Featuring Donna Sachet, Aaron Boot-Haury, Juan Torres, Kippy Marks, Mike Wong & the San Francisco Pride Band, DJ Lady Ryan
20,000 Wishes Take Flight on 20th World Tree of Hope
2025 Marks 20th Anniversary of the World Tree of Hope
The 20th World Tree of Hope presented by the organization Rainbow World Fund, the world’s first LGBTQ+-based humanitarian aid, is now on display at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco through January 9, 2026. Called “the most hopeful tree in the world,” the World Tree of Hope is the largest origami-decorated holiday tree globally. Standing 22-feet tall, it is adorned with over 20,000 hand-folded origami cranes, each inscribed with a wish for a better world. The submissions come from school children, world leaders, and others. The towering tree fills Grace Cathedral, turning individual hopes into a collective symbol of global unity, peace, hope, and love.
80th Anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Bombings
In addition to 2025 being the 20th anniversary of the World Tree of Hope, this year marks the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, which took place on the morning of August 6, 1945. The U.S. B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped the bomb that killed an estimated 140,000 due to injuries, burns, and radiation sickness. At least 60,000 others died later from cancer and other illnesses associated with the bomb.
Yet another atomic bomb was dropped by the U.S. B-29 bomber Bockscar three days later, on August 9, in Nagasaki, killing an additional 70,000–80,000. It is believed that generations of individuals from Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and surrounding regions have suffered longterm health consequences due, not only to the direct effects, but also to latent fetal and genetic effects. There is also a lasting social and political legacy.
Significance of Origami Cranes
In 1955, the origami crane became a worldwide symbol of peace when the world learned the story of Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. Ten years after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, 12-year-old Sadako Sasaki contracted leukemia. While in the hospital, a friend told her about a Japanese legend that said folding a thousand paper cranes would (continued on page 12)
Bay Area Holiday Trees With LGBTQ+ Significance
The World Tree of Hope is the most prominent LGBTQ+-related holiday tree in the Bay Area, and possibly in the world. It is not the only local holiday tree, however, with queer community significance.
Castro Holiday Tree
The Castro Merchants each year present the Castro Holiday Tree at Bank of America Plaza, 501 Castro Street. This year’s lighting ceremony took place on December 1. (See more about that in this issue of the San Francisco Bay Times.) The tree adds a festive note to the district and is meant to strengthen community bonds and uplift the spirits of both visitors and business owners.
https://castromerchants.com/
The Tree Twins
“Jingle” and “Tingle,” The Tree Twins, are married couple Michael Morris and David Sweeney. By day, they respectively work as an art director and financial manager. Each December, they dress in fanciful, brightly-lit holiday tree attire to spread seasonal cheer throughout San Francisco. Their costumes are elaborate and may feature LED lights, candy-cane striped lights, and sometimes oversized sunglasses and heels.
https://www.thetreetwins.com/
The Legacy of Tom & Jerry’s 65-Foot Pine Tree
For decades, the late Tomas Jesse Taylor and Jerome Goldstein, M.D., affectionately known as Tom & Jerry, opened their sprawling home at 3650 21st Street to the public during the holiday season. There, visitors would find Santa Claus greeting children and handing out treats alongside giant mechanical toys, choirs, and much more. The star attraction was the 65-foot tree that the couple would decorate each year via a forklift. The tree was originally purchased at Cost Plus and grew rapidly each year, like Jack’s beanstalk from the fairytale. While Tom & Jerry are no longer with us and the tree is no longer a public attraction, the memory of their magical display lives on.
https://bit.ly/4p85rfw
Home and Business Displays
Throughout the Castro
The holiday trees at Castro businesses such as Orphan Andy’s and Cliff’s Variety help keep the season bright, as do the lovingly decorated homes throughout the Castro, Noe Valley, and in Oakland’s Lakeshore LGBTQ District. And here’s to all the residents of streets with organized light displays who add celebratory LGBTQ+ decorations. For all of us who have felt like the inhabitants of the “Island of Misfit Toys” featured in the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Rankin/Bass 1964 special, they and all the LGBTQ+-related holiday trees and displays foster a sense of value and belonging.
Union Square (above)
Orphan Andy’s (below)
Photos courtesy of Rainbow World Fund
The Castro Holiday Tree sponsored annually by the Castro Merchants Association and its members
The Tom & Jerry House on 21st Street was decorated annually for the holiday season.
The Tree Twins
20,000 Wishes Take Flight on 20th World Tree of Hope
Children’s Wishes Submitted to the World Tree of Hope
20,000 Wishes Take Flight on 20th World Tree of Hope
Wishes From Political and Community Leaders on the World Tree of Hope
Governor Gavin Newsom
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi
“My wish is to live in a society where marriage equality is a reality for all & where American families are treated with respect and dignity.”
“My wish is for a world where hope begets freedom ... a world where opportunity is equaled by justice ... a world where the health of our planet is considered as precious as the lives of our children.”
Former President Barack Obama
“A world for our children more just, more fair, and more kind than the one we know now.”
Primatologist Jane Goodall (1934–2025)
“As we look around the world today—at the conflicts, the destruction of the environment, the human and animal suffering—it almost seems absurd to say that my wish is for a more peaceful, healthier, and happier world. Yet this is the world we all yearn for. And I find that with the image of such a
world in my mind and in my heart, it is easier to take action, every day, to move things in the right direction. Of course the road is long and full of disappointments, but still it gives me energy to keep going with that goal in sight. Without hope there is no hope. And so I dare to wish for a world in which people live in harmony with each other and with the natural world and all the wondrous animals with whom we share the planet.”
Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
“I wish for a world where all people are treated with dignity, respect, and equality—no matter who you are or whom you love.”
Esmerelda Santiago, Author
“Mas tiempo con mejor salud.” (“More time with better health.”)
RuPaul, Entertainer
“Sweet love for all.”
Julie Newmar, Actress
“A most purrr ... fect universe.”
Harvey Fierstein, Actor and Playwright
“I wish that everyone could awaken with a clear conscience, work for a better world, and go to bed with a full tummy excited to see what comes next in their lives.”
Activist and Author
David Mixner (1946–2024)
“My wish is for full equality, safety, and happiness for LGBT citizens around the world.”
Tippi Hedren, Actress and Animal Rights Activist
“May our world be blessed with the meaning of a very beautiful Sanskrit word, a meeting place of peace and harmony for all beings, animal and human: Shambala!”
Veronika Klaus, Entertainer
“I wish, for a world, the sensation of comfort, caring, safety, and family that San Francisco gave to me for so many years.”
Danielle Steel, Author
“I wish that the children of the world no longer suffer disease, abuse, starvation, murder, rape, torture, jeopardy, and suffering of all kinds.”
Isabel Allende, Author
“I wish male fashion designers would be forced to wear the stuff they create for women, like stiletto heels. And that all politicians would have to live by the rules and laws they come up with for the rest of us. Like the ones on food stamps and minimum wage.”
Francis Moore Lappé, Author and Activist
“My fellow people of our troubled world, my wish for each of us is that we discover our power to create the world we want. Solutions are known. Our genius is proven. May we shed feelings of powerlessness and walk with bold humility, trusting our best selves as we join with others in common purpose. Hope is contagious.”
Neale Donald Walsch, Author
“May the world know we are all one!”
Photos courtesy of Rainbow World Fund
20,000 Wishes Take Flight on 20th World Tree of Hope
World Tree of Hope Past Events
Jeff Cotter and Linda Mihara add origami to the 2013 World Tree of Hope at San Francisco City Hall.
Dame Edna was a special guest and speaker at the 2008 World Tree of Hope Tree Lighting Ceremony at San Francisco City Hall.
PHOTO BY WILLIAM
The volunteer crew assembles cranes annually.
Karen Kai decorating the 2013 World Tree of Hope
Volunteers raise the 2013 World Tree of Hope at San Francisco City Hall.
December 1, 2025
2025 Light in the Grove
The annual Light in the Grove fundraiser for the National AIDS Memorial took place on November 30, 2025, at the National AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park. This breathtaking community experience, recognized as one of the Bay Area’s best LGBTQ+ fundraising events, always includes a stroll through the magically lit grove, imaginative artistic features, dance and musical performances, a candlelight reflection at the Circle of Friends, moving displays of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, inspirational reflections, and multiple food and drink stations.
Returning to emcee the event was the always brilliant Sister Roma. This year’s Lifetime of Commitment Award was presented to writer, speaker, and community leader Race Bannon. For over four decades, Bannon has been a leading voice in LGBTQ+ health, kink-positive activism, and HIV/AIDS education. His work has helped shape more inclusive conversations about wellness, identity, and human connection—making an indelible impact on generations of advocates.
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi was a surprise guest. She spoke movingly about her support for those with HIV/AIDS, as well as her outrage at the White House (she refused to say the president’s name) for not officially observing and acknowledging World AIDS Day.
Numerous members of the San Francisco Bay Times team attended the event, and this publication is proud to be a longstanding media sponsor of Light in the Grove
Queer Passports: Past, Present, and Future
6/26 and Beyond
On his first day back in office, Donald Trump issued a sweeping executive order attacking the rights, freedom, and dignity of transgender and other gender nonbinary Americans. One part of that order requires trans and gender nonbinary people to have passports that indicate the sex assigned to them at birth, not their true sex at the time their passport is issued, putting them in potentially extreme peril when traveling, working, or living overseas.
Our community immediately stood up for its rights and for our common humanity. In less than three weeks, trans and gender nonbinary people, represented by the ACLU, challenged the patently discriminatory order in federal district court, in a case named Orr v. Trump. The district court soon stopped the new Trump anti-trans passport policy from taking effect as the lawsuit proceeded in the courts. A federal appellate court concurred.
But, last month, the Republican supermajority of the U.S. Supreme Court—without full briefing, oral argument, or considered deliberation—promptly reversed the well-considered lower court rulings and allowed the passport restrictions to go into effect as the litigation went forward.
The snap decision was not only ill-considered as a matter of law, but it also reflected the arch-conservative supermajority’s callousness and stunning lack of empathy for trans people, who are suffering greatly as a result of the Trump administration’s actions. The ruling additionally seemed dangerously detached from reality itself, similar to numerous other recent decisions of the Republican supermajority.
Like many of the Court’s procedurally similar rulings in cases challenging farreaching Trump administration policies, the supermajority’s opinion is very short— just four paragraphs. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, in a compelling dissent joined by Justices Sotomayor and Kagan, characterized the ruling as yet another “‘back-of-the-napkin assessment’” by the supermajority in a case of enormous importance to the people it affected directly.
One component of the Court’s analysis as to whether to take the extraordinary step of intervening in a case at such an early stage in the litigation is a careful assessment of the likely relative merits of both sides’ arguments. Without articulating any meaningful analysis, the Republican super-
majority simply proclaimed: “Displaying passport holders’ sex at birth no more offends equal protection principles than displaying their country of birth—in both cases, the Government is merely attesting to a historical fact without subjecting anyone to differential treatment” (emphasis added).
This assertion is absurd on its face. Being transgender or gender nonbinary means that one’s true sex or gender identity does not match the binary sex designation assigned to them at birth. The executive order undeniably subjects trans people and gender nonbinary people to “differential treatment” from cisgender people. Justice Jackson outlines myriad specific risks and harms that trans and gender nonbinary people could now face as the case proceeds. They include possible accusations against them of presenting a fraudulent passport, strip searches and other bodily violations at international borders or otherwise when traveling, personally invasive questioning, and being forced to reveal their transgender status to officials, thereby exposing themselves to potential violence or discrimination.
Under federal constitutional jurisprudence, every law or governmental action must at least have a “rational basis,” and those which “‘lack any purpose other than a bare ... desire to harm a politically unpopular group’” are unconstitutional.
The supermajority blithely declares that the Trump administration and its executive order had no such intention to harm anyone. Both the aforementioned tangible effects on trans people and the stated purposes of the executive order in the order itself reveal the order’s lack of rational connection between its own stated purposes and its obvious real world effects, as well as its clear intention to harm trans people.
The title of the order articulates a stunning, purported primary aim: “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism,” which, of course, if such a movement actually existed, would have nothing to do with passports. The order’s official statement of purpose further emphasizes the importance of permitting only cisgender women, and not trans women, “access to intimate single-sex spaces and activities designed for women, from women’s domestic abuse shelters to women’s workplace showers.” This, too, plainly has nothing to do with passports. After all, trans people present their passports for inspection to security officials at international borders, not in women’s public showers. Women
who are not border agents do not even know what another traveler’s sex designation on their passport is.
The order further claims to address governmental measures that “fundamentally attack women by depriving them of their dignity, safety, and well-being.” It maintains such measures have a “corrosive impact not just on women but on the validity of the entire American system” (emphasis added).
Of course, trans and gender nonbinary people having passports that match their true sex has absolutely nothing to do with the status and safety of cis women. As is obvious, the people who are actually “deprived” of their “dignity, safety, and well-being” by the executive order are trans and gender nonbinary people. The order itself and the Supreme Court’s upholding the passport requirement last
month are what truly have a “corrosive impact” on American society.
The Republican supermajority also, without substantive explanation, reaches the astounding conclusion that trans people having gender markers on their passports that match their true sex would result in “foreign affairs implications” causing the U.S. government to suffer “irreparable injury” as the litigation proceeds.
Jackson’s dissent tears this claim to shreds and further notes that “[f]or the past 33 years, across six Presidential administrations, transgender Americans have been able to obtain U.S. passports with sex markers that match their gender identity” without negative effects. How could continuing this decades-long policy during the litigation suddenly have such catastrophic consequences?
Perhaps, most importantly, Jackson’s dissent asks a more fundamental, threshold question: “why [are] sex markers ... required on passports at all?” Whether intended to do so or not, the question strikes to the heart of the relevance of creating divisions in society based on gender in myriad different ways. It gives voice to the countless ways over millennia that people around the world have understood and expressed gender.
We stand in unshakeable solidarity with transgender and gender nonbinary community members under attack today and will do everything we can to elect an LGBTIQ+ friendly president three years from now who will immediately reverse Trump’s executive order. And we take heart in the fact that Justice Jackson is asking such foundational questions that affect us all. We are reminded that, regardless of how our passports may try to categorize us, we as queer people can strive to continue to be our true selves and create community together wherever we are.
John Lewis and Stuart Gaffney, together for over three decades, were plaintiffs in the California case for equal marriage rights decided by the California Supreme Court in 2008. Their leadership in the grassroots organization Marriage Equality USA contributed in 2015 to making same-sex marriage legal nationwide.
Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis
Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Elena Kagan
A Season of Thanks
In Case You Missed It
This is the 100th article for my column in the San Francisco Bay Times
Four years ago, I received a phone call from Betty Sullivan and Jennifer Viegas, the publishers of the San Francisco Bay Times, asking me to write a news column about items of interest to the local LGBTQ+ community. They were specifically interested in my perspective as a straight ally who has been supporting LGBTQ+ causes for four decades.
I tried to protest, “But I’m not a writer!” That’s when I learned that Betty and Jen are very persuasive. And persistent. In the immortal words of Star Trek, resistance was futile.
With no experience, and great trepidation, I submitted my first article for the October 21,
2021, edition. Honestly, it was deadly boring. I listed some upcoming community events, but was too insecure to venture any of my own opinions. I pleaded with Betty and Jen again. “But I’m not a reporter! I don’t know how to write about the news!” They heard me, and countered, “That’s fine! Just write whatever you like.”
Who could resist such a generous offer? That’s when this column became “In Case You Missed It,” focusing on events, organizations, and people in the community who were making a difference, but that may have flown under the radar. I started shining a light on causes that I cared deeply about, and that I figured other people would care about, too.
The real turning point came in March 2022, when I expressed to Mark Leno my doubts about whether I should continue. He gave me a piece of important advice that I remember each time I sit down to write: “They have given you a platform. Use it.”
It took time to find my voice. But with encouragement from many of you, I kept writing. As the political situation in our country became more dire, with rights and freedoms disappearing, unrelenting attacks upon the very humanity of LGBTQ+ people, immi-
grants under constant threat, and our democracy itself on the line, I have felt compelled to speak out more and more about the injustices and dangers our communities were facing, and what we could all do to help protect ourselves, each other, and our country. Now, having written 100 articles for the column, I am still just a neophyte. Many thanks to Betty and Jennifer for trusting and supporting this fledgling columnist every step of the way. A tip of my hat to my fellow columnists and contributors to this publication; I am honored and humbled to appear in print with you; I learn so much from reading your work. And thank you to all of you who read the Bay Times. Local journalism is more important than ever, and I am grateful to be part of it.
The Season of Giving
This time of year, requests for donations pour in from countless organizations and causes. What makes this year different is that the government is actively attacking organizations that don’t support their “agenda.”
(continued on page 12)
or gmcmulliin@aidsmemorial.org
Joanie Juster
Photos courtesy of Joanie Juster
San Francisco Bay Times columnist Joanie Juster with Congressmember Nancy Pelosi, AIDS Emergency Fund’s Mike Smith, and others in 2002 were at Catch restaurant to assist in hanging the first AIDS Memorial Quilt panel in the space that was the quilt’s original workshop in the Castro.
Joanie Juster with Mark Juster and Gert McMullin at a No Kings protest in San Francisco
Joanie Juster joined participants at one of the twicemonthly Quilt Panel Making and Repair Workshops, hosted by the National AIDS Memorial in San Francisco and San Leaandro. For information on the workshops: rwilliams@aidsmemorial.org
grant one wish. Her wish to be healed grew into a wish for peace for all the world. Sadako died 356 cranes short of her goal. Her classmates folded the rest, and all 1,000 were buried with her.
A children’s campaign honoring Sadako’s hope, strength, and determination led to the creation of the Children’s Peace Monument in Hiroshima’s Peace Park. Sadako’s most well-known wish was, “I will write peace on your wings and you will fly all over the world.” Sadako’s hope, strength, and determination were the inspiration for the World Tree of Hope.
A Global Tradition, Rooted in San Francisco
A vast community effort makes the World Tree of Hope possible. A diverse team of volunteers throughout the Bay Area, including members of San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ and Japanese American communities, survivors of the Hiroshima atomic bomb, local children, and even life-sentence prisoners from San Quentin, dedicate weeks to folding cranes by hand that decorate the tree. Through this collective effort, personal messages take flight.
Reflecting on what this effort represents, Rainbow World Fund Executive Director Jeff Cotter says, “At a time when so many people are searching for light, the Rainbow World Fund World Tree of Hope shines with the collective wishes of thousands. The origami cranes on the tree are more than paper; they are expressions of courage, love, and belief in a future where all people can thrive. We create the tree as a symbol of global unity and as a celebration of the power of hope—how essential it is to our survival, our healing, and humanity. We hope that everyone who visits the tree feels uplifted and inspired to take action to create a better world.”
Grace Cathedral’s Dean, the Very Rev. Dr. Malcolm Clemens Young, values the partnership and its meaning to the Cathedral: “This tree reflects what we believe at Grace Cathedral: that all are welcome, all are loved, and all have a place in the story of hope. We’re proud to partner with Rainbow World Fund and the LGBTQ+ and friends com-
munity to uplift a vision of peace and belonging that embraces the whole world.”
How to Participate
Anyone, anywhere in the world, can submit a wish online to be added to the 2025 World Tree of Hope. Each wish is folded into a crane and placed on the tree at Grace Cathedral. Submitting a wish is free. Wishes will be added to the tree throughout December and are accepted yearround.
Submit your wish at https://www.worldtreeofhope.org/ You are also invited to attend the Tree Lighting Ceremony on Monday, December 8, 2025, from 6:30–8 pm at Grace Cathedral. Co-hosted by drag legend and San Francisco Bay Times columnist Donna Sachet and former ABC7 anchor Dion Lim, the program will include:
• performances by the Grammy Award-winning San Francisco Boys Chorus, The Conspiracy of Beards, and vocalist Leberta Lorál with pianist Tammy L. Hall;
• presentations by the Emperor and Empress of the Imperial Court of San Francisco, a blessing and countdown from the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and remarks from the Dean and Bishop of Grace Cathedral;
• the Very Rev. Dr. Malcolm Clemens Young leading the exchange of origami peace cranes with Deputy Consul General of Japan Takeshi Ishihara;
• Consul General of Germany Theo Kindness recognizing Rainbow World Fund’s life-saving Afghan refugee program;
• and, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings in Japan, Rev. Alan Matsui, a child of a bombing survivor, offering a call for world peace and a reflection on the tree’s mission to transform remembrance into hope.
Although the event is free, guests are encouraged to register in advance at https://bit.ly/4rtwkw1
(continued from pg 11)
Many nonprofits that serve marginalized communities—particularly LGBTQ+ communities—are under attack, and have suffered debilitating budget cuts. Arts organizations and nonprofit media are likewise being decimated, with grants cancelled and programming stifled.
Realistically, there is only so much each of us as individuals can do. That’s why it’s important to support organizations dedicated to fighting for us every day. Putting your money where your heart is makes a difference, especially if you pledge to support their work with a monthly donation, however modest. Here are some guidelines to think about as you choose where to donate:
1) Do your homework. Make sure the organization not only supports work that reflects your values, but also uses their money wisely. When in doubt, check Guidestar ( www.guidestar.org ) to learn more about the organization and its finances.
2) Support national organizations. The battles we’re facing require work at the highest level. Support a few organizations that are equipped to fight those battles for us.
3) Support local organizations. Important work is done at the local level, and many local organizations have been hurt badly by this administration. Even a modest donation can make a significant difference here at home.
4) Support international organizations. The U.S. is not an island. We need to work cooperatively to support global issues that affect all of us.
5) Support civil rights. Civil rights are being attacked on every level. Battles that we thought we had won now have to be fought again and again. Support organizations that will fight, not just for you, but for others. We’re all in this together.
6) Support environmental causes. This administration is rolling back environmental protections to an unprecedented level. Help Mother Earth survive these attacks.
7) Support health care and reproductive rights. We know what we’re up against. Do it.
8) Support a free and independent press. We’ve all become spoiled by being able to share news articles for free. But investigative journalism costs money, and we need fearless reporting more than ever. Subscribe to a national newspaper, your local newspaper, an international newspaper, and at least one fiercely independent alternative news source. You can receive them all digitally, if you prefer, but supporting their work is what counts. (And don’t forget the San Francisco Bay Times!)
9) Support an organization that represents a demographic you do not belong to. Step outside your own personal interests and support a group that helps people who do not look like you. They will appreciate, not just the funds, but your moral support.
10) Support your passion. Whether it’s the arts, education, aiding refugees, supporting your local church, or anything else, support something that feeds your soul and makes your heart sing.
And, bottom line: feed the hungry. Everyone needs to eat, every single day.
These are just a few guidelines; you’ll come up with others. Thank you for giving!
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
It has been quite a year, and we all deserve to celebrate surviving this far. Laugh yourselves silly at The Golden Girls Live. Join in lighting the World Tree of Hope on December 8. See one more show at Oasis before it closes. Lift your spirits at the Gay Men’s Chorus holiday concerts, dance along with the Nutcracker, attend a drag show (or three ... ), and enjoy exploring the many delights of the season. Spend your holiday money supporting local restaurants, bars, and stores this holiday season—and beyond.
Happy Holidays, everyone! And thank you for reading. Joanie Juster is a long-time community volunteer, activist, and ally.
JUSTER
47th Annual Harvey Milk and George Moscone Memorial Vigil
Photos by Rink
The Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club on November 27, 2025, led the 47th Annual Harvey Milk and George Moscone Memorial Vigil. This year’s observance fell on Thanksgiving, yet several participants still gathered at Harvey Milk Plaza at 7 pm.
As the organizers shared: “We celebrate Milk’s living legacy by renewing his (and our) commitment to resistance, queer joy, and community care, organizing for a more just and accepting world, and building one another up despite the division promoted by our federal government.”
Ajai Duncan of the club was one of the speakers. Duncan said, in part, “Volunteer. Knock doors. Make calls. Show up at City Hall when they try to pass policies that harm our people. Protect our unhoused neighbors, because everyone deserves the right to housing. Stand with our immigrant neighbors. Stand firmly with our trans folks. And, most importantly, organize. This is our community. And, together, we will fight for it. Because, when we fight, we win.”
After the memorial, participants walked down Castro Street to what was once Milk’s camera shop, now Queer Arts Featured at 575 Castro Street.
For more about this year’s vigil and the history behind it, watch this KRON4 news report: https://bit.ly/3K1ENGc
Historic Rainbow Crosswalk Installed Within Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District
The Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District and the Oakland LGBTQ Center on November 13, 2025, unveiled an historic new rainbow crosswalk. The occasion was marked with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting ceremony and walk. The center’s Co-Founders Joe Hawkins and Jeff Myers, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, iHeart Radio DJ Christie James, the Oakland Gay Men’s Chorus, The Pied Piper, community leader Lisa Williams, and many other local leaders and allies were present.
“Our rainbow crosswalk will not be the traditional paint job; it marks the first time that a thermoplastic permanent rainbow crosswalk has been installed in Oakland, which is a more durable/lower maintenance, and longer lasting application that is able to handle heavy traffic on the street. It’s a declaration,” said Myers, who is also Chair of the Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District Committee. “It tells every trans, queer, and non-binary person who visits our LGBTQ district that they are welcome, seen, safe, and celebrated right here in Oakland.”
Countering Trump Administration
Anti-LGBTQ+ Efforts
Earlier this year, the federal government began scrubbing words and acronyms associated with the LGBTQ community like LGBTQ, transgender, and queer, from its websites and directed all federally-funded programs to do the same or risk losing their contracts with the federal government.
In July 2025, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent a letter to all 50 states, citing safety concerns and urging the removal of “distracting” pavement markings, including non-standard designs like rainbow crosswalks.
As a result, rainbow crosswalks have been removed in several U.S. cities, most notably in Florida and Texas. While some local officials argue the removals are about safety and federal standards, LGBTQ+ advocates view the federal directive as a political tactic intended to erase symbols of LGBTQ pride and visibility.
Over Two Decades of Visibility
The first permanent rainbow crosswalk was installed in 2012 on San Vicente Boulevard in West Hollywood, California. Since then, dozens of cities across the nation and around the world have commissioned local artists to create similar tributes to the LGBTQ+ community. Here in the Bay Area, San Francisco was the first to install multiple permanent rainbow crosswalks in 2014, followed by San Jose in 2016, and the city of San Leandro installed their permanent rainbow crosswalk in 2019.
Oakland previously had two non-permanent rainbow crosswalks painted: the first in front of the White Horse Inn, one of the oldest queer bars in the country; and the second at the former site of Oakland Pride at 20th and Franklin streets. The latter was fading and dug up during a recent major street construction project. Given the recent installation within the Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District, however, Oakland has one of the most visible and vibrant rainbow crosswalks in the region, where similar crosswalks can be found in five of the nine Bay Area counties.
Video of the November 13 ribbon-cutting ceremony and walk may be viewed at: https://bit.ly/4rryiNs
Photos by Nicholas Clemente BFM Boss Formula Media
Horizons Foundation Awards Record-Breaking $1.46 Million in Grants to LGBTQ Nonprofits
Horizons Foundation on December 2, 2025, announced an historic $1.46 million in grant awards to 66 LGBTQ nonprofits and programs across the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area—the largest annual total in the foundation’s 45-year history. Through its flagship Community Issues (CI) Funding Program, Horizons is almost doubling last year’s amount, with half of this year’s awards granted as multi-year awards. This milestone investment underscores Horizons’ long-standing commitment to supporting and sustaining the Bay Area’s LGBTQ nonprofit ecosystem, especially during a period of intensifying political attacks and funding instability.
This year’s grants—all of which fund general operating support—reach all 10 LGBTQ community centers in the Bay Area, alongside dozens of grassroots organizations providing essential services, advocacy, arts and culture, health programs, youth support, trans- and BIPOC-led initiatives, and more. The increased funding reflects the vibrance, complexity, and breadth of the region’s LGBTQ community by spanning diverse demographics, geographies, and service areas.
Responding to a Dangerous Political Climate
For 45 years, Horizons has worked to build and strengthen the Bay Area’s LGBTQ nonprofit ecosystem—an ecosystem that has responded to crises and weathered the AIDS
epidemic, economic downturns, and repeated attempts to undermine LGBTQ rights and freedoms. Today’s political climate, marked by escalating attacks on LGBTQ people and organizations at federal, state, and local levels, poses one of the most significant threats in decades.
“This year’s Community Issues funding reflects a system-wide response to a system-wide crisis,” said Roger Doughty, Horizons Foundation President. “Our community’s nonprofits are facing mounting hostility and ongoing funding disruptions at the very moment their services are most urgently needed. This is what Horizons does best; we ensure that this ecosystem not only survives these attacks, but continues to innovate and thrive.”
“At a time of continued targeting by the Trump administration of the LGBTQ community, Horizons is stepping up with increased investment, demonstrating our commitment to supporting our LGBTQ nonprofits, especially BIPOC- and trans-led groups, communities that are too often overlooked by mainstream philanthropy,” said Joshua Delfin, Horizons Foundation Senior Program Officer. “This funding helps these organizations pay staff, strengthen capacity, and recognize the leadership and labor that keep our communities alive.”
Investing in a Strong, Resilient, and Innovative Future
At this crucial time, Horizons is doubling
down on its commitment to trust-based philanthropy and ensuring that all CI grants in 2025 fund general operating support. This investment reinforces Horizons Foundation’s belief that a strong LGBTQ community requires a strong network of organizations—large and small, urban and rural, longstanding and newly-formed— working together to advance equity, safety, visibility, and wellbeing.
Horizons also implemented major updates this year to the CI Funding Program, notably shifting to a systems-based grantmaking model designed to preserve and sustain the LGBTQ nonprofit landscape. These changes respond directly to the evolving needs and increased targeting of LGBTQ communities by the Trump administration and other hostile policymakers. Additionally, the increase in multi-year grants that make up 50% of the total CI awards demonstrates Horizons’ commitment to providing LGBTQ nonprofits with the opportunity to build and develop critical infrastructure to withstand today’s challenges.
“Demand for our services has skyrocketed, but flexible funding is shrinking,” said Chase Overholt, Executive Director of Positive Images. “This funding helps Positive Images to meet emergent needs and stand firm in our affirming mental health, peer support, and leadership programs for LGBTQIA+ youth and adults across Sonoma County and the North Bay, regions that are often underserved and face heightened isolation
and stigma.”
“With rising anti-immigrant policies and increased asylum denials nationwide, our work is critical to safeguarding the lives of LGBTQ+ people who are fleeing violence and persecution and seeking safety in the United States,” said Kenan Arun, Executive Director of the LGBT Asylum Project.
“This funding allows us to continue providing 100% free legal representation to LGBTQ+ asylum seekers in the Bay Area, ensuring that some of the most vulnerable members of our community receive the protection and due process they deserve.”
“This funding from Horizons Foundation comes at a time when our communities face organized and government-sponsored attacks,” said T. Kebo Drew, CFRE, Managing Director of the Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project (QWOCMAP). “It makes all of the care that we provide to youth—from crisis counselors to accessibility to other support—possible. It is this care that makes our Film & Freedom Academy successful. With this grant, QWOCMAP can deepen this work, which leads youth to feel cared for, important, and empowered.”
Horizons Foundation’s 2025 CI funding demonstrates its commitment to its vision of a world where all LGBTQ people live freely and fully. View the full list of 2025 CI grantee partners at https://bit.ly/4owdSjV
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GLBT Fortnight in Review
By Ann Rostow
Death in Paradise
I couldn’t decide where to start today, but since we’ve been reading about Pete Hegseth ordering U.S. military personnel to make sure every person aboard those boats in the Caribbean are killed, let’s start with him. No, we’re not discussing the war crimes and murders taking place in the islands. We’re talking about “Scouting America,” née Boy Scouts of America, who have reimagined themselves as an organization that not only welcomes gay men and boys, but also opens its arms to girls and transgender kids.
According to a draft memo to lawmakers, leaked to NPR, Hegseth is about to withdraw military participation in the Scouts’ quadrennial Jamboree, even though said participation is legally required by Congress. It is customary for the military to provide logistical support for the event, as well as show off tanks and planes and perform aerial stunts. According to NPR, however, the Secretary of Defense is allowed to skip the Jamboree if he decides somehow that helping out at the Scouts’ big bash would be “detrimental to national security.” Indeed, Hegseth seems prepared to do just that, telling Congress that the retooled Scouts were fostering “gender confusion,” and are not living up to their mission to “cultivate masculine values.”
The relationship between the military and the Scouts is also a two-way street. You can imagine that an Eagle Scout, chest full of badges and ribbons, might find himself attracted to a career in the services and the military recruits in the Scouts. In another memo produced by NPR, Navy Secretary John Phelan warned that dissing the Scouts could prove shortsighted:
“Passive support to Scouting America ... serves as a crucial recruiting and community engagement tool for the [Navy],” Phelan wrote. “Prohibition of access could be detrimental to recruitment and accession efforts across the department.”
I guess a Trumpy spokesperson complained that Hegseth’s unsent memo was “predecisional.” I can’t recall who said that and I’m running late today so I won’t look it up, but it reminds me of the football sportscasters who get so excited they trip over their own tongues and just make up words out of whole cloth.
“Holy cow, Roger! There goes Evans with his legs! He has such comfortability with this offense!”
Fired Gay FBI Trainee Fights Back
I have several updates to previous stories on my list today. Remember the FBI man fired for having a Pride flag in his office two years ago? He’s suing the FBI, the Defense Department, Kash Patel, and Pam Bondi on constitutional grounds. And how about the Texas A&M professor summarily fired for referring to a non-binary purple unicorn in a class on children’s literature? She could be reinstated. Or not. Then there’s the weird story about the lesbian astronaut, whose lover accused her of transferring funds out of their accounts from space. I have the latest!
The big one here is the FBI trainee, David Maltinsky, who filed an 18-page complaint in D.C. federal court on November 26. First of all, I was vague on some details in my original report; Maltinsky was a civilian assistant in the FBI’s Los Angeles office, starting in 2009 when he was not yet 20. After the Pulse shooting, which killed 49 people in Orlando in 2016, Maltinsky volunteered to run an outreach program for the bureau, and, in 2019, he won the Director’s Award for Outstanding Service in Diversity and Inclusion. In 2021, it was Maltinsky who lent his own rainbow flag to the field office where it was raised for Pride month. Later, the assistant head of the Los Angeles field office presented the flag back to Maltinsky, who put it on the wall of his office space, along with trinkets and whathaveyou.
After Trump was elected, someone in the office complained about the flag, and Maltinsky checked with his supervisor who gave him the green light to keep it up. In June, Maltinsky left California to train as an FBI agent at Quantico. He finished 16 of 19 weeks when he was summarily fired by Kash Patel because of the “political signage” he displayed at his desk in Los Angeles. The signage, as we just noted, was formally returned to him by the FBI and approved for display by an FBI supervisor.
Maltinsky’s lawsuit alleges violations of his First Amendment rights to free expression and accuses the authorities of viewpoint discrimination. While the “political signage” implied by the rainbow flag was grounds for dismissal, various rightwing symbols were fine, including something described in the complaint as “Punisher iconography.” I just checked, and the Punisher is a violent vigilante comic character who sports a skull on his chest and kills bad guys. The Punisher’s skull has been adopted by those in the military and law enforcement who want to project a hyper-masculine tough guy image, and, as much as the rainbow is associated with left-wing politics, so the Punisher’s ties are to the political far right. Kash Patel even gives out a challenge coin with the Punisher skull, which would count as political signage in my book.
Maltinsky also charges the defendants with violation of his right to Equal Protection due to the FBI’s obvious discrimination against gay men and lesbians. In an interview, Maltinsky confirmed that the news of his firing traveled fast and that his fellow GLBT FBI employees hustled to put away any sign of their sexual orientation, a retreat back to the closet that we wouldn’t have thought possible just a year ago.
Useless Tips Department
Before we see what happened with the astronaut, I just scanned a New York Times article about the warning signs for heart attacks. I get these health-related emails and texts all the time and ignore them. But you know me. If it has a New York Times byline, I’m reading it!
It turned out that the article was written in
(continued on page 20)
Castro Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony 2025
Drag legend and San Francisco Bay Times columnist Donna Sachet hosted the Castro Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony on December 1, 2025, at the Bank of America Plaza at 501 Castro Street. Made possible through the Castro Merchants Association and the generosity of benefactors, the district’s festive tree officially marked the beginning of the holiday season in the Castro.
The San Francisco Chronicle recently named the Castro Holiday Tree one of the season’s best light displays in the city. Still more holiday lighting celebrations are scheduled in the coming days. Learn more at https://bit.ly/44DsmqQ
The Empresses of San Francisco held their holiday Bake Sale in the party room at Lookout the night before Thanksgiving, raising money for their annual awards and sisterhood activities. This charming, old- fashioned fundraiser demonstrates the culinary talents of some Empresses and the creativity of others, while providing some delectable baked goods at great prices. This event was created by Absolute Empress L Khmera Rouge, but was picked up by Absolute Empress LI Emma Peel this year.
By Donna Sachet
One of the most unique annual galas takes place in Golden Gate Park. As the sun slowly sets, candles and other recessed lighting appear in the AIDS Memorial Grove, where attendees linger quietly at the Circle of Friends and then wind their way through picturesque pathways to a huge tent enclosing food, wine, and an inspiring program. This is how the AIDS Memorial Grove marks another year of loss, remembrance, and hope. As the representative for Gilead said when accepting an award for her company, “San Francisco turned grief into activism.” Our response to the rapidly spreading pandemic of AIDS became the national and then international model.
Respected activist Race Bannon accepted the Lifetime of Commitment Award with humility and candor. Surely this year’s record attendance reflected how much the community honors him. And Sister Roma, splendid in white, was a fabulous emcee, guiding us through the program with wisdom and humor. Finally, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi was introduced and the crowd listened in hushed anticipation. This friend of our community and national leader has done more than any other individual to focus attention on AIDS and its many consequences, making this single issue the first she raised in D.C. and never abandoning her commitment. Hearing her speak at this beautiful event was like having a one-on-one conversation over a dinner table ... direct, personal, and punctuated with humor. As we all scattered into the night, we took with us the powerful words of all the speakers and a renewed dedication to doing our part, caring for our neighbor, speaking up for those without a voice, and simply exercising kindness.
Thursday, December 4
Drag on Ice
Union Square Ice Rink
6:30 pm Free!
https://bit.ly/4ixlqS4
Saturday, December 6
Last Call at Maud’s Award-winning film
Roxie Theater, 3117 16th Street
3:40 pm $15 & up
Followed by reception at Rikki’s 2223 Market Street
https://roxie.com/
Monday, December 8
World Tree of Hope
Lighting
Rainbow World Fund
“It’s not what’s under the tree that matters, but who’s gathered around it.”
A Charlie Brown Christmas holiday card
May that spirit infuse your holiday season and lift you up throughout the new year!
Donna Sachet is a celebrated performer, fundraiser, activist, and philanthropist who has dedicated over two decades to the LGBTQ Community in San Francisco. Contact her at empsachet@gmail.com
Grace Cathedral, Nob Hill
Hosted by Donna Sachet
SF Boys Choir, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence 6:30 pm Free! www.rainbowfund.org
Tuesday & Wednesday, December 9 & 10
Songs of the Season
Produced by Brian Kent & Donna Sachet
Holiday cabaret benefiting PRC
Feinstein’s at Hotel Nikko 222 Mason Street 7:30 pm $50 & up www.prcsf.org/songs
Friday, December 12
Toast to the Season
San Francisco Bay Times & Golden Gate Business Association Holiday party
Emcees Donna Sachet and Aaron Boot-Haury
With Juan Torres, the SF Pride Band, Kippy Marks, and DJ Lady Ryan
Bar, food, entertainment, silent auction
SF LGBT Community Center
1800 Market Street 6–10 pm $10 https://bit.ly/48f4Umb
Friday & Saturday, December 12 & 13 Holiday Spectacular SF Gay Men’s Chorus concerts
Gate Theatre 1 Taylor Street 7:30 pm & 1 pm
Saturday, December 13
Saturday, December 13
or Nice
Tuesday, December 16
Saturday, December 20
Imperial Holiday Drag Show Beaux 2344 Market Street 4–7 pm Free! www.sfimperialcouncil.org
Sunday, December 21
Sunday’s a Drag Holiday spectacular Donna Sachet & friends return
PHOTO
Emcee Donna Sachet with author Mark Abramson on Monday evening, December 1, celebrating the annual Castro Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony sponsored by the Castro Merchants Association
ABRAMSON
October, but, for some reason, it popped onto my reading horizon just now, when I learned that, according to Dr. Seth Martin of Johns Hopkins, the most obvious signs are chest pains.
“Some people may interpret those symptoms as heartburn,” said Martin. But heartburn tends to have “a burning quality, which is different than a pressure, squeezing, or fullness,” he explained. But those differences aren’t “a foolproof test,” he noted unhelpfully. If the pain lasts for a few minutes, or repeatedly goes away and comes back, the Times explains, Martin tells us to “take that very seriously and seek help.”
Another doctor reports that unexplained tiredness is another bad omen. This doctor’s own father had a heart attack and died in 1984, and his symptom was fatigue. And then it’s back to Martin, who says that over 20 percent of heart attacks have no symptoms at all, or might look like the flu or indigestion. Thanks, Doc.
I had two middle-aged male friends who cheated death earlier this year by going to the hospital (at their husbands’ insistence) where it became clear that they had had a heart attack or were in the middle of one. Both guys had classic symptoms, but both were reluctant to seek help. As for me and my female friends, our symptoms are even less recognizable than those of the guys. Do you think we’re calling 911 for heartburn? Hell no, we’re hitting the Tums bottle and probably kicking the bucket in our sleep. Because we’re inexplicably tired as well.
Long Road to Justice
Having just refreshed my memory, I’m not sure the lesbian astronaut story is that big of a deal. But it’s too late to stop now. The moving finger has writ. As I now recall, the astronaut, Colonel Anne McClain, was on the International Space Station for a period of months in 2019, during which time she did some routine banking on behalf of herself and her ex, Summer Heather Worden. The women’s finances were intertwined, and McClain was the one in charge, but although McClain had all the passwords and was not doing anything unusual, Worden accused her of infiltrating her personal bank account for nefarious purposes. It was pretty clear from the start that Worden was a Lesbian Behaving Badly, which is why it became a non-story.
Now, however, Worden has pled guilty to some felony or other and will face a sentence of up to five years and/or a fine of up to $250,000. I gather she admitted that she lied back in 2020, which makes us all wonder what the hell has been going on for the last six years. Has she been in jail? Has she been stalling? Did people just forget about her? Do we care? That’s the real question and our answer is no.
And, in our final update, a committee at Texas A&M has ruled that the university violated its own procedures when it summarily fired Melissa McCoul, a lecturer in the English department who was videoed during a discussion of a non-binary children’s lit character. One of the students, a simpering idiot if you watch the video, points out that,
since our President Donald Trump has ordered that there only be two genders, the teacher might be breaking the law by discussing the unicorn? Note that there are no laws against teaching about non-binary fictional characters and no such policies that would forbid such a thing at A&M or any other university. As such, the in-house committee noted that McCoul was essentially fired without cause, and should be reinstated.
McCoul would not have been fired in the first place were it not for a rabid state legislator who saw the video, spread it around, and led the Governor of Texas to insist that McCoul lose her post. Eventually, in a series of events that elude me, the president of the university was seemingly forced to fire McCoul, but then resigned suddenly without much explanation. That is another mystery we will not be pursuing.
Since the committee recommendation is advisory, it’s not clear what will happen. The new president, Tommy Williams, will decide shortly. Meanwhile, McCoul is suing the school, and I imagine the committee report will add fuel to her fire.
Did you hear the one about the Aggie who tried to sky dive but was having trouble with the ripcord? He was plummeting to Earth when he saw another Aggie shooting past him going up.
“Hey!” he yelled. “Do you know anything about parachutes?”
“No!” shouted the other Aggie. “Do you know anything about gas stoves?”
My mother told me that one. She and my father taught at the University of Texas for over thirty years, which is where my Longhorn loyalty comes from. You may have noticed Texas beat the undefeated rival Texas A&M football team last Friday.
What? You didn’t notice? I’m astonished. When my mother died, UT Austin lowered all its flags to half-staff.
And why does a grown man still call himself “Tommy?”
Marriage Equality Creeping Into Eastern Europe
I was going to expound on a ruling from the European Court of Something Something, that said all EU countries must recognize the status of same-sex couples, whether married or in a civil union, even if such a status is not available at home. It’s a European version of the 2014 Windsor ruling in the U.S., which struck the Defense of Marriage Act and made our marriages legal throughout the country regardless of state law.
But, this being the European Union, the ruling is not necessarily legally binding, which is why I’m not bothering to take it seriously or to take the professional care that might require, um, looking up the actual name of the Court. I’ve mentioned before that I find EU rules and regulations a little Kafka-esque, although this is to be expected in a patchwork quilt of nations versus a union of associated states.
Okay, it’s the European Court of Justice, ruling in a case out of Poland where two men got married in Germany but could not register as married at home in Poland. Reuters called the decision “binding” in one sentence, but elsewhere said the men’s lawyer “thought” the ruling was binding and said they would see what the Polish authorities did with it. I shouldn’t be so cynical. This Court outshines ours at the moment, and even non-binding decisions settle into law in time.
arostow@aol.com
Conducting Sing for the Cure at Lincoln Center
TLC: Tears, Laughs and Conversation
Dr. Tim Seelig
Just when you think you’ve checked something big off your bucket list, the universe tosses in a few more. My current earworm is that old song, “There’s a hole in my bucket, dear Liza.” I don’t know who Liza is and the lyrics are not supposed to be, “There’s a hole in my bucket list.” But my bucket appears to be a sieve.
The thing that was checked off the list happened the weekend of November 23, 2025, in New York City. It was one thrill after another. This was not a casual jaunt to the Big Apple. It was a weekend that a small band of us had been quietly, and sometimes loudly, preparing for over two years. OK, make that 25.
In 2023, I innocently sent a short text to my friend Gary Rifkin, asking whether he thought there might be interest in commemorating the 25th anniversary of a huge work we had commissioned in 2000. He texted back, “Sure.” With that deceptively simple reply, off we went. There were six of us, five of whom had been on the original commissioning committee all those years ago. A reunion was baked right into the dream. They were Gary, Kim Wisdom, Colleen Darraugh, Peter Anderson, Dan England, and this feller named Tim. One of the biggest tasks was raising tens of thousands of dollars to make sure people who couldn’t afford the
trip had a source for some scholarship help as well as hiring some of the most talented people on earth to play, sing, narrate.
The anticipation? Epic. The result? Epicer! [sic] But what unfolded that weekend far exceeded even our wildest imaginings. We gathered to honor the 25th anniversary of the world premiere of Sing for the Cure, the choral symphony about breast cancer. Its subtitle, “A Proclamation of Hope,” has carried thousands of singers and audience members through some of the most difficult seasons of their lives. Since its birth in 2000, it has been performed around the globe, including in San Francisco last month.
If you would like to know more about bucket lists or Sing for the Cure, please check out these articles in my column in the San Francisco Bay Times: https://bit.ly/48kNXXH and https://bit.ly/4opWQ6Y
For nearly two years we’d been assembling singers for this moment. Finally, on Friday, November 21, 190 people walked into a rehearsal room at Fordham University Lincoln Center. Many had been friends for much more than 25 years. Others were meeting for the first time. Emotions were palpable. The singers flipped open their scores, used tablets, or sang from memory. Regardless, we were literally on the same page as we sang the first notes—joining voices and hearts.
We opened with lyrics from the final movement: “We are one voice. We will not be silent ’til the ribbons that we wear wave like banners in the air.” At the world premiere, those ribbons had been half pink for breast cancer awareness and half red for AIDS awareness, providing a reminder of how layered our shared history is. We were reminded that we were not just singing about breast cancer, or cancer, but the cancer present in our country. It added poignance to every note we sang.
The rehearsals filled the entire weekend as piece by piece snapped into place and the singers became a choir. Before we knew it, we were standing on the stage of the breathtakingly beautiful David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center. It has undergone a $500 million renovation. The chairs are fabulous! On stage were a massive chorus, a full orchestra, soloists, and narrators. Speaking of narrators, ours was Dallas actor Denise Lee and her daughter, Traci, now performing on Broadway. They knocked it way out of the park. The final ingredient was the icing on the musical cake: an electric audience that filled the hall. It was more than a concert; it was the culmination of decades of work and love from thousands of people. It was a homecoming, a celebration of art, memory, and survival.
Every single singer who traveled, literally from all corners of the world, had their own
(continued on page 22)
Dr. Tim Seelig on stage at Lincoln Center with the Sing for the Cure company
Dr. Tim Seelig at the Lincoln Center podium
Dr. Tim Seelig (right) with his husband, singer/ songwriter Bobby Jo Valentine
Dr. Tim Seelig and Stephen Schwartz
Photos courtesy of Dr. Tim Seelig
Dr. Tim Seelig in front of the entrance to David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center
The Sing for the Cure company outside of Lincoln Center
deeply personal reason for coming. Many had lost loved ones to breast cancer or other cancers. Many were breast cancer survivors themselves. Pamela Tomlinson’s lyrics are so exquisitely crafted and the ten composers set them so perfectly that, in many cases, your only job is to open your mouth and let the magic happen.
Because it was New York City, the weekend wasn’t only about Sing for the Cure. For Bobby Jo and me, it became a deeply personal experience wrapped in all the magic NYC insists on offering its guests. Between rehearsals we did what one does in New York: squeezed in shows, ate lots of amazing food, soaked in the city, and had tea with Stephen Schwartz.
Yes. That Stephen Schwartz. I dropped that in as if it were a normal Monday activity. Not so much.
Stephen has been a friend for over 13 years since the first piece he wrote for the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus: Testimony. Over the years, SFGMC commissioned multiple works from him, and he has remained a cherished collaborator. I let him know we were in town, and he said, “Come over to my apartment. I’ll make you a cup of tea.” Of course, we accepted the invitation. We’d just seen his latest musical, The Queen of Versailles, starring another friend, Kristin Chenoweth. We loved it.
Sitting in Stephen’s apartment, we chatted about music, legacy, the future, and, yes, three potential new projects. Hopefully you will get to see the projects come to fruition over the next couple of years. Of course, I’ll write about them.
Then we talked about Bobby’s music, how more of the world might experience it, and what’s next for him. Ending the weekend visiting with one of the giants of our field felt both surreal and the natural culmination of many years working together and nurturing a friendship. Stephen was instrumental in helping me through the death of my daughter. I will always be grateful to him for that. His words are with me today. He is one of the most generous people with his time and talent I have ever known. Did we get a selfie with our tea? Heavens no. How tacky would that be?
This article could go on and on, and, believe me, the weekend provided enough stories to fill a book. I’ll leave that to another time. This proclamation of hope happened at a time we needed it most.
The concert is currently streaming online and will remain available on YouTube through December 26, 2025: https://bit.ly/4iuJV23
Dr. Tim Seelig is the Conductor Laureate of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. http://www.timseelig.com/
Drag Story Hour Celebrates 10 Years of Stories, Glitter, and Community
Ten years ago, a spark of glitter and imagination lit up the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL)—and Drag Story Hour (DSH) was born. Soon, that spark will return home. On Sunday, December 14, 2025, there will be a full day of stories, songs, crafts, performances, and magical surprises at the SFPL Main Branch during the celebration of ten years of storytelling, creativity, and queer joy. Come sing, dance, and create alongside the original storytellers and the new voices who have carried DSH across the world. The event is free. To register, go to: https://bit.ly/48nvsjW
A Movement Born in San Francisco
Drag Story Hour was created in 2015 by writer Michelle Tea and RADAR Productions, under the leadership of Julián Delgado Lopera and Virgie Tovar. What began as drag queens reading books to children in libraries quickly blossomed into a global phenomenon.
Today, DSH programs are led by drag queens, kings, and all royal beings, offering literary and creative programming for kids and audiences of all ages. Over the past decade, what started in San Francisco has grown into a national nonprofit with an international network of local chapters— each independently run yet united by the mission to inspire imagination, self-expression, and acceptance.
Celebrating with Icons and Trailblazers
This anniversary event will reunite original storytellers from the Bay Area, including beloved local icon Per Sia, the very first drag queen to read for Drag Story Hour. Storytellers from founding chapters across the country, including representatives from Indigenous Drag Story Hour, will also join
the festivities, making this celebration a once-in-a-decade gathering of DSH’s most dazzling voices.
On October 29, Mayor Lurie named Per Sia as San Francisco’s second drag laureate, serving as an ambassador for the Art of Drag performance, San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ culture and community, and the city’s nightlife and entertainment scene. The San Francisco Drag Laureate position grew out of the city’s LGBTQ+ cultural heritage strategy, a community-driven effort to honor legacy, nurture well-being, promote economic opportunity, and ensure the longevity of San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ community.
“As San Francisco’s Drag Laureate, Per Sia will lead the way for new representation that uplifts and highlights the storied drag history of our city and the significant contributions of the trans and entire LGBTQ+ community to San Francisco,” said Mayor Lurie. “Our city is known all over the world as a place where people are allowed to be who they want to be, love who they want to love, and live the lives they choose without fear of persecution. I look forward to working with Per Sia to support and celebrate our LGBTQ+ community.”
“As a trans educator and drag performer, I’ve faced many challenges, but this city has
given me the freedom to be fully myself,” said Per Sia. “Despite the chaos in the world, I promise to keep bringing joy, queer joy, all the joy, through drag and storytelling. I want to celebrate the drag community that has uplifted, inspired, and carried me. Can’t wait to get to work! Just wait and see!”
See Per Sia along with other Drag Story Hour luminaries at the 10th Anniversary celebration on December 14. For more information: https://bit.ly/4pcusX3
100 Nights of Hero Is a Fabulous Queer Feminist Fairytale
Queer writer/director Julia Jackson (Bonus Track) has crafted a stylish and clever queer romance with 100 Nights of Hero. The film, opening in area theatres December 5 and adapted from Isabel Greenberg’s graphic novel, The One Hundred Nights of Hero, is set in a fictional medieval land where a woman’s place is to marry and have sons, not to read or write.
This arch film recounts the story of Cherry (Malika Monroe), who is being pressured to have a son with her husband, Jerome (Amir El-Masry). Alas, Jerome “prefers to hunt and ride, and play darts with his handsome friends rather than spend time in the bedroom with his wife.” Enter Manfred (Nicholas Galitzine), a rake who bets
Jerome that he can seduce Cherry, whom Jerome insists is a “paragon of virtue.” One obstacle to Manfred’s plan is Cherry’s handmaiden, Hero (Emma Corrin), who is happy to distract Manfred by telling stories. The storywithin-the-film is a feminist tale about Rosa (Charli XCX) resisting a marriage.
100 Nights of Hero has great fun as Hero teaches Cherry how to kiss and Manfred tries to weasel his way into Cherry’s bedroom. The costumes and set design are fabulous and the cast delivers the witty dialogue with aplomb. Jackson spoke with me for the San Francisco Bay Times about making her fabulous fairytale.
Gary M. Kramer: The film is about women telling stories to save themselves and start a revolution. What can you say about (re)telling the stories in 100 Nights of Hero?
Julia Jackson: Creating this impression of a population that has been waiting for a spark for a long time is a challenge. I loved this idea of Isabel taking inspiration from One Thousand and One Nights, and making this graphic novel, and I took inspiration from that and made a film. There is a progression of stories of women talking to each other and essentially comparing notes. The thread for me was how crucial it is to keep communicating with each other in a world that doesn’t necessarily want people to be sharing or controlling information.
Gary M. Kramer: What approach did you take to adapting the beloved graphic novel?
Julia Jackson: Preserving the heart of the graphic novel—its playfulness and its revolutionary heart—was really important to me. The novel was quite anthological. I ended up fleshing out much of the main storyline. You spend less time with Cherry and Hero and Manfred in the graphic novel. They are fixed in their roles; Cherry and Hero are already a secret couple and Manfred is an old, dastardly villain. In the spirit of Isabel’s sense of camp, I leaned into this fluidity, and how much society tries to impose these structures. The most macho men have an air of homoeroticism and attraction between them.
Cherry and Hero’s love story and intimacy was incredibly important, but I wanted to start them in that classic queer coming of age state, where you have this best friend whom you think is incredible and beautiful, and you want to spend all your time with them but you don’t recognize that feeling as being in love until later—especially in a world that tells you that it is wrong, or forbidden. But the forbidden-ness can make it more exciting and scarier. This queer forbidden love has intimacy first that builds to attraction and queer yearning and the feeling of not even allowing yourself to want something because you are so sure you can’t have it. That was where I wanted them to start—in love and in denial as opposed to fully together.
Gary M. Kramer: What decisions did you make with creating the tone of the film?
Julia Jackson: That was something that is different on screen. It was present in the graphic novel. Isabel had this playfulness and wit to her writing that was often quite deadpan, so, by the time the sincerity and emotion and anger came in, you felt that it snuck up on you in this way. It has always been a tricky tone—as in challenging, as in tricky, where what you think you are watching changes throughout. I leaned into that and the idea that Hero takes this direction, if the story itself is about this underestimated person lulling people into a scenario by appealing to what they think it’s going to be. Isabel’s graphic novel has that meta element, but it was definitely pumped up in the film. You have this feeling it’s going to be this really steamy love triangle. Manfred thinks he’s going to seduce this woman and keep a castle and he’s just listening to another woman talking. There is that slipperiness intrinsic in the scheme as well.
Gary M. Kramer: The film has a distinctive look, with amazing costumes, set design, and imagery. Can you talk about the world-building?
Julia Jackson: Obviously massive kudos to Susie Coulthard and Sophia Sacomani, our costumes and production designer, respectively, and to Paul Rice, our visual effects supervisor who created the stained glass and the moons. The costumes were custom-made by Susie and her team. I had a mood board, and my main inspiration was the silly hats, which were camp and pointed to this idea of the theatricality of roles people are expected to play in society. But I wanted it to feel a little bit more out of time and more gothic than the graphic novel. It was interesting to see what was possible. (continued on page 42)
Film
Gary M. Kramer
Jay Kelly, George Clooney, and Superstar Hell
Off the Wahl
Jan Wahl
Imagine being George Clooney. Hundreds of scripts are sent to you, you are mobbed everywhere, and you completely lose your privacy. Yes, there are money and many perks, but there’s the emptiness inside. That is what Clooney’s new movie Jay Kelly explores. Clooney stars as himself, a superstar searching for meaning behind the glitz and glamour. He travels through Europe with his manager, played with puppy dog sadness by Adam Sandler. Together, they reflect on their life choices, legacies, and relationships. This goes on and on, with the movie being at least a half hour too long. But there is one idea that has me fascinated.
I grew up with famous people in West Los Angeles. Many of them, parents of my childhood friends, seem to confuse paid loyalty with caring and affection. I always thought of the phrase “he’s like an empty suit” fitting this situation. Though most people look at movie stars with envy, the actors themselves are often searching inside for meaning in their lives. While trying to journey to a big movie tribute to his greatness, Jay Kelly wanders through long hallways of darkness and desperation. This is what Clooney and writer/director Noah Baumbach are trying to make clear. Chasing the dream of fame and fortune, then living it, can be unfulfilling. But then is this movie worth seeing? I think it is, but look at it like this: as a chance to walk on the boulevard of broken dreams.
A fun way out of this darkness is a double feature: Wicked and Wicked:
For Good. See them on the big screen for the gorgeous sets, costumes, and music. The new film is fun, better than the last one, and a reminder that, when Hollywood goes full-on about storytelling, it is joyful and a blast. So, then it is time for home and the DVD of 2016’s Women Who Run Hollywood featuring Ida Lupino, Mary Pickford, and, my favorite, Dorothy Arzner, who was a pioneer director and queer activist. At the end of a long career, she became a film professor at the University of Southern California, where she instructed a young Steven Spielberg on cinematic storytelling. I hope someday she is on our Rainbow Walk of Fame!
Don’t Miss The Great Dickens Christmas Fair!
It is time to get in the holiday mood and this year’s The Great Dickens Christmas Fair is better than ever. I go every year and absolutely love it. Four acres of the Cow Palace come alive to transport guests to Victorian England. It is a truly wonderful experience that you should add to your December calendar, since it only lasts until December 21. For tickets and more information: https://dickensfair.com/
Jan Wahl is a Hollywood historian and film critic on various broadcast outlets. She has two Emmys and many awards for her longtime work on behalf of film buffs and the LGBTQ community. Contact her at www.janwahl.com
Leave Signs
Jewelle Gomez
Years ago, a dear friend, Gary Page, who left this plane to become stardust, introduced me to the British TV series Doctor Who. Broadcast since 1963, it cleverly utilizes the idea of regeneration so that the same doctor character can be occupied by a series of actors over time as he travels the universe. I started watching in the Christopher Eccleston era, where he played the ninth incarnation, and I’ve continued through the subsequent five regenerations.
The theme song is not that catchy and the special effects are cozy rather than terrifying or awesome (except for the angels). But the point of the show is how we respond to terrors; how we treat each other and “the other.” Doctor #10 (David Tennent) says, “You want weapons? We’re in a library. Books are the best weapons in the world,” certifying the humanist approach the creators and writers of the series have maintained. Each doctor and the chosen traveling companion(s) has a quirky way of representing or expressing the humanist philosophy, and, until doctors #12, #13,
Jewelle Gomez Is There a Doctor in the House?
and #14, it seemed like fans of the show were, if not believers in humanism, were at least open and interested in it.
There were many signs along the way of the creators being ahead of the heteronormative and gynophobic curve. This included Captain Jack Harkness (portrayed by gay actor John Barrowman), who is a seductive, piratical bisexual who has eternal life. He was introduced in 2005 and appeared in several episodes before he was given his own show, Torchwood
Madame Vastra (played by Neve McIntosh) was also introduced in 2005. She is a lizard-like woman who is perhaps as old (several thousand years) and powerful as the doctor. She mostly resides in Victorian London with her wife, Jenny. Her discussion of what it means to wear a veil is a psychological and emotional marvel (Season 8 Episode 1).
Introduction of the 12th, 13th, and 14th doctors apparently threw many fans out of orbit. The 12th doctor (Peter Capaldi) is older, has gray hair, and is Scottish. Unlike the dashing “boy-bandish” previous three doctors, he has a mature, world weariness that is only relieved in the period when his traveling companion is Bill, an ebullient lesbian of color who is killed off too early.
With the introduction of a female doctor (lucky) #13 (Jodie Whittaker) and then
a Black, gay doctor #14 (Ncuti Gatwa), many Whovians lost their collective cool. It was disheartening to read so many fans complain about how impossible it was for a woman or a Black man to play the doctor; how it was ruining the franchise. It is a show about a several thousand-year-old alien who time travels in an antique police box, people!
Top of your stack
Dog Show (poetry - hardcover) by Billy Collins
Former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins brings us a collection of poems about our lovely canine companions. Full of wit and humor, these poems capture the complexities of our dog friends and the emotions they evoke in us. This is the perfect gift for the dog lover in your life.
Breath Of The Gods (non-fictionhardcover) by Simon Winchester
Simon Winchester graces us with an intriguing history of wind. With atmospheric scientists predicting an increase in wind intensity in the future, there are those who fear the damage this will cause and those who see it as a blessing, bringing more clean energy. Winchester details this unseen force in our everyday lives.
Doctor Who writers were experimenting with new things, so, maybe because doctors #13 and #14 did not experience the same traditional regeneration process used with the earlier doctors, fans never bonded with the actors. Many long-time fans turned away when the doctor no longer looked like them or resembled the boy they wanted to have a crush on. This demand for hetero/ethnic/gendered primacy in the 21st century among speculative fiction fans is a grave disappointment. It is as if fans turned up at a reading from my vampire novel wearing MAGA hats.
One of the reasons I write speculative fiction is because it invites the opportunity to imagine people acting better. Ever since Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, the first science fiction novel, speculative fiction in all its forms has offered non-traditional perspectives on our lives and what we might do to improve the world. The villagers gang up against Shelley’s monster with blazing torches to destroy it because they are afraid Shelley is reminding us of what fear and ignorance can do to good people.
Some Doctor Who fans remain enraged at the evolution of the doctor and refuse to watch as the show continues to explore new worlds and new doctors. Such peevishness reminds me of something the doctor said: “Anger is the shortest distance to a mistake.”
Jewelle Gomez is a lesbian/feminist activist, novelist, poet, and playwright. She’s written for “The Advocate,” “Ms. Magazine,” “Black Scholar,” “The San Francisco Chronicle,” “The New York Times,” and “The Village Voice.” Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @VampyreVamp
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOOK PASSAGE
Convent Wisdom (non-fiction - hardcover) by Ana Garriga and Carmen Urbita
This unconventional self-help book by friends Ana Garriga and Carmen Urbita dives into the lives of 16th and 17th century nuns in order to help solve 21st century problems. Convent Wisdom is a mix of personal anecdotes, pop culture references, and meticulously researched history. It’s fun, witty, and a great time.
Upcoming Events
Saturday, December 6 @ 1 pm (non-ticketedCorte Madera store) Cara Black, author of Huguette San Franciscan author Cara Black’s new novel, Huguette, follows a young woman in post-WWII France. After losing everything during the war, Huguette must reinvent herself. With the help of a police officer named Claude Leduc, she lands a job working for a film director.
Sunday, December 7 @ 4 pm (non-ticketed - Corte Madera store) Beth Pratt author of Yosemite Wildlife: The Wonder of Animal Life in California’s Sierra Nevada
Yosemite Wildlife is a beautiful book strictly focused on the amazing plants and animals of Yosemite. It is a celebration of Yosemite told through photographs, essays, and archival notes. It offers an engaging insight that is accessible for those eager to learn, along with scientists studying the area.
Tuesday, December 16 @ 6 pm (ticketedCorte Madera store) Guy Kawasaki, author of Wiser Guy: Life-Changing Revelations and Revisions from Tech’s Chief Evangelist
The Silicon Valley icon Guy Kawasaki, who brought us Wise Guy, returns with more stories in Wiser Guy. Bringing insight and wisdom gained over the last five years, Kawasaki through his collection of stories will guide readers to a more impactful and meaningful life. https://www.bookpassage.com
Ludwig Viktor: Lavender Royalty and Elegance
Faces from Our LGBT Past
Dr. Bill Lipsky
Unlike many of the kings, queens, and princes of Europe throughout its long history of monarchy, Archduke Ludwig Viktor of Austria (1842–1919) declined an arranged marriage for either dynastic or strategic reasons. In fact, he declined to be married at all. An imperial wedding between him and one of his beloveds in Vienna’s great St. Stephen’s Cathedral was inconceivable, violating both ecclesiastical and civil law. Any domestic union he might have been willing to enter was illegal in Austria until 2019, exactly 100 years after his death.
Not every princess bride-to-be considered him a desirable romantic partner, either. Reporting about “Life in Vienna” in its February 15, 1880, issue, the San Francisco Chronicle wrote, “The Archduke is not a handsome man; he has the unfortunate ‘used-up look’ of a fast liver.” An “old French Marquise” described him as “a
charming man, but c’est un chat qui a beaucoup couru les toits [this is a cat who has run across a lot of roofs].” She did say whose roofs they were.
Even so, the Chronicle explained that while “he is not tall,” he is “well formed, and the Field-Marshal uniform becomes him well. His mustache covers the too sensual lips of the Hapsburg physiognomy, and the carefully parted and curled blonde hair is most becomingly brushed back from a superb forehead which denotes nobility and intellect, both of which qualities he possesses, if the assertions of the exquisitely beautiful danseuses and gay Countesses can be relied upon.” As “an ardent lover of the ballet,” he was known well by them.
Among his finer qualities, the Chronicle concluded, was his ability to mind his own business, “a business which no one has a right to meddle with, no matter however spicy some of the revelations might be.” Whatever the newspaper might have been hinting at, it was an open secret that, although he was a General of the Infantry, with a regiment named for him, and a Knight of the Golden Fleece, the Archduke would rather be with a man in uniform than simply be a man in uniform.
Ludwig Viktor was especially well known for his ‘‘unnatural affections” for military officers. According to one story among many, when staying at Schloss Klessheim, his magnificent summer palace near Salzburg, he would invite some of the men stationed nearby to enjoy his swimming pool. Unfortunately, he never provided bathing suits. No one dared insult the emperor’s brother by not joining him in the water, so they swam in the nude. As soon as senior staff heard of these goings on, all future invitations were respectfully declined.
censorship kept his truth from everyone else. Samesex intimacy was illegal throughout the vast Austro-Hungarian Empire, punishable by a prison sentence of up to five years, but it was the exalted will of Emperor Franz Joseph I (1830–1916), that Luziwuzi, as he was known affectionately to his family, be protected. As long as he maintained an outward appearance of propriety and his “indiscretions” did not create a public scandal, he was free to do as he pleased.
Unlike his brothers, Ludwig Viktor “took no interest in politics.” Instead, he preferred socializing, culture, and philanthropy. He became a devoted patron of the arts, amassing an important collection of paintings, porcelain, furniture, silver, jewelry, miniatures, decorative boxes, and books; the auction to sell them after his death spanned 54 days. He also created a personal salon at the Palais Erzherzog, his home in Vienna, inviting composers, painters, writers, and other innovators to discuss everything from music, theater, and literature, to fashion, interior decoration, and photography.
The Archduke “was famous for his love of male beauty” only among the privileged; strict government
The Archduke also hosted grand social events, elegant dinners, costume balls, and “private theatricals,” often appearing in women’s clothing. With his wealth and imperial privilege, he lived openly, according to historian Edward Shawcross, as “a homosexual and cross-dresser with a reputation as a libertine.” Years later, even so distinguished a personage as Princess Eleonora von Fugger-Babenhausen (1864–1945) would only hint at his true sexuality publicly, using coded language to describe him vaguely as “completely different from his brothers, adept at neither military nor artistic matters, puny, unmanly, affected.”
After it opened in 1889, the Zentralbad—an exclusive bath house then considered to be one of the world’s finest—was frequented by Ludwig Viktor. On a visit in 1904, according to Princess Eleonora, “A real scandal came to pass: a brawl in a public baths. It was said that the Archduke had his ears boxed and been forced to take to his heels.” Apparently, he had “tried to establish closer contact with an attractive young man,” an officer “none too flattered by his advances,” who, inconceivably, slapped his face.
Newspapers all over the world reported the incident, although propriety forbade them from including any of the tawdrier details. In its February 14, 1904, issue, the San Francisco Examiner wrote about an unprecedented occurrence “in which the Archduke played the main part about two weeks ago.” The paper let its readers know that “the brother of the Austrian Emperor received a severe thrashing at the hands of a man whom he had grossly insulted in a public bath at Vienna. The man was arrested, but immediately liberated.”
Unflattering reports about the incident simply could not be contained. Months later, on May 9, 1904, the Tacoma Times was more specific, but less accurate. “He has been guilty of low dissipation,” it reported, “recently thrashed by the father of a lad he had led into debauchery. His magnificent palaces have been confiscated and sold, the proceeds going to charity.” Although that was not so, Ludwig clearly had disgraced the dynasty publicly, the unforgivable offense. There was some good news, however. “He is a bachelor, so his disgrace involves no women.”
“This scandalous affair was reported to the Emperor,” wrote the Princess, “naturally in the most lurid colors.” He may have quipped that his wayward brother “should be assigned a ballerina as an aide-decamp, to keep him out of trouble,” but he was “utterly outraged” by Ludwig Viktor’s very public violation of imperial dignity. He banished Luziwuzi “immediately and permanently to Schloss Klessheim,” where he spent the rest of his life, a life he chose to live always as his authentic self.
Bill Lipsky, Ph.D., author of “LGBTQ+ Trailblazers of San Francisco” (2023) and “Gay and Lesbian San Francisco” (2006), is a member of the Rainbow Honor Walk board of directors.
Archduke Ludwig Viktor of Austria
Photo of Archduke Ludwig Viktor and dog by Giuseppe Malovich, est. 1865
Portrait of Archduke Ludwig Viktor by Heinrich von Angeli, 1874
Let’s Go Home!
A Newly Single Handsome Bunny and a Sweet, Smart Husky Mix
Here are two of the many pets now available for adoption at Oakland Animal Services (OAS):
Toad is learning to live life as a single bunny since his last relationship ended. It was not his fault; it was more so an “it’s not you, it’s me” kind of situation. After some time spent reflecting, he is now absolutely loving single life! Toad is the kind of rabbit who shows his affection for you just by hanging around and will quickly become your very adorable shadow if you feed him enough treats. He’ll sit at the foot of your bed, stick his nose in your work, and stand right at the door waiting for you to come inside. However, he does need a person who can respect that sometimes he doesn’t want people messing up his perfectly manicured coat. He would be happy having the admiration and space of a loving home!
Meet Naomi, a sweet and smart husky mix who is 42 pounds and full of potential! This young girl is a quick learner who is already mastering cues like come, sit, paw, down, and shake. She’s highly responsive and is eager for treats, making training sessions a breeze. She’s polite and affectionate, offering gentle face licks and resting her head sweetly in your lap for pets. She also plays nicely with other dogs at the shelter and would do well with another dog buddy at home, or shine as your one-and-only with the occasional play date. Come meet Naomi and fall in love at first paw!
The OAS adoption process focuses on matching you with a pet who is a good fit for you and your family. Come by during open adoption hours Thursdays 12–7 pm and Fridays/ Saturdays/Sundays 12–3 pm to adopt your new best friend, or to learn more about the OAS adoption process. Please see the OAS website to learn more about how you can help by adopting, fostering, volunteering, and donating: www.oaklandanimalservices.org
FITNESS SF Trainer Tip
Train Back
By
Toni Dee at FITNESS SF Marin
“If you can only train one thing today, train back (workout that strengthens the muscles of the back to promote better posture, prevent injuries, and more). That is the foundation many people overlook.”
Note: Multi-certified Master Trainer & Fitness Consultant Toni Dee is 66 years old, fit and fab, and is a legend in the fitness world. Check out her website at: https://www.tonideefitness.com/
Troy Macfarland at FITNESS SF shares monthly tips that he has learned from colleagues, fellow professional trainers, and more. For additional information: https://fitnesssf.com/
San Francisco SPCA 39th Holiday Windows Continue at Macy’s Through
December 31,
The iconic San Francisco SPCA Holiday Windows are now on display at Macy’s Union Square, having returned for their 39th year. They will continue to bring adorable, adoptable puppies and kittens to the center of San Francisco through December 31, 2025.
2025
The live display transforms the busiest shopping season into an opportunity to save a life and welcome a new family member. The Holiday Windows will be open Wednesday through Sunday, from noon to 5 pm. During these hours, the SF SPCA will staff an adoption information station on Macy’s main floor to help visitors take the next step toward adoption. Macy’s will be closed on December 25.
To increase adoptions during the holiday season and help 500 animals find their forever homes, the SF SPCA will have Name Your Price adoptions for all animals over 5 months old throughout the entire holiday period. Those interested in adopting can also visit the SF SPCA’s Adoption Center in the Mission District, where hundreds more animals are waiting to find their forever families.
“The SF SPCA and Macy’s Holiday Windows have been bringing joy to San Francisco for nearly four decades, and each year we see the incredible impact of this tradition,” said Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, CEO of the SF SPCA. “By offering Name Your Price adoptions, we’re removing barriers and making it possible for more families to experience the unconditional love of a pet this holiday season. Every adoption creates space for us to save another life.”
For those who cannot visit in person, the magic continues online with Holiday Live Cams streaming daily on the SF SPCA website from 9 am to 5 pm throughout the days of the activation: https://bit.ly/3KWjqGh
The SF SPCA will host a special Shelter Animal Toy Drive in partnership with KTVU & Fox Local on Saturday, December 13, at Macy’s. The event will offer a chance to bring holiday cheer to the animals at the SF SPCA shelter.
Toad
Naomi
Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun
By Sister Dana Van Iquity
Sister Dana sez, “Did everyone have a Happy Thanksgiving? I prefer to call it ‘ThanksGaying’ because TGIG—Thank God I’m Gay!”
Something to be thankful for: Majorie Taylor Greene has announced her departure from Congress and has become somewhat of an enemy of Trump. And more House GOP resignations could come soon! Sister Dana Sez, “Thank you, Marjorie ‘Traitor Brown’ (as Trump now angrily calls her) for coming to your senses! It took you long enough!”
Congress is just plain broken right now. There is no bipartisanship; the only real substantive thing it has done this year is the so-called Big Beautiful Bill (what I prefer to call the Billionaire Bonus Bill) that drastically, cruelly cut healthcare to millions
of Americans (no, not illegals, as those MAGAs love to lie about); and Congress will not stand up against Trump doing wrong; what Congress should do right is their job. For instance, they should address the Prez’s awful tariffs and mindlessly killing people on boats who might just maybe–oh, we don’t know for sure—be carrying drugs. But all of this is good for us democracy-loving Democrats and the midterm elections, because the voters are listening and watching it all.
Trump has been under a lot of pressure lately. He has lashed out frequently because of very poor ratings, the Epstein Files coverup, the tanking economy, and his relationship with reporters who ask reasonable questions (because they are genuine press and not overt fans who only praise him). As for the latter, he screamed at one woman press person, “Quiet, piggy!” and at another, “You’re a terrible person, and a terrible reporter!” And, “You are a stupid person!” Later, he called for the execution of members of Congress for: “seditious behavior,” “punishable by death,” and “hang them— George Washington would.”
way we expect a president to act in public! Shame!”
Trump also took verbal shots at the Mayor of Chicago and the Governor of Illinois, saying, “The Mayor is a low IQ person and is incompetent,” and, “The Governor is a big fat slob.” Sister Dana sez, “Is the president maybe looking at a mirror?!”
Sister Dana sez, “Trump›s childish insults and deadly threats are not the
WICKED: FOR GOOD is now playing at the Alamo Drafthouse in the Mission location at 2550 Mission Street. This box office blowout musical adaptation is the story of a witch turning over a new leaf. I cannot help but politicize the entire movie with Trump as the evil wizard and possibly Representative Greene (leaving Congress and her onetime hero Trump) as the witch. Go see this wickedly good flick!
https://drafthouse.com/
Visit a gay bar in New York, Los Angeles, or even Nashville on a random weeknight and you might stumble onto a drag performance. In San Francisco, by contrast, drag is more deliberate—highly advertised, less spontaneous, and concentrated in only a few venues. What can the community do to make this iconic subculture more abundant here? And how can we foster a greater diversity of drag expression in the city? SPEAKING OF: THE STATE OF DRAG was a roundtable of queer history and took place at the GLBT Historical Museum on November 20 where we joined Unspeakable Vice ’s Shawn Sprockett and a slate of local luminaries as they explored the past, present, and future of drag in San Francisco, and discussed how queer art can be better supported by the queer community. Sprockett is an Adjunct Professor at the California College of Arts in the graduate Interaction Design program, where he teaches visual design and creative thinking. Sister T’aint A Virgin has been a fully professed member of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence for nearly 15 years, joyfully serving her community through humor, compassion, and advocacy. In her secular life as a Nurse Practitioner, she blends her professional commitment to health with her ministry promoting sexual
wellness and acceptance. VERA! is an Armenian-American trans and nonbinary drag king. They are the cohost of the Rebel Kings of Oakland, the oldest drag king troupe on the West Coast. Vin Seaman is a drag performer (LOL McFiercen), interdisciplinary artist, and the founder of the TheyFriend Nonbinary Performance Festival
Health experts are now warning of a dangerous new second-in-command CDC leader, because this virulent vaccine-hater, Dr. Ralph Abraham (whose only medical training is as a veterinarian), has just been appointed as Deputy Director of Centers for Disease Control. Sister Dana sez, “So glad I got vaccinated against flu and Covid way back in October. I’m a vax slut! Just shoot me!”
We gathered at Harvey Milk Plaza in the cold night air on November 27 for the 47TH ANNUAL MILK/MOSCONE VIGIL . Fewer than 100 of us activists celebrated the late, great Supervisor Harvey Milk’s living legacy by renewing his (and our) commitment to resistance, queer joy, and community care, organizing for a more just and accepting world, and building one another up despite the division promoted by our federal government. Speaking at the event were HARVEY MILK LGBTQ DEMOCRATIC CLUB Vice Presidents Brad Chapin (who was emcee) AjaiNicole Duncan , and Co-President Reid Coggins, with members and friends including Drag Laureate Per Sia , veteran and longtime friend of Harvey and former Supervisor Carol Ruth Silver, SF AIDS FOUNDATION’s Ande Stone, and SFAF CEO Dr. Tyler TerMeer. After loudly, proudly chanting together over and over, “We are winning,” we walked a block down Castro Street to Harvey’s old camera shop at Queer Arts Featured to chat. Sister Dana sez, “WHY the hell is there NO SEATING available in Harvey Milk Plaza? There used to be benches— but some folx were scared that the unhoused would sleep on them. Yeah, our worst fear?! Or perhaps we could provide a sitting place for those who can’t stand very long!!!”
(continued on page 42)
Dennis McMillan, aka Sister Dana, (middle) joined friends at the Speaking Of: The State of Drag event held on November 20 at the GLBT Historical Society Museum. Left to Right: Shawn Sprockett, VERA!, Dennis McMillan, Sister T’aint A Virgin, and Vin Seaman
Sandy’s Sketches
By Sandy Morris
Happy Chanukah
Sandy Morris has been making art for the last 60 years. She says, “My pen, ink, and pencil drawings usually start with no preconceived idea—just drawing a straight or curved line or two. From there, my imagination takes over. I build upon the piece. My works range from the whimsical to the political, to emotions, and everything in between.”
Lesbian Pie-Eating Contest at Rikki’s Raises Nearly $2000 for Lesbian Visibility Week
The Curve Foundation hosted a Lesbian PieEating Contest at Rikki’s in the Castro on November 23, 2025. Contestant Jenn was the winner. She raised her tattooed arms in victory after she expertly dove into her fruit pie. Babs Daitch, in turn, was declared the contestant with the “Best Technique.” At 81 years old, Daitch made international news following the posting of videos of her at the contest. Giving new meaning to “food porn,” she later wrote of the experience, “I took my time savoring every morsel of crust hidden beneath those sweet hills and valleys.” Watch Daitch go at it in the clips shared by Them at: https://bit.ly/48wwrhZ
The event, which included words from Curve Magazine founding publisher Frances “Franco” Stevens, raised nearly $2000 for Lesbian Visibility Week, which will happen again in April 2026. https://www.lesbianvisibilityweek.com/
“As a gay man, there is no better choice than George Michael’s ‘Last Christmas’; it’s
AjaiNicole Duncan
“Monster Mash”
compiled by Rink
Marty Grimes
“Donde Esta Santa Claus?”
Per Sia
“Ho Ho Navidad!”
Robert Austria
Tell Me’ by Ariana Grande”
Tony Jasinski
romantic and fun”
Happy Chanukah (Pen/Ink/Pencil)
The first Lesbian Pie Eating Contest held in the Castro took place at Rikki’s on Sunday, November 23.
As reported by the New York-based publiication autostraddle.com, host Zhané (above) debuted the Lesbian Pie Eating Contest concept at a wildly successful party held on Saturday, October 11, at a public pavilion located in Prospect Park in Brooklyn. (@ziosaaa). A simliar contest, also hosted by Zhané, was held in Toronto on Saturday, September 27.
Udderly Delicious: All Cream, No Substance
Cocktails With Dina by
Dina Novarr
In the greatest hits of eyebrow-raising headlines of 2025, Olivia Nuzzi, once a respected political reporter, finds herself at the center of what might be the most raucous romantic ruckus since that time your favorite college frat house rooms turned into a game of musical beds. Nuzzi allegedly carried on a “digital affair” with RFK, Jr., complete with raunchy poetry about “harvests” and “fletching.”
Meanwhile, her ex-fiancé, fellow journalist Ryan Lizza, reportedly dropped the engagement faster than the cream in a Mudslide hits the bottom of a glass, and now went full Substack, milking his side with a blow-by-blow of betrayal, heartbreak, and what one might call an “udder-ly” intense scandal. It’s just like a soap opera, only with more footnotes.
So, here we are: politics, erotic poems, and journalistic ethics in a drunken fencing match, and splashed into the national spotlight like a chocolatey concoction spilled on a newsroom floor. As Lizza quoted in a poem from Kennedy, “Don’t spill a drop.” I can only think that RFK is now facing the mess he partook in ... with spilled milk. It’s messy. It’s ridiculous. And it’s deliciously dramalicious. It’s the most entertaining tragedy since Shakespeare’s quill last dripped with ink, and one that evokes just how silly the players in our current administration are.
For this year’s National Cookie Day (December 4), let’s enjoy some milk and cookies, because some news just needs to be enjoyed with simple boozy treats. What better way to honor this scandal that will probably be milked, baked, crumbled, and rejoiced by many politically fatigued hearts? Here’s a Mudslide to enjoy while doom-scrolling X, refreshing your google news, and waiting for the next update from Lizza’s Substack.
Cheers to The “Gossip Gulp” Cocktail—a take on the Mudslide for a scandalous drink that pairs perfectly with the trainwreck unfolding in D.C.
The ‘Gossip Gulp’ Cocktail
——
Ingredients
2 oz Meili vodka (or more, if you want to catch the buzz)
1 oz Tia Maria or coffee liqueur (to taste the bitter and get that rush of caffeine)
1 oz St. Brendan’s Irish Cream (because this is the funniest story yet worth milking) or Oatrageous Bourbon Cream (something without all the animus, to make you feel like you’re rising above the gutter gossip)
1 oz heavy cream or oatmilk creamer (to represent the muck of it all)
Carmel syrup (something golden to represent Kennedy)
Ice (like the cold, dead hearts of the people involved)
Chocolate Chip Cookie crumbs Method
1. Dip the glass rim with honey and coat the rim in cookie crumbs.
2. Fill a glass with ice (or the shattered remains of your faith in journalism).
3. Pour in vodka, Tia Maria, Brendan’s, and cream. Go heavy-handed. No one’s judging.
4. Stir. Watch it get all muddled. Metaphor!
5. Drizzle caramel syrup on top. Let it ooze down the sides (fitting). Add whip cream, if you like the fluff!
6. Drink. Cringe. Repeat until the news cycle changes.
Now, don’t forget your cookies because any will work. My personal favorite is The New York Times’ Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie ( https://bit.ly/48ct00W ), because, when I indulge, I like to do it slice by slice. Here’s to media mayhem, Mudslides, munchies, and mutually assured destruction! After all that wet and juicy gossip, we all need something to dunk in our drink and deliver a truly delicious experience!
San Francisco-based Dina Novarr enjoys sharing her passion for fine wines, spirits, non-alcoholic craft beverages, and more with others.
Olivia Nuzzi
The New York Times’ Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie
The ‘Gossip Gulp’ Cocktail
The Gay Gourmet
We’ve eaten our Thanksgiving turkeys, set the Halloween pumpkins aside, and now it’s time for the queens of the holiday season to begin. It’s always a rush to Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, and the New Year, but the Gay Gourmet has your back. Herewith are some great culinary gift ideas and specials that can make your holiday shine bright. And this is just part one: stay tuned for more in my next column.
Holiday Hams to Challah: Holiday Gift Ideas for Your Gourmet (Part 1)
that reimagines Santa’s home with a chic, city twist. Think plush red velvet, soft white polar fluff, golden accents, and the warm glow of holiday cheer. Cozy textures like leather and faux fur add warmth, while a canopy of hanging baubles sets a magical tone. Guests can enjoy festive cocktails & spirits paired with elevated holiday bites inspired by the flavors of candied ginger, cinnamon, and apple; loungestyle seating that invites guests to relax and toast the season; and a curated holiday soundtrack blending timeless classics and smooth jazz to complete the mood.
Created by Beyoncé Knowles-Carter in partnership with Moët Hennessy, SirDavis is a modern American Rye that
The delicious gift basket assortments from award-winning local sister cheesemakers Laura Chenel and Marin French Cheese Co. make gifting and entertaining extra special, including: the Cheeseboard Basket ($115), a gourmet assortment featuring Marin French’s soft-ripened cheeses alongside Laura Chenel’s signature goat cheeses, paired with charcuterie, olives, nuts, and crackers from California producers; Petite Breakfast 3-Pack ($26.99), a special trio featuring Marin French Cheese Co.’s original Petite Breakfast alongside two new flavors, Chive and Everything, recently launched in celebration of the brand’s 160th anniversary; and Make It a Gift Basket (starting at $10.99), a customizable option that pairs any selection of cheeses and accompaniments, perfect for creating a personalized gift.
The holidays are in full swing at the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco, where they are bringing back The Bauble Bar: an elevated, festive pop-up
this year. What makes this one stand out is how Chef Mat Schuster layers Spanish influence into classic Jewish holiday dishes without losing the heart of the tradition. It’s a thoughtful, cross-cultural menu that feels aligned with comfort, heritage, and something genuinely new.
A short drive away from the Bay Area is the charming Central Valley town of Paso Robles. On December 6, the Holiday Parade will fill the streets of Paso with dazzling floats, vintage cars, and marching bands put on by the city of Paso Robles. Closely following will be the iconic Vine Street Victorian Showcase on December 13, where the historic neighborhood will come alive with costumed carolers, twinkling lights, and Dickensian cheer.
blends craftsmanship, style, and cultural resonance, making it the perfect gift for anyone from the whisky connoisseur to the design buff to the Bey-Hive loyalist. The Gay Gourmet’s verdict? Smooth, with a touch of sweetness, just the right blend for a fabulous Manhattan. Besides buying a bottle for your home, you can treat your loved ones to a SirDavis sip at one any of these local San Francisco bars and restaurants: Cold Drinks (644 Broadway); Ritz-Carlton San Francisco (600 Stockton Street), and The St. Regis San Francisco (125 3rd Street).
Canela’s Hanukkah offerings include one of the only full Hanukkah dine-in and to-go menus available in San Francisco
Throughout the season, local businesses will be decking the halls, serving themed food and beverage, and creating Holiday Pop-Up experiences all around the greater Paso Robles area. In town, sip a Snowball Old Fashioned at Miracle at 1122 Cocktail Lounge or a Sugar Plum Mai Tai at Cane Tiki Room . Both are hosting annual holiday bar pop-ups, with seasonal cocktails, cozy décor, and good cheer to keep the night glowing. You can
stop at one of Paso’s countless wineries for cozy tasting experiences like the Holiday Black Tie Dinner at Eberle or transport yourself into a holiday wonderland at Paso’s premier immersive art destination, Sensorio. Expect special holiday programming December 18– January 5 with dazzling light displays, visits from Santa, themed performances, food and beverage, a local craft fair December 13, and a special rendition of The Nutcracker on December 18.
At San Francisco’s Beacon Grand Hotel, you can dine without the fuss of cooking
and cleaning for the holidays. Festivities include Holiday Teas from Fridays–Sundays through December 28 at 2–4 pm; Christmas Eve Dinner on December 24 from 5–8 pm, including duck confit salad, Creekstone Farm prime ribeye and more; Christmas Day celebration, December 25 from 12–7 pm, with a family-style menu featuring prime rib, maple-glazed ham, wild mushroom risotto, and more; and New Year’s Eve dinner on December 31 from 6–9 pm, with West Coast oysters, seared scallops, a complimentary glass of champagne, and more.
Telefèric Barcelona , the family-owned Spanish restaurant group with locations throughout Northern California, has some great gift ideas, like: imported Spanish
(continued on page 39)
David Landis
wine, gourmet gift baskets, and Spanish products that are rare to find (artisanal cheeses, hand-carved jamón, small-batch olive oils, and more); at-home entertaining done easy with take-home paella kits, assorted catering options, or even live in-house paella parties hosted by a Telefèric chef; and seasonal, celebratory dining at Telefèric locations in Walnut Creek, Palo Alto, Los Gatos, and Roseville.
Che Fico, the award-winning Italian restaurant on Divisadero, has some of the perfect gifts for anyone on your list. What’s on order? The offerings include gift cards, specialty Italian boxes, holiday cookie boxes, exclusive Pasta & Provisions or Wine Club subscriptions, and David Nayfeld’s new cookbook Dad, What’s for Dinner?
Pizzeria Delfina’s award-winning latkes are back just in time for Hanukkah and the holidays. Chef Craig Stoll’s perfectly crispy, salty latkes are now available for pick-up. They’re a festive side dish for holiday gatherings, or just enjoying yourself! There are a dozen flash-frozen latkes for $38, with optional add-ons like organic apple-quince conserva, crème fraîche, or Gingrass Smoked steelhead lox from renowned Bay Area Chef David Gingrass. The latkes are hand-formed and are made from russet potatoes, onion, egg, and potato starch before being fried in rice bran oil (gluten-free & vegetarian).
One of my favorite chefs, Chef Kathy Fang of FANG and House of
Nanking, has a great new cookbook, just in time for the holidays. The book is titled House of Nanking: Family Recipes From San Francisco’s Favorite Chinese Restaurant. For the first time ever, the Fang family is unveiling treasured recipes and techniques to offer food lovers a rare glimpse into the bold flavors and rich cultural heritage that made their restaurant an institution. Perfect for beloved restaurant goers and cooking lovers alike, the cookbook is a heartfelt gift that blends sentimental stories with delicious recipes that celebrate food and family. You can also buy the cookbook and get cozy with a House of Nanking loungewear set + book bundle for $72. For a unique hostess gift or tasty stocking stuffer, readers can check out delicious homemade sauces like the salty, savory Chili Black Bean Sauce ($12), the bold Sichuan Chili Shallot Oil ($12), and the crunchy, nutty, Chili Garlic Crisps ($15).
There’s a sexy new cookbook by TikTok sensation The Donut Daddy. He’s here to play with 69 seductive dessert recipes for getting all hot and bothered in the kitchen. In The Donut Daddy Cookbook, author and baker Anthony Randello-Jahn blends sensuality with visually stunning gastronomy, showcasing the true beauty and sinful complexity of desserts across 69 alluring recipes. Let him take you by the hand as he guides you through setting up your pantry in the Foreplay chapter, then get your hands working in the Decadent Desires chapter. Each recipe has a tongue-in-cheek headnote followed by detailed steps like how to properly caress your doughs into submission, fill them with flavorful creams, or cover in sticky glazes, and bake them until golden and ready to consume.
Bonjour Bakehouse in San Mateo is a French-inspired bakery and cookie delivery business, now distributing its holiday cookies nationally. You can pick from a holiday assortment, rainbow cookies, gluten-free chocolate chip varieties and more. Bonjour Bakehouse is the creation of François Bernaudin , an experienced baker who is originally from
(continued from page 38) (continued on page 42)
Bay Times Dines
Holiday Cheese Plates
it certainly is a crowd-pleaser. For a cheese plate to bring to a family gathering, I will bring the D’affinois (ozzy, buttery soft-ripened), Tomme Brebis (nutty, semi-soft sheep milk), Piper’s Pyramid from Capriole (goat cheese pyramid with paprika), Point Reyes Gouda (sweet, sharp, local firm cheese), and Nicasio Square (stinky, local, oozy, washedrind, wildcard).
This is the time of the year that people want to serve cheese to their friends. Is there a better way to show your love and appreciation? I certainly can’t think of any.
Creating an amazing and personalized cheese plate is pretty easy if you know a few structural tricks. These aren’t cheesemonger trade secrets, but are instead mostly just common sense. You want a mix of milk types, textures, and appearances, and a few accompaniments. Honestly, the cheese does the hard work; you just have to put it in front of people.
Start with this plan for a five-cheese plate: soft-ripened, semi-soft cheese, goat milk, firm cheese, and a wildcard. In common cheese types, this could be any brie, young Manchego, Humboldt Fog, Aged Gouda, and Blue Stilton. (Little known cheese trivia: Stilton is considered a musthave Christmas cheese in England and even we sell easily five times as much Stilton in December as any other month.)
The great thing about envisioning a holiday cheese plate this way is that it is totally customizable. My late spouse raised goats for years and could no longer even stand the smell of goat cheese. That’s cool; just substitute a sheep or water buffalo cheese. My dad was raised by a German stepfather and loved the food, so I always need something really stinky for him, even if no one else wants it.
Almost everyone has favorite cheeses they “must” have on a cheese plate for personal preference or friend/family tradition. If you do, build around that. There is nothing wrong with anchoring your cheese plate with something familiar and comfortable.
My niece and sister, for example, demand a specific soft-ripened cheese: Fromager D’affinois. It’s not a show-off cheese, but
For chosen family and friends who are more food adventurous, I will do Rush Creek or Winnimere (barkwrapped, rich, earthy, complex, season soft-ripened), Anabasque (Wisconsin semi-soft sheep), Brabander Reserve (seasonal, firm, crystalline goat), Beaufort Alpage (nutty, complex, French Alp
Photos by Gordon Edgar
wildcard #1), and Ginjazul Blue (a French Blue D’Auvergne soaked in a Portuguese cherry liqueur for wildcard #2). I got two wildcards on this one because I did a two-fer on the firm goat cheese. You see how this works.
Now, you will want to pair something with it. Membrillo (quince paste) and fig jams are
classic pairings, but don’t sleep on our bulk section. We have all the dried fruit, chocolate, and nuts you could want, and amazing bulk honey. The pairing I am most excited about, though, is a saffron orange marmalade from Eat This Yum that is sweet, bitter, and complex. Yum is right. Oh, and if you are not shopping the day you are serving, go with crackers, not a baguette. Your uncut fingers will thank me for it and I am sure you have a lot of other things to do rather than cut day-old bread.
As for appearance, I like a big cutting board with cheese spread out, each with its own knife and then the accompaniments layered in between, so the whole board is food. And after a couple of minutes of people going at it, it doesn’t even matter what it originally looked like.
Lastly, if you are looking for something special that your friends/family will think took a lot of effort, I have two suggestions for you. First, buy a bunch of plain goat cheese, form it into 2 oz-sized balls in your (clean) hands, then roll them into freshly cut herbs (chives are great, so are edible flowers) or your favorite dried spices (Za’atar is awesome with this). Second, if you need a gift for an event and you don’t want to bring a bottle of wine, buy a basket of the Bellwether Fresh Ricotta and a couple mini jars of the pinot-soaked cherries. Just indent the ricotta slightly, pour the cherries on top, and you have an excellent adult potluck item.
Easy as that. You are a holiday food superstar. Go have fun.
Gordon Edgar loves cheese and worker co-ops and has been combining these infatuations as the cheese buyer for Rainbow Grocery Cooperative since 1994. He serves on the American Cheese Society Judging and Competition Committee and is a member of the Guilde Internationale des Fromagers. Edgar has written two books on cheese—”Cheesemonger” (2010) and “Cheddar” (2015)—and lives in San Francisco with his adorable white mini schnauzer named Fillmore Grumble. He writes about grief, and sometimes cheese, at https://bit.ly/42IwYf0
Over the Rainbow Cheese Counter
Gordon Edgar
Rainbow cheese case in full holiday mode
Za’atar rolled goat balls and candied ginger
Sample basic cheese plate
Theatre Rhinoceros, 4229 18th Street, December 4–13 will present PIRATES , a drama written by and co-starring Rhino’s John Fisher Husbands Danny and Dennis are sailing around the world, are abducted by pirates off East Africa, and held for ransom. A psychological battle ensues wherein they try to suppress their gayness and their love for each other so their captors will not use one of them against the other. Eventually, Danny’s queerness comes out and the relationship is exposed. https://www.therhino.org/
Step into the holiday spirit with the San Francisco Pride Band and this year’s 40th annual DANCE-ALONG NUTCRACKER . This Nutcracker is sweet! The theme is “Wicked.” Get ready to clap, twirl, and dance along with an unforgettable group of artists whose talent and energy make the show sparkle brighter than ever! There are four dates from which to choose: Saturday, December 6, 3 pm and 7 pm, and Sunday, December 7, 11 am and 3 pm. It will be at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts - Forum, 701 Mission Street. https://sfprideband.org/
After the tragic shooting of two of the National Guard in Washington, D.C., Trump is now sending 500 more troops, so the proposed surge would increase the absurd mission to about 2,700 troops there. Sister Dana sez, “Tyrannical Trump better not force unnecessarily scary troops to our beloved SF! We ain’t havin’ it!” SISTER
LANDIS (continued from page 39)
Bordeaux, France. With decades of worldclass pastry expertise, he has served as Executive Pastry Chef for top-tier establishments in Tokyo and San Francisco, including La Boulange
Kokak Chocolates may have closed its retail space in the Castro, but owner Carol Gancia is still in business online. Their new holiday offering this year is the Noche Buena Holiday Grand Chocolate Tower Collection 2025, a stunning tower of handcrafted chocolates and treats featuring tropical and California-inspired flavors. Inspired by the Filipino tradition of gathering around the table on Christmas Eve, each chocolate is thoughtfully crafted to capture the warmth, comfort, and connection of this special holiday night. The Noche Buena Holiday Grand Chocolate Tower Collection 2025 includes: 1 box of mango chocolates; 1 box of Orangettes; 1 box of 9-piece Dubai chocolate truffles; 1 box of 16-piece Tropical Pâte de Fruit; and 1 box of 36-piece Noche Buena Heirloom Chocolate Truffles.
KRAMER (continued from page 26)
Gary M. Kramer: There is a very queer bent here, with Jerome being clocked as queer, and Hero teaching Cherry how to kiss. What can you say about playing the queer content up or down? It is both overt and subversive.
Julia Jackson: A litmus test for me is that I can tell who laughs when Cherry and Hero say they are “best friends.” I feel the gays intrinsically understand that right away. Some take it at face value. The graphic novel doesn’t have any sex in it at all. I respected the yearning quality of it, but I did want to pump it up a little bit. It felt to me, especially as with a lot of lesbian stories, there is this idea there is going
Come celebrate the 33rd year of SONGS OF THE SEASON with stars of San Francisco cabaret brimming with worldclass performances, cheer, and heart! Produced by Brian Kent and featuring the event’s founder and beloved hostess Donna Sachet , this show shines as both a celebration of the holidays and a benefit for PRC, supporting life-changing services in behavioral health, housing, and workforce development for San Franciscans in need. Among the classy performers are Brian, Donna, Kippy Marks, Sister Roma, Leanne Borghesi, Kenny Nelson, Charles Jones, Brian Justin Crum, Kenny Nelson, Meghan Murphy, and Dr. Dee. It will be on December 9 and 10, doors 7:30 pm, Feinsteins at Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason Street. https://prcsf.org/
Over a century ago, Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld revolutionized how we understand gender and sexuality. Nearly 100 years after the Nazis burned his books and destroyed his institute, his vision of fluid, expansive identity remains powerfully relevant. Join the GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY on December 11, 6 pm at 4127 18th Street for an Author Talk, “The
Celebrating its fifth year, Let’s Glow SF, the country’s largest holiday projection mapping arts festival, will once again light up downtown San Francisco from December 5 through 14. Hosted by the Downtown SF Partnership (DSFP) in collaboration with A3 Visual , Let’s Glow SF will light up eight landmark sites with large-scale animated artworks by 19 local and international artists, turning downtown into a nightly winter wonderland.
San Francisco just got another spectacular new reason to step out at night. AURA Grace Cathedral , created by the internationally acclaimed Moment Factory and co-presented by Fever, is now officially open, transforming the iconic Gothic landmark into a living canvas of light, sound, and emotion. This 45-minute immersive experience blends breathtaking projection mapping, original music, lasers, and illusions to transport audiences through swirling storms, starry skies, blooming ceilings, and crashing waves, all while highlighting the cathedral’s soaring arches and rich history.
to be a lot of hand brushing and then suddenly people are furiously scissoring. It wasn’t about shame or what the characters themselves felt, but it was in a world without freedom, and I wanted to pump up the horniness while honoring the fact that this is a story of people who were never taught to act on their desires and the stakes were high if they did. In the end, I shot one full sex scene, and I put it in the sky in the end with this idea: Is it a flashback, or what they would do if they were together?
Gary M. Kramer: The film is about women fighting the patriarchy and the rules of society, to become educated and empowered. Cherry is supposed to get married, have chil -
Einstein of Sex,” with journalist Daniel Brook, in conversation with historian and Society founding member Gerard Koskovich. Brook will share new insights from Hirschfeld’s 1931 Bay Area visit, including his tour of San Quentin and his advocacy for Black transgender inmates targeted by discriminatory laws. https://www.glbthistory.org/
The HIV/AIDS crisis is not over. More than 1.2 million people are estimated to be HIV+ in the United States today, with low-income and communities of color disproportionately at risk. While HIV/ AIDS is no longer at the forefront of public attention, many are still fighting on the frontlines for change under the radar. At LIGHT IN THE GROVE on December 30 in the NATIONAL AIDS MEMORIAL GROVE, spotlights were lit in the trees and onstage in a heated tent. We were surrounded by panels of the iconic AIDS Memorial Quilt. Vocalist Cat had an impressive song list from “I Will Survive” to “Born This Way.” Sister Roma welcomed us, and CEO of the National AIDS Memorial John Cunningham reminded us of the mission to tell the story
By the way, isn’t convenience the answer to the holiday stress? Make it easy to host your holiday dinner this year. The hubby and I are picking up Dungeness crab (hopefully local, but who knows?) and sourdough for Christmas Eve from Mollie Stone’s, and then ordering in a ready-to-go Honey Baked Ham for Christmas. Add some bubbly from Gloria Ferrer and you’re done. Who needs the hassle?
And, finally, my annual gift to you: a recipe from my dearly-departed Mom, Laverne Shirley Landis. Here’s her holiday breakfast dish, her famous Make Ahead Bacon Strata:
Make Ahead Bacon Strata from LaVerne Landis (via sister Kate Landis)
Serves 8
12 slices bread, crusts removed and cubed
12 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled ½ pound pork sausage, fried 1/2 cup minced red pepper
3 green onions, sliced thinly, include the tops (or ½ onion chopped)
dren, do needlepoint and then die. Knowing Hero and hearing her stories makes her wish she lived a braver life. Why do you think this message still resonates today?
Julia Jackson: I hope that it would say to people that the powers that be are going to push people who historically have been on the margins back into the margins. I hope it shows that, when we keep talking and have each other’s backs and keep insisting on having a seat at the table—whether it is what we are allowed to know, allowed to see, or the public spaces we are allowed to inhabit—you don’t give that up, that we keep talking to each other. People are going to try to make you feel like you are alone
of AIDS to current and future generations striving to protect their communities from the harm of fear, silence, discrimination, or stigma. Singers from the SAN FRANCISCO GAY MEN’S CHORUS accompanied longtime AIDS Memorial supporter, ABC7-TV’s Dan Ashley singing his original composition, “The Anthem of Your Life,” (be it loud and proud). There were so many fascinating speakers with glorious speeches. After he spoke eloquently and sexily as well, Race Bannon received the well-deserved “Lifetime Achievement Award.” Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi continued to inspire us with her history of the memorial’s founding and ongoing vital importance—while the repulsive White House administration refuses to even acknowledge “WORLD AIDS DAY” !
4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 eggs
3 cups milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard powder 1/4 tsp. pepper
Grease a 9x13 casserole dish. Lay half of the bread cubes in the bottom. Top with half of the bacon, half of the red pepper, half of the green onion, and half of the cheese. Repeat the layers. In a bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, salt, pepper, and dry mustard powder. Pour slowly over all of the ingredients in the casserole dish. Cover and chill at least 3 hours, or overnight. Uncover and bake in a preheated 350 oven for 45–55 minutes, until it is set in the center. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting to serve.
David Landis, aka “The Gay Gourmet,” is a foodie, a freelance writer, and a retired PR maven. You can email him at: davidlandissf@gmail.com Or visit him online at: www.gaygourmetsf.com
and ashamed, and you’re not. The biggest tool they have is if people are isolated from each other. It’s a rallying call against that shame and self-isolation.
© 2025 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.” He teaches Short Attention Span Cinema at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute and is the moderator for Cinema Salon, a weekly film discussion group. Follow him on X @garymkramer
Bay Times Dines
Farmers’ Market Finds
The last market day this season for the Castro Farmers’ Market was on November 19, 2025. Thank you for being part of another amazing farmers’ market season. You make the market the vibrant and bustling community space that it is. We’ll be back next year. Until then, explore other year-round Bay Area markets.
Even as we wrapped up the season, the final market day showed just how lively our community can be. Despite the cold and gloomy weather, the market was bustling with shoppers looking to stock up on seasonal goodies and produce. Fifth Crows Farms’ booth was bustling with flowers, seasonal produce, and happy shoppers.
Winter Ushers in Seasonal Produce Stars: Citrus and Fennel
At Celio Farms, the line was long with people looking to grab a box of strawberries to ease the winter chill. E&H Farms had a large spread of delicious-looking mushroom varieties, including shitake and oyster. I made sure to pick up mandarins from Ken’s Top Notch and some Rainbow Orchards apples. The PCFMA (Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association) market managers said that they “are sad to
wrap up the season, but are excited for the market’s reopening in April.”
If you’re missing the market already, there are plenty of other places to shop local produce during the winter months. Check out the Divisadero market, which runs at Fell Street and Baker Street on Sundays from 9 am to 1 pm, or the Fillmore market, at O’Farrell and Fillmore streets, on Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm.
As you explore these year-round markets, you’ll notice that the market stalls are glowing with vibrant colors and citrusy aromas. December is just the start of citrus season, and you can expect to see new varieties peaking each winter month. This is a great month for varieties that chase away the winter chill like Cara Cara navels and mandarins. To select your perfect fruit, look for a smooth, bright peel. And remember: the heavier the fruit, the juicier! We’ve put together a citrus variety guide with some unusual varieties like finger limes, kumquats, and cocktail grapefruits.
While citrus steals the spotlight, winter also brings another seasonal star: fennel. Did you know that, in the U.S., fennel is grown almost exclusively in California? The freshest fennel can be found at your farmers’ markets where
you can get just-picked fennel full of flavor and nutrition. December and January are great months for fennel, and it is a delicious veggie to add to winter dishes.
To pick a great bunch of fennel, look for smaller fennel bulbs, which are more tender and less fibrous than larger bulbs. Avoid fennel with flowers on the stalks, because this is a sign that the fennel is overly mature.
We’re sharing a fennel and Cara Cara orange salad recipe that celebrates the flavors of these two seasonal ingredients. For more information, seasonal recipes, and a full list of vendors please visit https://www.pcfma.org/
Stella Singer is a recent UC Berkeley graduate who writes and designs for the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association. With a background in environmental journalism and science, she brings a keen interest in food systems and sustainability to her work.
Fennel & Cara Cara Orange Salad
Ingredients
two Cara Cara oranges one tablespoon pickled red onion one medium bulb fennel 1/4 cup chopped (roasted, salted) pistachios 1 lemon, juiced salt and pepper to taste olive oil to taste
Remove fronds from fennel so that no spears protrude from the bulb. Cut off the base and then slice down the center of the bulb to expose the heart. Much like a cabbage heart, the fennel heart tastes great, but remove it for this salad. You can remove it and slice it thinly to include in the salad, but keeping it attached will bind all the fennel to the center, making the pieces too large to eat.
After removing the heart, slice the bulb (and the heart, if you like) thinly. Toss with lemon juice and salt and set aside.
Supreming the Oranges: Segment Cara Cara oranges. Slice off the top and bottom of all of the oranges. Then slice the skin off with a knife, moving from top to bottom, so that the orange segments are exposed without an outer layer of pith. Carefully holding the orange in your hand, cut the orange away from the white pith, using two cuts per segment. This way, your segments do not have any pith on them. Squeeze the juice from the heart of the orange and reserve for dressing.
Toss orange and fennel together with pickled onion and salt and pepper. Add a splash of orange juice and circle your mixing bowl with olive oil. Toss from the outside in to best incorporate the oil. Finish with pistachios.
Stella Singer
BERTHA: Grateful Drag at the Great American Music Hall
by Mike Kirschner
BERTHA: Grateful Drag—born in 2023 as a protest to the Nashville drag ban—performed on November 21 and 22 at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. Both Sister Roma and Kochina Rude served as hosts for the shows, respectively. The unique Grateful Dead cover band that raises money for various nonprofits draws, as Roma puts it, “dead heads, hippies, drag fans, queer folkx and allies.” San Francisco Bay Times contributing photographer Mike Kirschner ( https://mikek.photography/ ) spotted friend and Grateful Dead publicist Dennis McNally at the Friday night concert with his wife Susana Millman. Kirschner asked, “What do you think?” McNally replied, “I loved them, and I think Jerry Garcia would have loved them too.”
https://www.gratefuldrag.com/
David Byrne Who Is the Sky? Concerts at SF’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
Photos by Jerome Parmer
Former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne and a 12-member band performed a three-night stint at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco starting on November 16, 2025. An avid cyclist, Byrne at age 73 was a whirlwind of energy on stage. Also evident was his support of the LGBTQ+ community. At one point, the stage lit up with the statement, “MAKE AMERICA GAY AGAIN” on the central panel of a three-part massive curved screen. There was also a “NO KINGS” image displayed during the evenings that combined music with striking choreography and high-tech visuals.
Talking Heads co-founder Jerry Harrison will be in the Bay Area on January 9, 2026, at the Livermore Performing Arts Center and on January 10 at the Uptown Theatre in Napa. For more about Byrne and his latest release and tour: https://bit.ly/3KAdpPB
Photos
Tenderloin Tessie’s Legend Continues
The First Unitarian Church on Franklin Street was abuzz once again on Thursday, November 27, 2025, as Tenderloin Tessie’s Thanksgiving Dinner tradition continued.
In addition to a ham dinner with all the trimmings, each guest received a pie baked by the Girl Scouts and a gift bag, plus they enjoyed entertainment and had the opportunity to have free haircuts and their pick of select items from the giveaway tables neatly arranged in the outdoor courtyard.
San Francisco Bay Times volunteer coordinator Juan Davila, dressed as “The Turkey,” once again this year provded entertainment and photo ops for all. Hundreds of people participate as volunteers at all of the Tenderloin Tessie events that include, not only Thanksgiving celebrations, but also meal-based events for Christmas and Easter.
Volunteers are needed to help with Tenderloin Tessie Christmas Dinner, December 25, 1–4 pm. Call 415-584-3252 or e-mail tenderlointessie@yahoo.com
“Tessie” was the drag name for Perry Spink, a performer and bartender who died in 1984 but a decade prior started the tradition of serving meals that were welcoming to all.
Read more about this history and upcoming Tenderloin Tessie events at http://www.tenderlointessie.com
And check out the video, created by Sister Roma, showing the recent Tenderloin Tessie Thanksgiving celebration: https://bit.ly/3XqrCBF
SUPER FRIENDS NYC
SuperFriends NYC Coverage of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2025
Photos courtesy of SuperFriends NYC
Fernando Camino, the New York correspondent for the San Francisco Bay Times, was front and center at the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, where he provided a behind-thescenes look at the float and balloon setups, celebrity guests, performances, and much more.
Camino is the creator and host of SuperFriends NYC, which regularly broadcasts live from Times Square, shows live walking tours of New York City, and captures live coverage of cultural events in the Big Apple, including the historic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
If you missed the parade livecast, you can still watch highlights at:
https://bit.ly/44F62x1
Note that, next year, the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be held! While the 100th anniversary of the parade was marked in 2024, the annual event was canceled during World War II (1942–1944), such that the big centennial parade will take place in 2026.
Subscribe to SuperFriends NYC at https://bit.ly/49N7i4O
Fernando Camino
