San Francisco Bay Times - November 14, 2019 birthday

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2019) November 14–27, 2019 | http://sfbaytimes.com

AH SVOBODA PHOTOS BY DEBOR

PHOTO COURTESY OF KATE KENDELL AND JOYCE NEWSTAT

Happy 95th Birthday, Phyllis Lyon!

Jon Reed Sims’ Historic Piano Comes Home

SPECIAL BY STUART LOCKLEAR/SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN'S CHORUS

TLC: Tears, Laughs and Conversation Dr. Tim Seelig

Last week, the National LGBTQ Center for the Arts received an amazing gift and an historic addition to the home of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (SFGMC): the Jon Reed Sims piano! Its arrival coincides with the Chorus’ 41st Anniversary. The gift was the personal piano of Sims, who founded the Chorus in 1978 just months after he founded the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band.

1977 through 1978 was a crazy time for our community. The City was absolutely bursting at the seams with gay, as Sims’ achievements indicate.

Let’s take a look at what was happening around that time that helped create an atmosphere for so much exciting growth—and setbacks— in the LGBTQ community. I was not here. (I was straight then ... I can hear your eye-rolls!) So, I asked some folks who were around during that time. These are only a few of the events they shared: 1977 • During her nationwide crusade against homosexuals, Anita Bryant received a pie in the face from gay rights activist Tom Higgins, prompting her to pray for Higgins’ salvation.

• The election of Harvey Milk galvanized the gay community and proved the political power of the movement.

• The first feature-length documentary on gay identity by gay and lesbian filmmakers, Word Is Out: Stories of Some of Our Lives, was presented at the Castro Theatre by members of the Mariposa Film Group.

1978 • Journalists and LGBTQ activists Roland Schembari and Bill Hartman founded the San Francisco Bay Times.

• Mayor George Moscone & Supervisor Milk helped to pass the broadest bill in the nation to ban discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodation based on sexual orientation.

• Gilbert Baker created the Rainbow Flag so there was a now visible banner to help identify gay friends and allies.

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Lynden Bair, Artistic Coordinator, San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus at the Jon Reed Sims Piano

• The Jim Jones and People’s Temple disaster brought national focus on San Francisco.

• John Briggs sponsored Proposition 6, also known as the Briggs Initiative, a failed statewide measure that attempted to remove all gay and lesbian school employees and their supporters from their jobs.

It led to protests and organized opposition.

SPECIAL BY STUART LOCKLEAR/SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN'S CHORUS

In 1984, a talented, young musician died. He was an early and tragic loss of the AIDS pandemic that was only in its infancy. One of his prized possessions was a beautiful ebony grand piano. Normally, especially in those days, things left behind were sold or donated. Thanks to his friends and supporters, not this piano. Instead, it has taken a 35-year journey from San Francisco to San Diego and now back. The owner of that piano was the irrepressible musical entrepreneur Jon Reed Sims.

• June - The San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band was founded.

• October - SFGMC was founded.

• November - The assassinations of Mayor Moscone and Supervisor Milk had the effect of creating a feeling that we were a community under siege, one with no alternative but to organize and fight back.

Dreams and a Piano Enter into this turbulent time a young Midwestern boy with huge dreams, lots of talent, and an entrepreneurial spirit that was unrivaled.

He came with little but dreams and a piano!

Sims was born in 1947 in Smith Center, Kansas. He studied music at Wichita State University and earned a master’s degree in music at Indiana University after which he moved to San Francisco to be a music teacher.

He taught high school band in Daly City, but ultimately devoted himself full-time to developing gay and lesbian musical groups throughout the Bay Area.

In 1978, he decided that the local Gay Freedom Day parade could use more music. Sims posted fliers around town, ultimately gathering together a few wind and percussion instrumentalists to form a marching band.

Long-time Freedom Band member Heidi Beeler shared this wonderful moment: “In June 1978, a block of 70 musicians led by a skinny music teacher in jeans swung onto Market Street playing ‘California, Here I Come.’

The crowds along the length of the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade went wild as they passed by. They knew a radical act when they saw one. Jon Sims and the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Marching Band & Twirling Corps (their original name) stepped out of the closet and into a

(Left to Right) Gilbert Esqueda, Chorus member, SFGMC; Phillip Huff, Co-Director of Marketing, San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band; Bruce Sinor, Acting President, Jon Sims Endowment Fund; Andrea Nguyen, Board of Directors member and archivist, San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band; Lynden Bair, Artistic Coordinator, SFGMC; Dr. Timothy Seelig, Artistic Director, SFGMC; Josef Aukee, Marketing Manager, SFGMC; Jerry Abrams, Treasurer, Jon Sims Endowment Fund

tableau of Americana by marching down ‘Main Street’ in their community’s parade. What was supposed to be a summertime-only effort morphed into a permanent fixture.

Band members would joke about Sims’ Kansas heritage, calling him Dorothy and likening their marching to following him down the yellow brick road.”

Joe Castrovinci was at the parade and recalled, “The one image of him I have is when he led the band down Market Street during that first Pride parade. To me, he looked like Robert Preston fresh out of The Music Man. He was not shy, loved being the focus of attention, and loved putting on a show—the bigger the better.”

The band was an immediate success!

Sims decided that if there were gays who played flutes and trumpets, surely there were gays that sang.

Once again, he created flyers; this time about the creation of a gay chorus. It was the fall of 1978. Like the Band, the Chorus was an immediate success, and both organizations are thriving 41 years later. The Band was the first musical nonprofit to proudly proclaim sexual orientation in its name. It was followed by the Chorus, which would be the first choral organization to “come out” and do the same. What a legacy was being built.

But wait.

Founding one band and one chorus was not enough for Sims. He

also founded the San Francisco Lesbian and Gay Men’s Community Chorus (now known as the Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco), the Lambda Pro Musica orchestra, David Kelsey & Pure Trash, Varsity Drag, the FLAG Corps, the San Francisco Tap Troupe, and encouraged the formation of the Big Apple Corps GLBT band in New York and The Great American Yankee Freedom Band of Los Angeles.

‘An Alternative to the Baths and the Bars’ In a 1982 newspaper interview, Sims said that he was burned out and was suffering from exhaustion-related symptoms, which he compared with hepatitis. Two years later, in January 1984, he was diagnosed with a littleknown disease called AIDS. He died six months later, on July 16.

One week after his death, more than 1,500 people attended a service at Grace Cathedral to remember the gifted musician. Attendees wore rainbow-colored armbands and entered under a rainbow archway of balloons. The service made the front page of The San Francisco Examiner the next day.

At the time, so little was known about AIDS that his obituary in the Examiner included a definition of the disease. AIDS had claimed the lives of 200 men in San Francisco, with Sims said to have been the 200th.

Two thousand lives by then had been

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

PHOTOS COURTESY OF LESBIAN GAY CHORUS OF SAN FRANCISCO

lost nationwide to AIDS. Sims’ death expanded awareness of an oftenmisunderstood disease that would go on to ravage San Francisco.

As one friend said of Sims in an obituary, he gave gays “an alternative to the baths and the bars.” Sims’ cultural impact is very much evident throughout San Francisco and the world.

SPECIAL TO SAN FRANCISCO BAY TIMES/USED

BY PERMISSION

Following the creation of the Band and the Chorus, similar groups began to spring up all over the nation and eventually the world. The bands soon formed the Lesbian and Gay Band Association (LGBA) and the choruses formed the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA Choruses).

Sims’ vision was limitless. Only a portion of it came to life, and yet that part has spanned the globe, changing the lives of millions of people. He knew that this would happen. That’s the way visionaries are.

The loss of Sims and dreams would be the beginning of unfathomable deaths of the best and most creative among us.

Now, About the Piano Doug Litwin, Board Secretary of the Jon Sims Endowment Fund for the Performing Arts ( JSEF) has helped us with its history. ( https://sites.google.com/site/jsef01/ ) When Sims passed away in 1984, his ebony Yamaha grand piano was left to good friends who were members of the Lesbian/ Gay Freedom Band. In 1991, the piano was donated to the JSEF. For the next 14 years, it resided in the Noe Street home of the JSEF Treasurer. In 2005, the piano was moved to San Diego by the JSEF President, Loren McGlade.

PHOTO BY JP LOR

On July 9 of this year, McGlade passed in San Francisco after a long illness. On July 22, the Board of the JSEF voted unanimously to offer the piano to the SFGMC. We are completely humbled by this gesture.

The C3 is the 6-foot grand version of Yamaha’s Conservatory Series. This is one of the most widely respected and recorded pianos in the industry. These are crafted by Yamaha in Kakegawa, Japan, and are made of the finest materials. Yamaha pianos are known for their sparkling sound and wide range of expression.

Litwin says, “It seems incredibly poetic that this historic instrument can add even more beautiful music to that which is already coming from that space. Hopefully, the piano and everything it represents will be incorporated into your Jon Reed Sims Legacy Society.”

PHOTO BY RINK

The National LGBTQ Center for the Arts will be a home for all manner of music in the decades to come. Sims’ piano, which now sits on the stage of the 300-seat theater in the building, will be used by members of our community for all types of music. We can’t wait to see what it will accompany! Sims would be thrilled to see his piano helping to fulfill his own dreams of music-making for all.

As mentioned, there are literally hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people who have benefited from the organizations that Sims founded, and the piano is a beautiful physical memento of a life that was such a gift to the world. The members of JSEF knew that and have treasured and cared for the piano for these decades. This is a remarkable labor of love on their part.

We at SFGMC pledge to care for the piano over the next decades.

We’ll dust it, tune it, love it. Every time those keys are tickled, we will think of that bigger-than-life Kansas boy who found his Oz and made it a better place for all of us.

Thank you, Jon Reed Sims. Without you, our world would be much less fabulous. Your music lives on.

Dr. Tim Seelig is the Artistic Director of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus.

by SFLGFB members Bette Midler, was surrounded Jon Sims, standing behind (1983). ks.

Boo lden Wa coming her to after their performance wel Pride Parade 1979

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PHOTO COURTES Y OF SAN FRANCIS CO LESBIAN/GAY FREEDOM BAND

Our first thank you is to the JSEF Board of Directors. It would have been easy to simply sell the piano upon Sims’ death. There are not many homes in San Francisco that can house such an instrument. But they did not do that.

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Election Recap Mostly Snoozers and Two Heartbreaking Losses authorization from the FDA, which will happen when two Sundays meet (never). Prop B (Renaming the City’s Elderly and Disabled Agency), Prop E (Teacher Housing), and Prop F (Transparency in Local Campaign Finance), passed easily.

District 5 Supervisor and District Attorney Races (I’m angry.)

Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History Louise “Lou” Fischer For the first time in two years as a columnist for the San Francisco Bay Times, I scrapped a completed article and started all over again. My original column contained the usual political content with a healthy dose of “funny, irreverent, it’s all going to be OK” banter. But given the final results of this election, I can’t pretend that everything is OK because “elections have consequences.” I’m angry, and contrary to what my father always says about “waiting 24 hours before responding in anger,” I don’t have 24 hours (deadline!) and it is going to take much longer than a day for this rage to subside.

Recap of Non-Contested Candidate Elections All of the non-contested candidates won their elections; no surprise there. With all of the political talent in San Francisco, we should have more competition in these races. Mayor Breed received 70% of the votes, which is respectable; what concerns me is that 14% of the voters (24,651) chose a Republican who used campaign funds to sponsor a racist billboard targeting Mayor Breed. Go ahead and debate the issues, but leave the racism out of it, please.

Recap of Propositions Proposition A, the Affordable Housing Bond, and Prop D, the Ridesharing (Lyft/Uber) Tax, required a two-thirds majority to pass, and they both squeaked by with 71% and 67.6% respectively. On Prop C, voters overwhelmingly told Juul and other companies that sell vaping products that they were just fine with the City’s ban on electronic cigarettes until the companies receive

When I saw the final results of the election on Saturday night, I felt the same heartbreaking gut punch and sense of déjà vu that I experienced when Hillary Clinton lost in November of 2016. In last Tuesday’s races for DA and D5 Supervisor, two lessexperienced white men of means and privilege defeated two highly-qualified women who made their way in the world through grit, hustle, and hard work. Yet again throughout the City, mothers and fathers had to tell their daughters that the role model they supported, and hoped to someday emulate, didn’t win because in politics, promises of “bold visions,” unrealistic policies, and campaign rhetoric speak louder than pragmatic, realistic, and feasible goals. I’m not disparaging Dean Preston and Chesa Boudin— they both want to make the City better—but neither of them has actually done the jobs to which they were elected, whereas Suzy Loftus served as an Assistant DA and Vallie Brown was appointed D5 Supervisor based on her 10+ years of success as a Legislative Aide.

Chesa Boudin, congratulations on your win. You can tell a good story, rouse people up, and organize, but you only received 35% of the voters’ first choices. 65% of the voters did not want you, but soon you will be the DA for all of San Francisco, where most residents have been a victim of crime at some point. I too want to end mass incarceration and racial disparity in the criminal justice system, but I believe that we can have both safety and justice. I suffered two break-ins in the last 3 months; if the perpetrators were 18-year-olds who have no viable life options, then I want your office to help them with pathways to education, employment, housing, healthcare, etc., but if they are mem-

bers of professional organized crime rings then I want them caught by the police and prosecuted by your office.

There is a big difference between debating/campaigning and actually doing the job; you inherited a dysfunctional organization that has been broken for years. Now you have to manage staff members who may not want to work for you and you’ll need to recruit new lawyers to fill the previous and impending departures. You have a police department that spent the equivalent of a median-priced house in SF to defeat you and now you have to work with that department while serving as chief investigator of police misconduct. Your comment of “time for radical change to how we envision justice” is optimistic, but I’m not sure how much longer the residents of San Francisco are going to accept openair drug dealing, and an increase in both misdemeanor and violent crime while you figure out how to “envision justice.”

Congratulations to Dean Preston on your victory in District 5. You earned 47.5% of first choice votes, meaning over 50% of the residents you will soon represent did not want you. District 5 (and the City) lost a qualified woman with over 10 years of experience as a Legislative Aide, who, in 14 months as Supervisor, passed 30 pieces of legislation on issues as diverse as affordable housing, homelessness, equity, the environment, and women’s reproductive rights. What D5 gets instead is a bright guy, but a one-trick pony “tenants’ rights” activist who is long on ideas but short on actual experience of getting things done. Dean’s campaign promise to build 10,000 units of 100% affordable housing within 10 years is either the epitome of arrogance and hubris, or just a total disconnect from reality. Dean, if you’re not sure, ask your soon-to-be colleague Hillary Ronen who promised 5,000 units (that’s half as many!) in the same amount of time; at last count, the number of units she has delivered in 3 years is zero.

According to Dean, “the election results are mandates for change and a statement by voters that they want bolder action from City Hall.”

Maybe that’s how Dean sees it from (continued on page 26)

Transgender Awareness Month 2019 in San Francisco

Started as Trans Awareness Week, the event has grown to Transgender Awareness Month with events, actions, and community services taking place all month. The San Francisco Office of Transgender Initiatives and Our Trans Home SF led the Trans Awareness Month Kickoff, which included flying the Trans Flag over City Hall, which was later lit up in the flag’s colors.

The San Francisco Transgender Film Festival was another early part of the observance, having successfully taken place from November 7–10 at the Roxie. (See our previous issue for more information about 4

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this year’s films.) Glow: Trans Lifeline also celebrated its 5th Anniversary on November 7.

Coming up will be the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Special Commendation on November 19. This will be followed by the Transgender Day of Remembrance (#EnoughIsEnough) on November 20 and TransGiving hosted by Trans Thrive on November 28. TransGiving dinners will also be served in New York on November 21 and in Los Angeles on November 24.

For more information about Transgender Awareness Month events in San Francisco, go to: https://sf.gov/information/trans-awareness-month

PHOTO BY RINK

Each year in November, the trans and gender nonconforming community, allies, and local organizations participate in Transgender Awareness Month to help raise the visibility of trans people and to address the issues our communities face in San Francisco and beyond.

Election Day Post-Mortem: We’re Tired of the Status Quo support, but he also made his campaign primarily about Trump in an effort to tap into his popularity in the state.

To the Left, To the Left Peter Gallotta To everyone who voted on November 5th, let me just say, thank you.

I know for some out there, voting is like going to the gym. You might dread it a little bit, you’re not sure if you’re doing it exactly right, but afterwards, you know you’ve done something good.

But Governor-elect Beshear’s win may have more to do with Bevin’s dismal record and own unpopularity. As Governor, Bevin worked to curb Medicaid expansion and overhaul state pension plans, impacting thousands of public sector employees and resulting in a massive statewide teacher strike. So while Trump may have helped drive more Democrats to the polls for Beashar, it was the in-state status quo that voters sent a stronger message against.

Now more than ever we’ve got to exercise our right to vote when we can, wherever we can. It is more painfully obvious every day how much elections matter. And right now, we’re just getting warmed up for the big one in 2020. In fact, for me, the most ominous part of voting this year was the thought that we are now only one year away from an election that will arguably be the most important one in our lifetimes.

Virginians, too, voted for change, electing the most progressive majority in Virginia legislative history. For the first time in decades, Democrats control the Virginia House of Delegates, the Virginia State Senate, as well as the Governor’s mansion. This sweep was propelled in large part by suburban voters turning out in big numbers to back Democratic candidates. And while anti-Trump sentiment played a role, Democrats ran with a plan to pass an agenda that Republicans have blocked for years: stricter gun laws, a higher minimum wage, and ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, making Virginia the final state needed for passage of this historic gender equality measure.

If 2019 is any indication of what’s to come in 2020, I have to admit I’m feeling more hopeful. For one, Kentucky, a deep red state that Donald Trump won by more than 30 points, just elected a Democratic Governor.

Andy Beshear, the state’s Attorney General, ousted incumbent Governor and Trump acolyte Matt Bevin.

Bevin ran not only with Trump’s

And there were smaller victories on election day that showed a desire for change. Remember the woman on a bike who flipped off Trump’s motorcade in 2017? That’s Juli Briskman. She lost her job for flipping the bird, but on November 5th she was elected to a new one on the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors in Virginia. While part of Trump National

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Golf Club is in her District, Briskman ran on a campaign focused on the issues: public school funding, teacher pay, and housing.

And when it comes to changing the status quo, LGBTQ candidates continue to be at the forefront. Danica Roem, who made history as the first transgender person elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 2017, handily won her re-election. In Indianapolis, three openly LGBTQ candidates were elected to the City Council. And in Ohio, N.J. Akbar won a seat on the Akron Board of Education, becoming one of the first gay, Muslim, African Americans ever elected to any office in the United States.

Juli Briskman

Danica Roem

While you could view these victories as one-off signs of social progress, we can’t N. J. discount the bigger Akbar political picture here.

This is the third election in a row in which Democrats have made significant gains since Trump was elected. These victories are no simple accident. So now we must do the work of building upon them to deliver more victories in cities, suburbs, and states across the country in 2020.

Here in San Francisco, the November 5th election was “like a knife

fight in a phone booth,” as Assemblymember David Chiu once quipped about San Francisco politics. The two hotly contested races—District Attorney and District 5 Supervisor—were too close to call on election night and left us in suspense for days after.

Once all of the vote by mail and provisional ballots were counted and the dust had settled, one thing was instantly clear: San Franciscans voted for change.

Chesa Boudin, who ran on a platform of transformative change in the criminal justice system, beat out Suzy Loftus in the District Attorney’s race, even with Ranked Choice Voting’s instant run-off factored in. Dean Preston, who ran as a Democratic Socialist with big policy ideas like free Muni and a Green New Deal, won the race for District 5 Supervisor by 188 votes over Vallie Brown, the Mayor’s endorsed candidate.

Tons of money was spent running negative attack ads against Chesa Boudin and Dean Preston, and yet we saw that the electorate wasn’t buying it. The establishment did everything to throw obstacles in the way of change, including appointing Suzy Loftus as interim District Attorney weeks before the election, yet

Chesa Boudin received the greatest number of first place votes.

I’ve been involved in a number of progressive campaigns in San Francisco over the past 10 years. I’ve seen candidates I supported win and I’ve seen them lose. And after some crushing defeats it often felt that San Francisco had moved so far to the middle that there was no way we could ever get a Chesa Boudin or a Dean Preston elected in this town.

But now we’ve been reminded that we can—even in an off-year, lower voter turnout election.

These candidates beat the odds.

And I believe they won, not only because of the incredible grassroots power that was behind them, but also because the status quo has revealed itself to be a system that works for some and not for all. With massive income inequality fueling our affordability crisis and the mental health crisis on our streets, incremental change is not enough. Middle of the road, business as usual policies are not working.

As Tram Nguyen, the Co-Executive Director of the New Virginia Majority, put it: “Elections are never our finish line. People vote because they want politicians to fix things and if politicians don’t follow through with it ... we can use our vote to vote them out of office. Politicians work for us.”

There are no two leaders who will work harder for us every day than Chesa Boudin and Dean Preston.

They will bring change to our city, and most importantly, they will be independent voices. We are far from (continued on page 26)

Cross Currencies: Finding Our Democratic North Stars in Harriet Tubman and She the People

Cross Currents Andrea Shorter “ ... there was no one to welcome me to the land of freedom. I was a stranger in a strange land; and my home, after all, was down in Maryland, because my father, my mother, my brothers, and sisters, and friends were there. But I was free, and they should be free.”

-Harriet Tubman to Sarah Bradford in Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman (1869)

The life of runaway slave and abolitionist Harriet Tubman stands firm as a towering monument to the idea and promise of freedom, glorious freedom. Tubman’s legend as the conductor of the underground railroad that she organized and led to deliver loved ones in Maryland from slavery through daunting, treacherous passages towards freedom into northern harbor is as towering as the eternal light of President Abraham Lincoln—granite strong, forever marble enshrined in memoriam on the Washington Mall, in endless scholarly examination, grade school books, award-winning cinematic portraits, and, of course, on the copper penny.

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While the quest of one of my personal living heroines, former U.S. Treasurer (43rd, under President Obama) Rosie Rios, to have the image of Tubman replace Andrew Jackson (7th president, racist conductor of the “trail of tears” and tyranny to basically exterminate Indian tribes, and favorite of POTUS 45) enshrined upon the $20 bill has been “delayed” until 2028 by current Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, Tubman is now being visited in cinematic scope in the recently released film Harriet.

It was released to good reviews— ask most anyone over 70, “it was good, it’s about time her story was told”—to mostly millennial-aged mixed reviews—“hmm, just heard of her but is this another black slavery bad, white savior good trope, not-sowoke sanitized story of oppression to attract and assuage fragile white viewers? And, why is a black Brit playing African American hero Harriet? What, they couldn’t get Regina King?” —to oh please, don’t bother.

It is rare that the hash-tagging woke crowd has a meeting of the minds with the National Review, but in my estimate, if the National Review lands in the latter category of naysaying about any film depicting women of color, then you should definitely go see it. Like tonight or this weekend, with friends.

Hardly compensatory during the long wait for the conductor of the underground railroad to over the leader of the trail of tears on the $20 bill, Harriet is out there. And, people are talking about her, albeit not nearly as much as they are about Meryl Streep in Netflix’s Laundromat (about the modern-day trail of

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tears and destruction to mere mortals caused by the shadiness of Cayman Island-like shell companies and the like; no spoilers here, just see it!), but Tubman’s quest for her own freedom, that of others, and the ideas and responsibility of what it means to be free in the aspirations and promise of democratic society is out there.

Which brings me to another personal modern-day heroine of mine: Aimee Allison. Allison heads up “She the People,” an organization that ‘’brings together a national network of women of color—voters, movement builders, elected leaders—to transform our democracy. We unite under shared values—to love our own and others, to make justice the law of the land, to create a country where everyone belongs, and to make this American democracy live up to its greatest promise. As women of color—Black, Latina, Asian American and Pacific Islander, Muslim, Indigenous—we have been at the heart of the justice movements that have shaped this country. And now we are ready to govern.”

Right on. Similar to the organizational uplift of the visibility, relevancy, and power of the LGBT vote that the Human Rights Campaign and the Victory Fund have worked to empower LGBT Americans in electoral politics, She the People seeks to uplift and provide platform for women of color, who make up 20% of the U.S. population and more than a quarter of ALL Democrats.

Hear that? Take that in.

With perhaps an overcommitment of organizational resources and handwringing Democratic strategists, operatives, and candidates spent

wooing the evermore elusive white, working male democratic voter lured elsewhere, She the People is basically working to save the Democratic Party, the White House, and the nation.

As it aptly notes, women of color are one in four voters in key swing states. According to She the People and other political analysts, women of color were central to the recent midterm victories: turnout among women of color increased 37% compared with the 2014 midterms. Votes from Asian American and Pacific Islander women increased to 48%, Black women to 28%, and Latinas at 51%. They declare that when turnout among women of color has been above the national average, Democrats have won. When their turnout is below, Democrats have lost.

So, like Harriet Tubman, Democrat women of color voters today are providing that passageway to freedom. Black women, in particular, have always been there, as the backbone, the cornerstone, the whatever stone of the modern-day Democratic Party. And, often taken for granted.

Welcome strangers to a strange land espousing freedom. Free but not free until all are free.

Thanks to Harriet and now She the People for being that North Star guiding our passage forward and onward. If today’s Democratic Party and the soul of the nation are to be saved, we must prevail beyond a shortsighted restoration of long-gone states of normalcy—where straight white males predominantly preside for better or worse over endangered institutional norms and protocols

that have traditionally better served their status quo.

The greater inclusion and respect for what Democratic women of color voters bring to the mix is what can save an estranged nation from itself.

Do the math: women of color votes matter. In 2020, they will certainly be worth a hecka boatload more than gold or any worn-out stacks of Andrew Jackson’s $20 bills.

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

Winning with a Goals-Based Financial Plan

sibilities while also facing reality.

And it can be hard for some people to separate their own dreams from family or societal expectations.

Money Matters Brandon Miller Even if you’re not a soccer fan, you’ve probably heard the iconic “GOOOOOOOOOOAL!” call of Telemundo announcer Andres Cantor. The joy in his voice as he stretches out the word over a massive breath is infectious. That 20-second call seems to pay tribute to everything that went into placing the ball at the back of the net—from coaching and practice, to encouragement, teamwork, and overcoming obstacles.

I think that Mr. Cantor has the right idea. Goals are meant to be celebrated. Of course, you have to set them before you can accomplish them.

And that’s particularly true for financial planning. Investing just to make more money is not nearly as motivating or rewarding as investing in a dream. At my company, we spend a lot of time talking to clients about what they want to accomplish so that we can create a financial plan that helps them to live that life. Here are some things that I’ve found work well in helping people to articulate their ambitions.

Discover why you want what you want.

Goal setting is hard because it’s abstract. It forces you to think of pos-

So be as detailed about your money goals as possible. Ask yourself probing questions—or better yet, have someone else ask them. When I play this role, I’m like a pesky three-year-old constantly asking my clients, “Why?” Digging deeper into a vague goal may reveal the real dream, and open up new possibilities, such as turning a hobby envisioned for retirement into a side business now. It’s not unusual to refine—or redefine—your goals in the process of setting them.

Being specific about what you want is the first step in setting SMART goals, with the MART being Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Time-bound (meaning a target date).

Write it down.

I’m a big proponent of creating a vision board, a collage of your dreams that you can refer to when you need a reminder of what you’re working so hard for. It sounds dorky, but it’s amazingly effective.

Vision board or no, you should definitely immortalize what you want on paper. Your brain will find it easier to store the thought and you’ll have a handy visual cue. Plus, a 2016 study showed that the simple act of writing down your goals makes you 42% likelier to achieve them. ‘Nuff said.

Prioritize competing interests.

So, you want to save a couple mil for retirement, travel to every world capital, remodel your kitchen, and send your mom a little extra every month to supplement her Social Security.

Which one is most important? Do you have a partner (or two) with different priorities? (continued on page 26)

Two Covers on a Similar SUV Story

2020 Hyundai Palisade

Auto Philip Ruth The auto industry thrives on our willingness to judge a book by its cover.

That’s our starting point for this month’s two takes on the three-row SUV—the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride, both new for 2020.

They spring from the same platform, with the same engine and mechanical foundation. But the Palisade and Telluride look very different, and each signals its own strong message to buyers.

Both reflect the aspirations of their brands: Hyundai aims for the mainstream’s definition of bold style and superior quality, while Kia folds multiple European influences into a design that defines its own path.

That path is an admired one, judging from the number of heads turned by the tested Telluride SX V6 tester. I parked it at the SOMA Trader Joe’s and stepped back to observe just about everyone noticing it as they walked past. Surprising reaction for a family SUV.

2020 Kia Telluride

Perhaps it’s because the Telluride has a Range Rover-like presence, with a boxy greenhouse that eschews the swoops of its competitors. As with a Range Rover, you feel perched up high within the Telluride, with clear sightlines forward and to the side.

And, its headlights and grille are simply shaped and deftly detailed.

The Palisade’s proportions reflect the Telluride’s, but the Hyundai’s look pivots on a dramatic, multi-angled grille, which is comprised of thick and shiny nibs that seem like they’re rippling in a wave if you stare at them too long. The Palisade’s visage matches the current trend of angry automotive expressions.

The interiors are divergent as well.

The Palisade hews to the “more is more” tenet of conventional consumerism, most notably the gloss black trim surrounding the center screen.

Rather than staying put as a simple frame, it stretches all the way to the gauges, creating an impressive (continued on page 26) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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Mural of Climate Activist Greta Thunberg Goes Up Near Union Square Greta Thunberg now has a larger than life presence in San Francisco due to a new mural of the climate activist on Mason Street near Union Square.

It was officially unveiled on November 12.

ONEATMOSPHERE.COM

The artist behind the large and eyecatching piece was Andres “Cobre” Petreselli, who also created a popular mural of the late entertainer Robin Williams at 1028 Market Street. That piece was demolished earlier this year.

For this latest project, Cobre was brought in by the organization One Atmosphere, which arranged for permissions and covered the cost of materials.

THEINDEPENDENT.COM

Cobre donated his time, as he is a strong supporter of Thunberg and her efforts to curb climate change. As he told TIME: “I think it’s a very important mission to try to awake some citizens that they are wasting a lot of energy and resources for no reason, and I think it’s very important to try to help in a way. People need to know about these things.”

He added, “I usually don’t paint political stuff, because it kind of gives you people who will love it and people who will hate it. But this one I think was really important.”

“If 95% (of) people are going to like it, then my job is well done. Haters gonna hate.”

EPA PHOTO

GULFTODAY.AE

https://oneatmosphere.org/

Real Estate

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Bay Area Ace Realtor: Suzanne Frank After having worked for ten years in the video production business, Suzanne Frank felt that it was time for a change. She read an ad in a newspaper—she thinks that it might have been the San Francisco Bay Times—to attend an informational seminar about becoming a real estate agent. The idea of helping a young couple to find their first home seemed very appealing to her. She also loved the architecture and design of San Francisco. She says, “When I visited friends’ homes, my first reaction was to check out the house and see how they decorated.”

Fast forward five years, and she was working for Zephyr Real Estate after receiving her real estate license. Frank says, “When I first got my license, I thought I would have to wear dresses and pearls like those women in the little free real estate magazines. After joining Zephyr, I soon realized that business casual was the norm.

Zephyr had about 85% gay and lesbian agents and the only people wearing pearls were a few of the guys when they did drag. Zephyr soon became my family and I was building a successful business as a Realtor.”

Her office then was in Noe Valley with work coverage of not only that neighborhood but also Glen Park, Bernal Heights, the Castro,

the Haight and South of Market. She and her colleagues additionally sold homes all over the 7x7-mile City.

Frank loved being in Noe Valley back in the early 2000s. She recalls, “There were all the conveniences of a perfect neighborhood—a shoe repair store, the Noe Valley bakery (where I devoured their blueberry scones), the post office and great little restaurants. There are so many lunch options, like the Casa Mexicana Taqueria to Fresca, a Peruvian restaurant with amazing ceviches. As the real estate prices skyrocketed in Noe Valley, these eateries have survived, which speaks well of their consistent quality.”

Her real estate business was thriving until the Great Recession hit.

Many Realtors were impacted by the shifting market and had to learn about short sales and foreclosures. Frank says, “I was a victim of this time too, and had to sell my condo in Diamond Heights in a short sale. It was a tough time and I ended up moving in with friends in Oakland. As I tell the story, I went kicking and screaming, ‘I don’t want to live in Oakland! I’m a San Franciscan!’”

Well, fast forward again and she is happily living in Oakland, which she calls the West Coast Brooklyn. She explains that Oakland has a diverse population, world-class restaurants, and tons of outdoor recreation possibilities including biking, hiking, and sailing.

Wanting to work closer to home, and to reduce her carbon footprint, she joined the team of Anthony Riggins of Sotheby’s International. Frank says, “Anthony is among the top 25 agents nationwide.

He specializes in Crocker Highlands, one of Oakland’s historic neighborhoods with large unique

Suzanne Frank

Anthony Riggins

3–5-bedroom homes close to Lakeshore village and Lake Merritt.”

She adds, “While Crocker Highlands is considered an affluent area, compared to San Francisco prices, one can get so much more home for less money.”

Frank and her team currently have a 2400-square-foot, 3 751 Longridge Road, Oakland bedroom, 2 bath Tudor style home at 853 Paramount Road ( www.853Paramount.com ) listed for $1,675,000. She says, “For a similar home in Noe Valley, you’re starting at $3,000,000 and probably less square footage.”

Another home that she has listed is 751 Longridge Road ( www.751Longridge. com ), an elegant 4 bedroom Colonial with huge rooms, four bedrooms on the same level, and an expansive yard with decks.

Frank walks the talk, given that the East Bay is now her own home sweet home. She says, “To me, Oakland is a no-brainer. Warm weather, lots of variety, and price points for housing and abundant commuting options to San Francisco. I wouldn’t want to live or work anywhere else!”

For more information concerning Riggins and Frank, as well as the mentioned houses for sale and additional properties available in Oakland, go to:

Suzanne with Lulu

853 Paramount Road

https://anthonyriggins.com/

ENJOY THE VIEW! CASTRO STREET CAM Live-streaming 24/7 http://sfbaytimes.com/castro-street-cam/

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

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

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

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

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

Beth Greene Michael Delgado Abby Zimberg Design & Production

Kate Laws Business Manager Blake Dillon Calendar Editor

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

Examined Life Tom Moon, MFT (Editor’s Note: Tom Moon is on hiatus. This is one of his more popular past columns.”

Q: I’m a 31-year-old guy who has fallen in love with a man in another state. He also loves me, and wants me to move there and live with him. I’ve never had a long-term relationship before, and I really want it to work with him. He also wants us to work professionally together, which would be a great opportunity for me. Our sex is passionate and hot, and we both really like it, but it’s what you’d call vanilla. And that brings me to my problem.

For the last five years I’ve been getting more and more into my dark side. I have a lot of sex buddies for rough daddy/boy s/m sex and

Photographers Rink, Phyllis Costa, Jane Higgins Paul Margolis, Chloe Jackman, Bill Wilson, Jo-Lynn Otto, Sandy Morris, Abby Zimberg, Deborah Svoboda, Morgan Shidler, JP Lor ADVERTISING Display Advertising Standard Rate Cards http://sfbaytimes.com/ or 415-503-1375 Custom ad sizes are available. Ads are reviewed by the publishers.

National Advertising: Contact Bay Times / San Francisco.

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

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

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A: Well, don’t do what you’re planning to do. Think about it: you’re about to start a whole new life, new career direction, and new commitment, all based on the foundation of a complete lack of integrity. You’re denying your boyfriend any possibility of loving you as you really are and yourself any chance of being both known and loved simultaneously.

Instead of a real relationship, you’re opting for impression management.

And when you deceive him based on the fear of what you might lose, you’re not acting from love but from opportunism.

You sound as if you’re hoping you’ll be able to jettison your “dark side” by making this move. Here’s a more likely scenario: everything will go fine for a while, but once the newness wears off your “wild” side will reassert itself and you’ll start finding ways to have kinky sex behind his

back. Maybe you’ll tell yourself that “what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” but that rationalization will be naïve. You’ll be poisoning your relationship by creating an atmosphere of secrecy and duplicity, and this will hurt both of you, even in the unlikely event that he doesn’t discover what you’re doing.

I suspect that the deeper issue here is that you’re in conflict with your sexuality. You describe it as divided into light and dark, mature and immature. But this mental map is just one of many ways of understanding it. Many people have multi-faceted sex lives, and there are people who enjoy “vanilla” and “kink” with the same person without seeing their desires as divided or in conflict with one another. That may not be your choice, and deciding not to act on some of your sexual impulses can be an honest and self-affirming choice.

But you’re never going to be able to make an authentic decision from a position of shame, self-deception, and secrecy.

An old friend once gave me this piece of advice: “Don’t practice what you preach. Preach what you practice.

It’ll keep you honest and it’ll make for better practice.” What I think he was trying to teach me was not to try to mold my life to match some abstract ideal about how I’m supposed to live, but rather to let my

direction emerge from the lived reality of my actual day to day life. You’ll have more integrity in your sexual life if you let your conduct reflect what you actually feel, rather than trying to make it conform to judgments about how a “mature” person lives.

Get honest with yourself first, and then get honest with your boyfriend.

The next time you’re together, sit him down and tell him everything you’ve told me. It’s possible that, as you fear, that will be the end of your relationship. That can be one of the costs of integrity. When you choose to tell your truth, not everyone is automatically going to stand up and cheer. But don’t make his decision for him. It may just be that you don’t know him as well as you think you do, and that the two of you can work out some accommodation with each other based on who you both really are.

You may fear that the potential costs of integrity are too great to risk in the short run. But in the long run, you’ll never find what you want with any partner until you find the courage to let the other man know you.

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

Barneys, Gump’s, and Jardinière - A Loss on Many Levels Pittsburgh at Kaufmann’s, Metzler’s, and Gimbals—where an entire day was set aside to have a full shopping and dining experience, complete with lunch at Barbara Joyce’s. There was something to be said for dedicating quality time to treat yourself and others, while making connection and memories along the way.

CONTRIBUTORS Writers Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Patrick Carney, Kate Kendell, Alex Randolph, Heidi Beeler, Gary M. Kramer, Dennis McMillan, Tom Moon, Tim Seelig, Cinder Ernst, John Chen Rafael Mandelman, Jewelle Gomez, Phil Ting, Rebecca Kaplan, Kin Folkz, Leslie Katz, Philip Ruth, Peter Gallotta, Bill Lipsky, Karen Williams, Donna Sachet, Gary Virginia, Zoe Dunning, Marcy Adelman, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Brandon Miller, Jamie Leno Zimron Michele Karlsberg Lyndsey Schlax, Randy Coleman, Debra Walker, Howard Steiermann, Andrea Shorter, Lou Fischer, Karin Jaffie, Brett Andrews, Karen E. Bardsley, David Landis

raunch. Last year I did scenes in a couple of porn movies. My boyfriend doesn’t know about any of this, and I can’t tell him because he doesn’t like that kind of sex and I’m afraid he’ll reject me if he finds out. And anyway, I want to give it all up. I’d like to have a more mature life and put all of this wild sex behind me, but I’m afraid he’ll find out about my past, or someone he knows will recognize me from the porn, and it’ll all blow up in my face. What do I do?

From the Frontlines Brett Andrews Well, it’s official: last month Barney’s announced that it will be closing all of its stores for good in early 2020.

This sad news comes fresh off the heels of other notable closures including Gump’s, Jardinière, Il Fornaio, and so many other iconic establishments in San Francisco that have helped to define the City for the better part of a century. These recent closures represent way more than just a final sale, or a last chance to order your favorite dish.

I so fondly remember my childhood years—shopping with my mother in

Later in life, I created my own memories, like the time I was living in New York City and would occasionally stroll through Bergdorf Goodman, doing more window shopping than anything. Rarer, but equally as meaningful, were the beautiful experiences of working with Lola, the sales associate who secretly knew that I had saved up to buy something, anything. She, knowing little about me, understood the deep importance of picking the right tie to match my suit; it was for a gala, after all.

Quietly, I held great hope that my modest wallet would support some small trinket or bauble to purchase just so I could walk down the street with that iconic shopping bag. And, I could not wait to walk into a familiar haunt and be asked by a friend,

Election Night Parties Photos by Rink San Francisco Bay Times photographer Rink is well known for making his way to multiple locations on the same day. On Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, Rink went to San Francisco City Hall to capture the red, white, and blue lights streaming.

After attending events, he traveled to the sites of election night parties for two victorious candidates: Dean Preston and Chesa Boudin.

Preston celebrated his District 5 Supervisor race win with friends and family at Noir Lounge in Hayes Valley. Boudin, victorious in the heated race for District Attorney, went to the SoMa StrEat Food Park on 11th Street to thank his supporters and volunteers. Boudin was then the star of a “Victory Celebration” held at El Rio, 3158 Mission Street.

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“You’ve been shopping. What did you buy?!”

On a deeper level of reflection, it was way more than the actual purchase. It was very much about the human connection that, while brief, was meaningful and lasting—the phenomena of two people, basically strangers, lightly chatting about our lives and bonding over an item that brought us both a little joy. I felt so special and cared for; and she, a sense of pride and accomplishment.

As we prepare for the holiday season, it brings me to a grander question.

With the proliferation of e-commerce, how can we, or even should we, try to hold on the traditions of the past? Just to be clear, I seek not to over romanticize the past, and I certainly recognize the commodification of the holiday season. Yet, there exists a brief respite where we all get to slow down and seize moments that remind us of a time when things were simpler.

My modest opinion is that there is a special and cherished value in making the extra effort of going out to sightsee; frequenting the shops, stores, and eateries. We should continue to avail ourselves to the abid-

ing elements of wonder, excitement, and surprise. At a time when we frequently walk and talk past each other, we all could benefit from spending some quality time ambling the streets and aisles with no other agenda but to (re)connect with our humanity.

I hope to see you all around town, doing what we’ve been doing for years: connecting, even if just a smile or a nod.

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

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

GLBT Fortnight in Review

By Ann Rostow OK Boomers I admit to being a boomer, which is becoming kind of embarrassing as the years go by. But hey, I have long looked forward to the time when the President of the United States is younger than me. It’s kind of a benchmark in life. A sign that those of your generation, or even just your birth decade, can pour a cocktail for themselves and wish everyone luck.

And sure enough, it all worked out just as I would have hoped. My group is younger than Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, but at last we danced the night away in 2008 when Obama came on the scene and we happily passed the torch to a slightly younger cohort for the first time.

Then, in the blink of an eye, the torch was wrenched back and now a slew of old timers have returned for another grab at power. Trump, even Hillary, Biden, Warren, Sanders, and now damn Michael Bloomberg.

What the hell? These aren’t even all boomers. Several of them are from the Silent Generation or whatever those guys are called. Is Bob Dole still alive? Why doesn’t he throw his hat in the ring? Low T maybe?

I know that Sanders in particular, who I think at 78 is the oldest candidate in the running, does well with young voters. This is because (as I’ve pointed out to you youngsters several times already) everyone in the AARP files knows very well that age weighs on you. I don’t have to be pushing 80 personally to know that it’s too old to be running the United States. I guess if you’re in your mid-twenties you might think age is “ just a number.”

Hmmm. Here’s news. It’s not. Just watch Joe Biden “ jog” to the podium in his dark glasses. He’s not fooling anyone. As for Bloomberg, he looks like he left his teeth in a glass on his bedside table.

Quite frankly, I don’t know whom I support any longer. Warren’s health care plan is too cumbersome for me (and the rest of the electorate).

Kamala doesn’t seem to have traction. Biden’s too frail. I can’t forgive Klobuchar for dehumanizing her staff. This leaves me with Pete Buttigieg, whom I like but who seems not quite ready for prime time. Can he really beat Trump? What about the gay factor? He has beautiful shiny thick hair, but isn’t he too young?

Who else is out there? Who will rid us of this troublesome president?

Deval Patrick?

What’s in a Word?

Mel came back from the grocery store with a jumbo box of microwave popcorn in anticipation of public impeachment testimony. I can’t imagine that Trump will be convicted in the Senate, but I think that he will be damaged. Interestingly, as noted by Harvard Law’s Laurence Tribe in the Washington Post, a president (or anyone) can be convicted, not by two-thirds of the Senate, but by a two-thirds majority of those Senators present at the impeachment vote.

To reemphasize, Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution, gives the Senate the responsibility to try impeachments, and: “no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two-thirds of the Members present.”

Depending on how things go, if I’m a Republican senator, I might have the flu that day. If 20 GOP senators simply didn’t show up, you’d need only 54 votes to convict; 47 Democrats (and Independents) plus seven of the remaining Republicans. Given that the mood of the country would have

to be dark indeed in order to send 20 senators into hiding to begin with, that’s not an impossible number.

You can play with the math yourself.

For example, 10 absent GOP senators means you would need 13 of the remaining 43 Republicans voting to convict.

I’m not suggesting this is a likely possibility. I’m just puzzled that no one is discussing these scenarios, given that the pundits and anchors and talking heads are spending hours repeating themselves like broken records and making ponderous announcements about information that has been in the public domain for days. Yet here’s a fascinating topic that everyone ignores. Pourquoi? Am I missing something? Surely not.

O Come All Ye Faithful It’s the holiday season again, have you noticed? It’s not just around the corner. It’s here! Complete with the be-ribboned car advertisements that now serve as the harbinger of Christmas cheer. I actually like the holiday season, although I was once somewhat Grinch-like about the stressful shopping and relentless joie de vivre. Back in the day, we had no real choice but to hunt for presents in large crowds at the horrible shopping mall, time winding down and pressure building up until the glittery earrings at the kiosk next to the Gap suddenly looked like a great gift for the fashionable sister who rarely wore jewelry. Cross Sally off the list and keep on moving.

Once when I was shopping with my mother as a kid, she sent me off on a side mission to find presents for my cousins. I bought my seven-year-old cousin Ronnie a whiskey flask, which became a source of family amusement for many years even though looking back, it was my mother who actually paid for it and sent it. At any rate, the selection reflected my earliest attitudes towards Christmas, shopping, and department stores. We all need a drink.

I do have more news, by the way.

For example, the Kentucky Supreme Court dropped the case about the T-shirt company that refused to make shirts for Lexington Pride in violation of the city’s non-discrimination ordinance. The T-shirt company won its lawsuit before a lower court and the state appellate court, and the Kentucky Supremes decided that the GLBT group lacked standing to appeal since the ordinance only applied to individuals. What. Ever.

And a federal judge in New York has struck one of the Trump administration’s more insidious policy devolutions, to wit a “conscience rule” that allows health care workers to refuse treatment on religious grounds. I did not read the 147-page decision by Judge Paul Engelmayer, but I gather Engelmayer ruled that the proposal violated the Administrative Procedures Act, a once tedious sounding statute that now seems to ensnarl many of the Trump initiatives. I like it! (For example, the APA, if I may be so familiar, is a key part of the attack on Trump’s breezy attempt to end the Dreamer program, as well as one of the foundations on which Chief Justice Roberts kept the Commerce Department from using the Census to ask about citizenship.)

That conscience rule, by the way, was justified by Trump and company based on a sharp rise in complaints of religious “discrimination” in the medical system. As the judge noted during oral arguments, however, 80 percent of that rise involved objections to vaccines (not covered by (continued on page 26) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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Poet in Residence Kit Kennedy

A trickster, Autumn sneaks up with a snap in the air, shift of light.

Fallen leaves and harvest moon tango as we create our own version of romantic mayhem. Yes, Autumn is an ingathering of pumpkins, squash, apples and memories.

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

Here’s to this season of opposites: fullness/fallow. Abundance and decay. Have you noticed the tenacity of grapes left on the vine?

Or how an empty chair immediately reminds us of one we love who is no longer?

Autumn is gateway to harvest, absence remembrance, celebration. A portal to traditions old & new. Parties, glitter, boas. Long red gloves. Gingerbread and poinsettias. A self-reflecting time for the New Year. Occasion to laugh and love. Time to clean the house.

Kit Kennedy is the Poet-in-Residence of the “San Francisco Bay Times” and at herchurch Ebenezer Lutheran ( http://www.herchurch.org/ ). She has published 5 poetry collections, and for the past several years she has hosted the poetry series at Gallery Café. For more information, please visit her blog: http://poetrybites.blogspot.com

Photographer Stacy Boorn

Aspen Reflection

Aspen Leaves

Chair Shadows

Bowling Pins

Left on the Vine

Decay Leaf

Door Knob

Tenderloin Tessie Needs Your Help for Upcoming Holiday Meals

By Michael Gagne For over 40 years, Tenderloin Tessie, with the help of a cadre of caring compassionate volunteers, has proudly served 100,000 free holiday dinners to an ever-growing community of indigent citizens, many of whom lack the affection of a family while struggling with health, housing, and economic challenges.

Each guest, no matter their station in life, is somebody’s child, sister, brother, or parent. That makes it family; our family. And we treat our family members with love and respect. No one who comes to enjoy our events is ever turned away. More than just a meal, our dinners also hold the promise of new friendships, lots of laughter and hugs, and outstanding live entertainment.

We are an all-volunteer tax-exempt nonprofit organization established in 1976 to serve holiday dinners 3 times a year at Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas to our community.

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Thursday, November 28, and the Christmas dinner will be on Wednesday, December 25. Both dinners will be at The First Unitarian Church on 1187 Franklin St @ Geary from 1–4 pm.

We need volunteers for our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. Here are the details: Thanksgiving 2019 Wednesday, November 27 10:30 am to 2:30 pm: Truck help and grocery shopping.

Thursday, November 28 9 am to Noon: Set-up and decorating; Noon–4 pm: Mandatory training meeting and dinner; 3–6 pm: Last hour of dinner and tear-down.

Saturday, November 30 10 am–1 pm: Unload the truck and do inventory.

Christmas 2019 Tuesday, December 24 10:30 am–2:30 pm: Truck help and grocery shopping.

Wednesday, December 25 9 am–Noon: Set-up and decorating; Noon–4 pm: Mandatory training meeting and dinner; 3–6 pm: Last hour of dinner and tear-down.

Friday, December 27 9:30 am–10:30 am: Unload the truck.

To volunteer, please contact me at 415-584-3252 (landline, no text) or email me at TenderloinTessie@yahoo.com Our website is http://www.TenderloinTessie.com Michael Gagne is the President of the Tenderloin Tessie Board of Directors.

This Month at the Castro Farmers’ Market Stock Up for Thanksgiving Before Castro Farmers’ Market Closes for the Season

By Debra Morris Fresh quality ingredients are important to any meal, but are especially important at Thanksgiving when family, friends, and guests sit down to enjoy your freshly prepared feast.

Along with turkey, cranberry, gravy, and pumpkin pie, onions and sweet potatoes are some of the most utilized ingredients in this yearly feast.

Julia Child once said, “It’s hard to imagine civilization without onions.” She was right. This hardworking, ever-present root vegetable is the staple of every cook’s kitchen. And onions are one of the best utilized ingredients in your Thanksgiving feast, whether they are the featured ingredient or part of a background of flavors in a dish.

The tasty sweet potato is also a staple of Thanksgiving meals. Just like onions, they’re versatile, delicious, and so good for you! Pick up several pounds for your Thanksgiving meal and enjoy!

You’ll find other amazing fall vegetables at your Castro Farmers’ Market, straight from the farm to you. Fifth Crow Farm from Pescadero has everything organic, from carrots and cabbage to parsnips, potatoes, and winter squash. Happy Boy Farms out of Watsonville brings broccoli, beets, leafy greens, and wonderful fresh herbs. Jacob’s Farm will bring the last of the fall artichokes, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, leeks, and much more.

Remember that Thanksgiving is a great time to eat locally. You’ve probably eaten locally and in season at Thanksgiving without even knowing it with squash and sweet potato dishes, pumpkin and apple pie, and other traditional family recipes. We know that eating locally and sustainably supports the local economy because it supports local farms and farmers, because it’s lighter on the earth, and because it supports responsible development.

This fall season, pledge to purchase and add at least one locally grown, raised, or produced item to your Thanksgiving menu. There are turkeys locally raised in Napa

& PEARS DELICATA SQUASH 1 large delicata squash s, sliced 2 medium ripe firm pear olive oil 2 teaspoons extra virgin 1/4 teaspoon salt nd pepper 1/4 teaspoon freshly grou 2 tablespoons water n sugar 1 tablespoon light brow 1 teaspoon chili powder Cut squash in half Preheat oven to 425°F. e seeds. Cut crosswise lengthwise; scoop out th a large bowl with in into 1/4 -inch slices. Toss Spread on a large er. pears, oil, salt, and pepp and pears until tensh baking sheet. Roast squa 20 to 25 minutes. , ice tw or der, stirring once gether water, brown to r sti Over medium heat, Add roasted squash and sugar, and chili powder. rve. pears; toss to coat and se Recipe: PCFMA Staff

and other Bay Area locations. Winter squash and other local vegetables and fruits are available at your farmers’ market, and even locally grown flowers are here to decorate your festive holiday table. And, of course, there are local wines and brews to enjoy! Take the “eat local challenge” this holiday season and support local farms, ranchers, shops, nurseries, and your local community. It’s easier, and tastier, than you might think.

(Please note: The Castro Farmers’ Market closes for the season on November 20. We wish to thank our faithful customers for a great season and hope to see you at our other farmers’ markets in your area until we return in the spring. Visit the nearby Divisadero Farmers’ Market at the DMV parking lot, 1375 Fell St., San Francisco.)

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/ Photos courtesy of Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association

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Happy 95th Birthday, Phyllis

Pioneering Lesbian and Civil Rights Activist Phyllis Lyon Ce “Phyllis Lyon is not afraid of the L-word, whether it be lesbian or liberal—or even lipstick ... . Her concerns are limitless, as are her talents.”

–Del Martin (1921–2008)

Pioneering lesbian and civil rights activist Phyllis Lyon turned 95 on Sunday, November 10, and spent the Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin day as she often does: inspiring friends and community leaders with her wisdom, wit, and vitality, all of which are still evident even as she approaches her centenary.

For Lyon’s birthday, Kate Kendell—former Executive Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights who is now with Take Back the Court, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and the San Francisco Bay Times—took Lyon and

Rocket Science Associates CEO Joyce Newstat out for a drive to a beach and a meal. As Kendell reports, “We drove, ate, laughed, talked. And felt grateful every second.” She added, thinking of both Lyon and Newstat, “In the presence of giants.”

It would require volumes to fully cover the achievements of all three women. Focusing on birthday celebrant Lyon for this issue, we compiled what is just a partial timeline of her achievements. We also asked others to share words about the pioneering leader on the occasion of this milestone birthday month.

All of November is indeed shapin a well-deserved celebration of Ly urday, November 2, for example, ily members, and friends went to Daughters at the San Francisco Pla play, by Patricia Cotter and whic near month-long run on that Satu the 60-year journey of a commun from the first secret meeting of th social club in San Francisco to clo the last lesbian bar. We hope that enjoy another run in the Bay Are

Kendra Mon, the daughter of Ly partner Del Martin, told the San

Tributes to Phyllis Lyon on Her 95th Birthday Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Phyllis Lyon is an icon of San Francisco, a trailblazer in our nation’s fight for civil rights, and my dear friend. Phyllis and her late wife, Del Martin, have always been an inspiration to me and to countless other leaders and advocates who have followed in their pioneering footsteps. Whether speaking out for the LGBTQ community, advancing progress for women and families, or ensuring that our most vulnerable communities have access to the care they need to thrive, Phyllis’s vision, values, and voice have been essential to building a brighter future for San Franciscans and all Americans. On behalf of the U.S. Congress, it is a joy to wish Phyllis a wonderful 95th birthday.

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi represents the 12th District of California and serves as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Governor Gavin Newsom Happy birthday to the one and only Phyllis Lyon, who wrote more than a few chapters in the story of our journey towards full equality for the LGBTQ community. Presiding over Phyllis and Del’s wedding during the Winter of Love remains a highlight of my time in public service. We honored not just their love for one another that day, but the big step forward we took, together, for LGBTQ rights and inclusion.

When we honor Phyllis on her 95th birthday, we also honor the community she built and the countless people she continues to inspire. Thank you for helping us build a more inclusive and loving California.

Gavin Newsom is the 40th governor of California. He presided over Phyllis and Del’s wedding while serving as the 42nd mayor of San Francisco (2004–2011).

Jewelle Gomez and Diane Sabin Knowing the history of Daughters of Bilitis and the legend of Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, we never expected to live around the corner from them much less have Phyllis attend our wedding at the Hormel Center of the San Francisco Public Library in 2008. There are many times when we say to someone, “If it weren’t for

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you, I wouldn’t be here today.” Usually we’re overstating the case. But that’s not true with Phyllis Lyon. We looked out at the small family group who’d come to our wedding on the Day of the Dead, just before the vote on Prop 8, and we knew that if Phyllis had not been a relentless, femme activist, our generation and the later generations would not have half the extraordinary (but should be ordinary) rights that we have today.

Jewelle Gomez is a writer and activist. She is the author of the double Lambda Award-winning novel, “The Gilda Stories.” Diane Sabin is the Executive Director of the UCSF Lesbian Health & Research Center.

Reverend Cecil Williams and Janice Mirikitani Happy 95th Birthday to Phyllis Lyon: We met on the edge where revolution and radical love came together, and we—you, Del, and so many others—created a new Frontier. We have been blessed to travel this journey of justice for all people together, and to experience your wisdom, courage, and creativity/innovation for all these years.

You are a living beacon. You have created the brilliant light that shines for everyone into the future about the amazing, breathing, alive Spirit which arises when we are free to define who we really are, live our authentic lives, and love freely whom we choose.

Happy 95th Birthday to our beloved revolutionary and woman warrior for unconditional love of everyone. We are grateful for your spirit, your love, and courage to create real CHANGE for all of us.

Reverend Cecil Williams is the Founder and Minister of Liberation of Glide Memorial United Methodist Church. Janice Mirikitani is Glide’s Founding President.

Joyce Newstat and Susan Lowenberg Happy 95th birthday, Phyllis!

We are so blessed to be part of the community that you and Del built.

With love and gratitude.

Joyce Newstat is the Founder and CEO of Rocket Science Associates.

Susan Lowenberg is the President of the Lowenberg Corporation.

Senator Kamala Harr

Throughout my career in vice, Phyllis has always en to continue working to sec for the vulnerable and the She is a tireless advocate fo and girls and for the princ everybody, no matter who is worthy of dignity and eq proud to call her my friend her a very happy birthday.

Presidential candidate Kamala from California.

Donna Hitchens

Dearest Phyllis, I am so ve ful for your years of friend courage, wisdom, passion, humor, and generosity hav me as well as thousands an of others. Your life has ins enabled us to pursue our d achieve things we never th possible. Happy birthday t and remarkable woman.

Donna Hitchens was the natio serving on the San Francisco S both the Lesbian Rights Projec Rights.

Supervisor Rafael Ma

Phyllis Lyon is a living leg and I am honored to be he resentative on the San Fra cisco Board of Supervisors before I was born, years be Harvey Milk opened his c era shop on Castro Street, decades before the Suprem Court recognized any righ homosexuals at all, she an tural and political changes ple to come out, live authe office. The world is so very lis in it, and we all owe her Birthday, Phyllis!

Rafael Mandelman serves on t representing District 8.

s Lyon!

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

Photos courtesy of Deborah Svoboda www.outoftheshadowsmedia.com

elebrates 95th Birthday

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ng up to be yon. On Sat, Lyon, famthe play The ayhouse. The ch ended its urday, follows nity of women he first lesbian osing night of t the play will ea soon.

yon’s long-time Francisco Bay

Times: “The play was a smash hit as far as we were concerned: nostalgic, educational, funny, sad, and more.” She added that Lyon was honored and greatly enjoyed seeing friends, old and new.

Mon also informed us that Lyon and Martin’s papers have been donated to the GLBT Historical Society and its Dr. John P. De Cecco Archives & Special Collections, which are among the largest and most extensive holdings in the world of materials pertaining to LGBTQ people. Mon indicated that she, Lyon, and others desire that the papers be accessible to the public. She also urges readers here to consider donating memorabilia that may docu-

Phyllis Lyon (center front) with Del Martin's daughter Kendra Mon (left of Phyllis); playwright Patricia Cotter (upper left), director Jessica Holt (lower right) and the cast of The Daughters at San Francisco Playhouse on November 2

ment not only Lyon and Martin’s work, but also your own part in our community’s evolution and history.

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l e

In the meantime, please join us in wishing Lyon a happy birthday and with gratitude for her ongoing efforts to improve the lives of others. As Martin years ago shared, Lyon is proudest of the following effort, inscribed on Lyon’s 1996 Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality Public Service Award: “in recognition and appreciation for her pioneering work in the lesbian movement which forced the world to pay attention to lesbian and gay activists.”

Phyllis Lyon with Cleve Jones at San Francisco City Hall (2014)

ris

Patricia Lyon

Brett Andrews

public serncouraged me cure justice voiceless. or women ciple that o they love, quality. I’m d and to wish y.

There never was a better sister than Phyllis. She helped me through various disasters and I just love her with all my heart.

What Phyllis and Del have done for the LGBT community is amazing. Happy birthday, Phyllis!

Rosa Parks said, “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.” Thank you, Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, for loving yourselves enough to courageously love each other, and always knowing what must be done. In doing so, you gave us permission to do the same—thank you. Happy 95th Birthday, Phyllis Lyon!

a Harris is the junior U.S. Senator

ery gratedship. Your , tenacity, ve inspired nd thousands pired us, and dreams and hought were to a unique

on’s first openly lesbian elected judge, Superior Court bench. She founded ct and the National Center for Lesbian ndelman

gend, er repans. Long efore cam, and me hts for nd Del were agitating for culs that would allow queer peoentically, and even seek elected y much better for having Phylr an enormous debt. Happy 95th

the San Francisco Board of Supervisors

Bay Area resident Patricia Lyon is the sister of Phyllis Lyon.

Diane McCarney and Pauline Shulman We became neighbors with Phyllis and Del when we moved to Duncan Street twenty-five years ago. Our friendship with them has been an amazing adventure.

Though they were a legend, to us they were ordinary people who did extraordinary things. Their activism changed all of our lives for the better.

Diane McCarney and Pauline Shulman have been friends and neighbors of Phyllis Lyon for over two decades.

Kate Kendell Phyllis Lyon’s contributions to lesbian and queer liberation are incalculable. If you are LGBTQ and able to get and keep a job, have sex without being a criminal, marry, adopt children, create a family, feel secure in your own body, hold hands with the one you love, envision a future, celebrate who you are, you owe a debt of thanks to Phyllis and her beloved of 54 years Del Martin. They marked your path.

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

Brett Andrews is the CEO of PRC. Roberta Achtenberg Phyllis and Del were the mothers of our movement. None of us would be who we are without them. Phyllis’ resolve to continue to live a life of generosity and meaning is truly inspiring. Happy Birthday, Phyllis. You are awesome.

Roberta Achtenberg was the first openly LGBT public official in the U.S. whose appointment to a federal position (Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) was confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Betty Sullivan and Jennifer Viegas Phyllis and Del have been inspirations to us since the beginning. They welcomed us with open arms, spent time with each of us, mentored and encouraged us. They changed our world. We both are very grateful for their friendship and support, and in celebration of her 95th birthday, we wish Phyllis joyous days to come.

Betty Sullivan and Jennifer Viegas are the Co-Publishers/Editors of the “San Francisco Bay Times.” Together they bring more than fifty years of working in mainstream and LGBT media.

See the Timeline of Phyllis Lyon's life on Page 20

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80 Years of Fabulous: Honoring Absolute Empress Marlena on a Milestone Birthday Marlena, Absolute Empress XXV of the Imperial Court of San Francisco, is being deservedly showered with numerous tributes and celebrations this milestone birthday month. Today, November 14, is her 80th birthday. Happy Birthday, Marlena!

On November 9, an outdoor screening of the documentary 50 Years of Fabulous, telling the incredible story of the Imperial Court here, took place at Proxy in Hayes Valley in honor of Marlena’s Birthday Month.

The event benefited the GLBT Historical Society. Marlena looked ravishing in an emerald green gown at the well-attended screening, which ended with viewers erupting into enthusiastic cheers.

Like so many of you, we love Marlena. Let us count the ways.

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Elegance When Marlena (Garry McClain) strides on stage, all eyes rivet to her towering presence, beautiful attire, and unmistakable charisma.

Visionary PHOTO BY RINK

Marlena was among the first to recognize the importance of Hayes Valley as a destination for the LGBTQ community and its allies. Her namesake venue at 488 Hayes Street opened shortly after the Loma Prieta earthquake struck. At the time, as the website Grub reported, “Hayes Valley still was in the shadow of the Central Freeway.”

Marlena helped to take this now burgeoning nighttime area out of the shadows.

Generosity For more than 22 years, McClain provided countless opportunities to San Francisco-based nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organizations to freely host their fundraisers at Marlena’s Bar. The bar closed in 2013, but is still very fondly remembered by many.

Down to Earth Diva

PHOTO BY KEN HAM AI

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The comments about Marlena’s online speak to the character of its matriarch. As one customer (“Ruby L.”) wrote of a night at the legendary bar: “The owner sat and talked to us: really outgoing, loves the business, clearly cares about the customers. This place is a bar with regulars and where everybody knows your name if you come often.”

Mentor Many of the world’s greatest drag artists, including Donna Sachet (see “Donna’s Chronicles” in this issue), greatly admire and respect Marlena. She is always ready to lend advice, when needed, and to help in other ways.

As Marlena says, “We are so lucky to live in a city that allows us to be ourselves because I know who I am, what I am, where I am, and why I’m here.”

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PHOTO BY KEN HAMAI

Long live the great Marlena!

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Embodiment of LGBTQ Pride

By Donna Sachet

ednesday, October 30, was a day to mark in the history books! We live in a world where professional sports remains one of the last bastions of LGBTQ discrimination—where especially for males, coming out is not a viable option—but in the Bay Area, the 49ers, the Giants, and the Golden State Warriors have long hosted LGBT Nights and demonstrated other outreach to our Community. Last Wednesday, we accepted the invitation to enter Chase Center, the newest professional sports arena in the world, and perform during the pre-game show. Recognizing the size and scale of such a performance, not to mention its significance, we had decided that a lone figure strolling to center court to sing a song was simply not enough. We enlisted the SF Gay Men’s Chorus, we reached out to friends in the flagging community, and we sought help from Tom Taylor to provide a rainbow flag to complete the production. Working closely with Betty Sullivan and Jen Viegas from this publication and Lexxi Price of the Chase Center, we began the weeks-long process of recruiting volunteers, rehearsing, and refining a rough vision into a finished performance. After several frustrating stops and starts and a grueling on-site rehearsal that afternoon, the evening of the game arrived. With a sold-out house waiting, we were ushered into a holding area to await our moment. And then ... with blazing lights and Chase Center-created LGBT graphics on full display, a lone figure in a Warriors-blue gown and blue and yellow feather boa strode to center court slowly singing I Am What I Am. 50 members of the SF Gay Men’s Chorus followed, evoking their historical place in the LBGT movement from their origin on the steps of City Hall to their recent award-winning documentary film Gay Chorus Deep South. As the second verse began, the tempo picked up and the singing chorus increased the volume, while colorful flags exploded on each side skillfully waved by experienced flaggers, bringing the exuberance for which they are rightfully known. As the third verse commenced, that lone figure re-emerged swathed in a blue satin coat with yellow accents, chorus singing and flaggers flagging, and a team of volunteers of various ages, genders, and backgrounds unfurled a 24’ x 26’ giant original Gilbert Baker rainbow flag in what can only be described as another “only in San Francisco” moment!

Needless to say, scores of thanks go to the many who supported this theatrical production. To all those listed above and all those cheering from the stands, thank you for helping us turn a daring concept into reality. Photographs and video from that night can only suggest a hint of the color, drama, and pride on display at Chase Center that night. We have never been prouder to be exactly who we are, surrounded by such support!

The very next day was Halloween and we were happy to assist Shelley Hann with a spirited costume contest at her Alcheme Salon near Union Square. Suffice it to say, clients and stylists alike immersed themselves in the whimsy of costuming and prize-winners were difficult to choose.

Since joining the Board of Directors of The Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation, Shelley has brought her inimitable style and enthusiasm to every event. We can’t wait to see what she wears to the highly anticipated Soirée on the Bay II, sponsored by Celebrity Cruises and benefiting REAF. The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square opened last Wednesday with special guests from the touring production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Curran Theatre. The opening festivities also featured performances by skaters Alexa & Chris Knierim and Cornell Freeney and a magical breaking of the ice sculpture by Potter star John Skelley, all emceed by Brian Keith with whom we will be co-emceeing the 10th annual Drag Queens on Ice presented by Alaska Airlines on Thursday, December 5, at 8 pm. Our own Paju Munro previewed a bit of that upcoming night with a splendid performance on the ice without missing a single lipsynced lyric! Don’t miss December 5 with a host of surprises to celebrate this 10th year of Drag Queens on Ice! Cirque du Soleil returns to San Francisco with their newest production Amaluna, a dazzling tribute to female strength and creativity, housed in their signature tents near Chase Center by the waterfront. We recently enjoyed opening night with Skye Paterson and were once again stunned by the masterful lighting, extraordinary staging, incredible costumes, death-defying performances, and overall theatricality of the production. Don’t miss this wonderful addition to the entertainment selections in San Francisco!

The week-long celebration of the 80th birthday of Marlena, Absolute Empress XXV, began appropriately in the Proxy SF park space on Octavia Boulevard adjacent to the bar formerly known as Marlena’s. In a scene reminiscent of those days when drive-in theatres were popular, a festive crowd braved last Saturday’s cold weather to view David Lassman and Jethro Patalinghug’s awardwinning documentary 50 Years of Fabulous, charting the history of the Imperial Court of San Francisco. We can’t recommend this film more strongly!

Whether you are familiar with the Imperial Court, interested in the Gay civil rights struggle, or simply intrigued by the unique history of San Francisco, you’ll be pulled into the story this movie tells of the tremendous contributions of so many Imperial Court titleholders and the organization’s ongoing search for relevance. From 1990–2013, Marlena’s was a primary hang-out for Imperial Court members and hosted drag shows practically every weekend night. In a nod to the many performances there over the years, especially by the Hayes Valley Follies, Empress Alexis Miranda emceed a rollicking drag show preceding the film, concluding with Marlena herself reprising her popular medley of songs, including "San Francisco." The crowd was ecstatic! The evening ended at the cozy Dobb’s Ferry bar up the street where Emperors, Empresses, Ducals, Imperials, and their admirers mixed amiably with film Producer Marc Smolowitz and others involved in the film’s completion. Congratulations to William Bulkley and Emperor John Carrillo for tirelessly navigating the many City agencies involved in such an outdoor event; it was truly a memorable night!

And finally, we are thrilled to announce that Brian Kent has again stepped in to produce Songs of the Season, the annual holiday cabaret benefiting PRC, Tuesday and Wednesday, December 10 and 11, at Feinstein’s at Nikko Hotel. Expect special new guest stars and other surprises as well as the charm and sentiment that have endeared this event to so many. Without PHOTO BY SHAWN NORTHCUTT

–Sir Ian McKellan

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

The Starlight Room Sir Francis Drake Hotel 10:30 am Brunch, 11:30 am Show $75 inclusive https://starlightroomsf.com/sundays-a-drag Friday, November 15 Winter Onesie Party!

Don your best onesie and join the fun Benefiting SF Suicide Prevention, DJ Ricky Sixx 9 pm–2 am $5 https://bit.ly/2NB5MYU Saturday, November 16 Trashy vs. Classy, Krewe de Kinque Ruthless, vicious, & spiteful charity drag contest Hosted by Mark Paladini & Don Ho Benefits Compton’s Transgender Cultural District The Edge, 4149 18th Street 4 pm–7 pm www.edgesf.com Saturday, November 16 Marlena’s 80th Birthday continues Twin Peaks Tavern, Castro & Market Celebrate with a San Francisco legend 6 pm–9 pm Free! But buy a drink Saturday, November 23 Reigning Emperor & Empress Monthly Fundraiser Open show with lively entertainment Beaux, 2344 Market Street 4 pm–7 pm www.imperialcouncilsf.org Wednesday, November 27 San Francisco Empresses’ Fifth Annual Bake Sale Hosted by Absolute Empress L, Khmera Rouge The Lookout, 3600 16th Street 6 pm–9 pm www.imperialcouncilsf.org

PHOTO COURTESY OF DONNA SACHET

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Donna’s Chronicles

“The temptation is not to exercise when you get older.

Well, you should.”

Donna celebrating Halloween at Alcheme Salon in Union Square with owner Shelley Hann

much effort, Brian has convinced us to perform a few musical numbers as well. Please contact us privately if you are interested in special sponsorship opportunities and please join us for another delightful Songs of the Season!

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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Happy 95th Birthday, Phyllis Lyon!

Phyllis Lyon Timeline Below is a timeline highlighting just some of the key moments in the life of feminist and gay rights activist Phyllis Lyon, who is still going strong at the age of 95.

1924 - Born, Tulsa, Oklahoma, on November 10

1979 - Lyon-Martin Health Services was founded

1943 - Graduated from Sacramento High School

1989- Phyllis and Del joined Old Lesbians Organizing for Change (OLOC)

1946 - Awarded degree in journalism, University of California, Berkeley; served as a reporter for the Daily Californian 1940s - Worked as a reporter for the Chico Enterprise-Record 1950 - Met Del Martin for the first time (in Seattle) 1950s - Worked at magazines in Seattle published by Pacific Builder and Engineer 1952 - Phyllis and Del became lovers 1953 - Phyllis and Del on Valentine’s Day moved into a Castro Street apartment and adopted a kitten 1955 - Phyllis and Del were among the founders of the Daughters of Bilitis (DOB) in San Francisco; the DOB was the first lesbian civil and political rights organization in the U.S.

2003 - Premiere of No Secret Anymore: The Times of Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, directed by Joan E. Biren, was held at the Castro Theatre 2003 - On February 12, Mayor Gavin Newsom married Phyllis and Del in San Francisco at City Hall 2004 - The couple’s marriage was voided on August 12 by the California Supreme Court

1956 - Phyllis served as Editor of The Ladder (until 1963); the publication continued until 1970. The Ladder was the first nationally distributed lesbian publication in the U.S.

2006 - Phyllis and Del were featured in Different Daughters: A History of the Daughter of Bilitis and the Birth of the Lesbian Rights Movement by Marcia M Gallo

1964 - Phyllis began work at Glide Memorial Church and continued until retiring in 1987

2008 - On June 16, Phyllis and Del become the first same-sex couple to be married after the California Supreme Court decision concerning In re Marriage Cases

1971 - Phyllis and Del expanded policies of NOW to include lesbian rights 1972 - Phyllis and Del were among the first members of the Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club 1972 - Phyllis and Del authored the groundbreaking book Lesbian Woman, first published by Glide Memorial Church and Bantam Books. The book is considered a foundational text of lesbian feminism.

1973 - Phyllis and Del authored Lesbian Love and Liberation 1975 - Del authored Battered Wives after Phyllis received calls at Glide from women who were victims of domestic violence 1978 - Phyllis and Del chaired San Franciscans Against Proposition 6 (Briggs Initiative)

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2000 - Phyllis and Del signed on as a plaintiff couple in In re Marriage Cases filed against the California law enacted by the passage of Proposition 22

2005 - Phyllis and Del were inducted to the LGBT Journalists Hall of Fame by the National Association of Lesbian and Gay Journalists

1967 - Phyllis and Del became the first lesbian couple to join the National Organization for Women (NOW)

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1995 - Del and Phyllis served as Delegates to the White House Conference on Aging

1955 - The couple bought a home together on Duncan Street in Noe Valley

1964 - Del and Phyllis helped to found the Council on Religion and the Homosexual (CRH) with Glide Memorial Methodist Church.

The CRH was the first official group in the U.S. to use the word “homosexual” in its name.

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1993 - The couple was featured in the film Last Call at Maud’s

2008 - On August 27, Del passed away with Phyllis by her side 2013 - On June 26, a ceremony at San Francisco City Hall celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court declining to hear the California case against same-sex marriage; two days later, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals lifted its stay, allowing same-sex marriages to proceed in California 2014 - The San Francisco Bay Times honored Phyllis’ 90th birthday with a special issue dedicated to her life and achievements: https://bit.ly/33LbCMX 2016 - LGBT activist Cleve Jones’ book When We Rise: My Life in the Movement was published and includes information about Phyllis and Del 2017 - Actress Maddie Corman plays Phyllis in the ABC miniseries based on Jones’ book 2019 - The play The Daughters, inspired by Phyllis and Del’s activism as well as that of other lesbians, holds its world premiere at the San Francisco Playhouse on October 9 2019 - Phyllis celebrated her 95th birthday on November 10

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From the Coming Up Events Calendar See page 28

Tuesday, November 19 - The Hip Hop Nutcracker @ The Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland. A holiday mash-up for the whole family reimagining Tchaikovsky’s classic score through explosive hip hop choreography. 7:30pm. http://www.paramounttheatre.com

Out Filmmaker’s Latest Drama Is a Twisty Mystery tographer. As he takes her photograph, Lucy and Teiji connect.

They agree to go out to eat, talking frankly about their lives. He brings her back to his studio and takes more photographs. Their attraction develops, and they continue to have photo sessions and meals. However, Lucy’s new romance is disrupted by the arrival of Lily.

Film Gary M. Kramer Written and directed by out gay filmmaker Wash Westmoreland, Earthquake Bird is a twisty and absorbing adaptation of Susanna Jones’ celebrated novel.

The juicy drama, available on Netflix November 15, is set in 1989 Tokyo. Lucy Fly (Alicia Vikander) works as a translator. She has been living in Japan for more than five years, having escaped a troubled youth in Sweden. One morning, she is taken in for questioning by two detectives investigating the disappearance—and possible death— of Lily Bridges (Riley Keough), an American whom Lucy befriended.

Lucy may, in fact, have been the last person to see Lily alive.

Earthquake Bird toggles back and forth in time starting with how Lucy was picked up by Teiji (Naoki Kobayashi), a tall, handsome pho-

The young women are introduced at a karaoke bar by their mutual friend Bob ( Jack Huston).

Lucy helps Lily, who knows little to no Japanese, to do things like order food, find an apartment, and settle into the rhythms of life in Tokyo. Lily comes to rely on Lucy, but Lucy would rather be with her boyfriend.

Earthquake Bird chronicles how Lucy deals with both Lily and Teiji.

Whereas Lily is needy, dropping by unexpectedly, Teiji is secretive, keeping files of his photographs in a locked cabinet. Lucy also experiences tremors with each of them: once, when an earthquake rattles Lucy and Teiji in his studio, and another time when Lily is sleeping over Lucy’s. The city’s unstable foundation is a good metaphor for Lucy’s fragile emotional state.

What slowly becomes apparent— and what makes Westmoreland’s film so compelling—is that Lucy may be an unreliable narrator. As she recounts things to the detectives, or to other people, the truth may be slightly different than what she says. Moreover, Lucy insists that “death follows me,” and as she witnesses a fatal accident, or reveals unfortunate events from her life, her statement sounds convincing. And when Lily reads Lucy’s palm, there is a suggestion that things may be dire for her.

Westmoreland seems to have fun keeping viewers guessing at the truth, and he enjoys putting some ambiguous scenes in Earthquake Bird. When Lily arranges to sleep in-between Lucy and Teiji, the women first kiss each other and then they each kiss Teiji. Is their relationship developing into a threesome? Not if Lucy can help it. She acts pretty jealous when Lily dances with Teiji at a club one evening.

Earthquake Bird does pivot on the didLucy-or-didn’t-Lucy murder Lily, and while the film does eventually answer that question, it is more fun diving deep into Lucy’s complicated backstory or her more recent state

of uneasiness. Flashbacks hint at Lucy’s dark past, and a story she tells is pretty shocking. Likewise, a trip to Sado island that the trio takes starts out friendly, but it soon gets uncomfortable—especially when Lucy experiences a sudden illness. Could it have been that fish eye she ate, or something more sinister?

It is easy to poke holes in the plotting, where seemingly nefarious doings are simply explained, but picking nits ruins this entertaining film.

Watching Lucy question everything one minute and take control the next is thrilling, in part, because of Alicia Vikander’s committed performance.

She can feel terribly guilty and worn down and then suddenly be conniving.

One of the more suspenseful sequences has Lucy getting caught red-handed breaking into Teiji’s photo cabinet. As she admits her bad behavior and breaks his trust, she apologizes in a way that shows not just her regret, but also her silent personal pride in her transgression. She may be docile like good Japanese women are, but she has a feistiness about her that still comes out to play.

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QUEER POP QUIZ

WHEREFORE ART THOU When novelist and out lesbian Gertrude Stein (1874–1946) famously wrote, “ ... there is no there there,” this is where she meant: A) San Francisco B) San Jose C) Oakland D) Paris ANSWER ON PAGE 26

Earthquake Bird also benefits from relative newcomer (and J-pop dancer) Kobayashi’s turn at Teiji. He is seductive and mysterious, and it is easy to see why both Lucy and Lily fall under his spell. In support, Riley Keough is terrific as the ugly American whose innocent actions may belie a more calculated and deceptive motive. The sexual tensions that percolate and ricochet among the three attractive leads infuse the film with its frisson.

Westmoreland does include a few red herrings as the story builds to its dramatic climax, and some of Earthquake Bird may feel manipulative or unsatisfying. But those faults will be overlooked by viewers who go on this reckless thrill ride. © 2019 Gary M. Kramer Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the co-editor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.” Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer

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

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

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Reflections on Motown, Cars, and Libraries

Words Michele Karlsberg Michele Karlsberg: Author Cheryl Head, who describes herself as a mysterious writer who also writes crime/mystery books, is featured in this issue of the San Francisco Bay Times. I recently saw a social network post where Cheryl referred to the importance of libraries. I agree and it led me to ask Cheryl to write about what libraries mean to her. Her fourth book in the Charlie Mack Motown Mystery Series, Judge Me When I Am Wrong, was recently published.

Cheryl Head: As a black girl growing up in Detroit’s inner city in the 60s, I held in reverence three things: Motown, cars, and the library. Each offered joy, adventure, and the freedom to explore. Each had the potential to transport me to places I hadn’t seen; reveal ideas beyond my experience; and spark dreams I couldn’t imagine. One thing gave the library an edge— unlike the latest model Corvette, or the newest hit by the Supremes– it never went out of style.

I lived on Detroit’s east side, without proximity to a walkable library

branch, so we got monthly (Saturday) visits from a bookmobile. Standing in line, waiting my turn to enter, was comparable in anticipation only to queuing for the Good Humor ice cream truck. Crammed into that tiny library space was an expansive amount of knowledge and entertainment. Sections on science, mythology, adventure stories, biographies, and my favorite: juvenile detective novels. In my eyes, the bookmobile librarian was doubly interesting because she loved books, and she got to drive. Had she allowed a Temptations album to be the vehicle’s ambient sound, well, she’d have been perfection.

My first solo trip to a branch library involved a 17-minute bus ride downtown. My mother allotted two hours for my visit and return. I clutched my library card in one hand, and tugged at the handle of the double doors with the other. After a few tentative steps on the marble floor I stopped to take in the quiet.

The oldest of five siblings, and with no alone time at home, I was enthralled by the library’s peacefulness. But I was in search of more detective stories, and the game was afoot, so I moved quickly to the card catalog to unlock the clues. Within an hour I had five books to checkout. The desk librarian peered at me through cat-eye glasses, smiling; sharing my enthusiasm for my finds.

The date-stamp in the back of each book not only mandated its timely return, but also assured me of a second visit.

The first inkling that I was probably queer came from my visits to the library. (Being smitten with the bookmobile librarian went right over my head.) I loved Nancy Drew, but I wanted to be a Hardy Boy. They

flew Piper Cubs, explored cemeteries at night, and hid in empty train cars. It was action that appealed to my tomboyish nature. Years later, my gayness was confirmed as I sat for hours in a corner of the Wayne State University library reading non-fiction about queer life, and fiction with women-loving-women themes. These were books I didn’t dare read, or have, at home.

My love of the mystery/crime genre, honed at the library, is why I now write my own private eye series. I still visit libraries—often for research; sometimes to read for book clubs. Because, for me there’s still nothing better than to hear a Motown beat, ride in a sweet car, or sit in the creative refuge of a library.

Cheryl Head writes the Charlie Mack Motown Mystery series (Lambda Literary finalist for Book One). Head was installed in the 2019 Saints and Sinners Hall of Fame and is a board member of the Golden Crown Literary Society.

Michele Karlsberg Marketing and Management specializes in publicity for the LGBTQI community.

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

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

Take Me Home with You!

Django

“My name is Django. I just moved to the city and I’m hoping to meet someone special who will help to show me the ropes.

There’s a lot going on here! Since I’m still getting used to everything, my ideal home would be peaceful and quiet. I’ve got a lot of love to give to the right person, and I can’t wait to get my second chance. Come say hello and let’s see if it’s a match!”

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

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

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

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ROSTOW (continued from page 13)

FISCHER (continued from page 4) But come on, we argue! We’re just talking about protecting hard working Americans against pure prejudice in the workplace and maybe elsewhere. We say “maybe elsewhere” because we understand that a ruling to expand the definition of sex discrimination in Title VII, the workplace law under consideration by the Court, would effectively expand that definition throughout federal law.

the policy to begin with) while most of the other new complaints were duplicates or unrelated to the subject. Thanks New York Times.

Careful What You Wish For I’m trying to avoid entire columns devoted to legal news, or weighted heavily in that direction, but I have to point out something. Have you been reading that Congress is trying to reopen the ratification window for the Equal Rights Amendment?

As you know, the Constitution cannot be amended without a corresponding vote by three fourths of the state legislatures. The ERA, which would ban sex discrimination in the Constitution, was approved

by Congress in 1972 and ratified by 35 states, three short of passage, by the 1982 deadline. But the deadline was not written in stone, advocates say. Indeed, Congress arguably has the power to simply pass a bill to extend the ratification deadline for the 1972 amendment and/or remove the deadline altogether.

And if the ERA resurfaces and becomes the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?

Well, um, logically, that would mean that a ruling in our favor in these two big sex bias cases would enshrine gay rights and/or transgender rights into the text of the Constitution under the umbrella of the new Amendment that states: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” Don’t misunderstand me, I think that would be terrific. But I also think the prospect of such a profound and permanent decision for gay rights would be too scary for the Court majority, who would not only screech to a full stop short of the Title VII workplace decisions, but would also make sure that a harsh ruling moved them far away from the edge of the cliff that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. You see the dilemma?

Since 1982, two more states have ratified the ERA, while five states claim to have taken back their ratification (which is probably illegal under the rules). Now that Virginia has turned its legislature blue, a 38th state looms on the horizon so the ERA is back in the headlines.

Sounds good, right?

I have some fears. Our legal status as GLBTs is hanging by a thread as the High Court decides whether or not discrimination “because of sex” under federal law includes sexual orientation and/or transgender status.

Tales from The Candy Planet Pet Cafe By the way, speaking of the High Court, did you see that Justices Alito and Kavanaugh had a meeting the other day with Brian Brown, president of the antigay National Organization for Marriage, along with two other far right kooks who are hoping to oust the pope? That’s from Mother Jones, which featured a photo of the conclave in what looks to be a Court dining room.

At oral arguments, we watched Justice Gorsuch furrow his brow over whether the courts should take into account the “drastic social upheaval” that would accompany a ruling in our favor. Even though courts have been extending sex discrimination protections to gay plaintiffs for years, and even though two dozen states protect us against bias as do the majority of Fortune 500 companies, there’s still a feeling that America isn’t quite ready for gay equality, let alone trans rights.

Alito doesn’t surprise me. But aside from his beer drinking and sexual assaults, Kavanaugh is something of a blank slate. And how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln? At any rate, news bits like this one dirty things up.

Finally, my cousin (for whose brother I selected the Christmas flask) has alerted us to the news that—for a price—you can dye your dog to look like a panda. The service is available at a pet cafe in southwest China, where you can have your dog transformed to his or her ultimate cuteness for about $212.00.

Entrepreneur Lu Yunning, 21, owner of the Candy Planet Pet Cafe in Chengdu, tells Reuters that his cafe is now attracting 80 customers a day, although not all of them take the panda treatment. His cafe also offers washes and hotel services.

Spoilsports at PETA have decried the panda pet process, warning that the dyes can cause allergic reactions and that the process is stressful for the dogs. Ah yes, but what’s the old saying, “in pain, beauty and beauty pain?”

Oh, and finally finally finally, I was seduced by an irresistible piece of clickbait the other day, featuring what looked like the crew of an icebreaker or some other northern vessel, playing fetch with a sweet beluga whale. The guys would throw a rugby ball into the sea, and the whale would gleefully race to get it, and nose it back 50 yards or so to the boat where the whale’s new friends would retrieve it and throw it back.

It turns out that, of course, the touching video masked a darker reality. The whale’s friendliness reflected the fact that it was a trained animal, formerly a Russian spy whale who trusted humans and had at some point become dangerously dependent on human interaction. Scientists had worked hard to get this whale to survive as an independent creature in the wild, so the interference of the guys in the boat was a setback for him.

Can’t someone just adopt this little guy and feed him and play with him and keep him safe? Does he really have to fend for himself? What happened to his Russian handlers? Do you think he would like to be dyed like a panda? arostow@aol.com

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KIT’N KITTY’S

QUEER POP QUIZ ANSWER (Question on pg 21) C) Oakland

Though stated philosophically, the oft-quoted phrase by Stein referred to Oakland and more specifically to the site of her childhood home there at 13th Avenue and E. 25th Street. She wrote the comment in her 1937 book Everybody’s Autobiography after she learned that her family’s house had been torn down to make room for an office park. The site is once again residential and is now just a few blocks away from Highland Hospital.

his frame of reference, but I’m pretty sure that the residents of District 5 want to feed their families, educate their children, secure (or keep) safe housing, and instead of having other people say what’s best for the community, they want to provide input from within their own community.

While this election was a referendum on disruption, it’s one thing to bang on the door and demand change, but it’s a whole other ball game to be on the inside and have to actually deliver results. I hope for the sake of the City that these newly elected officials realize this because the consequences of failure are too dire.

By the Numbers 495,050 - Registered voters in San Francisco;

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

GALLOTTA (continued from page 6) the finish line, but we know where we’re going. And it’s in a promising new direction away from the status quo.

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

MILLER (continued from page 9) One useful exercise is to imagine that you have $100 to invest. How much would you put toward each goal? Giving your goals a priority ranking can help you to decide things like if you should alter your timelines or shed lesser dreams.

Break your goals into manageable bits.

That old saying about eating an elephant one bite at a time applies to your major goals, too. Don’t look at how much you have to save for a down payment on a house. Look at what you can put away each month to reach that amount. Keep the focus on what you can do today, not how far you have to go.

Track your progress regularly.

Hold yourself accountable, whether that’s an app that monitors your advancement or someone who can nudge you along and keep you focused. You can keep it interesting by doing things like betting a friend that you can save a thousand a month for a year or you’ll have to do their laundry for two months.

Celebrate your wins.

Don’t forget to pat yourself on the back as you go along. Milestone celebrations help to keep you motivated and reward you for your planning and discipline. And they remind you of how much fun it will be to actually achieve that dream.

As for when you do finally cross the goal line? Well, I suggest taking a deep breath and proclaiming to the world, “GOOOOOOOOOOAL!” The opinions expressed in this article are for general informational purposes only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual or on any specific security. Brio does not provide tax or legal advice, and nothing contained in these materials should be taken as such. To determine which investments may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor prior to investing.

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

Brio Financial Group is a registered investment adviser. SEC Registration does not constitute an endorsement of Brio by the SEC nor does it indicate that Brio has attained a particular level of skill or ability. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Brio Financial Group and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure.

No advice may be rendered by Brio Financial Group unless a client service agreement is in place.

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

RUTH (continued from page 9) panel that mirrors your fingers as they steer.

more cubic feet of cargo space, with all seats up.

The Telluride’s interior continues its Old World tendencies, with a pareddown dashboard and warm wood accents. The console has squaredoff handles rising on either side of the flat plane for the shifter and cupholder. Where the Hyundai sculpts its trim into value-added massiveness, the Kia makes it almost exoskeletal. Functionally they’re about the same, though your writer has a strong preference for the Telluride’s traditional T-bar shifter, which has a much more communicative action than the buttons provided on the Palisade.

The Palisade and Telluride share the same 3.8-liter V6 engine and eightspeed automatic transmission. Its 291 horses outnumber the Honda Pilot’s by 11, and they have the starch to make these 4,300-pound SUVs feel nimble. It’s not as smooth as the Pilot’s, but the grumbles coming from the Hyundai and Kia V6 are more characterful than discordant.

Two notable advantages: the Palisade has three more inches of front legroom, while the Telluride has three 26

206,025 - Total ballots collected (as of November 10); 41.6% - Percentage of voter turnout; 146,604 - Vote by mail ballots (71%); 59,416 - Election day ballots (29%); 600 (approximate) - Number of polling places in SF.

So, which of these covers would you choose? It’s an easy choice, because while the Palisade and Telluride tell different stories, they have the same happy ending.

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

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun

Sister Dana sez, “Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Or as I like to call it: ‘ThanksGaying,’ because I am Thankful to be Gay. TGIG: Thank God I’m Gay!” To kick off TRANSGENDER AWARENESS MONTH, on November 1, Mayor London Breed, Senator Scott Wiener, Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, the Office of Transgender Initiatives, and the trans community and alllies celebrated successes and committed to combating the prejudice, discrimination, and violence that affect the transgender community. They gave inspiring speeches and raised the official transgender flag at City Hall.

A new exhibition at the GLBT Historical Society Museum uses textiles, costumes, photographs, and ephemera to paint a complex portrait of San Francisco artist Gilbert Baker (1951–2017), who designed the iconic rainbow flag as a symbol of the LGBTQ community. We fans of Gilbert (and good friends as fellow nuns) attended the grand reception at the Museum on November 1.

First displayed at the 1978 San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade, the flag has transcended its humble, hand-sewn origins to become an internationally recognized symbol.

I am so proud that decades ago, Gilbert sewed me a very special miniskirt made of his actual rainbow flag material that I have worn every single SF Pride Parade. Curated

by Joanna Black and Jeremy Prince, PERFORMANCE, PROTEST, AND POLITICS - the works of Gilbert Baker are now on display at the GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM, 4127 18th Street all November. My fave Gilbert gowns on display are the turquoise blue Statue of Liberty, the red-whiteand-blue Betsy Ross creation, and the floor-length gold sequined hooded piece—all of which Gilbert proudly donned in demonstrations.

But the not happy clothes on display are the striking striped concentration uniforms with pink triangles from the Nazi era—although have we really exited the Nazi times these modern days?

The SF Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence offered a sacred blessing involving the colors of Gilbert’s rainbow flag. I got to represent purple, my special royal queer color. Supervisor

November 1 was truly a night for art, because STRUT, the 470 Castro Street hub of queer health and social welfare, gave a lovely reception for the gorgeous art of Serge Gay Jr.— whom I have raved about so many times (including the Halloween edition of the Bay Times). So, let me just point out my faves: “Down the Rabbit Hole” with a handsome barechested guy in rabbit ears above an outstretched naked man. Second to that are all the sketches in progress he has made, some of which were in the studios of artist and mentor of many, Thomasina DeMaio. But the most dramatic in the room are part of the overwhelming GIGANTIC leather pictorial assemblage of jacket, cap, boots, gloves, briefs, and dark sunglasses. Sooo very Folsom to the max! Go see these! https://www.sfaf.org/locations/strut/ KATHY GRIFFIN’s film, “A HELL OF A STORY, A DocuComedy,” was followed by a fascinating, incisive Q&A by Kate Kendell, former executive director of the NATIONAL CENTER FOR LESBIAN RIGHTS (NCLR). The inspirational event was at the Castro Theatre on November 2, hosted

by Mark Rhoades and benefiting THE RICHMOND/ERMET AID FOUNDATION. Of course, the movie centered around the infamous “decapitated Trump” photo and how Griffin fought back with humor, while shedding emotional tears backstage and behind the scenes. We followed her on her international tour. She proudly stood for freedom of speech, despite the death threats. Griffin was greatly honored with Certificates of Recognition presented by Senator Scott Wiener and SF Supervisor Rafael Mandelman (signed unanimously by the entire Board of Supervisors).

And it was officially named KATHY GRIFFIN DAY in San Francisco

by Mayor London Breed. Also, The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence sainted the woman. She could get no better reception than us queers in the center of the Gay Universe—clapping, hooting, and hollering for our hero!

On November 5, I joined THE SISTERS OF PERPETUAL INDULGENCE in BINGO at Almanac brewery and taproom in Alameda. I just love pulling balls with the nuns!

Trump has been threatening to hold back Federal aid for California wildfires, blaming our governor, adding no heartfelt sympathy for these awful tragedies; but Governor Gavin Newsom wittily fired back, “You don’t believe in climate change. You are excused from this conversation.” Ohhh snap!

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Rafael Mandelman spoke of the importance of this exhibition and how Baker helped immensely in the fight for Gay Rights. Mandelman introduced Black and Prince who echoed that sentiment and made a point that we must help build a national LGBTQ museum in San Francisco. And who else but Executive Director Terry Beswick brought that fact home and urged folks to support that vital effort! I just pray that it is somehow here in the Castro.

On November 7, the AIDS LEGAL REFERRAL PANEL (ALRP) of the San Francisco Bay Area Dennis McMillan (aka Sister Dana) surrounded by friends at the Castro Theatre on Saturday, November 2, for the REAF ben- commemorated 36 years efit screening of Kathy Griffin: A Hell of a Story. Following the of serving the legal needs screening, Kathy Griffin was interviewed on stage by San of people living with Francisco Bay Times columnist Kate Kendell. Mark Rhoades HIV/AIDS throughserved as host for the evening.

out the SF Bay Area by hosting its ALRP FROM THE HEART 36th Annual Reception. Their biggest fundraising event of the year featured special guest host Supervisor Rafael Mandelman who helped to honor the tremendous contributions of long-time supporter and Panel Attorney Connie Hiatt, JD, with the Clint Hockenberry Leadership Award in recognition of her years of dedication and support of people living with HIV/AIDS. Also recognized was ALRP Panel Attorney John E. Fasesky, Esq., with the Attorney of the Year Award, and the law firm Kosinski & Thiagaraj, LLP, with the Firm of the Year Award. ALRP’s Executive Director Bill Hirsh noted that despite a difficult economic climate for HIV/AIDS fundraising and a 66% increase in its caseload over the last fifteen years, ALRP continues to provide free and sliding scale legal services to over 1,500 people living with HIV/AIDS each year.

Sister Dana sez, “There’s more to NOVEMBER than Turkey and Pumpkin Pie, so check out these non-Thanksgiving events!”

The annual STAFF, MEMBERS & VOLUNTEERS EXHIBIT portrays a current look at what is being created in the Darkrooms and Digital Labs at the HARVEY MILK PHOTO CENTER by their members, staff, and volunteers. I attended the opening reception on November 8. This exciting exhibit has been curated by staff members and generous volunteers to encompass a wide and exciting subject matter. Check out “Día de los Muertos,” a solarized print by Mitch Parker, differing from the usual colorful Day of the Dead views as a somber black portrayal. All viewable now through December 8 at 50 Scott Street. http://harveymilkphotocenter.org/ LIVING ANGELS is a group art show curated by Thomasina DeMaio depicting caretakers in our community. They were on the frontlines during the 1980s until now, taking care of people and their needs. The show is currently on display at Eureka Valley Recreation Center, 100 Collingwood Street. https://bit.ly/33zJP1Y TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE is November 20. Honor the lives of those we have lost as we continue to work toward justice and equality for transgender people. See page 4 of this issue for a listing of related events.

THE ROLE OF ART IN A PERIOD OF POLITICAL TURMOIL is exhibited at SPARK ARTS, 4229 18th Street, now through November 30. It is definitely anti-Trump, especially the witty political paintings by Rob Cox. I am very sad to announce that after the December showing, Spark Arts will be closing down. Humbug! Another great art venue in the Castro dies because of rent increases. December 5 is their very last reception.

ART ATTACK is presenting ANOTHER (SWELL) SHOW featuring the works of SAN FRANCISCO ART INSTITUTE artists on view now through December 1, 2358 Market Street. Everything including soft sculpture, purses, ceramics, and paintings.

Don’t miss #32, a tattooed, purple-sparkled bespectacled man in acrylic paint and pens on canvas by Maria Kleis. https://www.artattacksf.com In response to a wave of discriminatory anti-LGBTQ laws and the divisive 2016 election, the SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN’S (continued on page 30) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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COMING UP

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

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GLIDE Annual Holiday Jam Dare to Love @ The Masonic, 1111 California. Live Nation presents this annual event supporting GLIDE’s Daily Free Meals program will feature vocalist and songwriter Lisa Fischer with the GLIDE Ensemble and The Change Band. http://www.sfmasonic.com

Rocket Dog Rescue Piedmont Monthly Adoption Event @ Pet Food Express Oakland - Piedmont, 3868 Piedmont Avenue. Come out and meet your new best friend at this monthly event. 1-5pm. http://www.rocketdogrescue.org

BiteLife @ NightLife LIVE, California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, 55 Music Concourse Drive. This particular evening in the ongoing NIghtLife series will offer opportunities to explore the science of taste and flavor with demos, tals and samples from some of the Bay Area’s most innovative tastemasters.6pm. http://www.calacademy.org

Running Wild: Book Event @ Books Inc, 1491 Shattuck Avenue.

An LGBT community favorite, author Lucy Jane Bledsoe will present her new novel along with wine, stories and pictures of wolves and bears. 7-8pm. http://www.lucyjanebledsoe.com Beth Brant Book Launch with Sinister Wisdom @ James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center, SF Public Library, 100 Larkin Street.

Featured readers will celebrate the life and legacy of Beth Brant on the occasion of the publication of A Generous Spirit: Selected Work by Beth Brant, edited by Janice Gould.

6-7:30pm. http://www.sfpl.org

15 Friday Testmatch World Premiere @ A.C.T.’s Strand Theater, 1127 Market Street. A.C.T.’s Tony Award Winning artistic director Pam MacKinnon directs the launch of the new play by Kate Attwell that questions colonialsim, gender and power. 7:30pm. Continues through December 8. http://www.act-sf.org Servicemember Celebration (Do Ask/Do Tell) @ SF LGBT Center, 1800 Market Street.

The event includes screenings of short films and a Q&A with a lineup of special guests, including Retired U.S. Navy Seal Kristin Beck, U.S. Navy Veteran Ms. Billie Cooper and more. 6-10pm. https://bit.ly/2X6mzWS Friday Night Party @ White Horse Inn, 6551 Telegraph Avenue.

This every Friday event features drink specials, dancing and live DJs. 9pm-2am. http://www.whitehorsebar.com

16 Saturday #Qtease @ The Stud, 399 9th Street. Described as a queer burlesque and cabaret experience, the show is performed on Saturdays at a longstanding and beloved LGBTQ bar. 6:30pm. http://www.studsf.com Phasers on Stun: All Our Tomorrows @ Stage Werx, 445 Valencia. An improvised Star Trek trip to the outer reaches of the universe with intergalactic humor, cosmic exploration and planethopping adventure. 8pm. http://www.stagewerx.org The Temptations and The Four Tops @ The Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland.

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Disco Daddy #98 @ SF Eagle, 398 12th Street. DJ Bus Station John hosts this post-beer bust tea dance. 7pm-12am. http://www.eaglesf.com

18 Monday Gallery of Illustrious Queers: Portraits by Jordan Reznick @ James C. Hormel LGBTQIA Center, SF Public Library, 100 Larkin Street. The exhibit, continuing through January 16, 2020, is based on the idea that honoring the breadth of trans people’s embodiments and life experiences will build the movement for transgender pride and liberation. Check daily schedule. http://www.sfpl.org Paint Nite: Sky Full of Blossoms @ Flore, 2298 Market. The event is one in an ongoing series on Mondays where you’ll be provided with paint, canvas, brushes, easels and a professional guide leading you in painting and you’ll take home your own masterpiece. 7-9pm. http://www.yaymaker.com

19 Tuesday The Hip Hop Nutcracker @ The Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakland. A holiday mash-up for the whole family re-imagining Tchaikovsky’s classic score through explosive hip hop choreography. 7:30pm. http://www.paramounttheatre.com The King @ The Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street. Rising star Timothée Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name) is King in this adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry the Fifth.

5:15pm and 8pm. http://www.castrotheatre.com

20 Wednesday Democratic Debate Watch Party @ Manny’s, 3092 16th Street. Enjoy the camaraderie while watching the debates, plus drink specials, games and more. 5pm. http://www.welcometomannys.com San Francisco Opera’s Manon Lescaut @ War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Avenue. The opera that skyrocketed Giacomo Puccini to success tells the story of giving up true love for luxury and then wanting it back. Runs through November 26. 7:30pm. http://www.sfopera.org Arts & Ideas Series: Shrill’s Lindy West @ JCCSF, 3200 California. Your ticket will include a copy of her latest book The Witches Are Coming, as New York Times columnist and Shrill TV series writer Lindy West brings her humor and insight asking, “How did we get here?” 7pm. http://www.jccsf.org

United Dems Mission Happy Hour with Team @ El Rio, 3158 Mission Street. A legendary United Dems happy hour at the beloved neighborhood bar. 6-8pm. http://uniteddems.org Cher @ Chase Center, 1 Warriors Way. Cher brings her national tour to San Francisco for one night only.

7:30pm. http://www.ticketmaster.com

22 Friday CAfe YIMBY with Assemblymember Chiu @ Cafe Flore, 2298 Market Street. The event is a conversation, hosted by SF Housing Action Coalition and others, with Assemblymember Chiu.

5:30-7:30pm. http://www.cafeflore.org The Hot Boxxx Girls @ Aunt Charlie’s Lounge, 133 Turk Street.

Every Friday and Saturday night, this bar presents a wild drag show that “warms the sequin cockles of your heart.” 10pm. http://www.hotboxxxgirls.com

23 Saturday Cupping the Flame of Women’s Culture: Montclair Women’s Cultural Arts Club Closing 1996-2015 @ Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison Street, Berkeley. Produced by Barbara Price with Linda Tillery, Holly Near, Mary Watkins, Barbara Higbie, The Washington Sisters, Terry Garthwaite, Alex Dobkin, Melanie DeMore. 1pm. http:www.thefreight.org Imperial Council of SF Fundraiser for TTHD @ Beaux, 2344 Market Street. The SF Imperial Council will host a benefit in support of Tenderloin Tessie Holiday Dinners. 4pm. http://www.imperialcouncilsf.org Learn to Skate @ Safeway Holiday Ice Rink @ Union Square. Every Saturday and Sunday, learn to skate from professional instructors.

8:30-9:30am. https://bit.ly/34UYbud

24 Sunday Judy @ The Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street. Renée Zellweger delivers an Oscar-worthy performance as showbiz legend Judy Garland. Multiple screening times through November 27. http://www.castrotheatre.com Salsa Sunday with Mazacote @ El Rio, 3158 Mission Street.

An afternoon party of live Salsa, Merengue and Cumbia bands on the

patio every 2nd and 4th Sunday supporting nonprofit groups. 3-8pm.

Beginners class at 3:00pm. http://www.sfaf.org Ladies Sing The Blues @ Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison Street, Berkeley. Featuring Kim Nalley, Denise Perrier, Tiffany Austin, Tammy Hall. 7pm. http:www.thefreight.org

25 Monday The Chronicles of San Francisco Exhibit @ SF Museum of Modern Art, 151 Third Street. Internationally recognized artist JR’s work displays the voices of SF as an extraordinary, unique and diverse city. Check ongoing daily times except Mondays. http://www.sfmoma.org Do Ask Do Tell @ SF LGBT Center, 1800 Market Street. A weekly support group for LGBTQ+ community members who were in the military. 6-7pm. http://www.sfcenter.org

26 Tuesday Holiday Lights @ SF Conservatory of Flowers, 100 JF Kennedy Drive. The event is a nightly opportunity to revel in the Conservatory where light and sound infuse the one-of-a-kind plant collection and iconic facade. 5pm through January 5. http://bit.ly/nightbloom2019 AGUILAS Thanksgiving @ SF LGBT Center, 1800 Market Street.

The event includes dinner, live entertainment, raffles, social networking plus free HIV testing. 6-8:30pm http://www.aguilas.org

27 Wednesday Castro County Club’s Light In The Grove Setup @ National AIDS Memorial Grove, Nancy Pelosi and Bowling Green Drives.

Golden Gate Park. CCC’s WeCare Project returns with its November event for volunteers wishing to help with preparations at the Memorial Grove. 10am-3pm. http://www.castrocountryclub.org 4th Wednesday - Erotic Reading Circle @ Good Vibrations, 1620 Polk Street. Facilitators Carol Queen and Jen Cross host this 4th Wednesday gathering that provides a safe space to read aloud and receive respectful feedback.

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

28 Thursday THANKSGIVING DAY LGBTQ Veteran Outreach Project @ SF Vet Center, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Hosted by Swords to Plowshares, the event is a free legal clinic for LGBTQ+ veterans seeking assistance with benefits and military discharge upgrades. 9:30am-12:30pm. https://bit.ly/2KcOO0V Thanksgiving Luncheon @ Billy DeFrank Community Center, 938 The Alameda, San Jose. This event is a community potluck. 11am-2pm. http://www.defrankcenter.org Thanksgiving Potluck Lunch @ Castro Country Club, 4058 18th Street. Food, fun and fellowship are the goals of CCC’s Thanksgiving Day event where turkeys are provided and you’re encouraged to bring a side dish or dessert to share.

2-4:30pm. http://www.castrocountryclub.org

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The Haunted Kiki Ball

Photos by Rink

Among the destinations visited by those celebrating Halloween on Thursday evening, October 31, were costumed participants attending The Haunted Kiki Ball held at Strut. The event was co-hosted by the DREAAM Project serving African American men age 18-30, and QTPOC, a peer support group, based at the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center, for queer and/or trans current and prospective parents of color. Held at STRUT, the event featured DJ Myster?ous K-Y and Overall Father DK Spiider Angel.

SISTER DANA (continued from page 27) CHORUS embarked on a tour of the American Deep South, recorded as MTV's stunning documentary, GAY CHORUS DEEP SOUTH, opening November 22 at the Roxie Theater, 3117 16th Street. https://www.roxie. com BAY AREA MUSICALS has opened its fifth anniversary season with GYPSY, considered among critics and theater historians to be the best American Musical ever. GYPSY is loosely based on the 1957 memoirs of famed stripper Gypsy Rose Lee. All the actors/dancers/singers are fantastic, but three shining stars are Ariela Morgenstern belting out the numbers as pathetic stage mother “Rose,” Jade Shoajaee as meek child actor turned super-stripper Gypsy “Louise,” and Tia Konsur as overly bubbly baby “June.” This showstopping musical comedy plays now through December 8 at the Alcazar, 650 Geary. https://www.bamsf.org/gypsy Sister Dana sez, “It’s way past Halloween, but I need to H-ween scream about not having closed off the Castro—meaning excessive foot traffic on the sidewalks. And did they really need a parade of cops roaring down Castro Street with sirens and lights?! Next year, close the damn streets on Halloween, and let us costumed folks roam freely!”

As Heard on the Street . . . What are you most thankful for this year?

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compiled by Rink

Tina D'Elia

Andrew Burt

Eiotown

Alyna Phillips

Chris Lintz

“The Transgender Film Festival that is so diverse, welcoming all genders and people without a gender.

It is the best of our community with terrific films every year that entertain and challenge us."

“For my wonderful wife who I have been married to for a year"

“To keep doing my art and for people to appreciate it"

“The practice of mindfulness"

“Knowing that people will fight to make things better than they are now”

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Round About - All Over Town Fall Continues

Photos by Rink

BAY TIMES S

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2019)

CASTRO STREETCAM presented by

Transgender activist Miss Billie Cooper with housing expert Stephany Ashley and a sold out audience at the 22nd Annual Transgender Film Festival on November 8

The 22nd Annual Transgender Film Festival’s leadership team gathered at the Roxie Theatre on November 8: Sean Dorsey, sponsor; Storm Miguel Florez, social media coordinator; Shawna Virago, artistic director; and Eric Garcia, festival coordinator.

Supervisor Rafael Mandelman spoke at the standing room only open night reception at the GLBT History Museum of the new exhibit entitled “Performance, Protest and Politics: The Art of Gilbert Baker.”

http://sfbaytimes.com/

items of the week

San Francisco Bay Times founding editor Randy Alfred and Daniel Bao at the Opening Night reception for the new exhibit of works by rainbow flag creator Gilbert Baker

Cuisinart Chef’s Classic 16in Roasting Pan This stainless steel roasting pan with a rack is big enough for all your roasting needs, but is still stylish enough to display on your table.

Priced at an affordable $59.99.

If You Care NonStick Parchment Roasting Bags

(left to right) Playwright Boni Alvarez, director Ely Sonny Orquiza and actors Alan S. Quismorio, Earl Paus and Hector Ramon Zavala at Theatre Rhino’s presentation of Driven, a family drama, at Spark Arts Gallery on November 2.

Curators Joanna Black and Jeremy Prince welcomed guests to the Opening Night reception at the GLBT History Museum for the much anticipated exhibit “Performance, Protest and Politics: The Art of Gilbert Baker.”

A troupe of Wizard of Oz characters were among those who were out and about on Castro Street for Halloween on October 31.

Activists in the Castro on Halloween promoting the establishment of an LGBT Center in Ghana

Avoid single-use plastic oven bags or potentially toxic paper grocery bags with these parchment paper roasting bags. Specifically designed to lock in moisture while being certified compostable and still easy to clean up. Price $11.99 for a pack of two.

T

he air is crisp and the glitter is out in abundance. Our Glitter Brigade of Clifflings is working hard to get out all of our amazing holiday decor.

(left to right) Host Manny Yekutiel, Joe Adkins, Rafael Mandelman and David Campos at Manny’s on October 30 for Supervisor Mandelman’s campaign for a seat on the San Francisco DCCC.

A host of supporters and friends gathered at Manny’s on October 30 for the launch party of Supervisor Rafael Mandelman’s campaing for San Francisco DCCC. S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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