San Francisco Bay Times - November 2, 2023

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2023) November 2–15, 2023 http://sfbaytimes.com

Breaking Barriers in Sports

Jonathan Romero of the San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush Cheerleaders

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

See Pages 4–6

Sports Gay Games XI to Open in Guadalajara and Hong Kong

By Doug Litwin

Background The Gay Games was founded in 1982, primarily by San Francisco physician Dr. Tom Waddell, along with a few others. The seed to hold such an event was planted when Waddell represented the USA at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. That’s when Waddell wondered, “What if we had a Gay Olympics in San Francisco and invited every-

Led by Track & Field athlete Reggie Snowden and legendary runner Brent Nicholson Earle, members of Team SF on Saturday, January 21, launched the International Rainbow Memorial Run 23 in San Francisco. This ceremonial run has continued in other former host cities and will culminate in both Hong Kong and Guadalajara, the two host sites for Gay Games XI.

(1994), Amsterdam (1998), Sydney (2002), Chicago (2006), Cologne (2010), Cleveland + Akron (2014), and Paris (2018).

one?” He and his other co-founders made it happen and named the event the “Gay Olympics.” A lawsuit by the U.S. Olympic Committee forced the name to be changed to the Gay Games, in a landmark legal battle that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Gay Games is the world’s largest sports and cultural festival that is open to all. Each edition features dozens of sport and cultural events, attracting participants from more than 90 countries. As many as 13,000 artists and athletes have taken part in individual Gay Games.

Since its founding 41 years ago, the Gay Games has been held every four years in: San Francisco (1986), Vancouver (1990), New York City

During their run in San Francisco on Saturday, January 21, members of Team SF visited locations in Golden Gate Park including the National AIDS Memorial Grove, Kezar Stadium, and historic sites in the Castro.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TEAM SF

Hong Kong and Guadalajara ( Jalisco, Mexico) will co-host the events that will run from November 4–11 in both cities simultaneously.

Given that the roots of the Gay Games are in San Francisco, local artists and athletes have always comprised one of the largest contingents of participants, and 2023 will be no exception. Organizing these many individuals locally is the venerable Team San Francisco.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TEAM SF

For the 11th time since it began in San Francisco in 1982, the Gay Games will get underway on November 4, for the first time in two locations on two continents where the event has never taken place.

The mission of the all-volunteer Federation of Gay Games is to promote equality, diversity and inclusion through sport and culture. The event is built upon the core principles of Participation, Inclusion, and Personal Best ™. Based on these values, since 1982, the Gay Games has brought together people from all over the world, with diversity, respect, equality, solidarity, and sharing. The Gay Games is open to all, young or old, athlete or artist, experienced or novice, regardless of sexual orientation.

It is a fundamental principle of the Federation of Gay Games that all activities conducted under its auspices shall be inclusive in nature and

that no individual shall be excluded from participating on the basis of sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, political belief(s), athletic/artistic ability, physical challenge, age, or health status.

A year ago, an ambitious 40-part series of online posts was published to tell the story of the first 40 years of the Gay Games. Told in photos and words of actual participants, the series is called Passing the Torch and may be read in its entirety at: https://tinyurl.com/ycx2de9a Because of the one-year delay in Gay Games XI, the 40th Anniversary will continue to be celebrated through 2023. Limited edition commemorative pins are on sale right now by visiting: https://gaygames.org/Store Gay Games XI 2023 In 2017, Hong Kong beat out two other finalists for the right to host Gay Games XI in 2022.

Then, a number of factors, including COVID-19, forced plans to be changed. The first decision was to delay the Gay Games by a year, just as the Tokyo Olympics had done earlier. Then, with extreme uncertainty

regarding international travel to Asia and other factors, the decision was made to select a second city to cohost the event. Since Guadalajara had finished behind Hong Kong in the 2017 bidding, they were asked in early 2022 if they could gear up to cohost the event on short notice. Thus, Gay Games XI will simultaneously take place in two cities from continents where the event has never been held: Asia and Latin America. You can learn more about the two host-cities at their websites: Guadalajara: https://gggdl2023.org/ Hong Kong: https://www.gghk2023.com/ The Local Connection Team San Francisco uses the claim “Where the Games Began” and represents numerous athletes across multiple sports.

Team SF is led by Reggie Snowden Reggie Snowden (track & field) and Ken Craig (martial arts). Each has his own story to tell about the Gay Games.

Both Team SF and the Federation of Ken Craig (continued on page 22) Photos courtesy of Ken Craig

My Journey of Inclusion and Empowerment: A Decade of Participating in the Gay Games

By Ken Craig In the midst of a world that often stifles diversity and marginalizes the LGBTQ+ community, the Gay Games stand as a beacon of inclusivity, empowerment, and acceptance. My journey with the Gay Games began in the early 1980s, but my first opportunity to participate in the Games came much later, in 2006, during the Chicago Gay Games. In the next few paragraphs, I will attempt to recount my life-changing journey, from my introduction to the Gay Games while living in Scotland to my involvement in founding the Triangle TaeKwonDo Club in San Francisco and eventually becoming a dedicated supporter of Team San Francisco and the Federation of Gay Games (FGG).

My initial encounter with the concept of the Gay Games occurred through a small newspaper article while I was working in the United Kingdom at the tender age of just nineteen. The year was 1982, when the inaugural Gay Games took place in San Francisco, a momentous event that celebrated the spirit of inclusivity and unity 4

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within the LGBTQ+ community.

Unfortunately, my work and financial fluidity at the time prevented me from attending those first Games, however, the idea of an international multi-sport and cultural event that welcomed participants regardless of their sexual orientation had sparked a flame of curiosity within me and I kept a keen eye on the media for additional news about the Gay Games.

I devoured news about the Gay Games through the second Games in San Francisco in 1986, then Vancouver in 1990. My life had taken a significant turn as I moved to the United States to work as a consultant in 1988, first in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, then in Long Island, New York. I dearly wanted to attend Vancouver, but my work commitments made it impossible, so I missed the third Gay Games.

I moved to the Bay Area in 1990, living for many years in the East Bay, and developed one of my passions for traditional martial arts into a 1st Degree Black Belt in the Korean art of TaeKwonDo. Teaching as an assistant instructor at a predominantly straight school that catered to children and adults, NOVE MB E R 2 , 2 02 3

I was perhaps quite unique at the time in that I was “out” as a gay man to the instructors, parents, and students at the school.

I quickly advanced in rank to 3rd Degree Black Belt and I had the trust and support of everyone at the martial arts school at a time when the LGBTQ+ community was very much still ostracized and marginalized by most media and most people. I had discovered the importance of being authentic and embracing my true self early on in life, and I recognized that finding true and honest allies and friends was much more important to me than simply “fitting in” or living a lie.

The brutal murder of Matthew Shepard in 1998 sent shockwaves through the LGBTQ+ community, serving as a stark reminder of the prejudice and violence that still existed in society at that time. This tragic murder was a pivotal moment for me and my life. It galvanized me to take action and do something meaningful for my LGBTQ+ community. Within just one month, I founded Triangle TaeKwonDo Club in the Castro, which provided a safe and inclusive space for LGBTQ+ individuals to practice

Triangle Martial Arts Association athletes at the Gay Games Chicago (2006)

martial arts, learn self-defense, and find community.

At the outset, Triangle TaeKwonDo Club operated out of the Eureka Valley Recreation Center, offering two free evening classes each week.

As fear of HIV/AIDS continued to force many LGBTQ+ individuals out of their own traditional martial arts schools, Triangle was a beacon of hope and acceptance, welcoming former students from many other schools and martial arts disciplines.

We provided an environment where people could train, build friendships, and learn without fear of discrimination or prejudice. Within five years, Triangle had grown into the Triangle Martial Arts Association, offering traditional martial arts classes in TaeKwonDo,

HapMoosaKiDo, JuJitsu, Karate, and YongChulDo five nights a week and on Saturday mornings.

We led more than thirty students to 1st Degree Black Belt and a half dozen more to higher Black Belt and instructor certifications.

As the Gay Games of Chicago in 2006 approached, I was finally in a position to participate, and I encouraged my Triangle students to participate also. I was extremely proud and elated to accompany a team of fifteen martial artists to Chicago. The Games were a lifechanging experience for all of us.

I had personally traveled much of the world by this time, and I had (continued on page 5)

Sports

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2023)

Jonathan Romero Breaks Barriers in the NFL, Becoming the SF 49ers Only Male Cheerleader

Photos courtesy of 49ers Gold Rush Cheerleaders

As CHEER SF has long demonstrated, cheerleading is a sport as well as an art that often requires tremendous skill and physical prowess. So it is that the Gold Rush squad, the cheerleading arm of the San Francisco 49ers, is highly selective and always impresses on the field beyond the sexy moves and eyecatching, revealing outfits. Take a look at this year’s Gold Rush roster and you will notice a smiling fellow who might have you humming “One of These Things (Is Not Like the Other)” from Sesame Street: https://tinyurl.com/ykjzbb4y He is Jonathan Romero, an out gay man who is the only male member of the 2023 Gold Rush squad. He is one of just a handful of men and out LGBTQ+ individuals who are NFL cheerleaders.

the Gold Rush as a personal practice for other auditions, having no idea What’s more, Romero is the squad’s Social Media Chair. As he says in his that he would actually be selected for the squad. profile, he works at “creating original content and aiding in the consis“When I made the decision to send tency and creativity in an audition video, I within our Gold Rush explained to every persocial media” beyond son I told that it was a his efforts as a cheercomplete long shot,” leader. He also works Romero told Outsports. as an interior designer “I was using it to get for Blair Design more audition expeand Interiors in rience under my belt.

Sacramento. In 2021, Never in a million he earned a B.F.A. years did I think this in interior architecwould happen. If you ture and worked part told me this two years time as a server at ago, I would have said Sacramento’s Iron you’d be lying.”

Horse Tavern. He He said that dancing walks the talk of his is essential to his selfLinkedIn page stateexpression as a perments, where he shares son and as a gay man. that he is “detail-oriented with a strong “Dance has always belief in the value of been my liberation, hard work and resilJonathan Romero is a proud gradu- my happy place,” he ience.” explained. ate of Sacramento State (B.F.A., Outsports reports that Romero tried out for

interior architecture) and works as an interior designer in addition to being a Gold Rush cheerleader.

Romero discovered his love of dance and

fessional dance advocacy, Sac Dance Lab is a unique, boundless place to train for aspiring and professional dancers, while welcoming non-professional enthusiasts.”

The history of men in cheerleading is interesting, as it used to be the norm for both men and women to participate. Men were often deemed “yell leaders.” Numerous well-known individuals, such as George W. Bush, Samuel L. Jackson, Jimmy Stewart, Ronald Reagan, Kirk Douglas, and Franklin D. Roosevelt were all cheerleaders back in the day.

So, what happened? World War

LGBT community leader Colby Michaels (pictured with II. When many young men Jonathan Romero and another Gold Rush cheerleader) were drafted, women filled the assists the 49ers staff in organizing Pride Watch Parties.

performing at the Sac Dance Lab in Sacramento. According to the Lab’s website, it provides “commercial dance training including styles like hip hop, heels, jazz, contemporary and jazz funk dance classes from beginner to advanced levels. With a focus on industry styles and pro-

yell leader and other cheerleading roles. Changing social norms and leadership focused on appealing to straight cisgender men contributed to cheerleading being dominated by women. In fact, when Glenn Welt became the first male to try out as an NFL cheerleader in 1978, the Miami Dolphins would not

let him compete when he arrived at the Orange Bowl in Miami. (Actor Robin Williams spoofed the controversy a year later on his television series Mork & Mindy.)

In 1998, however, the Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders began to include male stuntmen in their squad. Over a decade later, the Dallas Cowboys introduced the co-ed Rhythm & Blue Dancers, known for their dynamic hip hop dancing and acrobatic moves.

In 2019, the Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Philadelphia Eagles added males to their cheerleading squads. There are still others, but Romero is the only male member of the Gold Rush.

As for other out LGBTQ NFL cheerleaders, there are not many. Making headlines recently, in addition to Romero, was Justine Lindsay, a transgender woman. This Carolina

(continued on page 22)

CRAIG (continued from page 4)

Triangle TaeKwonDo Club, Eureka Valley Recreation Center

seen wonders and horrors along the way, but the emotional impact of walking into the stadium as the first group with Team San Francisco during the parade of athletes was overwhelming. I knew well that I was not alone as a gay man. I knew well from living in San Francisco that the LGBTQ+ community was strong, proud, large, and vocal, yet standing on the field, in that huge stadium, with thousands and thousands of other LGBTQ+ athletes and artists entering to the applause of the watching audience is something I will never forget. As an ex-British Military person, and someone who is rather stoic and analytical in most things, I found myself with tears in my eyes, overcome with emotion. It was not sim-

ply my own awakening, but that of my students who were with me, and the thousands who surrounded me in that moment.

The Games serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of fostering and living a sense of belonging, a sense of camaraderie, a knowledge of acceptance and love.

One truly remarkable moment was toward the end of the parade of athletes into the stadium when thousands of us were standing on the field and the announcer introduced each country and city into the stadium, with most groups numbering in the hundreds or at least twenty to thirty participants. The announcer introduced a single athlete who had traveled from Africa to participate in Gay Games Chicago.

Cleveland and Akron Gay Games Opening Ceremony (2014)

He came from a country that outlawed the LGBTQ+ community, and he was taking a huge personal risk to attend, but the huge round of applause and support he received when walking into the stadium alone was literally breathtaking and is a moment seared in my brain, reinforcing the incredible power of good that humans have within them, when it is provided the opportunity to flourish.

athletes and cultural participants to help them prepare and attend each quadrennial Gay Games. My solidified belief in the value and efficacy of the Gay Games movement led me to join Team San Francisco in late 2006 as a Board member at large, dedicating much of my time and energy to help foster the growth and success of Team San Francisco and the Federation of Gay Games as a whole.

On returning to San Francisco from the Chicago Gay Games I made the decision to support the local efforts of Team San Francisco who work with San Francisco and Bay Area

Over these many years, I have remained actively engaged in promoting both Team San Francisco and the Gay Games. Team San Francisco is an entirely volunteer

run 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is solely focused on promoting the interests of LGBTQ+ athletes and cultural participants in every way possible, in fostering and furthering the efforts of sports clubs and cultural organizations within the Bay Area, and in supporting the quadrennial Gay Games every cycle.

Team San Francisco and the Federation of Gay Games have witnessed, and survived, many changes and challenges over the intervening years. The internet allowed

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(continued on page 22) NOVEM BER 2, 2023

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Sports

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2023)

Bay Area LGBTQ+ Flag Football and Softball Teams Bring Home National Championships

Photos courtesy of John Chen

I had an opportunity to congratulate the teams’ captains and league commissioners and asked them what winning the national title meant to their team, league, and the city of San Francisco.

Sports John Chen Please join me in congratulating three Bay Area amateur sports teams that recently won their respective LGBTQ+ sport national title. The San Francisco Seals Women’s+ C and Open D Division teams won championships at the Gay Bowl XXIII in Seattle, Washington, presented by the Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). And the San Francisco Unleashed won the North America Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA) Gay Softball World Series Open A Division in Twin Cities, Minnesota. The Seals teams represent the San Francisco Gay Flag Football League (SFGFFL) and the Unleashed, San Francisco Gay Softball League (SFGSL).

Vincent Fuqua, Commissioner of the SFGSL, told me for the San Francisco Bay Times: “It’s been 33 years since a SFGSL A Division team has won the NAGAAA Gay Softball World Series, so our league is extremely proud of the San Francisco Unleashed accomplishment. The team’s journey to the top took a lot of hard work, commitment, and exemplary sportsmanship earning much deserved respect from the LGBTQ+ softball communities around the country. Many of the [Unleashed] told me that every SFGSL team, every player, every supporter, and our great city owns a part of this championship.

This team embodies the spirit, courage, and perseverance of the Bay Area LGBTQ+ peoples, athletes or not.”

San Francisco Seals Womens+ C and Open D Division Gay Bowl XXIII Champions with Trophy

titles, Open D Division and Women’s+ C Division, from the recent Gay Bowl in Seattle. Our LGBTQ+ athletes have worked very hard to represent our amazing city. For nearly a century, the city of San Francisco has offered refuge and showcased the pinnacle of queer culture and community. Gay sports have played an integral part of LGBTQ+ growth, unity, and acceptance, and helped to bridge the gap and created a stronger intersection between sports and the LGBTQ+ community. These championships have demonstrated our collective resilience, pride, and strength.”

Michael Lavin, Commissioner of the SFGFFL, said, “SFGFFL is extremely proud to bring home two national

San Francisco Unleashed Open A Division 2023 NAGAAA Softball World Series Champions. Top (left to right): Mike Etcheverry, Garin Wolf, Rich Velez, Kevin Malecha, Jeff Daddario, Todd Frassetti, Jon Taddeo, Anthony Marangon, Hayden Irwin, Tony Mora, Howie J Lyon, Garland Jamison, Jason Bradshaw, Will Robinson, Joshua Robinson, Ron Sealey. Bottom (left and right): Kyle Wood, Charlie Garrett

Michele Ta-a, Co-Captain of the San Francisco Seals Flag Football, Women’s+ C Division, said, “After five years playSan Francisco Seals Open D Division Gay Bowl XXIII Champions. Top ing with SFGFFL, our league finally sent (left to right): Alexander Arballo, Zach Brown, Herm Gilmore, Cartez the first ever women’s+ team to compete Kirby, Dexter Bibbs, Dominic Bibbs, David R Mongeau, Kyle Dent.

Bottom (left to right): Lance Lew, Eugene Bibbs, Scott Jacobs, Michael for the Gay Bowl [LGBTQ+ national championship] this year in Seattle. I was Umbay, Mike Anders, Alexander Schwans. Not Pictured: Devin Fathi honored to be cocaptain alongside a respected leader, Marti Davis. Being a co-captain gave me the opportunity to teach what I’ve learned playing flag football for many years.

Competing hard together was an amazing experience for all of us. Our women+ players are incredSan Francisco Seals Womens+ C Division Gay Bowl XXIII Champions. Top (left to right): Gianna ible athletes and Marschmann, Audrey Wei, Rae McKelvey, Lex Schoenberg, Marin McCoy, Sydne Pomin, Yesenia Sanchez, Renee Schildgen, Becky Middleton, Sara Zia-Liu Maurer, Khaleh Thomas. Bottom (left to amazing people who always had right): Kathleen McKiernan, Allie Martin, Tina Nguyen, Mai-Thy Vuong, Michele Ta-a, Marti Davis positive attitudes.

We played against tremendous and classy competition from Phoenix, Atlanta, Honolulu, Los Angeles, and left everything on the field, including the kitchen sink, to win the championship over the women of New York. It is such an incredible feeling for our team to bring home the Women’s+ C Division national championship trophy for San Francisco!”

Alex Arballo, Co-Captain of the San Francisco Seals Flag Football Open D Division, said, “This championship means the world to our team, players, and the league. We take great pride in representing the Bay Area with class. Hopefully, this win will give our players and league a major boost in our efforts to build a safe and welcoming place for LGBTQ+ football players and fans, as well as allies. Through football, I met some amazing people, connected with many whom I didn’t think would be possible, and learned so many worthwhile and positive achievements of the LGBTQ+ culture and community.”

San Francisco Unleashed at NAGAAA Gay Softball World Series Award Ceremony

And last but definitely not least, Dexter Bibbs, Co-Captain of the San Francisco Seals Flag Football Open D Division, said: “To me, competing for a LGBTQ+ flag football national championship sponsored by the NFL and having the support from people all over the world are big. But what is bigger is winning the championship with such a great team of players from all walks of life representing the diversity that is the hallmark of the San Francisco Bay Area. Our city embraced and supported the LGBTQ+ community when no one else dared. So, this win is dedicated to San Francisco and our LGBTQ+ peoples and allies. ‘#WE HERE!’” Bibbs was right on target with his words, #WE HERE!

San Francisco Seals Womens+ C Division Champions at Gay Bowl XXIII Awards Ceremony 6

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San Francisco Seals: Audrey Wei, Defense MVP Womens+ C Division and Marin McCoy Offense MVP Womens+ C Division

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

Caring for Each Other

In Case You Missed It Joanie Juster For much of this year, I have found myself in the role of caregiver to friends and family unable to take care of themselves. I have spent many long hours in medical facilities and sickrooms, providing aid and comfort, acting as advocate when faced with a healthcare system that is overwhelming, confusing, and frustrating, digging up information necessary to keep the medical care flowing, and notifying and comforting other friends and family. I have worked hard to meet both the physical and emotional needs of my loved ones, and, against all odds, to respect both their wishes and their dignity.

It has been exhausting, rewarding, and eye-opening.

When a person becomes incapacitated, whether by illness or accident, they often find themselves having to relinquish control over their lives to others. Friends, family, and strangers—medical professionals or others—suddenly have access to their most personal and private information. The contents of bank accounts, underwear drawers, kitchen cup-

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boards, and bathroom cabinets are opened to inspection and speculation. Bodily functions become open topics of discussion. Old secrets come to light; questions are asked. Privacy and modesty may vanish. The lack of autonomy can become another source of stress and grief for the patient.

the time for all of us to stand up and fight. Get out the vote. Support candidates who will fight for your rights.

From local school boards (where many of the most important battles are being fought right now) to the Oval Office, we cannot afford to get complacent or shy from a fight.

Thirty-three years ago, I trained to become a Practical Support volunteer with Shanti, so I could provide practical assistance to people who were dying of AIDS. That training, and the aid I provided to my Shanti clients, was lifechanging, and to this day remains the most important work I’ve ever done. Among the valuable lessons drilled into us was the need to protect our clients’ privacy and dignity. Our job was to provide nonjudgmental support to people at the most vulnerable time of their lives.

The importance of those lessons is becoming clearer to me every day.

The need for vigilance hit home this past week as a Bay Area school district found itself unexpectedly embroiled in the culture wars. The East Bay community of Sunol made news when the school district voted to ban the flying of the Pride flag.

Conservative members of the small local school board are also eager to ban books. This conflict is tearing the tiny, tightknit community apart.

School boards used to be non-partisan organizations, but more and more they are being used as launching grounds for political careers for ideologues. When was the last time you researched the candidates for your local school board? Better add that to your to-do list next time elections come up.

That training has served me well this year, as I’ve tried to carry that Shanti training into the sickrooms of friends and family. It didn’t occur to me at the time—in fact, it didn’t occur to me until this year—that what I was doing then fell under the umbrella of hospice care. I’m 70 now, and it is becoming clear that the years ahead will include more caregiving, or others taking care of me, or both. The bottom line is, as ever, the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.

The Road to Gilead After a couple of weeks of pointless infighting and proving on a daily basis that they not only don’t know how to govern, but don’t really have any interest in governing, the Republic Party chose a Speaker of the House who has made it clear that he has both feet firmly planted in a

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Speaker of the House Mike Johnson

Christian-nationalist agenda. Mike Johnson rejects the separation of church and state, believing that the United States should be a “Christian nation.” Rep. Jamie Raskin told MSNBC, “You cannot get to the right of Mike Johnson in the MAGA caucus.” One of the main leaders of Trump’s failed attempt to steal the 2020 election, he believes in theocracy, not democracy. In the name of God and “biblical values” he is staunchly against a woman’s right to choose, and is vehemently antiLGBTQ+, having introduced an anti-LGBTQ+ bill based on Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law.

More and more we are seeing that The Handmaid’s Tale wasn’t so much fiction as a cautionary tale. With such an extremist leading the House of Representatives, we are in for a tough time ahead. Upcoming elections will carry more weight than ever. If we don’t flip enough seats in the House of Representatives, as well as in statehouses across the country, we will indeed find ourselves on the road to Gilead, with human rights regressing backwards to scarier eras. Now is

There are many organizations helping with local and state elections around the country, and working to get out (and protect) the vote. From national powerhouses like the ACLU and League of Women Voters to nonpartisan get-out-the-vote groups like the nonprofit Vote ( https://www.vote.org/ ) and New Georgia Project, to partisan organizations like Sister District and Vote Forward, there are plenty of places to donate and volunteer. Do your part now! We cannot sit idly by while our country heads down the road to Gilead.

SF Transgender Film Festival Get your tickets now for the San Francisco Transgender Film Festival,

coming November 8–19. Over the course of 10 days the hybrid festival will feature seven short film programs, both live at the Roxie Theater and online. Films will be closed captioned for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences.

Originally founded in 1997 as Tranny Fest, SFTFF was North America’s first transgender film festival, and is now the world’s longest running one. Like so many other film festivals organized by marginalized communities, SFTFF was created to counter the absence of authentic representations of transgender people in mainstream culture and media.

Promoting the visibility of transgender and gender variant people challenges negative stereotypes and opens paths for understanding. The festival also provides opportunities for transgender and gender variant media artists, helps build community, and creates opportunities for audiences and artists to engage in dialogue across boundaries. Tickets and info: www.sftff.org Transgender Awareness Week and More The month of November provides a number of educational and commemorative opportunities to raise (continued on page 22)

Another Major Breakthrough for Transgender Rights in Japan tant legal benefits of being treated according to their gender identity.”

6/26 and Beyond Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis In July, we reported on a major breakthrough for transgender rights in Japan. A five-judge panel of the Japanese Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling in favor of a transgender government employee who had for years been denied the right to use the work bathroom that matched her true gender. The panel wrote that the ability of a person to live their life in accord with their true gender was a compelling interest that was legally protected. We expressed hope that the decision would be “a harbinger of things to come.”

Last week that hope was realized when the Grand Bench of all 15 Justices of the Japanese Supreme Court issued a unanimous landmark ruling holding that Japan’s draconian statute requiring that a transgender person be sterilized in order to legally change their gender was unconstitutional. The court opined that the law forced transgender Japanese to face the “cruel choice between accepting the sterilization surgery that causes intense bodily invasion and giving up impor-

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To underscore the magnitude of the ruling, it marked only the 12th time that the Japanese Supreme Court has declared a statute unconstitutional in the 76 years since Japan’s post-war Constitution was enacted in 1946. As much more remains to be accomplished when it comes to LGBTIQ rights in Japan, we believe the decision lays the groundwork for further muchneeded change.

In addition to the sterilization requirement, Japanese transgender people must meet other outdated and oppressive preconditions in order to change their gender legally. Not only must trans people be unmarried, have no children under 18 years old, and receive a psychiatric diagnosis of gender dysphoria, but they must also have genitalia “resembling those of the gender sought in the change.”

The plaintiff in last week’s Supreme Court case, whose name has not been revealed, is a single transwoman in her 40s who does not have children. She also challenged the genitalia appearance requirement. However, the Court declined to address this claim because the lower appellate court had not considered it. The Supreme Court returned the issue to the appellate court for further deliberation, but the issue seems very likely to return to the Supreme Court soon.

Three of the Justices opined in last week’s decision that the plaintiff should be allowed to change her legal gender immediately without further review by the lower court.

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Last week’s decision provides powerful precedent for the entire Court to strike down the genitalia appearance requirement too, given that it necessitates invasive surgery for many transgender people, among many other problematic aspects of the restriction.

Another remarkable aspect of last week’s Grand Bench decision was that it reversed a Supreme Court four-judge panel decision just four years ago that upheld the sterilization requirement. Significantly, the Grand Bench expressly cited changing social attitudes toward gender diversity as part of the rationale for their decision. The Court’s recognition of this change is also encouraging for the marriage equality lawsuits across Japan that are working their way through the courts to the Japanese Supreme Court. Public opinion polling shows consistently increasing majorities in favor of marriage equality in Japan.

Despite all of these reasons to applaud the Grand Bench decision, the plaintiff herself said frankly that she was “disappointed” by it because she could still not change her gender legally given the appearance requirement. In the words of her lawyer, more litigation means “further scrutiny about the inside of her underpants.” The plaintiff has good cause to be disappointed. The governing conservative party in Japan should never have passed the regressive law in the first place 19 years ago.

Transgender and other LGBTIQ people, and indeed no one, should have to prove their legal right simply to be who they are.

Photos Courtesy of Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis

Furthermore, complete victory at the Japanese Supreme Court on all counts would not solve the problem once and for all. Unlike the American system of governance, the Japanese system does not give the Supreme Court the power to invalidate a federal law and render it unenforceable by declaring it unconstitutional.

Although decisions like the present one exert enormous pressure on the Japanese Parliament to repeal or amend the law, the Parliament must still do so.

Gen Suzuki, a transman who won a lower court ruling in a similar case earlier last month, credited the hard work of members of the LGBTIQ community themselves for bringing about the change the Supreme Court observed. He told Nikkei Asia that “the impact of grassroots activism is huge.”

We agree. One of the magical aspects of participating in LGBTIQ grassroots activism is that you never know what positive effects seemingly small things we say or do may have on changing people’s hearts and minds, including those of people in positions of great power. We do not know whether the plaintiff in last week’s Supreme Court case is a longtime activist or simply wanted to be able to change her gender legally. Either way, she’s an activist now. Her standing up for herself in an honest and positive way furthers the very

societal acceptance of gender diversity that served as one of the bases for last week’s historic step forward.

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.

Speed Cameras to Save Lives per hour will be automatically ticketed by mail. While fines start at $50 and increase depending on how fast violators were going, there are opportunities for fee reductions or community service for those who qualify based on financial need.

Assemblymember Phil Ting In a state that’s trying to push active transportation that includes bicycling and walking, we must make our streets safer. Alternatives to driving are not only healthier for us, but also better for the environment.

I’m happy to report that the Governor recently signed AB 645, a bill that I joint authored with Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Burbank) this year, authorizing six cities to enforce speed through cameras. San Francisco is included in the five-year pilot program, along with Oakland, San Jose, Los Angeles, Glendale, and Long Beach.

These cities will be able to target high accident corridors, areas frequented by street racers, and school zones as potential speed camera sites. Drivers captured by the cameras exceeding the speed limit by at least eleven miles

I believe we can save lives under this program because many of these crashes are preventable. In California, speed is the number one cause of severe and fatal traffic crashes. According to Walk SF, more than 1,000 Californians have died in speed-related traffic crashes every year for the past five years, and thousands more have been severely injured.

Speed increases crash-risk in two ways: it increases the likelihood of being involved in a crash, and it increases the severity of injuries sustained by all road users in a crash, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. Simply lowering speeds and increasing enforcement can make a difference.

The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration says a pedestrian struck at 20 miles per hour has a 90 percent chance of survival. That number drops to 20 percent if the car is traveling at 40 miles per hour. Now we have a proven and powerful tool available to help reduce our numbers.

Speed cameras have additionally been shown to be effective in slowing drivers down, reducing collisions,

and reducing fatalities. In New York City, there was a 73 percent reduction in traffic fatalities. Washington, D.C., saw a 70 percent decrease. Scottsdale, Arizona, and Portland, Oregon, traffic deaths dropped 54 percent since the cameras were instituted. Our test pilot cities could see similar dramatic improvements.

Locally, AB 645 also aligns with San Francisco’s Vision Zero plan, which commits to building better and safer streets, educating the public on traffic safety, enforcing traffic laws, and adopting policy changes that save lives. The goal is to create a culture that prioritizes traffic safety and to ensure that mistakes on our roadways don’t result in severe injuries or death. This collaborative, citywide effort will mean safer, more livable streets, as we work to eliminate traffic deaths.

Building better roads and slowing cars down using the cameras is an imperative intersectional issue.

Communities of color are disproportionately affected by traffic violence, as some of our state’s largest and most dangerous roads cut directly through their neighborhoods. Nationally, African American pedestrians are more than twice as likely as white Americans to die in a traffic collision.

In 2021, the San Francisco County Transportation Authority found that Black residents accounted for 30 (continued on page 22)

Investing in Oakland’s Green Economy

Out of the Closet and into City Hall Oakland City Councilmember At-Large, Rebecca Kaplan

I continue to be in the vanguard of the switch to greener technology to improve the lives of our community. The At-Large office is proud to announce that our local projects that we initiated in Oakland, including to reduce dangerous diesel emissions by providing zero emission trucks and more, has received substantial new federal funding! We previously brought forth legislation for Oakland to partner with California’s Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES), which applied for federal funds for a variety of projects in California, including several cities in California, including Oakland.

Oakland and two other cities will receive significant funding of up to $1.2 billion from the Department of Energy to build and expand cleaner hydrogen projects, including those at the Port of Oakland. This historic investment helps cut hazardous pollutants that plague Oakland’s most vulnerable communities.

Speaking to the accomplishment, I stated: “Communities like Oakland have historically been subjected to disproportionate air pollution, and have stepped up with support for clean and green technologies. We are thrilled that the State of California is acting to decarbonize the economy, and building a healthier future for people and the planet. Federal support too is a vital contribution to this important work. Congratulations to ARCHES for being selected for a sustainable statewide green hydrogen hub!”

As part of a competitive nationwide bid that included projects launched by me, California was selected as one of seven states to receive this new federal funding. ARCHES, on behalf of California, successfully secured funding that includes clean energy hydrogen hub projects at the Port of Oakland. The state-wide efforts in hydrogen hub projects will reduce dangerous particulate emissions, expand cutting-edge clean energy equipment, reduce dependency on fossil fuels, and create thousands of quality local green jobs.

Councilmember At-Large and Council President Rebecca Kaplan, who is the Vice Mayor of Oakland, was elected in 2008 to serve as Oakland’s citywide Councilmember; she was re-elected in 2016 and 2020. She also serves on the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC). Follow Councilmember Kaplan on Twitter @Kaplan4Oakland ( https://tinyurl.com/2dtjmazc ) and Facebook ( https://tinyurl.com/2p9dd5ta ).

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He added, “The mass shooting in Maine is a clarion call for gun control. The day before the shooting, the Senate approved an amendment that would allow

ABC NEWS/SCREEN SHOT

Abbot told the Bay Times: “I lived in Lewiston for a short time when I first lived with [my late husband] Dick. We had a small apartment not far from where those horrific shootings took place. We lived for several years in Auburn, which is just across the river from Lewiston. We joined others for fun nights of bowling at Sparetime [the previous name of Just-in-Time Recreation] where most of the victims died. We had many friends in Lewiston and I have heard from a few stating they are OK.”

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Jim Abbott, a veteran newspaper industry professional and friend of the San Francisco Bay Times, used to live in the Lewiston, Maine, area and is familiar with the Justin-Time Recreation bowling alley that he used to visit. He, like so many of us, were saddened by the mass shooting that took place on October 25, 2023, at the bowling alley and also at another popular location in Lewiston, Schemengees Bar & Grille Jim Abbott Restaurant.

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‘The Mass Shooting in Maine Is a Clarion Call for Gun Control’

psychologically impaired veterans to obtain guns. That is the perfect delimitation of the shooter in this case; a veteran and gun instructor who had been treated for mental illness.”

duty officers arrived at Just-in-Time Recreation 90 seconds after the shooting and the suspect had already left!

My heart aches for the good people of Lewiston.”

“Maine has a yellow flag law, which says a doctor and a judge must agree the suspect is a danger before guns can be removed,” Abbot continued. “AR15 style weapons have only one purpose, to kill as many people as possible in as short a period as possible. Off-

The State of Maine now has a page, “Healing Together: Supporting Victims and Families of the Tragedy in Lewiston.” https://tinyurl.com/mryynpnk

Transgender and Nonbinary People Can Plan for Lifelong Care

Aging in Community Ames Simmons It was around nine years ago at a transgender health and wellness conference that I first heard a healthcare provider talk about a transgender patient who was so fearful of being mistreated in a long-term care facility that they felt forced to “detransition,” or express their gender as it was assigned to them at birth and not as the person they now understood themselves to be. I had not come to terms with my own gender dysphoria then, but I recognized how devastating it would feel to have worked so hard to overcome legal, medical, and social barriers to gender affirmation, only to feel forced to deny it in order to get essential care.

This conference took place about a year after my mom passed away, after my family had spent a long week trying to convince a whole army of hospital workers to recognize my mom’s treatment preferences as set forth in her advance directive. Without that document, my mother would have had to undergo many procedures that she told me she didn’t want. That experience and the fears raised at the conference led me almost a decade ago to think about how advance directives might be used to continue gender-affirming care.

In an earlier edition of this column ( https://tinyurl.com/24um323f ), I discussed the fears and anxieties that transgender and nonbinary people may have about dementia and potentially losing control over their ability to express their gender identity. I talked about how completing advance directives can help reduce those fears and provide more of a sense of control and peace of mind.

In today’s column, I will talk in more detail about what advance directives are, why they are important, and how a new resource can help transgender and nonbinary people put those decisions in writing.

Emerging research shows that transgender people may be at higher risk for dementia, but we don’t know a lot yet about how dementia may interact with gender identity. Transgender and nonbinary people may feel an increase in gender fluidity, which might feel great or might feel unsettling, depending on how the person understands their gender identity now. Care providers may feel unsure about whether to affirm these changes.

Documents called “advance directives” tell care providers what kind of healthcare treatments a person would want if they were unable to speak for themselves. An advance directive that talks about how a transgender person wants their gender identity to be affirmed can give care providers guidance about how to treat them if they are unable to tell them. These documents weren’t created to stop discrimination, but they might help prevent mistreatment by care providers or by family members who are not affirming of a transgender person’s gender identity.

Advance healthcare directives usually contain a section setting out preferences for treatment, which may be called a “living will” in some states.

They also usually contain a durable power of attorney for healthcare, which may be called a designation of healthcare agent, proxy, or surrogate decision-maker. As many as 87 percent of transgender and nonbinary people have not completed these documents, sometimes because of practical considerations rising to the top, like finding food, shelter, and employment. Others say they cannot identify anyone in their life whom they would want to make healthcare decisions for them if they were not able to.

Many people think of advance directives as something you only need at the end of life. Some transgender people reported that they never expected to live long enough to reach advanced age. However, much earlier in life a person may have an accident or assault that leaves them unconscious, a mental health crisis, or a brain injury or illness that incapacitates their decision-making.

SAGE and Transgender Law Center have teamed up to create a new planning resource called “Planning for Lifelong Care: Guiding Questions for Transgender & Non-Binary People to Plan for Dementia and Other Serious Illness.” This resource contains guiding questions that are designed to help transgender and nonbinary peo-

ple clarify their understanding of their gender identity in situations similar to those previously mentioned, and to identify their values about dementia, autonomy, and what is important about quality of life.

For example, some transgender people who think of their gender as a permanent transition from their sex assigned at birth may feel reassured by setting down in writing that they want their current identity to continue to be respected, and their gender-affirming treatment to continue to be provided, post-dementia. They may feel their current gender identity is their only true self, one they fought hard to be recognized. They may experience their gender identity as one of the most important ways of exercising control over their lives.

This is an important conversation for transgender people to have with care providers, because for patients with Alzheimer’s Disease, traditional patient-centered care has called for recognizing and validating the patient’s subjective experience as reality, not convincing them of their historical identity. The reason for this protocol is that it might cause distress to a person living with dementia if they are corrected about their body, name, and pronouns. This area of practice is not settled and will likely take more dialogue and research.

As my work continued, I found other research by transgender people suggesting that the gender-affirming language I had been developing had the effect of privileging identities that conform to the gender binary and to normative concepts of cognition. My work needed to be more inclusive of gender fluidity as well as cognitive fluidity. Transgender and nonbinary people who currently experience their gender identity as fluid may want to preserve that flexibility and not have it be seen as a symptom of dementia. They might feel violated if anyone forced them to dress a certain way or be referred to with different pronouns from how they feel that day.

They may prioritize directing their own life and gender expression in the moment.

Transgender and nonbinary people who are receiving medical treatment such as hormone therapy or

post-surgical treatment may need to think through this option, because that medical treatment may not be able to be started and stopped on short notice or repeatedly; there is not enough research now to know the answer.

It’s also possible that for some transgender and nonbinary people, none of these concerns may resonate. It’s important that they still complete an advance directive, but perhaps without the legal language about gender affirmation identified in the resource.

There are two ways transgender and nonbinary people can work with the planning resource. A PDF is available in the National Resource Center for LGBTQ+ Aging ( https://tinyurl.com/mryu3fep ). In addition, there is a web version with links to fillable documents ( https://tinyurl.com/2m2y52hb ).

These clauses are not intended to stand on their own, but rather to be added to a more comprehensive advance directive specific to your state. You can find links to those state-specific forms at https://tinyurl.com/5357wcjk Everyone involved in the decisionmaking process should prioritize autonomy and self-determination of the patient or client. Conversations about death as well as about gender identity are both stigmatized in our culture, and new research shows that navigating race and identity can make these conversations even more difficult to navigate in families of color with transgender or nonbinary family members. There is also evidence that gender non-conforming young people who have mental health conditions such as depression find these conversations even more difficult, because they do not want their families to worry that they are considering self-harm simply because they are talking about life planning that includes death.

Because of heightened risks of dementia, advance directives are planning tools that will likely come into play sooner than end of life for many trans people. We should start thinking about advance directives earlier in our life cycle and revisit them periodically as circumstances change.

This is especially important for peo-

Dr. Marcy Adelman oversees the Aging in Community column. For her summary of current LGBT senior challenges and opportunities, please go to: http://sf baytimes.com/challenges-and-opportunties/

ple who have thin social networks and may need to intentionally develop relationships. Transgender and nonbinary people are more likely to experience social isolation and not have wide networks as they age, so they may need lead time to develop them.

This can be a great intergenerational project, where younger adults can help serve as older adults’ healthcare agents, and older adults can share their history and experience that will enrich and affirm the experiences younger people are having now.

Planning for lifelong care is an important way of building and sharing community for transgender and nonbinary people of all ages. Talking about these issues with loved ones whom we trust and value can help allay fears and give transgender and nonbinary people some peace of mind as we plan for our future.

Ames Simmons is a queer transgender man who holds a senior fellowship at Duke University School of Law and lectures at George Washington University’s graduate program in LGBT Health Policy & Practice. He is a member of the National Advisory Council of the SAGE and Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Long-Term Care Equality Index, and the Trans Elders Special Interest Group of the U.S. Professional Association for Transgender Health.

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

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

Nuestra Voz Eduardo Morales, Ph.D. La Academia Leadership Training AGUILAS will be offering four three-hour workshops on leadership in November. Those who complete

Dr. Betty L. Sullivan Jennifer L. Viegas

The certificate program provides legitimacy to being a specialist in working with the Spanish and English media as a leader. It not only provides skill sets that can augment a person’s career but also can serve as a motivator for other types of educational programs with graduate degrees, thereby strengthening the workforce pipeline.

You can register for workshops online

Co-Publishers & Co-Editors

Registration will assure you a place in the training sessions and that you receive your certificate upon completion of the four different workshops. Those who have previously participated in AGUILAS workshops are also welcome. Based on reviews from such prior participants, the workshops are highly rated in all respects. AGUILAS’ La Academia Leadership Training is funded by ViiV Healthcare Foundation.

Design & Production

Kate Laws Business Manager Blake Dillon Calendar Editor

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

Juan R. Davila

Thanksgiving Social

Volunteer Coordinator

AGUILAS’ annual Thanksgiving social will occur on November 17 from 6 pm to 8 pm and will be located in the Rainbow Room on the second floor of the SF LGBT Center, 1800 Market Street. The annual celebration allows all of us at AGUILAS to celebrate the holiday season and give thanks to participants, staff, volunteers, and AGUILAS board members for their engagement and involvement at the nonprofit throughout the year.

CONTRIBUTORS Writers Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Patrick Carney, Carolyn Wysinger, Leslie Sbrocco, Heather Freyer, Kate Kendell, Heidi Beeler, Gary M. Kramer, Joanie Juster, Julie Peri, Jennifer Kroot, Robert Holgate, Eduardo Morales, Dennis McMillan, Tim Seelig, John Chen, Rafael Mandelman, Tabitha Parent, Jewelle Gomez, Phil Ting, Rebecca Kaplan, Leslie Katz, Philip Ruth, Bill Lipsky, Elisa Quinzi, Liam Mayclem, Donna Sachet, Gary Virginia, Zoe Dunning, Derek Barnes, Marcy Adelman, Jan Wahl, Holly Near, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Brandon Miller, Jamie Leno Zimron, Michele Karlsberg, Randy Coleman, Debra Walker, Howard Steiermann, Andrea Shorter, Lou Fischer, Brett Andrews, David Landis

As for all AGUILAS social events, both dinner and entertainment will be provided. The featured performer will be Betty Fresas ( https://tinyurl.com/7tj9rxf2 ).

Please register online at the AGUILAS website to ensure your space is reserved. You can also register via AGUILAS’ social media platforms including Instagram and Facebook. The registration is managed by Eventbrite at https://tinyurl.com/4ek8s8ts

Photographers Rink, Phyllis Costa, Sparks, Paul Margolis, Chloe Jackman, Bill Wilson, Jo-Lynn Otto, Sandy Morris, Karina Patel, Abby Zimberg, Joanie Juster 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.

November happens to be my birthday month (11/9) and my personal time to be grateful for my family, friends, and colleagues as well as to be thankful for my wellbeing and health. I choose to celebrate my birthday throughout the month rather than one day since I have much to be grateful for in my life.

Stay well and safe, and enjoy the holiday season.

Eduardo Morales, Ph.D. is a Professor Emeritus, retired Distinguished Professor, and current adjunct professor at Alliant International University.

He is also a licensed psychologist and a founder and current Executive Director of AGUILAS, an award-winning program for Latinx LGBTQ+. Of Puerto Rican decent, he has received numerous distinguished awards and citations, including being named a Fellow of 12 divisions of the American Psychological Association.

CALENDAR Submit events for consideration by e-mail to: calendar@sfbaytimes.com © 2023 Bay Times Media Company Co-owned by Betty L. Sullivan & Jennifer L. Viegas

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The goal of this program is to prepare Latinx LGBTQ individuals and allies for leadership roles, or to enhance the skills of those who are already community leaders.

( https://www.sfaguilas.org/ ).

Beth Greene, Michael Delgado, John Signer, Abby Zimberg

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all of the workshops will receive a certificate provided

by AGUILAS and Alliant International University that should bolster any résumé. The workshops will be offered from 4 pm to 7 pm on November 6, 7, 8, and 9. The topics for each are 1) Legal Awareness for Latinx Persons (November 6), 2) Basic Financial Knowledge (November 7), 3) Effective Strategies for Advocacy (November 8), and 4) Efficient Communication Tools and Talking to the Media (November 9).

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GLBT Fortnight in Review

By Ann Rostow Time to Grow Up When did Americans become so simplistic? We conflate innocent Palestinians with barbaric Hamas terrorists, defending the former without condemning the latter. We blame all Israelis for the narcissistic far-right leadership of Netanyahu, who, like Trump, represents a fringe minority of his country. And we wind up with a frightening rise in antisemitism around the country, including on liberal college campuses where everyone is supposed to be openminded, inclusive, intersectional, and politically correct to an annoying degree. Just when did it become okay to denigrate an entire category of human beings based on religion, specifically a category decimated by mass murder within the lifetime of our oldest generations?

When I was in my early twenties, my friends and I were part of the revival of feminism and the awakening of the gay community. For a time, there was a pedophilia group called the “National Man Boy Love Association,” which attached itself to the evolving gay civil rights movement that, of course, was dominated by men. The explanation for this was that “prejudice” against child sexual abuse was on par with society’s disdain for same-sex relationships.

Based on this rationale, just about everything under the sun was grist for our mill, including NAMBLA. NAMBLA didn’t last long, happily. At one Pride March in New York, most of the women split from the men in protest and finished the march by a different route.

Eventually, sanity emerged, in some part thanks to the influence of lesbians. But I remember being mystified by friends who took longer than most to recognize that the group (which approved of sex not just with older teenagers, but with actual pre-pubescent kids) was loathsome. For a movement that argued same-sex love was equivalent to other relationships to embrace deviance made no sense, but it happened because people followed a logical path to an illogical dead-end and lacked the maturity to backtrack. I feel as if that’s happening now.

In truth, I wasn’t that mature back then either, but luckily my little gang of friends all agreed that NAMBLA was bad news. What would I have done if my peers had felt differently?

I’ve never thought about it, assuming instead that all my good qualities arise from my own superior natural instincts. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that I’m not that different from anybody else, so who knows?

Phlegmatic Nutcase Takes the Gavel Moving on, what is there to say about Speaker Mike Johnson? This is a man who spent years working for the Alliance Defending Freedom, née the Alliance Defense Fund, a legal organization specifically designed to fight the GLBT civil rights movement.

Worse, he’s basically a Christian Nationalist. Although he himself doesn’t use the term, he espouses the insidious notion that our country is built on Christianity, should be run on Christian precepts (not in a good way), and should elevate Christianity to the status of a national religion.

As noted, we’re talking about a hard right faith, where minority religions, cultures, sexual orientations, and gender identities are subjected to state sanctioned prejudices. Oh, and he tried to overturn the election of Joe Biden.

Part of me thinks that the GOP House majority, already dragged around by a ring through its nose, will be unchanged even by such a drastic election. Plus, some pundits say the elevation of Johnson will

come back to bite the Republicans a year from now. We’ll see. But meanwhile, we have a real lunatic on our hands. To think of this joker two heartbeats away from the presidency is chilling.

Finally, get a load of Johnson’s wife.

Kelly Johnson is a Christian counselor, whatever that may entail, with a specialty in “Temperament” counseling. “The temperament-based approach breaks people down into five types,” we learn from Business Insider, “Melancholy, Choleric, Sanguine, Supine, and Phlegmatic.”

According to the founders of this scheme, Richard and Phyllis Arno, you can buy their diagnostic kit, use the techniques to relegate your hapless patients into one of these unpleasant sounding rubrics and extrapolate from there. Fun times!

What Color Is Your Parachute?

There’s considerable overseas news, which I always try to avoid based on a vague “America First” attitude towards our community developments. Things are bad enough in our own country, I reason, so why discuss the horrors beyond our borders that are invariably worse? For example, I have written “bad stuff in Uganda” on my list and should probably go check on what that was all about even though I don’t want to. Can we leave it at that?

Nigerian paramilitary thugs just arrested 76 people at a gay birthday party, just a few months after police arrested dozens at a same-sex wedding. These gatherings are illegal under Nigerian law, which sounds much like Ugandan law although, unlike Ugandan law, it might not include capital punishment for gay sex.

(I checked this. Sharia law in some northern Nigerian states calls for the death penalty for some gay sex, although we have not seen any fatalities in the press. Uganda, meanwhile, has the distinction of being the only Christian nation to put capital punishment for gay sex on the books.)

The Castro Merchants Association welcomes you to join us for the

Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony Monday November 27 6:00pm at Castro & 18th Streets Emceed by everyone’s beloved Queen of the Castro, Donna Sachet The lighting will include holiday music from the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band and the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (and audience sing- along); greetings from local and City officials; an invitation to “Shop, Drink and Dine.”

If you’re interested in supporting the tree lighting, please visit www.castromerchants.com/donate

There was so-called “good news” out of Japan, where a court has determined that it is unconstitutional to sterilize transgender citizens.

According to Human Rights Watch, this qualifies as a “Victory for Transgender Rights in Japan,” and I suppose technically that’s accurate.

According to the organization, trans people in Japan must petition a family court for permission to transition.

“Under the Gender Identity Disorder Special Cases Act,” HRW tells us, “applicants must undergo a psychiatric evaluation, be surgically sterilized, and ‘have a physical form that is endowed with genitalia that closely resemble the physical form of an alternative gender.’ They also must be single and without children who are younger than 18.” Nice that you no longer have to be sterilized. Too bad about your partner and kids.

Returning to Uganda, where a strict anti-GLBT law was passed earlier this summer, I see that the law will be reviewed by the nation’s top court that I would not have listed as “bad stuff” in my notes had I been paying attention. Meanwhile, after Googling “Uganda constitutional court gay,” I can’t help but notice the many headlines discussing the 2014 ruling that revoked the previous antigay law, which I recall was just as bad as the current version. How could the law be re-enacted after the court struck it down a few years back? Can we assume the court will strike this one as well? What would stop Uganda from simply passing another antigay statute? Inquiring minds want to know. (continued on page 22) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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DIVAS & DRINKS @ The Academy

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2023)

Divas & Drinks @ The Academy SF Third Annual Halloween Party The Shake It! Booty Band lived up to their name on Friday, October 27, making their first appearance at The Academy SF with a high energy funky disco performance. Bandmates Peggy Dove, Andrea Prichett, B.C. Cliver, Deborah Hungerford, Catlin Small, Kasey Knudsen, Marina Garza, and Katrine Spang-Hanssen rocked the house and did so in costume.

See and hear the band performing “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)”: https://tinyurl.com/5dh9c68w Emcee Donna Sachet—dressed magnificently as the “Spirit of Winter”—and the always amazing DJ Rockaway, presented by Olivia Travel, led a lively costume party with judges Melissa Cherry of Dykes on Bikes®, event producer and singer Janet Rachel, and Jon Koriel representing presenting sponsor Comcast/ Xfinity.

Winners included Tinka Bush and friends as “The Third Wheel,” First Place for Most Original; Stacy Poulos as “The Marshal,” Sexiest Contestant: and Stephanie Lacambra as “Maleficent,” Scariest of All. Prizes were provided by The Legend of Georgia McBride, playing at the Lesher Center for the Arts, November 4–26; and Ross Matthews, presented by Live Nation at the Palace of Fine Arts, November 17; and Divas & Drinks sponsor Bacardí.

Thanks to all of our ongoing Divas & Drinks supporters, friends, and valued partners The Academy SF, Bacardí, Extreme Pizza, Olivia Travel, and the San Francisco Federal Credit Union.

Please join us for the annual San Francisco Bay Times Holiday Party with the Golden Gate Business Association on December 12.

For more information and to register: https://tinyurl.com/yc2yc7rv

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Special Thanks to Our Presenting Sponsor

“The martini. The Mai Tai. And the Uber ride home. It all starts here.”

—New San Francisco campaign billboard

By Donna Sachet

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his month of annual galas continued with AIDS Legal Referral Panel’s 40th annual From the Heart event at the Julia Morgan Ballroom on October 19, raising $250,000 for their important work. State Senator Scott Wiener served as emcee and 350 guests applauded as Laura Thomas received the Clint Hockenberry Leadership Award and Steven Chizen the Attorney of the Year Award. But the highlight of the evening was a special farewell tribute to retiring Bill Hirsh, including a moving video tribute and Bill’s humble and heartfelt remarks. We attended for many reasons, but paramount among them was the chance to honor this generous and hard-working man.

Saturday, October 21, tested our stamina with three back-to-back and contrasting events. We started at a gathering in memory of Michael Polansky, long-time San Francisco resident and supporter of many individuals and causes within our LGBT Community.

A small group of close friends reminisced over photographs and exchanged funny stories, offering comfort to each other at the loss of another well-known San Franciscan.

We then dashed to Midnight Sun, where the mood was completely different as Krewe de Kinque’s King Mez and Queen Moxie Penn raised money for Rainbow Honor Walk with a rousing drag show, beer bust, and raffle fundraiser. Many learned about the cause from performers and informational boards posted throughout the bar. Next time you are walking down a Castro neighborhood street and see a bronze plaque honoring one of our forebears, take time to read the text, and when you get home, check out the website; this all-volunteer project keeps our history accurate and alive.

Finally, we arrived at the Westin St. Francis for the sold out HRC Gala Without Exception, as the guest of one of the dinner chairs, Joe Sangiardi. One need only glance at the huge list of corporate sponsors to be assured of the importance of this national organization and its local chapter. Hundreds of well-dressed supporters attended, including Mayor London Breed, Dan O’Leary & Jonathan Teel, Frank Woo, Mario Diaz, Linda Scaparotti, Heather Freyer, and Molly Herzig.

Speeches at many such annual galas may be less than riveting, but the remarks at any HRC event inspire and challenge the crowd to action. One of the highlights of this evening was the extraordinary address from new President Kelley Robinson. Her delivery was urgent and direct, her words were familiar, yet engaging, and her message was dynamic. We see a newly envisioned HRC on the horizon! Gary Hilbert’s acceptance speech for the Charles M. Holmes Award was filled with San Francisco pride and genuine humility. Popular actor Zane Phillips perked up the audience and introduced Joel Kim Booster who accepted the Visibility Award with the anticipated humor for which this comedian is known, but also with a proud commitment to activism and inclusion. And, fresh from her successful Lesbians Who Tech meeting in the Castro, Leanna Pittsford accepted the Equality Award with words of gratitude and an ongoing dedication to making sure women and people of color are not just included, but valued.

But no one could deny that the peak of the evening came at the conclusion of the program, when super-star Billy Porter strolled to the podium to accept the Impact Award. Here was a man many of us have followed from success to success and now attending our local HRC Gala! His speech was off-the-cuff and spot-on, ending with a song, delivered with passion and resonating with truth. After so many remarkable speeches and surrounded by so many powerful individuals, we left the hotel inspired, challenged, and resolute!

Thursday, November 9 Mighty Real, PRC annual gala VIP Reception, cocktails, auction, after party Keystone Service Award to SF Pride Outstanding Corporate Partner Award to Wells Fargo Sylvester Community Pillar Award to Joshua Gamson St. Joseph’s Arts Society 1401 Howard Street 6:30 pm $325 & up www.prcsf.org Thursday, November 23 Thanksgiving Day Eat, drink, and be merry!

Sunday, November 26 Sunday’s a Drag at Club Fugazi Special holiday show hosted by Donna Sachet Starring Khmera Rouge, Dulce de Leche & Ehra Amaya Brunch & fabulous drag show Club Fugazi, 678 Green Street $79 & up www.sundaysadrag.com Monday, November 27 Castro Holiday Tree Lighting Emceed by Donna Sachet Bank of America Castro location 6:30 pm Free!

Halloween returned to the Castro on the Saturday before the actual holiday, welcoming adults and kids alike with a variety of retail installments and special activities, non-stop scary films at the Castro Theatre, and a huge costume contest, conducted by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. After the dramatic end of the legendary Halloween celebrations 17 years ago, we were most curious to see what the merchants would bring back this year and we consider it a success.

Businesses were busy, residents seemed happy, and a very visible police presence kept things safe. Costumes abounded, accompanied by laughter and celebrations.

If this isn’t a positive sign of San Francisco on the way to recovery, we don’t know what is!

The best is yet to come!

PHOTO BY SHAWN NORTHCUTT

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEBRA REABOCK

Last Friday’s Divas & Drinks kicked off Halloween with style! The Academy welcomed around a hundred lively guests for this monthly San Francisco Bay Times party, about half of them in some form of costume. Even the emcee, none other than this columnist, arrived as the Spirit of Winter with a silver gown and white hooded cape, accented with a crystal mask. Judges Melissa Cherry of Dykes on Bikes, beloved event organizer and singer Janet Rachel, and Jon Koriel of Diva’s & Drinks presenting sponsor Comcast/Xfinity judged the contestants in three categories, Scariest, Sexiest, and Most Original Costumes. Take note of the winners in photographs in this issue.

Thanks to all who put some thought and preparation into their costumes. Then, the Shake It! Booty Band, a popular women’s band, took over, playing great cover songs with their own special twist, luring many to their feet to dance along. It looks like live music has found a new home at The Academy! DJ Rockaway, presented by Olivia Travel, specialty cocktails from Bacardí, and edibles from Extreme Pizza rounded out the evening.

Donna Sachet, dressed in white to everyone’s surprise, created a lovely “Spirit of Winter” at the Divas & Drinks Halloween Party at The Academy on Friday, October 27. With Sachet in the photo is artist Debra Reabock to whom the Bay Times expresses much appreciation for assistance with photography during the event.

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

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Going to the Dogs Photos courtesy of Tim Seelig

obedient and listened to what I say, acknowledging me as the rightful head of the household. All three had their names changed upon arrival at my house. They never talked back.

Strangely, those were all things I was taught to look for in a wife.

TLC: Tears, Laughs and Conversation Dr. Tim Seelig It’s time to talk about dogs—some more. My February 27, 2020, article ( https://tinyurl.com/2rmbtmrm ) provided information on my dogs up to that point. Shortly after that, we added a fur baby to the family. Yes, a pandemic pet. More on that in a bit. Of my seven decades, I can count the years spent without a dog on my fingers. I don’t need my toes. Those years were college and two times living outside the country.

Dogs R Us. It’s what I do. It’s definitely a lifestyle choice.

Considering my canine companions, I obviously have a type! All three were lookers, petite and blonde! They were all quiet and

None of my dogs have ever liked to play fetch or chew toys or engage in any puppy play at all. Perhaps they have all took one look at me and thought “couch potato” and immediately adjusted. Big dogs do hour walks. Small dogs do 10-minute walks max. The best thing about all three was they did not bark except when someone knocked on the door.

They were tiny, but fierce guard dogs.

Britney found us at the SPCA in Dallas. She was a light caramel color, so she became Carmella. She was maybe a beagle chihuahua mix and weighed in at around an adorable 15 lbs. We adored her!

Rainy came from Copper’s Dream ( https://www.coppersdream.org/ ).

They travel the Bay Area rescuing dogs from other shelters. She was such a gift after losing Carmella, so we called her Grace. She is a dainty chihuahua girl, lithe and sweet and a whopping 9 lbs. Definitely an introvert.

Mashed Potato, because he was the color

Tater Tot

of mashed potatoes, was just waiting for us at Muttville. His name changed immediately to Tater Tot. Muttville’s mission is to rehome senior dogs ( https://muttville.org/ ). Tater Tot is also a blonde chihuahua who weighs a little over 7 lbs. Don’t let his size fool you. At 13 years old, down 16 teeth, he is still in charge of our entire river walk.

Here is a little more about Tater Tot. (This list started at 25. I cut it to 10.)

• He knows the tone of my voice— from baby talk to “Oh no, you di’n’t.”

• He hates violins and sopranos and lets me know by singing (howling) along.

• He doesn’t care what I watch on TV as long as I pet him while I watch.

• He sometimes tries to help me type by gently pawing my right hand.

• He loves day naps, having kept a watchful eye through the night to protect me.

• He doesn’t care about politics except when I yell at people on TV wearing red caps.

• He enjoys sitting in front of me as I use the restroom—guaranteed focus on him!

• He likes Portland and still thinks he can catch squirrels and rabbits, but ignores the geese.

Tater Tot

• He has never said, “You’re late!”

He’s just delirious I came home to him at all.

• He probably knows me better than anyone and I never wonder if he loves me.

Everybody needs a Tater Tot in their life, the edible and the canine versions. I don’t know what I would do without him.

When I got to Portland, I immediately looked for a Muttville. Sadly, there is no such place here. But what they do have is the extraordinary Oregon Humane Society. It has a 46,000-square-foot state of the art shelter that can house over 300 animals at a time, and it features a brand-new veterinary clinic and a behavior center for animals that need a little extra. It has 200 full-time employees and 2,800 volunteers. Remarkably, it also has full-time veterinary social workers who care for animals and the people who own them, including everything from caring for the pets of those who are unhoused and those who are elderly. They also have a Humane Law Enforcement team onsite, responding to animal abuse all over the Northwest.

On November 19, I will have my all-day training to become a certified volunteer! I am happy with whatever title they give me:

Tater Tot

Grace

Grace

Carmella 18

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Grace

Carmella

Carmella

Pooper Scooper is fine. (Dr. Pooper Scooper to you!) I’ll work my way up to Dog Whisperer and just sit in a kennel to love on a dog that needs some TLC. I will say Bobby Jo is a little wary of what I might sneak home in my backpack while he’s on tour!

I am excited that part of my retirement will be spent making dogs’ lives better in whatever way I can.

My dream was to have a huge property like The Asher House ( https://www.theasherhouse.com/ ) with countless animals. That was a dream Corianna and I shared. The HOA at my condo frowned on it.

My other dream was to start a Muttville Northwest. We’ll see about that one.

Most of all, we are lucky as humans to share our love with a pet of any species. There is nothing like the unconditional love of a fur baby—or one with no fur (my granddaughter Clara had a bearded dragon named Princess Shimmer that tested my theory of cuddly pets!). We know adopting an older pet limits the years we will have with him, but it just makes us love him harder and deeper—if that is possible!

Dr. Tim Seelig is the Conductor Laureate of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. http://www.timseelig.com/

Compassion Is Universal 2023 Shanti Project’s 49th Anniversary Shanti Project’s 49th Anniversary Dinner, held on Friday, October 27, at the Palace Hotel, celebrated the nonprofit human services agency that provides peer support and guidance to people affected by HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other life-threatening conditions. Through its programs, the organization reduces isolation, enhances health and well-being, and improves quality of life, serving individuals who face inequities and barriers to care.

Shanti’s honorees for 2023 included Tom Nolan, Nancy Pelosi Lifetime Achievement Award; Barbara Rose Brooker, Margot Murphy Cancer Inspiration Award; and Juan Pablo Gutiérrez, who posthumously received the James C. Hormel Community Spirit Award. Following the opening reception, the dinner program included live entertainment by drag artist Kylie Minono.

The emcee for the evening was Kevin Joyce, who shared the stage with guest speaker Richard Goldman and musical guests the Joe Warner Combo.

PHOTO BY JOANIE JUSTER

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PHOTO BY JOANIE JUSTER

PHOTO BY JOANIE JUSTER

PHOTO BY JOANIE JUSTER PHOTO BY JOANIE JUSTER

PHOTO BY JOANIE JUSTER

PHOTO BY JOANIE JUSTER

PHOTO BY DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY DREW ALTIZER PHOTOGRAPHY

http://www.shanti.org

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Opening Celebration The Pansy L. Chan & Terrence D. Chan National Queer Arts Center On Saturday evening, October 28, supporters and friends of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus gathered to celebrate the opening of the Chorus’ new home, the Chan National Queer Arts Center at 170 Valencia Street.

This historic LGBTQ center is based in the heart of San Francisco and is the first of its kind in the country, an artistic sanctuary for queer artists to call home.

Following a cocktail reception and live performance by the Chorus, participants enjoyed a brief program followed by guided tours of the newly redecorated facility.

Acting state Governor Eleni Kounalakis, Mayor London Breed, and State Senator Scott Wiener were among the elected leaders attending to bring congratulations to the Chorus and its supporters who have worked to develop the new facility that will serve as a safe performance space for artists as well as an important location for community and civic activities.

For more information about the new Arts Center: https://tinyurl.com/4sw2nafp

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Photos by Drew Altizer and Kristen Loken/San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus

TING (continued from pg 12) percent of the people killed in traffic collisions, despite representing only five percent of the population. What you look like shouldn’t increase or decrease your rate of motor vehicle accidents or your rate of survival, yet it does.

I hope San Francisco installs the speed cameras as soon as AB 645 takes effect this January.

It means we can save lives and prevent serious injury sooner.

Phil Ting represents the 19th Assembly District, which includes the west side of San Francisco along with the communities of Broadmoor, Colma, and Daly City, as well as part of South San Francisco and San Bruno.

LITWIN (continued from pg 4) Gay Games are nonprofit organizations. Part of the mission of both groups is to raise funds yearround so that underserved individuals can receive scholarships to participate in this life-changing event. More than 1,000 individuals have received such support over the years.

Locals Receive Special Honors The highest honor bestowed by the Federation of Gay Games is the Tom Waddell Award, presented to two people of differing gender identifications at each quadrennial event. More information about this award may be found at: https://tinyurl.com/yc7bdjb7 In 2023, one of the Tom Waddell Award recipients is Roger Brigham of Oakland. The other recipient is former Federation Co-President Emy Ritt of Paris, France. Roger joins several other Bay Area recipients of this prestigious award from years past: Derek Liecty (Walnut Creek), Sara Waddell Lewinstein (Oakland), Gene Dermody (San Francisco), Susan Kennedy (Antioch), and Gert McMullin (San Francisco).

Personal Story My involvement with the Gay Games began in 1986 at Gay Games II. I participated as both an artist and an athlete, something I’ve done at every Gay Games since then. Although it has led to a very busy week of making music and playing my sports, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve met so many amazing people over the years, with friendships that still exist today. To help shape the event, I joined the Federation of Gay Games in 1999 and have served the organization in various capacities. When I stepped down from the FGG’s Board of Directors in late 2021, I became appointed as the group’s first Archivist. I guess when you get old and have a good memory, they put you in charge of organizing the group’s history! I don’t mind doing that a bit.

My Gay Games story will continue on November 2 when I fly to Guadalajara. I will be toting my bowling balls to join the tournament there, competing alongside friends old and new. I must include a shout-out to my long-time bowling teammate and doubles partner Jim Hahn of San Mateo. Jim is one of a small number of people who have participated in every one of the Gay Games dating to 1982. He’s not slowing down at all and has plans to attend every event through Gay Games XV. Keep that streak going, Jim! Sadly for me, since Guadalajara organized its event without the normal five years of planning time, the participatory cultural events will not be taking place (although there will be cultural events presented by local artists). Thus, I’ll be leaving my trusty clarinet at home for the first time and my fellow bandmates won’t be there.

Looking Ahead to Gay Games XII If you’re reading this and aren’t already registered to go to Guadalajara or Hong Kong, mark your calendars for early June 2026. That’s when the world will again gather for the Gay Games, this time in the beautiful Mediterranean city of Valencia, Spain. Gay Games XII promises to be amazing. Meanwhile, the Federation of Gay Games, which is entirely staffed by volunteers, will be starting its site selection process for Gay Games XIII (2030) in January 2024.

Doug Litwin is an occasional contributor to the “San Francisco Bay Times.” In addition to being a bowler, he is a very active member and holds a Board post at the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band, the Official Band of SF.

ROMERO (continued from pg 5)

JUSTER (continued from pg 8)

Panthers member is the first openly transgender person to cheer in the NFL.

awareness and shine a light on the lives and experiences of transgender and gender nonconforming communities. The month is dedicated to education about these communities and important issues facing them. The most widely known events are Transgender Awareness Week (beginning November 13) and Transgender Day of Remembrance (November 20), a worldwide event when trans and allied communities come together to memorialize victims of anti-trans hatred, prejudice, or violence. Stay tuned for local observances and opportunities for education and activism.

Whether you attend 49ers games in person or watch at home, please then cheer on Romero and the rest of the Gold Rush in addition to the football players.

Romero himself is still dazzled by the spectacle and does not take his role for granted. His most memorable moments might surprise you, though.

“My favorite part of game day is the National Anthem,” he said. “We’re all in the end zone and it’s a sea of people, 70,000 people in the stadium. And the stadium goes completely silent. I get chills just talking about it. You get to take it all in and reflect that this is what I’m doing right now.”

For more information about the San Francisco 49ers Gold Rush: https://www.49ers.com/cheerleaders/

World AIDS Day - Make a Panel for the Quilt World AIDS Day is Friday, December 1. In the next issue of the San Francisco Bay Times, I will be sharing details of all the local observances. But this is a reminder that if you have been planning to make a panel for the AIDS Memorial Quilt, now is a good time to get started.

On World AIDS Day, the National AIDS Memorial produces a free public program in the AIDS Memorial Grove, which will include a ceremony dedicating new panels for the Quilt. While you can submit a panel at any time during the year, this annual dedication is a moving event that is worth being part of.

For information on how to make a panel for the Quilt, go to: https://tinyurl.com/Quilt101 Caring for Each Other These are tense times, and many people are struggling with fear, outrage, depression, and sorrow. Please take extra care with yourself, and those around you. We cannot get through these times alone.

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

ROSTOW (continued from pg 15) In England, a survey reveals that the most popular profession for GLBT people is air travel assistant, where one in seven employees is part of our community. Other gay friendly jobs include coffee shop worker, theme park attendant, and entertainment presenter, which include one in ten gay staff members, while bartender, public relations professional, and library assistant draw one in 13 of our ilk. Our least favorite careers, at one in a hundred, are bricklayer, farmer, and window cleaner.

Bricklayer? Theme park attendant? Really?

Where did they get these arcane categories?

And what’s the percentage of GLBT people in the overall British work force? If it’s five or ten percent then there’s not much there there, is there? I guess the big headline in that case would be that gay people hate farming, which doesn’t ring true to me. According to The Independent, the numbers are derived from the 2021 Census, which included optional questions about sexual orientation. So, it could just be that air travel assistants are more forthcoming about their sexual orientation than others.

Whose Turn Is It? One million Moms has found a new objectionable TV commercial, this time for Snickers, which I think I read recently is the best-selling candy bar on the American market. Following their highly entertaining theme of embarrassing moments by hungry people who need to eat a Snickers, the ad shows two straight couples playing a board game.

“Hey guys, want to do a little swap?” one woman asks. The group exchanges neutral glances and the other woman replies with a naughty smile, “I mean, yeah, I could be into it ... . Would I, like, move in with Tyler, or is it just more of a one-time, casual thing?”

Surprised, the first woman explains, “I was talking about switching up teams—for fun.”

The husbands are not smiling as the tag line appears: “You’re unfiltered when you’re hungry,” and the frisky woman tries to backpedal. “Of course! Whose turn is it?”

The million Moms were not amused.

“Snickers has crossed a line that many viewers find to be repulsive,” she huffed. I say “she” because it is pretty clear that the million Moms are actually one individual, Monica Cole, who runs this division of the American Family Association. “Please sign our petition urging Snickers to stop its inappropriate marketing campaigns immediately,” Cole entreats us. “Also, let Snickers know that continuing to air this offensive commercial with sexually suggestive double entendres will force you and your family to avoid this candy and all products made

by Mars, Incorporated. And please share this with your friends and family.”

“Everyone knows children repeat what they hear,” Cole also points out, which raises the disturbing possibility that the little ones will soon be parroting provocative phrases like, “I could be into it,” or, “Whose turn is it?”

Oh, speaking of turns and commercials, have you seen the Allstate ad with the guy who knows the roads better than his GPS system, ignores directions from others, and blows through signs on his way to a shortcut that will save him five minutes? This driver is supposed to exemplify the typical street-smart Allstate client, but he’s actually infuriating.

I’ve driven with people like this, mostly men but not always, and there’s nothing smart about them. Their special backroads lead nowhere. They lose themselves in neighborhoods where all the streets have highly similar names like Oak Drive, Oak Place, Oak Lane, and Oak Place Lane. They refuse help from their passengers and won’t stop to ask a knowledgeable pedestrian. They are beyond irritating and don’t deserve to qualify for car insurance of any sort.

Just sayin’.

Priests Behaving Badly In other international news, I forgot to tell you about the hot sex party in Poland that led to the resignation of the local Bishop. As The New York Times reports, Grzegorz Kaszak, the

59-year-old bishop of Sosnowiec, “announced his departure after one of his priests was placed under criminal investigation in connection with reports last month that he had organized a sex party during which a male prostitute lost consciousness from an overdose of erectile dysfunction pills.”

Woah, Nellie! It’s not clear what exactly took place at the August 31 bacchanal, but I guess the prostitute took too many little blue pills and had some kind of medical crisis. Someone called an ambulance, and when other partygoers tried to block the paramedics from tending to the ailing man, the medics called the cops and were able to continue treatment.

It sounds as if Kaszak was guilty, not of personal debauchery, but of failing to keep tabs on his libidinous underlings. The main culprit, known only as Father Tomasz Z, has been forbidden to celebrate mass, relieved of all responsibilities and “sent to live outside the parish.” It doesn’t sound as if any minors were involved in the festivities, but it’s certainly not acceptable behavior for a celibate priest now, is it?

Last but not least, Michigan is about to sign a ban on conversion therapy becoming the 22nd state to do so. At the same time, the Alliance Defending Freedom has filed a petition at the Supreme Court asking the justices to weigh in on efforts to outlaw the practice, which have been upheld by two federal appellate courts, but struck by a third. You know what that means. Yes, a circuit split that often leads the Court to accept review. So far, this latest case out of Washington State, has been discussed in conference several times, but the Court has yet to take action on the petition.

How do you overdose and lose consciousness on Viagra? Ah, I see here that excessive use can lower your blood pressure, which is counter intuitive to me. Who knew? Not Father Tomasz, it seems. arostow@aol.com

CRAIG (continued from pg 5) access to news, information, and online registration that could have led to the demise of Team San Francisco, but they adapted and amended their focus to support local clubs and generate fundraising throughout the year, which permits scholarships to be offered for each Gay Games cycle. The scholarships assist athletes and cultural participants who need a little financial support to get to the Games each cycle and are a vital function of what Team San Francisco accomplishes each year.

The Federation of Gay Games has also had challenges with the competing World Outgames splitting the focus of LGBTQ+ participants for many years, and then the COVID-19 pandemic threatening to make the current Gay Games XI impossible to deliver. As with Team San Francisco, the Federation of Gay Games adapted and amended their concepts, with the Games taking place at the same time in two different cities around the world.

My involvement with Team San Francisco and the Federation of Gay Games has strengthened my commitment and belief in the objectives and goals of both. As we continue to fight discrimination, inequality, and injustice—even today after decades of struggle—the Gay Games provide an invaluable opportunity for individuals of all sexual orientations and gender identities to come together, compete, celebrate their talents, and forge meaningful long-lasting connections.

My personal journey is a testament to the power of the LGBTQ+ community’s resilience and the impact that dedicated individuals can have when they choose to stand up for what they believe in. In a world that often attempts to silence and marginalize LGBTQ+ voices, Team San Francisco and the Gay Games provide a platform for us to speak loudly, express ourselves authentically, and demonstrate that we are here, we are proud, we are accomplished, we are capable, and we will continue to make our mark on this world.

Ken Craig is the Secretary of Team San Francisco and the Co-Chair of the Sports Injury & Risk Management subcommittee of the Sports Committee for the Federation of Gay Games. A Grand Master ranked martial artist, he is a member of the Board of the International Association of Gay & Lesbian Martial Artists.

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Community Treasures From the GLBT Historical Society Archives

Special thanks to Andrew Shaffer

Coming Out and Coming In November is National Native American Heritage Month, which makes it the perfect time to share some incredibly exciting news about our ongoing efforts to make LGBTQ Native American history visible.

Earlier this year, the GLBT Historical Society embarked on a new partnership with Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits (BAAITS). Founded in 1998 by members of Gay American Indians, BAAITS works to restore and recover the role of Two-Spirit people within the American Indian/First Nations community.

Photo by Elaine Gay Jarvis, Elaine Gay Jarvis Photographs (2018-90), GLBT Historical Society

Photo by Crawford Wayne Barton, Crawford Wayne Barton Collection (1993-11), GLBT Historical Society

Through our partnership, we will significantly improve digital access to historic materials related to queer indigenous communities. For the last few months, we have been working diligently to scan materials in our collection and prepare them for online publication. We have also been inviting members of BAAITS to come into our archives to scan additional materials.

BAAITS newsletter from the Joshua Dunn collection of LGBTQ Youth and American Indian Two-Spirit papers (2016–22)

This work will continue until the end of the year, and we are delighted to share a few pieces from

the collection here, including photos of Gay American Indians members in the 1978 Gay Freedom Day Parade and a copy of the inaugural issue of BAAITS’ newsletter. We have numerous additional items available in our archives, and more will be added to the “Native American Voices and Activism” Primary Source Set on our website later this year, located at https://tinyurl.com/23takadc The GLBT Historical Society is committed to acknowledging the historic and present importance of the original inhabitants of this land by working with indigenous groups to preserve and share the history of indigenous communities, ensuring that these stories live on for current and future generations. The items here are from some of the more than 1,000 archival collections held by the GLBT Historical Society that reveal a vast array of LGBTQ life, history, and culture.

We make these community treasures available to all at our archives downtown and at our museum in the Castro district. To book your visit, or to make a contribution to support our work, visit https://www.glbthistory.org/

The Academy Legends Awards Saturday, November 11 6-9pm Swedish American Hall, 2174 Market Street Tickets: https://www.academy-sf.com/calendar

Peter Berlin

The Academy Legends Awards are to be held Saturday, November 11, at the Swedish American Hall @ 2174 Market st 6 pm–9 pm. The annual event honors members of the LGBTQIA+ community who have led by example in making San Francisco a more dynamic, vibrant, and interesting place to live.

The night's top honor will be presented to Peter Berlin.

His iconic camera, which he used to take many of the images that made him an icon, will be added to The Academy Legends Archive and will remain on permanent display. Also being honored are this year's community award recipients: Carolyn Wysinger, Exemplar; Terry Asten Bennett, Bridge Builder; and West Walker, Architect.

Carolyn Wysinger

Terry Asten Bennett

The event will also host a tribute performance to the late Heklina.

The Legends Awards will be hosted by Sister Roma, and the awards will be presented by local dignitaries.

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2023)

The San Francisco Transgender Film Festival Returns, Defiant and Resilient as Ever The San Francisco Transgender Film Festival (SFTFF) returns November 8–19, showcasing brilliant trans and gender non-conforming films. Founded in 1997, SFTFF is the world’s longest-running film festival of its kind, and is celebrated for highlighting innovative, experimental, and outside-the-box films.

SFTFF 2023 will be a hybrid festival, offering in-person programs at the historic Roxie Theater, and online programs accessible through SFTFF’s website. All inperson programs will be ASL-interpreted, and all films in-person and online will be captioned.

SFTFF features five new short film programs, with an impressive range of genres from documentaries and politics to animation, dance, music, romance, and coming-of-age tales. All tickets start at $0+ sliding scale (donations are welcome).

SFTFF - 2023 Festival Highlights Some of the 2023 SFTFF film offerings include: Do Digital Curanderas Use Eggs in Their Limpias?, directed by Roberto Fatal, centers on a struggling Latinx healer who considers abandoning the physical world for promises of a digital utopia.

AND STEEVENS SIMÉON

Since 1997, SFTFF has been a haven for trans and gender non-conforming filmmakers to assert their artistic brilliance. It has allowed trans communities to safely gather and watch Masisi Wouj films that challenge transphobic representation and in film. Founded with radical queer values, the annual festival remains intentionally anti-assimilationist and centers works that challenge transphobia, racism, sexism, ableism, anti-migrant hate, and homophobia.

Shipping Them PHOTO COURTESY OF ZÉ KIELWAGEN, MARCOS SERAFIM,

Artistic Director Shawna Virago says, “There is a troubling increase of personal and legislative attacks happening right now across the country, against trans people, trans communities, and trans as a concept. But despite all this, trans and gender non-conforming communities remain strong and vibrant—and this spirit of resilience is reflected in this year’s film programs.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF RYAN ROX

Programs 1–5 will be held at the Roxie Theater November 8–10. These same 5 programs will be offered online, on-demand for free November 11–19.

Shipping Them, directed by Ryan Rox, is a comedy about a non-binary daydreamer and her fantasies of being the girl next door.

Masisi Wouj (from Haiti), directed by Zé Kielwagen, Marcos Serafim, and Steevens Siméon, is a series of performances by Haitian artist and activist Sanba Yonel, inspired by Vodou and drag.

It pays a queer tribute to the gods.

Last Call, directed by Drew de Pinto, is a magical realist 16mm short focusing on the caretakers of three historic queer bars in San Francisco as they close their establishments, temporarily and permanently, amidst the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown.

Special Note: Program 5 is for audiences 18+.

Last Call

Sir Valence Presents: Watching U, directed by Sir Valence, transports you into the hellish Zoomscape of drag dæmon, Sir Valence, and their concussed/ concursed post-police brutality exorcism of the masks we wear—selves we sell to surveillance capitalism.

2023 San Francisco Transgender Film Festival (SFTFF) November 8–19 Tix: $0+, sliding scale/donation-based Info/Tix: www.SFTFF.org

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERTO FATAL

In support of community safety, KN95 masks are provided and required. Roxie’s entrance, lobby, bathrooms, and audience seating are wheelchair accessible, and the Roxie has all-gender bathrooms.

While SFTFF is not a scent-free event, they encourage in-person audiences to be mindful of perfumes and scented products.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DREW DE PINTO

SFTFF’s Managing Director Eric Garcia says, “It has been a rough time for so many communities, so we look forward to gathering safely together in community and sharing our films and stories together.”

Do Digital Curanderas Use Eggs In Their Limpias?

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2023)

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun

Sister Dana sez, “Everybody wave the Light Blue, Pink, and White Transgender Flag with Pride for Transgender Awareness Week!”

TRANSGENDER AWARENESS WEEK, annually observed November 13 to November 19, is a one-week celebration leading up to the TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE, which memorializes victims of transphobic violence. Transgender Awareness Week is a special opportunity when transgender people and their allies take action to bring attention to the community by educating the public about who transgender people are, sharing stories and experiences, and advancing advocacy around issues of prejudice, discrimination, and violence that affect the transgender community.

The Transgender Pride Flag has five stripes with alternating colors. A single white stripe is surrounded on the top and bottom by two light blue and light pink stripes. The blue and pink colors are the traditional colors for boys and girls, while the white stripe represents transitioning, intersex, or gender-neutral identities.

Professor Sister Dana sez, “Students, learn this history!

Okay, class dismissed! Oh, but wait, there’s more.”

The flag’s symmetry is important as well—according to flag creator Monica Helms, “The pattern is such that no matter which way you fly it, it is always correct, signifying us finding correctness in our lives.”

AIDS LEGAL REFERRAL PANEL (ALRP) held their 40TH ANNIVERSARY ANNUAL RECEPTION on October 19 in the Julia Morgan Ballroom, raising over $250,000 to provide free and low-cost legal services to people living with HIV/AIDS. State Senator Scott Wiener served as Special Guest Host, helping us recognize and celebrate three outstanding individuals for their service to the community: Laura Thomas received the Clint Hockenberry Leadership Award; Steven Chizen was bestowed with the Attorney of the Year Award; and having served ALRP for 24 years, Outgoing ALRP Executive Director Bill Hirsh received the Special Recognition Award.

From recognizing the honorees, to a beautiful tribute to outgoing E.D. Hirsh, to a successful live auction and fund-a-need that raised over $15,000 to sustain ALRP’s law clerk program, the night could not have gone better!

KREWE DE KINQUE held our monthly benefit on October 21 at Midnight Sun in the Castro, REMEMBRANCE, to help raise funds for Castro’s RAINBOW HONOR WALK. King & Queen XX Mez & Moxie hosted with their usual regal fabulosity. Because it was almost All Hallow’s Eve + Eve * Eve, we raised a glass to the LGBTQ Spirits who have gone before us, especially those honored with bronze commemorative plaques in our historic neighborhood. Among the incredible live performances were 26

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The Rainbow Honor Walk, located in San Francisco’s worldfamous neighborhood Castro district, features stunning bronze sidewalk plaques that honor LGBTQ individuals who have made a significant impact in global history. The Board, formed in 2008 by local community members and allies, is a 501 (C) (3) nonprofit organization. Its main objective is to recognize and highlight the achievements and contributions to humankind made by LGBTQ people. Now spanning many city blocks, the Rainbow Honor Walk public art installation is an educational and inspirational walk among some of the world’s greatest LGBTQ pioneers.

Discover how these brave individuals persevered while facing immense oppression and adversity.

Sister Dana sez, “Walk ‘till you drop! This sidewalk will never be banned, and it’s better than any history books!”

November 2, 9 pm to midnight at Club 440, is the launch party for the Every First Thursday BEST BUTT CONTEST with a $150 cash prize.

We at Krewe de Kinque used to call this “The Full Moon Contest.”

MC Gary Virginia hosts with DJ Jim Hopkins.

Hours after a federal judge imposed a narrow gag order on Darn Old Trump, the dishonored ex-president made two campaign speeches in Iowa promising the MAGA audience that “what they don’t understand is that I am willing to go to jail if that’s what it takes for our country to win and become a democracy again.”

Sister Dana sez, “Yes Donnie dear, that really WOULD help our democracy, and in your notorious chant: ‘Lock him up’!”

SHANTI PROJECT presented COMPASSION IS UNIVERSAL on October 27 at The Palace Hotel, emceed by a surprisingly,

marvelously musical Kevin Joyce.

We were welcomed to this annual fundraising gala with warm opening remarks. “We come together to celebrate Shanti’s 49-year legacy of compassion, connection, and community in San Francisco,” said Shanti Chief Executor Kimberly Scrafano. She added that in original Latin, “compassion” is an action verb. “We are especially excited to recognize three individuals who truly embody Shanti’s value of service,” exclaimed Shanti Board Chair Micki Klearman, M.D. Musical guests included the lively Joe Warner Combo. Senator Scott Wiener gave everyone a painful but important ‘80s AIDS discrimination history: “When men died alone.” Supervisor Rafael Mandelman heralded Shanti and presented a “Certificate of Recognition” from The Board of Supervisors. First of the awards was the presentation of the 2023 “Margot Murphy Inspiration Award” to Barbara Rose Brooker by Dr. Maura Dickler. Then the 2023 “James C. Hormel Community Spirit Award” was posthumously bestowed upon Juan Pablo Gutiérrez (1953–2021), presented

by Prado Gomez and accepted by Luis de la Garza. I was so privileged to sit with this darling duo earlier at the reception, who gave me a priceless, over four-feet long, multi-colored, multi-cultured, gorgeous poster depiction of Día de los Muertos (“Day of the Dead” annually commemorated in The Mission district).

A stellar intre-act performance

by Drag Artiste Kylie Minono gave us classic, excellent Ella Fitzgerald. Then we were truly inspired by heartbreaking yet also joyous remarks from guest speaker Richard Goldman, Shanti volunteer, client, and former staff. And finally, the presentation of the 2023 “Nancy Pelosi Lifetime Achievement Award” was given to Tom Nolan by Dr. Charles A. Garfield, the incredible Shanti founder. The perfect finale, and so thematic and dramatic for this utter evening of love, was another grand performance by Grand Duchess Kylie Minono with her amazing drag expression of “Origin of Love” from the Hedwig and the Angry Inch musical. (continued on page 36)

Dennis McMillan (aka Sister Dana) with Sister Roma at Shanti’s Compassion Is Universal gala dinner at the Palace Hotel on Friday, October 27.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SISTER ROMA

By Sister Dana Van Iquity

Krewe de Kinque Queen and newly crowned Grand Duchess Kelly Rose, KdK Queen Chrisina Ashton giving us full-on CHER, singing and melting our hearts singing live KdK King Mark Palladini, the always spectacular Miss Candi Mint, so many entertainers, Taylor Swift (actually an amazing impersonator), and the live singing Rainbow Honor Walk Board member was our beloved Donna Sachet.

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Two Binge-Worthy Series Look at Queer Lives in the Past Frankie is very confrontational, while Marcus is more subdued.

Film Gary M. Kramer Two bingeable miniseries depict queer life in the past, illustrating how gay characters lived double lives during a period when it was dangerous to be out. Both are worth a look.

Fellow Travelers, which premiered October 29 on Showtime, is adapted from Thomas Mallon’s historical novel. It recounts the relationship between Hawkins “Hawk” Fuller (Matt Bomer, who also produced) and Tim Laughlin ( Jonathan Bailey) over the span of several decades of political upheaval and social progress.

The show opens in 1986, when Hawk gets word that Tim is dying of AIDS in San Francisco.

The series toggles back and forth between the eras to depict their relationship, which is filled with intense passion as well as intense heartbreak.

Fellow Travelers shows the difficulties gay men and women had in the post-World War II era. One sequence depicts Hawk’s assistant, Mary (Erin Neufer), and her girlfriend, Caroline (Gabbi Kosmidis), worrying when Caroline is reported as being a suspected homosexual. Another scene has Hawk having to take a lie detector test to prove he does not have same-sex desires. In addition, a subplot has a character arrested for performing an obscene act in public and is sent to an institution for conversion therapy. The lies and double lives these individuals had to maintain to “pass” at work, home, and in society are depicted with aplomb.

However, the series is best when it stays in the 1950s. The last three episodes try to cram too many plots and points into an hourlong episode.

Once the story shifts to the 1960s, the sexual tension between Tim and Hawk slackens. Another episode, set in 1978, unfolds largely on Fire Island, where Tim visits Hawk, who is medicating his grief with drink, drugs, and mindless sex following a family tragedy.

Antoine Jouin ( Jérémie Laheurte) is a policeman on the research brigade who alienates many of his colleagues, but has the respect of his boss, Commissaire Cochefert (Alexandre Trocki). He is assigned the case when a corpse is discovered in the Bois de Boulogne, a wooded area in Paris where gay men have trysts. The body is identified as Paul Cétinet (Nathan Betoux), an “invert/pederast.” The authorities are intent on proving that Paul was not murdered—despite four gunshots to the head—but committed suicide. Antoine believes otherwise and wants to solve the crime.

While checking out the Bois de Boulogne, Antoine meets Félicien ( Johann Cuny), a gay man, who thinks Antoine is cruising him. Their encounter ends with Félicien acting as an informant for Antoine.

However, their connection has repercussions when Antoine is later accused of being homosexual.

Meanwhile, Adolphe Steinheil, a painter, is suffering from syphilis, unbeknownst to his wife, Marguerite (Evelyne Brochu). Their marriage is mostly loveless; Adolphe has been having an affair with Paul, his muse,

Hawk, who works in the State Department, first meets Tim in 1952, and helps the “good Catholic boy” get a job working for Senator McCarthy (Chris Bauer). As a thank you, Hawk asks Tim to “do research” for him as Hawk whom he has sketched nude many times. That Paul may have had syphilis as well may explain Paul’s death, as the disease, treated by a Doctor Verlot (Laurent Poitrenaux), causes insanity. A scene late in the series has Paul’s mother (Anne-Lise Heimburger) describing how her late son “was corrupted.”

is close to the liberal Senator Wesley Smith (Linus Roache), who is on the anti-Communist hearing subcommittee with McCarthy, Roy Cohn (Will Brill), and David Schine (Matt Visser). The political intrigues and power struggles relating to the hearings are fascinating as McCarthy, Cohn, and Schine have a series of reversals of fortune as manipulated

by Hawk, with Tim’s occasional assistance.

A parallel storyline features Marcus ( Jelani Alladin), who is Black and gay, dealing with racism and homophobia in the 1950s. He is denied entry to a club and treated disrespectfully in his career—as when he gets a temporary gig at The Washington Post. As Marcus dates Frankie (Noah J. Ricketts), a drag performer, their relationship experiences a series of ups and downs. These two men take different approaches to queer activism; 28

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As the gay liberation movement is gaining steam, the verdict in the Harvey Milk trial is used as a backdrop, and it fuels the Marcus/ Frankie storyline, which includes Marcus taking in a homeless queer student.

Fellow Travelers ends in 1986, during the AIDS crisis. Tim asks Hawk to help him get the attention of the Governor for AIDS spending. The episode shows how the relationship between Tim and Hawk ebbs and flows prior to a final encounter that is quite moving and may induce tears. Despite its flaws, the series is both addictive and informative.

Paris Police 1905 is an atmospheric miniseries available November 14 on MHz Choice. This sequel to Paris Police 1900—and one does not have to have seen the first series to follow this one—tracks several queer characters and storylines.

As the series unfolds, over six hourlong episodes, there are explicit gay photographs, organized group blackmail, and other salacious goings on.

Paris Police 1905 looks gorgeous, with fabulous period costumes, and set design. (The characters use old-fashioned telephones, typewriters, and wear pince-nez, which lend a sense of authenticity to things.)

How the story plays out is ultimately more intriguing than suspenseful, but this classy series is highly transportive. © 2023 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.” He teaches Short Attention Span Cinema at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute and is the moderator for Cinema Salon, a weekly film discussion group. Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer

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Two Amazing New Movies: Maestro and Killers of the Flower Moon Oscar gold in three categories.

Of course, now he needs to beat the brilliant Martin Scorsese and Barbie, but more on that to come.

Off the Wahl Jan Wahl Who knew the last two films I just saw in the theatres would be absolutely terrific? Very different: we go from a famed conductor to the Osage Nation Native Americans.

Let’s begin with a movie so good that Bradley Cooper deserves

Bradley Cooper

Maestro is a biographical film that centers on American composer Leonard Bernstein. Bradley Cooper, who cowrote the screenplay with Josh Singer, portrays the complicated, charismatic Bernstein. Carey Mulligan is his wife with a full and confused existence. Her gifted, world-famous husband is a gay man, though the couple have a beloved family of three children. This is one part of

the compelling film, but another is the music itself. Whether viewing Carnegie Hall or a cathedral, we learn exactly what a conductor does and how much Bernstein brought to it.

When I was a little girl, my cool and cultured mom took me to see Bernstein and his Orchestra for Young People. He explained to us what all the instruments do, how they work together, what sounds they make. It was the beginning of falling in love with music for this kid. The film shows how much he loved to teach and connect.

Maestro is beautifully made, with stunning production values and photography. It will be on Netflix in December, but if there is any way for you to get to a theatre to see it, your effort will be well worth it. Bravo to Maestro!

Killers of the Flower Moon runs three hours and 26 minutes, yet I did not look at my watch or squirm in my seat while viewing this amazing film. Martin Scorsese tells the true story, set in the 1920s, of the Osage Nation Native Americans, who discovered oil on their land and became wealthy beyond anyone’s imagination. But are the whites going to let the Osage live like this?

Will they come up with schemes to intermarry and share the immense wealth? Will greed start a murder plot so that the money flows in a different direction?

Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro star and they are perfectly matched as evil and naïve (I won’t spoil which is which). Lily Gladstone is an actress who steals her scenes with dignity and strength. Based on the best-selling book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, this film is so well

told that fans of the book will love its vivid quality and imagination.

The direction is so innovative that Scorsese reminds us that at 80 he is king. I still cannot believe what he did to the ending. This is one not to miss; just plan your time accordingly. It will blow you away!

Barbie and Oppenheimer are the other two films that took me on a great cinematic journey. See these four and your cinematic job might just be done!

Jan Wahl is a Hollywood historian and film critic on various broadcast outlets. She has two Emmys and many awards for her longtime work on behalf of film buffs and the LGBTQ community. Contact her at www.janwahl.com

Leonardo DiCaprio

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2023)

Sacred Spells: The Newly Released Collected Works of LGBTQ Poet and Activist Assotto Saint poet and performance artist’s work.

Check out the newest Le Creuset color, Rhone.

Particularly nice for the fall season is the 4-quart pumpkinshaped Dutch oven. $367.99

Saint’s poems, plays, essays, and short stories are gathered for the first time in a volume, edited by me, in the context of the Black gay cultural arts and AIDS movement of the 1980s and 1990s.

Words Michele Karlsberg

Another Le Creuset classic is the 1.7-quart tea kettle in the new Rhone color with gold accents. $134.99

From cookware to holiday decorating, gifts, and much more, Cliff’s Variety hopes to help make your fall holiday season merry, bright, and unforgettable.

As a customer, Benjamin, wrote: “Cliff’s has everything and is always my first stop for projects, the kitchen, and much more. The staff is attentive and helpful. The pricing is great for Cliff’s quality, convenience, and service.”

The collected works of landmark LGBTQ cultural figure Assotto Saint (1957–1994) are out now!

Assotto Saint’s Sacred Spells: Collected Works is a remarkable volume that brings together an expansive range of the late Haitian-born American

Assotto Saint

Saint braids music and incantation, his Haitian heritage and activism, to craft a tapestry that celebrates life in the face of death. His work insists on truth, while never forgetting love and the erotic, as he rages against the silencing of Black gay voices and those suffering from HIV/AIDS. His life and work speak with an urgency and example that are as timely today as when he lived.

Born Yves François Lubin in Haiti in 1957, Saint moved to New York City in 1970. As part of his rich and varied career he edited two anthologies of gay Black poets in the early 1990s. In addition, he also wrote and produced several theater pieces, including Risin to the Love We Need and New Love Song. Saint was the founder and artistic director of the (continued on page 36)

Lit Snax Prequel: An American Fight Against Movies That Made Me Gay Facism by Rachel Maddow

by Larry Duplechan Intrepid journalist, historian, and out lesDuplechan has concocted a relentbian Rachel Maddow explains how the lessly witty autobiography in the right-wing plot to ally the U.S. with fasform of a pop-culturally erudite cism in the examination of movies from a years leadqueer, African-American POV. ing up to WWII was thwarted. It’s a story (thrillIn The Act by Rachel Ingalls ingly told) that couldn’t be After reading this weird and incredible novel, we at Fabulosa more pertinent today, given have decided Ingalls is tied with Shirley Jackson in the abilthat the usual suspects are at ity to perfectly encapsulate 20th century housewife ennui. it again. https://www.fabulosabooks.com/

Top of your stack

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOOK PASSAGE

Highway of Tears (nonfiction hardbound) by Jessica McDiarmid (Honor Native American Heritage Month with a compelling read!)

For decades, Indigenous women and girls have gone missing or been found murdered along an isolated stretch of highway in northwestern British Columbia. The corridor is known as the Highway of Tears, and it has come to symbolize a national crisis.

Journalist Jessica McDiarmid meticulously investigates the devastating effect these tragedies have had on the families of the victims and their communities, and how systemic racism and indifference have created a climate in which Indigenous women and girls are over-policed yet under-protected. McDiarmid interviews those closest to the victims—mothers and fathers, siblings and friends—and provides an intimate firsthand account of their loss and unflagging fight for justice.

Family Meal (fiction - hardbound)

by Bryan Washington From the bestselling, award-winning author of Memorial and Lot is this irresistible, intimate novel about two young men, once best friends, whose lives collide

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again after a loss. Cam is living in Los Angeles and falling apart after the love of his life has died. Kai’s ghost won’t leave Cam alone; his spectral visits are wild, tender, and unexpected. When Cam returns to his hometown of Houston, he crashes back into the orbit of his former best friend, TJ, and TJ’s family bakery. TJ’s not sure how to navigate this changed Cam, impenetrably cool and self-destructing, or their charged estrangement. Can they find a way past all that has been said—and left unsaid—to save each other? Could they find a way back to being okay again, or maybe for the first time?

She Gets the Girl (YA fictionpaperback) by Rachel Lippincott & Alyson Derick Alex and Molly don’t belong on the same planet, let alone the same college campus. But when Alex, fresh off a bad (but hopefully not permanent) breakup, discovers Molly’s hidden crush as their paths cross the night before classes start, they realize they might have a common interest after all. Because maybe if Alex volunteers to help Molly (continued on page 36)

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Center REP’s The Legend of Georgia McBride Offers a Dragtastic Good Time

Photos by MacKenzie Crane

We could all use a little fun. Center Repertory Company’s The Legend of Georgia McBride leans into the inherent joy of drag, showcasing its magic center stage as drag continues to face bans and contentious legislation across the country.

Written by Tony and Olivier Award winner Matthew López (The Inheritance, Amazon Studios’ Red, White & Royal Blue), this hilarious and heartwarming play explores Elvis impersonator Casey’s unexpected transformation from “The King” into an all-out Queen. As he’s thrust into the world of drag, he not only finds a chosen family he never saw coming, but he also discovers that putting on the bold and beautiful makeup and transforming into Georgia allows him to embrace a part of himself he didn’t realize existed.

Queer actor/director Elizabeth Carter has long appreciated the joyous spirit of drag, bringing her son to Drag Storytime and Easters in the Castro with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. She answered the call to direct this play after feeling frustration toward legislation targeting the LGBTQIA+ community. “At the time I was asked to direct, there were all these drag bans in Florida alongside the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, which has had such an impact on queer and trans children and their families,” Carter told the San Francisco Bay Times. “I just thought this is the perfect time for this play.”

“The targeting of drag performers as a means of creating unwarranted fear is dangerous,” added Carter. “It is just one tactic to try to get folks to go back in the closet. That, of course, isn’t going to happen! So, why not counteract that with a celebration of finding one’s true self? I think this play helps us do just that.”

Carter worked with drag/theatre artist Chris Steele as a drag consultant to bring The Legend of Georgia McBride to life and honor the vibrant San Francisco Bay Area drag community. “It’s a really joyful play.” said Steele. “Elizabeth has truly shaped the journey of this play to be a celebration of queer innovation and resilience. I’m excited for people to see this celebration that is really grounded in the wealth of innovation and talent the Bay Area has to offer.”

Steele’s work includes helping with makeup and styling suggestions, dramaturgy about the world and scene of drag and how it informs the characters, teaching how to walk and dance in heels, and creating collaborative choreography that makes the drag numbers really feel like drag.

Steele has performed in drag for five years under the persona Polly Amber Ross and has been seen onstage at theatres throughout the Bay Area. Among their favorite drag experiences was orchestrating and performing at a Gala event for the League of Women Voters. “It was really beautiful to bring so much queer and trans Bay Area talent to the front of a political event,” they said. “Drag is political at its core as long as our existences continue to be politicized.”

Actors J.A. Valentine, Joe Ayers, Sundiata Ayinde, Alan Coyne, and Jed Parsario will bring the story to life.

Performing in drag on stages and nightclubs for more than 25 years, Valentine’s role as Miss Tracy Mills, a seasoned drag queen who mentors Casey, is incredibly fitting. “The character I play, Miss Tracy Mills, draws upon so much of my life experience it’s almost uncanny.”

“Our director Elizabeth Carter has assembled an excellent cast and created an environment that allows everyone to bring their fullest selves to the material,” added Valentine.

“With new artistic leadership and production management, it’s a fresh and exciting time to be part of Center REP.” Carter knows audiences are in for a fun time at this celebratory production filled with snappy zingers and danceworthy numbers. “I hope they see how the magic of drag brings joy and community,” she says. “And how amazing and resourceful drag queens are in the face of a society full of fear and oppression. I hope audiences will challenge themselves to examine how beautiful and complex our identities are.”

Center Repertory Company presents The Legend of Georgia McBride November 4–26 at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek (1601 Civic Drive).

For tickets and information, please call the box office at 925-943-7469 or visit https://www.lesherartscenter.org/

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Jewelle Gomez

Ciao, Bella!

Leave Signs Jewelle Gomez On my way to Italy recently, I read Larry Duplechan’s funny, sharptongued memoir, Movies That Made Me Gay. Duplechan’s book excavates the cinematic essences that are an aspect of our true feelings. In the airport (not the most reflective space), I thought about my “queer instigator equivalents,” the movie queens who’d reached out to me from beyond the silver screen to give me a sense of myself and my desire. Three came to mind immediately. First: Anna Magnani, whose dark, luminous eyes reflected the entire history of Italian women. Any male who starred with her, from Burt Lancaster to Marlon Brando, had to hope she wore sunglasses or risk being singed.

Next up was Giulietta Masina, who inspired several Fellini masterpieces.

Her musical physicality made the “Little Tramp” seem like Daddy Warbucks. And then there’s Sophia Loren—the implacably strong Loren of Two Women and Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow rather than Grumpier Old

Men. Each of them has a searing sensuality and self-awareness that few female actors were allowed on screen then. Their performances, sultry or raging, imbued me with an idea of the way I wanted to look at women and how I wanted them to experience me.

So, there we were landing in Bologna, Italy, for the Some Prefer Cake lesbian film festival and the voices of these three actors, deep and sweet, echoed in my mind. With the youth of most of the organizers of the festival, I couldn’t guess if the names of the three stars would resonate for them; yet I felt like I was about to

meet up with the progeny of those who’d helped make me who I am. And, in some ways, I did.

Founded in 2007 by Luki Massa and Marta Bencich, the festival had eked out the funds to pull together three days of films, discussions, music, and dancing that were accessible to everyone. They also managed to prepare meals every day for the people who filled the theatre and the surrounding, grassy park.

The current team pulled everything together and never dropped a stitch as they also raised money to memo-

rialize Massa, their co-founder who has since passed away. They would make Magnani, Masina, and Loren burst with pride. It was so impressive it was difficult to digest until I got back home and looked over my photos and remembered the many half English, half Italian conversations.

The women who interviewed me and Madeleine Lim after our film was screened ( JEWELLE: A Just Vision) was Giuliana Misserville, one of the foremost scholars in the field of Postcolonial Feminist and Gender Studies. Having her pose questions about my vampire novel was a bit like defending one’s Ph.D. thesis—in a fun way. She was so insightful and probing that my admiration for her blossomed. I wished I spoke Italian so we could have a more in-depth conversation.

Then we had a beautiful (in all ways) woman who translated for us, Lucia Tralli, who teaches at the American University in Rome. She was witty and so sharp that it was like I’d conjured her up. She seemed to carry on several conversations in her head at once: digesting our English, translating someone’s Italian for us, and formulating her own remarks to share.

Among the films we watched (all subtitled) was a photo montage of Lucy, concerning an elderly transgender icon by director Luciana Passaro. Sara Ahmed crafted a wordless story of what seems like middle-aged anomie but evolves into a hot night between two women lovers. And Kingdom, directed by Joanna Vymeris, is a comic, lesbian crime caper featuring drag kings and gender bending love. The festival also featured some film classics like Cheryl Dunye’s The Watermelon Woman; it was exciting to see another generation eagerly embrace the film and all its nuances.

Anna Magnani

Giulietta Masina

(continued on page 36)

Sophia Loren

Lesbian Game Changers

By Robin Lowey

I was a pioneering lesbian mother in the early 1990s—a time when there weren’t very many of us. My partner and I each gave birth to a boy. These two guys are now fully launched adults and they make me proud every day!

As an out-mom, a coach for little league and soccer teams, and a speaker for the LGBTQ center making presentations at local schools, I witnessed homophobia first-hand.

The boys often came home from school or sports practice distressed from name-calling and hearing “that’s so gay” in the schoolyard.

After the boys grew up and I had more time on my hands, I began thinking about how I could help make school campuses safer and more inclusive. That’s when I came up with the idea for Lesbian Game Changers. We help create safer campus environments by providing educational materials that teach LGBTQ+ inclusive history.

It started with a book: Game Changers - Lesbians You Should Know About.

The colorful, graphic-novel style large-format book tells the stories of women who made significant contributions to LGBTQ+ culture.

In 2020, the book went into a second printing and found its way into every public high school in the San Francisco Bay Area, serving over 300,000 students!

After that, I began thinking about how I could do more. Just before COVID-19 hit, I worked with my filmmaker/partner, Eliza Karlson, to film a series about lesbian heroes as an adjunct to the book. Our two finished short-films about Kate Kendell and Olga Talamante are being premiered at Manny’s in San Francisco 32

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Robin Lowey

this month. We hope to make more films and are seeking funding to continue the project.

Last year, I was approached by the Tamalpais Union High School District to develop a Queer history lesson based on the book. I spent countless hours researching and developing the lesson under the guidance of educators, students, and my own kids.

The two short-films are a perfect addition to the history lesson. My intent is to make sure each student receives their own book in the history classes that choose to teach this lesson. Believe it or not, many students are big fans of analog these days, and they appreciate a colorful book they can actually hold in their hands and flip through. The material is appropriate for all grades of high school and college.

The lesson is currently being piloted in Marin County at Redwood, Tamalpais, and Archie Williams high schools!

Game Changers is available for free as an eBook. Print books are for sale, and the lesson plan will soon be available to any school that is interested.

Find out more at https://lesbiangamechangers.com/ Robin Lowey (she/her) is the Executive Director of Lesbian Game Changers, a fiscally sponsored project of Our Family Coalition. Speaker, author, filmmaker, and queer historian, Lowey seeks to elevate the discourse in our country about the role lesbian history plays in advancing LGBTQ+ civil rights and social equity. She is the author of “Game Changers: Lesbians You Should Know About.” Now in its second printing, “Game Changers” won best LGBTQ+ book in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards in 2018.

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This Month at the Farmers’ Market Winter Squash

By Debra Morris

Winter squash is often thought of as just a decorative gourd used during the fall season. Most people are unfamiliar with the wonderful variety of hard-shell winter squash that’s available. They offer delicious, mildly sweet flavor and ease of cooking. Roast, then cube, mash, or serve in the shell with a bit of brown sugar and butter.

KABOCHA SQUASH SOUP

1 kabocha squash, seeded, peeled, and cut into 1-inch cubes 1 carrot, diced 1 onion, finely diced 2 tablespoons butter 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream Parsley for garnish, optional 4 cups vegetable stock Salt and pepper, to taste Carefully cut and skin kabocha squash, remove seeds.

Cut into 1-inch cubes. Dice onions and carrots.

In a stock pot on the stove, add butter. When melted, add carrots and onion. Cook on medium heat for a few minutes until the onion is almost translucent and lightly browned. Add kabocha and vegetable stock. Stir.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.

Cook until kabocha is soft, about 45 minutes. Add heavy cream, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine.

Blend with an emersion blender until smooth or place in a standing blender, blend, and add back to the pot. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Stir.

Serve with a garnish of parsley and a drizzle of cream, if desired.

Winter squash is widely available at your farmers’ markets this season, and there are often varieties not seen at your supermarket like honeynut (a smaller version of butternut), Hubbard (a big gray-green oblong squash), buttercup (dark green and small), and carnival (small, mottled yellow and green).

Try some of these varieties this fall and winter: Acorn Squash: With a nutty, meaty taste, these are popular because of their small size—one squash can be cut in half and baked for two generous servings.

The biggest drawback is that the rind is quite hard, and therefore difficult to cut.

Butternut Squash: This type of squash has a sweet, moist, and nutty taste and is pale yellow-orange in color. The variety is popular because it is easy to use.

Its rind is thin enough to peel off with a vegetable peeler. It has an elongated gourd shape.

Hubbard Squash: It has a bumpy, thick skin with a golden, bluish-gray or green color. The flesh is rich and slightly sweeter than that of the banana squash.

Kabocha Squash: This one is round with a flattened top and dark green color punctuated by white streaks. The deep orange flesh is flavorful but less moist than most other squash, akin to the fluffiness of a Russet potato. (continued on page 36)

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Paso Robles and Los Olivos: The ‘Other’ Wine Country Jeremy Weintraub is the talented winemaker and previously worked at Seavey Vineyard in the Napa Valley. With our welcoming host (and Adelaida’s General Manager) Jude Radeski, we sampled a variety of the vintner’s tasty wines from this lesser-known but quality winery.

For those of us living in San Francisco, “wine country” tends to conjure up thoughts of Napa and Sonoma. Rightfully so. They are internationally-known wine regions, and they’re an easy drive away.

But a bit further south, there’s another lesser-known wine region.

It has first-rate wines, wineries, and restaurants—and it’s less of a scene (which also translates into “more affordable”). That area?

Paso Robles, Los Olivos, and the surrounding areas around Santa Barbara.

The Gay Gourmet recently visited with his “gay gaggle” and here are some of my top choices for the region: Paso Robles Adelaida Vineyards and Winery: Recently, our party had a top-notch wine tasting/food pairing (more than enough for lunch) at this gorgeous property just off the 101 in the hills above Paso Robles.

According to the winery, “Adelaida Vineyards is spread over a patchwork of 1,800 acres of land, planted to take advantage of the specific soil, elevation, and climate.”

Jude then offered us a taste of the dry and clean Provence-style Anna’s estate vineyard rosé from 2022, and it’s a winner. Anna’s 2017 syrah followed, a more delicate and fruitier version, paired with a piquant charcuterie brochette. The full-bodied and muscular blend from 2019 was next, served with a five-spice grilled chicken, lettuce cup, plum sauce, and pickled onions. It’s named after the hilltop where the grapes are grown and is a flavorful blend of syrah, mourvèdre, cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel, petit syrah, and Touriga Nacional. The 2017 cabernet sauvignon, a flagship wine, was a star with coffee-rubbed beef tenderloin, whipped feta, parmesan snow, and a chive baton. Before we left, Jude also let us try the nonoaky 2021 chardonnay (mineraldriven and European style) as well as the 2021 picpoul blanc, a delicate white Rhone style wine, also with mineral notes. The winery is spectacular, situated on a hillside with 360-degree views. And the outside areas and decks, landscaped to a T, are even dog-friendly (Gaston and Alphonse approved!).

Thomas Hill Organics: This is a perfect downtown spot for an informal lunch, just off Paso’s beautiful square. It’s a fresh and seasonal restaurant with an outdoor courtyard that’s also pet-friendly. Try the Vietnamese banh mi sandwich, the pork belly tacos, or the fried chicken sandwich with chili, arugula, and basil vinaigrette. The restaurant boasts a varied, quality wine list featuring wines from the local region.

The Restaurant at JUSTIN: Though I haven’t tried it, I’m hearing good things about this sophisticated restaurant overlooking

PHOTO BY MATT FURMAN, COURTESY OF VISIT SANTA BARBARA

David Landis

the vineyards at JUSTIN vineyards and winery. This fine dining establishment offers terrific Bordeaux-style wines and award-winning menu. The restaurant recently won both a Michelin star and a Michelin Green Star.

It’s only open for dinner Thursdays through Sundays, and it’s a tough reservation—so book early.

Cello Restaurant and Bar at the Allegretto Vineyard Resort: This is an Italian-style restaurant at a popular, largescale vineyard resort. We went for Sunday brunch and ate on the landscaped patio. On Sundays, you can either sample the all-you-can-eat buffet or order à la carte from the menu (which we did). Great burgers, pizzas, and salads, and the restaurant serves the vineyard’s local wines.

Niner Wine Estates: Located outside of town with a view of a natural heart-shaped grove of trees, this winery restaurant is all class.

Food and Wine Magazine has named Niner “one of the best winery restaurants in America.” USA Today has called it “one of the top 10 winery restaurants.” And the Gay Gourmet agrees. Not to miss are the tasty homemade sourdough focaccia bread with miso butter, roasted chicken with sweet corn, and a healthy leafy salad with apple, fennel, red onion, sunflower seeds, and cider dressing.

Cass Winery: This is a casual, rustic destination outside of town where you can dine al fresco with a view of the vineyards underneath a towering, old-growth California live oak tree. You can sample

PHOTO BY MATT FURMAN, COURTESY OF VISIT SANTA BARBARA

The Gay Gourmet

We started with an earthy and textural 2018 pinot noir, a less pretentious yet elegant version of some of the more well-known pinots to the north. The pinot was expertly paired with a complex mushroom velouté (soup), topped with pepitas (pumpkin seeds), thyme, and olive oil. Next up was a very smooth 2019 mourvèdre (originally from Spain), paired with a savory shortbread, chèvre (goat cheese), drunken bing cherries, and a prosciutto chip.

wood-fired pizzas, charcuterie and cheese boards, sandwiches, and salads—and their signature 100% estate-grown French-style mourvèdre or grenache wines.

Los Olivos About a half hour north of Santa Barbara, this quaint town is filled with shops, restaurants, tasting rooms, and more. It’s a great way to occupy a day trip out of town.

Los Olivos Wine Merchant and Café: This is a relaxed lunch spot smack dab in town, where you can grab a great salad, sample a wellcurated wine list (their own winery, Bernat Wines, is known for sangiovese, syrah, cabernet, and nebbiolo), and enjoy the sunny courtyard. The wines are available at take-home pricing, which is a big plus!

Bar Le Côte: This charming café is housed in an historic building on the main drag. The proprietors

describe it as “a stylish seafood tavern (that) prepares thoughtful maritime fare in a casual, social atmosphere.” Standouts include the daily selection of oysters, along with a great shrimp salad, crispy branzino, and yellowtail crudo.

Liquid Farm Tasting Room: Also located in an attractive cottage downtown, this tasting room has both a lounge-y living room and a buzzier bar space to sip their delicious wines. The owners describe their approach as one that “reflects an Old-World style while embracing the local Santa Barbara County viticulture and climate.” They’re known for their chardonnay and pinot noir, but we loved their rosé of mourvèdre as well.

Santa Barbara The Gay Gourmet and our troupe tried a couple of new haunts that I recommend in one of my favorite California coastal towns.

Rare Society is a retro/modern steakhouse in the Funk Zone. The eatery boasts a sophisticated and luxe décor, with a comfy outdoor patio. Standouts included Parker House rolls, filet mignon (perfectly charred and cooked), creamed spinach, and an attentive, fun waitstaff.

The Good Lion is a contemporary, swanky cocktail bar on State Street, offering some of the best craft cocktails in the city (and live jazz on select nights). They are the first cocktail bar on the Central Coast to be certified as a Green Business by the California Green Business program. The mixologists

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PHOTO COURTESY THE GOOD LION/VISIT SANTA BARBARA

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Bay Times Dines

BAY TIMES

They’ll be around until the end of December, so book now before it’s “Arrivederci!”

here know their game and create innovative as well as sustainable cocktails seasonally. We loved the Lima Raspberry Drop, with pisco, raspberry, lemon, blanc vermouth, and rhum agricole. We also sampled the Coast Negroni, with gin mare, cap corse blanc, amaro angeleno, and anise (yummy!).

And, of course, the true test for a great bar is a straight-up Botanist gin martini, which they executed to a T. Bits and Bites Priority Wine Pass: I’ve just been introduced to this new company, where you can buy a 3-day, 30-day, or one-year pass. The membership program provides discounts at more than 350 wineries, hotels, and restaurants in California, Washington, and Oregon—as well as personalized wine-tasting recommendations.

I recently tried out a new gin from Washington state called Kur Gin. Made by Wildwood Spirits Company in the London Dry style with heirloom red winter wheat, this gin’s flavor profile embraces juniper, Seville orange, Douglas fir and—surprisingly— Braeburn apples! It’s clean, potent, and worth a try.

Adelaida Vineyards and Winery: https://www.adelaida.com/ Thomas Hill Organics: https://tinyurl.com/3xm3tu7y The Restaurant at JUSTIN: https://tinyurl.com/2vc7e8bc Cello Restaurant at Allegretto Vineyard Resort: https://tinyurl.com/4cx7667x

Niner Wine Estates: https://www.ninerwine.com/ Cass Winery: https://www.casswines.com/ Los Olivos Wine Merchant and Café: https://tinyurl.com/3nb89myn Bar Le Côte: https://www.barlecote.com/ Liquid Farm Tasting Room: https://www.liquidfarm.com/ Rare Society: https://tinyurl.com/45d964sa The Good Lion: https://www.goodlioncocktails.com/ Priority Wine Pass: https://tinyurl.com/33k7fxmj North Beach Restaurant: https://tinyurl.com/mt3tasmw Kur Gin: https://tinyurl.com/3k5frjfp Visit Santa Barbara: https://tinyurl.com/yc8h5fw5 David Landis, aka “The Gay Gourmet,” is a foodie, a freelance writer, and a retired PR maven. Follow him on Instagram @GayGourmetSF or email him at: davidlandissf@gmail.com Or visit him online at: www.gaygourmetsf.com

It’s curtains for one of the Gay Gourmet’s favorite North Beach restaurants: the longstanding North Beach Restaurant, an authentic Italian mainstay with a knockout art collection. So sad.

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SISTER DANA (continued from pg 26) “Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!” That’s the motto of Mame Dennis, one of musical theatre’s all-time greatest heroines—in this tuneful, hilarious, and touching adaptation of Patrick Dennis’s bestseller book, Auntie Mame. The show, MAME, opens November 2 and plays through November 19 at Gateway Theatre, 215 Jackson Street. Check the website for various times. https://42ndstmoon.org In two parts of 45 minutes, PIAF! THE SHOW tells the story of the amazing career of the classic French singer EDITH PIAF through her unforgettable songs in an original scenography and projections of unpublished images of Piaf never shown publicly before. Monday, November 6, 7:30 pm—one night only! Herbst Theater, 401 Van Ness Avenue.

The 26th Annual San Francisco TRANSGENDER FILM FESTIVAL screens at the Roxie Theater, 3117 16th Street (and also online with tickets) on November 8 through November 19. Check the related feature in this issue of the San Francisco Bay Times and go to the SFTFF website for the full schedule: https://sftff.org

BOOK PASSAGE (continued from pg 30) learn how to get her dream girl to fall for her, she can prove to her ex that she’s not a selfish flirt, that she’s ready for an actual commitment. And while Alex is the last person Molly would ever think she could trust, she can’t deny Alex knows what she’s doing with girls, unlike her.

Upcoming Events Saturday, November 4 @ 3 pm (free - Ferry Building store) Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, author of An Indigenous People’s History of the United States In An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States, Dunbar-Ortiz adroitly challenges the founding myth of the United States and shows how policy against the Indigenous peoples was colonialist and designed to seize the territories of the original inhabitants, displacing or eliminating them. And as Dunbar-Ortiz reveals, this policy was praised in popular culture, through writers like James Fenimore Cooper and Walt Whitman, and in the highest offices of government and the military.

Tuesday, November 7 @ 6 pm (ticked - Corte Madera store & online) Heather Cox Richardson, author of Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America In Democracy Awakening, Richardson crafts a compelling and original narrative, explaining how, over the decades, a small group of wealthy people have made war on American ideals. By weaponizing language and promoting false history, they have

led us into authoritarianism—creating a disaffected population and then promising to recreate an imagined past where those people could feel important again. She argues that taking our country back starts by remembering the elements of the nation’s true history that marginalized Americans have always upheld.

Their dedication to the principles on which this nation was founded has enabled us to renew and expand our commitment to democracy in the past. Richardson sees this history as a roadmap for the nation’s future.

Sunday, November 12 @ 1 pm (free - Corte Madera store) Julio Vincent Gambuto, author of Please Unsubscribe, Thanks!

In Please Unsubscribe, Thanks!, Gambuto gives us a radical blueprint for the ways we can take a deep breath, renew, and commit to a life that we really want, individually and collectively, from unsubscribing to emails and automated subscriptions to reevaluating the presence of people and ideas and habits that no longer serve us or make us happy.

Infused with the practical advice in James Clear’s Atomic Habits and the humor of Sarah Knight’s The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k, Please Unsubscribe, Thanks! helps us focus on where we find joy in our lives and encourages us to toss out what doesn’t bring us joy in this modern world. https://www.bookpassage.com/

JEWELLE GOMEZ (continued from pg 32) Bologna is the home of the oldest continually operating university in the world (founded 1088) and hosted one of the first women’s degrees in Italy (1732); every woman we met was testament to how such accomplishments were possible. That the women of Some Prefer Cake were able to sustain a lesbian film festival for fifteen years in these times of building conservatism is amazing and the films they featured were no less so.

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And yes, the Bolognese sauce was exquisite but the pizza surpassed everything! Except the women!

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

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PRC has been transforming the Bay Area for decades, helping those affected by HIV/AIDS, substance use, or mental health issues realize their best selves by providing the support and services they need to reclaim their lives. PRC’s signature event of the year, the MIGHTY REAL GALA, is all about being Mighty Real. It’s also about being absolutely fabulous, just like gay iconic singer, Sylvester, and his classic hit, “Mighty Real.” He transformed our ideas about who and what we could be, and he went on to be a star. We can be a star for a night on November 9, 6:30 pm, St.

Joseph’s Art Society, 1401 Howard Street. https://prcsf.org Trump was impeached not once, but TWICE, for his corrupt and dangerous actions during his presidency. He should be BANNED from running again. 147 Republican lawmakers— including Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley, and Marjorie Taylor Greene— voted to overturn the 2020 election results. It is extremely dangerous that Republicans in Congress continue to spout Trump’s lies that the election was stolen. We want to see more strong Democratic women elected to Congress who will fight back against Trump-loving Republicans. Representative Liz Cheney has been boldly, bravely fighting for democracy.

Sister Dana sez, “Award Liz Cheney with the Presidential Medal of Freedom! She certainly deserves that honor!”

Disgraced ex-president Donald T-rump faces 91 felony counts. If found guilty, he could face up to 700 years in prison. Sister Dana sez, “Lock him up—and not just home confinement at the extravagant Mara-A-LOCO. Put him in the nastiest prison possible!”

The shooting in Maine is a horrific tragedy. And until leaders in Washington finally stand up to the gun lobby and ban assault weapons, it will only be a matter of time until the next mass shooting leaves another community torn apart by these weapons of war. Sister Dana sez, “Dear Republicans, stop arguing that ARs are necessary for ‘deer hunting.’ Those dear deers don’t stand a chance against such evil weaponry!”

The November installment of LOCKDOWN COMEDY on Zoom takes place on Thursday, November

9, 7 pm and features Matt Kirshen (LA, via London), Dhaya Lakshminarayanan (SF), Nicole Tran (LA, via Vietnam), show producer/comic Lisa Geduldig, and her 92-yearsyoung mom, Arline Geduldig (Florida)—aka The Geduldig Sisters. https://www.koshercomedy.com We Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence got Halloween off to a great start with our fun and festive HALLOWEEN COSTUME CONTEST at the Castro Theatre on October 28. Costumed folx got in for free. Cash prizes were awarded for the best costumes in the categories of SPOOKIEST, SEXIEST, FUNNIEST, and BEST OVERALL. Emceed by Sister Roma & Sister Morticia, we judges narrowed them down, and then let the audience roar for approvals. I was dressed as the Republicans’ biggest fear, a Gay Recruiter—in rainbow nun drag plus my black t-shirt with neon orange, all caps stating PROMOTE HOMOSEXUALITY. The best part that warmed my heart was when the hundreds of people emotionally, excitedly chanted along with me, “Promote Homosexuality!”

After three weeks of the Congressional clown show, Repugnicans finally got themselves a speaker, Rep. MAGA Mike Johnson of Louisiana. This could maybe be good news for us liberal Democrats (and Independent fence-sitters). RePUNKlicans now have to defend an extremely antiabortion, anti-LGBTQ, antidemocracy, election-denying insurgent. Sister Dana sez, “This is not the time to stay home from voting all blue, no red, not even a purple! For heaven’s sake—Our human rights are at stake!”

WORDS (continued from pg 30) Metamorphosis Theater. He was also the lead singer of the rock band Xotica. He died of HIV-related illness in 1994.

The interdisciplinary writer, performer, and central figure in the Black gay cultural arts and AIDS movements was influential to contemporary writers such as Essex Hemphill, Marlon Riggs, and Melvin Dixon. Sacred Spells is Saint’s crucial legacy: five hundred incandescent pages of painful yet inspired lyric writing that exemplify the visceral, spiritual dimensions of an artistic practice that’s integral to Black and LGBTQ activist movements.

San Francisco Bay Times fellow columnist and acclaimed author and playwright Jewelle Gomez said, “Assotto Saint swept in, like Dorothy Dandridge if she’d been allowed to play Cleopatra: tall, regal, perfectly made up, moving as if on a Milan runway with an authority unlike any poet I’d ever seen. When Assotto spoke, it was like French silk fabric snapped out over you.”

Actor and singer André De Shields said, about Saint: “The road before us looms as an infernal horizon, then metamorphoses and appears as the cyclical Phoenix at the crossroads of life, an intersection of evolution and revolution, where we—baptized in the righteous anger of the Haitian Saint Assotto—forgive and heal in the knowledge that none of us is a cosmic orphan.”

Novelist and playwright Sarah Schulman added, “Assotto was a man who created community ... . And the fragmented nature of this volume accurately reminds us of the brilliance and courage cut short. [It is] a necessary addition that speaks directly to our world.”

For more information on Assotto Saint: https://tinyurl.com/ms92z47j Michele Karlsberg Marketing and Management specializes in publicity for the LGBTQ+ community. This year, Karlsberg celebrates 34 years of successful marketing campaigns. For more information: https://www.michelekarlsberg.com

FARMERS' MARKET (continued from pg 33) Spaghetti Squash: With a generally mild squash taste, spaghetti squash is yellow inside and out. After it is cooked you can dig a fork into the flesh and pull out long yellow strands that resemble spaghetti. Though it tastes like squash, the “noodles” can serve as a low-calorie substitute for pasta.

Delicata Squash: This is a very tasty little squash with thin skin that does not require peeling. Its pale-yellow skin has dark green stripes and its yellow flesh tastes somewhat like a sweet potato. Cut lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and roast drizzled with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Cooking With Winter Squash Winter squash is not usually peeled before cooking. It is usually steamed, boiled, or roasted. Seasonings used with winter squash are similar to what goes well with sweet potatoes: brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, or cloves. Cooked garlic adds a nutty mellowness, while herbs bring out the natural flavors. The squash can

be eaten in the shell or scooped out and mashed like potatoes.

Be very careful when cutting into the harder shelled varieties, like acorn. They slip and slide when you try to cut into them. You might have to place the knife on the squash and tap the knife with a hammer to get started. Of course, use a very sharp knife.

You’ll find some tasty winter squash at your farmers’ market from Fifth Crow Farms out of Pescadero and Jacob’s Farm from Los Banos.

The Castro Farmers’ Market closes for the season on November 15. Please check out the website in my bio to find other markets in your area until we return next spring. Thank you for supporting the farmers’ market!

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/

Speaking to Your Soul ARIES (March 21–April 19) Choose what you give your passion to. See the reality you wish to see. You’re pulling from the infinite.

Thought is the medium that the infinite filters through, so your real power is in your perspective.

Astrology

TAURUS (April 20–May 20) You are the manifestor, bending thoughts into things.

This is why your senses are so attuned to the beauty and pleasures of Earth: to invite you to follow your desires and trust that they will lead you to greater harmony in the bigger picture.

Elisa Quinzi There is a tremendous impulse toward getting free arising now. Intense emotion and a sense of urgency permeate our atmosphere and seek a mode of release.

Freedom is relative to the situation we find ourselves in, ranging anywhere from physical imprisonment to being held captive by our beliefs and perceptions. In our drive for liberation, there is a vulnerability to destructive behavior proportional to our belief in separateness. At the level of consciousness where we recognize our inherent unity with all of life, the impulse to get free is paired with a desire to free all beings. We do well then to relate to each other from the awareness that we are all made of energy, connected by our energy, and influencing the whole thing with our vibration as it directly ripples outward across the universe.

Elisa Quinzi is a certified professional astrologer who brings a strong spiritual perspective, as well as over 20 years of experience, to her work with clients. Contact her at futureselfnow@gmail.com or at 818530-3366 with your exact birth time to schedule or to ask questions. For more information: www.elisaquinzi.com

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) “Peace compels all mysteries to reveal themselves,” writes pioneering astrologer Dane Rudhyar. Your insatiable curiosity compels you to take in more data, and to keep seeking input. There is a deeper knowledge available to you that is accessible only through shifting your awareness, like a dial on a radio. Let tension drop away amidst your rising consciousness. Rest in the depth and eternality of the present moment.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Check in with yourself if it’s about time to leave the old shell aside and take a risk on your own behalf.

Security is what you seek, but freedom is what you’ll find on the other side of vulnerability.

LEO (July 23–August 22) The atmosphere is ripe for stirring the family stew.

Have the emotional courage to express your truth without concern for converting anyone. As you radiate your soft glow, others are warmed.

VIRGO (August 23–September 22) Follow an impulse to sign up for a course or workshop, especially if it is about how to teach a course or workshop. Take bold action on an idea whose time has come. The universe has something to say and you are the unique way it wants to say it.

LIBRA (September 23–October 22) The planets want you to know you are ready for your close-up.

You might not feel ready, but you absolutely must fake it ‘til you make it until you are the one who believes.

SCORPIO (October 23–November 21) You’re in a period of great awakening. Give yourself plenty of freedom to act on the intuitive glimpses you catch of higher realms. Bolts of insight flash, triggering the shedding of an old identity.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22–December 21) Deep dive into your interior to unshackle your warrior, as you are preparing to begin a phase of greater authenticity. Your feelings are a gateway to your power. Have the courage to follow the breadcrumbs to a more meaningful existence.

CAPRICORN (December 22–January 19) Is your vision of the future aligned with who you really are?

You have the capacity to achieve goals, so don’t allow nihilistic views to dampen your doorway. Book your flight on the next rocket to space if need be in order to get a better view, and shift your paradigm around what’s possible.

AQUARIUS (January 20–February 18) Your experiences around belonging have informed your ideas around what you are capable of achieving. Trust lives at the base of your spine, in the depth of your core. The more you follow your self-knowledge, the safer you feel, and the more potent you become in the world.

PISCES (February 19–March 20) End your reliance on the storyline. Open your inner eyes to what Terence McKenna calls “the felt presence of immediate experience.” It’s in this elusive location that your soul waits to bring you alive.

Take Me Home with You! Puzzle

Fitness SF Trainer Tip

John, Alejandro, and Albert at Fitness SF SoMa “Fitness is not just about looking attractive and lifting up heavy things. Each time you go to the gym and make a connection, you’re strengthening your vitality of life.”

Meet Puzzle, our one-year-old Australian cattle dog, boasting a “country heart in a city setting.” She’s a small-town pup navigating the urban jungle, pondering fire hydrants and skyscrapers. Puzzle seeks a home led by experienced dog lovers, as she’s accustomed to rural manners and desires to be the sole queen of the household. Picture her as the missing puzzle piece in your life—a touch elusive, a bit wiggly, but the ideal fit once in place. Pay us a visit to greet this special dog. Puzzle has been with us for several months, and if you think she could be your one and only, consider a week-long foster trial to ensure it’s the perfect match before adopting her. Come meet Puzzle today!

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

Puzzle is presented to San Francisco Bay Times readers

by Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, the SF SPCA’s CEO. To meet Puzzle in person, visit the SF SPCA Mission Campus @ 201 Alabama Street. Visitors are welcome from 11 am–6 pm (Wednesday–Sunday) and 1 pm–6 pm on Tuesdays. The SF SPCA is closed on Mondays.

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

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PHOTO BY MIKE KIRSCHNER

PHOTO BY JUAN R. DAVILA

PHOTO BY MIKE KIRSCHNER

PHOTO BY MIKE KIRSCHNER

PHOTO BY STRANGE MIKE

PHOTO BY JUAN R. DAVILA

PHOTO BY JUAN R. DAVILA

PHOTO BY MIKE KIRSCHNER

PHOTO BY JUAN R. DAVILA

PHOTO BY MIKE KIRSCHNER

Halloween in the Castro 2023 Photos Courtesy of Sister Roma

Halloween was reborn in the Castro on Saturday, October 28, thanks to the collaboration of some key leaders who joined together to make it so. A series of diverse activities throughout the day included Halloween-themed films at the Castro Theatre with a costume contest hosted by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and more.

The Castro Family Halloween Block Party featured activities for youngsters of all ages with trick or treating, live entertainment, and a costume contest with cash prizes.

Acknowledging the day’s success, Sister Roma told the San Francisco Bay Times, “Halloween in the Castro was a hit! The neighborhood was alive and activated all day and into the night. Our community turned out to celebrate our high holiday with excellent costumes and so much joy. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Inc., costume contest was amazing and so much fun! Huge thanks to Manny Yekutiel and the Civic Joy Fund, Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, Terry Asten Bennett and the Castro Merchants, Mary, Raul and everyone at the Castro Theatre and Another Planet Entertainment, and the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District for being the best team ever to work with! Most of all, thanks to everyone who came out and spread the Halloween magic.”

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

NOVEM BER 2, 2023

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