February 27, 2025, edition of the Bay Area Reporter
Dai’s Sunshine application appears in doubt
by Cynthia Laird
ASan Francisco lesbian’s application to the San Francisco Sunshine Ordinance Task Force appears to be in jeopardy after Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman said Monday that he could not support the nominee because he disagrees with her. A motion from the Rules Committee to forward Cynthia Dai’s name to the full board with a positive recommendation failed, and the panel continued the item until next week.
Dai, a former member of the San Francisco Elections Commission, first spoke at the committee’s February 10 meeting, where she was the only applicant for the sunshine task force. There, several members of the public spoke against her, mainly because they didn’t like actions the elections panel took in 2022 during the city’s contentious redistricting process. The elections commission had three appointees on the redistricting task force and, at one point, the commission eyed removing them, though that did not happen.
This is the second time this month the supervisorial oversight panel has postponed recommending someone for the task force seat. At its February 10 meeting, the committee members continued the matter to February 24, and Mandelman hinted there might be more applicants interested in the Sunshine panel. Voters approved the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force 27 years ago. Its purpose is to protect the public’s interest in open government. It also provides information to city departments on appropriate ways to implement the Sunshine Ordinance.
On Monday, there indeed was another applicant, San Francisco resident Honest Charley Bodkin, a former reporter for the Los Angeles Times and open government advocate. He said that he is currently an active member of the Haight Ashbury Neighborhood Council.
But after hearing from Bodkin, Dai, and their supporters, Mandelman said he could not support Dai.
“I have struggled with this appointment,” said Mandelman, a member of the rules committee.
“I’m impressed with Cynthia Dai and the work she’s done. The challenge for me is I think I disagree with her. I have in the past and I think I will in the future.”
See page 8 >>
Changes come to Give OUT Day as Horizons Foundation bows out
by Cynthia Laird
Give OUT Day, the national online fundraising project to help LGBTQ nonprofits, will be different this year. San Francisco-based Horizons Foundation, which has overseen the campaign for the last nine years, is bowing out and handing the reins to a Minnesota-based organization.
Horizons announced the changes February 13 in a letter to organizations that have participated before and stated that GiveMN will be overseeing Give OUT Day.
The main 24-hour period for Give OUT Day will be Thursday, June 5. But Jenna Ray, interim executive director of GiveMN, told the Bay Area Reporter that Give OUT Day will open for early giving on May 15 and the site will continue to accept donations through June’s Pride Month.
“We’re really trying to find a balance and build in a flexible time frame,” Ray said in a February 19 phone call.
Registration for nonprofits opened Tuesday, February 25.
GiveMN does take a small percentage of donations, Ray explained, but if people opt to cover that cost when they make their contribution, then 100% will go to the designated nonprofit.
GiveMN has expertise in such online donor campaigns, Ray said. In fact, it served as an early adviser
Changes are coming to Give OUT Day, which is set for June 5 this year.
to Give OUT Day years ago. Minnesota’s annual giving holiday campaign, a statewide fundraiser for nonprofits, was started by GiveMN, she added.
“It helps support small and medium nonprofits,” she said of the Minnesota effort.
Roger Doughty, a gay man who is president of Horizons Foundation, told the B.A.R. that the decision to end involvement in Give OUT Day was difficult, but that the LGBTQ philanthropic organization could not shoulder the costs since it lost funding from foundations that helped support expenses
associated with Give OUT Day, including staff time. (Horizons did not raise any money for itself through Give OUT Day, Doughty said.)
by John Ferrannini
C“The truth of it is we always put our resources into the day in partnership with other funders,” Doughty said in a February 12 phone interview to discuss the changes. “It was becoming financially tenuous to do it. Two main organizations – one left LGBTQ funding – weren’t able to increase their grants and we couldn’t make up the difference.”
See page 8 >>
Most of Castro will remain under SFPD’s Mission Station
2017 Media Kit 0 a
astro officials are reacting positively to the news that much of the neighborhood will remain within the San Francisco Police Department’s Mission Station boundaries. Last fall, SFPD raised the idea of changing boundaries of several police precincts throughout the city, including moving the Castro fully into Park Station.
Then, in December, it was revealed that the Castro precinct boundaries likely would not change. That was also indicated in a report that came out this month.
As the Bay Area Reporter previously reported, the SFPD was considering a change of the boundaries so the entire Castro would be in Park Station. As it is, Mission Station, the precinct of which is located at 630 Valencia Street, covers the Castro south of Market Street. Park Station, the precinct of which is located at 1899 Waller Street in Golden Gate Park, covers north of Market Street.
“I think it’s the right call,” gay Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman, who as District 8 supervisor represents the Castro, stated to the B.A.R. “Castro residents and merchants have worked closely with Mission Station on the various public safety and quality of
According to a report from the San Francisco Police Department, most of the Castro will remain in the Mission Station precinct.
life issues impacting the neighborhood. There are established relationships and protocols, and I understand the community being reluctant to start from scratch with a new station.”
A February 19 report from the SFPD titled “District Station Boundaries Analysis & Recommendations” seems to be the death knell for any changes in the Castro. The report shows
that though a recommended map would have moved the Park Station boundaries into the Castro, the proposed map does not.
The Los Angeles Blade covers Los Angeles and California news, politics, opinion, arts and entertainment and features national and international coverage from the Blade’s award-winning reporting team. Be part of this exciting publication serving LGBT Los Angeles from the team behind the Washington Blade, the nation’s first LGBT newspaper. From the freeway to the Beltway we’ve got you covered.
The report further lists that, after hearing from unnamed stakeholders, the project team included “Castro neighborhood: Move from Mission Station to Park Station to receive more attention and response” among its discussions. It does not state why this was not done.
A spokesperson for SFPD Chief William Scott didn’t return a request for comment.
Dave Burke, a straight ally who is the public safety liaison for District 8, stated that it’s his understanding this is the end of the possibility, for now at least. Mission Station deals with more crime than Park does, and is home to the officers who walk a foot beat in the Castro daily, he said.
“I think this is a net positive,” he said. “My concern was we were going to lose our officers in the Castro every single day. I was rooting for staying in the Mission Station.”
Nonetheless, “It’s not like we’re Texas and Oklahoma. We do a lot of great work across lines,” he said.
Terry Asten Bennett, a straight ally who is president of the Castro Merchants Association, agreed that a shakeup wasn’t the best for the neighborhood.
See page 9 >>
Cynthia Dai’s application to the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force appears to be in jeopardy.
Screengrab from SFGovTV
Health matters dominate CA LGBTQ bill focus
by Matthew S. Bajko
As has been the case in recent legislative sessions in Sacramento, health matters continue to dominate LGBTQrelated bills. Those moving forward this year aim to address the needs of queer and transgender youth, adults, and those individuals living with HIV.
Lesbian state Senator Caroline Menjivar (D-San Fernando Valley) is hoping the third time’s the charm for expanding youth access to condoms. The past two years Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed bills she carried aiming to do so due to their high price tag, even after state lawmakers last year had allocated $5 million in funding over three years for providing free condoms to ninth through 12th graders in California public schools.
Menjivar is back this session with a tweaked approach to the issue. Among the provisions of her Senate Bill 608 is a ban on public schools serving grades 7-12 from prohibiting school-based health centers from making internal and external condoms available and easily accessible to pupils at school-based health center sites. It would also restrict public school officials from prohibiting condom distribution in the context of educational and public health program initiatives, such as sex education, classes by community partners, peer health programs, campus health fairs, or distributed by school-based health staff.
“By expanding access to condoms in California schools and communities, we are empowering the youth who decide to become sexually active to protect themselves and their partners from STIs, while also removing barriers that potentially shame them and lead to unsafe sex,” stated Menjivar.
Her bill would also grant authority to the California Department of Education for monitoring schools’ compliance with the California Healthy Youth Act. It took effect in 2016 and required that all comprehensive sexual health and HIV prevention instruction and materials in grades K-12 be inclusive of LGBTQ students.
And SB 608 would also prohibit pharmacies and retailers from requiring customers to present identification for condom or non-prescription contraception purchases.
“We have made significant progress in reducing barriers to sexual and reproductive health care in California, but too many young people – especially LGBTQIA+ youth and youth of color – continue to experience health inequities and face barriers to evidence-based prevention strategies like accessing condoms,” stated Amy Moy, co-CEO of Essential Access Health, one of the
State Senator Caroline Menjivar, left, is back with a condom bill for schools, while Assemblymember Mark González has introduced a bill that would require the Trevor Project’s 24/7 hotline number on student ID cards.
organizations co-sponsoring the legislation. “SB 608 is a youth-informed policy solution for addressing the STI epidemic among California youth and ensuring youth have the tools they need to protect their health and futures.”
Amid the Trump administration’s attacks on gender-affirming care for minors and policies supportive of transgender and nonbinary youth, gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) is aiming to strengthen California being a transgender sanctuary state.
In 2022, he authored the bill declaring the Golden State a refuge for parents and their transgender children seeking gender-affirming health care banned in their home states.
For the past two years it has been California policy to reject any out-of-state court judgments removing trans kids from their parents’ custody because they allowed them to receive gender-affirming health care. State health officials are also forbidden from complying with subpoenas seeking health records and any information related to such criminal cases, and public safety officers must make outof-state criminal arrest warrants for such parents their lowest priority.
Now, with his SB 497, Wiener wants the state to go further by requiring warrants for law enforcement requests to access sensitive medical data through the state’s health care database, such as who has a testosterone prescription, and making it a misdemeanor to access and knowingly share such information from the database without a warrant to unauthorized parties. The bill would also expand California’s transgender shield laws to prohibit health care providers from complying with subpoenas requiring the disclosure of medical information related to gender-affirming health care.
And it would make clear the Legislature’s intent is “to ensure that educators
that may face retaliation or prosecution under President Trump’s Executive Order on Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling for prioritizing the safety and well-being of transgender youth are protected.” Issued in January, the presidential order threatens teachers’ certifications for such things as using a student’s preferred name and pronouns and threatens the federal funding for schools that allow trans students to use bathrooms or locker rooms that correspond to their lived gender, or take other pro-LGBTQ stances. Such policies are required in California public schools by state law.
“California must strongly reject Trump’s disgusting efforts to distract from his own incompetent failures by demonizing our transgender neighbors,” stated Wiener, who had said he would be filing such a bill at a news conference he held with LGBTQ families and leaders in late January. “The president is attempting to eliminate trans people’s very existence in the eyes of the law, and he has made clear he is willing to violate laws and norms to target them. We must do all we can to prevent him, his lawless administration, and his cruel extremist allies from abusing Californians’ sensitive medical information.”
Legal services
In a similar vein, gay Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood) has introduced Assembly Bill 715, the California Attorney Protection Act, to update the State Bar Act. It aims to protect attorneys from disciplinary action when providing legal services to patients, medical providers, and others seeking or offering health care services like gender-affirming care or reproductive services that are lawful in California but may be illegal in other states.
“As hostile state legislatures across the country criminalize reproductive health
care and gender-affirming care, California must continue to lead as a beacon of justice,” Zbur stated. “AB 715 ensures that attorneys in our state can provide critical legal assistance to patients, providers, and families without fear of reprisal for defending rights that are fundamental in California. This bill is not just about protecting attorneys – it’s about protecting the people they represent.”
At the start of the year Wiener had introduced SB 59, officially known as the Transgender Privacy Act, to require court records related to the gender transitions of transgender and nonbinary adults in California be sealed in order to protect their privacy in line with such protections afforded to trans and nonbinary youth under the age of 18 by a state law adopted in 2023. Should SB 59 be enacted into law, it would apply retroactively to make confidential all records relating to previous name, gender, and/or sex change petitions held by state courts, as the Bay Area Reporter had noted in covering its introduction last month.
And under AB 1084 introduced by Zbur, the legal process to change one’s name to conform with their gender identity would be made easier for both adults and minors. It would also speed up the process for issuing new identification documents or records like a marriage or birth certificate to those updating their sex and gender identifier, with the bill taking effect immediately should it become law.
As of March 1, health care service plans and health insurers will be required to see that all of their staff who are in direct contact with enrollees or insureds in the delivery of care or enrollee or insured services to complete evidence-based cultural competency training for the purpose of providing trans-inclusive health care for individuals who identify as transgender, gender diverse, or intersex. Via Menjivar’s SB 418, the state’s Health and Safety Code would define discrimination on the basis of sex to include intersex traits, pregnancy, and gender identity.
It would also “prohibit a health care service plan or health insurer from taking specified actions relating to providing access to health programs and activities, including, but not limited to, denying or limiting health services to an individual based upon the individual’s sex assigned at birth, gender identity, or gender otherwise recorded.” It would also prohibit a health care service plan or health insurer based on a person’s sex from “denying, canceling, limiting, or refusing to issue or renew health insurance coverage or other health-related coverage, or denying or limiting coverage of a claim, or imposing additional cost shar-
ing or other limitations or restrictions on coverage.”
To deal with inflated rates of suicidal ideation in LGBTQ youth, schools in the state serving students in grades 7 to 12, as well as colleges and universities, that issue student identification cards would need to include by July 1, 2026, the Trevor Project’s 24 hours per day, seven days per week suicide hotline under AB 727 by gay Assemblymember Mark González (D-Los Angeles). As the bill specifies, the telephone number is 1-866-488-7386, while the text line can be accessed by texting START to 678-678.
Meanwhile, under AB 678 by bisexual Assemblymember Alex Lee (D-San Jose) the state’s Interagency Council on Homelessness would need to coordinate with LGBTQ+ community leaders to identify recommended policies and best practices for providing inclusive and culturally competent services to LGBTQ+ people experiencing homelessness. The council would need “to develop recommendations to, among other things, expand data collection to understand the needs and experiences of LGBTQ+ people in state homelessness programs,” per the bill, and would have to submit a report by January 1, 2027, to the Legislature with its recommended actions.
Recognition for Two-Spirits
Several items moving through the Legislature this year aim to provide recognition for Native Americans who identify as two-spirit. As the B.A.R. noted in a story last fall about a groundbreaking study about the Bay Area’s two-spirit community, the term is often not included when talking about the transgender and queer communities.
For example, several years ago state legislators established the Transgender, Gender Nonconforming, and Intersex Wellness and Equity Fund to provide funding for services and programs catering to such individuals. Now, via AB 1487 authored by Assemblymember Dawn Addis (DMorro Bay), it would be renamed the Two-Spirit, Transgender, Gender Nonconforming, and Intersex (2TGI) Wellness and Equity Fund.
And Senate Resolution 22 introduced by Wiener to mark March 31, 2025, as Transgender Day of Visibility and have the state Senate proclaim March 24 through March 28 as Transgender Week of Visibility, includes the 2TGI acronym throughout. It also begins with an explanation for the origin of the term two-spirit.
Courtesy the subjects
Maria Manetti Shrem and Elizabeth Segerstrom California Orchestra Residency
“Devoted to tending the fire of tradition” (The New York Times), the magnificent Vienna Philharmonic returns with three programs of symphonic masterworks featuring star conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin. With his signature energy and dramatic flair, NézetSéguin leads the orchestra through repertoire at the very core of the ensemble’s more than 180-year history.
Mar 5–7
ZELLERBACH HALL, BERKELEY
Mahler Chamber Orchestra
Mitsuko Uchida, piano and director
José Maria Blumenschein, concertmaster and leader
The superlative orchestra and magisterial pianist make their eagerly anticipated return, continuing a multiyear project to bring Mozart’s piano concertos to Berkeley. A revered Mozartean, Uchida has lived with these works for decades, performing and recording them to great acclaim.
Mar 23
ZELLERBACH HALL, BERKELEY
BAY AREA PREMIERE William Kentridge’s The Great Yes, The Great No A Cal Performances Co-commission
The internationally acclaimed South African artist returns to campus with his latest creation for the stage, a chamber opera set that takes place on a 1941 sea voyage from Marseille to Martinique. The production merges surrealist imagery with real-life historical events, lush South African choral music, dance, and poetry.
An Illuminations: “Fractured History” event. calperformances.org/illuminations
Mar 14–16
ZELLERBACH HALL, BERKELEY
Alvin Ailey
American Dance Theater
Strength, precision, and passion remain the hallmarks of this august company more than 65 years after its inception. Ailey’s dancers return to Berkeley with new and classic works that illuminate the rich panorama of Black American experience.
Apr 8–13
ZELLERBACH HALL, BERKELEY
Candidates vie to replace disgraced Torres << Election 2025
by Matthew S. Bajko
At certain homes he visits as he campaigns for the District 3 seat on the San Jose City Council, Anthony Tordillos is confronted with a question most people seeking public office don’t have to field. While mostly said in jest, multiple people have asked, “You aren’t a pedophile, right?”
“You have to take it on a case-by-case basis and consider where is the person coming from? Is it an ill attempt at humor or a dig at something deeper?” said Tordillos, a gay man who chairs his city’s planning commission. “I reassure folks there is nothing in my history to be concerned about.”
Fellow candidate Gabriela “Gabby” Chavez-Lopez, as a Latina seeking the seat, has encountered a different sense of mistrust from voters as she seeks their support. In some of her conversations with the people she meets on the campaign trail, there is an undercurrent of misgiving about electing – and being let down by – another Latino community member to the seat that represents much of downtown San Jose.
“What I find is it is not about issues. It
is not about ideology. They want to hear, to know you are a good person,” said Chavez-Lopez, the executive director of South Bay nonprofit Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley. “They want to know you are not going to lie to them. They want to know you have concern and will care for the community.”
The pall the two newcomers to seeking public office are encountering
stem from the scandal caused by gay disgraced former San Jose city councilmember Omar Torres, who last year was accused of child sex crimes and resigned from the District 3 council seat at the time of his Election Day arrest on November 5. It followed revelations last fall that local police were investigating Torres on suspicion of seeking sexually explicit pictures of a minor online.
At the time Torres had said the allegations were “entirely false” and part of a blackmail scheme waged against him by a Chicago man he had met online. According to law enforcement, Torres admitted he’d sent $22,000 to the person in an attempt to prevent damaging texts and pictures from being leaked, such as one in which he claimed to have had sex with a 17-year-old boy. (The age of consent in California is 18.)
Subsequently, a cousin of Torres came forward to accuse him of sexual abuse when they were children and into their teenage years. It led to Torres being charged with three counts of sodomy and oral copulation of a child.
As the B.A.R. recently reported online, the case could be settled next month if Torres enters a plea to resolve it at his next court proceeding scheduled for March 3. Otherwise, it will be headed toward a preliminary hearing and likely jury trial.
Elected in 2022, Torres was the first gay Latino and out person of color to serve on the San Jose City Council, and only its second out councilmember. The council’s District 3 seat includes the Qmunity LGBTQ district and much of downtown San Jose.
freshman Congressmember Sam Liccardo (D-San Jose), who once served as the District 3 councilmember, also is supporting Quevedo for the seat.
“Matthew Quevedo is the change agent we need to help tackle San Jose’s most pressing challenges,” stated Liccardo, who defeated gay former Democratic state assemblymember Evan Low last fall in a bruising campaign for his House seat. “From his time as a neighborhood advocate to his leadership in Mayor Matt Mahan’s office, Matthew has consistently put San José residents first – fighting for safer streets, smarter solutions on homelessness and more accountability in city government. I’ve seen firsthand his dedication to our community, and I know he’ll be a strong voice for our neighborhoods on the City Council.”
Also running is pro tem judge Irene Smith, who lost to Torres three years ago by roughly 31% of the vote. Rounding out the candidate list are retired family counselor Tyrone Wade; retired sheriff Lieutenant Adam Duran; and Philip Dolan, a knife sharpener salesman.
Crowded field
Due to the crowded field, it is expected the race won’t be decided until the summer. Last Thursday, statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization Equality California endorsed Tordillos. Endorsements from several other LGBTQ political groups are expected in the coming days, while the Santa Clara County Democratic Party split its support between Tordillos and Chavez-Lopez.
Running a grassroots campaign, Smith has touted her lack of ties to the local political establishment as a key reason for why voters should support her in the race.
“I cannot say this enough: after the Omar debacle, D3 needs a candidate that is 1000%, 24/7, wholly committed to D3. Our district is awash in very serious issues, and we desperately need someone leading us who only reports to us,” argued Smith, 64, regarding her candidacy in a blog post on her campaign website found under the “Policies” menu tab. “Being marinated in – and beholden to – any of the power cabals floating around City Hall is not the sort of job experience we’re looking for.”
Board of Supervisors, on which she was termed off last year; she is now a county manager in New Mexico.)
“People are just so tired of being lied to, of being let down, of somebody saying one thing and doing another thing,” said Chavez-Lopez of the sentiment she hears from people as she campaigns for the council seat. “I think people are undecided because they haven’t been convinced and are looking at this race very critically.”
Quevedo had thrown his support behind a recall attempt of Torres prior to his resignation last year. From a Mexican American family, Quevedo said he has been encountering a lot of dissatisfaction with, and distrust in, government as he canvasses for people’s votes.
“As I go door-to-door talking to neighbors, I am focused on rebuilding that trust and delivering a message that District 3 residents and voters can connect with me on how we can get San Jose to be more responsive to their needs,” said Quevedo, 36, who with his wife, A’Dreana, is raising their sons, James and Atticus, in the Northside neighborhood.
LGBTQ representation
Lingering over the race is also the factor of having LGBTQ representation on the governing body for the Bay Area’s largest city, and among the top 10 statewide, at a time when Republican President Donald Trump and his GOP allies in Congress are attacking the rights of queer and transgender Americans. The San Jose City Council had gone 16 years without a member from the LGBTQ community until Torres took his oath of office two years ago.
Citing as one example for why such a voice is needed now, Tordillos pointed to the controversy over a female volleyball player at San Jose State widely reported as being a transgender woman. It resulted in other schools refusing to play against the local team, her own teammates filing a lawsuit, and Trump’s Department of Education launching an investigation against the school due to the matter.
“I think it is more important than ever to have a representative from the LGBTQ community,” said Tordillos, who grew up in Washington state and moved to San Jose with his husband in 2018. “I would love to be a model of the change the LGBTQ community can advocate for here in San Jose.”
A special election to serve out the remainder of Torres’ term through 2026 will be held April 8, and should none of the seven people who qualified for the ballot receive more than 50% of the vote, then the top two votegetters will advance to a June 24 runoff election. Meanwhile, engineering firm owner Carl Salas was selected by the City Council to serve as the interim appointed District 3 councilmember for the time being.
The candidates have been encountering a general unease with politics at the local, state, and federal level among their potential constituents. Concerns run the gamut from the upheaval being wrought nationally by the Trump administration to a seeming inability by elected officials in California to wrestle control over long-standing issues like housing unaffordability and homelessness.
Ballots will begin arriving in voters’ mailboxes March 8, and despite the intense media attention on the election due to Torres’ criminal case, turnout is still expected to be low. Tordillos (https:// anthonyforsanjose.com/) and ChavezLopez (https://www.gabbychavezlopez. com/) are seen as leading contenders for the seat, as is Matthew Quevedo, deputy chief of staff to San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan who has sole endorsed him in the council contest. Former mayor and
“There is a deep-seated sense of broken trust from the scandal itself with councilmember Torres. I think a lot of folks feel disillusioned with local government,” said Tordillos, 33, an engineering manager at YouTube who lives with his husband, Giovanni Forcina, a cancer biologist, near the San Jose State University campus. “They don’t feel San Jose is headed in the direction they want to see in the city.”
Chavez-Lopez, 37, a single mom to her 6-year-old son, Jaycius, would be the second Latina to represent District 3 and the first since 2006 when Cindy Chavez left the office. (Years later Chavez won election to the Santa Clara County
In addition to ensuring the needs of local LGBTQ youth and the transgender community are being addressed at City Hall, Tordillos said he would work to support queer-owned businesses and LGBTQ cultural institutions in San Jose. He would also strive to show that voters can put their trust in an out councilmember and that the LGBTQ community can have faith in him should he be elected.
“I am really interested in repairing some of the damage done to the community and being someone the community can trust to represent them,” said Tordillos.
As for the comments he has had to endure while campaigning, Tordillos said he tries not to take it personally.
“I try to take it all in stride and not hold it, too much, against the people saying those things, especially the ones saying it not in an ill-intentioned manner,”
San Jose District 3 City Council candidates include Gabriela “Gabby” Chavez-Lopez, left, Anthony Tordillos, and Matthew Quevedo.
Courtesy the candidates
Nonprofits sue Trump admin over trans, DEI orders
by John Ferrannini and Cynthia Laird
The CEOs of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the San Francisco Community Health Center acknowledged that they have received stop-work orders or termination notices for federal funds as a result of Republican President Donald Trump’s executive orders attacking DEI initiatives and the erasure of transgender people.
The two nonprofits are among eight that filed a federal lawsuit February 20 against the Trump administration and three of its executive orders.
Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund is representing the nonprofits, which also include the GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco, the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the New York City LGBT Community Center, Prizm in Arizona, FORGE in Wisconsin, and Baltimore Safe Haven in Maryland.
Lambda Legal filed a separate federal lawsuit February 19 on behalf of the National Urban League and other plaintiffs that also targets the DEI executive orders. The acronym stands for diversity, equity and inclusion, and Republicans have rallied against DEI programs with claims they discriminate based on people’s race.
SFAF lawsuit
In the SFAF lawsuit, representatives of the plaintiff organizations spoke on a Zoom call last Thursday afternoon, as did Kevin Jennings, a gay man and former Obama administration official who is now CEO of Lambda Legal.
“This is Lambda’s fourth lawsuit” against the second Trump administration, Jennings said. “We’ve seen this movie before. In Trump’s first term, we sued 14 times and had 12 wins. That’s an 86% win rate. For the 18th time, we’ll see you in court.”
Lance Toma, a gay man who is CEO of the San Francisco Community
Health Center, said on the call that his organization, which is a federally qualified health center, received a stop-work order February 1 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention related to a contract to support young trans people of color in San Francisco and Oakland.
“Since then, we’ve received a termination notice,” he said.
Tyler TerMeer, Ph.D., a gay Black man living with HIV who is CEO of SFAF, said his organization has seen federal funds frozen. It was also ordered to scrub mentions of trans and nonbinary people from its website. It has not done so, according to its website, which continues to include information about its TransLife program.
“Today, we take an urgent and necessary stand,” he said of joining the lawsuit. “We will not comply with policies that put lives at risk.”
The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, San Francisco Division. It challenges Trump’s executive order No. 14168,
which repudiates the very existence of transgender people and prohibits federal contractors and grantees from recognizing and respecting their identities or advocating for their civil rights. The lawsuit also challenges executive orders No. 14151 and 14173, which terminate equity-related grants and prohibit federal contractors and grantees from employing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility principles in their work, a news release stated.
The lawsuit comes after federal agencies sent notices terminating federal funding to organizations serving transgender people and to entities whose work could be described as “equityrelated” because they devote resources to underserved communities, address health disparities, or work to overcome systemic racism, sexism, or anti-LGBTQ bias, the release stated. Some already have experienced temporary difficulties accessing their federal funds.
“These executive orders pose an existential threat to transgender people and the organizations that advocate
for them and provide them shelter, community, and support. Plaintiffs are HIV service organizations, community centers, and health care facilities whose work saves lives, in addition to a historical society whose mission is to record the stories of LGBTQ people. They join this lawsuit to fight the Trump administration’s attempt to erase transgender people from public life, and to continue the services they provide to marginalized communities, including communities of color and people living with HIV,” stated Jose Abrigo, Lambda Legal’s HIV Project Director and lead lawyer on the lawsuit.
“If these executive orders stand, it sets a dangerous precedent,” Abrigo said on the call.
And he noted it’s not just healthrelated organizations that will suffer harm. Groups like the GLBT Historical Society, which promote historical truth, also will experience injury, he said.
Roberto Ordeñana, executive director of the society, said, “There is no LGBT without the ‘T.’”
“These executive orders seek to erase the rich history of the LGBTQ+ community by targeting transgender, gender-nonconforming, nonbinary, and intersex people,” he added. “The administration’s actions create fear in our community.”
Joe Hollendoner, a gay man who’s CEO of the LA LGBT Center, said the agency is also a federally qualified health center and serves thousands of clients annually. Hollendoner, who used to be CEO of SFAF, said providers have already begun removing references to the LGBTQ community in materials for intimate partner violence that the center uses.
Hollendoner said the center continues to provide gender-affirming care, but pointed out Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has stopped accepting new patients. He said the Trump executive orders have created confusion among
the public.
Toma said the San Francisco Community Health Center has also not stopped providing gender-affirming care.
“We are resolute about that,” he said. “We’ve seen trans clients frightened.”
Jessyca Leach, CEO of Prisma Community Care in Arizona, said the organization is “grappling with conflicting” actions – either to alter its mission or suffer financial support from the federal government. Leach said Prisma is not accepting new clients now and is seeking other funds so that it is not as dependent on federal dollars.
Renee Lau, a trans woman with Baltimore Safe Haven, said the entire community depends on the organization.
“We are devastated by what’s happening in the White House right now,” she said.
The organization is the city’s only trans-led drop-in wellness center, according to its website.
Urban League suit
Lambda Legal’s other suit, announced February 19, is National Urban League v. Trump and alleges that the above-mentioned trio of executive orders are illegal – “Defending women from gender ideology extremism and restoring biological truth to the federal government,” which the president signed January 20; “Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing,” which he signed the same day; and “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring MeritBased Opportunity,” which he signed the following day. It was filed alongside lawyers from the Legal Defense Fund.
The National Urban League was joined in the suit by the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and the National Fair Housing Alliance. It was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Lance Toma, left, CEO of the San Francisco Community Health Center, and Tyler TerMeer, Ph.D., CEO of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, joined six other nonprofits in suing the Trump administration over DEI and gender executive orders.
Toma, courtesy Gilead; TerMeer, courtesy SFAF
Volume 55, Number 9
February 27March 5, 2025 www.ebar.com
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We’re queer and still here
President Donald Trump and his administra-
tion may want to sideline LGBTQ people, particularly transgender people, but the news from Gallup is that the number of adults identifying as something other than straight has actually increased. A new survey released February 20 for data collected in 2024 indicates that 9.3% of U.S. adults identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or something other than heterosexual. That’s a full percentage point higher than Gallup’s previous survey for 2023, the polling company stated in its report.
“Longer term, the figure has nearly doubled since 2020 and is up from 3.5% in 2012, when Gallup first measured it,” the report stated.
“LGBTQ+ identification is increasing as younger generations of Americans enter adulthood and are much more likely than older generations to say they are something other than heterosexual,” the report stated. “More than one in five Gen Z adults – those born between 1997 and 2006, who were between the ages of 18 and 27 in 2024 – identify as LGBTQ+. Each older generation of adults, from millennials to the Silent Generation, has successively lower rates of identification, down to 1.8% among the oldest Americans, those born before 1946.”
Among the nearly 900 LGBTQ+ individuals Gallup interviewed last year, more than half, 56%, said they were bisexual, according to the survey. Twenty-one percent said they were gay, 15% lesbian, 14% transgender, and 6% something else.
(These figures total more than 100% because the survey allows respondents to report multiple LGBTQ+ identities. The overall estimate of 9.3% of U.S. adults who identify as LGBTQ+ counts each respondent only once, even if they have multiple identities, the survey explained.)
A Gallup report reveals a record number of people identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or something other than heterosexual.
else. Overall, 85.7% say they are straight, 5.2% are bisexual, 2.0% are gay, 1.4% are lesbian and 1.3% are transgender. Just under 1% mention some other LGBTQ+ identity, such as pansexual, asexual, or queer. Five percent of respondents declined to answer the question.
The latest results are based on interviews with more than 14,000 U.S. adults across all 2024 Gallup telephone surveys. Each respondent was asked whether they identify as straight or heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or something
This latest information presents a conundrum for Trump, of course. He has started out his second White House stint obsessively issuing executive orders hoping that his signature alone will force trans people into extinction. Far from it. In recent weeks, as the scope and horror of his orders have been made clear, LGBTQ people and allies are starting to fight back. Just last week, as we reported, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund filed two lawsuits. One, filed in federal court in San Francisco, has the San Francisco AIDS Foundation as the lead plaintiff, joined by the San Francisco Community Health Center, the GLBT Historical Society, the Los Angeles LGBT Center, and other nonprofits in New York City, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Maryland. The other suit was filed in federal court in Washington, D.C. and has the National Urban League as the lead plaintiff, joined
by an AIDS organization in Chicago and other groups. Both suits target three executive orders by Trump that seek to erase trans people and eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. In another matter, a federal judge in D.C. recently heard arguments in a case filed by the National Center for Lesbian Rights and GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders against Trump’s executive order banning trans people from serving in the military. Judge Ana Reyes, a lesbian appointed by former President Joe Biden, hasn’t ruled yet but indicated during the hearing that she is deeply skeptical of the reasoning behind Trump’s order. According to reports, she also praised the service of several of the active-duty transgender plaintiffs who are suing the government.
Finally, on Tuesday, federal Judge Loren L. AliKhan in Washington, D.C. issued a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit against the Office of Management and Budget’s freeze on federal grant disbursements that has put essential services across the nation in jeopardy. That lawsuit was brought by Democracy Forward on behalf of the National Council of Nonprofits, and other nonprofits, including SAGE, which works with older LGBTQs. Meanwhile, Republican congressmembers recently got an earful from constituents at town hall meetings in their districts. It seems that some Republicans and many Democrats don’t want to see vital services cut. (Farmers in the Midwest are losing money because of the USAID funding freeze, for example.) People also don’t like Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk’s chainsaw approach to eliminating federal funds, with majorities disapproving of him in recent polls, Axios reported.
Despite all of this, LGBTQ people soldier on, and there are more of us than ever. Trump and his cronies should focus more on lowering costs – consumer confidence is faltering, ABC News reported this week – than on going after trans people just because they’re a convenient distraction for MAGA. People also need to look beyond these diversions. When they do, they will see that Trump’s promise of a “strong economy” is, at this point, merely bluster. t
Trump is defunding & dismantling freedom
by Andrew Park, Alberto de Balunde, and Ohotuowo Ogbeche
Within a few days after his inauguration, not only did President Donald Trump roll back a decade and a half of U.S. leadership in advancing the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer people around the world, he began a campaign that can only be described as the attempted eradication of LGBTIQ civil society and enforced invisibilization of trans, intersex, and gender-diverse people.
On his first day, Trump issued an executive order stating that the United States would only recognize two sexes, male and female, applying erroneous definitions of biological characteristics at conception. The executive order aims to obliterate decades of advancement in the U.S. and globally toward non-discrimination and rights-based legal gender recognition.
The immediate impact is being felt by transgender, gender-diverse, and intersex people crossing a U.S. border and those seeking to renew their documents, who suddenly face the threat of being told that their gender identity is fraudulent.
Then things got worse. By the end of his first week in office, Trump issued a 90-day freeze on almost all foreign aid expenditures. LGBTIQ people were simultaneously a pretext to justify much broader efforts to dismantle government as we know it and one of the most immediate casualties of the administration’s chainsaw-wielding approach to governance, as Trump and his cronies claimed they were seeking to root out foreign assistance spending that was not aligned with their anti-gender, anti-inclusion priorities. Soon after, programs focused on LGBTIQ people began receiving notices that their funding from the U.S. government was permanently terminated. Organizations that provided health care, job training, or emergency shelter for LGBTIQ people, along with those that provided legal aid and advocated to end arbitrary arrests and torture, had to halt these programs immediately – sometimes literally turning vulnerable, displaced people out onto the streets or away from HIV treatment services with no warning.
International has issued a report about the impacts of U.S. foreign aid cuts.
opportunity for all, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics, is a public good. The Global Equality Fund, a public-private partnership of roughly 30 resource partners, distributed over $100 million in its first 10 years to civil society movements working to achieve LGBTIQ equality in more than 100 countries. USAID issued an LGBTQI+ Inclusive Development Policy and supported organizations like Outright International to build partnerships with private foundations, country-level civil society organizations, and community-based organizations to strengthen the resilience of LGBTIQ movements and ensure LGBTIQ inclusion in market economies. These programs supported the basic needs, human rights, and human development of LGBTIQ people in lower-income countries, breathing life into the fundamental American principle that everyone should have a fair chance to thrive. They were brutally cut short by a government that has turned its back on fairness.
In the weeks immediately following the January 24 stop-work orders issued to U.S. government funding recipients, Outright surveyed organizations that carried out work to protect the rights and ensure the inclusion of LGBTIQ people around the world. On February 13, we issued the report “Defunding Freedom: Impacts of U.S. Foreign Aid Cuts on LGBTIQ People Worldwide.”
mental health programs in 14 countries, legal aid programs in 17 countries, jobs and livelihood programs in 16 countries, emergency shelters in nine countries – and the list goes on.
On February 18, adding insult to injury, the White House issued a memorandum calling for all federal agencies, including those that were providing support to LGBTIQ groups, to make public, to the maximum extent possible, complete details of every terminated grant. Many LGBTIQ organizations operate in countries where they risk violence and persecution, and the U.S. issued some of its grants, including through implementing partners like Outright, with a promise to avoid harmful visibility. This memorandum breaks that promise and forces endangered service providers and rights defenders to shut down and hide, at great personal and communal cost.
The first rule of any international development program is to do no harm, a rule that the U.S. and other wealthy nations have adhered to. Doing no harm means at least providing warning and tapering off funding, as had happened during the first Trump administration. This administration’s decisions are purposefully destructive. Their cumulative impact is to cut off the ability of LGBTIQ groups’ abilities to provide medical care, housing, job skills, or emergency support in much more hostile contexts. One respondent to Outright’s survey on the funding freeze who works with vulnerable women in a South American country stated that, “It’s a grim scenario. We are devastated, trying to keep calm. This aid is being cut, but the needs of the population are still latent and will continue to grow. We are pushing extremely vulnerable people towards violence – drug trafficking, human trafficking, crime. This won’t just affect individuals; it will shape this community’s future.”
Since 2011, both the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have invested in the premise that equal
Among 125 survey respondents, 72 said that their organizations would have to shut down programs completely or will fire staff. Meanwhile, programs to address anti-LGBTIQ violence programs were defunded in at least 28 countries, medical and
In a country experiencing armed conflict in Africa, an activist shared that U.S. funds saved lives in this manner. “One of the most urgent services we provided was emergency legal and medical support, both inside [our country] and for those who had fled to neighboring countries,” the person stated. “[We] facilitate the safe relocation of at-risk LGBTIQ+ individuals and refugees, ensuring they could escape immediate threats to their safety. ... This freeze does not just impact funding – it actively endangers lives, leaving one of the most at-risk communities without any support or protection in an already bad situation.”
Outright
From Outright International report
Rick Gerharter
SF LGBTQ Dems denounce federal pro-family transit funds policy
by Matthew S. Bajko
As Bay Area transit agencies scramble to find new revenue sources to deal with multimilliondollar deficits, LGBTQ Democratic leaders in San Francisco are moving to condemn a Trump administration policy they consider to be not only homophobic but also disastrous for the future of public transportation in the region.
A memo released by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy states that when it comes to the federal agency’s financial support for transit projects, preference would be given “to communities with marriage and birth rates higher than the national average.” It specified the directive includes the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant program, which funds heavy rail, commuter rail, light rail, streetcars, and bus rapid transit projects across the U.S.
“I think it is well established under the law that you can’t determine funding allocation by race or political party. But I think what they have landed on, if you look at what states are better lined up for federal funding under this proposal, it is places that are white, places less hospitable to LGBTQ people, and perhaps more hostile to queer and trans people,” said Edward Wright, a gay man who represents San Francisco on the board overseeing regional subway system BART.
For San Francisco, a city famous for having more dogs than children, and the Bay Area in general, the impact of such a policy could be devastating for the region’s transit service, warn local transit and civic leaders. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which oversees the city’s Muni transit system, is already trying to plug a $13 million budget deficit and projecting deficits of $50 million then $320 million in the next two fiscal years.
sors, Mike Chen Joe Sangirardi and Peter Gallotta. Chen sits on the board that oversees the SFMTA, while Sangirardi lost to Wright in last fall’s race for the BART board’s District 9 seat covering the eastside of San Francisco.
Possible pushback
Hare told the Bay Area Reporter it is likely her resolution could receive pushback due to how contentious transit policy issues in the city are right now. Debates have flared over everything from what cuts to make to balance the SFMTA’s budget to allowing larger and denser housing developments along the city’s transit corridors, plus gay District 4 Supervisor Joel Engardio is facing a recall attempt for his leading the successful ballot measure campaign last November to turn the Great Highway along Ocean Beach into a new park and greenspace.
“I think there is a lot of division in our city right now about transportation and land use. So, any discussions on that have been recently leading to extremely heightened emotions and division,” noted Hare.
As for BART, which operates in five of the nine Bay Area counties, it is dealing with a $35 million deficit in its fiscal year that begins July 1 and projects having to close a deficit between $350 to $400 million in 2026.
Despite seeing a slight increase last year in births, which numbered roughly 6,870 according to state data released last month, San Francisco registered a 20% decline in births compared to 2019 figures. According to a 2022 report by NewGeography, San Francisco had the lowest fertility rate of any major metro area in the country at 1.49.
At the February 26 meeting of the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee, fourth vice chair Emma Hare introduced a resolution titled “Condemning Funding Prejudice At The U.S. Department of Transportation And Urging Bay Area Transportation Agencies to Seek Additional Funding Sources.” It is set to be heard at the DCCC’s March 26 meeting, where 17 of the 32 members will need to vote to adopt it.
“San Francisco, as the resolution states, is home to a really large LGBTQ community, and for reasons of choice and biology, these communities are less likely to have children. So, this is a direct attack on San Francisco,” said Hare, who had been elected last March to the DCCC under her maiden name of Heiken and has since gotten married and changed her last name.
Hare, who identifies as fluid, is a legislative aide to District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar. She will be overseas next month on her honeymoon and plans to send a proxy to vote on her behalf for the resolution at the DCCC meeting.
To date, three gay members of the committee have signed on as co-spon-
Nevertheless, she stressed that, “Trump is aiming to derail our country, no train pun intended,” and local Democrats need to stand up to his administration in new ways just as the Republican president has been doing with his various executive orders and other initiatives aimed at dismantling the federal government.
“We shouldn’t be surprised, because Trump 1.0 came for San Francisco. Trump 2.0 has gotten a lot more creative. He is coming at us in new ways, different ways and legal ways very different than Trump 1.0,” said Hare. “I want San Francisco Democrats to be just as creative in our response and thinking going forward about how we defend ourselves from this. We can’t do resistance 1.0 against Trump 2.0; we have to do resistance 2.0.”
Wright, a former president of the city’s progressive Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club, told the B.A.R. he is supportive of seeing the DCCC adopt Hare’s transit resolution.
“I think it is wrong for anyone to play politics with infrastructure investments and with the services that so many communities and so many people rely on,” said Wright, who until December had been working as a transit strategy and communications adviser for the SFMTA.
As for the “additional and creative funding sources” that Hare’s resolution wants local transit agencies to pursue, it includes such things as “joint development, road use pricing, and/or taxation, to keep our public transportation system and regional economy running and ensure equal opportunity for all communities in San Francisco.”
When asked by the B.A.R. if “road use pricing” meant having San Francisco impose a congestion pricing toll on vehicles entering its downtown area, similar to what New York City recently began charging, Hare said it does but explained that as a county, San Francisco is the only one in the Bay Area region that doesn’t have the
authority to toll vehicles. It is something being discussed by City Hall leaders, she said, about possibly seeking such authority though no decision has been made yet on doing so.
“I didn’t want to call out any recommendation specifically because I want us to explore every option. I don’t want us to leave any stone unturned,” said Hare about the language of her resolution. “We can’t count on our eggs from the federal government because it is so unlikely they are going to hatch.”
Tax measure explored
One option being explored by regional leaders is placing some kind of tax on the 2026 ballot to fund local transit agencies. Gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), with co-sponsor Assemblymember Jesse Arreguín (D-Berkeley), is again carrying legislation to grant Bay Area transit officials the authority to put such a tax measure before voters.
Such a measure would need a twothirds vote to pass. And recent polling by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission on three different funding mechanisms found none would receive the required threshold to take effect.
Thus, the polling firm that conducted the poll noted the “likely path” for getting a transit tax approved would be via a citizen initiative. If such a ballot measure drive was able to gather enough signatures to make it onto the ballot, then it would only need a simple majority to win.
“Although there is interest in preventing cuts to transit, voters are simply hesitant to raise taxes and lack trust that more money is the solution,” noted EMC research in its polling report to the regional transit commission this month.
“As funding in the Bay Area for transit has been predominately a county issue, it is a challenge, I think, we all face as we figure out how to move forward,” Julie Kirschbaum the SFMTA’s newly named director of transportation, told San Francisco supervisors Tuesday meeting as the San Francisco County Transportation Authority Board.
BART leaders favor a variable sales tax to be charged over 11 years in four of the five counties it operates in, which would generate $650 million annually for various transit systems. It would have San Francisco paying a higher 7/8-cent tax, with Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Mateo counties paying a 1/2-cent tax.
“It doesn’t look like the federal government is coming to save us, so this is something the Bay Area has to take care of on its own,” said Wright. “BART is critical to the regional economy, and downtown San Francisco will not recover if BART does not survive.”
From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, February 27, Wiener is hosting an opening reception for a new exhibit titled “Transit: How We Move” in his local offices overlooking San Francisco’s Civic Center. It is curated by queer artist Joseph Abbati and runs through March 30 in Wiener’s Suite 14800 in the State Building at 455 Golden Gate Avenue.
RSVP is required in order for attendees to enter the building. Find out information to do so at https://sd11. senate.ca.gov/events t
A San Francisco Muni bus waits at the Market Street and Van Ness Avenue bus stop.
Cynthia Laird
Doughty estimated that Horizons spent between $125,000 and $150,000 on Give OUT Day. There was also prize money to raise, which gives something for participating nonprofits to put out to their donors.
“It has to be enough money to get pepped up about it,” he said of the prize funds.
The funders that had helped Horizons were the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund, which, as the B.A.R. reported in 2022 exited LGBTQ giving and wound down its grants to queer nonprofits in 2023.
Maliha Sadiq, a Haas Jr. fund spokesperson, stated at the time that funding amounts wouldn’t change for at least a year.
“We will be providing the same level of support to current LGBT grantee partners in 2022 as we did in 2021, with all grants as unrestricted general operating support,” Sadiq stated. “In the months ahead, we will be talking with grantees about the kinds of capacity-building support that can help them
From page 1
He added that his “challenges” with Dai revolve around her “judgments, not that they’re bad.”
Committee Chair District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton countered that he doesn’t make decisions based on who has the same views as him. He then made a motion to advance Dai’s name to the full board with a positive recommendation. That failed on a 2-1 vote, with committee Vice Chair District 2 Supervisor Stephen Sherrill voting with Mandelman.
The panel then unanimously voted 3-0 to continue the item to March 3. Dai declined to comment.
Seat vacant for a year
The seat on the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force has been open for a year. It is for the unexpired portion of a term that ends April 27, 2026. Bodkin said it was his understanding the seat was reserved
<< LGBTQ bills
From page 2
“Whereas, Originating from Indigenous communities of Turtle Island, the concept of ‘Two-Spirit’ denotes a unique cultural identity that includes various sexual orientation and gender expressions, and intersects with Indigenous LGBTQ+ identities,” explains the resolution, adding that the term “was first articulated at the Third Annual Intertribal Native American, First Nations, Gay and Lesbian American Conference in the City of Winnipeg in 1990.”
It goes on to state, “Two-Spirit peoples hold diverse culturally significant roles in their respective communities; and Two-Spirit is used as an umbrella term and organizing tool to center the diversity of gender identities and sexual orientation expressions, including LGBTQ+, within Indigenous communities that have rich histories, predating European colonization.”
HIV care bills
Assemblymember Matt Haney (DSan Francisco) has teamed up with Wiener as a co-author of AB 602 to ensure insurance companies in the state are required to cover all forms of PrEP, the Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis medications
most in their continuing work. Based on those conversations, we will make our final grants in 2023 for organizational and movement-wide capacity-building. We have budgeted approximately $1 million for this capacity-building work.”
The other foundation that helped Horizons was the Wellspring Philanthropic Fund. A message on its website stated that the organization plans to wind down all funding by 2028. John Taylor, the president of Wellspring, wrote that it was a “combination of factors that included a leadership transition that involved my pending retirement as the foundation’s President, which would have moved Wellspring away from being a family-led foundation.”
Doughty praised both funding organizations.
“We used to get funding from the Haas Fund,” he said. “They’ve left the field but I give them credit for investing in the queer community for years. Wellspring has also been a terrific partner.”
Doughty said that Horizons began discussing its participation in Give OUT Day six to nine months ago. Horizons’ board approved a staff recommendation
for a blogger. Walton asked who told him that, and he responded that he has gotten that information from a current member of the task force.
According to the rules committee agenda, the seat is for someone who has demonstrated interest in, or has experience in, the issues of citizen access and participation in local government.
During his remarks, Bodkin, who uses his middle name, Charley, said that he has filed public records requests over the years and looked forward to working with other members of the task force.
Dai used to serve on the California Citizens Redistricting Commission before joining the city’s elections commission. At the February 10 meeting, she said she’s proactive. At the February 24 meeting, she offered three priorities if she’s appointed: being proactive to prevent violations through training; institute guardrails to prevent abuse; and modernize to clarify gray areas on what information city departments are required to provide through record requests.
that stop a person from contracting HIV, including the newly approved twice-ayear injectable formulation. It comes as legal and legislative fights are being waged to restrict federal insurance programs from covering the cost of PrEP and restrict access to the drugs.
In California, and particularly in San Francisco where local health officials were early adopters of prescribing PrEP, the medication has been attributed to reducing the transmission of HIV. San Francisco reported new HIV cases dropped to a historic low of 133 in 2023, the most recent year for which data is available.
to end the organization’s involvement, he said.
Once those discussions began, he said, talk turned to finding another organization that could take over Give OUT Day. That led to discussions with GiveMN, which operates similar fundraising programs though it is not LGBTQ-specific.
“GiveMN, this is what they do,” Doughty said. “We’ve learned a lot over time, but they have a lot of expertise. After talking to them, their commitment is real.”
Ray said that GiveMN is grateful for all the work Horizons has done over the past nine years it has overseen Give OUT Day.
“I hope we can grow it even bigger,” she said.
She also said that while GiveMN is not LGBTQ-specific, the organization since 2017 has prioritized groups that have funding disparities, such as the queer community. Less than .2% of donations go to LGBTQ organizations, she noted.
“We focused our capacity building to LGBTQ nonprofits in Minnesota,” she said of GiveMN’s priorities.
Unlike the February 10 meeting, one person seemed to speak against both nominees. One spoke in support of Bodkin and the rest spoke in support of Dai.
Retired Navy commander Zoe Dunning, a lesbian who previously served on the city’s library commission, spoke in favor of Dai, whom she said she has known for over 30 years.
“She’s very collaborative and has a wealth of information,” Dunning said.
Dylan Hirsch-Shell spoke in support of Bodkin. Hirsh-Shell was a 2024 mayoral candidate, and Bodkin served as his campaign’s operations director.
“I think we need people like Charley in government,” he said.
Paul Gardiner, who writes a Substack on San Francisco education issues, said that Dai was “eminently qualified.”
Other issues
Another issue that came up for Dai at the February 10 meeting was the elections commission’s move in November
“So many advocates, physicians, and people who have lost loved ones have dreamed for decades of ending HIV in California,” stated Haney. “If we make sure PrEP remains truly accessible, we can finally realize the end of this epidemic. We can’t back down, we have to ensure this critical medication remains available for any Californian who needs it.”
Gay state Senator Christopher Cabaldon (D-Yolo) is carrying SB 278 to allow the disclosure of the health records of people living with HIV or AIDS to the state’s Medi-Cal program in order to improve the care they are receiving. It would also allow the disclosure of HIV test results for the purpose of administering quality improvement programs under Medi-Cal.
He also authored SB 351 to empower the California Attorney General’s office to investigate and intervene in cases where private equity firms unduly influence medical care.
“The health of Californians should never be compromised by the pursuit of profit,” stated Cabaldon.
In a similar vein, Wiener is again trying to rein in the costs of prescription drugs after his previous legislative efforts stalled. His SB 40 would cap monthly copays for insulin at $35, while under his SB 41, new regulations would be
Doughty said he’s “very hopeful” that under GiveMN, Give OUT Day will grow.
The B.A.R. reached out to several local nonprofits that previously participated in Give OUT Day. At press time, only LYRIC, a San Francisco LGBTQQ Youth Organization, responded. Executive Director Gael Lala-Chávez wrote in an email that the agency would not be participating this year. Lala-Chávez, who is nonbinary, did not elaborate.
Helping smaller nonprofits
Give OUT Day was started by Boulder Giving in 2013. Horizons took it over in 2016 after Boulder Giving closed.
“We loved having Give OUT Day,” Doughty said. “We revived it nine years ago and were really proud to have it here.”
He explained that the day “goes to our core mission” of helping smaller and mid-size LGBTQ nonprofit agencies. Any LGBTQ nonprofit can participate in Give OUT Day, which is a national effort including all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. One of the things Doughty likes about it is that it’s a rela-
2022 to open up the elections director position, potentially removing longtime elections director John Arntz by not renewing his contract.
In a phone interview last week, Dai told the Bay Area Reporter that the episode was “unfortunate.”
“The process of opening up [the position] was a collaborative process, which we’re supposed to do every five years,” Dai said. “We saw it as an opportunity to show opening up to other candidates.”
Arntz was “strongly encouraged” to go through the process, she added.
“It was important to go through it,” Dai said of the process. When news broke, there was much blowback from city leaders. Then-supervisor Aaron Peskin called it “commission malfeasance” in an interview with Mission Local.
tively easy way for smaller organizations to raise funds, particularly those without professional development staff.
“Entry is really low barrier,” he said. Nonprofits sign up and then get the word out to their supporters. A lot of social media work is involved, in an effort to promote Give OUT Day and to solicit donations. There are prizes awarded, which is another way nonprofits can ramp up contributions, Doughty said.
During Horizons’ nine-year run, Give OUT Day has raised over $10 million, Doughty said, with more than 350 organizations participating. Some of those participated regularly. And, he said, more than 10,000 different donors gave to at least one nonprofit. Donations sizes varied. He said some were in the five figures, others were $5 to $10.
“One of our values is that every gift is important,” he said.
Ray said she hopes people “remember the role grassroots giving” has played, particularly for LGBTQ nonprofits, “and respond to the moment we’re in.”
For more information about Give OUT Day, go to giveoutday.org. t
he said. “Also, I am trying to recognize folks in District 3 are feeling betrayed by what happened and that is bound to come out and manifest in different ways in different people.”
and not excluding anyone from its programs. She pledged to be a tough fighter for the needs of LGBTQ residents of the city if elected to the council seat.
Chavez-Lopez, who grew up in Fresno and moved to downtown San Jose when she was a junior in high school, said she has long been an ally of the LGBTQ community and has made sure her nonprofit is “gender expansive in nature”
“Obviously, as a city councilmember, you are representing a lot of different people. But we have to make sure when we think about who we are representing, it is not just the voters, it is the people on the edges, on the fringe that can’t vote, won’t vote, or who don’t feel represented. They also matter,” said Chavez-Lopez, who recently moved into a home she coowns with her family in the city’s Hens-
ley historic district. Throughout her life and career, Chavez-Lopez said she has never shied away from speaking up for those in need or who are being oppressed. She pointed to her track record of building coalitions and networks across the state to address various issues, connections she would bring with her to the role of councilmember.
“I am not going to shy away from tough conversations,” she said. “I am an advocate for a living. I never wanted to run for office until this moment because
imposed on pharmacy benefit managers. Such businesses would need to be licensed by the state and follow new rules that would limit how they charge fees and impose greater transparency on their pricing.
“This bill addresses some of the worst abuses by pharmacy benefit managers: lack of transparency, unfair business practices, steering, and price gouging,” noted Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court.
Under AB 554 authored by González, health care plans and insurance companies would be prevented from requiring prior authorization or step therapy for all antiretroviral drugs, including injectable medications, used for HIV/AIDS prevention. It also would require such drugs to be covered without cost sharing or utilization review for individuals with private insurance, seen as helping clinics and community-based providers who particularly serve people of color to receive full reimbursement for injectable PrEP medications from private insurance plans.
“AB 554 safeguards patient and provider choice – ensuring flexibility in selecting the most suitable medication for patient adherence, while also allowing small, local clinics to receive reimbursement for these services. Together, these
I knew what the stakes were.”
A lifelong San Jose resident, Quevedo said he has always been “a strong ally” to the LGBTQ community, recalling how he took part in a protest against the 2008 ballot measure Proposition 8. Passed that November by California voters, Prop 8 banned same-sex marriage in the state until being overturned in 2013 due to federal court rulings.
Dai acknowledged that the commission was also looking to take action on the mayor’s racial equity plan. (Arntz is white.)
“We saw the search as an opportunity to give people a shot,” Dai said on the radio program.
By mid-December, the matter seemed to resolve. There was no funding for a competitive national search and the commission backed down, as Mission Local reported. Arntz said he would accept a new five-year contract, which he did.
Nonetheless, the matter remained on the minds of some members of the public at the Rules Committee two weeks ago. Justin Sah asked the three supervisors on it to “carefully consider” Dai’s appointment and mentioned the elections commission’s controversies both with the redistricting task force and Arntz’s contract renewal. t
Dai went on NPR in early December 2022 to discuss the issue. She said that no decision had been made about Arntz’s contract. “Our decision wasn’t about an individual but about the position,” she said. “We voted to start the search. That was mischaracterized as not renewing his contract.”
will help reduce the risk of HIV/AIDS, and address the disproportionate health risks of HIV in marginalized communities,” stated González.
Zbur is also carrying AB 309 to delete the pending January 1, 2026, repeal date of state laws that give pharmacists the discretion to furnish sterile syringes to people age 18 and up and that allow adults to possess syringes for personal use without a prescription. Local governments since 2004 were given permission by the state to authorize pharmacies to sell syringes to adults as a measure to halt the spread of HIV, viral hepatitis and other bloodborne pathogens due to dirty needles shared by injection drug users.
Should AB 309 be adopted, those rules would be extended indefinitely.
“Allowing pharmacists to continue to sell syringes without a prescription, while also providing counseling on drug treatment access, HIV and hepatitis C testing, and safe sharps disposal, is an effective strategy to address key health challenges,” stated California Pharmacists Association CEO Susan Bonilla. “Pharmacists are often the most accessible healthcare providers in underserved communities, offering critical education and support for individuals seeking resources for addiction recovery and disease prevention.” t
“I would want people from the community helping us deliver those services in a way that is fair and equitable and just,” he pledged. t << Candidates From page 4
As a member of Mahan’s mayoral administration, Quevedo said he has worked to see that the needs of the LGBTQ community are taken into consid-
eration and would continue to do so as an elected member of the City Council in partnership with LGBTQ leaders and residents. He specifically pledged to invest in local LGBTQ service providers and to ensure LGBTQ people, particularly those unhoused, are connected with the programs and support they need.
Assemblymember Matt Haney has co-authored a PrEP insurance bill.
Courtesy the subject
The complaint alleges that the anti-transgender executive order disagrees with the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in Bostock v. Clayton County (2020), which interpreted the act’s definition of sex discrimination to include discrimination against transgender people. It’s also alleged that the DEI executive orders signed January 20 and 21 are illegal because it doesn’t define the terms “‘DEI,’ ‘DEIA,’ (diversion, equity, inclusion and accessibility) ‘diversity,’ ‘equity,’ ‘inclusion,’ or ‘accessibility,’” the complaint states.
that support DEIA efforts, and who seek to assist people of color, women, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities, including people living with HIV, in overcoming systemic barriers to equality resulting from past and current discrimination.”
Abrigo, who is lead counsel on the case, stated, “These policies drip with contempt for transgender people, and pose a significant threat to critical health and HIV services that support marginalized communities, putting lives at risk.
teamed up on the federal lawsuit “because the fights to end racism, the HIV epidemic, and anti-transgender bias are inseparable. For organizations like our plaintiffs providing these services, addressing these compounding barriers is essential to HIV prevention and care, and this policy would impede the work to eradicate and address the HIV epidemic.”
Janai Nelson, the president and director-counsel of the NAACP LDF, stated that “Beyond spreading inaccurate, dehumanizing, and divisive rhetoric, President Trump’s executive orders seek to tie the hands of organizations, like our clients, providing critical services to people who need them most.”
Nelson stated the orders exhibited racial bias.
“Because the Ant[i]-Diversity [order] does not define these terms, federal contractors and grantees, including plaintiffs, who have ‘equity-related’ grants or contracts, risk having contracts or grants that defendants may consider to be ‘equityrelated’ terminated,” the complaint states. “The sweep of Defendants’ prohibition and punitive action appears to be unduly broad.”
<< Mission Station
From page 1
“We have a long established relationship with Mission Station and dedicated beat officers that know
<< Guest Opinion
From page 6
U.S.-funded programs also helped advance goals of trade, democracy, and growth. For instance, an organization in Central Africa worked to conduct labor market analysis to identify employment options for transgender people, while organizations in Colombia, Nigeria, and the Philippines provided seed capital for entrepreneurship programs. An organization in Latin America losing U.S. funding means that “6,000 people won’t have access to services,”
Legals>>
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-25-559522
To
94102. FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2025
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-25-559553 To all interested persons, the Petitioner ALLYSON JEAN ULBRICHT filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name ALLYSON JEAN ULBRICHT to proposed name ALLYSON JEAN-ULBRICHT BRILL. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: MARCH 18, 2025, 9:00 am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2025
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-25-559547
To all interested persons, the Petitioner KURT WILLIAM MARTIN filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows: present name KURT WILLIAM MARTIN to proposed name KURT WILLIAM WALLACE. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted. If no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing. Notice of Hearing: MARCH 18, 2025, 9:00 am, Dept. 103N, Rm. 103N, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2025 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0405314 The following person(s) is/are doing business as SUCCESS CONSTRUCTION SF, 808 GEARY ST, SAN FRANCISCO,
The complaint continues that “Defendants ... disfavor federal grant recipients and contractors, including plaintiffs, whose speech, trainings, research, and/or mission-driven services express or reflect viewpoints
our community,” she stated. “I think, overall, it is in our best interest to remain as part of Mission Station and am happy to see our relationship continue.”
Andrea Aiello, a lesbian who is the head of the Castro Community
including livelihood tools. Advocacy by LGBTIQ groups made it safer for corporations to employ LGBTIQ workers in emerging market countries. Their work responded to the dynamic that where there is a high level of stigma against LGBTIQ people, LGBTIQ workers are less productive, the firms that employ them are less profitable, and the economy suffers. LGBTIQ groups with U.S. funding also worked in coalition with other prodemocracy groups to monitor elections and open up the democratic process to all. These policy changes and funding
“These orders pose an existential threat to transgender people and the organizations that provide them with shelter and support,” Abrigo continued in a news release. “The orders defund organizations providing critical health and HIV services, and punish organizations for striving to improve the lives of Black people, people of color, and members of other marginalized communities. They are patently unconstitutional.”
He noted that Lambda Legal and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund
Benefit District, didn’t return a request for comment.
Evan Sernoffsky, director of strategic communications for the SFPD, told the B.A.R. September 17 that “the whole idea is we are improving police services to each district.”
cuts have put the rights and safety of LGBTIQ communities worldwide at risk. The erasure of transgender and intersex people’s rights and the termination of crucial foreign aid programs have immediate and longterm implications for the safety, livelihoods, and human rights of LGBTIQ individuals worldwide. It is urgent for Congress, development partners, and private funders – not just in the U.S., but in countries that have long championed equality – to step in, fill the gaps, and find solutions. Recovery will depend on coordinated and sustained action to reverse the damage. The stakes are
Will, an AIDS Foundation Chicago program participant whose last name was not given, put the issue starkly in terms of his status as someone living with HIV.
“As a Black man living with HIV who has experienced homelessness, for years, I have relied on the lifesaving services of organizations like AIDS Foundation Chicago (AFC), who understood my intersectional identities,” Will stated. “Now, as I work in the HIV field, I am deeply concerned about the threat these orders represent to AFC’s ability to serve our communities if they can’t even name the issues our people are facing.”
“I think the Castro is one of the most visible changes — obviously a very iconic and important neighborhood in San Francisco, so we want to be sure to make sure just like everywhere we are delivering the best service possible,” he said in
clear: either we act now, or we let progress unravel before our eyes. t
Outright International’s Andrew Park is a gay man who is senior adviser for inclusive development; Alberto de Balunde is a gay man who is co-director of queer legal futures; and Ohotuowo Ogbeche is a global worker who asked that how they identify not be published for security reasons. The LGBTQ global rights organization is dedicated to working with partners around the globe to strengthen the LGBTIQ human rights movement, document and amplify human
“The three orders we are challenging today perpetuate false and longstanding stereotypes that Black people and other underrepresented groups lack skills, talent, and merit –willfully ignoring the discriminatory barriers that prevent a true meritocracy from flourishing,” Nelson continued. “We proudly stand with our clients and Lambda Legal against these unconstitutional orders and hope the court will act quickly so the arduous work of advancing and sustaining our multiracial democracy can continue without unlawful interference from the Trump administration.” t
a phone interview at the time. That being said, by December, Mandelman told the B.A.R. that “I would be very surprised at this point if that proposal went forward.” t
rights violations against LGBTIQ people, and advocate for inclusion and equality.
Founded in 1990, with staff in 20 countries, Outright works with civil society, the United Nations, regional human rights monitoring bodies, governments, humanitarian and development institutions, and corporate partners. Outright holds consultative status at the United Nations, where it serves as the secretariat of the UN LGBTI Core Group.
as EXPRESS YOUR LIFESTYLE, 140A LANGTON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed by MELVIN SAMUEL NIBBS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on N/A. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/28/2025. FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0405253
The following person(s) is/are doing business as RNR VENTURE, 41 CERVANTES BLVD, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed by LINDA REYNOLDS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/24/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/27/2024. FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0405500
The following person(s) is/are doing business as QUAYLE & COMPANY AWNINGS & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, 2380 BROADWAY, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 941151254. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed by MARKY LYNN QUAYLE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 06/02/1981. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/28/2025. FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2024-0405265 The following person(s) is/are doing business as FIREEYE SECURITY, 222 JUDSON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed by NATHAN UMALI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/27/2024. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/30/2024. FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0405479
The following person(s) is/are doing business as GGMSS, 3501 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed by GOLDEN GATE MOTOR SAFETY SERVICES (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/27/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/27/2025. FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0405533 The following person(s) is/are doing business as POST & PARCELS, PSP, 3450 SACRAMENTO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed by POST & PARCELS, INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact busi-
conducted by a limited liability corporation, and is signed by KELLY QUAN RESEARCH LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/28/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/28/2025. FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0405529 The following person(s) is/are doing business as SILVER OAK, 254 SWEENY ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134. This business is conducted by a limited liability corporation, and is signed by SILVER OAK LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/31/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/30/2025. FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2025
FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE 2025-0405525
The following person(s) is/are doing business as BOTTLE’S & BITES, 1799 UNION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by a limited liability corporation, and is signed by BOTTLE’S & BITES. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/31/2025. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/31/2025. FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2025
STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE 2021-0392490 The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as PEARL BAZAAR, 544 GRANT AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business was conducted by a general partnership and signed by KAMEE ROSE TONG & STEPHEN KI CHAN. The fictitious business name statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 02/10/2021. The abandonment of fictitious business name statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/15/2025. FEB 06, 13, 20, 27, 2025
STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE 2021-0395347 The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as TURNING HEADS COLLECTIVE, 520 HAMPSHIRE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business was conducted by a general partnership and signed by DIOANNA DEEM, JEANETTE AU & DARRON SESSION. The fictitious business name statement was filed with the City and County
for Probate has been filed by CHRISTINE SEGALE in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that CHRISTINE SEGALE be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: MARCH 5, 2025, 9:00 am, Dept. 204, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the later of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined by section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: ANNE STEELE (SBN 52956), 456 SAN MATEO AVE #8, SAN BRUNO, CA 94066; Ph. (650) 952-0950. FEB 13, 20, 27, 2025 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO CASE NUMBER CNC-25559559 To all interested persons, the Petitioner SANAZ HASHEMI filed a petition with this court for a decree changing names as follows:
Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund CEO Kevin Jennings spoke about the agency’s latest lawsuit during a February 20 Zoom call.
From Zoom
Oby Philip Mayard
ne of San Francisco Ballet’s newest principal dancers, Harrison James, may not be familiar to local audiences yet, but he’s no stranger to our city. Having grown up in a small coastal town north of Wellington, New Zealand, James started dancing at age five and in his mid-teens began serious training at the New Zealand School of Dance. His talent quickly emerged and within two years, he had secured a position in San Francisco Ballet’s pre-professional Trainee Program, from 2008-2010.
Since then, he’s performed on stages around the world, including with The National Ballet of Canada, where he was promoted to the rank of principal dancer in just three years. Last summer, it was announced that James, who identifies as gay, would return to San Francisco Ballet as a principal dancer while continuing to perform with National Ballet of Canada. We recently caught up with James on a rare day off at the height of both companies’ repertory seasons.
Philip Mayard: Welcome back to San Francisco! Are you off today?
Harrison James: Yes, today is our day off, which is much needed.
I bet! You danced this past Saturday, right? Yes, and I’m dancing Thursday, Friday, and Saturday this week as well.
That’s a lot. How are you managing your responsibilities as a principal dancer with both The National Ballet of Canada and San Francisco Ballet?
Dancing dual roles
by Brian Bromberger
Aas being criticized for the lack of Mexican talent both in front and behind the camera.
s we approach the 97th Academy Awards, rather than the usual celebration of cinema, this has been one of the mean-spirited pre-Oscar seasons in decades, resulting in a potentially volatile Oscar race in several major categories. The devastating Los Angeles wildfires cast a pall over the entire awards season, even postponing for six days the announcement of the nominations.
Most of the controversy has centered around “Emilia Perez,” the transgender musical released by Netflix. First, there were old social media posts written by it star Karla Sofia Gascon (the first trans actress to be nominated) with disparaging remarks on George Floyd, Islam, and even the 2021 Oscar ceremony. Although her chances of winning Best Actress were slim prior to these comments, her prospects now are nil.
Secondly, the film has been accused of trivializing the drug-related violence in Mexico as well
Finally, GLAAD said the movie was a step backward for trans representation, especially by its treatment of transitioning as a death. The main critique has been the film’s cisgender interpretation of trans people. Many, but not all, trans people dislike how the movie portrays transgender people.
There have also been attacks on “The Brutalist,” the epic period drama about a Hungarian Jewish Holocaust survivor emigrating to the U.S. It was revealed that artificial intelligence tools were used to make stars Adrian Brody and Felicity Jones’s accents sound more authentically Hungarian.
Finally, actress Fernanda Torres, star of the Brazilian film “I’m Still Here,” had to issue an apology for wearing blackface in a comedy sketch 17 years ago.
However, the “Emilia Perez” charges are the most serious. The film garnered 13 nominations. Most prognosticators feel with all the hullabaloo, it has virtually no chance of winning Best Picture.
However, it has also been nominated for Best International Feature Film, as is “I’m Still Here.” Thus, there’s a close race between these two films for that category.
Close race
The easiest category to predict is Best Supporting Actor. Kieran Culkin, as the damaged, free-spirited, unpredictable cousin visiting his Holocaust survivor grandmother’s childhood Polish home in “A Real Pain,” has won every precursor award (Golden Globe, BAFTA, Critic’s Choice).
The other nominees, Yura Borisov (as the sympathetic, love-stricken kidnapping hoodlum in “Anora,”), Guy Pearce (as the snobbish industrialist who funds the Holocaust survivor architect in “The Brutalist”), Edward Norton (as folksinger Pete Seeger in “A Complete Unknown”), and Jeremy Strong (as the malevolent closeted lawyer Roy Cohn, who mentors a young Donald Trump), all worthy, but simply don’t dominate their films in the way Culkin does. Culkin’s tour de force conveys the charac-
ter’s inner turmoil by balancing his obnoxiousness with poignant sadness. Only Strong comes close to stealing the movie from Sebastian Stan’s Donald Trump, so he would be likeliest to be a surprise win, but Culkin’s victory is a foregone conclusion.
Best and better
Intense criticism of “Emilia Perez” hasn’t stopped Zoe Saldana from winning the Golden Globes, Critic’s Choice, and BAFTA awards as Best Supporting Actress. In truth she has more screen time than Emilia Perez and one could argue is the star of the film. She undergoes as much change emotionally as does Emilia.
The only other nominee who commands the screen as much is Arianna Grande’s Glinda the Good witch in “Wicked.” Since so many more people have seen “Wicked” than “Emilia Perez” if a popular plebiscite were taken, Grande would easily win.
But she hasn’t won any major award, and along
See page 14 >>
WanTing Zhao and Harrison James in Wheeldon’s ‘After the Rain’
Harrison James returns to San Francisco Ballet
Colman Domingo (‘Sing Sing’) Karla Sofia Gascon (‘Emilia Perez’) Kieran Culkin (‘A Real Pain) Demi Moore (‘The Substance’)
Adrian Brody (‘The Brutalist’) Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande (‘Wicked’) Zoe Saldana (‘Emilia Perez’) Mikey Madison (‘Anora’)
‘Singing for Justice’
by Laura Moreno
The film “Singing for Justice” is a 60-minute documentary about the incredible life of Faith Petric (1915-2013), known as the godmother of the San Francisco folk music scene.
Affectionately dubbed a “Geritol gypsy,” Faith was a charismatic performer, political radical, worker, mother and grandmother who packed many lifetimes into her 98 years. In particular, she is recognized for the using the power of music to inspire social change by combining folk music and activism.
The February 22 San Francisco screening of the award-winning film at the Roxie will feature a live singalong and Q&A with co-directors, Stanford History Professor Estelle Freedman and award-winning filmmaker Christie Herring, and special guests.
As part of National Women’s History Month, “Singing for Justice” will be broadcast on PBS station KQED/San Francisco March 14 at 8pm, March 15 at 6pm, and March 31 at 11pm.
Faith Petric was born in a log cabin in Idaho. Unusual for her generation, she graduated from Whitman College in 1937. She also lived (platonically) with the renowned painter Morris Graves, worked as a shipfitter in New Jersey during WWII (a real-life Rosie the Riveter), moved to Mexico where she gave birth to her daughter,
Faith Petric, the godmother of the San Francisco folk music scene
marched for Civil Rights in Selma, visited Russia with a peace delegation, traveled the Amazon River, backpacked in Europe solo.
She also wrote a column called “The Folk Process” for “Sing Out!” Magazine until she was 96 years old. In her column, she often penned political rewrites of standard and folk tunes.
Faith performed throughout the U.S. and U.K. at folk festivals and cafes. For more than fifty years she had a powerful influence on several generations of musicians in conjunction with
Loren & Rose
by David-Elijah Nahmod
Jacqueline Bisset has been an international star for nearly six decades. Today, as she approaches 80, she remains radiantly beautiful. In her new
the San Francisco Folk Music Club’s bi-monthly musical jam sessions and singalongs at her Clayton Street home. Musicians like Bruce “Utah” Phillips, Jean Ritchie, and Judy Small were a part of the action.
Many locals fondly remember that at her 95th birthday at Berkeley’s Freight and Salvage in 2010 she performed, her voice as strong as ever.
More than a decade in the making, the documentary film has succeeded in capturing Faith Petric’s inspiring presence as well as the exciting atmo-
Perfect career cap for Jacqueline Bisset
film “Loren & Rose” she plays a role which seems to have been written for her, that of an aging film star looking to revitalize her sagging career. Rose Martin (Bisset) was once a huge star. Her breakout role, in 1972,
saw her playing a nun who has a sizzling affair with a Black priest. But since then, her career has faltered due to some personal scandals and a scathing tell-all book she wrote about Hollywood. As “Loren & Rose”
Music and Lyrics by Gaby Alter
Choreographed by Steph Paul
Directed by Pam MacKinnon
sphere in the Bay Area to which she greatly contributed.
The film had its world premiere this past October at the United Nations Association Film Festival and received recognition at several film festivals including B!tchFest Film Festival & Screenplay Contest.
“Faith’s lifelong commitment to political engagement and musical creativity – through both hard and joyous times – provides a model for us today,” said co-director Estelle Freedman. “Her ability to create musical
communities endures, with film audiences spontaneously singing together during the screenings!”
Co-director Christie Herring added, “I love watching the film with audiences after spending a great deal of time with the footage. I can hear people sing along, and the rooms are filled with hope. Faith’s life is a vital reminder of the joy inherent in the work for social change.”t
www.singingforjustice.com
begins, Rose is taking a lunch meeting with Loren (Kelly Blatz), a gay filmmaker who won awards for his short film about his mother’s death, which happened at the same time his ex-boyfriend cheated on him. Loren needs a star name in order to finance his first feature. Rose needs a good role in a good script.
The film is divided into three segments, Appetizer, Main Course and Dessert. Each segment focuses on the two leads as they engage in intimate luncheon conversations over the course of a few years. At the end of the first segment Rose is briefly seen working on Loren’s film, which gets her the best reviews she’s had in years. During the second segment she declines to appear in Loren’s second feature, but their friendship not only continues, it grows deeper.
“Loren & Rose” plays out a lot like the 1981 film “My Dinner With Andre,” as most of the film is nothing more than Loren and Rose sitting at their lunch table talking. Their conversations are deep and intimate. As they bond, the viewer learns a great deal about who they are and what makes them tick.
Bisset is of course the film’s main selling point. Her Rose is intense, a
woman who has had more than her fair share of ups and downs. Bisset knows Rose well and plays her beautifully. Blatz, as Loren, is not the strongest actor, but he manages to hold his own against his much more famous co-star. In a sense the two stars are playing themselves as Rose is world famous, while Loren is up-andcoming, just like Bisset and Blatz. Paul Sand, an actor who did a lot of television many years ago, is amusing as the restaurant host who has developed a friendship of sorts over the years. The two always greet each other warmly and are quite playful with each other.
Not much happens in “Loren & Rose” other than the two leads’ conversations with each other. This isn’t a film for everyone. But if you’re a Bisset fan and would like to see her give one more great performance, then “Loren & Rose” might be the film for you. Writer/director Russell Brown shows himself to be a promising filmmaker. It’ll be interesting to see what he comes up with next.t
‘Loren & Rose,’ 82 mins, streaming on Amazon Prime www.russellbrownfilmmaker.com
A MUSICAL
Book and Lyrics by Itamar Moses
Jacqueline Bisset in ‘Loren & Rose’ Prime
Left: Singer Faith Petric Right: Faith Petric, Bruce “Utah” Philips, and Pete Seeger (left to right) together at a 1990 concert in Salt Lake City
Do you think change is happening for LGBTQ people in the ballet world?
It is a lot! It’s my first time doing a season like this with two companies and nonstop shows. I have one more trip to Toronto this season. I’m not dancing in “Frankenstein” [at SF Ballet] so I’m headed to Toronto to do “Swan Lake.” Just an easy little break!
But my base is in San Francisco. I have a beautiful, sunny apartment, which I love, it’s my oasis. When I go back to Toronto, I stay with a close friend, since I built a solid base of support there over the past decade.
What initially drew you to San Francisco Ballet’s Trainee Program?
Originally, I was given a scholarship to the summer program at Jacob’s Pillow in Massachusetts. The director of my dance school in New Zealand said, “Well, if you’re going all the way over there, you might as well audition for the summer program at San Francisco Ballet.”
I got in, and ended up spending seven weeks in the U.S. From there, I was offered the traineeship at SF Ballet. It was an amazing opportunity, especially because they covered tuition, housing, and I got a small monthly stipend, which was the only way I could have attended, because I come from a larger family. My mom was raising four kids alone at the time.
What was it like moving to San Francisco at such a young age?
I absolutely fell in love with the city. My first weekend here was actually Pride weekend, and it was my first-ever Pride. As a “budding gay” at 17, it was so moving to experience that massive celebration of LGBTQ culture. Even today, just walking through the Castro, to see couples who have clearly spent a lifetime together, it just makes my heart sing.
Do you have any other memories from your time as a trainee at SF Ballet that stand out?
Walking the streets and the hills of San Francisco, everywhere you turn there is a vista. The city’s energy, the ocean air; it all felt a little like home since I’m from a harbor city in New Zealand. Also, getting to watch the company perform was so inspiring. I used my student badge to watch performances from “standing room” almost every night, and I was just starry-eyed at the dancers. I loved just soaking it all in.
You’ve been out for most of your career. How has that experience been for you in the ballet world?
While high school wasn’t always necessarily a safe space, the dance world has never judged me for my sexuality or being too effeminate. In fact, my femininity was often seen as an asset. However, ballet narratives are traditionally very straight, and there’s a reward system for being able to “play straight” on stage. That dynamic can be challenging for gay dancers. For some, the ballet world can reinforce that internal homophobia.
I do, but it’s slow. There is sometimes an expectation for dancers to represent the ballet field even when they aren’t working, on social media and out in the public. That’s the older framework and I think that’s changed a lot.
Personally, I’ve tried to use my social media to be unapologetically myself and proud of it. And there are other dancers and choreographers pushing the envelope. People like [American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancer] James Whiteside
and other gay dancers, who have also been great role models in that regard. We’re seeing more LGBTQ stories being told too, like Christopher Wheeldon’s new full-length ballet based on Oscar Wilde. That’s real progress.
This season SF Ballet is presenting the U.S. premiere of Artistic Director Tamara Rojo’s “Raymonda.” What has that been like?
It’s one of the hardest classical ballets I’ve ever done in my life! Tamara always wants to push the art form forward, so the dancing, from prin-
cipals to corps de ballet, is incredibly challenging. It really showcases the high level of skill that SF Ballet has across the company. Everyone is learning it together, which is a rare and exciting experience.
Have you had any role models in the ballet world?
Surprisingly, I’ve found so much allyship from straight male dancers. They face their own challenges, but even when I was an effeminate 10-year-old, straight male dancers have always been incredibly supportive and inclusive of me. That’s been a nice surprise.
What message would you want to share with young LGBTQ dancers?
That self-love is a journey, but it’s worth it. I’m in my thirties now, and I love myself in a way I never used to. I’m trying to be as out and proud as I can, and celebrate who I am. I hope young dancers can see how happy I am being myself and know that they can feel the same.t
Left: Harrison James Middle: Frances Chung and Harrison James in Stevenson’s ‘Three Preludes’ Right: Dores André and Harrison James in MacMillan’s ‘Manon’
All photos: Lindsey Rallo/San Francisco Ballet
‘Cuckoo Edible Magic’
by Jim Gladstone
“Cuckoo Edible Magic” is the most playful play in town. Now in a premiere production by SFBATCO at the Magic Theatre, local writer Reed Flores’ show has a bubbling-over hot pot of a plot, incorporating an unlikely mix of stoner humor, surreal sci-fi, and family drama.
Thanks to director Michele Talgarow and a cast of nine that gamely embraces the script’s wild swings between silliness and sentiment with the “Yes… and” attitude of improv comedy, it works.
Buddy comedy
A Bay Area picaresque, “Cuckoo Edible Magic” zips from the Mission District to Fremont with selfdescribed “dumbasses” Ren (Dom Refuerzo) and Mai (Nicole Apostol Bruno).
Under the influences of the titular edible, the doofy duo has convinced themselves that they must save the
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High time for comedy with SFBATCO at Magic Theatre
world from an alien attack that’s been heralded by evil anthropomorphic rice cookers and the mascots of Three Ladies Brand jasmine rice, who have come-to-life as a snap-crackleand-popping Asian Charlie’s Angels (Gwynnevere Cristobal, Julie Ku-
wabara, Amanda Le Nguyen).
One senses that edible consumption may have been a part of the playwriting process, not only helping Flores come up with wackadoodle riffs on video games, anime, and other staples of AAPI adolescence, but
Lady Camden’s life
by David-Elijah Nahmod
Lady Camden, real name Rex Wheeler, lets it all hang out in “Lady Like,” a new documentary from filmmaker Luke Willis. The British drag queen, who now lives in San Francisco, was the runner-up in season 14 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” And though he didn’t win, the “Drag Race” gig made Wheeler’s drag persona a star in the drag world. At one point in the film, while walking down the street, people stop to say things like “I love you!” One hysterical young woman poses for a selfie with Wheeler.
Wheeler got his name from Camden Town, the neighborhood in London where he grew up. When he goes home for a gig, he walks around the old hood, recalling a childhood that included being taunted by local bullies and by the suicide of his older brother Ollie, which affected him deeply. It’s quite moving to hear Wheeler talk about Ollie, who was an artist. He speaks about how the world lost color after Ollie died, and it becomes obvious that he’s still affected by his death
Oscars
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with Isabella Rossellini (as the fierce nun overseeing the cardinal’s accommodation at the Vatican while they pick a new pope), Felicity Jones (as the journalist, Holocaust survivor wife of the main character), and Monica Barbaro (as folksinger Joan Baez who puts Bob Dylan’s ego in its place) will have to be satisfied with their nominations, as the well-liked, much respected Saldana receives her Oscar.
Acting arena
The Best Actor race is between Adrian Brody’s Laszlo Toth, a Hungarian Jewish Holocaust survivor who emigrates to America to pursue his dream of becoming an architect in “The Brutalist.” Timothy Chalamet’s Bob Dylan tracks his folk singing career in early 1960s Greenwich Village
two decades later.
Wheeler began his performing career in the ballet, dancing with Sacramento Ballet for five years before joining Smuin Ballet in San Francisco.
He loves ballet. It was a liberating experience that enabled him to start to let go of the pain he was still feeling about having been bullied. But the drag world called out to him. He had to make a change.
“Drag has me on fire,” Wheeler says in the film.
The camera follows as Lady Camden attends a “Drag Race” watch party at a bar in Sacramento, where members of Sacramento Ballet come to cheer her on. There are also watch parties at Beaux here in San Francisco, where the crowd’s enthusiasm for her grows.
One of the more moving interludes in the film deals with Wheeler’s relationship with his parents. His dad, who was living in Kenya when the documentary was shot, is distant, coming across like he’s trying to avoid “Drag Race” at all costs.
But mom is a different story. Mom,
in “A Complete Unknown.”
However, like Culkin, Brody has won every precursor award, except the SAG award which went to Chalamet. Brody’s Laszlo is a very showy, emotional role and also a tribute to the American immigrant experience.
Ralph Fiennes as the dean of the college of cardinals in charge of electing a new Pope in “The Conclave,” gay Colman Domingo’s Divine G, the star playwright and actor at a small theater group in a prison correctional facility in “Sing Sing,” and Stan’s Trump trying to set himself up as a real estate tycoon in 1970s/1980s New York, are all marvelous performances worthy of Oscar recognition.
However, Brody is so electrifying as Laszlo that any other actor in that role is inconceivable, so it is very likely he will win his second Oscar (the first was for another Polish Jewish Holocaust
also easing his access to more tender aspects of his characters.
Ren’s mother passed away when he was a child and he’s grown increasingly disconnected from his father (Rudy Guerrero, who plays four supporting characters with sharp distinction).
Mai, who is nonbinary, is terrified of rejection and is reflexively defensive around their restaurant-owner parents, who have difficulty articulating their fundamental support.
Tone shifts
As Flores develops his script further, he may want to figure out ways to move more smoothly between goofball comedy and earnest angst. Currently, these shifts happen abruptly; and because the play leans harder into humor overall, the more emotional dialogue has a tendency to feel maudlin.
Still, Flores beautifully expresses some pithy truths, repeatedly noting the difficulty in “knowing you need to be something for someone, but not knowing how.”
Revealing documentary about the drag performer
who totally accepts her son for who he is, takes the time to travel to the US to sit in the audience for the finale of “Drag Race.” In one laugh-out-loud moment, Camden’s drag mother explains to an amused mom what power tops and power bottoms are.
The film includes flashbacks to
survivor in “The Pianist” 22 years ago).
The Best Actress category is the real nailbiter of this Oscar season.
Karla Sophia Gascon will definitely not win. Demi Moore’s fading celebrity, Elisabeth Sparkle, who after being fired by her producer for being too old, uses an experimental black-market drug to create a younger version of herself with unexpected side effects, has won every precursor award except BAFTA.
Along with a Golden Globe Award, Mikey Madison’s stripper who weds the son of a rich Russian oligarch in Anora” won the BAFTA.
Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba – born with green skin, she becomes Oz’s Wicked Witch of the West in “Wicked” – while similar to Grande’s Glinda, might win in a popular contest, has virtually no chance.
The dark horse could well be Fernanda Torres’s Eunice Paiva, a wife/mother coping with the forced disappearance of her dissident politician husband during Brazil’s military dictatorship in “I’m Still Here.” She was the shocking winner at the Golden Globes (in the drama category versus Moore’s win in the comedy/musical division) which caused Academy voters to watch the film. It was so loved it became one of the ten nominees for Best Picture as well as Best International Feature Film. It’s my personal favorite of the five nominees.
Also countering some of the show’s rough tonal transitions is a remarkable performance by Paula Vercudia as Mai’s mother, Lin. Through delicately modulated vocal tones and facial expressions, she brings an emotional depth and roundness to her character that enrich and sometimes transcend the script.
Director Talgarow recently helmed Shotgun Players’ excellent “Thirty Six,” a sleek production that felt precisely controlled from moment to moment. Her ability to shift to the loose-limbed, unpolished rambunctiousness demanded by “Cuckoo Edible Magic” shows remarkable versatility and a keen sense of service to the needs of each play.
For audiences, this particular play may well meet some needs of the moment. Its looseness, levity and gonzo creativity are a tonic. It’s sincerely funny.t
‘Cuckoo Edible Magic,’ through March 8. $20-$60. Magic Theatre, 2 Marina Blvd. www.sfbatco.com
Wheeler’s childhood, where a young Rex (played by Shiloh Brody-Clarke) is seen surrounded by his tormentors. The younger Rex co-exists with the adult Lady Camden, trying to get into a club where his older self is performing, only to be turned away because he’s underage. There’s also
Surprise wins?
Only two women in 96 years have ever won for a foreign language role. Torres has a lovely backstage narrative in that she is only the second Brazilian actress to be nominated for an Oscar, following her mother Fernanda Montenegro in “Central Station.” If there was a split vote between Moore and Madison, Torres could squeak through with a win that would be headline news in Brazil.
But it’s probably a race between Moore and Madison. Moore gave a fantastic Golden Globes acceptance speech about being a “popcorn actress” who doesn’t win awards. She also has a great comeback role after not have any starring movie parts for 20 years.
Hollywood loves to celebrate rebounds after kicking you down, a main reason Brendan Fraser won Best Actor two years ago for “The Whale.” However, “The Substance,” with all its satirical elements ribbing societal pressures on women’s bodies and aging, is basically a horror film, especially in its second half, where Moore becomes almost a supporting character.
Contrarily, Madison gets to play three versions of her character: the brassy, carefree, fun-addicted prostitute landing a rich husband, then as a scared fugitive trying to escape from the Mafia-like henchman hired by her husband’s family to
an unnecessary animated framing device, narrated by “Drag Race” alum Nina West, which explains how “Drag Race” works, something viewers of a film like this most likely already know. There’s plenty of footage of Camden working with her designers and managers to create the beautifully flamboyant costumes. Perhaps the film’s loveliest interlude is a sequence in which Lady Camden dances ballet in full drag and heels (in the Green room of the War Memorial Arts Center). There’s no question that she’s extraordinarily talented and excels in both of the art forms.
“Lady Like” ultimately stands as a powerful portrait of a queen who isn’t afraid to let the world see who he is underneath all of the makeup. Unafraid to show his vulnerabilities, this is what has endeared Lady Camden to drag fans everywhere.t
‘Lady Like,’ 88 minutes, streaming on Amazon Prime, Google Play, Fandango at Home and Apple TV. www.ladylikemovie.com www.ladycamden.com
end the marriage, and finally the upset Anora realizing her mistakes.
Along with Torres, it’s the outstanding female performance of the year. She also won most of the film critic’s prizes last year. It’s an incredibly close contest. Although I would be thrilled if Torres won, with the Academy’s predilection to reward young actresses in this category, I think Mickey Madison will be the one bringing Oscar home, but Moore’s stirring return from Hollywood No (Wo)Man’s Land could propel her to triumph.
Because no director stood out this year, it’s probable whoever directs the Best Picture winner will be standing on stage with the Oscar. “Dune: Part Two,” “A Complete Unknown,” “Nickel Boys,” “I’m Still Here,” “The Substance,” and “Wicked,” haven’t won any previous Best Film awards. The popularity and crowd appeal of “Wicked” or “A Complete Unknown” could potentially cause an upset, but despite their merits, none of these films are real contenders.
Although it could be very close, I’m semi-confident “Anora” and its visionary director Sean Baker will prevail, winning their well-deserved Oscars. But a surprise victory by “Conclave” as the compromise choice is entirely possible.t
For Technical Oscar predictions, and several trailers, see the full article on www.ebar.com.
Dom Refuerzo and Nicole Apostol Bruno in ‘Cuckoo Edible Magic’
Alexa “LexMex” Treviño/SFBATCO
Rex Wheeler/Lady Camden in ‘Lady Like’
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Under the disco ball
by Gregg Shapiro
Has there ever been a musical genre more deserving of a glorious coffee table book than disco? In his new book “Disco: Music, Movies, and Mania Under the Disco Ball” (Rizzoli, 2024), gay writer Frank DeCaro answers that question with this stunning portrait of the cultural phenomenon that was central to lives of so many, including the LGBTQ community.
DeCaro deftly explores disco’s influence which still resonates strongly today. Covering every imaginable
Frank DeCaro’s book documents the glittery, glamorous gay music era
aspect of the musical style, DeCaro respectfully and affectionately provides readers with a history lesson as informative as it is entertaining, from fashion to film, from venues to the wide variety of performers, from dance steps to missteps, from devotion to backlash.
Gregg Shapiro: Why was now the time to write your book “Disco: Music, Movies, and Mania Under The Disco Ball”?
Frank DeCaro: I began thinking about writing “Disco” as soon as I finished my 2019 book, “Drag: Comb-
Going out
Take a chance on stimulating arts events, nightlife revels (like the gents generously tipping a dancer at Beaux; see photo), or quiet outdoor journeys as well. It’s midwinter, so wear a hat. Does anyone still wear a hat?
ing Through the Big Wigs of Show Business.” During interviews to promote that book, people said I was shining a light on something that deserved more respect than it had ever gotten before. That got me thinking –what else do I love that deserves to be taken more seriously and deserves to be given its flowers?
I decided that I wanted to tell the story of disco because the music seemed to be in the DNA of all the dance-pop we were hearing and continue to hear on the radio. Disco was having a revival moment, one that really ramped up during the COVID
lockdown. We weren’t going out, but we turned to upbeat music to get ourselves through those lonely days.
“I Feel Love” was the 2019 Christmas song for Target, “I Will Survive” and other songs were on commercials. We were all listening to disco at home. Sophie Ellis Bextor, the “Murder on the Dancefloor” singer, began doing “Kitchen Disco” streams on social media. It was all just bubbling up again, the way it did during the AIDS crisis in the late eighties and early nineties. Disco was there for us then. When I watched the Bee Gees documentary “How Do You Mend a Broken Heart,”
I knew I had to tell disco’s story from a queer pop culture perspective. One man in the film described “Disco Demolition Night,” that awful radio promotion event in 1979 in Chicago when records by black artists were blown up, as a “racist, homophobic book burning.”
I knew I had to do this book. Disco wasn’t just a fun pop culture era –although I do celebrate that in the book – but it was also a watershed moment for people of color, strong women, and the queer community. Disco was largely made by, consumed by, and enjoyed by members of those groups. That side of the disco story needed to be told.
How long did it take from start to finish?
My entire life [laughs] – but really the last five years! It really is a sort of one-man-band project when you do a book like this. First, you’re a salesman trying to sell a book proposal to a publisher, then you’re the researcher, then the writer of the manuscript, then the editor. Once you’ve gotten the words down, you become the photo editor, then you play lawyer securing rights to those photos.
When the book comes out, you become the chief publicist and social media coordinator, then you’re the talent hawking it on TV. You certainly have help along the way, but you really do have to do a lot of it yourself.
At this point, I’ve been living in a disco wonderland for years, but I’m
not complaining. It’s a dream job. I love the music and the people and the entire ethos of the “Just Say Yes” disco era, and I’m always happy to go down a disco rabbit hole and learn more about the subject.
What was involved in your selection process for the interview subjects you included?
I started with people I knew like Felipe Rose and David Hodo, my two favorites of the original Village People. Felipe put me in touch with his friend Gloria Gaynor. Then, an acquaintance said, “You know I’m friends with Cory Daye of Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band,” and then she and I did an interview that went so well we became friends. One person led me to another. As I say in the book – and RuPaul likes to say – it takes a village, people.
Was there a dream interview subject that you were unable to get for the book?
I would have liked to talk to the Bee Gees. Barry Gibb is still around, but I couldn’t reach him, and his brothers are gone. Sylvester has been gone so long, but I would have liked to have talked to him. I did see the Bee Gees and Sylvester live back in the day, which helped in writing the book. One dream interview that did happen was with Donna Summer. I had lunch with her in 1999 and the great bulk of what we discussed was never published before this book. At first, I couldn’t find any notes. But after much searching in my archives, I found two microcassettes of my interview with her.
I digitized those and transcribed them, and it turned out to be quite a wonderful interview if I say so myself. It really ends the book beautifully. She remains the Queen of Disco – even if Sylvester did think he was the Queen of Disco and not her – so it was appropriate that my interview with her is the book’s “finale,” if you will.
I’m glad you included “Must-Hear Disco Playlists,” ranging from 1970 to 2024. If you had to pick one song from those lists that you would consider to be the most must-heard, what would it be?
The greatest disco song is “I Feel Love” by Donna Summer. The story of how it came to be that the cowriter and coproducer Pete Bellotte tells in the book gives me goosebumps every time I think of it. That song still sounds like the future almost fifty years after it was recorded.t
Read the full interview on www.ebar.com.
Frank DeCaro’s ‘Disco: Music, Movies, and Mania Under the Disco Ball’ Rizzoli, $55, hardcover 240 pages. www.rizzoliusa.com www.frankdecaro.com
Joshua J Cook
Frank DeCaro
Erica Berger
Subjects in ‘Disco: Music, Movies, and Mania Under the Disco Ball’ include Gloria Gaynor and Village People.
