San Francisco Bay Times - July 14, 2022

July 14–27, 2022 http://sfbaytimes.com

Regulate Dick, Not Jane

See Pages 2–3

Regulate Dick, Not Jane Up Close and Personal with Local Abortion Rights Leader Shannon Olivieri Hovis PHOTOS COURTESY OF LOUISE FISCHER

Louise “Lou” Fischer Even though we saw it coming, the Supreme Court’s recent shameful ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark case that made abortions a constitutional right nearly 50 years ago, is a major setback for women’s reproductive health and freedom. This decision takes away the rights of women to make choices about their own bodies and hands it over to anti-abortion state politicians who will gleefully force women to remain pregnant and have children against their will. I’m very troubled by the whole situation, but per the instructions of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, “Don’t agonize, organize.”

Shannon Olivieri Hovis, the State of California Director of NARAL ProChoice America, is an expert and leader in the abortion rights movement. She agreed to give me, for the San Francisco Bay Times, an exclusive interview on what the hell happened and what we all need to do now.

I met Shannon a few years ago when she started dating her now husband, Victor, one of my political activist buddies and a Commissioner on the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Commission.

Lou Fischer: What is NARAL and what is their focus?

Shannon Olivieri Hovis: NARAL Pro-Choice America is the political arm of the reproductive freedom movement; it is the oldest and largest abortion rights advocacy organization in the country that fights for reproductive freedom including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and post-partum care, and paid family leave. NARAL Pro-Choice California is dedicated to protecting and expanding the ability to make personal decisions about our reproductive lives without government interference. NARAL, with 4 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, and more than 370,000 members in California, represents the 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion. NARAL has designations as both a 501c3 (educational and charitable functions) and a 501c4 (political activity).

Lou Fischer: What is your role at NARAL and what was your educational and career path in getting there?

Shannon Olivieri Hovis: I am the Director of NARAL Pro-Choice California.

I got involved with sexual and reproductive health in high school Lou Fischer’s partner Amy Meyers holding Catalina

(left to right) Lou Fischer, Victor Hovis, Catalina, Shannon Olivieri Hovis and Amy Meyers

Shannon Olivieri Hovis, Victor Hovis, and Catalina with Speaker Nancy Pelosi

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHANNON OLIVIERI HOVIS

Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History

Shannon, 36, who identifies as a bisexual female and member of the LGBTQ+ community, was born in San Francisco, grew up in Mill Valley, and currently lives in San Francisco with Victor and their adorable 7-month-old baby girl Catalina.

Her hobbies include performing at the SF Oasis as a member of the musical theater group “Drunk Drag Broadway,” singing with the GLIDE Memorial Church choir, and dancing with the ODC/Dance Company.

Shannon Olivieri Hovis with Victor Hovis and Catalina at a NARAL fundraiser

as a peer health educator with the Marin AIDS Project and continued in college by providing sexual and reproductive counseling for students. I attended USC as an undergrad and double majored in Theater and Social Sciences with an emphasis in Psychology. I joined Teach for America and taught 5th grade Special Education in a transitional bilingual classroom in New York City where I earned a Master of Science in Teaching from Pace University. I became frustrated by the educational policies impacting my classroom and came back to California to earn a Master of Public Policy degree at UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy.

After grad school, I worked in policy and political strategy in various roles including the Civil Rights section of the California Department of Justice under then Attorneys General Xavier Becerra and Kamala Harris. I have worked on policy related to police practices and profiling, criminal and juvenile justice, child welfare policies, LGBTQ+ rights, and immigration.

As a bisexual woman, I have always known that reproductive freedom is essential for gender and LGBTQ+ equality, racial, and economic justice. Coming to NARAL to work at the intersection of these issues is a homecoming for me.

Lou Fischer: To be blunt, what the f--k happened? Supreme Court justices who pledged to uphold “settled precedent” screwed us over. In your wildest nightmare did you see this coming?

Lou Fischer, Amy Meyers, and Shannon Olivieri Hovis at the Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club’s annual Pride Breakfast 2

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Shannon Olivieri Hovis: Donald Trump happened, and yes, I saw this coming. The extreme anti-choice minority has been working to overturn Roe v. Wade for nearly 50 years and Trump gave them a 6–3 majority on the Supreme Court. Overturning Roe was a litmus test for Barrett, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh; their lip service to uphold precedent was, as President Biden would say, “a bunch of malarkey.” Since then, the Supreme Court ruled on Mississippi’s

15-week abortion ban Shannon Olivieri Hovis with Speaker of the U.S. House of [Dobbs v. Jackson], which Representatives Nancy Pelosi was unconstitutional our political power and bully pulpit under the protections of Roe. Then, to protect the fundamental freedoms the Court allowed Texas’ vigilanteof all Americans. enforced 6-week abortion ban to go into effect, allowing Roe to fall in Lou Fischer: How can the genTexas. Finally, the leaked draft opineral public help in the fight for ion confirmed our worst fears—that reproductive rights? the Supreme Court would end the constitutional right to abortion.

Shannon Olivieri Hovis: Get involved! Become a NARAL activLou Fischer: What actions is ist and volunteer to help us pass critNARAL taking, now that the ical legislation in the upcoming nightmare is real? Is there any election; reproductive and LGBTQ+ chance of going back to Roe rights are on the ballot. Contribute v Wade or is it truly f--king to NARAL and organizations such over now and the best we can as the National Network of Abortion do is keep as many states as possible?

Funds to remove financial and logistical barriers for women seeking Shannon Olivieri Hovis: The abortion access across the counfight has been at the state level for try. Sign up to be a clinic escort and a long time. Even with Roe, states guarantee that all people can safely could restrict abortion access. In access care. some states, only a single clinic provided abortion care. With this recent Lou Fischer: Thanks for meetruling, access becomes exponening with me. I think I hear the tially more severe. NARAL has been baby crying. ready for a long time; the fight is in the states where we need to flip Shannon Olivieri Hovis: It was state legislatures, governorships, and my pleasure. I appreciate the San attorneys general to win as many Francisco Bay Times for spreading our states as possible. We have to pass the message. The baby is fine—Victor’s Women’s Health Protection Act in on diaper duty!

Congress to enshrine a federal right to abortion. It has passed the House; For More information and to we must gain seats in the Senate and Get Involved hold the House to give this legislation NARAL Pro-Choice California: a fighting chance. https://prochoicecalifornia.org/ The attacks on reproductive freedom NARAL Pro-Choice America: are a coordinated, last gasp effort of https://www.prochoiceamerica.org/ the white male patriarchy to mainNational Network of Abortion tain existing power structures and Funds: https://abortionfunds.org/ are, in fact, connected to the attacks on transgender youth and voting rights. However, there is not a single state in the country where bans on abortion are popular, so public opinion is on our side. Things will get worse before they get better, but just as those of us who are LGBTQ+ aren’t going back into the closet, people with uteruses aren’t going back into the 1950s; you can’t turn back the clock.

Lou Fischer: What can California do to help women in other states?

Shannon Olivieri Hovis: California, a designated Reproductive Freedom State with more than a quarter of the nation’s abortion care facilities, will have an outsized role in serving out-ofstate patients. NARAL Pro-Choice California and our allies formed the California Future of Abortion Council (CA FAB Council), to create a blueprint to safeguard abortion access. This year we’re running a legislative package of 16 bills, including a constitutional amendment, to specifically enshrine the right to abortion in California. We must use

By the Numbers: Where States Currently Stand on Abortion Rights (source: The Washington Post, July 7, 2022) 16 - States where abortion is banned or mostly banned; 3 - States where abortion will be banned imminently; 3 - Likely to ban abortion; 8 - States where abortion is legal for now (Florida and Kansas are on this list, so who knows?); 21 - States (including District of Columbia) where abortion is legal and likely to be protected.

Louise (Lou) Fischer is a Former Co-Chair of the Board of Directors of the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club and has served as an appointed and elected Delegate for the State Democratic Party. She is a proud graduate of the Emerge California Women’s Democratic Leadership program, was a San Francisco Commissioner, and has served in leadership positions in multiple nonprofit and communitybased organizations.

BAY TIMES

Regulate Dick, Not Jane

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2022)

The Future of LGBTIQ Constitutional Rights Post-Dobbs

Today, we address the critical issue of whether the U.S. Supreme Court’s already notorious anti-abortion decision Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization also threatens LGBTIQ people’s freedom to marry and our other core constitutional rights. Even having to write about this subject—much less our community’s having to wonder whether our basic constitutional rights are now in jeopardy—undermines our dignity as Americans that the Supreme Court just seven years ago assured us was protected under the fundamental principles of constitutional democracy set forth in the Constitution.

Before addressing the implications of Dobbs on LGBTIQ rights, we want to underscore that the decision as it pertains to eliminating the constitutional right of women (and some nonbinary, intersex, and transgender people) to abortion is deeply misguided and wrong. Whereas Roe v. Wade was a bipartisan 7–2 decision with a Republican nominee writing the majority opinion and three other Republican nominees joining the decision, Dobbs was a strictly partisan decision with five very conservative Republican Justices constituting the majority and one Republican Justice concurring in the result, with all three Democratic Justices dissenting.

The Court’s historical analysis upon which the decision depends grossly distorts significant parts of the record. The majority apparently wants to take elements of our society, in particular women’s rights to freedom and autonomy, back to the 18th century. Indeed, the constitutional provisions at issue in the case were written before women even had the right to vote, much less the ability to participate meaningfully

The majority itself apprehends that the “fundamental moral question” posed by abortion “is ageless.” That recognition alone should mean that women who become pregnant should have the essential freedom of conscience to determine for themselves what is appropriate and not be compelled to carry a pregnancy to term against their will.

The Republican majority in Dobbs jettisons this deeply rooted and cherished constitutional right to personal freedom and self-determination in favor of an exceedingly narrow view of constitutional rights confined to their selective interpretation of historical conditions at the time of a particular provision’s enactment. Their doing so raises concern that the Court could apply the same type of analysis to take away marriage equality and other LGBTIQ constitutional rights. Indeed, Justice Thomas wrote in a concurring opinion in Dobbs that he would like to do essentially just that in future cases.

However, it is very important to recognize that the majority opinion combined with Justice Kavanaugh’s concurring opinion together emphasize multiple times that the Dobbs decision regarding abortion in no way undermines marriage equality or LGBTIQ people’s right to sexual intimacy.

The majority claims a critical difference between abortion and contraception, sexual intimacy, and marriage equality; it asserts that abortion “destroys” a “potential life.”

The majority expressly states: “to ensure that our decision is not misunderstood or mischaracterized, we emphasize that our decision concerns the constitutional right to abortion and no other right. Nothing in this opinion should be understood to cast doubt on precedents that do not concern abortion.”

JUAN R. DAVILA

Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis

The majority further states that without decisions such as the Obergefell marriage equality decision that reversed prior rulings, “American constitutional law as we know it would be unrecognizable, and this would be a different country.” And Justice Kavanaugh wrote a separate concurrence mentioning, “I emphasize what the Court today states: Overruling Roe does not mean the overruling of those precedents, and does not threaten or cast doubt on those precedents.”

PHOTO BY RINK

6/26 and Beyond

When the Supreme Court upheld Roe thirty years ago in 1992, it recognized that all Americans have the freedom under the Constitution to make “intimate and personal choices” that are “central to personal dignity and autonomy.” It described how “[a]t the heart of liberty is the right to define one’s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life.” Other Justices have described this freedom as ‘’the most comprehensive of rights ... namely ‘’the right to be let alone.’’

In response to the dissent’s well-founded suspicion as to the sincerity of the majority’s assurances, the majority repeats their promises verbatim, asserting their guarantees are “unequivocal” and explaining explicitly that “rights regarding contraception and same-sex relationships are inherently different from the right to abortion because the latter (as we have stressed) uniquely involves ... ‘potential life.’” The majority declares that the dissenters’ “fear” that the Dobbs decision “will imperil those other rights” is “unfounded.” It even exclaims: “It is hard to see how we could be clearer.”

The majority’s multiple avowals that the precedents protecting marriage equality, sexual intimacy, and contraception are safe strongly suggest that currently there are not five Justices who want to overturn these decisions. We know the 3 Dobbs dissenters do not, as well as Kavanaugh and presumably Roberts who did not vote to overturn Roe at this time.

But we also know that it is exceedingly likely that Justice Alito, who authored the Dobbs decision, does not agree with the assurances he himself offers in the opinion. Just two years ago, Alito and Thomas wrote an opinion all but inviting potential litigants to challenge Obergefell. We hope that Kavanaugh was not the only Justice who insisted that the assurances be part of the majority decision, but we have insufficient information to know where Gorsuch and Barrett stand.

One thing we know for sure, though, is that the degree to which marriage equality and other LGBTIQ constitutional rights appear not to be in immediate peril is the result of countless queer people, along with our friends and family, coming out, standing up, and raising our voices loud and clear. The urgency to continue doing so has never been greater.

John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney, together for over three decades, were plaintiffs in

JOANIE JUSTER

in the political process. Particularly appalling to us was the majority’s citing with approval a 1732 magazine article, reporting on a criminal case in which a woman was sentenced to “two days in the pillory and three years’ imprisonment” for helping a woman terminate a pregnancy.

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.

About Our Cover: Male Contraceptive Pills Still Likely Decades Away The onus of birth control usually falls on women, and now that access to legal and safe abortion is under tremendous threat in many states, it is long overdue for men to step up and share responsibility. But how can men— including many who are bisexual and otherwise LGBTQ+ identified who are sexually active with women—do so in ways that will truly make a positive difference?

Right now, there are only a few options. Two others are on the horizon, but they could take decades before becoming a viable reality. We are referring to two recently reported experimental male contraceptive pills that appear to effectively lower testosterone without causing unacceptable side effects, according to a new study that was presented at ENDO 2022, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Atlanta.

The drugs, called DMAU and 11β-MNTDC, are part of a class of drugs called progestogenic androgens. These drugs suppress testosterone, which lowers sperm count. Lowering testosterone levels normally leads to unpleasant side effects, but most of the men in the

study were willing to continue using the drugs, suggesting the side effects were acceptable.

“Male contraception options are currently restricted to vasectomy and condoms, and are thus extremely limited as compared to female options,” said lead researcher Tamar Jacobsohn of the Contraceptive Development Program at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

“Development of an effective, reversible male contraceptive method will improve reproductive options for men and women, have a major impact on public health by decreasing unin-

tended pregnancy, and allow men to have an increasingly active role in family planning.”

The study included 96 healthy male participants in two Phase 1 clinical trials. In each trial, the men were randomly assigned to receive two or four oral pills of active drug or placebo daily for 28 days. After seven days on the active drug, testosterone levels dropped below normal range. In men taking the placebo, testosterone levels stayed within the normal range.

The study found 75% of men who took the active drug said they would be willing to use it in the future, compared with 46.4% of those taking a placebo. Men who took the four-pill daily dose (400 milligrams)

had lower levels of testosterone than those taking the two-pill, 200-milligram dose. There was no significant difference between the two active treatment groups in satisfaction with the drug, or willingness to use it in the future or recommend it to others.

“Men’s positive experiences in clinical trials and high ratings of acceptability for this male pill should serve to excite the public about male birth control being potentially widely available in the coming decades,” Jacobsohn said.

And as bioethicist Lisa Campo-Engelstein wrote over a decade ago for the journal Medicine and Society, “[W]e need both a change in technology—the development of male long-acting, reversible contraceptives—and a change in ideology—the belief that both women and men should be responsible for contraception—to achieve the more just contraceptive arrangement.”

Contraceptive justice needs to be a priority, particularly at this post-Dobbs time.

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AIDS WALK 2022

JULY 17

That Was One Helluva Pride Week

A Foot Soldier in the Battle Against HIV/AIDS

By Joanie Juster

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JOANIE JUSTER

It seems I have a reputation for volunteering.

But it wasn’t always that way.

Sure, I volunteered in high school and college— mostly for events and fundraisers. I didn’t yet know how to engage in causes or political movements. Then when I moved to San Francisco in 1978, I was absorbed in building a life, a marriage, and a career in theatre and cabaret.

AIDS changed everything.

It started with rumors and whispers of people getting sick. Then news articles about a deadly new disease. Friends, co-workers, and people in the neighborhood started disappearing. Every night of the week another bar, another theatre, another cabaret hosted benefits to raise money to help people with AIDS. I contributed money when I could, but still I didn’t get involved.

In 1987, AIDS Walk San Francisco was created, as well as the AIDS Memorial Quilt. Both intrigued me, but that year I was taking care of my dying mother, and I could only watch from the sidelines.

Then a tsunami of loss hit me. My mother died in early 1988, followed in short order by my favorite aunt, a beloved uncle, my dear friends David and DW, and more and more friends, co-workers, and neighbors. San Francisco was drowning in grief, and so was I.

TROY BRUNET

I was no stranger to death. As the youngest child of older parents, I grew up going to funerals of grandparents, and endless elderly relatives. But this dark cloud that was hanging over San Francisco was something new, and terrifying. These were my young peers who were suffering and dying. What could I do? It was all so overwhelming, so deadly, so heartbreakingly sad.

In Case You Missed It An AIDS Walk team in 2000

I couldn’t just hand the Quilt volunteers more work, and then leave. I had to stay and help.

And so, I stayed to help that night. And the next night. And the next. Thanks to the generosity of friends, I accompanied the Quilt to D.C. that October, and have been part of it ever since.

AIDS changed my life. I found a direction, a purpose, a home, a family. Since those first experiences in 1988, I have continued to be involved with both AIDS Walk and the Quilt. And then AIDS Emergency Fund, the National AIDS Memorial Grove, PRC, and more. In 1990, in an effort to return the favor, I became a Shanti volunteer, providing one-on-one practical support to people living with AIDS. This was before the life-saving drug cocktails were invented; every one of my clients died.

I sank into deep depression, paralyzed by grief.

My friend Sharon, a Shanti volunteer, saw that I needed a lifeline, so she helped me become a Shanti client. I was assigned to an emotional support volunteer, a former nun named Margaret. Joanie Juster making a quilt for Mark Haffner in 2012 She listened without judging, and after a few weeks, gave me the best advice of my life: Her suggestion to get past my grief? Help others.

An opportunity soon arose. My friend Carol invited me to join her for AIDS Walk 1988. It was a solemn affair—about Joanie Juster with Kelly 1200 of us quietly walkRivera Hart in 2011, ing and crying through dense fog in Golden Gate in front of a display marking 30 years of Park. I drew comfort from HIV/AIDS being among so many others who shared the same profound sense of loss. We supported each other.

And I was inspired by its grassroots nature: individually we might not have much money, but collectively, we could make a difference, raising vitally needed funds for AIDS organizations throughout the Bay Area. I was hooked.

Then I heard that the Quilt was returning to D.C. in October 1988. I decided to make a panel for my first close friend who had died, David Percival. I turned in David’s panel at midnight on the deadline for submitting panels for the D.C. display. When I saw the Quilt workshop piled high with FedEx boxes bearing panels people had made for their loved ones, I knew

Joanie Juster From the plethora of parties and celebrations that filled calendars the last week of June, to the white-hot rage that followed the Supreme Court’s decision to deny bodily autonomy and essential reproductive health care to countless U.S citizens, then back to parades and protests on Pride Sunday, it was a week in 2022 to remember.

Supremely Wrong

The 1996 AIDS Emergency Fund team for AIDS Walk

For over three decades I have supported AIDS organizations, and friends and family with HIV/AIDS, by organizing fundraisers, cleaning houses, sewing Quilt panels, marching and protesting against government inaction, writing press releases, coordinating readers at Quilt displays, recruiting volunteers, fighting stigma, being an ally. I have provided emotional triage to countless grieving parents, Joanie Juster (right) at the National AIDS Marathon in 2001 friends, and lovers at Quilt displays, giving them a shoulder to cry on and a safe place to share their pain. These days, much of my work is focused on providing support to long-term survivors of HIV/AIDS, and to making sure that our stories are not forgotten.

I have always said that I am just a foot soldier in these epic battles. I don’t create or lead organizations; I’m rarely in front of the cameras or the microphone, and I tend to work at the grassroots level. My contributions to these efforts are modJoanie Juster with HIV/AIDS patient and friend Eric Norton est; so many others have done so much more. If anything makes my story unique, it may simply be in 1991 that once I started, I didn’t know how to stop.

HIV and AIDS are not over. There is still work to be done. So, I’ll just keep working.

Joanie Juster is a long-time community volunteer, activist, and ally.

Even though the infamous leak of a draft of the Dobbs decision on May 2 made it clear that Roe v. Wade would probably be overturned, when the final, brutal decision was announced the morning of June 24, it still came as a gut punch, sending shock waves throughout the country. Protests were immediately organized in hundreds of cities and towns, as people everywhere realized that six people in Washington, D.C., cared more about political ideology than about the lives and health of millions of Americans.

There were several marches in the Bay Area that night. I took part in one that started in the Civic Center, and eventually took over the entire intersection of 8th & Market for a rally. Many of the protesters were from my generation; we vividly, and sadly, remember what life was like before abortion became a legal option. Marchers were young and old, gay and straight, binary and non-binary, all races, all united in anger and fear. As I marched, I kept thinking back over 50 years to the people I knew who had suffered so much under the old abortion laws— and how much suffering lies ahead for those whose lives will be forever altered by the cruel new laws that are being passed in state after state, depriving them of any control over their own bodies and lives.

We are at the gates of Gilead. Our country, and our rights, are under attack.

What do we do? Stand up. Fight back.

Court battles will be raging in multiple states for a long time, and organizations that fight those legal battles will need our support for the long run. But in the meantime, people in need of reproductive health care need our help right now, today! They need financial support to travel to states

The AIDS Quilt unfolding team in 1988, Washington, D.C. 4

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Joanie Juster with Paul Hill reading names on the AIDS Quilt in 1996, Washington, D.C.

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AIDS WALK 2022 where they can get the help they need. Clinics are overwhelmed; they need our support so they can take on increased, urgent caseloads. You can help by donating to an organization that helps women in states where abortion is illegal to get access in all the ways necessary—counseling, legal advice, funds for travel, childcare, the procedure itself, and much more. Find an organization here: https://abortionfunds.org/funds/ I will be sharing more links in upcoming columns. Stay tuned.

Back Together Again: PRC’s Pride Brunch After a night of protest on June 24, the morning of June 25 brought the joy of being back together in person with so many friends and colleagues at Gary Virginia & Donna Sachet’s 24th Annual Pride Brunch. This joyful, rainbow-filled event raised significant, needed funds for PRC’s essential services for San Francisco’s most vulnerable individuals. Speaker Nancy Pelosi brought the crowd to its feet more than once. She spoke of the fight ahead—abortion is just the beginning of the legal rights that are under attack by the extreme right— but also acknowledged the resilience of this community, and that the love and family feeling we’ve created throughout the years provide us with the strength we will need for those battles.

One of the main reasons to attend Pride Brunch each year is to hear the Grand Marshals of the SF Pride Parade speak. Congratulations to all the Grand Marshals. We all owe them a debt of thanks for their long and vital commitment to serving the community.

People’s March Returns The political fury stoked by the Supreme Court’s decision on Friday, June 24, brought an infusion of extra energy and commitment to the People’s March on Sunday, June 26. Organized and led by activists Alex U. Inn and Juanita MORE!, the event was a grassroots effort produced without corporate support.

It began with a rally at Washington and Polk Streets before marching down Polk to Civic Center, then on to Dolores Park. The march was led by people of color, including twin 11-year-old girls who are already outstanding allies for the LGBTQ+ community, having formed an LGBTQ+ support group at John Muir Elementary School. Their strength and compassion give me hope for the future.

Riding for AIDS Summer brings two of the biggest annual events in support of AIDS services. In June, it was the AIDS/ LifeCycle.

From June 5 to June 11 more than 2,400 cyclists rode 545 miles from San Francisco to Los Angeles, raising a record-breaking $17.8 million to support the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the HIV-related services of the Los Angeles LGBT Center.

Dr. Tyler TerMeer, CEO of the SF AIDS Foundation, knows from personal experience the value of this event: he is a 12-time AIDS/ LifeCycle participant. “Year-afteryear, AIDS/LifeCycle continues to be a critical way that we raise support for HIV services, increase awareness about the impact of HIV, and come

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together in solidarity as a community. We are able to provide lifesaving services in our community that contribute to our goal of ending the HIV epidemic, thanks to the enduring commitment of AIDS/LifeCycle participants.”

Thank you to all the riders, the roadies and support staff who make the ride possible, and to the thousands of donors who made this event such a success.

Next Up: AIDS Walk on July 17 The other big annual event on the AIDS fundraising summer calendar is AIDS Walk San Francisco, which, after two years of virtual events, returns to Golden Gate Park in person on Sunday, July 17.

Since its inception in 1987, AIDS Walk San Francisco has inspired countless thousands of Bay Area residents to walk, donate, and volunteer in the fight against HIV/AIDS, raising more than $90 million for organizations across seven Bay Area counties.

Full disclosure: I have been involved with AIDS Walk since 1988, alternately as a walker, staff member, volunteer, team leader, and fundraiser.

I’ve always loved the grassroots nature of this event: Anyone can walk with us, whether they raise $5 or $5,000. In recent years, as HIV/ AIDS has receded from the fronts of most people’s minds, AIDS Walk is an annual reminder that there is still no cure, still no vaccine, people are still getting infected, and people living with HIV/AIDS still need and deserve our help.

AIDS Walk San Francisco will return in person to Robin Williams Meadow

in Golden Gate Park on Sunday, July 17, and will be streamed live by ABC7 Bay Area starting at 10 am, and broadcast that same day at 2:30 pm. ( www.abcynews.com )

full list of winning organizations, and to learn more about their work, go to https://tinyurl.com/GiveOut22

For more info, or to support a walker, go to https://sf.aidswalk.net/

HIV ... COVID-19 ... now meningitis and monkeypox. This drill is becoming all-too familiar.

Give Out Day: Bay Area Wins Big Bay Area LGBTQ+ nonprofit organizations did well in this year’s Give OUT Day, a month-long fundraising campaign culminating on June 30. The only national day of giving for the LGBTQ+ community, Give OUT Day is organized by Horizons Foundation. The world’s first community foundation of, by, and for LGBTQ+ people, Horizons invests in LGBTQ+ nonprofits, strengthens a culture of LGBTQ+ giving, and builds a permanent endowment to secure our community’s future for generations to come.

Give OUT Day partner organizations compete for tens of thousands in prizes, primarily Leaderboards, awarded to the organizations with the highest number of unique donors in their category. Congratulations to outstanding Bay Area nonprofits: Amor Para Todos (Petaluma); Positive Pedalers (SF), Sundance Association for Country Western Dancing (SF), Lavender Phoenix (SF), Somos Familia (Oakland), Oasis Legal Services (Berkeley), Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project (SF), Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network (Oakland), Foglifter Press (SF), and TRANScend Retreat (Northern CA).

All of these organizations are doing vital work in the community, and deserve our ongoing support. For the

Here We Go Again ...

The CDC has activated its Emergency Operations Center in response to the outbreak of monkeypox. Health officials in the U.S. are expanding the group of people who are able to get the monkeypox vaccine.

Meanwhile, SF AIDS Foundation clinicians, along with health officials nationwide, are urging community members to seek out a meningitis vaccine in response to outbreaks of meningococcal disease occurring in Florida.

The current outbreaks are affecting gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men and people living with HIV, in addition to college students. These communities, along with people who are immunocompromised, are specifically mentioned by the CDC as people who should consider vaccination during this outbreak.

Get a free meningitis vaccine at Magnet ( https://tinyurl.com/3pcbjbze ).

Priority is given to people who are uninsured or don’t have access to vaccination through their primary care provider.

Please stay informed, and stay safe.

Joanie Juster is a long-time community volunteer, activist, and ally.

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GLBT Fortnight in Review See You in September As usual, I just reread my last column in order to make sure that I don’t repeat a story or let something fall through the cracks. What a dismal account I provided! And on the eve of Pride Day! Sorry about that.

You’ll be happy to know that today I’m not in the mood to write about the law or indeed, anything sad. I’d actually rather skip the whole subject of GLBT news and write about love or summertime or puppies. But unfortunately, that may prove difficult.

For one thing, the Supreme Court ended their session by ruling in favor of Joseph Kennedy, the Washington state public school football coach who wanted to pray in public on the fifty-yard line after games. Further, as expected, they struck Roe v Wade in a disgusting opinion, spitting with disdain for women and secular Americans. But having allowed myself to become enraged by the previous week’s decision forcing Maine to subsidize religious instruction, I just can’t react to these final assaults on the Constitution.

I will say, however, that I read a New York Times article about Maine, where the state legislature passed an amendment that forbids GLBT bias in all schools that accept public money, an amendment to the state’s anti-discrimination that effectively rendered the High Court’s horrific school subsidy ruling (which I won’t rehash) toothless. Lawmakers did so in advance of the Court’s action, which is something I should have known about and should have written about while I was becoming unhinged in print in our last issue.

That was kind of inexcusable on my part, so please forgive me.

Finally, much ink has been spilled lately on the subject of Clarence Thomas, who went out of his way to remind us that he doesn’t think the Due Process Clause extends to substantive rights like the right to contraception, gay sex, or same-sex marriage. To call the man an outlier is a nice way to put it. He’s a constitutional nutcase and always has been. He’s just more dangerous now because his pal Sam Alito has become feral. I still say we will

By Ann Rostow survive Thomas and Alito with our rights more or less intact. But it’s the “less intact” part that worries me. They won’t overturn Lawrence or Obergefell, but to what extent will these two justices convince three others to undermine our legal status in other ways? That’s hard to say.

Now, let’s agree to drop the subject of the High Court until the justices emerge from under their rocks nest fall.

Give Bette A Break Let’s move on to an op-ed by Pamela Paul in The New York Times that bemoaned a new trend from the “fringe left,” to replace the term “women” with politically correct trans-inclusive lingo.

“Previously,” she writes, “a commonly understood term for half the world’s population, the word had a specific meaning tied to genetics, biology, history, politics and culture.

No longer. In its place are unwieldy terms like ‘pregnant people,’ ‘menstruators,’ and ‘bodies with vaginas.’”

NCLR’s Inaugural Pride Festival Pride in the Park Photos Courtesy of NCLR/Stephanie Myers Photography The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) held its inaugural Pride festival, Pride in the Park, on June 18 at the National AIDS Memorial Grove. The event, from 3 pm–7 pm, began with a welcome from SF Pride President and San Francisco Bay Times columnist Carolyn Wysinger, who served as emcee, and performances by CHEER SF and Batalå SF. There were also Ohlone land and Juneteenth recognitions.

NCLR Executive Director Imani Rupert-Gordon planted a tree in memory of LGBT rights activist, lawyer, and writer Urvashi Vaid (1958–2022), who died in May. Vaid, among her many efforts, was a tireless advocate for HIV policy reform and health care justice. As NCLR Director of Communications Christopher Vasquez told the San Francisco Bay Times, “The tree will live in her honor in the AIDS Memorial Grove in perpetuity.”

Sculptor and former broadcaster Dana King spoke about her Monumental Reckoning exhibit in Golden Gate Park. There were performances by Rachel Garlin, Freddie, MADD DOG 20/20, Kipper Snacks, Melanie Spark, Mahlae Balenciaga, and music presented by DJ LIVV. In addition to an array of food and beverages, the event also included a Queer Art Show, lawn games, graffiti art with 1AM, the SF Bubbleman, screen printing, and a drag queen storyteller. https://www.nclrights.org/

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The essay led Bette Midler to decry the phenomenon in a tweet that was considered trans-phobic. “They don’t call us ‘women’ anymore,” Midler tweeted, “they call us ‘birthing people’ or ‘menstruators,’ and even ‘people with vaginas’! Don’t let them erase you! Every human on Earth owes you!”

These words are not trans-phobic, dear Readers. I’ve been covering the GLBT community for a good quarter century, and I assure you that the community of transmen is not clamoring to be included in the lexicon of feminine health. Far from it. If Paul and Midler take a breath, they will find that the word “women” remains, and will remain, the go-to description of all things female.

Yes, there exists indeed a “fringe” as Paul put it, which tries desperately to phrase things so that everyone who breathes air can find themselves included. It’s a worthy goal, but one that can easily devolve into absurdity. Witness the (cis-gender) activist from Smith who found herself outraged that the all-female college does not have tampon machines in the

men’s bathroom. As I asked when I first covered that incident, how many transmen are likely to be wandering the campus of a women’s college on their period without any protection? Does this minuscule population really need its own tampon machine?

And ladies, have you ever actually encountered a stocked and operational tampon machine? No. It’s either broken, empty, or both, and in an emergency we all survive on toilet paper.

More importantly, who has the emotional bandwidth in this day and age in this country to focus on micro injustices of this sort? Again, not any of the transmen I know. They are not the ones calling for novel phraseology that replaces “women” with the awkward alternatives referenced by Paul and Midler. It’s a small minority of woke women who are busy with that, and although some may applaud their efforts, I agree with Paul and Midler that it’s counterproductive. (continued on page 22)

More Recollections of Pivotal LGBTQ+ Civil Rights Events

Nuestra Voz Eduardo Morales, Ph.D. The 1981 National Tour of the SF Gay Men’s Chorus For me and others who were also present, this was a very memorable, transformative tour. It occurred for a two-week period during June1981, just three years after the chorus was founded in the fall of 1978. It was early in 1979 that I joined the chorus, thinking this was a very creative and effective way to incorporate the performing arts as part of the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. Imagine being in a gay men’s chorus and singing classical and popular music that often had double meaning.

As the chorus evolved and matured, discussions concerning a thenenvisioned national tour throughout the U.S. became a prominent goal. Interestingly, we learned that one member of the chorus owned the dress that Jeanette MacDonald used in the 1936 movie San Francisco.

Before the tour, we were to sing at St. Ignatius Church with a program appropriate for a place of worship.

The Jesuits later refused to host us, which resulted in legal action and

Three chorus members actually mortgaged their homes to finance the first national tour. The kickoff concert was at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco on June 4, 1981.

Our tour group was so large that United Airlines had to schedule two planes for each of our flight stops to transport us to the various cities.

They included Dallas; Minneapolis; and Lincoln, Nebraska, where we discovered there were two openly identified LGBTQ+ elected officials on the local city council. A church in Lincoln opened its doors and fed us with a wonderful welcome dinner with matching place settings. While at Lincoln, the local television station refused to have part of the SF Gay Men’s Chorus sing on television unless we dropped the word “gay.”

This was previously scheduled and registered with the FCC, so their demand was a violation of FCC regulations; it led to a controversy with media headlines throughout the U.S. The mayor of Lincoln came to apologize and welcomed us to his city.

We then went on to sing at the Opera House in Boston and then at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. While in D.C. we gathered within the Jefferson Memorial and sang “The Testament of Freedom” with words by Thomas Jefferson and music by Randall Thompson.

The Kennedy Center Concert was sent as a live feed to SF Bay Area news media for simulcast broadcasting. This concert was given much acclaim by the respected music critic David Hume.

We then sang at the Seattle Opera House before returning by plane to San Francisco, where several buses sent us to a crowd of thousands that greeted and welcomed us home on Castro and 18th Streets. At our triumphant final performance with a sold-out audience at Davies Symphony Hall during Pride Week, we came on stage for our portion of the concert and the audience roared with more than a 20-minute standing ovation as gratitude for completing this historical tour.

Then Mayor Dianne Feinstein gave us the key to city, which was a historical first for the granting of this award to residents of San Francisco.

On Pride Day that year, we marched down Market Street singing the “Testament of Freedom” with thousands of onlookers cheering and applauding us.

This national tour launched countless LGBTQ+ choruses throughout the U.S. and the world and inspired the creation of GALA (The Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses).

Over half a million people visited the quilt that weekend. This overwhelming response led to a four-month, 20-city national tour for the quilt in the spring and summer of 1988 with 9,000 volunteers. They helped to move and display the quilt throughout the nation. Over 6,000 panels were added during this time, tripling its size by the end of the tour. During October of 1988, 8,288 panels were displayed on The Ellipse in front of

the White House. Seeing the quilt then and now is a powerful, emotional, and unforgettable experience.

Eduardo Morales, PhD, is one of the founders of AGUILAS, where he serves as Executive Director. He is also a Professor Emeritus and retired Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Alliant International University and is the current Past President of the National Latinx Psychological Association.

Castro LGBT Community Hub COVID Testing & Vaccination Free COVID-19 testing, vaccines, & boosters are offered without any appointments at the Collingwood Parking lot on 18th Street between Collingwood and Castro Street behind Walgreens. Testing provided by SF Department of Public Health in partnership with Virus Geeks.

The Hub’s Facebook page is updated weekly: https://tinyurl.com/yc395p7x

AIDS Quilt of the NAMES Project The AIDS Quilt was displayed for the first time on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on October 11, 1987. It was in a space larger than a football field and that included 1,920 panels of the quilt. The project was a source of healing for many who lost loved ones as a result of HIV/AIDS. Ironically, as I looked up across the Potomac River, I could see Arlington Cemetery in Virginia honoring the fallen soldiers who defended our country.

PHOTO BY RINK

the chorus receiving damages in a civil suit. This provides some sense of what the political-social climate was like at the time.

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GGBA Power Connect 2022 “The New World of Business” was the theme of the Golden Gate Business Association’s (GGBA) Power Connect for 2022 held at the SOMArts cultural center on Friday, June 17.

Both large and small businesses were represented among the many attendees who participated in the full day of programming that included performing artists, panel discussions, and small group networking. Executive Direct Terry Beswick welcomed guests, as did Past Vice President and Power Connect Chair Dr. Krystal Drwencke, and provided an overview of the day. Supervisor Rafael Mandelman presented GGBA’s Small Business of the Year Award to the San Francisco Bay Times, and State Senator Scott Wiener presented GGBA’s Corporate Sponsor of the Year Award to Redwood Credit Union.

Among the highlights of the program was a “Fireside Chat” hosted by GGBA’s current President Michael Gunther with Past President Gina Grahame about Grahame’s insights on coming out as a transgender woman in the world of work.

Emcee Lance Dorsey with panelists Lili Kwan of Saleforce and Karla Campbell of 4 Directions Consulting and Coaching presented a discussion on “Creating an Inclusive Company Culture.” Moderator Dawn Ackerman, also a Past President of GGBA, and panelists Alejandro Serrudo, PG&E; Lisa Roben, Comcast; and Bezawit Delgassa, CPUC; discussed supplier diversity.

Speakers Kim Vu, Meta; and Adrian Whant, Troo Media; discussed “Visions of the Future of Business.” Following the afternoon sessions on Strategic Networking, an afterparty, hosted by JP Morgan Chase, was held at Azucar Lounge. https://ggba.com

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BAY TIMES S

Photos by Rink

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2022)

Message from Leadership

Connecting to Economic Empowerment

GGBA CALENDAR

By Terry Beswick The rubber-chicken, hotel ballroom event formerly known as “Power Lunch” rebranded itself this year as “Power Connect 2022: the New World of Business.”

space suit to introduce a panel on business opportunities in the metaverse.

Organized by the Golden Gate Business Association, founded in 1974 as the nation’s first LGBTQ+ chamber of commerce, the signature annual event was transformed into a full day festival at San Francisco’s multi-purpose event space SOMArts on June 17.

And there were celebrations of some of the best GGBA members of the year.

With help from San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman and State Senator Scott Wiener, the GGBA presented the 2022 Small Business of the Year Award to the San Francisco Bay Times and the 2022 Corporate Partner of the Year Award to the Redwood Credit Union, respectively, for their exemplary service to the LGBTQ+ business community.

Aiming to shake things up a bit in the wake of massive disruptions to our economy and culture over the last few years, we wanted the 200 participants to think creatively about how their businesses can adapt to new challenges and opportunities, and we hoped to give our members some real business opportunities with each other and with major corporations and public agencies.

A highlight for me was the morning Fireside Chat between GGBA president Michael Gunther (Collaboration Consulting) and former president Gina Grahame (Be Authentatious). Gina shared her transformative journey in taking what others saw as a liability (her gender) and turning it into an asset to propel her business forward. It was a great way to bring human storytelling to the proceedings.

But we also wanted to have fun, and performance artist Strobe kicked off the morning plenary with a wild and provocative exploration of the evolution of technology and social media. We gave him free rein to create one of his trademark, in-your-face solo works, in this case diving into tech’s knack for connecting people, while also isolating them in their little bubbles. There was definitely some 9 am head-scratching over coffee and pastries from some in the corporate crowd, but it was a great icebreaker, setting the stage for creative thinking throughout the day. This is San Francisco, after all.

Chris Galang, Wells Fargo small business executive and GGBA board member, announced the bank’s sponsorship of an upcoming cohort of GGBA’s Business Accelerator Program. Led by Grahame, the program aims to support trans and gender-nonconforming and other queer folks in a highly successful and intensive practicum this fall. Watch this space for details!

The irrepressible Master of Ceremonies Lance Dorsey of Sony Entertainment (and formerly a member of GGBA’s board) also kept things light, despite the often-technical discussions, at one point donning a

After a full morning of forward-thinking panel discussions on supplier diversity, managing people in new work models, and futurism, there were several curated experiences for people to enjoy—mushroom tea from the Chaga Company, winetasting from Foley Family Wines, and whiskeytasting from Treecraft Distillery—followed by delicious lunch offerings from Hugh Groman Catering out on the patio.

GGBA Member Spotlight

While planning the day with our fabulous event producer, Joy Experiences, we worried that people would not stick around after lunch for networking and matchmaking opportunities in the afternoon. But we had an app! Participants were able to make one-on-one appointments with each other throughout, and the app also facilitated follow-ups after the event. It was so great to participate in some of these meetings and to see the hall filled with people pitching their businesses to each other and to corporations.

Capping things off was a packed After Party at Azucar Lounge up the street on Folsom and Ninth. Their great cocktails and Mexican street food, sponsored by JP Morgan Chase, made for a lively evening. The GGBA is actually a pretty fun crowd, and it was so refreshing to hang out in person in a casual and colorful setting. (Thank you, Rink, for all your great photos!)

Power Connect 2022 chair Dr. Krystal Drwencke (Ascent Sports Chiropractic) and myself were pleased and grateful to receive so many positive reviews of this reimagined event, which we expect will be even bigger and better in 2023—and in 2024, our 50th anniversary.

But for us, perhaps most gratifying are the reports we are receiving of new business contracts participants were able to nail down as a result of the connections the event facilitated. This makes all of it worthwhile.

With the nation under so much political duress, and the actions of the Supreme Court in overturning Roe v Wade and many other progressive laws, the best answer we have for long-term change is to encourage folks to vote—and to build economic empowerment within our diverse communities.

Wednesday, July 20 New Member Orientation 12:30–1:15 pm Virtual Learn more about the benefits of membership, and how to make the most of them. Get your questions answered and start leveraging access to your community of like-minded fellow business owners and managers. If you joined any time this year, and have not yet attended a New Member Orientation, now is your chance! The New Member Orientation is also helpful if you are not yet a member, but would like to learn more about how becoming one can help you and your business goals. Anyone is welcome to join this free Zoom meeting. Please complete the registration process to receive your confirmation and Zoom link. https://tinyurl.com/xexj58ac Wednesday, July 27 Automate Your Employees: The ABCs of CRMs 12:30–1:30 pm Virtual Tired of losing leads in your inbox? Ready to close more deals without having to add headcount? It’s time to move beyond spreadsheets and sticky notes and add the power of a CRM to your small business! This session hosted by Salesforce MVP Toni V. Martin will simplify CRMs, why you need one in your business, quick wins you can implement, and how to overcome overwhelm in your digital transformation. You’ll also learn about Salesforce Essentials—the affordable CRM platform built for small biz and how to get support for your process and systems improvement. https://tinyurl.com/2p948vwv

And that’s what the GGBA is all about.

Terry Beswick is the Executive Director of the Golden Gate Business Association.

Robert Henderson of Henderson SFIS

Just visiting the beautiful website of Herderson SFIS ( http://www.hendersonsfis.com/ ) provides a moment of calm, given its tranquil video of gentle waves reaching the shoreline near the Golden Gate Bridge. That stress-free vibe extends to the small business’ services, which include their team’s negotiating the very best plans to protect the health of your employees, including medical (PPO, HMO, HSA), dental, vision, life and disability plans, COBRA, and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA). In addition, employee assistance programs (EAPs) provide support for issues your employees may experience in their personal lives, including counseling coverage due to occupational, emotional, and financial stresses. Robert Henderson, Principlal, explains more.

GGBA: Please tell us about Henderson SFIS and its mission.

Robert Henderson: Henderson SFIS is a family-owned small business benefits brokerage. Our mission is to provide the best insurance protection for the business owners and their employees. Our goal is to provide the best advice and customer service in the industry. We pride ourselves on trying to make a complicated industry less complicated and also to ensure each claim and experience is smooth and successful. We want every customer to feel they are the only customer; that is when I know we are successful.

GGBA: The business carries your name. Are you the founder?

Robert Henderson: My father started this business when I was born and was in Life Insurance and Health Insurance for over 40 years. I figured out I was destined for this business and caring for people when my brother was hit by a car almost 20 years ago and had a traumatic brain injury. I managed all aspects of his care and support from medical to financial. About this same time my father’s health started to

Robert Henderson

deteriorate. The family needed someone to take over the business. I found my calling and I love every minute of my day and helping people!

GGBA: Did your father serve as a role model, in terms of your business life?

Robert Henderson: My father was the best role model. He treated everyone the same regardless of size of business or race or sexual preferences. He made everyone feel like they were so special and cared for and I strive for that each day.

GGBA: Why did you decide to join the GGBA, and how long have you been a member?

Robert Henderson: Tony ArchuletaPerkins (incoming President) asked me to join over 3 years ago. My daughter is part of the LGBT community and I want to be a great ally to her and also to continue my father’s philosophy of treating everyone the same.

GGBA: How has being a member of GGBA helped your business so far?

Robert Henderson: With the pandemic I have yet to be active within the

association. Now that things are starting to open up again, I believe I can now benefit from the networking within the association.

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

Robert Henderson: My advice to anyone starting a business is first and foremost do what you love. Owning a small business is hard but incredibly rewarding. I love helping people and it is my passion. http://www.hendersonsfis.com/

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Try on Retirement Before Actually Retiring prised if it takes some work to find your individual rhythm for filling your days with fulfilling ventures.

And don’t forget that spouses who used to spend most weekdays apart will now have more together time.

Again, it may take a while to figure out how to gracefully dance with—or around—each other.

Money Matters Brandon Miller I’m among those who enjoy San Francisco’s slow streets initiated during the pandemic. On one near my home, two little girls learned to ride a bike over several weeks. They progressed from training wheels with mom or dad holding on, to just training wheels to just the bike’s two wheels. As their balance and confidence grew, so did their joy. It was way more entertaining than watching cars go up and down that same street.

“Training wheels” can be helpful in other endeavors, as well, including pre-retirement. Having helped steer a multitude of folks toward their own financial freedom, I can tell you that stopping work often requires a massive mindset shift that can take some time.

Think about everything that will change. You’ll go from making and saving money to spending it. That may sound easy, but getting comfortable with the opposite of what you’ve been doing your whole adult life takes some time and practice.

Your schedule will no longer be dictated by work, but by whatever you choose to put on your agenda. Again, this sounds great, but how deep are your hobbies and interests? You likely won’t be traveling or gardening every day, so what else will you do to give your life meaning? Don’t be sur-

I’ve had a front-row seat for my clients’ triumphs and missteps as they moved into retirement, which has made me an advocate for a trainingwheel approach. Trying out different aspects of your new life before you get there can help make the transition easier and less intimidating.

Here are a few suggestions that may help you gain balance and confidence before full retirement: Downsize your work. To get ready for no work, start doing less of it. This can take on many different shapes, such as working fewer hours or getting your employer to remove parts of your job that you hate. You could also take a lower-stress position or get another job.

Separate from your paycheck.

In retirement, your income will come from you, not your employer. So why not pretend like that’s happening pre-retirement? You can have your paycheck and other income sources deposited into one account, then transfer your monthly budget amount into another account. See if the budget actually works before handing in your resignation letter.

Double-check your numbers.

This may seem like an odd training wheel, but you want to get comfortable with ending your paycheck.

Running projections and what-if scenarios can help. You might also want a financial professional to verify your assumptions and make sure you have enough to afford the life you want to lead. Reassurance can provide the confidence to circle an end-date on your work calendar.

Try on different “you”s.

Whatever you have planned for retirement, start doing it—or doing it more often—in pre-retirement.

Maybe you thought working at the SPCA would fill your days, only to discover that you can’t stand the smell of kennels. Make sure you really want to do what you think you want to do.

Of course, this all leads to that monumental decision of when to take the training wheels off and fully retire. People wonder if now is a good time with inflation so high. For the most part, if you could afford to retire before these higher prices hit, you can likely still afford to retire.

History tells us that inflation doesn’t last forever. And I hope you’ve taken my advice from previous columns and built up a sizeable cash account that can be your income source and shock absorber until high prices recede.

Whenever you decide to go for it, retirement is a big change. It’s normal to feel a little wobbly as you try to master this next phase of your life.

But like the joy experienced by those little girls learning to balance on two wheels, you can learn how to turn your retirement into a thrilling ride.

Brio does not provide tax or legal advice, and nothing contained in these materials should be taken as such. The opinions expressed in this article are for general informational purposes only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual or on any specific security. It is only intended to provide education about the financial industry. To determine which investments may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor prior to investing.

Any past performance discussed during this program is no guarantee of future results. Any indices referenced for comparison are unmanaged and cannot be invested (continued on page 22)

Planning for Long-Term Care There are three primary methods for providing long-term care, each having different benefits and trade-offs.

Trust Essentials Jay Greene, Esq., CPA Who Needs Long-Term Care?

Long-term care is defined as a service that helps to meet the medical and non-medical needs for individuals with a disability, illness, or for those who cannot provide sufficient day-to-day care for themselves. The enrollees of long-term care programs can be any age, but the truth is, as we get older, the possibility of enrolling into long-term care programs becomes increasingly more likely.

Long-Term Care Costs Entering into long-term care is an important step towards getting the assistance needed to maintain the quality of life for the enrollee. When deciding to enroll into long-term care, it’s important to be aware of the different types of options available, and how expensive the care will be.

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The first option is to hire care providers to come to the home of the enrollee needing assistance. This option can be beneficial since the enrollee will be in the comfort of their own home. However, the downside to this option is the home is not a facility, meaning it may not be designed to support these situations.

Home caregivers range in prices, and they can become very expensive if they are a 24/7 support service.

A less expensive possibility when choosing long-term care is enrolling into an assisted living facility. Each individual facility may offer different benefits and features, but the core concept is to provide personal care in a home-like environment, while offering the freedom of a semi-independent lifestyle for the enrollee.

Assisted living costs over $10,000 per month on average in California.

The final type of long-term care providing can be found in a nursing home. Nursing homes offer many of the same services as assisted living, namely personal and medical care, but nursing homes are regarded as clinical settings. Nursing homes may reduce the independence abilities of the enrollee, and they tend to be very expensive. Nursing homes can easily cost over $150,000 per year in California.

How to Plan for Long-Term Care After hearing about the different types of care, you may be wondering, how does someone pay for all this care? There are a few options to pay for long-term care. The first option is to use the assets of the enrollee. But be advised, as this method can burn through assets very quickly. Another option is to have a long-term care insurance policy. This type of policy will help cover the cost of longterm care, but the coverage varies for every company. The third (and most common) option is to enroll into Medicaid/Medi-Cal. These government-funded programs will pay for long-term care, but they have an enrollment requirement system that relies upon income and asset level.

Now that you know how to pay for care, and which types of care are available, the question still remains: which care is the right choice? The majority of people benefit from contacting an experienced attorney to learn how to get the most out of their long-term care goals. Our firm specializes in Medicaid/Medi-Cal Trust planning and asset protection, both of which are ideal when looking into long-term care. To learn more about our services, please reach out to our office at 415-905-0215 to schedule a consultation so you can learn how to plan for long-term care. (continued on page 22)

REAL ESTATE

Property Listings

Do you have a property for this page? Email us: publisher@sfbaytimes.com

Steve Gallagher 33 Mountain Spring Avenue, SF, Clarendon Heights, Mediterranean Revival style, 5bd, 5.5ba, 5928 sq ft, city/bay views, in-law. $9.5mil http://www.33MountainSpring.com Listed by Steve Gallagher DRE #01193002 Coldwell Banker

Laura Martel 247 4th St. Unit #402, Oakland, Jack London, 1bd, 1ba, top floor NYC style loft, high ceilings, exposed concrete, movie wall/ projector, large window views of downtown. $699,000 https://tinyurl.com/ypn7kw92 Listed by Laura Martell DRE #01401840 Winkler Real Estate Group Danielle Clements DRE #01910218 Winkler Real Estate Group

Two Flavors in Crossovers Options boosted my XLE AWD to $33,550. The CX-50 cuts a broader swath, with its nine trims ranging from $27,000 to $42,000. My Turbo Premium Plus had only one extra— the eye-catching Zircon Sand finish—for a total of $43,170.

Auto Philip Ruth Spiking gas prices are stoking interest in compact crossovers. This enthusiasm is well-served by a market full of models of different sizes and feels.

That’s exemplified by the two we’re examining this week, the Mazda CX-50 and Toyota Corolla Cross.

The CX-50 is a compact crossover, and the Corolla is a size down at subcompact. So, they’re not direct competitors, but their prices overlap enough to where you might find yourself with both on your shopping list, especially in this period of low dealer inventories.

Aside from their dimensions, you’ll find the Mazda and Toyota have some surprising similarities. They both offer Toyota-powered hybrid versions for 2023. And though they share no parts, they’re both built in Toyota’s new Alabama plant, on adjacent assembly lines.

Pricing is typical for their segments: the Corolla Cross has three trim levels from $23,000 to $27,000.

With a $10,000 span between these test cars, you’d expect a more upscale experience from the Mazda, and you’d get it. The interior is particularly attractive, with broadly padded door panels and a flat and wide dashboard that looks rich and deep.

Two nice touches on the tester were the contrasting trim stitching and the heated rear seats.

The Corolla Cross’ instrument panel will be familiar to Corolla drivers, with the same curved angles paired with a blocky, stand-up center screen.

It favors boldness over refined elegance, and its operation is mostly straightforward.

There are big differences over the road. The CX-50 is about four inches wider than the Corolla Cross—and three inches wider than the CX-5 that preceded it—and the added girth is immediately sensed in city traffic. That’s enhanced by the CX-50’s low seating position and flat hood that disappears at the corners. On an errand run, you end up feeling a little braver in the Corolla Cross.

Additionally, the Corolla Cross’ ride was much more compliant over San Francisco’s rutted streets than the CX-50’s. The Mazda’s stiff suspension transmitted impacts the Toyota glazed over, enough that I would question whether I’d want this CX-50 as my sole vehicle in this environment.

Mazda CX-50

Toyota Corolla Cross

Firmer seats in the Mazda continue the theme. The Toyota’s perches felt overstuffed, and as usual, the supple SofTex upholstery had me sweating through the backs of my shirts, even on mild days.

The Mazda’s big advantage—driving fun—comes into focus as speeds increase. The high steering effort that requires more strength to parallel park the CX-50 is a confidence-builder when the road zigs and zags. Its turbocharged engine roars out power in exciting surges. By comparison, the Corolla Cross is a sleepy housecat, and that has its own appeal.

These two sizes and flavors of crossovers offer very different experiences.

Which would you choose?

Philip Ruth is a Castro-based automotive photojournalist and consultant with an automotive staging service.

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FACEBOOK/ELIZABETHTUCKER

PHOTO BY MO SHIRLEY

San Francisco

Contingent for SF P

On Sunday, June 26, the San Francisco Bay Times broke an SF Pride Parade tured in the event. National Park Service icon Betty Reid Soskin, who ret the contingent. She is the daughter of SF Pride Board Member and transg Grand Marshal and entertainer/educator Melanie DeMore, whose bright Soskin.

Some Soskin supporters donned Rosie the Riveter attire, signifying Soski leadership in helping to establish the Rosie the Riveter National Historica PHOTO BY PATRICK CARNEY

https://www.nps.gov/rori/index.htm

The contingent also included other notables, including retired Supervisor to found the Gay and Lesbian Association of the National Park Service; fo Kin Folkz; Celebrity Cruises executive LaTonya Lawson; television and r Founder Patrick Carney and his husband Hossein; Out & Eq ardo Morales; marriage equality activists John Lewis and St wide; Lauren Hewitt, the owner of the former Baybrick Inn, and Bay Times Publishers Dr. Betty Sullivan and Jennifer Vie Dana Van Inquity, who enthusiastically blew kisses toward p

Supporting the large contingent were volunteers, led by man husband Steve, Juan Davila, Monette Shirley, Laura Martel,

PHOTO BY PATRICK CARNEY

FACEBOOK/ELIZABETHTUCKER

Supporting the contingent this year were NAPA Cellars, the en’s Health, Extreme Pizza, La Méditerranée, and Grubstak year's contingent possible, including community supporter R

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e record when it presented the oldest known dignitary ever to be featired as a Park Ranger earlier this year at age 100, was a highlight of gender activist Di'ara Reid. Both are close friends of 2022 SF Pride tly hued festive vehicle was just ahead of the convertible transporting

PHOTO BY PATRICK CARNEY

Pride Parade 2022

in's involvement in World War II work efforts and also her visionary al Park in Richmond.

ry Park Ranger Elizabeth Tucker, an LGBTQ trailblazer who helped ormer SF Pride Grand Marshal and Spectrum Queer Media founder radio personalities Jan Wahl and Liam Mayclem; Pink Triangle project qual Founder Selisse Berry; AGUILAS Executive Director Dr. Edutuart Gaffney, whose efforts helped to legalize same-sex marriage nation, one of the last lesbian-focused guest houses and bars in San Francisco; egas, Bay Times founding news editor Randy Alfred, and columnist Sister paradegoers.

nagers Karen Bardsley, Warren Alderson and his , Cole Weeks, and Marla Foreman.

PHOTO BY SUZANNE DUHIG

JOHN MCGILL, COURTESY OF JAN WAHL

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e UCSF National Center of Excellence in Womke. The Bay Times wishes to thank all who made this Robert Holgate. Special thanks to Big Bus Tours!

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Trans March & Rally 2022

Photos by Rink

The Trans March was back for an in-person event on Friday, June 24. The 19th annual march started with a pre-march rally in Dolores Park followed by a moving sea of protesters carrying flags and handmade posters. The 2022 rally drew a large crowd and included speeches, live music, and booths providing information and onsite health services.

Remarkable this year was the confluence of two simpatico crowds on Market Street when the Trans March intersected with a concurrent march protesting the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade. Raised fists from both groups signaled mutual support, anxiety, anger, and hope.

Each year, from its starting point in Dolores Park, the Trans March continues to the intersection of Turk and Taylor Streets, the site of an incident forever to be known as the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot where a group of transwomen led a queer resistance to police harassment. The location is in the heart of what is now known as the Transgender District, the first legally recognized transgender district in the world. It encompasses six blocks in the southeastern Tenderloin and crosses over Market Street to include two blocks of 6th Street. https://www.transmarch.org/

SF Pride VIP Party 2022

Photos by Rink

The Asian Art Museum in the Civic Center was the setting for the SF Pride Committee’s 2022 VIP Party. Smaller by intentional design than the VIP Party held in previous years at SF City Hall, this year’s event was attended by SF Pride staff, board members, sponsors and their friends and family, along with elected officials, community leaders, and additional invited guests. Attendees enjoyed live music performances and dancing along with complimentary foods and beverages.

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San Francisco Pride Parade 2022

Photos by Rink

San Francisco’s Pride Parade returned to Market Street on Sunday, June 26, after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Dykes on Bikes®, led by President Kate Brown and Vice President Pam Q, launched the start of the event with the powerful roar of their contingent's engines at 10:30 am followed by dozens of cyclists.

This year's parade, marking the 52nd year of the annual Pride tradition in San Francisco, was watched by hundreds of thousands of spectators and included more than 200 contingents. They included the SF Pride Board of Directors “Resistance” contingent; elected officials, including Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi; the 2022 Parade Grand Marshals; LGBTQ nonprofits; and representatives from businesses of all sizes.

San Francisco Bay Times columnist Donna Sachet served as co-anchor for the live broadcast of the parade by ABC7. SF Pride hosted a VIP Party at the Asian Art Museum. The annual Pride Festival included entertainment stages, food and beverage vendors, and exhibitor booths offering information and merchandise for sale. https://sfpride.org/

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Gary Virginia & Donna Sachet's Pride Brunch 2022

Photos by Rink

The 24th annual Pride Brunch, hosted by Gary Virginia and Donna Sachet, returned for a sell-out in-person event on Saturday, June 25, at the Westin St. Francis on Union Square. The San Francisco Bay Times is proud to be the longtime media sponsor of the event, which raises funds for PRC. Highlights of 2022's Brunch included an address given by Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, just days after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. She spoke about that and other issues, including LGBTQ rights and the fact that she has a transgender relative. Listen to her remarks here: https://tinyurl.com/2u8fdwzy Grand Marshals bringing remarks from the dais included Vinny Eng, Amber Gray, Melanie DeMore, and Amy Schneider. PRC Executive Director Brett Andrews spoke on behalf of the organization.

There was a silent auction, and San Francisco Bay Times columnist and television/radio personality Liam Mayclem conducted a live auction that included exotic getaways and a one-of-a-kind painting of Virginia and Sachet by artist Thomasina DeMaio, who was at the event.

Vocalist Carly Ozard raised the roof with a powerful version of the Streisand Broadway hit "Before the Parade Passes By." Also center stage were flaggers Fiona Davidson and Jouke Lanning, Hula hoop artist MissConception (Sara Nicole Glass) additionally performed, as did Sachet, who elegantly worked the room at the end of the Brunch that featured a gourmet three-course meal and handcrafted floral decorations at each table.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOANIE JUSTER

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s promised, San Francisco celebrated LGBTQ+ Pride with a Parade up Market Street, a party in Civic Center afterwards, and more Pride-related events than we can possibly describe in this short missive. Ever your dedicated servant, however, we shall do our best.

“If you wait for inspiration, you’ll be standing on the corner after the parade is a mile down the street.”

– Ben Nicholas

June’s Divas & Drinks at The Academy turned into a celebration of Carolyn Wysinger, President of SF Pride’s Board of Directors, who was looking forward to her first full-fledged Pride Parade as President. She arrived at the front door in a snazzy convertible chauffeured by Betty Sullivan and Jennifer Viegas and led by an entourage of Dykes on Bikes®. Once inside, she was greeted by a gaggle of supporters from near and far and even led Team SF Pride to victory in the Name That Tune competition! JaCoree Prothro sang soulfully. Suzanne Ford, Interim Executive Director of SF Pride; and Imani Rupert Gordon, Executive Director of NCLR; spoke glowingly. Schuyler Hudak presented a certificate from Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis. Supervisor Rafael Mandelman also gave a certificate of honor, and ABC7’s Dion Lim spoke and introduced Pao Crego, Executive Director of the SF Office of Transgender Initiatives. Does it get any better than this? Evidently, yes, since Mona Webb, by special personal request from Carolyn, then topped off her tribute with poetic spoken word that had the outdoor garden silent, thoughtful, and amazed. Carolyn, we hope you felt the love!

Friday, June 24, was a night of quiet preparation for many for the big weekend ahead, but not for all. We were happy to reunite with our Emperor Brian Benamati and his husband Tony Onorati, visiting from Portland, Oregon, for a Pride mixer at The Academy for Tony’s employer Deloitte. This was a big step for his company and the group felt acknowledged, appreciated, and proud. That was followed by an intimate evening with this humble columnist ensconced in the upstairs piano room of The Academy with Russell Deason creating a magical mood.

We shared a few anecdotes, a couple of little-known stories, and even an occasional song, as old friends and new listened intently, including Mark Pretscher, John Newmeyer, and Doug Waggener. From big splashy events using all three floors of the space to more personal gatherings like this, we find The Academy a wonderful place to spend time and enrich friendships.

Surely you’ve heard by now that Gary Virginia & Donna Sachet’s 24th annual Pride Brunch the next day at the Westin St. Francis Hotel was a smashing success! As guests entered, they were greeted by Deana Dawn and Diva D, dressed in homage to the legendary Brown Twins, in front of a gleaming step-and-repeat backdrop and quickly surrounded by Korbel sparkling wine bar, Tito’s Handmade Vodka bar, and beautifully displayed silent and live auction presentations. Inside the ballroom, Sparky’s balloons abounded, adorable floral centerpieces designed by CoCo Butter dressed up each table, and nearly 400 guests gathered, a 24-year record crowd, as flaggers, dancers, and a caricaturist engaged their attention.

Rather than a buffet, this year’s 3-course gourmet brunch was served and, from all reports, delighted everyone.

Friday, July 29 Divas & Drinks: iHeartSummer Bay Times party w/Donna Sachet, DJ Christie James Bacardí cocktails, tasty nibbles Name That Tune competition The Academy, 2166 Market Street 6–10 pm $10 www.academy-sf.com Sunday, July 31 Up Your Alley 2022 Notorious Street Fair 11 am–6 pm Free! www.folsomstreet.org Sunday, July 31 PLAY T-Dance Brian Kent Productions & ptyronepresents DJ Russ Rich 1015 Folsom Street 6 pm–1 am $55–65 www.eventbrite.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF DONNA SACHET

The program began as DJ Jimmy Strano played “Love Is in the Air,” the theme for this year’s Pride Brunch. PRC CEO Brett Andrews spoke briefly before introducing State Senator Scott Wiener. Much to the surprise of many in the room, we then introduced Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi! Her passionate rebuke of the recent Supreme Court reversal was balanced by a compassionate rally for action and pledge of continued support for the LGBTQ+ Community. Looking back on that morning, it is hard to believe that she had been on every television station at a D.C. press conference the day before, spent over an hour with us, greeting guests, enjoying brunch, and speaking to our attendees, rode proudly in the SF Pride Parade the next day, and then flew to Rome late Sunday to meet with Pope Francis at The Vatican for Holy Communion. This is truly one special lady!

The ABC7 anchors team on site at the San Francisco Pride Parade on Sunday, June 26 As always, the program featured remarks from the Grand Marshals of the SF Pride Parade and Grand Marshals Amber Gray, Vinny Eng, and Melanie DeMore, and extraordinary crew supported our efforts and seemed Lifetime Achievement Grand Marshal Andrea Horne, and Celebrity genuinely proud to be a part of this experience. As Grand Marshal Amy Schneider of Jeopardy! fame each gave our audiwith any change of networks and with the shortened ence heartfelt words of encouragement, resilience, and hope. In the midtime to prepare, there were challenges along the way, dle of the event, singer Carly Ozard stunned the room with her vocal but the professionalism and energy of all involved talents and auctioneer Liam Mayclem of Liam’s List, KCBS, KPIX, ensured a great day. After an absence of two years, and the Bay Times handily auctioned off a Sonoma weekend stay, a week the rumble of the approaching Dykes on Bikes® was at a gorgeous private hacienda in Puerto Vallarta, and a nearly lifeemotionally charged. As favorite groups and individusized oil portrait of the hosts created by artist Thomasina DeMaio. als paraded by, their joy and pride was palpable. And You read that right. Thomasina generously donated a spectacular the faces of the crowds, four and five-deep along the work of art that captured the spirit of Gary and us that then sold route, spoke volumes about what the SF Pride Parade to the highest bidder. Needless to say, the generosity of the crowd means to this city. We applaud everyone at SF Pride, was humbling. When all was said and done, from auction bids, especially the leadership of Carolyn Wysinger and beneficent sponsors, VIP and regular ticket buyers, and othSuzanne Ford, for optimistically charging ahead and ers, we raised nearly $73,000 for our beneficiary PRC, doing delivering just what we had been waiting for. Once life-changing work in San Francisco. This will be an event again, the resilience and determination of our comlong talked about and hard to match next year for Gary munity shone through.

Virginia & Donna Sachet’s 25th annual Pride Brunch!

Afterwards, we joined Michael Loftis & Erik Don’t miss it!

Nickel at the VIP Party at the Asian Art Museum.

You know we couldn’t go all weekend without This new location established a refreshing and welsome time on a dance floor so we headed to The come vibe with gentle music, cold drinks and air, Midway Saturday night for the big XOXO and ample seating. Alas, the pace of the prior weeks party. Thousands of men were treated to fanwas finally catching up with us and we missed for the tastic lighting effects, pulsating music, and first time in ages Juanita MORE!’s legendary Pride each other for a different kind of Pride celParty and perhaps a few other events that are your ebration. We enjoyed just enough before favorites. By Sunday night, we listlessly returned to retiring for the night to prepare for the our sweet little puppy Peanut, who may not underlong-awaited Pride Parade the next stand what Pride means to us, but who offers us such day. nonjudgmental and unconditional love that there is ABC7 stepped in this year as the no better place to end up. Sure, we regaled her with television partner and we joined stories of our many adventures during the week, the Reggie Aqui, Drew Tuma, people we met, the events we attended, the causes we Michael Tate, and Pearl Teese to (continued on page 22) co-anchor SF Pride Parade 2022. An PHOTO BY SHAWN NORTHCUTT

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

A City at Work

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 first and only LGBTQ newspaper in San Francisco to be named a Legacy Business, recognizing that it is a longstanding, community-serving business that is a valuable cultural asset to the city.

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

Beth Greene, Michael Delgado, John Signer, 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 Distribution

Juan R. Davila Volunteer Coordinator CONTRIBUTORS Writers Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Patrick Carney, Carolyn Wysinger, Leslie Sbrocco, Heather Freyer, Kate Kendell, Heidi Beeler, Gary M. Kramer, Joanie Juster, Julie Peri, Jennifer Kroot, Robert Holgate, Eduardo Morales, Dennis McMillan, Tim Seelig, John Chen, Rafael Mandelman, Tabitha Parent, Jewelle Gomez, Phil Ting, Rebecca Kaplan, Leslie Katz, Philip Ruth, Bill Lipsky, Elisa Quinzi, Liam Mayclem, Karen Williams, Donna Sachet, Gary Virginia, Zoe Dunning, Derek Barnes, Marcy Adelman, Jan Wahl, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Brandon Miller, Jamie Leno Zimron, Michele Karlsberg, Randy Coleman, Debra Walker, Howard Steiermann, Andrea Shorter, Lou Fischer, Brett Andrews, David Landis Photographers Rink, Phyllis Costa, Jane Higgins Paul Margolis, Chloe Jackman, Bill Wilson, Jo-Lynn Otto, Sandy Morris, Abby Zimberg, Joanie Juster, Darryl Pelletier, Vincent Marcel ADVERTISING Display Advertising Standard Rate Cards http://sfbaytimes.com/ or 415-503-1375 Custom ad sizes are available. Ads are reviewed by the publishers.

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

Social Philanthropreneur Derek Barnes Recently, I had a little time on my hands and engaged in a 12+ hour Oakland City Council meeting. The agenda was packed with many resolutions councilmembers needed to hear, debate, and ultimately vote on in a single session. A few items were highly complex and controversial policies with enormous economic impacts on the city. Councilmembers also heard a few critical resolutions for the first time.

While listening, I was particularly challenged by a few areas and shocked by how local government works or isn’t working for us. I witnessed Oakland City Council at work and members’ interpersonal dynamics. It would be a fascinating case study at some point. For now, I’d like to share my observations for those who rarely get a glimpse into the business of government policymaking and all of its “sausage-making.” It’s probably worth noting that important distinctions are evident in policymaking at the city, county, state, and federal levels. But the “sausage-making” at the local level can be wildly profound.

Nearly every day, I look at the magnificent structure of City Hall at

Frank Ogawa Plaza from my living room window. While in the virtual City Council meeting, staring at City Hall, I wondered when it will be fully occupied and active again doing the people’s work. Now, it stands eerily majestic, vacant, and desolate, with no signs of life except the surrounding encampments, people without shelter seeking refuge, and derelict activities that OPD doesn’t regularly monitor.

With a stabilized economy and the county having lifted its mask mandate in June, it’s time for our elected officials to return to their public offices at City Hall, where residents can meet with them once again.

During the marathon meeting, I also had this overwhelming feeling that many councilmembers don’t think they need to engage all of their constituents. Perhaps that’s strategic. Learning more about the city’s problems from different perspectives wasn’t necessary—rising crime, the housing crisis, increased addiction and drug use, and more homelessness.

Teleconferencing and Zoom video meetings are convenient modes of communication, but certainly not the best method for sharing and ideation.

Engaging with people in virtual environments that limit the other senses we need to make good decisions and deliver judgment is difficult. It’s even more challenging when half the members of City Council don’t have their cameras turned on—usually the same repeat offenders. It’s rude and disrespectful to their colleagues who are visibly engaged and to the public who are showing up to provide comments.

When constituents can’t see or interact directly with their elected officials, it creates a real barrier to access, and that shouldn’t be the

Problem identification, asking the right questions, and getting the right people around the table are essential for good policymaking and solutionsdriven action. City leaders already know the problems in many areas, but aren’t willing to take risks politically to do what’s right to ensure long-term success. For example, the city auditor may do an excellent job bringing many issues and recommendations to the attention of city councilmembers, the mayor, and department leaders. However, action

Who holds our public officials accountable for the lack of stakeholder involvement they engage in and the flawed or bad policies they create as a result? The real impact of important legislation and key policies won’t be seen or felt for years, even decades. The reality is that many of their authors and supporters will be long gone or have moved on to other elevated positions if they are politically ambitious.

Historically, the media has been a reliable gatekeeper to hold our elected officials accountable. But the industry has contracted so much over the decades that good journalism isn’t often available to us locally—especially dealing with complex topics like housing, education, crime, and economic development. Today, reporters don’t have the resources or the attention span to go deep on issues to uncover the truth with facts and getting all sides of the story. The shortterm gains of clickbait news are an easier payoff. Reporters will exploit the tensions between groups because it will always make good headlines and get the needed impressions for advertisers.

To solve big 21st-century challenges, cities like Oakland and San Francisco need extraordinary and courageous public servants, not more people vying for political power. We need empathic leaders who are transformative and can disrupt the systems that are failing us. For all the taxes and fees collected to employ city personnel, what value are city services delivering to all of its residents and businesses? Who’s accountable for (continued on page 22)

Johnny Hedges passed away on the afternoon of June 26, 2022, at his home in Palm Springs, California. He spent his final day hanging out with his husband of 52 years, Gerry McBride, and their longtime Sunday-fun-day friends.

Johnny Hedges In 1972, Johnny and Gerry moved from Cleveland, Ohio, to San Francisco, where they lived a super social life for decades that exceeded all their Midwest dreams. Johnny consulted with Marty Blecman for Fantasy Records on the production and re-mix for gender-bending pioneer and disco icon Sylvester, producing hits including “You Make Johnny Hedges with Lucy Arnaz me Feel (Mighty Real)” and “Dance Disco Heat.” When Sylvester moved to Megatone Records, Johnny contributed to multiple hits on the “All I Need” album including “Don’t Stop,” “Do You Wanna Funk,” and “Hard Up.” In 2019, “You Make Me Feel” was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry in the category of songs that are “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

Johnny Hedges was the Producer of Carols Across America, a fundraising project that raised $10,000 for the AIDS Emergency Fund, Breast Cancer Emergency Fund, and PRC in 2014. The album was Co-Produced by Gary Virginia and featured 14 holiday songs by the many friends of Hedges. The first track, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," was an instrumental arrangement by the Johnny Hedges Orchestra. The cover art and design were by local artist Nicholas Mills.

Billboard magazine named “Johnny Disco,” as Mr. Hedges was known, among the nation’s top Disco DJs in 1976, when he was blowing up the dance floors at all the biggest clubs in San Francisco.

Later, Johnny was a resident DJ at Daddy’s bar (now 440 Castro) for many years before retiring.

Johnny Hedges and Megan Mullally

Having spent virtually zero days apart in their half-century together, the couple made the move to Palm Springs in 2009. So many of their friends made the same southern migration that the social group of their youth has been almost entirely reconstituted, trading fog and bay for sunshine and pool parties. It was another great fit for them.

A celebration of life will be held Sunday, July 24, at 2 pm at Wiefels Mortuary, 690 S. Vella Road, Palm Springs, CA, 92264. Join us to share love, laughter, music, and toast to the passion that John shared so prolifically; casual attire.

Johnny Hedges and Gerry McBride

© 2022 Bay Times Media Company Co-owned by Betty L. Sullivan & Jennifer L. Viegas

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Finally, I observed little to no performance accountability, program monitoring, or continuous improvement systems in many city department reports. There wasn’t clear or accurate information delivered to City Council from city staff. Not being subject matter experts, councilmembers didn’t always know the right questions to ask either. The lack of data was apparent in areas providing city services connected to human resources, public safety, housing, building, and permitting. Lack of accountability is a predictable outcome when there’s a lack of defined success measures, little application of uniform standards, no consistent planning and program development framework, and an underlying culture of non-compliance—doing our own thing, our way.

and solutions fall into the abyss of city bureaucracy and apathy.

IN MEMORIAM: Legendary DJ and Music Producer Johnny ‘Disco’ Hedges

CALENDAR Submit events for consideration by e-mail to: calendar@sfbaytimes.com

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case for those in public service.

It also contributes to the divide between the inaccessible elite (those holding power) and everyone else.

Opportunities to connect and converse with the wide array of voters and constituents should excite and motivate all city leaders, even when tensions and emotions are high. If it doesn’t, they should look for other jobs that are less dependent upon listening to and uniting the public.

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Donna Sachet, Gerry McBride, and Johnny Hedges at 440 Castro

(Special thanks to former SF Pride President Gary Virginia for his help with this piece. Virginia is also the Founder of the social/charitable club Krewe de Kinque and is the Co-Host of the annual Pride Brunch. A longtime friend of Johnny Hedges, Virginia worked with him on a number of fundraisers.)

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San Francisco Pride Festival 2022 Accompanying the return of the annual SF Pride Parade in 2022 was the Pride Festival located at the Civic Center and adjacent streets. Entertainment stages featured headliners including disco diva Martha Wash at the Main Stage in front of City Hall, and multiple dance stages nearby. Festival goers enjoyed dressing for the occasion and posing for photos, in addition to visiting exhibit booths located throughout the festival grounds.

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https://sfpride.org/

San Franicsco Bay Times Exhibit Booth

PHOTO BY LETICIA LOPEZ

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PHOTO BY LETICIA LOPEZ

PHOTO COURTESY OF JUAN R. DAVILA

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The Pride Festival 2022 San Francisco Bay Times exhibit booth, with a team coordinated by Juan R. Davila, was visited by hundreds of Pride Festival participants. During the two days of the festival, visitors stopped by for information, to pick up copies of the Pride 2022 commemorative issue, to receive goodie bags, and more. Thanks to Juan and his team for making this all possible and for adding their positive energy to the memorable weekend.

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MILLER (continued from pg 10)

ROSTOW (continued from page 6) Finally, one of Paul’s points is that the far right and the far left are both in the business of “erasing” women. This is a false equivalency. The far right is actively and viciously attacking women.

The far left is playing with semantics in an effort to be helpful and kind.

in America,” which go on to describe places at random with no criteria or explanation of ranking. Whitefish, Montana! Carmel by the Sea! Galena, Illinois! Say, what? Why? And who would bother to read these useless presentations? Oh, wait.

Kill Me Now

Lesbians Behaving Badly

I’ve just spent some quality time reviewing the animal in each state most likely to kill you, one of those listicles that obliges you to repeatedly hit “Next.”

In Florida, the most dangerous animal is a mosquito, which is not an animal.

Period. It is a bug. You may as well list “the Coronavirus” as “the animal most likely to kill you” somewhere.

Moving on, my deepest thanks to loyal reader Jon Lowe, who forwarded a Guardian story out of Taiwan from last March. It seems a 24-year-old lesbian named Yang decided to have her girlfriend kidnapped, stuffed in a suitcase, thrown in the trunk of a car, and driven to the local marriage licensing office where she, Yang, would suddenly appear and propose. According to her plan, the two of them would then get married and live happily ever after. What could go wrong?

Several states list “deer” as the most dangerous animal, due to traffic accidents. I also object to this, since you are not killed by the deer, but by your careless driving. And another handful, including my wife’s home state of Kansas, cite “cows,” thanks to various accidents in the slaughterhouses. Again, these tragedies don’t make cows dangerous. I invested time and brain power in this listicle in order to read about scary animals, not learn about industrial fatalities or car crashes.

Dogs are the prime offenders in many states, which makes sense, but fails to provide much of a frisson. At least California has rattlesnakes at the top of the list, truly a worthy and frightening adversary for human beings. But North Carolina ranks fire ants as the top killer.

Like mosquitos, fire ants aren’t animals in my mind. But how the hell does a fire ant kill you? At lease mosquitos can give you some deadly disease. According to the commentary: “While fire ant bites are not usually deadly, they do have the potential to send the victim into shock, which can sometimes be fatal.” Really?

Something that has the potential to put you in a situation that can sometimes be fatal cannot possibly be the thing most likely to kill you in the state. Surely North Carolina has some rabid dogs or aggressive cows.

By the time we get to Oklahoma, the listicle jumps the shark, suggesting that “tigers” are the animal most likely to kill you in the Sooner State because they escape from zoos. I’m sorry, but I could not continue reading after this blatant piece of disinformation. A Google search informs us that the real villains in Oklahoma include black bears, feral hogs, and a variety of snakes. Tigers are not mentioned.

Who writes these dumb lists anyway?

It’s like the lists of “best small towns

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Yang hired two teenaged boys to catch girlfriend, Huang, by surprise in her apartment early one morning. The guys, who had advertised on a part-time job app, agreed to proceed for 4,000 Taiwan dollars apiece, or about $150 each. Easy money, right? Sure enough, they managed to subdue Huang, get her into the case and get the case into the trunk, and drive over to the office. Since the office wasn’t open, the boys hung around waiting in the parking lot of a supermarket, where Yang joined them. Rather than release Huang, however, they all apparently cooled their heels, at which point Huang escaped from the suitcase (that they had left partially unzipped for her safety) and managed to open the trunk and jump out screaming. A cop was passing by and promptly arrested the men, while Yang ran away.

Eventually, Yang came forward to explain the mix-up, and prosecutors determined that indeed the whole affair was an elaborate romantic scheme gone awry and dropped the charges. It’s not clear whether or not Huang agreed to get married after this debacle, but I can see it going either way.

Let’s conclude with an alert from One Million Moms, the American Family Association watchdog that more likely consists of half a dozen moms. (I have no idea, really.)

“Mattel announced its launch of the first transgender Barbie doll as part of its #TRANSISBEAUTIFUL Tribute Collection, modeled after the Orange Is the New Black actor and LGBTQ activist Laverne Cox,” the Moms inform us.

“Mattel created a Barbie in his likeness (sic), wearing a red, sheer evening gown with a faux leather strapless top, a tulle skirt, and a sparkly silver bodysuit underneath. The Laverne Cox doll promotes cross-dressing and glorifies the transgender lifestyle. Mattel has created a toy glorifying gender inclusivity while ignoring one’s biological sex.”

I hadn’t heard about the Laverne Cox Barbie, but she sounds fabulous, doesn’t she? I was kind of impressed with the detail of the Moms’ press release, even quoting Cox, who thanked Mattel “for this moment for the trans and LGBTQ+ community in truly challenging times, particularly for trans kids. I am deeply honored and hope that this doll will be a beacon of hope and possibility for fans of Barbie and beyond of all ages.”

The Moms were not impressed with Cox’s gracious comments. “It is outrageous that a toy company is marketing and normalizing gender dysphoria to young children,” they wrote. “Parents who are not already aware of the company’s agenda, please be forewarned: Children are being ‘groomed’ by Mattel trans Barbie dolls under the disguise of playtime.”

They continued, “Now, parents will have to deal with the confusion experienced by their children when these inappropriate dolls are seen on store shelves such as Walmart, Target, and other stores that sell Barbie dolls.”

I was unable to confirm this story through any other press reports, which made me think twice about passing it on. But then again, the Guardian is a reputable source and I want it to be true. It’s been so long since we’ve encountered the peculiar profile that justifies a “Lesbians Behaving Badly” headline. The passion, the obsession, the insanity that only a crazy lesbian can bring to a relationship.

May it not be the last exemplar.

Do you really think small children will be “confused” when they encounter a doll dressed in a sparkly silver bodysuit and a tulle skirt? Do you think the Laverne Cox doll is presented as a biological male? What do the children think about Ken and GI Joe who, as far as I know, don’t have anything between their legs but smooth plastic? Do the little boys wonder what happened to them? What does Mom tell the little guy when he asks why GI Joe doesn’t have a wee wee? Did he have a combat injury?

Talk about difficult conversations in the Walmart toy aisle.

Hello Dolly

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into directly. As always please remember investing involves risk and possible loss of principal capital; please seek advice from a licensed professional.

Brio Financial Group is a registered investment adviser. SEC Registration does not constitute an endorsement of Brio by the SEC nor does it indicate that Brio has attained a particular level of skill or ability. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Brio Financial Group and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. No advice may be rendered by Brio Financial Group unless a client service agreement is in place.

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

GREENE (continued from pg 10) Statements In Compliance with California Rules of Professional Conduct: The materials in this article have been prepared by Jay Greene for educational purposes only and are not legal advice. This information does not create an attorney-client relationship. Individuals should consult with an estate planning and elder law attorney for up-to-date information for their individual plans.

Jay Greene, Esq., CPA, is the founder of Greene Estate, Probate & Elder Law Firm based in San Francisco, and is focused on helping LGBT individuals, couples, and families plan for their future, protect their assets, and preserve their wealth. To learn more and to schedule an appointment, visit https://assetprotectionbayarea.com/

BARNES (continued from pg 20) what’s not working and for fixing poorly constructed policies?

For those aspiring to be in public service as an elected official, these are some of the leadership questions you will need to answer for all of your voter constituencies. For concerned and engaged citizens, find some time to participate in a city council meeting to exercise another form of philanthropy. Your voice and your vote matter. They have the power to transform communities.

Derek Barnes is the CEO of the East Bay Rental Housing Association ( www.EBRHA.com ). He currently serves on the boards of Horizons Foundation and Homebridge CA. Follow him on Twitter @DerekBarnesSF or on Instagram at DerekBarnes.SF

DONNA (continued from pg 19) supported, and the outrageous fun we had, but Peanut was just happy to curl up together again and command my complete attention. That’s a wrap!

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

San Francisco Gay Flag Football League Wins Both on the Field and Off

Sports John Chen The San Francisco Gay Flag Football League (SFGFFL) completed one of its most successful seasons in Spring 2022 that included several league events and fundraisers at The Detour, and an on the field Wig Day. Team G-Spot defeated Adios MFs for the championship in a thrilling final that came down to a winner take all, dramatic last play in front of a boisterous crowd of fans, friends, and family members.

SFGFFL will return to action this coming fall for another fun and exciting season. For more information, please visit SFGFFL on Facebook and Instagram and http://sfgffl.leagueapps.com/ John Chen, a UCLA alumnus and an avid sports fan, has competed as well as coached tennis, volleyball, softball, and football teams.

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2022)

The San Francisco Jewish Film Festival 42!

Sarah Botstein, and moderated by Michael Krasny. Burns is a documentarian extraordinaire. He has edited down for this event a series he is doing on the U.S. reaction to the Holocaust. It includes a look into the American roots of Nazi sympathizers.

Off the Wahl Jan Wahl Judgement at Nuremberg, with Judy Garland and Montgomery Clift killing it as survivors of Nazi cruelty. The Sorrow and the Pity, a documentary spectacular about France’s vicious Vichy government. Gentleman’s Agreement, reminding us that sometimes antisemitism is at its worst not with brownshirts or the Klan, but via a quiet evil of exclusion. From the terrifying imagination of Jojo Rabbit to the murder in Crossfire, movies with a Jewish subtext or theme have been powerful reminders of injustices that could happen again.

That brings us to one of the festival films I’ve already previewed: 10 Questions for Henry Ford.

This feature length documentary confirms and illuminates a littleknown fact that my mother would tell me about when I was growing up. Henry Ford was a virulent anti Semite who invented the Model T but also inspired Hitler and the Third Reich. Through archival documents and his own diary, we see into the man who might have owned

the world, but hated Jews more than anybody this side of Hitler himself. I am glad this story is finally being told.

Lexi Leban is a film producer and the Executive Director of the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. She recently told me for the San Francisco Bay Times: “We have 71 films, an all-time high. Short programs, tributes, documentaries, animation, experimental and features. We go for transcendent experiences, radiant truths, sometimes upending narratives.”

“This has been a wonderful festival over the years,” she added. “We gave an award to Kirk Douglas, did an important retrospective on the Hollywood Blacklist, our Israeli series Prisoners of War became the American hit Homeland,

and [there were] so many others.”

This year, Lexi has her favorites. “Bernstein’s Wall is the story of Leonard Bernstein, but not his music as much as his hidden gay identity,” she said. “Brilliant and way ahead of her time feminist rebel Andrea Dworkin provides us with a deep dive into her maverick thinking and intellectual genius. We all need laughter and escapism.”

“Opening night’s Karaoke is perfect, about an older couple who finds joy and sexuality in a surprising way,” she continued. “A local film, Holding Moses, tells of a queer woman who gives birth to a son using butoh dance, using it to push through a traumatic version of motherhood.”

“Closing night is Let it Be Morning, by an Israeli and Palestinian filmmaker,” she shared.

“Sergei Loznitsa’s Babi Yar uses archival footage, but produces modern relevant questions, reminding us that art and compassion have no boundaries.

Our trusty San Francisco Jewish Film Festival comes along July 21 through August 7 with amazing foreign and domestic films, tributes, and documentaries at the Castro Theatre and the Albany East Bay. I’ll definitely be at the Castro on July 25 for the special preview of The U.S. and the Holocaust, featuring filmmakers Ken Burns, Lynn Novick, and

Charm Circle is somewhat evocative of Grey Gardens, a cinema verité look at a mentally challenged family.”

Thank you to Lexi and her team for reminding us that movies are powerful: changing thoughts, minds, and hearts. See you at the festival! https://jfi.org/sfjff-2022 Jan Wahl is a Hollywood historian, film critic on various broadcast outlets, and has her own YouTube channel series, “Jan Wahl Showbiz.”

She has two Emmys and many awards for her longtime work on behalf of film buffs and the LGBTQ community. Contact her at www.janwahl.com

Bay Area Filmmaker Debuts New Documentary on Andrea Dworkin rape, issues of racial discrimination, and the way pornography exploits and hurts women.

With My Name Is Andrea, Parmar reminds viewers of Dworkin’s legacy and how ahead of her time she was.

Parmar recently spoke with me for the San Francisco Bay Times about her new documentary.

Film Gary M. Kramer Andrea Dworkin was an outspoken writer and radical feminist who was outraged by how women are treated in society. Bay Area lesbian filmmaker Pratibha Parmar’s documentary My Name Is Andrea showcases Dworkin’s words and ideas about women’s rights and gender equality using archival footage, personal letters, and the author’s published writings. Many scenes feature actors, including Andrea Riseborough and Christine Lahti, reading Dworkin’s text, or portraying scenes from her life.

The film shows how the impassioned Dworkin, who is full of righteous anger, was ahead of her time—especially in her thinking about women speaking out about violence and

Gary M. Kramer: How did you first discover Andrea Dworkin and what sparked you to start this project?

Pratibha Parmar: A producer in London said they were interested in making a doc on Andrea Dworkin and asked if I would consider directing it. I’d heard of her, but I didn’t know much about her except the anti-pornography phase of her life. I read her books, Heartbreak, the memoir, and Mercy, and honestly, the two books and the words on the page and their tone of her words and what she was saying was poetry. It was passionate and powerful. I just thought, I didn’t know this Andrea Dworkin!

pure fiction; it has Andrea throughout. Given that Dworkin is no longer alive, I had a certain freedom. I had her books, TV appearances, and archival radio interviews. I thought I’d have other voices and audio interviews with other people. And then I decided I didn’t even want that. I just wanted audiences to find a visceral connection to Andrea’s words and experiences and see the foundational moments in this writer’s life. Both in terms of her personal experiences of sexual assaults, but also her political, cultural, and social formation as an intellectual. She was in touch with Huey Newton, and they had a correspondence. This was one of the

surprising things I learned about this radical feminist that people had monsterized. Why was she monsterized?

Gary M. Kramer: Can you talk about incorporating actors reading Dworkin’s work, or recreating episodes from her life?

Pratibha Parmar: I wanted the episodes to be dramatizations rather than recreations.

Dramatizations were about the here and now to make you feel when Andrea (Andrea Riseborough) is being hit by (continued on page 26)

Pratibha Parmar

My Name Is Andrea

Gary M. Kramer: How did you decide on the approach you took with the film?

Pratibha Parmar: I wasn’t interested in the traditional biography. I’d seen Todd Haynes’ I’m Not There, but this was different because it is not S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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San Francisco Jewish Film Festival 42 KRAMER (continued from page 25) her husband. I wanted the dramatization to be the interiority of experience. I wanted it to speak to women’s experiences now about domestic violence, and rape and protest and anger and rage—things that women feel. I wanted it to be contemporized, so that Andrea’s life is not fixed in some kind of historical cement. She is so prescient in so much of what she’s saying. Her book Right-Wing Women predicted Republican women being responsible for Roe v. Wade being overturned. There is also a way in which she was me too before the #MeToo movement. When she was writing about domestic violence, it was taboo—no one spoke about it at that time. For me, she is this woman whom awful things happened to, she picked herself up, and came back fighting. She allowed all of that to inform her writing and speaking.

Gary M. Kramer: Can you talk about Dworkin having the courage of her convictions to address difficult topics, and inspiring folks to pay attention to inequality?

Pratibha Parmar: Her anti-pornography civil ordinance was seen as a lightning rod for the feminist movement at the time. She was characterized as being anti-sex. She was not anti-sex; she was anti-pornography for women who were forced into it, and she was against the corporate structures that profited off women’s bodies. I deliberately put in the scene with Andrea Riseborough [as Dworkin] writing about her pain and pleasure threshold with her husband in Amsterdam. It was erotic, sexual writing. She was a sensual woman and into sex. And she lived with John Stoltenberg, an openly gay man, and they had a sexual life, according to him. This mischaracterization of her being anti-sex didn’t resonate when I read her work or looked at her life.

The other major thing was her size, her obesity. She was characterized as this ugly, fat lesbian—even though she was not a lesbian—and a loudmouth, Jewish woman with unkept hair. All the stereotypes. Dworkin was saying, “Accept me. Read my books, my work, engage with my ideas. Don’t talk about how I look, or if I washed my hair. You don’t do that with male writers, so why are you doing that with me?”

Gary M. Kramer: Dworkin spoke out about being raped (and drugged and raped) as well as being battered by her first husband. She also said those episodes caused her to My Name Is Andrea

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“lose her voice.” Can you discuss that?

Pratibha Parmar: Andrea talked about being silenced or being mute when certain things happened. I wanted to show how she came to speech and found words to speak about what happened to her and give that to other women. That was important to me. I was thinking about the whole circus of misogyny around Amber Heard and her trial.

[Heard] wrote something about abuse without mentioning Johnny Depp, and she was penalized for just speaking out. It’s sending a message to women: do not speak about abuse, because they saw what happened to Amber Heard. It’s a continuing war on women and women’s agency.

Gary M. Kramer: There are discussions seen in the film that suggest Dworkin was misguided at times. She was a rather controversial figure.

She really only always wanted respect, but that was often elusive for her. Why do you think that was?

Pratibha Parmar: Part of it was her refusal to capitulate to cultural norms in terms of femininity. One of the things Andrea said was that every movement needs someone who looks right, speaks right, dresses right, and walks into a room to speak to people in the right way. But the movement also needs the bottom line because it pushes the center. She saw herself as the bottom line. Her radical ideas were pushed to shift the center and demand equality. She wanted women to be seen as equal.

Why are women compared to men where men are fully human, and women are subservient? Andrea did not come in an acceptable package.

Yet, the poetry of her words and the incisiveness of her voice and intellect were unparalleled.

My Name Is Andrea will screen at 5:25 pm on July 23 at the Castro Theater as part of the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. The filmmaker will participate in a post-screening Q&A. For more information and to purchase tickets: https://tinyurl.com/2p965ypz © 2022 Gary M. Kramer Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the co-editor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.”

Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer

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Critically Acclaimed Deal with the Dragon Is More Provocative Now Than Ever Photos: Ben Krantz Studio

Kevin Rolston creates a complex world—dark, funny, and completely unpredictable—in Deal with the Dragon, a genuine tour de force.

As the title suggests, Rolston’s play is the result of his own journey to face his desires and demons, discovering in the process that these lurk within each and every one of us.

Hailed as “truly bravura” by Edinburgh Guide, audiences are in for a thrill ride in the meticulously written and artfully performed production. “Deal with the Dragon gave me

more after-the-fact pleasure than any other play this year,” declared KQED Arts’ John Wilkins. “This show burrowed into my mind.” Named one of six “singular and brilliant theater pieces” of 2016 by KQED Arts, Rolston’s free-wheeling fantasy is an invitation into a strangely captivating, thought-provoking realm that will surely get under the audience’s skin. SF Weekly described Rolston’s gripping performance as “infused with razor blades that have been soaked in honey.”

Rolston transforms into three intriguing characters in Deal with the Dragon: Hunter, an insecure artist desperate to land a gallery show at a prestigious museum; Brenn, the acolyte who will stop at nothing to protect the artist’s process; and Gandy, a flamboyant rival competing for the same museum slot. Rolston shapeshifts between the captivating personalities in a rollicking back and forth sharply directed by (and developed with) M. Graham Smith.

From sardonic tirades by Gandy to Brenn’s ominous inner monologues, Rolston’s sublime acting unfurls a cunning grown-up fairytale laced with terror in Deal with the Dragon.

Deftly staged and exquisitely acted, Deal with the Dragon was selected as one of the top 20 theater shows—out of 900—to see at the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe. “The play, in some sense, was inspired

Kevin Rolston (pictured) stars in Deal with the Dragon, the critically acclaimed solo show coming to Magic Theatre July 22-August 13, 2022.

by this book I read,” says Rolston.

He’s referring to an empowering book that has changed the public discourse on gay culture, clinical psychologist Alan Downs’ The Velvet Rage.

“It’s all about the rage that comes from shame,” he explains.

In the book, Downs outlines the stages of a gay man’s journey out of shame, offering practical advice and strategies to halt the cycle of avoidance and self-defeating behavior.

When Rolston first started writing the play and performing it, he says, “I was writing it for gay men of a certain age or older. What was delightful is that I got surprised. It’s not that narrow. Turns out everyone can identify with self-defeating behavior.”

the Bay Area for his second play. “It was amazing,” he says. “I got to go around and gather the oral histories of all these LGBTQ+ senior citizens, and then we wove a show together.

In a way, that process is what led me to do this play. Like ‘okay, I’m ready to go inside and look at my own demons.’”

Revised from previous outings, Deal with the Dragon will enjoy a limited run July 22–August 13, 2022 at the Magic Theatre (Fort Mason Center, 2 Marina Boulevard, Building D, San Francisco). For tickets ($20–$70) and more information, the public may visit call 415-441-8822 or go to https://www.magictheatre.org/

Rolston has also received critical acclaim for his previous plays, which include Crystal Christian—about the hypocrisy of loud-mouthed homophobes—and This Many People, which covered the lives of Bay Area LGBTQ+ senior citizens and premiered as part of the 2010 Queer Arts Festival.

Kevin says he gathered the courage to look at his own demons after writing these first two plays.

“My first play was about a Ted Haggard archetype—one of those homophobic, hatred-spewing preachers who then gets caught with a gay hooker,” he explains. “This was when I was doing a play down on the central coast, and I was not accustomed to being around such a conservative area.” When Rolston was driving home, he would listen to a radio station that encouraged youth to call in and confess their struggles with their sexual identity, only for the host to refer them to Exodus International, a Christian ex-gay organization. “I started writing out of resentment and rage,” Rolston says.

At a workshop production of Crystal Christian, he was told it was clear that he hated his protagonist. Though he was advised to revise his show, Rolston felt he just couldn’t have compassion for that kind of person, and he wanted audiences to have an outlet for the same kind of anger he had. He kept the play as it was—then turned to a heartwarming community project with senior citizens from S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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Jewelle Gomez Surfing the Binaries culture: teasing. I don’t know what it took for Maurice to brace himself to face his friends having claimed a part of himself unseen before. But he did and he got teased and then the regulars bought him drinks.

Leave Signs Jewelle Gomez Since I was a kid, I’ve always loved people and screen characters whose gender was somehow undetermined.

The popular terms now are “gender fluid” or “non-binary.” Finally, we have words for thinking about the exciting tension that is aroused (and I use that word deliberately) when male and female genders seem to overlap and refuse determination.

Like surfing, we balance ourselves in the curl as we perceive that wavy space between the binaries.

When I was a teenager (in the previous century), Maurice, a gay man, frequented my father’s bar in Boston where he was just one of the regulars. However, one evening he arrived having had his breasts slightly enhanced. The patrons— mostly middle aged, Black, male, and female—weren’t sure how to respond, so they fell back on their

That combination of what’s called male and female is what I love about butch lesbians. They carry unashamedly the suave of masculine culture and the curve of female culture in the same package. The arrival of this package makes femmes perkier and homophobes furious.

That’s why butches have long been the lightning rod for male anger.

I started thinking about this as the Stranger Things character Eleven emerged. The character was, at first, totally gender non-specific. It was perfect that Eleven was rescued and nurtured by a band of adolescents, a group that is usually still peeling away the layers to find out who they are sexually.

In season four, Eleven has evolved into L (or Elle!), and is portrayed as distinctly female. How interesting it would have been to maintain the ambiguity as the band of friends grew up.

The fantastically feminist speculative fiction show The Nevers introduced at the end of its first season the character Jack Nimble, who is played by androgynous transperson Vinnie Heaven. Jack, slyly sexy and dangerous, is always in a flirtatious dance with Bonfire, a female appearing character in a derby hat who is a human fire starter. They both subtly play on the perceptions of an audience that is drawn to the complex and multiple natures of the characters.

And Just Like That, the sequel to Sex & the City, has a lively non-binary character, Che Diaz, played by the lively, non-binary Sara Ramirez. A Tonyaward winner, they came out as nonbinary after several breakthrough

Sara Ramirez France

Vinnie Heaven

Millie Bobby Brown Cal Bowen

roles on television. The list could go on: Taylor Mason on Billions, Kai Barkley on Grey’s Anatomy, Cal Bowen on Sex Education. These shows are vastly different and appeal to a broad range of television audiences, so it’s fascinating to see how non-binary characters are portrayed in the mass media.

were forbidden so many things that men took for granted: wearing pants comes to mind first as a most ridiculous example. So many prohibitions against women’s rights (abortion) have been couched in terms of the “gentler sex” needing protection, when it really is the “rougher sex” (I mean that in the not fun way) running scared.

Most cultures want elements to be presented neatly in a box. All of this is, of course, an extension of misogyny; that is, the need to keep female things in their place so they don’t contaminate male things. It is hard to remember, but for years, women

Many people feel uncomfortable “not knowing” when all the expectations are subverted. My feeling drawn to that “not knowing” doesn’t mean I would rid the world of other gender presentations. I just think it’s valuable to allow yourself to feel what it

takes to stand on uncertain ground and make evaluations based on only what you learn from a person in the moment and not based on societal preconceptions. It’s a kind of balance, again like surfing, but without fear of drowning.

Jewelle Gomez is a lesbian/feminist activist, novelist, poet, and playwright. She’s written for “The Advocate,” “Ms. Magazine,” “Black Scholar,” “The San Francisco Chronicle,” “The New York Times,” and “The Village Voice.” Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @ VampyreVamp

Lit Snax Kiss My Gay Ass

by Tom Ammiano A legendary progressive city supervisor and mayoral candidate, as well as a school teacher and stand-up comedian, Ammiano shares stories sure to titillate anyone who followed San Francisco politics in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Also suitable for people who just want a good read!

We’re Here, We’re Queer, W’ere Mad Libs

Fairyland: A Memoir of My Father

by Alysia Abbott

Need a party game for your next (adult) sleepover? Look no further!

Steve Abbott, a gay writer who died of AIDS, raised his daughter as a single parent in 1970s San Francisco.

Her memoir (soon to be a major motion picture!) captures both the magic and mayhem of that tumultuous era and also provides a touching portrait of their fraught-but-loving relationship. https://www.fabulosabooks.com/

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Bits and Bites

The Gay Gourmet David Landis (Note to readers: with my last column, we skipped my “Bits and Bites” section, so we’re making up for lost time with a full feature devoted to an expanded “Bits and Bites” this time. Enjoy!)

A new Everett & Jones Barbecue restaurant opens this summer at the Graton Resort & Casino in Rohnert Park. Everett and Jones started in Oakland with their first location at 92nd Avenue. In 1974, Everett and Jones opened a second restaurant on the corner of University and San Pablo Avenues in Berkeley, and a third opened in 1975. Popular dishes include chicken, pork ribs, beef links, beef brisket with side dishes, mac & cheese, BBQ beans, potato salad, and green beans.

The newly renovated Ghirardelli Chocolate Experience Store has opened at Ghirardelli Square.

Designed by Bay Area-based firm Eight Inc.—responsible for iconic Apple stores—the reimagined space honors Ghirardelli’s 170-year heritage while showcasing what’s made the Chocolate Experience Store a must-see San Francisco destination for decades. It includes: handmade hot fudge, the world’s biggest chocolate square pick & mix, and terrific views of Alcatraz, Angel Island, and the surrounding bay.

Cochon 555’s Heritage Fire, a live-fire culinary event celebrating sustainably sourced proteins and produce, returns to Napa this summer on Sunday, August 21. An allstar cast of top Napa + Bay Area chefs will be dishing up crave-worthy culinary creations showcasing a variety of products from DemKota Ranch Beef, including whole pigs, lamb, goat, squab, rabbit, duck, fish, chicken, artisan cheeses, and heirloom vegetables. It is hosted at Charles Krug Winery and guests can expect a beautiful, openair event featuring the surrounding vineyards as a backdrop for this live-fire feast. Tickets are now on sale.

San Francisco’s Hotel VIA and 25 Lusk have teamed up with Alexis and Hunter Pence and their

UNCLE PAUL’S HEARTY CLAM CHOWDER Guaranteed to satisfy the most voracious appetite, this is a meal unto itself, served with nothing but good friends and warm, home-made bread. l/4 to l/2 pound bacon, chopped fine 4 green onions, tops and all, chopped 5 medium potatoes, peeled and diced in l/2 inch cubes l/2 chopped green pepper 1 stalk celery, sliced thin 1 and l/2 carrots, finely sliced 1 clove garlic, mashed or minced 2 or 3 cups clam nectar 1 teaspoon salt l/2 teaspoon pepper (black or white) 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 medium onion chopped fine 4–6 drops liquid hot pepper seasoning (like Tabasco) 2 cups chopped or ground clams with nectar 1 pint half and half l/2 pint (or more) sour cream (this is the secret ingredient) In a large heavy kettle, sauté bacon until crisp. Add green onions, green peppers, onions, celery, carrots, and garlic. Sauté further until vegetables are half-cooked, but still firm. Pour in nectar, add potatoes and season with salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid hot pepper (Tabasco). Cover pot and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

In a separate pan, heat clams in their own nectar for 3 minutes or until tender.

Add clams to vegetable mixture. Whip sour cream in mixing bowl, add broth a little at a time, and whisk. Pour in half and half as well as sour cream to the chowder. Heat and serve piping hot!

non-habit forming, Som Sleep is the first of its kind sleep drink engineered to help you fall asleep fast and sleep better throughout the night. The science-backed formula uses active ingredients, including Melatonin, Magnesium, and Vitamin B6. Som Sleep is vegan and preservative-free, tastes delicious, and is available in Original and Zero Sugar.

Finally, a tribute to a mentor of mine, my dear Uncle Paul Landis. Like Auntie Mame, he showed me a bigger world beyond my Midwestern upbringing. He was the first person I travelled with to Italy and his love of food was legendary. He passed away before the pandemic, but our family just had a celebration of his life in Anchorage to honor him. My plane flight got cancelled, so unfortunately, I didn’t make it. His guiding motto? “With a smile in your heart and a ‘yetthir’ on your lips—wherever you go, whatever you do, don’t walk— dance!” To honor him, I’m sharing with my dear readers his beloved clam chowder recipe.

Graton Resort & Casino: https://tinyurl.com/yubw65t3 Everett & Jones: https://eandjbbq.com/

Sean Dowdall and David Landis with David’s Uncle Paul Landis and Aunt Joan

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID LANDIS

Pineapple Labs coffee and lifestyle brand.

The boutique hotel and the SOMA restaurant are the first to enter into hospitality partnerships with Pineapple Labs.

Guests at both properties will now enjoy Pineapple Labs’ ethically sourced coffee.

National S’Mores Day is August 10, so keep in mind Dandies Marshmallows, a premium, plant-based take on the century-old campfire confection. Losing all the traditional ingredients found in conventional counterparts but keeping the sweet and gooey goodness and fluffy texture, these 100% vegan marshmallows contain no artificial flavors or colors, no corn syrup, no gelatin, and no gluten. Made with

high-quality, clean ingredients like real vanilla and vegan cane sugar, they’re also kosher, Non-GMO Project Verified, and free of the common allergens like wheat, dairy, eggs, corn, peanuts, and tree nuts.

Plus, they’re tasty, too!

Burabo (that’s Japanese for bravo)!

According to a recent Apartment Guide survey, San Francisco is #1 for sushi. Yup, we even beat LA and Honolulu! #2 and #3 cities, respectively, are: Miami and Orlando.

SEÑOR SISIG, a Filipino fusion Bay Area hotspot, founded 11 years ago by childhood friends Evan Kidera and Gil Payumo, is set to open in San Francisco’s Ferry Building Marketplace this summer, marking their third brick-and-mortar location.

Som Sleep, the first of its kind sleep drink, aims to help people sleep better. Research has shown that LGBTQ+ people have poorer sleep health than cisgender and heterosexual people due to higher levels of stress. Drug-free and

Ghirardelli Chocolate Experience Store: https://tinyurl.com/28bwfeam Cochon 555 Heritage Fire: https://heritagefiretour.com/napa/ Hotel Via: https://www.hotelviasf.com/ 25 Lusk: https://www.25lusk.com/ Pineapple Labs: https://thepineapplelabs.com/ Dandies Marshmallows: https://dandies.com/ Apartment Guide’s Best Cities for Sushi: https://tinyurl.com/yck2hra4 Senor Sisig: https://www.senorsisig.com/ Ferry Building Marketplace: https://tinyurl.com/5bp7czpb Som Sleep: https://getsom.com/ David Landis, aka “The Gay Gourmet,” is a foodie, a freelance writer and a retired PR maven. Follow him on Instagram @GayGourmetSF or email him at: davidlandissf@ gmail.com Or visit him online at: www.gaygourmetsf.com

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Bay Times Dines

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By Debra Morris

One of the best things about summer is the joy of eating a delicious juicy tomato picked fresh off the vine and delivered to your farmers’ market the same day. The taste of fat slices of Early Girls in a simple tomato salad, or beefsteak tomatoes stuffed with cooked shrimp, or Romas chopped into a fresh pico de gallo salsa are enough to make anyone a convert to summer tomatoes from the farmers’ market.

These tomatoes are not picked under-ripe, trucked across the country, and then gassed to ripen them for supermarket shelves. The f lavor of a fresh-from-the-farm tomato surpasses even the “vine-ripened” ones you get at the grocery store.

During the summer months, there are many tomato varieties available at your farmers’ market. There are little cherry, pear, and grape tomatoes, medium-sized hybrid Early Girl, beefsteak tomatoes, and large juicy heirloom varieties. The flavors of each variety are simply amazing!

There are over 10,000 known varieties of tomatoes, each with a slightly different taste, size, and even texture. There’s a tomato variety for every culinary need. Beefsteaks are

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large, juicy, and great for slicing on sandwiches. Romas hold up well in sauces and salsas. Sweet little cherry tomatoes are small enough to pop in your mouth for a snack or roast on a sheet pan till they pop with flavor.

Fragrance is an indicator of a good tomato rather than color. Use your nose and smell the stem end. The stem should retain the garden aroma of the plant itself—if it doesn’t, your tomato will lack flavor.

Once you have purchased these luscious tomatoes, don’t store them in the refrigerator. The cold destroys the wonderful f lavor and can alter the texture. Place them on the counter and use within three days. If you must refrigerate them, bring them to room temperature before preparing or cooking to bring back some of the flavor.

Here are some easy ideas for using summer-fresh tomatoes: • Toss halved Roma or San Marzano tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper and roast at 400°F for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, until they are slightly blackened. Chop the tomatoes, garlic, and an onion, then add ground chili pepper, some chopped cilantro, and lime juice and you have a savory homemade salsa.

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This Month at the Castro Farmers’ Market Tomatoes - Fresh Off the Vine “A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins.”

Laurie Colwin, Home Cooking

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• “Zoodle” some zucchini, toss with olive oil and halved cherry tomatoes for a light meal. Or toss with cooked pasta.

• Slice thick slabs of beefsteak or colorful heirloom tomatoes and plate.

Add sliced mozzarella, a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

• Add a slice of beefsteak tomato to your grilled cheese or bacon, lettuce, avocado sandwiches. Any sandwich is better with a slab of summer tomato!

• Make some homemade marinara sauce, ketchup, or tomato sauce.

Yum! Stop by your local farmers’ market and find summer’s favorite vegetable from Bautista Ranch in Stockton, J&M Farms out of Hollister, Tomatero Organic Farm in Aptos, Guzman Farm from Denair, Resendiz Farms in Hughson, and so many other fantastic farmers.

Debra Morris is a spokesperson for the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association (PCFMA).

Check out the PCFMA website for recipes, information about farmers’ markets throughout the region and for much more: https://www.pcfma.org/

Bay Times Dines

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2022)

Win a Trip of a Lifetime to Provence, Including Dinner at a Michelin Star Restaurant The Provence Rosé Group is celebrating this quaffable, colorful wine with a contest to win a trip of a lifetime in Provence. The winner will enjoy: • luxurious accommodations for two people for four days and three nights including breakfast; • a flight credit of $1,000; • dinner at the Michelin Star restaurant Jardin de Berne at Château de Berne; • dinner at Ultimate Provence; • dinner at Château St Roux; • VIP wine tours at each of the aforementioned scenic and highly regarded three Estates.

Register to win by following both @ chateaudeberne and @ultimate_ provence on Instagram and go on the contest form link and simply fill it out ( https://tinyurl.com/mw5n5c69 ).

The winner will be announced on the Estate Instagram pages on September 5, 2022.

“We look forward to welcoming the winners to our exquisite estates so they can experience first-hand the wonderful lifestyle that Provence has

to offer,” says Bob Gaudreau, CEO of Provence Rosé Group.

Château de Berne is nestled in the rolling hills of Provence, in the South of France, one hour from Saint-Tropez between the villages of Lorgues and Flayosc. A remote winding road leads to the exquisite estate in its stunning, pristine natural environment. The fivestar Relais & Château de Berne estate includes a hotel and private villa accommodations, as well as a Michelin-starred restaurant “Le Jardin de Berne,” which features an eco-conscious approach to fine dining and in 2021 received the new Michelin Green Star distinction, awarded for exemplary sustainable restaurant practices. Completed by the spa, cooking school, and various leisure activities, Château de Berne offers food and wine lovers, athletes, adventurers, and those simply looking for quiet contemplation, the promise of an unforgettable experience.

World-famous for its rosé wines, the Côtes-de-Provence appellation alone spans six vast territories, run-

ning from East to West, each with its own unique soil type, geography, and climate. Located in the Haut-Pays (Highland) area, Château de Berne is characterized by limestone hills and shallow valleys. This little known, secret backcountry of Provence yields structured reds and fruity, delicate whites and rosés. The estate combines the best of two worlds in terms of geology and altitude. The heart of Berne’s vineyard, where 80% of its vines are rooted, is located on a chalky plateau, at an altitude of 980 feet. Cool nights, combined with a broad daytime temperature range, allow the grapes to mature at a slower pace, thus enhancing the wine’s freshness and delicate aromas.

Ultimate Provence’s sleek modern design features a chic boutique hotel nestled in an oasis of fresh green surroundings, and the estate makes a lasting impression. Tucked away in the hills behind Saint-Tropez, it offers guests an unexpected taste of Provence, in a remarkable atmosphere that awakens the senses and (continued on page 36)

2021 Ultimate Provence Rosé, Côtes de Provence, France ($22) https://tinyurl.com/4fedk69u

Sbrocco Sips Leslie Sbrocco

There’s no better wine to sip on a summertime weekend than a refreshing rosé. This is one of the best you can buy. Packaged in an upscale bottle that channels French style, this is a “contemporary rosé,” according to winemaker Alexis Cornu. I simply call it delicious. Crisp, elegant, and succulent, it’s crafted from a marriage of grapes led by Syrah, Grenache, and Cinsault with the unique grape Rolle rounding out the blend. The winery is in the south of France 30 minutes from the famed town of Saint-Tropez on the French Riviera. There is a boutique hotel and restaurant on site and you could win the trip of a lifetime to visit the winery in Provence just by registering ( https://tinyurl.com/mw5n5c69 ). Santé!

2018 Shafer ‘Relentless’ Napa Valley, California ($90) https://www.shafervineyards.com This is a splurge-worthy red to celebrate a special day (or make any day special). A blend of primarily Syrah with Petite Sirah, the wine is anything but petite. It’s bold, smooth, and opulent.

Named for Shafer’s winemaker, Elias Fernandez, and his relentless pursuit of quality, this vintage celebrates the 20th anniversary of the award-winning Relentless blend. Long known as an icon in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley, Shafer is one of modern Napa Valley’s founding wineries. Their wines—ranging from Chardonnay to Cabernet and beyond—are some of the world’s best.

Author, speaker, wine consultant, and television host Leslie Sbrocco is known for her entertaining approach to wine and food. She has won multiple Emmy Awards for her work on PBS, which includes hosting the series “Check, Please! Bay Area” and “100 Days, Drinks, Dishes & Destinations.” www.LeslieSbrocco.com

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Ken Jones: Equality, Inclusion, and Participation for All LGBT People

Dr. Bill Lipsky When Ken Jones moved to the Castro 50 years ago, the world, the city, and the neighborhood were very different places. Known even then as a gayborhood that attracted thousands with promises of openness, acceptance, and sexual freedom, the Castro also had a reputation for not being welcoming to many women or people of color. Jones remembered that, as a Black man, he still felt comfortable living there as a “neighborhood regular,” but over time he realized that progress required LGBT activism to “look just like our community.” He became, in his own words, “kind of the father of diversity.”

Berlandt came to liberation early on. While still a student in 1965, he wrote the first article about the gay community ever published in

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discuss my concerns.” By the time it ended, he was responsible for “getting more underrepresented or non-represented segments of the community to march with the People of Color Contingent and to join in the parade planning process.”

1978, the year that Jones began volunteering with Pride, was pivotal not only for the organization, but also for San Francisco’s LGBT communities. It was the year that this newspaper, the San Francisco Bay Times, was launched.

For the first time, Gilbert Baker’s rainbow flag debuted over the entrance to the city’s Civic Center. For the first time, Harvey Milk rode in the parade as the first openly gay man elected to public office in California, personifying that an LGBT person living an honest and open life could succeed. His assassination the following November devastated but also galvanized LGBT women and men everywhere.

Now involved with the Gay Freedom Day Parade, Berlandt asked Jones for his opinion of a flyer for an upcoming committee meeting. “When I pointed out to him the lack of diversity in the all-white all-male images,” Jones later told the journalist Hank Trout, “he insisted I attend that meeting to

FACEBOOK/CLEVEJONES

Born in Paterson, New Jersey, on November 9, 1950, Jones moved to San Diego in 1969 to join the Navy. After surviving three tours of duty in Vietnam and being decorated for his service, he concluded his time in the armed forces at the naval base on Treasure Island. Honorably discharged in 1972 as a Yeoman First Class/YN1 (E-6), he moved across the Bay to San Francisco, where he rented an apartment at Noe and 18th streets in the heart of the Castro.

The Daily Californian, “2,700 Homosexuals at Cal.” During the American Psychiatric Association’s annual meeting in 1970, held in San Francisco less than a year after the Stonewall Riots, he wore a bright red dress when he and other demonstrators interrupted the proceedings to protest the organization’s diagnosis of homosexuality as a “sexual deviation” and a “mental disorder.”

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Among the difficult tasks facing the organization was determining how to represent different LGBT communities in its name as well as its membership. Finally deciding to include both the terms “gay” and “lesbian” in the name of the parade—“gay” once applied to both women and men—it took months of conversation to agree upon the order they would take; the discussion about adding the term “bisexual” also was prolonged.

Jones became president of SF Pride in 1985, the organization’s first Black

ADVENTURE.COM

Faces from Our LGBT Past

That same year, Jones joined the staff at UCSF as Manager of Grant Expenditures and Reports. In 1978, he met Konstantin Berlandt (1946– 1994), who was working there as a data entry clerk. Unlike the homophiles of the 1950s and 1960s, who sought “mainstream” understanding and assimilation for the gay communities, Berlandt was a gay liberationist who advocated for direct political action and for change through visibility, protest, and confrontation, if necessary, for an “out of the bars and in your face” activism.

leader and one of the few people of color to lead any Pride organization.

His hard work to make the group look more like the community by bringing “a majority of new, non-traditional members into the planning process” was showing success, but the challenges facing the group during his time in office, across some of the darkest days of the AIDS epidemic, were especially daunting.

At the same time, Jones volunteered at the Kaposi’s Sarcoma Research and Education Foundation, created in 1982. After it became the San Francisco AIDS Foundation two years later, Jones served as Director of the Volunteer Services and Management. To enable the group to reflect the community’s diverse people and viewpoints, the same goal he had at Pride, he helped to form the Third World AIDS Advisory Committee. In 1985, the year he became Pride’s president, he also organized the group’s first 100-Mile Bike-aThon for AIDS. Jones also became the Northern California Co-Chair of the California LIFE AIDS Lobby, established (continued on page 36)

By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, “Now that Pride Month is over, should we be less proud? Absolutely not!

LGBTQ Pride is 24/7 and 365! It ain’t never gonna end!”

Gary Virginia and Donna Sachet’s PRIDE BRUNCH was back, in person! Marking its 24th year, this annual celebration of all things Pride during SF’s Pride Weekend returned to the beautiful Westin St. Francis Hotel on Pink Saturday, June 25. There was a scrumptious three-course meal, hosted bar, and a joyous commemoration of the PRIDE PARADE’s Grand Marshals and a coming together three years in the making. All proceeds from this marvelous LOVE IS IN THE AIR fundraiser supported PRC’s lifesaving social, legal, and behavioral health services that help SF’s most vulnerable populations struggling with HIV/AIDS, substance use, and mental health issues. PRC services help over 5,000 clients annually on their path toward stability and better health and financial outcomes. The event raised significant $’s for PRC! A featured guest was Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, who inspired us all with a stirring speech of hope in these times of relative hopelessness.

State Senator Scott Wiener also spoke as a proud gay man valiantly working for us and our causes. And Supervisor Rafael Mandelman presented Certificates of Honor to Gary and Donna. Gifted SF artist Thomasina DeMaio unveiled a stellar oil portrait of Donna and Gary. Vocalist Carly Ozard belted out Streisand’s “Before the Parade Passes By.” And Donna closed the festivities singing live “I Am What I Am!” What a true Day of Pride that was!

Congratulations to openly gay writer and filmmaker John Waters, who will be getting a star on the HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME. How Divine! It’s about time!

In the beginning of the Third in a series of the extraordinary, stunning, amazing JANUARY 6th HEARINGS, Representative Liz Cheney exclaimed, “We cannot let America become a nation of conspiracy theories and thug violence!”

Sister Dana sez, “These hearings are not finished, but it is time for Attorney General Merrick Garland to DO HIS JOB! Failure to hold those who broke the law legally accountable will allow future attacks to succeed, and the threat to our democracy will only grow!”

Trump’s Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has done nothing but wreak havoc on the United States Postal Service. His intent to privatize the agency has done so much more harm than good—and issues like mail slowdowns will only continue to get worse unless our elected leaders step in. DeJoy’s disruption of the USPS runs deep. The USPS doesn’t only deliver postcards, catalogs, and bills—it is also an essential service that helps ensure people can access crucial needs like medications by mail. And now that the Supreme

Court has ruled on abortion, the USPS will become an even more important partner in delivering abortion pills to those who need them.

Sister Dana sez, “President Biden and Congress must take steps to remove DeJoy now!

Restore joy and dump DeJoy!”

In response to the Supreme Court’s decision, Mayor London N. Breed announced initial steps being taken to prepare for impacts locally and to ensure that San Francisco continues to stand as a place that proudly protects and supports a woman’s right to choose.

Senator Scott Wiener stated regarding the murderous gunfire on June 22 in the Castro: “The shooting that occurred on the Muni subway near Castro Station—a subway ride I’ve taken thousands of times over the past 25 years—is a horrific tragedy. It’s another reminder that as long as our country is awash in guns—shootings can happen anywhere, anytime.” He concluded, “We must recommit as a nation to end the easy availability of guns. California has the strongest gun safety laws in the nation, and we’re continuing to strengthen them. But we need strong action from Congress to truly improve the safety of our community.”

“It is essential to remember that the EPISCOPAL CHURCH has unambiguously and vigorously supported the rights of women to access reproductive health, including safe and legal abortions,” said The Rev. Dr. Greg Kimura, Vice Dean of Grace Cathedral. Sister Dana is a loud and proud member of THE VINE (an even more queerfriendly branch of queer-friendly Grace). “Taking away a recognized constitutional right of woman’s autonomy of choice over reproductive health has left us bereft, tearful, fearful, and angry,” continued Dr. Kimura. “This is a reminder that the road to restoring justice is long. We need to double down on compassion, civility, and self-care. All the spiritual practices that lift us in times of struggle are vital right now. We will only be effective in changing hearts if we speak from the heart, with gravitas. We will only create social change by acting from the same place. We need to support each other, those organizations like Grace Cathedral that protect our rights, and we need to vote!”

Then, on June 23, the Supreme Court bucked the will of the people and sided with partisan extremists on guns. Sister Dana sez, “Unelected Justices serving life terms have increasingly made partisan decisions that undermine the fundamental rights of more than 300 million Americans. The Supremes should not rule for life—or in many cases: AGAINST life!”

Governor Gavin Newsom reacted to that Supreme-ly awful concealed gun judgment, saying: “This is a dangerous decision from a Court hell-bent on pushing a radical ideological agenda and infringing on the rights of states to protect our citizens from being gunned down in our streets, schools, and churches!”

Ketanji Brown Jackson has made history being the first Black woman to be sworn in to the SUPREME COURT! Now let’s expand, pass THE JUDICIARY ACT, and add a few more liberals to even out the overly conservative and unbalanced situation we are enduring!

Also on June 30, President Biden condemned the Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade and said he would back ending the filibuster to codify abortion rights.

Sister Dana sez, “Bust the filibuster!”

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called for Congress to codify the rights to abortion, contraception, marriage equality, and interracial marriage.

On June 24, Congress gave final approval to a bipartisan compromise intended to stop dangerous people from accessing firearms—ending nearly three decades of congressional inaction over how to counter gun violence and toughen the nation’s gun laws. The House approved the measure merely 234 to 193 one month to the day after a gunman stormed into an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and used a semiautomatic rifle to kill 19 children and two teachers, sparking outrage across the country and a flood of negotiations on Capitol Hill.

President Biden, expectedly dissatisfied, nevertheless signed it. So, after HIGHLAND PARK, is it finally time to ban assault weapons?!

On June 24, the Supreme Court ended constitutional protections for abortion that had been in place nearly 50 years in a decision by its conservative majority to overturn ROE V. WADE. This action will lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states. And you just KNOW that marriage rights are next on their chopping block! We need to codify Roe v. Wade into law!

And the final 6–3 act of “THE SUPREMES” before they retired for the Season was to hurl us into climate disaster and limit the EPA’s regulation of carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. Bye-bye, Planet Earth!

On July 8, President Biden signed an EXECUTIVE ORDER strengthening existing laws on reproductive care. Are we seeing progress?

Having attended the Irish Diaspora at the GLBT HISTORICAL MUSEUM back on May 14, I was invited by the Consulate General of Ireland for his return to Ireland party (after his proudly marching as an out gay man in our SF Pride Parade) on June 24 at Ireland House, One Post Street. We lucky Irish folk toasted Consul General Robert O’Driscoll with Guinness beers and Irish whiskeys as we enjoyed an Irish band playing traditional folk music and occasionally sang along.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BETH SCHNITZER

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun

San Francisco Bay Times Pride Parade contingent stalwarts (left to right) Beth Schnitzer, LaTonya Lawson, Juan Davila and Sister Dana Van Iquity (aka Dennis McMillan) were together in the lineup area on Steuart Street while the open top buses, provided by Big Bus Tours, and other vehicles were being readied for the parade to begin.

LOCKDOWN COMEDY’S 2ND ANNIVERSARY SHOW is on Zoom on Thursday, July 21, 7 pm, featuring Ophira Eisenberg (NY), our own Marga Gomez (SF), Rich Aronovitch (NY), and “The Geduldig Sisters”—Lisa Geduldig (SF & Florida), and her 91-years-young mother, Arline Geduldig (Florida)! https://www.koshercomedy.com/ Sister Dana sez, “Let’s get EVERYONE to register and EVERYONE to vote! Note to Republicans: please ignore the above.”

Want more of Sister Dana?

Find his current & past articles online: www/sfbaytimes.com

The Republican Party is pushing the nonsensical “independent state legislature theory,” which could give state legislatures complete control of congressional redistricting and federal elections. Under their theory, it is possible that neither governors, nor courts, nor independent commissions get any say in the process. Sister Dana sez, “Stop Republican sabotage of the election process!

The only way Trumpers can win is by cheating. Ensure a fair election count!”

After two successful years of largely virtual events, AIDS WALK SF is returning to Golden Gate Park on Sunday, July 17, 10 am! https://sf.aidswalk.net/ SAN FRANCISCO PLAYHOUSE (Artistic Director Bill English; Producing Director Susi Damilano) was presenting FOLLIES by James Goldman and Stephen Sondheim, but has been sadly postponed because of cast members’ Covid. But it runs through September 10. This is the first fully staged professional production of Follies in San Francisco, won seven Tony Awards in 1972, closed on Broadway after 522 performances, and never went on a national tour. Check for an update: https://www.sfplayhouse.org/sfph/ S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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DIVAS & DRINKS @ The Academy June 23 Divas & Drinks @ The Academy: SF Pride’s President’s Party Dykes on Bikes®, with President Kate Brown at the helm, led a motorcade through the Castro, with all engines revving and horns blowing, to escort San Francisco Pride President Carolyn Wysinger to her President’s Party at Divas & Drinks @ The Academy on Thursday, June 23. San Francisco Bay Times Publisher Dr. Betty Sullivan drove the hot red Mustang that Wysinger rode in through the Castro before the event. (Check out the video: https://tinyurl.com/2dvrdcdf ) Thanks to the many spirited Castro residents and fellow drivers and motorcyclists/cyclists who took time to wave and cheer on the motorcade.

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Just three days prior to the return of the first in-person Pride Parade since the COVID shut down, Wysinger co-hosted the evening with emcee and entertainer Donna Sachet and welcomed Pride’s officers and staff, along with elected officials, civic leaders, and her many friends and guests. She credited Sachet for inspiring her to work through the many challenges experienced by the Pride organization and more over the past few difficult years.

Mayor London Breed, who had been scheduled to attend before testing positive, sent a commendation delivered by Pau Crego, Executive Director of the City of San Francisco’s Office off Transgender Initiatives, who was introduced by ABC7 News anchor Dion Lim. The groundbreaking importance of Crego's role in the city was mentioned in a broadcast concerning the event that aired later in the evening.

NCLR Executive Director Imani Rupert-Gordon thanked Wysinger for her leadership, courage, and perseverance during her tenure as President of SF Pride.

Schuyler Hudak spoke on behalf of Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis, as did District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, and San Francisco Pride Interim Executive Director Suzanne Ford.

Please join us for the next Divas & Drinks @ The Academy on July 29 for iHeart Summer featuring the return of iHeartRadio star DJ Christie James and food on the house from several San Francisco restaurants. https://tinyurl.com/5fk3umaj

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Performances in honor of Wysinger were delivered by singer JaCoree Prothro and spoken word artist Mona Webb. DJs for the evening were DJ Christie James and DJ Rockaway, both presented

by Olivia Travel.

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Meet Melba’s Kitchen Photos by Sandy Morris San Francisco Bay Times East Bay-based contributor Sandy Morris informs us that Melba’s Kitchen, an all women’s jazz band, performed at Yoshi’s during Pride month on Tuesday, June 21.

Characterized as “a unique band of women [that] stirs it up in an atmosphere of kindness, joy, political action, and fun,” the group includes 14 members led by musicians Pat Mullan and Nzingha Smith. At Yoshi’s, Melba’s Kitchen presented a program recognizing jazz great Melba Liston who toured and wrote for Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, Gerald Wilson and more as a pioneer woman in jazz.

Liston collaborated with jazz activist Mary Lou Williams whose music was also reflected in the performances.

PROVENCE (continued from page 31)

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jostles the codes of this terroir’s ancestral traditions. Ultimate Provence wines offer an explosion of delightful aromas and bountiful pleasures for the palate. Chef Romain Franceschi’s colorfully creative and mouthwatering gourmet cuisine is a true sensorial experience in perfect harmony with the estate’s wines. This is a place of epicurean and aesthetic delights, conveying the feeling of a dream-come-true getaway experience. Be it waking up in a stylish and cozy room with breathtaking views of the Notre-Dame-des-Anges Mountain range, learning about the art of wine-tasting with an expert sommelier, or relaxing by the luxurious pool, UP offers a veritable oasis of charm for those seeking to chill out and enjoy life. UP received a 94-point score from Tasting Panel.

in 1986, and was “actively engaged in writing pro-LGBT legislation, lobbying, and killing bad legislation.” At the same time, Jones became one of the key organizers in the boycotts against the Castro bars that enforced discriminatory admission policies against women and people of color. The need to include all LGBT people in the community’s public affairs and places remained a goal across all his activism.

For those who can’t travel to France, we welcome wine lovers to experience the wines firsthand in the U.S. Château de Berne Romance Rosé, Chateau de Berne Inspiration Rosé, and Ultimate Provence Rosé are widely available, including as a trio at: https://www.wine.com/ The Romance bottle features a fun special effect inside the bottle, as a bubble motif appears when the wine is poured, Inspiration is an exclusive square bottle that is a tribute to the Roman architecture and a nod to the estate’s long history of winemaking dating back to Roman times. With the new 2021 vintage, all 3 wines have had scores greater than 90 points from Somm Journal. In addition, Inspiration has received a 92-point score from Wine Enthusiast and was named into the exclusive Wine Enthusiast Top 100 wines of the year.

Contest Details No purchase is necessary. The trip must be redeemed in 2022 or 2023 and be used during the weekdays. July and August are excluded. The winner will be responsible for their ground transportation and must live in the U.S. In order to participate, you just again need to follow the Instagram accounts @ chateaudeberne and @ultimate_provence and complete the form at: https://tinyurl.com/mw5n5c69 We hope that a San Francisco Bay Times reader will win this magnificent trip!

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In 1989, Jones was diagnosed with HIV. Two years later, saddened and outraged by the police beating of Rodney King in Southern California, he left Pride to work for police reform. As his health began to decline, he participated less and less as an activist, but in the early 2000s he was again able to forcefully champion inclusion and equality. In 2009, after a BART police officer killed Oscar Grant, he was appointed a member of the Citizen Review Board for the BART Police Department.

To the end of his life on January 13, 2021, Jones gave of himself in whatever ways he could. An Ordained Deacon at San Francisco’s City of Refuge United Church of Christ, he officiated at weddings all over the world and shared his unique knowledge, personal experiences, and insights about the city’s LGBT communities on guided tours of the Castro. His contributions to their progress toward visibility, equality, inclusion, and participation will endure, woven deeply into the fabric of place and people that is LGBT San Francisco.

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

Language Barrier the dictionary. And now, in what is arguably the most connected time ever (thanks to the internet), language is scrambling to keep up with the generation that was born knowing how to shorten even the shortest words into text-speak. Seriously, only in 2022 can the actual @ sign be added to the dictionary and mean something (don’t @ me on that one, though).

Bi-Coastal Tabitha Parent On the off chance that you find yourself the unfortunate victim of a time travel machine malfunction, cracking open the most recent edition of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is a perfect way to determine just what era you’ve landed in (unless, of course, it’s pre-humanity; in that case, good luck and say hi to the dinosaurs for me).

For the past 300,000 years, language has constantly been evolving.

In just the most recent March 2022 update of the OED, over 700 words, senses, and phrases were added to

Don’t get me wrong—I think having a specific word in the dictionary for the type of picture you take with your front-facing camera is fantastic.

Try explaining what a “selfie” is to a Victorian-era child, why don’t you?

But, because our dictionaries are in a constant state of update, I’ve found that it means Gen Z, in particular, spends a lot more time talking about what words mean than actually using them correctly. As a result, one of my generation’s most significant weaknesses is our tendency to focus on the right way to say something rather than the most efficient and understandable way.

Take, for example, conversations I’ve had in my ethics class in col-

lege. There was a lot of chatter about whether individuals without houses should be called “homeless” or “houseless” or “people without homes,” but not much discussion about how we could work on getting them those homes.

The question of pronouns would come up more often than I could count as people stressed about what signs were on bathroom doors rather than stressing over what policies would ensure that people could use the bathroom that they felt most comfortable in. I heard acronyms tossed around willy-nilly, and labels we’d come up with for different marginalized groups in our society were hurled around the room like rocks in a fight for who could be more p.c.

Nothing is more frustrating than listening to a group of people who all agree with each other argue about the minutia. I know parents are always blaming things on social media and “those damn phones,” but for once, I have to agree (even though I love TikTok). The algorithms that dictate our TikTok and Instagram feeds grew up with us and morphed

the bathroom they identify with are more than happy to debate with you about the intricacies of pronouns and terminology. They know that these debates distract you from focusing on the real issues like enacting policies that will protect same-sex marriage, policies that will ensure that transgender children can partake in sports, and policies that will prohibit gender or sexuality-based discrimination.

into our own personal echo chambers over the years.

This isn’t to say that I find using the “correct” language wrong or stupid, or insignificant. In no way is it.

I know the difference it makes when you make it known that you are a safe, inclusionary person. It isn’t any skin off my back to have my pronouns in my email signature, and God help you if it is skin off yours because then we have bigger issues.

We should all strive to use the terms that individuals feel most comfortable with, especially when they ask us to. People deserve to feel safe around us.

So yes, make sure that the language that you use is inclusionary. Please make sure you are respectful of others and their identities. But don’t get stuck disputing the semantics before you try to solve the problems at the root of the struggle.

But we also need to spend less time debating specifics with each other and getting bogged down in linguistic lunacy and more time working on actual action items—items that will ensure that members of marginalized groups that we claim to support have the rights and freedoms that they deserve.

Tabitha Parent was born and raised in San Francisco and has just completed her first year of college at Boston College. In the fall, she will be a sophomore at Northwestern University studying journalism at the Medill School of Journalism.

In her free time, she enjoys writing poetry and running on trails in the Presidio.

I guarantee you that the people who think that same-sex marriage shouldn’t be legal or that transgender people shouldn’t be allowed to use

Take Me Home with You! Fitness SF Trainer Tip of the Month

Laguna

“My name is Laguna!

I’m a five-year-old cuddlebug who is looking for a new snuggle partner. I’ve got a zest for life and I’m looking for someone special to join me on fun adventures! If you want a hiking or walking buddy, we could be great friends. In my ideal home I would be the only dog (I want your undivided attention!) and I’d prefer to live in a quieter neighborhood. If you think we might be a match, come say hello!”

Steven Luibrand at Fitness SF Mid-Market “Accountability is the most underrated and underutilized thing in fitness.

Choose to be accountable rather than avoiding accountability.”

Laguna is presented to San Francisco Bay Times readers by Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, the SF SPCA’s CEO. Our thanks also go to Paradise Osorio for helping to get the word out about lovable pets like Laguna.

To meet Laguna, visit the SF SPCA Mission Campus @ 201 Alabama Street. It is open for appointments from 10 am–6 pm (Monday–Wednesday, Friday–Sunday) and 1 pm–6 pm on Thursdays.

Dr. Jennifer Scarlett and Pup

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

Note that through August 1, all adult dogs and adult cats (5+ months old) are free to adopt! For more information: https://www.sfspca.org/adoptions/

As Heard on the Street . . . Where did you go on your last vacation? Where do you want to visit next?

compiled by Rink

Phil Diers

Jen Chan

Robert Finley

Philip Ruise

Raoul Thomas

“New York City on my last vacation. London is next.”

“Tokyo, a long time ago, to reunite with an old friend. Next, anywhere in Europe.”

“Mono Lake. I am looking forward to visiting Spain, to be hosted by a friend.”

“Turkey, Greece, and India. I am looking forward to New Orleans.”

“Palm Springs, Joshua Tree, and then Las Vegas, where I had a fantastic time. Next I want to go to New York, Connecticut, and Provincetown.”

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Appreciating Our Volunteers

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2022)

Volunteers joined with National AIDS Memorial staff and supporters to run the registration booth for the Reading of Names Ceremony held during the AIDS Quilt display at Golden Gate Park in June.

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Volunteer Jan Mauro has read at AIDS Quilt displays since 1987.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOANIE JUSTER PHOTO BY TABITHA PARENT PHOTO COURTESY OF JOANIE JUSTER

Mary Jo McConnell was assisted by a team of volunteers in creating a panel for William “Bear” Henderson during the AIDS Quilt display in Golden Gate Park on Sunday, June 12.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOANIE JUSTER

Volunteers Juan R. Davila and Leticia Lopez staffed the San Francisco Bay Times information booth at the AIDS Quilt display at Golden Gate Park in June.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JUAN R. DAVILA

Dozens of volunteer Quilt folders, all trained in how to appropriately handle blocks of panels, assisted in both the opening and the putting away ceremonies at the AIDS Quilt display in Golden Gate Park.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOANIE JUSTER

Veteran volunteer Gert McMullin, “Mother of the AIDS Quilt,” received a bouquet of orchids from Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi at the Quilt Display Opening Ceremony at Golden Gate Park in June.

Sisters Jezzabel and Merry Peter assisted volunteer coordinator Joanie Juster, who organized the Reading of Names ceremony for the AIDS Quilt display at Golden Gate Park, June 11–12.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOANIE JUSTER

Owners Angel Benitez and Hugo Sanchez, along with staff members and friends at The Castro Barber Lounge, contributed gift certificates to the fundraising activities held during the Divas & Drinks event, in conjunction with the Rainbow World Fund, held at The Academy in March, to support LGBTQ people in Ukraine.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JUAN R. DAVILA

Alfonso Fuentes, Leticia Lopez, Noemy Perdomo, Juan Davila, and Blas Lopez (not pictured) have staffed the San Francisco Bay Times information booth at numerous festivals and street fairs.

PHOTO BY RINK

We can never say, “Thank You!” enough to those who contribute their time, skills, expertise, products, services, and resources to San Francisco Bay Times projects as well as to events and services of many LGBTQ nonprofit groups and agencies comprising the fabric of our community. Join us in expressing appreciation every time we have the opportunity to do so!

Round About - All Over Town

Photos by Rink

CASTRO STREETCAM presented by

A giant donut, three times larger than the regular sized ones, was decorated for Pride at Bob’s Donuts on Polk Street on Pride Sunday, June 26.

http://sfbaytimes.com/

Rainbow lighting on the exterior of the Fox Plaza Apartments on Market Street

Spike’s Coffee’s sidewalk sign presented a list of places to visit and things to do during Pride.

Castro Country Club’s Executive Director Billy Lemon led a fundraising bike wash on July 2 to support CCC’s team for the upcoming AIDS Walk on July 17.

The front windows at Cheese Plus gourmet food shop on Russian Hill were decorated for Pride on Sunday, June 26.

In This Together is a large mural by artist Tracy Piper at the Embarcadero’s Ferry Building.

Campaign signs are up in the window at Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s campaign headquarters on Castro Street.

The Eye Gotcha Optometric store on Castro Street is continuing to offer sidewalk sales for those wishing to avoid going inside as the pandemic lingers.

The San Francisco Mime Troupe presented their annual 4th of July show, entitled Back to the Way Things Were, at Dolores Park.

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