San Francisco Bay Times October 1, 2015

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October 1-14, 2015 | www.sfbaytimes.com

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In the News

By Dennis McMillan

Castro Street Fair Is Set for October 4 Always the first Sunday in October, from 11am to 6pm, The Castro Street Fair is located in the heart of San Francisco’s Castro District, at the intersection of Market & Castro Streets and the surrounding area. The Castro Street Fair is a community street celebration that was founded by Harvey Milk in 1974. Hundreds of local artists, vendors, craftspeople and organizations line the streets and celebrate the diversity of the neighborhood. Stages with live entertainment and dance stages can be found throughout the fairgrounds. The Fair is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and all proceeds go directly to charitable causes important to the Castro community. Additionally, the Fair funds the rainbow flag that flies over the intersection of Castro and Market. This year, the Fair celebrates all things drag and the life and work of our beloved late superstar, Cookie Dough. castrostreetfair.org Openly Gay Incoming California Veterans Department Chief Appointed Governor Jerry Brown has appointed openly gay California National Guard Colonel Vito Imbasciani as Secretary of the California Department of Veterans Affairs. Imbasciani, 69, director of government relations at the Southern California Kaiser Permanente Medical Group, has worked as a urologic surgeon since 1997. He served as state surgeon for the California Army National Guard from 2006 to 2014, and as a surgeon in the U.S. Army Medical Corps from 1986 to 2014. Imbasciani was a tire-

less advocate for ending the military’s discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, testifying before Congress, and lobbying legislators, military leaders and even President Obama behind-the-scenes. eqca.org U.S. Government Extends Healthcare Nondiscrimination Law to Transgender People The U.S. government will extend its healthcare nondiscrimination law to transgender individuals, and require health insurers and medical providers to treat all patients equally, regardless of sex. The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, was passed in 2010 and included anti-discrimination provisions to prevent insurers from charging customers more, or denying coverage based on age or sex; but that law left some areas open to interpretation, and thousands of consumers complain each year about being discriminated against, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said. The proposed rule says that individuals cannot be denied care or coverage based on sex or gender identity, and that individuals must be treated consistent with their gender identity. Providers cannot deny or limit care based on gender, and insurers cannot have policies prohibiting gender transition health services that may be offered for other reasons, such as a hysterectomy. reuters.com SOMArts Cultural Center Seeks New Executive Director SOMArts (South of Market Arts, Resources, Technology, and Services) is seeking their next Executive

Director to work closely with the SOMArts Board of Directors and staff to lead the cultural center and organization-wide programs. The Executive Director will provide vision and strategic direction for all annual programming of SOMArts, including Day of the Dead (a month-long October invitational and multi-artist exhibit / installation), Fiscal Sponsorship, Classes and the Main Gallery Exhibitions Program. In addition to the oversight of the creative season, the Executive Director will run major programming, including on and offsite support services programs for nonprofits through the Affordable Space Program and the Neighborhood Arts Program. somarts.org A.C.T. Mourns Passing of Associate Artistic Director Mark Rucker American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) is mourning the passing of Mark Rucker, Associate Artistic Director. “He was a treasured friend, an inspirational colleague, a brilliant artist and an extraordinary mentor to generations of young theater artists,” said Artistic Director Carey Perloff.

“We will miss him terribly. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mark’s family and his friends around the globe.” Rucker has directed A.C.T. main-stage productions of Mr. Burns, a post-electric play; Maple and Vine, Higher, Once in a Lifetime, Marcus; or The Secret of Sweet, The Rainmaker, and The Beard of Avon; Luminescence Dating at Magic Theatre; and several of A.C.T.’s Masters of Fine Arts Program productions, to name just a few of his accomplishments. Details on a memorial service will be announced at a later date. charleszukow.com

New Development Manager Joins Tenants Together Tenants Together, California’s Statewide Organization for Renters’ Rights, has appointed Yas Ahmed as their new Development Manager.

Ahmed first moved to the Bay Area in 2000. Since that time, Ahmed has supported community change strategies as both a practitioner and grant-maker within the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors.

Ahmed has particular advocacy experience working with, and on behalf of, young people of color, LGBTQ , and faith-based communities, and is a former counselor for the San Francisco Tenants’ Union. Ahmed is thrilled to support housing equity in this new role as Development Manager for Tenants Together, and to contribute toward a collective vision of building healthy, just communities for CA residents. tenantstogether.org International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission Takes New Name The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), marking its 25th anniversary, announced a new name— OutRight Action International—at its annual gala in New York City. “We chose a new name that speaks to the heart of our mission. We have been ‘out’ for rights for 25 years, and at a time when civil society and LGBTI rights are under attack in many parts of the world, [and] we believe our new name speaks to our commitment to LGBTIQ activism and resilience internationally,” said Jessica Stern, the Executive Director. Moisés

Kaufman, the playwright and founder of Tectonic Theater Project best known for The Laramie Project, hosted the event during which OutRight honored Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe, also celebrating its 25th anniversary. Instead of adopting an acronym, the organization said it prefers the simpler “OutRight” as shorthand. Along with a new tagline, “Human Rights for LGBTIQ People Everywhere,” OutRight reflects the organization’s commitment to inclusiveness for everyone in the LGBTIQ global community. iglhrc.org Obama to Nominate Openly Gay Man to Lead the U.S. Army President Barack Obama has chosen to nominate Eric Fanning as Secretary of the U.S. Army—making him the first openly gay civilian to be nominated as Secretary of one of the military services. “We are thrilled to see Eric Fanning nominated to lead the world’s greatest Army,” said American Military Partner Association President Ashley Broadway-Mack. “Fanning’s expertise and knowledge within the defense community, together with his sensitivity to issues faced by LGBT service members and their families, is why we urge the Senate to move quickly to confirm his appointment.”

Fanning has been acting Undersecretary of the Army since June 2015, and has also served at senior levels in both the Navy and the Air Force. partners@militarypartners.org CounterPulse Moves to New Tenderloin Facility CounterPulse theater has moved from its home at Mission and Ninth streets to a renovated site in San Francisco’s (continued on page 26)

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This summer, Nissan hit a home run with its partnership with the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA) and its 39th Annual Gay Softball World Series event in Columbus, Ohio.

The event made GSWS history with more than 185 softball teams competing from 43 cities across the United States and Canada. The multi-division tournament was more than just a ball game. The 9-day event also featured opening and closing ceremonies, community events, celebrity performances and more.

“Nissan has the most diverse consumer base of any automotive manufacturer and is eager to champion grassroots LGBT events that give consumers a chance to interact with both our vehicles and our LGBT and ally employees,” said Rick Ash, Senior Manager, Nissan Marketing. “It’s an honor for Nissan to bring more visibility to all of the LGBT athletes who competed.”

Since 2013, Nissan has scored a perfect 100 in the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Corporate Equality Index for its LGBT-inclusive policies and commitment to the community. The company was among the fastest risers in the history of the index.

“Nissan has the most diverse consumer base of any automotive manufacturer and is eager to champion grassroots LGBT events that give consumers a chance to interact with both our vehicles and our LGBT and ally employees,” said Rick Ash, Senior Manager, Nissan Marketing. “It’s an honor for Nissan to bring more visibility to all of the LGBT athletes who competed.”

Nissan’s commitment to the LGBT community starts with its own employees. The company strives to ensure internal policies and benefit packages are inclusive of everyone. And Nissan’s Gay Straight Alliance at Nissan (GSAN) is the driving force behind the company’s LGBT outreach efforts, focusing on its hometown of Nashville as well as on other regional LGBT events DiversityInc Magazine also named Nissan to its 2015 Top 25 Noteworthy Companies list for the second year in a row. The company is an active member of the Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce and a sponsor of the annual National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association convention.

Nissan’s Diversity Office—with the help of GSAN—has sponsored several workshops for area business leaders where they can share diversity best practices for creating an inclusive environment for employees and supporting the LGBT community in Middle Tennessee.

T:10.25”

COME OUT AND PLAY. Nissan proudly sponsors the 2015 Gay Softball World Series.

T:16”

NissanUSA.com

Always wear your seat belt, and please don’t drink and drive. ©2015 Nissan North America, Inc.

San Francisco Bay Times Honored at Grand Ducal Council Coronation XLII Empress Nicole the Great, Queen Mother of the Americas & Heir to Empress I Jose, presided at the Grand Ducal Council of San Francisco’s Coronation XLII. Held in the Grand Ballroom of the historic Whitcomb Hotel, Empress Nicole was accompanied by Heir Apparent Empress Donna Sachet.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ARCHIVE PRODUCTIONS INC.

PHOTO BY RINK PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY KEN HAMAI

PHOTO BY KEN HAMAI

PHOTO BY RICK LEBLANC

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

Members of the Grand Ducal Council of San Francisco elected and crowned as Grand Duke, J. Eugene Banks/Aja Monet, and as Grand Duchess, Olivia Hart. Hosting the San Francisco Bay Times representatives and other guests was Grand Duchess XVII & XXXIII Collette LeGrande- Ashton.

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY KEN HAMAI

During her presentation and remarks, Empress Nicole the Great honored the San Francisco Bay Times with an Award for Meritorious Community Service by a media company in recognition of outstanding coverage of the International Imperial Court System. Empress Nicole the Great also bestowed titles, including the designation as Princesses, to publishers Dr. Betty Sullivan and Jennifer Viegas, and the designation as Prince to legendary photographer Rink. The Bay Area Reporter and its assistant news editor and columnist Matthew Bajko were also honored.

See OuR Progress

Michael Kaufmann Business Analyst

“

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I’m proud to work at a company that demonstrates a deep commitment to equality and to a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities we proudly serve.

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At PG&E, our customers are our neighbors. The communities we serve as PG&E employees are where we live and work too.

That’s why we’re investing $5 billion this year to enhance pipeline safety and strengthen our gas and electric infrastructure across northern and central California. It’s why we’re helping people and businesses gain energy efficiencies to help reduce their bills. It’s why we’re focused on developing the next generation of clean, renewable energy systems.

Together, we are working to enhance pipeline safety and strengthen our gas and electric infrastructure—for your family and ours.

PGE_10.25x16_BT_LGBT_0618.indd 1

“PG&E” refers to Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation. ©2015 Pacific Gas and Electric Company. All rights reserved. Paid for by PG&E shareholders. All facts 2013/2014 unless otherwise noted.

in the Bay area

See the FactS IN the BaY aRea Replaced more than 30 miles of gas transmission pipeline Invested more than $2.1 billion into electrical improvements Connected more than 65,000 rooftop solar installations

BAY T IM ES O C TO BER 1, 2015 6/18/15 3:00 PM 7

Accord’s Honest Design Contrasts with VW’s Loss of Integrity One aspect we LGBT folk know well is the closeted period, where we told lies about ourselves to others and ourselves. Once we move through it, we rarely want to revisit that period of lying and deception.

A Reminder that Markets Move Up and Down

So while I have many positive comments regarding this week’s Passat TDI, it is a car that is impossible to recommend, unless it’s at a steep discount. One of the biggest blows to VW is to its reputation, which means a certain drop in resale values, at least in the short term.

That’s the phase Volkswagen is moving through, as it navigates the worst corporate crisis in its history. Funny coincidence that It’s also impossible to accuratethe Passat TDI was chosen as a Auto ly report on the Passat TDI’s column subject at a time when performance, because we realPhilip Ruth its “clean diesel” engine has ly have no idea how these cars been uncovered as a fraud— will perform after they’ve been and it’s a willful one at that, on the part of the recalled and “fixed,” meaning detuned enough company that made it. that they can pass smog without an IV of urea.

By now, you’ve heard that Volkswagen has been gaming global emissions tests by switching the car’s computer program when a diagnostic machine is detected. The car then adds much more urea, a substance that neutralizes NOx emissions, to the exhaust.

Mileage will also likely suffer.

And so the Passat TDI is a wait-and-see. On the other hand, Honda is plugging right along with its hybrid technology, and the Accord Hybrid Touring proved to be a perfectly fine interpretation of the breed.

If the VWs in question added the amount of urea required to pass emissions in regular driving, then we’d need a network of urea stations besides those that sell diesel.

That’s why some VWs were 2015 Accord Hybrid EXL clocked at spewing as much as 40 times the amount than it emitted at the diagnostic station. It’s a public health issue, as NOx emissions are one of the most harmful parts of a car’s exhaust.

2015 VW Passsat TDI

This is a full-blown crisis for VW. The CEO is out, and there will likely be criminal charges in VW’s many global markets.

And the whole idea of a “clean diesel” has been called into question; VW’s misbehavior may do much to encourage a more permanent move from diesel to electric as the dominant greencar direction.

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It still seems a shame to burden the f leet-footed Accord with a hybrid’s uneven power delivery and goopy brake response, but as cars that get 50 mpg EPA highway go, the Accord Hybrid is as appealing as any you’ll find. With the Accord, it comes down to basic honesty in its design; it’s easy to see out of and comfortable to sit in. There’s roominess and features aplenty. It’s as straightforward as car design gets these days.

That lack of pretension is a big part of the Accord’s appeal, and it’s an opposite philosophy from the lies told by VW. Philip Ruth is a Castro-based automotive photojournalist and consultant at www.gaycarguy.com. Check out his automotive staging service at www.carstaging.com

ness to accept investment risk It’s happened many times before, but when we experienced in conjunction with the goals a serious downward move in you are trying to achieve. A stocks in late August, it caught market correction may be a many investors off guard since good time to step back and we hadn’t been through such re-assess what you are trying a shift for quite some time. to accomplish with your portBeginning on August 18 and folio. Here are some things to ending on August 25, the Dow consider: Jones Industrial Average lost If you have years to let nearly 1,900 points or more your money grow Money Matters than 10 percent of its value— If you are still several years a signif icant drop in a conBrandon Miller from retirement, there may densed period of time. At the be less reason to be concerned close on August 25, 2015, the Dow Jones Index actually fell more than 14 with short-term market swings. Make sure your percent from the year-to-date high it reached portfolio is positioned in the most effective way to achieve your long-term goals consistent with in mid-May. the amount of fluctuation you are willing to acMore surprising than the drop itself may be cept over shorter periods. If you don’t feel your that it had been roughly three years since the portfolio is aligned with your goals given the U.S. stock market experienced a correction recent bout of volatility, it may be time to work of at least 10 percent. Historically, such corwith a financial professional to reposition it. rections tend to happen more frequently—on If you are investing regularly in the market average once every two years since 1932. (such as contributions to your workplace retireMarkets move in unexpected ways ment plan or an IRA), the volatility could work Stock markets are notoriously unpredictable in in your favor through dollar-cost averaging. the short term. The events of August 2015 are This is a method of investing that helps reduce a reminder that the markets can move quickly the risks of market timing by investing a fixed with little or no warning. Nobody can say with amount at regular intervals. When prices are certainty what will happen to stocks over the low, your investment purchases more shares. next week, month or even over the next year. When prices rise, you purchase fewer shares.

For example, by early March of 2009, U.S. Over time, the average cost of your shares will stock markets had lost more than 50 percent of usually be lower than the average price of those their value over an 18-month period. The Dow shares. It does not assure a profit or protect Jones Industrial Average bottomed at 6,547 against losses in a declining market. However, and fears were running high. At that point, over longer periods of time it can be an effecmany investors likely didn’t think they’d see tive means of accumulating shares. Investors the Dow Index around the 18,000 level that it should always consider their ability to continue reached this year in May of 2015. investing through periods of low market prices.

It’s not about the markets—it’s about you It is important to look beyond the headlines and instead keep the focus on what you are trying to accomplish with your investments over time. Short-term market fluctuations are a fact of life, but they should not drive investment strategy. It is important to assess your willing-

If retirement is drawing near Those who are within a few years of retirement tend to be more sensitive to short-term market moves and may want consider making some adjustments to their portfolios. This (continued on page 26)

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun

TRIBUTE CELEBRATION 2015 at the Exploratorium on Pier 15 to reflect on the tremendous progress made in the fight against HIV, glimpse into the future of our work, and recommit to making San Francisco the first U.S. city to end the HIV epidemic. The event was hosted by comic Scott Nevins who did hilarious impressions of celebrities including Eartha Kitt, Harvey Fierstein, Carole Channing, Liza Minnelli, Judy Garland, and Cher.

By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, “Doritos is showing its support for LGBTQ teenagers with limited-run rainbow tortilla chips. The move is part of Doritos’ partnership with the It Gets Better Project, an organization that encourages queer teens. Doritos rainbow chips, inspired by the pride flag, are available to consumers who donate ten or more dollars to the project. And, of course, the rabid rightwing homophobes are calling for an immediate boycott! Incredible!”

In celebration of their fanciful fabric showrooms, the SAN FRANCISCO DESIGN CENTER partnered with local drag queens to create amazing ensembles from textile manufacturers represented at the SFDC. The event was a combination variety/runway show with dossiers made for each queen. From amazing drag performances to high-energy acts, DESIGN MEETS THE DIVAS OF DRAG presented an unforgettable drag show emceed by Terry McLaughlin. To round out the variety show, a special ensemble performance from the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus highlighted the evening with “Give My Regards to Broadway” and other B-way favorites. Four finalists were chosen by celebrity judges, Sister Roma, Tim Seelig, Darin Geise, and Richard Hallmarq. One beautifully outfitted and talented queen was crowned. Net proceeds of the event benefited the EPISCOPAL COMMUNITY SERVICES’ new Navigation Center whose pilot program strives to find permanent housing for the homeless, directs them to rehabilitation and/or mental health centers, and provides bus rides home to family members.

Participating Queens and showrooms included: Madison McQueen paired with Kravet, Brunschwig & Fils/Lee Jofa paired with Khmera Rouge, Cowtan & Tout paired with Kylie Minono, DeSousa Hughes paired with Cassandra Cass, Duralee paired with Heklina, Fabricut paired with Paju Munro, Georgina Rice & Co paired with Raya Light, Hewn paired with Honey Mahogany, Kneedler | Fauchere paired with Mercedez Munro, Osborne & Little paired with Roxy-Cotten Candy, Quadrille paired with Pollo Del Mar, Robert Allen/Beacon Hill with Katya Smirnoff-Skyy, Shears & Window Textiles with PerSia, and Sloan Miyasato had Vanity Ytinav. My faves were Mercedez for her live singing and Katya singing a stunning popopera version of “Carmen” live as well. Otherwise the others did lipsynch numbers. After the judges compared notes, Katya was revealed as the winner! Congratz to you, dear Katya!

BALONEY: FOLSOM was San Francisco’s Gay All-Male Revue (except for a few women), at Oasis nightclub, choreographed by Rory Davis, directed by Michael Phillis, starring Will Bedell, Rory Davis, Shaun Mullen, Simon Palczynski, Michael Phillis, Andrew Sheets, Andrew Slade, Alex Steinhaus, Tim Wingert & Nancy French, and more. Sister Dana sez, “Be sure to catch the next, all new, all different version of BALONEY when it returns to Oasis!”

SAN FRANCISCO AIDS FOUNDATION presented

All proceeds from Tribute Celebration directly supported San Francisco AIDS Foundation.

The DREAAM PROJECT is a San Francisco AIDS Foundation program that stands for “Determined to Respect and Encourage African American Men.” The DREAAM Award, honoring a young person of color and a leader for contributions to health and wellness in our community, was bestowed upon Ravi Williams. The Cleve Jones Award (Jones was a cofounder of SFAF and still very much an activist) was presented to Congresswoman Jackie Speier for her tireless efforts fighting for a healthier San Francisco. She is an outspoken advocate for women’s health and federally funded HIV testing and prevention services. She has also introduced bills against gay conversion therapy and in support of extending health care benefits to LGBTQ families.

Douglas M. Brooks, White House Office of National AIDS policy director, lauded SFAF CEO Neil Giuliano for his five years of service, and bade him a fond farewell to Phoenix, Arizona, as he leaves the office. Brooks applauded SFAF as the world model for HIV/AIDS policy and procedure. Giuliano announced the completion of construction at the new Castro SFAF building on Castro, and revealed the new title of the facility there was “Strut.” Strut is the new home for health and wellness from San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Located at 470 Castro Street and opening soon, it’s a place where gay and bi men can find tools and support to manage their health and connect with other guys.

The RICHMOND/ERMET AID FOUNDATION (REAF) presented a special One Night Only Benefit Cabaret, OSCAR UNMASKED: An Evening of Academy AwardWinning Music with company mem bers from the National Touring Cast of The Phantom of the Opera at Marines’ Memorial Theater. It was a benefit for REAF and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Songs from The Phantom were not performed; but instead, dozens and dozens of Academy Award winning songs were. The event was produced by executive directors Ken Henderson & Joe Seiler. The Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation has worked with over 40 touring casts to date to produce “One Night Only Cabaret” events. Approximately 400,000 happy people descended on SoMa for FOLSOM STREET FAIR on Folsom Street from 8th to 13th Streets. There were leatherfolk, rubber people, fetishists, drag queens, Star Wars characters, Roman centurions, naughty nurses, French maids, furries, plushies, ponies, nuns, and tourists. Among my favorites: Bare Chest Calendar guys were selling their calendars to benefit AIDS Emergency Fund and Positive Resource Center. Trans Thrive offered drop-in service for the transgender community. Native American Health Center provided free rapid HIV testing. My favorite tee-shirt noted: “Good boys need spankings too!” All in all it was a fine day at Folsom Fair!

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Examining the Words of the Pope wounded’ because…they feel like the church has always condemned them.”

The Pope asserted that “the church does not want to do this” and the “catechism” instructs Catholics not to judge.

Marriage Equality John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney, Marriage Equality USA (Editor’s Note: As we went to press, news outlets reported that the Pope met with Kim Davis during his trip to the U.S. and offered her words of encouragement. As John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney told us, “These actions represent a provocative and polarizing development.”)

T REAT Y OURSELF TO AN E XCITING C ULINARY A DVENTURE WITH M ICHELIN S TAR C HEF S RIJITH G OPINATHAN

Spice Pot — Chef’s interpretation of traditional Indian street food with vegetables, tamarind chutney, and chickpea crackers.

Journey along India’s Spice Route by way of California at five-time Michelin star winner Campton Place. Chef Srijith’s cuisine masterfully blends the finest local produce with the richness of the region’s seasonal bounty.

Our last two columns have focused on Syrian refugee Subhi Nahas’ historic speech to the United Nations and the inspiring leadership of U.N. SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon. Today, we turn our attention to Pope Francis I’s much publicized addresses to the U.N., a Joint Session of Congress, and a conference of American Catholic Bishops.

Although we are neither Catholics nor experts on the Papacy, we, like many others, were struck two years ago when the then new Pope departed from the anti-gay vitriol of his predecessor by telling reporters: “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?”

Shortly thereafter, he elaborated, recounting how when he was a priest in Buenos Aires he received “letters from homosexual persons who are ‘socially

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The Pope has also criticized what he termed the Catholic Church’s being “obsessed” with issues such as “gay marriage,” abortion and contraception to the exclusion of other concerns, and made statements that some interpret as possibly considering support for civil unions.

However, the Pope has not altered the Catholic Church’s official doctrine that homosexuality is a sin, and he has reaffirmed the Church’s opposition to civil and religious marriage equality. On his recent U.S. trip, the Pope said nothing that really advanced his views either way on the issue of LGBT dignity and equality. Indeed, he never referred explicitly to LGBT people or marriage equality, instead offering oblique references, subject to divergent interpretations, in his carefully scripted words.

For instance, the Pope at one point in his U.N. speech referred to “a moral law written into human nature itself, one which includes the natural differ-

In the Pope’s speech to the joint session of Congress, he fearlessly confronted members: “Why are deadly weapons being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering on individuals and society? Sadly, the answer, as we all know, is simply for money: money that is drenched in blood, often innocent blood. In the face of this shameful and culpable silence, it is our duty to confront the problem and to stop the arms trade.” Shortly thereafter, he turned to issues of family life and stated that he could not “hide [his] concern for the family.” He claimed that the family “is threatened, perhaps as never before, from within and without” and that “[f] undamental relationships are being called into question, as is the very basis of marriage and the family.”

Yet, the Pope mentioned nothing about homosexuality in this context and instead seemed concerned more generally about problems he perceives young people face today. He decried how many young people have “a future filled with countless possibilities,” while others are “trapped in a hopeless maze of violence, abuse and despair.” In the (continued on page 26)

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He stated: “Religion has the right to express its opinion in the service of the people, but God in creation has set us free: it is not possible to interfere spiritually in the life of a person. A person once asked me, in a provocative manner, if I approved of homosexuality. I replied with another question: ‘Tell me: when God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love, or reject and condemn this person?’ We must always consider the person. Here we enter into the mystery of the human being.”

ence between man and woman,” and urged the U.N. to recognize “certain incontestable natural ethical limits” and abstain from “carrying out an ideological colonization by the imposition of anomalous models and lifestyles which are alien to people’s identity and, in the end, irresponsible.” However, the Pope’s remarks came not in the context of a discussion of LGBT people, but followed his unabashed condemnation of “selfish and boundless thirst for power and material prosperity lead[ing] both to the misuse of available natural resources and to the exclusion of the weak and disadvantaged.”

Weddings Reverend Elizabeth River The first I ever heard of destination weddings was when my daughter got married 11 years ago. She and her husband got married in Cabo San Lucas. I didn’t understand why they were going so far away for their wedding. I thought it would have been better close to home, so more of their friends could come. But they wanted to go there. They loved Mexico, and Cabo in particular, they had attended friends’ destination weddings, and it just was right for them. It was a gorgeous wedding right on the beach just before sunset–very romantic! I enjoyed the 3 or 4 days before and after the ceremony, so it was like a mini-vacation for me and everyone else, too.

That was the same year I was ordained and started my practice as a wedding officiant. Since then, I have participated in lots of destination weddings. Couples plan these for several reasons.

One big reason is, it saves a ton of money if you have a huge family and lots of friends, all of whom would be offended if they weren’t all invited to the wedding. If a couple starts their marriage spending what amounts to a fortune just on the wedding–well, it’s just not good economics. So, they fly a few thousand miles away, and have a tiny wedding party (sometimes only the two of them!) and then have all that saved money for their honeymoon, or even for a down payment on their first home A nd many whom I’ve married chose the specific location because it’s meaningful for them as a couple.

They got engaged there. They fell in love there. They have come to one particular beach, B & B, or coastal town every year to do all the fun nature things: hike, bike, sail, paddle, kayak, and want to keep coming back every year. Last summer, I married a couple from Chicago on McClure’s Beach. It was a sweet wedding in the late afternoon. On their wedding night, they went with about 10 of their friends on a nighttime kayak trip in Tomales Bay called a bioluminescence paddle tour. They were almost more excited about that than the ceremony.

Another reason for deciding on a destination wedding is when a couple wants their loved ones to hang out with them in a vacation paradise for longer than a few hours. They want to share some of the first few days of the honeymoon with their friends and families.

A couple I married last weekend found a lovely private garden on a bluff above Stinson Beach. It was one of those magnificent late-summer days. There were about 130 guests; some traveled from as far away as China and Alaska. Some of the guests camped nearby, so were able to save on lodgings and spend their money on all the fun things that were planned for the next couple days.

Yet another reason for a destination wedding–even if it’s just a road trip–is that a lot of us here in the Bay Area enjoy our close-by getaways, such as weekend jaunts to the Point Reyes Peninsula, Bodega Bay, Napa and more. These gorgeous spots are just a few hours drive away, so they are relatively easy destinations for locallybased guests.

And besides all those reasons, it’s just plumb gorgeous in the Bay Area, isn’t it? I mean all over the Bay Area.

Who doesn’t want to get married here?

Last spring, at the Gay Vanity Wedding Show in SF, I met Dan from Napa Kitchen Gardens (www.napakitchengardens.com). It’s an LGBTowned wedding venue in the Napa Valley. I loved the concept, and hope to be invited to do a wedding there some time. Check out their website!

Looks like the perfect, glamorous local destination wedding venue.

Rev. Elizabeth River is an ordained interfaith minister and wedding officiant in the North Bay. Please visit www.marincoastweddings.com or look for Marin Coast Weddings on Facebook.

CIty College trustee alex Randolph ▼

DIstrICt 3 supervIsor julie chRistensen

sherIff vicki hennessy

mayor ed lee

alice B. toklas deMocRatic cluB VOTE by Mail Or in PErsOn

Getting our city Back on track

aliceBtoklas.org

treasurer josÉ cisneRos ▼

CIty attorney dennis heRReRa

DIstrICt attorney GeoRGe GascÓn

Y v O tvE3 RB d no

“

San Francisco faces many challenges including addressing our housing affordability crisis, improving our transportation infrastructure, and creating a more livable city. Alice’s slate, including two female first-time candidates that have already proved their leadership, will help the city move forward in 2016.

” ElEcTiOn EndOrsEMEnTs – Supervisor Scott Wiener

elected officials

ED LEE, Mayor GEorGE GAsCÓn, District Attorney JosÉ CIsnEros,▼ Treasurer DEnnIs HErrErA, City Attorney VICKI HEnnEssy, Sheriff JuLIE CHrIstEnsEn, District 3 Supervisor ALEx rAnDoLPH,▼ City College Trustee ▼indicates that the candidate is LGBT Paid for by the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club PAC, FPPC #842018.

local Ballot MeasuRes

YES ProP A: Building More Affordable Housing

NO ProP G: Impractical Energy Restrictions

YES ProP B: Improving SF’s Parental Leave Policy

YES ProP H: Clean Energy Right to Know

YES ProP C: Broader Lobbyist Disclosure

NO ProP I: Mission Housing Moratorium

NO ProP D: New Housing, Parks and Shops in Mission Bay

no posItIon

NO ProP E: Unworkable Requirements for City Meetings NO ProP F: Short-term Rental Restrictions

ProP J: Historic Business Preservation Fund – No Position

YES ProP K: Surplus City Property Regulations

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Aaron’s election on its own would surely not correct the imbalance, but it would give the reformers some hope that we’re still in the game.

Milk Club Agonistes

A San Francisco Kind of Democrat Rafael Mandelman Win Aaron Win Of all the contests on this November’s ballot, there are none that I care about more than the District 3 Supervisor race. It is not just that Aaron Peskin is a friend, although he is that. Nor is it not just that he has been such a great supporter of mine over the past decade, mentoring me, appointing me to seats on the Building Inspection Commission and Board of Appeals, and strongly backing my campaigns for District 8 Supervisor in 2010 (unsuccessful) and for College Board in 2012 (successful). It is that Aaron is one of the smartest, most effective people I know in politics, someone who manages to marry pragmatism and principle to advance the public good in a way that I do not see any other figure in San Francisco doing nearly as well.

In the fifteen or so years that I have been closely following SF politics, I don’t remember a time when money had a tighter grip on City Hall.

The Milk Club’s internal struggles over the Sheriff’s race appear to have finally ended on September 23, when a majority of the voting membership gave Ross Mirkarimi the Club’s endorsement. Back in July, the Club had voted not to endorse anyone in the race, but following that vote a significant portion of the membership, including many longtime members, had been agitating for a re-vote, arguing that there was no principled basis for the Club not to endorse Mirkarimi.

He is, after all, a longtime friend of the Club and champion of progressive causes, a national leader on criminal justice issues and the hand-picked successor to the much-admired former sheriff, Mike Hennessey. Others in the Club argued that, progressive stalwart though he may be, Mirkarimi’s self-inflicted wounds have virtually assured that he will not win reelection and have done serious harm to the local progressive movement, and that by endorsing him, the Club risked devaluing its overall slate and potentially losing votes for other candidates and ballot measure positions that would be harmed by the association with Mirkarimi. I think it’s possible the “pragmatists” may have overestimated the negative impact of that association; at least I hope so.

Too Many Good Candidates Another race I am closely following is the contest for the City College Board seat that opened up when longtime

Trustee Natalie Berg resigned for health reasons at the end of last year.

I have not endorsed any of the candidates and will not, since as President of the Board I have to work closely with whomever is in that seat. I will say that I have been impressed by all three of the major candidates. I don’t always agree with Mayor Lee, but his appointment of Alex Randolph has proved to be an excellent selection.

I had thought it was important for the Mayor to use his appointment authority to bring diversity to a Board on which five of the members were white.

In appointing an African American gay man, the Mayor helped move the Board a little closer to actually ref lecting the diversity of San Francisco. I have known Alex for years, served with him on the Board of the LGBT Center and have always found him to be diligent, hard-working and super-responsible. In the short time since his appointment to the Board, he has again and again demonstrated each of these characteristics.

I have likewise known challenger Tom Temprano for years, having worked with him on John Avalos’ mayoral campaign and watched and cheered on his accomplishments as Milk Club President in 2013 and 2014. Tom has shown himself to be a terrific retail candidate, getting his signs up in windows throughout the Mission and beyond and making himself a ubiquitous presence at BART and Muni stations greeting commuters morning and night. If this race ends up being decided by which candidate has run the best on-the-ground campaign, Temprano should win by a mile.

Wendy Aragon, a Latina woman and community college graduate herself, who volunteered on my Supervisor campaign in 2010, ran for the DCCC as part of the progressive slate in 2012, and currently serves as president of the Richmond District Democratic Club, has been busy scooping up key endorsements right and left, including the College’s teacher’s union, the SF Labor Council, the Building and Construction Trades, the Sierra Club,

the Tenants Union, the San Francisco Women’s Political Committee, and the list goes on and on. At this point, I could see any of these three candidates winning in November, and I know all of them have bright political futures ahead. I look forward to watching their stars continue to rise.

Rafael Mandelman is an attorney for the City of Oakland. He is also President of the City College of San Francisco Board of Trustees.

LGBTs In The News Panel at SF LGBT Center

PHOTO BY RINK

Election on My Mind

San Francisco Bay Times Publisher Dr. Betty Sullivan (center) was among the panelists at the LGBTs In The News with Thom Senzee at the SF LGBT Community Center on September 24. Also pictured (left to right) are Nicole Murray-Ramirez of the International Imperial Court System, Matthew Bajko of the Bay Area Reporter, activist Cleve Jones, actor Jason Stuart, and LGBTs In The News’ Thom Senzee, who served as moderator.

Are you free Friday night?

We are.

Open until 8:45 pm | Fridays through November 27, 2015 Visit our permanent collection galleries free after hours on Fridays and enjoy cocktails, performances, dancing, and art making. #thenightisdeyoung @deyoungmuseum Support for Friday Nights at the de Young is provided by Hanson Bridgett, the Koret Foundation, and the Wells Fargo Foundation. During Friday Nights, funding from The Hearst Foundations makes possible free general admission to the permanent collection galleries.

A discounted $15 ticket is required to visit the special exhibition galleries. Fees apply for dining and cocktails.

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MEDIA SPONSOR

Photo by Robbie Sweeny

Jewel City Sizzles with Queer Energy In 1915, when the Panama-Pacific International Exposition (PPIE) opened, San Francisco was already a gay mecca for those in the know. Some 25 years beforehand, author, playwright and poet Oscar Wilde wrote in The Picture of Dorian Gray: “It’s an odd thing, but anyone who disappears is said to be seen in San Francisco. It must be a delightful city and possess all the attractions of the next world.”

LGBT people did “disappear,” or at least try to from the law, only to be found later at places like the Dash, a gay bar at 574 Pacific Street. The city, according to sfgayhistory.com, closed Dash in 1908 after police found its patrons performing oral sex under the dresses of cross-dressing male entertainers. Before the closure, such entertainers would dance on top of tables, inviting the attention.

At the time, the gay community was growing in the Barbary Coast neighborhood, the area now covered by the Financial District and North Beach. In later years, it would be the home to San Francisco’s first lesbian bar (Mona’s Club

on Union Street), and the first leather bar (Why Not at 518 Ellis).

In addition to heading over to the Barbary Coast, LGBT visitors to the Panama-Pacific International Exposition could have brought with them Marcel Proust’s then new In Search of Lost Time. The work marked the first time a modern Western author treated homosexuality openly in literature.

Yet, as for the Dash’s closure, this was not a great time to be out of the closet. In the fall of 1914, just before PPIE opened, some 500 gay men were arrested as “social vagrants,” which led to the passage of a law prohibiting “acts technically known as fellatio and cunnilingus.” Those convicted could spend up to 15 years in prison.

When you visit Jewel City at the de Young, consider then what those before us faced. It is little wonder that so many works by closeted LGBT artists absolutely sizzle with queer energy, likely serving as a creative release, a silent shout for connection, and an expression of their true selves.

See Legend on Page 16 for credits and captions.

Landmark Exhibition Reassembles Jewel City Works “The overwhelming message of the PanamaPacific International Exhibition, mounted a veritable instant after the tragedy of the 1906 earthquake and fire, is one of an optimistic, audacious San Francisco, not unlike the city of today…San Francisco’s Jewel City was the realization of the common dream of many individuals, a goal achieved.”—Historian Laura A. Ackley The year 2015 marks the centennial of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition (PPIE), the San Francisco world’s fair that celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal and the city’s reconstruction following the great earthquake of 1906.

The grand exposition covered 76 city blocks and boasted national and international pavilions showcasing innovation, industry, and the arts. At the heart of the PPIE was one of the most ambitious art exhibitions ever presented in the United States, encompassing more than 11,000 paintings, sculptures, prints, and photographs, in addition to a significant array of public murals and monuments.

To mark this anniversary, the exhibit Jewel City, opening at the de Young in San Francisco on October 17, revisits this vital moment in the inauguration of San Francisco as the West Coast’s cultural epicenter. The landmark exhibition reassembles more than 200 works by major American and European artists, most of which were on display at this defining event.

Jewel City shares examples that signal the key artistic trends of 1915, from the conservative to the avant-garde: American and French Impressionism; works by members of the Ashcan School; paintings from the emerging modernist styles in Italy, Hungary, Austria, Finland, and Norway; and more.

Highlights include an impressive survey of American art, with works by Mary Cassatt, Thomas Eakins, John Singer Sargent, James McNeill Whistler, Winslow Homer, Frederic Remington, John Sloan, Robert Henri, and other masters. In addition, the presentation boasts an extensive offering of European painting and sculpture, with examples on view by such greats as Gustave Courbet, James Tissot, Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Auguste Rodin, Théo van Rysselberghe, and Edvard Munch. Monumental murals designed for the fair, including those by Arthur F. Mathews and William de Leftwich Dodge, will be seen for the first time in nearly a century.

For more information about the exhibit, please visit: https://deyoung.famsf.org/exhibitions/ jewel-city-art-panama-pacif ic-internationalexposition?utm_source=Fine+Arts+Museu ms+of+San+Francisco+E-Mail+List&utm_ campaig n=bd2a839b2b-7_ 22 _ general _e_ news&utm _ medium=email&utm _ term=0_9757c5111b-bd2a839b2b-85418097 To learn more about the City’s full PPIE program, go to: http://www.ppie100.org/

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Legacy of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition All images courtesy of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco Cover: Perham Wilhelm Nahl (American, 1869– 1935), “The Thirteenth Labor of Hercules: Official Poster for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition,” 1913–1914. Color offset lithograph poster. Sheet: 22 × 14 in. Collection of Donna Ewald Huggins 1. Jules Guérin (American, 1866–1946), “Panoramic View of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition,” 1913. Watercolor and opaque watercolor over graphite on paper. 49 × 97 in. Collection of the Exploratorium, San Francisco 2. Charles Holloway (American, 1859-1941), “Study for ‘The Pursuit of Pleasure,’” 1913. Oil on canvas, squared for transfer in graphite. 20 1/8 x 40 in. Collection of Margaret E. Hass 3. Bruce Nelson (American, 1888–1952), “The Summer Sea,” ca. 1914. Oil on canvas. 30 × 40 in. Irvine Museum, California. Courtesy of the Irvine Museum 4.John Singer Sargent (American, b. Italy, 1856–1925), “The Sketchers,”1913. Oil on canvas. 22 × 28 in. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the Arthur and Margaret Glasgow Fund © Virginia Museum of Fine Arts 5. Joseph M. Raphael (American, 1869–1950), “Spring Winds,” ca. 1914. Oil on canvas. 29 1/4 × 36 1/8 in. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, museum purchase, Skae Fund Legacy 6. “Night Illumination—Panama-Pacific International Exposition—San Francisco, California, 1915,” 1915.

Published by Pacific Novelty Company. Color letterpress halftone. 5 1/2 × 26 1/4 in. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, gift of Barbara Jungi in memory of Elsie F. Miller 7. “Panoramic View of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition—San Francisco, California, 1915,” 1915.

Published by Pacific Novelty Company. Color letterpress halftone. 5 1/2 × 26 1/4 in. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, gift of Barbara Jungi in memory of Elsie F. Miller 8. “Panorama of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition,” 1915. Published by the Cardinell-Vincent Company. Gelatin silver print with applied color. 7 1/8 x 41 ¾ in. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts 9. Umberto Boccioni (Italian, 1882–1916), “Dynamism of a Soccer Player,” 1913. Oil on canvas. 76 × 79 1/8 in.

Museum of Modern Art, New York, The Sidney and Harriet Janis Collection 10. George Elbert Burr (American, 1859–1939), “Arizona Clouds,” before 1915. Color mezzotint (sandpaper ground) with color drypoint. 7 1/16 × 9 15/16 in. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, California State Library long loan 11. E. Charlton Fortune (American, 1885–1969), “The Pool (The Court of the Four Seasons),” ca. 1915. Oil on canvas. 16 1/4 × 20 in. Private collection 12. Edwin Deakin (American, b. England, 1838–1923), “Palace of Fine Arts and the Lagoon,” ca. 1915. Oil on canvas. 32 3/8 × 48 3/8 in. Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, long-term loan from the California Department of Finance, conserved with funds provided by Gerald D. Gordon 13. William Edward Dassonville (American, 1879–1957), “Figure Study,” ca. 1906. Platinum print. 9 11/16 × 7 11/16 in. The Wilson Centre for Photography, London. © Estate of William E. Dassonville 14, Prince Paolo Troubetzkoy (Italian, 1866- 1938), “Lady Constance Stewart Richardson,” 1914. Bronze. 13 ½ x 3 ½ x 12 ¼ in. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Theater and Dance Collection, gift of Alma de Bretteville Spreckels 15. Robert Ingersoll Aitken (American, 1878- 1949), “Xoros (Dancing Bacchante),” ca. 1910. Bronze. With base: 18 ¾ x 12 ¼ x 7 in. Private Collectio 16. Prince Paolo Troubetzkoy (Italian, 1866- 1938), “La Danseuse (Mademoiselle Svirsky),” 1911. Bronze. 21 x 9 ¼ x 6 ¼ in. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, gift of Rosamond Hagney

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When the PPIE closed on December 4, 1915, over 18 million people had visited the breathtaking fair. Funds from it resulted in the construction of the San Francisco Civic Auditorium (now the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium), the Stockton Street tunnel, the Van Ness Avenue median strip, and MUNI. The Legion of Honor is a replica of the fair’s French Pav il lion. Bernard Maybeck’s masterful Palace of Fine Arts still stands. The Marina District grew out of the PPIE site.

To find out more about the fair’s legacy, visit http:// www.nps.gov/goga/learn/ historyculture/ppie-legacy. htm

Homosexuality and the Harlem Renaissance

Student- 9th Grade A popular figure of the Harlem Renaissance was Langston Hughes, who is known to have written about African American identity in the 20th century. What he is not known for is his homosexuality; he remained closeted.

When I learned about him in 5th grade, we were not taught about that aspect of his identity. Hughes is not the only victim of this phenomenon: attitudes toward homosexual soldiers were poor during World War II, and thousands were dishonorably discharged because of their orientation. During the Cold War, homophobia was branded as “patriotism” as we put homosexuals in the same box as godless commies in what is known as the Lavender Scare.

Ms. Schlax’s class is the first I have heard of the LGBTQ experience in American history. But the phenomenon is more ancient than our nation. In classical Greece, older men regularly had mentoring and sexual relationships with teenage boys, in what we now call pederasty. Taught in 6th grade World History class? Nope.

In South Asia, transgender women formed communities led by a mother figure away from their home tribes.

These people are known as hijras, and are fighting for representation in Indian government today. Of them, I have heard little.

Our curriculum cannot ignore such a historied and persecuted people. If the objective of a history class is to teach our history, culture and society, should these people remain in the dark? Why do the few men of high office get so much attention when millions go without being taught about?

LGBTQ studies is an essential class for the America of the 21st century, as much as one on our government and ethnicities. In the five weeks I have attended her class, I have learned a lifetime of knowledge about the LGBTQ , and I think others deserve the same.

Student- 12th Grade

PHOTO BY JO LYNN OTTO

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up Like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore-And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over-like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

-Langston Hughes Most English classes will analyze this poem as a perspective on the American Dream from a black man who cannot attain the white picket fence, the dependable salary in exchange for hard work, and the family. They will praise

Student Voices the author for his poem. They will omit the fact that many of his poems reference his homosexuality. Perhaps someone’s sexuality is not essential to their work, but as artists, the people of the Harlem Renaissance reflected their lives through their art.

Their sexuality was part of their lives and their identity.

The Harlem Renaissance is taught in schools as a black movement. While that is true, it was also clearly an LGBTQ movement. Artists in the Harlem Renaissance who identified as LGBTQ , whether through their appearance, art or word of mouth, include Gladys Bentley, Richard Nugent, Countee Cullen, Angelina Weld and Ma Rainey.

PHOTO BY JO LYNN OTTO

Teacher Lyndsey Schlax of the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts is teaching the nation’s first on-site high school LGBT course, according to district officials. In this column, students from her class will be anonymously sharing with the San Francisco Bay Times their thoughts about related matters, and what they are learning in the groundbreaking course, “LGBTQ Studies.”

ED BY

PRESENT

Ma Rainey’s song “Prove It on Me Blues” explicitly states LGBTQ sexuality in the chorus: They say I do it. Ain’t nobody caught me, You all got to prove it on me; Went out last night, with a crowd of my friends, They must’ve been womens, ‘cause I don’t like no mens. Wear my clothes just like a man, Talk to the gals, just like any old man The teasing that Ma Rainey does, taunting people to prove it on her, was a reality for many people. In Harlem slang, LGBTQ activity was referred to as Your likker told you (misguided behaviors).

As Langston Hughes talked about in his poem CAFE: 3 A.M., there was such a thing as a vice squad who were preoccupied with capturing individuals in immoral acts, such as homosexuality. These organizations set out to break up rent parties where homosexual activity was present.

In this report from the Harlem Newspaper The New York Age, we can see the outraged outlook outsiders had on homosexuality in Harlem and its tenants: “One of these rent parties a few weeks ago was the scene of a tragic crime in which one jealous woman cut the throat of another, because two were rivals for the affections of a third woman. The whole situation was on a par with the recent Broadway play [about lesbianism, The Captive], imported from Paris, although the underworld tragedy took place in this locality. In the meantime, the combination of bad gin, jealous women, a carving knife, and a rent party is dangerous to the health of all concerned.” All of this LGBTQ history in American History is omitted from textbooks and lessons, but LGBTQ Studies aims to include the large influence LGBTQ people have had on history. For more information about the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts, please visit http://www.sfsota.org/ Lyndsey Schlax has been a teacher in the San Francisco Unified School District since 2008. She is uniquely qualif ied to address multiple areas of LGBT studies, having also specialized in subjects such as Modern World History, Government, Economics and U.S. Politics. She is a National Board Certified Teacher, and earned her M.A. in Teaching at the University of San Francisco.

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Surviving Unrequited Love tion at not having the relationship with him that I want? I’m sure I will get over this painful situation eventually, but would def initely appreciate your insight on the subject to hasten my recovery.

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

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

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Poet-In-Residence

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Examined Life Tom Moon, MFT Q: I regularly see a man in a gay social organization to which we both belong, and he pushes all my buttons.

He is friendly to me, which makes him all the more attractive, but it’s clear that he has an active social and sexual life in which there is no place for me, apart from our common organization. Obviously, I’m not the only person who sees how remarkable he is. It is so painful to want him so badly and to see him all the time, knowing I can never have him. Neither of us is likely to leave the organization any time soon, so I’m going to have to live with my predicament for the foreseeable future. Is there anything more serious here than frustra-

A: I doubt if there is anyone reading this who hasn’t experienced what you’re going through. It’s always painful to long for what we can’t have, but unrequited romantic love is especially painful. And to have regular contact with the man you love and see that his eyes don’t light up for you the way yours do for him, is a form of acute suffering. But the fact that it’s painful doesn’t in and of itself make it a problem. It may just be one of those situations in life which must be endured, and for which there is no cure except time.

One practice that can mitigate the suffering in the meantime is something I learned from Tibetan Buddhism. In this practice, you ref lect on all the people in the world who are currently experiencing the same kind of difficulty you’re living with, whether it’s an illness, a loss, or a disappointment, such as unrequited love. Then form the resolution to use your own pain as a springboard to become more compassionate to-

ward all those who are in situations similar to yours. After you’ve done that, imagine yourself sending waves of compassion and loving kindness to every one of them. This exercise may sound hokey, but it is surprisingly powerful. I’ve used it myself on a number of occasions, and I find it a great antidote to self-pity. I also find it a useful way of using my suffering to connect me with others, rather than to feel separated from them.

But your question, “Is there anything more serious here than frustration at not having the relationship with him that I want?” is a good one, because unrequited love is one of those situations that is full of emotional pitfalls for many people. When it comes to unrequited love, it’s very common for the mind to work overtime in generating self-denigrating ideas about why it’s happening. There must be something wrong with me.

Maybe it’s that I’m not good looking enough, or interesting enough, or lovable enough. Maybe I’m just not the sort of person who ever gets what he wants. Maybe I’m just a loser. I shouldn’t be hurting so much about this. If I were a more secure human being, I wouldn’t let things like this get to me. And so on and on.

Here’s an extreme example, which shows how destructive this kind of thinking can be: I know a man who fell deeply in love with a dorm mate in his freshman year of college. The other guy was mildly friendly, but not otherwise interested. Now—twenty years later—this man continues on an almost daily basis to pine away for the love that never was. Why does he do this to himself? Brief ly, the answer is that, having been abandoned in early childhood by his drug addicted father, he learned to believe that he isn’t the sort of person who can be loved by any man. He took his first adult disappointment in love as confirmation of that grim belief.

His problem wasn’t unrequited love, but what his mind did with it.

So examine what your mind is telling you about this situation and don’t believe everything it may be saying.

Your recovery from this disappointment will be a lot faster if you can be alert and skeptical about any pessimistic or self-denigrating interpretations you may be assigning to your situation.

Tom Moon is a psychotherapist in San Francisco. To learn more, please visit his website at tommoon.net

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CONTRIBUTORS Writers Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Kirsten Kruse, Kate Kendell, Heidi Beeler, Gary M. Kramer, Dennis McMillan, Tom Moon, Terry Baum, Gypsy Love, Rafael Mandelman, Kit Kennedy, Phil Ting, Rebecca Kaplan, Leslie Katz, Philip Ruth, Bill Lipsky, Karen Williams, Donna Sachet, Gary Virginia, Zoe Dunning, Marcy Adelman, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Brandon Miller, Jamie Leno Zimron Rebecca Kaplan, Thom Watson, Courtney Lake, Michele Karlsberg Photographers Rink, Steven Underhill, Phyllis Costa, Paul Margolis, Chloe Jackman, Bill Wilson, Jo-Lynn Otto, Sandy Morris, Abby Zimberg

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GLBT Fortnight in Review

By Ann Rostow Make It Seventeen Minutes of Fame for Davis Grandstanding Kentucky clerk Kim Davis has been in and out of the news for the last couples of weeks, continuing to mess with marriage licenses in Rowan County and filing various pointless motions in federal court.

Honestly, dear readers, I’m having trouble sustaining my interest in this pathetic creature, but I’ll do my best to summarize my hazy sense of her recent shenanigans.

Ordered not to interfere with marriage licenses issued by her deputies, she arguably violated court instructions by changing the language on the paperwork to the degree that some people now question whether or not the adulterated licenses are valid. The ACLU is on it.

Her pro-bono rightwing Christian lawyers have continued litigating for reasons unclear. Publicity? Fund raising? Surely not.

She has switched from being a Democrat to being a Republican, one of the few decisions on her part that I can wholeheartedly understand and endorse.

Her lawyers announced that some people in Peru put together a rally on her behalf that drew a crowd of 100,000 to a big sports stadium. Plus, they had the pictures to prove it until it became clear that the pictures were from a generic prayer meeting held in May of last year. It looks as if Davis’ lawyers were duped by some Peruvian politician who told them all about the “rally” and provided the fake evidence.

Finally, the Pope told reporters that everyone has the right to stand up for their religious convictions in a statement that many thought signaled support for Davis. However, the translation of his remarks were vague and could mean anything, so make of it what you will. Personally, I was a little Poped-out after all the coverage. There’s something endearing about the guy, even though he represents a patriarchal and homophobic institution. Still, the infatuated media barrage was a bit much. You would have thought Christ Himself had floated down from heaven to address a joint session of Congress complete with halo, sandals, white robe and stigmata.

I like his smile. Is that wrong of me?

(Editor’s Note: News that the Pope met with Kim Davis came in as we were going to press and after this piece was filed. We expect that Ann Rostow might have more to say about the matter in the next issue!)

Ick Flick I haven’t seen the movie, but I have been reading the very very bad reviews for Roland Emmerich’s “Stonewall,” reportedly inaccurate, badly wr itten, and horrendously dul l.

That’s too bad because the Stonewall riots marked a critical turning point for gay rights. Indeed, the definition of the “modern gay rights movement” starts in June of 1969, when the mostly trans and minority patrons of the Stonewall Inn fought back against what was then a commonplace police raid. The gay rights movement, such as it was, went from defense to offense and began building the institutions and community infrastructure that eventually brought us to within a stone’s throw of equality.

Before Stonewall, early gay and lesbians groups were, by necessity, secretive and focused on what you might term small-ball activism. But their very existence demanded the type of courage that no one born after 1950 has ever been obliged to reach for. To portray people like Frank Kameny

and other members of the Mattachine Society of New York as anything other than the heroes they were is grossly offensive, yet Emmerich turns them into sniveling cowards (so I read).

Worse, reviewers say the movie is didactic and terribly written and well, check out Rotten Tomatoes for yourself and you’ll find nine out of ten reporters straining to articulate just how much they hate this film. Coming up with a Midwestern white guy to trigger the revolution is just the final slap in history’s face.

Shades of White Why do screenwriters so often dumb things down with platitudes and formulaic tropes. Mel and I were watching Grey’s Anatomy the other night when they had a plot featuring two girls who fall in love, and go out and try to get hit by a train because one of the mothers wants to send her daughter to an antigay camp. In the end, the husband erupts and subjects the bad mom to a trite tirade about love and acceptance. Shonda? The 1990s wants its script back!

I can’t believe I’m complaining about a gay friendly scenario, and I’m not really. I’m complaining about a lack of imagination, and a lack of nuance when it comes to gay and lesbian characters and story lines. We’ve come far enough that we can afford to see a few bad apples, confused ne’er do wells and insecure nut cases coming out of our community. An activist who can’t see the forest for the trees. A superficial gym rat. Or how about a crazed lesbian who makes her ex-lover drive her down the M5 at knifepoint?

Loyal readers will recognize one of my favorite “lesbians behaving badly” in the last example. But, in fact, there have been so many true stories of lesbians behaving badly in the history of this column that we sisters really do deserve to be represented by a fictional psychopath from time to time. And yet, we know why the gays and lesbians on screen these days are almost always the good guys, don’t we? The minute some writer puts a butcher knife in our hands we’ll probably skewer them for hate scripts or antigay propaganda. We shouldn’t do that! That’s all I’m saying.

Chip of Fools

the phone to discuss the Russian antigay policies that John in particular has been attacking. The story didn’t have solid news sources and it seemed far-fetched, so I would have had to do a bunch of research in order to write about it and I didn’t care enough to follow through.

It turned out that John had been punked by some Russian jokesters who pretended to put Putin and a translator on the phone. Chuckle chuckle chuckle.

Now, Putin has actually called the singer/activist and is reportedly planning to meet with John to discuss gay rights at some point in the future. Putin also told Sixty Minutes that Russia’s antigay policies have been exaggerated by the western press and that, in fact, gays are not persecuted at all!

The only thing that Putin cares about, he says, is that children are not pressured by media or groups. Hmmm.

Meanwhile, Russian officials are investigating Apple for a series of emojis that show same-sex couples and families. The company was sued over the emojis last spring by some Russian guy whose child asked for an explanation, but the story is back in the news this week, as I guess Apple is being ordered to remove the images from Russian phones. I’m not sure how that’s done.

For any of you who might be laughing, remember that an iPhone-shaped memorial to Steve Jobs was removed from the St Petersburg University campus last fall after Apple CEO Tim Cook came out as gay. Once Tim Cook began to “advocate for sodomy,” the authorities determined, the tribute to his predecessor suddenly violated Russia’s 2013 law against promoting homosexuality.

Finally, while we’re using Apple as an example of Putin-esque intolerance, the Russian version of Siri, which was developed by a Russian third party company, comes up with an array of odd responses to simple questions like: “Are there any gay bars near me?” or, “Tell me about gay marriage.”

Instead of answering, the program claims to be embarrassed, accuses the user of being rude or avoids the question, and this attitude is maintained regardless of where the user is based.

I have my dear cousin (Happy Birthday!) to thank for the following breaking news: the decision by Pepsico’s Frito-Lay to manufacture a few pallets of rainbow colored Doritos in order to raise money for the “It Gets Better” project. Everyone who gave ten bucks to the organization started by Seattlebased activist Dan Savage received the gay-friendly chips, a publicity effort that should hardly draw much commentary one way or another.

I was just watching a video by a gay Russian guy who was located in England. My favorite response was to the question: “How to register a gay marriage in England?” Siri replied: “So now you are swearing obscenities and then you are going to eat with those very hands!”

Ah, but we underestimate our foes, who are ever on the lookout for even the most innocuous point of pride on which to hook their hostile observations. Monica Cole, who runs One Million Moms, decried Pepsico’s promotion of “anti-Christian bigotry.”

And Mike Huckabee wondered in a letter how the company could align itself with the “vicious vitriol” of Dan Savage and his “hate group.”

That’s Amore!

The project, as most of you know, grew out of the viral YouTube videos of thousands of people reassuring bullied young gay kids that their school days will eventually end and that, as the title suggests, it gets better. The aim of this vicious, bigoted, anti-Christian group is, um, suicide prevention. Have Cole and Huckabee ever heard of the notion of picking your battles?

Siri, We Hardly Knew You So, last time around I deliberately skipped a story about how Vladimir Putin called rock star Elton John on

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All of this is sort of funny and ridiculous. The increase in antigay violence since the law’s passage is anything but.

What else is new, you ask, as you so often ask at about this point in our conversation. I like the story of the gay man who drove 80 miles to the pizza place in Indiana that earned headlines a few months back when the owners announced they would not cater a gay wedding. Robin Trevins picked up a few large pizzas and drove them back to serve at his wedding, scoring a nice political coup perhaps, but not winning any points from his guests, one imagines.

Memories Pizza in Walkerton, Indiana, is one of those businesses that has allegedly cashed in a bunch of money in donations from sympathetic Christians. Memories owners reportedly banked $842,000 and change over a six-month period after taking their mean-spirited stand against gay couples. Their page on GoFundMe bemoans the fact that they may never be able to open their doors again thanks (continued on page 26)

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BAY TIMES OCTO B E R 1 , 2 0 1 5

#KateClinton

I used to think religion came from fear of the unknown, but now I think it comes from fear of equality.

Arts & Entertainment

Out Actress Ellen Page Shares Thoughts About Her Passion Project Freeheld The affecting drama Freeheld is based on the true story and Oscar-winning short documentary about Laurel Hester ( Julianne Moore), a dedicated detective in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, who must fight for justice when her legal domestic partner, Stacie (Ellen Page), is denied pension benefits after Laurel developed terminal cancer. Although domestic partnerships were legal in the state at the time, the Freeholders of Ocean County had the power to determine the pension benefits for state employees in same-sex domestic partnerships; they refused to grant Laurel’s pension benefits to Stacie, which would likely force the widow out of her house.

The film, written by Ron Nyswaner (Philadelphia) and directed by Peter Sollett (Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist), chronicles how Laurel and Stacie reluctantly, but emphatically, challenge this decision. They enlist the help of Steven Goldstein (Steve Carell), a Garden State Equality activist. In addition, Laurel’s partner on the force, Dane Wells (Michael Shannon), a straight ally, also helps mobilize the fight for equality with the precinct.

While it may not be a surprise how the story turns out, Freeheld generates its greatest emotional power not in the fight for equality, but in the intimate moments between Laurel and Stacie– on a date, or setting up their dream house–and Moore and Page are incredibly endearing as a couple.

The openly gay Page, who plays Stacie as a tough but tender hearted partner, spoke with me for the San Francisco Bay Times about making her passion project, Freeheld.

Gary M. Kramer: You have a producer credit on the film. Why was this story important to be told, and told now?

Ellen Page: I attached myself to this film when I was 21, so it’s been a long time. I was involved pre-screenplay, pre-director, pre-Julianne. I think the film is important now because, while the Supreme Court decision is amazing and unbelievable, and the progress is astonishing, there is so much more work to do for true equality. In many civil rights movements, there is always some backlash. I think this film shows why that recent decision is so important. Freeheld tells the story in the macro and micro perspectives. How inequality makes people feel: we’re not going to value your love; you are less than us. And the couple’s socio-economic situation has the real impact–especially when we talk about equality in the large political sense. And to convey what that decision means and what discrimination does, is to make people feel that they are validated and what their love is, and it is being respected.

Gary M. Kramer: What emotional buttons does the story press for you and why?

Ellen Page: I think I have a similar response to what it means to be together in a relationship that’s closeted. It was exciting to explore that in a slightly more layered way. This wasn’t just a fight about coming out. It is about why do we have to live and compromise our love and relationships. I found that in my personal experience. I think telling this story is important because Stacie and Laurel did something crucial in a time of unimaginable difficulty, and I wanted to be a part of telling their story.

Gary M. Kramer: You tend to play tough, determined women, but in Freeheld, your character is more passive. How did you approach this character?

Ellen Page: Stacie is a very shy person. You get to know her and she’s incredibly funny and deeply, deeply sensitive. But she’s very quiet. Her journey is powerful. She did not want to invest in the activism at first. Doing so would acknowledge that her lover is going to die. She was doing her job, navigating the insurance companies, and activism. So she didn’t have an opportunity to be vulnerable.

Gary M. Kramer: What sparked with you about Stacie in your meeting?

Ellen Page: When I met Stacie, the thing that was most evident is her desire to tell this love story and make that the emotional through line: her complete and utter dedication to Laurel; to do what she thought Laurel would want. Having the visceral experience of meeting her, and sitting with her and hearing her talk about Laurel, and take me to the spot where Laurel got coffee or where she works. There was something about spending that time with her, and connecting emotionally and understanding that experience in a deeper way.

Gary M. Kramer: How did you personally relate to Stacie? Are you into volleyball, motorcycles and older women? Are you a good dancer? Can you rotate tires in under 8 minutes, and are you good with dry wall?

Ellen Page: I’m horrible at all things like that. I wish I had more hands-on skills, but I don’t. Motorcycles kind of scare me. Older women are super hot, though. Stacie and I don’t have that much in common. That said, I’d be delighted to have the opportunity to learn some of those skills.

Gary M. Kramer: How did you develop your on-screen relationship with Julianne Moore?

Ellen Page: That was fun. What Julianne and I had going for us is we just connected really quickly. I don’t know if she was trying to make me feel more comfortable, but she was all physical, putting her leg and arm around me.

We got rid of physical barriers right

away, and all the barriers were gone after that. She’s extraordinary, fun, and goofy, and I felt protected by her. We became close and still remain close.

We really did form a partnership on screen and off screen too. I was excited to see her every day. We had our own special bond.

Gary M. Kramer: Laurel has to live a double/secret life. You had a secret life for a while, too.

What can you say about that experience and your decision to come out?

Ellen Page: It was the best decision I ever made, and I wish I had made it sooner. But I had to go on whatever journey I went on. Some people have a risk of being thrown in jail or killed for being gay. For me, being closeted was an incredibly sad and toxic experience, and it got to a point where I was done living like that. It created a ripple effect of happiness in every aspect of my life.

Being closeted does affect every aspect of who you are. There are people in the community who are far more vulnerable than I [am]. I want to help them.

Gary M. Kramer: What do you think Freeheld says about gay and lesbian stereotypes? The women are in traditional male roles, while Steve Goldstein is very flamboyant.

Ellen Page: The film is a true story.

In regards to Stacie and Laurel, we did our best with the info we had–pictures, costumes, etc.–to tell the story authen-

tically as possible. I understand you see a stereotype of a gay man, but that’s the benefit of having the closeted cop in the police office in the film. His coming out is moving. Steve Carrel is playing Steven Goldstein a little quieter than he is in real life, and Goldstein is an amazing, passionate man.

Gary M. Kramer: The film is very much about Laurel and Stacie’s dignity, and giving visibility to marginalized people who become citizen-activists.

What prompts you to speak up and out?

Ellen Page: For me, I’m living my life. I was closeted because of my job.

I’m not anymore. My goals and intentions are positive. I’m doing this show [on Vice] called Gaycation, where I explore the LGBT communities and issues and diff iculties in different countries. It hopefully will create a larger conversation about LGBT communities around the world. I want to talk about more experiences. Trans

women of color have life expectancy of 35, and 40% of homeless youth are LGBT. Those are troublesome statistics. I want to do what I can to talk about these issues, and bring them to the forefront and give visibility to those who are vulnerable.

Gary M. Kramer: The film is about creating a legacy. What do you want your legacy to be?

Ellen Page: I feel really fortunate that I can be out. I thought it wouldn’t be a possibility for me to be out and walk down a red carpet with my girlfriend.

And the [awareness of the] pain and suffering that people who don’t have that privilege and luck is to be mindful and conscious of my situation and to do what I can with it. © 2015 Gary M. Kramer Gary M. Kramer is the author of “Independent Queer Cinema: Reviews and Interviews,” and the co-editor of “Directory of World Cinema: Argentina.” Follow him on Twitter @garymkramer

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Dress Your Table for Halloween

Style Courtney Lake A friend professed to me that he found Halloween’s only redeemable quality as being it gave attractive people an excuse to dress slutty. However, if you have been in San Francisco long enough, you realize that people will take any reason to dress slutty. But, in any case, I think my friend is doing Halloween a disservice by not acknowledging it as one of the best opportunities to throw a “killer” party.

With Halloween right around the corner, I thought it was the perfect time to share how I set a hauntingly good table.

Plate Polygamy Most people have two sets of dishes lurking in their cupboards; a set for everyday use and a special occasion set. I am one of those abnormal few who have multiple sets of dishes, and am always on the lookout for more.

However, I will let you in on a few of my secrets.

I only have three sets of dishes, but a variety of salad plates and chargers. Simply sw itching out a charger or a salad plate can change the look of a table. Second, all my dishes are large and white, while my chargers and salad plates a re bold a nd pattern-laden. All of the white plates are easily replaceable should they break—heck, they only cost a dollar thanks to my neighborhood dollar store! White plates also act as a great foil to boldly patterned salad plates or dramatic chargers, providing a visual “resting place” for the eye.

Don’t Toss Your Salad (Plate)…

Fun salad plates are a lot cheaper to purchase than dinner plates. I follow a personal edict of trying not to spend more than $5 for a salad plate, with most of my collection coming in at around $3 a plate. The added bonus is when I tire of them, I bundle them up and either send them to a charity, or gift them to appreciative friends.

viding texture, visual interest, and the right a mo u nt o f s p o o k y factor to a Halloween tablescape. Forgo fresh f lowers, and use branches and dr ied leaves instead. Bundle the leaves in small votives, and light up with an LED tealight.

Choose a Theme I normally shy away from thematic parties, but Halloween is one of the few times I think it is appropriate, if not down right necessary, to create a unifying theme for a party. Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven, Dr. Seuss and childhood phobias have inspired my previous parties. Have fun with it and go wild…because, honestly, whatever you do, everyone is going to show up as a sexy nurse or a sexy lumberjack anyway!

Go Au Natural for Placemats & Chargers For placemats, I like to turn to the hardware store and buy dried moss.

If you can find the dried moss sheets, they make a perfect placement, pro-

Courtney Lake is the interior designer and lifestyle expert behind Monogram Décor (www.monogramdecor.com) and its celebrated blog, Courtney Out Loud. His work and writings have appeared on television and in writing including Today.com, “The Wall Street Journal,” “The Nate Berkus Show,” “The San Francisco Chronicle,” “Life & Style Magazine,” “RUE Magazine,” “Real Simple,” “This Old House” and “7x7 Magazine.”

RJ Martin

Paco Muñoz-Botas

and a desire to add to the canon of Adirondack coming of age stories with my very personal addition.

that assist me in revealing my stories.

Through them, I can become anyone.

A roller rink DJ star. A pop icon from the nineties, or a whiskey-slugging senior. I can saturate myself in the world of an Iraqi soldier. I can be a former child actor, or a ghostly grandmother. Most recently, with my new novel Parade, I am able to mash my feet into a pair of high heels and transform into Reggie Lauderdale, a boy preacher who fashions his own glamorized religion. Hallelujah! I often think of my characters as my children. However, I relish in their misbehavior. This is why I have always been a fiction writer.

Inspiration

Words Michele Karlsberg Michele Karlsberg: What inspires you to write?

RJ Martin: I don’t consider the act of writing as coming from inspiration. It’s more of a compulsion. What I choose to write about is, I guess, where inspiration comes in to play. For The Body, inspiration came from several sources.

I remember the first time I read Rule of the Bone by Russell Banks, and being instantly captivated by Bone, a character I could relate to in a world I knew because I literally lived there. The same was true when I read Richard Russo’s The Risk Pool. It also was set in the foothills of the Adirondacks, and had as its protagonist, Ned, an unusual kid surviving and making the best of a chaotic, almost barely existent home life. I’d grown up in enough ways where I could strongly relate to them both—feeling alienated, unmoored, under-parented, and lost.

When I thought about what story I would tell about this economically flat-lined, but visually stunning, world, I realized there was one so personal to me that it scared me, and that meant I had to write it. Growing up, no matter how bad things were for me, I had the church, more succinctly, I had Jesus Christ, or as Jonah, my protagonist calls him, JC. That was my inspiration: love of home, love of JC,

RJ Martin’s debut novel “The Body” was published this month by Harmony Ink Press.

Martin has been active in the LGBT Christian community. Martin is also a blogger for the Huffington Post.

Paco Muñoz-Botas: Creative spirit and my imagination give me inspiration to write.

My family introduced me to the literary world by bringing me to poetry readings.

García Lorca, for example. I was fascinated listening to his poems of love.

The spoken word is so energizing, and then you create.

Most paramount is my affection for the characters I create. Each one is unique and unrepeatable; I “feel in love” with my characters. Through them, I explore my own feelings, special and sacred to me. They are the vehicles

Even though The Provocateur’s Payback is my first novel, I love the writing life.

Paco Muñoz-Botas’ debut thriller “The Provocateur’s Payback” was published this year by Riverdale Ave Books. Muñoz-Botas studied journalism, and enjoys international travel and collecting art.

Michele Karlsberg Marketing and Management specializes in publicity for the LGBT community. This year, Karlsberg celebrates twenty-six years of successful book campaigns.

Read more from Michele Karlsberg at sf baytimes.com 22

BAY TIMES OCTO B E R 1 , 2 0 1 5

Relationships Reign Supreme Now

Astrology Gypsy Love We’re all in this together, lovers. Astrologically, relationships reign supreme right now.

Ponder your primary partners.

Which bonds build you up?

Which ones nearly break you?

Does conf lict catalyze growth, or is it all consuming? The planets prompt us to recognize that our companions are cosmic ref lections of ourselves. To play well with others, we must begin with inner peace. “Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you’re living?”

(Bob Marley)

ARIES (March 21–April 19) Not so fast, Aries! Racing to the finish line will only provoke more problems now. Do yourself a favor, and linger longer amidst the little details. Haste makes waste.

LEO ( July 23–August 22) Use it or lose it, Leo. Health and finances get a boost when you revisit your inventory of assests and liabilities. Retain that which serves a passionate purpose. Release the rest.

TAURUS (April 20–May 20) Hey, Superstar! Your creative f lair is on fire, and astral allies fan the f lame. Just be certain, Taurus, that your steadfast candle isn’t ablaze at both ends. Activate practical boundaries.

VIRGO (August 23–September 22) On your mark…Get set…Flow! Energetic gateways are bursting open in your state of being now. Your sense of self is expanding, sweet Virgo. Glow with it.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Domest ic dea l i ng s t a ke precedent now. Don’t jump directly into the deep end, Gemini. Take it step-by-step. Over time, even the smallest improvements will promote long-term content.

Relish in the renewal process.

LIBRA (September 23–October 22) Have a look inside, Libra. The answers you seek are likely to surface if you reserve time to snuggle with your subconscious. Stillness can be surprisingly productive.

CANCER ( June 21–July 22) Want to hear something crazy, Cancer? At this very moment, the Universe is aiming rays of boundless insight and scintillating superpowers straight at your beautiful brain. Believe in big ideas.

SCORPIO (October 23–November 21) Skip-a-dee-doodah, Scorpio! It’s springtime in your field of dreams. Prioritize what you desire most, and live it loudly. Remember, goals are like gardens. You must water them regularly.

SAGITTARIUS ( November 22–December 21) Celest ia l sparkles twinkle in your career sector now. Are you living in sync with your soulforce, Sagittarius? If not, you can start by strengthening your self-worth. P.S., You’re amazing.

CA PR ICOR N ( December 22–January 19) Keep the faith, Capricorn. Mental blockages that once bogged you down are now dissolving. Consider this an adventure in heart-centered higher learning. To ace this semester, engage your intuition.

AQUARIUS ( January 20 – February 18) Get your facts straight, Aquarius. Joyful joint ventures could generate ripe returns—provided that parties place all cards on the table. Hijack hidden agendas before they become harmful.

PISCES (February 19–March 20) Work the room, Pisces! Close encounters prove to be quite constructive now. Sitting idly won’t do you any good whatsoever. Surround yourself with kindred co-creators, and circulate the social scene.

Gypsy Love Productions is dedicated to inspiring love and unity with music, dance, and astrology. www.GypsyLoveProductions.com

As Heard on the Street . . . October is LGBT History Month. If you could meet with an LGBT

individual of historical importance, whom would it be? compiled by Rink

David Ortmann

Kaye

Bruce Beaudette

Leslie Ewing

Bill Crissman

“Angela Davis, whom I’ve had the pleasure of studying under, but I would love to sit down with her over coffee”

“John Waters is probably the most interesting ”

“Fashion designer Walter Van Beirendonck”

“Lily Tomlin”

“Rachel Maddow”

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compiled by Robert Fuggiti

horizons foundation

35th Anniversary

Gala Saturday, October 3, 2015 The Fairmont San Francisco H O NO R I NG

The annual Castro Street Fair is on Sunday, October 4.

• 1 : T HURSDAY

Art Night SF – U.N. Plaza. Free.

5 pm to 9 pm. (U.N. Plaza) A new outdoor event series working to activate the public spaces of U.N. Plaza and Mid-Market through accessible installations of contemporary art. www.artnightsf.com Kristin Schreier Lyseggen – Diesel Bookstore. Free. 6:30 pm.

(5433 College Ave., Oakland) Kristin Schreier Lyseggen, author of The Women of San Quentin: Soul Murder of Transgender Women in Male Prisons, discusses the issues facing transwomen in today’s prison systems. 510-653-9965 Stereotypo - The Marsh Theater. $20-$100. 8 pm. (1063 Valencia St.) A series of monologues, often moving, sometimes dangerous, set against the backdrop of America’s melting pot, the DMV. Extended through October 3. www.themarsh.org

Evan Wolfson

LGBT Refugees & Asylees

Founder and President of Freedom to Marry

now living in the Bay Area

Leadership Award

Courage Awards

We invite you to join us at the historic Fairmont San Francisco, high atop Nob Hill. After an elegant seated dinner and inspiring program, we’ll take over the iconic Tonga Room to enjoy casino-style gaming and dance the night away!

Tickets at www.horizonsfoundation.org

L I V E O N L I N E AU C T I O N Support the LGBT Community and bid on tours, unique experiences,

• 2 : F RIDAY

Women in Tech – Commonwealth Club. Free for members/$12 for non-members. 12 pm. (555 Post St.) Dr. Jaleh Daie, a leading female Venture Investor in Silicon Valley, will discuss her own career as she established herself in a male-majority industry, as well as what we can do to attract more young women to technology. www.commonwealthclub.org All That Jazz - The Un-Scripted Theater. $10-$15. 8 pm. (533 Sutter St.) Featuring special guests Euro Trash; a San Francisco based improv duo composed by Asli Ors and Andrea Barello, inspired by the tradition of truthful, long form, improv theater. www.brownpapertickets. com/event/2181669 Macbeth – Theater of Others. $10-$20. 8 pm. (220 Golden Gate Ave.) Shakespeare’s greatest play about ambition, evil, and the invisible world. Through October 25. www.brownpapertickets.com/ event/2254601

and an Olivia Cruise!

• 3 : S ATURDAY

Lunch with Legend, Kara Swisher

Odette Estate Winery Experience for Four

Bid today!

Online shopping has never felt so good! www.horizonsfoundation.org/auction

Horizons Foundation’s celebrates 35 years of meeting the needs, securing the rights, and celebrating the lives of LGBT people.

24

BAY TIMES OCTO B E R 1 , 2 0 1 5

Melange...by the Bay - Fort Mason Center. $10-$100. 3 pm. (2 Marina Blvd.) Enjoy an evening of Indian music and art during Asia Week SF, October 2-10. www.brownpapertickets.com/ event/2265676 Horizons Foundation 35th Annual Gala – The Fairmont San Francisco. $300. 5:30 pm to 11 pm.

(950 Mason St.) Horizons’ Annual Gala Dinner & Casino Party returns to the historic Fairmont Hotel and the iconic Tonga Room to celebrate the Bay Area LGBT Community. www.horizonsfoundation.org

Ms. San Francisco Leather Contest - Hotel Whitcomb. $10$20. 6:30 pm. (1231 Market St.) The annual Ms. San Francisco Leather contest returns for another year. www.brownpapertickets.com/ event/2024535

• 4 : S UNDAY

Football Camp – San Francisco Gay Football League. $5. 9 am to 11 am. (Raymond Kimbell Playground) Learn the basics of football or improve your current skills. www.sfgffl.org Delphi Trio - Crowden Music Center Auditorium. $18-$23. 4 pm.

(1475 Rose St., Berkeley) Enjoy a night of classical music with a program to include Mozart, Brahms, Dvořák. www.brownpapertickets. com/event/2182205 Castro Street Fair - The Castro.

Free. 11 am to 6 pm. (Market and Castro St.) Hundreds of local artists, vendors, craftspeople, and organizations line the streets and celebrate the diversity of the neighborhood. www.castrostreetfair.org

• 5 : M ONDAY

GGBA Events Committee Illy Coffee. Free for GGBA members. 7:30 am to 9 am. (2349 Market St.) Members of GGBA are invited to join a planning committee for future events. www.ggba.org OWL: Older Writer Laboratory - Bernal Heights Branch Library. Free. 10 am. (500 Cortland Ave.) A writing workshop for older women. www.sfpl.org LGBTQ Support Group – Petaluma Health Center. Free. 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm. (1179 N.McDowell Blvd., Petaluma) An LGBT support group meeting every Monday. www.phealthcenter.org

• 6 : T UESDAY

Week to Week Political Roundtable and Member Social – Commonwealth Club. $5 for members/$15 for non-members.

5:30 pm. (555 Post St.) Panelists will engage in informative discussion on political and other major news, discussion of the week’s events, and a news quiz. www.commonwealthclub.org Montclair Women’s Big Band – Yoshi’s Oakland. $30-$150.

6 pm. (510 Embarcadero West, Oakland) A private event benefit for Equal Rights Advocates (ERA) and celebration of women in music with performance by the Montclair Women’s Big Band. www.digital.lenos.com The News - SOMArts. Free. 7:30 pm. (934 Brannan St.) On the first Tuesday of each month The News, presented by SOMArts Cultural

• 7 : W EDNESDAY

Women Can’t Have It All – Commonwealth Club. $15 for members/$25 for non-members.

5:30 pm. (555 Post St.) Anne Marie Slaughter, President and CEO of New America, will discuss how men and women define success in the 21st century. www.commonwealthclub.org Improv Workshop – Take 5 Café. $150. 7 pm to 9 pm. (3130 Sacramento St., Berkeley) Karen Ripley teaches a 6-week improv workshop focusing on comedy.

Classes are Wednesday, September 30 though November 4. www.take5cafe.net Dear Armen – NOH Space. $20.

7:30 pm. (2840 Mariposa St.) A play that explores the struggles and successes of SWANA folks, people of colour, and queer, trans and gender nonconforming Armenians while exploring the intersections of identity, history, and cultural memory.

Also October 6. www.deararmen.com

• 8 : T HURSDAY

All Things Business - San Francisco Main Library. Free. 10 am to 11 am. (100 Larkin St.) Participants will be given an overview of the wealth of investing resources available through SFPL that aim to enhance investing knowledge. www.sfpl.org Third Annual Women’s Leadership Conference - Park Central Hotel. $2,100. 4 pm. (50 3rd St.) A four day leadership and entrepreneur conference for women. October 8-11. www.emergingwomen.com

Wednesday. www.sfcenter.org Sing-Along Mary Poppins Castro Theatre. $12. 7 pm. (429 Castro St.) Sing along to the cinematic classic Mary Poppins. www.castrotheatre.com

• 11 : S UNDAY

Portraits and Other Likenesses – Museum of the African Diaspora. $10. 11 am to 5 pm. (685 Mission St.) Don’t miss the final night for this exhibit which brings together approximately 50 carefully selected artworks that explore the dynamic role of portraiture in modern and contemporary art. www.moadsf.org Crescendo Turns 10 – The Ritz-Carlton. $200. 12 pm. (600 Stockton St.) The annual fundraising event for the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus celebrates its tenth year with a preview of the upcoming season, open bar reception, silent auction and delicious food. www.sfgmc.org Into The Woods – Headlands Center for the Arts. $25-$35. 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm. (944 Fort Barry, Sausalito) Current artist in residence and drag artist Mica Sigourney bring a night of exciting drag performances. www.headlands.org

• 12 : M ONDAY

Inside Political Campaigns: Money, Ethics, and the Future – Commonwealth Club. $12 for members/$20 for nonmembers. 6:30 pm. (555 Post St.) Join a panel of political experts as they discuss the financing of federal elections and whether or not it’s possible to be both ethical and victorious. www.commonwealthclub.org

Musical Mondays - The Edge.

Free. 8 pm. (4149 18th St.) Singalong to your favorite showtunes and musicals at this weekly event.

415-863-4027.

Wheel of Karaoke - The MakeOut Room. free. 9 pm. (3225 22nd St.) Enjoy a fun and engaging game show style night of karaoke. www.makeoutroom.com

• 13 : T UESDAY

Letters to Myself - San Francisco Main Library. Free. 9 am to 7:30 pm. (100 Larkin St.) Wellknown San Francisco lettering artist & calligrapher Alan A. Blackman’s work is displayed for all to enjoy. www.sfpl.org GLBT Caregiver – SFSU Campus. Free. 1:30 pm. (1600 Holloway St.) A support group to discuss issues among gay, lesbian, and bisexual caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s. Happening the second Tuesdays of every month. www.sfsu.edu.

BeatBox Country – BeatBox. $6. 6:30 pm. (314 11th St.) An LGBT country western themed dance night. www.beatboxsf.com

• 14 : W EDNESDAY

Weekly Wellness Program – Pacific Islander Wellness Center.

Free. 4 pm to 6 pm. (730 Polk St.) A new program for people who are planning to have gender affirming surgery or are recovering from surgery. Through October 21. www.apiwellness.org

This October at the Market!

OCTOBER 28: The booths will be decorated for Halloween so stop by the info booth and pick up a form to vote on your favorite.

CHANTAL GUILLON MACARONS: Hyper local, beautifully decorated, and exceptionally delicious, Chantal Guillon Macarons join the market with classic French maracons in all colors and flavors.

SERENDIPITY FARMS: By popular demand, Serendipity Farms will be sticking around until the end of the market season! Stop by for the kuri squash, killer kale, and tasty tomatoes!

SHELLY'S GARDEN: Beautiful and delicious pasture raised eggs! Available every other week for the rest of the market season. pcfma.org

1.800.949.FARM F

fb.com/castrofarmersmarket

DESIGN : LOGOMAN : logomantotherescue.com

Center, features new, queer work

by Bay Area artists. www.somarts.org

Radar Reading Series - San Francisco Main Library. Free. 6 pm to 8 pm. (100 Larkin St.) A spotlight of underground and emerging authors. www.sfpl.org

Lesbians of Color Discussion Group – Pacific Center. Free. 7 pm to 9 pm. (2712 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley) Network with women and discuss a range of various topics. www.pacificcenter.org

• 9 : F RIDAY

Having Cancer is Hilarious The Marsh. $15-$35. 8 pm. (1062 Valencia St.) Inspired by her real life experience, the show follows 22 year-old accomplished actress Megan Timpane on a poignant journey as she is diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin Lymphoma. Through November 28.. www.themarsh.org Screaming Queens - The Phoenix Theater. $8. 8 pm. (414 Mason St.) Featuring new, short works from an LGBT perspective.

Through October 31. www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2023592 Friday Matinee: Frankenstein Noe Valley Branch Library. Free. 2 pm. (451 Jersey St.) Enjoy a screening of the Mary Shelley’s 1931 version of Frankenstein. www.sfpl.org

• 10 : S ATURDAY

Dance Film Forum - San Francisco Main Library. Free. 10:30 am to 12 pm. (100 Larkin St.) The San Francisco Public Library hosts a forum event as part of the 6th annual San Francisco Dance Film Festival (October 8-11). www.sfpl.org Last Drag - SF LGBT Center.

Free. 6:30 pm. (1800 Market St.) A free class that welcomes all those seeking freedom from nicotine addiction, including those using cessation programs and nicotine withdrawal aids. Happening every BAY T IM ES O C TO BER 1, 2015

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NEWS (continued from page 3) ORAM Continues to Call on Government to Safeguard 500 Slots for LGBTI Refugees Just days before the October 1 start of the 2016 Fiscal Year where President Barack Obama recently announced the United States would hold 10,000 additional spaces for Syrian refugees, the San Francisco-based ORAM (Organization for Refuge, Asylum & Migration) launched a new petition urging the U.S. government to safeguard 500 of those 10,000 slots for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and Intersex refugees. “LGBTI refugees, among the world’s extremely vulnerable populations, face the direst circumstances in a situation of nightmarish proportions,” said Neil Grungras, executive director of ORAM. “Those who succeed in escaping the infernos of Syria and

Iraq find impossible survival challenges in surrounding countries.” A minor five percent of the 10,000 additional slots would make an enormous impact on the lives of LGBTI Syrian refugees desperately attempting to, against all odds, be resettled to safety. “The refugee system is failing LGBTI people dismally. We know what has to be done to save these precious lives. The 11th hour has passed,” concluded Grungras. “Saving these lives and restoring their dignity is the right thing to do and the time to act is now.” lunaeisenlamedia.com CounterPulse Moves to New Tenderloin Facility CounterPulse theater has moved from its home at Mission and Ninth streets to a renovated site in San Francisco’s Tenderloin, where a 1920s-era build-

ing houses a new 115-seat theater with a 900-square-foot stage, lobby, box office, dressing room, bathrooms, office, studio, elevator and storage area. Funding for the 80 Turk Project’s $6.3 million capital campaign is being raised through a partnership between CounterPulse and Community Arts Stabilization Trust, a new nonprofit dedicated to creating affordable, permanent spaces for artistic and cultural groups. The public is invited to a celebration on October 8 at the Hall on 1028 Market Street, where tours of 80 Turk will run every twenty minutes. counterpulse.org Mr. Smithers to Finally Come Out on The Simpsons After 26 years, Waylon Smithers, the long-rumored to be gay personal

MONEY MATTERS (continued from page 8)

ROSTOW (continued from page 19 )

could include keeping more of your assets in less volatile investments that can help diversify stock market risk.

Yet it’s still important to balance the need for growth opportunity as well as less volatile assets with the likelihood that your retirement could last for twoto-three decades or longer. Your next move really depends on what stage of life you are in and how close you are to retirement. Now would be a good time to talk with financial professional about your portfolio.

to the backlash from the GLBT community and allies. But you know what? It looks like the cheesy bastards kept their doors open after all, and raked in the big bucks anyway.

The outlook? More unpredictability If there is one thing we can count on in the days ahead, it is more speculation

about where the stock market may be headed. Various experts will voice different opinions about whether a further correction is in the cards or a major rally is on the horizon. Don’t be overly concerned with what you may read about in the papers or hear from TV pundits. Your own financial goals and the time you have to invest should guide your investment decisions.

Brandon Miller, CFP is a financial consultant at Brio Financial Group, A Private Wealth Advisory Practice of Ameriprise Financial Inc. in San Francisco, specializing in helping LGBT individuals and families plan and achieve their financial goals.

SISTER DANA (continued from page 9) celebration on October 1st, 6-10pm at REPUBLICAN’T: John Boehner Sir Francis Drake, 450 Powell Street. steps down as House Speaker. Great. transgenderlawcenter.org But will his do-nothing successor be worse?

PEACHES CHRIST presents COMING UP! NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY (NCOD) is an internationally observed civil awareness day that takes place every October 11th. On this day people celebrate individuals who publicly identify as LGBTQ—coming out regarding one’s sexual orientation or gender identity being akin to a cultural rite of passage for so called queer people. Go purple on October 15th for #SPIRITDAY! Millions go purple on SPIRIT DAY in a stand against bullying and to show their support for LGBTQ youth. glaad.org SPARK! is the TRANSGENDER LAW CENTER’s 13th anniversary

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BIANCA DEL RIO? at the Castro Theatre, Saturday, October 3rd, 3 & 9pm. Starring Peaches, Bianca, Heklina, Mahlae Balenciaga, Lady Bear, Martiny, and more.

Screening of the classic Whatever Happened to Baby Jane and this wacky live takeoff. peacheschrist.com

HORIZONS’ annual 35TH ANNIVERSARY GALA DINNER & CASINO PARTY returns to the historic Fairmont Hotel on October 3rd and once again takes over the iconic Tonga Room for a night that is “perfectly suited” to celebrate the Bay Area LGBT Community. A fabulous evening is in the cards! 5:30pm Reception & Silent

MARRIAGE EQUALITY (continued from page 10) Pope’s words: “At the risk of oversimplify- no-fault divorce and movement toward ing, we might say that we live in a culture gender equality in marriage began. which pressures young people not to start At another point, the Pope opined that a family, because they lack possibilities for priests renounce having a family of their the future. Yet this same culture presents own so that they can devote their energy others with so many options that they too to the “evangelical blessing of the love of are dissuaded from starting a family.” men and women who carry forward When the Pope addressed bishops who God’s plan of creation,” especially “those took part in a Philadelphia event that the who are lost, abandoned, wounded, broCatholic Church called the “World ken, downtrodden and deprived of their Meeting of Families,” he observed: dignity.” Again, the Pope did not engage “Until recently, we lived in a social con- in explicitly anti-gay rhetoric, but his text where the similarities between the remarks could appear to ignore the fact civil institution of marriage and the that LGBT people create families, too, Christian sacrament were considerable and that Catholic and other Christian and shared. The two were interrelated LGBT parents believe that they are parand mutually supportive. This is no lon- ticipating in “God’s plan of creation,” just ger the case.” Although one could easily as much as non-gay Catholic parents believe they are. understand these remarks to refer to this summer’s marriage equality victory, the We are glad the Pope refrained from antiPope did not proceed to engage in a dis- LGBT rhetoric of his recent trip to the cussion of the issue. Instead, he offered a U.S. However, in reflecting on the Pope’s confusing analogy, contrasting local first two years in office, we cannot ignore neighborhood markets, representing the fact that when it comes to LGBT what he believes to be a lost era founded issues, the Pope himself at times has conon “trust” and bonding with “neighbors” tributed to the very division, exclusion, and “supermarkets,” representing unbri- and abuse of the most vulnerable that he dled consumerism that “seems to encour- states he abhors. Nowhere is this clearer age people not to bond with anything or than his support for the virulently anti-gay anyone” and “not to trust.” Of course, referendum held in the eastern European supermarkets came into prominence in nation of Slovakia earlier this year.

America in the 1950s and 1960s, when 26

Despite the fact that Slovakia’s constitu-

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Meanwhile, bad girl rapper Azealea Banks jammed herself towards the front of the line of people getting off a Delta f light, squirming from her First Class seat in the sixth row before bumping into the guy in the third row who was blocking her way—because he was ahead of her! Banks fought with the guy, accused him of hitting her when he was getting his bag out of the rack, and then called the flight attendant a faggot. Much of the childish

Auction, 7pm Dinner & Program, 8:30 pm Casino Party & The Tonga Room. horizonsfoundation.org or phone 415398-2333, ext 103.

ART FOR AIDS benefits the UCSF ALLIANCE HEALTH PROJECT on October 9th at City View, 135 Fourth Street @ 3rd, 4th Floor. Silent and Live Auctions of art. Food, wine, and cocktails: 6pm-10pm, VIP Reception: 5:30pm. artforaids@ucsf.edu NUNS READING NOIR is a ONE CITY ONE BOOK discussion of DAVID TALBOT’s national bestseller, SEASON OF THE WITCH, hosted by the SAN FRANCISCO SISTERS OF PERPETUAL INDULGENCE at Eureka Valley/ Harvey Milk Memorial Branch Library, Saturday, October 10th, 2–4pm. Audience participation is ENCOURAGED. Free for all adults. tion already banned same-sex couples from marrying or adopting children, a political campaign the Slovakian Catholic Church strongly supported put a referendum on the ballot to reenact the ban by popular vote. Huge billboards in Slovakia featured the Pope smiling and giving the thumbs up and urged “yes” votes to support “Slovakia’s courageous fight for the protection of the family.” Far from denouncing the use of his image on these billboards or asking for their removal, the Pope just days before the vote expressed his “appreciation to the entire Slovak church, encouraging everyone to continue their efforts in defense of the family, the vital cell of society.”

The “no” campaign urged voters to boycott the referendum because the vote would have no legal effect if less than 50% of the electorate turned out. The strategy succeeded with the referendum garnering only a 21 percent turnout.

Still, the campaign the Catholic Church and Pope supported caused much harm.

Neo-Nazis disrupted Slovakia’s first LGBT Pride march held in 2010 in the nation’s capital, Bratislava, but the annual event had taken place subsequently without incident and continued to grow.

However, fallout from the divisive referendum campaign led Pride organizers to

assistant to nefarious nuclear power magnate Mr. Burns on TV’s long-running animated series, The Simpsons, is finally ready to come out. “In Springfield now, most people know he’s gay, but obviously Burns doesn’t,” said Simpsons executive producer Al Jean. “We deal with that in two episodes. We actually do a lot with Smithers this year.” When Smithers does officially come out, he’ll have plenty of LGBT company in Springfield. Throughout the series’ quarter century history, the fictionalized cartoon town has had many gay and lesbian characters—the most notable being Marge’s sister, Patty Bouvier. Since its premiere in 1989, The Simpsons has been in the forefront of approaching some culturally volatile subjects involving gay rights, with insight and good humor.

edgemedianetwork.com Groups Demand Release for Trans Detainee in Failing Health As part of the Not1More Deportation campaign, Familia QTLM, GetEQUAL and Transgender Law Center call for the release of Christina Lopez, an undocumented transgender woman currently held at Santa Ana Detention Center. Lopez urgently needs medical attention for Hepatitis C, which so far the detention center has refused to provide despite several requests. Lopez has been in immigration detention for a year and a half. In addition to wanting to be with her family, immigrating was a matter of life and death for Lopez, who wanted to escape harsh violence against transgender people in Peru. transgenderlawcenter.org

scene was caught on video and aired on TMZ.

ments on marriage equality before the Supreme Court last April.

Naturally, she got in trouble for this display, at which point she called gay white men no better than the KKK, tweeted that the gay community was weak, and suggested she herself no longer wanted to be a part of the community. I guess she was sort of bisexual or something, but you know what? I’m happy to let her drop out if that’s what she wants. You go, girl! Literally.

Grogan, who yelled out that gays will “burn in hell for eternity,” also tried to interrupt Obama’s second inauguration from the upper branches of a tree, after which he was banned from Washington D.C. by court order. He also managed to take the field during the 2012 World Series to display a sign that said “Abortion Is Sin” on one side, and “Romney Ryan” on the other. In fact, the list of Grogan’s public antics is quite lengthy, and bizarre enough to give the man a quasi Fred Phelps status. Not quite. I think Fred will always live on in a category by himself.

Oh, and serial shouter Rives Miller Grogan, 50, has accepted a plea deal, and prosecutors will ask that he serve 30 days behind bars for screaming antigay nonsense during oral argu-

Featuring EDDIE MULLER, the “Czar of Noir” and PAM TENT of The Cockettes. sfpl.org SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN’S CHORUS presents CRESCENDO TURNS 10! at Ritz-Carlton, 600 Stockton Street, Sunday, October 11th featuring Chad Michaels performing as Cher! sfgmc.ejoinme.org/ MyEvents/Crescendo The noted author HEATHER JACKS is currently working on two different coffee table books that are designed to showcase and preserve unique pieces of San Francisco’s history. Her second book explores the story behind the SAN FRANCISCO SISTERS OF PERPETUAL INDULGENCE. Jacks will be hosting a free fun fundraising launch party, which will include food, drinks, live music, raffles, a photo booth, and more cancel the event. Organizers explained that, months after the election, “Slovak society [was] still poisoned by the absurd referendum campaign.” The leaders expressed their desire for “Pride to be considered a calm, pleasant and cultural sign of pride, contrasting with the humiliation LGBT people experience in their lives.” Apparently, such was not possible in the aftermath of the referendum.

We hope that the Pope, like many other people who have changed their minds and come to embrace marriage and LGBT equality, is on a journey where he is evolving. In his address to Congress, the Pope stated: “A nation can be considered great when it defends liberty as [Abraham] Lincoln did, when it fosters a culture which enables people to ’dream’ of full rights for all their brothers and sisters, as Martin Luther King sought to do; when it strives for justice and the cause of the oppressed, as Dorothy Day did by her tireless work, the fruit of a faith which becomes dialogue and sows peace in the contemplative style of Thomas Merton.”

These issues will continue to follow the Pope wherever he goes. No sooner was he on his the plane flying back to the Vatican, when a reporter asked him if he supported individuals, including government officials, who refuse to abide by

arostow@aol.com

at Cafe Flore, 2298 Market Street, corner of Market and 16th Street from 7pm to 11pm on Wednesday, October 14th. DENISE PANDEY has cleverly created huge cookies in the shapes of EssEff nuns’ busts for this EAT A SISTER event. Come eat Sister Dana the cookie! heatherjacks.com, tnbta.com MARGARET CHO - THE PsyCHO TOUR is Thursday, October 15th at Castro Theatre, two shows: 8pm and 10:30pm. Says Margaret, “There’s no I in team, but there’s a CHO in PSYCHO!” ticketmaster.com/ event/1C004EBAA3C53419 Sister Dana sez, “As anyone can attest, I like a man’s buns; but the current hairstyle of a man bun? I’m sorry. I can’t. I just can’t!” some laws—which could include issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

His answer will be interpreted by some as a message of support for anti-gay clerks, such as Kim Davis: “I can’t have in mind all cases that can exist about conscientious objection but, yes, I can say that conscientious objection is a right that is a part of every human right…And if someone does not allow others to be a conscientious objector, he denies a right.”

When it comes to marriage equality in America, liberty, justice, and equal rights have already prevailed. We are making great strides toward full LGBT equality, although much remains to be done.

Many heavily Catholic countries, such as Spain, Ireland, and the Pope’s own home country of Argentina, have been leaders in the marriage equality movement worldwide. LGBT people across the globe are courageously standing up for themselves in new ways, sometimes in the face of great danger or opposition. As our movement continues to grow worldwide, we hope the Pope heeds his own highest ideals and joins fully with us.

John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney were plaintiffs in the California case for equal marriage rights decided by the California Supreme Court in 2008. They are leaders in the nationwide grassroots organization Marriage Equality USA.

Round About - All Over Town

Photos by RINK

Candidate for SF City Supervisor Aaron Pes- Candidate for Community College Board Community College Board candidate Tom Temprano camkin received a high five from a supporter while Alex Randolph shared a hug with Alice Dem- paigned with supporters Erin O’Neill and Mary Camilang at campaigning on Polk Street. ocratic Club co-chair Brian Leubitz at the the Castro Farmers Market.

Club’s September meeting where Randolph received an early endorsement.

Academy of Friends’ (AOF) Gil Padia and Matthew Denckla, Open Hand’s Mark Ryle, Maitri’s Michael Smithwick, AIDS Legal Referral Panel’s Jim McBride, and Positive Resource Center’s Brett Andrews and Joe Tuohy at the AOF’s Beneficiary Announcement Party at Vince clothing store in Union Square

Castro Ambassador Michael Langley distributed Castro guides at Jane Warner Plaza.

Family Dog Rescue representative Keeley introduced a poodle to a prospective owner at 18th and Castro Streets.

Cheer SF members Lyn Batia, Angel Perez, Alice Jensen, Courtney Pittman and Alin Lancaster performed at Jane Warner Plaza raising funds for the AIDS Housing Alliance.

Candidate for Grand Duke Aja Monet (center) campaigned with supporters Jason Husted and Olivia Hart at the 18th and Castro Street intersection.

The finale of the Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation’s “One Night Only” show with the cast of Phantom of the Opera at the Marines Memorial Theatre Impressario Steve Murray, singer Leanne Borghesi and publicist Lawrence Helman at the VIP Party for the Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation’s (REAF) “One Night Only” at the Marine’s Memorial Theatre

Board member Jorge Colunga, producer Ken Henderson, board member Beth Schnitzer and producer Joe Seiler with masks sold for charity at the Richmond/Ermet Aid Foundation’s “One Night Only” show with the cast of Phantom of the Opera

The cast of Star Trek Live taking the final bow at the Oasis Lounge

Leigh Crow as Captain Kirk and Amber Sommerfeld in Star Trek Live at Oasis Lounge

The 2015 Leather Walk flag bearers led the parade on Castro Street.

SF AIDS Foundation CEO Neil Giuliano received a bouquet and Castro Patrol members Brian Hill A flag dancer performs on Market Street applause during the Foundation’s Tribute Celebration held at the and Kyle Wong at the Leather Walk during the 2015 Leather Walk.

Exploratorium. benefitting AIDS Emergency Fund, Breast Cancer Emergency Fund and Folsom Street events

Sean Greene and Lance Holman at SF Community College Board’s Rafael Mandelman, honoree Congresswoman Jackie Speier and SF AIDS Foundation board member Paul Tan at the 2015 Leather Walk the SF AIDS Foundation Tribute Celebration at the Exploratorium BAY T IM ES O C TO BER 1, 2015

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