TheStandard_Vol14_Issue9

CINEMA DIVERSE 19

SHOWCASING LGBTQ+ CINEMA & FILMMAKERS SEPTEMBER 2026 | VOLUME 14 ISSUE 9 | THESTANDARDPS.COM | @THESTANDARDPS

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CONTENTS VOLUME 14, ISSUE 9

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CINEMA DIVERSE 19

SHOWCASING LGBTQ+ CINEMA & FILMMAKERS SEPTEMBER 2026 | VOLUME 14 ISSUE 9 | THESTANDARDPS.COM | @THESTANDARDPS

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CINEMA DIVERSE 19

SHOWCASING LGBTQ+ CINEMA & FILMMAKERS PAGES 6-18

Volume 14 Issue 9 COVER CINEMA DIVERSE 19 SHOWCASING LGBTQ+ CINEMA & FILMMAKERS PROFILE JOHANNES EXPERIENCE EUROPEAN CUISINE ALL SUMMER LONG

FEATURE LET’S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN NELL CAMPBELL’S INSIGHT TO ROCKY HORROR MUST SEE A RIVER FINDS IT’S FLOW GRACE WALCOTT ON THE LGBTQ+ RIVER OF LIFE

Q&A ALL THE RIGHT MOVES MICHAEL CHILDERS EXHIBITS HIS RARE YOGA PHOTOGRAPHY COLLECTION SEPTEMBER 2026 3

COMMENTARY The Standard Magazine 400 N Sunrise Way #263 Palm Springs CA 92262 760.831.4869 NINO EILETS Publisher LUCIANO McNULTY Editor MAYA KALABIC Art Director PHOTOGRAPHER David A. Lee AMERICAN DREAMS

A place to call home.

CONTRIBUTORS

Marcus DeLatorre, Max Jimenez, Mick Sandoval, Ed Lefferson, Chris Astrala, Daniel Hirsch, Josue Lombardo, Duncan Obermein, Max Jimenez, Mike Nelson, Jacquelyn James, Trevor Garrison, Stacy Holmes, Greg Stillwell, Dann Foley, Jill Langham & Terri Schlichenmeyer

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BrandPoint, Huffington Post, LGBTQ Nation, Project Publicity, MSN, Reuters, NBC News, Artsy, Forbes, Time.com, xtramagazine, ITV, Psychology Today & Homoculture

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COVER CINEMA DIVERSE 19

BY MARCUS DeLATORRE

ARMANI AND THE BIRTH OF ITALIAN FASHION

Cinema Diverse is back and Palm Springs is about to get a whole lot more fabulous. The celebrated annual showcase of LGBTQ+ cinema and the filmmakers behind it returns September 17–20 and September 24–27 for its 19th edition, bringing two weekends of provocative stories, unforgettable characters, bold documentaries, dramas, shorts and cutting-edge web series to the Palm Springs Cultural Center.

“I am really excited about this year’s program,” says Michael C. Green, Cinema Diverse Festival Director and Executive Director of the Palm Springs Cultural Center. “We have a diverse selection of topics, with something for literally every letter of the LGBTQI+ alphabet.”

Opening night on Thursday, September 17, sets the tone with Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders, Emmy®-winning filmmaker Jeffrey Schwarz’s fascinating new documentary about William Friedkin’s controversial Cruising, the real-life murder that inspired it, and the fierce protests surrounding the film. With more than 100 short films, 53 feature-length films and plenty of discoveries in between, Cinema Diverse 2026 offers something for every kind of film lover.

Here are films recommended by The Standard Magazine to put on your must-see list.

For the complete festival schedule and to purchase tickets visit https://www.psculturalcenter.org/filmfest

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FEMMENELLA BALLAD

FRIDAY, SEPT. 18 11:30am — Theatre One: Shorts: Hooking Up (93 min.)

Demonboy — 12 min. A reclusive young man develops an allconsuming obsession with another man he meets online.

Out of Checklist — 26 min. A divorced father asks his Grindr hookup to watch his twelve-year-old son for the weekend. What could go wrong?

The Orchestra — 18 min. A hopeful gay man meets a seemingly perfect match, but desire begins to blur the boundaries of trust.

Unicycle — 7 min. A desperate swiper discovers he may be looking for love in all the wrong places.

Zaddy! — 30 min. A newly divorced 55-year-old doctor reenters the dating world and falls for a 25-year-old stripper.

Noon — Theatre Three: Shorts: Our Favorite Docs (53 Min.) Her Last Day In The U.S. — 19 min. A 70-year-old undocumented mother returns to Mexico, facing a potentially final goodbye with her children.

Love Does Not Ask — 3 min. A poetic meditation on love beyond labels, fear, and permission.

The Queer Imagination — 8 min. Artist Courtney Desiree Morris

MERMAID

A MAN WALKS DOWN THE STREET

BARBARA FOREVER

BICOASTAL

explores what queer imagination makes possible in the face of erasure.

Welcome to Tool Shed — 23 min. A vibrant look at the queer seniors who gather at Palm Springs’ legendary Tool Shed bar and sanctuary.

After losing the person who truly understood her, ten-yearold Cass finds hope through an unlikely friendship with a struggling drag queen and a vibrant chosen family. A moving story of identity, acceptance, and unconditional love.

2:00pm — Theatre One: Armani and the Birth of Italian Fashion (92 min.)

Featuring Giorgio Armani’s first and final on-camera interview, this stylish documentary explores the fashion dynasties, rivalries, designers, and Hollywood insiders behind Italian luxury. In English and Italian with English subtitles.

4:30pm — Theatre One: A Man Walks Down The Street (93 Min.) After 30 years abroad, Raanan returns to Israel to sell his mother’s apartment. An encounter with an elderly stranger and an affair with a younger man force him to confront decades of internalized homophobia. In Hebrew with English subtitles.

4:45pm — Theatre Two: Barbara Forever (102 Min.)

2:15pm — Theatre Two: Femmenella Ballad (95 min.)

Seven transgender individuals from Naples’ historic femmenelle community bridge centuries-old traditions and modern realities in this intimate portrait of identity, spirituality, resilience, and community. In Italian with English subtitles.

2:30PM — THEATRE THREE: Mermaid (93 Min.)

A tribute to pioneering lesbian filmmaker Barbara Hammer, drawing on her own voice, personal archives, and rare footage to celebrate the visionary who transformed queer cinema and feminist art.

5:00pm — Theatre Three: Reelkev Presents Webout Deja View (90 Min.) Fan favorites and new episodes return, including Don’t Suck, Single, Out, The Homo Sapien Experience, Unrequited, and Guys

SEPTEMBER 2026 7

COVER

IN THIS MOMENT

THE DIVINE TRAGEDY

INSIDE THE OASIS

SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL

Like You. Expect Broadway drama, dating disasters, hookups, and plenty of laughs.

7:00pm — Theatre One: Bi-Coastal (90 Min.) Sponsored By HERE TV An aspiring filmmaker travels to New York to collect a debt but finds his Hollywood dreams slipping away. A journey of desire, excess, gender identity, and self-discovery.

7:15pm — Theatre Two: In This Moment (82 Min.) After betrayal shatters their marriage, a Filipino American writer and his husband struggle to reconnect in this tender drama about love, forgiveness, and healing.

7:30pm — Theatre Three: The Divine Tragedy (101 Min.) After being dumped by his wealthy partner of 25 years, former telenovela actor Cristian moves in with his younger half-brother, a gay sex addict. The mismatched pair must learn to coexist while rebuilding their lives. A sexy, funny Mexican romp. In Spanish with English subtitles.

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SATURDAY, SEPT. 19 11:30am Theatre One: Shorts: Relationships (M) (106 Min.) Afterparty 20 min. A hopeless romantic falls for his new roommate, confronting the realities of polyamory. B. Yourself 7 min. A woman assisting a social media influencer discovers a world where image is everything. Final Frame 15 min. A film editor races to finish a project after learning his partner is undergoing critical surgery. Muse 18 min. A withdrawn teen seeks peace at a desert meditation center but gets a picture-perfect roommate. Richard & Allan’s Crazy Adventure 13 min. Two gay men travel Eastern Europe while reflecting on growing up gay in 1950s America. True Love 17 min. An attempt to reconnect with an ex reveals the darkness of their relationship. Upon Starvation 16 min. A pickpocket who uses seduction to exploit others meets a student seeking genuine intimacy.

11:45am Theatre Two: Shorts: Coming Out And Coming Of Age (78 Min.) Ashamed 10 min. A closeted married man gets one last chance to reveal his truth. Closet Combat Episode 3 10 min. A closeted teen turns a fight with his brother into a video-game battle against being outed. hi mom 4 min. Maya struggles to come out to her mother. Holding Your Breath 14 min. Two teenage friends discover unexpected feelings

NOT YOUR AVERAGE GIRL

THE DIVINE TRAGEDY

KAREN

ON THE ROAD

during a summer of swimming and games. I Wanna Hold Your Hand 3 min. A young boy gathers the courage to make the first move. Open All Night 14 min. A closeted Irish immigrant seeks refuge after being assaulted during a 1991 St. Patrick’s Day parade. Separate Roads 15 min. Former sweethearts confront their painful past, including conversion therapy. The Late in Life Guide to Modern Day Lesbianism 8 min. A campy ’90s training video welcomes late-in-life lesbians.

Uniformed 25 min. A gay military police officer struggles between his uniformed life and his true identity.

Florida’s Gay Mecca (48 Min.) Narrated by Sharon Gless, this documentary chronicles South Florida’s rise as an LGBTQ+ sanctuary through archival footage and firsthand accounts, celebrating activism and resilience while examining today’s challenges.

Noon Theatre Three: Shorts: Thrillers (87 Min.) Bad Dad 12 min. A secluded lake-house retreat becomes a psychological thriller when a stranger arrives. HVAC 11 min. A teenage apprentice becomes caught in a dangerous encounter involving confusing desires. Latin Lover 12 min. A hustler recounts the murder of closeted silent-film star Ramon Navarro. Tales of the Macabre 17 min. A radio host begins to fear a Halloween legend is coming to life. The Ghost at Skeleton Rock 20 min. During the 1992 AIDS crisis, an 18-year-old finds comfort in a ghostly confidant.

Wake 15 min. WORLD PREMIERE A young man is terrorized by a monster under his bed.

2:00pm Theatre One: Inside The Oasis: The Story Of South

2:15pm Theatre Two: Some Kind Of Wonderful (89 Min.) World Festival Premiere. Two new episodes of Ricky Reidling’s acclaimed LGBTQ+ comedy-drama series, now set in Palm Springs.

Think Sex and the City with a gay twist.

2:30pm Theatre Three: Not Your Average Girl (120 Min.) A documentary following activist, author and National Trans Visibility March leader Hope Giselle as she champions equality, visibility and social justice.

4:30pm Theatre One: Madfabulous (107 Min.) In 1890s North Wales, flamboyant aristocrat Henry Paget arrives to claim his inheritance, challenging convention as he establishes his identity as the Fifth Marquess.

4:45pm Theatre Two: Karen Williams: I Had To Laugh (72 min.) WORLD PREMIERE

SEPTEMBER 2026 9

The Center Coachella provides a safe inclusive space

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Community in the East Coachella Valley.

COVER

GLITTERBAITED

A TASTE OF HEAVEN

GIRLS & BOYS

THE QUEERDOS

Andrea Meyerson’s documentary celebrates pioneering lesbian Black comedian and activist Karen Williams, who broke barriers in the male-dominated comedy world while raising a family and using humor as a tool for healing. Featuring rare performance footage and interviews.

Redlining 18 min. A Black and white family confronts prejudice, generational wealth and LGBTQ+ issues in 1970s Georgia.

Project Famiglia – The Road to Us 24 min. An Italian queer couple travels to Canada to pursue parenthood while confronting intolerance and questions of reproductive rights.

Hong Kong, Let’s Get Married! 23 min. A documentary examines the struggle for marriage equality in Hong Kong, including recent legal gains and setbacks.

5:00pm Theatre Three: Reelkev Presents Webout: Seeking, Size Queens, Bears, Dicks And Barbie (90 Min.) New episodes of Seeking, Size Queens, Only Bears, Dick Bunny and Barbie, featuring queer dating, relationships, comedy and camp—including a Designing Women parody.

7:00pm Theatre One: On The Road (93 Min.) A rebellious drifter and solitary truck driver form an unexpected bond while traveling across northern Mexico, confronting danger, desire and buried secrets.

7:15pm Theatre Two: Glitterbaited (107 Min.) A queer Cyrano de Bergerac follows a shy writer who helps his tongue-tied best friend pursue the man they both admire.

7:30pm Theatre Three: Our Civil Rights: Racial Equity, Adoption And Marriage (65 Min.)

SUNDAY, SEPT. 20 11:30am — Theatre One: Shorts: Three Decades To Remember (104 Min.) April 14, 1982 (16 Min.) — World Premiere On the eve of recording Thriller, Michael Jackson’s carefully controlled world is disrupted by a hotel room service attendant.

Here, Queer, and On TV (16 min.)

Rare footage from “Lavender Lounge,” a groundbreaking ’90s queer/trans public-access show featuring San Francisco’s first Dyke March and first official Pride video.

SEPTEMBER 2026 11

COVER

UNCLE ROY

PUNKIE

LADY CHAMPAGNE

LONE STAR BULL

Kansas, 1989 (13 min.)

A Midwestern teen on the verge of coming out faces a dangerous night that changes his life.

Peter (13 min.) — A trans man leaving a bar fears he may be followed by someone with sinister intentions.

Lesbians in Boystown (27 min.)

The forgotten history of lesbian and queer women in West Hollywood, highlighting activism, the AIDS crisis, Dyke Marches, and grassroots organizing.

Shelly’s Leg (17 min.)

After losing her leg in a freak parade accident, stripper Shelly Baumann uses her settlement to open a pioneering gay disco.

Narrated by Kathleen Turner.

Quinn (20 min.) — After surviving sexual assault, a young person exploring their identity searches for their attacker.

Top (16 min.) — A trans man and his girlfriend navigate the bureaucracy of gender-affirming top surgery.

Tr(ace)y (9 min.) — A young woman learns that authenticity matters more than acceptance from dates or society.

Noon — Theatre Three: Shorts: For The Boys (106 Min.)

Spinach (15 min.) — WORLD PREMIERE A neon-soaked look at queer nightlife and the AIDS crisis in 1989, where survival becomes an act of resistance.

11:45am — Theatre Two: Shorts: Other Voices (73 Min.) Not Exactly Strangers (15 min.) — A hookup between a Latina trans woman and a former acquaintance explores sex, history, and self-acceptance.

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Cicada (17 min.) — A woman inherits her father’s restaurant and confronts his complicated emotional legacy.

Get Into The Spirit (4 min.) — Two husbands try to communicate with the handsome ghost haunting their home.

GROSS INCOME (13 min.) — A troubled accountant’s meeting sends Jonathan into a bizarre series of financial encounters.

THE STRAY HOUSE

SNOW FALLING ON PUMPKINS

TRIAL OF HEIN

OUT OF THE WOODS

Morning Echo (19 min.) — Gabriel wakes to find his ex unexpectedly cooking breakfast in his kitchen after months of silence.

2:15pm — Theatre Two: Girls And Boys (85 Min.) A Halloween reunion between a trans woman and her childhood best friend forces both to confront the past, identity, memory, and the possibility of love.

The Next Day (6 min.) — After a traumatic event, a gay man confronts his fiancé about their troubled relationship.

The Stick Up (7 min.) — A botched teen robbery leads to an unexpectedly charming meet-cute.

West Texas Home (15 min.) — An adult returns to a home that once saved him and faces a decision that could change everything. おめでとう (Omedetō) (25 min.) — Two best friends celebrate a 25th birthday and promise to fulfill their dream of traveling to Japan together.

2:00pm — Theatre One: A Taste Of Heaven: The Ecstatic Song & Gospel Of Maestro Raymond Anthony (80 Min.) A portrait of gospel visionary Raymond Anthony Myles, a queer Black man whose extraordinary voice brought him acclaim before his life was tragically cut short.

2:30pm — Theatre Three: The Queerdos (93 min.)

WORLD PREMIERE A struggling delivery driver inherits a Hollywood Hills mansion and fills it with quirky queer tenants while navigating viral fame, celebrity history, and unexpected romance.

4:30PM — Theatre One: Uncle Roy (87 min.)

A moving documentary about photographer and skating historian Roy Blakey, whose niece works to preserve his remarkable queer artistic legacy as he faces dementia.

4:45pm — Theatre Two: Punkie (74 Min.) Saturday Night Live star Punkie Johnson faces the pressures of stand-up comedy while confronting a deeply personal crisis in this intimate, candid documentary.

5:00pm — Theatre Three: Reelkev Presents Webout: The Long Shorts (90 Min.)

SEPTEMBER 2026 13

COVER

LEARN THE WORDS BITCH

PROUD JEWISH BOY

FREE AT HEART

FREE BEER TOMORROW

Featuring One for the Team, a queer sports drama about a trans athlete seeking recognition for talent rather than gender; Jamaal, a darkly comic story about an AI robot entering a couple’s home; and campy vertical series Waterboy and The Prince’s First Love, featuring fast-paced romance, drama, and plenty of eye candy.

2:30pm Theatre Three: Snow Falling On Pumpkins (97 Min.) Diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at 43, Michael finds meaning through a Cherokee spiritual guide and his loving partner, James.

7:00pm — Theatre One: Lady Champagne (99 Min.) D’Arcy Drollinger’s outrageous comedy follows legendary San Francisco erotic dancer Champagne Horowitz Jones Dickerson White.

A slapstick tribute to ’70s exploitation cinema, filmed entirely in San Francisco with more than 80 queer and trans performers. Q&A with D’Arcy Drollinger and cast members Matthew Martin, Steven LeMay, and Nancy French.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 24

4:30pm Theatre One: Trial Of Hein (122 Min.) After 14 years away, Hein returns to his North Sea island, only to have his identity questioned as buried secrets emerge. In German with English subtitles.

4:45pm Theatre Two: Out Of The Woods (92 Min.) As Max’s memory fades, reconnecting with Diana forces her to choose between her longtime love and her marriage.

2:00pm Theatre One: Lone Star Bull (90 Min.) A gay-bar bouncer and drag queen/medical student team up to solve their mentor’s shooting.

5:00pm Theatre Three: Rank & File (15 min.) / Learn the Words, Bitch! (39 min.) WORLD PREMIERE Hosted by Tony Soto, this joyful documentary celebrates LA’s beloved lip-sync competition and the resilience of drag, community, and chosen family.

2:15pm Theatre Two: The Stray House (82 Min.) A widower turns his inherited home into a refuge, creating a chosen family that confronts prejudice and past trauma.

7:00pm Theatre One: Proud Jewish Boy (90 min.)

A documentary examines Herschel Grynszpan’s life, his 1938 assassination of a Nazi diplomat, and the rumored homosexual

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because LGBTQ+ health matters

SEPTEMBER 2026 15

COVER relationship between the two men. In Hebrew, English, German and French with English subtitles.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 25 11:30am Theatre One: Shorts: When Clothing is Optional (83 min.)

Six shorts exploring desire, intimacy, nudity, fantasy and relationships, including Aswim, Just Not Naked Enough, Naked Pool Party, Perfect Day, Strangers Between (WORLD PREMIERE) and The Narcissist.

11:45am Theatre Two: Shorts: The Blend (96 min.)

Five eclectic shorts featuring resurrected dragons, a drag queen seeking a magical cure for bad luck, theatrical intrigue, a mysterious encounter and two gay men exploring Eastern Europe and their shared history.

Noon: Theatre Three: Shorts: Love and Loss (74 min.)

Six shorts exploring grief, heartbreak, vulnerability, authenticity, complicated love and aging, including Dead Wife Montage, How About Annie?, If Lost Please Return To:, In the Light of Day, Love & Other Devastations and Milton.

2:00pm Theatre One: Mickey & Richard (71 min.)

An intimate portrait of legendary gay model Mickey Squires, exploring fame, adult entertainment, connection and aging through rare footage and archival material.

2:15pm Theatre Two: Rank & File (15 min.)

Miss Personality (45 min.) WORLD PREMIERE Comedian Mina Hartong delivers a personal, hilarious stand-up special about her Dutch heritage, lesbian identity, Connecticut roots and teaching career.

2:30pm Theatre Three: Start-up Love (90 min.)

Young coders building an AI startup face romance, betrayal and a bisexual love triangle that threatens their friendships and business.

4:30pm Theatre One: Free at Heart (117 min.)

A 16-year-old discovers first love with his late father’s friend’s son, forcing them to choose between authenticity and the lives they know.

4:45pm Theatre Two: Free Beer Tomorrow (78 min.)

A tribute to Jack’s/Summit Station, one of America’s longestrunning lesbian bars, celebrating generations of LGBTQ+ community, resilience and belonging.

5:00pm Theatre Three: Surviving Voices:

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AIDS Caregivers (40 min.)

Doctors, nurses, friends, families and partners who cared for people dying of AIDS are honored in this documentary. Panel with Sister Roma, the Palm Springs AIDS Memorial and the Palm Springs Sisters.

7:00pm Theatre One: Tiger (126 min.)

Sponsored By HERE TV A gay masseuse’s escalating conflict with his sister over property ownership pushes him toward the edge. A portrait of gay life in Japan. In Japanese with English subtitles.

7:15pm Theatre Two: Dangling Carrot (89 min.)

An unemployed gay millennial navigates New York’s hookup culture, romance, addiction and sobriety while learning to choose self-worth.

7:30pm Theatre Three: The Witches’ Pact (65 min.)

A filmmaker follows a mysterious witches’ video into a playful exploration of feminist community, resistance and belonging.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 26 10:00AM In a Whisper — Sponsored By The Desert Film Society (111 Min.) A young woman returns from Paris to Tunisia for her uncle’s funeral, confronting family tensions, memories, and changing relationships. French with English subtitles.

11:45am Theatre Two: Shorts: Sometimes We Grieve (84 min.)

A Sunny Day in London (13 min., WORLD PREMIERE): A man returns to London seeking the love he never forgot. After Midnight (15 min.): Two strangers wander a deserted campus after meeting online. CLUTTER (15 min.): A cleaner confronting a grieving drag queen’s mess faces her own loss and prejudice. Floss Every Day (12 min.): A lonely man works through grief and alcoholism. I’m Doing Fine (14 min.): A home aide faces mortality, loss, and a missing key in one difficult day. In Every Single Room (16 min.): After heartbreak, Lenny returns to the beach town where their queer identity emerged. the layover (14 min.): A newly single man takes in his ex-boyfriend’s grieving mother.

Noon Theatre Three: Shorts: Three Decades to Remember (104 min.) April 14, 1982 (16 min.): Michael Jackson’s world is disrupted by a hotel room-service encounter before recording Thriller. Here, Queer, and On TV (16 min.): Rare footage chronicles ’90s queer TV, San Francisco’s Dyke March, and early Pride. Kansas, 1989 (13 min.): A teen’s coming-out experience takes a dangerous turn. Lesbians in Boystown (27 min.): The overlooked history of West Hollywood’s queer women, activism, and community. Shelly’s Leg (17 min.): After losing her leg, a stripper opens one of America’s

pioneering gay discos. Narrated by Kathleen Turner. Spinach (15 min., WORLD PREMIERE): Queer nightlife unfolds against the shadow of the AIDS crisis.

confronts his hidden prejudice while booking a drag queen, forcing him to face internalized homophobia, self-discovery, and the courage to embrace love.

2:00pm Theatre One: There’s Something About Oakwood (91 min.) Raleigh’s historic Oakwood neighborhood, saved by gay men and widows, becomes an intergenerational LGBTQ+ haven— but faces an uncertain future.

11:45am Theatre Two: Shorts: Mash-up (104 min.)

A Homecoming (18 min., WEST COAST PREMIERE) A transitioning trans woman returns home with her pregnant partner for her parents’ anniversary, challenging family expectations. Arman (13 min.) A closeted immigrant makes one final call home before marrying the man he loves. GRWM (12 min.) A young woman disguises herself as a man to join the Civil War army. Gumshoes (20 min.) Two bored procedural fans begin solving real crimes. Tsismosa (10 min.) Gossip turns a village serenade into comic chaos.

2:15pm Theatre Two: Our Family Pride (107 Min.) A father who comes out in his 50s forces his family to confront buried pain, embrace new beginnings, and rediscover love.

2:30pm Theatre Three: Summer Lost (82 min., WEST COAST PREMIERE) A man hiding a terminal illness at a wedding unexpectedly finds romance and learns to embrace life’s final chapter.

4:30pm Theatre One: Bookends (99 min.) After a breakup, Nate moves in with his grandparents and discovers family secrets, dementia, and unexpected romance.

4:45pm Theatre Two: Trans Rising (94 Min.) A portrait of Amsterdam’s vibrant transgender community, featuring activists, parents, artists, officials, and community leaders. English and Dutch with English subtitles.

5:00pm Theatre Three: Myrna’s Deal With The Dead (50 Min.) Myrna and psychic Dixie Longate hunt a kidnapped heir while unraveling secrets, scandal, and murder in this campy telenovelastyle comedy benefiting LGBTQ+ youth.

7:00pm Theatre One: Downtown (98 Min.) Three young men find love, friendship, and freedom amid Amsterdam’s 1980s gay nightlife and the emerging AIDS crisis.

7:15pm Theatre Two: Velvet Vision — The Story of James Bidgood (and the Making of Pink Narcissus) (91 min.)

A portrait of visionary artist James Bidgood and his lasting influence on queer photography, film, beauty, and desire.

7:30pm Theatre Three: Teenage Wasteland: Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen (80 min.)

Actor David Dean Bottrell revisits adolescence in this funny and touching concert film about growing up, queer identity, and selfacceptance.

Noon Theatre Three: Shorts: For the Girls (102 min.)

Allora (10 min.) A girlfriend’s meeting with a traditional Italian grandfather exposes jealousy and secrets. Blue Berri (17 min.)

Two women share a secret relationship. Dancing in Argentina (13 min.) Two women find love while confronting ancestral trauma and oppression. Find Another Girl To Fix (5 min.) A campy Palm Springs lesbian romance. Fish & Chips (13 min.) An anniversary argument over dinner exposes deeper racial and queer resentments. Ronita Rambo (13 min.) A diner waitress gets help from two gay teens pursuing a new crush. Since She Left (13 min.) A woman questions her life, love and sexuality after returning home. TRAPPED (18 min.)

Two neighbors confront avoided truths when trapped in an elevator.

2:00pm Theatre One: Barefoot Boy (97 min., WEST COAST PREMIERE) Legendary choreographer Bill Evans reflects on his artistry, resilience and queer identity before one final, careerdefining performance.

2:15pm Theatre Two: Beginning While Ending: A Life Like Most Others (102 min.) An uplifting documentary follows a nonbinary octogenarian and their LGBTQ+ chosen family as they navigate aging, identity, love and joy.

2:30pm Theatre Three: Get Into The Spirit (4 min.) Two husbands communicating with a ghost discover unexpected ways the spirit can reach them. Pieces of Lilo (90 min.) After his abusive father’s death, Jerry’s buried trauma resurfaces through terrifying memories and hallucinations, pushing him toward psychological collapse.

4:30pm Theatre One: An Island Away From You (102 min.)

A heartbroken chef escapes to Gran Canaria and unexpectedly falls for his best friend’s father. Spanish with English subtitles.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 27 11:30am Theatre One: Sweet Nothing (80 min.) Jack Bledsoe

4:45pm Theatre Two: Julian (91 min.) Fleur and Julian attempt to marry in every country where same-sex marriage is legal, finding

SEPTEMBER 2026 17

COVER

SURVIVING VOICES AIDS CAREGIVERS

TIGER

FREE BEER TOMORROW

THE WITCHES PACT

love, hope and heartbreak along the way. English, French and Dutch with English subtitles.

5:00pm Theatre Three: Rank & File (90 min.)

Palm Springs seniors share stories of growing up and coming out.

CLOSING NIGHT FEATURE 7:00pm Theatre One: Love Loaded (98 min., WEST COAST PREMIERE) In a sultry 1958 Los Angeles nightclub, torch singer Didi Scanlon becomes entangled in betrayal and murder when someone attempts to kill Dr. Jack Scanlon amid the return of Didi’s former singing partner.

IN A WHISPER

IF YOU GO WHAT: The Nineteenth Edition of Cinema Diverse: The PS LGBTQ+ Film Festival WHEN: September 17-20 & September 24-27 WHERE: Palm Springs Cultural Center, 2300 East Baristo Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262 TICKETS AND PASSES: www.CinemaDiverse.org THERES SOMETHING ABOUT OAKWOOD

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BOOKREVIEW ALWAYS OVERBOOKED

BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

Mom called you in a panic the other day.

She’d lost her keys and by the time you arrived to help, she’d found them.

In the refrigerator. These kinds of things keep happening, not often but often enough, and you don’t know quite what to worry about. But in the new book “When Memory Fades” by Nathaniel Chin, MD, you’ll learn about the journey ahead, for both of you.

You can’t remember why you walked into a room. You got lost last week, going to the bank. Popular wisdom says that things like that are normal as we age, but Chin says that’s not true – although the answer may not be a worst-case scenario, either. Yes, memory problems could just be signs of stress, dehydration, or lack of sleep – or is it time to see a doctor?

Chin says maybe, yes.

He was working his way through medical residency when his father, a geriatrician in Madison, Wisconsin, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Chin, now a geriatrician, was blindsided, but that diagnosis also changed his life.

Here, he writes about the brain, and how Alzheimer’s and dementia are diagnosed, explaining that dementia has many faces and, depending on a doctor’s evaluation, memory problems might be slowed or improved. He shares his father’s illness with readers, but he also writes about his mother, a steadfast, steady caretaker.

Her story reminds reader-guardians to care for themselves, too.

Know how to talk the talk, so that you can have “a more productive” conversation with your doctor. Understand that there’s nothing “normal” about dementia or Alzheimer’s. Know the statistics – African Americans are affected with dementia twice as much as whites – and know how to lower your risks. Learn here what questions to ask, how to break the news to everyone, and any legal matters that will be important soon. And know how to tend to you.

Says Chin, “The best action you can take is to educate yourself…

The more you understand, the better equipped you are to make sound judgments.”

Something’s off about Dad, just a lot of little things that don’t add up. When is it time to step in? “When Memory Fades” can help you decide.

Wise, wide-spread, comprehensive, and compassionately helpful, this is a book you can read and then take it to the doctor with your loved one. It’s a book that makes sense when nothing else does, and its biggest feature is that it smoothly transitions from easy-to-grasp science and charts, to gentle coaching for caregivers. Author Nathaniel Chin, MD writes with storytelling, humility, grace, and experience from both sides of the Alzheimer’s/dementia issue, and his words are reassuring but also urgent. Learn, but don’t wait, he says. Know how to safeguard yourself. See your doctor, and don’t fear testing. Watch for signs of depression. And never, ever stop asking for help.

Read those last seven words and find “When Memory Fades” now. It’s a book to have on your shelf, whether you’re 45 or 95 because, as you’ll see, dementia happens and knowledge is key.

“When Memory Fades: What to Expect at Every Stage, from Early Signs to Full Support for Alzheimer’s and Dementia” by Nathaniel Chin, MD c.2026, St. Martin’s Essentials, $30.00/ 422 pages

SEPTEMBER 2026 19

INDESIGN THE COLLECTED INTERIOR

BY BEAU STINNETTE

There is something immediately appealing about a room that doesn’t reveal itself all at once. Your eye moves from a piece of art to an interesting chair, from a patterned textile to a beautiful object on a table, and then perhaps to something completely unexpected in the corner. Nothing is shouting for attention, yet everything seems to have something to say.

These are the rooms that tell stories.

After more than two decades of interior design, I’ve learned that the rooms I remember most aren’t necessarily the most perfect. They’re the ones where I feel as though I’ve gotten to know something about the people who live there. Their interests, their travels, their history and even their sense of humor reveal themselves, piece by piece.

For years, much of interior design has been driven by the idea of coordination—the right sofa with the right chairs, matching finishes, complementary fabrics and carefully selected accessories.

There is certainly nothing wrong with harmony, but sometimes in our pursuit of a perfectly finished room, we can remove the very thing that makes it interesting: personality.

I’ve never been particularly interested in a room where everything behaves itself.

The most compelling interiors often feel as though they have been collected rather than decorated. And collected doesn’t necessarily mean old, inherited, expensive, or gathered over a lifetime. It simply means that the pieces have individual character and somehow reflect the people who live among them.

An antique chest might sit beneath contemporary art. A sleek new sofa can share a room with a pre-loved leather chair discovered at a vintage market. Something quite valuable might sit next to an object that cost almost nothing but has a great story attached to it.

Never underestimate the transformative power of a great chair—or a great pair of shoes!

I have learned much of the art of layering a room from my longtime design partner, Dann Foley. Dann has always said that “good design is always in the mix,” and that idea has stayed with me throughout my career. Mixing old with new, refined with relaxed, and important pieces with things chosen simply because they make

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you smile—those contrasts give a room depth and individuality.

The magic rarely comes from any one piece. It comes from the conversation between them.

They don’t have to match. They just have to belong to the story.

When everything in a room comes from the same moment, the same source or the same design vocabulary, the eye understands it very quickly. There isn’t much left to discover. But when furniture, art, textiles and personal belongings are layered together thoughtfully, the eye keeps moving. We become curious. We notice the differences in shape, age, texture, color and origin. That visual curiosity is one of the things that makes a room feel alive and different.

Of course, there is a fine line between layered and cluttered.

The goal isn’t to fill every surface or display everything you have ever owned. Good design still requires editing—and sometimes the most important decision is what not to use. Giving individual pieces room to breathe lets us appreciate them and understand their place in the larger story.

We should worry a little less about perfection. Real homes evolve. Things move. New pieces arrive, and others disappear.

Upholstery wears, wood develops a patina, and objects bring meaning that no perfectly staged room could ever reproduce.

Those imperfections are often part of what makes a home beautiful.

Perhaps that’s why truly personal rooms tend to feel so welcoming. They aren’t trying too hard to impress us. They give us clues about the people who live there—the places they’ve traveled, the things they love, and what they find beautiful, amusing, useful, or simply worth keeping.

Ultimately, your home shouldn’t look like anyone else’s. It shouldn’t be a reproduction of a photograph or a collection of whatever happens to be fashionable at the moment.

It should tell your story, piece by piece.

And the best part is that the story is never quite finished.

Beau Stinnette – Interior Designer www.foleystinnette.com

SEPTEMBER 2026 21

PROFILE CHEF JOHANNES BACHER KEEPS THE TABLES TURNING ALL SUMMER IN PALM SPRINGS

BY KATHLEEN BENNETT

The acclaimed chef invites locals and visitors to linger over Modern European cuisine, seasonal specialties, and a distinctly European approach to desert dining.

Summer in Palm Springs has its own rhythm. The pace slows, the afternoons stretch longer, and dining becomes less about rushing through a meal and more about settling in, ordering another glass of wine, and enjoying the evening. At Johannes Restaurant, Chef Johannes Bacher is embracing that spirit and keeping the kitchen going.

While some desert restaurants scale back their operations during the warmer months, Bacher is doing the opposite. Johannes Restaurant remains open Wednesday through Sunday, welcoming diners with seasonal menus, gracious hospitality, and the Modern European cuisine that has made the restaurant a longtime Palm Springs favorite.

For more than three decades, Chef Johannes has brought a distinctly European sensibility to the Coachella Valley, blending the traditions of his Austrian heritage with contemporary European flavors and techniques. The result is a dining experience that feels both sophisticated and approachable, one where classic dishes share the menu with seasonal seafood, handcrafted specialties, and creatively presented entrées.

Among the restaurant’s signature dishes is its celebrated Wiener Schnitzel, which earned a coveted place in 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die, the influential culinary guide by Mimi Sheraton.

It is a fitting recognition for a dish that has become synonymous with the Johannes experience: traditional at its heart, meticulously prepared, and served with the confidence that comes from decades in the kitchen.

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This summer, diners have even more reasons to make Johannes part of their Palm Springs itinerary. The restaurant’s refreshed Summer Dinner Menu highlights seasonal ingredients and lighter preparations suited to warm-weather dining, while the Summer Schnitzel Menu offers new ways to experience one of the chef’s most recognizable specialties. A thoughtfully curated wine selection complements the menu, and an expanded Martini Menu adds another reason to settle in for a leisurely evening.

Whether it’s a romantic dinner, a special celebration, a night out with friends, or simply an excuse to enjoy a great meal, Johannes offers an experience that feels particularly well suited to summer in the desert. The restaurant’s upscale-casual atmosphere and attentive service create a setting where diners can take their time and enjoy the evening without pretense.

“Summer is a wonderful time for guests to slow down, relax, and enjoy an exceptional dining experience,” says Chef Johannes Bacher. “We look forward to welcoming both our loyal local guests and visitors discovering us for the first time.”

That sense of hospitality has been central to Johannes Restaurant since its beginnings. Over the years, Chef Johannes has

earned hundreds of accolades and appeared in local, national, and international publications, including Bon Appétit, The New York Times, Wine Spectator, Travel + Leisure, Zagat, Elle, Out, Palm Springs Life, The Desert Sun, Desert Entertainer, Yelp, OpenTable, and others. He has also been recognized by organizations including Best Chefs America and the Restaurant Writers Association.

Yet perhaps the restaurant’s greatest distinction is its staying power.

In a city known for constantly evolving restaurants, culinary trends, and seasonal visitors, Johannes has built something more enduring: a restaurant that has become part of Palm Springs’ dining landscape.

For Chef Johannes, the appeal of summer dining is ultimately uncomplicated. Good food, a welcoming table, a well-made cocktail, a bottle of wine, and the opportunity to enjoy the company of friends and family are reasons enough to go out. And in Palm Springs, where the desert evening eventually gives way to cooler temperatures and glowing sunsets, there may be no better time to linger over dinner.

JOHANNES RESTAURANT Open Wednesday–Sunday beginning at 5:00 p.m.

Reservations: (760) 778-0017 or via OpenTable

SEPTEMBER 2026 23

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one. for all.

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The LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert provides food for 30,000+ people annually.

Scan here

SEPTEMBER 2026 25 to Donate

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SEPTEMBER 2026 27

Q&A MICHAEL CHILDERS ON YOGA, MOVEMENT, AND THE ART OF THE HUMAN FORM

BY CHRIS ASTRALA Michael Childers has spent a remarkable career photographing some of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood, music, fashion, and popular culture. But behind the iconic portraits is an artist with a deep appreciation for movement, beauty, and the human spirit, qualities that come together in a rarely seen collection of his yoga photography. Presented as beautifully toned silver gelatin prints, the collection offers a more personal look at another side of Childers’ creative journey and will be exhibited October 23–25, 2026, at the Stephen Baumbach Gallery in Palm Springs, with proceeds benefiting Stephanie Eley and the PACT Social Enterprise Fund and its efforts to expand access to continuing education and advanced Yoga Teacher Training scholarships throughout the Coachella Valley.

We had the opportunity to sit down with Michael to talk about the story behind these extraordinary photographs, his personal connection to yoga and wellness, the art and craft of traditional darkroom printing, and what it means to bring this very special collection forward in support of education and community.

In the conversation that follows, Michael shares the memories, inspiration, and creative instincts behind this amazing body of work .

The Standard Magazine: You’re best known for your iconic portraits of Hollywood stars, musicians, and cultural figures. What drew you to photography—and specifically to photographing yoga, the human body, and movement? How did this collection begin?

Michael Childers: My interest in yoga and the human body grew out of my fascination with dance. When I lived in New York and London during the ’60s and ’70s, I worked with some of the great dance companies of the world. I was fascinated by what the human body could achieve and how it could be transformed through movement. To me, it was liquid art. Many of the dancers I photographed incorporated yoga and the Alexander Technique into their training. Yoga was fundamental to their physical practice. I also had a few minor health crises during that period, and I discovered that yoga helped me recover from accidents, falling off bicycles, falling off horses, and so

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on. It became my quickest road to recovery.

In the late ’60s, I was fortunate enough to hear Jiddu Krishnamurti speak at the Great Oak in Ojai. Sivananda and many other great yoga teachers were there. I was already fascinated by yoga, and that experience deepened my interest. Then, working in Hollywood, I discovered that many of the actors I photographed practiced yoga.

Demi Moore, Susan Sarandon, Jim Carrey, Cat Stevens, and many others were incorporating it into their lives. It was fascinating to see these people in yoga classes in the morning, away from the world of Hollywood.

I also had some extraordinary teachers in Los Angeles and was involved in the early days of urban yoga there. Their influence helped me find my own path. Ultimately, dance became a central element of this collection. I worked with some remarkable choreographers, and those years photographing dance and theater taught me to appreciate the human body in an entirely different way, the shapes, the movement, the stillness, and what the body is capable of expressing. This collection grew naturally out of that experience.

TSM: These photographs are rare-toned silver gelatin prints. What makes this collection special to you, and what does traditional darkroom printing bring to the images that digital photography cannot?

MC: I was incredibly fortunate to work with a world-class printer at A&I Photography Lab, Michelle Carmen. Michelle was one of the great printers of his generation and worked with many extraordinary photographers, including Sally Mann, Herb Ritts, Greg Gorman, and Helmut Newton. When Michelle saw the first samples of my nude and yoga photographs, he suggested using a very rare Dutch paper combined with a selenium-toning process. He had an extraordinary understanding of how to bring out something emotional in a photograph through the printing process. When I saw the first test prints, they blew my mind. They were completely different from what I had imagined. I knew immediately that we had something special.

I wanted the final images to have a softer, more artistic quality, to feel almost dreamlike and sensual. The printing process gave them that character.

The paper no longer exists, and that particular printing process is no longer available. So, these photographs really are artifacts of another era. They are extremely rare and, in many ways, one-ofa-kind.

TSM: There is a remarkable sense of movement, form, and stillness in these photographs. When you photograph a yoga practitioner, what are you looking for beyond simply capturing a pose?

MC: I think of it as a poetic symphony of movement, passion, taste, and style. I’m not necessarily looking for a technically perfect yoga pose. Sometimes it’s simply about seeing a beautiful image; a particular shape, gesture, or moment when everything comes together.

The dancers, models, and yoga teachers I photographed created these extraordinary forms. I was constantly learning from them, experimenting, and exploring where the image could take me.

For me, the photograph isn’t about documenting the pose. It’s about discovering the poetry within it.

TSM: You’ve photographed some of the most recognizable people in the world. Did working with yoga practitioners change the way you approached portraiture, intimacy, and the human form?

MC: Portraiture is incredibly personal and subjective. It’s about how I see the subject, how they see themselves, what they want from the session, and what I want from it. When those perspectives meet, something magical can happen. I’ve always believed that every photo session is a collaboration. The strongest photographs happen when the subject and photographer become genuinely engaged with

one another, when the process becomes organic and both people are excited about what they’re creating together. That’s when the magic happens.

TSM: This exhibition reveals a more personal and rarely seen part of your artistic history. Why does now feel like the right time to bring this work out of your private archive and share it with the public?

MC: These works have been exhibited before, including in Los Angeles and Santa Fe, and some are part of museum collections.

A number of national museums have acquired the photographs.

But there is something particularly meaningful about showing this work in the desert. There is a sense of freedom here, a freedom of expression, of form, of nudity, and of diversity. The desert has its own openness and sense of possibility. It feels like a particularly fertile environment for this work right now.

TSM: This exhibition is also about creating access to continuing education and advanced yoga teacher training through PACT Social Enterprise Fund. Why was supporting this particular cause important to you?

MC: Yoga education is crucial, especially now. We live in a world of constant noise and distraction, Meta, TikTok, Instagram, and an endless stream of information competing for our attention. Yoga gives us a way to quiet the mind. There is also growing evidence of the benefits of bringing yoga into schools. It can help children develop concentration, stability, mental acuity, and a greater sense of balance.

Giving people access to meaningful yoga education is incredibly important to me because the benefits extend far beyond the yoga mat.

SEPTEMBER 2026 29

Q&A TSM: What does the connection between art, wellness, and community mean to you? Do you see photography itself as having the ability to contribute to healing, education, or social change?

MC: Absolutely. The great yoga teachers I’ve encountered are true healers. What they bring to their students can extend far beyond the studio. Yoga is being introduced into schools, clinics, and programs serving children and seniors. The work being done with older adults is particularly important. Yoga has also provided tremendous support for people living with HIV, helping them maintain health, stability, and a greater sense of well-being. There are trauma-based yoga programs doing remarkable work as well.

There are so many ways yoga can contribute to healing. And I think art has a similar ability to make us pause, look, feel, and perhaps see ourselves and the world differently.

TSM: After decades of photographing cultural icons and creating work that has entered major museums and private collections, what do you hope visitors take away from this exhibition—both from the photographs and from the cause they are supporting?

The cause brings me tremendous joy because it gives us an opportunity to spread the word about something so simple, yet so powerful: healing through movement. I hope the exhibition encourages people to discover the yoga programs available in their own communities and, ideally, to make yoga part of their lives. I’ve been practicing yoga since my early 20s, and I still do it today. I have a yoga session scheduled at four o’clock with a teacher who is a healer. It brings me comfort, helps me destress, and continues to contribute to my health.

Whether you’re 20 or 80, yoga can restore, renew, and invigorate you. That’s the beauty of it. It’s something you can carry with you for your entire life.

IF YOU GO What: Michael Childers Yoga Photography Exhibition & Fundraiser Where: Stephen Baumbach Gallery, 4116 Matthew Drive, Palm Springs, CA When: October 23, 24, and 25, 2026 Admission: Free admission, October 25 RSVP Beneficiary: Proceeds will directly support local wellness scholarships via Stephanie Eley & the PACT Social Enterprise Fund.

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SEPTEMBER 2026 31

DAPHEALTH IT’S TIME FOR MEN TO TELL THEIR GAL PALS THAT PREP IS FOR THEM, TOO

BY DANIEL HIRSCH

For years, HIV prevention has been marketed primarily to gay and bisexual men and to a lesser extent, some transgender communities; leaving far too many cisgender women unaware that PrEP could benefit them too. It’s time to officially extend the invitation.

When Yucca Valley’s Alyssa Delgado first learned about PrEP, AKA pre-exposure prophylaxis, a daily pill or long-lasting injectable that’s been proven to be 99.9% effective for the prevention of HIV, getting on it made perfect sense to the 36-year-old.

“It just gives you a little bit more peace of mind,” she says. “It’s what you do. You take care of yourself. You only have one life.”

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However, when Delgado asked her women’s health care specialist about getting injectable PrEP Yeztugo, she was met with a blank stare. They suggested she go to DAP Health’s Orange Clinic in Palm Springs, a bastion of comprehensive, no-shame-no-stigma sexual wellness services.

Delgado’s story illustrates what’s true for many cisgender women who are straight, bisexual, lesbian, or queer and could benefit from PrEP. Even though the medication has been an essential tool for preventing new HIV infections for over a decade, many physicians are still uninformed about it or don’t bring it up with their female patients. Likewise, public health about PrEP often leaves cis women

or body type,” Halperin says. “We have enough options that there’s no one I can think of to whom we cannot prescribe PrEP.” If a patient is sexually active and isn’t in a totally, 100% trusting monogamous relationship with a confirmed HIV-negative partner, the longtime HIV expert recommends they get on PrEP. For women and anyone who can become pregnant, PrEP options include daily oral pills or long-lasting injectables.

Of important note: Historically, the oral pill Descovy was not recommended for preventing HIV via vaginal intercourse, but new panel guidance has updated recommendations so that it’s approved for patients who may be unable to take Truvada.

out. Delgado first learned about it on TV. None of her doctors had ever previously mentioned it.

“You can create a bubble around yourself and take total control of your sex life,” suggests DAP Health Nurse Practitioner of Sexual Wellness Anna Daymon of the Orange Clinic, who cares for Delgado. She adds that for women who rely on a partner to correctly and consistently use a condom, control over their sexual health has been in somebody else’s hands. “In taking PrEP, the power lies completely with the woman. Now, you’re taking care of yourself, keeping yourself healthy, and living your life.”

But the fact is that HIV doesn’t discriminate. Sexual orientation, gender identity, race, or relationship status are irrelevant. Risk is shaped solely by behaviors, biology, community prevalence, and access to prevention.

Fighting the stigma and misconceptions Both Daymon and Halperin say many patients arrive with misconceptions and cultural baggage that create barriers to PrEP access. “I have women who come in and say, ‘Women can’t get HIV,’” Daymon reveals. “But once we get patients in here and we talk about it, they realize PrEP can be for everyone.”

Recent CDC data highlight the real impact of leaving women out of the conversation. According to the agency, women represented nearly 19% of new HIV diagnoses in 2022 but made up only 9% of PrEP users in 2024. Analysis of HIV risk by race shows Black women have much higher lifetime risks than white men, yet white men make up most PrEP users in the U.S.

Halperin often hears from patients who say they would know if a sexual partner was HIV-positive just by looking at them. He’s quick to remind them that the virus knows how to hide in the body, and that it’s typically 10 years post-infection before symptoms manifest.

Experts all agree that, given PrEP’s overwhelming effectiveness, more women becoming aware of and obtaining prescriptions for it could greatly reduce HIV’s spread.

Unique benefits for women DAP Health Director of Specialty Programs Dr. Jason Halperin has two questions he asks every patient to determine if PrEP is right for them: “Are you sexually active?” and “How are you protecting yourself against HIV?” “We should ask those two questions to every single patient that comes into DAP Heath, no matter their gender, gender identity, race,

He also notes that a common misconception around HIV prevention and women’s health is that a routine pap smear will detect HIV infection. To be clear, vaginal swabs only test for chlamydia and gonorrhea. Syphilis and HIV require blood draws.

“I’ve had multiple patients diagnosed with HIV who say, ‘This is impossible! I’ve been seeing my gynecologist every year,’” Halperin says. “It’s really important for women to know they have to request a full STI panel.”

These misconceptions emerge from a culture and medical system that refuse to prioritize sexual health and often stigmatizes those, especially women who do. “Look how regulated birth control is,” Daymon offers. “If there are pockets of society that judge women as

SEPTEMBER 2026 33

DAPHEALTH ‘promiscuous’ for being on birth control, the same label gets applied to PrEP users.”

Daymon explains to patients that getting on PrEP is a responsible, safe part of being a health-conscious adult, but shame and stigma can be hard to shake for many women.

An often-affordable option Some patients assume PrEP is a costly addition to their health regimen. However, DAP Health PrEP Navigation Manager Andrew Glorioso is here to say there are many reasonable means of ensuring protection. “Truvada is readily available,” he says, noting the pills are almost always covered by insurance and that uninsured patients can make use of low-cost generic versions and may even qualify for PrEP assistance programs.

Injectable forms of PrEP can be more expensive and aren’t always covered, but Glorioso says DAP Health’s navigation program exists “to look for solutions and options for individuals to access the type of PrEP they want to access.”

Newer telehealth services can also deliver PrEP directly to patients,

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often for free. Since 2018, the platform MISTR has been offering free, online PrEP consultation and delivery to patients across the country. In 2025, it launched a companion platform called SISTR, which specifically tailors its sexual wellness and PrEP services to women.

“HIV prevention has historically been marketed to gay men, but HIV affects many communities, and women particularly women of color continue to be disproportionately impacted,” says gay entrepreneur extraordinaire Tristan Schukraft, the owner of West Hollywood’s The Abbey and of boutique luxury hotel The Tryst in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

He’s also MISTR’s founder. “We created SISTR to make sure women have a platform, community, and conversation built specifically for them.”

For Delgado, who’s been on PrEP since earlier this year, that access hasn’t radically changed her life or behavior, but she will talk to anyone who’ll listen about her rightful decision to protect herself against HIV. “I’m a true believer that people should have information and education,” she says. “Ultimately, let them decide what works for them.”

To find out more about DAP Health’s sexual wellness services or to learn more about PrEP, please visit www.daphealth.org/sexualand-reproductive-health/

Healthy Living!

C O M M U N I T Y E D U C AT I O N

SEPTEMBER Provider Referral

Need assistance finding a doctor or other provider? Call 760.568.1234.

Quit Smoking Now!

Four-week group-based smoking cessation program.

Visit EisenhowerHealth.org/Calendar to register online, or call 760.834.3798.

Health Insights Blog

Eisenhower Health’s blog featuring articles, videos and podcasts on various health care topics. Visit Insights.EisenhowerHealth.org to learn more.

Living Well Podcast

Living Well is a health and wellness-focused podcast featuring physicians and other health care professionals discussing their areas of expertise. Recent topics include hydration and summer heat, colonoscopies and why they matter more now than ever, blood clot awareness, chronic venous insuffiency, brain health, and what every woman should know about menopause.

Living Well podcasts can be found at EisenhowerHealth.org/Podcast or on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify and TuneIn apps.

Blood Drive

Friday, September 4, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit EisenhowerHealth.org/Calendar to register online, or call 844.380.5220.

Bariatric Surgery: Weigh the Pros and Cons

Saturday, September 12 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Bobby Bhasker-Rao, MD Board Certified in General Surgery Visit EisenhowerHealth.org/Calendar to register online, or call 760.834.3796.

Bariatric Surgery: Weigh the Pros and Cons

Tuesday, September 15 8:15 to 9:30 a.m.

Jorge A. Almodovar, MD Board Certified in General Surgery Visit EisenhowerHealth.org/Calendar to register online, or call 760.834.3796.

Prostate Cancer: Personalized Treatment with Precision Radiation

Selby Dunham Community Lecture Series Thursday, September 17, 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Kamal Patel, MD Board Certified in Radiation Oncology Visit EisenhowerHealth.org/Calendar to register online, or call 760.834.3798.

Bariatric Surgery: Weigh the Pros and Cons

Wednesday, September 23 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Bobby Bhasker-Rao, MD Board Certified in General Surgery Visit EisenhowerHealth.org/Calendar to register online, or call 760.834.3796.

Prostate Cancer: How to Stay Strong Through Treatment

Selby Dunham Community Lecture Series Thursday, September 24, 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Willy Quach, PT, DPT Visit EisenhowerHealth.org/Calendar to register online, or call 760.834.3798.

SUPPORT GROUPS Bariatric Surgery Support Group

Second Monday of the month 6:30 to 8 p.m.

To register, call 760.834.3796.

Breast Cancer Survivors Support Group

First and third Friday of the month 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

For information, call 760.834.3798.

Newly Diagnosed/Active Breast Cancer Treatment Support Group

Every Wednesday 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

For information, call 760.834.3798.

Ostomy Support Group

First Thursday of the month 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

For information, call 760-837-8601.

Parent Support Group

Every Tuesday 10 to 11:30 a.m.

For information, call 760.773.2096.

Prostate Cancer Support Group First and third Monday of the month 4 to 5 p.m.

For information, call 760.834.3798.

Diabetes: Tools, Tricks and Technologies Support Group Third Tuesday of the month (October to June), 3 to 4:30 p.m.

To register, call 760.773.1403.

Grupo Fortaleza

Annenberg Health Sciences Building Eisenhower Family Birth Center

Segundo y cuarto viernes del mes 11 a.m. a mediodía Para registrarse, llame 310.314.2555.

Eisenhower Lucy Curci Cancer Center

Mended Hearts, Inc. Support Group

Eisenhower George and Julia Argyros Health Center

Second Thursday of the month (October to June), 6 to 8 p.m.

To register, call 760.501.5096.

Myeloma Support Group

First Thursday of the month 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

For information, call 760.834.3798.

Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center

Refreshments or meal available Virtual option Phone option

A Healthier Life is in Your Hands Scan the QR code with your mobile device to learn more about all of Eisenhower Health’s lectures, events, classes and support groups — many offering simple online registration.

39000 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270

EisenhowerHealth.org

SEPTEMBER 2026 35

PSP FOCUS CANYON THEATRE ANNOUNCES >> PALM TH 30 ANNIVERSARY SEASON

Palm Canyon Theatre is preparing for its 30th Anniversary Season with individual tickets and season packages now on sale for shows recently announced. The Palm Canyon Theatre is the valley’s oldest producing theatre company running Broadway favorites and classic stage productions from October to July. Tickets are priced from $20-46. Season packages range from $166-$400.

PALM CANYON THEATRE ‘S 2026–2027 SEASON LINE-UP Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Oct. 9–18, 2026 Sordid Lives – Oct. 30–Nov. 15, 2026 The Producers – Nov. 27–Dec. 13, 2026 Evita – Jan. 22–Feb. 14, 2027 Beautiful: The Carole King Musical – Feb. 9–Mar. 7, 2027 Titanic: The Musical – Mar. 12–28, 2027 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels – Apr. 16–May 2, 2027 Die Fledermaus – May 14–16, 2027 The Recipe Box – June 4–13, 2027 Seussical: The Musical – July 23–Aug. 1, 2027

Season subscriptions are on sale now. See all eight productions for only $312; choose any six shows for $240, or any four shows for $166. The popular Patrons’ Choice package offers 10 tickets in any combination for $400. Season subscriptions are available by visiting or calling the Palm Canyon Theatre box office at 760-323-5123, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Individual tickets, including fees, are $46 for adults and $20 for students. Individual tickets may be purchased online at palmcanyontheatre.org or by calling the box office at 760-323-5123. Group discounts are available.

Additional shows will be added throughout the season. Performances are generally 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays and 7 p.m. Thursdays. Palm Canyon Theatre is located at 538 N. Palm Canyon Drive.

>> BORREGO DAYS DESERT FESTIVAL CELEBRATES 60 YEARS OF COMMUNITY

A beloved desert tradition reaches a milestone this fall as the Borrego Days Desert Festival celebrates its 60th anniversary October 17–18, 2026, bringing two days of community, entertainment and family fun to Christmas Circle Community Park in Borrego Springs.

Drive, followed by the traditional hometown parade at 9 a.m.

This year’s festival celebrates six decades of Borrego Days with the theme “Reach for the Stars.” Saturday’s festivities begin at 8:45 a.m. with the National Anthem and a flyover above Palm Canyon

Festivalgoers can enjoy free live entertainment throughout the weekend. Saturday’s lineup includes DJs, PHT and the Honky Tonk Nights, and Nacho Bustillos and Band performing in both Spanish

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The parade travels down Palm Canyon Drive and concludes at Christmas Circle, where the celebration continues throughout the day.

PSP FOCUS

and English. Special afternoon awards will also pay tribute to the festival’s 60th anniversary.

On Sunday, entertainment begins with Coachella’s Mariachi Estrella and concludes with performances by Borrego’s own Borrego Academy of Music and Art. Throughout the weekend, Christmas Circle will come alive with art exhibits, a kid’s zone, food vendors, artisans, educational booths, an adult beer garden, a free-to-enter car show and more. With free admission and activities for all ages, Borrego Days continues its tradition as a family-friendly celebration bring friendly celebration bringing residents and visitors together in the heart of the community.

FESTIVAL HOURS:

Location: Christmas Circle Community Park 700 Palm Canyon Drive Borrego Springs, California Admission & Parking: Admission is free, with free parking available surrounding Christmas Circle and within walking distance of the festival.

Saturday, October 17 | 8:45 a.m.–6:30 p.m.

Sunday, October 18 | 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Festival information, call 760-767-5555 or visit https://borregodays.com/

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SEPTEMBER 2026 37

FEATURE LITTLE NELL IS COMING TO PALM SPRINGS & SHE’S BRINGING THE TIME WARP WITH HER

BY MAX JIMENEZ

Darlings, put down whatever you’re doing - your October 11th just got a whole lot more fabulous.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is rolling into Palm Springs for one spectacular night at the Plaza Theatre, and it’s bringing none other than Nell Campbell — the original, the irreplaceable, the glitterstreaked Columbia herself — along for the ride. If you’ve been waiting fifty years for an excuse to dig out your fishnet stockings, your wait is officially over.

Campbell is hosting the Palm Springs stop of the film’s 40-city “Spooktacular” Tour, a coast-to-coast celebration of the midnight-

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movie institution that has meant more to LGBTQ audiences than perhaps any other film in history. Since its release in 1975, Rocky Horror has functioned as a kind of church for the queer community: a dark, glorious, sequin-encrusted sanctuary where gender was fluid, desire was celebrated, and absolutely nobody was expected to behave. For generations of LGBTQ fans who found in Frank-NFurter’s castle a place where they could finally, fully be themselves, this tour is nothing short of a homecoming.

And if there’s one person who embodies Rocky Horror’s spirit of joyful, unashamed self-expression, it’s Campbell. As Columbia - tap shoes flying, glitter everywhere, heart perpetually on her sleeve -

she brought a chaotic, delirious warmth to the film that fans have never forgotten. More than five decades on, she remains entirely herself about all of it. “I never would have thought all these years later we’d be touring our little ole film,” she says. “I’m so thrilled to get back on the road and to meet several generations of fans.

Looking forward to a lot of fun just like it always was!”

The evening at Plaza Theatre is a full-scale event. The original, unedited film screens alongside a live local Shadow Cast performing in sync on stage. Campbell will be on hand to meet fans, take photos, and preside over proceedings with the effervescent authority that only a genuine Columbia can bring.

Then there’s the “Spooktacular” Costume Contest, in which the audience becomes the show. Prizes go to the top three most magnificent creatures of the night. Palm Springs, a city that has never once needed encouragement to dress up, is going to absolutely obliterate this competition. Sequins are encouraged. Fishnets are practically mandatory. Your most unhinged Frank-N-Furter corset is not only welcome, it is actively requested.

Producer Scott Stander puts it simply: “Fifty years after audiences first discovered The Rocky Horror Picture Show, its message

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FEATURE

of self-expression, acceptance, and community remains as powerful as ever. This tour is more than a screening. It’s a celebration of the fans who have kept Rocky alive for generations.”

In Palm Springs, those fans know exactly who they are. And on

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October 11th, at the Plaza Theatre, Columbia will be there to meet them.

VIP tickets — including a meet-and-greet with Campbell, photo opportunities, and premium seating — are available now, alongside general admission. Visit www.scottstander.com/rocky.html

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PERSPECTIVE WEIGHING ALL OPTIONS

BY JILL LANGHAM

Happy September, everyone! Have you survived this crazy high dew point and humidity? I finally had to get away from it all and headed to Portland and Seattle last month and I am so very happy I did as it gave me a chance to experience both cities at the peak of their seasons. And outside of needing a sinus pill each day, loved everything about both Northwestern cities.

I went to visit my close friend who I had help move up there in February, so I have now experienced a cold month and a perfect month. I will head back up there in October to get a feel for the fall as well. The reason is that I am thinking about leaving the Coachella valley after 22 years of living here!

Now if this comes a shock to you, it is really a bigger shock to me. But, over the last 10 years I have felt such a shift in Palm Springs and its lack of energy and a vibe that I feel like I am dying on the vine, so to speak.

Being in Portland made me really appreciate how much our city has changed and how much it has affected me. The air quality here has changed dramatically and is so often so bad that I live indoors

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and have only been outdoors for a pool party in July and a few days at the pool when my friend Paul was visiting from England back in May! That’s crazy!

My allergies are at an all-time high, the mild emphysema that I was diagnosed with after COVID prevents me from dancing outside if the temperatures are over 80 degrees. It elevates my heart rate so dancing at Oscar’s during the summer months stopped me from joining my Oscar’s family for the last 3 years! Combine that with the overall lack of a vibe and it has me home most Friday nights and Sunday afternoons. It basically sucks and your Dancing Queen feels stuck! HELP! Going to Capitol Hill, the gayborhood in Portland was like going to Arenas back in the mid 2000’s when WANGS was the “it” place. You didn’t want to miss as it set the tone for the whole weekend. The music from 4-7PM was upbeat, sultry, and sexy. You could feel the vibe just walking up to bar after parking on Indian Canyon or in the Rite-Aid parking lot across the street.

Many of us back in the day were coming from work, so we went to bar sober and ready to mix it up. The back bar only had 2 bartenders which everyone hated but since we were standing there and the music wasn’t blaring, we actually talked to one another and got to make new friends, many who ended up becoming our partners or husbands! Go figure.

We all had phones, but they were actually used to make a call. Imagine. There were no apps. We went out to happy hour and followed it up with dinner somewhere downtown promising to meet up at 10PM on Arenas to dance at Hunters or down to Toucan’s Tiki Bar to shake our hips til it was time to head to HeadHunters, Oasis, Heaven or its last name Confession for after hours til 4AM and then do it all again the next night.

Going to CAMP, a new bar that opened in an old location in Capitol Hill felt like those Friday nights at WANGS 20 years ago.

It was wonderful to feel that familiar vibe and even more to run into Palm Springs friends along with fellow Atlantis travelers, White Party attendees and other friends from all over. I felt so alive and the 82-degree weather made it all the more perfect. I felt like I was home.

But please don’t think for a minute that I take my relationship with all of you lightly because I do not. You have held me here these last 22 years. If truth be told, I would like to be in a relationship with a man and have yet to have any luck here for the last 13 years since Steve and I separated. And Portland does have a lot of straight people who were really drawn to me. Straight men were actually striking up conversations. It was amazing! None of them looked at me like I was out of place. Portlandia, the TV show that came out 15 years ago made Portland look weird to me but instead it’s Queer and Queer Portland is calling my name.

So, there is a possibility of a move. But I do have commitments, friends, clients, property, projects, and long-term hopes so I’m here for the time being. I look forward to the opening of the Eagle, hoping it can help revive the energy and vibe that existed in the late 90’s in Cat City which is where all the gay bars were. It would be lovely to stay put but I need for things to change. Let’s see what our ‘26-’27 season has to offer.

Wishing you all the best.

XOXO, Jill, your questioning DQ!

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SEPTEMBER 2026 43

PLAYLIST SUMMER UNLOVIN’

BY ED LEFFERSON

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“Dark Summer” started out as a piano ballad, with Stewart Taylor imagining himself as a male Lana Del Rey as he wrote and sang the lyrics. “I’m a complex person, and I wanted to get in touch with my depression on this song,” the LA-based singer, songwriter, dancer, and model explains.

Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness” and David Bowie’s “Ashes to Ashes” are two of Taylor’s favorite records, and the latter’s synth-heavy, haunting quality became a touchstone as producer Stevie Beerkens helped him chase those influences into a full-blown industrial-pop confessional about heartbreak in Los Angeles. Along the way came a happy accident: the baritone vocals recorded for the chorus weren’t originally meant to be the lead. “I sang them as a backing vocal, but when Stevie and I heard them back, it reminded us of classic Billy Idol records, and we turned them up,” Taylor says.

He hopes listeners tap into their own inner Billy Idol when they hear “Dark Summer” for the first time — and for the music video, he pairs those dark beats with a cinematic, horror-tinged visual that feels perfectly suited to the fall season.

We caught up with Taylor from his home in Los Angeles to talk heartbreak, Billy Idol, and finding the light on the other side of a very dark summer.

“Dark Summer” is a brooding track, Stew — much darker than anything we’ve heard from you before.

I wrote “Dark Summer” about all of the men who have let me down in my life, specifically the ones I’ve dated in Los Angeles. I was having a conversation with a bartender in West Hollywood about the dark nail color she was rocking for the summer, and the whole song idea came to me! I wrote all the lyrics and melodies with my co-writer, Stevie Beerkens, in a session the next day.

The title suggests a contrast of brightness and darkness colliding. What does that tension mean to you personally?

“Dark Summer” and my album as a whole absolutely explore light and dark themes. In my ten years in LA, I’ve had a whirlwind of experiences: relationships, heartbreak, rebirths, successes, and failures. I’m a pretty upbeat and happy person, and I had to fight very hard for the light in my life. This song and album were my way of exercising my demons and bringing them out of the darkness.

How would you describe the song’s sound?

It’s very industrial-pop — a lot darker than anything I’ve done in the past. I’ve been inspired by Lady Gaga’s recent album, Mayhem, as well as Nine Inch Nails records.

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PLAYLIST

What emotions or experiences were you tapping into with this single?

Dating in LA has been hell. It’s definitely not an easy city to find a long-term relationship in, so I had a lot of real-life experiences to draw from when writing the lyrics. “Crying while I’m wearing my shades” came from a memory of an ex making me cry in the club and having to wear my shades for the rest of the night. Lots of broken promises, lies, and heartbreak resulted in this song.

How does “Dark Summer” fit within your artistic evolution, from your earlier singles to now?

Evolving as an artist has always been very important to me, and “Dark Summer” is definitely a new chapter for me musically. My debut album is done, and it has a lot of different textures — I sing pop, rock, and R&B, and land somewhere in between those genres.

“Dark Summer” is the first taste of that.

So, there is a larger project that fans can look forward to?

I’ve been releasing singles and music videos from my debut album for over a year, and “Dark Summer” is another taste of what’s to come. Writing, recording, and producing a full, twelve-song album has been a ton of work. I’ve pushed back the release many times to really get it right, and it’s steadily become my magnum opus. The album is a journey, for sure!

What ideas or imagery guided the creative direction for the music video?

I wanted the visual to be very cinematic, like old horror films or James Dean classics like Rebel Without a Cause. In “Dark Summer,” I play a walking-dead James Dean. Sporting a red jacket and animatronic angel wings, I created a story of James falling from

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Heaven to haunt Hollywood for a day. He gets used and abused by a lot of powerful men in Hollywood and ultimately dies a tragic death in a car accident. I wrote the song about feeling beat up and scarred by love, or the lack thereof, and the music video was a way of exploring my connection to him.

Is it true that an encounter with Justin Timberlake inspired all the blood in the music video?

(Laughing) Yes! Working with Justin Timberlake on his “No Angels” music video absolutely inspired me to explore darker themes in my own work. Justin had me drenched in fake blood while dancing with him, so it’s his fault I went bloody in this video!

The choreography in your videos is always dynamic and full of storytelling. How does the movement in “Dark Summer” help express the song’s emotions or narrative?

I worked with my longtime friend and choreographer, Julie Vegliante Knight, on the “Dark Summer” choreography. We were inspired by Lady Gaga’s “Dead Dance” video, directed by Tim Burton — her performance was very evil-dead and zombie-coded, and I wanted to tap into that energy during my own dance sequences.

How do you want “Dark Summer” to change the way people see you as an artist?

I’m not just the fun, twenty-something pop singer who released “Mess Your Hair Up” in 2019. I have so many layers as a person and as an artist, and “Dark Summer” really explores and embraces my dark side.

Follow Stewart Taylor on Instagram & TikTok @imstewarttaylor

MUSTSEE A RIVER FINDS ITS FLOW: GRACE WALCOTT ON RIVER OF LIFE, LGBTQ+

BY MICK SANDOVAL

When Grace Walcott first imagined a documentary that would bring LGBTQ+ people together to build a space of acceptance, she worried the idea was too simple — not “cutting-edge” enough to matter. She needn’t have worried. By building a mixed-identity, intergenerational group and setting a tone of curiosity and compassion, River of Life, LGBTQ, releasing October 11, creates something far more radical than she could have imagined.

Within the first weeks of filming, participants began telling her they’d never felt this comfortable in the LGBTQ+ community. Trans participants said they’d never been in a mixed group where they could speak candidly about being trans and still feel fully accepted.

Elders described the relief of finally being seen and valued by a younger generation.

“Toni Morrison said if there’s a book you want to read that hasn’t been written yet, you have to write it,” Walcott says from her home in Oakland. “This was the workshop I needed. It helped me see that I could trust both my therapeutic and artistic instincts — that connection and mutual recognition can be transformative, even radically liberating.”

We spoke with Walcott about the film, her own journey, and why she believes unity — not sameness — is what will carry the LGBTQ+ community through this moment.

You’ve said art can be “a portal through which we find meaning and healing.” What does that mean in practice?

As a drama therapist, I’ve seen firsthand how art becomes a pathway to healing. When people come together in a group, we create through play, improvisation, storytelling, and movement — unpacking trauma in ways ordinary conversation can’t reach. That’s what I wanted to show in the film: healing as a creative, communal, playful process. The subject is serious — internalized oppression can decimate individuals and communities — but healing doesn’t have to be solemn. Laughter and play help us survive dark times.

The film’s title comes from a drama-therapy exercise where you map your life as a river — the flow, and the rocks. What did your own river look like?

For a long time, it felt blocked by a societal dam. I was married to a man but still felt part of me was a lesbian. I had an affair with a woman, and a lesbian friend was dismissive of it; two close friends even refused to march with me in the Dyke March. Other friends welcomed me and marched by my side, but I still felt insecure about where I belonged. Later, when I began marching with trans people, the dam finally broke, and my life started to flow more freely.

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MUSTSEE

Why was that?

I realized my queerness isn’t only about who I’m attracted to — it’s about my gender identity, too. I identify fully as a woman, and also as male. Recognizing that duality was deeply liberating.

Mapping my river, I saw it had been an underground spring beneath my whole journey — sometimes hidden, but always there.

So where are you today?

In an exhilarating stretch of rushing rapids. My river doesn’t feel dammed anymore — it feels connected to something larger than itself: my love and devotion to my LGBTQ+ community.

This film is a love letter to that community. I regularly facilitate drama therapy groups for LGBTQ+ participants, and attendance can be inconsistent. But all 13 participants in this film showed up for ten consecutive weeks, three hours a night. I think what sustained that

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was knowing we were healing and making the film together — and that their voices mattered.

Elders in the film recall surviving bar raids and the AIDS crisis, while younger participants challenge them on gender in real time. Where did you find yourself in that exchange?

Somewhere in between — a bridge between the elders’ history and the younger generation’s evolving language around gender. I remember when it was more dangerous to be openly gay. I was living in New York during the AIDS crisis, when the government ignored the epidemic because gay men were seen as having brought it on themselves. ACT UP was one of the most successful liberation campaigns ever, and it was full of gutsy humor and solidarity. That fear, anger, and resilience are part of me — they connect me to the elders in the film, and to our history.

Are today’s generation fighting a similar battle with gender?

I feel enormous gratitude for the energy coming from younger queer people. One of the elders in the film, Sim, says: “In this younger generation, it’s like they have a kaleidoscope, and nobody’s afraid to turn the dial and discover something about themselves.” I feel that way too. Their openness to questioning and deconstructing gender invites all of us to stay curious and keep evolving. You’ve said the current political climate is scapegoating trans people to divide the LGBTQ+ community, and that this film is your answer — a case for unity.

With the Trump administration targeting trans people to divide us, it’s crucial that we make an extra effort to understand one another and the power of our shared history. Division makes us easy targets.

Connection gives us strength — and political power.

Is there a divide between the younger and older generations?

While making the film, I was struck by how many younger participants didn’t know about Anita Bryant, or how the gay community organized against her — or how ACT UP pressured the pharmaceutical industry to speed up clinical trials for lifesaving drugs. I recently spoke with a gay man in his thirties who’d never heard about the time ACT UP put a giant condom over Senator Jesse Helms’s house. What a bold, hilarious statement that was.

If the film has a call to action, it’s in that spirit. It asks us to remember that we’ve survived by standing together — while recognizing that unity doesn’t mean sameness. Protecting the community means making room for difference, disagreement, and ongoing change. It means defending the right of every queer person — including me — to discover who we are and keep becoming.

For more information, visit RiverofLifeLGBTQ.com.

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CALENDAR

SEPT 17-20 FRESNO REEL PRIDE LGBTQ FILM FEST. FRESNO, CA Since its inception in a classroom at Fresno State in 1990, Fresno Reel Pride has grown to become the sixth oldest and one of the largest gay and lesbian film festival in the United States. Reel Pride is a celebration of gay and lesbian cinema and is a premiere cultural event in Central California attracting thousands of attendees to its four-day festival of international features, documentaries and short films. www.reelpride.com

SEPT 23-26 INTERNATIONAL BEAR BASH ORLANDO, FLORIDA International Bear Bash is Orlando’s longrunning gay bear weekend — a lateSeptember gathering of bears, cubs, leather guys, and men in uniform that takes over a host hotel for days of pool parties, socials, and one very big ball. Known for years as Orlando Bear Bash and running since 2010, it’s grown into an international draw that pairs a warm, come-as-you-are bear community with the one thing Orlando does better than anywhere: turning a weekend into a full-on vacation. https://outxout.com/ event/international-bear-bash

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SEPT 27 FOLSOM STREET FAIR. SAN FRANCISCO, CA Folsom Street cultivates a safe, open, and inclusive environment for the kink, leather, and alternative sexuality communities while centering equity for BIPOC and LGBTQA2I+ people. We are rooted historically in the fight against gentrification and displacement here in San Francisco, on unceded Ohlone land, and worldwide. We unite, strengthen, and affirm the community through support, resources, education, advocacy, visibility, and celebration. We are dedicated to sexual liberation and the human right to pleasure as a crucial part of the liberation movement. www.folsomstreet.org https://gaykeywestfl.com/tropical-heat/

SEPT 24-OCT 4 OUT ON FILM ATLANTA, GEORGIA Out On Film is an eleven-day cinematic journey of our lives, culture and identity. Our stories of how we live, love, laugh, and grieve. Stories chronicling our history, struggles, present, and how we fight today. www.outonfilm.org

OCT 9-11 OURFEST 2026 PHILADELPHIA PA OURfest is the first festival and parade in the United States envisioned to commemorate National Coming Out Day — and it happens in Philadelphia every October. Three days of celebration honoring the LGBT+ community’s journeys, resilience, and radiance. Anchored by a parade through the Gayborhood, a free festival, resource fair, and dozens of independent events across the weekend. https://phillygaycalendar.com/ourfest/

OCT 10- 11 ATLANTA PRIDE 2026. ATLANTA GEORGIA Every October, we throw the biggest party in town—the Atlanta Pride Festival! It’s the nation’s largest free Pride festival, with a massive parade that energizes the streets.

But that’s not all we do! Atlanta Pride runs a year-round schedule of educational, social, and cultural events to keep the community engaged and inspired. We also give back through partnerships with other organizations and grantmaking initiatives to support local LGBTQ+ causes. www.atlantapride.org

SEPT 18-26 QUEER LISBOA LISBON PORTUGAL Queer Lisboa is the sole Portuguese film festival with the specific purpose of screening films about gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, intersex and other non-normative sexualities and identities, in a genre coined internationally as “Queer Cinema”. This is a genre with an increasing presence in major international film festivals and it is our goal to program the most aesthetic and narrative-wise relevant titles within world cinema, aiming to bridge the fact that these films are of limited access to larger audiences. https://queerlisboa.pt/

AUG 20-25 XLSIOR MYKONOS. MYKONOS, GREECE One island, over 30,000 people from all over the world all connected by love and the universal language of music. This is who we are and this is what XLSIOR is all about. Old friends, new friends and loved ones. This is where all the magic begins. Bringing you one of the most exclusive international Summer Gay Festivals in the world. As every year, XLSIOR grows bigger and brings you more.

For info visit www.xlsiorfestival.com

AUG 28- 30 ITALY’S BIGGEST PRIDE PARTY GALLIPOLI, PUGLIA, ITALY Imagine thousands of rainbow colors, breathtaking Mediterranean sunsets, worldfamous beaches, incredible music, new friendships, and the unmistakable energy of an Italian summer celebration. Welcome to Big Pride Party, the largest LGBTQ+ beach party experience in Italy and one of the most exciting Pride celebrations in Southern Europe. Created by Italy Gay Travels, Big Pride Party brings together LGBTQ+ travelers from around the world for an unforgettable long weekend of sunshine, freedom, connection, and pure joy in the spectacular seaside destination of Gallipoli, Puglia. This is more than a party. It is a celebration of Pride, community, friendship, and the freedom to be yourself in one of the most beautiful corners of Italy. www.italygaytravels.com/big-pride-party

AUG 27-SEP 4 ELLA INTERNATIONAL LESBIAN FESTIVAL PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN Welcome to the ELLA Festival, a culture, music, art and sports Festival thought for the modern LGBT woman in the gorgeous island of Mallorca, just a couple of flight hours away from your city! Enjoy the sun, the crystalline sea, lay down on the beach, vibrate to the sound of the best international artists and shows, and meet women from all over the world! www.ellafestival.com

SEPT 3-6 RVK REYKJAVIK BEARS REYKJAVIK, ICELAND RVKBear is not just a bear weekend. It’s an intimate gathering where bears, chasers and admirers from all around the world get to meet the Icelandic community, through exclusive experiences for our event pass holders. Whether it is soaking in our natural hot springs, experiencing the beautiful landscapes of Iceland, or dancing the night away, we make sure to bring a smile on your bear face and to help you meet new friends.www.reykjavikbear.is

SEPT 10-27 VANCOUVER QUEER FILM FESTIVAL. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA Illuminating queer lives through film; Out On Screen has proudly presented films that showcase the transformative moments in the lives of queer people. Telling stories of the journeys we have taken to find ourselves, each other and our place in the world. For complete schedule of films visit www.queerfilmfestival.ca

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the3D’S DINE | DRINK | DANCE

KOFFI NORTH (3 Additional Locations) 515 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.416.2244 www.kofficoffee.com

TOWNIE BAGELS 650 E Sunny Dunes Rd #5 Palm Springs, CA 92264 760.459.4555 www.towniebagels.com

THAI SMILE PALM SPRINGS 100 South Indian Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.320.5503 www.thaismilepalmsprings.com

BOOZEHOUNDS PALM SPRINGS 2080 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.656.0067 www.boozehoundsps.com

ON THE MARK 111 N Palm Canyon Dr. #155 Palm Springs CA 92262 760.832.8892 www.onthemarkpalmsprings.com

TRIO RESTAURANT 707 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.864.8746 www.triopalmsprings.com

1501 UPTOWN 1501 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.320.1501 www.1501uptown.com

SHERMAN’S DELI & BAKERY 401 E Tahquitz Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.325.1199 www.shermansdeli.com

ZIN AMERICAN BISTRO 198 S Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 760.322.6300 www.pszin.com

TAC/QUILA 415 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.417.4471 www.tacquila.com

52 THESTANDARDPS.COM

849 849 N Palm Canyon Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.325.8490 www.eight4nine.com

LULU CALIFORNIA BISTRO 200 S Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.327.5858 www.lulupalmsprings.com

EL MIRASOL 140 E Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.323.0721 www.elmirasolrestaurants.com PINOCCHIO IN THE DESERT

134 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.322.3776 www.pinocchiops.com

BLACKBOOK BAR 315 E Arenas Road Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.832.8497 www.blackbookbar.com

HUNTERS NIGHTCLUB 302 East Arenas Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.323.0700 www.huntersnightclubs.com

TOUCAN’S TIKI LOUNGE 2100 North Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.416.7584 www.toucanstikilounge.com

QUADZ 200 S Indian Canyon Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.778.4326 ROOST BAR LOUNGE

CHILL BAR 217 E. Arenas Road Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.327.1079 www.chillbarpalmsprings.com

68718 E Palm Canyon Dr #203 Cathedral City CA 92234 760.507.8495 www.theroostcc.com

REFORMA 333 S. Palm Canyon #2 Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.902.6630 www.reformaps.com DICK’S

301 E Arenas Road Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.327.0753 www.dicksps.com

JAKES 664 N Palm Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262 760-327-4400 www.jakespalmsprings.com

OSCAR’S 125 E.Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, CA 92262 760-325-1188 www.oscarspalmsprings.com

ONE ELEVEN BAR

STREETBAR 224 E. Arenas Road Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.320.1266 www.psstreetbar.com

67555 E Palm Canyon Dr A103 Cathedral City, CA 92234 760.537.3111 www.oneelevenbar.com

TOAST’D 190 S Indian Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262 442-268-5525 www.toastedinps.com

TRILUSSA 68-718 E Palm Canyon Dr 201 Cathedral City CA 92234 760-328-2300 www.trilussarestaurant.com

RUNWAY

THE TOOL SHED 600 E. Sunny Dunes Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.320.3299 www.toolshed-ps.com

68300 Gay Resort Dr Cathedral City, CA 92234 760.537.7800 www.runwayccbc.com

BROKEN YOLK CAFE 155 S Palm Canyon Dr.B-21 Palm Springs, CA 92262 760-656-9655 www.thebrokenyolkcafe.com

SEPTEMBER 2026 53

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COMING UP NEXT MONTH BE INCLUDED GREATER PALM SPRINGS PRIDE 54 THESTANDARDPS.COM

2026-2027 EVENTS

DATE

EVENT

Sept 3 - 5

Women’s Jazz Festival / 2026 Blues at the Woodstock

Sept 11

KGAY’s Big Splash POOL PARTY!

Sept 13

“Weird Al” Yankovic - Bigger & Weirder 2026 Tour

Sept 15

International Day of Democracy 2026

Sept 16

Business Expo: Taste of Palm Springs

Sept 17 - 27

Cinema Diverse 2026 / Palm Springs Cultural Center

Sept 18 - 20

Gay Days Anaheim 2026

Sept 30 - Oct 4

The Dinah 2026

Oct 3

One Night Out: Tokyo / The Foundation for PSUSD

Oct 8 - 11

Joshua Tree Music Festival Fall 2026

Oct 10

Paint El Paseo Pink - Desert Cancer Foundation

Oct 10 - 11

Head Trip

Oct 15 - 18

Modernism Week - October 2026

Oct 16

The Center “Center Stage” @ The PS Air Museum

Oct 18

10,000 Maniacs @ The Plaza Theatre

Oct 25

62nd Annual Golf Cart Parade

Oct 29 - Nov 1

Valhalla: Palm Springs Leather Pride

Oct 30 - 31

Halloween Palm Springs 2026 / Arenas Road

Oct 31

The B-52s * Devo: Cosmic De-Evolution Tour

Nov 5 - 8

Palm Springs Pride 2026 - 40th Anniversary

Nov 7

HRC Palm Springs Garden Party

Nov 7

Palm Springs Pride 5K Run & Walk 2026

Nov 7

John Cameron Mitchell: Hedwig 25th Anniv. Movie Tour

Nov 7

Margaret Cho: Choligarchy

Nov 13 - 15

Palm Springs Food & Wine Festival

Nov 20 - 22

McCormick’s Palm Springs Classic Car Auction

Nov 21

Robin Thicke at Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival

Dec 6

17th Annual Men of the Desert Fashion Show & Luncheon

Jan 7 - 18

Palm Springs International Film Festival 2027

Feb 11 - 21

Modernism Week 2027

Feb 18 - 22

International Bear Convergence - IBC 2027

Feb 28 - Mar 14

BNP Paribas Open 2027

Mar 6

RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq The World 2027 Tour

Your Insiders Guide To All Things LGBTQ+ In The Coachella Valley!

GayDesertGuide.LGBT KGAYPalmSprings.com

SEPTEMBER 2026 55

SCAN ME

BE INCLUDED CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF DESERT PRIDE

NOVEMBER 6-8, 2026 DOWNTOWN PALM SPRINGS

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