San Francisco Bay Times - December 21, 2023

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LGBTQ News & Calendar for the Bay Area

CELEBRATING FOUR DECADES Est. 1978 December 21, 2023–January 10, 2024 http://sfbaytimes.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF PATRICK CARNEY

PHOTO COURTESY OF ABBY ZIMBERG

LGBTQ-Welcoming Destinations for SF Travelers in 2024

Shelley Childers, Melissa Magann, Allison Fender, the Village Chief and his grandson, Abby Zimberg, Jody Cole, and Helene Wenzel near Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

PHOTO COURTESY OF OLIVIA TRAVEL

Patrick & Hossein Carney at Mt. Fuji, Japan

In the waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands, DJ Rockaway and Tisha Floratos on Olivia’s 50th Anniversary Caribbean Cruise PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT HOLGATE

See Pages 2–4

Robert Holgate (right) in Botswana

DIVAS & DRINKS @ The Academy

FIRST DIVAS & DRINKS OF 2024 SAVE THE DATE:

Friday January 26

LGBTQ-Welcoming Destinations for SF Travelers in 2024

The Most LGBTQ-Friendly Countries for San Francisco Travelers For those with the desire, ability, and means, traveling for pleasure is a priority seemingly more so than ever now. Traveling is on the rise all across the U.S. and particularly among San Francisco residents. According to the U.S. Travel Association, air travel demand has been up since September 2023, leisure and hospitality employment nationwide has increased, and credit card spending on airlines and cruise lines has increased.

After the lockdowns and other restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is not only a pentup demand still playing out, but also a shift of values. Instead of planning for a distant future, travelers appear to be more focused on living life to the fullest now, and as a result, are booking their dream trips.

LGBTQ San Franciscans can face unique challenges when traveling abroad, however. First there is

a time, distance, money factor. The average cost of flights to popular destinations in Europe, for example, is nearly always more when departing from the Bay Area simply because of distance. The cost can often be prohibitive. According to the Human Rights Campaign, LGBTQ+ workers earn about 90 cents for every dollar that the typical worker earns, while “LGBTQ+ people of color, transgender women and men, and non-binary individuals earn even less when compared to the typical worker,” the organization reports.

There can be pressure to work harder and longer, making it even more difficult to take time off for a vacation. LGBTQ individuals are also often more likely to be caregivers for older relatives, partners, or friends, compounding financial, time, and other concerns.

On top of these challenges, LGBTQ travelers in general can face addi-

tional difficulties when going abroad. As the U.S. Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs shares: "Laws and attitudes in some countries may affect safety and ease of travel. Legal protections vary from country to country. Many countries do not legally recognize same-sex marriage.

Approximately seventy countries consider consensual same-sex sexual relations a crime, sometimes carrying severe punishment.”

Knowing which countries are LGBTQ-friendly is therefore important to planning a safe and enjoyable trip.

The World Equality Index by Equaldex ranks countries based on both the current status of LGBTQ rights, laws, and freedoms as well as public attitudes towards LGBTQ people. As of this writing, their top 20 is as follows: 1. Iceland

Abby and Helene’s Excellent Safari Adventure “Jody nailed every aspect of our dream trip. I am more than grateful to her for listening to what Helene Wenzel and Abby we were lookZimberg ing for and then bringing in an absolutely perfect group of ladies to share our experience. The laughs were endless and we were in awe more times than not. Samsung! Kernel! 14! TP Queen and G&T! ... You all made the trip be the best ever!”

—Shelley Childers This past August–September 2023, we went on a safari trip to Zimbabwe with Jody Cole, founder of Wild Rainbow African Safaris. Jody used to live in San Francisco, where she worked in philanthropy and fundraising. She first went to Africa in 1998 after a friend with AIDS asked her what she would do if she had only a month to live. Her answer: Africa.

She realized that she could live her dream and decided to start Wild Rainbow African Safaris, in 2004 with Alison Hawthorne who had a travel business, Over the Rainbow.

Jody told us for the San Francisco Bay Times, “Our first trip was in honor of Alison Hawthorne’s 50th birthday in 2004 to Kenya. And we just kept going. In 2005, Alison decided to pursue her many other careers so she gave me 100% of the company. I haven’t looked back since.

She still manages our insurance and flights. I knew I wanted to create hands-on, personalized safaris for guests deliberately curated based on their specific dreams of Africa.

I have not ever repeated one safari, ever, in 20 years. Each trip is unique to the group. I have been to Chad, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, South Africa, and Madagascar.”

and welcoming weather. Scanning down the list, however, is Spain, which is now in its most inexpensive season (December–March). For skiers, Whistler, British Columbia, is “the undisputed leviathan of Canadian skiing,” according to Times Travel. On the top of many travel bucket lists is Rio Carnival, which for 2024 will be happening February 9–February 17. These are just a few examples of some enticing destinations for LGBTQ San Franciscans with travel wanderlust going into 2024.

For the complete list, go to: https://tinyurl.com/mr2styee It is interesting that the top three countries are all in Northern Europe.

These countries are not exactly known for budget-friendly pricing

In this issue of the San Francisco Bay Times, we also present recommendations from LGBTQ San Franciscans who are frequent travelers. As you mull over your own possible travel plans, consider this quote from Saint Augustine, shared by Bay Times columnist, philanthropist, and drag queen extraordinaire Donna Sachet: “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

By Abby Zimberg and Helene Wenzel Photos by Abby Zimberg

We agreed to join them, and another woman from North Carolina, Alison, joined as well. We named ourselves the Safari Six. All lesbian women made for a very compatible group.

Zimbabwe had previously been named Rhodesia, after Cecil Rhodes, one of the British colonizers.

The name Rhodesia was adopted in 1895 when it was a British colony. With its independence in 1980, the Left to right: Allison Fender, Jody Cole, Melissa Magann, Helene nation changed its name to Zimbabwe. Wenzel, Shelley Childers and Abby Zimberg at Victoria Falls (2023) The country, in a nutcourse, we all bought interesting shell, has an oppressive government, pieces. rough roads except around the capital, and a large disparity between the Second Stop: Hwange Park haves and have-nots.

Our next destination was Hwange Park, where we stayed at the Khulu First Stop: Victoria Falls Bush Camp. Each glamping cabin was raised on stilts for safety, had its After several very long flights from own solar-heated water supply—and California, we met everyone in an air horn for emergencies! Because Victoria Falls, where the Zambezi elephants and lions and baboons River cascades into spectacuroam free in the park—there are no lar waterfalls. For comparison, Vic fences around the camps—we had to Falls as they call it, is almost doube escorted to our cabin each night ble the height of Niagara Falls and a by camp personnel, just in case ... mile wider. We walked the mile-long Hwange is known for its elephant path with a guide, stopping at the 16 herds. There was a large watering viewing points, including a rainforarea within sight and another at the est where we got soaked. Jody had deck of the camp. cautioned us to bring raingear ... but there were no worries; the hot sunny The first afternoon we arrived, three section that followed each soaking different herds of elephants came up dried us off very quickly. to the camp, almost close enough to

When we were ready to go to Africa, she said that the trips for 2023 were full. She called back because she remembered that two women in South Carolina had contacted her wanting to go to Zimbabwe. Shelley and Melissa have two Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs (aka African Lion Hound) and wanted to visit Rhodesia where this breed had been used for lion hunting and taming baboons.

Our visit to Vic Falls ended with a spectacular sunset river cruise on the Zambezi River. There we saw hippos, which we learned do not swim but walk in the water. They open their huge mouths when they sense danger. We caught at least one photo of a large, gaping mouth! We also went to visit a small village of mud huts where we met the chief and his family and heard about their very simple lifestyle. One very interesting fact is that the kitchen is the place where everyone eats, women give birth, and people die. Bedrooms are in separate quarters and are very spare. The villagers also had a variety of beautiful crafts for sale. Of

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2. Norway 3. Denmark 4. Malta 5. Canada 6. Uruguay 7. Netherlands 8. Andorra 9. Spain 10. Chile 11. Germany 12. Brazil 13. Luxembourg 14. Australia 15. Finland 16. Cuba 17. Sweden 18. New Zealand 19. Belgium 20. France

touch. Each herd was a mixed group of huge bulls, slightly smaller females, and obviously very new babies.

Interesting fact: Male elephants can drink 200 liters of water a day and eat 660 pounds of food; females consume about one third less. Their dung is used for many things, including fuel and floors, like the ones we saw in the Vic Falls village.

The first game drive is always very early in the morning when it is cold, around 40 degrees. With a snack beforehand, we bundled up and piled into an open-air Jeep, Helene riding shotgun, with our excellent guide Rob. According to Jody, Zimbabwe has very stringent requirements for

Giraffe painting inside Nswatugi Cave, Matobo National Park, Zimbabwe

their guides, both driving and walking. In addition to our visiting elephants, there were many more elephant herds, warthogs, baboons, and zebras within close proximity. Also impalas, kudu, duikers, springbok, wildebeest, and several other members of the antelope family.

There are many different beautiful and interesting species of birds in Africa. Both Rob and Jody shared information about each bird we saw, and Jody kept count on her app. By the end of eight days, with Jody consulting her app and Rob the bird book, we had seen and heard close to 100 different birds. Jody and Rob both pointed out animals, plants, and birds during frequent stops and gave us information about their habits and lifespans. It was biology, evolution, and nature all day long.

During the day, it reached a toasty 90 degrees in the full sun. Because it is part desert, there is no moisture (dry as a bone) or clouds. That creates the beautiful Africa Sky at sunset. Speaking of sunsets, each day we stopped at around 5 pm for drinks, snacks, and to watch the setting sun.

This stop interestingly is known as a “sundowner.”

Following good British tradition, we were the gin and tonic drinkers. After a delicious dinner back at camp, we played a quiz game each night to see what we had remembered. Each night’s winner (she who had the most correct answers) was responsible for the next night’s questions. Jody provided some very interesting prizes.

Third Stop: Matobo National Park After a four-hour long drive in a van from Hwange to Matobo National Park, we arrived at our last safari stop: Amalinda Lodge, owned by the same group as the Khulu Bush Camp. This area is surrounded by huge granite boulders formed over two billion years ago. Each unique lodge room, complete with raised bathroom and shower cut into stone, is completely built with these granite boulders, rocks, and wood. Use of hot water was limited to certain hours and was wood-fired.

In 1902, Cecil John Rhodes, at his request (read orders) was buried in Matobo National Park, atop a granite boulder with a panoramic view of the park. He named his final resting place “View of the World.” Several of us climbed up to see his and other British soldiers’ graves marked by very large bronze plaques. Although Rhodes was an imperialist and more recently, a vilified and polarizing figure, Edward, our Matobo guide, indicated that Rhodes had contributed some good, including setting up Zimbabwe’s infrastructure and promoting education; the very prestigious Rhodes scholarship is named after him.

On another day, we did a short hike up a gulley to see rock art painting in the Nswatugi Cave. The painters were the hunter-gatherer ancestors of the modern-day San people in Botswana. Upper layers revealed Iron Age and Stone Age objects.

Later, we trekked far on foot, searching for the white rhinoceros. The park guide was armed to fend off any poachers whom they are permitted to shoot if the poacher is armed. (continued on page 3)

LGBTQ-Welcoming Destinations for SF Travelers in 2024

Patrick and Hossein Carney’s 2023 Trip to Asia

By Autumn Nazarian

(continued from page 2) Otherwise, they can arrest them. The poachers are looking for rhino horns and elephant tusks sought by some people for various medicinal and ornamental uses. The poachers use snares to trap the majestic animals and cut off their tusks for sale. Many other, smaller animals are injured by these horrible devices. We visited a rehab organization for painted dogs (previously called wild dogs) where the dogs are housed if they are too injured, or released back into the wild once they heal from their injuries.

We were finally successful in our rhino search—and were able to move close enough very quietly to a mother and her

exposed to all that Zimbabwe has to offer.

We are ready to go back. Our safari was made complete by having the best time with four complete strangers who will now be lifelong friends. The laughs and good times were too many to count.”

After our last night at Amalinda, we all flew to Johannesburg and from there, the two of us and another couple went separately to Capetown for another four days of sightseeing. We came home with many great memories, some great purchases and COVID-19 as a final souvenir.

Currently, Jody is working on building an organization, WISE: Women in

Zebras at Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

Melissa Magann, one of our Safari Six, said, “I didn’t know what to expect before we arrived but once we arrived my expectations were blown out of the water.

The people were so nice, friendly, and welcoming. The lodges where we stayed were top notch, we didn’t lift a finger, and the food was amazing. We were told seeing animals was not guaranteed, but from the moment we landed, we saw elephants, monkeys, impalas, kudu, zebras, and many, many more.”

“We were not disappointed at all,” Magann added. “Jody Cole did a fantastic job setting up the itinerary and ensuring that we were

Safari Excellence. The mission is to connect women in conservation and ecotourism, and to empower and inspire through ongoing mentoring and support.

According to Jody, these dynamic and likeminded women want to create a new and higher standard for guiding and conservation efforts in their beloved Africa.

For more information: https://wildrainbowsafaris.com/ Abby Zimberg, MFA and LMFT, is an art therapist, graphic designer, and photographer. She is a regular contributor to the “San Francisco Bay Times.” Her website The Art of Therapy provides additional information: https://theartoftherapysf.com/ Helene Wenzel, JD and PhD, is a San Francisco-based estate planning and elder law attorney. https://caelderlaw.com/

Guide Jody Cole observing from a four-wheel drive safari vehicle

WILD RAINBOW AFRICAN SAFARIS

calf in order to photograph them.

Jody Cole

2023 kicked off with two Olivia adventures centered in nature and discovery: Costa Rica/Panama Canal and Whales and the Sea of Cortez. Both were a feast for the senses, adventures marked by the exploration of marine wonders, rainforest ecosystems, and a feat of engineering that is one of the wonders of the world.

Next came the celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of Olivia Records. Many articles, documentaries, podcasts, and movements have been created in the past five years about the disappearing lesbian bars and community centers in this country. Olivia may be less of a brick-and-mortar space, but it has stood the test of time as an entity with staying power and growth, first as women’s music label Olivia Records and second as Olivia Travel, a company that charters ships, resorts, and tours, and takes LGBTQ+ women all over the world on vacations where they can fully be themselves. Reaching a 50 Year Anniversary is rare and no small feat.

The 50th Anniversary Cruises were a crescendo— so popular that the first cruise sold out quickly and a second week was added. These were monumental celebrations reverberating across Caribbean waters. Over 4,200 Olivians embarked on celebratory weeks filled with extraordinary entertainment and a profound sense of history. The Anniversary stage held incredible moments between the original founders of Olivia Records including Judy Dlugacz, Jenna Woodul, and Ginny Berson, and artist performances that bridged decades from Olivia Records’ luminaries including Cris Williamson, Linda Tillery, and Teresa Trull.

The cruise wasn’t just a celebration of Olivia’s past; it was a testament to the enduring bond formed over 50 years that is still as vital and collective as it ever was. The familial atmosphere onboard was palpable, with artists and guests alike expressing love and appreciation for the journeys (vacations and otherwise) Olivia had taken them on. After all, Olivia Music wasn’t just about music; it was about building a legacy that could withstand the test of time.

As the cruise sailed, the group reminisced about Olivia Record’s foray into their own uncharted waters back in the 1970s, learning as they went, unafraid to acknowledge the hardships without sugarcoating history. The cruise became a living testament to Olivia’s endurance, both retrospective and forward-looking. Where has Olivia been, where are they going, and what might it yet become? The diversity of talent mirrored the diversity of Olivia’s community, creating an unforgettable experience for both seasoned Olivia travelers and the astounding 40% first-time Olivia guests on the second week cruise.

The 50th Anniversary festivities continued with a resort escape to Mexico in April, where 1,300 Olivians reveled in the ambiance of Hard Rock Los Cabos. Despite encountering earth/wind/ fire challenges like unexpected weather and a fire evacuation mid-week, the entertainment and programming lineup was sensational, and the community was enlightened—the Olivia spirit prevailed.

Before and after these anniversary celebrations were Olivia’s coveted riverboat experiences, including the Brussels to Amsterdam and Amsterdam to Switzerland trips in April. The Taste of France Riverboat in August whisked Olivia enthusiasts through the Parisian waterways and offered a blend of culinary immersion and Olivian camaraderie.

The riverboat’s canvas provides an intimate setting for the Olivia community to connect with each other, explore some of the most picturesque land-

PHOTO BY MIKI VARGAS

Their latest journey began with a Tokyo-bound flight at SFO before they headed to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, and several points in between. They capped off their trip by returning to Tokyo, where they spent another five days ahead of their flight home. They both enjoyed the trip, and especially their stays in Bangkok and Tokyo.

There’s an old saying – wherever you go, there you are. It’s usually coined as a negative sentiment about escapism, but in the case of Olivia Records and Olivia Travel, it is fundamentally the strength that has defined its pioneering spirit. For lesbians and LGBTQ+ women, the act of showing up and being visible is powerful. Representation matters, particularly because there are few spaces that are designated as wholly theirs. This year was, in part, about the renaissance of Olivia Travel—showing up stronger than ever after a confining few years. But it was also a year of incredible milestones and celebrations centered around representation and community.

Olivia passengers viewed the passing scenery from the deck during the Amsterdam to Switzerland Riverboat cruise.

PHOTO BY MIKI VARGAS

PHOTO BY PATRICK CARNEY

In early November 2023, Patrick Carney and his husband Dr. Hossein Carney left San Francisco for an over month-long trip to Asia. Patrick is on the San Francisco Arts Commission and is the founder of the Pink Triangle project, responsible for the Pink Triangle atop Twin Peaks each Pride.

Hossein, who volunteers for the Pink Triangle Patrick and Hossein Carney enjoyed the sunset view just off Malaysia. project, is a treasury analyst for BART and an adjunct professor at Golden Gate University. The couple support many Bay Areabased LGBTQ-serving nonprofits and both are seasoned travelers.

2023: A Year of Olivia Milestones

Olivia staff on the 50th Caribbean Cruise Week 1

scapes of the region, and savor the incredible flavors of Europe.

Rounding into fall, The Dreams Onyx Punta Cana Resort presented a sun-drenched paradise for 1,500+ Olivians. Although this trip was not an anniversary celebration for Olivia, it marked a centennial milestone for one of Olivia’s most visible leaders, Tisha Floratos-Silano, Vice President of Travel and Operations.

Tisha is the face of Olivia’s large cruise and resort trips, and her wife Tina is an Olivia and Bay Area/ New York mainstay—the dynamic and talented DJ Rockaway. Together they represent an Olivia power couple who are recognized and beloved by everyone in the Olivia community. Tisha has been with Olivia since 2002, and yes, celebrated her 100th trip in Punta Cana this year! On each of these trips, Tisha has been a driving force, creating lifechanging and empowering vacation experiences for Olivia guests.

After Punta Cana, Olivia took guests to two incredible bucket list destinations: an amazing Galapagos adventure in November, immersing Olivians in the unique biodiversity of the islands, and a Nile Cruise through Egypt with a stop in Jordan, tracing the timeline of Egyptian civilization, learning about Jordanian culture, and touring local marketplaces.

What a year! Despite the incredible variety of destinations and experiences, one thing binds them: Olivia and our guests showed up in large numbers and represented the community in foreign lands— each culture ranging from warm and embracing to potentially hostile.

While some criticize tourism within economies that don’t embrace LGBTQ+ people, Olivia has always held a different perspective. After all, if they had started with that boundary, the first cruise in 1990 would not have happened. In Mexico, members of the hotel staff felt safe enough to come out to us, and in the Dominican Republic, our hotel and transportation vendors said Olivia was one of the best partners they had ever had.

Olivians show up and challenge stereotypes and change hearts and minds by their very presence.

Olivia makes the act of group travel part pleasure, part exploration, and part activism—because there is strength in numbers and in representation.

Wherever we go, there we are—and that is powerful. On to 2024. Travel safely and Happy New Year!

Autumn Nazarian is the Vice President of Marketing for Olivia Travel. https://www.olivia.com/

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LGBTQ-Welcoming Destinations for SF Travelers in 2024

Robert Holgate’s 2023 Trips to Africa and Europe

Randy Alfred’s Trip to Southeast Asia

San Francisco-based interior designer Robert Holgate is known for artfully using rich fabrics and collected furnishings to create timeless spaces for his clients. They are informed by his world travels, which for many years he enjoyed with his husband, philanthropist Al Baum (1930–2021). He has resumed traveling abroad, and as of this writing is in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

“One of the passions my deceased husband, Al, and I shared was traveling. Since his passing, I have been very fortunate to be able to continue the tradition,” he told the San Francisco Bay Times.

He also sent us an image from Ho Chi Minh City with an accompanying observation: “Book Street is a full pedestrian block of independent bookstores, cafés, and kids’ activity areas in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon). Ho Chi Minh City has many sidewalk cafés, but none are quiet sidewalk cafés. At most, the roar of vehicle traffic is omnipresent.”

Travel adviser Sebastian Southwell with Robert Holgate in Buenos Aires

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PHOTO COURTESY OF RANDY ALFRED

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT HOLGATE

“Here on Book Street,” he added, “the cafés are filled with the musical gab of a thousand voices in half a dozen languages. On

Randy Alfred at Angkor Wat, Cambodia (2023)

PHOTO BY RANDY ALFRED

San Francisco Bay Times founding news editor Randy Alfred went on a tour of Southeast Asia this month. “Going to temple for Hanukkah,” he told us, “has a different meaning when the temple is Angkor Wat, Cambodia.”

Book Street, Ho Chi Minh City

weekdays, schools bring the youngest kids to experience reading and learning as play. They bring the older kids to try their English out on U.S., U.K., New Zealand, and Aussie tourists.”

“On my last full day in Ho Chi Minh City,” he continued, “I returned to this eminently humane urbanity for a third visit. On Friday, I was swarmed by eager young learners. Twice, I had teachers google my 2012 book Mad Science and I became an instant celebrity among the excited youngsters on Book Street.”

He hopes that San Francisco and other U.S. cities will emulate the positive aspects of Book Street in creating their own areas to foster reading, community gatherings, and much more for both tourists and locals alike.

A Call to Action

Joanie Juster There were a lot of inspiring speeches at this year’s annual vigil commemorating the 1978 assassinations of Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone. Many of the speakers urged the crowd to honor the legacy of the two slain leaders by continuing their progressive work. But, as is often the case, it was Cleve Jones who electrified and inspired the crowd with an emphatic call-to-action at the close of his speech: “If you take it for granted, they will take it away.”

The dangers Cleve referred to became crystal clear on December 11, when the Texas Supreme Court ruled that a pregnant woman who was carrying an unviable fetus was not allowed to have the medical procedure that would not just save her life, but also possibly her future ability to bear children. Fortunately, the woman found a way to leave the state in order to have the abortion, but the sad fact is that option is not available to many women, especially since all but one of the states bordering Texas also outlaw the procedure.

In the blink of an eye, clinics closed their doors, women were criminalized, and doctors stopped practicing or left their practices in more restrictive states for states where they were actually allowed to perform life-saving procedures on women. Women everywhere suddenly faced impossible choices. Maternal mortality and morbidity increased, a chill of fear and hopelessness swept over healthcare providers, and access to all forms of healthcare were reduced.

Even in states like California, where abortion is still legal, healthcare clinics were overwhelmed by an influx of patients from more restrictive states, making it harder for all women to access the health care they needed.

Similarly, we have seen a steady chipping away at the most fundamental of American rights: the right to vote. In state after state, increasingly restrictive laws have been enacted to make it possible to remove broad swaths of the public from voting rosters. In other, more enlightened countries, voting is considered a fundamental right of citizenship in which everyone not only can, but also should participate. Here, there

Make DMs Safe, demanding that major tech companies implement end-to-end encryption by default on all private messages, to ensure that they can’t be used to persecute people for a variety of issues. Meta complies with over 80% of the more than 100,000 requests for data that they receive from the government each year. People need to be able to trust that their messages will be private for any number of sensitive reasons, including interpersonal relationships, immigration status, sexual identity, healthcare, political organizing, and much more.

PHOTO BY RINK

In Case You Missed It

It is too easy to take for granted rights that we have enjoyed our entire lives. We can even become complacent about rights that were fought for and hard-won during our own lifetimes. Surely, we say to ourselves, now that we have this right, it’s ours forever, isn’t it? Well, not necessarily. In June 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court released the Dobbs decision that overturned the constitutional right to abortion, we saw that a right that had been hardwon fifty years before could be swept away overnight, endangering the lives of countless women across the country.

Veteran activist Cleve Jones spoke at the annual Milk/Moscone Memorial Vigil held at Harvey Milk Plaza on November 27.

are powerful forces working to make sure that either you cannot vote, or your vote will not count. Between restrictive voting laws and ridiculously gerrymandered election maps, the voices of too many people in this country are being silenced at the polls—or even before they get to the polls.

The good news is that there are also plenty of good people and good organizations that are working hard each day to fight for everyone’s fundamental rights—and they all need our help. Now is the time not just to be an ally, but also an accomplice. Answer their emails and texts.

Pitch in as a volunteer or a donor.

Spread the word so they gain new helpers. Stay informed on the issues, and speak out knowledgably to help educate others. Our voices must be heard. As Cleve said, if you take it for granted, they will take it away.

But There Is Some Good News When Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022, it wasn’t just reproductive rights activists and healthcare advocates who moved into high gear.

The efforts of red states to restrict women’s access to abortions also prompted an immediate response from groups that fight for privacy rights, as it became evident that techenabled surveillance would be used by state law enforcement agencies to target people for seeking, providing, or facilitating abortion care. An alarming case was a teenager and her mother in Nebraska who faced criminal charges based on private Facebook messages that had been obtained via a subpoena.

Meta—the parent company of Facebook—became a focus of the efforts to protect private messages.

An organization called Fight for the Future created a campaign called

Thanks to Fight for the Future and the coalition of allied groups they enlisted to help put pressure on Meta, a big victory was won: Facebook Messenger will soon become endto-end encrypted by default. While it may take some time to roll out the technology, this is a big win for human rights and for privacy. Once default end-to-end encryption is in place, Meta will not be able just to hand over private messages when requested by government agencies.

What’s Next You all know that 2024 will be a crucial election year. There will be no sitting on the sidelines. Complacency is not an option. We need every vote, and every voice, to make sure that our democracy does not continue to be eroded, and that rights are not stripped away from our most vulnerable neighbors. We are all in this together, and we need you (yes, you) to help.

Happy Holidays, everyone. And here’s to a productive and politically active new year.

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

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PHOTO BY PAX AHIMSA GETHEN

Farewell, OTI!

Musings on Trans Liberation Pau Crego As I prepare to leave the San Francisco Office of Transgender Initiatives (OTI) after working there for six and a half years, I am struck by how much stronger our local transgender, gender nonconforming, nonbinary, intersex, and two-spirit (TGNCI2S) communities are now compared to when I started working in this office. Indeed, when I was first hired at OTI by founding Director Theresa Sparks in 2017, I could have never dreamed of the accomplishments that this office has been instrumental in achieving.

In recent years, the OTI, alongside our office’s Transgender Advisory Committee and Mayor London Breed, has launched courageous initiatives that prioritize some of our most vulnerable residents: the creation of housing programs prioritizing TGNCI2S people experiencing housing instability, a guaranteed income pilot program focused on extremely low income TGNCI2S San Franciscans, and the city’s commitment to address the disproportionate rates of homelessness within trans communities. These historic efforts

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Legislative Mayhem were made possible thanks to the community’s fierce advocacy, the wisdom of our office’s Trans Advisory Committee, the strong commitment of city leaders, and the hard work of city employees across many departments.

In addition to helping create these life-saving services, OTI has taken bold steps to increase trans equity within our local government institutions. We drafted, in collaboration with the city’s Department of Human Resources, the city’s 2019 Gender Inclusion Policy to outline the rights and protections from harassment for TGNCI2S city employees. We then wrote, with multiple stakeholders, a similar Gender Diversity and Inclusion policy for City College of San Francisco to codify protections for students and employees.

We have supported many city departments in developing and implementing their own trans equity policies and procedures, and have trained thousands of city employees on how to engage respectfully with TGNCI2S colleagues and residents. OTI was also instrumental in the city’s initial COVID-19 response, specifically by ensuring LGBTQI+ elders had access to food and basic supplies, and by integrating efforts focused on LGBTQI+ people experiencing homelessness when setting up shelter-in-place hotels.

Upon reflecting on the past 6+ years, I could not be prouder of the institutional changes OTI has led. My pride in them comes from the belief that institutional change is extremely challenging and slow work, but truly worthwhile. Institutions—especially government institutions—hold incredible power over our lives.

They often determine our access, or lack of access, to housing, healthcare, economic opportunities, education, safety, and almost everything else we need to live safe and healthy lives.

And for communities that have been historically— and currently—harmed and neglected by the same government institutions that are meant to protect us, it is imperative that we change the underlying conditions that lead to these inequities in the first place. For TGNCI2S communities, that means ensuring that we have access to affordable and safe educational opportunities, establishing employment settings that will protect us from harassment and allow us to advance professionally and economically, and creating affordable and safe housing options, as a starting point. (continued on page 18)

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The recent end of eviction moratoriums in areas like Berkeley, Oakland, and San Francisco was supposed to mark a fresh start for households grappling with financial hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, the recent expiration of moratoriums threatens to plunge more families, both renters and property owners, into despair and poverty.

Social Philanthropreneur Derek Barnes Eviction moratoriums, rent control, and TOPA (Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act) share a common origin: policy. Despite enacting policies to ostensibly mitigate danger and avoid crisis, we are experiencing unprecedented levels of homelessness, rising housing costs, and income inequality in the Bay Area.

With so many legislative fixes and regulations cobbled together, why aren’t we seeing the projected outcomes promised by legislators and policy advocates?

Crisis can occur with the introduction of bad and unvetted policies.

It may be exacerbated by a series of legislative blunders, and without working and trusted oversight, it can lead to disastrous circumstances in the market. For instance, over the last two decades, several financial crises in the U.S. triggered global recessions. Locally, the recent chaos stemming from prolonged eviction moratoriums is another stark example of the failures of radical and untested housing policy that has continuously harmed underserved and vulnerable communities, particularly those of color.

Recent news reports of an “eviction tsunami” make great headlines, but journalists rarely explore the cause(s) or sensible and pragmatic remedies to resolve the crisis.

Currently, there is a substantial court backlog due to a surge in eviction filings. However, municipal leaders and legislators could have avoided this with proactive measures.

Two years ago, they had the opportunity to gradually modify local eviction moratorium ordinances, eliminating blanket protections for renters capable of paying rent. Instead, they chose inaction, leading to the current backlog in our courts.

In Berkeley and Oakland, external interest groups and selfproclaimed housing “experts” from organizations like the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE, formerly ACORN) had unmitigated influence in writing eviction moratorium policy and unvetted tenant protection ordinances—having little to no experience building or managing rental property businesses. The lack of accountability for such disastrous legislation is negligent and reprehensible. The fallout from these policies includes: • hundreds of millions in unpaid rent; • distressed small property owners, who lost their investments and homes; • and a paralyzed court system.

Extended moratoriums have caused severe harm for many, with rental property owners coerced into subsidizing households for an unprecedented 40 months in some areas.

Additionally, it has created intractable challenges for renters: huge consumer debt, adverse credit reporting, limited access to future financing, and diminished housing opportunities. Due to regulatory complexities and increased legal ambiguity, taxpayer-funded attorney-led organizations are benefiting from the chaos, leaving property owners without justice or recourse and many lower-income renters more susceptible to displacement.

Oakland was one of the last cities in California to lift its eviction moratorium in July 2023. City officials, who now lament the backlog of eviction cases, actively played a (continued on page 18)

Message from Leadership

Celebrating a Spectacular 2023: A Heartfelt Thank You to Our GGBA Community By Tony Archuleta-Perkins

Dear friends and supporters of the Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA),

With immense pride and gratitude, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our GGBA community. Your unwavering support, dedication, and enthusiasm have been the driving force behind the success and growth we have achieved in 2023.

GGBA Business Accelerator: Cohort 3 Launch One of the year’s highlights was the launch of Cohort 3 of the GGBA Business Accelerator. This program has been instrumental in providing LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs with the resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities they need to thrive. The

Supporting Local Restaurants With $80,000 in Grants In the spirit of community and solidarity, GGBA had the privilege of awarding $80,000 in grants to 15 local restaurants. These establishments have been an integral part of our vibrant LGBTQ+ community, and during challenging times, we were delighted to lend a helping hand.

Your support allowed us to make a real difference in the lives of these businesses and the individuals who rely on them.

Remembering a Beloved Angel: Pam Schmitz As we celebrated numerous victories and milestones in 2023, we also experienced the profound loss of a beloved member of our GGBA family. Pam Schmitz, a cherished GGBA Board Member, earned her wings and left an indelible mark on our hearts.

Her dedication, passion, and tireless commitment to our cause will forever inspire us. We honor Pam’s memory and pledge to continue the work she held dear.

GGBA Member Spotlight As Guy Fieri said, the Grubstake is “one of the most unique diners you’ll come across in Cali.” Located in the historic Polk-Gulch neighborhood, the Grubstake has stood the test of time. Established in 1927, the diner is partially housed within a rail car that originally served the Key Line, which provided transportation between Berkeley and Oakland and San Francisco. The restaurant was central to a San Francisco gayborhood that existed long before the Castro was synonymous with the LGBTQ community.

The year concluded with a bang as GGBA joined forces with our Media Sponsor, the San Francisco Bay Times, to host an epic Holiday Party. It was a night filled with laughter, camaraderie, and joy as we came together to celebrate our incredible LGBTQ+ community. To all who attended this annual soirée, your presence and energy made it truly amazing.

Looking Forward to Our 50th Celebration As we turn the page on this remarkable year, our hearts are filled with excitement and anticipation for the future. We stand on the cusp of our 50th Celebration, a momentous milestone in our history. It is an opportunity not only to commemorate our achievements but also to set the stage for a future filled with even greater progress and inclusivity.

Looking ahead to 2024, we have exciting plans and initiatives in store. We are committed to further strengthening our support for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, promoting diversity and inclusion in the business world, and advocating for the rights and wellbeing of our community. We invite you to join us on this incredible journey, as we continue to uplift and empower each other.

In closing, I want to express my deepest gratitude to every member of our GGBA community. Whether you are a business owner, a volunteer, a supporter, or simply someone who believes in our mission, your contributions have made all the difference. Together, we have shown the world the power of unity and resilience within the LGBTQ+ business community.

As we embark on another tremendous year ahead of us, let us remember the invaluable lesson of 2023: that when we stand together, there is no limit to what we can achieve. I am excited to see where our collective determination and passion will take us in the coming year.

Thank you for being a part of the Golden Gate Business Association, and here’s to an even brighter future in 2024!

With profound gratitude and unwavering pride, Tony Archuleta-Perkins, MBA, MS President, Golden Gate Business Association Tony Archuleta-Perkins is the founder and owner of Ide8 Real Estate & Eclat Group He has worked in finance for 25 years, ten of those years specifically as a fractional CFO. He has two master’s degrees: an MBA and a Master of Science in Real Estate. In addition to his educational and professional pedigree, Archuleta-Perkins has a passion for advocacy for the LGBTQ+ Community and their allies. He proudly volunteers and serves on two boards here in San Francisco: President of the Golden Gate Business Association and Treasurer of the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance, SF Chapter. He and his husband enjoy international traveling and scuba diving.

Jimmy Consos of Grubstake Diner mally involved with the GGBA for years and became more formally involved in 2023.

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

Jimmy Consos: The GGBA is there to support businesses in our community and my experience has been

GGBA: How do you describe the Grubstake to those who are not familiar with your iconic San Francisco restaurant?

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GGBA CALENDAR

Jimmy Consos: We are a longtime American diner that nourishes the community in Lower Polk. We strive to offer In September 2021, LGBTQ+ community supporters of Grubstake held great food and a safe space for a rally in support of plans to renovate the historic site. those who are out late.

GGBA: Who are some of your role GGBA: How did you first get involved models, and especially those who with the diner? helped to influence your business?

Jimmy Consos: Years ago, we were blessed with the opportunity to continue an existing business that was adored by many for decades.

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What’s more, the Grubstake remains one of the city’s few late-night restaurants. Still served are Portuguese dishes made from original recipes along with diner favorites like burgers, shakes, steaks, breakfast dishes, and more. We recently caught up with owner Jimmy Consos while he was taking a rare break in Greece. (His family is Greek and he is a talented bouzouki player in addition to having culinary skills.)

Epic Holiday Party Co-Hosted by the San Francisco Bay Times

Grubstake's Jimmy Consos (second from left) hosted Bayard Rustin Coalition members, including co-chairs Lawrence Shine (third from left) and Lisa Williams (right) for a celebration of Rustin's 111th birthday, on March 18, 2023.

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As we bid farewell to an extraordinary year, I am humbled and thrilled to reflect on the incredible journey we have Tony Archuleta-Perkins embarked upon in 2023. Serving as the volunteer president of the world’s first LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce has been an immense honor, and I am profoundly grateful for the remarkable strides we have made together.

passion and innovation displayed by the participants in Cohort 3 were truly inspiring. We are committed to continuing our mission of fostering LGBTQ+ business success through programs like these.

New Member Orientation Wednesday, January 17, 2024 6–7 pm https://tinyurl.com/396svzh4 GGBA Members Only: Supplier Matchmaker Event Wednesday, January 24, 2024 4–7 pm https://tinyurl.com/4mremy8u

Jimmy Consos: Fernando and Linda Santos, the previous owners of the Grubstake Diner; Betty Sullivan and Jen Viegas, Co Publishers of the San Francisco Bay Times; Gary Virginia, Donna Sachet, Juanita MORE!, and the Bay Times community. Also, our employees and customers.

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

Jimmy Consos: We had been infor-

The GGBA page is sponsored by Anne Sterling Dorman

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On Tuesday evening, December 12, 2023, members of th ers, and friends joined members of the Golden Gate Busi throughout the multilevel LGBTQ social club The Acad

The step and repeat banner, custom created by ellaprint, guests arriving on the main level.

The evening’s mild weather along with The Academy’s f

by DJ Rockaway presented by Olivia Travel, and hors d’o Extreme Pizza, Orphan Andy’s, and Hot Cookie all com door Garden Terrace.

Emcee Donna Sachet on behalf of the San Francisco Bay T kins and Board Member/Ambassador Olga Garcia welco tatives.

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A lively series of door prize drawings followed with prese ing the San Francisco Symphony’s Dominic Baldizan, R Cookie’s Ryan Jones, Attorney Jay Greene, and Napa Ce won by guests included those contributed by the San Fra Chorus, Sunday’s a Drag, and Another Planet Entertainme

A live music presentation, complete with a holiday singal Wing and featured Dr. Dee Spencer at the piano accomp Lubin.

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Special thanks to Nate Bourg and the staff of The Acade team for his appearance as The Grinch and other holida holiday hat, and for coordinating the evening’s goodie ba Credit Union, Olivia Tr Bar & Restaurant, Baca

Sincere appreciation to sors for making the even Xfinity; Brio Financial cisco Federal Credit Un Warriors; Redwood Cre by’s Bar & Restaurant; G bate & Elder Law Firm; ongoing event partners Bacardí, ellaprint, Extre Méditerranée Noe.

st

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sco Bay Times & Golden Gate oliday Celebration 2023

he San Francisco Bay Times family of contributors, supportiness Association (GGBA) for a holiday season celebration demy SF at 2166 Market Street.

, served as a gathering point and photo backdrop for

ire pits, trees spun with twinkling lights, music ’oeuvres and desserts by La Méditerranée, mbined for a lovely setting in the venue’s Out-

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Times and GGBA President Tony Archuleta-Peromed guests and introduced sponsor represen-

entations by the prize contributors, includRedwood Credit Union’s Eric Maldonado, Hot ellars winemaker Joe Shirley. Additional prizes ancisco Warriors, the San Francisco Gay Men’s ent.

long, was performed in The Academy’s East panying former Beach Blanket Babylon star Renée

emy, and to Juan R. Davila of the Bay Times ay characters, for contributing a custom-made ags with items from the San Francisco Federal ravel, Mr. Digby’s ardí, and more.

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our presenting sponnt possible: Comcast/ Group; San Frannion; Golden State edit Union; Mr. DigGreene Estate, Pro; and also to our The Academy SF, eme Pizza, and La

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Insuring Your Quality of Life in Later Years You can pay in advance too and keep retirement savings in place for your golden years. You may be paying more upfront but that way it is one and done. Otherwise, it’s a fixed cost so it needs to be factored into your overall budget.

Money Matters Brandon Miller It’s hard to think about, but longterm care is an important need for which you should prepare. It’s also something most folks start planning, and saving for, later than they should. Why’s that? Well, insurability isn’t guaranteed. There are challenges of underwriting and there is a possibility of not being approved.

The timing is critical so the sweet spot for securing a stand-alone policy is from ages 50–55.

How much care might you need? On average, women will need 3.7 years of care, and men will need an average of 2.2 years.

Approximately half of people turning age 65 will require some type of paid long-term care in their lifetimes, according to Morningstar. Only half huh, you ask? Why should I pay for a policy with 50–50 odds?

While we don’t have a crystal ball, we can plan ahead for the financial aspect even if we don’t know what health challenges we may face down the road. Planning for yourself and for those responsible for your care and how to fund it will be appreciated by future-you.

But, in some cases, it might not make sense to purchase a policy. If you are on the almost-Medicaid end of the spectrum, that might be your best option for care. If you are riding high on the hog, you can plan to “self-insure.” The rest of us, though, should consider some sort of policy.

How much are we talking about?

According to Genworth, in the Bay Area it’s about $7,000–8,000 a month for in-home care, $6,000– 7,000 for an assisted living facility, and $12,000–16,000 for a nursing home.

About 60% of us will need assistance with things like getting dressed, driving to appointments, or making meals, according to the Administration for Community Living (ACL), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Not all of these activities will require paid assistance.

Some of us may require home care, which would include those who need minimal assistance with healthrelated tasks. Others might benefit from adult daycare, which offers daytime supervision, including meals and recreational and therapeutic activities. It occurs in a community setting.

The ACL defines long-term care as “a range of services and supports you may need to meet your personal care needs. Most long-term care is not medical care, but rather assistance with the basic personal tasks of everyday life, sometimes called Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).”

ADLs include: • shopping for groceries or clothes, • managing money, • housework • caring for pets, • bathing, • using the bathroom, • and taking medication.

Six Steps to Long-Term Cre Planning Planning is critical, but many people are not sure what is covered by insurance, and others are often misinformed about what is covered by Medicare. Here are six steps to help you think—and begin planning

for—your possible long-term care needs.

1. Gauge the likelihood of needing care.

2. Review potential costs.

3. Assess available resources.

4. Create a long-term care fund.

5. If insurance is the answer, investigate whether a stand-alone or hybrid policy makes sense.

6. If government-funded care is part of the solution, think through the ramifications.

Medicare and most health insurance plans, including Medicare Supplement Insurance (a Medigap policy), do not pay for long-term care.

What does Medicare cover?

• Medicare covers up to 100 days of nursing home care. For many, that may not be enough.

• Medicare can help with costs for skilled-home health or other skilled in-home services. What is skilled-home health? It is a wide range of healthcare services that can be provided in your home for an illness or injury. These might include monitoring a serious injury or illness, injections, patient and caregiver education, and nutrition therapy. The goal is to help you recover, regain independence, become more self-sufficient, or slow any decline in health.

• Generally speaking, long-term care services by Medicare are provided for a short period of time.

Medicare does not pay for nonskilled assistance with ADLs, which make up most long-term care services. If needed, you will have to pay for long-term care services that are not covered by a public or private insurance program.

What about Medicaid?

Medicaid is available to those who meet strict income and asset guidelines. Unlike Medicare, which is health insurance, Medicaid is public assistance. (continued on page 14)

Interwoven Legacies: Celebrating Local LGBTQ+ and Personal Milestones

Trust Essentials Jay Greene, Esq., CPA In the tapestry of personal and community identity, recognizing important milestones holds profound significance, particularly within the context of local LGBTQ+ history.

Celebrating personal milestones, whether it be the joyous union of partners, the adoption of estate planning measures, or the courageous act of coming out, is a vital acknowledgment of individual growth and selfrealization.

Simultaneously understanding and commemorating key milestones in local LGBTQ+ history is an act of reverence for the trailblazers and activists who have paved the way for acceptance and equality. The inter-

section of community and personal milestones, including estate planning, emphasizes the interconnectedness of our journeys. Estate planning, in particular, emerges as a crucial aspect, ensuring that the legacy of personal triumphs and societal progress is safeguarded and passed on with intentionality. In embracing both personal and community narratives, we weave a richer, more inclusive tapestry that honors the past, informs the present, and paves the way for a more equitable future.

San Francisco Bay Times & Golden Gate Business Association Historic Milestones The San Francisco Bay Times and the Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA) each boast a profound and lasting legacy, albeit in distinct realms, contributing significantly to the cultural, social, and economic fabric of San Francisco.

The San Francisco Bay Times celebrated their 45th anniversary this year as they were founded in 1978. It has left an indelible mark as a pioneering LGBTQ+ publication, chronicling the struggles, triumphs, and evolving narratives of our community over the past four decades. It has been a powerful advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, a source

of information, and a unifying force in fostering a sense of belonging. The San Francisco Bay Times and the GGBA celebrated their holiday party Tuesday, December 12, at The Academy SF in the Castro, honoring their historic milestones.

The GGBA, established in 1974, celebrates 50 years in 2024 as the world’s first LGBTQ+ chamber of commerce. It plays a transformative role in the economic landscape of San Francisco. By championing the interests of LGBTQ+ businesses and professionals, the GGBA has contributed to the city’s prosperity and diversity. To learn about the GGBA 50th anniversary celebrations, please go to https://ggba.com/ Both legacies intersect in their dedication to inclusivity, community empowerment, and the advancement of LGBTQ+ rights, creating a rich tapestry that reflects the dynamic essence of all San Francisco LGBTQ+ residents.

Personal Milestones As an estate planning attorney, I underscore the critical significance of proactively addressing your estate planning needs upon reaching significant personal milestones. Life’s major events, such as marriage, the (continued on page 16) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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IN MEMORIAM Michael Shawn Youens (1968–2023)

Priscilla Alexander (1939–2023)

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Tributes continue to pour in for Michael Shawn Youens, who was the owner of Ducati Models, a photo retoucher and graphic designer at Falcon Studios, and a longtime member of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. He passed on November 15 after suffering a heart attack.

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Sister Roma was a close friend of Youens, who was also known as Shante Bouvier. The two often attended community events together. Roma wrote, in part, via social media: “I owe you so much. You were the

Roma added, “I don’t think a lot of people even know that you lost your mom in a car accident at age 5. Or that (continued on page 16)

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best friend anyone could ever ask for. I’m so lucky to have had you by my side for 30 years. We traveled the world together. We could communicate with a glance.

Through the good times and the bad, you were the one person I could rely on. You were such a rock, such a joy, such an inspiration. I hope you know how much I admired you for your sense of humor, your work ethic, your love of life, your loyalty, and your resilience.”

MILLER (continued from pg 13) Medicaid will count wages, Social Security benefits, pension, veteran benefits, bank and investment accounts, trusts and annuities, and your property. In most states, Medicaid looks at your income over the last five years, according to the American Council on Aging. California reviews your data going back 30 months. Assets that were transferred or gifted during that period may count against you. So, we would advise that you not try to transfer financial assets to qualify for Medicaid.

Medicaid eligibility occurs on a rolling basis. You could make just $1 over the monthly income limit and end up on the hook for the cost.

Developing Financial Strategies Which option is best will depend on various factors, including age, health status, the likelihood of needing care, and your financial situation. Some people use their own assets to pay for care. Be advised you may have tax consequences for drawing on an IRA, 401k, or qualified plan. Discuss this with your tax advisor.

A reverse mortgage, long-term care insurance, hybrid life insurance policies, and annuities can provide much-needed flexibility.

Let’s look at these potential resources.

A reverse mortgage can be complicated, but it may offer you the cash needed to help with long-term care. Other borrowing options may be available, too, including a home equity loan.

Long-term care insurance is an alternative. The cost will vary depending on the benefits. Younger, healthy people who are at low risk of needing longterm care in the next 25 years may benefit from a long-term care policy.

Costs will rise for those who are older or have health problems. You may not qualify if your health is compromised or if you are already receiving end-of-life care services. Typically, you become eligible for benefits when you can no longer perform two ADLs. Most policies have a waiting period before you receive benefits. However, many insurance companies no longer offer traditional policies. Those that do may raise premiums annually, and the cost may be high.

Hybrid life insurance offers unique features that may offer financial assistance. What is a hybrid policy? It combines life insurance with long-term care insur14

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ance. The policy may pay for long-term care or a death benefit if the policy isn’t used to pay for care.

Another option is a long-term care annuity, which provides a benefit based on your investment.

However, it has become challenging for insurers to provide these policies due to today’s interest-rate environment.

Other Avenues Some states offer PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly), which is a combined Medicare and Medicaid program. It may pay for some or all the long-term care needs of a person with Alzheimer’s disease.

SHIP, the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, is a national program offered in each state that provides one-on-one counseling and assistance with Medicaid and Medicare.

There’s a lot to sift through, so talk to a trusted insurance agent to look at what works best for you.

Brio Financial Group is an SEC registered investment adviser. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement of Brio Financial Group by the SEC nor does it indicate that Brio Financial Group has attained a particular level of skill or ability. This material prepared by Brio Financial Group is for informational purposes only. It 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. Opinions expressed by Brio Financial Group are based on economic or market conditions at the time this material was written.

Facts presented have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Brio Financial Group, however, cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such information, and certain information presented here may have been condensed or summarized from its original source. Brio Financial Group does not provide tax or legal advice, and nothing contained in these materials should be taken as tax or legal advice. Please consult with your tax professional regarding your particular situation before implementing any strategies discussed.

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/

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Illustrating her leadership in the LGBTQ movement in the 1970s, she was invited to march with Gilbert Baker and Cleve Jones in the 1978 Pride Parade, held on June 25 that year, to reveal the new rainbow flag that Baker envisioned and helped create.

Both Jones and Alexander dressed in bright white, calling to mind the clothing of suffragettes decades earlier. Another community legend, Sylvester, performed “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” live at that memorable, historic event.

Also in 1978, issues of the Bay Times included a “Women’s Page” that Alexander largely developed. This was during a time when LGBTQ+ women were not often in publishing leadership roles and coverage of women’s issues in the queer community was uncommon.

Filling that void was part of the mission of the founding Bay Times team.

Award-winning author and journalist Randy Alfred, the founding News Editor for the San Francisco Bay Times, said, “Priscilla was key in the founding of the Bay Times and was a devoted, energetic worker to her numerous campaigns for the rights of LGBTQ+ people, women, sex workers, people with AIDS, and other issues of social justice for all people. Her devotion to principles sometimes made for contentious work relations, but it was worth the effort to learn from Priscilla and accomplish things with her.”

Alexander was born in New York City on January 27, 1939. She attended the city’s High School of Music & Art, where she majored in the visual arts.

She dreamed of being a painter like her mother, who died when she was nine.

Her father was also an artist and worked as an interior designer.

She attended Bennington College in Vermont and graduated with a major in set design. Upon graduating she focused on drawing and painting first in New York and later in San Francisco, where she also worked as a school teacher. In 1975 in San Francisco, she met Margaret Jean “Margo” St. James (1937–2021), a sex worker who founded the organization COYOTE (Call Off Your Old Tired Ethics) to advocate for financial security, healthcare, and legal rights for sex workers. Alexander joined the office of COYOTE in 1977 and succeeded in getting the National Organization for

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Priscilla Alexander, who worked as an editor for the San Francisco Bay Times during its first years of publication in the late 1970s and later became an influential activist in the sex workers’ rights movement, passed on November 18, 2023. She had been in ill health for many years and was in hospice care in New York due to kidney failure. She was missed at a reunion of founding Bay Times members that was held on September 28, 2018, at the GLBT Historical Society Museum in San Francisco.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUZANNE JOYCE

Co-Founding Editor of the San Francisco Bay Times

Longtime Member of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Owner of Ducati Models, and Designer at Falcon Studios

Women to form a committee on Prostitutes’ Rights in 1982 and to get most women’s conferences around the country to concretely address related issues.

At around this time, Alexander began to meet with Cleve Jones, Del Martin (1921–2008), Phyllis Lyon (1924–2020), and other now legendary activists who worked to launch the San Francisco Bay Times, which was then led by Roland Schembari and Bill Hartman. During her time as an editor for the paper, she supported many LGBTQ nonprofits and other groups, particularly those focused on helping women and, after the HIV/AIDS epidemic started, those who were most impacted by the virus.

She remained passionate about COYOTE’s efforts and often declared, “My most defining work and greatest joy have been in the sex workers’ rights movement.” With activist Gloria Lockett, a Black former sex worker, she co-founded the California Prostitutes Education Project (CalPEP) in 1984. She and colleagues also helped form the National Task Force on Prostitution concentrating on AIDS prevention and education, and on human rights for prostitutes.

Alexander with Frédérique Delacoste co-edited the book Sex Work: Writings

by Women in the Sex Industry, a landmark collection of writings published in 1987 that changed the way others think about sex for hire. When the book was first published, it helped popularize the term “sex work,” and in doing so changed the way others talk about sex for money. Amy Schneider of Jeopardy! fame is among those who continue to speak on behalf of sex workers’ rights and to continue the legacy of Alexander and St. James.

In 1989, Alexander moved to Geneva, Switzerland, to work for the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Program on AIDS. She made a number of trips to Africa representing WHO and worked with African women on AIDS prevention.

She then moved back to her hometown of New York City, where she worked with the HIV/AIDS Prevention Project that served women who worked in some of the poorest sections of the city. She also studied for a master’s degree in Public Health at Columbia University.

Earlier this year the Bay Times reported the passing of the paper’s founding production manager Susan Calico, another colleague of Alexander’s. She, along with Randy Alfred and founding arts and entertainment editor M.J. Lallo, were among those who attended the reunion event in 2018.

After St. James passed two years ago, Alexander created a video about her that was presented at a virtual international tribute event. The video can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/2m3kvdka

Ringing in Equality This Holiday Season

6/26 and Beyond Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis “We are sad. We are angry. We are grateful. We are hopeful.”

TWITTER/VAIBHAV JAIN

These were the words of Vaibhav Jain and Parag Mehta, one of the plaintiff couples in the Indian marriage equality litigation, when they learned the news last October that a 5-judge panel of the Indian Supreme Court had issued an internally inconsistent and disappointing ruling in their landmark lawsuit. The court declared that all Indians, includ-

Jain and Mehta’s words resonate with us more broadly as we reflect on LGBTIQ rights around the world and particularly in Asia at the cusp between 2023 and 2024.

Jain and Mehta explained how these emotions were not “contradictory,” but rather “the necessary ingredients for big, sweeping social change.” After “mourn[ing] ... we go back to organizing,” the couple elaborated because as a community “we keep going” for India, “and the larger cause of humanity.”

Jain and Mehta, other couples in the lawsuit, and their fellow Indian LGBTIQ activists wasted no time getting back to work. They petitioned the Indian Supreme Court to review its decision, and in late November that process at the court began.

Meanwhile, a thousand kilometers to the east, Surendra Pandey and Maya Gurung made history on November 29 when they became the first LGBTIQ couple to be married legally in Nepal, marking a major breakthrough in the years-long struggle for the Himalayan nation to establish marriage equality as a reality for all Nepalese LGBTIQ couples.

Parag Mehta and Vaibhav Jain

And thousands of kilometers further southeast, the

Thai cabinet led by newly elected Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin approved draft marriage equality legislation in November that will be introduced in the Thai Parliament this month. After a similar bill stalled in Parliament last year, hopes are high that the legislation will pass this time around.

In the 2023 Thai national election campaign, the progressive Move Forward Party, which won the most seats in the election, and Srettha’s Parag Mehta and Vaibhav Jain holding their son Pheu Thai Party, for All Korea campaign. Historic which now leads marriage equality legislation was the ruling coalition, both explicintroduced in the South Korean itly campaigned on their support national legislature last May. for marriage equality. Together, these two parties hold a two-thirds A victory in Thailand would cremajority in Parliament. ate unprecedented momentum in these countries and put presWinning marriage equality in sure on reluctant governments to Thailand would greatly energize act. And needless to say, we canthe movements in neighboring not imagine a more popular venue Cambodia and Vietnam, as well than Thailand for queer destinaas in Japan and South Korea. As tion weddings! we have written extensively before, Japanese marriage equality lawAs we report on this progress in the suits are progressing through the struggle for equality in these Asian courts with a Japanese Supreme countries, we are mindful that our Court decision expected in the community faces much greater next couple of years. This fall, we challenges in some other counhad the honor of meeting the leaders of the newly launched Marriage tries in Asia and around the world.

TWITTER/VAIBHAV JAIN

ing LGBTIQ Indians, have the right to choose their life partner, a choice that lies at the very “root of the right to life and liberty” guaranteed by the Indian constitution; yet that same constitution does not require the government to permit same-sex couples to marry.

Indeed, we must contend with the unfortunate truth that lasting progress nearly always takes time.

Jain and Mehta’s words last October also recall for us the lyrics that Holly Near composed and led our community in singing 45 years ago at a candlelight vigil in front of San Francisco City Hall on the evening of November 27, 1978, the day that Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated. Together, their words link our community across time and space.

“We are gay and lesbian people” and “gentle, angry people” who are “singing for our lives,” declared Near as we sang in grief, frustration, and determination nearly a half-century ago. Today, Jain and Mehta lead our community in expressing our sadness, anger, gratitude, and hope in 2023. And to those words we add the word “ joy”—profound happiness at our good fortune to be alive and queer and part of a vibrant global LGBTIQ community this holiday season as we ring out the old and work to ring in equality in 2024.

We wish you the joy of equality this holiday season, in 2024, and beyond.

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.

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Reflecting on AGUILAS Activities in 2023 and Planning for 2024 social event with dinner, entertainment, and HIV testing offered by the UCSF AIDS Health Project.

This social event was well attended, enabling AGUILAS to thank volunteers, staff, and program participants.

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

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

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

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

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

Beth Greene, Michael Delgado, John Signer, Abby Zimberg Design & Production

Kate Laws Business Manager Blake Dillon Calendar Editor

Kit Kennedy Poet-In-Residence J.H. Herren Technology Director Carla Ramos

Web Coordinator

Mario Ordonez Distribution

Juan R. Davila

Volunteer Coordinator

CONTRIBUTORS Writers Rink, Sister Dana Van Iquity, Ann Rostow, Patrick Carney, Carolyn Wysinger, Leslie Sbrocco, Heather Freyer, Kate Kendell, Heidi Beeler, Gary M. Kramer, Joanie Juster, Julie Peri, Jennifer Kroot, Robert Holgate, Eduardo Morales, Dennis McMillan, Tim Seelig, John Chen, Rafael Mandelman, Tabitha Parent, Jewelle Gomez, Phil Ting, Rebecca Kaplan, Leslie Katz, Philip Ruth, Bill Lipsky, Elisa Quinzi, Liam Mayclem, Donna Sachet, Gary Virginia, Zoe Dunning, Derek Barnes, Marcy Adelman, Jan Wahl, Holly Near, Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis Brandon Miller, Jamie Leno Zimron, Michele Karlsberg, Randy Coleman, Debra Walker, Howard Steiermann, Andrea Shorter, Lou Fischer, Brett Andrews, David Landis

Nuestra Voz Eduardo Morales, Ph.D. The nonprofit AGUILAS in 2023 continued to be the only agency in San Francisco that provides all of its services in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. AGUILAS was able to expand its reach using telehealth for individuals and groups, making it convenient for participants to engage in offered health-related activities.

During the spring of 2023, we were able to hold a three-day, twonight retreat at Enchanted Hills Camp in Napa that was funded by an Empowerment Grant from the State of California. At this retreat, various health promotion activities were offered and nutritious meals as well as the recently remodeled retreat facilities were appreciated. AGUILAS partnered with the staff of Queer Arts at this retreat.

(Their offices are located at 575 Castro Street, which was the site of Harvey Milk’s shop, Castro Camera.)

Additionally, artist Juan Manuel Carmona, MFA, facilitated an Expressive Arts Workshop. There was time for fun, relaxation, and an evening of music and dancing.

In celebration of Thanksgiving, AGUILAS had a successful major

La Academia de AGUILAS provided leadership development workshops throughout the year and several participants completed the basic set of workshops and thereby each received a certificate of completion from AGUILAS in partnership with Alliant International University.

Our program activities in 2023 were funded by the State of California, VIIV Foundation, and the San Francisco Department of Public Health, as well as by various donations from the LGBTQI community.

Sadly, AGUILAS’ contracts with the State of California and the San Francisco Department of Public Health ended on June 30, 2023. By mobilizing and advocating for continued funding at a meeting of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, AGUILAS received a modest level of funding to sustain many of our health promotion program activities for 12 months that started July1, 2023, by the Board of Supervisors.

They used an add-back process as part of implementing the new 2023– 2024 San Francisco budget.

The San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the HIV Advocacy Network gave AGUILAS a Partner in Progress Award on August 21, 2023, in recognition of our “outstanding efforts to organize and mobilize people living with and impacted by HIV over the past year to fight for justice for our communities.”

Plans for La Academia de AGUILAS in 2024 In large part due to the success of past La Academia de AGUILAS workshops, this educational series will be expanding in the new year. In 2024, La Academia de AGUILAS will be offering advanced levels of leadership development workshops as well as various workshops concerning communicating with the media about issues affecting our community and how to be a mentor for others. AGUILAS looks forward to continuing La Academia and to fostering the development of a pipeline for leadership positions in our community.

Recognition From the National Latinx Psychological Association This year I was grateful to receive a Certificate of Appreciation for my service as President of the National Latinx Psychological Association (NLPA) during its 20th Anniversary over a three-year cycle: one year as President-Elect, one year as President, and one year as Past President.

As Past President, I was Co-Chair of the Council of Past Presidents of NLPA. In this role, I started NLPA’s Workgroup in Racism and Diversity and facilitated the start of an ongoing NLPA Diversity Committee.

Additionally, I was a member of NLPA’s Website Committee, Chaired the 2021 Conference Committee, and was a member of NLPA’s Continuing Education and Professional Development Committee. Before my presidency

I was elected to be NLPA’s Treasurer and Acting Secretary of Finance for two years. Currently, I am a member of NLPA’s Council of Past Presidents.

Starting January 2024, I will chair the Commission on Ethnic Minority Recruitment, Retention, and Training in Psychology Task Force (CEMRRAT2) of the American Psychological Association (APA) and represent the APA Board of Professional Affairs. 2024 will be my fifth year as a CEMRRAT2 member. CEMRRAT2 provides funding to psychology students to present their research at professional conferences, and provides funding to educational institutions for activities to recruit, retain, and train students and faculty members in their institutions on ethnic minority matters.

CEMRRAT2 is a resource for advising APA and its various governance groups on how to be more responsive to racial justice issues.

Eduardo Morales, Ph.D. is a Professor Emeritus, retired Distinguished Professor, and current adjunct professor at Alliant International University. He is also a licensed psychologist and a founder and current Executive Director of AGUILAS, an awardwinning program for Latinx LGBTQ+. Of Puerto Rican decent, he has received numerous distinguished awards and citations, including being named a Fellow of 12 divisions of the American Psychological Association.

GREENE (continued from pg 13) birth of a child, or the acquisition of substantial assets, serve as pivotal moments that necessitate careful consideration of your financial, individual, and familial future. Proper estate planning ensures that your hardearned assets are safeguarded and distributed according to your wishes, providing financial security for you and your loved ones.

By taking the initiative to establish a comprehensive estate plan, you not only mitigate potential conflicts for you and others but also gain peace of mind knowing that your affairs are in order. Whether it involves drafting a will, establishing trusts, or designating power of attorney, addressing these matters in tandem with life’s milestones is a responsible and compassionate act that offers protection and support for both you and your heirs.

If you are looking for help with your own estate planning needs, or would like to discuss how we can help your loved ones with their plans, please feel free to contact us at obed@greenelawfirm.com or call us at 415-905-0215.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Photographers Rink, Phyllis Costa, Sparks, Paul Margolis, Chloe Jackman, Bill Wilson, Jo-Lynn Otto, Sandy Morris, Karina Patel, Abby Zimberg, Joanie Juster, Debra Reabock

Statements In Compliance with California Rules of Professional Conduct: The materials in this article have been prepared by Attorney Jay Greene for educational purposes only and are not legal advice. This information does not create an attorney-client relationship. Individuals should consult with an estate planning and elder law attorney for up-todate information for their individual plans.

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Jay Greene, Attorney, CPA, is the founder of Greene Estate, Probate, & Elder Law Firm based in San Francisco, and is focused on helping LGBT individuals, couples, and families plan for their future, protect their assets, and preserve their wealth. For more information and to schedule an assessment, visit: https://assetprotectionbayarea.com/

MEMORIAL/ YOUENS (continued from pg 14) you served on the U.S.S. Blueback in the Navy. Or that when you found sobriety you went to work unloading trucks at Target. You were humble and hardworking and determined to be a better person. You made me want to be a better person.”

CALENDAR Submit events for consideration by e-mail to: calendar@sfbaytimes.com

Born in Dallas, Youens and his family moved to Arizona where he was the mascot—a Sabercat—for the Saguaro High School football team. Already his artistic and social skills were evident. In the mid-1990s he moved to San Francisco. Over the years he worked for Gloss Magazine, Sundance Cinemas, AMC Theatres, and more before focusing on design at Falcon Studios.

© 2023 Bay Times Media Company Co-owned by Betty L. Sullivan & Jennifer L. Viegas

He also spent countless hours volunteering for LGBTQ community-serving nonprofits such as Tenderloin Tessie, the AIDS Emergency Fund, and the Castro Country Club. An animal lover, he additionally volunteered for the SPCA. Sister Roma is among those planning the “Michael Youens’ Celebration of Larger-Than-Life” at The Academy SF on January 13, 2024. A GoFundMe has been created to help with the celebration: https://tinyurl.com/22ftprfs 16

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GLBT Fortnight in Review End of the Year Quiz Don’t you hate the end of the year quizzes and lists and “best of” this and that? It’s almost as if no one wants to actually write anything substantive and everyone is leaning on a mindless gimmick instead of doing any mental heavy lifting as the year comes to a close. December is a regular month, folks! It’s not some extra free time that you can just assign to yourself because you’re an indolent couch biscuit.

I’m telling you, if it weren’t for my editors insisting on this quiz, I’d be working on an in-depth analysis of the legal history of conversion therapy, given that the Supreme Court just decided to leave intact a Ninth Circuit ruling in support of Washington’s ban on said practice.

Of course, Justices Thomas and Alito were dying to weigh in on the subject and presumably strike Washington’s restrictions based on misguided notions of free speech. But happily, they could not find two more justices to join them. Well, I’d love to go into further detail, but I have to get on with our annual GLBT news exam.

Oh, and how about the Pope’s latest GLBT-friendly policy shifts?

That would merit half a column itself alone, and yet will we even remember the details when we see each other again (metaphorically) in January? Sadly, we probably will not.

We could be reviewing many other abandoned topics, but it’s time to play our quiz.

Good luck!

Question One Match the transgender case (a–f) with its 2023 outcome (1–6):

a) A 12-year-old transgender girl wanted to run track with her middle school friends in West Virginia. b) An Indiana music teacher wanted the right to misidentify his transgender students. c) A transwoman prisoner was not provided with her hormone drugs. d) Tennessee wanted to criminalize drag show operators and performers. e) Three Indiana transgender students wanted the right to use high school bathrooms. f) Seven Kentucky transgender youth sought access to hormone treatments.

1) We won at the Seventh Circuit, but the High Court sent the case back for a second look.

2) The Sixth Circuit blocked our claim.

3) The Seventh Circuit ruled in our favor.

4) The Fourth Circuit ruled in our favor.

5) The High Court declined to block the law while we continue our lawsuit.

6) A lower court judge appointed by Trump struck the law in a 70-page merits opinion.

Question Two The Million Moms were mad this year because ... ? a) The Girl Scouts are offering rainbow badges. b) A Snickers ad seemed to recommend wife/husband swapping. c) A kids book about seahorses discussed reproduction. d) A TurboTax commercial showed two men walking down the aisle. e) A Paw Patrol spinoff included a non-binary character. f) Alert children might see some TV ads for bent penis remedies. g) All of the above.

By Ann Rostow Question Three

Question Five

True or False:

Match the guys below with the news stories that follow:

a) A Japanese man spent $16,000 on a realistic collie suit, and posted videos of himself being walked on a leash and eating kibble out of a dog bowl. b) A watch called “Tikker” will tell you how much more time is left before you die. c) Authorities in the very gay town of Wilton Manors, Florida, had hundreds of wild rabbits exterminated due to the damage they were causing to people’s gardens. d) A straight Pima, Arizona, councilmember raised eyebrows when a naked man walked through the background of his Zoom meeting. e) A preoperative San Diego transwoman caused a ruckus by parading nude through her gym locker room. f) In June, people in Las Vegas said they saw some 10-foot-tall space aliens who were “definitely not human.”

Question Four Spot the erroneous headline. One of these quotable moments in 2023 lesbian news coverage is a fake. a) “What A Lesbian Monkey Love Triangle Can Teach Us About Darwin’s ‘Paradox’” b) “Lesbian vicar ‘punched and bit her female partner in drunken lovers’ spat after necking glass of wine in lockdown” c) “Gwen Graham and Catherine Wood Used Murder to Boost Their Sex Life” d) “How a Mystery Poop at a Lesbian Wedding Became a Hit Podcast” e) “Woman, 30, dies with ping pong ball up her bum after being electrocuted while pleasuring herself”

a) Bryan Slaton b) Ryan Webb c) Justin Wetherell d) Father Thomasz Z. e) Randy McNally f) Barnaby Gush 1) The 79-year-old Republican Lt. Governor of Tennessee was called out for posting to a half-naked 20-year-old gay guy on Instagram, telling him, for example: “You can turn a rainy day into rainbows and sunshine,” “way to go Finn!!! You light up the world!!”

2) This lawyer was dancing “flamboyantly” at a London nightclub when a drunk guy called him a “poofter.” He fractured the drunk guy’s jaw with one punch. Don’t know why I liked that so much.

3) This scoundrel allowed a male prostitute to overdose on Viagra and hesitated to let paramedics attend to the poor man.

4) This Indiana councilman announced he now identifies as a lesbian woman of color. Are ya laughin’?

5) A flight attendant for Alaska Air won the right to wear a non-binary outfit.

6) This Texas state representative resigned after he was caught having sex with a teenaged intern and letting her drink at his house and was expelled the next day for good measure. Did we mention he presented himself as a “family values” conservative?

Question Six Match these women with the news stories that follow:

a) Melissa Pateras b) Michelle Fitzgerald c) Haven Wilvich d) Catherine “Kitty” Burke e) Susanna Gibson f) Bridget Ziegler 1) Her live sex acts (with her husband) on the “Chaturbate” website hampered her attempt to run for the Virginia House of Delegates.

2) A founder of the book banning schemers at “Moms for Liberty,” she admitted in court that she had threeway sex with her husband (head of the Florida GOP), and another woman a year ago.

3) She and her husband were rejected by the Massachusetts state adoption authorities due to their hostility towards the idea of winding up with a gay or trans child.

4) She has a large following for her advice and videos as the “laundry lesbian.”

5) She was denied access to a nude women’s communal bath because she had not had bottom surgery, and she filed suit.

6) She was fired from her school counselor job by her Catholic employers in a move that was backed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Question Seven A 38-year-old from Sarasota died this year from: a) an encounter with a poisonous toad in the Sonoran Desert. b) suicide, after he caused a political scandal by pressuring a young woman for explicit photos and sex talk. (continued on page 18)

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Sunday’s a Drag Holiday Extravaganza Photos by Andy Berry Photography, https://www.andyberryphoto.com/ Donna Sachet presented the Sunday’s a Drag Holiday Extravaganza at Club Fugazi on November 26 and December 17, 2023. For the December show, in addition to Sachet, the performers included Khmera Rouge, Mercedez Munro, and Ehra Amaya. As Sachet wrote, “This is a family-friendly show with special San Francisco holiday touches, gorgeous costumes, fabulous performances, beautiful music, and lots of laughs!”

SF BAY TIMES SCREENSHOT

Guests enjoyed a lavish brunch spread (starting with rosemary focaccia from award-winning chef Tony Gemignani and ending with tiramisu from Stella Bakery) before and during the show that was produced by Patrick Rylee. Guests were invited to join the Toy Drive with the San Francisco Fire Department at both of the Holiday Extravaganza shows. Many did just that and brought new toys, which were placed in a drop-off box filled with gifts that helped brighten the holiday season for local children.

Sachet in a previous issue indicated that Sunday’s a Drag could continue in 2024.

We hope so! For updates, go to: http://tinyurl.com/2xxpmxar BARNES (continued from pg 8)

CREGO (continued from pg 8)

role in creating the conditions for this crisis. Overt conflicts of interest within Oakland’s city leadership, as cited in an Oaklandside article on November 7 ( https://tinyurl.com/2p8dmnn5 ), make legislative transparency and accountability nearly impossible. Taxpayers unwittingly funding attorney-led nonprofit organizations should be outraged, and it’s time for our media to hold legislators accountable for their irresponsible and misguided decisions.

Given the inhumane levels of violence and hate directed at TGNCI2S communities throughout history, and even to this day by state legislatures across the country, TGNCI2S people have very good reasons to distrust institutions and governments. What we know from our community history, passed down through generations of chosen family members, is that we have had to lean on each other to survive, knowing that we could rarely count on those in power to care or protect us. This is why at OTI, especially in recent years, we have been intentional about deepening trust between TGNCI2S communities and government.

For over three years, many small rental property owners sought intervention from policymakers, only to face indifference and disregard. Legislators, solely influenced by tenant attorney-led organizations, did not seek input from property owners, and this has led to a profound set of unintended consequences. Their limited perspective and failure to act created a moral hazard, consumer debt, court case backlogs, and the current eviction filing surge we see today. While most eviction filings today do not result in actual evictions, over 90% are due to non-payment of rent after legislators lifted local moratoriums. Redirecting financial aid to struggling households instead of funding expensive taxpayer-supported tenant attorney organizations is a more cost-effective and pragmatic solution.

We’ve moved from moratoriums to mayhem, with political leaders’ inept policies causing more harm and greater crisis. Policymakers must develop better housing policies that consider the economic circumstances of critical stakeholders and incentivize affordable housing initiatives—a better balance of carrot and stick.

Comprehensive impact analysis, real housing reform, and renter education are essential to foster a more equitable and resilient rental housing market.

Finding a fitting epilogue for a maze of convoluted policies often at odds with public need and expectation is difficult. Addressing root causes through informed policymaking is crucial to avoid the unintended consequences of misguided housing policies. Engaging subject matter experts and understanding the interconnectedness of critical factors will pave the way for effective housing policies that provide stability for both renters and property owners.

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

The long list of our collective accomplishments is a testament to our commitment to advocate and uplift the needs and voices of TGNCI2S San Franciscans by acting as a bridge between community and local government. And I am certain that city leaders,

community advocates, and OTI will keep working towards setting the standard for how TGNCI2S people, history, and culture should be protected, celebrated, and nurtured.

Pau Crego (he/him) is a queer and trans immigrant who has worked towards equity for trans and LGBTQI+ communities for almost two decades, both in the San Francisco Bay Area, and in Spain where he is originally from. His advocacy has included direct services, technical assistance, training and education, program design, and policy change. Crego worked at the Office of Transgender Initiatives (OTI) from 2017–2023, most recently serving as the Office’s Executive Director. He is also faculty in the Health Education Department at City College of San Francisco, and a published author and translator in the field of public health.

GGBA (continued from pg 9) that, in addition to events and services offered by the organization, members have always been willing to be helpful in any way they can, particularly by sharing information and resources available to them.

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?

Jimmy Consos: I will be attending the upcoming GGBA Supplier Matchmaker Event hosted by Wells Fargo and NGLCC (National LGBT Chamber of Commerce) on January 24, 2024. It will be located

at The Penthouse at Wells Fargo, 420 Montgomery Street, which is a pretty exciting place.

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

Jimmy Consos: Join the GGBA and talk with membership coordinator Alesia Massey about connecting you with other members in your industry. You can get the most info and responsible guidance from those who are already doing it. https://www.grubstakesf.com/

ROSTOW (continued from pg 17) c) a shotgun blast, fired by his dog who was in the back seat of his pickup truck. d) injuries sustained during rough sex with his brother. e) an avalanche of dozens of huge wheels of parmesan cheese that fell as shelves collapsed in his warehouse. f) impaling himself on a garden gnome during a drunken fight over book bans with his lesbian sister-inlaw.

Question Eight True or False? Boffins informed us this year that: a) gay men and lesbians’ least desired careers are window washer and bricklayer. b) general approval of our community is down 7 percent, according to Gallop. c) men and women of all sexual orientations think straight-acting men seem better suited to leadership roles. d) favorability rates for lavender M&Ms are statistically higher among GLBTs than among straight men and women. e) fruit flies get depressed when they encounter dead fruit flies. f) gen Z high school kids aren’t having that much sex. g) fully 38 percent of the students at Brown University identify as not straight.

Question Nine Something is wrong with this paragraph. What is it?

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Writing for a 6–3 majority in 303 Creative v Elenis, Justice Gorsuch ruled that Colorado’s GLBT-inclusive antidiscrimination law violated the religious freedom of web designer Lorie Smith. Some GLBT legal commentators hoped that the decision would be limited to creative enterprises, allowing public accommodation laws like Colorado’s to be enforced for regular shops and businesses. a) The majority was 5–4. b) The decision was written by John Roberts. c) The case involved free speech, not religious expression. d) The web designer was “Laurie” Smith, not “Lorie” Smith. e) All GLBT commentators though the decision was a total disaster.

Question Ten In 2024, would you rather: a) Win the House majority for the Democrats? Or replace a conservative justice on the Supreme Court? b) Spend three weeks lying on a beautiful warm beach? Or take a three-week white water rafting trip? c) See Trump convicted in the January 6 case? Or have Trump drop out of the 2024 race? d) Make a new friend? Or start a love affair? e) See scientists discover extraterrestrial life? Or see scientists discover a cost-effective way to produce green hydrogen?

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f) See the 49ers win the Super Bowl?

See Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift get engaged? g) Replace your car? Or clean out the “storage” room in your house?

Answers Answer One: a)5) This case is pending a decision by the Fourth Circuit. b)1) After the High Court tweaked its standards on religious accommodation under Title VII, it sent this case back on remand. c)4) The positive outcome, based on the Americans with Disability Act, was allowed to stand by the Supreme Court. d)6) Trump judges are not always all bad. That ruling is pending appeal to the Sixth Circuit. e)3) The Seventh Circuit upheld a preliminary injunction in favor of the students. f)2) The ACLU has just decided to appeal this case to the Supreme Court, risking a very bad precedent next year. Still, no better options exist.

Answer Two: a), b), d), f). Trick question! The seahorse book was attacked by Moms for Liberty, while the non-binary character annoyed a conservative influencer.

Answer Three: a) T, b) T, c) F They didn’t kill the bunnies; d) F The guy in the background was wearing a Speedo; e) F She was postoperative and a hysterical teenaged girl saw her backside for two seconds; f) T It’s true that they said they saw this.

Answer Four: e) The actual headline reads: “Man, 30, dies with ping pong ball up his bum after being electrocuted while pleasuring himself.” You knew it sounded like a guy thing, right? The others were in our column last year but didn’t necessarily take place last year. Some stories are timeless.

Answer Five: a)6), b)4), c)5), d)3), e)1), f)2).

Answer Six: a)4), b)6), c)5), d)3), e)1), f)2).

Answer Seven: d) It was Hugh the manatee, who died after an encounter with his brother Buffett at the Sarasota Mote Aquarium.

Florida political consultant and DeSantis pal Kent Stermon was the man who killed himself, and while we never covered the news about Joseph Austin Smith, the guy from Wichita who got shot by his dog, we should have. As for the tragedy with the cheese, that was Giacomo Chiapparini, who died at his dairy in Lombardy, and we made up the gnome story.

Answer Eight: a)T, b)T, c)T, d)F, e) T, f)T, g)T. Note the trick question.

I made all but one of them True, because you never expect that, do you? You think the True and False answers will be evenly split and more or less alternating. But no! I tricked you. Hah! Answer Nine: c) The case indeed involved free speech, not religious

expression. The rest is true; it was 6–3, written by Gorsuch and her name was Lorie. Some GLBT lawyers hope that because the case involves freedom of creative expression, the impact will be limited to artists like Smith. Whether or not Smith was an “artist” was not up for debate, although some of us wonder about that.

Answer Ten: The answers are subjective, of course. I’d replace the justice, go to the beach, have Trump drop out of the race, make a friend, discover a way to produce green hydrogen, enjoy the romance, and clean out the storage room.

Unlike winning the House, a shift in the court might actually make a difference. No way I’m rafting when I can be ordering tiki drinks and lounging on the beach. I don’t care what happens to Trump as long as he never darkens the door of the oval office again. My wife and I can have more fun with a new friend than an extra lover. Extraterrestrial life is just going to be a microscopic worm or something, so I’d rather advance the hydrogen. Sorry to say I’m a Chiefs fan and I love Travis and Taylor, and as for my storage room, it’s a Sisyphean struggle that I would someday love to overcome. Maybe in 2024! arostow@aol.com

“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.”

—Henry Ford

By Donna Sachet

I

nclude a visit to Grace Cathedral in your holiday plans to view the Rainbow World Fund’s Tree of Hope standing proudly in the Keith Haring Chapel and covered in paper origami ornaments and twinkling white lights. We were happy to emcee once again the lighting of this tree on December 4, joined by the Founder of the Rainbow World Fund, Jeff Cotter, origami expert Linda Mihara, Dean Malcom Young of Grace Cathedral, and Ayae Yoshimoto representing the Consul General of Japan. The crowd was treated to choral music from the San Francisco Boys Chorus directed by Artistic Director Ian Robertson and the Queer Chorus directed

by Artistic Director Michael Kerschner, angelic solo vocals from Leberta Loral, and remarks from Reigning Emperor Michael Chua & Empress Cameron Stiehl-Munro, Manny Yekutiel, and State Senator Scott Wiener. After the reading of several wishes by young students Amy Bottome and Katie Kitsuda, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence blessed the tree and it sparkled with white light, a potent reminder of the power of hope.

Donna Sachet with Lawrence Wu at 440 Castro

Emperor William Bulkley has made it his mission to recognize each anniversary of the birth of the late José Sarria, Founder of the International Court System, with a special event. This year on Sunday, December 10, supporters gathered at Midnight Sun for a lively show, emceed

by Honey Mahogany and starring many of José’s friends. What a worthy legacy William has chosen!

The Bay Times and the Golden Gate Business Association teamed up for a holiday party, Toast to the Season, at The Academy SF on Tuesday, Donna on stage at Club Fugazi during the Sunday's A Drag Holiday Show.

December 12. As always with Bay Times events, food was plentiful, thanks to Extreme Pizza, Orphan Andy’s, La Méditerranée Noe, and Hot Cookie; drinks flowed, includand Ducal benefit at Toad Hall to Krewe de Kinque’s ing Bacardí specialty cocktails; and music abounded, thanks to DJ monthly event at Midnight Sun and finally to The Rockaway, courtesy of Olivia Travel. City Treasurer Jose CisneAcademy’s annual holiday party, we somehow appeared ros stopped by, as did Ana Tellez, representing Oakland Vice Mayor at all four, completing our assigned responsibilities and Rebecca Kaplan; Luis Zamora, representing City Attorney then some. This was a day that reminded us clearly of David Chiu; and various sponsors, who provided door prizes that the many opportunities to engage with and contribute were distributed throughout the night. In the venue’s East Wing, wellto this vibrant LGBTQ+ Community. known singer Renée Lubin and Dr. Dee Spencer presented a concert Imagine, if you will, playing on an amateur baseball of holiday music. All night, we saw old friendships rekindled and new team for years and being given the chance to play in ones formed in a spirit of holiday revelry. the big leagues. Imagine singing in a church choir with Veering slightly from our prescribed routine, we took two nights off occasional solo opportunities and then suddenly being from holiday obligations, first heading to New Conservatory Theasked join a concert on a major stage. Imagine us being atre’s production of Ruthless and then to the Castro Theatre for welcomed onto the legendary stage of Club Fugazi with Kiki & Herb’s holiday show. Back in 2005, we co-starred in a our successful Sunday’s a Drag! That is how it has felt to production of Ruthless with the originator of the mother characput together a series of shows this year at Club Fugazi, ter, Joan Ryan, and Erin-Kate Whitcomb, who played the culminating in last Sunday’s holiday extravaganza! teacher, so it was great fun to attend this current version with Joined by Khmera Rouge, Mercedez Munro, and Erin-Kate. We reminisced about our experiences and thorEhra Amaya, we brought wonderful drag perforoughly enjoyed Katya Smirnoff-Skyy and the cast in this mances back to North Beach where the success of places NCT production. like Finnochio’s and The Black Cat still resound.

The following night, in the excellent company of Eddy Skees, a former roommate and now resident of Sacramento, we joined a throng of loyal supporters for the Kiki & Herb experience. What an experience it was! Creative writing, perfect timing, and physical humor combine to deliver a professional show with fast-paced, uncensored jokes and contradictory mood changes that are not for the faint of heart. Our reunion with Eddy and his accompanying friends was a delight.

Last Saturday was truly a test of mettle with four important events back-to-back. From indefatigable Ray Tilton’s Roast of Graylin Thornton at The Eagle, packed with the Leather Tribe and itching for humor, to Cockatielia and Olivia Hart’s Slay Ride Imperial

With the assistance of professional sound and light technicians, the encouragement of House Manager David Dower, the tireless support of Producer Patrick Rylee, and a packed and loving audience, we dazzled hundreds of attendees with our holiday show, marked by a prolonged standing ovation. We entered this venture with nagging doubts about our own talents and this untried leap into a different neighborhood and level of performance, but somehow, that Miracle of Powell Street magically became the Miracle on Green Street and we are tremendously grateful to all involved.

As the confetti snow fell and the applause echoed out, we smiled looking back on an extraordinary holiday season. We encourage you to cherish such magical moments and to steer into 2024 with renewed hope.

Happy Holidays!

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 See more about "Songs of the Season" on page 35.

PHOTO BY SHAWN NORTHCUTT

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December 7, Drag Queens on Ice returned to the Safeway Holiday Ice Rink in Union Square for the 14th year and hundreds showed up to experience the hilarity in person. We co-emceed with Pride Radio’s Christie James an amazing demonstration of ice-skating skill and drag perfection. Skaters included Paju Munro, Baby Shaques Munro, Tara Lipsyncki, Helixer, Dusty Porn, Major Hammy, Curveball, Jubilee, Jota Mercury, and Amoura Teese. After such exhausting work, we were happy to join the cast and their personal supporters for an after-party at a nearby hotel’s rooftop bar.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LAWRENCE WU

The 31st annual Songs of the Season, December 5 and 6, at Feinstein’s at Hotel Nikko was a labor of love, produced by Brian Kent, introducing several new singers, as well as past favorites. The last-minute addition of Dr. Dee Spencer on keyboard to join Roberta Drake on percussion and David Sayen on bass provided an excellent instrumental ensemble. Over the two nights, loyal supporters and new attendees relished gorgeous vocals from Brian Kent, Kenny Nelson, Shawn Ryan, Charles Jones, Margaret Belton, Brian Justin Crum, and Johnny Orenberg and the masterful violin talents of Kippy Marks. We are so proud that this personal benefit event continues thanks to Brian Kent and that PRC continues as its beneficiary.

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Barbara Higbie Talks About Her New Release, Women’s Music, 2024 Shows, and East Bay Faves

Her latest, Solstice, is part of Higbie’s new “Chillogy” series. It features inventive, instrumental versions of Christmas, Hanukkah, Divali, and original tunes. She recently took time to do an interview with the San Francisco Bay Times while preparing for her December 17 show at The Freight & Salvage in Berkeley. In case you missed this stellar performance, she will be performing again at The Freight January 5–6, 2024, with Cris Williamson and other music legends!

San Francisco Bay Times: For those not familiar with your “Chillogy” series, please explain the idea behind it and

Barbara Higbie

how the individual CDs stand on their own while also adding to the whole of the series.

Barbara Higbie: My new “Chillogy” series came about trying to please a friend! Theresa Lumiere, a genius body worker, asked me to record music that she could use in her work. The first of the three albums, Resonance, featuring the amazing Jami Sieber and Mia Pixley on cellos and brilliant Michaelle Goerlitz on percussion, produced

by Lisa Vogel, was released in 2019.

Resonance became a surprise underground “hit.” Several people stopped me on the street and said they had “worn it out.” It became so popular, we decided to record a follow up, Murmuration, adding Vicki Randle on guitars. While we were recording

Murmuration, I had a creative burst and composed a whole new album in a few nights. We recorded all of those pieces, which became the third album. Presence.

The term “Chillogy” is almost tongue in cheek, but it’s true! It’s music created in the spirit of healing and renewal, and people find that it really works in their lives. In traffic, while on the computer, with your family, you name it. It is instrumental music that is chill, while including real musical and emotional content that lifts your spirit up.

San Francisco Bay Times: What inspired you to create your latest recording, Solstice?

Barbara Higbie: I was inspired to create the new Solstice album in honor of my longtime friend, pianist George Winston. He passed in June 2023. I thought some music would help my sadness. He knew how to capture seasons in his music, and I hoped I could do the same.

San Francisco Bay Times: Your recordings ref lect not only your skill as a musician, composer, and producer, but also your ability to collaborate. Solstice, as for your other works, brings together such a talented group of artists, particularly other women artists. Please tell us about them, shedding light on their own impressive careers.

Barbara Higbie: We were so lucky that Jami Sieber, the brilliant composer and electric cellist from Seattle, Mia Pixley, the phenomenal young acoustic cellist and singer from Oakland, and my amazing producer, Lisa Vogel, were all available for a brief window of time.

We recorded at a state-of-the-art studio in Berkeley that has a $200,000 German handmade piano and the best engineer in the business. That is why the sonic experience, on all four albums, even on earbuds, is over the moon!

San Francisco Bay Times: You have a long history with The Freight, currently serving as Co-Chair of its board. Please share why this venue and organization remain important to you.

Barbara Higbie: I am so excited about The Freight and Salvage. If you haven’t been there, go to a show ASAP! Having toured extensively the last few decades, I can safely say that it is one of the top five listening rooms in the world. The music is incredibly diverse, community-oriented, and so creative. I’ve been

serving on the board for several years and am currently Co-Chair of the board with conductor Elizabeth Seja Min. It is one of the gems of the Bay Area, and the world. It’s been in Berkeley for 55 years, and is going strong. What a miracle!

San Francisco Bay Times: While you work in many different genres, Women’s Music has been a con- Barbara Higbie stant. Other artists, such as Holly Near and photographer Irene Young, are working to preserve its history while fostering its growth.

How do you see your place in Women’s Music, and how do you envision this genre evolving?

Barbara Higbie: I love Women’s Music and the artists who work in that genre. Ferron is a true genius, as are Cris Williamson, Teresa Trull, Vicki Randle, and Holly Near, to name a few. The band Skip the Needle is amazing! Everyone is welcome and the atmosphere at those shows is so warm and welcoming.

I’ve played in so many scenes: jazz, folk, bluegrass, smooth jazz, trad jazz, classical, new classical, and I believe that Women’s Music is the most creative and future thinking of all of them. If you don’t know about it, check it out for sure! There is a lot of documenting of the history of the movement right now, because we have already lost some of the greats.

Cris Williamson’s upcoming shows at The Freight in January 2024 will be great.

PHOTO BY IRENE YOUNG

Grammy-nominated, Bammy award winning composer, pianist, fiddler, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Barbara Higbie has performed on more than 100 albums, including at least one for Carlos Santa and another that was recorded at Lucas Film’s Skywalker Sound.

She contributed to 12 Windham Hill compilations that have sold in the multi-millions. Her solo releases remain standouts, and particularly at this time of year when cozying up to her season-inspired works provides comfort and joy.

in 2024. What else do you have planned for the new year?

Barbara Higbie: 2024 will see me touring in New Zealand with the great Teresa Trull, both on an Olivia adventure trip and on land.

We will also be playing the National Women’s Music Festival. Also, my one child, daughter Lena, is graduating from UC Berkeley’s Haas School

of Business, hoping to go into corporate environmental responsibility.

The young ones are on the environmental issues!

I also plan to work hard on the upcoming election, because democracy is something that my daughter and her kids and their kids need. https://barbarahigbie.com/

San Francisco Bay Times: What do you enjoy doing outside of music? We would love to hear your recommendations for favorite places, events, and more here in the Bay Area.

Barbara Higbie: My favorite places in the East Bay are too many to name: Comal or Revival Restaurant, if you are heading to The Freight; Café Raj on Solano if you need late night bites; Point Isabel Dog Park or the Albany Bulb if you have a pup; the fire trail behind the Space Sciences building at UC Berkeley; Cafenated Coffee Company for a heated outdoor group gathering any time of day; and the Pub on Solano (Schmidt’s) for old world intimacy. We moved back to Indianapolis for over a year to take care of my folks, and I will never take the Bay Area food scene for granted again!

I love backpacking in the Sierras.

Bluegrass great Laurie Lewis and I go several times every summer. It is hard work, but so worth it.

San Francisco Bay Times: You mentioned The Freight shows S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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The Year in Queer Cinema, 2023

Looking back at the year in queer film, there were some outstanding LGBTQ films—as well as some duds. Here is a rundown, in alphabetical order, of twenty films that made strong impressions in 2023.

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Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, set in 1987 El Paso, had Aristotle aka Ari (Max Pelayo) meeting Dante (Reese Gonzales) and developing a close friendship that becomes a kind of bromance. Director Aitch Alberto’s sensitivity is in every frame as the film traces the emotional ups and downs of these teens’ relationship in ways that are poignant without being cloying. As this wonderful film delivers all the feels in its conclusion, it is hard not to cry happy tears.

The Blue Caftan was an exquisite slow-burn romantic drama from Morocco about Halim (Saleh Bakri), a tailor who works painstakingly by hand. When he starts training Youssef (Ayoub Missioui), a handsome new apprentice, the looks they exchange smolder with desire.

However, Halim also has deep affection for his ailing wife, Mina (Lubna Azabal), forcing the trio to navigate their desires.

Passages was a compelling drama by director/cowriter Ira Sachs about Tomas (Franz Rogowski), a self-involved filmmaker whose marriage to Martin (Ben Whishaw) may be over after Tomas falls for Agathe (Adèle Exarchopoulos). This is a shrewd and exacting study of amour fou.

The Persian Version, directed by bisexual filmmaker Maryam Keshavarz, was a vibrant comedy-drama about the bisexual Leila (Layla Mohammadi) and her complicated relationship with her mother, Shirin (Niousha Noor).

The Persian Version

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Bottoms featured two lesbians, PJ (Rachel Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edebiri), who start a fight club at their high school in order to meet girls. Despite its crudity, Bottoms was surprisingly sweet.

Cassandro, set in the world of lucha libre, was an exciting and moving story of queer empowerment based on the life of the gay wrestler Saúl Armendáriz. Saúl (Gael García Bernal, in an incredibly charismatic performance) creates the flamboyant Cassandro and finds unexpected success in the ring.

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Kokomo City

debut) about four Black transwomen spilling the tea about their experiences and observations about sex work, race, gender, masculinity, and much more.

Pakistani director/cowriter Saim Sadiq’s extraordinary feature debut, Joyland, has Haider (Ali Junejo) getting a job dancing for the transgender exotic dancer, Biba (Alina Khan). Haider is attracted to Biba, but he is married to Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq), and struggles with his desires.

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Dicks: The Musical was gleefully, irrepressibly irreverent as twins Craig ( Josh Sharp) and Trevor (Aaron Jackson) meet for the first time and conspire to get their divorced parents, Evelyn (Megan Mullally) and the gay Harris (Nathan Lane), back together.

Out gay writer/director Goran Stolevski’s Of an Age was a shattering, slow-burn romantic drama brimming with gay longing and desire as Kol (Elias Anton) and Adam (Thom Green) connect on a car ride through furtive glances and unspoken desires.

Kokomo City was a fabulous, compassionate documentary directed by trans filmmaker D. Smith (her

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The intimate, engaging character study, Blue Jean, probes the personal and professional crises of Jean (Rosy Rustin McEwen), a closeted lesbian in Newcastle, England, in 1988, who does not want to call attention to her sexuality. But when her student, Lois (Lucy Halliday), catches sight of Jean at the lesbian bar, Jean worries that her life and career may be in jeopardy.

Trans writer/director Vuk Lungulov-Klotz’s made an auspicious debut with his sensitive, moody drama, Mutt, about an emotional 24 hours in the life of Feña (Lîo Mehiel), a Latinx transman in New York City.

Little Richard: I Am Everything was a glorious documentary about the legendary musician that featured fantastic archival clips and interview footage, providing an appropriate and affectionate showcase for Little Richard’s legacy.

The charming gay romance Red, White, and Royal Blue, adapted from queer writer Casey McQuiston’s irresistible bestseller, chronicles the secret enemies-to-lovers affair that develops between Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez), the First Son of President Ellen Claremont (Uma Thurman), and Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine), of Britain’s royal family.

Buoyed by an outstanding performance by out gay actor Coleman Domingo in the title role, the galvanizing Rustin illustrates the force of nature that was out gay activist Bayard Rustin, who organized the largest peaceful protest of the 1963 March on Washington.

Out gay filmmaker Carter Smith’s Swallowed has Ben (out actor Cooper Koch) and his buddy Dom (newcomer Jose Colon) involved in smuggling “bugs” across the Canadian border. But things go sideways. It would ruin the thrills of Swallowed to reveal more, but this thriller contains some really squirminducing scenes, which is why it is so good.

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Gary M. Kramer

Set in 1970s Rome, L’Immensità has Clara (Penélope Cruz, divine) navigating life with her three children. The eldest, Adriana (Luana Giuliani), is dressing and identifying as Andrew and his behavior prompts whispers and disapproval. However, Andrew finds his strength in asserting his masculinity without shame or fear.

Monica provided an excellent showcase for trans actress Traci Lysette as the title character, a young woman who has returned home to care for her dying mother, Eugenia (Patricia Clarkson), who abandoned her years ago.

Joy Ride had Audrey (Ashley Park) and her friends, Lolo (bisexual actress/ comedian Sherry Cola), Deadeye (non-binary actor Sabrina Wu), and Kat (Stephanie Hsu), finding trouble when they go to Asia to locate the adopted Audrey’s birth mother.

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Film

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profiles Alicia Roth Weigel (she/ they), (Sean) Saifa Wall (he/him), and River Gallo (they/them). Each subject recounts their experiences and their advocacy to end the practice of genital surgery without consent.

© 2023 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 Twitter @garymkramer

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2023 Movie Gold ... and Purple

Off the Wahl Jan Wahl

It turned out to be a strong movie year. Maestro, Barbie, Air, Killers of the Flower Moon, and Oppenheimer were all worth our time and money—well worth it! Seeing them on the big screen is the best, providing a way to fully appreciate costume design, sets, sound, acting, writing, direction ... everything!

I know theatres are closing, breaking our cinema paradiso hearts, but try and seek out the ones that are still open.

Domingo, Corey Hawkins, H.E.R., Halle Bailey, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, and others, including a couple of surprise cameos. But the film is really centered on Fantasia Barrino in her film debut as Celie.

Known by many as Fantasia, she rose to prominence for singing “Summertime” in the third season of American Idol. Her albums after

As much as I love the aforementioned films, it is the newest incarnation of The Color Purple that has stolen my 2023 movie first place. But this is contingent upon viewing it on the big screen, the only way to appreciate this gutsy, sumptuous movie musical. Many of you remember the 1985 film of Alice WalkFantasia Barrino er’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel. The coming-of-age drama was a hit, nominated for 11 Oscars.

Directed by Steven Spielberg, it starred Oprah, Whoopi, and Margaret Avery.

This time (releasing Christmas Day) it is a full-blown movie musical based on the Broadway play.

We meet a young girl living in the South circa early 1900s. Directed

by Blitz Bazawule, produced by Oprah, Spielberg, and Quincy Jones, among others, it will leave you satisfied, grateful, and overwhelmed by the craft of great filmmaking.

Wishing You Happy Holidays! from all of us at the

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Though I usually prefer more traditional musical numbers, ala Chicago and Hairspray, the ones in this film are powerfully perfect.

There are a couple—on a chain gang, building a nightclub, in a dress shop—that are etched in my brain forever. These numbers have a West Side Story vibe, but are original on their own.

The cast is remarkable, with the film starring Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman

Francine Jamison-Tanchuck

were huge hits, leading eventually to Broadway as Celie in the musical The Color Purple. She truly is the heartbeat of this enormous film, and I’m hoping it will lead her to Oscar gold.

I have become rather obsessed with costume design in film since teaching a course and giving lectures on Hollywood Dress Design and Designers.

Francine Jamison-Tanchuck calls designing the male and female clothes for this period film the opportunity of a lifetime. Most of the clothes had to be created based on period research so that everything could move and stretch with the dancing, with careful detail for closeups. Henson’s diva outfits are sensational! The production design

by Paul D. Austerberry, the work of the music and art departments, Fatima Robinson’s choreography, and everyone involved were at the top of their game.

The ending is sublime, and I walked out of the theatre feeling blessed. Who could ask for anything more?

This was a great year on the small screen due to The Crown and The Gilded Age. For fans of The Gilded Age, check out the last few chapters of Anderson Copper’s newest book, The Astors.

Who knew The Astor Bar was the place to find gay men during the midcentury?

There were hookups galore, as long as one was sitting on the right bar stool.

Once again, my love of great books, TV, film, and showbiz has made my year!

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

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GLAAD Awardee Mark S. King Chronicles His Life as a ‘Gay Survivor’ Fabulous Disease: Chronicles of a Gay Survivor was recently released. I asked King to discuss his new book with me for the San Francisco Bay Times.

Words Michele Karlsberg Writer and activist Mark S. King is a powerhouse and his message is simple: “We have more to fight against today than during the worst of the AIDS epidemic.” King is an enormously influential LGBTQ activist and essayist, and his book My

these essays, I do feel proud. I just have to watch my ego. It kills good writing.

Michele Karlsberg: Your new book is getting kudos from iconic activists such as Cleve Jones, Peter Staley, and Sean Strub, and you have been called “the Mark Twain of the HIV epidemic.” Greg Louganis even wrote the foreword for your new book.

Mark S. King: I used to be filled with false modesty and say I’m just “a guy with HIV and a keyboard.”

But when I look at the totality of

Michele Karlsberg: Your sense of humor comes through in nearly all your writing. Is it a defense mechanism?

Mark S. King: It is a defense, a shield, a weapon; it is everything. I will invoke the Joan Rivers philosophy of comedy. Nothing we have to say about ourselves—speaking for ourselves being the key—should be off-limits.

Michele Karlsberg: You give nearly equal time in your book to another epidemic in our community: addiction and alcoholism. (continued on page 36)

Lit Snax Vivienne Westwood: Catwalk You Again by Kate Goldbeck

by Alexander Fury, Andreas This is a fun bisexual mash-up of Kronthaler, and Westwood When Harry Met Sally and the TV Of all the world’s fashionistas, none have show The Bear, compete with a neurotic chef and a messy comedian so wondrously melded beauty, social concoming to terms with their relasciousness, tionship and each other’s feelings. originality, and fun into their designs.

Fans of Westwood will go gaga The Ghost Club: Newly Found Tales of Victorian for this luxuriously illustrated Terror by William Meikle survey of her work.

During the holidays, a favorite pastime of the Victorians was to tell ghost stories around the fire. Doesn’t that sound cozy and fun? https://www.fabulosabooks.com/

Top of your stack

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOOK PASSAGE

The Best American Short Stories 2023 (fiction/anthology paperback) edited by Min Jin Lee This is a collection of the year’s best short stories, selected by National Book Award finalist Min Jin Lee and series editor Heidi Pitlor.

“Without stories, we cannot live well,” shares guest editor Min Jin Lee, describing how storytelling affects and nurtures readers. The Best American Short Stories 2023 features twenty pieces of short fiction that reflect a world full of fractured relationships, but also wondrous hope. The collection includes Cherline Bazile, Maya Binyam, Tom Bissell, Taryn Bowe, Da-Lin, Benjamin Ehrlich, Sara Freeman, Lauren Groff, Nathan Harris, Jared Jackson, Sana Krasikov, Danica Li, Ling Ma, Manuel Muñoz, Joanna Pearson, Souvankham Thammavongsa, Kosiso Ugwueze, Corinna Vallianatos, Azareen Van Der Vliet Oloomi, and Esther Yi. Songs On Endless Repeat (nonfiction/essays - hardbound) by Anthony Veasna So From The New York Times bestselling author of the award-winning Afterparties comes a collection like none other. These are sharply funny, emotionally expansive essays as well as linked

short fiction that explore family, queer desire, pop culture, and race. Written with razorsharp wit and an unflinching eye, the essays examine So’s youth in California, the lives of his refugee parents, his intimate friendships, loss, pop culture, and more. And in linked fiction follow three Cambodian American cousins who stand to inherit their late aunt’s illegitimate loan-sharking business, So explores community, grief, and longing with inimitable humor and depth.

Unmasking AI (nonfiction- hardbound) by Joy Buolamwini Unmasking AI goes beyond the headlines about existential risks produced by big tech. It is the remarkable story of how Buolamwini uncovered what she calls “the coded gaze”—the evidence of encoded discrimination and exclusion in tech products— and how she galvanized the movement to prevent AI harms by founding the Algorithmic Justice League. Applying an intersectional lens to both the tech industry and the research sector, she shows how racism, sexism, colorism, and (continued on page 36) S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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Pedaling With Puro Pinche Papi By AIDS/LifeCycle

While HIV rates have largely declined across all groups within the United States, the virus still affects Black and Brown communities inequitably. In a first-ever comprehensive analysis of lifetime risk of HIV infection rates, the CDC reported that as

many as one in two gay and bisexual Black and one in four gay and bisexual Hispanic men will contract HIV. For white gay and bisexual men, the rate is much, much lower: 1 in 11.

The disparity is striking.

Charlie had been riding in AIDS/ LifeCycle for four years, and it’s his identity as a Latinx rider that pushed him to participate initially.

He wanted to go out to his community using his involvement in AIDS/ LifeCycle as a conversation starter for meaningful discussion about HIV and sexual health. “Especially first

generation Latinx communities, our families didn’t talk to us about sex,” Charlie says.

AIDS/LifeCycle had been so important to Charlie’s life that he actually brought up the topic on his first date with Alfredo just before the pandemic struck. As a Latinx person living with HIV who maintains an undetectable viral load, Alfredo was also moved by the impact of AIDS/ LifeCycle. He wanted his community to be represented, so it didn’t take long for Alfredo to become excited about also joining Charlie in 2022.

In fact, Charlie and Alfredo’s relationship grew stronger when practice rides through Pasadena, Alhambra, Playa del Rey, and Palos Verdes became romantic dates. They had an idea to found a BIPOC team, now named Puro Pinche Papi ( https://tinyurl.com/4uebcdh2 ).

“It’s not just about cycling, though,” Alfredo admits candidly. “The cycling becomes a way to introduce our communities to topics such as U=U and PrEP.”

Members of Puro Pinche Papi crossing the 2022 AIDS/LifeCycle finish line in Los Angeles.

30th Anniversary Virgin of Guadalupe Pilgrimage Photos by Juan R. Davila Some San Francisco Bay Times team members, who are now celebrating Pope Francis’ recent approval for priests to bless same-sex couples, joined with thousands of participants for the 30th Anniversary Virgin of Guadalupe pilgrimage. Held on Saturday, December 9, the annual pilgrimage, which began in South San Francisco, ended at St. Mary’s Cathedral with a service followed by a reception.

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Puro Pinche Papi has four riders from San Francisco, 11 from Los Angeles, and 12 who are first-time riders. https://www.aidslifecycle.org/ AIDS/LifeCycle is co-produced by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center.

AIDS LIFE/CYCLE

Charlie Arreola and Alfredo Trejo III are participating in AIDS/ LifeCycle this year as part of the team Puro Pinche Papi, one of a handful of BIPOC-led teams that center the lives and experiences of Riders and Roadies who are people of color.

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La-La Land: City of Foodie Angels bites of everything from pizza to caviar.

The Gay Gourmet David Landis There’s always been a healthy rivalry between our city and that Southern California metropolis a few hundred miles to our south.

Truth be told, I’ve always had enjoyable times in La-La Land.

What’s emerging besides the good times is also some great food, as a recent trip helped The Gay Gourmet discover. So, pack your bags, and head to LA for a funfilled weekend!

Restaurants At the top of a list of newcomers is Grandmaster Recorders in Hollywood, a “modern rooftop, restaurant, and bar that transformed the original Grandmaster Recorders recording studio from 1971.” The experience begins at the entrance, where a display case of vintage records made here features the likes of such stars as David Bowie, Ringo Starr, Janis Joplin, Johnny Mathis, Bonnie Raitt, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and even Kanye West.

I’d recommend starting your evening at the balmy rooftop bar, where you have a view of Hollywood (including both the historic Hollywood sign and the architecturally-significant Capitol Records building). Creative cocktails include the aptly Californianamed “Go With The Flow,” with gin, limoncello, thyme, and a splash of sparkling water; or the “Sweet Escape,” with Grey Goose vodka, strawberry, balsamic, Campari, and prosecco. You can also order small

Downstairs is the main event in a sweeping, warehouse-style space with an open kitchen and soaring ceilings just made for people-watching. The owners call the cuisine “modern Italian-Australian.” I’m not really sure what that means, other than “delicious.” I’d recommend starting with “caviar cannoli,” one of the most inventive dishes I’ve ever tasted. It’s caviar and crème fraîche, all wrapped in a crispy cannoli shell that melts in your mouth.

waitstaff and the juicy, paper-thin, piledhigh corned beef sandwiches. Former talk show host Larry King used to eat breakfast here every day.

One of the last times I was there, my dining pal Brianne literally ran into figure skating champion Tara Lipinski.

It’s not cheap, but The Ivy on Robertson in

But save room for more! The homemade focaccia with balsamic butter could be a meal in itself. The pineapple, nduja, porchetta, and mozzarella pizza is a tasty mid-course winner to share. The broccolini Caesar sported shaved hard-boiled egg, croutons, and a heftier complexity than the traditional salad. The scallop carpaccio is paper-thin and makes for an arty presentation, topped with jalapeños, finger lime, rosemary, and nasturtium. The star of the evening was slow-cooked pork neck (who knew it could be this tender and delicious?) with shaved puntarella, preserved parsnip, and caramelized pear. The side dish of potato fritti with crème fraîche and chives (a modern take on tater tots) disappeared immediately from our table.

For dessert, I’d recommend both the Grandmasters Tiramisu (more dense than usual) as well as the sgroppino, a dessert drink made to order in a flamboyant tableside demonstration, with nitro sgroppino, Meyer lemon, Grey Goose vodka, and prosecco. The presentation is everything! On your way out, stop by downstairs at the restaurant’s 71 Studio and Bar for a nightcap.

Some other great spots to dine are several mainstays that I’ve loved over the years, and a few new places. These include: Nate ‘n Al’s: It’s an oldtimey, authentic, and historic Jewish delicatessen in Beverly Hills.

It’s still the same, with the wisecracking

Los Angeles is also great for lunchtime celebrity-spotting (and a great venue to “power lunch”). Be sure to sit on the attractive, flower-filled patio. In recent years, I thought the restaurant was resting on its laurels, but now it’s back to its former glory.

When we visited, it was white truffle season, so my husband ordered the excellent homemade pasta with white truffles. A great lunch standby (and a personal favorite) is their famous Cobb salad (enough for a family of 4). It’s filled with Nueske’s bacon, roasted free-range turkey breast, Point Reyes blue cheese, avocado, and more. Topping off the experience is the spectacular service, where every need is anticipated without being intrusive. To make the most of the meal, invite entertaining friends, and while away the day with Whispering Angel rosè all day.

One of the best triedand-true steakhouses (since 1919) is Musso and Frank Grill in Hollywood. Think red leather, mahoganylined booths, strong martinis, professional service, and delicious filet mignon. It’s a great old-school kind of place that’s both retro and yummy.

A first for me this trip was an excursion to The Magic Castle.

It’s quite an event.

You can only attend if you’re a friend of a professional magician and/or stay at their hotel. It was my

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niece Jessica’s 40th birthday and she booked at the property (which she deemed “mid-century modern and lovely”), so we were in. The place is a movie-set quality wonderland for all things magical: numerous performance spaces, bars where magicians pop up, and a real theatre with Vegas-style entertainment.

The real surprise is the restaurant.

The Castle requires that you have dinner in their dining room, so I was expecting the worst. But I was pleasantly surprised: the menu leans toward the Continental offerings of yesteryear (think Beef Wellington and all the trimmings), but everything is prepared with care, served with aplomb, and—best of all— delicious.

I haven’t been yet, but the Bay Area’s own Alice Waters has opened LuLu in the open-air courtyard at the Hammer Museum on Wilshire in Westwood. It looks promising. A recent 3-course prix fixe $45 lunch included gem salad with roasted beets; fish and shellfish stew; and a lemon meringue pot de crème.

California restaurateur Hoyul Steven Choi has expanded his brunch empire throughout the state with the official opening of Sweet Maple Santa Monica. The longstanding San Francisco brunch eatery is now bringing its signature “Millionaire’s Bacon” to foodies in Southern California. The new 4,000+ square-feet locale at the corner of Olympic and Ocean features contemporary California fare with savory flavors from the Korean kitchen.

Bars The Abbey has been the go-to LGBTQ+ bar in West Hollywood (WeHo) for ages and is fine if you’re looking for a scene. But if you’d like something a bit more peaceful and upscale, try The OR Bar WeHo. It’s the beguiling new West Hollywood LGBTQ+ bar further east on Santa Monica, and is worth a visit. There’s some kind of entertainment most nights and the vibe is reminiscent of a smaller Mecca, the luxe San Francisco gathering spot of yesteryear. The drinks are strong, the bartenders adorable, and (continued on page 29)

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the night we were there we were treated to the captivating talents of drag artist Jonnie Reinhart, who sings with their own full-on voice.

For a chic respite from the hubbub of Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, try the Tower Bar and Restaurant at the Sunset Tower Hotel, self-described as a “cozy rendezvous inspired by early Hollywood.” Hollywood producers and fashionistas gather at this “elegant haven for the discerning.” In the evening, cocktails are served in a New York-style bar and lounge with live music. During the day, casual poolside dining offers sweeping views of the city.

We were also lucky that our friend Ben is a member at the Soho House West Hollywood. Its very SoCal rooftop bar is another place to “see and be seen,” with great cocktails and munchies overlooking the West Hollywood hills right above Sunset Boulevard.

Other Great Places to Visit Thanks go once again to my pal and fellow San Francisco Bay Times columnist Jan Wahl. She introduced us to The Hollywood Museum, located in the old Max Factor building on Highland smack dab in the middle of Hollywood. It has the self-proclaimed “most extensive collection of Hollywood memorabilia in the world.” We were fortunate enough to have a personal tour from the dynamic President Donelle Dadigan and saw firsthand Marilyn Monroe’s million-dollar dress, Elvis’ personal bathrobe, Lucy’s make-up room, and the first-floor recreated dungeon with the jail cell from Silence of the Lambs.

Don’t miss this delightful slice of old (and new) Hollywood’s glamorous film and television industry. It’s way better than the new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on Wilshire, which, in my humble opinion, you can skip.

I’m never at a loss when I visit the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). The sprawling Wilshire Boulevard campus has something for everyone and rotating blockbuster exhibits, plus you can visit the famous tar pits right next door as well. My favorite might just be David Hockney’s iconic Mulholland Drive: The Road to The Studio, an expansive colorful masterpiece on permanent display from the famous Southern California artist.

restaurants. All the rooms are spacious and elegant, and the establishment is home to the upscale California dining eatery L’ Restaurant (with both indoor and outdoor dining).

Another new entry that I’d like to try is The Georgian in Santa Monica. Steps away from the Santa Monica Pier, The Georgian first opened in 1933 and became one of Los Angeles’ most iconic hotels.

The Georgian relaunched in 2023, offering a rare glimpse into old Hollywood and nostalgic California history, with interiors by London and Los Angeles-based boutique design firm, Fettle. Now a part of the Leading Hotels of the World, The Georgian has 84 guest rooms, including 28 suites. The property also has an ocean view terrace restaurant, lobby bar, and a basement speakeasy restaurant/bar.

Bits and Bites PR guru Andrew Freeman, along with his company af&co. and Carbonate, have just released their Hospitality Trend Report for 2024. Among the top trends?

Cross-cultural cooking, culinary cocktails, clarified cocktails, and the Caprese martini. According to Freeman, “This year we’re seeing chefs explore deeply personal menus, combining familiar foods that might once have been foreign but have now entered the American mainstream. We’re seeing bartenders get wildly creative, borrowing ingredients from the kitchen, and creating seriously savory cocktails—and the martini is a favored format for everything from the MSG martini to the Caprese martini. Maximalism is big as we look for more (and more!) when we go out: more design, more creativity, more surprise! Top foods include mortadella and uni, the new luxury must-order add-on.”

Happy New Year to all and here’s to 2024!

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Grandmaster Recorders: https://grandmasterrecorders.com/ Nate ‘n Al’s: https://www.natenals.com/ The Ivy on Robertson: http://tinyurl.com/2s5ztcb4 Musso and Frank Grill: https://mussoandfrank.com/ The Magic Castle: https://www.magiccastle.com/ Lulu: https://www.lulu.restaurant/ Hammer Museum: https://hammer.ucla.edu/ Sweet Maple Santa Monica: https://tinyurl.com/72rwkskx The Abbey: https://www.theabbeyweho.com/ OR Bar WeHo: https://www.theorbar.com/ Tower Bar and Restaurant at the Sunset Tower Hotel: https://tinyurl.com/yc8cdds7 SoHo House West Hollywood: https://tinyurl.com/yvtuuwau The Hollywood Museum: https://thehollywoodmuseum.com/ Los Angeles County Museum of Art: https://www.lacma.org/ L’Ermitage: http://tinyurl.com/3nrn8nzc The Georgian: https://www.thegeorgian.com/ af&co. and Carbonate Hospitality Trend Report: https://tinyurl.com/yy26p46r David Landis, aka “The Gay Gourmet,” is a foodie, a freelance writer, and a retired PR maven. Follow him on Instagram @GayGourmetSF or email him at: davidlandissf@gmail.com Or visit him online at: www.gaygourmetsf.com

Places to Stay Our favorite place to stay is L’Ermitage in Beverly Hills. It’s quiet, intimate, and within walking distance to the Robertson Avenue and Rodeo Drive shops and S AN F R ANC IS C O BAY T IM ES

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A Festive Italian Duo That Dazzles With Style

The Gay Gourmet Receives 2023 SF Press Club Honor

Sbrocco Sips Leslie Sbrocco The holidays are here and that means fizz, fun, and food. The Italian duo featured in this issue is an ideal pairing for festive meals, cocktails, and cozy nights by the fire.

Zardetto Prosecco Brut DOC, Italy $18 https://usa.zardettoprosecco.com/ Sparkle with style this holiday season by stocking up on Zardetto’s affordably delicious prosecco.

Producing wine in the heart of the northern Italian prosecco region since 1936, the Zardetto family now has its fourth generation at the helm. As a true bubble lover, I can tell you this sparkling is one of the best values on the market. It overdelivers in quality and taste with crisp, juicy flavors capped by a dry finish. It’s ideal to pour at holiday meals from appetizers through dessert. Also, try it before

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Nardini Bitter Aperitivo, Italy $42 https://tinyurl.com/5d4k86bk Just gazing at the garnet hue of this Italian amaro makes for a festive moment. Amaros—or bitters—are famed across the world and are used in aperitifs, cocktails, and for sipping after a meal. Each one has a unique mix of alcohol and botanicals, which make them distinct. This historic beauty hails from the Veneto region and has appealing aromas of orange and Roman absinthe, giving a fruity, earthy blend to the drink. I like it with a dash of prosecco before the meal and then to sip and savor after a meal to soothe the tummy and the soul.

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,” “Check, Please!

You Gotta Try This!” and “100 Days, Drinks, Dishes & Destinations.” www.LeslieSbrocco.com

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or after a meal paired with a splash of bitters in a festive spritz style.

Sean Dowell and David Landis sharing a toast

Congratulations to David Landis, The Gay Gourmet for the San Francisco Bay Times, who was recently honored by the SF Press Club. As part of the club’s 2023 Journalism Awards, which were presented during the 46th annual Awards Gala in December, he received first prize in a nondaily newspaper feature category for his piece “Savoring Southeast Asia.” Read it here: https://sfbaytimes.com/savoring-southeast-asia/ Landis was also again selected to be a judge for The Taste Awards, which are the highest awards for creators, producers, hosts, and directors of lifestyle programs, series, shows & cinema. Often called “The Oscars of Food, Fashion, and Lifestyle Media,” they are the premier broadcast awards celebrating the year’s best achievements in food, fashion, health, travel, and lifestyle programs on television, in film, in online and streaming video, on radio and in podcasts, and photography. The 15th Anniversary Red Carpet Awards Show, Reception, and Ceremony will take place on March 11, 2024, at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills. https://www.thetasteawards.com/

Albert D. J. Cashier: Transgender Hero of the Civil War the Union flag to a limb after it had been shot down by the enemy.”

Faces from Our LGBT Past Dr. Bill Lipsky From the fabled Queen Califia, for whom California is named, to the legendary Hua Mulan to the very real Joan of Arc, women have gone to war, some concealing or revealing their true nature by enlisting and serving as men. During the American Civil War especially, some 400 women and girls disguised their birth genders to join the Union and Confederate Armies, although only one, as far as we know, identified as a man before enlisting and maintained his secret for the next 50 years later.

Born on Christmas Day, 1843, in Clogherhead, County Louth, Ireland, and recognized then as female, Albert D. J. Cashier spent his entire adult life as a man. Very little is known about him before he volunteered for the United States Army in Belvedere, Illinois, on August 6, 1862. According to The Company Descriptive Book of the 95th Illinois Infantry, his regiment, Cashier had blue eyes and auburn hair. Standing only 5’3’’ and weighing 110 pounds, he was the shortest, smallest soldier in the unit.

In 1862, enlisting in the military was relatively easy. Both the Union and Confederate armies forbade women from soldiering, but no birth certificate or other proof of identity—and often no physical examination—was required. Volunteers had to be at least 18 years old to join the Union Army—the Confederacy had no minimum age requirement—but many recruiters simply ignored the law. Some 20% of Civil War soldiers were underage, so a smooth-faced, very young-looking Cashier would have seemed unremarkable.

Cashier became a much-admired soldier, esteemed by the other men in his regiment for both his military demeanor and his reckless daring, enduring the long marches, the rigors of camp life, and the endless trauma of war. “In handling a musket in battle,” Gerhard Clausius wrote later, “he was the equal of any in the company.”

Considered to be one of the most dependable men in his company—and because of his “apparent abandon”—he was frequently selected for vital assignments.

Ives also remembered a skirmish “when our column got cut off from the rest of the company because we were too outnumbered to advance. There was a place where three dead trees piled one on top of another formed a sort of barricade.” When “the rebels got down out of sight,” Cashier ran to the front, “hopped on the top of the log and called, ‘Hey! You darn rebels, why don’t you Albert D.J. Cashier get up where we can as a farmhand, janitor, street lampsee you’ and ‘get a shot at you.’” lighter, and handyman. Unlike his neighbors who identified as female, Cashier stayed with his regiment he also voted in elections—women until it was disbanded on August did not have that right then—and 17, 1865. He and his companions collected a veteran’s pension. had traveled some 9,960 miles— 1,800 of those on foot—and fought In 1911, in his late 60s, Cashier broke in 40 battles and skirmishes, Besides his leg in an automobile accident. No the 47-day Siege of Vicksburg, longer able to work, he moved into Mississippi, in 1863, he saw combat the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ home in during long campaigns in Arkansas Quincy, Illinois. Three years later, and Missouri the next year. On now suffering from dementia, he was April 9, 1865, the day Robert E. relocated to the Watertown State Lee surrendered to Ulysses Grant at Hospital in East Moline, where staff Appomattox, he was engaged in the discovered his birth gender. What struggle to capture Fort Blakely in happened next was tragic. “She was Alabama. compelled to put on skirts,” Ives How did Cashier escape detection for three years while serving with hundreds of other men? He mostly kept to himself. According to Eli Brainard, “He never took part in any of the games with the rest of the men.

He was very quiet.” Some of the men, he told a special examiner of the Bureau of Pensions in 1914, “used to talk about his having no beard,” but “I never heard any talk in the army about him not being a man.”

Cashier also found every opportunity to avoid bathing, dressing, and sleeping in close quarters with other soldiers. “One time,” Ives remembered, “we went into barracks at what is now known as Camp Grant ... . All of the bunks were double, but over in the one corner there was a single cot.

Cashier asked me if he might have that cot. I consented and thought nothing about it.” No one could remember either the names of his bunkmates or that he ever had one.

His bravery in combat became legendary. On one occasion, Albert Cashier right) with unidentified comrade while part of a skirmishing expedition that was After the war, Cashier returned reconnoitering near Vicksburg, to Illinois, eventually making his Mississippi, Cashier was captured home in the small community of

by Confederates. Undaunted, he seized a gun from his guard, knocked Saunemin, about 100 miles southwest of Chicago. Never changing his genthe man down, and fled back to the der identity or appearance—a shavUnion camp. On another, according to Sgt. Charles Ives of the 95th ing mug and brush were displayed Illinois Infantry, he “gained distincamong his few belongings—he lived tion by climbing a tall tree to attach there for the next 50 years, working 32

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wrote later. “She was as awkward as could be in them. One day she tripped and fell, hurting her hip. She never recovered.”

The Pensions Bureau now conducted a thorough investigation, amassing 191 pages of documents, depositions, affidavits, certificates, and newspaper accounts. Its concern was not that a woman had served during the Civil War against all regulations, but “to determine whether the pensioner is identical with the soldier of record” and whether the “person at the Soldiers’ Home” “is identical with the original pensioner.” Its examiners interviewed many of the soldiers who had served with Cashier, who well remembered him. All regarded him highly. He kept his pension.

Fully exonerated in his identity, Cashier died on October 10, 1915. As a loyal soldier for the Union, he was buried in uniform with full military honors. To mark his resting place, the government set a gravestone that, recognizing who he was in life, bore the inscription “Albert D. J. Cashier, Co. G, 95 Ill. Inf.” His one-room home of many years at the corner of Center and Maple Streets in Saunemin, Illinois, is now a historic site.

Besides having an exemplary service record, Cashier was the only soldier identified as female at birth, as far as we know, who completed a tour of duty, was mustered out with his regiment, and received a Civil War pension. However Cashier saw and understood himself, he showed tremendous valor under fire for three years during this time in the Army and great courage and independent spirit for the rest of his life.

Bill Lipsky, Ph.D., author of “Gay and Lesbian San Francisco” (2006) and “LGBTQ+ Trailblazers of San Francisco” (2023) is a member of the Rainbow Honor Walk board of directors.

Sister Dana Sez: Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun The Pope says priests can bless samesex couples—a radical change in Vatican policy. Sister Dana sez, “I am becoming closer and closer to being a Pope fan!”

By Sister Dana Van Iquity Sister Dana sez, I wish everyone Happy HoliDaze! And remember to always keep the ‘X’ in ‘Xmas,’ Ho Ho, ’ho!”

RAINBOW WORLD FUND (RWF) presented its 18th annual WORLD TREE OF HOPE LIGHTING at Grace Cathedral on December 4. The impressive lineup included the Grammy winning San Francisco Boys Chorus, Emcee Donna Sachet, The Very Rev. Dr. Malcolm Young, coloratura soprano singer Leberta Lorál, Queer Chorus of San Francisco, Origami Artist Linda Mihara, RWF Founder Jeff Cotter, Ayae Yoshimoto on behalf of the Consul General of Japan—exchanging white dove origami with Cotter, RWF Board Member Joe Rodriguez, reigning SF Empress Cameron StiehlMunro and Emperor Michael Chua, owner of civic-minded Manny’s Manny Yekutiel, and six of us SF Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence who blessed The Tree—emphasizing the current good, inclusive humanity vs. worldwide evil; and light vs. worldwide darkness. There is never a reason for genocide!

Sister Dana sez, “This column was entirely written by Artificial Intelligence, and that is not his birth name, and furthermore ... and furtherrr ... mooore ... Hummm! Bleep!

Blorp! Buzzz!!!”

The GAS-OPERATED SEMIAUTOMATIC FIREARMS EXCLUSION (GOSAFE) ACT was introduced on December 5 by proud gun owner Democratic Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico.

The “GOSAFE Act” would protect Americans’ constitutional right to own a gun based on a firearm’s established use for self-defense, hunting, or sporting purposes. This is accomplished by including exemptions based on maximum ammunition capacity according to a firearm’s individual class: a rifle, shotgun, or handgun. This capacity must be “permanently fixed”—meaning the firearm cannot accept a detachable, high-capacity magazine that would increase the number of rounds that can be fired before reloading and would make reloading easier. More

A longstanding, famous carol written in 1943 with Judy Garland singing it in the MGM 1944 musical, Meet Me in St. Louis, was modified with lyrics

by Frank Sinatra. Entitled Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, one of the lines is “Make the Yuletide gay.” Sister Dana sez, “Well, I definitely plan to make MY Yuletide as GAY as possible.

Totally gay’n it up to the max!

Ho! Ho! Homo!”

Democrat from California Foreign Affairs Committee Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove has flawlessly addressed the fearful outcome of a Trump presidential win.

The orange ogre will eliminate Obamacare but replace it with nothing. This was the bozo (my words) who denied COVID-19’s existence and then advised drinking bleach.

He continues to stir the pot with hate and vitriol, calling anyone not bowing down to him as vermin to be destroyed, while weaponizing the Department of Defense. He wrongly called President Joe Biden “the destroyer of American Democracy.” Is he looking in the mirror? He is an abortion denier and bigot, homophobe, anti-choice psychopathic, narcissistic dictator who wants to tear down the country! And he doesn’t ever want to leave the White House once installed.

He plans to avoid jail by being the Teflon President. Illegalities slip right off him.

Sister Dana sez, “This dicktater is a clear and present danger to democracy!”

In the good news department, Judges have ruled that ex-prez Trump is officially NOT immune to either civil or criminal lawsuits. He was not a sitting president during the January 6 riots and insurrection. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan has ruled, “Whatever immunities a sitting President may enjoy, the United States has only one Chief Executive at a time, and that position does not confer a life-long ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ pass.”

Sister Dana sez, “Make no mistake about it! The trembling, cowardly, frightened, RePUNKlicans will make this anti-democratic beast their presidential candidate. We activists must get everyone we know to the voting booths and VOTE OUT all the MAGA (ass) hats!”

A new ad from SAVE OUR REPUBLIC is warning against third-party candidates such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as spoilers to reelect Darn Old Trump. When the anti-Trump group, Citizens to Save Our Republic, first launched, its main goal was to expose the thirdparty group, “No Labels,” as a surefire effort to elect Trump. Now the group is expanding its scope to target all third-party candidates, dropping two new ads in a $100,000 ad buy.

Sister Dana sez, “We absolutely must prevent any independents or persons from running for president. Any of these is a vote taken away from President Joe Biden and another vote for the Commander-in-Cheat.

Remember the great spoilers: Ralph Nader, Ross Perot, George Wallace?!”

Mayor London Breed joined state and city elected leaders, SFPD Command Staff, and United Playaz Leaders to sponsor this year’s annual GUN BUY BACK event on December 9 at 1038 Howard Street—providing a place for people to turn in their weapons, no questions asked, and get guns off the streets and out of communities.

Sister Dana sez, “Beware! The Elf on the Shelf is watching you bad, bad, very bad Republicans! Better behave!”

Norman Lear—legendary writer and producer of such visionary, groundbreaking, really funny TV sitcoms as All in the Family, The Jeffersons, One Day at a Time, Maude, and so many more shows, has ascended into the sitcom in the sky. On his ONE HUNDRED ONE BIRTHDAY, Lear had said, “I often feel disheartened by the direction our politics, courts, and culture are taking. But I do not lose faith in our country or its future. I remind myself how far we have come.” Sister Dana sez, “Dear Mr. Lear, (1922–2023) Rest in Power, Peace, Honor, and Glory!”

CIRCUS BELLA is excited to present “KALEIDOSCOPE,” a Holiday Winter Spectacular in their beautiful 350-seat Circus Tent in the heart of San Francisco now through December 31, at the Crossing at the East Cut, 211 Howard Street. A diverse cast of 12 performs thrilling feats of balance and strength, demonstrations of grace and poise, outrageous humor, and slapstick antics. https://tinyurl.com/2hdp7b8b Sister Dana sez, “Answered prayer: hunky ABC-TV Weatherman Rob Marciano has grown back his beard. Woof!” (continued on page 36)

Dennis McMillan (aka Sister Dana) (third from left) enjoyed celebrating with friends at the San Francisco Bay Times Holiday Party. Left to Right: San Francisco Bay Times contributor Randy Coleman, Juan Davila as The Grinch, McMillan, and Lawrence Wong

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Take Me Home with You! Meet Remy, a playful and charming Doberman Pinscher with a keen sense of direction and an affinity for delightful nose boops. He aspires to be your trusty sidekick on all your adventures, whether in the kitchen or elsewhere. While at the SF SPCA, he has been diligently working on building a strong bond and adjusting to Remy moments of solitude, so he can settle comfortably even when you’re not there. If you’re seeking an amazing friend to embark on life’s journeys, look no further than Remy!

To meet Remy in person, visit the SF SPCA Mission Campus @ 201 Alabama Street. Visitors are welcome from 11 am–6 pm (Wednesday– Sunday) and 1 pm–6 pm on Tuesdays. The SF SPCA is closed on Mondays.

For more information: https://www.sfspca.org/adoptions/

Let’s Go Home!

Lottie

Here are two of the many pets now available for adoption at Oakland Animal Services (OAS): Lottie is a gentle and loving cat who is a volunteer and staff favorite! She is about two years old and is a good-natured and affectionate companion.

Seymour is a young, friendly dog who enthusiastically wags his tail when people come to say, “Hi!” He is about 80 pounds and he regularly attends doggie playgroups at the shelter with his many doggie friends.

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

SF SPCA & Macy’s 37th Holiday Windows The 2023 Holiday Windows at Macy’s are available for viewing daily through December 31, 9 am–6 pm.

Give back by sponsoring an animal’s care this holiday season and help provide food, shelter, and much more. http://tinyurl.com/bhjnkves View adoptable animals: Cats https://www.sfspca.org/adoptions/cats/ Dogs https://www.sfspca.org/adoptions/dogs/ All adult animals are now free to adopt!

And through December 31, 2023, the fee to adopt puppies and kittens has been reduced to $100.

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Seymour

Songs of the Season 2023 Photos by Rink Produced and hosted by Billboard recording artist Brian Kent, Songs of the Season for 2023 was held on December 5 and 6 at Feinstein’s at the Nikko. This always popular and longstanding seasonal favorite benefits PRC. This year’s cast included Kent, Donna Sachet, Kenny Nelson Music, Margaret Belton, Charles Jones, Brian Justin Crum, Kippy Marks, Shawn Ryan, Jonathan Orenberg, Dr. Dee Spencer, and Roberta Drake. In addition to being a performer, Sachet for many years has also helped organize the production.

The 2024 Songs of the Season is already being planned. This amazing cabaret show is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, December 10 and 11, 2024, so mark your new calendar! https://briankentproductions.com/

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SISTER DANA (continued from pg 33) Tickets are now on-sale for the 31ST ANNUAL KUNG PAO KOSHER COMEDY—Jewish Comedy on Christmas in a Chinese Restaurant (in-person in SF at Imperial Palace and livestreamed) December 23–25.

Featuring a stellar line-up: Wendy Liebman, Rich Aronovitch, Talia Reese, Lisa Geduldig, and Lisa’s 92-years-young mamelah, Arline Geduldig, by video from Florida. www.koshercomedy.com Sister Dana sez, “December 27 is National Fruitcake Day. For me, fruitcake is both an annoying gift and not delicious dessert—or it’s a great way to insult folx: ‘You are such a fruitcake!’”

Now in its 18th year, the eagerlyawaited San Francisco tradition, THE GOLDEN GIRLS LIVE: The Holiday Episodes has returned to the Victoria Theater, 2961 16th Street, now through December 23. It is directed by D’Arcy Drollinger. Heklina, who played Dorothy Zbornak since

the iteration of the production in 2006, passed away in April of this year. The cast and crew were honored to announce that legendary Coco Peru has stepped in to perform as Dorothy in this year’s run.

The production takes four drag legends and casts them in two parody Xmas episodes of the uproarious TV show. This hysterical drag sendup and heartfelt tribute to the characters the entire world has come to know and love features, in addition to Coco Peru (Dorothy), Matthew Martin (Blanche), D’Arcy Drollinger (Rose), and Holotta Tymes (Sophia). It also features longtime actors Manuel Caneri and Michael Phillis with Tom Shaw on the piano. “Thank You for Being a Friend!” www.thegoldengirlslive.com Every year, the SAN FRANCISCO LESBIAN/GAY FREEDOM BAND (SFLGFB)—the Official Band of San Francisco— blends Tchaikovsky’s classic The Nutcracker ballet with a different and entertaining theme

and storyline. The result is a funfilled original musical production brimming with wit, artistry, and ingenuity. When the “Dance Along!” sign flashes, we in the audience are invited to get out of our seats and sashay around the theater. Last year I led us in a spirited conga line! You don’t have to dance, but you’ll feel rather left out. Held in the Yerba Buena Center for the arts, it’s always part comedy musical, part dance-it-yourself ballet, and part symphonic concert. This year, the Dance-Along Nutcracker took a spooky turn with THE NUTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS as the spirit of Halloween continued into December! Clara and Fritz have only ever known Christmas Town, but one Christmas Eve, when their Uncle visits from Halloween Town, they decide to sneak away and investigate Halloween Town for themselves. I found H-town very similar to EssEff, especially its street sign stating: Howl Street (which rhymes with Powell Street.) Fritz, by the way, was thumbing through a San Francisco

Bay Times newspaper to find the local entertainment available. We gleefully joined Fritz and Clara to meet several spooky denizens and, of course, learn some important life lessons along the way! Highlights were Uncle Drossermeyer boldly singing “I Am What I Am,” the full cast singing “Brand New Day,” and closing with the theme from The Addams Family— and getting us and The Band to click along. We also found ourselves with a hidden talent to throw on a tutu and pirouette the night away.

Israeli troops have “mistakenly” killed three Israeli hostages (who were showing a white flag of surrender) during combat with Hamas in the Gaza Strip on December 15, according to the Israeli military.

This tragic loss has been labeled as “friendly fire.” Sister Dana sez, “War is never FRIENDLY. Cease fire immediately! Let the two nations come together, negotiate, and divide up this tiny, minuscule, little strip of bombed out land between the two!”

We joined other columnists and friends of the SAN FRANCISCO BAY TIMES for our annual Holiday Party, co-hosted with the Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA) on December 12 at The Academy SF. We raised a toast to the

50th Anniversary Year of GGBA coming in 2024, and to the joy of the Holiday Season. Among the attendees were SF Bay Times publishers Betty Sullivan & Jennifer Viegas, GGBA President Tony Archuleta- Perkins, Donna Sachet, Bay Times volunteer coordinator Juan Davila who for part of the evening was a lit-up Christmas Tree, philanthropist Lawrence Wong, City Treasurer Jose Cisneros, and a fly-by visit from The Grinch. Plus, we enjoyed a fabulous live music performance

by Beach Blanket Babylon star Renée Lubin accompanied by Dr. Dee Spencer. DJ Rockaway spun tunes, and we all sang carols like drunken elves!

Good way to approach 2024: More individuals who identify as LGBTQ ran for office than ever before, with 2023 seeing a record number of LGBTQ political candidates in an off-year election.

Sister Dana sez, “HAPPY QUEER NEW YEAR 2024! Every New Year it›s the same old story—we make these resolutions with total determination to keep them, but then within a week or so they have become mere memories of our best intentions utterly gone to pot (and we ain’t talkin’ cannabis here).”

Sister Dana sez, “This year, try my annual, totally unbreakable RESOLUTION SOLUTION: ‘I resolve to be the best me I can be.’ It’s foolproof!”

WORDS (continued from pg 25) Mark S. King: I nearly died from meth addiction. HIV has never threatened me physically as much as my addiction to drugs and alcohol.

Michele Karlsberg: What is the biggest challenge that is now facing the LGBTQ community?

Mark S. King: Oh, lord. Staying out of jail? Every aspect of our humanity is being criminalized. We have more to fight against today than during the worst of the AIDS epidemic.

Nothing should be taken for granted. My marriage is on the line. My freedom to dress, figuratively and literally, as I choose.

My access to healthcare and HIV prevention tools, whom and how I [have sex]—all of it is on the line.

Michele Karlsberg: What does your book have to say to younger LGBTQ people who may not relate to the times and issues you write about?

Mark S. King: I feel really strongly about this. LGBTQ youth are part of a legacy that is ferocious and courageous and utterly remarkable. They can own that. It is part of them. We have, over decades and centuries, responded to awful oppression by living and loving and helping one another, the AIDS crisis being only one example. That is part of the DNA of LGBTQ people. I want younger folks to be incredibly proud of their lineage.

Michele Karlsberg: Are you feeling your legacy, releasing a book of your work from decades of writing?

Mark S. King: I’m feeling my age, for sure, just being asked that question.

For more information on King and his work: https://marksking.com Michele Karlsberg Marketing and Management specializes in publicity for the LGBTQ+ community. This year, Karlsberg celebrates 34 years of successful marketing campaigns. For more information: https://www.michelekarlsberg.com BOOK PASSAGE (continued from pg 25) ableism can overlap and render broad swaths of humanity “excoded” and therefore vulnerable in a world rapidly adopting AI tools. Encouraging experts and non-experts alike to join this fight, Buolamwini writes, “The rising frontier for civil rights will require algorithmic justice. AI should be for the people and by the people, not just the privileged few.”

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Michael Cunningham, author of Day: A Novel As the world changes around them, a family weathers the storms of growing up, growing older, falling in and out of love, losing the things that are most precious—and learning to go on—in this book from the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Hours.

It begins on April 5, 2019, when in a cozy brownstone in Brooklyn, the veneer of domestic bliss is beginning to crack. As the world goes into lockdown, the brownstone is feeling more DE C E MB E R 2 1 , 2 0 2 3

like a prison. On April 5, 2021, and merging from the worst of the crisis, the family reckons with a new, very different reality—with what they’ve learned, what they’ve lost, and how they might go on.

up if they’re going to escape in this “ jaw-dropping, authentic, and absolutely gripping” (Harlan Coben) debut thriller from Adam Plantinga, whose first nonfiction book Lee Child was praised as “truly excellent.”

Sunday, January 14 @ 2 pm (free - San Francisco store) Adam Plantinga, author of The Ascent

Sunday, January 21 @ 2 pm (free - San Francisco store) Parini Shroff, author of The Bandit Queens

When a high-security prison fails, a down-on-his luck cop and the governor’s daughter are having to team

Geeta’s no-good husband disappeared five years ago. She didn’t kill him, but everyone thinks she did—

no matter how much she protests.

But she soon discovers that being known as a “self-made” widow has some surprising perks. No one messes with her, no one threatens her, and no one tries to control (ahem, marry) her. It’s even been good for her business; no one wants to risk getting on her bad side by not buying her jewelry. Insightful, irreverent, and poignant, Shroff’s The Bandit Queens is a fun and unforgettable novel full of dark humor and surprising heart. https://www.bookpassage.com/

In Celebration of Sporty Cars “Prime” means it’s a Prius plug-in hybrid with 44 miles in electric-only range. The Prime weighs about 360 pounds more than a regular Prius and has a proportional rise in total system horsepower (from 194 to 220) to motivate it.

Auto Philip Ruth I had a sentimental moment while driving a press car on the lower deck of the Bay Bridge, when a 1984 Volkswagen Rabbit GTI buzzed up to the right and then shot off when an outer lane gap opened up.

I recalled my own beloved Rabbit GTI. It was the first truly athletic car I owned, a caffeinated zinger compared to the sleepy Chevettes and Novas I drove prior. The Rabbit GTI loved to be driven hard, and it was easy to find yourself at licenseendangering speeds.

Watching that GTI slip away, I realized I was in a car in which I also had to mind myself, lest I find myself blasting along at 90 mph. And, it was a Prius—a $43,088 Prius Prime XSE—stocked with options like heated rear seats, digital rear-view mirror, and a solar-charging roof.

It turns out that the Prius Prime is much more enjoyable to drive than the standard Prius, particularly in Sport mode with its firmedup responses. It doesn’t have a GTI’s engaging personality, but I did not expect to be so carried along with the Prius Prime’s surprising capabilities, to where I looked forward to saddling up.

The Prius’ exterior design makes it a futuristic eye-grabber, and this hatchback’s compact length and width is ideal for slicing through and parking within San Francisco traffic. After more than two decades of driving Priuses, this is the first one I could see in my own garage.

beams out among the surrounding vehicles’ whites and grays.

But, there’s one missing feature that would cancel this RX for me; the unfortunately common omission of a height-adjustable lumbar support.

I have no words as to why this simple addition is reserved for superluxury price points, but its absence pokes the RX’s lumbar cushion too low into my back, making the car feel like it’s designed for someone of a different shape.

That’s a shame, because the rest of this RX was very impressive. Lexus has wisely dumped its not-entirelyintuitive remote trackpad for controlling the center screen; instead, the presser’s optional 14-inch touch display was an amiable combo of expansive real estate and uncomplicated interfaces.

Two things to suss out for yourself would be the scant headroom, particularly in the rear, along with the oddly tiered instrument panel and Lilliputian steering wheel.

Even better was the RX 500h’s ride comfort. It is not a surprise that a Lexus would be a comfy cruiser, but this model’s handling was pleasingly sharp despite the fluffy suspension response when the going got rutty.

It’s nice to see Lexus getting the basics right amid the RX 500h’s layers of sportiness, styling, and tech.

Another sporty number is the $70,830 Lexus RX 500h. This raunchiest of RXs grabs eyeballs with its $595 Copper Crest paint, which

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

Prius Prime XSE

Lexus RX 500h

SUPER FRIENDS NYC Getting Ready for New Year’s Eve SuperFriends NYC vlogger Fernando Camino, a contributor to the San Francisco Bay Times, continues throughout December to present live tours in midtown Manhattan and beyond. Each of his walks through the streets features glowing holiday scenes, fun interactions with pedestrians, and elaborate seasonal decor.

Mark your calendar for 8 pm Pacific/11 pm Eastern when Camino will broadcast from Times Square

as the excitement builds for the annual Times Square Ball Drop on Sunday, December 31.

Watch the recent SuperFriends NYC Christmas in New York 2023 video, including the December Midnight Moment synchronized light show on the electronic billboards in Times Square. http://tinyurl.com/mw6dp6u6

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PHOTO COURTESY OF JUAN R. DAVILA

Castro Holiday Scenes

Cliff’s Variety

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY JUAN R. DAVILA

Mail Access

The Flower Corner

“Change”

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Dr. Dee Spencer “Overwhelming”

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Tom Lucas “AI”

PHOTO BY RINK

Cliff’s Variety

As Heard on the Street . . . One word for 2023?

Alexandria Nichandros

PHOTO BY RINK

Eureka Sky

Local Take

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

Cliff’s Variety

compiled by Rink

Terrill Grimes “Challenging”

Beth Schnitzer “Rollercoaster”

Castro Holiday Scenes

STREETCAM

PHOTO BY RINK

presented by

PHOTO BY RINK

Mollie Stone’s

PHOTO BY RINK

PHOTO BY RINK

Castro Village Wines

Frozen at The Castro Theatre

PHOTO BY RINK

From cookware to holiday decorating, gifts, and much more, Cliff’s Variety hopes to help make your holiday season merry, bright, and unforgettable. As customer Benjamin wrote: “Cliff’s has everything and is always my first stop for projects, the kitchen, and much more. The staff is attentive and helpful. The pricing is great for Cliff’s quality, convenience, and service.”

PHOTO BY RINK

Western Star Dancers @ Jane Warner Plaza

Welcome Castro

Another Le Creuset classic is the 1.7-quart tea kettle in the new Rhone color with gold accents. $134.99

Frozen at The Castro Theatre

PHOTO BY JUAN R. DAVILA

Twin Peaks

PHOTO BY RINK

Castro Street

Check out the newest Le Creuset color, Rhone.

Particularly nice for the season is the 4-quart pumpkin-shaped Dutch oven. $367.99

PHOTO BY RINK

Orphan Andy’s

http://sfbaytimes.com/

PHOTO BY JUAN R. DAVILA

Twin Peaks

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