San Francisco Bay Times - December 18, 2025

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES Est. 1978 December 18, 2025–January 14, 2026 http://sfbaytimes.com

Golden Ratio Heats Up Oakland Queer Nightlife

PHOTO BY VIOLETA G. PHOTOGRAPHY

See pages 3–6 to learn more about this new hotspot and other East Bay LGBTQ+-owned and allied destinations.

DJ Lady Ryan, Jason Bradford, and Dennise Acio at the Grand Opening of Golden Ratio on November 11, 2025

East Bay’s Emerging Queer Mecca Oakland-Based Powerhouse Duo Opens New Venue: Golden Ratio

Photos courtesy of Golden Ratio

Golden Ratio, a new community hub in downtown Oakland, is the latest LGBTQ-owned business to strengthen the growing vibrant queer scene in the East Bay. Located at 1517 Franklin Street, Golden Ratio brings alive the vision of two music and hospitality legends: DJ Lady Ryan and Dennise Acio.

Dennise Acio Rooted in Hawai’i, Acio is shaped by the spirit of aloha, family, and community. Over the past 20 years in the Bay Area, the heartbeat of her roots has guided her journey—as a seasoned bar and hospitality leader, certified massage therapist, Reiki master, dancer, event curator, and lifelong learner. Her background in culture, arts, and movement informs the way she approaches every space, infusing Golden Ratio with intention, creativity, and heart.

‘Where Music Hits, Cocktails Feel Right, and Community Feels Real’

PHOTO BY VIOLETA G. PHOTOGRAPHY

The Golden Ratio is a queer Black and Brown women-owned venue born from a shared

PHOTO BY VIOLETA G. PHOTOGRAPHY

She currently serves as General Manager of a historic gay bar in the Bay Area, as well as co-leading Golden Ratio, and continues to focus on uplifting queer spaces and fostering connection.

They added, “Golden Ratio is a hub for movement, music, and cultural expression, offering a place where people can connect, dance, and be seen. Through thoughtfully curated experiences or an inviting environment that honors queer culture, Golden Ratio embodies safety, celebration, and the spirit of unity. At its heart, Golden Ratio is more than a bar; it is a destination to gather, celebrate, and participate in a community that values innovation, inclusivity, and meaningful connection.”

An Historic Location 1517 Franklin Street in Oakland has a rich history. Originally the site of a mixed-use office building, the location in the 1900s evolved into a dynamic entertainment destination.

There was a comedy club called Laugh City, a popular longstanding sports bar called Pat’s, an Art-Deco-inspired speakeasy known as the Amber Lounge, and, more recently, the music bar called The Layover. Jason Bradford of The Layover and who also was key to the success of Parliament in Oakland helped Ryan and Acio.

“Jason really held our hands,” Ryan said. “He wanted us to have the

STEVEN PITTS/FACEBOOK

STEVEN PITTS PHOTO

Oakland Councilmember Carroll Fife joined Lady Ryan and Dennise Acio for the ribbon cutting at the Golden Ratio Grand Opening.

space and had other offers for it with more money. He even went with us to get the liquor license, making sure we had all of the necessary paperwork.”

Plans for 2026 The Grand Opening celebration for the Golden Ratio was held on November 11, 2025, so the venue is just over a month old. It is, however, fast becoming a must-visit destination in the East Bay. As the owners say, “Golden Ratio is about that sweet spot where music hits, cocktails feel right, and community feels real.”

DJ Lady Ryan said. “We want it to be a workspace during the day, where we will serve coffee, tea, and other non-alcoholic drinks. I am planning to do Sweet Spot events there (referring to her signature popups with La Femme Papi and others) and weekend brunches.”

Golden Ratio is conveniently located between two BART stations: 12th Street and 19th Street. The walk from either station is short and takes visitors past other Franklin Street businesses, such as the award-winning Sobre Mesa just a few doors down that is owned by renowned Chef Nelson German.

As one commenter at Instagram wrote ahead of the Golden Ratio opening, “This is gonna be GOOD!” Golden Ratio 1517 Franklin Street, Oakland Wednesday–Sunday, 8 pm–2 am (opens earlier, at 5 pm, on Fridays) https://bit.ly/4q6KCBc

Ryan and Acio’s years of experience, cultivating their respective talents, and building their massive network, all are evident in this magical space. There is already regular programming, with comedy and karaoke every Wednesday, soul line dancing weekly, queer reggae every other week, special events that celebrate “being queer, trans, Brown & down!,” and collaborations with additional LGBTQ+ owned and allied businesses, as well as businesses run by other women. Check out the Golden Ratio “Weekly Pour” schedule on Instagram @LadyRyan.

PHOTO BY VIOLETA G. PHOTOGRAPHY

As the Co-Founder of Golden Ratio, she brings this experience into Oakland’s newest bar and lounge, helping create a gathering place centered on joy, creativity, and community. Her vision champions spaces where people feel welcomed, energized, and inspired.

STEVEN PITTS PHOTO

As the official DJ for the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries, DJ Lady Ryan already is well known to many of us in the Bay Area. She has an over twenty-year career as a DJ, curator, and community leader. Guided by a deep love of music and connection, she has shaped dance floors across the region through her work in public radio, nightlife, and major cultural events. Her sets reflect intention, cultural depth, and an intuitive ability to elevate any space.

vision of inclusion, artistic expression, and belonging.

“Rooted in values of community and togetherness, the space is designed to foster creativity, joy, and authentic engagement for all who enter,” Co-Owners Ryan and Acio shared with the San Francisco Bay Times.

“Every detail reflects a commitment to intention, balance, and harmony, inspired by the beauty and proportion of the golden ratio itself.”

PHOTO BY VIOLETA G. PHOTOGRAPHY

DJ Lady Ryan

“We want to do even more to make the Golden Ratio a community hub,” S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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East Bay’s Emerging Queer Mecca LGBTQ+ Nightlife and More in Oakland In Bay Area meetings about emerging opportunities, businesses, and events, one city continues to be mentioned as 2025 draws to a close: Oakland. On the surface, that is surprising. Oakland’s large LGBTQ+ community is hardly new. The White Horse Inn at 6551Telegraph Avenue in Oakland is said to be the oldest continuously operating gay bar in the U.S. It officially opened in 1933, but operated as a gay speakeasy since before the end of Prohibition.

It is therefore little wonder that, for decades, polls and surveys have consistently shown that Oakland has one of the highest concentrations of LGBTQ+ people in the nation. (The other two often mentioned are San Francisco—also no surprise there—and Seattle.)

Emily Winston Peter Gamez

Oakland’s staggeringly diverse DJ Lady Ryan food scene. In Temescal, located in the north of the city, you’ll find buzzy soul food spot Burdell, as well as out-of-the-box pizzas (think toppings like Monterey Bay squid There is renewed energy, though, and chanterelles) at fan-favorite concerning the number of Pizzaiolo; Fruitvale, named LGBTQ+-owned and allied after the fruit orchards that businesses in Oakland, and dominated this part of town in their latest efforts to successfulthe mid-19th century, is packed ly organize. More members of Joy Baucom with taco trucks that serve some the queer community are living of the best birria in the country. and working in Oakland. The The city also has a strong taproom Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District and winery tasting room scene, makis now fully established, following the Mayor Barbara Lee ing it easy to plan your entire 2017 opening of the Oakland visit around eating, drinking, or LGBTQ Community Center. some combination of the two.”

Nationally-known Mayor It would take volumes to highBarbara Lee has brought her light all of our favorite Congress-savvy to the city.

Oakland restaurants and other Nightlife Visitors and business leaders are destinations within this East The Athletic Club taking note. Oakland hosts Bay city, so, to narrow down Oakland - roomy major players like Kaiser Permanente, the list, the San Francisco Bay Times received sports bar with an PG&E, Pandora, and Blue Shield. While guidance from the following: Jeffrey Myers energetic vibe there has been a trend of big tech moving • Peter Gamez, President and CEO of Visit https://www.theacoakland.com/ out of California, Oakland still draws influOakland; ential mid-sized and smaller firms attracted Fluid510 - one of the top LGBTQ • DJ Lady Ryan, the official DJ of the by talent, affordability, and the city’s unique destinations in the city Valkyries and the Co-Owner of newly environment as one of the most diverse and opened Golden Ratio in Oakland; https://fluid510.com/ sunniest parts of the central Bay Area.

• Emily Winston, the CEO and Founder of The Fox Theater - an architectural Boichik Bagels; For three years in a row, Oakland has masterpiece that, like The Castro, was • Joy Baucom of Oakland-based Diligence earned the number one spot on Condé Nast converted for concerts Security Group; Traveler’s prestigious “Best Food Cities in the https://thefoxoakland.com/ • and Jeffrey Myers, Committee Chair of U.S.” readers’ choice awards list. Sharon the Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District.

Golden Ratio - a new must-visit venue Kuganesan and Oset Babür-Winter of Condé owned and operated by powerhouse duo DJ Nast explain: “There’s no wrong neighborHere are just some of the businesses they Lady Ryan and Dennise Acio mentioned: hood from which to start exploring https://bit.ly/4q6KCBc Lucy Blue - a sexy new bar & lounge across from the Fox Theatre; the latest project from Chef Michele McQueen https://lucybluebar.com/ Next Level Nightclub - run by talented Valentino Carrillo of ultra-popular Que Rico and Valentino Presents https://www.nextleveloakland.com/ Night Heron - swanky modern bar that could become, as the owners say, “your new roosting place”; also near the Fox Theatre https://www.nightheronoakland.com/ Kaiser Permanente float in the Oakland Pride Parade (2024) 4

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Paramount Theatre - another architectural masterpiece that is the home of the Oakland Ballet and the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir https://www.paramountoakland.org/ Que Rico Nightclub - often called “the Bay Area’s most diverse nightclub,” it is an iconic spot for the LGBTQ+ Latin community and more https://www.quericonightclub.com/ Summer Bar & Lounge - a gay destination in the heart of Old Town Oakland https://www.thebarsummer.com/ Town Bar & Lounge - a QPOC-owned Art Deco bar & lounge with great cocktails and dancing https://www.goingtotownoakland.com/ White Horse Bar - Known as “the mother of all queer bars,” featuring Page Hodel’s Respect on the first Sunday of each month https://bit.ly/48UvtMH

Restaurants Asmara Restaurant - Eritrean/Ethiopian https://asmararestaurantoakland.com/ Bardo Lounge & Supper Club - American staples https://www.bardooakland.com/ Brenda’s Oakland - Creole, French/Soul https://brendasoakland.com/ Café Gabriela - Filipina-inspired comfort food https://www.cafegabriela.com/

East Bay’s Emerging Queer Mecca The Best Food Cities in the U.S. 1. Oakland, CA 2. New Orleans, LA 3. Milwaukee, WI 4. Chicago, IL 5. San Francisco, CA 6. Lexington, KY 7. Columbus, OH 8. Sant Fe, NM 9. New York City, NY 10. San Diego, CA Source: Condé Nast Traveler 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards

The Fat Lady Bar & Restaurant - American fare in a Victorian-style setting https://thefatladyrestaurant.com/ FOB Kitchen - Contemporary Filipina https://www.fobkitchen.com/ Forge Rockridge - Neapolitan pizzas and American comfort food https://forgerockridge.com/ Grand Lake Kitchen - European/American with iconic brunches https://www.grandlakekitchen.com/

Bakeries

Martial Arts

Bake Sum - Asian-American baked goods often creatively inspired by dim sum and other food favorites https://www.bakesum.com/

Hand to Hand Kajukenbo https://handtohandkajukenbo.com/

Crumble & Whisk - delish cheesecakes and much more https://www.crumbleandwhisk.com/ Coffee/Tea Ain’t Normal Café https://www.aintnormalcafe.com/ Charlie May Coffee & Tea House https://www.charliemaycoffee.com/ Mother Tongue Coffee https://mothertongue.coffee/ Red Bay Coffee https://www.redbaycoffee.com/ Food Halls Prescott Market https://www.prescottmarket.com/ Rockridge Market Hall https://rockridgemarkethall.com/ Swan’s Market https://swansmarket.com/ Clothing and Gifts

Jaji - Contemporary Afghan https://www.jajioak.com/

Movie Theatres

Parche - Contemporary Colombian https://www.parcheoak.com/ Sobre Mesa - Afro-Latino small plates https://sobremesaoak.com/

Grand Lake Theatre https://www.renaissancerialto.com/ The New Parkway Theater https://www.thenewparkway.com/ Gyms The Queer Gym https://www.thequeergym.com/ Pinpoint Training https://www.pinpointtraining.co/ Radically Fit https://www.radicallyfitoakland.com/

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Tay Ho Oakland - Vietnamese https://tayhooakland.com/

Mountain View Cemetery

Oaklandish https://www.oaklandish.com/ Out of the Closet - thrift shop benefiting the AIDS Healthcare Foundation https://outofthecloset.org/

Nick’s Pizza - sourdough crust “Oaklandstyle” pizza http://oaklandstylepizza.com/

Chapel of the Chimes

Oakland Don’t Play https://www.oaklanddontplay.com/

Home of Chicken and Waffles - the name says it! https://homeofchickenandwaffles.com/

Mua - eclectic small plates https://muaoakland.com/

Finally, once you have enriched your hopefully long and healthy life with decades of enjoyment in Oakland, you will need to consider your last chapter. At least that can be done in fabulous queer style in this East Bay city, which is home to the stunning Julia Morgan-designed Chapel of the Chimes ( https://bit.ly/4iWeXQT )—visit there while you are alive to appreciate its remarkable architecture, art, and history—and the equally impressive Mountain View Cemetery that is a national treasure ( https://www.mountainviewcemetery.org/ ).

Morgan and her family are actually buried in this 226-acre rural oasis that is open to the public for recreational visits on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. It may literally be the most soulful place in this perpetual underdog of a city that is, like the LGBTQ+ community, stronger and more beautiful and resilient than most could ever imagine.

Join us this Saturday, December 20th to check out some of Oakland’s Hottest Queer Bars. This year we are asking for a small $5 Registration Fee to help cover advertising and supplies as well as the cost of our

Special Guest Host Miss Que Rico 2025 who will be leading you along the Bar Crawl.

Checkin @ 4:30 pm Town Bar and Lounge, 2001 Broadway, Oakland 5:45 pm Night Heron 1780 Telegraph Ave, Oakland 7:00 pm FLUID510 1544 Broadway, Oakland 8:15 pm GOLDEN RATIO 1517 Franklin St., Oakland 9:30 pm Bar Crawl wraps up Que Rico Nightclub 381 15th Street, Oakland

Register online: https://santabarcrawl.eventbrite.com Staff and guests enjoyed the Grand Opening celebration at Golden Ratio.

Times Subject to change. Please drink responsibly and bring your ID. We encourage you to return to the local Queer Bars, support them, and dance the night away. UBER OR LYFT HIGHLY ENCOURAGED S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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East Bay’s Emerging Queer Mecca East Bay LGBTQ+ Owned and Allied Destinations Beyond Oakland

Oakland Events to Add to Your 2026 Calendar

Future issues of the San Francisco Bay Times will take a deeper dive into LGBTQ+ owned and allied destinations in East Bay cities beyond Oakland, but, for now, here are a few additional recommendations that were mentioned as we put together this last Bay Times of 2025:

Peter Gamez, the openly gay President & CEO of Visit Oakland, already has a full calendar of events in the works for 2026. He shared just a few:

Boichik Bagels While there are now multiple Boichik locations, including three in San Francisco, our favorite remains the original one at 3170 College Avenue in Berkeley—right as the Elmwood merges into Rockridge. The team members at all the locations are friendly and hard-working, but if we had to choose a favorite individual, we would have to name Temmy. She’s a beloved fixture who is often front and center at Boichik. We sometimes try her patience, mulling over what to order, but have to smile when she holds in her New Jersey-style brutal honesty. Boichik may produce thousands of bagels daily, but there is integrity in every bite of goodness as well as in every employee. That is likely a reflection of the brilliant yet humble Founder and CEO Emily Winston. https://boichikbagels.com/ Good to Eat - One of Winston’s own favorite restaurants is this Taiwanese restaurant in Emeryville that is owned by queer, immigrant women. It is unique and worth the trip from other parts of the Bay Area. https://www.wearegoodtoeat.com/

numerous new businesses where LGBTQ+ employees often wear their rainbow and trans gear proudly. Like Oakland, it feels revitalized and is poised for greatness in 2026.

Rialto Cinemas - These gay-owned theaters, including the Rialto Cinemas Elmwood in Berkeley, are neighborhood gems. https://rialtocinemas.com/elmwood/

Oakland Restaurant Week - Held in March, Oakland Restaurant Week is a great time to Peter Gamez check out the city’s many incredible restaurants. San Francisco Bay Times columnist Beth Schnitzer’s firm Spritz is already working on the 2026 Oakland Restaurant Week with Gamez and others. They will share more about it soon.

The Oaklash Festival - The date is already set, May 16, 2026, for Oakland’s next celebration of drag and queer performance.

Rossmore - Known as the “retirement mecca for LGBTQ+ seniors,” Rossmore in Walnut Creek lives up to its impressive reputation.

The World Famous Turf Club - Hayward has several nightlife options, including this welcoming venue with an outdoor patio, live music, and a happening dance floor. https://www.worldfamousturfclub.com/

The World Famous Turf Club

PHOTOS BY VIOLETA G. PHOTOGRAPHY

Downtown San Leandro - Maybe it happened when the rainbow crosswalks went in, but this formerly sleepy neighbor city of Oakland has

Grand Opening at Golden Ratio in Oakland 6

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Super Bowl Watch Parties - Super Bowl LX (the 60th Super Bowl) is just a few months away and will be held at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on February 8.

Gamez says some of the region’s best watch parties will be held in Oakland and have been in the works for months.

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The Oaklash Festival FIFA World Cup Watch Parties - Throughout June and beginning in July, six matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held at Levi’s Stadium. Gamez says that amazing watch parties are in the works for these important matches.

Oakland Pride - Pride Month in Oakland, usually September, is packed with events by and for the LGBTQ+ community. For info about this, the other mentioned events, and much more, watch for additional features in upcoming issues of the Bay Times and visit https://www.visitoakland.com/

Out With the Old ... ple. They even went so far as to take a literal wrecking ball to the East Wing of the White House, proving that the destruction they sought wasn’t just metaphorical; it was literal. Photographs of the mangled White House stand as a grim symbol of just how far they are willing to go. The rubble is a giant middle finger, not just to Americans, but to our allies around the world.

What a year it has been.

I suspect many of you would join me in saying “goodbye, and good riddance” to 2025, the year our country and our lives were turned upside down. Our new president and his cronies wasted no time taking a wrecking ball to our Constitution, our government, our rights, and our way of life. They immediately destroyed or rendered unrecognizable government agencies, educational institutions, public health, legal protections, societal norms, and the livelihoods of countless peo-

Just keeping up with all the horrors they have wrought has been exhausting. The architects behind Project 2025 had a diabolical plan: they wasted no time flooding us with a barrage of actions so shocking, brazen, and downright cruel as to overwhelm and desensitize us. It has been nearly impossible to keep up with the outrage.

McMullin, in turn, was snapped with Sister Mary Media, who performed her ceremony, as well as saints Kelly Rivera Hart, Wong, and Juster.

Carlos Medal, Stan Wong, Mark Paladini, Griff Young, Joanie Juster, and Troy Brunet

And, yet, there is hope. Facing authoritarianism, millions of Americans found the strength to stand up and speak out. People who had never before protested joined forces with gray-haired veterans with decades of protest experience, as well as with a new

Kelly Rivera Hart, Stan Wong, Sister Mary Media, Gert McMullin, and Joanie Juster

generation of activists who brought, not just passion and fresh ideas, but also tech skills and media savvy that helped inspire countless others to step outside their comfort zones and join the effort.

People who had never spoken out before found their voices at town halls and school board meetings. They carried signs and rallied in ever-growing numbers. They attended organizing meetings, and informational webinars, and created new social circles at Tesla Takedowns and No Kings marches.

They poured time, effort, and money into local and state campaigns, flipping seats all over the country in an unmistakable sign that the people of this country are not okay with authoritarianism. They formed neighborhood groups to support vulnerable immigrants, blew whistles in Chicago and Minneapolis to alert neighbors about ICE raids, paraded as inflatable frogs in Portland, and they danced—defiantly and joyfully—in cities around the country in front of armed agents, reclaiming the streets for the people.

They showed us the best of America. And I know that many of you are among them.

There is an eye-opening quote from Naomi Shulman that has been making the rounds a lot lately: “Nice people made the best Nazis.

My mom grew up next to them. They got along, refused to make waves, looked the other way when things got ugly, and focused on happier things than ‘politics.’ They were lovely people who turned their heads as their neighbors were dragged away. You know who weren’t nice people? Resisters.”

I get it. I was raised to be “nice,” to avoid sensitive topics, to avoid confrontations, to not rock the boat. Even today, in the face of unspeakable, immoral, and illegal acts being carried out by this administration, I still see far too many people who would rather stay silent, avoiding those realities, rather than get involved in the messy and uncomfortable business of helping. They don’t consider themselves bad people; they may even disagree with what is going on. But, by staying

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Gert McMullin and Sister Mary Media

PHOTO BY STAN WONG

Joanie Juster shared that a tradition when a new saint is canonized is to have all the other nearby saints gather for a photo. She, along with Carlos Medal, Stan Wong, Mark Paladini, and Troy Brunet, were present at Young’s ceremony.

PHOTO BY KELLY RIVERA HART

Joanie Juster

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence recently sainted Gert McMullin, who has been helping sew and repair the AIDS Memorial Quilt since its inception in 1987; and LGBTQ+ community activist Griff Young.

PHOTO BY STAN WONG

In Case You Missed It

The Sainting of Gert McMullin and Griff Young

silent, they are not helping. Unfortunately, “nice” is no longer an option. Too many lives are at stake. It’s time to speak up.

The year ahead promises to be every bit as chaotic and destructive as this one, with the added drama of the midterms in November.

They know their policies and actions are deeply unpopular with most Americans, and they will do everything possible to hang onto their power. But the good news is that we now know what we are facing. They have shown us their cards, and we have spent a year learning skills, building coalitions, and strengthening our resistance muscles.

As we head into 2026, it’s our neighbors around the country—the helpers, the resisters—who give me hope.

Creating Change If you’re looking for motivation, inspiration, and support, consider heading to Washington, D.C., in January for the 2026 Creating Change Conference.

Creating Change is a national organizing and training conference, created in 1988 in response to the 1987 National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. It was clear that the LGBTQ+ community needed and wanted tools for organizing, and solidarity to build a powerful movement to promote societal and legislative change.

Under the auspices of the Task Force, the annual Creating Change conference has grown from 300 attendees that first year to over 3,500—and growing. It has become the country’s top skills-building event, where organizers and activists get together and train each other in organizing, building political and leadership skills that can power a national movement.

From January 20 to 25, the conference will include day-long institutes, keynotes, more than 100 workshops and caucuses, and a large resource fair where you can meet people from organizations throughout the country who are doing good work on the (continued on page 16)

Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis The superb new Slate podcast When We All Get to Heaven tells the story of the pivotal role the San Francisco MCC (Metropolitan Community Church) played as a queer church and an indispensable part of the broader LGBTIQ+ community during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and early 1990s. But the podcast is not just a look at the past; it is extremely relevant today. We cannot recommend it highly enough.

COURTESY OF REV. JIM MITULSKI

As religious historian Lynne Gerber, who created the podcast with her colleagues Siri Colom and Ariana Nedelman at Eureka Street Productions, describes it, the podcast

The podcast recounts how, in the 1980s, the SF MCC served as a place of refuge without exception for all those who needed comfort, care, hope, and camaraderie, regardless of whether or not they were Christian. It tells “stories of people, of relationships, of crises, of fear and fury, and faith,” of laughter, and the myriad ways people “channeled their grief.” Gerber emphasizes that, like the MCC in the 1980s, “When We All Get to Heaven is a podcast for all of us—religious or not, queer or not, HIV positive or not, alive in the early AIDS years or not ... .

Whether you’ve spent half your life in a church or would never enter a real live one, we invite you to spend some time with this one.”

With her wry sense of humor, Gerber describes how she herself is “a Jewish girl from Long Island,” who is not “constitutionally ... capable of ” joining a church, and who is not LGBT herself but very much embraced as queer by the MCC. She confesses MCC members’ “combination of utter queerness and utter Christian-ness messed with my head,” but she was profoundly moved when she attended services and became a friend of the church.

Participants at a SF Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) service

time,” as described by Slate’s Christina Cauterucci.

In appreciating the relevance of the recordings to today, we noted how historian Gerber describes the 1980s as a time when the LGBTIQ+ community faced triple crises: 1) a “medical crisis of a novel, brutal, fatal disease with no treatment and no cure”; 2) a “social crisis hitting mostly marginalized people—queer folks, drug users, people of color”; and 3) a “political crisis of a government that seemed indifferent to AIDS, contemptuous of people with it, and doing close to nothing to support sick people or the search for treatment.”

We see striking parallels to attacks on the trans community by Trump and his allies today: roadblocks to life-affirming medical treatment, targeting one of the most vul-

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6/26 and Beyond

provides us a first-hand look at “a community that knew how to face loss and make hope in hard times ... something all of us are going to need to learn how to do if we’re going to get through the existential crises in front of us” today.

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The Stunning New Queer Podcast When We All Get to Heaven

nerable minorities in our country, and relentless vilification and marginalization.

Many other groups are also suffering disproportionately under the Trump administration in their own ways and feel very vulnerable because of who they are. We all face threats to basic democratic institutions and our core civil liberties.

The podcast reveals how the MCC as a church in the 1980s embodied “sheer insistence on possibility and the commitment to gather and to cultivate a sense of hope through years where they had no idea how this would turn out. They had no idea that the dying would ever end,” as Gerber recounts.

And now, as Gerber explains, “we’re [also] in a moment where we have no idea how (continued on page 16)

Remarkably, the podcast presents the actual voices of MCC leaders and members at the time—and their stirring music—giving us a front row seat to part of 1980s San Francisco. Thanks to the leadership of the late Keith Wismer, the SF MCC began recording its church services back in 1987 so that members who were too sick or otherwise unable to attend services could listen to cassette tapes of them at home and still feel connectA view of the SF MCC sanctuary from the pulpit. Easter 1988. ed to the community. In all, an astounding 1,200 cassettes were made from 1987 to 2003 and preserved.

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A view of the SF MCC sanctuary from the balcony

SF MCC’s church building at 150 Eureka Street.

However, when the church relocated several years ago, the tapes were slated for the garbage bin until longtime congregant Steve Ferrario, who understood their worth, “picked all these tapes out of a trash pile.” As such, listening to the podcast “feels like stepping into the room with this community, shoulder to shoulder, across S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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How to Keep the Holidays From Derailing Your Financial Intentions Reconnect With What Matters Before diving into shopping lists or travel plans, take a moment to revisit your financial purpose. What are you working toward, and why does it matter to you? For some, it’s the security of knowing they’re on track for retirement. For others, it’s the freedom to spend more time with loved ones, support their community, or create experiences that feel meaningful.

Money Matters Brandon Miller The holiday season has a way of speeding everything up. Calendars fill, inboxes overflow, and suddenly you’re juggling festive plans, family logistics, travel costs, year-end deadlines, and a swirl of expectations. It’s no surprise that even the most grounded financial intentions can get pushed aside this time of year.

But December doesn’t have to be the month where your financial confidence takes a back seat. With a little clarity and a few intentional practices, you can enjoy the season fully while still honoring the goals you’ve worked hard to set.

Returning to that core purpose gives you a natural filter for holiday spending. It’s easier to say yes to what aligns and gracefully decline what doesn’t when you know the bigger story behind your financial choices.

Set a Seasonal Spending Intention Instead of a strict budget, try a simple intention for the season. It might sound like: • I want my holiday spending to reflect connection, not obligation.

• I want to focus on experiences over things.

• I want my generosity to feel purposeful.

This kind of framing gives you direction without rigidity and allows you to stay grounded when the holiday rush tries to sweep you along.

Watch for Emotional Spending Triggers The holidays can stir up nostalgia, (continued on page 17)

Elder Care Planning in the Bay Area: Legal Strategies for LGBTQ+ Seniors families are recognized, addressing unique challenges like discrimination in care or lack of traditional family support.

The Bay Area offers various supportive options that can complement professional legal planning. For instance, programs like those from the Institute on Aging (IOA) or On Lok can be coordinated with legal strategies to enhance overall care. (Read more about On Lok in this issue of the San Francisco Bay Times.)

Trust Essentials Jay Greene, Esq., CPA As LGBTQ+ community members in the San Francisco Bay Area age, thoughtful elder care planning becomes key to maintaining independence, dignity, and connection. This involves legal tools like advance directives, wills, and trusts to protect assets, honor personal wishes, and integrate with supportive resources.

In 2025, California’s Medi-Cal program continues to evolve, but major updates effective January 1, 2026, reinstate asset limits at $130,000 per person and $195,000 per couple for non-MAGI programs, making it essential to review and update plans now to avoid eligibility issues. Early action helps navigate rising care costs and ensures chosen 10

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DE C E MB E R 1 8 , 2 0 2 5

Elder Care Planning and Why It Matters Elder care planning combines health, social, and legal strategies. It helps tackle biases against non-traditional families through documents that designate trusted decision-makers and protect assets from long-term care expenses.

Key elements: advance directives for health choices; powers of attorney for finances; wills and trusts to distribute assets; coordination with community programs for ongoing support.

Example: Many Bay Area clients use revocable trusts to safeguard homes while aligning with in-home care services.

Key Options for Elder Care Planning • Wills and Trusts: outline asset distribution and management, avoiding probate. Pros: (continued on page 16)

Message from Leadership

Three Key Pillars of Focus and a Set of Updated Programs for GGBA in 2026

By Aaron Boot-Haury As 2025 quickly draws to a close, it is hard to believe how fast this year has gone by. The months seem to have blurred together, and suddenly we find ourselves preparing to turn the calendar to a new year. Before we do, we want to pause and express our sincere gratitude to everyone who joined us for our recent holiday party, co-hosted with the San Francisco Bay Times.

The evening was a wonderful success, welcoming more than 200 guests and bringing together a vibrant mix of familiar faces and new members of our community.

It was an exciting night of connection, celebration, and shared purpose, made even more meaningful by our silent auction fundraiser, which featured an incredible array of prizes and generated important support for both organizations.

We are deeply thankful to the many individuals and businesses who donated food, beverages, and auction items. Your generosity made the night possible and truly reflected the spirit of collaboration that defines our LGBTQ+ business community. A special and heartfelt thank you goes to Dr. Betty Sullivan, Jen Viegas, Juan Torres, and the entire GGBA Board of Directors for their dedication and hard work behind the scenes.

Their planning, preparation, flexibility, and commitment ensured the evening was both memorable and impactful.

As I have shared previously, much of 2025 was a year of significant behind the scenes work by the GGBA Board of Directors. As we move into 2026, we are excited to begin bringing more of that work forward in visible and meaningful ways for our members and the broader community.

We are currently finalizing a refreshed GGBA brand and look forward to launching an updated mission and vision statement,

GGBA Member Spotlight The résumé of Clarence “CK” Kwan is packed with some of the biggest names in tech, such as Meta and Amazon. After years of working as an in-demand architect and design leader, CK decided to found his own company, CKcurated, where Clarence “CK” Kwan he and his partner Graham McCann craft bespoke travel, design, and culinary experiences tailored to LGBTQ+ individuals and more. Here, he tells us about his present life and work at CKcurated.

GGBA: CKcurated sounds like a passion project that must benefit from your years of other work experience.

Please share more about it.

CK: CKcurated is a luxury travel and design service specializing in bespoke wine excursions, culinary experiences, interior design sourcing, and corporate retreats. Our mission is simple: people share and learn through artisanally crafted food and wine, thoughtfully designed spaces, and tailored travel experiences. We are not a traditional travel agency but a lifestyle concierge, creating original journeys with no pre-packaged trips, no commissions, and no group tours

logo, and website in the first quarter of the new year. This refresh will align closely with three key pillars of focus and a set of updated programs designed to better serve our membership.

security risks, and more. In addition to our own programming, GGBA will continue to serve as a connector by highlighting other valuable learning resources across our community through a revamped newsletter.

Our first pillar centers on creating business opportunities for our members. This includes an enhanced business directory, strategic matchmaking opportunities that intentionally connect businesses and corporate partners who can benefit from each other’s goods and services, and the launch of a large LGBTQ+ Business Expo during Pride Month.

Our third pillar emphasizes fostering a strong sense of community, something that feels especially important in today’s political landscape. Our Monthly Make Contact events will continue as our flagship gathering, with thoughtful updates to introduce more structured networking activities. We are also exploring additional ways to bring members together, including smaller industry focused groups and targeted opportunities for connection.

Our second pillar focuses on education and professional development. Beginning in February, we will introduce a bi-monthly GGBA Education Series, open to all members and designed to build essential skills for business success. Planned topics include branding and strategic messaging, accessing capital to scale a business, managing cash flow, leveraging AI for operational efficiency, identifying

As we close out the year, I want to express my sincere appreciation to our members, corporate sponsors, and partner organizations. Your continued support, engagement, and belief in the mission of (continued on page 16)

Clarence Kwan of CKcurated

with strangers. As a gay Asian-American founder of an LGBTBE-certified business, I built CKcurated around genuine human connection and “quiet luxury” for LGBTQ+ clients and allies—welcoming, sophisGraham McCann ticated environments where you never have to explain who you are—while uplifting small, passionate family-run wineries, local artisans, and chefs rooted in their communities. Our philosophy is this: always tailored, small by design, and deeply human at the center of every journey.

GGBA: Why did you decide to create your business, especially given that your career could have gone in many different directions?

CK: After 30 years as a corporate architect, I knew my next chapter needed to be intentionally anti-corporate: small by design, personal by choice, human at the center. I did not leave architecture behind; I reimagined it by applying design thinking to craft highly customized journeys, treating every trip like a carefully designed experience with deep listening, thoughtful problem-solving, and meticulous detail. Those corporate decades now help me humanize retreats for corporate

clients who need genuine connection, not another conference room with bad coffee.

CKcurated grew from discovering local eateries, family-run wineries, small businesses, and from a desire to resist over-tourism and cookie-cutter itineraries— no crowds, no commissions, just real relationships and deep respect for people and place. My partner Graham McCann brings an extensive hospitality background and an intuitive understanding of what makes guests feel truly welcomed, and together we have built something deliberately small-scale, working with a select number of clients each year so we can truly customize every detail.

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

have visited 73 countries and lived in multiple places, but Rome transformed me the most. During 16 months there, I experienced a way of life where relationships, craft, and everyday rituals mattered more than productivity metrics, teaching me to slow down, savor, and recognize that the best experiences cannot be rushed or mass-produced.

Reinventing myself at 55 by embracing my authentic self now shapes how we create space for clients to have their own transformative journeys.

My ongoing role models are the small business owners, chefs, and artisans whom Graham and I partner with— LGBTQ+ and allies—who show daily that doing work you love with integrity and passion is the ultimate success, and our loyalty is to them and to our clients as we mirror that same level of care in every CKcurated experience.

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

CK: I joined GGBA to be part of a community that understands the unique challenges

CK: Travel has been my greatest teacher; I

(continued on page 17)

The GGBA page is sponsored by Anne Sterling Dorman (1952–2025) S AN F R AN C IS C O BAY T IM ES

DEC EM BER 18, 2025

11

‘A Place That Feels Like Coming Home’

By Grace Li

Photos courtesy of On Lok

For its participants, Openhouse + On Lok Community Services is more than a day center. It is the place where they feel safe, supported, and seen.

Over the past year, all of us at Openhouse + On Lok Community Day Services have taken time to deeply listen to LGBTQ+ seniors—to understand what people are feeling, what they are missing, and what they need to stay healthy, independent, and connected to the community they love.

Mercy Housing California and Openhouse on December 11, 2025, announced that the 1939 Market Senior Housing community has been awarded funding through the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Program, administered by the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) and the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).

When seniors open up, it becomes clear they are carrying more than they say aloud.

Many are isolated, fearful of the future, and managing the challenges related to aging on their own.

Openhouse + On Lok Community Day Services was created to help LGBTQ+ older adults reconnect—with care, with support, with resources, and, most importantly, with one another. Since launching in 2021, the day center has been a place where LGBTQ+ elders can immediately feel seen, safe, and surrounded by their peers.

From the outside, the program may look like a bright, well-lit hub of services, training, and innovative programming— and it is.

But the heart and soul of the center is not our beautiful space, our state-of-the-art equipment, or even our services; it is the people who walk through its doors each day. The program continues to grow into a reflection of the seniors themselves, as it was intended to be—by the community and for the community. And, as they made the place their own, our participants even gave it a new, affectionate nickname: Club 75.

The project marks a new chapter for Openhouse and Mercy Housing California, which previously partnered on similar projects at 55-95 Laguna Street, around the corner from the new building. When 1939 Market Street opens, it will add 187 affordable homes to the existing stock of 121 units on Laguna Street, creating the largest affordable housing campus for LGBTQ+ older adults in the nation.

Club 75 focuses deeply on training, safety, and practical support. The program partners with UCSF and is part of an HIV and aging research initiative supported by a Gilead grant, hosting focus groups with older adults and caregivers. Their stories— what supports them, what has harmed them, and what is missing—are helping reshape training for LGBTQ+ caregivers not only at Club 75 and On Lok, but also throughout the Bay Area and beyond.

We are also living in a moment when services are shrinking and many in the community are more hesitant to reach out.

Some folks don’t think they need help; others perceive adult day programs as rigid, impersonal, or “for other people.” And, if you have never joined a program with a bit of structure, even a few days of attendance a week may feel like too much of a commitment.

We realize that asking for help can be hard.

(continued on page 14)

But, when you hear from people who have

A New Chapter in LGBTQ+ Aging Open Tuesday through Friday, Club 75 is a structured program where San Francisco residents aged 55+ can access meals, assistance with personal care, transportation to the center and back, and life-affirming social activities that celebrate queer identity. Fees are on a sliding scale, with scholarships available to ensure the program is accessible to all.

Dr. Marcy Adelman, a clinical psychologist, LGBTQ+ aging consultant, and policy advisor, oversees the San Francisco Bay Times Aging in Community column.

The center is also an alternative care setting for those enrolled in On Lok PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly), providing a culturally appropriate setting for social activities and other PACE care services.

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Openhouse and Mercy Housing California Awarded New Funding for LGBTQ+ Senior Housing Project

Alegre Home Care is proud to support Dr. Marcy Adelman’s Aging in Community column in the San Francisco Bay Times.

Morey Riordan, Executive Director of Openhouse, expressed his excitement about the project, noting “it’s rare—but so important—to have good news to share in these difficult times. With this new, truly affordable housing project, we are one step closer to a world in which LGBTQ+ older adults can remain part of the communities they helped to shape.”

Tiffany Bohee, President of Mercy Housing California, shared that “by pairing affordable, service-enriched housing with climate-conscious design and transit access, 1939 Market will offer homes for LGBTQ+ seniors while contributing to a healthier, more resilient San Francisco. This AHSC award affirms our shared commitment to sustainability and equity and provides critical resources to make this vision a reality. We are honored to collaborate with Openhouse on this transformative project and deeply grateful to the Strategic Growth Council and the Department of Housing and Community Development for their support in making this community possible.”

The new facility will provide housing for households at 15%–60% of Area Median Income, as well as much needed office and programmatic space. The development marks a significant step forward in the ongoing efforts to provide housing and services for the LGBTQ+ older adults who shaped San Francisco.

The location has been slated for a new housing development since the city purchased the site in 2020. Openhouse and Mercy Housing California won the right to develop the project through a competitive application process hosted by the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) in (continued on page 14)

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San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women Condemns Task Force Vote to Strip the Commission of Its Governance Authority The San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women issued a call to action following the Commission Streamlining Task Force’s October 15, 2025, vote to downgrade the commission from a Charter-established Governance Commission to an Administrative Code Advisory Committee. The commission strongly objects to this decision, which would significantly diminish its authority, independence, and ability to protect and advance the rights and well-being of women, girls, and gender-nonconforming community members in San Francisco.

ment, diminishing community-led oversight at a moment when our country and local laws are rolling back equity, safety, and representation that remain urgent issues.

Established in 1975, the San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women emerged from the women’s movement through the advocacy of leading local feminists. It was the first voter-established chartered Commission on the Status of Women in the United States and has served as a role model for many ever since.

“San Francisco stands for equity, fairness, and justice. This decision threatens those very principles,” the commission states. “Women’s voices must be in direct power to affect change, not sidelined or reduced to advisory roles. Under this new proposal, the mayor would have the authority to hire and fire the director and remove and replace commissioners at will. The future of our city depends on inclusive, community-driven governance, not centralized authority that reduces transparency and accountability.”

Next Immediate Steps for the Community

Urge city leaders to reject the proposal.

Controller’s Office (Greg Wagner);

3. Attend the Mayor and President of the Board of Supervisor’s Charter Reform Working Group meetings, which are run by the Controller’s office: https://bit.ly/4rXFsJF

Opposed (1): Board of Supervisors (San Francisco D1 - D11).

Your voice, presence, and participation will be essential to protecting accountable and transparent governance.

Background: A Deeply Concerning Vote This vote came amid the ongoing implementation of Proposition E, which voters approved in November 2024. Proposition E created the Commission Streamlining Task Force to evaluate all appointive boards, commissions, and public bodies, with authority to recommend consolidation, modification, or elimination of these entities.

A Moment of Crisis for Women’s Equity and Community Voice

1. We encourage individuals and organizations to circulate this information widely and to connect others who may wish to support ongoing advocacy efforts.

On October 15, 2025, the Commission Streamlining Task Force, which did not include any community members, voted to strip the commission of its governance authority in a 4–1 vote. The votes were as follows:

The commission warns that this vote is part of a broader pattern revealing a troubling consolidation of authority in city govern-

2. Please email, call, and meet directly with members of the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor’s Office to share your concerns.

In Favor (4): Mayor’s Office (Daniel Lurie), City Administrator’s Office (Carmen Chu), City Attorney’s Office (David Chiu),

Call to Action for Our Community:

ON LOK (continued from pg 12) experienced Club 75, the story changes.

One person recently told us that coming to Club 75 “changed my life” because, for the first time in years, someone checked in, helped with long-standing needs, and made sure they could get to their appointments. For isolated seniors, this kind of relief is immeasurable and speaks to our impact more than anything we could say ourselves.

A Community Made of Itself

dreidels and latkes, Kwanzaa activities, or an outing to see The Nutcracker. Every gathering is an occasion to celebrate identity, community, and new friends.

Morgann told us about a participant, who said that spending Thanksgiving at Club 75 was the first time in years they didn’t spend the holiday alone. For another, coming to our Christmas Eve gathering “felt like being welcomed into a family I always hoped existed.”

A Call to Community

Morgann says, “Sometimes it’s as simple as a smile during lunch or sharing a story they haven’t told in decades. Sometimes it’s just saying, ‘I feel like myself here.’”

We are here to celebrate, support, and strengthen you, the people you love, and the community that continues to shape who we are.

Every day, our staff see people who arrive hesitant and isolated begin to bloom. I am inspired by their stories. Many tell us, “For the first time, I feel like I’m home.” And they are. For elders estranged from biological relatives, alone, or surrounded by reminders of the family they don’t have, Club 75 has become chosen family—especially during the holidays, when the pain of loss and loneliness can feel sharpest.

We will welcome you warmly. We will meet you where you are. We are here for you.

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Under the Task Force’s recommendation, the commission would move from a Charterestablished entity with governing authority to an advisory body without decision-making power. If approved by voters in 2026, these changes would eliminate the commission’s independence, reduce community oversight, and silence a critical platform that has served San Francisco for nearly 50 years.

Streamlining Commission Task Force Implementation Timeline

By February 1, 2026: Task Force final recommendations and report;

By March 1, 2026: City Attorney drafts Charter amendment language;

By April 1, 2026: Board of Supervisors holds hearing on the recommendations;

By July 2026: Board determines whether to place the Charter amendment on the November 2026 ballot. https://bit.ly/48WNpq0

OPENHOUSE (continued from pg 12)

Most of Club 75’s staff identify as LGBTQ+—including people living with HIV, trans and nonbinary, and staff with formal training in HIV support, gerontology, and gender-affirming care, like Community and Outreach & Enrollment Nurse Morgann Chabra and Day Program Manager Su Waqa. When participants see staff who share and understand their histories and identities, something powerful happens: seniors who spent years afraid to access services begin to trust.

At Club 75, holidays bring Hanukkah

Proposed Changes to the Commission on the Status of Women

If you need support or know someone who is struggling to get to medical appointments, who is unsure how to navigate health services, or who needs help addressing long-standing needs that are hard to tackle alone, tell them about Club 75. We also offer home visits to explain the program, answer questions, and help bridge the anxiety that often comes with entering a new space.

2021. MOHCD has been a vital resource throughout the multi-year process, including providing financing and project support.

“We are excited that this project at 1939 Market has officially received funding and is moving forward,” said San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie. “This is an important step for LGBTQ seniors who deserve stability, dignity, and access to housing in the city they call home. State support for this project moves us closer to delivering new homes on a key site and strengthens our commitment to our seniors. We will keep working with our partners to bring this project to life and ensure San Francisco remains a welcoming place for every generation.”

The proposal, which has been scored highly in past AHSC rounds but did not receive funding, earned an impressive score of 87 out of 100, underscoring its strong alignment with the mission of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and serving disadvantaged communities.

1939 Market is being delivered under SB 35, California’s streamlining law that speeds up production of affordable housing. This project shows how SB 35 is helping move wellplanned, community-serving homes from concept to construction more quickly and predictably.

Grace Li, CEO, On Lok

The new building will be highly visible, located at the gateway to the Castro LGBTQ+ Cultural District, which has been a haven for LGBTQ+ communities for more than half a century.

For more information, contact Openhouse + On Lok Community Day Services at 415-292-8302 or communitydayservices@onlok.org.

When Dr. Marcy Adelman and Jeanette Gurevitch founded Openhouse nearly 30 years ago, they set out to create pathways

In service, always, to our community and partners, I wish you all a joyful and peaceful holiday season,

DE C E MB E R 1 8 , 2 0 2 5

for LGBTQ+ older adults to remain in the city they had helped shaped. “Openhouse housing has always been more than bricks and mortar, but rather building and strengthening community by valuing and caring for one another, especially those in later life,” noted Dr. Adelman, who is also a San Francisco Bay Times columnist. “With the addition of 1939 Market Street, Openhouse will exponentially expand the number of safe, accessible, affordable, and supportive environments where LGBTQ+ older adults can live and thrive in community. Well done, everyone!”

Openhouse and Mercy Housing California anticipate sharing more information about the construction timeline and process to apply for a spot in the new building in the coming months. For updates on the project, visit www.1939market.org Quick Facts About 1939 Market Street • 100% affordable units; • 15 stories; • 187 units; • 106 studios; • 79 one bedrooms; • two units for management staff, including a one bedroom and a two bedroom; Principals • Mercy Housing California – Developer; • Openhouse – Co-Partner, Community Services Provider; • Paulett Taggart Architects – Architect; • .A. Studio - Associate Architect; • Swinerton Rubecon Joint Venture – General Contractors. https://www.openhousesf.org/

A Small Bunny With a Huge Personality and a Joyful, 10-Month-Old Pooch Here are two of the many pets now available for adoption at Oakland Animal Services (OAS): Peaches This adorable ruby-eyed white bunny may be small in size, but she’s got a huge personality! At under a year old, Peaches is a young lady with boundless energy and an incredibly sweet disposition. Peaches has been living it up in foster care for the past month where her foster family has fallen head over heels for her playful antics. When given room to stretch her legs, this little girl transforms into a bunny tornado of pure joy—her zoomies are absolutely legendary!

Owen Owen is a joyful 10-month-old, 34-pound pittie mix who brings upbeat, affectionate energy wherever he goes.

This loving boy greets people with soft eyes, tapping feet, and sweet kisses. He enjoys toys, works happily for treats, and already knows sit. Volunteers describe him as easy to handle, friendly, and eager to connect. On a recent field trip, Owen proved what a fun companion he can be.

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

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL PETRELIS

Let’s Go Home!

“Our ally Rob Reiner significantly advanced equality for the gays, delivered lasting political and social change, and left a cinematic legacy that brings joy and movie appreciation to millions around the world.” ⎯ Michael Petrelis, a member of the Rainbow Brigade

S AN F R AN C IS C O BAY T IM ES

DEC EM BER 18, 2025

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GREENE (continued from pg 10)

GAFFNEY/LEWIS (continued from pg 9)

Privacy, tax minimization; • Advance Directives: appoint agents for decisions if incapacitated. Pros: Ensures dignified care; • Asset Protection: shields resources from care costs via strategies like irrevocable trusts. Pros: Qualifies for aid.

Signs You Need Professional Guidance

In San Francisco, plans must consider high costs and property taxes. Common pitfalls: Failing to plan with LGBTQ+ supportive resources; professional guidance helps.

Greene Law Firm, P.C., assists clients with wills, trusts, probate, elder law, and asset protection. Licensed in California, we provide personalized plans that address LGBTQ+ needs and coordinate with community resources, drawing from multiple years of experience.

Property ownership; chronic illnesses; multistate ties; concerns over digital legacies.

How Greene Law Firm, P.C., Can Assist You

Step-by-Step: How to Get Started 1. Assess needs with self-evaluation tools or consultations.

2. Gather documents like deeds and medical records.

3. Consult a licensed attorney for customized directives, factoring in 2026 Medi-Cal shifts.

4. Draft and review with chosen family or caregivers.

5. Align with community supports as needed.

6. Review annually amid law changes.

Common Questions About Elder Care Planning in San Francisco LGBTQ+ individuals often ask: How much does it cost?

Costs depend on the service. Expect higher prices for more comprehensive, personalized options.

What are DIY risks?

Misses CA rules, risking invalid plans How do supportive programs fit?

They complement legal tools for holistic needs.

When to start?

Anytime to avoid crises

• Clients: families, retirees, LGBTQ+ individuals; • Services: everything from advance directives to asset strategies; • Approach: empathetic, thorough assessments and consultations.

this is going to go and where it’s going to end up and how we get there.” For Gerber, figuring out “the practices of what it takes to hang in through that in a community with a sense of imaginative possibility that insists on everybody’s place in it,” as the MCC did, is vital.

Gerber hopes that podcast listeners will learn “that there are communities of queer people who have been through really hard things before, and this is how they got through them.” For Gerber, making “the space to imagine and to cultivate possibility on our own terms” is an “incredibly important” but “undervalued” component of social and political movements. According to Gerber, “If we’re gonna get through this, we have to hold on to each other again.”

Contact Greene Law Firm, P.C., today.

Call 415-905-0215 or email info@greenelawfirm.com— free initial assessment.

The very creation of the MCC in 1968 in the face of an extremely hostile broader church environment is just such an act of “imaginative possibility.” But, as Gerber stresses, her vision today is “not replicating MCC. It’s insisting on making a space that MCC insisted on making that could look a lot of different ways.”

Statements in Compliance With California Rules of Professional Conduct The materials in this article are for educational purposes only and are not legal advice. Consult an estate planning attorney for personalized guidance.

JUSTER (continued from pg 8)

Ready to prepare?

Attorney Jay Patrick Greene, Esq., CPA, founded Greene Law Firm, P.C., which is licensed in California, Alabama, and Florida. He has over 15 years of experience concerning wills, trusts, probate, elder law, and asset protection. For more information, visit: https://assetprotectionbayarea.com

The podcast’s title When We All Get to Heaven derives from the 19th century hymn of the same name, which the MCC embraced as their own. The podcast features an extraor-

dinarily spirited rendition of the hymn sung

by Ron Davis and the MCC congregation.

Gerber underscores “the sheer audacity of the ‘we,’ [and] ‘we all,’” declaring that “[t]his song is about us. All of us. The promise of this place is for all of us.”

For queer Christians, the lyrics might carry the particular meaning of claiming their place in the Christian heaven, even as they were demonized and despised by many in the broader church. Today, it can stand as an encouragement for “all of us” to embrace “imaginative possibility” for a better today and tomorrow. We invite you to give yourself and your loved ones that gift for the holidays, the new year, and beyond.

Happy listening!

You can find the podcast on many podcast apps and at the following two sites: https://bit.ly/4j7e8Vl https://www.heavenpodcast.org/ 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.

frontlines. For more information and to register: https://bit.ly/44uEWsC ... In With the New Each December, as the old year winds down, I put greater-than-usual effort into putting my house in order. I’ll confess that I’m not a particularly tidy person, but at year’s end I dive into organizing drawers and cupboards, discarding whatever I no longer need. I try to end the year a bit lighter, clearing the way for the new year ahead.

This year, in addition to physical cleaning, I’m working on discarding negative thoughts and ideas that have weighed me down. This has been a stressful and emotionally draining year for all of us, and that prolonged stress can have negative effects on our bodies and spirits. So, instead of making New Year’s “resolutions,” I’m investing in a bit of spiritual housecleaning. Negativity and anger can go into the trash along with worn-out socks. If the emotions aren’t productive, they will be banished.

There will be enormous challenges in 2026, but I am also looking forward to the magnolias that bloom in February, the roses in April, the dahlias in September. There are friends to visit, and parks to enjoy, and adventures to be had. There is joy to be found, every day, and respect, and kindness, if we open our eyes and our hearts.

Happy New Year, everyone!

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

GGBA LEADERSHIP (continued from pg 11) GGBA are what make our work possible and meaningful.

It is because of this collective commitment that GGBA remains an organization I am deeply proud to volunteer my time to lead.

On behalf of the GGBA Board of Directors, I wish you a safe, relaxing, and joyous holiday season, and a happy and healthy new year.

Warmly, Aaron Boot-Haury (he/him) President/CEO of the Golden Gate Business Association

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MILLER (continued from pg 10) comparison, pressure to reciprocate, or the desire to create a “perfect” experience. Those feelings are real, and they often lead to spending that doesn’t align with your priorities. When you feel the urge to overspend, pause long enough to ask yourself: Am I buying this to create joy, or am I soothing stress?

Protect the Big Picture

Even a moment of clarity can help you make a choice that feels more intentional.

This is also a good moment to review the basics that often get lost in the year-end shuffle. A quick check of your retirement contributions, flexible spending accounts, withholding choices, or portfolio allocation can prevent unwelcome surprises next year.

Consider it part of your holiday prep, right alongside decorating or planning your gatherings.

Give Generously, but Smartly

Start the New Year Clearheaded

December is a natural time for charitable giving, and there are thoughtful ways to make your impact go further. Gifts of appreciated stock, year-end donations to a Donor-Advised Fund, or simply planning your contributions with tax efficiency in mind can help you support the causes you love while also strengthening your overall financial strategy.

January feels much more energizing when you haven’t spent December unraveling the financial progress you made all year. By giving yourself permission to slow down, stay anchored to your purpose, and make choices that reflect your values, you set yourself up to enter 2026 with clarity and confidence.

Generosity is most powerful when it’s both heartfelt and aligned with your long-term goals.

And, if you want help aligning your year-end decisions with your broader financial plan, we’re here. Brio is all about helping you live your best life with intention, in December and beyond.

This material presented by Brio Financial Group (“Brio”) is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for personalized investment advice or as a recommendation or solicitation of any particular security, strategy, or investment product. Facts presented have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however Brio cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such information, and certain information presented here may have been condensed or summarized from its original source. This information may contain certain statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements. Please note that any such statements are not guarantees of any future performance, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those discussed. No investor should assume future performance will be profitable or equal the previous reflected performance.

Any reference to an index is included for illustrative purposes only, as an index is not a security in which an investment can be made. They are unmanaged vehicles that serve as market indicators and do not

account for the deduction of management fees and/or transaction costs generally associated with investable products. The S&P 500 Total Return Index represents U.S. stock returns.This includes 500 leading companies in the U.S. and is widely regarded as the best single gauge of large-cap U.S. equities, where dividends are reinvested. The holdings and performance of Brio client accounts may vary widely from those of the presented indices. Brio does not provide legal or tax advice, and nothing contained in these materials should be taken as legal or tax advice.

Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Brio and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. No advice may be rendered

by Brio Financial Group unless a client service agreement is in place.

Brandon Miller, CFP®, is a financial consultant at Brio Financial Group in San Francisco, specializing in helping LGBT individuals and families plan and achieve their financial goals. For more information: https://www.briofg.com/

GGBA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT (continued from pg 11) and possibilities of running an LGBTQ+ business. As an LGBTBE-certified company, connecting with GGBA felt like the natural next step—a place to find both support and values‑aligned clients who care about true diversity, equity, and inclusion. Transitioning from a long corporate architecture career into entrepreneurship, where I wanted to build relationships, not just transactions, I needed a network that prioritized genuine human connection over metrics and quotas, and GGBA embodies that ethos among Bay Area LGBTQ+ business owners and allies.

GGBA: How has being a member of GGBA helped your business so far?

CK: GGBA has provided warm introductions and visibility that no amount of cold outreach could replace. My 30 years of architecture connections remain valuable, but GGBA has opened doors to a new network of clients who intentionally seek out LGBTQ+ businesses and appreciate the highly personalized, fee‑based service CKcurated provides, with many who would return year after year to design their next journey. Beyond leads, being part of GGBA means belonging to a community where your identity and values are integrated into your business, not compartmentalized, which mirrors how Graham and I work with clients across all 16 of our carefully chosen destinations that we know intimately—so you are never starting over with a stranger every time you plan a trip.

GGBA: Do you go to the GGBA monthly Make Contact networking events?

Have they benefited you and your business, and would you recommend them to others?

CK: Absolutely, and I highly recommend them. Make Contact events are where real relationships form—less transactional networking, more genuine connections with people who often become colleagues, collaborators, and friends. They combine networking with education by bringing in speakers and coaches who share practical business strategies and development tools that can be

implemented immediately, so it is not just about collecting business cards. For a relationship‑based business like CKcurated, showing up consistently has helped us meet potential clients, strategic partners, and trusted resources, and the community that forms there often becomes a support system, a group of cheerleaders, and one of the best sources of referrals.

and me serving as your single point of contact, planner, connector, and advocate from first conversation to homecoming. We specialize in quiet luxury and create welcoming environments where LGBTQ+ clients and allies can relax and be fully themselves, while also supporting artisans, winemakers, chefs, and local nonprofits like 18 Reasons and PBS stations in the communities we love. I have traveled to 73 countries, speak five languages, and have deep roots in our 16 carefully selected destinations, where we open “front doors” to insider access— from California wine country to Japan and Mexico City—and every experience starts with the same question: What would make this extraordinary for you?

Visit us at https://ckcurated.com/

GGBA: What other advice would you give to someone who is thinking of starting their own business?

CK: Be clear about what you want to build and what you want to resist; knowing that CKcurated would be anti‑corporate guided every decision from our fee‑based model to our choice to stay small and high‑touch. Your business will not fully reveal itself in a business plan alone; it emerges through conversations, collaborations, and quiet observations, much like a design process you iterate and revisit with fresh eyes. Leverage every part of your background: my architectural experience gave me design thinking, problem‑solving, and detail management, while even the challenging parts of corporate life now help me create humanized, meaningful retreats. If maintaining integrity matters, consider staying fee‑based rather than commission‑driven, scale intentionally so you can build deep relationships, find your community early, and do not be afraid to reinvent yourself at any age—I did it at 55—because the clients who value quiet luxury, inclusivity, and true craftsmanship will recognize themselves in what you offer.

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

CK: More than design, food, or wine, the most important ingredient in our work is people—the connections formed while sharing a meal, laughing over a bottle of wine, or wandering through a neighborhood together.

CKcurated believes DEI is about genuine human connection, not just metrics or quotas, and we have built a business where every client interaction matters, and every small business partner is truly valued, with Graham S AN F R AN C IS C O BAY T IM ES

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

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

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

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

Beth Greene, John Signer, Michael Delgado Design & Production

Kate Laws Business Manager Blake Dillon Calendar Editor Kit Kennedy Poet-In-Residence J.H. Herren Technology Director Carla Ramos Web Coordinator Mario Ordonez Distribution Juan R. Davila Volunteer Coordinator CONTRIBUTORS Writers Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Patrick Carney, Leslie Sbrocco, Kate Kendell, Gary M. Kramer, Joanie Juster, Robert Holgate, Eduardo Morales, Dennis McMillan, Tim Seelig, John Chen, Rafael Mandelman, Jewelle Gomez, Phil Ting, Rebecca Kaplan, Philip Ruth, Bill Lipsky, Elisa Quinzi, Liam Mayclem, Beth Schnitzer, Rowena Brown, Andrew Freeman, Kippy Marks, Ian Fullmer, Catherine Stefani, Donna Sachet, Gary Virginia, Derek Barnes, Marcy Adelman, Jan Wahl, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis, Brandon Miller, Jamie Leno Zimron, Howard Steiermann, Fernando Camino, Honey Mahogany, David Landis Photographers Rink, Paul Margolis, Bill Wilson, Jerry Parmer, Michael Kirschner, Sandy Morris, Karina Patel, Abby Zimberg, Joanie Juster, Debra Reabock ADVERTISING Display Advertising Standard Rate Cards http://sfbaytimes.com/ or 415-601-2113 Custom ad sizes are available.

Ads are reviewed by the publishers.

National Advertising: Contact Bay Times / San Francisco.

Represented by Rivendell Media: 908-232-2021 Circulation is verified by an independent agency. Reprints by permission only.

CALENDAR Submit events for consideration by e-mail to: calendar@sfbaytimes.com © 2025 Sullivan Communications, Inc

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GLBT Fortnight in Review I, for one, am happy to see the end of 2025.

Our country has been taken over by a cabal of small, cruel men, who answer to a Caligula of a president. All we can do is protest, stand up for what’s right, and vote.

But, I have hope for 2026. I have hope that Trump’s polls will continue to decline, that more Republican lawmakers will rebel, that the mood of the country will start to shift back towards sanity. I have hope that our coverage next year will have more good news, more optimism, more light. Meanwhile, it’s time for our annual assessment of how closely you followed our insightful column over the last twelve months.

Good luck!

Question One Kambree Nelson is ... a) a federal judge, who called legal arguments by the Trump Justice Department in favor of ousting transgender service members “soaked in animus and dripping with pretext.” b) a “new media reporter” in the White House press gallery who believed the Democrats had hidden, or maybe destroyed, the moon. c) a crazy mother who sent a death threat to her kid’s teacher after the teacher initiated a project that included the rainbow flag. d) a lesbian who was caught on a Ring camera being murdered by her wife.

By Ann Rostow

Question Two In Budapest this year ... a) a satiric gay rights group called the Twotailed Dog Party took to the streets in grey outfits calling for “death to colors,” and announcing that “being uniform is cool.” b) an anti-gay mayoral candidate beat out his moderate opponent 50 percent to 49 percent. c) after President Viktor Orban outlawed pride celebrations, roughly a quarter of a million people held the largest Pride rally in the Hungarian nation’s history. d) two men won a victory from the Constitutional Court of Hungary recognizing their German marriage. e) city police raided 42 GLBT clubs in one night.

Question Three In 2025, the Trump administration denigrated our community with various gratuitous attacks. Which of these actually happened? a) The Defense Department removed online references to the Enola Gay, the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. b) Trump and company removed the “T” from “LGBT” on the historical plaque at the Stonewall Inn. c) Pete Hegseth renamed the Harvey Milk supply ship the Oscar V Peterson. d) The government removed the menu option for GLBT callers to the national suicide hotline. e) The Department of Transportation

ordered rainbow crosswalks repainted in a dozen major cities around the country. f) The White House mess canceled its long-standing contract with a Vermont maple syrup supplier because the company was run by a lesbian. g) The Defense Department halted its congressionally mandated participation in the Scouts’ quadrennial Jamboree.

Question Four True or False: In 2025, the Supreme Court ... a) ruled that a straight woman can sue for sexual orientation discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. b) ruled that South Carolina can block a transgender boy from using the boys’ facilities in high school. c) ruled that Oklahoma can use taxpayer dollars to fund a Christian charter school. d) ruled that parents cannot opt their kids out of general reading programs that may include GLBT books. e) ruled that Tennessee can prohibit medical services for transgender minors. f) allowed the Department of Defense to start ousting transgender troops while litigation continues. g) ruled that states cannot outlaw conversion therapy without violating the First Amendment Rights of antigay therapists. h) ruled that a Christian web designer can refuse gay clients. i) decided to take the case of a former county clerk who seeks to end marriage equality. j) ruled that the State Department can limit

passports to gender at birth while lawsuits play out.

Question Five Name the cities with the following airport codes: a) GAY b) FUK c) DIK d) PEE e) POO f) BUM g) SUX Question Six What do the following newsmakers— Kalaya Morton, Marcy Rheintgen, Luca Strobel, and Ansley Baker—have in common? a) They were young Republican leaders caught making racist and obscene comments in a secret chat group. b) They were fired for criticizing Charlie Kirk after his death. c) They were all ejected from women’s bathrooms. d) They are all running for Republican-held seats in Congress.

Question Seven Which gay animals made the news this year, and why? a) penguins Green Bean and Randi

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33rd Songs of the Season Raises Nearly $40,000 for PRC

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Held at Feinstein’s at the Nikko on December 9 and 10, 2025, the 33rd Songs of the Season sparkled with an unforgettable lineup of San Francisco legends and powerhouse voices including the event’s remarkably talented producer Brian Kent; Songs of the Season founder, San Francisco Bay Times columnist, and fundraising extraordinaire Donna Sachet; Sister Roma; Kenny Nelson; Charles Jones; Kippy Marks, who is also a Bay Times columnist; Brian Justin Crum; Meghan Murphy; Leanne Borghesi; and the phenomenal band: Roberta Drake, Dr. Dee Spencer, Trevor Acebo, and Collin Williams.

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Both nights sold out and the event raised nearly $40,000 for PRC’s life-saving services. It was also the first Songs of the Season attended by PRC’s charismatic new CEO, Dr. Deborah Hawkes. The Bay Times is proud to be the long-time media sponsor of Songs of the Season. Donations to benefit PRC are still being accepted and may be made at: https://givebutter.com/Songs25

“Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!”

—Santa Claus

By Donna Sachet

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From a spectacular Drag on Ice in Union Square, where the longtime organizers presented us with a lovely trophy for Unparalleled Host and all the participants and their friends enjoyed a boisterous celebration afterwards at a nearby hotel’s penthouse club, to a packed crowd at Grace Cathedral for the annual lighting of Rainbow World Fund’s Tree of Hope, brilliantly decorated with simple origami cranes inscribed with the hopes of individuals from around the world, this was a season of likeminded people gathering to enjoy connection, purpose, and frivolity.

This year’s 33rd annual Songs of the Season, splendidly produced by Brian Kent, starring Kenny Nelson, Meghan Murphy, Kippy Marks, Brian Justin Crum, Leanne Borghesi, Sister Roma, and a surprise appearance by Charles Jones, with instrumenWhile conducting the live auction at talists Dee Spencer, Roberta Drake, Trevor, the Toast to the Season holiday Acebo, and Collin Williams, sold out both nights party, Donna Sachet displayed a weeks in advance and raised a record $40,000 for PRC. basketball autographed by Valkyries What a stunning example of dedication to a cause, sup- team members. ported by a range of individuals and business sponsors, while enveloping the community in music, comedy, and love.

The San Francisco Bay Times continued their long tradition of a holiday party for friends and supporters, this time with Toast to the Season at the San Francisco LGBT Center, shared with the Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA). Hundreds joined in “The Tree Twins” joined Donna Sachet at the celebration and a silent and live aucDrag on Ice show at the Holiday Ice Rink at tion, including Warriors and Valkyries Union Square. merchandise, quickly raised thousands for the Use the News Foundation and the GGBA. And The Academy SF was not to be left behind, winding up their holiday season with Naughty or Nice, letting members and guests explore both sides of Santa’s list without judgement.

Sunday, December 21 Sunday’s a Drag Holiday spectacular Donna Sachet & friends return Starlite 450 Powell Street 5 pm $15 www.beacongrand.com/starlite Wednesday, December 24 Holiday Spectacular: Home for the Holidays SF Gay Men’s Chorus Davies Symphony Hall 4 & 7 pm $30 & up www.sfgmc.org

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And we didn’t only attend events where we had some responsibility! We happily enjoyed the talent and creativity behind Golden Girls Live with Holotta Tymes, D’Arcy Drollinger, Matthew Martin, and Coco Peru at the Curran Theatre; Lisa Fischer performing her special style of jazz at The Jazz Center; a nostalgic matinee of Last Call at Maud’s at the Roxie Theatre; and our introduction to Debbie Wileman as an amazing Judy Garland in A Christmas Garland at the Strand Theatre. Members of the Imperial Court of San Francisco provided several chances to share in their special holiday fundraisers, including Imperial Crown Prince Nathan D’Aguiar’s Season’s Greetings Serenade at Midnight Sun and Emperor Bill Bulkley’s Mystique, celebrating what would have been José Sarria’s 103rd birthday, preceded by a high tea at Twin Peaks with many of the Empresses bedecked in stylish hats.

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ith so many joyful events and dynamic fundraisers back-to-back and so little time between to catch one’s breath and recap, this issue’s column may seem cursory, but let it be known that our community has celebrated the holiday season in style! Herewith, a very brief summary:

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

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All in all, San Francisco and the LGBTQ+ community once again demonstrated its resilience and stamina, even in the face of daunting daily news at the federal level. Indeed, we celebrated the holiday season with gusto and will continue to find our joy with each other. As this season comes to a close, cherish the memories you’ve made and the people you’ve made them with, looking ahead to a 2026 full of opportunity!

Donna Sachet welcomed guests to Songs of the Season held at Feinstein’s at the Nikko. The annual event, which she founded, benefits PRC.

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ROSTOW (continued from pg 19) b) Sexpot, the bonobo c) the sheep from Rainbow Wool d) Arlo, one of several pigs in an art installation e) Tux, a penguin from the National Aquarium of New Zealand

after moaning that a gay friendly kids’ book series “made me sick.”

Question Eight

a) spoke at the funeral of Focus on the Family founder James Dobson. b) was appointed Ambassador to Norway. c) published a book titled Kids’ Guide to President Trump. d) was injured by a buffalo during a hunting trip in South Africa. e) complained publicly about a lesbian couple with a baby in the Disney film Lightyear. f) told a senate committee that the U.S. was subsidizing pastry classes for male prostitutes in Haiti.

Who did what? Match the following people to the incidents that follow: Sarah Ashworth, Phillippe Schneider, Lou Prevost, Derek Huffman, Michelle Wilson, Silas Shelton, David Maltinsky, Aidan Maese-Czeropski a) This person was fired from an FBI training program after putting a rainbow flag on their office wall in 2024. b) This person was groped during a parasailing adventure by the guide. c) This person was arrested for murdering a man and cooking his body parts into a stew with vegetables. d) This 24-year-old aide was fired for having sex in a senate anteroom and letting his partner video the moment. e) This person insists that your pillowcases are aging you ten years. f) This person had to shut down their Trumpy social media after their brother was named Pope. g) This person moved their entire family to Russia to escape the woke culture of the U.S. h) This person was accused of child rape

Question Nine This year, former Oklahoma Governor Mike Huckabee ...

Question Ten In 2025, would you rather ... a) Win the midterms, or win five million dollars? b) Write and publish a brilliant book of poetry that doesn’t even break even, or write and publish a best-selling cookbook? c) Have an intimate dinner with Kristen Stewart and Joe Burrow, or have an intimate dinner with Kamala Harris and Gavin Newsom? d) See the High Court rule against birthright citizenship and uphold the rights of trans-

gender athletes, or see the reverse scenario? e) See Trump have a disabling stroke, or see Vance have a mental breakdown? f) Feel great physically, or feel great emotionally? g) Learn to speak Italian, or learn to make pasta by hand?

Answers One The answer is b) The forty-something “reporter” pointed out on social media that the moon had vanished, asking, “Why is everyone silent about this? They are quiet about the white sun as well.” Judge Ana Reyes wrote the scathing quote. Connie Rimes told the teacher: “U messed with the wrong family ... so please say ur prayers and kiss ur kids goodbye and goodnight u never know when god says its our time so always be prepared.” And Rebecca Morodi was stabbed to death by her wife, Yolanda.

Two The answers are a) and c). The antigay candidate, Karol Nawrocki, was the winning politician in the Polish presidential runoff.

The two men who married in Germany were Polish, and won recognition from the European Court of Justice. And the Moscow police conducted the big raids.

Three Options b), c), and d) are all true. And yes, all references to “gay” were purged from the Defense Department website, but Enola Gay was quickly restored. While several states including Florida and Texas have outlawed rainbow crosswalks, there has been no federal dictate. I made up the maple syrup company, and we have only seen a “draft memo” about the Scout deal, which was leaked to NPR. Four a) T, b) F, South Carolina was asking the justices to reverse an injunction issued by the Fourth Circuit, but, in a rare victory, the Court refused. c) F, Justice Barrett recused herself from this case, and the Court split 4–4, leaving the Oklahoma Supreme Court’s ruling against the school intact. d) F, Of course they ruled in favor of the antigay parents. e) T, f) T, g) F, The Court heard oral arguments in this case but will rule next year, probably in favor of the antigay therapists. h) F, That was last year. i) F, They did not accept the marriage equality challenge. j) T. Five They are: a) Gaya, India, b) Fukuaka, Japan, c) Dickinson, North Dakota, d) Perm, Russia, e) Pocos de Caldas, Brazil, f) Butler, Missouri, and g) Sioux City, Iowa. I know that the folks in Gaya have tried repeatedly to get their abbreviation changed without success.

Sioux City, by contrast, has leaned into “SUX” and sells all kinds of SUX merchandise in its airport stores.

Six c) Kalaya was a cisgender woman, reported by a Walmart manager in Tucson. Marcy

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was a transwoman who deliberately challenged a Florida law banning transwomen from state bathroom facilities. Luca Strobel was a transman, who faced police after using the ladies’ room in a bar. Ansley, a cisgender woman, was escorted out of a hotel bathroom in Boston by security while other women jeered. I had more stories. Anyone who doesn’t look feminine enough is at risk.

Seven The answers are a) and c). Green Bean and Randi are lesbian penguins who made it into the news for doing something amusing with a ball during a week when I was strapped for content, while the gay sheep starred in a Grindr-sponsored show called I Wool Survive that celebrated gay rams who are commonly culled. Bonobos were newsworthy in general due to their language skills, although “Sexpot” is made up. The unnamed pigs in the installation Now You Care by sociopath artist Marco Evaristti were meant to starve to death in public, while Tux won “Naughty penguin of the month” after he pushed another penguin off the pier after the victim had walked an hour to get there. There’s no evidence that either Tux or the pigs were gay.

Eight Ashworth was selling the pillowcase that will take years off your look; Schneider is the cannibal; Prevost is the Pope’s unimpressive brother; Huffman took his family to Russia and had to go to the frontlines in Ukraine; Wilson was assaulted by her parasailing guide, who was instantly arrested; Shelton was a rapist pastor from Ohio; Maltinsky was fired by Kash Patel, but has filed suit, and Maese-Czeropski, “The Senate Twink,” found himself on a public sex tape back in 2023, but was recently interviewed so made it back into the 2025 headlines.

Nine c) He wrote the kids’ book. He was also named Ambassador to Israel, not Norway, and some unrelated businessman was killed by the Capetown buffalo. It was Snoop Dogg who complained about the movie, and Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana who told colleagues about the alleged pastry classes.

Ten As far as I’m concerned, a) I’ll take the midterms, b) I’ll write the cookbook since I just gave up five million dollars out of patriotism, c) Tough call, but I’m going with Kristen and Joe, d) Reverse scenario. I’m never happy about losing trans cases, but ending birthright citizenship would completely upend constitutional law. e) I’d go with the Vance option. f) I’d rather feel great emotionally. That’s the definition of “feeling great.” g) I love the sound of Italian, don’t you? We can buy pasta.

See you next year, dear readers! arostow@aol.com

2025 Menorah Lighting at Jane Warner Plaza and Other Bay Area Hanukkah Traditions

CASTRO MENORAH LIGHTING

The annual lighting of the menorah at Jane Warner Plaza took place on December 15, 2025, just a day after the official start of Hanukkah, which will end on December 22. The observance is made possible by Castro Merchants, the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District, Sha’ar Zahav, and the Castro Community Benefit District. The multibranched menorah signifies different aspects of Jewish tradition and resilience, along with the idea of spreading light into darkness.

The Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market that runs the seasonal Castro Farmers’ Market shared a favorite recipe for latkes. Happy Hanukkah!

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Members of the San Francisco Bay Times team also attended the Hanukkah Block Party in Berkeley located in front of Saul’s Restaurant and Delicatessen. There is a Latke Tent where homemade sufganiyot (donuts) are additionally served. There are also cozy heat lamps, live music, special Hanukkah cocktails, and more. See the video at https://bit.ly/3Yw2ObK

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Speakers included President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Rafael Mandelman, State Senator Scott Wiener, and Mayor Daniel Lurie. Leading the Menorah Lighting were Rabbi Mychal Copeland, Cantor Sharon Bernstein, and other leaders from Congregation Sha’ar Zahav.

Mia’s Potato Latkes

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3–4 large Russet potatoes (about 1 1/2–2 pounds), scrubbed and cut lengthwise into quarters 1 large onion (8 ounces), peeled and cut into quarters 2 large eggs ½ cup matzo meal or unseasoned fine breadcrumbs 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon fine sea salt), plus more for sprinkling 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper Safflower or other oil, for frying

SCREENSHOT/BETTY L. SULLIVAN

Ingredients

Method

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Grate potatoes and onion and mix together. Squeeze as much moisture out of the mixture as you can. Mix in all other ingredients except oil. Heat oil in a big skillet, preferably cast iron. Oil should be about 1/2-inch up the side of the pan. Keep adding oil as you cook the whole batch. Fry big spoonfuls of the potato mixture, flattening then frying on each side until golden. Make them about 4–5” wide. Serve with applesauce and sour cream.

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San Francisco Bay Times and Golden Gate Business Association 2025 Holiday Party Toast to the Season

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The San Francisco Bay Times annual holiday party with the Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA), Toast to the Season, took place on December 12, 2025, at the SF LGBT Center. The event was co-emceed by GGBA President and CEO Aaron Boot-Haury and Bay Times columnist Donna Sachet. Sachet also performed at the event, providing a beautiful reminder of her recent sold-out shows for her and Brian Kent’s own annual event, Songs of the Season, which benefits PRC. GGBA Events Chair Juan Torres managed the silent auction at Toast to the Season and more. GGBA board member, Peggy Sue, also helped with the auction, telling guests humorously about all the valuable “gay s---t!” (The silent auction items really were incredible this year, ranging from enticing getaways to rare wines to $-packed gift cards.) Sachet also added levity to the evening, remarking on who best followed the attire instruction of “gay fabulous.”

In addition to Sachet, entertainment was provided by the San Francisco Pride Band led by Mike Wong. They opened the event and performed a festive singalong later. A surprise moment was when party guest and award-winning singer, actress, film, and cabaret performer Leanne Borghesi sang a rousing number and helped with the singalong.

Internationally-recognized musician Kippy Marks performed as guests entered the center. Inside the venue’s Rainbow Room, DJ Lady Ryan—the co-owner of the Golden Ration in Oakland and the official DJ of the Golden State Valkyries—spun tunes for guests throughout the evening.

State Senator Scott Wiener attended and provided remarks, as did President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and longtime Bay Times columnist Rafael Mandelman, who also provided letters of commendation to the event organizers and additional honorees.

The live auction, led by Boot-Haury and Sachet, included some cliffhanging bidding competition between guests over Napa Valley elite wine experiences, a signed Warriors jersey, and a basketball signed by nearly all of the Valkyries team. Borghesi’s wife, Sharon Boggs, won that coveted item!

It was announced that the San Francisco Bay Times, with the help of legendary community activist Olga Talamante and Rev. Miguel Bustos, helped raise $2000 for El/La Para TransLatinas to support their work helping trans, intersex, and gender diverse Latine people. Also recognized at the event were columnist and volunteer extraordinaire Joanie Juster, who had just completed her 100th article for her column in the Bay Times; and columnist Sandy Morris, who holds the distinction of being the paper’s oldest contributor. She recently celebrated her 85th birthday and is still going strong.

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Toast to the Season was a benefit for the GGBA ( https://www.ggba.com/ ) and the Use the News Foundation ( https://usethenews.org/ ).

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San Francisco Bay Times and Golden Gate Business Association 2025 Holiday Party Toast to the Season

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Special Thanks to Our Event Sponsors Sponsors

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San Francisco Bay Times and Golden Gate Business Association 2025 Holiday Party Toast to the Season

Thanks to Our Silent Auction Donors Big Bus Tours

The Gregangelo Museum Oakland Queer Dance Studio

Copain Wines

Hotel San Luis Obispo

San Francisco Ballet

Cirque du Soleil

Joe Solis

San Francisco Symphony

Darwin’s Lounge

Kendall Jackson Wines

Silver Oak Cellars

EHERT Winery

La Crema Winery

SoulCycle Castro

Flowers Winery

Norden Living

The Charles Pacific Grove

Golden State Valkyries

Mollie Stone’s Markets

The Freight

Golden State Warriors

New York Life

WE INC. Marketing

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Pagonis Consulting

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Harmon Guest House

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Cal Performances

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LGBTQ+ Activist Pedro Zerolo of Spain Dedicated His Life to Equal Rights for All reelected in 2000 and 2002. Then, as a leading figure in the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), Zerolo was elected to the City Council of Madrid in 2004.

Faces from Our LGBT Past Dr. Bill Lipsky The Plaza de Pedro Zerolo, the vibrant heart of Madrid’s Chueca neighborhood, is a public square located in the center of Spain’s ancient capitol. Named for one of the most prominent figures in the country’s crusade to win equal rights for its LGBT residents, it is not only a tribute in the community he championed, but also “a monument to remember all the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals who have been persecuted throughout the centuries for their sexual orientation and gender identity.”

The same year, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Spain’s newly elected prime minister, chose Zerolo to be his principal advisor about civil rights. His first assignment: a key role in the efforts to change the Spanish civil code so that it unquestionably guaranteed marriage equality to the country’s LGBTQ+ residents.

Although it seemed a task too difficult to achieve against the conservative opposition, Zerolo refused to be intimidated and he refused to compromise. “Do you want rights?” he asked. “Be united and aim for the best.”

The bill to recognize marriage equality in Spain was concise and specific, adding a single paragraph to Article 44 of the nation’s Civil Code: “Matrimony shall have the same requisites and effects regardless of whether the prospective spouses are of the same or different genders.” It passed the legislature on June 30, 2005. King Juan Carlos I gave

Pedro Zerolo was born in 1960 in Caracas, Venezuela; his father, a painter and progressive civic leader, had moved there from Tenerife, the largest of Spain’s Canary Islands, as a republican exile of the Spanish civil war. After the fall of Spain’s fascist government in 1975, his family returned to the island, where Zerolo La Plaza de Pedro Zerolo, Madrid completed a law degree before moving his royal assent the next day. The new law to Madrid in 1982. First as a lawyer, then as appeared in the July 2 Boletín Oficial del Estado a politician, but, especially as an advocate and went into effect on July 3. for social change, he became a passionate activist of equality for LGBTQ+ people.

Spain became only the third nation in the In 1992, the always openly gay Zerolo was named legal consultant for the organization Colectivo Gay de Madrid (COLGAM), founded in 1988. He then worked to create the Spanish Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Transsexuals, and Bisexuals (FEGL), which is today the largest coalition of LGBTQ+ organizations in Spain. He became the organization’s president in 1998 and was

world to recognize marriage equality, following the Netherlands and Belgium, 17 days before Canada did the same, and ten years before the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated all state barriers to same-sex marriage on June 26, 2015. “We are expanding the opportunities for the happiness of our neighbors, our colleagues, our friends, and our relatives,” Prime Minister Zapatero stated before the final vote on the legislation. “At the same time, we are building a more decent society.”

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Asked to describe his feelings after the first wedding of two men in Madrid, Zerolo said it was “a triumph of common sense and the state of law.” The following October, he married Jesús Santos, his partner of ten years. He also officiated at the marriage of feminist activist and politician

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Ángeles Álvarez, author of a pioneering study about gender violence, to Teresa Heredero, the first women to marry each other. Since then, more than 75,000 same-sex marriages have taken place in Spain.

Zerolo clearly understood that no one has equal rights unless everybody has them. For him, the marriage law was only a beginning. It was not, he stated, “a law born from an isolated action. It is a measure that is part of a very specific overall policy, aimed at ensuring full equality among men and women in the country and among heterosexuals, homosexuals, transsexuals, bisexuals,” He also had in mind the Romani, and immigrants. How do you achieve that full

Pedro Zerolo

Pedro Zerolo plaque in the Plaza de la Diversidad, Murcia, Spain

equality? He said, “By fighting, not only for our own rights, but for the rights of all.”

Zerolo died too young in 2015 at the age of 55, but his great unifying strategy for change endured. When Spain enacted its landmark Comprehensive Law 15/2022 for Equal Treatment and Non-Discrimination in 2022, it was named the “Zerolo Law” in his memory. A broadly encompassing civil rights act, it explicitly protects individuals from discrimination based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, race, age, disability, illness or health status, genetic features, language, and socioeconomic status. In addition, it guarantees gender selfdetermination and bans conversion therapy.

Ten years later, on the twentieth anniversary of marriage equality in Spain, Pedro Sánchez, elected to serve as the nation’s Prime Minister in 2018, joined the stellar celebration “of pride, memory, and gratitude” organized by the LGBTQ+ State Federation and the Ministry of Equality. He began by noting that, for the more than eight million people who had been born in Spain since 2005, “the idea that two men or two women can marry or form a family is absolutely normal.”

He acknowledged the great leadership of former Prime Minister Zapatero, who also attended and spoke at the event, and “the

Jesús Santos and Pedro Zerolo on their wedding day (2015)

courageous vote of the parliamentary groups that made this majority possible.” In addition, he said, “We cannot remember this achievement without mentioning the person who gave it a face, a heart, and a lot of eloquent words, Pedro Zerolo.” His own next words were: “for the bravest, for the greatest leader, for the one who did the most to recognize this right.”

The Prime Minister concluded by affirming, “We have learned that freedom is not a destination; it is a daily commitment.” Then he added, “Let them hear it well, both inside and outside. Here we do not go backwards; here we move forward and always look ahead. Here we live with pride, pride in the country and pride in its people.” Zerolo played a crucial role in creating that pride with his greatest and most enduring achievement: the crusade to achieve equal rights for all.

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.

Community Treasures From the GLBT Historical Society Archives

I Live the Life I Love Because I Love the Life I Live: A Celebration of Trans People of Color The GLBT Historical Society Museum’s latest exhibition, I Live the Life I Love Because I Love the Life I Live, shines a spotlight on the resilience, creativity, and cultural impact of Black, Latinx, Asian, and Pacific Islander trans and gender-nonconforming people.

Co-presented with the Louise Lawrence Transgender Archive (LLTA), the exhibition explores both performance and everyday expressions of identity, and features studio portraits of gender impersonators from Finocchio’s—the famed San Francisco cabaret—and the touring Jewel Box Revue, alongside candid photographs, activist materials, and self-portraits.

“Our exhibition centers joy, creativity, and the everyday brilliance of trans people of color,” says Elena Gross, Director of Exhibitions & Public Programs. “I hope visitors discover new icons—artists, activists, and organizers whose stories deserve to be uplifted.”

Historic figures featured in the exhibition include Stormé

DeLarverie, Miss Major GriffinGracy, David de Alba, Li-Kar, and Red Jordan Arobateau, alongside community organizers like Brenda Lee and members of the Filipino Task Force on AIDS, who fought for social and medical care for trans people during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis.

Images courtesy of the GLBT Historical Society

“The exhibit presents 100 years of trans history depicting the universality and diversity of the trans experience,” says Curator Ms. Bob Davis, the founder and director of LLTA. “We hope visitors leave with a greater appreciation of Asian, Black, and Latinx trans lives and culture.”

The exhibition is now on view at the GLBT Historical Society Museum, 4127 18th Street in San Francisco’s Castro District. Learn more and plan your visit at https://www.glbthistory.org/

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2025 World Tree of Hope Lighting Ceremony

The World Tree of Hope began in 2006 under then-Mayor Gavin Newsom and has grown into an international tradition. Wishes sent from around the world—from children, global leaders, refugees, religious leaders, activists, celebrities, and others—are printed, folded into origami cranes, and placed on the tree as a symbol of collective hope. Such symbolism dates back to the 1955 story Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, written a decade after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the bombing. (See the December 4, 2025, issue of the San Francisco Bay Times for more information.)

A Night of Community, Culture & Global Connection

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PHOTO COURTESY OF DION LIM

The 20th annual World Tree of Hope Lighting Ceremony took place at Grace Cathedral on December 8, 2025. Presented by the Rainbow World Fund (RWF), the tree—the world’s largest origami-decorated holiday tree—has transformed the cathedral into a global sanctuary of peace, unity, and hope illuminated by 20,000 hand-folded origami cranes carrying wishes from people in over 100 countries.

Hosted by San Francisco Bay Times columnist and performer Donna Sachet and Emmy Award–winning journalist Dion Lim, this year’s Lighting Ceremony brought together numerous attendees and viewers to honor two decades of the World Tree of Hope and its mission: turning individual wishes into a collective symbol of compassion.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DION LIM

The World Tree of Hope will remain on display at Grace Cathedral through January 9, 2026.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF DION LIM

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The ceremony included reflections from RWF Founder and Executive Director Jeff Cotter; origami master Linda Mibara; Rev. Alan Matsui, who is the child of an atomic bomb survivor; Dean Malcolm Clemens Young; Deputy Consul General of Japan Takeshi Ishihara; and State Senator Scott Wiener. A performance from the San Francisco Boys Chorus opened the evening.

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Half a Bard Is Better Than None

Off the Wahl Jan Wahl

So, what do we do with a movie that is half interesting and half a snooze fest?

The good news is that it gives us some insight into Shakespeare when he was writing Hamlet. The bad news is the second half of the movie gets good, and, by that time, I found that I had lost interest. The movie is called Hamnet.

William Shakespeare and his Agnes celebrate the birth of their son Hamnet; however, when tragedy strikes, Shakespeare is inspired to write his timeless masterpiece, Hamlet. The film is directed by the Beijing-born filmmaker Chloé Zhao, known primarily for her work in Nomadland (2020). She is the second of three women to win the Oscar for best director.

She better hold onto it, because her latest work is not going to bring the gold.

Hamnet is set in 16th-century England, and we are told that the tragedy with Hamnet will lead to a poignant tale of love, grief, and artistic creation. Stay for the end of the

movie, since it shows how personal tragedy can fuel great art. In the first claustrophobic half, however, we are stuck with a very sparse environment. But buckle up for the far more interesting trip to Stratford-upon-Avon.

Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) meets Agnes ( Jessie Buckley), the daughter of a forest witch, and there seems to be a feeling of madness and death all around. Parts of the first half of the film put me to sleep, but I woke up just at the right time since finally the movie explained that this was Shakespeare saying: “To be or not to be, that is the question.” This overlong film addresses the fundamental human struggle with existence and suffering—bored yet?

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

Why see this when a far more insightful and entertaining portrayal of the young Bard’s life is the witty and sexy Shakespeare in Love (1998)? This fictional romance imagines how Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet; it cleverly weaves in theatrical truths, like boys playing women’s roles.

This multi-Oscar winner is a wonderful combination of comedy and drama with juicy court intrigue, and is perfect for the holidays.

Some other fine films inspired by Shakespeare include 1956’s Forbidden Planet (The Tempest), 1953’s Kiss Me Kate (The Taming of the Shrew), and 1961’s West Side Story (Romeo and Juliet). Or go traditional with any of Kenneth Branagh’s Shakespeare-inspired films including Henry V (1989), Much Ado About Nothing (1993), and the musical Love’s Labour’s Lost (2000).

Grab a sweet or dry mead, put on those flounces you have in your closet, and salute the Bard as we close out 2025 and ring in 2026. As Shakespeare wrote in Julius Caesar, “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.”

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2025: Looking Back at the Year in Queer Film motormouth who happens to run in the same circles he does. Sweet, clever, and satisfying, director Toni Comas’ modest film was a nifty little sleeper.

Bonus Track was an enchanting and chaste queer teen romance about finding— and going—your own way. The infectious film boasts engaging performances, and a terrific soundtrack, which includes the catchy song, “A Very Bad Fun Idea.”

Film Gary M. Kramer Looking back on the year 2025 in film, here are a dozen favorite films that I wrote about this year for the San Francisco Bay Times.

While all these films played in cinemas— sometimes only at film festivals—several of them are currently available for streaming.

Silent Notes had Bruce (Daniel Durant), a Deaf man, needing $120,000 to get a cochlear implant. To earn money, he starts working as a delivery man for some gangsters. Bruce also, unexpectedly, finds himself attracted to Ethan (Matt Riker), a

The fabulously entertaining documentary Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story was a valentine to the iconic singer, dancer, and actress, Liza Minnelli. Director Bruce David Klein traced Liza’s life and career through interviews, film clips, and archival photos and footage that make the film feel like catching up with someone you know.

A Nice Indian Boy had Naveen (Karan Soni) reluctant to have his boyfriends meet his traditional (but accepting) family. That all changes when he has a meet cute with Jay ( Jonathan Groff), a photographer who was adopted by Indian parents. The guys have an awkward first date, but their relationship gets serious. After Jay meets Naveen’s parents, Megha (Zarna Garg) and Archit (Harish Patel), Naveen experiences emotions that open him up to deeper love. This was an extremely charming feel-good romcom.

Marco Berger’s wondrous drama Perro Perro, shot in luminous black and white, is an allegory that shrewdly lets viewers draw their own conclusions about sexuality and gender. But it is also a deeply romantic love story between a man and his naked human-looking dog.

A Nice Indian Boy

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There is an abundance of Black queer strength and joy in Assembly, a marvelous documentary about artist Rashaad Newsome and his stunning 2022 commission for the Park Avenue Armory.

Newsome, who codirected the film with Johnny Symons, records the preparation and exhibition of his show, Assembly, which is about reclamation, emancipation, and decolonization. Assembly will make everyone who missed seeing Newsome’s multimedia production in person regretful yet grateful that this fabulous film exists to show them what they missed.

a sensational performance, speaking very few words but doing some incredible physical work.

In the bold, fabulous, and queer absurdist drama Kill the Jockey, Reno (out gay actor Nahuel Pérez Biscayart), a once-successful jockey, is pressured to win races for Sirena (Daniel Giménez Cacho), a mobster.

This plot, however, is merely a framework for director Luis Ortega to hang a series of wildly surreal, inventive, and arrestingly offbeat sequences. Pérez Biscayart gives

Slight and profound, writer/director Ira Sachs’ Peter Hujar’s Day consists of Peter (Ben Whishaw) recounting his previous day in detail to Linda (Rebecca Hall) for a potential project she is working on. Whishaw’s performance—from the cadence of his voice to his body language as he eats, drinks, and smokes, and even the (continued on page 33)

Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story

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Bonus Track

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100 Nights of Hero

(continued from page 32) way he articulates his thoughts when he lies or remembers something—is astonishing.

In the wistful, elegiac Blue Moon, the celebrated and closeted lyricist, Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke), holes up in Sardi’s delivering a series of absorbing and occasionally amusing monologues. Hawke delivers a showboating performance as Hart becomes emotionally spent over a long, wearying night.

The film version of the Tony-winning musical Kiss of the Spider Woman has moments of seduction and at times is spellbinding. The musical numbers are stylishly executed, but this Kiss is best during the scenes between cellmates Luis Molina (out gay Tonatiuh) and Valentin (Diego Luna) confiding in each other about their dreams and fears as they possibly fall in love.

Trans actress Tommy Dorfman made an auspicious debut as a writer/director adapting Mason Deaver’s book I Wish You All the Best. Ben (Corey Fogelmanis) is a non-binary teenager

Silent Notes

who is encouraged to express himself visually, and verbally. The film is as messy as Ben is—and that is meant as a compliment. As Ben slowly changes his clothes from sad hoodies to more feminine garb, or tries out they/them pronouns, they blossom, and Fogelmanis’ sensitive performance makes this growth credible.

Queer writer/director Julia Jackson’s (Bonus Track) stylish and clever queer romance 100 Nights of Hero has Cherry (Malika Monroe) pressured to have a son with her husband, Jerome (Amir El-Masry), but she has real feelings for her handmaiden, Hero (Emma Corrin). The costumes and set design are fabulous and the cast delivers the witty dialogue with aplomb.

Kill the Jockey

I look forward to covering more great queer films in 2026. © 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

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Top of your stack Recommendations From Book Passage

Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton (non-fiction - hardcover)

by Martha Ackmann

Martha Ackmann brings a brandnew animated biography of the life of country music star and philanthropist Dolly Parton. Ain’t Nobody’s Fool details an inside look into Parton’s early life and into stardom. It is full of never-before-seen photographs, documents, and interviews with neighbors, bandmates, and others.

Meet the Newmans (fiction - hardcover) by Jennifer Niven Meet the Newmans is the story of America’s favorite television family, The Newmans. Every week, Dinah, Del, and their two sons play their perfect selves on TV for the world to see, but, behind the facade, things are going terribly wrong. This is a great read for fans of Lessons in Chemistry and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

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Two Left Feet (fiction - paperback)

by Kallie Emblidge

Kallie Emblidge’s debut is a soccer romance between two Premier League players. When Oliver suffers an injury, he must coach the new midfielder, Leo, who is set to take his place. What begins as a challenging and frustrating dynamic soon develops into something more than friendship.

Upcoming Events Wednesday, January 7 @ 6 pm (non-ticketed - Corte Madera store) Cecily Mak, author of Undimmed: The Eight Awarenesses for Freedom From Unwanted Habits Cecily Mak set out to make a guide to help others find clarity in their lives free of unwanted behaviors and habits. Undimmed is that guide meant to help us breakaway from what dims our lives. Mak will be joined in conversation by Sarah Szal, MD.

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Thursday, January 8 @ 5:30 pm (non-ticketed - Ferry Building store) Dr. Kim Makoi, author of Booze to Balance: A Chill 30 Day Liver-Healing Program

Dry January is here and Dr. Kim Makoi’s new book Booze to Balance is here to help create healthy habits beyond just one month. This easy-to-follow step-by-step guide will help change how you view alcohol and bring you to a healthier life.

Sunday, January 11 @ 2 pm (non-ticketed - Ferry Building store) Aaron G. Fountain, Jr., author of High School Students Unite!: Teen Activism, Education Reform & FBI Surveillance in Postwar America Student activism was a pivotal part of the 1960s and 70s, focusing mostly on college students. In High School Students Unite!, Fountain, Jr., details how high school students during this time created a lasting impact. https://www.bookpassage.com

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun anticipated Santa finally arrived. The band led us into the dramatic countdown to zero, and the tree lit up bright and proud with its white fairy lights and rainbow trim! Come see this beautiful gem in the Castro!

Have you heard the latest in bad news for mostly innocent immigrants? ICE Immigration enforcers just inked a $30 million contract to use tariff-era warehouse vacancies for “processing centers and mega centers.”

By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, “Mary XXXmas, my dear fellow queers! May your holidays be XXX-rated and fulfilling, Mary!”

An excellent way to greet the beginning of the HoliDaze was the annual CASTRO TREE LIGHTING ceremony produced by the CASTRO BENEFIT DISTRICT at Castro and 18th streets on December 1 this year. Emceed by Donna Sachet, several folx spoke, including Mayor Daniel Lurie (who remarked he had seen a lot of trees this year, but none quite like this one), Senator Scott Wiener, Per Sia, President of the SF Board of Supervisors & Bay Times columnist Rafael Mandelman, and Supervisor Matt Haney. Sister Roma recited a lovely poem she had composed, the SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE BAND played holiday favorites, we sang along, and the

And just to add to the absurdity, Trump had pardoned the most prolific convicted drug smuggler in American history, former Honduran President Juan Hernandez, who then got released from jail on December 2 this year—having been previously declared guilty by an American jury to 45 years imprisonment for smuggling 400 tons of cocaine into the USA. So, T-rump naturally declares War against South America!

Sister Dana sez, “Aye yai yai! Talk about Homeland InSecurity!”

DarnOld Trump has been super greedy to attain a peace prize, so it was no surprise that FIFA would award him the Inaugural (as in: they made it up to stop his egotistical whining) FIFA Peace Prize. But, as the witty John Stewart pointed out: this big gold globe held up by many hands

Dennis McMillan (Sister Dana) and performer Leanne Borghesi at the 2025 Songs of the Season at Feinstein’s at the Nikko

resembles all these fingers tickling one of his testicles. Sister Dana sez, “As they used to say on the classic ‘Laugh-In’ TV skits: Well, soccer to me!”

On December 8, thousands of origami cranes inscribed with wishes for the future of the world—from people all over the world—graced the 20th annual RAINBOW WORLD FUND (RWF)’s WORLD TREE OF HOPE at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. Emcees were Donna Sachet and Dion Lim. The impressive lineup of talent included Grammy-winning San Francisco Boys Chorus; the Very Rev. Dr. Malcolm Young; Deputy Consul General of Japan Takeshi Ishihara; Consul General of Germany Theo Kidess; California State Senator Scott Wiener; Rev. Alan Matsui Leberta Lorál; Tammy Lynne Hall; San Francisco Emperor Ashlé Blow and Empress Afrika America; Origami Artist Linda Mihara; and RWF Founder Jeff Cotter. We Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Inc., blessed the Tree—shortly before Donna gave the countdown, and the tree (and our hearts) were lit with hope for the whole world!

We celebrated 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 served as both a celebration of the holidays and also a benefit for PRC, supporting life-changing services in behavioral health, housing, and workforce development for San Franciscans in need. The show was held at Feinstein’s at Hotel Nikko on December 9 and 10.

Among the classy performers were Brian, Donna, Kippy Marks (on electronic violin), Sister Roma (as a wise-ass wise soothsayer), more swingin’ singers such as Leanne Borghesi (who lovingly attacked me with her makeup kit during intermission to give me a badly needed instant makeover), Kenny Nelson, Charles Jones,

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PHOTO BY CHRIS MICHAELSON

Sister Dana sez, “Just what we needed: more jails for more people who might have been good citizens!

We really gotta melt the ICE!”

Brian Justin Crum, Kenny Nelson, Meghan Murphy, and Dr. Dee. For the grand finale, Donna changed into an allwhite gown to sing her traditional closing “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas” and getting us all to joyfully sing along! https://prcsf.org We danced into the holiday spirit with the San Francisco Pride Band and this year’s 40th annual DANCE-ALONG NUTCRACKER. This Nutcracker Suite was sweet! The theme was “Wicked.” We wannabe ballerinas and ballet-star audience members accordingly “defied gravity” by clapping, twirling, and dancing along with an unforgettable group of artists whose talent and energy made the show sparkle brighter than ever with an intriguing plot! Of course, we couldn’t help but sing-along to the Almighty Gay Anthem of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” And it’s always an anticipated treat to enjoy the Costume Parade of the clever band members marching in line after intermission. And, at the conclusion, it was surely time to be “Off to See the Wizard,” and be bombarded by “billions” of big, black, bowling ball-sized balloons! A rather surprising incoming balloon almost knocked my vodka seltzer right out of my hand! Evil!

There were four different dates from which to choose: Saturday, December 6, 3 pm and 7 pm, and Sunday, December 7, 11 am and 3 pm. Naturally, this grownup nun purposely chose the adult version. All were held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Forum. https://sfprideband.org I didn’t have room in my December 4 column to brag just a bit about another thing that happened on December 2, when I attended an event in the National AIDS Memorial Grove where us Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were awarded the National Leadership Recognition Award for our history supporting the eradication of AIDS. So there: I mentioned it!

Way back on December 8, the State Department renamed the former Institute of Peace to “reflect the greatest (continued on page 46)

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Ringing in the New Year and Holidays in Style McFarland Springs; and Champagne & Caviar New Year’s Celebrations: afternoon and evening events ringing in the New Year with champagne at midnight Paris or NYC time, featuring pours from the SFCS library and caviar from Tsar Nicoulai.

The Gay Gourmet David Landis How did this year fly by so fast? Suddenly, we’re already planning for New Year’s Eve and looking forward to 2026.

Since this is San Francisco, there are so many choices and here are a few options for the rest of the holiday season and NYE. I’m always looking for great queer holiday events, especially in the Castro.

Lucky for me (and you), Deck the Halls, one of San Francisco’s original holiday pop-up bars, is returning for its ninth year through December 28, with the new addition of a weekend all-youcan-eat brunch buffet. Deck the Halls is open seven days a week from 4 pm to midnight, even on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. This year’s theme is Naughty Candy Shack. Most cocktails are served in themed vessels (think snow globes and gingerbread houses) and feature theatrics like fire and smoke, with playful names such as Resting Grinch Face, Yellow Snow, and Feliz NaviDaddy. The new location is in the Castro at the corner of Market & Noe Streets (the former Fisch and Flore), with indoor and heated patio areas.

The San Francisco Champagne Society (SFCS) is a speakeasy-style champagne salon tucked away in SoMa. Founded by champagne expert Bill Marci, SFCS offers a rare, intimate tasting experience. It features small-production, grower champagnes sourced directly from France, served in a moody, members-only-style loft that’s all about discovery and indulgence. This season, they’re offering a variety of holiday and New Year’s experiences, including: Holiday Parties for Two to Ten Guests: a curated champagne flight and light bites in an ultra-private setting; Private Buyouts for Up to 15 Guests: a full champagne takeover with caviar, Brillat-Savarin triple cream cheese, and smoked trout from

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This New Year’s Eve, The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel’s historic Redwood Room once again becomes the stage for an unforgettable celebration as top Bay Area nightlife curators Yuksel Presents, Sol Y Luna, and Vadik Presents bring BLACKTIE NYE to San Francisco on Wednesday, December 31. Originally opened in 1933 at the end of Prohibition, the Redwood Room has long been a cul-

Graton Resort & Casino

Deck the Halls

tural landmark, known for its Art Deco design, rich redwood interiors, and timeless San Francisco allure. This December, the legendary lounge transforms for one night into a luxe, immersive celebration where social tastemakers, media, and revelers can ring in 2026 in style. Events include: DJ performances, complimentary party favors, a red-carpet entrance, a live screening of San Francisco’s fireworks on a large-scale projector (so you don’t have to endure those cold nights outdoors), and a midnight countdown and balloon drop.

Solage in Napa invites guests to gather for a bold, sensory celebration of flavor and culture with a playful dining pop-up in collaboration with Fly by Jing. Dubbed Solhouse x Fly by Jing, the pop-up features Solage Executive Chef Gustavo Rios, whose dim sum-inspired menu showcases Fly by Jing founder Jing Gao’s acclaimed recipes and sauces from her James Beard Award-winning cookbook.

Guests can also enjoy traditional tea and sake service and take part in hands-on

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dumpling workshops, making for a truly festive experience. Solhouse x Fly by Jing will be offered Thursday–Sunday through the end of the year, with reservations available on Resy.

Chotto Matte, the Nikkei cuisine rooftop restaurant in Union Square, is planning a retro Disco Fever Cocktail Party and special tasting Chotto Matte menu to ring in the New Year. With entertainment that will keep the energy the view of shimmering lights of the city, soaring all night. diners can experience San Francisco from above to start out the year right. Guests Graton Resort & Casino is rolling out the will be greeted with a complimentary welred carpet to host an epic New Year’s celecome champagne, and curated wine and bration this year. An extended weekend of beverage packages will be available to elephenomenal gaming giveaways—including vate the evening. Diners begin their glamthe chance to drive home in a 2026 Humorous evening with a curated 8-course mer EV—alongside non-stop live perforprix-fixe menu, thoughtfully crafted to mances from celebrated artists and an showcase the flavors and flair for which impressive selection of handcrafted cockChotto Matte is renowned. After dinner, tails will help partygoers toast the beginthe celebration heats up with the Disco ning of 2026. Three major giveaways run Fever Cocktail Party, which will feature from New Year’s Eve through the (continued on page 39) a live DJ, captivating dancers, and lively

weekend: the $50,000 Countdown Giveaway will allow guests to start earning entries at 3 am New Year’s Eve, leading up to 20 winners of $500 free slot plays drawn every hour between 1 pm and 5 pm; the $20,000 New Year’s Cash Giveaway begins from 12:15 am to 2 am January 1, and drawings will take place every 15 minutes, giving away $1,500 cash to one lucky winner and $250 free slot plays to four winners in each drawing; and the 2026 New Year New Wheel Giveaway ( January 1–3), where players can earn up to 5 times entries and win $500 free slot plays in hourly drawings from 7 pm to 10 pm.

Krampus’ Cove’s Spruce Willis Lustau cocktail

The grand finale each night during this giveaway is the 11 pm drawing, where one fortunate guest will win a 2026 GMV Hummer EV SUV. Guest performers throughout the holiday include Tyler Johnson, Sin Silver, Dustin Saylor, String Me Along, and Hong Kong superstar Gallen Lo. 630 Park Steakhouse is offering a five-course special holiday tasting menu. And don’t forget the special Chandon Champagne bar, which features festive edible glitter in select champagne offerings, as well as signature spritz-style cocktails, including one with elderflower liqueur and another with yuzu liqueur.

The much-anticipated return of Krampus’ Cove comes back to Rye Bar in San Francisco for its fourth year. Created by Erin Hayes and Kelsey Ramage—the duo behind Black Lagoon—this holiday pop-up celebrates the macabre Alpine

legend of Krampus and is open through December 31. Krampus is a horned, demonic figure from Central European folklore, a sinister companion to St. Nicholas, who punishes misbehaving children during the Christmas season. Rye Bar will be transformed into a spine-tingling, immersive experience. Think black Christmas trees decorated with doll heads, skeletons, skulls, and fake severed body parts, among other haunting decor.

The menu will offer six freakishly delicious cocktails, including: Naughty List Negroni (Copalli Cacao Rum, Campari, Lustau Rojo Vermut, and passionfruit); Merry Axe-Mas (Maker’s Mark 46 Bourbon, Averna, spiced cider, miso butterscotch, and Bitter Queens Tobacco Bitters); and Grinches Need Love, Too (vodka, Grinch (pandan and peppermint), Lusta Palo Cortado (sherry), lemon juice, absinthe, and Campari).

Mamahuhu—the fast-casual Chinese-American restaurant in San Francisco and Palo Alto from partners Anmao Sun, Ben Moore, and James Beard Award-winning Chef Brandon Jew (Mister Jiu’s)—is teaming up once again with the beloved Jewish bakery Loquat for a special Jewish-Chinese Christmas collaboration. The two beloved Bay Area restaurants again this year offer their popular Red Bean Sesame Babka, made with sweet red bean caramel, sesame, orange zest, and osmanthus. Babka loaves will be available for pick-up at all Mamahuhu locations and at Loquat through December 25. Mamahuhu also offers Holiday Tins filled with a trio of seasonal treats, including the Red Bean Sesame Babka, a jar of Mamahuhu’s signature Red Bean Caramel Spread, and a bag of Kenya Karagoto Coffee from San Francisco coffee roaster Four Barrel. Available throughout December at Mamahuhu’s locations, Four Barrel, and The Mill, these tins make a warm, delicious gift or a perfect addition to your own holiday table.

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

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Bay Times Dines

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Wine Trends for 2026 bottle, the best choice I’ve found is a product named Coravin. https://www.coravin.com/

Sbrocco Sips Leslie Sbrocco With 2026 on the near horizon, it’s time to look at trends in wine for the new year. Consumption of traditional wine is down as younger drinkers have a plethora of options from spirits to non-alcoholic drinks and more, while older drinkers might be imbibing less. Whether you’ve decided to go alcohol free or just cut back, these three trends offer options for all.

Enjoy a glass of wine on demand ... without opening the bottle.

When you feel like pouring yourself a glass of wine without wanting to finish a whole

For more than a decade, this unique wine preservation system has built a following among wine experts, sommeliers, and drinkers from connoisseurs to novices.

Coravin is easy to use, allowing for individual tastes to full glasses of wine to be poured without ever opening the bottle.

Using a needle that’s specifically engineered to pierce the cork and access the wine, you simply press on the handle to extract wine.

As the liquid is poured, argon gas is injected to protect the remaining wine. When you pull the needle out, the cork heals itself. You can access a single bottle for years, one glass at a time. I recommend you buy a Coravin system for your home. It’s a splurge at around $200, but well worth the investment if you love wine exploration.

traditional chardonnay and pinot noir, as well as low to no alcohol options, is Oceano ( https://oceanowines.com ), a wonderful California producer. Another name that is rocking the n/a boat is French Bloom, which is a female-founded brand by Maggie Frerejean-Taittinger & Constance Jablonski that’s focused on world-class n/a sparkling wine from France ( https://bit.ly/49cLAq2 ).

When small becomes a big winner.

Size does matter when it comes to drinking wine. Now, more than ever, the market is growing for wines bottled (or canned) that offer single-serve-sipping. While all types of wine from dry to sweet, whites to pinks and reds are offered in smaller packaging, the sparkling category showcases some of the best options.

their bubbly, Mionetto offers “mini” bottles that contain a full glass pour. You can also pop the top and simply sip with a straw.

Don’t miss Mionetto’s alcohol-free options including a prosecco and an Aperitivo Zero.

Together, they make a stellar n/a spritz.

I can’t talk about single serving wines without mentioning the trailblazing bubbly in a can, Sofia Wines. The brand began more than two decades ago as a tribute to Sofia Coppola by her father, Francis Ford Coppola. They created an immediate buzz around single serve wines that was far ahead of its time. Aiming for fun on-the-go enjoyment, Sofia Wines sparklers—including Blanc de Blancs and Brut Rosé—rank as an iconic benchmark for the category ( https://bit.ly/4oWnGnm ).

Zebra Drinking is a thing.

If you don’t want to give up wine or spirits, just drink less and enjoy more. A new trend dubbed Zebra Drinking has taken center stage.

It means you might start the evening with an alcohol-free libation, then have a second glass that contains alcohol, and even a third back to no alcohol. Low to no alcohol (n/a) wine and spirits have been quietly gaining traction as the offerings are now about quality, availability, and a flavor-forward character. Approximately 10 percent of wine-drinking consumers have embraced n/a options. One of my top picks for high-end

Cheers to a happy and healthy 2026!

Author, speaker, wine consultant, and television host Leslie Sbrocco is known for her entertaining approach to wine and food. She has won multiple Emmy Awards for her work on PBS, which includes hosting the series “Check, Please! Bay Area,” which is now in its 21st season; “Check, Please! You Gotta Try This!” and the nationally aired series “100 Days, Drinks, Dishes & Destinations.” www.LeslieSbrocco.com

Mionetto is a legendary sparkling producer founded in 1887 by winemaker Francesco Mionetto, who opened the winery in Valdobbiadene, in the heart of the prosecco region near Venice. Famous worldwide for

2025 Drag on Ice

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The impressive skaters included Paju Munro, Dusty Pörn, Curve Ball, Helixer, Jota Mercury, Liza Smelyanska, Major Hammy, and Pony Bambino—all dressed in elaborate holiday-themed costumes.

They blended sass, style, and holiday sparkle in this annual one-of-a-kind skating spectacle that often draws admiring Olympians if they are in the city. The event is even known nationally, as evidenced by this AP video report: https://bit.ly/3YwHCT2

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Drag on Ice dazzled the many guests who attended the event on December 4, 2025, at the Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square. Longtime co-emcee and San Francisco Bay Times columnist Donna Sachet was honored. Also adding her talents to the event was iHeartRadio DJ Christie James, who said that the performers were “skating for love, camp, and fun.”

Tammy Webster Brown’s Path to Recovery and Reunification Her work is a living embodiment of PMLE. She does not simply manage programs; she cultivates environments where love is practiced daily, through patience with residents, encouragement in moments of doubt, and celebration of every milestone achieved. Tammy’s leadership style reflects the PMLE ideal that love is not passive but active, not occasional but consistent. She models how love can be woven into organizational culture, turning treatment centers into sanctuaries of healing.

Practice Makes Love Easy Kippy Marks As an artist, I’ve always believed that music and love share the same rhythm: both require practice, patience, and a willingness to give of yourself fully. That’s why I see Tammy Webster Brown as a true embodiment of Practice Makes Love Easy (PMLE), and I am proud to celebrate her as the 11th individual spotlighted in this column.

She lives her life as a daily practice of gratitude and love. Each morning begins with thanksgiving to God, and each evening closes with the same devotion. For Tammy, faith is not an accessory—it is the foundation. “My relationship with my Lord and personal Savior is everything to me,” she affirms. This spiritual grounding is the soil from which her leadership grows, yielding the fruit of compassion, patience, and love.

The PMLE philosophy teaches that love is not abstract; it is cultivated through consistent practice. Tammy exemplifies this truth.

Her daily rhythm of prayer and gratitude is a rehearsal of love, a discipline that shapes her interactions with colleagues, residents, and community partners. She demonstrates that, when love is practiced intentionally, it becomes easier to extend, even in the most challenging circumstances.

Music is one of Tammy’s chosen tools of practice. She surrounds herself with positivity and draws strength from songs that inspire resilience and joy. These songs are not just entertainment; they are spiritual exercises, reinforcing her commitment to PMLE by keeping her heart tuned to love and thanksgiving.

Professionally, Tammy serves as Program Manager and Director of Residential Services for LifeLong Medical Care – EBCRP Project Pride, a residential program dedicated to women in recovery. Project Pride provides substance use disorder treatment and mild to moderate mental health services for pregnant, parenting, and adult women. What makes this program extraordinary is its holistic approach: women live in treatment while learning how to parent, with the ultimate goal of reunification with their children.

Tammy’s leadership ensures that every resident is met with dignity and hope. She knows that recovery is not just about overcoming addiction—it is about reclaiming identity, restoring family bonds, and rediscovering self-worth. By guiding women through this process, Tammy practices love in its most transformative form: love that heals, restores, and empowers.

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something clicked inside of me that said: what happened to your mother was an illness. At that time, little to no treatment was available, and, because of the color of her

Tammy’s recognition in this column is not just about her professional achievements. It is about the way she integrates faith, music, and service into a seamless practice of love.

She reminds us that salvation yields good fruit, that positivity is a choice, and that leadership rooted in love can transform lives.

Kippy Marks: How long have you been involved with the practicing of PMLE values in your work?

Tammy Webster Brown: I have been involved with practicing love ever since I experienced love through my dear mother who passed away when I was 10 years old. It didn’t matter what she had to do or was doing; when I would walk home from school each day, I knew of a warm, loving, and safe space I could retreat to. That place was sitting up on my mother’s lap and cradled in her arms as she read the daily newspaper. She wore this quilted type of bra, and I would rub on her bra while sucking my thumb and be at peace. The way I felt was like no other and I longed to experience that every day, and, because of that experience, I strive to reciprocate that feeling of love and safety with others, more importantly to the clients in the work that I have been doing since 1998, when I was hired as a Child Counselor in a Residential Treatment Program in Oakland. This program is for pregnant, parenting mothers, and adult women working to overcome the disease of substance use disorder while addressing their mild to moderate mental health challenges in an environment that fosters safety and connection first and foremost then treatment. While here, their children up to two are able to live with them depending on their age, and/or visit on the weekend.

Kippy Marks: Who or what motivated you to become the community activist you are today?

Tammy Webster Brown: My mother first and foremost motivated me to become a giver, and my children and the clients we serve [motivated me] to become a community activist. As a mother, you are the only protector your children know and expect to cover for them. I take that seriously. My mother protected and shielded me, and, when I lost that, much was ripped away from me. I developed a fear as a result that took years to overcome. This fear kept me from loving much and loving hard out of fear that I would die and leave my children at an early age. I didn’t want them to experience that depth of loss that I experienced with my mother. However, one day

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Tammy Webster Brown

skin, there wasn’t a rush to find alternative solutions to extend her life. [I thought, in terms of myself ]: you are healthy and you were given a beautiful gift to encourage and meet the needs of people, starting with your children. I took this [in] and have been making a conscious effort to serve and advocate for those who cannot themselves or who need the support to do so.

Kippy Marks: How old were you when you made that decision?

Tammy Webster Brown: I was turning 25 years old when I made the decision to be present.

Kippy Marks: What advice would you give to others on how to practice love on the daily?

Tammy Webster Brown: The advice I would give others on how to practice love daily is to start with finding a part of you to love and nurture that part as other parts of you are watered and grow in selflove. Remember, love is universal; there shouldn’t be a met criteria to determine if we love or not love others. There are two Bible scriptures that easily come to mind concerning love. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life, John 3:16 (NIV). And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV).

Kippy Marks: If you were granted two universal wishes, what would you wish for?

Tammy Webster Brown: My two universal wishes would be health and wellness.

If I maintain this, I can continue to serve others and show love in all I do.

Kippy Marks: Please share any current practices that our readers may find useful, and update us on what you are doing now.

Tammy Webster Brown: My current practices are I end and start my day with a heart of gratitude and thanksgiving to God. My faith is important to me and my relationship with my Lord and personal Savior is everything to me. Having a foundation of salvation is a daily practice that will always yield good fruit of love, because He first loved us. [I also believe in] surrounding yourself with positivity, finding a song that inspires and motivates you. My life songs are “Happy Feelings” by Frankie Beverly and Maze and “For Every Mountain” by The Kurt Carr Singers.

I work for Lifelong-EBCRP; we are Project Pride the residential division. We provide substance use disorder and mild to moderate mental health treatment services for pregnant, parenting, and adult women.

They are able to reside in treatment with us to address and overcome their substance use disorder while learning how to parent their children and be reunified with their children. All residents must have Alameda County Medi-Cal and have a current substance use disorder.

Tammy Webster Brown’s journey reminds us that love is not a passive feeling but a daily practice. Through gratitude, faith, music, and service, she demonstrates how (continued on page 46)

Entryways Doormats Choose from several colorful, artistic, and holiday-themed coir doormats.

Price Range: $33.99–$64.99

Le Creuset 3.75 Quart Cassadou The enameled cast iron Cassadou acts as a deep sauté pan or small Dutch oven with a convenient handle for easy maneuvering from stove to oven to table.

Keep up with Cliff’s Variety news at Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/CliffsVariety ) and Instagram @hilario_sf

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Sports

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Why the Bay Area Is America’s Ultimate Women’s Sports City

Photos courtesy of Beth Schnitzer

City metro area, Los Angeles, Boston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, and a tie between Chicago and Washington, D.C., rounding out the top ten.

Beth’s Bay Area Sports Beat Beth Schnitzer If there was ever a moment to declare the Bay Area the epicenter of women’s sports in America, this is it. From sold-out stadiums and record-breaking attendance to new teams, new leagues, new investments, and even new women’s sports bars, the momentum isn’t just visible; it’s undeniable. Women’s sports aren’t having a moment here; they’re building a movement. And now, there’s data to back it up.

In a recent national evaluation by The Athletic, the Bay Area was named the number one women’s sports city in the United States, outranking powerhouse markets across the country. As someone who has been in the stands, at championship events, and at community celebrations all year long, the ranking didn’t surprise me.

The Bay Area Runs Supreme According to The Athletic, the Bay Area “ran supreme” in its analysis of the top women’s sports cities in the country, finishing ahead of Minneapolis (number two), followed by Seattle, Portland, the New York

What stood out most in the ranking wasn’t just success on the field; it was choice. Fans here aren’t limited to one team or one league. Our Bay Area offers a deep, diverse, and growing ecosystem of women’s sports, and that variety reflects real demand.

Bay FC had a record-breaking crowd at Oracle Park, a match I attended and won’t soon forget. The Golden State Valkyries led the league in average attendance, with more than 18,000 fans showing up game after game.

Every Valkyries home game felt like an event, with so much energy, fan engagement, and fun! The Bay Area also benefits from a deep women’s sports legacy with icons like Brandi Chastain and Kristi Yamaguchi, who call this region home.

San Franciscans of the Year Awards Dinner

We also welcomed our first Bay Area women’s sports bar, Rikki’s, which opened in the Castro this past summer.

As I shared in last month’s column, San Francisco was named one of the first four

franchise cities for the Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL).

Natalie Nakase: A San Franciscan of the Year

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic https://bayfc.com https://valkyries.wnba.com https://www.rikkisbar.com

One of the most meaningful moments of my year came at the San Francisco Examiner’s San Franciscans of the Year Awards Dinner, an intimate and prestigious gathering of leaders, innovators, and changemakers shaping our city’s future. Among the twelve honorees, I was thrilled to see Golden State Valkyries Head Coach Natalie Nakase recognized. Because I covered the Valkyries from preseason through their inaugural playoff run, the moment felt full-circle.

Hosting the NWSL Championship and Investing in What’s Next The Bay Area didn’t just top a national ranking this year—we hosted history. For the first time, Northern California welcomed the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Championship, featuring Washington Spirit vs. Gotham FC. Not only was there energy inside the stadium but also outside it, with skills challenges, fan activations, and community celebrations transforming PayPal Park into a true festival of women’s soccer.

Shortly after the championship, Bay FC announced Emma Coates as its new head coach, bringing one of the most respected international development leaders in the women’s game to the Bay Area. Coates previously led England’s Women’s Under-23 National Team and arrived with her assistant coach, reinforcing Bay FC’s commitment to elite player development and long-term growth.

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In the printed program, each honoree responded to a short Q&A, and Natalie’s answers were as thoughtful and genuine as her leadership on the court. When asked how it felt to be named a San Franciscan of the Year, Natalie admitted her first reaction was disbelief. She shared that she wondered how she could receive such an honor when she hadn’t lived in San Francisco for very long—joking that it felt like something reserved for people who had been here “10plus years.” Still, she wrote, she was deeply honored and humbled by the recognition.

What stood out most was her reflection on how quickly the city embraced her.

Natalie wrote that San Francisco welcomed her with open arms from the moment she arrived and described the city as uniquely inclusive—a place where race and gender don’t define belonging, and where people are genuinely excited to connect. (continued on page 45)

Sports (continued from page 44) She acknowledged that it might sound cliché, but emphasized how powerful it has been to spread joy and bring people together, especially in a world that’s constantly moving and evolving. That sense of connection, she wrote, has been one of the most meaningful parts of her experience in the city so far.

Her words perfectly captured what the Valkyries have experienced during their inaugural season, and why the team connected so instantly with the Bay Area.

Under Natalie’s leadership, the Valkyries didn’t just build a fan base; they became part of San Francisco’s cultural fabric.

I was fortunate to be introduced to Natalie that evening and was struck by how humble, warm, and genuinely engaging she was.

It was also meaningful to see San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie personally stop by to congratulate her. It reminded me of how sports, leadership, and community intersect in our city. I even watched Natalie sign a Valkyries mug for an attendee with a smile, a telling moment that captured her authenticity. It was an honor to witness her recognition alongside so many extraordinary San Franciscans and to share the moment in this column. https://www.sfexaminer.com https://valkyries.wnba.com The Tree of Hope: Sports, Humanity, and Peace One of the most moving moments of my year had nothing to do with a scoreboard.

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the largest origami-decorated holiday tree in the world and a global symbol of peace, compassion, and unity. Each crane carries a wish from children, refugees, community leaders, and world figures including Barack Obama, Jane Goodall, and the Dalai Lama.

https://rainbowfund.org/tree-of-hope https://gracecathedral.org https://spritzsf.com/ World Cup Draw: The Global Stage Returns The World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., was a two-hour spectacle involving heads of state and celebrities. The U.S. Men’s National Team will open against Paraguay on June 12 in Los Angeles, competing in Group D alongside Australia and the winner of a European playoff.

I attended the tree lighting ceremony at Grace Cathedral and was deeply moved.

The evening was emceed by our own Donna Sachet and former KGO-TV anchor Dion Lim, with performances by the San Francisco Boys Chorus, Conspiracy of Beards, and vocalist Leberta Lorá with pianist Tammy L. Hall. Jeff Cotter, Executive Director and CEO of Rainbow World Fund, delivered powerful remarks reinforcing the organization’s humanitarian mission.

A particularly moving moment commemorated the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings in Japan, when a descendant of a Hiroshima survivor offered a wish for peace. There was also a symbolic exchange of cranes between Malcolm Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral, and the Consul General of Japan.

I was honored to invite Coach Natalie Nakase, who is of Japanese heritage, to share her wish for the Tree of Hope: “I hope that we can continue to bring people together through sport. Sports see no race, gender, or ZIP code—only the shared joy of belonging to something bigger than ourselves.”

Her wish now hangs on the Tree of Hope, alongside that of Kristi Yamaguchi, another reminder that sport and humanity are deeply connected here in San Francisco.

A signed Golden State Valkyries basketball was auctioned off during the live auction. I placed an early bid, then happily congratulated the winner, Sharon Boggs, wife of entertainer Leanne Borghesi. Proceeds benefited the GGBA and the Use the News Foundation. https://sfbaytimes.com https://www.goldengateba.org

https://www.fifa.com Olympic Momentum: Milano Cortina and LA28

You are invited to add a wish and become part of this living monument to peace and unity by submitting on the Tree of Hope website.

Beth Schnitzer, Dr. Betty Sullivan, Sharon Boggs, Jennifer Viegas, and Leanne Borghesi at the Toast to the Season holiday party at the San Francisco LGBT Center, Friday, December 12

festive, joyful celebration of community. It was wonderful to see both the Golden State Valkyries and the Golden State Warriors among the event’s sponsors.

This will be the largest World Cup in history, expanding beyond the 32 teams that have competed since 1998. There will be 104 games from June 11–July 19 at 16 venues throughout North America. Six matches will be played in Santa Clara, and I’m already looking forward to watching, and hopefully covering, the action next summer. (The final is in my home state of New Jersey at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.)

Momentum is building for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, with the torch relay officially underway after Warriors Executive Yoyo Chan Murphy, Coach Nakase, and Assemblymember Matt Haney launching in Rome.

Milano Cortina also unveiled unbranded Closing Ref lection medal ceremony uniforms, selected through From being named the nation’s top woma design competition among Italian fashion en’s sports city to hosting championships, schools, ensuring the spotlight remains on welcoming the world for the World Cup, athletes and achievement. preparing for the Olympics—and with the Meanwhile, Ralph Lauren revealed its Super Bowl returning to Levi’s Stadium Team USA Opening and Closing Cerethis February—the Bay Area’s place on mony uniforms, marking its 10th consecuthe global sports stage has never felt more tive Olympic Games outfitting American assured. athletes. Closer to home, LA28 made headAnd, as winter sports take center stage, I’ll lines by signing Intuit as a top-tier domestic sponsor. In a historic shift from Olympic be continuing the Olympic conversation tradition, Intuit will retain naming rights to in January with a special interview featuring former professional figure skater and the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. prominent luxury real estate agent Joel https://milanocortina2026.olympics.com Goodrich, sharing his unique perspective https://la28.org on the road to the Winter Games.

PHOTO BY MIKE KIRSCHNER

The Tree of Hope, presented by Rainbow World Fund, an all-volunteer LGBTQ+ humanitarian organization and Spritz client, celebrated its 20th anniversary this year. Standing 22 feet tall and adorned with 20,000 hand-folded origami cranes, it is

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Bay Times & GGBA Holiday Party: Community at Its Best

Signing off from the Bay—where passion meets the play.

The San Francisco Bay Times and Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA) holiday party, held at the San Francisco LGBT Center on December 12, 2025, was a

Beth Schnitzer, the former President of WISE (Women in Sports and Events), is the Co-Founder and President of Spritz: https://spritzsf.com/

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Happy New Year!

Sandy’s Sketches

By Sandy Morris

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.”

KIPPY MARKS (continued from pg 42) the ideals of PMLE can be lived out in real time. Her leadership at Project Pride shows that, when love is consistently nurtured, it becomes a force strong enough to heal families, restore dignity, and transform communities.

For our readers, Tammy’s example is an invitation: begin and end your day with gratitude, surround yourself with positivity, and find your own “life songs” that keep you grounded in joy. Whether through faith, music, or service, practicing love daily makes it easier to extend compassion to others. Tammy’s work proves that, when love is practiced with intention, it becomes con-

tagious—spreading hope, resilience, and healing far beyond the walls of any program.

Kippy Marks is a spirited solo entertainer whose shows are permeated with an infectious joy. His distinctive sound arises from his heart, through his 1822 violin consort, Izabella. Marks’ rare talent, broad smile, and radiant warmth will brighten any event to create lasting impact. He is also Grand Duke XL of The Grand Ducal Council of San Francisco. He is the first ever elected African-American Grand Duke.

SISTER DANA (continued from pg 36) dealmaker in our nation›s history,” the State Department dishonestly exaggerated in a post on X. “Welcome to the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace. The best is yet to come,” it deceitfully promised. And yet we must thoughtfully reflect that the renaming is especially odd, given that the White House has previously referred to the Institute as “bloated” and “useless.” Sister Dana sez, “Hmmm, upon reflecting, those two words quite aptly and distinctly describe Donald J., don’t they?!”

Emperor 48 After Norton William Bulkley in conjunction with Their Most Imperial Majesties, Emperor Ashlé Blow and Empress Afrika America and the IMPERIAL COUNCIL OF SAN FRANCISCO presented “AN EVENING OF MISTIQUE: The 103rd Birthday of Empress I de San Francisco José Sarria” at The Café in the Castro on December 13. They joined emcees Absolute Empress 30 Donna Sachet and Emperor 36 John Weber—along with DJ Sergio Fedasz—for an elegant evening of fabulous entertainment celebrating the late, great icon “Mother” José Sarria. There were gorgeous performances by reigning monarchs, as well as titleholders and members of the Imperial Family. And we were surrounded by constantly changing photos screened on all the walls displaying her majesty Mama José in her earlier days— some as a respected businessman, others as a vibrant politician, and many of them in her most exquisite, eye-dropping drag.

Happy New Year! (Pen/Ink/Pencil)

San Francisco’s Circus Bella presents “STARLIGHT,” an all-new Winter Circus Spectacular now playing through January 4, 2026, at The Crossing at East Cut, 211 Beale Street (at Howard Street). STARLIGHT is performed in the round under a Colorful Big Top Circus Tent for a limited engagement of 26 performances. From the moment you arrive, be transported to a starlight-drenched world of magic and splendor. With brand-new acts, sumptuous costumes, and artists from across the USA, Circus Bella brings all the nostalgia and beauty of an old-timey circus combined with the eyebrow-raising savvy and modern look of the present. https://www.circusbella.org The Daily Beast reports that Mom-and-Pop business bankruptcies have hit a record high under PresiDense Trump; meanwhile the Presidency boosts Trump’s net worth by $3 billion in a year—all while bragging and lying that the economy has never been better.

Sister Dana sez, “Liar, liar, pants on fire!”

During a Pennsylvania interview, when asked what grade he would give himself regarding the current economy, clueless Trump actually said, “A+++++,” in all sincerity. Sister Dana sez, “As a former English college professor, I am now taking out my red pen to grade the predictable Prez with a big F—no plus or minus—just a solid F!”

As Heard on the Street . . . How was your 2025, ranked from 1–10? compiled by Rink

Lizzi Dierken

“A 10, and that is about love from within me. And resisting negativity” 46

SAN F RANCISCO BAY T I ME S

Tammy Lynne Hall

Steve Ibarra

“A 10. It is about joy that cannot “A 10. I was born and raised in San be affected by what is happening Francisco, and life keeps getting outside” hotter” DE C E MB E R 1 8 , 2 0 2 5

Sister Shalita Corndog “A 6. My dog died but I’m still here”

Jasmine Avegalio

“A 10, since every day above ground is a gift”