San Francisco Bay Times - November 18, 2021

November 18–December 1, 2021 http://sfbaytimes.com

ALL THE WAY OUT

©LARRY BLACKBURN PHOTOGRAPHY 2017

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May My Coming Out Story Never End

Patrik reading the San Francisco Bay Times aboard The Wine Train (2016)

About Our Cover

Dancer, fundraiser, and Stoli Ambassador Patrik Gallineaux is featured on the cover of this issue of the San Francisco Bay Times seated in a giant glittery red pump. It is the central element of the Key West High Heel Shoe Drop in Florida. Since 1996, the shoe has been lowered from the Bourbon Street Pub at the stroke of midnight on December 31.

Were it only that the honesty of our spirits at birth could thrive and evolve without hindrance or obstacle, I would suppose all of our coming out stories could perhaps conclude more rapidly. To be completely honest, I am still not certain enough to come out with a definitive label as to where exactly I fall between gay/straight and man/woman.

While role models were rare, and even parents as enlightened as mine had little point of reference to guide an early coming out story, I am grateful of the fact that they are incredible educators and good people who did their best to give me the cues I needed. I remember hearing the name of Harvey Milk on television as a nine-year-old, and that my father took the time to explain that he was a groundbreaking leader who stood up for what is right and inspired others as an openly gay man, the first time I had ever hear the word “gay” in a beautiful way. I took note, and his name was one anchor for keeping my Inner Spirit alive.

This ultra queer New Year’s tradition was largely envisioned by drag queen Sushi (aka Gary Marion) and friends. They originally crafted a coach out of papier-mâché and chicken wire, but weather problems disrupted that tradition. An auto mechanic created the sturdier large shoe, and the rest is drag history. Sushi now descends from the pub’s balcony in the 6-foot-tall pump.

Fresh coats of glitter are regularly applied to the shoe, such that it has lost none of its original sparkle over the years. Gallineaux often wears glitter from head to toe as well, so the same can be said about his shimmery glow.

If you would like to see the upcoming Shoe Drop, news stations usually cover the event for Bay Area viewers. In person, crowds gather around the pub as night falls on New Year’s Eve. VIP tickets for viewing from the balcony are also available.

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I was sent to the guidance counselor and the principal to find out what was wrong with me. When I tried to explain to my father what had happened and the injustice I was feeling, while he may not have had the language Patrik with Indar Smith at to address gender the Out of the Past: A Celebration of LGBT History and sexuality, he did suggest I could party at the Old Mint (2013) write to a New York State Senator known as a rare liberal named Stan Lundine,

But I am beyond grateful for an inherent sense of self from a young age that was basically screaming to be seen for whatever I authentically am, and by all means if coming out means a willingness to articulate to society, I was ready at the point I put on my mother’s pearls.

For me, I have had ongoing milestones of coming out that are fueled by a beautiful Spirit, and often have sparked passionate reactions by society-at-large.

I experienced a coming out milestone when I was 12 and living in Western New York. In gym class one day I was holding on to a steel pole in the locker room as dozens of boys called me names and cheered the gym teacher on as he tried to rip my clothes off and throw me in the shower because I had been refusing to take my clothes off in front of the other

http://www.bourbonstpub.com/

Patrik, age 6, and his sister preparing to dance with their studio classmates to “Bouncy the Clown”

Patrik at Miami Beach Pride NOVE MB E R 1 8 , 2 0 2 1

Cast photo of Patrik at Darian Lake Theme Park, New York (1990)

PHOTO BY RINK

In the broadest picture of coming out as a self-discovery through verbal affirmation of the spectrums of male versus female and gay versus straight and the infinite possibilities those intersections provide, this would have to be the first moment in my coming out story. I can actually remember the string of pearls and a feeling of magical fascination, but the fishing pole was long deleted to the trash bin of storage memory.

While holding on to that steel pole I heard a voice say as clearly as day, “Hold on, Patrik. Who you are is right and correct. Hold on and all will be ok.” I know I was hearing a strength of spirit of those who have come before, including Harvey.

Activist Trey Allen (left) held a bullhorn for Patrik Gallineaux during a protest at the Russian Consulate (2013)

PHOTO COURTESY OF PATRIK GALLINEAUX

PHOTO BY SKYE PATTERSON

Patrik with Donna Sachet aboard The Wine Train at a San Franicsco Bay Times/REAF benefit (2016)

PHOTO BY SKYE PATTERSON

Coming Out Stories

boys stemming from feelings of confusion, excitement, and modesty that to me had no reason to be less than normal at the point of puberty, yet I wanted to be of my own accord respectful to others and to myself.

Patrick with Liam Mayclem and Paula West at REAF’s 15th Anniversary Help Is On The Way gala (2016)

and I promptly did.

(Left to Right) Leanne Borghesi, Stuart Milk, Christine Pelosi, Debby Holiday, Oz Montania, Russ Pareti, Patrik Gallineaux, and Donna Sachet at the Harvey Milk Mural Unveiling on the side of The Café at Market and 17th Streets (2018)

school, despite considering careers in politics and law, I was told by more than one adult that I was “too different,” and needed to “act more masculine” if I wanted to succeed in a “real job.” So I did what every way too gay kid did in the ‘80s, and pursued a musical theatre degree.

While I wish I had a copy of the letter today to recall exactly what words sparked the outcome, two weeks later I was summoned to the principal’s office, and was promptly led to a secondary locker room that the school had Patrik on the set of Dancing With the decided to allocate for Stars with dance partner Mel B of the me alone for the remain- Spice Girls (2008) der of the school year.

I suppose the closest While the bathroom bills of today and the thing to a “normal” adult coming out much braver individuals who have had to moment was when my mother first vissuffer and stand up for far worse obstaited me in college, and I recall when she cles far eclipse my experience, I believe it arrived and wanted to see my bedroom I is the same Spirit that inspired me to fight was strangely terrified that she would disfor what was at a young age inherently cover the Chippendale’s calendar above logical (gosh, adults were/are still stupid), my bed. even if it required an But the reality was that, by that eveentire school be manning, she was with me twirling under the dated to grow up via disco ball at Buffalo’s premiere gay desa 12-year-old’s letter to a state legislator tination, Café Rumors. And just a couin 1983. From here I ple years later—after an adventure living know I came out with in London where I had the chance to pera massive intolerance form the hand jive for Princes William for injustice, and after and Harry, star in drag as a love-struck this point would often princess in an award-winning student imagine myself, when film called Hopeless in Heels, and have a facing bullying and slap-fest with Boy George—I was home adversity, standing on helping her through her own life change a cliff with long flowof dating a woman and separating from ing hair and cape facmy father (there’s a lot more to this that ing the wind with will be a chapter in my book). androgynous defiBut I find it lovely that perhaps her nonance. judgment of me as the 3-year-old with the In the face of bullypearls may have permitted me to evolve ing I studied harder, enough naturally for her to get enough of found safe spaces in a glimpse of the potential within herself my mother’s dance and to come out to become the most selfstudio, and in theatre actualized version of herself (and today an and music. When incredible community leader still running I graduated third in class from high (continued on page 23) PHOTO COURTESY OF PATRIK GALLINEAUX

When I was almost three years old, my mother tells me she came upon me one day pretending to fish with a toy pole in the creek at the end of our driveway in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. To be completely honest, I think it was really just a ditch—but for vanity’s sake, let’s call it at least a “creek.” I was wearing a light blue knit shirt and outfit she had made, and when she approached, she could see I was also wearing around my neck a string of pearls I had taken from her bedroom.

When my mother asked, “Patrik, what are you doing?” I replied in a completely matter-of-fact tone, “Boy’s gone. Girl’s here,” which my mother tells me was so definitive that she was immediately accepting of my proclamation.

PHOTO BY RINK

Photos courtesy of Patrik Gallineaux

By Patrik Gallineaux

World AIDS Day National Observance to Take Place Virtually on December 1 On Wednesday, December 1, the National AIDS Memorial will host the annual World AIDS Day National Observance presented virtually. This free event will begin at 8:30 am with a series of impactful conversations with national leaders on important topics about HIV/AIDS and health and social justice.

Here is a partial list of some of this year’s featured speakers: Dr. Anthony Fauci; White House National AIDS Policy Director Harold Phillips; U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock; Congresswoman Barbara Lee; Paul Kawata, Executive Director, NMAC; Pose Co-Creator and Executive Producer Steven Canals and Co-Executive Producer Our Lady J; Toni Newman, Interim CEO, Black AIDS Institute; Leonard Valentino, M.D., President & CEO, National Hemophilia Foundation; Monica Gandhi, M.D., M.P.H., Professor of Medicine and Division of HIV, UCSF; Suzanne Brennan Firstenburg, Creator of In America: Remember; Anthoula Katsimatides, Founding Member, 9-11 Memorial and Museum; Bishop O.C. Allen, Executive Director, Vision Community Foundation; and Dr. Shonda Jones, PI & Founder, The Gilead COMPASS Initiative Faith Coordinating Center.

For more information: https://tinyurl.com/4nr8sd3s

Breaking Silence About HIV Status

And yet it was not until May of this year that Porter broke his 14-year public silence about being HIV positive.

Aside from the most intimate members of his circle, he kept his diagnosis hidden from his Pose castmates, collaborators, and even his mother.

Part of Porter’s hesitancy must have been due to the post-traumatic stress of the fateful year, 2007, when he first learned of his HIV status. In February of that year he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. In March, he signed bankruptcy papers.

In June of 2007, he was told that he was HIV positive.

Closer to our own social networks here in San Francisco is another star: Patrik Gallineaux. If you have ever seen him on stage—or even just walking around the Castro— you likely have stopped to take an extra look. A trained dancer since childhood (his mother runs a dance studio), Gallineaux makes simple strolling seem like an art form. His entire look—from gorgeously coiffed hair to eye-catching makeup and clothing—appears to be movie set ready. His personal style is unmistakable; there is no one else like him.

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Billy Porter has been a queer icon for nearly a decade, at least since he won the 2013 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his role as “Lola” in Kinky Boots. For years Porter has unabashedly sashayed down red carpets wearing couture gowns and other often-flamboyant gender-bending attire. He would seem not only to have come out of the closet ages ago, but also to have kicked down the door with little left to hide.

Gallineaux has been a regular at many local fundraisers, helping to raise money for the Academy of Friends, the Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation (where he sits on the board), and much more. Until his recent hiatus as the National LGBTQ Ambassador at Stoli USA, he was also frequently associated with Stoli-related events here in San Francisco and nationwide.

Gallineaux would seem to be as far out of the closet as one could be, and yet, like Porter, it took him years to publicly come out as HIV positive (see his feature in this issue of the San Francisco Bay Times). Of course, health matters of all kinds may not be disclosed by many of us to our friends, family members, and colleagues for a variety of reasons. One could be that we just do not want to talk about the issue and make it part of our primary identity. Another could be fear of losing work. Yet another could be worry over stigma associated with the condition. (continued on page 23) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

NOVEM BER 18, 2021

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Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis Five years ago, Evan Minton, a Sacramento-area transgender man, scheduled a hysterectomy as part of his gender confirmation surgery to be performed by his physician at his local hospital, Mercy San Juan Medical Center. Everything was set for the procedure, and two days before the scheduled date, Minton received a routine phone call with a nurse to go over details. When Minton mentioned to the nurse that he was transgender, everything suddenly changed.

SCOTUS PHOTO

The next day the hospital unilaterally cancelled the procedure. Its sole reason was that Minton’s surgery

Supreme Court of the United States

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But Minton stood up for himself and the broader LGBTIQ community. Along with his physician and lawyer, he brought legal, political, and media attention to the hospital’s actions. Mercy San Juan is part of the Dignity Health medical conglomerate. Under pressure, Dignity Health permitted Minton to have the surgery at a Methodist Hospital that was also part of Dignity Health.

Minton sued Dignity Health for discrimination. Dignity Health tried to get Minton’s case thrown out of court. When it failed, it went to the U.S. Supreme Court. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court refused to hear Dignity Health’s appeal in a victory for Minton.

The Supreme Court’ s declining to hear the case is also good news, at least for now, for the LGBTIQ community at the U.S. Supreme Court.

At present, the Supreme Court’s conservative Catholic majority does not seem to be targeting LGBTIQ freedom and equality in the same aggressive manner it sadly appears to be eviscerating women’s reproductive freedom.

Last June, the Supreme Court issued a setback to LGBTIQ peo-

SA N F RANCISCO BAY T I ME S NOVE MB E R 1 8 , 2 0 2 1

ple in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia when it ruled that Catholic Social Services could discriminate against same-sex couples while receiving taxpayer money to certify foster parents and place children. But it did so on narrow grounds under the particular circumstances of the case.

Subsequently, the Court declined to hear appeals of two other lower court victories for LGBTIQ people in discrimination cases and now Minton’s case.

However, three Justices (Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch) voted to hear Minton’s case as well as one of the other cases regarding an attempt to discriminate under the guise of religion. And they urged the Court to issue a more sweeping decision in Fulton.

Additional cases of Catholic and other conservative Christianaffiliated organizations seeking to discriminate against LGBTIQ people in ways that would otherwise violate the law will undoubtedly come to the Court. Cases currently pending in lower courts include the following: an attempt by a for-profit business to engage in employment discrimination against LGBTIQ people in violation of Title VII on the grounds of conservative Christian religious beliefs; a social services agency under federal contract through the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops denying a lesbian the ability to be a foster parent because of her sexual orientation; and cases pertaining to private businesses denying services to LGBTIQ people on religious grounds. This term, the U.S. Supreme Court may decide whether conservative Christian schools that

Sacramento’s ABC10 News has followed the evolving story of the court case brought by Evan Minton, a transgender man who was initially denied a hysterectomy by Dignity Health.

attempt to inculcate their Biblical views in their students and thereby prohibit openly LGBTIQ students from attending and refuse to hire LGBTIQ teachers can receive public tuition funding.

Minton’s case pertaining to his medically necessary care as a transgender person illuminates the potentially serious real life implications of businesses and organizations using religion to justify denying LGBTIQ people services or otherwise treating them unequally. San Juan Mercy Hospital was Minton’s local community hospital where he lived. We know the discomfort he would likely now feel if he needed to go there for an emergency or other medical treatment.

The Dignity Health’s slogan is “Hello Humankindness.” Two years ago, it became part of CommonSpirit Health. When it comes to Minton and discrimination against LGBTIQ people, the organization far from dem-

WWW.ABC10.COM

6/26 and Beyond

was part of his gender confirmation process as a transgender man.

The hospital justified its refusal on the grounds of religion because it is a Catholic hospital. Minton said he was shocked that his local community hospital would try to use “religious doctrine” to prevent transgender people like himself from having medically necessary hysterectomies as part of their gender confirmation. He was devastated and distraught.

WWW.ABC10.COM

U.S. Supreme Court: Transgender Discrimination Case Can Go Forward

onstrates kindness or a common spirit. It denies us our full dignity as LGBTIQ people.

Dignity Health operates not just in the Central Valley, but also in the heart of San Francisco and across the West. We hope that someday it will fully embody the values it professes.

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

munity will be featured as speakers. The observance is sponsored by the St. Francis Lutheran Church Endowment. Bishop Megan is the first openly transgender Bishop in a mainline Christian denomination.

They were elected and installed earlier this year as Bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), to lead 182 congregations in Northern California and Nevada.

In the News Joanie Juster There’s something about autumn that lends itself to reflecting on the past. So this issue’s items are largely about history, remembrance, and, of course, ways you can get involved.

NPS.ORG

Rainbow World Fund Tree of Hope - Help decorate the Rainbow World Fund Tree of Hope, the largest origami holiday tree in the world, standing over 23 feet tall and decorated with over 17,000 origami cranes and stars, each handfolded and inscribed with wishes for the future of the world. The tree is a symbol of global unity.

https://tinyurl.com/RWFTreeofHope

National AIDS Memorial - The National AIDS Memorial is marking World AIDS Day with three different events. First, on the evening of November 30, is their annual fundraising gala, Light In the Grove. https://tinyurl.com/litg2021

Annual Milk-Moscone Vigil in The Castro, November 27

Then, on December 1, the Memorial will deliver its annual World AIDS Day National Observance in a virtual forum focused on health and social justice, particularly among communities of color. Speakers will include Dr. Anthony Fauci, Sen. Rafael Warnock, faith leaders, HIV/AIDS activists, and more. Finally, the Grove will remain illuminated for the evening of World AIDS Day for a free public display of lights, and the reading of names. Beginning at 4:30 pm, the event will be livestreamed. https://tinyurl.com/namwad21

HARVEY MILK DEMOCRATIC CLUB PHOTO PHOTO COURTESY OF JOANIE JUSTER

INSCRIBE - Created by activist George Kelly, INSCRIBE is a community art and remembrance event held each World AIDS Day on the sidewalks of Castro Street between 17th & 19th Streets, from 9 am to 9 pm. It honors the millions of people who have died of AIDS globally, and pays special tribute to those who called The Castro home. Containers of chalk will be placed on the sidewalks on both sides of Castro Street; people are encouraged to write the names on the sidewalk. https://tinyurl.com/inscribe2021

Thanksgiving dinner will take place at the First Unitarian Church at the corner of Franklin Street and Geary Boulevard from 1–4 pm on Thursday, November 25. Everyone is welcome. To volunteer, email TenderloinTessie@yahoo.com

Those of us who were living in San Francisco 43 years ago will never forget the tragic day when Harvey Milk and George Moscone were assassinated on November 27, 1978. The city poured into the streets to mourn together, with a solemn candlelight march from the Castro to City Hall. Since then the community has come together every year to honor the memory of these leaders, and to recommit to working to fulfill their vision of a city that would welcome everyone, and provide justice for all.

Transgender Day of Remembrance Transgender Day of Remembrance is observed internationally each year on November 20 to memorialize those who have been murdered because of transphobia, and to draw attention to the continued violence endured by transgender people.

To commemorate this day, Bishop Megan Rohrer, the first openly transgender Bishop in a mainline Christian denomination, will lead worship at St. Francis Lutheran Church (152 Church St, SF) at 4 pm on Saturday, November 20. The service will include a candlelight vigil as the names of each of the 45 transgender people killed in the United State so far in 2021 are read.

Members of the transgender com-

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and if you’re looking for a meaningful way to give back, nothing is more basic and profound than feeding people. For over 40 years, Tenderloin Tessie Holiday Dinners, an all-volunteer organization, has fed the community of San Francisco on Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, providing bountiful meals with a smile and a gift to all guests in a welcoming environment.

Begun in 1974 by Perry Spink, a local performer/bartender with the drag name Tessie, an average of 1000 guests are now fed each holiday. Volunteers and donations are needed to continue this tradition, and to show the community that no matter who you are, there is someone who cares.

PHOTO BY RINK

Thanksgiving with Tenderloin Tessie

RAINBOW WORLD FUND PHOTO

The event will also be livestreamed: https://tinyurl.com/TDORstfrancis

Panel Discussion on Two-Spirit Identities In honor of both Native American Heritage Month and Transgender Awareness Week in November, the GLBT Historical Society is presenting a panel discussion on November 19 on Two-Spirit Identities: Language, Community & Tradition. This program brings together a panel of Two-Spirit people for a conversation about the rich complexity of Two-Spirit identity.

Panelists will explore the various ways that Two-Spirit people construct their identities through tribal affiliation and LGBTQ terminology, including under the transgender umbrella. They’ll also consider how queerness in indigenous communities has been historically defined and understood, and how these traditions have been maintained or adapted in the present.

Panelists include Sam Campbell, Faun Harjo, Amelia Vigil, and moderator J. Miko Thomas, better known as Landa Lakes. https://tinyurl.com/GLBTtwospirit

Here are some of the events planned in San Francisco for World AIDS Day. Please note that some events are still in the planning stages, and details were not available at press time:

The community is invited to attend, but space is limited. Register by Nov. 17 at www.sf lcsf.org

National Park Service Honors José Sarria The U.S. Navy made history last week by launching and christening a ship named for the late gay rights leader Harvey Milk (who served in the Navy during the Korean War).

Meanwhile, the National Park Service has quietly been making sure that the history they share is more inclusive by paying tribute to queer leaders. The latest in their series of articles devoted to telling diverse histories, “Telling All Americans’ Stories: LGBTQ People,” is a page devoted to José Sarria, activist, activist, drag performer, founder of the Imperial Court System, and the first openly gay candidate for public office in the United States. Thank you, NPS. https://tinyurl.com/josesarria

support for those living with HIV, and commemorate those who have died. World AIDS Day is important because it reminds the public and government that HIV has not gone away—there is still a vital need to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice, and improve education.

The Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club and the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District are hosting this year’s vigil, which will begin at Harvey Milk Plaza at 17th & Market Streets at 7 pm.

https://tinyurl.com/MilkMosconeVigil

World AIDS Day Events While the world is still in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic, we must not forget that the AIDS pandemic is still with us, 40 years after the first official diagnosis. Founded in 1988, as the first-ever global health day, World AIDS Day takes place on December 1 each year as an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show

Honoring our Experience at St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church, in partnership with Shanti’s Honoring Our Experience and the National AIDS Memorial, will present an evening of World AIDS Day events on December 1 from 5–9 pm, including a display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, a community dinner, and their Revival! dance party. The Quilt will continue to be on display at St. John’s after World AIDS Day. More details to come at https://tinyurl.com/hoewad San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF) Vigil - SFAF will hold their annual World AIDS Day Vigil on the steps of San Francisco City Hall at 6 pm on December 1. Check their Facebook page for more details to be announced.

Volunteer Opportunities in the Age of COVID-19 As the Bay Area starts opening up again, we want to hear about volunteer opportunities, including ones that can be performed remotely or safely. (continued on page 23) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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Oakland Moves Toward Cannabis Testing Ban

Out of the Closet and into City Hall Oakland City Councilmember At-Large, Rebecca Kaplan At the November 9, 2021, Oakland Public Safety meeting, the Committee voted unanimously to forward the proposed ordinance introduced by me and coauthored

by Council President Fortunato Bas, Councilmember Kalb, and Pro Tem Thao, creating a Prohibition Against City Employees Cannabis Metabolites Testing. https://tinyurl.com/366y58cb This proposal is not aimed at policies that state that employees should not be impaired at work. Rather, it is to avoid the exclusion or discipline of current and future Oakland City

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Virtual Lottery will be held on December 16, 2021 at 11AM. Units available through the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development and are subject to monitoring and other restrictions. Visit www.sfmohcd.org for program information.

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employees based on off-the-job conduct that has no relationship to job performance, and which our city has authorized.

not being maintained to permits not being processed. The vacancies of city employees are causing significant harm to our public.

Currently, the city tests some job applicants and employees for cannabis metabolites. These substances can show in a test for weeks after use, and are not an accurate indication of impairment. New York City and Philadelphia have ordinances that protect all employees, with the exception of federal employees, from cannabis testing. Washington, D.C., and Atlanta have mayoral orders that protect city employees from employer discrimination for off-the-job use of marijuana.

To exclude, discipline, or eliminate employees based on conduct that is not job-related, and which we have legalized, is not only unjust to the worker directly impacted, but also harms the public and reduces our ability to provide desperately needed public services. Furthermore, it is unjust, and goes against the spirit of our cannabis legalization policies to penalize or exclude employees for cannabis use—as long as they are not impaired or using at work. In addition, cannabis prohibition has been extensively documented to involve dramatic racial disparities, with a disproportionate number of penalties falling overwhelmingly on African Americans.

For many years, Oakland has provided for the permitting and licensing of cannabis facilities for adult use. Given the City of Oakland’s legacy as an innovator in the cannabis space, it is unfortunate that other cities are more progressive when it comes to the issue of testing current and prospective employees for offthe-job cannabis use.

The City of Oakland is facing a crisis in employee recruitment and retention—with extensive vacancies undermining public services. For every city job that is not filled, there are real world impacts, from trash that is not cleaned to sewer systems

I, along with co-sponsors Council members Bas, Kalb and Thao, have the goal to stop the punishment or exclusion for city jobs based on offthe-job conduct that has no relationship to job performance. I was the author of the ordinance allowing for taxation and use of cannabis in the City of Oakland, the first for a U.S. city, which was adopted with over 80% of the vote. Let’s continue our legacy of progressive cannabis policy.

Councilmember At-Large and Council President Rebecca Kaplan was elected in 2008 to serve as Oakland’s citywide Councilmember; she was re-elected in 2016 and 2020. She also serves on the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC). Follow Councilmember Kaplan on Twitter @Kaplan4Oakland ( https://twitter.com/ Kaplan4Oakland ) and Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/Kaplan4Oakland/ ).

COVID Testing & Vaccines in the Castro Volunteer greeters Robert Finley and Robin Abad welcomed all who stopped by with questions or to obtain services at the COVID Testing and Vaccine Hub located in the parking lot behind Walgreens at 18th and Castro (4115 18th Street).

The Hub, presented by the Castro LGBTQ District with assistance from the South of Market Health Center, is open 11am-5pm every Saturday through the end of 2021.

To find out more: 415-861-3136 ext 1

Photo by Rink

GLBT Fortnight in Review Count Me In FiveThirtyEight has a column called “Political Outliers” that explores contrarian voters who defy the expectations of their particular cohort. Recently, the analysts took a gander at GLB Republicans; outliers, yes, but still a disturbingly large percentage of our community.

Transgender voters were not a part of this study.

I always harken back petulantly to the fact that some 25 percent of GLBT voters backed Bush in 2000, a number that determined his victory at a time when Republicans were adamantly antigay and Bush himself favored an amendment to preemptively outlaw marriage equality.

A modest shift in our voices would have elected Al Gore, possibly given us a head start on climate change, certainly avoided the war in Iraq, and maybe gotten ahead of the mortgage-backed securities collapse. Of course, that razor-thin election also meant that any group could have made a definitive impact; red-haired forty-two-year-olds in Broward County could have changed history.

With that in mind, according to the boffins at FiveThirtyEight who cite Pew Research exit polling: “22 percent of LGB voters backed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in 2012, while 24 percent backed Republican candidates during the 2014 midterm elections.

Some estimates also suggest that Trump won as much as 27 percent of the LGBT vote in 2020—which, if true, would be the highest share of support any Republican presidential nominee has ever received from this group.”

Gay Republicans, I extrapolate from the piece, are a mix of conservative

baby boomers who think their sexual orientation is one of many apolitical characteristics (nobody’s business, thank you very much!) and weird Gen Z kids too young to recall a time when antigay discrimination was commonplace.

From the article: “‘I feel like gay rights isn’t an issue now since it’s pretty much settled,’ said Nestor Moto, Jr., a 26-year-old gay Republican living in California.

‘The court has already decided.’”

Oh, Nestor honey. Come here and sit down with me for a minute. Bring that vape pen.

Let’s admit that the GLBTQ community is solidly democratic. But still, we are not a monolithic voting bloc. For every two or three voters who support progressive judges and a strong safety net, there’s an old curmudgeon who thinks he shouldn’t have to pay property taxes because he has no kids in public school. (See what I did there? I stereotyped conservatives, senior citizens, and men all in one sentence. Sorry, fellas.)

I know that GLBT voters were four or five percent of the national electorate at one point, which would make GLBT Republicans one percent of the total—not a huge group, but not chopped liver either. Guys, it’s not just the civil rights part of the package. But this is our country. We’re supposed to be a big D Democracy, operating under the rule of law, respectful of differences.

The current Republican Party has mutated beyond recognition, except for those of us who recognize the Terran Empire from the Mirror Universe on Star Trek.

Let’s get them back in their own sick dimension and close whatever rift in space they used to get here in the

By Ann Rostow first place. Then you can vote republican again. Although I hope you don’t.

On the Brink I was just reading a legal article on Harvard law professor Laurence Tribe’s immense contribution to GLBT rights in constitutional law, and it took me back to the mid1990s, when our very own arc of history arguably began to bend towards justice. Justice Kennedy’s four opinions in Romer, Lawrence, Windsor, and Obergefell, along with Justice Gorsuch’s decision in Bostock—they all combine for an amazing quartercentury trajectory, bringing us from a despised minority to a respected and protected part of the Great Society.

But have you ever thought about the “arc of history” metaphor, and how it “bends?” Doesn’t that make you worry that when you get tired or when you stop pushing on the arc for any reason, the arc’s going to snap back? Or at least relax a bit? Or a lot? For the record, it’s not even the “arc of history.” It’s the arc of the “moral universe,” whatever that is.

Sounds like the Federation of Planets to me.

Let’s just say that the arc doesn’t bend by itself. And this brings us to veteran High Court journalist Linda Greenhouse’s recent book Justice on the Brink, which looks at the Court’s machinations from July 2020 to June of this year. I haven’t read it, but I have read reviews that suggest Greenhouse thinks a) the Court might be at the start of an epochal period characterized by a profound conservatism, or b) who knows?

Much will depend on Justice Barrett, who has played her cards close to her

vest during her first months on the Court. Will she remain cautious, an epitome of judicial modesty? Or will she gradually break into a trot, a jog, a marathon runner’s stride, gaining confidence as the years go by and as American constitutional caselaw pushes history away from justice?

It’s disturbing to think about. We’ve dodged bullets lately. I just wrote and deleted two lengthy paragraphs revisiting our recent legal battles, so just trust me. Will we be dodging in the future? Will we make progress and cement our recent gains? Or will we slide backwards? I don’t think the Court can or will undo marriage equality. But the justices could easily give religious actors the freedom they seek to ignore our civil rights on many fronts. In that event, wedding cakes and flowers would be just the start.

As Greenhouse says, we’re on “the brink” of something. We’re in liminal space. Here, we might ask: Does history or the moral universe even have an “arc?”

“I do not pretend to understand the moral universe,” said the Unitarian preacher Theodore Parker a decade before the Civil War. “The arc is a long one, my eye reaches but little ways; I cannot calculate the curve and complete the figure by the experience of sight; I can divine it by conscience. And from what I see I am sure it bends towards justice.”

Once we investigate closely, our surething future justice becomes merely the wishful thinking of an obscure 19th Century abolitionist. But repeated and polished through the years, particularly by Martin Luther King, Jr., it picks up a weight and a patina of truth and it means what we

mean by it (if you’ll allow me to be a little Rumsfeldian).

Wherever we go from here, I still believe we are headed towards an inevitable justice. Although, like Rev. Parker’s, my eye reaches but a little ways.

Can You Please Be Quiet?

Have I mentioned that Kristen Stewart is one of my favorite actresses? She would be, even if she wasn’t gay. I loved Personal Shopper and Clouds of Sils Maria. I’m pleased for her that she’s getting married.

She can do no wrong in my book, except, um, I guess she can—specifically, the God-awful Spencer.

Mel and I gave it a good 45 minutes before we started giving each other side glances that asked: “Am I the only one who is bored stiff by morose Diana wandering or driving aimlessly around the English countryside?” Back came the tacit answer: “No, you are not alone,” followed by whispers, giggles, and actually being told by another movie watcher to keep it down.

True, it was one of those fancy places where you could bring your whole bottle of rosé de Provence and your bespoke basil pizza into the theater with you. So, we may have been a little lit. But still, it’s been a long time since I had to be shushed during a movie.

I loved The Crown. And we even watched some other Diana-related thing not so long ago, so it’s not as if the subject matter is intrinsically dull to us. And yes, we found it tedious, but it wasn’t so much Stewart’s acting. It was the movie. There was no real character development beyond

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IN MEMORIAM

525 Bellevue Avenue Oakland CA 94610 E-mail: editor@sfbaytimes.com www.sfbaytimes.com The Bay Times was the first newspaper in California, and among the first in the world, to be jointly and equally produced by lesbians and gay men.

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

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

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

Beth Greene, Michael Delgado, John Signer, Abby Zimberg Design & Production

Kate Laws Business Manager Blake Dillon Calendar Editor

Kit Kennedy

Poet-In-Residence

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

Juan R. Davila Volunteer Coordinator CONTRIBUTORS Writers Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Patrick Carney, Leslie Sbrocco, Heather Freyer, Kate Kendell, Heidi Beeler, Gary M. Kramer, Joanie Juster, Julie Peri, Jennifer Kroot, Robert Holgate, Eduardo Morales, Dennis McMillan, Tim Seelig, John Chen, Rafael Mandelman, Jewelle Gomez, Phil Ting, Rebecca Kaplan, Leslie Katz, Philip Ruth, Bill Lipsky, Elisa Quinzi, Liam Mayclem, Karen Williams, Donna Sachet, Gary Virginia, Zoe Dunning, Derek Barnes, Marcy Adelman, Jan Wahl, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Brandon Miller, Jamie Leno Zimron, Michele Karlsberg, Randy Coleman, Debra Walker, Howard Steiermann, Andrea Shorter, Lou Fischer, Brett Andrews, David Landis Photographers Rink, Phyllis Costa, Jane Higgins Paul Margolis, Chloe Jackman, Bill Wilson, Jo-Lynn Otto, Sandy Morris, Abby Zimberg, Kristopher Acevedo, Darryl Pelletier, Morgan Shidler 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 © 2021 Bay Times Media Company Co-owned by Betty L. Sullivan & Jennifer L. Viegas

Longtime Bay Area lesbian activist Pan Haskins died at her home in Oakland, CA, on October 20, 2021, where her heart finally gave out after a decadelong struggle with heart failure. She was wellloved and cared for— content with a life well lived. Pan was key to helping groundbreaking lesbian leader Phyllis Lyon, particularly during Lyon’s later years, and also aided many other LGBTQ community members through her accounting work, volunteering, and more.

Pan grew up working from an early age in the family printing and map publishing business—starting at age six and earning five cents an hour. Over her formative years, she worked every job in the business and eventually took over running the company at age 19, after her father’s death.

A few years later she moved to San Francisco, drawn here by the influences of her father’s love of the coast he grew up on, by her paternal grandmother’s presence, and by forces she could only dream of that would change her life. She continued to run the map publishing business on a bi-coastal basis for a few more years.

A year after coming to San Francisco, she enrolled in San Francisco State University (SFSU) (the second of six schools she would attend), and immersed herself in Women’s Studies. Two years of full-time course work allowed her to sort through her difficult childhood. She discovered her identity as a woman, the joy that comes with true self-worth, and she came out as a lesbian. Never one to be rushed, she spent the next fourteen years going to colleges, studying five different majors before she would arrive at a degree.

She was soon involved in the committee to create a Women’s Studies Department at SFSU; a connection there introduced her to the San Francisco Women’s Centers where she helped launch and sustain the Bay Area Federal Feminist Credit Union (sometimes taking deposits and dispensing money from her backpack).

Pan thrived in the San Francisco lesbian feminist community. She became involved with the Women’s Building and with Supervisor Harvey Milk on the

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

San Francisco Bay Times photographer Rink visited the grill at “Hibernia Beach” on Saturday, November 6, where he found memorial postings noting the recent passings of community members.

No on 6 Campaign. November 27, 1978, on the night of the assassinations of Supervisor Milk and Mayor George Moscone, she helped organize a candlelight vigil; five percent of the city’s residents would attend.

Eventually she needed to take a break and ground herself, moving to Willits, CA, and for a few years she spent many hours in the soil, doing exactly that.

She fell in love with, and moved to the Mendocino Coast, splitting her time between there and San Francisco for 18 years—the last three of which she lived there almost full-time, fostering her beloved godchildren—the best and hardest thing she ever did.

During some of those 18 years, she started a lesbian feminist accounting firm. She was also on the committee to transition the Lesbian Rights Project to the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) where she was on the founding board for several years.

Pan fought an establishment that didn’t want to let her in to become a CPA. She loved tax preparation, and in 1988, she got her Masters in Taxation from Golden Gate University, and her CPA. She specialized in estates and trusts, where she found her true work purpose. She brought her lesbian feminist sensibilities and life-long appreciation for dignity for the dying and the families they left behind, to a field dominated by men. She thrived in this work, with clients she loved, and who loved her back. She took on the challenge of understanding—and then leading—the tax field in same-sex taxation, first for unmarried partners, followed by Registered Domestic Partners, and then same sex married partners.

Miquel Pagan - 1965-2021

William Townsend Stewart 1951-2021 Calligrapher who created the name and logo of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence of which he was a member

Pan enjoyed many things in life. Just the right food pairings—Equal Exchange Panama Extra Dark chocolate with Tate’s Bakehouse Ginger Zinger cookies. Dogs—the bigger the better, especially if they sat on her lap while their people shopped at the farmers’ market. And the perfect sparkled full dance skirt—black, of course.

Another of Pan’s big loves was traveling. Her last big trip was to spend a month in South and East Africa, which was a trip of a lifetime that touched her deeply. More recently, she had a short visit to the gray whales in their calving ground in Magdalena (continued on page 23)

LGBTQ+ Intersectional Identities in STEMM

Shane Emerson An aviation industry professional who was born in Portland, Oregon, traveled the world, and made his home in San Franicsco

Ezzy Medina

Dr. Jessica Ware

(This series of profiles from the California Academy of Sciences New Science exhibit tells first-person stories of LGBTQ+ women and gender minorities of color working in STEMM—science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine—professions.)

Gatekeeping, questions about who belongs—that’s old science. New science? New science is everybody participating, everybody supported and celebrated. That’s the type of science I want to be part of.

My identity as a scientist has been greatly influenced by my lived experience as a Black woman and a queer person, yet I know far less about the history of Black, queer scientists.

That’s because barriers were put in place to actively exclude such people from participating in STEMM, and because historians rarely recorded their stories. With colleagues, I co-founded Entomologists of Color ( https://www.entopoc.org/ ), which works to diversify the field of entomology and make space for everyone to be able to participate. https://www.calacademy.org/exhibits/new-science-exhibit

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Rink Remembers

PHOTO COURTESY OF EZZY MEDINA

2261 Market Street, No. 309 San Francisco CA 94114 Phone: 415-601-2113

(5/24/1949–10/20/2021)

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Dykes on Bikes® Tales From Two Wheels

CALACADEMY.ORG PHOTO

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

Pan Haskins: Lesbian Activist Who Pioneered Financial Help for LGBTQI Individuals

My name is Ezzy Medina, and I have been a proud member of the San Francisco Dykes on Bikes® Women’s Motorcycle Contingent (WMC) since 2006. I’ve held the titles of Board Member, Road Captain, and Vice President. Having earned the Dykes on Bikes patch for my vest is something that gratifies me deeply.

However, the highest honor I’ve held is the privilege to call these women my friends and to ride alongside phenomenal pioneers such as Soni Wolf (one of the founding members of Dykes on Bikes), Kate Brown (current President), and all the members who keep the engines roaring. These are women who are writing future history, today.

I grew up at a time when waving a rainbow flag would get you hurt or worse, and I never would have imagined I would one day help lead a parade with over a quarter-million people cheering us on. In my tenure alone, I have witnessed the legalization of same-sex marriage, the landmark freedom of expression decision by the United States Supreme Court that struck down part of the Lanham Act in 2017, and Soni Wolf bestowed with Sainthood by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence® amongst other triumphs.

I’m proud to belong to a group whose values are very much aligned with my personal beliefs. San Francisco Dykes on Bikes does so much more than represent motorcyclists and line up bikes on the Sunday of the LGBTQ Pride Parade. Ultimately, my hope is that we are helping women who don’t have the luxury of living out loud as their authentic selves, and that we are empowering folks to live independently and boldly, atop their very own two-wheel adventure. https://www.dykesonbikes.org/

AGUILAS Launches a Leadership Training Program

Nuestra Voz Eduardo Morales, Ph.D. AGUILAS launched its pilot of a workshop series of leadership capacity trainings for Latinx LGBTIs in San Francisco entitled La Academia AGUILAS on Monday, November 8, 2021. Funding for this leadership training program was previously provided by Levi Strauss Foundation for a two-year period in 2011 and 2012.

The ViiV Healthcare Foundation funded AGUILAS to relaunch its leadership training program through their grant initiative entitled “Positive Action for Latinx Men: An initiative for gay, bisexual and trans men.”

ViiV Healthcare Foundation executed a needs assessment throughout the U.S. to identify how to develop resources to impact and reduce HIV/ AIDS transmission in the Latinx LGBTI+ communities. In their report released in June of 2020 and entitled Here As I Am: A listening initiative with Latinx gay and bisexual men affected by HIV, they discovered that the greatest need identified was that of developing leadership capacities in communities throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico. This report is available on the internet and mentions

that “Latinx community leaders and advocates are sounding the alarm, calling for more community-led solutions that prioritize the specific needs and concerns of Latinx men.” On October 13, 2020, ViiV Healthcare Foundation released a request for proposals to address the leadership development needs for local communities to respond to the HIV/AIDS crisis faced among Latinx gay, bisexual, and trans men.

AGUILAS is the only agency in San Francisco County to secure funding for a three-year period. AGUILAS received funding during the month of May 2021 for this leadership training program. La Academia AGUILAS offers a certificate program that contains two Levels of leadership development training: basic (Level I) and advanced (Level II). Each Level has four components that offer training in the form of four three-hour workshops. The topics covered in each of the four workshops are: 1) personal and corporate knowledge of finances - basic and advanced, 2) effective strategies for advocacy basic and advanced, 3) legal and civil rights for Latinx LGBTI+ entitled Legal Awareness for Latinx, and 4) communicating effectively with the mass media via television, radio, and print press entitled Efficient Communication Tools.

The certificate program was developed initially in 2011 through a collaboration with GLAAD, AGUILAS, Alliant International University, and the Rockway Institute of Alliant. A team representing the collaborative developed and identified the competencies for the certificate Levels and the training program sequence for obtaining

the skill sets reflected in the competencies. The re-engagement of this training effort funded by ViiV Healthcare Foundation granted to AGUILAS will provide certificates to persons who completed the Level I curriculum or who attended one or more of the specific workshops offered by La Academia AGUILAS. The certificate training program provides legitimacy to being a specialist and working in Spanish and English as a leader and advocate.

La Academia AGUILAS provides training sessions to develop a skill set that can augment a person’s career as well as to motivate participants to complete other types of educational programs and encourage them to graduate with degrees and increase the much-needed workforce pipeline.

The dates for the initial pilot trainings were: Monday, November 8 Basic Financial knowledge Wednesday, November 10 Effective strategies for Advocacy Monday, November 15 Legal awareness for Latinx Wednesday, November 17 Efficient Communication Tools At AGUILAS’ Thanksgiving social event at the SF LGBT Center on

Thursday November 18, 2021, from 6 pm to 8 pm, participants of this training program will receive either a certificate for attending the specific workshops, or a certificate for completing Level I of the training series.

The certificates verify participants completion of the trainings provided.

This initial pilot effort will help inform AGUILAS staff to further develop the curriculum with the intention of continuing offering the trainings in Spanish and English. In addition, La Academia AGUILAS plans to have the trainings offered in Portuguese for the very large numbers of Portuguese speaking LGBTI+ persons living in the San Francisco Bay Area.

A similar process of curriculum development process will be done for the advanced Level.

More information and required registration for the upcoming trainings are available on

AGUILAS’ Facebook page and AGUILAS’ website at www.sfaguilas.org In terms of future workshops, all will be in person and will require participants to register. Since each of the four areas trainings are three-hours in duration, food and drinks will be provided. COVID-19 vaccinations are required and, as of this writing, the recommended social distancing and use of masks are also required.

Pictures of the first pilot trainings are available on the AGUILAS El Ambiente Facebook page as well as more information about La Academia AGUILAS. Eduardo Morales, PhD, is a founder of AGUILAS, where he serves as Executive Director. He is also a retired Distinguished Professor at Alliant International University and is the 2021 President of the National Latinx Psychological Association.

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Home for the Holidays

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This past holiday season, those four words certainly brought new meaning to the holiday table. Why? Because we were all just that: home for last season’s holidays. I’m not talking about our “BP” homes, Before the Pandemic. No. Our SIP (shelter in place) home.

It’s not just the Castro Theater shows that are celebrating a 32nd Anniversary. It is also the same anniversary of the chorus’ trek to the north benefiting Face 2 Face, ending AIDS in Sonoma County. Again, this year, that concert will be at the jaw-dropping Green Music Center at Sonoma State University.

Each of these has been an annual event since 1990, with only one exception: 2020. We are thrilled to be bringing Home for the Holidays back to the stage with live performances.

ANDREAS PRAEFCKE/WIKIPEDIA

How did the concerts at the Castro begin, you ask? The year was 1990.

It was during the apex of the AIDS pandemic—the first we have now survived. The Castro looked very different in those days. The number suffering from the ravages of AIDS was staggering. Many were unable to go home. Many were not welcome at home.

The chorus decided to On Friday, December 24, SFGMC will perform the final Home for the Holidays concerts under the leadership of Artistic Director Dr. Tim Seelig. rent the Castro Theatre on For the most part, we were also home Christmas Eve as a gift to the comalone! We made the best of it. We munity and open the doors to those are a resourceful people, after all. who did not have a home. They had Everything “December” was wildly no idea what the response would be. different. Family celebrations and It was packed. Those who were there holidays via Zoom are not really celdescribe it as one of the most movebrations at all. Whoever had a holiing experiences of their lives. Not day gathering with family and friends long after, they were forced to add a where only one person could talk at second show and then a third. That’s a time? At least half the fun is sharwhere it stopped, although they are ing food and drink together. Zoom all sold out every year. tipsy is just tacky. We depended This season, you can gather as many on the meme “Home is Where the people in your home as you can fit.

Heart Is.” It was everywhere. Yes, it was nice to have my heart with me at You can gather around the fireplace, table, tree, Menorah, or cat and sing home, but I wanted people! along with this famous song (you Back to AP time—After the may only know the chorus!): Pandemic. The San Francisco Gay Verse: Men’s Chorus is back, live, and sing“I met a man who lives in ing on stage. We’ve been rehearsTennessee, ing every week since the beginning He was headin’ for of September—vaccinated, masked, Pennsylvania, and some and distanced. It is very different home-made pumpkin pie. rehearsing for three hours in masks, From Pennsylvania, folks are but if that’s what it takes, we’re there travelin’ for it!

Down to Dixie’s sunny shore, We’ll be performing ten times over From Atlantic to Pacific, the holidays. Our three “big shows” Gee, the traffic is terrific. are at the Sydney Goldstein Theater Chorus: in the arts district. They kick off our Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays, 44th Season! As you may know, this ‘Cause no matter how far is my 10th and final season conductaway you roam, ing SFGMC. It is estimated I will 12

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“I met a man who lives in San Jose And he was heading for San Francisco and the Gay Men’s Chorus Show.

From Napa Valley folks are trav’lin’ down the Castro for the toys, From the East Bay to the city, gee the traffic isn’t pretty.

Still, there’s no place like home for the holidays.”

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Home for the holidays—these four words conjure up a variety of thoughts, different for everyone.

Maybe for you they conjure up a movie, a television show, a song, or a concert. More on that last one in a bit.

Since our Castro concerts have had the title Home for the Holidays, we sing some version of the song every year.

This year, one of our star arrangers, Paul Saccone, and group of wannabe lyricists altered the words a bit!

Here’s just a taste of what you’ll hear:

Writing about this led me to do a little research on the song “(There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays.” It was composed by Robert Allen.

Register my shocked face (not); he was Jewish.

Who wrote the lyrics, I asked myself ? The lyrics were by Albert Irving Silverman. Also, Jewish.

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Dr. Tim Seelig

We are also celebrating our 32nd Annual Home for the Holidays concerts at the Castro Theater on Christmas Eve! Those three shows at 5 pm, 7 pm, and 9 pm are almost as iconic as the theater itself.

If you want to be happy in a million ways, For the holidays, you can’t beat home, sweet home.”

I had heard people having a little chuckle at the irony that “the best Christmas songs were written by Jewish composers.” Of course, we all know Irving Berlin penned “White Christmas.” But the list is staggering. The following Christmas songs were also composed by Jewish composers: “Christmas Song” (chestnuts roasting on an open fire), “Let It Snow,” “Santa Baby,” “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” “Silver Bells,” “White Christmas,” “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer,” “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “A Holly Jolly Christmas,” and (Walkin’ in a) “Winter Wonderland.”

What would we do without these Christmas songs? We are also doing a Hanukkah song. I wondered if perhaps it had been composed by a gentile? Nope. Tom Lehrer is Jewish, too! And, if you know his work, it will not surprise you that the title is “I’m Spending Hanukkah in Santa Monica”!

The little man on my shoulder just said, “OK, Tim, time to bring it home.” Which then made me wonder what that saying really means. I looked it up, of course. It means: 1. A positive motivating phrase to get to the punch line.

2. Encouraging one to state the point.

3. “Please get to the climax.”

OK, that was hilarious. It also hurt a little. I have no doubt the Bay Times editors have had that feeling often when reading my submissions! There is a well-known Seelig trait: We can talk until we think of something to say.

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TLC: Tears, Laughs and Conversation

have conducted 100 holiday shows.

And, we are not even going to estimate how many there were over my 35 years with LGBTQ choruses since from when I was conducting two or three at a time. It’s a lot of holiday cheer.

I do feel positive, motivated, and encouraged, however, to bring it home at this point.

If I’m going to bring it home, then it has to be about home. Living in San Francisco is an absolute dream.

Making a home down by the Bay with Bobby Jo and Tater Tot is wonderful. I also have two homes available to me with my kids and grand girls and countless homes of chosen family open to me. I must also say that my gratitude deepens with every drive or walk through our beautiful city as the number of people who have no home for the holidays grows every day, it seems.

Most of all, I am blessed with this city, this chorus, and my biological and logical families far and wide. My holidays actually start on December 25th after our concerts are finished.

I will spend that day and the ones that follow counting my blessings.

May your home for the holidays be bright and gay, and hopefully, your heart will be there with you! Happy Holidays.

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

The Academy Legends Awards 2021 Dr. Tim Seelig, Artistic Director of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus and a San Francisco Bay Times columnist, was inducted into The Academy’s Legends Archive during a ceremony on Friday, November 12, held at the Swedish American Hall. Memorabilia from Dr. Seelig’s career will be permanently installed in The Academy’s Legends Room, 2166 Market Street. The award was presented by Emmy Award-winning conductor Terrance Kelly of the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir. The event marked a pandemic era reunion for Seelig and Kelly, who are featured in the 2019 documentary Gay Chorus Deep South about the Chorus and Choir’s groundbreaking tour of the American South.

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Also honored were transgender activist Tita Aida, who received the Exemplar Award that was presented

by Mercedez Munro; visual artist Leo Herrera, who received the Diane Jones Solidarity Award presented

by Munro; and community organizer and nightlife expert Scott Peterson, who received the Architect Award presented by Miss Rahni Nothingmore.

Performers included producer and noted pianist and vocalist Russell Deason, singer/songwriter Linda Stonestreet, Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir members singing with Terrance Kelly, and educator and accomplished musician Melanie DeMore. One of many highlights of the event was DeMore’s beautiful rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

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https://www.academy-sf.com/

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Hosts for the ceremony and program included Sister Roma and Bay Times columnists Donna Sachet and Liam Mayclem. The talented trio skillfully emceed the evening’s festivities.

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2021

By Donna Sachet

“Memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.”

– Kevin Arnold

T

he Academy’s third annual Legends Awards ceremony took place last Friday at the Swedish American Hall and nearly 200 people showed up to celebrate and socialize, including Jan Wahl, Gary Virginia, Gareth Gooch, Bill Wilson, and Brian Kent.

We co-emceed with the dashing Liam Mayclem of television and gastronomic fame and Sister Roma, the “most photographed nun in the world” and always fun to work with. Paul Miller and Nate Bourg not only created The Academy, but they also created a group of awards to recognize individuals making a difference in the LGBTQ+ Community. The Exemplar Award was presented by the sparkling Mercedez Munro to long-time champion of the Asian/Pacific Islander Community Tita Aida. The Diane Jones Solidarity Award went to writer, activist, and filmmaker Leo Herrera, who accepted by video. The Architect Award was then given by talented drag performer Miss Rahni Nothingmore to Scott Peterson, who has turned the Powerhouse into such a favorite SOMA location; his remarks were particularly humble and moving. Between awards, we enjoyed a remarkable variety of musical performances

by Russell Deason, Melanie DeMore, and Linda Stonestreet. Finally, the Legends Archive Award was presented by Terrance Kelly, director of the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, to Dr. Tim Seelig, Artistic Director of the SF Gay Men’s Chorus. Tim recently announced his retirement after an extraordinary career and especially significant contributions to this local chorus, making him a perfect selection for the evening’s premier award. In keeping with past years, Tim gave one of his favorite conducting batons, framed with historic photographs and documents, to be forever on display at The Academy, joining Sister Roma’s headpiece and Juanita MORE!’s neon “Loads of Love.” The awards ended with a hilarious video offered

by Tim and a rousing song by members of the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir. Guests wandered next door to The Academy for an after-party at The Academy with all the awardees, presenters, performers, and guests for cocktails and congratulations, as Juanita MORE! provided excellent music.

Two recent events gave friends and associates of the late Harry Denton and Michael Pagan a chance to gather and share fond memories. First, Harry’s Bar on Fillmore Street hosted a mid-week happy hour timed party. Never having been to that bar and being rather unfamiliar with that neck of the woods, we went a bit reluctantly, unsure of our reception.

Within minutes of arriving, any anxiety was allayed as Greg August offered us a seat and a Cosmo, engaging us in delightful conversation.

The gaggle of boisterous guests buzzed with amusing stories of their experiences with Harry Denton. At some point, it was time to cut the two cakes, both with suggestive and amusing designs, and to sing the birthday song. Somehow, we were hoisted up onto the front bar with Liam Mayclem with the blessing of General Manager Charles Johnson and we led the singing, ending with a toast to this extraordinary San Franciscan.

Then, we joined a number of former Sir Francis Drake Hotel employees and other friends and business associates of Michael Pagan at Harris’ Steakhouse. Once again, conversations centered around the man we were honoring. We loved spending some time with Cassandra Cass, Holotta Tymes, and Robert Carstensen, all of whom played crucial roles in the success of Sunday’s a Drag at The Starlight Room, as well as other familiar faces from those many years doing shows at the hotel. We even had a chance to spend a few minutes with Michael’s sister, her daughter, and son-in-law. A big thank you to Scott Taylor for providing the comfortable setting with bar, delicious food, beautiful floral arrangements, and a slide show of photographs.

Each of these events was not heavy on ceremony or speeches, but served an important purpose in bringing together people impacted by the loss of two very caring individuals who touched many lives.

We ended our weekend celebrating Absolute Empress Marlena’s birthday with many of her friends gathered in Patricia’s Green, the small park in Hayes Valley directly across from the location previously known as the legendary Marlena’s bar. Marlena was resplendent as she received admirers from far and near, court related and otherwise, as cake was cut and champagne flowed. We chatted with Emperors John Carrillo, Jacque Michaels, J.P. Soto, and Bill Bulkley, Empresses Alexis Miranda and Emma Peel, Kippy Marks, Carlos Medal, Patrick Noonan, Aldy AlbanesPearman, Bobby Sleker, Ehra Amaya, Jouke Lanning, and so many more. This was an informal celebration for a wonderful community icon. As this pandemic continues to melt away, we look forward to many more such events, bringing people back together in person with precautions, but with boundless joy.

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

Friday, November 19 Winter Onesie Party Fun in your favorite onesie DJ Rob Moore The Lookout, 3600 16th Street 9 pm Free!

Monday, November 29 Castro Holiday Tree Lighting Hosted by Donna Sachet Music, elected officials, & community Bank of America, Castro Location 6 pm Free!

Thursday, December 2 Drag Queens on Ice Union Square Holiday Ice Rink Top drag queens take to the ice Special guest Denali from RuPaul’s Drag Race 7 pm Free!

Sunday, December 5 Help Is on the Way for the Holidays XX Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation benefiting Project Open Hand Auction & performances Brava Theater, 2781 24th Street 6:30 pm $45 & up www.reaf.org Monday, December 6 Tree of Hope Lighting Rainbow World Fund Origami decorated holiday tree Grace Cathedral, 1100 California Street 7 pm Free! www.rainbowfund.org Sunday, December 12 Birthday Cabaret & Celebration Celebrating José Sarria, hosted by Emperor XLVIII, A.N., William Bulkley Emceed by Imperial Crown Princess Katya Smirnoff-Skyy Martuni’s, 4 Valencia Street 4–6 pm Tuesday and Wednesday, December 14 & 15 Donna Sachet’s Songs of the Season Presented by Brian Kent Holiday Cabaret benefits PRC Feinstein’s at Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason Street 8 pm $25 & up www.prcsf.org

PHOTO BY GOOCH

The Academy’s Paul Miller (right) with hosts Liam Mayclem and Donna Sachet at the Swedish American Hall for the annual Legends Awards held on Friday, November 14.

PHOTO BY SHAWN NORTHCUTT

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Al Baum (Posthumously) and Mollie Stone’s Markets to Be Honored on National Philanthropy Day

Cocktails With Heather Heather Freyer We’ve given the mule a festive, Caribbean twist by swapping clear vodka for Bacardí Gold rum.

The Ginger Snap is perfect for Thanksgiving—a true snap to make for guests before or after dinner. It is also great to serve at any other holiday soirée.

GINGER SNAP 1 1/2 ounces Bacardí Gold rum 3 ounces ginger ale slice of lime (“wheel”) for garnish Fill a highball glass with ice. Pour in the Bacardí Gold rum and ginger ale. Mix gently. Garnish with a lime wheel.

National Philanthropy Day, November 18, was established to recognize and pay tribute to the meaningful contributions that philanthropy— and those active in our own philanthropic community—make to our lives, communities, and world. This year, the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Golden Gate Chapter will join chapters across the country and around the world on November 18 to present National Philanthropy Day 2021 virtually, and honor individuals, organizations and businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area who generously give their time, talents, and resources for the enrichment and benefit of our communities.

Center for Lesbian Rights and numerous other nonprofits, Baum gave generously not only of his earnings but also of his time and tremendous skills. His husband Robert Holgate, a Bay Times columnist, carries on Baum’s legacy and is known for his own efforts concerning local and national social justice causes.

This year’s awardees include Alvin H. Baum, Jr., who posthumously will receive the Lifetime Achievement honor. A member of the LGBTQ community, Baum (1930–2021) was the focus of the April 8, 2021, issue of the San Francisco Bay Times. From his support of Openhouse to the National

Mollie Stone’s Markets will also be honored, with AFP’s Outstanding Corporate Grantmaker award. With nine Mollie Stone’s Markets in the Bay Area—including one in the Castro—and 700 employees, Mollie Stone’s is proud to work with local growers and brands around the greater Bay Area to bring customers

high quality products in every aisle along with superior customer service.

Mollie Stone’s has expressed a commitment to serving local communities by helping to strengthen them, and especially during times of need. Whether there is a pandemic, fire, power outage, or investing in the future of the LGBTQ and other communities, Mollie Stone’s strives to help by donating to local hospitals, foodbanks, schools, first-responders, and various nonprofits through direct financial support, food, PPE, time volunteered, and customer match programs.

Mike Stone, owner and CEO of the business, feels strongly about giving and says, “There is no greater need during one’s lifetime than to support our community.” He adds, “If I can make a difference in one person’s life, what greater gift is there?”

The full list of honorees for National Philanthropy Day 2021 is at https://tinyurl.com/36rjat36

Philanthropist Al Baum

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Philanthropist Mike Stone

PHOTO COURTESY OF MOLLIE STONE’S

Heather Freyer is a beverage expert who is the Vice President and General Manager for Open West States at Bacardí USA. Previously she was with Trinchero Wine Estates, Castle Rock Winery, Cost Plus World Market, and more.

PORTRAIT PHOTO BY SAUL BROMBERGER AND SANDRA HOOVER PHOTOGRAPHY

https://tinyurl.com/yyc4me8t

Napa Valley: It’s About Wine

David Landis It’s wine time.

In the last issue, The Gay Gourmet visited Napa to recommend hotels, excursions, and restaurants. Now, it’s time for what’s front and center in the Valley: wine, wine, and more wine.

Visiting the wineries in Napa is a magical—and convenient—getaway from the Bay Area, barely over an hour from the city. I’ve been visiting the Napa Valley since moving to San Francisco in 1980 and the plethora of wineries has grown exponentially (at last count, it’s somewhere north of 375!). The way in which one tastes wines has also changed dramatically.

Back in the day, one could wander up to the wine country, stop in, and sip some of the best varietals—often for free.

Those days may be gone, but what’s happening now are curated experiences that provide elevated oenophilic adventures: a way to discover

Next, we sampled the 2016 Chardonnay that,

What follows are three of my personal Napa Valley favorites.

At the top of the list, I’d put Alpha Omega Winery. This boutique winery is located just north of Yountville, right off 29, in the Rutherford appellation on gorgeous acreage with views towards the mountains of Sugar Loaf Ridge State Park. Set amidst a charming, small lake with dancing fountains, the entire experience provides a relaxing respite from the stress of urban living, while allowing tasting of artisanal wines that the winery describes as “handcrafted with Old World practices.” The COVID protocols at Alpha Omega Winery are exemplary: you are greeted in the parking lot where you wait in your car—and then, your party checks in by itself. Instead of an indoor tasting (which I’d done before), we opted for a tasting outdoors to enjoy the bucolic views. Because Alpha Omega is so dog-friendly, Alphonse and Gaston got to tag along as well.

Our engaging wine expert Carl guided us through the hour and a half tasting, beginning with some delicious whites. We started with the winery’s 1155 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc (2019), described as “balanced with a lively, acidic mid-palate

according to another winery guide, “pairs well with fried chicken.”

This Chardonnay, in my opinion, was quite elegant and oak didn’t dominate—an approach that I personally appreciate.

Moving on to the reds (since Alpha Omega is known as a “Bordeaux house”), we tried one of my personal favorites: the Proprietary Red Napa Valley (2018), described as “silky and balanced, with notes of caramel.” There is a smoothness to this wine that I thought would make it a perfect complement with pastas, beef, and more.

From there, we moved to the Petit Verdot Napa Valley (2019), described as “dense with red and black cherries”—another great choice. Next, we had two single vineyard offerings: the Stagecoach and the Drew Vineyard. Our party was divided about which we liked the best: the Drew Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (2019), reminiscent of black plums, was a bit bolder; the Stagecoach Cabernet Sauvignon (2019), tasting more of blackberries, seemed a lighter choice.

For our final wine, we tasted the winery’s special Era red wine (2019), a blend of

vineyards tasting of dark fruit with understated elegance. All in all, Alpha Omega is a must-visit winery that should be a part of every Napa Valley trip.

PHOTO BY SUZANNE BECKER BRONK

The Gay Gourmet

Which, of course, comes at a price.

You’ll be hard pressed to find wine tastings in Napa Valley for less than $40 or $50, but that price generally includes an extended, reserved seating (a must during these pandemic times); several wines from which to choose; and often, nibbles and bites to accompany your outing. Best of all, many of Napa Valley’s wineries now also welcome dogs: my own pound pups, Gaston and Alphonse, are wagging their approval!

with flavors of Asian pear.”

What I personally liked about this wine was that it was aged in stainless steel, with just a hint of French oak. Carl called it a perfect drink for “a Napa Valley breakfast.”

COURTESY ALPHA OMEGA

wines, but in a more sophisticated and intentional way.

Another favorite on this trip was the re-branded Chandon winery (formerly Domaine Chandon), known for its sparkling wines and set on a beautiful parcel of land just west of downtown Yountville. The landscaped gardens are part of the attraction here, along with what normally would include a stunning lake (when California isn’t in a drought).

Again, we opted for an outdoor tasting on a knoll surrounded by trees, a relaxing setting in which to sit and sip. Alphonse and Gaston were once again welcomed with open arms.

surprisingly light and dry, more in the style of Provence rosés rather than many Napa rosés. From there, we sampled the sparkling Brut rosé, which our guide described as “California sunshine in a glass.” It was the perfect way to begin a leisurely Sunday morning. Our flight continued with the E’Toile Prestige Cuvee, aged five years (one of our favorites), followed by Club Cuvee, described as “a pillow on the palette,” which our party declared a winner. The flight concluded with a very special Tete de Cuvee, aged ten years, an elegant finish to a delightful tasting.

While Chandon has been around for years, one of its differentiators is that its winemaker is a woman, Pauline Lhote, who started her career at Chandon as an intern.

Because she uses French techniques in her winemaking, these sparkling wines are sophisticated, light, and dry. Our party chose the rosé sparkling flight experience and, while we didn’t opt for it, you can also add on culinary options.

Perhaps the most magnificent view in the Valley is from the hilltop where Artesa Winery is perched, directly overlooking the Carneros region. To get there, you drive through sparsely travelled country roads overflowing with verdant vineyards and wind your way up to a stunning panoramic view. After parking, you climb up beside a vertical man-made waterfall to the avant-garde edifice, designed by Spanish architect Domingo Triay and built into a hillside. On a good day, the vistas allow you to see all the way to San Francisco. We chose to have our tasting flight sitting outside to take in the views; you can also add on a charcuterie plate for an extra price. During the tasting, Gaston and Alphonse loved sitting at our feet, and once again were warmly embraced by all.

An unexpected twist was the first offering, a still rosé that was

Artesa was established in 1991 by the oldest winemaking family in Spain and blends Old and New World techniques. Our flight began with a lovely, dry 2019 Rosado (rosé) wine made from Tempranillo and Pinot Noir—crisp and delicious. From there, we sampled my personal favorite, the Albariño Estate wine (2020), aged in stainless steel and concrete, which gives the wine a clean, mineral finish.

Next, we had the Chardonnay Estate wine (2016), aged in French Oak—not particularly to my taste but for those who like oak and buttery whites, this is a good choice.

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the perfectly crispy, plant-based snacks bring savory goodness to any soirée. They’re also baked, so they’re better for you—and delicious, to boot.

PHOTO BY BOB MCCLENAHAN

Black Cat Jazz Supper Club in SF’s Tenderloin is midway through its JAZZ@ theEDGE Festival, featuring underground artists renowned for taking the jazz genre to its edge. Black Cat curates the festival “at its glam-meets-grit urban lair” to spotlight both established artists and undiscovered new talent.

Grammy-award winning trumpeter Maurice “Mobetta” Brown headlines for the restaurant/club’s New Year’s Eve shows. This venue is the best of both worlds: listening to live jazz while noshing on delicious American tapas.

Afterwards, we sampled both a light and fruit-driven Pinot Noir (Selection 91) and an earthier Block 12, more in the style of the French Pinot Noirs. Another favorite was the 2017 Tempranillo—a mediumbodied red wine that will complement just about anything. We decided that we weren’t a fan of their 2017 Cask Reserve Especial Cabernet Sauvignon (too fruity for our tastes), but our wine guide then brought us a delightful, sparkling Grand Reserve Brut Barrica, which ended the tasting on a high note.

In conclusion, I’d say Napa still has it all—and more: delectable restaurants, fun excursions, great hotels, and, of course, some of the best wineries and tastings in the world.

And it’s a hop skip and a jump away from home. Go now!

Bits and Bites For the 2021 holidays, Alameda’s farm-to-barrel craft beer pioneers Almanac Beer Co. offer a fun and delicious way to give the craft beer enthusiast in your life a gift to remember. Almanac’s festive Holiday Advent Beer Box features twelve 16 oz. cans of beer, spanning a wide range of innovative craft beer styles including hazy IPAs, lagers, stouts, barrel-aged sours, and more. You can also add on Almanac’s limited-edition

release of Ugly Sweater LOVE Hazy IPA (6.1% ABV), celebrating one of the season’s favorite traditions with a wonderfully tacky holiday label. Ugly Sweater LOVE Hazy IPA is dry-hopped with Sabro, Citra, and Mosaic hops and brings holiday cheer to all.

How about healthy, no-prep snacks in festive red and green colors for holiday gatherings? One of the Gay Gourmet’s favorites—Harvest Snaps—features farm-picked veggies like green peas and red lentils as the #1 ingredient. They come in festive flavors like Tomato Basil, Original (green peas), Parmesan Roasted Garlic, and Caesar.

Whether served in grab-and-go cups, alongside dip, or used to add crunch to a crudité platter,

Hanukkah is coming up this year November 28–December 6 and you can celebrate it with Pomella in Oakland, as well as One Market and Mark ‘n Mike’s in San Francisco. This holiday season, Pomella is partnering with local foodmakers Bishulim SF, Boichik, Covenant Wines, and others to offer something different nearly every day of Hanukkah. One Market is offering a three-course Hanukkah prix-fixe dinner for $49, including: matzoh ball soup, potato latkes (additional charge), beef brisket, and a traditional jelly doughnut. In addition, Mark and Mike’s

regular menu items are available for dinner.

Almanac Beer Company: https://almanacbeer.com/

Try this on for size: the new Manischewitz Ugly Sweater Chanukah Sugar Cookie Kit. The offering has everything your family will need to create your ugliest sweater yet: sugar cookie mix, traditional yellow and blue color powders, Hanukkah sprinkle mix, three piping bags, and a sweater cookie cutter. All you need is your sense of humor and creativity. The packages make eight to ten Ugly Sweater Cookies to share, gift, or “ just eat.”

Harvest Snaps: https://harvestsnaps.com/

This just in: Eater has named “The 11 Best New Restaurants in America” and San Francisco’s Anchovy Bar made the grade.

Congratulations to our local hero!

Alpha Omega Winery: https://www.aowinery.com/ Artesa Vineyards & Winery: https://www.artesawinery.com/ Chandon Winery: https://tinyurl.com/4k4ar288

Black Cat restaurant/club: https://blackcatsf.com/ Pomella: https://www.pomellaoakland.com/ One Market: https://onemarket.com/ Mark ‘n Mikes: https://tinyurl.com/4tk6k343 Manischewitz Ugly Sweater Chanukah Sugar Cookie Kit from Kayco: https://tinyurl.com/ruut5eyh Anchovy Bar: https://theanchovybar.com/ David Landis, aka “The Gay Gourmet,” is a foodie, a freelance writer, and a retired PR maven. Follow him on Instagram @GayGourmetSF or email him at: davidlandissf@ gmail.com Or visit him online at: www.gaygourmetsf.com

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My Near-Perfect 19-Day Cruise to South Florida and the Caribbean With a BFF During the Pandemic

Photos courtesy of John Chen

ing, and every three days while on board, and the day before returning to the U.S. We prepared early and ordered the approved COVID-19 home test kit from Abbot a few weeks before our trip.

Travel John Chen Last July through early August (2020), my good buddy Jared and I took a 33-day, 10,300-mile epic road trip across the good old U.S. of A during the height of the pandemic.

On that journey we took in all the beauty and majesty of our country as well as witnessed and experienced how people across America viewed, treated, and sometimes ignored the dangers of COVID-19. I documented our amazing and eye-opening trip in the September 2020 issue of the San Francisco Bay Times. https://tinyurl.com/45exaa45 Since then, we’ve taken numerous short trips exploring California, Nevada, and Arizona—until recently.

Just this past late September through mid-October 2021, Jared and I embarked on a 19-day trip to the Caribbean and South Florida soaking up as much sun and native island cultures as we possibly could. All in all, we visited Fort Lauderdale, South Beach, Key West, and six island nations on a cruise ship, the Celebrity Equinox. The ship docked at St. Croix, Antigua, Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, and St. Kitts. Similar to our road trip across America, I would like to share with you the highs and lows, what we’ve learned, our interesting encounters, and all the wonders and beauty we experienced.

Before you travel, here are some of my tips:

In addition, we were notified ahead of time that masks must be worn on all islands in both indoor and outdoor settings, except when eating, drinking, and/or swimming. Finally, cruise ship guests are not allowed to tour most of the islands unless they are on a cruise sponsored excursion. For this reason, we signed up in advance for an excursion at every port.

COVID Test 48 hours Before Boarding Our Ship First, we downloaded the required NAVICA app in order to track our results. Then, the test was administered live via video conference where a certified agent talked us through the test and observed that we did it correctly. Finally, the agent certified our negative results in a national database where we could retrieve the data from the NAVICA app. I must say it was a little nerve wracking taking the test. It was a good thing that Celebrity would have credited the full amount of our trip for another cruise should we have tested positive and been unable to go.

Day 1: Air Travel and Fort Lauderdale We flew Southwest Airlines first to St. Louis, then to Fort Lauderdale.

Masks had to be worn as soon as we entered an indoor airport building until we got into our rental car.

This is federal law. We anticipated the flight to be fairly full, but to our pleasant surprise, neither flight reached more than 60% capacity.

Once in Fort Lauderdale, we headed straight to Shooters, an iconic waterfront restaurant where all the tourists go for shots. Hey, we are tourists, so don’t judge.

open arms (figuratively speaking, of course). Immediately, we noticed that there were hand sanitizing stations everywhere. Moreover, we found out that the ship was only half full, and that many guests didn’t get their COVID-19 tests and were sent to a designated local pharmacy to receive an expensive quick turnaround test before being allowed to board.

After waving Fort Lauderdale and the good old U.S. of A goodbye from our stateroom’s balcony, we proceeded to tour the ship and acquaint ourselves with all the restaurants, shops, bars, lounges, and amenities aboard.

Dinner time was the most important time of the day for us. You see, we are both foodies and take our eating seriously. We staked out all of the dining halls, specialty restaurants (where you pay to dine), and snack bars, and strategically reserved our spots accordingly. Tonight, our first night on the ship, we visited the main dining hall where the two of us ordered eight appetizers, five entrees, and four desserts to the bewilderment of our servers. Yes, we did! Who are you to judge us?!

For those who don’t know this, nonLGBT sponsored cruises generally have a “Friends of Dorothy” social hour every day, code name for an LGBT people on board meet and greet. Although we didn’t partake in these socials because they took place smack in the middle of dinner time, we did befriend several LGBT travelers. I venture to guess that there were at least 40 LGBT passengers on our ship. Credit goes to Celebrity, whose ads show an LGBT couple having a romantic evening toasting one another.

Days 3–4: At Sea

Day 2: Fort Lauderdale and Aboard the Celebrity Equinox

1. Do your destination research well ahead of your travels so that you know what to pack and expect, especially laws, rules, and regulations.

2. Book excursions, tours, and rentals in advance.

Day 3 - Celebrity Equinox pool area

3. Book through reputable sites that offer free cancellation or refunds. I used Viator for all watercraft rentals and tours, and Airbnb and Hotels.com for places to stay.

4. Have a plan B. 5. Have enough cash to tip. Although tipping isn’t a must, the vast majority of hospitality workers depend on your generosity.

Health and Safety Guidelines Originally, our ship’s itinerary included the islands Barbados and Grenada. Unfortunately, due to a resurgence of COVID-19 cases in those nations, the cruise had to cancel those two stops but added St. Kitts. Celebrity cruise line sent us health and safety guideline updates almost every week, months before our sail date, to ensure we understood and would adhere to the strictest standards.

All staff on board are fully vaccinated and wear a mask at all times. All passengers over the age of 18 must show proof of being fully vaccinated and must receive a negative test result from an approved testing agency 48 hours before boarding. All unvaccinated passengers under the age of 18 must test negative the day of board20

Day 2 - Selfie with Jared on the Equinox Stateroom balcony

Our boarding time was slated for 3:30 pm, so we had plenty of time to shop for flip fops, go for a workout at the local 24 Hour Fitness, and eat a late lunch. Oh yeah, let’s not forget it was both hot and humid in Florida!

And it would be just as hot and humid in the Caribbean. We made sure we had plenty of reef-safe sunblock.

After returning our rental car we took a taxi to Port Everglades Cruise Port. From there, getting onto the ship was a breeze, although we had to go through several security and health safety check points that included verifying our passports, fully vaccinated cards, and a negative test status within the last 48 hours via the NAVICA app.

Once on board, we didn’t have to wear our masks and were greeted by a herd of smiling and enthusiastic masked staff who welcomed us with

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Days 3 and 4 were sea days and we spent most of our time sampling food from all the different restaurants, tanning at the pool, working out at the onboard gym, playing ping pong, drinking at the various bars, and enjoying live music all over the ship. Let’s go back to the restaurants for a moment. On our second night, we dined at an amazing French restaurant, the Murano, where we received top-notch food and service. At the end of our six appetizer, five entree, and six dessert meal, we offered a monetary tip to our server.

She declined and asked us—a request that was borderline a plea—to come back and eat there ($50 per person) again. She assured us that, by coming back, we are doing her and her fellow staffers a bigger good than giving her a tip.

Day 6 - St. John’s, Antigua

area of St. Croix famous for its beautiful coral reef and giant sea turtle nesting grounds. As soon as we got off the ship, we were required to wear our masks, sanitize our hands, and pass a temperature measurement.

This was our de-boarding routine at every island.

A bus ride took us to a national historic site, Christiansted, where our powerboat awaited. Christiansted is home to a former fort and several original structures, including a Custom House, commemorating the Danish colony that occupied the Virgin Islands from the 16th to the 19th centuries.

From Christiansted, our boat cruised along the northern shoreline of St. Croix to the beautiful Buck Island Reef National Monument, a federally protected elkhorn coral barrier reef that supports many endangered species of wildlife. Before going snorkeling, we were told that sun block/ screen of any kind, including reef safe, is not allowed to protect the fragile corals. The slight sun burn we got was well worth seeing the unique and endangered underwater ecosystem.

Day 6: Antigua Our ship arrived and towered over the capital of Antigua, St. John’s.

From the ship, the city looked every bit as bright, cheery, and colorful as a crayon box. Our excursion today was a long one. After a temperature check and hand sanitizing at the pier, we were herded onto our bus for our tour. Our guide, a native and a grandmother, beamed with pride when speaking about her country, culture, and people, although she lamented that her country abandoned traditional trade such as sugar and fruit for the much more profitable tourism industry, only to have the pandemic ruin everything.

In fact, we were only the second major cruise ship to come through since the start of the pandemic.

The first one was also the Celebrity Equinox, but with only 800 passengers. No wonder there was nary a tourist at St. Croix and now Antigua.

She thanked us for visiting her island and joked about seeing us again in a few weeks in hopes we would visit again. “But seriously,” she said, “please tell your friends and family to visit!”

Day 5: U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix

As our tour bus traveled through St. John’s, I noticed there were a few shops that sported the LGBT rainbow flags prominently. This was somewhat surprising considering Antigua is a heavily religious country with as many churches as we have 7-Elevens.

After two and a half days at sea, we arrived at our first destination, St. Croix. Right away we could see palm trees and crystal clear aqua blue waters line the shores and beaches. At St. Croix, we signed up for a power boat tour that included beach and snorkeling time at Buck Island, an

Our first major stop was the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Nelson Dockyard and Museum.

Named after the greatest British Naval Officer, Admiral Horatio Nelson, the dockyard was where the admiral set up his naval base in the Caribbean in the late 1700s.

From the dockyard, our bus took us to Shirley Heights, where we were rewarded with a breathtaking panoramic view of the English Harbor from above.

After a long day of touring, we arrived at a private, secluded white sandy beach and frolicked in the gorgeous Caribbean Sea for a couple of hours before heading back to our ship. I am very thankful that there were only a couple small tour buses of people at the beach instead of the usual (pre-pandemic) several hundred.

Day 7: Dominica On this rainy and cool day, our ship docked on the pier at Roseau, the capital of Dominica. Today, our excursion took us to the magnificent Titou Gorge and the blissful Screw’s Sulfur Spa. Titou Gorge, or “little throat,” is located on the outskirts of Morne Trois Pitons National Park, the first natural UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Eastern Caribbean. This deep river gorge is a popular swim hole that navigates through a series of rooms and ponds carved out of molten lava and ends at a towering waterfall. This was also where a segment of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest was filmed. In fact, our tour guide, who jumped in the water first to lead the way, showed us small holes in the cave walls where the cameras were mounted to capture Orlando Bloom jumping into the gorge. The swim was relatively easy and took less than 10 minutes to reach the waterfall.

Words cannot describe the natural beauty inside the gorge where light is filtered through the tropical foliage above ground and lava-carved gorge walls surrounding the cool, if not chilly, waterway. This was definitely a favorite stop for Jared and me.

After a cold swim, we headed to Screw’s Sulfur Spa for a hot soak and detox in its many natural pools. This was the perfect complement to the Titou Gorge. The hot springs also offered us a sulfur scrub that the natives swore took 10 years off their faces with each application. Hearing this, all of us enthusiastically scrubbed our faces and bodies. Unfortunately for me, the clock turned midnight only minutes after I completed the “treatment.”

Meanwhile, Jared still looked 28 instead of 18. But we felt like a million bucks!

Day 8: St. Lucia Our ship arrived in Castries, the capital of St. Lucia, with the sun shining unlike Dominica. Today was all about cruising the western coastline of the island to the Gyro Pitons, twin volcanic spikes above ground and another UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The St. Lucia coastline is beautiful and dotted with a mixture of small, secluded beaches, quaint fishing villages, 5-star resorts, rocky caverns, and aqua blue inlets. Our boat made

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Day 11 - Timothy Hill Overlook, St. Kitts island, with the Atlantic Ocean on the left and the Caribbean Sea on the right.

a pitstop at Hollywood movie-like Marigot Bay, where we swam in the crystal-clear water.

About an hour later, we arrived at the most photographed landscape in St. Lucia, the Gyro Pitons. The view from our boat was stunning as everyone lined the port side of the boat to take photos and selfies. Naturally, I was one of those jockeying for the best position to get a few photos. And I may have “inadvertently moved” someone out of my way.

Day 9: At Sea We started out the day with a good workout at the gym, then ate, played ping pong, ate, sat by the pool, ate, sat in the jacuzzi, watched live music, ate, and played ping pong again.

Whew! What a rough life!

during a non-pandemic year they would be completely booked months in advance and there would be nothing available for walk ups.

Although our bus ride to and from the ship was relatively short, the driver did stop at the Timothy Hill Overlook where we could see a narrow strip of land, a little more than 1,000 feet wide in certain places, separating the Atlantic Ocean on one side from the Caribbean Sea on the other. From the overlook we could clearly see that the Atlantic Ocean was fierce with waves and winds crashing ashore, whereas the Caribbean Sea was calm and gentle, like a peaceful lake in the heart of a tranquil mountain.

Days 12–13: At Sea

Day 10: St. Maarten (Dutch)/St. Martin (French) The story of St. Maarten and St. Martin is actually quite humorous if you look at it from the simplest perspective. Our tour guide told the tale of the two countries.

“The Dutch ruled the island until the French came. They fought and the Dutch said it wasn’t worth their effort, so they set sail to find another island to inhabit. The Dutch soon found another beautiful island and proceeded to claim that as theirs.

However, as the Dutch further explored the island, they discovered the French on the other side and realized it was the same island.

They fought again. Finally, the two sides came to an agreement to split the island 50/50. Unfortunately, for the Dutch, the man designated to sign the agreement got drunk at the time of signing and unwittingly gave the French an extra 17% more of the island. Since then, the Dutch side is called St. Maarten and the French side, St. Martin.”

Our ship docked on the Dutch side, and like all tropical islands, St. Maarten was sunny, but we could see in the distance that St. Martin was pouring cats and dogs. Today was beach day for us. Our excursion took us to a pristine beach with virtually no other tourists. Immediately, we were met with very aggressive merchants who relentlessly pedaled their products as well as massage services.

On the one hand, we understand their plight. On the other hand, their tactics left little to be desired.

Day 11: St. Kitts St. Kitts was added to our itinerary when Barbados and Grenada were cancelled a couple of weeks before sailing. Like all the other islands, we were the only cruise ship in Basseterre, and you guessed it, the capital of St. Kitts. Our excursion took us to a secluded resort, the Carambola Beach Club. Again, the scenery was amazing with crystal clear aqua blue water.

The Carambola Beach Club, however, offered various water sports including jet skis, mini power boats, and various paddle crafts for rent that were unavailable at the other beach excursions. With no other suitors, we were able to rent a couple of jet skis for a mere $60/half hour/person. The jet skis vendor admitted that

Day 12 - Caribbean sunset aboard the Celebrity Equinox

Our Caribbean journey was coming to an end. The final two days at sea before arriving at Fort Lauderdale gave us a chance to eat some more, but more importantly, to reflect on all the islands we had visited and their collective economic plight due to the pandemic. We learned that all of these islands, at some point in the distant past, had industries and agriculture where they exported sugar, various fruit, and liquor—in particular, rum. However, the economic lure of tourism was too great to resist. No one thought the prosperity from tourism would come to a halt so suddenly until the pandemic threw all the island nations into economic despair.

Although it was nice to have many of the beaches, tourist attractions, and rentals to ourselves, we kept hearing the pleas from not just the natives who welcomed us onto their islands but also staff members on our ship to please, please come back soon and tell all of our friends to come visit. They need us tourists, more than ever.

Day 14: Fort Lauderdale Our ship arrived bright and early in the morning to Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. After saying goodbye to all the new friends we met onboard, we took a taxi to the airport to pick up our rental car and headed to the intracoastal waterway to retrieve our reserved Boston Whaler boat rental. Although I lived in Fort Lauderdale for a couple of years back in 2004–2005, this was Jared’s first time visiting. What better way to see the area than to rent a boat and cruise along the waterways lined with multi-million-dollar homes and multi-million-dollar yachts. FYI, in order to operate any power water-

Day 5 - Celebrity Equinox at St. Croix

craft, big or small, in most states, you must obtain a U.S. Certified Boater Card from your home state.

Jared and I took the four-hour online course and the subsequent exam months before our trip. It really does pay to do your homework and plan in advance.

On another note, the state of Florida does not have a mask mandate for those who are vaccinated or unvaccinated, so we saw people everywhere, both indoors and outdoors, without a mask on.

After coasting up and down the waterways in Fort Lauderdale and picking out the multi-million-dollar homes we each wanted after winning the lottery, we ate a really good Thai lunch in the heart of the LGBT community at Wilton Manors. I remembered from my years living here, South Florida had, in my opinion, average Asian food, except for Thai, which was actually comparable to that of the Bay Area.

Speaking of Wilton Manors, it is a small island city surrounded by the much larger city of Fort Lauderdale.

Wilton Manors is also known as the gayest city in the U.S. with a 90% LGBT population. This is where the majority of the LGBT businesses and entertainment are located in the greater Fort Lauderdale area. And this is where the community go to eat, drink, party, and be merry.

In the late afternoon, we checked into our beautiful waterfront Airbnb, a lucky and rare find at our price point.

For the rest of the evening, due to typical South Florida pouring rain, we decided to stay in and spend a quiet and relaxing night in our private pool and jacuzzi.

An important tip when traveling by car in Florida is to plan for the many toll roads and bridges. Make sure you have “Plate Pass” or “Sun Pass.”

Day 15: South Beach The iconic South Miami Beach, affectionately known as just South Beach, is a must see for those visiting the Fort Lauderdale-Miami area. From the art deco district to the entertainment destination, Lincoln Road, and from the mob history to the speakeasies, South Beach is steeped in dark history and is the quintessential tourist attraction.

We took a walking foodie and cultural/history tour and sampled various authentic Latin cuisine, visited former speakeasies, took photos of the art deco buildings that lined the beach front, and stood in front of the former Versace Mansion where the fashion giant Gianni Versace was gunned down. We learned that, back in the day, the mob congregated and ran their drug businesses in Miami Beach because it was too far south for the federal government to intervene and control. And the area was the main gateway connecting the U.S. directly to Latin America. We also learned that there’s always an arrow floor pattern in front of any speakeasy in order to secretly “point” the way.

Day 16: Beach Day, Fort Lauderdale With so many beaches to choose from such as Fort Lauderdale Beach, Sebastian Beach (an LGBT frequented beach), Hollywood Beach, and Haulover Beach (the only legal clothing optional beach in Florida with its own gay section), where should we go? We ended up at Fort Lauderdale Beach because it was the closest and I was too lazy to drive more miles than I had to. And there were restaurants and bars nearby for easy access. Go figure!

Day 17: Florida Keys and Key West We got up early, checked out of our Airbnb and headed down the Florida Turnpike to U.S. Federal Hwy 1 and the Florida Keys. The keys are a scenic string of islands, approximately 120 miles long, ending at the southernmost point in Key West. Although most tourists head straight to Key West, a major destination, we decided to make a few stops along the way to see some beautiful and secluded beaches such as Anne’s Beach in Islamorada, Sombrero Beach in Marathon Key, and Horseshoe Beach in Big Pine Key, where we snorkeled to see native marine life.

After a long day of driving and beaching (is that even a word?) we arrived in Key West just in time to make our dinner reservation at Nine One Five. We have to eat. We need to eat. Oh heck, we love to eat! We ended our day strolling up and down the famed Duval Street where boutique shops, restaurants, clubs, live music, and street vendors come alive after the sun goes down.

Key West is also a popular destination for LGBT travelers with many LGBT and LGBT-friendly businesses including scores of hotels, resorts, bars, drag shows, and novelty shops in the heart of the Duval Street entertainment district.

Day 18: Key West

Day 18 - Water sports at Key West, Florida

After a good night’s sleep, we headed out to the beautiful open water and reserved (weeks before our trip) a fun day of snorkeling, jet skiing, kayaking, parasailing, banana boating, and swimming. Florida is a great place for all types of exhilarating water sports, and we took advantage of the smaller than normal crowds.

In Key West, I had an opportunity to chat with several local merchants about the effects of the pandemic on the local economy. Unlike the Caribbean island nations where the ports and airports were completely closed, cutting off their main source of income, Key West businesses man-

aged to survive. The island city being so far away from state and federal jurisdiction was able to welcome enough tourists looking for a tropical getaway to stay afloat.

We ended our day on land visiting the Southern Most Point, Mallory Square, and the Hemingway Historic House where we petted the Hemingway polydactyl cats. The extra-toed cats have been featured in various documentaries, making them the star of the tour.

Finally, we sat down to an amazing lobster dinner while watching the famous Key West sunset. The scenery and meal made for a perfectly romantic end to our vacation, but with one major flaw. Jared and I are buddies.

He wished he was there with his girlfriend and I, my husband. I guess what we have is the next best thing, a bromance.

Day 19: Flight Home to San Jose International Airport Even after a long, exhausting day in Key West, we drove 192 miles back to Fort Lauderdale to rest and catch our flight home the next day. Another one of our epic journeys had come to an end. It was an amazing trip filled with fond memories. Nevertheless, we were eager to greet our other halves at the airport and were looking forward to spending some quality time at home.

Final Thoughts At this time last year, we couldn’t fathom the pandemic lasting this long, and yet here we are. I count my blessings that Jared and I could still travel, adhering to all health safety measures, and see the world outside of the states.

We learned that people are finding ways to survive and get through the pandemic. We are strong and resilient, but we still need each other’s support. On our cruise ship, each individual staff thanked us for being there. They were genuinely happy to see us and worked hard to make our trip the best it could be. The people of the Caribbean were just as ecstatic that there were finally tourists. We could see that they missed us, and, of course, our spending.

If you are dreaming about a tropical winter getaway, I recommend you make that dream a reality and take a serious and closer look at the various Caribbean islands. With enhanced health safety protocols in place, and being conscientious of your surroundings, you too can enjoy the exciting and/or carefree lifestyle the Caribbean has to offer. There is no better time to go than now, especially with far fewer travelers and abundant discounts. I definitely recommend taking a cruise as the best and most stress-free means to visit as many islands as possible. We had the most excellent experience with Celebrity.

Finally, while you are there, please do support the local businesses, tip those who go the extra mile to serve you, ask the people how they are doing, and don’t forget to tell a friend.

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

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Launch of the U.S.N.S. Harvey Milk Marks Historic Veterans Day Observance

By Eddie Reynoso

Photos courtesy of Eddie Ryenoso

At San Diego’s NASSCO General Dynamics shipyard—with all the pomp and circumstance of a red, white, and blue affair—American flags waved in the wind as a naval band welcomed the Harvey Milk family represented by Stuart Milk, global LGBTQ activist and cofounder of the Harvey Milk Foundation; Anne Kronenberg, Harvey Milk’s campaign manager; and local electees and officials. Also in attendance at the historic launch of the U.S.N.S. Harvey Milk (a replenishment oiler and the first of its ships to be named for an openly gay leader) were top Naval officers, and government officials who included the U.S. Secretary of the Navy, Carlos Del Toro.

Anne Kronenberg and Stuart Milk

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Though the traditions and the protocol of Navy christening ceremonies for their vessels do not waver, the christening and launch of the U.S.N.S Harvey Milk was nevertheless marked with many historic firsts.

Openly transgender Navy officer, nurse, and lawyer Paula M. Neira, a clinical program director for the John Hopkins Center for Transgender Health, was given the honor of breaking the ceremonial champagne on the ship’s bow, christening the vessel and launching it into San Diego Bay. For the first time in history, the “principal address” or keynote speaker was an openly gay man: Stuart Milk, whose speech received a prolonged standing ovation as he touched on subjects that not one of the five speakers before him had acknowledged.

Milk passionately spoke about how his uncle was dishonorably discharged and subjected to two weeks of naval interrogations and harassment. He also reminded those in

Former Sectary of the Navy Ray Mabus, Commissioner Nicole Murray Ramirez and Former Congressmember Susan Davis

SA N FRANCISCO BAY T I ME S

NOVE MB E R 1 8 , 2 0 2 1

attendance that his uncle was assassinated with a bullet through his head.

“Stuart Milk’s speech was indeed a historic one and a refusal of his family and our LGBTQ community to let Harvey Milk’s military service and murder be sanitized by anyone,” stated longtime Latino/LGBTQ activist, City Commissioner Nicole Murray Ramirez.

In his speech, Milk also acknowledged “Our Queen Mother Nicole and the International Court System” for their leadership and letter writing campaign, which brought attention to Milk’s service, and pushed the Navy to name the ship after Harvey Milk.

As Queen Mother of the Americas, Commissioner Murray Ramirez and the 70 Imperial Court Chapters led the national letter writing campaign to then Secretary of State Ray Mabus. It resulted in him naming the first vessel after an LGBTQ American. The Imperial Court System also led the successful campaign that resulted in the Harvey Milk U.S. postage stamp. The Imperial Court System is additionally co-sponsoring, along with The National LGBTQ Task Force and the Victory Fund Institute, the current campaign for U.S. postage stamps to be issued honoring Bayard Rustin, Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and José Julio Sarria.

The 2021 Veterans Day observance came shortly after the 10th anniversary of the lifting of the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, a policy that forced lesbian, gay, and bisexual military service members to hide their sexuality. The policy was passed in

1993 and signed into law by then President Bill Clinton as a compromise to end the existing ban on gay people serving.

Over its 17-year implementation, an estimated 13,000 service members were discharged.

In October of 2021, Dr. Rachel Levine was sworn in as the first openly transgender four-star officer in our nation’s history.

Dr. Levine, who was appointed by President Biden, was already the highest ranking openly transgender official in the U.S. Dr. Levine’s (from left to right) Stuart Milk, Anne Kronenberg, Captain James J. appointment came in White of the U.S.N.S. Harvey Milk, and Commissioner Nicole stark contrast to the Murray Ramirez Trump administration’s stance on LGBTQ issues and affirmed Biden’s campaign promise to end Trump’s transgender service ban.

“Indeed, this Veterans Day observations are historic,” stated Commissioner Murray Ramirez. “As we continue to create a diverse and inclusive future that includes LGBTQ Americans in every sector of government, we must continue to push for the Equality Act, which will provide consistent non-discrimination pro(continued on page 23) (right) Patrik Gallineaux and guests attending the Christening & Launch Ceremony of the U.S.N.S. Harvey Milk held in San Diego, November 6, 2021.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PATRIK GALLINEAUX

This year’s Veterans Day was observed across America by LGBTQ veterans who celebrated the 10th anniversary of the lifting of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell ban, the recent appointment of a transgender Navy Admiral, the first Veterans Day since Trump’s ban on transgender service was lifted, and the christening and launch of the U.S.N.S. Harvey Milk.

GALLINEAUX (continued from page 2) her dance studio in Western New York, Dance Arts, 40 years strong this year).

Yet my coming out process was far from over. In the world of theatre, hospitality, and ballroom dance I found success and acceptance, but I still always seemed to threaten many who thought I needed to be more masculine, to not wear so much eyeliner, to “tone it down” and “be less noticed.” The next and most important coming out milestone needed to be a move to San Francisco.

San Francisco was, and will forever be, the most important evolution in my coming out story. This city tests you—I was initially homeless, yet at the same time ended up in my first months in San Francisco in the documentary 24 Hours on Craigslist as I made sure to find a way to look beyond presentable every day as I worked to build my own business as a ballroom and wedding dance teacher who would travel to his students.

I had the opportunity to participate in the first samesex ballroom dance competition in North America and become a part of one of the most progressive and beautiful ballroom dance communities in the world.

Additionally, I found centers of community in the gay bars and organizations that made me feel accepted, attractive, supported, and healed of the past suffocation of being denied the opportunity to be a “normal kid” who gets to dance and play without judgment.

I met community leaders who amazed me at how they bridged gaps amongst nightlife and powerful community building and fundraising/awareness such as Donna Sachet and Sister Roma and Gary Virginia, all who inspired me to want to give back more. When I received my HIV diagnosis around this time, I looked in the mirror and promised I would turn it into something far more valuable than any damage it would do to me, and was blessed to join the Board of the Richmond-Ermet Aid (formerly AIDS) Foundation in 2010 and additionally to work with the New York-based Research Foundation to Cure AIDS today.

Right this instance, as you read this piece, it is my coming out moment to the public about living with HIV, proudly and hopefully as a role model for others.

IN MEMORIAM (continued from page 10) have a realization that I had held on long enough for the world to begin to change enough for me to step through a once closed door, which perhaps my coming out milestones had helped to open. I also did not take for granted the opportunity to have a greater platform (and budget) to champion the importance of our LGBTQ+ community around the United States and eventually the world, while eventually raising well over a million dollars for LGBTQ+ nonprofits and developing programs to elevate our hardworking nightlife community and those fighting for equality and those most marginalized.

I am coming out right now and acknowledging gratitude for the resources and opportunities given to me—and our community—by a brand called Stoli.

But more importantly, when a city like San Francisco gives you your wings, I believe it is then an obligation to take those wings on the winds of one’s heroes and continue to fly. And while at times through this role I found myself feeling challenged, and even once or twice bullied by my own LGBTQ+ community, I realized that I was at last being given the opportunity to learn and demonstrate the skills of law, politics, and Ambassadorship that I was told when graduating from high school I could not possibly achieve.

Perhaps most full circle and amazingly “pinch-worthy” to me was the opportunity to celebrate Harvey Milk himself through multiple initiatives with Harvey’s nephew Stuart and the incredible Harvey Milk Foundation, and to bring home to the Castro on Harvey Milk Day 2018 a mural of Harvey by artist Oz Montania, including the quote that inspired me from my childhood, “Hope will never be silent.”

Today I have taken a leave from my Global Ambassador role while the next phase of my coming out has been a move away from the Bay Area as I take some time for health, to return to the dance floor, and to be closer to my genetic family, yet I bring San Francisco (my chosen family) with me wherever I go.

I will forever remain an Ambassador for my communities, and for the importance of visibility and acceptance for all good people. Sorry, bad guys: you don’t get my energy or attention.

A few months ago my first visitors in my new home were my father Tim Gallineau, the man who first introduced me to Harvey Milk and sparked my 12-year-old early “bathroom activist” campaign; and my San Francisco hero Donna Sachet. It was a joy to see two people who inspired my coming out story to date interact so brilliantly and bless me with their company.

Coming out means using your new San Francisco powers to bring visibility to all people and connect those from far different worlds, and while working with Cheryl Burke Dance I had the opportunity to fuse the oft-conservative worlds of ballroom and oftoutrageous world of drag by bringing both amazing communities onto the same dance floor with Dancing With the Drag Stars. This series from 2009–2011 allowed me to get to play with some of the most talented and dynamic people I have ever met in my life, and showcased the diversity and talent of drag and trans communities while hopefully softening up the at times too conservative ballroom rules.

Recently, I was terribly excited to have been invited to act as judge for the 2021 Miami Beach Gay Pride Parade. If coming out means the privilege to continue such experiences in one’s life—inclusive of the honor to be considered to pen this piece for the San Francisco Bay Times—then may my coming out story never end.

Coming out for me further meant sacrificing my dance floor to accept a job with a major brand as LGBTQ+ Ambassador, a role I took far more seriously than I am sure was expected. Despite having no desire to enter any realm of the corporate world, I did

Patrik Gallineaux is on leave from his role as the National LGBTQ Ambassador at Stoli USA. He is a columnist for “Gloss Magazine” and is a Member of the Board at The Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation (REAF).

Bay, a dream she had held for many years as she watched them migrate each year she lived in Mendocino.

In her late forties, Pan found another love, and started to dance. At first she wanted to lead, but followed as an offering to her relationship. Through following, she discovered the joy of leaving her left brain and taking on the challenge of being totally present in her body. She loved West Coast Swing (which she did eventually learn to lead with great aplomb), and enjoyed Country Two-Step, Country Line Dancing, and Night Club Two-Step.

She spent some time dancing International Ballroom, and in 2002, competed in the Sydney Gay Games. And then she found Argentine Tango. She became devoted to Tango and danced as often as she could until Covid—and her energy—put a stop to that.

As much as she loved her work, her health began to fail long before she was ready to stop, when it became clear that she didn’t have energy for both work and dance, she stopped most of her paid work, and kept on dancing.

Her other favorite pastime was spending quality time with friends and dogs at the local Temescal Farmers’ Market on Sunday mornings. For over 15 years, she created a treasured community there, and was treasured in turn by those Sunday morning friends.

Pan cared deeply about healing an unjust world, and always strove to show up with compassionate and loving kindness. She cherished her friendships. She held many through their process of death and dying, both those met in friendships and others met through her work. Pan was very touched with how she was held by her chosen family at her end.

She will be deeply missed by all who loved her. http://www.panhaskins.com/

ROSTOW (continued from page 9) sad Diana. We had a touch of mean Charles, indifferent Queen, and cute little Harry. But that’s about it. We left after the ghost of Anne Boleyn appeared for the second time.

I bring this up because, according to Buzzfeed, Stewart has announced plans for a “gay ghost-hunting reality show,” which reminds me again why I like her so much. Remember last year when she did a Hallmark-style lesbian Christmas movie? That was a beautifully sympathetic piece of kitsch. And now this new fun sounding thing.

“Calling the show ‘a paranormal romp in a queer space,’ Kristen went on to describe how the show will have (in The New Yorker’s words) ‘elevated aesthetics,’” Buzzfeed writes.

The star, who is in line to win an Oscar nomination for the aforementioned Spencer that everyone but Mel and I loved, is pursuing the ghosthunting show with her fiancée, screen writer Dylan Meyer. More seriously, she is writing and directing The Chronolog y of Water, based on the memoire of writer Lidia Yuknavitch.

Down Under

HIV/PORTER (continued from page 3)

REYNOSO (continued from page 22)

In the case of HIV/AIDS, all of these concerns and more may come into play. Supportive networks can be key to overcoming the challenges, making observances such as World AIDS Day all the more important. The red ribbon associated with World AIDS Day, December 1, is the global symbol for solidarity with HIV-positive people and those living with AIDS.

tections for LGBTQ people across the nation.

Equally as important, we must encourage every LGBTQ person to register to vote and go to the polls in next year’s mid-term elections,” added Commissioner Murray Ramirez.

The latest pandemic, COVID-19, also reminds how we all may benefit from the ongoing medical research on HIV/AIDS. Just a few weeks ago, drug company giant Pfizer announced that it has developed a new pill—part of a class of medicines called protease inhibitors—that works by inhibiting an enzyme the coronavirus needs to replicate in human cells. The technology behind protease inhibitors was made possible largely due to research on treatments for HIV/ AIDS. (Protease inhibitors also treat hepatitis C and certain other diseases.)

The more role models who are HIV positive make public their diagnosis, the easier it will be for others in similar situations to follow their lead. This will help to end debilitating stigma and to improve fundraising for HIV-related research that often informs breakthroughs concerning not only COVID-19, but also cancer and much more.

So thank you, Billy and Patrik, and to all others who have bravely come out—and come out again.

If passed, the Equality Act would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, federally funded programs, financial credit, and jury service.

Please act now by registering to vote ( http://lgbtqvoterregistrationday.com/ ) and contacting your Senators to urge them to vote for the Equality Act! Please also send the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee a letter of support for the LGBTQ Queens + Heroes Stamp Campaign! You can do so at: https://www.lgbtqueenstamps.org/support Eddie Reynoso is the Chair of the San Diego LGBTQ Historic Task Force and the Executive Director of the Equality Business Alliance, San Diego’s LGBTQ & Allied Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center.

JUSTER (continued from page 7) Contact me: jjbaytimes@gmail.com Joanie Juster is a long-time community volunteer, activist, and ally.

I was looking to transition to a lighter tone, maybe with a dismal TV commercial, a gay penguin, a right-wing politician found in a compromising situation, an insane lesbian cutting up her ex-girlfriend’s underthings with a pair of garden shears. You know the tropes.

But instead of frivolity, I’m feeling burdened. More books being removed from school libraries. More bad things happening in Eastern Europe and other far-flung locales.

More frustration from Democrats.

More sniping from Republicans.

There’s a promising federal lawsuit filed against the state of Tennessee by a 14-year-old transgender teen who is suing to be allowed on the boys’ golf team. Tennessee is one of those states that enacted a statute this year forcing transgender high school athletes to play for the team that matches their gender at birth. Now, the ACLU and Lambda Legal have challenged that law, which is one of several antigay measures approved by the Volunteer State. The ACLU tells NBC News that this is the fifth lawsuit they’ve filed against an antitrans sports law. Ten states have passed such laws this session. And, as I said, Tennessee has passed so much nasty business that someone is calling it the “Hate State.” I’m too lazy to figure out who exactly came up with that moniker, but I’m passing it on anyway.

I see that the Michigan Supreme Court has refused to reinstate a petition that was (rightly or wrongly) deigned insufficient by the powers that make such determinations. The petitioners were trying to put a gay rights measure before lawmakers, or if that failed, before the voters. The Mitten State’s top court is in the middle of a related piece of litigation, answering the question of whether or not the state’s ban on sex discrimination automatically includes gay and trans bias (as the High Court ruled was the case in Bostock).

You can see that I basically have no time or space left for casual commentary or off-topic mental wanderings. That said, I did just notice a news piece on a “mega spider” in Australia, where someone has captured and “turned in” a very, very large exemplar of some horrible-sounding venomous creature that can kill a child in a few minutes. Authorities were very pleased because they planned to extract a lot of venom and convert it to antidotes.

(I am screaming soundlessly with my mouth open.)

You know, I’d visit antigay Poland before I’d hike around the countryside in Eastern Australia.

And don’t tell me about the “death stalker” scorpions in Egypt that can take down an adult human in less than an hour. These are the ones that are running around the streets after storms flooded the southern Aswan province. Oh, my God. I guess three people are dead from the storm, but hundreds have been treated for scorpion bites. The press notes that the scorpions have not killed anyone, because the victims have been able to get treatment.

As BBC explains: “Anti-venom is used as a preventative measure before symptoms arise, but can also work once symptoms start to worsen.

Extra doses of anti-venom were provided to medical centres (sic) in villages near mountains and deserts in Aswan after the scorpion swarm was reported. People were also urged to stay at home and avoid places with many trees.”

Listen. I am happy that everyone else is able to survive these encounters with spiders and scorpions, but since I would faint from horror and be unconscious, I would not make it to the medical centre to begin with. You would only find my corpse, riddled with hives and punctures, maybe an old death stalker slowly sidling out of my shirt pocket. arostow@aol.com

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Giving Thanks!

Giving and the Joy of It

Photos courtesy of Liam Mayclem

especially need us around the holidays. A seemingly small act of kindness can make a world of difference.

Liam’s LGBTQI List

When you give from the heart, the gifts you give will be returned to you tenfold, I guarantee it!

And if you spend Thanksgiving morning volunteering, it will only make your turkey day feast taste better.

Liam P. Mayclem “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

—Mahatma Gandhi

Here is my list of nonprofits that really matter to me throughout the year, but especially so during the holiday season.

As kids, many of us grew up thinking: What will I get for Christmas?

What will Santa bring? What will visiting family and friends put in my piggy bank? That was partly my experience. I was also taught early on about serving others, as an altar boy in Catholic Church and doing Saturday morning errands for an elderly neighbor (Mrs. Treble). My mother was a nurse, and so I also learned from her about the importance of giving your time and a hug of comfort to those in need.

Growing up in England and Ireland, I never experienced Thanksgiving. Boy, what a revelation it was, coming to America and enjoying a holiday that was all about a massive foodie feast shared with friends and family and then thanks—giving thanks. No gifts?

The perfect holiday!

Thank you for giving!

GLIDE Memorial Church (several options for volunteering) https://www.glide.org/volunteer/ Holiday Heroes Presented by the Wender-Weis Foundation for Children December 7 at Oracle Park (send a Be-A-Hero Box to an atrisk child and more) https://holidayheroes.org/ La Cocina (an organization that cultivates low-income food entrepreneurs; look for “Ways to Support” at the website) Holiday Market is December 11 https://lacocinasf.org/

Delivering turkeys to firehouses with ChefsGiving

Meals on Wheels (donate & sign up to write cards to seniors) https://www.mowsf.org/

For many years I have given my time in all manner of ways over the Thanksgiving holiday. That precious commodity of time is one of the biggest gifts we can give of ourselves to another. A selfless act of your time to another can make a world of difference, not just for those you serve but also for yourself.

The need is great for so many in these challenging times around the holidays as well as all year round.

I have many Bay Area nonprofits that I work with throughout the year, but around the holidays I focus on the ones that feed the hungry, our elders, our neighbors. Find a nonprofit that works for you, one you can donate money or time to, or, in the case of nonprofits such as food banks or shelters, one you can give items to or spend time volunteering.

On Lok (nutrition programs, healthcare and more for seniors; multiple volunteer opportunities) https://onlok.org/ Project Open Hand holiday fundraiser is December 9 http://www.openhand.org/

Working the kitchen with a chef at La Cocina Hosting a cooking class with Chef Mark at 18 Reasons

SF - Marin Food Bank (a donation of $1 = 4 meals!) https://www.sfmfoodbank.org/ St. Anthony’s (multiple ways to give, including clothing donations) https://www.stanthonysf.org/ Tenderloin Tessie 40 years of feeding the hungry in San Francisco http://tenderlointessie.com/

You could peel potatoes or prep veggies for Project Open Hand, serve holiday meals at Glide, bag up groceries for delivery at a food bank—the possibilities are endless. Last year I, with support via ChefsGiving, delivered 200 turkeys to firehouses around the Bay Area.

You could take a warm meal or bag of groceries to a senior or someone you know who is in need, is housebound, and alone. The choice is yours. Our LGBTQ+ seniors

Food tours for a cause. Liam has given more than 125 food tours over a decade and all for various nonprofits.

QUEER POP QUIZ

Emmy Award-winning radio and television personality Liam Mayclem is regularly featured on KPIX as well as KCBS, where he is the popular Foodie Chap. Born in London, Mayclem is now at home in the Bay Area, where he lives with his husband, photographer Rick Camargo.

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

BLACK QUEER HOLIDAY FILMMAKERS

What is the name of the first full-length, all Black, all lesbian friend ensemble holiday film?

A) We Need a Little Christmas B) Season of Love C) The Hanukkah Setup D) Happiest Season S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2021)

Out Gay Actor Robin de Jesús Talks About Role in tick, tick...BOOM!

Gary M. Kramer The screen adaptation of the offBroadway musical tick, tick…Boom!, starting November 19 on Netflix, features out gay actor Robin de Jesús as Michael, an ad executive whose roommate is a struggling musical theater composer named Jonathan Larson (Andrew Garfield). De Jesús has an infectious musical number, “No More”—when Michael moves into a new apartment—as well as some poignant scenes as his friendship with Jonathan hits some rough patches while Jonathan struggles to finish a song for a workshop for a show he hopes to produce.

De Jesús, who made his Broadway debut in Larson’s Rent, recently chatted with me for the San Francisco Bay Times about making tick, tick…Boom!

Gary M. Kramer: What are your thoughts on Jonathan Larson and his legacy?

Robin de Jesús: The production [of Rent] is why I say Jonathan was such an amazing ally. The two male leads are white men, yes, and those are the characters that maybe Jonathan was most like. But the production centered on people of color and had commentary on the AIDS and crack epidemics. When you set a story in New York City—even if it is a one-man show—New York inevitably ends up becoming a character because it has that kind of presence. Who [ Jonathan] chose to highlight, and how he highlighted them, was so important. Even though Tom Collins and Joanne Jefferson [characters in Rent] are college educated, there is something that feels very working-class, even if it is hipster working-class. It spoke to demo-

graphics that were not typically acknowledged. People felt seen by it.

It was very intersectional, and that’s why the fans connected to it. All we want is to be seen. Even when you are shy, you want to be seen. And the emotional availability; his lyrics are simple but insanely human.

Gary M. Kramer: What can you say about performing the musical numbers in tick, tick…

Boom!? You have a tremendous energy, but I’m sure it can be exhausting.

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Gary M. Kramer: There is a stirring musical number in the film that recounts Jon’s friendship with Michael. Why do you think Michael is so supportive of Jon?

George is so good; Michael does enjoy that musical theater nerd-dom, and that his friend Jon is brilliant, and when he needs him, he will be there for him. And it might seem in the film that I’m always there for Jon, and he is not always there for me, but there is reciprocation. Jonathan is in an annoying, self-absorbed place in the film, but overall, we don’t sit there all the time.

Robin de Jesús: My big thing with Michael was that when I auditioned

Gary M. Kramer: Do you worry about being typecast?

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Film

Robin de Jesús: That day shooting “No More” was quite tiring, but it was joyous, so we were sustained by that. We had to do all the choreography, acting, and all the lip-synching in double time, which is bizarre and so hard.

We learned it before the pandemic shutdown, and during the break, everyone’s lives were predominantly more sedentary. Coming back, I didn’t have endurance that I had prior, so it was getting my rev up again.

I wanted to add rehearsals because I wanted it to be perfect.

for the role I thought: how do I present?

He is an advertising guy.

But I don’t think he’s just a guy in a suit.

That label doesn’t identify him. He is Jonathan’s roommate. They have been friends since childhood. They love watching Sunday in the Park With George together. They live in SoHo. They are not not cool. I’m not going to embrace that—and not play someone in advertising—I’m just going to be me. Lin [Manuel Miranda, who directed] eventually told me that was what separated me that I wasn’t playing that. Where we see Michael in written scenes is in moments of frustration and caretaking, but that’s why watching Sunday in the Park With

Robin de Jesús: When you attach the adjective “gay” to something, people assume that that is one note of acting. You often hear gay actors who only play gay, or only played gay, so we don’t know if they are that good. But no one says a straight white guy who only plays straight, so we don’t know if he is talented or good. I’m aware gay is only one thing, so this character was nice to

be a person who was more—and quiet. Traditionally, as a gay Latino, this role wouldn’t have gone to me. When you hear gay Latino, you immediately think John Leguizamo in To Wong Foo … . It’s frustrating because people don’t realize that that erasure of gay and Latino folks and all marginalized groups, that whenever our characters are not multi-dimensional that contributes to violence, and a reduction that eventually hurts us and the culture. It is a very big deal.

People always want to simplify. But sometimes you can fix these issues with literally one line. Words matter. © 2021 Gary M. Kramer Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the co-editor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.” Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer

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For the Movie Buff on Your Holiday List not the fashion now. There are still gifted people, of course. Just not Cary Grant, Gene Kelly, or the rest. That won’t happen again.”

Off the Wahl Jan Wahl 2021 may have been a challenging year on many fronts, but it has been an excellent one for books about movies and movie stars. From dishy gossip to cinema history to colorful biographies, options abound at this time, so head to your favorite independent bookstore and dig into film fun.

Hot off the presses is a blast from film critic and historian Leonard Maltin. It is appropriately titled Star Struck: My Unlikely Road to Hollywood. Of course, many know him from television (Entertainment Tonight, Oscar specials) and from his many prior books, but this one is particularly fun as we travel with avid film buff Maltin through anecdotes with humongous stars. He has a weird feud with Burt Reynolds, watches a room full of women melt for George Clooney, rakes us deep into the families of Disney and John Wayne, enjoys a trail ride with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, and an even bumpier one with Bette Davis and Olivia de Havilland, Barbara Stanwyk, and Frank Capra. As a true jazz fan, Leonard swings through Lena Horne, Charlie Parker, and Los Angeles when jazz clubs were everywhere. Jazz and classic Hollywood … I am with you, Leonard!

The other day I spoke with Leonard, just when I needed him! I was sad about a lecture I had given the night before. It was very successful (she said modestly), but so many of the younger people there were clueless about greats like Bette Davis, Fred and Ginger, and even Funny Girl. Leonard was comforting. “Jan, when I was hired by Entertainment Tonight in the ‘80s, I saw a bunch of really terrible films, boring or mediocre at best. Then I watched one great classic movie, and all was right again. Society changes; points of reference change. I keep thinking of my daughter when she was very young. We’d put on the barn-raising dance scene from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. She’d see it and yell, ‘Again!’ After hundreds of viewings of that great sequence, she wanted the entire movie. Then Calamity Jane and The Pajama Game. It’s a journey to great movies. From one to another.”

He continued: “The generation now was raised on shows like America’s Got Talent and American Idol, where everyone wants you to see how hard they are working. When I showed my class of usually 300 students the “Begin the Beguine” number (The Broadway Melody of 1940) with Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell, they thought it was too easy. They thought it too perfect. All I can do is set the stage and give them context. Hollywood gave us a fantasy of stars who lit up the screen, larger than life. That’s

As anyone who knows me or reads this column is aware, I am a huge fan of The Celluloid Closet (a fascinating guide to Hollywood’s portrayals of the LBGTQ community). It turns out Leonard knew it’s author Vito Russo in his early days in New York.

“We traveled in the same circles,” he said. “Vito was fun, and passionate about the movies and stars he cared about. He was completely authentic. We have come further today from when Vito made us so aware. There are less casual derogatory jokes, and more sensitivity with character. I hope that direction continues.”

Glad you were star struck, Leonard, and gave us this holiday gift.

Break open the piggy bank ($45) for the gorgeous coffee table book MGM Style: Cedric Gibbons and the Art of The Golden Age of Hollywood. Author Howard Gutner previous wrote the definitive book on fashion icon Adrian. This time he dives into the production design that made this studio great. From details like props and furniture to interior design, art deco architecture, and landscapes, we see how the unlimited budgets and remarkable talent built the movies from the ground up.

I can’t help but go into the seedy side of Tinseltown with Hollywood’s Hard-Luck Ladies: 23 Actresses who Suffered Early Deaths, Accidents, Missteps, Illnesses and Tragedies.

Laura Wagner introduces us to actresses you might not have known, but who achieved early success before show business or their own problems took them down. We find out success can be as challenging as failure.

There are life lessons here, but it is also good ol’ movie dish. The book is sad but engrossing, like some great movies themselves.

Curl up with a good book and celebrate the holidays!

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

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Top of your stack A Spindle Splintered (Sci Fi) by Alix E. Harrow As author Katherine Arden puts it, “A Spindle Splintered is a vivid, subversive, and feminist reimagining of Sleeping Beauty, where implacable destiny is no match for courage and sisterhood.” In this version, it’s Zinnia Gray’s 21st birthday and the last she’ll ever have. As such, her best friend Charm is intent on making Zinnia’s last birthday special with a full sleeping beauty experience, complete with a spinning wheel.

But when Zinnia pricks her finger, something strange and unexpected happens. There is a lot to appreciate about this book, including the look of it, but what really makes it special is the queer feminist take on a misogynistic classic.

The Sentence (fiction) by Louise Erdrich November is Native Heritage Month, so if you’ve never availed yourself to the prose of Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Louise Erdrich, now is a good time as her latest book, The Sentence, was just released. In it, she creates a humorous ghost story, mixed in with a tale of passion, a complex marriage. The story’s protagonist has landed a job in an indie bookstore in Minneapolis after years of incarceration. She also lands a shift that is haunted by a recently deceased customer, Flora, the store’s most annoying customer. If all that weren’t strange and engaging enough, most of the story takes place between November 2019 and November 2020, with the murder of George Floyd and rise of the Black Lives Matter movement as backdrop.

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOOK PASSAGE Billy Porter Unprotected (memoir) by Billy Porter From the incomparable Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award winner comes a powerful and revealing autobiography about race, sexuality, art, and healing. It’s easy to be yourself when who and what you are is in vogue. But growing up Black and gay in America has never been easy. Before Billy Porter was slaying red carpets and giving an iconic Emmy-winning performance in the celebrated TV show Pose; before he was the groundbreaking Tony and Grammy Award-winning star of Broadway’s Kinky Boots; and before he was an acclaimed recording artist, actor, playwright, director, and all-around legend, Porter was a young boy in Pittsburgh who was seen as different, who didn’t fit in. At five years old, Porter was sent to therapy to “fix” his effeminacy. He was endlessly bullied at school, sexually abused by his stepfather, and criticized at his church. Porter came of age in a world where simply being himself was a constant struggle.

Upcoming Events Saturday, November 27 @ 4 pm (in-store/Corte Madera) Dave Eggers, Author of The Every From the award-winning, bestselling author of The Circle comes an exciting new follow up.

When the world’s largest search engine/social media company, the Circle, merges with the planet’s dominant ecommerce site, it creates the richest and most dangerous—and, oddly enough, most beloved—monopoly ever known: The Every.

Studded with unforgettable characters, outrageous

outfits, and lacerating set-pieces, this companion to The Circle blends absurdity and terror, satire, and suspense, while keeping the reader in apprehensive excitement about the fate of the company—and the human animal.

Thursday, December 2 @ 6 pm (online ticketed event) Ann Patchett, Author of These Precious Days The beloved New York Times bestselling author reflects on home, family, friendships and writing in this deeply personal collection of essays. At the center of These Precious Days is the title essay, a surprising and moving meditation on an unexpected friendship that explores “what it means to be seen, to find someone with whom you can be your best and most complete self.” When Patchett chose an early galley of actor and producer Tom Hanks’ short story collection to read one night before bed, she had no idea that this single choice would be life changing. It would introduce her to a remarkable woman—Tom’s brilliant assistant Sooki—with whom she would form a profound bond that held monumental consequences for them both. https://www.bookpassage.com/

Floridian Nights history has often been an inspiration for me to start a new project.

Michele Karlsberg: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

Words Michele Karlsberg Michele Karlsberg: After many well-deserved literary awards for his novel Flower of Iowa, author Lance Ringel has released a new bestseller, Floridian Nights, which captures a unique moment in time: a pre-digital age when easy public affection and equality in marriage remain faraway dreams. But an organized community has finally emerged into the sunlight, and a gay man can find complete acceptance within his own family. The terror and tragedy of a killer epidemic stalking the land will be all too familiar to contemporary readers, even as they enjoy a culture-clash romance that ricochets between the unexpectedly comic and the deeply poignant.

I recently asked Ringel where he finds his inspiration. I wondered if it was from personal experience, things friends tell him, or just all pure imagination.

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Lance Ringel: I think any honest novelist or playwright is likely to tell you that they write from a combination of personal experience and pure imagination. It’s finding the right balance between those, to create something compelling, which is so challenging. I might also add that

Lance Ringel: In terms of the writing, just do it. Don’t talk about being a writer; actually write. And then edit what you’ve written, rigorously, until it shines for you. If it doesn’t shine for you, it won’t shine for anyone else.

Please enjoy this excerpt from Floridian Nights: The electronic warble of his office phone brought Gary back to land, and to the present. “It’s Julia Stern?” came Anita’s voice, in its half-stating, half-asking tone.

“Okay,” was all he said, and then Julia was on the line: “All right, caught you. Looking out the window at the storm, weren’t you?”

He had to laugh at that. Julia, his best friend, worked in the Empire State Building, and her office faced south. It was a running joke between them that they could see what was going on in each other’s offices, some fifty blocks apart. And with surprising frequency, she, at least, guessed right. “Yeah,” he admitted.

“And what were you thinking?”

“How glad I am the heat wave’s over.”

“For now.”

“For now,” he agreed, “and how foul it’s going to be out tonight.”

“You wouldn’t let a little hurricane cancel a meeting of the Merry Widows’ Club, would you?”

The Merry Widows’ Club was a joke-that-wasn’t-a-joke between them. Julia tended to use the phrase more often than Gary. Her hus-

Lance Ringel

band Ira had been killed in a sidewalk mugging on a beautiful night this past spring. Ira had looked like a stereotypical accountant— he was, in fact, involved in banking, as Becker had been—and maybe that’s why the kids had taken him for an easy mark. They hadn’t expected him to fight back, and he hadn’t expected them to have knives.

So Ira had died on a side street in NoHo, just a few blocks from where Becker had died; had died alone, without Julia, just as Becker had died without Gary.

Lance Ringel is the award-winning author of the novel “Flower of Iowa,” as well as an accomplished playwright whose works for the theater include the plays “In Love with the Arrow Collar Man” and “Flash/ Frozen” and the musical collaborations “Animal Story” and “At Home in the World.” www.lanceringel.com Michele Karlsberg Marketing and Management specializes in publicity for the LGBTQ+ community. This year, Karlsberg celebrates 32 years of successful marketing campaigns.

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

Jewelle Gomez Non-Lez Lesbian Icons all (or at least, for some, not publicly out).

Leave Signs Jewelle Gomez Let’s travel way back to those mysterious times—BE. Before Ellen, that is. Or before Kristen Stewart publicly shifted her affections from the silver-skinned vampire, Robert Pattinson, to a series of charming ladies. Or before Queen Latifah finally acknowledged what we always knew. And while we may hope that one day it won’t matter which initial (LGBTAQ+) you are on in order to work in Hollywood (or anywhere), no one’s holding her breath.

I consumed movies and television like popcorn not realizing then I was looking for my lesbian self. Television and movie images were so influential in the 1960s it’s a wonder that more of us didn’t end up swinging from a ceiling fixture like the typically tragic lesbian played by Shirley MacLaine in The Children’s Hour. Despite those impossibly desperate portrayals lesbians, my generation always had our own media icons, who often weren’t lesbians at

For me, Shirley MacLaine was my first, despite her sad film portrayal.

It was her short hair that initially got me; so few female stars wore their hair short at that time. MacLaine also was an iconoclast in her personal life; a supporter of the Civil Rights Movement, and an independent spirit. It was like she was whispering, “I’m not a lesbian, but I could be.”

An earlier star was flinty-eyed Barbara Stanwyck, who had unusually stark white hair.

Stanwick’s smoky, crackly, low register voice made you lean in to listen. In her earlier movie roles she was the “bad girl,” but I became her true devotee when she played the matriarch on TV’s Big Valley. She wore a split skirt so she could ride horses and boss around the cowhands. Yes, I know that westerns are mostly monumentally racist and sexist, but as a young girl it was where I most often saw women who were hard drinking, independent, and bossy. (Remember Miss Kitty, the madam in Gunsmoke?)

It was just the type I imagined, at ten years old, I was looking for or wanted to be.

The depth of character that Black women actors might portray was often obscured by their skin color; or their toughness was turned into a caricature. Directors sometimes didn’t seem to know what to do with them. Diane Sands, who played the sister in Raison in the Sun, broke all

stereotypes playing independence and rebellion. She bounded from floor to furniture, protesting being overlooked in favor of her brother, and raised her voice in a way few female characters were ever allowed to do.

France Nuyen was probably the most femme movie icon whose career I followed. As a teenager I understood she was getting shortchanged in racist movies like South Pacific. However, as a young lesbian I admired the subtlety Nuyen, who was French/ Vietnamese/Chinese, brought to performances even when they were designed to be humiliating to Asians and to women. She was never a cartoon figure even when the director might have wanted that.

The ultimate non-Lez icon was Diana Rigg, who starred (way before Game of Thrones) in the British production The Avengers.

She often wore mod mini-skirts but is remembered for her leather jumpsuits! (continued on page 32)

Dykes

With Drills

Tip of the Week

By Julie Peri

Preventing Glue Stains on Wood Wood glue is an important part of working with wood. The purpose of wood glue is to hold two pieces of wood together and to provide additional strength and support to your project. One thing that can be frustrating when you use wood glue is the “squeeze out” that occurs where the wood is joined. You wipe it off and think you got it all until the glue dries and you notice that pesky yellow stain on the wood. Wood glue that has stained the wood not only looks messy, but also will repel stains applied to your project.

tip that will help you to prevent the glue from staining your wood in the first place. Prior to gluing up your joints where the wood will meet, clamp your project up without glue. Use painters tape to cover the joints where the glue will be applied, then use a utility knife to cut the tape at the joint. Take the project apart, apply glue to your joints, and clamp together again. Now the glue will ooze onto the tape, not your wood.

You can eliminate the glue stain by sanding, but depending how bad the glue stain is, this can be a very long and tedious process. Here is a quick

For more information about these and other events, go to: https://www.dykeswithdrills.com/workshops

We hope you enjoyed this tool tip. Join us for more fun tips at our workshops!

Introduction to Tools Workshop, November 20, San Francisco Introduction to Tools Workshop, December 11, San Francisco Julie Peri is the Founder and Director of Dykes With Drills. https://www.dykeswithdrills.com/

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Take Me Home with You!

“My name is Juno! I’m just one year old and still full of puppy energy.

I love learning about the world and working on my training skills. My ideal adopter is someone who is active and energetic, because I like to stay busy!

If you’re looking for a fun and loyal adventure buddy, I’d love to meet you.”

Juno 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 Juno.

Dr. Jennifer Scarlett and Pup

To apply to meet Juno, visit https://www.sfspca.org/adoptions/

Fitness SF Trainer Tip of the Month Albert at SoMa “Not sure how to train your core effectively? The plank is the simplest & easiest way for anyone to engage their abdominal muscles.

You can try weighted planks, too. Also, keep in mind that your lower back is part of your core.”

Tore Kelly, Director of Creative & Social Media for Fitness SF, provides monthly tips that he has learned from professional trainers.

For more information: https://fitnesssf.com/

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San Francisco Bay Times Wishes You a Happy Thanksgiving!

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun all under the watchful eyes of the wry family matriarch and a harmonizing Greek chorus. It is filled with lively waltzes, but the dance must end November 21. The beautiful Stephen Sondheim score contains his biggest hit in “Send in the Clowns.” This is The Moon's first main stage production in 20 months! https://tinyurl.com/332femd6

By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, "Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! But I prefer to call it 'ThanksGAYing,' because I am thankful to be Gay! T.G.I.G.! Thank God I’m Gay!” Sister Dana sez, "A reminder that November is Transgender Awareness Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the lives of transgender and gender nonconforming people."

TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE is commemorated annually on November 20 to honor trans lives lost to violence each year. GLAAD has released a media guide to urge us journalists to accurately and inclusively cover transgender people so they can participate in and contribute to society in safety and acceptance, and will highlight trans people working in their communities to drive change.

OUT & EQUAL Workplace Advocates has an extremely informative site addressing Transgender Day of Remembrance quite thoroughly. https://bit.ly/3n6aL5P Mayor London Breed and City Attorney David Chiu have announced a $2.5 million investment to promote and support the live music and entertainment sector in San Francisco. The funding will support the SF LIVE INITIATIVE, which will produce a new series of live performances presented by local entertainment venues at outdoor parks and plazas in 2022. The goals of the initiative are to showcase and support the San Francisco music and entertainment sector, boost neighborhood vitality and enhance the city’s economic recovery through arts and culture. Funding through SF Live will cover the costs of producing this outdoor event series as well as stipends to participating entertainment venues, who will curate talent lineups and market the performances. The $2.5 million investment is funded through an allocation from the California State Legislature led by Chiu, when he was an Assemblymember.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER LIVE has arisen at The Oasis, 298 11th Street, now through December 4. “Into every generation a slayer is born: one drag queen in all the world, a chosen one. She alone will wield the strength and skill and the perfect stylish yet affordable boots.” The kick-ass cast is back along with some wicked new additions in a high-camp parody of the popular music episode “Once More, With Feeling!” That means ... all drag! All dancing! All singing!

Kings and queens are doing it with feeling! https://www.sfoasis.com/ Harvey Milk and George Moscone were the brightest beacons of hope for San Francisco’s disenfranchised and displaced. But more than that, they represented the spirit of San Francisco. THE ANNUAL MILK-MOSCONE VIGIL will be held in Milk Plaza on November 27 from 7–8 pm.

The annual HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING will take place on Monday, November 29, at 6 pm outside the Bank of America (500 Castro Street). The annual event marks the kickoff of the holiday shopping season and is sponsored by the CASTRO MERCHANTS. Expect live entertainment and a blessing by us Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

The Tree Lighting will be followed by the MENORAH LIGHTING ceremony on Tuesday, November 30, at 6 pm at Jane Warner Plaza. The ceremony is organized by the CASTRO/UPPER MARKET COMMUNITY BENEFIT DISTRICT, CASTRO MERCHANTS, and SHA’AR ZAHAV. On December 1, the NATIONAL AIDS MEMORIAL will bring three powerful programs to the public for WORLD AIDS DAY that will offer inspiration, hope, remembrance, and reflection. The programming, free to the public, will include a virtual national forum and observance, hundreds of community displays of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, and a magical evening display of lights in the 10-acre National AIDS Memorial Grove. In the 30 years since the National AIDS Memorial

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A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC is playing at the GATEWAY THEATRE, presented by 42ND STREET MOON. Hurry to catch this delightful, witty, and a little risqué romantic farce based on the Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night. Set in Sweden in the 1900s, it concerns a time when couples meet, part, and reunite during a glorious “Weekend in the Country”—

You Can’t Stop the Beat!

HAIRSPRAY, Broadway’s Tony Award-winning musical comedy phenomenon is back on tour, November 23–28 at SAN JOSE’S CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, 255 S. Almaden Blvd. Join 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960’s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. https://broadwaysanjose.com/

Sister Dana and Sister Kitty have blessed the Castro Holiday Tree many times as they did in this photo from the ceremony in 2017. Will they be back this year on Monday, November 29, 6pm? We hope you will join them, along with Donna Sachet, to enjoy the music and celebration launching the holidays for 2021 in the Castro. Don’t miss the annual Tree of Hope Lighting ceremony at Grace Cathedral, Monday, December 6, 7pm, where you may also see Sister Dana and Sister Kitty once again this year!

was created, its mission has grown to include the 10-acre MEMORIAL GROVE, the 50,000 hand-sewn panels of the AIDS MEMORIAL QUILT, and engaging programs that include storytelling initiatives, youth scholarships, Quilt displays, volunteer workdays, and powerful community events. To learn more about the memorial and its World AIDS Day programs, including a full list of speakers, events and information on how to participate and provide support, visit https://www.aidsmemorial.org/ Join HORIZONS for a panel that virtually brings together preeminent LGBTQ leaders to explore what’s next for our movement. This year, we’ve seen the start of a new administration, the continuation of a pandemic, and social justice battles waged in classrooms and state legislatures. Where do we go from here?

December 1, 5–6:30 pm. Can’t make this time? Register to be the first to know when a recording is available. https://www.horizonsfoundation.org Sister Dana sez, "Tired of the same old, hetero holiday Hallmark and Lifetime romcom movies? Well, that's gonna change this year with lots of LGBTQ-themed holiday flicks in the works. Ho ho, homos!”

And NETFLIX is giving us an early present on December 2 with a way gay SINGLE ALL THE WAY with Michael Urie, Kathy Najimy, and Jennifer Coolidge!

THE SAFEWAY HOLIDAY ICE RINK IN UNION SQUARE presents the 12th annual DRAG QUEENS ON ICE, December 2, 7 pm featuring Denali of RuPaul’s Drag Race (Season 13) and an exceptional lineup of the fiercest EssEff drag queens and kings. Donna Sachet will host. A dynamic set of on-ice performances will feature the return of Dusty Porn, Mahlae Balenciaga, Khmera Rouge, and Paju Munro, while Jubilee and Jota Mercury will take to the ice for their solo skating debuts. Special guests, Sister Roma of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and Queen Dilly, Queen of Make Believe, will join in the festivities. https://unionsquareicerink.com/ Actor Kal Penn has publicly opened up about his sexuality for the first time. The Indian-American performer, 44, published his autobiography You Cannot Be Serious.

He says he and Josh (his partner of 11 years) are now trying to decide on what sort of wedding to have, with him wanting a “big ass Indian wedding,” while Josh wants something smaller: “So we have to meet halfway in the middle.” Sister Dana sez, "Welcome to our Team!"

Senate Republicans have abused the filibuster yet again to stop the Senate from even debating the JOHN LEWIS VOTING RIGHTS ACT that would protect our democracy and the right to vote. This marks the fourth time in the last six months that Senate Republicans have refused even to open debate on voter protections. It also marks the fourth time Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema have put protecting the arcane and destructive filibuster over protecting our democracy. Sister Dana sez, "Bust the filibuster! Destroy it now and forever!!!"

We had the opportunity to come meet artist Isa Amalee to view her latest show—on display through 2021 at THE ACADEMY in the Castro at 2166 Market Street—featuring whimsical portrayals of famous characters in music and pop culture, as well as still life works. My faves that you should check out are as follows: “Lou Reed,” acrylic, pen on wood; “Grace Jones, The Comic Hero”; “Metallica, Whiskey in the Jar”; “Ziggy Stardust, (continued on page 32) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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SISTER DANA (continued from page 31) Ground Control”; and “Joan Jett 2021.” https://amaleeart.com/ PRC’s annual celebration of hope, resilience, and pride, MIGHTY REAL, returned LIVE to the Four Seasons Hotel on November 5. All proceeds of the fundraising gala went to support PRC’s lifesaving, integrated social, legal, and behavioral health services to help the city’s most vulnerable populations—including people affected by HIV/AIDS, substance use, or mental health issues. Speakers included Director of Development Randi Paul, Board President Brian Schneider, Chief Executive Officer Brett Andrews, and Mayor London Breed. Emcee was Dale Johannes.

The height of the evening was the presentation to the 2021 MIGHTY REAL honorees. Broadway and show business legend Joel Grey received the Sylvester Community Pillar Award for his commitment to human rights and his heroic achievement in bringing Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart to

Broadway. Activist and performer Honey Mahogany received the Vanguard Leadership Award for her seminal work within the LGBTQ+ community in San Francisco. Bare Chest Calendar was awarded the Outstanding Community Partner Award for raising more than $2 million for PRC over 38 years of calendars. And Tito’s Handmade Vodka was given the Outstanding Corporate Partner Award for valued sponsorship of PRC’s varied events over the years. I really must rave about LAST WAVE, the fabulous band that entertained us with golden oldies including Sylvester’s “Mighty Real,” the night’s theme.

RICHMOND/ERMET AID FOUNDATION (REAF) will present “HELP IS ON THE WAY FOR THE HOLIDAYS XX: Feliz Navidad” on Sunday, December 5, 7:30 pm at Brava Theater, 2781 24th Street. Enjoy the star-studded cast including David Burnham: Broadway, TV star; Leanne Borghesi: Cabaret star; Rodney Earl Jackson: Broadway actor/co-

founder Bay Area Theater Company; Steve Knill: from TV’s The Voice; Sharon McNight: Tony nominated cabaret star; Jai Rodriguez: Broadway, TV star; Shawn Ryan: from TV’s America’s Got Talent; Marta Sanders: MAC award winning cabaret star; Bruce Vilanch: Broadway (Hairspray), TV star; Lisa Vroman: Broadway (Phantom of the Opera) star; Paula West: cabaret/ recording star; and Salsamania: World Champion dance troupe. https://www.reaf-sf.org/ The new HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN (HRC) survey says that 91% of LGBTQ adults are fully vaccinated. That’s 20 percentage points higher than the general population’s vaccination rate today; 70% of U.S. adults are fully vaccinated. Another 3% of LGBTQ people in the study said that they had gotten at least one dose of the vaccine. Sister Dana sez, "This news should not only BOOST our egos but inspire us to get BOOSTER shots!"

GOMEZ (continued from page 29) As a secret agent in a science fiction-ish government agency, she could do battle against any operative put in her path and barely break a sweat. She was a gold standard Lez icon!

Where other teen friends cut out public relations shots of Sidney Poitier or James Dean, I scoured the movie magazines to collect pictures of my lesbian icons. Looking back, it reminds me of my circuitous path to lesbian-feminism and how many others are on similar, coded paths, even today.

Now I understand it was an essence I was searching for, something that signaled a lesbian “value” to me even if the woman wasn’t one. It was the “bad girl” or outsider stance, a rebellion against female roles, a sense of conscience, and the ability to be hard enough to survive and sensitive enough to outsmart the harsh world surrounding them. I still look for those values in media and in people. Thank goodness for streaming! I love to watch the old movies or TV shows of my Lez icons occasionally; they remind me how they helped me survive.

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

QUEER POP QUIZ ANSWER (Question on pg 25)

A) We Need a Little Christmas The 2020 film was produced and directed by Onyx Keesha with a screenplay by B. Danielle Watkins.

The two led the production of another LGBTQ film centered on queer people of color: The Higher Spirit. We Need a Little Christmas in its entirety is on YouTube as part of Onyx Keesha’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/OnyxKeesha

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Speaking to Your Soul ARIES (March 21–April 19) It might be helpful to interpret a crisis as happening for you rather than to you. Events transpire to help you realize you have been undervaluing yourself. You have what you need to secure your place in the world. You do need to work for it however, so as to prove yourself to yourself.

Astrology Elisa Quinzi Carl Jung told us, “That which we do not bring to consciousness appears in our lives as fate.”

The planets do not cause events to happen to us, so much as they mark points on our journey and beckon us to take the higher path. We are always being prompted either to step toward the light, or to impulsively react to shadow puppets. The more conscious we are, the more free will we have access to, to make better choices. Rather than wait for the earth to turn to morning, by opening our inner eyes to see in the dark, we start to integrate opposites, and require less and less polarity as the primary teaching mechanism in our lives.

TAURUS (April 20–May 20) Inwardly you’ve evolved. You are wiser than you reveal to others and it’s time to reflect this inward change in your outward presentation. Self-define to claim your autonomy, and allow your relationships to reorient themselves to your rebirth.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) A cycle is ending. You might need to release a person or a pattern of behavior that no longer serves your journey.

Contemplate the seed of wisdom gained that you can carry forward into a new beginning. Eventually you will see how your experience can benefit others.

CANCER ( June 21–July 22) Catch a vision for your future and make course corrections if you don’t like what you see. There is genius in you that you’ve yet to express, and the right tribe can help bring it out of you. You need community that supports your authentic self.

LEO ( July 23–August 22) As deep-seated fears are triggered, you can uproot them now, and take greater responsibility for the course of your life going forward. A bigger mission is calling you onto the path, and a breakthrough can help you actualize it.

VIRGO (August 23–September 22) Your penchant for order can keep you in the grip of your own controlled environment. The mysteries of the Universe expand infinitely beyond such boundaries.

However, an encounter or conversation you have with someone you barely know can open your mind to a new outlook. The Universe is trying to reach you. Answer the call.

LIBRA (September 23–October 22) Necessary information could rise to the surface relative to sensitive issues such as sexuality, death, and shared resources. What signals might you have ignored that got you here? Perhaps a revelation is arising from within yourself regarding your own issues or desires.

Either way, truth demands to be known. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, sexier, and more powerful.

SCORPIO (October 23–November 21) You might find yourself standing at a turning point with a close friend or lover. Facing the truth, you could part ways, or go deeper together. Keep your eyes to the heavens and let joy and generosity of spirit guide you.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22–December 21) As you near the end of another cycle, the planets prompt you to purge yourself of any and all toxins and poor habits. Purify your being so that you can be most useful and effective in your endeavors. Clear your lens so you can focus the power of the Universe into the world and do what you came to do. What might seem like sacrifice is making room for much greater good..

CAPRICORN (December 22–January 19) Play, pleasure, and fun want to have their way with you, so that you shed responsibilities just long enough to discover what you like. It’s important that you honor your childlike nature so that the goals you set and achieve match your authentic self and bring actual fulfillment.

AQUARIUS ( January 20–February 18) You might find yourself questioning your sense of stability and groundedness. With the influx of information overload, you could easily allow your focus to scatter every which way, uncertain of what is true and solid. Pull back, and pull within, to find comfort and knowing at the core of your being. Silence the stimulation and anxiety will drastically diminish.

PISCES (February 19–March 20) Sudden insight can lead you to a decision to take classes and learn skills to maximize your potential. With gifts of wisdom, healing, and creativity to contribute to the collective, you need only learn how to communicate them in today’s ever-advancing world of technologies. Listen now for how to do just that.

Elisa Quinzi is a certified professional astrologer who brings a strong spiritual perspective, as well as over 20 years of experience, to her work with clients. Contact her at futureselfnow@gmail.com or at 818-530-3366 with your exact birth time to schedule or to ask questions.

Randy Coleman hails from New York, but has lived in San Francisco since 1975. Coleman shares that before moving to the Bay Area, he studied Art History and Architecture at Boston University while working as a resident artist for architectural rendering at a Massachusetts historical society. “All of my life I’ve been an artist,” Coleman says. “To know me is to know that I have a passion for art and architecture. I love this project for the San Francisco Bay Times, and hope that you enjoy my sketches.” © Randy Coleman, 2021

SF Sketch Randy Coleman

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PRC’s Mighty Real Gala 2021

Photos by Rink

An LGBT community favorite annually, PRC’s Mighty Real Gala for 2021 was held on Friday, November 5, at the Four Seasons Hotel. In addition to a sumptuous dinner, the event included a pre-event cocktail hour and also an after party.

Mayor London Breed, CEO Brett Andrews, and Board President Brian Schneider welcomed guests and discussed the value of the key services provided by the organization.

The honorees who were recognized included Broadway legend Joel Grey, who appeared virtually and received the Sylvester Community Pillar Award. Activist and performer Honey Mahogany received the Vanguard Leadership Award. The Outstanding Community Partner Award was presented to Bare Chest Calendar, a benefit project that has raised more than $2 million for PRC since its origin. Tito’s Handmade Vodka received the Outstanding Corporate Partner Award.

Congratulations from the San Francisco Bay Times to Gala Chair Merredith Treaster and the entire team of volunteers and staff on the success of the Mighty Real Gala. http://www.prcsf.org

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Round About - All Over Town

Photos by Rink

CASTRO STREETCAM presented by

On stage at the Castro Theatre, The Cockettes’ Tricia’s Wedding director Sebastian and stars Sweet Pea, Fayette Hauser and Scrumbly Koldewyn were interviewed by director David Weissman on stage at the Castro Theatre during the Frameline Fall Festival.

Among the former Cockettes attending the screening of Tricia’s Wedding were Scrumbly Koldewyn, Sweet Pam, Birdie Bob Watt, Fayette Hauser and Sebastian.

http://sfbaytimes.com/ Former Cockettes star Birdie Bob Watt performed on stage at the Castro Theatre on Thursday, November 11, at the Frameline Fall Film Showcase.

The sign at the corner of Harvey’s— photographed on November 6— encouraged supporting local LGBTQ-owned businesses.

San Francisco Chronicle writer Tony Bravo (left) interviewed director Jess Moss whose film Mayor Pete was included in the Frameline Fall Showcase.

Come see our variety of new wooden bowls from Lipper International!

Members of the Board of the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District presented a ceremonial grant check to Ismael de Luna, owner of the Healing Cuts barber shop located on Market Street in the Castro.

Block chilly air from coming through your front door’s mail slot with this sleek magnetic flap designed in the U.K. We stock the MagFlap Magnetic Letterbox Draft Stopper in white and silver finishes for $39.99.

Dancer Philip Ruise performed with Rita Alderucci, SuSu Pampanin and Amina Goodyear at Hibernia Beach at the intersection of 18th and Castro Streets.

Freeborn Designs on Castro Street displayed caps created from the same fabric as elegant suits offered for sale at the store.

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A lively volleyball game at the Rikki Streicher Field

ince our founding in 1936, Cliff’s Variety has been constantly growing and evolving in response to the needs of our customers. Our buyers strive to keep our selection fresh, ontrend and competitive.

We carry the best of everything from hardware & tools to cookware, garden supplies, toys, crafts, and gifts.

We also offer re-keying and lock repair, knife sharpening, glass, acrylic & wood cutting. Light fabrication, pipe threading, and cable crimping are among the many other services we offer at Cliff’s Variety. If your project has gone a little beyond your abilities, we’re here to help. https://cliffsvariety.com/

On October 16, Epiphany Dance Theater performers presented Trolley Dances at Rikki Streicher Field, 100 Collingwood Street.

Double Rainbow ice cream customers, seated in the outdoor tables area, enjoyed music by a pair of young musicians who performed in front of 415 Castro Street.

Annie Van Buren, a longtime server at the Cove on Castro restaurant, prepared the restaurant’s popular strawberry shortcake dessert.

Diners enjoyed an afternoon in the parklet at Cafe Mystique.

Server Samuel offered pizzas at Il Casaro Pizzeria and Mozzarella Bar in the Castro at 235 Church Street.

Diners at the sidewalk seating area outside Fable restaurant on Castro Street S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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