San Francisco Bay Times - October 17, 2019 bag

BAY TIMES S

A

N

F

R

A

N

C

I

S

C

O

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2019) October 17–30, 2019 | http://sfbaytimes.com

Buy a Bag, Save a Life!

Don’t Look Away

vulnerable to the bigotry and biases of employers. Many have lost jobs, livelihoods, and stability over unchecked discrimination.

Kate Kendell, Esq. October is barely half gone, but in the past two weeks we witnessed oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court in a major LGBT case, a halfday long town hall on LGBT issues with the top-tier candidates for the Democratic nomination, and the further erosion of our constitutional democracy as we watch in horror the rapid devolution in the mental state of the current occupant of the White House. Even for the circus of the past three years, this seems a notable moment.

The two cases argued before the Court on October 8 make the case that discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity should be unlawful under Title VII, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. During my time as Executive Director at the National Center for Lesbian Rights, we made this argument to courts and policy makers countless times, with mixed success.

A number of states, local municipalities, and the Obama EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) enacted laws or issued opinions protecting LGBTQ individuals from discrimination. But Congress never acted, and when the U.S. Supreme Court last addressed the issue over three decades ago, they deflected. The lack of explicit protections leaves many LGBTQ (especially transgender) individuals

The Continuous Thread Native American

By Kate Kendell, Esq.

All of these harms were laid out for the Court, but in a surprise to no one, the ultimate outcome is far from certain. Several of the most anti-LGBTQ Justices openly expressed disdain for the idea that Title VII should cover us, including Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Alito. The four more progressive and humane Justices, Including Breyer, Ginsberg, Kagan, and Sotomayor, all signaled our outright expressed support for LGBTQ individuals to love free from discrimination in employment.

Oddly enough, it may be that the key swing vote lies with Justice Gorsuch. Gorsuch is a hardline conservative, but he is also what is called a “textualist,” meaning that he looks to the “plain language” of a statute. Gorsuch indicated that he views discrimination against a gay man because of his sexual orientation as quite clearly “discrimination based on sex.”

Because this is one of the most significant cases of the 2019–2020 term, we should not expect a ruling until June 2020. I would not plan a victory party, but neither would I count us out. In America in 2019, it is deeply unsettling that our worth in civil society is such a close call.

The juxtaposition between the argument and the LGBTQ Democratic Town Hall just a few days later calls to mind Dickens’ “best of times, worst of times.” For the first time ever, every top-tier Democratic candidate expressed a vision for our lives and our futures

that was deeply thoughtful, resonant, and inclusive. There were many highlights over the 4 1/2 (!) hours, including Senator Kamala Harris’ stating her pronouns (Cuomo’s idiotic response notwithstanding), Senator Elizabeth Warren’s epic response to a question about supposed opposition to our freedom to marry (Google it), and Pete Buttigieg’s thoughtful response to the powerful protest by Trans Lives Matter.

Photos by Rink On Friday, October 4, more than 300 attendees were on hand for an opening reception at the SF Art Commission Gallery in the Veterans Building for the photography exhibit entitled The Continuous Thread Native American. The exhibit features works

by Britt Bradley, Jean Melesaine, and Hulleah J. Tsinhnahjinnie. It will remain open through December 14.

Following the event, participants were invited to join in a march to the Civic Center Plaza site where a controversial statue, “Early Days,” was recently removed and placed in fine art storage. Erected in 1894, the sculpture—one of five bronze statues that comprise the Pioneer Monument—includes an American Indian lying on the ground beneath a vaquero and a missionary.

It is important to note milestones even in the midst of the s--t-show that is the Trump Administration. This event was a landmark moment that sets the tone for every Democratic nomination contest to come.

About the s--t-show ... I know it is exhausting to witness Trump’s relentless demeaning of both the office of the presidency and the reputation of our nation. There is no depth to which he will not sink. He is a deplorable human, aided and abetted by a GOP bereft of principle.

But we cannot turn away. We cannot disengage. The next 13 months will be the most consequential of our lives. What we do, how we fight, how we show up will determine much of the rest of our lives. But we’ve done this before, maybe not exactly this, but we know how to stay the course; we know how to fight back; we know not to sit on the sidelines. So, keep a pot of coffee on and embrace your rage. We need it now more than ever.

Kate Kendell is the former Executive Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights and now works with Take Back the Court and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Supreme Court Faces the Reality of Anti-LGBT Discrimination have done so if the employee were a woman who loved men.

6/26 and Beyond Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court faced the reality of the vast diversity of human experience when it comes to gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity in a way it had never done before. The Court held oral arguments in cases regarding whether anti-LGBT employment discrimination violates Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. As we explained in the last edition, resolution of the cases should be straightforward. As Justice Kagan put it during the argument, Title VII provides an “extremely simple test”; that is, “would the same thing would have happened to you if you were of a different sex?”

Kagan made clear that the employer in the case before the Court violated Title VII because it fired a highly valued, long-term employee simply because he “was a man who loved other men.” The employer wouldn’t 2

SA N F RANCISCO BAY T I ME S

Similarly, counsel for Aimee Stephens, whose employer fired her because she was transgender, explained that her employer fired her based on the “ultimate sex stereotype” that a person should be cisgender. Counsel explained that Stephen’s employer fired her “because she had a male sex assigned at birth” and would not have done so had she been designated female at birth.

The cases strikingly illuminate a central root of modern anti-LGBT discrimination: queer people transgress deeply engrained, rigid gender norms that remain widespread.

A primary reason that LGBTIQ people suffer discrimination is that we are living proof that all people are, in fact, not straight, cisgender men or women who live on a strict gender binary. People are much more beautifully nuanced, complex, and dynamic than those confinements.

We don’t know if a majority of the Court will recognize this substantive underpinning of the cases, but the language of Title VII is clear, something that Trump’s arch conservative Court appointee Neil Gorsuch even seemed to acknowledge. Indeed, the outcome of these cases appears to hinge on whether Gorsuch possesses the moral and intellectual integrity to stay true to his long professed conviction that O C TO B E R 1 7 , 2 0 19

when the actual words of a statute are unambiguous, the court must follow those words rather than attempt to glean the subjective intentions of the legislators who enacted the law.

Gorsuch, however, seemed to despair during oral argument that enforcing the plain words of the statute could lead to “massive social upheaval.” And questions regarding the use of bathrooms (and, to a lesser extent, workplace dress codes) took center stage during significant parts of the argument. Even Justice Sotomayor, who seemed clearly in favor of the LGBT plaintiffs, identified the bathroom question as a “difficult issue.”

She recognized a transgender person’s “genuine” need to use the bathroom that comports with their gender identity, but asserted that “there are other women who are made uncomfortable, and not merely uncomfortable, but who would feel intruded upon if someone who still had male characteristics walked into their bathroom.”

The extensive discussion of bathroom access is based on ignorance.

Americans have been sharing bathrooms with transgender people without incident for a long time and weren’t even aware they were doing it. Anti-LGBTIQ conservatives recently created transgender bathroom panic as a political scare tactic to fight civil rights legisla-

tion protecting transgender people, most prominently Houston’s Proposition 1 in 2015.

Separate bathrooms for blacks and whites was a prominent aspect of racist Jim Crow laws, because many white people felt not just “uncomfortable” but also “intruded upon,” to say the least, by sharing bathrooms with blacks.

The fears and prejudices of many white people were not a legitimate justification for such laws that were eventually struck down as discriminatory. A right-wing political scare tactic should not be a basis today for denying LGBTIQ people their basic civil rights that federal law mandates.

The outcome of the cases may ultimately depend on whether Justice Kagan can successfully use her coalition-building skills to convince Gorsuch, and possibly Kavanaugh (who said too little during the arguments to discern where he stood on the cases), to come together to create a favorable majority. Kagan was lauded for her ability to unify people when she was nominated for the Court nearly a decade ago.

For instance, on the question of statutory interpretation, Kagan declared a few years ago that “we are all textualists now” because of the influence of Gorsuch’s predecessor Antonin Scalia, whom Gorsuch greatly admired. For years, Gorsuch has declared that judges should interpret statutes based

on “what ‘the words on the paper say’” and not their personal “views of optimal social policy or what the statute ‘should be.’” Now he has a chance to join Kagan and to stand by his principles.

And Kagan has known Kavanaugh for years since she hired him to teach at Harvard Law School when she was the school’s dean.

When Kavanaugh was nominated for the Court, he thanked her for the opportunity to teach at the law school, and the two of them were seen laughing together on Kavanaugh’s first day at the Court.

The Justices’ words at oral argument provide only a glimpse at what they may be thinking about a case, and do not serve as an accurate predictor of how they may rule. We know that if the Justices abide by the creed engraved atop the edifice of the Supreme Court, “Equal Justice Under Law,” LGBTIQ people across the nation will soon be protected from employment discrimination.

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

BAY TIMES S

A

N

F

R

A

N

C

I

S

C

O

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

Visionary Castro Homeowner Launched a Power Revolution

Photos courtesy of Occidental Power

There are numerous lists touting the necessities for the next blackout, but at Cliff’s Variety they think a little differently. Batteries, flashlights, coolers ... this is earthquake country, so we all should already have those basics in the house. And if not, shame on you!

An estimated 1.5 million Californians were impacted by the PG&E blackouts earlier this month—just the latest problem tied to our reliance on unsustainable energy systems. Solar panels, conversely, utilize the single most sustainable resource on Earth: sunlight. Arguably one of the most important homes in the history of solar technologies in America is right here in the Castro at 453 Liberty Street.

Here are suggested additions to your kit from Cliff’s, as well as tips on how to survive and even thrive during the next blackout.

The beautiful Neo Art Deco treasure—a short distance away from Tom & Jerry’s famed “Christmas Tree House”—was the dream home of former owner Don Stroh. An out and proud member of our community, Stroh loves to entertain his many friends. The home’s location was therefore perfect for him at the time, given that it sits on a hill overlooking the Castro, offering one of the gayest, greatest views of the city. It also has sweeping views of downtown San Francisco and the bay.

Number One - Blackouts are not always at night, so why not take advantage of that off-grid time by tackling a project. Having a couple of gallons of paint on the ready is a good way to plan for that not-so planned-for day off work.

But it is the home’s technical details that make it particularly noteworthy. 453 Liberty was outfitted with the first permitted solar system in San Francisco, and one of the first of its kind in the world. It also was one of the first homes to have solar water and solar air-heating systems.

Stroh’s enabler throughout all of this work was Greg Kennedy of Occidental Power, the first solar electric company to be established in San Francisco (1989).

The two men first met in 1994, when Stroh shared his vision.

Number Two - Smart homes are not your friend during a blackout. Keeping a crowbar in the car or somewhere accessible is a good idea for blackouts and earthquakes, and may be the only way past your now not-so-smart lock.

Lyle Abrahamson, the project manager from Occidental Power at the time, shared that work on the home commenced the following year with off-site creation of the solar water heating system. During this effort, there were many discussions concerning the envisioned photovoltaic power system. Stroh gave a green light to this key part of the project in July of 1996, with everything finished by the end of that year.

Since the contractor had to solve many challenges in the course of the work, the home’s solar system became a model for others throughout the city and beyond.

While we still have a long way to go before the majority of homes in the U.S. could go solar, 453 Liberty sparked a power revolution that continues to this day.

Kennedy explained the setup to the San Francisco Bay Times: “The stand-alone, utility-backed solar electric and battery system is built in tandem with a solar water heating system and a solar 'air to air' system. The high-end artistic home of original owner Don Stroh is incredibly unique and meticulously built.”

San Francisco and Occidental’s importance in the solar history books doesn’t end there. Kennedy said, “Occidental’s second system in San Francisco at 25 Fair Oaks followed suit in advancing sustainable energy by employing the first net metering solar energy system in the city, possibly the first in the U.S.”

He added, “The house has huge daylight harvesting components (skylights), special ‘air to air’ solar collectors from Maine with in line German fans in the walls to collect the hot air and pump it into the house. The solar electric system equipped with batteries is connected to special colored plugs in each of the rooms, charged at all times. There are special stainless steel tanks and Heliodyne thermal panels heating the water in the home. Aside from its record timing, the system is distinctive—featuring air, water, and electrical alternative methods.”

Reliable, clean energy can be a lifesaver.

Consider those who rely on medical equipment, such as oxygen concentrators and dialysis machines. Their lives were threatened during the recent blackouts. Then there is the longer-term threat that we all face, resulting from dependence on fossil fuels and the pollution as well as climate change that they cause.

When Occidental Power first contacted the San Francisco Building Department about code compliance for the home, then Senior Electrical Inspector Gerald McDermott was intrigued. He and his team had never before seen a solar electric system, so they all traveled to the property and marveled at

an

Installation Pl

its many planned innovations. Occidental Power carefully worked with McDermott and his colleagues to ensure approval upon full installation.

Cliff ’s Variety Blackout Survival Kit & Tips

Number Three Down time is craft time. Keep yourself and the kids busy with arts & crafts projects.

Having some general supplies or craft kits in the house is always a good idea, be it a blackout or a family flu week.

Number Four - Dogs poop rain or shine, and even during a blackout. If you have a dog, you should always have poop bags on hand.

Number Five - Board games, or should it be bored games. Every house should have at least one good board game.

They’re great for the impromptu get together, icebreaker, and yes ... even a blackout.

Number Six - Bike lights. Light that thing up like it’s Christmas!

Blackout or not, you need to stay safe and visible as the days get shorter and the nights get longer.

We are grateful for the groundbreaking work of Stroh and Occidental Power, and hope that it continues to inspire homeowners worldwide to go solar.

Although there are some cons (for example, not all roofs are suitable for solar and there is the initial investment), the pros of solar are overwhelming. Here are just a few:

Number Seven Cook like a fiend!

That food defrosting in your fridge is not going to waste if your kitchen is ready for an all-day cook-a-thon.

Don’t worry if you get carried away and can’t eat it all. There are plenty of people out there that are in need of a good meal.

• It reduces your carbon footprint.

The Environmental Protection Agency reports that the average house emits approximately 20 metric tons of carbon Inspection Certificate pollution each year. A solar system can reduce that by at least 3–4 tons per year.

• Your electricity bill will be reduced.

• You will be safeguarded in large part against future blackouts.

• Solar eliminates many concerns over the rising cost of power. According to the Energy Information Administration, utility residential electricity prices have slowly risen at a steady rate over the last decade.

• Last but not least, solar systems can greatly improve the value of a home, usually increasing its resale value. This could allow you to recoup the cost of installing the system.

For more information: Occidental Power http://www.oxypower.com/ Renewable Energy at EPA https://www.epa.gov/greeningepa/renewable-energy-epa Go Solar California https://www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov/csi/

Number Eight Embrace the spooky.

Have a seance and conjure up the spirit of Carl Sagan or one of the many other long past celebrities.

Cliff’s Variety is at 479 Castro Street. https://cliffsvariety.com/ S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

O C TO BER 17, 2019

3

We Exist Loudly, Proudly, and Clearly During and Beyond This LGBT History Month thousands of our brothers and sisters, turning a decidedly deaf ear and blind eye to our masses and allies fighting to be heard, fighting to live.

Cross Currents Andrea Shorter You know what? I am really digging this October’s LGBT History Month. Don’t get me wrong.

I’ve always appreciated and gotten into the previous history months since 1988, pledging each year to learn something new about someone, a pivotal happening, or event that helped to forge the path that much closer to LGBT equality, inclusion, and respect. And, by Goddess, there is so much to learn, celebrate, and continue to conspire towards those noble, very necessary ends.

For this particular year’s celebration, it has been especially awesome to see LGBT issues command national media spotlight during the Democratic presidential primary race.

In 1988, conversely, we were in the deep throws of literally fighting for our lives in the streets—in marches on Washington to be heard by an administration that barely acknowledged that we existed, that HIVAIDS was killing thousands upon

4

SA N F RANCISCO BAY T I ME S

Thirty-one years later, while considerable and even unimaginable progress has been made—through marked events such as marriage equality, repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” (both during the Obama administration), and other milestones—we are by no means anywhere near utopia. But we are sure as hell being heard by the political elite loudly, proudly, and clearly. As for Harvey Milk’s bullhorn in the Castro to CNN 5-hour marathon town halls and multiple organizational forums around the country, candidates better have a damn LGBT policy plan on their website alongside plans for healthcare, climate crisis, gun control, and civil rights.

LGBT lives remain on the line.

There is an epidemic of black and Latina trans-lives lost to violence; cold-blooded murder on our streets simply because they dare to exist. Trans brothers and sisters are banned from honorable military service for no good reason other than that they dare to exist. Too many LGBT people barely survive below the poverty line, or are working without protections of being fired, because they dare to exist. Half of all homeless youth and young adults identify as LGBT, and are often thrown to the streets because they dare to exist.

The issues and challenges facing the LGBT community are not all bad.

Yes, there has been progress, and

O C TO B E R 1 7 , 2 0 19

we appreciate the alliance, coalition, and co-leadership that many of the presidential candidates have provided along the way towards marriage equality by repealing bad policies and standing with us against draconian laws from impacting us simply because we exist. In this critical inflection point and fight for the soul of our republic, if you are a candidate for president, beyond expressed support for the Equality Act, if you don’t have an LGBT policy plan, talk to the hand.

It’s not likely that a similar series of media or local forums dedicated to LGBT issues will take place among the GOP contest, if you can call it that, for president, this term or perhaps any time before 2040. With that being said, while it’s great to see nearly dozens of Democratic candidates’ LGBT-positive positions spotlighted by Anderson Cooper, Don Lemon, and Rachel Maddow, please don’t expect an overly gracious, congratulatory pat on the back. Good politics is not pandering to a critical voting bloc. Good politics is always just doing the right thing, and doing right by the people who have fought for so long for themselves and others for the right to be heard—simply because they have the right to exist.

In or out of the spotlight, the issues and challenges of LGBT people demand and deserve attention and critical response just as other matters of urgency are tugging at the soul of our republic. With or without an inclusive political party, we exist— and we persist. We always have, and

A transwoman in the audience challenged Mayor Pete on the importance of trans visibility during the HRC/CNN Town Hall.

always will: in October, in June, in November, all day, all year, all millennia long.

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

President Pelosi, Political Power Plays, and the November Election So when Speaker Pelosi announced in September that the House of Representatives would proceed with an impeachment inquiry, she made one thing incredibly clear to the American people: Trump is not above the law. Will Trump be removed from office through impeachment? It’s doubtful with a Republican controlled Senate. Could he be forced out by it? If the Democrats gather enough evidence, he could be.

To the Left, To the Left Peter Gallotta Get the popcorn ready, fellow Democrats, because we may be watching the beginning of the end of the nightmare that has been the Trump presidency.

Donald Trump should, for a litany of reasons, be impeached. His corruption, self-dealing, and lack of regard for the rule of law should be sufficient evidence to bring forward an impeachment inquiry. For decades he’s been able to defy the law, maybe until now.

It’s hard to dismiss or deny the very serious fact that the president may have violated his oath of office in asking the president of the Ukraine to investigate a Democratic presidential nominee in return for foreign aid. Unlike the Mueller Report that, to some, left uncertainty on the question of “obstruction of justice,” we’ve got a clear smoking gun here. The transcripts of the phone call itself and the whistleblower complaints (there are at least two now) all seem to corroborate that the president abused his office for political gain.

My mother likes to say that the truth always comes out. And in Trump’s case, when it does, and when he finally leaves office, it may be President Pelosi who has the last laugh.

She may have showed up late to the impeachment party, but she’ll also be the one staying late to clean up the mess after it’s all done. And by all accounts, let’s hope it’s done soon.

Political Power Plays & A November Election Last month, I wrote my San Francisco Bay Times column about my strong support for Chesa Boudin, who’s running for District Attorney in San FranChesa Boudin cisco this November.

It’s been over 100 years since there has been an open race for District Attorney in San Francisco in which voters would be able to choose a new DA without an incumbent running. That is what has made this particular race—and the candidates running—so unique and important.

However, just a few weeks ago, that completely changed.

On October 3rd, current San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon unexpectedly announced that he would resign from his post effective October 18th (Gascon had

intended to finish his term). The next day, at a ceremony in Chinatown, Mayor Breed appointed Suzy Loftus—her endorsed candidate—to the job. This highly political appointment, which occurred just a few days before absentee ballots dropped and only a few weeks before a democratic election, was a thinly veiled move to give Loftus an advantage in the race.

And, to me, it just doesn’t feel right.

No matter how you feel about it, the truth is, the voters of San Francisco have the final say on November 5, 2019. So, it’s time to get out there to vote, everyone. And speaking of voting, let’s talk about a few of the other races that I’m excited about this November, too.

She was one of the architects of “Free City College” and I have to give her props for being the one College Board Trustee to vote against a budget that would automatically give executive level administrators raises. Her argument? Let’s complete an independent analysis first to determine what those raises should be. That’s the kind of smart governance we need at City College.

Housing affordability remains a top issue for so many of us in San Francisco, which is why I’m proud to be supporting tenants rights attorney Dean Dean Preston Preston for District 5 Supervisor. Having someone like Dean crafting policy at the Board of Supervisors will be a win for renters and everyone struggling to find affordable housing or to stay housed in our city.

This November, San Franciscans will also have the opportunity to vote on the largest affordable housing bond in the city’s history. If passed, Proposition A will help the City to construct 2,800 much-needed new affordable housing units. Proposition E will help to address our housing crisis as well, by allowing the development of 100% affordable housing on public lands and will, for the first time, create dedicated funding for educator housing so that our teachers can actually live in the city that they serve.

I’m excited, too, that my friend Ivy Lee is running for the City College Board of Trustees. If you’ve read the news lately, you may agree that Ivy Lee City College needs leadership that is going to hold the institution and its leaders accountable, while working collaboratively to get things done. That’s Ivy in a nutshell.

We have a crisis on our streets when it comes to congestion and pedestrian safety, and it’s time that rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft pay their fair share for the impacts that they cause. Supervisor Peskin’s ballot measure, Prop D, places a small tax on each rideshare trip taken in the city, the revenue from which will go straight toward funding better public transportation as well as projects that make it safer for people to walk and bike.

Last but not least, join me in voting No on C this November. Proposition C is a deceptive ballot measure sponsored by JUUL, the e-cigarette and vaping product company. After Supervisor Walton and the City Attorney passed legislation earlier this year to regulate e-cigarettes, JUUL decided to bring Prop C to the ballot to protect their profits and to make it easier, not harder, to sell e-cigarettes to kids in San Francisco. If you’re No on C, you’re in good company. Every major health organization in San Francisco opposes it.

That’s my quick ballot run down. For more help on how to vote, check out two of my favorite guides: the San Francisco League of Pissed Off Voters Guide ( https://bit.ly/1Pfrr0e ) and the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club’s slate of endorsements ( http://www.milkclub.org/ ).

See you at the polls, San Francisco!

Peter Gallotta is a 30-something LGBT political activist holding on to the city that he loves thanks to rent control and two-for-one happy hour specials. He is a former President of the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club and currently serves as an appointed member of the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee and an elected delegate to the California Democratic Party.

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

O C TO BER 17, 2019

5

Representation Matters: A Chance to Vote for Two Highly Qualified Women on Election Day SF Sheriff’s office under Vicki Hennessy.

Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History Louise “Lou” Fischer Ever since the first elections in approximately 508 B.C. when male landowners in ancient Greece cast their votes on broken pieces of pottery, women have been woefully underrepresented at all levels of government. Over 2500 years later, this trend continues despite volumes of published studies on the effectiveness of women as legislators and leaders.

In general, female elected officials are more likely to be liberal and open-minded regarding civil rights and social equality, and are more committed to women’s issues—especially pay equity, health care, family policies, and gender discrimination.

Research shows that women in government are more collaborative and are focused on building coalitions and consensus rather than employing an autocratic style of leadership.

This doesn’t mean that we throw caution to the wind and vote for just any woman; the key is to elect talented and highly qualified women. I’d vote for Michelle Obama in a minute and I actually did vote for Hillary Clinton (3 times!), but the only vote that I’d ever throw down for Melania Trump is “most unhappy and reluctant First Lady since Mary Todd Lincoln.”

Join the BID to WIN! PUBLIC NOTICE: ACCESS TO CALTRANS UPCOMING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECTURAL & ENGINEERING PROJECTS California Senate Bill 1 (SB1) will provide $54 billion over the next 10 years for state and local transportation projects.

This creates additional opportunities for all small businesses, including businesses owned by women, minorities, disabled veterans, LGBT, and other disadvantaged groups, to participate on public works projects with local and state transportation agencies.

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

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

Construction look-ahead report: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/esc/oe/contractor_info/12_month_ Advertising_Schedule.pdf Architectural and Engineering look-ahead report: http://www.dot.ca.gov/dpac/ae/doc/lookahead.pdf Caltrans Events Calendar: http://www.dot.ca.gov/obeo/calendar.html

For more information, contact Caltrans’ Small Business Advocate at smallbusinessadvocate@dot.ca.gov.

6

SA N F RANCISCO BAY T I ME S

O C TO B E R 1 7 , 2 0 19

This November, San Francisco has a chance to elect two extremely qualified women. Vallie Brown, District 5 Supervisor, was appointed by Mayor Breed last year and is on the ballot to serve a full 4-year term. In the District Attorney’s race, we have an “only in San Francisco” twist; what had previously been an open race for District Attorney is no longer, with the appointment of Suzy Loftus to fill the seat recently vacated by outgoing DA, George Gascon.

Suzy Loftus for District Attorney I first met Suzy in 2008 when we entered the Emerge California Women’s Leadership program; even in a class full of talented women and many future elected officials, she stood out. This is no small feat, as our class of 2009 included Libby Schaaf (current Mayor of Oakland), Lateefah Simon (current BART Board Director), Catherine Stefani (current SF Supervisor, District 2), and a few other noteworthy elected officials throughout the Bay Area.

Suzy brings a wealth of both lawand-order and community experience to the position. She served as an Assistant District Attorney in the City, General Counsel at the California Department of Justice (under Kamala Harris), President of the SF Police Commission, and most recently as General Counsel to the Suzy Loftus

She spent a few years at the Center for Youth Wellness, an innovative program that serves children in Bayview/ Hunters Point who are suffering from childhood trauma and adversity. Whether deliberate or not, Suzy’s background prepared her for this role. She is by far the most qualified and experienced candidate, which is why Mayor Breed chose her to lead the office upon Gascon’s resignation.

I recently volunteered to do neighborhood canvassing with Suzy, and in between ringing doorbells, shaking hands, and chatting up voters, she answered a few questions for me for the San Francisco Bay Times.

Lou Fischer: What is it about your experience & background that makes you different from the other candidates in the race?

Suzy Loftus: It all boils down to approach, experience, and support. My approach is collaborative and not authoritative; I bring people together to solve problems. I have the most experience [of all candidates] inside and outside the courtroom, and more qualifications than my opponents. I’ve earned more support from national, state, and local leaders; this will benefit the office greatly when advocating for budget, resources, and policy changes.

BY THE NUMBERS 4 (36%) - Number of women currently on the SF Board of Supervisors (BOS) out of 11; this will drop to 3 (27%) if Vallie Brown is not re-elected) 592 - Approximate number of people who have served on the BOS since 1856 35 (5.9%) - Number of women on the BOS since 1856 1921 - First woman elected to the BOS 1953 - Second woman elected to the BOS 1966 - Third woman elected to the BOS 44 - Total number of people who have served as mayor of San Francisco since 1850 2 (4.4%) - Total number of female mayors in the history of SF 25 - Total number of people who have served as SF district attorney 2 (8%) - Total number of female district attorneys in SF (Senator Kamala Harris and newly appointed Suzy Loftus) 1 - Number of mothers to serve as district attorney (Suzy has 3 amazing daughters!)

39 - Total number of people who have served as governor of California 0 - Total number of female governors in CA (this distresses me greatly) 44 - Number of women who have served as governor in the U.S. (in 30 states) 20 - Number of states in the U.S. that have never had a female governor 1974 - First female governor elected in her own right (Ella T. Grasso, in my home state of Connecticut) 51% - Female population in the U.S. 25 - Percentage of women currently in the U.S. Senate 23 - Percentage of women currently in the U.S. House of Representatives 28 - Percentage of women currently in statewide elected executives (e.g., governor, secretary of state, controller, treasurer, etc.)

29 - Percentage of women currently in state legislative seats (in all of the U.S.) 22 - Percentage of female mayors in cities with populations over 30,000 (shout out to our own Mayor Breed and Oakland’s Mayor Schaaf) 0 - Percentage of female presidents of the U.S. (please, oh please, in 2020!)

Lou Fischer: I was going to ask, “What is your number one priority for the office if you win in November?” But at this time, I guess it’s: “Now that you’ve been appointed, what is your number one priority?”

Suzy Loftus: To rebuild the office through recruiting top talent and to improve morale. Another top priority is to get the civil rights unit up and running as soon as possible.

Lou Fischer: Two of your opponents have never served as an Assistant District Attorney.

It must be hard to hear them make campaign promises or statements that you know are completely out of the purview of the DA’s office. Give one example (no names!) of an issue that is an “eye-roll moment” where you wish you could say, “Hey, I did this job. You can’t do that!”

Suzy Loftus: Well, one of my opponents is getting a lot of applause at debates and rallies with his promise to turn Juvenile Hall into a mental health center. While I agree that the City needs a comprehensive mental health plan, and especially safe and secure places for children who are in distress, this is not under the jurisdiction of the District Attorney’s office. In my experience through the Center for Youth Wellness, we need a comprehensive mental health plan that brings all the City Departments together to develop new modes of care that will work.

Vallie Brown for District 5 Supervisor Vallie Brown, the current incumbent and 20+ year resident of the D5, has deep roots in the community and direct experience in City Hall; she served as a legislative aide to two supervisors, Ross Mirkarimi and

London Breed, so she knows how to get things done.

She also knows what it is like to struggle with housing insecurity, homelessnesss, and inadequate health insurance. As a child, she moved around a great deal “ just before getting evicted,” and at times had to sleep in the family car until her single mother could put together enough money for rent. Sadly, her mother passed away due to lack of suitable health care when Vallie was only 14 years old. Vallie was kind enough to share her story and her priorities for the role of supervisor with me for the San Francisco Bay Times.

Lou Fischer: What makes you different from the other major candidate in the race?

Vallie Brown: The ability to find common ground even when you disagree. In 14 months, I’ve passed 30 pieces of legislation on issues as diverse as affordable housing, homelessness, equity, climate environment, and women’s reproductive rights. As a neighborhood activist for 2 decades, I know what it feels like to have other people say what’s best for a community, without input from that community. My 10 years of (continued on page 26) Vallie Brown

How to Cope with a Financial Industry That Doesn’t Get You to work around things such as cash flow (you can’t “give” an unmarried partner more than $14k per year), the loss of the double step-up in cost basis for real estate that married couples get, or having children from a previous marriage kick your lover out of the home after you’re gone.

Long-term Mistress—or Mister

Money Matters Brandon Miller I’ll let you in on a little secret. The financial industry has an extremely traditional focus—even though many people don’t fit the conventional mom, dad, and 1.9 kids mold.

The problem with the industry being out of step with reality is that real regular people may have to work harder to find money solutions and strategies that apply to them. Many financial professionals, and even robo-tools, may not be geared to use out-of-the-box thinking for less-thanconventional clients.

Maybe you’re married, but have been spicing up your love life with a side dish for years. Do you pay for their apartment? Is that impacting your retirement savings? Do you want to make special provisions for your lover after you’re gone?

Throuples, Quintouples and Other ‘ouples U.S. laws don’t allow bigamy, so if you’re in a committed relationship with more than one person, it’s up to you to protect yourself and your partners. The more people who are involved, the more complicated it gets. Some things to think about include how to handle cash flow and shared expenses. Will you keep one or multiple households? And what will be the long-term impacts of things like different retirement ages?

Such a pity, as that’s one of the really fun parts of financial planning. After 20 years of helping the LGBTQ+ community to manage their money, I’ve seen more variety in the human condition than most anthropologists. My feeling is that you don’t hire me to judge you; you hire me for my judgment about how to optimize your finances so that you can live the life you want. In other words, I don’t care if you have a penchant for the ponies and Texas hold ‘em. I just need to know how much you spend on them so we can figure that into your financial plan.

Blended Families

If you’re hiring a financial professional to advise you, they typically should think about all of the angles that need covering to make your money work for you, no matter how unique your goals are. Let me give you a few examples:

Some financial products expect that you’ll have kids—just not ones who may need lifelong care because of physical or mental challenges. Special needs trusts, 529 plans, and government assistance can help. But you also have to think about your own retirement and how to avoid burdening other kids.

Unmarried Couple Gay or straight, couples have many reasons for not wanting to get married. Laws most often protect only state-sanctioned “I do’s.” So you have

We’re not talking the Brady Bunch here (although Carol and Greg’s real-life affair shows that even they weren’t traditional). These days, families can include stepkids, half-siblings, adoptees, surrogacies, and even uncles/aunties/de facto parents who may not have blood ties or legal rights, but lots of emotional ties.

Inheritance can get ugly easily. Make sure that you work with someone who can save your loved ones from that fate.

Special Needs Dependents

Start-up Winner Talk about not normal. Who earns millions in their twenties? But hey, if

you’re one of those fortunate ones, be smart. Know it won’t last, and plan for your future. Yes, you can afford the house and boat and motorcycle. But did you plan for ongoing maintenance, taxes, insurance, and all of the other expenses that these toys come with? How many friends and family can you really help? It’s best to work with someone right off the bat to help protect that fortune before it vanishes.

This barely touches on the variety of less-than-traditional lifestyles and the challenges that they present. My point is to illustrate that 1) whoever you are should be perfectly fine with whomever is advising you, and 2) the industry’s conventional bent won’t hamstring you if your financial advisor takes the time to listen and think in new ways to make your dreams come true—even if that is miles away from a life with a picket fence and 1.9 kids.

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. Brio does not provide tax or legal advice, and nothing contained in these materials should be taken as such. To determine which investments may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor prior to investing.

As always, please remember that 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.

Two Luxurious Sporty Sedans

some important differences, including two big ones for the Regal: the tested Regal GS had all-wheel drive and a hatchback rear door, called the Sportback. Neither is available on the Maxima.

The hatchback is a terrific idea, as it opens up the passenger and cargo space like a crossover SUV would.

All-wheel drive also bridges the sedan gap.

Auto Philip Ruth In their rush from sedans to crossover SUVs, buyers run the risk of ignoring cars that could more than meet their vehicular needs while being more fun to drive.

Cases in point are this week’s midsizers, which occupy the segment’s luxury-performance upper end.

They’re familiar models with histories that predate the current numbers-and-letters alphabet soup of automotive badges; the Buick Regal and Nissan Maxima put upscale intentions right there in their names.

Specifications of the Regal and Maxima are closely aligned, but there are

The Maxima does fine without either feature, and according to manufacturer figures, the tested Maxima 3.5 SL carries around a significantly fewer 600 pounds than the Regal.

Adding crossover utility piles on the mass, no matter what the platform.

The weight difference between them is like loading up the Maxima with four of your 150-pound friends, and so the Nissan can’t help but feel nimbler. Both test cars had V6 engines, and the Regal had just 10 more horses than the 300-horsepower Maxima, so the Buick had a bit less zip.

But the Buick had more of something else—more sensations, and more feel behind the wheel. It’s built in the German city of Rüsselsheim, and it’s known as the Opel Insignia in European markets. Although it’s not a given that a German car will have more communication with its driver

2019 Buick Regal GS

2019 Nissan Maxima SL

than those of competing countries, it’s a trope that’s proven true here.

And so the Buick ends up feeling like a relaxed touring car that has something to say, while the Nissan is ready with immediate responses and an overall vibe of muscle and strength.

This extends to the interiors, where both test cars were black and business-like. The Regal GS’s aggressively-bolstered sport seats seem over-enthused for the way that the car drives, but they’re comfortable all the same. (continued on page 27) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

O C TO BER 17, 2019

7

City Purchases Site of El Rio, Helping to Secure Popular Bar’s Future The Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA), through the City of San Francisco’s Small Sites Program, has recently acquired the property located 3156–3158 Mission Street where the popular LGBT bar El Rio is located.

The acquisition of the site secures the location of eight apartments and also the longtime bar’s role as an important venue for LGBTQ and Latino community and nightlife events.

Bar owner Dawn Huston told CBS SF Bay Area, “El Rio would like to thank MEDA, their staff, and board for their willingness to invest in our business and buildings as one of their commercial spaces serving the community.”

To learn more, see the San Francisco Bay Times cover story (November 30, 2017) about El Rio receiving Legacy Business status from the City. https://issuu.com/sfbt/docs/bay_times_11.30.17

Real Estate

BAY TIMES S

A

N

F

R

A

N

C

I

S

C

O

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

Your Ad Could Be Here!

Call 415-601-2113

8

SA N F RANCISCO BAY T I ME S

O C TO B E R 1 7 , 2 0 19

What Is the Castro CBD and Why Does it Have to Renew?

We’re the folks who clean the streets! The folks you see pushing carts, sweeping the sidewalk, and steam cleaning ... these services are paid for by the Castro/Upper Market Community Benefit District (Castro CBD). The Castro CBD is funded by the property owners in the footprint through an assessment fee placed on each parcel and through grants, donations, and sponsorships. The Castro CBD is a 501c3 non-profit organization.

The Castro/Upper Market Community Benefit District (Castro CBD) is dedicated to making improvements in the district.

What does the Castro CBD do?

Cleaning In FY 2018–19 the Castro CBD removed: • 128,470 pounds of trash; • 2,260 dirty needles; • 919,166 graffiti, stickers, and illegal postings; • 3,085 incidences of human feces.

number 415471-7536 (in the CBD’s footprint only).

Public Safety We collaborate with the other businesses and residents to support one SF Patrol Special Officer on patrol in the evenings seven days/week.

Castro Cares, Our Homeless A member of the CBD's Castro Ambassadors team explains Outreach program, funds a map of the Castro to visitors. a street outreach worker and also additional Patrol Special Police patrols. Castro Cares provides both Homeless Outreach and added Enforcement through the Patrol Special Police.

Economic Vitality Live! In The Castro: Kippy Marks, Alpha Rhythm Kings, and the Klipptones are some of the more popular bands that we host at Jane Warner Plaza every Saturday and Sunday starting at 1 pm between May–October. Go to our website and look for upcoming events ( http://castrocbd.org/events/ ).

Commercial Vacancy Reduction: A new grant for a Commercial Corridor Manager has been submitted.

The Commercial Corridor Manager will work on both attracting new businesses to the Castro and helping existing businesses to stay in the Castro.

The Castro CBD does great work, so why is renewal necessary?

Castro Clean Team steam washing the sidewalk on Castro Street

We also: • Steam clean each block face in the district once a month; • Respond to calls for service through our cleaning dispatch

SFPD officers work closely with Castro CBD.

By Andrea Aiello

The law requires renewal. The Castro CBD was established with a 15-year term in 2005. Renewal requires approval from those who pay the assessment fee, approval of the property owners in the footprint.

There are two phases to approval: the petition phase and the ballot phase. Petitions will be mailed to property owners in mid-November.

Castro Clean Team

We are urging all property owners to vote yes on the petition and to mail it back to the Castro CBD by December 15, 2019.

What can you do to help?

Thank your local merchants and property owners in the footprint for supporting the Castro CBD all of these years. Tell your favorite merchant that you support the Castro CBD’s renewal and you hope that their landlord will vote yes. Contact me at 415-500-1181 or via email ( andrea@castrocbd.org ) if you are interested in helping or learning more!

Andrea Aiello is the Executive Director of the Castro/Upper Market Community Business District.

A group of Castro Clean Team members

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

O C TO BER 17, 2019

9

HRC’s 35th Annual SF Gala Dinner & Auction to Take Place on October 19

By Elliott Kozuch We Are HRC. Under this banner of community, strength, and resilience, hundreds of the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) most active supporters, allies, business leaders, elected officials, and luminaries will gather October 19 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel for the 35th San Francisco Bay Area Gala Elliott Kozuch and Auction. This event is HRC’s largest annual event in Northern California, and raises resources and awareness for issues faced by LGBTQ Americans and fuels our fight for full federal equality—nothing more and nothing less.

Gala Co-chair Lisa Allen

“Now is the time to celebrate our victories,” said HRC San Francisco Bay Area Gala & Auction Co-Chairs Lisa Allen and Stephen Gossman. “Let’s double-down on our work to advance equality here locally, and to protect the gains we’ve made nationally. We are so excited to join our fellow HRC San Francisco Bay Area community members as we hold this annual event to further mobilize in our fight for equality.”

This year, guests will hear from HRC President Alphonso Gala Co-chair David—the first civil rights Stephen Gossman lawyer and the first person of color to serve as president of HRC in the organization’s nearly 40-year history. He has been at the forefront of the movement for LGBTQ equality for more than a decade and worked at both the state and national level.

Before joining HRC, David was appointed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to serve as Counsel to the HRC President Alphonso David Governor. Prior to this

10

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

appointment, David served in the Governor’s cabinet as the Deputy Secretary and Counsel for Civil Rights, the first position of its kind in New York State. Before working in the public sector, David served as a staff attorney at the Lambda Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

Honoreee John Lake

Power of Our Pride Viewing Party In conjunction with the televised Power of Our Pride Town Hall jointly sponsored by HRC and CNN, HRC-SF hosted a Presidential Town Hall Viewing Party on Tuesday, October 10, at Lookout. Bay Area HRC Steering Committee members provided information on the upcoming Gala on October 19, volunteer opportunities, and other ways of becoming involved.

HRC will also be honoring Levi Strauss & Co. with the Corporate Equality award and John Lake, Vice President, Multicultural Strategy and LGBTQ Segment leader for Wells Fargo, with the Charles M. Holmes Community Service Award. More exciting guests and speakers will be announced in the leadup to the event.

During the event, guests will have the opportunity to bid on fabulous action items from HRC’s National Corporate Partners—including travel experiences, fitness packages, wine tastings, cool merchandise, and much more. The loyal support and donations HRC Gala DJ Christopher B from so many San Franciscoand Bay Area-based companies and organizations are critical to our continued success in fighting for full LGBTQ equality.

HRC is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for LGBTQ people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work, and in every community.

For more information, and to purchase tickets, please visit https://www.sfhrcgala.org/ Elliott Kozuch is the Deputy Press Secretary of the Human Rights Campaign.

O C TO B E R 3 , 2 0 1 9

Photos by Paul Margolis

Thailand’s Bumrungrad International Hospital Is Now a Global LGBTQ Medical Tourism Destination When a few relatives of San Francisco Bay Times team members recently required extensive healthcare—involving transfers from hospitals, surgeries, and more—we received a crash course on what it takes to survive—or at least try to survive—the health systems here in all respects, including financial. While this was going on, we were contacted by Thailand’s Bumrungrad International Hospital, and it was a real eye-opener.

Many of us previously thought that only certain adventurous people would travel abroad for healthcare, or that such places mostly attracted individuals who were born in those areas before they moved to the Bay Area and then decided to travel back again for major health needs. This turned out to be very provincial, and very wrong, thinking on our part.

Just as all of the top Bay Area hospitals pull talent from around the globe, so too do well-rated hospitals in other countries. Pay attention to Joint Commission International standards, as JCI-accredited facilities must adhere to best practices in quality and patient safety. One of the most touted hospitals with this accreditation is Bumrungrad International Hospital, which is now among the world’s most popular medical tourism destinations, particularly for LGBTQ individuals and their families.

To find out why, we recently spent time with Bumrungrad spokesperson Laura Carabello, asking her every question that we could think of concerning this critical, often life-saving, matter.

Laura Carabello: Bumrungrad International serves 1.1 million patients annually across all service lines.

San Francisco Bay Times: How many patients are international?

Laura Carabello: Over 620,000 international patients from over 190 nations visit Bumrungrad International each year.

San Francisco Bay Times: We’ve read that Bangkok is a popular LGBT destination. Is that correct, and if so, why do you think that’s the case?

Laura Carabello: Yes, it is one of the most LGBT-friendly destinations in the world. Bangkok—often San Francisco Bay Times: Tell us a referred to as the gayest city in Asia— little about Bumrungrad Interis unsurprisingly a hugely popular national. travel destination for LGBT travelers.

Laura Carabello: BumAn extremely tolerant society rungrad International is where gay, lesbian, and transa JCI-accredited, multisexual lifestyles are largely specialty hospital located accepted as a natural way of in the heart of Bangkok, life, Bangkok is the epicenThailand. It is one of the ter of gay culture in Thailand. largest private hospitals in Adding to the appeal of a trip Southeast Asia, with 580 to Bangkok is the incredible beds and over 30 specialty food, friendliness of the Thai centers. Bumrungrad people, ancient temples, ragInternational offers stateing nightlife, hip shopping of-the-art diagnostic, therLaura Carabello destinations, and yes, everyapeutic, and intensive care thing at a very affordable cost facilities in a one-stop medical center. compared to Western destinations.

San Francisco Bay Times: How old is the hospital?

Laura Carabello: The hospital was founded in 1980 and has expanded annually, becoming the first hospital in Thailand to receive JCI accreditation.

San Francisco Bay Times: Is it a full-service hospital?

Laura Carabello: Yes. Its 19 operating rooms are equipped for most general surgery procedures and surgical specialties. The hospital offers over 80 clinical specialties and subspecialties, including cardiology, oncology, endocrinology (diabetes and metabolism), nephrology (kidneys), neurology, and gastroenterology.

San Francisco Bay Times: How many patients does Bumrungrad International serve?

San Francisco Bay Times: Does Bumrungrad International serve many members of the LGBT community?

Laura Carabello: Yes. The physician and support staffs are very LGBT-friendly and provide high quality healthcare services to all when needed.

San Francisco Bay Times: What do you think are the primary barriers that the LGBT community both here and abroad experiences when attempting to access quality medical care?

Laura Carabello: LGBT patients continue to face stigma and discrimination even though social acceptance is improving. This stigma and discrimination can result in negative experiences that combine with lack of access to culturally affirming and informed health professionals to result in multiple health disparities for LGBT populations.

For these and other reasons, the LGBT community is finding that Bumrungrad International is an attractive option for accessing comprehensive, high quality and affordable care.

San Francisco Bay Times: Why do you believe that (continued on page 26) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

O C TO BER 17, 2019

11

PRC and Beyond our 10 transitional treatment programs or are living in one of our 20 supportive housing units, you are off the streets, you are safe, and you are working hard to rebuild your life.

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

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

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

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

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

Beth Greene Michael Delgado Abby Zimberg Design & Production

Kate Laws Business Manager Blake Dillon Calendar Editor

Kit Kennedy Poet-In-Residence J.H. Herren Technology Director Carla Ramos Web Coordinator Mario Ordonez Distribution

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

National Advertising: Contact Bay Times / San Francisco.

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

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

From the Frontlines Brett Andrews I so very much enjoy writing. It is an opportunity for me to reflect, order and quiet my mind, to share observations, and express my thoughts and ideas that may also be of interest to others. This month, PRC will come together at our annual gala—Mighty Real—to recognize the important work we do daily, and to celebrate the successes of our clients. So, rather than opining on the happenings of the day, I am taking the literary license to share some of the great achievements that PRC has had over the past year.

I often say to my board and staff, “PRC is again having another extraordinary year.” Well, this year, it could not be more true. Against the challenge and stark reality of our homeless issues and the mental health and substance use crises, we at PRC are proud to report that 267 individuals, who in some fashion struggle with these conditions, have a bed to lie in through PRC’s treatment and supportive housing programs. Whether you are in one of

SF Sketch Randy Coleman

Randy Coleman hails from New York, but has lived in San Francisco since 1975. Coleman shares that before moving to the Bay Area, he studied Art History and Architecture at Boston University while working as a resident artist for architectural rendering at a Massachusetts historical society. “All of my life I’ve been an artist,” Coleman says. “To know me is to know that I have a passion for art and architecture. I love this project for the San Francisco Bay Times, and hope that you enjoy my sketches.” © Randy Coleman, 2019

12

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

O C TO B E R 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

During this same time last year, we contemplated plans to expand from 15–29 beds the unique Hummingbird Place, our behavioral health respite program at Zuckerberg General Hospital, carried out in partnership with the City of San Francisco. I’m pleased to share that we achieved our goal in January of this year. As you may know, another planned expansion has been in the news recently. What is important to know is that the efficacy and efficiency of the model has been stellar; it is the strategy of how best to expand it that is in question.

Also, at this same time last year, PRC had just identified our new home at 170 9th Street (between Mission and Howard). I am thrilled that we completed our full head to toe renovation, and moved into our new home on April 1 of this year. If you’re in the neighborhood, we invite you to stop by our new Integrated Service Center, which houses our workforce development, legal advocacy, and emergency financial assistance programs.

This past June, PRC was presented an opportunity to purchase one of our program sites—2157 Grove Street. It is a beautiful Edwardian built in 1914. This 9-bed, duel diagnosis, mental health and substance use program is crucially important to San Francisco, as it is the only community-based, 60-day crisis stabilization program in the City.

In partnership with the Mayor’s

Office of Housing and Community Development and the Department of Public Health, we are currently in contract and set to close on the property by the end of this year, thus growing our ability to serve San Francisco residents who need us most.

Through PRC’s wrap-around services to our clients—Legal Advocacy, Workforce Development and Emergency Financial Assistance— we continue to play a significant role in the Getting to Zero Initiative.

An HIV Epidemiology report was recently released, and this past year, for the first time, San Francisco reported under 200 new HIV infections. It’s clear that our combined community strategies are working.

As I am reminded daily, none of this extraordinary work could be accomplished without the triad of our committed and dedicated PRC staff, Board of Directors, and volunteers. I want to thank them and all who have supported PRC over the years—for their unwavering commitment to our mission and for believing that everyone deserves an advocate and an opportunity.

Leading PRC since 2003, Brett Andrews has overseen PRC’s evo-

PRC’s Brett Andrews welcomed guests and featured performer Frenchie to the Mighty Real Gala at the Four Seasons Hotel on October 11.

lution from a small HIV/AIDS legal service agency to an integrated social and behavioral health provider bent on fighting poverty, stigma and isolation by uplifting marginalized adults and affecting the social conditions of health.

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

GLBT Fortnight in Review

By Ann Rostow D-Day at SCOTUS On Tuesday, October 8, the U.S. Supreme Court heard two hours of arguments on the question of whether gays and transgender employees are protected against workplace discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (which bans job bias because of sex and other factors). The first hour focused on two gay cases; the second hour was reserved for a transgender case. And you know what, dear readers? It doesn’t look great from my vantage point.

Here’s the problem. The conservatives on the Court bring to the party a tacit assumption that it’s not horrible to discriminate against gays, let alone transgender citizens. Whether for religious reasons, or the ick factor, it’s not nice, but it’s not crazy.

The same can’t be said for racial bias or hostility towards religion. Those things are definitely wrong!

And no, they don’t come right out and say it. But much as Justice Kennedy made sure to keep a window open in his ostensibly pro-gay rulings for the “reasonable and sincere people here and throughout the world” who disapprove of gay men and lesbians, so certain men feel a similar sympathy for the traditional family values of yore. As such, we fight uphill, not just against our hostile adversaries, but against this tepid group who would place us in a special status all our own: not deserving of blatant injustice, but not worthy of full fledged equality either.

Our second problem with the conservatives lies in their misunderstanding of current law. Title VII does not explicitly cover sexual orientation or gender identity. Nor did the 1964 Congress envision such protections. But in recent years, going back even a decade or two, the assumption has grown that these protections are indeed a subset of sex discrimination and are therefore available to GLBT plaintiffs. Many states and cities have also enacted civil rights laws on our behalf. Most major corporations have ironclad rules against discrimination. Yet despite these gains, the rightwing justices viewed a decision in our favor as a major departure from the norm.

On the contrary, a ruling against our plaintiffs would halt and reverse our civil rights movement, turn back the clock, and embed GLBT discrimination into federal law for years to come. But the conservatives apparently don’t recognize the simple fact that gay and trans equality has become, or is fast becoming, the status quo. As the insufferably pompous Justice Gorsuch wondered in the transgender case, doesn’t “ judicial modesty” require the Court to think twice about a decision that will result in “massive social upheaval?” Even a very close call on an interpretation of a law’s text, he noted, might be determined by consideration of the “drastic change” implicit in a generous reading.

Massive social upheaval and drastic change? What the hell is he smoking?

In his short time on the bench, Justice Gorsuch has proved himself an intractable foe, combining legal gymnastics with a penchant for lengthy questions seemingly designed to polish his future-self-image as an historic icon of the judiciary. At times avuncular, at times professorial, and at times the stern father figure, Gorsuch lunges through a cast of characters in his own head, using counsel and fellow justices as foils.

I’m sorry. I just can’t stand this guy.

At one point, after asking Stanford law professor Pam Karlan an extended hypothetical about trans-

gender women in the bathroom, Karlan had to suggest he interrogate someone who represented a transgender plaintiff—Karlan herself represented the two gay men. At another time, he interrupted a fellow justice in such a dismissive way that I was momentarily shocked. I think it was Kagan, but I don’t feel like rewinding the entire argument to get that right.

Finally, Gorsuch managed to muse about the textual argument in favor of the GLBT plaintiffs to such an extent that post-argument headlines trumpeted the notion that he might be a swing vote in our favor. He will be no such thing. Not only that, but I’m guessing he knew exactly how his banter would be greeted by observers, and anticipated the extra publicity.

I could be wrong, and it’s true that Gorsuch is known for hewing close to the actual text of a law under review. In theory, that works to our advantage here, but I’m not buying it in these cases. The same man who insisted that Arkansas had every right to omit same-sex spouses from birth certificates even in the wake of the Court’s marriage equality ruling can twist himself like Gumby in the name of “ judicial modesty.”

To the Stalls, Citizens!

As Shannon Minter of the National Center for Lesbian Rights pointed out in a conference call after the arguments, one of the ironies here is that transgender plaintiffs have led the way in terms of winning Title VII cases over recent years.

In part, that is due to the Supreme Court’s high profile 1989 ruling in Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins, a case you may have stumbled across on multiple occasions in these pages. In Price Waterhouse, the Court ruled that an employer who forces employees to conform to a gender stereotype is in violation of Title VII’s ban on sex discrimination. (In that lawsuit, the business consultants had declined to promote a superstar female associate who lacked the requisite femininity in the eyes of the male partners.)

Ignored for a decade or so, appellate courts eventually began to recognize that transgender bias is the quintessential example of gender stereotyping. Ironically, the precedent did not translate as neatly to gay plaintiffs, with the exception of, let’s say, effeminate men fired or harassed for their personal style.

After time, however, courts began to grapple with the notion that while gay-acting plaintiffs might be able to sue under Title VII just like transgender plaintiffs, a straight-acting gay man or woman could still be fired for sexual orientation alone if they were not “stereotyped” by gender role. This anomaly, in turn, led recent courts to acknowledge that the very fact of being gay or lesbian is in itself a violation of gender stereotypes whether or not the employee sings show tunes in the office or drives a pickup to work.

I traveled this side street only because there’s a chance that the justices will rule in our favor on the gay case and against us on the transgender case, an outcome that would be crushing in any respect, but particularly so given the leadership of the transgender community in advancing Title VII law.

In fact, I’m not sure how the Court could come to such a conclusion without hollowing out Price Waterhouse in the process, but as Minter pointed out, the conservatives seemed astonishingly out of (continued on page 30) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

O C TO BER 17, 2019

13

Horizons Foundation Annual Gala

BAY TIMES S

Photos by Rink and Paul Margolis

A

N

F

R

A

N

C

I

S

C

O

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

On Saturday evening, October 5, a sold out crowd attended the annual Horizons Foundation Gala at the Fairmont Hotel. In addition to the dinner and program, the evening also included an opening reception, a silent auction, and an after party featuring Lak’ech Dance Academy and legendary DJ Page Hodel.

PHOTO BY RINK

The program included an important announcement of the organization’s Now and Forever Campaign through which Horizons will secure a minimum of $100 million in legacy commitments. The Campaign will increase support for nonprofits serving and advocating for LGBTQ people, and will ensure the future of the organization as an enduring philanthropic institution dedicated to the LGBT community. The campaign co-chairs included Joyce Newstat, Susan Lowenberg, Scott Hafner, and Bill Glenn.

O C TO B E R 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK PHOTO BY RINK

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

PHOTO BY RINK PHOTO BY RINK

14

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

Serving as auctioneer for the Gala was Michael Tate, and co-chairs for the Gala were Tom Murray and Audrey Koh, MD.

D

Donna’s Chronicles

“You know gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender—people are people.”

By Donna Sachet

idn’t we warn you that October is THE month for annual galas, fundraisers, and soirées, keeping the calendar jam-packed with must-attend events for so many of the worthy organizations that we cherish? Some San Franciscans refer to the first week of September as “Hell Week” with the grand openings of both the SF Opera and SF Symphony, effectively kicking off the social season, but for us in the LGBTQ Community, the month of October requires fortitude, energy, and lots of dressy clothes, and we are here to keep you abreast of it all!

Compassion is Universal was Shanti’s annual gala on October 3 at The Palace Hotel, celebrating 45 years of service. The evening started with cocktails where we chatted with Emperor J.P. Soto & Chris Soto, City Treasurer Jose Cisneros, Doug Waggener, Scott James, Bob Dockendorff, Clinton & Janet Reilly, Tom Nolan, and many others before entering the ballroom for the dinner and program. The Margot Murphy Women’s Cancer Inspiration Award was presented posthumously to Brisdell Hunte, dedicated Board member, by Shanti Founder Dr. Charles Garfield, and members of her family spoke beautifully of her service. The James Hormel Community Spirit Award was given to client Hulda Brown by City Supervisor Rafael Mandelman as her family and supporters cheered her humble and heart-felt acceptance speech. Executive Director of Shanti Kaushik Roy spoke passionately about the mission and accomplishments of this thriving organization, once again demonstrating what a perfect fit he is for this job.

And Lenny Broberg, who has over time distinguished himself as the pre-eminent community auctioneer, took bids on a fabulous Seychelles vacation and the fund-a-need program, where donations of specific amounts from $20,000 to $100 are tied to specific vital services provided

by Shanti and its partner Pets Are Wonderful Support; bids were lively and generous! Finally, State Senator Scott Wiener introduced a video tribute from Governor Gavin Newsom and then presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Dede Wilsey. Those of you with your ears to the ground may have heard some rumblings beforehand about this particular award and its recipient, but Mrs. Wilsey sailed above it all with her gracious acceptance, generous praise for Kaushik Roy, and no-nonsense dismissal of specific detractors. We shared a brief moment with her afterwards, surrounded by Willie Brown, Tom Horn, Yuri Pascarella, Timothy Wu, Matthew Goudeau, and other supporters, as a jubilant crowd of Shanti backers spilled into the clear evening air.

The next night, we attended Bummers Ball 3, a very different kind of gala at the Castro Theater for Rocket Dog Rescue. Once again, there were silent and live auctions, the latter again skillfully orchestrated by Lenny Broberg, but this time passed savories and a much more casual, ebullient atmosphere. We enjoyed the VIP reception upstairs with friends and dog-lovers Michael Murphy & Andy Schwartz, Audrey Joseph, Richard Sablatura & Norm Claybaugh, Keith Addy, and others. Then we filed into the theatre where Brothers and Sisters, featuring members of Brothers Comatose and T Sisters, the Mark Karan Band, and Mikki Borodi kicked off the entertainment, and Margaret Belton and the Patsychords blew us away with tribute songs to the fabulous Patsy Cline. Without a doubt, the crowd was rapt with anticipation as the headliner took the stage: Emmylou Harris! She shared her love of animals and support of Rocket Dog Rescue and performed solo without band or back-up, simply strumming her guitar and singing, and bringing the house to its feet. Jasmine Blue deserves much credit for founding and continuing a unique pet rescue operation and for finding such a unique format for their annual fundraiser.

And the next night, we re-entered the magical world of The Fairmont Hotel where Horizons Foundation’s Gala filled the halls with elegantly dressed and enthusiastically supportive LGBTQ leaders. This VIP cocktail hour is always brimming with lively guests, this year including Jewelle Gomez & Diane Sabin, Jeff Anderson & Jeff Soukiup, Ed Eishen & Jeff Lewy, Brett Andrews, Bob Hermann & Dan Joraanstad, Bud Dillon, Stuart Hills, and Chris Verdugo. Inside the Grand Ballroom we joined table hostess Chris Carnes and table mates Chris Edwards, Susan Fahey, and others as Taller Bombalele provided musical entertainment. Horizons changed things up a bit this year with a first-time emcee, Michael Tate, who demonstrated amazing dexterity with the program, the auction, and a raucous crowd. Exotic trips with luxury accommodations and elegant extras successfully tempted this assemblage to bid wildly. No specific awards were presented, but Co-Chairs Audrey Koh and Tim Murray, Francisco Buchting, Deb Stallings, and President Roger Doughty outlined the broad reach of Horizons, recent success stories, and truly staggering fundraising achievements. Horizons has its eye firmly and responsibly on the future with over 100 million dollars in promised future legacy gifts, ensuring the ongoing support of the LGBTQ Community in all its diverse beauty.

Then, this crowd did what they do so well; they danced into the night to the music of legendary DJ Page Hodel.

Sunday was the Castro Street Fair, giving us a little break from large formal gatherings and allowing us to let our hair down, if not take it off. With perfect weather and smiling crowds, this has to be one of the best Castro Street Fairs yet!

Last Thursday, the Ken Henderson & Joe Seiler and Richmond/ Ermet Aid Foundation announced proceeds of $80,000 from their recent Help is on the Way XXV: Celebrating Broadway. Beneficiaries and friends, including Larry Horowitz, Cameron Stiehl, Brent Marek, Al Treuter, Shelley Brunetti, and Beth Schnitzer, gathered at the lovely home of John Newmeyer for a brief ceremony presenting checks to Rafael House and Meals on Wheels San Francisco, and then enjoyed the music of Steve Knill, sporting his Team Kelly Clarkson jacket from his recent successful competition on The Voice. REAF knows talent; don’t miss their next big event Help is on the Way for the Holidays, Monday, December 9.

The final annual gala covered in this column is Mighty Real, benefiting PRC last Friday night at Four Seasons Hotel. We are a bit predisposed to PRC, admittedly, but this event was outstanding in several ways. Guests first mingled during cocktail hour unhampered by silent auction tables, only solicited for raffle prize tickets by models from the Bare Chest Calendar. On the able arm of the PHOTO BY SHAWN NORTHCUTT

–Judith Light

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

The Starlight Room Sir Francis Drake Hotel 10:30 am Brunch, 11:30 am Show $75 inclusive https://starlightroomsf.com/sundays-a-drag Friday, October 18 REUNION: Chosen Family GLBT Historical Society’s annual gala Ohana Floor, Salesforce Tower, 415 Mission Street 6–9 pm $150 & up www.glbthistory.org Friday, October 25 This Old Bag: Buy a Purse, Change a Life Breast Cancer Emergency Fund’s annual gala Fairmont Hotel 6:30 pm $175 www.bcef.org Saturday, October 26 Daytime Disco Tea Dance Brian Kent presents with DJ Wayne G Virgin Hotel Rooftop 1–6 pm $25 https://www.facebook.com/events/514618592639366/ Wednesday, October 30 Warriors’ LGBT Night Chase Center 7:30 pm $75 & up www.warriors.com/BayTimes

dashingly handsome Rusty Best, we circulated with Steven Adams, Fred Bothe, Donovan Jones, Beth Feingold, Marvin Morris, John Cunningham, Gary Virginia, Susan Fahey, Rusty Gaspard, Kelly Rivera, and others, enjoying the outdoor deck with City views and the full moon rising. Michael Tate was again the emcee and auctioneer, loosening up a bit for this crowd and successfully raising money with three attractive live auction items and a fund-a-need section. A brief video message from Dionne Warwick surprised and pleased the crowd and musical entertainment from Frenchie Davis lit up the night. CEO of PRC Brett Andrews delivered a concise update of recent successes and ongoing challenges, followed by a moving video, and remarkably recognized by name the several executive directors of other nonprofits in the room that evening. The program concluded with client awards presented by major sponsors and special recognition for Frenchie who felt compelled to regale us with another song or two, leading everyone to the dance floor to celebrate with DJ Lamont.

Congratulations to Mr. Gay Khalil Munro and Miss Gay Amoura Teese on the completion of their year and to the winners of this year’s pageant on Saturday night: Mr. Gay Keaton Munro and Miss Gay Olive Cox. And we are confident that the future looks bright for additional contestant Andrew Hirst.

The 47th Mr. and Miss Gay Pageant of the Imperial Court at Folsom Foundry was full of spirited competition, witty emcees, and memorable anniversary recognitions of past title-holders.

The minute the pageant was over, we dashed to The Academy, where Sister Roma was being honored as a community leader and icon. Attendance was amazing, including Heklina, Pollo del Mar, Mutha Chucka, Adam Sandel, Okan Sengun, Nic Hunter, Larry Lare Nelson, Steven Quin, Emma Peel, and, of course, Paul Miller, one of the creators of The Academy. A gorgeous plexiglass case containing Roma memorabilia is now permanently housed on site.

And finally (sorry for the lengthy column!), after entertaining another special group from the San Francisco

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

(continued on page 27) O C TO BER 17, 2019

15

Buy a Purse: Change a Life!

“Buy a Purse: Change a Life!” is the fun-and-fashion-filled challenge coming at the 15th Annual “This Old Bag” Gala to be held on Friday, October 25, at San Francisco’s Fairmont Hotel.

“It really is true what we say: buy a purse and change a life,” said Cynthia Hester, President of Breast Cancer Emergency Fund’s Board of Directors. “Every bag sold gives life and spirit-saving financial assistance to low-income people battling breast cancer. Where else can you feel so good about shopping for designer bags, celebrity-signed collectibles, and bags for women, men, children, pets, fashionistas, and civic and business leaders?”

The 15th Anniversary “This Old Bag: The Power of the Purse” fundraiser takes place on Friday, October 25, at San Francisco’s historic Fairmont Hotel. This year, in addition to a record number of new designs and international contributions, Liam Mayclem, award-winning “Foodie Chap” of KCBS/KCBS 5, will serve up British wit and continental charm as celebrity emcee and auctioneer. For more information and to buy tickets, go online to: https://bcef.org/thisoldbag/tob-event-info/ Since its inception in 2005, This Old Bag has sold over 2,500 bags to help Bay Area women and men during their challeng-

16

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

O C TO B E R 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

ing diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer. The idea: fundraising for breast cancer need not be dull. In fact, it should be fun and life-affirming. Over the last 15 years, artists, artisans, celebrities, politicians, and local fashion mavens have all been inspired by the “power of the purse,” donating glamorous, unique, and one-of-a-kind handbags for the benefit of the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund. A small sampling of bags already donated this year include: • an elegant grey Longchamp tote donated by Sharon Stone; • a shoulder bag with autographed CD from Linda Ronstadt; • a black shearling Valentino bag donated by Ayesha Curry; • a red Proenza Schouler satchel donated by Mindy Kaling; • two exquisite vintage Hermès bags donated by Julian Lopez; • a Stella McCartney bag donatedby Chelsea Handler; • a Salvatore Ferragamo bag donated by Kristen Bell; • a one-of-a-kind couture shoulder bag designed & handmade specially for This Old Bag by April in Paris; • a “Rocker’s Dream Bag” donated by Deborah Harry and signed by members of Blondie, Cheap Trick and The B-52s.

Those donated handbags have a huge impact. “The average monthly income of our clients is $825, a number that sits in stark contrast to the soaring rents in the Bay Area,” said Karen Edwards, BCEF’s Interim Executive Director.

“Unfortunately, a diagnosis of breast cancer often means losing your job, your insurance, and your home. Breast Cancer Emergency Fund provides a safety net that no one else provides, paying essential bills like rent, utilities, and insurance premiums that make it possible to maintain a stable living situation during treatment.”

Breast Cancer Emergency Fund exists to fill that very need: providing immediate financial assistance to low-income people battling breast cancer when they are too sick to work.

Since 2001, Breast Cancer Emergency Fund has served over 4,000 people in San Francisco, Santa Clara, and San Mateo Counties, providing over $3.6 million dollars in assistance to help their clients to maintain financial stability during a devastating illness.

For more information about Breast Cancer Emergency Fund, and further to-be-announced details about the 15th Anniversary “This Old Bag: The Power of the Purse” at San Francisco’s storied Fairmont Hotel on Friday, October 25, please go online to www.bcef.org

BAY TIMES S

A

N

F

R

A

N

C

I

S

C

O

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

Kate Spade

Mindy Kaling

Kristen Bell

Edie Falco

Linda Ronstadt

Chelsea Handler

Debbie Harry

Julia Louis Dreyfus

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

O C TO BER 17, 2019

17

BAY TIMES S

A

N

F

R

A

N

C

I

S

C

O

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

Closeted Roy Cohn the Subject of an Eye-Opening New Doc

Film Gary M. Kramer History shows how evil Roy Cohn really was. Described as “flamboyant” and “ruthless,” Cohn was a lawyer who helped to send Julius and Ethel Rosenberg to their deaths, made a name for himself as Chief Counsel for Senator Joseph McCarthy, defended mafia kingpins, and had a protégé in Donald Trump.

He even lost the Lionel train empire after taking it over. He never admitted he was a homosexual, or that he had contracted AIDS. Matt Tyrnauer’s detailed and layered documentary, Where’s My Roy Cohn— that titular quote is Trump’s—deep dives into the life and times of the singularly hateful man. He was a “political puppeteer,” pulling strings and manipulating the system to his advantage. He loved power and wielding it. The film opens October 18 in the Bay Area.

Tyrnauer elegantly traces Cohn’s rise and downfall decade-by-decade, showing how he was involved at key turning points in history. Cohn made his career on the backs of the Rosenbergs and urged Judge Irving Kaufman to pursue the death penalty in their case. Cohn then worked with J. Edgar Hoover at the FBI who recommended him to be Chief Counsel for Joseph McCarthy and his anti-Communist hearings. He

Queerly, Cohn developed an affection for G. David Schine, who worked on McCarthy’s team. When Schine was drafted, Cohn tried to manipulate the system so that Schine would be excused from duty. His efforts begat the Army-McCarthy hearings, and Tyrnauer features footage of the hearings, with discussions of “pixies” and “fairies” that belie the subtext of what was really on trial. It also led to the Army’s lawyer, Joseph Welch, to famously ask, “Have you no sense of decency?” which brought an end to McCarthy’s career.

Tyrnauer shrewdly includes an interview of Cohn’s cousin Annie Roiphe, who sports a naughty smile as she indicates that Cohn’s interest in Schine went beyond the handsome man’s mind. Cohn had a crush on him and, given the bevy of Nordiclooking men he hired as chauffeurs, or to captain his boat—plus those he dated, hired, and slept with—Cohn tried throughout his life to recapture that lost love. Wallace Adams, one of Cohn’s boyfriends, interviewed in the film, attests to Cohn having a “type.”

Cohn may have been a self-loathing, closeted gay man, but Where’s My Roy Cohn also asserts that he was a selfhating Jew, rejecting his privileged family’s background and contradicting everything he was supposed to become. His self-made man image certainly helped him. Cohn also took a bad situation and turned it into a victory—a technique that Trump adopted.

For viewers experiencing “45 fatigue,” Tyrnauer’s film offers no relief. An extended section of the film addresses his relationship with the future president, and how both men had situational ethics. Neither would ever apologize or admit that they were wrong. As information

about the erection of New York’s Trump Tower unfolds, Where’s My Roy Cohn generates righteous anger.

The film does offer glimmers of joy as Cohn gets some comeuppance.

This may not be the case when he beats Roy Cohn with Donald Trump an indictment, but Cohn denied having a facelift, despite noticeable scars, and he squirms whenever someone probes into his personal life and sexuality. When Mike Wallace asks Cohn about contracting AIDS, it is illuminating to watch Cohn neither confirm nor deny the truth. Moreover, a few choice clips of Cohn on TV with Gore Vidal are, as one expects, particularly delicious.

SONY PICTURES

investigated homosexuals as part of this work.

Where’s My Roy Cohn also offers two amazing anecdotes. One involves a Seder and reveals why Cohn probably lacks empathy and ethics. The other involves his unexpected collection of frogs, which does not exactly humanize Cohn as much as it raises more questions.

Tyrnauer’s agenda in this documentary is to present many aspects of Cohn’s life and to let viewers connect the dots. He solicits testimonies from folks as varied as Roger Stone and historian Thomas Doherty, as well as journalists along with Cohn’s cousins and colleagues. Their impressions help to create a well-rounded picture of a man who always wanted attention.

The filmmaker does allow Cohn’s “charisma” to shine through, not just in his smooth-talking to reporters at trials, but also in footage of him doing his daily 200 sit-ups in his ceiling-mirrored(!) bedroom while reviewing his date with Barbara

Walters with his male secretary. And in the film, Cohn certainly gloats when he helped mobster John Gotti to get a reduced sentence for murder.

But for all of his dubious achievements, Cohn’s end was ignominious.

He was disbarred and investigated for a fraudulent codicil, lying under oath, and other crimes. He refused to acknowledge he was gay or had AIDS, but received special experimental treatments for the disease at the NIH, courtesy of his friend, former president Ronald Reagan.

Where’s My Roy Cohn addresses all of these points and more in its nimble 90-plus minutes. Tyrnauer’s impressive film will not win Cohn any admirers, but it does help to better understand this controversial historical figure. © 2019 Gary M. Kramer Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the co-editor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.” Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer

Structuring a Book Series in Bone, was published in September by Persigo Press.

Words Michele Karlsberg Michele Karlsberg: Michael Nava, author of ten Henry Rios novels, is featured in this issue of the San Francisco Bay Times. I asked Michael to discuss crafting a book series.

He explained how he works through concept, consistency, connection, strategic loose ends, and so much more. The latest Henry Rios novel, Carved

Michael Nava: Twenty years after the publication of the last Henry Rios mystery, I’ve added a new book to the series. The original Rios novels cover the period from 1980 to 2000, roughly. Carved in Bone is set in San Francisco in 1984. Originally, I re-read the novels with the idea of writing a new book set in the present. Then I saw there were thematic and chronological gaps in the series.

Among those gaps was the evolution of the gay male community in San Francisco in the 1970s and the impact of the outbreak of AIDS on that community. I plotted the murder mystery in Carved in Bone around those themes.

Writing a series is both easier and harder than writing a stand-alone novel. Seven books in, I’m intimately familiar with my protagonist, Henry Rios, a gay, Latino criminal defense lawyer. Picking up the thread of his life story in Carved in Bone was like resuming a conversation with an old

KIT’N KITTY’S

QUEER POP QUIZ

friend. The hard part of writing a series is keeping it fresh. It’s easy for a mystery series to become formulaic if all you’re doing is churning out books. I’m not that kind of writer.

Writing’s hard work. I had to feel a passionate need before resuming Rios’s story. I didn’t know it would take twenty years!

Another challenge in writing a series is connecting each book to the others while making sure each one also stands on its own. Each Rios novel is a stand-alone murder mystery while, taken together, they also tell Rios’ life story. So, each one must be a complete and complex mystery on its own while, at the same time, containing enough of Rios’ back story to be part of a multi-book narrative. That requires exercising judgment about what to include and what to omit. This is not so much a writing skill as a story-telling skill. I’m still developing mine. For instance, when I re-read the original books, I noticed inconsistencies I had missed when writing them. As I’ve prepared them for republication, I revised

them, some more extensively than others, to smooth out those inconsistencies and put in some foreshadowing to more strongly link the books.

The final challenge in returning to the series was to maintain the same high standard of the widely praised, awardwinning earlier books.

Between 2000 and 2014, I worked on a massive historical novel eventually published as The City of Palaces. As I struggled with that book, I deepened my knowledge of my craft; in some ways it was like learning to write from ground zero. At the same time, I passed through my fifties and entered my sixties, and gained a more mature perspective on life.

Writers’ lives are inseparable from their art. I’m a happier, more mature man and a better writer now than when I wrote those first Rios books.

And because of that, Carved in Bone may be the best book in the series.

So far.

OH, HERE, BOY! In what show does a family dog run away and end up at Big Gay Al’s Big Gay Animal Sanctuary? [Extra credit - What famous person voiced said dog?]

A) Simpsons B) Family Guy C) King of the Hill D) South Park ANSWER ON PAGE 26

Michael Nava

Michael Nava is the six-time Lambda Literary Award-winning author of the Henry Rios Mysteries and the producer of the Henry Rios Mysteries Podcast available on Apple I-tune and other podcast platforms. You can reach him at https://michaelnavawriter.com Michele Karlsberg Marketing and Management specializes in publicity for the LGBTQI community.

This year, Karlsberg celebrates 31 years of successful book campaigns.

For more information: https://www.michelekarlsberg.com

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

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

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

O C TO BER 17, 2019

19

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun

Sister Dana sez, “I am so excited that our High Homo Holiday is coming! By that I mean ‘Halloween,’ or should I say ‘HallowQueen’?!”

THEATRE RHONOCEROS presented a stage reading of THE FOOD CHAIN at Spark Arts in the Castro on October 1. This is a very quirky play by Nicky Silver and directed by Fernando Gambaroni. It’s about a love triangle (more like a pentagon) of five (deliciously hilarious) tormented (overly melodramatic) souls just trying to find love in their own psychotic ways. Amanda (Felicity Hesed) contacts a neurotic help-line volunteer Bea (Sara Moore) because her strong but silent (practically mute) husband Ford (Colin David ) has been missing for two weeks of their three-week marriage. Possibly because handsome runway model Serge (Devin Goodman) is having an affair with Ford; but Serge’s annoying love-struck trick Otto (Matt Gunnison) won’t leave worse enough alone. A psychiatrist’s dream (or perhaps nightmare)! I wanna see this play mounted!

Over 500 guests attended SHANTI PROJECT’s 45th Anniversary Gala COMPASSION IS UNIVERSAL at the Palace Hotel on October 3.

They celebrated 45 years of service to the community. Executive Director Kaushik Roy spoke about Shanti’s progress. To bring their internationally recognized model of care to more underserved members of the community, they launched two new programs in 2016. Their LGBTQ Aging & Abilities Support Network (LAASN) addresses social isolation as well as emotional, behavioral, and health challenges faced by LGBTQ seniors and adults with disabilities. Their Peer Advocate Care Team (PACT) supports current residents of Potrero Terrace and Annex to help them prepare for their public housing to be demolished and rebuilt into a mixed-income community. Ian Doyle with father Chris and sister Eva accepted the Margot Murphy Women’s Cancer Inspiration Award for his mother, Brisdell Hunte (1963–2019), Shanti board member. Supervisor Rafael Mandelman presented the James C. Hormel Community Spirit Award recipient to Shanti client Hulda Brown. The Lifetime Achievement Award recipient was community philanthropist Mrs. Dede Wilsey.

Sister Dana sez, “It’s time to fix the broken Electoral College. All states should sign onto the National Popular Vote Compact and band together to ensure the candidate who receives the most votes nationwide wins the presidency.”

THE 46TH ANNUAL CASTRO STREET FAIR was on October 6 all throughout the Castro. There were the usual booths for food, beverage, info, and a stage of entertainment. But the best part was being invited aboard the RAINBOW WORD FUND BUS with Cocktail Bar parked at 18th & Castro Street! So lovely to chat and drink with Emperor Leandro, RWF founder Jeff Cotter, and friends.

Founded in 2000, RWF is the world’s first and only all-volunteer, LGBTQbased humanitarian aid organization.

RWF works to help people affected by natural disasters, hunger, poverty, disease, oppression, and war. www.rainbowfund.org Thomasina DeMaio and Mama Mia d’Bruzzi presented THE MERRY-GO-ROUND OF SOUND Variety Show on October 11 (National Coming Out Day) at the Eureka Valley Rec Center. Delightful live entertainment included Chaki the Funk Wizard; chanteuse extraordinaire Miss Connie Champagne; Sascha Jacobsen & Seth Asarnow - Latin/ Tango Jazz Bass Piano duo, complete with lively tango dancers; and rockin’ out rock band Dizzy Twin. Fabulous!

Are you too mad at PG&E? “It’s hard to overstate the impact of this massive rolling blackout, affecting 2.5 million people,” said Senator Scott Wiener.

“People rely on electricity for their medicine, their food, and their livelihood. This is a completely unacceptable state of affairs. While targeted blackouts can help prevent wildfires, we can’t let PG&E normalize these blackouts.”

Sister Dana sez, “Just because Halloween can be a spooky time of year, don’t be scared to venture forth into some of these upcoming OCTOBERRIFFIC events!”

D’Arcy Drollinger presents BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER LIVE! at the Oasis, 298 11th Street. Dust off your wooden stake and get your garlic and holy water because it’s vampire season! Buffy and the cast are back for a fourth year of drag realness in a high-camp parody of the popular TV music episode, “Once More With Feeling.” Buffy has been brought (continued on page 27)

HORIZONS FOUNDATION GALA was on October 5 at Fairmont San Francisco with dinner and after-party dancing our beehinds off. We celebrated what they’ve built so far, and helped to raise critical funds that allow them to keep building, through both the support they give organizations today and their permanent endowment for Dennis McMillan (aka Sister Dana) at the Horizons Foundation tomorrow. Through their live Gala with Novice Guard FreeQueen and Guard Nova of the auction, raffle, and paddle Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

20

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

O C TO B E R 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

By Sister Dana Van Iquity

raise, they raised over a quarter million dollars in the room, which will directly support Horizon’s work to create a world where all LGBTQ people live freely and fully. Through its historic NOW AND FOREVER CAMPAIGN, the foundation has identified over $100 million in future legacy gifts that will support the LGBTQ community. “Never before has our community been so prepared for what lies ahead,” said President Roger Doughty.

“The extraordinary generosity of the LGBTQ community will create a stronger world for many generations to come. To date, more than 350 people have included the foundation in their estate plans because of Horizons’ unmatched history and expertise in supporting all parts of the LGBTQ community.”

4th Annual OurTownSF Nonprofit Expo: SF’s Largest LGBTQ Resource Fair

By Paul Margolis On October 19th, the 4th Annual OurTownSF Nonprofit Expo, the largest LGBTQ resource fair ever in San Francisco, will take place at Eureka Valley Recreation Center. It’s a great chance to get to know and connect with over 150 Bay Area resource groups as a new client, volunteer, or donor.

The OurTownSF Nonprofit Expo, which brings together arts, community, fundraising, health, legal, political, recovery, service & spiritual groups serving the LGBTQ community is free to attend!

Enjoy food served by the Bare Chest Calendar Team 2020, entertainment including the Lesbian/ Gay Freedom Band and songstress Vanessa Bousay, a blessing by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and a chance to win a dozen fabulous door prizes. Head upstairs to play in the new gaming room hosted by Queer Gaming Day

of SF, East Bay Gaymers and Geeks, and Oakland LGBTQ Community Center Gaymers.

Alert! This event is always super gay—and fabulous.

This year’s Expo features decorations by Comfort and Joy, a photo booth, a magician, dog adoptions

by Family Dog Rescue & Muttville Senior Dog Rescue, a huge silent auction, and a panel from the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. There’s also an opportunity to register to vote, apply for Covered California or Medicare, or to have a quick medical check-up by a chiropractor, podiatrist, dentist, and dermatologist. HIV and Hep-C testing will also be available.

Book signings will take place in the lobby by Cleve Jones, author of When We Rise: My Life in the Movement; 2017 Lambda Literary Award Winner, Anand Vedawala, Executive Director of SF Zine

Fest; Toni Newman, best-selling author of her memoir I Rise -The Transformation of Toni Newman; and Jim Provenzano, the author of six novels, including Lambda Literary Award Winner (Gay Romance) Now I’m Here and Every Time I Think of You. Join the fun at 100 Collingwood St. from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm. The OurTownSF Nonprofit Expo is hosted by OurTownSF, Eureka Valley Recreation Center, and TurnOut. Paul Margolis is the founder of OurTownSF and serves as its director and photographer. He was among the founding members of both Positive Force and Rainbow Toastmasters, served on the SF HIV Planning Council, and fundraised as Mr. March on the 2012 Bare Chest Calendar. https://www.ourtownsf.org/

Photos from previous years at OurTownSF Nonprofit Expo

Photos by JP Lor

OurTownSF Nonprofit Expo 2019 List of Participants ABO Comix, The Academy, Academy of Friends, African Human Rights Coalition, AGUILAS, AHF Pharmacy, AIDS/HIV Nightline - SF Suicide Prevention, AIDS Legal Referral Panel, AIDS LifeCycle, Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club, Anand Vedawala-book signing, Archive Productions, AsiaSF, Baker Places, Bare Chest Calendar, Bay Area American Indian Two Spirits, Bay Area Bisexual Network, Black Brothers Esteem, Breast Cancer Emergency Fund, Bridgemen, California Men’s Gathering, Castro Ambassadors, Castro Cares, Castro Community on Patrol, Castro LGBTQ Cultural District, Castro Merchants, Castro/Upper Market Community Benefit District, Center for LGBTQ Economic Advancement & Research, Cheers Queers, CHEER SF, Cleve Jones - book signing, Coalition on Homelessness, Comfort & Joy, Community Boards, Community Initiatives, Companions of Dorothy, Compton’s Transgender Cultural District, Covered California & Medicare -Dr. Linda White, Dermatology Center of SF, Different Spokes, Dignity San Francisco, Dining Out for Life, Donor Network West, Drag Me Along Tours, DREEAM Project, East Bay Gaymers and Geeks, Elizabeth Taylor 50+ Network, Emperor Norton’s Fantastic SF Time Machine, Eureka Valley Recreation Center, Family Builders by Adoption, Family Dog Rescue, Flying Over Walls - Black & Pink, Frameline, Friends of Harvey Milk Plaza, GAPA - Gay Asian Pacific Alliance, GAPA Men’s Chorus, GAPA Theatre, Gaylesta, Gilead, GLBT History Museum & Historical Society, GLBT National Help Center, Glide, GNEWS, Golden Gate Business Association, Golden Gate Urology, Grand Ducal Council, Habitat for Humanity-Build with Pride, Hartford Street Zen Center, HIV Advocacy Network, HIV Story Project, Horizons Foundation, Imperial Council, Instituto Familiar de la Raza, Jim Provenzano - book signing, Larkin Street Youth Services, Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District, Left Coast Theatre Co., LGBT Asylum Project-Center for Immigrant Protection, LGBTQ Perinatal Wellness Center, The Logo Show, Love Peace Harmony Foundation, Lyon-Martin Health Services, LYRIC, Maitri Compassionate Care, Man Dance Company, Marty’s Place, Mental Health Association of SF, Metropolitan Community Church, Mission Neighborhood Center, Mr. San Francisco Leather, Ms. San Francisco Leather, MLife Foundation, Most Holy Redeemer AIDS Support Group, Mujeres en Accion, MuscleSmartz - personal trainer consultations, Muttville Senior Dog Rescue, MXD Magazine, NARAL Pro-Choice California, National AIDS Memorial Grove, National LGBTQ Center for the Arts, National Psoriasis Foundation, New Conservatory Theatre, Oakland LGBTQ Community Center Gaymers, Oasis Legal Services, Ohlhoff Recovery Programs, Openhouse, OurTownSF, Our Trans Home SF, Out Athlete Fund, Parivar Bay Area, Patelco Credit Union, PFLAG San Francisco, Positive Being, Positive Pedalers, PRC, Project More, Project Open Hand, Queer Gaming Day, RADAR Productions, RainbowBetter, Rainbow Grocery, Rainbow Street, Rainbow Toastmasters, Rainbow World Fund, Recycled AIDS Medicine Program, Red and Orange House Foundation, Reproductive Science Center, Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation, Sacred Space, St. Francis Lutheran Church, St. James Infirmary, St. Vincent de Paul Society of SF, San Francisco AIDS Foundation, SF Bay Area Leather Alliance, San Francisco Bay Times, San Francisco Community Health Center, San Francisco Frontrunners, San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, San Francisco Gay Softball League, San Francisco Hepatitis C Task Force, San Francisco Impact Partners, San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band, San Francisco LGBT Center & Business Development, San Francisco Pride, San Francisco Public Library Eureka Valley/Harvey Milk Memorial branch, San Francisco Spine Pain Relief Center, Santa Skivvies Run, Scoot, Seniors Tell All, SFBiCon, Shanti Project, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Skin on Market, Society of Janus, The Spahr Center, Spectrum Queer Media, StartOut, Stonewall Project, Sundance Saloon, SWAG Foundation, Swords to Plowshares, Taja’s Coalition, Temenos Catholic Worker, Tenderloin Tessie, TGI Justice Project, Theatre Rhinoceros, Through the Windows, Toni Newman-book signing, Trans Lifeline, Transgender Cancer Patient Project, Trans Thrive, TurnOut, UCSF AHHA & Anchor Study, UCSF DuoPact Study, UCSF School of Dentistry - Gender & Sexual Diversity in Dentistry, United States Census Bureau, Until There’s A Cure, Wayne Rash DPM of Castro Podiatry, Women’s Community Clinic.

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

O C TO BER 17, 2019

21

Pet Camp – Unveiling a New Multi-Million Dollar Renovation & Renewed Commitment to SF’s Bayview Neighborhood

Photos by JP Lor

Longstanding Bayview pet daycare and boarding facility, Pet Camp, is proud to announce the unveiling of the Bay Area’s largest new indoor/outdoor play space, called “The Meadow.” The Meadow features a retractable roof, state-of-the-art turf that provides a soft, safe surface for dogs to play on, and more. Since Pet Camp opened in 1997, they have seen over 750,000 dogs come through the door.

“About three years ago, we started to think about the need to make some significant changes to the Main Campground. Some of the changes were necessitated by the basic wear and tear that 100-plus dogs place on a building over the years,” said Mark Klaiman, owner and founder of Pet Camp. “We understood that we had to address these issues, and we did, but we wanted to do more. Our Pet Camp Meadow is the more.”

The new space measures 3,300 square feet, with half of The Meadow under a retractable glass roof that measures 96 feet by 15 feet. The center of the roof opens so the over 100 campers that Pet Camp cares for per day can play rain or shine.

“Our goal was to create a one-ofa-kind indoor/outdoor dog park,” Klaiman continued. “It has fresh air and sunshine but also protects our clients’ pets from bad weather.”

The Meadow also supports Mark and Virginia’s commitment to philanthropy and charitable giving. By working with organizations in San Francisco, including San Francisco Aid for Animals, San Francisco Animal Care and Control, and San Francisco SPCA, Pet Camp hopes The Meadow will be a haven for nonprofits to use for dog-friendly events and fundraisers. To date, Pet Camp has donated over $500,000 to many charitable organizations.

“The Bayview is our home, not just where our business is located,” Klaiman added. “We will continue to do everything we can to improve, support, and enrich this vibrant community that has embraced us for over 20 years.”

Pet Camp celebrated The Meadow’s official unveiling on Tuesday, September 17. For more information, please visit: https://www.petcamp.com/

Take Me Home with You!

Gemma

“My name is Gemma! I’m a 3-year-old Husky mix. I love life and enjoy meeting new people! I’m very curious about the world around me and would love to find someone special who will be my adventure buddy and take me exploring. Let’s go hiking, swimming, or spend the day at the beach! If that sounds like fun to you, please come meet me!”

Gemma is presented to San Francisco Bay Times readers by Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, the SF SPCA’s Co-President. Our thanks also go to Krista Maloney for helping to get the word out about lovable pets like Gemma.

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

For more information: https://www.sfspca.org/adoptions 22

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

O C TO B E R 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

This Month at the Castro Farmers’ Market

ROASTED W INTER SQU ASH 1 large acorn o r kabocha squas h, cut in half, seeds remove d 1 tablespoon m elted butter or olive oil Salt and pepper Preheat the ove n to 350°F. Cu t the pumpkins or squash in qu arters and scoo p out all of the seeds and strin g. Cover a bakin g sheet with foil.

Brush a little m elted butter on th e cut edges of the pumpkin/sq uash. Place on th e baking sheet.

Cook for abou t 1/2 hour to 4 5 m inutes, depend ing on the size of the squash, u n ti l it is soft to the touch. Serv e hot.

Persimmons, Pomegranates and Lots of Pumpkins!

Pomegranates are one of the featured fruits this month. Called “the jewel of autumn,” these big, funny-looking fruits have leathery skin that, when cracked open, reveal rows of bright red seeds filled with juice. They are high in vitamin C and potassium, are a great source of fiber, and are low in calories. Eat the seeds right from the fruit, or juice them for a very healthy drink. Sprinkle the seeds on salads, add to smoothies, top yogurt or cereal, or make a very tasty sauce or glaze for pork or chicken. Stop by and pick out some of these beauties from Allard Farms out of Westley, Arata Fruit from Byron, and Ken’s Top Notch of Reedley.

Pumpkins are a member of the winter squash family and can be used in any recipe calling for any of the winter squashes such as acorn, butternut, or turban. Pumpkins can be diced into chunks, steamed as a vegetable, spiced with nutmeg to enhance the flavor, and served as a side dish at any meal. Pumpkins can also be mixed with a variety of fruits and vegetables such as apples, pears, and rhubarb. Small pumpkins make beautiful serving containers for soups and stews, and, of course, can be used to decorate your front porch!

We can’t forget to mention the star of the season—pumpkins! While most of the pumpkins marketed in the U.S. are used as jack-o’-lanterns, the farmers’ market also sells the small, sugar pie variety that are excellent to eat and to purée for pies, breads, and cookies. Stop by Fifth Crow Farm out of Pescadero and

Castro Farmers’ Market on October 2

Delicious Fifth Crow Farm’s strawberry jam

PHOTO BY RINK

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/

PHOTO BY RINK

Other great vegetables in season right now are Brussels sprouts.

These “little cabbages” look like golf ball-size knobs growing in rows on stalks. Sections of these stalks, about 2 to 3 feet, are sold with the sprouts attached, or loose in bulk display. The majority of the U.S. supply comes from California’s Central Coast, which offers an ideal combination of coastal fog and cool temperatures year-round. You can find Brussels sprouts at Fifth Crown Farms out of Pescadero and Jacob’s Farm in Los Banos.

Get your hands on some of the best fall produce around at the Castro Farmers’ Market this month. You can’t find fresher or more delicious produce anywhere!

Musican Jesse Loren Stickman

PHOTO BY RINK

Winter squash is a must have this time of year. Butternut, spaghetti, acorn, and other hard-shell winter squash are here. Have you ever tried a kabocha squash? It looks like a dark green pumpkin and has a bright orange interior. Full of sweet nutty flavor, these winter squash offer a heavy dose of antioxidants and vitamins. They’re delicious when cut in half, seeded, and baked with a little butter or olive oil and sprinkled with cumin, salt, and pepper. Visit Happy Boy Farms out of Watsonville

Happy Boy Farm of Watsonville for your seasonal pumpkins.

PHOTO BY RINK

Fall produce at your farmers’ market is now in full swing. Newly arrived persimmons and pomegranates color the market with their vibrant orange and red hues; winter squash offers shades of orange, yellow, and dark green; and mounds of bright green Brussels sprouts, lettuce, broccoli, and artichokes fill the tables. And, of course, you will soon see piles of bright orange pumpkins! The farmers’ market is the best place to get the quality, freshness, and flavor that you desire when it comes to fruits and vegetables.

or Jacob’s Farm from Los Banos for some nice ones.

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO COURTESY OF PACIFIC COAST FARMER’S MARKET ASSOCIATION

By Debra Morris

Sauce display at the Allard Farms booth

Omeed Siddighi offered Donna’s Tamales

S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES O C TO BER 17, 2019

23

46th Annual Castro Street Fair 2019 Photos by Rink, Paul Margolis and JP Lor

24

SA N FRANCISCO BAY   T I ME S

O C TO B E R 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

PHOTO BY JP LOR PHOTO BY JP LOR PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS PHOTO BY JP LOR

PHOTO BY JP LOR PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY JP LOR

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY JP LOR

PHOTO BY JP LOR

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

PHOTO BY JP LOR

The Castro Street Fair, always held on the first Sunday in October, attracted a large crowd of LGBTQ community members, allies, and friends to the 2019 event at its Market, Castro, and 18th Street locations. Among the invited entertainers were Roryography, the Squad, Cindy Sparks, CHEER San Francisco, Baloney, The Monster Show, Creature, CarrieOnDisco, and LEIF. Serving as stage emcees were Per Sia and Yves Saint Croissant. Exhibitors offered for sale a variety of merchandise, and nonprofit groups presented information tables. Congratulations on another successful year to the Board of Directors, volunteers, and supporters. Founder Harvey Milk would have once again been proud that this important annual fair continues.

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY JP LOR

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

PHOTO BY JP LOR

PHOTO BY JP LOR

PHOTO BY JP LOR

PHOTO COURTESY OF CASTRO STREET FAIR

BAY TIMES A

N

F

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

R

PHOTO BY JP LOR

PHOTO BY PAUL MARGOLIS

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

S

A

N

C

I

S

C

O

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2019)

LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

O C TO BER 17, 2019

25

FISCHER (continued from page 6) experience as a legislative aide working on affordable housing gives me the knowledge and experience to get things done without making promises I can’t keep. As a woman of Native/Indigenous heritage, I understand the importance of women having a voice, and a seat at the table; our government should reflect the people it represents. It’s troubling that San Francisco is composed of more than 50% women, yet we are only represented by 4 out of 11 members on the Board of Supervisors.

Lou Fischer: What would your top three priorities be as supervisor?

Vallie Brown: Housing: We need to protect renters, while building new apartments and affordable housing.

Since being appointed, I worked to expand funding for the Small Sites Acquisition program to prevent Ellis Act evictions and preserve rentcontrolled housing. I fought for the Neighborhood Preference Policy, the Displaced Tenant Preference legislation, funding for a Tenants’ Rights Ombudsman to mediate disputes, and funding for Housing Counseling Readiness & Financial Empowerment Programs to provide support for low- and moderate-income households. I’m also working to get additional funding for rental subsidies and housing vouchers for high-need homeless families and low-income seniors. I’ve worked on Identifying City land for 100% affordable housing such as the former McDonald’s location at 730 Stanyan and another location on Octavia Blvd. At 400 Divisadero and two other sites on or near Divisadero, I legislated for a higher inclusionary rate than mandated at the time. We can quadruple the number of affordable apartments and turn a polluting asphalt gas station, a car wash, and an abandoned radiator shop into new affordable housing.

Homelessness: We need to be creative. At the top of my list is bringing a Transitional Aged Youth (TAY) Navigation Center to the district. I authored and unanimously passed San Francisco’s first Vehicle Navigation Center and Safe Parking Program, which will provide social services, case management, and a safe place to park for people living in cars and RVs. I also allocated additional funding for bathrooms, showers, and on-site case managers. I funded a new collaborative program called Safe Resting Place, which will support a local D5 church and homelessness service provider, Project Homeless Connect, to get people connected to services, and off the street. I also fought to keep open our D5 Homeless Shelters for Youth, especially for unaccompanied minors and trans TAY-youth in the HaightAshbury. I was a vocal supporter of Prop C - Our City, Our Home local ballot initiative and unanimously passed legislation to give this

BUMRUNGRAD (continued from page 11) initiative oversight by the community so it is “ready to go” when that $300$400 million is available.

Clean & Green SF/Environmental priorities: I’m excited to have passed what I’m calling Plastic Bag Ban 2.0, which will phase out the use of non-recyclable produce bags in grocery stores and increase the bag fee from 10¢ to 25¢. I passed legislation for commercial spaces over 50,000 sq. ft. to use 100% renewable energy by 2030. I introduced legislation to mandate that multi-family residential buildings over 50,000 sq. ft. report energy usage to the City—we can’t manage what we aren’t measuring. I also introduced legislation for all new City buildings to use clean, renewable electricity, and start phasing out natural gas. We are rebuilding playgrounds, planting sidewalk gardens, and hundreds of new trees, and improving streetscapes across the district. Finally, we’re making our parks more ecologically in tune with California’s climate changes by incorporating drought-resistant, native plants in open spaces.

Lou Fischer: What about transportation and traffic congestion?

Vallie Brown: We need to ease traffic and congestion. We should seriously look into working with state regulators to regulate TNCs (Uber/ Lyft). We need to pass Prop D to tax TNC rides, make Muni safe, and invest in more Muni operators to avoid Muni meltdowns. We are currently short almost 400 Muni operators. We need to look beyond cars, busses, and trains, and expand our bike share network throughout the City. Most of all, we need to address dangerous intersections and realize Vision Zero by seriously addressing bicycle and pedestrian safety in D5 and throughout the City.

So, there you have it: two fantastically talented and qualified women.

If you live in D5, vote for both Suzy and Vallie. If you are not a D5 resident, you can only vote for Suzy.

We need more women in office. We still live in a country where women are suffering from wage gaps, where everything from medication to office chairs is designed without women in mind, and where a man accused of sexual assault and perjury can be confirmed to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. We need to do better. Vote for women!

Louise (Lou) Fischer is a Former Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club and has served as an appointed and elected Delegate for the State Democratic Party. She is a 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.

KIT’N KITTY’S

QUEER POP QUIZ ANSWER (Question on pg 19) D) South Park

In the first season of South Park, Stan’s dog Sparky [voiced as barks only by George Clooney] is revealed to be gay, and ends up running away. In rescuing Sparky, Stan comes to understand homosexuality and tries to make everyone in South Park accept it. The episode marked the first appearance of Big Gay Al, and received generally positive reviews for its portrayal of homosexuality.

26

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

O C TO B E R 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

our community would benefit from getting care at BI? Laura Carabello: Our staff at BI provides inclusive, high-quality health services to LGBT people so they can achieve the highest possible level of care.

There’s also access to more affordable care, particularly when it comes to reproductive medicine and availability of specialty pharmaceuticals at 80% cost savings.

Expensive medicines and treatments can run as high as $750,000 or more annually in the U.S., causing many Americans to abandon their prescriptions and fail to adhere to treatment. Patients questioning the availability of a particular drug or who want to see if Bumrungrad International can make it available should contact: druginfo@bumrungrad.com Additionally, we provide our patients expert care coupled with advanced technology and high success rates. By seeking treatment at Bumrungrad International’s IVF clinic, our patients have several unique advantages such as the following: • Obtain all of your fertility services on site—including infertility testing, reproductive surgery, egg retrievals, embryo transfers, and IVF with highly advanced lab.

• Receive the care you need, no matter how difficult your case— Bumrungrad International’s IVF Clinic is one of the top referral fertility centers in the region.

• Easy and immediate consultation.

Medical travelers from the U.S. and around the world also now have the option to access a complete annual physical together with comprehensive anti-aging and wellness services in one location and over just two to three days at Bumrungrad International Hospital and its seamlessly integrated subsidiary located on the same campus downtown, VitalLife Scientific Wellness Center (VitalLife).

San Francisco Bay Times: Please explain more about why the opportunity to travel to Thailand for medical care is so attractive.

Laura Carabello: Bangkok is an easy travel destination, leading all cities in overnight visits with close to 1,400–1,500 flights a day going in and out from all parts of the world, making it feasible for people to get their much needed—often life-saving—medications for a relatively low price. Patients and their companions can stay in an affordable hotel, from one night to 30 nights or more, and access treatment at a price that meets their budget.

San Francisco Bay Times: Give us some perspectives on why the following programs are a great opportunity for the LGBT community: • Medication Tourism Laura Carabello: With its Medication Tourism program, Bumrungrad International takes the lead in improving access to high quality care and prescriptions at significantly lower costs for complex diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, HIV, Hepatitis C, multiple sclerosis, cancer, and orphan/rare diseases. Travel to Thailand to have prescriptions filled and authentic specialty drugs expertly administered at a fraction of the cost resolves a major problem for all patients and U.S.-based self-insured employers who are forced to ration care or deny coverage to keep high specialty drug costs from overrunning their operations.

• In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Laura Carabello: We pride ourselves on our expertise, openness, honesty, and personalized care. We understand that dealing

with infertility can be very stressful and pledge to be by the side of every patient at every step of the way on their journey to start a family. The Fertility and IVF Clinic (the Clinic), located on the downtown campus of Bumrungrad International, makes it very convenient to get diagnostics, care, and treatment at one site, including infertility testing, reproductive surgery, egg retrievals, embryo transfers, and highly advanced laboratory testing. This includes in vitro fertilization, a method where sperm and egg are combined in the laboratory and, after fertilization, the embryos are then implanted in the cavity of the uterus to cause pregnancy. It also includes intrauterine insemination (IUI), a process that involves placing sperm directly inside a women’s uterus to facilitate fertilization.

• VitalLife Laura Carabello: Together with VitalLife, we have made it convenient and affordable to have a comprehensive yearly medical check-up and also take advantage of: • precision medicine through DNA sequencing or genetic testing; • the most advanced technologies for hormone, micro-nutrient, and longevity testing; • specialized integrative treatments and cutting-edge medicine to improve health, live longer, feel younger, look better—at lower cost without compromising quality or service.

The LGBT community also finds great value in VitalLife’s hormone screening and replenishing program for identifying key health issues or imbalances, along with solutions to re-establish normal levels. This integrated approach leads to increased energy, sexual health, better sleep, and digestive pain relief.

San Francisco Bay Times: What are LGBT patients usually seeking when they travel for medical care?

Laura Carabello: LGBT patients are often seeking a welcoming environment and professionals who are well-informed about LGBT health topics. Taking an open, non-judgmental sexual and social history is key to building trust with LGBT patients. Rather than making assumptions about patients based on appearance or sexual behavior, clinicians should ask open-ended questions, and use the terms and pronouns patients use to describe themselves.

San Francisco Bay Times: Do you think that most of us are unaware of cost savings from prescription travel? Would the medicines be identical and would there be any risks to buying them abroad?

Laura Carabello: I don’t think many patients are aware that they can save up to 80 percent on specialty pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and specialized care. We provide authentic, safe, and original brand name medications and treatments for every patient. Patients questioning the availability of a particular drug or who want to see if BIH can make it available should visit the website ( https://bit.ly/2oNCqwW ) or contact druginfo@bumrungrad.com San Francisco Bay Times: What would you say is the number one concern for LGBT patients traveling for medical care, or in general, when accessing medical care?

Laura Carabello: All patients want to receive high-quality, costeffective care. As with all patient populations, in order to effectively serve LGBT patients, medical staff must understand the cultural context of their patients’ lives, modify practice policies and environments to be inclusive, take detailed and non-judgmental histories, stay

informed and educated about the health issues most important to their patients, and reflect upon personal attitudes that might prevent them from providing the kind of affirmative care that LGBT people need.

San Francisco Bay Times: Are patients interested in bringing a travel companion when traveling for medical care? What amenities make BI appealing for both the patient and their companion?

Laura Carabello: Patients typically have a travel companion when traveling for medical care. Bumrungrad provides concierge services at no charge to help patients arrange travel, and an airport representative office to arrange greetings on arrival, baggage assistance, and transportation to a hotel or the hospital upon request. Patients and their companions can stay in affordable four- and five-star accommodations, from one night to 30 nights or more, and access high quality medical treatment at a price that meets their budget.

San Francisco Bay Times: What LGBT issues do you believe need to be addressed in the medical industry?

Laura Carabello: In addition to fostering a welcoming environment and improving education on LGBTspecific health concerns, all medical staff members should be trained to interact respectfully with LGBT patients. Health care settings should develop and prominently display non-discrimination policies that include sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression— a requirement for organizations accredited by the Joint Commission.

Quality of healthcare services is any patients’ primary area of concern.

By taking these steps, the medical industry will help ensure that LGBT patients, and indeed all patients, attain the highest possible level of health.

San Francisco Bay Times: Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Laura Carabello: Bangkok is a great place to visit. From a high level, both Thailand and Bangkok are very exciting destinations with so many interesting things to do.

For example, a lot of people have a visit to Thailand on their bucket list.

Bangkok is a city of about nine million people, and it is very easy to get around.

There are lots of sites to see— whether it is museums, various temples, shopping the markets or spending an afternoon bathing elephants. In fact, in the last five out of six years, Forbes magazine has awarded Bangkok the number one city in the world for overnight stay based upon volume.

The majority of Thailand is Buddhist, and one of the things that is very interesting is that it is a very accepting culture and crime is very low. Many police officers and guards in Bangkok don’t really carry firearms and a lot of people here don’t have them either. It’s a very safe city to get around in and very attractive for folks to come and visit.

For More Information Bumrungrad International Hospital https://bit.ly/35ABe0n VitalLife Integrated Health https://bit.ly/2MGqAfR BIH Fertility Center & IVF Clinic https://bit.ly/2pgRjHX Joint Commission International https://bit.ly/2PtOakg

RUTH (continued from page 7) The Nissan’s front seats are less racy but still quite supportive. Though the tested Maxima SL’s leather was nice and all, the sportier Maxima SR’s Alcantara furnishings are the hot ticket here.

One area the Nissan can claim a decisive win is with safety equipment availability. It’s a given that active safety features should be standard on every car, and especially those at the $40K price point. Nissan incorporates items like automatic braking with pedestrian detection and rear braking as standard in all Maximas, under its “Safety Shield 360” umbrella. Meanwhile, similar tech is a $1,690 option on even the top Regal GS. While the tested Regal GS and Maxima SL each have their own superlatives, they’re both more fun to drive than most crossovers of the same size, and that alone warrants them a look.

Philip Ruth is a Castro-based automotive photojournalist and consultant ( www.gaycarguy.com ). Check out his automotive staging service at www.carstaging.com

DONNA SACHET (continued from page 15) Bay Times at Sunday’s a Drag, we spent Sunday afternoon at a no-holds-barred birthday party for Gary Rahlf, fondly known as The Queen, surrounded by friends from across the globe. It was a reunion of many friends who have fought side by side on so many fronts and who share Gary’s love of his community. All Hail The Queen!

Can’t wait to see you at Chase Center for LGBT Night with the Warriors, Wednesday, October 30! Yes, we are performing at half-time with members of the SF Gay Men’s Chorus, SF Flaggers, and volunteers who will unfurl one of Gilbert Baker’s original rainbow flags! Don’t miss it!

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

SISTER DANA (continued from page 20) back from death, and the drama is running high when a jazzy demon arrives in Sunnydale causing everyone to sing out their innermost feelings, turning the town into a stage for musical theater. EVERYBODY sings and dances, including the stagehands! But this is NOT a sing-along, so don’t! Just enjoy!

ANNUAL PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST with State Senator Scott Wiener and drag queen judges is Saturday, October 19, 1–4 pm at Noe Valley Courts, 4320 24th Street.

The works of Jose Villalobos are now on exhibition at STRUT gallery in the Castro. The opening night reception was on October 4, but for the month of October, Strut is featuring “ENTRE LAS FIBRAS CULTURALES” (“Between Cultural Fibers”), a collection of gay art as embroidery on clothing and also wood engravings. These come all the way from Texas. Born to a traditional conservative family, Villalobos was born and raised on the U.S./ Mexico border in El Paso, TX. My three faves are “Azul,” embroidered on polyester wear pants; “F,” burned drawing on wood with silk flowers and leather belt; and “Entre Hombres,” embroidered on a Western shirt. Each piece has delicious depictions of nude men.

On Friday, October 18, we will celebrate THE GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY & MUSEUM at their gala, REUNION - CHOSEN FAMILY at the Salesforce Tower 61st floor. Founded in 1985, they are recognized internationally as a leader in the field of LGBTQ public history. Entertainment will be by Juanita MORE!, Tammy Lynn Hall, Katya Smirnoff-Skyy, Lambert Moss & Leigh Crow aka Elvis Herselvis. https://www.glbthistory.org/gala OURTOWNSF NONPROFIT EXPO 2019 is Saturday, October 19, 12:30–4:30 pm at Eureka Valley Rec Center, 100 Collingwood. This is the 4th annual FREE resource fair of arts, community, fundraising, health, legal, political, recovery service & spiritual groups serving the Bay Area LGBTQ community coming together for a day of fun and community building in the Castro. https://bit.ly/2VI3EB0

35TH ANNUAL SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA HRC GALA DINNER & AUCTION is at Hyatt Regency San Francisco, 5 Embarcadero Center, on Saturday, October 19, 5 pm. Now is the time to celebrate our victories. Let’s double-down on our work to advance equality here locally, and to protect the gains we’ve made nationally. Learn how we can further mobilize in our fight for equality. https://bit.ly/2IUiAH9 INTO THE DARK returns with Exciting New Halloween Frights.

Terror Vault 2018 set the standard for a horror attraction in San Francisco. Building on its sold-out success, they are really stepping it up in 2019 with additional offerings. Including a BEHIND THE SCENES TOUR. Let the producers, Joshua Grannell (aka “Peaches Christ”) and David Flower, take you behind the scenes to discover what Terror Vault looks like with the lights on. Find out how it’s all put together, learn secrets of the trade, and see what the sets and props look like up close. Includes a lights-on tour of the show itself, plus behind-the-scenes spaces and the actors’ dressing rooms. Offered only on select Sundays. https://bit.ly/2OMX22Z THIS OLD BAG - THE POWER OF THE PURSE is Friday, October 25, Fairmont San Francisco. Show the power of your purse at BREAST CANCER EMERGENCY FUND’s 15th annual handbag auction. Every bag sold gives life and spirit-saving financial assistance to low-income people battling breast cancer. https://bit.ly/2Mh83aW THE SISTERS OF PERPETUAL INDULGENCE invite you to SAINTS & SPINNERS HALLOWEEN PARTY on October 26 at Spin, 690 Folsom Street, #100. Join us nuns for a fun-filled, spooky night of dancing, pop-up drag performances, unlimited ping pong, and FUNdraising! Costume contest with amazing prizes, food, drink, and DJ Juanita MORE! spinning for you. https://bit.ly/2VKnVpD Sister Dana sez, “Fox News Polls (yep, FOX) find majority of Americans want Trump impeached AND removed! Is it too early to celebrate?!”

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

O C TO BER 17, 2019

27

BAY TIMES S

A

N

F

R

A

N

C

I

S

C

O

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

COMING UP

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS http://sfbaytimes.com/ Compiled by Blake Dillon

17 Thursday RADAR Residents Reading: Show Us Your Spines @ Strut, 470 Castro Street. The SF Public Library’s Hormel LGBTQIA Center presents Danny Thanh Nguyen, Roberto F. Santiago and Jon Jon Moore for a reading. 7-9pm. http://www.sfpl.org San Francisco Opera’s Billy Budd @ War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Avenue.

Based on Herman Melville’s novella, the acclaimed production by Tony Award-winning director Michael Grandage continues and will repeat October 22. 7:30pm. http://www.sfopera.org

18 Friday Fall LGBTQ+ Career Fair @ SF LGBT Center, 1800 Market Street. One of the largest LGBTQ+ career fairs in the world with businesses of all sizes seeking candidates for employment. 11am-5pm. http://www.sfcenter.org Disasterama! Adventures in the Queer Underground 1977-1997 @ Dog Eared Books Castro, 489 Castro Street. The event is a reading and release party with author Alvin Orloff reading from his memoir and in conversation with Alia Volz. The Disasterama Dancers & Tony Valuely will also appear. 7pm. http://www.dogearedbooks.com

BAY TIMES S

A

N

F

R

A

N

C

I

S

C

O

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

28

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

O C TO B E R 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

20 Sunday Halau O Kekuhi @ Cal Performances, Zellerbach Hall #48001, Berkeley. The Hawaiian classical dance ensemble specializes in the vigorous and kinetic ‘aiha‘a style of hula and chant, handed down from woman to woman for more than eight generations of the Kanaka’ole family in Hilo, on the Big Island. 3pm. https://secure.calperformances.org Imperial Council Sock Hop Fundraiser @ Aunt Charlie’s Lounge, 133 Turk Street. Collette LeGrande will emcee this benefit party supporting the SF Night Ministry. 4-7pm. http://www.imperialcouncilsf.org SF Greek Film Festival Opening Night: Olympia @ Castro Theatre, 429 Castro. The featured film is a revealing and unfiltered documentary on the life and career of Academy Award winning actress Olympia Dukakis. 5:30pm. http://www.castrotheatre.com

21 Monday

“On Your Knees!” Community Service Day @ National AIDS Memorial Grove, Nancy Pelosi Drive & Bowling Green Drive, Golden Gate Park. The Bridgemen group based at Strut will work alongside Grove staffers to beautify the grounds and also enjoy breakfast and lunch.

8:30am-1:30pm. aray@sfaf.org

Paint Nite: Sky Full of Blossoms @ Flore, 2298 Market.

The event is one in an ongoing series on Mondays where you’ll be provided with paint, canvas, brushes, easels and a professional guide leading you in painting and you’ll take home your own masterpiece. 7-9pm. http://www.yaymaker.com

2019 San Francisco Archives Crawl @ Two locations: California Historical Society, 678 Mission Street; and Labor Archives & Research Center, Rm 460, SFSU, 1630 Holloway Avenue. GLBT Historical Society joins in the Third Annual SF Archives Crawl with the theme “Wild Times at Sutro Heights.” 1-5pm. https://bit.ly/33pGsKu

Subscribe at https://bit.ly/2XDNnh7

Women’s Cancer Resource Center of Berkeley Fundraiser @ Ivy Room, 860 San Pablo, Albany. The event features three Bay Area favorites: Shake It! Booty Band, Milf and Judea Eden Band. 8:30pm. http://www.ivyroom.com

19 Saturday

OurTownSF Nonprofit Expo @ Eureka Valley Rec Center, 100 Collingwood. This free event includes food, door prizes, entertainment, photo booth, and over 150 groups presenting information and more. 12:30-4:30pm. http://www.ourtownsf.org

Receive the San Francisco Bay Times E-mails

splitting jokes and insights. 7pm Doors/8pm Show. http://www.castrotheatre.com

35th Annual San Francisco Bay Area HRC Gala Dinner @ Hyatt Regency, 5 Embarcadero Center. Alphonso Davis, HRC president, will speak as will special guests to be announced. 5pm. http://www.sfhrcgala.org Rick Wakeman Grumpy Old Rock Star Tour @ Castro Theatre, 429 Castro. Keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman will combine spellbinding piano music with side-

22 Tuesday Exhibit Opening: Gallery of Illustrious Queers: Portraits by Jordan Reznick @ Hormel LGBTQIA Center, SF Main Library, 100 Larkin Street.

Photographer Jordan Reznick and curator Margaret Tedesco will be featured. 6-7:30pm. http://www.sfpl.org Dirty Old Women Anthology Erotic Poetry & Prose @ Era Art Bar, 19 Grand Avenue, Oakland. Jan Steckel and Cheral Stewart will facilitate this open mic event. 8:00pm. steckeljan@gmail.com

23 Wednesday 4th WEDNESDAY - Erotic Reading Circle @ Good Vibrations, 1620 Polk Street. Facilitators Carol Queen and Jen Cross host this 4th Wednesday gathering that provides a safe space to read aloud and receive respectful feedback.

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

24 Thursday Cyberspace NightLife LIVE @ California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, 55 Music Concourse Drive. This evening one in a popular series, with food and beverage options along with DJs, live music and dancing - will be an exploration of the many sides of the Internet: the good, the bad and the meme-worthy. 6pm. http://www.calacademy.org Author Talk: Michael Nava @ Hormel LGBTQIA Center, SF Main Library, 100 Larkin Street.

The event will present a reading and Q&A with six-time Lambda Literary Award-winning mystery writer Michael Nava. 6-7pm. http://www.sfpl.org

25 Friday GGBA’s Coffee with the President @ Equator Coffees, LinkedIn Building, 222 2nd Street.

GGBA president Gina Grahame invites you to share thoughts each Friday morning through December 6. 7:30-8:30am. http://www.ggba.com Rocky Horror Picture Show @ Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th Street.

The cult classic is a Halloween season favorite. 8pm repeating through November 2.

Swagger Like Us @ Jolene’s Bar, 2700 16th Street. Hosted by JoQ with DJs WildKatz, Jibbz and davOmakesbeats. 9pm-2am. http://www.jolenessf.com

26 Saturday MoneySmarts 199A Tax Deduction @ Presidio Golf and Concordia Club, 8 Presidio Terrace.

BRIO Financial Group will host this free seminar with featured speakers, Brandon Miller, Deb Kinney and Kevin Tusing. 8:30am-12pm.

415-623-2450 or shannon@briofg.com A Celebration of Family @ The Green Room, 401 Van Ness Avenue. Family Builders annual event includes, dinner, drinks and a family friendly occasion with childcare available. 5:30-9:30pm. https://bit.ly/2pjYTBB Comedy and a Couch @ Manny’s, 3092 16th Street. Comics Jennie McNulty and Suzanne Westenhoefer will each do a stand up set and then sit down for an interview featuring Suzanne talking about her comedy, politics, life or wherever the craziness leads. 7:30pm. http://.welcometomannys.com Why Books Matter, Now More Than Ever @ Manny’s, 3092 16th Street. Lit Crawl presents SF Chronicle columnists Barbara Lane and Vanessa Hua, deputy features editor Kitty Morgan and book reviewer Anisse Gross for a discuss why we need books for their importance in explaining our history, and their ability to expose us to other cultures and make sense of our world. 5pm. http://www.welcometomannys.com

27 Sunday Salsa Sunday with Elizabeth Taylor 50-Plus Network @ El Rio, 3158 Mission Street. Salsa band Danilo y Orquesta Universal! will perform at this afternoon party of live music, dancing and snacks.

3-8pm. Beginners class at 3:15pm. http://www.sfaf.org The Party Monsters R&B Dance Party @ The Ivy Room, 860 San Pablo Avenue, Albany. The eight-piece band, including LGBT faovirtes Stephanie Teel, Jean Fineberg and Robin Roth, will rock the evening away. 4pm. http://www.ivyroom.com

28 Monday Pubquiz at Virgil’s Sea Room @ The Big Queer Pubzquiz, 3152 Mission Street. This 90-minute quiz, based on current events and general knowledge with a special theme round, includes five rounds in ninety minutes with free drinks and weird prizes every Monday night. 7:309:30pm. nosportstrivai@gmail.com

29 Tuesday Book Talk: SF in 1978 - Political Upheaval, Punk Rock and a Baseball Team @ Manny’s, 3092 16th Street. A conversation with author Lincoln A. Mitchell on what it was like in San Francisco during the monumental year of 1978. 7:30pm. http://www.wlecometomannys.com

30 Wednesday Warriors LGBTQ Night - 1st Ever @ Chase Center, 1 Warriors Way. Join the San Francisco Bay Times group and arrive early for a Steph Curry bobblehead, a Warriors LGBT t-shirt and the chance to watch the warm up at court level.

5:30pm. Promo code SFBAYTIMES. http://www.warriors.com/baytimes Judy Grahn and Jim Tilley @ Dog Eared Books Castro, 489 Castro Street. Author Jim Tilley will speak about his debut novel, Against the Wind; and internationally known poet, writer and social theorist Judy Grahn will present her book Hanging On Our Own Bones. 7pm. http://www.dogearedbooks.com

31 Thursday HALLOWEEN

Haunted Kiki Ball @ Strut, 470 Castro Street. The event includes multiple categories of costume competitions with prizes plus snacks and candy. 5-9pm. The Hanuted Kiki Ball on Facebook Creatures of the NightLife LIVE @ California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, 55 Music Concourse Drive. You are invited to come in costume for the NightLife series’ annual Halloween bash and drag show. The evening features food and beverage options and with DJs, live music and dancing. 6pm. http://www.calacademy.org

NOVEMBER

1 Friday Performance, Protest & Politics: The Art of Gilbert Baker @ GLBT History Museum, 4127 18th Street. The Opening Night of a new exhibit using textiles, costumes, photographs and ephemera based on the work of Gilbert Baker. 7-9pm. http://www.glbthistory.org

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

O C TO BER 17, 2019

29

ROSTOW (continued from page 13) touch with transgender lives, even calling plaintiff Aimee Stephens a transgender man on several occasions. Meanwhile, their obsession with bathrooms and dress codes was relentless. Speaking for Stephens, the ACLU’s David Cole tried to argue that questions of dress codes and bathrooms were not at issue under Title VII. Earlier, Pam Karlan had noted that sex discrimination requires an injury and there is no injury in providing separate bathrooms or sex-based dress codes.

Nonetheless, the injury in the minds of conservative men seems to lie exclusively in the sensibilities of the cisgender ladies who might be distressed by sharing the facilities with their transgender colleagues. This chivalrous concern from the Knights of the Ladies Rooms is always at the heart of these insidious discussions of bathrooms or other women’s spaces that might be infiltrated by The Other.

A few weeks ago, Housing Secretary Ben Carson worried that “big hairy men” could populate women’s shelters, apparently referring, not to transmen, but to transwomen.

Lost in these speculations is the idea that relegating transgender men and women to the facility of their sex at birth would indeed send transgender guys to the ladies rooms, including some big, hairy ones, an absurd outcome rarely acknowledged by these clueless champions.

The Gay Exception This said, much as it was irritating to listen to, there’s a reason people harp on the trans bathroom issue or the idea of, let’s say, gay men in the shower. And it gets back to my first point. Conservatives and even some centrists on social issues can sympa-

thize with hostility towards GLBTs much more than they can green light discrimination on the basis of race or religion. They might be okay with a gay man having dinner at the next table. But taking a shower in the next stall? Of course that would be a little creepy. But that’s not really prejudice. That’s just, well, you know!

Ask yourself if the justices would go to bat for the racist woman who refused to share a sink with an African American co-worker or the antiSemitic employer who claimed he could not hire Jews for “religious reasons.” The answer is no.

At one point, speaking for the Trump Administration, Solicitor General Noel Francisco, said that a ruling in favor of the GLBT plaintiffs would give a complete win to “one side.” Indeed, he was right about that. But the complete win would not go to the “gay side” or the “trans side.” It would go to the “civil rights side.” And who exactly stands on the other side of that line? On race and religion, no one. On gay and trans issues, “reasonable and sincere people here and throughout the world.”

Francisco was mainly referencing those with religious objections to GLBT workers, noting that state legislatures had included religious exemptions in their gay rights laws.

Yet religious interests are already protected under the First Amendment, which has also been interpreted to broadly exempt religious organizations from workplace antidiscrimination law.

It’s not clear what more Francisco would envision in this regard, because even if your religion denounces homosexuality or transgender people, it’s hard to see how such a tenet would justify refusing

to work alongside someone or refusing to hire a GLBT person for that reason alone. Some people claim their faith requires women to stay at home and cook and obey their husbands, yet they could hardly use such opinions to justify not hiring married women or not allowing disobedient wives in the next cubicle. Indeed, Title VII’s very purpose is to protect the American workplace from invidious discrimination, whatever its origin. It was not enacted to protect the invidious discriminators themselves.

Tell that to Chief Roberts, who remained relatively quiet, but raised religious qualms along with bathroom worries. Justice Thomas said nothing, while Justice Kavanaugh asked one, vague question. Justice Alito hammered our side at every opportunity, and I’ve already discussed Justice Blowhard.

As for our allies, we can count on the four liberal justices, even though Shannon Minter expressed dismay at Justice Sotomayor’s seeming embrace of several misconceptions surrounding transgender women. When all is said and done, the outcome remains uncertain, but extremely frightening. The Court will rule next spring, at the latest by term-end at the end of June.

In Other News I know that I just spent this entire column on one subject. I’m sorry, but it was important. I skipped coverage of the CNN GLBT town hall, where I gather Warren made some good jokes and Biden said something about bathhouses and nonstop sex. Sorry I missed it.

There are more horror stories about violence against transwomen and others. Something bad is going on in Uganda. The antigay party in Poland just won a big election. Bill Barr told an audience at Notre Dame that “secularism” is to blame for the ills of American society. And Ellen is in trouble for palling around with George W Bush at a football game, later telling critics that the world needs more kindness and that people who disagree can still get along.

That, in turn, triggered even more anti-Ellen reactions from people who think getting along with George W. Bush is a step too far.

I can see both sides, but if pressed, I’d line up behind Ellen and kindness.

Plus, as much as I disliked George W. Bush back in the day, he’s looking a lot better to me right now. Please get back to me if Ellen goes to a football game with Dick Cheney. arostow@aol.com

As Heard on the Street . . . What are your plans for Halloween?

30

compiled by Rink

Nicole Roger

Eddie Vega

Alex Ray

Beth Feingold

Toni Gomez

“I am going to a party with my dog, and both of us will be dressed as Cruella de Vil.”

“A Mystopia's Halloween Party on Saturday”

“I will be with other PRC Benefit Chest Calendar men in Palm Springs Pride celebration in the desert.”

“I go Trick-or-Treating with neighborhood children, and before that I join the children and their parents for a pot luck dinner.”

“I'm going to a candle making party to use up all the legal weed jars!”

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

O C TO B E R 1 7 , 2 0 1 9

Round About - All Over Town

Photos by Rink

CASTRO STREETCAM presented by

A Halloween sign in the window of One Half, a gift store located on Polk Street

A Halloween window at Cliff’s Variety Store on Castro Street

http://sfbaytimes.com/

A display of Halloween gifts in the storefront window at One Half on Polk Street

items of the week

Server Louie D’Ambrosio displayed a Halloween-themed donut (chocolate pumpkin spice cake variety) at the famous Bob’s Donuts on Polk Street.

Sailors from the guided missile destroyer USS Zumwalt were out on the town on Polk Street on October 9.

Ooni Koda Outdoor Pizza Oven Your time is precious, so make it count.

Ooni Koda fires out jaw-dropping pizzas in 60 seconds flat. No assembly, no mess, no fuss. Cooking outdoors with gas has never been so simple (or so beautiful). In stock now at Cliff’s Variety.

Frieling Black Cube Frying Pans Cinch bar bartender David Delgado offered free samples in celebration of National Vodka Day on October 4.

Owners and fiancées Patricia J. Nachman and Dr. Christina Garcia celebrated the grand opening of their new pharmacy, TIN Rx.

If you’re one of those people that can destroy any non-stick frypan, this is the pan for you. Frieling has created a nearly indestructible hybrid pan.

The PFOE free non-stick surface sits in a stainless steel hexagonal lattice that allows you to use metal utensils without the risk of scratching the surface. Durable and beautiful!

Family Dog Rescue volunteers J’Lynn and Nico, with a dog named Bubba, wearing an “Adopt Me” bandanna at 18th and Castro Streets

I

Scout Luke Fewx from Troop 168 offered caramel popcorn for sale at 18th and Castro Streets in front of Harvey’s. To support the troupe, call 650-922-7921.

Well-dressed guests enjoying drinks at the GLAAD Gala reception at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on September 28

Amelia Goodman, Anna Mirabella and Veronica Wharton displayed their Bad Girls Club shoulder bags and related artwork at the Queer Street Marketplace at the SF LGBT Community Center on October 12.

Dorian Morris displayed her luxury cosmetics line at the entrance of the Queer Street Marketplace on October 12.

A group of GLAAD Gala attendees in front of the photography backdrop at the Hyatt Regency Hotel

n times of economic uncertainty, it is more important than ever to shop local. It keeps San Francisco fun and interesting and directly supports our local economy.

Michelle and Jasmine welcomed customers to shop at their jewelry display during the Queer Street Marketplace.

Artist Danielle Satinover, who presented her work at Jane Warner Plaza, will participate in the upcoming Open Studio series.

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

O C TO BER 17, 2019

31

First LGBTQ Night at Chase Center! Warriors vs. Suns Wednesday, October 30

LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW! Ticket Information Contact: Lexxi Price 510-740-7518 LPrice@warriors.com Tickets Online: Warriors.com/baytimes Promo Code: sfbaytimes