matt Gutowski, local performer BeBe Sweetbriar, Key West’s Bourbon Street pub owner Joey Schroeder, and Key West Business Guild President Alan Beaubien.

The wonderfully talented LaToya London and local entertainer Sadist Payne added great performances. After an incredible variety of mixology presentations, valuable input from the judges, and enthusiastic support from the audience, not to mention much consumption of Stoli cocktails, David Facer, representing Toad Hall and Badlands, emerged as the winner and will head to the finals in Key West. Moments later, and much to our surprise, we were invited for the first time to join the finale in Key West in June! Guess what? We said, “Yes!” We’ll be judging one of two final elimination rounds and joining the many events surrounding Pride Key West. You’ll read a full report in this column in the next issue. Our first visit to Key West! Are we ready? Are they?

June is upon us and you know what that means ...

PRIDE! Look no further than Monday, June 3, for the first event kicking off Pride at Google’s Community Space downtown. The Rainbow Honor Walk will soon be adding eight new plaques to the sidewalks in the Castro and they will be unveiled here, including Chavela Vargas, Lou Sullivan, Josephine Baker, Alvin Ailey, Marie Equi, Gerry Studds, W. H. Auden and

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

The Starlight Room Sir Francis Drake Hotel 10:30 am Brunch, 11:30 am Show $75 inclusive https://bit.ly/2OB4Gur Thursday, May 30 LGBT Asylum Project Castro Opening 526 Castro Street 6–8 pm FREE! https://www.lgbtasylumproject.org/ Thursday, May 30 The Book of Pride - Mason Funk Book release at Books, Inc. Opera Plaza, 601 Van Ness 7–9 pm FREE! https://www.booksinc.net/SFOpera

Regular readers of this column know that we occasionally rave about this event or that, trying diligently to explain why it particularly impressed us and encouraging others to seek out similar events. Such an event occurred last Thursday evening at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. First of all, no self-respecting San Franciscan would admit to never having visited this incredible building and its renowned collection of contemporary art. Located right downtown, across from Yerba Buena Park, SF MOMA is well worth your time whether visiting for a special exhibit or to enjoy its extensive permanent collection. Last Thursday, they unveiled the highly anticipated mural The Chronicles of San Francisco by JR, a French artist who has earned international recognition for his monumentally scaled works and their unusual subject matter. Among the crowd were Gareth Gooch & William Bulkley, Strange de Jim, Steven Dorsey, Jeff Cotter and Cleve Jones. Over the past few years, JR visited San Francisco using a mobile studio to record images of the diverse population, envisioning a mural similar to one he had previously completed of a Parisian neighborhood. Over the course of his visit, he collected black and white photographs and eventually videos of local luminaries and ordinary citizens, elected officials and clergy, street people and activists, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and Leathermen, millennials and golden agers—over a thousand images truly reflecting the rich diversity of San Francisco and its character.

As we descended the staircase into the spacious room at MOMA where the mural was displayed, we were immediately captured by the life-size scale and astounding impact of the work. To our surprise, an occasional movement caught our eye as ballerinas leapt, children played, and protesters waved placards. Smoke from a fire rose from a building, birds flew overhead and recognizable faces came into focus as they interacted with each other over the massive and gradually rotating mural projected across two walls. We expected to be impressed, but we were not prepared for the immediacy and intensity that this work of art conveyed.

Gradually a proscenium stage came into view and the curtain rose to reveal tuxedoed members of the SF Gay Men’s Chorus, followed by Emperors and Empresses, drag personalities and other entertainers, while a nearby garage door opened to introduce various individuals involved in sports activities. We could go on and on describing our impressions, but please take our advice and go to the museum and view this masterpiece for yourself. Find the faces of people you know and people you’ve read about, groups both familiar and unknown, and eventually, perhaps, find yourself amongst those portrayed. Museum Director Neal Benezra introduced JR who spoke briefly of his vision and the journey to complete this mural, clearly demonstrating that his artistic talent is shaped by his fascination with people and interpersonal dynamics. This special exhibit will be on display for a year and is offered free of charge. Don’t pass it by!

–Leila Hutto

Friday, May 31 AIDS/LifeCycle Send-Off Party Thousands of participants ride from SF to LA Benefits LA LGBT Center and SF AIDS Foundation 6 pm FREE! Lookout 3600 16th Street https://www.aidslifecycle.org/ Friday, May 31 Out in the Streets: Quiet No More Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco Theatrical, musical commemoration of Stonewall 50 7:30 pm 50 Oak Street $25 & up https://www.lgcsf.org/ Saturday, June 1 Mother: Madonna Tribute Hosted by Sue Casa with special guest Willam 10 pm Oasis 298 11th Street https://sfoasis.com/ Monday, June 3 Stonewall 50 Speakeasy!

Rainbow Honor Walk reception Food, drink, silent auction 5:30–8:30 pm FREE! Google 188 Embarcadero www.rainbowhonorwalk.org Wednesday, June 12 SF Giants’ LGBTQ Night at Oracle Park Kippy Marks performs National Anthem 6:45 pm Oracle Park 24 Willie Mays Plaza (See page 12 of this issue for more information.)

Friday, June 14 Disco Coalition Series of Happy Hour tributes to Queeros Salute to José Sarria, benefits Castro Country Club 5–8 pm Lookout 3600 16th Street https://www.discocoalition.org/ (continued on page 27)

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NCLR 2019 Anniversary Celebration

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CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2019)

The annual NCLR Anniversary Celebration continues to live up to its reputation as being one of the best lesbian events of the year. 2019’s event included a sold-out Dinner at the Marriott Marquis Hotel and an amazing After Party held at City View at Metreon. With keynote remarks by Interim Executive Director Cindy Myers and Board Member Olga Talamante, the program also included Vanguard Awards presented to New Mexico Congresswoman Deb Haaland and Pennsylvania Congressman Malcolm Kenyatta, and Courage Awards presented to NCLR clients Danny Zins and Kate McCobb.

The inaugural Kate Kendell Commitment to Justice Award was presented by Kate Kendell to Maria “Lupita” López Segoviano. Congratulations to Co-chairs Emily Doskow and Felicia Medina, and to the entire team of staff and volunteers, on another remarkable celebration. Special thanks to artist Debra Walker, who created the NCLR image for the cover of the San Francisco Bay Times.

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From the Coming Up Events Calendar See page 28 Saturday, June 1 - 2nd Annual We Run Oakland: For Our Children @ Lake Merritt. A Sista’s Touch (AST) hosts the benefit to empower African American women and to stop human trafficking. 8am-12pm. http://www.asistastouch.org

Tuesday, June 11 - Rainbow Warrior: The Memoir of Gilbert Baker Book Launch @ SF Public Library, Koret Auditorium, 100 Larkin Street. Panel discussion of the posthumous memoir. 5:30-7:30pm. http://www.sflibrary.org

Romance for Pride: Feature Film Call Me By Your Name with SF Symphony Our vote for one of Pride’s most romantic events this year goes to Call Me By Your Name – Feature Film with the San Francisco Symphony. The event on June 18 at Davies Symphony Hall presents the film with the symphony performing its hypnotic score live.

Based on the acclaimed novel by André Aciman, the coming-of-age romance evokes the feeling of a golden Italian summer, filled with music, food, art and the heady feelings of first love. It’s 1983, and amid the sun-kissed landscapes of Lombardy, Italy, a precocious 17-year-old Elio Perlman is spending lazy days with his family at their 17th-century summer villa.

He soon meets Oliver, a handsome American doctoral student who works as an intern for Elio’s professor father. Little by little, an unexpected bond grows between Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer) that will alter their lives forever. The film is imbued with hauntingly beautiful original songs by singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens, so we are eagerly awaiting the symphony’s take on these lush melodies.

Back in 2017, when the film debuted, San Francisco Bay Times film critic Gary Kramer interviewed Call Me By Your Name’s gay filmmaker, Luca Guadagnino: Gary M. Kramer: I’m curious: what were you like as a teenager?

Luca Gaudagnino: I am the third and last child in my family, which led me to be independent. I was really in my own mind, and developing the wonderment of what I wanted to do—become a filmmaker. I had a camera.

I was very alone and had few friends. I didn’t join the dance floor.

Gary M. Kramer: You are an openly gay filmmaker, but this is your first film where a gay relationship is the central focus. Can you talk about that?

Luca Gaudagnino: This is an Anglo-Saxon perspective. I am more interested in psychoanalysis, and the unconscious of people. I want to delve into that. What is the measure of our desires, whatever the gender? My agenda is to tell the stories of my characters.

Gary M. Kramer: I think Oliver giving Elio a foot massage is sexier than the film’s blowjob scene. How did you approach the sensuality in the film?

Luca Gaudagnino: That’s a testament to the quality of my actors. They are so committed that they make their characters blossom on screen. I agree that the manipulation of the feet is much more [erotically] charged than the intercourse we could have visualized.

Gary M. Kramer: How did you work with the actors to create their chemistry?

Luca Gaudagnino: I told them not take the characters too seriously. Make them lively. I wanted them to feel they knew each other a long time as a family, not actors acting as a family.

Gary M. Kramer: There is a Gary M. Kramer: What I love about very emotional father/son scene your cinema is the sensory experiin the film. Can you talk about ences. How do you create the tactility of your experiences with your parfeeling and emotions? ents, perhaps when you came out to them?

Luca Gaudagnino: Cinema is a language where we try to immerse an audience in these Luca Gaudagnino: This is not an stories. It can evoke warmth, coldness, fear; autobiographical film, so that’s a comI think that it is an experience I enjoy at the plicated question to answer. My parents were not like Elio’s, and I wasn’t movies—being immersed in that. As a filmmaker, I try to encompass that. I believe in the like Elio. The way I felt guided or misguided by them was less vocal. full experience of an emotional journey.

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For instance, when I was a kid, I was directly and indirectly told that Italian culture was the most important thing.

As for my coming out, I never had a necessity to come out because I was always the person I wanted to be— and that was never interfered with.

I was maybe privileged in this sense.

Sometimes, the level of censorship we suffer comes from within.

Gary M. Kramer: Call Me By Your Name is a box office hit, and has earned critical praise and awards. Why do you think this film has connected so strongly with audiences?

Luca Gaudagnino: I believe in duality. We are in an angry time, where anger is the first step—there is hatred and suspicion toward the other. Call Me By Your Name is about compassion, and complete surrender to the “otherness” of the other to become a better person. That plays as a counterpart to this hatred. I think the film has been perceived as a soothing balm. I like to think that. I received an email from a handsome young man, a straight son of a friend. He said the film reminded him of his first love and how much he suffered and withdrew and became colder [after the relationship ended].

He didn’t know how to deal with the

damage. This film showed him. There is nothing more precious and beautiful than a reaction like that.

Gary M. Kramer: On that same note, I like how Oliver impacts Elio’s life. What person or relationship inf luenced your outlook on life?

Luca Gaudagnino: My partner, whom I’ve been with for the past 9 years [now 11]. He’s the most important person in my life and I’m happy we’re still together.

Interview © 2017 Gary M. Kramer For more information and to purchase tickets, go to: https://bit.ly/2WaJa7n

FIRST PERSON Who was the first transgender person in history to be nominated for an Emmy Award for a prime-time series?

A) Alexis Arquette B) Chaz Bono C) Cassandra Cass D) Laverne Cox ANSWER ON PAGE 26

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

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

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Groundbreaking Video Mural at SFMOMA Features Bay Area Luminaries and Other Locals began to imagine how a whole city and its diverse range of citizens could be represented through his art. After his first mural portrait of the Paris suburb Les Bosquets, a neighborhood where he lived and worked for many years, JR chose San Francisco as the subject for his next urban mural portrait. With its vibrant muralist tradition and its remarkable innovation and technological advances alongside its growing homelessness, this city proved to be a complex and multifaceted location for the artist to explore.

The impressive mural, which had its public unveiling on May 23, is already receiving international acclaim. JR is a TED Prize winner, Oscar nominee and one of Time’s 100 most influential people of 2018.

The animated The Chronicles of San Francisco is his first major digital installation in California.

“The mural aims to be a picture of society, not depicting good and bad, but rather showing that both sides are present in everyone,” said JR. “Every person is presented at the same size, captured with the same light. No one is more important than another.”

“For several years I have been contemplating how the work of a contemporary artist who started in the streets might be brought into our galleries,” said Neal Benezra, Helen and Charles Schwab Director of SFMOMA. “From 1930, when our founding director, Grace McCann Morley, persuaded Diego Rivera to come to San Francisco to complete a series of mural commissions, our city has been home to a rich and expressly democratic tradition of paintings made for the public. JR’s project captures a unique portrait of our extraordinary and idiosyncratic city, [and] is the perfect opportunity to bring art from the street into our museum’s free art-filled ground floor.”

The completed work is now displayed as a digital photo-collage scrolling across a seamless span of screens stretching over 100 feet. Adjacent to the mural are iPad kiosks, on which

JR and Roberto de Angelis at work in San Francisco, 2018

visitors can further explore the mural by listening to the audio interviews of each of its subjects. Following The Chronicles of San Francisco, in the fall of 2020, the museum will present Rivera’s mural Pan American Unity in the same space in conjunction with a major exhibition of the late artist’s work.

The Artist JR Born in Paris in 1983, JR began his career as a teenage graffiti artist making his mark on public space in precarious locations such as rooftops and subway trains. After finding a camera in the Paris Metro in 2001, the artist began to document his peers in the act of graffiti painting and soon started pasting these photographs on outdoor walls throughout the city.

In a few short years, JR’s practice attracted international attention, and he launched projects France and in countries around the world. In 2006, (continued on page 27)

PHOTO:COURTESY JR-ART.NET

Inspired by the murals of Rivera— who completed four murals in San Francisco beginning in 1931—JR

In January and February 2018, JR and his team transformed a 53-foot trailer truck into a photographic studio, and parked it in 22 pre-determined locations across the length and breadth of San Francisco, welcoming anyone who wished to participate. As a result, over 1,200 people—including well known public figures such as California Governor Gavin Newsom and Golden State Warriors basketball star Draymond Green, as well as Herb Caen favorite Strange de Jim, doctors, swimmers, homeless men and women, shop vendors, drag queens, protesters, children, and many other San Franciscans—have been filmed, photographed and interviewed.

Photos courtesy of SFMOMA

PHOTO: CAMILLE PAJOT, COURTESY JR-ART.NET

San Francisco Bay Times columnist and legendary entertainer Donna Sachet, longstanding Bay Times columnist and “Fun Nun” Sister Dana Van Iquity, founding Bay Times contributor Cleve Jones, members of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus and more are just some of the local favorites who are featured in the largescale digital mural The Chronicles of San Francisco by French artist JR. The massive work is now in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s (SFMOMA) free public space, the Roberts Family Gallery.

JR, The Chronicles of San Francisco, 2018(detail)

Leading Expert on San Francisco’s Civic Center Sheds Light on This City Hub in New Book The San Francisco Civic Center was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987 and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places eleven years later. We locals often take for granted its impressive buildings in the classical architectural style that hold historic importance. For example, the United Nations Charter was signed in the War Memorial Veterans Building’s Herbst Theatre in 1945, leading to the creation of the United Nations. It is also where the 1951 Treaty of San Francisco—the peace treaty that officially ended the Pacific War with the Empire of Japan, which had surrendered in 1945—was signed.

From an architectural standpoint, the Civic Center is arguably the best manifestation of the early twentieth century American City Beautiful Movement. However, the information presented to the world, the region and to local citizens about San Francisco rarely mentions it. Although more 22

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than a billion dollars has been spent to restore the Civic Center buildings damaged by the 1989 earthquake and to build three new ones, James Haas of the Civic Center Community Benefit District and many others believe that the surrounding area has often been neglected.

Jim Haas

Haas, who has devoted nearly thirty-five years to advocacy for the renewal and completion of Civic Center’s restoration, addresses related topics in his new book The San Francisco Civic Center: The History of the Design, Controversies and Realization of a City Beautiful Masterpiece (University of Nevada Press, 2019).

Haas tells the compelling story of the 150-year history of the Civic Center, describing the personalities, the politics and the dreams up to the present.

He also played a crucial role in much of the recent development in the area

including, after twenty years of effort, convincing the late Mayor Edwin Lee in 2014 to direct the Planning Department to prepare a public realm plan for the area. The final draft of that plan has been recently released to the public for discussion.

To learn more, visit Haas’ website “Civic Center Stories”: https://civiccentersf.org/jim/ For information about his new book: https://amzn.to/2Xdgc3g

Halston Is the Subject of Gay Filmmaker’s Latest Fashion Doc San Francisco Bay Times about his fabulous new film.

Gary M. Kramer: What made Halston such an irresistible subject?

Film Gary M. Kramer Out gay filmmaker Frédéric Tcheng’s latest film, Halston, opening June 7 in the Bay Area, is a documentary about the American designer told through film clips, archival footage and interviews with friends, enemies and family members as well as a fictional narrator, Tavi Gevinson.

Halston was a Midwesterner who became a milliner at Bergdorf Goodman’s, a designer who staged a fashion show at Versailles, and then a household name, with successful launches of perfume and other goods. His career also involved partying at Studio 54, friendships with Liza Minnelli and an entourage of models, as well as a savvy business deal with the Norton Simon empire. Unfortunately, it ran into trouble after a deal with J.C. Penney, some drug use and other issues.

Featuring nearly 2000 striking photographs, film clips and footage of his life, work and clothes, Halston nimbly depicts the designer’s experiences and questions Halston’s hubris. Tcheng spoke with me for the

Frédéric Tcheng: It’s all my producer Roland’s fault. He convinced me. I swore I would not do another [fashion doc]. But the story was too good. It’s a curse. I keep making them. This one was fun and different from all the others. It was a grand American story. Halston is no Raf [Simmons, subject of Tcheng’s Dior and I ], an introverted Belgian. There was more to play with here in terms of storytelling. It was fun to have a narrator and work with Tavi [Gevinson] and take the narrative out of its boundaries.

Gary M. Kramer: Why did you decide on that approach of using Tavi as a narrator?

Frédéric Tcheng: It’s all a matter of images you have in your head.

When we started researching and recording Halston’s story, the corporate takeover resonated with me.

It had all the trappings of a thriller and the erasing of these tapes— it was so crazy that they would have

The designer Halston and red dress from the film Halston

done that! It was a strong gesture of discarding this person’s work, but images are so important to me as a filmmaker, so that’s how the whole scripted [approach] unfolded from there—that image.

Gary M. Kramer: You showcase some amazing film clips, photographs and fashion shows. Can you talk about assembling the film (as co-editor/director)?

Frédéric Tcheng: I’m obsessive. I watch and sort everything. It was the biggest research project I’ve done. I found the NBC tapes of China. That’s why we have footage of him preparing for the trip. They scraped the project and the tapes were supposed to be lost but Roland and James Paul Dallas, our archival producer, kept bugging NBC and they found five tapes of raw footage on the shelf. It was not edited or filtered, and you could see Halston at work in all his glory and abusive tendencies. That’s how it became more of a sequence in the film. I wanted to view it twice from an idealistic and a dark side—rewind the tape and see how images can be double-edged and ambiguous in nature. In our culture, where everyone is projecting our lives, Halston was doing that on a large scale in the 70s. It makes you think of what images can mean and how they can be constructed.

Gary M. Kramer: What are your thoughts about his celebrity image and how he promoted himself as master publicist? (continued on page 27)

Gay and Lesbian Studies Pioneer Recalls the Moment in the 1950s When She Came Out

Words Michele Karlsberg Michele Karlsberg: This excerpt originally appeared in My Butch Career: A Memoir by Esther Newton, published by Duke University Press in 2018.

It is reprinted here with her permission.

My psychiatrist was a middle-aged Jewish man, and luckily for me, he was sympathetic, supportive and caring. Haltingly, I told him that I hated Palo Alto High School; that I felt trapped between my rejecting mother, whom I loved, and my grandmother, whom I did not; that I missed my father and New York. How my wish to escape to boarding school after my sophomore year had been vetoed by my mother, who, despite our conflicts, did not want me to leave home. How during this, my junior year, we had fought incessantly.

All this took a couple of months of talking. Then one day, as semitrop24

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ical gardens were blooming around the suburban Victorians and ranch houses, I blurted, “There’s something I have to tell you.” The doctor nodded, listening intently. Then I sat there. And twiddled my hair, looked at the floor. And sat there. Unable to open my mouth, unable to say the words that I had recently written in my journal, but never said aloud, even to myself, words that could never be taken back. This went on for three weeks.

Finally, I looked down at the floor and mumbled, “I think I might be a homosexual.” The doctor considered while he took this in. My heart beat frantically. It seemed I must be struck dead, that the stucco walls of his house would hate me, crush me.

This was in the spring of 1957. The doctor said, “What’s so bad about that?”

If you are only as sick as your secrets, as they say in Alcoholics Anonymous, then telling that sweet doctor, and his acceptance, was a giant step toward health. I wish I could say that from then on I suffered no more than the usual ups and downs that young people endure. This is what one sees in gay youth fairly often today. But so many other voices, my own and those all around me, were telling me what ruin this would lead to, how I would be forever a weirdo, outcast, condemned to a life that would be even worse than my high school misery, and, above all, how I would never find anyone to love and love me back.

Like me, many Americans never recover fully from bullying and other torments of their adolescence.

The damage is permanent, no matter how much success adulthood brings. Some years ago I dreamed I came upon a brown bear surrounded by a boisterous crowd of street people. I approached the bear obliquely from the back; it was sitting upright and motionless in a hole; only the back of its torso and head were visible. The people were shouting at it and throwing garbage. I realized that they meant in the end to kill it and were only tormenting it from the fun of destroying a robust, beautiful animal who was hopelessly outnumbered. I woke in terror and threw myself into my girlfriend’s arms. “It’s you, the bear,” she said. “But it’s only a dream.”

Esther Newton, one of the pioneers of gay and lesbian studies, is formerly Term Professor of Women’s Studies at the University of Michigan and Professor of Anthropology at Purchase College, State University of New York. She is the author of several books, including “Margaret Mead Made Me Gay: Personal Essays, Public Ideas” and “Cherry Grove, Fire Island: Sixty Years in America’s First Gay and Lesbian Town,” as well as the groundbreaking “Mother Camp: Female Impersonators in America.”

Michele Karlsberg Marketing and Management specializes in publicity for the LGBTQI community. This year, Karlsberg celebrates 31 years of successful book campaigns.

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun from being denied medical care, fired from their jobs, or thrown out of their homes simply because of who they are. It now goes to the Senate. 70% of Americans support the Act. Of course, Trump has opposed it.

By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, “Props go to GOP Congressman Justin Amash for breaking from the Trump-loving Repugnicans and stating: ‘Trump has engaged in impeachable conduct.’

Hopefully this attitude will be contagious in Congress!”

THE GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM held a reception for their latest exhibition: THE MAYOR OF FOLSOM STREET: Alan Selby’s Legacy on May 16 in the museum. The exhibition runs now through September 30 at 4127 18th Street. “The Life and Legacy of Alan Selby” uses photographs, artifacts, fine art and digital displays to document the life of Selby, also known as Mr. S, who opened the iconic leather and kink retail store Mr. S. Leather in San Francisco’s SoMa district in 1979. One of the City’s longest-lived and best-known queer retail establishments, Mr. S. Leather grew into a kind of community center as well as an international destination. The show was curated

by Jordy Jones, Selby’s biographer; Jeremy Prince, the museum and exhibition director; and Gayle Rubin, renowned feminist and sexuality theorist and professor of anthropology at the University of Michigan. Also drawing on the “Alan Selby Papers” preserved in the society’s archives, this exhibition illustrates Selby’s life within the context of a changing SoMa neighborhood, AIDS charities, and the emergence of a distinct queer leather and kink culture—all of which Daddy Selby was a large part of. Here you will find his Certificate of Honor by the SF Board of Supervisors, Selby’s American and British passports, a sling, the memorial Alan Selby leather jacket gorgeously decorated by Bill Bowers and even his very last leather cap that was laid upon his body at the time of his passing. I will never forget how Alan always lovingly addressed me as “Sister Veronica,” instead of my true nun name or my birth name. He was truly a character!

Sister Dana sez, “Lawmakers in Taiwan have voted to legalize same-sex marriage, which is a first for Asia! GongXi! Which I think is Chinese for ‘Congratulations’!”

May 17 was a historic day—the first time a comprehensive LGBTQ civil rights bill has come to the floor of the House, when all of the Democrats passed THE EQUALITY ACT. This legislation will provide millions of LGBTQ Americans protections

Dennis McMillan (aka Sister Dana) was on hand for the opening of the new exhibit, The Mayor of Folsom Street: The Life and Legacy of Alan Selby, at the GLBT History Museum on May 16.

The exhibit is based on the life and achievements of “Daddy” Alan Shelby, aka “Mr. S,” who was also known as the “Daddy of all Daddies.”

The exhibit continues through September 30. http://www.glbthistory.org

NCLR held its ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION on May 18 at the Marriott Marquis for a splendid dinner and speeches. Opening the ceremonies were Co-chairs Emily Doskow and Felicia Medina, who introduced NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter. We learned The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) was the first national LGBTQ legal organization founded by women, and it brings a fierce, longstanding commitment to racial and economic justice and our community’s most vulnerable. Since 1977, NCLR has been at the forefront of advancing the civil and human rights of the LGBTQ community and their families through impact litigation, public policy, and public education. Awards were given. Vanguard awardees were Honorable Deb Haaland from the U.S. House of Representatives and Honorable Malcolm Kenyatta from the PA House of Representatives. Courage awardees were Kate McCobb, who suffered the traumatic effects of conversion therapy for eight years, and together with NCLR, brought an ingenious case against her Berkeley therapist for consumer fraud which reached a settlement; Danny Sims won with NCLR a 2018 case against his Florida school district permitting him access to the boys’ restroom.

His bravery has paved the way for all transgender students in Volusia County, Florida. The Kate Kendell Commitment to Justice Award went to Maria “Lupita” Lopez Segoviano—presented by Kate Kendell. After a few words from Interim Executive Director Cindy Meyers and board member Olga Talamante, we all adjourned to Citiview at Metreon for the festive after-party.

Presented by CASTRO MERCHANTS, I really enjoyed WINDOWS FOR HARVEY, the gayborhood celebration centered on the May 22 birthday of Harvey Milk. Over 30 local merchants, in partnership with artists and designers, rolled out installations inspired by Harvey and his legacy all along Castro and Market streets. I only wish it could be all year long!

On a similar note, on May 19, THE FRIENDS OF HARVEY MILK held a GRAND UNVEILING of the Milk plaque installed in Harvey Milk Plaza. In part, the inscribed words read: “Harvey Milk - May 22, 1930–November 27, 1978.

Harvey Milk Plaza is named in honor of San Francisco’s supervisor, California’s first elected official to be openly gay. In January 1976, Mayor George Moscone appointed Harvey to the Board of Permit Appeals as San Francisco’s first openly gay Commissioner. In the 1977 District Election of Supervisors, Harvey was elected to the Board. He championed the rights of all people. In his tragically short term as Supervisor, he authored San Francisco’s Gay Rights Ordinance and fought for the causes of women, the elderly, minorities, renters, environmentalists, union members, and neighborhood residences. Harvey Milk Plaza was dedicated on September 15, 1985, by Mayor Dianne Feinstein, Board of Supervisors President John L. Molinari, and Milk’s successor, Supervisor Harry Britt.” The plaque concludes with Milk’s quote: “I am all of us.” The Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band performed and led a march to the HRC Store (Milk’s old camera shop) after some speeches. I will let Senator Scott Wiener say it all: “He paved the way for so many (continued on page 26) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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ROSTOW (continued from page 5)

SISTER DANA (continued from page 25)

These rollbacks are all being challenged in court, but the problem with administrative interpretations of unsettled law is that subsequent administrations can change their minds. Passage of the Equality Act (not possible in today’s Senate) or a good ruling from the Supreme Court (hmm) would anchor GLBTfriendly policies in law. But until then we will witness an erosive climate change in civil rights as the months roll on.

the screen, but I guarantee they are faking it for your viewing pleasure.

Perhaps, like Trump’s minority supporters, you can find the one female who a) reaches a powerful climax after exactly two minutes of hair pulling and erratic pounding, and b) thinks you’re attractive. If so, don’t let her go because you won’t find another anytime soon.

Lycra to the Rescue

Elsewhere, there’s bad news out of Kenya, where the High Court has upheld colonial era sodomy laws. And there’s good news out of Taiwan, where marriage equality has now been enacted under a court order from two years ago, and in Brazil, where the high court “took a decisive step,” I read, towards banning gay and trans bias. I admit I lacked the patience to investigate exactly what the “decisive step” entailed or when the final step might be trod. It was enough for me to know that something positive took place in Brazil. Yay!

Moving on, I just paid a visit to “pornhub,” which is, as you might guess, a porn site. Oh? You already knew that? Of course you did!

Pornhub is advertising men’s bathing trunks that let you hide your erection when you find yourself aroused on a public beach.

“Whether it’s the swarms of halfnaked bods, a warm breeze catching you just the right way, or simply because your little buddy’s got a mind of his own; if you start to rise, our patented Bonerless Technology will stop the tide,” pornhub promises. “So, grab your shades and your surfboard and leave your worries at home, because turning your next hard-on into a hard-off will be a day at the beach.” I also found myself watching a Beach Boys style commercial for the innovative product, which includes an inner layer of form-fitting material to “hold in the excitement ... in your time of need.”

I’m guessing that my email feed will shortly be overrun with naughty opportunities thanks to this cyberwalk on the wild side, but I’m not worried. I recently did something, I’m not sure what, and I have already triggered a daily barrage of email ads for erectile dysfunction and other sexy products, so it can’t get much worse.

By the way, after checking out pornhub, I can see why the latest generation has a problem with sex. Take it from me, young straight guys, that’s not what the girls like. I know they’re panting and screaming on

Would You Rather ... Go to Kenya or Fresno?

In Alabama, home of the six-week abortion, the legislature has passed a bizarre bill that ends marriage licenses in the state for everyone, replacing them with some other document. The system conforms to law since both gay and straight couples can get this new thing, but it’s unclear how this advances anyone’s politics, either on the left or the right.

Also, I was astonished to read that the AAA Fresno Grizzlies aired a “patriotic” Memorial Day video during a weekend double header that included a shot of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez along with Kim Jong Un and Fidel Castro as examples of “enemies of freedom.” The images flashed during a voice over

by Ronald Reagan saying: “As for the enemies of freedom, those who are potential adversaries, they will be reminded that peace is the highest aspiration of the American people. We will negotiate

for it, sacrifice for it. We will not surrender for it, now or ever.”

According to The Washington Post, the Grizzlies apologized and said the staff member responsible for the montage was “remorseful.”

“A pre-produced video from outside our front office was selected,” said the team spokesperson.

“Unfortunately, what was supposed to be a moving tribute ended with some misleading and offensive editing, which made a statement that was not our intent and certainly not our opinion.”

Pre-produced? Guys? How could you allow a video to be aired during your game, to your fans, without even watching it once? AOC had no comment.

Dykes to Watch Out For Finally, I started watching the HBO series Gentleman Jack about a sexy mid-19th century lesbian in York, who seduces women and dominates men in a black suit and top hat. She also shot her horse (who had “glanders”) in a scene that I couldn’t watch. Aside from that, I liked it.

Is it my imagination or are there lesbians all over the small and big screens these days? I gather Booksmart has a lesbian theme, as does The Favourite and the one about the girl who got sent to conversion therapy camp. Oh, there was also the one where parents tried to stop their kids from losing their virginity on prom night and it turned out one of the girls was gay.

More than that, it seems as if I stumble upon a lesbian subplot every other day through random channel surfing or movie reviews. Back in the day, we would line up for even the slightest reference to our lives, even holding watch parties for The L Word, which always bored the hell out of me. At least Trump can’t stop the general improvement of our fictional screen lives.

He can’t, can he? arostow@aol.com

of the rights we enjoy today, and always reminds us of the importance of giving hope to future generations.” Then there was a reception to see the new Harvey Milk Plaza designs. And on May 22 we had the Milk Block Party in Jane Warner Plaza with music and dancing.

FRAMELINE, the world’s longest-running and largest showcase of queer cinema, has announced the full program for its 43rd annual Festival after unveiling its first 12 titles last month. Frameline43, the SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL LGBTQ+ FILM FESTIVAL, takes place June 20–30 in San Francisco, Berkeley and Oakland. This year’s slate includes 59 films screening for the first time in the U.S., including 22 world premieres, 8 international premieres, 12 North American premieres, and 17 U.S. premieres. The lineup also contains a record-breaking 22 first narrative features. Thirty-eight countries will be represented, including China, Argentina, Brazil, Iran, Italy, Romania, Vietnam, India, Guatemala and Indonesia. Frameline will also welcome a number of high-profile guests during its 11 days of programs, including Trixie Mattel, Angelica Ross, Carol Lynley, Mike Doyle, Bruce Vilanch, Nicole Maines, Brendan Scannell and Robert Anderson Clift. Sadly, we heard this would be the sixth and final year for Frameline Executive Director Frances Wallace. She shared the news at the FESTIVAL LAUNCH PARTY on May 21 at Oasis. For a wealth of information, pick up a free copy of the 148-page booklet, or go online.

One film I am particularly proud of is Thanks to Hank (page 92) about the late great activist Hank Wilson, directed by Bob Ostertag. As Hank was a good friend of mine and other Sisters, we appear in the film as nuns doing a blessing and sainting of Hank, as well as personal interviews about

this profound man’s legacy in the queer/HIV community. https://www.frameline.org PRIDE MONTH will be kicked off in June with the City Hall Pride Flag raising from the Mayor’s balcony on June 3.

So, Sister Dana sez, “Be loud and proud by attending some of these events!”

ST. JAMES INFIRMARY is celebrating their 20TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY GALA on Sunday, June 2, 7 pm at Terra Gallery, 511 Harrison Street. Special guests include diva Jennifer Holliday and comic/entertainer extraordinaire Marga Gomez. https://bit.ly/2VIkqDC Discover the stories of 28 Barbary Lane, decades later, when ARMISTEAD MAUPIN’S TALES OF THE CITY launches globally on Netflix on June 7.

Artist and activist Gilbert Baker (1951–2017) created the iconic and globally recognized rainbow flag as a symbol of the LGBTQ community in 1978. His life and work will be explored, illuminated and celebrated in this unique event organized for the posthumous release of his memoir, “Rainbow Warrior: My Life in Color.” Hosted by the GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY and cosponsored by the JAMES C. HORMEL LGBTQIA CENTER of the San Francisco Public Library, the evening will begin with a reception, followed by a short film, readings from the memoir and a discussion with local activists. Koret Auditorium in San Francisco Public Library Main, 100 Larkin Street, June 11, 5:30 pm–7:30 pm. https://bit.ly/2Qc3DTq Sister Dana sez, “If you don’t like abortion, don’t get one!”

RODRIGUEZ (continued from page 7) business with others and help them to leverage the opportunities that our business organizations have created for them.

Magdalena Rodriguez: What was your biggest disappointment and/or nerve-racking situation?

Dawn Ackerman: It is always disappointing to spend days or even weeks on a bid or RFP (Request for Proposal) and then to lose, but you can’t stop trying.

Magdalena Rodriguez: What is the most important lesson

that you have learned, being an entrepreneur?

Dawn Ackerman: You should always be looking for new ways to differentiate yourself and to add value to what you can offer to your clients. You should never stop trying to be better at what you do.

Magdalena Rodriguez: What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of starting their own business?

Dawn Ackerman: First, make sure you know how to read a Profit & Loss Statement and understand the basics of cashflow. You would be surprised

at the business owners I have met that do not. Then you need to have a clear idea of what your business is all about and why you are doing it. You also have to be prepared to fail before you succeed.

For more information: https://bit.ly/2WaBORC Magdalena Rodriguez is the Co-founder and Director of GPSGAY Inc. mobile app and website— available in Spanish, English and Portuguese—for the LGBTQ community, www.gpsgay.com

KIT’N KITTY’S

QUEER POP QUIZ ANSWER (Question on page 21)

D) Laverne Cox Cox was also the first transgender person featured on the cover of Time magazine and the first trans woman of color to land a lead role on a mainstream television show. Cox is additionally the first trans woman of color to produce and star in her own television show.

Read more online at www.sfbaytimes.com 26

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Calendar a/la Sachet (continued) Saturday, June 15 Daytime Disco w/Wayne G 1–6 pm Virgin Hotel Rooftop 250 4th Street $25 https://briankentproductions.com/ Sunday, June 16 Broadway Bares: San Francisco Strips IV Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation benefit Bruce Vilanch, Jai Rodriguez, Cassandra Cass, Leanne Borghesi 8 pm DNA Lounge 375 11th Street $45 & up https://www.reaf-sf.org/ Friday and Saturday, June 21–22 Queens San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus Imperial Court, Grand Ducal Council, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence June 21, 8 pm, June 22, 2:30 pm & 8 pm Sydney Goldstein Theater 275 Hayes Street $25 & up https://www.sfgmc.org/

Freddie Mercury. Reflecting the musical genre and time period of several of these honorees, this event will have a Speakeasy decor and feeling with food, drink, souvenir photo booth and silent auction. Get your Pride started right!

We’ll keep our calendar here in the San Francisco Bay Times updated with the latest and best Pride events. New York may be packed with celebrants for Stonewall 50, but there is nothing like a San Francisco Pride and this year is no exception!

From the rainbow Pride flag-raising at City Hall on Monday, June 3, to the biggest Pride Parade in the country on Sunday, June 30, we’ll keep you informed about all the events right here in San Francisco, where the Compton Cafeteria Riots preceded Stonewall by three years. Throw back those shoulders, break out those rainbows and get ready for San Francisco Pride!

Donna Sachet is a celebrated performer, fundraiser, activist and philanthropist who has dedicated over two decades to the LGBTQ Community in San Francisco. Contact her at empsachet@gmail.com KRAMER (continued from page 24)

Sunday, June 23 Marc Huestis Presents Frameline Festival’s special presentation Impresario of Castro Street book release 6:45 pm Victoria Theatre 2961 16th Street Price TBD https://www.frameline.org/ Wednesday, June 26 Equality Federation LGBTQ Mixer 6–9 pm Salesforce Tower 415 Mission Street $35 https://bit.ly/2wr2OwW Saturday, June 29 Gary Virginia & Donna Sachet’s 21st Annual Pride Brunch Benefiting PRC, honoring Grand Marshals of Pride Parade Tito’s Handmade Vodka & Korbel sparkling wine Silent & live auction, raffle, speaking program 11 am–2 pm Westin St. Francis Hotel, Union Square $125 & up https://prcsf.org/ Sunday, June 30 San Francisco Pride Parade: Generations of Resistance!

Market Street from Embarcadero to Civic Center 10:30 am start time FREE! http://www.sfpride.org/

SACHET (continued from page 19)

Frédéric Tcheng: There are two aspects I can relate to. The perfectionism—he’s an artist. The image is not in a void; it’s supporting his vision and art. He has specific ways he wants things to look. He does everything in his power to achieve that, even if it drives people crazy. And, he’s a gay man who grew up in the Depression Era. You have to remember gay boys or girls had to grow up wearing a mask. You develop this ability to disguise who you are because you don’t feel comfortable saying it in public. Halston was reinventing himself and projecting his image, and I think that has to do with his sense of survival that he needed to take his own image into his own hands to project something strong. Being gay in the Midwest you were very vulnerable. Some may think it’s phony, but you control who you are.

Gary M. Kramer: How do you reconcile the madness with the genius?

Frédéric Tcheng: There are two sides to a lot of things.

You can find something opposite in every person. That’s the nature of man. I don’t find it to be a contradiction. We tried to connect the dots as best we could, and for me, it was about finding the right sound bites from the right people.

No one said he was a bad person. He had success until the early 1980s and riding that wave, it’s easy to be affable, but when things turn sour, you get in survival mode. People attack you so it’s all about circumstances. I don’t see it as a contradiction. There’s not one Halston. © 2019 Gary M. Kramer Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the coeditor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.”

Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer SHORTER (continued from page 3) Harris. It will be a great opportunity for delegates to meet up close and personal the dozen plus candidates at the dozen plus caucus meetings and at the mic for 2–3-minute addresses before general sessions on Saturday and Sunday.

Amidst the potentially 3,500 delegates clamoring to meet, shake hands with, and have a quick word or selfie with Buttigieg, Sanders, Warren or Booker, you can bet there will be an army of Kamala Harris for District Attorney, Kamala Harris for Attorney General, and now Kamala Harris for the People t-shirt, ball cap and tote bag-clad supporters and devotees holding it down for her on her home turf.

The battle for California primary voters is one that no top candidate should take for granted or write off. CDP endorse-

ment or not, vying for a share of the massive California primary voter block is the gold rush of 2020.

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

SFMOMA (continued from page 22) he created Portrait of a Generation—enormousscale portraits of young people from the neighborhoods where the 2005 French riots took place—that he pasted throughout bourgeois districts of Paris. This illegal project was eventually supported by the city, and the portrait series was wrapped around Paris City Hall.

Ten years later, Portrait of a Generation was the inspiration for Les Bosquets, JR’s collaboration with the New York City Ballet.

Together with his friend Marco, JR embarked on Face 2 Face in 2007. Through this project, JR posted huge portraits of Israelis and Palestinians face to face in eight Palestinian and Israeli cities. In 2008, the artist initiated a long international trip across Africa, Asia and South America, beginning in Rio de Janeiro for Women Are Heroes, in which he paid tribute to women in areas of conflict by photographing close-up portraits of their eyes and faces and pasting large-scale reproductions on homes and buildings throughout their cities. From this

project, JR directed his first feature documentary, Women Are Heroes, which was presented at Cannes in 2010.

JR was awarded the TED Prize in 2011, which inspired the project Inside Out: The People’s Art Project—an international participatory art project that encourages people worldwide to have their picture taken and posted in public spaces in an effort to share stories, experiences and beliefs. In 2013, his film based on Inside Out premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. This project also inspired JR’s installation covering the dome, cupola and floor of the Pantheon in Paris in 2014. Inside Out has continued to grow with mobile photo studios operating in the streets of New York, Amsterdam, London and Paris. As of September 2018, over 350,000 people from more than 140 countries participated.

JR received his first museum retrospectives in 2013 at the Watari Museum of Contemporary

Art, Tokyo, and the Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, followed by presentations at Museum Frieder Burda in Baden-Baden in 2014 and the Hong Kong Contemporary Art Foundation in Hong Kong in 2015.

Commissioned by the Louvre in 2016, JR created a photo-installation that camouflaged the museum’s famous I.M. Pei–designed pyramid with a precise scan of the Pavilion Sully located behind it. Also in 2016, the artist worked with the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro to cover the streets with large-scale photo installations of athletes in motion; the Centre Pompidou to create an exhibition and workshop to help children discover photography; and the Palais de Tokyo in Paris where he collaborated with Brazilian artist twins Os Gemeos on the Lasco Project, a permanent installation on display in the underground chambers of the museum.

In 2018, JR received his first Oscar nomination after partnering with pioneering filmmaker Agnès Varda to create the documentary

Faces Places. JR’s first major museum exhibition, MOMENTUM, la mécanique de l’épreuve, also took place in 2018 at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie.

Book Created in Partnership with Chronicle Books The Chronicles of San Francisco installation at SFMOMA is accompanied by a 160-page book featuring individual portraits included in the mural and selected stories from participants, alongside behind-the- scenes photos. Published

by Chronicle Books, it includes a foreword

by JR and contributions from Neal Benezra, Anne-Marie Litak and Eyal Levy, as well as a removable poster that showcases the entire mural.

SFMOMA: https://www.sfmoma.org/ JR: https://www.jr-art.net/

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49 Dogs and One Cat Book Release Party @ Hotel Nikko Rooftop Pool & Pet Terrace, 222 Mason Street. Hotel Nikko’s canine officer Buster will host a party introducing the new book and unveiling a bronze Buster bust.

5-7pm. reginam@charleszukow.com Rainbow Honor Walk Stonewall 50 Salute @ Google Headquarters, 188 Embarcadero. At this reception, hosted by Google, the next designs for Rainbow Honor Walk plaques will be unveiled. 5:30-8:30pm. http://www.rainbowhonorwalk.org Gay in the Great War @ GLBT History Museum, 4127 18th Street. Author Lance Ringel will present a dramatized reading with music from his novel Flower of Iowa, a carefully researched work about two soldiers who fall in love in 1918 France. 7-9pm. http://www.glbthistory.org Meet the 2020 Candidate: Senator Amy Klobuchar @ Manny’s, 3092 16th Street. Senator Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) is running for President. 8pm. http://www.welcometomannys.com

31 Friday Eifman Ballet - The Pygmalion Effect @ Cal Performances, Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley. The U.S. premiere of controversial choreographer Boris Eifman’s new ballet set to a score by Johann Strauss, Jr. Continues through June 2. https://bit.ly/2VYN1PX United Resistance Democratic Convention Party @ 1355 Market Street, Lobby. Assembly members Phil Ting and David Chiu will host a free opening night event for the California Democratic Convention.

8-11pm. http://www.uniteddems.org

The Mayor of Folsom Street: The Life and Legacy of Alan Shelby @ GLBT History Museum, 4127 18th Street. Curated by Jordy Jones, Jeremy Prince and Gayle Rubin, this new exhibit includes archival documents, photos, artifacts, fine art and digital displays to document the life of “Mr. S.” http://www.glbthistory.org

JUNE

1 Saturday 2nd Annual We Run Oakland: For Our Children @ Lake Merritt, 551 El Embarcadero, Oakland. Join DO and A Sista’s Touch (AST) for this event benefiting the fight to stop human trafficking and to empower African American women. 8am-12pm. http://www.asistastouch.org Impeach on the Beach! @ Ocean Beach, Great Highway and Balboa Street. A peaceful, no-cost, family-friendly event where more than 1000 people will spell out 100-foot-tall letters on the beach.

11am-12:30pm. http://www.indivisiblesf.org Gender Friendly World @ SF LGBT Center, 1800 Market Street, Rm 201. The event includes a discussion on gender and pronouns presented by Amy Sueyoshi, Dean of the College of Ethnic Studies at SF State University. 11am-1pm. http://www.sfcenter.org SFSPCA Crafting Cat Castles @ SFSPCA Pacific Heights, 2343 Fillmore Street. A workshop on creating castles for kittens and you can bring your dog too. 1-3pm. events.sfspca.org/pacificheights Dyke Trans March Santa Cruz @ The Clock Tower, Santa Cruz. The 26th annual march plus Pink Saturday DJ Party and After Party at Bocci’s Cellar. 2pm-3pm https://bit.ly/2JHNRix

2 Sunday Grease - Mountain Play 2019 @ Cushing Memorial Amphitheatre, Mt. Tamalpais State Park. The classic musical with book, music and lyrics

by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey.

Continues through June 16. http://www.mountainplay.org Smack Dab Open Mic @ Manny’s, 3092 16th Street at Valencia. The long-standing LGBTQIA community event, welcoming all ages and genders, will feature, during June, artist Juba Kalamka. 5pm. http://www.welcometomannys.com

3 Monday Queer Stories Reign Supreme Exhibit @ Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak Street.

Experience social activism through contemporary artwork and historical materials, and view rarely-seen artifacts, archival documents, photographs, costumes and ephemera. http://www.museumca.org Richmond Pride Remembering History Making History @ Marina Way Park, Richmond. A full day of events is planned. 10am-3pm. http://www.richmondrainbowpride.org Pubquiz at Virgil’s Sea Room @ The Big Queer Pubzquiz, 3152 Mission Street. This 90-minute quiz, based on current events and general knowledge with a special theme round, includes five rounds in ninety minutes with free drinks and weird prizes every Monday night. 7:309:30pm. nosportstrivia@gmail.com

4 Tuesday Understanding LGBTQA Histories Through Collections and Archives @ California Historical Society, 678 Mission Street. A panel of experts will provide presentations on the unique contents of special collections and discuss how the story of LGBTQ rights and queer communities is integral to California history.

6-8pm. https://bit.ly/2hpiri1 La Más Draga Weekly Viewing Party @ Flore, 2298 Market Street. The event is known as Mexico’s Drag Race where, every Tuesday, sisters in CDMX compete.

8pm. http://www.flore415.com

5 Wednesday SB50: What Happened? @ Impact Hub San Francisco, 1885 Missions Street. The event will include a panel discussion taking a critical look at the bill, the ideology behind it and the reasons it has been put on hold until 2020.

6-7:30pm. http://www.sanfrancisco.impacthub.net Man Haters Comedy @ Queer Cultural Center, 762 Fulton Street.

The award-winning show features all women and queer comedians. 8pm. http://www.manhaters.org

6 Thursday Castro Art Walk @ Multiple Castro Locations. In addition to fourteen participating locations, the event includes music by the Ryan Calloway Duo in Jane Warner Plaza.

6-9pm. http://www.castroartwalk.com 28

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Compiled by Blake Dillon Out of the Shadows: Reimagining Gay Men’s Lives Book Event @ Books Inc. Opera Plaza, 661 Natoma Street. Author Walt Odets will host a discussion on the new book about gay people finding, accepting and living their lives authentically. 7-10pm. http:www.booksinc.net

7 Friday Ebabes @ The Terrace Room, Lake Merritt Hotel,1800 Madison Street, Oakland. Hosted by DB, Jen and Lynn, this longstanding mixer for women welcomes as special guest Robin Lowey, author of Game Changers - Lesbians You Should Know About. 6pm. Ebabes on Facebook Chosen Familias: Bay Area LGBTQ Latinx Stories Exhibit Opening @ GLBT History Museum, 4127 18th Street. The exhibit displays photography, ephemera and text from Latinx LGBTQ families. 7-9pm. http://www.glbthistory.org

8 Saturday OUT of Site: SOMA Walking Tour @ Howard Langton Community Garden, 10 Langton Street. Led by Marga Gomez, Landa Lakes and other luminaries, the walking tour will visit hidden historic locations reflecting cultures including Two-Spirits, leather, lesbian auto mechanics, drag, labor and dock worker activism and more.

12pm and 3pm continuing on June 9, 15 and 16. http://www.eyezen.org Kippy Marks Live! in the Castro @ Jane Warner Plaza, 17th and Castro. The new season of live performances, hosted by Castro CBD, presents violinist Kippy Marks (Saturday) and The Klipptones (Sunday). 1pm. http://www.castrocbd.org Works in Progress 15th Anniversary Party @ Plymouth Jazz and Justice Church, 424 Monte Vista, Oakland. This open mic for women will feature singer/songwriter Karen Mullally. 6:30 potluck/ 7:30 performances. steckeljan@gmail.com Writers With Drinks featuring Ingrid Rojas Contreras @ Make-Out Room, 3225 22nd Street. The group’s June event is a special Latin American Night with Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Cristina Rivera-Garza, Archy Obejas, Josiah Luis Alderete and Rachelle Escamilla. 7:30-9:30pm. http://www.writerswithdrinks.com

9 Sunday Sunday’s A Drag @ The Starlight Room, Powell Street.

Hosted by Donna Sachet, the event features a brunch and a troupe of entertainers. Described as “The Greatest Drag Show in San Francisco,” we agree that it is great!

Every Sunday at 11am. http://www.startlightroomsf.com Folk Music from Around the World Concert @ Piedmont Center for the Arts, 801 Magnolia Avenue, Piedmont. The event is a benefit soirée with chamber music from around the world presented by the Community Women’s Orchestra. 3-6pm. https://bit.ly/2HFwUD7

10 Monday Monday Morning Workout: Cardio & Strength @ Dolores Park, 19th & Dolores Streets. Free workout for all abilities led by the November Project. 6:30am. https://bit.ly/2W8qcyw Shut Up and Draw @ Strut, 470 Castro Street. This free event provides a quiet place to draw, be creative, doodle, sketch and be with fellow queers. 7-9:30pm. http://www.strutsf.org “Musical Mondays” SingAlong @ The Edge, 4149 18th Street. Sing and drink along every Monday and Wednesday at this landmark LGBT bar to favorite songs from musicals. 7pm-2am. http://www.theedgesf.com

11 Tuesday Rainbow Warrior: The Memoirs of Gilbert Baker Book Launch @ SF Public Library, Koret Auditorium, 100 Larkin Street. The posthumous memoir by the rainbow flag creator will be discussed by panelists Tom Taylor, Matt Foreman, Kenneth Bunch (Sister Vish) and Jeff Sheehy with moderator Tony Bravo. 5:307:30pm. http://www.sflibrary.org

12 Wednesday SF Giants LGBT Night 2019 @ Oracle Park, 24 Willie Mays Plaza.

Join the San Francisco Bay Times group in Club or View Reserve seats and receive the limited edition wearable rainbow flag, attend the pre-game party and the game.

4:30-10pm. E-mail: Publisher@sfbaytimes.com Dykes with Pride Meet Up @ Jolene’s Bar, 2700 16th Street.

Hosted by Dykes with Drills, this networking event is an opportunity to meet LBTQs who appreciate and use power tools and building skills.

6-8pm. http://www.dykeswithdrills.com LGBT Alumni Ivy Plus Wine Tasting @ Birdhorse Wines, 1144 Alabama Street. The event is one in an series of mixers for alumni and friends hosted by PennGALA, Cornell GALA and Stanford Pride.

6:30-8:30pm. http://www.birdhorsewines.com

13 Thursday SF’s LGBTQIA Historic Places: Meaning, Value and Use @ SF Public Library, Koret Auditorium, 100 Larkin Street.

Hosted by the James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center, this event will present a panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Carol Queen, and includes Tania Jimenez, Gerard Koskovich, Gayle S. Rubin, and Terry Beswick.

6-7:30pm. http://www.sfpl.org Queer Slam: Poetry Slam & Storytelling @ SF LGBT Center, 1800 Market Street, Rainbow Room.

The event provides a safe space for community members to share narratives and for LGBTQ poets to take the stage. 6-8pm. http:/www.sfcenter.org MTT Conducts Mahler’s Ninth Symphony @ Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Avenue. The maestro himself will conduct the program on four consecutive nights. 8pm through June 16 (2pm). http://www.sfsymphony.org

The Women’s Building 40th Anniversary

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WOMEN’S BUILDING

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WOMEN’S BUILDING

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WOMEN’S BUILDING

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WOMEN’S BUILDING

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WOMEN’S BUILDING

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WOMEN’S BUILDING

“Together We Rise” was the theme of The Women’s Building 40th Anniversary event held on Thursday, May 16.

Mayor London Breed highlighted the celebration with her proclamation declaring The Women’s Building Day for the City and County of San Francisco. Carmen Chu, San Francisco Accessor, presented Certificates of Honor recognizing The Women’s Building as well as Executive Director Teresa Mejía. Co-founder Roma Guy was on hand, representing the four decades of the organization’s evolution. The Cat Call Choir and Banda Sin Nombre performed, bringing, as the Choir says, “a somewhat sardonic, slightly scornful, but non-violent, songful response to gender-based harassment.” https://womensbuilding.org/

Thank you to the founders, staff and all who have supported The Women’s Building! http://www.womensbuilding.org

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1990

Temple Sha’ar Zahav cantor Sharon Bernstein looked on as a Holocaust survivor and her grandchildren lit candles during the SFJCC’s Holocaust Day of Remembrance.

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hen New York City’s Leslie Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art hosted a showing of Rink’s photographs in 2009, one of their favorite images was so striking that onlookers thought it had been staged. The image was actually taken at the 1990 Castro Street Fair, capturing a true moment in time there. As Rink says, “The photograph is about the compressed diversity that happens at the Castro Street Fair.” He added, “Those people would unlikely have been in that shared space in those outfits—especially the drag queens—on a regular Sunday on Castro Street.”

While the drag queen duo was definitely “striking a pose” (Madonna’s hit song “Vogue” was released that same year) the men to the right are central to the image.

The timing of the piece is significant, as 1990 was in the heart of the HIV/ AIDS epidemic. The men, as well as the other individuals in the photo, are all rather subdued.

A surprise element is the woman to the left, who appears to have been caught off guard by the camera snap as she perhaps polished off a takeout meal. The backdrop is unmistakably Castro urban, with its distinctive tilework, neon signs, litter-strewn sidewalk, storefronts and metal security doors.

One of our favorite aspects of the image is the reflection in the window just to the right of the drag couple.

There you will see a bustling street crowd of mostly men. Rink is at the bottom, hat-clad and holding up his camera!

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Holocaust Remembrance Day was observed at the SF Jewish Community Center on May 1.

Susan Lowenberg and Joyce Newstat spoke on behalf of the Council of Children of Holocaust Survivors during the Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony at SFJCC on May 1.

Maitri’s Crystal Russell auctioned a table centerpiece during the Maitri Bliss Gala held at Mission Bay Cultural Center on May 5.

Interim executive director Michael Smithwick spoke at the Maitri Bliss Gala held on May 5.

Auctioneer Michael Tate encouraged a bidder during Maitri’s Bliss Gala on May 5.

Steve Adams and Maitri board secretary Walter Parsley at the Bliss Gala held on May 5.

The Castro Community on Patrol table at Strut’s Atmosqueer Fair on May 5.

Castro Merchants Association’s Brian Springfield and Jenn Meyer at Maitri’s Bliss Gala on May 5

The Translife and Black Brothers Esteem information table at the Atmosqueer Fair held at Strut on May 5.

The Elizabeth Taylor 50-Plus Program table at Strut’s Atmosqueer Fair held on May 5.

The Shanti Project’s table at Strut’s Atmosqueer Fair on May 5.

The Elizabeth Taylor 50-Plus Program’s table displayed their “Saint Liz” image at he Atmosqueer Fair hosted by Strut on May 5.

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Members of the American Legion Alexander Hamilton Post 448 held an Armed Forces Day beer bust benefit, featuring a raffle and buffet, on May 18 at the Cinch bar on Polk Street.

The Cove restaurant on Castro Street honored fallen LGBTQ brothers and sisters by posting a statement in the location’s front window.

Terasol gift shop on Polk Street displayed Mother’s Day gifts in the store window on May 7.

The Cove restaurant’s table top cards honoring fallen heroes

http://sfbaytimes.com/

items of the week

Ghazwan Alsharif, star of the documentary film From Bagdad to the Bay, with the James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center’s Dee Dee Kramer at the Main Library on May 23 for a screening and discussion. Alsharif is a chef for the California Academy of Sciences.

Color Atelier Lime Paint Go all natural! Color Atelier Lime Paint is organic, durable, naturally mildew resistant and made here in the Bay Area!

Choose from a curated palette of 30 pre-mixed colors and create a luxe, velvety finish on any wall.

Documentary film star Ghazwan Alsharif (second from left) shares a hug with LGBT Asylum Project’s Okan Sengun (left) and Alan Delamora and Kenan Arun (right) at the Main Library on May 23.

Horizons Foundation’s Francisco Buchting, film star Ghazwan Alsharif and filmmaker Erin Palmquist discussed the film From Bagdad to the Bay. The film is about a gay Iraqi refugee who served as a translator for the U.S. Military before moving to San Francisco.

Academy of Friends board member Michael Myers (left) and board chair Gil Padia at AOF’s celebration of Harvey Milk Day during the organization’s 3rd Annual Art & Wine Reception at the Clift Hotel on May 22.

Sunnylife Inflatables

Raffle ticket sellers Christopher Goodwin and Aiden Yildirim with attendees at the Academy of Friends event on May 22 at the Clift Hotel.

Guests at the Academy of Friends 3rd Annual Art & Wine Reception at the Clift Hotel on May 23.

Inflate your summer with Sunnylife inflatables. Great for the pool, beach, river or park!

As 2400 cyclists and 600 Roadies leave the Cow Palace this Sunday, June 2nd, to start their week-long, 545 mile trek to Los Angeles for the AIDS Lifecycle, I am honored that 3 of our Cliff’s team will be part of this group. It is truly awe inspiring to be around so many people working for the same goal. Every dollar counts and no donation is too small. www.tofighthiv.org/goto/busmom

As Heard on the Street . . . What’s your favorite thing to do during Pride month? compiled by Rink

Cameron Stiehl

Kelly Rivera Hart

Diana Wheeler

Andrew Hirst

Sister Bella Donna Summer

“Marching in a contingent is amazing, especially turning that first corner at the start. The cheering makes your heart swell!”

“I am thinking of planning a future Pride picnic for the people who feel left out, and especially the bisexuals.”

“I love marching in the parade with the organizations that I work with!

So much bling and love! I walk with a different organization every year!”

“I am so excited to be volunteering for the upcoming Pride Brunch on June 29th.”

“Connecting with the community and continuing to fight against this disgusting administration.”

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