Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun
By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, “Pope Francis, in the first extensive interview of his six-month-old papacy, said that the Roman Catholic church had grown ‘obsessed’ with preaching about abortion, gay marriage, and contraception, and that he has chosen not to speak of those issues despite recriminations from some critics. Pope Francis said the church needs to be a ‘home for all’ rather than a ‘small chapel’ sticking to a narrow set of so-called moral teachings. Wow! Whoever thought I’d become a fan of the Pope?!” Nearly 15,000 leather folk, fetish enthusiasts, and their fans turned out for this year’s UP YOUR ALLEY leather fair in San Francisco’s South of Market district. This year marked the celebration of the original leather block party started back in 1985 on Ringold Alley. Leather daddies and mamas ruled the streets of SOMA at UYA. They were joined by skinheads, punks, bears, pigs, plushies, furries, and a variety of BDSM devotees who engaged in public spankings, whippings, f loggings, bondage, domination and submission, creative water sports, and so much more. There were even human puppies in the K9 Unit! And a few actual animals such as dogs, birds, and a boa constrictor accompanied their masters. Many attendees wore nothing but their birthday suits on this fairly hot day. Some of my fave booths were The Frugal
Domme (“quality toys for discriminating adults at reasonable prices” that featured the very newest in floggers made out of pieces of fire hose); St. James Infirmary offering free rapid HIV tests; National Coalition for Sexual Freedom Inc. with their latest slogan: “Kinky Is Not a Diagnosis;” the official Folsom Street Fair booth where you could purchase official Up Your Alley and Folsom Street Fair merchandise (Folsom Fair is September 27th); tattoo and piercing booths. There were the usual ring toss games and Naked Twister. Dancing in the streets was accompanied by many famous deejays including Ernie Cote, Josh Whitaker, Dan DeLeon, and David Harness vs. Derek Hena with a live vocal performance from Krystle Jones. For more info about the upcoming Folsom Street Fair (bigger and better than UYA), check out folsomstreetevents.org T H E R IC H MO N D/ E R M E T A I D F OU N DAT ION ( R E A F ) presented HELP IS ON THE WAY X XI – HOL LY WOOD GL A M, their 21st annual fundraiser. Ken Henderson & Joe Seiler produce Northern California’s largest yearly star-studded concert & gala, this time benefiting Meals on Wheels of San Francisco & San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Held at the Palace of Fine Arts, the event started off with a wine and cocktail bar with delicious canapés. Highlights of the evening’s entertainment included Susan Anton singing “Hooray for Hollywood” and “Once Before I Go,” Contantine Maroulis with the dramatic “This Is the Moment,” and equally dramatic “Bring Him Home” from Les Miz, John Lloyd Young and “How Do We Keep the Music Playing” and the heart-throbbing “Unchained Melody,” Carole Cook giving us a hilarious standup routine
followed by an enchanting “Have I Stayed Too Long at the Fair,” Loretta Devine giving us the naughty double entendre of “If I Can’t Sell It, I’ll Keep Sittin’ on It,” Kimberley Locke belting out the enthusiastic “This Is My Life,” Jake Simpson groaning “Roxanne,” Paula West jazzing it up with “Do What You Did Last Night,” the always bodacious B.O.O.B.S (Busty Outrageous Over-the-top Broads Singing) duo of Leanne Borghesi & Soila Hughes going Cole Porter on us with “Don’t Kill the Ingénues,” Sony Holland going French with “I Will Wait for You” from Umbrellas of Cherborg,” comedy by Scott Nevins, Tito Puente style “Salsamania” featuring hot salsa dancers John Narvaez, Liz Rojas, Rodney Graham, & Mayuko Ueda, followed by the entire company singing the theme song, “Help Is on the Way.” Everyone in the audience most certainly got their money’s worth while helping the very worthy charity! The next big fundraiser for REAF is on September 21st, 7:30pm: OSCAR UNMASKED - ONE NIGHT ONLY WITH THE CAST OF THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA at Marines’ Memorial Theater. reaf-sf.org GAY A SI A N PACI F IC A L L IA NCE held their annual GAPA BANQUET at Far East Cafe in Chinatown for an evening of sumptuous food and entertainment. Emcees were Jonathan Cheung & Danny Pham. We honored founding GAPA member Lawrence Wong, f irst openly gay Asian elected official in the U.S., for his over 25 years of tireless efforts of public service in education and activism in the community. In 1994, Wong was elected to the SF Community College board where he continued to champion the impor-
tance of education, especially for disadvantaged students. Entertainment was provided by Estee Longah & Chichi Kago of the Rice Rockettes doing “Nowadays” from Chicago, GAPA Chorus singing “True Colors” and other pieces, and Leung’s White Crane Lion Dance, executing a spectacular version of the famed lion dance. Alex Randolph assured us that the Community College was still very much alive and well - despite the many obstacles it has had to overcome. Supervisor Scott Wiener presented a Certificate of Recognition. A huge timeline on the wall depicted the various struggles and victories of GAPA over the years since their inception in 1988, pursuing and addressing issues that directly affect the queer API community. Reminder: September 12th is the annual RUNWAY27: UNDER THE SEA grand pageant when we will see the new Mr. & Miss GA PA crowned. gapa.org Last week, I came home to DRAMA in the Castro!!! Power failure. Darkness. No stop lights. No lights anywhere. No way to get into my apartment, which operates via an electronic telephone pad to buzz me in. I was stranded in darkness and panic. Thank God one of my fellow apartment dwellers had the good sense to carry a key. So, after 45 minut es of gnashing my teeth in darkness, I was home. Once inside my little studio, I found every freakin’ candle I owned and lit ‘em all up. I sat down with my latest book, Season of the Witch: Enchantment, Terror, and Deliverance in the City of Love by David Talbot. An excellent read, and includes a chapter on The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and the Cockettes - two of my greatest loves. So anyway, that’s
how I spent my Saturday eve/Sunday morn. Thank you, Mr. Thomas Edison, for electric lights!!!!! CUMMING UP! MAGNET, the Castro hub of health and well-being for gay and bi men, is presenting its monthly art reception with the paintings of T.S. RIDLEHUBER. The wine and cheese reception is 8 to 10pm at 4122 18th Street and Castro. We will welcome Travis Ridlehuber to the Magnet gallery for the month of August. His work illustrates the beauty of man in his natural state: bearded and masculine, strong and vulnerable, magnetic, Apollonian. The paintings are executed on finely-crafted, custom-built wood panels. Historically a male skill fostered through guilds, woodworking was passed from one generation of carpenters to the next, from fathers to sons. Reflecting this tradition, the panels are hard and strong, beautiful like the images of men that they hold. The creation of the work has been, in part, a collaborative effort on the part of the painter, the woodworker, and the models. The images were almost solely taken from “selfies” chosen by artist and subject from a collection of photos each man uses to portray himself. The woodworker is an incredibly skilled craftsman who takes great pride in his work. Travis has worked with the woodworker to ensure that the grain and type of wood are perfectly paired and finished for each individual piece. And, finally, the painter brings the refined craftsmanship of the woodworker, the hard refined beauty of the wood, and the beauty of the model together in the finished work. Come marvel at these masterpieces! magnetsf.org Come celebrate 10 years of SUNDAY’S A DR AG at The Starlight (continued on page 22)
Truly
WONDERFUL People. Meet remarkable people who know San Francisco Towers is the city’s most appealing senior living community. People like Maylene Wong. It’s the life you and your partner want—right in the heart of The City. To learn more, or for your personal visit, please call 415.447.5527.
Maylene Wong, joined in 2005
1661 Pine Street San Francisco, CA 94109 sanfranciscotowers-esc.org
A not-for-profit community owned and operated by Episcopal Senior Communities. License No. 380540292 COA #177 EPSF723-01HJ 041615
BAY T IM ES AUGUS T 6, 2015
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