San Francisco Bay Times - February 10, 2022

February 10–23, 2022 http://sfbaytimes.com

Jeopardy! Champion Amy Schneider Reflects on Her Greatest Win

JEOPARDY PRODUCTIONS, INC.

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Jeopardy! Champion Amy Schneider Reflects on Her Greatest Win

Amy Schneider Talks About Jeopardy!, Representation, and Her Future Plans

By Joanie Juster

Photos Courtesy of Jeopardy Productions, Inc.

Way back in December 16 I wrote: “Amy Schneider is on a roll, and shows no signs of slowing down.

Her string of powerhouse victories on Jeopardy! is making history.”

At that time, Amy had won 13 games, and more than $536,000.

Thirteen games? That was so 2021. By the time Amy’s historic winning streak ended on January 26, she had won a mindboggling 40 games—the second highest number in Jeopardy! history—and earned over $1.3 million.

She won twice as many games as the secondmost successful woman on Jeopardy! , and is the first trans contestant to qualify for the Tournament of Champions.

How did she do it?

The answer starts with some FAQs about the popular game show that was originally created by media mogul Merv Griffin (1925–2007). Jeopardy! airs each weeknight at 7 pm and the show’s production team tapes a week’s worth of programs in a day, twice a week. Most contestants only get to play in one game, while winners play more games until they are bested. Amy won 40 games, which meant flying down to Los Angeles multiple times for those intense 5-game days, all while holding down a demanding full-time job as an engineering manager.

All of Amy’s games—her entire historic winning streak—were therefore in the can before even one of them aired. This meant she had to keep the secret of her huge achievement under her hat for almost two months until the rest of the world caught up. Only those closest to her—her mother and brother, her girlfriend Genevieve Davis, her managers at work (since she had to take time off)—knew that she had made history.

Amy provided me, for the San Francisco Bay Times, some insights into her time as a Jeopardy! champion, and how it has changed her life.

Competing on Jeopardy! had been a lifelong dream for Amy, whose love of reading and breadth of knowledge led her 8th grade classmates to dub her “Most Likely to Be on Jeopardy!” But it’s one thing to dream about it while watching at home, and quite another to appear on camera for a nationwide audience, again and again and again, for 40 games.

She admitted to me that she felt stressed before the first taping. She was worried that COVID precautions would prevent the crew from provid-

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ing hair and makeup assistance, so she had a local friend fly down to help her. Jeopardy! asks contestants to bring three outfits—just in case they are lucky enough to win more than one game. “I am an overpacker,” Amy said, so she was prepared with multiple costume changes when she won all five games that first day. (See her Instagram account, @ JeopardAmy, where she documented the outfits she wore onscreen.)

With a background in theater, Amy was used to being onstage, but playing a fast-paced game like Jeopardy! on camera for a national audience is a whole different type of pressure. And although she wasn’t the first trans contestant to appear on the show, she knew that simply by being a trans woman on one of the most iconic family-friendly, middleAmerica shows in the country, she had the potential to change how trans people are viewed.

She wisely chose to simply be herself, and tried to share her whole self: her creative side, her sense of humor, her love of learning, and anecdotes that made clear that she is a multifaceted human being with much to offer.

“I think what people have seen on Jeopardy! is I’ve tried to be as authentic as possible,” she told me for the Bay Times.

That authenticity has won over hearts and minds throughout the country. Her fans, who range from small children to grandparents in their 90s, follow

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her devotedly on Twitter (126.5k followers and counting), where she would post a blow-by-blow analysis after each game aired, providing fascinating insight into how the game is played, and details of her own strengths and vulnerabilities.

She consistently praises her fellow contestants with genuine grace and warmth, and had nothing but kind words for her opponent, Rhone Talsma, who ended her 40-game winning streak by besting her in Final Jeopardy. She tweeted, “Ngl, it was crushing. I know I’d been thinking my streak would end, but that doesn’t mean I wanted it to! But I had to put my best face on, and make sure that I didn’t pull any focus from Rhone, it was a great, well-deserved moment for him and he deserved to enjoy it to the full!”

To the delight of her followers, Amy has been refreshingly open and downto-earth on social media about her personal life, posting candid details about her tattoos, her girlfriend, her signature pearl necklace, and, of course, her cat Meep. She also happily answers questions about everything from her game strategy to her favorite movies.

But social media can bring out the haters, also, and on New Year’s Eve, Amy used her quick wit to shut them down en masse with one brilliant tweet: “I’d like to thank all the people who have taken the time, during this busy holiday season, to reach out and explain to me that, actually, I’m a man. Every single one of you is the first person ever to make that very clever point, which had never once before crossed my mind.”

Amy knows from personal experience that representation matters. “I didn’t know the word transgender when I was growing up in Ohio,” she said. And when she did eventually see depictions of trans people on television, the portrayals tended to be negative. When she moved to California in 2009 and finally met real trans people living their authentic daily lives, she started imagining other possibilities for herself.

Jeopardy! Champion Amy Schneider Reflects on Her Greatest Win

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CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2022)

Successful trans performers like Laverne Cox, and especially Natasha Muse, were eye-opening. Amy said, “Natasha was really smart, really funny, had a wife and kids—she had a life!”

Playing the role of Francis Flute in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in San Jose in 2012 brought these ideas into focus. During the play-within-a-play, Flute is forced to dress as a woman. Wearing the dress and makeup caused a lightbulb moment for Amy. She started exploring options, and finally transitioned in 2017.

With the media blitz that has followed her Jeopardy! success, Amy has found herself on a very public stage, being interviewed by The New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, CNN, and every other major media outlet. On the day that I spoke with her, she was juggling interviews with some of these media giants.

“I get recognized a lot these days,” she said.

Winning $1,382,800 may sound like a lot of money, but in these times, it is enough to enhance your life, but not enough to retire. Fortunately, Amy loves her day job; she got into computer programming because she finds it very creative. She explained, “Writing software, you start with a blank screen, then start writing. It’s translating between human and machine.”

Reading the notes from her devoted fans on social media, it becomes clear that Amy not only has made an impact as a successful trans woman, but she has also made being smart cool again. Amy doesn’t just enjoy trivia; her love of books and learning is profound, and when asked about the disturbing trend of school districts and libraries banning books about LGBTQ+ issues and characters, she stated, “I owe so much of the joy I’ve found in the world to books, and what’s great about them, the whole point of reading, is to learn new things. If you’re not learning anything new, why are you reading?”

She added, “You don’t have to agree with everything you read, but when you see something you disagree with, it’s a great opportunity to explore why you disagree, and, at times, come to change your mind. A library that doesn’t challenge you is a library robbed of most of its value and purpose.”

What’s next for Amy? She loves Oakland, and with her new winnings, she hopes to buy a house, and spend the rest of her life there. She is captivated by the beauty of the Bay Area: the hills, the cinematic quality of the light, the ever-changing scenery, and the diversity and vibrancy of the culture.

She is now contemplating her next steps, including how to use her new platform for good. She has been nominated for a Special Recognition award from GLAAD, acknowledging her positive representation in the media, and other nonprofits have reached out to her to discuss potential ways she can use her voice to help others. The overwhelmingly positive feedback she has received from viewers has made her aware of her positive influence as a role model, particularly, as she says, for all the “nerdy trans girls” out there who finally see someone like them on the television screen.

“As far as my platform,” she said, “I’m still figuring out how to use it. I feel some responsibility to use it to advocate for issues I believe in. It’s definitely some-

thing I’m considering as I enter this new phase of my public life.”

The significance of her achievement is still sinking in, as she is still sorting out the impact on her life of both her winnings and her newfound celebrity. The Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions lies ahead later this year with the possibilities of more earnings, and new opportunities are coming her way each day. But in a recent Instagram post, Amy, whose gifts go far beyond her preternatural ability to come up with obscure facts on a moment’s notice, made clear that she understands what she had really won: “I think the main thing that I got out of this was being OK with myself, how I look, how I present to the world. I’ve been openly trans for a little under five years now, and there’s still definitely lingering worry and dysphoria and things like that. Just to get so much positive feedback, so much support, and so much acceptance, it enabled me—by the end of it— to look at myself on TV and be like, ‘Oh, you know, she’s pretty, she’s fun, what a likeable person.’ And I’ve never been able to see myself that way before.”

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

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Pat, Cleo, and Ernestine: Pioneering Black Members of the Daughters of Bilitis

Pat ‘Dubby’ Walker Pat “Dubby” Walker had not heard of the Daughters of Bilitis (DOB) until Billye Talmadge, one of the organization’s co-founders, visited Oakland’s Orientation Center for the Blind in 1958. “She picked me out as gay,” Walker remembered. “She started taking me to different things” and introduced her to many of the women involved in the organization.

Determined to live an independent life, Walker learned “how to use her other senses to ‘see’ her way.” She refused a guide dog. “They get all the credit,” she said. She supported herself first with a telephone wake-up service, then by operating a convenience shop in the lobby of a downtown Berkeley office building. No disadvantage or disability, Del Martin wrote later, “stopped her from being an activist and making the world a better place for women, lesbians, African Americans, and the blind.”

Cleo Bonner

In June 1964, Bonner travelled to New York with Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin to attend the DOB’s third national convention, themed “The Threshold of the Future.” She had been elected to the organization’s national governing board in 1961, was appointed acting president two years later, and elected president in 1964. Welcoming the delegates, she acknowledged, “We have our struggles and disappointments,” although the convention itself was “quite a worldshaking event.” She encouraged everyone to “go on a little longer, to help where we can and do what we can.”

PHOTO BY KAY TOBIN

Dr. Bill Lipsky

tion of the variant” and “education of the public” were among the organization’s most important goals. Women now could access information, literature, and novels about lesbians that were “well-written and ending happily,” and music—“the gayest songs on wax”—they dared not ask for and often could not find where they lived.

Ernestine Eckstein Bonner’s term as national president ended in 1966, the year that Ernestine Eckstein at a Washington, D.C., newsErnestine Eckstein, vice president stand that sold The Ladder rect action in America’s civil rights of the DOB’s New York chapstruggle.” ter, became one of two Black women to appear on the cover of The LadFor Eckstein, visibility, which der. Like Bonner, she dared not use many in the homophile moveher true last name, but unlike Bonner ment for very real reasons found and many of her peers, she wanted to threatening, was key. “Homosexudo more than “help where we can.” als are invisible, except for the steShe saw the value of protests and reotypes,” she told Kay Tobin and demonstrations and was willing to be Barbara Gittings (who were with seen picketing, very visibly, even in her at the White House demonfront of the White House. stration) in a lengthy interview in The

Pat “Dubby” Walker

“There were parties, picnics, getting together to work on [The Ladder],” the group’s monthly publication.

Two years later she became the first Black president of the San Francisco chapter.

Needless to say, the world of 1960 was very different from today. Homosexuality was illegal in all 50 states, including the two newest, admitted to the Union only the year before.

By executive order of then-President Dwight Eisenhower, anyone working for the federal government discovered to be homosexual was fired immediately; no known gay men or lesbians could be hired and they had no legal protections anywhere. In San Francisco, police often arrested people simply for touching someone of the same sex, claiming lewd conduct or worse.

“Dubby,” born on February 18, 1939, had four strikes against her succeeding in that world. Black, female, blind, and lesbian, she was fortunate in one way, at least: a 4

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In 1964, Walker was one of five representatives of the DOB at a retreat in Mill Valley that hoped to establish “better understanding between homosexuals and organized religion.” The result: the Council on Religion and the Homosexual (CRH), “the first group in the U.S. to use the word “homosexual” in its name.” While actively working to let gays and straights alike know that “Gay is Good,” it became an important source of legal and political support for San Francisco’s LGBT communities.

Although only two years younger than Walker, Eckstein belonged to a new generation, one that believed public activism, not education and cooperation, was the best way to bring about society’s acceptance of gay men and lesbians. As an undergraduate at Indiana University, Bloomington, she was involved in her local NAACP chapter. After moving to New York, she joined the Mattachine Society, the DOB, and the Congress of Racial Equality, which “pioneered the use of nonviolent di-

Ladder’s June 1966 issue, “and I feel homosexuals have to become visible and to assert themselves politically. Once homosexuals do this, society will start to give more and more.”

She continued, “The discrimination by the government in employment and military service, the laws used against homosexuals, the rejection by the churches” had to be confronted openly. “The homosexual has to call attention to the fact that he’s been unjustly acted upon.”

Demonstrations, she said, “are

one of the very first steps toward changing society.”

Where Walker and Bonner had ably implemented the DOB’s original stated purpose of educating women, the public, researchers, and legislators to affect change, Eckstein now heralded the future course of the LGBT civil rights movement.

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

Cleo Bonner Cleo Bonner, the first Black national leader of the Daughters and the first woman of color to lead a national LGBT organization, also was at the retreat. She had joined the DOB four years before, in 1960, already in a committed relationship with a woman, raising a son, and working at Pacific Bell, which some years later admitted that “we do not knowingly hire or retain ... homosexuals.” To protect herself and her family, she became known as “Cleo Glenn.”

Not only did she almost immediately take on the job of circulation manager for The Ladder, but she also with her partner ran the DOB’s Book Service at a time when “educaFE B RUA RY 1 0 , 2 0 2 2

Ernestine Eckstein picketing the White House, 1965

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Faces from Our LGBT Past

sympathetic and supportive home life. “When I was eleven or twelve, my mother told me about gayness,” she shared with an interviewer in 1988. “My mother had gay friends and my sister is also gay. At fourteen I realized I liked girls. I never felt bad about myself because of it.”

Truth Hurts

Famous and Notable LGBTQ Black Americans retaining power—the elements of fascism. Likewise, seemingly progressive policies that are not thoroughly examined or interrogated can also uphold systems of racial dominance and can ultimately work against those they are portending and claiming to serve.

Social Philanthropreneur Derek Barnes It’s February, and we’ve landed, again, in the month when Americans celebrate Black history. It should be a time to promote our value and remember the contributions to the world in terms of intellect, culture, labor, and innovation—not just the struggles that a race of people had to endure. There was a rich Black history before America became a country. But before we celebrate, we must recognize and acknowledge the achievements first and be clear about the work needed to achieve full equality.

In 2022, we’re still living in a country where a significant segment of its citizens hates the idea of losing control and power, voting rights for all, sharing resources, or equitably distributing benefits. It outrages them so much that they are willing to undermine and dismantle the very democratic system designed to advantage them. Today, over 56% of the GOP support violence in acquiring and

While racial and ethnic groups grapple over definitions of race and who’s been traumatized or disenfranchised the most, the grift or sleightof-hand by those in power is alive and well. One painful truth is that a large part of the U.S. population has been brainwashed and has no interest in doing away with racial inequality because they benefit economically from institutions and systems that divide the privileged from those who are often disadvantaged or oppressed the most.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., not widely beloved or revered while alive, talked about the war on poor people in America raging in plain sight, as did other civil rights leaders at the time. He was a strong advocate for economic justice. Since his assassination, an estimated $50T of wealth has been transferred to the top 1%, with no end in sight. The radical redistribution of wealth excluded so many from its benefits.

It’s also not sustainable as we’ve racked up over $30T in national debt since his death. Inequitable social constructs are retired when economically convenient and expedient. But first, we need to acknowledge why (continued on page 18)

For Black History Month, GLAAD created the following list of well-known LGBTQ Black Americans—past and present. The already impressive list continues to grow and many more names could be added to it, including those of Bay Area community leaders such as Ken Jones, Melanie DeMore, Honey Mahogany, Dr. Tyler TerMeer (see interview in our prior issue), San Francisco Bay Times columnists Andrea Shorter and Derek Barnes, former Bay Times columnist Brett Andrews, Carolyn Wysinger, and numerous others.

Alice Walker: author, poet, and advocate Alvin Ailey: choreographer and advocate André Leon Talley: editor-at-large for Vogue magazine Angela Davis: political advocate, scholar, and author Audre Lorde: author and advocate Azealia Banks: musician Bayard Rustin: chief organizer of the 1963 March on Washington, advisor to Martin Luther King Jr. Bessie Smith: blues singer Bill T. Jones: artistic director, choreographer, and dancer Countee Cullen: poet Darryl Stevens: actor Don Lemon: reporter for CNN and news anchor Doug Spearman: actor E. Denise Simmons: mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts, during the 2008–2009 term, first openly lesbian African American mayor in the U.S. E. Lyn Harris: author Emil Wilbekin: former openly gay editor-in-chief of Vibe Magazine, managing editor at Essence Felicia “Snoop” Pearson: actress Frenchie Davis: musician Frank Ocean: musician Glen Burke: Major League Baseball player Isis King: America’s Next Top Model contestant James Baldwin: author Janet Mock: activist, author

Jasika Nicole: actress Jean-Michel Basquiat: artist John Amaechi: NBA player Josephine Baker: dancer, singer, and actress June Jordan: author Kevin Aviance: female impressionist and entertainer Kylar Broadus, lawyer, first trans-identified person to testify before Congress LZ Granderson: ESPN columnist Langston Hughes: poet and social advocate Laverne Cox: actress, producer, and transgender advocate Lee Daniels: film producer and director Linda Villaros: author, journalist, and public speaker Ma Rainey: blues singer Maurice Jamal: filmmaker and director Meshell Ndegeocello: singer Paris Barclay: television director and producer Patrik-Ian Polk: director, producer, screenwriter, singer, and actor Roy Simmons: NFL player RuPaul: actor, drag queen, and singer-songwriter Sheryl Swoopes: WNBA player Stacy Ann Chin: author and poet Tracy Chapman: singer Wade Davis: NFL player Wanda Sykes: actress and comedian

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GLBT Fortnight in Review Advise and Consent, And Make It Quick It looks as if we have dodged the horrendous possibility that something might happen to Justice Breyer during a Republican-led Senate. Now that Breyer has done the right thing and resigned, we have a good chance of replacing him with an exciting young justice, barring any more stroke victims on the Democratic side of the aisle. Hello, Biden and Schumer! Hurry it up. I’m not familiar with the various women on Biden’s short list, but California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger is pretty damned impressive for one.

Meanwhile, the President and the Majority Leader have been doing a nice job filling federal judgeships, and progressives of a certain age are stepping down or taking senior status so the Democrats can pick their replacements. Every week I read about another outrageously bad Trump judge, so our side can’t work fast enough. I just saw a story in the New Republic about a judge named Lawrence VanDyke, who sits on the Ninth Circuit thanks to Trump, even though the American Bar Association called him unqualified, “arrogant, lazy, an ideologue, and lacking in knowledge of the dayto-day practice including procedural rules.” After interviews with dozens of colleagues and people who worked with him, the article continued, the ABA said VanDyke: “lacks humility, has an ‘entitlement’ temperament, does not have an open mind, and does not always have a commitment to being candid and truthful.”

That didn’t stop McConnell and his buddies from giving VanDyke the thumbs up a couple of years ago. Of course not.

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Well, you should read the rest of Matt Ford’s article if you really want a picture of this bozo, which you don’t because it’s just depressing. We can’t get these idiots off the bench, but we can get our own numbers up, which is what we are doing at the moment. Keep at it, guys.

No Let Up in Transgender Wars In other court news, the Supreme Court recently let stand a transgender victory at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, where a 2–1 panel ruled that transgender plaintiffs can carry on with their lawsuit against the North Carolina state health insurance program (which has a long name I won’t look up). For several years now, North Carolina has decided not to cover transgender medical needs in direct violation of Obamacare’s antidiscrimination language. Since the Obamacare terms are mandatory for those accepting federal funds, like North Carolina, the state would seem to be in violation. Thanks to the High Court’s admirable discretion in this particular case, we will see if the Tar Heels continue to get away with this as the litigation moves forward.

And in other transgender news, the drama over women’s sports continues as USA Swimming just came out with brand new standards for transgender athletes. Trans women in college have been following NCAA rules that require them to take one year of testosterone blockers before they can compete. Now that the NCAA has delegated regulations to the entities that govern individual sports, the swimming gods have decided that trans women must block male hormones for three years, not one.

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By Ann Rostow This puts Penn State’s ace, Lia Thomas, in a bind since she has blocked testosterone for just short of 36 months, and her status for the February Ivy League championships and the March NCAA championships might be in doubt. The new policy also says athletes must provide evidence that going through puberty as their sex assigned at birth does not give them “a competitive advantage over” their cisgender opponents.

As I said last issue, this seems like something that will work just fine for mediocre transgender women. As for someone like Thomas, she definitely has a competitive advantage here because it seems as if she’s a better swimmer! Will that in itself disqualify her? I don’t know. There’s also some panel that will evaluate some cases, but you get the picture. It’s a mess.

What’s the Matter with Kristi?

Speaking of trans athletes, South Dakota governor Kristi Noem just signed another one of those bans on trans girls in public school and college sports, making the Coyote State the tenth to outlaw competition for female transgender athletes. I was checking whether or not her name was spelled “Kristy” or “Kristi” just now, when I found a Daily Beast article linked as: “The Republican Knives Are Out for South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem.”

That settled my original question, but naturally I had to read the piece.

Why would the GOP have their knives out for this ultra conservative, Trumpy mask-hating, anti-GLBT nutcase who seems right up their alley? First, it turns out she’s not very nice. Second, the local politicians sound a bit misogynistic. Third, she has been caught taking private jets all over the place when she should

be working. Fourth, she tried to arm twist the state authorities to get a real estate license for her daughter (or something like that). Fifth, she has been trying to get rid of the state attorney general, who killed a man in a road accident, but the legislature won’t remove the guy because they don’t want Noem to have the power to replace him. Finally, she works odd hours and never has any parties or invites her colleagues to the Governor’s mansion. Oh, and she’s ambitious.

I don’t mind admitting that I got quite a bit of satisfaction out of that article.

I also noticed an MSNBC headline that said: “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill will hurt LGBTQ teens.” For some reason, I thought it meant that DeSantis was coming out against the bill that would block any discussion of sexual orientation in public schools. Well, that’s I surprise, I said to myself. He’s not completely horrible.

Of course, I misread the possessive apostrophe. It should read something like “Governor’s Don’t Say Gay bill will hurt gay teens.” The bill is somewhere in committee, seeping through the legislature in Tallahassee like brackish water through the streets of South Beach.

That’s So Gaya What else is new, you may wonder? Well, while we’re in South Beach, how about the four guys who attacked two gay men during Pride a few years ago? The men recently tried to convince a judge that they were acting in self-defense because one of the victims “bumped” one of the attackers. The judge was not impressed with this argument and

they will face a jury for battery and hate crime charges.

And the powers that be in Gaya, India, are trying to get international aviation authorities to change their airport code, which for years and years has been “GAY.” The Gaya people insist that this code is inappropriate for a “holy city.” But so far, the International Air Transport Association has said that codes are permanent and cannot be changed without a “ justifiable reason primarily related to air safety.”

I see that someone has created, or is creating, a GLBT cryptocurrency called “maricoin,” which will start trading (wherever such things are traded) on February 22. Various people objected to the name, which deliberately echoes the pejorative term “maricon.” And please don’t ask me to explain what’s gay about a cryptocurrency. I guess it can only be used in transactions with gay friendly organizations, but given that I’m not sure how one can actually use crypto for transactions to begin with, I’m kind of at sea.

Finally, two of our beloved gay penguins hatched an egg at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, New York, the other day. I gather that this zoo specializes in Humboldt penguins, and has had a problem with heterosexual penguin pairs accidentally breaking their eggs and generally failing to step up to the plate when it comes to hatching the unborn chicks. To the rescue came Elmer and Lima, who the zoo keepers told NBC News were “exemplary in every aspect of egg care.” (continued on page 18)

IN MEMORIAM Kim Corsaro

Brilliant, with a sometimes antic sense of humor that I shared and loved, she questioned current events and aspects of gay politics that others would digest without a thought.

She had an intellectual courage that occasionally found her in opposition to our community’s common wisdom, most significantly when she endorsed Nancy Pelosi in her first run for Congress against the (less qualified) gay primary candidate, Harry Britt.

She was also a tyrannical boss, so infuriating that many of her friends and colleagues threw in the towel.

She could talk money out of a stone; she left no stone unturned, and she rarely repaid a dime. That said, she

Kim took the helm of the San Francisco Bay Times in 1981—just three years after its founding and would remain the editor and publisher of the LGBTQ+ newspaper for the next three decades. In our internet age, it is easy to forget just how important gay newspapers were.

They were the connective fabric of our community that was still discovering itself and the Bay Times provided important news but also ways for people to connect through personals and event listings. Kim and the Bay Times also provided in-depth coverage of the emerging HIV/AIDS crisis, including critical and timely

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Kim Corsaro with the Heritage of Pride Award presented to her at the SF Pride 40 Press Party (2010)

the photo of some other arcane lesbian production. We walked a thin line between ridiculing some of our gay sisters and brothers and entertaining the majority of readers.

And Kim gave me the green light to create Nan Parks, the hapless Marin housewife who tried to give Bay Times readers the “straight

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Kim Corsaro, 1981

To amuse the kids, she and I would pretend to be possessed by aliens, and developed an entire language.

Until recently, we continued to use “mip!” the alien word for “I don’t feel well.”

We also created a mischievous character named “Donkey,” who communicated with nuanced brays and who would do things like fill up an entire groKim Corsaro, Carol Quackenbos, and Ann Rostow (1993) cery cart with carrots and arrive at the checkout line looking point of view.” Again, she and I for money. Over the years she conwould laugh ourselves giddy while tinued to send me articles about donediting this stuff, not to mention our keys, wondering if Donkey was aware glee over the outraged letters from of some news story. those who failed to recognize the satire. Keep in mind that back then, I’m telling you these random anecthere were a lot of people out there dotes because, of course, for me, this who took themselves very seriously. whole rich absurd world also died Because it was indeed a very serious with Kim. Second, this is a side of time, a very tough time in terms of her I don’t think anyone else will social disapproval, AIDS, and antimemorialize. And third, the more I gay politics. But that’s exactly when thought about it, the more I recogyou need a transcendent sense of nized that humor was probably our humor to keep you connected to the most durable connection. rest of humanity, isn’t it? It’s when I remember many nights putting the you’re waiting for the rest of humannewspaper to bed when Kim and I ity to open its eyes to you. would have tears running down our The day before she died, she sent me cheeks at our hysterical (to us) photo a photo of a woman in Wales givcaptions. “What a knee jerk!,” we ing a TV Zoom interview, captioned: wrote for a shot of the Knee Jerk Dance Project. “It’s the waiting that’s “If you’re having a s--t day, at least you didn’t go on BBC news with your the hardest part,” we wrote under

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For me, it was her humor that kept our friendship alive. When the twins were little, she would let them select birthday cards from the entire display. They would pick golden anniversary or sympathy cards, or scrawl their names at the bottom of something that said, “To My Favorite Grandson.” One year in my late thirties when I was feeling particularly old, they dutifully spelled out Happy 46th Birthday with their crayons on Kim’s instructions.

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usually used the cash for the newspaper or the kids. And some of that tyranny was expressed in pursuit of excellence. But still, she was not an easy person.

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CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2022)

By Ann Rostow

In Memoriam for Kim Corsaro (Editor’s Note: Former San Francisco Bay Times columnist, Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, presented the following In Memoriam for longtime former Bay Times publisher Kim Corsaro (1953–2022) at the February 1 San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting. He requested that the meeting be adjourned in memory of Corsaro, who died in San Francisco on January 29.)

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updates to readers about breakthrough treatments and care.

Some may be familiar with [the] role that Kim and the Bay Times played in the removal of San Francisco Police Department Chief Richard Hongisto in 1992. Protests erupting in response to the Rodney King verdicts in early May of 1992 resulting in a significant crackdown by Hongisto, leading to hundreds of arrests, and an outcry from activists across the city.

In response, the Bay Times ran a controversial cover with a doctored photo of Hongisto holding a baton in a suggestive manner and an allcaps headline proclaiming “Dick’s Cool New Tool: Martial Law.” An outraged Hongisto then allegedly instigated the removal of more than 2,000 copies of the Bay Times from the street, an act that caused the San Francisco Police Commission to remove him from his position only five months into his tenure.

Kim would go on to file a lawsuit against Hongisto which ultimately resulted in a Federal District Court jury awarding $5,600 to the paper

dildo on your bookcase.”

Two days earlier, she sent a cartoon of three dogs playing poker.

One dog’s tail was wagging furiously and the other two dogs were saying “fold.” Our messenger exchanges were mostly jokes, with the occasional health crisis, often accompanied by one word: “Mip!” She was brave about sickness and pain.

Terry Beswick, Kim Corsaro and Nick Shebi at the Butch/Femme Soirée (1989)

kind of a wreck about it, frankly. In the last ten days I’ve thought of texting her a dozen times. There’s a TV show with Jack Reacher coming soon (Kim read every one of Lee Child’s novels). I’m sick of hearing about Tom Brady (and know, as a big NFL fan, she would have agreed). I got my last two wordles in three tries (she started sharing her wordle results with me every day). The list goes on.

And it will continue for a long time.

Tim Kingston, the top reporter for the Bay Times back in the day, wrote an incredible goodbye to Kim that captured her complicated nature, her journalistic integrity, and her formidable character. Google his name and hers for a much better picture than I can draw for you. And I’m

arostow@aol.com Mark Leno in an animated conversation with Kim Corsaro at the Harvey Milk Club Annual Dinner (2009)

By Supervisor Rafael Mandelman for economic losses and $30,000 to its editor and publisher for emotional distress.

In 2011, Kim transitioned ownership of the Bay Times to Betty Sullivan and Jennifer Viegas, who still operate the paper today.

In 2012, Kim was hired by the Obama campaign to serve as a field organizer in Cincinnati, Ohio. Thanks to Kim’s work and the work of many other staff, Obama won Ohio and went on to easily win reelection.

Following the 2012 election, Kim’s health deteriorated and she remained in Ohio to receive care. She Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi with Kim Corsaro and Kim’s daughter would stay in Ohio Camille at the SF LGBT Community Center on Harvey Milk Day (2010) until last year when home to return to, allowed Kim to friends and supporters helped raise live out the last months of her life in more than $12,000 to fund her the city that she loved. return to San Francisco. This genRest in power, Kim Corsaro. May erosity, and the hard work of Brian her memory be a blessing.

Basinger who made sure she had a

PHOTO BY RINK

Kim was extraordinary.

R

PHOTO BY RINK

Kim was living in Ohio at the time but I would hear from her frequently on Facebook Messenger and I’d often get these horror stories after the fact. Yet, somehow, she always pulled through and I was amazed that she managed to get back to San Francisco earlier this year. I’m grateful that she was able to see how many friends she had through their generosity on the crowdfunding page that allowed her to make the move.

F

KIM CORSARO/FACEBOOK

I couldn’t sleep for hours. I was surprised at how strange the world felt without her. Her health was terrible and I had thought she was on her deathbed several times in the last few years. Heart attacks, surgeries, weird lengthy hospitalizations, many medical emergencies with ambulances.

Oh, and kidney failure, never a good thing.

N

PHOTO BY RINK

My heart stopped when I saw that Chris Lennon was calling me at one in the morning the Sunday before last. Back in the 1990s, when I worked and wrote for the Bay Times, Chris and his twin sister Camille were being raised by the publisher, Kim Corsaro. I watched them grow up from about four years old, and let’s just say I knew Chris wasn’t calling me to say hello at that odd hour.

Kim had died on Saturday.

A

PHOTO BY RINK

My Friend Kim Corsaro

BAY TIMES S

Happy (L.A.) Hyder with Kim Corsaro at the SF Pride Press Party (2010)

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How to Make Market Swings No Big Deal mining where to invest. Here, too, there are three factors that can impact your success. They are asset allocation (the pie-chart thing), investment selection, and market timing (when you buy or sell investments).

Care to hazard a guess as to which is the most important ... by a whopping margin?

Money Matters Brandon Miller Wall Street certainly has done a good sales job on the American people.

Nightly newscasts, newspapers, and online information sources all dutifully report the ups and downs of the Dow, S&P, and NASDAQ like it’s a sporting event. Individual stocks get singled out for extraordinary gains or losses and are declared that day’s winner or loser. Companies that beat earnings’ expectations for a given quarter become market darlings, often regardless of what’s going on within the organization or the world.

Each fluctuation can cause a new round of “should I buy, should I sell, should I worry, am I missing out” anxiety. But in truth, market swings can be much less of a factor in accumulating wealth than the media’s play-by-play coverage would have you believe.

To show you what I mean, let’s do a quick refresher on what really builds financial success. Number one is time in the market. There is no substitute for investing over a long period of time because you get the advantage of compounded growth— a fancy way of saying making money on your money. Second is cash flow or how much money is coming in and how much is going out. Third is your tax bill, which is why tax-advantaged retirement accounts can be such a win-win.

These three factors determine how much you have to invest. And that leads to the next step, which is deter-

It’s asset allocation. It turns out that having a variety of pies in different size slices is more important than the actual ingredients they’re made of.

A famous study from 1986 in the Financial Analysts Journal—backed up by subsequent research over the years, including Scott et al. in 2017—showed that asset allocation accounted for over 90% of a diversified portfolio’s return patterns over time. ( https://tinyurl.com/2bt2kc8w ). Less than 9% was due to investment selection or market timing, Vanguard later reported.

So, chasing hot stocks and trying to perfectly time buying low and selling high has way less impact—and takes way more energy—than developing a smart asset allocation strategy tailored to you.

When you think about it, asset allocation’s success makes total sense.

In any market, some types of investments do well while others struggle. What’s up and what’s down is always changing. Asset allocation spreads your investments across various asset classes—stocks, bonds, cash equivalents, etc.—to capitalize on any given market’s winners and minimize the impact of the losers.

Diversifying within each asset class (mutual funds are great for this), and investing across industries and even countries can position your portfolio to better handle the market’s inevitable swings.

The aim of asset allocation is to take on the minimal amount of risk needed to achieve the level of return your goals require. That means you have to know two things: your risk tolerance, which myriad online sources can help with, and your time horizon. Wanting money in two

years for a down payment requires a whole different allocation strategy then retirement savings that won’t be needed for 20 years.

As to how to allocate your investments, you can find model portfolios that provide a guide to the asset types and proportions of each to hold based on the money you have to invest, plus your timeframe and risk level. Financial professionals can create customized portfolios and accommodate special requests, such as keeping cigarettes out of your investment mix. Passively managed investments, including index funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs), can provide a low-cost option for instant diversification.

Regardless of how you deploy an asset allocation strategy, remember that it’s not a one-and-done decision.

Your timeline is always shortening and your goals or circumstances may change. Or tremendous growth in one area can knock your asset allocation out of whack and make you more vulnerable to market downturns in that sector. Rebalancing periodically can keep your investment mix in line with your goals while shedding unnecessary risk.

With asset allocation driving your dreams, you can tune out all the breathless reporting about Wall Street and know that you are safely strapped in, ready to handle wherever the road goes.

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

Any past performance discussed during this program is no guarantee of future results. Any indices (continued on page 18)

Two Bright Sports Cars different names; Lexus calls the RC’s Flare Yellow, while the Supra’s goes by Nitro Yellow. Whatever the descriptors, their vibrant finishes attracted big attention in their times here, with both acting as rays of sunshine poking through the seas of surrounding grays.

Auto Philip Ruth Yellow comes and goes, in terms of being fashionable for cars. Children of the 1970s will recall this cheerful color being available on just about every model, from Colts to Coupe de Villes. Our family Chevette was selected in something akin to Safety Yellow, which likely helped prevent that punishingly slow hatchback from being rear-ended on a regular basis.

Since then, car colors have become more muted, with black, white, and silver pushing niche shades to the margins. So, you won’t find many mid-level or upscale sedans and SUVs in yellow; you’d look instead to little cars like the Chevy Spark, or sporty models like the two we’re examining this time: the Lexus RC F and Toyota GR Supra 2.0.

They’re both Toyota products, and both yellows look similar but carry 8

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You’ll have to pay for it if you want a vehicle with this kind of vivid distinction—Toyota charges $425 for its yellow, and Lexus is a bit higher at $595.

These options brought the bottom lines to $48,040 for the GR Supra 2.0 and $90,705 for the RC F. There’s still room to grow with the Supra, as bigger engines and performance enhancements can boost the base price up over $60,000, while the RC F represents the top of the RC range.

The sharp styling underneath the lighthearted color is aggressive in both the Supra and the RC. The Supra shares much with the BMW Z4, and while the BMW is a modern interpretation of traditional brand cues like the twin-kidney grille, the Toyota is bold and daring with its pronounced curves and flares.

Meanwhile the tested RC F appeared to mean business with its $11,400 Carbon Package, which installs carbon fiber trim on the roof and in the added aerodynamic enhancements.

I wouldn’t call either of them timeless or beautiful, but the point here is for them to pack a visual punch, and they do.

Both deliver authoritative performance. The Supra 2.0 I drove effectively transferred its 255 horsepower

Lexus RC F

Toyota GR Supra 2.0

to the ground, with turbocharged acceleration and bracingly stable handling. The RC F’s V8 put it in another league as it belted out 472 horses through the $1,250 Torque Vectoring Differential, a neat innovation that puts power to the wheels via a multi-clutch system aided by electric motors. Its benefits are geared more for track days than street use.

Inside, the Supra is close-coupled, with a low seating position and a high console and instrument panel.

The RC is larger and thus feels more like a touring car than a bareknuckle racer, even if it is quite capable of adopting that role.

If you’re into yellow, here are two distinct and satisfying personalities with which to enjoy it.

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

By Terry Beswick

Kim Cosaro’s Legacy As a Publisher/ Owner of an LGBTQ Paper

Buy Lesbian!

San Francisco Bay Times publisher Betty Sullivan called me last week with the news that her predecessor at the paper, Kim Corsaro, had died. I was stunned, stuttering my disbelief.

I knew that Kim had been battling illness for several years, but I’d been encouraged when she recently relocated back to San Francisco with the help of many supporters. I’d figured I could visit my old friend in her new home when I got around to it. I was wrong, and now she was gone.

Instinctively, I compartmentalized the loss for several days, focusing on work. It’s an acquired skill.

But over the course of the week, the enormity of the loss, of Kim’s life and her influence on San Francisco, and on myself, began to sink in as the tributes and comments were posted online. Others have written eloquently of Kim’s contributions in this paper, which she ran for 30 years beginning in 1981, and elsewhere.

There are so many great stories that can be told. But I’d like to use this space to focus on one thing.

The San Francisco Bay Times was—and is—a Lesbian-owned and -published paper.

When Kim ran the paper, despite the fact that women publishers were a rarity, this was often taken for granted, as we so often take these kinds of things for granted in our community. A powerful Lesbian ran an LGBTQ paper. So what?

But it mattered then, and it matters now.

According to a recent report from the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), of which San Francisco’s Golden Gate Business Association is an affiliate, there are some 1.4 million LGBTQ business owners in the United States and those enter-

GGBA Member Spotlight

prises add $1.7 trillion to the national economy each year. That’s a lot of money. There’s incredible power in those numbers that can be wielded as a force for good. And not just for LGBTQ people, but for so many worthy causes.

Our community has a long history of using the gay dollar, through boycotts and through loyal patronage, to create political change. And yet in 2022, 44 years after the San Francisco Bay Times was founded, I think we are only scratching the surface.

In another recent study of over 15,000 LGBTQ people across the U.S., over 74% of respondents said they are more likely to purchase from a company that targets advertising to the LGBTQ community regardless of whether the company is LGBTQ-owned.

And this makes me wonder how LGBTQ consumers might respond to a call to support businesses first that are not only LGBTQ-friendly, but are also actually LGBTQ-owned and -operated.

Today, the San Francisco Bay Times is just one of numerous Lesbian-owned businesses in San Francisco, and many of them are members of the Golden Gate Business Association. Just off the top of my head, I’m thinking of African Queens Travel, Colibri Digital Marketing, Day Darmet Catering, ellaprint, Equator Coffee, and—perfect for Valentine’s Day—Kokak Chocolates on 18th Street. There are tons more if you just look around. Many are LGBTBE-certified businesses listed in the GGBA business directory online ( https://tinyurl.com/2p8rvb7a ).

Our LGBTQ neighborhoods and safe enclaves cannot survive without LGBTQ-owned small businesses, and some are really struggling right now. How great would it be if all queer people in the San Francisco Bay Area would make it a point to seek out Lesbian-owned businesses and give them their queer dollars?

GGBA CALENDAR Wednesday, March 16 DEI: Responding to Bias & Microaggressions at Work Noon–2 pm Online Did you know that unconscious bias can affect your business in many ways, from diversity and retention rates to undermining recruiting efforts and employee development? Microaggressions can also have a profound impact on your team.

They justify inequality, reinforce stereotypes, and reinforce destructive power dynamics. Learn how to spot them and tackle them. Bring your lunch to this free online event hosted by Nancy Geenen, who is an accomplished entrepreneur, trial attorney, and strategic facilitator. https://tinyurl.com/8zxcs8dr

Even just for a day? Buy Lesbian today. Tomorrow, Buy Bi. Buy Gay. Buy Trans. Heck, at least buy from an ally.

And in memory of Kim Corsaro, the San Francisco Bay Times would be a good place to start. How about taking out an ad for your LGBTQ business, or patronizing an LGBTQ business that advertises in the San Francisco Bay Times? Or maybe even subscribe?

There’s power in our LGBTQ dollars. We should not throw that away.

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

Maria Luisa Jimenez of Mama Mia

With over 20 years of experience building community and working toward equity, Maria Luisa Jimenez started the consulting company Mama Mia to continue the work of building bridges. From being at the beginning phase of a start-up company creating employee resource groups to influencing corporate policy after samesex marriage was legal, she has been a passionate leader in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) spheres.

Born in Mexico, she was raised by a Caucasian foster family starting from the age of ten and that forged her love of embracing differences and making connections in unexpected places.

GGBA: How does Mama Mia ref lect your personal life and experiences?

Maria Luisa Jimenez: Mama Mia is who I am, realized into a business. In all the DE&I work I did in my corporate jobs the last 30 years, my voice was always unique.

The intersection of all of my identities made me a walking rainbow unicorn. I used my experiences to create bridges where there were issues of equity and a lack of diversity. Mama Mia’s mission is simple: To Reach Equity Together. I offer my services to corporations and nonprofit organizations that are trying to achieve a better state for their people. My business is only months old.

GGBA: Please tell us more about why you decided to create your business.

Maria Luisa Jimenez: I created Mama Mia to offer my services to leaders who want to create the space for their people to be fully engaged as their authentic selves.

Mama Mia is also there for me to gather the data necessary to pivot and help shape the DE&I discourse. I am exploring the stark statistic that 80% of people in prison in 2020 had spent some time in foster care. The soft skills of coaching and planning mean very little if you do not make decisions based on data. How you decide what data is important to track to how you gather it is a reason to have created Mama Mia.

GGBA: Although you have only been a member for a short time, has it helped your business yet?

Maria Luisa Jimenez

Maria Luisa Jimenez: Meeting the other members and realizing I was going to be a part of another community keep me going. I felt so welcomed and supported in our first greet and meet. Also, it was one of those members who referred me for this interview.

GGBA: It sounds like you go to the GGBA monthly Make Contact networking events. Would you recommend them to others?

Maria Luisa Jimenez: Yes, I attend the networking events and know that these are vital to building connections. I also learned about becoming certified as an LGBTBE business.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARIA LUISA JIMENEZ

Message from Leadership

GGBA: Is there anything else that you would like to share?

Maria Luisa Jimenez: “Mama Mia” is the term my son created when he was trying to differentiate between what to call his two moms. He later taught it to his little sister and the name speaks to how personal this work is for me. https://marialuisajimenez.com/

GGBA: Who are some of your role models, and especially those who helped to inf luence your business?

Maria Luisa Jimenez: It was Merle Woo, as my first Women Studies professor at SFSU, who ignited a fire in me to transform the world around me instead of just going along for the ride. Then the writer Gloria Anzaldua helped shape the methodology and symbol of becoming the bridge between communities. Anzaldua was able to pull together thoughts and ideas of diverse backgrounds to create synergetic themes and thought magic. More recently, the scientists I have worked with in the biotech industry inspired me to have faith and keep working, even if an outcome takes years—the outcome being the cure or the betterment of people who suffer from medical conditions.

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

Maria Luisa Jimenez: I joined the GGBA very recently. I had always been an advocate of it in my DE&I work. Now that I was going into business for myself, I was excited to become a member.

https://bit.ly/3Gt93BL S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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Beijing Olympics Shine a Light on LGBTIQ Crackdown As a record number of openly LGBTIQ athletes proudly compete in the 2022 Beijing Olympics, we must not forget that the host country China itself is in the midst of an intensifying crackdown against LGBTIQ people.

6/26 and Beyond John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney

One of the most significant recent developments is the closure of China’s leading LGBTIQ civil rights organization, LGBT Rights Advocacy China, in November 2021. The pathbreaking group had promoted legislation, brought impact litigation, and raised public awareness of LGBTIQ issues for the last eight years.

Although China decriminalized homosexuality in 1997, it neither affords samesex couples legal recognition nor provides LGBTIQ people legal protection against discrimination in employment, public accommodations, or housing. LGBT Rights Advocacy China had surprising successes in advancing LGBTIQ equality, such as a 2014 victory in a lawsuit against conversion therapy and a 2019 campaign in which nearly 200,000 people urged the Chinese government to enact nationwide marriage equality. Progress for the foreseeable future now seems in doubt.

The LGBT Rights Advocacy China’s shutdown comes on the heels of multiple WeChat accounts of LGBTIQ college students, student organizations, and informal groups being blocked and deleted without warning six months ago. For years, the online presence of these groups had served as a lifeline for many LGBTIQ young people and a valuable community building resource. And in 2020, Shanghai Pride, China’s only annual Pride celebration, was shut down after 11 years.

These clampdowns are part of broader cultural and educational repression of queerness and other forms of perceived nonconformity. Back in 2015, the government prohibited depiction of same-sex relationships and LGBTIQ people on television, and in early 2016, a popular gay web series was shut down.

In February last year, the Chinese government promulgated the “Proposal to Prevent the Feminization of Male Adolescents” for schools. According to the Communist Party’s China Daily, the plan requires schools to recast physical education classes to “cultivate masculinity” among boys, evaluate the physical intensity of classes, and “vigorously develop” contact sports such as soccer.

Last September, the government took it a step further when it banned effeminate men from appearing on television, declaring that media must “resolutely put an end to sissy men and other abnormal esthetics.” The concern appears to be based on the cultural influence of enormously popular celebrities such as members of BTS and their Chinese counterparts who fail to conform to rigid gender norms.

The oppressive measures appear in furtherance of the vision of Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party of so-called “national rejuvenation” to a “new era” as China gains increasing power and prominence on the world stage.

That vision involves greater central government control at the expense of human rights and free-

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doms. It includes the government imposing its view of traditional Chinese culture and morality as part of what it terms “Chinese Socialism,” separate from purported foreign influences.

Sadly, Xi and his compatriots ignore not only that the future lies with the embrace of diversity, but also that homosexuality, in fact, has been part of traditional Chinese culture for over 3,000 years—dating back to the Shang Dynasty (c. 16th century– 11th century BCE). Although the history of homosexuality in China like anywhere else is complex, Chinese history, literature, and culture are replete with numerous examples of acceptance of homosexuality, such as gay Emperor Ai of Han in the 1st century BCE and forms of same-sex marriage in Fujian Province in the 17th century.

However, as we call attention to the antiLGBTIQ crackdown in China, we must also turn the mirror on the U.S. itself.

As the Olympics take place in Beijing, Republicans aligned with Donald Trump and other conservatives who together have their own nationalist anti-democratic agenda continue to wage their own campaigns against LGBTIQ people in the U.S. Anti-transgender legislative proposals predominate. But most recently, regressive legislation in Florida, termed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, and similar legislation in other states is gaining prominence. The Florida bill would prohibit school districts from “encourag[ing] classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.”

While the Chinese government is trying to make effeminate schoolboys more macho, Florida is attempting to “effectively silence students from speaking about their LGBTQ family members, friends, neighbors, and icons,” as Kara Gross of the Florida ACLU explained to the Associated Press. And (continued on page 18)

February 15 Election Day Could Be the First of Four in San Francisco

Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History Louise “Lou” Fischer Happy almost Election Day. If you were wondering why you received an official ballot and a mountain of campaign literature in the mail and on your doorstep, there’s a Special Election on February 15 in San Francisco. If you haven’t done so yet, turn in your ballot at one of the many drop boxes throughout the city or at your neighborhood polling location or City Hall on Election Day. If you did not receive a ballot, go to City Hall and vote in person.

Unlike the marathon ballots of the past, this one is short, but packs a wallop of controversy. There are only three categories, two of which (State Assembly, District 17, and SF Assessor-Recorder) emanated from the corruption probe that generated a kick-ass game of “Musical Chairs, City Hall Edition” and the third is either an undiagnosed side-effect of COVID-19 entitled “recall-fever” or,

more likely, just simple parental frustration.

together before their next election in 2024.

School Board Recall

Assessor-Recorder

In the 3rd century BC, philosopher Han Feizi introduced the paradox of “what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object.” The 2022 version in San Francisco is “what happens when incompetent governance of children’s education meets an unruly mob of infuriated parents.” Never underestimate a parent’s power to protect their children, or gather over 80,000 signatures for the three ballot measures (only 51,325 signatures were required; these are some seriously overachieving parents).

Joaquin Torres, former head of the Office of Economic Workforce and Development, is running unopposed to finish the term vacated by Carmen Chu who was appointed to City Administrator after Naomi Kelley voluntarily resigned because being married to the guy ensnared in a corruption probe is a career-ending event. Joaquin doesn’t have to break a sweat in this race. According to his campaign manager Maggie Muir, he is “reaching out to voters to introduce himself and talk about the impact of his office on everyday people.” Joaquin, I can save you a lot of time. I know the impact of your office every April and November when my property tax payments are due.

In most jobs, you actually have to be qualified, maybe take a test, or at least get through a gauntlet of interviews to be hired. But to serve as an elected official, it’s just a popularity contest. A vote is basically a “Like” button; if you get enough, you get the job, your lack of qualifications notwithstanding. I can think of many elected officials in San Francisco who were more inept than these three bumblers, but none of them suffered the indignity of a recall.

Recall elections are an expensive waste of taxpayer funds and can easily be manipulated by “special interests.” Our current system of democracy has a failsafe baked in. It’s called “the next election”; if you don’t like ‘em, vote the bums out of office. That said, vote “YES” to recall all three. The other four members of the Board had not served long enough in their terms to be eligible for recall. They better get their act

Vote for Joaquin; he is actually pretty good at his job, he’s had a year to figure out when to assess, and when to record. He was a professional actor in New York and Chicago where he appeared in King Lear, so he is familiar with the drama of political machinations. Having known him since he moved back to San Francisco, his calm demeanor and even temperament do not worry me that he’ll go mad and wander through a storm.

Assembly District 17 This race is open because former Assemblyman David Chiu accepted the Mayor’s appointment to be City Attorney when Dennis Herrera was appointed to the San Francisco (continued on page 18)

Alvin H. Baum Jr.

The Inaugural Alvin H. Baum, Jr. Memorial Lecture Honoring an LGBTQ+ Jewish Social Justice Activist Sunday, March 27, 6:30–8 p.m.

Maier Room, Fromm Hall

A new lecture series, produced by the University of San Francisco’s Swig Program in Jewish Studies and Social Justice, will be launched to honor the memory of Alvin H. Baum Jr., noted LGBTQ+ Jewish social justice activist. This lecture will preserve the memory of Alvin H. Baum Jr. (1930-2021), a monumental Bay Area figure who fought passionately for the inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in the Jewish community and beyond. Mr. Baum was a lawyer, urban planner, social worker, therapist, and a brilliant strategic philanthropist who emerged as a pillar in the Jewish, civil rights, and gay communities.

The inaugural lecture will be delivered by Dr. Marcy Adelman, a stalwart activist in the Bay Area LGBTQ+ community. Dr. Adelman is the cofounder and visionary of Openhouse, which works to center the voices and experiences of older LGBTQ+ adults by providing housing and opportunities to make social connections and build community. Throughout her extraordinary career, Dr. Adelman has advocated for affordable, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender-friendly senior housing and trained service providers to better support elderly LGBTQ+ people.

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Carnival Time in San Francisco! Feast and Celebration Roland Schembari and Bill Hartman, Co-Founders Randy Alfred, Founding News Editor 1978 Kim Corsaro, Publisher 1981-2011

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

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

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

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

Nuestra Voz Eduardo Morales, Ph.D. The origin and history of Carnival are quite mixed. Some say Carnival’s roots are in the celebration of the new year and the rebirth of nature and that it is the oldest recorded party. Others note its origins in Italy with an observance that later spread to the French and Spanish of Europe.

Today, Carnival celebrations are common throughout the world and especially in Latin America, including throughout the Caribbean.

Carnival usually occurs before the season of Lent. Mardi Gras is a wellknown Carnival celebration in New Orleans and is an extension of the spirit of Carnival. It ends on Fat Tuesday, which is the day before Ash Wednesday when the Lent season starts.

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, Joanie Juster, 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.

SF Sketch Randy Coleman Randy Coleman hails from New York, but has lived in San Francisco since 1975. Coleman shares that before moving to the Bay Area, he studied Art History and Architecture at Boston University while working as a resident artist for architectural rendering at a Massachusetts historical society.

“All of my life I’ve been an artist,” Coleman says. “To know me is to know that I have a passion for art and architecture. I love this project for the San Francisco Bay Times, and hope that you enjoy my sketches.” © Randy Coleman, 2022

CALENDAR Submit events for consideration by e-mail to: calendar@sfbaytimes.com © 2022 Bay Times Media Company Co-owned by Betty L. Sullivan & Jennifer L. Viegas

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What is common about these related observances are fiestas and events that usually include parades. Many countries and cities throughout the world celebrate Carnival before or after Lent for practical reasons.

For example, in San Francisco due to our colder weather conditions before Lent, Carnival is usually celebrated in the latter part of May with a parade in the Mission District and festive street fairs over a weekend.

In Brazil, Carnival is celebrated throughout the entire country with its most notable celebrations occurring in the larger cities. Rio de Janeiro is considered to have the largest celebrations in the world with about two million people partying throughout the streets. Rio has a Sambadrome, which is like a stadium, where various schools of samba parade across many nights. Each samba school usually has about 4,000 to 5,000 participants with various huge floats, percussion bands, and costumes that tell a story. All samba schools have their own original song for that year based on the theme generated by the Carnival Committee of Rio. The Sambadrome’s celebration of Carnival in Rio is televised throughout the world.

The Italian tradition of wearing masks dates to the Venice Carnival in the 15th century. In the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean,

they integrate their own traditions in various ways. Many styles of celebrations have their roots in the indigenous cultures of their respective countries. You can view some of the amazing Carnival celebrations from different countries on YouTube.

Given our current mild winter weather in the Bay Area, this is an opportunity for us to embrace and embellish our COVID masks, to take out our colorful clothes, and have Carnival in San Francisco! I suggest we turn our struggle with the COVID pandemic around and begin a Carnival celebration in February. For example, we can change out our masks in a manner that resembles the Venetian style of celebrating Carnival. Let our daily routines become a part of the spirit of Carnival with stores enhancing our shopping experience with lively music. We can parade throughout the streets wearing our stylish clothing.

Remember the song “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)”? Let’s bring this to new life by wearing flowers on our lapels, in our hair, and by sporting floral leis. Think of Celia Cruz, who told us in her song that “La Vida es un Carnaval” (Life is a Carnival). We can follow this sage advice and celebrate Carnival in February in San Francisco. Life is a Cabaret, my friends, so let’s join in a collective fes-

tive mood with celebrations throughout this time during February.

If it rains, take out your brightest rain gear and colorful umbrellas and have a Carnival throughout the streets of San Francisco. Like the song “Singin’ in the Rain,” we can be dancing in the streets and celebrating life all in the spirit of Carnival. Make the ordinary extraordinary!

The backdrop is that COVID appears to be here for the long haul.

By embracing the spirit of Carnival in February, we can certainly break our current monotony of wearing uniform protective masks and dark clothing. Let’s take advantage of our mild weather now. Celebrate in the manner we know how throughout this year’s Carnival season every day.

Who knows? Perhaps we can make this a regular tradition by creating new events, building our spirits, and starting a new history for our region.

It’s a new lunar year, so, let’s enjoy this newfound spirit and with a celebration of Carnival in San Francisco.

Eduardo Morales, PhD, is one of the founders of AGUILAS, where he serves as Executive Director.

He is also a retired Distinguished Professor at Alliant International University and is the current Past President of the National Latinx Psychological Association.

In Case You Missed It In 2020, she was recognized as a top registered nurse in Today’s Nurse magazine and received an award of recognition from the International Nurses Association.

Joanie Juster Fangirling @JeopardAmy Once upon a time I was a nerdy little girl who loved accumulating knowledge. Always with my nose in a book, I also memorized state capitals, U.S. presidents, multiplication tables, the periodic table of elements, planets in the solar system, world globe regions, and anything else that could be memorized. I grew up to be a nerdy Jeopardy! fan, so when this publication asked me to interview Amy Schneider, the winningest woman in Jeopardy! history, I was on it. Amy is not only singlehandedly making being smart cool again, but she is also funny, kind, down-toearth, thoroughly delightful, and, not incidentally, blazing trails for trans people everywhere. Look for my interview with Amy on pages 2–3 of today’s edition.

Remembering Rachele Sullivan The world—and the leather community—lost a great soul on January 17.

Rachele Sullivan was a healer by nature, and by profession. Taking care of others was her calling, whether through her work as a registered nurse, or in the community.

She worked in emergency rooms, prisons, and in hospice care, with indigenous tribes, and on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rachele was an icon in the leather community as a tireless volunteer and ally. From fundraising to event planning to volunteer coordination, she gave her time and talents to many community causes, including Folsom Street Fair, Pride, Ms. San Francisco Leather, the Exiles, the International Ms. Leather Contest, and the San Francisco Bay Area Leather Alliance. She worked hard to create safe spaces for women at the Folsom Street Fair, was a driving force behind the creation of both Eagle Plaza and the Leather and LGBT Cultural District, and raised thousands of dollars for AIDS research and education.

Rachele Sullivan

Healer, educator, volunteer, ally, activist, warrior, mother, friend. The community gathered for a public vigil for Rachele on February 8 at St. Anne of the Sunset on Judah Street in San Francisco.

Calling All Volunteers Two grassroots organizations that work hard to ensure the safety and well-being of our community have put out the call for volunteers.

The LGBT National Help Center is seeking LGBTQ+ moderators for their LGBT youth and Transgender youth chatrooms. Moderators are especially needed on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Help create a safe space for young people to create community. To apply: https://tinyurl.com/5ypejydv Castro Community on Patrol (CCOP) is an all-volunteer organization that makes a positive difference in the Castro Neighborhood, offering general safety information and guidance, encouraging good behavior and helping to prevent (or quickly address) bad behavior, and providing an extra set of “eyes and ears” for the community. During weekly uniformed and visible “Safety Patrols,” CCOP volunteers help keep the community safe for all. To learn more, and to sign up: https://tinyurl.com/yjsuks28 Election Day Is February 15: VOTE! San Francisco voters: cast your vote by mail-in ballot or in person by February 15. Need to know where or how to cast your ballot?

Call (415) 554-4375, or visit www.sfelections.org But the important thing is: VOTE! Joanie Juster is a long-time community volunteer, activist, and ally.

Tom Temprano Named Equality California’s New Political Director City College of San Francisco Board of Trustees member and former San Francisco Bay Times columnist Tom Temprano on February 1 announced that he will be leaving the Board to serve as the Political Director of Equality California—the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization.

The newly created Political Director position will see Temprano leading all political engagement and electoral programs for Equality California.

He will be working closely with senior leadership to implement the organization’s political strategy and civic engagement programs.

Temprano will step down from his role at City College of San Francisco after serving on the Board of Trustees for five years including the past three as Vice-President.

“City College is one of the most important educational institutions in California,” said Temprano. “It has been one of the great honors of my life to spend these past five years working with the students, educators, and administration to keep this school open and accessible to all San Franciscans.”

Temprano was elected to the City College of San Francisco Board of Trustees in 2016 after running a campaign focused on protecting the school in the aftermath of the accreditation crisis. During his

time on the Board of Trustees he helped lead negotiations with the City of San Francisco to secure $200 million to ensure the continuation of the Free City College program; he fought to increase resources and funding for programs for both undocumented and LGBTQ+ students; and he championed the creation of City College’s cannabis industry training program—the first cannabis curriculum to be offered at any California community college.

“During my time at City College I saw firsthand how difficult it is for LGBTQ+ youth to feel safe and respected in a system that devalues them—even in a city as progressive as San Francisco,” said Temprano, who helped pass City College’s Gender Diversity and Inclusion Policy protecting trans students and staff. “Making sure that California is electing LGBTQ+ leaders in communities across the state is the best way to protect the next generation of LGBTQ+ kids. I’m excited to do that work at Equality California.”

Temprano has a long history of fighting for LGBTQ+ civil rights and working to elect LGBTQ+ elected officials. He got his start in San Francisco politics after joining the progressive Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club, where he served on the executive board for six years

working to elect LGBTQ+ people in the Bay Area. He was elected as President of the Harvey Milk Club in 2013 and 2014 where he fought alongside City College faculty and students to keep the school open during its accreditation crisis.

He also served on the board of the San Francisco LGBT Community Center and as a member of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission’s LGBTQI+ Advisory Committee. Since July of 2018, Temprano has worked as Chief of Staff for District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, the only LGBTQ+ member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. As the District 8 Chief of Staff, Temprano focused on protecting LGBTQ+ small businesses, updating San Francisco’s cannabis policy, and serving as the office’s liaison to the Castro neighborhood and the city’s LGBTQ+ community.

“We’re going to miss Tom in City Hall, but I can’t think of a more important job for him to be taking on at this time,” said Supervisor Mandelman. “Tom has been fighting for the queer community for more than a decade, and he is exactly who we need leading Equality California’s efforts to get LGBTQ+ people elected across California.”

Temprano will begin his role at Equality California on February 16, ending his employment at City College and the Board of Supervisors on February 15.

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Chinese New Year Parade Returns for 2022

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Gum Lung, the golden dragon of Chinatown, will once again reign as the star of San Francisco’s Chinese New Year Parade on Saturday, February 19, starting at 5:15 pm.

Excitement has been building in these weeks leading up to the Parade and related events.

During this time, San Francisco Bay Times photographer Rink has captured the elegance of fashion and design through his images of specialty gifts and attire for sale at Union Square area shops, including Neiman Marcus, Wilkes Bashford, Louis Vuitton, and Macy’s, and at other shops elsewhere in the city such as at Bargain Bizarre in Chinatown.

Additionally, Rink photographed images of the Tiger Lunar New Year sculpture Voyager by Yiyung Deng. It will be sold, along with similarly themed works by other artists, to benefit charities including the Chinese Cultural Center of San Francisco.

Bay Times team members look forward to once again this year seeing the San Francisco Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band in the Chinese New Year Parade.

SFLGFB’s appearances in the Parade date back more than four decades and are continuing thanks, in part, to the skillful leadership of Marching Band Artistic Director and Drum Major Michael J. Wong. http://www.chineseparade.com

Neiman Marcus

SFTRAVEL.COM

Wilkes Bashford

The Golden Dragon, Gum Lung

Macy’s

Bargain Bizarre

International Holocaust Memorial Day 2022 Holocaust Memorial Day is observed internationally each year on the anniversary of the liberation of AuschwitzBirkenau on January 27, 1945. This year’s observance included a ceremony, organized by the Alexander Hamilton American Legion Post 448. Members and friends of the Post gathered in Jane Warner Plaza and proceeded in a march to the Castro’s LGBT Holocaust Memorial located at the intersection of Market, Castro, and 16th Streets, featuring pink triangle topped monoliths in a landscaped memorial park.

Post Commander Mario Benfield and other members spoke. The Post 448 Association’s President, Julie Johnson, led the placement of flowers. The Holocaust Memorial Prayer El Malei Rachamim (God Full of Compassion), a Jewish prayer for the departed, was read.

Holocaust Memorial Day is observed in remembrance of those who died during the Nazi persecution of Jews and other groups; and subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur. https://www.hmd.org.uk/

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Louis Vuitton

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“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness, but still, like air, I’ll rise!”

By Donna Sachet

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– Maya Angelou, the first Black woman to appear on a U.S. coin

s promised in our last column, the calendar of the Imperial Court of San Francisco is in full swing. Candidate for Emperor Brent Marek and candidate for Empress Ehra Amaya have been hosting parties, fundraisers, and meet-and-greets in preparation for voting next Saturday, February 19, in the three locations and at the times detailed in our adjacent calendar.

This annual voting process has roots in the nascent LGBT civil rights era, when our very existence was illegal, our gathering places were under siege, and glimmers of hope and self-respect were few and far between. A popular drag performer at the always busy Black Cat bar in North Beach began to wield political power by rallying that maligned and persecuted population into a community.

That person was the Founder of the Imperial Court, José Sarria. With wit and whimsy, she was instrumental in opening the eyes of LGBT people to their potential power through unity and to the great surprise of many declared her candidacy in 1961 for Supervisor of the Board of San Francisco, claiming her place as the first openly Gay candidate for public office in the country.

After that election, which she did not win, but in which she garnered a remarkable number of votes, the City of San Francisco and particularly the power brokers sat up and paid attention. After being crowned Queen of the colorful annual Beaux Arts Ball in 1964, she stated: “I am already a Queen, I’ll be an Empress!”

If that were not enough, José Sarria announced that her reign as Empress would end after one year and that a public election would be held every year so that we could decide who would reign next. Yes, the early Imperial Court reflected European royalty with all its traditions, pageantry, and protocol, but this elected Empress would serve as a lightning rod for the community, raising money for charitable causes, focusing the ongoing agenda and priorities, and serving as a ceremonial leader.

Thursday, February 10 Divas & Drinks 3 floors & a patio of fun The Academy, 2166 Market Street 6–10 pm $10

Within seven years, we were Donna Sachet and Gary Virginia served as emcees also electing an Emperor at the Imperial Coronation 2016 held at the Design Center. of San Francisco, and after several more years, other California cities joined us in forming chapters of their own. Now, over 50 years later, the International Court System has over 70 chapters across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, raises money for a wide variety of charitable causes, hosts countless creative events, and continues to unify the LGBT Community under the leadership of visionary leaders, not least of whom is Nicole Murray-Ramirez, Queen Mother I of the Americas.

We share this brief, but tantalizing, recap of the Imperial Court’s history in order to put these upcoming Imperial events in proper context. Reigning Emperor Mr. David Glamamore & Reigning Empress Juanita MORE! follow a long line of elected monarchs and have served their community admirably. For over 50 years, we have never lacked for candidates and no Emperor or Empress has ever served multiple reigns.

At Imperial Coronation of Saturday, February 26, a new Emperor & Empress will be crowned and this remarkable tradition will continue.

For a more complete picture of who we are and what we do, we highly recommend the award-winning documentary film 50 Years of Fabulous: The Imperial Council Story, available to stream on Amazon Prime and Vimeo.

We know you will be amazed, amused, and aghast at the historical journey, contributions, and struggles of this formidable organization.

Beyond the packed Imperial calendar, San Francisco continues its gradual emergence from these two years of isolation and restriction.

Drop by the first Divas & Drinks event of 2022 in partnership with the San Francisco Bay Times at The Academy and celebrate the birthday of Carolyn Wysinger, SF Pride’s President, as she updates us on upcoming plans. Enjoy the musical mixing talents of DJ Rockaway, some fabulous Bacardi specialty drinks, and a good-natured Name That Tune competition between SF Gay Softball League and The Village People teams. And as you make your personal decisions about returning to social engagement, do so with proven scientific information, genuine appreciation, and enthusiastic revelry!

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

PHOTO BY RINK

Sunday, February 13 John Weber’s Showdown Krewe de Kinque & Ducal Council joint fundraiser Performances, competition, fundraising Aunt Charlie’s Lounge, 133 Turk Street 4–8 pm Free!

Saturday, February 19 Voting Day for Emperor & Empress Brent Marek for Emperor and Ehra Amaya for Empress Harvey Milk Plaza, noon–6 pm The Cinch, 1273 Polk Street, 11 am–4 pm Powerhouse, 1–5 pm Proof of residency required to vote Free!

Sunday, February 20 14th Annual Earthquake Party Hosted by Absolute Empress XLI Galilea Aunt Charlie’s Lounge, 133 Turk Street 4–7 pm Free!

Wednesday, February 23 In-Town Show & Awards Blackbird Bar, 2124 Market Street 6–9 pm Free!

Thursday, February 24 Anniversary Monarchs’ Reception Ha-Ra Club, 875 Geary Street 7–8:30 pm Free!

Friday, February 25 Out-of-Town Show The Cat Club, 1190 Folsom Street 6–9 pm $25 cover Saturday, February 26 Imperial Coronation 57: Family is Universal Step-down of Emperor Mr. David Glamamore & Empress Juanita MORE! The Midway SF, 900 Marin Street 6 pm $85 each Sunday, February 27 Annual Cemetery Pilgrimage Woodlawn Cemetery, Colma 8–10 am Free!

Sunday, February 27 Victory Brunch Hyatt Park Central, 50 Third Street 11:30 am–1:30 pm Price TBD Sunday, February 27 Hawaii, Alaska & Texas Party Detour, 2200A Market Street 3–6 pm Free!

PHOTO BY SHAWN NORTHCUTT

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BARNES (continued from page 5)

GAFFNEY & LEWIS (continued from page 12)

we are here and how our leaders should bring people together to clean up the mess of racial division and oppression.

attempts to ban LGBTIQ books from school libraries proliferate across Trump country from Texas to Oklahoma to Tennessee, along with countless efforts to ban books and curriculum that address racial inequities and other subjects.

Another truth is that hiding or rewriting history isn’t just convenient, it’s also necessary to maintain the status quo. Keeping people ignorant and uninformed is a considerable advantage. If you can hide the truth, covet information, and induce fear, you can manipulate minds and perpetuate division. The past offers so much evidence of this, alongside all the triumph. American history should include the struggles and accomplishments of all racial and ethnic groups that make up the fabric of this nation, and we should critically examine exclusionary practices.

Many programs and policies were devised to grow and stabilize the middle class in the 20th century. They have intentionally excluded Black, Brown, and Indigenous people. We can use critical race theory (CRT) to assess and understand these practices. However, there are now concerns and a backlash in disrupting exclusionary systems, as amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the wake of more recent racial injustices. CRT examines how laws, structures, and systems promote exclusion, injustice, inequality, and inequity.

The foundational premise of CRT is that things are built on what came before and contribute to the conditions experienced today. For example, the Homestead Act that eventually ended in the ‘80s pledged to distribute more than 270M acres of government-held land—often taken from indigenous people. However, preference was given to citizens of white European descent. Black and Brown people were often denied the opportunity. The impact meant that generations of people were left out of building wealth for themselves and their families.

We shouldn’t conflate CRT, graduate-level course study, and Black history or Black studies. The universal teaching of CRT to children in public schools is a canard and promotes a false argument for not teaching the full history of contributors who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color. It’s threating to those in power if too many people know the truth about how our systems really operate, their role in perpetuating these systems, and who ultimately benefits keeping them in place— like decoding the Matrix.

On the history and dirty laundry that the U.S. attempts to hide with the stains it has left over the decades, Dick Gregory, comedian and activist, once said, “I’m America’s soap.” Let’s all be “America’s soap” and use this month and moment to learn more about our collective history, align ourselves around shared economic goals, and examine past policies that have contributed to today’s conditions of inequity.

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

A 7th century Chinese Buddhist metaphor likens the mind’s inability to perceive its innate luminescence to clouds obscuring the shining sun. LGBT Rights Advocacy China concluded its social media post announcing its closure with the words: “[W] e await the day when we can lift the clouds and see the daylight.” Chinese LGBTIQ activists are extraordinarily resilient and strategic. We know they will lift the clouds— as we know we will lift the clouds in the U.S. as well.

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

FISCHER (continued from page 13) Public Utilities Commission. If you live on the east side of the city, buckle up: you might be voting in this race up to four times because the perfect storm of state election laws met up with local San Francisco ordinances. Former San Francisco mayor and current California “Gov. Gavin” declared a special election for the D17 vacancy to take place on April 19, 2022 with a primary on Feb 15, however, the regular election cycle for this office is in June and November.

For the upcoming election, close your eyes, throw your pen at the ballot and mark your vote wherever it lands. If you are sportier and want to use darts, make a copy of your ballot first; tiny holes might void the ballot. While the four candidates will disagree with me, it doesn’t really matter who wins in February. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes (50%+1), the top two will run against each other in April.

If you don’t like the winner, the game will start all over again on June 7 with a “ jungle primary” (I’m surprised the word “ jungle” hasn’t been canceled yet; it’s borderline offensive to residents of jungles) in which the top two finishers regardless of vote percentage will run against each other in November. While there is some advantage to incumbency, the final certification by the Secretary of State for the April 19 election is May 27, so that’s not a lot of incumbency time before the June 7 election.

Don’t forget to vote on February 15 and for residents of Assembly District 17, you’ll be voting experts by the final 2022 election on November 8.

ROSTOW (continued from page 6) Lock Him Up How did we miss this unpleasantness out of Missouri, where a 29-year-old father who complained about gay library books was just nabbed for child molestation? Ryan Utterback, 29, went to a North Kansas City school board meeting to insist that the school libraries remove Alison Bechdel’s (brilliant) graphic novel Fun Home, along with All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson. “I understand their struggles and it’s not lost on me,” Utterback told the local news at the time. “But again, those conversations are to be had at home. Only I have their intimate understanding as to what is and isn’t appreciated for my children.” (Huh? That doesn’t even make sense.)

According to PinkNews, which cites the Kansas City Star, Utterback was charged with molestation on December 14, along with a lesser charge of trying to show pornography to a minor. He is accused of sexually assaulting a child under the age of 12 in December of 2020, and showing porn to a fouryear-old. He also allegedly had some physical contact with a 14-year-old who was uncomfortable during the incident. Utterback has pleaded not guilty, and is due in court for a second hearing next month.

For the record, the school district did, in fact, remove the books, but they put them back late last year after complaints from the public and the ACLU. I was going to make a Missouri joke (my extended Kansas family does not like Missourians) but I think the Show Me State does not deserve to be held accountable for Mr. Sleazebag here. They may have invaded Kansas to preserve and promote slavery, but I don’t believe they support sharing pornography with toddlers. Not the majority of them anyway.

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

MILLER (continued from page 8) referenced for comparison are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly. As always please remember investing involves risk and possible loss of principal capital; please seek advice from a licensed professional.

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

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

arostow@aol.com

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES (1978–2022)

Thursday, February 10th Thursday, March 24th Thursday, April 28th and More to Come!

On Thursday, February 10, Divas & Drinks at The Academy returns with a Valentine’s and Pride Kickoff, welcoming Carolyn Wysinger, SF Pride President and “Birthday Girl” plus Team Village People v Team SF Gay Softball League competing in “Name That Tune!”

DIVAS & DRINKS @ The Academy 2166 Market Street

Donna Sachet

Carolyn Wysinger

Hosted by emcee Donna Sachet and DJ Rockaway presented by Olivia Travel Sponsors: Bacardi, Olivia Travel, Extreme Pizza, SF Federal Credit Union DJ Rockaway

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Fitness & Sports

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Registration Now Open for San Francisco Gay Softball League’s Spring 2022 Season

By Steven Bracco The San Francisco Gay Softball League (SFGSL) is ready to get back on the softball field next month and we’re currently looking for new players to sign up. Registration is now open for our Spring 2022 season, which is scheduled to begin Sunday, March 27.

Founded in 1977, SFGSL is a gay and lesbian softball league committed to providing an organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and Steven transgender participants to Bracco compete in an environment conducive to the community.

SF VIXENS

SFGSL

“SFGSL is where a diverse group of individuals come together to play a sport while supporting and cheering each other on,” said SFGSL commissioner Vincent Fuqua. “It’s also an opportunity to SFGSL members at the San Francisco Giants Pride Night build new and lasting friendships for years.”

SFGSL Women's+ team the Vixens take 3rd at the 2022 Sin City Classic.

“The great thing about SFGSL is that it provides a safe and healthy setting for our community to meet SFGSL all drag team the SF Knockers. and engage with each other,” said game of softball and the community that I SFGSL Diversity Chair Cammie Duvall. have built over the years.”

“We have so many amazing people, and “I keep coming back to the SFGSL because diverse cultures that makes it feel safe and of the enjoyment of being around folks from accepting regardless of gender, sexuality, culall walks of life,” said SFGSL member Loto tural background, etc.”

Maulupe.

Each year our teams also compete on a “At the end of the day it’s more than a game; national level at the Gay Softball World it’s a family affair of extended family from Series (GSWS) and the ASANA Series. The many walks of life,” added SFGSL member 2022 GSWS will be in Dallas, Texas, from Elisa Maria Muscardin.

August 28–September 5 and the ASANA Series is set for August 16–20 in WashingSFGSL is open to people of all skill levels ton, D.C. whether you’re a seasoned pro or someone who is new to the game. Our league will proAlong with playing softball, SFGSL memvide everyone with the support and guidance bers enjoy hanging out with their teammates and other players at events off the field. that will allow them to have fun playing softball.

SFGSL hosts a variety of events throughout

Castro resident Steven Bracco is a San Francisco firefighter and is the Communications Director for the San Francisco Gay Softball League. He is also a journalist for Hoodline and an Advisory Board Member of the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District.

SF Cougars celebrating at the 2019 Gay Softball World Series in Kansas City, Missouri

STEVEN BRACCO/SFGSL

More information can be found at http://www.sfgsl.org/

SFGSL A Division team the SF Fury Unleashed took 3rd place at the 2021 Gay Softball World Series.

SF VIXENS

After playing for more than 20 years, Fuqua said, “I continue to play because I love the

SFGSL would like to invite anyone interested in joining the league to attend our New Players Clinic on Sunday, February 13, at Margaret Hayward Playground (Lang Field) and Saturday, March 19, from 11 am to 1 pm (location TBD).

SFGSL

Many players in SFGSL have been playing for multiple years and continue to come back not just for the friendly competition but also because of the friendships that they’ve developed on and off the field.

SFGSL members at the 2021 Gay Softball World Series Opening Ceremony in Columbus, Ohio.

SF COUGAR

the season including an Opening Day Party at Detour, SF Giants & Oakland A’s Pride Nights, Bowling Fundraiser, and our annual Switch Hitters Ball.

STEVEN BRACCO/SFGSL

Every season, over 45 teams and 450 players compete across our Open and Women’s+ Divisions.

Games take place every Sunday from March through June at fields across San Francisco including Moscone, Margaret Hayward (Lang Field), and Kimbell.

SF KNOCKERS

SFGSL is the largest LGBTQ+ softball league in the country and is a member of the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Association (NAGAAA) and Amateur Sports Alliance of North America (ASANA).

SFGSL members receiving awards at an end of season party in Golden Gate Park

SF Vixens celebrating at SFGSL's end of season party at The Detour SF. 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 (1978–2022)

Culinary Stars Jacques Pépin and Joanne Weir to be Celebrated at the Sonoma International Film Festival

Photos courtesy of Liam Mayclem

Liam’s LGBTQI List Liam P. Mayclem Beloved chefs Jacques Pépin and Joanne Weir, who are well known for their TV shows on PBS, will be appearing at the upcoming Sonoma International Film Festival (SIFF) that will take place from March 23–27. Chef Pépin will be in person at the festival on March 24 to receive the first SIFF Culinary Excellence Award. There will be a five-course dinner as well. Chef Weir, in turn, will host a special lunch on March 25 during which she will share some TV segments from the places she’s traveled, to bring the flavors of Spain, Morocco, and Greece to diners’ plates, including some great wines and Thomas Adams Chocolates.

Meet this legend in person at SIFF news show. An Irish-Brit and two to see him accept the well-deserved French chefs making omelets at 7 SIFF Culinary Excellence Award am ... it was indeed fun TV, and as during the 25th anniversary festival you might imagine, the conversation and the chamRoland Passot and Jacques Pépin hold a menu with art by Jacques pagne was flowing in equal measure.

Jacques’ passion, good humor, and humility made me instantly love him.

a food short film and wines, is the alchemy for a perfect evening of culinary extravagance. The event is a collaboration between the SIFF and Devour! The Food Film Festival.

gers an emotional response. Food in film restores memories and creates inspiration for new ones yet to come,” said Joanne Weir, who will also soon be appearing at the SIFF.

Chef and Television Host Joanne Weir

Chef Weir is a James Beard Awardwinning cookbook author, international cooking teacher, and renowned chef. Her PBS show, Plates & Places, is a cinematic new series filmed on location throughout some of her favorite culinary destinations.

Perhaps some of this beautiful, informative series will be shared during the SIFF culinary lunch on March 25 (11 am–1 pm).

“Food is a part of our everyday life.

It’s a relatable, sensual vehicle that draws the viewer in and closer to the

More recently (2019), we celebrated Jacques at the home of Chef Passot in Mill Valley. It was an honor to play server for the event, or as I put it, his “Brit butler” for the day. At 86 years young, he is still brilliant, smart, and brimming with great

I first met Joanne after signing up for a cooking class almost twenty years ago. I became an instant fan of her food and the Chef herself. Her restaurant Copita in Sausalito is one of my favorite spots in the Bay Area.

It features some of the most authentic Mexican food you will ever enjoy and margaritas that will knock your socks off!! I always encourage friends to take the Ferry there from San Francisco and Uber home.

I have had the joy of being in the company of both of these culinary Larry Mandell, Joanne Weir, Liam Mayclem stars over the years and want to share a few fond memories with you for the San Francisco Bay Times.

Renowned Chef and Artist Jacques Pépin

Get tickets now as they will sell quickly for the March 25th luncheon and for Chef Pepin’s Award and celebration dinner.

Firstly, Chef Pépin, one of America’s most celebrated and cherished chefs, has filmed his PBS cooking series at KQED in San Francisco for more than twenty years.

He has a special relationship with the city and with the nearby Sonoma wine country.

Both events provide an amazLiam Mayclem, Jacques ing, tantalizing Pépin, Roland Passot opportunity to enjoy food and film in the company of two world-renowned and beloved Chefs, Joanne Weir and Jacques Pépin. See you in Sonoma in March at the 25th SIFF!

His cookbooks and television series have garnered numerous honors, including the Julia Child Cookbook Award, the James Beard Award for Best National Cooking Segment, and Best Culinary Video. Many cooks today fondly remember the Julia and Jacques Cooking at Joanne Weir, Liam Mayclem, mariachis, and Weir team members Home television series, for which wit. And he loves to teach; even over Chefs & Shorts culiboth he and Julia Child won an lunch he dispensed knowledge and nary event on March Emmy in 2001. Chef Pépin entered stories of how to be a better cook.

24. The SIFF honorar- Jacques Pépin’s New Complete Techniques cookbook the James Beard Foundation’s ium also includes a $10,000 donation experience. The viewer may not be “Cook what you love to eat,” he said.

Cookbook Hall of Fame in 1996. to the Jacques Pépin Foundation. able to taste or smell the aromas of “Keep it simple. Respect the ingreI first met him on Bastille Day 2002 the food in film, but it’s about the dients.”

In addition to this recognition, the over a champagne and caviar breaksound of the sizzle in the pan, the five-course dinner, where noted chefs This may be the best advice any chef fast with his friend Chef Roland slurp of a raw briny oyster, or the each prepare a course paired with has ever given me.

Passot for KRON’s morning snap of a bite of chocolate that trig-

QUEER POP QUIZ

For More Information SIFF: https://sonomafilmfest.org Jacques Pépin: https://jacquespepin.org Jacques Pépin Art: https://jacquespepinart.com Joanne Weir: https://www.joanneweir.com 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/

‘LIVE LONG AND PROSPER’

Star Trek actor and social media favorite George Takei and his husband Brad Altman in June 2008 were the first same-sex couple to receive a marriage license in this California city: A) Beverly Hills

B) Palm Springs

C) Santa Monica

D) West Hollywood

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

Tour de Force shopping mall on a gorgeous estate in Malibu. There were no customers except the lady of the house named Barbra Streisand.

Off the Wahl Jan Wahl Tour de force is defined as a feat or display of strength, skill, or ingenuity. When I was but a wee lass, I saw Sammy Davis, Jr., at the Hollywood Bowl exemplify this.

Later, Danny Kaye blew me away with his talent at the Greek Theatre.

Then there was Ella Fitzgerald at Davies Hall, Hugh Jackman in his one man show at the Curran, Dolly Parton at Shoreline, Michael Feinstein everywhere ... all amazing. I’m determined to see as many live performances as I can, a definite challenge right now, but thankfully streaming can be, if not nearly as good, at least a temporary substitute.

The other day I was a desperate woman. I needed showbiz laughs and diversion. My wonderful sister Susie in Oregon had just seen a terrific play called Buyer and Cellar, written by Jonathan Tolins. With some research, I found this one-man show had won the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Solo Show and GLAAD’s Media Award for Outstanding Theatre. Susie’s high praise would have been enough, so off I was to stream this show.

By random coincidence, it turns out my friend and colleague J. Conrad Frank is the one-man star. This is the story of a struggling actor in Los Angeles who takes a really odd job. He works in a vast personal

Katya at Martuni’s

One day, the lady herself visits one of the luxurious shops and the two begin to create a relationship. There are many themes at work in this tour de force, including the price of fame, a love of beautiful and unique things, and the oddest odd job imaginable. Conrad plays all the roles, but never tries to imitate the Great One herself. He just goes for the essence of character and style. I found myself so engaged that the time flew by and I had that joy of fine theatre.

Naturally, after seeing it, I had to give Mr. Frank a call.

He told me for the San Francisco Bay Times: “I had done the show at the New Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco to great acclaim. The Oregon Contemporary Theatre asked for it during the pandemic. It’s a 90-minute show and I play six characters. It was special to be back in Oregon since I graduated from university there. My father was a straight man of a certain generation who loved Streisand. As far J. Conrad Frank I know Conrad because of another as I know, Barbra has friend, the Countess Katya never seen the play, but most likely Smirnoff-Skyy. She is a divine has sent people to see it.”

Eastern European soprano who He continued, “Aside from Barbra, now sings “popera” while telling it is fun to play the kind of butch fabulous stories and wearing divine housekeeper, and Jim Brolin, who clothes. She is such fun and the gives me a chance to stretch myself invention of Conrad. by portraying a straight guy. The “I, Conrad, was trained as a counshow is also about having everyter tenor but was bored with early thing but still feeling lost, relamusic like Handel,” he shared. tionships when “It seems that everyone knows an one partner is livEastern European lady with stoing a dream and ries about the famous and nearly the other is jealous, famous, and since a drag show was the joy of creating beginning at Martuni’s, Katya was one’s own reality if born.” one has the means.

That’s the best: “Katya loves Streisand, too,” he that Barbra has the added. They met in the ‘70s at luxury of making 54. Katya will now be back at choices and insistMartuni’s for the show the third ing on them. That’s Sunday of every month begininspirational.” ning February 20. She also has a new show in June at Feinstein’s.

Mr. David Glamamore makes her beautiful clothes, and Jan, I know you love her homages to Roz Russell, Mae West, and Norma Desmond. Katya is also fulfilling her duties as Crown Princess of the San Francisco Imperial Court and servicing her TikTok followers who refer to her as Auntie Katya.”

Tour de force describes Conrad, Katya, the fabulous Donna Sachet, Jim Brochu, Sister Roma, Liam Mayclem, and all the others who have the courage and talent to take to the stage alone.

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

Lit Snax High-Risk Homosexual: A Memoir by Edgar Gomez Gomez has done the near-impossible: written a queer coming of age tale that feels entirely fresh and unique.

Not only does his prose sparkle with the sort of deliciously dry wit that can’t be bought or taught, but it also displays a level of insight that is highly unusual for such a young author.

Faux Queen: A Life in Drag by Monique Jenkinson Alternating between vivid descriptions of outrageous performances and whip-smart analysis, Jenkinson makes San Francisco’s drag scene come alive in this engaging tale of artistic flowering. That she’s a female-type-person makes her story atypical and all-the-more fascinating.

Recitatif: A Story by Toni Morrison The great Toni Morrison’s one and only short story! This brief yet elegant narrative follows two women over the course of decades. One woman is Black and the other is white, but Morrison purposefully refuses to tell the reader which woman is which. https://www.fabulosabooks.com/

Top of your stack

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOOK PASSAGE

Joan Is Okay (fiction- hardbound) by Weike Wang Joan is a thirtysomething ICU doctor at a busy New York City hospital. The daughter of Chinese parents who came to the U.S. to secure the American dream for their children, Joan is intensely devoted to her work and her solitary personal life while quietly observing cultural differences between her and her white American counterparts. Once Joan and her brother were established in their careers, her parents moved back to China. This was to be a permanent move until Joan’s father dies suddenly and her mother moves back to the U.S. Between this change, and several others, Joan spirals out of her comfort zone. Joan Is Okay is deceptively spare, quietly powerful, and wholly engaging and funny.

Black Buck (fiction- paperback) by Mateo Askaripour As an unambitious Gen Z’er, Darren is content working at Starbucks in the lobby of a Midtown New York office building, but his parents want him to live up to his potential. All that changes when a chance encounter with a CEO of a hot tech start-up convinces Darren to join his sales team. After enduring “hell week” training, Darren, the only Black employee, reimagines himself as Buck, a ruthless salesman. When there is tragedy on the home front, Buck uses his position to devise a plan to help young people of color infiltrate America’s sales force.

Hilarious, piercing, and provocative, Black Buck explores race, ambition, and a new vision of the American dream.

Non Binary (memoir- hardbound) by Genesis P-Orridge In this groundbreaking book spanning decades of artistic risk-taking, the inventor of “industrial music,” founder of Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV, and the world-renowned fine artist with COUM Transmissions,

Genesis P-Orridge takes us on a journey searching for identity and their true self. It is a revealing and beautifully open memoir from a transgender icon.

Upcoming Events Honor Black History Month with these special events.

Wednesday, February 16 @ 5:30 pm (live-online) Michael Tubbs, Author of The Deeper the Roots The Deeper the Roots is a memoir that is astonishing in its candor, voice, and clarity of vision. Tubbs shares with us the city that raised him—Stockton, CA—and his family of badass women. At the age of 26, Tubbs became the youngest mayor of any major city in American history. As mayor, Tubbs was lauded for his leadership and innovation. Under his stewardship, Stockton was named an “All-America City” in 2017 and 2018, saw a 40% drop in homicides in 2018 and 2019, led the state of California in the decline of officer involved shootings in 2019, was named the second most fiscally healthy city in California and one of the top most fiscally healthy cities in the nation, and was featured in the HBO documentary film Stockton on My Mind.

Wednesday, February 23 @ 5:30 pm (live-online) Carol Anderson, Author of One Person, No Vote, in conversation with Ian Haney López In One Person, No Vote, Anderson chronicles the rollbacks to African American participation in the vote since the 2013 Supreme Court decision that eviscerated the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Known as the Shelby ruling, this decision effectively allowed districts with a demonstrated history of racial discrimination to change voting requirements without approval from the Department of Justice. Focusing on the aftermath of Shelby, Anderson follows the astonishing story of government-dictated racial discrimination unfolding before our very eyes as more and more states adopt voter suppression laws. In gripping, enlightening detail she explains how voter suppression works, from photo ID requirements to gerrymandering to poll closures. https://www.bookpassage.com/

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Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun

By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, “Every year I question why we make such a big deal over VALENTINE’S DAY. A day named after Saint Valentine, a 15th century martyr, who on February 14th was beaten to a pulp with clubs; then stoned; finally beheaded; and unceremoniously buried. How romantic?! Oh, puhleeeze!”

DIVAS & DRINKS is back at The Academy for 2022! Kick off your VALENTINE’S celebrations with legendary entertainer Donna Sachet, who will be your host for the evening on February 10, 6–10pm.

DJ Rockaway presented by Olivia Travel will also be in the house. 2166 Market Street. https://www.academy-sf.com/ Sister Dana sez, “It’s Special Election Season, so don’t forget to VOTE!” https://sfelections.sfgov.org/ This year, as we celebrate BLACK HISTORY MONTH, we are reminded of the countless people who sacrificed their lives so we could move forward, no matter how slow progress has been. Mayor London Breed has put out a timely statement: “San Francisco has a long, rich history of Black leaders who fought for the rights that many of us take for granted today. Leaders like Mary Helen Rogers, who would lay down in front of bulldozers to prevent homes in the Fillmore/ Western Addition from being torn down; like Julie Anderson, a member of the Board of Education who fought against the discrimination that Black and Asian students and educators were facing in the 1970s. We also remember public safety officers like Richard Finis, the first fulltime Black police officer, and Bob Demmons, our city’s first Black Fire Chief. With this year’s theme of Black health and wellness, we are also reminded of Black doctors like Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett, who not only cared for our community, but was also a civil rights leader and a newspaper publisher, telling Black stories in our own voices.”

Mayor Breed continued, “These leaders fought for a better future, often sacrificing their ambitions to ensure that their children and grandchildren could live in a better world than the one that they had inherited. They made these sacrifices knowing full well that their names would never be in the history books. We must speak their names and tell their stories, so they are not forgotten. We must celebrate our history, and how Black history is American history, as we continue to move forward with efforts like our DREAMKEEPER INITIATIVE, which is centered in long-term sustainability, reform, and lasting change for the Black community in San Francisco. That is how we remain committed to a vision for a more equitable and just city.”

Sister Dana sez, “Some schools can be so stupid! Twenty-two states have now introduced bills to limit race and sexuality lessons in schools! Ludicrous!”

Scores of Catholic priests and officials are coming out as queer and are appealing to the Church to amend its stance on LGBTQ issues. So far, a group of 122 people—which includes current and former priests, teachers, administrators and vol24

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unteers—have identified themselves as gay or queer to pressure the ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH in Germany to do away with its “outdated statements of church doctrine,” according to a report by a German newspaper, Deutsche Welles.

The mass coming out coincides with the launch of the OutInChurch initiative, which created a Change.org petition celebrating the move and suggesting several ways the Catholic Church can update its policy around LGBTQ Catholics. “Our group is diverse. It includes people who in the past have courageously and often singlehandedly dared to come out in an ecclesiastical context,” the petition reads. Sister Dana sez, “More power to them!

God Power!”

THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE is an intimate look from HBO at the extraordinary rise, fall and redemption of Dennis McMillan (aka Sister Dana) was photographed in televangelist Tammy Faye 2014 at Moby Dick bar looking very much the artiste while sketching a model seen in reflection. We’re hoping Sister Bakker. In the 1970s and Dana is feeling better since he reported in our previous ‘80s, Tammy Faye and her issue having been less than his usual fabulous self. Get husband, Jim Bakker, rose well soon, SD! from humble beginnings to THE IMPERIAL COUNCIL OF create the world’s largest reliSAN FRANCISCO is holding the gious broadcasting network and ANNUAL VOTING DAY FOR theme park, and were revered for EMPEROR AND EMPRESS OF their message of love, acceptance, SAN FRANCISCO on February and prosperity. Tammy Faye was legendary for her indelible eyelashes, her 19. One vote per person. Must have Photo ID with Proof of Residency idiosyncratic singing, and her eagerness to embrace people from all walks in San Francisco, Marin, or San Mateo Counties. Polk Area Voting: of life. However, it wasn’t long before “Cinch” 1723 Polk Street, 11 am–4 financial improprieties, scheming rivals, and scandal toppled their care- pm; Castro Voting: “Castro Muni Station”: 12 noon–6 pm; SOMA fully constructed empire.

Voting: “Powerhouse” 1347 Folsom Especially important to note is when Street, 1 pm to 5 pm. Sister Dana Tammy Faye is shown opening her sez, “If ya don’t vote, ya can’t heart to real-life AIDS patient Steve complain!”

Pieters on a live broadcast—at It can now be announced that an era when all other televangelists after a two-year pandemic pause, were preaching that AIDS was God’s BURNING MAN returns August 28 deserved punishment to gay men. To to the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. this day, Pieters proudly sings with So, dust off those tents and pull out the LOS ANGELES GAY MEN’S those coolers! But more importantly, CHORUS. And the tag line to the drag out your costume collection!!! movie states: “Tammy Faye renewed her work in the ministry, continuing Proudly transgender Ivory Aquino to embrace the LGBTQ+ commuhas just joined the cast of the muchnity and all people in need until her anticipated film BATGIRL, playing death in 2007.” the first openly transgender charSister Dana sez, “HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR! May the Year of the Tiger bring prosperity, joy, and health to you and your loved ones!”

Well, finally I have an excuse for my red wine inclination! Because drinking RED WINE could help fight the risk from Covid infection. A recent study published in FRONTIERS IN NUTRITION looked at the medical records of 473,957 people through the UK Biobank. The report studied the drinking habits and Covid history during the course of the pandemic.

It discovered that people who consumed five or more glasses of red wine per week were up to 17 per cent less likely to be at risk from the virus, when compared to non-drinkers. Sister Dana sez, “Cheers, queers! And jeers, Covid fears!

But get your boosters, ya hear?!”

President Biden ran on an agenda that puts working people and families first—and takes on the greed of wealthy corporations. While the Biden administration has made important progress to provide jobs and lift the incomes of working people, bold transformation reforms included in BUILD BACK BETTER have been held hostage to corporate influence in Congress. The continuing effects of the pandemic stress the dire need for structural reforms. President Biden should send a clear message: If Congress can�t act, he will. This year must be a year of bold EXECUTIVE ACTIONS!

acter in the flick. Aquino will step into the role of bartender Alysia Yeoh, a close friend of Barbara Gordon/Batgirl, played by Leslie Grace. She joins a cast roster that also includes JK Simmons as Commissioner Gordon, Michael Keaton as Batman, and Brendan Fraser as the villainous Firefly. Holy inclusivity, Batgirl!

Joe Manchin holds the key vote on President Biden’s nominee to replace Justice Stephen Breyer.

But Manchin has tanked so much of Biden’s agenda—I’m terrified he’s going to do it again!

Sister Dana sez, “Hey Joe, for too long, you have dragged your feet, stood with Republicans, and held hostage Biden’s progressive agenda. We need to ensure that we are able to confirm a PROGRESSIVE JUSTICE as soon as possible.

With our slim Senate majority, we need you on board!”

Broadway’s Golden Age comes to life in A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING, a stunning tribute to the legendary Rodgers and Hammerstein—with a modern twist by San Francisco’s 42ND STREET MOON, 215 Jackson Street. Thirty-two of Broadway’s greatest songs written by one of Broadway’s most iconic partnerships celebrates both the hits and hidden gems—showing off (continued on page 31)

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

Strangers Meet to Confront Their Ex in Don’t Look Down

Film Gary M. Kramer Don’t Look Down, available February 15 on VOD, is a stylish and stagey film by writers/directors Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau about four men and one woman who meet in a high-rise apartment where a man they all once loved (separately) is being held in a locked room. He is never seen. As these strangers talk (and talk and talk), they recount their experiences with the man. Each individual also privately visits with their ex off screen, getting a chance to settle a score.

The filmmakers take a canny approach to showing who the guy was by how he influenced each lover.

As such, Don’t Look Down has some shrewd observations about the nature of relationships, abusive and otherwise. Ducastel and Martineau chatted with me for the San Francisco Bay Times about their fabulous new film.

suffer, you have to find a way to make the relationship not toxic. That’s my idea. Some people are very bad, and I know abusers exist. It’s tricky to speak about a relationship, a love relationship, and the different forms it takes. Each character represents one way to engage in a relationship. Sadistic, masochistic, etc. You have to put the characters together and think about what it means to be in love.

Olivier Ducastel: We also thought about the position of the viewer. There are five characters in the apartment, but there are six, because each person in the audience is around the table and in the apartment for the night. We made a decision during editing to leave space for people watching the film.

Gary M. Kramer: We have to guess how these strangers all found each other and believe that they are all telling the truth. And that the ex is unable to leave the room he is locked in. What assumptions do you want viewers to make regarding the film’s setup?

Olivier Ducastel: The actors had questions when we began reading the script. They needed answers for ev-

that Don’t Look Down would be visually boring. He suggested we change the ambiance for every scene. There were enough lights to change it at every time lapse. That’s why the guy who lives in the apartment had nice lamps and colors.

Gary M. Kramer: I appreciate that we do not see the man/ex in question, nor do we understand what transpires as each stranger enters the room he is in and confronts him. What do you want people to imagine happens in those off-screen scenes?

Jacques Martineau: We wanted it to be abstract.

Olivier Ducastel: We tried during the process to leave freedom for every viewer to have their own decision or point of view on that matter.

Gary M. Kramer: There is a real sexual tension that develops between some of the strangers. How did you work on creating the bonds between the characters as the story progressed?

Jacques Martineau: During the rehearsals, we tried to invent some-

Gary M. Kramer: How did you conceive of the story and this concept of gathering strangers together connected by their ex?

thing sensual. We had sexual tension with the guy who is connecting them. That was the rule: no sexual contact between the characters.

Jacques Martineau: It was your idea at first ... [indicating Olivier].

Olivier Ducastel: At one point during shooting, we said it would be the first film we made without a kiss.

Olivier Ducastel: I had this idea that a character with this combination of narcissism and perversity would be interesting, but I didn’t have a concept for a story. I talked with Jacques and he was considering different ideas, and that different characters in this room would interact, but that they don’t know each other. We would have each character explore each other and confront their experience with the bad guy.

Jacques Martineau: We are not interested in the bad guy; we are more interested in victims. So, it was a movie about the victims with the “pervert” on the edge.

Jacques Martineau: We wanted to do something totally different because everyone was expecting a sexual thing.

erything. We tried to avoid answering questions and preferred that they ask themselves the questions and find answers for each other and not share the answers—e.g., how the evening was organized. It would be more interesting during the shooting and acting of the scenes if there was curiosity about the characters and the scenario.

Gary M. Kramer: What points did you want to make about relationships and the various permutations on how couples interact and behave?

Gary M. Kramer: What can you say about the visual approach to the story? It is set in one room, but you use light and color and space to convey different emotions, moods, and feelings.

Jacques Martineau: What was funny in writing and directing is that we did not totally agree about the abuser. I deeply think that the person you love is always an abuser because love is dangerous. When you are entering a relationship where you

Olivier Ducastel: The visual approach continues the work we did in Paris 05:59: Théo and Hugo, with color and framing, and the space between actors. It was a discussion between us and the cinematographer, Manuel Marmier, who was concerned

Olivier Ducastel: It’s also to give space for imagination about what is going on in the room and what their relationship was with this guy. We wanted the attraction and tension to be felt throughout the film. We wanted the opposite—are we able to create sexual tension only with words?

Jacques Martineau: And bodies.

Olivier Ducastel: No contact or explicit sex.

Jacques Martineau: We had stories between the guys, a subtext that two of them probably had a sexual relationship in the past. © 2022 Gary M. Kramer Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the co-editor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.”

Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer 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 (1978–2022)

Dine and Drag: Where Do San Francisco’s Drag Artists Dine?

The Gay Gourmet David Landis We all know that drag artists have great taste. Witness the sartorial splendor of such local celebrities as Donna Sachet, D’Arcy Drollinger, and Sister Dana, to name a few.

But what about their taste in restaurants? The Gay Gourmet asked some of the Bay Area’s top drag queens/artists for their favorite foodie haunts. Here’s what they had to say! Drop by some of these culinary gems and you might just catch

a Bloody Mary is the only way to go, while the evening offers more selections, many festively named after gay icons. The comfort food is perfect for the location with French fries (in a variety of versions) not to be beaten anywhere and burgers of every description, bound to please any palate. The Sausage Factory on Castro Street is a guilty pleasure for that night when calories simply don’t count and one hasn’t eaten substantively in days. This historic family-run restaurant deserves mention for its long association with the neighborhood, often offering its back room for meetings and special events. If it’s Italian pasta you crave, this is the place.

Sister Dana Lately there has been very little dining out for me. But when I do, my top fave has been Orphan Andy’s for decades now. It’s open all day and all night, almost always.

Secondly would be Osaka Sushi, a couple doors Juanita MORE! down from my apartment on the 400 Castro Street block. Third is the

Kylie Minono My favorite steakhouse is Osso Steakhouse. My favorite breakfast spot is the Pork Store Cafe, the 16th street location. And I love the Dancing Yak, which has Nepali cuisine.

The Countess Katya Smirnoff-Skyy For casual comfort food, I have always loved La Méditerranée on Noe. It’s a staple, with consistently good food, a charming staff that makes you feel like family, and a friendly neighborhood vibe. As a San Francisco native, The House of Prime Rib holds a special place in my heart! Yes, getting a reservation is a task of Herculean effort, but the payoff is always there. The place has a magic that’s hard to find in a city of fine dining and fads. Whether dining in or taking out, I have had a long love affair with Hayes Valley staple, Il Borgo.

This family run Italian restaurant knows exactly who it is, from the

Roma’s is my first choice and it’s not just because the place is owned and operated by one of my best friends and is named after me. It’s a cozy and inclusive queer-owned and operated business that rose from the ashes of the pandemic and is thriving while so many of our sacred spaces are closing for good.

And if that’s not enough, check the Yelp reviews. The food is next level delicious. Rocco’s Café. You may have seen me on Check, Please!

Bay Area a few years ago raving about my love for Chef Don and Rocco’s Cafe. Well, nothing’s changed. Rocco’s remains one of my favorites for homemade comfort food in a friendly and historic San Francisco landmark. Chisme Cantina and Pearl’s Deluxe Burgers. It’s a TIE! Gotta give a shout out to my two local favorites. Chisme and Pearl’s are both less than a block away from me and have been lifesavers during the pandemic. Lucky for me, they serve up

is always wonderful, and it makes for a truly special experience in the fabulous financial district. The Blind Butcher: My favorite place for eats in The Castro is definitely The Blind Butcher. They have a filet mignon that is so good! Now some people might gasp, but I don’t really like octopus—it’s definitely a texture thing for me. However, the way they cook it, there is nothing squishy about it. Not only is it cooked to perfection, but it also comes with a sauce that is to die for.

To round off the experience, they seem to hire the cutest boys to be on their staff. I’m a drag queen eating in the Castro; I notice these things!

Turtle Tower: So, my third choice is going to be Turtle Tower.

They have two locations: one in the Tenderloin and SOMA. One of my go tos is soup. Especially when the weather has been chilly, like it has been the last couple months. My favorite type of soup is Pho. I absolutely love the stir-fried beef and pan-fried noodle soup they have.

My go-to, however, is the Pho Ga. It’s a delicious chicken noodle soup that is great for any occasion. But if it is lunch time, I am definitely fin-

Countess Katya Smirnoff-Skyy

Heklina

a glimpse of one of our glamorous stars.

Donna Sachet Catch on Market is my choice for wonderful, personal service, inviting seating both inside and out, and incredible cuisine specializing in seafood. My go-to dish is the always reliable and delicious fish and chips, but be sure to check for tempting daily specials. This is where I go to meet and get business done. Whether nailing down a contract, negotiating a charitable donation, or fleshing out an upcoming event, one can linger over a glass or two of wine from a considerable list while soaking up a lovely setting. The historic connection to the AIDS Memorial Quilt is significant with a rotating display on the front wall evoking important memories. Harvey’s at Castro and 18th Streets is the place to be seen! We recently joined Bruce Vilanch and Patrik Gallineaux, sitting at the corner table inside, visible to all and welcoming visitors. During the day, 26

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Bobby Friday

Anchor Oyster Bar—also in the Castro. I am very Castro-centric, having proudly lived in the heart of the Castro forever!

D’Arcy Drollinger and Snaxx, from OasisSF Starbelly: We both have many, many a meeting there and everyone is so kind and generous with the space. Get the pâté! Dumpling Time: Dumplings are perfect after a night at the Oasis! Square Pie Guys: Gourmet pizza that is so delicious—locations in San Francisco and Oakland!

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murals on the walls, to D’Arcy Drollinger the fresh pastas, and charming owner who some of the best Mexican and the always remembers my order (the best burgers in San Francisco! fettuccine il Borgo). It’s divine and definitely worth a visit! Runners Bobby Friday up: queer (and drag queen owned) The Vault Garden: Okay so Little Star Pizza on Valencia, maybe I’m a little biased since I best pizza in town. And Cafe have done a brunch show at The Mystique: it’s not fancy, but it Vault Garden, but the food is always makes me happy! always DELICIOUS! Your meal usually starts out with houseHeklina made Parker rolls with sea salt and I love Starbelly, Zuni, and Tu whipped butter, and honey; there is Lan. no better way to start a meal than Sister Roma with ... bread! It is set in a posh Roma’s Ristorante Italiano. and lovely environment, the staff

ishing it off with one of their delicious Vietnamese iced coffees for a little extra pep in my step.

Juanita MORE! I cook almost every day, and because of that, I find that I like to go to familiar places and eat the things that I’ve loved for years and don’t have the time to cook at home. Boulette’s Larder in the Ferry Plaza Building is at the top of that list. The view of the Bay Bridge and the simple service are

Bay Times Dines an excellent combination. They have kept me satisfied with yummy things from their larder throughout the pandemic. One thing I have never walked away without is the lemon curd tart. Co-owners Lori Regis and Executive Chef Amaryll Schwertner are thirty-year veterans in the Bay Area Food community and are working hand-in-hand with local farmers. I have been following them from restaurant to restaurant since the mid-80s. I’m also a big fan of Zuni Cafe. I’ve also been eating there since the mid80s back when all I could afford was a margarita and the guacamole—which our server would prepare tableside in a molcajete.

Nowadays, I stop by for lunch and sit outside with my French bulldogs, Jackson and Macho, and have the legendary Zuni Burger, shoestring fries, and a Caesar salad.

I will mention that this last place

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restaurant closures in our beautiful City by the Bay. Miss Rahni Lolinda for dinner: oxtails are everything! Foreign Cinema is amazing for brunch or dinner!

NOPA: get the pork chop if they still have it!

Bits and Bites Good news for The Castro: The San Francisco Board of Supervisors recently approved allowing new bars to open in the Castro. Previously, there was a ban on new bars in the neighborhood.

Hopefully, this is good news to help alleviate many of the vacated storefronts in the hood.

Kowbird, a family-owned and soul-infused fried chicken joint from barbecue guru chef Matt Horn, just opened in Oakland. The second

Sister Roma

wine alternative called Karviva Unwined. This new Malbec inspired non-alcoholic beverage doesn’t go through the labor-intensive and wasteful de-alcohol process. Carefully blended with tart and powerhouse fruits, this burgundy-colored drink tastes like the well-loved Malbec, minus the alcohol. The drink pairs well with meat, fatty fish, dark meat poultry, and aged cheese.

Club Feast, a San Franciscobased delivery service that lets restaurants keep 100% of the price of their meals, is expanding beyond the Bay Area and New York to 8 new markets. Consumers can save up to 40% over competing delivery services and pre-schedule their deliveries.

To celebrate American Heart Health month in February, why not substitute ground turkey for ground beef? Crafted using only butcher-quality, whole-muscle cuts, Diestel’s organic fresh ground turkey provides a lean and flavorful alternative to high-cholesterol meats. The thoughtfully raised, 100% vegetarian-fed, pure

about Sitka Salmon Shares, the subscription box for wild-caught Alaskan seafood delivered right to your door. These make for excellent gifts for any seafood foodie in your life or a perfect solution for holiday entertaining this spring.

Oakland-based Voyage Foods is launching a nut-free peanut butter alternative that’s natural and sustainable. It’s creamy (not nutty) and delicious. The Gay Gourmet gives it four out of four snaps, recommended especially for those in your circle with nut allergies.

And, finally: Split, purveyors of “finger licking real food” and owned by the folks who run Mixt, just opened its new location on Broadway in Oakland.

Pearl’s Deluxe Burgers: https://pearlsdeluxe.com/ Boulette’s Larder: https://bouletteslarder.com/ Slanted Door: https://tinyurl.com/2p8kbs6x Orphan Andy’s: https://tinyurl.com/2p9yvhmn Osaka Sushi: https://tinyurl.com/bdenf57e Anchor Oyster Bar: http://www.anchoroysterbar.com/ Lolinda: https://lolindasf.com/ Foreign Cinema: http://foreigncinema.com/ NOPA: http://nopasf.com/ Catch: https://catchsf.com/ Harvey’s: https://harveyssf.com/

Starbelly: https://starbellysf.com/

Sausage Factory: https://thesausagefactorysf.com/

Dumpling Time: https://dumplingtime.com/

The Vault Garden: https://tinyurl.com/2p8jkxy3

Square Pie Guys: https://squarepieguys.com/

The Blind Butcher: https://blindbutcher.com/

Osso Steakhouse: https://www.ossosteakhouse.com/

Turtle Tower: http://www.turtletowersf.com/ Miss Rahni

Sister Dana

Snaxx

Pork Store Café: https://www.pscsf.com/

Kowbird: https://www.kowbird.com/

Dancing Yak: https://dancingyaksf.com/

Cheesemonger Box: https://cheesemongerbox.com/

La Mediterranee Noe: https://lamednoe.com/

Karviva Unwined: https://tinyurl.com/ycktvy2r

House of Prime Rib: https://www.houseofprimerib.net/

Club Feast: https://www.clubfeast.com/

Il Borgo: https://www.ilborgomenu.com/

Diestel organic fresh ground turkey: https://tinyurl.com/3s8xtv88

ground turkey is also non-GMO project verified and completely free of antibiotics, hormones, growth stimulants, artificial ingredients, preservatives, and gluten. Available in white and dark meat varieties, Diestel’s organic ground turkey products are sold at select independent and natural food stores across the country.

Little Star Pizza: https://www.littlestarvalencia.com/

Sitka Salmon Shares: https://sitkasalmonshares.com/

Café Mystique: http://cafe-mystique.com/

Voyage Foods: https://www.voyagefoods.com/

Zuni Café: http://zunicafe.com/

Split: https://www.spliteats.com/

Tu Lan: https://tinyurl.com/9ty9mkhz

Having family in Alaska means that the Gay Gourmet is a big salmon lover—but getting it fresh is paramount. So, I was pleased to hear

Rocco’s Cafe: http://www.roccoscafe.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

Kylie Minono

I frequented regularly pre-pandemic—the Slanted Door, which closed its doors soon after the lockdown in San Francisco. From its first inception on Valencia Street, I was a regular and addicted to Chef Charles Phan’s signature dish, Shaking Beef. The tender cubes of filet mignon—sautéed with red onions and vinaigrette and then served with a lime, salt, and pepper dipping sauce over tender watercress—still make my mouth water.

I once got a strict pescatarian to lean over my plate and take a bite.

I recently read that they would try and reopen. I hope we don’t lose this gem of a place to the list of

idea from the chef that created the pop- Donna Sachet ular Horn Barbecue, Kowbird pays homage to Horn’s Southern comfort food roots.

Cheesemonger Box is a unique artisan cheese subscription service that offers cheeses freshly cutto-order and delivered straight to doorsteps monthly. Every cheese lover will delight in the offerings, curated in small batches from artisan selections to traditional offerings.

Healthy juice and smoothies brand Karuna just released a new

Roma’s Ristorante Italiano: https://www.sfromas.com/

Chisme Cantina: https://chismesf.com/

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The Gay Gourmet Recommends - Vehement: A Carnal Court on February 24 Photos © Melody S. Wong

Cocktails With Heather Heather Freyer

A high-fashion fever dream awaits you on February 24 at Berber, 1516 Broadway in San Francisco.

Mojitos come in all shapes and sizes.

A combination of raspberries, mint, and Bacardí Raspberry Flavored Rum, this one lends a berry kick and Valentine’s vibe to the traditional mojito.

The organizers share: “Our darkest, adults-only visual experience returns with a vengeance. Join our depraved Duchess Mss Vee and her carnal court of provocative entertainers for our costumed dining event for charity. Live DJ sets will be hosted by world-renowned musician House of Malakai. Explore your hedonistic side with unconventional fantasy acts performed by celebrity artists, while dining with select delicacies and cocktails all evening. Arrive in your most regal costume and be chosen to walk in our notable fashion show, alongside an elaborate collection provided by Dark Garden Corsetry. Ticket proceeds will be donated to the Transgender District of San Francisco.”

RASPBERRY MOJITO

For tickets and more information: https://tinyurl.com/35t7bs5z

2 parts Bacardí Raspberry Flavored Rum 3 raspberries 4 lime wedges 12 fresh mint leaves crushed ice club soda Add rum, raspberries, lime wedges, and mint leaves to a highball glass.

Lightly muddle. Add crushed ice and stir. Top with club soda and stir lightly before serving. https://tinyurl.com/yyc4me8t 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.

a fraction of the price of the flagship Ornellaia bottling while still delivering similar complexity and uniqueness. I call it a “twice-theprice” wine as it’s worth double its price.

Sbrocco Sips Leslie Sbrocco 2019 Le Volte dell’Ornellaia, Toscana IGT, Italy $34 One of Italy’s most famous wines is Ornellaia. Several years ago, I had the opportunity to visit the classic estate in Tuscany. Located in the Bolgheri region on the Tuscan coast, it’s a world-class red with a price tag to match (approximately $250 per bottle).

But you don’t need to pay a hefty amount to enjoy the essence of the noted estate. You can try Le Volte dell’Ornellaia instead. It’s

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The Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sangiovese blend is also aged partially in barrels used for Ornellaia imparting a kiss of oak character. The lush yet vibrant red is chock full of dark berry fruit notes with hints of cocoa and herbal aromas. On the palate it’s a full-bodied, sultry red with a velvety texture and long finish. Pick it up for a Valentine night treat or simply enjoy it with a rich roast or hearty pasta dish. Salute!

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

This Month at the Castro Farmers’ Market Top Ten Lucky Foods from the Farmers’ Market

By Debra Morris Need a year filled with luck and prosperity? Stock up on lucky foods from the farmers’ market! Certain foods eaten during the Lunar New Year are considered very lucky. Whether you desire prosperity, health, happiness, or new beginnings, these foods symbolize good things for the coming year.

It’s a time for “out with the old and in with the new.” The Divisadero Farmers’ Market is filled with good luck!

Around the world, many layers of meaning and tradition are attached to these lucky foods. The most common lucky foods include egg rolls, citrus, noodles, fish, greens, and others.

The preparation and presentation of these foods can take on meaning as well. Fish and chicken are eaten whole, oranges and tangerines are served with leaf and stem attached, noodles are prepared without breaking them, and raisins are eaten, one every hour until midnight.

1. Whole Fish: In Germany, eating pickled herring ensures a year of bounty. In Asian countries, it is important to eat whole fish with head and tail attached to ensure a good year, from start to finish.

2. Spring Rolls/Dumplings: These are made with minced pork and chopped cabbage, carrots, and other vegetables. In China it is said that the more you eat, the more

money you can make during the year ahead.

3. Honey: This sweet nectar is believed to bring good luck and wealth to you and your family.

7. Oranges, Pomelos, & Tangerines: These are the most common symbols of the Lunar New Year. Their golden color is believed to attract

healthy for the year, too! As with the greens above, these cruciferous veggies symbolize good fortune and money.

for all 12 months of the year, as long as you finish all 12 before the final stroke!

There are many more food traditions and superstitions that purportedly bring good luck throughout the world. There is the ha’penny pudding in Great Britain, poutine in Canada, Cornish pasties in South Africa, black eyed peas and cornbread in the southern U.S., ceviche in Ecuador, tamales in Mexico, pork in the Midwestern U.S. and China, and so many others.

4. Leafy Greens: The green color symbolizes paper money. Think kale, spinach, lettuce, and chard for the New Year.

Even parsley is supposed to ward off evil for the coming year. In the southern U.S., the saying goes, “Peas for pennies, greens for dollars, and cornbread for gold.”

5. Longevity Noodles: Since these long noodles should never be broken when cooking, they symbolize long life. Many varieties of pasta can be used to ensure good luck in life.

6. Sticky Rice Cakes: The main ingredients are sticky rice, sugar, chestnuts, Chinese dates, and lotus leaves. In Asia, rice cakes symbolize prosperity in all your endeavors.

Enjoy your own traditional lucky New Year foods as we wish you a prosperous and happy year ahead! good fortune and success, while the round shape reminds us of coins.

The shape also refers to the old year rolling into a fresh new one. Received with the stem and a leaf attached is even more auspicious!

9. Whole Chicken: Presented whole like the whole fish, it means family togetherness, the “whole” family.

Families will also offer chicken to deceased ancestors for blessings and protection.

8. Broccoli and Cauliflower: For a blossoming year of wealth and prosperity, eat broccoli and cauliflower. It’s a good way to begin eating

10. Raisins: Tradition in Spain says 12 grapes or raisins eaten just before midnight, one at each chime of the clock, will bring good fortune

Debra Morris is a spokesperson for the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association (PCFMA). Check out the PCFMA website for recipes, information about farmers’ markets throughout the region and for much more: https://www.pcfma.org/

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Artshot Abby Zimberg

I discovered, on Market Street between Sanchez and Church, a wall display of images from contemporary artist Kate Tova’s Maskerade series created in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact was unfolding. The series, featuring recognizable figures such as Snoop Dogg, Marilyn Monroe, Frida Kahlo, Andy Warhol, Audrey Hepburn, Vincent Van Gogh, and many more, uses flamboyant multimedia masks on black and white portraits.

Tova said, of her series: “I used a comically broad range of multimedia including amethyst geodes, disassembled Mac parts, paper butterflies, hand-made brooches, golf leaf, feathers, and much more. The series represents a moment in time and transforms a depressing symbol of pandemic life into something extravagant and celebratory.”

To review the entire collection, which also includes images of Harvey Milk, Elton John, Keith Haring, and Dolly Parton, visit https://tinyurl.com/bdzyv4t3 Abby Zimberg is a licensed California Marriage Family Therapist with training in art therapy. She formerly worked as a graphic designer and has always been a photographer. https://theartoftherapysf.com/

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Dykes

With Drills

Tip of the Week

By Julie Peri

T-block for the Win Cutting wood on a chop saw can be dangerous if you don’t have your piece properly supported. Using a simple T-block can help solve this issue. You can build one from scrap wood and use it as a drying rack as well.

Learn more fun tips and tricks with us at one of our workshops in the Bay Area!

QUEER POP QUIZ ANSWER (Question on pg 21)

D) West Hollywood The couple told the San Francisco Bay Times that they met in the 1980s in a running club called Frontrunners, where Altman was the fastest sprinter.

Altman, in turn, was struck by Takei’s charm and style. Takei asked Altman out, and they discovered that they share a love of theatre. They have been enjoying life together ever since.

Introduction to Tools Workshop February 12 @ San Francisco Introduction to Tools Workshop March 5 @ San Francisco Tiny House Workshop Series March 12–April 24 @ Bay Area Overnight Carpentry Camp July 24–July 30 @ Bay Area For more information about these and other events, go to: https://bit.ly/3uBKUql

Julie Peri is the Founder and Director of Dykes With Drills. https://www.dykeswithdrills.com/

SISTER DANA (continued from page 26) Rodgers’ exquisite melodies and Hammerstein’s evocative lyrics featuring favorites from Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, and more. March 10–27. https://42ndstmoon.org/ Sister Dana sez, “With 108 of the last 115 Supreme Court Justices being white men, how DARE Repugnicans complain that Biden wants to specify the next Supreme Court Justice be a Black Woman!”

“LOVE, A STATE OF GRACE” is a four-day performance installation February 11–18 at SF’s GRACE CATHEDRAL. The performance will be presented in one-hour cycles repeated over 3 hours, during which the audience may move freely within the Cathedral. With over 90-foot ceilings, stained glass, and multiple chambers, Grace Cathedral will provide a multifaceted platform of many vantage points for the audience. https://tinyurl.com/2p8fbz4b On February 17, 7 pm, LOCKDOWN COMEDY continues its Zoom show with comedians Becky Braunstein (Portland), Suwon Weaver (LA), Ian Williams (SF), producer/ comic Lisa Geduldig (SF & Florida), and her 90-year-old mom, Arline Geduldig (Florida). Laugh along with me! https://tinyurl.com/46t63xud I can proudly announce that we SF SISTERS OF PERPETUAL INDULGENCE will once again hold our annual Easter Sunday fundraiser party in Dolores Park: “SISTERS’ EASTER: BACK TO OUR OLD HABITS!” featuring the “Hunky Jesus Contest,” “Foxy Mary Contest,” and “Bonnet Contest”—along with “Children’s Easter.” It will be an EGGcellent afternoon!

Sister Dana and Dennis say, “I want to thank all my friends and/ or column reading fans who are sending me so much love, healing thoughts, and prayers during this time of excruciating physical pain. It means so much to me! I may not be wealthy, but I am certainly RICH with friends!!!”

Take Me Home with You! “My name is Lacy!

I’m a six-year-old, 80 lbs. Labrador mix. I’m a sweet and sensitive gal who prefers to take things slowly. I promise I’m worth the wait! Once I get to know you, I’ll be your lifelong best friend.

I’m hoping to meet someone special who likes to go on long walks and spend the evening cuddling on the couch. If you think we might be a match, please come say hello.”

Lacy

All adult animals 5+ months, like Lacy, are free to adopt February 11–14!

Lacy 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 Lacy.

Dr. Jennifer Scarlett and Pup

To meet Lacy, visit the SF SPCA Mission Campus @ 201 Alabama Street. It is open for appointments from 8 am–6 pm daily. For more information: https://www.sfspca.org/adoptions/ S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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Chinese New Year Flower Market Fair

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Held this year on January 29–30, the Chinese New Year Flower Market Fair in San Francisco is an annual event that takes place on the weekend before Chinese New Year Day. With more than 120 booths and concessions for 2022, stretching over more than eleven blocks in Chinatown, the fair included live performances by traditional Chinese magicians, acrobats, fold dancers, and opera.

Rink attended and provided a selection of his images from the fair and related activities. Among the popular items for sale were candied melon and red melon seeds (symbolizing growth and good health), fresh flowers (symbolizing growth and a year of prosperity), and more.

2022 is the Year of the Tiger, referring to the third of the 12-year cycle of animals that appear in the Chinese zodiac.

PHYLLIS OSCAR Masonic Phyllis and Ann Elice at show Center for Live Nation’s da star ring Wan Sykes

SANDY MANNING rbach Hall Sandy and Ruth at Zelle s concert for the Cal Performance o featuring Angélique Kidj

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CASTRO COVID-19 TESTING AND VACCINATION HUB Sponsored by the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District Every Saturday, 11–5pm Collingwood & 18th Parking Lot (Behind Walgreens) Free & No Appointment Needed Facebook Page: https://bit.ly/338WjCK

TELL enjoyed MENTS and LAURA MAR Realtors DANIELLE CLE Way For The Navidad, Help Is On The Feliz , show ay holid F’s REA a Theater Center. day, December 1 at Brav Holidays XX held on Sun a large cast red Hand, the show featu Benefiting Project Open ight , Leanne Paula West, Sharon McN rites favo Area Bay including s, “House Parties F will launch a new serie Borghesi and more. REA tions in Palm Springs.

PS,” during March at loca

SALON BILL COURTZ , SPUNK HAIR ings (not shown), from Spunk Jenn Bill Courtz, along with Zie riors LGBTQ+ at the Golden State War Hair Salon in the Cast ro Night at Chase Center

PHOTO BY RINK

YOU TOO CAN BE A WINNER!

Subscribe to the San Francisco Bay Times e-mail list: https://bit.ly/2XDNnh7 Subscribers enter the REPLY TO WIN! online competition for a chance to win event tickets, services and products we announce.

Round About - All Over Town

Photos by Rink

Renovation work on the Castro Theatre began with a new coat of red paint applied to the famous vertical sign known as the “blade.” The paint job was completed on January 27.

On Saturday, January 29, dancer Phillip Ruse and drummer Susu Pampanin performed a Middle Eastern themed set in front of the iron grill at Hibernia Beach.

San Francisco Examiner columnist Teresa Moore (right) moderated a discussion, following the screening of The Sleeping Negro, with producer Will Grant (left).

Friends and colleagues joined The Sleeping Negro writer, director and star Skinner Myers at The Roxie Theater.

Producer Dianne Griffin and director Adriana Marchione posed for the camera beneath the poster for their film, The Creative High, at the 24th Annual SF IndieFest on Opening Night at the Roxie Theater on February 2.

Director David Lanning and festival director Jeff Ross paused in front of the poster for the 24th Annual SF IndieFest. Lanning’s film, This Side Up, addresses contemporary life during the COVID pandemic.

49ers fans arrived at The Cinch Saloon before for the NFC Championship Watch Party held on January 30.

Although the 49ers fell to the L.A. Rams in the NFC Championship, watch party attendees enjoyed the service provided by bartender David Delgado at The Cinch Saloon on Polk Street.

Both server Derek Spreckelmeyer and his dinosaur mascot wore masks at The Cove on Castro on January 29.

Diners enjoyed outdoor seating on January 28 at the Chouquet’s on Upper Fillmore.

Diners soaked up some rays on a sunny January 28 at La Méditerranée’s Upper Fillmore location.

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The Cottage Industry gifts and collectibles store, located at 2328 Fillmore Street, presented in its display window a selection of unique Venetian masks on January 28.

A potential customer window shopping at isalis women’s clothing store located at 2127 Union Street on January 28

Round About - All Over Town

Photos by Rink

CASTRO STREETCAM presented by

A Valentine’s display in the window at Enoteca Vino Nostro Italian Wine Shop at 1455 Van Ness

Valentines display at Mollie Stone’s Castro

http://sfbaytimes.com/

Red hearts and other speciality items created a colorful display for valentines in the window of Teuscher Chocolate of Switzerland located at 307 Sutter Street.

Le Creuset Heart Shaped Cocotte in Cherry Sized for cooking two servings, perfect for that date night, holiday, or some whimsical cooking for two. $200

Lasagna Bolognese at Il Casaro Pizzeria & Mozzarella Bar. The popular Italian restaurant has recently opened a second location at 235 Church Street.

The Milano Gallery at 565 Grant Avenue in Chinatown on February 2 displayed in the front window a Keith Haring valentine bottle featuring a heart lid and dancing figures on the sides drawn in the distinctive Haring style.

Hug Me Pot Say it with a plant! This charming pot and saucer set will be sure to put a smile on their face. $17.99 A customer and server in the sidewalk parklet on January 30 at the award-winning Il Casaro Pizzeria & Mozzarella Bar at 348 Columbus Avenue.

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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, on-trend and competitive.

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

The bakery’s co-owner presented heart-shaped donuts available for sale at Donuts & Things, 1549 Polk Street, on February 2.

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.

Diners at the indoor tables at Il Casaro Pizzeria & Mozzarella Bar

https://cliffsvariety.com/

As Heard on the Street . . . Who would you like to honor during Black History Month? compiled by Rink

Skinner Myers

John Weber

Troy Brunet

Veronika Fimbres

“Wilma Jean Sanders, my grandmother”

“I salute Empresses Frieda and Connie, who prepared the way for me to be elected the first Black Emperor of San Francisco. This also includes Emperors Stephen Dorsey and Terrill Grimes, and Empress Mercedez Munro.”

“My parents Mr. and Mrs. Ernest and Georgiana Brunet. Two of the most grand, kind, caring, loving and faith-filled and over-flowing with joy people.”

“James Baldwin, Bayard Rustin, Sylvester, Marsha P. Johnson, and many others. And myself. I am the first transgender San Francisco Veterans Affairs commissioner”

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